Steven bishop of wynchester to the reader.  
GOD give thee (gentle reader) judgement to discern truth from untruth. between which two, in the persons of me and joy, thou shalt see contention. Wherein I have not such regard to the man, to dispute with him (whom by saint Paul's counsel, after so many admonitions, I should eschew) but only to treat the matter, which needeth true explication. As I have contemned the jolly hunter and other janglers, wisely in my friends opinions: so should I do joy, for any thing he hath said of me. And against joy I strive not, who overturneth himself, but am enforced to talk with him, as a meddler in the thing, which I can not pretermit, and suffer undeclared. I can not frame my writings meet for all men's capacities, either learning faileth, or the matter will not suffer, good will wanteth not, which I would wish, were throughly persuaded unto thee, with this also, that albeit, th'articles of our belief, with knowledge sufficient, for direction of our living, to god's pleasure, may be comprehended of rude and unlearned wits: yet the discussion of the scriptures, requireth gods further gifts of erudition and learning. Farewell.   

To George joy.  
AFter your book hath been well worn in the hands of your favourers, it is come at the last to mine, If I had sooner had it, I would sooner have entered thopening of that matter, not to contend with you (whose railing I esteem no more than I do the ioylye hunters of the fox, and other of that rabble) but to declare the truth, in the matters ye improve: therror wherein, is very dangerous, and the true understanding very profitable. Ye take upon you to confute Winchester's false articles, as ye term them: the truth whereof, I shall examine hereafter, In the mean time I marvel, how such matter as I spoke by mouth, in the instructing and teaching of Barns, at such time, as by his own suit, to the kings majesty he submitted himself to be my scholar, should come to your hands written or unwritten, and who told tales out of the school▪ For Barnes had but one school fellow with him, and between us was no writing, but taking upon me the place of a teacher at Barnes desire: I uttered some such matters as ye write of, but more at large, to Barnes and his school fellow, by way of doctrine, with some other explication, than ye do set fourth. And it shall not be out of purpose, to speak somewhat of Barnes, of mine acquaintance with him, and what hath chanced between him and me, whereby may appear, how truly & charitably you master joy and such as ye be report of me concerning Barns, whom I knew first, at Cambridge, a trim minion frere Augustine, one of a merry skoffing wit frerelike, and as a good fellow in company was beloved of many, a doctor of divinity he was, but never like to have proved to be either martyr or confessor in Christ's religion, 
●uther exceeths in the eat of ray●nge and joy doth netely for a collar, the ●yly hunter nay compare ●ith either.  and yet he began there to exercise railing (which among such, as newly profess christ, is a great piece of cunning, and a great forwardness to reputation specially if he rail of Bishops, as Barnes began, and to▪ please such of the lower sort, as envieth ever authority) chief against my lord Cardinal, then under the kings majesty, having the high administration of the realm. It chanced at the same time, a friend of Barnes, in cambridge, to be sued for just debt, by his neighbour, which creditor, for no entreaty that Barnes could make, would leave his suit, but have his debt paid him, as the law would, whereat Barnes waxed angry, & began to preach of it, 
Barnes began at th● lewdest opinion of the anabaptists whereby to extinct th● order of justice.  & as he warmed in the matter, spoke so much the more violently, & to show himself stout, plainly affirmed in the pulpit, that it was not lawful for one christian man, to sue an other, and that he would stand by, and prove by saint Paul. Of this preaching complaint was made to the vicechaunceloure, and after the matter hard among the doctoures, and somewhat spoken sharply by one doctor Preston (whom Barns could not bear) it was ordered, that Barnes should recant that false assertion, which is an article of the anabaptists, upon refusal whereof by Barnes, the matter was brought to my lord cardinals knowledge, 
● wantonne ●yghtnes so ●o ieeste at ●hose days ●f one in so ●igh authority and without all ●ute of edification.  with accumulation of such railings and iestinges as Barnes had made, against mitres and crosses, and all my lord cardinals havour, so far as in his sermons in place of carnal affections, he termed them cardinal affections, wherein he pleased some, at those days. At the time of this accusation of Barnes: I was in service with my lord Cardinal, of acquaintance with Barnes: 
Almost all ●at have ●n notable ●aue been of ●y special acquaintance. I have ●ued the ●n, and ●er hated ●e noughty opinion frō●e beginning.  and not accounted his enemy, and yet I thank god, never favoured such strange opinions, as he and some other wantonly began to set forth, but because there was not then in them malice, and they maintained communication, having some savour of learning, I was familiar with such sort of men, and was then sorry for Barns, and glad to help him, so far as might stand with my duty, to my lord my master against whom he railed. And yet that railing, in a frere had been easily pardoned, if Barnes had not fond persisted in the anabaptists opinion, denying suits to be lawful among christian men. And I laboured with Barnes secretly to bring that out of his head, wherein he yielded to me, upon the showing to him, of a saying of saint Austen, expounding the scripture, where Barnes took his error. So as afterward Barnes was content to abjure that opinion, with crosses staves and mitres, 
My lord Cardinal would not s●f●r Barnes railing w● be at libert●  and all his jesting matter, and all this time took me for his friend, as I was in deed, his folly set apart, & had showed him as I thought, a friendly turn. When Barnes afterward had broken out of the keeping of the freres besides Stanforde, & escaped out of the realm, 
Barnes ●oke remaineth in print ●hereby the ●uth hereof ●ay appear.  the first tidings I hard of him, was in a book made by him and printed, wherein he wrote, how doctor Steuens (by which name I was then called) had deceived him, by showing him a place of saint Austen and thereby had inveigled him, to leave his opinion for I showed him not (he said) the hole saying of saint Austen but a piece of the beginning, & if I had red it him thoroughly, the latter part had made, for confirmation of his opinion. And this reward had I, for the first friendly deed I did him, Sins which time, at his repair into England under safe conduit, not to be touched, for such suit he made upon pretence, that he had matter to show worthy to be known, I chanced to meet with him at Hampton court, where in the presence of my lord of Caunturbury, that now is, I laid that misreport of me, to his charge, and there showed him the book, to see saint Augustine's words, which in the first part & also last part, condemned his anabaptistical opinion. Whereupon Barns fill down on his knees, and asked me instantly forgiveness, with promiss to write a book to the world, wherein to declare, that he had belied me. Upon which reconciliation, I had Barnes home to my house that night and made him the best cheer I could. And hitherto I trust no man can judge, I should persecute Barns, but Barnes me, because I suffered him not to be worthily burnt. But after he was reconciled I forgot that, & Barnes forgot also to purge me, and blame himself to the world of his lie against me. After this Barns returned freely into England, and lived here triumphantly, till by his own pride and arrogancy, he sought his own confusion and persecuted himself, 
The material points of this story, ●e either public within memory or have such witness as all men will, (I think) believe, for they be indifferent/ and the truth of the matter should much declare me, and disprove such as rail to the contrary.  wherein I was only an occasion as a stumbling stone, but otherwise no doer but a sufferer, as in the truth of the story shall appear. In declaration whereof, think not amiss of me (reader) for I mean only the reformation of such as seduced by false prophets, be wrong borne in hand, and have feigned lies told them, of such as they take for masters in learning, and other, noted to be their adversaries. Among which adversaries, I have been noted, as I have not been, ne am angry at it: but as I have not merited, and therefore have taken it for a lesson, what I should have done, and aught to do, for else I have been wonderful negligent to deserve any such brute amongs men, Those help I never yet searched to uphold the truth, 
I deserve no praise herein but only because I tell truth.  neither by friendship ne secret communication I have not kept one scholar at cambridge or Oxford sins I was bishop to be brought up in the catholic opinion, which is also mine, I have not gone about to allure by any worldly enticement any man to it: but have followed therein thadmonition of the word of scripture I write Vana salus hominis. As I have been called, in place, I have used th'opportunity, and as I have been provoked, I have written and spoken as I have done to Bucer: and as I do now to you master joy, but else I am persuaded, that being the truth, a matter which god hath to heart, and under him the kings majesty, 
The sunday before in the court at dinner upon complaint of the Dean that he was unprovided, the orde great chamberlain ●amed me which I ●ould● not ●efuse.  I may with untimely business in it, and out of my place, rather hinder then further. According to which determination, when I had preached the first friday in the beginning of Lent. Anno. M.D.xxxix. before the kings majesty upon the words of the prophet, Clama ne cesses, & had cried out somewhat, that Barnes and some other liked not, 
I take heresies in the church to be ●ke biles in ● man's body which ouer●one lanced ●are sorer: ●nd in time ●trifie their matier, and ●ele of their ●elfe with a little clen●ng plaster ●f the chief ●urgeon.  where I was desired by a learned friend, to procure that I might preach, that day all the Lent, to him I answered, that I was called suddenly to make the sermon I had made, and spoke therein that I thought to be spoken, but I would not meddle so far as to advance myself further in the matter to make myself a captain against them, for mine opinion was, that they should not dissolve by policy against them, but by excess of their own malice work their own confusion, some confirmation, whereof incontinently followed, as I shall truly tell, whereof I have witness living, I minded some sunday of that lent, to preach at Paul's cross, as I had been years before accustomed, and upon the first saturday in lent, going to Lambehith there to be occupied all that day, I devised with my chaplain that he should go that day, and know who should occupy the cross that lent, and to speak for a place for me on one of the sundays, not meaning the sunday, that should be on the morrow, for I had in my mind more reverence to that audience, than without some convenient premeditation, to show myself there. Nevertheless my chaplain, repairing to know, how the sundays were appointed, and understanding that Barnes should preach the first sunday (which was the morrow) thought in his mind, rather to take that day for me then any other, specially because he thought I would speak that was good, and Barnes should be disappointed to utter that was nought. And so when I had done my business at Lambehith (which ended not afore five of the clock that saturday) my chaplain then waiting for me told me he had been so bold over me, to appoint me to preach the next day at Paul's cross, adding how he thought better to disappoint Barns on the morrow than some other catholic man, appointed on other sundays. Whereupon I gathered my wits to me, called for grace, and determined to declare the gospel of that sunday, containing the devils three temptations, the matter whereof seemed to be very apt, 
Apart of m● sermon at Paul's cross the first sunday of lent An. M.D.xxxix.  to be applied to the time, and good occasion, to note the abuse of scripture among some, as the devil abused it to christ, which matter in deed, I touched somewhat plainly, and in my judgement truly. And alluding to the temptation of the devil to christ, to cast himself downward, alleging scripture that he should take no hurt. I said now a days, the devil tempteth the world, and biddeth them cast themself backward. There is no forward in the new teaching, but all backward. Now the devil teacheth, come ba●ke from fasting, come back from praying, come back from confession, come back from weeping for thy sins, and all is backward, in so much as he must learn to say his Pater noster backward and where we said, forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtor, now it is, as thou forgivest our debts, so I will forgive my debtor, and so God must forgive first, and all I said is turned backward. And amongs other things noted the devils craft, what shift he useth to deceive man whose felicity he envieth, and therefore coveteth to have man idle, and void of good works, & to be led in that idleness, with a wan hope, to live merely and at his pleasure here, and yet have heaven at the last: And for that purpose, procured our pardons from Rome, wherein heaven was sold for a little money, & for to retail that merchandise, the devil used freres for his ministers: now they be gone with all their tromperye, but the devil is not yet gone. And now he perceiveth it can no longer be borne to buy & sell heaven (both the merchandise is abhorred, and the ministers also, we can not away with freres, ne can abide the name) The devil hath excogitate, to offer heaven without works for it, so freely that men shall not need for heaven to work at all, what so ever opportunity they have to work, marry if they will have an higher place in heaven, god will leave no work unrewarded, but as to be in heaven, needs no works at all, but only belief, only, only, nothing else. And to set forth this the devils craft, there were (I said) ministers, but no more friars, fie on the name and the garment, but now they be called, by an english name, brethren, and go appareled like other men, amongs which be some of those that were freres, and served the devil in retailing of heaven in pardons, for they can skill of the devils service. But if the kings majesty as he hath banished freres by the French name, would also banish these that call themself brethren in english, the devil should be greatly discomforted in his enterprise, and idleness thereby banished, which the devil will else persuade by mysunderstandinge of scriptures, as he did in th'advancement of pardons. This my sermon was thought to some very plain, and Barnes (as he confessed after, and as appeared by that he did) could not digest it, but was persuaded and comforted to handle me somewhat rudely, which he did the sunday fourtnyght after, in the same place, where he took to entreat the same text of the gospel, that I had declared, and left the scripture of the sunday he preached on, which had not been seen in that place before. 
Barnes preaching at Paul's cross the third sunday in lent An. M.D.xxxix.  There he began to call for me, to come forth to answer him, he termed me to be a fighting cock, and he was an other, and one of the game, he said I had no spoores, and that he would show. 
This glory endured but till the friday after, by which time he had for gotten all: on the saturday chose his schoolmaster: and the monday came to school like a good child.  And after he had pleased himself in thallegory of a cockefight, then upon a foolish conclusion, he cast me openly his glove, and not content therewith, he called me forth by my name gardener, and opposed me in my grammar rules, and said: If I had answered him in the school, as I had there preached at the cross, he would have given me two stripes, and raged after such a sort, as the like hath not been heard done in a pulpete (ordered to declare the word of god in, and not to touch any particular man) as he railed of me, by name alluding to my name Gardener, what evil herbs I set, in the garden of scripture, so far beyond the terms of honesty, as all men wondered at it, to hear a Bylshop of the realm as I was, so reviled, and by such one openly. So as my friends enforced me to complain unto the kings majesty and for maintenance of common order, not to pass▪ it over unspoken of. Whereupon I complained caring more for the perverse doctrine he went about to establish in depraving of me, then for any displeasure, could come unto me by his railing. How graciouselye the kings majesty heard the complaint, and how indifferently his majesty after his accustomed goodness, ordered thexamination of it, all good men might have cause to rejoice, and Barnes no cause of grief but cause of comfort, in the kings majesties mercy, if he would have earnestly embraced it. For what so ever followed worthily by justice, 
If Barne● had not extremely abused the kings majesties goodness for a little vain glory among such as magnified him for their own purpose, he had escaped all punishment.  the kings majesty offered Barnes as much mercy, as ever did prince any offender, declaring how his highness, was desirous of concord in the truth, rather than the punishment of any man that would from error be reduced to the truth: And one notable thing was done, in the hearing of that matter, by the kings majesty, when Barnes offered to yield to his highness in his opinion: the kings grace sitting secretly in his closet, and having with him the late Earl of Southampton (whose soul God pardon) the master of the horse that now is, Me, Barnes, master doctor Cocks, and doctor Robinson. The kings highness, 
A behaviour and speech of the kings majesty, secretly done, & worthy, an open knowledge and eternal memory.  at that offer of Barnes, said, I am (ꝙ his majesty) a mortal man, and therewith rising, & turning to the sacrament, and putting of his bonnet said: Yonder is the master of us all, author of truth, yield in truth to him, and I shall (saith the kings majesty) defend that truth. And otherwise Barnes (ꝙ the kings majesty) yield not to me. Much more there was notably spoken by the kings highness, to reform Barnes folly, in his manner & also learning, which I touch not because I should rather impair and diminish that was in deed said, then tell it fully. But to the purpose I tell this story for, I desired the kings majesty, that Barnes and I might comen together of the matter, out of his highness presence, in the hearing of certain, to be appointed by his highness as indifferent to make report of our dispiteous, and then Barnes should have no cause to excuse himself if he could not convince me, as he did in the pulpete, only touching the truth of his doctrine disproving mine. For as for his rebukes, I clearly remitted and forgave them, and would common as quietly with him as if he had used no such language of me, which my petition, the kings majesty granted, and appointed master doctor Cocks, and master doctor Robynson with two other to be indifferent hearers between Barns and me, and only to hear us talk together, and make report to his highness. Whereupon that night (which was the friday. after Barnes had preached so outrageously of me) Barnes, I, and the hearers, were apart, where none other might hear us. And for entry of disputation, between Barnes and me, I told him I began with forgiving all was past, that might touch me, I began in friendship with him, only intending to try the truth of the doctrine in controversy between him and me, and therein I offered him choice, whether he would have me answer him, or he to answer me. He chase to answer me, whereupon I prepared myself to fashion certain arguments to him of the scriptures, 
rehearse this ●t for my ●ise, but to ●are Bar●s v●l●rned ●ogancie.  and to my first argument he could make no answer, I made him an other, and thereunto he could say nothing, but then desired me that I would spare him for answer to them, that night, and we should come together again erelye the next morning, and so go through, I told him I was content, and yet if I should strive with him for glory, after a childysshe fashion and like a grammarian, such one as he fashioned me in the pulpete, all the time he studied for his answer I should decline, Nton convictus, 
May● doctor co● and may● doctor R●bynson w● present▪ ● know ● to be true  gton convicti. etc. but that were boyeshnes in deed. And therefore he should have all the night to study on, to make answer with all my heart, and I would also do so much for him, as to tell him a third of mine arguments, and bad him think upon that against the morning also, and so departed for that night. In the morning, we assembled be times according to the appointment. At which time Barnes went about to assoil mine arguments, I replied to his solutions, and so spent two hours very quietly and patiently. And suddenly, beyond all our expectations when it was Barnes part to have spoken, he fell on both his knees, and desired me to have pity upon him good bishop and spoke so many words to my glory and in praise of my learning, 
● durst ne● write ●th this, ●d I had ●t the fore●de witness ● living  as I was ashamed to hear them, and dare not for vainglory rehearse now. And I did no more acknowledge his praise there, to give to me that I had not, than his dispraise in the pulpit to take from me that I had, for I had neither more or less for either of both, but such was Barnes haviour then, so far discrepant from that in the pulpit, and therefore I tell this matter. In that submission Barnes granted himself overcome, & desired he might be my scholar, to be instructed of me, and required all them present to be means to the kings highness that I might so take him, & desired me to forget all, and he trusted if he were with me, his wit should not mislike me. This change in Barnes was so far from that I looked for, that I used it in an other extremity, I took him up from kneeling, I remembered old familiar knowledge, assured him of me, I refused to be his schoolmaster, 
It is har● meddling with such manner of 〈◊〉 if a man pr●cure their punishment 〈◊〉 they deseru● there followeth diffamation of cruelty. if man would d● them good it is sclau●dered as corruption or flattery.  but being as I perceived, he was minded to fall from error, I would communicate unto him some honest portion of my living, and named xl. li. a year, and he to live felowlyke with me in my house. And this I rehearse because it was told abroad afterward, how I offered him xl▪ li. a year to leave his opinion, but he would not. But to Barnes again, he would needs be my scholar for aught I could do, and said God had given a gift to me, wherewith to do much good, and then going a part with me from the rest, began familiarly to devise which scolefelowes it were expedient to have to school with him, and there devised me a great meany of scholars besides himself, 
● write not ●ll be ●olde 〈◊〉, for I will ●blysshe no ●ore th●n I ●n prove.  who reformed, all should be well (he said) and in speaking of scholars, told me many things that I knew not before, but I concluded with him, that he might bring one to school with him and he would, but I would no more at ones. Whereupon the kings highness advertised of the conclusion of the matter between Barnes and me, was content that Barnes should repair to my house at London the monday following, which he did with a school fellow with him, neither jerarde nor Iherome, but an other yet alive. And at that time, in teaching Barnes, 
Such me● as master joy is corrupt all they meddle with.  I uttered such articles as ye master joy have put forth in print, but not all together so as ye rehearse them, for they have a mark that they have passed your hands, that is to say, be a little corrupt and falsified, as I show afterwards. When master Barnes had gone to school two days, he waxed weary of that humility, and came the third day, and signified to me that if I would take him as one that came to confer, he would come still, but else he would no more come, I perceived from whence the change came, & told him, 
Such is th● constancy of men of that sort.  seeing he had ones yielded himself to me as a scholar, I would so use him, till I saw him better learned able to be my fellow, which he had not yet attained sins saturday, at which time he made the submission. Hereupon they began to spread abroad an envious rumour of me that I would be school master to all the realm, and many good morrows, and so was I rid of my wayward scholar, and never meddled with him after. 
At the solemn easter sermon. a, M.D.xl  Barns in deed troubled me yet once again at my being at saint Mary spittle by commandment, 
After Barnes had given up my school he renounced his opinion to the kings majesty and promised to recant, not at my suit, persecution, or prosecution.  and sitting there by the Mayor to hear him preach, and recant in writing, to the conceiving whereof I was not privy. But when Barnes right solemnly and formally had made his recantation in the formour part of his sermon, at th'end of that: he cried out to me, & asked me forgiveness with a marvelous circumstance, as though the world should think I had had need of such a public obtestation, and needs I must hold up my hand in token of a grant, and where I, encumbered with shamefastness, 
Barnes w● not apppointed thus t● do, nor it was not needful, I was in authority, wherefore f●re me, no meddled no further w● him, and h● forgiven h● before.  did not by and by as he required, he called for it again, and bade me hold up my hand. So it liked him with a courage to play with me, and to blind the other submission done secretly, as though it had been of none other sort, and therewith to boast his own charity, and bring mine in doubt. And when he had in the pulpete played these two parts, to recant his opinion as he was appointed: and ask me forgiveness which he did of wantonness, them after the prayer he beginneth a process of a matter, 
There is thing m● true them th●ne more de●stable in a subject, so openly to ●lude his p● & soueray● lord, bes●● the injury the truth.  and plainly and directly preacheth the contrary, of that he had recanted, so evidently, as the Mayer of himself, asked whether he should from the pulpete send him to ward, to be fourth coming to answer for his contemptuous behaviour, to preach in the same place, to the same people, the contrary to his recantation. But Barnes was not stayed, ne spoken to, whiles Iherome and Iherarde had both preached and followed the same trade. 
●his ne●ly●n●e was ●tabl● in ●e late lord ●mwel●●ho not ●arkynge noughlye ●hat was ●ritten in ●em, caused ●m self those ●ers to be ●dde to o●er, and so ●lled Bar●es and his ●owes knaves.  The kings majesty had appointed certain to make report of the sermons, before which report, one that favoured them, had written to his friend at the court, how gaily they had all handled the matter, both to satisfy the recantation and also in the same sermons to utter out the truth, that it might spread without let of the world, and this letter by negligence came to light whereupon, and report of the sermons, they were all apprehended, and by the secret counsel (to which company I had then none access, ne had not almost a year before, ne had not after so long as Crumwels' time lasted) sent to the tower, 
when Ba●nes was s● to the tow● I was 〈◊〉 of the priu● counsel.  and thereupon ensued further process, by the hole realm, whereunto I was privy, but among the rest. And otherwise then I have rehearsed, I have not persecuted Barnes, and as I have told the story, so it was done. And think me not (good reader) so much a beast, that all such being yet alive, in whose presence and knowledge these matters have passed between Barnes and me. I would vainly feign in such a tale, wherein I account not mine estimation to have overcome Barns, for he was not learned, and should much hinder mine estimation, if any man could in the I have told, reprove me of a lie. For so much the tale may be profitable to thee (reader) to consider how things be blowed and blustered abroad with lies, & how Barnes death is laid to my charge, 
●he numbered three signi●th infinite, ●●d so often 〈◊〉 I forgive 〈◊〉: and ●●erefore am 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 and ●as as Da●●d did persecute Saul.  that have only suffered at Barnes hand, and never did any thing to him, but ever forgave him, and he ever used forgiveness, never to amend, but to delude & trifle. And if any would note my blindness in vainglory, that because Barnes yielded to be my scholar of policy (as David feigned himself mad before Achis) I could not espy it, 
Thus the 〈◊〉 examples 〈◊〉 scripture 〈◊〉 applied to ●uer lewd ●ens faults, ●hen they lie 〈◊〉 examinaci●n, that is as ●braham de●●d Sara. 〈◊〉 they coun●●f●t, that is 〈◊〉 david 〈…〉 fore this. Exem●lum placet.  but take it in earnest. I would to such say, that if Barnes counterfeited in that submission, he deceived more aswell as me, and in deed, a man in his own praise may soon be made a fool. And one of that company told me (whom I take for my friend) that he had not thought to hear so much divinity of me, ne se so moche charity in a bishop. How this matter shall be taken, I remit to the indifferency of the reader, I mente good faith with Barnes and simply, and further meddled not with him than I have rehearsed, wherein appeareth on my behalf no malice, and there appeareth also upon what occasion I have uttered such articles as joy will now confute for false, which how substantially he doth, by comparing his and mine together, I shall entreat hereafter.  
He beginneth his book thus.  
joy.. I Chanced upon certain articles, entitled to the Bishop of Winchester, called Steven Gardener, 
In this reckoning joy hath overshot him sel●  which were written against doctor Barnes & his two fellows, brent M.D.xxxix. for preaching only faith to justify.  
Winton YOur entry to the matter, is fit for your process. For neither did I ever write such articles: ne Barnes was burnt for preaching only faith justifieth. I was by Barnes choice (as is aforesaid) his scolemayster, at which time we entreated th'article of only faith justifieth, as shall hereafter appear  
joy. By these his articles, Winchester would prove that works must justify, that is to say, with our works we must merit the remission of our sins, which doctrine, as it is contrary to god's word: so is it infuriouse to Christ's blood, whose godly name is one alone, for all sufficient, even that same precious hid treasure in the gospel: in whom (saith Paul) are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden, for in him dwelleth the most perfect fullness, of god verily, and in him are we complete even perfectly justified without any inweyvinge of Winchester's works. This thing do I tell you (saith Paul) lest any man (as now would Winchester) deceive you with his apparent popish persuasions. This full justification by only faith Paul expresseth clearly in these words also. This our everlasting living priest, and intercessor Christ abideth for ever unto this end, even absolutely, fully and perfitly without any lack or breath to save all them, that through him by faith come to god the father. Here are we taught Christ to have an everlasting priesthood to save perfectly, and sufficiently through our faith only, and that he ever liveth unto the same end, wherefore for the defence of our so plenteous and perfit redemption, and for the rich favour & mercy of our heavenly father, and free forgiveness, in Christ's passion through our faith only, and that the glory of his grace, whereby he hath made us his dearly beloved chosen children, through his beloved son, should be praised, by whom we have redemption through his blood, even the remission of sins, according to the riches of his so plenteous grace, unable to be minished. To defend this my lord gods glory (I say) and to warn the simple unlearned that they be not deceived by such blasphemous bishops articles, I shall by gods help, justly by his word, clearly confute them, although he yet teach & preach them, into his own damnation, and deceiving of as many as believe him.  
Winton IT is of like truth that ye affirm of me, that I would by these articles prove, that works must justify. I never went about to prove that: How so ever it liketh you to report of me. I never wrote so, I never preached so, I never affirmed so, ne enterprised to teach Barns so, at the time he was my scholar. As for your (that is to say, with our works we must merit the remission of our sins) I would not be a feared to use that speech, if you and other had not to the world defamed and slandered the word (merit) but now seeing ye have beaten it into the ears of your hearers and readers, that merit is as much to say, as worthily, fully, and wholly to deserve, none otherwise then a workman deserveth his wages, for his labour and travail, (the world by your preaching taking the word in that sense) it were in deed an occasion of offence and slander to such sort of men, and in the first appearance, contained blasphemy against the passion of christ, which in the sight of god, is only sufficient sacrifice for the sin of all the world, so full and perfit as it needeth not any addition or supplement of any man's desert to the appeasing of gods just wrath against man for sin. And therefore ye shall not need to speak of half saviours, or patched saviours, or else bring in your allegations to prove christ a only redeemer. It is the first letter of our cross row. It is the foundation of our faith. Only christ is our mediator. Christ's only passion is our redemption, justice, and satisfaction. And when Barnes went to school with me (as his scoolefelowe can report) this article was first without any variance agreed on, 
●s scoole●owe is ye●●yue and cā● I say ●th  with such explication as scriptures do testify, that only Christ is our hope, only christ is our life, only christ is our way, only christ our saviour, holly, thoroughly, perfectly, absolutely, totally, entirely, fully, and herein no tongue can express so much as the matter truly containeth, ne there was ever any so mad as to bring this truth in question, where by to shake the foundation of our faith, & to bring in doubt that is so plain and evident, as ye would bear the people in hand men did, when learned men, impugn your frantic understanding of this truth. The contention is not of the preciousness, validity & effect of Christ's passion, but of the use of it. And where your doctrine should only imply that it is sufficient, to think & talk of Christ's passion, we say it is also necessary to some, to taste and feel of Christ's passion, and also to drink of it, as christ said. Potestis bibere calicem, quem ego bibiturus sum? Can ye drink the cup that I shall drink? And we with the grace of God doing the works of penance, taste and feel the passion of Christ, and as good men have called it meriting and deserving, to use the benefits of Christ's passion, and by strength thereof to do penance for sin, which hath been called likewise satisfaction, as wherein man satisfieth (that is to say) contenteth God, who sayeth: he willeth not the death of a sinner, but that he should turn to him and live. And in this speech, meriting and deserving, signifieth the due using of the benefit offered, after which sort we say also: He is worthy love and favour, that will leek for it, and do his duty to attain it. And in this wise the hole church prayeth. Omnipotens sempiterne deus da nobis fidei, spei, & charitatis augmentum, & ut mereamur assequi quod promit tis, fac nos amare quod precipis. and in this sense we speak of the merits of our Lady and other saints who used the benefits of God, to his pleasure and honour. And albeit the words have long continued in this sense, and in all tongues, yet such as you be, have maliciously impugned them, and caused them to sound, as though there were meant derogation to the benefit of Christ's passion by them, where in deed they do set forth thexcellency of the same, as by virtue of which passion, men in state of grace, purchased by Christ's mediation, do the works of justice, and sinners be called to grace to do the works of penance whereby to recover the favour of god, with remission and forgiveness of their sin. You will percase, find matter of railing, that I bring in the words of the common prayer of the church, for to show the use of the speech, in the word (merit) and call it papistical scripture. But I did it not for want, but upon that occasion to touch the matter. And now I add this gathered out of scripture, that like as in other actions or qualities being in God essential, we be called by participation, by the names attributed to god, & for so much, as we do participate have also the thing in deed. And therefore as God is goodness itself, we by participation from him, be good. As god is light itself, we by participation from him, be light. As god is wisdom itself, we by participation from him, be wise: So as christ merited and deserved thoroughly: we by participation in using his gifts, merit & deserve. And as christ satisfied fully, so by participation we also satisfy. And as our goodness light and wisdom by participation, is no addition, or derogation to god's goodness, light, or wisdom, in essence or being, no more is our meriting, deserving, or satisfaction: a derogation or supplement to the merits of Christ's passion, but only a due using of them, by the gift of his grace. Now how this participation is wrought, and by god's goodness derived to man: herein the world is troubled, but the speech with this sense hath no absurdity, and out of this sense it hath not been spoken in the common prayer of the church. But I did never utter this proposition, in these terms, to say: that man must merit remission of sin, nor I have not (as I remember) red it spoken in this form, till you have so termed it, only to make matter to talk of, by occasion whereof, ye tell a long tale of heresies as followeth.  
joy. In Paul's time there strayed about a certain idle sort and sect of heretics, called Nazares or Minei, the most subtle kind of men, in painting and persuading their false doctrine. These heretics troubled and perverted the churches, well instituted of the apostles, especially the galathians, Antiochens, and Romans, against whose heresies Paul did write so mightily and earnestly, confuting them. These pharisees laboured in the same heresy, in which Winchester now teacheth & writeth mixing thobseruaunceobservance of the law, with the grace of the gospel, even works with faith to justify. These Nazares confessed Christ to be god & man, that he died, rose again etc. but unto him only, through our faith, they attributed not all our hole justification, but part thereof (as now doth Winchester) to the works of the law, as unto our own merits & part to his passion, making Christ a saviour to halves. But is Christ divided (saith Paul)? These heretics descended out of the faction of the pharisees as now do our justiciaries, out of the Pelagians, whose rightwiseness (saith Christ) except ours excel more abundantly, we shall never come to heaven. These Nazaries were jews borne, but in name they would be called Christians, and yet nothing holding the benefit of grace by christ, confounding the law with the gospel, merits mixed with grace, free forgiveness, with deserving by works, contending no man to be saved by Christ, except he being circumcised, kept the law of Moses, against whom Paul with so great labour, far otherwise instituted his churches, preaching & writing constantly, our sins to be known & showed us by the law, and not thereby to be taken away only the grace of faith through Christ to justify all nations. Happy it was that these heretics sprung up in his days, whose epistles we have yet so myghtlye and clearly confuting and pressing down these heresies, now crept up again by Winchester. The chief articles of the christian religion, upon the which all other are stayed and grounded, is that in Christ jesus is all sufficiency and perfection of forgiveness of sins, & salvation, of whose fullness we receive grace for grace, as saith john. Wherefore as many as be justified, are justified by th'only faith in him, and by nothing else, as by any subsidiary, atteynement (as Winchester would have his helping wilworks) unto his full justification in Christ the perfection of the law. This is the sum of the hole Gospel. This is the station of the cause, the argument▪ and material of all Paul's pistels, even the treds●le or ground-sole whereupon, as the door is turned & returned, so are all his arguments and process, thereupon treated and retreated. And specially in his pystels to the Romans, Galath. & Hebrues. And now sith this bishop sterith up afresh these old heresies, we can have no better armour & arguments, than Paul made against him, first warning us of such seditious sect sowers, saying: There are many runners abroad, of whom I warned you often, but now with weeping tears I warn you again, even of the enemies of Christ's cross, whose end is damnation, whose belly is their god, and their glory shall end with shame, whose care and study is set upon earthly things. I can not marvel enough at this bishop, fighting so earnestly for good works to justify, that he doth none himself, but persecuteth Christ's church so cruelly, prison piteously, and destroy the poor innocent lambs of God, christes own blood, I pass over his luciferine pride, ambition, arrogancy, vicious living etc. above Nero, julian, Trajan, Herod, or any soft Sardanapale, By like he believeth not his own articles: for if he did, he would do better works for his own justification. The fruits of Paul's faith, being once a Pharisaie, of Winch. opinion, were the persecution of Christ's church, above measure, as himself testifieth. And as all like pharisees have ever done and do yet still unto this day. God convert them once, as he did Paul. So be it. We therefore with Paul and Christ affirm our only one alone saviour Christ, for his own merits and our faith into him through the favour of his father appeased in him to justify (that is) to absolve us, from our sins, and to give us life eternal. This our only saviour, we preach & write, to be the only rightwiseness, wisdom, holy maker, redemption and satisfaction, sufficient for all that believe in him. And if there be any that think Christ's rightwiseness his satisfaction, his merits, & redemption, made for us of his father not a sufficient justification & forgiveness of their sins, but that they must set their own works, checkmate with his passion & redemption, to help forth unto the atteynement of this effect of Christ's passion, (well) let them couple and wrap in their own works to, for their justification, and then in so doing, shall they procure their own damnation. For all our good works or rightwiseness (saith I say) are right filthy and nought, & so much the worse than nought, for that they be set in so high a place, equal with Christ's blood, which is a plain blasphemy. These unright rightwise makers would serve two contrary masters at ones, the pope and god to, the gospel & the pope's laws, but whiles they thus halt on both sides with Baal's priests, they serve truly the devil, which hath no concord with Christ, neither shall there any papist nor Christian believe them, for in conclusion ye shall see them to be justified, neither by works nor faith, but dampened for their unbelief, no man believing nor loving them by their wicked works procuring themself the hatred of all men.  
Winton WIthout I would encounter with you in railing I have nothing to say hereunto, but that ye spend a great meany of words in vain which shall more plainly appear, by than ye come to th'end of mine answer, and that your proper terms of subsidiary atteynement, wyllworkes, 
devisers of ●we terms ●e noted by ●ynt Paul ●● men of dissension ● religion:  and works checkmate, with such devices of new words (which saint Paul noteth, as a mark to tell what ye be) be all to no purpose. And besides the issue of the matter in hand, ye disprove troublers of the church with evil opinions, as though ye were none of them that troubled it, ye cry stowe the thief, to hide yourself with the noise, and thereby escape thattachment of the followers. I for myself, boast not my works to the world, but do the office of an hand, at a cross, to say this is the right way, and whether I steer or no, to enter the way myself, I have god to my judge, to whom I stand or fall, and ye take upon you to judge an other man's servant, I stir up no heresies, but as ye provoke me say my conscience to the disprove of such blasphemous heresies, as ye stir up. Wherein your asseverations and mine set apart, let the matter show itself. The scriptures ye have brought in against me, read them once again, and mark them for your own part, to whom most properly appertaineth to be called the runners about: to me, that speak to no man of the matter, but as I am provoked, or you that in your writings wander abroad and be in every man's ears and where ye dare appear, show yourself, and specially at Antwerp, to corrupt the youth, from whence one came of late, to search proofs, against your person, to disprove the false witness (as he said) ye had borne with your tongue, whether he belied you or no, I will not affirm, for albeit ye give me cause to doubt of your truth throughly, yet I will not comdemne you, in that I know not, as ye do me. But let us see what followeth in your book. Ye entre into mine articles thus. Now to his articles.  
Wynch. 
first article.  Th'effect of Christ's passion hath a condition. The fulfilling of the condition dyminisheth nothingtheffect of Christ's passion.  
joy. God is thelyghte, and will not be taught with dark and confuse terms. Isay prophesied of Christ that when he should come, he should not be dark and dyfficyle or hard in his doctrine. Now speakest thou plainly (said his disciples). And Paul rejoiced greatly that he had so sincerely and freely preached the gospel: Christ told his that they should be the light of the world purely and clearly to teach, especially the chief principilles of the christian religion of which the psalm hath: Manifest and clear are thy words (oh lord) they illumine and give understanding to the little ones. But & if god's word appear into us hard & dark, our own sluggishness, negligence, & ignavy is the cause thereof: If it be dark, it is dark to them that hate the light: If it be unsavoury it is so to them that list not to taste thereof. It is hard riddles to them which are so wise in their own conceits that they disdain to learn of any man, as it was to the seers, hearers, & understanders which hard cr●●t & understood him not, so blind at none days (the gospel now clearly comen) that they stagger, & reel in the clear light, like drunken crowns of proud Ephram and Moab. By like Winch. is a shamed of the plain simple words of Christ's gospel, as of these wont and common words forgiveness of sins, faith and works, but goeth about to cover them with his conditions, effects, fulfillinges & confuse knowledges. The scriptures know none other effect and condition, but remission of sins upon this condition that we believe christ to have died for them and to have risen again for our justification. Thou shalt call his name jesus (said the angel to Mary) for he shall save his people from their sins. Math. 1. Therefore was Christ lifted upon the cross, that as many as believe in him should be saved. Every man may see that Wynchester, intendeth some juggling cast with his confuse condition, which he dare not express, calling it works speaking plainly. Th'effect of Christ's passion, hath works whose fulfilling. etc.  
Winton YE rehearse here two propositions, or speeches which ye call mine article. The first proposition is. The effect of Christ's passion hath a condition. When I travailed to instruct doctor Barnes, I declared this proposition unto him neither darkly nor confusely. And why ye should call it so, I see not, for both the matter is certain, and the words commonly used and understanded. Th'effect of Christ'S passion, is the work therein intended (that is to say) to reconcile man to god and bring him to salvation, wherein, I asked Barnes, whether he took the effect of Christ's passion to be absolute to man, or with a condition on man's behalf. If it be absolute and without condition, then shall all men be reconciled and saved. For seeing Christ died for all: if nothing else were required on man's behalf, it should extend to all men, and then should no man be dampened, but all saved at the last, as the Origenistes said. Here unto Barnes first answered, as ye say now, that he knew no condition, but if a man believed. I asked him then: whether he would grant there was that one condition? He said yea, he would graun● that, for else he must have agreed to an inconvenience, that all men shall be saved, whether they believed or no. And hereupon the first proposition that ye now call dark, was agreed unto, that the effect of Christ's passion had a condition. I asked Barnes then, whether the fulfilling of the condition, did diminish the glory of Christ's passion? that is to say: Whether the passion of Christ were more glorious to redeem man, whether he believed or no? and so doing nothing? or else when man by gods gift wrought the work of belief in the same? Whereunto he said that man's belief did nothing diminish the glory of Christ's passion. And because he had before granted, that belief was a condition, which discerned them that shall enjoy the fruit of Christ'S passion, and them that shall not: thus we termed that proposition, that the fulfilling of the condition, required in man: did nothing diminish the glory of Christ's passion. And thus far we agreed, I only dissenting from him, that where he said, he knew but one condition, that is to say believing, as you do now. I said because he came to me as a scholar, I would learn him more conditions required in man, and among many other, told him of this▪ wherein he had in his open sermon inveighed against me. To forgive his neighbour or else he should not be forgiven. And concluded upon that he had granted before that the fulfilling of this condition was not the diminution of the glory of Christ's passion. And so likewise of any other condition required in scripture of man, either in his incorporation into christ by baptism, or returning to christ by penance, with perseverance in virtue, for the atcheving of eternal life. And after this sort we discussed this matter in earnest with such respect to the honour of the passion of Christ, as we esteemed it most abominable sacrilege, to diminish any part of the fruit and effect thereof. But it followeth in your book. But play on yet a gods name Wynchester.  
Vuynch. 
second article.  They that will enjoy the effect of Christ's passion must fulfil thee▪ condition.  
joy. YEt will ye not express your condition? well, then will I express it for you. For I know your mind is to prove works to justify. This is Win. article. They that will enjoy the forgiveness of sins, must do good works. And so he intendeth as ye shall see anon after this wise deduction, to conclude his foolyssh conclusion, yet play on Winchester a god's name above the board.  
Winton THis truth troubled Barns, as it troubleth you, because it is so plain and so true, that they that will enjoy the effect of Christ's passion, must fulfil the condition, and Barnes espied whereto it tended, much better than you do, as it may appear by that that followeth. For that ye call the third article, ye understood it not, as I shall show in the place.  
Wynch. 
Yet Wi● second article.  The fulfilling of the condition, requireth first knowledge of the condition, which knowledge we have by faith.  
joy. Ah good faith, where hast thou been all this while: hath this juggler kept the this long in his bag under the board▪ thou hast tarried all to long, for Wynchester will be justified by his condition ere thou comest. Here might I ask Wine. whether works (which are his condition) be before faith, or faith before his works? By his process, works go before faith, and so must his works be sin & displeasure to god. For what so ever is not of faith (saith Paul) is sin. And without faith, it is impossible to please God. If faith goeth before works than must faith only justify, or else it is no faith, as I shall now prove by Paul, which giving to faith her essential definition, joineth it immediately & essentially unto things invisible assured us by hope, saying, faith is a substantial assured persuasion, of things hoped for, with a sure hope & confidence, even the certainty of things invisible. God invisible so entirely joineth himself to faith, that in the faithful he dwelleth, & they in him. Faith therefore always inseparably is joined to god's mercy, his grace, remission of sins, to salvation, & life eternal through Christ, which all are invisible things hoped for. But Winchester dreaming us forth, his new feigned faith, coupleth her to an extern knowledge of what manner a visible fulfilling I can not tell you, nor yet of what a fond confuse condition, nor yet of himself expressed. join thou thy faith to an outward visible bodily thing, and so it is neither faith nor hope. Blessed are they that believe & see not, Now must Wyn. prove his condition, with the fulfilling and knowledge thereof, to be things invisible, hoped for as eternal life. etc. or else his faith shall not be that faith, which Paul diffineth, & christ so often mentioneth in his gospel.  
Winton IT may appear in you evidently, how malice maketh you blind, when rehearsing my words, yet ye ask me whether faith goeth before works? For when I say as you rehearse, that the fulfilling of the condition, requireth first knowledge what the condition is, and then that this knowledge is attained by faith, do not I give faith the first place? as the mean of knowledge what is the condition, which must needs go before the fulfilling, & the fulfilling before thattaining of the effect? In this place who is first say you? by mine own words, faith or works? And yet ye say by my process works go before, when my words rehearsed hitherto declare the contrary. But ye were so pleasant in scoffing, that ye forgot the matter. And these be the fruits of the spirit that vexeth you. This is the mild, meek, soberness of your profession of Christian charity, I will ask you a question waking. Is not all our certain knowledge of gods will and pleasure by faith? Some part of your words seemeth to say yes, when ye call it the certainty of things invisible. And yet when ye say that I dream an extern knowledge of visible things with addition of these two words (that is to say) extern & visible. Ye say, ye can not tell us more of it. And it is a world, to see how fondly ye talk, for faith in no sense can signify an extern knowledge which is only by the senses. And where did I talk in my dream of visible things speaking of god and his will, which be all invisible, and in gods will is contained the condition I speak of, which after knowledge thereof, as I said, must be fulfilled, and without knowledge before, can not be fulfilled. As for your mangled argument, to confirm the proof ye promise, shall be more commodiously entreated afterward. In this part I show only, how ye wrangle with me, & take upon you to improve that ye understand not, as by the rehearsal of my next article shall appear more plainly. Ye rehearse it thus.  
Winch 
third article  This faith cometh of God, this faith is a good gift. It is good and profitable to me: It is profitable to me to do well and to exercise this faith.  
joy. This faith so far of flytted from the invisible justification whether it be the gift of God, and profitable to Wynchester I doubt it, but this I am sure of, by Christ's own words, that when Wynchester hath done all that God commanded him (which I dare say he shall never do) and so never fulfil his condition, yet is he but a servant (if he be not a lord) unprofitable. I would ask Wynchester when he looketh and considereth first theffect of Christ's passion, whether he believed it or no? If he did not believe, so was he than an infidel. If he believed it (seeing it is the promised forgiveness of sins in Christ's blood) whether believed he it to be effectuous to himself, or only to other men? If to other, and not to himself, so is his faith and the devils faith all one. If he believed his own sins, to be forgiven thereby, so was he justified by faith only, ere any other condition was known or spoken of, or else he must make christ a liar, which sayeth: As thou believest so come it to the. When jairus desired Christ, to come & help his daughter, and in Christ's coming jairus his servant met him saying: Disease not Christ out master no further, for your daughter is dead. What said Christ? Said he not to him, fear not? Believe only and she shall be safe. These same words (only believe) stand both in Mark and Luke. What condition else then faith only in Christ's promise, can Wynchester find, to enjoy the effect of Christ's passion? Christ (all conditions else set a side) only faith mentioned, said: Thy faith hath saved the. What condition else then faith did christ require of the child's father, praying him to cast the evil spirit out of his son? Added he any thing else then faith, saying: If thou canst believe all things are possible to the believer. Away Wynchester with your confuse cumbrous condition, fond fulfyllynges and your crafty knowledge, and abuse not the precious gift of faith, to serve your sinful affects, to prove your blasphemous conclusion: But yet perchance Wynchester will answer to my former question, that when he beholdeth the forgiveness of his sins, in Christ's passion, he seeth also therewith his condition, well be it so. Then ask I him, whether the forgiveness of his sins there beholden, and himself hearing christ calling and crying: come unto me Wynchester, laden with sins and I shall ease thee, whether (I say) it is more profitable for him by faith to set hold▪ of the forgiveness of his sins, now offered him by christ, that can not lie, or to tarry and send him word, that he will first know and fulfil his condition? A wise man would think it most profitable, to set hold first, by faith upon his justification freely now offered him, and to take the thing certain and present, rather than so precious a gift neglected, to labour in an uncertain condition. For if his condition be the works of the law (as he will not deny it) which it is impossible for any flesh to fulfil, (as Paul affirmeth) and all our best works are infected with Adam's birth poison, stained like the sick woman's clothes, as Isai saith. And if Wynchester (I say) tarry till he hath fulfilled his condition he shall come to short of his justification in Christ. For ere he beginneth to full fill the condition, he is disobedient to Christ's calling and refuseth the forgiveness of his sins, of which unfaith f●ll disobedience, what so ever deed followeth, it is sin, yea and that a grievous sin, as Samuel exaggerateth it unto king Saul, albeit he did it (as they say) of a good intent.  
Wynto HItherto I have touched your blind malice to improve my words only because they were mine. For they have no thing in them, but that might be spoken of one that would maintain your own opinion. Neither Barns, ne his scoolefelowe, did ever vary with me in them. For they be principilles so true and evident, as they can have no contradiction of him, that is not unshamefast. And when I say, this faith cometh of God, do I not make god author of faith where by is assured knowledge of gods will and pleasure, containing the condition of our estate, required to enjoy theffect of Christ's passion, which is the sum of that I said hitherto, Now when ye rehearse for mine article as followeth. This faith is a good gift, it is good and profitable to me. It is good and profitable to me to do well, and exercise this faith. Ye note me to have spoken a sort of good words, but such as I spoke not in deed, & be in deed nothing to the purpose. And it had been a cooled speech to say, faith is a good gift, & it is good and profitable, & it is profitable to me to do well. I that had called faith the gift of god, & necessarily before all required for knowledge, it had been worship fully spoken afterward, to say, faith is a good gift by lakin, as though any gift of god, could be otherwise then good. Barnes wit was more fresh, 
●r●de that exced grace erred all in ●arnes and many more.  & our matter more lively & quick, than to make these articles as ye note them: And they serve nothing to the conclusion, that ye rehearse afterward ergo by the gift of god, I may do well before I am justified. And that was in deed the matter proponed between us. whether a man might have grace to do well before he were justified. For master Barns had affirmed that albeit god saith: we must forgive our neighbour, to obtain forgiveness of god, yet he said that god must forgive us first, before we forgive our neighbour. For else to forgive our neighbour were sin, by the text that ye bring in: All that is not of faith is sin. A true saying, but brought in, to subvert truth, as the devil did scripture. And in this dream was Barnes, that following the new school of extremites, he denied all degrees of grace, as you do, & said: A man could do nothing good or acceptable before the grace of justification. For confutation whereof I agreed first with him and he with me, of the former propositions, and came to this that we must have faith first of all, to know what we should believe. After this I asked him, if a gentile felt himself moved, to go hear a preaching, or read some part of scripture, whether would he call it well done of him to go to the sermon & read the scripture, or were it sin because it was before faith? He said it was good: And then I said it must needs be so, for it was of God & profitable to him. And thereupon followed the conclusion that ye laugh at, ergo a man may do good before his justification. Barnes was not content in deed with the conclusion. And when he saw that he could improve none of the parts whereof it followed: Then began he to say, that such a gentle so moved, to go to the sermon, or to read scripture, was then justified of god in that motion: And then I replied, Ergo men be justified before faith, and so were it by Barnes false, that only faith justifieth, for this man was justified without faith. For how should he have faith, before he had hard, when faith is of hearing, as saint Paul saith. But to defend and maintain his first fond saying, that a man can do no good thing, before he be justified, he was feign to maintain that a man is justified, before he heareth and before he believeth and so confounded he the degrees of gods working in time in us. first to call us, and then to justify us, as saint Paul declareth it. Those he hath known, he hath predestinate, and those he hath predestinate, he hath called, and those he hath called, he hath justified, and those he hath justified, he hath glorified. So as calling (which god doth by many means) is before justification, at the lest in order, or else if we considre no priority in gods working in time in us, we must aswell say, god hath glorified us, when he doth justify us, as that he hath justified us, 
●erard that offered with ●arnes had preached.  at the calling of us. And in deed one of Barnes companions had preached, that God had justified us, before the beginning of the world, putting no difference, between justification in time, and predestination and election that God worketh above time, and such a confusion ariseth, where men will take upon them, to affirm that they understand not. And because they neither done mind to do, any good deeds, they would persuade to the world, the we can do no manner of good deeds till we have no need of them for our salvation, that is to say, till we be justified, and clearly in gods perfit favour, and assured by our own belief of life everlasting, 
I speak confusely of works of justice and works of penance together, which they, do not distinct, as appeareth by joy in the last article, but for doctrine I say with saint Austin, that bona opera (justice) sequuntur justificationem and opera penitency precedunt.  and as though we should say to god: Give me my wages aforehand and make me sure that I shall have heaven, and then I profess I will forgive my neighbour. Then I will fast the true fast from sin. Then I will pray. Then I will do almose. Then I will love mine enemy. For than I can do it. And before thee, all our deeds, all our thoughts be sin. Ne man can have grace, to do any of these, before justification. And so if belief be required before justification, there ariseth then a marvelous perplexity, how I should work well the work of belief before I am justified. But as we say my sins be forgiven because I believe, so because my sins were forgiven, I did believe. And for defence hereof, they enter into a darker matter of gods privy counsel of predestination, and make predestination the next and immediate cause to our salvation. 
Predestination.  And then as all the world hath almost left doing, so they should leave talking of works, yea and faith also, and say that men be saved by predestination. For god hath so appointed, whose will in them that be predestinate shallbe fulfilled, and in them that be reprobate, can not be withstanded. Voluntati enim eius quis resistit? And so when men have so long striven to attain knowledge of the truth, and babbled of faith and works, without attaining either of both: then as men do, that be weary of all together, they resort to the idle reasoning, as the Greeks call it. That shallbe, shallbe. And as god hath appointed so must it be, and god knoweth who be his, and he will lose none of them. And all believed that were preordinate to everlasting life, and they that be indurate, can not hear or see, for god hath blinded them, finally all things come to pass by an absolute necessity, and so man's life, death, manors, behaviour, state, condition, and every thing is fixed, and fastened in his place appointed, 
No conclusion is by Luther more stoutly affirmed than this.  with nails riveted & clenched with mere necessity. This is the last conclusion of this teaching. But when I say this now, I look they will be in the top of me with exclamations, with fie on me wretch that scorneth predestination, and compareth the scriptures with idle reasoning of the gentiles. 
They use the word papish to stop every man's mouth withal.  And this they will ask me. Thou papysh bishop and foolish lawer, dost thou deny predestination? dost thou deny god's knowledge infallible? If god knoweth it shall it not be so? Be not those scriptures true, that thou seemest to rehearse in scorn, do not god indurate whom he will, & have mercy of whom he will? Hast any sophistry to avoid this scripure? Be not the words plain language? and be they not written to us so plainly that we may understand them? do not God know his? and be not all our hears numbered. To these men I will first answer, or I go any further with you master joy, and say that I acknowledge gods predestination, as whereof I am most certainly assured by scripture and also confess the texts of scripture by me rehearsed to contain a most certain truth, and aught therefore to be worshipped and reverenced. And am sorry, to see the high mystery of god's predestination, & the scriptures likewise to be abused unseemly by naughty men, to such end and effect, as the Greeks and infidels used the false opinion of destiny, and that they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Thus I lament to see the truth so abused by misunderstanding, and any sense to be taken of scripture, under the pretence of plainness: that should be contrary and repugnant to other scriptures, that be as plain. 
Note this similitude fo● the understanding of scriptures.  And therefore as two stones that be knocked together, put fourth a spark of fire, which appeared not in any of the stones alone. So two texts of scripture compared together put fourth a spark of knowledge and understanding, which appeared in neither of the texts alone. And therefore all such texts of scripture as seem to attribute to man, power & faculty, of himself to do good, how plainly so ever they be, I may gather no sense or understanding of them, but such as may agree, with those texts of scripture that show how man of himself can not do any good thing, not so much as think a good thought, but it be by the special gift and grace of god. And how plain so ever some of the texts of scripture seem: so to considre man, as to resemble him to an earth pot at the pleasure of the potter, and only to do as he is ordained to do by god, yet must we forbear to make any other sense, than such as may agree with other texts of scripture, that declare man's free choice, to receive grace, when it is offered him, or to refuse it, and continue in sin. The sense of scripture is, uniform and plain when it is found, and giveth wisdom to them that be meek in spirit, and not arrogant in presumption of knowledge, 
Gregory ●zianzene ●●eth how ● synes & fa●tie hath ne●gence is yn● to them, a● hardness, diligence car● estimation.  but young in understanding, knowing themselves to have need of more. Marry the words of scripture written by the counsel of the holy ghost, hath many times an outward appearance of contradiction, by occasion whereof to stay and exercise us, in searching of the true sense, and to have the more estimation of it, when we have found it. And therefore it is a great cause of temerity and boldness, to bear men in hand that the words of scripture, be so plain and evident, where as in deed, 
when christ opened the scriptures t● his disciples they perce●ued that before was hi●den. So muc● worketh right opening.  being the words appointed to contain so high mysteries, they be so placed and ordered, as they do cover and hide such precious jewels, and require a convenient opening, to show fourth, that is contained in them. And therefore the words of scripture, be not so plain and open as men would have them to be esteemed, 
●or want of ●is search, ●uche error taken for ●th.  but require a search as Christ said. Search the scriptures. And saint Peter saith, that in saint Paul's epistles be many hard places, which many have depraved. etc. And albeit the true sense of scripture, hath been by the spirit of god, preserved in the church, as certain and inviolable, 
●en may of palyce corrupt the wor●es of scripture.  how so ever it hath been impungned in sundry ages: yet have some words of scripture in certain places been for a time maliciously changed, sometime left out negligently, sometime of ignorance perverted, and again by god's goodness restored, but not without learning, and senses exercised in knowledge, as doth appear by such labours as good men have employed by god's gift and assistance, for the clear expounding of the scriptures. And thus much I say to the facilite and easy understanding of scripture, which many do arrogantly presume to have by themselves attained. As to the mystery of predestination, which is gods high secrecy, 
Predestin●c●on.  scripture enforceth all men to confess, the predestination of God in his saints, whereof saint Paul speaketh specially in the epistle to the Romans & also to the Ephesians, which is also noted and signified in the prophets, and spoken of and touched in every part of scripture. For as the tenure of the latter judgement, containeth how God hath prepared a kingdom: So hath he prepared a chosen people, to enjoy that kingdom. And this hath god wrought as saint Paul sayeth according to the purpose of his own will and goodness: in praise of his glory, to be communicated unto man. 
significati● of pr●de●nation.  And so we may call predestination the decree of god to help and direct men chosen to th'end of their glorification. And so whom so ever god chooseth, he predestinateth. Whom he predestinath, he calleth. Whom he calleth, he justifieth: and whom he justifieth he glorifieth. Whereby appeareth, how god is the auctor, thaider, thassister, and continual helper, to bring man to felicity. And hereof god doth assure us, that thus he worketh with his elect people, 
comforta● remem●ce of ●edestinati●n.  whereof we should conceive great consolation and comfort, being persuaded that god is with good men. And if he be with us, what can we fear any man or devil? And so long as we remember god's election and predestination to this effect: it is profitable to us. And when we enterprise to unclasp the book o●●ly●e, and will assume to devour the apple of secret knowledge, to be like god in understanding and knowledge of the good & evil men, and see how god ordereth his election, and decree of predestination, in discerning one man from an other without acception of persons, and yet leaving therewith to all men free choice and election, to use gods gifts or reject them. We that be thus curious, shallbe ejected and cast out by the angel of god, and thrust into the darkness and blindness of our sensual reasoning, and so confound ourselves with doubt upon doubt, as we can not tell what to say. Here some will percase, reply that I have spoken a meany of good words, which serve rather to wind up the matter again, then to declare it. For that I have said hitherto of predestination, 
●re might ●n end, if 〈◊〉 w●re ●ent  is the sense of a few words of the wise man, saying. Seek not for things that be above thy capacity, and let gods secrecies alone. And after this sort saint Paul handled this matter to the romans in the ix chapter, and continueth in that matter, to the xii. concluding there with an exclamation of the height of the wisdom of god, and of his counsels and judgements, not able to be comprehended by man's understanding, but the process of that matter well digested should much satisfy all men, in consideration of this high mystery. For when saint Paul for declaration of his abundance of charity towards his nation of the jews, with a zeal of the setting forth of god's glory, as he wished him self abject from god's favour, so all the jews might be saved, to whom God had showed so many prerogatives: He answered then, as it were to the objection of a murmuring jew, that would impute the fall of the jews to the change of god's pleasure, meaning (as it were (blasphemously, that God had failed of his word and promise. And first saint Paul saith: 
The word● of god faileth not, bu● is sometym no● well understanded  The word of god hath not failed for the promise was not made of God, to all the jews, but only to the very true Israelites. And all the seed of Abraham, be not the sons of Abraham of whom God mente, but only in Isaac Abraham's seed shallbe esteemed. And not they that by carnal generation only came of Abraham, should be the sons of God, but they alone that were the children of the promise. By opening whereof, saint Paul minded to put such a jew to silence, with declaration of the jews' ignorance, that he understood not the promise of god as it was made, but understood it carnally, as though it had been made to a carnal generation. And then saint Paul, to declare further to them that would find out the cause of the jews rejection on gods behalf, 
●ods judgements exceed 〈◊〉 capacity.  how far gods judgements and choices exceed our capacity, showeth how god without all difference to be attained by man's judgement, did chose jacob and reprove Esau, having both one father, one mother, in one time begotten, neither of them yet borne, neither having done any work why to be preferred the other, not only hereby hiding from us the cause of such election, and preferment of the younger to the elder, but also taking away all conjecture of causes, to the intent all such ways, of search and divination of gods secret doings should be taken away from the curiosity of man's wit. And where any thing altereth otherwise than man looketh for: there for to confess that god is all truth, and all wisdom, and we without gods gifts, be all folly and faulty, 
God's will is cause of all causes, but not cause immediate of all thing.  so as we ought to worship gods will, as cause of all causes, directing all thing in equitte and justice, numbered and measure, the particular discussion whereof, 
Man can neither comprehend god n● his works.  no man's wit can particularly comprehend. For as no man hath seen god as he is: so no man can see thoroughly all the secrecy of god's workmanship, but only so much as is opened unto us. Wherefore saint Paul as he did in the first declaration of Abraham's seed and posterity, lay before the murmuring jew, his ignorance in the understanding of gods promise: So doth he in opening of god's election of jacob and Esau, 
God hideth his secrets from us,  teach by this occasion all the world, how gods determinations be hidden from us, and every window shut up, where we might peer into them. And yet man can not let this matter alone. And the more secret it is the more busy we be to know. And therefore saint Paul in the person of a murmurer, deviseth this encountering with god. What shall we say? Is iniquity with god? marry god forbid. And yet I see that god preferreth the younger to th'elder. And I can not fish out any cause or conjecture, to call the deed equity in man's reason, but rather because the younger is preferred there appeareth to man's reason a cause of iniquity. Wherefore we be learned by saint Paul, that we must in such wise, subdue our understanding to faith, that believing, undoubtedly god is all justice, we may not esteem any thing, certainly affirmed to be done by him to be unjust. For as saint Chrisostome sayeth. God seeth with other eyes than we do. And as the carpenter chooseth a piece of timber, 
we can not attain the reason of god's wo●kes.  to serve his purpose, the reason whereof a man unskilled, can not discern: So god to build his church, chooseth after his knowledge, whereunto we can not attain. And therefore we must submit and humble tharrogancy of our understanding, to god's wisdom, 
we must believe fortrut● that we ca● not devise how it should be truth.  & believe that which God teacheth and biddeth, to be all true, although the matter in consideration of our judgement be impossible to be set together. For so did Abraham believe god in his promise of the multiplication of his seed by Isaac, and believed god also, when he bad him go offer up Isaac in sacrifice, and yet if Abraham upon the commandment of the offering of his son, had debated with himself, how the former promise and the last commandment, might have agreed together he should not have found how to have joined them in one truth. Which Abraham did not, but without stay (as the scripture reaporteth the story) went about, that he was commanded to do, and leaving the curiosity of reasoning, believed in hope against hope. And therefore likewise where scripture signifieth to me gods providence & predestination, which should seem to take away, and be repugnant to the free choice of man, forasmuch as the scriptures be nevertheless in that matter of free choice, also evident, I must believe both to be true, as Abraham did, although I can not set them together. But let us return to saint Paul, who rejecting such blasphemy of god, as to say that god hath iniquity, doth not go about to prove that god hath no iniquity, for we may not require the proof thereof, but as it is most true, so must we most certainly believe it. 
A busy witt● must be confounded, and so tamed like a young colts in a new falowed land, brought to know his imbecillite.  But saint Paul doth rather go about to confound man's judgement, more and more, that would enterprise to discern gods secret judgements, & to that purpose bringeth in the answer of god to Moses, when he prayed god to pardonne the sin of idolatry, committed by them that worshipped the golden calf, which answer of god was, that god would have compassion of them that he thought good to pardon, and show mercy to such as it pleased him, whereby appeared, that among a multitude that offended a like to man's judgement, god in ministration of mercy used the pleasure of his will making a difference, in distribution of his mercy, where man's reason could perceive no difference in the offence. So as neither man's willing or running, attaineth the effect, but by the mercy of God. And after this saint Paul bringeth in the scripture of Pharaoh, whom God stirred up to show his virtue in him, and to show forth gods name, in the hole earth, in which Pharaoh, the withdrawing of god's mercy which he obstinately withstood, notwithstanding so many miracles wrought by god's power to call him to mercy, the said Pharaos' induration, grew and followed in such sort as man's reason will thereof gather and conclude whom so ever god will have mercy on, he ministereth it unto him, and whose heart god will harden, he hardeneth. And then it followeth that if this be so, god hath no cause to complain of man, as the murmerer saith, who is fashioned and placed after gods will which no man can resist. 
prayed by boldness encresith, and stayeth not till it come to the highest.  Wherein saint Paul learneth us, to what issue the presumptuous searching of gods secret judgements cometh unto, whereby man studieth to impute his fault to god's ordinance, to arrecte all the blame to God, and excuse ourself. And further saint Paul teacheth us, how to repress such men's arrogant temerity, to encounter with god and pertly to ask him why he complaineth of that he hath himself ordained, for as he hath willed, all thing is, such a rebuke as followeth is very meet and convenient, as what man art thou, that canst use such language to god? Shall the work that is made ask the crafts man: why madest me thus? may not the potter of one lump of clay, make one vessel, 
A presumptuous boldness must be put to silence.  to an honest use, and another to a vile use? In this wise and with such sort of answer, should the mouth of each proud presumtuouse arrogant wit, be stopped, that would attempt, so to dispute gods works, as in conclusion, he might derive, the very cause of man's iniquity, to be attribute to god's ordinance, as directed by his only will. How unseemly is it that the work should strive with the crafts man? we should be all in the hand of god, as the clay is in the hand of the potter, following, obedient, still, quiet, without reasoning, or murmuring at god's ordinance. 
Note thi● understanding of saint Paul● in this plac●  And here saint Chrisostome noteth that this similitude of the potter, is not brought in by saint Paul, to declare that God hath created men in the world, as the potter maketh pots specially appointing this man or that man to be dampened, as the potter maketh certain vile pots, for than we should affirm a mere necessity. But this similitude of the crafts man and potter, is brought to declare our part towards God, not to reason with god of our state, and control his doings, but to honour him, obey him, with contentment of ourself in our estate, without all irreverent encountering with our crafts man god, no more the other works of men, do with their crafts man. 
Manes free choice hath ●en a perpetual true doctrine in Christ's church.  So as in this pass of saint Paul, saint Chrisostome is very diligent to note and confirm unto us, that saint Paul mindeth not to impair the true doctrine of man's free choice, given of God, to be the cause of his own damnation, by refusing gods gift of grace, whereby he might be saved, and that the induration of Pharaoh grew of his own malice, only by god's sufferance and permission, and this doctrine hath ever been in Christ's church from the beginning, 
Simon Magus the first auctor of mere necessity.  which Simon Magus did first impugn and was the first author of the heresy of mere necessity, which heresy hath been in sundry ages renewed, as it hath been of late by luther & other, and not yet extinct. But let us return again to saint Paul, who after he hath stopped the unshamefast mouth of the murmuring jew, that would unpute the rejection of the jews, to god's ordinance. Saint Paul intending to declare where the cause of the jews fall, is to be sought and found, after certain texts brought out of the prophets Osee and isaiah, signifying before such a rejection to be of the jews, saint Paul asketh what shall we say then, if if be not to be attributed to god's fault or iniquity? which is over great blasphemy, that the jews were cast out and the ientyles received. Quid dicemus? what shall we say? where shall we find the cause of their rejection? Whereunto it is answered and a cause declared as followeth, that the ientyles, not following the iustyee of works, embraced the very justice by faith. And the Israelites following the law of justice, attained it not, because they went about to obtain it by works and not by faith. So as finally this lesson we must learn, whereof saint Paul spoke in the beginning of the epistle. Deus verax est, & omnis homo mendax. And we must worship gods truth, and accuse our own iniquity. 
The cause ●f man's damnation, in him self.  We must s●ke the cause of our damnation, in our own malice, & not in gods ordinance. Perditio tua ex te Israel. We must acknowledge the inscrutable wisdom of god, that so disposeth all thing sweetly, as all men have cause to magnify his mercy, and no man by goddess order tempted to murmur of his justice. Those that be dampened must lament their own misery. Those that be saved must glory in god, who hath predestinate them, called them, justified them, and glorified them. And therefore death is a due sold for sin, and life everlasting due by the grace of god. What shall I say now? have I learned you what is predestination thoroughly? nay for sooth. Nor I have taken that upon me. But thus much I know, that predestination doth not impugn the free choice of man, ne restraineth the goodness of god with acception of persons, or diminisheth that sentence of saint Paul. Deus vult omnes homines saluos fieri, & ad agnitionem veritatis venire. God willeth all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. And christ bade preach the gospel to all creatures. And god speaketh by ezechiel, that if a sinner to whom god had said he should die, left his wickedness and turned to him, he shallbe saved. And when soever a sinner waileth his sins, he shall live: Now these defenders of mere necessity, which they do misunderstanding predestination, they handle all these general places of scripture, as though the speech of God were like the common proverb, when the sky fall we shall have larks. Understanding all such conditions as impossible. So as when he that is necessitate to be dampened turneth to God, he shallbe saved. But such one shall never turn, as the sky shall not fall. And so the texts I have brought in, such as speak generally, be in their judgements to no purpose. And in dead they themselves be overturned in their own judgement. For and their opinion were true, there needed no preaching, 
The inconvenience of mere necessity.  prayer, ministration of sacraments, or any memory or remembrance of christ, but as the Turks do, ones in a week tell the people out of the stepyll, ye that are predestinate, shallbe of necessity saved, ye that are not predestinate, shallbe of necessity dampened. And so an end of all other search in that matter which hath no alteration, after their fancy, that dream of necessity. Here again, I am like to here somewhat that I speak thus lightly of predestination. I am sorry I have cause to note men's lightness in such an high mystery▪ I have hard one say unto me, that he knew himself predestinate. A marvelous matter how they talk of predestination, being a work of god without us, & of us to be honoured in silence as a great mystery, the circumstance whereof our capacities can not comprehend. And yet men have reverently traveled in the consideration of it. Saint Augustine hath written a treatise, de predestinatione sanctorum. And how so ever men would wrest him to confirm their opinion of necessity, 
Necessity ●xtincteth allow.  he himself is plain in the condemnation of necessity, for it doth clearly extinct all virtue and vice, and likewise heaven and hell when it is thoroughly thought on, with the true opinion of God also, and finally the order of the world, if it be well considered. You master joy percace wax weary of my babbling (as ye will term it) & will ask me what I mean? and interrogate me homely, what I would say of predestination, and I could speak? Surely to this tendeth that I have spoken, that I would predestination were honoured as it should be, less talked of, 
Predestination to be honoured.  and better understanded, so much thereof, as it hath pleased god to reveal to his church. And for myself I note that saint Augustine expounding the saying of christ. Nemo venit ad me nisi pater meus traxerit eum, in th'exposition thereof saith. Si non traheris, ora ut traharis. Quem trahat, et quem non trahat, noli querere, si non vis errare. No man cometh to me (sayeth Christ) unless my father draweth him. In the exposition whereof saint Augustine saith: If thou be'st not drawn, pray that thou mayest be drawn, but whom god draweth, and whom he draweth not, ask not if thou wilt not err. 
An argument of man's reason in predestination,  Now thus will man's reason tumble in this matter. If god hath decreed already whom he will draw, and whom he will not draw, than it is to late to pray to be drawn, or not needful, for god will draw as he hath determined, and none otherwise. And this reason extendeth to all manner of exhortations, either to be not effectual, as to late after predestination, or not needful, as I have already said. Out of this cumber I rid myself easily, with such discussion, as I have red and learned of men exercised in scriptures, which is that when we speak of God, with distinction of time, of any work done by god out of time, we speak improperly. Of that god worketh in time, we may conveniently distinct the time. we may say: God hath sent his son into the world to redeem man, for it was in time (as scripture saith) when the fullness of time was. But when we say god hath predestinate and chosen us before the beginning of the world, the speech is not able to express the matter, and seemeth to signify a time passed where in deed there is none past. For there is no time passed, where was no time, so as we must acknowledge thimperfectness of our speech, wherein the holly ghost speaketh to imperfitte men. And therefore the pretertens rather declareth a perfection in th'act, than the passing over of the time in the act. Like as (in hath glorified and hath justified in them that be not yet borne) we understand not justification & glorification as an act past, because it is written in the pretertense, for then both in justifying and glorifying, we must say, all is done before the beginning of the world, for the verbs expressing the acts of justification, and glorification, be put in the pretertense, that predestination is written in. And so it we should deduce our arguments from the time, we must say that god hath justified and glorified them at one's, with predestination, which were a plain absurdity. And yet our imperfitte speech so soundeth, as though glorification were done with predestination. And albeit the pretertense signifieth in scripture the time to come, as appeareth in many places, yet in this place, quos iustificavit glorificavit, the futurtence can not fully express that is signified, for it is done us to understand, that God whose works be hidden in secret, and who worketh continually, hath from the beginning favoured man, and according to his knowledge, hath before all time elected and predestinate, that is to say, before the beginning of the world, and in time hath called, doth call, and shall call, hath justified, doth justify, and shall justify, hath glorified, doth glorify, and shall glorify, his elect and predestinate, in such measure as his pleasure hath appointed. I do not here go about (good reader) blasphemously to deprave the scripture, 
The phrase of scripture, conceived by the holy ghost  and to find fault at that which can not be better spoken, being the pen as we truly and certainly believe, directed by the holy ghost, but to note unto the how the holy ghost hath expressed the working of god in our salvation in such a part of speech, as might signify in the same speech a thing most assured, which is the pretertense, for to our understanding, that is most assured to be, that is past, and yet with god that shall be, is in like assuredness, as that is already done. And therefore when we go about to descant in scripture, time, which was not by that scripture signified unto us, we then fall straight in error. As when we read written of god the father, that he hath begotten his son, the second person in trinity, if we shall in that verb (genuit) hath begotten, consider time, as we do in an other scripture (Abraham genuit Isaac) Abraham hath begotton Isaac, we should say (which were foolish) that god the father was before God the son, as Abraham was before Isaac, but in one place, the verb signifieth the act without time, when we speak of god, and in the other, the act with time. So as when the scripture telleth us: God hath chosen, god hath predestinate, god hath foreseen all, god hath known all, before the beginning of the world: here these verbs, hath chosen, hath predestinate, hath seen, hath known, do declare these acts in god, to be most perfit, but not any such time to pass as man dreameth of, for these acts in god, be without time, and above time, and so is signified unto us, by those words before the beginning of the world, when was no time, which words nevertheless, man's curious wit used to an other signification, to gather of them that those acts be passed in god, as done before the beginning of the world, where as in deed, albeit those acts of providence, election, and predestination, were in god most perfect then, before the beginning of the world, yet they were not in God passed then, for (past) signifieth an effluxion of time, which is not in god who is eternal. The unlearned arrogant reader will here wax angry that I should go about, 
An objection  by sophistry (as he would call it) to entangle plain words, and to make him believe that before the beginning of the world is not yet past, & then he will go lustily forth to prove me a fool, if the beginning of the world be not yet past, than the world is yet to begin. And then you master joy will percase extend the matter further and say: If I be let alone, I will prove by sophistry and iuggeling, that nothing is past, and in deed if the beginning of the world be not past, nothing to us is past, for in the world we be comprehended. But I say and affirm, the beginning of the world is past. Then will you reason thus: That which is before that is past, that is much more paste. As if noon be past, much more the morning of that day is paste. But I grant that the beginning of the world, is passed, ergo all that was before it, is much more past. And then further ye will reason thus. The election of god was before the beginning of the world, as faint Paul saith, ergo the election of god is more than past, as done before the beginning of the world which is past. 
An answer  To this I answer, that when ye go about to measure gods works with our words, ye come short, for our speech can not express, ne our thought comprehend the cirunstance of gods work, neither in time nor place. And Gregory Nazianzene wisely noteth and also devoutly, that if god could be throughly comprehended of man, either in his thought or understanding, god were not superior to man. For what so ever is comprehended, is less than that comprehendeth it, & therefore we must confess truly that god comprehendeth all, and is in no wise holly comprehended. So much as scripture telleth us of god, and his works, wrought in time, or above all time, so much we know illuminate by faith, but when we will, by our consideration, after the measure of our own understanding, by things within the compass of our creation (which in deed pass in time) esteem god's doings before time, and call them past also because they be before the beginning of the world: we deceive ourself as much as if in consideration of place, we should speak of god as we speak of men, that because God is here he is not there, which no man is so mad to say, because God is every where. And as man by participation of god's gift, may in his thought and memory, represent things passed, with them that be present, without distance of time. And a man with his eye, without distance of place or time in the action of saying, conjoin together at ones, things which in themself be one far from an other, as I may see houses standing one .v. or ten mile beyond an other, and ships sailing one before, and one behind an other a great distance, and yet they be all together at ones, in the action of my sight. So god who hath given man these gifts, being of himself, in his knowledge and actions, most excellent, doth with his eye see, that is in the world, before and after, without any before or after, in his knowledge, and likewise worketh without time (that is to say) chooseth and predestinateth without any (before or after, paste or to come) which be only distinctions of time. And yet we may not gather hereof in gods works a confusion, 
●oddes wor●s be most ●derlye, but ●e can not ●nceyue the ●der, as they all done, ●ost justly, ●t we cannot ●scusse his ●stice.  but believe that all his works have such order in them as we can not attain. And learn this lesson of humility, that gods secret works exceed our capacity, and may not therefore be measured by our language. For as the gentile philosopher said, of whom Gregory Nazianzene speaketh, in his work. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. It is hard (he said) to know god thoroughly, but impossible to express god in language. Wherein he noteth the colourable speech of the philosopher, to hide his own ignorance, as though he knew more of god, than he could express where in god and his works, the tongue and heart be both imperfyt, and neither sufficient in that behalf, and specially the tongue, and therefore we may in no wise understand the speech in the explication of god's acts, as of men, and think because it is written: God hath chosen, and hath predestinate, that therefore his choice and predestination be paste, whereupon to ground our arguments, of (before and after past and to come) wherewith to deceive ourself. Marry when so ever in scripture god knitteth time to his working, that work must needs pass with the time, as when we read how god hath create the world, hath destroyed Sodom and Gomor, hath overwhelmed the world with water, hath made promise to Abraham, hath cast Adam out of paradise, and such infinite acts doom in time, those acts be called passed by success of time. But when god putteth no time to his working, but declareth his workings, to be without the compass of time: it is the fault of our curiosity, to compass such an act of God with the terms of (past or to come before or after) which be dystinctions of time, wherein we should only confess that god undoubtedly doth the act, which scripture affirmeth god to do, and to profess our ignorance, of the circumstances, how it is done, and to be content with the sense of scripture, without reasoning of the words, 
The election ●nd predestination of god ●o be worshipped in silence.  after our capacity, and so to worship the election and predestination of god in silence, as we add not thereunto, thimagination of an ac● passed already in god, by reason whereof we might dream, that in our choice or endeavour when god offereth his gifts unto us, we came to late, because god in our fancy, hath determined his pleasure already, that can not be changed: For the consideration of time, which in our understanding, passeth over, compared with the act of god, being in deed without any time, encumbereth our wits and understandings in the conceiving of the matter, where as the time being dissevered in our understanding, from god's act, which time maketh to us a thought of (before & after) we be delivered of the repugnance, 
Note this.  that time did engender, and our arguments taken away from natural wit, which were grounded all upon time, whereby we be driven from reasoning to a silence, marveling and worshipping as we should do always the high mysteries of god, far exceeding our capacity. And in this wise some have learnedly & reverently entreated this matter, not with presumption to discuss it absolutely, but with an humble and reverent meek spirit, to note that might be truly considered in the same, and finally to learn us, that in deed, we know not, ne can not know this high matter thoroughly, because the means of our knowledge be taken away, and so the things hidden from us, wherein we may not do as arrogant artificers, be accustomed to do, who when they perceive not in deed the counsel of him that devised first any plat, they take upon them nevertheless, to set the frame together, & mar some principal posts, or cast them out as vain, because they can not tell how to join them with the rest whom such men follow, who because they can not tell how to frame gods choice, & man's choice together, they mangle and deny man's choice, and cast it away as vain, being a principal part to be believed in our religion. Thus much as I have red and learned, I utter it whereby to teach you soberly, as much knowledge as I have (that is to say) ignorance, in this matter. In this ye master joy will agree with me, that I have told you ignorance, and call it mere ignorance, and say I have showed myself, in tossing and sifting of words to exercise the craft of ignorance, not to teach but to blind, not to give light but to darken, so as albeit ye rude men can not answer, to the sophistry of the arguments, yet the matter in the understanding (as ye will say) remaineth as it did, for in what so ever words we should speak it, or though we want words to speak it, the thing is thus in your opinion as followeth. first god is before man was. Anteque Abraham fieret ego sum, Christ said. And whether before signifieth time or no time, whereof your plain scholars will say they can no skill, before is before and not after, and why call we it the providence of god, but because it is a foresight, and none after sight, ne withsight, & predestination likewise a former decree, & prescience, a former knowledge. And to charge me further, you master joy, will note to your scholars, that I myself speak sometime after the same sort, and say, god chooseth us first, & god preventeth us with his grace, and what is preventeth, but cometh before, and god prepareth man's will, that is to say, maketh ready before. And god calleth, before he justifieth, and god justifieth before he glorifieth. And when scripture speaketh of this sort, & I myself also, then (ye will say) I make a trouble in the consideration of time, and cause my time in writing and yours in reading, to pass over without fruit. For when ye read me, ye find yourself perplexed, & entangled with words, but when ye have wound yourself from those thorny words, the thing is in your mind as it was before. Hereunto I will say somewhat that if ye like yourself, in your own fancy, so well as whatsoever ye conceive for truth, is ever also to you true, in the sort ye comprehend it: I marvel not though my words be not fruitful to you, for I go about to teach you ignorance, & you be so asotted and doting upon the false persuasion of knowledge, that ye can not abide to have your pleasant opinion removed and taken from you, As he that in his frenzy thought all that he saw to be his own, was sorry, when he was healed of his frenzy, thinking himself to have lost a great loss, to see himself then so poor. For else, if ye list to make this foundation, that man seeth no more of God than God hath showed and revealed by his scriptures, and that all the scripture is so uniform in sense, as it is all but one word, which admitteth no repugnance or contrariety, and therewith remember, that words of scripture, although in respect of the matter they contain, they be in deed & be called holly, & so to be reverenced, and honoured, as an image representing gods will unto us, and therefore at the speaking of them, in presence of the multitude, do put of our cap & bow, 
english speech lately made by english men (as we now speak it) placed to express god, or any godly thing, may be honoured not with godly honour, but with reverent behaviour without danger of idolatry.  yet those words as words, be in deed words of our common language in english, and such as dissevered and removed a part from that hollymatter, men put to other profane uses, by reason whereof we may easily deceive ourselves in them, and be daily deceived. And moreover if we could consider, that it is a more shame, confusion and rebuke to us, to be noted in an error, of blustering knowledge, then to be accounted in the numbered of simple ignorants. And finally that in consideration of god and his works, after knowledge by faith, that god certainly is, we should rather study to know, how much we know not of god, then to presume to know all. He that were thus instructed, and prepared by god's grace, he would as diligently learn to condemn his own knowledge with his ignorance, as to advance his understanding, to that may be attained. And to such one if he considre, that is before written, I shall be seen, not only to have touched the words, but also the matter, which I specially intended, wherein I laboured to declare that scripture, which revealeth god unto us by faith, doth not in the words always fully signify, that we gather of them, but be written sometime to do us understand the thing to be in god, or wrought by him without circumstance of the measure of time, as we conceive it. For when christ said. Before Abraham was, I am, the time in this speech, is not after our measure, for the present Tens, in God, is placed in the speech before the pretertens in man, which in our account is contrary. And as for providence, predestination, and prescience, that we take to signify with the acts time, signifieth perfection absolute in God in those acts, who in contemplation of himself, seeth and knoweth perfytelye and absolutely all his works, chooseth also and predestinateth after his will, which is most just, and hath no need of any admyny●te or help of the circumstance of the thing, or to abide the being of it, and therefore scripture sayeth. God doth it before all time, without all place (that is to say) before the beginning of the world, when there was neither time nor place. But here ye will snap at me, and leaving time and place a part yet ye say ye may gether. Ergo it is done. Leave (ꝙ you) the words, and speak of the thing. If the election and predestination of god were done before the beginning of the world, they be not undone now, and either the act of election and predestination in God must be done, undone, or doing. For man's understanding, concludeth it must be one of those three. And surely for so much ye tell me truth, for man's understanding can go no further. And if ye could prove me therewith that man's understanding may penetrate thoroughly all gods secrets, and then have language to utter it, ye had said then the hole matter, or else if ye can not do that (as ye can not in deed) ye must to the foresaid three (done, undone, or doing) put a fourte, that is to say, or else ye can not tell, what to say in it, and in that fourte, I would yield unto you. For that is the very lesson I would learn you, to say, you could not tell. For if you shall come to your three (done, undone, or doing) contained within the capacity of man's wit, and perusing them in order, think of election & predestination in god, as done, in such wise as done soundeth to us an act past, and frame these principal posts of election and predestination, in that joint, and please yourself in it, as well set together, ye shall fall to the abomination of mere necessity, & mar the two principal posts, which god hath ordered to be set up in the frame of our salvation, free will, and free choice. And if fleeing from that inconvenience, which must needs be fled, we shall go about to frame these posts of election and predestination, with the joint of (undone) and because ye dare not call them done, call them undone. that were even as wisely done of us, as if a man would frame a tenant without a mortesse. For we can not say election and predestination in god, as undone, which were as much to say as they be not, and then scripture saith the contrary▪ And if we should say, the election and predestination of god is doing, which is the third mortes of that we can guess at, it should signify an imperfection in the which were blasphemy to think in god, for god's works be perfect, as himself is most perfect. In man who by participation of god, hath excellent gifts, we may see, that he that is cunning, doth at ones conceive, and perfectly comprehend either such matter as he will utter in speech to the ear, or in any corporal demonstration to the eye. The carpenter for example as he excelleth in cunning so doth he conceive so much the more suddenly, & with a small short thought represent to himself all the hole frame of that he will work perfitly, which hath a longer time in uttering of it, and hath a distance of doing whiles the carpenter draweth it in paper, and afterward a longer doing, whiles he setteth it forth in the matter. But the absolute act in the crafts man, which was in the mathematical representation, that is to say, divided from corporal matter, that act in the understanding had no doing in any perceptible distance, but was past doing and perfytted in a moment, in a very cunning exercised man. Wherefore if we may thus think of an excellent crafts man in his doings, and join to the act a perfection in a moment, it were an absurdity to think of god less excellency and call his act yet doing, whose acts be perfected with less than a thought, and can not be, but incontinently perfect, in him that is all perfectness itself. Here I look ye will say thus, if we agree herein we must say further, the man can not think the election and predestination in god perfect, unless he thinketh than done, for that is perfect the is done, or else if it be not done it is not perfit. And afore I said, we may not think of them as done, so as by the same reason, we may not think of them as perfit. Note well (reader) that I shall now say, and consider, 
●an hath ● mean to ●mprehende ●ds secretetes.  how much god's acts exceed man's understanding in all actions of man, weather we call them done or perfit, though they have but an instant or a moment, for the doing and perfection of them: yet there is in them all of those that be done, by the lest and shortest thought, 
The lest thought of man hath three parts.  three things to be considered. A beginning of th'act, an end of it, & a moving from the beginning to th'end. As for example, In the cunning crafts man, in conceiving of the matter, he will speak or make in plat, or in a musician, that deviseth with a marvelous celerity, the descant that he playeth upon his instrument, which is a wonderful swiftness and agilite of the powers of the soul, in these actions there is none so short, so swift & fine, but there is a beginning, and from the end of beginning, a moving to th'end of perfection, by which three considerations, we judge of our acts as done and perfect. Now of god, we be learned to say truly, that before the world there is no beginning, as we understand beginning, and so not the beginning end of any act. In god also there is no moving at all, for what so ever moveth is judged thereby imperfyt, for moving declareth a want of that whereunto it moveth, which in god can not be. In god also there is no end at al. So as those three, whereby we consider done, undone, doing, and perfect among men, be clearly taken away from our consideration in God, and yet for want of more perfect knowledge and more perfect speech, we be bold to speak of god, with such words as we have in our tongue, whereby we may not take further boldness to go through, and measure gods acts either by our words or imagination to be like ours. For in the beginning of the gospel of saint Iohn where saint Iohn sayeth of the second person the very word of god (In the beginning was the word) if a man should have the same imagination of a beginning spoken of god as he hath of a beginning, when he speaketh of the beginning of saint John's gospel, and because the gospel hath an end to begin at, that god hath also an end to begin at, for so hath every thing that beginneth as man conceiveth it, or else there is not in our imagination a beginning, we should gather by saint Iohn that god is not eternal, because he was in the beginning as the words of saint Iohn speak plainly to our imagination, such as our reason conceiveth, fansyenge an end to every beginning which end when we can not find, we say that thing hath no beginning, as a round circle in consideration of itself hath no beginning, because it hath no distinction in one place more than other to begin at. And yet speaking of god without end, we use the word (beginning) for we have none other word to speak, and so likewise of god's knowledge, election, and predestination, we speak by such words as we have, signifying them unto us as done and perfit, and so be they in deed, but not as our acts be done and perfect, and therefore to be called paste and perfect whereby there should be in th'action a moving from the beginning to the end, but they be done, as god worketh without time, where is not passed and perfit, as god worketh most perfitly, that is to say, in such wisdom and perfection as man's reason can not comprehend, ne can therefore skill to frame the doing of them, with man's free will, and free choice to be the cause of each man's own damnation without just murmur of the want of god's election. And therefore if man's busy presumptuous wit could be content to let alone that is not learned him to know, but only to worship and occupy himself, in that he is commanded to do, he should no more trouble himself herewith, then among masons, the hewers and squarers of stone trouble their master mason, to question with him how such and such a mould appointed them to work after, answereth in the tracing, and will agree in the work, among whom, because they have conceived a reverent opinion of the master mason, confessing their ignorance not to attain his high knowledge, every man as is prescribed him worketh in silence somewhat leysurly (men say of masons) for their own ease, but yet they work. God whose wisdom is incomprehensible, whose knowledge is above all knowledge, and cunning above all cunning, hath traced the plat of the building of his church, and hath for a mould where after to square the stones, sent our saviour christ into the world whom he hath willed us to hear and follow, being his very image and the manifestation of his will, commanding all his stones to be squared after that mould, wherewith because god for our comfort telleth us, that he hath care of the squaring of the stones, and therefore hath before the beginning of the world chosen and predestinate those that shallbe square stones, we leave working and squaring after the mould delivered unto us which is commanded, and fall to questioning and musing, how god worketh himself his secret work of election and predestination, without exclusion of our work in free choice and free will, the inquisition whereof is forbidden, as above our capacity. And therefore saint Augustyne said: Search not who is drawn if thou wilt not err, and biddeth every man pray that he may be drawn, which implieth in his judgement, how that man may be yet chosen and be yet predestinate, as we can speak of it, or else why should he bid him pray to be drawn. And when we exhort men by examples in the scripture to virtue, our speech containeth the same. And when saint Paul sayeth, he suffereth for the elects that they might be salved, and saint Peter exhorting men to make their election certain by good works, both these great apostles do the church of god to understand (in the building whereof they have been two principal stones) that god's election is so done by him, as it importeth no necessity in man but requireth a conformite in us agreeable for the same, which conformite we can not have but of god and yet not having that, we can not be called truly chosen and predestinate. saint Paul to the colossen. writeth in this wise. You that were sometime abalienate and enemies in mind in evil works, now god hath reconciled you, in the body of his flesh, by his death, that he should bring you fourth holy without reproach & without blame, in his sight, so that you continue grounded and stable in faith, ne be not moved from the hope of the gospel. Consider this text of the apostle which doth men reconciled, to understand, that they must persever, continue, & not be removed from the hope of the gospel, signifying that the reconciliation of god, implieth no necessity of continuance, but they may serve, they may fall, and therefore doth admonish them there of. Wherefore he wanted not deep knowledge, that said as scripture doth us understand, that Thomas predestinatus, joining those two words in the matter truly together, non potest damnari, for the devil can not take out of god's hand that is his, and yet nevertheless dissever the word with the matter of predestinatus, from Thomas, and speaking of the same Thomas we may say by scripture. Thomas potest damnari. For god's predestination as a superioure cause doth not violently work to the compulsion of the inferior cause. And god doth so work in his knowledge, election, and predestination, and with such secrecy, as we can not take any such knowledge of th'acts of election and predestination applied to any man whereby to disprove his saying to any man particularly. Thou mayest be damned by thine own sin, and likewise to every particular man. Thou mayest be saved by god's mercy, be the one never so virtuous, at the time of my speaking, or the other, never so much a sinner. But to whom so ever we may truly join. predestinatus, we must say of that man non potest damnari. And albeit I shallbe judged of some to entangle this matter more than needeth, yet writing to learned and unlearned I had rather abide that check then to pretermytte any thing, that I think might serve to the clearing of such notes as have been made of the scriptures by some of simplicity, & some of craft & mischief, wherewith to encumber the truth of the catholic faith, wherein to comprehend such persuasion of god (as though he wrought in election and predestination necessarily) is a marvelous subversion of the hole, as I have before said, and yet the words of scripture be marked to sound so, as when scripture speaketh of the little flock to be by god specially preserved, and how the elects can not perish and God preserveth his elect, with the induration of Pharaoh, the reproving of naughty men, which truths be most certainly true. For Deus verax est, and yet because it is even as true, that omnis homo mendax, therefore as god can not fail in his promise, so man may fail in the receiving and retaining of that is promised, 
Note that I say not each manshal, but ●ay.  and also each man may. And therefore the admonitions and exhortations in scripture to eschew falling, and to arise again, be fruitfully made to the elect, not so as though Thomas elect, might be dampened, for that is impossible, but so as (Thomas) speaking of the same (Thomas) may be dampened. Only god worketh election and predestination, and only god can join them truly with Thomas or Iohn, marry Thomas and Iohn may presume, and that way play the fool, to join themselves, by such new belief as the devil by his postelles frameth now a days to election and predestination, and say as one hath said to me, I know myself predestinate. I marvel where he had learned that lesson being yet quick and quething and such one as might fall. S. Austen although he knew the lesson very hard and would we should not search, whom god draweth and whom he draweth not, yet in his work (the predestination) he seemeth to give a form, to learn predestination, saying. Disce excursu predestínacíonem. etc. So as they that fly vice, and chose virtue, and run in virtue gladly, and ascend from virtue to virtue they may well be assured, that the profit in virtue is by god's help and grace, and when they are in payment of the general tribute (for sin) which is corporal death, 
The lesson o● predestination in each man till he hath made an end of his course in cunning.  at which payment they may say. Cursum consummavi, they may then like good scoolers rejoice, in the knowledge of the lesson of predestination and acknowledge the election of god in them, with a certain hope and expectation of that is prepared for gods elect, but whiles men be wavering in the see of this world before they be arrived in the haven, of passage from this life, such talkers and reasoners of god's election and predestination, to persuade necessity, do it not for any godly fruit, but for a worldly lewd policy, to exclude from sin, both shame and blame to the world, which two amongs many, let and hinder many carnal pleasures, and where necessity is persuaded, can not in deed have place. For who is to be blamed, for that he can not eschew▪ or who should be a shamed of that he can not avoid? Wherefore should saint Paul excommunicate the Corrinthian and blame him for his fornication? or saint Peter against Ananie and Saphira his wife, give a sentence of such efficacy, as whereupon should follow corporal death for dying, wherein they might have pleaded, if necessity had been by the learning of these two chief apostles approved, that they did as they were ordered and walked as persons not chosen but indurate, whether necessity led them by god appointed. But the true teaching of Christ's church abhorreth necessity, and yet worshippeth for most certain truths, god's providence, election, and predestination, whereby we be taught that god is auctor of all our health, wealth and salvation, the circumstance of which working in god in his election and predestination, although it be as impossible for man's wit to frame with our choice and free will, as to devise how a camel should pass through the eye of an needle, without making the needles eye bigger or the camel less, yet that is impossible for man, is not impossible for god, And in that belief we ought to acquit ourself, and not be ashamed to learn and confess ignorance in these high mysteries, wherein an arrogant proud curious wit should clearly be put to silence, & yet nevertheless a sober humble spirit by a devout search and consideration may learn somewhat, wherewith to repress and subdue the temptations of carnal reason ever murmuring to the contrary. For which purpose all the holy fathers of the greek church and besides saint Austen, other of the latten also, have reverently spoken somewhat of light in the matter of election and predestination by distincting god's knowledge, from his election, as the cause from the effect, and thus considered of god. That god in his high counsel determining to create man, he saw and knew man's fall, which knowledge could be no cause of th'alteration of his decree to create man, for than we should grant in god mutability of his decree by his knowledge but there with god decreed to repair and restore that fall in man, and by the abundance of his goodness, and by the renovation of man in his redemption, to increase man's felicity. In which renovation of man, god chooseth as he seeth in his divine providence those that shall receive and use his gifts according to his will, and reproveth them that he seeth before will refuse them and work their own confusion, and so predestinateth such as he hath choose, by which order gods knowledge is the cause of his election, god's election the cause of his predestination, predestination the cause of calling. etc. After which declaration man's reason could not gather, that gods knowledge of that is to come, should more be the cause of that he knoweth before to come after, than man's knowledge, to be the cause of that is past, which by god's gift man knoweth with god. Herein god is not compared with man, but answer is made to the carnal reason, which men make amiss of god. God's knowledge they say is infallible in all things that shallbe, and that is most true, but the infallibility is no kind of cause, of the thing thereby so to be caused, to be, but only an assurance that the thing as it is known of God▪ shall so be. God is the cause of all causes, and in the creation of all natures and recreation of man's nature, by grace, hath ordered things to move and work by their immediate special causes, not all necessarily, but some with interruption and some casually and principally above all, man by free choice of that is offered him, by which excellent gift man differeth from other creatures. Now as god hath ordered the world, so he most perfitly knoweth it, that is to say, that is necessary, even so necessary, that is casual, casual, that is of man's free choice, as wrought by man's free choice. And every thing as it is wrought, God knoweth it wrought, knowing them as done by the inferior causes, not ordering them so to be done by his providence or infallible knowledge. Here reason spoorneth and saith, god might have changed it, when he saw it should so be, and not have made man inclinable to fall, when he saw he would fall before he made him. Here is a homely talk of god. And hitherto men come, when they forget their reverence, and duty to God, to be so part with god as to control his works. Now men be suffered to look on gods secrecies, they will begin to tell him how he might have done better. But yet he that thus replieth must first confess, that the knowledge of god although it be infallible, yet it is not the cause of all that is known, for in knowledge, god only seeth most perfectly the works of all natures, as they be, and man's reason that would find fault, can not consider god's knowledge to be in priority to god's decree, to create man, whereby that knowledge as it followed, and was no cause of it, so it could be no cause why to alter it, and then carnal reason must be answered as in the like a carnal man would judge. A carpenter that determineth to make a house, and therein a door, if he had therewith the gift of prophecy to know things to come, and so to see, that thieves should after go in at that door, and rob the house, would ye call in man's reason the carpenter the cause of the robbery, because he made the house with a door at which door he saw the thieves should entre? If the carpenter were charged in reason therewith, and with his knowledge before, he would for himself say: I made a house which of convenience to be a house, required a door, and therefore I made the door, not for the thieves th'abuse it, which I saw would follow, but for the owner to well use it, and then if the carpenter did therewith before, bid the owner take heed of the danger, like to follow, what can be said further to the carpenter? who might reasonably allege if he should have made no door at all, he should not have made a convenient house, for without a door, it had not been perfectly a house. Can any man further reply to this carpenter, unless a man would say, that the carpenter was also after, the thief himself, as men will not fear to say of god blasphemously, that he is the author of evil. Now if carnal reason must needs admit this in the carpenter: why should the same reason spurn against God to make him the cause, because when he saw how man would abuse free will which he gave him, that yet god gave it him where the devil entered, as at the door, and rob him. God gave man that excellent gift of free will for an ornament and a convenient use, and admonished man to beware of the misusing of it to disobedience, giving a law to be observed, as matter wherein to exercise his free will. If God had made man without free will and immutable, he had not been then properly man, having mutability to good and evil as a difference from god, a body corporal to differre from angels, and free will and free choice, to differre from other beasts unreasonable. And is not he a ioylye workman that would devise to have God done, otherwise than he hath, or else because malice have wrought in man malice, would take god for immediate cause of all the is done, which were abominable blasphemous abomination without all reason, and against all learning? God is the superior cause, without which nothing worketh, 
●ynne is of ●an and the ●uyl, and cā●t be of god ●ho is all wodnes.  as learned men have discussed it, in actu substracto, but man's free choice, and the devil add the mischief to every act where any is, and be the immediate causes thereof, who although they have god author of their being, yet he is not author of their naughtiness, which is caused by their corruption engendered in them by their fall from god. And thus thou seest good reader that if reason should contend with reason in discussion of god's works, necessity should be excluded, and not implied in god's providence, election, or predestination. For god, Quos prescivit predestinavit, of which word (prescivit) the holy father's learned men and devoutly learned as afore, have noted god's election to be according to his knowledge, of them who should receive and retain with perseverance gods gifts. 
saint A●gustine in ●sideration ● god's elevon, agree● not thoroughly with oth●  Mary saint Austen troubled with the pelagians, who for confirmation of their error searched out places of scripture, and writhed them violently as heretics always do, to their purpose so extolling man's endeavour, as they did injury to the special grace and gifts of god, for avoiding thencumber of these subtle heretics, thought not necessary to follow the rest in that point, whereby to note the cause of god's election to be any wise referred to thendeavour of man but only to be in gods will, which is most just, and wherein is no acception of persons. And yet s. Austen doth not so dissent from the other fathers for avoiding the pelagians as he doth any thing favour th'opinion of them, 
●aynte Au●yne abhor●th necessity  who now a days by understanding of those acts of election and predestination in god would establish mere necessity. And as for myself minding to speak of this matter. Forasmuch as I have seen saint Austen in this point dissent from other, not with contention but rather thereby to exclude the matter of argument that might serve the Pelagians: I have not made foundation to discuss th'election & predestination of god after those devout men's consideration but by declaring what blindness men have in god's working to put men in remembrance to worship that truth and confess our ignorance. 
●ccasion ta●en of a disa●ement in ●mine part, ● contemn ●l.  But somewhat will here be gathered by the way, that men dissent from men, doctors from doctors, fathers from fathers, and why should we then (saith your sect) regard men, doctors, or fathers, but all resort to the very fountain of god's word, and thence fetch pure, sincere, clean, undefiled water, and not to resort to men's puddelles that b● miry, troubled and not clean. If saint Austen dare disagree from the rest why may not I disagree from him (ꝙ you) and from the rest also, and cleave only to god's word? God's word is the life, & whether should we go but thither, and there is plains. God saith he is omnipotent, and he sayeth truly: He saith he knoweth all, and he saith truly. He sayeth he worketh all in all, and he sayeth truly. He saith I have made the wicked to the evil day, & he saith truly. He saith there is none evil in the city but he hath made, and he saith truly. God saith he hath indurate the heart of pharaoh. And he saith truly. And alway god sayeth truly: And all men be liars as david saith. filii hominum usquequo diligitis vanitatem & queritis mendacium? Ye children of men ye love continually vanity and search out lies. Hereunto I will say somewhat, 
●n answer.  that of God here be rehearsed many truths, & as they be spoken truly. And if they were also truly understanded, than all were well and plain. And they say men be liars, therein they say also truly. 
●en ●e all ●ned to lie ●ut do not in ●ll things ●e, saint Pe●er lied not confessing, 〈…〉.  But if the scripture affirming men to be liars should be also perpetually verified in them whom god endueth with his gifts of truth and learning, that understanding would serve to wipe out all, but that is not the sense of the scripture, wherein is declared what man is destitute of god, and left to himself. Man's corrupt nature, not illuminate, nor directed by god's grace, delighteth in vain things, erreth, wandereth, loveth fancies, & seeketh that hath no substance or being in itself, and is therefore vain, and counterfeit, and so a lie. All wisdom, all truth, all virtue, is of god, & without god man is blinded with vanities and lies, but our saviour christ hath for our sake overcome the devil, destroyed death, risen for our justification, and ascending into heaven hath given gifts to men and sent the spirit of truth to be amongs us, whereby man is able to know the truth, confess it, & utter it, to the edification of other, against which sort of men the scripture is alleged out of purpose to say he is a liar because he is a man. And herein those that so improve all men generally they forget that themself that so speak be men also, and then by the general reproof of men in their mouth they prove themself to lie, 
Mentiens, is ●he name of a sophism called in greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, when 〈◊〉 part of ●h● speech destroyeth an ●th●r of the ●me speech.  and if that be so, than that other men say is truth speaking contrary to them and thus the matter is brought in a circle to a confusion by a sophistical speech called (menciens) by each man's mistrust to an other, and each one there fore calling an other liar. For if I will improve the doctrine of them that have written because some dissent from them, how should any new man require himself to be believed dissenting from them also, marry no (saith the Anabaptist) and believe not me without I bring scripture. Nor believe not me sayeth the Sacramentary without I bring scripture. Believe not me sayeth the Arriane without I bring scripture. 
Who flieth most busily to scripture  Believe not me sayeth joy without I bring scripture. There was never heretic but boasted scripture, as all the jews boasted Abraham for their father, and scripture by god's sufferance is subject to man's perversity, and is to good men, Odour vite ad vitam, and to evil men, Odour mortis ad mortem. scripture is a sweet pure flower, 
Scripture of itself all truth.  whereof spiders gather poison and bees honey. As thou art that cryeste for scripture, so shalt thou gather of scripture. Go thither instructed with wholesome doctrine, and there thou shalt see it confirmed. Go thither infect with malicious opinions and there thou shalt writhe out matter, wherewith to maintain them. And so the devil did when he tempted Christ, thence he fetched his armour wherewith to fight with christ. And so do all heretics to fight with the church. As for the dissension between the fathers of the church in expositions of scriptures hath not arrisen of purpose to impugn any true catholic doctrine, but for defence of that hath been impugned by malicious heretics. Among simple devout men each text seemed to bear witness to every truth, 
●he simplici● of th'old uther's not ●ing with critics  and where good men with good men entreated the matter so the conclusion were catholic and true, they seemed not over curious to search out the proper texts for confirmation of that they affirmed, not for negligence, but for declaration of the perfit believe in the matter, which when it began to be impugned of evil men, good men for defence of truth, were fain so to consider what they said or granted as they gave thereby none advantage to the adversary who studieth only to invade and violate the truth. Saint Austen in contention with the Manichees was very precise for free will which they impugned, and with the Pelagians was precise in defence of grace, which they impugned, and for defence of the truth, which he saw brought in danger, fought with scriptures like a stout champion, as david with his stones to overthrow Golias, wherein how so ever saint Austen dissented from the rest, it is not to be accounted as a disagreement in any truth necessary for our edification, but as the feat of a wise warrior for defence of truth to eschew such occasion as noughty men would gather for the subversion of the truth. And in this wise good men learned, may humbly disagree with a devout intent to defend the truth, which we ought not so perversely to take as though all such good men's labours and travails in th'exposition of scriptures were to be contemned, and as though each man by himself alone could understand and expound scriptures in the true sense, which asseveration how true it is the prodigious and monstrous opinions which have been, and be at this day, gathered of scriptures do declare, wherein as god did in the building of the tower of Babylon, to depress that arrogant enterprise, confound the understanding in one tongue, 
Confusion of ●nderstanding wi●h multitude of diverse strange opinions.  and divided it into many: So in this time when each man with a gay pretence of resorting to the scriptures, and to the fountain, without the teaching and instruction of other catholic men, do arrogantly enterprise to build themself a knowledge to reach to gods secrets, one catholic faith is divided into as many sundry opinions & persuasions, as was the one tongue at the building of the tower of Babel, into divers languages. And therefore we must remember, although scripture be the foundation and ground of all truth, yet it is dark and obscure to senses unexercised, and god giveth not all, the spirit of prophecy, and yet god hath given it in his church to many who have left it testified in their labours, not so as sometime they show not themselves as men, and to speak of themself (and therefore must be so warily and yet reverently red) but so as their consonaunce and agreement together in the matter of doctrine where they agree, may lead us to consider the more certainly the truth in scripture, and those good men not upon every alteration one from an other to be reject or contemned of us as liars, as men would now a days have it, bearing every man in hand that he may (so he understand english) learn himself alone, which is the devils persuasion to spercle that is gathered and where we be a congregation to make each man wander from his fellow, & each man only to believe himself. And thereupon to follow, as you master joy teach afterward to be said to each man, As thou believest so be it to thee, and so the church to be in no place a church as any polityque body, neither the church of England, ne the church of France to be unite within themselves in government, and whereunto by scripture men's desperate faults should be told neither in the hole to be unite in sacraments, and true doctrine, but each one man to be a church alone, and therefore each one man to fast alone (if he fast at all) without days appointed for the hole body to fast together. 
Note well t● inconvenient of alone.  Each one man to pray alone (if he prayeth at all) without days or hours, appointed for the hole body to pray together, and so all to be alone, alone, alone, mine own self all alone. And then to be devoured of the devil alone, without comfort in wilderness alone, and so sing up the free man's song of alone, whiles we be here, as though there were none other life after this, for thitherto will resort the issue of the sore, when each man presumptuously giveth himself alone an understanding of god's scriptures, and contemning that other men devout and learned have written, trust to their own sense contrary to the wise man's advertisement, or rather lustily so to boast forth for knowledge that they like to say they know because they would in deed have it so taken whether it be so or no. 
Obstinacy in ●resumtyon ●f knowledge  And such men, what so ever is said to the contrary of that they once say they know, either they make a lip at it, or yield with silence to seem to give place to authority for the time, or if they dare speak, lay their hand on their breast, and say they spoke as their conscience serveth them, or tell how they have prayed for grace & can not believe the contrary, some lift up their eyes and wish that the truth may spread abroad that hath been long hidden. And thus as they would have it, they will have it, & be clearly deefe to any other teaching. And therefore as I have rehereed after contempt of thexpositions of other, they say gods words be plain to prove mere necessity, and yet they might say otherwise & they would for any necessity that forceth them so to say, for the scriptures, they bring in, enforceth them not at all, and that they know well enough, & might therefore in the predestination & election of god confess with me, ignorance, if they listed so to do. For of myself, I shall say thus, what so ever opinion men would for their purpose have persuaded of me abroad that I should use carnal wit and sophistry in thentreating of scriptures, I protest openly and take god to record, that I never yet durst be so bold, to gather any sense of the scripture, but such as I had red gathered already in good authors, whose spirit, I durst better trust, than mine own. I knowledge and confess mine own poverty therein. I know none opinion of mine own finding in scripture, and what so ever gift other have, scripture is to me over dark, to understand it alone, without the teaching of other, such as have left their labours therein, in writing behind them. Of whom together with the scriptures I have learned, to speak of predestination as I have written, and of justification thus: That god only justifieth man, according to the scripture before alleged, Quos vocavit, iustificavit, and in an other place, Deus justificat. And herein the world maketh no controversy. A controversy there is, how God worketh this justification in man, whether to justify man, he giveth him one gift of faith or two gifts of faith & charity. And in this controversy, one thing is very perverse, that those which say that god justifieth man, with one gift of faith only, will be seen more to extol god in his favour unto man, than they that say God giveth three gifts in the justification of man. And because the word (only) that hath and doth maintain much babbling, hath been joined by them: to faith, to say that only faith justifieth, to defend that, they trouble the people with a fine distinction of offices, & say that in justification of man, it is the only office of faith to justify, & charity and hope, there waiting without office whiles the man be justified. 
A pretty shif● from only faith justifieth, to fayte only justifieth, and an a●row differenc● to the rud● reader.  And so (only) is now shifted from faith to the office of faith. And these be they that accuse other men of darkness. But the scripture telleth me that he who loveth not remaineth in death. And therefore if the state of a justified man be life in christ: charity, which is godly love hath as well her office, in justification, to give life, as faith hath her office to be 〈◊〉 knowledge the most certain ground and foundation of it, and hope her office to be placed and established upon them both. In receiving of which gifts how man worketh by god's calling, to turn to him, and use that is offered of him, according to their effects: I shall speak after at large, answering you master joy, who seemeth so to term such works, as I say man doth to attain justification, as though I mente day works, or week works, and either not knowing in deed, what I meant with Barnes, in works before justification & to thattaining of it: or else dissembling your knowledge, to engender matter of skoffing, ye triumph of me at your pleasure, which I shall pretermytte, and somewhat open, of what force your matter is, that ye violently writhe out of scripture. And first ye bring in that if Winchester hath done all that god hath commanded him, he is but a servant unprofitable. And this text of scripture ye bring in to dimynyshe the estimation of good works. And thus gods holly scripture is profaned by you, the would be seen to utter only that the spirit of god telleth you, with such a mere sincerity, that it hath neither honey nor wax. 
An exposition of the scripture, that we be servants unprofitable  For this text of scripture is written to admonish us what a good lord we serve of god, who having no commodity or profit by our service, doth nevertheless allow and commend our service. So differeth the service of god and the devil, the service of god from the service of man. For the state of a servant among men is to do their masters profit, and not their own, forsomuch as they be servants. And therefore to an evil servant it is said commonly as a rebuke. Thou art a lewd servant, thou seekest thine own gain and not thy masters. But in the service of god, such as be servants profess openly, and truly affirm, that they be unprofitable to their lord god, as the text by you brought in testifieth, who needeth no service of us, ne can not be increased or diminished by profit or lack of our service. And yet he hath so much care of our wealth, that albeit our service is not profitable to him, yet he commendeth it because it is profitable to us, and therefore saith to a good servant, Euge. Well said servant that art good and faithful, because thou art faithful in a few, I shall appoint thee, over more. And moreover declaring how our service is profitable to ourself he biddeth us, if we will enter into life, to keep the commandments. And so that scripture that is written to teach us one thing ye bring it in for an other. Because god putteth us in remembrance of the nature of our service to him that he hath no profit by it, whereby we should knowledge his gratuity and goodness to be so much the more towards us, ye would we should take it, that god careth not for our works in his service, and yet we be delivered (as the prophet sayeth) from the hands of enemies, to serve him in santite and holiness all days of our life. The greeks by a gross proverb, 
● gross pro●erbe of the greeks.  would put men in remembrance what inconvenience followeth of th'abuse of good things out of their place saying of him that so did abuse his necessaries, how he opened his lock with his hatchet, and cleaved his wood with his key. And after this sort the scriptures be brought in by you, and other of your sect, all out of purpose they were written for. And yet when some so do, than they boast most, that they bring nothing but scripture, and the word of god, and the mere truth, plain speech, simple language without juggling, sophistry or man's traditions. And when all cometh to all, for so much they bring a truth in deed, but to a wrong purpose, as is a hatchet to open the lock, which can do but burst it, and yet can not be denied but it is a good hatchet, & good to cleave wood. And sometime again the scripture they bring in is even as dull (to the purpose it is brought in for) as is a key to cleave wood. After which sort predestination, being signified unto us, for our comfort, to declare what care god hath of us, whereby we should be more encouraged to work having god to our help, the same is used as an hatchet to open the lock, whereby the less to care for our works, upon pretence that god hath done all. And likewise in many other places of scripture, if I would tarry to rehearse them. But now I will return to you master joy, & where ye appose me whether when I considered th'effect of Christ's passion, I believed it or no? I profess, 
An answer to joys examination of my belief.  I believed it. Then ye ask whether I believed it to be effectual to me? To this I answer you, that first I believed it was and is effectual to me in my baptism, wherein I obtained remission of sins, and renovation of life. I have believed, and believe it also effectual unto me, in the sacrament of penance, whereby to recover the state of grace, from which sith the time of my baptism, I have divers times fallen by sin. And likewise I have believed and believe that in the use of all the other sacraments, as it hath pleased god to ordain them, Christ's passion is effectual by work of God in them, to confer grace unto us. And generally I have and do believe the passion of christ to be effectual unto me, when so ever and as often as I by the grace of god, purchased by the same passion, do use myself in fulfilling of gods will, as the scriptures and the true understanding of them, teach me, the observation of which teaching, ye may call and it please you (and ye will needs make me th'author which I have not hitherto taken upon me) winchester's condition. And therefore Wynchester sayeth that because scripture doth require of a christian man, that he be baptized whereby to be incorporate into Christ, and being partaker of his death and resurrection, obtaineth remission of sin, 
An account of such wokes as I men required to attain justification.  and is borne again of water and the holy ghost, Wynchester sayeth as scripture teacheth him, that Baptizetur unusquisque in remissionem peccatorum. And this one of wynchester's works, and implied in his condition, that ye wonder so much at, and call so dark and confuse. And generally when christ sayeth: Come to me, ye that be charged with sin and I shall refresh you, my teaching is as scripture informeth me, that he that is called, must do so much as go, when he is called, with the help of the caller, without which he can not go. And this is also one of wynchester's works. And when God sayeth, believe, I must believe. And this is another of wynchester's works. And when God sayeth, love, and giveth the gift of it: I must love, or else remain in death. And this is another of wynchester's works. And all these works which seem a great heap of works, be contained in the condition that must be fulfilled for obtaining the effect of Christ'S passion, being remission of sin, and a new state of life. And thus I have told you plainly my faith, and also the works I mean of, before justification, and likewise the condition which ye call so confuse and blind. And thus I taught Barns, and otherwise then thus (which is the catholic belief) I thank God I have not believed, nor I dare not be so bold (as ye be) to frame myself any other private believe, upon confidence of the text of scripture ye bring, which is like a key to cleave a log: 
Scripture fondly alleged by Ioy●  As thou believest so come it to the. christ spoke these words to Centuryo, allowing his faith so much, as he said he found not so great faith in Israel. And it is a joy to see how wisely ye will apply this to all men how so ever they have conceived their faith whether it be catholic or no. And then the Arryane may be saved by his faith, and the Sabellyan by his faith, the marcionist by his faith, the Mahometan by his faith▪ the Lutheran by his faith, the Swynglyan by his faith, and joy by his faith. For this text serveth all. As thou believest so be it to the. And if any believed that Glottonye were no sin: As thou believest so be it to the. And it is as fond that ye bring in of jairus, & maketh nothing to the purpose ye bring it for. For albeit the faith of miracles were alone with the faith of salvation, which your authors abhor because Christ said to jairus believe only, do that prove that Christ requireth no more of none other where by to attain salvation? Each man must do after the time of his calling, as the parable teacheth. And he that is called at viii of the clock, may not stand idle till eleven, and fall to work then, to make a short end, as some do, that fashion themself to use the pleasures of the world so long as their bodies may sustain, with mind to serve god when they can not tell else what to do. Such men search scripture to know who hath done lest, that they may do as little as he. And if they that be given to steling, would study in scripture the mercy showed to the thief hanging on the cross, to th'intent they might have less care for their life in the mean season: were not such learning fruitless and pernicious to the common wealth? And after this like sort doth joy handle the scriptures, and goeth about with his hatchet to open the lock, and with his key to cleave logs. joy bringeth in another miracle of christ, wherein Christ said. thy faith hath saved the. And here joy sayeth is no condition but faith. To this I say that this is not all the scripture, and he that will truly judge of scripture, he must join all together. For that is not spoken in one part of scripture, 
●e scripture 〈◊〉 but one word in ●se ●our all ●pugnaūce.  is spoken in another, and all at the last must make one word. That is in some part of scripture attribute to faith (as in this miracle) is in another part attribute to charity, as when christ said. Dimissa sunt ei peccata multa, quia dilexit multum. And in another place, to hope, as Spe salui sumus, we be saved by hope. And we must omit no part of the truth, but so understand one, as all may be comprehended. And here I note unto thee (reader) this manner of speech in scripture. Thy faith hath saved thee, without mention of Christ's passion, and without mention of god, as though a man might arrogantly say: I have saved myself, my faith hath saved me, where by every man might be noted his own saviour. But this were blasphemous sophistry, even such as men use now a days, when they will impugn such devout speeches as hath been used in the church, when each man exhorteth other to save his own soul, or desireth an other to save his neighbours soul, or else moveth his friend by alms, prayer, fasting, and good deeds, to work the wealth of his soul. All which salvations, and works of salvation, good and devout men, understand to be done (as in deed they can not be done otherwise) by the merits of Christ's passion, and the gift of god. And yet these beasts that put no difference between a key and a hatchet, diffame the speech, as though such men fancied works of themselves without god, or thought the passion of christ not sufficient, when in deed it is mente in such works only to use the benefit of Christ's passion without presumption to add or supply any thing to the same, which were a fond foolish, wicked, and arrogant blasphemy. And in this matter I speak so much, because these idle talkers would discourage virtuous disposed doers by such malicious report and slander of their good doings. After your lewd divinity ye fall to fond policy, and ask whether it be more profitable to take forgiveness of sins without condition or tarry whiles the condition were fulfilled. 
fashion of unswere 〈◊〉 for joy  Which question is so fondly conceived, that I will answer merrily unto it, as the prentice of London did his master before the wardens of the craft, upon complaint made that the master was over street to the apprentice in his diet. Why son (ꝙ the master to his apprentice in the wardens hearing) is not cold mutton good meat? is not cold beef good meat? cold capon good meat? and sometime a cold pie. Lo (ꝙ the master to the warden) hath not my prentice good cause to complain? The warden checked the prentice, and said he was dainty that would complain of so good fare. Whereunto the prentice said that his master had spoken of much good meat if a man could have it. And so your masshyppe hath said truly, that a man were better, if any thing could be better than God hath ordained it to take remission of sin without any condition, for then without any endeavour, all should have it. But how shall we have it so, when God putteth a condition to it? We must take gods benefit as it is offered, & not as we would have it. Ye talk of wishing as might satisfy your appetite, and not as god hath ordained & declared his will. And yet as though ye had clerkly and substantially handled the matter, ye proceed to your triumph, with, now say on yet again Wynchester, and then it followeth in your book.  
Win 
iiii article.  Ergo by the gift of god I may do well before I am justified.  
joy. YEa mary, this is the conclusion I waited for. Lo, now hath he concluded of himself, that he may do well before he be justified. This his well doing standeth upon the fulfilling of his condition, where ye see he hath his faith and his works and yet is he not justified, ergo in that same time before he is justified is he not justified by faith nor by his works. Here ye see plainly into what confusion he bringeth himself, and what it is to reason by his own wit without any word of scripture. Would God the papists had no wiser divines to defend their false religion, selden are these popish layers good divines. He saith he may do well, and I say he may do evil to. It becometh a learned man so to confer the scriptures truly understanden that▪ he be fewer & certain of his conclusion. But perchance he take this word May, for the merry month of May next Apryl, and then am I content to tarry till May come again for the verifyenge of his conclusion waiting for his well doing, for hitherto (god knoweth) he hath done much evil. The lord amend him before may, or else take him shortly away. Amen. Because Win hath no scripture to prove his conclusion, I will help him, but yet I commend Standish against Doctor Barnes, for he laid on scriptures written & unwritten, englished and unenglyshed as thick as hail, and understood not one word what he said, even the very doctors painted of Paul to have erred from the true faith and love, and are swarven unto vain lies, which would be seen Doctors of the law and yet understand they not what they say nor of what thing they affirm. But to Wyn. conclusion, Thou knowest good reader, that in scripture there is mentioned a dead faith and a feigned or false faith. And also there is a rightwiseness of the law or our rightwiseness and also a like justification, one of faith before god, and an other of works before men. When Paul had mightily proved only faith to have justified before God, the jew not being content with this conclusion objected saying. What then shall we say of our father Abraham? Goat he no justification by his works? he was a good father and did many goods deeds. It is truth saith Paul, but yet hath he not to rejoice thereof before god, but only before men. Now let us set up my Lord Gardiner in his Velvets and satin aloft upon his mule trapped with velvet with gilden sterups and bridle. etc. with his gentle men bare head chained with gold, before and after him. Who will not say but there rideth a princely prelate a glorious Bishop to orn and honour an hole realm? See what a cleanly sort of tall men he hath about him, what costly liveries giveth he, what a many of idle bellies daily feedeth he. Hath not Winch. lo, whereof to glory before men? is not this a ioylye justification? Now followeth his conclusion of himself saying, ergo by the gift of god, that is by these worldly gifts I may do well before worldly men of fleshly judgement before I be justified before God, yet justified gloriously (in which I rejoice) before men. This is his Jewish justification whereof the Pharisaies' so highly rejoiced, in so much that Christ told them that he came not to call such just men, but sinners to repentance, warning the people that except their rightwiseness abounded above the Pharisee's good deeds, they should never come to heaven. And Paul saith that men ignorant of the rightwiseness or rightwise making of god, and seeking to set fast (as now doth Wynchester) their own rigthwisenes, they be never subject to the rightwiseness of god. Wynchester yet knoweth not the office of the law, to show us our sins, to work wrath, to make sin the more to abound as Paul proveth it to the romans, so far of must it be to justify. Neither yet knoweth he th'office & proper place of faith nor yet what thing faith is, but conceiveth a certain fantastical opinion thereof as doth every speculative pharisay and idle hypocrite. And a man should speak after the very order of nature and of the time, he must needs set faith before works, as is the tree before it blometh and the blomes before the fruit. The seed is cast into the earth before it groweth and fructifieth. The seed is the word of god saith Christ. And nigh unto the is the word of faith even in thine heart and mouth. Faith is effectuous and worketh by love. And the end of the precept is love out of a pure heart (by faith hearts are made pure sayeth Peter) and a good conscience and of faith unfeigned. I think Winc. is not so ignorant in his Grammar as to english this text of Paul. Fides que operatur per dilectionem, as did john fisher the bishop of Rochester in his sermon at Paul's cross and afterward printed, thus englished, faith which is wrought by charity: so setting the cart before the horse and like an ungodly gardener to pervert and turn the roots of his plants and herbs upward, of which I hard as it were an old prophecy xl years ago that such an Antichrist should come to pervert the justification of faith and turn Christ'S religion upsedowne. I am sewer he will not set works before faith, no not in the young baptized infants, nor yet in Paul at his conversion, nor in the thief hanging by christ crucified. It is truth that works being the fruits of faith standing in their own place proceeding out of faith justifying diminish not the effect of Christ'S passion. For we are made in christ jesus to do the good works which God hath prepared that we should walk in them. We are saved freely by faith sayeth Paul, yea and that not of works, for it is the gift of god, that we be saved by faith, and not for our works lest any man should rejoice in his own deeds. But if winch. put his works in the place and office of faith, as the condition without the which no man is justified, so dymynyssheth he, yea he is injurious and blasphemous unto the effect of Christ'S passion, for by this doctrine his diminute imperfect and wicked works should deserve us forgiveness of sins as though Christ'S blood and so plenteous a redemption in christ were not sufficient. If by the law sayeth Paul men be made rightwise, so is christ dead in vain. Love must fulfil the condition (saith he) ergo the works of the law are his condition. Roma. 13. Now let us see what love god asketh of us, for if we have not that love, we shall never fulfil winch. condition. God commandeth us to love him with our hole hearts, minds, souls, and with all our strength, and our neighbours, ye and our enemies to, as ourselves, ye and that even as Christ loved us, which died for us being his enemies. He biddeth us to be perfit and holy as himself is, not to be so angry with our brother as to provoke him with any evil word to anger, nor to desire any other man's good, servant, wife. etc. no not to love our own lives in his cause, but to hate our flesh and die for his sake. Now tell me Wynchester if any one man hath this love, and so fulfilled your condition? or else dare yourself affirm to have fulfilled it? if ye have not, ergo by your own words ye shall never enjoy the effect of Christ's passion (and yet speak I not of the perfect faith and hope that every man, in God is bound to have) beware therefore Wyn. how ye set your salvation upon so hard a condition, lest ye come to short of the gates shutting with your .v. foolish virgens. If you had once fulfilled (as you never shall your condition, and so persevering, you need not to pray. Father forgive me my debts, nor never to say your Pater noster. For ye own no love neither unto God nor man, ye have paid all. And yet saith Paul, own ye nothing to any man but mutual love, showing love to be a debt ever in paying and never full paid. We shall answer for every idle word saith Christ. But if Wynchester had accomplished his condition, so might he go play and justle in judgement with Christ for his salvation, having no need of Christ's passion, then might he claim heaven of duty and make grace no grace, which is a mere free gift undeserved of any man and thus were he one of those just prelate's whom christ said he came not to call. Is not he a proud fool to whom when god giveth a free justification in christ, yet will he refuse to take it but upon a condition, that he deserve it with such works as himself is never able to perform? what arrogant fool would thus condition himself against gods will? Peter considering this importable condition said, by faith god purifieth their hearts, and wherefore then do ye now tempt god so much laying such a yoke upon men's necks which neither our fathers nor we be able to bear? By the grace of our lord jesus christ we believe us to be saved as were our fathers. If we should say that we have no sin in us, so are we liars. Wherefore the scriptures conclude every man to be a sinner and infidel, that of all men God mought have mercy. And that the promise out of faith in jesus christ should be given to the believers. Only Christ fulfilled the law. And if Wynchester would mok out Paul, saying that when he concluded so oft man to be freely justified by faith only without the works of the law: that he mente by the works of the law but circumcision and the other ceremonies now abrogated, and not the law of the commandments. Then let him hear Paul exponing himself of what law he mente answering to such objections. By the law saith he, cometh the knowledge of sin, and I had not known concupisbence to have been sin had not the law said: Thou shalt not have any concupiscens or lust. And then when he wrote his pys●les, circumcision and the rites and ceremonies were abrogated among the christian jews, and the gentiles never were bound to them as was Abraham justified by faith only ere the law was written and before he was circumcised. And Peter said that this same law which Paul excludeth from justification and winch. calleth his condition, is a yoke importable which proveth it not to be circumcision nor any of their ceremonies of Moses law, for these were light enough to bear, lighter and easier than to not lust or desire any thing against god's will or for a rich man to forsake all and give it to the poor, or for Wynchester to cast of his pride his bisshopryke with all his vainglory and to become the humble poor pure persecuted preacher of god's word. It is red that there was one man that by suffering doing and fulfilling the law of the commandments came to heaven, even christ only, In Math. we read of another young man that would go to heaven by doing some good works, asking christ, Good Master what deeds shall I do to have life eternal? whose mind christ saying, did set him but certain of the easyeste commandments to fulfil them. And he said, as for these I have done them already, well then said christ, or rather so thought, If ye will needs go to heaven by doing: I shall set you to do such deeds as I know well ye will never do, yea they be impossible for you to do them, even to sell his substance and to give it to the poor and so to follow him now going forth to jerusalem to suffer death. What did this man I pray you? how far went he with Christ think you? went he not his way heavily from christ? And yet will Wynchester go to heaven by doing and fulfilling his hard condition, I dare say he would skratche his head twice (as did this rich man) ere he sold his bysshoprike and had given it to the poor. And therefore christ pronounced that it is impossible for such rich men to come to heaven. God therefore trusted us so little with the fulfilling of the law and so by this condition to come to heaven, that he took it out of our hands & laid it upon his son Christ's back to be fulfilled. For if he had left our salvation in our own hands to be deserved by our works we had been all dampened.  
Winton Your handling of this my conclusion, declareth plain that ye understand not what ye say, nor of what thing ye affirm, and that I leave to the judgement of the reader, with remembrance of that I have before written. For ye fondly improve a conclusion which might stand & be true, with your fond paradox of only faith justifieth, unless in teaching ye will so handle the matter as Barnes did, that a man is justified before he believeth. For and if believe go before justification, as a cause doth theffect, then seeing in scripture, belief is called a deed, and proceeding from the gift of god, must needs be a good deed, it followeth necessarily. Ergo I may by god's gift, do a good deed before I am justified. But I moved Barnes, of a deed before belief, that is that learning to believe by hearing sermons or reading, wherein the grace of god prepareth man's will as scripture saith, (So truly do you say when ye call me pelagian) I asked Barns of that deed whether it were good or no? and proved it good. And then because it is done before justification, I brought the conclusion aforesaid, whereof ye take occasion to be joyful in the merry month of May. All which your iestinges I can so well digest, as I am not ashamed to cause them to be rehearsed in this book, because the buds of your fruitful learning may appear, to consider what fruit we may look for of them. As for the matter of justification by faith and works, was not meant between Barnes and me, to be spoken of in this conclusion, and so therein ye strive not with me but with yourself, & beat your own shadow in stead of an adversary. Where ye think I am not so ignorant in my grammar as to english the text of saint Paul. Fides que per dilectionem operatur. Faith which is wrought by charity, and make (operatur) a verb passive: ye think not amiss, if I should english it word for word. But as for the sense, because scripture doth attribute life to charity, without which faith remaineth dead I see no such cause of absurdity, as ye find, to say faith is set a work by charity, 
The enterprise of these s●eres is worldly, an● they set it forth wit● prophecies other worldly vanities.  and the good learned men of the Greek church expound saint james after that sort. And as for such vanity in prophecies if ye do regard them, in the perverting of justification, you and Barns with your sect, were that company who have so confusely handled that matter, as ye make justification before all faith in him that is only moved to believe. Considre with yourself whether this turning upside down, in consideration of the doctrine in justification xl years past, may be verified on you or me, I affirm the same justification that was then taught & you be the turners, 
joys prophesy note● himself an● he seeth it not.  & so by your own prophecy be noted for Antichrist. I give no credit to such prophecies, but because you do, I allege your own prophecy for your own confusion, 
Blind men ●ee nothing  and as ye can not see god's truth, which ye believe not, so ye can not see the true sense of your own profane prophecy which ye believe. And if ye will now go back from your backward justification, after your accustomed manner, then must you place the studious work of learning our belief, and likewise the work of baptism, the work of believing, and the work of love, to be before justification, and some of them in the thief hanging on the cross. God justifieth no man without the gifts of faith and love, this ye grant, which when man receiveth, he receiveth by them justification, wherein I call man's desert and merit only the using of the benefits offered of faith and love. And other desert and merit man can not have. For what hath any man good that he hath not received. And therefore the commandment of love with our hole hearts. etc. is not so extreme as ye make it to a christian man, whose faith speaketh to God boldly. Da quod jubes, as saint Austen saith: give that thou commandest, by reason whereof the yoke of the law, impossible to be borne, is in christ easy through the gift of God, by Christ, in whom we may do all. Neither love ne faith, can be in man perfect and they need both continual increase, but he that knoweth our infirmities, taketh in good part our imperfection for our saviour Christ'S sake, upon whom our salvation is grounded, & neither upon works, ne faith, 
works strive not with faith, as joy and his, suppose  with your division whereof, ye deceive the simple people, as though works required of a christian man; wherein to use the gifts purchased for man by christ▪ were at contention and strife with faith, like the works of Moses law. And herein ye much please yourself, and think other gross, that be so mad to ground their salvation upon works, being impossible, and leave the salvation by faith, which is sure and certain. And some talk of faith, wherewith to apprehend god's mercy, as though faith had hands to take and hold fast, and love none, and they grant that no man is justified without charity, but yet properly they say faith apprehendeth the justification, whereof how properly they speak, I shall speak hereafter at large. Now I will a little note your fondness master joy, so to dally in so great a matter▪ ye ask me, whether I have fulfilled the condition of the justification, and yet ye can not tell what condition Barnes and I spoke of, and so ye ask ye wot not what, and come in with a free justification, as though I devised our justification to be bond. These be mere fransies. I ever affirmed that we be freely justified, and freely saved, & yet god in giving us this freedom, for christ, worketh so in order, and so willeth us to observe it, which I call the condition, as for want thereof we shall either not attain freedom, or lose our freedom, when we have attained it. For ones made free from sin, we must walk in the path of justice, and live in this world soberly, justly and godly, and also to attain this freedom, do as god hath ordained in using his sacraments worthily, with conversion also of our heart, and penance, as god requireth of us, whose will our saviour christ in his works, deeds & preachings hath declared unto us, which you deprave so abominably and detestably, as even in this place god suffereth you, to write so undiscreetly of him, as hath not been likely seen or hard. For not being content to allege Christ's words in a sense of your own imagination, ye utter it thus. 
A licentious speech of joy, touched.  Christ so said, or rather so thought. A strange speech Christ showed himself god, in that he knew the thoughts of men, & what do you show yourself, in that ye take upon you, without words to lead you, to discern the thought of Christ very god and man? and frame the speech so as though christ could not utter his thought for want of language, & that is implied in your (rather so thought) joy read this place once and once again, and consider thine own folly in it. I will not with other terms engrieve the matter, but pray God it may ashame thee, and bring the to repentance. For malice in the treating of this matter, hath so increased in thee, as it hath utterly confounded thy senses, that thou sawest not what thou haste written in this place (Chryst said or rather thought) ye say. And what thought do you attribute to christ● that he should bid men do that he knew well they would never do, and that were impossible to do, which were a more cruel thought then any christian heart could attribute to our most merciful saviour. Cursed be he (saith saint Iherome) that saith gods commandments be impossible. And when ye have in these few words said so far amiss, ye bid me say on Wynchester once again as followeth.  
Win 
v. article.  Ergo I may do well by the gift of God before I am justified towards the atteynement of justification.  
joy. Now declareth he by his well doing for the attaynement of his justification to be justified by works. Here is his condition declared to be works. Here he showeth himself to be arrogantly bolder than david or just job, which both feared their works and desired god not to enter into judgement with them, for than should there no man be justified in his sight, and again sayeth david, Lord if thou shouldest observe our iniquities, who shall stand before the in judgement uncondemned? But winch. may do well in the month of May, before men, ere he be justified before god, and so rejoice of his own jolly justification riding upon his horse or mule. He would fain here wrap in his works with his faith both together into one bed to warm and win his justification, that he might be sure by both together (for the more the better) to be justified. Sed pallium ambos operire non potest (saith Isai) but the coverlet is to narrow and to short to cover them both, one of them therefore is like to lie bare arse and a cold. For god to whom we be married by faith and mercy is a jealous god, and will not that any of his spouses should lie with another to divide their faith from him to works to be justified by them, nor to separate forgiveness of sins from his blood. Is Christ divided? And therefore if this iusticiarye by his may well doing, before he be justified, toward thattainment thereof so proceed toward his intent, he may be (as the friars and monks were wont to say) in via perdicionis, perfectionis I would say, but unto the very justification shall he never come, even men of a corrupt mind carried away of divers lusts, ever learning and never comen unto the knowledge of the truth: for such deceivers shall go forth worse and worse, till their wickedness be ripe, leading other into errors, their selves being blind and far out of the way, turned unto vain speech and false doctrine, willing to be seen doctors and yet understand they not what they say nor of what things they make acts, articles, and institutyons.  
Winton AS ye expound my sayings, so have you expounded scripture, only as ye would have it or as ye guess at it, without consideration how one exposition agreeth with another, ye be like yourself in perversity throughly. For as ye care not what sense ye make of scripture, so it liketh you, no more care ye what ye report of any man's writings or sayings, so it like you, whereby ye declare thoroughly your generation. When I had proved to Barnes, that it was unadvisedly said of him, that man might not do well by god's grace, before justification. I did first improve that fond saying, whereby he confounded the order of justification. And when I had declared that (as I have before touched) than I told him how it followeth also, that by the gift of God man might do good towards the atteynment of justification. And now ye say I declare how man is justified by works, and thereupon ye dally, how faith and works can not lie in one bed, and one coverlet can not cover them both, and Christ is not divided. Whereunto hearken a little, here how wisely ye speak, In your justification by only faith, this I ask, who believeth, god, or man? I think ye will say man by god's gift. And so God giveth the gift of faith, and man receiveth it, do not here concur in two works, god and man? which lie both in one bed? and be covered with one coverlet? to thaccomplishment of justification? And is god so jealous then, that he will not have it spoken when he worketh, and man also worketh with him by his gift & help? Be not we called in scripture cooperatores dei? Did not one coverlet cover god & Gedeon (if we shall speak in your allegory) & was not Gedeon taught to join himself to god & to teach his soldiers, so to cry in the destruction of the Madianites? the sword of god & of Gedeon? and Domino et Gedeoni? After which sort, knowledging that god useth the members of his church, in the ministry of his works with mutual prayer, one to help an other, we say god & our lady help us, wherein god giveth the help & our Lady prayeth for it, which is a help to obtain help, & so in the honour of god & our lady: God giveth not his glory from him. Therein he is jealous, but god doth communicate his glory in glorifying of his saints which then redoundeth to him. And that we may acknowledge in our speech. And we english men to whom god hath given many victories under the banner of saint George, may not we as well say: God & saint George, as they said under Gedeon Domino et Gedeoni? God's honour is nothing diminished, by addition of his servant to wait upon him, & for our teaching therein. Gedeon was learned to say, Gladius domini et Gedeonis. And in this common speech, when men say, I thank god & the king. Trow ye god is angry with the speech, as though it were to homely to join the king with god? or hath god the less thank that the king is joined in thanks with him? where in deed the king hath no thank, but by god, and for god, and god is thanked as author, and the king as god's servant. And in this sense the speech was conceived. Marry among the rude people, by misunderstanding there hath grown superstition, which is a fault annexed to the multitude, to do either to much, or to little, & the reformation therein hath been expedient, but the young boy that in th'entry to learn his letters, was taught to say, Christ's cross, me speed and saint Nicholas, was for so much taught, no error at all, but saint Nicholas well named, as one by Christ's cross advanced here, to learning & virtue, and now by power of the same cross, placed in felicity, where he may pray for other, to be helped as he was, And god helpeth by giving of help, and saint Nicholas helpeth by praying for the same help, In confession whereof, we set forth the honour of god, and magnify it, even as god would have it magnified, who so hath exalted his ministers as to be one with him, not by division, as ye perversely term it, not as checkmate, as ye odiously name it, but as being participate and enjoying his glory and his honour which is not lessed thereby or diminished, but amongs us, more set fourth and spread abroad. And therefore churches and altars, be named with saints names, not that any saint, is author of any church, for god is only author, ne there can be any sacrifice, and so none altar, but to god only, and yet for memory of those saints, in whom god is honoured we have done & may dedicate churches and altars, in the honour of God and this or that saint, wherein the saint is remembered, as an honourable servant. And so when we say, In the honour of god & saint George. God is named as author of all honour, and saint George as called to the participation of that honour, by god, according to the words of Christ, If any man honour me, my father shall honour him▪ in heaven, wherein god spendeth not his honour and hath the less himself, as they would persuade, that would not have saints named with god in honour, for sparing of gods honour, but god so spreadeth his honour abroad, and is thereby magnified among us▪ The catholic doctrine teacheth god holly with his servants, Christ, holly with his precepts. You be the only devyders of Christ, who can not abide the teaching of hole Christ, which consisteth in the due receiving the benefits of his passion and following his example. This half of Christ, ye talk of, that he hath suffered for our sin, paid our ransom, satisfied for us, but the other half, that Christ suffered for our example, to work after him, that ye can not abide ne digest the preaching of it. Ye say also ye love Christ, but ye divide him from his servants, his saints departed, under a wrong pretence of the preservation of his hole honour. Christ himself, ye call life, but ye call his servants the saints departed, dead men, and for spite cut of their ears, and say they can not hear, because they want their bodies. Thus do you divide christ, and make strife between his gifts also, with your only faith, where with to put charity out of office in justification. And ye be verily they of whom the text of saint Paul to Timo. may be verified which ye bring in against me. Read the text, as ye allege it again, and do as Plato was wont to do, when he red any thing saying, do not this touch me? As for the matter of acts in the realm (which ye know I make not) I will not entreat with you, being matters by the realm agreed upon, according to gods truth, which it beseemeth me not, to call in any doubt. But let us see what ye say further.  
joy. But play on yet again ones master Wynchester.  
Win 
vi. article.  There is ever as much charity towards god as faith, and as faith increaseth so doth charity increase.  
joy. This is truth neither ought it to be impugned if he take faith and charity as Paul taketh them. There must needs some truth be mixed with lies, that he might the slylyer deceive, and some sugar mingled with his venom that he might the privelier poison.  
Winton THus much ye say I speak well, and so I doubt not I did the rest, But yet I spoke not this, after your understanding, as though faith & charity, must ever be together in one. But to this purpose, this speech served, we spoke of turning to god, wherein I said, that as god gave man, by faith, knowledge to come to him: So he gave charity to love him. So as when god calleth man, to him, there, in the turning of man, and going to god, god addeth to faith, love, according as saint Austen saith. Credere in deum est amando in eum ire. To believe in god, is by loving to go unto him. And therefore ye shall not take that advantage of my (there) which word (there) placed as it was then spoken to Barnes, had an other signification special, than ye by allowing of it would have it signify. For it was not spoken in this sense, that your doctrine teacheth, whereby to signify, that who so ever loseth charity, loseth also faith, but there where god giveth faith, he giveth also charity▪ because faith without charity, remaineth dead.  
joy. What then Wynchester.  
Vuin. 
seven article.  To thattainment of justification, is required faith and charity.  
joy. faith only (sayeth Christ and Paul) is required to th'attainment of the justification which is of God, neither is charity excluded from faith, but from the efficacy effect and office to justify. For to this effect and office is faith alone sufficient effectuously. As from fire or from the son we exclude not heat nor brightness, but yet have heat and brightness their sundry effects and offices, for the heat warmeth and with his brightness the son shineth and giveth light. Charity hath many fair effects and, offices attributed only unto herself as proper, and is highly commended for them, as is faith extolled of Paul for her offices in the Hebrews. And I dare say charity is content with her own works, called benign patient. etc. so that she desireth not to put her elder sister faith out of her chief office nor yet to usurp any part thereof, whose office principal is alone to justify, but and if Wynchester will defraud faith of her effect and impart it unto charity, he shall offend both charity and faith. This is certain that if charity had had any such an excellent effect and office as to justify, Paul would not have omitted it, but would have given her the glory thereof setting it forth before all saying. Charity justifieth, charity is benign, patient, etc. I would Wynchester would once show us where he findeth this text in scripture. charity justifieth. It is written in many places faith justifieth, by faith god testified our fathers to be justified, yea and that without the works of the law. freely doubtless are men justified by grace (saith Paul) through the ransom and redemption made by the anointed saviour whom god the father hath set forth to be the free merciful gift or seat of mercy thereupon to be appeased through faith in his blood set forth (I say) to declare himself faithful and true of his promise concerning the forgiveness of sins hitherto committed and passed, which sins God the father had not anon punished but patiently suffered them to declare his long suffering and himself to be true of his promise at this present time when himself would be known and declared faithful and just in that he justifieth who soever believeth and liveth in jesus by faith. Where is then thy glorious boasting ohs Wynchester? It is plainly excluded and shut out of doors. By what reason? by the reason of virtue & works? No no, but by the reason of faith, we conclude therefore (saith Paul) that by faith a man is justified without the works of the law. Lo here is all gloriation of works blown down, laid flat in the dust by reason and power of faith: for as faith humbleth & giveth all glory to god, so do works puff up man and ascribe glory unto men. If the effect of Christ's passion should depend of the condition of our works, we should never be sure and certain of our justification, for all our works are unperfit and fowl as the sick woman's clothes. Paul himself did his office so truly that his conscience could not accuse him of any fault, and yet he said, Non tamen in hoc justificatus sum, yet for so doing am I not justified.  
Winto I Said to thattainment of justification, is required faith & charity. You say that Christ and saint Paul saith faith only, and yet ye said even now, & so ye say a little after, that charity is joined, with the faith ye speak of, and you yourself, take faith and charity for two sisters, but ye make faith th'elder sister, and affirm, that in justification, charity that ye call the younger sister, is not excluded. These be your words, wherein ye say, the same I say, as a plain simple man would ween, such as ye take upon you, to teach in english. For I say both the sisters (as ye call them) be there, & ye say they be there also. Where is the variance then, between you and me? Forsooth in two points. One is that ye say, faith and charity, be both in justification, and yet ye say, Saint Paul and Christ, say, faith only, whereby ye declare yourself, how much ye regard their sayings, and that what soever they say, ye dare (if it like you) say the contrary. Now for my part I say, faith and charity be both in justification, because Christ and saint Paul say the same. another variance between you and me is, ye say, albeit both sisters, faith and charity, be in justification, yet charity, the younger sister (as ye term it) standeth still idle, and only waiteth upon her elder sister, faith, which faith ye say, is only in efficacy, effect and office in justification, but not only in company, for faith (ye say) is accompanied with charity in justification, and yet faith as the elder sister worketh al. I say they be both not only in company in justification, but also in office, & efficacy, so as all the controversy, in justification, is come now to this fine, subtle, narrow issue whether charity in justification, worketh or is idle? 
The issue of the controversy in justification.  And is not (trow you) the discussion of this point, a worthy matter, wherewith to travel the simple unexercised wits of the world. And surely, all the disputation, in this article of justification, is deduced by discussion thus far, that for all the only & only, with so many onlyes which they have added to faith, to make the speech litigious, there now is none found among learned men, but that say (as ye master joy say) that charity is not excluded from faith in justification, but that there is in the justification of man, faith and charity. But the new sect (which ye profess) to maintain the adverb (only) say the office of faith is only to justify, and yet charity is present, but is not effectuous therein. So as faith and charity being two gifts of God given both together, the one (that is to say) faith, worketh justification only, as ye say, and that other, charity for the time standeth idle, till justification be past. And to induce men, to see this even aswell as you do yourself, ye use a similitude of the son and fire, which manner of teaching Christ used much by things corporal and visible, to make some explication of things invisible and incorporal, and so to induce men to the understanding of them, which for my part I much allow, and only find this fault in some of your sort, that albeit in you, 
Similitudes be necessary to plain teaching.  they allow and approve similitudes, for corroboration of your doctrine, yet when your doctrine should be impugned, they can not abide similitudes, but they say straight as they here of them, fie on them: Blind not me (saith he) by similitudes but come to the plain matter, and yet sometime the matter is so dark, as it can not be perceived without the spectacles of a similitude, or parable, and anon the similitude well considered, the matter that was dark, is seen by and by. For a similitude, is as it were a speech of the words & thing together for both the thing resembled, and the words also speaketh at ones. But now to your similitude, whereby ye intend to make men perceive, how it might be, that two things conjoined together, may have diverse effects, and so each one of them, to work his effect apart, without confusion. For so ye say, doth faith and charity. The son and fire ye say, have each one of them heat & brightness, and the heat warmeth and the brightness shineth. So as by this similitude, we may understand, that from god, whom ye signify by the son or fire, is given to man before he be justified, two virtues, faith and charity, whereof faith shineth, and charity warmeth. And in deed the effect of faith, is properly, to illuminate the understanding, and of charity to warm and kindle man's cold and earthly affection. Now if the justification of man implied only the expulsion of darkness, from man's understanding, theffect of faith, would suffice, but seeing god in justification, moveth man's heart, and kindleth love in it, why may not these two virtues, with their two effects, by god's working, concur in man's justification? your similitude letteth it not, but rather confirmeth it. As for saint Paul declareth plainly, that albeit he speaketh sometime of faith without mention of charity, yet he meaneth not faith as a bare foundation, but faith with charity. And as every foundation corporal, is first in priority of time. So is every foundation intellectual, first in priority of nature. And therefore because noman loveth that he knoweth not before, faith that bringeth knowledge must needs pcede, and faith that hath not charity is dead, so as by these ii virtues god resuscitating man in justification from the death of sin to life, 
Iustificati●  giveth the gifts of knowledge and love (that is to say) faith and charity, being god only the officer himself that justifieth, and to him ye may put (only) and (only) for he is the justifier and requireth (only) of man (marry that he will have done) to receive and use these virtues, as he giveth them. And this is the plain teaching, and agreeable with scriptures, which must be so understanded, as one part, may be consonant to the other, without such hacking as ye make of it. God gave Abraham faith wherewith to believe him, and charity wherewith to love him, and Abraham as he believed god so he loved him both together. And if I should return to your similitude, when men say, that they should plant their vines, where the son may shine on them, do they affirm that the brightness and light of the son, giveth the comfort to the wines? or rather the heat? The speech is of the brightness, as a part may signify, the hole, but in the heat is th'effect. Ye dalye in the matter, to triumph over me, & take upon you the part of a mediator, between the two sisters faith and charity, and ye commend charity, for many good properties forsooth, but ye say the elder sister faith, hath the justification by scripture. Is not this properly handled, in so serious a matter? But ye require scripture of me whiles ye daily, & talk yourself, without scripture. As for scripture this I say to you, that and ye note scripture, ye shall find in the true sense of it, that as the promise of god is knit to faith, so it is knit to love, as life is promised to men believing, so it is promised to men loving. And as often as saint Paul nameth faith, not speaking of love, so often and oftener, doth saint Iohn in his epistles speak of charity without mention of faith, and declareth plainly, that he that loveth not, is in death, and he that loveth not, knoweth not god. And as saint Paul saith to the hebrews, he that cometh to god must believe. So Christ said in the gospel of saint john, No man he saith, cometh to me, without my father draweth him, the sense whereof is, but by love, wherewith saint Austin saith, god draweth us according as god by Moses signified to us, that he showeth his mercy, to them that love him. It is true, we can not love god unless he prepareth our heart, and give us that grace, no more can we believe god, unless he giveth us the gift of belief. And so god is the author of all our wealth, and our helper, that we may work with him, and he is the only justifier, 
God the on● justifier.  the only saviour and only mediator. And as for the speech of (only faith justifieth) the scripture hath not, & yet hath been spoken by some learned men to exclude the works of Moses' law, wherein S. Paul laboured in his epistle to the Romans, where S. Paul speaketh not of the adverb (only) nor he hath not this fashion of speech, faith justifieth, but in this wise, we be justified by faith, and attributeth the act of justification to god. And S. Augustine saith plainly, that for the more plain understanding of S. Paul, god inspired S. james to write his epistle. And further saint Austen saith, that S. Paul speaking of faith, did ever mean such a faith as had the gift of charity with it, whereof he spoke, to the Galathians. Neque circumcisio, neque prepucium est aliquid, sed fides que per dilectionem operatur. And to the Corrinthians, he that hath not charity is nothing. And therefore as scripture testifieth that god maketh his promise to them that believe in him so it testifieth that god maketh his promise to them that love him, as saint james writeth. And by the wise man god sayeth, I love them that love me. Saint Iohn affirmeth, he that loveth not god, knoweth not god, so as without I love I can not fruitfully believe, no not the belief of knowledge, as saint john declareth whereby appeareth, that the younger sister charity, for so ye speak of her, hath office to help her elder sister faith, in justification. But ye now press me to show you scripture, in this form of syllables, Charity justifieth. And yet ye have no scripture so framed, for faith, as to say, faith justifieth, nevertheless to answer you according to your foolishness, and to stop your mouth, who begin to appose me, as children were want each one another in their primers, to ask, where they found two deus & never a meus? 
An auns● meet for 〈◊〉 that will 〈◊〉 strive for ●lables.  Thus much I say, I find in saint Paul, deus justificat, and then I find in saint John, deus est charitas: And so I find charitas justificat. For quicquid predicatur de subiecto, predicatur de predicato. And so if deus predicatur de iustificare, to say, deus justificat, and then charitas predicatur de deo, deus est charitas, the scripture that saith, deus justificat, saith also charitas justificat. And thus I give you words for words, who deserve none other. For else I know that charitas que de deo predicatur, est increata, and so differeth, a charitate qua iustificamur. Thus for my recreation, I answer you, as you be worthy, who from serious discussion of the true sense, will bring the matter to syllables, and yet in deed, ye have no such syllables, for faith, what so ever ye say, as you would have me find, to serve for charity: for scripture hath neither fides justificat, nor charitas justificat, in syllables, but the sense of both is contained in scripture, as before is declared. As for works of the law serve you only, for matter to talk on. As for frenes in justification, I affirm all to be of gift, and there is nothing freer than gift. I speak of no glory, but only of god's glory in whom we should glory as saint Paul teacheth us. Now where ye say, that if the effect of Christ's passion, should depend, of the condition of our works we should never be sure, and certain of our justification, for all our works are unperfit, and foul. Thus I answer you, that what sureness ye would have I can not tell, but of this I am sure, that god hath thus ordained that baptism is necessary, to attain salvation, and yet all children, be not sure to be baptized. And this doth scripture tell me assuredly, that a man must persever in good doing, to th'end, or else he shall not be saved, and that he that standeth in virtue, may fall, and be cast out. I am assured by saint Paul's admonition in his epistle to the Romans bidding the gentle, take heed that he fall not. And saint Austen saith, If we continue in goodness, we may be assured of god, that he will not fail, but whether we shall continue, no man knoweth. And therefore such assurance as ye speak of, without regard of the condition, and observing of it also, I have not red. Thus have I learned in scriptures, if we turn, when god turneth to us, If we believe, when god illuminateth us. If we love, as god kindleth us. If we be baptized as God commandeth us we shallbe justified, 
Conditions required in scripture of man for his salvation.  If we walk in justification, as god by christ hath taught us, and therein persevere, we shallbe saved and glorified. And I know none other english for so many ifs, but to call them conditions, and works also to be done by us, which works, be unperfit in us, that be ourself unperfit, and as touching unperfitenes, faith therein differeth not from charity, for they need both daily increase of perfection, and therefore job said. Verebar omnia opera mea, which may comprehend faith also. But all our imperfitnes, is supplied in Christ's perfectness, and so christ supplieth us, and we supply not christ, We should do all as christ did, for he is our example to follow, but we can not, for we have the dregs of sin, and be compassed about with infirmities as punishment for the sin of our father Adam. So as the powers of our soul, upon occasion of the world, and the flesh, and suggestion of the devil, be ready to rebellion, And herein aswell the power of the soul, the properly receiveth faith, to diffidence, and doubt against the certainty of godly faith, as also the power of the soul, that receiveth charity to contempt or negligence towards the observation of god's pleasure, with some confusion in hope also, as adversities encumber us, or pleasures make us wanton. For although the guilt of original sin, be taken away in baptism, yet the scar of it & (as it were) the matter of it, doth remain, which as it troubleth, and letteth man's perfection in virtue, and thereby is maintained a continual strife and debate, so is it not to be accounted our sin till we conceive it, by embracing & agreeing to such carnal motions. And therefore saint james sayeth, that concupiscence, when it conceiveth, bringeth forth sin. And like as in every kind, the female is commonly barren, unless it conceiveth of the male: so is concupisbence barren and void of sin, unless it conceive of man the agreyment of his free will, consenting to the evil motion. And because no man hath been so perfect, but hath in the continual fight yielded, although men might be by grace, without sin, yet because no man hath (except our Lady as saint Augustyne sayeth who is always to be excepted) if we should say we had no sin, we were liars, as saint Iohn sayeth, and therefore after saint Austin's mind, do not only for humility, but also for truth, pray in our common prayer daily for remission of our sins, And so master joy to return to our matter, if ye would for policy, flee from the work of love, to the work of faith, because ye would be assured, ye be no more assured, in respect of your own work, by faith, than ye be by charity, but all our assurance, is in god's promise. For, deus verax, et omnis homo mendax, and therefore how so ever ye and yours will jest at it. I will return again to the common prayer of the church, Omnipotens sempiterne deus, da nobis fidei, spei & charitatis augmentum, & ut mereamur assequi quod promittis, fac nos amare quod praecipis. Which prayer being so old in the church, they have been afraid, for reverence of ancienty, to banish in Germany, although it repugneth and disproveth their teaching in this matter. Wherefore as the sum of our health beginneth, continueth, & is accomplished by god's mercy. Quia neque volentis neque currentis, sed miserentis est dei: so the assurance of our health, dependeth upon god's promise: Marry (ꝙ you) and that is truth, and here ye will clap your hands, and extol the strength of truth, that bresteth out, although we pharisais (as ye saducees call us) would oppress it. The promise of god is all, Et ideo, ex fide (say you) and these words scripture hath, ut firma sit promissio. 
A consideration of the argument, how faith apprehendeth the promise:  And now ye will percase bring in Melanctons' correlatives whereof ye make mention in the end of your book of faith and of promise: And that the cause why we be justified by faith (saith he) & not by charity, is because promise can not be received, but by faith. And in this point/ they marvel of the grossness of our wit, that understand not the nature of correlatives, and see not how a promise, can only be apprehended by faith, and that is the ground, that moveth them to say, Only faith justifieth. And thus they reason, seeing our salvation dependeth upon god's promise, & a promise can not be apprehended, but by faith only, we must needs say, only faith justifieth, And to make the matter plain they bring in a similitude. If one man promiseth an other. xx.li. how can he, to whom the promise is made, apprehend the promise but only by believing him that promiseth. And this is the new school of Germany, where sophistry is not banished but hath a new garment and is clothed with a pretence of simplicity. For in this teaching, is a marvelous appearance of plainness, and throughly considered, containeth a mere deceit. And note well reader, that thou mayest perceive this iuggelinge sophistry, where it deceiveth the. It is not denied, but only faith apprehendeth the promise, therein is no controversy, but mark well this, when god justifieth man, god ministereth mercy to us, which was the thing god promised to give us (as the prophet zachary prophesied god would give himself) who is all mercy, whereupon is grounded our salvation, wherein we must consider distinctly & a part the promise of god, and the thing by him promised, which is mercy. The promise is one, the thing contained in the promise is an other. As in their example (for I dare make no new) when one friend promiseth an other. 
God's promise of mercy, showeth the promise to be the bond● & mercy the thing promised.  xx.li. the promise is the bond, the thing promised is the. xx.li. In which example, though I grant, that I apprehend my friends promise, with believing him, yet I apprehend not, that is contained in my friends promise, with believing him, for I apprehended that with my hands, if it be paid me. And so although we apprehend gods promise, with our belief, yet the exhibition of the mercy of god, which is the thing comprehended in gods promise, we apprehend that with all such parts of us, of body and soul, as be comforted and healed, by that mercy. And in the working of Christ's miracles, the promise of health, in body and soul, was received by faith, in the understanding lightened by God, but the health was received, in all the parts healed of body and soul. Now if he will yet wrangle and say, that the promise of god, is mercy, and god will surely fulfil his promise. So as he that apprehendeth, the promise, apprehendeth also mercy. I will not vary with him therein to say that the promise is for the certain hope of the thing promised, mercy. For as our Lady said in the spirit of prophecy. Suscepit Israell puerum suum, recordatus misericordiae suae. God hath taken to him Israel, his servant, remembering his mercy, that is to say, according to his merciful promise, which the next verse declareth. Sicut locutus est. etc. yet ye shall note here a distinction in degree of mercy between the mercy in the merciful promise, when our Lady saith recordatus miseri cordiae suae, & the very receiving of Israel to his service which god doth in justification of man, for than he taketh Israel the believer that seeth god to his servant, which is a further mercy and the very mercy promised. So as Israel apprehendeth the merciful promise by faith, but being taken to service, receiveth the further mercy promised, in receiving a new heart, a new spirit, which god createth in man, with the gift of charity, & resuscitateth in man life, being all life and charity himself. Wherefore we may not properly say we apprehend justification by faith, which is the exhibition of mercy promised by god, to justify man, unless, we would call the promise of god, and the exhibition of the thing promised all one. God will do assuredly, that he promiseth, & yet his promise, & the thing promised be distinct, & the promise & the exhibition of the promise distinct, but assuredly knit together, without failing, for god can not fail, & yet dissevered, in consideration of the scripture. And herein is the sophistry, in this new school, slythly to pass over and juggle, as this man speaketh of under board, from the promise to the exhibition of the thing promised, which their sleight is not of the rude, easily espied, because in common speech, we use sometime, to signify, by the word (promise) the thing promised, and so we do, when we say we be saved by gods promiss meaning his mercy promised, and yet be the promise, and mercy promised, divers in consideration of the thing, as afore. As soon as man believeth, God proceedeth to the fulfilling of his promise, for his part, and giveth us a new spirit, and a new heart, and so justifieth us, if we receive it, and assent by our free choice unto it, and work with it, which is the effectual receiving and the worthiness on our part, whereby we be justified. And note well this that there must be on our part a worthiness, and therefore, how so ever ye will smile at it, 
The church hath alwa● laboured in ●membraun●● of gods p●mises to p● us in remembrance o● our wort●nes.  it is a good prayer, Ora pro nobis sancta dei genitrix, ut digni efficia mur promissionibus christi. In this prayer we call upon our Lady as a lively member of Christ's mystical body, to pray to god, for us and with us, that we may be made worthy, the promises of christ. In which prayer we acknowledge and truly profess, that the promises of god, require in us a worthiness. For the promises of god be not to all men, without condition absolute for then all should be saved, but only to such as be worthy, to enjoy them. And of this worthiness the scripture speaketh the third chapter in the book of wisdom, 
●sedome marches seeing them, ●at be wor●ye her.  saying, god hath tempted them, and found them worthy him. And Centurio in the gospel, when he humbly, would have avoided the coming of Christ into his house, said. Lord, I am not worthy, that thou shouldest entre into my house. Now if we shall so press the signification of this word (worthy) as we mean sometime when we say. Dignus est operarius mercede sua, no man can be found worthy, the mercy of god, but if we can be content in the understanding, to abstain from the extremity, and take worthiness for metenes after god's acceptation, than all such, may be accounted worthy as conform themself to god's pleasure, and use such gifts of god, as whereby god maketh us worthy, both the gifts received and other more. So as the sense of the prayer, that we may be made worthy, is that we may be conformable, to the fulfilling of god's will. And it is to be noted, that we pray that we may be made worthy (for we can not make ourself worthy) but must receive all of god, of whom is all worthiness, and of ourself unworthiness, and yet in the attaining of worthiness, we be workers with god, by his grace as before is declared. And thus much I speak hereof how this prayer, which many would deprave is agreeable, with the sense of scripture, because it is necessary, we be put in remembrance that the promises of god, require the condition of worthiness on our behalf, wherein is required our endeavour. Ye bring in at the last a text of saint Paul, like a key to cleave a log. For saint Paul's speaking in that place, nothing pertaineth to the justification we speak of, as ye know well enough but only use it because ye delight in copy. Then followeth that ye call my viii article.  
Win 
viii article.  Every thing is to be called freely done, whereof the beginning is free and at liberty without any cause of provocation.  
joy. So is there nothing freely done. For man having his human natural affects, as love hatred, fear, joy, heaviness, gladness, concupiscence, hunger thirst etc. Besides these also having any celestial gifts as faith hope etc., must needs be provoked of them to do or to suffer all things. But the liberty of the spirit conceived by faith whereof christ & Paul speak, affirming by faith himself to be free & by love to be bondman to all men is of an higher divinity than this popissh lawer or cowrtly ruffler can attain unto.  
Winton YE rehearse mine article right, till ye come to the latter word where in stead of the word (compulsion) ye put in the word (provocation) I would never have given Barns and his scolefelow such a cause of provocation to have jested of me, 
How joy here provoketh me to call him by his name.  as to say as ye rehearse For not only vice, besides the instigation of the devil, hath a material cause of provocation to vice, but also virtue, besides the calling of God, hath a material cause of provocation to virtue. In provocation of virtue and vice this differeth, that a man may play the devils part, and tempt himself, and so exercise the material cause of vice, but man can not play god's part, and of himself put in work, the material cause of virtue, virtuously, for all goodness cometh from above. But with Barnes it came in by the way, to speak of man's free working, either in sin or virtue, or any other action indifferent. This maxim, I told him that every thing is to be esteemed of the beginning. For if the beginning hath no compulsion, the act is to be called free, if the beginning hath force and compulsion, all that followeth hath the nature of necessity. We discussed this in many specialties, and amongst other, in the state of priests, whether they that lived unmarried, such as would now marry, I mean such as those be, whether they may, complain of want of freedom, to use the world at liberty, as god hath permitted? And herein because the beginning of that state of priesthood, hath no cause of compulsion, for no man is compelled to be a priest, and yet there be many causes of provocation, so as each man hath once in his life liberty and choice whether he will entre the state of priesthood or no. After any man hath entered that state, if he liketh it not, he may well lament his own folly in the choice of it, but he hath no cause to complain of the state, whereunto he was never compelled, but might have chosen whether he would have entered it or no. And therefore to every man that murmureth at the present condition of his life, it is objected in common reason thus. Ye might have chosen. Whereunto if any man could truly reply, and say I could not choose, every man lamenteth the state of him, that sayeth and declareth, he could not choose, and condemneth the complaint of him, that might have chosen. So as these two comen speeches, I could not chose, and might have chosen, be worthily allowed among us, whereby to excuse or blame all our doings, To our friend that is offended with our doing, we say I pray you blame me not, for in good faith I could not choose. If you could not choose (sayeth the friend) I am not so fond, to fall out with you, I will never blame a man (saith he) for that he could not choose. Now on the other part, he that leaveth his occupation, to be a serving man, or selleth his land, because he liketh better ready money, or marrieth for his lust, without godly consideration, if that man can allege nothing, that should have enforced his so doing & yet will grudge at his fortune accounting himself miserable, he is put to silence with these few words. Ye might have chosen. It shallbe said to me percase, that here is a long talk without scripture of, I might choose, and, I could not choose. And some shall call it wily wit, and some jangling sophistry, & some holy water reasons, 
The devil deviseth to deprave every thing with pretty terms.  for with such pretty words, the devil cheereth his gests, whom he feesteth with talking and jangling abroad in the world, wherewith to overwhelm the very truth. To the matter I say thus, that this peace of truth, of man's free choice, to do good or evil, confirmed in the scriptures, because it hath been truly planted and rooted in our common speech, I have thought good, to stir up the remembrance of it, by discussing the comen speech to the intent when it appeareth to agree with scripture, it may be more regarded, not because it is a comen speech, but because it is the truth of scripture, whereby the better to resist, such perverse doctrine, as some would persuade to be in scripture of mere necessity, upon their wrong consideration, of god's providence, election and predestination. God's secret judgements, I leave untouched, and god worketh after the purpose of his will. Which is most just. He calleth some in the morning, some latter, and at diverse hours of the day, as the parable showeth, But to us whom he calleth at the time of working, whiles it is day, and hath endued us with the gifts of reason & understanding: If a sinner might say to god for defence of his actual sin, I could not choose but do as I did (which no such man can do) it were an excuse for his sin. But because god may truly say to the sinner. Thou mightest have chosen, therein is the confusion, in every sinners conscience. This speech shall percase offend many. And some will say, may not the infant, that perisheth in the mother's womb, unchristened, say to god, I could not choose? May not the child borne, that dieth afore baptism, say, I could not choose? And those in such countries as hear not of Christ's gospel, may not they say, they could not chose? and than shall we allow (ꝙ they) this lawyers divinity of (I may not choose) for man's allegation to god, and grant that all these be upon this conclusion saved? Hereunto I say, that I do not take upon me, to lay before you, the plat of all gods secret works, but as (saint Iohn saith) that we have seen and hard, we testify, and that god hath not opened let us worship it, in silence. I entreat not in this place the state of infants, ne of other, who in respect of choice be like unto them. Note of what sort of men I speak, and ask not of other, of whom I talk not. He was never good scholar the whiles his master taught him one thing, would devise to ask other impertinent qu●stions. 
Here he two questions asked together the first for the seco●des sak●, for in the first he answereth himself and doubteth not of it.  A curious wit would not le● me pass thus, but ask me, wha● say ye yet in deed to such children, & such sort of men, what state be they in? be they not saved? & why do ye say they be not saved? In good faith, I will make such an answer, as I would a great meany (when they might truly) would also plainly make. I can not tell (that is to say) in such matters as man's capacity can not go through. And note here reader, what I add here to, I say not, I can not tell, because I know nothing in the matter, but because, albeit there be some light, in thentry of the matter, yet it is dark within, & the speech of it maketh not to our edification, but only to nourish the curiosity of our desire, to know that we can not comprehend. Scripture is evident, that he that is not baptized shall not enter into heaven. Whereby I may say of their state, they be not saved But then to other questions that may arise, how stand that with this or that, whereby to show the reason of gods secret judgements. I can not tell. And herein the true confession of man's weakness of capacity, to comprehend gods secrecies, with confessing his ignorance and the answer (I can not tell) doth much set forth our reverence to his majesty. And in this time of vainglory in knowledge, it shall be as necessary, to teach ignorance, for thexclusion of arrogancy and presumption, and planting of humility, as hath been in time of extreme darkness, expedient, to set forth knowledge to th'increase of god's glory. Both the extremities have like inconvenience. This saying shall have a scoff that bishops would teach ignorance, for they teach men none other lesson (some will say) But when such one hath well pleased himself in his scoff, and jest, he shall find that I say true, and himself to have need to learn his ignorance in this point. But to the matter, I speak in this place, of free choice of such, as to whom god offereth his gifts being endued with grace, and maturity of judgement to discern them, of such I am learned by scriptures to say that necessity or compulsion to mischief, were their excuse (if there were any) and their freedom of choice, their only confusion to their condemnation. And so S. Paul testifieth in the ix chapter of his epistle to the Romans, where he showeth that the jews were rejected, because they stumbled at the stumbling stone, meaning christ. And god said by his prophet To●a die expandi manus meas, ad populum non credentem & contradicentem, I have (saith god) spread abroad my hands the hole day, to a people not believing, & gainesaienge. So as god offering his help which is signified, by the spreding abroad of his hands, if that people had chosen rather to be in the house of their lord god, then to dwell in the tentis of sinners, they had been received to salvation, 
An objection  we read nevertheless, that christ said to his apostles, ye have not chosen me but I have choose you. In which speech it is to be noted that in comparing together the doing of god, with the cooperation of man, nothing is to be attributed to man in the speech, but all applied to god, not because man's doing is nothing, but because it is nothing in respect of god. And when soever man, in the glory of god's gifts, is compared fondly to god, all that man hath, vadeth and wanneth away, as the light of a candle, is not seen, in the great light of a bright son. And therefore scripture saith. Non vos estis qui loquimini, sed spiritus patris vestri qui loquitur in vobis, which denieth not, but they spoke, but theffectuous and chief doer in the speech was the holy ghost. And this also, may be commonly observed, that the first and principal thing occupieth the name of the hole. And therefore because god chooseth us first, and we can not choose god, before he chooseth us, and offereth us grace to come to him, Christ in his speech truly affirmed his choice, which was chief, principal, and formest, and denied our choice, which dependeth of it. And yet man being called to grace, and having by reason thereof the way of life offered him which no man is compelled to receive, he may in the receiving of it say with the prophet Viam veritatis elegi. The greeks call this choosing of man (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) which taken away, they say man differeth not, from a beast. And therefore the holy men of our religion, such as have travailed in thexpoundingexpounding of scripture, do specially note, that no scripture, may be thought right understanded whereby to take away man's free choice, & thereby to confirm compulsion or absolute necessity, which both repugn thereunto. And this faculty to choose, implieth also a discerning of good from evil, with a faculty to accept either this or that. Here man's froward reason, hath devised this sophistical argument? Can man chose heaven? even as wisely spoken (sayeth a good fellow) as to say a man can choose to fly. And here cometh in scripture. The carnal man understandeth not, any thing of god, and how should such one chose heaven? Brother (ꝙ this godly reasoner) seest not how wit travaileth to drown gods word, and blind it with witty devices? I pray the note this (saith he) After the light of god's word hath put out their free will: now come they about the bush again, with the name of free choice, and all is not worth a green chease. Believe not the false doctrines of man's invention, Look Paul to the Ephesians and there shalt thou find, that god hath chosen man before the beginning of the world. Keep this in thy breast what so ever they say, I understand this english, as well as the best bishop of them of all. And after this sort some (I would they were a lesser some) do handle this matter abroad, whom I would gladly satisfy, and I trust could also, if they were indifferent, to have the very truth have place, rather than that they would have truth. But to the matter, man can not of himself in deed, fly, no more than he can, without god's gift climb to heaven. And yet scripture saith. Quis dabit michi pennas sicut columbe, et volabo et requiescam? who shall give me feathers, as it were of a dove and I shall fly and rest me? Thus david inspired by god, desired feathers to fly, which when they were offered him, than David might choose whether he would use them or no. David knew without feathers he could not fly, and also, when he had obtained them, might choose whether he would fly or no, but mark that I say further in the parable of distribution of Talentes, he that had but one talon & laid it up, might have used it, as tother did, but he misused his judgement & laid it up idly. So as when th'account was asked of him, of that he had received, and upon knowledge that it was laid up idle, was asked, why he did not give the money to usury? His answer was not that he laid it up, because he could not choose, but he declared the reasons by him devised and excogitate which he said moved him, to lay it up, whereby appeareth, that as they, that had five Talentes, and might have laid them up, did chose to be industrious and faithful, and increase their talentes, by exercise, & were of their lord considered thereafter, in likewise he that was slothful and did chose, to lay his talon up idle, was of his lord so taken and used accordingelye. And here note well reader and thou shalt perceive the crafty sophistry, of the devil, in the person of him, that pretendeth simplicity. In the parable aforesaid, these men to whom Talentes were given could not chose to have the Talentes given unto them, for that was in the pleasure of him, that was lord of the Talentes, hereunto all must agree wherein is resembled gods choice. But when the owner of the Talentes, being at liberty, to distribute or not distribute his Talentes, had thought good and so chosen, to distribute the Talentes of his own mere clemency, to one more, and an other less, Then the receivers of these Talentes, might likewise choose (as it appeareth they did) whether they would use them or no. For some of them did use them, and some did not. And here thou mayest see plainly a resemblance of god's choice that the silly soul spoke of, and of our choice, which I have intended here to entreat. God chooseth to give unto us his gifts, 
God chooseth and man chooseth.  and in that part we have no choice, and then we choose, whether we will use the gifts or no, and in this part we have free choice, as appeareth, in declaration of this parable. For in our inclination to good or evil, there is neither necessity nor compulsion: 
free will in the full signification, should imply free choice.  between free will and free choice, I put no difference, but in the terms of free choice, which expresseth the greek and latin words, Liberum arbitrium, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the matter may be more clearly opened in my judgement. For albeit free will and free choice, were meant to signify one thing, yet they that be more fine, in their considerations, by abuse of the words, from their full signification, have devised, how to grant free will, because they saw the world, so much abhor the denial of it, and yet therewith, to defend still, their abominable dream, of mere necessity, which mere necessity, can in no wise stand, 
necessity cannot stand with free choice.  with man's free choice, For necessity signifieth one point and no more, whereunto any thing is directed. Now every choice must be of two, at the least, for one hath no choice, so as he that is necessitate to be dampened hath no choice, ne he that is necessitate, to be saved, hath any choice, 
A man may will that is necessary, i● some sense. But not chose that i● necessary i● any sense.  and both these sorts of men, have no free choice at al. But as for free will, as we take it only for a desirous appetite, which is not the full signification of free will, may stand with necessity, as in example a man being necessitate to die (as every man is) may also gladly, willingly and desirously, die, as many have done for Christ's sake, many for glory, many for weariness of their life, And much more, if men were necessitate to be saved, they should gladly, willingly, and desirously, do the works of salvation. And so the Captains of the sect have, studied out a devise how deceiving men, in the signification of free will, as though it signified no choice at all but only a desirous appetite, they have granted that man hath free will to his salvation, which they call a will new create of god, to be desirous of salvation, and therewith defend still their mere necessity, & there withal say this also, that a good man doth necessarily well, & also freely well, and an evil man, doth necessarily evil, and freely nought. They say also, that god doth compel no man, for compulsion (say they) is contrary to free will, But not necessity, and for this they allege the ethnyke philosopher aristotel, because he may help forward, who considering, 
aristotel speaketh of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which is comen to man & beast, and so is not voluntas nor arbitrium.  the natural parts of the soul saith that violentum opponitur voluntati, non necessitas. And yet aristotel useth such a word in the stead of voluntas, as signifieth Lubentiam or libidinem, that is comen to man and beast and not voluntatem which is proper to man, and yet thus they shift in the words, to deceive the simple, whom they would seem to desire, to teach god's truth, and under pretence thereof, do sow abroad the devils falsehood. But Aristotel their author saith, that absolute necessity which is properly necessity, is contrary to free choice, which man must have or he is no man. And what a Sophism is this to say, that a good man doth necessarily well, and an evil man doth necessarily evil, and therewith say also that man is not compelled by god, to good or evil. For every mere necessity that can not be eschewed, and is o● itself a necessity, doth enforce and compel all the mean causes, to do him service, for mere necessity will be by no means disappointed▪ And it is said therefore, 
Nothing more violent than necessity.  that there is nothing more violente, then necessity absolute. And mark we● these teachers, for in doctrine they conclude each man's salvation or damnation under mere necessity, and yet they say, god compelleth no man. And then because th● philosopher saith, that compulsion only is contrary, to fire will not necessity, they say a good man doth freely and necessarily good, and an evil man freely and necessarily evil. And as they do in the words of free will so they play in the word (necessity) which is taken two ways. 
Necessity, is taken two ways.  For there is a mere and absolute necessity, that the learned men call necessitatem consequentis and a conditional necessity, which the learned men, call necessitatem consequentie. As in this example, when I tell one he shall die the corporal death. I tell him a mere necessity, for he shall needs die, and it dependeth neither of ifs, ner andes, ne can not be avoided, but that necessity of death compelleth all mean causes to serve it necessarily, to the accomplishment of it. Therefore I may say, It is merely and absolutely necessary that thou shalt die. And this is necessitas consequentis, For the thing is ordered precisly so to be. But if I say● thus, Forbearing thy food, thou must necessarily die or it be long this necessity is no mere necessity but dependeth upon the condition, of the forbearing thy food mary avoid not the condition but let that stand true, & then the necessity followeth. And of this sort of necessity the gentiles, such as had clearer understanding reputed that they called destiny, fatum. As put thy finger in the fire▪ and it will necessarily burn having the natural cause, no le● of operation. Now if it were asked, whether thy finger should necessarily burn, I must say no, meaning of a precise, absolute and mere necessity, for thou needest not put thy finger in the fire, and so the burning shall be avoided. But and if thou puttest thy finger in the fire, then of a conditional necessity, it must needs burn. Now mark the sophistry of this sect, 
The sophistry of such as defend mere necessity.  A good man (they say) doth necessarily good, and that is true, in a conditional necessity. For if he be a good man he must needs do well, for as soon as he ceaseth to do good he is no longer a good man, and so in an evil man, he doth necessarylye evil, for if he did well he were no more an evil man. And this necessity hath in deed no compulsion, because the former part of the speech, is at liberty without necessity or compulsion, and the latter part is made necessary, by the maintenance of the truth in the first part. And therefore this speech is true. Thomas being a good man doth necessarily well and Iohn an evil man doth necessarylye evil: But this is not true, the Thomas, speaking of the same Thomas doth necessarily well, or Iohn speaking of the same Iohn, doth necessarily evil. For there is no necessity at all, in the matter, but upon upholding the truth of the condition, which in these latter speeches is left out, And thus I have declared the difference of necessities, the one mere and absolute, and the other conditional, and I have showed how the simple people not having their senses exercised be deceived by such as be the devils apostles to seduce the world with intrication of speech, and like false merchants, shifting the words which be marks, from the signification of one thing to an other, by such colours maintain discord & disagreement in those things wherein it were most expedient, men should agree. This matter of free choice hath much troubled the church, by reason of such, as would presume, to have through knowledge of all thing after their discussion, and so entangling themself, with god's high mysteries, have been authors of such opinions, of mere necessity, as not only impugn the hole process, of scripture, but also subverteth all stay of good direction, and endeavour, either to godly exercise, or politic behaviour. It is the extremity of all mischief, to say that man can not choose whether he will use gods gifts or no, when they be offered him, which is the time of man's choice (as afore) for we must be persuaded that as god giveth to man his gifts freely without necessity or compulsion: so man receiveth them freely without necessity or compulsion to use them. As for the high divinity ye speak of (master joy) I will not inquire ye further of it, but would wish that divinity were ordered godly, spoken of reverently and seemly, with fear of error, with humble meek spirits, not arrogantly, not presumptuously, not by way of jesting, not by way of railing, not out of season, nor amongs other pastimes, to supply other communication. Gregory Nazianzene a noble clerk of the greek church, schoolmaster to saint Jerome, in whose time there were certain called Eunomians, who affirmed there was no way to heaven, but one, to talk of god, and dispute of god's works. This Gregory Nazianzene, noted those men, 
Considre 〈…〉 a lessō●his is for ●ut ●●me.  of their itch in their tongue (as he calleth it) & showeth, how they allege scripture, as men do the chance of dice, take that cometh first at all adventures, he noteth them how they troubled, all good assembles, with their talks in scripture. And that talk waxed so common, that women also troubled their nourseries therewith, and by occasion of their talk, lost as he saith, the flower of their shamefastness, For whose reformation at that time, he showeth that of God, neither all should be disputed that might be spoken, nor all men should speak of him, nor to all men, nor in all times, In speaking of God, he would mens capacity, should be considered. For the time (he saith) we should not mingle the talk of God, at the time of other trifling pleasures. As for the audience, he would it were such as the speaking of God might edify, For them that should talk, he would wish them either perfectly cleansed in their life, or at the least such as endeavoured themself to amend in their life, lest being filthy and corrupt in living, they should hurt themself, as he that hath sore eyes is hurt by sight of the son. This was the mind of this good man at that time, and when he had said thus much, he was afraid they would have misreported him, that he forbade them to think of God always. For in such wise evil disposed people, are wont to make misreport, of good advertisement. And therefore (he saith) I would they should think of god, as oft as they breath, but I speak (ꝙ he) of talking, reasoning and disputing of god, which he calleth in one word (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) And yet I do not (ꝙ he) improve that, but the untymelynes of it, and the excess of it, And all thing (ꝙ he) hath his time, as Solomon sayeth. And good is not good (as Gregory Nazianzene there sayeth) if it be not well done. It is seemly (ꝙ he) for a woman to were a man's garment? And after in the same work do not saint Paul say, that all be not apostles? ne all prophets, and finally concludeth the matter that if the itch of men's tongues can not otherwise be healed, but they must needs talk, he biddeth them talk of such matters, as wherein an error is without all danger. Thus in effect, sayeth Gregory Nazianzene, who, amongs some, if he were here, might percase hear that he would be sorry for, and yet he for his high learning in divinity, hath been honoured and celebrated by the name of Theologus, as exceeding all other in knowledge of diuínite. They that saw the absurdity ensuenge of the misorder, hath testified it unto us, whom it is better to believe than by abjecting their counsel abide the inconvenience, which the church then felt. It is now time, to return to the discussion of the rest of your book, wherein it followeth.  
joy. Forth on Winchester.  
Win 
ix. ●ticle.  Faith must be to me the assuerance of the promises in god made in christ (if I fulfil the condition) and love must accomplish the condition, whereupon followeth thatainment of the promise according to Gods truth.  
joy. Yet dare not he express his condition, saying plainly: Faith assewreth me of the promise of god (if I fulfil the law) but Win nor none else, but only christ, fulfilled the law ergo neither Winch. nor any else standing this condition, shall never be assured of the promise of God. Paul argueth another ways excluding the condition that men might be the suerer and certainer of the promise. For if the promise should stand of an uncertain, yea impossible condition: who shall be certain and assured of the promise? Thus argueth Paul. By the works of the law came not the promise to Abraham or to his seed, him to be thair of the world, but by the rightwise making by faith. For if they that will be justified by the works be therefore made thayers, so is faith and believe in vain and the promise void & frustrate. For the law worketh but wrath, ergo it worketh no good works to thattainment of justification. It worketh wrath for that it is impossible to be performed & accomplished of man which is flesh, as Paul constantly affirmeth, & therefore it wrappeth all the workers thereof to be justified thereby under the curse. For as many as stand upon the works of the law to this end even for their justification are yoked under exetration and tied to the curse Gala. iii. For where is no law there is no transgression. Wherefore (Paul now concludeth against Winchester saying) out of faith is the heritage given, like as out of grace, that the promise might be the more farm and sewerer unto all the seed, not to it that is only out of the law, but also to it which is out of the faith of Abraham. Paul in spirit did see before this Winchester's condition to frustrate the promise, and therefore he confuteth it here so clearly. And again unto the Galathens, If any would object saying, ergo the law is against the promises. God forbid saith Paul, but if there had been a law given which might have given life, than no doubt justification might have comen by the law. But the scripture concluded all under sin that the promise, the promise (I say) out of the faith of jesus Christ should be given and not deserved to the believers. Thus ye see how with so many words Paul excludeth winch. impossible condition, to make fast the promise in Christ that our faith might be the sewrer stayed and cleave to it. If only unbelief damneth, why should not only faith justify? it is a good argument of contrary. But yet because Win windeth in his condition so hard for the attaynement of his justification by works. I would fain see some one of his good works so perfit, pure without any carnal affect annexed, either of vainglory or of love to himself or for fear of pain not done nor for hope of reward, or any lucre, promotion or to receive a better thing for the doing thereof, out of so pure an heart that it be not done of any affection to the person, put only of faith and zeal for the glory of god & profit of his neighbour, or only to mortify his own affects and to set nought by himself, to abnegate and renounce his estimation and glory, to be renewed in spirit and to follow christ meekly to death. Paul acknowledgeth himself and complaineth in his most perfection not to be able to do that good which he would do, but to do that evil which he would not do. He durst not call in, this condition to attain his justification thereby, but constantly affirmed as many as stand upon the works of the law to fulfil them, thereby to be justified, are yoked unto the curse of the law saying. Cursed is every man that abideth not in all things written in the book of the law to perform them. I wonder therefore that Wynchester dare stand upon his condition to be fulfilled to attain any part of his justification thereby. Dare he claim (think ye) any part of his justification for burning of Doctor Barnes and his fellows for preaching against these wickedly armed articles? Tell us winch. didst thou burn them so cruelly of love and not of hatred or envy? trwelye love burneth no man▪ for preaching the truth charity envieth not. etc. Abi igitur post Christum satana. Come back devil after christ, thou art slanderous to his cross, for being married to thine own wit, thou savourst not the heavenly and godly justification, but such one as natural reason persuadeth among men, even one good turn for another to be done, and so to deserve thy justification. But be it in case, that winch. thus condicioninge with god hath in his own opinion done some good deed whereby he dare claim his justification, yet shall not that same deed serve him to the attainment of that effect. For were it never so good, yet doth his false opinion in his deed make it damnable. But let us speak of a good deed absolutely, excluded from all carnal affects (if any man may do such one) this deed is not our deed, but the deed of God working it in us, for what deed soever proceedeth out of our corrupt nature is naught. It is god sayeth Paul that worketh in you according to his good mind both to will well, and also to perform your work: Neither are we apt and able to think so much as a good thought out of our own selves, but all our ableness cometh from God. And isaiah sayeth, Lord set peace among us, for it is thou that workest and fynyssheste all things in us both our thoughts and deeds. And therefore well said Austen. God crowneth in us his own deeds and not owrs. condition not therefore (Wynchester) with God for your deeds, which (as all men see them) are but malice, mischief, envy, rancour, bitterness, blood thirsting, pride: cruel tyranny, blasphemies, persecution of Christ's innocent lombes and of his word, deceytefullye flattering your prince, evil cownsel giving to provoke the wrath of god upon you all, and upon that noble realm, sowing most pestilent heresies yea and that wittingly which is the sin against the holy ghost, which when all sins (be they right grievous) shallbe forgiven, yet shall this your ungodly impiety be never forgiven.  
Win 
Yet Win ix. article  YOu say that faith is thassurance of the promise of forgiveness of sins.  
joy. If faith be that same certitude and assured persuasion as Paul saith, assuring you of your justification, why then add you your uncertain condition wavering upon your sinful works which as they be unstable unperfit & sin so can they never make you a quiet & tranquyl conscience, nor certify you of your justification, God so saying, Thou labourest in the multitude of thine own ways and yet thoughtest thou them never enough. Add no condition on your behalf therefore (oh Wyn.) into your own condemnation. Christ never taught you to believe upon a condition, but said simply and plainly, Believe and thou art saved. Add not to god's word, lest ye be condemned for a liar. winch. told Martyne Bucere that he and his would not receive the doctors as Wyn. would, I could bring Austen Hierom Origene and many other autentyk writers against himself, but let us see whether he will believe this one doctor saint Ambrose, thus writing upon the first epistle to the Corrinthes saying. This thing is constituted of god that who so believe in christ he is saved without any work, only by faith freely receiving the remission of his sins. What can be spoken more plainly? Now make an end Wyn. and conclude your arrogant articles.  
Winton AS for your talk in the law, it is not worth an haw, for it is besides the matter, and before answered, my sayings ye can not improve, saving that ye say, I may not add to god's word, whereunto I will answer, that I add not but only mark and note what gods word containeth. And when I see so many times, if, required of us, I know none other english name, to signify what that is, 
A discussion what is adding to god● word  but a condition: And here let us discuss, what we shall call adding to god's word. If ye call thinvention of a new word whereby to discern what is written in scripture, as I or you understand it, an addition to god's word: then do you and all your sect, offend in devising the words (office and correlative) to signify what faith doth, and how it apprehendeth the promise, which I think the spirit would not suffer you to do, if it were adding to god's word. Moreover I think ye call not adding to god's word thadding of an other language wherein to express gods word, by other syllables than it was first spoken in. For than were the world on both parts, in a great offence, being gods word translate into so many tongues, nothing like the original tongues of greek or Hebrew. Whereby appeareth, that being the true sense kept hole, and entire, the letters and syllables may be altered without danger, as the language requireth, & without any contradiction of this text, for not adding to god's word. Furthermore if thexplaining and opening of scripture, with more words in the same language with similitudes also, to give more light to the true sense, ye mean to declare, were adding to god's word, I am sure ye would not have travailed so much in thexpositions of scriptures, as ye have done in your sundry books, And specially, where ye make a drinking of Christ's holly supper, ne have used the similitude ye have done, of the son and fire, for declaration of the secret working of faith alone, if ye had taken that for adding to god's word. When ye rail of me uncharitably and devise for your purpose, that is not true, we can not call that adding to god's word, that is all besides it and contrary to god's word. When I say to you that it is pity to see, the gifts of learning in you and many other so abused and abomination most detestable, to see the pretence of god's word, to cover so many devilish and detestable words of slander malice, mischief and heresy, will you say that I add to god's word herein because it is not there directly spoken of you? ye can not truly. For albeit, it be not specially written of you, yet because of a general warrant of scripture, that we may say and write, that is truth, and edifieth, ye can not say I add herein unto god's word, but according to god's word say truth. And so likewise in every other just honest and holy thing. Who then doth add to god's word? Only he that calleth scripture which is not scripture, or reporteth the sense of god's scripture amiss. For such one frameth himself an idol in his own fancy, and worshippeth it for gods truth falsely. Such men add to god's word and report not god truly, and therefore (as the text saith) shall be condemned as liars. And this is the true understanding of this text brought in by you. Add not to god's word. Which I have hard many times used, like a key to cleave logs, and therefore have discoursed thunderstanding of it. As for the saying of saint Ambrose, maketh nothing against mine article, For in the beginning when the contention was between christ & Moses' law, by faith was signified hole christ, and by works the law of Moses, and in this strife where faith and works stood in contention one against another, the speech only faith, was spoken of that good faith, only to exclude Moses' law, with the receiving or not receiving, whereof christendom was troubled. For else only did never exclude the familiar company of faith with charity that stood of the same side that faith doth. And so you yourself understand it, that charity is there and not excluded. And the precise words (without any work) exclude only the works of the law, for the works of receiving and using the gifts of faith, & love, must needs be there as is before declared. And now to the article that followeth in your book, which article ye call mine, and I am very glad so to take it, it followeth thus.  
Win 
x. article.  A man being in deadly sin, may have grace to do the works of penance, whereby he may attain to his justification.  
joy. And I say the contrary. That a man being in deadly sin may have no grace to do the works of penance, as I fear me it will be verified of Win. himself. But the Lord convert him once, so that all men may see his open fruits of repentance for his grievous persecution of Christ'S membres and hear him openly with tears recanting his false doctrine whereby he hath seduced many a simple soul. This is lo, his doctrine, A man must do the works of penance before he be justified, and so by such works merit and deserve his justification and forgiveness of sins. Here thou seest (christian reader) that such a man hath no need of Christ's death, but for such men (saith Paul) Christ is dead in vain. Thus ye see the conclusion of his articles to be. That he may do well before he be justified. But (as I said before) it behoveth a learned divine to conclude what ought to be done, & what god willeth to be believed by his manifest word, and not what Winch. may do by his own blind reasoning without god's word. He may do well by the gift of God (saith he) which is faith, ergo his faith goeth before his well doing and his justification, and his good works must be thrust betwixt both (if the place be not to narrow for them) so that he having his faith and his good works, is not as yet justified neither by his faith nor by his good works, for they must serve him but toward the attainment to his justification. Paul & christ joined faith & justification ever inseparably together: but this schismatic jewish Hieroboam and devilish divider of all christian unite will thrust his good works betwixt them, not suffering faith to cleave to immediately her own object, even the mercy of God promising remission of sins in Christ'S death. He would thrust in here the works of penance before justification which thing how foolish it is ye shall see. first, ye know that penance must go before her works as is the tree before her fruits. Penance is a turning to god, whereby of the sincere fear of god a man humbled acknowledgeth his sin, and so all his whole life he maketh new. Who turneth to god, but he first believe and knoweth god for Christ's sake to be so merciful unto him that at his turning to him he receiveth him and forgiveth him his sins? which faith and knowledge what else is it then his justification, god the father so affirming it in his prophet Isai saying. In the knowledge of him this even my servant shall justify many. Here ye see that this knowledge and faith justifieth before the works of penance are done. For God is known in Christ ere we turn to him of the which turning to god there follow the fruits of repentance in doing them all our life long, as to fear god, to humble ourself, to confess our sins to him and to renew our lives mortifying continually our flesh.  
Winton TO this article your answer is peremptory, and ye traverse the matter so plainly after the lawyers pleding, as you have fashioned it meet to be remitted unto the country. And herein I shall speak to you again, somewhat like a lawyer. Ye handle me in your answer like one of your sect, and do the world understand hereby, whereunto this unreverente reasoning, disputing, and talking of god's truth will come to at the last, that is to say, to division, debate, hatred and strife, when in that all should say one, each shall answer other, as ye do now me, with, I say the contrary. And so learning is all paste, and the matter resteth upon twelve men, wherein ye labour the country as fast as ye may. And ye flatter the world with lycentiouse doctrine, and offer them to pull from their necks, all such yokes as ye think did at any time let or impeach them either in thought or deed, Ye promise them liberty of all thing. And then to rid them out of debt, ye translate saint Paul thus, that we own nothing to no man but love. Ye flatter the covetous master with pulling away holy days, that he may have the more work done him for his years wages. Ye flatter again the servant with pulling away all opinion of fast by abstinence from any meat either in lent or otherwise. Ye offer priests wives to wit & they can win them to you. Ye rid all of confession, and weeping for sin. Ye take away distiction & difference of apparel, days, times, and places. Ye take away ceremonies which in deed do much let good cheer in assemblies of good fellows. Ye give women courage and liberty to talk at their pleasure so it be of god's word, and to make the husband amends for that encombrye, ye teach men secretly (and so as you may deny it again if need be, till it be time to come abroad) that they may have as lawfully two wives at ones, as one, so they will find them both, I do not herein fame or lie, for I know they have not written in any matter more seriously ne more fondly (but yet maliciously and untruly) then to prove it lawful for a man to have two wives at one's though the first be never so chaste. And so when women be so earnest to set forth your enterprise, they be suffered of god for punishment to work there own confusion. And after the same sort by other enticements learned men, to deprave learning, & priests to travel to destroy prysthode. And in this wise for punishment of our sin, each part laboureth by a mean to scourge & trouble their own estate. And in the mean time your sect hopeth to win the country, and therefore the postelles of your sect although they preach not much now a days yet they writ diligently and send the books abroad busily with, Venite, emite, absque argento, and in signification ye call men to freedom, ye give your books abroad freely, with all such alluerementes as may serve to make the country yours, and such as should give evidence against you, them ye deprave and blaspheme, with all kind of villainy wherewith to destroy their credit in so much as among you, a bishop or a priest hath a new sense in english, to signify a knave. Ye have a great while awaited to have the panel returned, but the kings most excellent majesty who hath the high sheriffs office in his hand under god, could never yet be induced to return the jury as ye would have it. And therefore I have seen you often times fall in a non suit, and lain still in wait, as they that have evil titles to lands to have the shirif for your purpose. How say you now, have I not commened with you like a lawyer? and truly declared the councils of your sect, 
Thenglyssh of this lati● dominum e● christum, i● god and the king.  wherein ye conspire, Aduersus dominum et adversus christum eius? I would lawyers had always their tales told them of their clientes so truly as I have told this, and then the world should not be troubled with so many long suits as it now is. But now to your contraryenge of me which ye fashion thus, And I say the contrary. If I were like you I should say again, Mary and I say the contrary to you. And then thicker, you lie and you lie, and I can tell as well as you, and I as well as you. And shall this fruit grow of god's word? and so you will have this brought again of the primitive church, that our hearers and readers of our books shall say I believe joy, and I believe Wynchester. Ego Cephe, Ego pauli, but yet to avoid some part of that inconvenience, men have devised to say, now I believe not Luther, nor Melancton, nor Bewcer, nor Suinglius, nor joy nor Turnor. And call them (for the time) knaves, for Maledictus qui confid●t in homine, but I believe (ꝙ he) gods holy words which can not lie as men do. And shall I not believe the words of the bible? I know what edifieth me, thanks be to the lord of his gift, my conscience telleth me, what is good, and no man shall bring me from that god teacheth me by his holy spirit. Now y● will ask me. And is not this well said? Verily if man were never deceived, in the true sense of god's word, and were assured that god in deed taught him by his holy spirit the answer were grave, but when so many errors are arrisen in the sense of gods holy word, and the devil may and hath transformed himself into the angel of light, such speech in communication is besides the purpose. For men doubt not whether gods holy word is to be believed, but what is the sense of gods holy word. And the manner of speech aforesaid, being so precise serveth rather, as ashes, to cover fire, to keep an error close, then with sober communication each man mistrusting his own learning, to try out what other men whose spirit is commended unto us, have by one consent left written and testified what they understand in the matter. Marry you master joy, I pray you pardon me, for if god hath so made you of his secret counsel, that ye can tell what christ thought (as ye have before arrogantly affirmed) ye may speak for so much with more authority, than any other. But let us consider ones again your (And I say the contrary) for albeit ye say so in sum yet when ye declare yourself afterward, some would construe ye said otherwise, and that whether ye will or no ye agree with me. For when ye call penance a turning to God, your saying implieth, that before such a man as turneth by penance did by god's calling turn, that man was out of gods favour not justified but turned from God, and after that by grace turneth, which ye call penance. So as if ye may be so understanded, ye say that a man being a sinner may have grace to turn. The difference if we understand you thus, between you and me is, that you express the work of penance, which ye call turning, And I speak of the work of penance in general, and yet I have not contended with you, what be the works of penance. And for aught I here of you in the works of penance, I shall not contend with you much but agree with you for all this babbling, that turning to god is the work of penance, so it be a hole turn, whereof scripture speaketh, with a man's hole heart in fasting, weeping, and wailing, and as the church hath declared our turning should be, and not half a turn, as some of your school teach and amongs all, your turning Turnor, whom god turn into the right way. But afterward ye handle your turning otherwise & will so understand your turning, as a sinner should be justified, before he doth turn, wherein you turn the matter so about, as it is inexplicable, for by you a sinner turneth not, as your speech purporteth, but a man that was a sinner now believing and justified having his sins forgiven turneth, and so, he that is turned all ready in justification, & yet remaining than turneth again in penance, and then the second turning should be from god, if the turning in justification were to god, as it must neads be, for in remission of sin and justification god turneth man to him. And so the plain man, whom ye take upon you to teach plainly, would understand it. For when ye say that a sinner before his turning by penance believeth and is justified, that is one turn, where he was before from god, now to be towards him. And then if there be yet after a turning again in penance, that turning must needs be from god. For a second turn must needs be contrary to the first, as a simple man answered when one told him the world was turned. Then (ꝙ he) all is well, for I hard my grandfather say in his time, the world was turned, And then the world was nought. And therefore by the second turn he concludeth, it should be good. For in two turns one succeeding another, if the first be one way, the second is another. And yet you would have a sinner first justified by faith wherein he is turned to god, and then turn by penance. If ye would call me now Pelagian, because I should speak as though man might turn of himself without belief, than I would say ye spoke as besemeth the person ye maintain, I have learned and thereafter speak, that a sinner can not turn without the grace of god, which god dystributeth by degrees, as the son showeth herself in the morning, in whom there is increase by success till the son come to the highest at noon. Men fall suddenly down the hill from god, but they be drawn up the hill to him by degrees. And the degrees of health be signified in the miracle of christ, of the blind man, to whom christ restored not his perfect sight at ones, but by degrees. We preach to men to rise in the morníng, orto iam sole for Vanum est ante lucem surgere, and ye bid men lie still, while it be noon, that the son be at the highest, & this causeth your fond stoical school of extremities, which admitteth no mean. I have been somewhat merry with you for my own relief, being vexed and wearied with your fond talk, which is such as maketh only a confusion of that ye speak of without fruit or edifying. And yet I can not pretermytte, to note somewhat in your justification, which ye declare thus.  
joy. Now let us see the order of our justification before god according to the scriptures. first (saith Paul) we are chosen of god in Chryst before the foundation of the world was laid. And when we be borne anew of the spirit we are called to receive faith joan. i. and i joan. v. which gift of faith certifieth us of our election, giving us the knowledge of god the father, in, and by Christ. Which knowledge, as nothing can be said breiflyer so is there nothing more excellent, sweeter, more full and perfect, wholesomer, more comfortable and joyous. For when I know god the father in Christ, by the holy ghost, I know these iii persons to be the only one God, the most high goodness having his being of himself and all other creatures to have their being, life, and moving of him, even that one alone my very living God for me and for all sufficient, merciful, benign loving, almighty to me, my deliverer, defender, and keeper, long suffering, just, true, my present saviour and forgever of my sins, giving me freely for Christ's sake eternal life and beatitude. In this knowledge of my celestial father am I firmly persuaded, Christ jesus his only son both god and man to be sent for my sake into this world to be the anointed messias, king and priest, to be my governor, deliverer, avenger, defender, my head, redeemer by his passion, mediator, my cleansing sacrifice, once for me and for all faithful for ever offered up on the cross, my only intercessor now into heaven ascended, my holiness, mine expiation, my rightwiseness, health, way life, and satisfaction satisfying my father's justice for my sins never to be imputed to me for my only faiths sake daily iustifienge and absolving me, continually reviving me with his holy spirit, anointing me with the grace of the holy ghost: so that now I by his mercy and grace being in christ his elect, might walk daily in good works, pleasing my celestial father unto this knowledge and belief, he calleth all his chosen for whom he hath foreseen, predestined, and chosen, them hath he called by his word and creation of this world, unto this faith and knowledge, and whom he thus called, the same hath he justified, and whom he hath justified, them hath he glorified.  
Winton IN the process of your justification first ye say saint Paul saith, we be chosen of God in christ, before the foundation of the world was laid, which be the words of the apostle. And here ye make a true entry, Than ye say that in the first chapter of saint John's gospel, and the first epistle the fift chapter of saint Iohn, it is contained, that when we be borne anew of the spirit we are called to receive faith. If you can justify this to be true I will not further impugn your justification, But your allegation of this scripture, is like the spelling of a young strypeling, I once went about to teach to read, He would needs spell backward, (A.b.) he spelled it Ba. and (B.A.) Ab. The scripture ye allege, saith. He that believeth is borne of god, & ye say, we be borne of god to receive belief. Scripture placeth faith in order before the birth, not in priority of time, but in natural order. And ye place it after, as it were also in the distance of time. The words of the scripture in the gospel of saint Iohn be, that so many as receive christ have power given them, to be the sons of god such as believe in his name, who be not borne of the bloods, nor the will of man, but be borne of god. By this text, to be the son of god, faith must needs go before. The words of the epistle be these. Every man that believeth that jesus is Christ, is borne of god, Is not faith placed here, in the order of the text, before the birth, as a declaration whereby to know what is signified by this to be borne of god, that is to say, to believe that jesus is christ? Not to believe in tongue, as saint Iohn saith, but to believe in working that is believed: christ teaching Nichodemus our regeneration & second nativity of god sayeth: Nisi quis renatus fuerit ex aqua & spiritu sancto, non potest introire in regnum dei, Which nativity is ministered in the sacrament of baptism, And in th'acts of thapostles, when the eunuch desired to be partaker of this regeneration & to be borne of god and said, Here is water what letteth me to be baptized? Phillyppe said to the eunuch, If thou believest with all thy heart thou mayest. And theunuch answered, I believe jesus Christ to be the son of god. And so was theunuch baptized, which form of baptism the church observeth still, in the christening of Infants offered to christ in the faith catholic & of their parents. And according to this declaration the words of saint John's epistle be that each man who believeth that jesus is Christ, is borne of god not excluding the sacrament of baptism, but declaring, that the foundation of our regeneration, is this faith, where saint Iohn in a few words reverently foldeth up the hole mystery of our faith. By your interpretation, ye would have men first borne the children o● god, & then to receive faith. But Philip expoundeth it, that we receive faith to be borne the children of god, & therefore requireth it before the regeneration, & semblable in other matters, scripture preacheth penance to obtain remission of sin, and ye teach remission of sin whereby to come to penance. Scripture saith, & we do not forgive our neighbour, god will not forgive us. You teach that god must first forgive us, & then we to forgive our neighbour. Christ calleth us to him to be unburdened of our sin, And ye teach that we be unburdened of our sin or we come at him. And so thoroughly ye teach christ backward: Scripture never taught him after that sort, & yet ye call upon other for scripture, and then ye will have scripture plain as it is written, to be understanded straight of all men at the first reading, which bearing in hand of plainness, with a desire that man's curious nature hath to knowledge, or for want thereof to be seen to have knowledge, the number that readeth after you, saith they understand, as ye do. And if such one can say, only faith justifieth, and a priest is a knave, the mass is not in scripture, and an Image is an idol, ye praise so much the lord in him, and rejoice so much as in a proselyte, that ye make him run, through the scripture, in thick and thin even till he cometh to predestination, and further to god's providence, that some be so blinded at the last, as they call all in doubt. Ye be yourself blind, in malice, and take upon you to be leaders of the blind, and so tumble all together, in the pit of error, with the miserable destruction of soul and body. Let us return again to the scripture ye have brought in, which (ye say) signifieth, that when we be borne a new of the spirit, we be called to receive faith, The words of the scripture be. Each man that believeth, that jesus is christ, is borne of god, If ye would herein resort to grammar and say, 
This part is only to joy, tha● did before or pose me in my gramme●  because (natus est) is written in the preterperfitence, and (credit) is written in the presentence, and thereupon fancy, that (natus est) must be before (credit) I must answer you again by grammar, that the preterperfitens, in latin signifieth the presentens as well as the pretertens, for philosophers affirm, by reason of the continual moving & that time ever passeth, nothing is properly present, but only god And for declaration that the pretertense, signifieth the present, every verb passive and deponent, borroweth in his preterperfittens, of the verb substantive, to join with his participle, both (est) and (fuit) so as (natus est) is properly, the present perfittens and (natus fuit) the preterperfittens. Now if the translation had been (natus fuit) then the grammar would somewhat have holp, to wrangle with all, And I would then, have resorted only, to the declaration of Philippe to the eunuch, which Philip was no papist, nor lawer: as I would have resorted also, to Christ's words, Qui crediderit, & baptizatus fuerit, which placeth faith, before baptism the sacrament of birth of the spirit, as ye speak, in new english, and of the holly ghost as the old english turned it, and of god, as the scripture by you brought in speaketh it, And I doubt not but Christ thought in these words, even as he spoke, because ye meddle with Christ's thoughts, and according thereunto, with the same order instructed Philippe to baptize theunuch. And yet ones again to your scripture, that alloweth not your report, of it. The scripture is, Every man that believeth jesus is christ, is borne of god. This hath the same sense that saint Paul spoke, in other words. No man can say or speak our lord jesus christ, but in the holly ghost, when saint Peter also confessed christ, to be the son of god. Christ said, that flesh and blood, had not revealed that unto him, but his father, that is in heaven. And so in this place, Every man that believeth jesus to be christ, hath that believe of god, which having of god, is spoken in the terms of birth of god. He is borne of god, to signify the sacrament of baptism, wherein we be regenerate of water and the holy ghost after Christ's teaching, whom God bad us hear, and therewith beware of you, that teach christ not as ye have learned in scripture, but after your own imaginations. For when there may be any resemblance, in the rude consideration of the simple man, meet to agree with your perverse interpretation, ye do easily seduce him, to allow your fancy. As in this text, when ye read, he that believeth jesus is christ is borne of god, ye cause the rude man to note first a birth of god, and then a believing and somewhat like thereunto, We in common speech say, (he that followeth me, is my servant). In this speech is a plain understanding, that the man was my servant before he followed me, So as the resemblance of this speech, to the other of scripture, 
In engly● speeches th● seem of o● fashion, is great diue●te of sense●  causeth simple folk, easily to agree to your exposition, that by that text of scripture, it should appear, that a man is first borne of God, before he believeth, because the one speech is like the other. And when the unlearned, by you be led into this error, than the pride of a presumptuous knowledge maketh them obstinately to defend it, and call all other knowledge, whereby they should be rid of their error, juggling and sophistry, man's inventions, and such other peevish words, as men be encumbered to hear, unless they would make gods word, the matter of the devils strife. Think me not tedious (good reader) that I tarry, in this matter, to open and show, how one fashion of speech in english, receiveth diverse interpretation, by reason of the order of the matter, that is knit together. For when I say (he that followeth me is my servant) the speech importeth that he was my servant before he followed me. But in an other matter knit in the same fashion of speech when I say (he that covenanteth to serve me is my servant) this speech signifieth not, that he was before my servant, and then covenanted, but that by this covenant, he is made now my servant, and was not before. In the other speech, he was my servant, or he followed me, and in this last speech, we must understand, that he did covenant, or he were my servant. And what reason of diversity in these two? Marry in the first speech, I join that is out of all kind of causes, to theffect, as to follow me is no cause to be my servant, but rather ensueth of service. But in the second I join a kind of cause with the effect, And then I may not say the effect was before the cause, and therefore in asmuch as a covenant, is of the kind of causes, to make him my servant: I may not by the like fashion of speech deceive myself, and say, because in the one speech, it was not true, where I said (he that followeth me is my servant) that he was my servant, before he followed me: I must therefore in this speech (he that covenanteth to serve me, is my servant) say also, that he was my servant, before he covenanted with me. Now because in the speech of scripture, which is. Each man that believeth jesus to be christ, is borne of god, there is joined, of the kind of causes, that is to say (to believe) with the effect, which is, to be borne of god, I may not say we be borne of god, or we believe, but that we believe, or we be borne of god. And this resembleth that english speech, before declared. He that covenanteth to serve me is my servant, But if the scripture were thus, He that shallbe saved, is borne of god, the understanding must needs be, that we be borne of god or we be saved. For this is like the other speech in english, (he that followeth me is my servant) which implieth that he was my servant or he followed me, which diverse consideration arriseth upon the diversity of placing theffect before the cause, or the cause before the effect. And he that doth not mark this may easily say, an horsemill, for a mylhorse, and in the mistaking of the sense of the scriptures, all heresies be grounded, & they that be in that darkness, subverted in their judgement can not abide the light of the truth, and means to discern it, but be learned to abhor, that should clear the matter, and call their darkness, light, and the very light, darkness. But (good reader) consider again and again, what joy gathereth of the scripture, how untruly he gathereth it, and by what sleight he conveyeth it, into the heads of the ignorant, that take him for a great master. He sayeth, we be borne of god, and so called to receive belief, where in deed we be called to receive belief, wherewith, but not with it alone, but with it as foundation to be borne of god, For he that is borne of god, we shall not say, he is called to receive faith, but in his birth of god, hath received it all ready, without which, he is not borne of God. For fide purificat deus corda●, as saint Paul saith, and yet you would teach, that men's hearts were purified by birth in god or they received faith. For if a man, be borne of god, old Adam, is cast away, the weight of sin is unladen, man's state is recreate and renewed. Et quod natum est ex spiritu, spiritus est, and yet by you man is brought to this state, or he knoweth god, for hitherto he is but called to receive faith, by your teaching, whereby he cometh to light of knowledge, if we will give credit unto you, who declare yourself herein, a master of error, perniciously to seduce the people, from the true teaching of the catholic church using the scriptures, as boys do in grammar school. Quid est latinum propter, for their excuse, and then jangle after in english, as long as they list. Ye cry scripture, scripture, and in dead speak nothing but the idol of your own imagination. And because you have so perversely and untruly recited the sense of the scripture. Io. i. and i Io. v. as I have declared, & yet ye make that untruth for a principal part of your matter to declare your iustyficatyon, and incontínentlye after a truth, chop in a lie: I will not pass it over, but here make a stay, & desire the reader, to mark that here ye go out of the highewaye of the truth, and therefore, in that the followeth, break up hedges and leap over ditches, travailing, in a rough and an unleveled matter, for want of the plainness and smothenes of the truth. How standeth it I pray you together, thou a man is borne of god, to be called to faith, and yet hath forgiveness of sin imputed unto him, for only faiths sake? seeing the birth of god implieth forgiveness of sin, which birth, ye say is wrought before faith received: Note this (reader) I pray thee, and also this that he saith, sins be not imputed, for only faiths sake, Are ye come to this now, to encourage your believers, that only faith, hath worthiness, for the own sake, to obtain remission of sins? It is an other matter to say, by belief only, men obtain remission of sin, as your sect sayeth, then to speak as you do, for only faiths sake, after which sort, they neither spoke ne meant, that put meritum de congruo, et de condigno, which ye will jest at although ye understand it not, and so much the sooner, because ye know not what it meaneth. Chryst (by you) divideth his glory in remission of sin, with believers, so as belief for the own sake, shall obtain remission of sin, but workers be abjected, ne charity shall challenge any such prerogative. What so ever ye like to say, there is neither faith ne works, hath any such respect of only sake, as ye speak it, but only christ, for whose only sake, our faith, our charity, being given unto us of god, be accepted and rewarded, by the goodness of god. And so hear I note that like a ship without anchor hold or rother, ye wander as the variable wind tosseth you, and so make yawes in and out, without any right course, which no man can keep being swerved from the truth. Now this I would know of you, where is your scripture to prove that faith certifieth each man of his election, and so declareth and openeth unto him, the book of predestination that each man by faith might say, In capite libri scriptum est de me, The knowledge of scripture assureth and certifieth each man, the covetous men gluttons, fornicators, and such as fall from that truth they have received, shallbe damned. And who is ascertained of his frail nature, that he shall persever in the truth received? Faith assureth that god will not fail, if we fail not from him, but where find you our frailty assured? But contrary wise continual admonishments, To bid us watch, because we can not tell when the thief cometh. To work whiles it is day, because of the suddenness of the night. To beware of the devil, that goeth about like a lion, roaring, seeking whom to devour. To labour by good works to make sure our vocation, which were spoken all in vain, 
Special revelation b● out of general doctrine and as Gregory Nazianzene sayeth, specialties in certain, be no rule of the church.  if we were assured by faith. God showeth much to his familiars, such as have by his singler plenteous gifts, and their hole endeavour, of their heart and mind, with a fervent desire, to be continually with christ, having their conversation, in heaven, and not upon the earth, to such god hath revealed as hath pleased him, where upon they have of themself (taught by the holly good) spoken, as by special revelation hath been showed them of their assurance, as saint Paul said, Certus sum, and certain other martyrs. But let us be content with gods general revelation in scripture, and being expedient for us, by fear of falling to increase our study▪ to exercise gods gifts, apply ourself to do as is ordered, and commanded without curiosity to search that assurance ye speak of, which is fruitfully hidden from us, In which matter the Germans first authors of the dream of such assurance and most certain certainty by faith have in their agreement at the diet of Ratisbone yielded in that fondness, and grant that godly men being in faith be troubled with the doubt of their estate. But let us see what ye say further, in the process of justification.  
joy. Thus we elect, called and renated of the spirit, know the father in christ & we know christ by the father which knowledge and faith draweth us to love god and to keep his precepts gladly. Thus to know the father in christ and christ in him is life eternal. Out of this plenteous knowledge iustifienge us as I●a●e saith springeth repentance, for here the sinner prayeth god to convert him saying with jeremy, Lord convert me and I shall be converted, for thou Lord art my god, wherefore as soon as thou shalt convert me I shall repent me and anon as thou makest me to know my sins I shall smite my hand upon my hip. Now tell us Wynchester, who is the author of repentance? or is repentance before faith justifying or no? There is no man having this knowledge and faith in God thorough christ but he will anon with the publican fall down smiting his hand upon his breast saying, Lord have mercy upon me a sinner. In this knowledge we se● our sins buried in Christ's wounds, and no more in the stormy tables for anger cast of that most mild Moses against the ground altobroken. We feel them by our faith forgiven in Christ's death and ourselves justified by his resurrection, our hearts set at peace and rest with god in christ dead for our sins and risen again for our justification. Which merciable goodness who so beholdeth in christ crucified, he can not but of love unto god in christ lament and be heavy in heart that ever he should commit such grievous sins, which could not be forgiven without the blodsheding of that most innocent and immaculate lamb suffering for his enemies, which love as it is unspeakable, so is it incomparable.  
joy. A man (saith Paul) will scant die willingly when he must needs and justly die, but perchance will put himself in peril of death for his goods to be saved, or the mother to save her child. etc. But god, he commendeth his love toward us, in that when we were sinners christ would die for us, much more therefore now we being justified in his blood, shall be preserved by him from wrath. What faithful heart touched with this incomparable love out of faith & knowledge, is not humbled with fear and confession of his sins to god, and is not heavy and repentant detesting his sins, saying? Shall I any more commit that thing which hath brought this my so loving a saviour to so shameful and painful a passion. This is our faith which cleaveth to the most certain promise of god, and not to Wynch. wavering unstable condition. This is our faith and substantial certitude the most ferme persuasion, without any wavering, of the merciable free forgiveness and gracious absolution of our sins by the promise of our father celestial in Christ's blood: & hath her own proper correlative the promise of god ever correspondent, and not Win. knowledge of the fulfilling of his condition. This is the form of our justification by faith only which attributeth all glory to god as did Abraham and his children and as many as have unfeignedly received Christ's gospel. But let Wyn. work on still his wicked works unto thattainment of his pharisaical justification before men until the axe now bend unto his rotis, he be suddenly smitten down of god. For Passur must be turned (as jeremy saith) into Pavor, his arrogant upclyming & extolling of himself above god must have a shameful sudden fearful fall. These arrogant articles, may be well called the false articles of Winchester's false faith, and not of christs faith. For Christ confirmed his articles evermore with the law and prophets, but Win bringeth not one word of god for him to prove his. Wherefore let them be his own articles armed with his own proud authority. For we may not believe him thus exalting himself above Christ which ever alleged the scriptures for his doctrine to be confirmed, we may not believe my Lord vicar general for his high lordly supercilious pharisaical looks. Wherefore if this Gardener will seem to be learned, let him answer now with god's word and not dispute with poor men in his fetters and presons with his fumisshe threats, fiery faggots, presoning and persecuting the poor innocent membres of christ for weldoinge, purely, freely, & faithfully preaching gods word, casting of his blodhoundes into every city and town to hunt out the christian simple silly flock of christ, as he of late made William Castelyn governor of the merchant adventures at Antwerp chiefly to hunt out such as purely and freely write and set forth books unto the glory of god edifying of Christ's church, and to warn men of winch. false doctrine. For this Governor of other men, which could never well govern himself, is more meet to row in a galley, or to hold the plough, then to govern so worshiple and honest a company. But the lord is a live and heareth of these Moabites pride and blood thirsting, he seeth their secret wicked counsels and heareth their boasting proud cracks, their supercilious arrogancy is well known unto me saith the Lord: but yet for all their luciferine pride, promoting and extolling themselves and one an other to serve their traitourouse turns and mutual mischief, yet shall they never bring about their wicked enforcements. For it is God that deposeth such mighty mischievous from their seats and exalteth the humble. It is the lord that skatereth their wicked counsels & trappeth them in their own pride & bloody cogitations. But let all christian kings and Princes beware how they give their sword into such popish prelate's hands lest the innocent blood be-required of god at their hands, to whom be praise for ever. Amen.  
Truth it is, that he which knoweth neither the father nor christ shall never believe Christ to be an hole perfit and sufficient saviour and forgever of sins, but he shall wind in this crooked condition of Wyn. and divide his justification part (if he give not all) to works, and part to god, as did the jews and now the Turks and such like heathen miscreants which never knew god the father in, & by christ. yea they shall devise and imagine in their own opinions (for true faith have they none) such works for god's honour as themselves think to make most for a great kings honour, as to be accompanied with many men, & fetched in with many torches & candles at none day lighted to him which is the very light itself. These blind worshippers will make god an image thereby to worship him, which idollatrye the second commandment utterly forbiddeth. They will worship him with gold pearl, precious stones, velvet cloth of gold. etc. They sense sing & ring him in with bells as they were wont to do the bishops. They pipe him up with organs, & all the costly pleasant extern rites and ceremonies (as sencinge processions) that can be devised for to please great men: they use the same to worship god withal, when Christ said God my father is a spirit and in spirit and truth will he be worshipped▪ yea these worldly wicked blind Bishops are so far cast away & for their wickedness turned up of god into their own hearts lusts, and into a reprobate dampened mind that they know not god fro man mortal. Oh good god what mind may this be. Verily Paul expresseth it and the cause why god worthily thus casteth them up, saying. What so ever men ought to know of god, the same hath god showed them, as his almighty power & godbeade: yea & that by the creation & creatures of the world if they would diligently and humbly look upon and expend them, so that they be without any excuse of any ignorance. But when god had given winch. this knowledge of him, than yet he worshipped nor glorified him not as god, but as he would worship any other worldly prince with outward rites and ceremonies, neither doth he give him thanks, but showeth his own vain curiosity and curious vanity in his own reasoning and disputing for gods most glorious honour, in so much that he hath now blindened his own ignorant heart, and wherein he thought to have done most wisely for god's worship and glory, there doth he most foolishly and cruelly, showing himself a very fool (as Paul saith) turning up the worship of god incorruptible through his own imaginations to worship him after his own fond devices. And for this cause hath god thus cast him up through his own hearts lusts into all manner prodigious and beastly filthiness receiving into himself the worthy reward of his own error. And forbecause (sayeth Paul) he doth set at naught so present knowledge of god now opened unto him and to all other that will embrace christ and his word, therefore doth God turn him up into this detestable opinion of his own false justification & into so lothelye and abominable reprobate bloody mind, that imprisoning, persecuting, fagotting, burning, and slaying the true professors and preachers of gods holy word, he shall (as Christ saith) seem to himself and such like, to do god high worship and by the fulfilling of such wicked works even his own condition, to attain to his own justification before the devil the prince of this world, his antechristen Pope of Rome, Cardinals, priests. etc. whose vicar general worthily and justly he yet playeth up and down. And all this (saith Christ) shall this vicar general do to you because he knoweth neither my father nor me. This is that reprobate mind into which this Gardener is now turned up of god which dampened mind he declareth saying. Woe be to them that say that thing to be evil which they know to be good, and that to be good which they know to be evil. The lord preserve his church from such a vicar general. Christ keep every Diocese from such a bishop. The holy Ghost teach all christian Princes to beware of such a counsellor.  
So be it.  
Winton WHen ye have jumbled up the matter, with a meany of words (as it were) put in a sack, truths and untruths together: Now ye say that out of justification, springeth repentance, For here the sinner prayeth God to convert him, saying with jeremy. Lord convert me, and I shall be converted, for thou lord art my god, and anon as thou shalt convert me, I shall smite my hand upon my hip. hereupon ye ask me who is th'author of repentance? And ye ask me as though I had not plainly said in that ye call my last article, that man may have grace of god, to do the works of penance, whereby to attain justification. The scripture of jeremy confirmeth that a sinner is called to penance, and converted by god's grace, but the variance between you and me is, whether it be before justification or no? and to that purpose, for your part, ye bring in no scripture, but only your by talk, after ye have named scripture, & occupied the simple man's wit, with a strange phrase of the prophet. I shall strike my hand upon my hip. And whiles the unlearned man thinketh of that, he forgetteth the issue of the matter, and calleth you a noble clerk, being so full of scripture, as ye could talk of it from morn to night, & need were, and thinketh I were such one, as ye do paint me. But to the matter you say, faith justifying bryngethes forth penance, and afore ye have told, that faith justifying for the own sake, obteynethe remission of sin▪ So ye teach that after remission of sin, springeth penance, which your teaching, the hole trade of the scripture, in the new testament impugneth and condemneth. For as saint Iohn came before christ, so penance goeth before remission of sin, 
Penance goeth befor● remission o● sin.  saint Paul sayeth. johannes baptizabat, baptismo penitentiae, dicens in eum qui venturus esset. And christ said. johannes baptizavit aqua, vos autem baptizabimini spiritu sancto. saint Peter taught after this sort, when such as hard him preach, were moved and asked what they should do? Do penance (sayeth he) and be each of you baptized in the name of jesus Christ, to obtain remission of sin. When christ expounded the scriptures, in the mids of his disciples, after his resurrection, he said it was behoveful, christ should suffer and rise from death the third day, and to be preached in his name, penance and remission of sin for all people. S. Peter also preacheth thus, Do penance and turn, that your sins may be taken away. The prophet ezechiel speaketh after this sort, If a wicked man doth penance. And you apply penance only to them that be justified. In all these places, no man hath been so mad to say that a sinner, that is so blinded with sin, as he can not see god, can of himself, turn as he should do, to god fruitfully without the light and grace of god. Who can wake out of sin, without god call him and saith. Exurge qui dormis. Rise up that sleepest, And unless god hath given him ears, to hear this voice of god, saying: Surge & illuminare jerusalem. How is any man being lame with sin, able to take up his couch and walk, unless god saith. Tolle grabatum tuum & ambula? Christ said he came not to call men that boasted their justice, but to call sinners to penance. That god calleth man, for Christ's sake, who by his glorious passion, hath merited fully the reconciliation of man, no man contendeth, and that god doth ministre special grace, and help man to turn to god from sin, it is agreed on with you. Moreover that man can not know god, but by faith, all must agree, and that it is impossible, to please god without faith, and that who cometh to god, must have faith. 
The point of variance in teaching of penance  Hitherto we agree, but herein ye only differre from the faith catholic, and catholic teaching, that ye will have man justified, with remission of sin, straight incontinently afore his faith be any thing warmed, with such an understanding, as though remission of sin, should go before penance, contrary to the order of true doctrine. And all this wrangling on your behallfe is, because ye would not allow▪ any good work, before remission of sin. And ye are fain to turn all the scripture upside down, for the maintenance of it. And when all is done it will not be. We be taught to pray for forgiveness of our sins, And by your doctrine, we be forgiven, or we begin to pray, saying without faith justifying (as ye say) I can not worthily pray. I pray god, send you a better mind, truly instructed with his doctrine, and grace to turn to him, from the vain glory of the world, wherein ye reign, & with the tyranny of your tongue, persecute other men's name and fame, most cruelly, with a counterfeit forged sword, of authority, under pretence of god's word, wherewith ye take upon you, to be controllers of the world: All such armour of wit, learning and understanding, as god hath given you, to help, to maintain the seemly state of Christian religion, to thincrease of god's honour, love, quiet and tranquillity, amongs us: ye convert all, to the confusion of it, & handle the matter so, as though god had need of your lies, as job saith. Nunquid eget deus mendatio, ut loquamini pro eo dolos? find you any example in the prophets or the apostles, that they would slander men wittynglye, for advancement of their purpose? As for myself, I have used your enemite so, as I have great good by it, I thank almighty God, Ye have been to me, occasion of study and diligence, to spend such hours as I might have at liberty, to thincrease of knowledge, that I might be the abler, to maintain such truth, as I have learned, in gods scriptures, wherein percace I should else have been more negligent. And although I have fashioned, myself outwardly, in the world, not to content your eyes, but have, showed myself not dismayed, with your controlementes, yet I confess, I have by your occasion, at some time called for grace, to refrain worldly tentations, Your cause, I judge extremely nought, to thextinction of god's honour and subversion of the world, and therefore the more ye mislike me, and the worse ye speak of me, the more cause have I to thank god, to suffer so easily for his sake, as your malice and envy, should engender me an honest reputation in the world in honest men's hearts, to be noted adversary to you. And as I learn, in the scriptures, and such holy men, as have expounded them, whereby to judge your enterprise abominable: So the malicious railing of you; that be the masters, and the spiteful hatred without cause, of them that be your scholars, daily more and more confirmeth unto me, the detestable naughtiness of that ye intent. The falsehood ye teach, in the understanding of scriptures, corrupteth all other truths, in you, and transformeth them into lies. Your learning can not be of god, that preach so like the devil. How so ever ye diffame me of cruelty, I know it is not my fault, and yet I am a sinner, and have many other faults. I never enterprised, to defend the truth, but in my place of order, where the kings most excellent majesty hath placed me, far above my desert and expectation. You triumph out of your place, & make yourself, high judge of the realm, whereunto god hath not called you. Can ye find in your heart, to do so much injury to the kings majesty as to think, the state of this realm, to be directed, not by his high wisdom, to whom god hath committed it, but as I & such other for our purpose (as ye note) would have it governed? And if ye think therein otherwise than ye say, (as for the mutual intelligence, in the fraternity, ye can not in your absence, but know, how public things go) is this the charitable device in the brotherhood, to choose out me for a railing stock, and in jesting at your pleasure of me, bring to the kings majesties knowledge, that ye would he should here spoken of you? Suppose ye, the kings majesty, can not understand, what ye mean by Winchester? when ye attribute all the fashion of the state of the realm, to Wynchester? call the acts that mislike you Wynchester's? all statutes Wynchester's? all just punishments (how so ever ye call them) winchester's? and charge all upon Wynchester, that in so doing ye name Winchester, not for Wynchester, but use the name of Wyn. in stead of that ye dare not name and speak out. Ye abuse herein to much, the kings majesties most excellent gifts, & I am ashamed, that any part of his majesties glory, in defence of religion from your corruption, should be derived unto me, by any mean who have deserved no part of it. And so shall it appear in th'end, how soever ye slander it, in the mean season. I will no further answer to your railings in the conclusion of your book, but exhort you, to call for grace, that ye may turn, as jeremy saith, and clap yourself on the hip, & remember with repentance, how many men's consciences, ye have perplexed, with your controversy in religion, and labour as ye can, to reform what ye may. Ye have scourged us sharply with your own torment in the mean season. If I delighted in your punishment (as ye would it were persuaded of me) I could not wish you a more miserable state then thus, to here you roar and cry out like beasts, & by excess of malice, to speak ye wot not what, Prison & bodily death be not esteemed of all men alike, and ye have used them for a time, as false witness, to confirm your falsehood for truth, with slander of the just ministers thereof, Now that hath for a while ceased and ye by lurking, be at liberty in talk, ye have so disgorged your abomination, that lay hidden in your breast, as no man longer need doubt what ye be. We could never get so much by examination, as ye confess in books and profess. Ye should by justice have died, with opinion of simplicity, among some, & now ye live with a manifest declaration what ye have ever meant and intended. Ye set yourself in prison of an encumbered conscience, & die daily, yet living, in prosecuting your mischievous enterprise. But return you unto God, return to your sovereign lords obeisance, return to be a good christian man, and an english man. For what so ever our faulty works have been, they nothing serve to the justification of your doctrine. Let us all pray together, for mercy, mercy, mercy, now most necessary unto us. The name and works of god, have been so familiar in our talk, that the reverent fear of his majesty is almost extinct amongs many. Unhappy be we, in whose time learning should be ministered, to such effects. God grant us to know him truly and according to his will, so to worship and honour him, in body and soul together, as all contentions, debates, malice and hatred, clearly extirpate and pulled out, we may live here like christian men, with christian men, and english men, with english men, which of a good season, hath been by dissension of opinions, somewhat letted and hindered, whereof those have most cause to be sorry, to whom any part of the fault may be ascribed, And yet all must be sorry, for that is amiss, & each man for his part, begin to amend, & with the prayer of the church, continually pray, Deus qui errantibus, ut in viam veritatis possint redire, veritatis tuae lumen ostendis, da cunctis qui professione christiana censentur, illa respuere, quae huic inimica sunt nomini, & quae sunt apta sectari. Per christum dominum nostrum. Amen.   

¶ Imprinted at London in Aldersgate street by johannes Herforde, at the costs and charges of Robert toy, dwelling in Paul's church yard at the sign of the Bell. Anno dni. 1546.