be nat his wordes they be the wordes of Christe And if our sauiour Christ speke nat within the preacher the sede shal be but caste in vayne Therfore saint Paule sayth vnto the Corrinthies of hym selfe In me loquitur Christus Christe sayth 2. Cor. 13 he speketh within me Christe that spake in saint Paule was the veray sower and as he spake in saynt Paule so spake he iÌ„ the other blessed fathers whiche for their tyme dyd instructe and teache the people and minister this sede vnto them And nat only Christ dyd sowe this sede by their mouthes but also the spirite of god gaue his gratious influence vnto this sede by theyr mouthes in lyke maner wherfore of this spirite our sauiour saythe NoÌ„ vos estis qui loquimini sed spiritus partis vestri qui Mar. 10. loquitur in vobis Ye be nat the speakers he sayth but the spirite of your father speaketh within you Farther more bothe this sower this influeÌ„te coÌ„tinueth in the churche vnto the worldes ende For the sower sayth of hym selfe Ecce ego vobiscuÌ„ sum omnibê° Matt. 18. diebus vsque ad coÌ„suminationeÌ„ seculi Trust assuredly that I am shal be with you vnto the ende of the worlde And for the spirite our sauiour also promest that he shuld abyde with the churche euerlastyÌ„gly Vt maneat vobiscuÌ„ in eternuÌ„ This most holy spirite whiche Jo. 14. is the bountious fontayne of influence of all graces after the corporall ascention of our sauiour vnto the heuens was seÌ„te downe vpon the churche accordyng to the promyse of our sauiour before made to th entent that the sowyng of this sede shulde neuer want the heuenly influence of al graces Nowe than to my purpose thus farre we be ye nowe conceyue I suppose that this spirituall sower all be it so 〈…〉 be corporally asceÌ„ded vnto his father yet neuâ—â—thelesse he by his godhed by the assistence of his grace hath ben euer sens veryly presente with his churche to sowe therein the sede of his worde And also the heuenly influence that is to saye the influence of the holy gost is fauorably spred vpoÌ„ the toward well wyllyng hartes to th entent that this sede may brynge forthe a plentuous encrease of good frute and in this gratious purpose they both I say bothe the sower and this holy spirite haue coÌ„tinued and wyll so coÌ„tinue vnto the worldis ende Who thaÌ„ may dout but in this loÌ„ge time whiche is aboue fyftene huÌ„dred yeres the true sede of the worde of god that is to say the scriptures of god haue bene truely taught vnto the people and the people hath truely beleued and gyuen true faithe vnto the same doctryne of the scriptures Who is so deuyllysshe that maye thynke that our sauiour Christe the whiche so derely beloued his churche that for the weale of hit wolde suffre so bytter so villaynous so horrible a dethâ— â–ª and shede his mooste precious blode in the crossâ— â–ª to prepare the hartes of his people for the receyuyng of this sede I saye who may thynke that euer he that dyd so moche for vs wolde breake his promyse vnto vs And if he haue nat broke his promyse than hath he ben with his churche all this longe tyme of fyftene huÌ„dred yeres and hath sowen the treâ—â—e sede of his worde and his moste holy spirite also hath bene al this tyme present in the churche and hath gyuen vnto the towarde hartes his gratious influence both to receyue this sede and also to brynge forthe plentuous frute ¶ Nowe than if this sede were thus truely sowen than wolde I lerne who were the mynysters of this trewe sede Who but the preachers of this worde I say the holy doctours whiche taughte the people and to whome by the holy spirite was commysedde the gouernaunce of the flocke of Christe as saynt Paule sayth in the Actes of the Apostles Attendite vobis et vniuerso gregi in Act. 10. quo vos spiritus sanctus posuit episcopos ad regeÌ„dam ecclesiam dei quam acquesiuit sanguine suo Take hede vnto your selfe to the holle flocke of Christe where the spirite of god hath ordeyned you bisshoppes to gouerne his churche the whiche he so derely purchased by his owne moste precious bloode Ye herde in the tellyng of the miracle howe the fyrste meane for the blynde man to come vnto his sight was heryng For as saynt Paule saythe Fides eâ— Rom. 10. auditu Faith cometh by heryng by the preaching of the holy doctours the people herde the worde of god beleued it For as saint Paule sayth Quomodo credent ei de quo non audierunt Howe shall the people beleue if they here nat Et quomodo audient sine predicante And howe shall they here without it be preached vnto them This is than the ordre and the holle cheane the blyndenes of our hertes can nat be put away but by true faith true faith can nat be gotten but by herynge of this worde The heryng of this worde shal nat be had but by the meanes of preachynge prechynge can nat be ministred without the preacher the preacher can nat profitte onles Christe Jesu whiche is the veray sower speke within hym and also the spirite of Christe gyue his influence vnto the same It is manifest than that these preachers were the true ministers of this sede It is also nat to be douted but the true christen people alwayes hitherto hath gyuen faithe to the doctrine of the catholicke preachers and so dyd beleue the scriptures as they dyd expounde them that were in tymes paste And it is farther more certeyne that these catholicke doctours ministred this sede in lyke maner as they haue lefte writen vnto vs in theyr bokes Wherfore if the preachers dyd erre in teachynge the scriptures of god the people dyd erre in beleuyng their doctryne And if bothe the preachers and the people dyd erre where was the true sowynge of this sede Where was the doctryne of the faithe where was bicome the promyse of our sauiour Christ O cursed Luther O mischeuous Apostata O moste execrable hereticke that denyest and dispisest all the fathers that euer were before vs For in so denyeng thou must nedes affirme that neither the doctrine of true faith nor any trewe sowyng of this sede was in the churche of Christe by so many yeres and that our sauiour Christe Jesu nothyng regarded his promyse all this long tyme either as concernyng his owne presence to be continually with his churche or as concernyÌ„g the presence of his holy spirite for to gyue his influence with the sowynge of this sede It is therfore clere and euident as I suppose by this collection that the fathers whiche vnder our sauiour Christe and this holy spirite haue hitherto gouerned the churche catholicke haue also truely ministred this sede vnto the people truely haue interpretate the scriptures of god vnto them and that our
be redde whiche for the great noyse of the people within the churche of Paules whan it was sayde myght nat be herde And if paraueÌ„ture any disciple of Luthers shall thynke that myn argumentes and reasons agaynst his maister be nat sufficient Fyrste let hym consider that I dyd shape them to be spoken vntyll a multitude of people whiche were nat brought vpâ—â—â—â—btyll disputations of the schole Seconde if it may lyke the same disciple to come vnto me secretely and breake his mynde at more length I bynde me by these presentes bothe to kepe his secreasy and also to spare a leysoure for hym to here the bottum of his mynde and he shal here myne agayne if it so please hym and I trust in our lorde that fynally we shall so agre that either he shal make me a LutheraÌ„ orels I shal enduce hym to be a catholyke and to folowe the doctryne of Christis churche And one thynge I do acertayne hym that though his maister Luther dydlyue neuer so well and perfetly yet for as moche as his doctryne is dyuerse from the doctryne of the churche he is to be fled for so teacheth vs the holy mertyr Ignacius in his epistole ad Hereneum sayeng Omnis igitur qui dixerit preter ea que tradita sunt tametsi fide dignus sit tametsi ieiunet tametsi virginitateÌ„ seruet tametsi signa faciat tametsi prophetet supus tivi appareat in grege ouium corruptionem faciens That is to say who so euer affermeth contrary to the traditions and doctrine of the churche though he for his lyfe be worthy to be beleued though he fast neuer so moche though he kepe his virginite though he worke miracles though he prophecy of thynges for to come for all this take hym but as a wolfe intendynge corruption amonge a flocke of shepe Wherfore whan Luther hath in hym none of these good conditions aboue rehersed as we shall proue here after that is to say he neither is faith worthy bicause of his repugnant doctryne nor he chastiseth nat his body by fastynge nor he kepeth nat his virginite nor he doth no miracles nor he is no prophet of thynges for to come and yet neuertheles he techeth clene contrary doctrynes vnto the doctryne of the churche he is to be reputed as a wolfe corruptyng the flocke of Christe Thus fare ye well in our lorde Jesu Respice fides tua te saluum fecit THese wordes ben writen in the gospel redde in the church this quinquagesime sondaye They may thus be englis shed Open thyn eies thy faith hath made the safe In this gospell saynt Luke telleth a miracle the whiche our sauiour dyd shewe vpon a blynde maÌ„ He sayth that a blynde man syttynge nigh to the waye herde a noyse of people passyng forby and enquired what that was It was tolde hym that Jesus of Nazareth passed that waye He gaue faith vnto this worde and cried for mercy sayeng Jesu the sonne of Dauid haue mercy vpoÌ„ me Part of this people went before our sauiour in the waye and part came after hym They that went before as the gospel sayth rebuked the blynde maÌ„ and he moche rather cried for mercy sayeng The son of Dauid haue mercy vpon me Our sauiour staÌ„dyng commaunded this man to be brought vnto hym And whan he was brought to his presence our sauiour asked hym what he wolde O syr sayd this man that I myght haue my syght agayne Than dyd our sauiour this miracle vpoÌ„ hym and sayd these wordes aboue rehersed Respice fides tua te saluum fecit Open thyn eies thy faith hath made the safe And forth with this blyÌ„de maÌ„ was restored to his sight and folowed our sauiour in the way with the other people ¶ By this worde and other suche Martyn Luther hath taken occasion of many great errours wher by he hath blynded many a christen soule and brought them out of the way sayeng that onely faythe doth iustifie vs and suffiseth to our saluation Wherby many one litell regardeth any good workes but onely resteth vnto fayth This gospell therfor may sufficieÌ„tly instructe any reasonable maÌ„ what fayth suffiseth and what nat For it maruelously perteyneth to this purpose if we with any diligence obserue and marke euery mistery therof Fyrste let vs considre this multitude in it selfe where many wente before our sauiour Jesu and many folowed after and he in the myddys of them all Tho that went before hym betoken vnto vs the fathers and the people of the olde testament the whiche dyd passe the course of this worlde before the byrthe of our sauioure Christe tho that folowed after do signifye the fathers the people of the newe testamennt the whiche succeded the byrthe of Christ. Both these make but one people For they be al of one faythe Tho that went before beleued that Christe shuld comme in to this worlde and dye for man Tho that folowe beleue that Christe is comme and hath suffered his dethe for man Neuer the lesse in some poyntes there is difference betwene these two For they were vnder the lawe of Moyses whiche was a lawe of drede and of rygour as saynt Paule saythe vnto the Hebrewes Irritanâ— quis faciens legem Mosy sine vlla miseratione duovus aut trivus testibus moriatur who that hath broken the lawe of Moyses if he were conuinced by two or thre wytnesses he without any mercy shulde dye And in token herof it is sayde of them that wente before Et qui preibant increpabant eum And tho that wente before rebuked the blynde man that cried for mercy But tho that folowed Christ were and be vnder the lawe of grace and marcy For whaÌ„ our sauiour was borne in to this world all grace and mercy came with hym And therfore to shewe a differeÌ„ce of these two people saynt Johan sayth Lex per Moysen data est gratia et veritas per Jesum Christum exorta est That is to saye the lawe was gyuen vnto that people by Moyses but grace and trewe perfourmance of al promysses rose vnto vs by our sauiour Christe All thynges was shewed vnto that people by figures and shadowes as saynt Paule sayth Omnia in figura contingebant illis Tyll vs that succede the commynge of our sauiour the same thynges be disclosed and made open And good reason why For they that folowe a lyght se more clerely by that lyght than they that go before That people myght nat well and easely beare the weyght and strayte commandmentes the whiche were leyde vpon their shoulders And therfore saynt Peter in the Actis of the apostles Neque nos neque patres nostri portare potuimus The burthen of the lawe of Moyses was so heuy that neither we nor our fathers myght susteyne them But nowe to vs the lawes of sauiour Christe be made easy by the abundance of grace and by the dulcenes of loue whiche the holy gost hath put in our hartes as saint Paule saith Charitas
dei diffusa est in cordibus nostris per spiritum sanctum qui datus est nobis that is say the loue of god is spredde in our hartes by the holy gost the whiche is gyuen vnto vs. And this is a great preemineÌ„ce that we haue aboue that people This multitude that foloweth Christ in the way and is in passage is the succession of Christis churche whiche hath contynued and shall coÌ„tinue vnto the worldes ende euen like a floode that passeth continually the waters go passe but yet the floode coÌ„tinueth and reteyneth styl the name of the floode so the succession of Christis churche euer continueth is called the churche catholike though the people yerely renewe Thus moche thaÌ„ I haue said for this multitude amoÌ„ge whiche our sauiour Christe was Nowe let vs also briefely consydre what this blynde man dothe meane and signifie This man doth betoken vnto vs the heretickes and that for iiij coÌ„ditions aboue rehersed in this gospell And here my bretherne ye that nowe be abiured take hede Fyrst here I say that this man was singular by hym selfe and so the heretikes studie to be singular in theyr opinions Singularite and pride is the the grouÌ„de of al heresie grouÌ„de of all heresie Whan a man studieth to be singular in his opinion an wylnat coÌ„forme hym selfe vnto the multitude of good persones than falleth he into heresies Seconde this maÌ„ was blynde and had lost his sight And the heretikes by the errour of false doctrines and of ê‘uersed heresies be blyded in theyr hartes and haue nat the clere light of faithe Thyrde this maÌ„ sate out of the right way and walked nat And so lyke wise these heretikes sytte out of the right waye and walke nat in the iourney towarde heuen Fourth this maÌ„ was deuided from this people amonge whom Christe Jesu was And so be the heretikes like wise they be deuided froÌ„ the churche of Christe with whom our sauiour Christe continueth vnto the worldes ende Thus ye ê‘ceyue I suppose that this man whiche was singular â— blynde and sate out of the way deuided froÌ„ Christe for these iiij coÌ„ditions representeth the heretikes ¶ In the thyrde place we may by this easily conceyue what great diuersite is betwene the churche catholike and the heretikes Fyrste they that be of this multitude and of the churche catholike they be of one mynde and opinion coÌ„cernyng the substaÌ„ce of our faith to agre to gether in one doctrine The heretikes be singular and haue opinions by them selfe and they be repugnant nat onely with the churche but with them selfe amonge them selfe as we shall shewe here after It is a very trouth that one wise man hath sayde Omne verum omni vero consonat falsum autem tam a se ipso quam ab ipsa veritate discrepat Euery trouth agreeth with other but falshod is both repugnant ageynst hym selfe ageynst the trouth Secunde The churche is in the clere brightnes of faith The heretikes be blynded by theyr false erronious opinioÌ„s For as trouthe gyueth a light and a brightnes so falsehode blyndeth and bryngeth in to derkenes Thyrde The churche is in the right way The heretikes be out of the right way Forthe The churche walketh and profiteth in their iourney towarde the countre of heuen The heretikes sitte in Cathedra pestisentie in the seate of pestilence and profete nothynge in this iourney but rather synkethe depper and depper towarde the pytte of hell Fyfte the churche hath in it the presence of Chrste and shal haue coÌ„tinually vnto the worldes ende The heretikes be deuided frome Christe in this present tyme and so finally shal be excluded from the sight of his face for euer All these fyue differeÌ„ces be so manifest in this gospell that we nede nat moche decleration for the same ¶ Nowe in the fourth place let vs discusse howe this blynde man was restored vnto his sight to th entent that we maye perceyue howe an heretike Howe an hereticke may be restored to the true faythe may be restored to the true faithe of Christis churche This blynde man by iiij maner of wayes was brought vnto his sight Fyrst he hering and inquiryng the very trouth of that multitude whiche passed forby Audiuit turbam pretereuntem et interrogauit quid hoc esset He herde the people whiche was in passage and of them he lerned what Jesus of Nazareth was So must heretikes do if he wyll be restored vnto the true faith For no where the true doctryne of Jesu can be lerned but in the churche Here must the worde of god be lerned And this is wonderfully expressed in this gospell by mistery It is certayne that the people of the Jewes whan that Manhu was sent vnto them from aboue they sawe it in the lykenes of the corriander sede they made this same question whiche this blynde maÌ„ nowe dothe aske Quid hoc what is that And of this question that sede toke this name and was called Manhu Nowe Manhu betokeneth in figure the worde of god Who therfore so euer wyll lerne the trewe doctryne of the worde of god he muste enquire it of this multitude that walketh in the right waye that is to say of the churche catholike Doutles out of the churche this trouth can nat be lerned SecoÌ„de this blyÌ„de maÌ„ cried for mercy so muste the heretike do he must beseche our sauiour Christ to enlighten his harte by clere faith to remoue froÌ„ his hart the blyndnes of all errours heresye Thyrde our sauiour dyd coÌ„mande that this blynde man shulde be brought vnto hym And so must the heretikes be reduced vnto the wayes of the churche But by whom commaundeth our sauiour that thus they shall be reduced truely by them that be set in spiritual auctorite as nowe that most reuereÌ„t fader i god my lorde Legate hauyÌ„g this most souerayne auctorite hath endeuored hym selfe for these men here present other whiche were out of the way to reduce them in to the wayes of the churche The heretikes contende that it shal nat belefull thus to do but they wold haue euery maÌ„ lefte vnto theyr libertie But doutles it may nat be so For the nature of man is more prone to all noughtynes rather than to any goodnes And therfore many muste be compelled accordyng as the gospel sayth in an other place Compellite eos intrare If euery maÌ„ shuld haue libertie to say what he wolde we shuld haue a meruelous worlde No maÌ„ shulde stere any where for heresies And therfore saynt Paule consideryng the pronytie of mans harte to be infected with heresies gyueth often warnynge that we shall in any wyse eschewe the perillous infections of these heretikes And the same saynt Paule often pronunceth excoÌ„munication ageynst them that sowe this puersed doctrines amoÌ„ge the Christen people Wherfore it is nat lefull that any man shall haue libertie to speke in these matters concernyng our fayth what so euer that he liste
but he must be compelled to coÌ„forme hym vnto the holsome doctryne of the churche Fourth this blynde man whan he was brought vnto our sauiour yet had he nat his syght vnto than he dyd fully assent with his holle wyl vnto the same And to that purpose our sauiour asked hym what he wolde Quid vis vt faciam tibi And so made hym to coÌ„fesse his full assent Thus must the heretike do that wyl haue his spirituall sight he muste fully assent vnto the doctrine of Christis churche He may be compelled to come bodily but if he come nat also with the feete of his soule and fully assent vnto the churche he can nat haue this trewe faith The faith of the churche is nat made our faith but by our assent whiche assent cometh of vs and is the wombe of our soule And therfore it is nat absolutely saide fides but fides tua That is to say thy faith The faith of the churche whiche by thyne assent is made thy faith doth make the safe In the fyfte and the last place as touchyng Martyn Luthers opinion of faith nowe wyll I speks some what To reherse his reasons and so wâ—ade in this matter with them it were inough for all holle daye Neither the tyme wyll serue it nowe nor yet the people can attayne to the conceyuyng of it But I shall breuely say iij. thynges The fyrst is this Luther sore abuseth and discey Howe Luther disceueâ—â—e the people by his erronious opinioÌ„ of fayth ueth the people as concernyng faith For doutles he maketh them in his commoÌ„ sermons to thyÌ„ke it is an easy matter to beleue and to haue fayth and there by to besaued and so they care for no good workes at all But where he boulteth and discusseth this matter vnto the very triall there he maketh it an harde matter For in the declaration of the. vi psalme he sayth these wordes Hoc certuÌ„ est nemineÌ„ peruenturum ad dei misericordiam nisi eam vehemeÌ„tissime esuriat et sitiat cum isso qui ait QueÌ„admodum desiderat ceruus ad fontes aquarum it a desiderat anima mea ad te deus Who hath this faith Who coÌ„meth to this hygh pricke of faythe to desyre as ernestly the presence of god as an harte whan he is chased preaseth and coueteth to come vnto the soile Here ye maye se the commen people be disceyued whiche be farre fro this poynt But if only faith doth iustifie vs we can nat be repelled from this mercy whan we be fully iustified Seconde why dothe Luther deny that the workes do nat iustify vs His reason is this He saith bycause they be our workes and what so euer reyseth from vs it is but synne ThaÌ„ let hym obserue these wordis Fides tua Our sauiour saith nat only Fides but Fides tua Thy faith a trouth it is is the gyfte of god but it is nat made my faith nor thy faith nor his faith as I sayd before but by our assent By our assent faith whiche cometh from aboue is made ours But our assent is playnly our worke wherfore at the least one worke of ours ioyneth with faith to our iustiâ—ienge Thyrde saynt Paule in the epistole this daye playnly condemneth this opinion for he sayth that faith hope charite be iij. diuerse thinges Fides spes et charitas tria hec These be iij. diuerse thynges faith hope charite He sayth further Si habuero oninem fidem ita vt montes trasferam charitatem aâ—teÌ„ non habuero nihil sum If I had all and euery faith so that I myght by my faith remoue any great mountayne yet if I haue nat charite I am nought wherfore if a maÌ„ haue al maner of faith and wanteth charite he is neuer the more iustyfyed Withoutten charite therfore no man can be iustified but who that hath charite hath also good workes as the same saynt Paule also proueth at length in the same Epistole Wherfore withouten good workes either done or in a full wyll to be done no man can be fully iustified And for this saint Paule in the Epistole ad Romanes expresseth what faith doth iustifie a man Fides he sayth que per dilectioneÌ„ operatur that is to say faith whiche worketh by loue and that is by loue pregnant with good workes Finally for a more clerenesse of these wordes we shall considre iij. maner of persones one of them that be in the way an other of them that be nigh vnto the way thyrde is of them that be farre out of the way and eche of these haue a byleue The Turke beleueth in god and parauenture more coÌ„stantly than many christen men do but he beleueth nat in Christe the sonne of god nor vpon the doctryne of the churche whiche doutles was inspired by the holy goste And therfore his faith is nat sufficieÌ„t he is very farre out of the way The hereticke beleueth in god and in Christe and therfore he is one degre nerer vnto the right way thaÌ„ the turke is he sytteth by the high way syde but yet his faith is nat sufficient For he doth nat assent vnto the doctryne of the churche whiche is inspired by the holy goste Ye herde by the gospel that the blynde man whan he sate out out of the high way beleued in Christe for he sayd Jesufiâ—â— Dauid miserere meâ— Jesu the sonne of Dauid haue mercy vpoÌ„ me By these wordes it appereth that he beleued he was both god and maÌ„ God in that that he might restore his sight man in that that he called hym the sonne of Dauid But yet this faith gaue hym nat his sight He recouered nat his sight to than he was brought vnto the way and ioyned with this multitude amonge whom Christe Jesus was and gaue his full assent So the hereticke haue he neuer so moche faith of god and of Christe if he be nat coÌ„myn in to this way if he be nat ioyned with this multitude of christen people if he be nat made one of this nombre if he hath nat gyuen his ful assent vnto the doctryne of the churche catholicke whiche is inspired of the holy goste doutles he wanteth the sight of true faith But whaÌ„ he hath fully assented to bileue in god the father and in Christe Jesus his sonne and vpon and in the doctryne of the churche whiche deuoutly was inspired by the holy goste than this miracle is done vpon hym He is restored to the sight of clere faith This is the faith good bretherne that may make you safe and restore you vnto your ê‘fet sight And therfore if ye haue this faith I may say nowe to eche of you Respice fides tua te fasuum fecit Open thyne eies thy faith hath made the safe It is nat the faithe that the turke hath nor the faith that the heretike hath but the faith catholicke of Christis churche that shal saue the whiche faith is made thy faith if thou truly come
vnto the right way if thou fastly ioyne thy selfe with the churche catholicke if thou entierly make thy selfe one of this noÌ„bre if thou vprightly walke by good workes doyng if thou frely and fully assent vnto the commeÌ„ doctrine of this multitude amonge whom Christe Jesu is And to th entent that your sightis maye be the more clered in this faith I shal gether iiij collectioÌ„s by the whiche to all them that be nat ouer peruersedly drowned in the heresies of Luther it shall appere as I verily suppose that his doctryne is veray pestilent and pernitious But here fyrst I muste beseche you to helpe me with your deuoute prayers that it may please that infinite goodnes of almighty god so to assiste me with his grace in vtteryng these collections that it maye be vnto the true faithfull catholicke herers some frutefull comforte and to the fauorers of these most pernitious errours and heresies a very coÌ„fusion and that these poure brethernÌ„ of ours whiche haue ben out of the way may the better be confirmed and establisshed nowe in the same To this prayer it may lyke you to haue recoÌ„mended the vnyuersall churche the veray spouse of Christe with euery state and degre of persons in the same hygh and lowe spiritual and temporall as well them that be nowe lyuyng as other that be departed hens enduryng as yet the greuous payns of purgatory where they nowe abide the great mercy of our lorde and the releue of our prayers And to this purpose euery parson of your charite say som what after your deuotioÌ„ The fyrste collection FOr a more strengthynge of these collections we shal adioyne vnto this miracle a parable of our sauiour Christe which â—â— the same euangelist saynt Luâ—e telleth in this maner The sower he saith weÌ„t forth to sowe his sede and in the sowyng some part of his sede fell nigh vnto the high way and so was trodden vpoÌ„ and the byrdes of the ayer dyd eate vp this sede An other parte fell vpon the stones whiche was couered over with a litell erthe and so the sede dyd sprowre but whan it was sprowted it myght take no roote for the hardnes and drynes of the stones but anone withered for lacke of moysture A thyrde part fell amonge the thornes and this sede rooted and rose vp a littel but the thornes ouer grewe it and so dyd suffocate it that it myght brynge forthe no frute The fourth parte fell vpon the good erthe and sprowted and toke roote and shote vp and brought forth great increase of frute an hundred folde so moche WhaÌ„ our sauiour had spoke this parable he cried mightily sayeng Om havet autes audiendi audiat who that hath the inwarde eares of heryng let hym here and marke this parable Foure thiges noted in this patable In this parable we shall note iiij thynges and of them by the leaue of all myghty god we shall gether as many collections Of these iiij thynges the fyrst is the sower the secoÌ„de is the sede the thyrde is the good erthe the fourth is the great eÌ„creace of frute All these iiij thynges vnder other names be coÌ„teyned in the gospell of the miracle There our sauiour is redy to take away the blyndnes of our hartes â—here is he called a sower of his sede The multitude there eÌ„structeth the blynde maÌ„ where Jesus of Nazareth is enfurmeth hym in the doctrine of faith He or the same doctrine is called the sede of the worde of god That multitude which therÌ„ hath Christ amoÌ„ge them here is called the good erthe There the multitude ê“fiteth in merite by walkyng nigh approching vnto our sauiour Christe here this merite is called the plenteous encreace of good frute Fyrst thaÌ„ as coÌ„cernyÌ„g the sower some ê‘son might Fyrste the sower here lightly thynke that our sauiour was nat fully circuÌ„spect in tellyng this parable for here semeth to want som thyng that is chiefly necessary for the pleÌ„teous eÌ„creace of frute to be had here is left out vnspokeÌ„ of the fauorable dispositioÌ„ influence of the heuens whiche is priÌ„cipally required vnto the purpose For put that the sede be neuer so good and the erthe neuer so well prepared ordred and that the sower do his part neuer so moche yet if the fauorable influence of the heuens want al that labour is but in vayne there shal no frute arise of that sowyng This is a very trouth I can nat say the coÌ„trary these iiij thyÌ„ges must nedes be coÌ„curraÌ„t to worke eche with other ioyne to gether in one purpose I say the influence of the heuyns the diligence of the sower the goodnes of the sede the due preparation and tyllyng of the erthe And albe it that here is no speciall mention made of the influence of the heuyns it is neuer the lesse included For whan we knowe who is the sower we shall well perceyue he hath all the influence of the heuyns in his owne hande and this shall well appere if we ioyne the parable his declaration to gether Joyne I say the parable with the declaration of the same and ye shall fynde that this sower that is ment here is very god And by this reason the parable sayth Exiit qui seminat seminare semeÌ„ suuÌ„ He that is the very sower hath issued for to sowe his owne sede The declaration is Semen est verbum dei This sede is the worde of god Nowe thaÌ„ if the sede that this sower doth sowe be the worde of god this sede whiche he soweth is his veray owne It foloweth necessarily that this sower is very god And so must he nedes haue in his handes the holle influence of the heuyns Whersore here nothyng lacketh in this parable But as for the bodely heuyns lette them passe all is spirituall that is ment here the heuyns the influence the sower the sede the erth the frute all is spiritual and we must conceyue all this spiritually And therfore our sauiour sayd Oui habet aures audiendi audiat who that hath the inwarde eares of spirituall herynge and spirituall conceyuyng he is mete to here and to conceyue this parable Fyrst this sower as I haue sayde is the sonne of god â–ª our sauiour Christe Jesu and he is the very spirituall sonne of this worlde Qui illuminat omne hominem venientem in hunc mundum That spreadeth his comfortable beames vpon the soules of men He issued out from the bosome of his father and came iÌ„ to this worlde purposely to sowe iÌ„ the hartes of men the sede of trouth He it is that soweth his owne sede The preachers of this word be nothyÌ„g els but as the cophyns and the hoppers wherin this sede is couched Thus saint Augustine sayth of hym selfe Ego quid sum nisi cophinus seminatoris â–ª What am I sayth he verily nothyng els but the cophyne or the hopper of hym that soweth The preacher may well reherse the wordes of scripture but they
sauiour Christe Jesu by their mouthes dyd truly sowe this sede and the holy spirite of god gaue his most gratious influence so plentiously both vnto the fathers and vnto the people that this moost gratious sede toke effecte in bothe theyr hartes By this collection all the heresies of Luther at here the heresyed of Euther fasse ones falle vnto the grounde For if the doctryne of the fathers be true as it must be if our sauiour spake by their mouthes Luthers doctryne whiche is contrary muste nedis be false Now therfore my bretherne ye that be abiured here take hede Sith it is euideÌ„t that our sauiour by the mouthes of the fathers hath sowen this sede of his worde and declared the scriptures of god by the same the spirite of god hath also gyueu his influence vnto this same sede By whom suppose ye that the doctryne of Luther whiche is playne contrary vnto this doctryne and vtterly coÌ„demned by the holy fathers by whom I say suppose ye that this mischeuous sede was sowen By whom els but by the deuyl and inspired by the wicked spirites Therfore if ye loue your owne soules nowe flee this doctryne hens forwarde and ioyne you vnto the doctryne of the churche and beleue as the churche beleueth that I may saye vnto eche of you Rispice fides tua te saluum fecit Open thyne eies for this faithe that nowe thou haste beleleuynge as the churche of Christe beleueth hath sauedthe The seconde collection THe seconde thyng that I The sede sayde was to be marked is the sede of the worde of god whiche here is nat called Semina but SemeÌ„ nat many but one This sede for iii. considerations is but one sede Fyrst for it is fortable and agreable and lyke vnto The sede of the word of god is but one sede for 3 consyderations it selfe in euery parte As whan we se an heape of wheate that is clene and pure wheare without any diuerse medlyng of cockel or of any other noughty and euyll sede though there be many diuerse cornis yet for as moche as they be all of one kynde we say it is al one sede and in lyke maner it is of the worde of god though there be many wordes and many trouthes in it many specialties many parables many similitudes many coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes many consailes many thretes many promises many persuasions yet for as moche as it hath no falsehod nor vntrouth none errour no wicked doctryne medled therwith but is all as ye wolde say of one grayne of one groweth of one countre for all cometh from aboue Est saptentia desursunt descendens a patre luminum as Jacobi â— saint James saith Therfore it is but one worde one sede one doctryne Contrary wyse it is of the doctryne of Luther For it is a medley made of many dyuerse colours of dyuerse patches hath a partye coote Hit is nat one but many doctrines adulterate as saynt Paule saith Adulterantes verbum dei These heretickes adulterate â— Col. â— the worde of god and make a shewe and a face of their heresie outward as though it were the worde of god and hit is nat It is diuerse from the doctrine sede of this worde I say nat but Luther vseth full often the wordes and scriptures of god I shulde say rather abuseth them But he intermedleth with them many great errours many falsehodes many peruerse expositions contrary vnto the true teachyng lefte vnto vs by the holy fathers in tymes paste and contrary to the holle determinatioÌ„ of Christis churche And for bycause that he thus hath intermedled moche euyll sede with the sede of god and interlaced many great heresies Therfore his doctryne is nat one but diuerse and of many kyndes The secoÌ„de coÌ„sideration why the sede of the worde The secoÌ„d consydecation of god is one is for bicause ther is in it no discord no repugnancy no contradiction of one parte of it with another It is lyke of it of a songe where be many syngers that diuersely descant vpon the playne songe but for as moche as they all agre withouten any gerryng withouten any mystunynge they make al but one soÌ„ge one armony In lyke maner it is of the scriptures of god and of the doctryne of the churche There be many singers some synge the playne songe and some synge the descant saynt Mathewe saint Marke saynt Luke saynt Johane saynt Peter saint Paule saint James saint Jude syng the playne songe Than be there a great nombre of the doctours whiche descante vpon this playne songe but for bicause ther is no discorde no repugnancy no contradiction amonge them at the leest in any poynt concernyng the substance of our faithe all their boyces make but one songe one armony The doctryne of Luther can nat be so For he nat onely disagreeth with the fathers but also with hym selfe in places innumerable as they whiche haue writeÌ„ ageynst hym haue euidently proued who that redeth the kynges boke the boke of maister More the bokes of Catharinus the bokes of Empser of Corleus of Eckius and many other he shal clerely se that this is a trouth whiche I nowe saye And nat only this but also god therof highly be thanked they nowe gerre and difagre The heretihes â—isegre amoÌ„ge them selfe amonge them selfe Thre principall capitaynes of them defende iij. playne contrary sentêces and that in that most high worde of Christ concernyng the sacrameÌ„t of the auter I dare nat reherse theyr contrary expositions For as saynt Paule saith Sermo eorum sicut cancer serpit Theyr â— Tim. 2 hersies be perillous For they spredde lyke a canker and as a pestilence they do infecte the herers Neuerthelesse this is a veray trouth that I say vnto you twayne of them that is to say Luther and OecolaÌ„padius fully disagre make playne contradictorie expositions of these same wordes And the thyrde whiche is called Carlstadius holdeth clene contrary to them both Here be worthy maisters for a good christen man to put his soule in their haÌ„des that so repugnantly vary in expouÌ„dyng the scriptures And yet all these iij. be meÌ„ of great name and of high reputacion in lernyng amonge the Lutherians This is the syngular goodnes of god to stricke them with this contradiction repugnancy amoÌ„ge them selfe so that one of them shall nat here another Euen as whaÌ„ the towre of Babylon was enforsed to be buylded all mighty god thus stroke the builders of that towre that one of them dyd nat vnderstaÌ„d another So nowe hath he striken these heretikes whiche enforsed them to buylde a towre agaynst the churche that amonge them selfe they haue clene contrary doctrynes and one of them wyll nat here another The thyrde consideration why the sede of the The thyrd consyderation worde of god is but one is this Though there be many bokes of scripture bothe in the olde testament and in the newe also yet