the holy place foūde euerlastyng redēption Heb ix He is gone that gaue the lawe an other is come in his rowme by whom grace is geuē Ioh. i. Aarō is gone for the true prest for euer after the order of Melchisedech is come To conclude the fygure is vanyshed because the lyght hath shyned Then what nede we so costly gloryous pompe of ceremonies in the new testamēt we disprayse not those buyldinges to the which the people cōmeth to hear the worde of god more cōmodiously but we disprayse the abuse the erroure namely that they kepe no measure can neuer make an ende of buyldynge deckynge of such royal churches Exo. xxxvi at the cōmaūdement of Moses the cryer forbyddeth that nother mā nor womā shuld offer vp ony more to the buyldyng of the tabernacle for the people offred vp a great deale more thē nede was Now our cryers wtout ende measure requyre gyftes of the people to the buyldinges of tēples Wher doth Christ requyre in the new testament such ornamētes of churches and where doth he appoynt such buyldyng to be made Cōmaūded not he vs to worship the father ī spret in verite The which two wordes cōdēne the whole tragedy of ceremonies which we thīke profitable good for praier For what helpeth to the sprete and trueth of worshippyng of God such infinite diuersite of vestimentes belles organes and sōges of dyuerse kyndes Yf those thynges kyndle deuotion steare vp a mans mynde to God it were best that not only churches but also houses townes hye waies stretes shuld be ful of yanglyng of belles be replenyshed with ymages The Lorde requyreth the sprete and trueth and we cōtrarye wyse shewe and set forth a carnal pompe solemnite of ceremonyes the which is not only as great as all the Iewes fashions and rytes but passeth them farre both in nombre and greatnesse hauyng in steade of the sprete the flesh for the trueth moost coloured and paynted ypocrysye for we spende the whole daye with syngynge sacrifysyng and mumblynge We speake with tunges but no mā preacheth which shulde speake vnto men to edifye exorte and to comforte .i. Cor. xiiii The Apostle wyl leuer speake .v. wordes with his vnderstādyng that he may iustruc teach other also rather thē ten thousand with tūges We thōdre out psalmes wtout vnderstādyng for auaūtage lucre makyng a sound wtout deuotiō alas the word of God is cōpelled to geue place to this blind seruice the ordināce of the apostle also We crye now a dayes as the Iewes cryed in tymes paste Ieremie vii The temple of the Lorde the temple of the Lorde the temple of the Lorde Goddes seruice Goddes seruice Goddes seruice trustyng in wordes of lyenge where as all thys busynesse of ceremonyes is playne hyred geare for mony that it may be fulfilled that the Lorde sayde Malachie i. Who is ther amonge you that wyll shut the dores wyl kyndle myn aultare frely for nought wherfore it foloweth I haue no pleasure in you sayth the Lorde of hoostes I wyll take no reward of your handes Yf that the tragedy and spectakle of ceremonyes lyketh you so well go to let vs brynge home agayne the whole Iewysnesh and the whole maner of worshyppynge of the Iewes let vs deck vp Aaron let vs orden leuytes let vs kyll and offer vp shepe oxen and calues and euen let vs be circumcysed wyth the madde Iewes and let vs loke for an other Messyas that may bryng vs in to the lande of Canaan not by the power of the Lorde but of the world Surely yf that moost costly and sumptuous worshyppyng of God is christes religion in the which holynesse consisteth I graunt that I can not tell what is oure religion But yf Christ be oure Lorde and master and hys doctryne be the doctryne of the father the truthe and the waye then is the whole heape of ceremonyes nothynge lesse than the worshyppyng of God Where do we reade in the gospel of hyred prayers which ye wyll let a man haue for mony and yf he geue no penny he shall haue no pater noster where doth the Lorde alowe byenge sellyng choppynge and chaūgynge in holy thynges As for those places which they brynge for the appoyntynge and assignynge of a certayne place of prayer euery mā may se that they handle them without ony maner of iudgement and with playne ygnoraunce of scriptur It is euē of the same sorte that they fayne that the deuyl is afrayed of holy water as thoughe he were not more afrayed at the syght of a christē man whome the oyntement of the holy goost hath made holy and is the temple of the holy goost And as for that thay they brynge for the halowynge of beedes and the nombre of pater nosters and the Psalter of our lady suche other it is more vayne then ony tryfles be in the worlde and more foolysher then the tales which olde wyues tell in wynter nyghtes by the fyre syde Therfore we must praye to the father of heauē thorowe oure Lorde Iesus Christe in spirit and truthe in euery place that our prayers be not bound to places For ether we go in to oure preuy chambre and shut the dore after vs pray vnto the father which is in secrete or we praye in euery place after the learnynge of saynt Paule in the fyrst epistel the .ii. chapter to Timoth. For the whole worlde is the temple churche of God The heauen the heauen of al heauens ar not able to receaue the Lord how much lesse then thys church Yf I ascende vp to heauē sayeth the royal prophete thou arte ther yf I descende and go downe to hel thou art present And God his owne self sayeth by Ieremy the prophete in the xxiii chapt I fyl both heauē and earth And the Apostell in his preachyng to the men of Athens sayeth God is not far from vs for we lyue in hym are moued and be in hym Actu xvii ¶ Of vowes The newe learnynge Vowe to the Lorde perfourme it that the ye vowe Psal lxxv Therfor we may vowe we ought to geue it that we vowe for ther a is lawe made of geuynge to them whiche vowed In the .iiii. boke of the sentence it is wrytten A vowe is made when a mā of his owne wyl promyseth that he wyl do or kepe some good thynge to the which otherwyse he is not bound although he be bound after the vowe be made There be .iii. principalle substancial vowes that is of pouerte chastite obedience He that is once made a religious man or a preste is bound to lyue so for euer by hys vowe ¶ The olde learnynge A vowe is a law say the scoole mē made to perfourme such thynges as mē haue vowed It is playne what the holy scripture doth affyrme and iudge of the lawe and of the workes of it Now is mā not iustifyed or made
perceaue not and be ignoraūt in ony thynge that pertayneth vnto a christē mās lyuyng and it is not playnely taught in the open sermon we must go to the curate to-heare of hys mouth the iudgementes and testimonyes of the Lorde Yf ony doute aryse in oure consciences whome ought we rather to go to and axe counsell then of the hyrdman of our soules Farthermore whē we be faynte harted or haue no corage and are vexed with tētacions we maye not despyse the remedye that god ordened Thou hast Gods worde Math. xviii Where as .ii. or .iii. c. And Ihon. xx Whose synnes ye shal remyt c. Whome wold not these fatherly promyses prouoke and alure to confession where as the conscience is lyfted vp and stablisshed not by mans worde but by goddes worde spoken by mans mouth But these be mans addicions to bynde a mans conscience with a law and to cōpell hym to confesse all hys synnes with all theyr circūstaūces at a certayne tyme to hys owne preste or curate whatsoeuer he be whereby mens consciēces be marked with an whote yron For he that is not confessed after the maner that is prescrybed in the confessionalles ether by the reason of ignoraunce or of a frayle memory or shamefastnesse yee though he be ashamed and repent hym of hys euell lyfe with all hys harte yet for all that as longe as he lyueth he beareth about wyth hym an vnquyet conscience and full of dispayre And yf a man take a lyttell diligence or haue a good memory or wryte hys synnes in a pece of paper and poureth oute into a frears eare that can not well heare all the fylthynesse of hys vncleane lyuynge good Lorde how glad is he that not onely he hath satisfised the law but because also that he hath taken of hys shulders a burthen heuyer then Ethna the hyl that always burneth Then as who say he hath deserued forgeuenesse of hys syn with thys troublesome worke he standeth in his owne conceate which wold haue dyspayred yf he had not rehearsed hys synnes after thys maner Let the bysshoppes appoint learned men to heare confessyons and not blockheades then the people shall come to the prestes by heapes and swarmes The whiche thynge whyle they do it not lette them blame them selues and not vs yf the people set lytle by theyr curates Farther more as concernyng the reseruyng and kepyng behynde of certayn causes and chaunces let the head rulers in the church tel a cause why they do differ and abhorre so greatly the Apostles rytes and teachynges A preste or an elder a bishop with Paull be all one The scripture maketh no such difference of ministers in the laboure of the gospell Whan the Lord sent forth hys disciples into the world he gaue them lyke power sayng Go into all the world and preach the gospel to euery creature he that shal beleue and be baptysed shal be saued Marke xvi Iohn xx he sayth vnto them Take ye the holy goost whosoeuer synnes ye forgeue they shal be forgeuē Where is here ony differēce betwene a bisshop a symple preste Is it harde to knowe what thys be to saye Whose synnes ye remyt they shal be remytted Thys ys the doctrine of Christe and hys Aostels ¶ Of satisfaction The new learnyng A certayn satisfacciō is to be enioyned to hym that is confessed for hys synnes that be past accordyng to the quantite or qualite of the synnes that he may content and satisfye the ryghteousnesse of God Thys hath the .xvii. and .xviii. distinction of the fourth boke By this doctrine the grace of Christes redemptiō is darkened ouershadowed and defaced and mans workes enhaunced to the moost hye iniury of Christes passiō The olde learnynge Esay the .liii. Chapter He is broken for oure wyckednesses The father hath layed on his necke all our iniquityes and wyckednesses I haue smyttē hym for the myschefe of my people Here thou mayest se that Christe dyd satisfaccyō for the synnes of al the world Also .i. Pet. ii He bare our synnes in his body on the crosse that we shuld be delyuered from synne shuld lyue in ryghteousnesse by whose strypes we are healed Also in the fyrst epistle to the Corinthians the .i. chap. Christ is our ryghteousnesse and redempcion Ioh in the .x. Chapter Christ spent hys lyfe for hys shepe Rom. the .v. Chap. We be brought in fauoure with the father by the death of Christ and not by our satisfaccyon The same we haue also Ephe. the .i. And Collossenses .i. .ii. Christ toke away the obligacyon or handwrytynge whiche was agaynst vs by that decrees he fastened it to the crosse .i. Ioh. i. The bloud of Christ clenseth pourgeth vs frō all synne He sayeth not our satisfaccion doth pourge vs. Now haue we proued by these places that onyly the death of Christ is our full satisfaccyon for the synnes of al the world and not our fylthy ryghteousnesse Let vs than cal those scourges or punishmentes which our louynge father sēdeth vs or we take our selues preuentyng the hande of God correccyon strokes and such other names as the scripture vseth This worde satisfaccyō is a proude worde and hated to al christen eares that heare somtime the sounde of this sayenge of S. Luke in the xv Chap. Whan we haue done all thynges which be commaūded vnto vs yet we maye saye that we be vnprofytable seruauntes Let claye asshes be ashamed of this proud worde satisfaccyon for synne Shame be vnto vs and ryghteousnesse vnto God Yf we with our workes and correccyons do make amendes or satiffaccyon for our synnes thē Christ dyed in vayne And by this doctrine the grace that bryngeth vs in the fauour with God is magnifyed by the bloude of Iesus and mans worke is lytell set by to the most worthy prayse of Christes passyon ¶ Of fre wyll The new learnynge A man hath fre wyll choyse not only in the state of innocency but also of his fall and synne And it is of so great vertue that he doynge that lyeth in hym may remoue the stoppe and hynderaunce of grace dispose hymselfe to grace that iustifyeth And lest a carnall mā proud ynough of hymselfe shuld wante noryshynge for hys arrogancy they go aboute to strengthen and confirme this doctrine with scriptures falsely vnderstāde Ecclesiasticus in the .xv. saye theye sayeth and proueth fre wyll where as God is sayd to haue left a man in the power of his own counsell and to haue geuen hym commaundementes the which yf he do kepe they shuld kepe and saue him And to this purpose they swepe gather together what so euer lawe or monition is ony where in al the scripture As who say we myght gather wel after this maner God hath commaunded that we shuld do this he hath apoynted the condycyons of lyfe he threatneth payne to thē that breake them ergo it is in oure power to do that same wote ye wel here is a
sure argument much lyke vnto this the mayster byddeth the seruaūt go an hūdreth myles on one day ergo he may go an hūdreth myles on a daye Although I se many mē of great reputacyō almost promysyng thēselues the victory in the defendyng of frewyl with this shorte argument Whan in the meane season they cōsyder not how lytle this doctrine maketh for the glory of Christ which before al thynges oughte to be soughte Is it not a great sklaunder of the true learnynge to teach after this wyse Grace geuen frely or the generall influence with the vnderstandynge that vnderstandeth or directeth aryght and the wyll confirmably wyllyng are ynough to deserue the fyrst grace whiche maketh a man fyrst to come in fauour Who wolde haue loked for so muche lyfe and health in the man that was left halfe dead of the theues Luce. x. that although he could not heal him selfe yet he myght go in to the potycaryes shoppe nedynge no horse myght shewe hys grefe bye salues pay for them whē he had done Go to I am content let them teach the iustificacyon can not be by our strength with out grace that iustifieth yet they teach that the begynnynge of penaunce is in vs whē they geue vnto vs the preparynge vnto grace doynge as muche as lyeth in vs that we maye deserue of a symlynesse the fyrst grace by a good mocyon drawen out of the fredome of the wyll Is not this to geue the fyrste good motion to nature Moreouer they saye That a man by his naturall strength may fulfyll goddes commaundementes as concernyng the substaūce of the acte although not accordynge to the intent of the cōmaūder that is god Yf that be true it is in a synners power to amende or to continue in synne Yf nature maye do so muche what nede haue we of grace Whan symple men heare those thynges whan shall they at ony tyme learne Christ truely whan wyl they geue thankes for the vnspeakeable benefyte of theyr redēption A lytell thynge holdeth me but I laye on these teachers the sayeng of saynt Peter They denye the Lorde that bought them and they make marchaūdyse of the people of God with theyr fained wordes Whan dyd Christ or the Apostles euer speake after this maner The merite of cōgruence the meryte of worthynesse to do that lyeth in hym fre wyll the productiue vertue of fre wyl Thou christen man flye these sayenges as the pestilent blast of the crafty serpent where with he maketh oure nature whiche is proude already to swell agaynst God Thou haste good reader a tayste of the scoolemens learnynge of frewyll the whiche hangeth nothynge together For whan they be charged wyth scripture in the despite of the Pelagians they wyll be thought fauourers of grace somtyme with a maruaylous euasyon preferryng a specyall helpe of God before mans wyll both in wyllynge and in workynge And a lytell after they leape backe agayne to the excellent gyftes of theyr nature lest they shulde be thought to fauoure the Manichees ¶ The olde learnynge Romano the .xiiii. Chapter What so euer is not of fayth that is synne Then that good motion of fre wyll before grace that iustifyeth is synne Thē what madnes is it to wyll to deserue grace by synne Or what lyberte is it whan a man can not do well of hymselfe but only euel what health is that to haue power to fal and not to ryse or stande without the helpe of an other the seconde to the Corinthians the thyrde chapter Our sufficiency or ablenesse to do good is of God Roma the thyrde Chap. Fayth iustifyeth Before fayth a man is a synner and euell then how can he haue a good mocyon of hymselfe whom fayth hath not steared vp how can a thorne tre brynge forth a grape Ioh. viii Euery man that doth synne is the seruaunt of synne .ii. Petri. ii A man is brought in bondage vnto hym of whome he is ouercome Ephe. ii By nature we be the chyldrē of wrath Ge. vi We be flesh Io. iii. Excepte that we be borne agayne .i. Corin. ii A carnall man perceaueth not those thynges which be of the sprete of God Then how can the seruaunt of synne the sonne of wrath fleshe a carnall man before he be regenerate haue mexe naturall power good motions of hymselfe Can an euell tre brynge forth good frute Excepte that we be regenerate with the grace of Christ accordynge to the ymage of the earthy Adam we beare no goodnesse Seynge that the holy goost doth expressely and vehemently pronoūce that we be not only prone and ready to euell but also euel in dede Farthermore the Lord maketh lawes but before that thou bryng in this cōclusiō Therfore we may or els wherfore haue we so many preceptes threatenynges learne of Paul Roma the iii. Chap. that the lawe is the knowledge of synne and not the auctor of ryghteousnesse The lawe is spirituall we be carnal solde vnder synne Rom. vii Therfore thou must be spirituall that thou maye kepe the lawe which is not in thy power but it is the grace of God Wherfore thou maye learne of the lawe to knowe thy mysery that which after thou haste knowen thou arte compelled to go to Christe the perfeccyon and the fulfyllynge of the lawe The lawe iustifyeth the not but it declareth to thy shame howe farre thou arte from the dew clennesse of lyfe by thyne owne faute Therfore thou mayest not thynke thus with thy selfe I haue a good lawe what nedeth more but my laboure and dylygence I knowe good reason wyll tell me what is ryghte I wyll laye to my handes and I wyll be iustifyed by my dedes drawen out and commaunded Not so ye wycked personnes not so heare and take hede of the holy wordes of scripture and the proude pharisaicall sprete shall haue hys combe cut The Israhelites dyd caste in theyr myndes whan the lawe was sette forth that they coulde do all thynges lokynge on Moses face whiche was couered But it was sayde vnto them Deuteronomi the .v. Chapter Who can geue them such a minde to feare me and to kepe my commaundementes Surely iustifyenge begynneth at feare and loue But ye se that they haue not the feare of the Lorde nor suche a mynde as can do ony good of it selfe Therfore in Deutero xxx sayeth Moses The Lorde shal circumcise thyne harte and Ezechiel xi I wyll take away the stony hartes And Ihō the .vi. Ther cōmeth no mā to me excepte my father draw hym Wherfore ye ypocrytes learne of the lawe youre dewty feblenesse and paynes and when ye fele Moses handes heuy flye to hym for succurre with all your harte the which Romanor viii is descrybed to be the fulfiller of the lawe Math. xi Christ promysed rest of the soule to all them that be laden For when we do the beste that lyeth in vs we beyng euell trees brynge fyrth euell frutes that is to saye we synne For such as euery man
of the churche is consydered and not the worthynesse of the person Thys is the sūme A wycked man and an vngodly hauyng only a dewe intent although he be an abomynable in the syght of God yet for al that in thys cause because he beareth the persōne or is in the rowme of the church he abydyng a synner and a dānable person he purchasseth and deserueth vnto other men remissyon of syn and euerlastyng lyfe This they saye The olde learnynge The Apostell in the fyrst epistell to the Corinthians the .xi. chapter preparyng the supper of the Lorde dyd wryte that he toke of the Lorde that he taught and gaue to the Corinthians And whan he expounded the busynesse and matter cōcernyng the supper he geueth both the kyndes indifferently to all the bretheren euē as Christ dyd ordeyne Mathe. xxvi Marke xiiii Luke xxii Here we haue the worde and the facte of the Lorde and of hys minister Paule and also of the primitiue church in the which as thē fayth was more lyuely charite was more feruent hope was more sure and holy christendom was more purer for it was nearer the quycke sprynge Yf it be so that it is not leful for vs to kepe the worde and the dede of Christ specially in a great mater as is the sacramēt for what intent shall the churche of God haue the scripture expoūded and declared Dyd not euen the new wryters as Gersō saye That nother the byshop of Rome nor generall councell nor yet the church oughte to chaūge the learnynge that was geuen vs by the euangelistes by Paul Yf it be lawfull to euery man that lyst to chaunge in the sacramētes of the church those thynges which Christ taught to be kept the apostles both taught and kept I pray you what case shall the church be in then which shal be cōpelled to beleue that Christ the wysedome of the father the Apostels dyd teach christendom such vnperfecte geare so negligently that theyr successours had nede to supplye amēde make perfecte those thynges that Christ his Apostels lefte behynde them raw vnperfect Wyll the Saracens the Arabiās the Agarens whome we call Turkes suffer that ony mā at his pleasure after this fashion shulde chaūge theyr Alcoram wolde sōtyme take somthyng away somtyme vtterly abrogate disanul it that theyr lawmaker had wrytten somthynge vnwarely or wtout diligent hede delyberacyon And we christen mē except we suffer the church to be turned out of frame peruerted to be darkened to be pulled in sunder minished Yee to be vtterly cast awaye we be banyshed destroyed as the enemyes of the church Put the case that these be tollerable who can abyde that ydel felowes shall make marchaundyse of it that was lefte to be the memoriall and remembraunce of the death whiche brought lyfe wherby they make a sacrifyce of the masse crucifye Christ agayne as much as lyeth in them For yf it be so that they worke with theyr dayly sacrifyce as they call it remissyon of synne I praye you thē what synnes dyd the bloude of the new euerlastyng testament take awaye This is therfore our catholyke belefe of the supper of the Lorde Fyrst The supper of the Lord ought for to be done after the ordinaunce of Christe i. Cor. xi that our fayth maye be increaced our charite may be kyndled our hope maye be made sure by the cōtinual remēbraunce of the death of the Lorde that we knowyng the cause of the moost precyous death of the Lorde maye be dayly more and more steared vp to geue thankes for the vnspeakeable loue to destroye the body of synne and to walke in newnesse of lyfe Secondarly Therfore the supper of the Lorde is a memoriall of the death of Christe whiche brought saluacyon and not a sacrifyce but a remembraūce of the sacrifyce that was once offred vp vpon the crosse Thyrdly Ther is a promes Psal c.ix that Christ shal be our byshop for euermore ordened of the father and this promes is perfourmed for Christ hath entred once in to the holy place by an oblacyon makynge perfect for euermore Hebr. ix and .x. so that we nede not to haue hym offred vp for vs agayne the which dyeth nomore Fourthly We knowe of the boke Leuiticus that the oblacyō of Moses was made for synnes whan the oblacyon dyd satisfye and the bloude dyd washe Thē yf this one sacrifyce in the which Christ dyd offer vp hymselfe dyd satisfye for the synnes of the whole worlde accordynge to the prophecye of Esay the .liii. Chapter He dyd beare our synnes and he was torne for oure wyckednesses and .i. Ioh. the .ii. Chapter He is oure satisfaccyon and so forth it foloweth and is a good argument that all the oblacyons which are besyde this be vayne and voyd the which they pretende Fyftly To rayse vp a new oblacyon is to set lytel by the fyrst to proue God a lyar and to deny Christe whiche bought vs after the wordes of saynt Peter .ii. Pet. ii For whan they saye that synnes be releassed forgeuen in the sacrifice of the masse whan the sonne of God is offered vp both for quycke dead it foloweth after theyr opinion that that onely sacrifice of the crosse dyd not satisfye for all synnes And I praye you is not that euen to forsweare denye the Lorde which dyd redeme vs not with corruptible thynges as with golde syluer but with his owne precious bloud whā we say that it is done by the vertue of that masse the which al scripture doth say cōmeth to vs by the death of our Lorde Iesus Christ Syxtly Yet for al that we do not affirme the synnes be remytted only by the partakynge of the supper of the Lorde but whan we do remēbre with a true a kynde fayth the benefyte of our redemption in the which the sōne of god dyd geue his body a sacrifyce for synnes shed his bloud to washe away synne by this fayth we be iustifyed made ryghteous we obtayne remissyon of our synnes gotten by the death of Christ And this is a dilicyous feast of soules of the whiche they that are not partakers shall peryshe Christ in the .vi. Chap. of Ihon sayeth My fleshe is meate in dede and my bloude is drynke in dede The bread that I shal geue is my flesh the which I wyll geue for the lyfe of the worlde Excepte we eate this fleshe of the sonne of man and drynke his bloud we shall not haue lyfe in vs but we shal peryshe For it is the breade of lyfe geuynge lyfe to the worlde The whiche breade to eate is to beleue in Christ as he sayeth I am the bread of lyfe he that cōmeth to me shall not be an hūgred and he that beleueth in me shall neuer be thyrsty Verely verely I saye vnto you he that trusteth in me hath euerlastynge lyfe For as the body is fed with naturall bread
so the soule is refreshed lyueth with this heauenly bread For whā the soule beleueth that Christ is the pryce of oure redemption our satisfaccyon and our ryghteousnesse with this fayth it eateth the flesh and drynketh the bloude and accordynge to the wordes of Christ Ioh. vi by so wholsome an eatyng shal we lyue for euer These be so great thynges which be rehearsed aboute the table of the Lorde God graunt that this ceremony of Christe maye be restored to hys olde strength and integrite agayne that we which be the body of Christ oure heade admonished of the loue of God in the supper towarde vs maye growe together with vnlowsable glew of loue as it becommeth membres purgynge the flocke with the boult of excommunicacyon and eatynge truely the fleshe of the Lorde that is to beleue in Christe crucifyed and that we may be grafted in hym by the lykenesse of his death and that we maye be partakers wyth hym of the moost gloryous resurreccyon Amen ¶ Of the choyse of meates The new learnynge It is not lawfull to eate euery daye all sortes of meate for it is necessary that we abstayne from fleshe euery frydaye and saterdaye and on the embrynge dayes and in lent for he that doth otherwyse without the Bisshop of Romes bulles or the pardons of the legates of the sye of Rome doth syn and shal be rekened an euell christen man yee a wycked and an vngodly heretyke ¶ The olde learnynge In the .xi. Chapter of Leuiticus and the xiiii of Deuteronomion the choyse of meates is prescribed vnto the Iewes which were vnder Moses so that it was not lawfull to eate what so euer meate they lyste But let vs which are commaunded of Paul to the Gal. the .v. Chapter to stande fast in the lyberte in to the which Christe hath brought vs and that we shulde not put our neckes vnder the yocke of bondage agayne geue hede and attendaunce what oure mayster Christ and Lorde doth saye Math. xv Hear and vnderstād It that goeth in to the mouth defyleth not the man but it that goeth out of the mouth that defyleth a man These wordes of Christ take awaye the choyse of meates so that it is lawful in the tyme of the new testamēt to eate flesh or fyshe whether ye wyll without ony synne In the fyrste epistel to Timo. the .iiii. Chap the holy goost doth call the forbyddynge of meate of mariage the doctrine of the deuell For God hath created meate to be receaued with geuynge of thankes of them which beleue haue knowen the trueth for the creatures of God are good and nothynge to be refused yf it be receaued with thankes geuyng for it is sanctifyed by the worde of God prayer By this one texte of the Apostle is plucked vp by the rootes what so euer hether to mē haue taught or cōmaūded of the choyse of meates For the holy goost calleth it dyuelysh doctrine the whiche no man cā kepe obey wtout the losse of his saluacyō Let it moue no mā that saynt Ierome doth wrast these sayenges agaynste the Tacyans and the Marcionites doutlesse our consciences be delyuered from the choyse of meates by these wordes of the holy goost Therfore who so euer he be Marcyon or ony of this tyme that byndeth wyth a commaundemēt that thynge which Christ wolde haue to be fre he is reproued wyth this texte as vnkynde to God and a despyser of a good creature Collossenses the .ii. Chapter sayeth Paule Let no man iudge you in meat and drynke Yf you be dead wyth Christe from the elementes of the worlde why be you holden wyth decrees as yf ye were lyuyng in the worlde This texte also is playne agaynste all the praysers and preachers of mans tradicyons the whiche do trouble mens conscyences wyth mans preceptes of the choyse of meates Although thys maketh agaynste the obseruacyons of the Iewes yet it plucketh vp by the rootes all the tradicyons of men in thys matter For yf Moses lawe in that poynt be abrogate and put downe the which was once ordened of God how muche more iustly the constitucyōs of mē ought to be disanulled put awaye by the which these cruel tyraūtes coueth a kyngdome in mens consciences Gala. i. Yf ony man preach ony other gospell or glad tydynges vnto you than ye haue receaued holde hym acursed Therefore what soeuer other thynge is thrust into oure handes agaynst and besyde the worde of God to bynde mēs cōsciences by the sentence of the holy goost it is acursed wherfor we must refuse it both with hand and foote Titum i. Rebuke them sharply that they may be sound in the fayth and not takynge hyde to Iewes fables and commaūdemētes of men the which turne from the trueth Vnto the cleane are all thynges cleane but to them that are defyled and vnbeleuyng is nothyng cleane but euen the very myndes and consciences of them are defyled Who wolde not abhorre those preceptes whyche turne from the trueth Euen so the holy gooste decketh mans tradicions with hys tytle with the which tradicion the deceauers of mens myndes go aboute to bynde mens cōsciences where as God byddeth not Here I do not regarde thoshe great praysers of abstinence the which wyll name me the Epicure of Christē men as saynt Ierome called Iouiniane as though I wēte about to louse the brydell of gluttony Tese felowes wyll dispute with a full belly of fastyng and yet they eate fesans partriches and al the pycked dayntyes that can be found in a contry Now tel me I pray yow what haue I sayde besyde the sentences of the holy goost I do not teache the abuse but the ryghte vse of the creatures of God with geuynge thankes I take not thought onely for the belly but also for the conscience Fo with these mans tradycions mens consciences be marked with an whote yron and God is worshypped wyth commaundementes of men the whych thynge in the .xxix. of Esaye he hateth and abhorreth It is a very ieoperdous matter to laye snares for mens consciences and to offende agaynst the christen lyberte which cost so much Yf ony mā laye agaynste vs saynt Ierome or ony other of the fathers I answere that the fathers were neuer in that blyndnesse that they wolde be beleued more then the scripture He despiseth not the fathers whiche enforceth hym selfe and laboureth to glorify the father of all which is in heauen He that in the matter of conscience doth thynke that God shulde rather be obeyed thē man doth not contemne men but magnifyeth God the Lorde of men and angels And the condicion and state of christen mē is not so that they ought to take example or rule of lyuynge of the prophetes of Iupiter that absteyne from fleshe and soden meate or of the temple of Eleusis or Ceres or of Orpheus yet that holy man is not ashamed of hys monkery of so voyde wordes in the seconde boke agaynste Iouinian As touchynge offendynge I
the necessite and nede of the church and that we maye praye together Ther must nedes be certayne dayes appoynted in the whiche whyle as the busynesse of the soule is in hande we must absteyne from prophane housholde labours Yet for all that we must take hede lest we lese and destroye meÌ„s soules with snares of commaundemeÌ„tes and take hede that we playe not the Iewes and obserue dayes as they obserued the sabbath day the feastes of the new Moone against the doctrine of the holy goost Gala. iiii as thoughe they were necessarye to be kepte for ryghteousnesse For that were to cast awaye the lyberte of fayth to turne agayn to the weake and beggerly elementes and ceremonyes and to denye Christe The Hebrues were commaunded to kepe the sabbath daye but whan the lyght came the shadow vanyshed awaye so that it is not lawfull now to ony man to orden ony lawe or make synne where scripture maketh none and leaueth the liberte Collos ii Let no maÌ„ iudge you in the parte of the Sabbath day c. Saynt Austen speaketh thus of the Sabbath day in his boke of true innocency Seyenge that the kepynge of the sabbath daye is taken away the which is shadowed by the vacacyon rest of one daye he kepeth a perpetuall sabbath daye that hauynge hope of the rest to come geueth hymselfe to holy workes doth not boast iÌ„ his own workes as though he had receaued them of none other knowlegeth that he worketh in hym the which euen in workynge is quyet at reste Therfore saynt Ierome sayeth very well that in the newe testament all dayes be equall lyke holy that euery day is the holy daye of the resurreccyon that it is lawfull to fast alwayes and to eate the body of the Lord alwayes to praye And the Apostell Roma xiiii wyll not that he shulde be rashly iudged that which iudgeth the same of euery day Those thinges that were coÌ„maunded or forbydden in the law as concernynge dayes meates clothynges places and persones or outwarde thynges they were ordened layd on mens neckes for the tyme of correccyon But now whan the grace of the gospell doth shyne they vanysh awaye and lyberte raigneth where by we worship God nomore with certayne dayes prefixed and with outwarde workes as the Iewes dyd but in sprete and trueth For these ceremonyes of the lawe dyd belonge to the Iewes and not to the gentyles Actu xv Ye maye se playnly Mat. xii Mar ii Luce. xiiii Ioh. v. and .ix. how that Christe the auctour of our lyberte dyd intreate the Sabbath day Therfore it were the byshoppes dewty to put downe some of those holy daies the which christen people haue no nede of the whiche geue occasyon to the people both to lese theyr monye and theyr soules ¶ Of prayer The new learnynge We must praye at certayne houres as at matynes syxt houre the thyrde the fyrst at euensonge and at suche other And it is made more conueniently in churches halowed vnto God accordyng to this sayenge Blesse the Lord in the churches c. My house shal be called the house of prayer Ther be many thinges iÌ„ the teÌ„ples which stire vp deuotioÌ„ as the maieste of the place the christned bels organes sacrynge belles syngynge waxe candels the reliques of sayntes pictures ymages halowed vestimentes the sacrament of the altare hallowed altares in the worship of sayntes banners supplications the anoyntynge of the church and the hallowynge of the same the holy water which euen the deuels be afrayed of the presence of angels for it is wrytten Genesis xxviii This place is terrible and ther is a sure promys of hearyng as it is in the thyrde boke of the kynges the viii Chapter The Lorde answered to the prayer of Salomon I haue herde thy prayer which thou prayed before me I haue hallowed this place which thou haste buylded that I may set my name there for euermore and myne eyes and my harte shal be there for euermore c. Also ther be certayne hallowed beedes and they be honge vp on the churche dores a certayne nombre of pater nosters and aues muste be kepte also ther be some prayers whiche haue pardon longynge therto Also we muste saye a pater noster euery daye to oure owne Apostles to the sayntes whiche we haue chosen vnto our selues for deuotion ¶ The olde learnynge The blessed Trinite is to be worshipped in euery place Psalm .c.iii. O thou my soule geue thankes and blesse the Lorde in euery place of his lordshippe Christe also sayeth Ioh. iiii The houre commeth now is when the true worshippers shall worship the father in sprete and in trueth for verely suche the father requyreth to worshippe hym God is a sprete and they that worship hym muste worship hym in sprete and verite Where as Christ doth answer the Samaritane axynge hym of the place of prayer and sayeth WomaÌ„ beleue me the houre commeth yee he sayd that the houre was euen then when ye shal nother in this mouÌ„tayne nor yet in Ierusalem worship the father .i. Timo. ii sayeth Paul I wyl that meÌ„ praye in euery place lyftynge pure cleane haÌ„des without wrath arguynge or altercacyon Lykewyse in the .vii. chapter of the Actes where saynt Steuen checkynge the blyndnesse of the Iewes auauÌ„cynge the temple of Salomon sayeth But he that is hyest of al dwelleth not in teÌ„ples made with handes As sayeth also the prophete Esay .lxvi. Heauen is my seate earth is my foote stoole what house wyll ye buylde for me sayeth the Lorde or what is my restynge place hath not my hande made all these thynges and all these thynges be made sayeth the Lorde On whom than shall I loke euen hym that is of an humble a lowly sprete standeth in awe of my wordes We haue the wordes of the father of the soÌ„ne of the place of prayer the which the holy goost spake shall we not beleue the soÌ„ne whom the father coÌ„mauÌ„ded to be herde Mat. xvii And he dyd saye with an earnest affirmacyon Woman beleue me c. I knowe that ther was in the olde law the arke of the conuenauÌ„t and the sumptuous temple of the Lorde where as the Iewes had the promyse of God .ii. Para vii Myne eares shal be lyfted vp vnto the eares of him which shal praye in this place for I haue chosen this place But what shal we do now seynge that Moses is gone which was the seruaunt of the whole house of the Lorde the sonne commeth Iesus Christ whiche is the Apostle and the byshop of our fayth coÌ„fessioÌ„ Heb. iii. that he is com to prepare the quyck teÌ„ples of God as a byshop of good thynges for to come entrynge by a greater more ê‘fect tabernacle not made with haÌ„des that is to say not as maÌ„s buyldynge nother by the bloud of goates calues but by his own bloud he entred once for al iÌ„ to