the sygh of the hart is his sinne put away in Christes bloud For Christes bloud purgeth euer and blesseth euer For Iohn sayth in the second of his first epistle This I write vnto you that ye sinne not And though any man sinne meaning of frailtie and so repent yet haue we an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ which is righteous and he it is that obteineth grace for our sinnes and Heb. vij it is written But this man meaning Christ because he lasteth or abideth euer hath an euerlasting priesthod Therefore is he able also euer to saue thē that come to God through hym seing he euer liueth to make intercession for vs. The Byshops therefore ought to blesse vs in preaching Christ and not to deceaue vs and to bring the curse of God vpon vs wyth wagging their handes ouer vs. To preache is their dutie onely and not to offer their feete to bee kissed or testicles or stones to be groped We feele also by experience that after the Popes Byshoppes or Cardinals blessing we are no otherwise disposed in our soules then before Let this be sufficient as concerning the sacramentes and ceremonies with this protestation that if any cā say better or improue this with Gods word no man shall be better content therewith then I. For I seeke nothing but the truth and to walke in the light I submit therefore this worke and all other that I haue made or shall make if God will that I shall more make vnto the iudgements not of them that furiously burne all truth but of them which are ready with Gods worde to correct if any thing be sayde amisse to further Gods worde I will talke a worde or two after the worldly wisdome with them and make an ende of this matter If the sacramentes iustifie as they say I vnderstand by iustifiyng forgeuenes of sinnes Then do they wrong vnto the sacraments in as much as they robbe the most part of them through confession of their effect of the cause wherfore they were ordeined For no man may receaue the body of Christ no mā may marry no man may be oyled or aneiled as they call it no man may receaue orders except he be fyrst shriuen Now when the sinnes be forgeuen by shrift afore hand there is nought left for the sacramentes to doe They will aunswere that at the least way they encrease grace and not the sacramētes onely but also hearing of masse matens and euensong and receauing of holy water holy bread and of the Bishops blessing and so forth by all ceremonies By grace I vnderstand the fauour of God and also the giftes and working of his spirite in vs as loue kyndnes patience obedience mercifulnes despising of worldly thynges peace concorde and such like If after thou hast heard so many masses matens and euensonges and after thou hast receaued holy bread holy water and the Byshops blessing or a Cardinals or the Popes if thou wilt be more kinde to thy neighbour and loue him better then before if thou be more obediēt vnto thy superiors more mercifull more ready to forgeue wrong done vnto thee more despisest the world and more a thyrst after spirituall thynges if after that a Priest hath taken orders he be lesse couetous then before if a wife after so many and oft pilgrimages be more chast more obedient vnto her husband more kynde to her maydes and other seruauntes if Gentlemen knightes Lordes and kinges and Emperours after they haue sayd so often dayly seruice wyth their Chappellaynes know more of Christ then before and can better skill to rule their tenauntes subiectes and realmes christenly then before and be content with their duties then do such thinges encrease grace if not it is a lie Whether it be so or no I report me to experience If they haue any other enterpretations of iustifiyng or grace I pray them to teach it me For I would gladly learne it Now let vs goe to our purpose agayne ¶ Of miracles and worshipping of Saintes ANtichrist shal not only come with lying signes and disguised wyth falshod but also wyth lying miracles and wonders saith Paule in the said place ij Thess ij All the true miracles which are of God are shewed as I aboue rehearsed to moue vs to heare Gods word and to stablishe our fayth therin and to confirme the truth of Gods promises that we might without all doubting beleue thē For Gods worde thorough fayth bringeth the spirite into our hartes and also life as Christ sayth Iohn vi The wordes which I speake are spirite and lyfe The worde also purgeth vs and clenseth vs as Christ sayth Iohn xv ye are cleane by the meanes of the word Paul sayth i. Timo. ij One God one Mediatour that is to say aduocate intercessor or an atonemaker betwene God man the man Christ Iesus which gaue him selfe a raunson for all men Peter sayth of Christ Actes iiij Neither is their health in any other neither yet also any other name geuen vnto men wherin we must be saued So now Christ is our peace our redemption or raunsom for our sinnes our righteousnes satisfactiō and all the promises of God are yea Amen in him ij Cor. i. And we for y t great and infinite loue whiche God hath to vs in Christ loue him agayn loue also his lawes loue one an other And the deedes whiche we hence forth doe do we not to make satisfaction or to obteine heauen but to succour our neighbour to tame y t flesh that we may waxe perfect and strong men in Christ and to be thankefull to God againe for his mercy and to glorifie his name COntrarywise the miracles of Antichrist are done to pull thee from the worde of God and from beleuyng his promises and from Christ and to put thy trust in a man or a ceremonie wherin Gods word is not As soone as Gods woorde is beleued the fayth spread abroad then sease the miracles of god But the miracles of Antichrist because they are wrought by the deuil to quench the fayth grow dayly more and more neither shall cease vntill the worldes end among them that beloue not Gods worde and promises Seest thou not how God loosed sent forth all the deuils in the old world among the Heathen or Gētiles And how the deuils wrought miracles spake to them in euery image Euen so shal the deuill woorke falshode by one craft or an other vntill the worldes end amōg them that beleue not Gods word For the iudgement and damnation of hym that hath no lust to heare the truth is to heare lyes and to be stablished and grounded therein through false miracles and he that will not see is worthy to be blind and he that biddeth the spirite of God go from him is worthy to be without him Paul Peter and all true Apostles preached Christ onely And the miracles did but confirme and stablish their preachyng and those
and therefore loueth agayne is glad to do his fathers will and studieth to be thankefull The spirit of the worlde vnderstandeth not the speaking of God neither the spirite of the wise of thys worlde neyther the spirite of Philosophers neither y ◠spirite of Socrates of Plato or of Aristotles Ethikes as thou mayest see in the first and second chapter of the first to the Corint Though that many are not ashamed to rayle and blaspheme saying how shoulde he vnderstand the scripture seing he is no Philosopher neyther hath sene his metaphisike Moreouer they blaspheme saying how can he be a deuine and woteth not what is subiectum in theologia Neuertheles as a man without the spirite of Aristo tell or Philosophy may by the spirite of God vnderstand scripture Euen so by the spirite of God vnderstandeth he that god is to be sought in all the Scripture and in all thynges yet wotteth not what meaneth Subiectum in Theologia because it is a terme of their owne makyng If thou shouldest say to hym that hath y e spirite of god the loue of god is the kepyng of the cōmaundements to loue a mans neighbour is to shew mercy he would without arguyng or disputyng vnderstand how that of the loue of God springeth the keping of his cōmaundementes and of the loue to thy neighbour spryngeth mercy Now would Aristotle deny such speakyng a Duns man would make xx distinctions If thou shouldest say as sayth Iohn the 4. of his Epistle how can he that loueth not his neighbour whom he seeth loue God whom he seeth not Aristotle would say loe a mā must first loue his neighbour and thē God and out of the loue to thy neighbour spryngeth the loue to God But he that feeleth the working of the spirite of God and also from what vengeaunce the bloud of Christ hath deliuered hym vnderstandeth how that it is impossible to loue either father or mother sister brother neighbour or his owne selfe a right except it spryng out of the loue to God and perceaueth that the loue to a mans neighbour is a signe of the loue to God as good frute declareth a good tree and that the loue to a mās neighbour accompanieth and foloweth the loue of God as heate accōpanieth and foloweth fire Likewise whē the Scripture sayth Christ shall reward euery man at the resurrection or vprisyng againe accordyng to his dedes the spirite of Aristotles ethikes would say loe with y t multitude of good workes mayst thou must thou obtayne euerlastyng lyfe also a place in heauen hye or low accordyng as thou hast many or fewe good workes yet wotteth not what a good worke meaneth as Christ speaketh of good workes as he that seeth not the hart but outward things onely But he that hath Gods spirite vnderstandeth it He feeleth that good woorkes are nothyng but frutes of loue compassion mercyfulnes and of a tendernes of hart whiche a Christen hath to his neighbour and that loue springeth of that loue which he hath to god to his will commaundements and vnderstandeth also that the loue whiche man hath to God springeth of the infinite loue and bottomlesse mercy◠which God in Christ shewed first to vs as saith Iohn in the Epistle and Chap. aboue rehearsed In this sayth he appeared the loue of GOD to vs-ward bicause that God sent his onely begotten sonne into the world that we might liue thorough hym Herein is loue not that we loued God but that he loued vs sent his sonne to make agreement for our sinnes In conclusion a Christē mā feeleth that that vnspeakeable loue and mercy which god hath to vs that spirite which worketh all thinges that are wrought accordyng to the will of God and that loue wherewith we loue God that loue whiche we haue to our neighbour and that mercy and compassion which we shew on him also that eternal lyfe which is layd vp in store for vs in Christ are altogether the gift of God through Christes purchasyng If the Scripture sayd alwayes Christ shall reward thee accordyng to to thy fayth or accordyng to thy hope and trust thou hast in God or accordyng to the loue thou hast to god thy neighbour so were it true also as thou seest 1. Pet. 1. receauyng the end or reward of your faith y ◠health or saluatiō of your soules But y t spirituall things could not bee knowen saue by theyr workes as a tree can not be knowen but by her frute How could I know that I loued my neighbour if neuer occasion were giuen me to shew mercy vnto hym how should I know that I loued GOD if I neuer suffered for hys sake howe should I know that God loued me if there were no infirmitie temptation perill and ieoperdy whence God should deliuer me THere is no man that forsaketh house either father or mother either brethren or sisterne wife or children for the kyngdome of heauēs sake which shall not receaue much more in this world and in the world to come euerlastyng lyfe Luke xviij Here seest thou that a Christen man in all his woorkes hath respect to nothyng but vnto the glorie of god onely and to the mainteining of the truth of god and doth and leueth vndone all thynges of loue to the glory and honor of god onely as Christ teacheth in the Pater noster Moreouer when he sayth he shall receaue much more in this world of a truth yea he hath receaued much more already For except he had felt the infinite mercy goodnes loue and kindnes of God and the felowshyp of the bloud of Christ and the comfort of the spirite of Christ in his hart he could neuer haue forsakē any thyng for gods sake Notwithstāding as saith Mark. x. Who soeuer for Christes sake the gospels forsaketh house brethren or sisters c. He shall receaue an hundred fold houses brethren c. that is spiritually For Christ shal be all thynges vnto thee The aungels all Christen and who soeuer doth the will of the father shal be father mother sister brother vnto thee and all theirs shall be thyne And god shall take the care of thee minister all thynges vnto thee as long as thou sekest but his honour onely Moreouer if thou were Lord ouer all the world yea often worlde 's before thou knewest god yet was not thyne appetite quenched thou thyrstedest for more But if thou seeke his honour onely then shall he slake thy thyrst and thou shalt haue al that thou desirest and shal be content yea if thou dwell among insidels and among the most cruelest nation of the world yet shall he be a father vnto thee and shall defend thee as he did Abraham Isaac and Iacob all Saintes whose lyues thou readest in the Scripture For all that are past and gone before are but ensamples to strength our fayth and trust in the word of god It
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 cōmonly 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 Lāpes 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 opē the K. of Englāds 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 takē 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 heauēly 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 reuerēce 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 ◠Pharisies which whē they were ouercome with Scripture miracles y ◠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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 mā 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 Abrahā 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 significatiōs 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 cōcernyng 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
miracles his wonders his mighty hand his stretched out arme and what he hath done for you hetherto He shall destroye them he shall take theyr hartes from them and make them feare and flye before you He shall storme them and stirre vp a tempest among them and scatter them and bring them to naught He hath sworne he is true he will fullfill the promises that he hath made vnto Abraham Isaac and Iacob This is written for our learning for verely he is a true God and is our God as well as theyres and his promises are with vs as well as with them and he presente with vs as well as he was with them If we aske we shal obtain if we knocke he will open if we seeke wee shall finde if we thyrst his truth shall fullfill our lust Christ is with vs vntill the worldes ende Math. y ◠last Let this little flock be bold therefore for if God be on our side what matter maketh it who be against vs be they byshops cardinalles popes or what so euer names they will Marke this also if God sende thee to the sea and promise to goe with thee and to bring thee safe to lande he will rayse vp a tempest agaynst thee to proue whether thou wilt abide by his worde and that thou mayst feele thy fayth and perceiue his goodnes For if it were alwayes fayre weather and thou neuer brought into such ieoperdy whēce his mercy onely deliuered thee thy fayth should be but a presumption and thou shouldest be euer vnthanckfull to God and mercilesse vnto thy neighbour If God promise ritches the way therto is pouertie Whom he loueth him he chasteneth whome he exalteth he casteth downe whome he saueth he damneth first he bringeth no man to heauen except he send him to hell first if he promise life he slayeth first when he buildeth he casteth all downe first he is no patcher he can not builde on an other mans foundation he will not woorke vntill all be past remedy and brought vnto such a case y ◠men may see how that his hand his power his mercy his goodnesse and trueth hath wrought all together he will let no man be partaker with him of hys prayse and glorye his workes are wonderful and contrary vnto mans workes Who euer sauing he deliuered his owne sonne his onely sonne hys deare sonne vnto the death and that for his enemies sake to winne his enemye to ouercomme him with loue that he might see loue and loue againe and of loue to do likewise to other men and to ouercome them with well doing Ioseph saw the Sunne and the Moone and xj starres worshipping him Neuerthelesse ere that came to passe God layed hym where he could neither see sunne nor moone neyther any starre of the skye and that many yeares and also vndeserued to norture him to humble to meeke and to teach him Gods wayes and to make him apt and meet for the roome and honor against he came to it that he might perceiue and feele that it came of God and that he might be strong in the spirite to minister it godly He promised the children of Israell a lande with riuers of milke and honny But brought them for the space of fourty yeares into a land where not onely riuers of mylke and honny were not but where so much as a drop of water was not to nourture them and to teach them as a father doth his sonne and to do them good at the latter ende and that they might be strong in their spirite soules to vse his giftes and benefites godly and after hys will He promised Dauid a kingdome and immediatly stirred vp king Saule against him to persecute him to hunt him as men do hares with greyhoundes and to ferret him out of euery hole that for the space of many yeares to tame him to meeke him to kill his lustes to make him feele other mens diseases to make him mercifull to make him vnderstand that he was made king to minister and to serue his brethren and that he shoulde not thincke that his subiectes were made to minister vnto his lustes and that it were lawfull for him to take away from them life goods at his pleasure Oh that our kinges were so nourtured how a dayes which our holy byshops teache of a farre other maner saying Your grace shal take your pleasure yea take what pleasure you list spare nothing we shall dispence with you we haue power we are Gods vicars and let vs alone with the realme we shall take payne for you and see that nothing be well your Grace shall but defende the fayth onely Let vs therefore looke diligently whereunto we are called that we deceaue not our selues We are called not to dispute as the popes disciples do but to dye with Christ that we may liue with him and to suffer with him that we may raigne with him We be called vnto a kingdome that must be wonne w t suffring only as a sicke man winneth health God is he that doth all thing for vs and fighteth for vs we do but suffer onely Christ sayth Iohn xx As my Father sent me so sende I you and Iohn xv If they persecute me then shall they persecute you and Christ sayth Math. x. I send you forth as sheepe among wolues The sheepe fight not but the shepheard fighteth for them and careth for them Be harmeles as Doues therfore saith Christ and wise as serpentes The doues imagine no defence nor seeke to auenge themselues The serpentes wisedome is to keepe his head and those partes wherein his life resteth Christ is our head and Gods word is that wherin our life resteth To cleaue therfore fast vnto Christ and vnto those promises which God hath made vs for his sake is our wisedome Beware of men sayth he for they shall deliuer you vp vnto theyr counsels and shall scourge you and ye shall be brought before rulers and kinges for my sake the brother shall betray or deliuer the brother to death and the father the sonne and the children shall rise against father and mother and put them to death Heare what Christ sayth more The disciple is not greater thē his master neyther the seruaunte greater or better then his Lorde if they haue called the goodman of the house Beelzebub how much rather shall they call his household seruants so And Luke xiiij sayth Christ Which of you disposed to builde a tower sitteth not downe fyrst and counteth the cost whether he haue sufficient to performe it lest when he hath layd the foundation and then not able to performe it al that behold it begin to mocke him saying this man beganne to builde and was not able to make an ende so likewise none of you that forsaketh not all that he hath can be my disciple Whosoeuer therefore casteth not this aforehand I must ieoberd life goods honor worship and al that there
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 EphesiaÌ„s 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 streÌ„gthed 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 â—ome 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 〈◊〉 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 TestameÌ„t 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
the life of maÌ„ as it is written Iustus ex fide viuit out of which life the pleasantnesse of all his woorkes spring As for an ensample thou art a shoumaker which is a worke within the lawes of God and sayest in thyne hart loe God here I make a shooe as truely as I woulde for my selfe to do my neighbour seruice and so get my liuing in truth with y e labour of myne handes as thou commaundest and thanke thee that thou hast geuen me this craft and makest it lucky that I get my liuing therewith and am surely perswaded that both I my worke please thee O father for thy sonne Iesus sake loe now this fayth hath made this simple woorke pleasaunt in the sight of God An other ensample thou takest a wife sayest O father thou not onely permittest this but also commaundest all that burne haue their mindes vnquieted to marry for feare of formcation and so forth And father I promise thee to loue this woman truely and to care for her and gouerne her after thy lawes and to be true to her and to stand by her in all aduersities and to take in worth as well the euill as the good and to bring vp the fruite that thou shalt geue me of her in thy feare and teach it to know thee Moreouer as concerning the acte of matrimony as when thou wilt eate thou blessest God receauest thy dayly fode of his hand according to y â— fourth peticion of thy Pater noster knowledgest that it is his gift and thankest hym beleuing his worde that he hath created it for thee to receaue it wyth thankes by the which worde prayer of thankes thy meate and drnicke is sanctified i. Tim. iiij Euen so thou sayest father this I do not onely at thy permission which is inough to please thee wythall but also at thy coÌ„maundement and haue bound my self hereunto to keepe my soule from sinning against thee to helpe my neighbour that he sâ—me not also and promise thee to keepe thys profession truely and to nourishe the fruite that thou shalt geue me in the feare of thee and in the fayth of thy sonne Iesu and so thankest the Lord for his giftes Now is thy worke thorow thys sayth and thankes pleasaunt and acceptable in y â— sight of God And so was the geÌ„dring of Iacob in fayth and of Samuell many other And y â— geuing sucke was a good worke and so was the dressing of them by the fire And when our Lady coÌ„ceaued Christ thorow fayth was not that a good worke What if God when she doubted and asked by what maner she should conceaue him had commaunded her to conceaue hym of Ioseph or of some other man had not that worke done in obedieÌ„ce and faith bene as good a worke The will that Abraham had to sâ—ay Isaac and all that he dyd till he came at y â— very point to slay him were good workes and so had ben the slaying also And AbrahaÌ„ was sure that he pleased God highly and as well as in any other worke and had as depely sinned if he had bene disobedient therein as though he had done any other cruell dede forbidden by God Yea but shomakyng is not commaunded by God Yes and hath the promise of God annexed therto For God hath commauÌ„ded me for the auoyding of sinne to do my brethren seruice and to lyue therby and to chose one estate or other for if thou wouldest receaue onely of thy brethren and do nought agayne thou were a these and an extorcioner a tyraunt And I chose shomaking or receaue it at y â— obedience of myne elders Now haue I Gods commauÌ„demeÌ„t to woorke therin truly and his promise annexed therto that he wil blesse mine occupation and make it lucky frutefull to bryng me an honest lyuyng Worke I not now at Gods commauÌ„dement and haue hys promise that it pleaseth him Note this also first my craft is Gods commaundement Secondarely I beleue am sure that my worke pleaseth God for Christes sake Thirdly my woorke is profitable vnto my neighbour and helpeth his necessitie Fourthly I receaue my reward of the hand of God with thaÌ„kes and worke surely certified that I please God in my worke thorough Christ and that God will geue me my dayly bread thereby But if thou examine their doctrine thou shalt finde that this fayth is away in all their frutes and therefore are they worme eaten and shales with out kernelles Note againe the Turkes Iewes geue almose aswell as we as much yet abhominable for lacke of fayth knowledge of the true intent What sayth the text he y â— receaueth a prophet in the name of a Prophet shall haue the reward of a Prophet That is because thou aydest him in preachyng of of Christes word thou shalt be partader with him haue the same reward And he that receaueth a Disciple in the name of a disciple shal haue c. And he that geueth one of these litle once but a cup of cold water for my names sake shall haue his reward If a kyng minister his kingdome in the faith of this name because his subiectes be his brethreÌ„ and the price of Christes bloud he pleaseth God highly and if this fayth be not there it pleaseth him not And if I sow a shue truly in the fayth of hys name to do my brother seruice because he is the pryce of Christes bloud it pleaseth God Thus is faith the goodnesse of all workes Finally when God geueth end I receaue with thankes is not God as well pleased as when I geue for his sake and he receaueth A true frend is as glad to do his freÌ„d a good turne as to receaue a good turne When the father geueth his sonne a new coate and sayth am not I a good father and wilt not thou loue me agayne and do what I byd thee And the boy receaueth it with thankes and sayth yea and is glad and proude therof doth not the father reioyce as much now in the lad as an other tyme when the ladde doth what soeuer it be at his fathers commaundement But the false Prophets do well to paynce God after the lykenesse of theyr owne visenomy glad when he receaueth ye when they receaue in his name But sowre grudging and euil content when he geueth agayne But thou pleasest God when thou askest in faith and when thou receauest with thankes and when thou reioysest in his giftes and louest hym agayne to kepe his coÌ„maundementes and the appoyntment and couenaunt made betwene him and thee And for a conclusion besides that they expell fayth whiche is the goodnes of all workes they set vp workes of their owne makyng to destroy the workes of God and to be holyer then Gods woorkes to the despisyng of Gods woorkes and to make Gods workes vyle With their chastitie they destroy the chastitie that God ordeined and onely requireth With
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 vnseÌ„sible 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. thousaÌ„d 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 â—e 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 repentauÌ„ce 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 secoÌ„d 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 SacrameÌ„ts 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 coÌ„maundementes he is theÌ„ ragyng mad as the Pope is seketh to be venged Nay God is euer fatherly minded toward the elect meÌ„bers 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 â—e angry to put a crosse of tribulatioÌ„s 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 offeÌ„deth 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„ coÌ„pany 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
with materiall water are very Christen men and haue the true fayth and be those which Paule affirmeth to be without spot blame or wrinkle But thereto I say nay for euen as the outwarde circumcision made not the Iewes the elect people and children of saluation so doth not the outwarde baptisme make vs the faythfull members of Christ but as they were the children of God which were inwardly circumcised euen so they that are washed inwardly from the concupiscens of thys worlde are the members of Christ whom Paule affirmeth so to be purged through his bloud Agayne you may know that Rastell knoweth none other faith but that which may stand with all maner of sinne but the faith which we speak of is the same which worketh through charitie wherof Paule speaketh Gal. 5. They that haue thys fayth are borne of God and sinne not these that haue this faith do hope and looke daily for deliuerance out of this thraldome and body of sinne and in the meane season they purify themselues as he is pure For if a man will say that he knoweth Christ or beléeueth in him and kepeth not his commaundementes he is a lyar and we renounce him to be any of this number that we speake of And when Rastell sayth I woulde conclude there is no hell for them that be Christen men though they continue still in sinne I aunswer he that committeth sinne is of the deuill and I say agayne that the Christen that we spake of which are the children of God cannot continue still in sinne but séeke all meanes to fulfill Gods commaundementes Notwithstanding the christen which Rastel speaketh of which are the children of the deuill may do as they list and indéede they had néede to make a frende of Rastell to helpe them into his purgatory if it be any better then hell for they shall neuer come in heauen except they repent and walke innocently in this world as Christ and his little flocke haue euer done for they that walke otherwyse are none of his though they weare miters This little flocke it is that are so purged and not Rastels multitude and for this is there neyther hell nor purgatory ordeyned euen as for the hope that continueth still in sin is ordayned no heauen And that there is no hell ordained for these faythfull folowers of Christ I will proue euen by this worde of Paule which Rastel rehearsed before Rom. 8. That there is no damnation to them that be in Christ Iesu if they liue not after the flesh Here Rastell hath smitten the ball quite vnder the corde and hath alleged that that shall condemne him For if there be no damnation but because you are somewhat slow in perceauing the matter I shall reduce it into a Sillogismus on this manner There is no damnation vnto them that be in Christ Iesu if they liue not after the flesh but after the spirite Euery hell is daÌ„nation Ergo there is no hell to them that be in Christ Iesu if they liue not after the flesh but after the spirite This is in the first figure made by Relarent not by any profite that I thinke that the poore coÌ„moÌ„s can take by such babblyng but onely to satisfie your mynde and pleasure Notwithstandyng one thyng I must put you in remembraunce that you haue falsly translated the text for the text hath not that coÌ„ditional although I was contented to take it at your handes to sée what you could proue but the text sayth thus there is no daÌ„nation to them that are in Christ Iesu which walke not after the flesh but after the sprite where Paul doth certifie you that they which are in Christ Iesu walke not after the flesh but after the spirite so that you may gather by Paule that if they walke not after the spirit they are not in Christ Iesu that is to say they are none of Christes although Rastell will call them Christen men therfore deare brethreÌ„ looke that no man deceiue hym selfe for Christ is not y t minister of sinnes If we be deliuered froÌ„ sinne through Christ then must we walke in a new conuersation of our life or els we are still in darknes Remember that we haue this precious treasure in frayle britell and earthy vessels let vs therfore with feare and trembling worke our health and make stable our vocation and electioÌ„ for if we retayne the truth knowledge of God in sinne and vnrighteousnes we shall shortly perceiue the wrath of God vppon vs with infinite delusions and the ende of vs shal be woorse then the begynnyng awake therfore and vnderstaÌ„d your health Now you may sée howe he concludeth that I establyshe thys error that there is no hell for séeing mine arguments and Paule Rom. viij doe conclude that there is no hel nor dampnation to them that are in Chryst Iesu and are hys faythfull followers he thinketh it should well folowe that if there be no hell for them that there is no hell for no man for in hys seconde chapter and also in the beginnyng of the third he saythe that I deny hell and when we come to hys probation there is nothyng sayd but that whych Paul confyrmeth that is there is no dampâ—ton for them that are in Chryst Iesu which walke not after the flesh but after the sprite whych are thorow Chryste wythoute spotte wrynkle or blame And so though Rastel appeare to hymselfe to conclude lyke a sage Philosopher yet I answer you he coÌ„cludeth lyke an ignorante Sophyster as all meÌ„ may sée for it foloweth not Paule and Fryth say there is no hel as contrarywise it foloweth not there is no heauen for Rastelles Chrysten men whych contynue styll in synne Ergo there is no heauen for the deuil theyr father and yet is there heauen for Chryste and hys electe I haue before declared how Chrystes elect are synners and no synners And nowe bycause you shoulde not mistake the tertes of S. Iohn whych I before alleaged I wyll shew you how they do commyt synne whych I dyd also fufficiently touch in my answer agaynst Rastels dialoge euen two leaues froÌ„ the ende and yet I wyll touche it agayne bycause you shall not thyncke that I woulde not leade you in ignorance and darknesse There are two partes in a faythfull man whych rebell eche agaynste other and are at contynuall stryfe and both of them haue diuers names in serypture the one is called the inward man the heart the mynde the wyll and the spryte the other is called the outward man the rebellyous membres the bodye of synne and the fleshe and these in a faythfull man kéepe contynuall warre and allbeit the one be subdued and taken prysonner of the other yet neuer consenteth to hys ennemy he can not leaue him neyther will make peace wyth hym but wyll laboure what he can and wyll call for all that he thynketh
such thynges as will not stand with hys word then will I determine that it is done by the deuill to delude the people with damnable idolatrye When Paule and Barnabas preached at Listra and had done a miracle among them the people ranne and would haue done sacrifice vnto them But the Apostles ranne among them and tare their clothes crying vnto them syrs what do you we are euen corruptible men as ye are and preach vnto you that you should leaue thys vayne superstition and worship the liuing God which made heauen earth the sea and all that is in them c. Here the Apostles refused such honour worship And therefore I am sure they would not suffer their images to haue it Now when I see a miracle done at any image and perceaue that it bringeth men to the worshipping of it self contrary to the facte and doctrine of the Apostles which would not receaue it them selues I must néedes conclude that it is but a delusion done by the deuill to deceaue vs and to bryng the wrath of God vppon vs. Euen so I say of the sacrament sith the miracles that are done by it do make mē thinke otherwise then Scripture will and cause men to worship it I doubt not but they are done by the deuill to delude the people Thou wilt peraduenture say that God will not suffer hym to abuse the sacrament of hys body and bloud Yes verely God will suffer it and doth suffer it to see whether we will be faythfull and abide by hys worde or not And maruell not therof for God suffered hym to take vp the very naturall body of hys sonne Christ and set him on a pinnacle of the temple And after he tooke hym vp agayne and lead hym to an exceding mountaine And therfore thinke not but that he hath more power ouer the Sacrament then he had ouer Christes owne body And therfore whē they tell me loe here is Christ loe there is Christ as Christ prophecied loe he is at thys altar loe he is at that I will not beleue them Neuerthelesse if I should graunt that all y e miracles which were done and ascribed vnto the sacramēt were very true miracles and done of God him selfe as I doubt not but some of them be true yet thereupon it doth not followe that the sacrament should be the very naturall body of Christ For we haue euident storyes that certayne persons haue bene deliuered from bodely diseases through the Sacrament of baptisme And yet y ◠water is not the holy Ghost nor the very thyng it selfe whereof it is a sacrament The shadow of Peter hath healed many and yet was not that shadow Peters owne person We read also that napkins and handkerchers were caryed from Paule vnto them that were sicke possessed with vncleane spirites and they receaued theyr health And yet it were neuerthelesse madnesse to thinke y e Paules body had bene actually or naturally in those thynges And therefore thys is but a very weake reason to iudge by the miracles y e presence of Christes body And surely you might be ashamed to make so slender reasons For God may worke miracles through many thinges which are not hys naturall body And as touchyng the olde Doctors whom you fayne to make with you and the truth of your opinion which you say hath bene beleued of all good Christen people this xv C. yeares is sufficiētly declared before and proued to be but a poynt of your olde Poetrie ¶ D. Barnes did graciously escape M. Mores hands ANd also Frier Barnes albeit that as ye wote well he is in many other thinges a brother of this yong mans secte yet in this he sore abhorreth his heresie or els he lyeth him selfe For at his last being here he wrote a letter to me wherin he writeth that I laye that heresie wrōgfully to hys charge And shew eth him selfe so sore greued therewith that he sayth he will in my reproch make a booke against me wherin he will professe and protest his fayth concerning this blessed sacrament But in the meane season it well contenteth me that Frier Barnes being a man of more age of more ripe discretion and a Doctor of diuinitie and in those thinges better learned then this young man is abhorreth this yongmans heresie in this poynt as well as he liketh him in many other The more your mastershyppe prayseth Doctour Barnes the worse men may like your matter For in many poyntes he doth condemne your damnable doctrine as in hys booke appeareth And therfore if such credence must be geuen to hym then much the lesse will be geuen to you But peraduēture you wil say y ◠he is to bée beleued in this point although he erre in other Where vnto I aunswere that if you will consent vnto him I would be well apayd and will promise you to wright no more in that matter For in this we both agrée that it ought not to be worshiped yea and blessed be God all the other whom you call heretickes And so both of vs do auoyde Idolatry which you with so great daunger do daylye commit And therfore if you alowe his learning then am I content that you dissent from me For let it not be worshiped and thinke as you will for then is the perillpast And sith we agrée in this poynt doubt not but we shall sone agrée in the residue and admitte ech other for faythfull brothers And your mastership sayeth that he wrot you a letter protesting that you lay y ◠heresie wrongfully to his charge I thinke it was more wisdom for him twise to haue written to you then once to haue come and tell you of it For it was plainely told hym y e you had conspired his death and that not withstanding his safe conduyte you were minded to haue murthered him and for that cause he was compelled both being here to kéepe him selfe secreatly and also priuely to departe the realme And blessed be God you haue sufficienly published your purpose in your aunswere against W. Tyndall Where you say that you might lawfully haue burnte hym Here mē may sée how perciable you are addict to our prelates And how prone ye were to fulfill their pleasures contrary to our Princes prerogatiue royall And thankes bee to GOD whiche gaue you such grace in the sight of our soueraigne that he shortly withdrewe your power For els it is to be feared that you would further haue proceded agaynst his graces prerogatiue which thyng whether it be treason or not let other men define But this I dare say that it is Printed and published to our Princes great dishonour For what learned man may in tyme to come trust to hys graces safeconduite or come at his graces instaūce or request sith not onely the spiritually whiche of their profession resiste hys prerogatiue but also a laye man promoted to such preheminence by hys graces goodnes
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 couÌ„ted 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 coÌ„panioÌ„s 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 seÌ„t 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 cruÌ„mes 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 PatroÌ„s 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 grauÌ„t 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 omnipoteÌ„t 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 coÌ„trarywise 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 â—uÌ„me 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 freÌ„dshyp 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 maÌ„s hart is of his goodes how much more is here Idolatrie whereas maÌ„s 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
dedes are acceptable to God that are done in fayth so no deede to allowed good in Gods sight howe glorious to the world soeuer it appeare if it be without fayth Euery maÌ„ to walke truly in his vocatioÌ„ is the right seruice of God We must be mercyfull one to an other Luke 17. Ipocrites are vayne glorious in in all theyr workes True preachers must preach repentaunce Math. 17. Math. 17. Math. 〈◊〉 The maner doctrine of hipocrites Math. 6. Math. 23. Math. 16. Luke 9. Rom. 10. No zeale without knowledge 〈◊〉 good Churches why they were first ordeyned The true Temple of God is the hart of maÌ„ Luke 14. Math. 5. The manet of the speaking of the Scripture The wise of this world doe not vnderstand the speaking of God in his scriptures The Papistes argumentes Aristotles and Papistes doctrine Good workes are the fruites of loue God first loued vs and not 〈◊〉 hym How we vnderstand the loue of God to be in vs. Luke 18. Whosoeuer for Christen sake loseth any thing shâ—l receiue an huÌ„dreth folde If we once possesse Christ by faith then haue we all in all and are content with that we haue Here note what foloweth of good workes Iohn 〈◊〉 By faith in Christ we are made the sonnes of God Iohn 3. Faith doth expell the wrath of God Iohn 7. 1. Cor. 2. The naturall man which is but fleshe sauoureth not those thinges that are of the spirite Iohn 13. Iohn 5. Iohn 14. We are blessed by God onely in Christ our sauiour and not by our workes Iohn 15. We must wrestle with our olde man that we may put oâ— Christ Mat. 13. Roma 1. Roma 8. Our best workes are damnable in the sight of god with out Christ Christ is our hope righteousnes Let no maÌ„ despayre but put his hope in Christ and he shal be safe Roma 2. No man can fulfill y e law but hee that beleueth in Christ 1. Cor. 2. Christ is y e sure foundation Mans fouÌ„dation is feble 2. Cor. 5. Christ rewardeth his owne workes in vs. Ephe. 6. Collos 3. We must obey the magistrates because God will haue it so Rom. 14. 1. Cor. 6. 1. Pet. 1. A good lesson to teach vs to know when we haue the spirite of God â—emit all vengeauÌ„ce to God The fury of the Popish Clergie Actes 10 Prayer is the frute of fayth Liuely â—ayth to not without workes Fayth maketh vs at one with God Fayth prayeth always and in all places The prayer of a faithfull man Iaco â–ª Iames. 3. Fayth is y â— goodnes of all y â— deedes that are done within the law of God Iaco. 3. An example Turkes haue no fayth 〈…〉 know then is a God An example Sinnes that are acâ—empted no sinnes Faithlesse fruites Rom. 10. Pharao confessed his sinnes The deuils confessed Christ to be the sonne of God Simon Magus fayth 2. Pet. 2. 〈◊〉 Cor. 1. 3. An Epitome or briefe recitall of that which is entreated of before The nature of Gods word is to be persecuted The Pope is receaued and receaueth and per secuteth Loue of the world is hatred of God and his holy Gospell God defendeth his doctrine hym selfe Gods word sighteth agaynst hipocrites Nowe our master Christ was entreatedâ— The craft oâ— the hypocrites Gods truth worketh wâ— ders maketh the wisedome of the hypocrites foolishnes The captiuitie of the Israelitâ—â— vnder 〈…〉 If 〈…〉 with 〈…〉 who can be 〈…〉 If God be with vs who can be against vs Pharao sâ—aieth the men children How Moses comforteth the Israelites Gods truth fighteth for vs. God tryeth the fayth of his children God worketh backward Ioseph Israelites Dauid How Bishops instruct kings Wherunto a christian is called Our fighting is to suffer while God fighteth for vs. The wisedome of the Serpent He maketh a mocke of him selfe that casteth not the ende â—re he begin How is the Pope â—ure whiche taketh all for Christes sake but forsaketh nought Tribulation is ouâ— Baptisme Tribulation is a blessing Prosperitie is a curse Tribulation in the gift of God Wherby the are the pope and byshops sure The weakeâ— to the world the stronger to Christ Weakenes of the flesh a the strength of the spirite Flesh In ij things we are put to our choisâ— The differeÌ„ce betwen the children of God of the deuill The deuils wages All Gods children are vnder chasticing Which way go the Byshops to heauen then The tyraÌ„tes haue not power to doe what they would The promises of God are comfortable yea they are all comfort A Christen mans care The despisers persecutors they that fall froÌ„ the word are threatened Nâ—… Loth. Moses and Aaron The Prophetes Christ â—…ildas â—hey be spiâ—…tuall that 〈◊〉 deâ—ilishe â—…r the deâ—…ll is a spiâ—…tâ— We must in no case deny Christ God receaueth them that come agayne Why God letteth hys elect fall That the Scripture ought to bee in the English toung Whette thâ— on thy children that is exercise thy children in them and put them 〈◊〉 â—re No nor syâ— Iohn hys ghostly children Holy dayes Our Schole masters take great wages but teach not Why the preachers are not beloued when they saye trouth The curates wotte not what a Bible meaneth The Priests vnderstand â—o Latin Search the Scriptures Agaynste Christ is knowen by his dedes A seuerall kyngdome Seuerall lawes What christ lowseth â—rely the Pope byndeth to lowse it agayne for money A secret couÌ„sayle Person Vicare Parishe Priest The propâ—…ties of the Hebrue toung agree with the English Kyng Adelston Contrary preachyng Contrary Doctours Antechrist turneth the rootes of the tree vpward The Scripture is the triall of all doctrine the right touch stone Philosophy Aristotle Scripture Aristotle Paul Aristotle 〈◊〉 Philosophy Paul When no man will teach if we desire â–ª God will teach The order of teachyng The disorder or ouer thwarâ— order of our 〈◊〉 men The schole doctrine 〈◊〉 they call 〈◊〉 corrupteth the iudgementes oâ— youth 〈…〉 〈…〉 Yet in this they all agree that no 〈…〉 is saued 〈…〉 â–ª 〈…〉 〈◊〉 thâ—… 〈…〉 â—…er â–ª and that tâ—e Pope 〈…〉 Câ—…st 〈◊〉 me 〈…〉 to who 〈◊〉 will and take them â—â—om whom 〈◊〉 will 〈◊〉 ye 〈…〉 〈◊〉 simi 〈◊〉 〈…〉 Place 〈…〉 〈◊〉 â—…s wise 〈◊〉 â—s 〈◊〉 â—olâ—tâ—y â—hat â—…od 〈◊〉 Then thinke the papistes their wicked lyfe will shew it selfe to theyr shame and confusion The Pope licenced the people to read say what they would saue the truth But the one forbiddeth not theyr pompe and beâ—â—y cheate as the other doth Prelates not professors but pâ—…phaners of Gods word The obedieÌ„ce of moÌ„â—… not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tâ—ey 〈◊〉 noâ— of 〈…〉 but 〈…〉 〈◊〉 sayuyng The hyppocrites lay that to Gods worde which they themselues oâ—e cause of God warneth ere he strike WheÌ„ God punisheth â—ooâ—…ry of the hipocrites then say they that new learning is the cause thereof Christ was 〈◊〉 of â—…tion Why trouble foloweth the preaching of the Gospell Christes flocke a little flocke As our Prelates