cause of my condemnacion / for this was allwaies layd to me a fore the vice chauncelar before whom they haÌ„delyd this matter secretly in the commen scolys the dorys loked and in the vicehaunchelars chaÌ„ber for they knewe well that al men of lernynge were agenst them and to this I answered no nother thynge but that the bysshops dyd never vse to come to sermones wher fore yff we shulde never repreue their abhominable lyuinge but whan they were present / than shuld yt be to longe More over / though they were absent yet were there present of their counselle of their courte the which wolde telle them that that I had spoken / for I had spoken yt for that purposse but there was no man a monge them al that coulde euer say of hys consciens but that these thynges that I had spokeÌ„ agenst the bisshops were trewe / yee and a great deale more / And yet must I poore man be condempned for an heretyke They maye by cause they be lord lye bysshops lyue in al abhominable and mischevous lyuinge with out shame aÌ„d with out repreue / and I must be condemned for an heretyke by cause I speake yt They maye do it / but I may not speake it / but god shal shortly either make an ende of theÌ„ or els of al the worlde for suche abhominable lyuinge as they lyve / the father of heuyn for the love of hys blessed sone Christ Iesus be mercyful vn to vs Amen The fyrst artycle If thou beleue that thou arte more bound to serue god to morow which ys Christemasseday or of Ester day or off whytsonsunday for ony holynes that is in one day more than in a nother / than art thou no faythefulle christen man / but supersticions / aÌ„d S. Paule ys agenste the saynge yov do obserue dayes yeares / Galat. 4. monthes and tydes / for vn to a faythfull christenman euerye day ought to be christemasseday Esterday whitsoÌ„suÌ„day The which thynge the fathers considerynge that thou dydest not obserue yee and that thou woldst neuer obserue yf yt were lefte to thy iudgemet for thou arte geuen so moche to wordlye busynesses / for that cause they haue assigned the certayne days to come to the church / to pray to gether / to here the worde of god to gether / and to receyve the blessyd sacrament to gether / what faute fynd yov in this artycle by cause I saye that one day is not holyar than a nother I pray you what is the cause / or what nature is in one day that is not in a nother where bi that that shulde be holyar than the other By cause yov wyl say that we hallowe the remembraunce of christes byrthe of christes resurreccion in one day and not in a nother This thinge I saye must yov doo everye day for christ is everie day borne / everye day rysen / everye day asseÌ„ded vpp And this must you beleue stedfastly / that he was borne for you / and rysse to kylle youre dethe / ascendyd for youre iustificacion / thys must you sanctifye in youre hertes everye day / and not one daye Now varye we but in thys thynge yov say that we are bound to sanctifye but one Christemasday in the yeare / and that is supersticiousnes and heresy say I / not that I condemne youre one day / but that you sett yt to one daye alonly that we are bound to do euery day Breuely my lorde of Rochester a lowed this article saynge he wold not coÌ„deÌ„ne it for heresy for an C. li. this was a great some of mony but yt was folyshly sayd quod he to preache this a fore the bodchars off cambryge / as who saye they were all bochers that were at the sermon But the bisshop of bathe askyd me whether we myght labour on the holy days or not seyng yt is wrytten thou shalte obserue thy holy day I answered / that christen men were not bounde to abstayne from bodily labour by that commaundement / for it was so geuyn to the Iuys / and yff we were bounde to abstayne froÌ„ boddyly labour by that commaundement / thaÌ„ was the kynges grace and all his counsell / my lorde cardinall all his counsell in the way off damnacion / for they causse men to carrye their stuffe on the holy daye what day so ever yt be whan they wyll remeue / at this reson all mi lordes were a stonnyed / aÌ„d wyste not what to say they were loth to condemne my lorde Cardinals grace / seynge he was so holye a prelate of christes church / aÌ„d the facte they coulde not denye wherefore at the laste my lorde of Rochester rememberd him selfe he ys an olde man and his bloud is colde a boute his harte and answered of this maner A goodly reason I will make you a lyke reason / the bisshop of wynchester sufferth the stuys ergo the stuys be lawful / at this reason was I a basshyd and sore afraid durste not answer to yt / for I perceyved that it was as lawfull for oure nobyll prince to carry stuffe on the holy day which is not ageÌ„st the worde of god As it is for an harlote of the stuys to lyue in opeÌ„ whordom which is ageÌ„st the worde of god / And yet my lordes the bisshops of their great cheryte and of their innumerble sprituall treasur sufferth bothe Brevelye yt were to longe to recyte alle the madnes that they dyd vse wyth me I wylle not saye cruellnes and yet ernestly they condemned me / but I wyll recyte the sayng of doctours which I layde for me / but they were not regarded S. Hierom sayth Ad Ga. 4. Therfore be certen days assygned that we shulde come to gether / not that that day in the which we come to get her is holiar than a nother / but all days be lyke and equalle and Christ is not alonly crucifide in parasceven and rysen only on the sonday / but the day of resurreccyoÌ„ ys all ways / all ways may we eate of oure lordes fleshe Epâ— â—19 cÌ„ Here. s Hierom saythe the selfe word that I spake aÌ„d of these wordes was I moued to speake as god dothe know Also S. Austayne / we must obserue the sabboth day / not that we shuld rekkyn oure selfe not to labour / but that all thynge that we doo worke well / must haue an intencion to the euerlastinge rest / wherfore we must obserue the holly day not by corporall idyllenes / and vn to the letter / but spiritually must we reste from vices and concupiscensys where fore a monge all the ten commaundemeÌ„tes that of the sabboth day alonly is commaundid to be figuratlye obserued and not by corporall idyllnes Aduersus Iudeos cÌ„ Also TertuliaÌ„ The carnall circumcision ys put a way and extyncted at hys tyme / Solykwyse the obseruacion off the sabboth day ys declared to be for a tyme / for we must kepe
worde is a lantern vn to my fete a lyght vnto my pathys / he calleth yt a lantern and lyght yee and that vnto alle men / Psal 118. and yov calle yt but a story / darkenes / and a thyng of secretnes yee and occasion of heresy how cane the occasioÌ„ of darkenes geue lyght how cane a lantern be a thynge of secretnes / how cane the veryte of god be occasyon of heresy Psal 1 the holy prophete saith / blessed is the maÌ„ that setteth his delectacion in the wylle of god / and his meditacioÌ„ in godes law nyght and day / here saithe the spret of god / that men be blessed / that studdy the worde of god / and yov saye that men be heretykes for studdying of yt / how dothe the sprett of god yov agre Also Ephe. 6 s Paule commaundeth vs to reseue the helmytt of helthe / and the swerde of the sprett / the which is the worde of god / I praye yow to whome dothe he here speke to prystes wonly howe meny of youre prystes dyd he knowe ye was not this pystylle wrytten to the wholle churche of the Ephesians And did not they rede yt were not they lay men / why shall not oure lay men reade that they red Moreouer dothe not Paule calle yt the swerde of the sprett / is it not lawfulle for lay men to haue the sprett of god Or is the spret of god not fre but bound alonly to yov Also S. Iohan saithe / yff any man come to yov and brynge not this doctrine reseue him not in to youre housse nor yet salute hym / here the holy goste wolde we shulde haue no nother doctrine / but holy scriptur / and yov wylle take yt alonly from vs. Forthermore thys was wrytten vn to a woman and to her chylderne and yow wylle that nother man / wyfe nor childe shalle rede yt / but yff we shulde reseue youre prystes in to oure housys / after this rule / I thynke we shulde not be gretly combered wyth them / for there are fewe of them that haue this word / also oure Master Christ saithe vnto the pharesys / serche yov scripturs for in them yov thynke yov haue eternalle lyffe / oure Master sent the pharises to scripturs and yov for byd christeÌ„ men to rede theÌ„ / who had a worsse sprete thane they / yet they iudged better off holy scripturs than yov do / for they iudged to haue lyffe in them and yov iudge to haue heresys in them so that yov be tentymys worsse to scripturs / â— Tim. 3 thaÌ„ euer were they Also Paule sayth all scripture geuen by inspiracion of god is profitable to teche to iÌ„proue / to informe / to instruct in ryghttusnes / that the man of god may be perfyte / and prepared vnto alle good workes / yov wyll not deny but scriptur is geuen vs of god ergo after S. Paule yt ys profitable to lerne wyth and yov say yt ys damnable and good to lerne heresys with S. Paule saithe yt is good to improue heresys / and yov say yt ingenderth heresys S. Paule saithe it is good to informe / and to instruct Ryghttusnes / and yov say to in forme heresys S. Paule saith that the man off god may be perfytt by yt / and yov saye that the prystes alonly shalle haue yt / so that yov play overthwart with S. Paule in alle thynges Also S. Paule saithe / yov may alle interpretate scâ—iptur / one by one / that alle men may lerne / alle men may haue comforte / but lett youre wyuys kepe sylence in the congregacion / marke how that alle men may prophesy which S. Augustine dothe declare For interpretatyng scripturs / ergo yt belongâ—th not allonly to prystes / Also he saith that wemen must holde their pece / which he nede not to commaunde yff they were vn lerned Forthermore he wylle that wemen shalle lerne of their husbondes at whome / how shall their husbandes lerne them yff they be vnlerned them selfe Also Tim. 3 2· s Paule geueth testimony of Timothy that he was lerned in holy scripturs / from his chyldehod / the which were abylle to instructe hym vn to saluacion by faithe that is in Christ Ihesu / here yov not how Timothe was lerned in holy scriptures a fore he was eyther prest or bisshop yee beyng but a chylde the which as s Paule saith / ware abyll to instruct hym / and yov say they be abylle to condeme meÌ„ is not this clene contrary agenst S. Paule are yov not a shamed what workes shal Antichrist doo more contrary to christ than these be lette alle christen men wrytte the dedes of Antichrist and they must alle agre in this that he shall condemne scriptur / but that shall he not doo / with out some collour of ryght / aÌ„d of holynes / yov coÌ„deme it hauynge no collour nor no shaddow of holynes / but alonly reason of fleshelynes / aÌ„d of starke madnes / thynke yov if the grete Turke wolde reseue suche reasons as youres be / ye and a grete delle better agenst hys makomett / that he coulde rayne so longe as he hath done Nay doutles / aÌ„d yet yov loke to be a lowed agenst Christe / the ryght sone of god yee and that of Christen men which coulde not be hard agenst makomytte Mar. vlt. Mat. vlt. Also oure Master Christ commandeth his apostles that they shuld preche the gospell vn to alle creaturs / and as Matthew saithe / that they shuld teche men to kepe alle maner of thing that he had commanded them / Marke that the gospelle / must be preached to alle maner of men not to prystes wonly / the appostles must also lerne men to kepe alle thinges of the gospelle which they can not doo with out they know theÌ„ / now yff these thynges that the appostles dyd lerne shulde ingender or be any occasion of heresys / than the holy appostles were occasion by their doctrine of heresys / yee and that at the commaÌ„â—ement of oure master Christ / what nede the appostles to lerne vs any thynge that myght be occasion of heresy were we not in heresy a fore they came were we not alle disposed of oure nature vnto all maner of myschyffe / and yet after youre lernynge they come and lerne that thing that is occasion of heresy / but of youre consieÌ„s are yov not a shamed / thus damnablye / to blaspheme the heuynly worde of god thus shamfully to condemne godes word thus presumtuously to vndertrede the gyfte of the holy gost yee that vnder the pretence of holynes / and of christendom / as though you did fauore Christ / wyl yov make Christ an auctor of heresy and that vnder the name of holynes / wylle yov by youre holynes / and youre damnable hypocrisy / condeÌ„ne oure Master Christ / the auctor of alle goodnes
theÌ„ and now wyll you forbyd chrysten men / to rede holy scriptours / that are sworne vn to them ye and also to defende them vn to dethe Also Saynt Paule saythe Let the worde of god dwell in you pleÌ„teuosly / 〈◊〉 â— 3 S. Paul wolde that lay men shulde lerne the worde of god / ye and that plentuusly / and you commaund that they shall haue nothyng of yt How stondeth youre nothynge / with Saynt Paules abuÌ„daÌ„te AbundaÌ„tly / and nothyng / be for a sunder / But thus do you all ways a gre with Saynt Paule and with holy scrypture / And yf you wolde say playnly in wordis that youre dedys do declare openly / than were we in no doute of yow / for all the worlde wolde take you / as you be takyn a fore god / that ys for the Antichristis that the worlde loketh for / Neuer the lesse doute you not / but god shall declare yt openly at hys tyme / to your vtter confvsyon and damnacyoÌ„ / for doughtles yow neyther holde wyth Christ with holy doctors / not yet with youre awne law / where they be agenste you / but all thes must be expoundyd and wronge vn to youre carnalle purposse or ellys you make yt heresy / But thynke you that the father of heuyn whiche for the grett tender loue / that he had to mans soule sent hys wonly sone to redeme yt / and also to geue yt a lawe to lyue by out of hys awne mougth shall thus suffer yt to be loste thorow youre hypocrysy / aÌ„d hys godly word to be ouer tredyn for the mayntaynynge of your worldly Glory naye douteles for yf yt were possybylle / that he coulde moore regarde youre pompe and pryde than mans solle and hys godly worde / yet were yt vnpossyble that euer he shulde so dyspysse / the swet bloude of hys blyssyd sone swet Iesus / where fore loke a pon youre charge But to oure purpose / Augu. aâ— fratres s 38. S. Augustine is openly agenst you in these wordys My brothern rede holy scrypture in the whiche you shall fynde what you ought to holde / and what you ought to flye / what ys a man reputyd wyth out lernynge what ys he Is he not a shepe or a gotte Is he not an Oxe or an Asse Is he any better than an horsse or a mule the whych hath no vnderstondynge cÌ„ Here S. Augustyn movythe men to rede holy scripture And yov commaÌ„de them not to rede it S. Augustine sayth They shall know in them what to do / and what not to do / and yov say they shalle lerne nothyng there out but he resys S. Augustyn saythe a man with out lernyng of scripturs / is no better than a brute beste / ar not yov god fathers that wille make all youre chyldern no better thaÌ„ bestes / Also Athanasyus In epâ—s ad Ephe. c. 6. If thov wilte that thy chylderne shalle be obedieÌ„t vn to the / vsse them to the wordes of god But thou shalt not saye that it belongyth alonly to religious men to studdy scripturs / but rather it belongythe to euery christen man and specially vn to hym / that is wrappyd in the busynessis of this world / and so muche the more / by cause he hathe more nede of helpe for he is wrapped in the trubbilles of the world / therfore it is gretly to thy profyte that thy chyldern shulde bothe here and also rede holy scripturs / for of them shalle they lerne thys commandyment / honour thy father and thy mother c These wordes be playne ynough agenste yov / They nede no exposicioÌ„ / And the doctoure is of auctorite wherfore answere yov to hym In Gen. c. â— ho. 28. Also ChrisostuÌ„ that was a byssope as welle as yov be / condemnythe youre sentens opynly saynge I beseche yov that yov wille oftyntimis come hyther / and that yov wylle diligently here the lesson of holy scriptur / and not allonly whane yov be here / But also take in youre hondes whane yov be at home the godly bibles / and reseue the thyng there in wyth grett studdy for there by shalle yov haue grett vantage cÌ„ These wordes be so playne that I cane adde notyng to them / wolde yov that we shulde take yov for bysshops and for holy fathers / that be so opynly agenst scripture / and so contrary to holy doctours / that wille I neuer do whylle I lyue / I neuer loke to see other Antichristes than yov / And so wylle I take yov tylle I se almyghty god coÌ„uerte yov Also the same doctor saithe In Mat. c. 1. hom 2. Vvhyche of yov alle that be here / if it were requiryd coulde say won psalme with out the boke or any other parte of holy scriptur / not won doubtles But this is not aloÌ„ly the worste / but that yov be so slow and so remisse vnto spritualle thynges / and vnto deuillishenes yov are whottar than any fyer / but men wille defend this myschiffe with this excuse / I am no religious man I haue a wyfe and chylderne / and a hovse to care for / This is the excuse where with yov doo as it were with a pesteleÌ„ce corrupt alle thynges for yov do rekkyn that the studdy of holy scriptur belongythe alonly vnto religius men / whane they be muche more necessary vn to yov than vnto theÌ„ cÌ„ Here may yov se that youre damnable institucion was in the hartes of men in chrysostuÌ„s days / how they wolde rede no scripturs / but yov se he coÌ„demmyth it / aÌ„d callithe it a pestilens / wille yov now bryng it in agayn If yov had but a lovsy statute of youre awne ageÌ„ste me or an other man / yov wolde caulle vs heretykes / But yov neither regarde chrystes holy worde nor holy doctours nor yet any other thynge that is ageÌ„ste you But lett vs se what youre awne lawe sayth to this / Di. 38. Si iuxta If christ as paule sayth be the power and the wysdom of god / thane to be ignoraunt in scrypturs / is as muche as to be ygnorant of Christ cÌ„ Here haue yov playnly that to take away scripturs from lay men / ys as muche as to take away christ from them / the which no doute / but that yov doo intend in youre hartes to doo / and that thinge god knoweth and youre workes doo declare yt the whiche god shalle venge full stratly over you / also in an other place / 7. sinod c. OeÌ„s et di â— I wylle sett my meditacion in thy iustificacions / and I wylle not for gett thy wordes / the which thing is exidyng good for alle christen men to obserue and kepe cÌ„ Here ys a counselle of youre awne that hathe admytted that alle christen men shalle studdy holy scripture And wylle yow now condemne yt Is their neyther scripture of
god / nor practys of christen men / nor exposycion of doctors / nor youre awne lawe / nor yet any statute of counselles that wylle hold agenst yov yov be meruelus giantes / how shall a man behaue hym selfe to handylle wyth yov / yt is not possible to ouer come yov / for yov wylle admytâ— nothynge that is agenst yov But yet wyll I not so leue yov / but I wylle fyrst declare yt manifestly / that yov be contrary to christe / In prohe In Epist ad Ephes Li. 1. and to alle holy doctours S. Hierom / repreueth yov very sore in these wordes O Paula and Eustochium / yf there be any thyng in this lyffe that dothe preserue a wyse man and dothe persuade hym to abyde wyth a good wylle in the oppressions and the thravlledoms of the world I do rekken that specially yt is the meditacioÌ„s and the studdy of holy scripture seyng that we doo dyffer from other creaturs specially in that that we be resonable and in that that we cane speke / now is reason and alle maner of wordes conteyned in godly scriptur / where by that we may lerne to know god and also the cause wherfore we be created / wherfore I doo sore marvelle / that there be certen men the whiche geue theÌ„ selfe / to slouthefullnes / and sluggyshnes aÌ„d wille not lerne those thinges / that be good / but rekken those men worthy to be reproued / that haue that good mynd cÌ„ Marke how that this was wrytten to two wemen / that were lerned Also he rekneth nothyng better / than to studdy holy scriptures / he also meruelyth / that serten wylle neyther studdy scriptures them selfe nor yet lett other men studdy them / It is well knowen / that these wordes prycke no men but yov / and yov be so slothefulle and so geueÌ„ to voluptuousnes / that yov youre selfe wyll not studdy scriptures nor yet suffer other meÌ„ to studdy theÌ„ but yf yov doo studdy them / it is to diffene youre symple pore brother there by / and to mayntayne youre abhominable lyuynge / with wrestyng and wryngynge of them other profite coÌ„meth there none of youre studdy / as all the worlde knoweth For you may not preche / but whaÌ„ yov haue damnablye coÌ„demned christes blessed worde or els by vyolence / made some of youre poore brethern heretikes / than come yov wyth alle youre gorgius estate / pompe and pryde / to out face christ and youre symple brother / wyth youre outward damnable pryd a fore the face of the world / but my lordes / leve of youre fasynge and youre brasyng / for oure lorde whose cause we defend agenste yov / wylle at length not be out fased Remember how the holy gost prayth agenst yov saynge / iudge them lorde / Psal 5 that they may falle from their cogitacions / expelle them lorde for they haue prouoked the / dought yov not but this holy sprett wylle prevaylle agenste yov / though god suffer yov for a sesonne yet hathe he tyll this day defended hym selfe his godly wordes agenst all the proude crakynges of the world / and thynke yov that he wylle nowe take a faulle at youre honde nay nay / he shall fyrste thrust yov out hedlynges that alle the worlde shall take example by yov / this is my beleue For that word that yov haue condemned doth thus lerne me / wherefore iff yov do not reuoke the condemnacion of the newe testament / and ordeyne that alle christen men may rede holy scriptur yov shalle haue the grettest shame that ever men hade in this worlde for yov ar neuer abylle to defend yt by no menys / nor by no power that is in erthe / and if alle power in erthe wylle withstonde yt / he shalle rather bryng theÌ„ alle to duste and raysse vpp of stonys newe rulars yov wormys meat / yov stynkyng carrion yov nurryshement of helle fyer / how dare yov thus presume agenste youre god omnipotent whether wyll yov flye to a voyd his danger heuen and erthe / watter and fyer / sone / mone / and starrys / saynctes and angelles / man and childe / be agenst yov and holde yov a cursed what though the deuylle laffe on yov for a seson / Rememâ—er the ende / but god geue yov his grace / that I losse not my labour a boute yov But now lett me a soylle youre carnalle reasons that yov bryng for yov The fyrst is this euyll men doo take an occasion of heresy out of scripturs / wherefore yt is best they haue yt not / I answere lyke wyfe good men doo take an occasion of goodnes there of ergo the people ought to haue yt / but wylle yov condemne alle thynges where by men doo take occasion of evylle Than must yov fyrste put out youre awne yies for by them take yov occasyon to see meny idylle thynges yov must also dystroy youre hondes youre fette youre tonge / and alle that yov haue for these do yov mysse vse very often / yov must also distroy youre awne hartes wherby yov haue not alonlye occasion of evylle / but yov doo thinke evylle in very dede / yov must also destroye alle fayre wemen / for of them take yov sore occasions of evylle / yov must also burne alle your goodes and destroy alle youre richys / for of them meÌ„ take occasion to be theuys and yov to be proude / yov must also distroye all winys / for of them men take occasion to be drunken / yov must distroy alle mettes / for they geue men occasion of gluttyny / yee yov must distroye the marcy of god / of the which evylle men take boldnes in their myschyffe / breuely what is there soo good a thynge but that evylle men cane take an occasion of evylle / yee and that of Christe him selfe / as 1. Corin. 1. S. Paule saith which vnto to the Iuys is offence / and vnto the gentylles occasioÌ„ of folyshenes / and yet for alle this yov maye not dystroye Christ / but he must remayne stylle and so lyke wyse the gospelles / for though that the evylle man which wyl neuer be good reseue of it occasioÌ„ of evyll / yet there be meny thousandes that reseue there by their saluacion Now be cause the spyder gethereth poyson of the good herbis / it were no reason therfore to dystroy alle good herbys Mar. 1â— A nother of youre reasons / there be serteÌ„ sentences in scripture that do not beloÌ„ge for everye maÌ„ to know / as oure M. Christ faith / vnto yov is it geueÌ„ to know / the mysterys of the kyngdoÌ„ of heueÌ„ / vnto theÌ„ is it not geueÌ„ I aÌ„swere whome mene yov whaÌ„ yov say / vnto yov it is geueÌ„ / yf yov mene the aposles alonly their successors thaÌ„ may not yov rede holy scriptur / for yov be not the successors of the appostles / by my lorde of
continue this day to morrow aÌ„d the nexte daye cÌ„ So that he lefte not the ministracioÌ„ of the worde / nether for the kynges plesur nor yet for fere of dethe Also we haue opynly / Dani. 3. that the thre chyldern wolde not obey to the coÌ„mandiment of kyng nabuchodonosor / by cause it was ageÌ„st the worde of God / lykewyse we haue an exaÌ„ple / where as the kynge darius commandyd that no man shulde axe any peticyoÌ„ / Danie 6. eyther of god or maÌ„ with in the space of xxx days but of hym only / Not with stondynge Daniell went in to his hovse / and thryse in a daye made hys prayers to god of Ierusalem / for the which thyng he was put in to the denne of liones / the whiche he dyd obey as in suffering of the payne but not in consentyng to the vnryght commandement / So that Christen men are bound to obey in sufferyng the kynges tyranny / but not inconsentyng to hys vn lawfulle commandiment / alle ways hauynge a fore theyr yies / Mat. 10. the confortable sayng of oure M. christ Fere not them that kylle the boddy / which whaÌ„ they haue done they cane no more doo / 1. Pet. 3. Also S Petter / happy are ye if yov suffer for ryghttusnes sake / neuer the lesse fere not / thovgh they seme terebille vn to yov neither be trublyd but sanctify the lord god in youre harte And let theÌ„ not fere but that their father of heuyn hathe care for them / And shalle delyuer them / And also brynge his godly worde vn to lyght whaÌ„ yt shalle plesse hys eternalle wille / ageÌ„ste the whyche no tyrante is abylle to wyth stond But whane the tyraÌ„tes thynke them selfe most suer of the vyctory / and be alle reddy prouydyd to burne Susanna / Dani. 13. thaÌ„ shalle he reyse vp a danielle that shalle caulle a gayne the sentence of the lecherous prystes / And whan Ioseph is solde in to Egypt / and there cast in prison than wille he make him lorde ouer alle Egypt yee and also ouer them that solde hym Genes 37. et 39. He brengeth also to passe that proud Aman be he neuer so grett in the kynges fauoure shalle be hangyd on hys awne gallowes / that he made for mardocheus the Isralyte / Also whan Pharao hathe commandyd vnder payne of dethe to destroye alle the men chyldern of Israel / Than cane he fynd the menys to saue Moses ye and that on the watter Exod. 2. where as alle the power of Egypt coulde not saue the kynge / yee and he norryshyd hym in the kynges hovse / at the kynges cost ye and by the kynges doughter / Dyd pharao supposse thys or was there any counselle of Pharaos that coulde preuaylle agenste this was there any wysdom or tyranny in the erth that was abille to extincte moses nay verely Furtheremore whaÌ„ Israell hath byn in egipte .iiij. C. yerys in grett captiuite and thralduÌ„ / yet agenst Pharaos wille kepith he hys promis and deliuereth them and makyth watter fyer and erthe to serue them / and whan alle Israel was in dispayre and pharao the tyrant was reddy to sucke bloud Than shewed oure God his myghtty power what can Israell thynke whan he hath the red see a fore hym / And pharao with alle his might and power after hym / and of euerye syde a grett mountayne / what hope hathe he by mans myght / by mans power / by mans wysdom / by mans pollisy / for to be deliueryd none at alle But a fore Israelles carnalle yie alle thing ys in extreme dysperacyon Psal 2 But now you prynces that Iudge the erthe lerne and take hed / here coÌ„mith the god of Israell / whoÌ„ all Egypt hath dispysyd / skornyd mokkyd and coÌ„demnyd and sheweth hys myght where as nothyng can helpe but he wonly / and where the tyrantis rekkyn to be most suer of victorduÌ„ / Act. 12. there bringyth he all theyr malys too an ende And whaÌ„ herod hath peter in preson faste bound in chenys / and of euery syde of hym a sodyare and kepers sett at the preson dore euerye man in his offyce watchyng that peter shall not escape for herod in tendeth the day folowyng too brynge hym forthe to wonderynge and also to dethe Than agenst herodis wyll / a boue all his might a boue alle his wysdum and polycy / notwythstondinge alle the sodyarâ—s and gaolars of the preson / cometh the power of oure eternalle god and ledeth Peter thorow the fyrste and the second warde / yee and the brason gate must wylfully open / and lett Peter out / whome oure lorde god wolde delyuer Shortly / what shulde I brynge meny examples to proue godes power and to declare how the trouth of god and hys childerne be alle ways in persecucyon / but the ende is all ways glory vnto them wherfore this won example / of oure Master Christe shalle be sufficient to stablish and to confirme alle febylle hartes / and also to molyfye alle stonye hartes / and fynallye to confound / the violent tyranny of mortalle tyrantes which be but stubbilles keye and duste / and in a moment be brought to a lumpe of stynkyng carryon / consyder oure master Christe which is the very trew sone of god / Mat. 27. 28. and god him selfe and yet ys he crucyfyde and put to dethe / as a sedicious person / as a malefactor as a theffe / as a traytoure / yee and as an heretyke / he is layde also in the graue and a grete stone a fore the dore / and sodyars that were not of the commen sorte / but of the Romayns / be sett dylygently to kepe the graue wyth alle the polycy and wysdum that the bysshopes coulde devysse / and alle that he shulde not rysse vpp agayne acordynge to hys worde / but alle this could not helpe for the powre of god wold not be lett / hys veryte coulde not be proued false / hys worde coulde not be oppressed / but whane the tyrantes thought to make theyr tryumphe off vyctorye / than were they most overcumme / for yt ys neyther watter nor fyer / see nor Londe / heueÌ„ nor erthe / dethe nor helle / that cane let god to defende his chyldern / or to bring forthe his godly word to lyght / and to kepe his eternalle promysys / Therfore let Christen meÌ„ not fere to kepe the worde of god and faste there by to abyde / and not to deny yt for any tyranny / for the day shalle come whane it shalle be gretly to their glory / And Sodom / and Gomor shalle be more easelye handlyd / than suche prynces / that do persecute the holy worde off God Now is it clear made that we can not resyst this temporalle power in no wysse by vyolence / but if we haue wrong either we must do the
yt Fol. v. Kynges croune what it signifieth Fol. viij Lawes constitucions and decrees which be not grounded in scripture bynd not oure conscieÌ„s C.xij Lyra saith / the churche doth not stonde in men / by the reason of spiritual power or secular dignyte / for manye princes and manye popes and other inferior persons haue swarved from the faithe wherfore the church doth stonde in those parsones in whom is the true knowlege and coÌ„fession of faith and verite cÌ„ lx Monye is a marchaunte lxxix Onlye faith iustefieth before god xxxvij Origene saieth / alle maner of synnes that god wold haue punished shulde not be punished by the bisshopes rulars of the church but by the iudges of the world accordinge to S. Paule Roma xiij And why shuld not princes punish prestes for their knavery xv Origene hath these wordes / Paule saiethe that the iustificacion of faithe is alonly sufficient so that if a maÌ„ do beleue alonlye / he is iustefied though there be no workes done of him at all By faith was the thefe iustefied with out the workes of the lawe wherefore a man is iustefyed by faith vnto whom as concerninge iustificacion / the workes of the lawe helpe nothinge xli Origene sayeth / vppon these wordes thou arte Peter cÌ„ these wordes were spoken vn to Peter / vnto all appostles / vnto all maner of perfeite faithfulle men for all they arte Peter / and in all them is buylded the church of christ / agenst none of them can the gates of hell prevayle cÌ„ lxxv Pope contrarye to the prerogatiue of alle princes did depose the righte kinge of fraunce / and set in pypinum and assoyled al fraunce of their oth and allegiaunce due vnto their right kynge as his lawe testifieth Fol. v Pope wyll not be repreued although he drawe innumerable people vnto the deuell Fol. vij Popes lawe saithe that the pope maye make no newe lawe where christ or the appostles or holy doctoures haue dertermyned any thinge Fo. 7 Popes lawe saieth that we must kepe vnto princes and powers / faith and reuerence / but the pope doth otherwyse Fol. viij Popes lawe saieth / they are not the childern of holye men that sitte in the sete of holye meÌ„ / but they that doo their workes Fol. ix Popes lawe saiethe / the seate doth not make a preaste but a preast maketh the seate / the place doth not sanctifie the man but the man sanctifieth the place All preastes be not holye / but all holye men be preastes / but now oure popes denye this Fol. ix Popes lawe saith / he that dyspyseth the veryte and presumeth to folow the custome is envious and malicious agenst his brethren and vnthankefulle toward god xv Popes lawe saith / the custome maye not lett but that the veryte must prevayle for a custome with out the verite is but an olde erroure xv Popes lawe saith that the church knoweth no corporalle wepons / and that the holye churche hath no swerd but the spirituall swerde but now the pope saith otherwyse xv Popes lawe saith / that the temporalle swerde the ministracyon of the worde are dyuerse offyces and that the one maye not vsurpe the others auctorite xvj Popes lawe sayeth / that the bisshoppes shulde vse the emperours lawes as concerninge temporall thinges and shulde not wroppe him selfe in wordlye busynesses Fol. xvj Popes lawe saieth that as a temporall officer maye not vsurpe to preach the worde / no more maye the minister of the worde vsurpe any power that belongeth to the temporall swerde xvj Popes lawe saieth / they that forbid men to worke on the saboth daye or sondaye are the preachers of Antichrist This lawe is like to make all oure clargye membres of Antichrist xxv Popes law saieth / Corneliê° ceÌ„turio beinge a hetheÌ„ maÌ„ was iustefied bi the gifte of the holy gost lv Popes lawe saith / therfore is the church holye / because she beleueth rightwyselye in god lxij Popes lawe saithe / the counsell maye erre as yt hath erred / as concerninge the contracte of matrimonye inter raptoreÌ„ et raptam / the sayenge of S. Hierome was afterwarde preferred aboue the statute of the counsell For in thinges concerninge the faythe ys the saynge of a pryuate persone to be preferred a fore the saynge of the â—ope yf he haue better reasons and scriptures 〈◊〉 him than the pope lxiiij Popes law saieth / the church doth oftymes excomunicate a man that is with in / that is / which is a true christen and a member of the church / And contrarye wyse kepeth him with in the church / which is with out and is in dede no membre of christes church lxv Popes lawe sayeth / if peter haue power alonly to bynde and to lose than doth it not the church / but if this be done in the church / theÌ„ dyd peter whan he receyved the keyes sygnyfye holi church lxxv Popes lawe sayeth / if christ as Paule affermeth be the power and wysdome of god / than to be ignoraunte in scripture is as moch as to be ignoraunte of christ C.viij Popes lawe recyteth a counsell which thought it exceadinge good for al christen men to be ocupied in the meditacyons of godes lawe C.viij Popes lawe sayth / we vnderstonde that certeÌ„ men receuinge alonlye the porcyon of the blessed bodye do astayne from the chalice of the holy bloude / the which doutles seynge I can not tel by what supersticyon they are lerned to abstayne let them eyther receue the hole sacrameÌ„t or els let theÌ„ be forbiddeÌ„ from the whole sacrament / for the diuisyon of one and of the same mysterie can not de done with out greate sacrilege cÌ„ C.xxviij Popes lawe sayeth / whan the hoste is broken and the bloude shed out of the chalice in to the mouthes of faithfull men / whatother thynge is there sygnifyed but the immolacion of oure lordes bodye on the crosse and the shedinge of his bloude out of his syde cÌ„ C.xxix Popes lawe sayth / if that the bloude of chryst be shed for remyssyon of synnes than ought I lawfullye for to receue it I which do al wayes synne must al wayes receave a medicine Cxxix Preastes will haue princes sworne vnto theÌ„ x. Preastes wyll defende their temporall godes with both swerdes by what auctoryte fo xij Preastes maye not apeare be fore a temporall iudge xij Princes maye make no statutes of preastes godes excepte any thinge shulde be geueÌ„ theÌ„ xii Preastes liuinges maye not be iudged of lay-men .xii Sacrament of the altare ought to be receyved of al meÌ„ vnder both kyndes or els the receuers synne C.xxiij Sayntes It is ageÌ„st scripture to honoure images or praye to sayntes C.xxxiij Scriptur It is lawfull for al maner of men to reade holye scripture C. Solucyons to the reasons scriptures which they falselye alege that workes shulde iustifye xlix Tertulian sayeth / that we must kepe the saboth not alonlye the seventh daye but everye daye so that oure saboth is nothynge but to harken vnto the worde of god and to lerne to abstayne from synne xxiiij Vvetheral prouincial of the fryar austynes xliii Amen
they to helpe them we ought not to depose a kinge though he be wyked How dare they be so bolde / as to depose a kyng / whyche is ordenyd of god / yee and by hys holy worde / hauyng none example / nor scripture for thē Be they aboue god and hys blessyd worde But they wyl saye / that the kyng was a wyked man / I answere / the cronycles / geue contrary wytnes / how that he was a very good man / ād ryght symple and by cause he was so symple / therfore Pipinus whyche had all the rule vnder hym / thought hym silfe better worthy to rule than the kynge / and so wrote vn to the pope and desyred hym to geue sentence / whether he was better worthy to be kyng that had all the paynes and labours / or he that had no laboure Now the pope / to make Pipinum his frende / gaue sentēce wyth hym / and deposed the other and made hym a monke Thys can I welle proue by good cronycles Now lett youre noble grace consyder / yff yt were ryght / not only to depose such a kinge but also to make hym a monke Thys haue they done wyth other noble kynges / and no doute / but that same or worse / wyll they attempte to doo vn to youre grace / yff you dysplease them / and at the leste they wyll doo their vtter most Lett all the hole rable off thē / tell youre grace / when a trewe preacher off chrystes gospell dyd suche a deade There is no officer that hathe nede to be a frayde off Chrystis gospell / nor yet of the preachers ther off / For they wyll geue them auctoryte tēporalle / But off these preuy traytours / can no man be to ware you may se by experience / how in a maner by their preuy treason they haue gotten in to their handes / halfe youre royalme But lett vs graunt thē / that the kynge was a wyckyd mā The scripture commaundeth vs / to obey to wyckyd princes / and geuyth vs none auctorite to depose thē / who was more wycked than Herode / and yet S. Iohan sufferyd deethe vnder hym who was wyckedder than Pylate And yet Christ did not put him doune but was crucified vnder hym Breuely whyche off all the princes were good in the appostles dayes and yet they deposed none So that gods worde / and the practyse off oure Master Chryst / and hys holy apostles are openly agenste them More over their owne glosse sayeth that he was not deposed / by cause he was vnsuffycient / but by cause he was wanton and lecherous wyth wemen O my lordes yff you be not afrayde of the vengeaunce of god / at the leste take a lyttle shame of the worlde vn to yov / that haue so longe tyme wyth so great tyrannye defendyd these lawes that be so opynlye agēst gods ordinaunce / agenst gods worde / and agenst the commen ordynaunce and consent of all the worlde And this thynge haue yov done / to the greate iniury off noble princes / to the intollerable subduynge off all noble bloude / to the oppressyon off their trew subiectes / to the dystruccyon off alle commen welthes And fynalle to the damnacion off many a Chrystened soule Tell me by youre faithe / doo you beleue that there is a lyuyng god / that ys myghtye to punysh hys enymyes yf yov beleue yt / saye vn to me can yov deuyse for to avoyde hys vengeaunce / whyche be so opynly cōtrayrye to hys worde what answere thinke yov to make to hym Thinke yov that he will suffer youre worde to be harde / lette hys godly worde be dyspysed Thynke yov that yt will be suffycient for yov to saye / that they be the lawes of holy churche Thynke you that he will be thus taught off yov Than were yt tyme to plucke hym downe / ād sett you vpp Naye my lordes he ys no chylde / nor you shalle fynd yt no chyldis game / thus to tryfle playe with hys holy word and hys blessyd ordinaunce / ye and that to the dyspysyng / of the maker bothe of heuyn and erthe Saye what yov wyll / ye are not able neyther by crafte / nor subtyltye and yet be you falce ynough to defende thys matter / neyther a fore god / nor yet afore oure noble prince / nor a fore any mā off lernyng that wyll be trewe to hys prince for whiche waye so ever you turne you / oure Master Christ / and all hys blessyd apostles be agenst you / and will openlye accuse you / that yov be contrarye to their worde / and to their dede Answere ye to them / answere not to me yff I holde my peace / they wyll speake Nor yt will helpe you but lyttle / to crye after youre olde maner heresy / heresy / a Traytour / a traytour for now you crye agēst youre selves / and off those thinges they doo accuse you Doo yov thinke yt with the ordinaunce of god / that you shall depose a kinge by cause he lyuyth in advoutrye / or ys a lecherous man If you thynke yt a lawfull cause / why doo you not preache yt opynly why doo you not laye yt to kingis charges why suffer you them to be kingis that lyue in aduouttry why do you not put youre lawes in execution you saye they be the lawes of holy churche / and there by may you depose princes But yff you will put them in execucion / than were yt moche better / to be a bysshop or a preaste / than to be a kinge / or a duke For you maye lyue in whordom / or in any other vngracious lyuyng / ye and that to the destruccyon off many mens soules / and yet no man so hardye to repreue you / as youre awne lawe dothe openlye commaunde in these wordes Di. 40. Si papa Iff the pope doo drawe wyth hym innumerable people on a hepe to the deuyll of helle / there to be ponyshed for euer / yet shall no mortalle man presume / to repreue hys synnes / for he muste iugde alle men / and may be iudged off no mā c̄ Lykewyse haue you an other lawe in your decretales / that no laye man maye repreue a preate c̄ How thinke yov by these lawys / De. here Cū exiniuncto et sicut in yff they be not off the deuylle / telle me what ys off the deuyll you wyll bothe repreue / yee and also depose princes / but yov wyll neyther be deposed / ner yet repreued off any mortall man what thynke you youre selues godes But how can you depose a kyng / and yt lyeth not in youre powre to make a kyng / For eyther he ys borne a kyng / or he cometh to yt by elecciō / or he wynnethe yt victoriously by swerde which way so euer he cometh by yt / you can not make hym And wyll you depose hym for fornicacion / how wolde
the sabboth day not allonly the seventh day / but at all tymes as Esai saith cÌ„ But here my lorde of Rochester sayd / fyrst that I vnderstode not Tertulian Secondarilye / that he was an heretike / but I passe over myne answere for this ys but a lordly worde he coulde on nother wyse saue hys honour / but yet stondeth my scripture fast / S. HieroÌ„ S. Augustyn / also their awne law whose wordes be these / De consecra di 3. c peruenit It ys come vn to me that certayne men whych be of an euill sprytte haue sowed sertyn euyll thynges a monge you and contrary to the holy faythe / so that they do forbyd that men shulde worke on the sabboth day / the whyche men what other thynge shall we call them but the prechers of Antychryst / the which antychryst shall make the sabboth day and the sonday to be kept from all maner of worke Thys lawe clearly declareth you to be Antychrystes / thys is more thaÌ„ I sayde I haue great meruell that the bysshop of bathe beyng so myghty a lorde in coÌ„demnynge of heretykis was not lernyd in thys lawe seynge yt ys hys awne facultye The seconde Article NOw dare no man preache the trewe and the very gospell of god and in especiall they that be feble and feare / but I truste / ye and I praye to god that yt may shortly come / that false and manyfest errours may be playnly shewed / There be sertyn men lyke coÌ„dicionyd to dogges / yff they here any man that is not their contrymaÌ„ or that they loue not nor knowe not / that say any thynge agenst them / than crye they an heretyk / an heretyk / ad Ignem ad ignem / These be the dogges that fere trew preachers Vvhat heresy fynd you in thys Artycle The thirde Artycle VVe make now a days many marters / I trust we shall haue many mo shortly for the veryte could neuer be prechid plainly / but persecutioÌ„ dyd follow Here dyd my lorde of bathe inquire of me / yf I rekkenyd theÌ„ for marters that were burnt at brusellis / I answerd that I knewe not their cause wherfore they deyd but I rekenyd as many men to be marters as were persecutyd aÌ„d deyd for the word of god / but he sayd he wolde make me frye for thys ¶ The .iiij. Artycle THese lawys / These lawyers / these Iusticiarys / that saye that a man may lawfully aske hys awne good a fore a Iuge / contend in iugement for they haue dystroyed all pacieÌ„s / deuocyon / and faythe in chrysten people ¶ The .v. Article THis pleatinge in Iudgement is manyfestly agenst the gospell â— Cor. 6 Luc. 12. Homo quis me coÌ„stituit iudicem / And coÌ„trary to S. paule / I am oâ—o delictuÌ„ est cÌ„ The some of these two articles is / that a chrysten man may not coÌ„tend in IudgemeÌ„t with hys brother for hys priuate welthe / how thynke you is thys heresy what say you to S. paul / whych sayeth Now ys there vtterlye synne a monge you by cause you go to lawe one wyth a nother why rather suffer you not wrong / why rather suffer you not youre selues to be obbid May not I speake these wordis / be they not of holy scrypture was not I a preacher and a doctour was not thys Auctoryte suffycyent Matt. 5. Also oure Master sayeth yf any man wyll sue the at the lawe and take thy cote from the / lett hym haue thy cloke also / wolde not oure master that we shulde rather suffer wronge / than to go to lawe for oure priuate welthe May not I say these wordes / wherfore were they wryttyn by the holy goost but that they shulde be lerned But lett vs goo to youre doctours / Athanasiê° ad cor 6. Athanasius on S. paulis texte / There is vtterly synne a mong you / that is to say yt ys to youre coÌ„demnacion and to youre ignominy that you do excercyse iudycialles a monge you / wherfore do you not rather suffer wronge S. HieroÌ„ ad cor 6 Also S. Hierom / yt ys synne vnto you that yow do agenste the coÌ„maundemeÌ„t of christ / that you haue IudgemeÌ„tes a monge you that which ought all ways to kepe peasse / ye though it were with the losse of youre temporall goodes / where fore do you not rather suffer wronge where as you ought by the coÌ„mandemeÌ„t of the gospel / and by the exampyll of the lorde pacyently to suffer / there do you the contrary / not allonly not suffer / but you do wronge vn to them that doo no wroÌ„ge cÌ„ Mark how S. Hierom callethe yt a precept aÌ„d a coÌ„mauÌ„dmeÌ„t and no couÌ„sell Also Haymo sayth / Haymo ad cor 6 yt ys offence and synne in you that you haue Iudicialles for accusacion ingenderth stryffe / Stryffe ingenderth discorde / Dyscorde ingenderythe hattryd And lest peradueÌ„ture they wolde say this is no syne to requyre myne awne / there fore sayth the apostyll / truly it is synne vnto you / for you do agenst the coÌ„mandemeÌ„t of the lorde the whych saythe / Luc. 6. he that taketh a waye thy good aske yt not agayne / wherfore do yow not rather suffer wronge wherfore do you not rather suffer losse that you myght fulfyll the coÌ„maÌ„demeÌ„t of the lorde cÌ„ Mark how he callyth yt the commandemeÌ„t of god and it ys synne to aske oure awne with contencion / 14. Q. d his ita And youre awne lawe sayth They are forbydyn to contende in Iudgement / yt muste be thus vnderstonde that they may not stoÌ„de a fore a Iudge for them selfe but for other men cÌ„ Now what haue I sayd in myne artycle that holy scrypture / holy docturs and also youre awne lawe doo not saye / but vn to thys sayde my lorde off Saynt Asse that these scrypturs were but counselles aÌ„d no preceptes / alleggyd lira for him of this texte / si vis ê‘fectus esse / to whoÌ„ I did laye the auctoryte of S. paul that callyth it sinne which it coulde not be if it were but a counsell Also the auctorite of S. Hierom / which callyth it openly a precept but to this he answeryd shaking of his hed pytuously said / A good M. doctour if you were lernyd in duns you wolde saye other wyse / but the selfe bysshop could saye to a certayne doctor which had great meruell why thy haÌ„delyd me so that I had opyn vroÌ„g but he could not do therto but after this cam a doctour of law whoÌ„ I know not aÌ„d sayd that their lawe had condeÌ„nyd this opynion and declaryd those scripturs to be but couÌ„sells / but I denyed that and sayd I knewe no suche law and sodenly Doctour steuyn shewed me their lawe / whose wordes be these / Illud euangelij / 14. Q. 1. his ita si
myght oÌ„derstoÌ„de the scripturs / so that where S. Ioan saythe / Luc. 24. he gaue them the holy gost Luke sayth / he openyd there witte to vnderstonde scripture / yt foloweth in Luke Thus aÌ„d Thus is it writtyn that Christ must suffer dethe and ryse a gayn the thyrd day and that repentaunce / Luc. 24. and remission of synnes shulde be prechyd in hys name a mong alle nacyons Nowe where S. Ioan sayth / whosse synnes yov do losse shalle be lossid cÌ„ That sayth Luke in these wordes remissioÌ„ of synnes must be pÌ„ched in his name So that whosse synnes yov do losse shalle be losed is nothynge els but that yov mvst preche remyssion of synnes in my name / and as meny as reseue thys worde yov shalle losse them by thys worde aÌ„d as meny as do not reseue it yov shalle bynde them by that same word / That this is the sentence of these .ij. places it is opyn by that that they speke alle of one story and of that thynge that was done alle in one daye / Acto 17. this doth also S. paule proue wel where he resiteth the wordes of luke saynge / Christ must nedes suffer and ryse a gayne from dethe / aÌ„d thys Iesus is christ / here is it playne that S. Paule losyd meÌ„ from their sinnes by prechynge remession thorow christ so that yov haue opynly here the practis of the holy apostyls howe the dyd bynd and losse bi prechynge the worde of gode They dyd bynde with the worde whane it was not beleued They dyd losse by the worde whane it was beleued Thus dyd they by one worde preche bothe saluacyon and damnacion but vn to dyuers meÌ„ / This vertue of the worde dothe S. paule declare in these wordes / 2. Corin. â— we are vn to god the swete sauoure of christ bothe a monge them that are sauyd / and also amonge them whych peryshe / To the one parte are we the sauoure of dethe vn to dethe / vn to the other parte are we the sauoure of liffe vn to liffe Vvhat is this sauoure nothyng els but the gospel / whyche is vn to one sauoure of lyffe that is nothynge els but lossinge and remyssioÌ„ of synnes And vn to the other it is the sauoure of dethe vn to dethe / that is occasion of byndynge retenyng in synne / This dothe paule also declare in a nother place / 1. Corin. â— The prechynge of the crosse is to them that perish folishenes but vn to vs whyche are sauyd it is the power of god / what is the power of god nothynge els but remyssion and losynge from oure synnes Vvhat is folyshenes nothynge els but they dispyse the gospel and rekyn it of no value and of no power / where fore they remayne bound in their synne Thus is it declaryd that one worde of god worketh in dyuers men dyuers operacions / in the one yt workith lyffe that is remission of synnes / in the other workythe it dethe and is takyn for folyshnes / that is it declarythe them bound and retaynyd in their damnable synnes and yet in hym selfe / he is of one goodnes of one nature / but the diuersite coÌ„mythe / of theÌ„ that be the reseuers This may be prouyd by a naturall exaÌ„ple / the dewe of heuyn commith doune indyfferently a pone alle gruÌ„de / but in the one it bryngyth forth good corne swere frutes And in the other it bryngith forth nettilles broÌ„billes / that be nothyng worth but to the fyer / Heb. 6. Thys example haue yov in the pystille to the hebrues for this same purposse / lykewyse by one worde do the holy apostâ—lle and chrystes mynysters losse and bynde / but this do they not by charmeynge covngerynge Iuglynge and whyslinge absolucions as yov doo / But by prechynge the holy worde of God whyche whane it is beleued dothe quyet and losse ovre consiens from alle synne / aÌ„d offereth it vs thorow christ only / But whaÌ„ it is not beleued thaÌ„ doth yt bynde vs retayne vs in synne So that thys holy worde is the very trewe keye of heuyn / for by yt heuyn is openyd and shett Chriso in M. c. 15. De doctr christi li. 1 c. 15. et 18. Thys dothe Chrisostom welle prove in these wordes / The key is the worde and the knowlege of scripturs / where by the gatte of veryte is openyd vn to men cÌ„ S. Augustine dothe also witnes the same saynge These keyes hathe he geuyn to the churche / that what she byndeth in erthe shalle be bound in heuyn / and what she losythe in erthe shalle be loused in heuyn / That is so say / who so euer dothe not beleue that hys synnes be forgeuyn hym in the churche / they be not forgeuyn hym But he that dothe beleue / and averte hym selfe from hys synnes beyng with in the churche by that same faythe aÌ„d amendment is he made holle cÌ„ Here haue yov opynly that by beleuinge the worde of god oure synnes be losyd / aÌ„d by vnbeleue be we bouÌ„d in oure synnes / but now must we serche to whoÌ„ these keys be geuyn They may not allonly begeuen to Peter / for than Paule / and the two sonnes of thuÌ„der had theÌ„ not Nor they may not be geuen / Augustin in Ioan Trac 124 â–ª to one more than to the other for Christ wasse indifferent and they were al his apostillis aÌ„d their confessyon was all one / wherfore no dout but these keyes were geueÌ„ vn to al Christes apostyllis vn to the wholl churche / as Saynt Augustyn dothe decare openly vppon Iohan. 24. q. 1. Qâ—odcuÌ„que This may be also proued by the wordis of youre awne law whiche be these / yf peter haue power alonly to bynd and to losse than doth it not the churche / but if this be doune in the churche / than did petter whan he reseued the keyes / signifie holy churche / cÌ„ Here haue you openly that peter had not alonly the keyes / but he reseued them in the name of the church wherefore they be longe to all christen meÌ„ / This dothe Origene well proue in these wordis Tu es petrê° cÌ„ Origenes Suê‘ M. Ho. 1. Thes wordes were spokeÌ„ vn to peter / vn to all apostles vn to all maner of perfyte faithful meÌ„ for all they are petrê° / aÌ„d in all theÌ„ is byldyd the churche of chryst / and ageÌ„st none of them caÌ„ the gatis of hâ—ll preuayll Doste thou rekkyn that the keyes of heuyn were allonly geuen to peter / aÌ„d that no nother christeÌ„ man dyd reseue theÌ„ cÌ„ Here is it clearly that all chrysten men be peter all they haue reseued the keyes of heuen / aÌ„d hel can not preuayll ageÌ„st theÌ„ S. August doth also testifie the same in these wordis / wherfore the church / which is fouÌ„did
though we be full of sinnes C.xlv Church what it is and who be therof and wherbye men maye knowe her lviij Church how a man may know the true church xlv Ciprian saith / how do we teach or how can we provoke men to shed their bloude for the confession of Christes name if we do denye them the bloude of christ whan they shall go to batayle or how dare we able them vnto the victorye off marterdome if we do not first by right admytte them to drinke the cuppe of oure lorde in the congregacion c̄ C.xxix Cipriā saith / what thing so ever it be that is ordeyned by mānes madnes / wherbye the ordinaunce of god is violated / it is whoredome / it is of the deuyll / it is sacrilege wherfore flye from such cōtagiousnes of men and avoyde their wordes as a canker and as a pestilence c̄ C.xxxj Clement saith / we do honoure visible ymages to the honoure of the invisible god / the whiche is a false thinge but yf yov wyl honoure the ymage of god in doyinge wel to man / in him shal yov honoure the true ymage of god wherfore yf yov wille trulye honoure the ymage of god we wyll open that thinge vnto yov which is of truth / so that yov must do wel to mā the which is made vnto the ymage of god Geue him honoure and reuerēce Geue him meate whan he is hungrye Geue him drynke whā he is thristye cloth him when he is naked / serue him whan he is a straunger / and whan he is in preson minister vnto him necessaryes this is the thinge that shal be counted to be geuen god trulye Vvhat honoringe of god ys this to runne aboute to stonye and woddye images and to honoure as godes ydle and deed figures / and to despise man in whom is the very true image of god wherfore vnderstonde you that this is the suggestion of the serpent that lorketh with in / the whych doth make you beleue that you be devoute whan you do honoure insensyble thynges / and maketh you to beleue that you be nott wiked whane yov hurte sensible and resonable men c̄ Fo. C.xl. Clemens saith / what thing is there so wicked / or so vnthankefull / as to receyue a benefite off god and to geue thankes to stockes and stones / wherfore wake and vnderstonde youre helthe et cetera C.xli. Cōstitucyons lawes or decres of men whych be not grūded in scripture / bynd not the cōscyēce of man vnder the payne of deedlye sinne C.xij Councel of meldelci dyd erre and the sayeng of Saynt Hierom was afterward preferred a boue the statute of the counsell lxiiij Croune what yt signifyeth viij Doctoure Alen expoundeth scripture C.v. Duns graunteth that yt was for bydden too make images before the incarnacyon of◠Christe C.xxxiiij Ecclesiastica historia douteth whether the pistle whych is ascribed to Iames be his or no lij Fayth onlye iustifyeth before god .xxxvii Frewill of man after the faule of Adam of hys naturall strēgth cā do no thyng but sinne lxxxi Glosse of the popes law sayth that the pope maye dispence in those thinges that be agenst the apostle Note knauerie / viij Haymo saith / it is offence and sinne in you that you haue Iudiciales and after / for you do agēst the commaundement of the lorde whych sayth / he that taketh awaie thy good aske it not agayne / wherfore doo you nott rather suffre wronge .xxvi Hierom saith / therfore be certen daies assigned that we shulde come to gether to heare the worde of god / not that that daye in the which we come too gether is holyar than a nother / but alle dayes be lyke and equall xxiiij Hierom saith / It is sinne vnto you that you do agenst the commaūdement of christ / that you haue iudgemētes amonge you the whych ought allwayes to kepe peace / yee though it were wyth the losse of youre temporall goodes wherfore do you not rather suffre wronge where as you ought by the cōmaundement of the gospell and by the example of the lorde pacientlye to suffer / there do you the contrarie / and not alonlye not suffer but you doo wronge vn to them that do no wronge xxvi Hierom saith vppō this texte / I shall geue the the keis of heauē c̄ This place the bysshopes and prestes nott vnderstonginge haue vsurped vnto them some what of the pharisies pryde / so that they thinke that they maye condempne innocentes and lose them that be giltye / when afore god not the sentence of the preast but the life of the gyltye is regarded lxx Hierom saith / they that preach the gospell must lyue of the gospell but not be rich lxxix Hierom writyng to .ii. younge wemen doth verye sore repreue them that wyll not reade scrypture sayinge O paula and Eustochiū if there be any thynge in this lyfe that doth preserue a wyse mā and doth persuade hym to abyde with a good wyll in the oppressyons and trauldoms of thys worlde / I do rekene that speciallye it ys the medytacyons and studye of holye scrypture seynge that we do dyffer from other creatures specyallye in that that we be resonable and in that that we can speake Nowe ys reason and all maner of wordes cōtayned in holie scripture / wherebye that we maye lerne too knowe god and also the cause wherefore we be created wherfore I doo soore meruell that there be certen men whyche geue thē selues too slouthfullnes and sluggyshnes / and wylle nott lerne those thynges that be good / but reken those men worthy to be repreued that haue that god mynde C.viij Hierom wrytynge vppon daniel / expoundynge this texte be it knowne vnto the kinge c̄ sayeth The propertyes of the wordes be to be marked that he saythe we wyll not worshupe thy goodes nor yet honoure thyne Image for neyther of both become the seruauntes of god too doo et cetera C.xli. Hilarius sayth that it is the church of Aryans and heretikes whych doth threaten / banish / enpreson and compell men to beleue her lxvij Hilarius saith / Al maner of plantes that be not planted of the father of heuen must be plucked vpp by the rotes / That is to saye the tradicyons of men by whose meanes the cōmaūdemētes of the lawe be broken must be destroyed And therfore calleth he them blinde gydes of the waye to everlastynge life / because they se not that thinge they promisse / and for that cause he saythe that bothe the blinde gides ād they that be led shal faule in to the dyke C.xix Images / It is agenst scripture to honoure images or praye to sayntes C.xxxiij Iustificacion / and the maner therof xlviij Iames epistle is improved lij Keyes / what the keyes of the church are and to whom they be geuen lxx Kinge we ought not to depose a kynge though he be neuer so wicked but suffer his wykydnes and tyrannye vntyll god delyver vs from
men shulde haue yt / and that he wold defend it / and be enymy vn to all them that wold ouerpresse it wherfore lett theÌ„ that be cappitall enymys vn to his grace bothe in harte and in dede susspect that of his grace moue him vnto it / for doutles I wil neuer do it for I dare boldly say / That the deuyll of helle whych is enymy vn to his grace / bothe of body and soule wyll moue him vn to no nother thing but allonly so to condemne godes worde / and Thys thyng dothe hys grace know well / and therfore I dought not but that he hath aÌ„d also wyll a voyde the danger theroff Neuer the lesse yt may pleasse god to take so gret vengeance for oure abhominable synnes that after hys gracis days / he may send vs such a tyraÌ„t / That shall not allonly for byd the Newe testament / but also all thynges that may be to the honour of god yee and that peraduentur vnder suche a collour of godes name / That all men shall rekkyn none other but that he is godes frende Thys wyll be a gret scorge / aÌ„d an intollerable plage / the father off heuyn off hys infynyte mercy defende vs froÌ„ suche a terryble vengeaÌ„ce Roma 1. for yt ys the grettyst plage that can come in erthe as Saynt Paule dothe declare to the Romans whan that godis veryte ys condemnyd in godys name and men be so blynde that they can not perseue yt / for they be geuyn in to a peruerse sens / this plage neuer coÌ„mith / but yt is a tokyn off euerlastynge reprobacion / our moste marcifulle redemer Christ Iesus / defend vs froÌ„â—t amen But if it come that we must nedes suffer this plage / how shalle christen men vsse theÌ„â—elfe to this Prince that wille so condemne godes worde My lordes the bisshops wolde deposse him with shorte deliberacion / and make no consyens of it / They haue deposyd prynces for lesser causys than this is a gretdell But ageÌ„st them wille I alle ways laye Christes facte / and his holy Apostles / and the worde of god / whome christen men must alonly folowe / Therfore the kynges commandiment muste be consyderid on this maner / yf the kynge forbyd The new testameÌ„t / Or any of christes sacramentes / Or the prechyng of the worde of god or any other thyng that is agenst christ vnder a temporalle payne / Or els vnder the payne of dethe meÌ„ shalle fyrste make faithefulle prayers to god / aÌ„d then diligent intercession vn to the kinges grace with alle due subieccioÌ„ / That his grace wolde relese that commandimeÌ„t If he wille not do it / They shalle kepe their testament with alle other ordinance of christ / and lett the kyng exercysse his tyranny if they can not flye and in no wisse vnder the payne of damnacioÌ„ shalle they withstonde hym with violence but suffer paciently alle the tyranny that he layth on theÌ„ bothe in theyr boddys aÌ„d goodes / aÌ„d leue the veÌ„gance of it vn to their heuynly father which hathe a scorge to tame those bedlams with whane he seyth his tyme. But in no wisse shalle they resyste violentlye / nor they shalle nor deny christes verite / nor yet for sake it a fore the prince lesâ— they ruÌ„ne in the danger of these wordes / he that denyithe me and mi worde a fore men / I shalle deny hym a fore my father in heuyn / And lett not men regarde this matter lightly and thynke that they may geue vp their testamentes aÌ„d yet not denye christ / for what so ever he be that geuithe vp his testament as a thyng worthy to be condemnyd / he doth a fore god deny chryst / Though his testameÌ„t be peraduenture he not knowyng false and vn truly princyd / or vntruly transelatyd / yet vnto hym is it a trew testament / and therfore shalle he not delyuer it to any that wille condemne it as vnlawfulle But this shalle he do / If any man that is lernyd do fynde any taute there in he shalle be glade to a mend that faute / but not to suffer in any wysse for that or for those fautes the holle testament to be condemned as vnlawfulle for if that shulde be sufferd / than shulde we haue no testament for there is no testament that is so trew / but eyther there be fautes in dede / orels meÌ„ by cauylacyons may invent that there be fautes / for this dare I say boldely / That the new testament in ynglyshe is tentymys truar / thane the oolde translacyon in lattyn is / in the which be meny places that do want whole sentensys / 1. Cor. 15. Mat. 20. Act. 20. 1. Tim. 6. and meny places / that no man cane defend with out heresy / as this texte / Non omnes immutabimur / Also this / Sedere ad dexteram meam vel sinistram non est meuÌ„ dare vobis / Also thes places wante / Commorati sumus trogilij / Seiungere ab is qui huiusmodi sunt / with meny other places more / that noman can say but they be euydently false / and yet we may not burne oure bokes for alle that / but kepe them and a mend theÌ„ Nor they shalle not goo a bought / to deposse their prince / as mi lordes the bysshops were wonte to do / but they shalle boldely confesse / that they haue the verite wille there by abyde / and aloÌ„ly shalle they pray to their heuynly father to change the harte of their prynce / that they may lyue vnderneth hym / after christes word / in quietnes as paule exhortithe vs saynge / 1. Tym. 1. I exhorte that prayers supplicacioÌ„s / peticions aÌ„d geuyng off thaÌ„kes / be had for alle men / for kynges for all that are in prehemineÌ„s that we may lyve a quiet aÌ„d a pesable lyffe in alle goodnes honesty Thus shalle men be haue theÌ„ selfe towarde their prynce in no wisse shalle they denye christes worde / or graunte to the burnynge of their testameÌ„tes / but if the kynge wille do it bi violence they mvst suffer it / but not obey to it by a gremeÌ„t / Thys may be prouyd by the exaÌ„ples of the apostles whaÌ„ the hye prystes of the teÌ„ple coÌ„maÌ„dyd Peter aÌ„d Iohan / Act. 4. 5 that they shuld no more preche teche in the name of Iesus / But they made them answere it was more ryght to obey god thaÌ„ maÌ„ Also the pharisys came and coÌ„manded oure master Christ / in herodes name / That he shulde departe from thens / or he wold kylle hym / but he wolde not obey but made them answere to Herod with a gret thretnyng / Go telle the wolfe / be holde I caste out deuylles and I make men holle thys day to morrow / Luce. 13. And the thryd day am I consumed / neuer the lesse I must