28. the auoyding of all threatenynges and curses of which thou readest likewyse euery where but specially in the two bookes aboue rehearsed and the auoiding of all punishment ordeyned for the transgressours of the law And the olde Testament was builte altogether vpoÌ„ the kepyng of the lawe and ceremonies and was the rewarde of kepyng them in this lyfe onely and reached no farther then this lyfe this world As thou readest Leuit. 18. A maÌ„ that doth them shall lyue therin which text Paule reherseth Rom. 10. Gal. 3. That is he that keepeth them shall haue his lyfe glorious according to all the promises and blessings of the law and shal auoyde both all temporal punishments of the law all the threatnynges and cursinges also For neyther the lawe of the tenne commaundementes nor yet the ceremonies iustified in the hart before God or purified vnto the lyfe to come In so much that Moses at his death euen fourtye yeares after the lawe and ceremonies were geuen complaineth saying God hath not geuen you an hart to vnderstande nor eyes to see nor eares to heare vnto this day As who shoulde haue sayd God hath geuen you ceremonies but ye knowe not the vse of them and hath geuen you a lawe but god hath not writen it in your hartes Wherfore serueth the law then if it geue vs no power to do the law Paul answereth them that it was geuen to vtter sinne onely and to make it appeare As a corosie is layd vnto an old sore not to heale it but to stirre it vp and make the disease alyue that a man myght feele in what â—eopardie he is how nye death and not aware and to make a way vnto the healing playster Euen so sayth Paul Gal. 3. The law was geuen bycause of transgression that is to make the sinne alyue that it might be felt and sene vntill the seede came vnto whome it was promised that is to saye vntill the children of fayth came or vntill Christ that sede in whom God promised Abraham that all natioÌ„s of the world should be blessed came That is the law was geuen to vtter sinne death damnation and cursse and to driue vs vnto Christ in whom forgeuenes lyfe iustifiyng and blessynges were promised that we might see so great loue of God to vs ward in Christ that we hence forth ouercome with kindnes might loue agayne and of loue kepe the commaundementes Now he that goeth about to quiet his conscieÌ„ce and to iustifie him selfe with the law doth but heale hys woundes with freatyng coroseis And hee that goeth aboute to purchase grace with ceremonies doth but sucke the ale pole to quench his thyrst in as much as the ceremonies were not geuen to iustifie the hart but to signifie the iustifiyng and forgeuenesse that is in Christes bloud Of the ceremonies that they iustifie not thou readest Hebr. x. It is impossible that sinne should be done away with the bloud of Oxen and Goates And of the law thou readest Galla. iij. If there had bene a lawe geuen that could haue quickened or geuen lyfe then had righteousnes or iustifiyng come by the lawe in deede Now the law not onely quickeneth not the hart but also woundeth it with conscience of sinne and ministreth death and damnation vnto her ij Cor. iij. So that she must nedes dye and be damned except she find other remedy So farre it is of that she is iustified or holpen by the law The new Testament is those euerlastyng promises whiche are made vs in Christ the Lorde throughout all the the Scriptures And that Testament is built on fayth and not in workes For it is not said of that Testament He that worketh shall lyue but he that beleueth shall lyue As thou readest Iohn iij. God so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten sonne that none that beleue in hym should perishe but haue lyfe euerlastyng And when this Testament is preached and beleued the spirit entreth the hart and quickeneth it geueth it life iustifieth her The spirite also maketh the law a liuely thyng in the hart so that a man bringeth foorth good workes of his owne accord without compulsion of the lawe without feare of threatenynges or cursings yea and without all maner respect or loue vnto any teÌ„porall pleasure but of the very power of the spirite receiued thorough fayth as thou readest Iohn i. He gaue them power to be the sonnes of God in that they beleued on his name And of that power they worke so that he which hath the spirit of Christ is now no more a child he neither learneth nor worketh any loÌ„ger for payne of y t rod or for feare of bugges or pleasure of apples but doth all thynges of his owne courage As Christe sayeth Iohn vij He that beleueth on me shall haue riuers of liuyng waters flowyng out of hys belly That is all good workes and all giftes of grace sprynge out of hym naturally and by their owne accord Thou nedest not to wrest good woorkes out of hym as a man would wryng veriuce out of crabbes Nay they flowe naturally out of hym as sprynges out of rockes The new TestameÌ„t was euer euen from the begynnyng of the world For there were alwaies promises of Christ to come by fayth in which promises the elect were then iustified inwardly before God as outwardly before the world by kepyng of the law and ceremonies And in conclusion as thou seest blessynges or cursynges folowe the breaking or keping of the law of Moyses euen so naturally do the blessynges or cursynges folowe the breakyng of keping of the law of nature out of which spryng all our temporall lawes So that when the people kepe the temporall lawes of their land temporal prosperitie and all maner of such temporall blessynges as thou readest of in Moyses do accompany them and fall vpon them And contrarywise when they sinne vnpunished and when the rulers haue no respect vnto equitie or honestie then God sendeth his cursse among them as hunger dearth morein bannyng pestilence warre oppression with straunge and wonderful diseases and new kyndes of misfortune and euill lucke If any man aske me seing that faith iustifieth me why I worke I aunswere Loue coÌ„pelleth me For as loÌ„g as my soule feeleth what loue GOD hath shewed me in Christ I can not but loue God agayne and his wil and commaundements and of loue worke them hor can they seme hard vnto me I thinke not my selfe better for my woorkyng nor seeke heauen nor an higher place in heaueÌ„ bycause of it For a ChristiaÌ„ worketh to make his weake brother perfecter and not to seeke an higher place in heauen I compare not my selfe vnto hym that woorketh not No hee that worketh not to day shall haue grace to turne and to woorke to morow and in the meane tyme I pitie hym and pray for hym If I had wrought the will of
here also a woorde or twayne We had neede to take hede euery where that wee bee not begyled with false allegories whether they be draweÌ„ out of the new Testament or the old either out of any other story or of the creatures of the world but namely in this booke Here a man had neede to put on all his spectacles and to arme him selfe agaynst inuisibles spirites First allegories proue nothyng and by allegories vnderstand examples or similitudes borowed of straunge matters and of an other thyng then that thou entreatest of And though circuÌ„sion be a figure of Baptisme yet thou canst not proue Baptisme by Circumcision For this argument were very feble the Israelites were Circumcised therfore we must be Baptised And in like maner though y e offering of Isaac were a figure or example of the resurrâ—ction yet is this argument nought Abraham would haue offered Isaac but GOD deliuered him from death therefore we shall rise agayne and so forth in all other But the very vse of allegories is to declare and open a text that it may bee the better perceaued and vnderstand As when I haue a cleare text of Christ and of the Apostles that I must be baptised then I may borow an example of CircumcisioÌ„ to expresse the nature power and frute or effect of baptisme For as Circumcision was vnto them a common badge signifiyng that they were all souldiers of god to warre his warre and separating them from al other nations disobedient vnto God euen so baptisme is our coÌ„mon badge and sure earnest and perpetual memoriall that we pertaine vnto Christ and are separated frome all that are not Christes And as Circumcision was a token certifyeng them that they were receaued vnto the fauour of God and their sinnes forgeueÌ„ them euen so Baptisme certifieth vs that we are washed in the bloud of Christ and receaued to fauour for his sake and as CircumcisioÌ„ signified vnto them the cuttyng awaye of their owne lustes and sleayng of their free will as they call it to folow the will of GOD euen so Baptisme signifieth vnto vs repentaunce and the mortifying of our vnruly members and bodyes of sinne to walke in a new life and so forth And likewise thoughe that the sauing of Noe of them that were with him in the shyp thorough water is a figure that is to say an example and likenesse of Baptisme as Peter maketh it 1. Peter 3. yet I can not proue Baptisme therewith saue describe it onely for as the shyp saued them in the water thorough fayth in that they beleued God and as y â— other that would not beleue Noe perished euen so Baptisme saueth vs through the worde of fayth whiche it preacheth when all the world of the vnbeleuyng perish And Paule 1. Corin. 10. maketh the sea and the cloude a figure of Baptisme by which and a thousaÌ„d mo I might declare it but not proue it Paule also in the sayd place maketh the rock out of which Moses brought water vnto the children of Israell a figure or example of Christ not to proue Christe for that were impossible but to describe Christ onely euen as Christ him selfe Iohn 3 boroweth a similitude or figure of the braien serpeÌ„t to lead Nichodemus froÌ„ his earthy imagination into the spiritual vnderstaÌ„dyng of Christes saying As Moses lifted vp a Serpent in the wildernesse so must the sonne of man be lifted vp that none that beleue in hym perish but haue euerlasting lyfe By which similitude the vertue of Christes death is better described then thou couldest declare it with a thousaÌ„d wordes For as those murmurers agaynst God as soone as they repented were healed of their deadly woundes thorough lookynge on the brasen Serpent onely without medicine or any other helpe yea and without any other reason but that God hath sayd it should be so and not to murmure agayne but to leaue their murmuryng euen so all that repent and beleue in Christ are saued froÌ„ euerlastyng death of pure grace without and before their good works and not to synne agayne but to fight agaynst sinne and henceforth to synne no more Euen so with the ceremonies of this booke thou canst proue nothyng saue describe and declare onelye the putting away of oure sinnes thorowe the deathe of Christe For Christe is Aaron and Aarons sonnes and all that offer the sacrifice to purge sinne And Christ is all maner offering that is offered he is the oxe the shepe the gote the kyd and lambe he is the oxe that is burnt without the host and y t scape-gote that caried all the sinne of the people away into the wildernesse for as they purged the people from their worldly vncleanesses thorow bloud of y e sacrifices euen so doth Christ purge vs froÌ„ the vncleannesses of euerlasting death with hys owne bloude and as their worldly sinnes coulde no otherwise be purged then by bloud of sacrifice euen so can our sinnes bee no otherwise forgeuen then thorowe the bloud of Christ All the deedes in the worlde saue the bloude of Christ can purchase no forgeuenesse of sinnes for our dedes do but help our neighbour and mortify the flesh and help that we sinne no more but and if we haue sinned it must be freely forgeuen thorow the bloud of Christ or remayne euer And in lyke manner of the Leapers thou canst proue nothing thou canst neuer coniure out confession thence howbeit thou hast an handsome example there to open the binding losyng of our priests with the key of Gods worde for as they made no man a Leper euen so oures haue no power to commaund any man to be in sinne or to go to purgatory or hell And therefore in as much as binding and loosing is one power as those Priestes healed no man euen so oures can not of their innisible and domme power driue any mans sinnes away or deliuer hym from hel or fayned purgatory how be it if they preached Gods worde purely which is the authoritie that Christ gaue them then they shold binde and lose kill and make alyue agayne make vncleane and cleane agayne and send to hel and fetch thence agayne so mighty is gods worde For if they preached the lawe of God they shold bynd the consciences of sinners with the bondes of the paynes of hell and bring them vnto repentance And then if they preached vnto theÌ„ y e mercy that is in Christ they shold loose them and quiete their ragyng consciences certifie them of the fauour of God and that their sinnes be forgeuen Finally beware of allegories for there is not a more handsome or apte thyng to beguile withall then an allegory nor a more subtle and pestilente thyng in the world to perswade a false matter then an allegory And contrariwise there is not a better vehementer or mightier thyng to make a man vnderstand with all theÌ„ an allegory For allegories make a man
this Epistle to haue bene written by any of the Apostles but haue also refused it all together as no Catholicke or godly epistle bicause of certaine textes written therin For first he sayth in the sixt it is impossible that they whiche were once lighted and haue tasted of the heauēly gift and were become partakers of the holye ghoste and haue tasted of the good worde of GOD and of the power of the worlde to come if they fall shoulde bee renewed agayne to repentaunce or conuersion And in the tenth it sayth if we sinne willingly after we haue receiued the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinnes but a fearefull lookyng for iudgement and violent fyre whiche shall destroy the aduersaries And in the xij it saith that Esau found no way to repentaunce or conuersion no thoughe he sought it with teares Whiche textes say they sound that if a man sinne any more after he is once Baptised he can be no more forgeuen and that is contrary to all the Scripture and therefore to be refused to be Catholicke and godly Vnto whiche I aunswere if we should denye this Epistle for those textes sakes so should we deny first Mathew which in his xij Chapter affirmeth that he which blasphemeth the holy Ghost shall neither be forgiuen here nor in the world to come And then Marke which in his thyrd Chapiter sayth that he that blasphemeth the holy Ghost shal neuer haue forgiuenesse but shal be in daunger of eternall damnation And thirdly Luke which saith there shall be no remission to him that blasphemeth the spirite of God Moreouer Iohn in his first Epistle saith there is a sinne vnto death for which a man should not pray And ij Pet. ij saith if a man be fled from the vncleanesse of the world through the knowledge of our Sauiour Iesus Christ and then be wrapt in agayne his ende is worse then the beginnyng and that it had better for him neuer to haue knowen the truth And Paule ij Ti. iij. curseth Alexander the Copper-smith desiring the lord to reward him accordyng to his deedes Whiche is a signe that either y t Epistle should not be good or that Alexander had sinned past forgiuenesse no more to be prayed for Wherfore seyng no Scripture is of priuate interpretation but must be expounded accordyng to the generall Articles of our fayth and agreable to other open and euident textes confirmed or compared to lyke sentences why should we not vnderstand these places with like reuerēce as we do the other namely when all the remnaunt of the Epistle is so godly of so great learnyng The first place in the vj. Chapiter will no more then that they whiche know the truth and yet willingly refuse the light and chuse rather to dwell in darkenes and refuse Christ make a mocke of him as y ◠Pharisies which whē they were ouercome with Scripture miracles y ◠Christ was the very Messias yet had they such lust in iniquitie that they forsoke him persecuted him slewe him and did all the shame that could be imagined to him can not bee renued 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayth the Greeke to be conuerted that is to say such malicious vnkyndnesse which is none other then the blasphemyng of the holy Ghost deserueth that the spirite shall neuer come more at them to conuerte them whiche I beleue to be as true as any other text in all the Scripture And what is ment by that place in the tenth Chapter where he sayth if we sinne willingly after we haue receiued y t knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinne is declared immediatly after For he maketh a comparison betwene Moses and Christ saying if he which despised Moses law dyed without mercy how much worse punishment is he worthy of that treadeth the sonne of God vnderfoote and counteth the bloud of the couenaunt by whiche bloud he was sanctified as an vnholy thyng blasphemeth the spirite of grace By which wordes it is manifest that he meaneth none other by the fore wordes then the sinne of blasphemy of the spirite For them that sinne of ignoraunce or infirmitie there is remedy but for him that knoweth the truthe and yet willingly yeldeth him selfe to sinne consenteth vnto the lyfe of sinne with soule and body had rather lye in sin then haue his poysoned nature healed by the helpe of the spirite of grace and maliciously persecuteth the truth for him I say there is no remedy the way to mercy is locked vp and the spirite is taken from him for his vnthankefulnesse sake no more to be geuen him Truthe it is if a mā can turne to God and beleue in Christ he must be forgiuen how deepe soeuer he hath sinned but that wil not be without the spirite and such blasphemers shall no more haue the spirite offred them Let euery man therefore feare God and beware that he yeld not him self to serue sinne but how oft soeuer he sinne let him be gyn agayne and fight a freshe and no doubt he shal at the last ouercome and in the meane tyme yet be vnder mercy for Christes sake because his hart worketh and would fayne be loused from vnder the bondage of sinne And there it sayth in the. xij Esau founde no way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bee conuerted and reconciled vnto God and restored vnto his byrth right agayn though he sought it with teares that text must haue a spirituall eye For Esau in sellyng his byrthright despised not onely that temporall promotion that he should haue bene Lord ouer all his brethren and kyng of that countrey but he also refused the grace and mercy of GOD and the spirituall blessyng of Abrahā and Isaac and all y t mercy that is promised vs in Christ which should haue bene his seede Of this ye see that this Epistle ought no more to be refused for holy godly and Catholicke then the other autentike Scriptures Now therfore to come to our purpose agayne though this Epistle as it sayth in the sixt lay not the grounde of the fayth of Christ yet it buildeth cunnyngly thereon pure gold siluer and precious stones proueth the Priesthode of Christ with Scriptures ineuitable Moreouer there is no worke in all the Scripture that so playnly declareth the meanyng and significatiōs of the sacrifices ceremonies and figures of the old Testament as this Epistle in so much that if wilful blindnes malicious malice were not the cause this Epistle onely were enoughe to wede out of the hartes of the papistes that cankred heresie of iustifiyng of workes cōcernyng our Sacraments ceremonies and all maner traditions of their owne inuention And finally in that ye see in the tenth that he had bene in bondes and prison for Christes sake in y t he so mightely driueth all to Christ to be saued thorough him and so cared for the flocke of Christ that he both wrote and
wherewith y ◠hart is purified as fayth hope loue pacience long sufferyng and obedience could neuer be sene without outward experience For if thou were not brought sometime into combraunce whence God onely could deliuer thee thou shouldest neuer see thy fayth yea except thou foughtest sometyme agaynst desperation hell death sinne and powers of this worlde for thy faythe 's sake thou shouldest neuer know true fayth from a dreame Except thy brother now and then offended thee thou couldest not know whether thy loue were Godly For a Turke is not angre till he be hurt and offended but it thou loue him that doth thee euill then is thy loue of God likewise if thy rulers were alway kinde thou shouldest not know whether thyne obedience were pure or no but if thou canst paciently obeye euill rulers in all thyngs that is not to the dishonour of God and when thou hurtest not thy neighbours then art thou sure that Gods spirite worketh in thee and that thy fayth is no dreame nor any false imagination Therfore counceleth Paule Rom. xij recompense to no man euill And on your part haue peace with all men Dearely beloued auenge not your selues but geue rowme vnto the wrath of God For it is written vengeaunce is myne and I will reward sayth the Lord. Therfore if thy enemie hungre feede hym If he thurst geue hym drinke For in so doyng thou shalt heape coales of fire on his heed that is thou shalt kindle loue in him Be not ouercome of euil that is let not an other mans wickednesse make thee wicked also But ouercome euill with good that is with softenes kindnesse and all pacience winne him euen as God with kindnesse wonue thee THe law was geuē in thūder lightenyng fire smoke and the voyce of a trumpet and terrible sight Exod. xx So that the people quaked for feare and stode a farre of saying to Moyses Speake thou to vs and we wil heare let not the Lord speake vnto vs left we dye No eare if it be awaked and vnderstandeth the meanyng is able to abide the voice of the law except the promises of mercy be by That thunder except the rayne of mercy be ioyned with it destroyeth all and buildeth not The law is a witnesse agaynst vs and testifieth that God abhorreth the the sinnes that are in vs and vs for our sinnes sake In like maner when God gaue the people of Israell a kyng it thundred and rained that y ◠people feared so sore that they cryed to Samuell for to pray for them that they should not dye i. Reg. xij As the law is a terrible thing euen so is the kyng For he is ordeined to take vengeaunce and hath a sword in his hād and not pecockes feethers Feare him therfore and looke on hym as thou wouldest looke on a sharpe sword that hanged ouer thy head by an heare Heades and gouerners are ordeined of God and are euen the gifte of God whether they be good or bad And what soeuer is done vnto vs by them y t doth God be it good or bad If they be euill why are they euill verely for our wickednesse sake are they euill Because that whē they were good we would not receaue that goodnesse of the hand of God and be thankefull submitting our selues vnto his lawes and ordinaunces but abused the goodnesse of God vnto our sensuall beastly lustes Therefore doth God make hys scorge of them and turne them vnto wilde beastes cōtrary to the nature of their names and offices euen into Lyons Beares Foxes and vncleane Swine to auenge himselfe of our vnnaturall and blind vnkindnesse and of our rebellious disobedience In the Cvj. Psalme thou readest he destroyed the riuers and dryed vp the springes of water and turned y t fruitfull land into barennesse for the wickednesse of the inhabiters therein Whē the children of Israell had forgotten God in Egipt God moued the hartes of the Egiptians to hate them and to subdue them with craft and wilynes Psal Ciiij and Deuteronomiun iij. Moyses rehearseth saying God was angry wyth me for your sakes so that the wrath of God fell on Moyses for the wickednesse of the people And in the secōd Chap. of the second booke of kynges God was angry with the people and moued Dauid to number them when Ioab and the other Lords wondred why hee would haue them numbred and because they feared lest some euil should folow disswaded the kyng yet it holpe not God so hardened his hart in his purpose to haue an occasion to slay the wicked people Euill rulers then are a signe that God is angry and wroth with vs. Is it not a great wrath and vengeaunce that the father and mother should hate their children euen their flesh and their bloud or that an husband should be vnkinde vnto his wife or a master vnto the seruaunt that wayteth on his profite or the Lordes and Kynges should be tyrauntes vnto their subiectes and tenauntes which pay them tribute tolle custome and rente laboring and toyling to finde them in honour and to mainteine them in their estate is not this a fearefull iudgemēt of God and a cruell wrath that the very Prelates and shepheardes of our soules whiche were wont to feede Christes flocke with Christs doctrine and to walke before them in lyuyng there after and to geue their lyues for them to their ensample and edifiyng and to strengthē their weake faythes are now so sore chaunged that if they smell that one of their flocke as they now cal them and no lenger Christes do but once long or desire for the true knowledge of Christ they will slay hym burnyng him with fire most cruelly What is the cause of this and that they also teach false doctrine confirmyng it with lyes veryly it is the hād of God to auenge the wickednes of them that haue no loue nor lust vnto the truth of God when it is preached but reioyse in vnrighteousnes As thou maist see in the second Epistle of Paul to the Thessalonians Where he speaketh of the comming of Antichrist Whos 's commyng shal be sayth he by the workyng of Sathan with all miracles signes and wonders which are but lyes and in all deceanable vnrighteousnes among them that perish because they receaued not any loue to the truth to haue bene saued Therefore shall God send them strong delusion to beleue lyes Marke how God to auenge his truth sendeth to the vnthankefull false doctrine and false miracles to confirme them and to harden their harts in the false way that afterward it shall not be possible for them to admitte the truth As thou seest in Exod. vij and viij how God suffered false miracles to be shewed in y t sight of Pharao to harden his hart that he should not beleue the truth in as much as hys sorcerers turned their roddes into Serpēts and turned water into bloud and made frogges by their inchauntment so thought he
necessary to prepare this Pathway into the Scripture for you that ye might walke surely euer know the true frō the false And aboue all to put you in remembraunce of certaine pointes which are that ye well vnderstand what these wordes meane The old Testament The new Testament The law The Gospell Moses Christ Nature Grace Workyng and beleuing Dedes and faith Lest we ascribe to the one that which belongeth to the other and make of Christ Moses of the Gospell the Law despise grace and robbe fayth fal from meke learnyng into idle despitions brawlyng and scoldyng about wordes The old Testament is a booke wherein is written the law of God the dedes of them which fulfill them of them also which fulfill them not The new Testament is a booke wherein are conteined the promises of God and the dedes of them which beleue them or beleue them not Euangelion that we call the Gospel is a Breke word and signifieth good mery glad and ioyfull tydinges that maketh a mans hart glad and maketh him sing daunce and leape for ioy As when Dauid had killed Goliath the gyaunt came glad tydinges vnto the Iewes that their fearefull and cruell enemy was slayne and they deliuered out of all daunger for gladnes wherof they song daunced and were ioyful In like maner is the Euangelion of God which we call Gospell and the new Testament ioyfull tydinges and as some say a good hearing published by the Apostles throughout all the world of Christ the right Dauid how that hee hath fought with sinne with death and the deuil ouercome them wherby all men that were in bondage to sinne woūded with death ouercome of the deuill are without their owne merites or deseruinges losed iustified restored to life and saued brought to libertie and reconciled vnto the fauour of God set at one with him agayne whiche tydinges as many as beleue laude prayse thanke God are glad syng and daunce for ioy This Euangelion or Gospell that is to say such ioyfull tydinges is called y ◠new Testament Because that as a mā whē he shall dye appointeth his goods to be dealt distributed after his death among them whiche he nameth to bee his heyres Euen so Christ before hys death commaūded and appointed that such Euangelion Gospell or tydynges should be declared throughout all the world and therewith to geue vnto all that repent and beleue all his goodes that is to say his lyfe wherewith hee swalowed and deuoured vp death hys righteousnes wherewith he banished sinne his saluatiō wherwith he ouercame eternall damnation Now cā the wretched man that knoweth him selfe to be wrapped in sinne and in daūger to death hell heare no more ioyous a thyng them such glad and comfortable tydinges of Christ So that he can not but be glad and laugh frō the low bottome of his hart if hee beleue that the tydinges are true To strēgth such sayth with all God promised this his Euangelion in the old Testament by the Prophetes as Paul sayth Rom. 1. How that he was chosē out to preach Gods Euāgeliō which he before had promised by the Prophetes in the Scriptures that treate of his sonne which was borne of the sede of Dauid In the Gene. iij. God sayth to the Serpent I wil put hatred betwen thee and the woman betwen thy seede and her sede that selfe sede shall treade thy head vnder foote Christ is this womās seede he it is that hath troden vnder foote the deuils head that is to say sinne death hell all his power For without this seede can no man anoyde sinne death hell and euerlasting damnation Agayne Gene. xxij God promised Abraham saying in thy seede shall all the generations of the earth be blessed Christ is that seede of Abraham sayth S. Paule Gala. iij. He hath blessed all the world through the Gospell For where Christ is not there remaineth the curse that fell on Adam as soone as he had sinned so that they are in bōdage vnder the damnation of sinne death and hell Against this curse blesseth now the Gospell all the world in asmuch as it cryeth opēly vnto all that knowledge their sinnes and repēt saying who soeuer beleueth on the sede of Abraham shal be blessed that is he shal be deliuered from sinne death and hell and shall hence forth continue righteous and saued for euer as Christ hym selfe sayth in the xj of Iohn He that beleueth on me shall neuer more dye The law sayth Iohn i. was geuē by Moses but grace and verity by Iesus Christ The law whose minister is Moses was geuen to bryng vs vnto the knowledge of our selues that we might thereby feele and perceaue what we are of nature The law cōdemneth vs and all our deedes and is called of Paule in the ij Cor. iij. the ministration of death For it killeth our consciences and driueth vs to desperation in as much as it requireth of vs that which is vnpossible for our nature to do It requireth of vs the deedes of an whole man It requireth perfect loue from the low bottome and grounde of the hart as well in all thinges whiche we suffer as in the thinges which we do But sayth Iohn in the same place grace and veritie is geuē vs in Christ So that when the law hath passed vpō vs and condemned vs to death which is his nature to do then haue we in Christ grace that is to say fauour promises of life of mercy of pardon freely by y e merites of Christ in Christ haue we veritie truth in that God for his sake fulfilleth all his promises to them that beleue Therfore is y ◠Gospell the ministration of life Paule calleth it in the fore rehearsed place of the Cor. ij the ministration of the spirite and of righteousnes In the Gospell when we beleeue the promises we receaue the spirit of life and are iustified in the bloud of Christ from all thyngs wherof the law condemned vs. And we receaue loue vnto the law and power to fulfill it and grow therein dayly Of Christ it is written in the fore rehearsed Ioh. i. this is he of whose aboundaunce or fulnes all we haue receaued grace for grace or fauour for fauour That is to say for the fauour that God hath to his sonne Christ he geueth vnto vs his fauour good wil al giftes of his grace as a father to his sonnes As affirmeth Paule saying whiche loued vs in his beloued before the creation of y ◠world So y ◠Christ bringeth the loue of God vnto vs and not our owne holy woorkes Christ is made Lord ouer all and is called in Scripture Gods mercy stole who soeuer therfore flyeth to Christ can neither heare nor receaue of God any other thyng saue mercy In the old Testamēt are many promises which are nothyng els but the Euāgelion or Gospel to saue those
2. To pray for all mē and all degrees saying that to bee acceptable vnto our Sauiour God whiche will haue all men saued and come to the knowledge of the truth that is some of al natiōs and all degrees not the Iewes onely For sayth hee there is one God and one mediatour betwene God and man the man Christ Iesus whiche gaue him selfe a redemption and full satisfaction for all men Let this therefore be an vndoubted Article of thy fayth not of an hystorie fayth as thou beleuest a gest of Alexander or of the old Romains but of a liuely fayth and belefe to put thy trust and confidēce in and to by and sell theron as we say and to haue thy sinnes takē away and thy soule saued thereby if thou hold it fast and to continue euer in sinne and to haue thy soule damned if thou let it slip that our Iesus our Saniour that saueth his people from their sinnes our Christ that is our kyng ouer all sinne death and hell annoynted with fulnesse of all grace and with the spirite of God to distribute vnto all men hath accordyng vnto the Epistle to the Hebrues all the scripture in the dayes of his mortall flesh with fastyng praying sufferyng and crying to God mightily for vs with shedyng his bloud made full satisfaction both a poena a culpa with our holy fathers leaue for all the sinnes of the world both of theirs that went before of theirs that come after in the faith whether it be Original sinne or actual not onely the sinnes cōmitted with consent to euill in tyme of ignoraunce before the knowledge of the truth but also the sinnes done of frailtie after we haue forsaken euill and cōsented to the lawes of God in our harts promising to folow Christ and walke in the light of his doctrine Hee saueth his people from their sinnes Math. 1. and that he onely So that there is no other name to be saued by Actes 4. And vnto hym beare all the Prophets recorde that all that beleue in hym shall receaue remission of their sinnes in his name Actes 10. And by him onely we haue an entring in vnto the father and vnto all grace Ephe. 2. 3. and Rom. 5. And as many as come before hym are theues murtherers Iohn 10. That is whosoeuer preacheth any other forginenesse of sinne then through fayth in hys name the same slayeth the soule This to be true not onely of originall but of actual and aswel of that we commit after our profession as before mayst thou euidently see by the ensamples of the Scripture Christ forgaue the woman taken in adulterie Iohn 8 and an other whom be healed Iohn 5 And he forgaue Publicanes and open sinners and put none to do penaunce as they call it for to make satisfactiō for the sinne which he forgaue through repentaunce fayth but enioyned them the lyfe of penaunce the profession of their Baptisme to tame the flesh in kepyng the commaundementes and that they should sinne no more And those sinners were for the most part Iewes and had their Originall sinne forgiuen them before through fayth in the Testament of God Christ forgaue his Apostles their actuall sinnes after their professiō which they committed in denyeng hym put none to do penaunce for satisfactiō Peter Actes 2. absolueth the Iewes thorough repentaunce and fayth from their actuall sinnes whiche they dyd in consentyng vnto Christes death and enioyned them no penaūce to make satisfaction Paul also had his actuall sinnes forgiuen hym frely thorough repentaunce and fayth without mention of satisfactiō Actes 9. So that accordyng vnto this present texte of Iohu If it chaūce vs to sinne of frailtie let vs not dispayre for we haue an aduocate and intercessour a true attorney with the father Iesus Christ righteous toward God and man and is the reconcilyng and satisfaction for our sinnes For Christes workes are perfect so that he hath obtained vs all mercy and hath set vs in the full state of grace and fauour of God and hath shade vs as welbeloued as the aungels of heauen though we be yet weake As the yoūg childrē though they can do no good at all are yet as tenderly beloued as the old And God for Christes sake hath promised that whatsoeuer euil we shal do yet if we turne and repent he will neuer more thinke on our sinnes Thou wilt say God forgiueth the displeasure but we must suffer payne to satisfie the righteousnes of God A then God hath a righteousnes whiche may not forgeue paine al y t the poore sinner shuld go skotfre without ought at all God was vnrighteous to forgiue the theefe his payne and all thorough repentaunce faith vnto whom for lack of laysure was no penasice enioyned And my faith is that whatsoeuer exāple of mercy God hath shewed one that same he hath promised all ye will he peraduenture forgiue me but I must make amendes If I owe you xx l. ye will forgiue me that is ye will no more be angry with me but I shal pay you the. xx poundes O Popishe forgiuenesse with whom it goeth after the common prouerbe no peny no pardon His fatherhode giueth pardō frely but we must pay money aboundantly Paules doctrine is Rom. 9. if a man worke it ought not to be sayd that his hyre was giuē hym of grace or fauour but of dutie But to hym that worketh not but beleueth in hym that iustifieth the vngodly his faith he sayth not his workes although he commaundeth vs diligently to worke and despiseth none that God commaūdeth his faith saith hee is rekened hym for hys righteousnes Confirmyng his saying with the testimonie of the prophet Dauid in the 32. Psalme saying Blessed is the man vnto whō God imputeth or rekeneth not his sinne that is to say which man although he be a sinner yet God layeth not it to his charge for his faithes sake And in the. xi hee sayth If it come of grace then it cōmeth not of works For then were grace no grace sayth he For it was a very straunge speakyng in Paules cares to call that grace that came of deseruyng of workes Or that deseruyng of workes whiche came by grace for he rekened workes grace to be contrary in such maner of speach But our holy father hath coupled thē together of pure liberalitie I dare say not for couetousnes For as his holynesse if hee haue a cause agaynst any man immediatly bretheth out an excommunication vppon hym and will haue satisfaction for the vttermost farthing and somwhat aboue to teach thē to beware agaynst an other tyme yet he will blesse agayne from the terrible sentence of his heauy curse euen so of that blessed complection hee describeth the nature of the mercy of God that God will remitte his anger to vs vppon the appointment of our satisfaction When the Scripture sayth Christ is our
worke And that Christ hath done this seruice in his flesh deny all the members of Antichrist And hereby thou shalt know them All doctrine that buildeth thee vpon Christ to put thy trust and confidence in his bloud is of God and true doctrine And all doctrine that withdraweth thyne hope and trust froÌ„ Christ is of the deuill and the doctrine of Antichrist Examine y â— Pope by this rule and thou shalt finde that all hee doth is to the destructioÌ„ of this article He wresteth all the Scriptures setteth them cleane agaynst the woll to destroy this article He ministreth the very Sacramentes of Christ vnto the destruction of this article and so doth he all other ceremonies and his absolution penaunce purgatorie dispensations pardoÌ„s vowes with all disguisings The Pope preacheth that Christ is come to do away sinnes yet not in the flesh but in water salt oyle caÌ„dles bowes asshes friers coates and monkes cowles and in the vowes of theÌ„ that forâ—were matrunonie to keepe whores and swere beggerie to possesse all the treasure riches wealth pleasures of the world and haue vowed obedience to disobey with authoritie all the lawes both of God and man For in these hypocritish and false sacrifices teacheth he vs to trust for the forgiuenes of sinnes not in Christes flesh Ye are of God litle childreÌ„ and haue ouercome them For greater is he that is in you then he that is in the world He that dwelleth in you and worketh in you through fayth is greater then he whiche dwelleth and worketh in them through vnbelefe And in hys strength ye abyde by your profession and coÌ„fesse your Lord Iesus how that he is come in the flesh and hath purged the sinne of all that beleue in his flesh And through that fayth ye ouercome them in the very tormentes of death So that neither their iugglinges neither their pleasures neither their thretnynges or their tormentes or the very death wherewith they slay your bodies can preuayle agaynst you They be of the world and therfore they speake of the world and the world atteÌ„deth vnto them We bee of God and hee that knoweth God heareth vs. And he that is not of God heareth vs not And hereby we know the spirit of truth and the spirite of errour There be and euer shal be two generations in the world one of the deuill which naturally hearken vnto the false Apostles of the deuill because they speake so agreable vnto their naturall complection And an other of God which hearken vnto the true Apostles of God consent vnto their doctrine And this is a sure rule to indge spirites with all that we indge them to haue the spirite of truth which hearkeÌ„ vnto y t true doctrine of Christes Apostles them to haue the spirite of errour which hearken vnto worldly and deuilish doctrine abhorryng the preathing of the Apostles And looke hether the Popes doctrine bee worldly or no if pride and couetousnes be worldly yea and secherie to For what other is all his doctrine then of benefices promotions dignities byshoprikes cardinallshyps vicarages parsonages prebendes chaunge of bishoprikes and resignyng of benefices of vnions pluralities totquots and that which coÌ„meth once into their handes may not out agayn yea and of whores and concubines and of captiuyng of consciences for couetousnes all that hearken to that doctrine abhorre the doctrine of the Apostles and persecute it and them that preach it Dearely beloued let vs loue one an other for loue is of God And all that loue are borne of God and knowe God And he that loueth not knoweth not God for God is loue Iohn singeth his old song agayne and teacheth an infallible and sure token which we may see and feele at our fingers endes and therby be out of all doubt that our fayth is vnfayned and that we knowe God and be borne of God and that we hearkeÌ„ vnto the doctrine of the Apostles purely and godly not of any curiositie to seke glorie and honour therein vnto our selues to make a cloke therof to couer our couetousnes and filthy lustes Whiche token is if we loue one an other For the loue of a mans neighbour vnfaynedly spryngeth out of the vnfayned knowledge of God in Christes bloud By which knowledge we be borne of God loue God and our neighbours for his sake And so he that loueth hys neighbour vnfaynedly is sure of him selfe that he knoweth God and is of God vnfaynedly And contrarywise he that loueth not knoweth not God For God in Christes bloud is such a loue that if a man saw it it were impossible that he should not breake out into the loue of God agayne of his neighbour for his sake Herein appeared the loue of God vnto vs warde because God seÌ„t his onely sonne into the world that we should liue through hym Herein is loue not that we loued God but that he loued vs and sent hys sonne a satisfaction for our synnes If a man had once felt within in his conscience the fierce wrath of God towarde sinners and the terrible most cruell damnation that the law threatneth and then beheld with the eyes of a strong fayth the mercy fauour and grace the takyng away of the damnation of the law and restoryng agayne of life frely offred vs in Christs bloud he should perceaue loue and so much the more that it was shewed vs when we were sinners and enemies to God Roma 5. and that without all deseruyngs without our endeuouryng enforcyng and preparyng our selues and without all good motions qualities properties of our frewill But when our hartes were as dead vnto all good workyng as the meÌ„bers of him whose soule is departed whiche thyng to proue and to stoppe the blasphemous mouthes of all our aduersaries I will of innumerable textes rehearse one in the beginnyng of the second chapter to the Ephes where Paule sayth thus Ye were dead in trespasse sinne in which ye walked accordyng to the course of the world and after the gouernour that ruleth in the ayre the spirite that worketh in the children of vnbelefe amoÌ„g which we also had our conuersation in tyme past in the lustes of our flesh and fulfilled the lustes of the fleshe and of the mynde so that the fleshe and the mynde were agreed both to sinne and the mynde consented as well as the flesh and were by nature the children of wrath as well as other But God beyng rich in mercy through the great loue wherwith he loued vs euen wheÌ„ we were dead in sinne hath quickened vs with Christ for by grace are ye saued and with hym hath raysed vs vp and with him hath made vs sit in heauenly thynges through Iesus Christ for to shew in tyme to come the exceding riches of his grace in kyndnes to vs ward in Iesus Christ For by grace are ye saued through fayth that not of your selues for
vs that we be not ouercome of euill c. Now if they which beleue in Christ are bold with God that he heareth them sure that he graunteth their petitions it foloweth that they whiche are not bold that he heareth them nor sure that hee graunteth their petitions do not beleue in Christ They that go to dead Saints with which they neuer speake nor wotte where they be be not bold that God wil heare them nor sure that he will graunt their petitions therfore they beleue not in Christ That they be neither bold nor sure appeareth first by their deedes and secondarely by their owne confession for they say what should God heare them or graūt them ought seing they be vnworthy yea and they confirme it with a similitude of worldly wisedome that they should be put backe for their malapertnes and fare the worse as if a rude felow shuld breake vp into the kyngs priuie chamber and presse vnto his owne person without knockyng or speakyng to any other officer so that they beleue it an augmentyng of sinne to go to God thēselues in the cōfidēce of Christes bloud as he bad them If a man see his brother sinne a sinne not vnto death let him aske and he shall giue hym life for them that sinne not vnto death There is a sinne vnto death and for it say I not that thou shouldest pray All vnrighteousnes is sinne And there is a sinne not to death Whatsoeuer sinne we see in y t world let vs pray and not dispayre For God is the God of mercy But for the sinne to death whiche is resistyng grace and fightyng against mercy and open blasphemyng of the holy ghost affirmyng that Christs miracles are doue in Beel sabub and his doctrine to be of the deuill I thinke that no Christen man if he perceaue it can otherwise pray then as Paule prayed for Alexander the Copersmith the. ij Timo. the last that God would reward hym accordyng vnto his workes They that go backe agayne after they know the truth and giue them selues willingly to sinne for to folow it and persecute the doctrine of truth by profession to maynteine falshead for their glorie and vaūtage are remedylesse as ye may see Hebr. vj. and. x. Bala◅ so sinned the false Prophetes in the old Testament so sinned the Phariseis so sinned Alexander so sinned now many so sinne folowyng their pride couetousnes We know that all that are borne of God sinne not But he that is borne of God kepeth him self and the wicked touche hym not As thou readest in the third chapter they that are borne of God can not sinne for the sede of God kepeth them They cannot cast of the yocke of Christ and consent to cōtinue in sinne nor defie his doctrine nor persecute it for to quench it or to maynteine any thyng contrary vnto it But in whatsoeuer captiuitie they be in y t flesh their harts yeld not but imagine to breake lowse and to escape and flye away vnto the partie standart of their Lord Christ And as men of warre they euer keepe watche and prepare them selues vnto warre and put on the armure of God the which is Gods word the shield of fayth the helmet of hope and harnesse thē selues with the meditation of those thynges which Christ suffred for vs with the examples of all the Saintes that folowed him and thinke earnestly that it is their part to lyue as purely as the best come after as fast as they can And yet in all their workes they knowledge them selues sinners vnsay nedly as long as one iote of the perfectnes that was in y t deedes of Christ is lackyng in theirs So that the deuill can not touch the hartes of them neither with pride or vayne glorie of pure lyuing neither to make them consentyng vnto the flesh in grosse sinnes if at a tyme they be taken tardy ketche a fall Whatsoeuer chaunce them the deuill can ketch no hold of them to keepe them still in captiuitie but they will breake lose agayne and repent and do penaunce to chast theyr flesh that they come no more vnder y t deuils clawes We know that we be of God and that the whole world is set on mischief They that beleue that is to say put their trust in Christ see both their owne glorious state in God and also the wretched estate of y t world in their wickednes But the worlde as they knowe not God nor the glory of the sonnes of God Euen so they see not their owne miserable estate in wickednes and damnation vnder the law of God but the worse they are the bolder they be and the surer of themselues the further from repentaūce and the more standyng in their owne conceites for the darkenes that is in them And therfore say our Doctours a man can not knowe whether hee be in the state of grace or no nor needeth to care therfore And they be therefore the blynd leaders of the blynd We know that the sonne of God is come and hath giuen vs vnderstandyng to know him that is true and we be in the truth thorough Iesus Christ He is very God and eternall lyfe Christ is all and the fountaine of all and of his fulnesse receaue we all And as hee powreth the giftes of his grace vpon them that beleue in hym so he giueth them vnderstanding to know the very God and that they be in the very God and that they haue obtained that through his purchasing and leaueth not his sheepe in darkenes And the same Iesu Christ is very God and eternall life God and eternall lyfe was he from the begynnyng and became man for the great loue he had to vs for to bryng vs vnto his eternall life And he that hath any other way thether whether his own workes or other mēs or workes of ceremonies or sacraments or merites of Saintes or of ought saue Iesu Christ onely shall neuer come thether The world seith the Pope and seith that they which be in the Pope be Lordes in this world and therfore they care to be in the Pope but whether they be in God or not they say it is not necessarie to know Litle children beware of Images Serue none Image in your harts Idolatrie is Greeke and the English is imageseruice And an Idolater is also Greke and the English an imageseruaunt Be not Idolaters nor committe Idolatrie that is be none imageseruauntes nor do any imageseruice but beware of seruyng all maner images And thinke it not inough to haue put all the Images of false Gods out of the way if ye now set vp the Image of very God and of his true Saints in their rowmes to doe the same seruice vnto thē which ye dyd vnto the other For ye may do as strong imageseruice vnto the Image of GOD and of hys Saintes as vnto the Images of false Gods yea thou maist commit as great
of faith trust to Godward in Christs name and a false fayth of thine owne fayning to Saint Whiteward for thine imageseruice or seruyng her with cheese as though she were a bodely thyng And like disputatioÌ„ is it of all other saintes And as we worship the Saintes with imageseruice to obtaine temporal thinges euen so worship we God And as the Iewes turned their sacrifices vnto imageseruice whiche were giuen theÌ„ of God to be signes to moue them to serue God in the spirite Euen so haue we our Sacramentes And for an exaÌ„ple let vs take the Masse which after the Popes abuse of it is the most damnable imageseruice that euer was sence it began Christ accordyng to the testimonie of the Scripture made in the dayes of his flesh satisfaction for al the sinne of them that had or should be leue in his name obtained that they should be the sonnes of God and taken from vnder the damnation of the law and put vnder grace and mercy that God should henceforth deale with them as a mercyful father dealeth with his children that runne not away from him no though ought be at a tyme chaunced amisse but tary euer still by their father and by his doctrine confesse their trespasse and promise henceforth to inforce them selues vnto the vttermost of their power that they doe no more so negligently And this purchase made he with the thinges whiche he suffered in his flesh with the stroÌ„g prayers which he prayed And to kepe his TestameÌ„t euerfresh in minde that it were not forgot he left with vs the Sacrament or signe of his body and bloud to strength our faith and to certifie our coÌ„science that our sinnes were forgeuen assoone as we repented and had recoÌ„ciled our selues vnto our brethren and to arme our soules through the continuall remembraunce of Christes death vnto the despisyng of the world mortifying of the flesh quenching of the lustes and thyrst of worldly thinges As they which haue dayly conuersation with the sicke and miserable and are present at the deathes of men are moued to defie the world and the lustes therof And as Christ had institute the Sacrament of his body and bloud so the Byshoppes in processe of time set signes of all the rest of Christes passion in the ornamentes and gestures of the Masse so that the whole passion was dayly described before our eyes as though we had presently looked vppon it And that thou mayst see for what cause they came vnto the Sacrament they reconciled them selues ech one to other if any man had offeÌ„ded his brother ere they were admitted into the congregation or body of Christ to be members of ech other knit together in one fayth and loue to eate the Lordes Supper as Paule calleth it for the coÌ„gregatioÌ„ thus gathered is called Christes body and Christ their head And likewise if a man had ben taken in opeÌ„ sinne agaynst the professioÌ„ of his Baptisme he was rebuked openly And he confessed his sinne openly and asked forgiuenes of God and of the congregation whom he had offended with the example of his euill deede and tooke penaunce as they call it of the congregation that is certaine discret iniunctioÌ„s how he should liue and order him selfe in tyme to come came his flesh for the auoyding of the sayd vice because his confession and repentaunce which he semed to haue shuld be none hypocrisie but an earnest thing For if an open sinner be founde among vs we must immediatly amende him or cast him out of the congregation with defiaunce and decestation of his sinne as thou seist how quickly Paule cast out the Corinthian that kept his fathers wife and when he was warned would not amend Or els if we suffer such to be among vs vnrebuked we can not but at once fall from the constancie of our professioÌ„ and laughe and haue delectation and coÌ„sent vnto their sinne as it is come to passe throughout all Christendome Which is ten thousand tymes more abhominable then if we sinned our selues For the best man in the world that hateth sinne might at a tyme throughe â—rayltie of the flesh be drawne to sinne But it is altogether deuilish and a sure token that the spirit of Christ is not in vs nor the profession of our Baptisme written in the hart if we laughe at an other mans sinnes though we our selues absteine for shame or feare of hell or for what so euer imagination it be or that we be so blind that we see no other sinne in vs then our outward deedes And the penaunce enioyned frayle persons that could not rule them selues was vnder the authority of the Curate and the sad and discrete meÌ„ of the Parish to relesse part or all at a tyme if necessitie required or when they sawe the person so growne in perfectnes that he neded it not But see wherto it is now come after what maner our holy father that is at Rome dispenseth withall together And see what our Bishops officers do and where the authoritie of the Curate and of the Parish is become If in ten Parishes round there be not one learned and discret to helpe the other theÌ„ the deuil hath a great swynge among vs that the Byshops officers that dwell so farre of must abuse vs as they do And if within a Diocese or an whole land we can finde no shift but that the Pope that dwelleth at the deuill in hell must thus mocke vs what a stroke thinke ye hath Sathan among vs And all is because we be hipocrites and loue not the way of truth for all our pretendyng the contrarie And to begyn with all they sayd CoÌ„fiteor and knowledged them selues to be sinners And then the Priest prayed in generall for all estates and degrees and for encrease of grace and in especially if neede required vnto whiche prayers the people harkened and sayd Amen And then the Gospell and glad tydinges of forgiuenes of sinnes was preached to styre our fayth And then the Sacrament was ministred for the confirmation of the fayth of the Gospell and of the Testament made betwene God and vs of forgiuenes of sinnes in Christes bloud for our repeÌ„taunce and faith as ye see how after all bargaynes there is a signe therof made either clapping of haÌ„des or bowyng a peny or a groate or a peece of gold or giuing some earnest and as I shewed you how after a truse made they slewe beastes for a confirmation And then men departed euery man to his busines full certified that their sinnes were forgiuen and armed with the remembraunce of Christes passion and death for the mortifieng of the flesh all the day after And in all these was neither the Sacrament neither other ceremonies of the Masse imageseruice to God and holy dedes to make satisfaction for our sinnes or to purchase such worldly thinges as the Gospell teacheth vs to dispise And now compare this
make aunswere to thus Supper of the Lorde bringyng â—o â—or them their vnwritteÌ„ wordes dedes dreames for we haue compelled More with shame to flitte froÌ„ the Scripture strewed with their vame straunge termes which Paul damneth and geueth Timothe warning of I shall by gods grace so set the almighty word of God against them that all Christen shall see falshead and deceite in this SacrameÌ„t and so disclose theyr deuilish doctrine and fleighty iugglyng that all that can read Englishe shall see the trouth of Gods word openly beare downe their vnwritten lyes For it is verely the thyng that I desire euen to be written agaynst in this matter for I haue the solutions of all theyr obiections ready And know right well that the more they styrre this Sacrament the broder shall theyr lyes be spread the more shal theyr falsehead appeare and the more gloriously shall the trouth triumph as it is to see this day by long contention in this same and other lyke Articles which the Papistes haue so long abused and how More hys lyes vtter the truth euery day more and more For had he not come beggyng for the Clergy from Purgatory with his supplication of soules and Rastel and Rochester had they not so wysely played theyr partes Purgatory peraduenture had serued them yet another yeare neither had it so soone haue bene quenched nor the poore soule and Proctour there bene with his bloudy Byshop ChristeÌ„â—atte so farre coniured into hys owne Vtopia with a sachell about hys necke to gather for the proude Priestes in Synagoga Papistica When Christ was ascended into heauen and had sent his Apostles the spirite of truth to leade them into all truth perteinyng vnto our saluation euen â—nto hym that sayd I am the truth of whiche truth hee instructed them after his resurrection Luke xxiiij and they had preached the same truth nowe at IerusaleÌ„ Actes ij at which preachyng there were that receiued their wordes and were Baptised about iij. M. hys Apostles remembryng how their maistâ—â— Christ at his last Supper did institute and leaue them this holy Sacrament of his body and bloud to be celeâ—â—ated and done in his remembraunce among such as had receiued his Gospell were Baptised had professed hys fayth and would perseuer in his Religion dyd now in this first congregation celebrate the Lordes Supper breakyng the bread and eatyng it as Christ dyd teach them which Supper Luke and Paule called afterward the breakyng of the bread As Actes ij saying That they which gladly had now received Peters acte were baptised were perseuering in the doctrine of the Apostles and in the communioÌ„ and in the breakyng of the bread and in prayer whiche Sacrament was now a token of the perseueraunce in theyr Christen Religion now professed Of this breakyng of bread Luke writyng of Paule commyng vnto Troades sayth also that their vpon a Sabboth day when the Disciples were come together vnto the breakyng of the bread Paule made a Germon duryng to mydnight c. And that this was no common nor prophane vse but an heauenly Sacrament and a reuerent rite and vsage the circumstaunces of the action declare both in Luke and Paule shewyngit to be the very institutioÌ„ that Christ ordeyned at his Supper Paule thus recitynge this breakyng of the breake saying The bread whiche we breade is it not the felowshyp of the body of Christ y t is to say doth it not signifie vs to be the body of Christ that is hys congregation and people as doth the wordes folowyng declare Paule addyng the cause saying For we beyng many are all together siguified by the one loafe to be one body for that we be partakers of the same bread Also before he calleth in the same Supper the cup of thankes geuyng the felowshyp of the bloud of Christ that is to say the congregation redemed with Christes bloud The holy Sacrament therefore would God it were restored vnto the pure vse as y e Apostles vsed in it their tyme. Would God the secular princes which should be the very pastours and head rulers of their congregations coÌ„mitted vnto their cure would first coÌ„maunde or suffer the true preachers of Gods woorde to preache the Gospell purely and playnly with discrete libertie and constitute ouer eche particulare Parish such Curates as caÌ„ and would preach the word and that once or twise in the Weeke appoyntyng vnto theyr flocke certeyne dayes after their discretion and zeale to Godward to come together to celebrate the Lordes Supper At the which assemble the Curate would propone and declare them first this texte of Paule i. Corinthians xj So oft as ye shall eate this bread and drinke of this cuppe see that ye be ioyous prayse and giue thankes preachyng the death of the Lord c. whiche declared and euery one exhorted to prayer he would preach them purely Christ to haue dyed and bene offered vpon the altare of the Crosse for theyr redemption whiche onely oblation to be sufficieÌ„t sacrifice to peace the fathers wrath and to purge all the sinnes of the world Then to excite them with humble diligence euery man vnto the knowledge of hym selfe hys sinnes and to beleue and trust to the forgyuenesse in Christes bloud and for this so incomparable benefite of our redemption whiche were sold bondemen to sinne to geue thankes vnto God the father for so mercyfull a deliueraunce through the death of Iesu Christ euery one some singyng and some saying deuoutly one or other Psalme or prayer of thankes gyuyng in the mother toung Then the bread and wyne set before them in the face of the Churche vpon the table of the Lord purely and honesty layed let hym declare to the people the significations of those sensible signes what the action and deede moueth teacheth and exhorteth them vnto and that the bread and wyne be no prophane common signes but holy Sacramentes reuerently to be considered and receiued with a depe fayth and remembraunce of Christes death and of the shedyng of his bloud for our sinnes those sensible thynges to represente vs the very body and bloude of Christ so that while euery man beholdeth with his corporall eye those sensible Sacraments the inward eye of his fayth may see beleue stedfastly Christ offred and dying vppon the Crosse for his sinnes how his body was broken and his bloud shed for vs and hath giuen hym selfe whole for vs hym selfe to be all ours and what soeuer he dyd to serue vs as to bee made for vs of hys father our righteousnes our wisedome holynesse redemption satisfaction c. Then let this preacher exhort them louyngly to draw neare vnto this table of the Lord and that not onely bodely but also their hartes purged by fayth garnished with loue and innoceney euery man to forgyue eche other vnfaynedly and to expresse or at least wise to endeuour them to folow that loue whiche Christ dyd set before our
and glory that we owe to God Therfore it foloweth in the same texte vnto hym that worketh not but beleueth in him that iustifieth the wicked is his faith imputed for righteousnes Now if our saluatioÌ„ come of fayth and not through our workes desertes then is Purgatory shut out of doore quite vanisheth away Christ sayth So hath God loued the world that hee would geue hys onely sonne that all whiche beleue in him should not perishe but that they should haue euerlasting life Iohn iij. TheÌ„ what néedeth Purgatory Thou wilt peraduenture say it is true they shall haue euerlastyng lyfe but they must first go through Purgatory I aunswere nay verely But Christ affirmeth and that with an oth that he which heareth his word and beleueth his father which sent him hath euerlastyng life Yea and that he is gone already from death vnto life Iohn v. wilt thou now say that hee shall into Purgatory forsooth if that were true and the fire also so hote as our Prelates affirme then went he not from death vnto lyfe but rather froÌ„ a small death vnto a greater death The Prophet sayth precious is in the sight of the Lord the death of his Saintes Psal C. xvi And S. Iohn sayth blessed are the dead whiche dye in the Lord. Apocal. 14. but surely if they shoulde goe into the paynefull Purgatory there to be tormented of fendes theÌ„ were they not blessed but rather wretched God sayth by Moses Exod. 33. I will shewe mercy to whom I shewe mercy and will haue compassion on whom I haue compassioÌ„ Now if our saluation be of mercy and compassioÌ„ then caÌ„ there be no such Purgatory For y t nature of mercy is to forgeue but Purgatory will haue all payde satisfied so that they twayne bee desperate and can in no wise agrée And looke how many textes in Scripture commende Gods mercy euen so many deny this paynefull Purgatory The Prophet sayth hee hath not dealt with vs after our sinnes neither hath rewarded vs accordyng to our iniquities but looke how high heauens are aboue the earth eueÌ„ so high hath he made his mercy to preuayle ouer them that worshyppe him And looke how farre the East is from the Weast euen so farre hath he set our sinnes from vs. Psal Citj And before in the same Psalme y e Prophet exhorteth his soule to prayse the Lord saying Prayse the Lord O my soule whiche forgeueth thée all thyne iniquities and healeth all thy diseases Now if this be true that he ordereth vs not accordyng to our sinnes but powreth his mercy so plenteously vppon vs if also he forgeue vs all our iniquities why should there be any such Purgatory to purge and tormeÌ„t the sely soules specially sith all was for geuen them before Wilt thou not call him a shrewed creditour whiche after he hath fréely forgeueÌ„ his debtour will yet cast him in prison for the same debt I thinke euery man would say on this maner â–ª It was in his own pleasure whether hee would forgeue it or not and then of fauour and compassion he forgaue it But now he hath forgeuen it hee doth vnrighteously to punish his debtour for it And albeit man repente his forgeuyng and afterward sue for his debt yet God can neuer repeÌ„t him selfe of his mercyable gifts Roma xi And therefore will he neuer torment vs for our trespasses no nor yet once remember them Ezech. xviij Heb. x. Sith God forgeueth the greater offences why shal he not also forgeue y t lesse He forgaue fréely much greater offeÌ„ces vnto the Publicane which knowleged him selfe to bee a sinner Luke xviij then those be for whiche men fayne that we must be tormeÌ„ted in Purgatory For there is no soule as they graunt them selues that suffreth in purgatory for great crimes mortal sinnes But onely for litle pretie pecca duliaÌ„s if a maÌ„ may be bold to vse M. Mores word and for venial sinnes Dis xxv Cap. qualis He forgaue much greater enormities vnto the théefe to whom hee sayd this day shalt thou be with me not in Purgatory but in Paradise Luke 23. He forgaue much greater to Marie Magdalene Luke vij Is his hand now shortned Is not his power as great as it was Is he not as mercyfull as euer he was why leaue we y t cisterne of liuyng water and digge vs pittes of our owne which can hold no pure water Iere. â—j why forsake we Christ which hath wholly purged vs séeke an other Purgatory of our own imaginatioÌ„ If thou beleue that Christes bloud is sufficient to purge thy sinne why sekest thou an other purgatory S. Paul sayth I desire to be losed from this body and to be with Christ Phil. i. Verely if hee had thought to haue gone thorough Purgatory hee would not haue bene so hasty For there shoulde hee haue had an hote broth and an hartlesse and so might he rather haue desired long to haue liued And therefore I suppose that he knew nothyng of Purgatory but that he rather thought as y e truth is that death should finish all his euils and so rowes and geue hym rest in losing hym from his rebbellious members whiche were solde and captiue vnder sinne All ChristeÌ„ meÌ„ should desire death as Paule doth Phil. 1. not because of their crosse and trouble whiche they suffer in this present worlde for then they sought theÌ„ selues and their own profite and not the glory of God But if we will well desire death we must first consider howe sore sinne displeaseth God our father then our owne nature and frailtie and our members so bounde vnder sinne that we caÌ„ not doe nor yet thinke a good thought of our selues 2. Cor. 3. Then shall we finde occasion to lament our lyfe not for the troubles that we suffer in it but because we be so prone vnto sinne and so continually displease God our father What desireth he that would loÌ„g lyue but dayly to heape sinne vppon sinne And therefore should we haue a will to dye bycause y t in death our sinne is finished and theÌ„ shall we no more displease God our father Now if we should fayne a Purgatory it were not possible to imagine a greater obstacle to make vs feare flye from death For sith euery man must knowledge him self a sinner 1. Iohn 1. And not beleue that Christes death were sufficieÌ„t but that he must also go to Purgatory who should depart this world with a quiet mynde The wiseman sayth The soules of the righteous are in the hande of God They séemed to dye in the eyes of the foolish their end was thought to be payne and afflictioÌ„ but they are in peace Sapi. 3. There is no maÌ„ but he must néedes graunt me that euery faythfull is righteous in the sight of God as it
authoritie For he that admitteth prayers and sacrifice to be done for the dead yea also affirmeth that they are holy and whole some for such sinnes as are dāned by the law of God which are in déede very mortall doth not he agaynst the word of God yea and also agaynst the cōmon consent of all mē But this booke doth so which admitteth prayer and sacrifice to bée done for the dead that were slayne in the battayle for theyr offence yea and also damned by the law Deut. 7. Now conclude your selues what ye thinke of this booke Thus much hath M. More brought to proue his purpose out of the old Testament and I thinke ye sée it sufficiently aunswered And now he entendeth to proue hys Purgatory by good and substaunciall authoritie in the new Testament also FIrst let vs consider sayth Master More the wordes of the blessed Apostle and Euangelist S. Iohn where he sayth Est peccatum ad mortem non dico vt pro eo roget quis There is sayth hee some sinne that is vnto the death I byd not that any man should pray for that this sinne as the interpreters agree is vnderstād of desperation and impenitēce as though Saint Iohn would say that who departe out of this world impenitent or in despayre any prayer after made can neuer stand hym in stede Then it appeareth clearely that S. Iohn meaneth that there are other whiche dye not in such case for whom hee would men should pray because that prayer to such soules may be profitable But that profite can no man take beyng in heauen where it needeth not nor beyng in hell where it boteth not wherefore it appeareth that such prayer helpeth onely for Purgatory which thou must therfore nedes graunt except thou deny S. Iohn The text is written 1. Iohn 5. which sayth there is a sinne vnto the death I byd not that any man shall pray for that In this place doth M. More vnderstād by this word death temporall death and then he taketh his pleasure But we will desire hym to looke two lynes aboue and not to snatch one péece of the text on this fashion I will rehearse you the whole text and then ye shal heare myne aunswere The text is this if any man perceaue that his brother doth sinne a sinne not vnto y t death let him aske and he shall geue hym lyfe to them that sinne not vnto death For there is some sinne that is vnto death I bid not that any mā should pray for that Now marke myne aunswere Death and life be contrary and both wordes are in this text therfore if you vnderstand this woord death for temporall death then must you also vnderstand by this word life temporall lyfe And so should our prayer restore men agayne vnto temporall lyfe But I ensure you M. More taketh this word death so confusedly that no mā can tel what he meaneth For in one place he taketh it for temporall death saying who so depart out of this world impenitent c. And in an other place he is compelled to take it for euerlastyng death Therfore will I shewe you the very vnderstandyng of y t text And better interpreters desire I none then Christ him selfe which sayd vnto the Phariseis euery blasphemy shall be forgeuen but y t blasphemy against the holy ghost which S. Iohn calleth a sinne vnto the death shall neuer be forgeuen but is giltie vnto euerlastyng damnation Marke iij. what sinne or blasphemie is this verely y t declareth S. Marke saying They sayd that he had an vncleane spirite y t was y t sinne vnto death euerlastyng that was the sinne that should neuer be forgeuen He proueth so euidently vnto thē that his miracles were done with y t spirite of God that they could not deny it And yet of an hard and obstinate hart euen knowyng the contrary they sayd that he had a deuill within hym These Phariseis dyed not forth with but lyued peraduenture many yeares after Notwithstāding if all the Apostles had prayed for these Phariseis whiles they were yet lyuing for all that their sinne should neuer haue bene forgeuen them And truth is that after they dyed in impenitencie and desperation which was the frute of that sinne but not the sinne it selfe Now sée ye the meanyng of this text and what the sinne vnto death or agaynst the holy ghost is If any man perceaue his brother to sinne a sinne not vnto death that is not against the holy ghost let him aske and he shall geue him life that is let him pray vnto God for his brother and his sinne shal be forgeuen him But if he sée his brother sinne a sinne vnto death that is agaynst the holy ghost let him neuer pray for him for it boteth not And so is not the text vnderstand of prayer after this lyfe as M. More imagineth but euen of prayer for our brother which is lyuing with vs. Notwithstanding this sinne is not lightly knowne excepte the person knowledge it hym selfe or els the spirite of God opē it vnto vs. Therfore may we pray for all men except we haue euident knowledge that they haue so offended as is before rehearsed And this is his text taken from him wherwith he laboureth to proue Purgatory What say they to the wordes of S. Iohn Apoc. 5. I haue heard sayth he euery creature that is in heauen and vppon the earth and vnder the earth and that be in the Sea and all thynges that be in them all these haue I heard say benediction and honour and glory and power for euer be to him that is sitting in the throne and vnto the lambe By the creatures in heauen hee meaneth aungels By the creatures vpon the earth he meaneth men By the creatures vnder the earth he meaneth the soules in Purgatory And by the creatures in the Sea hee meaneth men that sayle on the Sea By this text I vnderstand not onely aungels and men but also heauen and earth and all that is in them euē all beastes fishes wormes and other creatures thinke that all these creatures do prayse the Lord. And where he taketh the creatures vnder y t earth for the soules in Purgatory I take it for all maner of creatures vnder y t earth both wormes vermine and all other And where he draweth the text and maketh the creatures in the sea to signifie men that are sayling on the Sea I say that the creatures in the Sea do signifie fishes and such other thyngs and that S. Iohn by this textment euen playnly that all maner of thynges geue prayse vnto God and the lambe yea and I dare be bold to adde that euen the very deuils damned soules are compelled to prayse hym For their iust punishment commendeth his puysaunt power righteousnes Neither néedest thou to wōder or thinke this any new thyng for Dauid in the 148. byddeth Serpentes beastes and byrdes to prayse
If he can deliuer them for money then may he also deliuer them wythout money And then is he a very cruel tyraunt which kéepeth them in paynes so intollerable as he imagineth him selfe vntill they pay money THe first hee soluteth on this maner Sith our Lord sendeth them thether for satisfaction to be made in some maner for their sinne the Pope should rather agaynst Gods purpose delyuer them free then chaunge the maner of their satisfaction frō payne into prayer almose or other good workes to be done by their frendes for them in some pointe profitable and necessary for the whole corps of Christēdome or some good member of the same As concernyng satisfaction I haue spoken sufficiētly before agaynst Rastell The Scripture knoweth no other satisfaction to be made for sinne towardes God but onely the bloud of his sonne Iesu Christ for if there were an other satisfaction then dyed Christ in vayne yea and he that séeketh any other satisfactiō for his sinne towardes God then Christes bloud which must be receiued with a repētyng hart through fayth doth despise Christes bloud and treade it vnder his féete And so is the first part of M. Mores solution false that they should be shut in Purgatory to make satisfaction Besides that where hee sayth that if the Pope should so deliuer them he should deliuer them free I say nay For the Pope can deliuer no mā from thence vntil satisfactiō be made as both he all his adherentes graūt And therefore to finde away how he might seme to deliuer thē he fayneth that he hath in his hands the merites of Christes passion and the merites of all Saintes to destribute them at his pleasure And therfore might the Pope apply the merites of Christes passion of other Saintes vnto these sely soules and so deliuer them For those merites ar inough to satisfie for y t soules in purgatory if there were ten tymes so many And so should the Pope deliuer them not frée but chaūgyng the maner of their satisfaction from payne into merites of Christes passion and of all Saintes And so is this reason not abated but rather strōger thē it was before Howbeit to say the truth the merites of Christes passion are onely distributed vnto the faythfull and tha◠by God and his spirite and not by the Pope And as for the merites of Saintes can not helpe other for they haue to litle for them selues if God should enter into iudgement with them Psalme 104. And Christ sayth Luke 17. when you haue done all that is commaunded you say we are vnprofitable seruauntes To this well agréeth the parable of the x. Virgins Math. 25. whiche could not depart with any of theyr oyle for feare that they should not haue had inough for them selues THe second reason byteth him somwhat and therefore he calleth it vnreasonable and would auoyd it by an example on thys wise Presuppose that the Pope may deliuer al soules out of purgatory yet if he were therfore cruell as oft as he leueth any there This vnreasonable reason layeth cruelty vnto the blame of God which may vndoubtedly deliuer al soules thence and yet he leaueth thē there This blasphemye should also touch hys hye maiestie for keeping any soule in hell from whence no man doubteth but that he might if he list deliuer them all for euer I aunswere that the example is nothing like for God can deliuer no man neither from hell nor from purgatory if such one were vntill hys iustice be counterpaysed as I haue sufficiently proued agaynst Rastell And if you obiect his absolute power then aunswer I that he hath an absolute iustice as well as an absolute power and so can hys absolute power do nothing vntill hys absolute iustice be satisfyed And agayne I say that God hath no power nor lust to do agaynst hys scripture and himself but his power lust is to fulfill that he hath promised vnto the faythfull euerlasting glory and vnto the wicked eternall damnation So that god by hys scripture can deliuer no man out of hell for then had he power to make himselfe a lyer so were he no God neither can he deliuer any man out of purgatory supposed that there were one vntill hys iustice be pacified But the pope as he sayth himselfe hath the full satisfaction in hys own hand wherby Gods iustice must be pacified wherfore it is onely the popes fault which hath the satisfaction in his power and will not geue it till he haue money not Gods fault which must néedes tary vntill satisfaction be made And so is thys reason as strong as it was before the pope proued a cruell tyraunt BVt yet to excuse the pope he sayth It is not meete that the Pope should be so quicke in deliueraūce for so should he geue a great occasion to mē boldly to fall into sinne and litle to care or feare how slowly they ryse agayne and that were not mete for his office Forsooth this is a gentle reason He may not be quicke in deliueraūce because he should geue men occasion of sinne But for one peny he will quyte deliuer you and that with spede For if ye offer a peny into S. Dominikes boxe assoone as ye heare y e peny ryng in the boxe euen so soone is the soule in heauē Call you not that quicke deliueraūce If you geue not that peny then may he not deliuer the soule for it should be an occasion of sinne But if you geue that peny thē is there no such occasiō of sinne Such great vertue hath that one peny in M. Mores sight that it cleane wypeth away the occasion of sinne Furthermore if this redemption may be done for money it shall be still an occasion vnto the rich that they regard not sinne and yet they had more néed to be brydeled then the poore for where riches aboundaunce is there raygneth sinne most of all Howbeit I haue shewed sufficiently before agaynst Rastell that they which feare not to sinne but for feare of purgatorye shall neuer come into it but be damned in hell For we should not abstaine from sinne for any feare but for the pure loue that we haue to god our most mercifull Father c. THen commeth maister More to this imagination that we should say how no mans prayer or good deed can help an other And saith he if that were true thē could not Christes bitter passion prosite vs. Sir mine opiniō of Christes death is this 1 We haue al sinned in Adam without our own consent and worke 1 And we are loosed from sinne thorough Christ without our workes or deseruinges 2 Sinne is come into the world thorow Adam and is punished w t death 2 The death through Christ is turned into a medicine and cleane finisheth sinne 3 One mans sinne whiche is Adam hath condemned many men 3 One mans grace which is Christ hath
are all ready damned in hell and some are all ready in heauen And to proue this true he alledgeth the parable of the rich mā Luke xv I am sure my Lord is not so ignoraūt as to say that a parable proueth any thyng But the right vse of a parable is this to expound an harde texte or poynte that was before touched could not entre into euery mans capacitie Neither are all thynges lyke which are spoken in a similitude neither yet all thynges true that are touched in a parable but we must consider the thyng wherefore they be spokē and apply them onely to that they are spoken for and let the residue go as William Tyndall hath well declared vnto you in the parable of wicked Mammon This parable is very hard to be expounded The cause is this no man can wel espye by the text for what purpose it was spoken But this should séeme to be the cause that there were many of the Phariseis other multitude which would not beleue the preaching of Christ although he confirmed his wordes with the authoritie of Moses and the Prophetes but they were curious and some deale phantasticall and therfore would they not beleue his woordes except some apparitions had bene made vnto thē that they might haue bene assured by them that were before dead that hys wordes were true Vnto such it is lyke that hee speaketh this parable playnly concludyng that they should haue no such apparitions of the dead and also that it was not necessary but that they had Moses the Prophetes to whom if they would geue no credence then should they not beleue although one of the dead should ryse againe tell it them Notwithstandyng let me graunt it hym that some are all ready in hell and some in heauen which thyng he shall neuer bee able to proue by the Scripture yea and which playnly destroyeth the resurrection and taketh awaye the argumentes wherewith Christ and Paule doe proue that we shall ryse yet I say let me graunt it hym to sée how he will cōclude What foloweth on that Neither it is credible sayth he that all whiche are cast into hell should streight way goe to heauen therfore must we put a Purgatorye where they may be purged I aunswere All that liue are faythfull or vnfaythfull If he be vnfaythfull then is he damned Iohn 3. If he beleue then is he not condemned but is gone from death to lyfe Iohn 3. 5. The righteous man when hee dyeth shall rest in peace Sapi. 3. And euery faithful mā is righteous before God as y t whole Epistle to the Romaines proueth Ergo then euery faythfull man shall rest in peace and be tormented in the paynes of Purgatory And as touchyng this poynte where they rest I dare be bold to say that they are in the hand of God and that God would that we should be ignoraunt where they be and not to take vpon vs to determine the matter Peraduenture you would enquire of me sith the parable sayth that Lazarus rested in Abrahams bosome what Abrahams bosome is To that would I aūswere that Abrahams bosome were nothyng els then Abrahams fayth For all we are called the children of Abraham because of hys perfite fayth whiche we ought to folow In this fayth are many and in a maner infinite degrées notwithstandyng if it be no greater thē a mustard séede that is to say very small yet shal it saue vs. He that departeth in this fayth resteth in peace and wayteth for the last day when God shall geue vnto hys faythfull that is to his elect for onely are the elect faythfull the faythfull elect the crowne of his glorie which he hath prepared for them that loue hym This crowne doth Paule say that he shall receaue it in that day 2. Timo. 4. that is in the day of iudgement And in the meane season God hath so prouided for vs that they shall wayte vntill the number of their brethren which dayly suffer and shall suffer for Christ be wholy fulfilled and so shall they not be made perfite without vs. Hebr. xj If my Lord will vnderstād by Abrahams bosome heauen I will not be contentious let the Christen iudge which sentence semeth most true But this is once a cleare case that of this he cā proue no Purgatory For the vnfaythfull are all ready dāned and the faythfull rest in peace let him call that what he wil whether to rest in heauen or to rest in their fayth vntill the last day For I am sure there is no man so madde as to say that to rest in peace should signifie to lye in the paynes of Purgatory Furthermore this text shal rather make sore agaynst hym thē any thyng with hym For Lazarus whiles hée was lyuyng was not without sinne nor no man els 1. Iohn 1. so that no man as long as he hath breath in hys body can say that he is without sinne for then should hee make S. Iohn a lyar And yet was not Lazarus caried into purgatory to be purged of his sinnes which were remainyng in his body the houre of his death wherefore I may conclude that there is no such Purgatory For God is as iust vnto hym as vnto vs and therefore would he purge hym as well as vs agayne he is as mercyfull vnto vs as vnto him and will as wel forgeue vs as hym without broyling on y t coales in purgatory for his iustice and mercye are euer one and not alterable But our perfite purgatiō is the pure bloud of Christ which washeth away the sinne of the world And albeit we euer haue the remnauntes and dregges of sinne and rebellion of our mēbers as long as we haue lyfe yet are they wholy finished in death for of such efficacitie is Christes death that it hath turned the death of hys faythfull which was layed vpon vs as the payne of sinne into a medicine agaynst sinne which fully cureth it and maketh an end of it as it was well figured in Golias that was slaine with hys owne sword ANd where as my Lord bryngeth for his purpose Math. xij that mē shal geue accoumptes of euery idle worde I haue soluted that before agaynst M. More that I thinke he shal say hym selfe that he is aunswered For if men shall geue a rekonyng for them on the day of dome as the text sayth that should rather argue that there were no Purgatory wherein those sinnes should be purged for if they had bene purged before of them then shoulde they not geue an accoumpte for them And if it proued any thyng at all it should proue that there were a Purgatory after domesday which no man was euer so foolish as to graunt But the true vnderstādyng of this text is this There are two kyndes of men one faythfull the other vnfaythfull The faythful through their fayth in Christes bloud are all
restreynt with the Lubeckes After this he went agayne to Whittembergh to the Duke of Saxson and to Luther and there remayned to set forth his workes in Print that he had begonne And from thence shortly after he returned agayne into England in the tyme of Quéene Anne Boleyn and continued a faythfull preacher in this Citie of London all the time that shée remained Quéene And was well enterteyned and promoted After this by the meane of the Lord Cromwell he was sent Ambassadour from K. HeÌ„ry the viij to the Duke of Cleue for the mariage of y t Lady Anne of Cleue betwéene the king and her and was well excepted in that Ambassade and in all his doinges vntill the tyme that Stephen Gardiner came out of Fraunce But after he came neither Religion prospered nor the Quéenes maiestie nor Cromwell nor the preachers who after the mariage of the Lady Anne of Cleue neuer ceased vntill he had graffed the mariage in an other stocke by the occasion whereof he began his bloudy broyle For not long after the dissolution of y t sayd mariage betwéene king HeÌ„ry y t viij and y t Lady Anne of Cleue y t sayd Doctour Barnes with two of his brethreÌ„ felow preachers named Iherome and Garret were apprehended and caried before the kynges maiestie to Hampton court and there were examined where the kynges maiestie séeking the meanes of Barnes safetie to bring Winchester and him agréed at Winchesters request graunted him leaue to goe home with the Byshop to conferre with hym and so he did But as it happened they not agréeing Gardiner his comparteners sought by all subtile meanes how to entangle and intrappe them into farther daunger which not long after was brought to passe For by certayne complayntes made to the king of them they were enioyned to preach iij. SermoÌ„s the next Easter folowing at the Spittle beside London At the which Sermons besides other reporters which were thither sent Stephen Gardiner Byshop of Winchester was there present sitting wyth the Maior either to beare recorde of their recantation or els as the Phariseys came to Christ to trippe them in their talke if they had spoken any thing awry When the aforesayd thrée had preached their Sermons among whom Barnes preaching the first SermoÌ„ and hée séeing Stephen Gardiner there present humbly desired him in the face of all the audience to forgéeue him and that if he forgaue hym to holdâ—… vp his hand and the sayd Gardiner thereupoÌ„ helde vp his finger Yet notwithstaÌ„ding by the meanes of y t said reporters they all iij. immediatly after they had preached were sent for to Hampton court and from thence caryed to the Tower by Syr Iohn Gostwyke and there they remayned vntill the xxx day of Iuly next folowing TheÌ„ ensued processe against them by the kynges counsaile in the Parliament to the which Gardiner confessed himselfe to be priuy among the rest Whereupon all the aforesayd thrée Saintes and true Martyrs the xxx day of Iuly not comming to any auÌ„swere nor yet knowing any cause of their coÌ„demnation without any publique hearing were drawen on herdelles from the Tower to Smithfield where they preparing them selues to the fier had there at the stake diuerse sondry exhortations amongest whome Doctour Barnes first beganne with this protestation folowing I am come hither to be burned as an heretike and you shall heare my beliefe wereby you shall perceaue what erronious opinions â–ª I holde God I take to record I neuer to my knowledge taught any erronious doctrine but onely those thinges which the Scripture leade me vnto and that in my sermons I neuer mainteyned any errour neither moued nor gaue occasioÌ„ of any insurrection Although I haue béene slaundered to preache that our lady was but a Saffron bagge which I vtterly protest before God that I neuer ment it nor preached it But all my study and diligence hath beene vtterly to confound and confute all men of that doctrine as are the Anabaptistes which denie that our Sauiour Christ tooke any fleshe of the blessed virgine Mary which sectes I detest and abhorre And in deede in this place there hath beene burned some of them whom I neuer fauoured nor mainteyned but with all diligence I did studie euermore to set forth the glory of God the obedience to our soueraigne Lord the King and the true and sincere religion of Christ And now harken to my fayth I beléeue in the holy and blessed Trinitie three persons and one God that created and made all the world And that this blessed Trinitie sent downe the second person Iesu Christ into the wombe of the most blessed purest virgin Mary And heare beare me recorde that I doe vtterlye condemne that abhominable and detestable opinion of y e Anabaptistes which say that Christ tooke no fleshe of the blessed virgine For I beléeue that without the consent of mans will or power he was conceaued by the holy ghost and tooke fleshe of her and that he suffered hunger thirst colde and other passions of our body sinne except according to the saying of S. Peter he was made in all things like to his bretheren except sinne And I doe beléeue that he liued here among vs and after he had preached and taught his fathers will he suffered the most cruell and bitter death for me and all mankinde And I doe beléeue that this his death and passion was the sufficient price and ransoÌ„e for the sinne of all the world And I beléeue that through his death he ouercame the deuill sinne death and hell and that there is none other satisfaction vnto the father but this his death and passion onely and that no worke of man did deserue any thing of God but onely his passion as touching our iustification For I knowledge the best worke that euer I did is vnpure and vnperfect And here withall he cast abroad his handes and desired God to forgeue him his trespasces For although perchauÌ„ce said he you know nothing by me yet I doe confesse that my thoughtes and cogitations be innumerable Wherefore said he I beséech the o Lorde not to enter into iudgmeÌ„t with me According to the saying of the Prophet Dauid Non intres in iuditium cum seruo tuo domine And in an other place Si iniquitates obseruaueris domine quis sustinebit Lord if thou straightly marke our inniquitie who is able to abide thy iudgment Wherefore I trust in no good worke that euer I did but onely in y e death of Christ I doe not doubt but through him to inherite y e kingdome of heauen Take me not here that I speake against good workes for they are to bée done and verely they that doe them not shall neuer come to the kingdome of God We must doe them because they are commauÌ„ded vs of God to shewe and set forth our profession not to deserue or merite for that is onely the death of Christ I beléeue that there is a holy Church
Dauiour of the world from their sins All that loue God loue all that beleue in him He that loueth God loueth also the sonnes of God The loue of God and the loue of my neighbour are in seperable Workes set forth 〈◊〉 declare faith To doe good to my neighbour is to do God good seruice A goodly similitude Al that are borne of God ouercome the world The conquestes of fayth Christ had three witnesses The true doctrine of the Sacramentes is away from vs. The faythfull haue the true witnes of God in their harts The vnfaythfull worshyp God in imageseruice and outward Popery The Papistes haue not the fayth of the Apostles neither do they know and therefore they rayle on it To aske in Christes name what it is Such as lacke fayth in Christ wander they wot not whether The sinne to y t death All that are borne of God câ— not sinne The armour of a Christen man The world seeth not the thyngs that are of God Christ eâ—e 〈◊〉 is the founteine and fulnes of all good giftes He that seketh any other way to eternall saluation then by Christ shal neuer come there Idolatrie Idolater As great Idolatry may be coÌ„mitted to the Image of a Saint as was by the Gentiles committed vnto Idoles Grosse worshyppyng of God Ceremonies Sacrifices The Iewes could beleue nothyng with out tokeÌ„s Sacraments and ceremonies were ordeined onely for remembraunces Idolatry We ought to be fraÌ„ke and to distribute to our poore brethren such as God hath sent vs. Supersticious Popery are Idolatry In all our needes wee must call vpon God in the name of Iesu Christ he will â—eare vs. The masse as the pope vseth it is damnable Idolatrie We must eâ—er cleaue vnto God and submit our selues to his mercy The masse at the first was a declaration of Christes passion 1. Cor. 11. 1. Cor. 10. and 12. Ephe. 1. What penaunce was Greuous sinne not passed vpoÌ„ Discipline vsed in the primatiue Church The description of the partes of the masse The abhominable vse of the masse The abuse of the Sacrament Halfe of the Sacrament kept from the lay people The frutefull and profitable doctrine of the Sacramentes are kept from vs. I descriptioÌ„ of God Iesus Christ the onely way to his father The belefe of the resurrection is an article of our faith Fayth is sufficient to iustifie vs. Christ the onely mediatour betwene God and man ArgumeÌ„to prouyng our saluation in Christ The false fayth of the downe falling sinner Fayth in the promise betwene â—â—od and 〈…〉 our soules Gods promises haue couenauÌ„tes annexed vn to them the breakers â–ª â—herof are â—…luded 〈◊〉 the promise An obiection of our aduersaries against iustificatioÌ„ by fayth A compendious declaration of our iustification by fayth A similitude of an earthly kyng pardonyng a condemned person The prayer of the faythfull for his brother taking effect thankes therefore muâ—â— wholly bee attributed to the geuer All our helpe is froÌ„ aboue for man can not helpe â—ut when God prepareth hys hart Praying to Saintes is damnable Saintes abhorre theÌ„ that pray vnto them M. Tracie studious in S. Austen Burials must be ceâ—â—brated honorably for the hope of our resurrection One must pray for an other and one helpe an other A true Christian feareth not the Popes Purgatory Couetousnes pretely described God graunteth all thynges to the faythfull Papistes burne both quicke and dead if they touch their roten sores Writinges and monuments preserue the memory of notable doynges Gene. 32. Gene. 50. A sure hande of all couenaâ—tes amoÌ„gst the Iewes Gene. 21. The well of swearing or the well of seuen Gene. 31. A heape of stones was a sufficient bande for all couenauntes Gene. 9. The rainebow a pledge of Gods promise Gene. 17. The blessing of God to AbrahaÌ„ Gene. 17. Circumcision the seale of Gods couenaunt with vs. Rom. 2. Gods promise recheth to all Abrahams posteritie Baptisme to vs is as CircumcisioÌ„ was to the Iewes Axod 13. Exod. 20. Nume 10. Nume 15. Iosua 4. 3. Reg. 11. 4. Reg. 13. Esay 12. Ierem. 27. Luke 1. Luke 1. Luke 2. Exod. 12. Exod. 12. The institution of y t Paâ—ch all lambe Christes death figured by the Paschall lambe Luke 22. Christes exposition of y t Paschall lambe The Scriptures of God 〈◊〉 full of hiâ—den misteries Nume 21. Iohn 3. 〈◊〉 the 〈…〉 was spiritually fulfilled in the kyngdome of heauen 〈◊〉 â—…tâ—t oâ— of y t SacrameÌ„t of y t body bâ—… of our 〈…〉 Christ The Paschall lambe 〈◊〉 the death and sacrâ—… 〈…〉 〈…〉 together 1. Cor. 11. The chief and onely cause of the institution of the Sacrament Actes 4. 1. Cor. 15. In all afflictions we must resoâ—â— to Christ We must be ordered by the congregation Onely by the name of Iesus Christ commeth our saluation Actes 4. The nature of the SacrameÌ„t of the Sâ—ppeâ— of our Lord. Sacramentes and ceremonies were first ordeined by God to kepe hys couenantes and promises in remeÌ„braunce Sacramentes are as stories to keepe Christes couenaunts in memory Circumcisio without fayth auayled noching Baptisme w t out fayth auayleth nothyng Baptisme and the Sacrament of Christes body and bloud are both necessary The Sacrament of Baptisme what it worketh in vs. The Sacrament of the body bloud of Christ what it worketh in vs. Marke 10. The law driueth a sinner to desperatioÌ„ The deuill enemy to man The flesh enemy to man The impeâ—…ent and wilfull sinner feeleth not the wrath of God in his law The law the flesh the deuill are three great enemyes vnto man Why the Sacramentes were chiefly ordeined by God God hath coÌ„maunded his Sacramentes to be had in dayly vse the cause why The Sacrament of Christes body bloud 〈…〉 to keÌ„ of Christes promise of our saluation in his death Iudi. 13. A brief collection of the premisses Math. 1. Math. 7. To an ignorauÌ„t and vnfaithfull person the Sacramentes and ceremonies are sinne Idolatry what it is The spirituall and right seruyng of God what it is Math. 26. Marke 14. Luke 22. 1. Cor. 11. The institution of the Sacramentes of Christes body and bloud Who they are that receaue the benefite of Christes death The cup of the bloud of Christ what it is Exod. 24. Hebr. 9. The great mercyfull differeÌ„ce betwene the old Testament the new The great mercy of God to maÌ„kynd Marke 14. Luke 22. The cause of the institution of y e SacrameÌ„t of Christes body The signe of the body of Christ is called by the name of Christes body whiche is there signified 1. Cor. 11. 1. Cor. 11. Hebr. 10. What the SacrameÌ„t meaneth why the same was instituted There are iij. opinioÌ„s about the SacrameÌ„t of the body and bloud of Christ The first opinion The second opinion The thyrd opinion A declaration made by them of the first opinioÌ„ aboue mentioned A declaratioÌ„ of them of the secoÌ„d opinion abouâ— mentioned A declaration of theÌ„ of the third opinion about mentioned
proued to be the enemyes of God and that we hate him For how can we be at peace with God and loue hym seing we are conceiued and borne vnder the power of the deuill and are his possession and kingdome his captiues and bondmen and ledde at his wyll he holdeth our hartes so that it is impossible for vs to consent to the wil of God much more is it impossible for a man to fulfill the lawe of his owne strength and power seyng that we are by birth and of nature the heires of eternall damnation As sayth Paul Ephe 2. We sayth he are by nature the children of wrath Whiche thyng the lawe doth but vtter onely and helpeth vs not yea requireth impossible thynges of vs. The lawe when it commaūdeth that thou shalt not lust geueth thee not power so to doe but damneth thee because thou caust not so do IF thou wilte therefore bee at peace with God and loue him thou must turne to the promises of God and to y t Gospell which is called of Paul in the place before rehearsed to the Corinthians the ministration of righteousnes and of the spirite For fayth bringeth pardō and forgeuenes freely purchased by Christes bloud and bringeth also the sprite the sprite looseth the bondes of the deuill and setteth vs at libertie For where the sprite of the Lord is there is libertie sayth Paule in the same place to the Corinthians that is to say there the harte is free and hath power to loue the will of God there the hart mourneth that he cannot loue inough Now is that consent of y t hart vnto the law of God eternall life yea though there bee no power yet in the members to fulfill it Let euery man therfore accordyng to Paules councell in the 6. chapter to the Eph. arme himselfe with y t armour of god that is to vnderstand with gods promises aboue all thing sayeth he take vnto you the shield of fayth wherewyth ye may be able to quenche all the fierye dartes of the wicked that ye may be able to resist in the euill day of temptation and namely at the houre of death See therfore thou haue Gods promises in thyne hart and that thou beleue them without waueryng when temptation ariseth and the deuill layeth the law thy dedes agaynst thee aunswere him with the promises and turne to God and confesse thy selfe to hym and say it is euenso or els howe could he be mercifull but remember that he is the God of mercy of truth and cannot but fulfil his promises Also remember that hys sonnes bloud is stronger then all the synnes and wickednes of the whole world and therewith quiet thy self and therunto commit thy selfe and blesse thy selfe in all temptation namely at the houre of death with that holy cādle Or els perishest thou though thou hast a thou sand holy candels about thee a C. ton of holy water a shipfull of pardones a clothe sacke full of Friers coates and all the ceremonies in the world and al the good workes deseruings and merites of all the men in the worlde bee they or were they neuer so holy Gods worde onely lasteth for euer and that which he hath sworne doth abide whē all other thynges perish So long as thou findest any consent in thyne hart vnto the law of God that it is righteous and good and also displesure that thou canst not fulfill it dispayre not neither doubt but that Gods spirit is in thee and that thou art chosen for Christes sake to the inheritaunce of eternall lyfe And agayne Rom. 3. We suppose that a man is iustified through fayth without the deedes of the lawe And likewyse Rom. 4. We say y t sayth was reckoned to Abraham for righteousnes Also Romaynes v. seyng that we are iustified through fayth we are at peace with God Also Roma 10. With the hart doth a man beleue to be made righteous Also Gal 3. Receiued ye the spirite by the deeds of the law or by hearyng of the fayth Doth he which ministreth the sprite vnto you worketh miracles among you do it of the deedes of the law or by hearyng of faith Euen as Abraham beleued god it was reckoned to hym for righteousnes Vnderstand therfore saith he that the children of fayth are the children of Abraham For the Scripture saw before that God would iustify the heathen or Gentiles by fayth shewed before glad tidings vnto Abraham in thy sede shall all nations be blessed Wherfore they which are of fayth are blessed that is to witte made righteous with righteous Abraham For as many as are of the deedes of the law are vnder curse For it is written saith he Cursed is euery man that continueth not in all thinges which are written in the booke of the lawe to fulfill them Item Gala. ij where he resisted Peter in the face he sayth We whiche are Iewes by nation and not sinners of the Gentiles know that a man is not iustified by the deedes of the law but by the fayth of Iesus Christ and haue therfore beleued on Iesus Christ that we might be iustified by the fayth of Christ and not by the deedes of the law for by the deedes of the law shall no flesh be iustified Item in the same place he sayth touchyng y t I now liue I lyue in y e fayth of the sonne of God which loued me and gaue him selfe for me I despise not the grace of GOD. For if righteousnes come by y e law thē is Christ dead in vayne And of such like ensamples are all the Epistles of Paul full Marke how Paule laboreth with him selfe to expresse the excedyng misteryes of fayth in the epistle to the Ephesians and in the Epistle to the Collossians Of these and many such like textes are we sure that the forgiuenes of sinnes and iustifying is appropriate vnto faith onely without the addyng to of workes Take for the also the similitude that Christ maketh Math. vij A good tree bringeth forth good frute And a bad tree bringeth forth bad frute There seest thou that the frute maketh not the tree good but the tree the frute that the tree must afore hand be good or be made good yer it can bryng forth good frute As he also sayth Math. xij either make the tre good and his frute good also either make the tree bad and hys frute bad also How can ye speake wel while ye your selues are euil So likewise is this true and nothyng more true that a mā before all good workes must first be good and that it is impossible that workes should make hym good if he were not good before yet he did good workes For this is Christes principle as we say a generall rule How can ye speake well while ye are euill so likewise how can ye do good while ye are euill This is therfore a playne and a sure
do no good worke freely without respect of some profit either in this world or in the world to come neither coulde we haue spirituall ioye in oure hartes in time of affliction and mortifiyng of the flesh Good workes are called the fruites of the spirite Gal. 5. for the sprite worketh them in vs and sometyme fruites of righteousnes as in the second Epistle to the Cor. and 9. chapter before all workes therfore we must haue a righteousnes within the hart the mother of all workes frō whēce they spring The righteousnes of the Scribes and Pharises of them that haue y ◠spirite of this world is y t glorious shew outward shining of workes But Christ sayth to vs Mar. 5. except your righteousnes exceede the righteousnes of the scribes Pharises ye cānot enter into the kingdome of heauen It is righteousnes in y t world if a mā kyl not But a Christen perceiueth righteousnesse if he loue his enemy euen when he suffreth persecution and torment of him and the paines of death and mourneth more for his aduersaries blindnesse then for his owne payne and prayeth God to open his eyes and to forgeue hym his sinnes as dyd Steuen in the Actes of the Apostles the vij Chapter and Christ Luke xxiij A Christen considereth him selfe in the law of GOD and there putteth of him all maner righteousnes For the law suffereth no merites no deseruynges no righteousnes neither any mā to be iustified in the sight of God The law is spirituall and requireth y t hart and commaundements to be fulfilled with such loue and obedience as was in Christ If any fulfill all that is the will of God with such loue and obedience the same may be bold to sell pardons of his merites and els not A Christen therfore when he beholdeth hym selfe in the law putteth of all maner righteousnes deseruinges and merites and mekely and vnfaynedly knowledgeth his sinne miserie his captiuitie and bondage in the flesh his trespasse and gilte and is thereby blessed with the poure in spirite Math. v. Chap. Then he morneth in his hart because he is in such bondage that he can not do the will of God and is an hungred and a thyrst after righteousnes For righteousnesse I meane which springeth out of christes bloud for strength to do the wil of God And turneth him selfe to the promises of God desireth him for his great mercy and truth and for the bloud of hys sonne Christ to fulfill his promises to geue him strēgth And thus his spirit euer prayeth within him He fasteth also not one day for a weke or a Lent for an whole yeare but professeth in his hart a perpetuall sobernes to tame the flesh and to subdue the body to the spirite vntil he waxe strong in the spirite and grow ripe into a full righteousnes after the fulnes of Christ And because this fulnes happeneth not till the body be slayne by death a Christen is euer a sinner in the law and therfore fasteth and prayeth to God in the spirite the world seyng it not Yet in y ◠promises he is euer righteous thorough fayth in Christ and is sure that he is heire of all Gods promises the spirite which he hath receaued in earnest bearyng him witnes his hart also and his dedes testifying the same Marke this then To see inwardly that y t law of God is so spirituall that no flesh can fulfill it And then for to morne and sorrow and to desire yea to hunger and thyrst after strength to do the wil of God from the ground of the hart and notwithstandyng all the sutlety of the deuil weakenes and feblenes of the flesh and wondryng of the world to cleaue yet to y t promises of God and to beleue that for Christes bloud sake thou art receaued to the inheritaūce of eternall lyfe is a wonderfull thyng and a thyng that the world knoweth not of but who soeuer feleth that though he fall a thousand tymes in a day doth yet rise agayne a thousand tymes and is sure that the mercy of God is vpon hym IF ye forgeue othermen their trespasses your heauēly father shal forgeue you yours Mat. in the vj. Chap. if I forgeue God shall forgeue me not for my dedes sake but for his promises sake for his mercy truth and for the bloud of hys son Christ our Lord. And my forgeuing certifieth my spirite that God shal forgeue me yea y t he hath forgeuē me already For if I consent to y t will of God in my hart though thorough infirmitie and weakenes I can not do the will of GOD at all tymes moreouer though I can not do the wil of God so purely as the law requireth it of me yet if I see my faulte mekely knowledge my sinne wepyng in myne hart because I cā not do the will of God and thyrst after strēgth I am sure that y t sprite of God is in me his fauour vpon me For the world lusteth not to do the will of God neither soroweth because he can not though he sorrow some tyme for feare of y ◠paine that he beleueth shall folow He that hath the spirite of this world can not forgeue without amendes makyng or a greater vauntage If I forgeue now how cōmeth it veryly because I feele the mercy of God in me For as a man feeleth God to him selfe so is he to his neighbour I know by mine owne experience that all flesh is in bondage vnder sinne and cā not but sinne therfore am I mercyfull and desire God to loose the bondes of sinne euen in mine enemy GAther not treasure together in earth c. Math. vj. But gather you treasure in heauen c. Let not you◠hartes be glued to worldly thynges studie not to heape treasure vpon treasure and riches vpon riches but study to bestow well that whiche is gotten already and let your abundaunce succour the lacke and neede of the power which haue not Haue an eye to good workes to which if ye haue lust and also power to do them then are ye sure that the spirite of God is in you and ye in Christ elect to the reward of eternal life which foloweth good workes But looke that thine eye be single and robbe not Christ of his honour ascribe not that to y t deseruyng of thy workes which is geuen the freely by the merites of his bloud In Christ we are sonnes In Christ we are heires In Christ god chose vs and elected vs before the begynning of the world created vs a new by the word of the Gospell and put his spirite in vs for because we should do good workes A Christē man worketh because it is the will of his father onely If we do no good worke nor be mercyfull how is our lust therin If we haue no lust to do good workes how is Gods spirite in vs If the spirite of God
y u shalt be iustified of thy wordes thou shalt be condēned Mat. xij That is thy wordes as well as other deedes shal testifie with thee or agaynst thee at the day of iudgemēt Many there are whiche abstaine from the outward dedes of fornication and adulterie neuerthelesse reioyce to talke therof laugh their wordes laughter testifie against them that their hart is vnpure and they adulterers fornicatours in the sight of GOD. The toung and other signes oftymes vtter the malice of the hart though a mā for many causes abstaine his hand from the outward dede or act IF thou wilt enter into lyfe kepe the commaundements Math. xix First remember that when God commaundeth vs to do one thyng he doth it not therfore because that we of our selues are able to do that he cōmaundeth but that by the law we might see know our horrible damnation and captiuitie vnder sinne and therfore should repēt and come to Christ receaue mercy the spirite of God to loose vs strength vs to make vs able to do Gods wil which is the law Now when he sayth if thou wilt enter into lyfe kepe the cōmaundementes is as much to say as he that kepeth the commaundementes is entred into life for except a mā haue first the spirite of lyfe in hym by Christes purchasyng it is impossible for him to kepe the commaundements or that his hart should be loose or at libertie to lust after them for of nature we are enemyes to the law of God As touching that Christ saith afterward if thou wilt be perfect go and sell thy substaūce and geue it to the poore he sayth it not as who should say that there were any greater perfection then to kepe the law of God for that is all perfection but to shew the other hys blindnes which saw not that the law is spirituall and requireth y t hart But because he was not knowyng that he had hurt any man with the outward deede he supposed that he loued his neighbour as him selfe But when he was bydde to shew the deedes of loue and geue of hys aboundaunce to them that neded he departed mournyng Whiche is an euiēdt tokē that he loued not his neighbour as well as him self For if he had neede hym selfe it would not haue greued hym to haue receaued succour of an other man Moreouer he sawe not that it was murther theft that a man should haue aboundaunce of riches lying by hym and not to shew mercy therewith and kyndly to succour hys neighbours neede God hath geuen one man riches to helpe an other at nede If thy neighbour nede thou helpe him not beyng able thou withholdest his dutie from hym and art a thefe before God That also that Christ saith how that it is harder for a rich man who loueth his riches so that he can not find in his hart liberally and freely to helpe the poore and nedy to enter into the kingdome of heauen then a Camell to goe through the eye of a needle declareth that he was not entred into the kingdome of heauen that is to say eternall life But he that kepeth the commaundementes is entred into life he hath life and the spirite of life in him THis kinde of deuils goeth not out but by prayer fasting Math. 27. Not that the deuill is cast out by merites of fasting or praying For he sayth before that for theyr vnbelefes sake they coulde not cast him out It is faith no doubte that casteth out the deuils and fayth it is that fasteth and prayeth Fayth hath the promises of God wher unto she cleaueth and in all thinges thyrsteth the honour of God She fasteth to subdue the body vnto the spirit that the prayer be not let and that the spirite may quietly talke with God she also whensoeuer oportunitie is geuen prayeth God to fulfil his promises vnto his prayse glory And God which is mercifull in promising and true to fullfill them casteth out the deuils and doth all that fayth desireth and satisfyeth her thyrste COme ye blessed of my Father inherite the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the worlde for I was a thirst and ye gaue me drincke c. Math. xxv Not that a man with works delerueth eternal life as a work man or labourer his hyre or wages Thou readest in the text that the kingdome was prepared for vs from the beginning of the worlde And we are blessed sanctified In Christes bloud are we blessed from that bitter curse damnable captiuitie vnder sin wherein we were borne and conceiued And Christes spirite is poured into vs to bring foorth good woorkes and our workes are the fruites of the spirite the kingdome is the deseruing of Christes bloud and so is fayth and the spirite and good workes also Notwithstanding the kingdome foloweth good workes and good workes testify that we are heyres thereof and at the day of iudgement shall they testify for the elect vnto theyr comfort and glory and to the confusion of the vngodly vnbeleeuing and faythlesse sinners which had not trust in the worde of Gods promises nor luste to the will of God but were caryed of the spirite of theyr father the deuill vnto all abhomination to worke wickednes with all lust delectation and gredienes MAny sinnes are forgeuen her for she loueth much Luk. vij Not that loue was cause of forgeuenes of sinnes But contrariwise the forgeuenes of sinnes caused loue as it foloweth to whō lesse was forgeuen y ◠same loueth lesse And afore he commended the iudgement of Simon which aunswered that he loueth most to whom most was forgeuen and also sayde at the last thy fayth hath saued thee or made thee safe goe in peace We can not loue except we see some benefite and kyndenes As long as we looke on the lawe of God onely where we see but sinne and damnation and the wrath of God vpon vs yea where we were damned afore we were borne we can not loue God No we can not but hate him as a tyraunt vnrighteous vniust and flee from hym as did Caine. But when the Gospell that glad tidinges and ioyfull promises are preached how that in Christ God loueth vs first forgeueth vs and hath mercy on vs then loue we againe and the deedes of our loue declare our fayth This is the maner of speaking as we say Sommer is nie for the trees blossome Nowe is the blossomyng of the trees not the cause y t sommer draweth nie but the drawyng ni◠of sommer is the cause of y e blossoms and the blossomes put vs in remembraunce that sommer is at hand So Christ here teacheth Simō by the feruentnes of loue in the outward dedes to see a strong faith within whence so great loue springeth As y ◠maner is to say do your charitie shew your charitie do a deede of charitie
Deacon that is to say in English a seruaunt or a minister whose office was to helpe and assiste y e Priest and to gather vp his dutie and to gather for the poore of the parishe which were destitute of frends and could not worke common beggers to runne frō dore to dore were not thē suffered On y t Saintes dayes namely such as had suffered death for the worde sake came men together into the church and the Priest preached vnto them and exhorted them to cleaue fast vnto the worde and to be strong in the fayth and to fight against the powers of the world wyth suffering for their faythe 's sake after the ensample of the Saintes And taught thē not to beleue in the saintes and to trust in their merites and to make Gods of them but tooke the saintes for an example only and prayed God to geue them lyke fayth and trust in hys worde and lyke strength and power to suffer therefore and to geue them so sure hope of the lyfe to come as thou mayst see in the collectes of Saint Laurence and of Saint Stephen in our Lady matens And in such dayes as we now offer so gaue they euery mā his portion according to his abilitie and as God put in his hart to the maintenaunce of the priest Deacō and other common ministers and of the poore and to finde learned men to teach and so forth And all was put in the handes of the Deacon as thou mayst see in y e lyfe of Saint Laurence and in the histories And for such purposes gaue men landes afterwarde to ease the parishes and made hospitals and also places to teach their children and to bring them vp and to nourtour them in Gods worde which landes our Monkes now deuour Antichrist ANtichrist of an other maner hath sent forth his disciples those false annointed of which Christ warneth vs before that they should come shewe miracles and wonders euen to bring the very elect out of the way if it were possible He annointeth them after the maner of y ◠Iewes and shaueth them shoreth them after the maner of the Heathen Priestes whiche serue the Idoles Hesendeth them forth not with false oyle onely but with false names also For compare their names vnto their deedes and thou shalt finde them false He sendeth them forth as Paule prophesied of them ij Thess ij wyth lying signes wonders What signe is the annointing that they be full of the holy ghost Compare them to the signes of the holy ghost which Paule reckoneth and thou shalt fynde it a false signe A Bishop must be faultles the husband of one wyfe Nay sayth y t Pope the husband of no wife but the holder of as many whores as he listeth God commaundeth all degrees if they burne and can not liue chast to marry The Pope saith if thou burne take a dispensation for a Concubine and put her away when thou art olde or els as our Lawyers say si non caste tamen caute that is if ye liue not chaste see ye cary cleane and play the knaue secretly Harbarous yea to whores and baudes for a poore man shall as soone breake his necke as his fast with them but of the scraps and wyth the dogges when dinner is done Apt to teach and as Peter sayth j. Pet. ij ready alwayes to geue an answere to euery man that axeth you a reason of the hope that ye haue and that wyth meekenes Which thing is signified by the bootes which doctours of diuinitie are created in because they should be ready alwayes to goe thorough thicke and thinne to preach Gods worde by the Byshoppes two horned miter which betokeneth the absolute perfect knowledge that they ought to haue in the new Testamēt and the olde Be not these false signes For they beate onely and teach not Yea saith y t Pope if they will not be ruled cite them to appeare and pose them sharply what they hold of the Popes power of hys Pardons of his Bulles of Purgatory of ceremonies of confession and such like creatures of our most holy fathers If they misse in any point make heretickes of them and burne them If they be of mine annoynted and beare my marke disgresse them I would say disgraduate them and after the example of noble Antiochus ij Mach. vij pare the crownes and the fingers of them and tormēt them craftly and for very payne make them deny the truth But now say our Bishops because the truth is come to farre abroad and y t lay people begyn to smell our wiles it is best to oppresse them with craft secretly to tame them in prison Yea let vs finde the meanes to haue them in the kyngs prison and to make treason of such doctrine Yea we must styrre vp some warre one where or an other to bryng the people into an other imagination If they be Gentlemen abiure them secretly Curse them iiij times in the yeare Make them afrayde of euery thyng and namely to touch mine annoynted and make them to feare the sentence of the Church suspentiōs excōmunications and curses Be the right or wrōg beare them in hand that they are to be feared yet Preach me and mine authoritie how terrible a thyng my curse is and how blacke it maketh their soules On the holydayes which were ordeined to preach Gods word set vp long ceremonies long Matines long Masses and lōg Euensonges and all in Latin that they vnderstand not and roule them in darkenes that ye may lead them whether ye will And lest such thinges should be to tedious sing some say some pype some ryng the belles and lulle them and rocke them a slepe And yet Paul ij Cor. xiiij forbiddeth to speake in the church or congregatiō saue in the toung that all vnderstand For the lay man thereby is not edified or taught How shall the lay man say Amen sayth Paule to thy blessing or thankes geuyng when he woteth not what thou sayst He wotted not whether thou blesse or curse What then sayth the Pope what care I for Paul I commaunde by the vertue of obedience to read the Gospell in Latine Let them not pray but in Latine no not there Pater noster If any be sicke go also and say them a Gospell and all in Latin yea to the very corne and frutes of the field in the procession weeke preach the Gospell in Latine Make the people beleue that it shall grow the better It is verely as good to preach it to swyne as to men if thou preach it in a toung they vnderstand not How shall I prepare my selfe to Gods commaundementes How shal I be thankefull to Christ for his kindnes How shall I beleue the truth and promises which GOD hath sworne while thou tellest them vnto me in a toung which I vnderstand
of their heauenly father confirmed with y ◠bloud of their Lord Christ For vnto them it is harder to enter into y ◠kingdome of heauen then for a camel to enter through y ◠eye of an nedle Mar. 10. No they haue no part in the kyngdome of Christ God Ephe. v. Therefore is it euident why Christ so diligētly warneth all his to beware of couetousnesse and why hee admitteth none to be his Disciples except he first forsake all together For there was neuer couetouse person true yet either to God or man If a couetous mā be chosē to preach Gods word he is a false Prophet immediatly If he be of the lay sorte so ioyneth he him self vnto the false Prophetes to persecute the truth Couetousnesse is not onely aboue all other lustes those thornes that choke y t word of God in them that possesse it But it is also a deadly enemy to all that interprete Gods word truly All other vices though they laugh thē to scorne that talke godly yet they can suffer thē to lyue and to dwell in the countrey But couetousnes cannot rest as long as there is one that cleaueth to Gods word in all the land Take hede to thy preacher therfore and be sure if he be couetous and gape for promotion that he is a false Prophet leaueneth the Scripture for all his crying fathers fathers holy Church and fiften hūdred yeares and for all his other holy pretenses Blessed are they that mourne for they shall be comforted This mournyng is also in the spirite and no kinne to the sowre lokyng of hipocrites nor to the impaciēt weywardnesse of those fleshely which euer whyne and complayne that the world is naught because they cānot obtayne and enioy their lustes therin Neither forbiddeth it alwayes to be mery and and to laugh make good chere now and then to forget sorrow that ouermuch heauynesse swalow not a man cleane vp For the wise man sayth sorow hath cost many their lyues And Prouer. xvij an heauy spirite drieth vp the bones And Paule commaundeth Philip. iiij to reioyse euer And Roma xij he sayth reioyse with them that reioyse and sorow with thē that sorow and wepe with them that wepe which seme two contraries This mourning is that crosse without which was neuer any Disciple of Christ or euer shal be For of what soeuer state or degree thou be in this world if thou professe y ◠Gospell there foloweth the a crosse as warmenesse accompanieth the sonne shynyng vnder which thy spirite shall grone and mourne secretly not onely because the world and thyne owne flesh carie thee away cleane cōtrary to the purpose of thyne hart But also to see and behold the wretchednesse misfortunes of thy brethrē for which because thou louest them as well as thy selfe thou shalt mourne and sorow no lesse thē for thy selfe Though thou be King or Emperour yet if thou knowest Christ and God through Christ and entendest to walke in the fight of God and to minister thyne office truly thou shalt to kepe iustice with all be compelled to do dayly that which thou art no lesse loth to do then if thou shouldest cut of arme hand or any other member of thyne owne body yea and if thou wilt folow the right way and neither turne on the right hand nor on the left thou shalt haue immediatly thine own subiectes thyne owne seruauntes thyne owne Lordes thyne own coūsellours and thyne owne Prophetes thereto agaynst thee Vnto whose froward malice and stubburnesse thou shalt be cōpelled to permitte a thousand thynges agaynst thy conscience not able to resiste them at whiche thyne hart shall blede inwardly and shalt sawse thy swete soppes which the world weneth thou hast with sorowes mough and still mournyng studyeng either alone or els with a few frēdes secretly night and day and sighing to God for helpe to mitigate the furious frowardnesse of them whō thou art not able to with stand that all go not after the will of the vngodly What was Dauid cōpelled to suffer all the dayes of his lyfe of his own seruauntes the sonnes of Seruia Beside the mischaūces of his own children And how was our king Iohn forsaken of his owne Lordes when he would haue put a good and godly reformatiō in his owne land How was Henry the secōd compassed in lyke maner of his own Prelates whom he had promoted of nought with the secrete conspiracie of some of his own temporal Lordes with thē I spare to speake of y e mournyng of the true preachers the poore cōmon people which haue none other helpe but the secret hand of God and the word of his promise But they shal be cōforted of all their tribulatiō and their sorrow shal be turned into ioye and that infinite euerlastyng in the lyfe to come Neither are they without comfort here in this world for Christ hath promised to sēd them a comfortour to be with them for euer the spirite of trouth whiche the world knoweth not Iohn xiiij And they reioyse in hope of the comfort to come Rom. xij And they ouercome through fayth as it is written Hebr. xj the Saintes through fayth ouercame kyngdomes obtained the promises And. i. Iohn v. this is the victorie that ouercōmeth the world euē our faith But the blind world neither seeth our comfort nor our trust in God nor how God thorough faith in his word helpeth vs maketh vs ouercome How ouercome they wilt thou say that be alwayes persecuted and euer slayne verely in euery battaile some of them that wynne the field be slayne yet they leaue the victorie vnto their deare frēdes for whose sakes they toke the fight vppon them and therfore are conquerours seyng they obtayne their purpose maynteine that they fought for The cursed riche of this worlde whiche haue their ioye and comfort in their riches haue sence the begynnyng fought agaynst them to wede thē out of the worlde But yet in vayne For though they haue alwayes slayne som yet those that were slayne wanne the victory for their brethren with death euer increased the nūber of them And though they semed to dye in the sight of the foolish yet they are in peace and haue obtayned that euerlastyng kyngdome for which they fought And beside all this when God plagueth the world for their sinne these y ◠mourne and sorrow are marked with the signe of Thau in their foreheades and saued from the plague that they perish not with the wicked as thou seest Ezech. ix as Lot was deliuered frō among the Sodomites And contrariwise cursed are they that laugh now ▪ that is to say which haue their ioy solace and comfort in their riches for they shall sorrow and weepe Luke vj. And as it was answered the rich man Luke xvj sonne remember how that thou receauedst thy good dayes in thy life tyme and Lazarus likewise euill
to be merciful is louingly to forgeue them that offended thee assoone as they knowledge their misdoyng aske thee mercy To be mercifull is patiently long to abide the conuersion of sinners with a lusty courage and hope that God will at the last conuert them and in the meane tyme to pray instantly for them and euer when he seeth an occasion to exhort theÌ„ warne them monishe theÌ„ and rebuke them And to be mercifull is to interpret all to the best and to looke thorow the fingers at many thynges and not to make a greuous sinne of euery small trifle and to suffer and forbeare in his owne cause the malice of them that wil not repent nor be a knowen of theyr wickednesse as long as he can suffer it and as long as it ought to be suffred and when he can no lenger then to complayne to them that haue auctoritie to forbidde wrong and to punishe such euill doers But the hypocrites cleane contrary condemne all meÌ„ for greuous sinners saue them onely that buy their holynesse of them And because they wyll suffer wyth no man they get them to silence And because they will helpe no man all that they haue say they pertayneth to the Couent and is none of theirs And if they be offended they wyll be auenged immediatly And to clooke that they should not seeme to adueÌ„ge theÌ„selues the matter say they pertayneth to God and holy Church or to some Saint or to one or other holy thyng as if thou smite one of them on the one cheke he will turne to thee the other yer he will aduenge himself But the iniury of the holy oyle wherwith he was annointed that must he aduenge and that with a spirituall punishmeÌ„t that thou must be accursed as blacke as a Colyer and deliuered to Sathan And if thou come not in and aske absolution and to offer thy selfe to penaunce and to paying thereto they wyll not suffer till the Deuil fetch thee But will deliuer thee to the fyre in the meane tyme. And all for zeale of righteousnes say they O hypocrites the zeale of righteousnes is to hunger and thyrst for righteousnes as it is aboue described that is to care and study and to do the vttermost of thy power that all thynges went in the right course and due order both thorow all degrees of the temporaltie and also of the spiritualtie and to ieoparde lyfe and goodes thereon All the worlde can beare recorde what payne ye take and howe ye care for the temporall common wealth that all degrees therein dyd and had their dutie how ye put your liues in aduenture to preach the truth and to informe Lordes and Princes and to cry vpon them to feare God to be learned and to minister their offices truly vnto their subiectes and to be mercyful an example of vertue vnto them And howe helpe ye that youth were brought vp in learnyng and vertue y â— the poore were prouided for of foode and rayment c. And how prouide ye that your Priestes be all learned and preach and do their duties truly euery maÌ„ in his Parish how prouide ye that sectes arise not to polle the people and leade them out of the way â–ª vnder a colour of long praying and hypocritish holynesse liuyng them selues idle and beyng vtterly vnto the commoÌ„ wealth improfitable who smelleth not y â— swete odoure of chastitie that is among you What righteousnes is in your saÌ„ctuaries and what indifferent equitie is in all your exemptions priuiledges and liberties By your workes we iudge you and your zeale to righteousnes not by your sophisticall suttle reasons with which ye would claw our eares bleare our eyes beguile our wittes to take your tyrannous couetous crudelitie for the zeale of righteousnes Finally he that will not be mercyfull to be blessed of God to obtayne mercy of him both heare and in the life to come let him be accursed with the vnmercyful and to him be iudgement without mercy according to y â— wordes of S. Iames in the second chapter of his Epistle Blessed be the pure in hart for they shall see God That which entreth into a man defileth not a maÌ„ But y â— thyngs that defile a man procede first out of his hart as â—hou mayst see Math. xv Thence come out euill thoughtes saith Christ as murther adulterie fornicatioÌ„ theft false witnessynges and blasphemyes These are the things that make a man foule A man then is not foule in the sight of God till his hart be foule And the filthinesse of the hart are thoughtes that study to breake Gods coÌ„maundementes Wherfore the purenesse of the hart is the consenting studious purpose to keepe the law of God and to meane truly in al thy words works and to do them with a true intent It foloweth then that thou mayst be pure harted and therewith do all that God hath commaunded or not forbidden Thou mayst be pure harted and haue a wife and get childreÌ„ be a iudge and condemne to death them that haue deserued it hang or behead euil doers after they be by a iust processe condeÌ„pned Thou mayst be pure harted do all the drudge in the world Lot was pure harted amoÌ„g the Sodomites Nicodemâ—s beyng in the councell among them that conspired the death of Christ was pure harted consented not with them to the death of that innocent If the law be written in thyne hart it will driue thee to Christ which is the end of the law to iustifie all that beleue Rom. x. And Christ will shew thee his father For no man seeth the father but the sonne and he to whom the sonne will shew him Luke x. If thou beleue in Christ that he is thy Sauiour that faith wil leade thee in immediatly and shew thee God with a louely amiable countenaunce and make thee feele and see how that he is thy father al together mercyfull to thee at one with thee and thou his sonne and highly in his fauour and grace sure that thou pleasest him when thou doest an hundred thinges whiche some holy people would suppose them selues defiled if they should but thinke on theÌ„ And to see God is the blessing of a pure hart Impure and vncleane harted then are all they that study to breake Gods commaundementes Impure harted are all that beleue not in Christ to be iustified by him Impure harted are all hypocrites y t do their worke for a false purpose either for prayse profite or to be iustified thereby which paynted sepulchres as Christ calleth them can neuer see God or bee sure that they be in the state of grace and that theyr workes be accepted because they haue not Gods word with them but cleane agaynst them Blessed are the peacemakers for they shal be called the children of God To inherite this blessing it is not onely required that
your rewarde is great in heauē Euē so verely they persecuted the Prophets that were before you Here seest thou the vttermost what a Christen man must looke for It is not inough to suffer for righteousnes But that no bitternesse or poyson be left out of thy cuppe thou shalt be reuiled and rayled vpon and euen whē thou art condempned to death then be excommunicat and deliuered to Sathan depriued of the felowship of holy Church the company of y ◠Angels and of thy part in Christes bloud and shalt be cursed downe to hell defied detested and execrat with all the blasphemous raylinges that the poysonfull hart of hypocrites can thinke or imagine and shalt see before thy face when thou goest to thy death that all the world is perswaded and brought in beliefe that thou hast sayd and done that thou neuer thoughtest and that thou dyest for that thou art as giltlesse of as the childe that is vnborne Well though iniquitie so highly preuayle and the truth for which thou diest be so low kept vnder and be not once knowen before the worlde in so much that it semeth rather to be hindered by thy death then furthered which is of all griefes the greatest yet let not thyne hart fayle thee neither dispaire as though God had forsaken thee or loued thee not But comfort thy selfe with olde ensamples how God hath suffred all his olde frendes to be so entreated and also his onely deare sonne Iesus Whose ensample aboue all other set before thine eyes because thou art sure he was beloued aboue all other that thou doubt not but thou art beloued also and so much the more beloued the more thou art like to the image of his ensample in suffering Did not the hipocrites watch hym in all his sermons to trappe hym in hys owne words was he not subtelly apposed whether it were lawfull to pay tribute to Cesar were not all hys wordes wrong reported were not his miracles ascribed to Belsebud sayd they not he was a Samaritane had a deuill in hym was he not called a breaker of the Saboth a wyne drinker a frende of Publicans and sinners did he ought wherewyth no fault was found and that was not interpreted to be done for an euill purpose was not the pretense of his death the destroying of the temple to bryng him into the hate of all men was he not thereto accused of treason that he forbad to pay tribute to Cesar and that he moued the people to insurrection Rayled they not on hym in the bitterest of all hys passion as he hanged on the crosse saying saue thy selfe thou that sauest other come downe from the crosse and we will beleue in thee fie wretch that destroyest y t temple of God Yet he was beloued of God and so art thou His cause came to lyght also and so shall thyne at the last yea and thy reward is great in heauē with him for thy deepe suffering And on the other side as they be cursed which leaue righteousnesse destitute and will not suffer therewyth so are they most accursed which know the truth and yet not onely flee therefrom because they will not suffer But also for lucre become the most cruell enemies thereof and most subtill persecutors most falssy lye theron also Finally though God when he promiseth to blesse our workes do bynde vs to worke if we will obtayne the blessing or promise yet must we beware of this pharesaicall pestilence to thinke that our works did deserue the promises For whatsoeuer God commaundeth vs to do that is our dutie to do though there were no such promise made to vs at all The promyse therefore commeth not of the deseruing of the worker as though God had neede of ought that we could doo but of the pure mercy of God to make vs the more wylling to do that is our dutie c. For if when we had done all that God commaundeth vs to do he then gaue vs vp into the handes of tyrauntes and kylled vs sent vs to purgatory which mē so greatly feare or to hell and all the Aungels of heauen with vs he did vs no wrong nor were vnrighteous for ought that we or they coulde chalenge of deseruing howsoeuer that God vseth his creatures he euer abydeth righteous till thou cāst proue that after he hath boūd him selfe wyth his owne woorde of mercy he then breake promyse wyth them that keepe couenaunt with him So now if nought were promised nought coulde we chalenge whatsoeuer we did And therefore the promise commeth of the goodnes of the promiser onely and not of the deseruing of those workes of which God hath no neede and which were no lesse our duty to do though there were no such promise Ye be the salt of the earth But if the salt be waxen vnsauery what can be salted therwith It is henceforth nothyng worth But to be cast out and to be troden vnder foote of men The office of an Apostle the preacher is to salt not onely the corrupt maners conuersation of earthly people but also the roten hart within and all that springeth out therof their natural reason their will their vnderstādyng and wisedome yea their fayth and belefe and all that they haue imagined without Gods worde concernyng righteousnes iustifieng satisfaction and seruyng of God And the nature of salt is to byte frete and make smarte And the sicke pacientes of the world are maruelous impaciēt so that though with great payne they cā suffer their grosse sinnes to be rebuked vnder a fashion as in a parable a farre of yet to haue theyr righteousnes theyr holynesse and seruing of God and his Saintes disalowed improued condēned for damnable and deuilish that may they not abyde In so much that y u must leaue thy salting or els be prepared to suffer agayne euen to be called a rayler seditious a maker of discorde and a troubler of the cōmō peace yea a schismatike and an hereticke also and to be lyed vpō that thou hast done and sayd that thou neuer thoughtest thē to be called coram nobis and to syng a new song forsweare salting or els to be sent after thy felowes that are gone before and the way thy master went True preachyng is a salting that stirreth vp persecution and an office that no man is mete for saue he that is seasoned hymselfe before wyth pouertie in spirite softnesse meekenesse patience mercifulnesse purenes of hart and hunger of righteousnes and lookyng for persecution also and hath all hys hope comfort and solace in the blessing onely in no worldly thing Nay will some say a man myght preach long inough without persecution yea get fauour to if he would not medle with the Pope Byshops Prelats and holy ghostly people that lyue in contemplation and solitarines nor wyth great men of the worlde I aunswere true preaching is saltyng and
sawest workes also sawest the entent meaning of y e worker least hipocrisie deceaue thee Our deedes are the effect of righteousnesse and thereto an outward testimonie and certifiyng of the inwarde righteousnes as sourenes is of Leauen And when I say fayth iustifieth the vnderstanding is that faith receaueth the iustifiyng God promiseth to forgeue vs our sinnes and to impute vs for full righteous And God iustifieth vs actiuely that is to say forgeueth vs and reckoneth vs for full righteous And Christes bloud deserueth it and faith in the promise receaueth it and certifieth the conscience therof Faith chalēgeth it for Christes sake which hath deserued all that is promised and cleaueth euer to the promise and truth of the promiser and pretendeth not the goodnes of her worke but knowledgeth that our works deserue it not but are crowned and rewarded with the deseruinges of Christ Take an ensample of young children when the father promiseth them a good thing for y t doing of some trifle and when they come for their rewarde delayeth with them saying What that thou hast done is not worth halfe so much should I geue thee so great a thing for so little a trif◠▪ They will aunswere ye did promise me ye sayd I should haue it why did ye promise and why then did ye say so And let him say what he will to driue them of they will euer say agayne ye did promise me so ye did ye sayd I should haue it so ye did But hirelinges wyll pretend their woorke and say I haue deserued it I haue done so much and so much and my labour is worth it Now at the first couenaunt making with God and as oft as we be reconciled after we haue sinned the righteousnes commeth of God altogether But after the attonement is made and we reconciled then we be partly righteous in our selues vnrighteous righteous as farre as we loue and vnrighteous as farre as the loue is vnperfect And faith in y e promise of God y t he doth reckē vs for full righteous doth euer supply y t vnrighteousnes imperfectnes ▪ as it is our whole righteousnes at the beginning Finally our workes which God commaundeth and vnto which he annexed his promises that he will reward them are as it were very sacramētes and visible and sensible signes tokens earnest obligations witnesses testimonies and a sure certifiyng of our soules that God hath and will do according to his promise to strēgth our weake fayth and to keepe the promise in mynde But they iustifie vs not no more then the visible workes of the sacramentes do As for an example the worke of baptime that out ward washing which is the visible facramēt or signe iustifieth vs not But God onely iustifieth vs actiuely as cause efficient or workeman God promiseth to iustifie whosoeuer is baptised to beleue in Christ and to keepe the law of God that is to say to forgeue them their foresinnes and to impute righteousnesse vnto them to take them for his sonnes and to loue them as well as though they were full righteous Christ hath deserued vs y ◠promise and that righteousnes And faith doth receaue it God doth geue it impure it to faith not to y ◠washing And the washing doth testifie it and certifie vs of it as the Popes letters do certifie the beleuers of the Popes pardons Now the letters helpe not or hinder but that the pardōs were as good without them saue onely to stablishe weake soules that could not beleue except they reade the letters looked on the seale and saw the print of Saint Peters keyes O a mercifull God and a most louing father how careth he for vs first aboue all and beside all his other benefites to geue vs hys owne sonne Iesus and with him to geue vs hymselfe and all and not contēt therewith but to geue vs so many sacraments or visible signes to prouoke vs to helpe our weake fayth to keepe hys mercy in mynde as baptime the sacramēt of his body and bloud and as many other sacramentes as they will haue if they put significations to them for we destroy none but they destroy which haue put out the significations or fayned some without as wedlocke to signifie that Christ is the husband and we his wife and partakers wyth hym as the wife with her husband of all his riches c. And beyond all those visible sacramentes to geue vs yet more sensible and surer sacramentes suraunces of his goodnes euen in our owne selues as if we loue and geue almose to our neighbour if we haue compassion and pray for him if we be mercifull and forgeue him if we deny ourselues and fast and withdraw all pleasures from the flesh for loue of the life to come and to keepe the cōmaundemētes of God For whē such things beyng before impossible and now are easie and naturall we feele and are sure that we be altered and of a new creature shapen in righteousnesse after the image of Christ and God our father seing his lawes of righteousnes are written in our hartes When ye fast be not sad as the hipocrites are For they fashion them a new countenaunce that it might appeare vnto men how they fast Verely I say vnto you they haue their rewarde Thou therefore when thou fastest annointe thine head washe thy face that it appeare not vnto men how thou fastest But vnto thy father which is in secrete And thy father which seeth in secrete shall rewarde thee openly As aboue of almose and prayer enē so here Christ rebuketh the false entent and hipocrisie of fasting That they sought prayse of that worke that was ordayned for to tame the fleshe and vsed such fashions that all the worlde might know that they fasted to prayse them and to say O what holy mē are these how pale and pitifull looke they euen like death hanging downe their heades and beholding the earth as mē cleane out of the world If these come not to heauen what shall become of vs poore wretches of the worlde If these be not great in the fauour of god and their prayers be heard whatsoeuer they aske in what case are we laye people Happy is he that may be a brother among them partaker of their prayers and fastinges and other holy liuing In an vnhappy in an happy I woulde say houre was he borne that buildeth them a cell or a cloysture or geueth them a portion of his land to comfort them good men in this painfull liuing and straite penaunce which they haue taken vpon them Blessed were he that might kisse the edge of the coate of one of thē Oh he that myght haue his body wrapped in one of their olde coates at the houre of death it were as good to him as his Christendome c. It appeareth also by that they asked Christ why his disciples fasted not as well as
IN the viij he sayth the Saintes be more charitable now then when they liued I answere Abrahā was while he lyued as charitable as the best And yet dead he answered hym that prayed to hym they haue Moses and y ◠Prophetes let them heare them And so haue we not Moses and the prophets onely but a more cleare light euen Christ and the Apostles vnto which if we harken we be Saintes already And to proue that they in heauen be better then we in earth he alleageth a text of our Sauiour Luke vij that the worst in heauen is better then Ihon Baptist Now y e text is he that is lesse in the kingdome of God is greater thē he We that beleue are Gods kyngdome And he that is least in doyng seruice vnto hys brethren is euer the greatest after the doctrine of Christ Now Christ was lesse then Ihon and therfore greater then he And by theyr owne doctrine there was no Sainte in heauen before the resurrection of Christ but what care they what they say blynded wyth theyr owne sophistrye Moreouer cursed is he that trusteth in ought saue God sayth the text and therfore the Saintes would haue no man to trust in them whyle they were aliue As Paule sayth 1. Cor. 3. What is Paule saue your seruaunt to preach Christ Did Paule dye for you were ye baptised in the name of Paule Did I not mary you to Christ to put your trust in hym And agayne let no man reioyce or trust in man sayth he For all are youres whether Paule or Appollo or Cephas whether the world life death present thynges or thynges to come all are youres and ye are Christes and Christ is Gods If my fayth be stedfast in the promises that I haue in Christes bloud I néede but to pray my father in Christes name and he shall send me a legion of Angels to helpe me so that my fayth is Lord ouer the Angels and ouer all creatures to turne them vnto my soules health and my fathers honour and may be subiect vnto no creature but vnto Gods woorde in our Sauiour Christ onely I may haue no trust therefore in the Saintes If ye say ye put no trust in them but onely put them in remembraunce of their dutie as a man desireth his neighbour to pray for him remembring hym of hys dutie and as when we desire our brethren to helpe vs at our neede That is false for ye put trust in all your ceremonies all your holy deedes and in whosoeuer disguiseth hymselfe and altereth hys coat from the common fashion ye and euen in the coates of them that be not yet Saintes after your dortrine If a priest sayd masse in his gowne would ye not rise against hym and slea hym and that for the false fayth that ye haue in the other garmētes For what honour can those other garmentes do to God more then hys gowne or profite vnto your soules ▪ seyng ye vnderstand nought thereby And therto in the collectes of Saintes ye say saue me God and geue me euerlastyng lyfe for the merites of thys or that Saint euery man after his phantasie chusing hym one Saint singularly to be saued by Wyth which collectes I pray you shew me how standeth the death of Christ Paule woulde say that Christ dyed in vayne if that doctrine were true And therto in as much as ye say the Saintes merite or deserue not in heauen but in this worlde onely it is to be feared least their merites be sore wasted and the deseruynges of many all spent thorowe our holy fathers so great liberalitie Abraham and the Prophetes and y ◠Apostles and many since prayed to no Saintes and yet were holy inough And when he sayth they could helpe when they were aliue That was thorow their fayth in beleuing the promise For they had promises that they shuld do such miracles to stablish their doctrine and to prouoke vnto Christ and not vnto them selues And whē he proueth that y e Saintes be in heauen in glory wyth Christ already saying if God be their God they be in heauē for he is not the God of the dead There he stealeth away Christes argument wherewyth he proueth the resurrection that Abraham and all Saintes shoulde rise agayne and not that their soules were in heauē which doctrine was not yet in the worlde And wyth that doctrine he taketh away the resurrection quite and maketh Christes argumēt of none effect For when Christ alleageth the Scripture that God is Abrahams God addeth to that God is not God of the dead but of the liuing and so proueth that Abraham must rise agayne I deny Christes argument and say wyth M. More that Abraham is yet aliue not because of the resurrection but because hys soule is in heauē And in like maner Paules argument vnto the Corrinthians is nought worth For when he sayth if there be no resurrection we be of all wretches the miserablest Here we haue no pleasure but sorrow care and oppression And therfore if we rise not agayne all our suffering is in vayne Nay Paul thou art vnlearned ▪ go to Maister More and learne a new way We be not most miserable though we ryse not agayne for our soules go to heauen assoone as we be dead and are there in as great ioy as Christ that is risē againe And I maruell that Paule had not comforted the Thessalonians wyth that doctrine if he had wist it that the soules of their dead had bene in ioy as he did wyth the resurrection that their dead should rise agayne If the soules be in heauen in as great glorie as the aungels after your doctrine shewe me what cause should be of the resurrection And when hee sayth Whether the Saintes do it them selues or by intercession made to God it maketh no matter so we be holpe it appeareth by his doctrine that all is good that helpeth though a man pray vnto the deuill by whom many be holpe Now in Christ we haue promises of all maner helpe not in them Where then is our faith to be holpe by Christ when we hope to be holpe by the merites of Saintes So it appeareth that the more trust we haue in Saintes the lesse we haue in Christ And whē he bringeth in a similitude that we pray Phisitions though God can helpe vs and therefore we must pray to Saintes It is not like for they haue naturall remedies for vs which we must vse not tempt God But the Saints haue no natural remedies nor promise of supernaturall And therfore it can be but a false superstitious fayth And where no natural remedy is there god hath promised to helpe thē that beleue in hym And moreouer when I pray a Phisition or Surgion and trust to be holpe by them I dishonour God except I first pray to God beleue that he will woorke with their doctrine and medicines
they can not depart they seke a thousand gloses to turne it into an other sense to make it agree vnto their beastlynesse and where it will receaue no such gloses theyr they thinke that no man vnderstandeth it Then in the end of the Chapter M. More coÌ„meth vnto his wise conclusion and proueth nothing saue sheweth his ignoraunce as in all thyng He sayth we beleue the doctrine of the Scripture without Scripture as for an example the Popes pardons because onely that the Church so teacheth though no Scripture confirmeth it Why so because sayth he the holy ghost by inspiration if I doe my endeuour and captiuate mine vnderstandyng teacheth me to beleue the Church concernyng Gods worde taught by the Churche and grauen in mens hartes with out Scripture as well as he teacheth vs to beleue wordes written in the Scripture Marke where hee is now Afore hee saith the Scripture causeth vs not to beleue the Scripture for a man may read it beleue it not And much more the preacher maketh vs not to beleue y e preacher for a man may heare him and beleue him not also As we see the Apostles could not cause all men to beleue them For though the Scripture be an outward instrument and the preacher also to moue meÌ„ to beleue yet the chief and principall cause why a man beleueth or beleueth not is within That is the spirite of God teacheth his children to beleue and the deuill blyndeth his children and kepeth them in vnbeleffe and maketh them to consent vnto lyes thinke good euill euill good As the Actes of the Apostles say in many places there beleued as many as were ordeyned vnto euerlastyng lyfe And Christ sayth Iohn viij they that be of God heare Gods word And vnto the wicked Iewes he saith ye caÌ„ not beleue because ye be not of God And in the same place sayth he ye be of your father the deuill and his will ye will do and he bode not in the truth therfore will not suffer his children to consent to the truth And Iohn in y e x. saith Christ all that came before me be theeues murtherers but my shepe heard not theyr voyces That is all that preach any saluatioÌ„ saue in Christ murther y e soules Howbeit Christes shepe could not consent to their lyes as the rest caÌ„ not but beleue lyes so that there is euer a remanaunt kepte by grace And of this I haue sene diuers examples I haue knowen as holy men as might be as the world counteth holynesse which at the houre of death had no trust in God at all but cryed cast holy water light the holy candell and so forth sore lamentyng that they must dye And I haue knowen other which were despised as men that cared not for their diuine seruice which at death haue falsen so flat vppon the bloud of Christ as is possible and haue preached vnto other mightyly as it had bene an Apostle of our Sauiour and comforted them with comfort of the lyfe to come haue dyed so gladly that they would haue receaued no worlds good to bide still in the flesh And thus is M. More fallen vpoÌ„ predestination and is compelled wish violence of Scripture to confesse that which he hateth and studieth to make appeare false to stablish freewill with all not so much of ignoraunce I feare as for lucres sake and to get honour promotioÌ„ dignitie and money by helpe of our mitred monsters Take exaÌ„ple of Balam the false Prophet which gaue counsell sought meanes through like blynd couetousnesse to make the truth and prophesie which God had shewed him false He had the knowledge of y e truth but with out loue therto and therfore for vauntage became enemy vnto the truth but what came of hym But M. More pepereth his conclusioÌ„ lest men should feele the tast saying if we endeuour our selues and captiue our vnderstandyng to beleue O how betleblynd is fleshly reason the will hath none operation at all in the workyng of fayth in my soule no more then the child hath in the begettyng of hys father For sayth Paule it is the gift of God and not of vs. My witte must coÌ„clude good or bad yer my will can loue or hate My witte must shew me a true cause or an apparent cause why yer my will haue any workyng at all And of that peperyng it well appeareth what the Popes fayth is euen a blynd imagination of their naturall witte wrought without the light of the spirite of God agreing vnto their voluptuous lustes in which their beastly wil so deliteth that hee will not let their wittes atteÌ„de vnto any other learning for vnquietyng hym selfe and styrring from his pleasure and delectation And thus we be as farre a sunder as euer we were and his mighty argumentes proue not the value of a poding pricke M. More feeleth in his hart by inspiration and with his endeueryng him self and captiuatyng his vnderstandyng to beleue it that there is a Purgatory as whot as hell Wherein if a sily soule were appointed by God to lye a thousand yeares to purge him with all the Pope for the value of a groat shall commaunde him thence ful purged in the twinkelyng of an eye by as good reason if her were goyng thence kepe him there still He feeleth by inspiration and in captiuatyng hys wittes that the Pope can worke wonders with a Caiues skinne that he can commaunde one to eate fâ—esh though he be neuer so lusty and that an other eate none on payne of daÌ„natioÌ„ though he should dye for lacke of it and that he can forgeue sinne and not the payne as much and as litle of the payne or all if he lust and yet can neither helpe hym to loue the law or to beleue or to hate the flesh seyng he preacheth not And such thinges innumerable M. More feleth true and therfore beleueth that the Pope is the true Church And I cleane coÌ„trary fele that there is no such worldly and fleshly imagined Purgatory For I feele that the soules be purged onely by the word of God doctrine of Christ as it is written Iohn xv ye be cleane through the word saith Christ to his Apostles And I feele agayne that he which is cleane through the doctrine needeth not but to washe his feete onely for his head handes are cleane all ready Iohn xiij that is he must tame his flesh kepe it vnder for his soule is cleane all ready through the doctrine I feele also that bodyly payne doth but purge the body onely in so much that the payne not onely purgeth not the soule but maketh it more foule except that there be kynde learning by to purge the soule so that the more a maÌ„ beateth his soÌ„ne the worse he is except he teach him louingly shew him kindnesse besides partly to kepe hym from
violence euen so once our hartes sinned as naturally with full lust and consent vnto the fleshe the deuill possessing our hartes and keeping out the light of grace What good towardnesse and endeuour can we haue to hate sinne as long as we loue it What good towardnes can we haue vnto the will of God while we hate it and be ignoraunt therof Can the will desire that the witte seeth not Can the will long for and sigh for that the witte knoweth not of Can a maÌ„ take thought for that losse that he wotteth not of what good endeuour can the Turkes children the Iewes children and the Popes infantes haue when they be taught all falshead onely with like perswasions of worldly reason to be all iustified with workes It is not therefore as Paule saith of the running or willing but of the mercy of God that a man is called and chosen to grace The first grace the first fayth and the first iustifiyng is geuen vs freely sayth M. More which I would faine wete how it will stand with his other doctrine whether he meane any other thyng by chosyng them to haue Gods spirite geuen me and fayth to see the mercy that is layd vp for me to haue my sinnes forgeuen without all deseruyng preparyng of my self God did not see onely that the these that was saued at Christes death should come thether but God chose him to shew his mercy vnto vs that should after beleue and prouided actually wrought for the bringyng of him thether that day to make him see and to receaue the mercy that was layd vp for him in store before the world was made The xij Chaptâ—… IN y t xij in chaffyng himself to heape lye vpon lye he vttereth his feleable blindnesse For he axeth this question wherfore serueth exhortatioÌ„s vnto faith if the hearers haue not libertie of their frewill by whiche together with Gods grace a man may labour to submitte the rebellion of reason vnto the obedieÌ„ce of faith and credence of the worde of God Wherof ye see that besides his graunt that reason rebelleth agaynst fayth coÌ„trary to the doctrine of his first booke he will that the will shall compell the witte to beleue Whiche is as much to say as the carte must draw the horses and the sonne beget the father and the authoritie of the Church is greater theÌ„ Gods word For the wil can not teach the wit nor lead her but foloweth naturally so that what soeuer the witte iudgeth good or euill that the will loueth or hateth If the witte see and leade straight the will foloweth If the witte be blynde and leade amisse the will foloweth cleane out of y t way I can not loue Gods worde before I beleue it nor hate it before I iudge it false and vanitie He might haue wiselier spoken on this maner wherfore serueth the preachyng of fayth if the wit haue no power to draw the will to loue that whiche the wit iudgeth true and good If the will be nought teach the wit better the will shall alter and turne to good immediatly Blindnesse is the cause of ali euil and light the cause of all good so that where the fayth is right there the hart can not consent vnto euill to folow the lustes of the flesh as the popes fayth doth And this conclusion hath he halfe a doseÌ„ tymes in his boke that the will may compell the witte and captiuate it to beleue what a maÌ„ lusteth Verely it is like that his wittes be in captiuitie and for vauntage tangled with out holy fathers sophistrie His doctrine is after his owne feelyng and as the profession of his hart is For the Popish haue yelded theÌ„ selues to folow the lustes of their flesh compel their witte to absteine froÌ„ looking on y e truth lest she should vnquiet them and draw them out of the podell of their filthy voluptuousnesse As a carte that is ouerladen goyng vp an hill draweth the horses backe and in a tough mire maketh them stand still And then the carter the deuill whiche driueth theÌ„ is euer by and whistelleth vnto them and biddeth them captiuate their vnderstaÌ„dyng vnto profitable doctrine for which they shal haue no persecution but shal reigne and be kynges and enioy the pleasures of the world at their owne will The xiij Chapter IN the xiij hee sayth that the Clergie burneth no man As though the pope had not first fouÌ„d the law as though all his preachers babled not that in euery Sermon burne these heretickes burne them for we haue no other argument to conuince them and as though they compelled not both Kyng Emperour to sweare that they shall so do yer they crowne them Then hee bringeth in prouisions of Kyng Henry the v. Of whom I aske M. More whether he were right heyre vnto England or held hee the land with the sworde as an heathen tyraunt agaynst all right Whom the Prelates lest he should haue had leysure to hearken vnto the truth sent into Fraunce to occupie his mynde in warre and led hym at their will And I aske whether his father slew not his leige kyng and true inheritour vnto the crowne and was therefore set vp of the Byshops a false kyng to mainteine theyr falshead And I aske whether after that wicked deede folowed not the destruction of the comminaltie and quenchyng of all noble bloud The xiiij Chapter IN the xiiij he affirmeth that Martine Luther sayth it is not lawfull to resiste the Turke I wonder that hee shameth not so to lye seyng that Martine hath written a singular treatise for the contrary Besides that in many other workes he proueth it lawfull if he inuade vs. The xvi Chapter IN the xvi he alledgeth Councels I aske whether Councels haue authoritie to make Articles of the faith with out Gods worde yea and of thynges improued by Gods word He alledgeth Augustine Hierome Cypriane Let him put their workes in English and S. Prosperus with them Why damned they the vnion of Doctours but because the Doctours are agaynst them And when he alledgeth Martyrs let him shew one and take the calfe for his labour And in the end he biddeth beware of theÌ„ that liue well in any wise As though they whiche lyue euill can not teach amisse And if that be true then they be of the surest side M. When Tyndall was apposed of his doctrine yer hee went ouer see he sayde and sweare he ment no harme Tyndall He sware not neither was there any man that required an othe of him but he now sweareth by him whoÌ„ â—e trusteth to be saued by that hee neuer ment or yet meaneth any other harme then to suffer all that God hath prepared to be leyd on his backe for to bryng his brethreÌ„ vnto the light of our Sauiour Iesus which the Pope thorough falshead and corruptyng such Poetes as ye are ready vnto
Christe which wist all thyng before hand sayth Math. xviij Wo be vnto the world by reason of occasions of euill and sayth also that it caÌ„ not be auoyded but that occasions shall come therfore it caÌ„ not be chosen but that many shall ouer fall when a weake brother hath trespassed by what law shall he be punished verely by the law of loue whose properties thou readest in the 1. Cor. xiij If the loue of God whiche is my professioÌ„ be written in myne hart it will not let me hate my weake brother when hee hath offended me no more then natural loue wil let a mother hate her child when it trespasseth agaynst her My weake brother hath offended me he is falleÌ„ his weakenesse hath ouerthroweÌ„ him it is not right by the law of loue that I should now fall vpon hym and treade him downe in the myre and destroy him vtterly But it is right by the law of loue that I runne to him helpe him vp agayne By what processe we should go to law with our trespassers Christ teacheth vs Math. xviij Tell him his faulte betwene him and thee with all mekenesse remembring thou art a man and mayst fall also If he repent and thou loue him ye shal soone agree and then forgeue him And when thou forgeuest thy neighbour theÌ„ thou art sure that God forgeueth thee thy trespasses by his holy promise Math. vj. If hee heare thee not then take a neighbour or two If he heare them not then tell the congregation where thou art and let the preacher pronounce Gods law against him and â—et the sad and discrete men rebuke him and exhorte him vnto repentaunce If he repent and thou also loue him accordyng to thy professioÌ„ ye shall soone agree If he heare not the congregation then let him be taken as an heathen If he that is offended be weake also theÌ„ let them that be stroÌ„g go betwene and helpe them And in lyke maner if any sinne agaynst the doctrine of Christ and the profession of a Christen man so that he be a dronckard and an whore keper or what soeuer open sinne he do or if he teach false learnyng then let such be rebuked opeÌ„ly before the congregation and by the authoritie of Scripture And if they repent not let them be put out of the congregation as heathen people If they theÌ„ be not ashamed we haue no remedy but pacieÌ„tly to abide what God wil do and to pray in the meane tyme that God will open their hartes and geue theÌ„ repentaunce Other law then this Christes Gospel knoweth not nor the officers therof It is manifest therfore that the kingdome of Christ is a spirituall kingdom which no man can minister well and a teÌ„porall kingdome to as it is sufficieÌ„tly proued because that no man whiche putteth his hand to the plow and looketh backe is apt for the kyngdome of heauen as Christ aunswered Luke ix vnto him y t would haue folowed hym but would first haue take leaue of his houshold If a man put his haÌ„d to the plow of Gods worde to preach it and looke also vnto worldly businesse his plow will surely go awry And therefore sayth Christe vnto an other that would likewise folow him but desired first to go and bury his father Let the dead bury the dead but come thou and shew or preach the kyngdome of God As who should say he that will preach the kingdome of god which is Christs Gospell truly must haue his hart no where els What officers the Apostles ordeined in Christes Church and what their offices were to do WHerfore the Apostles folowyng and obeyng the rule doctrine commaundement of our Sauiour Iesus Christ their master ordeined in his kyngdome and congregation two officers One called after the Breeke worde Byshop in English an ouersear which same was called Priest after the Greeke Elder in English because of his age discretioÌ„ and fadnesse for he was as nigh as could be alway an elderly maÌ„ as thou seest both in the new and old Testament also how the officers of the Iewes be called the Elders of the people because as thou mayst well thinke they were ouer old men as nigh as could be For vnto age do men naturally obeye and vnto age doth God commauÌ„de to geue honour saying Leuâ— xix Rise vp before the horehead and reuerence the face of the old man And also experience of things and coldnesse without whiche it is hard to rule well is more in age theÌ„ in youth And this ouersear dyd put hys handes vnto the plow of Gods worde and fed Christes flocke and tended theÌ„ onely without lookyng vnto any other businesse in the world An other officer they chose and called him Deacon after the Greke a minister in English to minister the almes of the people vnto the poore and nedy For in the coÌ„gregation of Christ loue maketh euery mans gift goods commoÌ„ vnto the necessitie of his neighbour Wherfore the loue of God beyng yet hoate in the hartes of men the rich that had the substauÌ„ce of this worldes goodes brought of their aboundaunce great plentie vnto the sustentation of the poore deliuered it vnto the haÌ„ds of the Deacons And vnto the helpe of the DeacoÌ„s were widowes of lx yeare old holy vertuous and destitute of frendes chosen to tende wayte vpon the sicke and to wash the Saints fete that came from one congregation vnto an other whether for any businesse or for feare of persecution And those common goodes of the Churche offered for the succour of the poore grew in all Churches so excedyngly that in some congregation it was so much that it was sufficient to mayntaine an host of men In so much that tyrauntes did oft tymes persecute the Christen for those common goodes as thou seest in the life of S. Laurence the Deacon of Rome And moreouer the couetousnes of the Prelates was the decay of ChristeÌ„dome and the encreasing of the kyngdome of Mahomete For by the first springing of the empyre of Mahomete the Emperours Kynges and great Lordes of Christendome had geuen their treasure so mightely vnto the Church what after great victories what at their deathes that their successours were not able to maintaine battell against the Saracenes Turkes for the world was not yet in such captiuitie that they coulde make theyr subiectes sweare on bookes what they were worth rayse vp taxes at their pleasure so that a certayne writer of stories sayth â–ª The prelates gaped wheÌ„ the laye meÌ„ would take the warre vppon them agaynst the Turkes the laye men looked when the Prelates woulde lay out their money to make the warre withall and not to spend it in worse vse as the most part of them were wont to do spending the money that was gotten with almose bloude of martyrs vppon goodly plate and great vesseles of golde
inch of her honour or Saint Peters seate one iot of her right And Anselmus that was Byshop in short tyme after neuer left striumge with that mighty prince kyng William the second vntill he had compelled him maugre his teeth to deliuer vp the inuestiture or election of Byshops vnto Saint Peters vicar which inuestiture was of olde tyme the kynges dutie And agayne when the sayde kyng William woulde haue had the tribute that Priestes gaue yearely vnto theyr Byshoppes for their whores payde to hym did not Rāfe Byshop of Chichester forbid Gods seruice as they call it and stoppe vp the Church doores with thornes thoroughout all his diocesse vntill the kyng had yelded hym vp his tribute agayne For when the holy father had forbode Priestes theyr wyues the Byshop permitted them whores of their owne for a yearely tribute do still yet in all landes saue in England where they may not haue any other saue mens wiues onely And agayne for the election of Steuē Langton Archbyshop of Canterbury what mysery and wretchednes was in the realme a long season Then was y e land interdited many yeares And whē that holpe not then Ireland rebelled agaynst kyng Iohn immediatly not without the secrete workinge of our Prelates I dare well say But finally when neither the interditing neither that secrete subtiltie holpe and when Iohn would in no meanes consent that Saint Peters vicar should raigne alone ouer the spiritualtie and ouer all that pertayned vnto them and y t they should sinne and do all mischiefe vnpunished the Pope sent remission of sinnes to the kyng of Fraunce for to goe and conquere his land Whereof kyng Iohn was so sore afrayde that he yelded vp his crowne vnto the Pope and sware to holde the land of him and that his successours should do so likewyse And againe in king Richardes dayes the second Thomas Arundell Archbyshop of Canterbury and Chauncellar was exiled wyth the Earle of Darby The outward pretence of the variaūce betwene the king and hys Lords was for the deliueraunce of the towne of Breste in Britayne But our prelates had an other secrete mistery a bruyng They could not at their owne lust slea the poore wretches which at that tyme were conuerted vnto repētaunce to y t true fayth to put their trust in Christes death bloud sheding for the remissiō of their sinnes by the preaching of Iohn Wiclefe As soone as the Archbyshop was out of the realme the Irishmen began to rebell agaynst kyng Richarde as before agaynst kyng Iohn But not hardly without the inuisible inspiration of thē that rule both in the courte and also in the consciences of all men They be one kyngdome sworne together one to helpe an other scatered abroad in all realines And howbeit that they striue amōg themselues who shal be greatest yet agaynst the temporal power they be alwayes at one though they dissemble it faine as though one helde agaynst the other to know their enemies secretes to betray them withall They can enspyre priuely into the brestes of the people what mischiefe they liste no man shall know whence it cōmeth Their letters go secretly from one to an other thoroughout all kingdomes Saint Peters vicar shall haue worde in xv or xvj dayes from the vttermost part of Christendome The Byshops of Englande at their neede can write vnto the Byshops of Ireland Scotland Denmarke Douchland Fraūce and Spayne promising them as good a turne an other tyme putting thē 〈◊〉 remembraunce that they be all one holy Church and that the cause of y t tone is the cause of the tother saying if our iugglinge breake out youres can not belong hid And the other shall serue their turne and bring the game vnto their handes and no man shall know how it commeth about Assoone as kyng Richard was gone to Ireland to subdue these rebellions the Byshop came in againe and preuēted the kyng and tooke vp his power agaynst hym and tooke him prisoner and put him downe and to death most cruelly and crowned the Erle of Darbye Kyng O mercifull Christ what bloud hath that coronacion cost England but what care they their causes must be auenged He is not worthy to bee kyng that will not auenge their quarels For do not the kyngs receaue their kyngdome of the beast sweare to worship hym and maintayne hys throne And thē whē the Erle of Darbye which was king Henry the fourth was crowned the prelates tooke hys sworde and his sonnes Henry the fift after hym as all the kynges swordes since and abused them to shed Christē bloud at their pleasure And they coupled their cause vnto the kynges cause as now and made it treasō to beleue in Christ as the scripture teacheth and to resiste the Byshops as now and thrust them in the kinges prisons as now so that it is no new inuention that they now do but euen an olde practise though they haue done theyr busie cure to hide their sciēce that their conueyaunce should not be espyed And in kyng Henry the sixt dayes how raged they as fierce Liōs against good Duke Humfrey of Glocester the kynges vncle and protectour of the realme in the kynges youth and childhod because that for him they myght not slea whom they would and make what cheuysaunce they lusted Would not the Byshoppe of winchester haue fallen vpon him and oppressed him openly with might and power in the citie of London had not the Citizens come to his helpe But at the last they founde y t meanes to contriue a drift to bring their matters to passe and made a Parlyament farre from the Cityzens of London where was slayne the good Duke and onely wealth of the realme and the mighty shylde that so long before that kept it from sorow which shortly after his death fell theron by heapes But the chronicles can not tell wherfore he dyed nor by what meanes No maruell verely For he had neede of other eyes then such as y e worlde seeth withall that should spye out their priuy pathes Neuerthelesse the chronicles testifie that he was a vertuous man a godly and good to the commō wealth Moreouer the proctour of purgatory saith in his Dialoge quod I and quod he and quod your frende how that the foresayd Duke of Glocester was a noble mā and a great clarcke and so wise that he coulde spye false myracles and disclose them and iudge them from the true which is an hatefull science vnto our spiritualtie and more abhorred amongest them then Necromancye or witchcrafte and a thyng wherfore a man by their lawe I dare well say is worthy to dye and that secretly if it be possible Now to be good to the common wealth and to see false myracles and thyrdly to withstand that Fraūce then brought vnder the foote of the Englishmen should not be set vp agayne by whose power the
repugnaunce imperfection or that should derogate minish or hurt his glory his name The glory of his Godhead is to bee present and to fill all places at once essencially presently with his almightie power which glory is denyed to any other creature him selfe saying by his Prophet I will not giue my glory to any other creature now therfore syth his maÌ„head is a creature it caÌ„ not haue this glory onely whiche is appropried to the Godhead To attribute to his manhode that propertie whiche onely is appropried to hys Godhead is to confounde both the natures of Christ What thing so euer is euery where after the sayd maner that must nedes be infinite without begynnyng and end it must be one alone and almightie whiche properties onely are appropried vnto the glorious maiestie of the Godhead Wherefore Christes body may not be in all or in many places at once Christ him selfe saying as concerning his manhooâ— He is lesse then the father but as touchyng his Godhead the father I be both one thyng And Paule recityng the Psalme affirmeth Christ as concernyng his manhode to be lesse then God or lesse then aungels as some text hath it Here it is playne that all thinges that More imagineth fayneth are not possible to God for it is not possible for God to make acreature equall vnto him selfe for it includeth repugnauÌ„ce derogateth his glory God promised swore that all nations should be blessed in the death of that promised seede which was Christ God had determined and decreed it before the world was made Ergo Christ must needes haue dyed and not to expouÌ„de this word Oportet as More mynseth it For it was so necessary that the contrary was impossible except More would make God a lyer which is impossible Paule concludeth that Christ must nedes haue dyed vsyng this Latine terme Necesse Saying where so euer is a TestameÌ„t there must the death of the Testament maker go betwene or els the Testament is not ratified sure but righteousnes and remission of sinnes in Christes bloud is his new Testament whereof he is mediatour Ergo the Testament maker must nedes haue died Wrest not therfore M. More this word Oportet though ye finde Potest for Oportet in some corrupt copy vnto your vnsauery sence But let Oportet signifie he must or it behoueth hym to dye For he tooke our very mortall nature for y e same decreed couÌ„cel himselfe saying Oportet exaltari filium hominis c. It behoueth that the sonne of maÌ„ must dye that euery one that beleueth in him perish not c. Here may ye see also y t it is impossible for God to breake his promise It is impossible to God which is that veritie to be found contrary in his deedes and wordes as to saue them whom he hath damned or to damne them whom hee hath saued wherefore all thynges imagined of M. Mores brayne are not possible to God And when More sayth that Christ had power to let his lyfe and to take it agayne therfore not to haue dyed of necessitie I woÌ„der me that his scholemaister here sayled him so cunnyng as he maketh him selfe therin which grauÌ„teth and affirmeth as true it is that with the necessary decreed woorkes of Gods forsight and prouidence staÌ„deth right wel his free libertie But M. More sayth at last if God would cell me that hee would make ech of both their bodyes two meanyng the young mans body and his to be in fiften places at once I would beleue him that he werable to make his wordes true in the bodies of both twayne and neuer would I so much as aske hym whether hee would glorifie them both first or not but I am sure glorified or vnglorified if he sayd it he is able to do it â—o here may ye see what a â—erueÌ„t fayth this old man hath and what an earnest mynde to beleue Christes woordes if hee had told him but I pray you M. More what and if Christ neuer told it you nor said it nor neuer would would ye not be as hasty not to beleue it If he told it you I praye you tell vs where you spake with hym and who was by to beare ye recorde and if you bryng as false a shrew as your selfe to testify this thyng yet by your own doctrine must ye make vs a miracle to confirme your tale ere we be bound to beleue you or yet to admit this your argument God may make his body in many places at once Ergo it is so Syr ye be to busie with Gods almighty power and haue taken to great a burden vppon your weake shoulders ye haue ouerladen your selfe with your own harnesse and weapons and young Dauid is likely to preuayle agaynst you with his sling and stone God hath infatuated your high subtill wisedome Your crafty conueyaunce is spyed God hath sent your Church a mete couer for such a cup eueÌ„ such a defender as ye take vppon your selfe to be that shall let all theyr whole cause fall flatte in the myer vnto both your shames and vtter coÌ„fusion God therfore be praysed euer Amen Then sayth M. More though it semeth repugnaunt both to him to me one body to bee in two places at once yet God seeth how to make them stand together well inough This man with his old eyen spectacles seeth farre in Gods sight and is of his preuey Councel that knoweth belike by some secret reuelation how God seeth one body to be in many places at once includyng no repugnaunce For worde hath hee none for him in all Scripture no more theÌ„ one body to be in al places at once It implyeth first repugnaunce to my sight and reason that all this world should be made of nothyng and that a virgin should bryng forth a child But yet when I see it written with the wordes of my faith which God spake and brought it so to passe theÌ„ implyeth it no repugnaunce to me at all For my fayth reacheth it and receiueth it stedfastly For I know y t voyce of my herd man whiche if he sayd in any place of Scripture that his body should haue ben coÌ„tained vnder the forme of bread so many places at once here in earth and also abidyng yet still in heauen to Verely I would haue beleued him as soone and as firmely as M. More And therfore euen yet if he can shew vs but one sentence truly taken for his part as we caÌ„ do many for the contrary we must giue place For as for his vnwritteÌ„ verities the authority of his Antichristes sinagoge vnto which y t scripture forsaken hee is now at last with shame inough coÌ„pelled to flee they be proued starke lyes and very deuelry Then sayth hee that ye wot well that many good folke haue vsed in this matter many good fruitefull examples of Gods other workes not onely miracles writteÌ„ in Scripture Vnde versus
when we were not his childreÌ„ but his enemyes Christes disciples sayd to the man where is this gest chamber where I might eate the passing by with my disciples they prepared the passeouer And yet Christ eate not the passeouer but the lambe with his disciples where it is plaine y e signe to do on the name of the thyng At last consider vnto what eude all things tended in that last supper how the figure teached the veritie the shadow the body and how the veritie abolished the figure and the shadow gaue place to the body Loke also with what congruence proportion and similitude both in the action the spech al things were consummate and finished and all to lead vs by such seusible signes from the figure vnto the veritie froÌ„ the flesh vnto the spirite And take thou here this infallible assured saying of Christ neuer to fall fro thy mynde in this last supper do ye this into the remeÌ„brauÌ„ce of me And also of Paul saying So oft as ye shal eate this bread lo this heretike calleth it bread eueÌ„ after the words of the Popes coÌ„secratioÌ„ and drinke of this cup praise declare geue thankes for the death of the Lord vntill he shall come agayne to iudgement RemeÌ„ber thou also what Christ sayd to the carnall Iewes takyng the eatyng of hys flesh and drinkyng of his bloud so carnally aunsweryng them My flesh profiteth not meanyng to eate it bodely but the spirite maketh lyfe And to this set the Prophet Abacukes senteÌ„ce The iust lyueth of his fayth And now Christen reader to put thee cleane out of doubt that Christes body is not here present vnder the forme of bread as the papistes haue mocked vs many a day but in heauen euen as he rose and asceÌ„ded Thou shalt know that he told hys Disciples almost twenty tymes betwene the xiij and xviij chap. of Iohn that he should and would goe hence and leaue this world Where to comfort them agayne for that they were so heauy for his bodely absence he promised to send them hys holy Ghost to be their comforter defender and teacher in whom and by whom he would be present with them and all faithfull vnto the worldes end Hee sayd vnto hys Disciples I goe hence I goe the father I leaue the world and now shall I no more be in the world but ye shall abyde still in the world Father I come to thee Poore men haue ye euer with you but me shall ye not alwayes haue with you And wheÌ„ he ascended vnto heaueÌ„ they did behold hym saw the cloude take hys body out of theyr syght and they fastnyng their eyes after him the two men clothed in white sayd vnto them ye men of Galile wherefore stand ye thus lookyng vp into heauen This is Iesus that is taken vp from you into heauen whiche shall so come agayne euen as ye haue sene him going hence Here I would not More to flitte froÌ„ hys litterall playne sense All these so playne wordes be sufficient I trow to a Christen man to certifie hys conscience that Christ went his way bodely ascendyng into heauen For wheÌ„ he had told his disciples so oft of his bodely departyng from them they were maruelous heauy and sad Vnto whoÌ„ Christ sayd Because I told you that I go hence your hartes are full of heauines If they had not beleued hym to haue spokeÌ„ of his very bodely absence they would neuer haue so mourned for his goyng away And for because they so vnderstode him and he so meane as his wordes sowned He added as he should haue sayd be ye neuer so heauy or how heauely so euer ye take my goyng hence yet do I tell you truth For it is expedient for you that I goe hence For if I should not go hence that comforter should not come vnto you But and if I go hence I shall send him vnto you And agayne in the same chap. I am come from the father and am come into the world and shall leaue the world agayne and go to my father What mistery thinke ye should be in these so manifest woordes Did he speake them in any darke parables Dyd he meane otherwise theÌ„ he spake Dyd he vnderstand by goyng hence so ofteÌ„ repeted to tary here still or dyd he meane by forsakyng and leauyng the world to be but inuisible beyng still in the world with his body No surely For he meant as faithfully as playnly as his wordes sowned and euen so dyd hys Disciples without any more maruelyng vnderstand him For they aunswered him saying Lo now speakest thou apertly neither speakest thou any prouerbe But what a darke prouerbe and subtile ridle had it bene if he had meant by his goyng hence to haue â—aryed here still and by forsakyng the world to abyde still in the world and by his going hence to his father by his very bodely Ascention to be but inuisible Who would intrepret this plaine sentence thus I go hence that is to saye I tary here still I forsake the world and goe to the father that is to say I will be but inuisible and yet here abyde still in the world bodely For as concernyng his Godhead which was euer with the father and in all places at once he neuer spake such woordes of it When Christ sayd his death now was at hand vnto his Disciples now agayneÌ„ I forsake the world and go to my father but ye shall tary still in the world If they will expound by his for sakyng the world to tary here still bodely and to be but inuisible why do they not by lyke exposition interprete the tarying here still of the Disciples at that tyme to be gone hence bodely and to be here visible For Christ dyd set these contraryes one agaynst an other to declare ech other As if to tary here still dyd signifie to the Disciples that they should abyde in the world as it doth in deede then must needes his goyng hence and forsakyng the world signifie his bodely absence as both the wordes playnly lowne Christ meant and they vnderstoode them But in so plaine a matter what neede these wordes Be thou therefore sure Christen reader that Christes glorified body is not in this world but in heauen as he thether ascended in which body he shal come euen as he went gloriously with power and great maiestie to iudge all the world in the last day Be thou therfore assured that he neuer thus iuggled nor mocked hys so dearely beloued Disciples so full of heauynes now for his bodely departyng For if he had so meant as our Papistes haue peruerted hys saying hys Disciples would haue wondered at so straunge maner of spech and he would haue expressed his mynde playnly sith at this tyme hee was so full set to leaue them in no doubt but to comforte them with hys playne and comfortable wordes And if he would haue ben
of our sinnes For there is no such losse of tyme damage hurt or hinderauÌ„ce towardes God For we neither hurt nor hynder hym although we neuer aske forgeuenesse but be damned perpetually So that it is our profite to aske it and our hurt and hinderauÌ„ce iâ— we aske it not If I owe a maÌ„ xx li. the lâ—â—ger I kéepe it the more is my profiâ—e the more his losse but God receaueth vâ— young he receaueth vs at maÌ„s state he receaueth vs old and thinketh it no losse or hurt then to receaue vs for he saith by his Prophet The wickednes of the wicked shal not hurt hym in what day soeuer hée turne from his vngodlynesse â—zech xxxiâ—j But it should surely hurt hym if hee should broyle in Purgatory for it Wherfore either there is no such paynefull Purgatory or els can not I sée how the Prophet whiche speaketh these woordes in the person of God should be true I shall poure vpon you cleane water sayth God the father you shal bee clensed from all your iniquities Ezech. xxxvi If we bee purged from all what néede an other Purgatory néede we more purgyng when all are clensed I will surely conuerte Iuda and turne Israell vnto me and I will purifie them from all theyr iniquities wherewith they hauâ— offended me Hieremie xxxiâ—j If hée purifie them from all what should they do in Purgatory I will be mercyfull vnto their wickednes their sinnes will I no more remember Hieremy xxxj Hebr. viâ—j If hee will not remember our sinnes any more then may we be sure that he will not frye vs in the fire of Purgatory for our sinnes NOw let vs sée his secoÌ„d argumeÌ„t which is in the. iiij chap. and is surely fond how beit his solution is yet more foolishe The summe of his argument is this Man was made and ordeined to haue an infinite beyng therfore after this mortalitie and death hee must haue infinite ioye or infinite payne I will put you a like argument A man is ordeined in this world to be a kyng or a subiect therefore after he is borne he is euer a kyng or els euer a subiect Now may this be false for peraduenture he may be borne a subiect and after made king or els he may bee borne a kyng and after deposed made a subiect Therefore this argument holdeth not formally But it holdeth on this maner as I should say to an Ape thou must néedes be an ape or an asse whiche now is true But if I should say the very same wordes to M. Iohn Rastell I thinke he would be angry and say that it were false And I suppose our scholemen will say that he lyeth and put hym an example of the infantes that dye without Christendome whiche as the scholemen say shall neuer haue ioy nor payne But I wil graunt him his argument to sée how properly he will confute it Now marke his aunswere which standeth in the v. chapter There are degrees in sinnes some sinnes are great and some greater and therfore must there be degrees in punishment some punishment is great and some greater Well for your pleasure I am content to grauÌ„t you this to But els were it a matter worthy disputation what now When that a man sayth Rastell here in earth hath committed a great sinne and offence and taken repentaunce whereby the sinne is forgeueÌ„ marke that he beyng ignoraunt of Christ sayth through repentaunce the sinne is forgeueÌ„ and yet hath not taken such sufficient repeÌ„taunce therfore nor had any sufficieÌ„t punishmeÌ„t which should make a full payment and satisfaction for that sinne and dyeth before any condigne or full satisfaction made God must then of his righteousnes ordeine a place of Purgatory wher his soule shall haue a further punishment to make a condigne and full satisfaction for that sinne and so to bee purged and purified before it shal be able and woorthy to be admitted to receaue the eternall ioye in heauen First brethren you must graunt that we haue a Christ or no Christ a redemer or no redemer a iustifier or no iustifier If there be none such as Rastell with his Turke Gingemini suppose then all the repentaunce in the worlde could not satisfie for one sinne but who soeuer committed a sinne should be damned therfore So that Rastell speaketh and seyeth all in diminutiues for where he should of truth spye hell there espyeth he but Purgatory And where he should say that all sinners if they sticke not to Christes bloud shall be damned eternally there sayth he that they shal be punished in Purgatory And to be short if Rastell say truth theÌ„ is Christ dead in vayne If hee say not truth why sticke you to his reasoÌ„ But peraduenture thou that knowest Christ wilt say as many doe that Christes death and redemptioÌ„ serueth thée but for original sinne or at most for those sinnes that thou committedest before Baptisme To that I aunswere with S. Iohn Children this do I write vnto you that ye sinne not And if any man sinne yet we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christe whiche is righteous And he it is that obtaineth grace for our sins not for our sinnes onely but also for the sinnes of all the world To whoÌ„ wrote S. Iohn this Epistle Thinke you that he wrote not vnto the Christen and them that were all ready Baptised And yet he sayd if any man sinne we haue an aduocate with y e father Iesus Christ which is righteous and he it is that obtaineth grace for our sinnes Loe he adnumbreth him selfe also for he sayth we haue an aduocate and saith agayn for our sinnes Ye may sée that he meaneth not onely original sinne neither yet the sinnes done before baptisme for I doubt not but he was Baptized wheÌ„ he wrote this Epistle and yet sayd he if we sinne meaning after Baptisme or when soeuer it be we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ this is S. Iohns learning he knew no other remedy if we fell into sinne but onely Christ Notwithstandyng our Prelates haue practised further for they say if any man sinne he shal lye in the paynes of purgatory vntill he be deliuered thence by Masse pence the Popes pardon or certaine other Suffragies but not without money you may be sure Christ sayth no man commeth vnto the father but thorough me Iohn xiij for sayth hee I am the way yes Lord our Prelates haue espyed an other way whiche although it be more paynfull vnto the poore yet is it more profitable for Prelates Come vnto me all ye that labour and are laden I will ease you sayth our Sauiour Christ Iesu Math. xj wilt thou send vs Lord into Purgatory forsooth there is litle ease if the fire bee so hote as our Prelates haue fayned it It is euen I that put
nor damage in spirituall fire that is temptation and persecution Or els if any man build vpon this foūdation woode hay or stubble that is if a man of good entent but yet thorough ignoraunce preach and teach you to sticke vnto ceremonies mēs traditions although they séeme neuer so glorious and to such thynges as are not groūded on Scripture as S. Cyprian taught and defended to rebaptise hym that was once Baptised and after fallen into heresie yea many Byshops consented vnto hym yet was it surely a great errour this is woode haye and stubble that cā not endure the fire of temptation lyght of Gods word Euery mans worke shal be declared for the day shall open it Albeit it prospere for a season in the darke and can not be perceiued yet whē the day commeth which is the light of Gods worde it shal be espyed and iudged The day shal open it that shal be reuelated in fire and the fire shall proue euery mans worke what it is Fire signifieth temptation tribulation persecution c. whiche shall proue euery mans workes If any mans worke that hee hath builded doe abyde this fire that is if the word that a man hath preached do abyde all assaultes temptatiōs it is a token that they are surely grounded on the Scripture of God and then shall the preacher receiue his reward If any mans worke be burnt that is if the preachers wordes will not abyde the tryall and light but vanish away then is it a token that they are not well grounded on Scripture and so shall he suffer hurt for it shal be a great crosse and vexation to the preachers hart that he hath bene so deceiued hym selfe and hath also ledde other into his errour Notwithstādyng he shal be saued because of his fayth in the foundation which is Christ and his ignoraunce shal be pardoned sith he erreth not of a malicious purpose but of a good zeale But yet shall it be as it were a fire to him for it shall greue his hart to sée that he had laboured in vayne and that hee must destroy the same which he before through ignoraunce preached this is the processe pure vnderstandyng of the text There is no man but he graūteth that these wordes foundation laying of foundation buildyng gold siluer precious stones wood haye and stubble are figuratiuely spoken and why cā they not suffer that this word fire be so taken to But where they finde this word fire what soeuer the processe be there plante they Purgatory by and by without any further consideratiō And yet if they had any iudgement at all they might well perceaue by Paules owne wordes that he tooke not this worde fire for material fire as they grossely imagine but proceded in his Allegory and spake it figuratiuely for Paule saith He shal be saued but so as it were thorough fire Marke well his wordes he sayth not that he shal be saued through fire But as it were thorough fire signifiyng that it shal be a great grief veratiō vnto him So that by these wordes of Paule a very child may perceaue what he ment Furthermore if they be so stifnecked that they will not bow to y t truth but still perseuer in their owne phantasies faynyng Purgatory out of this place thē will I boldly say vnto them that there shall no man enter into it but onely preachers For in this place Paul onely speaketh of them and affirmeth that it is their preachyng and learnyng that shall be so proued thorough fire and that such a Preacher shall be saued but yet as it were thorough fire And therfore may the temporaltie be of good comfort for I promise them that by this texte they shall neuer haue hurt in this their painfull Purgatory DOth not our blessed Sauiour him selfe say that there is a certaine sinne which a man may so cōmit agaynst the holy ghost that it shall neuer be remitted ▪ nor forgeuen neither in this world nor in the world to come Now when our Lorde sayth that the blasphemy agaynste the holy ghost shall not be forgeuē neither in this world nor in the world to come he geueth vs cleare knowledge that of other sinnes some shall bee forgeuen in this world and some in the world to come Although this argument be a very Sophisme yet is there neither one rule in Sophistry that can proue this argument nor yet one Sophister so foolish as to graunt it For if I should say vnto mine enemy that I would neither forgeue him as lōg as I lyued nor after my death because hee had done me some haynous trespasse then would men coūt hym worse thē made that would say Frith will not forgeue his enemy as long as he lyueth nor after his death Ergo some mē will forgeue their enemyes after their death For when I say that I will not forgeue hym neither in my life nor after my death I meane that I wil neuer forgeue him and make that addiction because hée should not of foolishnes looke for any such forgeuenesse But thus foloweth the argument well It shall not be forgeuen in thys world nor in the world to come ergo it shall neuer be forgeuen And euen so doth the holy euangelist S. Marke expounde these woordes of Christ in the thyrd chapter For Mathew saith chap. 12. He that speaketh agaynst the holy Ghost shal neuer haue it forgeuen in this world nor in the world to come Marke expoundeth it thus he that speaketh a blasphemy agaynst the holy Ghost hath no remission for euer but is giltie vnto euerlastyng damnation But of thys I haue spoken sufficiently before in soluting the Text 1 Ioh. 5. both what the sinne and also how the text is to be vnderstand Neither affirmeth the Scripture in any place that any sinne is forgeuen after thys lyfe but sayth be ready for ye know not the time when the Lorde shall come as who should say in this lyfe is remission and full mercy to be had labour therfore to attayne it for after thys lyfe is no such forgeuenes but euen as the Lord findeth thee so shall he iudge thée Hys next and last argument of scripture is this CHrist sayth as it is rehearsed in the xij of Matthew that men shall yeld a reckenyng of euery idle worde and that shall be after thys present lyfe Then wotteth euery man that by that reckoning is vnderstand a punishment therefore which shal not be in hell and much lesse in heauen and therfore can it be no where els but in Purgatory Verily I haue not heard of a patrone that so vnprofitably defendeth hys clyent nor yet of any man that geueth himselfe such proper trippes to cast himselfe except he went about to betray and vtterly destroy the part which he would séeme to fauour for thys text maketh more agaynst hym then any that he brought before séemeth to make with
the order of Melchisedech And he hym selfe brake the bread which hee gaue to shewe that the breakyng of hys body should not be done without hys own will c. And a little after And lykewyse he gaue them the cuppe after he had supped And because bread doth confirme or strength the fleshe and wyne worketh bloude in the fleshe therefore is the bread mystically referred vnto the bodye of Christ and the wyne referred vnto hys bloud Here may you note first that as the Lambe was a remembraunce of theyr deliueraunce out of Egypt and yet the Lambe deliuered them not so is the Sacrament a remembrance of our redemption and yet the Sacrament redéemed vs not Besides that he sayth that Christ in the stead of the fleshe and bloud of the Lambe dyd institute the Sacrament of hys flesh and bloud in figure of bread and wyne Marke well he sayth not that in the stead of Lambes fleshe bloud he dyd institute hys owne fleshe and bloud but sayth that he dyd institute the Sacrament of hys fleshe bloud What thyng is a Sacrament verely it is the signe of an holy thyng and there is no differeÌ„ce betwene a signe and a Sacrament but that the signe is referred vnto a worldly thyng and a Sacrament vnto a spirituall or holy thyng as S. Austen sayth Signa cum ad res dininas pertineÌ„t sacramenta appellantur That is to say Signes when they pertain vnto godly things are called sacramentes Therefore when Beda sayth that they did institute the sacrament of hys fleshe and bloud in the figure of bread wyne it is as much to say by S. Austens definition as that he dyd institute the figure of hys holy sleshe and bloud in the figure of bread and wyne that is to say that bread and wyne shoulde be the figure and signe representyng hys holy fleshe and bloud vnto vs for a perpetuall remembrance And afterwarde hee declareth the propertie for which the bread is called the body and the wyne the bloud sauyng hée speaketh not so darkely as I now do but plainly saith that the bread is mystically referred vnto the bodye of Christ because that as bread doth strength the fleshe so Christes bodye whiche is figured by the bread doth strength y t soule through fayth in hys death And so doth he clerely proue my purpose Now let vs sée what Chrisostome sayth which shall describe vs the faith of the ould grecyaÌ„s and I doubt not he had not lost the true fayth how so euer the world goo now a dayes Chrisostome sayth in this manner Si enim mortuus Iesus non est cuius signum et simbolum hoc sacrificium est vides quantuÌ„ ei studiuÌ„ fuerit vt semper memoria teneamus pro nobis ipsuÌ„ mortuuÌ„ fuisse That is to say for if Iesus haue not died whose memoriall and signe is y t sacrifice Thou séest what diligence he gaue that we should continuallye kéepe in memory that he died for vs. Here you may sée that Chrisostome calleth the SacrameÌ„t simboluÌ„ signuÌ„ that is to say a memoriall signe of Christe and that it was institute to kéepe his death in perpetuall remembraunce But of one thing thou must beware or els thou art deceiued he calleth it also a sacrifice and there thou must wisely vnderstaÌ„d hym For if it were the sacrifice of Christes body theÌ„ must Christes body be slayne there agayne which thing God forbyd And therfore thou must vnderstand him when he calleth it a sacrifice that he meaneth it to be a remeÌ„braunce of that holy sacrifice where Christes body was offered on y e crosse once for all For he can be sacrifised no more seing he is immortall Notwithstanding our prelates will heare note me of presumption that I dare bee so bolde to expound his minde on this fashioÌ„ For in déede the take him otherwise and thinke that it is a very sacrifice And therfore I will bring one other text where Chrisostome shall expound him selfe Chrisostome sayth Nonne per singulos dies offerrimus offerrimus quidem sed ad recorda â—â—onem mortis eius facientâ—s c et paulo poâ—t Non aliuâ— sacrificium sicut pontifex sed id ipsum semper facimus magis autem recordationem sacrificij opera mur. That is to say do we not dayly offer or do sacrifice yes surely But we do it for the remembraunce of his death for this sacrifice is an example of that we offer not an other sacrifice as the â–ª Byshoppe in the olde lawe dyd but euer the same yea rather a remembraunce of the sacrifice first he sayth that they dayly do sacrifice but it is in remembraunce of christes death then hee sayth that the sacrifice is an example of that Thyrdly he sayth that they offer not an other sacrifice that is to say an oxe or a goate as the Byshops of the old law but euer the same Marke this poynt for though it séeme at y e first sight to make with theÌ„ yet doth it make so directlye against them that they shall neuer be able to auoyde it Chrisostome sayth they do not offer an other sacrifice as the Byshops dyd but euer the same They offer other breade and wyne this day then they did yesterday they shal say an other Masse to morow theÌ„ they dyd this day Now if this bread and wyne or the Masse be a sacrifice then do they offer an other sacrifice as well as the Byshops of the ould lawe For this sacrifice did signifie y e Christ should come shed his bloud as well as the bread wine Massedo represent that he hath done it in dede And therfore if it be a sacrifice theÌ„ do they offer any other sacrifice represeÌ„ting his passioÌ„ aswell as y e Bishop of y e ould law But y t doth Chrisostome denye and sayeth that they offer euery day the same What same verely euen the same that was done and sacrificed when Christ shed his bloud In this sacrifice is Christ bound and buffeted and led from Anna to Cayphas he is brought to Pilate condemned he is scourged and crowned with thorne and nayled on the crosse and his hart opened with a speare so shedeth his bloud for our redemption Why Chrisostome and do you the selfe same sacrifice euery day yea verely TheÌ„ why doth S. Paule say that Christ is risen from death and dieth no more if he dye no more how do you dayly crucifie hym Forsoth Paule sayth truth For we do not actually indéede but onely in a mistery And yet we say that we do sacrifice hym and that this is his sacrifice for the celebration of the sacrament and memory of y t passion which we kéepe And for this cause it hath the name of the thing that it doth represent signifie And therefore I expounde my mynde by a rethorical correction and say magis recordationem sacrificij that is to
euē it that I sayd before that it was not possible to stand with the processe of the Scripture which we haue receaued And now hys mastership hath graunted it hym selfe which you may be sure he would not haue done if hee coulde otherwyse auoyde it And here you may see how sore I haue ouerséene my selfe God forbid that any man should be the more prone ready to beleue this yong man in this greate matter because he sayth in the beginning that he will bring all men to a concord a quietnes of conscience for he bringeth men to the worst kinde of quietnes that may be deuised when he telleth vs as he doth that euery man in this matter may without perell beleue which way he list Euery man may in euery matter without any counsell sone set hym self at rest if he list to take that way and to beleue as he list him selfe care not how But and if that way had bene sure S. Paule would neuer haue shewed that many were in perill of sicknes and death to For lacke of discerning reuerently the body of our Lord in that sacrament when they came to receiue hym When Christ should depart this world and go to his Father he gaue his desciples a commaundement that they should loue ech other saying by this shall all men knowe that ye are my disciples if you loue ech other as I haue loued you This rule of charitie wolde I not haue broken which notwithstanding is often in Ieopardie among faythfull folke for this sacrament of vnitie This thing considered I thought necessarie to aduertise both parties to saue this rule of charitie and proued in y e first chapter of my treatise that it was no article of the fayth necessary to be beleued vnder payne of damnatiō and therfore that they were to blame that would be contencious for the matter For sith it is no article of the fayth that may lawfully dissent without all Ieoperdye néede not to breake the rule of charitye but rather to receiue the other like pore brethren As by example Some thinke that the mariage betwéene our most redoubted prince Quéene Katerine is lawfull may stand with y ◠lawes of God some thinke that it is vnlawfull and ought to be disanulled now if we should for this matter breake the rule of charitie and euery man hate his neighbour that would not thinke as he doth then were we greatly to blame and in Ieoperdie of condemnation This I say I proued in y e first chapter against which More maketh no busines and improueth it not whereby you may soone gather that it is very true For els sith his mastership so laboureth in these other pointes he would not haue left y ◠vntouched you may be sure This is the concorde that I woulde bring them vnto And as touching quietnes of conscience I haue knowne manye that haue sore bene combred with it And among all A certaine master of arte which died in Oxford confessed vpon his death bed that he had wept lying in his bed an hundreth nyghtes within one yeares space because he coulde not beleue it Now if he had knowne it had bene no necessarye article what comfort quietnes should it haue bene vnto hym Furthermore euery man can not so quiet him selfe as M. More Imagineth For there are many that thinke them selues no small fooles which when they haue receiued some foolish superstition eyther by their owne Imagination or by beleuing their gossepes gospel and olde wiues tales by and by thinke the contrary to be deadly sinne and vtterly forbidden by Christes Gospell As by example I know an house of Religion wherein is a person that thinketh it deadly sinne to go ouer a strawe if it lye a crosse And if their be on the pauement any paynted picture or any Image grauen on a dead mans graue he will not tread vpon it although he should goe a forelong about What is this but vayne superstition wherewith the conscience is combred and corrupted May not this be wéeded out with the word of God shewing hym that it is none article of the fayth so to thinke then to tell hym that it is not forbidden by the scripture and that it is no sinne Now albeit his conscience be so cankerd that the rust will not be rubbed out yet with Gods grace some other whom he hath enfecte with the same may come agayne to Gods word and be cured full well which shoulde neuer haue bene able to quiet thēselues And likewise there are some which beleue as your superstitious hartes haue informed them and these can not quiet thēselues because they beleue y e you haue fet your doctrine out of scripture But when it is proued to them and they them selues perceiue that scripture sayth not so then can they not be content to thinke the contrary and iudge it no sinne at all And as touching S. Paule suerely ye take hym wrong for I will shew you what processe he taketh and how he is to be vnderstode but because it is not possible to finishe it in fewe words I shall deferre it vnto y e bokes ende and then I shall declare hym at large And what a facion is this to say that we may beleue if we list that there is the very body of our Lord in dede and then to tell vs for a truth that such a fayth is impossible to be true For God him selfe can neuer bring it about to make his body be there Yf a man take the bare wordes of Christ and of simplicitie be deceiued and thinke that his very body be in y e sacrament present to their téeth that eate it I dare not say that he sinneth therein but will referre the matter vnto Gods iudgement and yet without doubt I dare say he is deceaued As by example If a man deceaued by the literall sense would think that men should preach to fishes as Saint Fraunces did because Christ bad his disciples goe preach to all creatures yet would not I thinke y t he sinned therein but will referre hym vnto Gods Iudgment But yet I wene euery woman that hath any wit will say that he was deceiued I am very sure that the olde holy doctours which beleued Christes body and bloud to be there and so taught other to beleue as by there bookes playnly doth apere if they had thought eyther that it could not be there or that it was not ther in dede they would not for all the good in this world haue written as they haue done For would those holy men wene you haue taught that men be bound to beleue that the very body and bloud of Christ is there if thē selues thought they were not bound there to woulde they make men honoure and worship that thing as the very body bloud of Christ which them selues thought were not it this geare is to childish to
at a sore exigent when you were compelled to prooue this thynge with so â—auld a reason Who would haue looked for so simple a reason in so earnest a matter of so wise a man of so great a Doctour of so worshipfull a father and of the Bishop of London yea and of him that is called an other Salomon notwithstanding such an haltyng similitude dyd hée neuer learne in the Prouerbes of Salomon but it had béene a better similitude of the kings proclamatioÌ„ which is proclaimed y t all men might know it and also kéepe it no man is bound to kéepe it till it bée proclaimed likewise the Gospel was geuen for to bée proclaimed and euery man is bound to kéepe it Wherfore it must néedes bée proclaimed to euery man and vnto you my Lorde I beséeche God that you may bée one of them of whom it is spokeÌ„ To you is it geueÌ„ to know the misteryes of God Amen ¶ That mens constitutions which are not grounded in Scripture bynde not the conscience of man vnder the payne of deadly sinne TO this article we must note that there bée two maner of ministers or powers one is a temporal power the other is called a spiritual power the teÌ„porall power is coÌ„mitted of God to Kinges Dukes Earles Lordes Barons Iudges Maiors Shriues to all other ministers vnder theÌ„ these bée they that haue onely the teÌ„porall sword wherby they must order al y e coÌ„moÌ„ wealth with all world ly thinges loÌ„gyng thereunto as y e disposition of these worldly goodes who shal bée right owner and who not the probation of mens testamentes the ordering of payments and customes the settyng of all maner of taskes and forfaites the correction of all transgressions wherby the coÌ„mon wealth or any priuate person is disquieted or wronged as correction of théeues murderers harlotes baudes sclanderers wranglers extortioners brybers vserers false buyers and sellers and of all other thynges whereunto béelongeth any outwarde orderyng or any corporall payne In thys power is the kyng chiefe and full ruler all other bée ministers and seruauntes as Paule doth declare â—aying let euery soule bée subiect and obedient vnto the hye powers c. Also S. Peter bée subiect vnto the kyng as vnto the chiefe heade eyther vnto rulers as vnto theÌ„ that are sent of the kyng for the punishmeÌ„t of euill doers Vnto this power must wée bée obedient in all thynges that pertaine to the ministration of this present life and of the commoÌ„ wealth not alonely as Paule sayth for auoyding of punishment but also for dischargyng of our consciences for this is y e wyll of God So that if this power commaunde anything of tyranny against right and law alwayes prouided that it repugne not agaynst the Gospell nor destroye our fayth our charitie must néedes suffer it For as Paule sayth charitie suffereth all thyng Also our maister Christ If a man strike thee on the one chéeke turne hym the other for hée doth exercise tyranny But ouer these worldly goods these present thynges and ouer thy corporall bodye which Christen men doe not alonely not regarde but dispise it Neuertheles if hée commaunde thée any thyng agaynst ryght or doe thée any wronge As for an example cast thée in prison wrongfully if thou canst by any reasonable and quyet meanes without seditioÌ„ insurrectioÌ„ or breakyng of the commoÌ„ peace saue thy selfe or auoyde hys tyranny thou mayst doe it wyth good conscience As if thou were in prison if thou couldest auoyde without any sedition thou mayst lawfully doe it thy coÌ„science is frée so doyng and thou dooste not sinne nor offende the lawe of God as Paule sayth If thou mayste bée frée vse it but in no wise bée it ryght or wrong mayst thou make any resistaunce wyth sworde or wyth hand but obey except thou canst auoyde as I haue shewed thée But if y â— cause bée ryght lawfull or profitable to the coÌ„mon wealth thou must obey and thou mayst not flye wtout sinne That men haue fled from the tyranny and the wrong of thys power wée haue it openly in diuers places of scriptures As of Elezy that fled from the tyranny of the kyng of Siria Also Helyas fled from the tyranny of kyng Achas Also S. Peter fled out of prison And S. Paule out of the Citie of Damascum and out of Iconium as it is open in the Actes of the Apostles So that agaynst this power though thou haue wrong mayst thou not make any corporall resistaunce but alonely auoyde by flying or els kéepe y e thing that is commaunded thée But if it bée ryght and to the profite of the coÌ„mon wealth thou must both fulfill it and also abyde But now wil it bée inquired of mée of this case if it please y â— kinges grace to condemne the newe testament in Englishe and to commaunde that none of his subiectes shall haue it vnder displeasure whether they bée bounde to obey thys coÌ„maundement or no To this will I auÌ„swere That I doe béeléeue that our most noble Prince hath not forbidden that Christen men may haue Christes TestameÌ„t whether it bée in latyne or Englishe French Douche Gréeke or Hebrue for Christes veritie is all one in all tonges And as his grace knoweth it were very vnreasonable that any man should eyther counsell or forbid his grace that hée shoulde know or reade the Testament of the most noble Prince hys father in the which is alouely géeueÌ„ and promised worldly goods which as soone as they bée géeuen bée ready to decay and to perishe and if I say this bée vnreasonable and vnright how much more were it vnreasonable to take awaye from vs our father of heauens testament whose legacy and promises doe as farre excell the legacies of the noble Prince his father as God doth excell man But what shoulde I make many reasons to prooue vnto hys grace that thyng to bée lawfull that the father of heauen hath sent vs froÌ„ whom coÌ„meth nothyng but goodnes Yea and it was not sent by man by Angell or by Saint but by the onely sonne of God both God and maÌ„ and diligently declared by hym to all the worlde Not vnto the Pharesies alone but vnto all maner of people and that to the houre of death and also thereof tooke his death and not yet so content but sent his glorious Apostles to declare and to learne thys godly worde thorough all the worlde And béecause the ministration of thys worde required a greater strength then was in any naturall man therefore also gaue hée them his eternall sprite to establishe them to confirme them and to make them strong in all thinges that there might bée nothing desired to the declaration and setting out of his worde Now who coulde finde in his hart that is a true subiecte and regardeth the honour of our noble Prince and the saluation of his soule eyther to thinke that his grace
dedes are acceptable to God that are done in fayth so no deede to allowed good in Gods sight howe glorious to the world soeuer it appeare if it be without fayth Euery maÌ„ to walke truly in his vocatioÌ„ is the right seruice of God We must be mercyfull one to an other Luke 17. Ipocrites are vayne glorious in in all theyr workes True preachers must preach repentaunce Math. 17. Math. 17. Math. 〈◊〉 The maner doctrine of hipocrites Math. 6. Math. 23. Math. 16. Luke 9. Rom. 10. No zeale without knowledge 〈◊〉 good Churches why they were first ordeyned The true Temple of God is the hart of maÌ„ Luke 14. Math. 5. The manet of the speaking of the Scripture The wise of this world doe not vnderstand the speaking of God in his scriptures The Papistes argumentes Aristotles and Papistes doctrine Good workes are the fruites of loue God first loued vs and not 〈◊〉 hym How we vnderstand the loue of God to be in vs. Luke 18. Whosoeuer for Christen sake loseth any thing shâ—l receiue an huÌ„dreth folde If we once possesse Christ by faith then haue we all in all and are content with that we haue Here note what foloweth of good workes Iohn 〈◊〉 By faith in Christ we are made the sonnes of God Iohn 3. Faith doth expell the wrath of God Iohn 7. 1. Cor. 2. The naturall man which is but fleshe sauoureth not those thinges that are of the spirite Iohn 13. Iohn 5. Iohn 14. We are blessed by God onely in Christ our sauiour and not by our workes Iohn 15. We must wrestle with our olde man that we may put oâ— Christ Mat. 13. Roma 1. Roma 8. Our best workes are damnable in the sight of god with out Christ Christ is our hope righteousnes Let no maÌ„ despayre but put his hope in Christ and he shal be safe Roma 2. No man can fulfill y e law but hee that beleueth in Christ 1. Cor. 2. Christ is y e sure foundation Mans fouÌ„dation is feble 2. Cor. 5. Christ rewardeth his owne workes in vs. Ephe. 6. Collos 3. We must obey the magistrates because God will haue it so Rom. 14. 1. Cor. 6. 1. Pet. 1. A good lesson to teach vs to know when we haue the spirite of God â—emit all vengeauÌ„ce to God The fury of the Popish Clergie Actes 10 Prayer is the frute of fayth Liuely â—ayth to not without workes Fayth maketh vs at one with God Fayth prayeth always and in all places The prayer of a faithfull man Iaco â–ª Iames. 3. Fayth is y â— goodnes of all y â— deedes that are done within the law of God Iaco. 3. An example Turkes haue no fayth 〈…〉 know then is a God An example Sinnes that are acâ—empted no sinnes Faithlesse fruites Rom. 10. Pharao confessed his sinnes The deuils confessed Christ to be the sonne of God Simon Magus fayth 2. Pet. 2. 〈◊〉 Cor. 1. 3. An Epitome or briefe recitall of that which is entreated of before The nature of Gods word is to be persecuted The Pope is receaued and receaueth and per secuteth Loue of the world is hatred of God and his holy Gospell God defendeth his doctrine hym selfe Gods word sighteth agaynst hipocrites Nowe our master Christ was entreatedâ— The craft oâ— the hypocrites Gods truth worketh wâ— ders maketh the wisedome of the hypocrites foolishnes The captiuitie of the Israelitâ—â— vnder 〈…〉 If 〈…〉 with 〈…〉 who can be 〈…〉 If God be with vs who can be against vs Pharao sâ—aieth the men children How Moses comforteth the Israelites Gods truth fighteth for vs. God tryeth the fayth of his children God worketh backward Ioseph Israelites Dauid How Bishops instruct kings Wherunto a christian is called Our fighting is to suffer while God fighteth for vs. The wisedome of the Serpent He maketh a mocke of him selfe that casteth not the ende â—re he begin How is the Pope â—ure whiche taketh all for Christes sake but forsaketh nought Tribulation is ouâ— Baptisme Tribulation is a blessing Prosperitie is a curse Tribulation in the gift of God Wherby the are the pope and byshops sure The weakeâ— to the world the stronger to Christ Weakenes of the flesh a the strength of the spirite Flesh In ij things we are put to our choisâ— The differeÌ„ce betwen the children of God of the deuill The deuils wages All Gods children are vnder chasticing Which way go the Byshops to heauen then The tyraÌ„tes haue not power to doe what they would The promises of God are comfortable yea they are all comfort A Christen mans care The despisers persecutors they that fall froÌ„ the word are threatened Nâ—… Loth. Moses and Aaron The Prophetes Christ â—…ildas â—hey be spiâ—…tuall that 〈◊〉 deâ—ilishe â—…r the deâ—…ll is a spiâ—…tâ— We must in no case deny Christ God receaueth them that come agayne Why God letteth hys elect fall That the Scripture ought to bee in the English toung Whette thâ— on thy children that is exercise thy children in them and put them 〈◊〉 â—re No nor syâ— Iohn hys ghostly children Holy dayes Our Schole masters take great wages but teach not Why the preachers are not beloued when they saye trouth The curates wotte not what a Bible meaneth The Priests vnderstand â—o Latin Search the Scriptures Agaynste Christ is knowen by his dedes A seuerall kyngdome Seuerall lawes What christ lowseth â—rely the Pope byndeth to lowse it agayne for money A secret couÌ„sayle Person Vicare Parishe Priest The propâ—…ties of the Hebrue toung agree with the English Kyng Adelston Contrary preachyng Contrary Doctours Antechrist turneth the rootes of the tree vpward The Scripture is the triall of all doctrine the right touch stone Philosophy Aristotle Scripture Aristotle Paul Aristotle 〈◊〉 Philosophy Paul When no man will teach if we desire â–ª God will teach The order of teachyng The disorder or ouer thwarâ— order of our 〈◊〉 men The schole doctrine 〈◊〉 they call 〈◊〉 corrupteth the iudgementes oâ— youth 〈…〉 〈…〉 Yet in this they all agree that no 〈…〉 is saued 〈…〉 â–ª 〈…〉 〈◊〉 thâ—… 〈…〉 â—…er â–ª and that tâ—e Pope 〈…〉 Câ—…st 〈◊〉 me 〈…〉 to who 〈◊〉 will and take them â—â—om whom 〈◊〉 will 〈◊〉 ye 〈…〉 〈◊〉 simi 〈◊〉 〈…〉 Place 〈…〉 〈◊〉 â—…s wise 〈◊〉 â—s 〈◊〉 â—olâ—tâ—y â—hat â—…od 〈◊〉 Then thinke the papistes their wicked lyfe will shew it selfe to theyr shame and confusion The Pope licenced the people to read say what they would saue the truth But the one forbiddeth not theyr pompe and beâ—â—y cheate as the other doth Prelates not professors but pâ—…phaners of Gods word The obedieÌ„ce of moÌ„â—… not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tâ—ey 〈◊〉 noâ— of 〈…〉 but 〈…〉 〈◊〉 sayuyng The hyppocrites lay that to Gods worde which they themselues oâ—e cause of God warneth ere he strike WheÌ„ God punisheth â—ooâ—…ry of the hipocrites then say they that new learning is the cause thereof Christ was 〈◊〉 of â—…tion Why trouble foloweth the preaching of the Gospell Christes flocke a little flocke As our Prelates