the sygh of the hart is his sinne put away in Christes bloud For Christes bloud purgeth euer and blesseth euer For Iohn sayth in the second of his first epistle This I write vnto you that ye sinne not And though any man sinne meaning of frailtie and so repent yet haue we an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ which is righteous and he it is that obteineth grace for our sinnes and Heb. vij it is written But this man meaning Christ because he lasteth or abideth euer hath an euerlasting priesthod Therefore is he able also euer to saue theÌ that come to God through hym seing he euer liueth to make intercession for vs. The Byshops therefore ought to blesse vs in preaching Christ and not to deceaue vs and to bring the curse of God vpon vs wyth wagging their handes ouer vs. To preache is their dutie onely and not to offer their feete to bee kissed or testicles or stones to be groped We feele also by experience that after the Popes Byshoppes or Cardinals blessing we are no otherwise disposed in our soules then before Let this be sufficient as concerning the sacramentes and ceremonies with this protestation that if any caÌ say better or improue this with Gods word no man shall be better content therewith then I. For I seeke nothing but the truth and to walke in the light I submit therefore this worke and all other that I haue made or shall make if God will that I shall more make vnto the iudgements not of them that furiously burne all truth but of them which are ready with Gods worde to correct if any thing be sayde amisse to further Gods worde I will talke a worde or two after the worldly wisdome with them and make an ende of this matter If the sacramentes iustifie as they say I vnderstand by iustifiyng forgeuenes of sinnes Then do they wrong vnto the sacraments in as much as they robbe the most part of them through confession of their effect of the cause wherfore they were ordeined For no man may receaue the body of Christ no maÌ may marry no man may be oyled or aneiled as they call it no man may receaue orders except he be fyrst shriuen Now when the sinnes be forgeuen by shrift afore hand there is nought left for the sacramentes to doe They will aunswere that at the least way they encrease grace and not the sacrameÌtes onely but also hearing of masse matens and euensong and receauing of holy water holy bread and of the Bishops blessing and so forth by all ceremonies By grace I vnderstand the fauour of God and also the giftes and working of his spirite in vs as loue kyndnes patience obedience mercifulnes despising of worldly thynges peace concorde and such like If after thou hast heard so many masses matens and euensonges and after thou hast receaued holy bread holy water and the Byshops blessing or a Cardinals or the Popes if thou wilt be more kinde to thy neighbour and loue him better then before if thou be more obedieÌt vnto thy superiors more mercifull more ready to forgeue wrong done vnto thee more despisest the world and more a thyrst after spirituall thynges if after that a Priest hath taken orders he be lesse couetous then before if a wife after so many and oft pilgrimages be more chast more obedient vnto her husband more kynde to her maydes and other seruauntes if Gentlemen knightes Lordes and kinges and Emperours after they haue sayd so often dayly seruice wyth their Chappellaynes know more of Christ then before and can better skill to rule their tenauntes subiectes and realmes christenly then before and be content with their duties then do such thinges encrease grace if not it is a lie Whether it be so or no I report me to experience If they haue any other enterpretations of iustifiyng or grace I pray them to teach it me For I would gladly learne it Now let vs goe to our purpose agayne ¶ Of miracles and worshipping of Saintes ANtichrist shal not only come with lying signes and disguised wyth falshod but also wyth lying miracles and wonders saith Paule in the said place ij Thess ij All the true miracles which are of God are shewed as I aboue rehearsed to moue vs to heare Gods word and to stablishe our fayth therin and to confirme the truth of Gods promises that we might without all doubting beleue theÌ For Gods worde thorough fayth bringeth the spirite into our hartes and also life as Christ sayth Iohn vi The wordes which I speake are spirite and lyfe The worde also purgeth vs and clenseth vs as Christ sayth Iohn xv ye are cleane by the meanes of the word Paul sayth i. Timo. ij One God one Mediatour that is to say aduocate intercessor or an atonemaker betwene God man the man Christ Iesus which gaue him selfe a raunson for all men Peter sayth of Christ Actes iiij Neither is their health in any other neither yet also any other name geuen vnto men wherin we must be saued So now Christ is our peace our redemption or raunsom for our sinnes our righteousnes satisfactioÌ and all the promises of God are yea Amen in him ij Cor. i. And we for y t great and infinite loue whiche God hath to vs in Christ loue him agayn loue also his lawes loue one an other And the deedes whiche we hence forth doe do we not to make satisfaction or to obteine heauen but to succour our neighbour to tame y t flesh that we may waxe perfect and strong men in Christ and to be thankefull to God againe for his mercy and to glorifie his name COntrarywise the miracles of Antichrist are done to pull thee from the worde of God and from beleuyng his promises and from Christ and to put thy trust in a man or a ceremonie wherin Gods word is not As soone as Gods woorde is beleued the fayth spread abroad then sease the miracles of god But the miracles of Antichrist because they are wrought by the deuil to quench the fayth grow dayly more and more neither shall cease vntill the worldes end among them that beloue not Gods worde and promises Seest thou not how God loosed sent forth all the deuils in the old world among the Heathen or GeÌtiles And how the deuils wrought miracles spake to them in euery image Euen so shal the deuill woorke falshode by one craft or an other vntill the worldes end amoÌg them that beleue not Gods word For the iudgement and damnation of hym that hath no lust to heare the truth is to heare lyes and to be stablished and grounded therein through false miracles and he that will not see is worthy to be blind and he that biddeth the spirite of God go from him is worthy to be without him Paul Peter and all true Apostles preached Christ onely And the miracles did but confirme and stablish their preachyng and those
onely in number exceedyng but in knowledge also excellyng both by preaching and Printing doe so garnishe the Church in euery respecte that it may seeme and so peraduenture wil be thought this time of ours to stand now in little neede of such bookes and momumentes as these of former antiquitie yet notwithstandyng I am not of that mynde so to thinke For albeit increasing of learning of tonges and sciences wyth quicknes of wit in youth and other doth maruailously shut vp as is to be seene to the sufficient furnishyng of Christes Church yet so it happeneth I can not tell how the farther I looke backe into those former tymes of Tyndall Frith and others lyke more simplicitie wyth true zeale and humble modestie I see wyth lesse corruption of affections in them and yet wyth these dayes of ours I finde no fault As by reading and conferring their workes togither may eftsoones appeare In opening the Scriptures what trueth what soundnes can a man require more or what more is to be sayd then is to be founde in Tyndall In his Prologues vppon the fiue bookes of Moses vppon Ionas vppon the Gospelles and Epistles of S. Paule namely to the Romaines how perfectly doth he hit the right sence and true meaning in euery thing In his obedience how fruitfully teacheth he euery person his dutie In his expositions and vppon the parable of the wicked Mammon how pithely doth he perswade how grauely doth he exhort how louingly doth he comforte simply without ostentation vehement without contention Which two faultes as they coÌmonly are wont to folow the most part of writers so how farre the same were from him and he from them his replies and aunsweres to Syr Thomas More doe well declare in doctrine sound in hart humble in life vnrebukeable in disputation modest in rebuking charitable in trueth feruent and yet no lesse prudent in dispensing with the same and bearyng with time and with weakenes of men as much as he might sauing onely where mere necessitie constrayned hym otherwise to doe for defence of trueth against wilfull blyndnes and subtile hypocrisie as in the Practise of Prelates is notorious to be seene Briefly such was his modestie zeale charitie and painefull trauaile that he neuer sought for any thing lesse then for hymselfe for nothyng more then for Christes glory and edification of other for whose cause not onely he bestowed his labours but hys life and bloud also Wherfore not vnrightly he might be then as he is yet cauled the Apostle of England as Paule cauleth Epaphroditus the Apostle of the Philippians for his singular care and affection toward them For as the Apostles in the primatiue age first planted the Church in trueth of the Gospell so the same trueth beyng agayne defaced and decayed by enemies in thys our latter tyme there was none that trauayled more earnestly in restoring of the same in this Realme of England then dyd William Tyndall With which William Tyndall no lesse may be adioyned also Iohn Frith and D. Barnes both for that they togither with him in one cause and about one tyme sustayned the first brunt in this our latter age and gaue the first onset agaynst the enemies as also for the speciall giftes of fruitfull erudition and plentifull knowledge wrought in them by God and so by them left vnto vs in their writinges Wherfore accordyng to our promise in the booke of Actes and Monumentes wee thought good herein to spend a litle diligence in collecting and setting abroad their bookes togither so many as could be founde to remaine as perpetuall LaÌpes shyning in the Church of Christ to geeue lyght to all posteritie And although the Printer herein taking great paynes coulde not paraduenture come by all howbeit I trust there lacke not many yet the Lord be thanked for those which he hath gotte and here published vnto vs. And woulde God the like diligence had beene vsed of our auncient forelders in the tyme of Wickliffe Puruey Clerke Brute Thorpe Husse Hierome and such other in searching and collecting their workes and writings No doubt but many thinges had remayned in lyght which now be lefte in obliuion But by reason the Arte of Printing was not yet inuented their worthy bookes were the sooner abolyshed Such was then the wickednes of those dayes and the practise of those Prelates then so craftie that no good booke coulde appeare though it were the Scripture it selfe in Englyshe but it was restrayned and so consumed Whereby ignoraunce and blyndnes so preuayled amonge the people tyll at the last it so pleased the goodnes of our God to prouide a remedy for that mischiefe by multiplying good bookes by the Printers penne in such sort as no earthly power was able after that though they did their best to stoppe the course thereof were he neuer so myghtie and all for the fartheraunce of Christes Church Wherefore receaue gracious Reader the Bookes here collected and offered to thy hand and thanke God thou hast them and reade them whilest thou mayst while time life and memory serueth thee In reading wherof the Lord graunt thou mayst receaue no lesse fruit by them then the harty desire of the setter forth is to wishe well vnto thee And the same Lord also graunt I beseech him that this my exhortation wishe so may worke in all that not onely the good but the enemies also which be not yet wonne to the worde of trueth setting aside all partialitie and preiudice of opinion woulde with indifferent iudgementes bestow some reading and hearyng likewise of these to taste what they doe teach to vewe their reasons and to trye their spirite to marke the expositions of Tyndall the argumentes of Frith the Articles and allegations of Barnes Which if they shall finde agreable to the tyme and antiquitie of the Apostles doctrine and touchstone of Gods worde to vse them to their instruction If not then to myslike them as they finde cause after they haue first tryed them and not before And thus not to deteine thee with longer processe from the reading of better matter I referre and commende thee and thy studies gentle reader with my harty wishe and prayer to the grace of Christ Iesu and direction of hys holy spirite desiryng thee lykewyse to doe the same for mee Iohn Foxe The Martyrdome and burning of William Tyndall in Brabant by Filford Castell Lord opeÌ the K. of EnglaÌds eyes Here foloweth the historie and discourse of the lyfe of William Tyndall out of the booke of Actes and Monumentes Briefly extracted FOr somuch as the lyfe of W. Tyndall author of this treatise immediately folowing is sufficiently at large discoursed in the booke of Actes and Monumentes by reason whereof we shall not néede greatly to intermedle with any new repetition therof yet notwithstanding because as we haue takeÌ in hand to collect and set forth his whole workes togither so we thought it not vnconuenient to collecte likewise some briefe notes concerning the order of his
this Epistle to haue bene written by any of the Apostles but haue also refused it all together as no Catholicke or godly epistle bicause of certaine textes written therin For first he sayth in the sixt it is impossible that they whiche were once lighted and haue tasted of the heaueÌly gift and were become partakers of the holye ghoste and haue tasted of the good worde of GOD and of the power of the worlde to come if they fall shoulde bee renewed agayne to repentaunce or conuersion And in the tenth it sayth if we sinne willingly after we haue receiued the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinnes but a fearefull lookyng for iudgement and violent fyre whiche shall destroy the aduersaries And in the xij it saith that Esau found no way to repentaunce or conuersion no thoughe he sought it with teares Whiche textes say they sound that if a man sinne any more after he is once Baptised he can be no more forgeuen and that is contrary to all the Scripture and therefore to be refused to be Catholicke and godly Vnto whiche I aunswere if we should denye this Epistle for those textes sakes so should we deny first Mathew which in his xij Chapter affirmeth that he which blasphemeth the holy Ghost shall neither be forgiuen here nor in the world to come And then Marke which in his thyrd Chapiter sayth that he that blasphemeth the holy Ghost shal neuer haue forgiuenesse but shal be in daunger of eternall damnation And thirdly Luke which saith there shall be no remission to him that blasphemeth the spirite of God Moreouer Iohn in his first Epistle saith there is a sinne vnto death for which a man should not pray And ij Pet. ij saith if a man be fled from the vncleanesse of the world through the knowledge of our Sauiour Iesus Christ and then be wrapt in agayne his ende is worse then the beginnyng and that it had better for him neuer to haue knowen the truth And Paule ij Ti. iij. curseth Alexander the Copper-smith desiring the lord to reward him accordyng to his deedes Whiche is a signe that either y t Epistle should not be good or that Alexander had sinned past forgiuenesse no more to be prayed for Wherfore seyng no Scripture is of priuate interpretation but must be expounded accordyng to the generall Articles of our fayth and agreable to other open and euident textes confirmed or compared to lyke sentences why should we not vnderstand these places with like reuereÌce as we do the other namely when all the remnaunt of the Epistle is so godly of so great learnyng The first place in the vj. Chapiter will no more then that they whiche know the truth and yet willingly refuse the light and chuse rather to dwell in darkenes and refuse Christ make a mocke of him as y â Pharisies which wheÌ they were ouercome with Scripture miracles y â Christ was the very Messias yet had they such lust in iniquitie that they forsoke him persecuted him slewe him and did all the shame that could be imagined to him can not bee renued ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã sayth the Greeke to be conuerted that is to say such malicious vnkyndnesse which is none other then the blasphemyng of the holy Ghost deserueth that the spirite shall neuer come more at them to conuerte them whiche I beleue to be as true as any other text in all the Scripture And what is ment by that place in the tenth Chapter where he sayth if we sinne willingly after we haue receiued y t knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinne is declared immediatly after For he maketh a comparison betwene Moses and Christ saying if he which despised Moses law dyed without mercy how much worse punishment is he worthy of that treadeth the sonne of God vnderfoote and counteth the bloud of the couenaunt by whiche bloud he was sanctified as an vnholy thyng blasphemeth the spirite of grace By which wordes it is manifest that he meaneth none other by the fore wordes then the sinne of blasphemy of the spirite For them that sinne of ignoraunce or infirmitie there is remedy but for him that knoweth the truthe and yet willingly yeldeth him selfe to sinne consenteth vnto the lyfe of sinne with soule and body had rather lye in sin then haue his poysoned nature healed by the helpe of the spirite of grace and maliciously persecuteth the truth for him I say there is no remedy the way to mercy is locked vp and the spirite is taken from him for his vnthankefulnesse sake no more to be geuen him Truthe it is if a maÌ can turne to God and beleue in Christ he must be forgiuen how deepe soeuer he hath sinned but that wil not be without the spirite and such blasphemers shall no more haue the spirite offred them Let euery man therefore feare God and beware that he yeld not him self to serue sinne but how oft soeuer he sinne let him be gyn agayne and fight a freshe and no doubt he shal at the last ouercome and in the meane tyme yet be vnder mercy for Christes sake because his hart worketh and would fayne be loused from vnder the bondage of sinne And there it sayth in the. xij Esau founde no way ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to bee conuerted and reconciled vnto God and restored vnto his byrth right agayn though he sought it with teares that text must haue a spirituall eye For Esau in sellyng his byrthright despised not onely that temporall promotion that he should haue bene Lord ouer all his brethren and kyng of that countrey but he also refused the grace and mercy of GOD and the spirituall blessyng of AbrahaÌ and Isaac and all y t mercy that is promised vs in Christ which should haue bene his seede Of this ye see that this Epistle ought no more to be refused for holy godly and Catholicke then the other autentike Scriptures Now therfore to come to our purpose agayne though this Epistle as it sayth in the sixt lay not the grounde of the fayth of Christ yet it buildeth cunnyngly thereon pure gold siluer and precious stones proueth the Priesthode of Christ with Scriptures ineuitable Moreouer there is no worke in all the Scripture that so playnly declareth the meanyng and significatioÌs of the sacrifices ceremonies and figures of the old Testament as this Epistle in so much that if wilful blindnes malicious malice were not the cause this Epistle onely were enoughe to wede out of the hartes of the papistes that cankred heresie of iustifiyng of workes coÌcernyng our Sacraments ceremonies and all maner traditions of their owne inuention And finally in that ye see in the tenth that he had bene in bondes and prison for Christes sake in y t he so mightely driueth all to Christ to be saued thorough him and so cared for the flocke of Christ that he both wrote and
euerlastyng promises eternall Testament that God had made betwene man and hym in Christes bloud and the miracles dyd testifie also that they were true seruauntes of Christ Paul preached not him selfe he taught not any maÌ to trust in him or his holynes or in Peter or in any ceremonie but in the promises which God hath sworne onely yea he mightyly resisteth all suche false doctrine both to the Corinthians Galathians EphesiaÌs and euery where If this be true as it is true and nothyng more truer that if Paul had preached him self or taught any maÌ to beleue in his holynes or prayer or in any thyng saue in the promises that GOD hath made and sworne to geue vs for Christes sake he had bene a false Prophet why am not I also a false Prophet if I teach thee to trust in Paule or in hys holines or prayer or in any thing saue in Gods word as Paul dyd If Paule were here and loued me as he loued them of his tyme of whoÌ he was sent and to whoÌ he was a seruaunt to preache Christ what good could he doe for me or wishe me but preach Christ and pray to God for me to open myne hart to geue me his spirite to bring me vnto the full knowledge of Christ vnto which porte or hauen when I am once come I am as safe as Paule felow with Paule ioyntheyre with Paul of all the promises of God and gods truth heareth my prayer as well as Paules I also now could not but loue Paul wish him good and pray for him that God would strength him in all his temptations geue him victory as he would do for me Neuerthelesse there are many weake and young consciences alwayes in the congregation which they that haue the office to preach ought to teach and not to disceaue them What prayers pray our Clergy for vs which stoppe vs and exclude vs froÌ Christ and seke all the meanes possible to kepe vs from knowledge of Christ They compell vs to hyre Friers Monkes Nunnes Chanons and Priestes to buye their abhominable merites and to hyre the Saintes that are dead to pray for vs for the very Saintes haue they made hyrelynges also because that their offeryngs come to their profite What pray all those that we might come to the knowledge of Christ as the Apostles did Nay verely For it is a plaine case that all they which enforce to kepe vs from Christ pray not that we might come to the knowledge of Christ And as for the Saintes whose prayer was wheÌ they were a lyne that we might be grounded stablished and streÌgthed in Christ onely if it were of God that we should this wise worshyp them contrary vnto their owne doctrine I dare be bold to affirme that by the meanes of their prayers we should haue bene brought long a go vnto the knowledge of God and Christ agayne though that these beastes had done their worste to set it Let vs therefore set our hartes at rest in Christ and in Gods promises for so I thinke it best and let vs take the Saintes soran example onely and let vs do as they both taught and dyd Let vs set Gods promises before our eyes and desire him for his mercy and for Christes sake to fulfill them And he is as true as euer he was and will do it as well as euer he dyd for to vs are the promises made as well as to them Moreouer the end of Gods miracles is good the ende to these miracles are euill For the offerynges which are the cause of the miracles do but minister and maynteine vice sinne and all abhomination and are geuen to them that haue to much so that for very aboundance they âome out their owne shame and corrupt the whole worlde with the styuch of their filthines Therto what soeuer is not of fayth is sinne Roma xiiij Fayth commeth by hearyng Gods woorde Roma x. when now thou fastest or doest any thyng in the worship of any Saint beleuyng to come to the fauour of God or to bee saued thereby if thou haue Gods worde then is it true fayth and shall saue thee If thou haue not Gods woorde then is it a false fayth superstitiousnes and Idolatry and damnable sinne Also in the Collects of the Saintes with whiche we pray God to saue vs through the merites or deseruynges of the Saintes which Saintes yet were not saued by their owne deseruynges them selues we say Per Christ ãâã DominuÌ nostrum that is for Christ our Lordes sake We say saue vs good Lord thorough the saintes merites for Christes sake How can he saue vs through the Saintes merites for Christes sake and for hys deseruyng merites and loue Take an example A Gentleman sayth vnto me I will do the vttemost of my power for thee for the loue whiche I owe vnto thy father Though thou hast neuer done me pleasure yet I loue thy father well thy father is my frend and hath deserued that I doe all that I can for thee c. Here is a Testament and a promise made vnto me in the loue of my father onely If I come to the sayd Gentleman in the name of one of his seruauntes whiche I neuer saw neuer spake with neither haue any acquaintaunce at all with and say Syr I pray you be good master vnto me in such a cause I haue not deserued that he should so do Neuerthelesse I pray you doe it for such a seruauntes sake yea I pray you for the loue that you owe to my father doe that for me for such a seruauntes sake If I this wise made my petition would not meÌ thinke that I come late out of S. Patrikes Purgatory had left my wittes behinde me This do we For the TestameÌt and promises are all made vnto vs in Christ And we desire God to fulfill hys promises for the Saintes sake yea that he will for Christes sake do it for the Saintes sake They haue also martyrs which neuer preached Gods worde neither dyed therefore but for priuileges and liberties which they falsely purchased contrary vnto Gods ordinaunces Yea such Saintes though they be deade yet robbe now as fast as euer they did neither are lesse couetous now then when they were aliue I doubt not but that they will make a Saint of my Lord Cardinall after the death of vs that be aliue and know his iuggling and crafty conueiaunce and will shrine him gloriously for his mightily defending of the right of holy Church except we be diligent to leaue a commemoration of that Nimroth behind vs. The reasons wherewith they proue their doctrine are but fleshly and as Paule calleth them entising wordes of mans wisdome that is to witte sophistry and brauling argumentes of men with corrupt mindes and destitute of the truth whose God is their bellye vnto which idole whosoeuer offereth not the same is an heretike and worthy to be brunt The
dedes are acceptable to God that are done in fayth so no deede to allowed good in Gods sight howe glorious to the world soeuer it appeare if it be without fayth Euery maÌ to walke truly in his vocatioÌ is the right seruice of God We must be mercyfull one to an other Luke 17. Ipocrites are vayne glorious in in all theyr workes True preachers must preach repentaunce Math. 17. Math. 17. Math. ãâã The maner doctrine of hipocrites Math. 6. Math. 23. Math. 16. Luke 9. Rom. 10. No zeale without knowledge ãâã good Churches why they were first ordeyned The true Temple of God is the hart of maÌ Luke 14. Math. 5. The manet of the speaking of the Scripture The wise of this world doe not vnderstand the speaking of God in his scriptures The Papistes argumentes Aristotles and Papistes doctrine Good workes are the fruites of loue God first loued vs and not ãâã hym How we vnderstand the loue of God to be in vs. Luke 18. Whosoeuer for Christen sake loseth any thing shâl receiue an huÌdreth folde If we once possesse Christ by faith then haue we all in all and are content with that we haue Here note what foloweth of good workes Iohn ãâã By faith in Christ we are made the sonnes of God Iohn 3. Faith doth expell the wrath of God Iohn 7. 1. Cor. 2. The naturall man which is but fleshe sauoureth not those thinges that are of the spirite Iohn 13. Iohn 5. Iohn 14. We are blessed by God onely in Christ our sauiour and not by our workes Iohn 15. We must wrestle with our olde man that we may put oâ Christ Mat. 13. Roma 1. Roma 8. Our best workes are damnable in the sight of god with out Christ Christ is our hope righteousnes Let no maÌ despayre but put his hope in Christ and he shal be safe Roma 2. No man can fulfill y e law but hee that beleueth in Christ 1. Cor. 2. Christ is y e sure foundation Mans fouÌdation is feble 2. Cor. 5. Christ rewardeth his owne workes in vs. Ephe. 6. Collos 3. We must obey the magistrates because God will haue it so Rom. 14. 1. Cor. 6. 1. Pet. 1. A good lesson to teach vs to know when we haue the spirite of God âemit all vengeauÌce to God The fury of the Popish Clergie Actes 10 Prayer is the frute of fayth Liuely âayth to not without workes Fayth maketh vs at one with God Fayth prayeth always and in all places The prayer of a faithfull man Iaco ⪠Iames. 3. Fayth is y â goodnes of all y â deedes that are done within the law of God Iaco. 3. An example Turkes haue no fayth ãâ¦ã know then is a God An example Sinnes that are acâempted no sinnes Faithlesse fruites Rom. 10. Pharao confessed his sinnes The deuils confessed Christ to be the sonne of God Simon Magus fayth 2. Pet. 2. ãâã Cor. 1. 3. An Epitome or briefe recitall of that which is entreated of before The nature of Gods word is to be persecuted The Pope is receaued and receaueth and per secuteth Loue of the world is hatred of God and his holy Gospell God defendeth his doctrine hym selfe Gods word sighteth agaynst hipocrites Nowe our master Christ was entreatedâ The craft oâ the hypocrites Gods truth worketh wâ ders maketh the wisedome of the hypocrites foolishnes The captiuitie of the Israelitââ vnder ãâ¦ã If ãâ¦ã with ãâ¦ã who can be ãâ¦ã If God be with vs who can be against vs Pharao sâaieth the men children How Moses comforteth the Israelites Gods truth fighteth for vs. God tryeth the fayth of his children God worketh backward Ioseph Israelites Dauid How Bishops instruct kings Wherunto a christian is called Our fighting is to suffer while God fighteth for vs. The wisedome of the Serpent He maketh a mocke of him selfe that casteth not the ende âre he begin How is the Pope âure whiche taketh all for Christes sake but forsaketh nought Tribulation is ouâ Baptisme Tribulation is a blessing Prosperitie is a curse Tribulation in the gift of God Wherby the are the pope and byshops sure The weakeâ to the world the stronger to Christ Weakenes of the flesh a the strength of the spirite Flesh In ij things we are put to our choisâ The differeÌce betwen the children of God of the deuill The deuils wages All Gods children are vnder chasticing Which way go the Byshops to heauen then The tyraÌtes haue not power to doe what they would The promises of God are comfortable yea they are all comfort A Christen mans care The despisers persecutors they that fall froÌ the word are threatened Nâ⦠Loth. Moses and Aaron The Prophetes Christ ââ¦ildas âhey be spiââ¦tuall that ãâã deâilishe ââ¦r the deââ¦ll is a spiââ¦tâ We must in no case deny Christ God receaueth them that come agayne Why God letteth hys elect fall That the Scripture ought to bee in the English toung Whette thâ on thy children that is exercise thy children in them and put them ãâã âre No nor syâ Iohn hys ghostly children Holy dayes Our Schole masters take great wages but teach not Why the preachers are not beloued when they saye trouth The curates wotte not what a Bible meaneth The Priests vnderstand âo Latin Search the Scriptures Agaynste Christ is knowen by his dedes A seuerall kyngdome Seuerall lawes What christ lowseth ârely the Pope byndeth to lowse it agayne for money A secret couÌsayle Person Vicare Parishe Priest The propââ¦ties of the Hebrue toung agree with the English Kyng Adelston Contrary preachyng Contrary Doctours Antechrist turneth the rootes of the tree vpward The Scripture is the triall of all doctrine the right touch stone Philosophy Aristotle Scripture Aristotle Paul Aristotle ãâã Philosophy Paul When no man will teach if we desire ⪠God will teach The order of teachyng The disorder or ouer thwarâ order of our ãâã men The schole doctrine ãâã they call ãâã corrupteth the iudgementes oâ youth ãâ¦ã ãâ¦ã Yet in this they all agree that no ãâ¦ã is saued ãâ¦ã ⪠ãâ¦ã ãâã thâ⦠ãâ¦ã ââ¦er ⪠and that tâe Pope ãâ¦ã Cââ¦st ãâã me ãâ¦ã to who ãâã will and take them ââom whom ãâã will ãâã ye ãâ¦ã ãâã simi ãâã ãâ¦ã Place ãâ¦ã ãâã ââ¦s wise ãâã âs ãâã âolâtây âhat ââ¦od ãâã Then thinke the papistes their wicked lyfe will shew it selfe to theyr shame and confusion The Pope licenced the people to read say what they would saue the truth But the one forbiddeth not theyr pompe and beâây cheate as the other doth Prelates not professors but pââ¦phaners of Gods word The obedieÌce of moÌâ⦠not ãâã ãâã tâey ãâã noâ of ãâ¦ã but ãâ¦ã ãâã sayuyng The hyppocrites lay that to Gods worde which they themselues oâe cause of God warneth ere he strike WheÌ God punisheth âooââ¦ry of the hipocrites then say they that new learning is the cause thereof Christ was ãâã of ââ¦tion Why trouble foloweth the preaching of the Gospell Christes flocke a little flocke As our Prelates
life And said moreouer I haue beene an officer of his but I haue geuen it vp and defye him and all his workes Not long after M. Tyndall happened to bée in the company of a certeyne deuine recounted for a learned man and in commoning and disputing with him hée droue hym to that issue that the sayd great Doctour burst out into these blasphemous wordes and sayd we were better to bée without Gods lawe then the Popes M. Tyndall hearing this and beeing full of Godly zeale and not bearing that blasphemous saying replyed agayne and sayd I defie the Pope and all his lawes and farther added that if God spared him life ere many yeares hée would cause a boy that driueth the plough to know more of the Scripture then hée did After this the grudge of the Priestes encreasing still against Tyndall they neuer ceased barkiâg and rating at him and layd many sore thinges to his charge saying y â hée was an heretick in sophistry an hereticke in logique and an hereticke in Diuinitie And sayd moreouer vnto him that hée bare hymself bolde of y â GentlemeÌ there in y â couÌtry but notwithstanding shortly hée should bée otherwise talked withal To whom M. Tyndall auÌswering againe thus said it was not the place hée stuck vpoÌ hée was coÌteÌted they should bring him into any countrey in all England geuing him x. l. a yeare to liue with and bynding him to no more but to teach children and to preach To bée short M. Tyndall beeing so molested and vexed in the countrey by y â Priests was constrayned to leaue that Countrye and to séeke another place and so comming to M. Welshe hée desired him of his good will that hée might depart from hym saying thus vnto him Syr I perceaue I shall not bée suffered to tarye long here in this countrie neither shall you bée able though you woulde to kéepe mée out of the handes of the spiritualitie and also what displeasure might growe to you by kéeping mée God knoweth for the which I should bée right sory So that in fine M. Tyndall with y â good will of his Master departed and eftsones came vp to London and there preached a while according as hée had done in the countrye béefore At length hée béethought hym selfe of Cutbert Tunstall then Byshop of London and especially for the great commendatioÌ of Erasmus Who in his annotations so extolleth him for his learning thus casting with him selfe that if hée might attayne into his seruice hée were a happy man And so comming to Syr Henry Gilforde the kinges Controller and bringing with hym an oration of Isocrates which hée had translated out of Gréeke into Englishe hée desyred him to speake to the sayd Byshop of London for hym which hée also did and willed him moreouer to write an Epistle to the Byshop and to goe him selfe with him which hée did likewise and deliuered his Epistle to a seruaunt of his named William Hebletwhait a man of his olde acquaintaunce But God who secretly disposed the course of things saw y â was not best for Tyndals purpose nor for the profite of his Church and therefore gaue him to fynde litle fauour in the Bishops sight The aunswere of whome was this that his house was full hee had moe then hée could well fynde and aduised him to séeke in LondoÌ abroad where he sayd he could lacke no seruice c. And so he remayned in London the space almost of a yeare beholding and marking with him selfe the course of the world and especially y e Demeanour of the preachers how they boasted them selues set vp their auctoritie kingdome Beholding also the pompe of the Prelates with other thinges that greatly misliked him Insomuch as he vnderstoode not onely to be no roome in y e Bishops house for him to translate the new Testament but also that there was no place to doe it in all England And therefore fynding no place for his purpose within the Realme and hauing some ayde and prouision by Gods prouidence ministred vnto him by Humfrev Mommouth Merchaunt who after was both Shirife and Alderman of London and by certaine other good men he tooke his leaue of the Realme and departed into Germany Where the good man being inflamed with a tender care and zeale of his countrey refused no trauell or diligence how by all meanes possible to reduce his bretheren Countrymen of England to the same tast and vnderstanding of Gods holy worde and veritie which the Lorde had endued him withall Where vpon he considering in his minde partly also conferring with Iohn Frith thought with him selfe no way more to conduce thereunto then if the scripture were turned into the vulgare speeche that the poore people might also see the simple and playne worde of God For first he wisely casting in his minde perceiued by experieÌce how that it was not possible to stablish the lay people in any trueth except the Scripture were so plainlye layd before their eyes in their mother tongue that they might see the processe order and meaning of y â text For els whatsoeuer trueth should be taught them these enemies of the trueth would quench it agayne either with apparauÌt reasoÌs of Sophistrye and traditions of their awne making founded without all ground of Scripture Either els iugglyng with the text expounding it in such a sence as impossible it were to gather of the text if the right processe order and meaning thereof were seene Agayne right well he perceaued and considered this onely or most chiefly to be the cause of all mischiefe in the Church that the Scriptures of God were hydden from the peoples eyes For so long the abhominable doinges and Idolatries mainteyned by the Pharasaicall Clergie coulde not be espyed and therefore all their labour was with might aâd mayne to keepe it downe so that either it should not bee read at all or if it were they woulde darken the right sence with the myst of their Sophistry and so entangle them which rebuked or despised their abhominations with argumentes of philosophy and with worldly similitudes and apparant reasons of naturall wisedome and with wresting of Scripture vnto their awne purpose contrary vnto the processe order and meaning of the text would so delude them in deskanting vpon it with allegoryes and amaze them expounding it in many sences layed before the vnlearned laye people that though thou felt in thy heart and were sure that all were false that they sayd yet couldest thou not solue their subtile ryddells For these and such other considerations this good man was moued and no doubts styrred vp of God to translate the Scripture into his mother tongue for the publique vtilitie and profit of the simple vulgar people of his couÌtrey First setting in hand with the new testament which he first translated about the yeare of our Lord. 1527. Aftrr y t he tooke in hand to translate the olde testament finishing the v. bookes
Princes and to all that are in authoritie how to rule vnto Gods pleasure vnto their owne profite For there is not a perfecter life in this world both to the honor of God and profite of his neighbour nor yet a greater crosse theÌ to rule christianly And of Aaron also see that thou make no figure of Christ vntill hee come vnto hys sacrifisyng but an example vnto all Preachers that they adde nothyng vnto Gods word or take ought therefro Note also how GOD sendeth his promise to the people and Moyses coÌfirmeth it with miracles and the people beleue But when temptatioÌ commeth they fall into vnbelief and fewe byde standyng When thou seest that all be not Christen that will be so called and that the crosse tryeth the true from the fayned for if the crosse were not Christ should haue Disciples enough Whereof also thou seest what an excellent gift of God true fayth is and impossible to be had without the spirite of God For it is aboue all natural power that a maÌ in time of temtation when GOD scourgeth hym should beleue then stedfastly how that God loueth him and careth for hym and hath prepared all good thyngs for hym and that that scourgyng is an earnest that GOD hath elect and chosen hym Note how oft Moyses styred them vp to beleue and trust in God putting them in remembraunce alway in tyme of temptation of the miracles wonders that GGD hath wrought before tyme in their eye sight How diligently also forbiddeth hee all that might withdraw their hartes from God to put ought to GODS word to take ought from it coÌmaundyng to do that onely that is ryght in the sight of the Lord that they should make no maner Image to kneele downe before it yea that they should make none aultare of hewed stone for feare of Images to fle the heathen Idolatries vtterly and to destroy their Idols and cut downe theyr groues where they worshypped and that they should not take the daughters of them vnto their sonnes nor geue their daughters to y t sonnes of them and that who soeuer moued any of them to worshyp false Gods how soeuer nighe of kynne he were they must accuse him and bryng him to death yea wheresoeuer they heard of man woman or Citie that worshypped false Gods they should slea them destroy the Citie for euer and not builde it agayne and all bycause they should worship nothing but God nor put confidence in any thing saue in his word Yea and howe warneth he to beware of witchcraft sorcerie enchauntment nicromancie and all craftes of the Deuill and of dreamers âothsayers and of miracle doers to destroy the word and that they should suffer none such to lyue Thou wilt hapely say they tell a man the truth What then GOD will that we care not to knowe what shall come He will haue vs to care onely to kepe his commaundementes and to committe all chaunces vnto hym He hath promised to care for vs to kepe vs from all ill All thynges are in hys hand he can remedy all thynges and will for his truth sake if we pray hym In his promises onely will hee haue vs trust and there rest and to seke no farther How also doth he prouoke them to loue euer rehearsing the benefites of God done to them already the godly promises that were to come And how goodly lawes of loue geueth hee to helpe one an other and that a man should not hate his neighbour in hys hart but loue him as himself Leuit. 19 And what a charge geueth he in euery place ouer the poore and nedie ouer the strauÌger frendlesse and widowes And when he desireth to shew mercy he rehearseth with all the benefites of God done to them at their neede that they might see a cause at the least waye in GOD to shew mercy of very loue vnto their neighbours at their nede Also there is no lawe so simple in apparaunce thoroughout the v. bokes of Moses but that there is a great reason of y t makyng therof if a man search diligently As that a man is forbyd to sethe a Kydde in hys mothers milke moueth vs vnto compassion and to be pitiful As doth also that a man should not offer the syre or damme the youÌg both in one day Leuiticus .xxij. For it might seme a cruell thyng in as much as his mothers milke is as it were his bloud wherfore god wil not haue him sodde therin but will haue a man shew curtesie vppon the very beastes As in an other place hee commaundeth that we mosell not the Oxe that treadeth out the corne whiche maner of threshyng is vsed in hoate countreys and that bycause we should much rather to be liberall and kynd vnto men that do vs seruice Or happely GOD would haue none such wanton meate vsed among his people For the Kydde of it selfe is nourishyng and the Goates milke is restauratiue and both together might be to rancke and therefore forbydden or some other lyke cause there was Of the ceremonies sacrifices and tabernacle with all hys glory and pompe vnderstand that they were not permitted onely but also commaunded of GOD to lead the people in the shadowe of Moyses and night of the olde Testament vntill the lyght of Christ and day of the new Testament were come As children are lead in the phantasies of youth vntill the discretion of mans age be come vpon them And all was done to keepe them from Idolatrie The tabernacle was ordeined to the entent they might haue a place appointed them to do their sacrifices openly in the sight of the people and namely the Priestes whiche wayted thereon that it might bee sene that they dyd all thynges accordyng to Gods worde not after the Idolatry of their owne imagination And the costlinesse of the Tabernacle and the beauty also pertayning therunto that they should see nothyng among the heathen but that they should see thinges more beautiful at home because they shoulde not bee moued to follow them And in lyke maner the diuers fashions of sacrifices and ceremonies was to occupy their minds that they shold haue no lust to follow the Heathen the multitude of them was that they should haue so much to do in keepyng them that they should haue no leysure to imagine other of their owne yea that Gods worde might be there by in all that they did that they might haue their fayth and trust in God which he cannot haue that followeth either hys own inuentions or traditions of meÌs makyng without Gods worde Finally God hath two testaments the olde and the new The olde testament is those teÌporall promises which God made the children of Israell of a good lande and that he would defend them and of wealth and prosperitie of temporall blessinges of which thou readest ouer all the law of Moses but namely Leuiticus 26. and Deut.
bynde hym hand and foote and to cast hym into vtter darkenes and to geue the talent vnto hym that had ten saying to all that haue more shall be geuen but from hym that hath not that he hath shal be taken from hym That is to say he that hath a good harte toward the word of god and to garnish it with godly liuyng and to testify it to other y e same shall increase daily more and more in the grace of Christ But he that loueth it not to lyue therafter and to edify other the same shall loose the grace of true knowledge be blinded agayne and euery day wax worse and worse and blynder and blynder tyll he be an vtter enemy of the worde of God and hys hart so hardened that it shall be impossible to conuert hym And Luke xij The seruaunte that knoweth hys maisters wyll and prepareth not hymselfe shall be beaten wyth many stripes That is shall haue greater damnation And Mat. 7. All that heare the worde of God and do not therafter build on sande that is as the foundation laid on sand can not resist violence of water but is vndermyned and ouerthrowne euen so the fayth of them that haue no lust nor loue to the law of God builded vpon y t sand of their owne imaginatioÌs and not on the rocke of Gods word accordyng to hys couenauntes turneth to desperation in tyme of tribulatioÌ and when God commeth to iudge And the vineyard Mat. 21. planted and hyred out to the husbandmen that would not render to the Lorde of the fruit in due tyme and therfore was takeÌ from them and hyred out to other doth confirme the same For Christe sayth to the Iewes the kingdome of heaueÌ shal be taken from you and geuen to a nation that wyll bring forthe y t frutes therof as it is come to passe For the Iewes haue lost the spirituall knowledge of God of his coÌmaundementes and also of all the scripture so that they can vnderstand nothyng godly And the dore is so locked vppe that all their knockyng is in vayne though many of them take great payn for gods sake And Luke 13. The figge tree that beareth no fruite is coÌmaunded to be plucked vp And finally hereto pertayneth with infinyte other the terrible parable of the vncleane spirite Luke 11. which after hee is cast out when hee commeth and findeth hys house swept and garnished taketh to hym 7. worse then hymselfe and commeth entreth in and dwelleth there and so is y t ende of the man worse then the beginnyng The Iewes they had cleansed themselues with gods word from all outward idolatry and worshipping of idols But their hartes remayned styll faythlesse to godward and toward his mercy and truth and therfore without loue also lust to his law to their neighbours for hys sake and through false trust in their owne woorkes to which heresy the chylde of perdition the wicked bishop of Rome with hys lawyers hath broughte vs christen were more abhominable idolaters theÌ before and become ten tymes worse in the end then at the beginning For the first idolatry was soone spyed and easie to be rebuked of the Prophets by the Scripture But the latter is more subtill to beguile withall and an hundreth tymes of more difficultie to bee weeded out of mens hartes This also is a conclusion nothyng more certayne or more proued by the testimony and ensamples of the scripture that if any that fauoureth the worde of God be so weake that he can not chaste hys flesh hym wyll the lord chastice and scourge euery day sharper and sharper with tribulation and misfortune that nothyng shall prosper with him but all shall go against him what soeuer he taketh in hand will visite him with pouertie with sickenesses and diseases and shall plague him with plague vpon plague eche more lothsome terrible and fearefull then other till he be at vtter desiaunce with his flesh Let vs therefore that haue now at this tyme our eyes opened agayne through the tender mercy of GOD kepe a meane Let vs so put our trust in the mercy of GOD through Christ that we know it our duetie to kepe the law of GOD and to loue our neighbours for their fathers sake whiche created them and for their Lords sake which redemed them and bought theÌ so dearely with his bloud Lette vs walke in y t feare of God and haue our eyes open vnto both partes of Gods couenaunts beyng certified that none shal be partaker of the mercy saue hee that will fight against the flesh to kepe the lawe And let vs arme our selues with this remembraunce y t as Christs workes iustifie from sinne and set vs in the fauour of GOD so our owne dedes through workyng of the spirite of God helpe vs to continue in the fauour and the grace into which Christ hath brought vs and that we can no longer continue in fauour and grace then our hartes are to kepe the law Furthermore concernyng the lawe of God this is a generall conclusion that the whole lawe whether they be ceremonies sacrifices yea or Sacramentes either or preceptes of equitie betwene man and man throughout al degrees of the world all were geueÌ for our profite and necessitie onely not for any nede that God hath of our keping theÌ or y t his ioy is encreased therby or that the dede for the dede it selfe doth please him That is all that God requireth of vs wheÌ we be at one with him and doe put our trust in him and loue him is that we loue euery man his neighbour to pity hym to haue compassion on him in all his needes and to be mercyfull vnto him This to be euen so Christ testifieth in the. vij of Math This is the lawe and the Prophetes That is to do as thou wouldst be done to accordyng I meane to the doctrine of the Scripture and not to do that thou wouldest not haue done to thee is all that the law requireth the Prophets And Paul to the Rom. xiij affirmeth also y t loue is that fulfillyng of the law and that he which loueth doth of his owne accorde all that the law requireth And. i. Tim. i. Paul sayth that the loue of a pure hart and good conscience and faith vnfayned is the end and fulfillyng of the law For faith vnfained in Christes bloud causeth y e to loue for Christes sake which loue is the pure loue onely the onely cause of a good conscience For then is the conscience pure wheÌ the eye looketh to Christ in all her deedes to doe them for his sake and not for her owne singular aduauÌtage or any other wicked purpose And Iohn both in hys Gospel and also Epistles speaketh neuer of any other law then to loue one an other purely affirmyng that we haue God him selfe dwellyng in vs all that GOD desireth if we loue one the other Seyng then that
Christes glad tydings first through openyng of the law to rebuke all thinges and to proue all thynges sinne that procede not of the spirite of faith in Christ and to proue all men sinners and children of wrath by inheritaunce and howe that to sinne is their nature and that by nature they can no otherwise doe then sinne and therewith to abate the pride of man and to bring him vnto the knowledge of him selfe and of his miserie wretchednes that he might desire helpe Euen so doth S. Paule and beginneth in the first Chapter to rebuke vnbelefe and grose sinnes which all men see as the Idolatrie and as the grose sinnes of the heathen were and as the sinnes now are of all them whiche liue in ignoraunce without fayth and without the fauour of GOD and sayth The wrath of GOD of heauen appeareth through the Gospell vpon all men for their vngodly vnholy lyuyng For though it be knoweÌ and dayly vnderstaÌd by the creatures that there is but one God yet is nature of herself with out the spirit and grace so corrupt and so poysoned that men neither can thanke him neither worship him neither geue him his due honor but blind theÌ selues and faule without ceasyng into worse case euen vntill they come vnto worshipping of Images workyng of shamefull sinnes whiche are abhominable and agaynst nature and moreuer suffer the shame vnrebuked in other hauing delectation and pleasure therein In the second Chapter he procedeth further and rebuketh all those holy people also whiche without lust and loue to the law liue wel outwardly in the face of the world and condemne other gladly as the nature of all hypocrites is to thinke them selues pure in respect of open sinners and yet hate the law inwardly and are full of couetousnes and enuy and of all vncleÌnes Math. xxiij These are they whiche despise the goodnes of GOD and accordyng to the hardenes of their hartes heape together for theÌ selues the wrath of God Furthermore S. Paule as a true expounder of the law suffreth no man to be without sinne but declareth that all they are vnder sinne whiche of freewill and of nature will liue well suffreth them not to be better theÌ the open sinners yea he calleth them hard harted and such as can not repent In the thyrd Chapter he mingleth both together both the Iewes and the Gentiles and sayth that the one is as the other both sinners no difference betwene them saue in this onely that the Iewes had the word of God committed vnto them And though many of them beleued not thereon yet is Gods truth and promise thereby neither hurt nor minished And he taketh in his way and allegeth the saying of the 50. Psalme that God might abyde true in his wordes ouercome when he is iudged After that he returneth to his purpose agayn and proueth by the Scripture that all men without difference or exceptioÌ are sinners and that by the workes of the law no maÌ is iustified but that the law was geuen to vtter and to declare sinne onely TheÌ hee begynneth and sheweth the right way vnto righteousnes by what meanes meÌ must be made righteous and safe and sayth They are all sinners without prayse before God and must without their own deseruyng be made righteous throughe fayth in Christe which hath deserued such righteousnes for vs and is become vnto vs Gods mercystole for the remission of sinnes that are past thereby prouyng that christes righteousnes which commeth on vs through fayth helpeth vs onely whiche righteousnes sayth he is now declared through the Gospell was testified of before by the lawe of the Prophetes Furthermore sayth he the law is holpeÌ and furthered thorough fayth thoughe that the workes therof with all their boast are brought to nought In the iiij Chapter after that now by the 3. first Chapters the sinnes are opened and the way of faith vnto rightuousnes layd he begynneth to aunswere vnto certain obiections and cauillations And first putteth forth those blinde reasons whiche commonly they that wil be iustified by their owne workes are wont to make when they heare that faith onely without workes iustifieth saying shall men do no good workes yea and if fayth onely iustifieth what nedeth a man to studie for to do good workes He putteth forth therfore Abraham for an ensample saying what did Abraham with his workes was all in vayne came his workes to no profite And so concludeth that Abraham without and before al workes was iustified and made righteous In so much that before the worke of CircumcisioÌ he was praysed of the Scripture and called righteous by his fayth onely Gene. xv So that he did not the worke of Circumcision for to bee holpen there by vnto righteousnesse whiche yet God commaunded hym to do was a good worke of obedience So in likewise no doubt none other workes helpe any thyng at all vnto a maÌs iustifiyng but as Abrahams CircumcisioÌ was an outward signe wherby he declared his righteousnes which he had by fayth and his obedience and readynes vnto the will of God euen so are all other good workes outward signes and outward frutes of fayth of the spirite which iustifie not a man but that a man is iustified already before god inwardly in the hart through faith and through the spirite purchased by Christes bloud Herewith now stablisheth S. Paul his doctrine of faith afore rehearsed in the thyrd Chapter and bringeth also testimony of Dauid in the xij Psalme whiche calleth a man blessed not of workes in that his sinne is not rekened and in that fayth is imputed for righteousnes though he abide not afterward without good workes when he is once iustified For we are iustified receiue the spirite for to do good workes neither were it otherwise possible to do good workes except we had first the spirite For howe is it possible to doe any thyng well in the sight of God while we are yet in captiuitie and bondage vnder the deuill and the deuill possesseth vs all together and holdeth our hartes so that we can not once consent vnto the will of God No man therfore can preuent the spirite in doyng good the spirite must first come and wake him out of his sleepe with the thunder of the law and feare him and shew him his miserable estate wretchednes and make him abhorre hate him selfe and to desire helpe and then comfort him agayne with the pleasauÌt rayne of the Gospell that is to say with the sweete promises of God in Christ and stirre vp faith in him to beleue the promises then when he beleueth the promises as God was mercyfull to promise so is he true to fulfill them and wil geue him the spirite and strength both to loue the will of God to worke there after So see we that God onely whiche accordyng to the Scripture worketh
eÌnsample Mary that annoynted Christes feete Luke 7. When SimoÌ which bad Christ to his house had condemned her Christe defeÌded her and iustified her saying Simon I haue a certayne thyng to say vnto thee And he sayd maister say on There was a certayne lender whiche had two detters the one ought v. C. pence and the other fiftie When they had nothing to pay he forgaue bothe Which of them tell me will loue hym most Simon aunswered and sayd I suppose that he to whome he forgaue most And he said to him thou hast truly iudged And he turned him to y â womaÌ and sayd vnto Simon Seest thou this womaÌ I entred into thine house and thou gauest me no water to my fete but she hath washed my feet with teares wypte them with the heares of her head Thou gauest me no kisse but she since the tyme I came in hath not ceased to kisse my feete My heade with oyle thou haste not annoynted And she hath annointed my feete with costly and precious oyntment Wherfore I say vnto thee many sinnes are forgeuen her for she loueth much To whom lesse is forgeuen the same doth loue lesse c. Hereby see we that dedes and works are but outward signes of of the inward grace of the bounteous and plenteous mercy of God frely receyued without all merites of deedes ye and before all dedes Christ teacheth to know the inwarâ fayth and loue by the outward deedes Deedes are the fruites of loue and loue is the fruit of fayth Loue and also the deedes are great or smal according to the proportion of fayth Where fayth is mighty strong there is loue feruent and dedes plenteous and done with excedyng mekenes Where fayth is weake there is loue cold the dedes few seldom beare flowers blossomes in winter Symon beleued and had fayth yet but weakly according to the proportion of his fayth loued coldly and had dedes therafter he had Christ vnto a simple and a bare feast onely receaued him not with any great humanitie But Mary had a strong fayth and therfore burning loue notable dedes done with excedyng profound depe mekenes On the one side she saw her selfe clearely in the law both in what daunger she was in her cruell bondage vnder sinne her horrible damnation and also the feareful sentence and iudgement of God vpon sinners On the other side she heard the Gospell of Christ preached and in the promises she saw with egles eyes the excedyng aboundant mercy of God that passeth all vtteraunce of spech whiche is set foorth in Christ for all meke sinners whiche knowledge their sinnes And she beleued the word of God mightyly and glorified God ouer his mercy and truth and beyng ouercome and ouerwhelmed with y t vnspeakeable yea and incomprehensible aboundat riches of the kyndnes of God did enflame burne in loue yea was so swolne in loue that she could not abide nor hold but must breake out and was so droÌke in loue that she regarded nothyng but euen to vtter the feruent and burnyng loue of her hart onely She had no respect to her selfe though she was neuer so great and notable a sinner neither to the curious hipocrisie of the Phariseis whiche euer disdaine weake sinners neither the costlines of her oyntment but with all humblenes did run vnto his feete Washed them with the teares of her eyes and wyped them with the heares of her head anoynted them with her precious oyntment yea and would no doubt haue runne into the grouÌd vnder his feete to haue vttered her loue toward hym yea would haue descended downe into hell if it had bene possible Euen as Paul in the ix Chapter of his Epistle to the Romaines was dronke in loue and ouerwhelmed with the pleÌteousnes of the infinite mercy of god which he had receaued in Christe vnsought for wished hym selfe banished from Christ and damned to saue y t Iewes if it might haue ben For as a man feeleth God in hym selfe so is he to hys neighbour Marke an other thyng also We for the most part because of our grossenes in all our knowledge procede froÌ that whiche is last and hiââost vnto that which is first begynnyng at the latter end disputyng and makyng our argumentes backeward We begyn at the effect and worke and procede vnto the naturall cause As for an ensample we first see the Moone darke and then search the cause and find that the puttyng of the earth betwene the Sunne and the Moone is the naturall cause of the darknes and that the earth stoppeth the light Then dispute we backeward saying the Moone is darkned therfore is the earth directly betwene the Sunne and the Moone Now yet is not the darkenes of the Moone the naturall cause that the earth is betwen the Sunne and the Moone but the effect therof and cause declaratiue declaryng and leadyng vs vnto the knowledge how that the earth is betwene the Sunne and the Moone directly causeth the darknes stopping the light of the Sunne from the Moone And contrarywyse the beyng of the earth directly betwene the Sunne and the Moone is the naturall cause of y t darknes Likewise he hath a sonne therfore is he a father and yet the soone is not cause of the father but contrarywise Notwithstandyng y t sonne is the cause declaratiue wherby we know that the other is a father After the same maner here many sinnes are forgeuen her for she loueth much thou mayst not vnderstand by the word for that loue is the naturall cause of the forgeuyng of sinnes but declareth it onely and contrarywise the forgiuenesse of sinnes is the naturall cause of loue The workes declare loue And loue declareth that there is some benefite kindnes shewed or els would there bee no loue Why woorketh one and an other not Or one more then an other Because that one loueth and the other not or that the one loueth more then the other Why loueth one an other not or one more theÌ an other Because that one feeleth y â exceding loue of god in his hart an other not or that one feeleth it more theÌ an other Scripture speaketh after y e most grossest maner Be diligent therfore that thou be not deceaued with curiousnes For meÌ of no small reputation haue bene deceaued with their owne sophistry Hereby now seest thou that there is great difference betwene beyng righteous and good in a mans selfe declaryng and vtteryng righteousnes and goodnes The fayth onely maketh a man safe good righteous and the frend of GOD yea and the sonne and the heyre of GOD and of all hys goodnes possesseth vs with the spirite of God The worke declareth the selfe fayth and goodnes Now vseth the Scripture the common maner of speakyng and the very same that is among the people As when a father sayth to his child go belouing mercyfull
shewe your mercy do a deede of mercy meanyng thereby y t our deedes declare how we loue our neighbours how much we haue compassion on theÌ at their neede Moreouer it is not possible to loue except we see a cause Except we see in our hartes y t loue kyndnes of God to vs warde in Christ our Lord it is not possible to loue God aright We say also he that loueth not my dogge loueth not me Nor that a maÌ should loue my dogge first But if a man loued me the loue wherewith he loueth me would compell him to loue my dogge though the dogge deserued it not yea though the dogge had done him a displeasure yet if he loued me the same loue would refrayne hym from reuenging himselfe and cause him to referre the vengeaunce vnto me Such speakinges finde we in scripture Iohn in the fourth of hys first epistle sayth He that saith I loue God and yet bateth his brother is a lyar For how can he that loueth not his brother whom he seeth loue God whom he seeth not This is not spoken that a man should first loue hys brother and then God but as it foloweth For this commaundement haue we of hym that he which loueth God should loue his brother also To loue my neighbour is the commaundemeÌt which commaundement he that loueth not loueth not GOD The keeping of the commaundemeÌt declareth what loue I haue to God If I loued God purely nothing that my neighbour coulde do were able to make me eyther to hate him eyther to take vengeaunce on hym my selfe seing that God hath coÌmaunded me to loue him to remitte all veÌgeaunce vnto hym Marke now how much I loue the coÌmaundement so much I loue God how much I loue God so much beleue I that he is mercifull kynde and good yea and a father vnto me for Christes sake how much I beleue that God is mercifull vnto me and that he will for Christes sake fulfill all his promises vnto me so much I see my sinnes so much do my sins greue me so much do I repent and sorrow that I sinne so much displeaseth me that poyson that moueth me to sinne and so greatly desire I to be healed So now by the naturall order first I see my sinne then I repeÌt and sorrow then beleue I Gods promises that he is mercifull vnto me and forgeueth me and will heale me at the last then loue I and then I prepare my selfe to the commaundement THis do and thou shalt liue Luc. x. that is to say loue thy Lord God with all thy hart with all thy soule with all thy strength and with all thy mynde and thy neighbour as thy self As who should say if thou do this or though thou canst not do it yet if thou âealest lust thereunto and thy spirite sigheth mourneth and longeth after strength to do it take a signe and euident token thereby that the spirite of life is in thee and that thou art electe to life euerlasting by Christes bloude whose gift and purchase is thy fayth and that spirite that worketh the will of God in thee whose gift also are thy deedes or rather the deedes of the spirite of christ and not thine and whose gift is the reward of eternal life which foloweth good workes It followeth also in the same place of Luke When he shoulde departe he plucked out two pence and gaue them to the host and sayde vnto him Take the charge or cure of him and what soeuer thou spendest more I wil recompeÌce it thee at my coÌming agayne Remember this is a parable and a parable may not be expounded worde by worde but the intent of the similitude must be sought out onely in the whole parable The intent of the similitude is to shew to whom a man is a neighbour or who is a mans neighbour which is both one what is to loue a mans neighbour as him selfe The Samaritane holpe him and shewed mercy as long as he was present and when he could be no longer present he left his money behind him and if that were not sufficient he left his credence to make good the rest and forsoke him not as long as y â other had need TheÌ sayd Christ goe thou and do likewise that is without difference or respectioÌ of persons whosoeuer needeth thy helpe him count thy neighbour his neighbor be thou and shew mercy on him as long as he nedeth thy succour and that is to loue a mans neighbour as him selfe Neighbour is a word of loue and signifieth that a man shoulde be euer nigh and at hand and ready to helpe in tune of neede They that will enterpret parables worde by worde fall into straights oft-times whence they can not rid themselues And preach lyes in stead of the truth as do they whiche enterpret by the ij pence the old testament and the new and by that which is bestowed Opera supererogationis howbeit Superarrogantia were a meeter terme that is to say deedes which are more then the law requireth deeds of perfection and of liberalitie which a man is not bouÌd to do but of his free will And for them he shal haue an higher place in heauen and may geue to other of his merites or of whiche the pope after his deathe may geue pardons from the paines of purgatorye Against whiche exposition I aunswere first a greater perfection then the law is there not A greater perfection then to loue God and his will which is the commaundementes with all thine hart with all thy soule with all thy strength with all thy minde is there none And to loue a mans neighbour as himselfe is like the same It is a wonderfull loue wherewith a man loueth himselfe As glad as I woulde be to receiue pardon of mine owne life if I had deserued death so glad ought I to be to defend my neighboures life without respect of my life or of my good A man ought neither to spare his goods nor yet himselfe for his brothers sake after the ensample of Christ 1. Iohn 3. Herein sayth he perceiue we loue in that he y t is to say Christ gaue his life for vs. We ought therefore to bestowe our liues for the brethren Nowe sayeth Christ Iohn xv There is no greater loue then that a man bestow his life for his frend Moreouer no man caÌ fulfil the law For Iohn sayth i. Chapter of the said epistle if we say we haue no sinne we deceaue our selues and truth is not in vs. If we knowledge our sinnes he is faithfull and righteous to forgeue vs our sinnes and to purge vs from all iniquitie And in the Pater noster also we say father forgeue vs our sins Now if we be all sinners none fulfilleth the lawe For he that fulfilleth the lawe is no sinner In the lawe may neither Peter nor Paule nor any other creature saue Christ onely reioyce In the bloud of
When they sent to Iohn asking him whether he were Christ he denied it When they asked him what he was and what he sayd of himselfe he aunswered not I am he that watcheth prayeth drinketh no wine nor strong drinke eateth neyther fishe nor fleshe but liue wyth wilde hony and Grashoppers and weare a coate of camels heare and a gyrdle of a skinne but sayd I am a voyce of a cryar My voyce onely pertaineth to you Those outward things which ye wonder at pertayne to my selfe onely vnto the taming of my bodye To you am I a voyce onely and that which I preach My preaching if it be receaued into a penitent or repenting hart shall teach you how to liue and please God according as God shall shed out his grace on euery man Iohn preached repentaunce saying prepare y â Lordes way and make his pathes straight The Lordes way is repentaunce and not hipocrisy of mans imagination inuention It is not possible y t the Lord Christ should come to a man except he know himselfe and his sinne truely repent Make his pathes straight the pathes are the lawe if thou vnderstaÌd it a right as God hath geuen it Christ sayth in the xvij of Mat. Helias shall first come that is shall come before Christ and restore all things meaning of Iohn Baptist Iohn Baptist did restore the law and the Scripture vnto the right sence vnderstanding which the Pharises partly had darckned and made of none effect thorough their owne traditions Math. xv where Christ rebuketh them saying why transgresse ye the commaundementes of God thorough your traditions and partly had corrupt it with gloses and false interpretations that no maÌ could vnderstand it Wherefore Christ rebuketh them Mat. 23. saying wo be to you Pharises hipocrites which shut vp the kingdome of heauen before meÌ ye enter not your selues neither suffer them that come to enter in and partly did beguile the people and blinde their eyes in disguising themselues as thou readest in the same 23. chap. how they made broade and large Philacteries and did all their workes to be seene of men that the people should wonder at their disguisinges and visuring of themselues otherwise then God had made them and partly mocked them with hipocrisy of false holines in fasting praying and almes geuing Mat. 6. and this did they for lucre to be in authoritie to sitte in the consciences of people and to be counted as God him selfe that people shoulde trust in their holynes and not in God as thou readest in the place aboue rehearsed Mat. 23. wo be to you Pharises hipocrites which deuoure widowes houses vnder a colour of long prayer Counterfet therfore nothing without y t worde of God wheÌ thou vnderstandest that it shall teach thee all thinges how to applie outwarde thinges and whereunto to referre them Beware of thy good entent good mynde good affection or zeale as they call it Peter of a good minde and of a good affection or zeale chidde Christ Math. 16. because he sayde that he must goe to Hierusalem and there be slayne But Christ called him Satan for his labour a name that belongeth to the deuil And sayde that he perceaued not godly thinges but worldly Of a good entent and of a ferueÌt affection to Christ the sonnes of Zededei would haue had fire to come downe from heauen to consume the Samaritans Luk. 9. But Christ rebuked them saying that they wist not of what sprite they were that is that they vnderstoode not how that they were altogether worldly fleshly mynded Peter smote Malchus of a good zeale but Christ condemned his deede The very Iewes of a good enteÌt and of a good zeale slew Christ and persecuted the Apostles as Paule beareth them recorde Rom. x. I beare them recorde sayth he that they haue a feruent mynde to Godward but not according to knowledge It is an other thing then to do of a good minde and to do of knowledge Labour for knowledge that thou mayest know Gods will and what he would haue thee to doe Our mynde entent and affection or zeale are blinde and all that we do of them is damned of god and for that cause hath God made a testament betwene him and vs wherin is coÌteyned both what he would haue vs to do and what he would haue vs to aske of him See therefore that thou do nothing to please God withall but that he commaundeth neither aske any thing of him but that he hath promised thee The Iewes also as it appeareth Act. vij slew SteueÌ of a good zeale because he proued by the scripture that God dwelleth not in Churches or temples made wyth handes The Churches at the beginning were ordeyned that the people shoulde thether resorte to heare the word of God there preached onely and not for the vse wherein they now are The temple wherein God will be worshipped is the hart of man For God is a spirite sayth Christ Ioh. 4. and will be worshipped in y t spirite in truth that is when a penitent hart consenteth vnto the lawe of God and with a strong fayth loÌgeth for the promises of God So is God honored on al sides in that we count him righteous in all his lawes and ordinaunces and also trust in all his promises Other worshipping of God is there none except we make an Idoll of him IT shal be recompensed thee at the rising agayne of the righteous Lu. xiiij Reade the text before and thou shalt perceaue that Christ doth here that same that he doth Math. v. that is he putteth vs in remembraunce of our dutie that we be to the poore as Christ is to vs and also teacheth vs how that we can neuer know whether our loue be right and whether it spring of Christ or no as long as we are but kinde to them onely which do as much for vs againe But and we be mercifull to the poore for conscience to God and of compassion and harty loue which compassion loue spring of the loue we haue to God in Christ for the pure mercy and loue that he hath shewed on vs then haue we a sure token that we are beloued of God and washed in Christes bloud and elect by Christes deseruing vnto eternall life The scripture speaketh as a father doth to his young sonne do this or that and then will I loue thee yet the father loueth his sonne first and studieth with all his power and witte to ouercome his childe with loue and with kindnes to make him do that which is comely honest and good for it selfe A kynde father and mother loue their children euen when they are euill that they would shed their bloud to make them better and to bring theÌ into the right way And a naturall childe studieth not to obtayne his fathers loue with workes but considereth with what loue his father loueth him with all
how shall they heare wythout a preacher and how shall they preach except they be sent As it is writteÌ saith he how beautifull are the fecte that bring glade tydinges of peace and bringe tydynges of good thynges Now when sent God any messengers vnto the deuils to preach them peace or any good thyng The deuill hath no promise he is therefore excluded from Paules fayth The deuill beleueth that Christ dyed but not that he dyed for hys sinnes Neither doth any that coÌsenteth in the hart to continue in sinne beleue that Christ dyed for him For to beleue that Christ dyed for vs is to see our horrible damnation and how we were appointed vnto eternall paines and to feele and to be sure that we are deliuered therefroÌ thorough Christ in that we haue power to hate our sins and to loue Gods commaundements All such repent and haue their hartes loosed out of captiuitie and bondage of sinne and are therefore iustified thorough fayth in Christ Wicked sinners haue no fayth but imaginations and opinions about Christ as our schole men haue in their principles about whiche they braule so fast one with another It is an other thyng to beleue y â the kyng is rich that he is rich vnto me and that my part is therein and that he will not spare a peny of his riches at my neede when I beleue that the king is rich I am not moued But when I beleue that he is rich for me that he will neuer faile me at my nede then loue I and of loue am ready to worke vnto the vttermost of my power But let vs returne at the last vnto our purpose agayne WHat is the cause that laye men can not now rule as well as in times past and as the Turkes yet doe Verely because that Antichrist wyth the miste of hys iugglyng hath beguiled our eyes and hath cast a superstitious feare vpon the world of christen men hath taught theÌ to dread not God his worde but hymselfe and his word not Gods law and ordinaunces princes and officers which God hath set to rule the world but his owne law and ordinaunces traditions and ceremonies and disguised disciples which he hath set euery where to deceaue the world and to expell the lyght of Gods worde that his darcknes may haue roome For we see by dayly experience of certayne hundred yeares loÌg that he which feareth neyther God nor hys worde neyther regardeth father mother mayster or Christ hymself which rebelleth against God ordinaunces riseth agaynst the kynges and resisteth hys officers dare not once lay handes on one of the Popes annoynted no though he sley hys father before hys face or do violence vnto his brother or defile his sister wife or mother Like honour geue we vnto his traditions ceremonies What deuotion haue we when we are blessed as they call it with the chalice or when the Byshop lifteth vp his holy hand ouer vs Who dare handle the chalice touch the Alter stone or put his hand in the fount or hys finger into the holy oyle What reuerence geue we vnto holy water holy âyre holy bread holy salt halowed belles holy waxe holy bowes holy candels and holy ashes And last of all vnto the holy caÌdle commit we our soules at our last departyng Yea and of the very cloute which the Byshop or his chapplen that standeth by knitteth about childrens neckes at confirmatioÌ what lay person durst be so bold as to to vnloose the knot Thou wilt say do not such thinges bring the holy Ghost and put away sinne and driue away spirites I say that a stedfast fayth or belefe in Christ in the promises that God hath sworne to geue vs for hys sake bringeth the holy Ghost as all the Scriptures make mention as Paul sayth Actes xix haue ye receaued the holy Ghost through fayth or beleuing Fayth is the rocke where on Christ buildeth hys congregation agaynst whiche âayth Christ Math. xvj hell gates shall not preuaile As soone as thou beleuest in Christ the holy Ghost commeth sinne falleth away and deuils flye when we cast holy water at the deuill or ryng the belles he fleeth as men do from young children and mocketh with vs to bring vs from the true fayth that is in Gods word vnto a superstitious and a false belefe of our owne imagination If thou haddest fayth threwest an vnhalowed stone at his head he would earnestly flee and without mockyng yea though thou threwest nothyng at all he would not yet abyde Though that at the beginnyng miracles were shewed through such ceremonies to moue the infidels to beleue the word of God As thou readest how the Apostles annoynted the sicke with oyle and healed them and Paul sent his pertelet or Iirkyn to the sicke and healed them also Yet was it not the ceremonie that did the miracle but fayth of the preacher and the truth of God which had promised to confirme and stablish his Gospell with such miracles Therfore as soone as the gift of miracles ceased ought the ceremonie to haue ceased also or els if they will needes haue a ceremonie to signifie some promise or benefite of GOD whiche I prayse not but would haue Gods word preached euery Sonday for which entent Sondayes and holy dayes were ordeined then let them tel the people what it meaneth and not set vp a haulde and a naked ceremonie without significatioÌ to make the people beleue therein and to quenche the fayth that ought to be geuen vnto the word of God What helpeth it also that the Priest wheÌ he goeth to Masse disguifeth him selfe with a great part of the passion of Christ and playeth out the rest vnder silence with signes and profers with noddyng beckyng and mowyng as it were Iacke an apes when neither he him selfe neither any man els woteth what he meaneth not at all verely but hurteth and that excedyngly For as much as it not onely destroyeth the fayth quencheth the loue that should be geuen vnto the commaundements and maketh the people vnthankefull in that it bringeth them into such superstition that they thinke that they haue done aboundantly ynough for God yea deserued aboue measure if they be present once in a day at such mummyng But also maketh the infidels to mocke vs and abhorre vs in that they see nothyng but such apes play among vs where of no man can geue a reason All this commeth to passe to fulfill the prophesie which Christ prophesied Marke xiij And Luke xxj that there shall come in his name which shall say that they them selues are Christ That do verely the Pope and our holy orders of Religion For they vnder the name of Christ preach theÌ selues their own word and their own traditions and teach the people to beleue in them The Pope geueth pardons of his full power of the treasure of the Church and of the merites of Saintes
that is to say of maÌs righteousnes and of holy dedes which man hath imagined to please God to be saued by without Gods worde and beside the testameÌt that God hath made in Christ If Christ had not rebuked y t Phareseis because they taught the people to beleue in their traditions and holynes and in offeringes that came to their auantage and that they taught the widowes and theÌ that had their frendes dead to beleue in their prayers that through their prayers the dead should be saued and thorough that meanes robbed them both of their goodes and also of the testament and promises that God had made to all that repented in Christ to come he might haue bene vncrucified vnto this day If Saint Paule also had not preached against circumcision that it iustified not and that vowes offeringes and ceremonies iustified not and that righteousnes and forgeuenes of sinnes came not by any deseruing of our deedes but by faith or beleuing y e promises of God and by the deseruing merites of Christ onely he might haue liued vnto this houre Likewise if we preached not against pride couetousnes lechery extorcion vsury symony and against the euill lyuing both of the spiritualtie as well of the temporalitie and against inclosings of parkes reising of rent and fines and of the carying out of wolle out of the realme we might endure long enough But toutch the scabbe of hipocrisie or popeholynes and goe about to vtter their false doctrine wherewith they reigne as Gods in the hart and consciences of men and robbe them not of landes goodes and authoritie onely but also of the testament of God and saluation that is in Christ then helpeth thee neither Gods worde nor yet if thou diddist miracles but that thou art not an heretike onely and hast the deuill within thee but also a breaker of the kinges peace and a traytor But let vs returne vnto our lying sygnes agayne WHat signifieth that the Prelates are so bloudy and clothed in red that they be ready euery houre to suffer martyrdome for the testimony of Gods worde Is that also not a false signe When no man dare for them once open his mouth to aske a question of Gods worde because they are ready to burne him What signifieth the pollaxes that are borne before hye Legates A Latere What so euer false signe they make of them I care not but of this I am sure that as the olde hypocrites when they had slayne Christ set pollaxes to keepe him in his sâpulcre that he should not rise againe eueÌ so haue our hypocrites buried the testament that God made vnto vs in Christes bloud and to kepe it downe that it rise not againe is all their studie wherof these pollaxes are the very signe Is not that shepardes hoke the Bishopes crose a false signe Is not that white rochette that the Byshops and Chanons weare so like a Nunne and so effeminatly a false signe What other thinges are their sandals gloues myters all the whole pompe of their disguising then false signes in which Paule prophesied that they shoulde come And as Christ warned vs to beware of wolues in lambes skinnes bad vs looke rather vnto their fruites and deedes then to wonder at theyr disguisinges Runne throughout all our holy religious and thou shalt finde them likewise all clothed in falshod ¶ Of the sacramentes FOrasmuch as we be come to signes we wil speake a word or two of the signes which God hath ordeined that is to say of the sacramentes which Christ left amongest vs for our comfort that we may walke in light and in truth in feling of the power of God For he that walketh in y â day stumbleth not when contrariwise he that walketh in the night stumbleth Ioh. xi And they that walke in darknes wote not whether they goe Ioh. xij This worde sacrament is as much to say as an holy signe and representeth alway some promise of God As in the olde Testament God ordeined that the raynebowe should represent and signifie vnto all men an oth that God sware to Noe to all men after hym that he woulde no more drowne the worlde thorough water ¶ The sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ SO the Sacrament of the body and bloude of Christ hath a promise annexed which the Priest should declare in the Englishe tounge This is my body that is broken for you This is my bloud that is shed for many vnto the forgeuenesse of sinnes This do in remeÌbrance of me sayth Christ Luk. 22. And 1. Cor. 11. If when thou seest the SacrameÌt or eatest his body or drinckest his bloud thou haue thys promise fast in thine hart that his body was slayne and his bloud shed for thy sins and beleuest it so art thou saued and iustified thereby If not so helpeth it thee not though thou hearest a thousand masses in a day or though thou doest nothing els all thy life long then eate his body or drinke his bloude no more theÌ it should helpe thee in a dead thyrst to beholde a bushe at a tauerne dore if thou knewest not thereby that there were wine within to be soldâ ¶ Baptime BAptime hath also his worde and promise which the Priest ought to to teach the people and Christen them in the Englishe tounge and not to play y â popengay with Credo say ye âolo say ye and Baptismum say ye for there ought to be no mumming in such a matter The Priest before he baptiseth asketh saying beleuest thou in God the father almighty and in his sonne Iesus Christ and in the holy ghost and that the congregation of Christ is holy And they say yea Then the Priest vppon thys fayth baptiseth the childe in y â name of the father and of y t sonne and of the holy ghost for the forgeuenes of sinnes as Peter saith Act. ij The washing without the worde helpeth not but through the worde it purifieth and clenseth vs. As thou readest Ephe. v. How Christ clenseth the congregation in the fountayne of water through the worde The word is the promise that God hath made Now as a preacher in preaching the worde of God saueth the hearers that beleue so doth the washing in that it preacheth and representeth vnto vs the promise that God hath made vnto vs in Christ The washing preacheth vnto vs that we are cleÌsed with Christes bloudshedding which was an offering and a satisfaction for the sinne of all that repent and beleue consenting and submitting themselues vnto the will of God The plunging into the water signifieth that we die and are buried with Christ as concerning the olde life of sinne which is Adam And the pulling out againe signifieth that we rise againe with Christ in a newe life full of the holy ghost which shall teach vs guide vs worke the will of God in vs as thou seest Rom. vj. Of wedlocke MAtrimony or wedlocke is
a state or a degree ordeined of God and an office wherein the husband serueth the wife and the wife the husband It was ordeined for a remedy and to encrease the worlde and for the man to helpe the woman and the woman the man with all loue and kyndnes and not to signifie any promise that euer I heard or redde of in y â scripture Therfore ought it not to be called a Sacrament It hath a promise that we sinne not in that state if a man receaue hys wise as a gift geuen to him of God the wife her husband likewise as all maner meates and drinkes haue a promise that we sinne not if we vse them measurably with thankes geuing If they call matrimony a Sacrament because the scripture vseth the similitude of matrimonie to expresse the mariage or wedlocke that is betwene vs and Christ For as a woman though she be neuer so poore yet when she is maried is as rich as her husband euen so we wheÌ we repent and beleue the promises of God in Christ though we be neuer so poore sinners yet are as rich as Christ all his merits are ours with all that he hath If for that cause they call it a sacrament so will I musterde seede leuen a net keyes bread water and a thousand other things which Christ and the Prophetes and all the scripture vse to expresse the kingdome of heauen and Gods worde wythall They prayse wedlocke wyth their mouth and say it is an holy thyng as it is verely but had leuer be sanctified wyth an whore then to come wythin the sanctuary ¶ Of Order SUbdeacon DeacoÌ Priest Byshop Cardinall Patriarch and Pope be names of offices and seruice or should be and not Sacraments There is no promise coupled therwith If they minister their offices truly it is a signe that Christes spirite is in them if not that the deuill is in them Are these all Sacramentes or which one of them Or what thyng in them is that holy signe or Sacrament The shauyng or the annoynting What also is the promise that is signified thereby But what word printeth in them that charact that spirituall seale O dreamers and naturall beastes without the seale of the spirite of God but sealed with the marke of the beast and with cankred consciences There is a word called in Latine Sacerdos in Greeke Hiercus in Hebrue Cohan that is a Minister an officer a sacrificer or a Priest as Aaron was a Priest and sacrificed for the people and was a mediator betwen God them And in the English should it haue had some other name then Priest But Antichrist hath deceaued vs with vnknowen and strauÌge termes to bring vs into confusion and superstitious blyndnes Of that maner is Christ a Priest for euer and all we Priests thorough hym and neede no more of any such Priest on earth to be a meane for vs vnto god For Christ hath brought vs all into the inner temple within the vayle or forehanging and vnto the mercy stoole of God And hath coupled vs vnto God where we offer euery man for himselfe y e desires petitions of his hart sacrifice and kil the lustes appetits of his flesh with prayer fasting all maner godly liuing An other worde is there in Greeke called Presbiter in latin Senior in englishe an elder and is nothing but an officer to teach and not to be a mediator betwene God and vs. This nedeth no annointing of man They oâ y t olde testament were annointed with oyle to signifie the annointing of Christ and of vs thorough Christ with the holy ghost This wise is no man Priest but he that is chosen saue as in time of necessitie euery parson Christeneth so may euery man teach his wife housholde and the wife her children So in time of neede if I see my brother sinne I may betwene hym and me rebuke him and damne his deede by the lawe of God And may also comfort them that are in dispayre with the promises of God and saue them if they beleue By a Priest then in the new testament vnderstand nothing but an elder to teach the younger and to bring theÌ vnto the full knowledge and vnderstanding of Christ and to minister the Sacramentes which Christ ordeyned which is also nothyng but to preach Christes promises And by them that geue all their studie to quench the light of truth and to holde the people in darcknes vnderstand the disciples of Sathan and messengers of Antichrist what soeuer names they haue or what soeuer they call themselues And as concerning that our spiritualtie as they will be called make themselues holyer then the lay people and take so great landes and goodes to pray for them and promise them pardons and forgeuenes of sinnes or absolution without preachyng of Christes promises is falsehode and the woorkyng of Antichrist and as I haue sayd the rauenyng of those wolues which Paul Act. xx prophesied should come after hys departyng not sparyng the flocke Their doctrine is that marchaundise wherof Peter speaketh saying through coueteousnes shall they with fayned wordes make marchaundise of you ij Pet. ij And their reasons wherewith they proue their doctrine are as sayth Paul i. Timo. vj. superfluous disputynges arguynges or braulyngs of meÌ with corrupt mindes and destitute of truth whiche thinke that lucre is godlynes But Christ sayth Math. vij by their frutes shalt thou know them that is by their filthy couetousnes and shamelesse ambition and dronken desire of honor contrary vnto the example doctrine of Christ and of his Apostles Christ sayd to Peter the last Chapter of Iohn Fede my sheepe and not shere thy flocke And Pet. sayth i. Pet. v. Not being Lordes ouer the Parishes but these shere and are become Lordes Paul saith ij Cor. ij Not that we be Lordes ouer your faith but these will be Lordes compel vs to beleue what soeuer they lust without any witnes of Scripture yea cleane contrary to the Scripture wheÌ the opeÌ text rebuketh it Paul sayth it is better to geue theÌ to receaue Act. xx But these do nothyng in the world but lay snares to katch and receaue what so euer coÌmeth as it were the gapyng mouth of hell And. ij Cor. xij I seeke not yours but you but these seeke not you to Christ but yours to theÌ selues and therfore lest their dedes should be rebuked will not come at the light Neuerthelesse the truth is that we are all equally beloued in Christ and God hath sworne to all indifferently According therfore as euery man beleueth Gods promises longeth for theÌ and is diligent to pray vnto GOD to fulfill them so is his prayer heard and as good is the prayer of a cobler as of a Cardinall and of a bocher as of a Byshop the blessing of a baker that knoweth the truth is as good as the blessyng of our most holy father the Pope And
sermon at all they lie cleane contrary vnto this open truth Neither are they ashamed at all For why they walke altogether in darcknes ¶ Of Contrition COntrition and repeÌtaunce are both one and nothyng els but a sorowful a mournyng hart And because that God hath promised mercy vnto a contrite hart that is to a sorowfull and repentyng hart they to beguile Gods word and to stablish their wicked tradition haue fayned that new word attrition saying thou canst not know whether thy sorrowe or repentaunce be contrition or attrition except thou be shreuen When thou art shreuen theÌ it is true contritioÌ Oh foxy Pharisay that is thy leuen of which Christ so diligeÌtly bad vs beware Math. vj. And the very prophesie of Peter thorough couetousnes with fayned wordes shall they make marchauÌdise of you ij Pet. ij with such gloses corrupt they Gods word to sit in the consciences of y â people to lead them captiue and to make a praye of theÌ byeng and sellyng their sinnes to satisfy their vnsatiable couetousnes Neuerthelesse the truth is when any man hath trespassed agaynst God If he repeÌt and knowledge his trespasse God promiseth him forgeuenesse without eare shrift If he that hath offended his neighbour repente and knowledge his fault askyng forgeuenes if his neighbour forgeue him God forgeueth him also by his holy promise Mat. xviij Likewise if he that sinneth openly when he is openly rebuked repent and turne then if the congregation forgeue hym God forgeueth him And so forth who soeuer repenteth and when he is rebuked knowledgeth his fault is forgeueÌ He also that doubteth or hath hys consciences tangled ought to open his minde vnto some faythfull brother that is learned and he shall geue hym faythful councell to helpe him withall To whom a man trespasseth vnto him he ought to confesse But to confesse my selfe vnto thee O Antichrist whom I haue not offended am I not bounde They of the old law had no confession in the eare Neither the Apostles nor they that folowed many hundred yeares after knew of any such whisperyng Wherby then was their attritioÌ turned vnto contrition yea why are we whiche Christ came to loose more bound theÌ the Iewes Yea and why are we more bounde without Scripture For Christ came not to make vs more bounde but to loose vs and to make a thousand thynges no sinne which before were sinne and are now become sinne agayne He left none other law with vs but the law of loue He loosed vs not froÌ Moyses to bynde vs vnto Antichristes eare God had not tyed Christ vnto Antichristes eare neither hath poured all his mercy in thether for it hath no recorde in the old Testament that Antichristes eare should be Propiciatorium that is to witte Gods mercy stole and that God should crepe into so narow a hole so that hee could no where els be founde Neither dyd God write his lawes neither yet hys holy promises in Antichristes eare but hath graued them with his holy spirite in the hartes of them that beleue that they might haue them alwayes ready at hand to be saued therby ¶ Satisfaction AS pertainyng vnto satisfactioÌ this wise vnderstaÌd that he that loueth God hath a commaundement as S. Iohn sayth in the fourth Chap. of his first Epistle to loue his neighbour also whom if thou haue offended thou must make him amendes or satisfactioÌ or at the lest way if thou be not able aske him forgeuenes if he will haue mercy of God he is bound to forgeue thee If he will not yet God forgeueth thee if thou thus submit thy selfe But vnto Godward Christ is a perpetuall and an euerlastyng satisfaction for euermore As oft as thou fallest through frailtie repent come agayne and thou art safe welcome as y u mayst see by y e similitude of the riotous sonne Luke xv If thou be lopen out of sanctuary come in agayne If thou be fallen from the way of truth come thereto agayne and thou art safe if thou be gone astray come to y e folde againe the shepheard Christ shall saue thee yea and the aungels of heauen shal reioyce at thy commyng so farre it is of that any maÌ shal beate thee or chide thee If any Pharisey enuye thee grudge at thee or rayle vpon thee thy father shall make aunswere for thee as thou seist in the fore rehearsed likenes or parable Who soeuer therfore is gone out of the way by whatsoeuer chauÌce it be let him come to his Baptisme agayne and vnto the profession therof and he shal be safe For though that the washyng of Baptisme be past yet the power therof that is to say y t word of God which Baptisme preacheth lasteth euer and saueth for euer As Paul is past and gone neuerthelesse y e word that Paul preached lasteth euer and saueth euer as many as come therto with a repentyng hart and a stedfast faith Hereby seest thou that when they make penaunce of repentaunce and cal it a Sacrament and deuide it into contrition confession and satisfaction they speake of their owne heades and lye falsely ¶ Absolution THeir absolution also iustifieth no man from sinne For with the hart do men beleue to be iustified with all sayth Paul Roma 10. that is through fayth and beleuyng the promises are we iustified as I haue sufficiently proued in other places with y â Scripture Fayth sayth Paul in the same place commeth by hearyng that is to say by hearyng the preacher that is sent from God and preacheth Gods promises Now when thou absoluest in Latine the vnlearned heareth not For how saith Paul i. Cor. xiiij when thou blessest in an vnknowen toung shall the vnlearned say Amen vnto thy thankes geuing for he wotteth not y u sayst So likewise the lay wotteth not whether thou loose or bynde or whether thou blesse or curse In like maner is it if the lay vnderstaÌd Latine or though the Priest absolue in English For in hys absolution he rehearseth no promise of God but speaketh his owne wordes saying I by the authoritie of Peter and Paul absolue or loose thee from all thy sinnes Thou sayst so which art but a lying man and neuer more then now verely Thou sayst I forgeue thee thy sinnes and the Scripture Iohn the first that Christ onely forgeueth taketh away y e sinnes of the world And Paul and Peter and all the Apostles preache that all is forgeuen in Christ and for Christs sake Gods word onely looseth and thou in preachyng that mightest loose also and els not ¶ Who soeuer hath eares let him heare and let him that hath eyes see If any man loue to be blinde his blindnes on his owne head and not on mine THey alledge for theÌ selues the saying of Christ to Peter Math. xvj Whatsoeuer thou byndest on earth it shal be bouÌde what soeuer thou looseth and so forth Lo say they what soeuer we bynde what
Christ or entende to restore the Kynges agayne vnto their duties and right and to the rowme and authoritie which they haue of God and of shadowes to make theÌ Kynges in deede to put the world in his order agayne then the Kynges deliuer their swordes and authoritie vnto the hypocrites to âlay him So dronken are they with the wine of the whore ¶ The text that foloweth in Paule wil they happely lay to my charge and others How shall they preach except they be sent sayth Paul in the sayd x. to the Romaines We wil they say the Pope Cardinals and Byshoppes all authority is ours The Scripture perteineth vnto vs and is our possession And we haue a law that who soeuer presume to preach without the authoritie of the Bishops is excommunicate in the deede doyng Whence therefore hast thou thine authoritie wil they say The old Phariseis had the Scripture in captiuitie likewise and asked Christ by what authoritie doest thou these thynges as who should say We are phariseis thou art none of our order nor hast authoritie of vs. Christ asked them an other question and so will I do our hypocrites Who seÌt you God Nay hee that is sent of God speaketh Gods word Iohn iij. Now speake ye not Gods worde nor any thyng saue your own lawes made cleane contrary vnto Gods worde Christes Apostles preached Christ not them selues He that is of the truth preacheth the truth Now ye preach nothyng but lyes and therefore are of the deuill the father of all lyes of hym are ye sent And as for mine authoritie or who sent me I report me vnto my workes as Christ Iohn v. and. x. If Gods word beare recorde that I say truth why should any man doubt but that God the father of truth and of lyght hath sent me as the father of lyes of darknes hath sent you and that the spirite of truth and of light is with me as the spirite of lyes and of darkenes is with you By this meanes thou wilt that euery man be a preacher will they say Nay verely For GOD will that not and therfore will I it not no more then I would that euery man of London were Mayre of London or euery man of the Realme Kyng therof God is not the author of dissention and strife but of vnitie and peace and of good order I will therefore that where a congregation is gathered together in Christ one be chosen after the rule of Paul and that hee onely preach and els no maÌ openly but that euery man teach hys houshold after the same doctrine But if the preacher preach false then whosoeuers harte God moueth to the same it shal be law full to rebuke and improue the false teacher with the cleare and manifest Scripture and that same is no doubt a true Prophet sent of GOD. For the Scripture is gods and theirs that beleue and not the false Prophet SAcrament is then as much to say as an holy signe And the Sacramentes which Christ ordeined preach Gods word vnto vs and therfore iustifie and minister the spirite to them that beleue as Paul thorough preachyng the Gospell was a minister of righteousnes of the spirite vnto all that beleued his preachyng Domme ceremonies are no Sacramentes but superstitiousnes Christes SacrameÌts preach the fayth of Christ as his Apostles did thereby iustifie Antichristes domme ceremonies preach not y â fayth that is in Christ as his Apostles our Byshops and Cardinals do not But as Antichristes Bishops are ordeined to kill who soeuer preach the true faith of Christ so are his ceremonies ordeined to quench the faith which Christes SacrameÌtes preach And hereby maist thou knowe the difference betwene Christes signes or Sacramentes and Antichristes signes or ceremonyes that Christes signes speake and Antichristes be domme Hereby seest thou what is to be thought of all other ceremonies as halowed water bread salt bowes belles waxe ashes and so forth and all other disguisinges and Apesplay and of all maner coniurations as the coniuring of church and churchyardes and of alter stones such like Where no promise of God is there can be no fayth nor iustifiyng nor forgeuenes of sinnes For it is more then madnes to looke for any thing of god saue that he hath promised How farre he hath promised so farre is he boduÌ to them that beleue and further not To haue a fayth therefore or a trust in any thing where god hath not promised is plaine idolatry and a worshipping of thyne own imagination in stede of God Let vs see the pith of a ceremony or two to iudge the rest by In coniuring of holy water they pray that whosoeuer be sprinckled therewith may receaue health as well of body as of soule and likewise in makyng holy bread and so forth in the coniurations of other ceremonies Now we see by dayly experience that halfe their prayer is vnheard For no man receaueth health of body thereby No more of likelihode do they of soule Yea we see also by experience that no man receaueth health of soule thereby For no man by sprinckling himselfe with holy water and wyth eating holy bread is more mercifull then before or forgeueth wrong or becommeth at one with his enemy or is more patient and lesse couetous and so forth Which are the sure tokens of the soule health They preach also that the wagging of the Byshops hand ouer vs blesseth vs and putteth away our sinnes Are these workes not against Christ How can they do more shame vnto Christes bloud For if the wagging of the Byshops hand ouer me be so precious a thyng in the sight of God that I am thereby blessed how then am I full blessed wyth all spirituall blessinge in Christ as Paul saith Ephe. j Or if my sinnes be full done away in Christ how remayneth there any to be done away by such phantasies The Apostles knew no wayes to put away sin or to blesse vs but by preaching Christ Paule sayth Gal. ij If righteousnes come by the law then Christ dyed in vayne So dispute I here If blessing come by the wagging of the Byshops hand then dyed Christ in vayne and his death blesseth vs not And a little afore sayth Paule if while we seeke to be iustified by Christ we be yet found sinners so that we must be iustified by the law or ceremonies is not Christ then a minister of sinne So dispute I here If while we seeke to be blessed in Christ we are yet vnblessed and must be blessed by the wagging of the Byshoppes hand what haue we then of Christ but curse Thou wilt say When we come first to the fayth then Christ forgeueth vs and blesseth vs. But the sinnes which we afterward commit are forgeuen vs through such thinges I aunswere If any man repent truely and come to the fayth and put hys trust in Christ theÌ as oft as he sinneth of frayltie at
spirite of the lyuing God not in tables of stone as the ten commaundementes but in the fleshy tables of the hart as who shuld say we writ not a dead law with inke and in parchemenâ nor graue that which damned you in tables of stone but preache you that which bringeth the spirite of lyfe vnto your brestes which spirite writeth and graueth the law of loue in your hartes and geueth you lust to do the will of God And furthermore sayth he our ablenes coÌmeth of God which hath made vs able to minister the new TestameÌt not of the letter y t is to say not of the law but of the spirite For the letter that is to say the law killeth but the spirite geueth life that is to say the spirite of God whiche entreth your hartes wheÌ ye beleue the glad tydinges that are preached you in Christe quickeneth your hartes and geueth you life lust and maketh you to do of loue and of your owne accorde without compulsioÌ that which the law compelled you to do and daÌned you because ye could not doe with loue and lust and naturally Thus seest thou that the letter signifieth not the litterall sence and the spirite the spirituall sence And Rom. ij Paul vseth this terme Littera for the law And Rom. vij where he setteth it so playne that it the great wrath of God had not blinded them they could neuer haue stombled at it God is a spirite and all his wordes are spirituall His litterall sence is spituall and all his wordes are spiritual When thou readest Math. j. she shall beare a sonne thou shalt cal his name Iesus For he shall saue his people froÌ their sinnes This litteral sence is spiritual and euerlasting life vnto as many as beleue it And the litterall sence of these wordes Math. v. blessed are the mercyfull for they shall haue mercy are spirituall and life Wherby they that are mercyfull may of right by the truth and promise of God challenge mercy And like is it of these wordes Math. vj. If you forgeue othermen their sinnes your heauenly father shall forgeue you yours And so is it of all the promises of God Finally all gods wordes are spiritual if thou haue eyes of God to see the right meanyng of the text whereunto y â Scripture perteyneth the final end and cause therof All the Scripture is either the promises and TestameÌt of God in Christ and stories perteining thereunto to strength thy faith either the law and stories perteining therto to feare thee from euil doing There is no story nor gest seme it neuer so simple or so vyle vnto the worlde but that thou shalt finde therein spirite and life and edifieng in the litterall sense For it is gods Scripture written for thy learnyng and comforte There is no cloute or tagge there that hath not precious reliques wrapt therein of fayth hope pacience and long sufferyng and of the truth of God and also of hys righteousnes Set before thee the storie of Ruben which defiled his fathers beo Marke what a crosse God suffered to fal on the necke of his elect Iacob CoÌsider first the shame among the heatheÌ when as yet there was no moe of the whole world within the Testament of God but he and his houshold I report me to our Prelates which sweare by their honor whether it were a crosse or no. Seest thou not how our wicked bylders rage because they see their bildynges burne now they are tryed by the fire of Gods word and how they stirre vp the whole world to quench the word of God for feare of loosing their honour Then what busines had he to pacifie his children Looke what a do he had at y â defiling of his daughter Dina. And be thou sure that the brethren there were no more furious for the defiling of their sister then the sonnes heare for defiling of their mother Marke what folowed Ruben to feare other that they shame not their fathers and mothers He was cursed and lost the kyngdome and also the Priestdome and his tribe or generatioÌ was euer few in number as it appeareth in the stories of the Bible The adulterie of Dauid with Barsabe is an ensample not to moue vs to euill but if while we folow the way of righteousnes any chaunce driue vs aside that we despayre not For if we saw not such infirmities in Gods elect we which are so weake and fall so oft should vtterly dispaire thinke that God had cleane forsaken vs. It is therfore a sure and an vndoubted conclusion whether we be holy or vnholy we are all sinners But the differeÌce is that Gods sinners consent not to their sinne They consent vnto the law that it is both holy and righteous and mourne to haue their sinne taken away But the deuils sinners consent vnto their sinne and would haue the law and hell taken away and are enemies vnto the righteousnes of God Likewise in the whomely gest of Noe when he was dronke and lay in his tente with hys priuy members open hast thou great edifyeng in the litteral sence Thou seest what became of the curied children of wicked Ham which saw his fathers priuie members and gested therof vnto his brethren Thou seest also what blessing fell on Sem and Iaphet which went backward and couered their fathers members saw them not And thirdly thou seest what infirmitie accompanieth Goâs elect be they neuer so holy which yet is not imputed vnto theÌ For the fayth trust they haue in God swalloweth vp all their sinnes Notwithstandyng this text offereth vs an apte and an hansome allegory or similitude to describe our wicked Ham Antichrist the Pope which many huÌdred yeares hath done all the shame that hart caÌ thinke vnto the priâey meÌber of God which is the word of promise or y â word of faith as Paule calleth it Rom. x. and the Gospell and TestameÌt of Christ wherewith we are begotten as thou seest i. Peter i. and Iames. i. And as the cursed children of Ham grew into gyauntes so mightie and great that the children of Israell semed but greshoppers in respect of them so the cursed sonnes of our Ham the Pope his Cardinals Bysshops Abbots Monkes and Friers are become mighty gyauntes aboue all power and authoritie so that the children of faith in respect of them are much lesse then greshoppers They heape mountayne vppon mountayne will to heaueÌ by their own strength by away of their owne making not by the way Christ Neuer the latter those gyauÌtes for the wickednes abhominatioÌs which they had wrought did God vtterly destroy part of them by the childreÌ of Loth and part by the children of Esau and seuen nations of them by the children of Israell So no doubt shall he destroy these for like abhominations that shortly For their kyngdome is but the kyngdome of lyes and falshead which must needes perish at
the commyng of the truth of Gods word as the night vanisheth away at the presence of day The childreÌ of Israell slew not those gyauntes but the power of God Gods truth promises as thou mayst see in Deut. So it is not we that shal destroy those gyauntes as thou mayst see by Paule ij Thess ij speakyng of our Ham Antichrist Whom the Lord shall destroy saith he with the spirite of his mouth that is by the wordes of truth and by the brightnes of his comming that is by the preachyng of his Gospell ANd as I haue sayd of allegories euen so it is of worldly similitudes which we make either wheÌ we preach either when we expound the Scripture The similitudes proue nothyng but are made to expresse more playnly that which is contayned in the Scripture and to lead thee into the spirituall vnderstanding of the text As the similitude of Matrimony is taken to expresse the Mariage that is betwene Christ and our soules and what excedyng mercy we haue there wherof all the Scriptures make mention And the similitude of the members how euery one of them careth for other is taken to make thee feele what it is to loue thy neighbour as thy selfe That preacher therfore that bringeth a naked similitude to proue that which is contayned in no text of Scripture nor foloweth of a text count a deceauer a leader out of the way and a false Prophet and beware of his Philosophie and persuasions of maÌs wisedome as Paul i. Corinth ij sayth my wordes and my preachyng were not with entysing wordes persuasions of mans wisedome but in showyng of the spirit and power that is he preached not dreames confirming them with similitudes but Gods word confirmyng it with miracles and with working of the spirite the which made them feele euery thing in their hartes That your fayth sayth he should not stand in the wisedome of man but in the power of God For the reasons and similitudes of mans wisedome make no fayth but waueryng vncertaine opinioÌs onely one draweth me this way with his argumeÌt another that way of what principle thou prouest blacke an other proueth white and so am I euer vncertaine as if thou tell me of a thyng done in a farre land and an other tell me the contrarie I wote not what to beleue But fayth is wrought by the power of God that is when Gods word is preached the spirite entereth thyne hart and maketh thy soule feele it and maketh thee so sure of it that neither aduersitie nor persecution nor death neither hell nor the powers of hell neither yet all the paynes of hell could ones preuayle agaynst thee or moue thee froÌ the sure rocke of Gods word that thou shouldest not beleue that which God hath sworne And Peter ij Pet. i. sayth we folowed not deceauable fables when we opened vnto you the power and commyng of our Lord Iesus Christ but with our eyes we saw his maiestie And agayne we haue sayth he a more sure word of prophesie wherunto if ye take hede as vnto a light shynyng in a darke place ye do well The word of prophesie was the old TestameÌt which beareth record vnto Christ in euery place without which recorde the Apostles made neither similitudes nor argumeÌts of worldly witte Hereof seest thou that all the allegories similitudes persuasions argumentes which they bryng without Scripture to proue praying to Saintes Purgatory care confession and that God will heare thy prayer more in one place theÌ in another and that it is more meritorious to eate fish then flesh and that to disguise thy selfe put on this or that maner cote is more acceptable then to go as God hath made thee and that widowhode is better then matrimony and virginitie then widowhode and to proue the Assumption of our Lady and that she was borne without originall sinne yea with a kisse say some are but false doctrine Take an example how they proue that widowhode and virginitie excede matrimony they bryng this worldly similitude He that taketh most payne for a man deserueth most and to him a man is most bound so likewise must it be with God and so forth now the widow and virgine take more payne in resisting their lustes then the maryed wife therfore is their state holier First I say that in their owne sophistry a similitude is the worst and feblest argument that can be and proueth lest and soonest deceaueth Though that one sonne doe more seruice for hys father then an other yet is the father free and may with right reward theÌ all a like For though I had a thousand brethren and did more theÌ they all yet do I not my dutie The fathers and mothers also care most for the lest and weakest and them that can doe lest ye for the worst care they most and would spend not their goodes onely but also their bloud to bryng them to the right way And euen so is it of the kyngdome of Christ as thou mayst well see in the similitude of the riotous sonne Luke xv Moreouer Paul sayth i. Cor. vij It is better to marie then to burne For the person that burneth can not quietly serue God in as much as hys mynde is draweÌ away the thoughts of his hart occupyed with wonderfull and monstrous imaginations He can neither see nor heare nor read but that his wittes are rapt and he cleane from him selfe And agayne sayth he Circumcision is nothyng vncircumcision is nothyng but the kepyng of the coÌmaundementes is all together Looke wherein thou canst best kepe the commaundemeÌtes thether get thy selfe and therin abyde whether thou be widow wife or mayde and then hast thou all with God If we haue infirmities that draw vs from the lawes of God let vs cure them with the remedyes that God hath made If thou burne mary For God hath promised thee no chastitie as long as thou mayst vse the remedy that hee hath ordeyned no more then hee hath promised to slake thine honger without meate Now to aske of God more then he hath promised commeth of a false faith and is playne Idolatry and to desire a miracle where there is naturall remedy is temptyng of God And of payne takyng this wise vnderstand He that taketh payne to kepe the commaundementes of God is sure therby that he loueth God and that hee hath Gods spirite in hym And the more paine a man taketh I meane paciently and without grudgyng the more he loueth God and the perfecter hee is nearer vnto that health which y â soules of all Christen meÌ long for the more purged from the infirmitie and sinne that remaineth in the flesh but to loke for any other reward or promotion in heauen or in the life to come then that which God hath promised for Christes sake and which Christ hath deserued for vs with his payne takyng is abhominable in the sight of
God For Christe onely hath purchased the reward and our payne takyng to keepe the commaundemeÌtes doth but purge the sinne that remayneth in the fleshe and certifie vs that we are chosen and sealed with Gods spirite vnto the reward y t Christ hath purchased for vs. I was once at the creatyng of Doctours of diuinitie where the opponeÌt brought the same reason to proue that the widow had more merite then the virgine because she had greater payne for as much as she had once proued the pleasures of Matrimony Ego nego Domine Doctor said the respoÌdent For though the virgine haue not proued yet she imagineth that the pleasure is greater then it is in deede and therfore is more moued hath greater temptation and greater paine Are not these disputers they that Paule speaketh of in the sixt chapter of the first Epistle to Timot. That they are not content with the wholesome woordes of our Lord Iesus Christ doctrine of godlinesse And therefore know nothyng but wast their braynes about questioÌs strift of wordes whereof spryng enuy strife and rayling of men with corrupt mindes destitute of the truth As pertainyng to our Ladyes body where it is or where the body of Elyas of Iohn the Enangelist and of many other be perteineth not to vs to know One thing are we sure of that they are where God hath layd them If they be in heaueÌ we haue neuer the more in Christ If they be not there we haue neuer the lesse Our dutie is to prepare our selues vnto the commaundemeÌtes and to be thankefull for that which is opened vnto vs and not to search the vnsearchable secretes of God Of Gods secretes can we know no more then he openeth vnto vs. If God shut who shall open How then can natural reason come by the knowledge of that which God hath hyd vnto him selfe Yet let vs see one of their reasons wherewith they proue it The chief reason is this euery maÌ doth more for his mother say they then for other in like maner must Christ do for his mother therefore hath she this preheminence that her body is in heauen And yet Christ in the xij chapter of Math. knoweth her not for his mother but as farrefoorth as she kept his fathers commaundementes And Paule in the ij Epistle to the Corinthians v. chap. knoweth not Christ himselfe fleshly or after a worldly purpose Last of all God is free no further bounde then he bindeth him selfe if hee haue made her any promise he is bounde if not then is he not Finally if thou set this aboue rehearsed chapter of Math. before thee where Christe woulde not know his mother and the ij of Iohn where he rebuked her and the ij of Luke where she lost him and how negligent she was to leaue him behinde her at Ierusalem vnwars and to go a dayes iorney ere she sought for hym y â mightest resolue many of their reasons which they make of this matter and that she was without originall sinne read also Erasmus annotations in the sayd places And as for me I coÌmit all such matters vnto those idle belyes which haue nought els to doe then to moue such questions and geue them free libertie to holde what they lyst as long as it hurteth not the faith whether it bee so or no exhortyng yet with Paule all that will please God and obtayne that saluation that is in Christe that they geue no hede vnto vnnecessary and braulyng disputations that they labour for the knowledge of those thinges without which they can not be saued And remember that the sunne was geuen vs to guide vs in our way and woorkes bodyly Now if thou leaue the naturall vse of the sunne and will looke directly on hym to see howe bright he is and such like curiositie then wil the sunne blind thee So was the Scripture geuen vs to guide vs in our way and woorkes ghostly The way is Christ the promises in hym are our saluation if we long for them Now if we shall leaue that right vse and turne our selues vnto vayne questions and to searche the vnsearchable secretes of God then no dout shall the Scripture blinde vs as it hath done our schole men and our suttle disputers ANd as they are false Prophetes which proue with allegories similitudes and worldly reasoÌs that which is no where made mention of in the Scripture Euen so counte them for false Prophetes whiche expounde the scriptures drawing theÌ vnto a worldly purpose cleane contrary vnto the example lyuyng and practisyng of Christ and of hys Apostles and of all the holy Prophetes For sayth Peter ij Pet. i. no prophesie in the Scripture hath any priuate interpretation For the Scripture ⪠came not by the will of man but the holy men of God spake as they were moued by the holy ghost No place of the Scripture may haue a priuate exposition that is it may not be expounde after the will of man or after the wil of the flesh or drawen vnto a worldly purpose coÌtrary vnto the open textes and the generall articles of the faith and the whole course of the Scripture and contrary to the liuyng and practising of Christ and the Apostles and holy Prophetes For as they came not by the will of maÌ so may they not bee drawen or expounde after the will of man but as they came by the holy ghost so must they expouÌd vnderstaÌd by the holy ghost The Scripture is that wherewith God draweth vs vnto hym and not wherewith we should be leade from him The Scriptures spring out of God and flow vnto Christ and were geuen to leade vs to Christ Thou must therfore go aloÌg by the Scripture as by a lyne vntill thou come at Christ which is y e wayes end and restyng place If any maÌ therfore vse the Scripture to draw thee froÌ Christ and to nosell thee in any thyng saue in Christ the same is a false Prophet And that thou mayst perceaue what Peter meaneth it foloweth in y â text There were false Prophetes among the people whose prophesies were bely wisedome as there shal be false teachers among you which shall priuely bryng in damnable sectes as thou seest howe we are diuided into monstrous sectes or orders of Religion euen denying the Lord that hath bought them For euery one of them taketh on hym to sell thee for money that whiche God in Christ promiseth thee freely and many shall folow their damnable wayes by whom the waye of trouth shal be euill spokeÌ of as thou seest how the way of trouth is become heresie seditious or cause of insurrectioÌ breaking of y e kyngs peace treason vnto his hyghnes And through conetousnes with fayned wordes shal they make marchaundise of you Couetousnes is the conclusion for couetousnes and ambitioÌ that is to say lucre and desire of honor is the finall end of all false Prophetes and of all false
fathers fathers of theÌ that are past And as we feele our fathers so dyd they that are past feele their fathers neither were there in the world any other fathers then such as we both see and feele this many hundred yeares as their Decrees beare recorde and the stories and Chronicles well testifie If Gods word appeared any where they agreed all agaynst it When they had brought that a sleepe then stroue they one with an other about their owne traditions and one Pope condemned an others Decrees and were sometyme ij yea thre Popes at once And one Bishop went to law with an other and one cursed an other for their owne fantasies such things as they had falsly gotteÌ And the greatest Samts are they that most defeÌded the liberties of the church as they call it which they falsly gote with blynding kings neither had the world any rest this many hundred yeares for reformyng of Friers and Monkes and ceasyng of schismes that were among our Clergy And as for the holy Doctours as Augustine Hierome Cyprian Chrisostomus and Bede will they not heare If they wrote any thyng negligently as they were men that drawe they cleane contrary to their meanyng and therof triumphe they Those Doctours knew of none authoritie that one Byshop should haue aboue another neither thought or once dreamed that euer any such should be or of any such whisperyng or of Pardons or scouryng of Purgatory as they haue fayned And when they cry miracles miracles remember that God hath made an euerlasting Testament with vs in Christes bloud against which we may receaue no miracles no neither y â preachyng of Paule him selfe if he came agayn by his own teaching to the Galathians neither yet the preachyng of the aungels of heauen Wherefore either they are no miracles but they haue fayned theÌ as is the miracle that S. Peter halowed Westminster or els if there be miracles that confirme doctrine contrary to Gods word theÌ are they done of the deuill as the mayd of Ipswich of Kent to proue vs whether we will cleane last to Gods word and to deceaue them that haue no loue to the truth of Gods word nor lust to walke in his lawes And for as much as they to deceaue with all arme them selues against theÌ with argumentes and periÌnasions of fleshly wisedome with worldly similitudes with shadowes with false Allegories with false expositions of the Scripture contrary vnto the liuyng practising of Christ and the Apostles with lyes and false miracles with false names domne ceremonies with disguising of hypocrisie with the authorities of the fathers and last of all with the violence of the temporall sworde therfore do thou contrariwise arme thy selfe to defende thee with all as Paule teacheth in the last chapter to y â Ephesians Gyrde on thee the sworde of the spirite which is Gods word and take to thee the shilde of fayth which is not to beleue a âate of Robynhode or Gestus Romanorum or of the Chronicles but to beleue Gods woorde that âasteth euer And when the Pope with his falshead chalengeth temporall authoritie aboue King and Emperour set before thee y â xxv chapter of S. Math. Where Christ commanudeth Peter to put vp his sword And set before thee Paul ij Cor. x. Where he sayth the weapons of of our warre are not carnall thynges but myghty in God to bryng all vnderstandyng in captiuitie vnder the obedience of Christ that is the weapoÌs are Gods word and doctrine and not swordes of yron and stele set before thee the doctrine of Christ and of hys Apostles and their practise And when the Pope chalengeth anthoritie ouer his fellow Byshops and ouer all the congregation of Christ by successioÌ of Peter set before thee y â first of the Actes where Peter for all hys authoritie put no man in the rowme of Iudas but all the Apostles chose two indifferently and cast lottes desiring God to temper them that the lot might fall on y e most ablest And Actes viij the Apostles sent Peter and in the xi call him to rekening and to geue accomptes of that he hath done And when the Popes law coÌmaundeth saying though that the Pope liue neuer so wickedly and draw with hym through his euill ensample innumerable thousaÌdes vnto hell yet see that no man presume to rebuke him for he is head ouer all and no man ouer him set before thee Gallates ij Where Paule rebuketh Peter openly And see how both to the CorinthiaÌs and also to the Galathians he will haue no superiour but Gods word hee that could teach better by Gods worde And because when he rehearsed his preachyng and hys doynges vnto the hygh Apostles they could improue nothyng therfore will he be equall with the best And when the Friers say they do more theÌ their dutie wheÌ they preach and more theÌ they are bound to to say our seruice are we bouÌd say they and that is our dutie to preach is more then we are bound to Set thou before thee how that Christes bloud shedyng hath bounde vs to loue one an other withall our might and to do the vttermost of our power one to an other And Paul sayth i. Cor. ix Wo be vnto me if I preach not yea wo is vnto him y â hath wherewith to helpe his neighbour and to make him better and do it not If they thinke it more then their dutie to preache Christ vnto you then they thinke it more then their dutie to pray that ye should come to the knowledge of Christ And therefore it is no maruell though they take so great labour yea and so great wages also to kepe you still in darkenes And when they crye furiously hold the heretikes vnto the wall and if they will not reuoke burne them without any more a do reason not with theÌ it is an Article condeÌned by the fathers Set thou before thee the saying of Peter i. Pet. iij. To all that aske you be ready to geue an aunswere of the hope that is in you and that with mekenes The fathers of the Iewes and the Bishops whiche had as great authoritie ouer them as ours haue ouer vs condemned Christ his doctrine If it be inough to say the fathers haue condeÌned it theÌ are y â Iewes to beholdeÌ excused yea they are yet in the right way and we in the false But if the Iewes be bound to loke in the Scripture and to see whether their fathers haue done right or wrong then are we likewise bound to looke in the Scripture whether our fathers haue done right or wrong and ought to beleue nothyng without a reason of the Scripture and authoritie of Gods word And of this maner defend thy selfe agaynst all maner wickednes of our spirites armed alway with Gods woorde with a strong and a stedfast fayth thereunto Without Gods word do nothing And to his word adde nothyng neither pull any
of their heauenly father confirmed with y â bloud of their Lord Christ For vnto them it is harder to enter into y â kingdome of heauen then for a camel to enter through y â eye of an nedle Mar. 10. No they haue no part in the kyngdome of Christ God Ephe. v. Therefore is it euident why Christ so diligeÌtly warneth all his to beware of couetousnesse and why hee admitteth none to be his Disciples except he first forsake all together For there was neuer couetouse person true yet either to God or man If a couetous maÌ be choseÌ to preach Gods word he is a false Prophet immediatly If he be of the lay sorte so ioyneth he him self vnto the false Prophetes to persecute the truth Couetousnesse is not onely aboue all other lustes those thornes that choke y t word of God in them that possesse it But it is also a deadly enemy to all that interprete Gods word truly All other vices though they laugh theÌ to scorne that talke godly yet they can suffer theÌ to lyue and to dwell in the countrey But couetousnes cannot rest as long as there is one that cleaueth to Gods word in all the land Take hede to thy preacher therfore and be sure if he be couetous and gape for promotion that he is a false Prophet leaueneth the Scripture for all his crying fathers fathers holy Church and fiften huÌdred yeares and for all his other holy pretenses Blessed are they that mourne for they shall be comforted This mournyng is also in the spirite and no kinne to the sowre lokyng of hipocrites nor to the impacieÌt weywardnesse of those fleshely which euer whyne and complayne that the world is naught because they caÌnot obtayne and enioy their lustes therin Neither forbiddeth it alwayes to be mery and and to laugh make good chere now and then to forget sorrow that ouermuch heauynesse swalow not a man cleane vp For the wise man sayth sorow hath cost many their lyues And Prouer. xvij an heauy spirite drieth vp the bones And Paule commaundeth Philip. iiij to reioyse euer And Roma xij he sayth reioyse with them that reioyse and sorow with theÌ that sorow and wepe with them that wepe which seme two contraries This mourning is that crosse without which was neuer any Disciple of Christ or euer shal be For of what soeuer state or degree thou be in this world if thou professe y â Gospell there foloweth the a crosse as warmenesse accompanieth the sonne shynyng vnder which thy spirite shall grone and mourne secretly not onely because the world and thyne owne flesh carie thee away cleane coÌtrary to the purpose of thyne hart But also to see and behold the wretchednesse misfortunes of thy brethreÌ for which because thou louest them as well as thy selfe thou shalt mourne and sorow no lesse theÌ for thy selfe Though thou be King or Emperour yet if thou knowest Christ and God through Christ and entendest to walke in the fight of God and to minister thyne office truly thou shalt to kepe iustice with all be compelled to do dayly that which thou art no lesse loth to do then if thou shouldest cut of arme hand or any other member of thyne owne body yea and if thou wilt folow the right way and neither turne on the right hand nor on the left thou shalt haue immediatly thine own subiectes thyne owne seruauntes thyne owne Lordes thyne own couÌsellours and thyne owne Prophetes thereto agaynst thee Vnto whose froward malice and stubburnesse thou shalt be coÌpelled to permitte a thousand thynges agaynst thy conscience not able to resiste them at whiche thyne hart shall blede inwardly and shalt sawse thy swete soppes which the world weneth thou hast with sorowes mough and still mournyng studyeng either alone or els with a few freÌdes secretly night and day and sighing to God for helpe to mitigate the furious frowardnesse of them whoÌ thou art not able to with stand that all go not after the will of the vngodly What was Dauid coÌpelled to suffer all the dayes of his lyfe of his own seruauntes the sonnes of Seruia Beside the mischauÌces of his own children And how was our king Iohn forsaken of his owne Lordes when he would haue put a good and godly reformatioÌ in his owne land How was Henry the secoÌd compassed in lyke maner of his own Prelates whom he had promoted of nought with the secrete conspiracie of some of his own temporal Lordes with theÌ I spare to speake of y e mournyng of the true preachers the poore coÌmon people which haue none other helpe but the secret hand of God and the word of his promise But they shal be coÌforted of all their tribulatioÌ and their sorrow shal be turned into ioye and that infinite euerlastyng in the lyfe to come Neither are they without comfort here in this world for Christ hath promised to seÌd them a comfortour to be with them for euer the spirite of trouth whiche the world knoweth not Iohn xiiij And they reioyse in hope of the comfort to come Rom. xij And they ouercome through fayth as it is written Hebr. xj the Saintes through fayth ouercame kyngdomes obtained the promises And. i. Iohn v. this is the victorie that ouercoÌmeth the world eueÌ our faith But the blind world neither seeth our comfort nor our trust in God nor how God thorough faith in his word helpeth vs maketh vs ouercome How ouercome they wilt thou say that be alwayes persecuted and euer slayne verely in euery battaile some of them that wynne the field be slayne yet they leaue the victorie vnto their deare freÌdes for whose sakes they toke the fight vppon them and therfore are conquerours seyng they obtayne their purpose maynteine that they fought for The cursed riche of this worlde whiche haue their ioye and comfort in their riches haue sence the begynnyng fought agaynst them to wede theÌ out of the worlde But yet in vayne For though they haue alwayes slayne som yet those that were slayne wanne the victory for their brethren with death euer increased the nuÌber of them And though they semed to dye in the sight of the foolish yet they are in peace and haue obtayned that euerlastyng kyngdome for which they fought And beside all this when God plagueth the world for their sinne these y â mourne and sorrow are marked with the signe of Thau in their foreheades and saued from the plague that they perish not with the wicked as thou seest Ezech. ix as Lot was deliuered froÌ among the Sodomites And contrariwise cursed are they that laugh now ⪠that is to say which haue their ioy solace and comfort in their riches for they shall sorrow and weepe Luke vj. And as it was answered the rich man Luke xvj sonne remember how that thou receauedst thy good dayes in thy life tyme and Lazarus likewise euill
thou haue peace in thy selfe and that thou take all to the best and be not offeÌded lightly and for euery small trifle and alway ready to forgeue ⪠nor sowe no discorde nor aduenge thyne owne wrong But also that thou be feruent diligent to make peace and to go betwene where thou knowest or hearest malice and enuie to be or seest bate or strife to arise betwen person and person and that thou leaue nothing vnsought to set them at one And though Christ here speake not of the temporall sword but teacheth how euery man shall liue for him selfe toward his neighbour yet Princes if they wil be Gods children must not onely giue no cause of warre nor begyn any but also though he haue a iust cause suffer him selfe to be entreated if he that gaue the cause repent and must also seke al wayes of peace before he fight Howbeit when all is sought and nothing will helpe then he ought and is bound to defend his land subiectes in so doyng he is a peacemaker as well as wheÌ he causeth theeues murtherers to be punished for their euill doyng and breakyng of the common peace of his land and subiectes If thou haue peace in thy selfe and louest the peace of thy brethren after this maner so is God through Christ at peace with thee and thou his beloued sonne and heyre also Moreouer if the wrong done thee be greater then thou mayst beare as wheÌ thou art a person not for thy selfe onely But in respect of other in what soeuer worldly degree it be and hast an office committed thee then when thou hast warned with all good maner him that did it and none amendement wil be had kepe peace in thyne hart and loue him still and complaine to them that are set to reforme such things and so art thou yet a peacemaker and still the sonne of God But if thou aduenge thy selfe or desirest more then that such wronges be forbidden thou sinnest against god in taking the authoritie of God vpon thee without his commaundemeÌt God is father ouer all and is of right iudge ouer all his children and to him onely partayneth all adueÌging Who therfore without his commaundemeÌt aduengeth either with hart or hand the same doth cast hym selfe into the handes of the sword loseth the right of his cause And on the other side cursed be the peacebreakers picquarels whisperers backbyters sowers of discorde dispraysers of theÌ that be good to bring theÌ out of fauour interpreters to euill that is done for a good purpose finders of faultes where none is stirrers vp of Princes to battaile and warre aboue all cursed be they that falsly bely the true preachers of Gods word to bring them into hate and to shed their bloud wrongfully for hate of the truth For all such are children of the deuill Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousnes sake for theirs is the kyngdome of heauen If the faith of Christ law of God in which two all righteousnes is contained be writteÌ in thine hart that is if thou beleue in Christ to be iustified froÌ sinne or for remission of sinne coÌsentest in thyne hart to the law that it is good holy and iust and thy dutie to do it and submittest thy selfe so to do therupon goest forth and testifiest that fayth and law of righteousnes openly vnto the world in word dede Then will Sathan stirre vp his members agaynst thee and thou shalt be persecuted on euery side But be of good comfort and faynte not Call to mynde the saying of Paule ij Timo. iij. how all that wil liue godly in Christ Iesu shal suffer persecution Remember how all the Prophetes that went before thee were so dealt with Luke vj. RemeÌber the examples of the Apostles and of Christ him selfe and that the Disciple is no better then his Maistee and that Christ admitteth no disciple which not onely leaueth not all but also taketh his crosse to We be not called to a soft liuing and to peace in this world But vnto peace of coÌscience in God our father through Iesus Christ to warre in this world Moreouer comfort thy selfe with the hope of the blessing of the inheritaunce of heauen there to be glorified with Christ if y u here suffer with hym For if we be like Christ here in his passioÌs and beare his image in soule and body fight manfully that Sathan blot it not out suffer with Christ for bearyng recorde to righteousnes theÌ shall we be like him in glory S. Iohn iij. of hys Epistle yet appeareth not what we shal be But we know that wheÌ he appeareth we shal be like hym And Paule Phil. iij. our conuersation is in heauen whence we looke for a Sauiour the Lord Iesus Christ which shall chaunge our vile bodyes and make theÌ like his glorious body It is an happy thing to suffer for righteousnes sake but not for vnrighteousnes For what prayse is it sayeth Peter in the second of his first epistle though ye suffer when ye be buffeted for your offences Wherfore in y e fourth of the same he sayth see that none of you suffer as a murtherer or a thefe or an euill doer or a busy body in other mens matters Such suffering glorifieth not God nor thou art therby heire of heauen Beware therefore that thou deserue not that thou sufferest But if thou do then beware much more of them that would beare thee in hand bow that such suffering should be satisfaction of thy sinnes and a deseruing of heauen No suffering for righteousnes though heauen be promised therto yet doth it not deserue heauen nor yet make satisfactioÌ for the foresinnes Christ doth both twaine But and if thou repent and beleue in Christ for the remission of sinne and then coÌfesse not onely before God but also open before all that see thee suffer how that thou hast deserued that thou suffrest for breaking the good and righteous law of thy father and then takest toâ punishmeÌt patiently as an holesome medicine to heale thy flesh that it sinne no more and to feare thy brethren that they fall not into like offence as Moses teacheth euery where then as thy pacieÌce in suffering is pleasaunt in the sight of thy brethreÌ which behold thee pitie thee and suffer with thee in their harts euen so is it in the sight of God and it is to thee a sure token that thou hast true fayth and true repentaunce And as they be blessed which suffer for righteousnes euen so are they accursed which runne away and let it be troden vnder the feete and wyll not suffer for the fayth of their Lord and lawe of their father nor stande by their neighbours in their iust causes Blessed are ye when they reuile you and persecute you and say all maner of euil sayinges against you for my sake and yet lye Reioyce and be glad for
once be one of these sort euen an obseruaunt or of some like secte of which among an huÌdred thousaÌd thou shalt neuer bring one to beleue in Christ Where among open sinners many beleue at y â houre of death fall flat vpon Christ beleue in him onely without al other righteousnes It were an huÌdred thousand tymes better neuer to pray theÌ to pray such lippe prayers neuer to fast or do almes then to fast and to do almes with a mynde therby to be made righteous and to make satisfaction for the fore sinnes Ye haue heard how that it was sayde to them of olde tyme kyll not for whosoeuer killeth shal be in daunger of iudgement But I say vnto you whosoeuer is angry with his brother shal be in daunger of iudgement And who soeuer saith vnto his brother Racha shal be in daunger of a councell But who soeuer sayth to hys brother thou foole shal be in daunger of hell fyre Here Christ beginneth not to destroy the lawe as the Phariseys had falsely accused hym but tâ restore iâ agayne to the right vnderstanding and to purge it froÌ the gloses of the Phariseys He that slayeth shal be giltie or in daunge of iudgemeÌt that is to say if a man murther his deede testifieth agaynst hym there is no more to do then to pronounce sentence of death agaynst hym This text did the Phariseys extend no further theÌ to kill with the hand and outward members But hate enuie malice churlishnesse and to withdraw helpe at neede to beguile and circumuent with wyles and subtil bargayning was no sinne at all No to bryng hym whom thou haredst to death with craft and falshood so thou diddest not put thyne hand thereto was no sinne at all As when they had brought Christ to death wrongfully compelled Pilate with subtiltis to slay hym they thought themselues pure In so much that they woulde not goe into the hall for defaling themselues beyng partakers wyth Pilate in hys bloud And Act. v. they sayd to the Apostles ye woulde bring this mans bloud vppon vs as who would say we slue hym not And Saul in the first booke of the Kinges in the xviij chap. beyng so wroth wyth Dauid that he would gladly haue had hym slaine determined yet that he would not defile hymself bât to thrust him into y e haÌdes of the Philistines that they might slay him and he hymselfe abide pure And as our spiritualtie now offer a man mercy once though he haue spoken against holy church onely if he wil but periure and beare a fagot But if he wil not they do but diet hym a season to winne him and make hym tell more and deliuer hym to the laye power saying he hath deserued death by our lawes and ye ought to kyll hym how beit we desire it not But Christ restoreth the law againe and sayth to be angry with thy neighbour is to slea hym to deserue death For the lawe goeth as wel on the hart as on the âaÌd He that hateth his brother is a murtherer i. Ioh iij. If then the blynde hand deserue death how much more those partes which haue y â sight of reason And he y â sayth Racha lewde or whatsoeuer signe of wrath it be or that prouoketh to wrath hath not onely deserued that men shoulde immediatly pronouÌce senteÌce of death vpon him but also that when death is pronouÌced they shuld gather a couÌcell to decree what horrible death he shuld suffer And he that calleth hys brother foole hath sinned downe to hell Shall then a man not be angry at all nor rebuke or punishe yes if thou be a father or a mother master or maâsââ¦sse husband Lord or ruler yet with loue and mercy that the angre rebuke or punishment exceede not the fault or trespasse May a man be angry with loue ye mothers can be so wyth their children It is a louyng anger that hateth onely the vice and studieth to mende the person But here is forbiddeÌ not onely wrath against father mother and all that haue gouernauÌce ouer thee which is to be angry and to grudge agaynst God himselfe that the ruler shall not be wrath without a cause agaynst the subiect But also all priuate wrath against thy neighbour ouer whom thou hast no rule nor he ouer thee no though he do thee wroÌg For he that doth wrong lacketh witte and discretion and cannot amende till he be enformed and taught louingly Therefore thou must refrayne thy wrath and tell him his fault louingly and with kyndenesse winne him to thy father for he is thy brother as well made and as deare bought as thou as well beloued though he be yet childishe and lacke discretion But some wil say I wil not hate my neighbour nor yet loue him or do hym good yes y â must loue him for the first coÌmaundement out of which all other flow is thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God with all thyne hart with all thy soule and with all thy might That is thou must keepe all his commaundemeÌtes with loue Loue must kepe thee from killing or hurting thy neighbour and from couetyng in thyne hart what soeuer is his And. 1. Iohn iiij This commaundement haue we of him that he which loueth God loue his brother also And agayne 1. Iohn iij. he that hath the substaunce of this world and seeth his brother haue necessity shutteth vp his compassion from him how is the loue of God in hym he then that helpeth not at neede loueth not God but breaketh the first commaundemeÌt Let vs loue therefore sayth S. Iohn not with word and toung but in dede and truth And agayne S. Iohn sayth in the sayd place he that loueth not his brother abydeth yet still in death And of loue hath Moyses textes inough But the Phariseis glosed theÌ out saying they were but good councelles if a man desired to be perfect but not preceptes Exod. xxiij if thou mete thyne enemyes Oxe or Asse goyng astraye thou shalt in any wise bryng them to him agayne And if thou see thyne enemyes Asse fall downe vnder hys burthen thou shalt helpe him vp agayne And Leuit. xix thou shalt not hate thy brother in thyne hart but shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour that thou beare no sinne for his sake For if thou study not to ameÌd thy neighbour wheÌ he sinneth so art thou partaker of his sinnes And therfore wheÌ God taketh vengeaunce and sendeth what soeuer plage it be to punish opeÌ sinners thou must perish with them For thou dyddest sinne in the light of God as deepe as they because thou dyddest not loue the law of God to mainteine it withall thiue hart soule power and might Is not he that seeth his neighbours house in ieopardie to be set on fire and warneth not nor helpeth in time to auoide the perill worthy if his neighbours house be burnt vp that his be burnt also seing
to be perfect But no precept to bynde vnder payne of sinne And so by that meanes not onely they that spake true but also they that lyed to deceaue were compelled to sweare and to confirme their wordes with othes if they would be beleued But Christ bringeth light and salt to the texte which the Phariâeis had darckened and corrupt with the stynkyng myst of their sophistrie and forbiddeth to sweare at all either by God or any creature of Gods for thou canst sweare by none othe at all except the dishonour shall redound vnto y e name of God If thou sweare by God it is so or by God I wil do this or that the meanyng is that thou makest God iudge to aduenge it of thee if it be not as thou sayest or if thou shalt not do as thou promisest Now if truth be not in thy woordes thou shamest thyne heauenly father and testifiest that thou beleuest that he is no righteous iudge nor wil aduenge vnrighteousnesse but that he is wicked as thou art and conseÌteth and laugheth at thee while thou deceauest thy brother as well created after the likenesse of God and as deare bought with the precious bloude of Christ as thou And thus through thee a wicked sonne is the name of thy father dishonoured and his law not feared nor hys promises beleued And when thou swearest by the Gospell booke or Bible the meanyng is that God if thon lye shall not fulfill vnto thee the promises of mercy there in written But contrarywise to bryng vpoÌ thee all the cursses plagues veÌgeance therin threatned vnto y e disobedient euill doers And euen so when thou swearest by any creature as by bread or salt the meanyng is that thou desirest that the creatour therof shall aduenge it of thee if thou lye c. Wher fore our dealyng ought to be so substaÌtiall that our wordes might be beleued without an othe Our wordes are the signes of the truth of our hartes in which ought to be pure and single loue toward thy brother for what soeuer proceedeth not of loue is damnable Now falsehead to deceaue him pure loue can not stand together It can not therfore be but damnable sinne to deceaue thy brother with lying though y u adde no othe to thy woordes Much more damnable is it then to deceaue to adde an othe therto c. Howbeit all maner of swearyng is not here forbydden no more then all maner of killyng wheÌ the coÌmaundement saith kill not for iudges and rulers must kill EueÌ so ought they wheÌ they put any man in office to take an othe of him that he shal be true faithfull and diligent therein And of their subiectes it is lawfull to take othes of all that offer theÌ selues to beare witnesse But if the superiour would compel the inferiour to sweare that should be to the dishonour of God or hurting of an innocent the inferiour ought rather to dye then to sweare Neither ought a iudge to coÌpell a man to swere agaynst him self that he make him not sinne forsweare Wherof it is inough spoken in an other place But here is forbidden swearyng betwene neighbour neighbour and in all our priuate busynesse and dayly communicatioÌ For customable swearyng though we lyed not doth robbe the name of God of his due reuerence feare And in our dayly coÌmunication businesse one with an other is so much vanitie of wordes that we can not but in many thyngs lye which to confirme with an othe though we beguile not is to take the name of God in vayne vnreuerently agaynst the second precept Now to lye for the entent to beguile is damnable of it self how much more then to abuse the holy name of God thereto and to call to God for vengeaunce vpon thyne owne selfe Many cases yet there chaunce dayly betwene man and man in which charitie compelleth to sweare as if I know that my neighbour is falsely sclaundered I am bound to report the truth and may lawfully sweare yea am bounde if it neede and that though not before a iudge And vnto y â weake where ye and nay haue lost their credence thorow the multitude of lyers a man may lawfully sweare to put them out of doubt Which yet commeth of y â euill of them that abuse their language to deceaue withall Finally to sweare to do euill is dampnable and to performe that is double damnation Herodes oth made him not innocent and giltlesse of the death of Iohn the Baptist though the hipocrite had not knowen what his wiues daughter would haue asked And wheÌ men say a kings worde must stand that is trouth if his oth or promise be lawfull expedient In all our promises it is to be added if God will if there be no lawfull âet And though it be not added it is to be interprete as added As if I borow thy sworde and by the houre I promise to bring it thee agayne thou be beside thy selfe If I promise to pay by a certaine day and be in the meane tyme robbed or decayed by chaunce that I cannot performe it I am not forsworne if myne hart ment truely when I promised And many like cases there be of which are touched in other places To lye also and to dissemble is not alway sinne Dauid 1. Reg. 27. tolde kyng Achis the Philistine that he had robbed hys owne people the Iewes when he had bene a rouing among the Amalekites and had flayne man woman and childe for telling tales And yet was that lye no more sinne then it was to destroy the Amalekytes those deadly enemies of the fayth of one almighty God Neither sinned Cusai Dauids trusty frend 2. Reg. 17. in fayning and beguilyng Absolon but pleased God highly To beare a sicke man in hand that wholesome bitter medicine is swete to make hym drinke it it is the dutie of charitie and no sinne To perswade hym that pursueth hys neighbour to hurt hym or slay hym that hys neighbour is gone an other contrary way is the duty of euery Christen man by the law of charitie and no sinne no though I confirmed it with an othe But to lye for to deceaue and hurt that is dampnable onely c. Ye haue heard how it is sayde an eye for an eye a toth for a toth But I say vnto you that ye withstand not wrong But if a maÌ geue thee a blow on the right cheeke turne to him the other also And if any man will goe to lawe with thee and take away thy coate let hym haue thy clocke thereto And if any maÌ compell thee to goe a mile goe with him twaine Geue to him that asketh and from hym that would borow turne not away Christ here enteÌdeth not to disanull the temporall regiment and to forbid rulers to punishe euill doers no more then he ment to destroy matrimony when he forbad to lust and to couet
the merites of their fasting as though they had done more then inough for themselues and of that marchaundise haue gotten all they haue and haue brought the knowledge of Christes bloude cleane into darcknesse And last of all what shall I say of the open idolatry of innumerable fastes of saint Brandons fast Saint Patrickes fast of 4. holy Fridayes of Saint Antonies betwene Saint Maries dayes of our Lady fast either vij yeare the same day that her day falleth on in March and then beginne or one yeare with bread and water and all for what purposes ye know well inough and of such like I trowe ten thousand in the worlde And who hath rebuked them See that ye gather not treasure vppon the earth where rust and mothes corrupt and where theues breake vp and steale But gather you treasure in heauen where neither rust nor mothes corrupt and where theeues neither breake vp not steale For where your treasure is there will be your hartes also Note the goodly order of Christes preaching First he restored the true vnderstanding of the lawe then y e true intent of the workes And here consequently he rebuketh the mortall foe sworne enemy both of true doctrine and true liuing which is couetousnes the roote of all euill sayth Paule 1. Tim. 6. Couetousnes is Image seruice Col. 3. It maketh men to erre froÌ the faith 1. Tim. 6. It hath no part in the kingdome of Christ God Ephe. 5. Couetousnes hardened the hart of Pharad that the fayth of the miracles of God could not sinke into it Couetousnes did make Balam which knew all y e truth of God to hate it to geue the most pestilent and poysonfull couÌcell against it that hart could imagine euen for to destroy it if it had bene possible Couetousnes taught the false prophetes in the olde testament to interpret the law of God falsely and to peruert the meaning and entent of all the sacrifices and ceremonies and to slea y e true preachers that rebuked theÌ And with their false perswasions they did leade all the kinges of Israell out of the right way and the most part of the kynges of Iuda also And Peter in the second chapter of his second Epistle prophesieth that there should be false teachers among vs that shoulde follow the way of BalaÌ that is to say for couetousnes persecute the truth thorow couetousnes with fained wordes to make marchaundise of the people and to bring in dampnable sectes to And here ye haue an infallible rule that where couetousnes is there is no truth no though they call themselues the church and say thereto that they caÌnot erre Couetousnes kept Iudas stil in vnbeliefe though he saw and did also many miracles in the name of Christ and compelled him to sell hym to the Scribes and Phariseis for couetousnes is a thyng merciles Couetousnes made the Phariseis to lye on Christ to persecute hym and falsely to accuse hym And it made Pilat though he founde hym an innocent yet to slay him It caused Herode to persecute Christ yet in his cradell Couetousnes maketh hipocrites to persecute y e truth against their owne consciences and to lye to Princes that the true preachers moue sedition and make their subiects to rise against them and the sayd couetousnes maketh the Princes to beleue their wicked perswasions and to leÌde their swordes to shed innocent bloud Finally couetousnes maketh many whom the truth pleaseth at the beginning to cast it vp againe and to be afterward the most cruell enemies therof after the ensample of Symon Magus Act. 8. Yea and after the ensample of Sir Thomas More K. which knew the truth and for couetousnes forsooke it agayne and conspired first with the Cardinall to deceaue y e kyng and to leade hym in darcknes And afterwarde when the light was sprong vpon them and had driuen theÌ cleane out of the scripture and had deliuered it out of their tyranny and had expelled the darcke stinking miste of their deuelish gloses and had wiped away the cobwebbes which those poysoned spiders had spread vpon the face of the cleare text so that the spiritualtie as they call themselues were ashamed of their part as shamelesse as they be yet for all that couetousnes blynded the eyes of that glering Foxe more more and hardened his hart agaynst y e truth with the confidence of his painted Poetry babbling eloquence and iuggeling arguments of subtill sophistry grounded on his vnwritten verities as true and as autentike as hys story of Vtopia Paule therefore biddeth Timothy to charge the rich to beleue in the liuing god and not in their vncertaine riches for it is impossible for a couetous Idolater or Image seruer that trusteth in the dead God of his riches to put hys trust in the lyuing God One misery is that they which here gather lay vp cannot tell for whom An other is rust canker mothes and a thousaÌd misfortunes beside theues extortioners oppressors mighty tirants to y e which y e rich be euer a pray And though they prosper to y e end outwardly yet feare euer guaweth their hartes inwardly And at the houre of death they know feele that they haue gathered naught then sorrow they and are like one that dreameth of riches and in the morning when he findeth nought is heauy and sory for the remeÌbraunce of the pleasaunt dreame And finally when they be most loth to die and hope to liue long theÌ they perishe sodainly after the ensample of y e rich man which entended to make him larger barnes and store houses Happy therfore is he that layeth vp treasure in heauen and is rich in faith and good workes for the rewarde thereto promised shall God kepe sure for him no man can take it away Here is not forbidden to haue riches But to loue it to trust in it and to be carefull for it For God hath promised to care for vs and to geue vs inough to keepe that which is gotten if we will care to keepe his commaundementes Whatsoeuer office or degree thou art in in this world do the dutie of thine office diligently and trust in God let hym care If thou be an husband man eare and sow and husband thy ground and let God alone for the rest he will care to make it grow plenteously and to send seasonable weather to haue it in and will prouide thee a good market to sell ⪠c. In like maner if thou be a kyng do the office of a king and receaue the duties of the kyng and let God care to keepe thee in thy kingdome His sauour shall do more for thee theÌ a thousand millions of golde and so of all other He that hath but a little and is sure that God shall keepe both him it is richer then he which hath thousandes and hath none other hope theÌ that he and it must be kept wyth hys owne care and
Christes true disciples shal be but a small flocke in respect of them They shall haue workes like Christes so that fastyng prayer pouertie obedience and chastitie shall be the names of their profession For as Paule saith to the Corinthians the aungels or messengers of SathaÌ shall chaunge them selues into aungels or messengers of light and truth They shall come in Christes name and that with signes and miracles and haue the vpper haÌd also euen to deceaue the very elect if it were possible Yea beyonde all this if thou get the victory of the false Prophetes and plucke a multitude out of their handes there shall immediately rise of the same and set vp a new false sect agaynst thee And agaynst all these Amalechites the onely remedy is to lift vp the handes of thy harte to God in continuall prayer Which haÌdes if thou for werynes once let fall thou goest to the worsse immediatly Then beside the fight and conflict of the suttle sophistrie false miracles disguised and hypocritish workes of these false Prophetes commeth the Dogges Wolues of their Disciples with the seruauntes of Mammon and the swyne of thyne owne scholers agaynst whiche all thou hast no other shilde or defence but prayer Then the sinne lustes of thyne owne flesh Sathan and a thousand temptations vnto euil in the world wil either driue thee to the castell and refuge of prayer or take the prisoner vndoubtedly Last of all thy neighbours necessitie and thyne owne will compell thee to crye father which art in heauen geue vs our dayly bread though thou were as rich as kyng Salomon For Christ commaundeth the rich as well as the poore to cry to God continually for their dayly bread And if they haue no such neede then is Christ a deceauer a mocker What nede I to pray thee to geue or lende me that is in myne own possession all ready Is not the first coÌmauÌdemeÌt that there is but one God and that thou put thy whole trust in him Which if it were written in thyne hart thou shouldest easely perceaue though thou haddest as many thousandes as Dauid left behynd him and SalomoÌ heaped mo to them that thou haddest no more then the poore begger that goeth from doore to dore yea and that the begger if that coÌmaundement be written in his hart is sure that he is as rich as thou For first thou must knowledge that thou hast receaued y â great treasure of y â hand of God Whersore wheÌ thou fettest an halfepeny therof thou oughtest to geue God thaÌkes in thyne hart for the gift therof Thou must confesse also that God onely hath kept it and thee that same night and euer before or els be an idolater and put thy trust in some other thyng then God And thou must confesse that God onely must keepe it and thee the day and night folowing and so continually after not thine owne witte or power or the witte or power of any other creature or creatures For if God kept it not for thee it woulde be thine owne destructioÌ and they that helpe thee to keepe it woulde cut thy throte for it There is no king in Christendome so well beloued but he hath ââ¦ow of his owne euill subiectes if God kept them not downe with feare that woulde at one houre rise vpoÌ him and slea hym to make hauocke of all he hath Who is so well beloued thorow out all EnglaÌd but that there be ââ¦ow in the same parishe or nie about that would for his good wishe him to hell if they coulde and woulde wyth theyr handes destroy him if God kept hym not and did cast feare on the other Now then if God must euer keepe it for thee and thou must dayly receaue it of his hand as a poore man doth receaue his almose of an other man thou art in no more suertie of thy dayly bread no though thou were a Cardinall then the poorest is Wherfore howsoeuer rich thou be yet must thou euer cry to God for thy dayly bread So now it is a commaundemeÌt to pray and that continually short thicke and oft as the Psalmes be and all the prayers of the Bible Finally the third is that we be commaunded to pray with faith and trust and that we beleue in the Lorde our God and doubt not in his promises vnto which Christ enduceth vs wyth an apt similitude saying If ye beyng euill can yet geue good thynges vnto your children how much more shall God fulfill hys promises of mercy vnto his children if they cry vnto hym he is better and more mercifull then all men Wherfore seing God commaundeth thee to pray and for as much as thou hast so great necessitie so to do because he is mercifull and hath promised and is true and cannot deny his owne wordes Therefore pray and when thou prayest looke not on thine vnworthines but on his coÌmauÌdemeÌt mercy goodnes on his truth and faithfulnes beleue stedsastly in hym Moreouer whatsoeuer thou hast done yet if thou repent and wilt amende he promiseth that he will not thynke on thy sinnes And though he differ thee thinke it not long nor faint not in thy fayth or be slacke in thy prayer For he will surely come and geue thee more then thou desirest though he differre for thy profite or chaunge thy request into a better thyng All thinges therefore whatsoeuer ye woulde men shoulde do to you so do ye to them This is verely the lawe and the Prophetes This is a short sermon that no maÌ neede to complayne that he cannot for the length beare it away It is so nye thee that thou needest not to sende ouer sea for it It is with thee that thou needest not to be importune vpon master Doctor saying syr I pray you what say ye to this case and to that is not this lawfull and may I not so do and so well inough Aske thyne owne conscience what thou mayst or oughtest to do Wouldest thou meÌ did so with thee then do it Wouldest thou not be so dealt with then do it not Thou wouldest not that men shoulde do to thee wrong and oppresse thee Thou wouldest not that men shoulde do thee shame and rebuke lie on thee kyll thee hyre thine house from thee or tice thy seruaunt away or take against thy will ought that is thyne Thou wouldest not that men shoulde sell thee false ware when thou puttest them in trust to make it ready or lay it out for thee nor thou wouldest not that men shoulde deceaue thee wyth great othes swearing that to be good which in deede is very naught Thou wouldest not also that men should sell thee ware that is naught and to deare to vndo thee do no such thinges then to thy neighbour But as loth as thou wouldest be to buye false ware or to deare for vndoing thy selfe so loth be thou to sell false ware or
bynde vpon earth shall be bounde in heauen see frendes these be not our wordes but our master Christes And they shall do myracies in Christes name therto to confirme the false doctrine which they preach in his name O fearefull and terrible iudgement of almighty God and senteÌce of extreme rigorousnes vpon all that loue not the truth when it is preached them that God to aduenge himselfe of their vnkyndnesse shall sende them so strong delusions that doctrine should be preached vnto them in the name of Christ and made seeme to follow out of hys wordes and be confirmed with myracies done in calling vpon the name of Christ to hardeÌ their harts in the faith of lyes according to the prophesie of Paule to the Thessalonians in the second Epistle An other of their sheepes coates is that they shall in euery sermon preach mightely agaynst the Scribes Phariseyes against Faustus and Pelagian with such like hereticks which yet neuer preached other doctrine then they themselues do And more of their clothing is they shall preach that Christ preached almost prayer and fasting and professe obedience pouertie and chastitie workes that our Sauiour Christ both preached and did Finally they be holy church and cannot erre But they be within rauening wolnes They preach to other steale not yet they themselues robbe God of hys honour and take from him the prayse and profite of all their doctrine and of all their workes They robbe y t lawe of God of her mighty power wherewith she driueth all men to Christ and make her so weake that the feble free will of man is not able to wrestle with her without calling to Christ for help They haue robbed Christ of all hys merites and clothed themselues therewith They haue robbed the soule of man of the bread of her life the fayth and trust in Christes bloud and haue fedde her with the shales and coddes of the hope in their merites and confidence in their good workes They haue robbed the workes coÌmaunded by God of the entent purpose that they were ordeined for And with their obedience they haue drawen themselues from vnder the obedience of all Princes and temporall lawes with their pouertie they haue robbed all nations and kyngdomes and so with their wilfull pouertie haue enriched themselues and haue made the commons poore with their chastitie they haue filled all the worlde full of whores and sodomites thinking to please God more highly with keeping of an whore then an honest chast wife If they say it is not truth then all the worlde knoweth they lye for if a priest mary an honest wife they punishe hym immediatly and say he is an hainous hereticke as though matrimony were abhominable But if he keepe a whore then is he a good chast childe of their holy father the Pope whose ensample they follow and I warrant hym sing Masse on the next day after as well as he did before without eyther persecution or excommunication such are the lawes of their vnchast I would say their owne chast father If thou professe obedience why ruÌnest thou from father mother maister and ruler which God biddeth thee to obey to be a Fryer If thou obey why obeyest thou not the king and his law by whom God defendeth thee both in lyfe and goodes and all thy great possessions If thou professe pouertie what doest thou with the landes of Gentlemen Squyres Knightes Barons Erles and Dukes What shoulde a Lordes brother be a beggers seruauÌt or what should a begger ride with thre or foure score horses wayting on hym Is it meete that a man of noble byrth and y â right heyre of the landes which thou possessest should be thyne horsekeeper thou being a begger If ye professe chastitie why desire ye aboue all other men the company of women What do ye with whores openly in many countreyes and wyth secrete dispensations to keepe Concubines Why corrupt ye so much other mens wiues and why be there so many sodomites among you Your charitie is mercilesse to the rest of the world to whom ye may geue nought agayne and onely liberall to your selues as is y e charitie of theues thirty or fourty of you together in one denne among which yet are not many that loue three of his neighbours hartely Your fasting maketh you as full and as fat as your hydes can holde beside that ye haue a dispensation of your holy father for your fasting Your prayer is but pattering without all affection your singing is but roaring to stretch out your mawes as do your othee gestures and rising at midnight to make the meate sinke to the bottome of the stomacke that he may haue perfect digestion and be ready to deuour a freshe against the next refection Ye shal know them by their fruites First thornes beare no grapes nor bryers figges Also if thou see goodly blossomes in them and thinkest there to haue figges grapes or any fruit for the sustenaunce or comfort of man goe to theÌ in time of neede and thou shalt finde nought at all Thou shalt finde forsouth I haue no goodes nor any thing proper or that is myne owne It is the couentes I were a theefe if I gaue it my father whatsoeuer neede he had It is Saint Edmundes patrimony Saint Albons patrimony S. Edwardes patrimony the goodes of holy church it may not be minished nor occupied vpon laye and prophane vses The king of the realme for all that he defendeth them aboue al other yet getteth he nought what neede so euer he haue saue then onely when he must spend on their causes aâ that they geue with all that he can get beside of his poore commons If the king will attempt to take ought from them by the aucthoritie of his office for the defence of the realme Or if any man wil entreat them other wise then they lust themselues by what law or right it be they turne to thornes and bryers and waxe atonce rougher then a hedgehogge and will sprinkle them wyth the holy water of their malidictions as thicke as hayle and breath out the lightening of excommunication vpon them and so consume them to pouder Moreouer a corrupt tree can beare no good fruite That is where they haue fruite that semeth to be good goe to and proue it and thou shalt finde it rotten or the karnell eaten out and that it is but as a hollow ââtâ For fayth in Christ that we and all our workes done within the compasse of the lawe of God be accepted to God for his sake is the kernell the sweetenesse and the pleasaunt beutie of al our workes in the sight of God As it is written Ioh. vi this is the worke of God that ye beleue in him whom he hath sent This faith is a worke which God not onely worketh in vs but also hath therein pleasure and delectatioÌ and in all other for that faithes sake Faith is
their obedience they destroy the obedience that God ordayned in this world desireth no other With their pouerty they destroy the pouertie of the spirit which Christ taught onely whiche is onely not to loue worldly goodes With their fast they destroy the fast which God commaundeth that is a perpetuall sobernesse to tame the fleshe With their patteryng prayer they destroy the prayer taught by God whiche is either thankes or desiryng helpe with fayth trust that God heareth me Their holynesse is to forbyd y t God ordeined to be receaued with thankes giuyng as meate matrimony And their owne workes they maintayne let Gods decay Breake theirs they persecute to the death But breake Gods and they either looke through the fingers or els geue thee a flappe with a Foxe tayle for a litle money There is none order among them that is so perfect but that they haue a prison more cruell theÌ any iayle of theues and murtherers And if one of their brethren commit fornication or adultery in the world he finisheth his penaunce therin in three Wekes or a moneth and then is sent to an other place of the same religion But if he attempt to put of the holy habite he commeth neuer out is so straytly dioted therto that it is meruell if he liue a yeare beside other cruell murther that hath bene found among them and yet is this shamefull dyoting of theirs murther cruell inough Be not deceaued with visions nor yet with miracles But go to iudge their workes for the spiritual iudgeth all thinges sayth Paule i. Cor. ij Who is that spirituall not such as we now call men of holy Church But all that haue the true interpretation of the law written in their harts The right fayth of Christ and the true inteÌt of workes which God byddeth vs worke he is spirituall and iudged all thinges and is iudged of no man Not all that say to me Lorde Lorde shall enter into the kyngdome of heauen But he that fulfilleth the will of my father which is in heauen Many will say vnto me at that day Lord Lord dyd we not prophesie in thy name and in thy name cast out deuils and dyd we not in thy name many miracles Then will I confesse vnto theÌ I neuer knew you depart from me ye workers of iniquitie This doublyng of Lord hath vehemency and betokeneth that they which shal be excluded are such as thinke theÌ selues better and perfitter then other men and to deserue heauen with holy workes not for them selues onely but also for other And by that they prophesied by which thou mayst vnderstand the interpretyng of Scripture and by that they cast out deuils did miracles in Christes name and for all that they are yet workes of wickednesse and do not the will of the father which is in heauen it is playne that they be false Prophetes and euen the same of which Christ warned before And now for as much as Christ and his Apostles warne vs that such shall come and describe vs the fashions of their visures Christes name holy Church holy fathers and xv hundred yeares with Scripture and miracles and commaunde vs to turne our eyes from their visures and consider their frutes and cut them vp and loke with in whether they be sound in the core kernell or no and geue vs a rule to try them by is it excuse good inough to say God will not let so great a multitude erre I will folow the most part and beleue as my fathers dyd and as the preachers teach and will not busie my selfe chose them the faute is theirs and not ours God shall not lay it to our charge if we erre Where such wordes be there are the false Prophetes all ready For where no loue to the truth is there are y â false Prophetes where such wordes be there to be no loue to y e truth is plame Ergo where such woordes be there be the false Prophetes in their full swyng by Paules rule ij Thessa ij An other conclusion where no loue to the truth is there be false Prophetes The greatest of the world haue least loue to the truth Ergo the false Prophetes be the Chaplaines of the greatest which may with the sword compel the rest As the kynges of Israell compelled to worshyp the golden Calues And by false Prophetes vnderstand falâe teachers as Peter calleth them and wycked expounders of the Scripture Who soeuer heareth these words of me and doth them I will lyken him vnto a wise man that built hys house vppon a rocke and there fell a rayne and the floudes came and the windes blew and beate vppon that house but it fell not for it was grounded vpon a rocke And all that heare of me these wordes and do them not shal be lykened vnto a foolishe man that buylt his house vpon the sand and there fell a rayne and the floudes came and the windes blâw and dashed vpon that house and it fell and the fall therof was great Christ hath two sortes of hearers of which neither of them do there after The one wil be saued by fayth of theyr owne makyng without workes The other with workes of their owne makyng without faith The first are those voluptuous which haue yelded them selues vp to sinne saying tushe God is mercyfull Christ dyed for vs that must saue vs onely for we cannot but sinne without resistaÌce The second are the hypocrites which will deserue all with theyr owne imagined woorkes onely And of fayth they haue no other experience saue that it is a litle meritorious where it is paynefull to be beleued As that Christ was borne of a virgin and that he came not out the way that other children do he no that were a great inconuenience but aboue vnder her arme yet made no hole though he had a very naturall body as other meÌ haue and that there is no bread in the Sacrament nor wyne though the fiue wittes say all ye And the meritorious payne of this belefe is so heauy to them that except they had fayned them a thousand wise similitudes and lowsye lykenesses and as many madde reasoÌs to stay them with all and to helpe to captiuate their vnderstandyng they were like to cast all of their backes And the onely refuge of a great many to keepe in that fayth is to cast it out of their myndes not to thinke vpon it As though they forgeue not yet it they put the displeasure out of their myndes and thinke not of it til a good occasion be geueÌ to adueÌge it they thinke they loue their neighbour well inough all the while and be in good charge And the fayth of the best of them is but like theyr fayth in other worldly stories But the fayth which is trust and confidence to be saued and to haue their sinnes forgeuen by Christ which was so borne haue they not at all
That fayth haue they in theyr owne workes onely But the true hearers vnderstand the lawe as Christ interpreteth it here and feele thereby theyr righteous damnation and runne to Christ for succour and for remission of all their sinnes that are past and for all the sinne which chaunce thorough infirmities shall compel theÌ to do for remission of that the law is to stronge for their weake nature And upon that they consent to the lawe loue it and professe it to fulfill it to the vttermost of their power and then go to and worke Faith or confidence in Christes bloud without helpe and before the workes of the law bringeth all maner of remission of sinnes satisfaction Faith is mother of loue fayth accompanieth loue in all her workes to fulfill as much as there lacketh in our doing the lawe of that perfect loue which Christ had to his father and vs in his fulfilling of the law for vs. Now when we be reconciled then is loue fayth together our righteousnesse our keeping the lawe our continuing our proceeding forwarde in the grace which we stand in our bringing to the euerlasting sauing and euerlasting life And the woorkes be esteemed of God according to the loue of the hart If the woorkes be great loue little and colde then the woorkes be regarded thereafter of God If the workes be small and loue much and feruent the workes be taken for great of God And it came to passe that when Iesus had ended these sayinges the people were astonied at his doctrine for he taught them as one hauing power and not as the Scribes The Scribes and Phariseyes had thrust vp the sworde of the woorde of God into a scabbarde or shethe of gloses and therein had knit it fast that it coulde neither sticke nor cut teaching dead workes without fayth and loue which are the life and the whole goodnes of all workes and the onely thing why they please God And therefore their audience abode euer carnall and fleshly mynded without faith to God and loue to their neighbours Christes wordes were spirit life Ioh. vi That is to say they ministred spirite and life and entred into the hart and grated on the conscience and thorow preaching the lawe made the hearers perceaue their duties euen what loue they ought to God what to man and the right dampnation of all them that had not the loue of God and man written in their hartes and thorow preaching of fayth made all that consented to the lawe of God fele the mercy of God in Christ and certified them of their saluation For the worde of God is a two edged sworde that pearceth and deuideth the spirite and soule of man a sonder Heb. ãâã A man before the preaching of Godes woorde is but one man all fleshe the soule consenting vnto the lustes of the fleshe to follow them But the sworde of the worde of God where it taketh effect diuideth a man in two and serteth him at variaunce against his own selfe The fleshe haling one way and the spirite drawing another the fleshe raging to follow lustes and the spirite calling backe agayne to follow the lawe and will of God A man all the while âe consenteth to the flesh before he be borne again in Christ is called soule or carnall But whe he is renued in Christ through y t word of lyâe and hath the loue of God and of hys neighbor and the fayth of Christ written in his hart he is called spirite or spirituall The Lord of all mercy send vs preachers with power that is to say ãâã expounders of the worde of God and speakers to the hart of man and deliuer vs from Scribes Phariseyes hypocrites and all false Prophetes Amen An aunswere vnto Syr Thomas Mores Dialogue made by William Tyndall 1530. â First he declareth what the Church is and geueth a reason of certaine wordes which Master More rebuketh in the translation of the new Testament ¶ After that he aunswereth particularly vnto euery Chapter which semeth to haue any appearaunce of truth thorough all his foure bookes ¶ Awake thou that slepest and stand vp from death and Christ shall geue the light Ephesians 5. THe grace of our Lord the light of his spirite to see to iudge true repeÌtaunce towardeâ Gods lâwe a fast fayth in the mercyfull prââ¦es y â are in our sauiour Christ serueÌt loue toward thy neighbour after the exaÌple of Christ his Saints be with thee O Reader with all that loue the truth loÌg for the redemption of Gods elect Amen Our Sauiour I esus in the 16. of Iohn at his last Supper when he tooke his leaue of his Disciples warned them saying the holy Ghost shall come and rebuke the world of iudgemeÌt That is he shall rebuke the world for lacke of true iudgement and discretion to iudge and shall proue that the tast of theyr mouthes is corrupt so that they iudge swete to be sowre and sowre to be swete the eyes to be blynd so that they thinke that to be the verâ seruice of God which is but a blynd superstition for zeale of which yet they persecute the true seruice of God and that they iudge to be the lawe of God whiche is but a false imagination of a corrupt iudgement for blynd affection of whiche yet they persecute the true law of God and them that kepe it And this same it is that Paul sayth 1. Corinth ij how that the naturall man that is not borne agayne and created a new with the spirite of God be he neuer so great a Philosopher neuer so well sene in the law neuer so sore studied in the Scripture as we haue examples in the Phariseis yet hee cannot vnderstaÌd the thynges of the spirite of God but sayth he the spirituall iudgeth all thyngs and hys spirâe searcheth the deepe secretes of God so that what soeuer God commauÌdeth hym to do he neuer leaueth searchyng till he come at the bottome the pith the quicke the lyâe the sâ⦠the mââow very cause why and iudgeth all thyng Take an example in the great commaundement loue God with all thyne hart y t spirituall searcheth the cause and looketh on the benefites of God and so conceaueth loue in his hart And when he is commaunded to obey the powers and rulers of the world hee looketh on the benefites which God sheweth the world through them and therefore doth it gladly And when hee ⪠is commauÌded to loue his neighbour as hym selfe he searcheth that his neighbour is created of God and bought with Christes bloud and so forth and therefore he loueth hym out of his hart and if he be euill forheareth hym and with all loue and pacience draweth hym to good as elder brethren wayte on the youÌger and serue them and suffer them when they will not come they speake fayre flatter and geue some gaye thyng and
for the electe onely in whose hartes God hath written hys lawe with his holy spirite and geuen them a feeling faith of the mercy that is in Christ Iesu our Lord. ¶ Why Tindall vsed this worde congregation rather theÌ church in the translation of the new Testament WHerefore in as much as the clergy as the nature of those hard indurat AdamaÌtstones is to draw all to them had appropriat vnto themselues the terme that of right is common vnto all the whole congregation of them that beleue in Christ wyth their false and subtil wyles had beguiled and mocked the people brought them into the ignoraunce of the word making theÌ vnderstand by this worde church nothing but the shauen flocke of them that shore the whole worlde therefore in the translation of the new Testament where I found this word Ecclesia I enterpreted it by thys word congregation Euen therfore did I it and not of any mischeuous mynde or purpose to stablâshe heresie as master More vntruely reporteth of me in hys Dialoge where he rayleth on y t translation of the new Testament And when M. More sayth that this word Church is knowen wel inough I report me vnto the conscieÌces of all the land whether he say truth or other wise or whether the lay people vnderstand by Church the whole multitude of all that professe Christ or the iugglyng spirites onely And wheÌ he saith that congregation is a more generall terme if it were it hurteth not For the circumstance doth euer tell what coÌgregation is ment Neuerthelesse yet sayth he not the truth For whersoeuer I may say a congregation there may I say a Church also as the Church of the deuill the Church of Sathan the Church of wretches y t Church of wickedmen the Churche of lyers and a Church of Turkes therto For M. More must graunt if he will haue Ecclesia translated throughout all the new Testament by this woorde Church that Church is as commoÌ as Ecclesia Now is Ecclesia a Greeke word and was in vse before the tyme of the Apostles and taken for a coÌgregation among the heatheÌ where was no congregation of God or of Christ And also Lucas him selfe vseth Ecclesia for a Church or congregation of heathen people thrise in one Chapter eueÌ in the xix of the Actes where Demetrius the goldsmith or siluersmith had gathered a company agaynst Paule for preachyng agaynst Images Howbeit M. More hath so long vsed ⪠his figures of Poetry that I suppose wheÌ he erreth most he now by the reason oâ a long custome beleueth himself that he sayth most true Or els as the wise people which when they daunce naked in nettes beleue that no man seeth them euen so M. More thinketh that his errours be so subtilly couched that no man can espy them So blinde he counteth all other men in comparison of his great vnderstandyng But charitably I exhorte him in Christ to take hede for though Iudas were wilier then his felowes to get lucre yet he proued not most wise at y t last end Neither though Balam the false Prophet had a cleare sight to bryng y â curse of God vpon the childreÌ of Israell for honours sake yet his couetousnesse did so blind his prophesie that he could not see his owne end Let therfore M. More and his coÌpany awake be tymes ere euer their sinne be ripe lest y e voyce of their wickednesse ascenoâ vp and awake God out of his slepe to loke vpoÌ them and to how his eares vnto theyr cursed blasphemies agaynst the open truth and to send his haruest men and mowares of vengeaunce to repe it But how happeth it that M. More hath not contended in likewise against hys derelyng Erasmus all this longe while Doth not he chauÌge this word Ecclesia into congregatioÌ and that not seldome in the new TestameÌt peraduenture he oweth him fauour because he made Moria in hys house Whiche booke if it were in English theÌ should euery man see how that he then was farre otherwise mynded then he now writeth But verely I thinke that as Iudas betrayd not Christ for any loue that he had vnto the hyghe Priestes Scribes and Phariseis but onely to come by that wherfore he thirsted eueÌ so M. More as there are tokens euideÌt wrote not these bookes for any affectioÌ that he bare vnto the spiritualty or vnto the opinions which he so barely defeÌdeth but to obtaine onely that which he was an hungred for I pray God that he eate not to hastly lest he be chokeo at the latter end but that he repeÌt and resist not the spirite of God which openeth light vnto the worlde ¶ Why he vseth this woorde Elder and not Priest AN other thyng which he rebuketh is that I interprete this Greeke worde Presbiteros by this worde Senior Of a truth Senior is no very good Englishe though Senior and Iuniot be vsed in the vniuersities but there came no better in my mynde at that tyme. Howbeit I spied my fault since long yer M. More tolde it me and haue ââ¦ded it in all the woorkes which I sens made and call it an Elder And in that he maketh hereâie of it to call Presbiteros an Elder he condemneth their owne old Latin text of heresie also which they vse yet dayly myâââ¦ch and haue vsed I suppose this I suppose this run huÌdred yeares For that text doth ãâ¦ã an elder likewise In the. 1. Pet. 5. ââ¦s standeth it in y e Latin text Seââ¦ores qui in vobis sunt obsecro ego conâ⦠pascite qui in vobis est gregem Chriâ⦠ãâ¦ã elders that are among you I ãâ¦ã which am an elder also that ye sedâ⦠flocke of Christ which is among ãâ¦ã There is Presbyteros calleâ ãâ¦ã And in y t he sayth fede Chrisâ⦠he meaneth euen the Ministeâ⦠chosen to teach the people to ãâ¦ã them in Gods word no âay ãâ¦ã And in the 2. Epâstâe of Iohâ ãâ¦ã text Senior electae Dominae ãâ¦ã The elder vnto the eleât Lady ãâ¦ã her children And in the ãâ¦ã Iohn Senior Gaâo dilecto ãâ¦ã vnto the beloued Gaiâs In these ãâ¦ã pistles Presbyteros is calleâ an ãâ¦ã And in the xx of the Actes y â text sâ⦠Paule sent for maiores natu Eccleâ⦠ãâ¦ã elders in byrth of the congregation or Church and sayd vnto them take ãâ¦ã vnto your selues vnto y â whoâe ãâã ouer which the holy ghosâ hath ãâ¦ã you Episcopos ad regendum Eccleâ⦠Dei Byshops ouerâcaâs to ãâ¦ã the Church of God There is ââ¦teros called an Elder in byrth ãâ¦ã same immediately called a ãâ¦ã ouersear to declare what pâ⦠ment Hereof ye see that I haue ãâ¦ã more erred then their owne text ãâ¦ã they haue vsed sence the scripture waâ first in the Latin âoung and that their owne text vnderstandeth by Presbyâeros nothyng saue an Elder And they were called
by which was at that time nothing signified but an Elder And it was no doubt taken of the custome of the Hebrues where the officers were euer elderly men as nature requireth As it appeareth in the olde testament and also in the new The Scribes Pharises and the elders of the people sayth the text which were the officers and rulers so called by the reason of their age ¶ Why he vseth loue rather then charitie HE rebuketh me also that I traÌslate thys greke worde ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã into loue and not rather into charitie so holy so knowen a terme Verely charitie is no knowen Englishe in that sence which agape requireth For when we say geue your almes in the worship of God and sweete saint charitie and when the father teacheth his sonne to say blessing father for saint charitie what meane they In good fayth they wot not Moreouer wheÌ we say God helpe you I haue done my charitie for this day do we not take it for aââ¦s And the man is euer childing and out of charitie and I beshrew him sauing my charitie there we take it for patience And when I say a charitable maÌ it is taken for mercifull And though mercifulnes be a good loue or rather spring of a good loue yet is not euery good loue mercifulnes As when a woman loueth her husband godly or a man his wife or his frende that is in none aduersitie it is not alway mercifulnesse Also we say not thys man hath a great charitie to god but a great loue Wherfore I must haue vsed this generall terme loue in spite of myne hart oftentimes And agape charitas were wordes vsed among the Hetheâ yer Chrst came and signified therefore more then a godly loue And we may say well inough and haue heard it spoken that the Turkes be charitable one to an other among themselues some of them vnto the christen to Besides all this agape is coÌmon vnto all loues And when M. More saith euery loue is not charitie no more is euery Apostle Christes Apostle nor euery Angell Gods Angell nor euery hope christen hope nor euery sayth or beliefe Christes beleife and so by an huÌdred thousand wordes So that if I should alway vse but a worde y t were no more generall then the worde I enterprete I should enterprete nothing at all But the matter it selfe and the circumstaunces do declare what loue what hope and what fayth is spokeÌ of And finally I say not charitie God or charitie your neighbour but ioue God and loue your neighbour ye though we say a man ought to loue his neighbours wife his daughter a Christen man doth vnderstand that he is commauÌded to defile his neighbours wife or his daughter ¶ Why fauour and not grace ANd with lyke reasons rageth he because I turne ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã into fauour and not into grace saying that euery fauour is not grace and that in some fauour there is but little grace I can say also in some grace there is little goodnesse And when we say he standeth well in my Ladyes grace we vnderstand no great godly sauour And in Vniuersities many vngracious graces are gotten ¶ Why knowledge and not confession repentaunce and not penaunce ANd that I vse this worde knowledge and not confession and this word repentaunce and not penaunce In which all he can not proue that I geue not the right Englishe vnto the Greeke word But it is a farre other thyng that payâeth them and byteth them by the brestes There he secret panges that pinch the very hartes of them wherof they dare not coÌplayne The sekenesse that maketh them so impacieÌt is that they haue lost their iugglyng termes For the doctours and preachers were wont to make many dimisioÌs distinctions sortes of grace gratis data gratum faciens preueniens subsequens And with confession they iuggled so made the people as oft as they spake of it vnderstand shrift in the care Wherof the Scripture maketh no mentioÌ no it is cleâne agaynst the Scripture as they vse it and preach it and vnto God an abhominatioÌ and a soule stinkyng sacrifice vnto the filthy Idole Priapus The losse of those iugglyng termes is the matter where of all these bottes brede that gnaw them by the belyes and make them so vnquiet And in like maner by this word penaunce they make the people vnderstand holy deedes of their enioynyng with which they must make satisfactioÌ vnto Godward for their sinnes When all the Scripture preacheth that Christ hath made full satisfactioÌ for our sinnes to Godward we must now be thaÌkfull to God agayne and kill the lustes of our flesh with holy workes of gods enioynyng to take paciently all that God layeth on my back And if I haue hurt my neighbour I am bounde to shrââ¦e my selfe vnto him and to make him amendes if I haue wherewith or if not theÌ to aske him sorgeuenesse and he is bounde to forgeue me And as for their penauÌce the Scripture knoweth not of The Greke hath Metanoia and Metanoite repentaunce and repente ⪠or forthinkyng and forthinke As we say in English it forthinketh me or I forthinke and I repent or it repeÌteth me and I am sory that I dyd it So now the Scripture âayth repent or let it forthinke you and come beleue the Gospell or glad tydynges that is brought you in Christ and so shall all be forgeuen you and henceforth lyue a new lyfe And it will folow if I repent in the hart that I shall do no more so willingly and of purpose And if I beleued the Gospell what God hath done for me in Christ I should surely loue him agayne of loue prepare my selfe vnto his commaundementes These thinges to be euen so M. More knoweth well inough For he vnderstandeth the Greke and he knew them long yer I. But so blynd is couetousnesse dronkeÌ desire of honour Giftes blind the eyes of the seyng and peruert the wordes of the righteous Deut. xvij When couetousnes findeth vauntage in seruyng falsehead it riseth vp into an oââ¦mate malice agaynst the truth seeketh all meanes to resiste it and to queÌch it As Balam the false Prophet though he wiste that God loued Israell and had blessed them and promised them great thyngs and that he would fulfill his promises yet for couetousnesse and desire of honour he fell into such malice agaynst the truth of God that he sought âow to resiste it and to curse the people Whiche when God would not let him do he turned him selfe an other way and gaue pestilent counsell to make the people sinne against God wherby the wrath of God âel vpon them and many thousand perished Notwithstandyng Gods truth abode fast and was fulfiled in the rest And Balam as he was the cause that many perished so escaped he not hym selfe No more did any that
maliciously resisted the open truth agaynst hys owne conscience sence the world began that euer I read For it is sinne agaynst y â holy ghost which Christ saith shall neither be forgeueÌ here nor in the world to come whiche text may this wise be vnderstand that as that sinne shal be punished with euerlastyng daÌnation in the lyfe to come euen so shall it not escape vengeauÌce here As thou âeest in Iudas in Pharao in Balam and in all other tyrauntes whiche agaynst their consciences resisted the open truth of God So now the cause why our Prelates thus rage that moueth them to call M. More to helpe is not that they finde iust causes in the translation but because they haue lost their iugglyng and fayned termes wherewith Peter prophesied they should make marchaundise of the people ¶ Whether the Church were before the Gospell or the Gospell before the Church AN other doubt there is whether the Church or congregatioÌ be before the Gospell or the Gospell before the Church Which question is as hard to solue as whether the father be elder then the sonne or the sonne elder then his father For the whole Scripture and all beleuing hartes testifie that we are begotten through the word Wherfore if the word beget the congregatioÌ he that begetteth is before hym that is begotten then is the Gospell before the Church Paul also Rom. ix sayth how shall they call on him whom they beleue not And how shall they beleue without a preacher That is Christ must first be preached yer men can beleue in him And then it foloweth that the word of the preacher must be before the fayth of the beleuer And therfore in as much as the word is before the faith and faith maketh the congregation therfore is the word or Gospell before the congregation And agayne as the ayre is darke of it selfe receaueth all her light of the sonne euen so are all mens hartes of theÌselues darke with lyes and receaue all their truth of Gods word in that they consent therto And moreouer as the darke ayre geueth the sonne no light but contrarywise the light of the sonne in respect of the ayre is of it selfe and lighteneth the ayre purgeth it from darkenesse eueÌ so the lying hart of man can geue the word of God no truth but contrary wise the truth of Gods word is of her self and lighteneth the harts of the beleuers and maketh them true and clenseth them from lyes as thou readest Iohn xv ye be cleane by reason of the word Which is to be vnderstand in that the word had purged their harces from lyes from false opinions from thinking euill good and therfore from consentyng to sinne And Iohn xvij sanctifie them O father thorough thy truth And thy woorde is truth And thus thou seest that Gods truth dependeth not of man It is not true because man so sayth or admitteth it for true But man is true because he beleueth it testifieth and geueth witnesse in hys hart that it is true And Christ also sayth him selfe Iohn v. I receaue no witnesse of maÌ For if the multitude of maÌs witnesse might make ought true then were the doctrine of Mahomete truer then Christes ¶ Whether the Apostles left ought vnwritten that is of necessitie to be beleued BUt did not y â Apostles teach ought by mouth that they wrot not I aunswere because that many taught one thyng and euery man the same in diuers places and vnto diuers people and confirmed euery sermoÌ wyth a sundry miracle therfore Christ his Apostles preached an ââ¦red thousaÌd sermons and did as many miracles which had bene superfluous to haue bene all written But the pith and substaunce in generall of euery thing necessary vnto our soules health both of what we ought to beleue and what we ought to do was written and of the miracles done to confirme it as many as were nedeful So that whatsoeuer we ought to beleue or do that same is written expresely or drawen out of that which is written For if I were bound to do or beleue vnder payne of the losse of my soule any thing that were written nor depeÌded of that which is writteÌ what holpe me the scripture that is written And thereto in as much as Christ and all his Apostles warned vs that false prophetes shoulde come with false miracles euen to deceaue the elect if it were possible wherewith shoulde the true preacher confound the false except he brought true miracles to confound the false or els autenticke scripture of full authoritie already among the people Some man woulde aske how dyd God continue his congregation from Adam to Noe and froÌ Noe to Abraham and so to Moses without writing but with teaching from mouth to mouth I aunswere first that there was no scripture all the whyle they shall proue wheÌ our Lady hath a new sonne God taught Adam greater thynges then to write And that there was writing in the world long yer Abraham yea yer Noe do stories testifie Notwithstanding though there had bene no writing the preachers were euer prophetes glorious in doing of miracles wherwith they cofirmed their preaching And beyond that god wrote his testameÌt vnto them aâway both what to do and to beleue eueÌ in y e sacramentes For the sacrifices which God gaue Adams sonnes were no dumme popetrie or superstitious Mahometrie but signes of the testament of God And in them they red y e worde of God as we do in bookes and as we should do in our sacraments if the wicked Pope had not taken the significations away from vs as he hath robbed vs of the true sence of all the scripture The testament which God made with Noe that he woulde no more drowne the worlde with water he wrote in the sacrament of the rainebow And the appointment made betwene him and Abraham he wrote in the sacrament of circumcision And therefore sayd Steuen Act. vij he gaue them y â testameÌt of circumcision Not that the outwarde circumcision was the whole testament but the sacrameÌt or signe there For circumcision preached Gods worde vnto theÌ as I haue in other places declared But in the tyme of Moyses when the congregation was encreased that they must haue many preachers also rulers temporall then all was receaued in scripture in so much that Christ and his Apostles might not haue bene beleued without scripture for all their miracles Wherefore in as much as Christes congregation is spred abroad into all the worlde much broader then Moses and in as much as we haue not the olde testament onely but also the new wherein all thinges are opened so richly and all fulfilled that before was promised in as much as there is no promise behinde of ought to be shewed more saue the resurrection yea and seyng that Christ and all the Apostles with all the Angels of
Pope hath made a playne decree in which he commaundeth saying though y e Pope sinne neuer so greuously and draw with him to hell by his ensaÌple thousaÌdes innumerable yet let no man be so hardy to rebuke him For he is head ouerall none ouer him Distinct ãâã Si Papa And Paule saith Rom. xiij let euery soule obey the hyer powers that are ordeyned to punishe sinne The Pope will not nor let any of his And Paule chargeth 1. Cor. 5. if he that is a brother be an whorekeeper a dronkard couetous an extortioner or a rayler and so forth that we haue no felowship with him No not so much as to eate in his company But the Pope with violence compelleth vs to haue such in honour to receaue the sacrameÌtes of them to heare their Masses and to beleue all they say and yet they will not let vs see whether they say truth or no. And he compelleth x. parishes to pay their tithes and offeringes vnto one such to goe and ruÌne at riote at their cost and to do nought therefore And a thousande such like doth the Pope contrary vnto Christes doctrine ¶ The argumentes wherewith the Pope woulde proue hymselfe the church are solued NOtwithstanding because as they be all shauen they be all shamelesse to affirme that they be the right church and can not erre though all the world seeth that not one of theÌ is in the right way and that they haue with vtter defiaunce forsaken both the doctrine and liuing of Christ of all his Apostles let vs see the sophistry wherwith they would perswade it One of their high reasons is this The Church say they was before y â heretikes y â heretikes came euer out of the church and left it And they were before all them which they now call heretikes and Lutherans and the Lutherans came out of them c. Wherefore they be the right church and the other heretikes in dede as they be called Well I will likewise dispute First the right church was vnder Moses and Aaron and so forth in whose rowmes sat the Scribes Phariseis and hye priestes in the tyme of Christ And they were before Christ And Christ and his Apostles came out of them and departed from theÌ and left them Wherfore the Scribes Phariseis and hye priestes were the right Church and Christ and hys Apostles and disciples heretikes and a dampnable secte And so the Iewes are yet in the right way and we in errour And of truth if their blynde reason be good theÌ is this argumeÌt so to For they be like are both one thing But in as much as the kingdome of God standeth not in wordes as Paul sayth 1. Cor. 4. but in power therefore looke vnto the marow and pith of the thinges selfe and let vayne woordes passe Vnder Abraham Isaac Iacob was the church great in fayth and small in number And as it encreased in number so it decreased in fayth vntill y â tyme of Moses And out of those vnbeleuers God stirred vp Moses brought âheÌ vnto y â faith right agayne And Moses left a glorious Churche both in faith cleauing vnto the word of God and deliuered them vnto Iosuah Eleazer Phineas and Caleb But assone as the generation of theÌ that saw the miracles of God were dead they fell to Idolatrie immediatly as thou seest in the Bible And god when he had deliuered them into captiuitie for to chastice their wickednesse stirred them vp a Prophet euermore to call them vnto his testameÌt againe And so he did well me an hundred tymes I suppose yer Christ came for they neuer bode any space in the right fayth And against the comming of Christ the Scribes Phariseis Caiphas Anna and the Elders were crept vp into the seat of Moses AaroÌ and the holy Prophetes Patriarkes and suceded them linially and had the scripture of God but euen in captiuitie to make marchaundise of it and to abuse it vnto their owne glory and profite And though they kept the people from outward Idolatrie of worshipping of Images with the Heathen yet they brought them into a worse inward Idolatrie of a false fayth trust in their owne deedes and in vaine traditions of their owne fayning And had put out the significatioÌs of all y â ceremonies and sacramentes of the olde testameÌt and taught the people to beleue in the workes selfe and had corrupt the scripture with false gloses As y â maist see in the Gospell how Christ warneth his Disciples to beware of y t leauen of y â Phariseis which was their false doctrine gloses And in another place he rebuked the Scribes and the Phariseis saying wo be to theÌ because they had taken away the key of knowledge and had shut vp the kingdome of heauen and neither would enter in themselues nor suffer theÌ that would How had they shut it vp verely with their traditions and false gloses which they had sowed to y â scripture in plaine places and in the taking away y â meaning of the ceremonies and sacrifices and teaching to beleue in the worke And our hipocrites are in like maner crept vp into the seat of Christ and of his Apostles by succession not to do the deedes of Christ and his Apostles but for lucre onely as the nature of the wily Foxe is to get him an hole made with a nother beastes labour and to make marchaundise of the people with fayned wordes as Peter warned vs before and to do according as Christ and all his Apostles prophesied how they should beguyle and leade out of the right way all theÌ that had no loue to follow and liue after the truth And in like maner haue they corrupt the Scripture and blynded the right way with their owne constitutions with traditions of duÌme ceremonies with takyng away the significations of the sacramentes to make vs beleue in the worke of the sacramentes fyrst whereby they might the better make vs beleue in works of their setting vp afterward and with false gloses which they haue patched to the Scripture in playne places to destroy the litterall sence for to set vp a false fayned sence of allegories when there is none such And thereby they haue stopt vp the gates of heaueÌ the true knowledge of Christ and haue made their own belâes the dore For thorow their bellies must thou creepe and theâe leaue all that fall behynde thee And such blynde reasons as oures make against vs made they agaynst Christ saying Abraham is our father we be Moses disciples how knoweth he the vnderstanding of the Scripture seing he neuer learned of any of vs onely the cursed vnlearned people that know not the scripture beleue in hym Looke whether any of the rulers or Phariseis do beleue in hym Wherefore the scripture truely vnderstode after the playneâ places and generall articles of y t fayth which
for vs y â remissioÌ of our sinnes but also the forgeuenesse of that grosse and fleshly imagined Purgatory saue thou must bye it out of the Pope And with such traditions they tooke away the keye of knowledge and stopped vp the kyngdome of heauen that no man could enter in And as I sayd they taught the people to beleue in the dedes of the ceremonies which God ordeined not to iustifie but to be signes of promises by which they that beleued were iustified But the Phariseis put out the significations queÌched the fayth and taught to be iustified by the woorke as ours haue serued vs. For our Sacramentes were once but signes partly of what we should beleue to styrre vs vp vnto fayth and partly what we should do to styrre vs vp to do the law of God and were not workes to iustifie Now make this reason vnto Iohn and vnto many Prophetes that went before him and did as he dyd yea and vnto Christ him self and his Apostles thou shalt finde them all heretickes and the Scribes and Phariseis good men if that reason be good Therfore this wise thou mayst aunswere No thankes vnto the heades of y â Church that the Scripture was kept but vnto the mercy of God For as they had destroyed the right sense of it for their lucre sake euen so would they haue destroyed it also if they coulde rather then the people should haue come vnto the right vnderstaÌdyng of it as they slew the true interpretours and preachers of it And euen so no thankes vn to our hypocrites that the Scripture is kept but vnto the bottomlesse mercy of God For as they haue destroyed the right sense of it with their leueÌ and as they destroy dayly the true preachers of it and as they kepe it from the lay people that they should not see how they iuggle with it euen so would they destroy it also could they bryng it about rather theÌ we should come by the true vnderstandyng of it were it not that God prouided otherwise for vs. For they haue put the stories that should in many thynges helpe vs cleane out of the way as nye as they could They haue corrupt the Legend and lyues almost of all Saintes They haue fayned false bookes and put them forth some in the name of S. Hierome some in y â name of S. Augustine in the name of S. CypriaÌ S. Dionise and other holy men which are proued none of theirs partly by the stile and Latine partly by autenticke stories And as the Iewes haue set vp a booke of traditions called Talmud to destroy the seÌse of y â Scripture Vnto which they geue fayth and vnto the Scripture none at all be it neuer so playne but say it can not be vnderstand saue by the Talmud euen so haue ours set vp their Dunce their Thomas and a thousand like draffe to stablish their lyes thorough falsifying the Scripture say that it can not be vnderstand without them be it neuer so playne And if a man alledge an holy Doctour agaynst them they glose him out as they do the Scripture or will not heare or say the Church hath otherwise determined Now therfore when they aske vs how we know that it is the Scripture of God aske them how Iohn Baptist knew other Prophetes which God styrred vp in all such times as the scripture was in like captiuitie vnder hypocrites Did Iohn beleue that the Scribes Phariseis and hygh Priests were the true Church of God and had hys spirite and could not erre who taught the Egles to spy out their pray euen so the children of God spy out their father and Christes elect spy out theyr Lord and trace out the pathes of hys feete and folow yea though he go vpoÌ the playne and liquide water which will receaue no stepe yet there they find out his foote his elect know him but the world knoweth him not Iohn 1. If the world know him not thou call the world pride wrath enuy couetousnesse slouth glottony and lechery then our spiritualtie know hym not Christes shepe heare y â voyce of Christ Iohn x. where the world of hypocrits as they know hym not euen so the wolues heare not his voyce but compell the Scripture to heare them and to speake what they lust And therfore except the Lord of Sabaoth had lest vs seede we had bene all as Sodome and Gomor sayd Esay 1. And euen so sayd Paul in hys tyme. And euen so say we in our time that the Lord of the hostes hath saued him seede hath gathered hym a flocke to whom he hath geuen cares to heare that the hypocritish Wolâes can not heare and eyes to see that the blynd leaders of the blynd can not see and an hart to vnderstaÌd that the generation of poysoned Vipers caÌ neither vnderstand nor know If they alleage S. Augustine which sayth I had not beleued the Bospell except the authoritie of the church had moued me I answere as they abuse that saying of the holy man euen so they alleage all the Scripture and all that they bring for them euen in a false sence S. Augustine before he was conuerted was an heathen maÌ and a Philosopher full of worldly wisdome vnto whom the preaching of Christ is but folishnesse sayth Paule i. Corin. i. And he disputed wyth blynde reasons of worldly wisdome agaynst the Christen Neuerthelesse the earnest liuing of the Christen according vnto theyr doctrine and the constant suffering of persecutioÌ and aduersitie for their doctrines sake moued hym stirred hym to beleue that it was no vayne doctrine but that it must nedes be of god in that it had such power with it For it happeneth that they which wyll not heare the worde at the beginning are afterward moued by the holy conuersation of them that beleue As Peter warneth ChristeÌ wines that had heathen husbandes that would not heare the truth preached to liue so godly that they might winne their heathen husbandes with holy conuersation And Paule sayth how knowest thou Christen wife whether thou shalt winne thine heathen husband with holy conuersation meÌt he For many are woÌne with godly liuing which at the fyrst either will not heare or can not belene And that is the authoritie that S. Augustine meane But if we shal not beleue tyll the liuyng of the spiritualtie conuert vs we be like to bide long inough in vnbeliefe And wheÌ they aske whether we receaued the scripture of them I aunswere that they which come after receaue the scripture of them that go before And when they aske whether we beleue not that it is Gods worde by the reason that they tell vs so I aunswere that there are two manuer faythes an historicall fayth and a feelyng fayth The historicall fayth hangeth of the truth and honestie of the teller or of the common fame and
him in their dedes as fast as they can runne The Turkes being in number fiue tymes moe then we are knowledge one God and beleue many thinges of God moued onely by the authoritie of their elders and presume that God will not let so great a multitude erre so long tyme. And yet they haue erred and bene faithlesse these eight hundred yeares And the Iewes beleue this day as much as the carnall sort of them euer beleued moued also by the authoritie of their elders onely and thinke that it is impossible for them to erre being Abrahams seede and the childreÌ of them to whom the promises of all that we beleue were made And yet they haue erred and bene faythlesse this xv hundred yeares And we of like blindnesse beleue onely by the authoritie of our elders and of like pride thinke that we can not erre beyng such a multitude And yet we see how God in the old Testament did let the great multitude erre reseruyng alway a litle flocke to call the other backe againe and to testifie vnto them the right way ¶ How this word Church hath a double interpretation THis is therfore a sure coÌclusion as Paule sayth Rom. ix that not all they that are of Israell are Israelites neither because they be AbrahaÌs sede are they all Abrahams childreÌ but they onely that folow the faith of Abraham Euen so now none of them that beleue with their mouthes moued with the authority of their elders onely that is none of theÌ that beleue with M. Mores fayth the Popes fayth and the deuils fayth which may stand as M. More coÌfesseth with all maner abhominatioÌs haue the right fayth of Christ or are of his Church But they onely that repeÌt feele that the law is good And haue the law of God written in their harts and the fayth of our Sauiour Iesus euen with the spirite of God There is a carnali Israell a spirituall There is Isaac and Ismaell Iacob Esau And Ismaell persecuted Isaac Esau Iacob the fleshly the spiritual Wher of Paul complayned in his tyme persecuted of his carnall brethreÌ as we do in our tyme and as the elect euer dyd shall do till the worldes end What a multitude came out of Egypt vnder Moses of which the Scripture testifyeth that they beleued moued by y â miracles of Moses as Symon magus beleued by the reason of Philippes miracles Actes viij Neuerthelesse the Scripture testifieth that vj. hundred thousaÌd of those beleuers perished thorough vnbelief and left their carcasses in the wildernesse and neuer entred into the land that was promised them And euen so shal the children of M. Mores faythlesse faith made by the persuation of maÌ leap short of the test which our Sauiour Iesus is riseÌ vnto And therfore let them embrace this present world as they do whose children they are though they hate so to be called And hereby ye see that it is a playne an euident conclusioÌ as bright as the sunne shynyng that the truth of Gods word dependeth not of the truth of the congregation And therfore when thou art asked why thou beleuest that thou shalt be saued thorough Christ and of such like principles of our fayth aunswere thou wottest and felest that it is true And when he asketh how thou knowest that it is true aunswere because it is written in thyne hart And if he aske who wrote it auÌswere the spirite of God And if he aske how thou came first by it tell him whether by readyng in bookes or hearyng it preached as by an outward instrumeÌt but that inwardly thou wast taught by y â spirite of God And if he aske whether thou beleuest it not because it is written in bookes or because the Priestes so preach aunswere no not now but onely because it is writteÌ in thyne hart and because the spirite of God so preacheth and so testifieth vnto thy soule And say though at the beginning thou wast moued by readyng or preachyng as the Samaritans were by y â wordes of the woman yet now thou beleuest it not therfore any leÌger but onely because thou hast heard it of the spirite of God and read it written in thine hart And concernyng outward teachyng we alledge for vs Scripture elder theÌ any Church that was this xiiij hundred yeares and old antenticke stories which they had brought a slepe where with we confounde their lyes RemeÌber ye not how in our owne tyme of all that taught Grammer in England not one vnderstode the Latin toung how came we theÌ by the Latin toung agayne not by them though we learned certaine rules principles of them by which we were moued had an occasion to seke further but out of the old authours Euen so we seke vp old antiquities out of whiche we learne and not of our Church though we receaued many principles of our Church at the begynnyng but more falsehead then truth It hath pleased God of his exceding loue wherewith he loued vs in Christ as Paul sayth before the worlde was made and wheÌ we were dead in sinne and his enemies in that we did coÌsent to sinne and to liue euill to write with his spirite ij conclusions in our harts by which we vnderstaÌd all thyng that is to were the fayth of Christ and the loue of our neighbours For whosoeuer feleth the iust damnation of sinne and the forgeuenes and mercy that is in Christes bloud for all that repent forsake it and come and beleue in that mercy the same onely knoweth how God is to be honoured and worshipped and can iudge betwene true seruing of God in the spirite and false Image seruing of God with workes ⪠And y e same knoweth that sacrameÌtes signes ceremonies and bodely things can be no seruice to God in his person but memorials vnto men and a remeÌbraunce of the testament wherewyth God is serued in the spirite And he that feeleth not that is blynde in hys soule and of our holy fathers generation and maketh God an Image a creature worshippeth him with bodely seruice And on the other side he that loueth his neighbour as himselfe vnderstandeth all lawes and caÌ iudge betwene good and euil right wrong godly and vngodly in all conuersation deedes lawes bargaines couenaunces ordinaunces and decrees of men and knoweth the office of euery degree and the due honour of euery person And he that hath not that writen in his hart is popishe and of y â spiritualtie which vnderstaÌdeth nothing saue his own honour his own profite what is good for himself onely and when he is as he would be thinketh y â all the world is as it should be ¶ Of worshipping and what is to be vnderstand by the worde COncerning worshipping or honouring which two termes are both one M. More bringeth forth a difference a distinction or diuision of Greke wordes
or xii yeare olde before they were admitted to receaue the sacrameÌt of Christes body haply And he apposed them of the lawe of God and fayth of Christ asked them whether they thought that lawe good and whether their hartes were to follow it And they aunswered yea And he apposed them in the articles of our fayth and asked them whether they put their hop and trust in Christ to be saued thorow his death and merites And they answered ye TheÌ coÌfirmed he their baptim saying I confirme you that is I denounce and declare by the authoritie of Gods worde and doctrine of Christ that ye be truely baptised within in your hartes and in your spirites thorow prosessing the lawe of God and the faith of our sauiour Iesu which your outwarde baptim doth signifie and therupon I put this crosse in your foreheades that ye goe and fight agaynst the deuill the world and the flesh vnder the standard of our Sauiour in the name of the father the sonne the holy ghost AmeÌ Which maner I would to God for his tender mercy were in vse this day But after that the deuil was broken lowse and the Byshops began to purchase and the Deaââ¦s to scratch all to them and the spiritualtie to clime an hygh then because the labour seâ⦠to tedious and paynfull to appose the children one by one they asked the Priests that presented theÌ onely whether the children were taught the professioÌ of their Baptisme And they aunswered yââ And so vpon their wordes they confirmed theÌ without apposing So wheÌ they no lenger apposed them the Priests no lenger taught them but committed the charge to their Godfather and Godmothers and they to the father and mother dischargyng them selues by their owne authoritie within halfe an houre And the father mother taught theÌ a monstrous Latin Pater noster and an Aue and a Crede Which gibbresh euery Popââ¦iaye speaketh with a sundry pronunciation and fashion so that one Pater noster semeth as many languages almost as there be tounges that speake it Howbeit it is all one as loÌg as they vnderstand it not And in processe as the ignoraunce grew they brought them to confirmation straight from Baptisme so that now oftymes they be volowed and bishoped both in one day that is we be confirmed in blindnesse to be kept from knowledge for euer And thus are we come into this damnable ignoraunce and fierce wrath of God through our owne deseruyng because when the truth was told vs we had no loue therto And to declare the full and set wrath of God vpon vs our Prelates whom we haue exalted ouer vs to whom we haue geuen almost all we had haue persuaded the wordly Princes to whoÌ we haue submitted our selues and geueÌ vp our power to deuour vs vp body soule and to kepe vs downe in darkenesse with violence of sword and with all falsehead and guile In so much that if any do but lift vp his nose to smell after the truth they swap him in the face with a fire brande to seng hys smellyng or if he open one of his eyes once to looke toward y â light of gods word they bleare daze his sight with their false iugglyng so that if it were possible though he were Gods elect he could not but be kept down and perish for lacke of knowledge of the truth And in like maner because Christ had institute the Sacrament of his body and bloud to kepe vs in remembrauÌce of his body breaking blud sheding for our sinnes therfore went they and set vp this fashioÌ of the Masse and ordeined Sacramentes in the ornamentes thereof to signifie and expresse all the rest of his passioÌ The amice on the head is the kercheue that Christ was blynd folded with when the souldiours buffeted him and mocked hym saying prophecie vnto vs who smote thee But now it may wel signifie that he that putteth it on is blynd and hath professed to leade vs after him in darkenesse according vnto the beginnyng of his play And the flappe theron is the crowne of thorne And the albe is the white garment that Herode put on him saying he was a foole because he held his peace and would not auÌswere him And the ij flappes on the sleues and the other ij on the albe beneath ouer agaynst his fete behind and before are the. iiij nayles And the fanon on his hand the cord that his haÌdes were bound with And the stole the rope wherwith he was bound vnto the piller when he was scorged And the corporiscloth the sindon wherin he was buried and the altare is the crosse or haply the graue and so forth And the casting abroad of his hands the splaying of Christ vpon the crosse And the light and sticking vp of candles bearyng of candles or tapers in procession happly signified this text Math. v. ye be the light of the world and let your light so shyne before meÌ that they may see your good workes glorifie your father which is in heauen And the salt signifieth the wisedome of Christes doctrine and that we should therewith salt our dedes and do nothing without the authoritie of Gods word So that in one thing or other what in the garmeÌtes and what in the gestures all his playde in so much that before he will go to Masse he wil be sure to sell hym lest Iudases part should be left out And so throughout all the SacrameÌts ceremonies or signes iij. words of one signification there were significations vnto them at the beginning And so long as it was vnderstaÌd what was ment by them and they dyd but serue the people and preach one thyng or an other vnto them they hurted not greatly though that the free seruaunt of Christ ought not to be brought violently into captiuitie vnder the boÌdage of traditions of men As S. Augustine complayneth in his dayes how that the condition and state of the Iewes was more easy then the ChristiaÌs vnder traditions so sore had the tyranny of the shepheardes inuaded the flocke all ready in those dayes And theÌ what iust cause haue we to coÌplaine our captiuitie now vnto whose yocke from that tyme hetherto enen xij hundred yeares long hath euer somwhat more waight bene added to for to keepe vs bowne and to confirme vs in blyndnesse howbeit as long as the significatioÌs bode they hurted not the soule though they were paynefull vnto the body Neuerthelesse I impute this our greuous fal into so extreme and horrible blyndnesse wherin we are so deepe and so deadly brought a slepe vnto no thyng so much as vnto the multitude of ceremonies For assoone as the Prelates had set vp such a rable of ceremonies they thonght it superflnous to preach the playne text any longer and the law of God faith of Christ loue toward our
were in them determined as stories make meÌtion And by the same fcripture we know which counsels were true which false And by the same scripture shall we if any new question arââ¦e determine it also Abraham answered the rich man they haue Moses and the Prophets let theÌ heare them and sayd not they haue the Scribes and the Phariseis whom they should heare preachyng out of the seate of their owne doctrine wythout scripture And when he alleageth he that heareth you heareth me and if any man heare not the church take hym for an heathen concluding that we must beleue whosoeuer is shauen in all that he affirmeth without scripture or myracle I would fayne know in what figure that silogismus is made Christes disciples taught Christes doctrine confirming it with miracles that it might be knowen for Gods and not theirs And euen so must the Church that I wyll beleue shew a myracle or bryng autentike scripture that is come from the Apostles which consirmed it with myracles The xxix Chapter IN the xxix he alleageth that Christ sayd not the holy ghost shall write but shall teach It is not the vse to say the holy ghost writeth but inspireth y â writer I maruayle that he had not brought as many of hys brethren do Mathew in the last where Christ coÌmaunded the Apostles to go and teach all nations and sayd not write I auswere that this precept loue thy neighbour as thy selfe and God aboue all thyng went wyth the Apostles coÌpelled them to seeke Gods honour in vs and to seeke all meanes to continue the fayth vnto the worldes ende Now the Apostles knew before that heresies shoulde come and therefore wrote that it myght be a remedie against heresies as it well appeareth Iohn xx Where he sayth these are written that ye beleue and thorow beliefe haue lyfe And in the second of his fyrst Epistle he sayth these I write because of them that deceaue you And Paule and Peter therto warne vs in many places Wherfore it is manifest that the same loue compelled them to leaue nothyng vnwritten that should be necessarily required and that if it were left out should hurt the soule And in the last chapter to make all fast he bringeth in the kynges grace how he confuted Martin Luther with this conclusion y e Church can not erre where vnto I will make none aunswere for feare to displease his grace neuerthelesse because Martin could not soyle it if his grace looke well vpoÌ the matter he shall finde that God hath assoyled it for him in a case of his own And vppon that M. More concludeth his first booke that what soeuer the Church that is to were the pope his broode say it is Gods worde though it be not written nor confirmed with miracle nor yet good liuing yea and though they say to day this and to morow the contrary all is good inough and Gods word yea and though one Pope condemne an other ix or x. Popes arow with all their workes for he retickes as it is to see in the stories yet all is right and none errour And thus good night and good rest Christ is brought a slepe layde in his graue and the doore sealed to and the men of armes about the graue to keepe hym downe with polaxes For that is the siâ rest argument to helpe at nede and to be rid of these babblyng heretikes that so barke at the holy spiritualtie with y t Scripture beyng thereto wretches of no repuration neither Cardinals nor Bishops nor yet great beneficed men yea and without torquottes and pluralities hauyng no hold but the very Scripture whereunto they cleaue as burres so fast that they can not bee pulied away saue with very syngyng them of ¶ A sure token that the Pope is Antichrist ANd though vnto all the argumeÌts and persuasions whiche he would blind vs with to beleue that the Pope with his sect were the right Churche and that God for the multitude will not suffer them erre we were so simple that we saw not the suttiltie of the Argumentes nor had wordes to solâe theÌ with but our bare fayth in our hartes yet we be sure and so sure that we can therein not be decâaued and do both seele and see that the conclusion is false and the contrary true For first Peter sayth ij Pet. ij there shall be false teachers amoÌg you which shal secretly bring in damnable sectes denying the Lord that bought them and many shall folow their damnable wayes by whom the way of truth shal be euill spoken of and with fayned wordes they shall make marchaundise ouer you Now saith Paule Rom. iij. the law speaketh vnto theÌ that are vnder the law And euen so this is spokeÌ of theÌ that professe the name of Christ Now the Pope hath x. thousand sectes âropen in as pied in their consciences as in their coates settyng vp a thousand maner of workes to be saued by which is the denying of Christ And we see many and all most all together folow their damnable wayes And in that Peter sayd that they shall rayle blaspheme the truth it foloweth that there shal be a litle flocke reserued by the haÌd of God to testifie the truth vnto them or els how could they rayle on it And it foloweth that those raylers shal be the mightier part in the world or els they durst not do it Now what truth in Christ doth not the Pope rebuke and in settyng vp false woorkes denie all together And as for their fayued wordes where findest thou in all the Scripture Purgatory shrift penaunce pardon poena culpa hyperdoulia and a thousand fayned termes mo And as for their marchaundise looke whether they sell not all Gods lawes and also their owne and all sinne and all Christes merites and all that a maÌ can thinke To one he selleth the faulte onely and to an other the fault and the payne to and purgeth his purse of his money and his braynes of his wittes and maketh him so beastly that he can vnderstand no godly thyng And Christ sayth Math. xxiiij there shall false annoynted arise and shew signes and wonders that is they shall shew miracles so preuayle that if it were possible the elect should be brought out of the true way And these false annoynted by the same rule of Paule and in that Christ sayth also that they shall come in his name must be in the Church of Christ and of them that shal call theÌ selues Christen and shall shew their wonders before the elect and be a sore temptation vnto them to bryng theÌ out of the way And y e elect whiche ãâã few in comparison of them that be called and come faynedly shall among that great multitude bee kepte by the mighty hand of God agaynst all naturall possibilitie So that the Church very elert shall neuer be such
a multitude together by them selues without persecution temptatioÌ of their âayth as the great multitude vnder the pope is which persecute and ââ¦t And these which the Pope calleth heretikes shew no miracles by their owne confession neither ought they ⪠ãâã as much as they bryng no new learnyng nor ought saue the Scripture which is all ready receaued coÌfirmed with miracles Christ also promiseth vs nought in this world saue persecution for our fayth And the stories of the old Testament are also by Paulus 1. Cor. x. our examples And there though God at a time called with miracles a great multitude yet the very chosen that receaued the fayth in their harts to put their trust in God alone and which endureth in temptations were but few and euer oppressed of their false brethreÌ and persecuted vnto the death and driuen vnto corners And when Paule ij Thes ij sayth that Antichristes commyng shal be by the working of Sathan with all power signes and wonders of falsehead all deceaueablenesse for them that perish because they coÌceiued not loue vnto the truth to be saued by and therefore shall God send them strong delusioÌ or guile to beleue lies the text must also pertaine vnto a multitude gathered together in christes name of which one part and no doubt the greater for lacke of loue vnto the truth that is in Christ to liue thereafter shall fall into sectes and a false fayth vnder the name of Christ and shal be indurate and stablished therein with false miracles to perish for their vnkindnesse The pope first hath no Scripture that he dare abyde by in the light neither careth but blasphemeth that his word is truer theÌ the Scripture He hath miracles with out Gods word as all false Prophetes had He hath lyes in all his Legendes in all preachynges and in all bookes They haue no loue vnto the truth which appeareth by their great sinnes that they haue set vp aboue all the abhominatioÌ of all the heathen that euer were and by their long continuaunce therin not of frailtie but of malice vnto the truth and of obstinate lust selfe will to sinne Which appeareth in two thinges the one that they haue gotten them with wiles and falsehead froÌ vnder all lawes of man and euen aboue Kyng and Emperour that no man should constraine their bodies bryng them vnto better order that they may sinne frely without feare of man And on the other syde they haue brought Gods word a slepe that it should not vnquyet their consciences in so much that if any maÌ rebuke them with that they persecute him immediatly pose hym in their false doctrine and make hym an hereticke and burne hym and quench it And Paule sayth ij Timo. iij. in the later dayes there shal be perilous tymes For there shal be men that loue them selues couetous high mynded proud raylers disobedient to father and mother vnthankfull vngodly churlish promisebreakers accusers or pickquareles vnlouyng despisers of the good traytours hedy puâsed vp that loue lustes more theÌ God hauing an appearaunce of godlynesse but denying the power therof And by power I vnderstand the pure faith in gods word whiche is the power and pith of all godlynesse and whence all that pleaseth God springeth And this text pertaineth vnto them that professe Christ And in that he sayth hauing an appearaunce of godlynesse of that foloweth in the text of this sort are they that enter into mens houses and lead women captiue laden with sinne euer askyng neuer able to atteine vnto the truth as our hearers of coÌfessions do it appeareth y t they be such as wil be holyer then other and teachers and leaders of the rest And looke whether there be here any sillabe that agreeth not vnto our spiritualtie in the highest degree Loue they not them selues their owne decrees and ordinaunces theyr owne lyes and dreames despise all lawes of God and man regarde no man but theÌ onely that be disguised as they be And as for their couetousnesse whiche all the world is not able to satisfie tell me what it is that they make not serue it in so much that if God punishe the world with an euill pocke they immediatly paynt a blocke and call it Iob to heale the disease in stede of warning the people to mend their lyuyng And as for their high mynde and pryde see whether they be not aboue Kings and Emperour all the names of God whether any man may come to beare rule in this world except he be sworne to them and come vp vnder them And as for their raylyng looke in their excoÌmunication and see whether they spare Kyng or Emperour or the Testament of God And as for eâedience to father and mother Nay they be immediatly vnder God and his holy vicare the Pope he is their father on hys ceremonies they must wayte And as for vnthaÌkfull they be so kind that if they haue receaued a thousand pound land of a man yet for all y t they would not receaue one of his ofspryng vnto a nights harbour at his nede for their founders sake And whether they be vngodly or no I reporte me vnto the parchement And as for churlishnesse see whether they will not haue their causes venged though it should cost whole regions yea and all ChristeÌdome as ye shall see and as it hath cost halfe Christendome all ready And as for their promise or trucebreakyng see whether any appoyntement may endure for their dispensations be it neuer so lawfull though the Sacrament were receaued for the coÌfirmatioÌ And see whether they haue not brokeÌ all the appointementes made betwene them and their founders And see whether they be not accusers and ââaytours also of all meÌ and that secretly of theyr very owne Kynges and of their owne nation And as for their headmeste see whether they be not proue bold and runne headloÌg vnto all mischief without pitie compassion or caryng what misery and destruction should fall on other men so they may haue theyr present pleasure fulfilled And see whether they loue not theyr lustes that they will not be refrained from them either by any law of God or man And as for their apperauÌce of godlynesse see whether all be not Gods seruice that they fayne and see whether not almost all consciences be captiue thereto And it foloweth in the text as the sorcerers of Egipt resisted Moses so resisted they the truth They must be therfore mighty iugglers And to poynt the popishe wyth the finger he sayth men are they wyth corrupt mindes and cast awaies concernyng fayth that is they be so fleshly mynded so croked so stubbuâne and so monstrous shapen that they caÌ receaue no fashion to stand in any buildyng that is grounded vppon fayth but wheÌ y u hast turned them
â little flock To put away thy sinnes Nay brethreÌ god forbid that ye should so thinke Christes bloud onely washeth away the sinnes of all that repent and beleue Fire salt water bread oyle be bodely thynges geuen vnto man for his necessitie and to helpe hys brother wyth and God that is a spirit cannot be serued therwyth Neyther can such thynges enter into the soule to purge her For Gods worde onely is her purgation No say they are not such thynges halowed And say we not in the halowing of them that who soeuer is sprinkled wyth the water or eateth of the bread shall receaue health of soule and body Sir the blessinges promised vnto Abraham for all nations are in Christ and out of his bloud we must fet them and his word is the bread salt water of our soules God hath geueÌ you no power to geue thorow your charmes such vertue vnto vnseÌsible creatures which he hath halowed himselfe made them all cleane for the bodely vse of them that beleue thorow his word of promise and permission and our thankes geuing God sayth if thou beleue Saint Ihons gospell thou shalt be saued and not for y e bearyng of it about thee with so many crosses or for the obseruing of any such obseruaunces God for thy bitter passion rore they out by by what an hereticke is this I tel thee that holy church neede to alleadge no scripture for them for they haue the holy Ghost which inspireth theÌ euer secretly so y t they can not erre whatsoeuer they say do or ordayne What wilt thou dispise the blessed Sacramentes of holy church wherewyth God hath bene serued this xv hundred yeare ye verely this v. thousaÌd yeres euen since Cain hetherto and shall endure vnto the worldes end among theÌ that haue no loue vnto the truth to be saued thereby thou art a strong hereticke and worthy to be burnt And theÌ he is excommunicat out of the church If y t little flocke feare not that bugge then they goe straight vnto the king And it like your grace perilous people and seditious and euen inough to destroy your realme if ye see not to them betimes They be so obstinat tough that they wyll not be conuerted and rebellious agaynst God and the ordinaunces of hys holy church And how much more shal they so be against your grace if they encrease and grow to a multitude They wyll peruert all and surely make new lawes and eyther subdue your grace vnto them or ryse agaynst you And theÌ goeth a part of y t little flocke to pot and the rest scatter Thus hath it euer bene and shall euer âe let no man therefore deceaue hymselfe An aunswere to M. Mores second booke IN the first Chapter ye may not try the doctrine of the spiritualtie by the Scripture But what they say that beleue vndoubtedly and by that try the Scripture And if thou finde the playne contrary in the Scripture thou mayst not beleue the Scripture but seke a Glose and an allegorie to make them agree As wheÌ the pope sayth ye be iustified by the woorkes of the ceremonies and Sacramentes and so forth and the Scripture sayth that we be iustified at the repentauÌce of the hart through Christes bloud The first is true playne as the pope sayth it and as it standeth in his text but the secoÌd is false as it appeareth vnto thine vnderstandyng and the literall sence that killeth Thou must therfore beleue the Pope and for Christes doctrine seeke an allegorie and a mysticall sence that is thou must leaue the cleare light and walke in the miste And yet Christ and his Apostles for all their miracles required not to be beleued without scripture as thou mayst see Iohn v. and Act. xvij and by their diligent alledgyng of Scripture through out all the new Testament And in the end he sayth for his pleasure that we knowledge that no man may minister SacrameÌts but he that is deriuede out of the Pope Howbeit this we knowledge that no man could minister Sacramentes without signification which are no Sacramentes saue such as are of the Popes generation The iij. Chapter IN the third Chapter in the Chapter folowyng he vttereth how fleshly mynded he is and how beastly he imagineth of God as Paule sayth 1. Cor. 2. the naturall man can not vnder stand the thyngs of the spirite of God He thinketh of God as he doth of hys Cardinall that he is a monster pleased when men flatter him if of whatsoeuer frailtie it be men breake his coÌmaundementes he is theÌ ragyng mad as the Pope is seketh to be venged Nay God is euer fatherly minded toward the elect meÌbers of his Church He loued them yer the world began in Christ Ephe. 1. He loueth theÌ while they be yet euill his enemies in their hartes yer they be come vnto y â knowledge of his sonne Christ and yer his law be written in their hartes as a father loueth his young sonne while he is yet euill yer it know the fathers law to consent therto And after they be once actually of his Church and the law of God faith of Christ written in their hartes their hartes neuer sinne any more though as Paul sayth Rom. vij the flesh doth in them that the spirit would not And when they sinne of frailtie God ceaseth not to loue them still though he âe angry to put a crosse of tribulatioÌs vpon their backes to purge them and to subdue the flesh vnto the spirite or to all to breake their consciences with threatnyng of the law and to feare theÌ with hell As a father when his sonne offeÌdeth him feareth him with the rod but hateth him not God did not hate Paule when he persecuted but had layd vp mercy for hym in store though he was angry with him to scourge him and to teach him better Neither were those things layd on his backe which he after suffered to make satisfaction for his foresinnes but onely to serue his brethren and to keepe the flesh vnder Neither did God hate Dauid when he had sinned though he was angry with hym Neither did he after suffer to make satisfactioÌ to God for his old sinnes but to kepe his flesh vnder to keepe him in mekenesse and to be an example for our learnyng The iiij Chapter IN the fourth sayth he if the Churche were an vnknoweÌ coÌpany how should the infidels if they longed for the fayth come thereby O whether wandereth a fleshly mynde as though we first sought out God Nay God kitoweth his and seketh them out sendeth his messengers vnto them geueth them an hart to vnderstand Did the heatheÌ or any nation seke Christ Nay Christ sought them and sent his Apostles vnto them As thou seest in the storyes from the begynnyng of the world and as the parables and similitudes of the
the abuse And Ezechias brake the brasen serpeÌt 4. King 18. for the abuse And euen so such processions and the multitude of ceremonies and of holydayes to might as wel be put downe And the ceremonies that be left would haue their significations put to them and the people should be taught them And on the Sondayes Gods woorde woulde be truely preached Which if hys holy church would do neyther the Irishe nor yet the Welshe woulde so pray By which praying and other like blyndnesse M. More may see that buzsing in Latine on the holy dayes helpeth not the hartes of the people And I wonder that M. More can laugh at it and not rather weepe for compassion to see the soules for which Christ shed hys bloud to perish And yet I beleue that your holy Church will not refuse at Easter to receaue y â tithes of all that such blynde people robbe as well as they dispence wyth all false gotteÌ good that is brought them and wyll lay the ensample of Abraham and Melchisedeck for them The xii Chapter IN the xij he alleageth that S. Hierome and Augustine prayed to Saints and concludeth that if any secte be one better then an other they be the best I answere though he coulde proue that they prayed to Saintes yet coulde he not proue hymselfe thereby of the best sect nor that it were good therefore to pray to Saints For first the Apostles Patriarkes and Prophetes were sure to be folowed which prayed to none And agayne a good man might erre in many thynges and not be damned so that hys errour were not directly agayust the promises that are in Christes bloud neyther that he held them maliciously As if I beleued that the soules were in heaueÌ immediatly and that they prayed for vs as we do one for an other and did beleue that they heard al that we spake or thought and vppon that prayed to some Saint to pray for me to put hym in remeÌbrance onely as I pray my neighbour and without other trust or confidence and though all be false yet should I not be damned so loÌg as I had no obstinacie therein for the fayth that I haue in Christes bloud should swalow vp that errour till I were better taught but M. More should haue alleaged the places where they prayed vnto saintes And then he alleageth agaynst hym selfe that the miracles were wrought by God to confirme hys doctrine and to testifie that the preacher there was a true messenger But the myracles that confirme praying to Saintes do not confirme Gods doctrine But mans imaginations For there was neuer man yet that came forth and sayd loe the sâulâs of the Saintes that be dead be in heauen in ioy with Christ and God wyll that ye pray vnto them In token whereof I do this or that miracle And when he triumpheth a little after as though all were wonne saying if our olde holy doctours were false and their doctrine vntrue and their miracles fayned let them come forth and do miracles themselues and proue ours fayned Syr ye haue no doctours that did myracles to stablishe your worshippyng of Images and so forth Your doctrine is but the opinion of faythlesse people which to coÌfirme y t deuil hath wrought much subtiltie And as for the myracles done at Saints graues and at the presence of reliques as long as true myracles endured and vntill the scripture was antentickly receaued were done to confirme the preaching y t such Saints had preached while they were aliue And therto the myracles which Witches do we confound not wyth other myracles but wyth scripture we proue them not of God but of the deuill to stablishe a false fayth to leade from God as your doctrine doth And likewise where we can confound your false doctrine with auteÌticke manifest scripture there neede we to do no myracle We bryng Gods testament coÌfirmed wyth myracles for all that we do ye ought to require no more of vs. And in like maner do ye first geue vs autenticke scripture for your doctrine If ye haue no scripture come forth and preach your doctrine and coÌfirme it wyth a myracle And then if we bring not autenticke scripture agaynst you or confounde your myracle wyth a greater as Moses dyd the sorcerers of Egipt we wyll beleue you And when he speaketh of tryall of myracles what do ye to trie your myracles whether they be true or fayned And besides that Gods worde which should be the triall ye refuse and do all that ye can to falsifie it And when he speaketh of sectes of heretickes I answere that they which ye call heretickes beleue all in one Christ as the scripture teacheth and ye in all saue Christ And in your false doctrine of your owne fayning wythout scripture ye haue as many sundry sectes as all Monkes and Fryers and students in diuinitie in all your vniuersities For first yer ye come to diuinitie ye be all taught to deny the saluation that is in Christ And none of you teacheth an nother so much as the articles of your fayth But follow almost euery man a sundry doctour in y e scripture hys owue brayne framyng it euer after the false opinions whiche he hath professed yer he come at it And when he sayth that God would soone vtter fayned myracles I answere God hath had at all times one or another to improue yours wyth Gods woorde And I aske whether Mahometes fayned myracles haue not preuayled viij hundred yeares And your abhominable deedes worse then the Turkes testifie that ye loue the truth lesse then they And vnto them that loue not the truth hath God promysed by the mouth of Paule 2. Thess 2. to send them aboundaunce and strength of false myracles to stablishe them in lyes and to deceaue them and lead theÌ out of the way so that they cannot but perishe for their vnkindnesse that they loued not the truth to liue therafter to honour God in their members And wheÌ he saith the heretickes haue no miracles I answer they nede not so long as they haue autentickescripture And when he sayth God sheweth no myracles for the doctoures of the heretickes No more he nedeth not for all they preach is the scripture confirmed wyth myracles and receaued many hundred yeares agoe And therefore God nedeth not to shew myracles for them whyle they liue to strength their preaching And to shew myracles for them when they be dead to moue the people to pray to them and to put their trust in them as ye do in yours were to make them Idoles not Saintes And when he speaketh of myracles done in their churches in tyme of persecution I answere those were not the miracles of your Churche but of them that beleued the Scripture and suffered for it as y t heretickes do now For ye had neuer persecution for your false doctrine which
they can not depart they seke a thousand gloses to turne it into an other sense to make it agree vnto their beastlynesse and where it will receaue no such gloses theyr they thinke that no man vnderstandeth it Then in the end of the Chapter M. More coÌmeth vnto his wise conclusion and proueth nothing saue sheweth his ignoraunce as in all thyng He sayth we beleue the doctrine of the Scripture without Scripture as for an example the Popes pardons because onely that the Church so teacheth though no Scripture confirmeth it Why so because sayth he the holy ghost by inspiration if I doe my endeuour and captiuate mine vnderstandyng teacheth me to beleue the Church concernyng Gods worde taught by the Churche and grauen in mens hartes with out Scripture as well as he teacheth vs to beleue wordes written in the Scripture Marke where hee is now Afore hee saith the Scripture causeth vs not to beleue the Scripture for a man may read it beleue it not And much more the preacher maketh vs not to beleue y e preacher for a man may heare him and beleue him not also As we see the Apostles could not cause all men to beleue them For though the Scripture be an outward instrument and the preacher also to moue meÌ to beleue yet the chief and principall cause why a man beleueth or beleueth not is within That is the spirite of God teacheth his children to beleue and the deuill blyndeth his children and kepeth them in vnbeleffe and maketh them to consent vnto lyes thinke good euill euill good As the Actes of the Apostles say in many places there beleued as many as were ordeyned vnto euerlastyng lyfe And Christ sayth Iohn viij they that be of God heare Gods word And vnto the wicked Iewes he saith ye caÌ not beleue because ye be not of God And in the same place sayth he ye be of your father the deuill and his will ye will do and he bode not in the truth therfore will not suffer his children to consent to the truth And Iohn in y e x. saith Christ all that came before me be theeues murtherers but my shepe heard not theyr voyces That is all that preach any saluatioÌ saue in Christ murther y e soules Howbeit Christes shepe could not consent to their lyes as the rest caÌ not but beleue lyes so that there is euer a remanaunt kepte by grace And of this I haue sene diuers examples I haue knowen as holy men as might be as the world counteth holynesse which at the houre of death had no trust in God at all but cryed cast holy water light the holy candell and so forth sore lamentyng that they must dye And I haue knowen other which were despised as men that cared not for their diuine seruice which at death haue falsen so flat vppon the bloud of Christ as is possible and haue preached vnto other mightyly as it had bene an Apostle of our Sauiour and comforted them with comfort of the lyfe to come haue dyed so gladly that they would haue receaued no worlds good to bide still in the flesh And thus is M. More fallen vpoÌ predestination and is compelled wish violence of Scripture to confesse that which he hateth and studieth to make appeare false to stablish freewill with all not so much of ignoraunce I feare as for lucres sake and to get honour promotioÌ dignitie and money by helpe of our mitred monsters Take exaÌple of Balam the false Prophet which gaue counsell sought meanes through like blynd couetousnesse to make the truth and prophesie which God had shewed him false He had the knowledge of y e truth but with out loue therto and therfore for vauntage became enemy vnto the truth but what came of hym But M. More pepereth his conclusioÌ lest men should feele the tast saying if we endeuour our selues and captiue our vnderstandyng to beleue O how betleblynd is fleshly reason the will hath none operation at all in the workyng of fayth in my soule no more then the child hath in the begettyng of hys father For sayth Paule it is the gift of God and not of vs. My witte must coÌclude good or bad yer my will can loue or hate My witte must shew me a true cause or an apparent cause why yer my will haue any workyng at all And of that peperyng it well appeareth what the Popes fayth is euen a blynd imagination of their naturall witte wrought without the light of the spirite of God agreing vnto their voluptuous lustes in which their beastly wil so deliteth that hee will not let their wittes atteÌde vnto any other learning for vnquietyng hym selfe and styrring from his pleasure and delectation And thus we be as farre a sunder as euer we were and his mighty argumentes proue not the value of a poding pricke M. More feeleth in his hart by inspiration and with his endeueryng him self and captiuatyng his vnderstandyng to beleue it that there is a Purgatory as whot as hell Wherein if a sily soule were appointed by God to lye a thousand yeares to purge him with all the Pope for the value of a groat shall commaunde him thence ful purged in the twinkelyng of an eye by as good reason if her were goyng thence kepe him there still He feeleth by inspiration and in captiuatyng hys wittes that the Pope can worke wonders with a Caiues skinne that he can commaunde one to eate fâesh though he be neuer so lusty and that an other eate none on payne of daÌnatioÌ though he should dye for lacke of it and that he can forgeue sinne and not the payne as much and as litle of the payne or all if he lust and yet can neither helpe hym to loue the law or to beleue or to hate the flesh seyng he preacheth not And such thinges innumerable M. More feleth true and therfore beleueth that the Pope is the true Church And I cleane coÌtrary fele that there is no such worldly and fleshly imagined Purgatory For I feele that the soules be purged onely by the word of God doctrine of Christ as it is written Iohn xv ye be cleane through the word saith Christ to his Apostles And I feele agayne that he which is cleane through the doctrine needeth not but to washe his feete onely for his head handes are cleane all ready Iohn xiij that is he must tame his flesh kepe it vnder for his soule is cleane all ready through the doctrine I feele also that bodyly payne doth but purge the body onely in so much that the payne not onely purgeth not the soule but maketh it more foule except that there be kynde learning by to purge the soule so that the more a maÌ beateth his soÌne the worse he is except he teach him louingly shew him kindnesse besides partly to kepe hym from
desperation and partly that he fall not into hate of his father and of his commaundement thereto and thinke that his father is a tyraunt and his law but tyranny M. More seleth with his good endeuour inspiration together that a man may haue the best fayth coupled with the worst lyfe and with consentyng to sinne And I feele that it is impossible to beleue truly except a maÌ repent and that it is impossible to trust in y â mercy y â is in Christ or to fele it but y â a man must immediatly loue God his commaundementes and therfore disagree disconsent vnto the fleshe and be at bate therewith and fight agaynst it And I feele that euery soule that loueth y â law and hateth his fleshe and beleueth in Christes bloud hath his sinnes which he committed and payne which he deserued in haryng the law and consentyng vnto his flesh forgeuen him by that fayth And I feele that the frailtie of the flesh agaynst whiche a beleuyng soule lighteth to subdue it is also forgeuen and not rekened or imputed for sinne all the tyme of our curyng as a kynde father and mother reken not or impute the imposuÌbilitie of their youÌg children to consent vnto their law and as when the children be of age and consent theÌ they reken not nor impute the impossibilitie of the flesh to folow it immediatly but take al a worth and loue them no lesse but rather more tenderly then their old and perfect children that do their commaundemeÌtes so long as they go to schole learne such thynges as their fathers mothers set theÌ to And I beleue that euery soule that repeÌteth beleueth and loueth the law is thorough that fayth a member of Christes Churche and pure without spot or wrincle as Paule affirmeth Ephe. v. And it is an Article of my beleffe that Christes elect Church is holy and pure without sinne and euery meÌber of the same thorow faith in Christ and that they be in the full fauour of God And I feele that the vncleanesse of the soule is but the consent vnto sin and vnto the fleshe And therefore I feele that euery soule that beleueth and consenteth vnto the lawe and here in this life hateth his flesh and the lustes therof and doth his best to driue sinne out of his flesh and for hate of the sinne gladly departeth from his flesh when he is dead and the lustes of the fleshe slaine with death needeth not as it were bodely tormenting to be purged of that wherof he is quit already And therfore if ought remaine it is out to be taught and not to be beaten And I feele that euery soule that beareth fruit in Christ shal be purged of the father to beare more fruit day by day as it is written Ioh. xv not in the Popes Purgatory where no man feeleth it but here in this life such fruit as is vnto his neighbours profite so that he which hath his hope in Christ purgeth himselfe here as Christ is pure 1. Ioh. 3. and that euer yet the bloud of Iesus onely doth purge vs of all our ââ¦s for the imperfectnes of our woorkes And I feele that the forgeuenes of sinnes is to remitte mercifully the payne that I haue deserued And I do beleue that the payne that I here suffer in my fleshe is to keepe the body vnder and to serue my neighbour and not to make satsfaction vnto god for the sore sinses And therfore when the Pope describeth God after his couetous complexion and when M. More feleth by inspiration and captiuating his wittes vnto the Pope that God forgeueth the euerlasting payne and will yet punish me a thousand yeares in the Popes purgatory that leauen sauoreth not in my mouth I vnderstand my fathers wordes as they sound and after the most mercifull maner and not after the Popes leauen and M. Mores captining his wittes to beleue that euery Poetes fable is a true story There is no father here that punisheth his sonne to purge hym when he is purged already and hath vtterly forsaken sinne and euââl and hath submitted himselfe vnto his fathers doctrine For to punishe a man that hath forsaken sinne of his owne accorde is not to purge him but to satisfie the lust of a tyrant Neyther ought it to be called Purgatory but a Iayle oftormenting and a satisfactory And when the Pope sayth it is done to satisfie the righteousnes as a iudge I say we that beleue haue no iudge of him but a father neither shal we come into iudgemeÌt as Christ hath promised vs but are receaued vnder grace mercy and forgeuenes Shew the Pope a litle money and God is so mercifull that there is no Purgatory And why is not the fire out as well if I offer for me the bloud of Christ If Christ hath deserued all for me who gaue the Pope might to keepe part of his deseruinges from me and to buy sell Christes merites to make marchaundise ouer vs wyth fayned wordes And thus as M. More feleth that y â Pope is holy church I feele that he is Antichrist And as my feeling can be no proofe to him no more caÌ his wyth all his captiuating his wittes to beleue phantasies be vnto me wherefore if he haue no other probation to proue that the Pope is holy church then that his hart so agreeth vnto hys learning he ought of no right to coÌpell with sword vnto his sect How be it there are euer two maner people that will cleaue vnto God a fleshly and a spirituall The spirituall which be of God shall heare Gods woorde and the children of the truth shall consent vnto the truth And contrary the fleshly and children of falshead and of the deuill whose harts be full of lyes shall naturally consent vnto lyes as young children though they haue eate themselues as good as dead with fruit yet will not nor caÌ beleue him that telleth them that such fruit is nought but him that prayseth them wyll they heare and eate themselues starcke dead because their harts be full of lyes and they iudge all thinges as they appeare vnto the eyes And the fleshly mynded assoone as he beleueth of God as much as the deuill doth he hath inough and goeth to and serueth God with bodely seruice as he before serued his Idoles and after his owne imaginacion and not in the spirite in louing his lawes and beleuing his promises or longing for them no if he myght euer liue in the fleshe he would neuer desire them And God must do for him againe not what he hath promised but what he lusteth And his brother y â serueth God in y e spirit according to Gods word hym will the carnall beast persecute So that he which will godly liue must suffer persecution vnto the worldes end according vnto the doctrine of Christ and of his Apostles and according vnto the
Christ and their brethren for his sake and do all thyng for their sakes onely not once thinking of heauen when they worke but on their brethrens neede When they suffer themselues aboue might then they comfort their soule with the remeÌbraunce of heauen that this wretchednes shall haue an ende and we shall haue a thousand folde pleasures and rewardes in heauen not for the merites of our deseruings but geuen vs freely for Christes And he that hath y t loue hath the right faith and he that hath y t faith hath the right loue For I caÌ not loue my neighbour for Christes sake except I first beleue that I haue receaued such mercy of Christ Nor can I beleue that I haue receaued such mercy of Christ but that I must loue my neighbour for his sake seing that he so instantly desireth me And when he alleageth S. Iames it is aunswered him in the Mammon and S. Augustine answereth hym And S. Iames expoundeth himselfe For he saith in the first chapter God which begatte vs of his owne will wyth the worde of truth which worde of truth is his promises of mercy and forgeuenesse in our Sauiour Iesus by which he begat vs gaue vs life and made vs a new creature thorow a fast faith And Iames goeth and rebuketh the opinion and false fayth of them that thinke it inough to be saued by if they beleue that there is but one god that Christ was borne of a virgine and a thousand things which a man may beleue and yet not beleue in Christ to be saued from sinne thorow him And that Iames speaketh of another faith then at the beginning appeareth by his ensample The deuils haue faith saith he yea but the deuilles haue no faith that can repent of euil or to beleue in Christ to be saued thorow him or that caÌ loue God and worke his wil of loue Now Paule speaketh of a fayth that is in Christes bloude to be saued thereby which worketh immediatly thorough loue of the benefite receaued And Iames at the beginning speaketh of a fayth that bydeth trying saying the trying of your faith worketh or caâseth pacience But the faith of the deuilles will bide no trying for they will not woorke Gods will because they loue him not And in like maner is it of the fayth of them that repent not or that thinke themselues without sinne For except a maÌ feele out of what daunger Christ hath deliuered hym he can not loue the worke And therfore Iames sayth right that no such fayth that will not woorke can iustifie a man And when Paule saith faith onely iustifieth And Iames that a man is iustified by woorkes and not by fayth onely there is great differeÌce betwene Paules onely and Iames onely For Paules onely is to be vnderstand that faith iustifieth in the harte and before God without helpe of workes yea yer I can worke For I must receaue life thorow faith to worke wiâh yer I can worke But Iames onely is thys wise to be vnderstand that faith doth not so iustifie that nothyng iustifieth saue fayth For deedes do iustifie also But faith iustifieth in the hart and before God and the deedes before the worlde onely and maketh the other seene as ye may see by the scripture For Paul sayth Rom iiij it AbrahaÌ haue woorkes he hath whereof to reioyce but not before god For if AbrahaÌ had receaued those promises of deseruing then had it ben AbrahaÌs prayse not gods as thou mayst see in the text neither had God shewed AbrahaÌ mercy and grace but had onely geuen hym his dutie and deseruyng But in that Abraham receaued all the mercy that was shewed hym frely through fayth out of the deseruynges of the seed that was promised him as thou mayst see by Genesis by the Gospell of Iohn where Christ testifieth that Abraham saw his day and reioyced and of that ioy no doubt wrought it is gods prayse and the glory of his mercy And the same mayst thou see by Iames when he sayth Abraham offered his sonne so was the Scripture fulfilled that Abraham beleued it was rekened him for righteousnesse and he was thereby made Gods frend How was it fulfilled before God Nay it was fulfilled before God many yeares before and he was Gods frend many yeares before euen from the first appointement that was made betwene God and hym Abraham receaued promises of all mercy beleued and trusted God and went wrought out of that fayth But it was fulfilled before vs which can not see the hart as Iames saith I wil shew thee my faith out of my workes and as the aungell said to AbrahaÌ now I know that thou dreadest God Not but that he knew it before but for vs spake he that whiche can see nought in Abraham more then in other men saue by his workes And what workes ment Iames verely the workes of mercy As if a brother or a sister lacke rayment or sustenaunce and ye be not moued to compassion nor feele their diseases what fayth haue ye then No fayth be sure that feeleth the mercy that is in Christ For they that feele that be mercyfull agayne thankefull But looke on the workes of our spiritualitie which will not onely be iustified with workes before the worlde but also before God They haue had all ChristeÌdome to rule this viij hundred yeares and as they onely be annointed in the head so haue they onely bene Kyng and Emperour and haue had all power in their hands and haue bene the doers onely and the leders of those shadowes that haue had the name of Princes and haue led them whether they would haue brethed into their braynes what they lysted And they haue wrought the world out of peace and vnitie and euery man out of his wellfare and are become alone well at ease onely free onely at libertie onely haue all thyng onely do nought therefore onely laye on other meÌs backes beare nought theÌ selues And the good woorkes of them that wrought out of fayth and gaue theyr goods landes to finde the poore theÌ deuoure they also alone And what workes preach they Onely that are to them profitable wherbey they raigne in mens coÌsciences as God to offer to geue to be prayed for to be deliuered out of Purgatory and to redeme your sinne of them and to worshyp ceremonies and to be shryuen and so forth And when M. More is come to him selfe and sayth the first fayth and the first iustifying is geuen vs without our deseruyng God be thanked and I would fayne that he would describe me what he meaneth by the second iustifying I know no more to do then wheÌ I haue receaued all mercy and all forgeuenesse of Christ frely to go and powre out the same vpon my neighbour M. Dauid lost not his fayth when hee committed adultery Tyndall No and therfore he could not
Realmes and common wealthes but they that do wickedly and namely high Prelates and mighty Princes which walke without the feare of God and lyue abhominably corrupting the common people with their example They be they that bryng the wrath of God on all Realmes and trouble all common wealthes with warre dearth pouertie pestilence euill lucke and all misfortune And vnto all subiectes be it sayd if they professe the law of God fayth of the Lord Iesus wil be Christes Disciples then let them remember that there was neuer man so great a subiect as Christ was there was neuer creature that suffred so great vnright so paciently and so mekely as he Therfore what soeuer they haue bene in tymes past let them now thincke that it is their partes to be subiect in the lowest kynde of subiection and to suffer all thynges paciently If the hyghe powers bee cruell vnto you with naturall crueltie then with softenesse and pacience ye shall either wynne them or mitigate theyr fiercenesse If they ioyne theÌ vnto the Pope and persecute you for your fayth and hope whiche ye haue in y e Lord Iesus then call to mynde that ye be chosen to suffer here with Christ that ye may ioy with hym in the lyfe to come with ioye euerlastyng that shall infinitely passe this your short payne here If they commaunde that God forbiddeth or forbyd that God commaundeth then aunswere as the Apostles did Actes v. that God must be obeyed more then maÌ If they compell you to suffer vnright then Christ shall helpe you to beare and his spirite shall comfort you But onely see that neither they put you from Gods worde nor ye resiste them with bodely violence But abyde paciently a while till the hypocrisie of hypocrites be slayne with the sword of Gods word and vntill the word be openly published witnessed vnto y e powers of y e world that their blyndnesse may be with out excuse And theÌ wil god awake as a fierce Lyon agaynst those cruell Wolues whiche deuoure his Lambes and will play with the hypocrites and compasse them in their owne wyles send them a dazing in the head and a swimming in their braynes destroy them with theyr own counsell And then those malicious and wilfull blynd persecuters whiche refusing mercy when they were called thereto chose rather to haue theyr part with hypocrites in sheddyng of innocent bloud shal bee partakers with them also in hauyng theyr owne bloud shed agayne God geuyng an occasion that one wicked shall destroy an other And as for wickednesse whence it springeth and who is the cause of all insurrection and of the fall of Princes the shortenyng of theyr dayes vpon the earth thou shalt see in the glasse folowyng which I haue set before thyne eyes not to resiste the hypocrites with violence whiche vengeaunce pertayneth vnto God but that thou mightest see their wicked wayes and abhominable pathes to withdraw thy selfe from after them and to come agayne to Christ and walke in hys light and to folow hys steppes and to committe the keepyng both of thy body and soule also vnto him and vnto the father thorough hym whose name bee glorious for euer Amen ¶ Prelates appointed to preach Christ may not leaue Gods worde and minister temporall offices But ought to teach the lay people the right way and let them alone with all temporall businesse OVr Sauiour Iesus Christ answered Pilate Ioh. 18. that his kindome was not of thys worlde And Mathew x. he sayth The Disciple is not greater then his master but it ought to suffice the Disciple that he be as hys master is Wherfore if Christes kyngdome be not of this worlde nor any of his disciples may be otherwise then he was then Christes Vicars which minister his kingdome here in his bodely abseÌce haue y e ouersight of his flock may be none Emperours kinges Dukes Lords Knightes temporall iudges or any teÌporal officer or vnder false names haue any such dominion or minister any such office as requireth violeÌce And Math. 6. No maÌ caÌ serue two masters Where Christ coÌcludeth saying Ye can not serue God MaÌmon that is riches couetousnes ambicion and temporall dignities And Math. xx Christ called his disciples vnto him and sayde ye know y â the Lordes of the heathen people haue dommion ouer them and they that be great do exercise power ouer them How be it it shall not be so among you But whosoeuer will be great among you shall be your minister and he that will be chiefe shal be your seruaunt euen as the sonne of man came not that men shoulde minister vnto hym but for to minister and geue his life for the redemption of many Wherfore the officers in Christes kingdome may haue no temporall dominion or iurisdiction nor execute any temporall auctoritie or lawe of violence nor may haue any like maner among them But cleane coÌtrary they must cast themselues downe vnder al and become seruauntes vnto all suffer of all and beare the burthen of euery mans infirmities and go before theÌ fight for them against the world with the sworde of Gods word eueÌ vnto y e death after the ensample of Christ And Math. xviij WheÌ the disciples asked who shoulde be greatest in the kingdome of heauen Christ called a young child vnto hym and set him iâ y â middes among them saying Excepte ye turne backe and become as childreÌ ye shall not enter in the kingdome of heauen Now younge children beare no rule one ouer an other but al is felowship amonge them And he sayde moreouer whosoeuer humbleth himselfe after the ensample of this childe he is greatest in the kingdome of heauen that is to be as concerning ambition and worldly desire so childishe that thou couldest not heaue thy selfe aboue thy brother is the very bearing of rule to be great in Christes kingdome And to describe the very âashion of the greatnesse of his kingdome he sayd He that receaueth one such childe in my name receaueth me What is y t to receaue a childe in Christes name Verely to submitte to meeke and to humble thy selfe and to cast thy selfe vnder all men to consider all mens infirmities and weakenesses and to helpe to heale their diseases wyth the worde of truth and to liue purely that they see no contrary ensample in thee to whatsoeuer thou teachest them in Christ that thou put no stumblinge blocke before them to make them falle while they be yet youÌg and weake in the fayth But that thou absteine as Paule teacheth 1. Thes 5. Ab omni specie mala from all that might seeme euill or wherof a man might surmise aâiste and that thou so loue them that whatsoeuer giât of god in thee is thou thinke the same theirs and their foode and for their sakes geuen vnto thee as the truth is and that all their infirmities be thine and that
empyre of Rome ordeined that the right and power to chose the Pope should be his and that no Byshop should bee consecrate till he had obtained of hym both consent and the ornamentes of a Byshop also whiche they now bye of the Pope vnder payne of cursyng and to be deliuered vnto blacke SathaÌ the deuill and losse of goodes Dist lxiij And Leo the third whiche succeded Adrian confirmed the same and crowned Charles Emperour of Rome for like seruice done vnto him And then there was appoyntmeÌt made betwene the Emperoures of Constantinople and of Rome and the places assigned how farre the borders of either Empire shuld reach And thus of one Empyre was made twayne And therfore the Empire of CoÌstantinople for lacke of helpe was shortly after subdued of the Turkes The sayd Leo also called Charles the most Christen kyng because of hys good seruice which title the kynges of Fraunce vse vnto this day though many of them bee neuer so vnchristened As the last Leo called our kyng the defender of the fayth And as this Pope Clemens calleth the Duke of Buâlder the eldest sonne of y t holy sea of Rome for no other vertue nor propertie that any man can know saue that hee hath bene all his âyte a pickequarâll and a cruell and an vnrighteous bloudshedder as his father that sitteth in that holy sea is So now aboue seuen hundred yeares to be a ChristeÌ kyng is to fight for the Pope and most Christen that most fighteth and sleath most men for his pleasure This Charles was a great conquerour that is to say a great tyraunt ouercame many natioÌs with the sword and as the Turke compelleth vs vnto his fayth so he coÌpelled theÌ with violence vnto the faith of Christ say the stories But alas Christes fayth whereunto the holy Ghost onely draweth mens hartes thorough preachyng the worde of truth and holy liuyng accordyng therto he knew not but vnto the Pope hee subdued them and vnto this superstitious Idolatrie whiche we vse cleane contrary vnto the Scripture Moreouer at the request and great desyre of his mother hee maryed the daughter of Desiderius kyng of Lombardy but after one yeare vnto the great displeasure of his mother he put her away agayne but not without the false sutiltie of the Pope thou mayst be sure neither without his dispensation For howe could Charles haue made warre for the Popes pleasure with Desiderius her father and haue thrust hym out of his kingdome and banished his sonne for euer deuiding his kingdome betwene him and the pope as long as she had bene his wife And therfore the Pope with his authoritie of bynding and losyng losed the bondes of that Matrimony as he hath many other sence and dayly doth for lyke purposes to the entent that he would with the sword of the Frenche kyng put the kyngdome of Lombardy that was somewhat to nye him out of the way by the reason of whose kings hys fatherhode could not raygne alone nor assigne or sell the Byshopprikes of Italy to whom he lusted and at his pleasure The sayd Charles also kept iiij concubines and lay with two of his own daughters therto And though he wist howe y t it was not vnknowne yet his lustes being greater theÌ great Charles he would not wete nor yet refrayne And beyond all that the saying is y t in his old age a whore had so bewitched him with a ryng and a pearle in it and I wotte not what imagerie grauen therein that he went a saâte after her as a dogge after a bitche and the dotehead was beside him selfe whole out of his mynde in so much that wheÌ the whore was dead he could not departe from the dead corps but caused it to be enbaââ¦ed to be caryed with him whether soeuer he went so that al the world wondered at him till at the last his Lordes accombred with carying her from place to place and ashamed that so old a man so great an Emperour and such a most Christen kyng on whom whose dedes euery mans eyes were set should dote on a dead whore toke counsell what should be y e cause And it was coÌcluded that it must nedes be by enchauntement TheÌ they went vnto the Cophyne and opened it and sought and found this ring on her finger which one of the Lordes tooke of and put it on his owne finger WheÌ the ring was of he commaunded to burye her regardyng her no longer Neuerthelesse he cast a phantasie vnto this Lord and began to dote as fast on him so that he might neuer be out of sight But where our Charles was there must that Lord also be and what Charles did that must he be priuey vnto vntill that this Lord perceauyng that it came because of this enchaunted ring for very payne and tediousnesse tooke and cast it into a well at Acon in Douchland And after that the ryng was in the well the Emperour coulde neuer depart from the towne but in the âayd place where the ring was cast though it were a foule marresse yet he built a goodly monastery in the worship of our Lady and thether brought reliques from whence he coulde gette them and pardoÌs to sanctifie y e place to make it more haunted And there he lyeth is a Saint as right is For he did for Christes Vicar as much as the great Turcke for Mahomete but to saue his holines that he might be canonised for a Saint they fayne in hys life that his abiding there so continually was for the hotte bathes sakes which âe there AFter Charlemayne Lewes y e mylde was Emperour which was a very patient man another Phocas and another pray for the Pope and so meke and softe that scarcely he coulde be angry at any thing at all When our holy fathers had seene his water and spyed what complexion he was they chose Steuen the 4. of that name Pope without his knowledge and bad him neyther good morrow nor good euen nor once God speede about the matter against their owne graunt vnto his father for his good seruice And his softnes was yet somewhat displeased therwith in as much as the election of the Pope pertayned vnto his right But the Pope sent Embassadours wrote all the excuses that he coulde and came after him selfe to Fraunce to him and peaced him and crowned hym there Emperour and passed the tyme a season with him and they became very familiar together After that they chose Paschalis Pope of the same maner which Paschalis sent immediatly Legates vnto the Emperour softe Lewes excusing hymselfe saying that it was not his faulte but that the clergie and the commoÌ people had drawne him thereto with violence against his will Then the Emperour was content for that once bad they should no more do so but that the olde ordinaunce ought to
and he will therto consider our mekenes and what soeuer chaunceth neuer taketh away hys mercy till we cast of the yoke of our profession first and runne away with vtter defiaunce that we will neuer come more at schole Then our stubburne and hard hartes mollifie waxe soft and in the confideÌce and hope that we haue in Christ and his kindnes we go to God boldly as vnto our father and receaue life that is to say loue vnto God and vnto the law also That whiche we haue seene and heard we declare vnto you that ye may haue felowshyppe with vs and that our felowshyppe may be with the father and with his sonne Iesus Christ And these thynges we write vnto you that your ioye may be full To bryng vnto the felowshyp of God and Christ and of them that beleue in Christ is the finall intent of all the Scripture why it was giuen of God vnto man and the onely thyng which all true preachers seke wherby ye shall euer know and discerne the true word of God from all false and counterfayted doctrine of vayne traditions the true preacher from the wylie hypocrite We preache vnto you sayth Iohn y t euerlastyng lyfe which we haue heard and in hearyng receaued through fayth and are sure of it to draw you to vs out of the felowshyp that ye haue with the damned deuils in sinnefull lustes and ignoraunce of God for we seeke you and not yours as sayth Paul ij Cor. xij We loue you as our selues in God therfore wold haue you felowes and equall with vs build you vpon the foundation layd of the Apostles and Prophetes which is Christ ⪠Iesus and make you of the houshold of God for euer that ye and we felowes and brethren and coupled together in one spirit in one fayth and in one hope might haue our felowship thereby with God and become his sonnes heyres with Iesus Christ beyng his brethren and coheyres and to make your ioy ful through that glad tydinges as the aungell sayd vnto the shepheardes Luke ij Behold I shew you great ioye that shal be vnto all the people how that there is a Sauiour borne vnto you this day whiche is Christ the Lord. And these tydinges we bryng you with the worde of God onely which we receaued of his spirit and out of the mouth of his sonne as true messengers We preach not our selues but Christ our Lord and vs your seruauntes for hys sake we do not loue our selues to seke yours vnto vs that after we had with wiles robbed you of all ye haue we should exalte our selues ouer you separate our selues froÌ you and make our selues a seuerall kyngdome free and fraÌke raygnyng ouer you as heathen tyrauntes holdyng you in bondage to serue our lucre and lustes tanglyng your conscience with doctrine of man whiche draweth from God and Christ and fearing you with the bugge of excommunication agaynste Gods word Or if that serued not shakyng a sword at you And this is the tydinges whiche we haue heard of hym and declare vnto you that God is lyght and in hym is no darknes at all If we say that we haue felowshyp with hym and yet walke in darkenes we lye and do not the truth But and if we walke in light as he is in light then haue we felowshyp together and the bloud of Christ his sonne clenseth vs from all sinne As the deuill is darknes and lyes so is God light and truth onely and there is no darknes of falshead consentyng to wickednes in hym And the brightnes of his light is his word and doctrine as the. C. and. xix Psalme sayth Thy worde is a lanterne vnto my feete a light to my pathes And Christe is the light that lightneth all men And the Apostles are called the light of the world because of the doctrine And all that knowe truth are light Ye were once darkenes sayth Paule Ephes v. but now light in the Lord walke therfore as the children of lyght And good workes are called the frutes of light And all that lyue in ignorauÌce are called darknes as he sayth afterward he that hateth his brother walketh in darknes For if the light of the glorious Gospell of Christe dyd shyne in his hart he could not hate his brother By walking vnderstande consenting doing and working If then we walke in darcknes that is consent and worke wickednes and say we haue felowship with God we ly For to haue felowship with him is to knowe and consent and professe his doctrine in our hartes Now if the commaundementes of GOD bee written in our hartes our members can not but practise theÌ shew the fruite So whether light or darknes be in the hart it will appeare in y t walking For though our members be neuer so dead vnto vertue yet if our soules knowledge the truth consent vnto righteousnes we haue the sprite of life in vs. And Paule sayth Rom. viij If the spirite of him y t raysed vp Iesus from death be in you theÌ wil he y t raised vp Iesus froÌ death quicken your mortall bodies by the reasoÌ of the spirit that dwelleth in you So that it is not possible for him that knoweth the truth consenteth thereto to continue in sinne And then finally if we haue the light in our harts and walke therein then we haue fellowship with God and are his sonnes and heires and are purged from all sinne through Christes bloud If we say we haue no sinne we deceaue our selues and trueth is not in vs. If we think there is no sinne in vs we are beguiled and blinde and the light of Gods word is not in vs and eyther folow sinne as beastes without conscieÌce at all Or if we see the grosse sinnes as murther theft and adultery yet we haue hanged a vayle of false gloses vpon Moses face and see not the brightnes of the law how that it requireth of vs as pure an hart to God and as great loue vnto our neighbours as was in our sauiour Iesus ceaseth not before to condemne vs as sinners If we knowledge our sinnes he is faythfull and iust to forgeeue vs our sinnes and to clense vs from all vnrigh teousnes If we confesse our sinnes not in the preistes eare though that tradition restored vnto the right vse were not daÌnable but in our hartes to God with true repentaunce and fast beleife then is he faythfull to forgeue and to purge vs because of his mercifull truth and promise For he promised Abraham that in his seede all the worlde should be blessed from the curse of sinne And hath aboundantly renued his euerlasting mercy vnto vs in the new testament promising that our sinnes shall be forgeuen vs in Christes bloud if we repent and trust thereto If we say we haue not sinned we make him a lyer and hys woord is not in vs. For his
ignoraunce of Christ and of his owne sinne and without repentaunce faith that his sinnes be forgeuen him in Christ and therefore is mercilesse vnto hys brother whom Christ commaunded him to pitie and loue And in that ignoraunce he walketh that is worketh euill and loueth the thinges of the worlde and seeketh in them the lustes of the âlesh which are the quenching of the spirite and death of the soule for loue of them hateth his brother And this ignoraunce of Christ which is vnbeleef is the cause of all the wickednes that we do vnto our brethren I write vnto you little children that your sinnes are forgeuen you for hys names sake I write vnto you fathers that ye know him that was from the beginning I write vnto you yong men how that ye haue ouercome the wicked I write vnto you that are yong in the fayth and yet weake and therefore fall now and then how that your sinnes are forgeuen you as soone as ye repent and reconcile your selues vnto your brethren whom ye haue offended euen for his names sake onely and not for our owne deedes whether afore or after or for any other mans deedes or satisfaction saue for his onely I write vnto you that are fathers in the doctrine of God to teach other how that ye know him that was from the begynnyng is no new thing though he newly receaued our nature And through knowledge of him which is the onely light and the dore vnto the knowledge of God ye are become fathers in the Scriptures Or els ye had neuer vnderstand it though ye had studied neuer so much as it appeareth by the indurate Iewes and also by oure owne new Pharisies which persecute the scripture and the true sence therof because they be drowned in the ignoraunce of Christ as their deedes and contrary liuing well testifie I write vnto you yong meÌ that are strong in suffering persecutions and fight for your profession not with the sword but with suffering how that ye haue ouercome that wicked which poisoned the world at the beginning and yet woorketh in the children of darcknesse and vnbeleefe and that in beleuing the woorde of truth as it foloweth anone after I write vnto you yong children howe that ye knowe the Father I write vnto you fathers howe that ye know him that was from the beginning I write vnto you young men that ye be strong and the woorde of God dwelleth in you and that ye haue ouercomme the wicked I write vnto you yong children how that ye know the Father whome yee loue thorough knowledge of the Sonne or els you had neuer knowne him as a father but as a Iudge and a tyrant and had hated him I write vn to you fathers as before howe ye are fathers of all trueth in knowing the Sonne Or els ye had euer continued in darknesse remedilesse I write vnto you youÌg men how y t ye are strong and that your strength is the word of God which dwelleth in your brest through fayth in which ye haue ouercome the wicked deuill and all his pompe as it foloweth chapt v. this is the victorye that ouercommeth the world euen our fayth Loue not the worlde nor the thinges that are in the worlde If a man loue the worlde the loue of the Father is not in him For all that is in the worlde as the lust of the fleshe the lust of the eyes and the pride of good are not of the Father but are of the world And the worlde vanisheth away and the lust thereof But he that doth the will of God abideth euer The loue of the world quencheth the loue of God Balaam for the loue of the world closed his eyes at the cleare light which he well saw For loue of the world the olde Pharisies blasphemed the holy Ghost and persecuted the maniâest truth which they coulde not improue For loue of the world many are this day fallen away and many which stood on the truthes side and defended it a while for loue of the worlde haue gotten them vnto the contrarye parte and are become the Popes mamalukes are waxed the most wicked ââ¦s vnto the truth and most cruel agaynst it They know the truth but they loue the worlde And when they espyed the truth could not stand wysh the honoures which they sought in the world they hated it deadly and both wittingly and willingly persecuted it sinning against the holy Ghost Which sinne shall not escape here vnpunished as it shall not be without damnation in the world to come but shall haue an ende here with confusion and shame as had the glory of our right reuerend father in God Thomas Wolfse late cardinall and legate a latere c. whome after his shitten death as the saying is his owne seruauntes which before exalted his glory haue sent to hel with grace and priuiledge By the lust of the flesh is vnderstaÌd lechery whiche maketh a man altogether a swine and by the lust of the eyes is vnderstoode couetousnes which is the roote of all euil and maketh âo erre from the fayth 1. Tim. vlâ And then followeth pride whiche three are the world and captaines ouer all other vices and occasions of all mischief And if pride couetousnes and lechery be the world as S. Iohn sayth then turne your eyes vnto the spiritualtie vnto the pope cardinals bishops aâbates and all other prelates and see whether suche dignities bee not the world and whether the way to them be not also the world To get the olde abbats treasure I thinke it be the readiest way to be the newe How fewe come by promotion except they buy it or serue long for it or both To be wel skilled in war and in polling to maintaine war and lustes and to be a good ambassadour is the onely way to a bishopricke or to pay truely for it See whether pluralities vnions totquets and chainging the lesse benefice bysshoprike for the greater for the contrary chainge I trow was neuer âene may be without couetousnes pride And then if such thinges be the world and the world not of God how is our spiritualtie of God If pride be seking of glory and they that seeke glory can not beleue Ioh. 5. How can our spiritualty beleue in Christ If couetousnes turne men from the fayth how are our spiritualty in the fayth If Christ when the deuill proferred hym the kyngdomes of the world and the glorie thereof refused them as thynges vnpossible to stande with hys kyngdome whiche is not of the worlde of whom are our spiritualtie whiche haue receyued them If couetousnes be a traytour and taught Iudas to sell his maister how should he not in so long time teache oure spiritualtie the same craft namely when they be of all kinges secretes and the ambassadours of their secretes and haue thereto thoroughout al ChristeÌdome a secret couÌsell of their
came to destroy the workes of the deuill in vs to giue vs a new byrth a new nature and to sow new seede in vs that we should by the reasoÌ of that byrth sinne no more For the seede of that byrth that is to wete the spirite of God and the liuely seede of his word sowen in our hartes kepeth our harts that we can not consent to sinne as the seede of the deuill holdeth the hartes of his that they can not consent to good This is coÌtrary vnto the Pope in two poyntes in one that he sayth that our good deedes make vs first good and teacheth vs not to beleue in Christes bloud there to be washed made first good And in an other that he sayth God choseth vs first for our good qualites properties and for the enforcement and good endeuour of our frewill What good endeuour is there where the deuill possesseth the whole hart that it can consent to no good And finally there is great difference betwene the sinne of them that beleue in Christ vnfaynedly and the sinne of them that beleue not For they that beleue sinne not of purpose and of coÌsent to wickednesse that it is good castyng and compassyng afore hand without grudge of coÌscience to bryng their purpose about As ye see our hypocrites haue vexed all Christendome this xx yeares to bryng a little lust to effect Their fathers conceiued mischief viij hundreth yeares ago And the sonnes consent vnto the same haue no power to depart therefrom And therfore their sinne is deuilishe and vnder the damnation of the law But if he that beleueth sinne he doth it not of purpose or that he consenteth vnto the life of sinne But of infirmitie chauÌce and some great temptation that hath ouercome him And therefore his sinne is veniall and vnder mercy and grace though it be murther theft or adulterie and not vnder the daÌnation of the law So that his father shall scourge hym but not cast hym away or damne hym Marke in the sinne of Saule of Dauid Saule euer excused his sinne and could not but persecute the will of God And Dauid confessed his sinne with great repentauÌce at the first warnyng whensoeuer he forgot him selfe All that worke not righteousnes are not of God Nor hee that loueth not his brother For this is the tydinges which ye heard at the begynnyg that we should loue one an other and not be as Cain which was of the deuill and slew his brother And wherefore slew he him for his deedes were euill and hys brothers righteous Maruell not my brethren thoughe the worlde hate you The law of righteousnes is that we loue one an other as Christ loued vs and he that hath not this law liuyng in his hart and when the tyme is bringeth not forth the frutes therof the same is not of God but of the deuill whose byrth and properties of the same ye see described in Cain how he resisted God and persecuted the childreÌ of God for their belefe workes therof And as ye see in Cain and his brother Abell so shall it euer continue betwene the children of God and of the deuill vnto the worldes ende Wonder not therefore thoughe the worlde hate you We know that we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren He that loueth not his brother abydeth in death All that hate theyr brethren are murtherers and ye know that no murtherer hath eternall lyfe abydyng in hym If thou loue thy brother in Christ and art ready to do to suffer for him as Christ dyd for thee then thou art sure thereby that thou art the sonne of God and heyre of life and deliuered froÌ death and damnation So haue Christen men signes to know whether they be in the state of grace or no. And on the other side he that hath no power to loue his brethren may be sure that he is in the state of death and damnation An other is this let euery man looke vpoÌ his hart and be sure that he which hateth his brother hath slayne hym before God is a murtherer And murtherers shal not obteine the kingdome of God Gala. 5. But are Caines brethren and the deuils children and are heyres of death and euer vnder damnation Compare the regiment of the spiritualtie which haue had the temperall sword in their handes now aboue viij hundreth yeares vnto this doctrine of Iohn Iudge whether they haue led vs truely after the steppes of Christes doctrine Hereby we are assured of loue because hee left his lyfe for vs and therfore ought we to leaue our lyues for our brethren He then that hath the substaunce of the worlde and seith his brother haue neede and shutteth vp his compassion froÌ him how dwelleth the loue of God in hym If we felt the loue of Christes death it would sure set our hart on fire to loue hym agayne and our brethren for his sake and should neuer cease to sâay our resisting members vntill we could not onely be wel content that our brethren were in a more prosperous state then we but also vntill we could blesse them wheââ they curse vs and pray for them when they persecute vs and to suffer death for theÌ to testifie the worde of their soules health vnto them and with loue to ouercome them and to wynne them vnto Christ If now euery Christen man ought to haue this rule of his profession before his eyes to learne it that hee should loue his brother as Christ dyd hym to depart with his lyfe for his brothers example how farre are they of from good scholers that can not finde in their hartes to depart with a litle of the aboundaunce superfluitie of their temporall goodes to helpe their neighbours neede My litle children let vs not loue in worde nor with the toung but with the dede and of a truth For thereby we know that we be of the truth and so shall we certifie our hartes in his sight If we haue power to worke then doth the worke certefie our hartes that our fayth in Christ and loue to God and our neighbour for his sake are vnfayned and that we are true children and no hypocrites And then are we bold in our coÌscience before God And this is it that Peter meaneth 2. Pet. 1. where he biddeth vs minister in our fayth vertue godly liuing and all maner of good workes and therewith to make our vocation and election or our calling add chosing sure For the sight of the worke doth certify vs that God hath called vs and chosen vs vnto grace and mercy But and if when the time of woorking is come I fly and haue no power to worke then will our conscience accuse vs of sinne and transgressioÌ within the hart before God and so for feare of the rodde we dare not be bolde but draw backe and stand alooâe Let a childe haue neuer so mercifull a father yet if
him therof and of the foure hundred yeares that his posteritie should be in thraldome in Egypt of their deliueraunce and as Gedeon was certified by the signe of his Flese of the victory that God had promised him and as many other that beleued in God were certified by the signes that God gaue them of the promises which God made them Verely no maÌ For our Prelates which lay for them selues compelle intrare compell not vs to enter into any such feast nor will suffer any such meate to be set before vs for feare of ouerthrowyng the foundation of their false buildyng whereof springeth so great glory and profit vnto them which foundation to builde their lyes vpon they could neuer haue layd except they had first thrust this doctrine of our soules health cleane out of knowledge And as soone as they had blinded y â light they became leaders in darkenesse and made of the Masse imageseruice so that the strauÌge holy gestures and the straunge holy voyces and straunge holy vestures with all other straunge holy ceremonies must be meritorious workes to deserue loÌg life health riches honour fauour dignitie and aboundauÌce of all that we haue sorsakyng our baptisme to arme vs from bearing of the crosse with Christ And they haue made of it a pill of two contrary operations so that the same medicine that preserueth our soules from purgatory doth purge the body of house laÌdes rentes goods and money that it is made as bare as Iob and as baulde as a Cout And the light that rebuketh them they call seditious that it maketh the subiectes to rise against their Princes Which thing the hypocrites layed sometyme vnto the Prophetes as ye may see in the old TestameÌt And at last they layed it vnto Christes charge as ye may see in the Gospell and to the charge of the Apostles as ye may see in the Actes But at all such tymes the hypocrites them selues styrred vp such a sword to mainteine their falsehead that euermore a great part of the world perished through their owne mischeuous incensing and prouokyng Princes to battayle These hypocrites layd to Wickleââes charge and do yet that his doctrine caused insurrection but they to quench the truth of hys preachyng slew the right kyng and set vp iij. false kynges a row by which mischeuous sedition they caused halfe England to be slayne vp and brought the Realme into such ruine and desolatioÌ that M. More could say in his Vtopia that as Englishmen were wont to eate shepe euen so their shepe now eate vp them by whole Parishes at once besides other inconueniencies that he then saw And so the hipocrites say now likewise that gods word causeth insurrection but ye shall see shortly that these hypocrites them selues after their old wont and examples in queÌchyng y t truth that vttereth their iugglyng shall cause all realmes Christen to rise one agaynst an other and some agaynst them selues Ye shall see theÌ runne out before the yeare come about that whiche they haue bene in bruwyng as I haue marked aboue this dosen yeares c. ¶ This much I haue sayd because of them that deceaue you to geue you an occasion to iudge the spirites The Testament of master William Tracie Esquier expounded by William Tyndall Wherein thou shalt perceiue with what charitie the Chaunceler of Worceter burned when he tooke vp the dead carkasse and made ashes of it after it was buried 1535. ¶ To the Reader THou shalt vnderstaÌd most deare Reader that after William Tyndall was so Iudasly betrayed by an Englisheman a Scholer of Louayne whose name is Philippes there were certaine thinges of his doyng found which he had entended to haue put forth to the furtheraunce of Gods word amoÌg which was this Testament of M. Tracie expounded by him self whereunto was annexed the expositioÌ of the same of Iohn Frithes doyng and owne hand writyng whiche I haue caused to bee put in Printe to the intent that all the world should see how earnestly the Cannonistes and spirituall lawyers whiche be the chief rulers vnder Bishops in euery Dioces in so much that in euery Cathedrall Churche the Deane ChauÌcelor and Archdeacon are coÌmonly doctours or Bachelers of law do endeuour them selues iustly to iudge and spiritually to geue senteÌce according to charitie vpon all the actes and dedes done of their Diocessanes after the exaÌple of the Chaunceler of Worceter which after M. Tracie was buried of pure zeale loue hardly tooke vp the dead carkasse and burnt it wherefore he did it it shall euidently appeare to the Reader in this little treatise read it therfore I besech thee iudge the spirites of our spiritualitie and pray that the spirite of him that raised vp Christ may once inhabite them and mollifie their hartes and so illumine theÌ that they may both see and shew true light no loÌger to resist God nor his truth AmeÌ The Testament it selfe In the name of God AmeÌ I William Tracie of Todyngton in the Countie of Gloceter Esquier make my TestameÌt and laste will as hereafter followeth ¶ First and before all other thyng I coÌmit me vnto God to his mercy trustyng without any doubt or mistrust that by his grace and the merites of Iesus Christ and by the vertue of his passioÌ and of his resurrection I haue shall haue remission of my sinnes and resurrectioÌ of body and soule accordyng as it is written Iob. xix I beleue that my redemer lyueth and that in the last day I shal rise out of the earth and in my flesh shall see my Sauiour this my hope is layd vp in my bosome And as touching the wealth of my soule the fayth y t I haue taken rehearsed is sufficient as I suppose wtout any other mans woorke or workes My grounde and my belefe is that there is but one God and one medaitour betwene God and man whiche is Iesus Christ So that I doe except none in heauen nor in earth to be my mediatour betwen me God but onely Iesus Christ all other be but petitioners in receiuyng of grace but none able to geue influence of grace And therfore will I bestow no part of my goodes for that intent that any man should say or do to helpe my soule for therein I trust onely to the promise of God he that beleueth is baptised shal be saued and he that beleueth not shal be damned Marke the last Chapter And touchyng the burying of my body it auayleth me not what be done therto wherein S. Augustine De cura agenda promortuis sayth that they are rather the solace of them that liue theÌ the wealth or coÌfort of theÌ that are departed and therfore I remit it onely to the discretion of myne executours And touchyng the distribution of my temporall goodes my purpose is by the grace of God to bestow them to be accepted as fruites of fayth So that I do not suppose that my merite be by good bestowyng of
was and how such ceremonies came vp and whence they had their begynnyng and what the frute thereof is and what is therin to be sought And though this were inough so that I might here wel cease yet because the vnquiet scrupulous and superstitious nature of man wholy giuen to Idolatrie hath styrred vp such traditions about this one Sacrament most specially I cannot but speake therof somewhat more and declare what my conscience thinketh in this matter Ye shall vnderstand therfore that there is great dissention and three opinions about the woordes of Christ where he sayth in pronouncyng the testament ouer the bread This is my body And in pronouncyng it ouer the wyne This is my bloud One part say that these woordes This is my body This is my bloud compell vs to beleue vnder payne of damnation that the bread and wyne are chaunged into the very body and bloud of Christ really As the water at Cana Galilee was turned into very wyne The second part sayth we be not bound to beleue that bread and wyne are chaunged but onely that his body and bloud are there presently The thyrd say we be bound by these woordes onely to beleue that Christes body was broken and hys bloudshed for the remissioÌ of our sinnes and that there is no other satisfaction for sinne then the death and passion of Christ The first say these woordes This is my body This is my bloud compell vs to beleue that thynges there shewed are the very body and bloud of Christ really But bread and wyne say they cannot be Christes naturall body ther fore the bread and wyne are chaunged turned altered and transubstantiated into the very body bloud of Christ And they of this opinion haue busied them selues in seekyng subtilties and similitudes to proue how the very body and bloud might be there vnder the similitude of bread and wine onely the very bread and wyne beyng thus traÌsubstantiated And these men haue ben so occupyed in slaying all that wil not captiue their wits to beleue them that they neuer taught nor vnderstode that the Sacrament is an absolution to all that therby beleue in the body bloud of Christ The second part graunt with the first that the wordes compel vs to beleue that the things shewed in the Sacrament are the very body and bloud of Christ But where the first say bread and wine cannot be the very body and bloud of Christ There they vary and dissent from them affirming that bread and wine may and also is Christes body really and very bloud of Christ and say that it is as true to say that bread is Christes body and that wyne is hys bloud as it is true to say Christ beyng a very maÌ is also very God And they say as the Godhead and manhode in Christ are in such maner coupled togegether that maÌ is very God and God very man Euen so the very body and the bread are so coupled that it is as true to say that bread is the body of Christ and the bloud so annexed there with the wyne that it is euen as true to say that the wyne is Christes bloud The first though they haue slayne so many in and for the defence of their opinion yet they are ready to receiue the second sort to fellowshyp not greatly striuyng with them or abhorryng the presence of bread and wyne with the very body and bloud so that they yee by that meanes may keepe hym there still and hope to sell hym as deare as before and also some to bye hym and not to minish the price The thyrd sort affirme that the wordes meane no more but onely that we beleue by the thyngs that are there shewed that Christes body was brokeÌ and his bloud shed for our sinnes if we will forsake our sinnes turne to God to kepe his law And they say that these sayinges This is my body and This is my bloud shewyng bread wyne are true as Christ meant them and as the people of that countrey to whoÌ Christ spake were accustomed to vnderstand such wordes and as the Scripture vseth in a thousand places to speake As when one of vs sayth I haue dronke a cup of good wyne that saying is true as the maÌ meant that he dranke wyne onely and not the cup whiche wordes happely in some other nations eares would sound that he dranke the cuppe And as when we say of a child This is such a mans very face the wordes are true as the maner of our land is to vnderstand them that the face of the one is very like the other And as wheÌ we say he gaue me his fayth and hys truth in my hand the wordes are true as we vnderstand them that he stroke handes with me or gaue earnest in signe or token that he would byde by his promise For the fayth of a maÌ doth alway rest in his soule and cannot be giuen out though we giues signes and tokens of them Euen so say they we haue a thousaÌd examples in the Scripture where signes are named with names of thynges signified by them As Iacob called the place where hee saw the Lord face to face Phenyell that is Gods face when he saw the Lord face to face Now it is true to say of that field that it is Gods face though it be not his very face The same field was so called to signifie that Iacob there saw God face to face The chief hold and principall ancre that the two first haue is these words This is my body This is my bloud Vnto these the third aunswereth as is aboue sayd other textes they alledge for them selues whiche not onely do not strength their cause but rather make it worse As in y e sixt of Iohn which they draw and wrest to the carnall and flesh ly eating of Christes body in y e mouth when it onely meaneth of this eatyng by fayth For when Christ sayd except ye eate the flesh of the sonne of maÌ and drinke hys bloud ye haue no lyfe in you This cannot be vnderstanded of the Sacrament For Abraham had life and all the old holy fathers Christes mother Elizabeth Zacharias Iohn Baptist Symeon Anna and all the Apostles had lyfe already by fayth in Christ Of which not one had eateÌ hys flesh and dronke his bloud with theyr bodily mouthes But truth it is that the righteous liueth by his fayth Ergo to beleue and trust in Christes bloud is the eatyng that there was meant as the texte well proueth if they say we graunt that life commeth by faith but we all that beleue must be Baptised to keepe the law and to keepe the couenaunt in mynde Euen so all that lyueth by fayth must receiue the Sacrament I aunswere The Sacrament is a confirmation to weake consciences and in no wise to be despised howbeit many haue lyued by fayth in the wildernes whiche in 20. 30.
where one I pray ye but also done by the commoÌ course of nature here in earth If they be done by the common course of nature so be they no miracles And some thynges made also by mans hand As one face beholded in diuers glasses and euery peece of one glasse broken into twenty c. Lorde how this pontiâicall Poete playeth his part Bicause as he saith we see many faces in many glasses therefore may one body be in many places as though euery shadow and similitude representing the body were a bodely substauÌce But I aske More when hee seeth hys owne face in so many glasses whether all those faces that appeare in the glasses be his owne very faces hauing bodely substaunce skynne fleshe bone as hath that face which hath his very mouth nose eyen c. wherewith he faceth vs out the truth thus falsely with lyes And if they be all his very faces then in very deede there is one body in many places and he him selfe beareth as many faces in one hode But accordyng to his purpose eueÌ as they be no very faces nor those so many voyces sownes and similitudes multiplied in the ayre betwene the glasses or other obiect the body as the Philosopher proueth by naturall reason be no very bodyes no more is it Christes very body as they would make thee beleue in the bread in so many places at once But the bread broken and eaten in the Supper monisheth and putteth vs in remembraunce of his death and so exciteth vs to thankes giuyng to lande and prayse for the benefite of our redemption and thus wee there haue Christ present in the inward eye and sight of our fayth We eate his body and drinke hys bloud that is we beleue surely that hys bodye was crucified for our sinnes and hys bloud shed for our saluation At last note Christen reader that M. More in the third booke of his confutation of Tyndall the. CCxlix side to proue S. Iohns Gospell vnperfit and insufficient for leauing out of so necessary a point of our faith as he calleth the last Supper of Christ his MauÌdy sayth that Iohn speake nothyng at all of this SacrameÌt And now see againe in these his letters agaynst Frith how him selfe bringeth in Iohn the vj. chap. to impugne Frithes writyng and to make all for the Sacrament eueÌ thus My flesh is verely meate my bloud drinke Belike the man had there ouer shotte hym selfe foule the young man here causing him to put on his spectacles and poore better and more wisely with his old eyen vpoÌ S. Iohns Gospel to finde that thing there now written which before he would haue made one of his vnwritten verities As yet if he looke narowly hee shall espy that him self hath proued vs by Scripture in the xxxvij leafe of his Dialogue of quoth he and quoth I our Ladies perpetuall virginitie expoundyng non cogâosco id est non cognoscam whiche now written vnwritten veritie hee numbereth a litle before among his vnwritteÌ vanities Thus may ye see how this old holy vpholder of the popes church hys woordes fight agaynst him selfe into his own confusion in findyng vs forth his vnwritten written vanities verities I should say But returne we vnto the exposition of S. Iohn When the Iewes would not vnderstand the spirituall saying of the eating of Christes flesh and drinkyng of hys bloud so oft and so playnely declared he gaue them a strong stripe and made them more blynd for they so deserued it such are the secrete iudgementes of God addyng vnto all hys sayinges thus who so eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud abideth in me and I in him These wordes were spoken vnto these vnbeleuers into their farther obstinatioÌ but vnto the faithfull for theyr better instruction Now gather of this the contrary say who so eateth not my fleshe and drinketh not my bloud abydeth not in me nor I in him and ioyne this to the foresayd sentence Except ye eate the flesh of the sonne of maÌ drinke hys bloud ye haue no lyfe in you let it neuer fal froÌ thy minde Christen reader that faith is the lyfe of the righteous and that Christ is this lyuyng bread whom thou eatest that is to say in whoÌ thou beleuest For if our Papistes take eatyng drinkyng here bodely as to eate the naturall body of Christ vnder the forme of bread and to drinke hys bloud vnder the forme of wyne theÌ must all young children that neuer came to Gods borde departed all laye men that neuer drancke hys bloud be damned By loue we abyde in God and hee in vs loue foloweth faith in the order of our vnderstanding and not in order of succession of tyme if thou lookest vpon the selfe giftes and not on their fruites So that principally by faith wherby we cleaue to Gods goodnes and mercy we abide in God and God in vs as declare his wordes folowyng saying as the liuyng father sent me so liue I by my father And euen so he that eateth me shall lyue bycause of me or for my sake My father sent me whose will in all thinges I obey for I am his sonne And euen soverely must they that eate me that is beleue in me forme and fashion them after my exaÌple mortifying their flesh chaunging their liuing or els they eate me in vayne and dissemble theyr belief For I am not come to redeme y t world onely but also to chaunge theyr lyfe They therefore that beleue in me shall traÌsforme their life after my example doctrine not after any mans traditioÌs This is the bread y t came froÌ heaueÌ as the effect it selfe declareth whoÌ who so eateth shall lyue euer But he y t eateth bodely bread lyueth not euer as ye may see of your fathers y t eate MaÌna yet are they dead It is not therfore any materiall bread nor bodely foode that may geue you life eternall These wordes did not onely offende them that hated Christ but also some of hys Disciples They were offended sayd the text and not merueyled as More trifleth out the truth which said This is an hard saying who may here this These Disciples yet stoke no lesse in Christes visible fleshe and in the barke of his wordes then did the other Iewes and as doth now More beleuing him to haue had spoken of his naturall body to be eaten with their teth Which offence Christ seyng sayd doth this offend you what then will ye say if ye see the sonne of maÌ ascend thether where he was before If it offend you to eate my flesh while I am here it shal much more offend you to eate it when my body shal be gone out of your sight ascended into heauen there sittyng on the right hand of my father vntill I come again as I weÌt that is to iudgement Here might Christ haue instructed his disciples in the truth of the
when we were not his childreÌ but his enemyes Christes disciples sayd to the man where is this gest chamber where I might eate the passing by with my disciples they prepared the passeouer And yet Christ eate not the passeouer but the lambe with his disciples where it is plaine y e signe to do on the name of the thyng At last consider vnto what eude all things tended in that last supper how the figure teached the veritie the shadow the body and how the veritie abolished the figure and the shadow gaue place to the body Loke also with what congruence proportion and similitude both in the action the spech al things were consummate and finished and all to lead vs by such seusible signes from the figure vnto the veritie froÌ the flesh vnto the spirite And take thou here this infallible assured saying of Christ neuer to fall fro thy mynde in this last supper do ye this into the remeÌbrauÌce of me And also of Paul saying So oft as ye shal eate this bread lo this heretike calleth it bread eueÌ after the words of the Popes coÌsecratioÌ and drinke of this cup praise declare geue thankes for the death of the Lord vntill he shall come agayne to iudgement RemeÌber thou also what Christ sayd to the carnall Iewes takyng the eatyng of hys flesh and drinkyng of his bloud so carnally aunsweryng them My flesh profiteth not meanyng to eate it bodely but the spirite maketh lyfe And to this set the Prophet Abacukes senteÌce The iust lyueth of his fayth And now Christen reader to put thee cleane out of doubt that Christes body is not here present vnder the forme of bread as the papistes haue mocked vs many a day but in heauen euen as he rose and asceÌded Thou shalt know that he told hys Disciples almost twenty tymes betwene the xiij and xviij chap. of Iohn that he should and would goe hence and leaue this world Where to comfort them agayne for that they were so heauy for his bodely absence he promised to send them hys holy Ghost to be their comforter defender and teacher in whom and by whom he would be present with them and all faithfull vnto the worldes end Hee sayd vnto hys Disciples I goe hence I goe the father I leaue the world and now shall I no more be in the world but ye shall abyde still in the world Father I come to thee Poore men haue ye euer with you but me shall ye not alwayes haue with you And wheÌ he ascended vnto heaueÌ they did behold hym saw the cloude take hys body out of theyr syght and they fastnyng their eyes after him the two men clothed in white sayd vnto them ye men of Galile wherefore stand ye thus lookyng vp into heauen This is Iesus that is taken vp from you into heauen whiche shall so come agayne euen as ye haue sene him going hence Here I would not More to flitte froÌ hys litterall playne sense All these so playne wordes be sufficient I trow to a Christen man to certifie hys conscience that Christ went his way bodely ascendyng into heauen For wheÌ he had told his disciples so oft of his bodely departyng from them they were maruelous heauy and sad Vnto whoÌ Christ sayd Because I told you that I go hence your hartes are full of heauines If they had not beleued hym to haue spokeÌ of his very bodely absence they would neuer haue so mourned for his goyng away And for because they so vnderstode him and he so meane as his wordes sowned He added as he should haue sayd be ye neuer so heauy or how heauely so euer ye take my goyng hence yet do I tell you truth For it is expedient for you that I goe hence For if I should not go hence that comforter should not come vnto you But and if I go hence I shall send him vnto you And agayne in the same chap. I am come from the father and am come into the world and shall leaue the world agayne and go to my father What mistery thinke ye should be in these so manifest woordes Did he speake them in any darke parables Dyd he meane otherwise theÌ he spake Dyd he vnderstand by goyng hence so ofteÌ repeted to tary here still or dyd he meane by forsakyng and leauyng the world to be but inuisible beyng still in the world with his body No surely For he meant as faithfully as playnly as his wordes sowned and euen so dyd hys Disciples without any more maruelyng vnderstand him For they aunswered him saying Lo now speakest thou apertly neither speakest thou any prouerbe But what a darke prouerbe and subtile ridle had it bene if he had meant by his goyng hence to haue âaryed here still and by forsakyng the world to abyde still in the world and by his going hence to his father by his very bodely Ascention to be but inuisible Who would intrepret this plaine sentence thus I go hence that is to saye I tary here still I forsake the world and goe to the father that is to say I will be but inuisible and yet here abyde still in the world bodely For as concernyng his Godhead which was euer with the father and in all places at once he neuer spake such woordes of it When Christ sayd his death now was at hand vnto his Disciples now agayneÌ I forsake the world and go to my father but ye shall tary still in the world If they will expound by his for sakyng the world to tary here still bodely and to be but inuisible why do they not by lyke exposition interprete the tarying here still of the Disciples at that tyme to be gone hence bodely and to be here visible For Christ dyd set these contraryes one agaynst an other to declare ech other As if to tary here still dyd signifie to the Disciples that they should abyde in the world as it doth in deede then must needes his goyng hence and forsakyng the world signifie his bodely absence as both the wordes playnly lowne Christ meant and they vnderstoode them But in so plaine a matter what neede these wordes Be thou therefore sure Christen reader that Christes glorified body is not in this world but in heauen as he thether ascended in which body he shal come euen as he went gloriously with power and great maiestie to iudge all the world in the last day Be thou therfore assured that he neuer thus iuggled nor mocked hys so dearely beloued Disciples so full of heauynes now for his bodely departyng For if he had so meant as our Papistes haue peruerted hys saying hys Disciples would haue wondered at so straunge maner of spech and he would haue expressed his mynde playnly sith at this tyme hee was so full set to leaue them in no doubt but to comforte them with hys playne and comfortable wordes And if he would haue ben
bloud Which precepte of the lawe and bycause that bloud is lyfe we affirme it to be set like as many other almost innumerable sacramentes of those Scriptures full of signes and figures of the preachyng to come whiche now is declared by our Lord Iesu Christ c. And I may interprete that precept to bee layed in a signe For the Lord doubted not to say This is my body when hee gaue the signe of his body And euen so is the bloud lyfe and the stone was Christ And yet when he sayd these wordes he sayd not the stone signified Christ but he sayd the stone was Christ whiche lest they should be taken carnally hee calleth it spirituall that is to say he teacheth it to bee vnderstand spiritually Where is now Mores litteral sense and materiall meate Now shall ye heare Chrisostome Nihil sensibile tradidit Christus licet dederit panem vinum non quod panis vinum non sint sensibilia sed quod in illis mentem haerere noluit Nam in suum corpus quod est panis vitae subuehit dicens Hoc est corpus meum perinde ac dicat Hoc licet panis sit significat tamen tibi corpus Thus it is in Englishe Christ geuyng bread and wyne gaue no sensible thyng not that bread and wine be not sensible but that he would not our mynde to sticke still in them For hee lifted vs vp into hys bodye which is the bread of lyfe saying This is my body as though he should say Though this be but bread yet it signifieth vnto thee my body Now iudge thou ChristeÌ reader whether M. More reporteth right of this maÌ that alledgeth these holy Doctours or no. Now haue ye the pure vnderstandyng of the wordes of the Lordes supper confirmed with the old holy Doctours That this is my body is as much to say as this signifieth my body And this is my bloud is this signifieth my bloud But yet was there neuer such maner of speaking in the scripture This is that that is to say This is conuerted and transubstanciated into that Or this is conteined in that the thyng conuerted and chaunged kepyng still her forme qualities quantities c. As to say This is my body that is to say This bread is conuerted into my body the bread abydyng still in his fashion tast colour waight c. For Christ when hee conuerted water into wyne dyd not leaue the fourme colour and tast still in the water For so had it bene no chaungyng But let our couetous conuerters choppe and chaunge bread and wyne till we there feele see tast neither bread nor wyne and then will we beleue them so they bryng for them the word of God For as for their false iugglyng we feele it at our fingers ende we see it had we but halfe an eye we tast it at our touÌgs end and know it with all our wyttes and vnderstandyng so manifestly that we perceiued them openly long agoe to be the very Antichristes of whom Christ and his Apostles warned vs to come in this last tyme. And if they say That this conuersion is made by miracles Then must euery one of them as hee say a Masse make vs many a miracle the very markes of M. Mores Churche For it is oue great miracle that Christs body should come so sodenly inuisible and so oft out of heauen and that such a miracle as the worde of God neuer knew An other that so great a body should be conteyned in so litle a place and that one body should be at once in so many places and two bodyes in one place An other that it is eaten neither the cater feelyng it nor the body eaten sufferyng nor feelyng the teeth of the eater With as many moe maruelous like miracles or rather absurdities of the bread and wyne that there must be the forme colour tast wayght broken c. and yet neither to be bread nor wyne in our belefe except we will be burned of theÌ bycause we beleue not their iugglyng castes O mischieuous miracle makers O cruell conuerters O bloudy butchers But hearke Christen reader and I shall learne thee to knowe Christes playne and true miracles from the sleighty iuggling of these crafty coÌneyers Christ would neuer haue done miracle had men beleued hym onely by hys woordes but when hee sayd first these wordes This is my body no maÌ doubted at them no man was in any vnbeleue of them wherfore these wordes must needes bee playne single and pure without miracle as these The iij. braunches are thre dayes without any subtile transubstantiation such insensible conuersion or any false miracle Christ wrought all his miracles for the glory of God to declare hym selfe both God and man so that all Christes miracles were coÌprehended vnder mans sences or commoÌ wyttes which bryng in such knowledge vnto the vnderstaÌdyng As when he chaunged water into wyne the miracle was first receiued with the sight open at the eye tasted with the mouth and so conuayed vnto the vnderstandyng And now though we neither see nor tast that miracle yet we heare it see it read it and so vnderstaÌd that it was once a miracle done of Christ wheÌ he restored the sight to the blynd healed the lame clensed the leprose reared the dead all was seen heard and so comprehended vnder our most swete senses that his very enemyes were compelled to coufesse them for miracles But our miracle makers that make dayly so oft and so many are so farre from this cleare poynt that their miracles in this matter be not neither shal be coÌtained nor compreheÌded vnder any of our fiue wittes but they rather delude and deceyue both sight tast feelyng hearyng and smellyng ye our fayth and vnderstandyng to Beware therefore of these mischieuous miracle makers for theyr owne glory and profite and will kill thee to if thou beleuest not their lyes Beware I say of those Marchauntes that will sell the wares which they will not suffer thee to see nor to tast nor to touch but when they shewe the white thou must beleue it is blacke If they geue the bread thou must beleue it without any word of thy fayth that it is Christes body and that of their owne makyng If thou tast see and feele it bread yet thou must say it is none though the Scripture calleth it bread xx tymes Beware beware I say of Antichrist whose commyng sayth Paule He is come alredy sayth Iohn now are there many Antichristes shall be after the workyng of Sathan with an almighty power with false signes and wouders lying miracles with all deceite of vnrighteousnes c. To be to curious in so playne a Sacrament and signe to cauill Christes cleare wordes with sophisticall soââ¦mes and to tryfull out the truth with tauntes and mockes as M. More doth is no Christen maner And if our Papistes and Scholasticall Sophisâârâ will obiect and
b Dead men 408. a. not holpen by man 13. b. rewarded of the Pope 362. a Dead Saintes their miracles in the Popish Church 302. a Death of Christe why so necessary 462. a. way to saluation 257. b Death and resurrection of Christe shewed by Ionas 27. b. figured by the paschall lambe 439. b Death of Christ purchased grace for our soules 279. a Death of Christ blasphemed by Papistes 16. b Deceauyng of our selues 392. b Declaration of Adames heyres 381. b. of Christ in the old Testament 23. a Decrees deuilish 262. a Decrees of Byshops aboue Gods word 124. b Deedes not allowed without fayth 85. b. how farreforth acceptable to God 154. b Deedes of ours why euill 328. b. procedyng and not procedyng of our selues 47. b Deedes of Christ and ours their effectes 35. b Deedes not iustified by fayth are sinne 155. a Definition of the Church 250. a. of fayth in generall 42. b. of ârue faith 64 b Definition of Popish penauÌce 398. a Defender of the fayth 374. b Defiance sent from the French kyng to kyng Henry the viij 371. b Degrees of nature altered by mariage 108. b Deliueraunce by Christ why 22. a DeliuerauÌce out of purgatory 366. a Deliberation of Princes in makyng warre 193. b Delight of the faithfull 379. b Deniaâl of helpe to our neighbour dishonoreth hym 270. a Derogation froÌ the dignitie of Christes bloud 70. a Derogation from Christes fayth is agaynst hys Church 187. b Description of swyne 238. a DescriptioÌ of Baptisme 14. b. of our iustification 330. b Desert and free gift are contraryes 19. b Desperation how it commeth 219 ⪠a. assayleth fayth 259. a Despere of mans helpe bryngeth Gods helpe 454. a Desiderius 359. a Deuilish doctrine 415. a. practises 368. b. pride 353. a. expoundyng the Scriptures by Papistes 175. a Deuill is darknes 392. a. blyndeth vs from Gods wil. 329. a. to be resisted with the sheild of fayth 62. b. euerthrowen by Christ 278. b Deuill driuen away by fayth 131. b. aduauncer of Popes 301. b Deuils and stifnecked sinners destitute of the fayth that Paule speaketh of 130. b Deuils confessed Christe to bee the sonne of God 95. b Deuils wages 100. a Deuises of the Cardinall 372. b Deuteronomium a booke of Moses commended 21. b Differences of fayth 197. a. betwene the old and new Testament 444. a. betwene the Iewes and the ãâã âls 44. a. betwne true faith and fayned 66. b. betwene false fayth and right 66. a Differences betwene Goddes children and the deuils 99. b. betwene Gods sinners and the deuill 199. b. betwene the fall of Peter Iudas 337. a. betwene true Sacramentes and false 156. betwene Sacramentes and sacrifices 13. b. betwene Christes naturall body and a paynted Image 281. b. betwene teachyng the people and a preacher 252. b Difference none of dayes to do good 237. a Diggyng of AbrahaÌs welles 184. a Dignities of shauelynges 353. a Diligence althoughe in vayne towardes our neighbour to be excused 203. b Direction of our lyfe to what ende 387. b Disciples of Antichrist 134. a Disciples of Christe were worldly mynded 106. a. had a wicked opinion of hym 25. b. doubtfull in fayth 261. a Disciples of Christe vnderstoode Christ spiritually 465. a. refuse not death for his sake 199. a Discipline vsed in y e primitiue church 496. b Dishonour of God and neighbour 269. b Dispensations purchased of the pope 329. b Dispensations for concubines 134. a Disobedience 290. b. counted a spirituall thyng 109. a Disputations backward 67. a. for superioritie 347. a Disputations of predestination not rashly to be enterprised 48. b Dissimulation of the Pope 352. a. of Papistes 19. a Dissimulation not culpable in some causes 209 a Dissembled truce 366. a Distemperaunce in eatyng and drinkyng 227. b Distrust ought not to bee in Gods prolongation of helpe 240. a Diuersities of fayth 331. b Diuision in the Church 347. b Doctrine of the Pope 412. a. 415. b. abhominable 316. b. wicked 29. b. Papisticall 360. b. of Phariseis blynd 30. a. of shauelynges vayne and obstinate 137. b. of More superstitions 317. a. of Papistes concernyng Purgatory 306 b Doctrine false causeth euill workes 199. b Doctrine of hypocrites 87. a. of Papistes nedeth miracles 301. b. with out Scripture not to be beleued 304. b Doctrine vniuersally must be examined by Gods word 414. b Doctrine of Christ peaceable 106. b Doctrine Apostolicall 408. b. of the true Church 304. a. of the Scripture 388. b. and. 304. b. of Sacramentes 320. a Doctrine of the Apostles confirmed with miracles 298. b Doctrine sincere causeth good workes 199. b Doctrine of Christ must be defended of euery man in hys owne person 198. b Doctours doubt at Christes playne wordes 205. b. differ in the opinion of the Sacrament 446. b Doctours generally call the Sacrament a sacrifice 447. b Doctour Colct 318. b Doctour Ferman a vertuous man and godly 330. a Documentes of Scripture necessary 389. b Dogges 187. a. who they be 238. a Downe fallyng sinner hath a false fayth 432. a Double signification of this woorde Church 250. a Dregges of Papistes 406. b Duns 302. a. his doctrine aduaunced 278. a Dunsticall dreames and termes 104. a Duke Hââfrey 363. b. hys death 364. a Duty of kynges 137. a. of Priestes 133. b. of Ministers at the communion 476. b Duty must be done with loue 212. a E. EAre confession 339. a. a wicked deuise 367. a. destroyeth Christes benefites 320. a Eare confession and pardons neuer confirmed by miracle 319. b Earth geuen to man of God 121. b Eatyng Christes fleshe is beleuyng in Christ 467. a Eatyng Christes body bloud truly what it meaneth 463. a Eatyng y e whores flesh what 455. b Ecclesia 250. b Effect of Christe bloude 380. b. of Gods word 247. a. of his lawes 22. b. of our good deedes 158. b Effectes of fayth spirituall 43. b Elders haue erred 303. b Elders and Priestes why so named 38. a Eldest sonne of the holy seat 349. b Elect must be patient and tryed 260. a. b. haue Gods will writteÌ in your hartes 255. b Elect euer meditate vppon Christes kyndnes 382. b Election of the Pope confirmed by the Emperour 346. a Elias and More contrary 284. a Emanuell 408. a Emperours election to whom beloÌgyng 352. a Emperours haue deposed Popes Popes Emperours 364. b. theyr oth to the Pope 352. a. must not be very strong by the Popes will 365. b. abused by the Pope 350. b. not estemed of the Pope ibidem doteth 350. a Emperour setteth on the French kyng by night 372. a. came through England 371. a End of the law 193. a. of all lawes 240. b. of hypocrites 306. a End must be cast before we begyn 99. a Enemyes to Gods word 14. a Enemyes of the truth to be hated 216. a Enemyes must be ouercome with well doyng 117. b Englishmen 365. a English Byshops 114. a Enormities of auricular confession 180. b Enormities
sinnes 95. b Phocas an Emperour 347. b. hys priuiledge to the see of Rome ibid. Phrases of speach expounded 77. b Pilgrimages 282. a. how lawfull 20 a. not needefull to a ChristiaÌ for his saluation 155 a Pilgrimages true what they be 272 a Pitie 282. b Pipinus 348. a Places of Scripture shewing Christes departure hence as touchyng his naturall body 470. b Places hauing prerogatiue for prayer 283. a Plerophoria how knowen 414. a Pluralitie of benefices 373. b Poetry Scripture to Popish schole men 168. a Pollaxes borne before high Legates what they signifie 142. b Pope with his Prelates set foorth 53. b. a God on earth 349. a. Antichrist 262. a 289. a. 308. a. the deuilles vicare 359. a. persecuteth Gods word 25. b. 290. a. a deniââ¦h blasphemer ibid. hath no Martyrs 294. a. a peacebreaker 365. b. a tyrauÌt 318. a. a breaker of bondes of Matrimony 350. a commaundeth murder 106. a. cause of great periury 115. a Popes haue ben bloudsheders aboue this 700. yeares 351. a Pope a mercyles tyraunt 362. b. curseth his enemyes 395. b. wilnot be rebuked 364. b. onely forbyddeth mariage 127. b. halfe a God 461. b aloft ouer all Byshops and Kings 353. a. aduaunceth his in worldlynes 353. b. hath moe kyngdomes then God 135. b. a maker of lawes 356. a. selleth Gods free gift 151. a. chalengeth authoritie ouer God and man 159. a. commauÌdeth God to curse 151. b. may doe all at his pleasure 364. b. wilnot obey Princes 286. a. made a God for his dispensations 230. a. coÌmeth in Christes name with miracles 301. b. sayth he cannot erre 264. a. distributeth his fathers kyngdome 354. a thrusteth downe Christ 292. a. lycenseth all thynges to bee read sauyng the truth 21. a. forbiddeth that God commaundeth 21. a Pope how hee remitteth and retayneth sinnes 306. b. maketh heretikes of true preachers 134. b selleth all thynges 289. b. receiueth hys possessions of the deuill 354. a. howe he raigneth vnder Christ 151. a. expoundeth Scripture contrary to Christ and his Apostles 173. b. byndeth that Christ louseth 102. a Pope not to be beleued why 304. b. lonseth all honesty 123. a. more mercyfull for money then God for Christes death 151. a. deuideth poore people and how 354. b chosen without consent of the Emperour 360. b. purposed to be Emperour 349. made two Empyres of one 349. b Pope Pipine put downe the right French kyng 348. a Pope and Cardinals their opinions concernyng kyng Henry the eight 288 b Pope Iuly 369. a Pope his fast 229. b. his traditions are wicked and breake Gods commaundements 108. a. his authoritie improued 12. 4. b. his clergy subtill 1. a. his doctrine corrupt 24. a. his doctrine doth persecute 97. a. his sect not of Christes church 261 b. his doctrine bloudy 106. b. his saying of the scripture 306. b. his authoritie is onely to preach Gods word 123. b. his false authority defended by kynges 114. b. his false workes 289. a. his iugglyng 114. b. his widowes 354. b. his priests ibideÌ his law 355. a. his fayth 410 b. his Church 292. b. his practise with all Princes 365. a. his Deacons 354. b. his Prelates taught of Caiphas 122. b Popish tyranny 475. b. ceremonyes more obstinate mo in nuÌber then the Iewes 101. b. forgiuenes 395 a. Purgatory not feared of a true ChristiaÌ 434. b. Prelates would be highest 341. a. superstition 425 b. doctrine 447. a. hath caused the truth to be set forth more playnely 476. a. woorkes 396. a. oyle more feared then Gods commaundementes 131. a. confirmation 277. a Pope holy woorkes a cloke for the wicked 27. a Possessed with deuines fled from Christ 285. a Poore meÌ 408. a. in spirite who 189 a. must be cared for next our owne houshold 84. a. called of Paule Gods Churche 473. b. pouertie 242. b Pouertie wilfull 16. b. her vow 19. a Power good and euill whence 321. b Poyson of our byrth resisteth the spirite 165. a A prayer 228. a Prayer 22. b. 242. b. 219. b. defined 81. b. of how many sortes 220. a. a commaundement 238. b. heard in all places of God 282. b. the fruite of fayth 93. a. heard of God at all tymes 20. b. winneth the victory 238. b. of fayth doth miracles 152. b vayne without hart and toungue 221. a. of shauelynges breaketh Gods commaundement 139. b. of Monkes robbeth 201. a. not sold in old tyme. 139. b. to Saintes superilitious 296. a. without fayth nothyng 274. b. to Saintes not before Christes tyme. 296. a Practises 371. a. of Parliamentes 315. a. of Prelates 363. a. of Popish Prelates in these dayes 340. b. with poore Priestes 367. b. of fleshly spiritualitie 249. a Prayers and our deedes accepted accordyng to our fayth 154. b Prayers of all good women accepted aswell as our Ladyes 326. a. to Saintes damnable 433 b. all in Latin 151. b. commaunded to the ignoraunt 135. a Prayse sought of hypocrites 373. b Prayse of Paule Epistle to the Romanes 39. a Preacher his office 206. a. may not preache vnlesse he be sent of God 156. why accused of heresie treason 202. ãâã Preachers who are sent and who not how to knowe 156. a. of Gods word their miracles 302. a. neede no miracles 301. a. must preach repentaunce 86. b. why not beleued wheÌ they preach truth 101. b. must haue a competent lyuyng allowed them 133. b. must not be violent 214. b. who ought to be 198. b Preachyng is byndyng and lousing 359. a. of Christ 391. the authoritie of Peter his successour 173. b. the chief authoritie that Christ gaue his Apostles 126. a. extinct with ceremonies 278. a Predestination 306. a. in Gods haÌd 48. b. not rashly to be disputed vppon 48. b. how farre to be proceded in ibidem Presbyter 144. b Priestes 310. b. must be vertuous 314. b Priestes how truly annoynted 133. a ought not to bee annoynted with oyle 144. b. tell the confessions of the rich to the Officials and Commissaries and why 136. b. may haue whores but no wiues 311. b. must haue wiues for two causes 133. b Prieste disguiseth hym selfe with Christes passion 132. a Priestes vnderstand no Latin 103. a Prelates why so wicked 118. b. Courtiers 347. a. vnderstand not Scriptures and why 287. b. why clothed in red 142. b Pride 405. b. of the Pope 363. a. of the Cardinals 372. b Princes why ordained 117. a. not to be resisted though they be infidels 111. a. whether they may be resisted or no. 213. a Principles of Scriptures 386. b Processions abused 299. b Profession of our Baptisme 388. b. first to be learned 387. a Profession of newe lyfe procureth Christes mercy 219. b Promise how we may chaleÌge 218. b Promise of God fulfilled for Christes and not for Saintes merites 160. a. left out in all thynges by the Pope 154. a Promises of the Gospell comfortable to a sinner 378. a Promise commeth of the promisers goodnes 196. a Promises of
in lawe whom he did so valiauntly fight withall and confounde that he connerted Rastall to his part Then he was ââryed to Lambith before the Bishop of Caunterburie and afterward to Croydon where was present StepheÌ Gardiner Bishop of Winchester who had béene his tutor in Cambridge as aforesayd and séemed to owe vnto him greate loue and fauour but in the stéede thereof he found in the ende his great malice and tyrannye and last of all he was called before the Bishoppes in a Common assemblye at London where he so costantly defended him selfe that he had preuailed if he might haue bene heard as indéed he was not The order of his iudgment with the maner of his examinatioÌ and Articles which were obiected agaynst him are comprised and set forth by himselfe in a letter written to his frendes which letter also is imprinted and set forth in this booke After sentence geuen against him by the Byshop of London he was delyuered to the Maior Shirifes of the sayd Citie Syr Stephen pecocke a simple man being then Maior and forth with he was committed to new gate where he was put into y e Dungeon vnder the sayd Gate and laden with Boltes and Irons as many as he could beare and his necke with a Coler of Iron made fast to a post so that he could neyther stand vpright nor stoupe downe yet was he there continually occupied in writing of diuerse thinges namely with a candell both day and night for there came none other light into that place And in this case he remayned iij. or iiij dayes and then was from thence caried into Smithféelde y e iiij day of Iuly 1533. where with great pacience and constancy he suffered that most hâlly and cruell death of burning And when the fyer was set on the faggottes he embraced the same in his Armes and with all pacience commytted his spirite vnto almighty God But this one thing is yet to bee remembred that he being bounde to the stake with an other good Martyr which was a very simple young man named Andrew Hewet there was present one Doctour Cooke that was person of the Church called Allhalowes in hony lane scituate in the myddes of Chepesyde And the sayd Cooke made an open exclamation and admonished the people that they should in no wise pray for them no more then they would doe for a dogg At which wordes Frith smyling desired the Lord to forgeue him But the vngodly and vncharitable wordes of the sayd Doctour did not a litle offende the people And thus for the testimony of the true doctrine of Christ which the sayd Frith sealed with his bloud the day and yeare afore sayd he dyed in the xxiiij yeare of his age as some saye but his parentes reported in the xxx yeare of his age IOHN FRITH VNTO the Christen Reader GRace and peace bee with thee ChristeÌ reader I am sure there are many that will much meruell couÌt it a great presumptioÌ that I beyng so young and of so small learnyng dare attempt to dispute this matter against these thre personages of the which nuÌber two that is to say my Lord of Rochester and Sir Thomas More are auncient men both of great witte and dignitie Notwithstanding I will desire theÌ paciently to heare myne aunswere not aduertisyng who speaketh the wordes but rather what is sayd And as coÌcernyng myne youth let them remember what Paule monisheth i. Timot. iiij willyng that Timotheus should instruct the coÌgregration and that no maÌ should despise his youth for as the spirite of God is bound to no place cueÌ so is he not addict to any age or person but inspireth when hee will and where he will makyng the young to see visioÌs and espye the truth and the elders to dreame dreames and to wander in phantasies Actes 2. Ioel. 2. And as touchyng my learnyng I must nedes acknowledge as the truth is very small neuerthelesse that litle as I am bound haue I determined by Gods grace to bestow to the edifying of Christes congregation which I pray god to encrease in the knowledge of his word I would not that any man should admit my wordes or learnyng except they will stande with the Scripture and be approued therby Lay them to the touchstone and trye them with Gods word If they be found false and counterfaite then damne them and I shall also reuoke them with all myne hart But if the Scripture allow them that you can not deny but it so is then resist not y e doctrine of God but knowledge your ignoraunce and seduction and returne gladly into the right way For if you caÌ not improue it by Gods word and yet of an hate and malicious mynde that you beare to the truth labour to resist it condemne it that it should not spread I ensure you your sinne is irremissible and euen agaynst the holy ghost and the bloud of them that perish for fault of instruction shal be required on your handes Peraduenture some of you will say your fathers old progenitours ⪠with many holy men and Doctours haue so beleued that therfore you will abyde by the old I aunswere The wayes iudgementes of God are meruelous who knoweth whether God haue suffred his elect to erre and be seduced for a season to the entent that the vnfaithfull which would not beleue the truth but had pleasure in iniquity might stoÌble at their errour into their vtter confusion and ruine Although a man be neuer so faythfull and holy yet is there much imperfectioÌ in him as long as he is included in this mortall body how be it it is not imputed vnto him but through y e fayth in Christes bloud who lye pacified and forgeuen And therfore it is not sure that we folow their exteour workes or other imaginatioÌs but let vs euer coÌferre them vnto the pure word of God and as the Scripture testifieth so let vs receaue them My Lord of Rochester doth testifie him selfe writyng vpon the xviij Article that there are many pointes both of the Gospels and other Scriptures which are now discussed more diligeÌtly and more clearely vnderstand then they haue bene in tymes past And addeth furthermore that there are diuerse places in Scripture yet some deale darke which he doubteth not but that they shal be more open and light vnto our posteritie for why shal we dispaire of that saith he sith that the Scripture is for that entent left with vs that it may be vnderstaÌd of vs exactly and to the vttermost point Of this may you euidently perceaue that the old fathers and holy Doctours haue not sene all the truth But somewhat is also left through the high prouision of God to be discussed of their successours And therfore is it not mete that we straight wayes cleaue vnto their wordes with out any further ensearchyng the scriptures but we must examine all thyngs by the
Scriptures although S. Paule or Peter should preach it vnto vs as we see experience Actes xvij that wheÌ Paule preached the audience dayly searched the Scriptures whether it were as he sayd But you haue bene of long continuance secluded from the scriptures whiche is cause of such grosse errours as ye are now fallen in so that ye could neither search them nor yet once looke on them Alas what blindnes doth occupy our eyes Are ye so childish to beleue that the same worde whiche hath made the vnfaythfull and heretickes faythfull and Christen in tymes past is nowe so farre altered that it should cause the faythfull and Christen to become heretickes I praye God open your eyes Howbeit wee may nowe well tast at our fingers endes that we haue long bene in that miserable case that Paule prophesied vppon vs. ij Thes ij that God hath sent vs strong delusions because we would not receaue y e knowledge of the truth what greater delusion can we haue then to thinke that the very woorde of God whiche was written for our comforte which is the very fode and sustenaunce of our soules whiche is the sure metyarde and perfect touchstone that iudgeth and examineth all thynges to thinke I saye that this wholesome worde should be our poyson and condemnation And all be it our forefathers haue lyued without it and receaued all for truth that our Prelates belyes haue imagined yet is not theyr fault ours a like although I can not excuse their ignoraunce but that it is sinne before the face of God for they had not the light of Gods word opened vnto theÌ Nowe sith we haue the light declared vnto vs and yet will procede in blynd ignorauncie and not conferre and examine these iugglyng mistes with the light of Gods word our ignoraunce is wilfull and without excuse Suffer therefore all thynges what soeuer they be to be tryed and examined by the Scripture If they be true then shall the Scripture doe them no hurt but stablish and streÌgthen them for the Scripture discloseth nothyng but falsehead and coÌdemneth nothyng but that is damnable And now to descend vnto our matter and disputation whiche is of Purgatory I shall shew you what occasioÌ I had to take it in hand I wrote a letter vnto a certaine frende in England desiryng hym instantly to send me certaine bookes which I though necessary for my vse and were not to be gotten in these parties as the Chronicles Syr Thomas Mores booke agaynst the Supplication of Beggers and certein other These bookes I receaued vpon S. Thomas day before Christmasse the yeare of our Sauiour a. M. ccccc xxx with a letter written in this forme Sir I haue sent you such bokes as you wrote for and one moe of Rastels makyng wherin he goeth about to proue Purgatory by naturall Philosophie whiche thyng quoth he I thinke be more easie to do theÌ to proue it by any good Scripture c. This stuffe receaued I was meruelously desirous and tickled to see what reasons he brought for his probations And in the begynnyng and Prologe of the booke he set seuen reasons which he sayd that fonde felowes alledged for theÌ to proue that there could be no Purgatory And in deede they are very fonde that would deny Purgatory if there were no better Argumentes to confute it then hee assigneth But by Gods grace I will propounde vij times seuen which shal haue such pith that their paineful purgatory shall not bee able to abyde the worst of them for these seueÌ that Rastell assigneth are not worth one Beane When I had read and well pondered these reasons I thought that hee should sharpely haue confuted theÌ as he might full well haue done specially sith they were but of his owne imagination Neuerthesse when I came vnto his solutions I founde not one but it had certaine poyntes repugnauÌt vnto the Scripture vnto which our reason must euer be obedieÌt yea and also they were extremely iniurious vnto Christ and his precious bloud Then left I him read Syr Thomas Mores booke to see what Scripture might bee brought for that purpose and after that made I diligeÌt enquire to come by my Lord of Rochesters booke which also writeth on the same matter and when I had well examined their reasons and had sene the order and processe of the Scriptures whiche they alledged I founde that clearely verified whiche Aulus Gellius sayeth that it were a great deale better for a man to bee sharpely rebuked yea and openly to haue his faultes published of his enemy then to bee coldly and slenderly praysed of his frende For a mans enemy ensearcheth narrowly and gathereth together all that he can imagine and so accuseth a man more of a fumous heate then of any veritie and therfore the audience if they be wise consider his woordes therafter and so geue very small credence or els none vnto them But if a mans frende before audience doe prayse hym slenderly and coldly it is an argument that the person is very faultie for a frende beholdeth all qualities and circumstaunces his byrth bringyng vp what feates hee hath done all hys lyfe long yea and applieth many thynges vnto his frendes prayse whiche serue but sinally for it for he will leane nothing behynd that may be imagined to employ his frendes fame and honour Now if in all these pointes he can not colour out a glorious apparant laud but is compelled for lacke of matter to prayse his freÌd slenderly then if the audieÌce be wise they may soone coÌiecture that he is no prayse worthy also may well doubt whether that small prayse which he gaue him be true or not EueÌ so when I had read these bookes of Syr Thomas More and my Lord of Rochester and saw the small probations slender reasons that those two witty and learned men had brought to confirme Purgatory considering also that they are the chiefest frendes proctours and patrones therof and that they had applied many reasons and Scriptures for their purpose for lacke of matter that rather made against them yea and not that onely but also that they dissented betwene them selues in their probations for M. More sayth that there is no water in Purgatory And my Lord of Rochester sayth that there is water Master More sayth that the ministers of the punishmeÌt are deuils And my Lord of Rochester sayth that the ministers of the punishment are aungels Master More sayth that both the grace and charitie of them that lye in the paynes of Purgatory are increased My Lord of Rochester saith that the soules in Purgatory obtain there neither more fayth nor grace nor charitie then they brought in with them These thynges coÌsidered it made mine hart yerne and fully to coÌsent that this their paynefull Purgatory was but a vayne imagination and that it hath of long time but deceaued the people and milked them from their
goodnesse doth forgeue him and that that repentaunce is the onely satisfaction that God woulde haue made and done for that sinne And then sith a maÌ by such repeÌtaunce hath made such payment and satisfaction for his sinne as God would haue to be made therefore if then that man should go to Purgatory and haue a new punishement after his death that repeÌtaunce that he had before should be but voyde Forsooth I thinke that neither Rastell euer heard any such reason neither yet that any man euer would be so fonde as to say y t this argumeÌt coÌfuted Purgatory except it were one y â were cleane purged of hys wytte before But whose reason so euer it be whether Rastels or any other mans let vs lay it vnto y â touchstone that is the Scripture to proue whether it be gold or copper vpright or counterfaite truth or vntruth And to bee short the first proposition and Maior of his reason is this that coÌtrition or repentauÌce is the very payment and satisfaction for sinne That is a starke lye to begyn withall For if we by all our contrition repentauÌce sacrifices and woorkes I adde more to helpe hym can fully pay and satisfie for our sinnes then is Christ dead in vayne and mought full well haue spared his bloud This can no man deny but he that will set at nought both Christ all the Scripture Now marke how he procéedeth And they say saith Rastell that when a man committeth a sinne and after is repeÌtaunt therfore that God of hys goodnesse doth forgeue him and that that repentaunce is the onely satisfaction that God would haue to bee made and done for that sinne That is the next part of his argument and containeth two lyes at once theined together for where he sayth that wheÌ a man committeth a sinne and after is repentaunt therefore that God of his goodnes doth for geue him you must first coÌsider that neither he nor his Turke Gingemin know any thyng of Christ Now if it were not for Christes sake all the repentauÌce that man can imagine could not moâe the goodnes of God to forgeue one sinne But by his iustice where Christes death hath no effect he must nedes condemne The second lye is this that that repentaunce is the onely satisfactioÌ that God would haue made and done for that sinne for if this be true theÌ is our fayth false For our fayth holdeth that iâ Christe had not dyed for vs we had all perished Then procéedeth he as though all that he had sayd before were true on this maner And then sayth he sith a man by such repentaunce hath made such paymeÌt and satisfactioÌ for his sinne as God would haue to be made therfore If then that man should go to Purgatory and haue a new punishement after his death that repentaunce that he had before should bee but voyde Euen iust if heauen fell we should catche larkes Now let vs sée how properly âée aunswereth vnto his owne question And you shall finde moe blasphemies agaynst Christ in his aunswere then preceded in y â argument Thinke you this man hath not takeÌ great paynes To prepare him selfe vnto his matter hee bryngeth in thrée lyes in the first chapter The first is he sayth that onely the soule suffereth and not the body maketh Comingo whoÌ he fayneth to bee a Christen man to graunt it well and wisely Forsooth this is new learnyng in déede For if this be true then Christes body suffered no harme neither when he was scourged neither wheÌ he was crowned with thorne neither wheÌ he was nayled on the crosse But I report me vnto your owne selues if ye cutte but your finger féele ye no payne and yet I thinke ye will not say that ye cutte your soule From hence forward if you sée a poore man shiueryng for cold in the stréete you may byd him walke a knaue and beare hym in hand that he féeleth no harme for as this man saith his body féeleth no harme and I promise you of honestie that his soule catcheth no cold But what néede I to make mo woordes of this matter sith you may make experieÌce your selues The second lye is this That maÌ was created of God to do him honour and serâice For if a maÌ may say the truth man was not made for the entent to be a sâruauÌt do seruice For God hath no néede of our seruice but was in as full honour and as well serâed before the world begaÌ as he now is So that his honour ioye and seruice is whole in hym selfe and is by vs neither employed nor diminished But the cause why hee made man was this that man should haue y â fruition of his ioy and honour Such was his goodnes he made vs not that hée should haue any pleasure by vs but that we should haue pleasure by hym The third lye is this that no other creature here in earth doth seruice and honour to God but onely maÌ This is also a starke lye for all creatures honour God through their creation and being for the whole glory of their creation redowneth into the honour of God and what seruice caÌ they do better theÌ so to glorisie God Neither yât letteth he them bee idle but woorketh thorough them meruelous thynges and all to his glory Fire at his commauÌdement came downe froÌ heauen and burnt Sodome and Gomorra Genesis xix was that no honour and seruice he made a stronge and burnyng wynde to drye vp and deuide the red Sea Exod. xiiij At his voyce the winde and sea were obedient and wared calme Math. viâj was this no honour seruice But a man may sée that his wytte was so purged in Purgatory that hee hath not one droppe left to espye any truth at all But yet let vs sée how he aunswereth the argument and seuerally examine euery part The first part was that contrition or repentaunce is the very payment satisfaction for sinne To this hee aunswereth that when thou takest repeÌtaunce and as kest mercy of God for thyne offeÌce No maÌ ought to be so foolish to thinke that God should bee restrayned or coÌpelled but that it is at his libertie whether he will forgeue or no. I would be loth to moue the man and aske hym what repentaunce is for surely as farre as I can gather by his wordes he wotteth nothing what it meaneth But I pray you sée how substantially he aunswereth the argument It argueth that contrition or repentaunce is the very payment and satisfaction for sinne And to that auÌswereth he neither yea nor nay for feare of trappyng all beit the wordes are cleane agaynst Scripture But he aunswereth that when thou takest repentauÌce and askest mercy of God for thy sinne no man ought to be so foolishe to thinke that God should bée constrayned or compelled to forgeue thée But for all y
be we come vnto the seueÌth reason which is in the. xiiij chap. The argumeÌt is this God is the very owner of all and thy neighbour hath no propertie but as a seruauÌt to God as but to make accompt to God Therfore when thou doest an offence to God and to thy neyghbour wheÌ God forgeueth it thou nedest no other satisfactioÌ vnto thy neighbour And to stablish his reasoÌ hée bringeth in a stmilitude which is nothing to y e purpose The similitude is this I put case thou haue a seruaunt whom thou puttest in trust to occupy for thee to make bargaynes chaunge and sell to thy vse to take bondes and agayn to make acquitaunces and releases in hys own name If this seruaunt sell part of thy ware and take an obligation for the payment of xx pounde if thou afterward knowyng of this either for loue or some other cause wilt make vnto the sayd debtour a cleare release I suppose no maÌ will deny but that this debtour is fully discharged of this xx pounde and is not bounde by any iustice to make any satisfaction either vnto thy seruaunt or to any other man For thou art the very owner therof and thy seruaunt had but the occupation as to geue the accoumptes therof This similitude can not well be applyed vnto God man For albeit it is true that all our substaunce pertaineth vnto God as it is writteÌ Agge ij Gold is myne and siluer is myne yet hath not God geuen it vs to occupy it for his profite and vse as the seruaunt doth for his master but onely that we should vse his giftes for y e profite of our neighbour and to y e vse of the coÌgregation i. Cor. xij And where as he induceth that when God forgeueth vs whiche is the principall part y t thou néedest no other satisfaction to âhy neighbour I aunswere that God forgeueth no maÌ which had offended his neighbour vnlesse that he make satisfaction vnto his neighbour if he be able but if he be not able yet is he bound to knowledge his faulte vnto his neighbour and then is hys neighbour bound vnder the payne of damnatioÌ to forgeue him so that God neuer forgeueth vntyll thy neyghbour be pacified in case the cryme extende vnto thy neighbour This soluteth âoth the reason and also improueth the similitude Now let vs declare his solution God of him selfe hath two powers One is an absolute power and an other is an ordinary power The absolute power is the authoritie that God hath ouer all thing in the world by that he may geue to euery creature what pleaseth him and also forgeue euery offence done by any creature at his pleasure without any cause And by this may he forgeue both the crime done towardes him selfe and also towards my neighbour But by his ordinary power hee doth euery thyng by order of iustice and equitie And by this can he not forgeue the offence done to him and my neyghbour without satisfaction Now would I fayne wete whether Rastel imagine y e God by his absolute power may saue y e vnfaithful daÌne the faithfull If he say nay then may I coÌclude y e Rastels diffinition is false where he saith that god by his absolute power may geue to euery creature what pleaseth him and also forgeue euery offence done by any creature at his pleasure without any cause If he say yea theÌ must I coÌclude that God hath power to do contrary to hys Scripture for the Scripture saith that he that beleueth and is Baptized shal be saued but âe that beleueth not shal be condemned Mark xvi Now if he graunt me that he hath power to do against his scripture ââth his Scripture is the truth his own word then must it néedes folow y e he hath power to doe agaynst his truth consequeÌtly he hath power to be false and so to sinne And sith ââth hee hath power agaynste hys owne word and that word is his sonne theÌ must we graunt hym power agaynst hys sonne euen to make hym a lyer where he sayth in the foresayd texte Mark xvi And sith hys sonne is God then hath God power to doe agaynst God and so can not his kingdome indure Math. xij Furthermore if I might be bold w t Rastel I wold aske him this questioÌ whether God haue not an absolute iustice as well as an absolute power If God haue also an absolute iustiee then can not his absolute power preuayle vntil his absolute iustice be fully counterpesed And so is it false that Rastell begynneth withall that God by his absolute power may forgeue euery offence at his pleasure without any cause For as I sayd his absolute iustice must néedes be satisfied fully counterpesed If Rastell dare say that God hath an absolute power and no absolute iustice then taketh he his pleasure in déede For if he make one Nocionall in God greater then an other by this word Nocionall which y e Scholemen vse I would you should vnderstand the goodnes wisedome power iustice and mercy of God c. then shall he make a dissentioÌ in God and imagine that one Nocionall subdueth an other yea and besides that sith eche one of these Nocionals is very God for the power of God is nothyng but God hym selfe and the iustice of God is nothyng but God hym selfe so forth of all the other then if his power were greater then his iustice it shuld folow y e God were greater theÌ God consequeÌtly we should haue a great God and a litle God and moe Gods then one such reuell maketh Rastel with his Turke But the Christen beleue that one power of God is no greater then an other and that hys power is not aboue hys iustice neither hys iustice aboue hys mercy c. And so may you sée that Rastels imagination of Gods absolute power is but very childish and vnsauery For he hath no power agaynst his Scripture and hym selfe Thus finish his seuen reasons with their solutions But yet that his worke should loÌg indure all tempestes and stormes he addeth a batelment and weather stone to auoyde and shote of the rayne for feare it should soke in and make his buildyng decay And ther with concludeth his booke To beleue sayth hee that there were no Purgatory to purge and punish our sinnes after we be departed should put away that drede of God from the most part of the people and geue them boldnes to commit offences and sinnes And agayne if the people should beleue that they neuer neede to make any satisfaction nor restitution to their neighbours for the wronges done vnto them they should neuer force nor care what iniuries extortions theftes robberies and murthers they did Finally if they beleued that such a light repeÌtaunce should be sufficient without any other satisfaction to be made it should be an occasion to destroy all
although they haue not yet the rest but must suffer before in Purgatory that euasion will not this text suffer for the text sayth that they rest and are in peace as Esayas also sayth in the. lvij that the righteous and euery faythfull man is righteous in the sight of God as we haue often proued before when he departeth resteth in peace as in a bed And SapieÌ iij. it is sayd that the righteous soules are in peace so is it not possible that there should be such a paynefull Purgatory Thus haue we confuted Rastell both his argumentes and also solutions for all that he writeth is false agaynst Scripture Furthermore we haue brought in to proue that there caÌ be no such Purgatory l. argumeÌtes all grounded on Scripture And if néede were a maÌ might make a thousand of which our Clergy should not be able to auoyde one Here I thinke some meÌ will wonder that I haue the Scripture so full on my side because that there are certaine meÌ as my Lord of Rochester Syr Thomas More which by Scripture go about to proue Purgatory this is sure that Scripture is not contrary vnto it selfe Therfore it is necessary that we examine the textes which they bring in for their purpose in markyng the processe both what goeth before and what coÌmeth after And then shal we easely perceaue the truth how these ij men haue bene piteously deceaued First I will aunswere vnto M. More which hath in a maner nothyng but that he tooke out of my Lord of Rochester although he handle it more suttelly And what soeuer is not aunswered in this parte shal be touched and fully conuinced in the third whiche shall be a seuerall booke agaynst my Lord of Rochester ¶ Thus endeth the first Booke The second booke which is an aunwere vnto Syr Thomas More MAister More begynneth with the sely soules of Purgatory and maketh them to wayle and lameÌt that they heare the world waxe so faynte in the fayth of Christ that any maÌ should neede now to proue Purgatory to ChristeÌ meÌ or that any maÌ could be found which would in so great a thyng so fully and fastly beleued for an vndoubted article this xv hundred yeare begyn now to staggar and stand in doubt c. Verely me thinketh it a foule faute so sore to stomble euen at the first It were a great blot for him if he should be compelled by good authoritie to cut of iiij hundred of his foresayd nuÌber Now if we can not onely proue that he must cut of that iiij hundred yeare but also bryng witnesse that it was neither at that time beleued for an article of y t fayth nor yet for an vndoubted truth theÌ I thinke ye would suppose this man somewhat out of the way And that will I proue by Gods grace S. Austen was foure hundred yere after Christ And yet in his time was it not fully and fastly beleued for an article of the fayth no nor yet fully and fastly beleued to bee true For hee him selfe writeth in his Enchiridion on this maner speakyng of Purgatory After he expounded the place of Paul 1. Cor. 3. and had taken this word fire not for Purgatory but for temptation and tribulation he added these wordes in the. 69. chapter It is not incredible that such a thyng shuld also chauÌce after this life whether it be so or not it may be questioned c. Of these woordes may we well perceaue that he counted it not for an article of y t fayth neither yet for an vndoubted truth for if it had bene an article of y e faith or an vndoubted truth then would hee not haue sayd Potest etiaÌ queri that is to say it may be questioned doubted or moued for those holy fathers vsed not to make questions doubtes in articles of the fayth among theÌ selues neither yet in such things as were vndoubted true they vsed not to dispute whether Christe dyed for our sinnes rose agayne for our iustificatioÌ but onely beleued it Beside that the occasion why hée wrote the booke entitled Enchiridion was this There was one LaureÌtius a ChristeÌ man which instantly required of S. Austen that he would write him a forme of his belefe whiche hée might continually beare in hand and whereunto he should sticke VpoÌ this wrote him S. Austen this litle booke where in he commaundeth hym not fully and fastly to beleue these are M. Mores wordes that there was a Purgatory but sayth that it may be questioned doubted or moued whether there be such a place or not Of this haue we playne euidence that it was none article of y t fayth in S. Austens tyme which was foure huÌdred yeare after Christ neither yet vndoubted truth And so may all men sée that M. More is sore deceaued and set on the sand euen at the first brunte and in the begynnyng of his viage His second reason that he hath to proue Purgatory is this The very miscreauntes Idolaters Turkes Saracenes and Paynimes haue euer for the most part thought and beleued that after the bodyes are deceased the soules of such as were neither deadly dampned wretches for euer nor on the other side so good but that their offences done in this world haue deserued more punishment then they had suffered and sustained there were purged and punished by payne after the death ere euer they were admitted vnto their wealth and rest And so must there nedes be a Purgatory I auÌswere if it were lawfull to require wisedome in a man so wise as M. More is counted here would I wish him a litle more wit for I thinke there is no wiseman that will graunt this to be a good argumeÌt y t Turkes Saracenes Paynimes Iewes beleue it to be true Ergo we must beleue that it is true for I will shewe you a like argument The Turkes Saracenes Paynimes Iewes beleue that we haue not y t right Christ but that we are all damned which beleue in Christ Is it therfore true shal we turne our fayth because they beleue that we be deceaued I thinke there is no man so foolish as to grauÌt him this But if M. More will haue his reasoÌ hold he must argue on this maner The miscreauntes and infidels before named beleue that there is a Purgatory their belefe is true therfore we must beleue that there is a Purgatory Now foloweth this argument somewhat more formally Here might I put him to the profe of his Minor which is that their belefe in beleuyng Purgatory is true which thyng he shall neuer be able to proue But I haue such confidence of the truth on my side that I will take vpon me to proue the negatiue CutÌ that their belefe is not true as coÌcernyng Purgatory For these miscreauntes which beleue Purgatory beleue that there is a Purgatory for vs that be
Christen for they beleue that we are falleÌ from all truth and vtterly daÌned But they thinke that there is a Purgatory for them selues wherin they shal be purged punished vntill they haue made full satisfactioÌ for their sinnes committed but that is false for neither Turkes Saracenes Paynimes nor Iewes whiche beleue not in Christ haue or euer shall enter into any Purgatory but they are all daÌned wretches because they beleue not in Iesu Christ Iohn 3. Now sith they be deceaued for they haue no Purgatory but are all damned as many as beleue not Alas what blindnes is that to argue that we must folow them which are both blynd and out of the right way After this disputeth he by naturall reason that there must be a Purgatory his disputation continueth a leafe and an halfe out of the which Rastell tooke all his booke And so are all his apparent reasons disclosed before agaynst Rastell Then begynneth he with the Scripture on this maner IT semeth very probable and likely that the good kyng Ezechias for no other cause wept at the warning of his death geuen him by the Prophet but onely for the feare of Purgatory The story is written 4. Kinges 2. And Esay 38. Exechias was sicke vnto the death And Esay the Prophete and sonne of Amos came vnto him saying this sayth the Lord dispose thy house for thou shalt dye and not liue He turned his face vnto the wall and prayed the Lord saying I beseche thée Lord remember I pray thée how I haue walked before thée in truth and in a perfite hart haue done that thyng which is pleasaunt acceptable before thée Then Ezechias wept with great cryeng these are the wordes of the text We caÌ not perceaue by the text that he was a great sinner but rather the contrary for he sayth that hee had walked before the Lorde in truth and in a perfite hart hath done that thyng which is pleasaunt and acceptable before the Lord. And therfore it is nothyng lyke that hee should feare Purgatory neither yet hell Thou wilt peradueÌture aske me if he wept not for feare of Purgatory why did he then wepe I will also aske you a question and then will I shew you my minde Christ dyd not onely wepe but feared so sore that he sweat like droppes of bloud runnyng downe vppon the earth whiche was more then to wepe Now if I should aske you why Christ feared sweate so sore what would you auÌswere me that it was for feare of the paynes of Purgatory forsooth he that would so aunswere should be laughed to scorne of all the world as he were well worthy Wherfore was it then Verely euen for feare of death as it playnly appeareth after for he prayed vnto his Father saying my father if it be possible let this death passe fro me Math. xxvj So fearefull a thyng is death euen vnto the most purest flesh And euen the same cause will I assigne in Ezechias that he wept for feare of death and not for Purgatory Now procedeth he further promiseth to proue it by playne euident textes as it is very needefull for the text that hee alledged before is somewhat to farre wrested and yet will it not serue him Haue ye not sayth he the wordes of Scripture written in the booke of the kynges Dominus deducit ad in feros reducit Our Lord bryngeth folke down into hell and bringeth them thence agayne But they that bee in that where damned soules be they be neuer deliuered thence againe Wherfore it appeareth well that they whoÌ God deliuereth and bryngeth thence agayne be in that part of hell that is Purgatory This texte is written in the first booke of the kynges and in the second chapter and they are the wordes of Anna which sayth The Lord doth kill quickeÌ againe he ledeth downe into hell bryngeth agayne Here he thinketh to haue good hold But surely his hold will fayle hym for in this one text hee sheweth him selfe twise ignoraunt First because he knoweth not that the Hebrue word Sheol doth not signifie hell but a graue or a pitte that is digged As it is written Gene. 42. Si quid aduersitatis acciderit ei in terra ad quam pergitis deducetis canos meos cum dolore ad inferos that is if any euill chauÌce vnto my sonne Beniamin in the laÌd whether you go you shall bryng down myne hoore heares with sorow vnto my graue not vnto hell nor yet vnto Purgatory for he thought neither to go to hell nor Purgatory for his sonne but thought that he should dye for sorrow if his sonne had any mischaunce Besides that he is cleane ignorauÌt of the coÌmon maner of all Prophetes which for y e most part in all Psalmes Hymnes and other songes of prayse as this is make the first ende of the verse to expounde the last and the last to expounde the first He that obserueth this rule shall vnderstand very much in the Scripture although hee be ignoraunt in the Hebrue So doth this place full well expounde it selfe without any imagination of Purgatory Conferre the first part of y e verse vnto the last and you shall easely perceaue it The first part of the halfe verse is this The Lord doth kill and that expouÌdeth the other halfe of this verse where she sayth hee leadeth downe to hell so that in this place to kill and to leade downe to hell is all one thing And likewise in the second part of the halfe verse to quicken agayne and bryng agayne is all one thyng Now if any man be superstitious that hée dare not vnderstand this thyng as figurately spoken then may he verifie it vpon them that God raysed from naturall death as he did Lazarus Iohn xj And all beit no man can deny but that this sence is good and that the text may so be vnderstaÌd yet in my minde we shal go more nye vnto the very and pure truth if we expounde it thus The Lord doth kill and quickeÌ agayne he leadeth downe to hell and bringeth agayne that is hee bryngeth men into extreme affliction and miserie whiche is signified by death and hell and after turneth not hys face vnto them and maketh them to folow hym And to this well agréeth the. 78. Psalme that speaketh of the children of Israel which figure his elect Church and congregation Theyr yeares passed ouer in perpetuall trouble wheÌ he destroyed or killed them then they sought hym they turned and besought him busely He meaneth not here that he had first killed them by temporal death and after their death made them to séeke hym but that he had wrapped them in extreme afflictions and perpetuall troubles and that he sore scourged them wheÌ they brake his coÌmaundements yet after turned his mercyfull face vnto hym Finally if you will haue the pure vnderstaÌdyng of this place Note
nor damage in spirituall fire that is temptation and persecution Or els if any man build vpon this fouÌdation woode hay or stubble that is if a man of good entent but yet thorough ignoraunce preach and teach you to sticke vnto ceremonies meÌs traditions although they séeme neuer so glorious and to such thynges as are not grouÌded on Scripture as S. Cyprian taught and defended to rebaptise hym that was once Baptised and after fallen into heresie yea many Byshops consented vnto hym yet was it surely a great errour this is woode haye and stubble that caÌ not endure the fire of temptation lyght of Gods word Euery mans worke shal be declared for the day shall open it Albeit it prospere for a season in the darke and can not be perceiued yet wheÌ the day commeth which is the light of Gods worde it shal be espyed and iudged The day shal open it that shal be reuelated in fire and the fire shall proue euery mans worke what it is Fire signifieth temptation tribulation persecution c. whiche shall proue euery mans workes If any mans worke that hee hath builded doe abyde this fire that is if the word that a man hath preached do abyde all assaultes temptatioÌs it is a token that they are surely grounded on the Scripture of God and then shall the preacher receiue his reward If any mans worke be burnt that is if the preachers wordes will not abyde the tryall and light but vanish away then is it a token that they are not well grounded on Scripture and so shall he suffer hurt for it shal be a great crosse and vexation to the preachers hart that he hath bene so deceiued hym selfe and hath also ledde other into his errour NotwithstaÌdyng he shal be saued because of his fayth in the foundation which is Christ and his ignoraunce shal be pardoned sith he erreth not of a malicious purpose but of a good zeale But yet shall it be as it were a fire to him for it shall greue his hart to sée that he had laboured in vayne and that hee must destroy the same which he before through ignoraunce preached this is the processe pure vnderstandyng of the text There is no man but he grauÌteth that these wordes foundation laying of foundation buildyng gold siluer precious stones wood haye and stubble are figuratiuely spoken and why caÌ they not suffer that this word fire be so taken to But where they finde this word fire what soeuer the processe be there plante they Purgatory by and by without any further consideratioÌ And yet if they had any iudgement at all they might well perceaue by Paules owne wordes that he tooke not this worde fire for material fire as they grossely imagine but proceded in his Allegory and spake it figuratiuely for Paule saith He shal be saued but so as it were thorough fire Marke well his wordes he sayth not that he shal be saued through fire But as it were thorough fire signifiyng that it shal be a great grief veratioÌ vnto him So that by these wordes of Paule a very child may perceaue what he ment Furthermore if they be so stifnecked that they will not bow to y t truth but still perseuer in their owne phantasies faynyng Purgatory out of this place theÌ will I boldly say vnto them that there shall no man enter into it but onely preachers For in this place Paul onely speaketh of them and affirmeth that it is their preachyng and learnyng that shall be so proued thorough fire and that such a Preacher shall be saued but yet as it were thorough fire And therfore may the temporaltie be of good comfort for I promise them that by this texte they shall neuer haue hurt in this their painfull Purgatory DOth not our blessed Sauiour him selfe say that there is a certaine sinne which a man may so coÌmit agaynst the holy ghost that it shall neuer be remitted ⪠nor forgeuen neither in this world nor in the world to come Now when our Lorde sayth that the blasphemy agaynste the holy ghost shall not be forgeueÌ neither in this world nor in the world to come he geueth vs cleare knowledge that of other sinnes some shall bee forgeuen in this world and some in the world to come Although this argument be a very Sophisme yet is there neither one rule in Sophistry that can proue this argument nor yet one Sophister so foolish as to graunt it For if I should say vnto mine enemy that I would neither forgeue him as loÌg as I lyued nor after my death because hee had done me some haynous trespasse then would men couÌt hym worse theÌ made that would say Frith will not forgeue his enemy as long as he lyueth nor after his death Ergo some meÌ will forgeue their enemyes after their death For when I say that I will not forgeue hym neither in my life nor after my death I meane that I wil neuer forgeue him and make that addiction because hée should not of foolishnes looke for any such forgeuenesse But thus foloweth the argument well It shall not be forgeuen in thys world nor in the world to come ergo it shall neuer be forgeuen And euen so doth the holy euangelist S. Marke expounde these woordes of Christ in the thyrd chapter For Mathew saith chap. 12. He that speaketh agaynst the holy Ghost shal neuer haue it forgeuen in this world nor in the world to come Marke expoundeth it thus he that speaketh a blasphemy agaynst the holy Ghost hath no remission for euer but is giltie vnto euerlastyng damnation But of thys I haue spoken sufficiently before in soluting the Text 1 Ioh. 5. both what the sinne and also how the text is to be vnderstand Neither affirmeth the Scripture in any place that any sinne is forgeuen after thys lyfe but sayth be ready for ye know not the time when the Lorde shall come as who should say in this lyfe is remission and full mercy to be had labour therfore to attayne it for after thys lyfe is no such forgeuenes but euen as the Lord findeth thee so shall he iudge thée Hys next and last argument of scripture is this CHrist sayth as it is rehearsed in the xij of Matthew that men shall yeld a reckenyng of euery idle worde and that shall be after thys present lyfe Then wotteth euery man that by that reckoning is vnderstand a punishment therefore which shal not be in hell and much lesse in heauen and therfore can it be no where els but in Purgatory Verily I haue not heard of a patrone that so vnprofitably defendeth hys clyent nor yet of any man that geueth himselfe such proper trippes to cast himselfe except he went about to betray and vtterly destroy the part which he would séeme to fauour for thys text maketh more agaynst hym then any that he brought before séemeth to make with
him The wordes of Mathew are these I tell you that of euery idle woord that men speake shall they yéeld a reckoning in the day of iudgement but that leaueth he out full craftely Now let vs reason of thys text By the reckoning is vnderstood a punishment for the sinne as maister More sayth himself and thys reckoning shall be vppon the day of dome ergo then this punishment for sinne can not be before the day of dome but either vpon or els after the day of dome For God will not first punish them and then after reckon with them to punyshe them a new And so is purgatory quite excluded For all they that euer imagined any purgatory do put it before the iudgement for when Christ commeth to iudgement then ceaseth purgatory as they all consent neyther is there any prayer or suffrage which at that time can do any helpe at all And so hath master More by thys text geuen him selfe a proper fall Here may you sée how strong hys reasons are and what wil happen to him that taketh in hand to defend the falshode agaynst the truth of Goddes woord for hys reasons make more agaynst him then wysh him You may well know that if hys matter had ben any thing lykely he would haue coloured it of an other fashion But sith such a patrone so greatly commended for his conueyance wisedome handleth this matter so flenderly you may well mistrust hys cause Thys is the last reason grounded of Scripture wherwith he hath laboured to proue purgatory And after thys reason he reckeneth vp the doctours and sayth for his pleasure that al make for him but as touching the doctoures I will make a sufficient aunswer in the third part which is agaynst my Lorde of Rochester Thus he leaueth the Scripture which he hath full vnmanerly handled and now endeuoureth himselfe to proue his purpose by some probable reasons And first he bringeth in hys old argument that the church can not erre to the which reason I néede not to aunswer for William Tyndall hath declared aboundantly in a treatise which by Goddes grace you shall shortly haue what the church is and also that it both may erre doth erre if the pope and his adherents be the church as M. More imagineth AFter thys he confirmeth hys fantasie with phantasticall apparitions saying that there haue in euery country and in euery age apparitions bene had and well knowne testified by which men haue had sufficient reuelation and proofe of purgatorye Howe many haue by Gods most gracious fauour appeared to theyr freendes after theyr death and shewed themselues holpen and deliuered thence by pilgrimages almesdeedes prayer c. If they say that these be lyes then they be much worse then their master Luther himselfe for he consenteth in his sermons that many such apparitions bee true and they be true then must there needes be a purgatory Here playeth master More the suttle sophister and would deceiue men wyth a fallace which lyeth in thys woorde true so that when he sayeth that such apparitions be true thys sentence may be taken two maner of wayes One that it is true that such phantasticall apparitions do appeare to diuers and that I thinke no man be so folish but he will graunt him And yet in déede are they no soules but very deuils that so appeare to delude men that they should fall froÌ the the fayth of Christ and make a God of their owne workes trustyng to be saued thereby But to suppose this true that they are the soules of Purgatory which so appeare is very fonde false and agaynst all Scripture for Esay sayth shall we go from the quicke vnto the dead that is shall we enquire of the dead and beleue them in such pointes as coÌcerne our wealth Nay sayth he but vnto the law witnes that is vnto God and his word And so are we monished by Esay in the. 8. that we beleue no such phantasies we are commauÌded by the law of God that we enquire not of the dead not for the truth for God abhorreth it Deut. xviij Besides that the parable of the rich man and Lazarus doth vtterly condemne all such apparitions that they are no soules which appeare but very deuils For when the rich man desired that Lazarus might go warne his brethreÌ that they should not come into that place of payne AbrahaÌ aunswered that they had Moses and the Prophetes addyng also that if they beleued not them then would they not beleue although one should rise agayne and tell it them And so may I conclude that it were in vayne to send them any such apparitions of soules that in very déede there are no soules sent of God but that they are verely deuils whiche come to delude the people to withdraw them from Christ Furthermore all men graunt that the appearyng of Samuell was but an illusion of the deuill thou shalt finde the story i. Reg. xxviij It is not long sith such a question was moued in Oxford the thing was this there was a poore man of the couÌtrey whiche was sore troubled with such apparitions for there came a thyng to him which desired him to go certaine pilgrymages and to do certaine other ceremonies whereby it sayd that it should be deliuered from innumerable torments which it now suffered The poore man beleued that this thyng sayd truth and dyd as it commaunded Notwithstandyng it came so often vnto him that what with labour and what with feare the maÌ was almost besides him selfe and then was hee sent to Oxford to aske counsell what was best to bee done The question was moued to one Doctour Nicolas and hee affirmed by by that it was no soule but the very deuill and that he should no more folow the fendes appetite Then was it moued to D. Kyngton and he affirmed the same Finally they enquyred of D. Roper what his minde was therin he sayd that he would looke on his booke and when he had looked his pleasure he gaue this aunswere Let him alone a while quoth he and I warraunt you that this felow shall either hang him selfe or drowne hym selfe or come to some other mischief Thus determined these men whiche are a great deale to superstitious to dissent from any of the old Doctours yea or els from their owne Scholemen And yet would M. More make vs beleue that they were very soules that by such ceremonies they might be deliuered Now commeth M. More to solute those two reasons that were brought agaynst Purgatory in the Supplication of Beggers which was y t whole occasion of his booke And marke how slender his solutioÌs are The first reason is this If there were any Purgatory out of which the Pope might deliuer one soule by hys pardon then may he by the same authoritie deliuer many and if he may deliuer many then may he deliuer them all The second reason is this
c. that is I am a straunger and a pilgrime in the earth as all my fathers haue bene And therfore as a pilgrime he hasted vnto the common countrey of all saintes requiring for the filthines that he had receaued in this bodely mansion that his sinnes might be forgeuen him before he departed from thys lyfe For he that here hath not receaued forgeuenesse of hys sinnes shall not be there He shall not surely be there for he can not come vnto euerlasting life for euerlasting lyfe is the forgeuenes of sinnes And therfore he sayth forgeue me that I may be cooled before I depart Here may you euidently perceaue that S. Ambrose knew not of purgatory nor of any forgeuenesse that should be after thys lyfe But plainly affirmeth that he y t receaueth not forgeuenesse of hys sinnes here that is in thys life shall neuer come in heauen And for a more vehement affirmation he dubleth hys own wordes saying He that here hath not receyued forgeuenesse of hys sinnes he shall not be there he shall not surely be there He meaneth that he shall neuer come to Heauen which here hath not his remission SAint Hieromes minde may sone be gathered by hys exposition of the ix chapter of Ecclesiastes vpon thys text The dead haue no part in thys world nor in any worke that is done vnder the Sunne There addeth Sainte Hierome that the dead can adde nothing vnto that which they haue taken with them out of this life for they can neither do good nor sinne neyther can they encrease in vertue or vice Albeit sayth he some wyll contrarie thys exposition affirming also that we may encrease decrease after death Here are thrée things to be noted first that the Text sayth that the dead are not partakers of any work that is done vnder the sunne And there may you sée that all suffrages offringes and diriges for the dead are in vaine and profite them not for they are partakers of nothing vnder the sunne Secondarily you may sée S. Hieromes own minde that the dead can neyther do good nor euill neyther encrease in vertue nor vice And so is purgatory put out for if they can do no good what should they do in purgatory And agayne if they can not encrease in vertue they be lyke to lye long in purgatorye Peraduenture some man would thinke that they do no good but onely that they suffer good To that I aunswer that he that suffereth good doth good for if a man should suffer hys body to be burnt for the fayth of Christ would you not say that he did a good déed and yet doth he but suffer Thirdly ye may note that S. Hierome was not ignorant that certeine as they which did fayne purgatory would denye hys exposition and say that we might encrease and decrease in vertue and vyce after death yet notwithstanding he held his sentence condemning theyr opinion whych thing he would not haue done specially sith he knew that he should haue aduersaries for it except he had bene sure that his sentence was right Sée I pray you how that not onely scripture but euen theyr owne doctoures condemne this phantasticall purgatory and yet my lords are not ashamed to say that all make for them NEuerthelesse I wyll go further wyth hym Be it in case that all the Doctours dyd affirme purgatory as they do not what were my Lord the nearer hys purpose Verely not one iote for the authoritie of doctors by my lordes owne confession extendeth no further but is onely to be admitted whilest they confirme theyr wordes by Scripture or els by some probable reason For my Lorde writeth on this maner Article xxxvij The Pope hath not so allowed the whole doctrine of S. Thomas that men should beleue euery poynte he wrote were true Neither hath the church so approued eyther S. Austine or S. Hierome nor any other authors doctrine but that in some places we may dissent from them for they in many places haue openly declared themselues to be men and many times to haue erred These are my lordes owne words Now sith the doctours somtime erre and in certayne places are not to be admitted as he graunteth himselfe how should we know wheÌ to approue them and when to deny them If we should hang on the Doctoures authority then should we as well alow the vntruth as the truth sith he affirmeth both Therfore we must haue a iudge to discerne betwéene truth and falsehode And who shoulde that be the pope Nay verely for he being a man as well as the Doctours were may erre as they did and so shall we euer be vncertaine Our Iudge therefore must not be parciall flexible nor ignoraunt and so are all naturall men excluded but he must be inalterable euen searching the bottome ground of all thing Who must that be Verely the scripture and woord of God which was geuen by his Sonne confirmed and sealed by the holy Ghost and testified by miracles and bloud of all martyres This word is the iudge that must examine the matter the perfit touchstone that tryeth al thing and day that discloseth all iuggeling mistes If the doctours say any thing not dissonant from this woord then it is to be admitted and holdeÌ for truth But if any of theyr doctrine discorde from it it is to be abhorred and holden accurssed To this full well agréeth S. Austen whiche writeth vnto S. Hierome on this wise Deare brother I thinke that you wil not haue your bookes reputed lyke vnto the woorkes of the Prophetes and Apostles for I the Scripture reserued do read all other mens workes on that maner that I doe not beleue them because the author so sayth be he neuer so well learned and holy except that he can certifie me by the Scripture or cleare reason that he sayth true And euen so would I that other men should read my bookes as I read theirs These are S. AusteÌs wordes And thus haue I proued both by S. Austen and also by my Lordes owne wordes that no man is bound to beleue the Doctors except they can be proued true either by Scripture or good reason not repugnaunt to Scripture Therefore let vs sée what Scripture or good reason my Lord bryngeth to approue his doctours withall For els they can not helpe hym as we haue declared both by S. Austen my Lordes owne confession although they all made with hym as they do not First he bringeth in the sinne agaynst the holy ghost Math. 12. And Paule 1. Cor. 3. And. 1. Iohn 5. And Apoca. 5. which textes I passe ouer because I haue aunswered vnto them before in the seconde booke agaynst M. More THe first reason that my Lord hath which is not before soluted for as I sayd the reasons that are already dissolued will I now ouerhyp is this which he groundeth on diuers Scriptures Of the soules that are departed some
Now let vs consider your foresayd causes ponder whether your booke haue or may do any such good as you say pretended whether it haue conuerted those sortes of people or els be any thyng lykely to do such a fact And first let vs sée what it profiteth y t first sort which are infidels not beleuyng in Christ nor his scripture Our sauiour Christ sayth he that beleueth is not damned Iohn Baptist confirmeth the same saying he that beleueth in y e sonne hath euerlastyng lyfe but he that beleueth not in the sonne shal not sée life but the wrath of God abydeth vpon hym Here it is euideÌt not by my exposition but by the consent of all Christen men that those infidels are damned for what entent then should Rastell teach them that there is a Purgatory without Christ ther is no way but daÌnation as scripture all faythfull men testifie Then would I know by what way he wold persuade that there were a Purgatory which should be away a meane to saluation and not to damnatioÌ for theÌ which beleue not in Christ This I am sure of and I thinke Rastell be leueth it also that the infideles shall neuer come in it though there were one This you may sée that his first cause is very vayne and that if they dyd beleue it they were in déede deceyued Now let vs procéede vnto the second sort of people which beleue in Christ and his scripture and yet misconstrue it expoundyng it after theyr own willes And let vs sée what frute they take of this booke what it profiteth them we shall finde that it lesse serueth these men then the first for if this men beleue in Christ and in hys Scripture then is it not possible that they should receaue or admitte that thyng which is agaynst the Scripture both by the exposition of them selues of all the world For this is both agaynst Scripture and all faithfull meÌ that there should be any way to health if we exclude Christ and hys Scripture And sith Purgatory is counted away to health he that would go about to proue it secludyng Christ and Scripture is agaynst Scripture and all faythfull men Besides that if they be so obstinate that they will not receaue the verye Scripture but expounde it after their own willes wrest it after the same then wil they much lesse receaue your booke which is so playne agaynst scripture therfore if you would thinke that they could bee tamed by your booke which notwithstandyng so wresteth Scripture then may I very wel lyken you to hym that hath a wilde horse to tame which when he perceiueth that hee can not hold hym with a scoktishe snafle will yet labour to breake him with a rooteÌ twine threde So that I can espye no maner of profite that caÌ come of your booke if you can alledge no better causes then you yet shew but that it had bene a great deale better vnwritten And brother Rastel where you say that I auaunce boast my selfe much more then becommeth me and that I detract and slauÌder my neighbours that I prouoke all men that read my booke rather to vyce then to vertue with such other thynges as ye lay to my charge I trust I shall declare my inconuenience and geue you a sufficient aunswere ¶ An aunswere to Rastels first chapter which reproueth me for boastyng my selfe IN the first chapter of this booke Rastell laboureth to proue that I am sore ouer séene in laudyng boastyng my selfe that I lyke my selfe so well that he is sure that other men do lyke me the lesse and that he feareth that God will therfore lyke me fauour me rather the worse then the better Here he iuggeleth wyth me and would make me beleue that he tossed me mine own ball agayne but when I beholde it I perceaue it to be none of mine for he hath cut out all that shoulde make for me so that he hath geuen it cleane an other shape then euer I entended that it should haue as it appeareth by hys writing which rehearseth my words in this maner I am sure there are many that maruell that I being so yong dare attempt to dispute thys matter agaynst these thrée persons But my wordes are these I am sure that there are many that will much maruell that I being so yong and of so smal learning dare dispute this matter c. Here Rastell leaueth out the wordes and of so small learning for if he had put that in he had bewrayed himselfe For I thincke no man so mad as to say that he which sayeth himselfe to be both yong and of small learning shoulde prayse and boaste hym selfe Also immediatly after the wordes of hys first allegation I say on thys maner And as touching my lerning I must needes acknowledge as the truth is that it is very small which I thinke is but a base boasting and anone after I say I would not that any man should admit my wordes or learning except they will stand wyth the scripture and be approued therby Lay them to the touchstone and trye them with Gods word if they be found false and contrary then damne them and I also shall reuoke them with all mine hart c. Finally I exhorted them to read my booke not aduertising who speaketh the wordes but rather what is spoken by which wordes you might well see that I entended not to boast my selfe and all this haue I written and be left it out eueÌ in the first page as he calleth it wherin he reporteth that I boast my selfe Notwithstanding one thing doth sore vexe him that I should recite the Epistle of S. Paule wherby he saith I would haue men beleue that I had the spirite of God and thinke that though I be young that I sée visions and espye the truth and that myne elders haue dreamed dreames and wandered in phantasies Thys he recounteth to be a great boast and that thys one place shoulde winne him the fielde whereunto I aunswer that indéede my wordes do not proue that thing which you séeme so surely to gather of them but my wordes do argue on this maner that no man ought to condemne a thing before he read it and then to geue sentence and because you séeme ignoraunt in the matter I shall declare it vnto you and how it standeth It is a coulour of Rhetorike and is called Auantopodosis that is to saye An aunswere to an obiection that a man might haue here made on thys maner thou grauntest thy self yong and of so small learnyng doost thou then thinke that we shall once read or regard thy booke specially sith it is written against auncient meÌ both of great wit dignity To these two pointes I aunswer preuenting theyr obiection that they should not despise it because of my youth for as the spirite of God is bound to
no place euen so is he not addict to any age or person but enspyreth where he will when he will and bring in for an example that he enspyred yong Timothy prouing thereby that the youth of it selfe is not to be despised but according to the learning which it bringeth and that therfore they may not despise my youth but first read what doctrine I bring and therafter to iudge it No more in this I proue not that I am enspyred and haue the spirite of God as Timothie had but onely proue that God may enspyre youth as he did Tymothe and that therefore ye ought first to read before you condemne for you know not who is enspyred and who not vntill you haue read theyr workes or séene theyr factes Thus you may sée that my wordes define not that all youth is enspired although some may be but I exhort that no man despise prophesies but proue all and approue that is good And to make the matter more playne I shall bring you an example out of Paule to the Hebrues which exhorteth them to hospitalitie for by that some men vnwares haue receaued Angels to harbour be not therefore vnmindfull of it Here Paule exhorteth you to hospitalitie and shewing you that by those meanes some men haue receaued angels into their house he would not haue you thinke y t all the gestes that you shall receaue shall be angels but some shall be leud losels And likewise I in exhorting you to read my booke and not despising my youth because that sometime God enspireth the yong would not haue you thinke that the bookes made of yong men which ye shall receaue shall be holesome doctrine but some men be lewd and vnfruitfull neuerthelesse euen as if they receaued not those gests they should also put away angels if any came So if you despise to read such bookes as be written by young men you may also fortune to despise them which are written by the inspiration of Christes spirit and therefore ye ought to read But be it in case I had indéed praised my selfe as I haue not and that I had sayd that I had the Spirite of God what inconuenience should folow thereof would you therof argue that my doctrine were false If that were a good argument then were Christes Doctrine false then were Paule a false prophet and our fayth nothing for Christ said to the Iewes that he was the light of the worlde And againe he sayd It is my Father that glorified me whome ye call your God Now if it had bene a sufficient argument to condemne hys doctrine because the world calleth it boasting theÌ should we haue beleued no truth at all Besides that Paul séemeth not a little to boast him selfe if men looke on it with a carnall eye for he sayth that he thincketh not him selfe inferiour vnto y t hyest Apostles and sayth againe that if they glory to be the ministers of Christ though he speake vnwisely he is more copious in labours in stripes aboue measure in prison more often often at the poynt of death c. Should we for these words thinke that his doctrine were not right Nayverely that doth not improue the doctrine but that it may be good holesome for a man may boast him selfe do well so he referre y t prayse to God from whom all goodnes commeth but be it in case that I should say that God of hys mere mercy and for the loue that he oweth me in Christ and hys bloud had geuen me hys spirite that I might be to his laude prayse to whom be thankes for euer Amen would you thinke that this were so greate a boastyng that the doctrine should be impayred therby Ah blinde guides I pray God geue you the light of vnderstandyng I beseche you brother Rastell be not discoÌtent with me if I aske you one question be ye a Christen man or no I am sure you will aunswere yes then if I brought you the text of Paule which sayth he that hath not y t spirite of God is none of his I pray you how will you auoyde it notwithstaÌdyng if you wold auoyde y t text yet will I lay an other blocke in the way that you shal not be able to remoue and that is the saying of Paule 2. Corin. 13. Know ye not your selues that Christ is in you except ye be reprobate persons now how soeuer you would iudge of your selues I thinke verely that I am no such therfore whereas before I dyd not so write Now I certifie you that I am Christes coÌclude what ye wil the day shall come that you shall surely know that so it is albeit in meane season I be reputed a laughyng stoke in this world for I know in whom I trust and he can not deceaue me Then bryngeth he against me that I say we haue bene long secluded froÌ the Scripture and also that our fore fathers haue not had y t light of Gods word opened vnto them I maruell what Rastell meaneth by bryngyng this for his purpose for I thinke it no boastyng of my selfe but if ye thinke that it be vntrue I thinke he is very blynde For what Scripture hath the poore commons bene admitted vnto euen til this day It hath bene hid and locked vp in a straunge tounge and from them that haue attayned the knowledge of that toung hath it bene locked with a thousand false gloses of Antichristes makyng and innumerable lawes And where I say our forefathers haue not had the light of Gods worde opened vnto them I meane that they haue not the Scripture in their owne mother toung that they might haue conferred these iugglyng mistes with the light of Gods word as the processe of my wordes can testifie which he hath holy left out but I besech the ChristeÌ reader once to read the place for my discharge and his confusion ye shall finde it in the secoÌd leafe of my booke And now he alledgeth agaynst me that I should say this iudge Christen reader what reasons Rastell hath brought and how he hath soluted theÌ for in my minde both his reasons and solutions are so childish and vnsauery so vnlearned and baren so full of faultes and phantasies that I rather pitie the mans déepe ignoraunce and blyndnes which hath so deceiued him selfe through Philosophie and naturall reason then I feare that he by his vayne probations should allure any man to consent vnto hym I thinke Rastell layeth not this agaynst me because I boast my selfe in these wordes And verely as touchyng the truth of those woordes I will adde thus much more vnto theÌ that I neuer wyst man y t was couÌted wise whiche hath brought so slender reasons except he entended to destroy a thing which ye séeme to haue build And finally where as I exhorte all men to iudge and conferre the Scriptures which Syr Thomas
and if the righteous turn from his righteousnes and do iniquitie he shall die although thou shewe it hym not he shall die in hys sin but I wyll require his bloude at thy hand Take hede you curates vnto your charge and let no man excuse himselfe thorough ignoraunce FINIS Antithesis wherin are compared together Christes actes and the Popes gathered by Iohn Frith and annexed vnto the Reuelation of Antichrist which he translated 1529. ¶ Antithesis WE haue annexed Christen Reader vnto the end of the ReuelatioÌ a little treatise after the maner of an Epitome and shorte rehearsall of all thynges that examined more diligeÌtly in the aforesayd booke wherein their false and cloked hipocrisie is aboundantly opened by the compairing of Christes actes and theirs together for Christes rule can not bee deceauable whiche sayth that we should know theÌ by their workes for Paule saith that such false Apostles are wicked workers which be transfigured into Christes Apostles And no maruell for Sathan hym selfe is some tyme transfigured into an aungell of light therefore it is no great thyng if that his ministers do take vpon them a similitude as though they were the ministers of iustice whose ende shal be accordyng to their workes Christen men should marke such and flye away from theÌ for such serue not Christ but their owne bellyes And by sweete preachynges and flattering wordes deceaue the hartes of the innoceÌtes And euen as Iannes and Iambres withstode Moses euen so these resiste the truth men they are of corrupt myndes and lewed as concernyng the fayth but they shall preuayle no lenger for their madnesse shal be vttered vnto all meÌ as theirs was Thus the people be blynded fallyng into vnbelefe And are deceaued thorough the sleghty conueyaunce of Antichrist and his adherents Saint Iohn said that there were many Antichristes in his time no wonder if now be mo howbeit by their workes they shal be knoweÌ and also by their wordes for they shall contrary Christ both in lyfe learnyng whom they professe to folow Nowe let vs consider Popes Cardinalles Byshops Suffraganes Archdeacons Deacons Officials Persons Abbotes with Deans and Friers Sumners Pardoners and these Papal Notaries take hede to Monkes Chanons Ankers and He remites Nunnes and Sisters and marke how they folow Christ We will chiefly touch the head whiche is the Pope although it may be verified through all his members First CHrist was poore saying The Foxes haue holes and the byrdes of the ayre haue nestes but the sonne of maÌ hath not whereon to lay his head The Pope and his adherents are rich for the Pope sayth Rome is myne Sicilia is myne Corsica is myne c. And his adherentes haue also frutefull possessions this euery man knoweth 2. Christ was méeke and lowe and forsooke this worldly glory and fled alone vnto the mountaynes when the people woulde haue made him a kyng Saying my kingdome is not of this worlde The Pope is full high and proud saying I am a Lorde of both the realmes earthly and heauenly and the Emperour is my subiect This witnesseth his lawe Di. 96. ca. Si imperator 3 Christ full lowly and méekely washed his disciples féete The Pope sayth the Emperours and kynges shall knele and kysse my féete and is not ashamed to expresse it in the lawe ca. CuÌ olim de priuil ele 4. Christ came not to be serued but to serue takyng vpon him the similitude of a seruaunt humbling hymselfe and made himselfe of no reputation to serue vs. The Pope will be serued and sayth it were a shame if he shoulde so humble himselfe Dist 86. ca. Quando necessitas 5. Christ went on his féete with hys disciples both in wette and dry heat and cold to teach the people as it is euident through the Gospels The Popes and Byshops will kéepe their féete ful cleane with shoes of gold and siluer Sith with precious stones and will not preach them selues but say it is sufficient to cause other to preach cap. Inter ceteram de offic Iuor After this maner might the Turke be Pope also 6. Christ wold not suffer that doues shéepe oxen for the offeryng should be sold in the teÌple of God but draue out the buyers sellers with whipes The Pope and Byshops suffer chapmen in the Church that minister the Sacramentes for money dayly vnto the common people And they geue great pardon vnto it that they may be partakers of the wynnyng to maynteine theyr cradles and other necessaryes with all this may you sée dayly 7. Christ saith ye haue it for nothing therfore shall you geue it for nothing The Pope hath Iudas mynde for you get nothyng of hym without money for he selleth both prayer preachyng 8. Christ sate at meate among hys Disciples ful lowly and poorely Not requiryng the hyghest seate The Pope sitteth full high in a curious throne and will be serued gloriously with long knéelyng and meÌ to kerue his morssels w t iagged coates blasphemyng God with othes many other vices as we may sée dayly 9. Christ was in hilles with wepyng and praying and walked in desert féedyng many thousandes both with meate and preachyng The Pope sitteth in hys Castels towers with minstrelsie laughter And the hungry poore shall sit at the gate he will not serue them hym selfe for shame he thinketh it were 10. Christ lay and slept in a boate on the hard bordes and had to his chamberlaynes but fishers crying to hym vppon the Sea in the tempest when they were a feard to perish The Pope sléepeth full soft easely and no man may awake hym vntil he haue slept inough for his chamberlaynes shal be ready with Marshals and vshers to kéepe his hall and chamber from noyse And the portar at the gate to kéepe out the poore Their Lord they will not awake 11. Christ fasted sought the frute on the trée when he was hungry and founde none theron The Pope hath great prouision at Cities and Townes to get him of the best that may be founde well dressed and dayntely to make digestion with spicery sawces and siropes coloured out of kynde 12. Christ lay in a stable with few clothes betwixt an oxe and an Asse for the place was narrowe The Pope in rich chambers with quiltes curtaines carpettes and quishâons spread all about with swéete smelles and paynted walles 13. Christ chose to hym poore men and commaunded them to be simple as doues The Pope choseth subtile meÌ and crafty full of pride or els they are not méete for hym 14. Christ rode simply on an Asse had twelue that folowed him a foote all about The Pope on a mule or a white palfray much hygher then hys master dyd And hath many mo then twelue folowyng hym on horsebacke with swoordes and bucklers as it were to battaile 15. Christ bade hys Disciples to go into all
ye haue as it appeareth vnto you the euident wordes of Christ and therefore consiste in the barke of the letter yet are we compelled by conferring of the scriptures together within the letter to searche out the mynde of our Sauiour which spake the wordes And we say thirdly that we do it not of an obstinate mynde For he that defendeth a cause obstinately whether it be true or false is euer to be reprehended But we do it to satisfie our coÌscieÌces which are coÌpelled by other places of Scripture reasons and Doctours so to iudge of it And euen so ought you to iudge of your partie and to defende your sentence not of obstinacie but by y e reason of Scriptures which cause you so to take it And so ought nether partie to dispise other for eche séeketh the glory of God and the true vnderstaÌding of the Scripture This was the foundation of my first treatise that he hath left vnshakeÌ which is a great argumeÌt y â it is very true For els hys pregnant wit could not haue passed it so cleane ouer but would haue assayled it with some sophisticall cauillation which by hys painted poetrie he might so haue coulered that at the lest he might make y e ignoraunt some appearance of truth as he hath done agaynst the residue of my first treatise which neuerthelesse is true and shall so be proued And first that it is none article of our fayth necessary to be beleued vnder payne of damnation may thus bee further confirmed The same fayth shall saue vs whiche saued the olde fathers before Christes incarnation But they were not bounde vnder payne of damnation to beleeue this pointe therefore it shall followe that we are not bounde therto vnder the payne of damnation The firste part of myne argument is proued by S. Agustine ad DurdamuÌ And I dare boldly say almost in an C. places For I thinke there be no propositioÌ which he doth more ofteÌ inculcate theÌ this y â the same fayth saued vs which saued our fathers The second part is manifest that it néedeth no probation For how coulde they beleue y e thyng which was neuer saide nor done and without the word they could haue no fayth vppon the truth of these two parties must the conclusion nedes folow Notwithstanding they all dyd eate Christes bodye and dranke hys bloud spiritually although they âad hym not present to their téeth And by y e spirituall eating which is the fayth in his body and bloud were saued as well as we are For as soone as our forefather Adam had transgressed Gods precept and was fallen vnder condemnation our most mercyfull father of hys gracious fauour gaue hym the promise of health and comfort whereby as many as beleued it were saued from the thrauldome of their transgression the worde promise was this I shal put enmitie betwene thée and the woman betwene thy séede and her séede that séede shall treade thée on the head and thou shalt treade it on the hele In thys promise they had knowledge that Christe should become the séede or sonne of a woman and that he shoulde destroye the deuill with all his power and deliuer his faythfull from their sinnes And where he sayde that the deuyll should treade it on the hele they vnderstoode right well that the deuyll should finde the meanes by his wyles and wicked ministers to put Christ to death And they knew that God was true and would fulfill hys promise vnto them and hartely longed after this séede and so did both eate his body and drinke his bloud knowledging wyth infinite thankes that Christ should for their sinnes take y â perfect nature of maÌhode vppon him and also suffer the death This promise was geuen to Adam and saued as many as did beleue and were thaÌk full to God for hys kyndnes and after it was established vnto our father Abraham by the word of God which sayde In thy séede shall all nacions of the earth be blessed And with hym God made a couenant that he would be his God and do him good And Abraham agayne promised to kéepe his preceptes and walke in his wayes Then God gaue him the sacrament of circumcision and called that his couenaunt which thing notwithstanding was not the very couenaunt in déede although it were so called But was onely a signe token âacrament or memoryall of the couenaunt that was betwene God and hym which might expounde our matter if men had eyes to sée After that God promised him a sonne wheÌ his wife was past childe bearing and he also very olde Neuerthelesse he doubted not of Gods worde But surely beleued that he which promised it was able to performe it And that was recounted vnto hym for righteousnes This Abraham did both eate his body and drinke hys bloud through fayth beleuing verely that Christ should take our nature spring out of his séede as touching his fleshe and also that he shoulde suffer death to redéeme vs. And as Christe testifieth he hartely desired to sée the day of Christ And he sawe it and reioysed he sawe it in fayth and had the day of Christ that is to say all those thinges that shoulde chaunce hym playnely reuelated vnto him albeit he were dead many huÌdred yeares before it were actually fulfilled and reuelated vnto y e world And by that fayth was he saued and yet neuer did eate his fleshe with his téeth nor neuer beleued that bread shoulde be his bodye and wyne hys bloud And therfore sith he was also saued without that fayth and y e same fayth shall saue vs which saued hym I thinke that we shall also be saued if we eate him spiritually as he dyd although wee neuer beleue that the bread is his body Furthermore that mercifull Moses whiche brought the children of Israell out of Egypt into the wildernes obtayned of God by prayers both Manna from heaueÌ to féede his people and also water out of the stone to refreshe and comfort theÌ This Manna and water were euen the same thyng vnto them that the bread and wyne is to vs. For Saint Austen sayeth Quicunque in manna Christum intellexerunt eundem quem nos cibum spiritualem manducauerunt Quicunque autem de maÌna solam saturitatemquè sinerunt manducabant mortui sunt Sic etiam eundeÌ potuÌ petra enim erat christus That is to say as many as in that manna vnderstoode Christ did eate that same spirituall meate that we doe but as many as fought onely to fill their bellies of that manna the fathers of the vnfaythfull did eate and are dead And likewise y â same drinke for the stone was Christ Here may you gather of S. Austen that the Manna was vnto them as y e bread is to vs and likewise that the water was to them as the wyne is to vs whiche anone shall appeare more playnly S. Austen sayth further
eueÌ it that I sayd before that it was not possible to stand with the processe of the Scripture which we haue receaued And now hys mastership hath graunted it hym selfe which you may be sure he would not haue done if hee coulde otherwyse auoyde it And here you may see how sore I haue ouerséene my selfe God forbid that any man should be the more prone ready to beleue this yong man in this greate matter because he sayth in the beginning that he will bring all men to a concord a quietnes of conscience for he bringeth men to the worst kinde of quietnes that may be deuised when he telleth vs as he doth that euery man in this matter may without perell beleue which way he list Euery man may in euery matter without any counsell sone set hym self at rest if he list to take that way and to beleue as he list him selfe care not how But and if that way had bene sure S. Paule would neuer haue shewed that many were in perill of sicknes and death to For lacke of discerning reuerently the body of our Lord in that sacrament when they came to receiue hym When Christ should depart this world and go to his Father he gaue his desciples a commaundement that they should loue ech other saying by this shall all men knowe that ye are my disciples if you loue ech other as I haue loued you This rule of charitie wolde I not haue broken which notwithstanding is often in Ieopardie among faythfull folke for this sacrament of vnitie This thing considered I thought necessarie to aduertise both parties to saue this rule of charitie and proued in y e first chapter of my treatise that it was no article of the fayth necessary to be beleued vnder payne of damnatioÌ and therfore that they were to blame that would be contencious for the matter For sith it is no article of the fayth that may lawfully dissent without all Ieoperdye néede not to breake the rule of charitye but rather to receiue the other like pore brethren As by example Some thinke that the mariage betwéene our most redoubted prince Quéene Katerine is lawfull may stand with y â lawes of God some thinke that it is vnlawfull and ought to be disanulled now if we should for this matter breake the rule of charitie and euery man hate his neighbour that would not thinke as he doth then were we greatly to blame and in Ieoperdie of condemnation This I say I proued in y e first chapter against which More maketh no busines and improueth it not whereby you may soone gather that it is very true For els sith his mastership so laboureth in these other pointes he would not haue left y â vntouched you may be sure This is the concorde that I woulde bring them vnto And as touching quietnes of conscience I haue knowne manye that haue sore bene combred with it And among all A certaine master of arte which died in Oxford confessed vpon his death bed that he had wept lying in his bed an hundreth nyghtes within one yeares space because he coulde not beleue it Now if he had knowne it had bene no necessarye article what comfort quietnes should it haue bene vnto hym Furthermore euery man can not so quiet him selfe as M. More Imagineth For there are many that thinke them selues no small fooles which when they haue receiued some foolish superstition eyther by their owne Imagination or by beleuing their gossepes gospel and olde wiues tales by and by thinke the contrary to be deadly sinne and vtterly forbidden by Christes Gospell As by example I know an house of Religion wherein is a person that thinketh it deadly sinne to go ouer a strawe if it lye a crosse And if their be on the pauement any paynted picture or any Image grauen on a dead mans graue he will not tread vpon it although he should goe a forelong about What is this but vayne superstition wherewith the conscience is combred and corrupted May not this be wéeded out with the word of God shewing hym that it is none article of the fayth so to thinke then to tell hym that it is not forbidden by the scripture and that it is no sinne Now albeit his conscience be so cankerd that the rust will not be rubbed out yet with Gods grace some other whom he hath enfecte with the same may come agayne to Gods word and be cured full well which shoulde neuer haue bene able to quiet theÌselues And likewise there are some which beleue as your superstitious hartes haue informed them and these can not quiet theÌselues because they beleue y e you haue fet your doctrine out of scripture But when it is proued to them and they them selues perceiue that scripture sayth not so then can they not be content to thinke the contrary and iudge it no sinne at all And as touching S. Paule suerely ye take hym wrong for I will shew you what processe he taketh and how he is to be vnderstode but because it is not possible to finishe it in fewe words I shall deferre it vnto y e bokes ende and then I shall declare hym at large And what a facion is this to say that we may beleue if we list that there is the very body of our Lord in dede and then to tell vs for a truth that such a fayth is impossible to be true For God him selfe can neuer bring it about to make his body be there Yf a man take the bare wordes of Christ and of simplicitie be deceiued and thinke that his very body be in y e sacrament present to their téeth that eate it I dare not say that he sinneth therein but will referre the matter vnto Gods iudgement and yet without doubt I dare say he is deceaued As by example If a man deceaued by the literall sense would think that men should preach to fishes as Saint Fraunces did because Christ bad his disciples goe preach to all creatures yet would not I thinke y t he sinned therein but will referre hym vnto Gods Iudgment But yet I wene euery woman that hath any wit will say that he was deceiued I am very sure that the olde holy doctours which beleued Christes body and bloud to be there and so taught other to beleue as by there bookes playnly doth apere if they had thought eyther that it could not be there or that it was not ther in dede they would not for all the good in this world haue written as they haue done For would those holy men wene you haue taught that men be bound to beleue that the very body and bloud of Christ is there if theÌ selues thought they were not bound there to woulde they make men honoure and worship that thing as the very body bloud of Christ which them selues thought were not it this geare is to childish to
king to kéepe thys contracte But yet you were not so content but afterward you found the meanes that this good kyng was poysoned by a traytorous Monke of Swinested because he should say that hée would make a halfepeny loafe worth xx shillinges if hée liued a yeare For the whiche word your holy Monke was moued and went and confessed hym selfe to the Abbot how that he would poyson the king for thys and the one deuill as good as the other the holy traytor absolued the holy murtherer before the déede was done and for thys holy murtherer is there founded v. masses for euer This is the blessed obedience of your holy Church How would you cry how would you yaulpe if wée had handled a gentlemans dogge on this fashion but you can call vs poore men traytors and in the meane season you bring both king kingdome into seruitude and bondage What is treason if this bée no treason to bring so honourable a kinge and hys lande into such bondage and compell hym to receiue his naturall and frée kingdome of such a vyllayne and lymme of y e deuell What can bée said or thought to defend this matter you haue not all onely done wrong to the kinge but vnto the yongest childe y e lyeth in the cradell y e which by your meanes is bonde And thinke it not sufficient to say that it is not your déede for first you are the children of these fathers and you haue alwayes alowed this acte This hath béene blased blowen preached and cryed out and all your bookes full of this matter and many a true mans bloud hath béene shed for speaking agaynst thys And yet was there neuer none of you y e did euer preach against this damnable facte but with full consent with full agréement both in worde déede and in wrytyng you haue alowed this treason Therfore I take you for the auctors as well as your forefathers I would not speake how dampnable it is to institute masses for a willing traytor and murtherer there was neuer no learninge that could allow this But there is no remedy hée that dyes agaynst his king and for the maintayning of your treason must néedes bée a saynt if masses blessinges and myracles wil helpe for all these bée at your commaundement to geue where you list So that we pore men must bée accused of insurrection and treason and we must bere al the blame we must bée driuen out of y e realme we must bée burned for it and as God knoweth there is no people vnder heauen that more abhorreth and with earnester hart resisteth more diligenly doth preach agaynst disobedience then we doe Yea I dare say boldely let all your bookes bée serched that were written this 500. years all they shall not declare the auctorite of a prince and the true obedience towarde hym as one of our litle bookes shall doe that bee condemned by you for heresy and all this will not helpe vs. But as for you you may preach you may wryte you may doe you maye sweare against your Princes and also assoyle all other men of their obedience towardes their princes You may compell princes to bée sworne to you and yet are you children of obedience and good christen men And if ye dye for this doctrine then is there no remedy but you must bée saintes and rather then fayle ye shall doe myracles To proue this I will tell you of a holy saynt of yours of whom your legend and cronicles maketh mencyon hys name as ye call him is s Germayne So it chaunced y e in the tyme of king Vortiger he came into England into a place where the king lay desired for hym his company lodging The king because hée kept no coÌmoÌ Inne would not receiue hym So hée departed very angerly and went to the kinges Neteherdes house and there desired lodginge and meate and drinke for hym and his companye The Neteherde was conteÌt to lodge him but hée sayd hée had no meate for hym sauyng a yong calfe that stode suckyng of the damme by the crybbe The byshop commaunded the calfe to bée slayne and to bée drest brought afore hym and hée and his company eate it vp and after commaunded the bones of the calfe to bée gathered togither and put in the calues skinne agayne and to bée layde in the cribbe by the damme and by and by y e calfe starte vp aliue agayne The next day the byshop went to king Vortiger reprooued him merueilous straightly because hée would not lodge hym and sayde that hée was vnworthey to bée kyng and therefore deposed hym made his Neteherde kyng in hys stede Of the which Neteherde as y e cronicles maketh mension came afterward many kings This is writen by one called Petrus de netalibus the which writeth the liues of all saintes I thinke no man will binde mée to proue this thing a lye but yet it must bee preached taught in your church it must bée writteÌ in holy saints liues hée must bée a saynt that did it and why because hée deposed a king and set in a Neteherde These shamefull and abhominable thinges doe you prayse and alowe and in the meane season condemne vs for heretickes and for traytours And if we chaunce moued by the abhomynablenes of your doctrine to geue you but one euyll worde then all the world rekoneth vs vncharitable But as for my parte I take God to recorde afore whome I shall bée saued or damned that though you haue done mée shamefull wronge and intollerable violeÌce yet with your owne persons am I neuer displeased nor angry but agaynst that horrible deuyll y e dwelleth in you that is the causer auctor and mayntayner of such abhominable doctrine that is against God and his blessed worde agaynst hym I say is my quarell and agaynst hym doe I striue this is the truth let men take my wordes as they will Is it not abhominable thinke you so shamfully to depose princes so to rebuke them so to handle them to compell them to bée sworne to you and to holde their lands of you to bée your ministers to the greate dishonour of the liuyng God and blaspheming of his blessed worde and to the great dispight of all noble potentates Ye remember the facte that is declared in your lawe of the noble Emperour Friderike and that wretch Innocent the fourth the thing was this The Pope by y e reasoÌ of certayne complaintes made by the Emperours enemyes cited the Emperour to appeare at Rome and because the Emperour would not appeare he cursed hym with booke bell and candell and afterwarde deposed hym and commaunded the electours to chose an other This is the cause of your lawe briefely But your text declareth certayne artycles agaynst the Emperour which bée these The first that hée had sworne to kéepe peace with y e church of Rome which oth hée brake sayth y e
bee and as you haue wel deserued that I should bée I could so set out this matter that all meÌ should spytte at you but I will vse my selfe charitable toward you and if the matter had not béene so haynously and so violently haÌdled of you I would not haue geuen you one ill woorde But now let no man require of me that I should vnto such an abhominable detestable deuill as hath brought in this wicked and shamefull learnyng and maners put of my cappe make low curtesie and geue fayre wordes and say God geue you good morow syr deuill how fare you I am glad of your welfare and prosperity your Lordship doth rule very graciously and all men prayseth you I doubte not but God shall prosper you I say let no man require this of me for I am and will bée so taken for his mortall enemy whersoeuer I doe finde hym whether hée bée Lord or Byshop sauing peraduenture if I spye hym dwelling in a Byshoppe I wyll not haÌdle him with so rough wordes for the weaknes of certayne men as I would if I founde him in an other place It were not vncharitable if I recited here by name the innocent bloud that you haue shed in my time for the speaking against your vnlawfull doctrine Alas what fault coulde ye sinde in good mayster Bylney whoÌ ye haue cast away so violently I dare say there is not one among you that knew hym but must commende and prayse his vertuous lyuinge And though you had founde him with a litle faulte the which I thinke and hée were now aliue should be no faulte alas would you cast away so cruelly so good a man and so true a maÌ both to God and to his kyng But I will returne agayne to my purpose and shewe an other example how you haue learned and taught to set kings and kingdomes togither by y e eares for the maintenance of your dignities and doctrines Pope Vrban the vj. which was choseÌ in the yeare of our Lord 1378. by sedition violence of Romaines which would haue no Cardinall of Fraunce because they woulde the Pope shoulde bee resident in Rome This Vrban I say deuising how to mayntaine his secte and part agaynst his aduersary which was called Clement of whose side y e kyng of FrauÌce helde sent to the kyng of England Ed. the 3. the which as than was not well content with the Frenche kyng certayne Bulles contaynyng cleane remission a poena a culpa for all them that would wage battayle against the kyng of Fraunce against them that were of Clementes side And because the kyng and his Lords shoulde bée the willinger to take battayle on them hée sent a commaundement to the Byshops to rayse of the spiritualtie a taxe for to pay the souldiours wyth Moreouer because the Duke of Lancaster had a tytle to the kyngdome of Castell the which helde of Clementes side therefore y e Pope graunted that part of this money should also bée deliuered to hym if hée would wage battayle agaynst y e kyng of Castell promysing hym also that hée would styrre the kyng of Portyngale which than had also varyaunce with the sayde kyng of Castelll to warre agaynst the sayd kyng and to the mayntaynyng of his warre hée would grauÌt y t kyng of Portyngale a demy of his spiritualty thorow all his Realme How much was gathered in Portyngale our stories maketh no mension but in London and in the diocese was gathered a tuÌne of golde and in the whole realme of England was gathered xxv C. M. frankes whiche makes in Englishe money CC. lxxvij M. vij C. lxxvij ãâã And because this money was gathered of y e spiritualitie and by their diligence therefore the Pope ordayned Henry Spenser the Byshop of Norwych to bée the chiefe captayne of this warre but or euer the Pope coulde brynge this matter to passe he sent to y e king to his Lordes and to his Byshoppes xxx Bulles So that at the last thys foresayd Byshop of Norwyche was sent foorth with a greate number of men in the wages of the Church And the Duke of Lankester likewise agaynst the kyng of Castell Theyr oth was geuen them to fight agaynst no man nor countrey that helde with Pope Vrban And our chronicle saith that Pope Vrban would haue made peace betwene the FreÌch king and ours at the last How thinke you is not this a pretie practise to set men together by the eares and than to make them beleeue that he woulde make a peace Fyrst we must haue cleane remission to fight and thaÌ wée shall bée curssed as blacke as a potte if wée will make no peace And why because the Pope hath hys purpose Is not this a goodly packyng of spirituall men Is not here goodly obedience taught toward Princes Bée not mens soules well fed wyth thys doctrine Bée not these good fathers that thus watcheth nyght and daye for y t cure and charge that they haue of mens soules Marke how charitable and liberall that the holy Fathers bée in distributing of Christes merites Euery man that fighteth in his cause shall haue cleane remission a pena a culpa and must néedes bée the childe of saluation Let Christ say and doe what hée can for the holye Church hath so determined And that no man shoulde doubt of it there bée xxx Bulles graunted and that vnder leade And the Church of Rome can not erre for the spirituall lawe sayth what the sea of Rome doth approue that must néedes bée allowed and that that she reproueth must bée of no strength Likewise in an other place So must the decrées of the sea of Rome bée accepted as though they were spoken by the godly voyce of Peter hymselfe Agaynst these thinges dare I not speake for I would fayne bee taken for a Christen man but yet I muste bee so bolde to speake one worde the truth is the deuill himselfe hath blowen out these presumptuous voyces And yet meÌ must set both life soule on these wordes For there bée xxx Bulles of leade to confirme the matter And that is a weightye thynge But when kyng Iohn our naturall prince shoulde haue had of the pyed MoÌkes for the defeÌce of this realme but a small summe of money Than was there neuer a Bull to gette nor yet one Byshop in EnglaÌd to preach on his side But now CC. M. pound gathered in one Lent and a greate deale more for the maintainauÌce of y e pope his holy flesh Was not this a marueilous subiectioÌ that we should suffer our selues so lightly to bée moued to geue not onely so greate a suÌme of money but also to send forth in the defence of such a wicked person our naturall brethren kinsemen and countreymen I dare say of my conscience that in fiue huÌdred yeares there was not such a summe of money so lightly graunted were the cause neuer so great vnto our right naturall and
lege Lord. Ye I doe beléeue that if the kynges grace at this same day should desire of y e spirituality but halfe of this summe I dare say they wold neuer grauÌt him with their good will nor there shoulde not bée found one Diuine in England of the holy Popes Churche that could and would proue by good Diuinitie that the kyng might take it and the spiritualitie were bounde to geue it Alas what shall I say beléeue me I doe want wordes to y e settyng out of this matter where is natural affectioÌ where is naturall loue where is fidelitie where is truth of hart that men ought to haue and to beare toward their naturall Prince toward their natiue countrey toward their fathers and mothers toward their wiues and childreÌ yea toward their liues God of his infinite goodnesse hath geuen vs a noble Prince to the maintaynyng and defence of all these thynges and toward hym we haue litle or none affection But vnto this idole of Rome are we ready to geue both body and goodes and the more we geue the better we are content Was not this a merueilous poueryshyng to this Realme to sende out so many thousandes and to receiue nothyng agayne but deceitfull Bulles and shéepes skynnes and a litle péece of leade yea and worst of all to make men beléeue that their saluation dyd hange on it I dare say boldly that if we poore men which bée now condeÌned for heretickes and also for traytours against our kyng had not béen the Realme of England had not staÌd in so good a condition as it is for men had béene bounde still in their conscience for to obey this wretched idole Who durst haue kept y e innumerable summe of money within the realme y e yearely was sucked out by this adder if our godly learnyng had not instructed their conscience Let all the Liberaries bée sought in EnglaÌd and there shall not be one booke writteÌ in iiij C. yeares and admitted by the Church of Rome and by our spiritualtie founde that doth teach this obedience and fidelitie toward Princes and deliuereth our Realme from the bondage of this wicked Sathan the pope or els that is able to satisfie and to quiete any mans conscience within this Realme and yet I dare say hée is not in EnglaÌd that caÌ reproue our learnyng by the doctrine of our master Christ or els of his holy Apostles Yea meÌ haue studyed and deuised how they might bryng our mighty Prince and his noble Realme vnder y e féete of this deuill There could bée nothyng handled so secretly within this Realme but if it were either pleasaunt or profitable to the Pope to know then were all the Byshops in England sworne to reuelate that matter to him This may bee wel proued by their shamefull trayterous oth that they contrary to Gods law mans law and order of nature haue made to this false man the Pope The wordes of their othe written in their owne law be these I Byshop N. froÌ this houre forth shal be faithfull to S. Peter to the holy Church of Rome and to my Lord the Pope to his successours lawfully entryng into the Popedome I shall not consent in counsell nor in déede that hée shoulde lose either lyfe or lymme or that hée should bée taken in any euill trap His councell that shall bée shewed vnto me either by hym selfe or els by his letters or by his Legates I shall open to no man to hys hurt or damage I shall helpe to defend mayntaine the Papacie of the Church of Rome the rules of the holy fathers sauyng myne order agaynst all men liuyng I shall come to the Councell when soeuer I bée called onles I bée lawfully let The Popes Legate I shall honorablye entreate both goyng and commyng in his necessities I shall helpe him I shall visite yearely either by myne owne proper person or els by some sure messenger the sea of Rome onles I bée dispensed with So helpe me God and this holy Euangelist There hath béene wonderous packing vsed and hath cost many a thousand mens liues ere that the spiritualitie brought it to passe that all they should bée sworne to the Pope owe none obedience to any man but to him onely This matter hath béene wonderous craftely conueyed for at the beginnyng the Bishops were not sworne so straitely vnto the Pope as now For I doe read in the tyme of Gregory the thyrd which was in the yeare of our Lord. vij C. lix how their othe was no more but to sweare for to kéepe the fayth of holy Church and to abide in the vnity of the same and not to consent for any mans pleasure to the contrary to promise also to séeke the profites of the Church of Rome And if any Byshops did lyue agaynst the olde statutes of holy fathers with him they should haue no conuersation but rather forbidde it if they coulde or els trewly to shewe the Pope of it This othe coÌtinued a great many of yeares tyll that a mortall hatred sprang betwene the Emperour and the Pope for confirming of Byshops than as many Byshops as were confirmed of the Pope did sweare the othe that I haue first written For this othe that Gregory maketh mention of was not sufficient because that by it the Byshops were not bounde to betray their Princes nor to reuelate their counselles to the Pope The which thing y e pope must néedes know or els hee coulde not bring to passe his purpose that is to say he coulde not bée Lord ouer the worlde and cause Emperours and kynges to fetch their confirmation of him and to knéele downe and kisse his féete The which when hée had broght to passe hée procéeded farther adding more thinges in the Byshops othe to the maintayning of his worldly honour and dignitie as it shall afterward appeare But first wée wyll examine this othe how it standeth with Gods worde and with the true obedience to our prince I pray you tell me out of what Scripture or els out of what example of our mayster Christ his holy Apostles you haue takeÌ this doctrine to learne to swere to Saint Peter or els to the Church of Rome or els to the Pope What néede you to sweare to Saint Peter ye caÌ neither doe hym good by your fidelitie nor yet hurt by your falshode Othes be taken that hée that the othe is made vnto might bée sure of the true helpe and succour of hym that sweareth agaynst all men that could hurte hym Now Saint Peter hath none enymies and though hée had yet is not hée afearde of them neyther can you helpe hym nor deliuer hym if hée had néede But the verytie is that good S. Peter must here stand in the fore frunt to make men afrayde with and to make men beléeue that you are his frendes but God knoweth that you neyther fauour his person lrarnyng nor lyuyng For if S. Peters person
came to teach both Peter and Paule learned his Disciples not to vse theÌ selues as Lordes but as seruauntes And marke the occasion that hée had There bée two newe Disciples brought vnto him and the old beyng not yet perfite thought scorne that these two should sit aboue all other y e one of the right hand and the other of the left haÌd But our master Christ reproueth this proude stomacke of theirs very straitely saying How y e Princes rulers of the infidels hath power ouer their subiectes but so shal not ye For hée that will bée greatest amoÌg you shal bée least Here our master Christ learneth none hypocrisie that they shold bée called lest in name and bée greatest in very déede but hée will that this doctrine shalbée expressed in their déedes My Lord the pope calleth him selfe in woordes the seruaunt of all seruauntes but in very déede hée wil bée Lord ouer all Lords Yea and my Lordes Byshops will bée sworne to hym as vnto a Lord they wil reken them selues periured if they burne not all them that will take the Pope but for a seruaunt Is not this a marueilous hypocrisie to bée called seruaunt of all seruauntes and yet desire for to bée taken as Lord and Kyng ouer all Kynges Yea and vnto this bée our Byshops sworne because they wil bée obedient to their Princes But and their consciences were rypped you should finde no maÌ sit there as a Kyng but my losell the Pope And we poore men must bée coÌdemned for reprouyng of this And why Verely because my Lords haue sworne to hym agaynst their Prince and all his true subiectes But howe standeth it with your othe toward your Prince for to bée sworne to the Pope which is not all onely an other Lorde but also contrary yea and as the worlde now is the greatest mortall ennemy that our Prince hath For I dare say that if this wretched ClemeÌt could drowne our noble Prince with one worde it shoulde not bée longe vndone sine Clementia The common sayinge went in Hamburgh that this caytyfe hath not al onely excoÌmunicated our noble prince but also geuen away the kingdome to an other And this facte must you defende for you are sworne to y e Pope Yea I dare say if you had conuenient occasion you would declare your fidelitie I doe Iudge after your factes that you haue done to kinges in tymes past whensoeuer that you had power might to bring to passe y e which you haue conceiued agaynst your Prince If you thinke I iudge a mysse or els doe you wrong let me bée put to my proofe and you shall sée what an heape of holy factes y e I will bring you out of your own chronicles and bookes for the which you will bée lauded and praysed hyely that you haue so faythfully stucke vnto this daÌnable Idole of Rome Yea I dare say it had béene heresie within this two yeares to haue written or sayd thus much agaynst the lymme of the deuyll on our princes side This all y e worlde can testefye wherefore I thinke you will put me to no tryall But to your othe Howe doth it stand with your allegyance toward your prince to bee sworne to the Pope your owne lawe sayth that a lege man can make none othe of fydelytye to none other man but to his owne kinge Moreouer you doe remeÌber your othe made vnto your prince wherein you doe renounce all clauses wordes and sentences made vnto the Pope which may bée hurtfull or preiudiciall to his highnes How agréeth these ij othes you may set them togither as well as you caÌ but I know no waies to auoyde your periury For the very truth is that the kinges grace and his councell considering your othe made to the Pope to bée periudiciall to his regall power causeth you in your othe afterwarde made vnto him to reuoke those thinges that you haue afore sworne to y e Pope to declare that his grace his counsell did reckon your othe made to y e pope to bée against him therfore he maketh you to reuoke it by name naming the same othe also the same Pope So that you may clearely perceiue how that our prince doth suspect you for your othe making And in very déede the popes meaning yours was none other but for to betray y e king and his realme And therfore as soone as there was any variance betwéene y e king y t pope theÌ were you first of all assoyled of your allegyance dew vnto our king and that absolucion was blasen and blowen preached and taught throughout all the world all dores and postes must bée decked with papers and bulles for your discharge But for to helpe your Prince you could neuer bée discharged of your hereticall trayterous othe made vnto the Pope agaynst your Prince Here neither Peter nor Paule can helpe nor there is no key y e can open that locke O Lord God how haue we beene blynded thus trayterously to handle our naturall Prince But how this Caterpiller is come to bée a Lorde and hath brought kinges vnder hys féete I will speake God willyng after this in a peculiar treatyse It foloweth and to his successours lawfully and regularly entryng in After what lawe I reade in your owne bookes of law after which me thinketh there bée very few byshops made wherein I finde among all other good thinges that hée shoulde bée chaste of lyuyng méeke gentle to speake to mercyful wel learned in y t new olde testameÌt and y e we shoulde not forbyd maryage nor should blame the eating of fleshe and should also beléeue that all maner of synnes as well actuall as original bée clerely forgeueÌ in baptysme How many of these things the Popes holines is indewed with all and how many hée aloweth his owne bookes and déedes wil testelie Wherfore I recken that your othe doth not meane this laws nor yet y e lawe that blessed S. Paule writeth of For then I recken that by the vertue of your othe you haue not béene bound to one Pope this 400. yeares so that it must folowe that you haue other lawes then blessed S. Paule speaketh of or the councell of Charthaginence to chose your Pope by the which as farre as men can recken by common experience and practice bée these In primis Hee that shall bée able to bée Pope must bée a veÌgeable tyrauÌt neuer kéepeing peace but all wayes warryng for the defence as yée call it of S. Peters patrimonye To suffer no Prince to dwell in rest by hym but to snatch his possessions to the vnholy Church of Rome To set princes together by the eares tyll they bée both weary and then to take y e matter in his hande and neuer to make an ende tyll both partyes hath geuen some possessioÌs to his holy fatherhed to assoyle the soules that hath bene slayne through his packyng And hée
articles that were agaynst the Byshops they did great diligence in a part of them gathered they my very true sentences and myne owne wordes though in those thinges they left out vncharitably those wordes that made for my declaration and also for the probation of my saying the which I haue also here lefte out all onely adding the articles as thye laid them against mée that all men may sée y t worst that they had against mée For all men may thinke that they wil neither lay the best nor yet the truth agaynst mée But this article dyd I thus preach that men should not in their peticioÌ and prayers put to their good workes nor their good déedes and their merites As O Lord I doe faste I doe pray I am no theife I am in charitie with all the world and for them defire God to bée mercifull vnto them But they shoulde desire the father of heauen to bée mercifull vnto them alonely for Christes merites For they were y e things wherby both wée and our prayers are accepted in the sight of the father And to prooue this I brought certayne Scriptures As this whatsoeuer yée shall aske the father in my name hée shall geue it you And also the figure of y e old law where there was no sacrifice done but with y e fire that was taken from the aulter Now did I say that Christ is our aulter But thys myne aduersaries vnderstoode not But I maruayle what this article doth amonge the other hereticall articles I thinke they doe not recken it heresie HEe did not praye for the thrée estates of holy Churche neyther made hée his prayers in y e beginning of his sermon according to the olde custome but at the last ende and for the true knowledge of all Christen men making no prayer to our Lady nor for the soules in gurgatory nor for grace expedient If the Byshops had had any indifferency in them or any charitie they woulde haue béene ashamed that such articles shoulde haue béene brought afore theÌ What is this to the purpose of heresie that I did not pray for the thrée estates of holy Church And yet they graunt that I prayde for all true ChristeÌ meÌ and that men might come to the true knowledge Is not all the church contayned in this But they bée vncharitable men without all coÌsideration they bée so blinded in their worldly honour That I did not pray to our Ladye nor for the soules in purgatory what is that to heresy for then were the Apostles heretykes for they did not pray in their sermons to our Lady nor yet to y e soules in purgatorye And as for praying for grace expedient that is not the preacher bound to doe openly But mée thinketh by these articles that God gaue mée a greate grace that I durst so boldelye reproue their abhominable liuing not fearing the daunger that should come thereof but this I leue to other mens iudgement And I dare boldelye say y e if I had spoken tentymes asmuch against y e auctorite of our noble prince and agaynst all his noble dukes and Lordes had taken all power both spirituall and temporall from them and geuen it to our idle byshops then had I béene a faythfull christen man for I had defended y e liberties of holy church But god send them his grace and space for to conuert Amen The whole disputation betweene the Byshops and Doctour Barnes NOw most honorable gracious Prince here haue I shewed your grace the articles that myne aduersaries vncharitablie hath layd agaynst me In the whiche though a greate many of my wordes and sayinges were Yet neuerthelesse there was left out all those things that did make for my declaration and for probations of my wordes and also for mollifying and temperatyng of those thinges that séemed to bée somewhat hardly spokeÌ agaynst the Byshops The whiche thinges were to longe to recite vnto your noble grace But as God is my iudge and also my conscience and all my wordes and déedes and all maner of my liuyng and conuersation I did neuer intende to speake agaynst the Byshops or els any other man further then their liuing and conuersation were agaynst the blessed word of God and the holy doctrine of Christes Churche For the truth is there was no great clerke in the Church of God this CCCC yeares that wrote any thyng but hée complained vehemently agaynst the liuing of the spiritualtie Let their bookes bée brought foorth to proue whether my saying be truth or not Alas is it not a pituous case yea and also agaynst all law and conscience that I poore man shalbée thus violently cast away for speaking agaynst these vices that béene damned by almightie God and by all hys holy creatures yea and the Byshops them selues and all the worlde must graunt that they doe liue as euill yea and rather worse then I did speake Oh Lord God where is loue to vertue where is the shamefastnes that Christen men ought to haue where is Iustice That I shalbée thus shamefully cast awaye for speakyng of that thynge that euery Christen man is bounde to speake They doe so lyue and I beyng a preacher of the verity must bée condemned for speakyng agaynst it But most gracious and mightie Prince God hath set your grace in the same honour and dignitie that you by Gods ordinaunce ought to defende those men that are oppressed wrongfully Wherefore humbly and méekely and with all lowlynes reuerence I beséech your grace to minister vnto me gracious iustice let me bée heard indifferently whether that I can iustifie my cause with learnyng or not If I can not iustifie it your grace is a minister of iustice I will refuse no maner of payne that shal bée due for my traÌsgressioÌ Wherfore ones agayne with all méekenes and lowlynes in the way of charitie and in Christes name and for his swéete bloud sake that hée hath shed for your grace yea and also by y e vertue of your auctoritie that the heaueÌly God hath deliuered you I doe require and desire of your grace audience and iustice I and all my pareÌtes bée your naturall subiectes borne and a great many of vs hath dyed in your graces quarell and yet is there none of vs but are ready to doe your grace that seruice with our bodyes bloud that shall become trewe subiectes to doe to their noble prince Wherfore thyrdely in my name and in all our names for al they are rebuked in me with all méekenes reuerence I béeseche your grace of gracious audience and of fauorable iustice This thing I trust your grace will not denye me Nor yet take any displeasure with me your poore subiect for thus requiring For I haue none other prince nor Lorde to séeke vnto here on earth but vnto your grace onelye Nor can I come to any charitable ende with myne aduersaries Wherefore I am compelled by extreme violence thus to complayne
damnation to rewarde Briefly her meditations and her thoughtes are heauenly and all that shée doth is spirituall For shée can not erre shée cleaueth so fast to the worde of God that is the veritie And for this cause S. Paule calleth her the piller and grounde of truth not that shée is so sure of and in her owne strength but that shée sticketh so fast to the lyuyng God and to hys blessed worde that is the very true Church that is scattered thorow all the worlde and is neyther bounde to person by the reason of dignitie nor yet to any place by the reason of fayned holynes but shée is a frée thynge thorow all the worlde as S. Augustine doth witnesse in these wordes The holy Church are wée but I doe not say as one should say wée that bée here alonely that heare mée now but as many as be here faythfull Christened meÌ in this Church that is to say in thys Citye as many as bée in thys region as many as bée beyonde the sea as many as bée in all the worlde for from the rysing of the sunne till the goyng down is the name of God praysed so is the holy Church our mother c. Here haue you playnely that the holy Church is the congregation of faythfull men wheresoeuer they bée in the worlde And neyther the Pope nor yet hys Cardinalles bée more this Church or of thys Church then the poorest man in earth For this church standeth alonely in the spirituall faith of Christ Iesus and not in dignities nor honours of the worlde as Liranus doth declare in these wordes The Church doth not stand in men by reason of spirituall power or secular dignities For many Princes and many Popes and other inferiour persons haue swerned froÌ the fayth Wherfore that Church doth stand in those persons in whome is the true knowledge and confession of fayth and of veritie c. O my Lordes what will you say to Lyra I haue great maruayle that you burne hym not It is hye tyme to condemne hym for an heretike for hée speaketh agaynst your lawe xxiiij q. 1. Quodcunque Where as your glose declareth that God suffereth not the church of Rome for to erre And Lyra sayth playnely that many popes haue erred and also that the Church standeth not in dignitie but in confession of Christ and of hys blessed veritie But now here wyll bée obiected that I fayne such a Church as our Logitions doe intentionem secundam that is a thyng y t is no where Where shall a man finde a Church that is so pure and so cleane that hath neyther spot nor wrinckle in her and that is wythout all sinne séeyng that all men must of trueth saye forgéeue vs our trespasse And if any man say bée hée neuer so righteous that hée hath no sinne theÌ is hee a lyer and there is no veritie in hym To thys I aunswere that thys holy Church hath sin in her yet is shée pure and cleane Marke S. Paules wordes Christe hath geuen hymselfe for her that hée might make her glorious So that the cleannes of this holy church is the mercy of God toward her thorow Christ for whose sake he layeth nothing to her charge yea and if any other person woulde hée is ready to géeue her his cleanes and to let her by fayth clayme of right hys purenes for her owne For betwéene them all is common as betwéene man and wyfe So that if the Church looke on her owne merites and of her owne workes shée is full of sinne and must néedes say demitte mihi debita The which shée néeded not to say if shée had none But if shée referre her selfe vnto the merites of her blessed husbande Christ Iesus and to the cleanes that shée hath in hys bloud theÌ is shée without spotte For by the reason that shée sticketh by fayth so fast vnto her husband Christ and doth abyde in confession of her sinne requireth mercy for them therfore is there nothing layde to her charge but all thyng is forgéeuen her And therefore sayth S. Paule there is no damnation vnto them that bée in Christ Iesu And that this may bée the playner I wyll bryng you S. Augustines wordes the which was vexed of the Donatistes wyth thys same reason that is layd agaynst mée hys wordes bée these The whole Church sayth forgéeue vs our sinnes wherefore shée hath spottes and wrinckles but by knowledging of them her wrinckles bée extended and stretched out by knowledging her spottes are washed away The church abydeth in prayer that shée myght bée cleÌsed by knowledging of her sinnes As loÌg as we liue hereso standeth it and when wée shall departe out of thys bodye all such thynges bée forgéeuen to euery maÌ wherfore by thys meane y â church of God is in the treasures of God wythout spotte and wrinckles and therefore here doe wée not lyue wythout sinne but wee shall passe from hence wythout sinne c. Here haue you clearely that the church of God is clensed and purified by Christ for knowledgyng of her sinnes and not by her owne purenes Wherefore such a church there must néedes bée though that y e carnall eye can not sée her nor fleshly reason can iudge of her Wherefore wée beléeue thys article by fayth that holy church is a communion or felow shyp of holy men and know it not by séeyng or féelyng as wée doe the felowshyp of Drapers or mercers for then were it none article of the faith And it is playne that all your exterior signes wyth all your holy ornamentes as your holy myters your holy crossestaues your holy pyllers polaxis your holy red gloues your holy ouches and your holy rynges your holy annoynted fingers your holy vestmentes your holy challices and your holy golden showes yea take also to helpe you S. Thomas of Canterburyes holy showe wyth all the holy bootes of holy Monkes and all these togither can not make one crumme of holynes in you nor helpe you one pricke forward that you may bée wythin thys church For if these thynges coulde helpe then were it no mastery to make an Asse to bée of the church of God But our holy mother the Church hath an other holynes that commeth from God the father thorough the swéete bloud of his blessed sonne Iesus Christ in whom is all her confidence and trust Vnto whom she sticketh onely by sted fast fayth by whose purenes shee is also pure in that that she doth confesse her vnclennes for shee beléeueth stedfastly that she hath an aduocate for her sinne to y e father of heauen which is Christ Iesus and hée is the satisfaction for her sinnes hée of his mercy not of her merites hath chosen her for to bée his and because she is his therfore must she bée cleane so long as she abideth in him This is well declared in S. Iohn where our master Christe is
caÌ I say to it I must bée content I can doe no more but say my learnyng and let God alone wyth hys punishment Also blessed S. Augustine writing of thys same matter sayth these wordes Certayne men doe affirme those men to bée aduoulterers that doth marry after they haue vowed âhastitie but I doe affirme that those men doe greuously sinne the which doth separate them c. Note first that S. Angustine wryteth of them that had vowed chastitie And yet notwithstanding hée woulde that those men shoulde continue in their maryage togither The which thyng hée would neuer haue suffered if it had béene vnlawfull and heresâe as men woulde make it now a dayes Secondarily obserue that there were in his dayes as âée now many in ours that thought it a greuous sinne for a man to marry after hys vowe And yet this opinion S. Augustine doth condemne Now let men admit this doctrine of S. Augustine and I wil require no more And if they will condemne me then let them also condemne S. Augustine for I haue learned it of hym Also blessed S. Ambrose writeth of virginitie in this maner Chastitie of body ought to bée desired of vs. The which thyng I doe geue for a couÌsell and doe not commauÌde it imperiously For virginitie is a thyng alonely that ought to bée counsayled but not to bée commaunded it is rather a thyng of voluntary will then of a precept c. Note how S. Ambrose teacheth how that virginitie ought not to bée required as vnder a precept Wherfore it must néedes folow that the Popes doctrine is vnlawfull wheÌ hée commaundeth that no man shall bée a Priest except hée vow chastitie For âere the Pope compelleth men vnder a colour for to vow chastitie As for an example It chaunceth me to méete by the way a théef the which sayth vnto me Thou shalt not goe ouer y â bridge except thou wilt deliuer me thy purse Now is it of trueth that I may choose whether I will goe ouer the bridge or not but yet this man doth violence for coÌpellyng mee either to goe backe agayne or els to lose my purse if that I will goe ouer And I doubt not but the kynges lawe will both condemne hym for doyng violence and also take him for a théefe So likewise the pope doth wrong when hée sayth I shall not bée a priest except that I first vow chastitie I say that this condition is vnlawfull and it is wrongfully done to bynde me to any thyng vnder any condition that God hath left frée to me Moreouer our M. Christ did not require that condition of hys priests Wherfore it must néedes folow that it is not a thyng that of necessitie belongeth to Priesthode Also S. Hierome approoueth this doctrine of mine saying Let bishops and priestes read this thyng hée speaketh agaynst mispendyng of goodes that is offered to helpe poore men with the which doth teach their children prophane letters and maketh them to read commedies and to sing baudy songes of iesters and these children they finde of the charges of the church c. Obserue this y â S. Hierom speaketh here of Byshops and priests children the whiche they could not haue if they were vnmaryed For it is not to bée supposed that S. Hieâome speaketh of bastardes or of whores children for then hée would haue vsed other wordes So that good reader it is cleare after the doctrine of holy Doctours that it is lawful for Priestes to haue wiues and specially if they can not lyue sole But now will we goe farther and sée what holy councels hath ordeined in this cause The trueth is that y â deuill hath of long tyme harped on this stryng to sorbyd Priestes Matrimony Not for any deuotion that hée had to virginitie for hée knew well men could not kéepe it farther then theyr gifts were but alonely that hée might lay a snare for mens soules and also bryng the holy institution and ordinaunce of God into a contempt and a despising But God hath alwayes of hys infinite mercy styrred vp some good man to resiste hym We doe read in authenticall storyes that in the couÌcell of Nicene certeine men went about to haue priâated Priestes from their wyues But almighty God dyd lât them The woordes of the storyes bée these The Councell of Nicene willyng to reforme the lyfe of men dyd set certayne lawes the which we call Canones among the whiche certayne men would haue had a lawe to hée brought in that Byshops priests Deacons and Subdeacons should not lye with their wyues which they had maryed before theyr consecratioÌ But Paphnutius a confessour dyd withstand them and sayd that theyr mariage was honorable and it was pure chastitie for theÌ to lye with theyr wyues So that the CouÌcell was persuaded not to make any such law affirmyng it for to bée a greuous occasion both vnto them also vnto their wyues of fornication And this thyng dyd Paphnutius though that hée hym selfe was vnmaryed The Councell dyd alowe this sentence So that nothyng was decréed as coÌcernyng this thyng but euery man was left vnto hys freewill and not bounde of any necessitie c. Here is to bée noted that this holy CouÌcell dyd not recken it an vnpure ⪠or a filthye thyng for a Byshop or a Priest to coÌpany with his wyfe But they doe grauÌt that it is a pure and a cleane chastitie for a Priest to company with his wife The which is clearely agaynst y â Pope For hée sayth that it is fleshly and carnall and that their handes bée defiled and they made vnworthy thereby to handle the blessed Sacramentes But here will bee sayd that these meÌ had wyues before theyr consecration the whiche thyng they will also graunt that a maryed man may bée chosen a Byshop also kéepe his wife afterward But hée may not marry after hys coÌsecration that had no wyfe before To this I aunswere that it is no lawfull solution thus to say For if it bée lawfull for a maÌ to kéepe his wyfe after his Priesthode why shall it not bée as lawfull for hym to take a wyfe after hys coÌsecration What thyng is there in hys matrimony that is made after hys consecration that was not in his matrimony before hys consecration Or for what cause dyd hée take a wyfe before hys consecration If hée dyd it to auoyde fornication then is hée now much more bound to take a wyfe then before for it becommeth hym a great deale worse to lyue in fornication after hys consecratioÌ then hée dyd before But these meÌ that maketh this lighte solution doe not haÌdle this matter truely before God For it is not their meanyng that maryed men should either bée Byshops or Priestes For let them shew me in all their chronicles that euer any maryed man was chosen to bée a byshop ⪠since they had made lawes that Priestes should haue no wyues and then
you persecute it by tyranny to the increase of your damnation Our Lord bée mercyful vnto you But now that you may bee knowen what you bée when you deceiue the people with these woordes fathers fathers holy Doctours holy doctours I shall recite certeine of your fathers and doctours sayinges that you may be knoweÌ not alonely open lyers and blasphemers of God and his blessed eternal word but also of his holy saintes fathers vnto whom hée hath reuelated by the Scriptures his veritie First S. Augustine sayth these wordes Let vs haue no deuotion in honoring of dead men for if they lyued well they may not be couÌted for such men as to desire such honours but they will that God shall be honored of vs by whose lightening they reioice that we are made coÌpanioÌs of their glory Wherefore Saintes must be honored by folowing them but not by honoring theÌ of deuotyon c. Bée not these plain wordes S. Augustine was a father and a doctour And hée sayth y t saints will not bée honoured of vs but that God shall bée onely honoured Secondarily we may folowe their good lyuing and so honour them but in no wise to pray to them or honour them of deuotion It foloweth in S. Augustine wherfore we doe honour them by loue or charitie but not by seruice nor we build no temples vnto them For they wil not so be honored of vs for they know well that we if we bée good bée the temples of God Wherfore it is well written That man was forbidden of the angell to worship hym but all onely to worship one God vnder whom the angell was also a seruanut c. Can you desire any playner wordes then these we caÌ no more doe but loue sayntes of charitie but in no wise to serue them we may also build no temples to the honour of them Marke also how hée bringeth scripture for hym how the Angell of God would not bée honored of man How caÌ you auoyde this saying of S Augustine his example of scripture Also Chrisostomes saying on this text woman thy fayth is great Doost thou see this woman which was vnworthy but by her perseueraunce was made worthy wilt thou learne also that we praying vnto God in our owne persons doe more profyt then when other men doe praye for vs. This woman did crie and the disciples came and praied him that he would speed her for shee cryeth on vs. But to them he aunswered I am not seÌt but vnto the sheepe whiche are perished of the house of Israell But when shee came her self and did perseuer crying and saying Yes lord for the whelpes doe eate the cruÌmes that fall from their masters tables then did he geue her the benefyt said bee it vnto the as thou wilt Doost thou not se how he did repelle her wheÌ other men prayed for her but when shee came her selfe and cried hee did graunt her Vnto them hee said I am not sent but vnto the lost sheepe But vnto the womaÌ he sayth bee it vnto thee as thou wilt c. Heare you not playnly how we do sooner obtayne our petityon of God our owne selfe theÌ by any other midlers Marke also how y t Apostles did pray for this woman and they repelled and shée was heard Also the same Doctour wrighteth these wordes We haue no need of PatroÌs afore God nor nede of much processe to speak fayre vnto other men but though they be alone and wantest a patroÌ but prayest God by thy selfe yet for all that shalt thou haue thy desire God doth not so lightly grauÌt when other men pray for vs as wheÌ we pray our selfe yea though we bee full of sinnes c. Bee not these wordes playne that we haue no neede of patrons but God heareth vs soner when we pray in our owne persons then when other meÌ pray for vs. Wherefore they that make other mediators then onely Christ doth mistrust Christ and beleueth that he is not omnipoteÌt God nor mercifull Lord and therefore flye they vnto this Saint and vnto that Saint trusting to fynde more mercy at their handes then they could fynde at Christes But a trew Christen man leaueth his fantesye and remembreth these wordes of holy scripture Heare thou maÌ I am thy God and therfore he setteth all his trust and his confidence all his belief all his hope all his harton him onely And if he wil haue any thing necessary to body or soule of him hee asketh it all onely as the prophet Dauid learneth vs saying I will pray vnto the Lord and in the morning thou shalt here my voyce what is this in the morning but shortly quickly Thou art so mercyfull that thou wilt not prolong the tyme but shortly here me And therefore when I am in any distres of body or soule to thee I call for deliuerace and trust to obtayne it of thee onelye For thou Lord rhou hast set me in thy hope onely Thus doth euery good man pray trust in God for hée taketh him not alonely for his God but also for his merciful God yea and for his father which will deny him nothing But coÌtrarywise doe the infidels and the fained Christen men for they mistruste hym and recken him to bée a tyraunt and a terrible and a fearefull Iudge which looketh for much intercession and that regardeth persons and therfore runne they hither and thither to séeke an other mediatour to séeke an other helper to séeke an other deliuerer then Christ for with him bée they not satisfied yea they reckeÌ him to bée so proude and so stately and so cruell and so hygh that they dare not speake first to him nor desire him for they clearely mistrust him that is the âuÌme therof And for that cause seeke they to this Saint and to that Saint and desire of one riches of an other health of one they will holpen to heauen of an other they will bée deliuered froÌ hel Of one they wil haue freÌdshyp of this worlde of an other long lyfe of one they will bée saued from sicknes of an other they wil bée made whole all this is bycause they mistrust Christ reckeÌ y t hée is either not able or that hée wil not obtaine these thinges for them This is the very grounde of their hartes let them lye with their mouthes what they will of this are they compelled to flye froÌ Christ Is not this making of many Godes S. Paule saith that in couetousnes is Idolatrie bycause that maÌs hart is of his goodes how much more is here Idolatrie whereas maÌs faith hope and trust is set so much on creatures Trueth it is that Saintes bée holy and worthy to bée béeloued in in Christ and for Christ but yet bée they but creatures and no Godes I loue them as wel as you doe prayse and magnifie them but wherfore bycause they haue Christ in them which
the maner of celebrating the Masse How doth the vj. Sinode prooue this Of this is our contention Where hence was the vj. Synode certified that Iames and Basill deliuered the Masse Their writinges and woorkes remaine amongest vs in the whiche there is not founde one sillable to bée read as concerning the Masse Moreouer the vj. Synode was in Gréece who vnto this day doe varye froÌ our manner of celebrating Wherefore it muste néedes bée that either wée or they doe erre from the ordinaunce of S. Iames. But what saye you to this The vj. Sinode was celebrated after the yeare of Christ 674. Before this tyme of whom tooke you the manner of celebratyng not of the tradition of Ieames for y t was as yet vnknowen to the world now first of all was it by y e Synode opened to y e world But that this matter may bée the better knowen vnto all the world I will set agaynst you the auctoritie of S. Gregory who sayth that the Apostles had no peculiar maner in celebratyng the Masse but that they onely sayd the Lordes prayer Whose wordes bée these The maner of y e Apostles was that onely at the saying of the Lordes prayer they consecrated ⪠the Sacrament Thus sayth Gregory where is now the tradition of Ieames S. Gregory knew it not Surely if you were Christians you would bée ashamed at the lest wise if you reuerence not God so to persecute teare and slay your brethren for your wicked Masse of which you boast that Christ and all his Apostles were the auctors when as you can bryng foorth not one good man for a testimony therof For I speake of your Masse as it is peâred and not of thée woordes of Christ But that I may briefly finishe this matter Because the masse is so deare vnto you and that for good cause sithens by it you fill your bellyes you kéepe horses and dogges you consecrate harlots to Venus and many other such kynde of good woorkes and yet bée vncertaine of the auctor I wil describe vnto you the authors of your patched Masse and that out of your owne writers lest that you should obiect vnto mée that I am a Lutheran First of all Pope Gregory surnamed the Great held a generall Councell at Rome about y e yeare of Christ 594. in the whiche hée ordeined the Entrance or Introite of the Masse to bée begon with some Psalme Hée added moreouer that Kyrieleison should bée song ix tymes Hée also added in the Cannon of the Masse Diesque nostros in tua pace disponas vnto these woordes Per Christum Dominium nostrum Hée likewise added Pater noster Pope Gelasius adioyned the Prayers Hymnes and Tractes about the yeare of Christ 482. Pope Thelesphorus appointed that the Gospell and Gloria in excelsis should bée songe about the yeare of Christ 134. Pope Symmacus enlarged Gloria in excelsis for first they had nothyng more then that was in the Euangelist Hée liued about the yeare 494. Pope Marcus appointed that vpoÌ Festiuall dayes immediatly after the Gospell y e Nicene Créede should bée song with a loude voice by the Quier and the people about the yeare 334. This prayer Veni sanctificator omnipotens eterne Deus whiche is sayd ouer the host was taken froÌ the FreÌch order Moreouer these woordes Suscipe sancta Trinitas was onely taken by custome and not by the ordinaunce of any Pope Pope Sixtus y t first ordeined that Sanctus should bée song iij. tymes in the Masse about the yeare 124. Pope Gelasius ordeined Teigitur clââ¦issime pater and appointed that the Priestes should say the Secretes the Cannon and the Prefaces with their armes stretched abroad hée lyued about the yeare 482. Pope Leo the great added vnto y t Canon Hanc igitur oblationem sanstum sacrificium immaculatam hostiam about the yeare 444. Pope Gregory the thyrd adioyned Quorum solemnitas hodie in conspectudiuinae maiestatis tuae celebratur Domine Deus noster about the yeare 754 Pope Celestine the first appoynted that the Psalmes of Dauid should bée song in maner of an Antheme of all y t people béefore the sacrifice which was not wont to bée done For after the Epistle and Gospel were read the sacrifice was ended Hée liued about the yeare of Christ 424. Pope Alexander the first added Qui pridie quam pateretur Hée lyued about the yeare 114. Pope Sergius the first ordeyned that Agnus Dei shoulde bée song thrée tymes whilest the Sacrament of Christes body was in breakyng about the yeare of Christ 694. The first Latin Masses were song by Iohn Byshop of Portuence in the vj. generall Councell of Constantinople about the yeare 674. Behold Christen Reader here nowe hast thou their Masse as it is patched togither and the authours of euery part thereof whiche our Papistes so wickedly defende to bée a sacrifice Neither is it any meruaile if they doe with tooth and nayle defende a thyng so deare so laborious and that hath béene so longe tyme a makyng This I dare boldly affirme that that magnificent Temple of Salomon was in a greate deale lesser tyme builded then this Isopes crow was decked with hys borowed fethers Neither yet would I haue thée to forgette the Decrée of the Pope which prooueth that Masse was ordained by Iames and Basill I praye âhée take away all that whiche was added by these fathers and what then is remaynyng to the Masse What is lefte that Iames deliuered or that Basill commended vnto them Nothyng at all but the very woordes of Christe Thus doe these good fathers set them selues agaynst the manifest trueth of God But what shall bée their glory and reward thou shalt sée if thou wilt leasurably lysten and beholde to the ende of the tragedye The Lord shall speake with them in his anger and in his heate shall feare them When hée shall waxe hoate in hys sodayne displeasure then euill shall it bée with these gyauntes and well shall béefall to all that trust in the Lord who may illuminat the hart of the faythfull Amen A generall collection out of Doctour Barnes Woorkes of all the testimonyes auncient fathers Councels and of the Popes owne lawes alleaged by hym to prooue these articles folowyng in the maner of a Table or rather an Epitome of all his woorkes that hee hath made A Preface of T. G. to the Reader FOrasmuch as Maister Doctor Barnes in the first Edition of his Englishe workes whiche were first corruptlye Printed beyonde the Seas had collected at the ende thereof all the testimonyes of the Doctours Councelles and of the Popes lawes which he had beefore alleaged and were confusely myngled with the Table by the order of the Alphabete and whereas it was thought more expedient by the aduise of the learned and for the better edifying of the Reader to haue those testimonyes for euery
shamefully abuseth the holy Church 243 Popes Church glory in trash 251 Popes Clergy is condemned by S. Augustine as heretickes 264 Pope and Christ are contrary 284 Pope and his Clergye are the very Antechristes 288 Pope a persecutour of holy church 242 Pope selleth God and all hys ordidinaunces 265 Popes condeÌned for heretickes 247 Popes own lawes both agaynst him selfe and his Clergy 305 Pope defameth Priesthode 324 Pope and his Clergye feare not to breake Christes institution 306 Pope forbyddeth mariage 315 Pope accompteth whoredome matrimony to bee all one 321 Popes doctrine condeÌned by a CouÌcell 322 Popes lawes agaynste mariage of Priestes 316 Pope alloweth y t kepyng of whores 317 Pope wil not suffer any persoÌs maryed to bee Byshops 320 Pope is a renter and tearer of the Scriptures 334 Pope maketh a hotchpot of mariage ibidem Pope accompteth whoredome better then Matrimony 335 Pope a blasphemer of God ibidem Practise of Prelates 203 Practises of Papistes to cause Images to worke miracles 343 Preachers of true doctrine teach obedience 185 Preachers of true doctrine are sufferers 184 Preachers of false doctrine are persecuters 184 Preachers agaynst the Pope are accompted heretickes 205 Prelates caÌnot vse obedience to their Prince 202 Prelates are blynd guides ibidem Prelates will obey the pope but not the Prince 203 Priestes rore and mumble out their Diriges and Masses 216 Priestes may marry wyues by the law of God lawfully 309 Priestes must marry for auoydyng of fornication 310 Prophetes neuer styrred the people agaynst the Prince 184 ProtestaÌtes and Papistes how they differre 191 Power temporall described 292 R. REason deuotion that is agaynst the will of God is mere blyndnes 307 Righteous man lyueth by fayth 233 Rochester agaynst Winchester 206 Rochesters great iudgement ibidem Rochesters vayne distinction 237 Rochesters rule to know the difference betweene the Pope and the Councell 247 Rochesters wordes vppon Christes wordes 303 S. SAcrament forbydden to bee receaued in both kyndes 301 Sacrament vnder both kyndes 305 Saintes can obteine nothyng for vs. 347 Saintes how they ought to bee honored 349 Saintes are boly but they are no Gods 351. Scriptures are to be read of all men 182 Scriptures in the common tounge teach all obedience 184 Scriptures iudge the true Church 250 Scroupe Richard Archbyshoppe of yorke a rebell 188 Scriptures are the iudges of Councels 248 Scriptures not suffered by the Popes Clergye to bee in the mother toung 283 Scriptures teache the commaundementes of God 288 Scripture is profitable to bee read 289 Scriptures is to bee made knowen to all men 291 Solutions and argumentes to the Scriptures 236 Spiritualtie ready to helpe the pope 194 Spirituall power 297 Stafford George a learned maÌ 22â Stokesly Byshop of London a foolish and malicious Papist 291 Stockes and stones the Papistes honor as Goddes 342 Subiectes must obey and in what maner 294. 295 Supplication made by D. Barnes to kyng Henry the viij 183 Supersââtion of the Monkes of the Charterhouse 299 T. TRaditions agaynst God are to be rooted vp by the rootes 298 Tunstall Byshop of London 215 V. VIrginitie is a state indiffereÌt 313 Vncharitable sutes are to bee reproued 209 Vniuersall Church is not a generall Councell 248 Vowes that haue vnlawfull conditions are not to bee obserued 319 Vrbane Pope agaynste Clement Pope 193 W. WOrkes which bee of greatest value and are accompted for the best 228 Workes are good and helpe to iustification 231 Workes without fayth are but sinne 233 Workes of the new law 234 Whoredome is lawfull in no case 311 ¶ FINIS AT LONDON Printed by Iohn Daye and are to bee sold at hys shop vnder Aldersgate An. 1572. ¶ Cum gratia Priuilegio Regiae Maiestatis A liuely picture describyng the authoritie and substaunce of Gods most blessed word weyghing agaynst Popish traditions â Iudgement indifferent How light is chaffe of Popish toyes if thou desire to trye Loe Iustice holdes true beame without respect of partiall eye One ballance holdes Gods holy word and on the other parte Is layde the dregs of Antichrist deuisde by Popish arte Let Friers and Nunnes and baldpate Priestes with triple crowne of Pope The Cardinals hatt and deuill him selfe by force plucke downe the rope Bryng bell booke candle crosse beades and mitred Basan bull Bryng buls of leade and Popes Decrees the ballance downe to pull Yet shall these tares and filthy dregs inuented by mans brayne Through force of Gods most mighty word be fouÌd both light and vayne Magna est veritas preualet Great is the trueth and preuayleth 3. Esdra 4. Tyndall a vertuous and godly man Wilfull malice agaynst opeÌ trueth The authors that Popishe Pristes doe studie Vniust dcaling of the Papistes Notorious blasphemy of a Papist Tyndall remoueth from M. Welshe Tyndall sueth to be with Tonstall Byshop of London but coulde not obtayne The Scripture in the vulgare tongue a speciall manifesting of the trueth IgnorauÌce of Scripture cause all mischife erroures in religion The reprobate are alwayes offended at y e trueth Henry Phillippes a wicked and dissembling Iudas Tyndals simplicitie pitied of the officers Tyndals godly zeale to his Prince A testimony of Tyndals godly life euen by his aduersarye The fayth of Tyndall shewed by a manifest myracle The reason that the papistes make agaynst the translation of the scripture into English A subtile shift of the popes clergy to couer their euill How the Papistes were vexed with Tindals translation of the new testament The Papistes shamed not to wrest the scriptures The Papistes haue wrought wonderfully to haue suppressed y â scripture As owles abide not the brightnes of the day so cannot the papists abide the lyght of the gospell What first moued W. Tyndale to translate y â Scripture into englssh This bishop of LoÌdon was then Tunstall which afterward was bishop of Durham The popes chaplens pulpet is the alâhouse Christes apoitles dyd mekely admonish but the Popes sectaryes dyd braule and skold Parcialitie sometyme in men of great learnyng How Tindale was deceaued Roome enough in my Lordes house for belly chere but none to translate the new testament Tindale could get no place in the bishop of LondoÌs house Tyndals submission is to all such as submit themselues to God Not the toung but the life proueth a true Gospeller The truest touchestone or Religion is Christes Gospell The scripture of god is y â sworde of the Spirite TribulatioÌ is the gifte of God What we ought to seeke in the Scriptures A goodly comfort agaynst desperation EnsaÌples of their euils not to bolden vs but to feare vs froÌ sinne and desperation Howe we ought to prepare our selues to the reading of the scriptures Fayth our surest shield in all assaultes We may not trust in our workâ but in the word and promise of God God burdened with hys promise The holy ghost breateth where and when it pleaseth hym Conscience of euill doynges fyndeth out ãâã â ãâã men Of
men The litterall sense killeth say sophisters The letter killeth expound this To loue the law is righteousnes The litterall sense is spirituall What is to be sought in y â Scripture and in the litteâ⦠sense The story of Ruben Swearâ they by their honour thââ are they not ready to suffer shame for Christes sake The adultery of Dauid The difference betwen gods sinners the deuils Nos The Pope is likened to Ham. They will to heauen by away of their owne makyng The vse of similitudes A similitude without Scripture is a sure token of a false Prophet Paul preached not worldly wisedome Similitudes and reasons of mans wisdome make no faith but waueryng opinions onely Goddes word maketh surâ fayth for God can not lye Peter preached not fables and false similitudes but the playne Scripture â Schole do ãâã Similitudes are no good argumentes among the sophisters owne selfe We must âure our in ãâ¦ã with the remedies that God hath ordeined not tempt god What ãâ¦ã â â In expoundyng of the Scripture we must haue a respect vnto the liuyng and practising of Christ and of his Apostles and Prophetes The scripture was geuen to leade vs vnto Christ â Settes or orders Couetousnes desire of honour is the ende of all false doctrine and that which false prophets seke Purgatory Pardons Praying to saintes Confession An example of false expouÌding y â scriptures Christ the âayth and Gods word is the rocke and not the Pope The auctority of Peters successour âo but to preach That expositioÌ to false which is agaynst thâ oâen scripture or agaynst thâ practising of Christ and of hys Apostles Binding ãâã lowsing is one power What Iesus signifieth What bynding meaneth What cursing meaneth What lowsing meaneth â The Pope is Robyn goodfelow Of our selues we can performe nothâng further theÌ God ââ¦ll geue vs power Another example To sit on Christes seaâe is to preach and confesse Christ Christ rebuked desire of preheminence in his Disciples but the Pope chalengeth it aboue all men as hyâ⦠owne inheritaunce Fathers fathers Miracles miracles The womaÌ of Lemster was a solempne miracle The armour of the spiritualtie The armour of a Christe maÌ is Gods word and fayth â Gods woorde about all mens iudge mentes Fryers be not bound to preach How God ought to be serued In Christ to rest of conscience onely Do good deedes and trust in Christ Gods worde is the rule of childreÌ seruauntes wyues subiectes âo please God âo to beleue hys promises to loue hys commaundementes He that will aueÌge robbeth God of his honour How ãâã soeuer the kyng is ãâ¦ã vnto thâ⦠great gift of God The Pope hath a law that none of his sprites may be suerty The kyng is but a seruaunt to execute the lawes of God How farre a kyng ought to seeke at his commons handes Note 4 Confession The manifolde enormities which their auricular confession did breede The Pope and his chapteyns were the fountaines of all euils in spiritualâ regiment or teÌporall Vnder an outwarde pretence of Gods honor the poâââ Clergie procured their owne dignitie The keepyng down of Gods word promoted the Popes spiritualties honour The Byshop of Rochester as a fit paterna to ãâ¦ã âll y â ãâ¦ã aâ⦠The cause why kings coulde not come to the knowledge of y â truth Miracles are done by fayth and not by ceremonies The vse of Allegories The vse of similitudes ⪠To digge the welles of AbrahaÌ is to open and to make plaine the scriptures which is the kingdome of God Abrahams welles The kingdome of heauen what it ãâã Moses face The keye what it is The lawe is the way that leadeth to Christ Lawe what her office is The law ãâ¦ã ââreth sinne condemneth our deedes drinketh vs to Christ Moses ãâã the law but Christ onely geueth grace to do it and vnderstand it aright The ãâã serâent Num. ãâã The ãâã ãâ¦ã contraâ⦠peâacioâs The ãâã âure ãâã is looked vp Christ is the doore the way and foundation of all the Scriptures When by gloses of out owne imaginacioÌ we darken the cleare text of gods word theÌ is the Scripture locked by from vs. Christ vsed ãâã temporal regiment Christ is a gâ⦠geuen onely to theÌ that loue the law and professe it He that professeth not the law hath ãâ¦ã in the promises Workes do not iustifie 2. Cor. ãâã The law By keepyng the lawe we continue in grace Fayth loue and hope are insepararable in this lyfe They that loue not the law cannot vnderstand the Scripture to saluation Care How God careth for the weake By bearyng eche other weakenes we fulfil the lawe of Christ Rulers why they were ordayned Why God scourgeth hys The conditions of the couenaunt Flesh and spirite Crosse Euill lustes and affections are to be purged with the crosse of Christ To sinne vnder grace and to ãâã vnder the lawe Lambes Swyne Dogges Swyre haue âo fayth Dogges loue not the lawe True fayth to coupled with loue to the lawe The difference of faythes and how it is to be vnderstoode fayth iustifieth Fayth of hipocrites fayth of ãâã The âight baptâ⦠The church of Christ Whosoeuer derogate any thyng froÌ the ãâã of Christ are not of the church They that haue not the lawe writeâ in their harts ⪠caÌnot vnderstand the passion of Christ to saluation A ãâã re peting What the inward baptisme of the soule iâ Thau Faith âope and charitie are inseperable Faith hope and charitie are knowen one by the other The office of fayth The office of loue The office of hope The anker of our saluation is perfect faith in Christes bloud 1. Pouerth in spirite Riches Neither riches or pouertie exclude or assure vs of Gods blessing Who are poore in spirite is here pithely declared Riche in spirite Couetousnes is a thyng contraris to the worde of God and to the ministers of the same By couetousnes is a false Prophet chiefly knowen 2. Some cry the world is nought not âor their owne and others iniquitie but for waywardnes they caÌ not enioye theyr owne lusles Godlye mournyng As warmeth accoÌpanieth the sânne so foloweth the crosse a true Christian man K. Iohn Henry the second The promise of Goddes word is y â coÌfort of y â afflicted in this world for Christs sake Faith is our victory By persecution and death for y â truthes sake we obteine lyfe get the victory The mourners for righteousnes are saued when God taketh vengeance on y â vnright ãâã wise 3. Mekenes possesseth the earth Referre y â reuenge of thy cause to the Magistrate whoÌ God appointeth to forbyd such violence Hundred folde The priuat person may not aduenge but the officer must 4. Righteousnesse How this word righteousnes ought here to be vnderstode Monkes Monkes why they runne into Religion Luc. vi Monkes be cursed 5. To be mercyful what it is how manye wayes mercy may be shewed Monkes Couent Oâle Holy oyle must bee aduenged Zeale
contrary The mayde of Kent The mayde of Ipswich ãâã the mayde of KeÌt were both false dissembling haâââtes The mayd of Kent Such as were possessed with deuils fled froÌ Christ A false delusion to bryng vs to Idolatry S. Bartholomew Our Lady dyd the mayde of Kent small pleasure Orestes Traditâ⦠Allegory ⪠A true exposition of the parable of the âaââ¦tan All that God hath not planted shal be plucked vp by the rootes Byshops should be seruaunted and not Lordes Actes 15. The Pope will not obey princes though God haue commaunded hym so to do TraditioÌs Christes burthen is easie and gentle Math. 5. â The salt of our Prelates iâ vnââ¦ery Fayth loue charitie arâ iij. sisters We must beleue neither to much nor yet litle We are promised all thinges for our Sauiour Christes sake ⪠not for the Saintes Iohn 21. The virginitie of our Lady Antichrist is knowen Paules traditions were the doctrine of the Gospel Christes Supper not Masse The consecration Water mixed with the wyne 1. Cor. 14. Iustification of workes Saboth The Saboth day holy dayes are made for be not ââ¦e for theÌ Why women Baptise Why the Prelates vnderstand not the Scripture A good tale if it were long enough Ye can not spede well if ye trye the doctrine of our Prelates by the Scripture All beleue in God that haue the lawe written in their hartâ The Churche must shewe a reason of theyr doctrine Popes may not be beleued without Scripture Corusailes ought to conclude eccordyng to the Scriptures Luke 16. Luke 10. Math. 18. Math. ãâã The cause why the Apostles wrote the Gospels Iohn 20. 1. Iohn 2. The Pope and hys Cardinals erred in K. Henry the âights case M. Mores conclusion ⪠â The furest way to oppresse true doctrine is to say the preachers fall The Pope is ãâã ââ¦st ãâã Pet. 2. Rom. 3. A swarme of sectes set vp by the Pope The Pope by setting vp of false workes denieth the truth of gods word The Pope selleth sinne and paine all that ãâã be solde Math. 24 ⪠The popish church are ãâã but no sufferes 1. Cor. 10. The church of Chriâ⦠euer persecuted 2. Thess ãâã The church of Antichrist is the false church ⪠and euer y e greater number The Pope is a deuelishe blasphemer of God The Pope is aboue kyng and Emperor The Pope persecuteth the word of God S. Paule describeth the Pope his in their coâters Gods worde is y t power and pith of all goodnes Confession Loue is of theÌselues Couetous Hye mynded Proude Raylers Disobedient Vnthankefull Vngodly ⪠Churlishe Promise breaketh Accusârs Headyâ Leuyng lustes Appearaunce of godlynesse The Pope and his are mighty iugglers â In the Churche shall there be for euer both good and euill This word Church is taken ij maner wayes The spirituall Churche of God are called LutheraÌs and heretickes The fleshly Churche serue God with workes of their owne Friers â The blasing of hypocrites Calil is a sacrifice that no mâ may haue any parte therof The small flocke of Christ commeth to the word and promises of God Actes 9. Actes 2. Christ onely is the perfect coÌforteâ of the Christian â The Christian maÌ in all thinges seketh âhe honour of Christ The Christian selâeth his saluatioÌ onely in Christ A pretye ãâã nââthesis betwen the Popes Churche Christes litle flocke â The Popish church auÌswereth The litle flocke The Popes church The maner oâ y t Popes cleargie Little flock gââth euer to wracke The Pope ãâ¦ã be âââd by scripture by scripture must be iudged ãâã â Iohn 5. None can minister the Sacramentes superââ¦ly but the Popes generation 1. Cor. 2. The naturall carnall man sauoreth not the thinge that be of God Rom. 5. God is fatherly to his elect members Rom. 7. Iâ we sinne of frailtie God is mercifull ready to forgeue The new life doth tame the fleshe and serue her neighbour ⪠God seketh vs and we not hym More a lying papist Sir Thomas Hitton The Pope hath no martyrs 1. Iohn 3. There is a church that sinneth not The churh is double Gal. 5. The carnall church sinneth Two maner faithes Iohn 15. The âaith of them that be called ⪠but not elect The Pope hideth the scripture The heretikes be fallen out of the mist Why many âall Councels â Saintes Luke 1â⦠Luke 7. Christ dyâ such seruice as all the Saintes could not do 1. Cor. 3. We may not trust to Saintes Prayer to Saintes is a great superstition Before Christ we vsed not to pray to Saintes M. More destroyeth the resurrection Math. 2â 1. Cor. 15. 1. Thes 4. The more trust we haue in Saintes the lesse we haue in Christ Phisitions We must first call vppon God then sende for the phisition The fleshly mynded caÌnot iudge the thinges that be of God 1. Cor. 3. More driueth from God Heb. 4. Iohn 1â Ephes 2. We may be bolde to ââsort to god for he ââ¦leth vs so to do M. More is against the Popes profite Purgatory ⪠ãâã purgatory visible and a purgatory inââsible Canonisâ⦠How you may know who be Saintes in heauen King Henry of Windsore A straunge doctrine to pray to him for helpe that is dead damned The Israelites were âo in number theÌ the Iewes The Iewes committed Idolatry God euer reserueth a litle flocke More feareth not to worship an vncoÌsecrated hosâe 1. Cor. 1. We must first know the true way then agree in the same Christ rebuked the false trust the Iewes had in their wil works The myracles done by the prophetes and Apostles was to coÌfirme their doctrine Christ made the woman whole and not hys coate Miracles were done for the confirmation of doctrine A filthy chapter Latriâ Moses Moses ⪠bones The brasen Serpent God is a spirite and wil be worshipped spiritually The Idolatrouâ persoÌ worshippeth the Image for y t Saint Processionâ though they be abused may not be put downe Wilde Irishe Welch meÌ Many thinges are altered for the abuses sake Ezechâas The true preaching of Gods worde remoueth theft and an other wickednes â A good maÌ may erre yet not be dampned Thâ myracles of Saintes confirme mans imaginations There were no doctours neither Apostles that did myracles to establishe the worshipping of âamages Witches where true doctrine is set forth ⪠there needeth no myracle â Let y â Papistes for lacke of scriptures come torch and do miracles Gods worâ to y â touchstone to triâ myracles The âectes in y â popists church are almost innumerable Mahomets doctrine hath preuailed these viij hundred yeares The cause of false miracles Where the Scripture is there nedeth no miracles The preachers of the worde of God nede no miracles False docctrine was neuer persecuted The Papistes are ashamed of their LegeÌd of lyes The deuill hath holpeÌ Popes to their dignities The cause why the Turkes Iewes caâ not come to to the truth Popish doctrine nedeth miracles but Christes
doctrine nedeth not now of miracles for it was confirmed by Christ with myracles Math. 24. The Pope commeth ãâã Christes name with false miracles The preachers of gods word confirmed the same with miracles whyle they were alyue God suffeâeth such as haue no loue to hys truth to be deceaued with lying miracles Why the Pope tell In the Popish church all miracles are wrought by dead Saintes S. Thomas of CaÌterbury Thomas de Aquino Dunce â Miracles Our fayth may not be grounded onely vpon miracles but vpon the worde of God Math. 1â Iohn 21. The Apostles of Christe knew no such authoritie as the Pope now vsurpeth What iâ there had bene no scripture Grekes God to ãâ¦ã ââ¦de heresâ⦠caused the scriptures to be written ⪠Noe. What faith ââ¦th Where true faith is there is repentauÌce and ameÌdment of ãâã â Abraham The elderâ did erre The elders in y e time of the Iewes did erre The Scribes Phariseis and Elders did erre The scripture was aucthorised by true myracles False bookes set forth by the Papistes Erasmus The true church teacheth nothing but that which the scripture proueth and mainteineth The Pope hideth the scripture The Papistes hide y e scripture The scripture is the cause why men beleue y â scripture The Papistes docctrine is nââ to be beleued wiihouâ scripture Why the ãâã is not to be beleued wtout scripture why he is not the true church The doctrine of the Papistes hath bene ãâã resisted by y e scripture What thinges ãâã finde in scripture Rom. ãâã 1. Cor. â 1. Cor. 2. Iohn 5. Iohn 7. Heb. 8. The Papistes will neither by Gods lawe nor mans refraine froÌ their wicked liuyng Iohn 10. The Papistes will lose nothing that belongeth to them Christ deliuered the Iewes out of errour â None haue more care of the scripture then those that beleue it not M. More reasoneth agaynst himselfe â Actes 13. Iohn 8. They that preach not Christ truty are murtherers The end of hipocrites Predestination Balam Wit must first shew a cause and then will is sturted to worke More feeleth Purgatory Popish doe trine concernyng Purgatory The pope how he can both forgeue and receiue sinne Tyndall feeleth Purgatory Iohn 15. Iohn 13. Bodyly payne purgeth the body and not y e soule M. More âo of an euil opinion Faith in Châ⦠ãâã purchaseth forgâ⦠of sinne Ephe. 5. There is no purgatory for hym that dyeth repentâunt beleueth Iohn 15. 1. Iohn ãâã Payne of sinne ãâã popes ãâã Purgatory prâ⦠to y â Pope Purgatory to a tormenting Iayle as y â Pope maketh it Money dispatcheth Purgatory The Pope is Antichrist The fleshly children do naturally consent vnto lyes The fleshly mynded can neuer consent vnto Gods law The fleshly persecute them of the spirite The true church is not w t out a signe of a miracle to proue that it is Gods church The popes life doctrine is more wicked theÌ the Turkes all y e heatheÌ that euer were Euticus Actes 3. All glory and honour is to be geuen to the name of Iesu Iudges Deut. 17. Purgatory to the foundation of Abbeyes Colledges c. M. More is a commoÌâester and a scouÌer â The Papistes are cruell and vnmercyfull Sweryng The oth of a witnes may be taken but no maÌ may be coÌpelled to sweare be a witnes A godly lesson M. More is a lyer The Papistes are obstinate will not repent Iudas Prayers of an euill Priest profite not A fond saying To minister SacrameÌts with out signification is to be lead in darkenesse Sacrifice Heb. 10. Christes body in the SacrameÌt is not carnall but spirituall Christe was sacrificed on the crosse once for all More Deacons Tyndall Christes Deaââ¦s and the pââeâ Deacons differ much More Priestes Tyndall More Tyndall 1. Iohn 4. M. Mores fayth was a common fayth More Tyndall More Tyndall As good no lawe as a law not executed Age is to be preferred before âouth The chast vnchastirie of the Papistes is abhominable both to God and man S. Hierome The Pope iudgeth no sinne to bee sinne and sinne to be no sinne A Priest by the Popes order may haue a whore but not a wife Rom. 14. Mores doctrine is superstitious 1. Tim. 4. The Pope forbiddeth mariage Apparant godlynesse why the Priest may not haue y â secoÌd wife Christes benefites toward vs are figured by matrimony We were Idolaters when we came to Christ S. Paules doctrine is that priests shuld haue wiues Widowes More is a scoâfer The office of the wâddowes in y e primatine church Rom. 13 ⪠Young widowes were forbiddeÌ to minister in the commoÌ seruice Fishe no better then fleshe nor fleshe no better then fishe in the kingdame of Christ ãâã â Tyndall More Tyndall Three lyes at ââ¦ce ãâ¦ã Priestes must be endued wyth vertue and honesty Generall counsell Parlââ¦ment The ãâã vsed both in generall to ⪠ââ¦es and also ãâã parliamentes A practise vsed in all counsayles and Parlamentes The spiritualtie make heretickes of them that resist theyr power and will Why Priestes may haue no wyues The chastitie of the ââergy pertââneth to the tempoââ¦ie as much as to the spiritualtie Vowes No oth is to be kept that is agaynst charitie or necessitie The popes snares ãâã 2. 3. 4. 5. Tyndall doth here playnly proue More an hereticke That is euer best that moueth man to the kepyng of Gods commaundementes â Deuilish doctrine Math. 15. Christes natural body is not in the Sacrament The Sacrament of the body ãâã bloud of Christ how it must be receiued â S. Michael wayeth ãâã soules The true seruice of God what it is Whether it were best that priestes were gelded â Leuit. 10. More Tyndall Paphnutius More had two wiues therefore was Bigamus More Tyndall The Pope a cruell tyraânt More Tyndall The spiritualtie would not haue the scripture in Englishe Hunne More Horsey Tyndall If we be not giltie we neede no pardon More woulde excuse the murther of Hunne Hunne â More Tyndall Doetour Lolet Olde translation More was a subtill Poet. The hauyng of the Scripture in English is vtterly agaynst the myndes of the Popish Clergie More Tyndall The scripture was first deliuered to the pâopâe in their vulgere toung More Tyndall More Tyndall The ordinaâ⦠are hangmeÌ to such as desire the knowledge of the scripture None can vnderstand the Scripture except he knewe Christ to be his iustification More Tyndall More Tyndall Eare confession and pardons were neuer confirmed by miracle More Tyndall The Popish spiritualitie are tyrâunts persecutors More Tyndall Pope forbiddeth matrimony the eatyng of meates The wicked monstrous doynges of the Pope More Tyndall More Tyndall More Tyndall All Sacramentes teach vs what to do or what to beleue More Tyndall Eare confession destroyeth the beneâite of Christes bloud More Tyndall More Tyndall RepeÌtauÌce More Tyndall SacrameÌt More Fayth Tyndall The Pâpistes aââ slaundâââs of the Gospell More Woâ⦠Tyndall ⪠More Tyndall We can do no
Iudic. 20. Here note that the children of Israell fought at Gods commaundement and in a righteous cause yet were twise ouerthrowen 1. Macha 3 M. More Frith Christe spake of no carnall eating of him but of a spirituall catyng by sayth The Papistes doe falsly alledge this text Aug. in IohaÌ tract 26 To beleue in Christ is to dwell in Christ Math. 26. Iohn 6. Iohn 15. Iohn 10. Gene. 35. Gene. 32. Ieremy 19 More Frith Roma 4. 1. Cor. 10. Iohn 15. Iohn 10. Osea 17. Math. 2. The Scripture speaketh diuersly and hath diuers senses M. More More is a mocker and trifler Frith In aunswere to Mores triflyng Eucharistia The right cause why we should come to the Table of our Lord. More hath here a cheke mate M. More Frith Why certeine places of y e Scripture must be vnderstand spiritually M. More Frith No man is to be beleued that bryngeth hys owne iudgement onely vpon any senteÌce of Scripture More is here pretely ââ¦ypped M. More Frith Iohn 6. Note here the saying of S. Austen How the fleshe of Christ profiteth nothyng and how it doth profite Frith vseth not wordes without alledgyng authorities Augustinus in sermone ad infantes Augu. 54. The Iewes vnderstode Christ carnally and not spiritually as he meant M. More fallen into the errour of pope In nocent Aug. Lib. 3. de doctrina Christiana Here S. Augustine sheweth plainly that Christes woordes were a figuratiue spech Augustinus in sermone ad infantes Origi in leus ho. 7. Christes wordes are spirituall and not carnall Augusti sermo eirca sacra feria Pascha The eating drinkyng of Christ what it is Idem Beda super 1. Cor. 10. The wicked eate not the fleshe of Christ Roma 5. August de ciuitat dei li. 21. ca. 25. Beda super 1. Cor. 6. The sacrament is a figure token and a memoriall of the breaking of Christes body sheding of hys bloud Ambros de sacra Lib. 5 cap. 4. Prosp in libro sententiaruÌ sent 339. Idem Beda super 1. Cor. 11. More Frith More hath no olde author to maintaine hys quareling Papistry The Papistes haue corrupted the Scriptures and aduaunced them selues aboue Kinges and rulers Articles of our fayth made by the Pope To beleue the articles contayned in our crede is sufficient for our saluation Frith allegeth authorities to proue hys doctrine true Tertul. lib. 2. contra MarcioneÌ Tertul. lib. 4. contra MarcioneÌ This is my body that is to say a figure of my body August in prafa Psal 3. Christ deliuered to his desciples the figure of hys body August super Psal 98. S. Austen ad BonifaciuÌ Epist. 23. The sacrament is the memoriall of Christes death The sacrament of Christes body and bloud after a maner is Christes body and bloud Good Friday next is called the day that Christ suffered hys passion and yet it is not so for that good Friday is past loÌg sââhens Frith writeth of the Masse according to the coÌmon opinioÌ that was at that time After a certaine maner the Sacrament of Christes bodye is Christes body August contra AdamaÌ tum cap. 12 Christe gaue to his Disciples the signe of his body Ambrosi super illud mortem domini annuÌâia Ambrosi de sacra Lib. 4 Cap. 4. Ambrosi Libro 4. de Sacramen Cap. 5. The Sacrament is a figure of Christes body Hieroni. super eccle Cap. 3. We eate the very flesh of Christ drinke hys bloud in a mystery The vnder standyng of the Scripture is very meate very drinke Christes body is no materiall meate or drinke Hieronimus super Math. 26. Where there is no true body there can beno figure of the same Beda super Luke 22. Bread and wiââe is mistically referred to the body bloud of Christ A Sacrament what it is Ad Marcellum Bread and wyne represent vnto vs the flesh and bloud of Christ Chrisosto super Math. 26. Sacrifice Christes body a sacrifice offered on the crosse once for all Chrisosto ad Hebre. Home 17. The Sacrifice that we offer in bread and wyne is the remembraunce of Christes death Roma 6. As S. Austen declareth afore ad Bonifacum The masse is called a sacrifice be cause it representeth the death passion of Christ that was sacrificed on the Crosse Chrisost super Math. ãâã Christ by drinkyng of the cup dyd shewe the mistery and that it was no naturall nor carnall bloud Super Ioh. cap. 6. Hoâ⦠46. All misteryes must be considered spiritually The plaine saying of Chrisostome âuâpentius ãâã Lib. de ãâã The Sacrament of Christes body is a thankes Seuyng Fulgentius This cup is the new TestameÌt is as much as this cup signifieth the new testament Eusebius Consecrat Druthmarius The Sacrament how it is our body Augustinus in sermone adââ¦fantes Aug. in sermo de sacraferia pascha Here you may see that y â Sacrament is our body August de sacra feria pascha S. Austen calleth it by the name of SacrameÌt meanyng the figure signe or token of Christes bodyâ⦠The wââ¦ked and vnfaythfull do not receaue the body of Christ and yet they receaue the SacrameÌt to their daÌnation The Sacrament as it is our body so it is Christes Note well this argument Bartram The Sacrament is Christes body in a mystery Cyprianus adâ⦠As water is the people so wine is Christes bloud Eusebius By ytââ¦ture of water y t faithfull people are in corporate with Christ M. More ârith More is a captious Sophister ãâã subââle Poet and ãâã malicious Papist More is better acquainted with the Popes lawes them with S. Austens workes Ad Hiârânimum Christes body occupieth one place onely August ad BardanuÌ What Christ ment by thys worde Paradise How S. Austen laboureth to proue that Christes body might not be in ino places at once then in one If we affirme that the body of Christ is in many places at one mstant theÌ we should take away the truth of his body Augustin ibideâs Austen Christ as touching his Godhead is in all places Fulgentius Christ ascended into heauen because he is locall and a very man More Frith The flesh profiteth nothing The fleshe of Christ profiteth much if it be eaten with fayth August tract super 6. ãâã Athanasius 3. lib. qui dix verb. lââ¦ram The bread and wyne in the Sacrament why they are called mysteries If the Sacrament of the body of Christ were his natural body theÌ note what inconueniences must folow The wicked may not nor can not eate the body of Christ The wicked eate the SacrameÌt but yet dwell not in Christ Iohn 6. Iohn 6. Iohn 6. Math. 26. Mark 14. Iohn 12. God may do all thing but yet so as he caÌnot denye hys truth neither restore virginitie c. Iohn 3. The naturall body of Christ is not present to our teeth in the Sacrament ArgumeÌts to proue that Christes naturall body is not in the SacrameÌt of his body and bloud The ioyfull eatyng of Christ is ây
fayth The Apostles did ordeââ¦e that we should absteine froÌ bloud meaning all natural bloud Actes 10. The wyne in the Sacrament is no naturall bloud Obiection Solution To pull downe violently the kynges armes is treason agaynst hys owne person and yet the armes are not the kinges person To be negligent in the hearyng of the word of God is a great offeÌce M. More Frith M. More is a quarelyng brabler M. More an ignorauÌt proctor for the Clergy God is almighty and yet cannot doe all thynges 2. Timo. 2. God is said to bee almighty because there is no supenour power aboue hym and he can do all that he wil. M. More Frith Iohn 8. 2. Cor. 3. Roma 6. Aug. de spiritu litera The articles in our Creede are as many as are necessary for our saluation M. More Frith The glasse that representeth the face is not the face The body of Christ is no more in the Sacrament then my face is in the glasse Christes deathe and body breakyng is knowen by the Sacrament yet it is not the naturall body of Christ M. More Frith Frith speaketh merâly M. More Frith Astronomers say that the naturall course of the Sunne is from the West to the East A conclusioÌ agaynst the Astronomers Mark 14. Luke 16. Iohn 11. Christes body is in one place onely M. More Frith What soeuer the Papistes say that must stand for reason M. More Frith More harpeth vppon a false string More saith that God may do all thyngs but he doth not proue that he hath so done M. More Frith Two thinges disputed betwen More and Frith More Frith Iohn 15. Christes badge is loue That the sacrament is the naturall body is none article of our fayth necessary to be beleued vpon payne of damnation Superstition More Frith A man may iudge of error but God onely must be iudge of condemnation Frith is no hasty iudge More Frith To honor and worship the sacrament is plaine idolatry The olde holy fathers haue not taught to worship the sacrament Note â More Frith Martin Luther sayth y t the natural body of Christ is present in y e sacrameÌt but he wold not haue it worshipped More Frith A meane how we may receaue y e sacrament according to Christes institution though the minister be negligent The worthy receauer of the sacrament may consecrate the same to him selfe M. More Frith M. More Frith The right consecratioÌ to hym that receaueth the Sacrament is fayth in Christes death The Popish consecration in Latine is not worth a rish The Byshops and their proctour can not tell what a blessyng meaneth â Blessyng what it is M. More Frith Math. 24. ãâã Thess 2. Deutro 13. Actes 24. How you may iudge true miracles from false Math. 4. False Ante christes Actes 4. Actes 12. M. More Frith â The Sacrament may not be worshypped The Papistes say that no promise nor couenaunt is to be kept with an hereticke More was fully addict to the mind of the Prelates and to kill and burne as fast as they More a Popish and a malicious tyraunt The condition conteined in Barnes safe coÌduite No promise nor licence made to heretickes by the kyng without the consent of our Prelates is to be kept and obserued M. More Frith The modesty meeke spirite of Iohn Frith Christes body is to be eaten with fayth not with the teeth A prayer made by Iohn ⪠Frith to be sayd before the receauyng of the Communion A godly good prayer The Paschall lambe and our sacrament coÌpared togither 1. Cor. 5. The maner of the eatyng of the Paschal lambe The maner of the institution of the Sacrament Iohn 16. The institution of the Sacrament The comparison of the Paschall lambe with Christes Supper The mauÌdy of remeÌbrauÌce that Paule receaued of the Lord deliuered to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 10. God hath ordeyned all meates to be indifferent Paule â Christ called hym self bread and Paule calleth vs bread How the wordes of S. Paule are to bee vnderstaÌd Why the bread is called our body We must vnderstand the Sacrament spiritually or els we receaue it not to our comfort Paule The Gentiles offered theyr meate to Idolies To drynke of the cup of the Lord to drinke of the cup of the deuill how it is to be vnderstand A proper example The enemyes of Christ can not reioyce in Christes bloud shedding The faythfull and vnfaythfull do not eate alike 1. Cor. 8. 1. Iohn 3. The vnfaythfull and wicked eate their owne damnation 1. Cor. 11. The true eating of the Sacrament is the spirituall eating of the same Luke 22. The maner of the comming of the Corinthians together Why Christ did institute the Sacrament The sacrament was ordained to feede our soules and not our bodyes The worthy and vnworthy eating of Christes body What it is to proue examine a mans owne selfe The meaning of S. Paules formet wordes An Epitome of this whole booke The opinioÌ of the Prelates The opinioÌ of Frith 1. Cor. 1â⦠1. Cor. 11. Actes 2. Math. 26. Marke 14. Luke 22. Nature teacheth that there is both bread and wyne in the Sacrament The olde Doctours proue that there is bread in the SacrameÌt Gelasius in concilio Ro. The fayth of the Prelates The opinioÌ of Iohn Frith Iohn 6 ⪠August in serm de sacra fe passchâ Beda Aug. de Ciuitate Dei in libro 21. Cap. 25. The wicked eate not Christes body Iohn 6. Onely the faythfull do eate Christes body and drinke his bloud The fayth of the Prelates The opinioÌ of Frith Ierem. 27. The ministration of the Sacrament doth lyuely expresse the death and passion of Christ The Sament beside the substaunce of of bread is Christes body and bloud They dishonour the SacrameÌt that geue it that honour that is due vnto God Frith here sheweth what hee thinketh of the Sacrament The Godhead is so ioyned with the maÌhode of Christ that they both make but one person August Of Baptisme Augustinus ad Bonifacium The first article The second article An other question An aunswere S. Augustines text Chrisostomus Chrisostomes wordes The exposition of S. Chrisosto text The true meaning of Chriso stomes wordes Solution Conclusion Beholde the cause of mi deathe Note Three causes Doct. Barnes a bolisher of barbarisme a founder of learning and a light of the trueth A wittie and pleasaunt deuise to escape the crueltie of tyrantes Stephen Gardyner the author of mischiefe and decay of religion in England The complaynt of Doctour Barnes made to K. Henry the viij agaynst the Lordly Byshops Prelates of EnglaÌd The tyrannous gouerment of the Byshops of England In the Byshops court no man can be founde Innocent What soeuer is not agaynst the Clergye thoughe the same be neuer so wicked yet finde they no fault therewith In vi Cap. Quo. in ver ãâã Papa Dist xl Ca. Si Papa Whosoeuer speake agaynst or preache agaynst any of their abuses and abhominations her