As it is of y ◠Iewes though as Paul beareth them record they haue a feruent zeale to God yea and haue the Scripture therto yet because they haue not the true vnderstādyng all is dānable that they do Hypocrites with scrappes of almose get an hundred fold And with prayer they get prayse as thou seest here and pray therto and robbe widowes houses as thou readest Math. xxiij And with fastyng they get fat belyes full dishes euer more then inough And yet there is none almose praying or fastyng among them in the sight of God With their prayers they exclude all true prayers and make it impossible that there should be any amōg them For prayer is either a longyng for the honour of the name of God that all men should feare him and kepe his preceptes and beleue in him And contrary to that they seke their owne honour that men should feare them and keepe their ordinaunces and beleue in their swete blessings prayers pardons and what soeuer they promise If they byd fast thou must doe it or be damned and be an hereticke and rebellious to holy Church If they dispēce and geue thee cleane remission for to eate fleshe on good friday though thou be neuer so lustie thou must obey or els thou art damned and an hereticke because thou doest not beleue in holy Church Either prayer is to geue God thākes for the benefites receaued Contrary to which they will first haue thankes of the world for their prayers and robbe not onely widowes houses But also Lord Prince Emperour and all the world of house and land yea of their wittes to And then they bynde God to thāke them and to geue them Beside the thankes which they haue gotten in the world not onely heauē and an hygher place but that he geue heauen to no other man saue thorough their merites Either prayer is a complaynyng a shewyng of thyne owne miserie and necessitie or of they neighbours before God desiring hym with all the power of thine hart to haue compassion and to succour Coutrary to this they haue excluded with their prayers all necessitie miserie from among them They be Lordes ouer all and do what they will through the whole world Kyng and Emperour are their seruauntes they neede but say the word and their wil is fulfilled And as for their neighbours they haue no compassion vpon them to bryng their complaintes before God But with theyr prayers robbe them of that litle they haue and so make them more miserable Of enteryng into the chamber and shuttyng the doore to I say as aboue of that the lift hand should not know what the right hand doth the meanyng is that we should auoyde all worldly prayse and profite and pray with a single eye and true entēt accordyng to Gods word and is not forbidden therby to pray openly For we must haue a place to come together to pray in generall to thanke and to crye to God for the common necessities as well as to preach the word of God in Where the Priest ought to pray in the mother toung that the name of God may be halowed and his word faithfully taught and truly vnderstode and fayth and godly liuyng encreased and for the kyng and rulers that God will geue them his spirite to loue the common wealth and for peace that God will defend vs from all enemyes for wederyng and frutes that God will kepe away pestilence and all plagues And the Priest should be an example to the people how they should praye There be of such things as the Priests and other bable and not pray many good Collectes that should much edifie the people if they were spokē in the mother tounge And then while the Priestes sing Psalmes let euery man pray priuatly and geue God thankes for such benefites as his hart knoweth he hath receaued of God commende to God his priuate necessities and the priuate necessities of his neighbours which he knoweth is priuie to Neither is there in all such any ieopardie of vayne glory But and if God haue geuen any man the spirite of praying as all men haue not like giftes that he pray oft and when other do not thē to haue a secret place to pray in both for the auoydyng of vayne glory speach of people and that thou mayst be free to vse thy wordes as thou lustest and what soeuer gestures and behauiours do moue the most to deuotiō is necessarie and good And finally what soeuer necessitie thou hast though thou feele thy selfe a great sinner yet if thyne hart be to amend let not that discourage thee But go boldly to thy father seing thou hast his commaundemēt euer to pray and promise that he will heare thee not for thy goodnesse but of his goodnesse for his truth Moreouer when ye pray bable not much as the heathen do For they thinke that they shal be heard for theyr much bablinges sake Be not therfore like vnto them For youre Father knoweth of what thynges ye haue neede before ye aske hym Of this maner therefore pray ye O our father which art in heauen honoured be thy name thy kingdome come Thy will be fulfilled euen in earth as it is in heauen Geue vs this daye our dayly bread And forgeue vs our trespasses as we forgeue our trespassers And leade vs not into temptation But deliuer vs frō euill For thine is the kingdome the power the glory for euer Amen As before he rebuked their false entent in praying that they sought praise and profite of that worke which ought to be direct to God alone ether to geue him thākes that is to say to be a knowen and to confesse in the hart that al we haue commeth of hym or to call vpon hym for ayde and succour in tēptations and all necessitie Euen so here he rebuketh a false kynde of praying wherin the toung and lippes laboure and all the body is payned but y ◠hart talketh not wyth God nor feeleth any sweetnes at all nor hath any confidēce in the promises of God But trusteth in the multitude of wordes and in the payne and tediousnes of the length of the prayer as a coniurar doth in his circles Characters and superstitious wordes of his coniuration As ye see now to be amōg our Fryers Mōkes Chanons and Nunnes and euen thoroughout al the spiritualtie Which as I haue proued aboue haue with their false entent of praying excluded all occasions and the whole matter of true prayer haue turned it into a bodely labour to vexe the toung lippes eyes and throate with roaring and to weary all the members so that they say may truely sweare it that there is no greater labour in the world then prayer for no labour whatsoeuer it be when the body is compelled and the hart vnwilling can be other then greuous and painefull But true prayer if they complayned and
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
ready fully purged in their hart and their rebellious meÌ„bers through death are wholly subdued These men shall geue no reckoning neyther of idle woorde nor euill déed for all theyr sinnes are couered of Christ and hys bloud shall geue the whole accomptes for them The vnfaythfull to theyr vtter confusion shall haue the booke of theyr conscience opened and there shall be presented before them all theyr euill deades woordes and thoughtes And these are they that Christ speaketh of which shall geue thys great accompt Note also that in the text they are called men which woord in Scripture is euer for the most part taken in the worste sense and signifieth wicked men fleshly men and men that folow their own lustes and appetites THen confirmeth he purgatory out of the 66. Psalme which sayth we haue gone through fire and water and thou hast brought vs into colenesse I am sure you haue not forgotten that M. More alledgeth the Prophet Zachary in the ix and affirmeth that thâ—re is no water in Purgatory It were hard to make these two agrée for when meÌ„ ground them on a lye then for the most part theyr tales and probations are coÌ„trary and will not well stand together Neuerthelesse in one poynte they agrée full well that is both of them say vntruly for neither nother text serueth any whit for Purgatory And as concernyng the place of Zachary it is sufficieÌ„tly declared what it meaneth And now wil I also declare you the vnder standyng of this text and first that it can not serue for purgatory I besech you that haue the psalter once to read the Psalme I thinke you shal wonder at their doâ—yng dreames and ignoraunce which allege this text for Purgatory The text of y e Psalme is this Thou hast brought vs into a straite laden our backes with trouble or heuynesse Thou hast set men vpon our heades we haue gone through fire water and thou hast led vs out agayn into a place of refreshyng The textes before and after in the same Psalme will not suffer that this place should be vnderstand of Purgatory For the text immediately before sayth thou hast set men vpon our heades But the chiefest defenders of Purgatory and eueÌ„ M. More hym selfe say that they are not men but deuils which torment the soules in Purgatory notwithstandyng my Lord of Rochester good man affirmeth that they are aungels whiche torment the soules there but neuer man doted so farre as to say that men torment the soules in Purgatory wherefore I may conclude that this text is not ment of purgatory but that the Prophet meÌ„t that men ranne ouer the childreÌ„ of Israell subdued them and wrapped theÌ„ in extreme troubles which in the Scripture are signified by fire and water Besides that the textes folowyng wil not admit that this should be vnderstaÌ„d of Purgatory for it foloweth immediatly I will enter into thy house with â—urt offrynges I shall offer vnto thée fat sacrifices with the reke of wethers I shall burne to the Oxen Goates Now is there no maÌ„ so mad as to thinke that the soules of Purgatory should offer vnto God any such sacrifices So that the text is playnly vnderstand of the children of Israell which through the Lord were deliuered from their afflictioÌ„s and enemies then offred theyr loyall sacrifices of prayse and thankes to the Lord theyr shield and protection NOwe flyeth my Lorde vnto the Church sayth that because the Churche hath affirmed it we must needes beleue it for the Church caÌ„ not erre As touchyng this poynte I will referre you vnto a woorke that William Tyndal hath writteÌ„ agaynst M. More wherin ye shal wel perceiue what the Church of Christ is that hys Churche neuer determined any such thyng But that it is the Sinagoge of Sathan that maketh articles of the fayth bindeth meÌ„s conscieÌ„ces further then the Scripture will THen waxeth his Lordshyp somewhat hote agaynst Martine Luther because he would that no man should be compelled to beleue Purgatory For my Lord sayth that it is profitable and wel done to compel men to beleue such thynges whether they will or will not And to stablishe his opinion hée plucketh out a word of the parable of Luke xiiij that a certayne man made a great supper and sayd vnto his seruauÌ„tes go forth quickly into the wayes and compell them to enter in Verely there Christ ment no other thyng but that his Apostles should go forth into all the world and preach his word vnto all nations openyng vnto them the miserable state and conditioÌ„ that they be in and agayne what mercy God hath shewed theÌ„ in his sonne Christ This would Christ that his Apostles should expound and lay out so euidently by reasons Scriptures and miracles vnto the Gentils that they should eueÌ„ by their manifest persuasions be compelled to graunt vnto them that he was Christ and to take vpon them the fayth that is in Christ On this maner did Christ compel the Saduces to graunt the resurrection Math. xxij And by these meanes compelled hee the Phariseis to graunt in theyr consciences that he dyd his miracles with the power of God yet afterward of very hate knowyng in theyr hartes the contrary they sayd y e he dyd them by the power of the deuill Math. xij But to say that Christ would haue his Disciples to compell men with prisonment fetters scourgyng sword and fire is very false and farre from the mildenesse of a ChristeÌ„ spirite although my Lord approue it neuer so much For Christ dyd forbyd his Disciples such tyraÌ„ny yea and rebuked them because they would haue desired that fire should descende from heauen to consume the Samaritanes which wold not receiue Christ Luke ix But he commaunded them that if meÌ„ would not receiue their doctrine they should departe from thence and spryncle of the dust of their féete to be a testimony agaynst the vnfaythfull that they had bene there preached vnto them the word of life But with violence will God haue no man compelled vnto his law Paule also testifieth 2. Cor. 1. that he had not rule ouer the CorinthiaÌ„s as touchyng theyr fayth By our fayth we stand in the Lord by our infidelitie we fall from hym As no man can search the hart but onely God so can no man iudge or order our fayth but onely God thorough his holy spirite Furthermore fayth is a gifte of God which he distributeth at hys owne pleasure 1. Cor. 12. If he geue it not this day he may geue it to morow And if thou perceaue by any exterior worke that thy neighbour haue it not enstruct him with Gods word and pray God to geue hym grace to beleue that is rather a poynte of a christen man then to compell a man by death or exterior violence Finally what doth thy compulsion and violence
bée thou content with their expositions serch thou no further it doth not become thée to know it But now if hée wyll laye to your charge that this thyng is opeÌ„ly writin scripture and the wordes of Moyses and of Paule bée playne therfore you must aunswere to them And it shall bée as lawful and as necessary for hym to know the minde of holy scripture as the expositioÌ„ of S. Hierome or of M. Duns Scripture saith plainly that God doth indurate Pharaos hart and not Pharao his owne hart It is a new exposition to say I will indurate Pharaos hart that shall bée as much as Pharao shall indurate himselfe thorough my softnes and patience By this rule shal Anaragoras Philosophy come in place that shall make of euery thing what hée wyll And where as scripture sayth Saul Saul why dooste thou persecute mée Shall bée as much to say as why sufferest thou mée to bée persecuted Also the father of heauen sent hys onely sonne into the worlde shall bée as much to say as hée suffered his sonne to bée sent So that wée shal expounde all places of Scripture to our owne purpose and not to looke what is the sentence of holy Scripture nor yet what the mynde of the holy ghost is but what expositioÌ„ will please vs best and what will best serue to our carnall minde Furthermore if God doe harden mens hartes when hée suffereth and when hée is softe and sheweth mercy then did hée harden the hartes of the Iewes wheÌ„ he brought them out of Egypt into wildernesse then did hée harden them when hée brought them out of the captiuitie of Babylon then hardeneth hée all the worlde whom hée suffereth in great softnes and mercy Also after your exposition hée was mercifull to Israell when hée sent them into BabyloÌ„ For there dyd hée chasten them and by afflictions prouoked them to repentaunce Likewise the father of heauen had no mercy on the worlde wheÌ„ hée sent his sonne for of that hée gaue mâ—n an occasion of induratioÌ„ But when hée hée damneth the sinners then by your rule hath he mercy on them for he chasteneth and punisheth them for their sinnes This is your rule of induration and no maÌ„ may say against it Miserere may not signifie to geeue grace nor to remitte sinne but to chastice and to scourge and by paines prouoke to repentaunce And indurare shall not signifie to harden but to suffer and to bée patient and to bée merâ—â—ull and not to chastice But maisters how was God mercifull vnto Pharao by softenes by sufferaunce whome hée chastened so sore with ten plagues and wyth such plagues as Moyses marueyled of Call you that softnes was that suffering of Pharao was that an occasion of induratioÌ„ by patience easines by sufferauÌ„ce God send his aduersaries of that patience and of that sufferaunce I pray you how coulde God chastice hym more and yet at euery plague he sayth I will indurate Pharaos hart Wherefore Pharao had none occasion of induration by sufferaunce and patience of God but rather by his scourging Wherfore there must bée an other sence in these wordes then you doe make and wee must séeke out an other waye to know how God doth worke induration in mens hartes such wordes doth the holy ghost vse therfore dare wée speake them And how hée is y â— doer both of good and euil and yet all thynges that hee doth is well done Fyrst you must néedes graunt that after the fall of Adam the pure nature of man was corrupted by sinne whereby wée bee all wicked and borne as S. Paule sayth by nature the children of wrath and as Dauid sayth wee are all conceiued in sinne Notwithstanding of this corrupt nature doth God make all meÌ„ both good and bad Those that bee good be good by hys grace Those that bée badde bee badde of corrupted nature and yet God hath made them Neuerthelesse by nature they are of the same goodnes and no better theÌ„ nature is that is to say euill but yet the creation of God and his workemanship is good thouth the thyng bee euill in it selfe yet is Gods worke before hymselfe good though all the worlde say naye Nowe God of hys infinite power doth rule and guide all maner of men both good and badde and all meÌ„ by his infinite power are moued vnto operations but euery man after his nature As after your owne philosophy Primum mobile by the reasoÌ„ of his swifte motioÌ„ caryeth all the inferiour thinges with him suffereth nothing to bee vnmoued notwithstaÌ„ding hee moueth all thynges after their owne naturall course So likewise God of his infinite power letteth nothyng to bée exemted from hym bâ—t all thynges to bee subiecte vnto his action and nothing can be done by them but by his principall motion so that hee worketh in all maner of thynges that bee eyther good or bad not chaunging their nature but mouinge them alonely to worke after their nature so that god worketh good and euill worketh euil and God vseth them both as instrumentes and yet doth hee nothynge euill but euill is done alonely thorowe the euill man God working by hym but not euill as by an instrument Take an example A man doth sawe a blocke with an euil sawe The which is nothyng apte for to cut wel and yet must it néedes cut at the mouing of the man though it bée neuer so euill for the man in mouing doth not chaunge the nature of the sawe Neuerthelesse the action of y e man is good and cunningly done but the cutting of the sawe is after his nature So likewise God moueth these euyll instrumentes to working and by his common influence geuen to all creatures suffereth them not to bee idle but he chaungeth not their nature Wherfore their operation is a fruite conuenient for their corrupted nature but yet there is no faulte in Gods mouinge Here haue you now howe God workes all thynges in all men both good and bad But now let vs goe to the induration of them that bée euill Thus is it First they bée euill by nature and can abyde nothyng that is good nor yet suffer any good to bée done Wherefore when God the author of goodnesse doth any thyng or sayth any thyng vnto them then are they more and more sorer and sorer contrary vnto God and to all hys workes for of their nature they are so corrupted and can not agrée to the will of God nor to any thynge that is good but when it is offered them either in word or déede theÌ„ blaspheme they then withstaÌ„d they with all theyr might with all their power then are they prouoked of their corrupted nature to more mischief and more and alwayes harder and harder As for an example when the blessed word of God is preached vnto them that bée wicked to whom God hath geuen no grace to receiue it then are they nothyng amended but more indurated and alwayes harder
the text declareth It is good for a man not to touch a woman Now doth blessed S. Paule aunswere to this holy hypocrisie on this maner To auoyde fornication sayth hée notwithstandyng your holynesse let euery man mary a wyfe Now if blessed Saynt Paule had thought it vnlawfull to marry for any Christen man then would not hée haue sayde Let euery man marry Marke also that it is not agaynst the perfection of any Christen man for to marry but hée is rather boūde to marry if hée haue not the gifte of chastitie Farthermore note that S. Paule neither biddeth them that thought it holynes to bée vnmaryed to fast or to labour or to weare héere But alonely to marry as who shoulde say God hath ordayned and approoued a lawful and a laudable remedy against your sicknes My doctrine is that you shall heare your God and vse to your comforte those creatures remedies with thankes géeuing that God hath appointed and therewith bée you cōtent and recken not your selues wyser then God in helpyng and curyng your diseases For nothing can bée vnlawfull that God doth allowe and prooue And for vsing of Gods creatures and his ordinaunces in tyme and place requisite can no man bée blamed béefore God But for refusing of Gods remedies whē they bée necessary let no man thinke that hée shall auoyde Gods daunger As for an example Hée that wyll not eate and drinke when hée is hungry and thirsty but excogitateth some other remedie of his owne brayne so long that hée bringeth himselfe in vtter destruction let no man doubte but in this case before God hée is a murtherer and an homicide I thinke there is no learning to the contrary Wherefore I woulde that mē should well remember themselues in thys case thinke not that they cā inuent a thyng more pleasaunt vnto God then hée can doe hym selfe His pleasure is best knowen vnto himselfe For this cause I iudge it lawfull for euery Priest that hath not the gift of chastitie to vse the remedy that God hath ordayned and also sanctified Blessed S. Paule saith that mariage is honorable and the bedde of them is vndefiled but fornicatours and aduoulterers God shal iudge Marke that S. Paule caulleth it honorable and a cleane thyng What presumption is therefore in vs that recken it a dishonour and vncleannesse for priestes to vse maryage God sayth hée shall iudge whorekéepers and aduoulterers but not them that bée maryed Wherefore yet agayne after y e doctrine of S. Paule I exhorte all Priestes that can not liue chaste to receiue Gods remedie with thankes This is S. Paules doctrine where hée sayth I woulde that all men were as I my selfe am But euery mā hath his proper gift of God one after this maner an other after that I say vnto the vnmaryed men and wydowes it is good for them if they abide as I doe But and if they can not abstaine let them mary For it is better to mary then to burne I can not deuise a clearer text for my purpose then thys is Saint Paule woulde that euery man had the gifte of chastitie But in as much as all men hath not one gift therefore sayth S. Paule must euery man vse himselfe after his gifts And hée that hath not the gifte of chastitie S. Paule wyll plainely that hée shall mary Hée sayth not that hée shal chastice himselfe wyth labour and wyth payne to remedye that weakenes though I woulde bée contente for my parte gladly that men shoulde prooue all maner of lawfull remedies to helpe them to lyue sole But then if they can not so continue I wyll in no wise that they shall refuse maryage as a thyng vnlawfull and filthy but rather vse it and prooue it at the least wise as they haue done other remedies that they haue inuented séeing that God hath iustituted this as a thyng that hée iudgeth for a lawfull and principall remedy But note that S. Paule sayth it is better to mary then to burne S. Paules meanynge is that if man hath not the gifte to extincte the burnyng and ardent desire of nature that then hée must mary rather then bée subiecte vnto such concupiscence S. Paule sayth not rather mary then to kéepe whores But hys will is that wée shoulde bée so farre from all whoredome that wée should not suffer our selues so much as to burne The whiche precéedeth all whoredome and is lesse in very déede then whoredome And yet S. Paule wylling vs to auoyde this lesse thing commaundeth vs to mary how much more to auoyde open whoredome abhominable and detestable vncleannes that is now vsed shamelesse in the worlde I doe not reprooue that Priestes doth lyue sole I had rather thereto exhorte them But this I detestate that men had rather suffer and allow priestes to liue in whoredome and in all abhominable fornication then for to vse that lawfull remedy that God hath both ordayned and sanctified Wée haue no mention in any storye that euer any Priest was burned for kéepyng of whores but for mariage we haue séene and doe sée dayly how cruelly and violently men doth persecute them as though Gods blessed ordinaunce were rather to bée extincted and abhorred then that thyng y e both God nature reprooueth Where is there one man in England that hath so great loue and reuerence to the holy state of Matrimony that hée should kéepe a maryed Priest in hys house But Priestes that lyue vnlawfully agaynst Gods law and mans law and agaynst all honesty and morall vertue bée in euery mans houses company and rulers and coūsellers and controllers Alas for pitie what shall I say to the affectiōs of mens hartes that thus can winke I will not say alow at such abhominable thynges Yea and the selfe same men shall bée most extreme and cruell vnto a poore simple Priest that of a good hart towardes Gods ordinaunce maryeth a lawfull wife This Priest I say shall neither haue meate nor drinke of thē nor yet no office of charitye But the other sort shalbée exalted and set vp in all honour and kept in reuerence and estimatiō And why Bycause as they say they bée good and cleane felowes and loueth a péece of flesh well These blasphemous woordes haue I heard diuerse tymes and many And men sit and laugh at them haue a great reioysing in them So sore is Gods holy ordinaunce a morall vertue goodnes extincted in mens hartes O Lord God and thy mercy were not how were this world able to cōtinewe that thus abhominably and shamefully iudgeth of thy halowed sanctified workes But oh Lord haue thou mercy and pitie on vs for the swéete bloud of thy sonne Christ Iesus Loke not on our synnes oh lord God for who is able to abyde in thy syght But Lord of thine infinite mercy send downe thy spirit into y e harts of thy people that they may bée taught better to iudge of thy heauenly and Godly
pittes chap. 4. that slyme was a fatnesse that issued out of the earth like vnto carre and thou mayst call it cement if thou wilte Siloh after some is as muche to say as sent and after some happy and after some it signifieth Messias that is to say annoynted that we call Christ after the Greke worde and it is a prophesie of Christ for after all the other tribes were in captiuitie their kingdome destroyed yet the tribe of Iuda had a ruler of the same bloud euen vnto the commyng of Christ and about the commyng of Christ the Romaines conquered them the emperour gaue the kyngdome of the tribe Iuda vnto Herode which was a straunger euen an Edomite of the generation of Esau Testament that is an appoymente made betwene God and man gods promises And sacrameÌ„t is a signe representyng such appointment and promises as the raynebowe representeth the promise made to Noe that God wyll no more drowne the world And circumcision representeth the promises of God to Abraham on the one side that Abraham and his seede should circumcise and cutte of the lustes of their flesh on the other side to walke in the wayes of the lord As baptisme which is come in the roome therof now signifieth on the one side howe that all that repent and beleue are washed in Christes bloud and on the other syde how that the same muste quenche and drown the lustes of the flesh to follow the steppes of Christ There were tirantes in the earth in those dayes for the sonnes of god saw the daughters of men c. The sonnes of God were the Prophetes children which though they succeded their father fell yet from the right way and through falshode of hipocrisie subdued the world vnder them and became tirantes as the successors of the Apostles haue played with vs. Vapour a dewie miste as the smoke of a seething pot To walke with God is to liue godly and to walke in hys commaundedementes Enos walked with God and was no more sene he lyued godly and died God toke him away that is God hid hys body as he did Moses and Aarons lest happly they should haue made an Idole of hym for he was a great preacher and an holy man Zaphnath Paenea wordes of Egipt are they as I suppose and as muche to say as a man to whome secret thinges be opened or an expounder of secrete thinges as some interprete it That Ioseph broughte the Egiptians into such a subiection would seme vnto some a very cruell deede howe be it it was a very equall way for they payd but y t fifth part of that that grew on the grounde and therewith were they quit of all dueties both of rente custome tribute and tolle the kyng therwith found them Lordes and all ministers and defended them we now pay half so much vnto the priests only beside their other craftye exactions Then pay we rente yearely thoughe there grow neuer so litle on y t ground and yet when the kyng calleth pay we neuer the lesse So that if we looke indifferently their condition was easier then oures and but euen a very indifferent way both for the common people and the kyng also See therfore that thou looke not on the ensamples of the Scripture wyth worldly eyes least thou preferre Cain before Abell Ismaell before Isaac Esau before Iacob Ruben before Iuda Sarah before Phares Manasses before Ephraim and euen the worst before the best as the maner of the world is The Prologue to the second booke of Moses called Exodus BY the Preface vppon Genesis mayest thou vnderstand howe to behaue thy selfe in this booke also and in all other bookes of the Scripture Cleaue vnto y e texte and playne storie and endeuour thy selfe to searche out the meanyng of all that is described therein and the true sence of all maner of speakinges of the Scripture of prouerbes similitudes borowed speach whereof I entreated in the ende of the obedience and beware of subtile allegories And note euery thyng earnestly as thynges pertainyng vnto thyne own hart and soule For as God vsed him selfe vnto theÌ„ of the old Testament euen so shall he vnto the worldes end vse him self vnto vs whiche haue receiued hys holy Scripture and the testimonie of hys sonne Iesus As God doth all things here for theÌ„ that beleue his promises herken vnto his commauÌ„dements and with patieÌ„ce cleaue vnto him and walke with him euen so shall he do for vs if we receiue the witnes of Christ with a strong fayth and endure patiently folowyng his steppes And on the other side as they that fel from the promise of God thorow vnbelief and from his lawe and ordinaunces thorowe impatieÌ„cie of their owne lustes were forsakeÌ„ of God and so perished euen so shall we as many as doe lykewise and as many as mocke with the doctrine of Christ and make a cloke of it to liue fleshly to folow our lustes Note thereto howe God is founde true at the last and howe when all is past remedy and brought into desperation he then fulfilleth his promises and that by an abiect and a cast away a despised and a refused persoÌ„ yea and by a way impossible to beleue The cause of all the captiuitie of Gods people is this The world â—uer hateth them for their fayth and trust whiche they haue in GOD but in vayne till they fall from the fayth of y t promises and loue of the lawe and ordinaunces of God put their trust in holy dedes of their owne finding and liue altogether at their owne lust pleasure with out regarde of God or respect of their neighbour Then God forsaketh vs sendeth vs into captiuitie for our dishonoryng of his name and despisyng of our neighbour But the world persecuteth vs for our fayth in Christ onely as the people nowe doth and not for our wicked liuyng For in his kingdom thou mayest quietly and with licence and vnder aprotection do what soeuer abhominatioÌ„ thine hart lusteth but God persecuteth vs bycause we abuse his holy Testament and bycause when we knowe the truth we folowe it not Note also the mightie hande of the Lord how he playeth with his aduersaries and prouoketh them and styrreth them vp a litle and a litle and deliuereth not hys people in an houre that both the patience of his elect and also the worldly wit and wyly policie of the wicked wherwith they do fight agaynst God might appeare Marke y t long sufferyng and soft patience of Moyses and howe he loueth the people and is euer betwene the wrath of God and them and is ready to liue and dye with them to be put out of the booke that God had written for their sakes as Paule for his brethren Romaines ix and how he taketh his own wronges patiently and neuer auengeth him selfe And make not Moyses a figure of Christe with Rochester but an ensample vnto all
of forgeuenesse of synnes through fayth in Christes bloud And now seing that fayth onely letteth a man in vnto rest and vnbelief excludeth him what is the cause of this vnbeliefe verely no sinne y t the world seeth but a Pope holinesse and a righteousnes of their own imagination as Paule sayth Roma x. They bee ignoraunt of the righteousnes wherewith God iustifieth and haue set vp a righteousnes of their owne makyng thorough which they be disobedient vnto the righteousnes of God And Christ rebuketh not the Phariseys for grosse sinnes whiche the world sawe but for those holy deedes whiche so blered the eies of the world that they were taken as Gods euen for long prayers for fastyng for tythyng so diligently that they lefte not so much as their herbes vntithed for their clennesse in washyng before meate and for washyng of cups dishes and all maner vessels for buildyng y e Prophetes sepulchers and for kepyng the holy day and for turnyng y t heathē vnto the fayth for geuyng of almes For vnto such holy dedes they ascribed righteousnes and therefore when the righteousnesse of GOD was preached vnto them they could not but persecute it the deuill was so strong in them Whiche thyng Christ well describeth Luke xj saying That after the deuill is cast out he commeth agayne and findeth hys house swept and made gay and then taketh seuen woorse then hym selfe and dwelleth therein and so is the ende of that man worse then the beginnyng That is whē they be a litle clēsed from grosse sinnes which the world seyth and then made gaye in their own sight with the righteousnes of traditions then commeth seuen that is to say the whole power of the deuill for vij with the Hebrues signifieth a multitude without number and the extremitie of a thyng and is a speach borowed I suppose out of Leuiticus where is so ofte mention made of seuen Where I would say I wil punish thee that all the world shal take an example of thee there the Iew would saye I will Circumcise thee or Baptise thee seuen tymes And so here by seuen is ment all the deuils of hel and all the might and power of the deuill For vnto what further blindnesse could all the deuils in hell bring them then to make thē beleue that they were iustified thoroughe their owne good workes For when they once beleued that they were purged frō their sinnes and made righteous thoroughe theyr owne holy workes what rowme was there left for the righteousnes that is in Christes bloudshedyng And therfore whē they be fallen into this blindnesse they can not but hate and persecute the light And the more cleare and euidently their deedes be rebuked the furiousser and maliciousser blinde are they vntill they breake out into open blasphemy and synnyng agaynste the holy ghost which is the malicious persecutyng of the cleare trouth so manifestly proued that they can not once hish agaynst it as the Phariseis persecuted Christ because hee rebuked their holy dedes And when he proued hys doctrine with the Scripture and miracles yet thoughe they could not improue hym nor reason agaynst him they taught y ◠the scripture must haue some other meanyng because his inter pretation vndermined their foundatiō and plucked vp by the rootes the sects which they had plāted and they ascribed also his miracles to the deuill And in lyke maner thoughe our hypocrites can not deny but this is the scripture yet because there can be no other sense gathered therof but that ouerthoweth their buildynges therefore they euer thinke that it hath some other meanyng then as the wordes sounde and that no man vnderstandeth it or vnderstode it since the tyme of the Apostles Or if they thinke that some that wrote vpon it since the Apostles vnderstode it they yet thinke that w◅ like maner as we vnderstand not the text it selfe so we vnderstand not the meanyng of the wordes of that Doctour For when thou layest the iustifying of holy workes and deniest the iustifying of fayth how canst thou vnderstand S. Paule Peter Iohn and the Actes of y e Apostles or any Scripture at all seyng the iustifying of fayth is almost all that they entēde to proue Finally concernyng vowes wherof thou readest in the xxx Chapter there may be many questions whereunto I aūswere shortly that we ought to put salt to all our offerynges that is we ought to minister knowledge in all our workes and to doe nothyng whereof we could not geue a reason out of Gods wordes We be now in the day light and all the secretes of God and all hys counsell and wil is opened vnto vs and he that was promised should come and blesse vs is come alredy and hath shed hys bloud for vs and hath blessed vs with al maner blessinges and hathe obtayned all grace for vs and in hym we haue all Wherfore God henceforth wil receiue no more sacrifices of beastes of vs as thou readest Hebr. 10. If thou burne vnto god the bloud or fatte of beastes to obtaine forgeuenesse of sinnes therby or that God should the better heare thy request then thou doest wrong vnto the bloud of Christ and Christ vnto thee is dead in vayne For in him God hath promised not forgeuenesse of sins onely but also what soeuer we aske to keepe vs from sinne and temptation with all And what if thou burne frankencens vnto him what if thou burne a candle what if thou burne thy chastitie or virginitie vnto him for the same purpose doest thou not lyke rebuke vnto Christs bloud Moreouer if thou offer gold siluer or any other good for the same entēt is there any difference And euen so if thou go in pilgrimage or fastest or goest wolward or sprynelest thy selfe with holy water or elles what soeuer dede it is or obseruest what soeuer ceremonie it be for lyke meanyng then it is lyke abhominatiō We must therfore bryng the salt of the knowledge of Gods word with al our sacrifices or elles we shall make no swete sauour vnto God therof Thou wilt aske me shall I vow nothyng at all yes Gods commaundemēt which thou hast vowed in thy Baptisme For what entent verelye for the loue of Christe which hath bought thee with his bloud and made the sonne heyre of God with him that thou shouldest wayte on hys will and commaundementes and purifie thy members accordyng to the same doctrine that hath purified thyne harte for if the knowledge of Gods word hath not purified thine hart so y t thou consentest vnto the law of god y t it is righteous and good sorowest y t thy members moue thee vnto the contrary so hast thou no part with Christ For if thou repent not of thy sinne so it is impossible that thou shouldest beleue that Christe had deliuered thee from the daunger therof If thou beleue not that Christ hath deliuered thee so is
and had yet leuer perishe alone then that the other should haue perished with him for his sake and so of very desperatiō to haue lyued any longer he bad cast him into the Sea betimes except they would be lost also To speake of lottes how farre forth they are lawfull is a light question First to vse them for the breakyng of strife as when parteners their goods as equally diuided as they can take euery man his part by lot to auoyde all suspition of disceitfulnesse and as the Apostles in the first of the Actes when they sought an other to succede Iudas the traitour and two persōs were presented then to breake strife and to satisfie all parties did cast lottes whether should be admitted desiryng God to temper them and to take whom he knew most mete seyng they wyste not whether to preferre or happely could not all agree on either is lawfull and in all like cases But to abuse them vnto the temptyng of God and to compell hym therewith to vtter thinges wherof we stand in doubt when we haue no commaundement of him so to do as these heathen here dyd though God turned it vnto his glorie can not be but euill The heathen shypmen astonyed at the sight of the miracle feared GOD prayed to him offered sacrifice and vowed vowes And I doubte not but that some of them or happely all came thereby vnto the true knowledge and true worshipping of GOD and were wonne to GOD in their soules And thus God which is infinite mercifull in all his wayes wrought their soules health out of the infirmitie of Ionas euen of his good wil and purpose and loue wherewith he loued them before the world was made not of chaunce as it appeareth vnto the eyes of the ignoraunt And that Ionas was three dayes and three nightes in the belye of hys fishe we can not therby proue vnto the Iewes and infideles or vnto any mā that Christ must therefore dye and bee buried and rise againe But we vse the ensample and likenesse to strength the fayth of the weake For he that beleueth the one cā not dout in the other in as much as the hand of GOD was no lesse mightie in preseruyng Ionas alyue agaynst all naturall possibilitie and in deliueryng him safe out of this fish then in raising vp Christ agayne out of his sepulchre And we may describe the power and vertue of the resurrection thereby as Christ him selfe boroweth the similitude therto Math. xij saying vnto the Iewes that came about him and desired a signe or a wōder from heauen to certifie them that he was Christ this euill and wedlocke breakyng nation whiche breake the wedlocke of faith wherwith they bee maried vnto God and beleue in their false woorkes seke a signe but there shall no signe bee geuen them saue the signe of the Prophet Ionas For as Ionas was three dayes and three nightes in the bely of the Whale euen so shall the sonne of mā be three dayes three nightes in the hart of the earth Which was a watch word as we say and a sharpe threatenynge vnto the Iewes and as much to say as thus ye hard harted Iewes seke a signe loe this shal be your signe as Ionas was raised out of the sepulchre of his fishe and then sent vnto the Niniuites to preach that they should perish euen so shall I rise againe out of my sepulchre and come and preach repentaunce vnto you See therfore when ye see the signe that ye repent or els ye shal surely perishe and not escape For though the infirmities whiche ye now see in my flesh be a let vnto your fathers ye shall then be without excuse when ye see so great a miracle and so great power of God shed out vpon you And so Christ came agayne after the resurrection in his spirite and preached repentaunce vnto them by the mouth of his Apostles and Disciples and with miracles of the holy Ghost And all that repented not perished shortly after the rest caried awaye captiue into all quarters of the world for an example as ye see vnto this day And in like maner since the worlde began where soeuer repentaunce was offered and not receaued their GOD tooke cruell vengeaunce immediatly as ye see in the floude of Noe in the ouerthrowynge of Sodome and Gomorra and all the countrey about and as ye see of Egypt of the Amorites Cananites and afterward of the very Israelites and then at the last of the Iewes to and of the Assirians Babilonians and so throughout all the impeires of the world Gildas preached repentaunce vnto the old Britaines that inhabited England they repented not and therfore God sent in their enemies vpon them on euery side and destroyed them vp and gaue the land vnto other nations And greate vengeaunce hath bene taken in that lande for synne since that tyme. Wicleffe preached repentaunce vnto our fathers not long since they repented not for their harts were indurate and their eyes blinded with their own Pope holy righteousnesse wherewith they had made their soules gay against the receiuing agayne of the wicked spirite that bringeth seuen worse thē him selfe with him and maketh the later ende worse then the begynnyng for in open synnes there is hope of repentaunce but in holye hypocrisie none at all But what folowed they slew their true and right kyng and set vp three wrong kynges arowe vnder which all the noble bloud was slayne vp and halfe the commons thereto what in Fraunce and what with their owne sword in fightyng among them selues for the crowne and the Cities and Townes decayed and the lande brought halfe into a wildernesse in respect of that it was before And now Christe to preache repentaūce is risē yet once agayn out of his sepulchre in which y t Pope had buried him kept him downe with his pillars polars all disguisinges of hipocrisy with gyle wiles falshode with the sword of all Princes whiche he had blinded with his false marchaūdise And as I doubt not of the ensamples that are past so am I sure that great wrath will follow except repentaunce turne it backe againe cease it When Ionas had bene in the fishes bely a space and the rage of his conscience was somewhat quieted and swaged he come to him selfe againe and had receaued a litle hope the qualmes and panges of desperation which went ouer his hart halfe ouercome he prayed as he maketh mention in the text saying Ionas prayed vnto the Lord his GOD out of the bely of the fish But the wordes of that prayer are not here set The prayer that here standeth in the text is the prayer of prayse and thankesgeuyng which he prayed and wrote when hee was escaped and past all ieopardie In the end of which prayer he saith I will sacrifice with the voyce of thankesgeuyng and pay that I
Christes glad tydings first through openyng of the law to rebuke all thinges and to proue all thynges sinne that procede not of the spirite of faith in Christ and to proue all men sinners and children of wrath by inheritaunce and howe that to sinne is their nature and that by nature they can no otherwise doe then sinne and therewith to abate the pride of man and to bring him vnto the knowledge of him selfe and of his miserie wretchednes that he might desire helpe Euen so doth S. Paule and beginneth in the first Chapter to rebuke vnbelefe and grose sinnes which all men see as the Idolatrie and as the grose sinnes of the heathen were and as the sinnes now are of all them whiche liue in ignoraunce without fayth and without the fauour of GOD and sayth The wrath of GOD of heauen appeareth through the Gospell vpon all men for their vngodly vnholy lyuyng For though it be knowē and dayly vnderstād by the creatures that there is but one God yet is nature of herself with out the spirit and grace so corrupt and so poysoned that men neither can thanke him neither worship him neither geue him his due honor but blind thē selues and faule without ceasyng into worse case euen vntill they come vnto worshipping of Images workyng of shamefull sinnes whiche are abhominable and agaynst nature and moreuer suffer the shame vnrebuked in other hauing delectation and pleasure therein In the second Chapter he procedeth further and rebuketh all those holy people also whiche without lust and loue to the law liue wel outwardly in the face of the world and condemne other gladly as the nature of all hypocrites is to thinke them selues pure in respect of open sinners and yet hate the law inwardly and are full of couetousnes and enuy and of all vnclēnes Math. xxiij These are they whiche despise the goodnes of GOD and accordyng to the hardenes of their hartes heape together for thē selues the wrath of God Furthermore S. Paule as a true expounder of the law suffreth no man to be without sinne but declareth that all they are vnder sinne whiche of freewill and of nature will liue well suffreth them not to be better thē the open sinners yea he calleth them hard harted and such as can not repent In the thyrd Chapter he mingleth both together both the Iewes and the Gentiles and sayth that the one is as the other both sinners no difference betwene them saue in this onely that the Iewes had the word of God committed vnto them And though many of them beleued not thereon yet is Gods truth and promise thereby neither hurt nor minished And he taketh in his way and allegeth the saying of the 50. Psalme that God might abyde true in his wordes ouercome when he is iudged After that he returneth to his purpose agayn and proueth by the Scripture that all men without difference or exceptiō are sinners and that by the workes of the law no mā is iustified but that the law was geuen to vtter and to declare sinne onely Thē hee begynneth and sheweth the right way vnto righteousnes by what meanes mē must be made righteous and safe and sayth They are all sinners without prayse before God and must without their own deseruyng be made righteous throughe fayth in Christe which hath deserued such righteousnes for vs and is become vnto vs Gods mercystole for the remission of sinnes that are past thereby prouyng that christes righteousnes which commeth on vs through fayth helpeth vs onely whiche righteousnes sayth he is now declared through the Gospell was testified of before by the lawe of the Prophetes Furthermore sayth he the law is holpē and furthered thorough fayth thoughe that the workes therof with all their boast are brought to nought In the iiij Chapter after that now by the 3. first Chapters the sinnes are opened and the way of faith vnto rightuousnes layd he begynneth to aunswere vnto certain obiections and cauillations And first putteth forth those blinde reasons whiche commonly they that wil be iustified by their owne workes are wont to make when they heare that faith onely without workes iustifieth saying shall men do no good workes yea and if fayth onely iustifieth what nedeth a man to studie for to do good workes He putteth forth therfore Abraham for an ensample saying what did Abraham with his workes was all in vayne came his workes to no profite And so concludeth that Abraham without and before al workes was iustified and made righteous In so much that before the worke of Circumcisiō he was praysed of the Scripture and called righteous by his fayth onely Gene. xv So that he did not the worke of Circumcision for to bee holpen there by vnto righteousnesse whiche yet God commaunded hym to do was a good worke of obedience So in likewise no doubt none other workes helpe any thyng at all vnto a mās iustifiyng but as Abrahams Circumcisiō was an outward signe wherby he declared his righteousnes which he had by fayth and his obedience and readynes vnto the will of God euen so are all other good workes outward signes and outward frutes of fayth of the spirite which iustifie not a man but that a man is iustified already before god inwardly in the hart through faith and through the spirite purchased by Christes bloud Herewith now stablisheth S. Paul his doctrine of faith afore rehearsed in the thyrd Chapter and bringeth also testimony of Dauid in the xij Psalme whiche calleth a man blessed not of workes in that his sinne is not rekened and in that fayth is imputed for righteousnes though he abide not afterward without good workes when he is once iustified For we are iustified receiue the spirite for to do good workes neither were it otherwise possible to do good workes except we had first the spirite For howe is it possible to doe any thyng well in the sight of God while we are yet in captiuitie and bondage vnder the deuill and the deuill possesseth vs all together and holdeth our hartes so that we can not once consent vnto the will of God No man therfore can preuent the spirite in doyng good the spirite must first come and wake him out of his sleepe with the thunder of the law and feare him and shew him his miserable estate wretchednes and make him abhorre hate him selfe and to desire helpe and then comfort him agayne with the pleasaūt rayne of the Gospell that is to say with the sweete promises of God in Christ and stirre vp faith in him to beleue the promises then when he beleueth the promises as God was mercyfull to promise so is he true to fulfill them and wil geue him the spirite and strength both to loue the will of God to worke there after So see we that God onely whiche accordyng to the Scripture worketh
be they good or badde and to suffer wrong of them as Christ suffred wrong for vs. In the 3. he teacheth the wiues to obey their husbandes ye though they be vnbeleuers and to apparell themselues godly and as it becommeth holynes And therto that the husbandes suffer and beare the infirmity of their wyues and lyue accordyng to knowledge with them And than in generall he exhorteth them to be soft curteous patient and frendly one to an other and to suffer for righteousnesse after the ensample of Christ In the 4. he exhorteth to flye synne and to tame the flesh with sobernesse watching and prayer to loue ech other and to know that all good giftes are of God euery man to helpe hys neighbour with such as he hath receiued of God and finally not to wonder but to reioyce though they muste suffer for Christes names sake seeyng as they be here partakers of hys afflictions so shall they be partakers of his glory to come In the 5. he teacheth the bishops priestes how they should lyue and fede Christes flocke and warneth vs of the deuil whiche on euery side lyeth in wayte for vs. A Prologue vppon the second Epistle of S. Peter by William Tyndall THis Epistle was written agaynst thē whiche thought y t thristen faith might be idle and with out workes when yet the promise of Christ is made vs vpon that condition that we henceforth worke the will of God and not of the flesh Therefore he exhorteth them to exercise themselues diligently in vertue and all good workes therby to be sure that they haue the true faith as a man knoweth the goodnes of a tree by hys fruite Then he commendeth and magnifieth the gospel willeth that men harken to that only and to mens doctrine not at all For as he sayth there came no prophetical scripture by the will of man but by the wil of the holy ghost which onely knoweth the will of God neither is any scripture of priuate interpretatiō that is to say may be otherwise expounded them agreyng to the open places and generall articles to the couenantes of god and all the rest of the scripture And therfore in the second he warneth them of false teachers that should come and throughe preachyng confidence in false workes to satisfie their couetousnesse withall shoulde denye Christ Which he threatneth with thre terrible examples With the fall of toe angels the floude of Noe and ouerthrowyng of Sodome and Gomorre and so describeth them with their insatiable couetousnes pryde stubbornnes and disobedience to all temporall rule and authoritie with their abhominable whoredome and hipocrisie that a blinde man may see that he prophecied it of the Popes holy spiritualtie which deuoured the whole worlde with their couetousnes liuyng in all lust and pleasure and raigning as temporall tyrantes In the third he sheweth that in the latter dayes the people through vnbeliefe and lacke of feare of the iudgement of the last day shall be euen as Epicures wholy geuen to the fleshe Which last day shall yet surely shortly come sayth he for a thousand yeres and one day is with God all one And he sheweth also how terrible that day shall be how sodenly it shall come therfore exhorteth all men to loke earnestly for it and to prepare themselues agaynst it with holy conuersation and godly liuyng Finally the first chapiter sheweth how it shold go in the tyme of the pure and true Gospell The second how it should go in the tyme of the Pope and mens doctrine The third how at the last men shoulde beleue nothyng nor feare God at all The Prologue vppon the three Epistles of S. Iohn by William Tyndall IN this first Epistle of Saint Iohn is contayned the doctrine of a verye Apostle of Christ and ought of right to follow hys Gospel For as in his gospell he setteth out the true faythe and teacheth by it only all men to be saued and restored vnto the fauour of God agayne euen so here in this Epistle he goeth agaynst them that boaste themselues of fayth and yet continue without good workes and teacheth many wayes that where true fayth is there the workes tary not behinde and contrary that where the workes followe not there is no true fayth but a false imagination and vtter darkenes And he writeth sore agaynst a secte of heretikes which then began to deny that Christ was come in the fleshe and calleth thē very Antichrists which sect goeth now in her full swinge For though they deny not openly with the mouth y t Christ is come in y ◠fleshe yet they deny it in y t hart w t their doctrine liuing For he that wil be iustified saued through his owne workes the same doth as much as he that denyed Christ to be come in fleshe seyng that Christ came only therfore in the flesh that he should iustifye vs or purchase vs pardon of our synnes bryng vs in the fauour of God agayne and make vs heyres of eternal life with his workes only and with his bloudshedyng without and before all our workes So fighteth this epistle both against them that will be saued by their owne good workes and also agaynst them that wyll be saued by a fayth that hath no lust to do workes at all and kepeth vs in y t middle way that we beleue in Christ to be saued by his workes onely and then to know that it is our duty for that kyndnes to prepare oure selues to doe the commaundement of God and to loue euery man his neighbor as Christ loued hym sekyng with our owne workes Gods honour and our neighbours wealth only and trustyng for eternall lyfe and for all that God hath promised vs for Christes sake The two last Epistles though they be short yet are goodly ensamples of loue and fayth and do sauour of the spirite of a true Apostle A Prologue vpon the Epistle of Saint Paule to the Hebrues by William Tyndall About this epistle hatheuer ben much doubting that amōg great learned men who should be the authour thereof diuers affirmyng that it was not Paules partly because the style so disagreeth and is so vnlike hys other Epistles and partly bicause it standeth in the second Chapter this learnyng was confirmed to vs ward that is to say taught vs by them that heard it them selues of the Lord. Now Paule testifieth Gala. 1. that he receyued not his Gospell of man nor by mā but immediatly of Christ and that by reuelation Wherfore say they seing this man confesseth that hee receiued his doctrine of the Apostles it can not be Paules but some Disciple of the Apostles Now whether it were Pauls or no I say not but permit it to other mens iudgementes neither thinke I it to be an Article of any mans fayth but that a man may doubt of the authour Moreouer many there hath bene which not onely haue denyed
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
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
is for Christes sake deceaueth him selfe and maketh a mocke of himselfe vnto the godles hipocrites infidels No man can serue two maisters God and Mammon that is to say wicked riches also Mathew vj. Thou must loue Christ aboue all thing but that doest thou not if thou be not ready to forsake all for hys sake if thou haue forsaken all for his sake then art thou sure that thou louest him Tribulation is our right baptisme and is signified by plunging into the water Wee that are baptized in the name of Christ sayth Paule Rom. vj. are baptized to dye with him The spirite through tribulation purgeth vs and killeth our fleshly witte our worldly vnderstādyng and belly wisedome and filleth vs full of the wisedome of God Tribulation is a blessing that commeth of God as witnesseth Christ Math. v. Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousnes sake for theyrs is the kyngdome of heauen Is not this a comfortable word Who ought not rather to chuse and desire to be blessed w t Christ in a little tribulation then to be cursed perpetually with the world for a little pleasure Prosperitie is a right curse and a thing that God geueth vnto his enemies Wo be to you ritch sayth Christ Luke vj. loe ye haue your consolation wo be to you that are ful for ye shall hunger wo be to you that laugh for ye shall weepe wo be to you when men prayse you for so did theyr fathers vnto the false prophetes yea and so haue our fathers done vnto the false hypocrites The hipocrites with worldly preaching haue not gotten the prayse onely but euen the possessions also and the dominion and rule of the whole worlde Tribulation for righteousnes is not a blessing onely but also a gift that God geueth vnto none saue his speciall frendes The Apostles Act. v. reioyced that they were counted woorthy to suffer rebuke for Christes sake And Paule in the second epistle third chapter to Timothe sayth All that will liue godly in Christ Iesu must suffer persecutiō And Philip. j. he sayth Vnto you it is geuen not onely to beleue in Christ but also to suffer for his sake Here seest thou that it is Gods gift to suffer for Christes sake And in the 1. Pet. 4. sayth Happy are ye if ye suffer for the name of Christ for the glorious spirite of God resteth in you Is it not an happy thing to be sure that thou art sealed with Gods spirite vnto euerlasting life And verily thou art sure therof if thou suffer patiently for his sake By suffring art thou sure but by persecuting canst thou neuer be sure For Paule Rom. 5. sayth Tribulation maketh feeling that is it maketh vs feele the goodnesse of God and his helpe and the working of his spirite 2. Cor. 12. the Lord sayd vnto Paul My grace is sufficiēt for thee for my strēgth is made perfect through weaknes Lo Christ is neuer strong in vs till we be weake As our strength abateth so groweth the strength of Christ in vs when we are cleane emptied of our own strength then are we ful of Christes strength looke how much of our owne strength remayneth in vs so much lacketh there of y ◠strength of Christ Therfore sayth Paule 2. Cor. 12. Very gladly will I reioyce in my weaknes that the strength of Christ may dwell in me therfore haue I delectation sayth Paule in infirmities in rebukes in need in persecutions and in anguish for Christes sake for when I am weake then am I strong Meaning that the weaknes of the fleshe is the strength of the spirite And by flesh vnderstand wit wisedome and all that is in a man before the spirite of God come and whatsoeuer springeth not of the spirite of God and of Gods woorde And of like testimonies is all the scripture full Behold God setteth before vs a blessing and also a curse A blessing verely and that a glorious and an euerlasting if we will suffer tribulatiō and aduersity with our Lord and sauiour Christ And an euerlasting curse if for a little pleasure sake we withdrawe our selues from the chastysing nurture of God wherewith he teacheth all his sonnes and fashioneth them after his godly will and maketh them perfect as he did Christ and maketh them apte and meete vessels to receiue his grace and hys spirite that they might perceaue and feele the exceeding mercy which we haue in Christ the innumerable blessinges and the vnspeakeable inheritance whereunto we are called and chosen and sealed in our sauiour Iesus Christ vnto whome be prayse for euer Amen Finally whome God chuseth to raigne euerlastingly with christ him sealeth he with his mighty spirite and poureth strength into his hart to suffer afflictiōs also with Christ for bearing witnesse vnto the truth And this is the difference betwene the children of God and of saluation and betwene the children of the deuyll and of damnation that the children of God haue power in theyr hartes to suffer for Gods worde which is theyr life and saluatiō their hope and trust and whereby they liue in the soule and spirite before God And the children of the deuyll in time of aduersity flye from Christ whome they followed faynedly theyr hartes not sealed with hys holy mighty spirite and gett them to the standerde of theyr right father the Deuyll and take his wages the pleasures of this world which ar the earnest of euerlasting damnation which conclusion the xij chap. to the Hebrues well confirmeth saying My sonne despise not thou the chasticing of the Lord neither faint whē thou art rebuked of him for whom the Lord loueth him he chasticeth yea he scourgeth euery sonne whome he receaueth To persecution and aduersitie for the truthes sake is Gods scourge and Gods rod and pertaineth vnto all his children indifferently for when he sayth he scourgeth euery sonne he maketh none exception Moreouer sayth the text If ye shall endure chasticing God offreth hymselfe vnto you as vnto sonnes what sonne is it that the father chasticeth not If ye be not vnder correction whereof all are partakers then are ye bastardes and not sonnes Forasmuch then as we must needes bee baptised in tribulations and through the red sea and a great and a fearefull wildernes a land of cruell Giantes into our naturall coūtrey ▪ yea and in asmuch as it is a playne earnest that there is no other way into the kingdome of life then through persecution sufferyng of payne of very death after the ensample of Christe therefore let vs arme our soules with the comforte of the Scriptures How that God is euer ready at hand in time of neede to helpe vs and how that such tyrants and persecutors are but gods scourge and his rod to chastice vs. And as the father hath alway in time of correction the rod fast in his hand so that the rod doth
them whiche with their false doctrine and violence of sword enforce to quenche the true doctrine of Christe And as thou canst heale no disease except thou begyn at the roote euen so canst thou preach agaynst no mischief except thou begyn at the Byshops Kinges they are but shadowes vayne names and thynges idle hauyng nothing to do in the world but when our holy father nedeth their helpe The Pope contrarie vnto all conscience and agaynst all the doctrine of Christ which sayth my kyngdome is not of this world Iohn xviij hath vsurped the right of the Emperour And by policie of the Byshops of Almany and with corruptyng the Electours or chosers of the Emperor with money bryngeth to passe that such a one is euer chosen Emperour that is not able to make his partie good with the Pope To stoppe the Emperour that he come not at Rome he bringeth the French kyng vp to Milane and on the other side bryngeth he the Venetians If the Venetiās come to nye the Byshops of Fraunce must bryng in the French kyng And the Socheners are called and sent for to come and succour And for their labour he geueth to some a Rose to an other a cappe of mayntenaunce One is called most Christen king an other defender of the fayth an other the eldest sonne of the most holy seate He blaseth also the armes of other and putteth in the holy crosse the crown of thorne or the nayles and so forth If the Frēch kyng go to hye and crepe vp other to Bononie or Naples then must our English Byshops bryng in our kyng The craft of the Byshops is to entitle one kyng with an others Realme He is called kyng of Dennemarke and of England he kyng of England and of Fraunce Then to blinde the Lordes and the commons the kyng must chalenge his right Then must the lande be taxed and euery man paye and the treasure borne out of the Realme and the land beggerde How many a thousand mens liues hath it cost And how many an hundred thousand poundes hath it caried out of the Realme in our remembraunce Besides how abhominable an example of gatheryng was there such verely as neuer tyraunt sence the world began did yea such as was neuer before heard or thought on neither among Iewes Saresens Turkes or Heathen sence God created the Sunne to shyne that a beast should breake vp into the Temple of God that is to say into the hart and consciences of men and compell them to sweare euery man what hee was worthe to lende that should neuer be payd agayne How many thousandes forsware thē selues How many thousandes set them selues aboue their habilitie partly for feare lest they should be forsworne and partly to saue their credence When the pope hath his purpose then is peace made no man woteth how and our most enemy is our most frend Now because the Emperour is able to obteine his right French English Venetians and all must vpō him O great whore of Babylon how abuseth she the Princes of the world how dronke hath she made them with her wyne How shamefull licences doth she geue them to vse Nichromancy to hold whores to diuorse them selues to breake the fayth and promises that one maketh with an other that the confessours shall deliuer vnto the kyng the confession of whom he will and dispēceth with them euen of the very lawe of God whiche Christ him selfe can not do ¶ Agaynst the Popes false power MAthew xxvj Christ sayth vnto Peter put vp thy sword into his sheth For all that lay hand vpon the sword shal perish with the sword that is who soeuer without the cōmaundement of the temporall officer to whom God hath geuē the sword layeth hand on the sword to take vengeaunce the same deserueth death in the deede doyng God did not put Peter onely vnder the tēporall sword but also Christ him selfe As it appeareth in the fourth Chapter to the Galathiās And Christ sayth Math. iij. Thus becommeth it vs to fulfill all righteousnes that is to say all ordinaunces of God If the head be then vnder the tēporall sword how can the members be excepted If Peter sinned in defendyng Christ against the temporall sword whose authoritie and Ministers the Byshops then abused agaynst Christ as ours do now who can excuse our Prelates of sinne which will obey no man neither Kyng nor Emperour Yea who can excuse from sinne either the Kynges that geue either the Byshops that receaue such exemptions contrarie to Gods ordinaunces and Christes doctrine And Math. xvij both Christ and also Peter pay tribute where the meanyng of Christes question vnto Peter is if Princes take tribute of straungers onely and not of their children then verily ought I to be free whiche am the sonne of God whose seruaūtes and Ministers they are and of whom they haue their authoritie Yet because they neither knew that neither Christ came to vse that authoritie but to bee our seruaunt and to beare our burthen and to obey all ordinaunces both in right and wrong for our sakes and to teach vs therfore sayd he to S. Peter Pay for thee and melest we offend thē Moreouer though that Christ Peter because they were poore might haue escaped yet would he not for feare of offendyng other and hurtyng their consciences For he might well haue geuen occasion vnto the tribute gatherers to haue iudged amisse both of him and his doctrine yea and the Iewes might happely haue bene offended thereby and haue thought that it had not ben lawful for them to haue payd tribute vnto Heathen Princes and Idolaters seyng that he so great a Prophet payd not Yea and what other thyng causeth the lay so litle to regarde their Princes as that they see them both despised disobeyed of the spiritualtie But our Prelates whiche care for none offendyng of consciences and lesse for Gods ordinaunces will pay nought but when Princes must fight in our most holy fathers quarell and agaynst Christ Then are they the first There also is none so poore that then hath not somewhat to geue Marke here how past all shame our schole Doctours are as Rochester is in his Sermon agaynst Martin Luther which of this text of Mathew dispute that Peter because he payd tribute is greater then the other Apostles and hath more authority and power then they and was head vnto thē all cōtrary vnto so many cleare textes where Christ rebuketh them saying that is an Heathenish thyng that one should clyme aboue an other or desire to be greater To be great in the kingdome of heauē is to be a seruaunt and he that most humbleth hym selfe and becommeth a seruaunt vnto other after the ensample of Christ I meane his Apostles and not of the Pope and his Apostles our Cardinals and Byshops y e same is greatest in that kingdome If Peter in paying tribute became greatest how
offering and hys going in once in the yeare into the inner temple signifie the offering wherewyth Christ offered hymselfe and Christes goyng in vnto the father to be an euerlasting mediator or intercessor for vs. Neuerthelesse Rochester proueth the contrary by a shadow by a shadow verely For in shadowes they walke with out all shame and the light will they not come at but enforce to stoppe and quench it with all craft and falshod lest their abhominable iugling shoulde be sene If any man looke in the light of y e new testament he shal clearely see that that shadow may not be so vnderstād Vnderstand therfore that one thing in the Scripture representeth diuers thynges A Serpent figureth Christ in one place and the Deuill in an other And a Lyon doth lykewise Christ by Leuen signifieth Gods worde in one place and in an other signifieth thereby the traditions of y t Phareseis which sowred altered Gods word for theyr auauntage Now Moyses verely in y ◠sayd place representeth Christ and Aaron which was not yet hye Priest represēted not Peter onely or hys successour as my Lord of Rochester woulde haue it for Peter was to litle to beare Christes message vnto all the world but signifieth euery disciple of Christ euery true preacher of Gods worde For Moyses put in Aarons mouth what he should say and Aaron was Moyses Prophet and spake not hys owne message as the Pope and Byshoppes doe but that which Moyses had receaued of God and deliuered vnto hym Exod. 4. and also 7. So ought euery preacher to preach Gods worde purely and neither to adde nor minish A true messenger must doe his message truely and say neither more nor lesse then he is commaunded Aaron when he is hye priest and offereth and purgeth the people of their worldly sinne which they had fallē in in touching vncleanly thynges and in eating meates forbidden as we sinne in handling the chalice and the Alter stone are purged wyth the Bishops blessing representeth Christ which purgeth vs from all sinne in the sight of God as the epistle vnto the Hebrues maketh mentiō When Moyses was gone vp into the mounte and Aaron left behynde and made the golden Calfe there Aaron representeth all false preachers and namely our most holy father y ◠Pope which in like maner maketh vs beleue in a Bull as y t Bishop of Rochester ful wel alleageth the place in hys sermon If the Pope be signified by Aaron and Christ by Moyses why is not the Pope as well content with Christes law and doctrine as Aaron was with Moyses What is the cause that our Bishops preach the pope and not Christ seyng the Apostles preached not Peter but Christ Paul ij Cor. iiij sayth of hym selfe and of his felowapostles we preache not our selues but Christ Iesus the Lord and preach our selues your seruauntes for Iesus sake And. i. Cor. iij. Let no mā reioyse in men For all thynges are yours whether it bee Paul or Apollo or Peter whether it be the world or life or death whether they be present thinges or thynges to come all are yours ye are Christes Christ is Gods He leueth out ye are Peters or ye are the popes And in the Chapter folowyng he sayth Let men thus wise esteme vs euē the ministers of Christ c. And. ij Cor. xj Paul was gelous ouer his Corinthians because they fell from Christ to whom he had maried thē did cleaue vnto the authoritie of men for euē then false Prophetes sought authoritie in the name of the hye Apostles I am sayth he gelouse ouer you with godly gelousie For I coupled you to one mā to make you a chast virgine to Christ but I feare lest as the Serpent deceaued ◅e through his suttiltie euen so your wittes should be corrupt from the singlenesse that is in Christ And it followeth If he that commeth to you preached an other Iesus or if ye receaue an other spirite or another Gospell then might ye well haue ben content that is ye might haue well suffered him to haue authoritie aboue me But I suppose sayth he that I was not behynd the hye Apostles meaning in preaching Iesus his Gospell and in ministring the spirite And in the said xj Chapter he proueth by y ◠doctrine of Christ that he is greater then the hye Apostles For Christ sayth to be great in the kingdome of God is to do seruice and take payne for other Vpon which rule Paul disputeth saying if they be the ministers of Christ I am more In labours more aboundaunt in stripes about measure in prison more plenteously in death oft and so forth If Paul preached Christ more then Peter and suffered more for hys congregation then is he greater then Peter by y e testimony of Christ And in the xij he sayth In nothing was I inferior vnto y ◠hye Apostles Though I be nothing yet the tokēs of an Apostle were wrought amōg you with all pacience with signes wōders mighty dedes So proued he his authority not with a bulle frō Peter sealed with cold lead either with shadowes of the old Testament falsly expounded Moreouer the Apostles were sent immediatly of Christ and of Christ receaued they their authoritie as Paul boasteth him selfe euery where Christ sayth he sent me to preach the Gospell i. Corint i. And I receaued of the Lord that which I deliuered vnto you i. Cor. xi And Gal. i. I certifie you brethrē that the Gospell which was preached of me was not after the maner of men that is to witte carnal or fleshly neither receaued I it of man neyther was it taught me but I receaued it by y t reuelation of Iesus Christ And Gal. ij He that was mighty in Peter in the Apostleship ouer the circumcision was mighty in me among the Gētiles And 1. Timoth. 1. Readest thou lykewyse And Iohn xx Christ sent them forth indifferently and gaue them lyke power As my father sent me sayth he so send I you that is to preach and to suffer as I haue done and not to conquer enemyes and kyngdomes and to subdue all temporall power vnder you wyth disguised hypocrisie He gaue thē the holy Ghost to bynde and loose indifferently as thou seest And afterward he sent forth Paule wyth like authority as thou seest in the Actes And in the last of Mathew sayth he all power is geuen me in heauē and in earth goe therfore and teach all naciōs baptising them in the name of the father of the sonne and of the holy Ghost teaching them to obserue whatsoeuer I commaunded you The authoritie that Christ gaue thē was to preach yet not what they would imagine but what he had commaunded Loe sayth he I am with you alwayes euen vnto the ende of the world He sayde not I goe my way and loe here is Peter in my stede But sent them euery man to
The Friers lykewise make their benefactours which onely they call their brethren and sisters partakers of their masses fasting watchynges prayings and wolward goynges Yea and whē a nouice of the obseruauntes is professed the father asketh him will ye kepe the rules of holy S. Fraunces and he sayth yea will ye so in dede sayth he the other aunswereth yea forsoth father Then sayth the father and I promise you agayne euerlastyng lyfe O blasphemy If eternall life be due vnto the pilde traditions of lowsie Friers where is the Testament become that God made vnto vs in Christes bloud Christ sayth Math. xxiiij And Mark xiij that there shal come Pseudo-Christs Which though I for a consideration haue translated false Christes kepyng the Greeke word yet signifieth it in the English false annoynted and ought so to be translated There shall come saith Christ false annoynted and false Prophetes and shall do miracles and wonders so greatly that if it were possible the very elect or chosen should be brought out of the way Compare the Popes doctrine vnto the word of GOD and thou shalt finde that there hath ben and yet is a great goyng out of the way and that euill men and deceauers as Paul prophesied ij Timo. iij. haue preuailed and waxed worse and worse beguiling other as they are beguiled them selues Thou tremblest and quakest saying shall God let vs go so sore out of the right way I aunswere it is Christ that warneth vs which as he knew all that should follow so prophesied he before and is a true Prophet and his prophesie must nedes be fulfilled GOd annoynted hys sonne Iesus with the holy Ghost and therfore called him Christ which is as much to say as annoynted Outwardly he disguised him not but made hym like other mē and sent him into the world to blesse vs and to offer him selfe for vs a sacrifice of a swete sauour to kill the stench of our sinnes that God hence forth should smell them no more nor thinke on them any more and to make full sufficient satisfaction or amendes for all them that repent beleuyng the truth of god and submitting them selues vnto his ordinaūces both for their sinnes that they do haue done and shal do For sinne we through fragilitie neuer so oft yet as soone as we repente and come into the right way agayne and vnto the Testament whiche God hath made in Christes bloud our sinnes vanish away as smoke in the winde and as darkenes at the commyng of light or as thou cast a litle bloud or milke into y t mayne see In so much that who soeuer goeth about to make satisfactiō for his sinnes to God ward saying in his hart this much haue I sinned this much will I doe agayne or this wise will I lyue to make amendes with all or this wil I do to get heauen with all the same is an infidell faythlesse and damned in his deede doing and hath lost his part in Christes bloud because he is disobedient vnto Gods Testamēt and setteth vp an other of his owne imagination vnto which he will compell God to obey If we loue God we haue a cōmaundemēt to loue our neighbour also as sayth Iohn in his Epistle And if we haue offended him to make him amendes or if we haue not wherewith to aske him forgeuenesse and to doe and suffer all thynges for his sake to wynne him to God to norish peace and vnitie but to Godward Christ is an euerlastyng satisfaction and euer sufficient Christ when he had fulfilled hys course annoynted hys Apostles and disciples with the same sprite and sent them forth without all maner disguising like other men also to preach the attonemēt and peace which Christ had made betwene God and man The Apostles likewise disguised no man but chose men annoynted wyth the same spirit one to preach the worde of God whom we call after the greeke tounge a Byshop or a Priest that is in Englishe an ouersear and an Elder How he was annointed thou readest i. Timothe iij. A Byshoppe or an ouersear must be faultlesse the husband of one wife Many Iewes and also Gentils that were conuerted vnto the faith had at that tyme diuers wines yet were not compelled to put any of thē away which Paule because of ensāple would not haue preachers for as much as in Christ we returne agayne vnto y ◠first ordinaunce of God that one man and one woman should goe together he must be sober of honest behauiour honestly apparelled harbarous that is ready to lodge straungers apte to teach no dronckard no fighter not geuen to filthy lucre but gentle abhorring fyghting abhorring couetousnes and one that ruleth hys owne householde honestly hauing children vnder obedience wyth all honestie For if a man can can not rule hys owne house how can he care for the congregation of God he may not be younge in the fayth or as a man would say a Nouice least he swell and fall into y t iudgement of y t euill speaker that is he may not be vnlearned in the secretes of the fayth For such are attonce stubburne and headstrong and set not a little by themselues But alas we haue aboue twenty thousand that know no more scripture then is written in their portoues and among them is he exceding well learned that can turne to his seruice He must be well reported of thē y t are without least he fal into rebuke and into the snare of the euill speaker that is least the infidels which yet beleue not should be hurt by hym and driuen from the fayth if a man that were defamed were made head or ouerseer of the congregation He must haue a wife for two causes one that it may therby be knowē who is mete for the rowme He is vnapt for so chargeable an office which had neuer housholde to rule An other cause is that chastity is an exceeding seldom gift and vnchastitie exceding perilous for that degree In as much as y ◠people looke as well vnto the liuyng as vnto the preachyng and are hurte at once if the liuing disagree and fall frō the fayth and beleue not the worde This ouerseer because he was takē from hys owne busines and labour to preach Gods word vnto the parishe hath right by the authoritie of hys office to chalenge an honest liuyng of y t parishe as thou mayst see in y ◠Enangelistes and also in paule For who will haue a seruaunt and will not geue hym meate drinke and rayment and all things necessary How they would pay hym whether in money or assigne hym so much rent or in tithes as the guise is now in many countreies was at their libertie Lykewise in euery congregation chose they an other after the same ensample and euen so annointed as it is to see in the sayd chapter of Paule and Act. vj. Whom after the Greeke word we call
that is to say of maÌ„s righteousnes and of holy dedes which man hath imagined to please God to be saued by without Gods worde and beside the testameÌ„t that God hath made in Christ If Christ had not rebuked y t Phareseis because they taught the people to beleue in their traditions and holynes and in offeringes that came to their auantage and that they taught the widowes and theÌ„ that had their frendes dead to beleue in their prayers that through their prayers the dead should be saued and thorough that meanes robbed them both of their goodes and also of the testament and promises that God had made to all that repented in Christ to come he might haue bene vncrucified vnto this day If Saint Paule also had not preached against circumcision that it iustified not and that vowes offeringes and ceremonies iustified not and that righteousnes and forgeuenes of sinnes came not by any deseruing of our deedes but by faith or beleuing y e promises of God and by the deseruing merites of Christ onely he might haue liued vnto this houre Likewise if we preached not against pride couetousnes lechery extorcion vsury symony and against the euill lyuing both of the spiritualtie as well of the temporalitie and against inclosings of parkes reising of rent and fines and of the carying out of wolle out of the realme we might endure long enough But toutch the scabbe of hipocrisie or popeholynes and goe about to vtter their false doctrine wherewith they reigne as Gods in the hart and consciences of men and robbe them not of landes goodes and authoritie onely but also of the testament of God and saluation that is in Christ then helpeth thee neither Gods worde nor yet if thou diddist miracles but that thou art not an heretike onely and hast the deuill within thee but also a breaker of the kinges peace and a traytor But let vs returne vnto our lying sygnes agayne WHat signifieth that the Prelates are so bloudy and clothed in red that they be ready euery houre to suffer martyrdome for the testimony of Gods worde Is that also not a false signe When no man dare for them once open his mouth to aske a question of Gods worde because they are ready to burne him What signifieth the pollaxes that are borne before hye Legates A Latere What so euer false signe they make of them I care not but of this I am sure that as the olde hypocrites when they had slayne Christ set pollaxes to keepe him in his sâ—pulcre that he should not rise againe eueÌ„ so haue our hypocrites buried the testament that God made vnto vs in Christes bloud and to kepe it downe that it rise not againe is all their studie wherof these pollaxes are the very signe Is not that shepardes hoke the Bishopes crose a false signe Is not that white rochette that the Byshops and Chanons weare so like a Nunne and so effeminatly a false signe What other thinges are their sandals gloues myters all the whole pompe of their disguising then false signes in which Paule prophesied that they shoulde come And as Christ warned vs to beware of wolues in lambes skinnes bad vs looke rather vnto their fruites and deedes then to wonder at theyr disguisinges Runne throughout all our holy religious and thou shalt finde them likewise all clothed in falshod ¶ Of the sacramentes FOrasmuch as we be come to signes we wil speake a word or two of the signes which God hath ordeined that is to say of the sacramentes which Christ left amongest vs for our comfort that we may walke in light and in truth in feling of the power of God For he that walketh in y â— day stumbleth not when contrariwise he that walketh in the night stumbleth Ioh. xi And they that walke in darknes wote not whether they goe Ioh. xij This worde sacrament is as much to say as an holy signe and representeth alway some promise of God As in the olde Testament God ordeined that the raynebowe should represent and signifie vnto all men an oth that God sware to Noe to all men after hym that he woulde no more drowne the worlde thorough water ¶ The sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ SO the Sacrament of the body and bloude of Christ hath a promise annexed which the Priest should declare in the Englishe tounge This is my body that is broken for you This is my bloud that is shed for many vnto the forgeuenesse of sinnes This do in remeÌ„brance of me sayth Christ Luk. 22. And 1. Cor. 11. If when thou seest the SacrameÌ„t or eatest his body or drinckest his bloud thou haue thys promise fast in thine hart that his body was slayne and his bloud shed for thy sins and beleuest it so art thou saued and iustified thereby If not so helpeth it thee not though thou hearest a thousand masses in a day or though thou doest nothing els all thy life long then eate his body or drinke his bloude no more theÌ„ it should helpe thee in a dead thyrst to beholde a bushe at a tauerne dore if thou knewest not thereby that there were wine within to be sold◠¶ Baptime BAptime hath also his worde and promise which the Priest ought to to teach the people and Christen them in the Englishe tounge and not to play y â— popengay with Credo say ye â—olo say ye and Baptismum say ye for there ought to be no mumming in such a matter The Priest before he baptiseth asketh saying beleuest thou in God the father almighty and in his sonne Iesus Christ and in the holy ghost and that the congregation of Christ is holy And they say yea Then the Priest vppon thys fayth baptiseth the childe in y â— name of the father and of y t sonne and of the holy ghost for the forgeuenes of sinnes as Peter saith Act. ij The washing without the worde helpeth not but through the worde it purifieth and clenseth vs. As thou readest Ephe. v. How Christ clenseth the congregation in the fountayne of water through the worde The word is the promise that God hath made Now as a preacher in preaching the worde of God saueth the hearers that beleue so doth the washing in that it preacheth and representeth vnto vs the promise that God hath made vnto vs in Christ The washing preacheth vnto vs that we are cleÌ„sed with Christes bloudshedding which was an offering and a satisfaction for the sinne of all that repent and beleue consenting and submitting themselues vnto the will of God The plunging into the water signifieth that we die and are buried with Christ as concerning the olde life of sinne which is Adam And the pulling out againe signifieth that we rise againe with Christ in a newe life full of the holy ghost which shall teach vs guide vs worke the will of God in vs as thou seest Rom. vj. Of wedlocke MAtrimony or wedlocke is
the sygh of the hart is his sinne put away in Christes bloud For Christes bloud purgeth euer and blesseth euer For Iohn sayth in the second of his first epistle This I write vnto you that ye sinne not And though any man sinne meaning of frailtie and so repent yet haue we an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ which is righteous and he it is that obteineth grace for our sinnes and Heb. vij it is written But this man meaning Christ because he lasteth or abideth euer hath an euerlasting priesthod Therefore is he able also euer to saue thē that come to God through hym seing he euer liueth to make intercession for vs. The Byshops therefore ought to blesse vs in preaching Christ and not to deceaue vs and to bring the curse of God vpon vs wyth wagging their handes ouer vs. To preache is their dutie onely and not to offer their feete to bee kissed or testicles or stones to be groped We feele also by experience that after the Popes Byshoppes or Cardinals blessing we are no otherwise disposed in our soules then before Let this be sufficient as concerning the sacramentes and ceremonies with this protestation that if any cā say better or improue this with Gods word no man shall be better content therewith then I. For I seeke nothing but the truth and to walke in the light I submit therefore this worke and all other that I haue made or shall make if God will that I shall more make vnto the iudgements not of them that furiously burne all truth but of them which are ready with Gods worde to correct if any thing be sayde amisse to further Gods worde I will talke a worde or two after the worldly wisdome with them and make an ende of this matter If the sacramentes iustifie as they say I vnderstand by iustifiyng forgeuenes of sinnes Then do they wrong vnto the sacraments in as much as they robbe the most part of them through confession of their effect of the cause wherfore they were ordeined For no man may receaue the body of Christ no mā may marry no man may be oyled or aneiled as they call it no man may receaue orders except he be fyrst shriuen Now when the sinnes be forgeuen by shrift afore hand there is nought left for the sacramentes to doe They will aunswere that at the least way they encrease grace and not the sacramētes onely but also hearing of masse matens and euensong and receauing of holy water holy bread and of the Bishops blessing and so forth by all ceremonies By grace I vnderstand the fauour of God and also the giftes and working of his spirite in vs as loue kyndnes patience obedience mercifulnes despising of worldly thynges peace concorde and such like If after thou hast heard so many masses matens and euensonges and after thou hast receaued holy bread holy water and the Byshops blessing or a Cardinals or the Popes if thou wilt be more kinde to thy neighbour and loue him better then before if thou be more obediēt vnto thy superiors more mercifull more ready to forgeue wrong done vnto thee more despisest the world and more a thyrst after spirituall thynges if after that a Priest hath taken orders he be lesse couetous then before if a wife after so many and oft pilgrimages be more chast more obedient vnto her husband more kynde to her maydes and other seruauntes if Gentlemen knightes Lordes and kinges and Emperours after they haue sayd so often dayly seruice wyth their Chappellaynes know more of Christ then before and can better skill to rule their tenauntes subiectes and realmes christenly then before and be content with their duties then do such thinges encrease grace if not it is a lie Whether it be so or no I report me to experience If they haue any other enterpretations of iustifiyng or grace I pray them to teach it me For I would gladly learne it Now let vs goe to our purpose agayne ¶ Of miracles and worshipping of Saintes ANtichrist shal not only come with lying signes and disguised wyth falshod but also wyth lying miracles and wonders saith Paule in the said place ij Thess ij All the true miracles which are of God are shewed as I aboue rehearsed to moue vs to heare Gods word and to stablishe our fayth therin and to confirme the truth of Gods promises that we might without all doubting beleue thē For Gods worde thorough fayth bringeth the spirite into our hartes and also life as Christ sayth Iohn vi The wordes which I speake are spirite and lyfe The worde also purgeth vs and clenseth vs as Christ sayth Iohn xv ye are cleane by the meanes of the word Paul sayth i. Timo. ij One God one Mediatour that is to say aduocate intercessor or an atonemaker betwene God man the man Christ Iesus which gaue him selfe a raunson for all men Peter sayth of Christ Actes iiij Neither is their health in any other neither yet also any other name geuen vnto men wherin we must be saued So now Christ is our peace our redemption or raunsom for our sinnes our righteousnes satisfactiō and all the promises of God are yea Amen in him ij Cor. i. And we for y t great and infinite loue whiche God hath to vs in Christ loue him agayn loue also his lawes loue one an other And the deedes whiche we hence forth doe do we not to make satisfaction or to obteine heauen but to succour our neighbour to tame y t flesh that we may waxe perfect and strong men in Christ and to be thankefull to God againe for his mercy and to glorifie his name COntrarywise the miracles of Antichrist are done to pull thee from the worde of God and from beleuyng his promises and from Christ and to put thy trust in a man or a ceremonie wherin Gods word is not As soone as Gods woorde is beleued the fayth spread abroad then sease the miracles of god But the miracles of Antichrist because they are wrought by the deuil to quench the fayth grow dayly more and more neither shall cease vntill the worldes end among them that beloue not Gods worde and promises Seest thou not how God loosed sent forth all the deuils in the old world among the Heathen or Gētiles And how the deuils wrought miracles spake to them in euery image Euen so shal the deuill woorke falshode by one craft or an other vntill the worldes end amōg them that beleue not Gods word For the iudgement and damnation of hym that hath no lust to heare the truth is to heare lyes and to be stablished and grounded therein through false miracles and he that will not see is worthy to be blind and he that biddeth the spirite of God go from him is worthy to be without him Paul Peter and all true Apostles preached Christ onely And the miracles did but confirme and stablish their preachyng and those
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
thou haue peace in thy selfe and that thou take all to the best and be not offēded lightly and for euery small trifle and alway ready to forgeue ▪ nor sowe no discorde nor aduenge thyne owne wrong But also that thou be feruent diligent to make peace and to go betwene where thou knowest or hearest malice and enuie to be or seest bate or strife to arise betwen person and person and that thou leaue nothing vnsought to set them at one And though Christ here speake not of the temporall sword but teacheth how euery man shall liue for him selfe toward his neighbour yet Princes if they wil be Gods children must not onely giue no cause of warre nor begyn any but also though he haue a iust cause suffer him selfe to be entreated if he that gaue the cause repent and must also seke al wayes of peace before he fight Howbeit when all is sought and nothing will helpe then he ought and is bound to defend his land subiectes in so doyng he is a peacemaker as well as whē he causeth theeues murtherers to be punished for their euill doyng and breakyng of the common peace of his land and subiectes If thou haue peace in thy selfe and louest the peace of thy brethren after this maner so is God through Christ at peace with thee and thou his beloued sonne and heyre also Moreouer if the wrong done thee be greater then thou mayst beare as whē thou art a person not for thy selfe onely But in respect of other in what soeuer worldly degree it be and hast an office committed thee then when thou hast warned with all good maner him that did it and none amendement wil be had kepe peace in thyne hart and loue him still and complaine to them that are set to reforme such things and so art thou yet a peacemaker and still the sonne of God But if thou aduenge thy selfe or desirest more then that such wronges be forbidden thou sinnest against god in taking the authoritie of God vpon thee without his commaundemēt God is father ouer all and is of right iudge ouer all his children and to him onely partayneth all aduēging Who therfore without his commaundemēt aduengeth either with hart or hand the same doth cast hym selfe into the handes of the sword loseth the right of his cause And on the other side cursed be the peacebreakers picquarels whisperers backbyters sowers of discorde dispraysers of thē that be good to bring thē out of fauour interpreters to euill that is done for a good purpose finders of faultes where none is stirrers vp of Princes to battaile and warre aboue all cursed be they that falsly bely the true preachers of Gods word to bring them into hate and to shed their bloud wrongfully for hate of the truth For all such are children of the deuill Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousnes sake for theirs is the kyngdome of heauen If the faith of Christ law of God in which two all righteousnes is contained be writtē in thine hart that is if thou beleue in Christ to be iustified frō sinne or for remission of sinne cōsentest in thyne hart to the law that it is good holy and iust and thy dutie to do it and submittest thy selfe so to do therupon goest forth and testifiest that fayth and law of righteousnes openly vnto the world in word dede Then will Sathan stirre vp his members agaynst thee and thou shalt be persecuted on euery side But be of good comfort and faynte not Call to mynde the saying of Paule ij Timo. iij. how all that wil liue godly in Christ Iesu shal suffer persecution Remember how all the Prophetes that went before thee were so dealt with Luke vj. Remēber the examples of the Apostles and of Christ him selfe and that the Disciple is no better then his Maistee and that Christ admitteth no disciple which not onely leaueth not all but also taketh his crosse to We be not called to a soft liuing and to peace in this world But vnto peace of cōscience in God our father through Iesus Christ to warre in this world Moreouer comfort thy selfe with the hope of the blessing of the inheritaunce of heauen there to be glorified with Christ if y u here suffer with hym For if we be like Christ here in his passiōs and beare his image in soule and body fight manfully that Sathan blot it not out suffer with Christ for bearyng recorde to righteousnes thē shall we be like him in glory S. Iohn iij. of hys Epistle yet appeareth not what we shal be But we know that whē he appeareth we shal be like hym And Paule Phil. iij. our conuersation is in heauen whence we looke for a Sauiour the Lord Iesus Christ which shall chaunge our vile bodyes and make thē like his glorious body It is an happy thing to suffer for righteousnes sake but not for vnrighteousnes For what prayse is it sayeth Peter in the second of his first epistle though ye suffer when ye be buffeted for your offences Wherfore in y e fourth of the same he sayth see that none of you suffer as a murtherer or a thefe or an euill doer or a busy body in other mens matters Such suffering glorifieth not God nor thou art therby heire of heauen Beware therefore that thou deserue not that thou sufferest But if thou do then beware much more of them that would beare thee in hand bow that such suffering should be satisfaction of thy sinnes and a deseruing of heauen No suffering for righteousnes though heauen be promised therto yet doth it not deserue heauen nor yet make satisfactiō for the foresinnes Christ doth both twaine But and if thou repent and beleue in Christ for the remission of sinne and then cōfesse not onely before God but also open before all that see thee suffer how that thou hast deserued that thou suffrest for breaking the good and righteous law of thy father and then takest to◠punishmēt patiently as an holesome medicine to heale thy flesh that it sinne no more and to feare thy brethren that they fall not into like offence as Moses teacheth euery where then as thy paciēce in suffering is pleasaunt in the sight of thy brethrē which behold thee pitie thee and suffer with thee in their harts euen so is it in the sight of God and it is to thee a sure token that thou hast true fayth and true repentaunce And as they be blessed which suffer for righteousnes euen so are they accursed which runne away and let it be troden vnder the feete and wyll not suffer for the fayth of their Lord and lawe of their father nor stande by their neighbours in their iust causes Blessed are ye when they reuile you and persecute you and say all maner of euil sayinges against you for my sake and yet lye Reioyce and be glad for
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
all that is corrupt must be salted And those personnes are of all other most corrupt and therfore may not be left vntouched The Popes pardons must be rebuked the abuse of the Masse of the Sacramentes and of all the ceremonyes must be rebuked and salted And selling of merites and of prayers must be salted The abuse of fastyng and of pilgrimage must be salted All idolatry false faith must be rebuked And those Fryers that teach men to beleue in S. Fraunces coate how that they shall neuer come in hell or purgatory if they be buryed therein may not be passed ouer with silence The payne griefe of salting made Monkes flee to their cloysture Nay say they we went thether of pure denotion to pray for the people Yea but for all that the more ye encrease and y e more ye multiply your prayers the worse the world is That is not our fault say they but theirs that they dispose not themselues but continue in sinne and so are vnapt to receaue the influence of our prayers O hipocrits if ye weee true salt and had good harts and loued your neighbours if dead men be neighbours to them that are aliue and woulde come out of your dennes and take payne to salt and season them ye should make a great many of them so apt that your prayers might take effect But now seyng as ye say they be so vnsauery that your prayers be to theÌ„ improfitable though their goods be to you profitable and yet ye haue no compassioÌ„ to come out and â—alt theÌ„ it is manifest that ye loue not them but theirs and that ye pray not for them but vnder the colour of praying mocke them and robbe them Finally salt which is the true vnderstandyng of the law of faith and of the intent of all workes hath in you lost her vertue neither be there any so vnsauery in the world as yeare nor any that so sore kicke agaynst true saltyng as ye and therfore are ye to be cast out and troden vnder foote and despised of all men by the righteous iudgement of God If salt haue lost his saltnesse it is good for nothing but to be troden vnder foote of men That is if the preacher whiche for his doctrine is called salt haue lost y e nature of salt that is to say his sharpnesse in rebukyng all vnrighteousnes all naturall reason naturall witte and vnderstandyng all trust and confidence in what soeuer it be saue in the bloud of Christ he is coÌ„demned of God and disalowed of all them that cleaue to the truth In what case staÌ„d they then that haue benefices preach not verely though they stand at the altar yet are they excommunicat and cast out of the liuing Church of almighty God And what if the doctrine be not true salt verely then is it to be troden vnder foote As must all werish and vnsauery ceremonies whiche haue losâ—e their significatioÌ„s and not onely teach not and are become vnprofitable do no more seruice to man But also haue obtained authoritie as God in the hart of man that maÌ„ serueth them and putteth in them the trust confidence that he should put in God hys maker thorough Iesus Christ his redemer Are the institutions of man better then Gods yea are Gods ordinauÌ„ces better now theÌ„ in the old tyme The Prophets trode vnder foote and defied the teÌ„ple of God and the sacrifices of God and all ceremonies that God had ordained with sastinges and prayinges and all that the people peruerted and committed idolatrie with We haue as straite a commaundement to salt and rebuke all vngodlinesse as had y e Prophetes Will they then haue their ceremonies honourably spokeÌ„ of then let them restore them to the right vse and put the salt of the true meanyng significations of them to theÌ„ agayne But as they be now vsed none that loueth Christ caÌ„ speake honourably of them What true Christen man can geue honour to that that taketh all honour froÌ„ Christ who can geue honour to that that slayeth the soule of his brother robbeth his hart of that trust and coÌ„â—â—deÌ„ce which he should geue to his Lord that hath bought him with his bloud â–ª Ye are the light of the world A Citie that is set on an hil caÌ„not be hid neither do men light a candle And put it vnder a bushell but on a caÌ„dlesticke and so geueth it light to all that are in the house Let your light so shine before meÌ„ that they may see your good woorkes and prayse your father that is in heauen Christ goeth forth and describeth y â— office of an Apostle and true preacher by another likenesse callyng them as before the salt of the earth EueÌ„ so here the light of the worldâ—… signifiyng therby that all y e doctrine all the wisdome and hie knowledge of the world whether it were Philosophy of naturall concâ—usions of maners and vertue or of lawes of righteousnes whether it were of the holy scripture and of God hymselfe was yet but a darcknes vntill the doctrine of hys Apostles came that is to say vntill the knowledge of Christ came how that he is the sacrifice for our sinnes our satisfaction our peace attonement and redemption our life therto and resurrection Whatsoeuer holinesse wisdome vertue perfectnesse or righteousnes is in y e world among men howsoeuer perfect holy they appeare yet is all dampnable darcknesse except the right knowledge of Christes bloud be there first to iâ—ftifie the hart before all other holinesse An other coÌ„clusion As a citie built on a hill can not be hid no more can the light of Christes Gospell Let the world rage as much as it will yet it wil shine on their sore eyes whether they be content or no. An other conclusion as men light not a candle to whelme it vnder a busshell but to put it on a candlesticke to light all that are in the house euen so the light of Christes Gospell may nor be hid nor made a seuerall thyng as though it pertayned to some certayne holy persons onely Nay it is the light of the whole world and pertaineth to all men and therfore may not be made seuerall It is a madnesse that diuerse men say the lay people may not know it except they can proue that the laye people be not of the world Moreouer it will not be hid but as the lightning that breaketh out of the cloudes shyneth ouer all euen so doth the Gospel of Christ For where it is truely receaued there it purifieth the hart and maketh the person to consent to the lawes of God and to beginne a new and a godly lyuing fashioned after Gods lawes and without all dissimulation And then it wil kendle so great loue in hym towarde his neighbour that he shall not onely haue compassioÌ„ on hym in hys bodely aduersitie but much more pitie him ouer the blyndenes of his soule and
destroyed the law and the Prophetes interpretyng the Scripture after the litteral sence which killeth after his owne brayne cleane contrary to the common fayth of holy Church and myndes of great Clerkes and autenticke expositions of old holy Doctours Euen so here what other could they say then behold the hereticke and dyd not we tell you before whereto hee would come and that he kept some mischief behynd and spued not out all his venome at once see to what all his godly new doctrine that sounded so sweetly is come he preached all of loue and would haue the people saued by fayth so long till that now at the last he preached cleane agaynst all deedes of mercy as prayer fasting and almose deede and destroyeth all good workes His disciples fast no more then dogges they dispise their deuine seruice come not to Church yea and if the holyest of all S. Fraunces order aske themalmes they bidde hym labour with his handes and get hys liuing and say that he that laboureth not is not worthy to eate that God â—ad that no such strong lubbers should loyter and goe a begging and be chargeable to the coÌ„gregation and eate vp that other poore men get with the â–ª sweat of their booyes yea and at the last ye shall see if we resiste hun not betymes that he shall moue the people to insurrection as Cayphas sayd and the Romaynes shall come take our land from vs. As ye see in y e text Luk. xxiij How when they could not driue the people from him wyth those periwasions they accused hym to Pilate saying we haue founde thys fellow peruerting the people and forbidding to pay tribute to Cesar and saying that he is Christ a kyng Wherfore thou canst not be Cesars frend if thou let hym escape But after all these blasphemies yet must y â— holy ghost rebuke the world of their righteousnes yea of their false righteousnes and false holines which are neither righteousnes nor holines but colour of hipocrisy Christ here destroyeth not prayer fasting almes deede But preacheth agaynst the false purpose and entent of such workes and peruerting the true vse that is to say their seking of glory and that they estemed themselues righteous thereby and better then other men and so despised and coÌ„dempned their brethren With our almose which is as much to say as deedes of mercy or compassion we ought to seeke our fathers glory onely euen the wealth of our brethren and to winne them to the knowledge of our father and keeping of his lawe He that seeketh the glory of his good workes seketh the glory that belongeth to God and maketh himselfe God Is it not a blynde thyng of y e world that eyther they will do no good woorkes at all or will be God for their good workes and haue the glory themselues Concerning blowing of trumpets and ringing of belies or makyng a cry to call men to â—et almes though y e right way be that we should know in euery parishe all ourpoore haue a coÌ„mon coser for them and that strauÌ„gers should bring a letter of recommendation with them of their necessitie and that we had a commonplace to receaue them into for the tyme and though also we ought to flee all occasions of vayne glory yet while y e world is out of order it is not dampnable to do it So that the very meaning both that we blow no trumpets and that the left hand know not what the right hand doth is that we do as secretly as we can and in no wise seeke glory or to receaue it if it were proffered But to do our deedes in singlenes of conscience to God because it is his commaundement and euen of pure compassion and loue to our brethren and not y â— our good deedes thorough standing in our owne coÌ„ceite should cause vs to dispise them If thou be tempted to vayne glory for thy good deees theÌ„ looke on thyne euill thereto and put the one in the one balaunce and the other in the other And then if thou vnderstand the law of God any thyng at all tell me whether wayeth heâ—…er If that y â— thou doest do tempt thee then consider what thou doest not If it moue thee to set vp thy combe when thou geuest thy brother a farthyng or an halfepenny ponder in thine hart how farre thou art of from louing him as well as thy selfe and caring for him as much as for thy selfe And be sure how much y â— lackest of that so much thou art in sinne and that in dampnable sinne if God for Christes sake dyd not pardon thee because thine hart mourneth therefore and thou fightest with thy self to come to such persectioÌ„ If a Pecocke did looke well on his feete and marke the euilfauoured shriking of his voyce he would not be so proude of the beauty of hys fayle Finally that many dispute because God hath promised to rewarde our deedes in heauen that our deedes deserue heauen and because he promiseth to shew mercy to y e merciful that with our deedes we deserue mercy and because he promiseth forgeuenes of sins to theÌ„ y t forgeue y â— our deedes deserue forgeuenes of sinne and so iustifie vs. I aunswere first there is inough spoken thereof in other places so that to them that haue read that it is superstuous to rehearse the matter agayne Furthermore the argument is nought and holdeth by no rule See ye not y t the father and mother haue more right to the childe and to all it can do than to an Oxe or a Cowe It is their fleshe and bloud nourished vp wyth their labour and cost The life of it and the maintenaunce and continuaunce therof is their benefite so that it is not able to recompence that it oweth to father and mother by a thousand partes And though it be not able to do his dutie nor for blindnesse to know hys dutie yet the father and mother promise moe giftes still without ceasing and that such as they thinke shoulde most make it to see loue to prouoke it to be willing to do part of his dutie And when it hath done amisse though it haue no power to do satisfaction nor lust or courage to come to y e right way agayne yet their loue and mercy abydeth still so great to it that vppon appointment of mending they not onely forgeue that is past and fulfill their promise neuertheles but promise greater giftes then euer before and to be better father and mother to it theÌ„ euer they were Now when it cannot do y â— thousand part of his dutie how coulde it deserue such promises of the father mother as a labourer doth his hyre the rewarde therefore commeth of the loue mercy and truth of the father and mother as well when the childe keepeth the appointment as when they fulfill their promise when it hath broken the appointment and not of the deseruing of the
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
That fayth haue they in theyr owne workes onely But the true hearers vnderstand the lawe as Christ interpreteth it here and feele thereby theyr righteous damnation and runne to Christ for succour and for remission of all their sinnes that are past and for all the sinne which chaunce thorough infirmities shall compel theÌ„ to do for remission of that the law is to stronge for their weake nature And upon that they consent to the lawe loue it and professe it to fulfill it to the vttermost of their power and then go to and worke Faith or confidence in Christes bloud without helpe and before the workes of the law bringeth all maner of remission of sinnes satisfaction Faith is mother of loue fayth accompanieth loue in all her workes to fulfill as much as there lacketh in our doing the lawe of that perfect loue which Christ had to his father and vs in his fulfilling of the law for vs. Now when we be reconciled then is loue fayth together our righteousnesse our keeping the lawe our continuing our proceeding forwarde in the grace which we stand in our bringing to the euerlasting sauing and euerlasting life And the woorkes be esteemed of God according to the loue of the hart If the woorkes be great loue little and colde then the woorkes be regarded thereafter of God If the workes be small and loue much and feruent the workes be taken for great of God And it came to passe that when Iesus had ended these sayinges the people were astonied at his doctrine for he taught them as one hauing power and not as the Scribes The Scribes and Phariseyes had thrust vp the sworde of the woorde of God into a scabbarde or shethe of gloses and therein had knit it fast that it coulde neither sticke nor cut teaching dead workes without fayth and loue which are the life and the whole goodnes of all workes and the onely thing why they please God And therefore their audience abode euer carnall and fleshly mynded without faith to God and loue to their neighbours Christes wordes were spirit life Ioh. vi That is to say they ministred spirite and life and entred into the hart and grated on the conscience and thorow preaching the lawe made the hearers perceaue their duties euen what loue they ought to God what to man and the right dampnation of all them that had not the loue of God and man written in their hartes and thorow preaching of fayth made all that consented to the lawe of God fele the mercy of God in Christ and certified them of their saluation For the worde of God is a two edged sworde that pearceth and deuideth the spirite and soule of man a sonder Heb. 〈◊〉 A man before the preaching of Godes woorde is but one man all fleshe the soule consenting vnto the lustes of the fleshe to follow them But the sworde of the worde of God where it taketh effect diuideth a man in two and serteth him at variaunce against his own selfe The fleshe haling one way and the spirite drawing another the fleshe raging to follow lustes and the spirite calling backe agayne to follow the lawe and will of God A man all the while â—e consenteth to the flesh before he be borne again in Christ is called soule or carnall But whe he is renued in Christ through y t word of lyâ—e and hath the loue of God and of hys neighbor and the fayth of Christ written in his hart he is called spirite or spirituall The Lord of all mercy send vs preachers with power that is to say 〈◊〉 expounders of the worde of God and speakers to the hart of man and deliuer vs from Scribes Phariseyes hypocrites and all false Prophetes Amen An aunswere vnto Syr Thomas Mores Dialogue made by William Tyndall 1530. ☞ First he declareth what the Church is and geueth a reason of certaine wordes which Master More rebuketh in the translation of the new Testament ¶ After that he aunswereth particularly vnto euery Chapter which semeth to haue any appearaunce of truth thorough all his foure bookes ¶ Awake thou that slepest and stand vp from death and Christ shall geue the light Ephesians 5. THe grace of our Lord the light of his spirite to see to iudge true repeÌ„taunce towardeâ— Gods lâ—we a fast fayth in the mercyfull prâ—…es y â— are in our sauiour Christ serueÌ„t loue toward thy neighbour after the exaÌ„ple of Christ his Saints be with thee O Reader with all that loue the truth loÌ„g for the redemption of Gods elect Amen Our Sauiour I esus in the 16. of Iohn at his last Supper when he tooke his leaue of his Disciples warned them saying the holy Ghost shall come and rebuke the world of iudgemeÌ„t That is he shall rebuke the world for lacke of true iudgement and discretion to iudge and shall proue that the tast of theyr mouthes is corrupt so that they iudge swete to be sowre and sowre to be swete the eyes to be blynd so that they thinke that to be the verâ— seruice of God which is but a blynd superstition for zeale of which yet they persecute the true seruice of God and that they iudge to be the lawe of God whiche is but a false imagination of a corrupt iudgement for blynd affection of whiche yet they persecute the true law of God and them that kepe it And this same it is that Paul sayth 1. Corinth ij how that the naturall man that is not borne agayne and created a new with the spirite of God be he neuer so great a Philosopher neuer so well sene in the law neuer so sore studied in the Scripture as we haue examples in the Phariseis yet hee cannot vnderstaÌ„d the thynges of the spirite of God but sayth he the spirituall iudgeth all thyngs and hys spirâ—e searcheth the deepe secretes of God so that what soeuer God commauÌ„deth hym to do he neuer leaueth searchyng till he come at the bottome the pith the quicke the lyâ—e the sâ—… the mâ—â—ow very cause why and iudgeth all thyng Take an example in the great commaundement loue God with all thyne hart y t spirituall searcheth the cause and looketh on the benefites of God and so conceaueth loue in his hart And when he is commaunded to obey the powers and rulers of the world hee looketh on the benefites which God sheweth the world through them and therefore doth it gladly And when hee â–ª is commauÌ„ded to loue his neighbour as hym selfe he searcheth that his neighbour is created of God and bought with Christes bloud and so forth and therefore he loueth hym out of his hart and if he be euill forheareth hym and with all loue and pacience draweth hym to good as elder brethren wayte on the youÌ„ger and serue them and suffer them when they will not come they speake fayre flatter and geue some gaye thyng and
promise fayre and so drawe them and â—…te them not but if they may in no wise be holpe referre the punishment to the father and mother and so foorth And by these iudgeth he all other lawes of God and vnderstaÌ„deth the true vse and meanyng of them And by these vnderstandeth he in the lawes of man whiche are right and which tyranny If God should coÌ„maunde hym to drinke no wine as he commauÌ„ded in the olde testament that the priestes should not when they ministred in the temple and forbad diuerse meaâ—es the spirituall because he knoweth that man is Lord ouer all other creatures they his seruauntes made to be at his pleasure and that it is not commaunded for the wyue or meate it selfe that man should be in bondage vnto his owne seruaunt the inferiour creature ceaseth not to search the cause And when he findeth it that it is to tame the fleshe and that he be alway sober he obeyeth gladly and yet not so superstitiously that the tyme of his disease he would not drinke wine in y e way of a medicine to recouer his health as Dauid eat of the halowed bread and as Moses for necessitie left the children of Israell vncircumcised xl yeares where of likelyhoode some dyed vncircumcised and were yet thought to be in no worse case then they that were circumcised as the children that dyed within the viij day were counted in as good case as they that were circuÌ„cised which ensamples might teach vs many thinges if there were spirite in vs. And likewise of the holy day he knoweth that the day is seruaunt to man and therfore when he findeth that it is done because he should not be let from hearing the worde of God he obeyeth gladly and yet not so superstitiously that he would not helpe his neighbour on the holy day and let the sermoÌ„ alone for one day or that he would not worke on the holyday neede requiring it at such tyme as men be not wont to be at church and so throughout all lawes And euen likewise in all ceremonies and sacramentes he searcheth the significations will not serue â—he visible thinges It is as good to him that the priest say Masse in his gowne as in his other apparell if they teach him not somewhat and that his soule be edified thereby And as soone will he gape while thou puttest sande as holy salt in his mouth if thou shew hym no reason thereof He had as lefe be sâ—â—ered wyth vnhalowed butter as annointed wyth charmed oyle if his soule be not taught to vnderstand somewhat thereby and so forth But the world captiuateth his wit and about the law of God maketh him wonderfull imaginations vnto which he so fast cleaueth that ten Iohn Baptistes were not able to dispute them out of his head He beleueth that he loueth God because he is ready to kill a Turke for his sake that beleueth better in God then he whom God also commaundeth vs to loue and to leaue nothyng vnsought to winne him vnto the knowledge of the truth though with the losse of our â—â—ues He supposeth that he loueth his neighbour as much as he is bounde if he be not actually angry with him whom yet he will not helpe freely with an halfepenny but for a vauntage or vayneglory or for a worldly purpose If any man haue displeased him he keepeth his malice in and will not chafe him selfe about it till he see an occasion to aueÌ„ge it craftely and thinketh that well inough And the rulers of the world he obeyeth thinketh he when he flattereth them and blindeth them with giftes and corrupteth the officers with rewardes and â—eguiâ—th the lawe with cautels and subtilties And because the loue of God and of hys neighbour which is the spirite and the life of all lawes wherfore all lawes are made is not written in his hart therefore in all inferiour â—awes and in all worldly ordinaunces is he betell blinde If he be commaunded to absteyne from wine that will he obserue vnto the death to as the Charterhouse MoÌ„kes had leuer dye then eate fleshe and as for the sobernesse and chastising of the members will he not looke for but will poure male bere of the strongest without measure and heat them with spices and so forth And the holyday will he keepe so straight that if he meete a sâ—ee in his bed he dare not kill her not once regarde wherfore the holyday was ordayned to seeke for Gods worde and so forth in all lawes And in ceremonies and sacramentes there he captiuateth his witte vnderstanding to obey holy Church without asking what they meane or desiring to know but onely careth for the keeping and looketh euer wyth a payre of narrow eyes and wyth all hys spectacles vppon them lest ought be lefte out For if the priest shoulde say Masse baptise or heare confession without a stole about his necke he would thinke all were marred and doubt whether he had power to consecrate and thinke that the vertue of the Masse were lost and the childe not well baptised or not baptised at all and that his absolution were not worth a mite He had leuer that the Byshop should wag two fingers ouer him then that an other man should say God saue him and so forth Wherfore beloued reader in as much as the holy ghost rebuketh the worlde for lacke of iudgement and in as much also as their ignorauÌ„ce is without excuse before whose faces inough is set to iudge by if they woulde open their eyes to see and not captiuate their vnderstanding to beleue lyes and in as much as the spirituall iudgeth all thing euen the very bottome of Gods secretes that is to say the causes of the thinges which God commaundeth how much more ought we to iudge our holy fathers secretes not to be as an Oxe or an Asse without vnderstanding Iudge therfore reader whether the Pope with his be the Church whether their authoritie bee aboue the Scripture whether all they teach without Scripture be equall with the Scripture whether they haue erred and not onely whether they can And against the myst of their sophistry take the examples that are past in the old Testament authentike stories and the present practise whiche thou seest before thyne eyes Iudge whether it be possible that any good should come out of their domme ceremonies Sacramentes into thy soule Iudge their penaunce pilgrimages pardons purgatorie praying to postes domme blessynges domme absolutioÌ„s their domme pateryng and howlyng their domme straunge holy gestures with all their domme disguisinges their satisfactioÌ„s and iustifyinges And because thou findest them false in so many thynges trust them in nothyng but iudge theÌ„ in all thinges Marke at the last the practise of our fleshly spiritualtie and their wayes by whiche they haue walked aboue eight hundred yeares how they stablish their lyes first wtth falsifiyng the Scripture
maliciously resisted the open truth agaynst hys owne conscience sence the world began that euer I read For it is sinne agaynst y â— holy ghost which Christ saith shall neither be forgeueÌ„ here nor in the world to come whiche text may this wise be vnderstand that as that sinne shal be punished with euerlastyng daÌ„nation in the lyfe to come euen so shall it not escape vengeauÌ„ce here As thou â—eest in Iudas in Pharao in Balam and in all other tyrauntes whiche agaynst their consciences resisted the open truth of God So now the cause why our Prelates thus rage that moueth them to call M. More to helpe is not that they finde iust causes in the translation but because they haue lost their iugglyng and fayned termes wherewith Peter prophesied they should make marchaundise of the people ¶ Whether the Church were before the Gospell or the Gospell before the Church AN other doubt there is whether the Church or congregatioÌ„ be before the Gospell or the Gospell before the Church Which question is as hard to solue as whether the father be elder then the sonne or the sonne elder then his father For the whole Scripture and all beleuing hartes testifie that we are begotten through the word Wherfore if the word beget the congregatioÌ„ he that begetteth is before hym that is begotten then is the Gospell before the Church Paul also Rom. ix sayth how shall they call on him whom they beleue not And how shall they beleue without a preacher That is Christ must first be preached yer men can beleue in him And then it foloweth that the word of the preacher must be before the fayth of the beleuer And therfore in as much as the word is before the faith and faith maketh the congregation therfore is the word or Gospell before the congregation And agayne as the ayre is darke of it selfe receaueth all her light of the sonne euen so are all mens hartes of theÌ„selues darke with lyes and receaue all their truth of Gods word in that they consent therto And moreouer as the darke ayre geueth the sonne no light but contrarywise the light of the sonne in respect of the ayre is of it selfe and lighteneth the ayre purgeth it from darkenesse eueÌ„ so the lying hart of man can geue the word of God no truth but contrary wise the truth of Gods word is of her self and lighteneth the harts of the beleuers and maketh them true and clenseth them from lyes as thou readest Iohn xv ye be cleane by reason of the word Which is to be vnderstand in that the word had purged their harces from lyes from false opinions from thinking euill good and therfore from consentyng to sinne And Iohn xvij sanctifie them O father thorough thy truth And thy woorde is truth And thus thou seest that Gods truth dependeth not of man It is not true because man so sayth or admitteth it for true But man is true because he beleueth it testifieth and geueth witnesse in hys hart that it is true And Christ also sayth him selfe Iohn v. I receaue no witnesse of maÌ„ For if the multitude of maÌ„s witnesse might make ought true then were the doctrine of Mahomete truer then Christes ¶ Whether the Apostles left ought vnwritten that is of necessitie to be beleued BUt did not y â— Apostles teach ought by mouth that they wrot not I aunswere because that many taught one thyng and euery man the same in diuers places and vnto diuers people and confirmed euery sermoÌ„ wyth a sundry miracle therfore Christ his Apostles preached an â—…red thousaÌ„d sermons and did as many miracles which had bene superfluous to haue bene all written But the pith and substaunce in generall of euery thing necessary vnto our soules health both of what we ought to beleue and what we ought to do was written and of the miracles done to confirme it as many as were nedeful So that whatsoeuer we ought to beleue or do that same is written expresely or drawen out of that which is written For if I were bound to do or beleue vnder payne of the losse of my soule any thing that were written nor depeÌ„ded of that which is writteÌ„ what holpe me the scripture that is written And thereto in as much as Christ and all his Apostles warned vs that false prophetes shoulde come with false miracles euen to deceaue the elect if it were possible wherewith shoulde the true preacher confound the false except he brought true miracles to confound the false or els autenticke scripture of full authoritie already among the people Some man woulde aske how dyd God continue his congregation from Adam to Noe and froÌ„ Noe to Abraham and so to Moses without writing but with teaching from mouth to mouth I aunswere first that there was no scripture all the whyle they shall proue wheÌ„ our Lady hath a new sonne God taught Adam greater thynges then to write And that there was writing in the world long yer Abraham yea yer Noe do stories testifie Notwithstanding though there had bene no writing the preachers were euer prophetes glorious in doing of miracles wherwith they cofirmed their preaching And beyond that god wrote his testameÌ„t vnto them aâ—way both what to do and to beleue eueÌ„ in y e sacramentes For the sacrifices which God gaue Adams sonnes were no dumme popetrie or superstitious Mahometrie but signes of the testament of God And in them they red y e worde of God as we do in bookes and as we should do in our sacraments if the wicked Pope had not taken the significations away from vs as he hath robbed vs of the true sence of all the scripture The testament which God made with Noe that he woulde no more drowne the worlde with water he wrote in the sacrament of the rainebow And the appointment made betwene him and Abraham he wrote in the sacrament of circumcision And therefore sayd Steuen Act. vij he gaue them y â— testameÌ„t of circumcision Not that the outwarde circumcision was the whole testament but the sacrameÌ„t or signe there For circumcision preached Gods worde vnto theÌ„ as I haue in other places declared But in the tyme of Moyses when the congregation was encreased that they must haue many preachers also rulers temporall then all was receaued in scripture in so much that Christ and his Apostles might not haue bene beleued without scripture for all their miracles Wherefore in as much as Christes congregation is spred abroad into all the worlde much broader then Moses and in as much as we haue not the olde testament onely but also the new wherein all thinges are opened so richly and all fulfilled that before was promised in as much as there is no promise behinde of ought to be shewed more saue the resurrection yea and seyng that Christ and all the Apostles with all the Angels of
all wayes and done thy best to hew them and to make them frame thou must be fayne to cast them out wyth the Turkes and Iewes to serue God wyth the image seruice of their owne false workes Of these and such like textes and of the similitudes that Christ maketh in the Gospell of the kyngdome of heauen it appeareth that though the holy ghost be in the chosen and teacheth them all truth in Christ to put their trust in hym so that they cannot erre therein yet whyle the worlde standeth God shall neuer haue a church that shal eyther persecute or be vnpersecuted them selues any season after the fashion of y ◠Pope But there shall be in the church a fleshly seede of Abraham and a spirituall a Cain and an Abell an Ismael and an Isaac an Esan and a Iacob as I haue sayd a worker and a beleuer a great multitude of them that be called and a small flocke of them that be elect and chosen And the fleshly shall persecute the spirituall as Cain did Abel and Ismaell Isaac so forth and the great multitude shall persecute y ◠small little flocke and Antichrist wil be euer the best christen man SO now the church of God is double a fleshly and a spirituall the one will be and is not the other is may not be so be called but must be called a Lutheran an hereticke and such like Vnderstand therefore that God when he calleth a congregation vnto hys name sendeth forth his messēgers to call generally which messengers bring in a great multitude amased and astonied wyth myracles and power of the reasōs which the preachers make and therewyth be compelled to cōfesse that there is but one God of power might aboue all that Christ is God and man and borne of a virgine and a thousand other thynges And thē the great multitude that is called and not chosen when they haue gotten thys fayth common as wel to the deuils as them more strongly persuaded vnto the deuils then vnto them then they go vnto their owne imaginations saying we may no longer serue Idoles but God that is but one And the maner of seruice they fet out of their owne braynes and not of the worde of God and serue God wyth bodely seruice as they did in tymes past their Idoles their hartes seruing their owne lustes still And one will serue hym in white an other in blacke an other in grey an other in pyed And an other to do God a pleasure withall will be sure that his show shall haue two or three good thicke soles vnder and wyll cut hym aboue so that in sommer whyle the weather is hot thou mayst see hys bare fote in winter hys socke They wyll be shorne and shauen and Saduces that is to say righteous and Phariseis that is seperated in fashions frō all other men Yea and they wyll consecrat thēselues altogether vnto God and wyll annoint their handes and halow them as the chalice from al maner lay vses so that they may serue neither father nor mother maister Lord or Prince for poluting thēselues but must wayte on God onely to gather vp hys rentes tythes offeringes all other duties And all the sacrifice that come they cōsume in the altar of their bellies and make Calil of it that is a sacrifice that no mā may haue part of They beleue that there is a God But as they can not loue hys lawes so they haue no power to beleue in hym But they put their trust and confidence in their owne workes and by their own workes they will be saued as the rich of this world whē they sue vnto great men hope with giftes and presentes to obtayne their causes Neither other seruing of God know they saue such as their eyes may see and their bellyes feele And of very zeale they will be Gods vicars and prescribe a maner vnto other and after what fashiō they shall serue God and compell thē therto for the auoyding of Idolatry as thou seest in the Phariseis But little flocke as soone as he is perswaded that there is a God he rūneth not vnto hys owne imaginatiōs but vnto the messēger that called hym and of hym asketh how he shall serue God As litle Paul Act. ix whē Christ had ouerthrowen him and caught him in hys net asked saying Lord what wilt thou that I do And as the multitude that were cōuerted Act. 2. asked of the Apostles what they shoulde do And the preacher setteth the lawe of God before them and they offer their hartes to haue it written therein consenting that it is good and righteous And because they haue runne cleane contrary vnto that good law they sorrow mourne and because also their bodyes and flesh are otherwise disposed But the preacher comforteth them and sheweth thē the testamēt of Christes bloud how that for his sake all y ◠is done is forgeuē and all their weaknes shal be taken in worth vntil they be stronger onely if they repent wyll submit themselues to be scholers and learne to keepe this law And a little flocke receaueth thys testament in hys hart and in it walketh serueth God in the spirit And from henceforth all is Christ wyth hym and Christ is his he is Christes All that he receaueth he receaueth of Christ and all that he doth he doth to Christ Father mother maister Lord and Prince are Christes vnto hym and as Christ he serueth them wyth all loue Hys wife children seruauntes and subiectes are Christ vnto hym and he teacheth them to serue Christ and not hymselfe and hys lustes And if he receaue any good thyng of mā he thāketh god in Christ which moued the mans hart And his neighbour he serueth as Christ in all hys neede of such thynges as God hath lent because that all degrees are bought as he is with Christes bloud And he wil not be saued for seruing hys brethrē neither promiseth his brethren heauē for seruyng hym But heauen iustifying forgeuenes all gyftes of grace and all that is promised them they receaue of Christ and by hys merites freely And of y t which they haue receaued of Christ they serue ech other freely as one hand doth the other seekyng for their seruice no more thē one hand doth of an other ech the others health wealth helpe ayde succour to assiste one an other in the way of Christ And God they serue in the spirit only in loue hope faith and dread When the great multitude that be called and not chosen Cain Ismaell Esau carnall Israell that serue God night and day wyth bodely seruice and holy workes such as they were wont to serue their Idoles withall beholde little flocke that they come not forth in the seruice of god they rore out where are thou Why commest thou not forth and takest holy water Wherfore saith y
â— little flock To put away thy sinnes Nay brethreÌ„ god forbid that ye should so thinke Christes bloud onely washeth away the sinnes of all that repent and beleue Fire salt water bread oyle be bodely thynges geuen vnto man for his necessitie and to helpe hys brother wyth and God that is a spirit cannot be serued therwyth Neyther can such thynges enter into the soule to purge her For Gods worde onely is her purgation No say they are not such thynges halowed And say we not in the halowing of them that who soeuer is sprinkled wyth the water or eateth of the bread shall receaue health of soule and body Sir the blessinges promised vnto Abraham for all nations are in Christ and out of his bloud we must fet them and his word is the bread salt water of our soules God hath geueÌ„ you no power to geue thorow your charmes such vertue vnto vnseÌ„sible creatures which he hath halowed himselfe made them all cleane for the bodely vse of them that beleue thorow his word of promise and permission and our thankes geuing God sayth if thou beleue Saint Ihons gospell thou shalt be saued and not for y e bearyng of it about thee with so many crosses or for the obseruing of any such obseruaunces God for thy bitter passion rore they out by by what an hereticke is this I tel thee that holy church neede to alleadge no scripture for them for they haue the holy Ghost which inspireth theÌ„ euer secretly so y t they can not erre whatsoeuer they say do or ordayne What wilt thou dispise the blessed Sacramentes of holy church wherewyth God hath bene serued this xv hundred yeare ye verely this v. thousaÌ„d yeres euen since Cain hetherto and shall endure vnto the worldes end among theÌ„ that haue no loue vnto the truth to be saued thereby thou art a strong hereticke and worthy to be burnt And theÌ„ he is excommunicat out of the church If y t little flocke feare not that bugge then they goe straight vnto the king And it like your grace perilous people and seditious and euen inough to destroy your realme if ye see not to them betimes They be so obstinat tough that they wyll not be conuerted and rebellious agaynst God and the ordinaunces of hys holy church And how much more shal they so be against your grace if they encrease and grow to a multitude They wyll peruert all and surely make new lawes and eyther subdue your grace vnto them or ryse agaynst you And theÌ„ goeth a part of y t little flocke to pot and the rest scatter Thus hath it euer bene and shall euer â—e let no man therefore deceaue hymselfe An aunswere to M. Mores second booke IN the first Chapter ye may not try the doctrine of the spiritualtie by the Scripture But what they say that beleue vndoubtedly and by that try the Scripture And if thou finde the playne contrary in the Scripture thou mayst not beleue the Scripture but seke a Glose and an allegorie to make them agree As wheÌ„ the pope sayth ye be iustified by the woorkes of the ceremonies and Sacramentes and so forth and the Scripture sayth that we be iustified at the repentauÌ„ce of the hart through Christes bloud The first is true playne as the pope sayth it and as it standeth in his text but the secoÌ„d is false as it appeareth vnto thine vnderstandyng and the literall sence that killeth Thou must therfore beleue the Pope and for Christes doctrine seeke an allegorie and a mysticall sence that is thou must leaue the cleare light and walke in the miste And yet Christ and his Apostles for all their miracles required not to be beleued without scripture as thou mayst see Iohn v. and Act. xvij and by their diligent alledgyng of Scripture through out all the new Testament And in the end he sayth for his pleasure that we knowledge that no man may minister SacrameÌ„ts but he that is deriuede out of the Pope Howbeit this we knowledge that no man could minister Sacramentes without signification which are no Sacramentes saue such as are of the Popes generation The iij. Chapter IN the third Chapter in the Chapter folowyng he vttereth how fleshly mynded he is and how beastly he imagineth of God as Paule sayth 1. Cor. 2. the naturall man can not vnder stand the thyngs of the spirite of God He thinketh of God as he doth of hys Cardinall that he is a monster pleased when men flatter him if of whatsoeuer frailtie it be men breake his coÌ„maundementes he is theÌ„ ragyng mad as the Pope is seketh to be venged Nay God is euer fatherly minded toward the elect meÌ„bers of his Church He loued them yer the world began in Christ Ephe. 1. He loueth theÌ„ while they be yet euill his enemies in their hartes yer they be come vnto y â— knowledge of his sonne Christ and yer his law be written in their hartes as a father loueth his young sonne while he is yet euill yer it know the fathers law to consent therto And after they be once actually of his Church and the law of God faith of Christ written in their hartes their hartes neuer sinne any more though as Paul sayth Rom. vij the flesh doth in them that the spirit would not And when they sinne of frailtie God ceaseth not to loue them still though he â—e angry to put a crosse of tribulatioÌ„s vpon their backes to purge them and to subdue the flesh vnto the spirite or to all to breake their consciences with threatnyng of the law and to feare theÌ„ with hell As a father when his sonne offeÌ„deth him feareth him with the rod but hateth him not God did not hate Paule when he persecuted but had layd vp mercy for hym in store though he was angry with him to scourge him and to teach him better Neither were those things layd on his backe which he after suffered to make satisfaction for his foresinnes but onely to serue his brethren and to keepe the flesh vnder Neither did God hate Dauid when he had sinned though he was angry with hym Neither did he after suffer to make satisfactioÌ„ to God for his old sinnes but to kepe his flesh vnder to keepe him in mekenesse and to be an example for our learnyng The iiij Chapter IN the fourth sayth he if the Churche were an vnknoweÌ„ coÌ„pany how should the infidels if they longed for the fayth come thereby O whether wandereth a fleshly mynde as though we first sought out God Nay God kitoweth his and seketh them out sendeth his messengers vnto them geueth them an hart to vnderstand Did the heatheÌ„ or any nation seke Christ Nay Christ sought them and sent his Apostles vnto them As thou seest in the storyes from the begynnyng of the world and as the parables and similitudes of the
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
to light that it can no lōger be hid get thē vnto the elders of the people the Lordes gentlemen and temporall officers and to all that loue this worlde as they do and vnto whosoeuer is great wyth the kyng and vnto the kyngs grace himselfe and after the same ensample and wyth the same perswasions cast them into like feare of losing of their worldly dominions and rore vnto them saying ye be negligent and care nothing ot all but haue a good sport that the heretickes rayle on vs. But geue thē space a while till they be growen vnto a multitude and then ye shall see them preach as fast against you and moue the people agaynst you and do their beste to thruste you downe also and shall cry hauocke and make all common O generation of serpentes how well declare ye that ye be the right sonnes of the father of all lyes For they which ye call heretickes preach nothing saue that which our Sauiour Iesus Christ preached and his Apostles adding nought therto nor plucking ought therfro as the Scripture commaundeth and teach all men repentaunce to God and his holy lawe and fayth vnto our Sauiour Iesus Christ and the promises of mercy made in hym and obedience vnto all that God commaundeth to obey Neyther teach we so much as to resiste your most cruell tyranny with bodely violence saue wyth Gods worde onely entending nothing but to driue you out of the temple of Christ the harts consciences and soules of mē wherein with your falshead ye sit and to restore agayne Iesus our Sauiour vnto his possession and inheritaunce bought with his bloude whence ye haue driuen him out with your manifolde wyles and subtiltie Take heede therefore wicked Prelates blynde leaders of the blynde indurat and obstinate hypocrites take heede For if the Phariseis for their resisting the holy Ghost that is to say persecuting the open and manifest truth and sleying the preachers therof escaped not the wrath vengeaunce of god how shall ye scape which are farre worse thē the Phariseis For though the Phariseis had shut vp the Scripture and set vp theyr owne professions yet they kept theyr owne professions for the most part But ye will be the chiefest in Christes flocke and yet wyll not keepe one iot of the right way of his doctrine Ye haue therto set vp wonderfull professions to be more holy therby thē ye thinke that Christes doctrine is able to make you and yet keepe as little thereof except it be with dispensations in so much that if a man aske you what your maruelous fashioned playing coates and your other popatrye meane and what your disfigured heades all your Apishplay meane ye know not and yet are they but signes of thinges which ye haue professed Thyrdly ye will be Papistes and holde of the Pope and yet looke in the Popes lawe and ye keepe thereof almost nought at all but whatsoeuer soundeth to make for your bellyes and to maintaine your honour whether in the Scripture or in your owne traditions or in the Popes lawe that ye compell the laye people to obserue violently threatening them with your excommunications and cursses that they shal be damned both body and soule if they keepe them not And if that helpe you not then ye murther them mercilesly with the sworde of the temporall powers whom ye haue made so blinde that they be ready to sley whom ye cōmaūde and will not yet heare his cause examined nor geue him roome to aunswere for himselse And ye elders of the people feare ye God also For as the elders of the Iewes which were partakers with the Scribes and Phariseis in resisting the holy Ghost and in persecuting the open truth and sleying the witnesses therof and in prouoking the wrath of God had their parte with them also in the day of wrath and sharpe vengeaunce which shortly after fell vppon them as the nature of the sinne against the holy Ghost is haue her damnation not onely in the worlde to come but also in this life according vnto all the ensamples of the Bible and autenticke stories since the worlde beganne euen likewise ye if ye will wincke in so open cleare light and let your selues be led blyndfold and haue your part with the hypocrites in lyke sinne and mischief be sure ye shall haue your part with them in lyke wrath and vengeance that is like shortly to fall vpon them And concernyng that the hypocrites put you in feare of the rising of your commons agaynst you I aunswere if ye feare your cōmōs so testifie ye agaynst your selues that ye are tyrauntes For if your consciences accused you not of euill doyng what neede ye to feare your commons What commons was euer so euil that they rose against their heads for well doyng Moreouer ye witnesse agaynst your selues also that ye haue no trust in God For he hath promised the temporall officers assistence if they minister their offices truly and to care for the keepyng of thē as much as they care for to kepe his lawes The hypocrites happly byd you take an example of the Vplanoish people of Almany which they lye that Martin Luther styrred vp For first what one sentence in all the writyng of Martin Luther finde they that teacheth a mā to resist his superiour Moreouer if Martin Luther and the preachers had styrred vp the common people of Germany how happened it that Martin Luther other like preachers had not perished likewise with them whiche are yet all alyue at this houre Ye will aske me who styrred thē vp them I aske you Who styrred vp the commōs of the Iewes to resiste the Emperour after that the Scribes and Phariseis with the Elders of the people had slayne Christ his Apostles Verely the wrath of God And euen so here the wrath of God styrred them vp partly to destroy the enemyes and persecutours of the truth and partly to take vengeaunce on those carnall beastes whiche abused the Gospell of Christ to make a cloke of it to defend their fleshly libertie and not to obey it and to saue their soules therby If Kynges Lordes and great men therfore feare the losse of this worlde Let them feare God also For in fearyng God shall they prolong their dayes vpon the earth and not with sightyng agaynst God The earth is Gods onely his fauour and mercy doth prolong the dayes of kynges in their estate not their owne power and might And let all men be they neuer so great hearkē vnto this and let this be an aunswere vnto them Wicked kyng Achab sayd vnto the Prophet Elias Art thou he that troublest Israell And Elias aūswered it is not I that trouble Israell but thou and thy fathers houshold in that ye haue forsaken the commaundementes of the Lord and folow Idoles Euen so the preachers of the truth which rebuke sinne are not the troublers of
hys neighbour and is a thefe And he that is proude of the giftes of God thinketh hym selfe by the reason of them better then his feeble neighbour not rather as the truth is knowledgeth hym selfe a seruaunt vnto hys poore neighbour by the reason of them the same hath Lucifers spirite in hym and not Christes These thynges to know first the law how that it is naturall right and equitie that we haue but one God to put our hope and trust in and hym to loue with all the hart all the soule and all our might and power and neither to moue hart nor hand but at his commaundemēt because he hath first created vs of nought and heauē and earth for our sakes And afterward when we had marred our selfe through sinne he forgaue vs and created vs agayne in the bloud of his beloued sonne And that we haue the name of our one God in feare and reuerence that we dishonour it not in swearyng therby about light trifles or vanitie or call it to recorde for the confirming of wickednesse or falshead or ought that is to the dishonour of God whiche is the breakyng of hys lawes or vnto the hurt of our neighbour And in asmuch as he is our Lord and God and we his double possessiō by creation and redemption and therfore ought as I sayd neither to moue hart or hand without his commaūdement it is right that we haue nedefull holy dayes to come together learne his will both the law which he will haue vs ruled by and also the promises of mercy whiche he will haue vs trust vnto and to geue God thankes together for his mercy and to commit our infirmities to hym through our Sauiour Iesus and to reconsile our selues vnto hym and eche to other if ought be betweene brother and brother that requireth it And for this purpose and such lyke as to visite the sicke and nedy and redresse peace and vnitie were the holy dayes ordeined onely so farforth are they to be kept holy frō all maner workes that may be conueniently spared for the tyme till this be done and no further but then lawfully to worke And that it is right that we obey father and mother Master Lord Prince and Kyng and all the ordinaunces of the world bodely and ghostly by which God ruleth vs and ministreth frely his benefites vnto vs all And that we loue them for the benefites that we receaue by them and feare them for the power they haue ouer vs to punish vs if we trespasse the law and good order So farre yet are the worldly powers or rulers to be obeyed onely as their commaūdements repugne not against the commaundement of God and thē hoo Wherefore we must haue Gods commaundement euer in our hartes and by the hygher law interpret the inferiour that we obey nothyng agaynst the belefe of one God or agaynst the fayth hope and trust that is him onely or agaynst the loue of God wherby we doe or leaue vndone all thyng for his sake that we do nothyng for any mans cōmaundement agaynst the reuerence of the name of God to make it despised and the lesse feared set by and that we obey nothyng to the hynderaunce of the knowledge of the blessed doctrine of God whose seruaūt the holy day is Notwithstandyng though the rulers which God hath set ouer vs commaunde vs agaynst God or do vs open wrong and oppresse vs with cruel tyranny yet because they are in Gods rowme we may not auēge our selues but by the processe and order of Gods law and lawes of mā made by the authoritie of Gods law whiche is also Gods law euer by an hygher power and remittyng the vengeaunce vnto God and in the meane seasō suffer vntill the houre be come And on the other side to know that a man ought to loue his neighbour equally and fully as well as hym selfe because his neighbour be he neuer so simple is equally created of God and as full redemed by the bloud of our sauiour Iesu Christ Out of which commaundement of loue spring these Kill not thy neighbour defile not his wife beare no false witnesse agaynst hym finally not onely do not these thynges in deede but couete not in thyne harte his house his wife his manseruaunt maydeseruaunt oxe asse or what soeuer is his So that these lawes pertaynyng vnto our neighboure are not fulfilled in the sight of God saue with loue He that loueth not hys neighbour kepeth not this commaundemēt defile not thy neighbours wife though hee neuer touch her or neuer see her or thinke vpon her For the commaundement is though thy neighbours wife be neuer so fayre thou haue neuer so great oportunitie geuen thee and she contēt or happly prouoke thee as Putiphers wife did Ioseph yet see thou loue thy neighbor so well that for very loue thou can not finde in thine hart to do y t wickednes And euē so he that trusteth in any thing saue in God onely in his sonne Iesus Christ kepeth no cōmaundemēt at all in the sight of God For he that hath trust in any creature whether in heauen or in earth saue in God his sonne Iesus cā see no cause to loue God with all his hart c. neither to absteine from dishonoryng his name nor to keepe the holy day for the loue of his doctrine nor to obey louing ly y t rulers of this world nor any cause to loue his neighbour as him selfe to absteine from hurtyng hym where he may get profite by hym saue him selfe harmeles And in likewise against this law loue thy neighbour as thy selfe I may obey no worldly power to do ought at any mans cōmaundemēt vnto the hurt of my neighbour that hath not deserued it though he be a Turke And to know how cōtrary this law is vnto our nature how it is dānation not to haue this law writtē in our hartes though we neuer committe the dedes how there is no other meanes to bee saued from this damnation then through repentaūce toward the law fayth in Christes bloud which are the very inward baptisme of our soules the washyng the dippyng of our bodyes in y t water is the outward signe The plungyng of the body vnder the water signifieth that we repent professe to fight against sinne and lustes to kill them euery day more and more with the helpe of God our diligence in folowyng the doctrine of Christ and the leadyng of his spirite and that we beleue to be washed from our naturall damnation in which we are borne and from all the wrath of the law and frō all the infirmities weakenesses that remayne in vs after we haue geuen our consent vnto the law and yelded oure selfe to be scholers thereof and from all the imperfectnesse of all our deedes done with cold loue and from all actuall sinne which shall chaunce on vs while we
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
ignoraunce of Christ and of his owne sinne and without repentaunce faith that his sinnes be forgeuen him in Christ and therefore is mercilesse vnto hys brother whom Christ commaunded him to pitie and loue And in that ignoraunce he walketh that is worketh euill and loueth the thinges of the worlde and seeketh in them the lustes of the â—lesh which are the quenching of the spirite and death of the soule for loue of them hateth his brother And this ignoraunce of Christ which is vnbeleef is the cause of all the wickednes that we do vnto our brethren I write vnto you little children that your sinnes are forgeuen you for hys names sake I write vnto you fathers that ye know him that was from the beginning I write vnto you yong men how that ye haue ouercome the wicked I write vnto you that are yong in the fayth and yet weake and therefore fall now and then how that your sinnes are forgeuen you as soone as ye repent and reconcile your selues vnto your brethren whom ye haue offended euen for his names sake onely and not for our owne deedes whether afore or after or for any other mans deedes or satisfaction saue for his onely I write vnto you that are fathers in the doctrine of God to teach other how that ye know him that was from the begynnyng is no new thing though he newly receaued our nature And through knowledge of him which is the onely light and the dore vnto the knowledge of God ye are become fathers in the Scriptures Or els ye had neuer vnderstand it though ye had studied neuer so much as it appeareth by the indurate Iewes and also by oure owne new Pharisies which persecute the scripture and the true sence therof because they be drowned in the ignoraunce of Christ as their deedes and contrary liuing well testifie I write vnto you yong meÌ„ that are strong in suffering persecutions and fight for your profession not with the sword but with suffering how that ye haue ouercome that wicked which poisoned the world at the beginning and yet woorketh in the children of darcknesse and vnbeleefe and that in beleuing the woorde of truth as it foloweth anone after I write vnto you yong children howe that ye knowe the Father I write vnto you fathers howe that ye know him that was from the beginning I write vnto you young men that ye be strong and the woorde of God dwelleth in you and that ye haue ouercomme the wicked I write vnto you yong children how that ye know the Father whome yee loue thorough knowledge of the Sonne or els you had neuer knowne him as a father but as a Iudge and a tyrant and had hated him I write vn to you fathers as before howe ye are fathers of all trueth in knowing the Sonne Or els ye had euer continued in darknesse remedilesse I write vnto you youÌ„g men how y t ye are strong and that your strength is the word of God which dwelleth in your brest through fayth in which ye haue ouercome the wicked deuill and all his pompe as it foloweth chapt v. this is the victorye that ouercommeth the world euen our fayth Loue not the worlde nor the thinges that are in the worlde If a man loue the worlde the loue of the Father is not in him For all that is in the worlde as the lust of the fleshe the lust of the eyes and the pride of good are not of the Father but are of the world And the worlde vanisheth away and the lust thereof But he that doth the will of God abideth euer The loue of the world quencheth the loue of God Balaam for the loue of the world closed his eyes at the cleare light which he well saw For loue of the world the olde Pharisies blasphemed the holy Ghost and persecuted the maniâ—est truth which they coulde not improue For loue of the world many are this day fallen away and many which stood on the truthes side and defended it a while for loue of the worlde haue gotten them vnto the contrarye parte and are become the Popes mamalukes are waxed the most wicked â—…s vnto the truth and most cruel agaynst it They know the truth but they loue the worlde And when they espyed the truth could not stand wysh the honoures which they sought in the world they hated it deadly and both wittingly and willingly persecuted it sinning against the holy Ghost Which sinne shall not escape here vnpunished as it shall not be without damnation in the world to come but shall haue an ende here with confusion and shame as had the glory of our right reuerend father in God Thomas Wolfse late cardinall and legate a latere c. whome after his shitten death as the saying is his owne seruauntes which before exalted his glory haue sent to hel with grace and priuiledge By the lust of the flesh is vnderstaÌ„d lechery whiche maketh a man altogether a swine and by the lust of the eyes is vnderstoode couetousnes which is the roote of all euil and maketh â—o erre from the fayth 1. Tim. vlâ— And then followeth pride whiche three are the world and captaines ouer all other vices and occasions of all mischief And if pride couetousnes and lechery be the world as S. Iohn sayth then turne your eyes vnto the spiritualtie vnto the pope cardinals bishops aâ—bates and all other prelates and see whether suche dignities bee not the world and whether the way to them be not also the world To get the olde abbats treasure I thinke it be the readiest way to be the newe How fewe come by promotion except they buy it or serue long for it or both To be wel skilled in war and in polling to maintaine war and lustes and to be a good ambassadour is the onely way to a bishopricke or to pay truely for it See whether pluralities vnions totquets and chainging the lesse benefice bysshoprike for the greater for the contrary chainge I trow was neuer â—ene may be without couetousnes pride And then if such thinges be the world and the world not of God how is our spiritualtie of God If pride be seking of glory and they that seeke glory can not beleue Ioh. 5. How can our spiritualty beleue in Christ If couetousnes turne men from the fayth how are our spiritualty in the fayth If Christ when the deuill proferred hym the kyngdomes of the world and the glorie thereof refused them as thynges vnpossible to stande with hys kyngdome whiche is not of the worlde of whom are our spiritualtie whiche haue receyued them If couetousnes be a traytour and taught Iudas to sell his maister how should he not in so long time teache oure spiritualtie the same craft namely when they be of all kinges secretes and the ambassadours of their secretes and haue thereto thoroughout al ChristeÌ„dome a secret couÌ„sell of their
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
vse of the Masse to ours and see whether the Masse be not become the most damnable Idolatrie image seruice that euer was in the world We neuer reconcile our selues vnto our brethren which we haue offended we receaue vnto our Masse open sinners the couetous the extorcioners the adulter the backbiter the common whore and the whore keper whiche haue no part in Christ by y t Scripture ye such are suffred to say the Masse as the vse is now to speake ye such are we coÌ„pelled with the sword to take for our pastors and Curates of our soules and not so hardy to rebuke them Neither do they repeut and confesse their sinnes and promise amendement or submit them selues to holesome iniunctioÌ„s for the aduoyding of such sinnes and tamyng of their flesh We say Confiteor and knowledge our selues to be sinners in Latin but neuer repent in English The Priest prayeth in Latin and saith euermore a still Masse as we say For though he sing and streine his throate to cry â—onde vnto them that be by him yet as long as no man woteth what he prayeth or whether he blesse or curse he is doute and spechles And so in that part we abide frutelesse and vntaught how to pray vnto God And the Gospell is song or sayd in Latine onely and no preachyng of repentauÌ„ce toward the law fayth toward Christ had And therfore abide we euer faythles and without studieng to ameÌ„d our liuinges And of the ceremonies of the Masse we haue no other imagination then that they be an holy seruice vnto God which he receaueth of our hands and hath great delectation in them and that we purchase great fauour of God with them as we do of great men here in the world with giftes and preseÌ„tes In so much that if y â— Priest sayd Masse without those vestimentes or left the other ceremonies vndone we should all quake for feare thinke that there were a sinne coÌ„mitted inough to sinke vs all and that the priest for his labour were worthy to be put in the Popes purgatory there to be brent to ashes And of the very Sacrament it selfe we know no other thyng then that we come thether to see an vnseable miracle which they affirme the aungels in heauen haue no power to do Sed solis Presbyteris quibus sic congruit vt sumaÌ„t nec dent caeteris how that bread is turned into the body and wine into the bloud of Christ to mocke our seyng sinellyng feelyng and tasting which is a very strong fayth and more a great deale I thinke then the text compelleth a man to Neuerthelesse it were somewhat yet if they had bene as lonyng kinde carefull and diligent to teach the people to repent and to beleue in the bloud of Christ for the forgeuenes of their sinnes vnto the glory of the mercy of God of his excedyng loue to vs and vnto the profite of our soules vpon that preachyng to haue ministred the Sacrament as a memoriall remembraunce signe token earnest the seale of an obligatioÌ„ and clappyng of handes together for the assuraunce of the promise of God to quiet stablish and certifie our conscieÌ„ces and to put vs out of all waueryng doubt that our sinnes were forgeuen vs and God become our father at one with vs for which cause onely Christ ordeined it as they were zelous and feruent to mainteine the opinion of so turning bread and wine into the body bloud of Christ that it ceaseth to be bread and wine in nature vnto their owne glory and profite without helpe of Scripture but with sutle Argumentes of sophistrie and with crafty wiles First with taking away halfe the sacrameÌ„t lest if the people should haue dronke the bloud of Christ they should haue smelled the sauour and felte the tast of wine and so haue bene to weake to beleue that there had bene no wine And secondarily when they durst not robbe the people of all the Sacrament they yet tooke away common bread and imagined maunchetes which may not be handled and in sight haue no similitude of bread and in eatyng very litle â—ast if there be any at all And thyrdly whom they could not catch with those craftes against him they disputed with the sword For when they had taken away the signification and very intent of the Sacrament to stablish the eare confession their merites deseruynges iustifieng of workes and like inueÌ„tion vnto their own glory and profit what had the SacrameÌ„t bene if they had not made of that opinion an article of the fayth But now when they haue destroyed for the nonce that fayth which profited and haue set vp with wiles sutiltie falsehead guile and with violeÌ„ce that fayth which profiteth not we haue good cause to iudge and examine the doctrine of the spirites whether it be grounded vpon Gods word or no. But I aske wherfore we beleue that Christes body and his bloud is there preseÌ„t verely as many heades as many wittes euery man hath his meaning We take paynes to come thether to see straunge holy gestures wherof say they to their shame who knoweth the meanyng ye or of the other disguising and to heare strauÌ„ge holy voyces wherof say I also that no man knoweth the vnderstanding and to looke vppon the Sacrament and all to obteine worldly thinges for that seruice Why may not a man desire worldly thinges of God Yes we ought to aske of God onely sufficiency of all worldly things as we do spirituall thinges yet not for bodily seruice when God is a spirite but for the goodnesse and mercy of our father and for the truth of his promise and deseruinges of his sonne And so when we do men bodily seruice we ought to looke for our wages of God lest if hee moue not the hartes of our masters we be shrewdly payed like wise when we lende or bargen we ought to desire God for payment lest through our negligence he forget vs the appointementes be not truly kept Some there be yet that aske heauen but for bodyly seruice whiche is lyke abhomination But who commeth thether with repentaunce and faith for to obtaine forgeuenesse of his sinnes and with purpose to walke in the life of penauÌ„ce for the taming of the flesh that he sinne no more and to stablish his hart in that purpose and to arme his soule agaynst all that moue to the contrary and wheÌ„ he goeth home is certified in hys coÌ„science through that signe and token that his sinnes are forgeuen him as Noe was certified by the signe of the rayne bow that the world should no more be ouerrunne with water and as Abraham was certified by the signe of CircumcisioÌ„ that God would fulfill to him and his ofspring all the mercies that he had promised and as Abraham Genesis xv when he asked a signe to be sure that he should possesse that land of Canaan was certified through the signe that God gaue
cogis auri sacrafames What doth not that holy hunger compell them that loue this world inordinatly to committe might that deuils belye be once full truth should haue audience and wordes be constcued a right and takeÌ„ in the same sence as they be ment Though it seme not impossible haply that there might be a place where the soules might be kept for a space to be taught and instruct yet that there should be fitch a Iayle as they Iangle and such fashions as they fayne is playne impossible and repugnaunt to the Scripture for when a man is traÌ„slated veterly out of the kyngdome of Sathan and so confirmed in grace that he can not sinne so burnyng in loue that his lust can not be plucked from Gods will and beyng partaker with vs of all the promises of God and vnder the commaundemeÌ„tes what could be denyed hym in that deepe innocencie of hys most kynde father that hath left no mercy vnpromised and askyng it thereto in the name of his sonne Iesus the child of his hartes lust whiche is our Lord hath left no mercy vndeserued for vs namely when GOD hath sworne that he will put of righteousnes and be to vs a father and that of all mercy and hath slayne his most deare sonne Iesus to confirme hys othe Finally seyng that Christes loue taketh all to the best and nothing is here that may not be wel vnderstanded the circumstances declaryng in what sence all was ment they ought to haue interpreted in charitably if ought had bene founde doubtefull or seemyng to sound amysse Moreouer if any thyng had ben therin that could not haue ben taken well yet their part had bene to haue interprete it as spoken of idlenes of the head by the reason of sickenesse for as much as the man was vertuous wise and well learned and of good fame and report and sounde in the fayth whyle he was a lyue But if they say he was suspect when he was a lyue then is their doyng so much the worsse and to bee thought that they feared hys doctrine when hee was a lyue and mistrusted their owne part their conscieÌ„ces testifyeng to them that he held no other doctrine theÌ„ that was true seyng they then neither spake nor wrote agaynst him nor brought hym to any examinatioÌ„ Besides that some mery felowes will thinke that they ought first to haue sent to him to wyt whether he would haue reuoked yet they had so despitefully burnt the dead body that could not aunswere for it selfe nor interprete his wordes how he ment them namely the man beyng of so worshypfull and auncieÌ„t a bloud But here will I make at end desiryng y t reader to loke on this thing with indifferent eyes and iudge whether I haue expouÌ„ded the wordes of this TestameÌ„t as they should seme to signifie or not iudge also whether the maker therof seme not by his worke both vertuous and godly whiche if it so bee thinke that he was the worsse bycause the dead body was burnt to ashes but rather learne to know the great desyre that hypocrites haue to finde one craft or other to dase the truth with cause it to be counted for heresie of the simple and vnlearned people whiche are so ignoraunt they can not spye theyr sutteltie it must nedes be heresie that toucheth any thyng their rotten byle they wil haue it so who soeuer say nay onely the eternall God must be prayed to night day to amende them in whose power it onely lyeth Who also graunt theÌ„ once earnestly to thirst his true doctrine contained in the sweete and pure fountaines of hys Scriptures and in his pathes to direct their wayes AMEN Here endeth the Exposition of Master Tracies will by William Tyndall ¶ A frutefull and godly treatise expressing the right institution and vsage of the Sacramentes of Baptisme and the Sacrament of the body and bloud of our Sauiour Iesu Christ Compiled by William Tyndall TO vnderstaÌ„d the pith of y â— SacrameÌ„tes how they came vp the very meanyng of them we must consider diligently the maners fashions of the Hebrues which were a people of great grauitie sadnesse and earnest in all their doynges if any notable thyng chaunced among them so that they not onely wrote but also set vp pillers and markes diuers signes to testifie the same vnto their posteritie and named the places where the thynges were done with such names as could not but keepe the dedes in memorie As Iacob called the place where he saw God face to face Pheniell that is Gods face And the place where the Egyptians mourned for Iacob seueÌ„ dayes the people of the countrey called Abell Miram that is the lamentation of the Egyptians to the intent that such names should kepe the gestes and stories in minde And likewise in all their couenaunts they not onely promised one to another and sware theron but also set vp signes and tokens therof and gaue the places names to keepe the thyng in minde And they vsed therto such circumstaunces protestations solemne fashions and ceremonies to confirme the coâ—enauÌ„tes and to testifie that they were made with great earnest aduise and deliberation to the intent that it should be to much shame and to much abhomination both before God and man to breake them euer after As Abraham Genes 21. when he made a couenaunt of peace with Abimeleck kyng of the Philistines after they had eaten and dronke together and sworne hee put seuen Lambes by them selues and Abimelecke receiued them of his hand to testifie that he there had digged a certaine well and that the right therof pertained to hym And he called the well Beer Seba the well of Swearyng or the well of seneÌ„ because of the oth of the seueÌ„ lambes and by that title did Abraham his children chalenge it many hundred yeares after And when Iacob Laban made a coueâ—aunt together Genes 31. they cast vp an heape of stones in witnesse and called it Giliad the heape of witnesse and they bound ech other for theÌ„ and their posteritie that neither part should passe the heape to the others countreyward to hurt or conquer their land and Laban bouÌ„d Iacob also that he should take no other wiues besides his daughters to vexe them And of all that couenaunt they made that heape a witnes calling it the witnesseheape that their children should enquire the cause of the name their father should declare vnto them the history And such fashions as they vse among them selues did God also vse to themward in all his notable dedes whether of mercy in deliueryng them or of wrath in punishing their disobedience and traÌ„sgression in all his promises to them and couenauntes made betwene them and hym As when after the generall floude God made a couenaunt with Noe and all mankind also withall liuing creatures that he would no more drowne the world he gaue them the
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
whence 38â— a Heretikes alledged by Rochester for his purpose 129. b Heretikes falleÌ„ out of the mist 295. a Heretikes all termed that resist the Popes tyranny 315. a Hierome 311. b. agaynst Popish Bishops and Priestes 150. a Hildericus 348. a Historicall fayth much inâ—eriour to feelyng fayth 267. a Holy dayes 181. b. and 274. a. their ordinaunce 248. a Holy dayes and offryng dayes how first they came vp 133. b Holy Church hath borne a swynge 289. b Holy ghost 5. a. shall rebuke y â— world 247. a Holy straunge gestures like Apishe play 282. b Holy water what it signifieth 276. a Honoryng God what 269. b Honour Gods name how we must â—22 a Honour superfluous 374. a Honour due to rulers â—69 b. to our neighbours ibidem Honor of Christ abrogate with trust in Saintes â—â—6 b Honour double due to vertuous Bishops 53. b Hope her office 188. b Hope certaine in Christ saueth 91. b Hope loue fayth inseparable 185. b Horsley 318. a House what it meaneth 406. 〈◊〉 Houshold must be cared for 84. a Humilitie of the Apostles 2. a. aduanuceth to heauen 456. a Hunne a Marchaunt 318. a Hunnes a kynde of people 351. b Husbandes how to rule their wiues 54. b Husbandes must rule their wiues by Gods word 121. a Husband in Gods stede to his wife 108. a Hypocriticall prayers 13. b. blynd reasons 274. a Hypocrisie of Papistes 181. a. must not be rebuked 142. a. condemned of Paule generally 44. a Hipocrites their holines 245. a. blind 114 a. howe they read Gods lawe 24. a. what deedes of mercy they taught 138. b. why they extoll their workes 244. b. how they bynd and louse 134. a. how they apply Gods punishement 105. a. neede Iohn Baptist 264. a Hypocrites sit in Christ seate 263. a. loue offrynges 161. b. causers of all wickednes 105. a. must be salted 196. a. lyue altogether by theft 141. a I. IAmes reproueth false frutes 333. b Idolatry 239. b. 424. a. 425. b. and 443. a Idolatry of mans ImaginatioÌ„ bringeth confusion 161. a Idolatry to worshyp Images 273. a. set vp the shauelynges 398. b Idolatours all before we came to Christ 312. b Idolatrous persons their worshyp 299. b Idols abhorred of God 8. b Ierome a brother of Grenwich hys entent 60. a Ierusalem the first seate of the hygh Byshop 347. a. destroyed 282. b Iesus 408. a. signifieth a Sauiour 174. a. our aduocate 393. b. a true Messias 420. a. calleth to hys father for vs. 393. b. the way to his father 431. a. procureth all thynges for vs. 280. a. looke more in this word Christ Iewes require signes to confirme their belefe 425. a. committed Idolatry 298. a. their obstinate blyndnes 459. b. accused Christ falsely 304. a. procured their owne vengeaunce 〈◊〉 how 340. b. rebuked of incredulitie 458. a. rebuked of Christ and why 298. b. enforced by Scripture to acknowledge Christ 275. b. their harts how hardned 30. a. locked froÌ„ the vnderstaÌ„dyng of scripture 33. a. iustified by fayth 273. a Iewes and Gentils how they differ 44. a. instructed of ceremonies 12. a. deliuered by Christ from errour â—â—5 b. conuerted to Christ 275. a. saued by fayth in Gods promise 12. b. captures to their workes 274. a Iewishe murmuryng reproued of Christ 458. b. their incredulitie taxed 438. a Iewish state in traditions more easie then the Christians 277. b Ignoraunce of Scripture whence 278. a. excuseth not 245. b. promoted Popery 182. a. made vs seruauntes to ceremonies 278. b. her fruites 277. a Ignoraunce of More 406. a. of the Apostles 26. a Ignoraunt who 404. b. Popishe Priestes 278. a Incredulitie chief of all sinnes 43. b Infidels mocke our domme ceremonies which quench fayth 132. a Infirmitie of our nature 13. a. how to be cured 171. a Inseparable the loue of God our neighbour 420. a Institution of the Sacrament 440. a. of the Lordes Supper 444. b Institution of the paschall lambe 439. a Instruction necessary for all preachers 43. b Interdiction 135. a Introductions into the Scriptures 390. a Images how well vsed 270. b. disalowed in the primitiue Church 325 a. not tollerable in Churches 325. b seruauntes to man and not econtrâ— 270. b. forbidden of God 8. b. must be abstaynod from 22. a Imageseruice abhorred of GOD. 401. b Imaginations Papall are Idolatry 280. a. carnall without Gods spirite 26. b Imaginations of man confirmed by Saintes miracles 30. a. alter not God 83. a Imperiall power and the Popes vertue perished together 351. a Impure harted who 193. b Iohn Tisen seruaunt to the Bishop of London a secret Ambassadour 456. b Iohn Baptist 263. b. expounded the law truly 264. b Iohn Baptist and our Lady were sinners 336. a Iohn the xij Pope 352. a Ionas his sacrifice 28. b. prayeth out of the Whales belly 28. b. moued the Heathen to repentaunce with preachyng 30. b Ionas afrayde 27. a. deuided within him selfe 27. a. an vnmeete message of hym selfe 26. b Ionas beyng carnall fled from God ibid. confesseth his sinnes 27. a Ioseph an example of Gods wonderfull workyng 98. a Israelites haue a kyng geuen them 118. a. mo in nuÌ„ber then the Iewes 298. a. howe comforted of Moses 98. a Iudas 251. a. 310. a. perished 337. a Iudas a Priest a Cardinall and a Pope 146. a Iudges 122. b. are called Gods 110. a. must be learned 138. a Iudgementes Papall Concernyng sinne 311. b. not indifferent 341. a Iudgements hypocritical of Scriptures 389. b Iudgyng of false miracles intollerable to Papistes 364. a Iudgyng rebuked of some sort 237. a Iugglers 108. a Iugglyng with wordes 279. b. with textes 357. b Iugglyng termes of Papistes 254. a. of More 330. b Iust who 335. a Iustification 17. a. 332. a. onely commeth by fayth 10. a. 14. a Iustification by fayth lothsome to Papistes 18. a. not by merites 17. a. of our selues 17. b IustificatioÌ„ commeth not by workes though they be neuer so glorious 153. b Iusticiaries bond children of the law 167. b Iustifiyng signifieth Gods fauour 117. a K. KEy 184. a. of the Scripture 388. a Keys of knowledge 357. a. what they be 123. b. promised payd ibid. are the law of God 138. b. counterfetted to be auoyded 123. a Kepers of the commaundemeÌ„t in the state of grace 402. b Kernell of all fruites faith 243. a Kindlyng first of Purgatory 398. a King Lewes 369. a King Iohn 249. b King Henry of Windsore 298. a King HeÌ„ry the iiij an vsurper 338. b King Henry the viij with his army abused 369. b. called defender of the fayth 349. b King Herold 362. a King of Fraunce made a Monke 348. b King is annointed 393. b. Gods gift though a tyraunt 178. b. a great benefite though neuer so euill 112. b. in gods rowme in this world 111. a hath Gods authoritie 213. b. may correct the spiritualtie 214. b. Lord of body and goodes 214. a. cannot priuiledge the spiritualtie to sinne 111. b. is bound by office
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
me so vile a creature which thing I greatly bewayle and mine vnkindenesse tauseth me now thus to wéepe Wyth y t the Bishop departed and I trust learned to do thereafter And I beséeth God that we may so do and be the faythfull folowers of our Sauiour Christ Iesu to whom be prayse honour and glory for euer Amen A myrrour or lookyng glasse wherin you may beholde the Sacrament of Baptisme described Anno. M. D. xxxiij By me Iohn Frith COnsideryng the manifold lamentable errours wherewith not the ignoraunt people onely but also the learned as they séeme haue bene seduced long as touchyng the blessed Sacrament of Baptisme I thought it expedient therin to write my mynde Trustyng by that meanes to bryng agayn the blynde hartes of many vnto the right way and I doubt not but that the elect and chosē of God that know their shepheardes voyce and haue the spirite to iudge all thynges shall easely perceiue whether this be conformable to their masters voyce and shall hereby bee monished to leaue their wanderyng in the darke lothsome wayes which leade vnto death and to walke without stumblyng in the comfortable light which bringeth their consciences to rest such peace that passeth all vnderstandyng One errour is this They put so great confidence in the outward signe that without discretion they condēne the infantes whiche dye or they be Baptised vnto euer lastyng payne an other is this They cleaue so strongly vnto the weake ceremonies that they thinke if a dronken Priest leaue out a word as Volo say ye or Credo say ye or forget to put spittell or salt in y e childes mouth that y e child is not christened yea so much giue they thereunto the beggerly salt that they will say spill not the salt for it is our Christendome and vse also to sweare by it Saying by this salt that is my Christendome Alas what blyndnesse is this these two errours are the principall that I do entend at this tyme to confute For when they are fallen the other that are grounded on these must néedes decay First we must marke thrée thynges in euery Sacrament to be considered the signe the signification and the fayth whiche is geuen vnto the wordes of God The signe in Baptisme is the ploungyng downe in the materiall water and liftyng vp agayne by the whiche as by an outward badge we are knowen to be of the number of them which professe Christ to be theyr redemer and Sauiour This outward signe doth neither geue vs the spirite of God neither yet grace that is the fauour of God For if thorough the washyng in the water the spirite or grace were geuē then should it folow that who soeuer were baptised in water should receiue this precious gift but that is not so wherfore I must néedes conclude that this outward signe by any power or influence that it hath bryngeth not the spirite or fauour of God That euery man receiueth not this treasure in Baptisme it is euidēt for put the case that a Iew or an infidell should say that he dyd beleue beleued not in déede and vpō his wordes were baptised in déede for no man cā iudge what his hart is but we must receiue him vnto Baptisme if he confesse our fayth with his mouth albeit his hart be farre from thence this miscreant now thus Baptised hath receiued this outward signe and Sacrament aswell as the most faythfull man beleuyng Howbeit he neither receiueth the spirite of God neither yet any grace but rather condemnation Wherefore it is euident that the exterior signe giueth not this gift whiche is also as certaine in all other Sacramentes yea in the Sacrament of the altare whiche may be called a double Sacrament For it is not onely a remembraunce that the naturall body of Christe was broken and hys bloud shed for our redemption as the Euangelistes do testifie but also it is his spirituall body whiche is the congregation of the faythfull as S. Paul testifieth saying the bread which we breake is it not the partaking that is to say we that are partakers of the body of Christ For we sayth hée though we be many yet are we one bread one body But for all that the receiuyng of this Sacrament giueth vs not the spirite of God neither yet his fauor for the wicked receiueth it as well as y e good Howbeit that receiuyng is to theyr dānation Wherfore it foloweth that the outwarde signe giueth no mā any grace Moreouer if the spirite of God and his grace were bounde vnto the Sacramentes then where y e Sacramēts were ministred there must y e spirit of grace waite on and where they were not ministred shuld be neither spirit nor grace But that is false for Cornelius all his houshold receiued y e holy ghost before they were Baptised In so much that Peter sayd may any man forbyd that these should be baptised with water whiche haue receiued the holy ghost as well as we And so he commaunded them to be baptised in the name of the Lord here may we sée that as the spirite of God lighteth where he will neither is he boūde to any thing Yea and this example doth well declare vnto vs that the Sacramentes are geuen to be an outward witnesse vnto all the cōgregation of that grace whiche is geuen before priuatly vnto euery man So is Baptisme giuen before the congregation vnto hym which before he receiue it hath either professed the Religion of Christ or els hath the word of promise by the whiche promesse he is knowen to be of the sensible congregatiō of Christ and for this cause when we baptise one that is come vnto the age of discretiō we axe of hym whether he beleue if he aunswere yea and desire Baptisme then is he baptised so that we require faith in hym before he be baptised whiche is the gift of God and commeth of grace and so it is an outward signe of hys inuisible fayth whiche before was giuen hym of God If an infant be brought vnto baptisme whom his frendes offer vp willyng to sanctifie and fulfill the commaundement and ordinaunce of God we enquire of his frendes before the congregatiō whether they will that theyr child be baptised and when they haue aunswered yea thē receiueth he Baptisme Here also went before the promise of God that hee of his grace reputeth our infantes no lesse of the congregation then the infantes of the Hebrues and thorough Baptisme doth the congregation receiue him whiche was first receiued thorough grace of the promise thus may we sée that Baptisme bryngeth not grace but doth testifie vnto the congregation that he which is baptised had such grace geuen hym before so is Baptisme a Sacrament that is the signe of an holy thyng euē a token of the grace and frée mercy whiche was before geuen hym a visible example of inuisible
wicked eate not hys body it must also thereof néedes followe that the sacrament is not hys naturall bodye For they doe eate the sacrament as all mē know Besides that the faythfull doe not eate Christes body with their téeth And therefore it must followe that the wicked doe not eate it with their téeth The antecedent or first part of the reason is prooued by the wordes of Christ which sayth that the flesh profiteth nothyng at all meaning that it doth not profite as they vnderstoode hym that is to say it profiteth nothyng to bée eaten carnally with their téeth and belly as they vnderstoode hym For els it profiteth much to bée eaten spiritually that is to say to beléeue that through hys body breakyng bloud shedding our sinnes are purged And thus doth Origene S. Austen Beda Chrysostome and Athanasius expound it as appeareth in the booke before And therfore Frith sayth that onely faythfull men eate hys body not with their téeth and mouth but with their fayth and hart that digest it into y e bowells of their soules through beléeuing that it was broken on the crosse to washe away their sinnes And the wicked eate not hys body but onely the bread and their damnation because they eate hym not spiritually that is because they beléeue not in hys bodye breaking and bloud shedding †The third point wherin Frith dissenteth from our prelates and their proctoure 3. THe Prelates beléeue that men ought to worship the sacramēt But Frith sayth nay and affirmeth that it is Idolatry to worship it And hée sayth that Christ and his Apostles taught vs not so to doe neither did the holy fathers so teach vs. And Frith sayth that the authors of thys worshipping are the children of perdition which haue ouerwhelmed this world with sinne Neuerthelesse we must receaue it reuerently because of the doctrine that it bringeth vs. For it preacheth Christes death vnto vs and describeth it before our eyes euen as a faythfull preacher by the worde doth instill it into vs by our eares and hearing And that it supplyeth the roome of a preacher is euident by the woordes of S. Austen which sayth Paulus quamuis portaret farcinam corporis quod aggrauat animā potuit tamen significando predicare Dominum Iesum Christum aliter per linguam suam aliter per epistolam aliter per sacramentum corporis Christi That is to fay though Paule did bere the burthen of the body which doth honorate the soule yet was he able in signifiyng to preach y e lord Iesus Christ one way by his tonge and an other way by an epistle an other way by the sacrament of Christes body c. For as the people by vnderstanding the fignification of the wordes which he spake did heare the glorious Gospell of God and as by the reading of his pistle they vnderstoode his minde and receiued the word of the soules health so by the ministration of the sacrament they might sée with their eye the thing which they heard read and so haue their sences occupied about the mistery that they might the more earnestly print it in their minde As by example The Prophet Hieremie being in Hierusalem in the tyme of Sedechias king of the Iewes prophesyed and preached vnto them y t they should be takē prisoners of Nabugodonesar the king of Babilon the Iewes were angry with him and woulde not beléeue his wordes And therfore be made a chayne or fetters of wood and put them about his neke and prophesied agayne and preached that they should be taken prisoners led captiue into Babilon And as his wordes did certifie their eares y t they should be subdued so the chayne dyd represent their captiuitie euen before their eye Whiche thyng did more vehemently woorke in them then the bare wordes could doe and euen so it is in the Sacrament For likewise as the woordes dyd instill into our eares that his body was geuen for vs and his bloud shed for the remission of our sinnes euen so did the mynistration of the sacrament expresse y e same thing vnto our sight and doth more effectuously moue then the bare wordes might doe and make vs more attent vnto the thing that we may wholye geue thankes vnto God and prayse him for his bounteous benefites And therfore seyng it is a preacher expressing vnto our sight y e same thing that y e wordes doe to our eares represēt you must receyue it with reuerence sober behauiour aduertising y t thing that it representeth vnto you And euen y e same honour is dew vnto it which is geuen vnto the scripture that is the word of God For vnto y t must a man deuoutlye geue eare and reuerently take the booke in hys hande yea and if he kisse y t booke for the doctrines sake that he learenth thereout he is to bée cōmended Neuerthelesse if he should goe sence hys booke men might well thinke that he were very childishe But if he should knéele downe and pray to this booke then he dyd commyt playne Idolatrye Consider deare bretheren what I say and auoyde this Ieoperdye which thing auoyded I care not as touching the presence of his body though you beléeue that hys naturall flesh be there in déede and not onely in a misterye as I haue taught For when y t Ieoperdye is past he were a foole that would bee contētious for a thing as long as there cōmeth no hurt therbye The Germanes which beléeue the presence of his body do not worshyp it but playnly teach the contrary and in that poynt thankes be to God all they whom you call heretickes do agrée fulwell Onely auoyde this Idolatry and I desire no more ¶ The conclusion of this treatise NOwe deare brethren I beséech you for the mercy y t ye looke for in Christ Iesu that you accepte this worke with a single eye and no contentious hart For necessitie hath compelled me to write it because I was informed both of my Lord of Winchester and other credible persōs that I had by the meanes of my first treatise offended many men Which thing may well be true For it was to slender to instruct all them which haue since seene it albe 〈◊〉 it were sufficient for their vse to whō it was first deliuered And therfore I thought it not onely expedient but also necessary to instruct them further in the truth that they might sée plaine euidence of that thyng wherein they were offended By this worke you shal espye their blasphemyes the venemous toūges where with they flaunder not onelye them that publish the truth but euen the truth it selfe They shame not to say y t we affirme it to bee onely bread and nothing els And we say not so but we say that beside the substaunce of bread it is y e sacrament of Christes body and bloud As y e Iuye hanging before the tauerne doore is more then bare Iuye For beside the substaunce
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
articles that were agaynst the Byshops they did great diligence in a part of them gathered they my very true sentences and myne owne wordes though in those thinges they left out vncharitably those wordes that made for my declaration and also for the probation of my saying the which I haue also here lefte out all onely adding the articles as thye laid them against mée that all men may sée y t worst that they had against mée For all men may thinke that they wil neither lay the best nor yet the truth agaynst mée But this article dyd I thus preach that men should not in their peticiō and prayers put to their good workes nor their good déedes and their merites As O Lord I doe faste I doe pray I am no theife I am in charitie with all the world and for them defire God to bée mercifull vnto them But they shoulde desire the father of heauen to bée mercifull vnto them alonely for Christes merites For they were y e things wherby both wée and our prayers are accepted in the sight of the father And to prooue this I brought certayne Scriptures As this whatsoeuer yée shall aske the father in my name hée shall geue it you And also the figure of y e old law where there was no sacrifice done but with y e fire that was taken from the aulter Now did I say that Christ is our aulter But thys myne aduersaries vnderstoode not But I maruayle what this article doth amonge the other hereticall articles I thinke they doe not recken it heresie HEe did not praye for the thrée estates of holy Churche neyther made hée his prayers in y e beginning of his sermon according to the olde custome but at the last ende and for the true knowledge of all Christen men making no prayer to our Lady nor for the soules in gurgatory nor for grace expedient If the Byshops had had any indifferency in them or any charitie they woulde haue béene ashamed that such articles shoulde haue béene brought afore thē What is this to the purpose of heresie that I did not pray for the thrée estates of holy Church And yet they graunt that I prayde for all true Christē mē and that men might come to the true knowledge Is not all the church contayned in this But they bée vncharitable men without all cōsideration they bée so blinded in their worldly honour That I did not pray to our Ladye nor for the soules in purgatory what is that to heresy for then were the Apostles heretykes for they did not pray in their sermons to our Lady nor yet to y e soules in purgatorye And as for praying for grace expedient that is not the preacher bound to doe openly But mée thinketh by these articles that God gaue mée a greate grace that I durst so boldelye reproue their abhominable liuing not fearing the daunger that should come thereof but this I leue to other mens iudgement And I dare boldelye say y e if I had spoken tentymes asmuch against y e auctorite of our noble prince and agaynst all his noble dukes and Lordes had taken all power both spirituall and temporall from them and geuen it to our idle byshops then had I béene a faythfull christen man for I had defended y e liberties of holy church But god send them his grace and space for to conuert Amen The whole disputation betweene the Byshops and Doctour Barnes NOw most honorable gracious Prince here haue I shewed your grace the articles that myne aduersaries vncharitablie hath layd agaynst me In the whiche though a greate many of my wordes and sayinges were Yet neuerthelesse there was left out all those things that did make for my declaration and for probations of my wordes and also for mollifying and temperatyng of those thinges that séemed to bée somewhat hardly spokē agaynst the Byshops The whiche thinges were to longe to recite vnto your noble grace But as God is my iudge and also my conscience and all my wordes and déedes and all maner of my liuyng and conuersation I did neuer intende to speake agaynst the Byshops or els any other man further then their liuing and conuersation were agaynst the blessed word of God and the holy doctrine of Christes Churche For the truth is there was no great clerke in the Church of God this CCCC yeares that wrote any thyng but hée complained vehemently agaynst the liuing of the spiritualtie Let their bookes bée brought foorth to proue whether my saying be truth or not Alas is it not a pituous case yea and also agaynst all law and conscience that I poore man shalbée thus violently cast away for speaking agaynst these vices that béene damned by almightie God and by all hys holy creatures yea and the Byshops them selues and all the worlde must graunt that they doe liue as euill yea and rather worse then I did speake Oh Lord God where is loue to vertue where is the shamefastnes that Christen men ought to haue where is Iustice That I shalbée thus shamefully cast awaye for speakyng of that thynge that euery Christen man is bounde to speake They doe so lyue and I beyng a preacher of the verity must bée condemned for speakyng agaynst it But most gracious and mightie Prince God hath set your grace in the same honour and dignitie that you by Gods ordinaunce ought to defende those men that are oppressed wrongfully Wherefore humbly and méekely and with all lowlynes reuerence I beséech your grace to minister vnto me gracious iustice let me bée heard indifferently whether that I can iustifie my cause with learnyng or not If I can not iustifie it your grace is a minister of iustice I will refuse no maner of payne that shal bée due for my trāsgressiō Wherfore ones agayne with all méekenes and lowlynes in the way of charitie and in Christes name and for his swéete bloud sake that hée hath shed for your grace yea and also by y e vertue of your auctoritie that the heauēly God hath deliuered you I doe require and desire of your grace audience and iustice I and all my parētes bée your naturall subiectes borne and a great many of vs hath dyed in your graces quarell and yet is there none of vs but are ready to doe your grace that seruice with our bodyes bloud that shall become trewe subiectes to doe to their noble prince Wherfore thyrdely in my name and in all our names for al they are rebuked in me with all méekenes reuerence I béeseche your grace of gracious audience and of fauorable iustice This thing I trust your grace will not denye me Nor yet take any displeasure with me your poore subiect for thus requiring For I haue none other prince nor Lorde to séeke vnto here on earth but vnto your grace onelye Nor can I come to any charitable ende with myne aduersaries Wherefore I am compelled by extreme violence thus to complayne
then are we the seruauntes of iustice So that if we truely haue that same fayth that iustifieth vs we shall desire to doe none other workes but those that belong to iustification not that the workes doe iustifie but that we must néedes do these workes as the very true frutes of iustificatioÌ„ and not as the cause of iustification And therfore those men that will doe no good workes because they be iustified onely by fayth bée not the childreÌ„ of God nor the children of iustificafition For the liuyng spirite of God is none authour of ilnes nor of sinne but hée crieth in our hartes Abbapater And of that is this a sure and an euident token for if they were the very true children of God they would bée the gladder to doe good workes because that they are iustified fréely Therfore should they also bée moued fréely to workes if it were for no other purpose nor profite but alonely to doe y e wil of their mercyfull God y e hath so fréely iustified theÌ„ and also to profite their neighbour whoÌ„ they are bound to serue of very true charitie Take an example here is a théefe that is condemned by right the law to bée hanged whom the kings grace of his mercy doth fréely deliuer from the gallowes and geueth him his pardon Now this théefe thus deliuered will not kéepe hym selfe a true man nor doe those workes that belong to a true man to doe but falleth agayne to stelyng because the kyng pardoned hym so fréely and reckeneth that the kyng is so mercyfull that hée will haÌ„g no théeues but deliuer them all of his mercy without their deseruing Now how thinke you wil y e king bée mercifull vnto this théefe when hée coÌ„meth againe to y e gallowes Nay truely for hée was not deliuered for that cause but for to kéepe hym selfe a true man Then commeth my Lord of Rochester and hée sayth that fayth doth begyn a iustification in vs but workes doe performe it and make it perfite I will recite his owne wordes Per fidem initiari dicitur iusticia solum non autem consummari nam consummata in sticia non aliter quam ex operibus natis in lucem editis acquirâ— potest opera consummatè iustificant Fides primum in choat c. What Christened man would thinke that a Byshop would thus trifle and play with Gods holy word Gods worde is so playne that no man can auoyde it how that fayth iustifieth alonely and now commeth my Lord of Rochester with a litle a â—ayne distinction inuented of his owne brayne without authoritie of Scripture and will clearely auoyde all Scriptures and all the whole disputation of S. Paule But my Lord say to me of your conscience how doe you recken to auoyde the vengeauÌ„ce of God sith you thus trifle despise Gods holy word Thinke you that this vayne distinctioÌ„ will bée alowed afore Iesus Christ for whose glorye wée doe coÌ„teÌ„de striue afore whom we doe handle this matter I doe thinke verely that your owne conscience doth sore accuse you for thus blasphemyng the holy worde of God Wherefore my Lord for Christes sake remember that you bée aged and shall not long tary here and these vayne distinctioÌ„s that you haue inuented to the pleasure of men and to the great peruertyng of Gods holy word shall bée to your euerlastyng damnation And at the lest wayes if you feare not y e terrible vengeauÌ„ce of God remeÌ„ber the shame of y e world thinke not that all men bée so mad and so vnlearned as for to bée deceiued by this triflyng distinction seyng that the worde of God is so playne agaynst it Doth not S. Paule say that our iustification is alonely of fayth not of workes How can you auoyde this same Non ex operibus Not of workes if that workes doe make iustification perfite then are not Saint Paules wordes true Also S. Paule sayth that we bée the childreÌ„ of God by fayth And if we bée the childreÌ„ we are also the heyres Now what imperfection finde you in childreÌ„ and in heyres ChristeÌ„ meÌ„ desire no more but this and all this haue they by fayth onely And will you say that fayth doth but begyn a iustification Beside that you know well that S. Paule doth proue in all the whole Epistles to the Romanes and also to the Galathians that fayth doth iustifie yea and that by contention agaynst workes Now how can you bryng in workes to make iustification perfect And S. Paule hath excluded them Moreouer why did not the Iewes against whose works S. Paule disputeth bryng in this distinction for theÌ„ Briefely what will you say to all the Doctours that I haue here recited which say that Sola fides onely fayth doth iustifie But doubtles if it were not to satisfie other men this distinction were not worthy an aunswere An other damnable reason is made that is an open a playne lye which is this Thou sayst that workes doe not iustifie nor yet helpe to iustification but fayth onely Ergo thou destroyest all good workes and wilt that no man shall worke well but alonely beléeue I auÌ„swere if there were any shame in men they might well bée ashamed of these open lyes Tell me one that is learned that euer did say or teach that men should doe no good workes Many there bée that say workes do not iustifie as S. Paule and all his scholers but no maÌ„ denyeth good workes But I marueile not at them for they doe but the workes of their father whiche was a lyer a murtherer from the begynnyng I pray you what coÌ„sequent is this after your owne Logike works doe not iustifie Ergo wee néede not to doe them but despise them for they bée of no valure Take a like consequent You say that the kinges grace doth not iustifie Ergo you despise him Ergo hée is no longer kyng Also the Sunne and Moone doe not iustifie Ergo you destroy them But such a damnable lye must S Paul néedes suffer wheÌ„ hée had proued that fayth onely did iustifie Then came your ouerthwarte fathers and sayd Ergo thou destroyest the law for thou teachest that it iustifieth not God forbid sayth S. Paule for we doe learne the very waye to fulfill the law that is faith whereby the law alonely is fulfilled and without the whiche all the workes of the law bée but sinne So doe we likewise teach the very true way wherby all good workes must be done As first a man by faith to bée iustified then a iust man must néedes doe good workes whiche afore were but sinne now bée all good yea his eatyng drinkyng sléeping are good But beside all these haue they certayne scriptures First of S. Iames whose wordes bee these Wilt thou vnderstand O thou vayne man that fayth without déedes is dead Was not Abraham our father iustified of his dedes When hée offered his soÌ„ne Isaac on the aulter
haue charitie but y e iustified mā hée is a frée seruaunt vnto God for the loue y e hée hath vnto him The which loue séeketh not in God his owne profit nor his owne aduaūtage for then were hée wicked but séeketh alonely the wyll of God and the profite of other men and worketh neyther for loue of heauen nor yet for feare of hell For hée knoweth well that heauen wyth all the ioyes thereof is prepared from the begynnyng of the world not by hym but by hys father And it must néedes folow as contrariwyse the Infidell and the wicked man doth not worke hys wicked déedes because hée woulde haue hell or euerlasting dampnation to hys rewarde but hée woulde rather the contrary Notwithstandyng hell and euerlasting dampnation must néedes follow his wicked déedes Finally a righteous man is a frée seruaunt of Gods and worketh not as an hyerelyng For if it were possible that there were no heauen yet woulde hée doe no lesse good for his respecte is to the maker of the worlde and the Lord of all rewardes There is also an other argument and that is thys Fayth is a worke but workes doth not iustifie Ergo fayth doth not iustifie Aunswere Truth it is that we doe not meane how that fayth for his owne dignitie and for hys owne perfection doth iustifie vs. But the Scripture doth say that fayth alonely iustifieth because that it is that thyng alonely whereby I doe hange of Christe And by my faith alonely am I partaker of y e merites and mercy purchased by Christes bloude and fayth it is alonely that receaue the promyses made in Christ Wherefore wée say with blessed S. Paule that fayth onely iustifieth imputatiue that is all y e merites and goodnes grace and fauour and all that is in Christ to our saluation is imputed and reckoned vnto vs because wée hange and beléeue of hym and hée can deceaue no man that doth beléeue in hym And our iustice is not as the schoole men teacheth a formal iustice which is by fulfillyng of the lawe deserued of vs for then our iustification were not of grace and of mercy but of deseruing and of duty But it is a iustice that is reckened imputed vnto vs for y e fayth in Christ Iesus and it is not of our deseruyng but clearely and fully of mercy imputed vnto vs. Now most honorable gracious Prince I haue declared vnto your highnes what faith it is that doth iustifie vs before God and also brought for my sentēce not alonely the blessed word of God the which were sufficient in this cause but the exposition of holy Doctours that your grace might sée that I am not moued to this opinion of a light cause nor that this doctrine of myne is so new as men hath noted it Moreouer I haue declared vnto your grace how that I woulde haue good workes done would not haue a Christen mans life to bée an idle thyng or els a life of vncleannes but I would haue them to bée chaunged into all vertue and goodnes and to liue in good workes after the commaundement will of God So that your grace may well perceiue that myne aduersaries hath not reported truely on me when they haue sayd how that I would that men should neither fast nor pray nor geue almes nor yet bée penitent for their sinnes I haue neuer sayd it nor yet taught no lyke sentence I take God to recorde my workes and my déedes and all my writynges that euer I wrote or made Wherfore I doubt not if it please your grace graciously to here me but that I wil proue them vntrue in this cause many other mo This doth almighty God know to bée true Who euer preserue your moste royall maiestie in honour and goodnes Amen What the Church is and who bee therof and whereby men may know her THe name of the holy church haue those mē of long tyme vsurped presumptuouslye and w t out all shame they were the greatest enemyes that holy church could haue in earth For they did no more agrée w t the maners of holy church then darknes and light then God and y t deuyll For where holy church hard no man but Christ onely They would heare all manner of men sauing Christ and neuer heare him except it weare to to their profit or glory Where as holy church was ruled in this world they would rule all the world where as holy church would bée holy by Christ onely they would bée holy by their owne helpe And where as holy church was allwayes despised and persecuted of the world They would bée honored of y t world and persecuters of all men And where as holy church was inwardly decked with spiritual vertues they would bée outwardly shinyng in spirituall araye And where as holy church would bée chaste in spryte they would with their mouthes vow chastite and spend all their liues in whore dome And where as holy church dyd allwayes shew méekenes in the worlde they would bée so proude y t hart could deuise no more Breifely whatsoeuer thing y e was agreable with the church of that had they neuer a crumme but allonely by violence vsurped the name of holy church So that if a man had had a crowne or a long goune and a white smock ouer his gowne thē was there no remedy but hée must nedes bée of the church yea and holy church her self So y e if a Barber had made a Bul a crowne a Taylor Iack napes a lōg gowne brought an Asse forth in a white rochet thē no mā might dout but y e there were holy church euerye man must fall downe to receyue clene remission a poena and a oulpa toties quoties for there came the successours of Peter Paule and they that haue the despensatiō of Christes bloud and the merites of holy saints and y e suffrages of holy church to distribute and the key bearers of heauē and hell Who can denye but this is truth It is to opē to néede an probation for wee sée it dayly before our eyes So that if a man will compare our M Christ y t is y e very head of holy church vnto these Prelates that call them selues his viccars hée shall finde but smale agréement betwéene the person and the vicar and hée that will consider S. Peter and S. Paule withall other Apostels shall think that eyther they were none of holy Church or els our prelals for they agrée in nothing Yea hée may reckē that S. Peter S. Paule were starke fooles ryght mad men that liued so despectuous a lyfe What néede me to make many wordes or to tell their names that I speake of There is no doubt but that galde horse will béewray hym selfe But shortly if the deuyll would come in his owne person disguised tell me how it were impossible that hée could bée more contrary to Christ and hys apostels
then those men that call thē selues y e holy church yea take away the name of the church and set in her stéede the name of the deuyll how will you then know a byshop frō the deuyll By their workes nay trewly for they bée all one And yet will you bée the heades of Christes church yea the holy church her selfe not so yée wicked not so Wherefore that this blessed spouse of Christ may bée knowen from thée open and abhominable whores and harlotes therefore will I by gods grace set out what holy Church is and where by men shall know her This worde Ecclesia both in y e new testament and the olde is taken oftētymes for the whole congregatiō and and the whole multitude of y t people both good and bad as it is in the booke of Numeri Why haue you brought the congregation or Church of God into wildernes Also in an other place The king turned his face and blessed the whole congregation or Church of Israell and all the Church of Israell stoode Likewise in the new testamēt Saint Paule to the Corinthians I haue sēt vnto you Tymothy the which shall learne you my wayes y e bée in Christ Iesu as I doe learne euery where in all congregations Also in an other place doe you despise the congregation of God and shame thē that haue not In all these places in many moe is it open that this greke word Ecclesia is taken for the whole congregation both of good bad Wherfore this is not y e church that we will greatly speake of for in this church are Iewes and Sarasens Murtherers and Theeues Baudes and Harlots though we know them not But there is an other holy Church of the which S. Paule speaketh you men loue your your wiues as Christ hath loued the Church and hath geuē him selfe for her that hée might sanctifie her and clense her in the fountaine of water through the worde of life to make her to him selfe a glorious Church without spot or wrincle or any such thyng but that she might bée holy without blame Here haue you the very true Churche of Christ that is so pure and so cleane without spotte But wherby is shée pure cleane not by her owne merites nor by her owne might not by exteriour araye not by gold nor siluer nor yet by precious stones neither by myters nor crosestaues nor by pillers nor pollaxes But wherby then by Christ onely which hath geuen him selfe for that intēt that hée would make her cleane and therefore sayth S. Paule Hée gaue him selfe that hée might sanctifie her that hée might clense her and make her to him selfe a glorious Church Also in an other place you are washed you are sanctified you are iustified in the name of Iesus Christ and in the spirite of God Sée my Lordes how the Church is washed by Christ by his holy spirite and not by your blessynges not by your spirituall ornamentes nor by your spirituall holy water for these thynges cannot helpe the holy Church for she is holy in spirite and not in outwarde hypocrisie she is also clensed by Christes blessed bloud not by outward disguisinges This doth S. Augustine wel proue saying Of Christ is the church made fayre first was she filthie in sinnes afterward by pardon and by grace was she made fayre c. Here S. Augustine sayth y t Christ hath made his Church fayre and that by his grace his pardon and not by your pardons nor by your grace For this Church stādeth by Christes election not by yours And if Christ haue not washed you chosen you then bée you none of this Church though you ride with a thousand spiritual horses and haue all the spirituall tokēs on earth For and if y e sonne of God haue deliuered you thē are you truely deliuered Ye can not make by all your power and holynes that we shall alwayes finde good ale or wyne where there hangeth out a gréene signe and will you with your spirituall signes and tokens make the Churche of God to folow you or by them assigne out where the Churche shall bée Nay nay my Lords it will not bée but they that beléeue y e Christ hath washed them from their sinnes and sticke fast vnto his merites and to the promise made to them in hym onely they bée the Church of God so pure and so cleane that it shall not bée lawfull no not for Peter to say that they bée vncleane but whether they bée Iew or Gréeke kyng or subiect carter or Cardinall butcher or Byshop tancardbearer or cannelrater frée or bounde Frier or fidler Monke or miller if they beléeue in Christes word sticke fast to his blessed promises and trust onely in the merites of his blessed bloud they bée the holy Church of God yea and the very true church afore God And you with all your spiritual tokens with all your exteriour cleannes remaine in your filthynes of sinne from the which all your blessings all your pardons all your spirituallitie all your holynes can not clense you nor bring you into this Churche Boast crake blast blesse curse till your holy eyes start out of your head it wil not helpe you for Christ chooseth his church at his iudgement and not at yours The holy ghost is frée inspireth where hée will hée will neither bée bound to Pope nor Cardinall Archbishop nor Byshop Abbot nor Prior Deacon nor Archdeacon Parson nor Vicare Nunne nor Frier Briefly come all the whole rabble of you togither that call your selues y e holy Churche and exclude all other yea and take sunne moone starres to helpe you with all the frendes you haue in heauē and earth and yet shall you not bée of holy church except that you haue y t spirite of Christ bée washed in his blessed bloud For y e holy Churche of Christ is nothyng els but that congregation that is sanctified in spirite redéemed with Christes bloud and sticketh fast and sure alonely to the promises that hée made therein So that the Church is a spirituall thyng and no exterior thyng but inuisible from carnall eyes I say not that they bee inuisible that bée of the Church but that holy Church in her selfe is inuisible as fayth is and her purenes and cleanes is before Christ onely and not before the worlde for the worlde hath no iudgement nor knowledge of her but all her honour and cleanes is before Christ sure and fast And if there appeare any of her goodnes vnto the worlde of that shée maketh no reckenyng nor thinketh her selfe any thyng thyng the better that the worlde iudgeth well of her for all her trust is in Christ onely She suffereth the worlde to rage and blaspheme both agaynst her and agaynst Christ her maker Shée standeth fast and beléeueth sted fastly that that shal haue a shamefull ende and euerlasting
damnation to rewarde Briefly her meditations and her thoughtes are heauenly and all that shée doth is spirituall For shée can not erre shée cleaueth so fast to the worde of God that is the veritie And for this cause S. Paule calleth her the piller and grounde of truth not that shée is so sure of and in her owne strength but that shée sticketh so fast to the lyuyng God and to hys blessed worde that is the very true Church that is scattered thorow all the worlde and is neyther bounde to person by the reason of dignitie nor yet to any place by the reason of fayned holynes but shée is a frée thynge thorow all the worlde as S. Augustine doth witnesse in these wordes The holy Church are wée but I doe not say as one should say wée that bée here alonely that heare mée now but as many as be here faythfull Christened mē in this Church that is to say in thys Citye as many as bée in thys region as many as bée beyonde the sea as many as bée in all the worlde for from the rysing of the sunne till the goyng down is the name of God praysed so is the holy Church our mother c. Here haue you playnely that the holy Church is the congregation of faythfull men wheresoeuer they bée in the worlde And neyther the Pope nor yet hys Cardinalles bée more this Church or of thys Church then the poorest man in earth For this church standeth alonely in the spirituall faith of Christ Iesus and not in dignities nor honours of the worlde as Liranus doth declare in these wordes The Church doth not stand in men by reason of spirituall power or secular dignities For many Princes and many Popes and other inferiour persons haue swerned frō the fayth Wherfore that Church doth stand in those persons in whome is the true knowledge and confession of fayth and of veritie c. O my Lordes what will you say to Lyra I haue great maruayle that you burne hym not It is hye tyme to condemne hym for an heretike for hée speaketh agaynst your lawe xxiiij q. 1. Quodcunque Where as your glose declareth that God suffereth not the church of Rome for to erre And Lyra sayth playnely that many popes haue erred and also that the Church standeth not in dignitie but in confession of Christ and of hys blessed veritie But now here wyll bée obiected that I fayne such a Church as our Logitions doe intentionem secundam that is a thyng y t is no where Where shall a man finde a Church that is so pure and so cleane that hath neyther spot nor wrinckle in her and that is wythout all sinne séeyng that all men must of trueth saye forgéeue vs our trespasse And if any man say bée hée neuer so righteous that hée hath no sinne thē is hee a lyer and there is no veritie in hym To thys I aunswere that thys holy Church hath sin in her yet is shée pure and cleane Marke S. Paules wordes Christe hath geuen hymselfe for her that hée might make her glorious So that the cleannes of this holy church is the mercy of God toward her thorow Christ for whose sake he layeth nothing to her charge yea and if any other person woulde hée is ready to géeue her his cleanes and to let her by fayth clayme of right hys purenes for her owne For betwéene them all is common as betwéene man and wyfe So that if the Church looke on her owne merites and of her owne workes shée is full of sinne and must néedes say demitte mihi debita The which shée néeded not to say if shée had none But if shée referre her selfe vnto the merites of her blessed husbande Christ Iesus and to the cleanes that shée hath in hys bloud thē is shée without spotte For by the reason that shée sticketh by fayth so fast vnto her husband Christ and doth abyde in confession of her sinne requireth mercy for them therfore is there nothing layde to her charge but all thyng is forgéeuen her And therefore sayth S. Paule there is no damnation vnto them that bée in Christ Iesu And that this may bée the playner I wyll bryng you S. Augustines wordes the which was vexed of the Donatistes wyth thys same reason that is layd agaynst mée hys wordes bée these The whole Church sayth forgéeue vs our sinnes wherefore shée hath spottes and wrinckles but by knowledging of them her wrinckles bée extended and stretched out by knowledging her spottes are washed away The church abydeth in prayer that shée myght bée clēsed by knowledging of her sinnes As lōg as we liue hereso standeth it and when wée shall departe out of thys bodye all such thynges bée forgéeuen to euery mā wherfore by thys meane y ◠church of God is in the treasures of God wythout spotte and wrinckles and therefore here doe wée not lyue wythout sinne but wee shall passe from hence wythout sinne c. Here haue you clearely that the church of God is clensed and purified by Christ for knowledgyng of her sinnes and not by her owne purenes Wherefore such a church there must néedes bée though that y e carnall eye can not sée her nor fleshly reason can iudge of her Wherefore wée beléeue thys article by fayth that holy church is a communion or felow shyp of holy men and know it not by séeyng or féelyng as wée doe the felowshyp of Drapers or mercers for then were it none article of the faith And it is playne that all your exterior signes wyth all your holy ornamentes as your holy myters your holy crossestaues your holy pyllers polaxis your holy red gloues your holy ouches and your holy rynges your holy annoynted fingers your holy vestmentes your holy challices and your holy golden showes yea take also to helpe you S. Thomas of Canterburyes holy showe wyth all the holy bootes of holy Monkes and all these togither can not make one crumme of holynes in you nor helpe you one pricke forward that you may bée wythin thys church For if these thynges coulde helpe then were it no mastery to make an Asse to bée of the church of God But our holy mother the Church hath an other holynes that commeth from God the father thorough the swéete bloud of his blessed sonne Iesus Christ in whom is all her confidence and trust Vnto whom she sticketh onely by sted fast fayth by whose purenes shee is also pure in that that she doth confesse her vnclennes for shee beléeueth stedfastly that she hath an aduocate for her sinne to y e father of heauen which is Christ Iesus and hée is the satisfaction for her sinnes hée of his mercy not of her merites hath chosen her for to bée his and because she is his therfore must she bée cleane so long as she abideth in him This is well declared in S. Iohn where our master Christe is
very head of the Church this is the Church that can not erre c. Here it is open that the counsell may erre and that a priuate person hauing scriptures for hym is to bée heard before the Pope and also y e coūsell hauing no scriptures for them you haue also what is the very trew Church which can not erre which thing can not bée veryfyed of your counsels for they bée neyther without errour nor yet the holy Church but that they doe represēt the Church as a legate representeth a kings person but of that followeth not that hée is y e king or hath as much power as the king or is aboue The king or that he may rule the king this may also bée proued by S. Augustine whose words bée these those counselles that bée gathered in euery Prouince must without doubt geue place to the auctoritie of the ful counsels which bée gathered of all Christendom and also those full counsels oft tymes must bée amended by the full counsels that come after if any thyng bée opened by any experience that was a fore shut and if any thing bée knowen that was hydden And this may bee done without any shadowe of supersticious pride without any boasted Arrogancy with out any contentiō of malicious enuy but with holy méekenes with holy peace and with Christen charitye c. Here it is playne that your full coūsels may bée amended and reformed y e which thing néede not if they could not erre yea and if they did not erre in déede Moreouer you must néedes graunt that there is a rule where by your counsels must bée exammined where by sentence must bée geuen which of your councels bée true and which false by the which rule if your counsels bée not ordered they must néedes erre and bée false and of the deuill Wherfore gather all your coūsels togither and yet of them can you not make holy church But peraduenture there may bée many in your coūsels good and perfite men and of holy Churche but they and you togither make not the vnyuersall holy church that can not erre neither haue you any anctoritie ouer holy Church further then the holy scripture of God but as soone as you forsake Christ and his holy worde so soone are you the congregation of the deuyll and théeues and murtherers and yet for all this there must néedes bée an holy church of Christ in earth that is neyther bounde to Ierusalem nor to Constantinople nor yet to Rome as though shée were lyke vnto the Asse and the fole But now wyll there bée obiected that our Mayster Christ commaundeth if my brother offende mée that I shoulde complayne to the church Now is this church that I haue set out spirituall and no man knoweth her but God onely shée is also scattered thorow out the worlde wherfore how can a man complayne to that church I aunswere our M. Christ doth playnely speake of a man that hath wronge the which must néedes bée a perticuler and a certayne man and therefore likewyse hée biddeth hym complayne not to the vniuersall church but to the perticular church Now this particular church if shée bée of God and a true member of the vniuersal church shée will iudge righteously after Christes worde and after the probations brought afore her Neuerthelesse oftētymes cōmeth it to passe y ◠this particular church doth fully and wholy erre and iudgeth vnryght and excommunicateth him that is blessed of god as it is open in your owne lawe whose wordes bée these oftētymes hée that is cast out is within and hée that is within is kept without c. Here haue you playnely y e the particular church may erre Wherefore that church that can not erre is all only the vniuersall church which is caulled the communion and the felowship of Saintes the which addition was made by holy fathers for in Ciprians time was there no mention of it by all likelyhode to declare the presumption of certayne men and of certayne congregations that reckened themselues to bée holy church Wherfore my Lordes sée well to it least the holy Ghost haue pricked you wyth thys addition for you haue alwayes made your selfe holy church yea and that wythout any holines Now haue I declared vnto you what is holy church that is the congregation of faithfull men thorowout all y e world and whereby shée is holy that is by Christes holynesse and by Christes bloud and also what is the cause that shée can not erre because that shée kepeth her selfe so fast to the worde of God whiche is a perfite a true rule Nowe must we declare by what signes and tokēs that we may know that in this place or in that place there bée certeine members of this holye church For though shée bée in her self spirituall ▪ and can not bée perfitely knowen by our exteriour senses yet neuerthelesse we may haue certeine tokens of her spirituall presence whereby we may recken that in this place and in that place bee certeine of her members As by a naturall example though the soule of man in her selfe bée spirituall inuisible yet may we haue sure tokens of her presence as hearyng mouyng speakyng smellyng with such other So likewise where the word of God is truely and perfitely preached without the damnable dreames of men and where it is well of the hearers receiued also where we sée good woorkes that doe openly agrée with the doctrine of the Gospell these bée good and sure tokēs whereby we may iudge that there bée some men of holy Church As to the first whereas the Gospell is truely preached it must néedes light in some mens hartes as the prophete witnesseth my word shall not returne agayne to me frustrate but it shall doe all thyng that I will and it shall prosper in those thynges vnto the which I did send it Also S. Paule sayth fayth cōmeth by hearyng and hearyng commeth by the word of God and therfore it is open in holy Scripture that when Peter spake the wordes of God the holy ghost fell downe on them all Wherfore it is open that Gods worde can neuer bée preached in vayne but some men must néedes receiue it and thereby bée made of holy Churche though that men doe not know them neither by their names nor yet by their faces for this word is receiued into their hartes The second token is that the receiuers of this woord doe worke well thereafter as S. Paule declareth of his hearers when you receiued of vs the word wherewith God was preached you receiued it not as the word of men but euen as it was in déede the word of God whiche worketh in you that beléeue So that if men doe worke after the worde of God it is a good token that there bée men of the Churche though that we hypocrisie is so subtile and so secret may bée oftentymes deceiued by these
outward workes but neuertheles charitie iudgeth well of all thinges that haue a good outward showe and bée not opēly agaynst the word of God But it is no ieoperdy though charitie bée deceiued for it is opē to all ieoperdies but fayth is neuer deceiued Now to our purpose that where the worde of God is preached truely it is a good a perfite token that there bée some mē of Christes church This may bée prooued by Chrisostomes wordes they that bée in Iudea let thē flée vp into the mountaines that is to say they that bée in Christendome let them geue thē selues to Scriptures Wherfore commaundeth hée that all Christened men in that tyme should flye vnto Scriptures for in that tyme in the which heresies haue crept into the Church there can bée no true probation of Christendome nor no other refuge vnto Christen men willyng to know the veritie of fayth but y e Scriptures of God Afore by many wayes was it shewed which was the Church of Christ and which was the congregation of Gentiles but now there is no other way to them that will know whiche is the very true Churche of Christ but alonely by scriptures By workes first was the church of Christ knowen when the conuersation of Christen men either of all or of many were holy the which holynes had not the wicked men but nowe Christen men bée as euill or worsse then heretickes or Gentiles yea greater continencie is founde among them then among Christen men Wherefore hée that will knowe which is y e very church of christ how shall hée knowe it but by Scriptures onely Wherfore our Lord cōsidering that so greate confusion of thynges should come in the latter dayes therfore commaundeth hée that Christen men which bée in Christendome willing to reserue the stedfastnes of true fayth should flye vnto no other thyng but vnto Scriptures for if they haue respect vnto other thynges they shall bée sclaundered and shall perishe not vnderstandyng whiche is the true Church c. These wordes néede no exposition they bée plaine inough they doe also exclude all maner of learning sauing holy scripture Wherefore sée how you can with honestie saue your holy lawes and defend them against Chrisostome Moreouer if Chrisostome complayne of the incontenency that was in his dayes how would hée complaine if hée now liued sawe the baudry and fornication that is in the Church And also he sendeth men to scriptures that will know the holy Church and not vnto y e holy Church for in the Church were heresyes but not in scripture Also S. Paule witneseth the same saying you are built vpon the foundacion of the Apostles and Prophets heare haue you playnely that the very trewe Church is grounded yea and founded of holy scripture and therefore wheresoeuer that the worde of God is preached that is a good token that there bée some men of Christes Church But now as to the fruites and workes of this Church she doth all onely fetch out her maner of lyuing and all her good workes out of y e holy word of God and she fayneth not nor dreameth any other new holines or new inuented works that be not in scripture but she is content w t Christes learning and beléeueth that Christ hath sufficiently taught her all manner of good workes that bée to the honour of our heauēly father Therfore inuenteth shée no other way to heauen but followeth Christ onely in suffering oppressions and persecutions blaspheminges al other things that may bée layd vnto her which as S. Agustine sayth she learned of our M. Christ Our holy mother y t church throughout all the world scattered far and long in her trew head Christ Iesus taught hath learned not to feare the contumelys of the Crosse nor yet of death but more and more is shée strengthed not in resisting but in suffering c. Now my Lordes compare your selfe to this rule of S. Agustine and let vs sée how you can bring your self into the Church or els to proue your self to bée holy The Church suffereth persecutions for as S. Paule sayth they that will liue deuoutly in Christ must suffer persecution and you with stand all thinges and suffer nothing You oppresse euery mā and you will bée oppressed of no mā You persecute euery man and no man may speake a worde agaynst you no though it bée neuer so true You cast euery mā in prison no mā may touch you but he shal bée cursed You compell euery mā to say as you say you will not once say as Christe sayth And as for your holynes all the worlde knoweth what it is for it standeth in clothing and in decking in watching and sléeping in eating and drinking this meate or y e meate this drynke or that drinke in pattering and mumbling these Psalmes or those Psalmes without deuotion Bréefly all your holines is in books Bels Cādels Challeces oyle creme water horses houndes pallaces all that is mighty and gloryous in the world there on hange you there in glory you there on crake you there on boast you there vpon builde you Is this y e natures of y e church is this holines Of whome haue you learned these maners You can not deny but these bée true and if you would denye it all the world is witnesse agaynst you yea and also your owne factes déedes Of whom haue you learned this holynes not of Christ nor yet of his holy Church but you haue learned it of the Arians y e were the seruauntes of the deuyll Hilarius wryteth in these wordes the Church doth threaten with banyshmentes prysonmentes and shée compelleth men to beléeue her which was exciled and cast in prison now hangeth shée on the dignitye of her fellowship the which was consecrated by the threateuinges of persecutors shée causeth priestes to flye that was encreased by the chasing away of priestes shée gloryeth that shée is loued of y e world y e which could neuer bée Christes except the worlde did hate her How thynke you my Lordes doe not you all these thinges that bée layd to the Arians charge Your owne frendes yea your owne consciences must néedes accuse you of all these thinges and yet will you bée called Christes children I lay nothyng to you but that holy Doctours lay vnto you But let vs sée what S. Barnarde sayth on you they call themselues the ministers of Christ but they serue Antichrist they goe gorgiously arayed of our Lordes goods vnto whome they géeue none honour and of these goods commeth the harlottes decking that thou séest dayly the game players disguising and kynges apparell of thys cōmeth golde in their bridles in their saddles and in their spurres so that their spurres bée bryghter thē the aulters of thys commeth theyr plenteous wine presses and their full sellers bolkyng from thys vnto that of thys cōmeth their tunnes of swéete wynes
of thys bée their bagges so filled for such thinges as these bée will they bée rulers of the church as Deacons Archdeacons Byshoppes and Archbyshops c. My Lordes I had thought to haue added Cardinalles and Legates Abbottes and Pryors to haue made the company more holy but I ourst not How thinke you of whom doth hée speake when hée fayth Byshops and Archbyshops what holynes doth hée reprooue when hée spraketh of gorgious araye of harlottes deckyng of game players disguising of goulden spurres saddelles bridles If there were an C. that did vse it more then you yet must you néedes graunt that hée speaketh of you Hée passeth mée sore in condemning of your holy ornamentes for hee caulleth you the seruauntes of Antichrist and your holy ornamentes harlottes decking and game players disguising and hée saith that you are neyther the church nor of the church but the seruauntes of Antichrist how thinke you by S. Barnarde it is tyme to condemne hym for hée speaketh agaynst holy church and all her holy ornamentes thys dare I well say that if the best Christen man within the Realme should preach these wordes of Saint Barnarde you woulde not sticke to condemne hym for an beretike but you were wonte to call hym swéete Barnarde but mée thynketh that hée is soure inough in thys thynge Wherefore dispute the matter wyth hym that you may come into the Church and not wyth mée FINIS An other declaration of the Church wherein hee aunswereth to Maister More IN my first booke I dyd declare how that certayne men dyd take vppon them to bée counted of holy Church whose maners and lyuynges dyd nothyng agrée wyth holy church But after that commeth M. More and hée layeth to my charge that I counted all the spiritualtie to bée naught because hée would make my name somewhat odious vnto them But verely hée doth mée great wrōge for it was neuer my meanyng nor yet my saying But myne intent was to declare that neyther the Pope nor his colledge of Cardinalles nor yet all the Byshoppes in the worlde gathered togither did make holy Churche because of theyr names or else for theyr long gownes or for theyr shauen crownes or else annoynted fingers nor yet for any other exterior thynges that the worlde had in admiration But yet neuerthelesse I dyd graunt and also doe now confesse many good men to haue shauen crownes and also longe gownes But yet for these thyngs they were neuer the more of the church All the popes learning hath béene that hée and his hath béene y e church the which can not erre and all things that belong vnto them were called y e goods of holy church All lawes made by them were the lawes of holy Church They myght not bée conuēted before any temporall Prince because they were men of holy church They myght not bée hanged for murther because they were annoynted and of holy church Briefely there bée innumerable such thynges inuented of them to maynetayne and to defēde theyr holynesse and to proue that they bée holy Church the which thinges I thynke M. More can not denye And if hée woulde yet there bée a great many of bookes forth comming to proue my sentēce against him And also y e practise that hath béene vsed in y e worlde will testifie the same I thinke M. More nor yet any mā lyuyng dyd euer know in hys tyme that any man was iudged or taken to bée of the church but such men as I haue spoken of And I thynke thys name church was neuer named but it was taken specially and principally for those men that had shauen crownes and other lyke tokens Let mée bée reported to those men that bée alyue Now because I saw that these thynges were nothyng the cause of holy church nor yet belonged greatly to holy church therefore I say was I moued to declare what holy church was and who were thereof and by what signes and tokens men myght know her ¶ Now to declare this I brought certaine places of scripture to prooue that this worde Eccleasia was taken in scripture for the whole congregatiō both of good and bad But I sayd I would not greatly speake of that cōgregation for that was not it that could not erre of the which was mine intent to speake And I brought for me y e saying of S. Paule Christ hath geuen hym selfe for his Church that hée might sanctifie her and clense her in the fountaine of water through the worde of lyfe to make her to hym selfe a glorious church without spot or wrincle or any such thyng But that shée might bée holy and without blame To prooue that the Churche was clensed by Christ I brought the saying of S. Augustine for mée Of Christ is the church made fayre First was shée filthy in sinnes afterwarde by pardon and by grace was shée made fayre c. Moreouer to proue y e this church was made cleane by Christ and not by names or by clothyng or by any other exteriour thyng I brought for me y e saying of S. Iohn If y e sonne of God haue deliuered you then are you truely deliuered Also S. Paule You are washed you are sāctified you are iustified in y e name of Iesus Christ in the spirite of God But vnto these things doth M. More answere that I doe not well to exclude out of this Church bad mē for y e knowne church sayth hée standeth in a gathering togither of good mē and bad to prooue that hée bringeth in certeine parables of our Sauiour Christ To this I aunswere that I neuer denyed but that there was such a cōgregatiō of good and bad but I sayd that that was not y e very true church afore God though it beare the name of the Church and in very déede hys owne parables doth declare that our maister Christe shall at length géeue sentence agaynst them that call them selues falsely of the Churche Iudas was called an Apostle and taken so of all his company but yet our maister Christ calleth him the deuil Now if M. More will haue Iudas in hys Churche I must bee content that hée shall also betraye Christe The very trueth is that bad men bée mixt here in the Churche and after outwarde signes bée taken for members of the Churche specially if they bée not excommunicate But the Churche whiche I dyd speake of was not a felowship gathered togither in a cōsent of exteriour things and ceremonies as other politicke felowships bée But it is a felowshyp specially gathered in the vnitie of fayth hauyng the holy ghost within them to sanctifie their spirites whiche doth set their trust onely in the redemptiō promised thē in Christes blessed bloud This I say is the very true church of God let the worlde say what they will and let men call them selues as it pleaseth thē For as S. Paule saith hée that hath not the spirite of God is none of his Also M. Mores
learnyng will graunt that euill men bée the dead members of the Churche what they bée worth let other men iudge But M. More reckoneth that there is not such a Churche here in earth that is without spot and wrincle as S. Paul sayth For the Church sayth hée is here gracious and not glorious Truely I haue marueile what hée meaneth thus to expound Saint Paules saying for I thinke hée can not prooue but that S. Paules saying is verified of the Church that is here militant and not of the church triumphaunt But I will not at this tyme greatly dispute with M. More But and if hée were as hée hath béene I would say some thyng more to hym then I will doe at this tyme. Hée can neither mocke me nor iest me out of coÌ„ceite and if I were disposed to couple with hym nor it is not hys foule shameles woorkes and vntrue sayinges that hée layeth to me that could feare me But now that it hath pleased God without any helpe or know ledge of me to bryng hym vnto this fall I will praye to God for hym to geue hym grace that hée may reuoke all such false doctrine as hée hath brought into the worlde For doubtles if hée abyde in the meanyng that hée is now in I doe not sée how hée can dye Gods seruaunt Yea his own knowen Church is agaynst hym whoÌ„ hée sayth men are bound to beléeue vnder payne of damnation But truely as God shall iudge me I am sory for hys trouble if I could helpe hym with any lawfull meanes I would doe my best so euill will beare I him But to procéede farther in my matter I will not greatly speake much of the Church by the reason that many other men sence my fyrst writinge haue declared this article much better then I can doe it Wherefore I will all onelye resite the places of holy doctours that I haue brought for mée in my fyrst booke and the intent wherefore I aleaged them to prooue that y e Church was afrée thing throughout all the world and not bounde eyther to place or to person I brought for me y e saying of S. Augustine saying these wordes The holy Church are wée But I doe not saye are we as one should say we that bée heare all onely that heare mée now but as many as bée heare faythfull christean men in this Church y e is to say in this Cytie as many as bée in this region as many as bée beyonde the sea as many as bée in all the whole world for from y e rysing of the sunne tyll the goinge downe is the name of God praysed So is y â— holy Church our mother c. Also Lyra sayth The Church doth not stand in men by the reason of spirituall power or seculer dignitie For many princes and many Popes and other inferiour persoÌ„s haue swerued from the fayth Wherfore the church doth stand in those persons in whom is the true knowledge and confession of fayth and of veritye c. Here Lyra sayth as much as I doe in cleare wordes And M. More doth not nor yet caÌ„ refell hym Afterward I bring a saying of S. Augustine to prooue that the Church hath spottes and wryncles in her And yet by confessing of them and by stycking to Christes bloud they bée not imputed vnto her This is his saying The whole Church prayeth Lord forgeue vs our sinnes Wherfore she hath spottes and wryncles But by knowledging of them her wryncles bée streatched out and by knowledging her spottes are washed away The Church continueth in prayer y e shée myght bée clensed by knowledgeing of her synnes And as long as we here liue so standeth it And when euery maÌ„ departeth out of this body all such sinnes are forgeuen hym the which ought to bée forgeueÌ„ For they bée forgeuen by dayly prayer and hée goeth hence clensed And the Church of God is layde vp in the treasure of God for puregolde by this meane the Church of God is in the treasure of our Lord without spotte or wrynkell It foloweth Let vs therefore pray that God may forgeue vs and that we may forgeue our dettours séeing it is sayde and it shall be forgeuen vnto you We say this dayly and dayly we doe this and this thing is done dayly in vs. We are not here without sinne But we shall departe hence without synne c. Let euery man iudge whether that this place of S. Augustine maketh for my purpose or not that is to say whether that y e Church hath any spottes or wrincles in her or not And yet neuertheles shée hath no spottes nor wrincles For S. Augustine sayth y e Church of God is in the treasurie of God without any spotte so that through Gods mercy nothing is imputed vnto her Her cleannes is not y e shée hath no spots but béecause that for Christes sake there is nothing layd to her charge M. More maketh many wordes of â—enyall synnes and deadly synnes But to speake after his owne schoole men it should bée to harde for hym to defende that exposition that hée here maketh of S. Augustine But to proue that the Church is cleane by the reason of Christ I brought for mée their owne lawe whose wordes bée these Therefore is y e Church holy because shée beléeueth righteously in God c. Furthermore to prooue that this congregation of faythfull men is the Church that can not erre I brought for mée their owne lawe Whose wordes bée these The holy Church can not erre c. Also in an other place The Congregation of faythfull men must néedes bée which also can not erre c. So that it is cleare first that there must nedes bée a congregation of faythfull men which bée neyther bounde to Rome nor to Hierusalem uor yet to any certayne place but it is spread abroade throughout the whole worlde and standeth in the vnitye of faythfull christen men And that is the church that God suffereth uot to erre in those thinges that belong to saluation Wherefore I dyd say in my other booke that the Popes councels were not the church that coulde not erre For for y â— most part those couÌ„sels did not order themselues after Gods worde Wherfore I sayd they myght well erre And for that cause a pryuate person hauing scripture for hym ought to bée preferred afore a whole counsell if they had no scripture For Gods worde ought to bée iudge ouer all counsels and to prooue this I brought for mée the saying of Panormitanus which sayth The counsell may erre as it hath erred concernyng y e contracte of matrimony inter Raptorem Raptam And y e saying of S. Hierome was afteaward preferred aboue the statute of y â— couÌ„sell as it is prooued 36. quest 2. Tria For in these thynges concernyng the fayth the saying of a priuate person is to bée preferred before the saying of the Pope if
hée haue better reasōs and Scriptures of the newe and olde testament for hym then the Pope hath Neyther it can helpe to say that the counsell can not erre because y e Christ did pray that the fayth of the church should not fayle For I aunswere to thys that though the generall counsell doe represent the whole vniuersall church yet neuerthelesse in very déede there is not the vniuersall church but representatiue For the vniuersall church standeth in the election of all faythfull men throughout the whole worlde whose head spouse is Christ Iesus And the Pope is but the Vicar of Christ and not y e very head of the church Thys is the Church that can not erre c. Here sayth this Doctour that same sētence of the church that I sayd I brought also for the same purpose the saying of Augustine whose words bée these Those counsels that be gathered in euery prouince must without doubt geue place to the auctoritie of the full counsels which bée gathered of all christendome And also those full coūselles oftentymes must bée amended by the full counselles that come afterwarde if any thing bée opened by experience that was before shutte and if any thing bée knowne tha◠was before hydden And this must bée done without any shadow of superstitious pride without any boasted arrogācy without any contention of malicious enuy but wyth holy méekenes with holy peace and with Christen charitie c. Here S. Augustine sayth plainly that the full counselles may erre and may bée refourmed After this I did declare how a mā should know this church by what fignes and tokens sayd that where as the worde of God was purely and sincerely preached and the sacramēts orderly ministred after the blessed ordinaunce of Christ and where as mē did patiently suffer for the veritie the hearers did apply their lyuing to Christes doctrine and with méeknes receaued the holy sacaments These I sayde were good and perfect tokens to iudge vppon that there were certayne members of Christes church And to prooue this I brought also S. Augustine saying Our holy mother the church through all the world scattered farre and wyde taught in her true head Christ hath learned not to feare the contumelies of the Crosse nor yet of death But more more is shée strengthened not in resisting but in suffering Also Chrisostomes wordes bée these They that bée in Iudea let them flye vp to the mountaines that is to say they that bée in Christendome let them géeue themselues to scriptures Wherfore commaunded hée that all christen men in that tyme should flie vnto scriptures For in that tyme in the which heresies haue crepte into the church there can bée no true probation of christendome nor no other refuge vnto christen men willing to know the verity of fayth but the scriptures of God Before by many wayes was it shewed which was y e church of God and which was the congregation of y e Gentiles But now there is none other waye to them that will knowe whiche is the very true Churche of Christ but alonely by scriptures By workes first was y e church of Christe knowne when the congregation of christen men eyther of all or of many were holy the which holynes had not the wicked men But now christen men bée as euill or worse then heretikes or Gentiles yea and greater continencie is founde amonge them then christen men Wherefore hée that will know which is the very church of Christ how shall hée know it but by scriptures onely And therfore our Lorde considering that so great confusion of thynges shoulde come in the latter dayes for that cause commaundeth hée that christen men willing to reserue y ◠stedfastnes of true fayth shoulde flée vnto none other thyng but vnto scriptures For if they haue respect vnto other thynges they shall bée sclaundered and shall pearishe not vnderstandinge which is the true church c. Maister More hath no great thing in this pointe agaynst mée sauynge that hée sayth these sayinges are none of Chrisostomes but of an other mā written in Chrisostomes name Neuerthelesse I let it passe let other men iudge betwéene vs both Afterwarde because that I sawe so great persecution vsed by the popes church agaynst all maner of sortes of good men whome M. More caulleth heretikes more for his pleasure then for theyr deseruynge For this cause I say I brought a saying of Hilarius to prooue that they that did exercise such tyranny were more to bée compared to the Arians then to Christes church his saying is this The church doth threaten with banyshmentes imprisonmentes and shée compelleth men to beléeue her which was exiled and cast in prison Shée hangeth on y e dignitie of her felowshop the which was consecrated by the threatenings of persecutours Shée causeth Priestes to flee that were encreased by the chasing away of Priestes Shée glorieth that shée is loued of y e worlde the which coulde neuer bée Christes except the worlde did hate her c. After this I brought a saying of S. Barnard to proue that the name of spirituall array gorgious apparell y e is vsed in y e Popes church dyd not make y e Church Hys saying is thus They bée the ministers of Christ but they serue Antichrist they goe gorgiously arayed of our Lordes goodes vnto whom they geue no honor And of these commeth the decking of harlots that thou séest dayly the game players disguising kings apparell Of this commeth golde in their brydells in their saddelles and in their spurres so that their spures bée brighter then the aulters Of this commeth their plenteous wyne presses their full sellers bolking from this vnto ye. Of this cōmeth their tūnes of sweete wynes Of this bée their bagges so fylled For such thinges as these bée will they bée rulers of the Church As Deacons Archdeacons Byshops Archbyshops c. Men may make an exposition of S. Barnarde but it wil bée hard to frame hym to their purpose But for a conclusion M. More and I doe vary but in this poynt that hée sayth the very Church of God stādeth by them that bée good and bad and I say that the trew church of Christ standeth in thē onely that bée good men For the kingdome of Christ is distincted in very déede from the kingdome of y e deuyll For euell men bée doubtles the membres of the dyuell as Paule sayth Ephe. 2. Also our M. Christ sayth vnto the Pharysyes You are of your father the dyuell Wherefore it can not stande with no learning that wicked men which bée the members of the deuyll and bée gouerned by hym can bée members of Christs body though that in this present lyfe they bée not yet so declared vnto y e worlde God send vs all his grace y ◠we may bée of his holy Church and mēbres of his blessed Sonne Iesus Amen FINIS What the keyes of
and harder And the more y t word of God is preached the more obstinate are they and the more mischief intende they Then all their study then all their wisedome then all their labour then all their might then all their power then all their craft and subtiltie then all their frendes that they can make in heauen and in earth is nothyng els but to oppresse the word of God yea and they thinke all to litle for y t more it is preached the more they grudge and the woodder bée they After this maner was the hart of Pharao indurated whē that the word of God was declared vnto hym by Moyses hée had no grace to receiue it then the more that Moyses laboured in the worde the more sturdyer was hée in withstandyng of it and alwayes harder and harder This is also euidently séene in the corrupt nature of man for the more a thyng is forbydden hym the more desireth hée to doe it But what néede me to goe into Egypt to fetch an exāple to prooue this Looke of mine own countreymen if they bée not openly indurated and so blynded that no mā is able to defend them by any reason or law and therefore they take them selues to violence and oppression as Pharao dyd whiche bée the right signes and tokens of induration For the more y t word of God is preached and the veritie is declared vnto them the more sturdyer and obstinate bée they agaynst it And all theyr study all theyr wyttes all theyr counsels all their craft and mischief with all glosinges and lyinges and with blasphemyng of God hys preachers is nothyng els but to kéepe y t word of God vnder and to withstand that veritie which they know in their conscience must néedes goe foorth though all the world say nay And therfore will they heare no man nor reason with any man but euen say as Pharao dyd I will not let the people go◠But if they were not indurated the verye enemyes vnto the veritie they woulde at the lest wayes heare their poore brethrē of charitie know what they coulde say if they coulde prooue their saying to bée true then if they had y t loue of y e veritie as they haue but y e shadow they would geue inmortall thākes to god with great méekenes and with a low spirite receiue the heauenly verity and thanke their brethren hartely that they warned them of such a damnable way now in good tyme season But there is no loue to the veritie nor yet feare of God nor regarde to the daunger of their soules And why For they be children of induration and of blasphe my And therfore the more it is preached the more are they obstinate This is the verye induration that God worketh in mens hartes wherby they bée the children of darkenes Therefore let vs pray instantly to God to mollifie our hard harts for Christes deare bloud sake Amen That it is lawfull for all maner of men to read the holy Scripture HOw can Antichrist bée better knowen then by thys token that hée condemneth Scriptures and maketh it heresie and high treason against the kynges grace for lay men to reade holy scripture As though it were alonely a possession and an heritage of certayne men that bée marked alonely with exteriour signes and the truth to say wyth the token of the beaste as with shauē crownes long gownes and baners about their neckes They that haue these tokens bée the heyres of holy Scriptures and may reade it at their pleasure though they vnderstand as much as a Popingaye But holy Scripture that is sent vs from heauen yea and that by the sonne of God to destroy all heresies this holy scripture shall ingender in lay men heresie If this bée not the doctrine of Antichrist I know not hys doctrine Tell mée what can bée more contrary to Christ then by violence to oppresse the scriptures and to cōdemne them as vnlawfull yea and as heresie for certaine men to reade and to say that there bée certayne secrettes in them that belonge not for lay mē to know And that this thing shall not bée denyde for I know they bée slipper that I haue to doe wyth and there is no holde of them therefore wyll I recite an open acte that all the worlde doth remember My Lord of Londō opēly at Pauls crosse was not ashamed with intollerable blasphemes to condemne the holy testament of Christ Iesus hauing for hym but a damnable collour and and a deadly reason of the deuill that was how there were in the translation so many heresyes that all y t world knoweth that it was abhominable and a deadly lye though it were a lordly lye But such probations doth God all wayes let them haue that bée agaynst his holy veretye But let vs graunt that that translation was so false Why dyd not you there take vpon you openly for to amend it and to set forth truely the holy testament of Christ You must néedes graunt that there is an holy testament of his in earth except you will denye Christ as I doubt not but that you will in effect Wheare is it Why haue we it not If that weare not it Why doe not you set y t very true testament out You were ready to condemne an other mans faythfull labour and dilygence but you had no charytie to amende it You thinke alwayes to disceaue the world with your holy hypocrisy Men bée not so blinde but that they can well indge If you had condemned that testament all onely béecause of errours yet at y t least wayes you should both of charitie and also of dutye haue set forth the trew text and then would men haue thought y t you condemned the other by the reason of errours But men may now euydently sée y t you dyd not condemne it for errours sakes For how sholde they iudge errours that bée so vnlearned but all onely béecause that the veritie was there in y t which you could not abyde that men should knowe that dyd the processe of your sermon and also your tyranny that doth folow wil proue But my Lord I say to you and to all yours if you doe not amend it shall bée to your eueralsting damnacyon for God will not take this rebuke at your hand Remember that hée hath sworne by the mouth of hys Prophet by hys right hand and by the myght of his strength that hée wil defende this cause Bée not these lordly wordes of the eternall God think you to make hym forsworne Remember how the holy ghost threatyneth you in an other place saying if a man dyd dispise the lawe of Moses hée must without any mercy dye Howe much more are they worthy of punishment that doe treade the sonne of God vederneath their féete and despise the bloud of his testament How thinke you is not this openly agaynst you that condemne not all onely Christ
preaching What if you preache lyes as it will bée prooued to your face that you doe shall it not bee lawfull for them to search Scriptures but to learne your lyes Here will I recite how a great prelate of Christ Churche the first letter of his name is Doct. Allen did interpretate and declare certaine places of Scripture to the ghostly instruction of Christes Churche as all men may iudge The first place was this a thrée fold cable is hard to breake by this thrée fold cable hée vnderstode the Reuerent father in God my Lorde Cardinall The first fold was that hée was an Englishmā borne the which was a strong thing and hard to withstand The second fold was that hée was Legate that not after the common maner but Legatus a latere this is sprōg out of the blessed side of our holy father the pope This was a strong fold and could not bée lightly broken The thyrd sold hée was a Lord and that of the kinges counsel This was a strōg fold and all these thrée together dyd make so strong a cable that no man within the Realme might breake it or withstand it I was sore afrayde that hée should haue reckened the noble the royall bloud that this thréefolde cable dyd spryng out of then had it béen so strong that the strongest Oxe in the butchers stall could not breake it This exposition dyd I here and sat by hym therefore I can testifie it the better The seconde Scripture was this from Syon shall come out a law and the word of God frō Ierusalem This did hée expounde on this maner The commaundement of the most reuerēt father in God Lord Legate is come from his highe Palace and from his noble grace hither vnto you The thyrde Scripture was this Sumite Psalmum date tympanū this dyd hée expounde on this maner I haue done my visitatiō now geue me my money How thinke you by this holy Doctour and this Prelate of Christes Church hath hée not wel declared holy Scripture is hée not worthy to bée beléeured What reasō were it that lay men shoulde searche Scriptures then might they reprooue this noble prelate what order ware that It were right if hée were well serued y e hée had a thréefold balter to stretche him in But by such doctours as these bée must the poore people bée ruled if they wil search for the veritie them selues then must they bée heretickes bycause they will not beléeue these holy fathers But let vs procéede in our matter agaynst these blasphemers of Gods word Priscila Aquila dyd expoūd vnto Apollo which was a great learned man y ◠perfite vnderstanding of scriptures These were lay persōs and yet were they so learned in scriptures y t they wer able to teach a great Doctour And now lay men may not read Scriptures This was alowed by Peter and Paul But their successours will condemne it as heresie Also Eunuches that was the treasurer vnto the Quéene of the Ethiopians dyd read Esay the Prophete The whiche hée vnderstode not till God sent him Philip to declare it vnto him This was a lay man and also an infidell and yet was not forbidden of God to read Scriptures But rather holpen to the vnderstandyng of them and now will you forbid Christen mē to read holy Scriptures that are sworne vnto them yea and also to defende them vnto death Also S. Paule sayth Let the word of God dwell in you plenteously S. Paule woulde that lay men shoulde learne the worde of God yea that plenteously And you commaunde that they shall haue nothinge of it How standeth your nothing wyth Saint Paules aboundaunce Aboundantly and nothing bée farre a sunder But thus doe you alwayes agrée with S. Paule and with holy Scripture And if you woulde say playnely in wordes that your déedes doe declare openly then were wée in no doubt of you for all y ◠worlde woulde take you as you bée taken béefore God that is for the Antichristes that the world looketh for Neuerthelesse doubt you not but God shall declare it openly at his time to your vtter confusion and damnation For doubt lesse you neither holde with Christ with his holy doctours nor yet with your owne lawe where they bée against you but all these must bée expounded and wroonge vnto your carnall purpose or els you make it heresie But thinke you that the father of heauen which for the great tender loue that hée had to mans soule sent hys onely sonne to redéeme it and also to géeue it a lawe to liue by out of his owne mouth shall thus suffer it loste thorough your hypocrisie and his godly worde to bée ouer frodden for the mayntaynyng of your worldly glory Nay doubtles for if it were possible that hée coulde more regarde your pompe and pride then mans soule and his godly word yet were it vnpossible that euer hée should so dispise the swéete bloude of his blessed sonne swéete Iesus Wherefore looke vppon your charge But to our purpose S. Augustine is openly against you in these words My brethren reade holy Scripture in the which you shall finde what you ought to holde and what you oughte to flye What is a man reputed without learning what is hée Is hée not a shéepe or a Goate Is hée not an Oxe or an Asse Is hée any better thē an Horsse or a Mule the which hath no vnderstandyng c. Here S. Augustine moueth men to reade holy Scripture and you commaunde them not to reade it S. Augustine sayth they shal know in them what to doe and what not to doe you say they shal learne nothing therout but heresies S. Augustine sayth a mā without learning of scriptures is no better then a brute beast are not you good fathers that will make all your childrē no better thē beastes Also Athanasius If thou wilte that thy children shall bée obedient vnto thee vse them to the wordes of God But thou shalt not saye that it béelongeth alonely to religious men to study Scriptures but rather it béelongeth to euery Christen man and specially vnto hym that is wrapped in the businesses of this worlde and so much the more because hée hath more néede of helpe for hée is wrapped in y ◠troubles of this worlde therefore it is greatly to thy profite that thy children should both heare and also reade holy Scriptures for of them shall they learne thys commaundement Honour thy father and thy mother c. These wordes bée playne inough against you they néede no exposition And the doctour is of auctority wherfore answere you to hym Also Chrisostome that was a Byshop as well as you bée cōdemneth your sentence openly saying I béeséeche you that you will oftentimes come hither and that you will diligently heare the lesson of holy Scripture and not alonely when you bée here but also take in your handes
when you are at home the godly Bibles and receaue the thyng therein with great studye for thereby shall you haue great aduantage c. These wordes bée so plaine that I can adde nothyng to them woulde you that wée shoulde take you for byshops and for holy fathers that bée so openly agaynst Scripture and so centrary to holy doctours That will I neuer doe while I liue I will neuer looke to sée other Antichristes then you and so will I take you till I sée almighty God conuerte you Also the same doctour saith Which of you all that bée here if it were required coulde say one Psalme without the booke or any other part of holy scripture not one doubtles But this is not alonely the worste but that you bée so slow and so remisse vnto spirituall thinges and vnto deuillishnesse you are hotter then any fier but men will defende this mischief with this excuse I am no religious mā I haue a wife and children and a house to care for This is y e excuse wherewith you doe as it were with a pestilence corrupt all thinges for you doe recken that the studye of holy Scripture béelongeth alonely vnto religious men when they bée much more necessary vnto you then vnto them c. Here may you sée that your damnable institution was in the hartes of men in Chrisostomes dayes howe they woulde reade no scriptures but you sée hée condemneth it and calleth it a pestilēce and will you now bring it in agayne If you had but a lousie statute of your owne against mée or an other man you woulde call vs hetikes But you neither regarde Christes holy worde nor holy Doctours nor yet any other thinge y e is agaynst you But let vs sée what your owne lawe saith to this If Christ as Paul sayth bée the power and the wisdome of God thē to bée ignoraunt in scriptures is as much as to bée ignoraunt of Christ c. Here haue you playnely that to take away scriptures from lay men is as much as to take away Christ frō them the which no doubt but that you doe intēde in your harts to doe and that thing God knoweth and your workes doe declare it the which God shall aduenge full straitly ouer you Also in an other place I will set my meditation in thy iustifications and I will not forgette thy wordes the which thing is excéeding good for all Christen men to obserue and kéepe c. Here is a counsell of your owne that hath admitted that all Christen men shall study Scripture And will you now condemne it Is there neither Scripture of God nor practise of Christē men nor exposition of Doctours nor your owne law nor yet any statute of counsels that will hold agaynst you You bée marueilous giantes how shal a mā behaue him selfe to handle with you it is not possible to ouercome you for you wil admitte nothyng that is against you But yet will I not so leue you but I will first declare it manifestly y e you bée cōtrary to Christ and to all holy doctours S. Hierome reprooueth you very sore in these wordes O Paula and Eustochium if there bée any thyng in this life that doth preserue a wise mā and doth persuade him to abide with a good will in the oppressions and the thraldomes of the world I doe reckē that specially it is the meditations and the study of holy scripture séeyng that we doe differre from other creatures specially in that that we bée reasonable in that that we can speake now is reason and all maner of wordes cōteined in godly Scripture whereby that we may learne to knowe God also the cause wherefore we bée created Wherfore I doe sore marueile y ◠there bée certein men the which geue thē selues to slouthfulnes sluggishnes and will not learne those things that bée good but recken those men worthy to bée reprooued that haue that good mynde c. Marke how that this was written to two women that were learned Also hée reckeneth nothyng better then to study holy scriptures hée also marueileth that certaine will neither study Scriptures them selues nor yet let other mē study thē It is well knowē that these wordes pricke no men but you and ye bée so slouthfull so geuen to voluptuousnes that you your selues will not study Scriptures nor yet suffer other mē to study them but if you doe study them it is to deceiue your simple and poore brother there by and to maintaine your abhominable liuing with wrostyng and wryngyng of them other profite commeth there none of your study as all the worlde knoweth For you may not preach but when you haue damnably condemned Christes blessed word or els by violence made some of your poore brethren heretickes then come you with all your gorgious estate pompe and pride to out face Christ and your simple brother with your outward dānable pride afore the face of the world But my Lordes leue of your fasing and your brasing for our Lord whose cause we defend agaynst you will at length not bée out faced Remēber how the holy ghost prayeth against you saying iudge them Lord that they may fall from their cogitations expell them Lord for they haue prouoked thée doubte you not but this holy spirite will preuaile agaynst you though God suffer you for a season yet hath hée till this day defended him selfe his godly wordes agaynst all the proude crakyngs of the world and thinke you that hée wil now take a fall at your hand nay nay hée shall first thrust you out headlonge that all the world shall take example by you this is my beléeue For that word that you haue cōdemned doth thus learne me Wherfore if you doe not reuoke the condemnation of the new Testament and ordeine that all Christen men may read holy Scripture you shal haue the greatest shame that euer men had in this world for you are neuer able to defend it by any meanes nor by any power y e is in earth And if all power in earth wil withstand it hée shall rather bryng them all to dust and raise vp of stones newe rulers You wormes meate you stinking car rion you nourishmēt of hell fire how dare you thus presume against your God omnipotent whether will you flie to auoyde his daunger Heauen earth water and fire sunne moone and starres saintes and angels man and child bée against you and holde you accursed What though the deuill laugh on you for a season Remember the ende but God geue you hys grace that I lose not my labour about you But now let mée assoyle your carnall reasons that you bring for you The fyrst is this euyll men doe take an occasion of heresy out of scriptures Wherfore it is best they haue it not I aunswere lykewise good men doe take an occasion of goodnes there of Ergo the people ought to haue
it but will you condemne all thinges where by men doe take occasion of euill TheÌ„ must you fyrst put out your own eyes for by them take you occasioÌ„ to sée many idle thinges you must also destroy your handes your féete your tongue and al that you haue for these doe you mysuse very often you must also destroy your own harts whereby you haue not alonely occasion of euil but you doe thinke euil in very déede you must also destroy all fayre womeÌ„ for of them take you sore occasions of euyll you must also burne all your goodes and destroy all your riches for of theÌ„ men take occasion to be théeues and you to bée proud you must also destroy all wynes for of theÌ„ men take occasioÌ„ to bée droÌ„keÌ„ you must destroy all meates for they géeue meÌ„ occasioÌ„ of gluttony yea you muste destroye the mercy of God of the which euell men take boldenes in their myschief Briefly what is there so good a thing but that euell meÌ„ can take an occasion of euill yea and that of Christ hym selfe as Saint Paule saith which vnto the Iewes is offence and vnto the Gentyls occasion of folyshnes yet for al this you may not destroy Christ but hée must remayne stil and so likewise the Gospell for though that the euell men which will neuer bée good receiue of it occasion of euyll yet ther bée many thousandes y e receaue there by their saluation Now béecause the spider gathereth poysoÌ„ of y e good herbes it were no reason therfore to destroy al good herbes An other of your reasoÌ„s thrée bée certayne seÌ„tences in scripture y â— doe not beloÌ„g for euery man to know as our M. Christ sayth vnto you it is geueÌ„ to know the misteries of the kingdome of heauen vnto them it is not geuen I aunswere whom meane you when you say vnto you it is geuen if you meane that Apostles all onely there successors then may not you reade holy scripture for you bée not the successors of y e Apostles by my Lord of Rochesters auctorytie but if you meane the ChristeÌ„ people that haue y â— spirite of God as our M. Christ ment then bée you excluded for you haue not the sprite of God as y e effect doth declare therfore you may not read scriptures Marke also that our mayster saith vnto you it is geuen as who sayth if it were not geuen you you shoulde no more haue it then other men Now how can you proue that the vnderstanding of scripture is geuen to you â–ª but now to y e text our Maister Christ speaketh heare of the sprituall and the right vnderstanding of holy scriptures which is the gift of God onely and hée speaketh not of studying â–ª or reading of holy scripture for you haue in the same place how that many dyd followe him and heare his preaching but yet they vnderstoode him not Therefore this text maketh directly against you and your works doe declare that you bée the hearers readers of the worde of God but the vnderstanding is not geuen you But now wyllmy Lord of Rochester saye that you haue the very vnderstanding as holy doctors had it for though that scriptures in themselues and of their owne nature bée plainest best to bée knowen yet bée y e holy doctors playnest vnto vs wherefore hée that will vnderstand scripture must fyrst learne to vnderstand the doctours they shal bring hym to the true vnderstanding of holy scripture or els hée must erre I aunswere O my Lorde doe you wryte this with a safe conscyence thinke you y â— you can discharge your conscience béefore the dreadfull face of Christ with this triflyng distynction Quedam sunt notiora nobis et quedam notiora naturae I pray you if you wil proue that God were wise would you béegin to proue it at your wisedome if you would proue that God were aliue woulde you proue it by that y â— you bée aliue if you would perswade a man to beléeue that there is a God would you learne hym that hée must néedes beléeue it because y â— there bée creatures These thinges bée best knowen vnto you and if you woulde prooue that a man hath a true sence of Scriptures will you proue it by that that hée hath the sence of the doctours What if y e doctours had taken a false and a contrary sence this case is possible would you therefore say that the sence which the maÌ„ hath takeÌ„ out of scripture is false But I pray you my Lorde after this this rule how could men vnderstand scriptures in Peter Paules dayes when there weare no doctours But after your owne learning that same science which must proue the princypelles of other sciences is fyrst knoweÌ„ actualiter distinctly Now bée all the pryncipels of all other doctours proued â—rew by holy scripture therefore there is no saying nor exposition of ho ly doctours y t can bée perfectly knoweÌ„ except that scripture bée fyrst knowen this is your owne dyuynitie you can not denye it wherefore if you will proue that you haue the verytie you must proue it béecause you haue the sence of holy scripture and not the seÌ„ce of holy doctours But doubtles I haue great meruell that my Lord of Rochester is neyther ashamed of maÌ„ nor yet afrayde of the vengeance of God y â— thus triflyth w t holy scripture Besides this you haue an other bauld reason the Citie of London hath certeine priuileges and secrete counsels it were no reason that all men should know them this was my Lorde of Londons reason at Paules crosse when hée condemned the new TestameÌ„t I aunswere my Lord say of your coÌ„science did you not speake these wordes to please my Lorde the Maior of London and his brethren But I pray you is this a like similitude of y â— certeine counsels of meÌ„ the whiche must bée kept secrete bycause they bée couÌ„sels and of the holy scriptures the whiche were brought into this world not to bée â–ª kept secrete but to bée preached openly as our maister Christ commaundeth preach the Gospell to all creatures heare you to all creatures let these meÌ„ haue it for all these bee of y e counsell kéepe you it from the residue Furthermore our maister Christ saith in an other place that I haue shewed you in secretnes preach it on the tope of the house Also S. Paule sayth the Gospell is declared openly through preachyng in an other place God haue brought life and immortalitie vnto light thorough the Gospell Also our maister calleth it the light of the world nowe who will set as hée saith a light vnder a bushell and not rather openly that all meÌ„ there by may bée lightned Wherfore my lord your similitude is very far vnlike and if you were not a Lord it were woorthy to bée despised But doubtles it may bée wel thought that you were
many excellent and holy fathers and great Doctours of Diuinitie and so many noble Princes and wise men of the worlde and bée with these two poore men which bée of no reputation in this worlde Wherefore my Lordes procéede against them after the holy decrées that bée inuented agaynst heretickes sticke not for their names for it is neither Christ nor Paule that cā hurt you you haue also condemned theyr learning and preuailed against them why should you not condemne them as well you bée Lords and you haue the strength and the wisdome of the worlde with you and as a certayne Doctour of the law sayde they haue no man to holde with them but a sorte of beggers and despised persons of the worlde wherfore spare them not bée bolde Implete numerum patrum vestrorum All tyrantes bée not yet dead But now when you haue condemned them yet haue you as muche to doe as euer you had for your owne lawe is openly agaynst you in these wordes Wée vnderstand that certayne men receauing alonely the portion of the blessed body doe abstaine from the chalice of the holy bloud the which doubtles séeing I can not tell by what superstition they are learned to abstayne let them eyther receaue the whole Sacrament or els let them bée forbidden from the whole Sacrament for the diuision of one and of y e same mistery can not bée done wythout great sacrilege c. How thynke you by these wordes bée they not playne that all men shall eyther receaue both kyndes or none Here haue you an other hereticke for hée iudgeth and sayth that it is a sacrilege which is openly agaynst your Counsell to receaue it in one kynde But paraduenture you wyll say this law was written to priestes I aunswere to whomsoeuer it was writtē it maketh no matter for these wordes bée plaine the diuision of one misterye can not bée done without great sacrilege These words bée not spoken of the persons that shall receaue it but of the deuiding of the sacrament whosoeuer shall receaue it it is sacrilege to deuide this thynge aunswere you to that Marke also that your owne lawe cauleth it superstition to receaue but one kynde and no doubt they that did receaue it so were blynded by this damnable reason of yours that there is no body without bloude and yet hée calleth it superstition But let vs sée what your glose saith on this texte it is not superfluously sayth hée receaued vnder both kindes for the kynde of bread is referred vnto the fleshe and the kynde of wyne vnto the bloude The wyne is the Sacrament of bloude in the which is the seate of the soule therfore it is receiued vnder both kindes to signifie that Christ did receiue both body and soule and that the partaking thereof doth profite both bodye and soule Wherefore if it were receiued alonely vnder one kynde it shoulde signifie that it did profite allonely but one part c. How thinke you doth this glose vnderstand it of preistes onely haue lay men no soules May not this Sacrament profite them both bodye and soule Marke also that hée sayth it is not superfluously nor without a cause receiued vnder both kyndes Also an other lawe When the host is brokē and the bloude shed out of the chalys into the mouthes of faythfull men what other thyng is there signified but the immolation of our Lords body on the crosse and the shedding of hys bloud out of his side c. Here is it plaine that the bloud is géeuen out of the chalys and not out of the body and into faythfull mens mouthes and not alonely into priests mouthes Also an other lawe If that the bloud of Christ bée shed for remission of sinnes as oftē as it is shedde then ought I lawfully for to receaue it I which doe alwayes sinne must alwayes receaue a medecyne c. Here your owne lawe sayth that the receiuing of the bloude is a medycinall way to bée receiued of thē that sinne you will not denie but that lay men sinne Wherefore shoulde they not then receiue a medicyne for their sinne you may perceiue that thys is not alonely spoken of Priestes but of sinners c. Furthermore S. Ciprian sayth How doe wée teach or how can wee prouoke men to shed their bloude for the cōfession of Christes name if wée doe denye them the bloude of Christ when they shall goe to battayle Or how dare wée able them vnto the victordum of martyrdome if wée doe not firste by right admitte them to drincke the cuppe of our Lorde in the congregation c. Here is Cyprian openly against you which will that as many shall receiue y e bloud of Christ as doe confesse the name of Christ yea and that out of the cuppe and not out of the body Also S. Ambrose sayth to the Emperour Theodosius how shalt thou lift vp thy handes out of y t which doth yet droppe vnrighteous bloud how shalt thou with those handes receaue the body of God with what boldnes wilt thou receaue into thy mouth the Cup of the precious bloud séeing that through the wodnes of thy wordes so great bloud is shed wrongfully c. Marke that the manner was in Saint Ambrose tyme that lay men should receiue y t blessed bloud of Christ yea and that out of the cup seuerally and not out of the body onely wherefore my Lords see to your conscience how you can discharge your self before the dreadfull trone of Christ Iesus for making this detestable dānable statute agaynst y t heauēly word of God ▪ and agaynst the vse of holy Church ▪ contrary to the exposition of all holy doctours It were to great a thing for you so presumptuously to breake the statute of your mortall prince howe much more of your immortall God which will not bée auoyded with a carnall reason nor with condemnation of heresye nor yet with saying there bée ieoperdies perils and sclaūders for these proud crakes can not there excuse you nor yet helpe you For I doubt not but the great Turke hath as good reasons for hym as these bée also as proude crakes as you haue though peraduenture hée vseth them not so hipocritely agaynst God omnipotent as you doe but yet it will not helpe hym Wherefore now most excellent and gracious Prince I doe with all méekenes with all due subiection admonysh exhorte your most noble grace yea and y e father of heauen doth openly commannd you vnder the payne of his displeasure and as you will auoyde the daunger of eternall damnation and also by the vertue of Christes blessed bloud and as you will receiue remission from all your sinnes thorow the merites of his gloryous bloud that you doe defēd with all your might Christes blessed worde and his swéete bloud and his holy ordinaunce and suffer them not so lightly to bee oppressed and troden vnder
institutions Amen To our purpose Other articles that I haue written of bée something harde and obscure sauing all onely to these men that bée learned But as for this article mée thinke it is so playne that I meruayle how any maÌ„ should doubt in it For doubtles it néedeth no learned iudge but onely a Ciuell and a morall good man that is indued with reason and equitie For surely mine aduersaries doth not earnestly defend pure and cleane chastitie for they know how few priestes there bée that kéepeth their chastitie Yea they know how sore they haue punyshed those men that hath broken theyr chastitie So that they doe not defend chastitie but rather fylthines and abhominable lyuing In y e which the most part of the spiritualtie doth liue Of this I will bée reported to the recordes of the kinges courts and also to their owne recordes in y e which if they should bée serched should bée found an innumerable sort detected of vncleanes These matters bée open notwithstanding I am right sory to rehearse it but I am compelled seing there is such intollerable violeÌ„ce vsed agaynst those poore meÌ„ that marry be cause they would not all onely lyue vertuously béefore God but also morally before the world Now let men all onely vse reason in this case and make comparison betwéene these two manner of lyuings and consyder which of them doth béecome a polytike order and a common wealth best Whether is it after reason better for mée to defile shamefully other mens wyues other mens daughters and other mennes maydens that no mans seruaunt shoulde bée in safegarde for mée or els that I should marry a wyfe of myne own as other noble kinges and Dukes and other good men of the world hath done and doth dayly and so to continew my lyfe with myne other neighbours after this maÌ„ner of good neighbourhod Let men heare without malyce iudge indiffereÌ„tly Blessed Saint Paule procéedeth farther with this matter and proueth clearely that no man ought or can bée bound to verginitie farther then y e gift of God doth strengtheÌ„ hym Thus hée sayth as coÌ„cerning virgins I haue no precept of the Lord but all onely I geue you my councell for I thinke it good by y e reason of this present necessitie that a man should lyue so As hée would say Vnto verginitie I can not â—inde yoâ— farther then your gift is nor I doe not recken it a thing necessary to wyn heauen by For heauen is neyther the price of virginity nor yet of mariage But all onely I reken verginitie a good and an expedient thing to liue quietly by in this world For in mariage is many thinges y e doth distracte and disturbeth a mans mynde That this is S. Paules meanyng it is wel proued by y e texte that followeth If a virgin doth marry she doth not sinne vut shée shall haue much teÌ„ptation in the flesh That is to say many occasions of disquietnes But I sayth S. Paule would gladly spare you from such occasions for I would haue you without sorowe And shée that is vnmaried hath no care but how to serue God But shée that is maryed hath much care and sorowe how shée shall dispatch all worldly busines So that S. Paule doth clearely declare his meaning how that virginity is no nearer way to heauen then mariage is sauyng that all onely an vnmaried person hath not so many occasyons to bée disquieted as a maryed hath Wherefore you shall marke of this text Fyrst that S. Paule hath no commaundement to binde men to chastitie How commeth it now therefore y â— the Pope compelleth all those men y â— will â—ée Priestes fyrst to forsweare mariage and to vow chastitie There is no learning that is able to proue how that the pope caÌ„ make more preceptes of God then blessed S. Paule could doe Furthermore what auctoritie hath the Pope to bynde vs to any thyng that God and his holy Apostles hath left frée All learned men that euer wrote doth graunt y e there bee two manner of thinges in this world Some bée called Res necessariae Thinges that bée necessary and must bée done béecause that God hath commaunded them And these things no man is able to make iudifferent but they must néedes bée necessarily done Other thinges there bée which lerned meÌ„ cauleth Res mediae thinges that bée indifferent and these may bée done and may bée left without sinne Now is the nature of these contrary to the other for they can not nor may not bee chauÌ„ged into thinges necessary For that is agaynst their nature as S. Paule declareth to the Romans and in other diuers places Now is this of trueth that virginitie is a thyng of him selfe by Gods ordinaunce indiffereÌ„t and may bée vsed and left without sinne Wherefore it standeth with no learnyng that maÌ„s law should chauÌ„ge the nature of this thyng and make it vnto any man a thyng necessarie whereas after gods commaundement it is a thyng but in different For that were as much as both to chaunge Gods ordinaunce also y e nature of the thing The which staÌ„deth with no learnyng For as the Pope and all the world can not make of Gods commaundement a couÌ„sell no more can they of Gods counsell make a precept Wherfore I coÌ„clude out of blessed S. Paule that no man ought to vow chastitie farther then God hath geuâ—n hym the gift For if chastitie were a thyng that could bée obtayned and kept through vowyng then were it not the gift of God but the gift of vowyng the whiche is agaynst our maister Christ and also agaynst blessed S. Paule Farthermore let euery man now thinke in him selfe séeyng that blessed S. Paule had no commaundement ouer chastitie nor yet would geue any commaundement whether that it bée the surest way and the lawfullest to folow the Popes commaundement or els to folow blessed S. Paules doctrine the which knew the perfection of virginitie and also what dyd béecome Priestes for to doe as well as the Pope doth Moreouer if men will iudge those Priestes that will marry whiche foloweth S. Paules counsell doctrine greuously for to sinne and for to bée heretickes Why should they not rather iudge those men more greuously for to sinne to bée ten tymes worse then heretickes that foloweth the popes commaundement in not marying Is noâ— S. Paules doctrine as lawful to bée keept and as farre from sinne as the Popes coÌ„maundements bée Or is not S. Paule of as great auctoritie in the Churche of God as the Pope is I thinke yes Note also that S. Paule would not bynde the Corinthians to virginity bycause hée would not tangle them in a snare but alonely hée exhorteth them to virginitie as vnto an honest comely thyng that they might y t more quietly serue God VpoÌ„ this same text sayth Athanasius that the Apostle would compell no maÌ„ to kéepe
more diligeÌ„tly pray maketh nothing for the Pope For if wée should bée bouÌ„de as y t pope saith not to marry by the reason that we ought to pray then might no lay man marry a wife For laye men are as much bounde by the Gospell to prayer as priestes bee There is no tyme that the Gospell coÌ„maundeth a priest to pray in nor yet no prayer that is commaunded to priestes by y t gospell but lay men are bonnd to the same Wherefore if the pope will conclude that priestes shall haue no wiues because they are bound to pray By the same reason will I prooue y t no christeÌ„ man may haue a wife Nor it will not help to say that priestes are more bound to pray then lay men therefore they haue no wyues For whether that they be bounde lesse or more that maketh no matter to y t argumeÌ„t For both the parties are bounde to prayer Therefore after the popes doctrine neyther of them both may marry But whether the one be more bounde then the other it maketh no matter to mée for they are both bounde therfore they must both abstayne I woulde desyre all Papistes to let this reason of myne stande still vnassoyled An other reason their is of Pope Leo the. ix that bringefh this text of S. Paule Haue not we power to leade aboute with vs a wyfe as the brother of our Lord and Cephas Out of this texte disputeth the pope thus S. Paule sayth not we haue power amplectendi muliereÌ„ to embrace a woman But circunducendi that is to leade her with vs that shée may bée sustayned as the Pope sayth of her husband But there may bée no company of maryage betwéene them Euery ChristeÌ„ man may sée what a skleÌ„der argument this is of the pope S. Paule sayth not amplecteÌ„di sed cercuÌ„ducendi Ergo non licet sacerdotious habere vxores This can no man denye but S. Paules mening is there how that priests may lawfully haue wiues as the example of Peter doth there prooue Wherefore I thinke no man so madde to iudge that the Apostels dyd myrry wyues alonely to lead theÌ„ about with them as the Pope sayth and to put other men to costes and charges For this office they might haue had of all other women and neded not to marry for leading about of women with them Wherefore it must néedes follow séeing S. Paules meaning is that priestes may lawfully haue wiues that they may also lawfully vse the office of matrimony For his owne doctrine is that the man hath no power ouer his owne body but his wife Wherefore it must followe that the pope maketh an euell supposition when hée supposeth that the Apostles hadde wiues and did onely but cary them about to geue them meate and drinke and not to company with them Also marke of this argument how the pope graunteth that the apostles had wyues Wherefore he must now prooue that the Apostles forsooke the company of their wiues as hée sayth But I am content to take this argument at the popes hand This the pope graunteth that the Apostles ledde their wyues aboute wyth them Wherfore it must néedes follow eueÌ„ after the Pope that our priestes may also leade wiues aboute with them If ye graunt me this I am content I will not binde priestes amplectendi vxores I will put it to his wiues discretion and his as they two caÌ„ agrée so am I coÌ„tent alonely to let them haue the libertie that the Pope graunteth the holy Apostles to haue had And I doubt not but there wyll folow tokens not onely of circumducendi but of amplectendi Truely I haue great maruayle y t men bée not ashamed thus to trifle with holy Scripture yea and that in matters that bée so waighty wherby they sée dayly so great offence and sclaunder to spring in the holy church of God An other Scripture the pope hath which is this They that are in the fleshe can not please God On thys text disputeth the Pope thus They that are defiled are in the fleshe But priestes that marry wyues are defiled therefore they bée in y t fleshe and can not please God If men had eyther feare of God in thier hartes or els reuereÌ„ce to Gods holy institutions and ordinaunces they would not thus speake nor iudge of pure cleane matrimony I trust there is no ChristeÌ„ man but bee will grauÌ„t mée that matrimony is of gods ordayning and settinge Wherefore it must néedes bée pure aâ—d cleane For our God is no God of vncleanenes or of filthines let the pope iudge hym as hée wyll Nowe to the Popes argument The Pope sayth in hys minor how Priestes that marry bée vncleane I denye that and say stedfastly that the pope blasphemeth both God and his holy giftes And wheÌ„ hée can prooue his minor true then will I graunt it vnlawfull for Priestes to marry But I wyll take the Popes argument and prooue that no man shall haue wiues and so shall the worlde soone bée at an ende The popes maior is this They that bée in the flesh can not please God But maryed meÌ„ as the Pope thinketh lyue after y e flesh therefore no maryed man can bée saued Let the pope of Rome and all hys adherentes aunswere to my argument and I will soone aunswere to theirs For this I am sure of that y e scriptures which he bringeth maketh not agaynst matrimony nor yet more against priests then agaynst lay men Wherfore let hym conclude what hée can out of them against priestes and I will conclude the same agaynst laye men These bée all the Scriptures that I can finde in the Popes law against this matter Wherefore now will I goe to their reasons Their principall reason is this Maryed men may bée choseÌ„ to bee priests but after their priesthoode say they may they not marry These meÌ„ must first consider what doctrine they defend y t is to say how they inteÌ„de to defeÌ„d y e popes doctrine and y t doctrine which they call the doctrine of the church for there is none other doctrine agaynst vs but that Nowe doth this doctrine clearely deterne agaynst them and say how no maÌ„ that hath a wife may bée choseÌ„ to bée Priest or a DeacoÌ„ neither they caÌ„ bring mée one exaÌ„ple that euer the Pope did graunt that a maryed man myght bée a priest excepte hée got money for dispensing So that the Pope by his dispensation hath alwayes testified that it was against his law for a maryed man to bée a Priest Wherfore these meÌ„ if they will defende the lawes of the Church must bée bound to prooue that maryed men may after the lawes of the Church as they call them bée chosen or elles their aunswere is naught For it is no reason that they should faine this solution of their owne braynes and say that it may bée so But they must prooue me that
article collected seuerally by theÌ„ selues I haue therefore accordyng to my simple skill gathered this Epitome and haue added also thereunto foure other articles translated into Englishe out of hys Booke De Doctorum Sententijs whiche bee confirmed in the lyke sorte onely by bare testimonyes of scriptures fathers couÌ„cels lawes Which foure articles and the treatise beefore of the originall of the Masse were omitted in hys English workes But as for all the other testimonies in his booke De DoctoruÌ„ Sententijs hee hath in this volume of his workes dispersedly alleaged most of them to his purpose as hee had occasion which by this Epitome folowing thou mayest perceaue Now hast thou gentle reader to consider of these auncient testimonyes desiring thee for the coÌ„firming and establishyng of thy doubtfull conscience to compare these sayinges of Doctors holy fathers and of the Popes own law vnto the saying of the Pope and his Papisticall byshops that bee in these latter dayes and to their late practises where their power is or hath beene receaued and then geeue sentence howe they doe agree If they doe accorde then is it lyke they bee of the true Church whereof these holy fathers were But if they agree not then mayest thou suspect that they haue gone astray and that the deuill hath transfigured hym selfe into an Aungell of light and that they are his ministers Who notwithstandyng haue fashioned them selues as though they were the ministers of righteousnes whose end shall bee accordyng to their deedes ¶ That faith onely iustifieth AMbrose sayth they are iustefyed freely for they doeing nothing nor nothing deseruing all onely by fayth are iustefied by the gyft of God Fol. 230. col 1. Ambrose sayth It was so decreed of God that after the lawe hee should require vnto saluation all onely the fayth of grace hee sayth that they bee blessed of whom God hath determined wtont labour without all manner of obseruation all onely by fayth that they shall bee iustefyed before God Blessed are they whose sinnes are forgeuen Clearely they are blessed vnto whoÌ„ without labour or without any worke their iniquities bee remitted and their synnes couered and no manner of workes required of them but all onely that they should beleeue 231. col 1 Athanasyus sayth there are two maner of faythes one is iustefying as y t of the which it is spoken thy fayth hath saued thee An other is cauled the gift of God whereby myracles bee done of the which it is written if you haue fayth as a graine of mustard seede 241. col 1. Athanasyus sayth Nowe doth the Apostle playnely showe that fayth all onely hath vertue in hym to iustifie and bryngeth Abacuke saying of fayth and not of the law shall a righteous man lyue Hee addeth well beefore God for beefore man peraduenture they shall bee reckened righteous that sticke to the law but not beefore God c. 233. col 1 Augustine saith those same workes y t bee done beefore fayth thoughe they seeme vnto men laudable are yet but vayne and I doe iudge them as great strength and swift running out of the way Wherefore let no man count his good workes before fayth where as fayth is not there is no good worke the ententioÌ„ maketh a good worke but fayth doth guide the entention c. 233. col 2 Augustine sayth we doe gather that a man can not bee iustefyed by the preceptes of good lyuing that is not by y t lawe of workes but by that lawe of faith not by the letter but by the sprite not by the merites of workes but by free grace 234. col 1 Augustine sayth S. Paule affirmeth that a man may bee iustifyed by fayth without any works goyng before iustifycation but when a man is iustifyed by fayth how can hee but worke well though y t he before working nothinge righteously is now come to the iustifycation of fayth not by merytes of good workes but by the grace of God the which grace in hym now can not bee Idle seeing that now thorow loue hee worketh well And if hee depart out of this worlde after that hee beleeueth the iustifycation of fayth abydeth by hym not by his workes going before iustifycation for by his merites came hee not vnto that iusteficatioÌ„ but by grace nor by his workes that followe iustefycation for hee is not suffered to lyue in this lyfe Wherfore Paule and Iames are not contrary for Paule speaketh of the workes that goe beefore fayth and Iames speaketh of the woorkes that followe the iustefycation of fayth 238. col 1 Augustine expoundinge the texte of y t Apostle Roma 2. The doers of the law must bee iustifyed sayth so must it bee vnderstoode that we may know that they can no otherwise bee the doers of of the law except they bee fyrst iustifyed not that iustifycation belongeth to the doers but that iustifycation doth proceede of all manner of doeing 240. col 1 Barnarde sayth I doe abhorre what so euer thinge is of mee except peraduenture that that bee myne that God hath made mee his By grace hath hee iustifyed mee freely and by that hath hee deliuered mee from the bondage of synne Thou hast not chosen me saith Christ but I haue chosen thee nor I found any merites in thee that might moue mee to chuse thee but I preuented all thy merytes Wherefore thus by fayth I haue maried thee vnto me and not by the workes of the lawe I haue maried thee also in iustice but not in the iustice of the lawe but in that iustice which is of fayth 233. col 2 Popes law sayth Cornelius centuno being a heathen man was iustifyed by the gift of the holy Ghost 240. col 2 ¶ What the Church is and who bee thereof and whereby men may know her AVgustine saith of Christ is y e church made fayre fyrst was shee fylthy in synnes afterward by pardon and by grace was shee made fayre 244. col 1 Augustine sayth The holy church are we but I doâ— not say we as one should say we that bée here alonely that heare 〈◊〉 now but as many as bee here faith full Christen men in this Church that is to say in this Citie as many as bee in this region as many as bee beyond the Sea c. 245. col 1 Lyranus sayth The Church doth notâ—stand in men by reason of spirituall power or secular dignities For many Princes and many Popes other inferiour persons haue swarued from the fayth Wherefore that Church doth stand in those persons in whom is the true knowledge and coÌ„fession of faith and of veritie c. 245. col 1 Augustine sayth The whole Church sayth forgeue vs our sinnes wherfore sheâ— hath spottes and wrinckles but by knowledgyng of them her wrinckles bee extended and stretched out by knowledgyng her spottes are washed away 246. col 1 Augustine sayth Our holy mother the Churche throughout all the world
Likewise blessed S. Ambrose sayth willingly will I neuer forsake you but if I bee compelled I may not resist I may sorow I may wepe I may waile Agaynst weapons agaynst souldiers agaynst the Bothans my teares are my weapons For such thinges bee the defence of a Priest otherwise ought I not nor may not resist c. 191. col 2 ¶ Testimonyes proouyng also the same taken out of his first Edition Fol. 15. and 16. ORygene vpon this text Omnis anima sayth on this maner All maner of synnes that God wold haue punished hee would haue them punished not by the byshops and rulers of the Church but by the Iudges of the worlde c. The mediatour betweene God and man Christ Iesus hath deuided the offices of both powers into their proper actes and into distincte dygnities willing by his owne medicinall meekenes that mens hartes should bee lyfted vp and not with mans pride agayne to be drowned in these inferior thinges so that Christen Emperours as concerning eternall lyfe should haue neede of Byshops likewise the Byshops for the course all onely of these temporal goodes should vse the Emperours lawes so that y t spirituall acâ—… should be distincted from the worldly courses and hee that should serue God should not wrappe hym selfe in worldly busynesses ¶ That the true obseruation of the sabaoth consisteth not onely in abstaining from bodely labours and that to a Christen maÌ„ euery day is the Sabaoth and not onely the seuenth day HIerome sayth Therefore be certaine dayes assigned y t we should come to gither not that that day in the which we come togither is holier theÌ„ an other but all dayes be lyke and equall And Christ is not all onely crucifyed in Parasceden and risen onely on the sonday but the day of resurrection is alwayes and alwayes may we eate of our lords fleshe c. 206. col 2 Augustine sayth we must obserue the sabboth day not that we should recken our self not to labour but that all thing that we doe worke well must haue an intention to the euerlastyng rest Wherfore we must obserue the holy day not by corporall idlenes and vnto the letter but spiritually must we rest from vyces and concupiscences wherfore among all the ten commaundementes that of the Sabboth day is all onely coÌ„mauÌ„ded to be figuratiuely obserued c. 206. col 2 Also Tertullian sayth The carnall Circumcision is put away and extincted at his tyme. So likewise the obseruation of the Sabboth day is declared to bee for a tyme for we must keepe the Sabboth day not alonely the seuenth day but at all times as Esay sayth c. 206. col 2 Augustine sayth It is come vnto me that certaine men whiche bee of an euill spirite haue sowen certaine euill thynges among you and contrary to the holy fayth so that they doe forbyd that men shoulde worke on the Sabboth day The whiche men what other thyng shall we call them but the preachers of Antichrist the whiche Antichrist shall make the Sabboth day and the sonday bee keept from all maner of worke c. 207. col 1 ¶ Testimonies procayng the same article translated out of hys booke De Doctorum Sententijs ANd it shall come to passe that from Moone to his Moone from Sabboth to his Sabboth all flesh shall come to worshyp before me c. For the sonne of man is also Lord of the sabboth c. Let no man therefore iudge you in meate or in drinke or in part of an holy daye or of the new moone or of the saboth dayes c. You obserue dayes times moneths and yeares c. ¶ S. Ambrose ad Irenae Epist. 72. The Iewes were commaunded to celebrate the holy sabboth one day in the weeke that they should bee subiect to no burthen because they being losed from worldly busines I would they had so passed that they might not cary with theÌ„ no burthen of greuous sinnes vnto the euerlasting sabboth of y e world to come Let the synagoge of y t Iewes obserue the day Let the church obserue it to immortalytie In the lawe therefore was a portion in the Gospell is the perfection c. ¶ S. Augustine de spiritu lit cap. 14. Because whosoeuer obserueth that day hither vnto as the letter soundeth hee iudgeth carnally ¶ S. Augustine ad Bonifa lib. 3. Cap. 4. contra 2. Epist Pelagia For if Christe hath taken from vs that greuous yoke of many obseruances that we should not be carnally circumcised that wee should not offer sacrifice for our sinnes that on the sabboth of the seuenth day wee shoulde not abstayne from necessary busines other such lyke if we obserue them being spiritually vnderstand and setting a syde all shadowes signifying the true lyght of those things Let vs take heed whether we shall therefore say that it pertayneth not vnto vs which is written that whatsoeuer one findeth of an other mans hee restore it agayne to hym that lost it and many other such like preceptes where by we learne to liue well and godly and especially that Decaloge which is contayned in the ij tables of stone the carnall obseruation of the sabboth onely excepted which signifieth a spirituall sanctification and rest c. ¶ S. Augustine vpon S. Paules epistle to the Galath First must a man know y t the works of the law bee of too sortes For they partly consist in sacramentes partly in morrall preceptes Vnto the sacramentes are referred the circumcision of the flesh the temporall sabboth the new moone the sacrifices and all such lyke innumerable obseruances Vnto morall preceptes are referred these Thou shalt not slaye Thou shalt not commit adultery Thou shalt not beare false witnesse and such other lyke ¶ S. Augustine vpon Iohn Tractat. 17. Take vp thy bed c. Here is a manyfest corporall worke of y t body done not the healing onely of the body but a playne bodely worke That Christians ought not to seeke spitfull reuengement by extremitie of the law NOw is there vtterly sinne among you sayth Paul because you go to law one with an other why rather suffer you not wrong why rather suffer ye not your selues to bee robbed Also our maister sayth If any man will sue at the lawe and take thy coate froÌ„ thee let hym haue thy cloke also 208. col 2 Athanasius on this texte of Saint Paule sayth There is vtterly sinne among you that is to say It is to your condemnation and to your ignominie that you doe exercise iudicials among you Wherefore doe you not rather suffer wrong c. 209. col 1 Also S. Hierome sayth It is â—inne vnto you that you doe agaynst the com maundement of Christ that you haue iudgementes among you the which ought alwayes to keepe peace yea though it were with the losse of your temporall goods Wherefore doe you not rather suffer wrong Where
persecutour 250 Church truely declared 253. 254. 256 Counsailes haue erred and may erre 255 Councell of Constance forbad the Sacrament in both hyndes 302 Coūcell of Nice thought it meete for a Byshop to haue a wife 320 D. DAyes are no one better nor higher then an other 206 Doctours of the law geue euill counsayle 208 E. ENemy to a true mā is a theef 189 Extreme law is extreme miustice 208 F. FAyth onely iustifieth 226. 235 Fayth without workes iustifieth 228 Fayth is accompted for righteousnes 231 Fayth in Christ attayneth saluation 231 Fayth bryngeth forth good workes 236 Fayth that bryngeth forth frute is the fayth that iustifieth 238 Fayth iustifieth before God good workes declare our iustification to the world 239 Faythes are of two sortes 241 Fayth that iustifieth is geuen vs frely of God 241 Faythfull beleeuers in Christes merites are the right holy Churche of God 244 Faythfull congregation cannot erre 247 Fayth is the mere gift of God 277 Fisher Bishop of Rochester sworne to the Pope 197 Flocke of Christ is litle 247 Fleshly reason refoned frowardly 270 Fridericke the Emper our deposed 191 Freewill of man without Gods grace can doe no good 266. 267. 268 Freewill without grace is sinne 269. 270 Freewill wherein it consisteth 276 Frutes of fayth 235 G. GErmayne a Popes Sainte a straunge hystory 190 George Stafford a learned man 221 God onely is omnipotent and almightie 351 God is to bee obeyed before men 295 God doth wōderfully worke to saue his flocke ibidem Gods commaundements are impossible to our nature to bee kept 272 Gods mercy is the onely cause of our saluation 179 Good counsaile geuē to the Bishops 215 Good workes what goodnes is in them 229 Good workes cannot deserue remission of sinnes 235 Good workes are to be done though they iustifie not 237 Good workes are the frutes of good fayth 249 God disposeth his mercy to whom it pleaseth him 278 Gospell preachyng is no cause of insurrection 184 Gospell profitable to England 194 Grace without deseruyng 224 Grace findeth our hartes stony 273 H. HErode kept his brothers wise 188 Hipocrisie abhominable 189 Holy dayes why they were ordeyned 205 Holy Church truely defined 243 Holy church that is the true church of God is to the worlde inuisible 244 Holy Church is the grounde and piller of trueth 245 Holy Church is built vpon the Apostles and Prophetes 250 I. IAcob is elected and Esau reiected 178 Idols and Images described 344 Idols Images are all one ibidem Ignoraunce made vs worshyppe stockes and stones 341 Images are neither to bee honored nor worshypped 340 Image of God is thy poore Christian brother 345 Images or Idols are not the workers of any miracles 345 Insurrections whereof they came 192 Indifferent thynges are to bee obeyed 298 Iohn kyng of Englād cruelly handled by the Clergy of England 189 Iustification is not by the lawe of of workes but by the law of fayth 234 Iustification how it commeth 236 Iustified personnes cannot abstayne from doyng of good workes 240 K. Kynges ought not to bee deposed though they bee wicked 187 Kyng Iohn was cruelly handled of the Clergy of England 189 Kyng Iohn poysoned 189 Kynges brought by violence vnder the Popes foote 195 Kynges of the kyngdome of heauen what they are 257. 258 Keyes of Christ abused by the Byshops 262. 263 L. LAw why it was geuen 275 Liberties of holy Churche may not bee impugned 217 Losing and byndyng what it is 259 M. MAn is Lord ouer all creatures 274 Mans dominion restreyned 275 Man is the lyuely and true Image of God 346 Mariage of Priestes is allowed of God 317 Mariage hath a greater crosse then virginitie 313 Mariage of Priestes is neither agaynst Gods law nor mans law 328 Mariage is all one beefore Priesthode and after Priesthode 336 Masse made of many patches 357 Masse welbeloued of the Papistes for gaynes sake ibidem Ministers of the Churche ought to bee no Lordes 262 Money is the popes best marchaūt 265 Monkes of the Charterhouse and their superstition 299 Mores holy Church are the Pope Cardinals and Byshops 252 Moses chayre what it is 297 N. NAturall reason is a blynde iudge of the Scriptures 307 Naturally all men desire Mariage 323 O. OBedience to the higher powers taught by Christ and his Apoles 185 Obedience to the Prince wee owe with our bodyes and to God with our soules 300 Officers are Byshops hangmē 211 Offendours of the common weale may not breake prison but paciently suffer that the law doth determine 293 Orders in the Clergy hath two significations 202 Othe the Byshoppes made to the Pope 195 Othe to the Pope last made by the Byshops 200 P. PApistes and Schoolemen peruert the Scriptures 180 ▪ Papistes charge the Preachers of Gods word with heresie 185 Papistes teach disobedience to Princes 185. 186 Papistes shamelesse doynges 186 Papistes and Protestantes wherin they differre 191 Papiste is an vnnaturall subiect agaynst hys soueraigne Lord and Lady 202 Papistes are arrogant and proude 209 Papistes are craftie iugglers 223 Papistes crueltie 225 Papistes are trappers of innocents 223 Papistes are tyrantes 224 Papistes are blasphemers of Gods holy word 286 Papistes preach lyes 287 Papistes and S. Paule are contrary 285 Papistes are the norishers of ignoraunce and darknes 290 Papistes finde faulte with gnattes and swalow Camelles 308 Papistes make blynd reasons 308. 309 Papistes carnall reasons 351 Papistes worshyppers of stockes and stones 352 Papistes blynd and malicious 353 Papistes foolish arguments soluted 354 Paule dispenseth with vnlawfull vowes 314 Peter the Apostle had a wife 325 Petition of Doct. Barnes to kyng Henry the viij 205 Philip the Euangelist was maryed 325 Popes depose kynges 186 Popes shamelesse arrogancy and tyranny ibidem Popes dispense with othes that subiectes make of obedience to theyr Princes 188 Popes procurers of warre and destruction of people 193 Pope agaynst Pope one cursing an other ibidem Popes alter the Byshops othes as semeth best for their purpose 195 Popes and their lewdenes truely described 197 Pope how hee cōmeth by the name of Lord. ibidem Pope Clement excōmunicated kyng Henry the viij 198 Popes what maner of men they are that are chosē to that dignitie 199 Pope Clement the sonne of a Curtisan ibidem Pope a monstruous hypocrite 198 Pope and hys lawes agree not 199 Popes are not chosen after Sainte Paules rule ibidem Power of kynges is immediatly of God 202 Popes Saintes worke straūge miracles 190 Pope absolueth all rebellion agaynst Princes but pardoneth none that hath beene agaynst hym selfe 201 Popes regalles ibidem Pope calleth Councelles as it pleaseth hym 202 Pope hath libertie to say do◠what hee list 204 Popes pardōs haue beene good marchaundise in England 212 Pope may not bee controlled of any man 213 Popish law is tyrannous 218. 219. 220 Pope and the true holy church how farre they differre 242 Pope and his maners agreeth nothyng with the holy Church ibidē Pope
they â—oâ— NegligeÌ„ce 〈◊〉 doyng â—…ed brynâ—…th vs to desperation Two apte similitudes 〈◊〉 well and â—…l doings Promise He that professeth not a newe lyfe hath no promise of mercy in Christ Prayer Workes must be seasoned with Gods worde if they shall please God Prayer What it is and how many wayes it may be named prayer Chamber To shut thy chamber doore what it meaneth Prayer Gods commaundement and promise shuld moâ—â— vs to pray The Pater noster That prayer is vayne wherein y t hart is not ioyned with the toung False prayer is painefull True prayer to pleasaunt Sion Shenâ—… Not the multitude of thy â—ordes but thy fayth 〈◊〉 praying God doth respect The Dater noster is expounded To honour Gods name what it is Kinges must commaunde nothyng nor forbid to do any thing contrary to Gods worde When we request any thing at Gods haÌ„d we must pray that his will be done not ours Dayly breade whereby is vnderstoode all that pertaineth vnto the necessitie of this lyfe A surer way then pardons How thou mayst bee sure of pardon for thy sinnes We cannot of our selues but â—all into 〈◊〉 Small occasions drâ—… vs to 〈…〉 〈◊〉 we are 〈◊〉 ly prone Who shuld thinke hym selfe to be without sinne were as euill as Lucifer Kynges 〈◊〉 subiectes are all one afore God A couenauÌ„t where with God is bounde to forgeue vs and we to forgeue ech other Gods couenaunt is a sure absolution to all that keepe Leauen how many wayed it is taken Faith what power it is of and the fruites that spring thereof Loue is righteousnes Faith bringeth loue Workes Loue. Fayth As Leauen can not be seene in a â—oafe without smell or tast so cannot saith in vs without good workes and y â— intent of the same be seene or appeare That fayth iustifieth what iâ— meaneth Fayth Workes are sacramentes Baptim Christ Fayth Fast If fasting be vsed to any other and then to tame the fleshe that thereby we may be the more prone to serue God it is abused To annoint the head what it meaneth Fastyng The heape of inconueniences that spring by â—…rate superfluous 〈◊〉 and drinking Fastyng dayes or dayes of abstmence are to be ordained for common weales sake Almose Prayer Fasting Almose prayer and fasting how necessary Almose prayer and fasting are inseperable Fasting is not in eating and drinking onely Workes make hipocrites 〈◊〉 y â— true entent be away Rulers be ordained for theÌ„ that cannot rule theÌ„selues Preacher The office of a true preacher Note this well ye temporall magistrates Prophets Priestes yea and Kynges of the old TestameÌ„t zealous Preachers Papistes haue often bene called to the Popes couenaunt but seldome to the Lords Obiection Solution Payne How God delueth in our payne takyng Fast The intent of fastyng what â—…s Fast How the Iewes did fast Fast The popes fast A feasâ—yng fast Faslyng The true intent is away from the Popes fastyng Monkes made the Pope a â—…od for his dispensations Couetousnes 〈◊〉 at a 〈…〉 〈◊〉 is 2. Pet 〈◊〉 Couetousnes cannot but erre More Couetousnes blinded the eyes hardened y e hart of Sir Thomas More The coÌ„modities that folow couetous and worldly rich men â—uke xij Luke xiiij Couetousnes maketh the salte of Godes worde vnsauery Couetousnes maketh a false Prophet Darckenesse Couetousnes causeth darcknesse Darckenesse The daâ—â—nes of the Popes doctrine here plainely appeareth Fayth in workes is darcknesse Darcknes Mammon what it is Mammon is a God Mammon maketh meÌ„ disguise theÌ„ selues The seruauntes of Mammon are not oâ— Chriâ—â—es Church The seruaunt of Mammon to no true preacher To bee MammoÌ„s seruaunt what it is MammoÌ„s seruaunt how he is knowen The goodnes of god towarde mankynd Byrdes beastes teache vs to put away care Care Mammon Actes 〈◊〉 ConenauÌ„t keepe couenaunt with God and he shal keepe promise wyth thee Kingdome of heauen what Righteousnes of the kingdome of heauen what it is Iâ— thou folow Christ thou canst not 〈…〉 sufficient liuing Care What we ought châ—â—â—â—est to care for Tempte Why God letteth hys children be tempted with aduersitie What care is forbiddeÌ„ Care whâ—… care euery man ought to haue Gods commaundement is mans lyfe Exod. xx Why God suffereth tirauntes to prosper Iudgyng What iudgyng is to be rebuked All dayes are indifferent to do good dedes to y â— prayse of God the profite of our neighbore The beame Ceremonies hee that breaketh vnitie for zeale of ceremonies vnder slandeth not Gods law Ceremonies Measure â–ª Dogges who they be what is signified therby Swyne truly described Praâ—er is a commauÌ„dement Belefe To beleue in God what Luke 18. Prayer By prayer we wynne the victory onely and therefore is it of all thyngesâ— most necessary False Prophetes what their wickednes 〈◊〉 Mark xiij Math. 24. Thy hart must be ioy ned with thy prayer The riche must pray for dayly bread To thinke our selues saued or preserued by any other meanes then by Gods â–ª is Idolatry Faith must be ioyned to our prayer Though God differ thy request yet must thou not saynt Doubtes How to â—oyle doubtes Note Note Law what the fulfillyng therof is The end of all y â— lawes betwen mâ— and man is to loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Strayte gate The narrow way Few finde the narrow waâ— and whâ— Peter Paule â–ª Christ The false prophetes who Sheepes clothing what it meaneth â–ª 〈◊〉 Thess 2. Sheepes clothing Rauening wolues The obedience pouertie and wilfull chastitie of our spiritualtie Pouertie Chastitie Charitie Fasting Prayer Thornes beare no Figges The aunswere of cloysterers to such as shall desire â—elefe at theâ— haÌ„ds A corrupt tree beareth no good â—â—ute Fayth is the kernell of all our good frutes Faith maketh the â—oorke â—oâ—d and acceptable An example howe thy workâ— or deede may be pleasaunt and acceptable before God â–ª Handy craftes are the commaundement of God The Iewes Turkes geâ—r almes as we doe yet for lacke of fayth it is abhominable God is aswell pleased when we thankefully receaue his benefites as when we do geue for his sake Hipocrites exâ—oll their owne workes to destroy the workes of God The holynes of hypocrites wherein it is Aske the 〈◊〉 steÌ„ Friâ—is why they murthered one of their felowes at London Who is y â— spiritualty IgnoraÌ„ce 〈◊〉 not if we wâ—â— notâ—câ— False prophetes how to 〈◊〉 â—here they be Beleuers without 〈◊〉 workers without fayth are built on 〈◊〉 The 〈…〉 〈…〉 the◠〈…〉 in Iesus Christ Fayth what it breedeth Loue. The word of God 〈…〉 〈◊〉 a man into 〈◊〉 parts 〈…〉 y t fleâ—â—e to hold one â—ay and 〈◊〉 spirite to draw an other Iohn 16. The holy ghost shall rebuke the world for lacke of true iudgement 〈◊〉 Cor. 2. The spiritual iudgeth all thynges spiritually Math. 22. Rom. 13. Math. 22. The spirituall man searcheth 〈◊〉 the cause why 〈◊〉 ought to loue hys neighbour â–ª Man is Lord ouer all the creatures of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reg. â—1 Circumâ—…oÌ„ not trequented in 〈◊〉
they can not make payment but rather shall perish and dye in prison whiche thyng is agaynst charitie therfore it is sinfull Extreme law is extreme iustice The euill counsell of the Doctours of law 1. Cor. 6. Math. 5. I doe not condemne suing but in a case The spiritualtie forbiddeth Priestes to sue in causa sanguinis et tamen non daÌ„pnaÌ„t leges Athanasius S. Hiere ad Cor. 6. These doctours wyll not nor can not destroy all iudicialles but onely vncharitable sutes Haymo ad Cor. 6. Luke 6. If it bee a counsell than can ye not condemne it for heresie 14. quest 1. His ita They vnderstoode myne answere so well that they were than conteÌ„t with mee The sixte article Tit. 1. The Cardinall and Doctour Barnes reasoned togither But therefore was I an heretick O sigmeÌ„tuÌ„ If I fayned sutâ—… thynge 〈◊〉 shoulde bee an heretick Athanasius Chrisostome The vij article The viij article Officicers bee but byshops hangmen God amende it The ix article The x. article The xj article 2. q 7. Secuti sunt cap. Nos si The xij article 2. Pet. 2. The xiij article The popes pardons hath beene the best marchaundise in England The xiiij article The xv article The xvj article Alexander Duns Bonauenture in iiij sent The xvij article The Pope may not bee conptrolled of any man The xviij article The xix article No man may speake agaynst the pompe of Prelates The xx article Byshops myters coÌ„meth from the Iewes The xxi article 3. King Byshops vse vayne foolish ceremonies What the two hornes of the myter meaneth The xxij article The meanyng of the Byshops crosier staffe Cardinall Wolsey lyked well hys pyllers pollaxes Where bee they now Tunstall Byshop of LondoÌ„ had intelligence where D. Barnes was become I am now here what saye to you me Good counsayle geuen to the Byshops The xxiij article Phil. 4. Iaco. 1. The xxiiij article The articles as euill as they were layd of myne aduersaryes Iohn 14. The xxv article Liberties of holye Churche may in wise bee impugned All the auncient learned fathers cry out vpoÌ„ the pryde lewde lyuyng of the Byshops An earnest petition made by Doctour Barnes 1525. Doct. Batnes inhibited of preachyng The Popish law is tyrannous Doctour Barnes is accused of contention sedition and heresie The bodye of the Vniuersitie stirred vp Here yee may note the course of y t Popes lawe A subtile craftie and popishe Chauncelour A protestation D. Barnes answere to the articles alleaged against him Note here the craftiâ— and willy Foxes Note here the most false and â—euilishe practise of the popishe cleargie God to helpe his true preachers styrreth vp some good men O cruell mercylesse Papistes Barnes arested by a Sergeaunt of armes Cardinall greatly delighted and estemed his crosses and pollaxes Nothyng els The maner of the examinatioÌ„ at Westminster Here ye may note the crafty iugglyng of the Papistes The more innoceÌ„t the sooner trapped and condemned among the Papistes Epist c. xix Doctour Barnes forbydden preachyng Note here the tyranny of the Papistes That was the lest Grace with out deseruyng Note here what crossing tossing y â— Papistes vse The gloriâ—us assembly of the papistes The Cardinall had put the matter to hym God saue me from such speaking Math. 1. 1. Cor. 2. Esay 53. Christ is all in all Actes 4. Actes 13. 1. Iohn 2. 1. Iohn 4. 1. Iohn 4. The Papistes deniyng onely fayth to iustifie denye the nature of Christ Apoc. 5. Christ onely hath wrought our redeÌ„ption Christ is our onely redemer iustifier Roma 3. Roma 11. Faith with out workes iustifieth Roma 3. A crafty subtile euasion All good woorkes are coâ—teyned in the law of God Iohn 1. Christ suffered for our sinnes August in ser Domini de monte Exod. xx Leuit. xix What goodnes is in good workes Galat. 2. Rom. 4. Galat. 3. Ambro. ad Rom. 3. Orig. ad Ro. lib. iij. cap. iij. Fayth onely and alone iustifieth Roma 9. Roma 10. Roma 9. We can neuer attayne to saluation but by faith in Christ Roma 4. Fayth is accompted for righteousnes Ambrosi Sola fides iustificat D. Wetherall Gallat 2. Abacuc 2. Athanasius Galat. 3. The righteous man lyueth by fayth not by workes Aug. in prolo Psal 31. Good workes without fayth are but sinne Barnar super Can. ser lxvq Workes of the newe law Aug. despiri lit câ— â–ª xij No man can bee iustified by y e lawe of workes but by the law of faith in Christes bloud Luke 17. Good workes can not deserue remission of sinne The maner of iustification Fides historica Fides iustificans Roma 8. The frutes of fayth An exaÌ„ple how fayth bryngeth forth good workes Math. 7. Solutions and argumentes to the Scriptures Roma 6. Good workes are the frutes of true fayth A very good example â—â—ti 2. The Byshop of Rochesters vayne distinction Ephe. 2. Good workes are to bee done although they iustifie not Roma 3. Iam. 2. Aug. 83. quest c. 76. Roma 6. Fayth that bryngeth forth fruite is the fayth that iustifieth and yet the fruite doth not iustifie 1. Iohn 2. Hebr. 9. fayth iustifieth before God and good wordes declare our iustification to y t worlde Gala. 3. The reward of good workes is not remission of sinnes Roma 2. August de spiri lit Glosa Actes 10. The man that is iustified before God 〈◊〉 not bee idle but must doc good ij Quest 〈◊〉 Non omnes Episcopo Math. 7. Iohn 17. Gala. 5. Atha ad Rom. Fayth that iustifieth vs is geueÌ„ vs freely of God Fayth onely iustifieth because by fayth we attaine the benefite of Christes death which onely iustifieth vs. It is no new doctrine that is nowe taught The Pope and hys Churche agreeth no more with the maners of holy Churche then darkenes light The Pope is a persecutor of holy Church How farre the Pope doth differ with his Churche from the true holy Church The foule and greate abuse of the Pope in takyng vpoÌ„ hym that hee and his were y e holy Church What difference is betweene a Byshop the deuill Nume 20. 3. King 8. 1. Cor. 4. 1. Cor. 11. Ephe. 5. The holy Churche truely defined The true holy church is that which is sanctified made holy by Christ 1. Cor. 1. Augustinus de verbis domini ser so Iohn 6. The faithful beleuers in Christes merites are y t ryght holy church of God God is not to bee ruled by any state or degree of person The holy Churche which is y t true church of God is to y e worlde inuisible The true holy church is the piller and ground of trueth August ser 〈◊〉 de tempore The holy Church is the congregation of faythfull men where soeuer they bee in the world Lyra in mat ca. 19. Math. 6. 1. Iohn 1. Ephe. 5. The holy Churche how it is made pure and cleane without spotte or wrinkle Augustinus
xxiiij Policrates Ephes Epis Siluerius Papa Felix iij. Deus dedit Theodorus i Hadrianus ij IohaÌ„nes xv Agapitus i. Siluerius Bonifacius i. Osius Gelasius i. Iohannes x. Dist â—…i â–ª ca. Osius Croni â–ª Faâ—i Abbot SaÌ„â—te of Readyng Priestes hath maryed after their priesthode Nâ—… generatione xl Cransius Canutus was seuen yeares a Monke ¶ Iuniacensis and yet the Pope dispenseth with hym to marry a wife Mariage of Priestes is neither agaynst Gods lawe nor mans lawe Nicholaus 1 Compelled chastitie is against the institution of the Gospell To compel Priestes to vowe chastitie that hath not y t gifte is halfe brother vnto heresie A lamentable and horrible sight O Lord God that our Byshoppes woulde nowe bee so charitable A frute of chastitie A horrible tale An other trabbe of y t same tree I will not speake of the litle prety â—oyes that folow Priestes in long doublets â–ª and short hosen The chastitie of the court of Rome froÌ„ the whiche God defend vs all M. spare me a little to speake but one word more An hystory sprong out of the chastitie of Priests This man intended to declare to this holy father what honestye was mayntayned by Priestes chastitie A prety practise to finde out a naughty concious Byshop Dist 〈◊〉 ca. Ante trienium The world will lye I haue meruayle why men are ashamed to come lay this thing to my charge now that I am here D. Barnes lyued sole vnmaryed Dist 82. ca. Plurimos Dist 31. ca. Ante trieâ—ium Dist 31. ca. Omnino Dist 28. ca. Docerni 〈◊〉 Nauclerus Alberâ—â—s Hirsucidâ—â—sis Here beganneth priests chaâ—… get the oâ—… hand For this was a captaine for the noâ—ce Peâ—…am 〈◊〉 gem Quos deus coÌ„â—uÌ„xâ—… homo noÌ„ seperet Et nemo dimittat vxoreÌ„ excepta fornicationis causâ— Who caÌ„ require a better auÌ„swere then these Byshops make their wordes beâ— Gods wordes Math. 9. 1. Cor. 〈◊〉 This hath alwayes beene the Popes maner of teachyng other doctrine had hee neuer A tumulte for priestes wyues The deuill sleepeth not nor geueth not gladly place to Christ What shall men doe agaynst violence and tyranny Dist xxxiiâ—… cap. Tenere Solutions to their reasons The popes arguments for y t maintenaunce of their constrained chastitie Adam Eua. The Leuitirall cleannes lyeth to much in the Popes head 1. Tim. 4. Alwayes Somtime Why hath â—ot our Priestes sometyme wyues as the olde Priestes had Dist 31. câ— â–ª Nam sicut Abstinete ad tempus vt vacet is orationi The popes doctine is repugnaunt to the doctrine of S. Paule The Pope is a tearer â—nd wrester of Scriptures The Pope maketh a hotchpot of mariage Lay men are bounde to prayer as well as Priestes Dist. xxxi ca. Omnino 1. Cor. 9. Nunquid noÌ„ habemus potestateÌ„ muliereâ—… sorâ—reâ—… circunduceÌ„di c. 1. Cor. 9. 1. Cor. 7. How many factes could I recite here of amplecteÌ„di if children that bee gotten might beare witnes Dist lxxxiâ—… c. Proposuâ—sti Qui in carne sunt Deo placerâ— non possunt The Pope accompteth whoredom to bee more cleane then holy matrimony The Pope blasphemeth God Men that haue wiues may bee Priestes but after their priesthode they may not marry Dist xâ— viij c. Nullum c. Assumi ca. Preterea c. Prâ—usquam Remember the tyranny of Gregory the vij which compelled priestes to forsake their wiues Mariage is all one before priesthode and after Dist xxviâ—… cap. Nullâ—… The Pope mainteineth his constreined chastity agaynst the institution of Christ Priestes may get chastitie by praying fastyng A Notary of London sayd to me openly that hee had written a thousand dispensations for Priestes children in his dayes How many then haue all Notaries writteÌ„ Priestes shall fast and pray But what if all that will not helpe God is bound to as much as he hath promised Math. 4. Psal 90. The deuill tempteth God God chaungeth not his order for our pleasure God hath ordeined euery thyng to a purpose and thereunto must they bee vsed Priestes haue a priuilege beefore other men The flesh would gladly haue a quyet lyuyng pleasaunt Had the world continued they would haue made vs poore men beleeue that they had gotten children w t fastyng praying Christ ascended into heauen by his owne power Exod. 20. Deut. 5. Wee are forbidden of God to make Images Wee must neither honour Images nor worshippe them Duns 3. Distin 9. Esay 44. Vayne ImaginatioÌ„s of men 3. Kyng 12. Howe wee haue beene by ignoraunce led to worship stockes and stones Stockes stones the Papistes honour as Gods Practise of Papistes to cause Images to worke myracles The hipocrisie of the Papistes hath greatly preuailed in the practysyng and aduauncing of Idolatry Baruch 6. A notable declaration of Baruch the Prophet against Idols and Idolatry There is no diâ—fereÌ„ce betweene an Idoll on Image The description of an Idoll or Image Deut. 13. Idolles or Images worke no myracles Hipocrites fayne them to bee the workers of myracles A notable myracle done by false gods in Turkie A stinking myracle Libro 5. ad Iacob To relieue thy poore neighbour that is Gods Image is to honour God There is no true Image but onely the Image of man which few doe honour Of the liuely Images of man many haue the Byshops burned But of theyr worme eaten images not one Clemens in codeÌ„ libro De â—erâ— roli ca. vlti Super Dani Saintes sayth Papistes are to bee worshypped for they pray for vs Roma 8. God hath geuen vs one mediatour which is Iesus Christ and not appoynted any Saint to bee our mediatour The mediatour betweene God man is named Iesus but there is no Saint so named Esay 7. How God by Christ is euer with vs. 1. Iohn 2. Saintes caÌ„ obteine nothyng for vs. Roma 8. 1. Cor. 1. Christ is all in all for vs and therefore wee neede not y t helpe oâ— Saints Iohn 14. Saintes can not bryng vs to the father of heauen but it must bee Christ onely Iohn 14. Iohn 16. If wee aske in Christes name wee shal obteine but so shall wee not in any other name Luke 18. Iaco. 1. Saintes receaued Gods goodnes for theÌ„ selues and not for vs. Psal 119. Psal 120. A fond prayer made to our Lady August dâ— vera relig cap. vlti The right honoring of Saintes Apoc. 19. and. 22. Mat. 15. tom 6. ho. de profect â—…nge An authoritie declaration that Christ heareth vs for our selues and not the Apostles for vs. Chri. Toâ— 6. ho. de profectâ— euangeliorum We neede no patrons for God heareth Exod. 20. Psal 5. Psal 4. The Christen maÌ„ putteth his trust in God that hee will heare him If we mistrust not Christe there is no cause why we should runne a gadding to this Saint for any thyng that is necessary for vs. Saints are holy but yet are they no Godes Christ is our onely intercessor The Papistes carnall reasoÌ„s God onely is omnipotent and almighty The Papistes geeue
the life of maÌ„ as it is written Iustus ex fide viuit out of which life the pleasantnesse of all his woorkes spring As for an ensample thou art a shoumaker which is a worke within the lawes of God and sayest in thyne hart loe God here I make a shooe as truely as I woulde for my selfe to do my neighbour seruice and so get my liuing in truth with y e labour of myne handes as thou commaundest and thanke thee that thou hast geuen me this craft and makest it lucky that I get my liuing therewith and am surely perswaded that both I my worke please thee O father for thy sonne Iesus sake loe now this fayth hath made this simple woorke pleasaunt in the sight of God An other ensample thou takest a wife sayest O father thou not onely permittest this but also commaundest all that burne haue their mindes vnquieted to marry for feare of formcation and so forth And father I promise thee to loue this woman truely and to care for her and gouerne her after thy lawes and to be true to her and to stand by her in all aduersities and to take in worth as well the euill as the good and to bring vp the fruite that thou shalt geue me of her in thy feare and teach it to know thee Moreouer as concerning the acte of matrimony as when thou wilt eate thou blessest God receauest thy dayly fode of his hand according to y â— fourth peticion of thy Pater noster knowledgest that it is his gift and thankest hym beleuing his worde that he hath created it for thee to receaue it wyth thankes by the which worde prayer of thankes thy meate and drnicke is sanctified i. Tim. iiij Euen so thou sayest father this I do not onely at thy permission which is inough to please thee wythall but also at thy coÌ„maundement and haue bound my self hereunto to keepe my soule from sinning against thee to helpe my neighbour that he sâ—me not also and promise thee to keepe thys profession truely and to nourishe the fruite that thou shalt geue me in the feare of thee and in the fayth of thy sonne Iesu and so thankest the Lord for his giftes Now is thy worke thorow thys sayth and thankes pleasaunt and acceptable in y â— sight of God And so was the geÌ„dring of Iacob in fayth and of Samuell many other And y â— geuing sucke was a good worke and so was the dressing of them by the fire And when our Lady coÌ„ceaued Christ thorow fayth was not that a good worke What if God when she doubted and asked by what maner she should conceaue him had commaunded her to conceaue hym of Ioseph or of some other man had not that worke done in obedieÌ„ce and faith bene as good a worke The will that Abraham had to sâ—ay Isaac and all that he dyd till he came at y â— very point to slay him were good workes and so had ben the slaying also And AbrahaÌ„ was sure that he pleased God highly and as well as in any other worke and had as depely sinned if he had bene disobedient therein as though he had done any other cruell dede forbidden by God Yea but shomakyng is not commaunded by God Yes and hath the promise of God annexed therto For God hath commauÌ„ded me for the auoyding of sinne to do my brethren seruice and to lyue therby and to chose one estate or other for if thou wouldest receaue onely of thy brethren and do nought agayne thou were a these and an extorcioner a tyraunt And I chose shomaking or receaue it at y â— obedience of myne elders Now haue I Gods commauÌ„demeÌ„t to woorke therin truly and his promise annexed therto that he wil blesse mine occupation and make it lucky frutefull to bryng me an honest lyuyng Worke I not now at Gods commauÌ„dement and haue hys promise that it pleaseth him Note this also first my craft is Gods commaundement Secondarely I beleue am sure that my worke pleaseth God for Christes sake Thirdly my woorke is profitable vnto my neighbour and helpeth his necessitie Fourthly I receaue my reward of the hand of God with thaÌ„kes and worke surely certified that I please God in my worke thorough Christ and that God will geue me my dayly bread thereby But if thou examine their doctrine thou shalt finde that this fayth is away in all their frutes and therefore are they worme eaten and shales with out kernelles Note againe the Turkes Iewes geue almose aswell as we as much yet abhominable for lacke of fayth knowledge of the true intent What sayth the text he y â— receaueth a prophet in the name of a Prophet shall haue the reward of a Prophet That is because thou aydest him in preachyng of of Christes word thou shalt be partader with him haue the same reward And he that receaueth a Disciple in the name of a disciple shal haue c. And he that geueth one of these litle once but a cup of cold water for my names sake shall haue his reward If a kyng minister his kingdome in the faith of this name because his subiectes be his brethreÌ„ and the price of Christes bloud he pleaseth God highly and if this fayth be not there it pleaseth him not And if I sow a shue truly in the fayth of hys name to do my brother seruice because he is the pryce of Christes bloud it pleaseth God Thus is faith the goodnesse of all workes Finally when God geueth end I receaue with thankes is not God as well pleased as when I geue for his sake and he receaueth A true frend is as glad to do his freÌ„d a good turne as to receaue a good turne When the father geueth his sonne a new coate and sayth am not I a good father and wilt not thou loue me agayne and do what I byd thee And the boy receaueth it with thankes and sayth yea and is glad and proude therof doth not the father reioyce as much now in the lad as an other tyme when the ladde doth what soeuer it be at his fathers commaundement But the false Prophets do well to paynce God after the lykenesse of theyr owne visenomy glad when he receaueth ye when they receaue in his name But sowre grudging and euil content when he geueth agayne But thou pleasest God when thou askest in faith and when thou receauest with thankes and when thou reioysest in his giftes and louest hym agayne to kepe his coÌ„maundementes and the appoyntment and couenaunt made betwene him and thee And for a conclusion besides that they expell fayth whiche is the goodnes of all workes they set vp workes of their owne makyng to destroy the workes of God and to be holyer then Gods woorkes to the despisyng of Gods woorkes and to make Gods workes vyle With their chastitie they destroy the chastitie that God ordeined and onely requireth With
their obedience they destroy the obedience that God ordayned in this world desireth no other With their pouerty they destroy the pouertie of the spirit which Christ taught onely whiche is onely not to loue worldly goodes With their fast they destroy the fast which God commaundeth that is a perpetuall sobernesse to tame the fleshe With their patteryng prayer they destroy the prayer taught by God whiche is either thankes or desiryng helpe with fayth trust that God heareth me Their holynesse is to forbyd y t God ordeined to be receaued with thankes giuyng as meate matrimony And their owne workes they maintayne let Gods decay Breake theirs they persecute to the death But breake Gods and they either looke through the fingers or els geue thee a flappe with a Foxe tayle for a litle money There is none order among them that is so perfect but that they haue a prison more cruell theÌ„ any iayle of theues and murtherers And if one of their brethren commit fornication or adultery in the world he finisheth his penaunce therin in three Wekes or a moneth and then is sent to an other place of the same religion But if he attempt to put of the holy habite he commeth neuer out is so straytly dioted therto that it is meruell if he liue a yeare beside other cruell murther that hath bene found among them and yet is this shamefull dyoting of theirs murther cruell inough Be not deceaued with visions nor yet with miracles But go to iudge their workes for the spiritual iudgeth all thinges sayth Paule i. Cor. ij Who is that spirituall not such as we now call men of holy Church But all that haue the true interpretation of the law written in their harts The right fayth of Christ and the true inteÌ„t of workes which God byddeth vs worke he is spirituall and iudged all thinges and is iudged of no man Not all that say to me Lorde Lorde shall enter into the kyngdome of heauen But he that fulfilleth the will of my father which is in heauen Many will say vnto me at that day Lord Lord dyd we not prophesie in thy name and in thy name cast out deuils and dyd we not in thy name many miracles Then will I confesse vnto theÌ„ I neuer knew you depart from me ye workers of iniquitie This doublyng of Lord hath vehemency and betokeneth that they which shal be excluded are such as thinke theÌ„ selues better and perfitter then other men and to deserue heauen with holy workes not for them selues onely but also for other And by that they prophesied by which thou mayst vnderstand the interpretyng of Scripture and by that they cast out deuils did miracles in Christes name and for all that they are yet workes of wickednesse and do not the will of the father which is in heauen it is playne that they be false Prophetes and euen the same of which Christ warned before And now for as much as Christ and his Apostles warne vs that such shall come and describe vs the fashions of their visures Christes name holy Church holy fathers and xv hundred yeares with Scripture and miracles and commaunde vs to turne our eyes from their visures and consider their frutes and cut them vp and loke with in whether they be sound in the core kernell or no and geue vs a rule to try them by is it excuse good inough to say God will not let so great a multitude erre I will folow the most part and beleue as my fathers dyd and as the preachers teach and will not busie my selfe chose them the faute is theirs and not ours God shall not lay it to our charge if we erre Where such wordes be there are the false Prophetes all ready For where no loue to the truth is there are y â— false Prophetes where such wordes be there to be no loue to y e truth is plame Ergo where such woordes be there be the false Prophetes in their full swyng by Paules rule ij Thessa ij An other conclusion where no loue to the truth is there be false Prophetes The greatest of the world haue least loue to the truth Ergo the false Prophetes be the Chaplaines of the greatest which may with the sword compel the rest As the kynges of Israell compelled to worshyp the golden Calues And by false Prophetes vnderstand falâ—e teachers as Peter calleth them and wycked expounders of the Scripture Who soeuer heareth these words of me and doth them I will lyken him vnto a wise man that built hys house vppon a rocke and there fell a rayne and the floudes came and the windes blew and beate vppon that house but it fell not for it was grounded vpon a rocke And all that heare of me these wordes and do them not shal be lykened vnto a foolishe man that buylt his house vpon the sand and there fell a rayne and the floudes came and the windes blâ—w and dashed vpon that house and it fell and the fall therof was great Christ hath two sortes of hearers of which neither of them do there after The one wil be saued by fayth of theyr owne makyng without workes The other with workes of their owne makyng without faith The first are those voluptuous which haue yelded them selues vp to sinne saying tushe God is mercyfull Christ dyed for vs that must saue vs onely for we cannot but sinne without resistaÌ„ce The second are the hypocrites which will deserue all with theyr owne imagined woorkes onely And of fayth they haue no other experience saue that it is a litle meritorious where it is paynefull to be beleued As that Christ was borne of a virgin and that he came not out the way that other children do he no that were a great inconuenience but aboue vnder her arme yet made no hole though he had a very naturall body as other meÌ„ haue and that there is no bread in the Sacrament nor wyne though the fiue wittes say all ye And the meritorious payne of this belefe is so heauy to them that except they had fayned them a thousand wise similitudes and lowsye lykenesses and as many madde reasoÌ„s to stay them with all and to helpe to captiuate their vnderstandyng they were like to cast all of their backes And the onely refuge of a great many to keepe in that fayth is to cast it out of their myndes not to thinke vpon it As though they forgeue not yet it they put the displeasure out of their myndes and thinke not of it til a good occasion be geueÌ„ to adueÌ„ge it they thinke they loue their neighbour well inough all the while and be in good charge And the fayth of the best of them is but like theyr fayth in other worldly stories But the fayth which is trust and confidence to be saued and to haue their sinnes forgeuen by Christ which was so borne haue they not at all
grace whiche is done and geuen through the gentlenesse of God By this may we perceiue how grosse theyr ignoraunce is which without discretion condemne the infantes that departe out of this worlde not baptised in our materiall water For if that water geue no grace as I haue sufficiently proued why should they condemne more before that washyng then after Beside that the election of God is frée and foloweth not our fayth but fayth foloweth the electiō as it is writtē And there beleued euen as many as were ordeined vnto euerlastyng lyfe for they that are chosen frō y e beginnyng are no doubt chosen before they had fayth we ought not therfore to geue such vnaduised iudgement on these children which by their age haue not yet heard our fayth seyng Gods election is hidde from our eyes The children of Israell were a people which God had chosen from among all nations of the worlde and gaue them Circumcision for a token and memoriall of that election which circumcision was a figure of our baptisme and they thought that the gentiles which were not carnally circumcised had bene all condemned But their opinion deceiued them for there were also of the Gentiles which although they were not circumcised outwardly were electe of God were spiritually circumcised which onely is the thing that God regardeth as Paule testifieth saying He is not a Iew which is a Iew outwarde neyther is that circumcision any thing which is outward in the flesh but he is a Iew which is hid within the circumcision of the hart which is the cutting off of carnall desires and is the true circumcision This circumcision was in price with God wyth the which the gentiles as Iob were circumcised And in like maner may we say of our Baptisme he is not a Christen man which is washed wyth water neither is that baptisme which is outwarde in the flesh but that is the very baptisme which God alloweth to be baptised spiritually in the hart that is to subdue and wéed out the braunches of sinne that it raigne not in your mortall bodies and bring thē into bōdage vnder it of y e which our Baptisme is but a signe And there are many I doubt not which are thus spiritually baptized although theyr bodies touch no water as there were gentiles thus spiritually circumcised and yet neuer cutte of the foreskinne of theyr priuy members Furthermore the children of the vncircumcision are of the people and congregation of God aswell as the children of the Hebrewes vnder the law were members of theyr congregation I take the congregation of God in thys place euen somewhat largely that is for all them that are thought or coūted to be the members of Christ as it is taken Mathew 13. where Christe compareth it vnto a nette which receyueth both good fish and euill and agayne Mathew 25. where he likeneth the kingdome of heauen that is to say the congregation of God vnto x. virgins of the which v. were wise and v. foolish but I speake not in this place of the elect sanctifyed and inuisible congregation which is wythout spotte and wrinckle and onely knowne vnto God which hath chosen her before the foundations of the worlde were layde neyther is it to be estéemed but that God is as mercyfull vnto vs which are of the spirituall Israell as he was vnto the carnall Israell S. Iohn S. Paule and such other were they not being infantes of the cōgregation of God elect in Christ Iesu before the creation of the worlde howbeit in theyr infancy they neither had fayth nor yet knew any thing of this election Mathew Zacheus the théef and Mary Magdalene were they not likewise so chosē yet they themselues knew it not vntill they were lightened of the holy Ghost and drawne vnto Christ by our heauenly Father neyther knoweth any man of an others election but euery man may knowe hys owne through hys fayth and will that he hath to fulfill the law of God Of this sensible congregation of Christ was Iudas yea and all the other which after forsooke Christ neither wist the Apostles but that Iudas had bene of the elect sanctifyed and inuisible congregation of Christ as well as Peter or Iohn so that our iudgement recounteth all faythfull and chosen that séeme to be but Christ knoweth them that are hys and them that shall forsake him Nowe is there an opinion risen amōg certaine which affirme y e childrē may not be baptised vntill they come vnto a perfecte age and that because they haue no faithe but verely me thinketh that they are farre from the méekenesse of Christe and his spirite which when children were broughte vnto him receiued them louingly and embraced them in his armes Mat. 9. and when his Disciples blamed the bringers he called them vnto hym saying suffer children to come vnto me and forbid them not for of such is the kingdom of heauen Luk. 18. And albeit they haue no faith but are only of that inuisible congregation that is w t out spot or wrinkel yet as I haue saide they haue a promisse as well as the children of the Hebrewes by the which they are of the visible congregation which thing only is testified in theyr baptisme So it appeareth that these men are ignorāt what baptisme is For oure baptisme doth not testifie that we are of that pure congregation which was chosen and sanctified in Christe before the worlde began which haue theyr names wrytten in the booke of life of the which it is not possible that one shoulde perishe for then were it a false testimonie séeing many whiche are baptised fall afterward into perillous heresies and vtter desperation which bringeth them vnto deathe euerlasting And as for faith if they haue none when they are baptised lette them pray vnto God to giue it them afterwarde for the lacke of fayth hurteth not the sacramente but the sacrament may be as well ministred vnto a miscreant as to a faithfull if he say that he hathe faythe or haue any promise of God but thys matter will I passe ouer for I truste the English vnto whō I wryte this haue no such opinions Nowe will I procéede wyth the second poynte of this sacrament which is the signification The signification of baptisme is described of Paule in the. 6. of y e Romaines that as we are plunged bodily into the watēr Euen so we are dead buried with Christe from sinne and as we are lifted again out of the water euen so are we risen with Christe from oure sinnes that we mighte héereafter walke in a newe conuersation of lyfe So that these two things that is to be plunged in the water and lifte vp againe doe signifie and represent the whole pith and effect of baptisme that is the mortification of our olde Adam the rising vp of our new man What is y ◠old Adam verely euē that by
and by what authoritie your highe pollitike rule saued that you dare géeue either of these kindes to the laye men seyng they were both alonely geuen to the Apostles for eueÌ„ by that authoritie that you haue power to take away the one kynd by that selfe same haue you power to take away the other for they were both geuen at once and indifferently to the receiuers so that as many as receiued the one receiued also the other and to them that hée sayd take and eate this this is my body to them hée sayd drinke all of this c. Now if you may thus take away y e partes of y e sacramentes at your pleasure y e coÌ„sequent shall bée y â— incontinuance all the sacramentes shal be destroyed and Christes word set at naught Wherefore my Lord this blasphemous euation will not helpe you but such shamfull solutions must they vse that will be agaynst the open worde of God Amend your conscience my Lorde for if you doe not remeÌ„ber the terrible wordes of y â— Prophet hée shall shake his sword bend his bowe make it al ready therein hath hée prepared the shot of death his arrowes for to burne This is no smal threatning nor lightly to auoide But let vs sée what the scriptures say that which I gaue vnto you I receaued of y e Lord. Marke S. Paules wordes how hée receaued this thyng of the Lorde c. The Lord Iesus the same night in y e which hée was betraied tooke bread and thanked and brake it and sayde Take ye and eate this is my body which is broken for you this doe yée in the remembraunce of mée After y e same manner hée tooke the cup said this cup is the New testament in my bloud this doe as oft as you drinke in the rememberaunce of mée for as often as you shall eate this bread and drinke this câ—p you shall shew the Lordes death tyll hée come Marke diligently how S. Paule declareth how the Lord Iesus Christ dyd institute this blessed and comfortable sacrameÌ„t in both kindes and in both kindes dyd mynister it hymselfe and not that all onely but also enacted this coÌ„mauÌ„dement to all Christen people which must receiue it This doe as often c. Yea and this commauÌ„dement is geueÌ„ after the Sacrament is ministred in both kinds Teaching vs that in both kindes the Lord hath instituted this Sacrament to bée receiued and also that they y â— so receaue it not breake this commaundement of the Lorde This doe as often c. This commaundement S. Paule did not lightly let slyp but hée knew that it was the ordinaunce and y e commaundement of the Lord and also knew y e one iot or tytle of his wordes should not nor ought nor can not bée let slip without perrell of the soules of them y â— so littell makes of his word And therfore hée durst not nor would not and yet hée had as great auctoritie as the counsell of constance let slip or tanspose the institution and commaundement of the Lord but wholy and fully with all diligence hée wrote those wordes vnto all the whole congregation of the Corinthians not to the ministers or priestes all onely but to the whole congregation that is as well to the mynisters of the word as to lay men and also the contrary for hée sayth when you come togither that you may perceaue y â— hée speakes indifferently hée there reproueth theÌ„ that tarryed not for poore men And also these wordes bée playne who so euer shall eate of this bread and drink of this cup worthely c. Now vnto this whole congregatioÌ„ I doubt not but by y e spirit of the Lord which sawe béefore this damnable errour to bée instituted of antichrist and his very all onely mynisters hée sayd drinke you yea and to reproue and manifestly to declare this open errour hée adeth this worde Cuppe signifying and teaching that Christes ordinaunce is not to receaue the bloud in the body onely but to receaue the bloud after his institution by it selfe out of the cup lest they should bée found correctours and blasphemers of the holy institution and commaundement of the Lord Of whom S. Paule receaued this coÌ„maundemeÌ„t and of no couÌ„sels Now what ChristeÌ„ man can doubt but our M. Christ to whom all thing is bare and open both things present also to come knew that there was bloud in his owne body Also Saynt Paule his scholer which learned this lesson of hym was not ignorant that there was bloud in his body And yet firste our maister Christ géeueth his bloud alone by it selfe out of the cup and his diligent scholer knowyng the doctrine of his maister dyd the same regardyng his maisters doctrine and preferring it before his carnall reasoÌ„ which knew that there was bloud in euery body but his maisters doctrine taught him that his maister kept not his bloud in his body but for vs lost and damned persons for our innume rable detestable and aboue all capacitie to declare damnable and abhominable sinnes brake his body shed his bloude thereout plentously and therewith made sacrifice and satisfactioÌ„ for all our sinnes as Saint Iohn sayth The bloud of Iesus Christ clen seth vs from all sinne also we are sanctified by the offeryng of the body of Iesus Christ once for all Now that all Christen men which bée sanctified by the offeryng of this body and by sheadyng the bloud out of this body shoulde alwayes haue both those partes in remeÌ„braunce hée according as the bloud was deuided froÌ„ the body for all sinners indiffereÌ„tly that will come vnto Christe and accordyng to his maisters institution commauÌ„dement ministred this Sacrament and also ordeined it to bée ministred to all men The body by it selfe the bloud by it selfe That they might alway not remember alonely that our Sauiour Christ offered his body for vs but also shed out of that same body his most precious bloud and therfore sayth S. Paule as his maister Christ taught him As often as you shall eate this bread and drinke this cup you shall shew the Lordes death till hée come Now my Lordes come to your counselles Christ and S. Paule defendeth thys thyng partinaciter as you call it that is stifly and strongly wyll they abide by it and will not reuoke it Wherfore after the decrée of your Counsell they bée condemned for heretickes I can no more say but God helpe them for there is no remedy with them but they must néedes to the fier for they will not bée abiured in no wise It is a piteous case that two so good men as these bée will bée thus openly agaynst the decrée of the holy counsell yea and against so many and so noble fathers and so great clarkes the which knew this matter as ye say as well as they and it is not to bée thought that the holy Ghost would leaue so