not admyt the scripture to be iudge but referre al thynges to theyr interpretation and spiritee Is not this an hygh blasphemie that a sinnefull man shoulde presume to sete hym selfe iudge ouer the word and wyl of god asthough he ought not to bee obedient vnto it excepte he were moued with his owne spiritee and mocion to reiecte or receiue it I harde ones a papiste doctour openly in a disputaciō saie that we whiche teache the gospell dooe teache the truthe and dyd alowe our teachynge veary well but that he coulde not nor durste subscribe vnto it exrepte our teachynge were adprobated and alowed by the bisshoppe of Rome Beholde my Symon what abhominacion is this that a mortall man shulde take vpon hym to adprobate alowe the diuine and heauenly veritee and set hym selfe iudge ouer god Therfore haue I put this conclusion in the forefront because that the Anababtistes doe for y ◠moste parte boast and aduaunce their spirite vnder such pretence deceiuyng the simple and rude people Symon Doeth not Paule teache this that the letter doeth kylle and the spirit viuifieth or doeth quieken ii Corin. iii And Christe doeth saie Ioan. xiiii The spirite shall teache you all truthe It is spoken by the lorde also Hieremy xxxi Euery man shall teache no more his neyghbour saiyng knowe thou the lorde but all shall knowe hym from the lowest to the hyghest Finally Iohn dooeth saie It is no neede that euery man dooe teache you but as the vnction teacheth you of all thinges whiche is true and is no lye What canst thou saye agaynst so manyfeste scriptures Ioiada To the woordes of Paule I aunsweare thus That Paul speaketh there of the lawe whyche kylleth vs as he dooeth declare more apertly in the .vii. chap. to the Romains And by the spirit he vnderstondeth faith and the consolacion or comforte of the gospell That it is so the texte of the whole chapter dooeth testifie Therefore this place helpeth nothyng your errour For whan we speake of the woorde of god we dooe not vnderstonde the bare and deade letter or voyde sonnde of it but the word well and truely vnderstonded and as it is in veary dede And as for that that Chryste dooeth promesse a spyrite vnto his dysciples teachynge them all thynges wee dooe admytte and beleue it But that spyrite can not bee contrarye to Chryste nor teacheth any other thyng than Chryst hath taught Therfore doeth he adde by and by teachyng you what so euer I haue saied vnto you What dooe these thynges perteyne to the spirite of the Anababtistes whiche teacheth contrary thynges to the spirite of Christe The prophecies of Ioel and Hieremye are vnderstonded of that same spirite that Christe dooeth bothe promesse and geue to his disciples as it is euidently sene in the seconde chapiter of the Actes and the eyght to the Hebrues Iohn in his epistell whan he speaketh of the vnctyon dooeth playnely expounde hym selfe saiynge I haue written vnto you that ye bee not deceyued or that ye dooe not suffer your selues to be brought in to errour whyche thyng will then come to passe if ye dooe stedfastely abyde in the doctrine of the spirite whiche ye haue harde at the begynnynge and swarue not at all from it The holy ghoste is the spirite of truthe which canne neither lye nor repugne against hym selfe beyng all waies constaunte vnchaungeable euery where lyke vnto hym selfe Now no man can denaye but that the same euerlastyng vnchaungeable and holy spirite hath inspyred the holy scriptures in to holy mens hertes and myndes Whereby it foloweth necessarily that the same spirite which speaketh agaynste the meanyng of the spirite that dooeth speake and expresse hym selfe in the diuine scriptures is not of god but rather an humaine mayne affection whyche if it bee styffe maie bee deseruyngly called a deauelysshe spyryte as Chryste dooeth proue agaynste the Iues. Iohn viii Or canst thou thynke in thy mynde that spirite to bee good whiche contemneth the cleare manyfeste pure and holy scriptures and when by them he is conuicted of errour doeth boste an other spirite whiche shoulde teache cleane cōtrary thinges Is not this to despise y ◠spirite of y ◠scriptures and to repugne against hym As though our spirit meaneth truely and the spirit of the scriptures most falsely Where haue the Anababtistes learned to set their spirit against y ◠scriptures yea and preferre hym to the holy worde of god Symon But who hath geuen you this libertee to iudge al thynges after the litterall sence or letter Ioiada That we dooe not as thou doest interprete the letter But we saie that the worde of god conteined in the scriptures of the Bible is a touche stone wherby spirites are tried For what spirite so euer doeth agree with the scriptures is of god the father of truthe And agayne what spirite so euer is contrary to the holy scriptures is of the dyuelle the father of lyes Seyng therfore that the spyrite of the Anababtistes wil not bee ruled by the holy scriptures but preferreth hym selfe to the woorde of god callynge by crafte the woorde of god a bare letterre yea and sette set him selfe iudge ouer it he cānot be of god For if he were of god he would come to light and speake that same thyng that the holy ghost doeth speake in al the holy scriptures But now sith y t he doeth not depende of the scriptures but will be at his own lybertie it is a token that it is a craft and subtiltie of the deuell whiche doeth alwayes scatter repugne against god Sy. Thou speakest these thynges mightily and stronglye but withoute the word of god And this is your familier custome to speake many thinges without scriptures As touching the spirite what he techeth I haue brought and alledged places and testimonies oute of the scriptures But that the spirit ought to be tried by scriptures or rather mācipated and bounde vnto them and not be at his own libertie it is thy parte for to proue Or peraduenture thou dost prefer the creature vnto the creatour Ioi What and yf I should say also My spirite hath taught me this thyng What couldest thou do or say vnto me Sym. But that is not to aunswere Ioi Nor ye do not answere sufficiently when ye bost your spirite without or agaynst the scriptures But in this thīg we do learne that whan it pleaseth you ye vse the scriptures agayne whan ye see to be expede ent ye boaste aud aduance your spirit Whan I affirme that the spirite must be tried by the scriptures I doe not mancipate nor subdue the creatour vnto y ◠creature but I will that the thynge whiche is vncertaine be tryed proued by y t which is certaine and that any spirit be tried by the holy spirit of god that is to saie by the scriptures whether he agreeth with hym self or not And if he be like euery where vnto him self to be receiued if not to be refused
reiected as false deceitful But whan ye speake of the spirite ye doe vnderstond a bare creature For your spirit is not the holy ghost but a carnall affection Sy. Ye dooe yet without any scriptures of the Bible enhaunce and magnifie the letter Io. Not so but rather we here ground ourselues bothe vpon y e scriptures of god and vpon examples Sy. Shew therfore y t the truthe muste be tryed by the scriptures not rather w t a fre spirit without scriptures Io. By thy wordes doe I perceine what thinge doeth begile you that is y t ye do seuer these .ii. thinges beyng vnited inuisebly knitted together y t is to saie the spirite the scriptures which can nor ought to be separated asunder the one from y e other For whē we name y e scriptures we doe vnderstande y e expressed worde of y t spirit For as y e voice or sound of y e worde can in no wise be separated from y e lyuely breth of y e liuing creature So y e scriptures can not be diuided from y e spirit y t inspireth thē for y e scripture is y e expressed wil of god but now wil I bryng y e testimonies places w t thou requirest our lord Iesu Christ vnto whom y e heuēly father did geue witnes from heuen who hath receiued the holy ghost after no measure did not despise y e sciptures in so muche that he dyd corroborate all his saiynges by them onely and did commaund that the Iewes should trye both his woordes and factes by the scriptures Ihon. v. and Luke xvi He biddeth them to lyfte vp their eyes to Moyses the prophetes and not to apparaunte spirites He reprouyng also the Saduceis did shewe that this was the cause of their errour be cause that they were ignoraunt in scriptures or neglected them Mark .xii. The Apostles as we may vnderstand by the booke of the Actes did receiue abundātly in the beginyng the holy gost that by a sertaine visible tokē And yet not withstandyng did thei not therfore forsake or contēne y e scriptures nor boste their spirite against thē But rather did proue strengthen all their sermons with the worde of god preachyng nothyng els but the pure and playne scriptures These thynges are euydently proued by the epistels of Peter Iohn doeth plainely shewe and teache that the spirites owght to be tried whether thei bee of god or not .i. Io. iiii Wherby it is euydent enowgh that spirites owght to be tried and that thei be not so free as the Anahabtistes will haue them And how thei muste bee proued it is manifestly declared in y t place Paule whiche was rauisshed in to the thyrde heauen and dyd learne his gospel of Iesu Christ beyng hym selfe the chosen vessel of god full of the holy ghost and heauenly wisedome neuer the lesse before the kyng Agrippa he doeth testify that he dyd teache nothyng beside Moises and the prophetes Act. xxvi In the epistell to the Galathians y e first chapter he saieth thus if I or an angel of heauen shulde preach vnto you any other thīg then ye haue harde let it be anathema or acursed He also warnyng and teachyng Tymothe that be shoulde beware of false and erroneous doctrines dyd directe and sende hym to the redyng of scriptures But reade thou the iii. chapiter of the seconde epistell to Tymothe and it shall appere what we owght to iudge and thynke of the Anababtistes secte what of the spirite and of the scriptures Sy. That place is knowen well enowghe and I am almost persuaded But this vexed my mynde that Paule saieth that a spirituall man iudgeth all thynges but he is iudged of no body Ioiada I longe to knowe of the of what spirite Paule doeth speake there Symon But I haue leauer to heare it of the Ioiada Considre the woordes y t go before For he saieth thus We haue not receiued the spirit of the world but the spirit whiche is of god that we may know what thynges haue ben geuen vnto vs by Chryst Symon But to what purpose did Paul speke here of the holy ghost Ioiada I aske of the wheather y t same selfe spirite dyd not inspyre the scriptures Symon Truely that same selfe spirite Ioiada Seyng therfore that it is all one and bothe the same spirite that Paule speaketh of here and that whiche speaketh in the scriptures haue I not proued that Paule by a spirituall man did not vnderstond hym which boasteth I can not tell what spirite despisyng in the meane season the scriptures but suche a spirituall man as is and will be ruled and gouerned by the holy ghost that waie that he sheweth and expresseth hym selfe in the holy scriptures He therfore that striueth againste the holy scripture and inspiracyon of the holy ghost can not bee that spirituall man whome Paule doeth speke of Now if he be not spirituall he can not iudge but he muste be iudged The Anababtistes therfore can iudge nothyng but ought to bee iudged and tryed by the worde of god Hathe not here the spirite of the Anababtistes lost bothe his win ges But I do remembre other ii places whiche dooe vtterly stoppe the mouthes of the Catababtistes The first is in the .x. chapiter of the Actes touchyng Cornelius the centurion which although he was elected by god yet not withstandyng beyng so tawght by the angell did sende messangers to fetche Peter y t he migh heare by hym the preachīg of our sauiour Iesu christ If that the spirite should disanulle and abolisshe the scriptures it shulde folow y t this outwarde preachyng and such like thinges wer done in vaine The other is in the .xvi. chapiter concernyng the Thessaloniens whiche after that thei had harde the preachyng of Paule dyd daily seke and serche the scriptures to knowe wheather Paule dyd teache true or not Which thing thei wolde not haue done if the spirites shoulde not be tried by the scriptures wherefore what so euer the Anababtistes dooe teache concernyng this thynge is false and erroneous and not vnlike vnto the errour of Montanus Sym. What monstruous thyng is y t Ioiada This Montanus about .xiii. hundred yeres a go was a great heretike who did almost speake of the spirite as the Anababtistes dooe For thei do cal in again the old abolisshed errours as it shall appere hereafter Sym. Go forth I praie y e and let vs discusse the argumentes of the second conclusion For I can not beleue that none of the saynttes whiche thyng thou doest affirme stifly did thruste them selues into the office of common preachers excepte thei were called What other thyng is this but as the bisshop of Rome hath done in times paste to hyde the truthe frome the commons that none saue onely thei that are learned dare speake and talke of it Where as not withstandynge god did manifest him self to the littell ones and not to the wise Mathew xi Ioiada I will doe it
euer calleth vpon the name of the lorde shal be saued But how can thei call vpon hym in whome they haue not belued and how shal thei beleue in hym of whom thei haue not harde And how can they heare without a preacher And agayne how shal thei prea the except thei be sent By these wordes of Paule we maie perceiue that sendyng is veary necessary whiche doeth not equally pertaine vnto all men For Paule .i. Corin. xii saieth that there be many giftes And eauen as the body is one thynge and hath many lymmes which lymmes though thei belong all to one body yet neuerthelesse haue not all owne offyce in the body so it is in the churche and misticall body of Chryste God dyd putte and ordeyne some in the churche to be apostels some to bee prophetes and interpretours of scriptures some to bee teachers some to bee potestates and rulers summe to haue the giftes of healynge summe to minister to the poore summe to gouerne and summe agayne to haue the knowledge of tonges If so bee that the offyce of teachyng shulde equally perteine vnto al men Paul would haue sayed that god hadde ordeyned all to bee prophettes and teachers but he sayeth he hathe ordeyned summe to bee apostels c. Why dare then the Anababtistes presume so much as for to set them selues forthe by their own autoritee to preache to teach againste the doctrine of Paule Hebrues .v. No man saieth he doeth vsurpe or presumptuousli take that honor vnto hym selfe but he which is called by god as Aarō so christ did not glorifie hym selfe to bee made bisshoppe but he that saied vnto hym Thou art my sonne and to daye haue I begotten the. And in an other place Thou arte a priest for euer after the order of Melchysedecke After this maner dooeth Iohn Babtiste testifye of the mission and sendynge of Chryste in the fyrste and thyrde chapiter of Iohn And of his owne sendyng doeth he hym selfe speake in the .i. cha of Iohn saiynge There was a man sente by god whose name was Iohn when he was also asked by what authoritee he did teache and babtize he did bryng forthe out of Esaie and Malachie a testimony and witnesse of his mission and sendyng So the Apostelles were bothe called and sent as it appeareth by the x. and .xxviii. of Mathew by y ◠last of Mar. and .xx. of Io. Paule doeth testifie in y ◠begynnyng of his epistels and specially in the epistell to y ◠Galathiās that he was called In the .xiii. of the Act. he with Barnabas is segregated by the holy ghost and sent to preache In Moises also in all the prophetes their mission and sendyng is manifested But agaynst them that dooe renne beyng not called and without sendyng doe preache in the .xxiii. of Hieremy the lorde speaketh thus Thei did renne but I sent them not Therfore I do thynke that this conclusion is sufficiently proued and that it is manifeste enough that the Anababristes dooe not in this thyng behaue them selues wel and godly whiche thowgh thei be not called doingerate and thrust them selues in to the office of preachers Which thyng as we doe reade was neuer done by none of the Saintes Symon All this that thou hast brought dooeth nothyng agaynste the Anababtistes For thei saie that thei bee sent by the father and by the holy ghost Ioiada To what thing or for what pourpose Symo◠To teache the truthe to preache of god and to rebuke synne Ioiada It is proued before as thou thy selfe haste graunted that we dooe the same thynge in those places where the gospell is preached What neede haue we then of this mission and sendynge of the Anababtistes To these places where the gospell is preached god dooeth not sende men to plante and set errours to moue sedicion and to teache contrary doctrine to the truthe to separat and make diuision in the churche But the Anababtistes dooe all these thynges therfore they bee not sente by god For god is not the god of dyssencion but of peace and concorde .i. Corin. xiiii Symon Thei saie alwaies that they bee sente of god Ioiada Thei doe saie so in dede but not truely For Sathan can transforme and transfigurate hym selfe into an angell of light ii Corin .xi. but he is not therfore a good aungell Symon Is it not written in the iix cha of Iohn that he which is of god speaketh the woorde of god the Anababtistes dooe preache the worde of god therfore they bee sent of god Ioiada Arrius dyd preache the worde of god That is to saye the father is greaterthan I am ergo he was sent by god Symon Not so Ioiada Is not this the worde of god the father is greatterthan I am Symon He dyd preache the worde of god beyng falsely vnderstonded wrethyng and wrastynge the scriptures ergo he was not sent of god Ioiada The Anababtistes dooe the same the refore they bee not sent by god though they dooe neuer so muche boast and crake that thei doe preache the truthe and worde of god Which thing all the heretikes dyd before and Sathan also dooeth vsurpe the worde of god Mathew .iiii. but it foloweth not that he is sent by god That saiynge whyche thou hast brought out of the .iii. chapiter of Iohn perteyneth onely to Chryste who because y ◠he was come frome god hath perfite knowlage of diuine and heauenly thynges Which thing Iohn Babtiste goeth about to proue to his disciples Symon The Anababtistes doe saie that ye doe deprauate the scriptures Ioiada It skylleth not what they saie whyche are nothynge shamed to lye as it shall manyfestly appere hereafter For sythe that by this authoritee taken out of the. iii chapiter of Iohn and applied to Chryste alone thei adscribe vnto them selues that which belongeth to Chryste onely who dooeth not perceiue and see that thei be enemies of the truthe We know what sklanderous wordes thei doe vomite out and speake agaynste vs callyng vs theues robbers Antichristes false prophetes and seductors We doe impute this to the weakenesse of the flesshe and forbeare for Chrystes sake We might cleare our selues if nede were proue that thei doe beelye vs. But so thei haue nede to proue y ◠thei be sent of god by other thinges thē by sklanderous wordes and railinges Sy. I can not saie none other but that I haue harde them saie that thei are sent of god Ioiada No doubt there is but that thei be ignoraunt and know not whiche waie god doeth call what are the tokens and signes of vocacion and sendyng For thei that are called sent of god are manifested by certaine tokens and signes whiche doe folow that it maie appeare that thei be truely called and sent either by miracles or by manifest vocacion and sendynge but specially by dexteritee or aptenesse integreted of lyfe constauncy and stedfastnesse erudicion and learnynge woorthy suche sendynge and vocacion Symon what and if ye dooe faine all this
ye come reÌ„ning by troppes neither warninges nor praiers nor rebukes can auaile among you And whan ye be come into y â— botomles pit of miserie or myschef ye put y e faulte in the ouerseers which do geue you warnyng before w t great fidelitie trothe Whose admonitions if ye would here or rather gyue eares to y e word of god preched vnto you setforth by theÌ„ ye might liue pesibly seiÌ„g therfore y t ye cast yourselues through your onefoli iÌ„to such perplexites ye haue no caus to iÌ„pute it to y â— faithfull sheapherdes whiche warned you befor to beware of such thiÌ„gs exhorting you to peace charite coÌ„cord but to your ouÌ„e selues Sy. I haue said y â— which I do thiÌ„ke yet y â— ther was neuer a more troblous world who so euer ar y e autors of it Io. wilt thou know what y e mattier is this thiÌ„g do stirre vp sedition and timulltie y â— ye do make euery rascal knaue minister of gods word and that without any descretion Besyde this thou shewest thiselfe vtterlie ignoraunte in histories and vnexperte of wordely thynges which doest scarsely knowe the actes of one age nor doeiste not coÌ„sider farther than is at hand If thou haddest redde the hollie gospelles actes of the Apostelles thou shouldest haue founde greuouser dissentions whiche did rise of the sermons of Christ and of his apostelles Finallie that histories are full of tumultes which dyd spryng in tymes paste of the false oppinions of Marcion Valentinus Arrius Nestorius Enriches Donatus Pelagius and other heretikes Ther were great tumultes and rebellions not onely of cities townes but also of whole realmes which wer so great y t ours owght not to be compared with them Did not bothe christ himselfe and his apostels gyue warnyng before that sectes should aryse Not because that for theÌ„ we should be amasyd or despair vtterly but because that wee should y e more dilygently watch against suche pestiferous sectes not onely to auoyde and shunne them but to resiste also Paule doeth apertely saye Corin. ii that sectes muste be that thei which ar faithful maye be knowen For euen as a sieue doeth not lise the corne but clensithe from chaffe and darnell so the wheate of faithfull men doeth not perishe by false doctrines but is tryed the duste and chaffe beeng sifted out Ihon saieth Thei weÌ„t out from vs but they ware not of vs for if thei had beÌ„ of vs they trulie shoulde had remayned w t vs. Therfor we haue nede of coÌ„staunce fortitude or strenght nor we ought not inâ—oÌ„tineÌ„tly to forsake the sterne but resist corageously y â— waues and stormes This coÌ„staÌ„cy perseueraunce in the teÌ„peste is a token that wee are not light but haue beleued stedfastly and wel Tentations are signes or proues of faith and of y e truth and do manifest shew how farre we haue beleued to y e true veritee Sy. Thy meaning is good Seinge therfore y t thou shewest thyselfe so frendly toward me that we haue begoÌ„e ones to commone of these thiÌ„ges I wil opeÌ„ my whol mid vnto y e coÌ„fering many and sondry thinges w t the touching Catababtisme or oppinioÌ„s of y â— Anababtistes if so be y â— thou hast time leasyr to heare me Ioiada I wil gladly obey the and folow thy mynd If thou hast any thiÌ„g bring it forth iÌ„ gods name Sy I do meruell if ther is no good thing in the doctrine and oppinions of the Anababtistes For vnto me it semeth much otherwyse y t is to say y â— ther be many thinges strongly grounded vpoÌ„ the scriptures Ioiada This is all the good that is in it that it causâ—the a greate meanye to reade the scriptures whiche elles wolde but lyttell studye in them As for that whiche they teache well they haue it commune w t vs all the resydue wyll I proue to bee false and foolyshe I am mynded to wryte hereafter agaynst theÌ„ wherfore I had noted agaynste their doctrine certayne conclusions which the greatest parte of them doe holde For agaynst suche vngodly and blasphemous reÌ„negates which doe reiecte the scriptures which doe affyrme that the deuelles and vngodly or vnfaithfull persones shall obtaine at length the euerlastynge life doe denaye the god head of Christe and commite opeÌ„ly with out all shame suche enorme and abhomynablee actes what neade is it to wrytte But now wyl set in order my conclusions The second treatie or dialoge 〈…〉 conclusions agaynste the doctryne of the Anababtistes put here affirmatyuely â–ª euen as Ioiada which â—â—prâ—senteth the faithfull christen man doeth holde them Ioiada That spirite which repugnith agaynst the meanyng of the spirite that speaketh in the holy scriptures is not from the father of truthe but from the father of lies the deuell None of the Saintes dyd euer by violence or force set forthe or thruste them selues in to the commune office of a preacher saue onely whan they ware sente by god elected and chosen by the apostells and churche CHriste and the apostels did neuer trouble y e churche for yerthly and temporal thinges but did chiefly study to nourysshe the peace and vnitee of al the churches It appereth therfore that thei whiche doe trouble diuide any churches being wel ordeined pacified in christ for such thynges are sedicious lyers and heretykes THei are to bee counted false prophetes which not without blasphemy contempte of the crosse of Christ doteache that Christ dyd take awaie onely origynall synne affirmyng that thei which doe fail againe after that thei be ones purified and clensed by the water of regeneracion shal not obteine daily remission of their synnes Thei be also false prophetes y â— doe attribute or adscrib iustification to our owne workes Suche are blasphemous agaiÌ„st the gospell which doe conteÌ„d and affirme that the soules do slepe after this lyfe not knowyng the nature of the soule nor the vertue of the resurreccion of Chrfst Rebabtization or babtizing agayne is not of god but a new secte deuiding the vnitie of the churche wherby the most pestiferous and hurtefull heresie of Nonatus Anpencius and Pelagius is renewed THe babtime of yong infantes is of god whiche hath ben did continue alwaies in the churche sens the tyme of y e Apostels vnto this tyme not lately brought in by y â— byshops THe office or example of any christen man coÌ„pelleth not that we should not haue all thynges in coÌ„mon and nothyng priuate or to our selues but doeth moue â—â—â—orage vs to care and see to our houshold to exercise liberalitee and mercie SVche are therfore â—poters â—â—â—ules of christes flocke whiche dâ— forsake their familye and houshold and beyng addâ—â—â—ed or geuen to sedicious fables do fâ—de them selfes with other mens laboures beynge in this thyng most like vnto monkes whiche dyd the same with their hypocrisye THe preachers of the gospell or ministers of the worde of god maye haue goodes of their
own that is to say howses and possessions and moreouer maye liue of the gospell THat the Anababtistes ar so enuious and do imagine al wayes and forge calumniacions and lyes who dooeth not see that it commeth of a hatered that they haue against the preachers of the gospell that they may crepe in and aduaunce theÌ„ selues eâ—tenuatyng therfore the faythfulnes and fidelitee of the sheapeheardes before the commons because they may the better bee beleued them selues CHristen men whiche are ryghtfully chosen may w t out any offeÌ„ce of god be are rule sith that power is the mynister of god THis power is not onely profitable but also necessarie for christen men therfore we must be obedient vnto it according to the doctrine of christ Peter and Paule THey which wyll not be obedient to the common magistrates and rulers or do resist against them doyng them at any tyme wrong and reproch fulnes be not christen men but Sanlonites THei that refuse to make laufull othes vnto the publike rulers do manyfestlye against the wyl of god beyng autours of sedicion and all dysobedience THe magistrate and rewler hath the sworde from God wherwith he may smite the malefactours and shed the blud of wicked dooers that both the malefactours may be punysshed and the good and righteous liue surely among the wicked THe libertie of a christen maÌ„ is not carnall they therefore that in the gospell do seke carnall thynges and fleshly are the fellowes of Symon Magus VVe doe not learne in y â— gospell that we shuld pay neither rentes nor tithes but that we ought to paie our debtes vnto whom so euer we owe any thyng THe administracioÌ„ of bodily thynges doeth perteâ—ue to y â— magistrates rulers whiche doe christen men lyke whan thei doe after this rule what so euerye will that men doe vnto you doe the same vnto other VVho so euer kepeth this law rule may be and remayne stil a christen man though he receiueth bothe rentes and tithes These articles haue I here put generally because that a great parte of y â— Anababtistes do hold against them â–ª for I know y â— it is impossible y t any man should reherse al their errours sith y t thei be iÌ„finit w tout number For it is no meruel y t thei do fall from one errour into an other seyng y t thei haue not y e same spirite of truthe Whiche thyng causeth y t so dyuerse contrary sectes do aryse among them that the one doeth condemne and excommunicate the other Symon If thou haddest rehersed these articles before them thou couldest not haue done it w tout a 〈…〉 and sharpe answere Ioiada I haue proued my Symon and that a greate whyle a go their poysoned and v 〈…〉 d hertâ—s and tounges bothe ready to all kynd of reuyling and opprobriousues and also more bytter than is any worme wode wher by any man maye coniecte and knowe of what spirite these phaÌ„tastical felowes doe speake But reade thou the thryde chapiter of the epystell of saincte Iames and thou shalte knowe that I saye true Symon I praie the that thou wylt reherse out of this chapiter the thinges y t moste chyefly doe for our pourpose Ioiada These are the wordes of the apostel Who is wyse and endued with knolage amonge you Let hym shewe by his good conuersacion his workes with a gentell wysdome If so be that ye haue bytter enuye and contencion in your hertes dooe not ye boaste of it nor be liers againste the truth For that wisdome is not connyng from aboue but yerthly beastelyke and deauelyshe For where tnuye and contentacion is ther is incoÌ„stancie and wicked workes But the wisedom whiche is from heauen or from aboue first is chaste after peasible meake tretable full of mercie and of good fruites withoute rache or vnaduised iudgement and simulacion Hitherto haue we rehersed the wordes of Iames. Ponder and iudge now whether the holy Apostle did not liuelye describe the fashions and doctrin of the Anababtistes For what do they els but ineth and rayle against other men and that of a despitefull enuye and bitternes oppressing theÌ„ w t preiudicial seÌ„tence and iudgemeÌ„t Sy. They promesse to make an aunswere before any manne and to geue a reasonable accoumpt of their doctrine and learnyng Moreouer that they wyll suffer them selues patiently to be conuicted of errour Ioiada Why dooe they promesse that whiche thei wil neuer perfourm Thou thy selfe haste knowen manye to saye the truthe they doe all of a pretudiciall sentence stiflie and with great pertinacy staÌ„d in their owne oppinions which saied that thei ware sufficieÌ„tly tawght dyd knoledge their erroure and offered them selues to recante yea and dyd forswere their errour And by and by as sone as they ware come to their complyces or felowes thei dyd renewe their heresee and against their othe and all honestye besyde dyd obstinatly defende it What should we doe with suche men Paule sayeth Shunne thou an heretyke after that thou hast warned hym oÌ„es or twyse Their doctrine therfore is a certaine pertenax contention and bitter wysdome suche as Saynt Iames doeth descrybe Symon In the meane season they wyll neuer graunt thy conclusions to be true Ioiada This is that I saye thei be more styfe more obstacle thaÌ„ doeth be come any christeÌ„ men to be But thou that haste lyued most famylyarly w t them knowest wel and perfitly their foundacions where vpon they grounde them selues Symon No Anababtyst better Ioiada I wolde therfore my Symon that thou shouldest now dispute agaynst my conclusions as the Anababtistes are wonte to doe but without stomake and conteÌ„cion I wyll endeuoure my selfe to corroborate and streingthen them with holy scripures and to proue that they be true Sym. Be it as thou saiest For I desire to be taughte Thou shalte haue me also obediente so that I may vnderstande and perceiue y t thy doctrine and teachyng is true ⧠The third treatie or dialoge How that the spirite which repugneth agaynst the spirite that speaketh in the scriptures is not from the father of truth but from the father of lyes the deuels Symon Fyrste and formost I dooe meruell what moueth the to put this conclusioÌ„ where as after myne oppynion and iudgmeÌ„t it is no nede therof Ioiada But it semeth vnto me to be verye necessarye For manie of the Anababtistes doe boaste I can not tel what spirite and father agaynste the manyfest scriptures For whan they perceiue them selues to bee ouer comed with holye scriptures and so holden in that they can by no waye escape by and by they crye oute sayeng that the spiritee teacheth them an other thyng that is to saye eyther to holde theyr peace or to speake forthe some tryflyng matter â–ª and that they bee neyther subiecte ne bound to the litterall sense or letter In the which thyng they dooe no lesse erre than the doctoures of the bysshope of Rome which in matters of fayth wyll
gladly but I wil first confute that which thou bryngest of the learned of the symple For it is not conuenient that I shulde passe ouer these thynges vnspoken sithe that therwith ye doe blynd the eyes of the simple and rude people The .iiii. treatie or dialoge touchynge simplicitee and erudicion Symon IS this to blynde the eies of the symple rude people Chryste hym selfe did saie so when he gaue thankes vnto his father because y â— he hath reuelated shewed such high godly and diuine misteries not to the wises but to the litell ones to the simple Ma. xi And againe he did not chose learned men but simple and idiots to be his apostels .i. Cor. i. Therfore we haue no neede of great learnyng but the simpler that any man is the more apte is he to this office Ioiada It is manifeste and euident that ye vnderstonde not the woordes of Chryst For if by the symple he shulde vnderstond them that lacke wisedome and learnynge for so ye expounde the wordes of Christ truely no man shulde be more apt than fooles and diserdes whiche be in dede ignoraunt in all maner of thinges But euery man dooeth see that it is against al reason to thinke any such thyng Therfore Christ vnderstondeth by simplicitee an other thyng Symon Tell you what it is Ioiada He is called a symple man not he that is without witte without reason and wisdome but he whiche is playne and sincere and without fraude he whiche is good and true inwardly in his herte beynge without crafte and deceit Elles it woulde come to passe that euery man shoulde defende his errour by ignorancie Whiche thyng what coulde be elles but a carnall malice or libertee wherby euery man woulde begynne and goe about to boaste and sette forthe hs ignorancie and therewith to defende his errours Who did euer see suche temerarious audacitee as these shamefull rennegates dooe vse that with theyr ignorancie and rudenesse dare defende any thynge By ignorauncy truely errours are detected and not confyrmed Symon Yet the apostels were ignoraunt and vnlearned nor we dooe not reade that Chryst did choose any that were learned Ioiada Truely thei were endued with such simplicitee as we haue spoken of afore But they were not vnlerned and ignoraunt For they were familiarly coÌ„uersant with Chryste aboue three yeares w t Christ I say in whom are all y â— treasures wisdoÌ„ of knowlage yea which is hymself y t eternal wisedome of y â— heauenly father Of this fountaine draÌ„ke they abundantly by this maister wer thei instituted and tawght and at lengthe were so endued and illuminated with the holy ghost that they were â—unnynge in all tonges scriptures That may be sene bothe by their writyngs and also by theyr actes As for that that thou denaiest y â— christ did call none whiche were learned doest thou not repugne here agaiÌ„st y â— manifest truthe Paull was excedyngly well lerned Barnabas Gamaliell Nicodedemus Apollo y â— Alexandrian were great clerkes That in the meane season I shulde passe ouer all the other that is to saie Moises whiche was learned in al the sciences of the Egipcians Steauen Esaie Timothe loke better vpon the .xiii. chap. of the first epistel to the Corinthians and vpon the first chap. of the epistell to Citus and thou shalt fynde what erudicion and learnynge an ouerseer or bisshoppe ought to haue Therfore these arrogant presumptuous Anababtistes can not excuse nor defende their impudent ignorancie by simplenes but that it is alredy manifest vnto the world y t they are geuen into a reprobate sence as thei that be not ashamed to boast and to set forth vnto all men their ignorancie in stede of good learnynge as though children do not smel alredy their craft subtiltee But in y â— meane seasoÌ„ no man ought thus to interprete our saiynges as though we shuld speake here of them that are falsely called learned men For we speake of such as haue ben taught by god to the glory of god Of whom there were many in the primitiue churche as PaÌ„tonus Tertulian Cyprian Lactantius Augustine and many other Sy Thou speakeste with good reasoÌ„ For we ought not to think that Chryste did commend such simplicitee wherby the vnconnynger that a man is the bolder he shoulde be As many whiche though thei can scarsely reade y â— vulgare tonge yet not withstandyng doe without shame ingerate thrust them selues in to y â— office of preachers stamering most foolysshely in the common pulpit But because thei shulde not be founde to bee ignoraunt in some thyng they begyn first to excuse their ignorancie with such woordes Be not ye offended obretherne that I am ignorant and vnlearned For the father doeth manifest hym selfe to the symple and vnlerned Finally seyng that Christe doeth promesse to his disciples suche wisedome and eloquence that their aduersaries should not be able to withstond it where as on the contrary part these men doe recken their ignorancie to be a glorious thyng vnto them I mai easily perceiue that these are not suche simple persons as Chryste doeth speake of but rather such as doe clothe them selues in sheapes skinnes faining them selues to be sheapes but inwardely within theyr hertes are rauenyng wolues But now I praye the to take that awaye quickely whyche offendeth me in the seconde conclusion ⧠The .v. treatie or dialoge Of the vocacion and office of preachers againste them that ingerate them selues beynge vncalled Ioiada AS for that that thou gatherest by this coÌ„clusion y â— so it shulde not be iaufull for euery man to speake and talke of god thou goest far out of the waie and doest not vn derstond my saiynges I speake of common preachyng and not of priuate communicacion or talke For he that taketh vpon hym to be a common preacher not being called doeth rauen as he that maketh hym selfe by his owne authoritee a kyng or gouernour makyng callyng together a particuler Senate or counseill beginneth thus of his owne heade to rule and administrate the common welthe commaunding and forbiddyng what so euer pleaseth him Truly no man can dooe this but y t he shal be accused not onely of folishenesse disobedience but also of tumultee and high treason Elles we do not denaie but y t euery man maie talke of god yea maie synge of him accordyng to y e doctrine of Paule .iiii. Ephesy And the more y t it is done the better we alow it But to separate him self froÌ„ y â— church to seke woods corners there to assemble a company to institute ordein sectes and to take vpon them selues beyng vncalled vnsent the office of preachers not onely it hath no example in y â— holy scriptures but hath ben iudged and condemned alwais as heretikall But we will now corroborate and strength these saiynges with holy scripture In the epist to the Rom. x. chap. Paule teacheth after this maner who so
accordyng to the preceptes of the apostle Donatus dyd gather a particuler Church Nonatus lykewyse bothe in Affrica And yet not withstandynge none of theim both was called or sent by god And their Churche also were no Churches but conuenticles or assembles of Heretikes Symon What thynkest thou by the saiyng of s Paule .i. Corin. xiiii where he doth geue free libertie vnto all men to preache or interprete the Scriptures Ioiada I am of the same selfe opinion that Paule is Two or three sayth he may speake in the church Let the other heare and iudge Finally if it be reuelated to an other syttyng by let the other holde his peace And by and by it followeth For ye may al prophecy one after another that all may learne and haue cousolacion Symon By these wordes it appeareth that Paule dothe not geue libertie to euery man to preache what he listeth whē he nameth ii or .iii. and byddeth the other to heare to geue attendance to that that the Prophetes in the newe Testament suche as do expounde the scriptures are called Prophetes do expounde and set furthe out of the scriptures Nor he doth not gyue lysence to the hearers to interrupte the sermons of the Prophetes excepte it be when any thyng is lefte or peruersly expounded by the Prophet or interpretor By this it foloweth that it is not semely ne comely that any mā shuld interrupt if the truthe be sufficiētly enucleated shewed muche lesse that any man shoulde vnder suche pretence and colour sewe in or bring in his errors I doo see perceiue that the effecte of the matter doeth consist in thys thyng If it be necessary if any thyng be omitted and lefte by them that are Prophetes that oughte not to bee omitted or whiche beynge lefte maye dooe harme and agayne which being shewed may edifi the churche that then it may be shewed vnto them by any mā but that with al sobrenesse and charitie If nothing be wanting or lackynge all the audience to holde their ptace Ioiada Thou takest the ryght sense of it For it foloweth by and by The spirite of the Prophetes is subiect to the Prophetes For God is not the auctor of confusiō but of peace The Holy ghost doth not breake furth rashely with affection and stryfe but is treatable nor he dooeth not styffely contende for euery lyght matter but suffereth him self to be instructed and taughte so geueth easely place to him that hathe better vnderstandyng But the Anababtistes are farre from al such thinges boastyng neuerthelesse a spirit but as Iudas did boast his Apostleship sayut Iames dyd not without a cause warne vs saiyng Let not many masters be among you knowynge that we shall receyue greatter dampnaciō or iudgement that is to say we that are teachers Symon But here thou haste brought me into a greter dout For now I aske the Whether of theym two ▪ is greatter the Prophet vnto whom the spirit is subiect or the spirit If thou sayest that man is gretter then the spirite beware that thou doest not attribute to much to a mortall and frayle man If the spirite is hygher how can that thyng which is gretter be subiecte to a thyng that is lesse If so bee that thou preferrest the spirite vnto men agayne wyll haue the saiyng of Paule to be true I do not perceiue by what reason it can stande Or howe can a man be greatter then the Spirite whiche maketh hym a Prophet Ioiada Thou dooest aske righte well this question But it is to be noted that Paul doeth not here take the spirite for the holy ghost whiche is the thyrde persone in trinitie but for the gyfte operacion of the spirite of God The sense and meanyng of this place is therfore that the gyfte of prophecy is so in the power of the Prophet that hath it that he maye bothe speake holde his peace in the congregacion of the sayntes when and as long as it is expedient for the hearers For they are not so instructed and moued with the spirit as mad and phantasticall men are that they shoulde all cryout at once with an vnsemely clamor murmuryng one agaynst another with a debatefull contencion stryfe For so one coulde not vnderstande another The spirite of God is gentle treatable and peasable not stirrynge or mouyng any man to contenciō and debate but to peace and vnytie Wherfore he sayeth ye may Prophecy all one after another To the which exposiciō Theophilactus agreith interpretynge this place after thys maner The spirite that is to say the grace of the holy ghost which is in thee the operacion or workyng that hath inuaded thee is subiecte to the gyfte or grace of another man which is moued to Prophecy that is to say dothe geue place hearing But now if thou be so pleased let vs go aboute the thirde Conclusion Symon I am well content begynne thou The. VI. Treatyse or Dialogue Of the Vnitie of the Churche against the Sectes of the Anabaptistes Ioiada IChynke that thou wylt say nothyng agaynst the thyrd conclusion For what canne be sayde more truly then that Christ and his Apostles dyd alwayes congregate or assemble the Churche and that thei dyd neuer tumultuate or moue sedision for outwarde and temporall thynges Or is there any man that can say the contrarye Symon I wyl shew hym vnto the by by that is to say Christ whiche dothe saye I am come not to bring peace but the swoorde Ioiada Thou dooest writhe and wrest the wordes of Christ For he speaketh nor these wordes of his Churche that they shoulde disagree within themselues as the Anabaptistes do moue tumulte in those churches where Christ and the Gospell is preached sincerely but doth expres the nature of the infidels whiche doo persecute the faythfull For whersoeuer Christ is preched they that are godly do receyue and embrace him gladly and they that are vngodly doo bothe let and persecute Christ and his Disciples Now Christ doth cal this discenciō a sword which sworde is not among the godly in the Churche but the infidels do vse it agaynst them that ar godly Dothe not Esaie say that there is no peace to the vngodly The cognisaunce or badge of them that ar godly is Charitie Peace and Concord Wherfore the Lorde dothe call them that be peasable or loue peace blessed and chyldren of God Mat. v. Symou I do easely graunte that peace and vnitie ought to be in the Church But that Christ and hys Apostles dyd neuer moue sediciō for temporall thynges thou doest affirme it scantly Ioiada yea and truly also or elles shewe thou the contrary Symon In the .xv. chap. of the Actes we do reade that Paule and Barnabas had no small discencion and reasonyng agaynst them which dyd teache Circumsicion Who wyll deny circumcision to be an outwarde thyng Ioiada I vnderstande call outward thynges that dooe helpe nothyng to our saluacion perteining to the body more then to the soule and
which though he hath feeleth in him self sinne and weakenesse of the flesh beyng tickeled with sensualitie affections yet not withstaÌ„dyng dothe not geue the bridell vnto the flesh ne vnto synne but resisteth styll and is alwayes a frayde to fall And if so be that he chaunceth to fall by and by draweth he backe his foote and repentyth Sy But they saye that a man may be without syn Ioi We are without synnes as dogges be without fleas in the moneth of August O abhominacion that men should thinke or presume suche thingê I passe ouer here that by this opinion they doo blaspheme the veritie of the gospel yea take vtterly away the grace mercy of God For where synne is not there is no grace where preuaricacion and transgression is not there is no Remission amonge them there is no transgression ergo the grace of God is not a mong them Is not this to abolish the grace of God What shall I saye but that these mad braynes do fal into another heresye that is to saye in to the heresy of that blasphemous maÌ„ Pelagius who dyd denye the grace of God magnifiyng and extollyng the strengthe of man He was .xi. C. yeares ago Sy. But they proue thys with scriptures Ioia The veritie of the scriptures dothe teache nothing so Beside that thou canst bring no exemple but the exemple of Lucifer which woulde be lyke vnto God as they wyll be without synne wheras no man can be pure and without synne but God onely Sy. Dothe not Iohn say that he whiche is of God synneth not Ioia He synneth not to death Sy. Thou doest so expouÌ„d it or this is thyne exposicion Ioai Consider the wordes that go afore and thou shalte vnderstand that I saye true Sy What synne is that or is not a man without synne when he synneth not to death Io. Christ saieth vnto the Iues If ye do not beleue ye shal dye in your synnes Ergo vnfaythfulnesse is a deadly synne or syn to death And though a faythful beleuer is without this syn that is to say without infidelitie yet he is not without vyce or syekenesse which he must be ware of always lest he be drouned in syn or soiled defiled w t the abhominable fylthynesse of sinnes therfore it followeth in Iohn We do know that all that is borne of god sineth not but he that is borne of god doth kepe himself theuyll toucheth him not So therfore the godly sineth not though he falleth by frailnes yet notwithstaÌ„ding that malicious Satan can not catche him For the diligent study labor that the godly dothe take in shunnynge auoidyng synne that is to say faith doth that syn is not imputed for syn It is written in the .viii. Rom. That ther is no condemnacion vnto theÌ„ that be in christ which do not walke after the flesh but after the spirit Els saint Iohn doth say in the same self epistle If we do say we haue no syn we deceyue our selfê truth is not in vs. If we do coÌ„fesse our sines god is both faithful rightwise to forgeue vs our sinnes and to clense vs from our iniquitie If we do say we haue no synne we make him a lier his worde is not in vs. There be many suche places euery where in the scriptures Dauid doth crye out O Lorde do not enter into iudgement with thy seruaunt for in thi sight no maÌ„ shal be iustified And agayne if thou lookest extremely vpon our synnes o lord who is able to abyde it In the xliii of Esa the lord doth speke thus by the Prophet vnto the Iues which dyd glorify boast them selues in the rightwysnes of y e law I am he I am he saith y â— lord that taketh away thyne iniquities for myne owne sake wyll not remembre thy sines Bring me into remembraunce let vs be iudged together telle furth if thou hast any thyng to iustifie thy selfe Thy father hath synned fyrst and thyne interpreters haue gone out of the way None of the most holy men were euer without sinne which thyng manifestly appereth in Adam Noe Abraham Isaac Iacob Moyses Aaron ` Dauid Iosias Ezechias Peter Paul Matew c. Therfore Iob speaketh truly Iob .ix. What am I that I should answer him and speake with him with my wordes which though I had some rightwysnesse wyl not answer but entreate my iudge If I wyll iustifye my selfe my mouth shall condemne me if I say that I am innocent my mouth shall proue me wicked c. Paule in the .iii. Rom. sayeth that al men haue sined do want the glory of god In y â— .xiii. of Ihon christ sayeth he that is washed hath no neade but to wash his feete for he is all cleane If he be all cleane what neade hathe he to wash his feete If he hath neade to wash his feete how can he be all cleane Therfore we ar clensed purified with the blood of Christ that was shed vpon the crosse from the filthines of syn be all cleane But it followeth not by this that we be no more i the flesh or that we be no more synners For the dregges of syn do remayne in our feete that is to say in our affections as long as we liue walke in this dust i and foule way we are soyled contaminated with the filthynesse of synne which we neade with perpetuall study and daily care to washe awaie and afterwardes to wype out these filthinesses with gret inward grefe repentaunce and teares in the vertue of the passion and death of Chryst Finally christ in the .xv. of Iohn saieth I am the trewe vine and my father is the husbande man He doeth take awaie euery bough in me that bringeth forth no fruite euery bowgh y â— bryngeth for the fruite he doeth purge make cleane that he mai bryng forth more fruite By the which saiynges we maie vnderstande y e we that are in Christ thorowe faith as a bowgh is in y â— vine doo bryng forth fruite liuyng godly haue neuerthelesse nede to be made cleane and that by the spirit and vertue of Christ Now y e which is made cleane must nedes to be vnpure vnclene So we that ar in Christ alredy ar made clene daily for we do offend in many thinges and no man is liuyng that sinneth not and that hath no nede of this clensyng Except the Anababtistes whiche in their hathe be made so pure clene by their water wherwith thei do wash their disciples among whom water doeth take awaie that which the blood of Christ doeth not take awaie in them that are godly Sy. I do not see yet proued that he which falleth againe after that he hath knowen the truthe doeth daily fynd grace pardon Io. It is sufficientli proued by y â— saiyngs of Iohn and by the exemple of Dauyd and of Peter For if we be all synners and yet neuerthelesse doo entre into the
besyde that the .xvii. of Iohan. Now I aske the again whether Peter was a faythful Christen mam or not Sy. The scripture doth compel me to confesse that he was a faithfull christeÌ„ man Io. Now I aske agayn whether his fall was a synne or not Sy. Agayne the scripture coÌ„pelleth me to confesse that it was a synne for he dyd wepe bitterly And agayn if to deny christ is no synne what shal be a syn thaÌ„ Io. Ergo it followeth by all these argumentes that Peter dyd synne after the knowledge of the truthe and receiuyng of the fayth Therfore a faythfull man is not all without synne And here Peter dyd commytte not a small but a very greuous synne denyeng thus the Sauior of the worlde Now I aske whether his synne was forgeueÌ„ him or not Sy. yeas truly for Christ sayeth Whan thou arte turned agayne conforte or confirme thy brethren Ioia So shoulde the Anababtistes dooe if they were sent by God But seeyng that presumptuousnesse partinacie hath sente them and do so bytterly with suche stubburnesse speake agaynst the gospell teachyng for conforte desperacion they ar such Prophetes as the Lorde doth complayne vpon in Ezechiel which regarde nor care nothynge for the diseased wounded sheepe which thing neuerthelesse thei had learned of the Lord which is deseruingly called the good true shephearde Luc. xxv or of Paule ii Corin. ii but dissipate scatter the Lordê flocke For what maketh them besyde a singularitie or singuler loue of them selfes to separate them selfes from our church but that as they do say we be synners that is to say vsurers publicaÌ„s dronkardes I can not but that I must coÌ„fesse that ther be many enorme sines vsed amoÌ„ge vs which is the more pitie yet we ought not to dispayre of many but that thei mai be brought to repentaunce And truly as for our elues we are not very negligent or slouthfull in rebukynge synnes criynge out styll bitterly against them that commyt suche thynges And yet agaynst the precepte of GOD Math. xiii and exemple of the Apostles which dyd condemne no man rashly they do separate them selues from vs. But this is the nature of Phariseis Sy. As touchyng this article I am sufficiently taught I thanke God of it Iaia Iohn without exception doth say Chyldren I haue written this vnto you that ye shulde not synne but if any man dothe synne we haue our aduocate before the father that rightwise LORDE Iesu Christ c. Here no man can bryng any cauillacion Christ is here named and appoynted to be Aduocate or mediator for all synners and that at all tymes as he offereth him selfe ri Mathew saiyng Come vnto me all ye that labor and are loadyd and I wyll refresh you That same thyng doeth Paule teache concernynge the onely Sauior Iesu Christ .i. Tim. i. It is a faythfull saiyng and worthi to be receiued of al men that Christ dyd come into this worlde to saue synners If the Anababtistes therefore dooe teache the contrarye they are the open enemyes of the Crosse of Christ in the which opinion if they doo abyde or persist obstinately they are manifest heretikes whome all godly persones ought to flye and abhorre The .ix. treatie or dialoge How that our saluacion and rightwisnesse is not to be described to our workes but to faith Symon IF the Anababtistes doo teache that our saluacion rightwisnes ought to be ascribed to our workes whiche is the .iii. parte of this article thou wilt not saie I thynke that thei doo erre in it Ioiada There is nothyng that I will graunt them lesse For this thynge beynge ones graunted al y e epistles of Paul ar condemned as false whiche dyd seduce the people For this is the thyng onely wherfore Paule with suche a zeale did repugn resist against false prophetes whiche did teache that rightwisnesse dyd come of workes where as sainte Paul did attribute our rightwisnes to faithe That maie easily bee sene by y e epi. to the Ro. and to the Gala. But I wil bring out of them certaine places which can not be confuted In the .iii. cha to the Romains Paul saieth thus All haue synned and ar destitute of the glory of god but are iustified freely by his grace thorowgh the redemcion that is in Christ Iesu And in the .iiii. Ro. If Abraham were iustified by workes theÌ„ hath he wherin to reioice but not with god for what saieth y e scripture AbrahaÌ„ beleued god it was counted vnto him for rightwisnes To him y t worketh is y e rewarde not reckened of fauoure but of dutye To him y â— worketh not but beleueth in hym that iustifieth the vngodly is his faith counted for rightwisnes Euen as Dauid describeth the blessedfulnes of that man vnto whom god imputeth righwisnesse without dedes Blessed ar thei saieth he whose iniquities are forgiuen whose sinnes are couered c. And in the xi to the. Ro. There is a remenaunt left accordyng to the election of grace if it be of grace then it is not now of workes For thaÌ„ grace is no more grace But if it be of workes then is it no more grace For then wer deseruyng no more deseruyng In the seconde to the Galathians The lyfe whiche I nowe lyue in the fleshe I lyue by the faith of the sonne of God whiche loued me and gaue hym selfe for me I despise not the grace of God For if rightwisenesse cometh of the lawe then Chryste is dead in vaine In the thyrde chapiter he doeth argumente and reasone after this maner That no man is iustified in the sight of God by the lawe it is euydent For the iuste shall lyue by faythe The lawe is not of faythe but the man that fulfylleth the thynges conteyned in the law shall lyue in them Chryst hath delyuered vs from the curse of the lawe in as muche as he was made accursed for vs that the blessing of Abraham might come on the gentilles thorough Thesu Chryste and that we myght receaue the promise of y â— spirit thorow faith Brethern I speake after y â— maner of men Though it be but a mans testament yet if it be alowed no man despiseth it or addeth any thyng ther vnto To Abraham and his sede was the promise made He saieth not in thy sedes as in many but in thy sede as of one which is Christ this I saie that the lawe which beganne CCCC and .xxx. yeres after doeth not disanulle the testament which was confirmed afore of God vnto Christ warde to make y e promise of no effecte For if the inheritaunce cometh of y e law then it cometh not of y e promise But god gaue it vnto Abraham by promise For if ther had ben a law geueÌ„ which could had geuen life theÌ„ no doubt rightwisnesse shoulde haue comed by y e lawe But the scripture concluded al thinges vnder sinne y t the promise by y â— faith of Iesu Christ might bee geuen vnto them
â–ª For ther it is written that Lazarus is in ioy and solace wheâ— as the rycheman is punyshed in hell If so be that the soule as ye doo say shulde slepe she coulde haue no ioye excepte iâ— were by dreames if she reioyseth or haue ioy it is impossible that she shoulde slepe Likewisâ— it is manifest li knowen shewed in the .viii. of Mathew that many shall come sytte in the kyngdome of God with Abraham Isaak and Iacob That in the meane season I shoulde sai nothing that slepe is cleanâ— contrarye to the nature of the soule which is in Greke called â—ntesecheia or Endesechia that is to sai â— perpetuall and vnrequietable â—otion or workyng Sy. These â—hinges are more manifest and more strong then I thought Ioia It is the poynte of an vnwise man to say I thought not and hauyng hearde but one â—arte to geue sentence The Aâ—ababtistes do aduaunce and â—et forth gaily and paintyngly their argumentes but they are weake and nothyng strong Sy. I woulde fayne know in what significacioÌ„ the scripture vseth this worde to slepe which is so often tymes founde in euery place of the Bible Ioia Among the auncient fathers this worde to slepe was to dye naturally or after the commen course of nature And because of the resurrectioÌ„ it was saied that thei which dyd dye sleape For as a man geueth hym selfe to sleape doubting nothing but that he shall wake agayne from his sleape so the body sleapeth that is to say dyeth doeth lyâ— in the graue beyng kepte there â—yl the day of the general resurrection So the Fathers dyâ— sleape so Stephen all otheâ— godly persons Seyng therforâ— that to sleape is to dye and thâ— soules can not dye it foloweth that they canne not sleape Foâ— Stephen dyd saye Lorde receiue thou my spirite which thyng when he had saied haâ— coÌ„mitted or coÌ„mended his soul to the heauenly father his bodâ— sleapynge dyd dye In thy thyng they are deceyued thaâ— they do attribute vnto the souâ— that which belongeth to the body only But in the meane seasoÌ„ it is attributed to the whole maÌ„ because of the vnitie of the body and of the soule beyng knytted in one persone Which example was brought afore of Christ in whom the body died only not his godhead nor his soule Lykewyse a man slepeth but with his bodye not with his soule The Anababtistes doo not nor wyl not vnderstand this figure Sinâ—cdochâ— nor the other figures tropes Which thyng causeth them to erre in many thynges But ignorauncye maketh them the bolder to teache what so euer they do dreame or conceyue in their sleape Sy. Yet it is euident that Paul saith that a cotoune of rightwisnes shal be reÌ„dered vnto him at lengthe when thâ— Lorde cometh And also that which is written in Iohn anâ— in the Epistle to the Philipenâ— is sure and strongly grounded â–ª Ioia This ought to be obserueâ— Symon that the daye of thâ— Lorde in scriptures is not alwayes to bee taken for the lasâ— day but somtyme for the truth and lyght as in the gospell oâ— Iohn otherwhyles for the viâ— sitacion of the Lorde as ofteâ— tymes in the Prophetes and â— Cor. iii. sometyme for the endâ— death of euery man as Iohâ— vi I wyll resussitate or raysâ— him agayne to euerlastyng life in the last daye that is to sayeâ— when he dyeth For when anâ— man dyeth that day is last vntâ— hym After thys maner dyâ— Paule call the last daye in thâ— Epistle to Timothe For he had spoken before of his death saiyng I am ready to be offered affirming that he had ben faith full and loyall in his course therfore he dyd not doubte but that the rightwise iudge shulde render vnto him the coroune of rightwysnesse which as he leaueth no vnrightwysnesse vnpunyshed so alwayes rewardeth them that lobor faithfully And this place doeth rather for vs then for the Anababtistes seing that Paule dothe hope that the coroune of rightwysnesse duyd vnto the rightwyse shal be renderyd vnto him at the tyme of his death Ergo he beleueth not that the soules do slepe but that they do lyue euerlastingly That which thou aledgest out of Iohn and Paule to the Philipenses are spoken of the last iudgement but they proue not that the soules are a sleape For that whiche they doo speake of saluation there dooe perteyne more to the resurrection of the body For these are the wordes of Paule He shall transforme that is to say Christ our vyle body that he may make it conforme and lyke to his glorious body What meane these thingê elles but that our bodyes haue full hope of resurrection or risyng agayn As Iob dyd speke Iob .ix. Sy. If the soules dooe receyue by and by their iudgement as sone as they be departed what neadeth that vniuersall iudgement Ioia It perteyneth to the whole man whiche shall be repayred or made new agane with the body that shall ryse with the soule Of the which thyng it is written Chess .iiii. Mat. xxiiii .xxv. Doest thou yet desyre any thiÌ„g Sy. I had leauer heare foundations and groundes oute of the scriptures Ioia I haue brought verye many alreadye what dooest thou aske more Sy. Thou hast other helpes yet the which I pray the to bryng forth Ioia Seynge that thou arte desyrous of the truthe I wyll hyde nothyng frome the. This Doctrine and Opinion of the Sleape of the Soules dooeth not ouelye repugne agaynst the Scriptures fayth dooeth not onely disanulle the Gospell and Resurrection of Christ but is also agaynst all coÌ„mune sense reasone a rude and vnclearkelye ignoraunce but go to let vs expounde these thyngê I aske thee if the soule be a body or a spirite Sy. It is not a bodye nor any grosse substaunce but a syngle and pure spirite Ioia Can then a spirite be subiect to bodily infirmities as to be an hongered to be weryed to dye c. Sy. No for these perteyne to the bodye onely A spirite is immortall incorruptible euerlasting or perpetuall Ioiada Thou sayest very well therfore marke thyne argumeÌ„t thus Sith the soule is a spirit not a bodye it can not be subiecte to bodily passions or infirmities but is exempte frome them slepe doth chaunce to the body thorough werinesse Ergo the soule can not slepe for the soule cannot be weary Or canst thou brynge any other thynge concernyng slepe Sy. No for all operacions and senses dooe ceasse and rest and excepte the body shulde brethe folkes wold thynke that it were dead Ioia Now if our soules should slepe it shoulde folow that after this lyfe we doo feele neither good nor euyll which dothe directly pugne agaynste the Gospell Moreouer we wyl proue by the nature of the slepe that the soules can not slepe but the bodye only For now I aske the when doeth the soule slepe after that she is departed frome the body or when she is yet ioyned to the body