¶ A sermon had at Paulis by the coÌ„mandment of the most reuerend father in god my lorde legate and sayd by JohnÌ„ the bysshop of Rochester vpoÌ„ quiÌ„quagesom sonday concernynge certayne heretickes whiche thaÌ„ were abiured for holdynge the heresies of Martyn Luther that famous hereticke and for the kepyng and reteynyng of his bokes agaynst the ordinance of the bulle of pope Leo the tenthe CuÌ„ priuilegio a rege indulto Fyrst here foloweth an Epistole vnto the reder by the same byshop My dere brother or syster in our sauiour Christe Jesu who so euer ye be that shall fortune to rede this queare our lorde for his great mercy graunt you his grace that the redyng therof some what may proffit your soule Fyrst I shall beseche you nat to misconstrue myn enteÌ„t in puttyng forthe this queare to be printed but that ye take it to the best For verily my wyll and mynde is that some frute myght ryse by the same vnto the christeÌ„ people whiche be the spouse of Christe Unto whom though vnworthy I am ordeyned a minister for my lytell porcion My duty is to endeuer me after my poure power to resist these heretickes the whiche seasse nat to subuett the churche of Christe If we shall syt styll and let them in euery place sowe theyr vngratious heresies and euery where distroye the soulis whiche were so derely bought with that moste precious blode of our sauiour Christe Jesu howe terribly shall he lay this vntyll our charge whan we shal be called vntyll a rekenynge for this matter It shal be moche rebukefull and moche worthy punishement if we for our party shall nat gyue diligeÌ„ce for the defence of the true christen people fro these heresies as these heretickes gyue for the corruption of the same specially whan we be certayne that our labour shall nat be vnrewarded as saint Paule dothe promyse sayeng Vnusquisque propriam mercedem accipiet secuÌ„duÌ„ suum laborem Euery 1. CorÌ„ 3. man shall take his owne rewarde accordynge to his labour And so moche the more diligence we muste gyue bicause that the wretched nature of man is more prone to euery thynge that nought is than it is to that whiche is of greatter frute The dry teÌ„der is nat more redy to be kendled with the leaste sparkell of fyre than we be redy to be incensed to all euyll Our hartes by the olde corruption of synne be of that molde that they withouteÌ„ any great diligence of them selfe brynge for the all maner of vices but nothynge that vertuous is withouten a great labour And assuredly these herelies be lyke the stynkynge weedes the whiche iÌ„ euery erthe sprynge by them selfe for as these euyll weedes nede no settynge no sowynge no waterynge no wedynge nor suche other deligence as the good herbes require but sprynge anone withouten all that busines and where they haue enteres ones in any grounde it is veray herde to delyuer that grounde from them euen so it is of these heresies they nede no plantynge they nede no wateryng they nede no lowkyng nor wedyng but rankly sprynge by them selfe of a full lyght occasion Contrary wyse it is of true doctryne of god this is lyke vnto the good herbes whiche wil nat euery where lightly growe but they must be set or sowen in a chosen erthe they must be watred they muste be weded and haue moche attendaunce orels they wyll anone myscary Ye may se this euidently by the begynnyng of Christis churche Our sauiour whan he hym selfe dyd sowe his doctryne he complayned of the vntowardnes of mennes hartes and sayd Sermo meus Jo. â— non capit in vobis This sede of my worde taketh no rote in the erthe of your hartes And vpon a tyme a great nombre of his disciples forsoke hym and cast hym vp For theyr hartes coude nat sauour his doctrine If this doctrine sowen by this most myghty and counnynge sower toke none effecte in these persons hartes ye may se that the erthâ— of our hartes by it selfe can nat receyue this sedâ— â–ª Saint Paule the whiche in lyke maner gaue his diligence to plante and to water this sede yet as moche as he proffitted by his preachynge in one place he lost by his abseÌ„ce in an other place Doth he nat crye out therfore vpon the Galathes bicause that this doctrine whiche he had sowen amonge them sone after his deperture from them dyd wyther in theyr hartes O insensati Galathe quis â—aâ— â— vos fascinauit noÌ„ obedire veritati O ye folishe people who hath thus witched you that ye do nat obey vnto the trouth And euery where the same saint Paule fighteth agaynst the heretickes and is veray solicite and carefull lest the flocke of Christe shal be corrupted by theyr heresies In so moche that he sayth vnto the Corinthies Timeo ne sicut serpeÌ„s â— CorÌ„â—1 Euam seduxit astucia sua ita sensus vestri corrumpantur a simplicitate que est in Christo I drede me lest as the serpent desceyued the fyrste woman Eue by his wylynes so your sences shal be corrupted by these heretickes and so fall froÌ„ the symplicite of faithe whiche ye haue in Christe And therfore a litel after he calleth them Pseudo apostolos oê‘arios subdolos â— CorÌ„ 11. traÌ„sfiguraÌ„tes se iÌ„ apostolos Christi that is to say fals apostles disceytful workers preteÌ„dyng to be the messangers of Christe and be nat in veray dede If ther were suche perill of heretickes in the tyme of saint Paule as it dothe appere in all his epistoles and if the heresies thaÌ„ so lightly toke roote in the hartes of men And if the sede of the doctryne of Christe with suche difficultie did sprynge growe in the hartes of the people whiche were in that maruelous plentuous tyme of all grace What wonder is it that lykewyse nowe in this miserable tyme these heretickes multiply and theyr heresies do sprede Whan hit was prophesied before nat onely by our sauiour Christe but also by saynt Peter in his epistoles and by saynt Paule in his bothe and by saynt Jude that suche heresyes shulde ryse and specially towarde th ende of the worlde Nowe therfore whan so litell diligence is done about the ministryng of this true doctryne it is necessary that all tho that haue charge of the flocke of Christe endeuour them selfe to gaynestande these pernitious heresies Wherin doutles the moost Reuerend father in god my lorde legate hath nowe meritoriously traueiled and so entendeth to perseuer and to continue to the full extirpatioÌ„ of the same For heresy is a perillous wede it is the sede of the deuyll the inspiration of the wicked spirites the corruption of oux hartes the blyndyng of our sight the quenching of our faith the distruction of all good frute and fynally the mourder of our soules And therfore some what to resist this wicked sede by the mocion of dyuerse persoÌ„s I haue put forth this sermon to
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
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
all these bokes be so fully agreed by the expositioÌ„s and interpretations of the holy doctours that they make but one boke and one body of scripture and haue in them all but one spirite of lyfe that is to saye the spirite of Christe Jesu Euen as in the body of man there be many partes and many membres yet for as moche as in euery of them is but one lyfe and one soule therfore the body is but one This thynge was figured in a vision shewed vnto the prophet Ezechiell he sawe one roundell and many roundels and eche of them in the myddis of other but in all these roundels was but one spirite of lyfe So euery parte of scripture is lyke a roundel For it hath no corners Trouth is rouÌ„de and hath none angles The psalter of Dauid is a roundell of trouthe and eche of the gospels is a roundell of trouthe The gospelles be in the psalter and the psalter is in the gospelles and the spirite of Christe maketh one roundell of them all The newe testament is a roundell and the olde testament is a roundell and either of them is in the other but there is but one spirite of lyfe in them bothe and so in euery roundell of scripture and this spirite maketh one roundell of all And with these also the expositioÌ„s of the fathers whiche were inspired by the same spirite make one roundell with the same The doctrine of Luther can nat be thus nor yet partiner of this spirite of lyfe bicause it is repugnant and deuyded frome the holle corps of the doctryne of the churche Wherfore we maye necessarily The doctrine of Luther is nat one with the doctrine of Christe conclude that the doctryne of Luther is nat one with the doctryne of Christe nor hath in it the spirite of lyfe For as moche as it is repugnant and contradyctorily dyuerse from the doctryne of the churche Whiche thynge we maye proue by iij. reasons The fyrst is this The doctrine of the churche wherin all the fathers agree is spoken by Christe and inspired by the holy spirite of Christe as it doth appere of the fyrste collection But Christe and his holy spirite can nat teache and inspire two doctrynes the whiche be clene contrary Wherfore the doctryne of Luther is nat the doctrine of Christe and of his most holy spirite Seconde Christe Jesu sayth of hym selfe that he is the veray trouth Ego sum veritas But one trouth can nat be deuided at ones to two contradictories And why If that one of them haue the trouth that other muste nedes want it For one trouth can nat be commune vnto them bothe Thyrde the holy goste is the spirite of lyfe vnto the doctryne of the churche But the sprite of lyfe can nat be deuided but it must go holle As we se that whaÌ„ a mannes arme is cutte from his body the lyfe is nat deuided parte vnto the arme and parte vnto the body but the holle lyfe gothe with the body and the arme hath no parte therof So for bicause that Luther by his intricate expositions maketh one parte of scripture to be repugnaÌ„t agaynst an other as he confesseth hym selfe that he can nat frame his other expositions with the Epistole of saynt James and with the gospell of Luke Therfore it is manifest â–ª that his doctryne is deuided from the holle corps of scripture and is nat one with the doctryne of the churche nor hath nat in it the spirite of lyfe ¶ But nowe by your sufferance I wyll speke a fewe wordes vnto these ê‘sons which be abiured My bretherne ye may perceyue by this that I haue sayd that the sede of the worde of god that is to say the doctrine of Christis churche for these iij. considerations afore rehersed is one And that the doctryne of Luther is by the same iij. considerations nat one Wherfore ye may sufficiently coÌ„clude that the doctryne of Luther is nat the gratious sede of the worde of god nor hath in it the spirite of lyfe but is an euyll sede a sede of corruption a sede of pestilent infection a sede that blyâ—â—deth meÌ„nes hertes a sede that enueougleth their sight a sede that extincteth in them the true faith â–ª a sede that distroyeth their soules finally the veray sede of the deuyll whiche is inspired by the wicked spirites Therfore good bretherne I wold aduise both you euery other true christen maÌ„ to eschew this sede And if it be sowen iÌ„ your hartes to plucke it out by the routis to receyue the gratious sede of the worde of god and fully to assent to the doctrine of Christis churche that the wordes aboue rehersed may be sayde to eche of you Respice fides tua te safuâ—i fecit Open thynâ—ies this is the faithe that may make the safe The thyrde collection THe thyrde thynge to be marked is The good erthe the good erthe by the whiche our sauiour vnderstandeth in this parable one certayne maner of people For he so declareth it hym selfe sayeng Quod autem in terram bonam hi sunt qui corde honesto et bono That is to say this good erthe betokeneth them whiche be of one hart honest good I meane the people of whom we spake in the gospell of the miracle before the multitude I saye whiche had Christe amonge them Soone after that our sauiour had begonne together this people to giders whiche we calle the christen people he sayd vn them that than were present Amen diâ—o â—obis non preteribit generatio â—ec donec â—ec omnia fucta Mat. 24. fuerint I tell you for a certayne this generation shall nat passe vnto than all these thynges that I nowe haue spoken of shal be perfourmed He ment nat here any carnall generation No. for that carnall generation to whom he than spake were deed many huÌ„dred yeres ago And also tho thynges that he than spake of be nat yet perfurmed but shal be perfourmed about th ende of the worlde Wherfore doubtles he ment a spiritual generation that is to say the generation of christeÌ„ people whiche hitherto in dispite of all theyr ennemies haue contynued and shall continue vnto the worldis ende Great malice and persecution hath ben vsed agaynst this generation bothe by the Jewes and by the gentiles by the tyrantes by the philosophers and the heretickes but all they myght nat preuaile agaynst this generatioÌ„ accordyng as our sauiour Christe hath promised Et porte inferi non preuasebunt aduersue â—am And al the Mat. 16. malice of helle shal nat preuayle agaynst this generation nor interrupt it ¶ The wonderfull continuance of this generation was one thyng specially that kepte saynt Augustyne as he reportethe hym selfe and helde hym in the catholicke faith In the boke contra ij thinges did establishe saynt Augustyne iÌ„ the catholyke faith Manichesi he remembreth ij thynges concernyng this matter That one is this Tenet me ab ipsa
to the goodnes of the erthe or better or lesse diligence in preparyng of the same In lyke maner it is of the sede of the worde of god and of the harte of man An harte that is nat sowen with the worde of god but lefte vntyll his owne nature bryngeth nothyng forthe but the weedes of carnalitie carnall thoughtes carnall affections and carnal workes But whan the worde of god is sowen and the spirite of god gyueth the influence of his grace than that sede of the worde of god by his supernaturall vertue and by the gratious influence of the holy spirite of god worketh in that harte and chaungeth the carnalitie therof in to a spiritualnes accordynge as the harte is better or worse disposed by thre maners of degrees The lowest degree of this spiritualnes is in the state of matrimony where though there be many weedes yet there is moche eÌ„crease of frute if this sacrament truely be kepte there the encrease of frute is thyrtyfolde The myddell degree is in the state of wydowheed the whiche hath fewer weedes more frute Here the encrease of frute is thre skore folde The thyrd is iÌ„ the state of virginite whiche hath The state of virginite veray fewe weedes or none at all but all is frute and this encrease is an hundred folde so moche Fyrst than let vs begynne to speake of this high state of virginite The worde of god with the influence of grace so worketh in the hartes of true virgins that in maner it leaueth no carnalitie there but chaungeth all in to a spiritualnes that it maketh them to dispise all thoughtes all affections al workes that be carnall saue only these whiche be necessarily requisite vnto the bodely lyfe that is to say to kepe the soule and the body together Of this virginite our sauiour gaue example hym selfe the same folowed his blyssed mother and saynt Johan the Euangelist lykewyse whiche for his clennes was singularly beloued of our sauiour and for the same he coÌ„mysed the custody of his mother vntyll hym And lykewyse to saint Paule he gaue example hyÌ„ selfe of clennes and continency of his body And therfore he dothe wisshe that other wolde do the same and persuadeth ther vnto sayeng thus Velim omnes homines esse sicut et ipse suÌ„ And a litel after 1. Cor. 7. Bonsi eis est si manserint vt et ego Of suche also our sauiour speketh in the gospell and preyseth them sayeng Sunt enuchi qui se castrauerunt propter regnum Mat. 19. cesoruÌ„ There be some whiche haue splayde them selfe spiritually that is to saye haue cutte from theyr hartes the carnall affections of theyr bodi es for the loue of the kyngdome of heuen A trouth it is all wyll nat do thus and so our sauiour sayth in the same place Non omnes capiuÌ„t verâ—â— hoc This worde worketh nat in euery harte Yet neuerthelesse he doth exhorte ther vnto sayenge Qui potest capere capiat He that may take this worde and kepe his virginite let hym take it But thus dyd a great nombre of christen people in Alexandria whiche by the preachynge of saint Marke consecrate their virginite vnto Christe both men and women as Philo the Hebrewe telleth Suche were also great nombre of women the whiche in Hierusalem lykewyse vnto Christe dyd consecrate their virginite as telleth Euseby iÌ„ his story And these thus dyd by the prechynge of the apostles Innumerable suche also both men and women were in the desartes of Eyry of Egypte Ethiop All these by watche fastyng prayer contempned theyr flesshe chastised theyr bodies and kepte them lowe to th enteÌ„t that they myght kepe their soules clene vnto Christe And it is nat to be douted but that there is in ChristeÌ„dome at this day many thousandes of religious men and women that full truely kepe their religion their chastite vnto Christ. For whan Hely the prophet had supposed that so great a persecutioÌ„ was made agayÌ„st the true seruauntes of god that he was lefte alone it was answered vntyll hym by almyghty god as saith saint Paule Adhuc reliqui mihi septeÌ„ milia Ro. â—â— qui non curuauerunt genu ante Baal I haue yet reserued vnto me seuen thousande the whiche hath done none idolatry before Baall And if almyghty god dyd reserue in that lytell porcion of Jury so great a multitude beyonde the estimation of this prophet Hely what nombre suppose ye doth yet remayne in all ChristeÌ„dome of religious men and women nat withstandynge this great persecution of religious monasteries bothe of men and of women done by these heretickes by this moste execrable doctryne It is nat to be doubted but in all Christendome be lefte many thousandes whiche at this houre lyue chaste and truely kepe theyr virginite vnto Christe Nowe let vs se whether the sede of god worke this The frute of Luthers doctrine high frute amoÌ„ge the Lutherans or nat No. no. nothyÌ„g lesse Halas it will make a true christeÌ„ maÌ„s harte to blede blody teares within his breast for to here their lyuyÌ„g The prestis of his sect which shulde kepe theyr handes and hartes clene for to mynister the blessed sacrament folowe the luste and carnalite of their flesshe The religious men forsake their religion and retourne vnto the world and take them queanes The virgins that were consecrate vnto god had promysed to kepe them selfe selfe as true spouses vnto Christ nowe gyue their bodies tyll all wretched pleasure and suffre them selfe to be stuprate and abhomynably defyled and soused in all carnalite O Jesus this is the frute that commeth of the wicked sede whiche this vngratious hereticke hath soweÌ„ amoÌ„ge them Howe far is this from the example of Christe and from the other blessed fathers innumerable whiche both lyued chaste them selfe procured likewyse that other shulde do the same If the deuyll haue nat excecate our eies we may se by this euidently that this doctryne commeth nat from aboue For than it shulde nat be contrary vnto the counsayles of Christe and of saint Paule and of the other scriptures of god but it cometh playnly from the deuyll And yet he is nat ashamed to write that al his doctryne he hath of god Thus moche for the fyrste frute By this fyrst ye may iudge what his mynde and The frute of widow â—ed sentence is concernyng the seconde frute that is to say as touchyÌ„g wydowes He that calleth virgins to forsake their virginite wyll but a lytell regard the state and frute of wydwohed And herein also he teacheth contrary vnto the counsaile of saint Paule whiche couÌ„saileth wydowes to kepe them sole and specially to th entent that they may in a more liberte serue god For as he saith Innupta 1. Cor. 7. curat ea que sunt domini vt sit sancta quum corpore tum spiritu Contra. qÌ„ nupta est curat ea que suÌ„t muÌ„di quomodo placitura sit
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
sede Petri apostoli cui pascendas oues suas post resurrectionem dominus commendauit vsque ad presentem episcopatuÌ„ successio sacerdotum It holdeth me fyrste to be one of the churche the continuall succession that I se of popes one after an other fro the fyrst sittyng of Peter in the See apostolice to whom our sauiour commysed his flocke to be fedde vnto this present tyme. This holy doctour saint Augustyne coÌ„sidred what name Christe gaue vnto Peter â–ª callynge hym Cephas whiche is as moche to saye as Petra or â—apis And he marked also well what promyse our sauioure dyd make vnto hym sayenge Et super hanc petram edificabo ecclesiam mâ—am And he obserued farther more howe that amonge all the other apostles onely the succession of Peter doth continue and to se the promyse of our sauiour thus truely put in effecte This was some thynge that made saynt Augustine to folowe constantly the doctryne of the churche An other is this Tenet ipsum cotholice nomen quod noÌ„ sine causa inter tam multas hereses ista ecclesia sola obtinuit That is to say and this thyng also kepeth me fast in the doctrine of the churche that this congregation whiche is deriuied from the see of Peter hath amonge so many heresies and agaynst so many heretickes only and nat withouteÌ„ cause opteyned this name Catholica that it is called the catholicke churche These two thynges dyd conferme and establisshe saint Augustine in the catho like faith And truely who that depely weyeth al these thynges shall thynke the same I say if he coÌ„sydre depely with hym selfe fyrst that suche a maner of name Pet receiued of our sauiour Christe he was called Cephas whiche is as moche to saye as a stone This no man can denye Seconde if he considre howe that our sauiour sayde vnto Peter that vpon that stone he wolde buylde his churche agaynst the whiche the gates of helle shulde nat preuayle Thyrde if he remembre besyde this howe vnto the same Peter he seriously coÌ„mysed his flocke to be fedde and to be gouerned Fourth if he considre that the true christen people whiche we haue at this day was deriuied by a continuall succession from the see of Peter For where is nowe the christen people of the region of Scithia whiche came of the succession of saynt Andrewe Be they nat nowe infidels Where is nowe the people of Ephesus and of all Asia whiche came of the succession of saynt JohnÌ„ Be they nat infidels Where is nowe the people of bothe Aethiops whiche came of the succession of saynt Mattheu saynt Mathye Be they nat infidels And breuely to say where is all the other people whiche came of the succession of the other apostles either they nowe be infidels or els schismatickes or other wyse deuided from the churche of Christe Fynally if he put vnto these that onely the successioÌ„ of Peter in dispite of al their eÌ„nemyes dothe yet continue and yet beareth the name of the veray catholicke churche and so shall do vnto the worldis ende he shall se euidently that this multitude and this successiou is the veray churche of Christe agaynst the whiche the gates of hell shal neuer preuaile Thus than ye se whiche is the good erthe I say the multitude of christen people whiche hitherto by a continuall succession was deriuied from the see of Peter But nowe let vs here what conditions our sauiour The conditioÌ„s of the good erth adioyneth vnto this good erthe he sayth hi sunt qui in corde honesto et bono PardoÌ„ me though I reherse the wordes aft the greke boke for they make better agaynst our eÌ„nemies he sayth In corde honesto et vono Here be iij. conditions Fyrst in corde The fyrste coÌ„dition Act. 4. that is to saye of one harte and mynde accordyng as it is writen Mustitudinis credentium erat cor vnum et anima vna All that multitude that beleued in Christe was of one harte and of one mynde that is to say they were nat deuided by contrary doctrynes And therfore lykewise saynt Paule writyng vnto the Corinthies sayth Idem loquamini 1. Cor. 1. omnes et non sint inter vos dissidia sed sâ—itis integrum corpus eadem mente et eadeÌ„ sententia That is to say speake ye all one way and let there be no contrary opinions amonge you but be ye as an holle body of one mynde and of one sentence Syth that Luther with his secte is of an other mynde and sentence and of a diuerse harte and opinion fro the churche as I haue shewed before it is manifest by this fyrst condition that they be excluded fro this good erthe and fro this succession of christen people whiche we call the churche catholicke As for vs it is certeyne that we come derectly of this succession and ioyne fully with the fathers in all their doctrynes Contrariwyse Luther dispiseth them and their doctrynes as I sayd before and there he deuideth hym selfe froÌ„ the doctryne of the churche and fro this good erthe For what is the doctryne of the churche but the doctryne of the fathers Nat many yeres ago as Luther coÌ„fesseth hym selfe he ioyned with the fathers and with the churche as we do but nowe he hath cutte hym selfe fro the churche We cam nat out of hym and of his secte but all they cam out of vs and so haue deuided them selfe from vs. We styl kepe and folowe the doctryne whiche hath bene lefte vnto vs by the gratious fathers men of singular lernynge and excellent holynes whiche by the holy goost had the continuall gouernance of the churche vnto this day as saint Paule doth witnesse in the Actis of the apostles as I sayd before We than that folowe suche doctrynes as haue bene lefte vnto vs by these gouernours which went before vs be of one harte and mynde with them and with the churche And Luther with his adherentes whiche wyll nat accepte and alowe these doctrynes be of a dyuerse harte and mynde fro the fathers and haue so deuided them selfe fro the churche Wherfore it is manifest that they wante this fyrst condition of the good erthe they be nat of one harte and of one mynde with vs. The seconde condition is honesto that is honeste The secâ—â— condition and fayre For the greke worde is indifferent to bothe The lyght of true faith whiche is a clere brightnes without any errours moche doth honeste and make beautious the harte of a christen man For withouten hit there is no honeste nor beautie in a soule Sine fide impossibile est placere deo This faith can nat be in the Lutherians but remayneth only in the succession of the churche wherof we come But the LutheraÌ„s as I sayd be deuided from the churche and their faith is a clene contrarye doctryne from ours and agaynst all them that were in the same succession before vs. It is also full of