DIEV ET MON DRIOT ¶ THE WHOLE works of W. Tyndall, john Frith, and Doct. Barnes, three worthy Martyrs, and principal teachers of this Church of England, collected and compiled in one Tome together, being before scattered, & now in Print here exhibited to the Church. To the praise of God, and profit of all good Christian Readers. Mortui resurgent. AT LONDON Printed by john day, and are to be sold at his shop under Aldersgate. An. 1573. ¶ Cum gratia & Privilegio Regiae Maiestatis. ARISE, FOR IT IS DAY. A Table of the several Treatises contained in M. William Tyndals works. A Preface to the Christian Reader. The life of William Tyndall. A protestation of the state of the souls departed. A preface that he made before the u books of Moses. A prologue showing the use of the Scripture. Several prologues that he made to the u books of Moses. fol. 2. 7. 11. 15. 21. Certain hard words expounded by him in the first, second, and fourth book of Moses. fol. 5. 10. 16. A prologue upon the Prophet jonas. 23. Prologues upon the iiij. Evangelists. 32. Prologues upon the Epistles of S. Paul. 39 Prologues upon the Epistles of S. Peter. 54. Prologues upon the iij. Epistles of S. john. 55. The parable of the wicked Mammon. 59 The obedience of a Christian man, and how Christian rulers aught to govern. 97. An exposition upon the u uj. seven. chapters of S. Ma. thews Gospel. 184. An answer to Sir Thomas Moor's dialogues. 244 The practice of popish Prelates. 340. A pathway into the holy Scripture. 377. The exposition upon the first Epistle of S. john. 387. The exposition upon M. William Tracies will. 429. A fruitful treatise upon signs & Sacraments. 436. Two notable letters that he sent unto john Frith. 453. The Supper of the Lord, wherein is confuted the letter of M. Moore sent unto john Frith, supposed to be written by Tyndall. 457. ¶ The Epistle or Preface to the Christian Reader. AS we have great cause to give thanks to the high providence of almighty God, for the excellent art of Printing, most happily of late found out, and now commonly practised every where, to the singular benefit of Christ's Church, whereby great increase of learning and knowledge, with innumerable commodities else have ensued, and daily do ensue to the life of man, and especially to the fartheraunce of true Religion: so again of our part, it is both of us all in general to be wished, and especially of them to be procured, who occupy the trade thereof, rightly to use the same to the glory of him which gave it, and to the end wherefore it was ordained, and not to abuse unworthily that worthy faculty, either in thrusting into the world every unworthy trifle that cometh to hand, or having respect more to their own private gain, than regard to the public edifying of Christ's Church, or necessary preferment of Religion. For therefore I suppose this science of Printing first to be set up and sent of God to man's use, not so much for temporal commodity to be taken, or man's glory to be sought thereby, but rather for the spiritual and inward supportation of soul-health, help of Religion, restoring of true doctrine, repairing of Christ's Church, and repressing of corrupt abuses, which had heretofore overdarckened the doctrine of faith, to revive again the lost light of knowledge to these blind times, by renewing of wholesome and ancient writers: whose doings and teachinges otherwise had lyen in oblivion, had not the benefit of Printing brought them again to light, or us rather to light by them. Wherefore such Printers in my mind, are not to be defrauded of their due commendation, who in pretermitting other light trifling pamflets of matter unneedful, and impertinent, little serving to purpose, less to necessity, do employ their endeavour and workmanship chief to restore such fruitful works and monuments of ancient writers, and blessed Martyrs: who as by their godly life, and constant death, gave testimony to the truth, in time wherein they suffered, so by their doctrine and learning, give now no less light to all ages and posterity after them. In the number of whom, may rightly be accounted, and no less recommended to the studious Christian Reader these three learned fathers of blessed memory, whom the Printer of this book hath diligently collected, & in one volume together, enclosed the works I mean of William Tyndall, john Frith, and Robart Barnes: chief ryngleaders in these latter times of this Church of England. Wherein as we have much to praise God for such good books left to the Church, and also for such Printers in preserving by their industry and charges such books from perishing: so have I to exhort all studious readers, with like diligence to embrace the benefit of God offered, and seriously to occupy themselves in marking and following both the valiant acts, and excellent writings of the said godly people. Concerning the praise whereof, I shall not need in this place to bestow much commendation: because, neither is it the praise of men, but profit of the godly, that they do seek: nor yet the contempt of the ungodly that they do fear. Moreover, what is to be said or thought of them, rather by their own works, then by other men's words, by reading their books, then by my preface, is to be seen. In perusing whereof, thou shalt find (gentle Reader) whether thou be ignorant, what to learn, or whether thou be learned, what to follow, and what to stick to. Briefly, whatsoever thou art, if thou be young, of john Frith: if thou be in middle age, of W. Tyndall: if in elder years of D. Barnes, matter is here to be found, not only of doctrine to inform thee, of comfort to delight thee, of godly ensample to direct thee: but also of special admiration, to make thee to wonder at the works of the Lord, so mightily working in these men, so opportunely in stirring them up, so graciously in assisting them. Albeit divers other also besides these, I say not nay, as well before them as after, through the secret operation of God's mighty providence have been raised up, both famous in learning, flourishing in wit, and stout in zeal, who labouring in the same cause, have no less valiantly and doughtely stood in the like defence of Christ's true Religion, against blind error, pestilent superstition, and perilous hypocrisy, namely, against the Arch enemy of Christ and his flock, the Bishop I mean of Rome, with his tyrannical seat, as namely here in England, john Wicklyffe, Rig, Aston, Swynderby, W. Thorpe, Walter Brutus, L. Cobham, with the residue of that former age: And also after them many other more fresh wits, faithful preachers, and learned writers have sprung up by the Lord of hosts to furnish his field: Briefly no age nor time hath everlacked some or other, still baiting at the beast, but especially now in these our present days such plenty, yea whole armies the Lord hath powered upon his Church of heavenly soldiers, who not only in number exceeding, but in knowledge also excelling, both by preaching and Printing, do so garnish the Church in every respect, that it may seem, and so peradventure will be thought this time of ours to stand now in little need of such books and momumentes as these of former antiquity: yet notwithstanding, I am not of that mind so to think. For albeit, increasing of learning of tongues, and sciences, with quickness of wit in youth and other, doth marvelously shut up, as is to be seen, to the sufficient furnishing of Christ's Church: yet so it happeneth I can not tell how, the farther I look back into those former times of Tyndall, Frith, and others like, more simplicity, with true zeal, and humble modesty I see with less corruption of affections in them, and yet with these days of ours, I find no fault. As by reading and conferring their works together may eftsoons appear. In opening the Scriptures, what truth, what soundness can a man require more, or what more is to be said, then is to be found in Tyndall. In his Prologues upon the five books of Moses, upon jonas, upon the Gospels, and Epistles of S. Paul, namely to the Romans: how perfectly doth he hit the right sense, and true meaning in every thing? In his obedience, how fruitfully teacheth he every person his duty? In his expositions, and upon the parable of the wicked Mammon, how pithily doth he persuade? how gravely doth he exhort? how lovingly doth he comfort? simply without ostentation, vehement without contention. Which two faults, as they commonly are wont to follow the most part of writers, so how far the same were from him, and he from them, his replies and answers to Sir Thomas Moore, do well declare: in doctrine sound, in heart humble, in life unrebukable, in disputation modest, in rebuking charitable, in truth fervent, and yet no less prudent in dispensing with the same, and bearing with time, and with weakness of men, as much as he might, saving only where mere necessity constrained him otherwise to do, for defence of truth against wilful blindness, and subtle hypocrisy, as in the Practice of Prelates is notorious to be seen. Briefly, such was his modesty, zeal, charity, and painful travail, that he never sought for any thing less, then for himself: for nothing more, then for Christ's glory, and edification of other: for whose cause not only he bestowed his labours, but his life and blood also. Wherefore not unrightly he might be then, as he is yet called, the Apostle of England, as Paul cauleth Epaphroditus the Apostle of the Philippians, for his singular care and affection toward them. For as the Apostles in the primative age first planted the Church in truth of the Gospel: so the same truth being again defaced and decayed by enemies in this our latter time, there was none that travailed more earnestly in restoring of the same in this Realm of England, then did William Tyndall. With which William Tyndall, no less may be adjoined also john Frith, and D. Barnes, both for that they together with him in one cause, and about one time, sustained the first brunt, in this our latter age, and gave the first onset against the enemies: as also for the special gifts of fruitful erudition, and plentiful knowledge wrought in them by God, and so by them left unto us in their writings. Wherefore according to our promise in the book of Acts and Monuments, we thought good herein to spend a little diligence in collecting, and setting abroad their books together, so many as could be found, to remain as perpetual Lamps, shining in the Church of Christ, to give light to all posterity. And although the Printer, herein taking great pains, could not peradventure come by all (howbeit, I trust there lack not many) yet the Lord be thanked for those which he hath got and here published unto us. And would God the like diligence had been used of our ancient forelders, in the time of Wickliff, Purvey, Clerk, Brutus, Thorpe, Husse, Jerome, and such other, in searching and collecting their works and writings. No doubt but many things had remained in light, which now be left in oblivion. But by reason the Art of Printing was not yet invented, their worthy books were the sooner abolished. Such was then the wickedness of those days, and the practice of those Prelates then so crafty, that no good book could appear, though it were the Scripture itself in english, but it was restrained, and so consumed. Whereby ignorance and blindness so prevailed among the people, till at the last, it so pleased the goodness of our God to provide a remedy for that mischief, by multiplying good books by the Printers pen, in such sort, as no earthly power was able after that (though they did their best) to stop the course thereof, were he never so mighty, and all for the fartheraunce of Christ's Church. Wherefore receive (gracious Reader) the Books here collected and offered to thy hand, and thank God, thou hast them, and read them whilst thou mayst, while time, life, and memory serveth thee. In reading whereof the Lord grant, thou mayst receive no less fruit by them, than the hearty desire of the setter forth is to wish well unto thee. And the same Lord also grant, I beseech him, that this my exhortation & wish so may work in all, that not only the good, but the enemies also, which be not yet won to the word of truth, setting aside all partiality and prejudice of opinion, would with indifferent judgements, bestow some reading and hearing likewise of these, to taste what they do teach, to view their reasons, and to try their spirit, to mark the expositions of Tyndall, the arguments of Frith, the Articles and allegations of Barnes. Which if they shall find agreeable to the time and antiquity of the Apostles doctrine, and touchstone of God's word, to use them to their instruction: If not, then to mislike them as they find cause, after they have first tried them, and not before. And thus not to detain thee with longer process, from the reading of better matter, I refer and commend thee and thy studies gentle reader, with my hearty wish and prayer to the grace of Christ jesus, and direction of his holy spirit, desiring thee likewise to do the same for me. john Fox. The Martyrdom and burning of William Tyndall in Brabant, by Filford castle. Lord open the K. of England's eyes. Here followeth the history and discourse of the life of William Tyndall out of the book of Acts and Monuments Briefly extracted. FOr somuch as the life of W. Tyndall author of this treatise immediately following, is sufficiently & at large discoursed in the book of Acts and Monuments, by reason whereof we shall not need greatly to intermeddle with any new repetition thereof, yet notwithstanding because as we have taken in hand to collect and set forth his whole works together, so we thought it not unconvenient, to collect likewise some brief notes concerning the order of his life and godly conversation that both his teaching, & living going together, as the one may edify by doctrine, so the other may profit by example. First touching the birth and parentage of this blessed Martyr in Christ, he was born in the edge of Wales, and brought up from a child in the university of Oxford, where he by long continuance grew, and increased aswell in the knowledge of tongues, and other liberal arts, as especially in the knowledge of Scriptures, whereunto his mind was singularly addicted: Insomuch that he lying in Magdalene hall, read privily to certain students, and fellows of Magdalene College, some parcel of Divinity, instructing them in the knowledge, and truth of the Scriptures. Whose manners also and Tyndall a virtuous and godly man. conversation being correspondent to the same, were such that all they which knew him, reputed, and esteemed him to be a man of most virtuous disposition, and of a life unspotted. Thus he in the university of Oxford increasing more and more in learning, and proceeding in degrees of the schools, spring his time, removed from thence to the University of Cambridge, where after he had likewise made his abode a certain space, and being now farther rypened in the knowledge of God's word, leaving that university also, he resorted to one M. Welsh a knight of Gloucester shear and was there school master to his children, and in very good favour with his master. This gentleman, as he kept a very good ordinary commonly at his table, there resorted unto him many times sundry abbots, Deans, Archdeacon's, with other divers Doctors, and great beneficed men: Who there together with M. Tyndall sitting at the same table, did use many times to enter communication and talk of learned men as of Luther and Erasmus, and of diverse controversies, and questions upon the scripture. At which time M. Tyndall, as he was learned, & well practised in God's matters, so he spared not to show to them simply, and plainly his judgement in matters as he thought. And when as they at that time did vary from Tyndall in opinions, and judgement, he would show them the book, and lay plainly before them the open, and manifest places of the scriptures to confute their errors, and to confirm his sayings. And thus continued they for a season, reasoning, and contending together divers and Wilful malice against open truth. sundry times, till at the length they waxed weary of him, and bore a secret grudge in their hearts against him. Not long after this it happened that certain of these great Doctors had invited M. Welshe, and his wife to a banquet, where they had talk at will and pleasure, uttering their blindness, and ignorance without any resistance, or gain saying. Then M. Welshe, and his wife coming home, and calling for M. Tyndall, began to reason with him about those matters, whereof the Priests had talked before at their banquet. M. Tyndall answering by Scriptures maintained the truth, & reproved their false opinions. Then said the Lady Welsh, a stout and wise woman (as Tyndall himself reporteth) well said she, there was such a Doctor which may dispend a C. l. & an other CC. l. and an other CCC. pounds. And what, were it reason think you that we should believe you before them? M. Tyndall gave her no answer at that time, nor also after that (because he see it would not avail) he talked but little in those matters. At that time he was about the translation of a book called. Enchiridon militis Christiani. Which being translated he delivered to his Master and lady: Who after they bade read, and well perused the same, the doctourly Prelates were no more so often called to the house, neither had they the Cheer nor countenance when they came, as before they had, which thing they well marking, and perceiving, and supposing no less but it came by the means of Tyndall, refrained themselves, and at the last utterly withdrew themselves, and came no more there. As this grew on, the Priests of the country clustering together, began to grudge, and storm against Tyndall, railing at him, in houses, and other meeting places. Of whom Tyndall himself in his first Prologue before the first book of Moses, testifieth in his own words, and reporteth that he suffered much in that country by a sort of unlearned Priests, being full rude and ignorant (saith he) God knoweth, which have seen no more latin then that only which they read in their Porteasses, and Missalles (which yet many of them can skarsely read) except it be Albertus de Secretis The authors that Popish Pristes do study. mulierum, in which yet, though they be never so sorely learned, they poor day, and night, and make notes therein, and all to teach the mydwives (as they say) and also an other book called Lynwood, a Book of Constitutions to gather tithes, mortuaryes, Offerings, Customs, and other pillage, which they call not there's, but God's part, the duty of holy Church, to discharge their consciences with all. For they are bond that they shall not diminish, but increase all things to the uttermost of their powers which pertaineth to holy Church. Thus these blind, and rude Priests flocking together to the Alehouse (for that was their preaching place) raged and railed against him, affirming that his sayengs were heresy: adding moreover unto his sayings of their own heads, more than ever he spoke, and so accused him secretly to that chancellor, and other of the Bishop's officers. It followed not long after this, that there was a sitting of the bishops chancellor appointed, and warning was given to the Priests to apere, amongst whom M. Tyndall was warned to be there. And whether he had any misdoubt by their threatenings or knowledge given him, that they would lay some things to his charge, it is uncertain: But certain this is (as he himself declareth) that he doubted their privy accusations, so that he by the way in going thitherwards, cried in his mind heartily unto God to give him strength to stand fast in the truth of his word. When the time came of his appearance before the chancellor, he threatened him grievously, reviling and rating him as though he had been a dog, and laid to his Unjust dcaling of the Papists, charge many things, whereof no accuser could yet be brought forth (as commonly their manner is, not to bring forth the accuser) notwithstanding that the Priests of the country the same time were there present. And thus M. Tyndall after those examinations escaping out of their hands, departed home, and returned to his Master again. There dwelled not far of a certain Doctor that had been an old Chancellor before to a Bishop, who had been of old familiar acquaintance with M. Tyndall, and also favoured him well. Unto whom M. Tyndall went and opened his mind upon divers questions of the Scripture: For to him he dared be bold to disclose his heart. Unto whom the Doctor said: Do you not know that the Pope is very Antichrist, whom the Scripture speaketh of? But béeware what you say: for if you shall be perceived to be of that opinion, it will cost you your life: And said moreover, I have been an officer of his, but I have given it up, and defy him, and all his works. Not long after M. Tyndall happened to be in the company of a certain divine recounted for a learned man, and in commoning and disputing with him, he drove him to that issue that the said great Doctor burst out into these blasphemous words, and said, we were better to be without God's law, than the Popes. M. Tyndall hearing Notorious blasphemy of a Papist. this and being full of Godly zeal, and not bearing that blasphemous saying, replied again and said: I defy the Pope and all his laws, and farther added, that if God spared him life ere many years, he would 'cause a boy that driveth the plough to know more of the Scripture than he did. After this the grudge of the priests increasing still against Tyndall, they never ceased barking, and rating at him, and laid many sore things to his charge, saying that he was an heretic in sophistry, an heretic in logic, and an heretic in Divinity: And said moreover unto him, that he bore himself bold of the Gentlemen there in the country, but notwithstanding shortly he should be otherwise talked withal. To whom M. Tyndall answering again thus said: it was not the place he stuck upon: he was contented they should bring him into any country in all England, giving him x. l. a year to live with, and binding him to no more but to teach children and to preach. To be short M. Tyndall being so molested and vexed in the country by the Priests was constrained to leave that Country, and to seek another place: and so coming Tyndall removeth from M. Welsh. to M. Welsh he desired him of his good will, that he might departed from him, saying thus unto him: Sir I perceive I shall not be suffered to tarry long here in this country, neither shall you be able (though you would) to keep me out of the hands of the spirituality, and also what displeasure might grow to you by keeping me God knoweth: for the which I should be right sorry. So that in fine M. Tyndall with the good will of his Master departed, and eftsoons came up to London, and there preached a while according as he had done in the country before. At length he béethought himself of Cuthbert Tunstall then Bishop of London, and especially for the great commendation of Erasmus, Who in his annotations so extolleth him for his learning, thus casting with himself, that if he might attain into his service, he were a happy man. And so coming to Sir Henry Gilforde the kings Controller, and bringing with him an oration of Isocrates, which he had translated out of Greek into English he desired him to speak to the said Bishop of London for him: which he also did, and willed Tyndall sueth to be with Tonstall Bishop of London, but could not obtain. him moreover to writ an Epistle to the Bishop and to go himself with him: which he did likewise, and delivered his Epistle to a servant of his named William Hebletwhait, a man of his old acquaintance. But God, who secretly disposed the course of things, see that was not best for Tyndals' purpose, nor for the profit of his Church, and therefore gave him to find little favour in the Bishop's sight. The answer of whom was this, that his house was full: he had more than he could well find, and advised him to seek in London abroad where he said he could lack no service etc. And so he remained in London the space almost of a year, beholding and marking with himself the course of the world and especially the Demeanour of the preachers, how they boasted themselves, & set up their authority & kingdom: Beholding also the pomp of the Prelates, with other things that greatly misliked him. Insomuch, as he understood not only to be no room in the Bishops house for him to translate the new Testament: but also that there was no place to do it in all England. And therefore finding no place for his purpose within the Realm, and having some aid and provision, by God's providence ministered unto him by Humfrev Mommouth Merchant, who after was both Sheriff and Alderman of London, and by certain other good men, he took his leave of the Realm, and departed into Germany. Where the good man being inflamed with a tender care and zeal of his country refused no travel, or diligence, how by all means possible; to reduce his brethren & Countrymen of England to the same taste and understanding of God's holy word, and verity which the Lord had endued him withal. Where upon he considering in his mind, & partly also conferring with john Frith thought with himself no way more to conduce thereunto, then if the scripture were The Scripture in the vulgar tongue, a special manifesting of the truth. turned into the vulgar speech, that the poor people might also see the simple and plain word of God. For first, he wisely casting in his mind, perceived by experience how that it was not possible to establish the lay people in any truth, except the Scripture were so plainly laid before their eyes in their mother tongue, that they might see the process, order, and meaning of the text: For else whatsoever truth should be taught them, these enemies of the truth would quench it again either with apparent reasons of sophistry, and traditions of their own making, founded without all ground of Scripture: Either else juggling with the text, expounding it in such a sense, as impossible it were to gather of the text, if the right process, order and meaning thereof were seen. Again right well he perceived, and considered this only, or most chief to be the cause of all mischief in the Church, that the Scriptures of God were hidden from the Ignorance of Scripture cause all mischief & errors in religion. people's eyes: For so long the abominable doings and Idolatries maintained by the pharasaical Clergy, could not be espied, and therefore all their labour was with might a●d main to keep it down, so that either it should not be read at all, or if it were, they would darken the right sense, with the mist of their Sophistry, and so entangle them which rebuked, or despised their abominations, with arguments of philosophy, and with worldly similitudes, and apparent reasons of natural wisdom: and with wresting of Scripture unto their own purpose, contrary unto the process, order, and meaning of the text, would so delude them in deskanting upon it with allegories, and amaze them, expounding it in many senses laid before the unlearned lay people, that though thou felt in thy heart, and were sure that all were false that they said, yet couldst thou not solve their subtle ryddells. For these and such other considerations, this good man was moved (and no doubts stirred up of God) to translate the Scripture into his mother tongue, for the public utility and profit of the simple vulgar people of his country: First setting in hand with the new testament, which he first translated about the year of our Lord 1527. Aftrr that he took in hand to translate the old testament, finishing the u books of Moses, with sundry most learned and godly prologues prefixed before every one of them most worthy to be read, and read again of all Christians, as the like also he did upon the new testament. He written also diverse other works under sundry titles, among the which is that most worthy monument of his entituled the obedience of a Christian man, wherein with singular dexterity he instructeth all men in the office, and duty of Christian obedience, with diverse other treatises as may apere in the contents of this book. So soon as these books were compiled, and made by William Tyndall, and the same were published and sent over into England, it can not be spoken what a door of light they opened to the eyes of the whole English nation, which before were many years shut up in darkness. Now these godly books, and specially the new Testament of William Tindals translation being spread abroad and come into many men's hands, as they wrought singular profit to the godly: so the ungodly envying and disdaining that the people The reprobate are always offended at the truth. should be any thing wiser than they: and again, fearing lest by the shining beams of truth, their false hypocrisy and works of darkness should be discerned: began to stir with no small ado, like as at the birth of Christ, Herode and all jerusalem were troubled with him, so the Papists made open exclamation against this godly man, and published him openly in all their sermons to be an heretic, and that all his books were none other but damnable heresies, and sought by all the means they might, how to impeach and hinder that godly man in his blessed travails. But to return to the story. After that William Tyndall had translated the fifth book of Moses called Deuteronomium, and he minding to print the same at Hamborough, sailed thitherward: and by the way upon the coast of Holland, he suffered shipwreck, and lost all his books, writings, and copies: and so was compelled to begin all again an●we, to his hindrance and doubling of his labours. Thus having lost by that ship both money, his copies and time, he came in an other ship to Hamborough, where at his appointment M. Coverdale tarried for him, and helped him in the translating of the whole five books of Moses. And after he returned to Andwarp, a●d was there lodged more than one whole year in the house of Thomas Pointz, an English man, who kept a table for English merchants. About which time, an English man whose name was Henry Phillips, whose father was customer of Pool, a comely man, and seemed to be a gentleman. This man suddenly entered into Henry Phillippes a wicked and dissembling judas. the great love and favour of William Tyndall, who greatly commended his courtesy and learning, and in the end fallen into famylier love and acquaintance with him. And Thomas Pointz their host espying such great love and familiarity to be between M. Tyndall and this Philippes, which unto him was but a mere stranger, did much marvel thereat, and fallen into a jealousy, and suspicion that this Phillipes was but a spy, and came but to betray M. tindal, wherefore on a time, the a fore said Thomas Poyntz asked M. Tyndall how he came acquainted with this Phillipes: M. Tyndall answered that he was an honest man, handsomely learned, and very conformable. Then Pointz perceiving that he bore such favour unto him, said no more, thinking that he had been brought acquainted with him by some friend of his. The said Phillipes being in the town iij. or iiij. days did then departed to the Court at Bruxelles, which is from Andwarp x●iiij. miles and did so much there that he procured to bring from thence with him to Andwarp the procuror general, which is the emperors attorney with certain other officers. And first the said Phillipes servant came unto Poyntz and demanded of him whether M. Tyndall were there or not, for his master would come and dine with him. And forthwith came Phillipes and asked Poyntz wife for M. Tyndall and she showed him that he was in his chamber, than said he, what good meat shall we have to dinner for I intend to dine with you, and she answered they should have such as the market would give. Then went phyllipes strait up into M. Tyndales chamber, and told him that by the way as he came he had lost his purse, and therefore prayed him to lend him xl. shillings, which he forthwith lent, for it was easy enough to be had of him if he had it. For in the wily subtleness of this world, he was simple and unexpert. Then said Phillipes you shall be my gest here this day. Not, said▪ Tyndall, I got forth this day to dinner, and you shall go with me and be my gest where you shall be welcome. And when dinner time came M. Tyndall and Phillipes went both forth together. And at the going forth of Poyntz house was a long narrow entry, so that ij. could not go on a front. Tyndall would have put phillipes before him, but Phillipes would in no wise, but put Tyndall before him, for that he pretended to show great humanity. So Tyndall being a man of no great stature went before, and Phillipes a tall person followed behind him, who had set officers on either side of the door upon ij. seats, which being there might see who came in the entry. And coming through the said entry, Phillipes pointed with his finger over M. Tyndales head down to him, that the officers which sat at the door, might see that it was he whom they should take, as the officers that took Tyndall afterward told the a fore said Poyntz, and said that they pit●ed to see his simplicity when they took him. But Tyndall when he came Tyndals' simplicity pitied of the officers. near the door espied the officers and would have shrunk back: nay said Phill●ipes by your leave you shall go forth, and by force bore him forward upon the officers. And assoon as the officers had taken him, they forthwith brought him unto the emperors attorney, or procurer general, where he dined. Then came the procurer general to the house of Poyntz, and sent away all that was of Tyndales, aswell his books as other things: And from thence Tyndall was had to the Castle of filforde, xviij English miles from Andwarpe, where he remained prisoner more than a year and a half, and in that mean time, came unto him diverse lawyers, and Doctors in Divinity, aswell friars as other with whom he had many conflyctes: But at the last Tyndall prayed that he might have some English Divines come unto him, for the manners and Ceremonies in religion in Douch land (said he) did much differ from the manners and Ceremonies used in England. And then was sent unto him diverse Divines from Lovayne whereof some were Englishmen: and after many examinations, at the last they condemned him by virtue of the emperors decree made in the assembly at Augsburg, and shortly after brought him forth to the place of execution, and there tied him to a stake, where with a fervent zeal, and a loud voice he cried, Lord Tyndals' godly zeal to his Prince. open the eyes of the King of England, and then first he was with a halter strangled by the hangman, and afterward consumed with fire. In the year of our Lord 1536. Such was the power of his doctrine, and the sincerity of his life, that during the time of his imprisonment, which (as aforesaid) endured a year and a half, he converted his keepers Daughter, and other of his household. Also such as were with him conversant in the Castle reported of him, that if he were not a good Christian man, they could not tell whom to trust. The procurer general the emperors attorney A testimony of Tyndals godly life, even by his adversary. being there, left this testimony of him, that he was Homo doctus, pius et bonus. that is a learned, a good, and a godly man. The worthy virtues, & doings of this blessed martyr (who for his painful traveles and singular zeal to his country may be worthily called in these our days, an Apostle of England) it were long to recite. Amongst many other, this one thing, because it seemeth worthy of remembrance, I thought good to show unto you. There was at Andwarp on a time, amongst a company of merchants as they were at supper a certain iuggeler, which through his Diabolical inchauntmentes, or Art Magical, would fetch all kind of Vyandes and wine from any place they would, and set it upon the table incontinent before them, with many other such like things. The fame of this iuggeler being much talked of, it chanced that as M. Tyndall herded of it he desired certain of the merchants that he also might be present at supper to see him play his parts. And to be short, the Supper was appointed and the merchants with Tyndall were there present. Then was the juggler called forth to play his feats and to show his cunning, and after his wont boldness began to utter all ●hat he could The faith of Tyndall showed by a manifest miracle. do, but all was in vain. At the last with his labour, sweeting, and toiling, when he saw that nothing would go forward, but that all his inchauntmentes were void, he was compelled openly to confess that there was some man present at supper which disturbed, and letted all his doings. So that a man even in the martyrs of these our days can not lack the miracles of true faith, if miracles were now to be desired. And here to end and conclude this history with a few notes touching his private behaviour in diet, study, and especially his charitable zeal, and tender relieving of the poor: first he was a man very frugal, and spare of body, a great student and earnest labourer, namely in the setting forth of the Scriptures of God. He reserved or hallowed to himself ij▪ days in the week, which he named his days of pastime, and those days were Monday the first day in the week, and Saturday the last day in the week. On the Monday he visited all such poor men and women as were fled out of England by reason of persecution into Antwerp, and those well understanding their good exercises and qualities he did very liberally comfort and relieve: and in like manner provided for the sick and diseased people. On the Saturday he walked round about the town in Antwerp, seeking out every Corner, and hole where he suspected any pooreperson to devil, (as God knoweth there are many) and where he found any to he well occupied, and yet overburdened with children, or else were aged, or weak, those also he plentefully relieved. And thus he spent his ij. days of pastime as he called them. And truly his Almose was very large and great: and so it might well be: for his exhibition that he had yearly of the English merchants was very much, and that for the most part he bestowed upon the poor as afore said. The rest of the days in the week he gave him wholly to his book where in most dillgently he traveled. When the Sunday came, then went he to some one merchants chamber, or other, whether came many other merchants: and unto them would he read some one parcel of Scripture, either out of the old testament, or out of the new, the which proceeded so fruitfully, sweetly and gently from him (much like to the writing of S. john the Euangelest) that it was a heavenly comfort and joy to the audience to hear him read the scriptures: and in likewise after dinner, he spent an hour in the aforesaid manner. He was a man without any spot, or blemish of rancour, or malice, full of mercy and compassion, so that no man living was able to reprove him of any kind of sin or crime, albeit his righteousness and justification depended not there upon before God, but only upon the blood of Christ, and his faith upon the same: in the which faith constantly he died, as is said at Filforde, and now rests with the glorious campany of Christ's Martyrs blessedly in the Lord, who be blessed in all his saints Amen. And thus much of W. Tyndall, Christ's blessed servant, and Martyr. Faults escaped in the Printing. Page 16. the 2. col. in the margin, after these words [from the] put to salvation in Christ. The same Page, and same col. in the next marginal note after, put out [in Christ] from the beginning of the note. Page 21. col. 2. in the margin, for adminition, read admonition. ¶ A Protestation made by William Tyndall, touching the Resurrection of the bodies, and the state of the souls after this life. Adstracted out of a Preface of his that he made to the new Testament, which he set forth in the year 1534. COncernyug the resurrection, I protest before God and our saviour jesus Christ, and before the universal congregation that believeth in him, that I believe according to the open and manifest Scriptures & Catholic faith, that Christ is risen again in the flesh which he received of his mother the blessed virgin Mary, and body wherein he died. And that we shall all both good and bad, rise both flesh and body, and appear together before the judgement seat of Christ, to receive every man according to his deeds. And that the bodies of all that believe and continued in the true faith of Christ, shallbe endued with like immortality and glory, as is the body of Christ. And I protest before God & our Saviour Christ, and all that believe in him, that I hold of the souls that are departed, as much as may be proved by manifest and open Scripture, and think the souls departed in the faith of Christ & love of the law of God, to be in no worse case, than the soul of Christ was, from the time that he delivered his spirit into the hands of his father, until the resurrection of his body in glory and immortality. Nevertheless, I confess openly, that I am not persuaded that they be already in the full glory that Christ is in, or the elect Angels of God are in. Neither is it any article of my faith: for if it so were, I see not but then the preaching of the resurrection of the flesh, were a thing in vain. Notwithstanding yet I am ready to believe it, if it may be proved with open Scripture. Moreover, I take God (which alone seeth the heart) to record to my conscience, beseeching him that my part be not in the blood of Christ, if I written of all that I have written throughout all my book, aught of an evil purpose, of envy or malice to any man, or to stir up any false doctrine or opinion in the Church of Christ, or to be author of any sect, or to draw disciples after me, or that I would be esteemed, or had in price above the lest child that is born: save only of pity and compassion I had, and yet have, on the blindness of my brethren, and to bring them unto the knowledge of Christ, and to make every one of them, if it were possible, as perfect as an Angel of heaven: and to weed out all that is not planted of our heavenvly father, and to bring down all that lifteth up itself against the knowledge of the salvation that is in the blood of Christ. Also, my part be not in Christ, if mine heart be not to follow and live according as I teach: and also if mine heart weep not night and day for mine own sin, and other men's indifferently, beseeching God to convert us all, and to take his wrath from us, and to be merciful as well to all other men, as to mine own soul: caring for the wealth of the Realm I was born in, for the king, and all that are thereof, as a tender hearted mother would do for her only son. As concerning all I have translated, or otherwise written, I beseech all men to read it, for that purpose I written it: even to bring them to the knowledge of the Scripture. And as far as the scripture approveth it, so far to allow it: and if in any place the word of God disallow it, there to refuse it, as I do before our Saviour Christ and his congregation. And where they find faults, let them show it me, if they be nigh, or writ to me if they be far of: or writ openly against it and improve it: and I promise' them, if I shall perceive that their reasons conclude, I will confess mine ignorance openly. ¶ The Preface of master William Tyndall, that he made before the five books of Moses, called Genesis. An. 1530. Ianua. 17. WHen I had translated the new Testament, I added an Epistle unto the latter end, In which I desired them that were learned, to amend if aught were found amiss. But our malicious and wily hypocrites, which are so stubborn, and hard hearted in their wicked abominations, that it is not possible for them The reason that the papists make against the translation of the scripture into English. to amend any thing at all (as we see by daily experience, when both their livings, and doings are rebuked with the truth) say, some of them that it is impossible to translate the Scripture into English, some that it is not lawful for the lay people to have it in their mother tongue, some that it would A subtle shift of the pope's clergy to cover their evil. make them all heretics, as it would nodoubt from many things which they of long time have falsely taught, and that is the whole cause wherefore they forbidden it, though they other cloaks pretend. And some or rather every one, say that it would make them rise against the king, whom they them selves (unto their damnation) never yet obeyed. And jest the temporal rulers should see their falsehood, if the Scripture came to light, causeth them so to lie. And as for my translation in which they affirm unto the lay people (as I have herded say to be I wot not how many thousand heresies, so that it can How the Papists were vexed with Tindals' translation of the new testament. not be mended or correct, they have yet taken so great pain to examine it, and to compare it unto that they would fain have it, and to their own imaginations and juggling terms, and to have somewhat to rail at, and under that cloak to blaspheme the truth, that they might with as little labour (as I suppose) have translated the most part of the Bible. For they which in times past were wont to look on no more scripture than they found in their Duns, The Papists shamed not to wrist the scriptures. or such like devilish doctrine, have yet now so narrowly looked on my translation, that there is not so much as one I therein if it lack a title over his head, but they have noted it, & number it unto the ignorant people for an heresy. Finally in this they be all agreed, to drive you from the knowledge of the Scripture, and that you shall not have the text thereof in the mother tongue, and to keep the world still in darkness, to the intent they might sit in the consciences of the people, thorough vain superstition and false doctrine, to satisfy their filthy lusts, their proud ambition, and unsatiable covetousness, and to exalt their own honour above King and Emperor, yea, and above God himself. The Papists have wrought wonderfully to have suppressed the scripture. A thousand books had they liefer to be put forth against their abominable doings and doctrine, then that the Scripture should come to light. For as long as they may keep that down, they will so darken the right way with the mist of their sophistry, & so tangle them that either rebuke or despise their abominations, with Arguments of Philosophy, and with worldly similitudes, and apparent reasons of natural wisdom: and with wresting the Scripture unto their own purpose clean contrary unto the process, order and meaning of the text, and so delude them in descanting upon it with allegories, and amaze them, expounding As owls abide not the brightness of the day, so cannot the papists abide the light of the gospel. it in many senses before the unlearned lay people (when it hath but one simple literal sense whose light the owls can not abide) that though thou feel in thy heart, and art sure how that all is false that they say, yet couldst thou not solve their subtle rydles. Which thing only moved me to translate the new Testament. Because I had perceived by experience, how that it was impossible to stablish the What first moved W. Tyndale to translate the Scripture into englssh lay people in any truth, except the Scripture were plainly laid before their eyes in their mother tongue, that they might see the process, order and meaning of the text: for else what soever truth is taught them, these enemies of all truth, quench it again, partly with the smoke of their bottomless pit, whereof thou readest apocalypsis, ix. that is, with apparent reasons of sophistry, and traditions of their own making, founded without ground of Scripture, and partly in juggling with the text, expounding it in such a sense, as is impossible to gather of the text, if thou see the process, order and meaning thereof. And even in the Bishops of London's house, I entented to have done it. For This bishop of London was then Tunstall, which afterward was bishop of Durham when I was so turmoiled in the country where I was, that I could no longer there devil (the process whereof were to long here to rehearse) I this wise thought in myself, this I suffer because the Priests of the country be unlearned, as God it knoweth, there are a full ignorant sort which have seen no more Latin, then that they read in their Portesses and Missales, which yet many of them can scarcely read (except it be Albertus de secretis mulierum, in which yet, though they be never so sorily learned, they poor day and night, and make notes therein, & all to teach the midwifes as they say, and Linwode a book of constitutions to gather tithes, mortuaries, offerings, customs, and other pillage, which they call not there's, but God's part, and the duty of holy church, to discharge their consciences with all: for they are bound that they shall not diminish, but increase all thing unto the uttermost of The pope's chaplains pulpit, is the al●house their powers) & therefore (because they are thus unlearned thought I) when they come together to the Alehouse, which is their preaching place, they affirm that my sayings are heresy. And besides that they add to of their own heads, which I never spoke, as the manner is to prolong the tale to short the time with all, and accused me secretly to the Chancellor, and other the Christ's apoitles did meekly admonish, but the Pope's sectaries did brawl and scold. bishops officers. And in deed when I came before the Chancellor, he threatened me grievously, and reviled me, and rated me as though I had been a dog, and laid to my charge, whereof there could be none accuser brought forth (as their manner is not to bring forth the accuser) and yet all that Priests of the country were the same day there. As I this thought, the Bishop of London came to my remembrance Partiality sometime in men of great learning. whom Erasmus (whose tongue maketh of litles gnats great Elephants, and lifteth up above the Stars whosoever giveth him a little exhibition) praiseth exceedingly among other in his annotations on the new Testament for his great learning. Then thought I, if I might come to this man's service, I were happy. And so I got me to London, and thorough the acquaintance of my master, came to Sir Harry Gilford the Kings graces Controller, and brought him an Oration of Isocrates, which I had translated out of greek into English, & desired him to speak unto my Lord of London for me, which he also did as he showed me, and willed me to writ an Epistle to my Lord, and to go to him myself which I also did, and delivered my Epistle to a servant of his own, one William Hebilthwayte ', a man of mine old acquaintance. But God (which How Tindale was deceived. knoweth what is within hypocrites) see that I was beguiled, and that that counsel was not the next way unto my purpose. And therefore he got me no favour in my lords sight. Whereupon my Lord answered me, his house was full, he had more than he could well find, and advised me to seek in London, where he said I could not lack a service, And so in London I abode almost a year, and marked the course of the world, and herded our praters, I would say our Preachers, how they boasted themselves and their high authority, and beheld the pomp of our Prelates, and how busy they were (as they yet are) to set peace and unite in the world (though it be not possible for them, that walk in darkness, to continued long in peace, for they can not but either stumble or dash themselves at one thing, or an other that shall Room enough in my lords house for belly cheer, but none to translate the new testament. clean unquiet all together) and saw things whereof I defer to speak at this time, & understood at the last not only that there was no room in my Lord of London's Palace to translate the new Testament, but also that there was no place to do it in all England, as experience doth now openly declare. Under what manner therefore should I now submit this book to be corrected and amended of them, which can Tindale could get no place in the bishop of London's house. suffer nothing to be well? Or what protestation should I make in such a manner unto our Prelates those stubborn Nimrothes which so mightily fight against God, and resist his holy spirit, enforcing with all craft and sutletie to quench that light of the everlasting Testament, promises, and appointment made between God and us? and heaping the fierce wrath of God upon all Princes and rulers, mocking them with false feigned names of hypocrisy, and serving their lusts at all points, and dispensing with them even of the very laws of God, of which Christ himself testifieth Matthew 5. That not so much as one title thereof may perish or be broken. And of which the Prophet saith Psalm. cxviij. Thou hast commanded thy laws to be kept meod, that is in Hebrew exeedingly, with all diligence, might and power, and have made them so mad with their juggling charms, and crafty persuasions, that they think it a full satisfaction for all their wicked living, to torment such as tell them troth, and to burn that word of their soul's health, and slay who soever believe thereon. Notwithstanding yet I submit this book, and all other that I have Tyndals' submission is to all such as submit themselves to God. either made or translated, or shall in time to come (if it be God's will that I shall further labour in his harvest) unto all them that submit themselves unto the word of God, to be corrected of them, yea and moreover to be disallowed and also burned, if it seem worthy, when they have examined it with the Hebrew, so that they first put forth of their own translating, an other that is more correct. A prologue by William Tyndall, showing the use of the Scripture, which he written before the five books of Moses. THough a man had a precious jewel & a rich, yet if he wist not the value thereof, nor wherefore it served, he were neither the better nor richer of a straw. Even so though we read the Scripture, and babble of it never so much, yet if we know not the use of it, and wherefore it was given, and what is therein to be sought, it profiteth us nothing at all. It is not enough therefore to read and talk of it only, but we must also desire Not the tongue but the life proveth a true gospeler. God day and night instantly to open our eyes, and to make us understand and feel, wherefore the Scripture was given, that we may apply the medicine of the Scripture, every man to his own sores, unless then we intend to be idle disputers, and brawlers about vain words, ever gnawing upon the bitter bark without, and never attaining unto the sweet pith within, and persecuting one an other in defending of lewd imaginations, and fantasies of our own inventions. Paul in third of the second Epistle The truest touchstone or Religion is Christ's Gospel. to Timothe saith, That the Scripture is good to teach (for that aught men to teach, and not dreams of their own making, as the Pope doth) and also to improve, for the Scripture is the touch stone that trieth all doctrines, and by that we know the false from the true. And in the uj. to the Ephesians he calleth it the sword of the spirit, by cause it killeth hypocrites, and uttereth and and improveth their false inventions. And in the xv. to that Romans he says. All that are written, are written for our learning, that we thorough patience and The scripture of god is the sword of the Spirit. comfort of the Scripture, might have hope. That is, the examples that are in the Scripture, comfort us in all our tribulations, and make us to put our trust in GOD, and patiently to abide his leisure. And in the x. of the first to the Corinthians, he bringeth in examples of the Scripture, to fear us, and to bridle the flesh, that we cast not the yoke of the law of God from of our necks, and fall to lusting and doing of evil. So now the Scripture is a light, & showeth as the true way, both what to do, & what to hope for. And a defence from all error, and a comfort in adversity that we despair not, and fears us in prosperity, that we sin not. Seek therefore in the Scripture as thou readest it, first the law, what God commandeth us to do. And secondarily the promises, which God promises us again, namely in Christ jesus our Lord Then seek examples, first of comfort, how God purgeth all Tribulation is the gift of God. them that submit themselves to walk in his ways, in the Purgatory of tribulation, delivering them yet at the latter end, and never suffering any of them to perish, that cleave fast to his promises. And finally, note the examples which are written to fear the flesh that we sin not. That is, how God suffereth the ungodly and wicked sinners What we aught to seek in the Scriptures. that resist God, and refuse to follow him, to continued in their wickedness, ever waxing worse and worse, until their sin be so sore increased, and so abominable, that if they should longer endure, they would corrupt the very elect. But for the elect's sake God sendeth them preachers. Nevertheless they harden their hearts against the truth, and God destroyeth them utterly, and beginneth the world a new. This comfort shalt thou evermore find in the plain text, and literal sense. Neither is there any story so homely, so rude, yea or so vile (as it seemeth outward) wherein is not exceeding great comfort. And when some which seem to themselves great clerks say: they wot not what more profit is in many gests of the Scripture, if they be read without an allegory, then in a tale of Robenhode: say thou, that A goodly comfort against desperation. they were written for our consolation and comfort, that we despair not, if such like happen unto us. We be not holier than No, though he were once drunk. Neither better beloved than jacob, though his own son defiled his bead. We be not holier than Lot, though his daughters thorough ignorance deceived him, nor peradventure holier than those daughters. Neither are we holier than David, though he broke wedlock, and upon the same committed abominable murder. All those men have witness of the Scripture that they pleased God, and were good men, both before that those things chanced, and also after. neverless such things happened them for our example: not that we should counterfeit their evil, but if while we fight with ourselves, enforcing to walk in the law of God (as they did) we yet fall likewise, that we despair not, but come again to the laws of God, and take better hold. We read sense the time of Christ's Ensamples. of their evils not to bolden us, but to fear us from sin and desperation. death, of virgins that have been brought unto the common stues, and there defiled, and of Martyrs that have been bond, and whores have abused their bodies. Why? The judgements of God are bottomless. Such things chanced partly for examples, partly God thorough sin heals sin. Pride can neither be healed, nor yet appear, but thorough such horrible deeds. Peradventure they were of the pope's sect, and rejoiced fleshly, thinking that heaven came by deeds, and not by Christ, and that the outward deed justified them, and made them holy, and not the inward spirit received by faith, & the consent of heart unto the law of God. As thou readest therefore think that How we aught to prepare ourselves, to the reading of the scriptures. every syllable pertaineth to thy own self, & suck out the pith of the Scripture, and arm thyself against all assaults. First note with strong faith the power of God, in creating all of naught. Then mark the grievous fall of Adam, and of us all in him, thorough the light regarding of the commandment of God. In the iiij. Chapter God turneth him unto Abel, and then to his offering, but not to Cain and his offering. Where thou seest that though the deeds of the evil, appear outwardly as glorious, as the deeds of that good: yet in the sight of God, which looketh on the heart, the deed is good because of the man, and not the man good because of his deed. In the uj. God sendeth No to preach to the wicked, and giveth them space to repent: they wax hard hearted, God bringeth them to naught. And yet saveth No: even by that same water by which he destroyed them. Mark also what followed the pride of the building of the Tower of Babel. Consider how God sendeth forth Abraham out of his own country into a strange land, full of wicked people, Faith our surest shield in all assaults. and gave him but a bore promiss with him that would bless, him & defend him. Abraham believed: and that word saved, and delivered him in all perils: so that we see, how that man's life is not maintained ●y bread only, (as Christ saith) but much rather by believing the promises of God. Behold how soberly, & how circumspectly both Abraham, and also Isaac behaved themselves among the infidels. Abraham byeth that which might have been given him for naught, to cut of occasions. Isaac when his wells which he had digged were taken from him, giveth room and resisteth not. Moreover they ear, and sow, and feed their cattle, and make confederations, and and take perpetual truce, and do all outward things: Even as they do which have no faith, for God hath not made us to be idle in this world. Every man must work godly & truly We may not trust in our work● but in the word and promise of God. to that uttermost of the power, that God hath given him: and yet not trust therein: but in God's word or promise: and God will work with us, and bring that we do to good effect. And then when our power will extend no further, God's promises will work all alone. How many things also resisted the promises of God to jacob? And yet God burdened with his promise. jacob coniureth God, with his own promises saying: O GOD of my father Abraham: and GOD of my father Isaac, O Lord which saidest unto me, return unto thy own country, and unto the place were thou waste born, and I will do thee good: I am not worthy of the jest of those mercies, nor of that troth, which thou hast done to thy servant, I went out with a staff, and come home with two droves, deliver me out of the hands of my brother Esau, for I fear him greatly. etc. And God delivered him, and will likewise all that call unto his promises, with a repenting heart, were they never so great sins. Mark also the weak infirmities of the man. He loveth one wife more than an other, one son more than an other. And see how God purgeth him. Esau threateneth him: Laban begyleth him. The beloved wife is long barren: his daughter is ravished: his wife is defiled, and that of his own son. rahel dieth, joseph is taken away, yea & (as he supposed) rend of wild beasts. And yet how glorious was his end? Note the weakness of his children, yea and the sin of them, and how God thorough their own wickedness saved them. These examples teach us, that a man is not at once perfect the first day he beginneth to live well. They that be strong, therefore must suffer with the weak, & The holy ghost breateth where and when it pleaseth him. help them in unity, and peace, one with an other until they be stronger. Note what the brethren said when they were tached in Egypt, we have verily sinned (said they) against our brother, in that we see the anguish of his soul when he besought us, and would not hear him: and therefore is this tribulation come upon us. By Conscience of evil doings findeth out 〈◊〉 ‑ 〈◊〉 men. which example thou seest, how that conscience of evil doings finds men out at last. But namely in tribulation and adversity: there temptation and also desperation, yea and the very pains of hell find us out: there there that soul feeleth the fierce wrath of GOD, and wisheth mountains to fall on her, and to hide her (if it were possible) from the angry face of God. Mark also how great evils follow of how little an occasion Dina goeth but forth alone to see the daughters of the country, and how great mischief and trouble followeth? jacob loved but one son more than an other, and how grievous murder followed in their hearts? These are examples for Of small occasions do rise great evils. our learning, to teach us to walk warily, and circumspectly in that world of weak people, that we give no man occasions of evil. Finally, see what GOD promised joseph in his dreams. These promises accompanied him, always, and went down with him even into the deep dungeon. And brought him up again. And never forsook him till all that was promised was fulfilled. These Ensamples for our ●earn●ng. are examples written for our learning (as Paul says) to teach us to trust in God in the strong fire of tribulation, & purgatory of our flesh. And that they which submit themselves to follow GOD, should note and mark such things, for learning and comfort, is the fruit of the scripture, & cause why it was written: And with such a purpose to read it, is the way to everlasting life, and to those ioysul blessings that are promised unto all nations in the seed of Abraham, which seed is jesus Christ our Lord, to whom be honour and praise for ever, and unto God our father thorough him. Amen. A Table expounding certain words in the first book of Moses called Genesis. ABrech, tender father, or (as some will) how the knee. Ark, a ship made flat, as it were a chest, or coffer. Bisse, fine white, whether it be silk or linen. Bless, God's blessings are his gifts: as in the first Chapter he blessed them, saying, grow and multiply, and have dominion. etc. And in the ix. Chapter, he blessed No, and his sons, and gave them dominion over all beasts, and authority to eat them. And God blessed Abraham with cattle, and other riches. And jacob desired Esau to receive the blessing, which he brought him, that is the present and gift. God blessed that seven. day, that is, gave it a pre-eminence that men should rest therein, from bodily labour, and learn to know the will of God, & his laws, and how to work their works godly all the week after. God also blesseth all nations in Abraham's seed, that is, he turneth his love, & favour unto them, and giveth them his spirit, and knowledge of the true way, and lust and power to walk therein, and all for Christ's sake Abraham's son. Cain, so is it written in Hebrew. Notwithstanding whether we call him Cain or Caim, it maketh no matter, so we understand the meaning: Every land hath his manner, that we call john, the Welshmen call evan, the Dutch hance. Such difference is between that Ebrue, Greek, and Latin: and that maketh them that translate out of the Ebrue vary in names from them, that translate out of Latin, or Greek. Curse, God's curse is the taking away of his benefits: as God cursed that earth, and made it barren: So now hunger, dearth, war, pestilence, and such like, are yet right curses, & signs of the wrath of God unto the unbelievers: but unto them that know Christ, they are very blessings, and that wholesome cross, and true purgatory of our flesh, through which, all must go that will live godly, and be saved: as thou readest Math. 5. Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousness sake, etc And Hebr. 11. The lord chastiseth whom he loveth, and scourgeth all the children that he receiveth. Eden, pleasure. Firmament, the sky. faith, is the believing of God's promises, and a sure trust in the goodness and truth of God, which faith justified Abrah. Gen. 15. and was the mother of all his good works which he afterafterward did, for faith is the goodness of all works in the sight of god. Good works are things of gods commandment wrought in faith. And to sow a shoe at the commandment of God, to do thy neighbour service withal, with faith to be saved by Christ (as God promises us) is much better than to build an abbey of thy own imagination, trusting to be saved by the feigned works of hypocrites. jacob rob Laban his uncle: Moses rob the Egyptians. And Abraham is about to slay and burn his own son: and all are holy works, because they are wrought in faith at God's commandment. To steal, rob, and murder, are no holy works before worldly people, but unto them that have their trust in God, they are holy when God commandeth them. What God commandeth not, getteth no reward with god. Holy works of men's imaginations receive their reward here, as Christ testisieth: Math. 6. Howbeit of faith and works I have spoken abundantly in Mammon. Let him that desireth more, seek there. Grace, favour, as No found grace, that is to say, found favour and love. Ham and Cam all one. jehovah, is god's name, neither is any creature so called, and it is as much to say, as one that is of himself, and dependeth of nothing: Moreover as oft as thou seest LORD in great letters (except there be any error in the printing) it is in Hebrew jehovah, thou that art, or he that is. Martial in Hebrew, he is called Sartabaim, as thou wouldst say, Lord of the slaughter men. And though that Tabaim, be taken for cooks in many places, (for the cooks did slay the beasts themselves in those days,) yet it may be taken for them that put men to execution also: and that I thought it should here best signify, in as much as he had the oversight of the kings prison, and the kings prisoners: were they never so great men, were under his custody: & therefore I call him chief Marshal, an officer as it were, that lieutenant of the tower, or master of the marshalsea. slime was their mortar, chap. 11. and slime pits chap. 4. that slime was a fatness that issued out of the earth, like unto car: and thou mayst call it cement, if thou wilt. Siloh after some, is as much to say as sent, and after some happy: and after some it signifieth Messiah, that is to say, anointed, & that we call Christ after the Greek word: and it is a prophesy of Christ: for after all the other tribes were in captivity, & their kingdom destroyed, yet the tribe of juda had a ruler of the same blood, even unto the coming of Christ: and about the coming of Christ, the Romans conquered them, & the emperor gave the kingdom of the tribe juda, unto Herode, which was a stranger, even an Edomite, of the generation of Esau. Testament, that is an appoyment made between God and man, & gods promises: And sacrament is a sign representing such appointment, and promises: as the rainbow representeth the promise made to No, that God will no more drown the world: And circumcision representeth the promises of God to Abraham, on the one side, & that Abraham and his seed should circumcise, and cut of the lusts of their flesh, on the other side, to walk in the ways of the lord. As baptism which is come in the room thereof, now signifieth on the one side, how that all that repent and believe, are washed in Christ's blood: and on the other side, how that the same must quench, and drown the lusts of the flesh, to follow the steps of Christ. There were tyrants in the earth in those days, for the sons of god see the daughters of men etc. The sons of God were the Prophets' children, which (though they succeeded their father) fallen yet from the right way, and through falsehood of hypocrisy, subdued the world under them, and become tyrants, as the successors of the Apostles have played with us. Vapour, a dewy mist, as the smoke of a seething pot. To walk with God, is to live godly, and to walk in his commaundedementes. Enos walked with God, and was no more seen, he lived godly and died: God took him away, that is, God hide his body, as he did Moses and Aaron's, jest haply they should have made an Idol of him, for he was a great preacher, and an holy man. Zaphnath Paenea words of Egypt are they (as I suppose) and as much to say, as a man to whom secret things be opened, or an expounder of secret things, as some interpret it. That joseph brought the Egyptians into such a subjection, would seem unto some a very cruel deed: how be it, it was a very equal way: for they paid but that fifth part of that, that grew on the ground, and therewith were they quit of all duties, both of rent, custom, tribute, and tolle: & the king therewith found them Lords, and all ministers, and defended them, we now pay half so much unto the priests only: beside their other crafty exactions. Then pay we rent yearly, though there grow never so little on that ground, and yet when the king calleth, pay we never the less. So that if we look indifferently, their condition was easier than ours, and but even a very indifferent way, both for the common people, and the king also. See therefore that thou look not on the ensamples of the Scripture with worldly eyes, lest thou prefer Cain before Abel: Ishmael before Isaac: Esau before jacob: Reuben before juda: Sarah before Phares: Manasses before Ephraim, and even the worst before the best, as the manner of the world is. The Prologue to the second book of Moses called Exodus. BY the Preface upon Genesis, mayest thou understand how to behave thyself in this book also, and in all other books of the Scripture. Cleave unto the text and plain story, and endeavour thyself to search out the meaning of all Learn here how to read & understand the scripture. that is described therein, and the true sense of all manner of speakinges of the Scripture, of proverbs, similitudes, & borrowed speech, whereof I entreated in the end of the obedience, and beware of subtle allegories. And note every thing earnestly, as things pertaining unto thine own heart and soul. For as God used himself unto them of the old Testament: even so shall he unto the worlds end use himself unto us, which have received his holy Scripture, and the testimony of his son jesus. As God doth all things here for them that believe his promises, & hearken unto his commandments, and with patience cleave unto him, and walk with him: even so shall he do for us, if we receive the witness of Christ with a strong faith, and endure patiently following his steps. And on the other side, as they that fell from the promise of God thorough unbelief, and If we hearken unto the voice of God, and bend ourselves to do his will, he will be our God, & help us, but otherwise he will plague us as he plagued the unthankful & faithless jews. from his law and ordinances, thorough impatiency of their own lusts, were forsaken of God, and so perished: even so shall we as many as do likewise, and as many as mock with the doctrine of Christ, and make a cloak of it to live fleshly, & to follow our lusts. Note thereto how God is found true at the last, and how when all is past remedy, and brought into desperation: he than fulfilleth his promises, and that by an abject and a cast away, a despised, and a refused person, yea, and by a way impossible to believe. The cause of all the captivity of God's people is this. The world ●uer hateth them for their faith, and trust which they have in GOD: but in vain, till they fall from the faith of that promises, and love of the law, and ordinances of God, & put their trust in holy deeds Trust and believe in God, and care not what the world say. of their own finding, and live altogether at their own lust & pleasure, with out regard of God, or respect of their neighbour. Then God forsaketh us, & sendeth us into captivity, for our dishonouring of his name, and despising of our neighbour. But the world persecuteth us for our faith in Christ only (as the people now doth) and not for our wicked living. For in his kingdom thou mayest quietly, and with licence, and under aprotection, do what The world liketh well all wicked livers and ungodly people. soever abomination thy heart lusteth: but God persecuteth us, because we abuse his holy Testament, and because when we know the truth, we follow it not. Note also the mighty hand of the Lord, how he playeth with his adversaries, and provoketh them, and stirreth them up a little and a little, and delivereth not his people in an hour that both the patience of his elect, and also the worldly wit and wily policy of the wicked, wherewith they do fight against God, might appear. Mark that long suffering, and soft patience of Moses, and how he loveth the people, and is ever between the Here is set forth the office of every good person, wrath of God and them, and is ready to live and dye with them, & to be put out of the book that God had written for their sakes (as Paul for his brethren. Romans ix.) and how he taketh his own wrongs patiently, and never avengeth himself. And make not Moses a figure of Christ with Rochester: but an ensample unto all Princes, and to all that are in authority, how to rule unto God's pleasure, & unto their own profit. For there is not a perfecter life in this world, both to the honour of God, and profit of his neighbour, nor yet a greater cross, than to rule christianly. And of Aaron also, see that thou make no figure of Christ, until he come unto his sacrificing: but an example unto all Preachers, that they add nothing unto God's word, or take aught therefrom. Note also, how GOD sendeth his promise to the people, and Moses confirmeth it with miracles, and the people Temptation is the trial of true christians. believe. But when temptation cometh, they fall into unbelief, and few bide standing. When thou seest that all be not christian that will be so called, and that the cross trieth the true from the feigned: for if the cross were not, Christ should have Disciples enough. The excellency of faith which is the gift of God. Whereof also thou seest, what an excellent gift of God true faith is, and impossible to be had, without the spirit of God. For it is above all natural power, that a man in time of temptation, when GOD scourgeth him, should believe then steadfastly, how that God loveth him, and careth for him, Those whom God scourgeth he dearly loveth. and hath prepared all good things for him, and that, that scourging is an earnest that GOD hath elect and choose him. Note how often Moses stirred them up to believe, and trust in God, putting them in remembrance always in time A necessary lesson for a good preacher. of temptation, of the miracles & wonders that GGD hath wrought before time in their eye sight. How diligently also forbiddeth he all that might withdraw their hearts from God? to put aught to GOD'S word, to take aught from it, commanding to do that only, that is right in the sight of the Lord, that they should make no manner God commandeth that we should make no images. Image, to kneel down before it: yea, that they should make none aultare of hewed stone, for fear of Images, to i'll the heathen Idolatries utterly, and to destroy their Idols, and cut down their groves where they worshipped, and that they should not take the daughters of them unto their sons, nor give their daughters to that sons of them, and that who soever moved any of them to worship false Gods, how soever nigh of kin he were, they must accuse him, and bring him to death: yea, & wheresoever they The worshipping of Idols or Images, was abhorred of god. herded of man, woman, or City, that worshipped false Gods, they should slay them, & destroy the City for ever, and not build it again, and all because they should worship nothing but God, nor put confidence in any thing, save in his word. Yea, and how warneth he to beware Witchcraft sorcery, etc. abhorred of God. of witchcraft, sorcery, enchantment, necromancy, and all crafts of the Devil, and of dreamers, soothsayers, and of miracle doers to destroy the word, and that they should suffer none such to live. Thou will't haply say, they tell a man the truth. What then? GOD will that we care not to know what shall come. He will have us to care only to keep his commandments, and to commit all chances unto him: He hath promised to care for us, & to keep us from all ill. All things are in his hand, he can remedy all things, and will for his truth sake, if we pray him. In his promises only will he have us trust, and there rest, and to seek no farther. How also doth he provoke them to love, ever rehearsing the benefits of God done to them already, & the godly promises that were to come? And Moses often rehearseth the benefits of almighty God, to move usto fear him, and to love our neighbour. how goodly laws of love giveth he, to help one an other, and that a man should not hate his neighbour in his heart, but love him as himself. Levit. 19 And what a charge giveth he in every place, over the poor and needy? over the stranger, friendless and widows? And when he desireth to show mercy, he rehearseth with all, the benefits of God done to them at their need, that they might see a cause, at the lest way in GOD to show mercy of very love unto their neighbours at their need. Also there is no law so simple in appearance throughout the u books of Moses, but that there is a great reason of that making thereof, if a man search diligently. As that a man is forbid to seethe a kid in his mother's milk, moveth us unto compassion, and to be pitiful. As doth also that a man should not offer the sire or dam & the young both in one day. Leviticus xxij For it might seem a cruel thing, in as much as his mother's milk is as it were his blood, wherefore god will not have him God will have us to be merciful to our neighbours. sodde therein: but will have a man show courtesy, upon the very beasts. As in an other place he commandeth that we mosel not the Ox that treadeth out the corn (which manner of threshing is used in hot countries) and that because we should much rather to be liberal and kind unto men that do us service. Or happily GOD would have none such wanton meat used among his people. For the kid of itself is nourishing, and the goats milk is restaurative, and both together might be to rank, and therefore forbidden, or some other like cause there was. Of the ceremonies, sacrifices, and tabernacle, with all his glory and pomp, understand that they were not permitted only, but also commanded of GOD, to lead the people in the shadow of Moses and night of the All the ceremonies of the old testament, we●● but preachers of Christ that was to come. old Testament, until the light of Christ, and day of the new Testament were come. As children are lead in the fantasies of youth until the discretion of man's age be come upon them. And all was done to keep them from Idolatry. The tabernacle was ordained to the intent they might have a place appointed them, to do their sacrifices openly in the sight of the people, and namely the Priests which waited thereon: that it might be seen that they did all things according to God's word, & not after the Idolatry of their own imagination. And the costliness of the The ●ea● 〈◊〉 of the tabernacle was to keep the jews from hearkening to the heathen. Tabernacle and the beauty also, pertaining thereunto, that they should see nothing among the heathen, but that they should see things more beautiful at home, because they should not be moved to follow them. And in like manner the divers fashions of sacrifices and ceremonies, was to occupy their minds, that they should have no lust to follow the Heathen: & the multitude of them was, that they should have so much to do in keeping them, that they should have no leisure to imagine other of their own: yea, & that God's word might be there by in all that they did, that they might have their faith and trust in God, which he cannot have that followeth either his own inventions, or traditions of men's making without God's word. Finally, God hath two testaments, the old and the new. The old testament is those temporal promises which God made the children of Israel of a God had two Testaments, that is, the old and the new. good land, and that he would defend them, and of wealth and prosperity, & of temporal blessings, of which thou readest over all the law of Moses, but namely, Leviticus. 26. and Deut. 28. & the avoiding of all threatenings and curses of which thou readest likewise every where, but specially in the two books above rehearsed, and the avoiding of all punishment ordained for the transgressors of the law. And the old Testament was built The old testament was built upon the observation of the law. altogether upon the keeping of the law and ceremonies, and was the reward of keeping them in this life only, and reached no farther than this life & this world. As thou readest Levit. 18. A man that doth them shall live therein, which text Paul rehearseth, Rom. 10. & Gal. 3. That is, he that keepeth them shall have his life glorious, according to all the promises and blessings of the law, and shall avoid both all temporal punishments of the law, & all the threatenings and cursings also. For neither the law of the ten commandments, nor yet the ceremonies, justified in the heart before God, or purified unto the life to come. In so much that Moses at his death, even forty years after the law, and ceremonies were given, complaineth saying, God hath not given, you an heart to understand, nor eyes to see, nor ears to hear unto this day. As who should The law could not give life. have said. God hath given you ceremonies, but you know not the use of them, and hath given you a law, but god hath not written it in your hearts. Wherefore serveth the law then, if it give us no power to do the law? Paul answereth them, that it was given to utter sin only, and to make it appear. As a corosie is laid unto an old The law is the utterer of sin. sore, not to heal it, but to stir it up, and make the disease alive, that a man might feel in what jeopardy he is, & how nigh death and not ware, and to make a way unto the healing plaster. Even so saith Paul Gal. 3. The law was given because of transgression (that is to make the sin alive, that it might be felt and seen) until the seed came unto whom it was promised, that is to say, until the children of faith came, or until Christ that seed in whom God promised Abraham, that all nations of the world should be blessed, came. That is, the law was given to utter sin, death, damnation, and curse, The law was given by God to show what sin was. and to drive us unto Christ, in whom forgiveness, life, justifying, and blessings were promised, that we might see so great love of God to us ward in Christ, that we hence forth overcome with kindness, might love again, and of love keep the commandments. Now he that goeth about to quiet his conscience, and to justify himself with the law: doth but heal his wounds with freating coroseiss. And he that goeth about to purchase grace with Ceremonies are not given to justify the heart, but to signify our justification by Christ. ceremonies: doth but suck the ale pole to quench his thirst, in as much as the ceremonies were not given to justify the heart, but to signify the justifying, and forgiveness that is in Christ's blood. Of the ceremonies that they justify not thou readest. Hebr. x. It is impossible that sin should be done away with the blood of Oxen, and Goats. And of Ceremonies cannot justify. the law thou readest. Galla. iij. If there had been a law given that could have quickened or given life: then had righteousness, or justifying come by the law in deed. Now the law not only quickeneth not the heart, but also woundeth it with conscience of sin, and ministereth death, and damnation unto her. ij. Cor. iij. So that she must needs dye and be damned, except she found other remedy. So far it is of, that she is justified, or helped by the law. The new Testament is those everlasting promises, which are made us The new Testament are the everlasting promises made to us in Christ. in Christ the Lord throughout all the the Scriptures. And that Testament is built on faith, and not in works. For it is not said of that Testament. He that worketh shall live: but he that believeth shall live. As thou readest. john. iij. God so loved the world, that Faith only justifieth. he gave his only begotten son, that none that believe in him should perish, but have life everlasting. And when this Testament is preached and believed, the spirit entereth the heart, and quickeneth it, & giveth it life, & justifieth her. The spirit also maketh the law, a lively thing in the heart, so that a man bringeth forth good works of his own accord, without compulsion of the law, without fear of threatenings, Good works spring out of the love we have to God. or cursings: yea, and without all manner respect, or love unto any temporal pleasure, but of the very power of the spirit, received through faith, as thou readest. john. i He gave them power to be the sons of God, in that they believed on his name. And of that power they work, so that he which hath the spirit of Christ, is now no more a child: he neither learneth, nor worketh any longer for pain of that rod, or for fear of bugs or pleasure of apples, but doth all things of his own courage. As Christ sayeth. john. seven. He that believeth on me, shall have rivers of living waters flowing out of his belly. That is all good works, and all gifts of grace spring out of Where true faith is, there good works do flow and abound. him naturally, and by their own accord. Thou needest not to wrist good works out of him, as a man would wring veriuce out of crabs. Nay they flow naturally out of him, as springs out of rocks. The new Testament was ever even from the beginning of the world. For there were always promises of Christ The new Testament was from the beginning. to come by faith, in which promises, the elect were then justified inwardly before God, as outwardly before the world, by keeping of the law, and ceremonies. And in conclusion, as thou seest blessings, or cursynges follow the breaking, or keeping of the law of Moses: even so naturally do the blessings, or cursynges follow the breaking of keeping of the law of nature, out of which Our temporal laws spring out of the law of nature. spring all our temporal laws. So that when the people keep the temporal laws of their land, temporal prosperity, and all manner of such temporal blessings (as thou readest of in Moses) do accompany them, and fall upon them. And contrariwise, when they sin unpunished, and when the rulers have no respect unto equity or honesty, than God sendeth his curse among them, as hunger, dearth, morein, banning, pestilence, war, oppression, with strange and wondered diseases, and new kinds of misfortune and evil luck. If any man ask me, seeing that faith justifieth me, why I work? I answer. Love compelleth me. For as long Love counseleth the faithful to work. as my soul feeleth what love GOD hath showed me in Christ: I can not but love God again, and his will and commandments, and of love work them, hor can they seem hard unto me. I think not myself, better for my working, nor seek heaven nor an higher place in heaven because of it. For a Christian worketh to make his weak brother perfecter, and not to seek an higher place in heaven. I compare not myself unto him, that worketh not. Not, he that worketh not to day, shall have grace to turn, and to work to morrow, and in the mean time, I pity We must nor presume in our well doing, not condemn others that run astray: the last which turneth to god is as far forward as the first. him and pray for him, If I had wrought the will of God those thousand years, and an other had wrought the will of the devil as long, and this day turn, and be as well willing to suffer with Christ as I: he hath this day over taken me, and is as far come as I, and shall have as much reward as I, & I envy him not, but rejoice most of all, as of lost treasure found. For if I be of GOD, I have these thousand years suffered to win him, for to come & praise the name of God with me. These thousand years, I have prayed, sorrowed, longed, sighed, and sought for that which I have this day found, and therefore rejoice with all my might, and praise God for his grace and mercy. A Table expounding certain words of the second book of Genesis. ALbe, a long garment of white linen. Ark, a coffer or chest, as our shrines, save it was flat, and the sample of ours was taken thereof. Booth, an house made of bows. Brestlap, or brestflappe is such a flap, as thou seest in the breast of a cope. Consecrated, to appoint a thing to holy uses. Dedicated, purify or sanctify. Ephod, is a garment somewhat like an amice, save the arms came thorough, and it was girded to. Geeras, in weight as it were an English halfpenny, or somewhat more. Heave offerings, because they were hoven up before the Lord House, he made them houses, that is, he made a kindred, or a multitude of people to spring out of them, as we say the house of David, for the kindred of David. Peace offering, offering of thanks giving of devotion, and not for conscience of sin and trespass. Pollute, defile. Reconcile, to make at one, & to bring in grace or favour. Sanctify, to cleanse and purify, to appoint a thing to holy uses, and to separate from unclean & unholy uses. Sanctuary, a place hallowed and dedicated unto God. Tabernacle, a house made tentwise, or as a pavilion. Tunicle, much like the uppermost garment of the Deacon. Waveoffring, because they were waven in the priests hands to divers quarters. Worship, by worshipping, whether it was in the old testament, or new, understand the bowing of a man's self upon the ground: as we oft times, as we kneel in our prayers how ourselves, and lie on our arms, & hands with our face to the ground. Of this word I will be, cometh the name of God jehovah, which we interpret Lord, and is as much to say, as I am that I am. 3. Chap. That I here call a sheep in Hebrew is a word indifferent to a sheep, and a goat both. 12. Chap. The Lamb was called passover, that the very name itself, should put them in remembrance, what it signified, for the signs that God ordained, either signified the benefits done, or promsses to come, and were not done, as the signs of our domme God the Pope. jehovah Nissi, the Lord is he that exalteth me. chap. 17. Ephod, is a garment like an amice. Chap. 25. showbread, because it was always in the sight and presence of the Lord. Chap. 25. A Prologue into the third book of Moses called Leviticus. THe ceremonies which are described in that book following, were chief ordained of God, (as I said in the end of the Man's wisdom is plain Idolatry, it scat tereth, divideth, and maketh sects. prologue upon Exod.) to occupy the minds of that people the Israelites, and to keep them from serving of God, after the imagination of their blind zeal, and good intent: that their consciences might be established, and they sure that they pleased God therein, which were impossible, if a man did of his own head that which was not commanded of god, nor depended of any appointment made between him and God. Such ceremonies Ceremonies to the Israelites and newts were as good school masters are to young scholars. were unto them as an A, B, C, to learn to spell and read, and as a nurse to feed them with milk and pap, & to speak unto them after their own capacity, and to lisp the words unto them according as the babes and children of that age might sound them again. For all that were before Christ, were in the infancy and childhood of the world, and see that son which we see openly, but thorough a cloud, and had but feeble, and weak imaginations of Christ, as children have of men's deeds (a few prophets except) which All things were first revealed in ceremonies and shadows until it pleased almighty God, to reveal his son jesus Christ. yet described him unto other in sacrifices and ceremonies, likenesses, riddles proverbs, and dark and strange speaking, until the full age were come, that god would show him openly unto the whole world, and deliver them from their shadows and cloudelight, & the heathen out of their dead sleep, of stark blind ignorancy. And as the shadow vanisheth away at the coming of the light, even so do the ceremonies and sacrifices at the coming of Christ, and are henceforth no more necessary, than a token left in remembrance of a bargain, is necessary when the bargain is fulfilled. And though they seem plain childish, yet they be not altogether fruitless: as the puppets & xx. manner of trifles, which mothers permit unto their young children, be not all in vain. For albeit that such fantasies be permitted Small and little gifts given by the parents to their children, causeth love & obedience. to satisfy the childerns lusts, yet in that they are the mother's gift, & be done in place and time at her commandment, they keep the children in awe, and make them know the mother, and also make them more apt against a more stronger age to obey in things of greater earnest. And moreover, though sacrifices and Sacrifices and ceremonies serve for allegories to found out Christ. ceremonies can be no ground, or foundation to build upon: that is, though we can prove naught with them: yet when we have once found out Christ and his mysteries, them we may borrow Similitudes prove nothing, but do more plainly lead thee to understand the text. figures, that is to say allegories, similitudes, or examples to open Christ, and the secrets of God hide in Christ, even unto the quick, and to declare them more lively and sensibly with them, than with all the words of the world. For similitudes have more virtue & power with them then bore words, and lead a man's wits further into the pith and mary, and spiritual understanding of the thing, them all the words that can be imagined. And though also that all the ceremonies, & sacrifices have as it were a starlight of Christ, yet some there be that have as it were the light of the broad day, a little before the son rising, and express him, and Some ceremonies contain whole some and profitable doctrine. the circumstances and virtue of his death so plainly, as if we should play his passion on a scaffold; or in a stage play, openly before the eyes of the people. As the scape got, the brazen Serpent, the Ox burned without the host, the passover Lamb, etc. In so much that I am fully persuaded, and cannot Ceremonies ordained to confirm our faith. but believe that God had showed Moses the secrets of Christ, and the very manner of his death before hand, and commanded him to ordain them for the confirmation of our faith, which are now in the clear day light, and I believe also that the prophets, which followed Moses to confirm his prophecies, and to maintain his doctrine until Christ's coming, were moved by such things to search further of Christ's secrets. And though God would God's secrets were opened but to a few. not have the secrets of Christ generally known, save unto a few familiar friends, which in that infancy he made of man's wit to help the other babes: yet as they had a general promise that one of the seed of Abraham should come and bless them, even so they had a general faith, that God would by the same man save them, though they witted not by what means, as the very apostles when it was often told them, ye they could never comprehend it, till it was fulfilled in deed. And beyond all this, their sacrifices, and ceremonies as far forth as the promises The ceremonies of themselves saved not, but faith in God's promise. annexed unto them extend, so far forth they saved them, and justified them, and stood them in the same stead as our Sacraments do us: not by the power of the sacrifice or deed itself, but by the virtue of the faith in the promise', which the sacrifice or ceremony preached, and whereof it was a token or sign. For the ceremonies and sacrifices were left with them, & commanded them to keep the promise in remembrance, and to wake up their faith. As it is not enough to sand many on errandes, and to tell them what they shall do: but they must have a remembrance with them, and it be but a ring of a rush about one of their fingers. And as it is not enough to make a bargain with words only, but we must put thereto an oath, & give earnest to confirm the faith of the person with whom it is made. And in like Our nature is so weak that we must be helped by outward signs and tokens. manner if a man promise, whatsoever trifle it be, it is not believed except he hold up his finger also, such is the weakness of the world. And therefore Christ himself used oft-times divers ceremonies in curing the sick to stir up their faith with al. As for example: it was not the blood of the lamb that saved them in Egypt, when the angel smote the Egyptians: but the mercy of God and his truth, whereof that blood was a token and remembrance, to stir up their faiths withal. For though god No man is helped by 〈◊〉 promises, but sinners that feel their sin. make a promise, yet it saveth none finally but them, that long for it, & pray God with a strong faith to fulfil it, for his mercy and truth only, and knowledge their unworthiness. And even so our sacraments (if they be truly ministered) preach Christ unto us, & lead Sacraments truly ministered are profitable. our faith unto Christ, by which faith our sins are done away, and not by the deed or work of the Sacrament. For as it was impossible that that blood of calves should put away sin: even so is it impossible that the water of the river should wash our hearts. Nevertheless, Sacraments truly mini●●res preach unto us repentance of our sins. the sacraments cleanse us and absolve us of our sins as the priests do, in preaching of repentance & faith, for which cause either other of them were ordained, but if they preach not, whether it be the priest, or the Sacrament, so profit they not. And if a man allege Christ, john in thee, iij. Chapter saying: Except a man be born again of water, and the holy Ghost he can not see the kingdom of GOD, and will therefore that the holy ghost be present in the water, and therefore the very deed, or work doth put No● naked or doom ceremonies, but the holy ghost through faith washeth away sins. away sin: then I will sand him unto Paul which asketh his Galathians, whether they received the holy ghost by the deed of the law, or by preaching of faith, and there concludeth that the holy ghost accompanieth the preaching of faith, and with the word of faith, entereth the heart and purgeth it, which thou mayest also understand by Saint Paul's saying: You are born a new out of the water through the word. So now if Baptism preach me the washing in Christ's blood, so doth the holy ghost accompany it, and that deed of preaching through faith doth put away my sins. For the holy Ghost is no doom God, nor no God that goeth a mumming. If a man say of the Sacrament of Christ's body and blood, that it is a sacrifice as well for the dead as for the quick, and therefore the very deed itself justifieth and putteth away sin: I answer that a sacrifice is the slaying of the body of a beast, or a The difference between a sacrifice, and a Sacrament. man: wherefore if it be a sacrifice, then is Christ's body there slain and his blood there shed: but that is not so. And therefore it is properly no sacrifice but a Sacrament, and a memorial of that everlasting sacrifice once for all, which he offered upon cross now upon a xv. hundred years ago, & preacheth only unto them that are aly●e. And as for them that be dead, it is as profitable unto them as is a candle in a Lantern without light unto them that What slate we die in the same we shall rise again, either of salvation or damnation. walk by the way in dark night, and as the gospel song in Latin is unto them that understand none at all, and as a Sermon preached to him that is dead, and heareth it not. It preacheth unto them that are a live only, for they that be dead, if they died in the faith which that Sacrament preacheth, they be safe, and are past all jeopardy. For when they were alive their hearts loved the law of GOD, and therefore sinned not, and were sorry that their members sinned, and ever The Sacraments are unto the dead, no Sacraments at all. moved to sin, and therefore through faith it was forgiven them. And now their sinful members be dead, so that they can now sin no more, wherefore it is unto them that be dead neither Sacrament nor sacrifice: But under the pretence of their soul health it is a servant unto our spiritualties holy Sacraments abused up the Clergy. covetousness, and an extortioner, and a builder of abbeys, Colleges, Chauntryes and Cathedral Churches with false got good, a pickpurse, a polar, and a bottomless bag. The Papists have had no small friend and good helper of the mass Some man would happily say, that the prayers of the Mass help much: not the living only, but also the dead. Of the hot fire of their fervent prayer which consumeth faster than all the world is able to bring sacrifice, I have Hypocrites prayers can neither profit them selkes, nor any mā●ls said sufficiently in other places. How beit it is not possible to bring me in belief, that the prayer which helpeth her own master unto no virtue, should purchase me the forgiveness of sins. If I see that their prayers had obtained them grace to live such a life, as God's word did not rebuke, the could I soon be born in hand that what so ever they asked GOD, their prayers should not be in vain. But now what good can he wish me in his prayers that Those that are enemies to the word of God, love neither god nor his people. envieth Christ the food, and the life of my soul? What good can he wish me, whose heart cleaveth a sunder for pain, when I am taught to repent of my evil? Furthermore, because that few know the use of the old Testament, and the most part think it nothing necessary but to make allegories, which they fain every man after his own brain at all wild adventure without any certain rule: therefore (though I have spoken of them in an other place) yet jest the book come not to all men's hands that shall read this, I will speak of them here also a word or twain. We had need to take heed every Allegories are to be well weighed and considered. where that we be not beguiled with false allegories, whether they be drawn out of the new Testament, or the old, either out of any other story, or of the creatures of the world, but namely in The greatest cause of the decay of faith and blindness that we were in▪ was through Allegories. this book. Here a man had need to put on all his spectacles, and to arm himself against invisibles spirits. First allegories prove nothing (and by allegories understand examples or similitudes borrowed of strange matters, and of an other thing then that thou entreatest of.) And though circumsion be a figure of Baptism, yet thou canst not prove Baptism by Circumcision. For this argument were very How allegories are to be understand. feeble, the Israelites were Circumcised therefore, we must be baptized. And in like manner though the offering of Isaac were a figure or example of the resurrection, yet is this argument naught, Abraham would have offered Isaac, but GOD delivered him from death, therefore we shall rise again, and so forth in all other. But the very use of allegories is to declare and open a text that it may be The right used of allegories. the better perceived and understand. As when I have a clear text of Christ and of the Apostles, that I must be baptized, than I may borrow an example of Circumcision, to express the nature, power, and fruit or effect of baptism. For as Circumcision was unto them a common badge signifying that they were all soldiers of god, to war his war, and separating them from all other nations, disobedient unto God: Baptism is the common badge of all true professors of Christ. even so baptism is our common badge, and sure earnest and perpetual memorial that we pertain unto Christ, and are separated from all that are not Christ's. And as Circumcision was a token certifying them, that they were received unto the favour of God, and their sins forgiven them: even so Baptism certifieth us that we are washed in the blood of Christ, and received to favour for his sake, and as Circumcision signified unto them, the cutting away of their own lusts, and Baptism teacheth us repentance of sin. slaying of their free will, (as they call it) to follow the will of GOD, even so Baptism signifieth unto us repentance, and the mortifying of our unruly members, and bodies of sin, to walk in a new life, and so forth. And likewise, though that the saving of No, & of them that were with him in the ship, through water, is a figure, that is to say an example and likeness of Baptism, as Peter maketh it. 1. Peter. 3. yet I can not prove The bore washing helpeth not but throrough the word of faith it purifieth us. Baptism therewith, save describe it only: for as the ship saved them in the water through faith, in that they believed God, and as that other that would not believe No perished: even so Baptism saveth us through the word of faith which it preacheth, when all the world of the unbelieving perish. And Paul. 1. Corin. 10. maketh the sea and the cloud a figure of Baptism, by which, and a thousand more I might declare, it but not prove it. Paul also in the said place maketh the rock, out of which Moses brought water unto the children of Israel, a figure or example of Christ, not to prove Christ (for that were impossible) but to describe Christ only: even as Christ himself john. 3 borroweth a similitude or figure of the braien serpent to lead Nichodemus from How christ borroweth figures of the old Testament, to make plain the texts of the new testament. his earthy imagination, into the spiritual understanding of Christ's saying: As Moses lifted up a Serpent in the wilderness, so must the son of man be lifted up, that none that believe in him perish, but have everlasting life. By which similitude the virtue of Christ's death is better described than thou couldst declare it with a thousand words. For as those murmurers against God, as soon as they repented were healed of their deadly wounds, through looking on the brazen Serpent only, without medicine or any other help, yea and without any other reason, but that God hath said it should be so, and not to murmur again, but to leave their murmuring: even so all that repent and believe in Christ, are saved from everlasting death, of pure grace without, and before their good works, and not to sin again, but to fight against sin, and henceforth to sin no more. Even so with the ceremonies of this book thou canst prove nothing, save describe, and declare only the putting away of our sins thorough the death of Christ. For Christ is Aaron, and Aaron's sons, and all that offer the sacrifice to purge sin. And Christ is all manner offering that is offered: he is the ox, the sheep, the goat, the kid and lamb: he is the ox that is burned without the host, and that scape-gote that carried all the sin of the people away into the wilderness: for as they purged the people from their worldly uncleanesses thorough blood of the sacrifices, even so doth Christ purge us from the uncleannesses of everlasting death with his own blood, and as their worldly sins could no otherwise be purged, then by blood of sacrifice: even so can our sins be no otherwise Our duty is to do good deeds but salvation we cannot challenge thereby. forgiven, then thorough the blood of Christ. All the deeds in the world, save the blood of Christ, can purchase no forgiveness of sins: for our deeds do but help our neighbour, and mortify the flesh, and help that we sin no more, but and if we have sinned, it must be freely forgiven thorough the blood of Christ, or remain ever. And in like manner of the Lepers A good example taken of the Lepers. thou canst prove nothing: thou canst never conjure out confession thence, howbeit thou hast an handsome example there, to open the binding & losing of our priests, with the key of God's word, for as they made no man a Leper, even so ours have no power to command any man to be in sin, or to go to purgatory or hell. And therefore (in as much as binding and losing is one power) as those Priests healed no man, even so ours can not of their innisible, and domme power, drive any man's sins away, or deliver The true preaching of God's word, doth bind and loose consciences. him from hell, or feigned purgatory, how be it, if they preached God's word purely, which is the authority that Christ gave them, than they should bind and loose, kill and make alive again, make unclean and clean again, and sand to hell and fetch thence again, so mighty is god's word. For if they preached the law of God, they should bind the consciences of sinners, with the bonds of the pains of hell, and bring them unto repentance. And then if they preached unto them the mercy that is in Christ, they should lose them and quiet their raging consciences, & certify them of the favour of God, and In allegories is both honey & gall, that is to say, both good & evil that their sins be forgiven. Finally, beware of allegories, for there is not a more handsome or apt thing to beguile withal, than an allegory, nor a more subtle and pestilent thing in the world to persuade a false matter then an allegory. And contrariwise, there is not a better, vehementer or mightier thing to make a man understand with all, them an allegory. For allegories make a man quick witted, and print wisdom in him, and maketh it to abide, where bore words go but in at the one ear, and out at the other. As this with such like sayings: put salt to all your sacrifices, in stead of this sentence, do all your deeds with discretion, greeteth and biteth (if it be understand) more than plain words. And when I say in stead of these words, boast not yourself of your good deeds, eat not the blood, nor the fat of your sacrifice, there is as great difference between them, as there is distance between heaven and earth. For All good deeds are gods work manship, & we his instruments whereby he doth them. the life and beauty of all good deeds is of God, and we are but the caren lean, we are only the instrument whereby God worketh only, but the power is his. As God created Paul a new, poured his wisdom into him, gave him might, & promised him that his grace should never fail him, etc. and all with out deservings, except that nurtering the saints, and making them curse & rail on Christ be meritorious. Now as it is death to eat the blood or fat of any sacrifice, is it not (think you) damnable to rob God of his honour, & to glorify myself with his honour? An exposition of certain words of the fourth book of Moses, called Numeri. AVims, a kind of Giants, and the word signifieth crooked, unright, or weaked. belial, weaked, or weakevesse, he that hath cast the yoke of God of his neck, and will not obey God. Bruterer, prophecies or soothsayers. Emims, a kind of giants so called, because they were terrible and cruel, for Emim signifieth terribleness. Enacke, a kind of Giants so called haply, because they ware chains about their necks. Horims, a kind of Giants, and signifieth noble, because that of pride they called themselves nobles, or gentles. Rock, God is called a rock, because both he and his word lasteth for ever. Whet them on thy children, that is, exercise thy children in them, and put them in ure. Zamzumims, a kind of Giants, and signifieth mischievous, or that be always imagining. The Prologue into the fourth book of Moses called Numeri. IN the second and third book they received the law. And in this fourth, they begin to work, & to practise. Of which practising you see many good examples of unbelief, and what free-will and unbelief were the overthrow of ou● for e●athers. free-will doth, when she taketh in hand to keep that law of her own power, with out help of faith in that promises of god: how she leaveth her masters carcases by the way in the wilderness, and bringeth them not into the land of rest. Why could they not enter in? Because of their unbelief, Hebrew. 3. For had they believed, so had they been under grace, and their old sins had been forgiven them, and power should have been given them to have fulfilled the law thenceforth, and they should have been kept from all temptations that had been to strong for them. For it is written, john. 1. He gave them power to be the sons of God, thorough believing Then cannot they be the children of God, which put more trust in their own works, then in the blood of jesus Christ. in his name. Now to be that son of God, is to love God and his commandments, and to walk in his way after the ensample of his son Christ. But these people took upon them to work without faith, as thou seest in the 14. of this book, where they would fight and also did, without the word of promise: even when they were warned that they should not. And in the 16. again, they would please God with their holy faithless works (for where God's word is not, there can be no faith) but the fire of God consumed their holy works, as it did Nadab and Abihu Levit. 10. And from these unbelievers turn thy eyes unto the Pharisees which before the coming of Christ in his flesh, had laid the foundation of free-will, after the same ensample. Whereon they built holy works after their own imagination without faith of that word, Faithless works. so fervently, that for the great zeal of them, they slew the king of all holy works, and the lord of free-will, which only thorough his grace maketh the will free, and loseth her from bondage of sin, and giveth her love, and lust unto the laws of God, and power to fulfil them. And so through their holy works done by the power of free-will, they excluded themselves out of the holy The Pharisees by their free-will excluded themselves from the salvation rest of forgiveness of sins by faith in the blood of Christ. And then look on our hypocrites, which in like manner following the doctrine of Aristotle, and other heathen Pagans, have against all the Scripture set up free-will again, unto whose power they ascribe the keeping of the commandments of God. For they have set up wilful poverty of another manner than any is commanded of god. And that chastity of matrimony utterly defied, they have set up another wilful chastity not required of God, which they swear, vow and profess to give God, whether he will give it them or not, and compel all their disciples thereunto, saying that it is in the power of every man's free-will to observe it, contrary 〈◊〉 Christ. Blasphemy to Christ's death. to Christ and his apostle Paul And the obedience of God and man excluded, they have vowed an other wilful obedience condemned of all the scripture, which they will yet give god whether he will or will not. And what is become of their wilful O subtle Foxes thorough poverty made themselves Lords of all. poverty? hath it not rob the whole world, and brought and under them? Can there be either king or emperor, or of whatsoever degree it be, except he will hold of them, and be sworn unto them to be their servant, to go and come at their lust, and to defend▪ their quarrels be they false or true? Their wilful poverty hath already eaten up the whole world, & is yet still gredier than ever it was, in so much that teune worlds mother were not enough to satisfy the hunger thereof. Moreover beside daily corrupting of other men's wives, and open whore doom, unto what abominations (to filthy to be spoken of) hath their voluntary chastity brought them? Wilful chastity is wilful wickedness. And as for their wilful obedience, what is it but the disobedience and the diffiaunce both of all the laws of God and man? in so much that if any Prince begin to execute any law of man upon them, they curse him unto the bottom of h●l, & proclaim him no right king, and that his Lords aught no longer The Papist●… wilful obedience, is common disobedience to all princes. to obey him, and interdite his common people as they were heathen Turks or Saracenes. And if any man preach them gods law, him they make an heretic and burn him to ashes. And in sieade of God's law and man's, they have set up one of their own imagination, which they observe with dispensations. And yet in these works they have so great confidence that they not only Our 〈…〉 cometh not by our merits, but thorough saith, by the blood of ou● saviour jesus Christ. trust to be saved thereby, and to be higher in heaven than they that be saved through Christ: but also promise' to all other for geuen●u● of their sins, through the merits of the same. Wherein they rest, and teach other to rest also, excluding the whole world from the rest of forgiveness of sins through faith in Christ's blood. And now seeing that faith only letteth faith only bringeth us to christ and vnbe●… driveth do from Christ. a man in unto rest, and unbelief excludeth him, what is the cause of this unbelief? verily no sin that the world seethe, but a Pope holiness, and a righteousness of their own imagination as Paul saith. Roma. x. They be ignorant of the righteousness wherewith God justifieth, and have set up a righteousness, of their own making through which they be disobedient unto the righteousness of God. And Christ rebuketh not the Pharisees for gross sins which the world saw, but for Christ rebu●… the Pharisees for their holy and 〈…〉. those holy deeds which so blered the eyes of the world, that they were taken as Gods: even for long prayers, for fasting, for tithing so diligently that they left not so much as their herbs untithed, for their cleanness in washing before meat, and for washing of cups, dishes, and all manner vessels, for building the Prophets sepulchres, and for keeping the holy day, and for turning that heathen unto the faith, & for giving of alms. For unto such holy deeds they ascribed righteousness, and The Pharisees ascribe righteousn●… works, & therefore were condemned of Christ. therefore when the righteousness of GOD was preached unto them they could not but persecute it, the devil was so strong in them. Which thing Christ well describeth. Luke. xj. saying, That after the devil is cast out, he cometh again, and finds his house swept, and made gay, and then taketh seven worse than himself and dwelleth therein, and so is the end of that man worse than the beginning. That is, when they be a little cleansed from gross sins which the world saith, and then made gay in their own sight, with the righteousness of traditions, then cometh The justifying o● ourselves, maketh the diu●… more bu●… than he would be. seven, that is to say the whole power of the devil: for seven. with the Hebrues signifieth a multitude without number, and the extremity of a thing, and is a speech borrowed (I suppose) out of Leviticus, where is so oft mention made of seven. Where I would say: I will punish thee, that all the world shall take an example of thee, there the jew would say, I will Circumcise thee or What to meant in the scrip●… by this 〈◊〉 v●…. timer. baptize thee seven times. And so here by seven is meant all the devils of hell, and all the might and power of the devil. For unto what further blindness could all the devils in hell bring them, then to make them believe that they were justified thorough their own good works? For when they once believed that they were purged from their sins, and made righteous thorough their own holy works, what room was there left for the righteousness that is Merit●…ger● the more their blindness is rebuked, the more they rebel against Christ and his goly●…. in Christ's bloodshedding? And therefore when they be fallen into this blindness, they can not but hate and persecute the light. And the more clear and evidently their deeds be rebuked, the furiousser and maliciousser blind are they, until they break out into open blasphemy, and singing against the holy ghost, which is the malicious persecuting of the clear troth so manifestly proved, that they can not once hish against it: as the Phariseis persecuted Christ, because he rebuked their holy deeds. And when he proved his doctrine with the Scripture and miracles, yet though they could not The doctrine of the Pharisees, and the doctrine of our papists do well agreed. improve him, nor reason against him, they taught that the scripture must have some other meaning, because his inter pretation undermined their foundation and plucked up by the roots the sects which they had planted, and they ascribed also his miracles to the devil. And in like manner though our hypocrites can not deny but this is the scripture, yet because there can be no other sense gathered thereof, but that ouerthoweth their buildynges, therefore they ever think that it hath some other meaning then as the words sound, and that no man understandeth it, or understood it since the time of the Apostles. Or if they think that some that written upon it since the Apostles understood it: they yet think that w●… like manner as we understand not the text itself, so we understand not the meaning of the words of that Doctor. For when thou layest the justifying of holy works and deniest the justifying of faith, how canst thou understand S. Paul, Peter, john and The Papists cannot away with justification by faith. the Acts of the Apostles or any Scripture at all, seeing the justifying of faith is almost all that they intend to prove? Finally, concerning vows whereof thou readest in the thirty. Chapter, there may be many questions, whereunto Of vows I answer shortly, that we aught to put salt to all our offerings: that is, we aught to minister knowledge in all our works, and to do nothing whereof we could not give a reason out of God's words. We be now in the day light, and all the secrets of God, and all his counsel and will, is opened unto us, and he that was promised should come and bless us, is come already, and hath shed his blood for us and hath blessed us with all manner blessings, and hath obtained all grace for us, and in him we have all. Wherefore God henceforth will receive God accepteth for us none other sacrifice, but only jesus christ his son. no more sacrifices of beasts of us as thou readest. Hebr. 10. If thou burn unto god the blood or fat of beasts, to obtain forgiveness of sins thereby, or that God should the better hear thy request, than thou dost wrong unto the blood of Christ, and Christ unto thee is dead in vain. For in him God hath promised not forgiveness of sins only, but also what soever we ask to keep us from sin and temptation with all. And what if thou burn frankencens unto him, what if thou burn 〈◊〉 holiness in our own imagination is a robbing of Christ's honour. a candle, what if thou burn thy chastity, or virginity unto him for the same purpose, dost thou not like rebuke unto Christ's blood? Moreover, if thou offer gold, silver, or any other good for the same intent, is there any difference? And even so if thou go in pilgrimage, or fastest, or goest wolward, or sprynelest thyself with holy water, or else what soever deed it is, or observest what soever ceremony it be, for like meaning, than it is like abomination. We must therefore bring the salt of the knowledge of God's word, with all our sacrifices, or else we shall make no sweet savour unto God thereof. Thou will't ask me, shall I vow nothing at all? yes, God's commandment, which thou hast vowed in thy Baptism. For what intent? verily for the love of Christ, which hath bought thee with his blood, and made the son & heir of God with him, that thou shouldst wait on his will and commandments, and purify thy members according to the same doctrine that hath purified thine heart, for if the knowledge of God's word hath not purified thy heart, so that thou consentest unto the law of god that it is righteous and good, & sorowest, that thy members move thee unto the contrary, so hast thou no part with Christ. For if thou repent not of thy sin, so it is impossible that thou Faith followeth repentance of sin. shouldst believe that Christ had delivered thee from the danger thereof. If thou believe not that Christ hath delivered thee, so is it impossible that thou shouldst love God's commandments. If thou love not the commandments, so is Christ's spirit not in thee, which is the earnest of forgiveness of sin, and of salvation. For Scripture teacheth, first repentance, Repentance goeth before faith, and prepareth the way unto Christ. than faith in Christ, that for his sake sin is forgiven to them that repent: then good works, which are nothing save the commandment of God only. And the commandments are nothing else, save the helping of our neighbours at their need, and the taming of our members, that they might be pure also, as the heart is pure through hate of vice and love of virtue, as God's word teacheth us, which works must proceed out of the faith: that is, I must do them for the love How our works are good in the sight of God. which I have God, for that great mercy which he hath showed me in Christ, or else I do them not in the sight of God. And that I faint not in that pain of the slaying of the sin that is in my flesh, mine help is the promise of the assistance of the power of God, and the comfort of the reward to come, which reward I ascribe unto the goodness, mercy, and truth, of the promiser, that hath choose me, called me, taught me, & The work saveth not, but the word, that it is to say, the promise given me the earnest thereof, & not unto the merits of my doings, or sufferings. For all that I do and suffer, is but the way to the reward, and not the deserving thereof. As if the kings grace should promise' to defend me at home in mine own realm, yet the way thither is thorough the Sea wherein I might happily suffer no little trouble. And yet for all that, if I might live in rest when I come thither, I would think, and so would other say, that my pains were well rewarded: which reward & benefit, I would not proudly ascribe unto the merits of An apt similitude for reward of good works. my pains taking by the way: but unto the goodness, mercifulness and constant truth of the kings grace whose gift it is, and to whom the praise and thank thereof belongeth of duty and right. So now a reward is a gift given freely of the goodness of the giver, and not of the deservings of the receiver. Thus it appeareth, that if I vow what soever it be, for any other All vows must be made for the mortifying or taming▪ of our members or the edifying of our neighbours, or else they are wicked. purpose than to tame my members, and to be an ensample of virtue and edifying unto my neighbour, my sacrifice is unsavoury, and clean without salt & my lamp without oil, and I one of the foolish virgins, and shallbe shut from that feast of the bridegroom when I think myself most sure to enter in. If I vow voluntary poverty, this must be my purpose, that I will be content with a competent living, which cometh unto me either by succession How we aught to vow wilful poverty. of mine elders, or which I get truly with my labour in ministering, & doing service unto the common wealth, in one office or in an other, or in one occupation or other, because that riches and honour shall not corrupt my mind, and draw mine heart from God, and to give an example of virtue and edifying unto other, and that my neighbour may have a living by me as well as I, if I make a cloak of dissimulation of my vow, laying a net of feigned beggary to catch superfluous abundance Whether fished the Pope's prelate's with t●… n●t or no? of riches, and high degree and authority, and through the estimation of false holiness, to feed & maintain my slothful idleness with the sweat, labour, lands, and rents of other men (after the example of our spirituality) robbing them of their faiths, & God of his honour turning unto mine hypocrisy that confidence, which should be given unto the promises of GOD only, am I not a wily fox, and a ravening wolf in a lambs skin, and a painted sepulchre fair without and filthy with in? In like manner though I seek no worldly promotion thereby, yet if I do it to be justified therewith, and to get an higher place in heaven, thinking that I do it of mine own natural strength, and of the natural power of my free-will, and that every man hath might even so to do, & that they do it not is their fault, and negligence, & so with the proud Pharisee in comparison of myself despise the sinful Publicans: what other thing do I then eat the blood and fat of my sacrifice, devouring that myself, which should be offered unto God alone, and his Christ. And shortly what soever a man doth of his natural gifts, of his natural wit, wisdom, understanding, reason, will, and good Our works do not stand in the wisdom of man but in the power of God. intent before he be otherwise and clean contrary taught of God's spirit, and have received other wit, understanding, reason and will, is flesh, worldly and wrought in abominable blindness, with which a man can but seek himself, his own profit, glory and honour, even in very spiritual matters. As if I were alone in a wilderness, where no man were to seek profit or praise of, yet if I would seek heaven of God there, I could of mine own natural gifts seek it no other ways then for the merits and deseruyngs of my good works, and to enter therein by an other way then by the door Christ, which were very theft, for Christ is Lord over all, and what soever any man will have of God, he must have it given him freely for Christ's sake. Now to have heaven for mine own deserving, is mine own praise and not Christ's. For I can not have it by favour, and grace in Christ and by mine own merits also: For Desert, and free gift are contraries. free giving, & deserving can not stand together. If thou will't vow of thy goods unto God, thou must put salt unto this sacrifice: that is, thou must minister knowledge in this deed as Peter teacheth. 2. Pet. 1. Thou must put oil of God's word in thy Lamp, and do it according to knowledge, if thou wait for the coming of the bridegroom to enter in with him into his rest. But thou peradventure will't hung it about the image to move men to devotion. Devotion is a fervent love unto gods commandments, and a desire to be with God, and with his everlasting promises. Now shall the sight of such riches as are showed at S. Thomas shrine, or at Walsingham, move a man The sight of riches, is rather a cause of covetousness than a mean to honour God to love the commandments of god better, and to desire to be loosed from his flesh, and to be with God, or shall it not rather make his poor heart sigh, because he hath no such at home, and to wish part of it in another place? The priest shall have it in God's stead. Shall the priest have it? If the Priest be bought with Christ's blood, than he is Christ's servant & not his own, and aught therefore to feed Christ's flock with Christ's doctrine, and to minister Christ's Sacraments unto them purely for very love, and not for filthy lucre's sake, or to be Lord over them as Peter teatheth. 1. Pet. u and Paul, Acts. xx. Beside this, Christ is ours, and is a gift given us, and we be heirs of Christ, and of all that, is Christ's. Wherefore the priests doctrine is ours, and we heirs of it, it is the food of our souls. Therefore if Whether did the papist so or no he minister it not truly, and freely unto us without selling, he is a thief, & a soul murderer: and even so is he if he take upon him to feed us, & have not wherewith. And for a like conclusion, because we also with all that we have, be Christ's, therefore is the priest heir with us also of all that we have received of God, wherefore in as much as that priest waiteth on that word of God, and is our servant therein, therefore of right we are his debtors, and own him a sufficient living of our goods, and even thereto a wife of our daughters own we unto him, if he require her. And now when we have appointed Yet the spiritualities pillage was more than their standing stipend. him a sufficient living, whether in tithes, rents, or in yearly wages, he aught to be content and to require no more, nor yet to receive any more, but to be an ensample of soberness and of despising worldly things unto the ensample of his parishioners. Wilt thou vow to offer unto the poor people? that is pleasant in the A good vow is to keep God's commandments. sight of God, for they be left here to do our alms upon in Christ's stead, and they be the right heirs of all our abundance and overplus. Moreover we must have a school to teach God's word in (though it needed not to be so costly) and therefore it is lawful to vow unto the building or maintenance thereof, & unto the helping of all good works. And we aught to vow to pay custom, tolle, rent, and all manner duties, and whatsoever we own: for that is God's commandment. How thou mayst lawfully go on pilgrimage If thou will't vow pilgrimage, thou must put salt thereto, in like manner, if it shall be accepted, if thou vow to go and visit the poor, or to hear gods word, or whatsoever edifieth thy soul unto love & good work after knowledge, or whatsoever God commandeth, it is well done, and a sacrifice that savoureth well, you will haply say, that you will go to this or that place, because God hath choose one place more than another, and will hear your petition more in one place then another? As for your prayer it must be according to to god's word. You may not desire god to take vengeance on him, whom God's word teacheth you to pity and to pray for. And as for the other gloze, that God will here you more in one God heareth all that call upon him in all times and at all places alike. place then in another, I suppose it shall infatuatum, salt unsavoury, for if it were wisdom, how could we excuse that death of Steven Acts 7. which died for that article that God dwelleth not in temples made with hands, we that believe in God, are the temple of God (sayeth Paul) If a man love God, and keep his word, he is the temple of God, & hath God presently dwelling in him, as witnesseth Christ, john. 14. saying: If a man love me, he will keep my word, and then my father will love him, and we will come unto him and dwell with him. And in the 15. he says: if you abide in me, and my words also abide in you, then ask what you will God regardeth the heart, and not the place where we pray. and you shall have it. If thou believe in Christ and hast the promises which God hath made thee in thy heart, then go on pilgrimage unto thine own heart and there pray and God will hear thee, for his mercy and truths sake and for his sons Christ's sake, and not for a few stones sakes. What careth GOD for the temple? The very beasts in that they have life in them, be much better than an heap of stones couched together. To speak of chastity, it is a gift not Wilful chastity is not meet for all people to vow. given unto all persons, as testifieth both Christ and also his Apostle Paul, wherefore all people may not vow it. Moreover there be causes wherefore many people may better live chaste at one time then at an other. Many may live chaste at twenty and thirty for certain cold diseases following them, which at xl. when their health is come can not do so. Many be occupied with wild fantasies in their youth that they care not for marriage, which some when they be waxen sad shallbe greatly desirous, it is a dangerous thing to make sin where none is, and to forswear the benefit of God & to bind thyself under pain of damnation of thy soul, that thou wouldst not use remedy that god hath created, if need required. another thing is this, beware that thou get thee not a false feigned chastity False feigned chastity. made with the ungodly persuasions of S. Jerome, of ovid in his filthy book of the remedy against love, l●st when through such imaginations thou hast utterly despised, defied and abhorred all womankind, thou come into such case thorough the fierce wrath of God, that thou canst neither live chaste nor find in thy heart to marry and so be compelled to fall into the abomination of the Pope against nature and kind. Moreover, god is a wise father and, The Pope restrained that which God permitted and setteth at liberty that which God forbiddeth. knoweth all the infirmities of his children, and also merciful, and therefore hath created a remedy without sin, and given thereto his favour and blessing. Let us not be wiser than GOD with our imaginations, nor tempt him, for as godly chastity is not every man's gift: even so he that hath it to day hath not power to continued it, at his own pleasure, neither hath God promised to give it him still, and to cure his infirmities without his natural remedy, no more than he hath promised to slake his hunger without meat or thirst without drink. Wherefore either let all A good adminition to such as will make vows. things bide free as God hath created them, and neither vow that which God permitteth thee with his favour and blessing also: or else if thou wilt needs vow, then vow godly and under a condition, that thou will't continued chaste, so long as God giveth thee that gift, and as long as neither thine own necessity, neither charity toward thy neighbour, nor the authority of them under whose power thou art, drive thee unto the contrary. The purpose of thy vow must be salted also with the wisdom of God. Thou mayest not vow to be justified Whereunto and how we should apply our vows. thereby, or to make satisfaction for thy sins, or to win heaven, nor an higher place: for then didst thou wrong unto the blood of Christ, and thy vow were plain Idolatry and abominable in the sight of GOD. Thy vow How a vow is to be made. must be only unto the furtherance of the commandments of GOD, which are (as I have said) nothing but the taming of thy members, and the service of thy neighbour: that is if thou think thy back to weak for the burden of wedlock, and that thou canst not rule thy wife, children, servants and make provision for them godly, & without overmuch busying and unquieting thyself, and drowning thyself in worldly business unchristenly, or that thou canst serve thy neighbour in some office better being chaste then married. And then thy vow is He that fasteth to any other end than to tame his body, that it may wait upon God, deceiveth himself. good and lawful. And even so must thou vow abstinence of meats, and drinks so far forth as it is profitable unto thy neighbours, and unto the taming of thy flesh: But thou mayst vow neither of them unto the slaying of thy body. As Paul commandeth Tymothe to drink wine, & no more water because of his diseases. Thou will't say that Timothy had not happily forsworn wine. I think the same, and that the Apostles forswore not wedlock though many of them lived chaste, neither yet any meat or drink, though they abstained from them, and that it were good for us to follow their example. Howbeit though I vow and swear and think on none exception, All our doings must tend to the honour of God, and love of our neighbour. yet is the breaking of God's commandments except, and all chances that hang of God. As if I swear to be in a certain place at a certain hour, to make a loveday without exception, yet if the king in the mean time command me an other way, I must go by God's commandment, and yet break not mine oath. And in like case if my father & mother be sick & require my presence, or if my wife, children or household be visited that ●ny assistance be required, or if my neighbour's house be a fire, at the same hour and a thousand such chances: in which all I break mine oath, & am not forsworn and so forth. Read God's word diligently & with a good heart, and it shall teach thee all things. A Prologue into the fift book of Moses called Deuteronomy. THis is a book worthy to be read in, day and night, & never to be out of hands. For it is the most excellent of all the books of Moses. It is This book is a preaching of faith and love. easy also & light, and a very pure Gospel, that is to wit, a preaching of faith & love: deducing the love to God out of faith, and the love of a man's neighbour out of that love of God. Herein also thou mayst learn right meditation or Here thou mayest learn a right meditation or contemplation. contemplation, which is nothing else save that calling to mind, & a repeating in the heart of the glorious and wonderful deeds of God, and of his terrible handling of his enemies, and merciful entreating of them that come when he calleth them which thing this book doth, and almost nothing else. In the four first Chapters he rehearseth the benefits of GOD done unto them, to provoke them to love, & The works of God are supernatural. his mighty deeds done above all natural capacity of faith, that they might believe GOD, and trust in him, and in his strength. And thirdly he rehearceth the fierce plagues of God upon his enemies, and on them which through impatiency & unbelief fallen from him: partly to tame and abate the appetites of the flesh which always fight against the spirit, and partly to bridle the wild raging lusts of them in whom was no spirit: that though they had We must abstain from outward evil though not for love yet for fear of the vengeance of God. no power to do good of love, yet at the least way, they should abstain from outward evil for fear of wrath, and cruel vengeance which should fall upon them and shortly find them out, if they cast up gods nurter, and run at riot beyond his laws and ordinances. Unto the law of god, we may neither add nor minish. Moreover he charges them to put naught to, nor take aught away from God's words, but to be diligent only to keep them in reemmbraunce, & in the heart and to teach their children, for fear of forgetting. And to beware either of We are commanded to abstain from Images. making imagery, or of bowing themselves unto Images, saying: You see no image when God spoke unto you, but herded a voice only, & that voice keep, and thereunto cleave, for it is your life, and it shall save you. And finally if (as the frailty of all flesh is) they shall have fallen from God, and he have brought them into trouble, adversity, and cumbrance and all necessity: yet if they repent and turn, he God is merciful to them that repent. promises, them that God shall remember his mercy, and receive them to grace again. In the fift he repeateth the x. Commandments, and that they might see a cause to do them of love, he biddeth them remember that they were bond in Egypt, and how God delivered them with a mighty hand, and a stretched out arm, to serve him and to keep his maundementes: as Paul saith that Christ hath delivered us, & therefore we aught to serve him & our neighbour for his sake. we are bought with Christ's blood, and therefore are his servants and not our own, and aught to seek his will and honour only, and to love and serve one an other for his sake. In the sixte he setteth out the fountain of all commandments: that is, that they believe how that there is but one God that doth all, and therefore aught only to be loved with all the heart, all the soul, and all the might. For love only is the fulfilling of the love only to the fulfilling of the laws of God. commandments, as Paul also saith unto the Romans, and Galathians likewise. He warneth them also that they forget not the commandments, but teach them their children, and to show their children also how God delivered them out of the bondage of the Egyptians, to serve him and his commandments, that the children might see a cause to work of love likewise. The seventh is all together of faith: We must trust only in God, & not in ourselves. he removeth all occasions that might withdraw them from the faith, and pulleth them also from all confidence in themselves, and sturreth them up to trust in God boldly and only. Of the eight Chapter thou seest how that the cause of temptation is, that a man might see his own heart. For when I am brought into that extremity, that I must either suffer or forsake GOD, than I shall feel how much I believe and trust in him, and how much I love him. In like manner, if my brother How a man may try & examine himself, how much he loveth God, and his neighbour. do me evil for my good, then if I love him when there is no cause in him, I see that my love was of God, and even so if I then hate him, I feel and perceive that my love was but worldly, and finally he sturreth them to the faith and love of God, and driveth them from all confidence of their own selves. In the ninth also he moveth them God stirreth up his people unto faith. unto faith, and to put their trust in God, and draweth them from confidence of themselves, by rehearsing all the wickedness which they had wrought from the first day, he known them unto that same day. And in the end he repeateth A right way of prayer. how he conjured God in Horeb, and overcame him with prayer, where thou mayest learn the right manner to pray. In the tenth he reckoneth up the pith of all laws, and the keeping of the The pith & effect of all the laws of God. law in heart: which is to fear GOD, love him and serve him with all their heart soul and might, and keep his commandments of love. And he showeth a reason why they should that do: even because God is Lord of heaven and earth, & hath also done all for them of his own goodness without their deserving. And then out of the love unto God, he bringeth the love unto a And if we first love God, than out of that love, we must needs love our neighbour. man's neighbour saying: God is Lord above all Lords and loveth all his servants indifferently, as well the poor and feeble, and the stranger, as the rich and mighty, and therefore will that we love the poor and the stranger. And he addeth a cause, for you were strangers, and God delivered you and hath brought you unto a land, where you be at home. Love the stranger therefore for his sake. In the xj. he exhorteth them to love and fear God, and rehearceth the terrible deeds of God upon his enemies, What it is to love and fear God, and what it is to despise him. & on them that rebelled against him. And he testifieth unto them both what will follow, if they love and fear God, and what also if they despise him, and break his commandment. In the xii. he commandeth to put The word of god may not be altered. out of the way all that might be an occasion to hurt the faith, and forbiddeth to do aught after their own minds, or to altar the word of God. In the xiii. he forbiddeth to hearken unto aught save unto God's word: not Let no man draw us from god's word. though he which counseleth contrary should come with miracles, as Paul doth unto the Galathians. In the xiv. the beasts are forbidden, partly for uncleanness of them, and partly to 'cause hate between the heathen and them, that they have no conversation together, in that one abhorreth what the other eateth. Unto this xv. chapter all pertain unto faith and Of matters of the common weals love chief. And in this xv. he beginneth to entreat more specially of things pertaining unto the common wealth, and equity, and exhorteth unto the love of a man's neighbour. And in the xuj. among other he forgetteth not the same. And in the xvij. he entreateth of right and equity chief, in so much that when he looketh unto faith, and unto the punishment of Idolaters, he yet endeth in a law of love and equity: forbidding to condemn any man under less than two witnesses at the jest, None may be condemned under two witnessed. and commandeth to bring the trespassers unto the open gate of the city, where all men go in and out, that all men might hear the cause and see that he had but right. But the Pope hath found a better way, even to oppose him with out any accuser, and that secretly, that no man know whether he have right or not, either hear his Articles or answer: for fear jest the people should search whether it were so or no. In the xviij. he forbiddeth all false and devilish crafts that hurt true faith. Moreover because the people could not hear the voice of the law spoken Christ our saviour declared in the old testament. to them in fire, he promises them an other Prophet to bring them better tidings which was spoken of Christ our Saviour. The nineteeen. and so forth unto the end of the xxvij. is almost altogether of love unto our neighbours, and of laws, of equity, and honesty, with now and then a respect unto faith. The xxviij. is a terrible Chapter and to be trembled at: A Chrisren man's heart The curse and wrath of God over all those that break his laws. might well bleed for sorrow at the reading of it, for fear of the wrath that is like to come upon us, according unto all the curses which thou there readest. For according unto these curse hath God dealt with with all nations, after they were fallen into the abominations of blindness. The xxix. is like terrible with a godly lesson in the end that we should leave We may not be to curious in the searching of God's secrets, but rather study to understand & to do our duty towards god and our neighbour. searching of God's secrets, & give diligence to walk according to that he hath opened unto us. For the keeping of the commandments of God, teacheth wisdom as thou mayest see in the same Chapter, where Moses says, keep the commandments, that you may understand what you aught to do. But to search God's secrets, blindeth a man, as it well proved by the swarms of our sophisters, whose wise books are now when we look in the Scripture, found but full of foolishness. The Prologue of the Prophet jonas made by William Tyndall. AS the envious Philislines stopped the wells of Abraham, and filled them up with earth, to The Papists kept the Scriptures from the lay people, because they only will be the publishers & expositors thereof put the memorial out of mind, to the intent that they might challenge the ground: even so the fleshly minded hypocrites, stop up the veins of life, which are in the scripture, with the earth of their traditions, false similitudes, and lying allegories, & that of like zeal, to make the Scripture their own possession, and merchaundice, and so shut up the kingdom of heaven, which is God's word, neither entering in themselves, nor suffering them that would. The Scripture hath a body without, The scripture hath a body and a soul. and within a soul, spirit & life. It hath without a bark, a shell, and as it were an hard bone, for the fleshly minded to gnaw upon. And within it hath pith, cornel, marry, and all sweetness for Gods elect, which he hath choose to give them his spirit, & to writ his law, and the faith of his son in their hearts. The scripture containeth iij. things in it: First, the law to condemn all The scripture containeth iij. things. flesh: Secondarily, the Gospel, that is to say, promises of mercy for all that repent and knowledge their sins, at the preaching of the law, and consent in their hearts that the law is good, and submit themselves to be scholars to learn to keep the law, and to learn to believe the mercy that is promised them: and thirdly, the stories & lives of those scholars, both what chances fortuned them, & also by what means their schoolmaster taught them, and made them perfect, and how he tried the true from the false. When the hypocrites come to the The manner of hypocrites in reading the law of god. law, they put gloss to, and make no more of it, than of a worldly law which is satisfied with the outward work, and which a Turk may also fulfil. When yet God's law never ceaseth to condemn a man, until it be written in his heart, and until he keep it naturally without compulsion, and all other respect, save only of pure love to God, and his neighbour, as he naturally eateth when he is an hungered, without compulsion, and all other respect, save to slake his hunger only. And when they come to the Gospel, The papistical and corrupt doctrine of the papists there they mingle their leaven and say. GOD now receiveth us no more to mercy, but of mercy receiveth us to penance, that is to wit, holy deeds that make them fat bellies, and us their captives, both in soul and body. And yet they fayne their Idol the Pope so merciful, that if that thou make a little money glister in his Balaams eyes, there is neither penance, nor purgatory, nor any fasting at all, but to fly to heaven as swift as a thought, & at the twinkling of an eye. And the lives, stories, and gifts of men, whith are contained in the bible, Now the Papists ●ring and wrist the scriptures. they read as things no more pertaining unto them, than a tale of Robin hood, & as things they wots not whereto they serve, save to feign false discant, and juggling allegories, to stablish their kingdom with all. And one of the chiefest and fleshliest studies they have, is to magnify the ●aintes above measure, and above the truth: & with their Poetry to make them greater than ever God made them. And if they found any infirmity, or sin ascribed unto the saints, that they excuse with all diligence, diminishing the glory of the mercy of god, and robbing wretched sinners of all their comfort: & think thereby to flatter the saints, and to obtain their favour, and to make special advocates of them, even as a man would obtain the favour of worldly tyrants: as they also fain the saints more cruel than ever was any heathen man, and more wreakeful, and vengeable, than the Po●tes fain their gods or furies, that torment the souls in bell, if their evens be not fasted, and their images visited, and saluted with a pater noster, which prayer only our lips be acquainted with: our hearts understanding none at all, and worshipped with a candle, and the offering of our devotion, in the place which they have choose to hear supplications, and make petitions of their clientes therein But thou reader, think of the law of god, how that it is altogether spiritual, and so spiritual, that it is never fulfilled with deeds or works, until they flow out of thine heart, with as great love toward thine neighbour, for no deserving of his (yea though he be thine enemy) as Christ loved thee, and died for thee, for no deserving of thine, but even when thou wast his enemy. And in the mean time, through out all our infanty, and childhood in Christ, till we be grown up into perfect men, in the full knowledge of Chrst, and full love of Christ again, and of our neighbours for his sake, after the ensample of his love to us, remembering that the fulfilling of the law, is a fast faith in Christ's blood coupled with our profession, & submit our selves to do better. And of the gospel or promises which thou meetest in the scripture, believe fast that god will fulfil them unto thee, & that unto the uttermost jot, at the repentance of thine heart, when thou turnest to him and forsakest evil, even of his goodness, and fatherly mercy unto thee, and not for thy flattering him with hipocritishe works of thine own feigning. So that a fast faith only, without respect of all works, is the forgiveness both of the sin, which we did in time of ignorance, with lust and consent to sin: and also of that sin which we do by chance, and of frailty: after that we are come to knowledge, and have professed the law out of our hearts. And all deeds serve only for to help our neighbours, and to tame our flesh that we fall not to sin again, and to exercise our souls in virtue, and not to make satisfaction to Godward for the sin that is once paste. And all other stories of the Bible, with out exception, are the practising of the law, & of the gospel, & are true and faithful ensamples, and sure earnest that God will even so deal with us, as he did with them, in all infirmities, in all temptations, and in all like cases & chances. Wherein you see on the one side, how fatherly and tenderly, and with all compassion GOD entreateth his elect, which submit themselves as scholars, to learn to walk in the ways of his laws, and to keep them of love. If they forgot themselves at a time, he would stir them up again with all mercy, if they fallen and hurt themselves, he healed them again with all compassion and tenderness of heart. He hath often brought great tribulation and adversity upon his elect: but all of fatherly God correcteth where he loveth. love only, to teach them, and to make them see their own hearts, and the sin that there lay hide, that they might afterward feel his mercy. For his mercy waited upon them, to rid them out again as soon as they were learned, and come to the knowledge of God casts none away, but such as refuse to kept his laws, and will not hearken unto his voice. their own hearts: so that he never cast man away, how deep so ever he had sinned, save them only which had first cast the yoke of his laws from their necks, with utter defiance, and malice of heart. Which ensamples how comfortable are they for us, when we be fallen into sin, and God is come upon us with ascourge, that we despair not, but repent with full hope of mercy, after the ensamples of mercy that are go before? And therefore they were written for our learning, as testifieth Paul, Rom. 15. to comfort us, that we might the better put our hope & trust in god, when we see, how merciful he hath been in times passed unto our weak brethren, that are go before in all their adversities, need, temptations, you and horrible sins into which they now and then fallen. And on the other side, you see how they that hardened their hearts & sinned of malice, and refused mercy that Such as harden their hearts and not hearken to the will of God to do it, God casts out was offered them, and had no power to repent, perished at the latter end with all confusion and shame mercilessely. Which ensamples are very good and necessary, to keep us in awe, and dread in time of prosperity, as thou mayest see by Paul 1. Cor. 10. that we abide in the fear of God, and wax not wild and fall to vanities, and so sin and provoke God, and bring wrath upon us. And thirdly, you see in the practice, how as God is merciful and long suffering, even so were all his true Prophets and preachers, bearing the infirmities of their weak brethren, and The Prophets of God bore the weakness of their brethren, & their 〈◊〉 rises also with patience. their own wrongs, and injuries with all patience, and long suffering, never casting any of them of their backs, until they sinned against the holy ghost, maliciously persecuting the open and manifest troth: contrary unto the ensample of the Pope, which in sinning against God, and to quench the truth of his holy spirit, is ever chief captain and trumpet blower, to set other a work, and seeketh only his own freedom, liberty, privilege, wealth, prosperity, The Pope and his ministers are persecutors over their brethren. profit, pleasure, pastime, honour and glory, with the bondage, thraldom, captivity, misery, wretchedness, and vile subjection of his brethren: and in his own cause is so fervent, so stiff and cruel, that he will not suffer one word spoken against his false majesty, wily inventions, and juggling hypocrisy to be unavenged, though all christendom should be set together by the ears, and should cost he cared not how many hundred thousand their lives. Now that thou mayest read jonas fruitfully, and not as a poets fable, but as an obligation between god and thy soul, as an earnest penny given thee of God, that he will help thee in time of need, if thou turn to him, and as the word of God the only food, & life of thy soul, this mark, and note. First count jonas the friend of God, & a man choose of GOD, to testify his name unto the world: But yet a young scholar, weak and rude, after the fashion of the apostles, while Christ was with them yet bodily, which though Christ taught them ever to be meek, and to humble themselves, yet often strove among themselves who should be greatest. The sons of kebede would sit the one on the right hand of Christ, the other on the left. They would pray that fire might descend from heaven & consume the Samaritans. When Christ asked who say men that I am? Peter answered, thou art the son of the living God, as though Peter had been as perfect as an angel. But immediately after when Christ preached unto them of his death and passion: Peter was angry and rebuked Christ, and thought earnestly that he had raved, and not wist what he said, as at another time, when Christ was so fervently The cruel opinion that the disciples had of Christ. busied in healing the people, that he had no leisure to eat, they went out to hold him, supposing that he had been beside himself. And one that cast out devils in Christ's name they forbade, because he waited not on them, so glorious were they yet. And though Christ taught always to The ignorance and imperfection of the apostles. forgive, yet Peter after long going to school, asked whether men should forgive seven times, thinking that viii. times had been to much. And at the last supper Peter would have died with christ, but yet within few hours after, he denied him, both cowardly and shamefully. And after the same manner, though he had so long herded that no man might avenge himself, but rather turn the other cheek to, then to smite again, yet when Christ was in taking, Peter asked whether it were lawful to smite with the sword, and tarried none answer, but laid on rashly. So that though when we come first unto knowledge of the truth, and the peace is made between God and us, and we love his laws, and believe and trust in him, as in our father and have good hearts unto him, and be born a new in the spirit, yet we are but children and young scholars, weak and feeble, and must have leisure to grow in the spirit: in knowledge, love and in the ded●… thereof, as young children must have time to grow in their bodies. And God our father and schoolmaster feedeth us, and teacheth us accorcording unto the capacity of our stomachs, and maketh us to grow and wax perfect, and fineth and trieth us, as gold, in the fire of temptations and tribulations. As Moses witnesseth Deutero. viii. saying. Remember all the way by which the Lord thy God carried thee this xl. years in the wilderness, God doth mercifully try & tempt us, to move us to utter our hearts & minds towards him. to humble thee, and to tempt or provoke thee, that it might be known what were in thy heart. He brought thee into adversity, and made thee an hungered, & then fed thee with Manna, which neither thou nor yet thy fathers ever known of, to teach that man liveth not by bread only, but by all that proceedeth out of the mouth of GOD. For the promises of God are life unto all that cleave unto them, much more than bread and bodily sustenance, as the journey of the children of Israel out of Egypt into the land promised them, ministereth thee notable ensamples, and that abundantly, as doth all the rest of the Bible also. Howbeit it is impossible for flesh to believe, and to trust in the truth of God's promises, until he have learned it in much tribulation, after that God hath delivered him out thereof again. God therefore to teach jonas, and to show him his own heart, & to make him perfect, and to instruct us also by his ensample, sent him out of the land of Israel where he was a Prophet to go among the heathen people, and to the greatest and mightiest City of the world then, called Ninive: to preach that within xl. days they should all perish for their sins, and that the City jonas of himself, was an un meet messenger to be sent of such a message, but god assisted him with his holy spirit. should be overthrown. Which message the free will of jonas had as much power to do, as the weakest hearted woman in the world▪ hath power, if●… were commaunde●… to leap int●…e of living snakes and adders: as happily if God had commanded Sara to have sacrificed her son Isaa●… as he did Abraham, she would have disputed with him, yet she had done it, or though she were strong enough: yet many an holy Saint could not have found in their hearts, but would have run away from the presence of the commandment of God, with jonas, if they had been so strongly tempted. For jonas thought of this manner: lo, I am here a Prophet unto God's The carnal imagination of man's nature without God's spirit. people the Israelites: Which though they have God's word testified unto them daily, yet despise it, and worship God under the likeness of calves, and after all manner fashions save after his own word, and therefore are of all nations the worst, and most worthy of punishment. And yet God for love of few that are among them, and for his name's sake spareth and defendeth them. How then should GOD take so cruel vengeance on so great a multitude of them to whom his name was never preached to, and therefore are not the tenth part so evil as these? If I shall therefore go preach, so shall I say and shame myself and God thereto, & make them the more to despise God, and set the less by him, and to be the more cruel unto his people. And upon that imagination he fled from the face or presence of God: that jonas so long as he was in his carnal imagination, could n●t abide the voice of God, but fled: howbeit God called him ●…ne. is, out of the country where God was worshipped in, and from the prosecuting of God's commandment, and thought, I will get me an other way among the heathen people, and be no more a prophet, but live at rest and out of all cumbrance. Nevertheless the God of all mercy which careth fo● his elect children, & turneth all unto good to them, and smiteth them, to heal them again, and killeth them to make them alive again, and playeth with them (as a father doth some time with his young ignorant children) and tempteth them, and proveth them to make them see their own hearts, provided for jonas, how all things should be. When jonas entered into the ship, he laid him down to sleep, and to take his rest: that is, his conscience was tossed jonas flesh rebelled against the spirit. between the commandment of God which sent him to Ninine, and his fleshly wisdom that dissnaded, & counseled him the contrary, and at the last prevailed against the commandment, and carried him an other way, as a ship caught between two streams, & as poets feign the mother of Meleager to be between divers affections: while to avenge her brother's death, she sought to slay her own son. Whereupon for very pain and tediousness he lay down to sleep, for to put the commandment which so gnewe and fret his conscience, out of mind, as the nature of all wicked is, when they have sinned a good, to seek all The wicked seek to to co●er their wickedness with ●ope holy works. means with riot, revel and pastime, to drive the remembrance of sin out of their thoughts, or as Adam did, to cover their nakedness with apornes of Pope holy works. But God awoke him out of his dream, & set his sins before his face. For when that lot had caught jonas, then be sure that his sins came to How jonas was ●rapped & made a●rayed. remembrance again, and that his conscience raged no less than the waves of the Sea. And then he thought that he only was a sinner, and the heathen that were in the ship, none in respect of him, and thought also, as verily as he was fled from God, that as verily God had cast him away: for the sight of the rod maketh the natural child not only to see, and to knowledge his fault, but also to forget all his father's old mercy and kindness. And then he jonas being afraid comesseth his sins. confessed his sin openly, and had yet liefer perish alone, then that the other should have perished with him for his sake: and so of very desperation to have lived any longer, he bade cast him into the Sea betimes, except they would be lost also. To speak of lots, how far forth they are lawful, is a light question. First to use them for the breaking of Let's how they may be used law fully. strife, as when partners, their goods as equally divided as they can, take every man his part by lot, to avoid all suspicion of disceitfulnesse: and as the Apostles in the first of the Acts, when they sought an other to succeed judas the traitor, and two people were presented then to break strife, and to satisfy all parties, did cast lots whether should be admitted, desiring God to temper them, and to take whom he known most meet, seeing they wist not whether to prefer, or happily could not all agreed on: either is lawful, and in all like cases. But to abuse them unto the tempting of God, and to compel him therewith to utter things whereof we stand in doubt, when we have no commandment of him so to do, as these heathen here did, though God turned it unto his glory, can not be but evil. The heathen shypmen astonied at Miracle moveth the heathen to know god, and to call upon him. the sight of the miracle, feared GOD, prayed to him, offered sacrifice and vowed vows. And I doubt not, but that some of them, or happily all came thereby unto the true knowledge, and true worshipping of GOD, and were won to GOD in their souls. And thus God which is infinite merciful in all his ways, wrought their soul's health out of the infirmity of jonas, even of his good will and purpose, and love wherewith he loved them, before the world was made & not of chance, as it appeareth unto the eyes of the ignorant. And that jonas was three days and three nights in the belie of his As jonas lay three days and iij. nights in that Whals Belly, so Christ lay three days and three nights in the earth. fish: we can not thereby prove unto the jews, and infideles or unto any man, that Christ must therefore dye, and be buried and rise again. But we use the ensample and likeness to strength the faith of the weak. For he that believeth the one, can not doubt in the other: in as much as the hand of GOD was no less mighty in preserving jonas alive against all natural possibility, and in delivering him safe out of this fish, then in raising up Christ again, out of his sepulchre. And we may describe the power and virtue of the resurrection thereby, as Christ himself borroweth the similitude thereto. Math. xii. saying unto the jews that came How christ showeth his death, & resurrection by jonas the Prophet. about him, and desired a sign or a wonder from heaven, to certify them that he was Christ: this evil and wedlock breaking nation (which break the wedlock of faith, wherewith they be married unto God, and believe in their false works) seek a sign, but there shall no sign be given them save the sign of the Prophet jonas. For as jonas, was three days and three nights in the belly of the Whale, even so shall the son of man be three days, & three nights in the heart of the earth. Which was a watch word (as we say) and a sharp threatening unto the jews, and as much to say as thus, you hard hearted jews seek a sign: lo this shall be your sign, as jonas was raised out of the sepulchre of his fish, and then sent unto the Ninivites to preach that they should perish, even so shall I rise again out of my sepulchre, and come and preach repentance unto you. See therefore, when you see the sign that you repent, or else you shall surely perish and not escape. For though the infirmities which you now see in my flesh, be a let unto your fathers, you shall then be without excuse, when you see so great a miracle and so great power of God shed out upon you. And so Christ by the mouth of his Apostles preached repentance to the jews. Christ came again after the resurrection in his spirit, and preached repentance unto them, by the mouth of his Apostles and Disciples, and with miracles of the holy Ghost. And all that repented not, perished shortly after, & the rest carried away captive into all quarters of the world for an example, as you see unto this day. And in like manner since the world began, where soever repentance was offered, and not received, their GOD took cruel vengeance immediately: Where there is no repentance, there God poureth out his vengeance. as you see in the flood of No, in the overthrowing of Sodom and Gomorra, and all the country about, and as you see of Egypt, of the Amorites, Canaanites and afterward of the very Israelites, and then at the last of the jews to, and of the Assyrians, & Babylonians, and so throughout all the impeires of the world. Gildas preached repentance unto the old Britain's, that inhabited England: Gildas a writer of that British Chronicle. they repented not, and therefore God sent in their enemies upon them on every side, and destroyed them up, and gave the land unto other nations. And great vengeance hath been taken in that land for sin, since that tyme. Wicleffe preached repentance unto our fathers not long since: they repented, Wicleffe a preacher of repentance not for their hearts were indurate, and their eyes blinded with their own Pope holy righteousness, wherewith they had made their souls gay against the receiving again of the wicked spirit, that bringeth seven worse than himself with him, and maketh the later end worse than the beginning: for in open sins there is hope of repentance, but in holy, hypocrisy none at all. But what followed? they slay their true and right king, and set They slay Richard that second. up three wrong kings arrow, under which all the noble blood was slain up, and half the commons thereto, They set up Henry the fourth. what in France, and what with their own sword, in fighting among themselves for the crown, and the Cities Henry the fift. and Towns decayed, and the land brought half into a wilderness, in respect Henry the sixt. of that it was before. And now Christ to preach repentance, Christ now preacheth repentance unto us. is risen yet once again, out of his sepulchre in which that Pope had buried him, & kept him down, with his pillars & polars & all disguisings of hypocrisy, with guile, wiles & falsehood & with the sword of all Princes, which he had blinded with his false merchandise. And as I doubt not of the ensamples that are past, so am I sure that great wrath will follow, except repentance turn it back again, & cease it. When jonas had been in the fish jonas called upon God out of the fish belly. belly a space, and the rage of his conscience was somewhat quieted, and suaged, & he come to himself again, and had received a little hope, the qualms and pangs of desperation which went over his heart, half overcome, he prayed, as he maketh mention in the text saying: jonas prayed unto the Lord his GOD out of the belly of the fish. But the words of that prayer are not here set. The prayer that here standeth in the text, is the prayer of praise, and thanksgiving, which he prayed, and written when he was escaped, and past all jeopardy. In the end of which prayer he says, I will sacrifice with the voice of thanksgiving, The sacrifice that jonas offereth unto God. and pay that I have vowed, that saving cometh of the Lord For verily to confess out of the heart, that all benefits come of GOD, even out of the goodness of his mercy, and not deserving of our deeds, is the only sacrifice that pleaseth God. And to believe that all the jews vowed in their Circumcision, as we in our Baptism. Which vow jonas now being taught with experience, promises to pay. For those outward sacrifices of beasts, unto which jonas had happily ascribed to much before, were but feeble, and childish things, and not ordained, that the works of themselves should be a service unto the people, but to put them The sacrifices of the old law were ordained to put us in remembrance of the sacrifice of thanksgiving. in remembrance of this inward sacrifice of thanks and of faith, to trust and believe in GOD the only Saviour: which signification when it was away, they were abominable and devilish Idolatry, and Image service: as our ceremonies and Sacraments are become now to all that trust and believe in the work of them, and are not taught the significations, to edify their souls with knowledge, and the doctrine of God. When jonas was cast upon land jonas did that God commanded him. again, than his will was free, and had power to go whether God sent him, and to do what GOD bade, his own Imaginations laid a part. For he had been at a new school, yea and in a furnace where he was purged of much refuse and dross of fleshly wisdom, which resisted the wisdom of God, and led jonasses will contrary unto the will of God. For as far as we be blind in Adam, we can not but seek, and will our own profit, pleasure & glory. And as far as we be taught in the spirit, we can not but seek and will the pleasure, and glory of God only. And as the iij. days journey of Ninive, Ninive was the greatest City in the world. whether it were in length, or to go round about it, or through all the streets, I commit unto that discretion of other men. But I think that it was then the greatest City of the world. And that jonas went a days journey in the City. I suppose he did it not in one day: but went fair and easily preaching here a Sermon, and there another, and rebuked the sin of the people, for which they must perish. And when thou art come unto the repentance of the Ninivites, there hast thou sure earnest, that how soever angry God be, yet he remembreth mercy, unto all that truly repent and believe in mercy. Which ensample our Saviour Christ also casts in the Christ is merciful to the that repent and call for mercy. teeth of the indurate jews saying: The Ninivites shall rise in judgement with this nation, and condemn them, for they repented at the preaching of jonas, and behold a greater than jonas, here meaning of himself. At whose preaching yet, though it were never so mighty to pierce the heart, and for all his miracles thereto, the hard hearted jews could not repent: when the heathen Ninivites repent at the bore preaching of jonas, rebuking their sins without any miracle at all. Why? For the jews had leavened the spiritual law of God, & with their gloss had made it altogether earthly The doctrine of the Phariseis and the Papists make sin of that is no sin. and fleshly, and so had set a vail or covering on Moses face, to shadow and darken the glorious brightness of his countenance. It was sin to steal: but to rob widows houses under a colour of long praying, and to poll in the name of offerings, and to snare that people with intolerable constitutions against all love, to catch their money out of their purses, was no sin at all. To smite father and mother was This is the doctrine of that Papists and hypocritical monks at this day. sin: But to withdraw help from them at their need, for blind zeal of offering, unto the profit of the holy Pharisees, was then as meritorious as it is now, to let all thy kin choose whether they will sink or swim, while thou buildest and makest goodly foundations for holy people, which thou hast choose to be thy Christ, for to suppling thy soul with that oil of their sweet blessings, and to be thy jesus for to The blind and fruitless works of the Papists. save thy soul from the purgatory of the blood, that only purgeth sin, with their watching, fasting, wolward going, & rising at midnight, etc. wherewith yet they purge not themselves, from their covetousness, pride, lechery, or any vice that thou seest among the lay people. It was great sin for Christ to heal Papistical sins. the people on the sabaoth day unto the glory of God his father, but none at all for them to help their cattle unto their own profit. It was sin to eat with unwashed hands, or on an unwashed table, or out of an unwashed dish: but to eat out of that purified dish: that which came of bribery, theft and extortion, was no sin at all. It was exceeding meritorious to make many disciples: but to teach them to fear God in his ordinances, had they no care at all. The high Prelates so defended the Papists taught themselves and their works withal crueltien. right of holy church, and so feared the people with the curse of God, and terrible pains of hell, that no man dared leave the vilest herb in his garden untithed. And the offerings and things dedicated unto GOD, for the profit of his holy vicar's, were in such estimation and reverence, that it was a much greater sin to swear truly by them, then to forswear thyself by God. What The false & wicked doctrine of the Papists. vengeance then of God, and how terrible and cruel damnation think you preached they to fall on them that had stolen so the holy things? And yet saith Christ, that righteousness & faith in keeping promise, mercy, and indifferent judgement, were utterly trodden under foot, and clean despised of those blessed fathers, which so mightily maintained Aaron's patrimony, and had made it so prosperous, and environed it, and walled it about on every side with the fear of God, that no man dared touch it. It was great holiness to garnish the Blind and btpocritical doctrine. sepulchres of the prophets, and to condemn their own fathers for slaying of them, and yet were they themselves for blind zeal of their own constitutions, as ready as their fathers to slay whosoever testified unto them, the same truth which, the prophets testified unto their fathers. So that Christ compareth all the righteousness of those holy patriarchs, unto the outward bevy of a painted Sepulchre full of stench, and all uncleanness within. And finally to beguile a man's neighbours in subtle bargaining, & to wrap and compass him in with cautels of the law, was then as it is now in the kingdom of the Pope. By the reason whereof, they excluded the law of love out of their hearts, and consequently all true repentance: for how could they repent of that they could not see to be sin? And on the other side they had set up The Phariseto set up a righteousness of works to cleanse their souls withal. a righteousness of holy works, to cleanse their souls with all: as the Pope sanctifieth us with holy oil, holy bread, holy salt, holy candles, holy doom, ceremonies, and holy doom blessings, & with whatsoever holiness thou will't, ●aue with the holiness of God's word, which only speaketh unto the heart, and showeth the soul his filthiness, and uncleanness of sin, and leadeth her by the way of repentance unto the fountain of Christ's blood, to wash it away thorough faith. By the reason of By the worldly & fleship interpretations of the scriptures the jews hearts were hardened. which false righteousness, they were disobedient unto the righteousness of god, which is the forgiveness of sin in Christ's blood, and could not believe it. And so thorough fleshly interpretyne the law, and false imagined righteousness, their hearts were hardened, and made as stony as clay, in an hot furnace of fire, that they could receive neither repentance nor faith, or any moisture of grace at all. But the heathen Ninivites, though they were blinded with lusts, yet werin those two points uncorrupt, and unhardened, and therefore with the only The he●● then repent at the preaching of jonas. preaching of jonas, came unto the knowledge of their sins and confessed them, and repented truly, and turned every man from his evil deeds, & declared their sorrow of heart and true repentance, with their deeds which they did out of faith and hope of forgiveness, chastieing their bodies with prayer and fasting, and with taking all pleasures from the flesh: trusting, as God was angry for their wickedness, even so should he forgive them of his mercy if they repented, and forsook their misseliving. And in the last end of all, thou hast A good and profitable example. yet a goodly ensample of learning, to see how earthy jonas is still for all his trying in that whales belly. He was so sore displeased because the Ninivites perished not, that he was weary of his life, and wished after death for very sorrow, that he had lost the glory of his prophesying, in that his prophecy came not to pass. But GOD rebuked him with a likeness, saying: it grieveth thy heart for the loss of a vile shrub or spray whereon thou bestowedst no labour or cost, neither was it thy handy work. How much more than should it grieve mine heart the loss of so great a multitude of innocentes as are in Ninive, which are all mine hands work. Nay Note her● the great mercy of God. jonas, I am God over all, and father as well unto the heathen as unto the jews, and merciful to all, and warneere I smite, neither threat I so cruelly by any prophet, but that I will forgive, if they repent and ask mercy: neither on the other side, whatsoever I promise', will I fulfil it, save for their sakes only, which trust in me, & submit themselves to keep my laws of very love, as natural children. ON this manner to read the Scripture The right manner how to read the Scripture is the right use thereof, & why the holy ghost caused it to be written. That is, that thou first seek out that law, that God will have thee to do, interpreting it spiritually, without gloze or covering the brightness of Moses face, so that that thou feel in thine heart, how that it is damnable sin before God, not to love thy neighbour that is thy enemy, as purely as Christ loved thee, & that not to love thy neighbour in thine heart, is to have committed already all sin against him. And therefore until that love be come, thou must knowledge unfeignedly that there is sin in the best deed thou dost. And it must earnestly grieve thy heart, and thou must wash all thy good deeds in Christ's blood, ere they can be pure, and an acceptable sacrifice unto god, and must desire God the father for his sake to take thy deeds a worth, All our deeds are made perfect in Christ's blood. and to pardon the imperfectness of them, & to give thee power to do them better, and with more fervent love. And on the other side, thou must search diligently for the promises of mercy, which God hath promised thee again. Which two poynces, that is to wit, the law spiritually interpreted, how that all is damnable sin, that is not unfeigned love out of the ground, and bottom of the heart, after the ensample of Christ's love to us, because we be all equally created and form of one God our father, and indifferently bought, and redeemed with one blood of our saviour jesus Christ: and that the promises be given unto a repenting soul, that thursteth and longeth All the promised made by God in Christ, are made to them that repent after them, of the pure and fatherly mercy of God, thorough our faith only with out all deserving of our deeds, or merits of our works, but for Christ's sake alone, and for the merits and deservings of his works, death and passions that he suffered all together for us, and not for himself: which two The two keys that open a● the Scripture points I say, if they be written in thine heart, are the keys which so open all the Scripture unto thee, that no creature can lock thee out, & with which thou shalt go in and out, & found pasture, and food every where. And if these lessons be not written in thine heart, then is all the scripture shut up, as a cornel in the shalt, so that thou mayest read it, and comen of it, and rehearse all the stories of it, and dispute wittily, and be a profound sophister, and yet understand not one jot thereof. And thirdly that thou take the stories and lives which are contained in the bible, for sure and undoubted ensamples, that god so will deal with us unto the worlds end. ¶ Herewith Reader farewell, and be commended unto God, and unto the grace of his spirit. And first see that thou stop not thine ears unto the calling of GOD, and harden not thy heart beguiled with fleshly interpreting of the law, and false imagined and hipocritish righteousness, lest then the Ninivites rise with thee at the day of judgement, and condemn thee. And secondarily, if thou find aught amiss, when thou seest thyself in the glass of God's word, think it necessary wisdom, to amend the same betimes, monished and warned by the ensample of other men, rather than to tarry until thou be beaten also. And thirdly, if it shall so chance, that the wild lusts of thy flesh shall blind thee, & carry thee clean away with A very fruitful & good lesson the for a time: yet at that latter end, when the God of all mercy shall have compassed thee in on every side with temptations, tribulation, adversities and cumbrance, to bring thee home again unto thy own heart, and to set thy sins which thou wouldst so fain cover, and put out of mind with delectation of voluptuous pastunes, before the eyes of thy conscience: then call the faithful ensample of jonas, and all like stories unto thy remembrance, and with jonas turn unto thy father How thou mayst at all times apply the stories of the Bible to thy great comfort. that smote thee, not to cast thee away, but to lay a corosie, and a fretting plaster unto the pocke, that lay hid and fret inward, to draw the disease out, & to make it appear, that thou mightest feel thy sickness, and the danger thereof, and come and receive the healing plaster of mercy. And forget not that whatsoever ensample of mercy, God hath showed since the beginning of the world, the The law must be fulfilled with the mercy that is in Christ. same is promised thee, if thou wilt in like manner turn again, and receive it as they did, and with jonas be a known of thy sin and confess it, & knowledge it unto thy father. And as the law which fretteth thy conscience is in thy heart, and is none outward thing, even so seek within thy heart the plaster of mercy, the promises of forgiveness in our Saviour jesus Christ, according unto all the ensamples of mercy that are go before. And with jonas let them that wait on vanities, and seek God here and there, and in every temple save in their hearts, go: and seek thou the testament of God in thine heart. For in thine heart is the word of the law, & in thy In thy heart are the words of the law, & in thy heart are the promises and mercy of Christ. heart is the word of faith, in the promises of mercy in jesus Christ. So that if thou confess with a repenting heart and knowledge, and surely believe that jesus is Lord over all sin, thou art safe. And finally, when the rage of thy conscience is ceased, and quieted with fast faith in the promises of mercy, them offer with jonas the offering of praise and thanksgiving, and pay the vow of thy Baptism, that God only saveth, Our sin is of ourselves: but remission & forgiveness thereof cometh freely of the mercy of God for Christ's sake. of his only mercy and goodness: that is, believe stedsastly and preach constantly, that it is God only that smiteth, and GOD only that heals: ascribing the cause of thy tribulation unto thine own sin, and the cause of thy deliverance unto that mercy of god. And beware of the leaven that saith we have power in our free will before the preaching of the Gospel, to deserve grace, to keep the law of congruity, or god to be unrighteous. And say with john in the first, that as the law was given by Moses, even so grace to fulfil it, is given by Christ. And when they say our deeds with grace deserve heaven, say thou with Paul. Rom. uj that everlasting life is the gift of GOD through jesus Christ, our Lord, and that we be made sons by faith. john. i And therefore heirs of GOD with Christ. Rom. viii. And say that we receive all of God through faith, that followeth repentance, and that we do not our works unto God, but either unto ourselves, to slay the sin that God hath no need of our works but we must do them for ourselves, and for the profit of our neighbours. remains in the flesh, and to wax perfect, either unto our neighbours, which do as much for us again in other things. And when a man exceedeth in gifts of grace, let him understand that they be given him, as well for his weak brethren, as for himself: as though all the bread be committed unto the panter, yet for his fellows with him, which give thee thanks unto their Lord, and recompense the panter again, with other kind of service in their offices. And when they say that Christ hath made no satisfaction for the sin we do after our Baptism: Christ hath satisfied for our sins, as well after baptism, as before Baptism. say thou with the doctrine of Paul, that in our Baptism we receive the merits of Christ's death through repentance, & faith, of which two, Baptism is that sign. And though when we sin of frailty after our Baptism, we receive the sign no more, yet we be renewed again through repentance, and faith in Christ's blood, of which twain, that sign of Baptism even continued among us in baptizing our young children, doth ever keep us in mind, & call us back again unto our profession if we begun astray, & promises us forgiveness. Neither can Our actual sins are washed away in Christ's blood. actual sin be washed away with our works, but with Christ's blood: neither can there be any other sacrifice, or satisfaction to Godward for them, save Christ's blood. For as much as we can do no works unto God, but receive only of his mercy, with our repenting faith, through jesus Christ our lord, and only saviour: unto whom and unto God our father thorough him, and unto his holy spirit, that only purgeth, sanctifieth, and washeth us in the innocent blood of our redemption, be praise for ever. Amen. The Prologue upon the Gospel of S. Matthew, by M. William Tyndall. HEre hast thou (mostdere reader) the new Testament, or covenant made with us of GOD in Christ's blood. Which I have looked over again (now at the last) with all diligence, & compared it unto the Greek, & have weeded out of it many faults, which lack of help at the beginning and oversight, did sow therein. If aught seem changed, or not altogether agreeing with the Greek, let the finder of the fault consider the Hebrew phrase, or manner of speech left in the Greek words. Whose preterperfectence and presentence is often both one, & the futuretence is the optative mode also, & the futuretence often that imperative mode in the active voice, & in the passive ever. Likewise person for person, number for number, and interrogation for a conditional, and such like is with the Hebruesa common usage. I have also in many places set light in the margin to understand the text by. If any man find faults either with the translation or aught beside (which is easier for many to do, then so well to have translated, it themselves of their own pregnante wits, at the beginning without an ensample) to the same it shallbe lawful to translate it them selves, and to put what they lust thereto. It I shall perceive either by myself, or by information of other, that aught be escaped me, or might more plainly be translated: I will shortly after cause it to be amended. Howbeit, in many places, me thinketh it better to put a declaration in the margin, then to run to far from the text. And in many places where the text seemeth at the first chop hard to be understand, yet the circumstances before and after, and often reading together, make it plain enough. Moreover, because the kingdom of heaven, which is the Scripture and word of GOD, may be so locked up, that he which readeth or heareth it, can not understand it: as Christ testifieth how that the Scribes, and Phariseis had so shut it up Math. twenty-three. and had taken away the key of knowledge. Luke. xj. that that jews which thought The Zewes to this day are locked out from the understanding of the scriptures. themselves within, were yet so locked out, and are to this day, that they can understand no sentence of the Scripture. unto their salvation though they can rehearse the texts every where and dispute thereof, as subtely as the Popish Doctors of Dunces dark learning, which with their sophistry serned us, as the Phariseis did that jews. Therefore, that I might be found faith full to my father, and Lord in distributing unto my brethren and fellows of one faith, their due and necessary food: so dressing it and seasoning it, that the weak stomachs may receive it also, and be the better for it: I thought it my duty (most dear reader) to warn thee before, and to show thee, the right way in, and to give thee, the true key to open it with all, and to arm thee against false Prophets, and malicious hypocrites, whose perpetual study is to blind the scripture with gloss, and there to lock it up, where it should save thee soul, & to make us shoot at a wrong mark, to put our trust in those things that profit their bellies only, and slay our souls. The right way (yea, and the only The right way into the understanding of the Scriptures. way) to understand the Scripture unto salvation is, that we earnestly and above all thing search for the profession of our Baptism, or covenants made between GOD and us. As for an ensample. Christ saith Mat. u. Happy are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Lo, here GOD hath made a covenant with us, to be merciful unto us, if we will be merciful one to an other, so that the man which showeth mercy unto his neighbour: may be bold to trust in GOD for mercy, at all needs. And contrariwise, judgement without mercy, shallbe to him that jaco. 1. showeth not mercy. So now, if he that showeth no mercy, trust in GOD for mercy, his faith is carnal and worldly, and but vain presumption. For God hath promised mercy only to the merciful. And therefore the mercyles have not God's word that they shall have mercy: but contrariwise that they shall have judgement without mercy. And Math. vi. If you shall forgive then their faults, your heavenly father shall forgive you: but and if you shall not forgive men their faults: no more shall your father forgive you, your faults. Here also by the virtue and strength of this covenant, wherewith God of his mercy, hath bound himself to us unworthy: he that forgiveth his neighbour may be bold, when he returns and amendeth, to believe and trust in GOD for remission of what soever he hath done amiss. And contrariwise, he that will not forgive, can not but despair of forgiveness in the end, and fear judgement without mercy. The general covenant wherein all The general covenant that God hath made with us. other are comprehended & included, is this. If we meek ourselves to god, to keep all his laws, after the ensample of Christ: then God hath bound himself unto us, to keep and make good all that mercies promised in Christ, throughout all the Scripture. All the whole law, which was given Law. to utter our corrupt nature, is comprehended in the ten commandments. In these commaundemento is contained tee whole law. And the ten commandments are comprehended in these two: love God, and thy neighbour. And he that loveth his neighbour in GOD, and Christ, fulfilleth these two, and consequently the ten, and finally all the other. Now if we love our neighbours in God and Christ, that is to wit, if we be loving, kind and merciful to them, because God hath created them unto his likeness, and Christ hath redeemed them, and bought them with his blood: them may we be bold to trust in God through Christ and his deserving, for all mercy. For God hath promised and bound himself to us, to show us all mercy, and to be a father almighty to us, so that we shall not need to fear the power of all our adversaries. Now if any man that submitteth not himself to keep the commandments, Where no good 〈…〉 are, there the faith is vain. do think that he hath any faith in God: the same man's faith is vain, worldly, damnable, devilish, & plain presumption as is above said, and is no faith that can justify, or be accepted before God. And that is it that james means in his Epistle. For how can a man believe (saith Paul) without a preacher, Rom. 10. Now read all the scripture, and see where God sent any to preach mercy to any, save unto them only that repent, and turn to God with all their hearts, to keep his commandments. Unto the disobedient that will not turn, is threatened wrath, vengeance, and damnation, according to all the terrible acts, and fearful ensamples of the Bible. Faith now in God that father through What faith it is that saveth. our Lord jesus Christ, according to the covenants & appointment made between God and us, is our salvation. Wherefore I have ever noted the covenants in the margins, & also that promises. Moreover, where thou findest a promise, and no covenant expressed therewith: there must thou understand a covenant, that we when we be received to grace, know it to be our duty to keep the law. As for an ensample when the scripture says, Mat. 7. Ask, and it shall be given you, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you. It is to be understand, if that when thy neighbour asketh, seeketh or knocketh to thee, thou then show him the same mercy which thou desirest of God, then hath god bond himself to help thee again, and else not. Also you see that two things are required to be in a christian man. The first is a steadfast faith, and trust in almighty Two things are required to be in a christian man. God, to obtain all the mercy that he hath promised us, through that deserving and merits of Christ's blood only, without all respect to our own works. And the other is, that we forsake evil, and turn to GOD to keep his laws, and to fight against ourselves and our corrupt nature perpetually, that we may do the will of God every day better and better. This have I said (most dear reader) to warn thee, lest thou shouldst be deceived, and shouldst not only read the scriptures in vain, and to no What the nature of god's word is. profit, but also unto thy greater damnation. For the nature of god's word is, that whosoever read it, or hear it reasoned and disputed before him, it will begin immediately to make him every day better and better, till he be grown into a perfect man in that knowledge of Christ, and love of the law of God, or else make him worse & worse, till he be hardened, that he openly resist the spirit of god, & then blaspheme, after the ensample of Pharaoh, Coran, Abiron, Balam, judas, Simon Magus and such other. This to be even so, the words of Christ, john. 3. do well confirm. This is condemnation (saith he) the light is come into the world, but the men loved darkness more than light, for their deeds were evil. Behold, when the light of God's word cometh to a man, whether he read it, or hear it preached or testified, and he yet have no love thereto, to fashion his life thereafter, but consenteth still unto his old deeds of ignorance: then beginneth When we hear gods will and do it not, than God withdraweth his mercy and favour from us. his just damnation immediately, and he is henceforth without excuse, in that he refused mercy offered him, for God offereth mercy upon the condition that he will mend his living: but he will not come under the covenant. And from that hour forward he waxech worse and worse, God taking his spirit of mercy and grace from him, for his unthankfulness sake. And Paul writeth Rom. 1 that the heathen, because when they known god, they had no lust to honour him with godly living, therefore God poured his wrath upon them, and took his spirit from them, and gave them up to their hearts lusts to serve sin, from iniquity to iniquity, till they were thoroughly hardened, and past repentance. And Pharaoh because when the word of God was in his country, & God's people scattered throughout all his land, & yet he neither loved them, nor it, therefore God gave him up, and in taking his spirit of grace from him, so hardened his heart with covetousness, that afterward no miracle could convert him. Hereunto pertaineth that parable of the talentes. Mat. 25. The Lord commandeth He that hearkeneth to the word of God & doth it, the same shallbe blessed in his deed. the talon to be taken away from the evil and slothful servant, and to bind him hand and foot, and to cast him into utter darkness, and to give the talon unto him that had ten, saying: to all that have, more shall be given: but from him that hath not, that he hath, shall be taken from him. That is to say, he that hath a good heart toward the word of god, and to garnish it with godly living, and to testify it to other, the same shall increase daily more and more in the grace of Christ. But he that loveth it not, to live thereafter, and to edify other, the same shall lose the grace of true knowledge, & be blinded again, and every day wax worse and worse, and blinder and blinder, till he be an utter enemy of the word of God, and his heart so hardened, that it shall be impossible to convert him. And Luke xii. The servant that knoweth his masters will and prepareth not himself, shall be beaten with many stripes? That is, shall have greater damnation. And Mat. 7. All that hear the word of God, and do not thereafter, build on sand: that is, as the foundation laid on sand, can not resist violence of water, but is undermined and overthrown, even so the faith of them that have no lust, nor What it is to build upon ●and. love to the law of God, builded upon that sand of their own imaginations, and not on the rock of God's word, according to his covenants: turneth to desperation in time of tribulation, and when God cometh to judge. And the vineyard Mat. 21. planted and hired out to the husbandmen that would not tender to the Lord of the fruit in due time, and therefore was taken from them, and hired out to other, doth confirm the same. For Christ saith to the jews, the kingdom of heaven shallbe taken from you, and given to a nation that will bring forth that fruits thereof, as it is come to pass. For the jews have lost the spiritual knowledge of God, & of his commandments, and also of all the scripture, so that they can understand nothing godly. And the door is so locked up, that all their knocking is in vain, though many of them take great pain for gods sake. And Luke 13. The fig tree that beareth no fruit, is commanded to be plucked up. And finally, hereto pertaineth with infinite other, the terrible parable of the unclean spirit (Luke. 11.) which after he is cast out, when he cometh, The unclean spirit that returns in worse sort, than he was when he was cast forth. and finds his house swept and garnished, taketh to him 7. worse than himself, and cometh & entereth in, and dwelleth there, and so is that end of the man worse than the beginning. The jews, they had cleansed themselves with gods word, from all outward idolatry, and worshipping of idols. But their hearts remained still faithless to godward, and toward his mercy and truth, and therefore without love also, & lust to his law, & to their neighbours for his sake, and through false trust in their own works (to which heresy, the child of perdition, the wicked bishop of Rome with his lawyers, hath brought us christian) were more abominable idolaters than before, and become ten times worse in the end, then at the beginning. For the first idolatry was soon spied and easy to be rebuked of the Prophets by the Scripture. But the latter is more subtle to beguile withal, and an hundredth times of more difficulty, to be weeded out of men's hearts. This also is a conclusion, nothing more certain, or more proved by the testimony, and ensamples of the scripture: that if any that favoureth the word of God, be so weak that he can Such 〈◊〉 are profess sours of the word 〈◊〉 God, and will not tame and scourge themselves, them will God plague 〈◊〉 scourge. not chaste his flesh, him will the lord chastise and scourge every day sharper and sharper with tribulation, and misfortune, that nothing shall prospero with him, but all shall go against him, what soever he taketh in hand, & will visit him with poverty, with sicknesses and diseases, and shall plague him, with plague upon plague, each more loathsome, terrible and fearful than other, till he be at utter desiaunce with his flesh. Let us therefore that have now at this time our eyes opened again, through the tender mercy of GOD, keep a mean. Let us so put our trust in the mercy of GOD through Christ, that we know it our duty to keep the law of GOD, and to love our neighbours, for their father's sake which created them, and for their Lord's sake which redeemed them, and bought them so dearly with his blood. Let us walk in that fear of God, and have our eyes open unto both parts of God's covenants, being certified that none shallbe partaker of the mercy, save he that will fight against the flesh to keep the law. And let us arm ourselves with this remembrance, that as Christ's works justify from sin, and set us Christ's deeds ●et us in the favour of God: & our own, help us to continued in his favour. in the favour of GOD: so our own deeds through working of the spirit of God, help us to continued in the favour and the grace, into which Christ hath brought us, and that we can no longer continued in favour and grace, than our hearts are to keep the law. Furthermore concerning the law of God, this is a general conclusion, that the whole law, whether they be ceremonies, sacrifices, yea, or Sacraments either, or precepts of equity between man and man, throughout all degrees of the world, all were given for our profit and necessity only, & not for any need that God hath of our keeping them, or that his joy is increased thereby: or that the deed, for the deed itself doth please him. That is, all that God requireth of us, when we be at one with him, and do put our trust in him, and love him, is that we love, every man his neighbour to pity him, & to have compassion on him in all his needs, and to be merciful unto him. This to be even so Christ testifieth, in the. seven. of Math: This is the law, and the Prophets. That is, to do as thou wouldst be done to (according I mean to the doctrine of the Scripture) and not to do that thou wouldst not have done to thee, is all that the law requireth & the Prophets. Love is the fulfilling of the law. And Paul to the Rom. xiii. affirmeth also that love is that fulfilling of the law, and that he which loveth, doth of his own accord all that the law requireth. And. i Tim. i Paul saith, that the love of a pure heart and good conscience and faith unfeigned, is the end and fulfilling of the law. For faith unfeigned in Christ's blood, causeth the to love for Christ's sake, which love is the pure love only, & the only Faith is cause of love. cause of a good conscience. For than is the conscience pure, when the eye looketh to Christ in all her deeds, to do them for his sake, and not for her own singular advantage, or any other wicked purpose. And john, both in his Gospel and also Epistles, speaketh never of any other law, then to love one an other purely, affirming that we have God himself dwelling in us, & all that GOD desireth, if we love one the other. Seeing then, that faith to God and love, and mercifulness to our neighbours, is all that the law requireth, therefore of necessity the law must be understand and interpret by them. So that all inferior laws are to be kept & observed, as long as they be servants to faith and love: and then to be broken immediately, if through any occasion, they hurt either the faith which we should have to Godward, in the confidence of Christ's blood, or the love which we own to our neighbours for Christ's sake. And therefore when the blind Phariseis murmured, and grudged at him and his Disciples, that they broke the Sabbath day, and traditions of the elders, and that he himself did eat with Publicans, and sinners, he answered. Math. ix. alleging Esayas the Prophet: Go rather and learn what this means, I require mercy, and not sacrifice. God requireth mercy and not sacrifice. And Math. xii. O that you witted what this means, I require mercy and not sacrifice. For only love and mercifulness understandeth the law: and else nothing. And he that hath not that written in his heart, shall never understand the law: not, though all the angels of heaven went about to teach him. And he that hath that graven in Only love understandeth the law. his heart, shall not only understand the law, but also shall do of his own inclination all that is required of the law, though never law had been given: as all mothers do of themselves without law unto their children, all that can be required by any law, love overcoming all pain, grief, tediousness or loathsomeness: and even so no doubt if we had continued in our first state of innocency, we should ever have fulfilled the law, without compulsion of the law. And because the law (which is a doctrine through teaching every man his duty, doth utter our corrupt nature) is sufficiently described by Moses, therefore is little mention made thereof in the new Testament, save of love only, wherein all the law is included, as seldom mention is made of the new Testament in the old law, save here & there are promises made unto them, that Christ should come and bless them, & deliver them, and that the Gospel, and new Testament should be preached and published unto all nations. Gospel. The Gospel is glad tidings of mercy and grace, and that our corrupt nature shallbe healed again for Christ's sake, and for the merits of his deservings only. Yet on that condition that we will turn to God, to learn to keep his laws spiritually, that is to say, of love for his sake, & will also suffer the curing of our infirmities. New Testament. The new Testament is as much to say as a new covenant. The old Testament is an old temporal covenant, made between GOD, and the carnal children of Abraham, Isaac, and jacob, otherwise called Israel, upon the deeds, and the observing of a temporal law: where the reward of the keeping is temporal life, and prosperity in the land of Canaan, and the breaking is rewarded with temporal death, and punishment. But the new Testament is an everlasting covenant, made unto the children of GOD through faith in Christ, upon the deservings of Christ: where eternal life is promised to all that believe, and death to all that are unbelieving. My deeds, if I keep the law, are rewarded with temporal promises of this life. But if I believe in Christ, Christ's deeds have purchased for me the eternal promise of the everlasting life. If I commit nothing worthy of death: I deserve to my reward that no man kill me: if I hurt no man, I am worthy that no man hurt me. If I help my neighbour, I am worthy that he help me again. etc. So that with outward deeds with which I serve other men, I deserve Our works extend no farther then to our neighbour. that other men do like to me in this world: and they extend no further. But Christ's deeds extend to life everlasting unto all that believe. etc. These be sufficient in this place concerning the law and the Gospel, new Testament & old: so that as there is but one God, one Christ, one faith, & one Baptism, even so understand thou that there is but one Gospel, though many writ it, and many preach it. For all preach the same Christ, & bring the same glad tidings. And thereto Paul's Epistles with the Gospel of john and his first Epistle, and the first Epistle of S. Peter, are most pure Gospel: and most plainly, and richly describe the glory of the grace of Christ. If you require more of the law, seek in the Prologue to the Romans, and in other places where it is sufficiently entreated of. ¶ Repentance. COncerning this word repentance, Why Tyndall used this word repentance, rather than penance. or (as they used) penance, the Hebrew hath in the old Testament generally (Sob) turn, or be converted. For which the translation that we take for S. Ieromes, hath most part (converti) to turn, to be converted, and sometime (Agere poenitentiam) And the Greek in the new Testament hath perpetually (Metanoeo) to turn in the heart, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. mind, and to come to the right knowledge, and to a man's right wit again. For which (Metanoeo) s. Ieromes translation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. hath sometime (Ago poenitentiam) I do repent: sometime (Poeniteo) I repent, sometime (Poeniteor) I am repentant: sometime (Habeo poenitentiam) I have repentance: sometime (Poenitet me) it repenteth me. And Erasmus useth much this word (Resipisco) I come to myself, or to my right mind again. And the very sense and signification both of the Hebrew, & also of the Greek word is: to be converted and to turn to God with all the heart, to know his will, & to live according to his laws, and to be cured of our corrupt nature with the oil of his spirit, and wine of obedience to his doctrine. Which conversion or turning if it be unfeigned, these four do accompany it, and are included therein. Confession, not in the priests ear, for that is but man's invention, but to God in the heart, and The four parts of repentance. before all the congregation of GOD, how that we be sinners and sinful, and that our whole nature is corrupt, and inclined to sin and all unrighteousness, and therefore evil, wicked, and damnable, and his law holy and just, by which our sinful nature is rebuked. And also to our neighbours, if we have offended any person particularly. Then contrition, sorowfulness that we be such damnable sinners, and not only have sinned, but are wholly inclined to sin still. Thirdly, faith (of which our old● doctors have made no mention at all in the description of their penance) that God for Christ's sake doth forgive, us and receive us to mercy, and is at one with us, and will heal our corrupt nature. And fourthly, satisfaction What manner of satisfaction we● aught to make. or amendss making, not to god, with holy works, but to my neighbour whom I have hurt, and the congregation of God whom I have offended (if any open crime be found in me) and submitting of a man's self unto the congregation or church of Christ, and to the officers of the same, to have his life corrected and governed henceforth of them, according to the true doctrine of that church of Christ. And note this, that as satisfaction or amendss making, is counted righteousness before the world, and a purging of sin: so that the world when I have made a full mends, hath no further to complain. Even so faith in Christ's blood is counted righteousness, and a purging of all sin before God. Moreover, he that sinneth against his brother, sinneth also against his father almighty God, and as the sin committed against his brother, is purged before the world with making amendss, or ask forgiveness: even so is the sin committed against God, purged thorough faith in Christ's blood only. For Christ saith, john. 8. Except you believe that I am be, you shall die in your sins. That is to say, if you think that there is any other sacrifice, or satisfaction to Godward, than me, you remain ever in sin before God, howsoever righteous you appear before the world. Wherefore now, whether you call this (Metonoia) repentance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. conversion or turning again to god, either amending, etc. or whether you say, repent, be converted, turn to god, amend your living, or what you lust, I ●n content, so you understand what is meant thereby, as I have now declared. ¶ Elders. IN the old testament, the temporal Why he nameth them Elders, & not priests. heads & rulers of the jews, which had the governance over the lay, or common people, are called Elders, as you may see in the four Evangelists. Out of which custom, Paul in his epistle, and also Peter, call the prelate's, and spiritual governors which are Bishops and priests, Elders. Now whether you call them elders or priests, it is to me all one: so that you understand that they be officers, and servants of the word of God: unto the which all men both high and low, that will not rebel against Christ must obey, as long as they preach and rule truly, and no longer. A Prologue made upon the Gospel of S. Mark, by M. William Tyndall. OF Mark read (Act. 12.) how William Tyndals Prologue upon the Gospel of Mark. Peter (after he was loosed out of prison by the Angel) came to Marks mother's house, where many of the Disciples were praying for his deliverance. And Paul and Barnabas took him with them from jerusalem, & brought him to Antioch, Act. 12. and Acts. 13. Paul and Barnabas took Mark with them, when they were sent to preach, from whom he also departed, (as it appeareth in that said chapter,) and returned to jerusalem again. And Act. 15. Paul and Barnabas were at variance about him, Paul not willing to take him with them, because he forsook them in their first journey. Notwithstanding yet, when Paul written the epistle to the Collossians, Mark was with him, as he saith in that fourth Chapter: of whom Paul also testifieth, both that he was Barnabas sisters son, and also his fellow worker in the kingdom of God. And 2. Timothy 4. Paul commandeth Timothy to bring Mark with him, affirming that he was needful to him, to minister to him. Finally, he was also with Peter when he written his first Epistle, and so familiar, that Peter calleth him his son, whereof you see, of whom he learned his gospel, even of the very apostles, with whom he had his continual conversation, & also of what authority his writing is, and how worthy of credence. A Prologue made upon the Gospel of S. Luke, by M. William Tyndall. LVcas was Paul's companion, at the lest way The Prologue of W. Tyndall upon the Gospel of Luke. from the 16. of the Acts forth, and with him in all his tribulation, and he went with Paul at his last going up to jerusalem. And from thence he followed Paul to Caesarea, where he lay two year in prison. And from Caesarea he went with Paul to Rome, where he lay ij. other years in prison. And he was with Paul when he written to the Colossians, as he testifieth in the fourth chapter, saying: The beloved Lucas the Physician saluteth you. And he was with Paul when he written the second epistle to Timothy, as he sayeth in the 4. chapter, saying: Only Lucas is with me: Whereby you see the authority of the man, & of what credence and reverence his writing is worthy of, and thereto of whom he learned the story of his Gospel, as he himself saith, how that he learned it, and searched it out with all diligence of them that see it, and were also partakers at the doing. And as for the Acts of the Apostles, he himself was at the doing of them (at the lest) of the most part, and had his part therein, and therefore written of his own experience. A Prologue made upon the Gospel of S. john, by William Tyndall. The Prologue of W. Tyndall upon the Gospel of john. IOhn, what he was, is manifest by the three first evangelists. First christes Apostle, and that one of the chief. Then Christ's nie kinsman, and for his singular innocency and softness, singularly beloved, and of singular familiarity with Christ, and ever one of that three witnesses of most secret things. The cause of his writing was certain heresies that arose in his time, namely, ij. of which one denied Christ to be very God, and the other to be very man, and to become in the very flesh, & nature of man. Against the which ij. heresies, he written both his Gospel and also his first epistle, and in the beginning of his gospel saith: That the word or thing was at the beginning, and was with God, and was also very God, and that all things were created by it, and that it was also made flesh: that is to say, become very man, and he dwelled among us (saith he) and we see his glory. And in the beginning of his epistle he saith: we show you of the thing that was from the beginning, which also we herded, see with our eyes and our hands handled. And again, we show you everlasting life, that was with the father and appeared to us, & we herded and see, etc. In that he sayeth, that it was from the beginning, and that it was eternal life, and that it was with God, he affirmeth him to be very God. And that he says, we herded, see, and felt, he witnesseth that he was very man also. john also written last, and therefore touched not the story that the other had compiled. But writeth most of faith, and promises, and of the Sermons of Christ. This be sufficient concerning the four Evangelists and their authority, and worthiness to be believed. A Prologue upon the Epistle of S. Paul to the Romans, by M. William Tyndall. FOrasmuch as this epistle is the principal, The epistle to the Romans to the excellentest part of the new Testament. and most excellent part of the new testament, and most pure Euangelion, that is to say, glad ridings, and that we call gospel, and also a light and a way in, unto the whole scripture. I think it meet that every christian man not only know it, by roate and without the book, but also exercise himself therein evermore continually, as with the daily bread of the soul. No man verily can read it to often, or study it to well, for the more it is studied, the easier it is, the more it is chewed, the pleasanter it is, and the more groundly it is searched, the precioser things are found in it, so great treasure of spiritual things lieth hide therein. I will therefore bestow my labour & diligence, thorough this little preface or prologue, to prepare a way in, thereunto, so farforth as God shall give me grace, that it may be the better understand of every man, for it hath been hitherto evil darkened with gloss, and wondered dreams of sophisters, that no man could spy out the intent, and meaning of it, which nevertheless of itself, is a bright light, and sufficient to give light unto all the scripture. First we must mark diligently the Here you must note these words, law, sin, etc. Law, how it is to be understand manner of speaking of the Apostle, and above all thing, know what Paul means by these words the Law, sin, grace, faith, righteousness, flesh, spirit, and such like, or else read thou it never so oft, thou shalt but lose thy labour. This word Law may not be understand here, after the common manner, and to use Paul's term, after the manner of men, or after man's ways: that thou wouldst say the law here in this place were nothing but learning, which teacheth what aught to be done, and what aught not to be done, as it goeth with man's law, where the law is fulfilled with outward works only, though the heart be never so far of, but God judgeth after the ground of the heart, you and the thoughts and the secret movings of the mind, therefore his law requireth the ground of the heart, and love from the bottom thereof, The law of God requireth the bottom of our hearts and is not content with the outward work only, but rebuketh those works most of all, which spring not of love from the ground, and low bottom of the heart, though they appear outward, never so honest and good, as Christ in the gospel rebuketh the Pharisees above all other that were open sinners, and calleth them hypocrites, that is to say, Simulars, and painted sepulchres, which Pharisees yet lived no men so pure, as pertaining to the outward deeds, and works of that law, you, and Paul in the third chapter of his epistle unto the Philippians confesseth of himself, that as touching the law, he was such a one, as no man could complain on, and notwithstanding was yet a murderer of the christian, per S. Paul was a great persecutor of the christians. secuted them, and tormented them so sore, that he compelled them to blaspheme Christ, & was altogether merciless, as many which now fain outward good works, are. For this cause the 115. psalm calleth all men liars, because that no man keepeth the law from the ground of the heart, neither can keep it. For all men are naturally inclined unto evil, and hate the law, we find in ourselves unlust, and tediousness to do good, but lust and delectation to do evil. Now where no free lust is to do good, there the bottom of the heart fulfilleth not the law, and there no doubt If we be not willing to do good, then doth sin reign in us. is also sin and wrath deserved before GOD, though there be never so great outward show, and appearance of honest living. For this cause concludeth S. Paul in the second chapter, that the jews all are sinners and transgressors of the law, though they make men believe thorough hypocrisy of outward works, how that they fulfil the law, & saith, that he only which doth the law is righteous before God, meaning thereby No man can fulfil the law, but Christ only. that no man with outward works, fulfilleth the law. Thou (says he to the jew) teachest a man should not break wedlock, and yet breakest wedlock thyself. Wherein thou judgest an other man, therein condemnest thou thyself, for thou thyself dost even the very same things which thou judgest. As though he would say, thou livest outwardly well in the works of the law, and judgest them that live not so: thou teachest other men: and seest a mote in an other, man's eye, but art not ware of the beam that is in thine own eye. For though thou keep the law outwardly with works, for fear of rebuke, shame, and punishment, either for love of reward, vantage, & vain glory, yet dost thou all without lust and love toward the law, and hadst liefer a great deal otherwise do, if thou didst not fear the law, you inwardly in thy heart thou wouldst that there were no law, The p●●e and perfect keeping of the law is to do the ●a●e of 〈◊〉. not nor yet God, the author and venger of the law (if it were possible) so painful it is unto thee, to have thine appetites refrained, and to be kept down. Wherefore then it is a plain conclusion, that thou from the ground and bottom of thine heart art an enemy to the law. What prevaileth it now, that thou teachest an other man not to steal, when thou thine own self art a thief in thine heart, and outwardly wouldst fayne steal if thou dared? though that the outward deeds abide not always behind with such hypocrites and dissimulers, but break forth among, even as an evil scab, or a pocke can not always be kept in with violence of medicine. Thou teachest an other man, but teachest not thyself, you 〈…〉 but o● inward love. thou w●…est not what thou teachest, for thou understadest not the law a right, how that it can not be fulfilled and satisfied, but with inward love and affection, much less can it be fulfilled with outward deeds, and works only. The law increaseth sin. Moreover the law increaseth sin, as he saith in the fift Chapter, because that man is an enemy to the law, for as much as it requireth so many things clean contrary to his nature, whereof he is not able to fulfil one point or title, as the law requireth it. And therefore are we more provoked, and have greater lust to break it. For which causes sake he saith in the seventh Chapter, that the law is The law is spiritual spiritual, as though he would say, if the law were fleshly, and but man's doctrine, it might be fulfilled, satisfied, and stilled with outward deeds. But now is the law ghostly and no man fulfilleth it, except that all that he doth spring of love from the bottom of the heart. Such a new heart and lusty courage unto the law ward canst thou never come by of thine own strength & enforcement, but by the operation and working of the spirit. For the spirit of God only maketh a man spiritual The spirit of god maketh a man spiritual. & like unto the law, so that now hence forth he doth nothing of fear, or for lucre or vantages sake, or of vain glory, but of a free heart, and of inward lust. The law is spiritual, and willbe both loved, and fulfilled of a spiritual heart, and therefore of necessity requireth it the spirit, that maketh a man's heart free, and giveth him lust and courage unto the law ward. Where such The law is good, righteous and holy. a spirit is not, there remains sin, grudging, and hatred against the law, which law nevertheless is good, righteous, and holy. Acquaint thyself therefore with the manner of speaking of the Apostle, and let this now stick fast in thine heart, that it is not both one, to do the deeds and works of the law, and to fulfil the law. The work of that law is, what Works of the law & the fulfilling of the law, are two things soever a man doth, or can do of his own free will, of his own proper strength, and enforcing. Notwithstanding though there be never so great working, yet as long as their remains in the heart, unlust, tediousness, grudging, grief, pain, loths●nnes, & compulsion toward the law, so long are all the works unprofitable, lost, you and damnable in the sight of God. This means Paul in the iij. Chapter, where he saith, by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified in the sight of God. Hereby perceivest thou, that those sophisters are but deceivers, which teach that a man may and must prepare himself to grace and to the favour of god, with good works. By the works of the law no man can be justified. How can they prepare themselves unto the favour of God, & to that which is good, when themselves can do no good, no can not once think a good thought, or consent to do good, the devil possessing their hearts, minds, & thoughts captive at his pleasure? Can those works please GOD, thinkest thou, which are done with grief, pain, and tediousness, with an evil will, with a contrary and a grudging mind? O holy saint Prosperous, how mightily, with the Scripture of Paul didst thou confounded this heresy, twelve hundred years a go or thereupon. To fulfil the law is, to do that works thereof, and what soever the law commandeth As the law is spiritual so it must be fulfilled spiritually. with love, lust, and inward affection and delectation, and to live godly and well, freely, willingly, and without compulsion of the law, even as though there were no law at all. Such lust and free liberty to love the law, cometh only by the working of the spirit in the heart, as he saith in the first Chapter. Now is the spirit none otherwise given, then by faith only, in that we believe the promises of God, without wavering how that God is true, and will fulfil all his good promises toward us for Christ's blondes sake, as it is plain in the first Chapter, I am not ashamed, saith Paul, of Christ's Where true faith is, there is the spirit of God. glad tidings, for it is the power of GOD unto salvation to as many as believe, for at once and together even as we believe the glad tidings preached to us, the holy ghost entereth into our hearts, and loseth the bonds of the devil, which before possessed our hearts in captivity, and held them that we could have no lust to that will of God in the law, and as the spirit cometh by faith only, even so faith cometh by hearing the word, or glad tidings of God, when Christ is preached how that he is God's son and man also, dead and risen again for our sakes, as Our justification is by faith in Christ. he saith in the third, fourth, and tenth Chapters. All our justifying then cometh of faith, and faith and the spirit come of God, and not of us. Hereof cometh it, that faith only justifieth, maketh righteous, and fulfilleth the law, for it bringeth the spirit through Christ's deservings, the spirit bringeth lust, loseth the heart, maketh him free, setteth him at liberty, and giveth him strength to work the deeds of the law with love, even as the law requireth, then at the last out of the same faith, so working in the heart, spring all good works by their own accord. That means he in the third Chapter, for after he hath cast away Out of true faith springeth all good worke●. the works of the law, so that he soundeth as though he would break, and disannul the law through faith, he answereth to that might be laid against, saying, we destroy not the law through faith, but maintain, further, or establish the law through faith, that is to say, we fulfil the law through faith. Sin in the Scripture is not called O●synne. that outward work only committed by the body, but all the whole business, and what so ever accompanieth, moveth or stirreth unto the outward Sin what it is? deed, and that whence the works spring, as unbelief, proneness and readiness unto the deed in the ground of the heart, with all the powers, affections and appetites, wherewith we can but sin, so that we say, that a man then sinneth when he is carried away headlong into sin, all together as much as he is, of that poison inclination and corrupt nature, wherein he was conceived and born: For there is none outward sin committed, except a man be carried away all together, with life, soul, heart, body, lust and mind thereunto. The Scripture looketh singularly unto the heart, & unto the root and original fountain of all sin, which is unbelief in the bottom of the heart. For as faith only justifieth and bringeth the spirit, and lust unto the outward good works. Even so unbelief only damneth and keepeth out the spirit, provoketh the flesh, and stirreth up lust unto the evil outward works, as it fortuned to Adam & Eu● in Paradise. Gene. 3. For this cause Christ calleth sin unbelief, and that notably in the. 16. Sin in the scripture is chief called unbe lief. of john, the spirit (saith he) shall rebuke the world of sin, because they believe not in me. Wherefore then before all good works as good fruits, there must needs be faith in the heart whence they spring, and before all bad deeds as bad fruits, there must needs be unbelief in the heart, as in the root, fountain, pith, and strength of all sin, which unbelief is called the head of the Serpent, and of the old Dragon, which the woman's seed Christ, must tread underfoot, as it was promised unto Adam. Grace and gift have this difference. Grace properly is God's favour, benevolence or kind mind, which of his Grace, how it is understand in the scriptures. own self, without deserving of us, he beareth to us, whereby he was moved, and inclined to give Christ unto us, with all his other gifts of grace. Gift is that holy ghost, and his working Gift, what it is. which he poureth into the hearts of them, on whom he hath mercy, and whom he favoureth. Though the gifts & the spirit increase in us daily, & have not yet their full perfection, you and though there remain in us yet evil lusts & sin, which fight against the spirit, as he saith here in the 7. chapter, and in the 5. to the Galath. and as it was spoken before in the 3. chapter of Gen. of the debate between the woman's sede, & the seed of that serpent, yet nevertheless gods favour is so great, and so strong over us for Christ's sake, that we are counted for full whole, and perfect before God. For God's favour toward us, divideth not herself, increasing a little and a little, as do the gifts, but receiveth us whole, & altogether in full love for Christ's sake our intercessor God for Christ's sake receiveth us. and mediator, and because that the gifts of the spirit, & the battle, between the spirit and evil lusts, are begun in us already. Of this now understandest thou the 7. chapter, where Paul accuseth himself as a sinner, and yet in the 8. chapter, There is no damnation to them that are in Christ. sayeth: there is no damnation to them that are in Christ, and that because of the spirit, and because the gifts of the spirit are begun in us. Sinners we are, because the flesh is not full killed, and mortified. Nevertheless, in as much as we believe in Christ, and have the earnest and beginning of the spirit, God is so loving & favourable unto us, that he will not look on such sin, neither will count it as sin, but will deal with us according to our belief in Christ, and according to his promises which he hath sworn to us, until the sin be full slain and mortified by death. Faith is not man's opinion and dream, as some imagine and fayne, Faith, what it is? when they hear the story of the Gospel: but when they see that there follow no good works, nor amendment of living, though they hear, you, & can babble many things of faith, than they fall from the right way, and say, faith only justifieth not, a man must have good works also, if he will be righteous and safe. The cause is when they hear the gospel or glad tidings, they fain of their own strength certain imaginations and thoughts in their hearts, saying: I have herded the gospel, False and feigned faith I remember the story, lo, I believe, and that they count right faith, which nevertheless as it is but man's imagination and feigning, even so profiteth it not, neither follow there any good works, or amendment of living. But right faith is a thing wrought by the holy ghost in us, which changeth us, turneth us into a new nature and begetteth us a new in God, and maketh us the sons of god, as thou readest in the first of john, and killeth the old Adam, and maketh us altogether new in the heart, mind, will, lust, and in all our affections and powers of the soul, and bringeth the holy ghost with her. Faith is a lively thing, True faith is lively. mighty in working, valiant & strong, ever doing, ever fruitful, so that it is unpossible, that he which is endued therewith, should not work always good works without ceasing. He asketh Faith is not idle. not whether good works are to be done or not, but hath done them already, ere mention be made of them, & is always doing, for such is his nature, for quick faith in his heart and lively moving of the spirit, drive him and stir him thereunto. Whosoever doth not good works, is an unbelieving person & faithless, & looketh round about him, groping after faith & good works & woteth not what faith or good works mean, though he babble never so many things of faith & good works. Faith is then a lively and a steadfast trust in the favour of God, wherewith The true definition of faith. we commit ourselves altogether unto god, & that trust is so surely grounded, and sticketh so fast in our hearts, that a man would not once doubt of it, though he should die a thousand times therefore. And such trust wrought by the holy ghost through faith, maketh a man glad lusty, cheerful, & true hearted unto God, and unto all creatures. By the means whereof, willingly and without compulsion he is glad, and ready to do good to every man, to do service to every man, to suffer all things, that god may be loved and praised, which hath given him such grace, so that it is impossible to separate good works from Good worke● cannot be separate from true faith. faith, even as it is impossible to separate heat and burning, from fire. Therefore take heed to thyself, and beware of thine own fantasies and imaginations, which to judge of faith & good works will seem wise, when in deed they are stark blind, and of all things most foolish. Pray God that he will vouchsafe to work faith in thy heart, or else shalt thou remain evermore faithless: fain thou, imagine thou, enforce thou, wrestle with thyself, and do what thou will't or canst. Righteousness is even such faith, Righteousness & how it is to be understand. and is called God's righteousness, or righteousness that is of value before God. For it is god's gift, and it altereth a man, and changeth him into a new spiritual nature, and maketh him free and liberal, to pay every man his duty. For through faith a man is purged of his sins, and obtaineth lust unto the law of God, whereby he giveth God his honour, and payeth him that he oweth him, and unto men he doth service willingly, wherewith soever he can, and payeth every man his duty. Such righteousness can nature, free-will, and our own strength never bring to pass: for as no man can give himself faith, so can he not take away unbelief, how then can he take away any sin at all? Wherefore all is false hypocrisy & sin, whatsoever is done without faith, or in unbelief, as it is evident in the 14. chapter unto the Romans, though it appear never so glorious, or beautiful outwards. Flesh and spirit mayest thou not Flesh & spirit what they are, & ●ow to understand? them. here understand, as though flesh were only that which pertaineth unto unchastity, and the spirit that which inwardly pertaineth to the heart: but Paul calleth flesh here as Christ doth, john. 3. All that is born of flesh, that is to wit, the whole man, with life, soul, body, wit, will, reason, & whatsoever he is, or doth within and without, because that these all, and all that is in man study after the world, and the flesh. Call flesh therefore whatsoever (as long as we are without that spirit of GOD) we think or speak of God, of faith, of good works, and of spiritual matters. Call flesh also all How this word flesh is to be understand in the Scripture. works which are done without grace, and without the working of the spirit, howsoever good, holy, and spiritual they seem to be, as thou mayest prove by the 5. chapter unto the Galathians, where Paul numbereth worshipping of idols, witchcraft, envy and hate among the deeds of the flesh, and by the 8. unto the Romans, where he saith, that the law by the reason of the flesh is weak, which is not understand of unchastity only, but of all sins, and Incredulity is the chief of all sins. most specially, of unbelief, which is a vice most spiritual, and ground of all sins. And as thou callest him which is not renewed with the spirit, and born Flesh is here well described. again in Christ, flesh, & all his deeds, even the very motions of his heart, and mind, his learning, doctrine and contemplation of high things, his preaching, teaching, and study in the Scripture, building of Churches, founding of Abbeys, giving of alms, Mass, matins, & what soever he doth, though it seem spiritual, and after the laws of God: So contrariwise call him spiritual which is renewed in Christ, and all his deeds which spring of faith, seem they never so gross, as the washing of the Disciples feet done by Christ, and Peter's fishing after the resurrection, yea and all the deeds of matrimony What somever proceedeth of faith is spiritual. are pure spiritual, if they proceed of faith, and what soever is done with in the laws of God, though it be wrought by the body, as the very wiping of shoes, and such like, how soever gross they appear outward. With out such understanding of these words canst thou never understand this Epistle of Paul, neither any other place in the holy Scripture. Take heed therefore, for who soever understandeth these words otherwise, the same understandeth not Paul, what soever he be. Now will we prepare ourselves unto the Epistle. For as much as it becometh the preacher of Christ's glad tidings, first A necessary and profitable instruction for all preachers. through opening of the law, to rebuke all things, and to prove all things sin, that proceed not of the spirit, & of faith in Christ, and to prove all men sinners, and children of wrath by inheritance, and how that to sin is their nature, and that by nature they can no otherwise do then sin, and therewith to abate the pride of man, and to bring him unto the knowledge of himself, and of his misery & wretchedness, that he might desire help. Even so doth S. Paul, and beginneth in the first Chapter to rebuke unbelief The manner of S. Paunles doctrine. and gross sins, which all men see as the Idolatry, and as the gross sins of the heathen were, and as the sins now are of all them, which live in ignorance without faith, and without the favour of GOD, and saith. The wrath of GOD of heaven appeareth through the Gospel upon all men, for their ungodly, & unholy living. For though it be known, and daily understand Nature is so blind that we cannot see nor understand the goodness of God & his mercy showed unto us in Christ jesus his ●owne. by the creatures, that there is but one God, yet is nature of herself, with out the spirit and grace, so corrupt and so poisoned, that men neither can thank him, neither worship him, neither give him his due honour, but blind themselves, and fall without ceasing into worse case, even until they come unto worshipping of Images, & working of shameful sins which are abominable and against nature, and moreover suffer the shame unrebuked in other, having delectation and pleasure therein. In the second Chapter he proceedeth further, and rebuketh all those holy people also which without lust, and love to the law, live well outwardly in S. Paul condemneth all hypocrisy. the face of the world, and condemn other gladly, as the nature of all hypocrites is, to think themselves pure in respect of open sinners, and yet hate the law inwardly, and are full of covetousness and envy, and of all uncleanness. Math. twenty-three. These are they which despise the goodness of GOD, and according to the hardness of their hearts, heap together for themselves the wrath of God. Furthermore S. Paul as a How S. Paul rebuketh hypocrites. true expounder of the law, suffereth no man to be without sin, but declareth that all they are under sin, which of free-will, and of nature will live well, & suffereth them not to be better than the open sinners, yea he calleth them hard hearted, and such as can not repent. In the third Chapter he mingleth both together, both the jews and the Gentiles and saith, that the one is as The difference between the jew & the Gentle. the other, both sinners, & no difference between them, save in this only, that the jews had the word of God committed unto them. And though many of them believed not thereon; yet is God's truth and promise thereby neither hurt, nor minished: And he taketh in his way, and allegeth the saying of the 50. Psalm, that God might abide true in his words, & overcome when he is judged. After that he returns to his purpose again, and proveth by the All men are sinners. Scripture, that all men without difference, or exception are sinners, and that by the works of the law no man is justified: but that the law was given to utter, and to declare sin only. Then he beginneth, and showeth the right way unto righteousness, by what means The way how we must be made righteous. men must be made righteous and safe, and saith. They are all sinners & without praise before God, and must without their own deserving be made righteous through faith in Christ, which hath deserved such righteousness for us, and is become unto us God's mercystole, for the remission of sins that are past: thereby proving that Christ's righteousness which cometh on us through faith, helpeth us only: which righteousness (saith he) is now declared through the Gospel, & was testified of before, by the law of the Prophets. Furthermore (saith Faith obtaineth the fulfilling of the law. he) the law is holpen and furthered through faith, though that the works thereof, with all their boast are brought to naught. In the iiij. Chapter (after that now by the 3. first Chapters the sins are opened, and the way of faith unto righteousness laid) he beginneth to answer unto certain objections and cavillations. And first putteth forth those blind reasons, which commonly they that willbe justified by their own works are wont to make, when they hear that faith only without works justifieth, saying, shall men do no good S. Paul answereth to the caviling question that our Papists use against justification of faith only. works, yea, and if faith only justifieth, what needeth a man to study for to do good works? He putteth forth therefore Abraham for an ensample, saying, what did Abraham with his works, was all in vain, came his works to no profit? And so concludeth that Abraham without, and before all works was justified and made righteous. In so much that before the work of Circumcision he was praised of the Scripture, and called righteous by his faith only. Gene. xv. So that he did not the work of Circumcision, for to be helped there by unto righteousness, which yet God commanded him to do, & was a good work of obedience. So in likewise no doubt none other works help any thing at all unto a man's justifying, but as Abraham's Circumcision was an outward sign whereby he declared his righteousness which he had by faith, and his obedience and readiness unto the will of God, even so are all other good works outward signs and outward fruits of faith, & Good works are ou● ward signs of true faith. of the spirit, which justify not a man, but that a man is justified already before god inwardly in the heart, through faith, and through the spirit purchased by Christ's blood. Herewith now stablisheth S. Paul his doctrine of faith, afore rehearsed in the third Chapter, and bringeth also testimony of David in the xii. Psalm, which calleth a man blessed, not of works, in that his sin is not reckoned, and in that faith is imputed for righteousness, though he abide not afterward without good works, when he is once justified. For we are justified, We are first justified, them followeth good works. & receive the spirit for to do good works, neither were it otherwise possible to do good works, except we had first the spirit. For how is it possible to do any thing well in the sight of God, while we are yet in captivity and bondage under the devil, and the devil possesseth us all together, and holdeth our hearts, so that we can not once consent unto the will of God? No man therefore can prevent the spirit in doing good, the spirit must first come, and wake him out of his sleep, with the thunder of the law and fear him, and show him his miserable estate & wretchedness, and make him abhor & hate himself, and to desire help, and then comfort him again with the pleasant rain of the Gospel, that is to say, with the sweet promises of God in Christ, and stir up faith in him to believe the promises: then when he believeth God's mercy moveth us to faith in his promises, so that God in all things worketh our justification. the promises, as God was merciful to promise', so is he true to fulfil them, and will give him the spirit and strength, both to love the will of God, & to work there after. So see we that God only (which according to the Scripture worketh all in all things) worketh a man's justifying, salvation and health, yea, & poureth faith & belief, lust to love God's will, & strength to fulfil the same into us, even as water is poured into a vessel, and that of his good will and purpose, and not of our deservings and merits: God's God's mercy saveth us, and not we our selves. mercy in promising, and truth in fulfilling his promises saveth us, and not we ourselves, and therefore is all laud praise & glory, to be given unto God for his mercy and truth, and not unto us, for our merits and deservings. After that he stretcheth his example out against all other good works of the law, and concludeth that the jews can not be Arahams' heirs, because of blood and kindred only, and much less by the works of the law, but must inherit If we lack Abraham's faith, we cannot be Abraham's children. Abraham's faith, if they willbe the right heirs of Abraham, for as much as Abraham before the law, both of Moses, & also of Circumcision, was through faith made righteous, and called the father of all them that believe, & not of them that work. Moreover the law causeth wrath, in as much as no man can fulfil it with love and lust, and as long as such grudging, hate and indignation against the law remaineth in the heart, and is not taken away by the spirit that cometh by faith, so long no doubt the works of the law, faith only receiveth the grace that cometh by Abraham. declare evidently that the wrath of god is upon us, and not favour: wherefore faith only receiveth the grace promised unto Abraham. And these ensamples were not written for Abraham's sake only (saith he) but for ours also, to whom if we believe, faith shallbe reckoned likewise for righteousness, as he saith in the end of the chapter. In the 5. chapter he commends the The fruits & works of faith. fruit and works of faith, as are peace, rejoicing in the conscience, inward love to God, and man, moreover boldness, trust, confidence, and a strong & a lusty mind, and steadfast hope in tribulation, and suffering. For all such follow, where the right faith is, for the abundant grace's sake, and gifts of the spirit, which god hath given us in Christ, in that he suffered him to die for us yet his enemies. Now have we then that faith only before all works justifieth, and that it faith before all works justifieth. followeth not yet therefore, that a man should do no good works, but that that right shapen works abide not behind, but accompany faith, even as brightness doth the sun, and are called of Paul the fruits of the spirit. Where that spirit is, there it is always summer, Good works are the fruits of faith. and there are always good fruits, that is to say good works. This is Paul's order, that good works spring of the spirit, the spirit cometh by faith, and faith cometh by hearing the word of God, when the glad tidings and promises which God hath made unto us in Christ are preached truly, and received in the ground of the heart, with out wavering or doub●ing, after that the law hath passed upon us, and hath damned our consciences. Where the word of God is preached purely, Where true faith is there are good works. and received in the heart, there is faith, the spirit of God, & there are also good works of necessity, whensoever occasion is given. Where God's word is not purely preached, but men's dreams, traditions, imaginations, inventions, ceremonies, & superstition, there is no faith, and consequently no spirit that cometh of GOD, and where God's spirit is not, there can be no good works, even as where an apple tree is not, there can grow no apples, but there is unbelief the devils spirit, and evil works. Of this God's spirit and his fruits, have our holy hypocrites not once known, neither yet tasted how sweet they are, though they fayne many good works of their own imagination to be justified withal, in which is not one cromme of true faith, or spiritual Where faith lacketh there is all evil works. love, or of inward joy, peace and quietness of conscience, for as much as they have not the word of GOD for them, that such works please GOD, but they are even the rotten fruits of a rotten tree. After that he breaketh forth, and runneth at large, & showeth, whence both sin and righteousness, death and life come. And he compareth Adam and Christ together, thus wise reasoning and disputing, that Christ must needs come as a second Adam, to make us heirs of his righteousness, through a new spiritual birth, without our deservings. Even as the first Adam made us heirs of sin, through the bodily generation without our deserving. Whereby it is evidently known, and As by ●●ā came sin, so by Christ came salvation. proved to the uttermost, that no man can bring himself out of sin unto righteousness, no more than he could have withstand, that he was born bodily. And that is proved herewith, for as much as that very law of God, which of right should have helped, if any thing could have holpen, not only came and brought no help with her, but also increased sin, because that the evil and poisoned nature is offended, and utterly displeased with the law, and that more she is forbidden by the law, the more is she provoked, and set a fire to fulfil & satisfy her lusts. By the law then we see clearly, that we must needs have Christ to justify us, with his grace, & to help nature. In the vi. he setteth forth the chief and principal work of faith, the battle The principal work of faith, and the battle between the spirit and the flesh. of the spirit against the flesh, how the spirit laboureth and enforceth to kill the remnant of sin and lust: which remain in the flesh, after our justifying. And this chapter teacheth us, that we are not so free from sin through faith, that we should henceforth go up and down, idle, careless, & sure of ourselves, as though there were now no more sin in us. Yes, there is sin remaining in us, but it is not reckoned, because of faith and of the spirit, which fight against it. Wherefore we have enough to do all our lives long, to tame our bodies, & and to compel the members to obey the spirit, and not the appetites: that thereby we might be like unto Christ's death and resurrection, and might fulfil our baptism, which signifieth the mortifying of sins, and the new life of grace. For this battle ceaseth not in us until the last breath, and until that sin be utterly slain by the death of the body. This thing (I mean to tame the body, and so forth) we are able to do (saith he) seeing we are under grace, & not under the law. What it is, not to be under the law he himself expoundeth. For not to be under the law, is not so to be understand, that every man may do what him lusteth. But not to be under the law is, to have a free heart What it is not to be under the law. renewed with the spirit, so that thou hast lust inwardly of thy own accord, to do that which the law commandeth, without compulsion, yea, though there were no law. For grace that is to say gods favour, bringeth us the spirit, & maketh us love the law, so is there now no more sin, neither is the law now any more against us, but at one, & agreed with us, and we with it. But to be under the law, is to What it is to be under the law. deal with the works of the law, and to work without the spirit and grace, for so long no doubt sin reigneth in us through the law, that is to say, the law declareth that we are under sin, and that sin hath power and dominion over us, seeing we can not fulfil the law, namely within in the heart, for as much as no man of nature favoureth the law, consenteth thereunto, and delighteth therein, which thing is exceeding great sin, that we cannot consent to the law, which law is nothing else save the will of God. This is the right freedom and liberty The right freedom, & liberty from sin, and from the law. from sin, and from the law, whereof he writeth unto the end of this chapter, that it is a freedom to do good only with lust, and to live well without compulsion of the law. Wherefore this freedom is a spiritual freedom, which destroyeth not the law, but ministereth that which the law requireth, and wherewith the law is fulfilled, that is to understand, lust and love, wherewith the law is stilled, and accuseth us no more, compelleth us no more, neither hath aught to crave of us any more. Even as though thou were in debt to an other man, and were Example. not able to pay, two manner of ways mightest thou be loosed. One way, if he would require nothing of thee, and break thy obligation. another way, if some other good man would pay for thee, and give thee as much as thou mightest satisfy thine obligation with all. On this wise hath Christ made us free from the law, & therefore is this no wild fleshly liberty, that should do naught, but that doth all things, and is free from the craving and debt of the law. In the seventh he confirmeth that same, with a similitude of the state of matrimony. As when the husband dieth, the wife is at her liberty, and the one loosed and departed from the other, not that the woman should not have power to marry unto an other man, but rather now first of all is she free, & hath power to marry unto an other man, which she could not do before, till she was loosed from her first husband. Even Our consciences bond, and in danger to the law by old Adam, so long as he liveth in us. so are our consciences bond, and in danger to the law under old Adam, as long as he liveth in us, for the law declareth that our hearts are bond, and that we cannot disconsent from him, but when he is mortified & killed by the spirit: then is the conscience free and at liberty, not so that the conscience shall now naught do, but now first of all cleaveth unto an other, that is to wit, Christ, and bringeth forth the fruits of life. So now to be under the law, is not to be able to fulfil the law, but to be debtor to it, and not able to pay that, which the law requireth. And to be loose from the law, is to fulfil it, and to pay that which the law demandeth, so that it can now henceforth ask thee naught. Consequently Paul declareth more largely the nature of sin, and of the The law requireth of us that which we cannot pay. law, how that through the law, sin reviveth, moveth herself, and gathereth strength. For the old man and corrupt nature, the more he is forbidden, and kept under of the law, is the more offended and displeased therewith, for as much as he cannot pay that which is required of the law. For sin is his nature, and of himself, he cannot but sin. Therefore is the law death to him, torment and martyrdom. Not that the law is evil, but because that the evil nature can not suffer that which is good, & cannot abide that the law should require of him any good thing: like as a sick man cannot suffer that a man should desire of him to run, to leap, and to do other deeds of an whole man. For which cause S. Paul concludeth, that where the law is understand and perceived in the best wise, there it doth no more, but utter sin, & bring us unto the knowledge of ourselves, and thereby kill us, and make us bond unto eternal damnation, and debtors of the everlasting wrath of God, even as he well feeleth and understandeth whose conscience is truly touched of the law. In such danger were we ere The law doth utter and declare what sin is. the law came, that we known not what sin meant, neither yet know we the wrath of God, upon sinners, till the law had uttered it. So seest thou that a man must have some other thing, you & a greater and a more mighty thing the the law, to make him righteous & safe. They that understand not the law on this wise, are blind, and go to work presumptuously, supposing to satisfy the law with works. For they know not that the law requireth a free, a willing, a lusty and a loving heart. Therefore they see not Moses right in that face, the veil hangs between, and hideth his face, so that they can not behold the glory of his countenance, how that the law is spiritual, and requireth the heart. I may of mine own strength refrain that I do mine enemy no hurt, but to love him with all mine heart, & to put away wrath clean out of my What w● may do of ourselves, and what we may not do. mind, can I not of mine own strength. I may refuse money of mine own strength, but to put away love unto riches out of mine heart, can I not do of mine own strength. To abstain from adultery (as concerning the outward deed) can I do of mine own strength, but not to desire in mine heart, is as unpossible unto me, as is to choose whether I will hungers or thrust, and yet so the law requireth. Wherefore of a man's own strength is the law never fulfilled, we must have thereunto God's favour and his spirit, purchased by Christ's blood. Nevertheless when I say a man may do many things outwardly clean against his heart, we must understand that man is but driven of divers appetites, and the greatest appetite overcometh the less, and carrieth the man away violently with her. As when I desire vengeance, and fear also the inconvenience that is like to follow, if fear be greater I abstain, if the appetite that desireth vengeance be greater, I can not but prosecute the deed, as we see by experience in many murderers & thieves, which though they be brought into never so great peril of death, yet after they have Where fear and shame is away, there all wickedness is committed. escaped, do even the same again. And common women prosecute their lusts because fear & shame are away, when other which have the same appetites in their hearts, abstain at the least way outwardly, or work secretly being overcome of fear and of shame, and so likewise is it of all other appetites. Furthermore he declared, how the spirit, and the flesh fight together in one man, and maketh an ensample of himself, that we might learn to know that work a right, I mean to kill sin in ourselves. He calleth both the spirit, and also the flesh a law, because that like as the nature of God's law is The flesh is contrary to the spirit to drive, to compel, and to crave, even so the flesh driveth, compelleth, craveth and rageth, against the spirit, and will have her lusts satisfied. On the other side driveth the spirit, crieth and fighteth against the flesh, and will have his lust satisfied. And this strife dureth in The spirit lusteth contrary to the flesh. us, as long as we live, in some more & in some less, as the spirit or the flesh is stronger, & the very man his own self is both the spirit and the flesh, which fighteth with his own self, until sin be utterly slain, and he all together spiritual. In the viii. Chapter he comforteth such fighters, that they despair not be cause of such flesh, either think that they are less in favour with God. And he showed how that the sin remaining in us hurteth not, for there is no There is no danger to them that are in Christ. danger to them, that are in Christ which walk not after the flesh, but fight against it. And he expoundeth more largely what the nature of the flesh, and of the spirit is, and how the spirit cometh by Christ, which spirit maketh us spiritual, tameth, subdueth, and mortifieth the flesh, and certifieth us that we are nevertheless the sons of God, & also beloved, though that sin rage never so much in us, so long as we follow the spirit, and fight against sin to kill and mortify it. And because the chastising of the flesh, the cross, and suffering are nothing pleasant, he comforteth us in our passions and afflictions, by the assistance of the spirit, which maketh intercession to GOD for us mightily with gronynges that pass man's utterance, man's speech can not comprehend them, and the creatures morn also with us of great desire that they have, that we were loosed from sin, and corruption of the flesh. So see we that these three Chapters, the uj. seven. viii. do none othyng The right work of faith, is to mortify the flesh. so much as to drive us unto the right work of faith, which is to kill the old man, and mortify the flesh. In the. ix. x. and. xj. Chapters he treateth of God's predestination, whence it springeth all together, whether we shall believe or not believe, be loosed from sin, or not be loosed. By which predestination our justifying, and salvation, are clean taken out of our hands, and put in the hands of God only, which thing is most necessary of all. For we Predesti●…cion is in the hands of God. are so weak and so uncertain, that if it stood in us, there would of a truth no man be saved, the devil no doubt would deceive us. But now is God sure, that his predestination can not deceive him, neither can any man withstand or let him, and therefore have we hope and trust against sin. But here must a mark be set unto those unquiet, busy, and high climbing spirits, how far they shall go: which first of all bring hither their high reasons and pregnant wits, and begin first from an high to search the bottomless secrets of God's predestination, whether they be predestinate or not. These must needs either cast them selves down headlong into desperation, or else commit themselves to free chance careless. But follow thou the order of How far we may proceed in predestination. this Epistle, and noosell thyself with Christ, and learn to understand what the law and that Gospel mean, and the office of both two, that thou mayest in the one know thyself, and how that thou hast of thyself no strength but to sin, & in the other the grace of Christ, and then see thou fight against sin, and the flesh as the. seven. first Chapters teach thee. After that when thou art come to the viii. Chapter, & art under the cross, and suffering of tribulation, the necessity of prestination will wax sweet, and thou shalt well feel how precious a thing it is. For except thou have born the cross of adversity, and temptation, & hast felt thyself brought unto the very brim of desperation, yea and unto hell gates, thou canst never meddle with the sentence of predestination, without thine own harm, & without secret wrath and grudging inwardly against God, for otherwise it shall not be possible for thee to think that God is righteous, & just. Therefore Predestination is not rashly to be disputed of. must Adam be well mortified, and the fleshly wit brought utterly to naught, yet that thou mayest away with this thing, and drink so strong wine. Take heed therefore unto thyself, that thou drink not wine, while thou art yet but a suckling. For every learning hath her time measure & age, and in Christ is there a certain childhood, in which a man must be content with milk for a season, until he wax strong, and grow up, unto a perfect man in Christ, and be able to eat of more strong meat. In the xii. Chapter, he giveth exhortations. For this manner observeth Paul in all his Epistles, first he teacheth Christ, and the faith, then exhorteth he to good works, and unto continual mortifying of the flesh. So here teacheth he good works in deed, and the true serving of God, and maketh all men Priests, to offer up, not money and beasts, as the manner was in the time of the law, but their own bodies Which are good works meet to be done. with killing, and mortifying the lusts of the flesh. After that he describeth the outward conversation of Christian men, how they aught to behave themselves in spiritual things, how to teach, preach and rule in the congregation of Christ, to serve one an other, to suffer all things patiently, and to commit wreak and vengeance to God: in conclusion how a Christian man aught to behave himself unto all men to friend, foe, or whatsoever he be. These are the right works of a Christian man which spring out of faith. For faith keepeth not holy day, neither suffereth any man to be idle, wheresoever she dwelleth. In the. xiii. he teacheth to honour the worldly and temporal sword. For though that man's law, and ordinance make not a man good before God, neither justify him in the heart, yet are they ordained for the furtherance of the common wealth, to maintain peace, to punish the evil, and to defend the good. Therefore aught the good to honour the temporal sword, and to have it in reverence, though as concerning them selves they need it not, but would abstain from evil of their own accord, yea, and do good without man's law, but by the law of the spirit which governeth the heart, and guideth it unto all that is the will of God. Finally he comprehendeth and knitteth up all in love. Love of her own nature bestoweth all that she hath, and even her own self on that which is loved. Thou Love is the fulfilling of the law. needest not to bid a kind mother to beloving unto her only son, much less spiritual love which hath eyes given her of GOD, needeth man's law to teach her to do her duty. And as in that beginning he did put forth Christ as the cause, and author of our righteousness and salvation, even so here setteth he him forth, as an ensample to counterfeit that as he hath done to us, even so should we do one to an other. In the xiv. Chapter he teacheth to deal soberly with the consciences of the weak in the faith, which yet understand not the liberty of Christ perfectly enough, and to favour them of We must deal lovingly with our weak brethren. Christian love, and not to use the liberty of the faith unto hindrance, but unto the furtherance and edifying of the weak. For where such consideration is not, there followeth debate, and despising of the Gospel. It is better there to forbear the weak a while, until they wax strong, then that the learning should come altogether under foot. And such work is singular work of love, you, and where love is perfect, there must needs be such a respect unto the weak, a thing that Christ commanded and charged to be had above all things. In the 15. Chapter he setteth forth Christ again to be counterfeited, that we also by his ensample should suffer other that are yet weak, as them that The weakness of our brethren is to be considered. are frail, open sinners, unlearned, unexpert, and of loathsome manners, and not to cast them away forthwith, but to suffer them, till they wax better & exhort them in the mean tyme. For so dealt Christ in the gospel, and now dealeth with us daily suffering our unperfectness, weakness, conversation & manners, not yet fashioned after the doctrine of the Gospel, but smell of the flesh, you and sometime break forth into outward deeds. After that to conclude withal, he wisheth them increase of faith, peace, and joy of conscience, praiseth them and committeth them to God and magnifieth his office and administration in the gospel, and soberly and with great discretion desireth secure, and aid of them for the poor saints of jerusalem, and it is all pure love that he speaketh or dealeth withal. So find we In the epistle to the Romans is contained a sufficient doctrine for a Christian man. in this Epistle plenteously, unto the uttermost, whatsoever a christian man or woman aught to know, that is to wit, what the law, the gospel, sum, grace, faith, righteousness, Christ, god, good works, love, hope, hope, and the cross are, and even wherein the pith of of all that pertaineth to the Christian faith standeth, and how a christian man aught to behave himself unto every man, be he perfect, or a sinner, good or bad, strong or weak, friend or foe, and in conclusion, how to behave ourselves both toward God, and toward ourselves also. And all things are profoundly grounded in the Scriptures, and declared with ensamples of himself, of the fathers and of the prohets, that a man can here desire no more. Wherefore it appeareth evidently, that Paul's mind was to comprehend briefly in his Epistle, all the whole learning of Christ's gospel, and to prepare an introduction unto all the old testament. For without doubt, whosoever hath this Epistle perfectly in his heart, the same hath the light, & the effect of the old Testament with him. Wherefore let every man without exception, exercise himself therein diligently, and record it night and day continually, until he be full acquainted therewith. The last chapter is a chapter of recommendation, wherein he yet mingleth a good monition, that we should beware of the traditions and doctrine of men, which beguile the simple with Beware of the traditious of men sophistry, and learning that is not after the Gospel, and draw them from Christ, and noosell them in weak and feeble, and (as Paul calleth them in the epistle to the Gallathians) in beggarly ceremonies, for the intent, that they would live in fat pastures, and be in authority, and be taken as Christ, you and above Christ, and sit in the temple of God, that is to wit, in the consciences of men, where God only, his word & his Christ aught to sit. Compare therefore all manner doctrine of men unto that scripture, and see whether they agreed or not. And commit thyself whole, and all together unto Christ, and so shall he with his holy spirit, and withal his fullness devil in thy soul. Amen. The Prologue upon the first Epistle of S. Paul to the Corinthians, by William Tyndall. THis Epistle declareth itself from chapter to chapter, that it needeth This epistle declareth itself. no Prologue, or introduction to declare it, When Paul had converted a great number at Corinthum, as you read, Act. 18. and was departed, there came immediately false apostles, and sectmakers, and drawn every man's disciples after him, so that the people were whole unquieted, divided, and at variance among themselves, every man for the zeal of his doctor, those new Apostles, not regarding what division, what uncleanness of living, or what false opinions were among the people, as long as they might be in authority, and well at ease in their bellies. But Paul in the first four chapters with great wisdom, and soberness rebuked, first the division & the authors thereof, and calleth the people to Christ again, and teacheth how, and for what the preacher is to be taken. In the 5. he rebuketh the uncleanness that was amongst them. In he 6. he rebuketh the debate and going to law together, pletyng their causes before the heathen. In the 7. he reformeth them concerning chastity and marriage. In the 8. 9 10. and 11. he teacheth the Weak and young consciences as to be stubborn, for the last shall receive the equal reward with the first. strong to forbear the weak, that yet understand not the liberty of the gospel, and that with the ensample of himself, which though he were an apostle, and had authority, yet of love he abstayned to winner other. And he fears them with the ensamples of the old Testament, and rebuketh divers disorders that were among them concerning the Sacrament, and the going barehedded of married women. In the 12. 13. and 14. he teacheth of the manifold gifts of the spirit, and proveth by a similitude of the body, that all gifts are given that each should help other, and through love do service Love fulfilleth the law. to other, and proveth that where love is not, there is nothing that pleaseth God. For that one should love an other, is all that God requireth of us: and therefore if we desire spiritual gifts he teacheth those gifts to be desired that help our neighbours. In the 15. he teacheth of the resurrection of the body. And in the last he exhorteth to help the poor saints. A Prologue upon the second Epistle of S. Paul to the Corinthians, by W. Tyndall. AS in the first epistle he rebuketh the Corinthians sharply, so in this he comforteth them and praiseth them, and commandeth him that was excommunicate, to be received lovingly into the congregation again. And in the 1. and 2. chapters, he It is the part of a good shepherd to venture his life for his sheep. showeth his love to them ward, how that all that he spoke, did, or suffered, was for their sakes, and for their salvation. Then in the 3. 4. and 5. he praiseth the office of preaching the gospel, above that preaching of the law, & showeth that the Gospel groweth through persecution, & through the cross, which maketh a man sure of eternal life: and tribulation for the gospel sake maketh us sure of eternal life. here and there he toucheth that false prophets, which studied to turn the faith of the people from Christ unto the works of the law. In the 6. and 7. chapters, he exhorteth them to suffer with the gospel, & to live as it becometh the Gospel, and praiseth him in the latter end. In the 8. and 9 chapters, he exhorteth them to help the poor saints that were at jerusalem. In the 10. 11. and 12. he inveyegth against the false prophets. And in the last Chapter he threateneth them that had sinned, and not amended themselves. A Prologue upon the Epistle of S. Paul to the Gallathians, by W. Tyndall. AS you read Act. 15. how certain came from jerusalem to Antioch, & vexed that disciples there, affirming that they could not be saved except they were circumcised. Even so, after Paul had converted the Galathians, & coupled them to Christ, to trust in him only for the remission of sin, and hope of grace and salvation, and was departed, there came false apostles unto them, (as unto the Corinthians, and unto all places where Paul had preached) and that in the name of Peter, james, and john, whom they called the high Apostles, and preached circumcision, and the keeping of the law to be saved by, and minished Paul's authority. To the confounding of those, Paul magnifieth his office and Apostleship All that repent, are justified through says by Christ, and not by works. in the two first chapters, and maketh himself equal unto the high Apostles, and concludeth that every man must be justified without deseruyngs, without works, and without help of the law: but alone by Christ. And in the 3. and 4. he proveth the same with Scripture, examples and similitudes, and showeth that the law is cause of more sin, and bringeth the curse of God upon us: and justifieth The law condemneth, but the believing of God's promises justifieth. us not, but that justifying cometh of grace promised us of GOD, through the deserving of Christ, by whom (if we believe) we are justified without help of the works of the law. And in the 5. and 6. he exhorteth unto the works of love, which follow faith and justifying. So that in all his Epistle, he observeth this order. First he preacheth the damnation of the law: then the justifying of faith: and Thirdly the works of love. For on that condition that we love henceforth and work, is the mercy given us, or else if we will not work the will of GOD henceforward, we fall from favour, & grace: and the inheritance that is freely given us for Christ's sake, through our own fault, we loose again. A Prologue upon the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Ephesians. IN this Epistle, and namely in the three first Chapters, Paul showeth that the Gospel & grace thereof was foreseen and predestmate of God, from before the beginning, and deserved through Christ, & now at the last sent forth, that all men should believe thereon, thereby to be justified, made righteous, living and happy, and to be delivered from under the damnation of the law, and captivity of ceremonies. And in the fourth he teacheth to avoid In seeking any other satisfaction than Christ, we beceau● ourselves. traditions, and men's doctrine, and to beware of putting trust in any thing save Christ, affirming that he only is sufficient, and that in him we have all things, and beside him need nothing. In the u and uj. he exhorteth to exercise the faith, and to declare it abroad through good works, and to avoid sin, and to arm them with spiritual armour against the devil, that they might stand fast in time of tribulation, and under the cross. The Prologue upon the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Philippians, by W. Tyndall. Paul praiseth the Philippians, and exhorteth them to stand fast in the true faith, and to increase in love. And because that false Prophets study always to impugn, and destroy the true Hereby are we warned that works save us not, but the word, that is the promise. faith, he warneth them of such work learners or teachers of works, and praiseth Epaphroditus. And all this doth he, in the first and second Chapters. In the third he reproveth faithless, and man's righteousness, which false Prophets teach and maintain. And he setteth him for an ensample, how Man's righteousness zeal or imagination without God's word is odious. that he himself had lived in such false righteousness, and holiness unrebukable, that was so, that no man could complain on him, and yet now setteth naught thereby, for Christ's righteousness sake. And finally he affirmeth that such false Prophets are the enemies of the cross, & make their bellies their GOD, for further than they may safely and without all peril and suffering, will they not preach Christ. A Prologue upon the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Colossians, by W. Tyndall. AS the Epistle to that Galathians holdeth the manner and fashion of the Epistle to the Romans, briefly comprehending all that is therein at length disputed. Even so this Epistle followeth the ensample of the Epistle to the Ephesians, containing the tenor of the same Epistle with fewer words. In the first Chapter he praiseth them, and wisheth that they continued in the For faith when it is preached bringeth the spirit and power to fulfil the law. faith, and grow perfecter therein, & then describeth he the Gospel, how that it is a wisdom that confesseth Christ to be the Lord and God, crucified for us, and a wisdom that hath been hid in Christ, sense afore the beginning of the world, and now first began to be opened through the preaching of the Apostles. In the ij. he warneth them of men's doctrine, and describeth the false Prophets to the uttermost, and rebuketh them according. In that third, he exhorteth to be fruitful Who so hath a pure faith, can not but abound with good works. in the pure faith, with all manner of good works one to an other, and describeth all degrees, and what their duties are. In the fourth he exhorteth to pray, and also to pray for him, and saluteth them. A Prologue upon the first Epistle of S. Paul to the Thessalonians, by W. Tyndall. THis Epistle did Paul writ of exceeding love and care, and praiseth them in the two first chapters, because they did receive the Gospel earnestly, and had in tribulation and Not the receiving of the Gospel, but the continuance to the latter end, maketh us blessed. persecution, continued therein steadfastly, and were become an ensample unto all congregations, and had thereto suffered of their own kinsmen, as Christ and his apostles did of the jews, putting them thereto in mind, how purely and godly he had lived among them to their ensample, and thanketh God, that his gospel had brought forth such fruit among them. In the third chapter he showeth his He means thereby jest they should fall from the word, they had already received. diligence and care, lest his so great labour, and their so blessed a beginning should have been in vain, Satan & his apostles vexing them with persecution, and destroying their faith with men's doctrine. And therefore he sent Tymothie to them to comfort them, and strengthen them in the faith, and thanketh GOD, that they had so constantly endured, and desireth God to increase them. In the fourth, he exhorteth them to keep themselves from sin, and to do good one to another. And thereto he informeth them concerning the resurrection. In the fift, he writeth of the last day, that it should come suddenly, exhorting to prepare them selves thereafter, and to keep a good order concerning obedience and rule. The Prologue upon the second Epistle of S. Paul to the Thessalonians, by W. Tyndall. BEcause in the fore epistle he had said that the last day should come suddenly, the Thessalonians thought that it should come shortly. Wherefore in this Epistle he declareth himself. And in the first chapter he comforteth Patience in persecution for Christ's sake rewarded with the crown of everlasting joy and felicity. them with everlasting reward of their faith and patience, in suffering for the Gospel, and with the punishment of their persecutors in everlasting pain. In the second he showeth that that last day should not come till there were first a departing (as some men think) Hereby have we evident signs, that the latter day is at hand. from under the obedience of that Emperor of Rome, and that Antichrist should set up himself in the same place as god, and deceive the unthankful world with false doctrine, and with false and lying miracles, wrought by the working of Satan, until Christ should come, and slay him with his glorious coming, and spiritual preaching of the word of God, In the third, he giveth them exhortation, and warneth them to rebuke that idle that would not labour with their hands, and avoid their company, if they would not amend. A Prologue upon the first Epistle of S. Paul to Tymothe, by W. Tyndall. THis epistle writeth S. Paul to be an ensample to all Bishops what they should teach, and how they should teach, and how they should govern the congregation of Christ in all degrees, that it should be no need to govern Christ's flock with the doctrine of their own good meanings. In the first Chapter he commandeth The office of a bishop. that the bishop shall maintain that right faith and love, and resist false preachers, which make the law and works equal with Christ and his Gospel. And he maketh a short conclusion of all Christ's learning, whereto the law serveth, and what the end thereof is, also what the Gospel is, and setteth himself for a comfortable ensample unto all sinners, and troubled consciences. In the second, he commandeth to pray for all degrees, and charges that women shall not preach nor wear costly apparel, but to be obedient unto the men. In the third he describeth, what manner people the Bishop or Priest and their wives should be, & also the Deacons and their wives, and commendeth it, if any man desire to be a Bishop after that manner. In the fourth he prophesieth, and The Pope & his Prelates are here plainly set forth, for what Christ loosed freely, the Pope did bind it to loose it again for money. showeth before of the false Bishops & spiritual officers, that should arise among the Christian people, and be, do, and preach clean contrary to the fore described ensample, and should departed from the faith in Christ, and forbid to mary, and to eat certain meats, teaching to put trust therein, both of justifying and forgiveness of sins, & also of deserving of eternal life. In the fift he teacheth how a Bishop should use himself toward young and old, & concerning widows what is to be done, & which should be found of the common cost, and teacheth also Virtuous Bishops are worthy double honour. how men should honour the virtuous Bishops and Priests, and how to rebuke the evil. In the sixt he exhorteth that Bishops to cleave to the Gospel of Christ, and true doctrine, & to avoid vain questions, and superfluous disputynges which gender strife, & quench the truth, and by which also the false Prophets get them authority, and seek to satisfy their insatiable covetousness. The Prologue upon the second Epistle of Saint Paul unto Timothe. W. Tyndall. IN this Epistle Paul exhorteth Timothe to go forward as he had begun, & to preach that Gospel with all diligence, as it need was, seeing many were fallen away, and many false spirits and teachers were sprung up already. Wherefore bishops must be vigilant in their vocation● a bishops part is ever to watch and to labour in the Gospel. In the third and fourth he showeth before and that notably, of the jeopardous time toward the end of that world, in which a false spiritual living should disceine the whole world, with outward hypocrisy, and appearance of holiness, under which all abominations should This hath already been fulfilled in, our spirituality. have their free passage and course, as we (alas) have seen this prophesy of S. Paul fulfilled in our spirituality unto the uttermost jot. The Prologue upon the Epistle of S. Paul to Titus. THis is a short Epistle, wherein yet is contained all that is needful for a Christian to know. In the first Chapter, he showeth what manner a man a Bishop or Curate What manner a man, a Bishop or Curate aught to be. aught to be, that is to wit, virtuous and learned, to preach and defend the Gospel, & to confound the doctrine of trusting in works and men's traditions, which ever fight against the faith, and carry away the conscience captive from the freedom that is in Christ, into the bondage of their own imaginations and inventions, as though the things should make a man good in the light of God, which are to no profit at all. In the second he teacheth all degrees, old, young, men, women, masters and servants, how to behave themselves, as they which Christ bought with his blood, to be his proper, or peculiar people, to glorify god with good works. In the third, he teacheth to honour temporal rulers, and to obey them, and Good deeds please god, so far forth as they are applied to the keeping of the commandments, but Christ only justifieth yet bringeth to Christ again, and to the grace that he hath purchased for us, that no man should think that the obedience of Prince's laws, or any other work, should justify us before God. And last of all he charges to avoid the company of the stubborn, and of the heretics. A Prologue upon the Epistle of Saint Paul unto Philemon, by W. Tyndall. IN this Epistle S. Paul showeth a godly ensample of Christian love. Here in we see how Paul taketh poor Onesimos unto him, and maketh intercession for him unto his master, and helpeth him with all that he may, and behaveth himself none otherwise then as though he himself were the said Onesimos, which thing yet he doth not with power and authority, as he well might have done: but putteth of all authority, and whatsoever he might of right do, that Philemon might do likewise toward Onesimos, and with great meekness and wisdom, teacheth Philemon to see his duty in Christ jesus. The Prologue upon the first Epistle of Saint Peter, by William Tyndall. THis Epistle did S. Peter writ to the heathen that were converted, and exhorteth them to stand fast in the faith, to grow therein, and wax perfect through all manner of suffering, and also good works. In the first he declareth the justifying of faith through Christ's blood, and comforteth them with the hope of the life to come, and showeth that we have not deserved it, but that the prophets prophesied it should be given us, & as Christ which redeemed us out of sin, and all uncleanness is holy, so he exhorteth to lead an holy conversation, & because we be richly bought, and made heirs of a rich inheritance, to take heed that we loose it not again, through our own negligence. In the 2. Chapter, he showeth that Christ is all to a Christian man. Christ is the foundation, and head corner stone, whereon all are built through faith, whether it be jew or Gentile, & how that in Christ they are made priests, to offer themselves to GOD (as Christ did himself) and to slay the lusts of the flesh, that fight against the soul. And first he teacheth them in general to obey the worldly rulers, & than in special he teacheth that servants to obey their masters be they good or bad, and to suffer wrong of them, as Christ suffered wrong for us. In the 3. he teacheth the wives to obey their husbands, you, though they be unbelievers, and to apparel themselves godly, and as it becometh holiness. And thereto that the husbands suffer, and bear the infirmity of their Men aught to rule their wives with god● word. wives, and live according to knowledge with them. And than in general he exhorteth them to be soft, courteous, patiented, and friendly one to an other, and to suffer for righteousness, after the ensample of Christ. In the 4. he exhorteth to fly sin, and to tame the flesh with soberness, To watch is not only to abstain from sleep, but also to avoid all, occasions that may draw us to sin. watching, and prayer, & to love each other, and to know that all good gifts are of God, & every man to help his neighbour, with such as he hath received of God, and finally not to wonder, but to rejoice though they must suffer for Christ's names sake, seeing as they be here partakers of his afflictions, so shall they be partakers of his glory to come. In the 5. he teacheth the bishops & priests how they should live and feed Christ's flock, and warneth us of the devil, which on every side lieth in wait for us. A Prologue upon the second Epistle of S. Peter, by William Tyndall. THis Epistle was written against them which As god rejoiceth not in the deed itself▪ so doth he not in ●…dle faith without works thought that thristen faith might be idle, and with out works, when yet the promise of Christ is made us upon that condition, that we henceforth work the will of God, and not of the flesh. Therefore he exhorteth them to exercise themselves diligently in virtue and all good works, thereby to be sure that they have the true faith, Good works are a show of our faith, as the fruit, is of the tree. as a man knoweth the goodness of a tree by his fruit. Then he commends and magnifieth the gospel, & willeth that men hearken to that only, and to men's doctrine not at all. For as he saith, there came no prophetical scripture by the will of man, but by the will of the holy ghost, which only knoweth the will of God: neither is any scripture of private interpretation, that is to say, may be otherwise expounded them agreeing to the open places, and general articles, & to the covenants of god, and all the rest of the scripture. And therefore in the second, he warneth them of false teachers, that should come, and through preaching confidence in false works, to satisfy their covetousness withal, should deny Christ, Which he threateneth with three terrible examples. With the fall of toe angels, the flood of No, and overthrowing of Sodom and Gomorre, and so describeth them with their insatiable covetousness, pride, stubbornness He prophesieth of the pope's spirituality. and disobedience to all temporal rule and authority, with their abominable whoredom, and hypocrisy, that a blind man may see, that he prophesied it of the Pope's holy spirituality, which devoured the whole world with their covetousness, living in all lust and pleasure, and reigning as temporal tyrants. In the third he showeth that in the latter days, the people through unbelief, and lack of fear of the judgement of the last day, shall be even as Epicures, wholly given to the flesh. Which last day shall yet surely & shortly come saith he: for a thousand years, and one day is with God all one. And he showeth also how terrible that day shall be, & how suddenly it shall come, & therefore exhorteth all men to look earnestly for it, and to prepare themselves against it with holy conversation, and godly living. Finally, the first chapter showeth how it should go in the time of the pure The condition of the world shall wax worse and worse. and true Gospel. The second, how it should go in the time of the Pope and men's doctrine. The third, how at the last men should believe nothing, nor fear God at all. The Prologue upon the three Epistles of S. john, by William Tyndall. IN this first Epistle of Saint john, is contained the doctrine of a very Apostle of Christ, and aught of right to follow his Gospel. For as in his gospel he setteth out the true faith, and teacheth by it only all men to be saved, and restored unto the favour of God again, even so here in this Epistle, he goeth against them, that boast themselves of faith, and yet continued without Where 〈◊〉 true faith is, there are also good works. good works, and teacheth many ways, that where true faith is, there the works tarry not behind, and contrary that where the works follow not, there is no true faith, but a false imagination and utter darkness. And he writeth sore against a sect of heretics, which then began to deny that Christ was come in the flesh, and calleth them very Antichrists, which sect goeth now in her full swinge. For though they deny not openly with the mouth, that Christ is come in the flesh, yet they deny it in that heart with their doctrine & living. For he that will be justified, & Christ's blood purchaseth forgiveness of sins, and not man's works. saved through his own works, the same doth as much as he that denied Christ to be come in flesh, seeing that Christ came only therefore in the flesh, that he should justify us, or purchase us pardon of our sins, bring us in the favour of God again, and make us heirs of eternal life, with his works only, and with his bloodshedding, without, and before all our works. So fighteth this epistle both against them that will be saved by their own good works, and also against them that will be saved by a faith, that hath no lust to do works at all, and keepeth us in that middle way, that we believe in Christ to be saved by his works only, and then to know that it is our duty for that kindness, to prepare ourselves to do the commandment of God, and to love every man his neighbour, as Christ loved him, seeking with our own works God's honour and our neighbour's wealth only: and trusting for eternal life, and for all that God hath promised us for Christ's sake. The two last Epistles though they be short, yet are goodly ensamples of love and faith, and do savour of the spirit of a true Apostle. A Prologue upon the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Hebrues, by William Tyndall. About this epistle hathever been much doubting Whether this were Paul's epistle or no great learned men have doubted. & that among great learned men, who should be the author thereof divers affirming that it was not Paul's, partly because the style so disagreeth, and is so unlike his other Epistles, and partly because it standeth in the second Chapter, this learning was confirmed to us ward: that is to say, taught us by them that herded it themselves of the Lord Now Paul testifieth Gala. 1 that he received not his Gospel of man, nor by man, but immediately of Christ, and that by revelation. Wherefore say they, seeing this man confesseth that he received his doctrine of the Apostles, it can not be Paul's, but some Disciple of the Apostles. Now whether it were Paul's or no I say not, but permit it to other men's judgements, neither think I it to be an Article of any man's faith, but that a man may doubt of the author. Moreover, many there hath been which not only have denied this Epistle Some deny it to have been written by any Apostle, and refuse it as not Catholic. to have been written by any of the Apostles, but have also refused it all together as no Catholic or godly epistle, because of certain texts written therein. For first he saith in the sixt it is impossible that they which were once lighted, and have tasted of the heavenvly gift, and were become partakers of the holy ghost, and have tasted of the good word of GOD, and of the power of the world to come, if they fall, should be renewed again to repentance or conversion. And in the tenth it saith: if we sin willingly after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins, but a fearful looking for judgement, and violent fire which shall destroy the adversaries. And in the xii. it says, that Esau found no way to repentance or conversion, not, though he sought it with tears. Which texts say they, sound: that if a man sin any more after he is once baptized, he can be no more forgiven, and that is contrary to all the Scripture, and therefore to be refused to be Catholic and godly. Unto which I answer: if we should deny this Epistle for those texts sakes, so should we deny first A solution of the former doubts Matthew, which in his xii. Chapter affirmeth that he which blasphemeth the holy Ghost, shall neither be forgiven here, nor in the world to come. And then Mark, which in his third Chapter saith, that he that blasphemeth the holy Ghost, shall never have forgiveness, but shallbe in danger of eternal damnation. And thirdly Luke, which says there shall be no remission to him that blasphemeth the spirit of God. Moreover john in his first Epistle says, there is a sin unto death, for which a man should not pray. And ij. Pet. ij. says if a man be fled from the uncleanness of the world through the knowledge of our Saviour jesus Christ, and then be wrapped in again, his end is worse than the beginning, and that it had better for him never to have known the truth. And Paul ij, Ti. iij. curseth Alexander the Coppersmith, desiring the lord to reward him according to his deeds. Which is a sign that either that Epistle should not be good, or that Alexander had sinned past forgiveness, no more to be prayed for. Wherefore, seeing no Scripture is of private interpretation, but must be expounded according to the general Articles of our faith, and agreeable to other open and evident texts, & confirmed This not to be denied to be Paul's Epistle. or compared to like sentences, why should we not understand these places with like reverence as we do the other, namely when all the remnant of the Epistle is so godly, & of so great learning? The first place in the uj. Chapter, will no more than that they which know the truth, and yet willingly refuse the light, and choose rather to devil in darkness, and refuse Christ, & make a mock of him (as the Pharisies, which when they were overcome with Scripture & miracles, that Christ was the very Messiah, yet had they such lust in iniquity that they forsook him, persecuted him, slew him, and did all the shame that could be imagined to him) can not be renewed (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) saith the Greek, to be converted: that is to say, such malicious unkindness, which is none other, than the blaspheming of the holy Ghost, deserveth that the spirit shall never come more at them to convert them, which I believe to be as true, as any other text in all the Scripture. And what is meant by that place in the tenth Chapter, where he saith, if we sin willingly after we have received that knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice, for sin is declared immediately after. For he maketh a comparison between Moses and Christ, saying: if he which despised Moses law died without mercy, how much worse punishment is he worthy of, that treadeth the son of God underfoot, and counteth the blood of the covenant, by which blood he was sanctified, as an unholy thing, & blasphemeth the spirit of grace? By which words it is manifest that he means none other by the fore words, than the sin of blasphemy of the spirit. For them that sin of ignorance or infirmity, there is remedy, but for him that knoweth the truth, and yet willingly yieldeth himself to sin, & consenteth unto the life of sin with soul and body, & had rather lie in sin, then have his poisoned nature healed, Mercy is locked up from him which wilfully yieldeth his body 〈◊〉 soul to sin. by the help of the spirit of grace, and maliciously persecuteth the truth, for him I say there is no remedy, the way to mercy is locked up, and the spirit is taken from him, for his unthankfulness sake no more to be given him. Truth it is, if a man can turn to God and believe in Christ, he must be forgiven how deep soever he hath sinned: but that will not be without the spirit, and such blasphemers shall no more have the spirit offered them. Let every man therefore fear God, and beware that he yield not himself to serve sin, but how often soever he sin, let him be begin again and fight a fresh, and no doubt he shall at the last overcome, and in the mean time, yet be under mercy for Christ's sake, because his heart worketh, and would fain be loused from under the bondage of sin. And there it saith in the. xii. Esau found no way (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) to be converted and reconciled unto God, and restored unto his birth right again, though he sought it with tears, that text must have a spiritual eye. For Esau in selling his birthright, despised not only that temporal promotion, that he should have been Lord over all his brethren, and king of that country: but he also refused the grace and mercy of GOD, and the spiritual blessing of Abraham and Isaac, and all that mercy that is promised us in Christ: which should have been his seed. Of this you see that this Epistle aught no more to be refused for holy, godly, and Catholic, than the other authentic Scriptures. Now therefore to come to our purpose again, though this Epistle (as it saith in the sixt) lay not the ground of the faith of Christ, yet it buildeth cunningly thereon pure gold, silver, and precious stones, & proveth the priesthood of Christ with Scriptures inevitable. Moreover, there is no work in No place in the scripture, so plainly describeth the significations & figures of the old testament, as this epistle doth. all the Scripture, that so plainly declareth the meaning and significations of the sacrifices, ceremonies, and figures of the old Testament, as this Epistle: in so much that if wilful blindness, & malicious malice were not the cause, this Epistle only were enough to weed out of the hearts of the papists, that cankered heresy of justifying of works, concerning our Sacraments, ceremonies, and all manner traditions of their own invention. And finally in that you see in the tenth that he had been in bonds, and prison for Christ's sake, & in that he so mightily driveth all to Christ to be saved through him, and so cared for the flock of Christ that he both written and sent, where he herded that they begon to faint, to comfort, courage, & strength them with the word of GOD, and in that also that he sent Timothe, Paul's Disciple, both virtuous, well learned, and had in great reverence, it is easy to see that he was a faithful servant of Christ's, and of the same doctrine that Timothe was of, yea, and Paul him This epistle for that it agreeth with the rest of the scripture aught to be of equal authority with the other. self was of, and that he was an Apostle or in the Apostles time, or near thereunto. And seeing the Epistle agreeth to all the rest of the Scripture (if it be indifferently looked on) why should it not be authority and taken for holy Scripture? The Prologue upon the Epistle of S. james, by W. Tyndall. Though this Epistle were refused in the old time, and denied of many to be the epistle of a very Apostle, and though also it lay not the foundation of the faith of Christ, but speaketh of a general faith in god, neither preacheth his death and resurrection, either the mercy that is laid up in store for us in him, or everlasting covenant made us in his blood, which is the office, and duty of a very apostle, as Christ sayeth: john 15. you shall testify of me: yet because it setteth up no man's doctrine, but crieth to keep the law of God, & maketh love which This epistle is to be taken as holy scripture. is without partiality the fulfilling of the law, as Christ and all the Apostles did, and hath thereto many good and godly sentences in it: and hath also nothing that is agreeable to the rest of the scripture: if it be looked indifferently on, me thinketh it aught of right to be taken for holy scripture. For as for that place for which happily it was at the beginning refused of holy men (as it aught, if it had meant as they took it, and for The papists allege this text for their purpose, through misunderstanding the same. which place only, for the false understanding, it hath been chief received of the Papists) yet if the circumstances be well pondered, it will appear that the author's intent was far otherwise then they took for. For where he says in the 2. chapter, faith without deeds is dead in itself, he means none other thing, than all the scripture doth: how that that faith which hath no good deeds following, is a false faith, and none of that faith justifieth, or receiveth forgiveness of sins. For God promised them only forgiveness of their sins only, which turn to GOD to keep his laws. Wherefore they that purpose to continued still in sin, have no part in that promise, but deceive themselves if they believe that GOD hath forgiven them their old sins for Christ's sake. And after when he saith, that a man is justified by deeds, and not of faith only, he will no more, than that faith doth not justify every where, that nothing justifieth save faith. For deeds also do justify. And as faith only justifieth before God, so do deeds only justify before the world, whereof is enough spoken, partly in that Prologue on Paul to the Romans, and also in other places. For as Paul affirmeth, Rom. 2. that Abraham was not justified by works before God, but by faith only as Gen. beareth record, so will james that deeds only justified him before faith only justifieth the world, and faith wrought with his deeds: that is to say, fanyth wherewith he was righteous before God in the heart, did 'cause him to work the will of God outwardly, whereby he was righteous before the world, and whereby the world perceived that he believed in God, loved and feared God. And as Hebr. 11. that scripture affirmeth that Raab was justified before God through faith, so doth james affirm that through works, by which she showeth her faith, she was justified before the world, and it is true. And as for the Epistle of judas, though men have, and yet do doubt of the author, and though it seem also to be drawn out of the second Epistle of S. Peter, and thereto allegeth scripture that is no where found, yet seeing the matter is so godly, and agreeing to holy Scripture, I see not but that it aught to have the authority of holy Scripture. An exposition upon certain words, and phrases of the new Testament. INfernus and Gehenna differ much in signification, though we have none interpretation for either of them, then this english word Hell: for Gehenna signifieth a place of punishment: but Infernus is taken for any manner of place beneath in the earth, as a grave, sepulchre, or a cave. Hell it is called in Hebrew the valley of Hennon, a place by jerusalem, where they brent their children in fire, unto the Idol Moloch, and is usurped, and taken now for a place where the wicked, and ungodly shallbe tormented both soul and body, after the general judgement. give room to the wrath of God: Rom. 12. Wrath is there taken for vengeance, and the meaning is: let God avenge either by himself, or by the officers that bear his room. There tarry and abide till you go out. It is Mark the 6. chap. wheresoever you enter into an house, there abide till you go out thence: And Luke. 9 it is. Into whatsoever house you enter, there tarry, and go not out thence, that is to say, whosoever receiveth you, there abide as long as you are in the city, or town: and go not shamefully a begging from house to house, as Friars do. Dust, shake of the dust of your feet. Math. 10. Why are they commanded to shake of the dust? for a witness saith Luke, that that deed may testify against them, in the day of judgement, that the doctrine of salvation was offered for them, but they would not receive them: you see also that such gestures and ceremonies, have greater power with them, than have bore words only, to move the heart, and to stir up faith, as do the laying on of hands, & anointing with oil, etc. Hypocrites can you discern the face of heaven, and not discern the sign of the times? that is to say, they could judge by the signs of the sky what weather should follow, but they could not know Christ by the signs of the Scripture, and yet other signs might not be given them. He that saith he knoweth Christ, & keepeth not his commandments is a liar. To know Christ is to believe in Christ: Ergo, he that keepeth not the commandments, believeth not in Christ. ¶ The end of such Prologues of the old Testament, and new Testament, as were made by William Tyndall. The parable of the wicked Mammon, published in the year 1527. the 8. of May, by William Tyndall. ¶ That faith the mother of all good works justifieth us, before we can bring forth any good work: as the husband marrieth his wife before he can have any lawful children by her. Furthermore, as the husband marrieth not his wife, that she should continued unfruitful as before, and as she was in the state of virginity (wherein it was impossible for her to bear fruit) but contrariwise to make her fruitful: even so faith justifieth us not, that is to say, marrieth us not to God, that we should continued unfruitful as before, but that he should put the seed of his holy spirit in us (as S. john in his first Epistle calleth it) and to make us fruitful. For saith Paul, Ephe. 2. By grace are you made safe through faith, and that not of yourselves: for it is the gift of God, and cometh not of the works, lest any man should boast himself. For we are his workmanship created in Christ jesus unto good works, which God hath ordained that we should walk in them. William Tyndale otherwise called Hitchins to the Reader. GRace and peace with all manner spiritual fceling and living, worthy of the kindness of Christ, be with the reader, & with all that trust the will of God, Amen. The cause why I set my The cause why W. Tyndall put his name to some books & left it out in some. name before this little treatise, and have not rather done it in the new testament, is, that then I followed the counsel of Christ which exhorteth men. Math. 6. to do their good deeds secretly, and to be content with the conscience of well doing, and that God seethe us, and patiently to abide the reward of the last day which christ hath purchased for us: & now would I fain have done likewise, but am I compelled otherwise to do. While I abode, a faithful companion which now hath taken another voyage upon him, to preach Christ where (I suppose) he was never yet preached (God which put in his heart thither to go, send his spirit with him, comfort him and bring his purpose to good effect) one William Roye, a man William Roye a fal●e Disciple. somewhat crafty, when he cometh unto new acquaintance, and before he be through known, and namely, when all is spent, came unto me, and offered his help. As long as he had no money, somewhat I could rule him, but as soon as he had got him money, he become like himself again. Nevertheless I suffered all things till that was ended, which I could not do alone without one, both to writ, and to help me to copare the texts together. When that was ended, I took my leave and bade him farewell for our two lives, and as men say, a day longer. After we were departed he went, and gate him new friends, which thing to do, he passeth all that ever I yet known. And there, when he had stored him of money, he gate him to Argentine, where he professed wonderful faculties, & maketh boast of no small things. A year after that, and now xii. months before the printing of this work, came one Jerome a brother of Greenwich also, through Jerome a brother of Greenwich Worms to Argentine, saying that he intended to be Christ's Disciple another while, & to keep (as nigh as God would give him grace) the profession of his baptism, & to get his living with his hands, & to live no longer idly, & of the sweat and labour of those captives, which they had taught, not to believe in Christ, but in cut shoes, and russet coats. Which Jerome with all diligence I warned of Royes' boldness, & exhorted him to beware of him, & to walk quietly, and with all patience & long suffering, according as we have Christ & his Apostles, for an ensample, which thing he also promised me. Nevertheless when he was coming to Argentine, William Roye (whose tongue is able not only to make fools stark mad, but also to deceive the wisest that is at the first sight and acquaintance) gate him to him, and set him a work, to make rhymes, while he himself translated a Dialogue out of Latin into English, in whose Prologue he promises more a great deal, than I fear me he will ever pay. Paul saith. 2. Timo. 2. The servant 2. Timo. 2. of the Lord must not strive, but be peaceable unto all men, and ready to teach, & one that can suffer the evil with meekness, and that can inform them that resist: if God at any time will give them repentance for to know the troth. It becometh not then the lords servant to use railing rhymes, but God's word, which is the right weapon to slay sin, vice & all iniquity. The Scripture of god is good to teach, and to improve, ij. Timo. iij. and. ij. Thes. ij. Paul speaking 2. Timo. 3. 2. Thess. 2. of Antichrist saith, Whom the Lord shall destroy with the spirit or breath of his mouth, that is, with the word of God. And. ij. Cor. x. 2. Cor. 10. The weapons of our war are not carnal things (saith he) but mighty in God to cast down strong holds, and so forth, that is, to destroy high buildings of false doctrine. The word of God is that day whereof Paul speaketh. i Cor. iij.) which shall declare all thing, 1. Cor 3 & that fire which shall try every man's work, and consume false doctrine: with that sword aught men sharply to fight, and not to rail with foolish rhymes. Let it not offend thee, that some walk inordinately, let not the wickedness of judas, 'cause thee to despise the doctrine of his fellows. No man aught to think that Stephen was a false preacher, because that Nicolas which was choose fellow with him (Act. uj.) to minister unto the Acts. 6. widows, fallen after into great heresies, as histories make mention. Good and evil go always together, one can not be known without the other. Mark this also above all things, that Antichrist what it is. Antichrist is not an outward thing, that is to say, a man that should suddenly appear with wonders, as our fathers talked of him. Not verily, for Antichrist is a spiritual thing. And is as much to say as against Christ, that is, one that preacheth false doctrine contrary to Christ. Antichrist was in the old Testament and fought with the Prophets, he was also in the time of Christ, & of the Apostles, as thou readest in the Epistles of john, and of Paul to the Corinthians, and Galathians, and other Epistles. Antichrist is now & shall (I doubt not) endure till the worlds end. But his nature is (when he is uttered and overcome with the word of God) to go out of the play for a season, and to disguise himself, and then to come in again with a new name, and new raiment. As thou seest Scribes & Phariseis were very Antechristes'. how Christ rebuketh the Scribes, and the Pharisees, in the Gospel (which were very Antechristes') saying, Woe be to you Pharisees, for you rob widows houses, you pray long prayers under a colour, you shut up the kingdom of heaven, & suffer them not that would, to enter in, you have taken away the key of The properties of Antichrist. knowledge, you make men break God's commandments with your traditions, you beguile the people with hypocrisy and such like. Which things all our prelate's do, but have yet got them new names, and other garments, and are otherwise disguised. There is difference in the names between a Pope, a Cardinal, a bishop, and so forth, and to say a Scribe, a Pharisey, a senior and so forth: but the thing is all one. Even so now when we have uttered him, he will change himself once more, and turn himself into an angel of light, 2. Cor. 11. Read the place I 2. Cor. 11. exhort thee, whatsoever thou art that readest this, and note it well. The jews look Antichrist hath been among us a long tyme. for Christ, and he is come xv. hundred years ago, and they not ware: we also have looked for Antichrist, and he hath reigned as long, and we not ware: and that because either of us looked carnally for him, and not in the places where we aught to have sought. The jews had found Christ verily, if they had sought him in the law and the Prophets, whether Christ sendeth them to seek: john john. 〈◊〉. 5. We also had spied out Antichrist long ago, if we had looked in the doctrine of Christ, & his apostles, where, because the beast seethe himself now to be sought for, he roareth, and seeketh new holes to hide himself in, & changeth himself into a thousand fashions with all manner wiliness, falsehood, subtlety & craft. Because that his excommunications are Antichrist accounteth it treason to be acquainted with Christ. come to light, he maketh it treason unto the king, to be acquainted with Christ. If Christ, & they may not reign together, one hope we have that Christ shall live ever. The old Antichristes brought Christ unto Pilate, saying by our law he aught to die, and when Pilate bade them judge him after their law, they answered, it is not lawful for us to kill any man, which they did to the intent that they which regarded not the shame of their false excommunications, should yet fear to confess Christ, because that the temporal sword had condemned him. They do all thing of a good zeal they say, they love you so well, that they had rather burn you, then that you should have fellowship with Christ. They are jealous over you amiss (as saith S. Paul Gal. iiij.) They would divide you Gal● 4. from Christ and his holy Testament, and join you to the Pope, to believe in his Testament and promises. Some man will ask (peradventure) why I take the labour to make this work, in as much as they will burn it, seeing they burned the Gospel, I answer, in burning the new Testament they did none other thing then that I looked for, no more shall they do, if they burn me also, if it be Gods will it shall so be. Nevertheless, in translating of the Testament I did my duty, and so do I now, and will do as much more as God hath ordained me to do. And as I offered that, to all men to correct it, who soever could, even so do I this. Who soever therefore readeth this, compare it unto the Scripture. If God's word bear record unto it, and thou also feelest in thy heart, that it is so, be of good comfort and give God thanks. If God's word condemn it, then hold it accursed, and so do all other doctrines. As Paul counseleth his Galathians. Believe not every spirit suddenly, but judge them by the word of God, which is the trial of all doctrine and lasteth for ever. Amen. The Parable of the wicked Mammon. THere was a certain Luke. 16. rich man, which had a steward that was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods. And called him, and said unto him. How is it that I hear this of thee? give accounts of thy stewardship. For thou mayst be no longer my steward. The steward said with in himself. What shall I do? for my master will take away from me my stewardship. I can not dig, and to beg, I am ashamed. I wot what to do, that when I am put out of my stewardship, they may receive me into their houses. Then called he all his master's debtors, and said unto the first, how much owest thou unto my master? And he said, an hundred tons of oil, and he said to him: take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and writ fifty. Then said he to an other, what owest thou? And he said, an hundred quarters of wheat. He said to him. Take thy bill, and writ four score. And the Lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely. For the children of this world, are in their kind, wiser than the children of light. And I say also unto you, make you friends of the wicked Mammon, that when you shall have need, they may receive you into everlasting habitations. Luke. xuj. Chapter. For as much as with this, & divers such other texts, many have enforced to draw the people from the true faith, & from putting their trust in the truth of God's promises, and in the merits and deserving of his Christ our Lord, and have also brought it to pass (for many false Prophets shall arise and deceive many, and much wickedness must also be, saith Christ Math. xxiv. Math. 2●… And Paul saith. ij. Timo. iij. Evil men and deceivers shall prevail in evil, 2. Timo. 3. while they deceive, and are deceived themselves) and have taught them to put their trust in their own merits, and brought them in belief, that they shallbe justified in the sight of God, by the goodness of their own works, & have corrupt the pure word of God, to confirm their Aristotle with all. For though that the Philosophers, & worldly wisemen were enemies above all enemies to the Gospel of God, and though the worldly wisdom can not comprehend the wisdom of God, as thou mayst see. i Corint. j and. ij. And though worldly righteousness can not 1. Cor. 1▪ and. 2. be obedient unto the righteousness of God. Rom. x, Yet what so ever they read in Aristotle, that must be first true. Roma. 10. And to maintain that, they rend and tear the Scriptures with their distinctions, and expound them violently contrary to the meaning of the text, and to the circumstances that go before and after, and to a thousand clear and evident texts. Wherefore I have taken in hand to expound this Gospel, & certain other places of the new Testament, and (as far forth as God shall lend me grace) to bring the Scripture unto the right sense, and to dig again the wells of Abraham, and to purge & cleanse them of the earth of worldly wisdom, where with these Philistenes have stopped them. Which grace grant me God, for the love that he hath unto his son jesus our Lord, unto the glory of his name. Amen. THat faith only before all works and without all merits, but Christ's Faith only justifieth only, justifieth and setteth us at peace with God, is proved by Paul in the first chapter to the Roma. I am Roma. 1. not ashamed (saith he) of the Gospel, that is to say, of the glad tidings and promises which God hath made, and sworn to us in Christ. For it (that is to say the gospel) is the power of god unto salvation, to all that believe. And it followeth in the foresaid chapter, that just or righteous must live by faith. For in the faith which we have in Christ, and in God's promises find Faith bringeth life. we mercy, life, favour and peace. In the law we find death, damnation, & The law bringeth death. wrath: moreover, the curse and vengeance of GOD upon us. And it (that is to say, the law) is called of Paul, 2. Corin. 3. the ministration of 1. Cor. 3. death and damnation. In the law we are proved to be the enemies of God, and that we hate him. For how can we be at peace with God and love him, seeing we are conceived, and born under the power of the devil, and are his possession and kingdom, his captives and bondmen, and led at his will, & he holdeth our hearts, so that it is impossible for us to consent to the will of God, much more is it impossible for a man to fulfil the law of his own strength and power, seeing that we are by birth and of nature, the heirs of eternal damnation. As saith Paul Ephe 2. We (saith he) are by nature the Ephe. 2. children of wrath. Which thing the law doth but utter only, and helpeth us not, yea requireth impossible things of us. The law when it commandeth that thou shalt not lust, giveth thee not power so to do, but damneth thee, because thou caused not so do. IF thou wilt therefore be at peace with God, and love him, thou must turn to the promises of God, and to that Gospel, which is called of Paul in the The Gospel is the ministration of righteousness. place before rehearsed to the Corinthians, the ministration of righteousness, and of the spirit. For faith bringeth pardon, and forgiveness freely purchased by Christ's blood, and bringeth also the spirit, the spirit loseth the bonds of the devil, and setteth us at liberty. For where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty saith Paul in the same place to the Corinthians, that is to say, there the heart is free, and hath power to love the will of God, & there the heart mourneth that he cannot love enough. Now is that consent of that heart unto the law of God eternal life, yea, though there be no power yet in the members to fulfil it. Let every man therefore (according to Paul's council in the 6. chapter to the Eph.) arm himself with that armour of god, that is to understand, with gods promises, & above all thing (sayeth he) take unto you the shield of faith, wherewith you may be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked, that you may be able Resist the devil with the shield of faith. to resist in the evil day of temptation, and namely at the hour of death. See therefore thou have Gods promises in thine heart, and that thou believe them without wavering: & when temptation ariseth, and the devil layeth the law, & thy deeds against thee, answer him, with the promises, and turn to God and confess thyself to him, and say it is evenso, or else how could he be merciful? but remember that he is the God of mercy, & of truth, and cannot but fulfil his promises. Also remember that his sons blood is stronger than all the sins and wickedness of the whole world, and therewith quiet thyself, and thereunto commit thyself, and bless thyself in all temptation (namely, at the hour of death) with that holy candle. Or else perishest Faith is the holy can●de wherewith we must bless ourselves at the last hour. thou, though thou hast a thou sand holy candles about thee, a HUNDRED ton of holy water, a shipfull of pardons, a cloth sack full of friars coats, and all the ceremonies in the world, and all the good works, deservings and merits of all the men in the world, be they or were they never so holy, God's word only lasteth for ever, and that which he hath sworn, doth abide, when all other things perish. So long as thou findest any consent in thine heart unto the law of God, that it is righteous and good, and also displeasure that thou canst not fulfil it, despair not, neither doubt, but that God's spirit is in thee, and that thou art choose for Christ's sake, to the inheritance of eternal life. And again, Rom. 3. We suppose Roma. 3. that a man is justified through faith, without the deeds of the law. And likewise Rom. 4. We say that saith was Roma 4. reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. Also Romans. u seeing that Faith is accounted to us for righteousness. Gal. 3. we are justified through faith, we are at peace with God. Also Roma. 10. With the heart doth a man believe, to be made righteous. Also Gal 3 Received you the spirit by the deeds of the law, or by hearing of the faith? Doth he which ministereth the spirit unto you, & worketh miracles among you, do it of the deeds of the law, or by hearing of faith? Even as Abraham believed god, & it was reckoned to him for righteousness. Understand therefore (says he) The children of faith are the children of Abraham. that the children of faith are the children of Abraham. For the Scripture see before, that God would justify the heathen or Gentiles by faith, & showed before glad tidings unto Abraham, in thy seed shall all nations be blessed. Wherefore they which are of faith are blessed, that is to wit, made righteous with righteous Abraham. For as many as are of the deeds of the law, are under curse. For it is written, says he: Cursed is every man that continueth not in all things, which are written in the book of the law to fulfil them. Item Gala. ij. where he resisted Peter in the face he saith. We which are Gal. 2. jews by nation, and not sinners of the Gentiles, know that a man is not justified by the deeds of the law, but by the faith of jesus Christ, and have therefore believed on jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the deeds of the law: for by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified. Item in the same place he saith, touching that I now live, I live in the faith of the son of God, faith only justifieth us. which loved me, and gave himself for me, I despise not the grace of GOD. For if righteousness come by the law, them is Christ dead in vain. And of such like ensamples are all the Epistles of Paul full. Mark how Paul laboureth with himself to express the exceeding mysteries of faith, in the epistle to the Ephesians, and in the Epistle to the Collossians. Of these and many such like texts, are we sure that the forgiveness of sins, and justifying is appropriate unto faith only without the adding to of works. Take for the also the similitude that Christ maketh Math. seven. A good tree Math. 7. bringeth forth good fruit. And a bad tree bringeth forth bad fruit. There seest thou, that the fruit maketh not the tree good, but the tree the fruit, & that the tree must afore hand be good, or be made good: year it can bring forth good fruit. As he also saith Math. xii. either Mat. ●2. make the tree good, and his fruit good also, either make the tree bad, and his fruit bade also. How can you speak well while you yourselves are evil: So likewise is this true, and nothing more true, that a man before all good works must first be good, and that it is impossible that works should make him good, if he were not good before, yet he did good works. For this is Christ's principle & (as we say) a general rule. A principle taught by Christ. How can you speak well, while you are evil? so likewise how can you do good, while you are evil. This is therefore a plain, and a sure conclusion not to be doubted of, that there must be first in the heart of a man, before he do any good work, a greater and a preciouser thing than all the good works in the world to reconcile him to God, to bring the love and favour of God to him, to make him love God again, to make him righteous, and good in the sight of God, to do a way his sin, to deliver him, and loose him, out of that captivity where in he was conceived and born, in which he could neither love God, neither the will of God. Or else how can he work any good work that should please God, if there were not some supernatural goodness in him given of GOD freely, where of the good work must spring? even as a sick man must first be healed or made whole, yet he can do the deeds of an whole man, and as the blind man must first have sight given him, yet he can see: and he that hath his feet in fetters, gives, or stocks must first be loosed, or he can go, walk or run, and even as they which thou readest of in the Gospel, that they were possessed of the devils, could not laud God, till the devils were cast out. That precious thing which must be in the heart, yer a man can work any good work is the word of God, which in the Gospel preacheth, proffereth & Faith being joined with the word of God, bringeth forth good fruit. bringeth unto all that repent, and believe, the favour of God in Christ. Who soever heareth the word, and believeth it, the same is thereby righteous, and thereby is given him the spirit of God, which leadeth him unto all that is the will of God, and is loosed from the captivity and bondage of the devil, and his heart is free to love God, and hath lust to do the will of GOD. Therefore it is called the word of life, the word of grace, the word of health, the word of redemption, the word of forgiveness, and the word of peace, he that heareth it not, or believeth it not, can by no means be made righteous before God. This confirmeth Peter in the xv. of the Acts, seeing that GOD Acts. 15. through faith doth purify the hearts. For of what nature so ever the word of God is, of the same nature must the hearts be, which believe thereon and cleave thereunto. Now is the word living, pure, righteous and true, & even so maketh it the hearts of them that believe thereon. IF it be said that Paul (when he says in the iij. to the Romans, no flesh shallbe, or can be justified by the deeds of the law) means it of the ceremonies or sacrifices, it is an untrue saying. For it followeth immediately, by the law cometh the knowledge of sin. Now are they not the ceremonies that utter sin, but the law of commandments. In the iiij. (he saith) the law causeth wrath which can not be understand of the ceremonies, for they were given to reconcile the people to God again after they had sinned. If as they say the ceremonies The law cannot justify us. which were given to purge sin and to reconcile, justify not, neither bless, but temporally only, much more the law of commandments justifieth not. For that which proveth a man sick, health him not, neither doth the cause of wrath bring to favour, neither can that which damneth save a man. When the mother commandeth her child, but even to rock the cradle, it grudgeth, the commandment doth but utter the poison that lay hide, and setteth him at bate with his mother, and maketh him believe she loveth him not. These commandments also (thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not lust desire or wish after thy neighbour's wife, servant, maid ox or ass, or what soever pertaineth unto thy neighbour) give me not power so to do, but utter the poison that is in me and damn me, because I can not so do, and prove that God is wrath with me, seeing that his will, and mine are so contrary. Therefore saith Paul Gal. iij. If there had been given Gal. 3. such a law that could have given life, than no doubt righteousness had come by the law, but the Scripture concluded all under sin (saith he) that the promise might be given unto them that believe through the faith that is in jesus Christ. The promises when they are believed) faith in Christ's promises doth justify us. are they that justify, for they bring the spirit which loseth the heart, giveth lust to the law, and certifieth us of that good will of God unto us ward. If we submit ourselves unto God, & desire him to heal us, he will do it, and will in the mean time (because of the consent of the heart unto the law) count us for full whole, & will no more hate us, but pity us, cherish us, be tender hearted to us, & love us as he doth Christ himself. Christ is our redeemer, Saviour, peace, atonement, and satisfaction, and hath made amendss or satisfaction to Godward for all the sin which they that repent (consenting to the law and believing the promises) do, have done, or shall do. So that if through Christ is the storehouse of mercy for us. fragility we fall a thousand times in a day, yet if we do repent again, we have always mercy laid up for us in store in jesus Christ our Lord WHat shall we say then to those Scriptures which go so sore upon good works? As we read Math. twenty-five. I was an hungered, and you gave me meat. etc. And such like. Which all sound as though we should be justified, and accepted unto the favour of God in Christ through good works. To this I answer. Many there are which when they hear or read of faith, at once they consent thereunto, and have a certain imagination or opinion of faith, as when a man telleth a story or a thing done in a strange land, that pertaineth not to them at all. Which yet they heleve, and tell as a true thing. And this imagination or opinion they The definition of true faith. call faith. They think no further than that faith is a thing which standeth in their own power to have, as do other natural works which men work: but they feel no manner working of the spirit, neither the terrible sentence of the law, the fearful judgements of God, the horrible damnation and captivity under Satan. Therefore as soon as they have this opinion, or imagination in there hearts that saith, verily this doctrine seemeth true, I believe it is even so. Then they think that the right faith is there. But afterward when they feel in themselves, and also see in other, that there is none alteration, and that the works follow not, but that they are altogether even as before, and abide in their old estate: then think they that faith is not sufficient, but that it must be some greater thing than faith that should justify a man. So fall they away from faith again, and cry saying, faith only justifieth not a man, and maketh him acceptable to GOD. If thou ask them wherefore. They answer, see how many there are that believe, and yet do no more than they did before. These are they which judas in his Epistle calleth dreamers, which deceive themselves with their own fantasies. For Faith that bringeth not forth fruit, is but a dream. what other thing is their imagination which they call faith, than a dreaming of the faith, and an opinion of their own imagination wrought without the grace of God? These must needs be worse at the latter end than at the beginning. These are the old vessels, that rent, when new wine is poured into them. Math. ix. that is, they hear Mat. 9 God's word, but hold it not, and therefore wax worse, than they were before. But the right faith springeth not of man's fantasy, neither is it in any man's power to obtain it, but is all together Faith is the gift of God. the pure gift of God poured into us freely, without all manner doing of us, without deserving and merits, yea and without seeking for of us. And is (as saith Paul in the second to the Ephesians) even Gods gift and grace Ephe. 2. purchased through Christ. Therefore is it mighty in operation, full of virtue and ever working, which also renueth a man and begetteth him a fresh, altereth him, changeth him, and turneth him altogether into a new nature and conversation: so that a man feeleth his heart all together altered, changed, and far otherwise disposed then before, & hath power to love that which before he could not but hate, and delighteth in that, which before he abhorred, and hateth that, which before he could not but love. And it setteth the soul at liberty, and maketh her free to follow the will of God, and doth to the soul even as health doth unto the body, after that a man is pined and wasted away with a long soaking disease: the legs cannot bear him, he cannot lift up his hands to help himself, his taste is corrupt, sugar is bitter in his mouth, his stomach abhorreth longing after slibbersause and swash, at which a whole stomach is ready to cast his gorge. When health cometh, she changes and altereth him clean, giveth him strength in all his members, lust & to do of his own accord, that which before he could not do, neither could suffer that any man exhorted him to do, and hath now lust in wholesome things, and his members are free and at liberty, and have power to do of their own accord all things, which belong to an whole man to do, which afore they had no power to do, but were in captivity and bondage. So likewise in all thing doth right faith to the soul. The spirit of God accompanieth faith, & bringeth with her light, wherewith a man beholdeth himself in the law of God, and seethe his miserable bondage and captivity, and humbleth The spirit of God accompanieth Faith. himself, and abhorreth himself: she bringeth God's promises of all good things in Christ. God worketh with his word, and in his word. And as his word is preached, faith rooteth herself in the hearts of the elect: and as faith entereth and the word of God is believed, the power of God loseth the heart from the captivity, and bondage under sin, and knitteth and coupleth him to God, and to the will of God: altereth him, changeth him clean, fashioneth, and forgeth him a new, giveth him power to love, and to do that which before was unpossible for him either to love or do, and turneth him into a new nature: so that he loveth that which he before hated, and hateth that which he before loved, and is clean altered, changed, and contrary disposed, and is knit and coupled fast to Gods will, and naturally bringeth forth good works, that is to say, that which God commandeth to do, and not things of his own imagination. And that doth he of his own accord, as a tree bringeth forth fruit of her own accord. And as thou needest not to bid a tree to bring forth fruit, so is there no law faith of herself bringeth forth good fruits, that is, good works. put unto him that believeth, and is justified through faith (as saith Paul in the first Epistle to Timothy the first chapter.) Neither is it needful, for the law of god is written & graved in his heart, and his pleasure is therein. And as without commandment, but even of his own nature, he eateth, drinketh, seethe, heareth, talketh, & goeth, even so of his own nature, without coaction or compulsion of that law, bringeth he forth good works. And as a whole man when he is a thirst, tarrieth but for drink, and when he hungereth abideth but for meat, and then drinketh and eateth naturally: even so is the faithful ever a thirst, & an hungered after the will of God, and tarrieth but for occasion. And whensoever an occasion is given, he worketh naturally the will of God. For this blessing is given to all them that trust in Christ's blood, that they thrust and hunger to do gods will. He that hath not this faith, is but an unprofitable babbler of faith and True faith is not with out good works. works, and wotteth neither what he babbleth, nor what he means, or whereunto his words pertain. For he feeleth not the power of faith, nor the working of the spirit in his heart, but enterpreteth the scriptures which speak of faith and works, after his own blind reason & foolish fantasies, & not of any feeling that he hath in his heart: as a man rehearseth a tale of an other man's mouth, and wotteth not whether it be so, or no as he saith, nor hath any experience of that thing itself. Now doth the scripture ascribe both faith & True faith and good works, are the gift of God, and come not of ourselves. works not to us, but to God only, to whom they belong only, and to whom they are appropriate, whose gift they are, and the proper work of his spirit. Is it not a froward and perverse blindness, to teach how a man can do nothing of his own self, and yet presumptuously take upon them the greatest and hyest work of God, even to make faith in themselves of their own power, and of their own false imagination and thoughts? Therefore I say we must despair of ourselves, & pray God (as Christ's apostles did) to give us faith, & to increase our faith. When we have that, we need no other thing more. For she bringeth the spirit with her, and he not only teacheth us all things, but worketh them also mightily in us, and carrieth us through adversity, persecution, death and hell, unto heaven and everlasting life, Mark diligently therefore seeing we are come to answer. The Scripture (because of such dreams and feigned faiths sake) useth such manner of speakinges of works, not that a man should thereby be made good to Godward or justified, but to declare unto other, and to take of other the difference The difference between false faith, and right faith. between false feigned faith, and right faith. For where right faith is, there bringeth she forth good works, if there follow not good works, it is (no doubt) but a dream and an opinion or feigned faith. Wherefore look as the fruit maketh not the tree good, but declareth and testifieth As the tree is known by his fruit ●o right faith is known by her fruit. outwardly that the tree is good (as Christ sayeth) every tree is known by his fruit: even so shall you know the right faith by her fruit. Take for an ennsample Mary that anointed Christ's feet. Luke. 7. Example. When Simon which bad Christ to his house had condemned her, Christ defended her, and justified her saying: Simon, I have a certain thing to say unto thee. And he said master, say on. There was a certain lender which had two debtors, the one aught u C. pennies, and the other fifty. When they had nothing to pay, he forgave both. Which of them tell me, will love him most? Simon answered and said: I suppose that he to whom he forgave most. And he said to him, thou hast truly judged. And he turned him to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thy house and thou gavest me no water to my feet, but she hath washed my feet with tears, & wiped them with the hears of her head. Thou gavest me no kiss, but she since the time I came in, hath The fruits of faith. not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with oil thou haste not anointed. And she hath anointed my feet with costly and precious ointment. Wherefore I say unto thee, many sins are forgiven her, for she loveth much. To whom less is forgiven, the same doth love less, etc. Hereby see we that deeds and works are but outward signs of of the inward grace of the bounteous and plenteous mercy of God, freely received without all merits of deeds, you and before all deeds. Christ teacheth to know the inwar● faith and love by the outward deeds. Deeds are the fruits of love, and love is the fruit of faith. Love and also the deeds are great or small, according to the proportion of faith. Where faith is mighty & strong, there is love fervent and deeds plenteous, and done with exceeding meekness. Where faith is weak, there is love cold, & the deeds few, & seldom bear flowers, & blossoms in winter. Simon believed and had faith, yet but weakly, & according to the proportion of his faith loved coldly, and had deeds thereafter: he had Christ unto a simple and a bore feast only, & received him not with any great humanity. But Mary had a strong faith, and therefore burning love, & notable deeds done with exceeding profound, & deep meekness. On the one side she see her A difference between true faith & feigned faith self clearly in the law, both in what danger she was in, & her cruel bondage under sin, her horrible damnation, and also the fearful sentence and judgement of God upon sinners. On the other side she herded the Gospel of Christ preached, and in the promises she see with eagles eyes the exceeding abundant mercy of God, that passeth all utterance of speech, which is set forth in Christ for all meek sinners, which knowledge their sins. And she believed the word of God mightily, and glorified God over his mercy and truth, and being overcome and overwhelmed with that unspeakable, yea and incomprehensible aboundat riches of the kindness of God, did inflame & burn in love, yea was so swollen in love, that she could not abide nor hold, but must break out, and was so drunk in love that she regarded nothing, but even to utter the fervent, and burning love of her heart only. She had no respect to herself, though she was never so great and notable a sinner, neither to the curious hypocrisy of the Phariseis, which ever disdain weak sinners, neither the costliness of her ointment, but with all humbleness did run unto his feet. Washed them with the tears of her eyes, and wiped them with the hears of her head, & anointed them with her precious ointment, yea, and would no doubt have run into the ground under his feet to have uttered her love toward him, yea would have descended down into hell, if it had been possible. Even as Paul in the ix. Chapter of his Epistle to the Romans was drunk in love, Rome. 9 and overwhelmed with the plenteousness of the infinite mercy of god (which he had received in Christ unsought for) wished himself banished from Christ and damned, to save that jews, if it might have been. For as a man feeleth God in himself, so is he to his neighbour. Mark an other thing also. We for the most part because of our grossness, in all our knowledge proceed from that which is last and hindmost, unto that which is first, beginning at the latter end, disputing and making our arguments backward. We begin at the effect and work, and proceed unto the natural cause. As for an ensample, we first see the Moon dark, and then search the cause, and found that the putting of the earth, between the Sun and the Moon is the natural cause of the darkness, and that the earth stoppeth Backward disputations. the light. Then dispute we backward saying: the Moon is darkened, therefore is the earth directly between the Sun and the Moon. Now yet is not the darkness of the Moon the natural cause that the earth is between the Sun and the Moon, but the effect thereof, and 'cause declarative, declaring and leading us unto the knowledge, how that the earth is between the Sun and the Moon directly, & causeth the darkness, stopping the light of the Sun from the Moon. And contrariwise the being of the earth directly between the Sun, and the Moon is the natural cause of that darkness. Likewise he hath a son, therefore is he a father, and yet the soon is not cause of the father, but contrariwise. Notwithstanding that son is the cause declarative, whereby we know that the other is a father. After the same manner here, many sins are forgiven her, for she loveth much, thou mayst not understand by the word for, that love is the natural cause of the forgiving of sins, but declareth it only, and contrariwise the forgiveness of sins is the natural cause of love. The works declare love. And love declareth that there is some benefit & kindness showed, or else would there be no love. Why worketh one, and an other not? Or one more than an other? Because that one loveth and the other not, or that the one loveth more than the other. Why loveth one, & an other The kindness of God moveth us to love god. not, or one more than an other? Because that one feeleth the exceeding love of god in his heart, & an other not, or that one feeleth it more than an other. Scripture speaketh after the most grossest manner: Be diligent therefore that thou be not deceived with curiousness. For men of no small reputation have been deceived with their own sophistry. Hereby now seest thou, that there is great difference between being righteous, and good in a man's self, & declaring and uttering righteousness and goodness. The faith only maketh faith only maketh us the sons and heirs of God. a man safe, good, righteous and the friend of GOD, yea and the son and the heir of GOD, and of all his goodness, & possesseth us with the spirit of God. The work declareth the self faith and goodness. Now useth Faith possesseth the spirit of God. the Scripture the common manner of speaking, and the very same that is among the people. As when a father saith to his child, go, & beloving, merciful Works declare faith and God's goodness. and good, to such, or such a poor man, he biddeth him not, there with to be made merciful, kind and good: but to testify and declare the goodness that is in him already, with the outward deed: that it may break out to that profit of other, and that other may feel it which have need thereof. After the same manner shalt thou interpret the Scriptures which make mention of works: that God thereby will that we show forth, that goodness, which we have received by faith, and let it break forth and come to the profit of other, that the false faith may be known, and wedded out by the roots. For God giveth no man his grace, that he should let it lie still, and do no good God's grace is to be exercised in us. with all: but that he should increase it, and multiply it with lending it to other, and with open declaring of it with the outward works, provoke & draw other to God, As Christ saith in Matthew the u Chapter: let your light so shine in the sight of men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your father which is in heaven. Or else were it as a treasure digged in the ground and hide wisdom, in which what profit is there? Moreover there with the goodness, favour, and gifts of God which are in thee, not only shallbe known unto other, but also unto thine own self, and thou shallbe sure that thy faith is right, and that the true spirit of God is in thee, and that thou art called, and choose of God unto eternal life, and loosed from the bonds of Satan whose captive thou wast, as Peter exhorteth in that first of his second Epistle, through good works to make our calling and election (wherewith we are called and choose of God) sure. For how dare a man presume to think, that his faith is right, and that God's favour is on him, and that God's spirit is in him when he feeleth not the working of the spirit, neither himself disposed to any godly thing? Thou canst never Where true faith is, good works follow. know or be sure of thy faith, but by the works, if works follow not, yea and that of love, without looking after any reward, thou mayst be sure that thy faith is but a dream, and not right, & even the same that james called in his Epistle the second Chapter dead faith, and not justifying. Abraham through works Genesis. Gene. 2. xxij. was sure of his faith to be right, and that the true fear of God was in him, when he had offered his son (as the Scripture saith.) Now know I that thou fearest God, that is to say. Now is it open, and manifest that thou fearest God, in as much as thou hast not spared thy only son for my sake. SO now by this abide sure and fast, that a man inwardly in the heart and before God is righteous, & good through faith only before all works. Notwithstanding yet outwardly and openly before the people, you and before himself, is he righteous through the work, that is, he knoweth and is sure through the outward work that he is a true believer, and in the favour of GOD, and righteous, and good through the mercy of GOD: that thou mayst call the one an open, and an outward The outward righteousness & the inward righteousness what they are. righteousness, & the other an inward righteousness of the heart (so yet) that thou understand by the outward righteousness, no other thing save the fruit that followeth, and a declaring of the inward justifying and righteousness of the heart, and not that it maketh a man righteous before God, but that he must be first righteous before him in the heart. Even as thou mayst call the fruit of the tree, the outward goodness of the tree, which followeth and uttereth the inward natural goodness of the tree. This means james in his Epistle where he saith, faith without works is dead, that is, if works follow not, it is a sure & an evident sign, that there is no faith in the heart, but a dead imagination and dream, which they falsely call faith. Of the same wise is this saying of Christ to be understand. Make you Outward works declare where true faith is. friends of the unrighteous Mammon, that is, show your faith openly, and what you are within in the heart, with outward giving and bestowing your goods on the poor, that you may obtain friends, that is, that the poor on whom thou hast showed mercy may at the day of judgement testify, & witness of thy good works. That thy faith and what thou waste within in thy heart before God, may there appear by thy fruits openly unto all men. For unto the right believing shall all things be comfortable, and unto consolation, at that terrible day. And contrariwise unto the unbelieving, all thing shall be unto desperation, and confusion, and every man shall be judged openly, and outwardly in the presence of all men, according to their deeds and works. So that not without a cause thou mayest call them thy friends, which testify at that day of thee, that thou livedst as a true and a right Christian man, and folowedst the steps of Christ in showing mercy, Good works are witnesses for us before God. as no doubt he doth which feeleth God merciful in his heart. And by that works is the faith known, that it was right and perfect. For the outward works can never please God nor make friend, except they spring of faith. Forasmuch as Christ himself, Math. 6. and 7. disalloweth Math. vi. & seven. and casts away the works of the Pharisees, yea, prophesying and working of miracles, and casting out of devils, which we count and esteem for very excellent virtues. Yet make they no friends with their works, while their hearts are false & unpure, and their eye double. Now without faith, is no heart true or eye single: so that we are compelled to confess that the works make not a man righteous or good, but that the heart must first be righteous & good, ereany good work proceed thence. SEcondarily all good works must be done free with a single eye, with out respect of any thing, and that no profit be sought thereby. That commandeth Christ, where he faith, Mat. 10. freely have you received, Math. 10. freely give again. For look as Christ with all his works did not deserve heaven, for that was his already, but did us service therewith, and neither looked, nor sought his own profit, but our profit, and the honour of God the father only. Even so we with all our works may not seek our own profit, neither in this world, nor in heaven, but must and aught freely to work, to honour God withal, and We must of duty do good works without hope of reward. without all manner respect, seek our neighbours profit, and do him service. That means Paul Phil. 2. saying: Be minded as Christ was, which being in the shape of God, equal unto God, and even very God, laid that a part, that is to say, hide it. And took on him the form and fashion of a servant. That is, as concerning himself he had enough, that he was full, & had all plentuousness of the Godhead, and in all his works sought our profit, & become our servant. The cause is: forasmuch as faith justifieth and putteth away sin in the sight of God, bringeth life, health, and the favour of God, maketh us the heirs of God, poureth the spirit of God into our souls, and filleth us with all godly fullness in Christ, it were to great a shame, rebuke, and wrong unto the faith, you to Christ's blood, if a man would work any thing to purchase that wherewith faith hath endued him already, and God hath given him freely. Even as Christ had done rebuke and shame unto himself, if he would have done good works, and wrought to have been made thereby Faith maketh us the sons and children of God. God's son and heir over all, which thing he was already. Now doth faith make us the sons or children of god. john. 1. he gave them might or power to be that sons of God, in that they believed on his name. If we be sons, so are we also heirs. Roma. viii. and Gala. iiij. How can or aught we then Roma. 8. to work, for to purchase that inheritance Gala. 4. withal, whereof we are heirs already by faith? What shall we say them to those scriptures, which sound as though a man should do good works, and live well for heavens sake, or eternal reward? As these are, make you friends of the unrighteous Mammon. And Math. seven. Gather you treasures together in Math. 7. heaven. Also Math. nineteeen. If thou will't Math. 19 enter into life keep the commandments and such like. This say I, that they which understand not, neither feel in their hearts what faith means, talk and think of the reward even as they do of the work, neither suppose they that a man aught to work, but in a respect to the reward. For they imagine that it is in the kingdom of They that seek heau● for their works are such as understand not the treasures of Christ. Christ, as it is in the world among men, that they must deserve heaven with their good works. Howbeit their thoughts are but dreams and false imaginations. Of these men speaketh Malachias Chap. i who is it among you that shutteth a door for my pleasure for naught, that is, without respect of reward? These are servants, that seek gains and vantage, hirelings & day labourers, which here on earth receive their rewards, as the Phariseis with their prayers, and fastings. Math. u. Math. u. But on this wise goeth it with heaven with everlasting life and eternal reward, likewise as good works naturally follow faith (as it is above rehearsed) As good works naturally follow faith. So eternal life followeth faith & good living. so that thou needest not to command a true believer to work, or to compel him with any law, for it is unpossible that he should not work, he tarrieth but for an occasion, he is ever disposed of himself, thou needest but to put him in remembrance, and that to know the false faith from the true. Even so naturally doth eternal life follow faith and good living, without seeking for, & is impossible that it should not come, though no man thought there on. Yet is it rehearsed in the Scripture, alleged and promised to know the difference between a false believer, and a true believer, and that every man may know what followeth good living naturally, and of itself, without taking thought for it. Take a gross ensample. Hell that As good works follow faith: So hell followeth evil works. is, everlasting death is threatened unto sinners, and yet followeth it sin naturally without seeking for. For no man doth evil to be damned therefore, but had rather avoid it. Yet there the one followeth the other naturally, & though no man told or warned him of it, yet should the sinner find it, and feel it. Nevertheless it is therefore threatened, that men may know what followeth evil living. Now then as after evil living followeth his reward unsought for, even so after good living followeth his reward naturally unsought for, or unthought upon. Even as when thou drinkest wine, be it good or bad, the taste followeth of itself, though thou therefore drink it not. Yet testifieth the Scripture, and it is true, that we are by inheritance heirs of damnation: Of our selves we are the vessels of the wrath of God, and the heirs of damnation. and that ere we be born, we are vessels of the wrath of God, & full of that poison whence naturally all sins spring: and wherewith we can not but sin, which thing the deeds that follow (when we behold ourselves in the glass of the law of God) do declare & utter, kill our consciences, & show us what we were and witted not of it, & certifieth us that we are heirs of damnation. For if we were of God we should cleave to God, and lust after the will of God. But now our deeds compared to the law, declare the contrary, & by our deeds we see ourselves, both what we be, and what our end shall be. So now thou seest that life eternal and all good things are promised unto faith and belief: so that he that believeth on Christ, shallbe safe. Christ's To believe in Christ is salvation. blood hath purchased life for us, & hath made us the heirs of god: so that heaven cometh by Christ's blood. If thou wouldst obtain heaven with the merits and deservings of thy own To seek heaven by good works were to derogate the dignity of the blood of Christ. works, so didst thou wrong, yea and shamedest the blood of Christ, and unto thee were Christ dead in vain. Now is the true believer heir of God by Christ's deservings, yea and in Christ was predestinate and ordained unto eternal life, before the world began. And when the Gospel is preached unto us, we believe the mercy of God, and in believing we receive the spirit of God, which is the earnest of eternal life, and we are in eternal life already, & feel already in our hearts the sweetness thereof, and are overcome with the kindness of God and Christ, and therefore love the will of God, and of love are ready to work freely, and not to obtain that which is given us freely, and whereof we are heirs already. Now when Christ saith: Make you friends of unrighteous Mammon. Gather you treasure together in heaven and such like. Thou seest that the meaning and intent is no other, but that thou shouldst do good, & so will it follow of itself naturally, without seeking & taking of thought, that thou shalt found friends, and treasure in heaven, and receive a reward. So let thine eye be single, and look unto good living only, and take no thought for that reward: But be content. For as much as thou knowest and art sure that the reward & all thing contained in gods promises, follow good living naturally: and thy good works do but testify only and certify thee, that the spirit of God is in thee, whom thou hast received in earnest of God's truth, and that thou art heir of all the goodness of God, and that all good things are thine already, purchased by Christ's All that is good is purchased for us by Christ. blood, and laid up in store against that day when every man shall receive according to his deeds, that is, according as his deeds declare and testify, what he is, or was. For they that look unto the reward, are slow, false, subtle and crafty workers, and love the reward more than the work, yea hate the labour, yea hate God which commandeth the labour, and are weary both of the commandment, and also of the commander, and work with tediousness. But he that worketh of pure love without seeking of reward, worketh truly. Thirdly, that not the saints, but god Sainted can ●ot help us in to heaven. only receiveth us into eternal tabernacles, is so plain & evident, that it needeth not to declare, or prove it. How shall the saints receive us into heaven, when every man hath need for himself that God only receive him to heaven, and every man hath scace for himself: As it appeareth by the five wise virgins. Math. 25, which would not give of their oil unto the unwise Math. ●5. virgins. And Peter sayeth in the 4. of his first Epistle, that the righteous is 1. Pet. 4. with difficulty saved. So seest thou that the saying of Christ, make you friends and so forth, that they may receive you into everlasting tabernacles, pertaineth not unto the saints which are in heaven, but is spoken of the poor and needy which are here present with us on earth, as though he would say. What buildest thou, churches, foundest Abbeys, chantries, and colleges in the honour of saints, to my Mother, S. Peter, Paul, and saints that be dead, to make of them thy friends? They need it not, you, they are not thy friends, but there's which lived then when they did, of whom they were helped. Thy friends are the poor which are now in thy time, & live with thee, thy poor neighbours which need thy help and secure. Them make thy friends with thy unrighteous Mammon, that they How ●●e may make friends of the wicked Mammon. may testify of thy faith, and thou mayst know and feel that thy faith is right and not feigned. Unto the second, such receiving into everlasting habitations, is not to be understand, that men shall do it. For many to whom we show mercy & do good, shall not come there, neither To do good to such as 〈…〉 is ●…able skilleth it, so we meekly and lovingly do our duty, you, it is a sign of strong faith and fervent love, if we do well to the evil, and study to draw them to Christ in all that lieth in us. But the poor give us an occasion to exercise our faith, and the deeds make us feel our faith, and certify us and make us sure that we are safe, and are escaped and translated from death unto life, & that we are delivered and redeemed from the captivity and bondage of Satan, and brought into the liberty of the sons of God, in that we feel lust and strength in our heart, to work the will of god. And at that day shall our deeds appear and comfort our hearts, witness our faith and trust, which we now have in Christ, which faith shall then keep us from shame, as it is written. None that believeth in him shall be ashamed, Rom. 9 So that good works Rom. 9 help our faith, and make us sure in our consciences, and make us feel the mercy of god. Notwithstanding heaven, everlasting life, joy eternal, faith, the favour of God, the spirit of God, All our righteouscommeth ●●●ely from Christ. lust and strength unto the will of God, are given us freely of the bounteous and plenteous riches of God purchased by Christ, without our deservings, that no man should rejoice, but in the Lord only. FOr a further understanding of this Gospel, here may be made 3. questions. What Mammon is, why it is called unrighteous, and after what manner Christ biddeth us counterfeit & follow the unjust and wicked steward, which with his lords damage provided for his own profit and vantage, which thing no doubt is unrighteous and sin. First, Mammon is an Hebrew word Mammon what it is? & signifieth riches or temporal goods, and namely, all superfluity, and all that is above necessity, & that which is required unto our necessary uses, wherewith a man may help an other, without undoing or hurting himself. For Hamon in the Hebrew speech, signifieth a multitude, or abundance, or many. And therehence cometh Mahamon, or Mammon, abundance, or plenteousness of goods or riches. Secondarily, it is called unrighteous Mammon, not because it is gotten unrighteously, or with usury, for of unrighteous got goods can no man do good works, but aught to restore them home again. As it is said, Esay Esay. 61. 61. I am a God that hateth offering that cometh of robbery. And Pro. 3. Prou. 3. saith: Honour the Lord of thy own good. But therefore it is called unrighteous, because it is in unrighteous use As Paul speaketh unto the Ephes. 5. Ephe. 5. how that the days are evil though that god hath made them, and they are a good work of gods making. How be it they are yet called evil, because The days are called evil, because evil men use them. that evil men use them amiss, & much sin, occasions of evil, peril of souls are wrought in them. Even so are riches called evil, because that evil men bestow them amiss, and misuse them. For where riches is, there goeth it after the common proverb. He that hath money, hath what him listeth. And they 'cause fight, stealing, laying await, lying, flattering, and all unhappiness against a man's neighbour. For all men hold on riches part. But singularly before God is it called unrighteous Mammon, because it is not bestowed, and ministered unto our neighbours need. For if my neighbour need and I give him not, neither departed liberally with him, of that which I have: than withhold I from him unrighteously that which is his own. For as much as I am bound to help him by the law of nature, which is, whantsoever thou wouldst that an other did to thee, that do thou also We are bond by the law of nature to help our needy neighbour. to him. And Christ. Math. 5. give to every man that desireth thee. And john in his first Epistle, if a man have this worlds good, & see his brother need, how is the love of God in him? And this unrighteousness in our Mammon see very few men: because it is spiritual, and in those goods which are got most truly and justly, which beguile men. For they suppose they do no man wrong in keeping them, in that they got them not with stealing, robbing, oppression, and usury, neither hurt any man now with them. Thirdly many have busied themselves in studying what, or who, this unrighteous steward is, because that Christ so praiseth him. But shortly and plainly this is the answer. That Christ The unrighteous Stuard, who it is. praiseth not the unrighteous steward, neither setteth him forth to us to counterfeit, because of his unrighteousness, but because of his wisdom only, in that he with unright so wisely provided for himself. As if I would provoke another to pray, or study, do say. The thieves watch all night to rob and steal: why canst not thou watch to pray and to study? Here praise not I the thief, and murderer for their evil doing, but for their wisdom, that they so wisely and diligently wait on their unrighteousness. Likewise when I say, miss women tire themselves with gold and silk to please their lovers: what will't not thou garnish thy soul with faith to please Christ? here praise I not whoredom, but the diligence which the whore misuseth. On this wise Paul also Roma. u likeneth Adam & Christ together, saying that Adam was a figure of Christ. And yet of Adam have we but pure sin, and of Christ grace only, which are out of measure contrary. But the similitude or likeness standeth in the original birth, and not in the virtue, & vice of the birth. So that as Adam is father of all sin, so is Christ father of all righteousness. And as all sinners spring of Adam: Even so all righteous Christ is the father of all righteousness. men and women spring of Christ. After the same manner is here the unrighteous steward an ensample unto us, in his wisdom and diligence only, in that he provided so wisely for himself, that we with righteousness should be as diligent to provide for our souls, as he with unrighteousness provided for his body. Likewise mayst thou soil all other texts which sound as though it were between us and GOD, as it is in the world where the reward is more looked upon, than the labour: yea, where men hate the labour, and work falsely with the body, and not with the heart, and no longer than they are looked upon, that the labour may appear outward only. WHen Christ saith Math. u. Blessed Math. 5. are you when they rail on you, and persecute you, and say all manner evil sayings against you, and yet lie, and that for my sake, rejoice & be glad, for your reward is great in heaven. Thou mayest not imagine that our deeds deserve the joy and glory that shallbe given unto us. For then (Paul says Rom. xi.) favour were not favour, I can not receive it of favour, & of the bounteous of God freely, and by deserving of deeds also. But believe as the Gospel, glad tidings & promises For Christ's blood sake, only through faith, God is at one with us. of God say unto thee, that for Christ's bloods sake only through faith, God is at one with thee, and thou received to mercy, and art become the son of God, and heir annexed with with Christ of all the goodness of God, the earnest whereof is the spirit of god poured into our hearts. Of which things the deeds are witnesses, and certify our consciences that our faith is unfeigned, and that the right spirit of God is in us. For if I patiently suffer adversity and tribulation for conscience of God only, that is to say, because I know GOD and testify the truth, then am I sure that God hath choose me in Christ, and for Christ's sake, and hath put in me his spirit, as an earnest of his promises, whose working I feel in mine heart, the deeds bearing witness unto the same. Now is it Christ's blood only that deserved all the promises of God, & that which I suffer and do, is partly the curing, healing and mortifying of my members, and kill of that original poison, wherewith I was conceived and born, that I might be altogether like Christ, and partly the doing of my duty to my neighbour, whose debtor I am of all that I have received of God, to draw him to Christ with all suffering, with all patience, and even with shedding my blood for him, not as an offering or merit for his sins, but as an ensample to provoke him. Christ's Christ's blood only putteth away all sin. blood only putteth away all the sin that ever was, is or shallbe from them that are elect and repent, believing the Gospel, that is to say, gods promises in Christ. Again in the same 5. chapter, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do well to them that hate you, and persecute you, that you may be the sons of your father which is in heaven. For he maketh his sun shine upon evil, & on good, and sendeth his rain upon just and unjust. Not that our works make us the sons of God, but testify only, and certify our consciences, that we are the sons of God, and that God hath choose us, & washed us in Christ's blood, and hath put his spirit in us. And it followeth, if you love them that love you, what reward have you? do not the Publicans even the same? and if you shall have favour to your friends only, what singular thing do you? do not the Publicans even the same? you shallbe perfect therefore, as your father which is in heaven is perfect. That is to say, if that you do nothing but that the world doth, and they which have the spirit of the world, whereby shall you know that you are the sons of God, and beloved of God more than the world? But and if you counterfeit, and follow God in well We must follow 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉. ●o●ng. doing, than no doubt it is a sign that the spirit of God is in you, and also the favour of God, which is not in the world, and that you are inheritoures of all the promises of God, and elect unto the fellowship of the blood of Christ ALso Math 6. Take heed to your alms, that you do i● not in the sight Math. 〈◊〉. of men, to the euten● that you would be s●ne of them, or else have you no reward with your father which is in heaven. Neither cause a trumpet to be blown afore thee when thou dost thy alms, We may not do good work to be praised of the world. as the hypocrites do in the synagogues, and in the streets to be glorified of the world, but when thou dost thy alms, ●et not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth, that thy alms may be in secret, and thy father which seethe in secret shall reward thee openly. This putteth us in remembrance of our duty, and showeth what followeth good works, not that works deserve it, but that the reward is laid up for us in store, and we thereunto elect through Christ's blood, which the works testify. For if we be worldly minded, and do our works as the world doth, how shall we know that GOD hath choose us out of the world? But & if we work freely, without all manner worldly respect, to show, mercy, and to do our duty to our neighbour, and to We must 〈◊〉 to our neighbour ●s God is to us. be unto him as God is to us, then are we sure that the favour, & mercy of God is upon us, & that we shall enjoy all the good promises of god through Christ, which hath made us heirs thereof. ALso, in the same chapter it followeth. When thou prayest, be not as the hypocrites, which love to stand and 〈◊〉 seek to be praised of men. pray in the synagogues, and in the corners of the streets, for to be seen of men. But when thou prayest enter into thy chamber, and shut thy door to, & pray to thy father which is in secret, and thy father which seethe in secret, shall reward thee openly. And likewise when we fast (teacheth Christ in the same place) that we should behave ourselves that it appear not unto men how that we fast, but unto our father which is in secret, & our father which seethe in secret, shall reward us openly. These two texts do but declare what followeth good works, for eternal life cometh not by the deserving of works, but is (saith Paul in the 6. to y● Rom.) the gift of God through jesus Christ. Neither do our works justify Rom. 6. us. For except we were justified by faith which is our righteousness, & had Faith 〈◊〉 l● in 〈◊〉 us and no good ●…e can be done without Faith. the spirit of God in us to teach us, we could do no good work freely, without respect of some profit, either in this world, or in the world to come, neither could we have spiritual joy in our hearts in time of affliction, and mortifying of the flesh. Good works are called the fruits of the spirit, Gal. 5. for the spirit worketh them in us, and sometime fruits Good works are the 〈◊〉 of Faith. of righteousness, as in the second Epistle to the Cor. and 9 chapter, before all works therefore, we must have a righteousness within the heart, the mother of all works, & from whence they spring. The righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, & of them that have the spirit of this world, is that glorious show & outward shining of works. But Christ 〈…〉 〈◊〉 saith to us Mar. 5. except your righteousness, exceed the righteousness of the scribes & Pharisees, you cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven. It is righteousness in that world, if a man kill not. But a Christian perceiveth righteousness if he love his enemy, even when he suffereth persecution and torment of him, and the pains of death, and mourneth more for his adversaries blindness, then for his own pain, and prayeth God to open his eyes and to forgive him his sins, as did Steven in the Acts of the Apostles the seven. Chapter Act. 7. Luke. 23. and Christ Luke twenty-three. A Christian considereth himself in the law of GOD, and there putteth of him all manner righteousness. For the law suffereth no merits, no deservings, no righteousness, neither any man to be justified in the sight of God. The law is spiritual and requireth that heart and commandments to be fulfilled, with such love and obedience as was in Christ. If any fulfil all that is the will of God, with such love and obedience, the same may be bold to cell pardons of his merits, and else not. A Christian therefore (when he beholdeth himself in the law) putteth of all manner righteousness, deservings and merits, and meekly and unfeignedly knowledgeth his sin & misery, his captivity and bondage in the flesh, his trespass and guilt, and is thereby blessed with the power in spirit. Math. u Chap. Then he morneth in his heart, because he is in such bondage that he can not do the will of God, and is an hungered, and a thirst after righteousness. For righteousness (I mean) True righteousness springeth out of Christ's blood. which springeth out of Christ's blood, for strength to do the will of God. And turneth himself to the promises of God, & desireth him for his great mercy and truth, and for the blood of his son Christ to fulfil his promises, & to give him strength. And thus his spirit ever prayeth within him. He fasteth True fasting, what it 〈◊〉. also not one day for a week, or a Lent for an whole year, but professeth in his heart a perpetual soberness, to tame the flesh, and to subdue the body to the spirit, until he wax strong in the spirit, and grow ripe into a full righteousness, after the fullness of Christ. And because this fullness happeneth not till the body be slain by death, a Christian is ever a sinner in the law, and therefore fasteth, and prayeth to God in the spirit, the world seeing it not. Yet in the promises he is ever righteous, through faith in Christ, and is sure that he is heir of all God's promises, the spirit which he hath received in earnest, bearing him witness, his heart also, and his deeds testifying the same. Mark this then. To see inwardly that that law of God is so spiritual, that No flesh can fulfil the law. no flesh can fulfil it. And then for to morn and sorrow, and to desire, yea to hunger and thirst after strength to do the will of God, from the ground of the heart, and (notwithstanding all the sutlety of the devil, weakness and feebleness of the flesh, and wondering of the world) to cleave yet to that promises of God, and to believe that for Christ's blood sake, thou art received to the inheritance of eternal life, is a wonderful thing, and a thing that the world knoweth not of: but who soever feeleth that (though he fall a thousand times in a day) doth yet rise again a thousand times, and is sure that the mercy of God is upon him. IF you forgive othermen their trespasses, your heavenvly father shall forgive you yours. Mat. in the uj. Chap. if I forgive, God shall forgive me, not for my deeds sake, but for his promises We cannot deserve forgiveness of God, but he of his mercy pardoneth us. sake, for his mercy & truth, and for the blood of his son Christ our Lord And my forgiving, certifieth my spirit that God shall forgive me, yea that he hath forgiven me already. For if I consent to that will of God in my heart, though through infirmity and weakness I can not do the will of GOD at all times, moreover though I can not do the will of God so purely, as the law requireth it of me, yet if I see my fault & meekly knowledge my sin, weeping in mine heart, because I can not do the will of God, and thirst after strength, I am sure that that spirit of God is in me, & his favour upon me. For the world lusteth not to do the will of God, neither sorroweth because he can not, though he sorrow some time for fear of the pain, that he believeth shall follow. He that hath the spirit of this world, can not forgive without amendss making, or a greater vantage. If I forgive now how cometh it? verily because I feel the mercy of God in me. For as a man feeleth God to himself, so is he to his neighbour, I know by mine own experience that all flesh is in bondage under sin, and can not but sin, therefore am I merciful, and desire God to lose the bonds of sin even in mine enemy. GAther not treasure together in earth. etc. Math. uj. But gather you Mat. 〈◊〉. treasure in heaven. etc. Let not you● hearts be glued to worldly things, study not to heap treasure upon treasure, and riches upon riches, but study to bestow well that which is got already, and let your abundance secure the lack, and need of the power which have not. Have an eye to good A true bestowing of alms. works, to which if you have lust, and also power to do them, then are you sure that the spirit of God is in you, and you in Christ elect to the reward of eternal life which followeth good works. But look that thy eye be single and rob not Christ of his honour, ascribe not that to that deserving of thy works, which is given the freely by the merits of his blood. In Christ we are sons. In Christ we are heirs. In Christ god chose us and elected us before In Christ we are all in all. the beginning of the world, created us a new by the word of the Gospel, and put his spirit in us, for because we should do good works. A Christian man worketh because it is the will of his father only. If we do no good work, nor be merciful, how is our lust therein? If we have no lust to do good works, how is God's spirit in us? If the spirit of God be not in us, how are we his sons? How are we his heirs, & heirs annexed with Christ of the eternal life, which is promised to all them that believe in him? Now do our works testify and witness what we are, and what treasure is laid up for us in heaven, so that our We must do good works because it is God's will that we should do them. eye be single, and look upon the commandment without respect of any thing, save because it is Gods will, and that God desireth it of us, and Christ hath deserved that we do it. Math. seven. Not all they that say unto me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doth the will of my father which is in heaven. Though thou canst land God with thy lips, and call Christ Lord, and canst babble, and talk of the scripture, and knowest all the stories of the Bible. Yet shalt thou thereby never know thine election, or whether thy faith be right. But & if thou feel lust in thine heart to the will of God, and bringest forth the fruits thereof, then hast thou confidence and hope, and thy deeds, and also the spirit whence thy deeds spring certify thine heart that thou shall enter, yea art already entered into the kingdom of heaven. For it followeth, he that heareth the word and doth it, buildeth his house upon a rock, and no tempest of temptations can overthrow it. For the spirit of God is in his heart, and comforteth him, & holdeth him fast to the rock of the merits of Christ's blood, in whom he is elect. Nothing is able to pluck him out of the hands of God, god is stronger than all things. And contrariwise We must hear the word of God and 〈◊〉. he that heareth the word & doth it not, buildeth on the sand of his own imagination, & every tempest overthroweth his building. The cause is, he hath, not God's spirit in him, and therefore understandeth it not a right, neither worketh a right. For no man knoweth the things of God (sayeth Paul in the i Epistle to the Corinthians in the second 1. Ce●. 2. Chapter) save the spirit of God: as no man knoweth what is in a man, but a man's spirit, which is in him. So than if the spirit be not in a man, he worketh not the will of GOD, neither understandeth it, though he babble never so much of the scriptures. Nevertheless such a man may work after his own imagination, but Gods will can he not work, he may offer sacrifice, but to do mercy knoweth he not. It is easy to say unto christ, Lord, Lord: but thereby shalt thou never feel or be sure of the kingdom of heaven. But and if thou do the will of God, them art thou sure that Christ is thy Lord in deed, & that thou in him art also a Lord, in that thou feelest thyself loosed, and free from the bondage of sin, and lusty and of power to do the will of God. Where the spirit is, there is feeling. For that spirit maketh us feel all things. Where the spirit is not, there is no feeling, but a vain opinion or imagination. A Physician serveth but Christ is our only Physician to heal 〈◊〉 deliver us of our sins. for sick men, and that for such sick men as feel their sicknesses, & morn therefore, and long for health. Christ likewise serveth but for sinners only as feel there sin, and that for such sinners, that sorrow and morn in their hearts for health. Health is power or strength to fulfil the law, or to keep the commandments. Now he that longeth for that health, that is to say, for to do the law of God, is blessed in Christ, and hath a promise that his lust shallbe fulfilled, & that he shallbe made whole. Math. u. blessed are they which hunger & thirst for righteousness sake (that is to fulfil the law) for their lust shallbe fulfilled. This longing and consent of the heart unto the law of God, is the working of the spirit, which God hath poured into thy heart, in earnest that y● mightest be sure that God will fulfil all his promises that he hath made thee. It is also the seal & mark which God putteth on all men that he chooseth unto everlasting life. So long as thou seest thy sin, and mornest, & consentest to the law, & longest (though thou be never so weak) yet the spirit shall keep thee in all temptations, from desperation, and certify thine heart, that God for his troth, shall deliver thee and save thee, yea & by thy good deeds shalt thou be saved, not which thou hast done, but which Christ hath done for thee. For Christ is thy, and all his deeds are thy deeds. Christ is in thee, and thou in him knit together inseparably. Neither canst thou be damned, except Christ be damned with thee. Neither can Christ be saved, except thou be saved with him. Moreover thy heart is Christ is our ankerhold to salvation. good, right, holy and just. For thy heart is no enemy to the law, but a friend & a lover. The law and thy heart are agreed, and at one, and therefore is God at one with thee. The consent of the heart unto the law, is unite and peace between God and man. For he is not mine enemy, which would fain do me pleasure, and morneth because he hath not wherewith. Now he that opened thy disease unto thee, and made thee long for health, shall as he hath promised, heal thee, and he that hath loosed thy heart, shall at his godly leisure, loose thy members. He that hath not the spirit hath no feeling, neither lusteth or longeth after power to fulfil the law, neither abhorreth the pleasures of sin, neither hath any more certainty of the promises of God, them I have of a tale of Robinhode, or of some jest that a man telleth me was done at Rome. another man may lightly make me doubt, or believe the contrary, seeing I have no experience thereof myself. So is it of them that feel not the working of the spirit, & therefore in time of temptation the buildynges of their imaginations fall. MAth. x. He that receiveth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet, that is, because he is a Prophet, shall receive the reward of a Prophet, & he that giveth one of these litleones a cup of cold water to drink, in the name of a Disciple, shall not loose his reward. Note this that a Prophet signifieth as A Prophet what he is? well him that enterpreteth the hard places of Scripture, as him that prophesieth things to come. Now he that receiveth a Prophet, a just man, or a Disciple, shall have the same, or like reward, that is to say, shall have the same eternal life, which is appointed for them in Christ's blood, & merits. For except thou were elect to that same eternal life, & hadst the same faith and trust in God, and the same spirit, thou couldst never consent to their deeds and help them. But thy deeds testify what thou art, & certify thy conscience that thou art received to mercy, and sanctified in Christ's passions and sufferynges, and shalt hereafter with all them that follow God, receive the reward of eternal life. Of thy words thou shalt be justified, & Math. 12. of thy words thou shalt be condemned. Mat. xii. That is thy words as well as other deeds shall testify with thee, or against thee at the day of judgement. Many there are which abstain from the outward deeds of fornication and The abstaining from sin outwardly is but hypocrisy. adultery, nevertheless rejoice to talk thereof & laugh, their words & laughter testify against them, that their heart is unpure, and they adulterers, & fornicators in the sight of GOD. The tongue and other signs oft-times utter the malice of the heart, though a man for many causes abstain his hand, from the outward deed or act. IF thou will't enter into life keep the commandments. Math. nineteeen. First remember that when God commandeth Math. 19 us to do one thing, he doth it not therefore, because that we of ourselves are able to do that he commandeth, but that by the law we might see, & know our horrible damnation and captivity under sin, and therefore should repent and come to Christ, & receive mercy & the spirit of God to lose us, strength us, & to make us able to do Gods will which is the law. Now when he saith if thou will't enter into life keep the commandments, is as much to say, as To believe unfeignedly in Christ is to keep the commandments. he that keepeth the commandments is entered into life, for except a man have first the spirit of life in him by Christ's purchasing, it is impossible for him to keep the commandments, or that his heart should be lose, or at liberty to lust after them, for of nature we are enemies to the law of God. As touching that Christ says afterward if thou will't be perfect, go and cell thy substance, and give it to the poor, he saith it not, as who should say that there were any greater perfection then to keep the law of God (for that is all perfection) but to show the other his blindness, which see not that the law The law is spiritual and requireth the heart. is spiritual, and requireth that heart. But because he was not knowing that he had hurt any man with the outward deed, he supposed that he loved his neighbour as himself. But when he was bid to show the deeds of love, and give of his abundance to them that needed, he departed mourning. Which is an eviendt token that he loved not his neighbour as well as himself. For if he had need himself, it would not have grieved him to have received succour of an other man. Moreover he saw not that it was murder & theft, that a man should have abundance of riches lying by him, and not to show mercy therewith, and kindly to If the rich help not the poor in their need, they are but thieves before god. secure his neighbour's need. God hath given one man riches to help an other at need. If thy neighbour need & thou help him not, being able, thou withholdest his duty from him, and art a thief before God. That also that Christ says, how that it is harder for a rich man (who loveth his riches so, that he can not found in his heart, liberally and freely to help the poor and needy) to enter into the kingdom of heaven, than a Camel to go through the eye of a needle, declareth that he was not entered into the kingdom of heaven, that is to say, eternal life. But he that keepeth the commandments is entered into life: he hath life, and the spirit of life in him. THis kind of devils goeth not out Math. 27. but by prayer & fasting. Math. 27. Not that the devil is cast out by merits of fasting or praying. For he saith before, that for their unbelefes' sake, they could not cast him out. It is faith Faith casts our devils. no doubt that casts out the devils, and faith it is that fasteth and prayeth. Faith hath the promises of God, where unto she cleaveth, and in all things thyrsteth the honour of God. She fasteth Faith fasteth. to subdue the body unto the spirit that the prayer be not let, and that the spirit may quietly talk with God: she also whensoever opportunity is given, Faith prayeth. prayeth God to fulfil his promises unto his praise & glory. And God which is merciful in promising, and true to fulfil them, casts out the devils, and doth all that faith desireth, and satisfieth her thirst. COme you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you, from the beginning of the world: for I was a thirst, and you gave me drink. etc. Math. twenty-five. Not that a man with Math. 25. works delerueth eternal life, as a work man or labourer his hire or wages. Thou readest in the text, that the kingdom was prepared for us, from the beginning of the world. And we are blessed & sanctified. In Christ's blood In Christ's blood we are blessed from the curse of the law. are we blessed from that bitter curse, & damnable captivity under sin, wherein we were born and conceived. And Christ's spirit is poured into us, to bring forth good works, and our works are the fruits of the spirit, & the kingdom is the deserving of Christ's blood, and so is faith, and the spirit, and good works also. Notwithstanding the kingdom followeth good works, and good works testify that we are heirs thereof, and at the day of judgement shall they testify for the elect unto their comfort and glory, and to the confusion of the ungodly, unbelieving, and faithless sinners, which had not trust in the word of God's promises, nor lust to the will of God: but were carried of the spirit of their father the devil unto all abomination, to work wickedness with all lust, delectation, and gredienes. MAny sins are forgiven her, for she loveth much. Luk. seven. Not Luke. 7. that love was cause of forgiveness of sins. But contrariwise the forgiveness of sins caused love, as it followeth, to whom less was forgiven, the same loveth less. And afore he commended the judgement of Simon, which answered that he loveth most, to whom most was forgiven: and also said at the last, thy faith hath saved thee, or made thee safe, go in peace. We can not love, except we see some benefit, and kindness. As long as we look on the law of God only, where we The law condemneth. see but sin and damnation, and the wrath of God upon us, yea where we were damned afore we were born, we can not love God? Not, we can not but hate him as a tyrant, unrighteous, unjust, and flee from him as did Caine. But when the Gospel, that The Gospel comforteth & maketh us sa●e. glad tidings and joyful promises are preached, how that in Christ God loveth us first, forgiveth us, and hath mercy on us, then love we again, and the deeds of our love, declare our faith. This is the manner of speaking, as we say. Summer is nigh, for the trees blossom. Now is the blossomyng of the trees not the cause that summer draweth nigh, but the drawing ni● of summer is the cause of the blossoms, and the blossoms put us in remembrance that summer is at hand. So Christ here teacheth Simon by the ferventness of love in the outward deeds to see a strong faith within, whence so great love springeth. As the manner is to Certain phrases of speech expounded. say, do your charity, show your charity, do a deed of charity, show your mercy, do a deed of mercy, meaning thereby, that our deeds declare how we love our neighbours, & how much we have compassion on them at their need. Moreover it is not possible to love except we see a cause. Except we see in our hearts that love & kindness of God to us ward in Christ our Lord, it is not possible to love God aright. We say also, he that loveth not my dog, loveth not me. Nor that a man should love my dog first. But if a man loved me, the love wherewith he loveth me, would compel him to love my dog, though the dog deserved it not, yea, though the dog had done him a displeasure, yet if he loved me, the same love would refrain him from revenging himself, and 'cause him to refer the vengeance unto me. Such speakinges find we in scripture. john in the fourth of his first epistle saith: He that says I love john. 4. God, and yet bateth his brother, is a liar. For how can he that loveth not his brother whom he seethe, love God whom he seethe not? This is not spoken that a man should first love his brother, and then God, but as it followeth. For this commandment have we of him, that he which loveth God, should love his brother also. To love my neighbour is the commandment, which commandment, he that loveth not, loveth not GOD, The keeping of the commandment, declareth what love I have to God. If I loved Where perfect love to God is, there are all good works. God purely, nothing that my neighbour could do, were able to make me either to hate him, either to take vengeance on him myself, seeing that God hath commanded me to love him, & to remit all vengeance unto him. Mark now how much I love the commandment, so much I love God, how much I love God, so much believe I that he is merciful, kind, and good, yea, and a father unto me, for Christ's sake, how much I believe that God is merciful unto me, and that he will for Christ's sake fulfil all his promises unto me: so much I see my sins, so much do my sins grieve me, so much do I repent, and sorrow that I sin, so much displeaseth me that poison that moveth me to sin, and so greatly desire I to be healed. So now by the natural order, first I see my sin, than I repent and sorrow, then believe I God's promises, that he is merciful unto me, and forgiveth me, and will heal me at the last: then love I, and then I prepare myself to the commandment. Luke. 10. What it is to love god withal our heart. etc. THis do, and thou shalt live. Luc. x. that is to say, love thy Lord God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, & with all thy strength, and with all thy mind, and thy neighbour as thyself. As who should say, if thou do this, or though thou canst not do it, yet if thou ●ealest lust thereunto, and thy spirit sigheth, mourneth, and longeth after strength to do it, take a sign and evident token thereby, that the spirit of life is in thee, and that thou art elect to life everlasting by Christ's blood, whose gift and purchase is thy faith, and that spirit that worketh the will of God in thee, whose gift also are thy deeds, or rather the deeds of the spirit of christ, and not thy, and whose gift is the reward of eternal life, which followeth good works. It followeth also in the same place of Luke. When he should depart, he plucked out two pennies, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take the charge or cure of him, and what soever thou spendest more, I will recompense it thee at my coming again. Remember this is a parable, and a parable may not be expounded word by The true understanding of a parable. word, but the intent of the similitude must be sought out only in the whole parable. The intent of the similitude is to show, to whom a man is a neighbour, or who is a man's neighbour, (which is both one) & what is, to love a man's neighbour as himself. The Samaritane holp him, and showed mercy as long as he was present, and when he could be no longer present, he left his money behind him: and if that were not sufficient, he left his credence to make good the rest, and forsook him not, as long as that other had need. Then said Christ, go thou and do likewise, that is, without difference or respection of people: whosoever needeth thy help, him count thy neighbour, & his neighbour be thou, and show mercy on him, as long as he needeth thy succour: and that is to love a man's neighbour as himself. Neighbour is a word of We must ever be ready to help our neighbour. love, and signifieth that a man should be ever nigh and at hand, and ready to help in tune of need. They that will interpret parables word by word fall into straits oft-times, whence they can not rid themselves. And preach lies in stead of the truth: as do they which interpret by the ij. pennies, the old testament, and the new, and by that which is bestowed, Opera supererogationis, (howbeit Superarrogantia, were a meeter term) that is to say, deeds which are more than the law requireth, deeds of perfection and of liberality, which a man is not bound to do, but of his free will. And for them he shall have an higher place in heaven, and may give to other of his merits: or of which the pope after his death may give pardons from the pains of purgatory. Against which exposition I answer: first, a greater perfection than the law, is there not. A greater perfection then to love God, and his will, which is the commandments, with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy strength, with all thy mind, is there none. And to love a man's neighbour as himself, is like the same. It is a wonderful love wherewith a man loveth himself. As glad as I would be to receive pardon of mine own life, (if I had deserved death) so glad aught I to be, to defend my neighbours life, without respect of my life, or of my good. A man aught neither to spare his goods, nor yet himself for his brother's sake, after the ensample of Christ 1 john 3 john. 3. Herein (saith he) perceive we love, in that he (that is to say, Christ) gave his life for us. We aught therefore to bestow our lives for the brethren. Now sayeth Christ, john xv. john 15. There is no greater love, then that a man bestow his life for his friend. Moreover no man can fulfil the law. For (john saith i Chapter of the said epistle) 1. john. 1. if we say, we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and truth is not in us. If we knowledge our sins, he is faithful and righteous, to forgive us our sins, and to purge us from all iniquity. And in the Pater noster also we say, father forgive us our sins. Now if we be all sinners, none fulfilleth the law. For he that fulfilleth the Works that the Papists called works, more than the law requireth. law, is no sinner. In the law may neither Peter nor Paul, nor any other creature, save Christ only, rejoice. In the blood of Christ, which fulfilled the law for us, may every parson that repenteth, believeth, loveeth the law, and mourneth for strength to fulfil it, rejoice, be he never so weak a sinner. The two pennies therefore and the credence that he left behind him, to bestow more (if need were) signifieth that he was every where merciful, both present and absent, without feigning, cloaking, complaining, or excusing, and forsook not his neighbour as long as he had need. Which example I pray God men may follow, and let opera supererogationis alone. Marry hath choose a good part, which shall not be taken from her. Luk. x. Luke 10. She was first choose of God, and called by grace, both to know her sin, and also to hear the word of faith, health, and glad tidings of mercy in Christ, and faith was given her to believe, & the spirit of God loosed her heart from the bondage of sin. Then consented she to the will of God again, and above all things had delectation to hear the word, wherein she had obtained everlasting health, and namely, of his own mouth which had purchased so great mercy for her, God chooseth us first, and loveth us first, and openeth our eyes to see his exceeding abundant love to us in Christ, and then love we again, and accept his will above all things, and serve him in that office whereunto he hath choose us. Cell that you have and give alms. And make you bags which wax not old, and treasure which faileth not in heaven. Luke. xii. Luke. 12. This & such like are not spoken that we should work as hirelings in respect of reward, and as though we should obtain heaven with merit. For he says a little afore, fear not little flock, for it is your father's pleasure to give you a kingdom. The kingdom cometh Whatsoever we have, we receive it of the mercy & goodness of God. then of the good will of almighty God through Christ. And such things are spoken partly to put us in remembrance of our duty to be kind again. As is that saying, let your light so shine before men, that they seeing your good works, may glorify your father which is in heaven. As who should say, if God hath given you so great gifts, see you be not unthankful, but bestow them unto his praise. Some things are spoken to move us, The great diversity & manner of the speaking of the Scriptures. to put our trust in God, as are these. Behold the lilies of the field. Behold the birds of the air. If your children ask you bread, will you proffer them a stone? and many such like. Some are spoken to put us in remembrance to be sober, to watch, & pray, and to prepare ourselves against temptations, and that we should understand and know, how that temptations, and occasion of evil come then most, when they are least looked for: lest we should be careless, and sure of ourselves, negligent, and unprepared. Some things are spoken, that we should fear the wonderful and incomprehensible judgements of God, jest we should presume. Some to comfort us that we despair not. And for like causes are all the ensamples of the old Testament. In conclusion the scripture speaketh many things as the world speaketh. But they may not be worldly understand, but ghostly and spiritually, yea the spirit of God only understandeth them, and where he is not, there is not the understanding of the Scripture. But unfruitful disputing, and brawling about words. The scripture saith, God seethe, God heareth, God smelleth, God walketh, The sayings of the Scriptures may not be grossly understand. God is with them, God is not with them, God is angry, God is pleased, God sendeth his spirit, God taketh his spirit away, and a thousand such like. And yet is none of them true after the worldly manner, and as the words sound. Read the second chapter of Paul to the Corinthians: The natural man understandeth not the The natural man understandeth not the things of God. things of God, but the spirit of God only, and we (saith he) have received the spirit which is of God, to understand the things which are given us of God. For without the spirit it is impossible to understand them. Read also the viii. to the Romans. They Rom. 8. that are led with the spirit of God, are the sons of GOD. Now the son knoweth his father's will, and the servant that hath not the spirit of Christ (saith Paul) is none of his. Likewise he that hath not the spirit of GOD, is none of gods, for it is both one spirit, as thou mayst see in the same place. Now he that is of God, heareth the word of God. john. viii. and who is john. 8. of God, but he that hath the spirit of God? Furthermore (saith he) you hear it not, because you are not of God, that is, you have no lust in the word of God, for you understand it not, & that because his spirit is not in you. For as much then as the Scripture is no thing else, but that which the spirit The scripture is nothing else but that which the spirit of God hath spoken. of GOD hath spoken by the Prophets and Apostles, & can not be understand, but of the same spirit: Let every man pray to God, to sand him his spirit to lose him from his natural blindness and ignorance, and to give him understanding, and feeling of the things of God, & of the speaking of the spirit of GOD. And mark this process. First we are damned of nature, so conceived and born, as a Serpent is a Serpent, and a toad a toad, & a snake a snake by nature. And as thou ●eest a young child, which hath pleasure in many things wherein is present death, as in fire, water and so forth, would slay himself with a thousand deaths, if he were not waited upon, and kept therefro. Even so we, if we should live these thousand years could in all that time delight in no other thing, nor yet seek any other thing, but that wherein is death of the soul. Secondarily of the whole multitude of the nature of man, whom God hath elect and choose, and to whom he hath appointed mercy and grace in Christ, to them sendeth he his spirit, which openeth their eyes, showeth them their misery, and bringeth them unto the knowledge of themselves, so that they hate and abhor themselves, are astonied, and amazed and at their wits ends, neither wots what to do, or where to seek health. Then jest they should flee from God by desperation, he comforteth them again with his sweet promises in Christ, & certifieth their hearts that for Christ's sake, they are received By Faith in Christ, we are brought to the state of salvation. to mercy, and their sins forgiven, and they elect and made the sons of GOD, and heirs with Christ of eternal life: & thus through faith are they set at peace with God. Now may not we axe why GOD chooseth one and not an other, either think that God is unjust to damn us afore we do any actual deed, seeing that God worketh his own will with all his creatures. god hath power over all his creatures of right, to do with them what he list, or to make of every one of them as he listeth. Our darkness can not perceive his light. God willbe feared, and not have his secret judgements known. Moreover we by the light of faith see a thousand things, which are impossible to an infidel to see. So likewise no doubt in the light of the clear vision of God, we shall see things which now God will not have known. For pride ever accompanieth high knowledge, but grace accompanieth meekness. Let us therefore give diligence rather to do the will of GOD, then to search his secrets which are not profitable for us to know. When we are thus reconciled to God, made the friends of GOD and heirs of eternal life, the spirit that GOD hath poured into us, testifieth that we may not live after our old deeds of ignorance. For how is it possible, If we believe in god, we must put of the old man & his works. that we should repent, and abhor them, and yet have lust to live in them? We are sure therefore that GOD hath created, and made us new in Christ, & put his spirit in us, that we should live a new life, which is the life of good works. That thou mayst know what are good works, and the end and intent of good works, or wherefore good works serve, mark this that followeth. The life of a Christian man is inward Good works what they are, and to what end they serve. between him and God, and properly is the consent of the spirit to the will of God, and to the honour of God. And God's honour is the final end of all good works. Good works are all things that are done within the laws of God, in which God is honoured, and for which thanks are given to God. Fasting is to abstain from surfeiting, Fasting, the true use thereof. or over much eating, from drunkenness, and care of the world (as thou mayst read Luke. xxj.) and the end of fasting is to tame the body, that the spirit may have a free course to God, and may quietly talk with God. For over much eating and drinking, and care of worldly business, press down the spirit, choke her & tangle her that she can not lift up herself to GOD. Now he that fasteth for any other intent, then to subdue the body, that the spirit may wait on God, and freely exercise herself in the things of God: the same is blind, & wotteth not what he doth, erreth and shoteth at a wrong mark, and his intent and imagination is abominable in the sight of GOD. When thou fastest from meat, & drinkest true fasting, what it is. all day, is that a Christian fast? either to eat at one meal, that were sufficient for four? A man at four times may bear that he can not at one's. Some Superstitious fasting. fast from meat and drink, and yet so tangle themselves in worldly business that they can not once think on God. Some abstain from butter, some from eggs, some from all manner white meat, some this day, some that day, some in the honour of this Saint, some of that, and every man for a sundry purpose. Some for the tooth ache, some for the head ache, for fevers, pestilence, for sudden death, for hanging, drowning, and to be delivered from the pains of hell. Some are so mad that the fast one of the Thursdays between the two S. Marry days in the worship of that Saint whose day is hallowed, between Christmas and Candelmas, and that to be delivered from the pestilence. All those men fast without conscience of god, & without knowledge of the true intent of fasting, and do no other than honour Saintes, as the Gentiles and heathen worshyped their Idols, & are drowned in blindness, and know not of the Testament that God hath made to manward in Christ's blood. In God have they neither hope nor confidence, neither believe his promises, neither know his will, but are yet in captivity under the prince of darkness. WAtch is not only to abstain from Superstitious watching. sleep, but also to be circumspect and to cast all perils: as a man should watch a Tower or a Castle. We must remember that the snares of the devil are infinite and innumerable, and that every moment arise new temptations, and that in all places meet us fresh occasions. Against which we must prepare True watching. ourselves, and turn to God, and complain to him, and make our move, and desire him of his mercy to be our shield, our Tower, our Castle, and defence from all evil, to put his strength in us (for without him we can do naught) & above all things we must call to mind what promises god hath made, and what he hath sworn that he will do to us for Christ's sake, and with strong faith cleave unto them, & desire him of his mercy, and for the love that he hath to Christ, & for his truths sake to fulfil his promises. If we thus clean to God with strong faith, and believe his words: them (as saith Paul j Cor. x,) God is faithful, that he will not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able, or above our might, that is to say, if we cleave to his promises, & not to our own fantasies, & imaginations, he will put might and power into us, that shall be stronger than all the temptation, which he shall suffer to be against us. PRayer is a mourning, alōgyng & a desire of the spirit to Godward Prayer what it i●. for that which she lacketh, as a sick morneth and sorroweth in his heart, longing for health. faith ever prayeth. For after that by faith we are reconciled to God, and have received mercy, and forgiveness of God, the spirit longeth and thyrsteth for strength, to do the will of God, and that God may be honoured, his name hallowed, & his pleasure & will fulfilled. The spirit waiteth, and watcheth on the will of God, and ever hath her own fragility, and weakness before her eyes, and when she seethe temptation and peril drawnye, she turneth to God, and to the testament that God hath made to all that believe and trust in Christ's blood, and desireth God for his mercy, truth, and for the love he hath to Christ, that he will fulfil his promise, that he will secure, help, and give us strength, and that he will sanctify his name in us & fulfil his godly will in us, and that he will not look on our sin and iniquity, but on his mercy, on his truth, and on the love that he oweth to his son Christ, and for his sake to keep us from temptation, that we be not overcome, and that he deliver us from evil, and what soever moveth us contrary to his godly will. Moreover of his own experience, True prayer. he feeleth other men's need, and no less commends to God the infirmities of other, than his own, knowing that there is no strength, no help, no succour, but of God only. And as merciful as he feeleth God in his heart to himself ward, so merciful is he to other, and as greatly as he fealeth his own misery, so great compassion hath he on other. His neighbour is no less care to him, than himself. He feeleth his neighbour's grief, no less than his own. And whensoever he seethe occasion he cannot but pray for his neighbour, as well as for himself: his nature is to seek the honour of God in all men, and to draw (as much as in him is) all men unto God. This is the law of love, which springeth out of Christ's blood, into the hearts of all them that have their trust in him. No man needeth to bid a Christian man to pray, if he see his neighbour's need: if he see it not, put him in remembrance only, & then he can not but do his duty. Now, as touching we desire one an other to pray for us, that do we to put our neighbour in remembrance of his duty, & not that we trust in his holiness. Our trust is in God, in Christ, True prayer is not without faith & charity. and in the truth of God's promises, we have also a promise that when ij. or iij. or more agreed together in any thing according to the will of God, God heareth us. Notwithstanding, as God heareth many, so heareth he few, and so heareth he one, if he pray after the will of God, and desire the honour of God. He that desireth mercy, the same feeleth his own misery, & sin, & mourneth in his heart for to be delivered, that he might honour God, and God for his truth must hear him, which sayeth by the mouth of Christ. Mat. u. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they Math. 5. shall be filled. God for his truths sake must put that righteousness of Christ in him, and wash his unrighteousness away in the blood of Christ. And be the sinner never so weak, never so feeble and frail, sin he never so often and so grievous, yet so long as this lust, desire, and mourning to be delivered remains in him, God seethe not his sins, reckoneth them not, for his truths sake, and love to Christ. He is not a sinner in the sight of God, that would be no sinner. He that would He that repenteth his sin is no sinner before God. be delivered, hath his heart lose already. His heart sinneth not, but mourneth, repenteth, and consenteth unto the law & will of God, and justifieth God, that is, beareth record that God which made the law, is righteous & just. And such an heart, trusting in Christ's blood, is accepted for full righteous. And his weakness, infirmity, and frailty is pardoned, and his sins not looked upon: until God put more strength in him, and fulfil his lust. When the weak in that faith, & unexpert in the mysteries of Christ, desire How we should pray for our neighbour. us to pray for them, than aught we to lead them to the truth and promises of God, and teach them to put their trust in the promises of God, in love that God hath to Christ and to us for his sake, and to strength their weak consciences, showing and proving by the Scripture, that as long as they follow the spirit and resist sin, it is impossible they should fall so deep that God shall not pull them up again, if they hold fast by the anchor of faith, having trust and confidence in Christ. The love that God hath to Christ is infinite, and Christ did and suffered all things, not for himself, to obtain favour or aught else: for he had ever the full favour of God, and was ever Lord over all things, but to reconcile us to God, and to make us heirs with him of his father's kingdom. And God hath promised, that whosoever calleth on his name shall never be confounded or ashamed. Rom. ix. If the righteous fall Rom. 9 (saith the Scripture) he shall not be browsed, the Lord shall put his hand under him. Who is righteous but he that trusteth in Christ's blood, be he never so weak: Christ is our righteousness, and in him aught we to teach Christ is our righteousness. all men to trust, and to expound unto all men the Testament, that God hath made to us sinners in Christ's blood. This aught we to do, and not make a pray of them to lead them captive, to sit in their consciences, and to teach them to trust in our holiness, good deeds and prayers, to the intent that we would feed our idle, and slow bellies of their great labour and sweat, & so to make ourselves Christ's and saviours. For if I take on me to save other by my merits, make I not myself a Christ & a saviour, & am in deed a false Prophet, and a true Antichrist, and exalt myself, and sit in the temple of God, that is to wit, the consciences of men? Among Christian men, Love among Christian men maketh all things common. love maketh all things common: every man is others debtor, and every man is bond to minister to his neighbour, and to supply his neighbour's lack, of that wherewith God hath endued him. As thou seest in the world, how the Lords and officers minister peace in the common wealth, punish murderers, thieves, and evil doers, and to maintain their order & estate, do the commons minister to them again, rent, tribute, toll, and custom. So in the Gospel, the curates which in every parish preach the Gospel, aught of outie to receive an honest living for them, and their households, & even so aught the other officers, which are necessarily required in the common wealth of Christ. We need not to use filthy lucre in the Gospel, to chop & change, and to play the Tavernars, altering the word of God, as they do their wines to their most advantage, and to fashion God's word after every man's mouth, or to abuse the name of Christ, to obtain thereby authority and power, to feed our slow bellies. Now seest thou what prayer is, the end thereof, and wherefore it serveth. If thou give me a thousand pound to pray for thee, I am no more bond than I was before. Man's imagination Man's Imagination cannot altar the law of god, neither make it more or less. can make the commandment of God neither greater nor smaller, neither can to the law of God, either add or minish. God's commandment is as great as himself. I am bound to love the Turk with all my might and power, yea, and above my power, even from the ground of my heart, after the ensample that Christ loved me, neither to spare goods, body, or life, to win him to Christ. And what can I do more for thee, if thou gavest me all the world? Where I see need, there can I not but pray, if God's spirit be in me. Alms is a greek word, and signifieth Almes● what it is. mercy. One Christian is debtor to an other at his need, of all that he is able to do for him, until his need be sufficed. Every Christian man aught to have Christ always before his eyes, as an ensample to counterfeit and follow, and to do to his neighbour as Christ hath done to him, as Paul teacheth in all his epistles, and Peter in his first, and john in his first also. This order useth Paul in all his 1. Pet. 1. Epistles. First he preacheth the law, & 1. john. 〈◊〉 proveth that the whole nature of man is damned, in that the heart lusteth contrary to the will of God. For if we were of God, no doubt we should have lust in his will. Then preacheth he Christ, the Gospel, the promises, and the mercy that God hath set forth to all men in Christ's blood. Which they that believe, & take it for an earnest thing, turn themselves to God, begin to love God again, and to prepare themselves to his will, by the working of the spirit of God in them. Last of all, exhorteth he to unity, peace, and soberness, to avoid braulinges, sects, opinions, disputing and arguing about words, and to walk in the plain and single faith, and feeling of the spirit, and to love one an other after the ensample of Christ, even as Christ loved us, and to be thankful, and to walk worthy of the Gospel, and as it becometh Christ, and with the ensample of pure living to draw all to Christ. Christ is Lord over all, and every Christian is heir annexed with Christ, and therefore Lord of all, & every one Lord of whatsoever an other hath. If thy brother or neighbour therefore need and thou have to help him, and yet showest not mercy, but withdrawest thy hands from him: then robbest thou him of his own, and art a thief. A He that is merciful hath the spirit of God. Christian man, hath Christ's spirit. Now is Christ a merciful thing: if therefore thou be not merciful, after the ensample of Christ, than hast thou not his spirit. If thou have not Christ's spirit, them art thou none of his. Ro. 8. Rom. 〈◊〉 nor hast any part with him. Moreover, though thou show mercy unto thy neighbour, yet if thou do it not with such burning love, as Christ did unto thee, so must y● knowledge thy sin, & desire mercy in Christ. A Christian man hath naught to rejoice in concerning his deeds. His rejoicing is that Christ died for him, and that he is washed in Christ's blood. Of his deeds rejoiceth he not, neither counteth his merits, neither giveth pardons of them, neither seeketh an higher place in heaven of them, neither maketh himself a saviour of other men, through his good works. But giveth all honour to God, and in his greatest deeds of mercy, knowledgeth himself a sinner unfeignedly, and is abundantly content with the place that is prepared for him of Christ, and his good deeds are to him a sign only that Christ's spirit is in him, and he in Christ, and thorough Christ elect to eternal life. The order of love or charity Love seeketh not her own profit. which some dream, the Gospel of Christ knoweth not of, that a man should begin at himself, and serve himself first, and then descend I wots not by what steps. Love seeketh not her own profit. ij. Cor. xii. but maketh 2. Cor. 12. a man to forget himself, and to turn his profit to an other man, as Christ sought not himself, or his own profit, but ours. This term myself is not in the Gospel, neither yet father, mother, sister, brother, kinsman, that one should be preferred in love above an other. But christ is all in all things, Christ is all in all things. Every Christian man to an other is Christ himself, and thy neighbour's need hath as good right in thy goods, as hath Christ himself, which is he●re and Lord over all. And look what thou owest to Christ, that thou owest to thy neighbour's need. To thy neighbour owest thou thy heart, thyself, & all that thou hast & canst do. The love that springeth out of Christ, excludeth no man, neither putteth difference between one and an other. In Christ we are all of one degree, without respect of persous. Notwithstanding though a Christian man's heart be open to all men, and receiveth all men, yet because that his ability of goods extendeth not so far, this provision is made, that every man shall care for his own household, Every one must care for their own households. as father and mother, and thy elders that have helped thee, wife, children and servants. If thou shouldst not care, & provide for thine household, than were thou an infidel, seeing thou hast taken on thee so to do, and for as much as that is thy part committed to thee of the congregation. When thou First look to thine own household, and then to the poor. hast done thy duty to thine household, and yet hast further abundance of the blessing of GOD, that owest thou to the poor that can not labour, or would labour & can get no work, and are destitute of friends, to the poor I mean which thou knowest, to them of thine own parish. For that provision aught to be had in the congregation, that every parish care for there poor. If thy neighbours which thou knowest be served, and thou yet have superfluity, and hearest necessity to be among the brethren a thousand mile of, to them art thou debtor. Yea, to the very infidels we be debtors, if they need, as farforth as we maintain them not against Christ, or to blaspheme Christ. Thus is every man that needeth thy help, thy father, mother, sister, and brother in Christ: even as every man that doth the will of the father, is father, mother, sister, and brother unto Christ. Moreover if any be an infidel and a false Christian, and forsake his household, his wife, children, and such as can not help themselves, than art thou bond to them, and have wherewith, even as much as to thine own household. And they have as good right in thy goods, as thou thyself. And if thou withdraw mercy from them, and hast wherewith to help them: then are thou a thief. If thou show mercy, so dost thou thy duty, and art a faithful minister in the household of Christ, and of Christ shalt thou have thy reward We must for christes sake show our compassion & charity to all men, so far as our ability will extend. and thank. If the whole world were thine, yet hath every brother his right in thy goods, & is heir with thee, as we are all heirs with Christ. Moreover the rich and they that have wisdom with them, must see the poor set a work, that as many as are able may feed themselves, with the labour of their own hands, according to the Scripture & commandment of God. Now seest thou what alms deed means, and wherefore it serveth. He that seeketh with his alms more than to be merciful to a neighbour, to secure his brother's need, to do his duty to his brother, to give his brother that he oweth him, the same is blind, and seethe not what it is to be a Christian man, and to have fellowship in Christ's blood. As pertaining to good works, understand that all works are good which Good works what they ar●. are done within the law of GOD, in faith and with thanksgiving to God, and understand that thou in doing them pleasest God, what so ever thou dost with in the law of God, as when thou makest water. And trust me if either wind or water were stopped, thou shouldst feel what a precious thing it were to do either of both, and what thanks aught to be given God therefore. Moreover put no difference between works, but what soever cometh into thy hands that do, as time, place, and occasion giveth, and as god hath put thee in degree high or low. For as touching to please God, there is no work better than an other. GOD looketh not first on thy work as the world doth, as though the bewtyfulnes of the work pleased him, as it doth the world, or as though he had need of them. But God looketh first on thy heart, what faith thou hast to his words, how thou believest him, trustest him, and how thou lovest him for his mercy that he hath showed there, he looketh with what heart thou workest, and not what thou workest, how thou acceptest the degree that he hath put thee in, & not of what degree thou art, whether thou be an Apostle, or a shoemaker. Set this ensample before thy eyes. Thou art a kechinpage and washest thy master's dishes, an other is an Apostle, and preacheth the word of God. Of this Apostle hark what Paul saith in the. 2. Corinth. ix. If I preach (saith he) I have naught to rejoice 2. Cor. 9 in, for necessity is put unto me as who should say, God hath made me so, woe is unto me if I preach not. If I do it willingly saith he) then have I my reward, that is, then am I sure that God's spirit is me, and that I am elect to eternal life. If I do it against my will an office is committed unto me, that is, if I do it not of love to God, but to get a living thereby & for a worldly purpose, and had rather otherways live, then do I that office which GOD hath put me in, and yet please not God myself. Note now if this Apostle preach not (as many do not, which not only make them selves Apostles, but also compel men to take them for greater than Apostles, yea for greater than Christ himself) than woe is unto him, that is, his damnation is just: If he preach & his heart not right, yet ministereth he the office that GOD hath put him in, and they that have the spirit of God hear the voice of God, yea though he speak in an Ass. Moore over how soever he preacheth he hath not to rejoice, in that he preacheth. We must do good works & yet put no trust in them. But and if he preach willingly, with a true heart, and of conscience to God: then hath he his reward, that is, then feeleth he the earnest of eternal life & the working of the spirit of God in him. And as he feeleth God's goodness and mercy, so be thou sure he feeleth his own infirmity, weakness & unworthiness, and morneth and knowledgeth his sin, in that the heart will not arise to work with that full lust, & love that is in Christ our Lord And nevertheless is yet at peace with God, through faith and trust in Christ jesus. For the earnest of the spirit that worketh in him, testifieth and beareth witness unto his heart, that God hath choose him, and that his grace shall suffice him, which grace is now not idle in him. In his works putteth he no trust. Now thou that ministrest in the kechen, & art but a kechenpage, receivest God is no accepter of people, but receiveth all that submit themselves unto him. all thing of the hand of God, knowest that God hath put thee in that office, submittest thyself to his will, and servest thy master, not as a man, but as Christ himself with a pure heart, according as Paul teacheth us, puttest thy trust in God, and with him seekest thy reward. Moreover there is not a good deed done, but thy heart rejoiceth therein, yea when thou hearest that the word of God is preached by this Apostle, and seest the people turn to God, thou consentest unto the deed, thine heart breaketh out in joy, springeth and leapeth in thy breast, that God is honoured. And in thine heart dost the same that the Apostle doth, and happily with greater delectation, and a more fervent spirit. Now he that receiveth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet, shall receive the reward of a Prophet. Math. x. that is, he that consenteth to the deed Math. hundred. of a Prophet and maintaineth it, the same hath the same spirit, & earnest of everlasting life, which the Prophet hath, and is elect as the Prophet is. Now if thou compare deed to deed, there is difference betwixt washing of dishes, and preaching of the word As all deeds are acceptable to God, that are done in faith, so no deed to allowed good in God's sight (how glorious to the world soever it appear) if it be without faith. of God, but as touching to please God none at all. For neither that, nor this pleaseth, but as farforth as God hath choose a man, hath put his spirit in him, and purified his heart by faith and trust in Christ. Let every man therefore wait on the office, wherein Christ hath put him and therein serve his brethren. If he be of low degree let him patiently therein abide, till God promote him, and exalt him higher. Let kings and head ofcers seek Christ, in their offices & minister peace and quietness unto the brethren, punish sin, and that with mercy, even with the same sorrow and grief of mind, as they would cut of a finger or joint, a leg, or arm of their own body, if there were such disease in them, that either they must be cut of, or else all the body must perish. Let every man of what soever craft or occupation he be of, whether brewer, Every man to walk truly in his vocation, is the right service of God. baker, tailor, vitailer, merchant, or husbandman refer his craft and occupation unto the common wealth, and serve his brethren as he would do Christ himself. Let him buy and cell truly, and not set dice on his brethren, so showeth he mercy, and his occupation pleaseth God. And when thou receivest money for thy labour, or ware, thou receivest thy duty. For wherein so ever thou minister to thy brethren, thy brethren are dettours to give thee wherewith to maintain thyself, and household. And let your superfluities secure the poor, of which sort shall ever be some in all towns and cities, and villages, and that I suppose the greatest number. Remember that we are We must be merciful one to an other. members of one body, & aught to minister one to an other mercifully. And remember that whatsoever we have, it is given us of God, to bestow it on our brethren. Let him that eateth, eat and give God thanks, only let not thy meat pull thy heart from God. And let him that drinketh do likewise. Let him that hath a wife give God thanks for his liberty, only let not thy wife withdraw thy heart from God, and then pleasest thou God, and hast the word of God for thee. And in all things look on the word of God, and therein put thy trust, and not in a visure, in a disguised garment, and a cut shoe. Seek the word of God in all things, and without the word of God do nothing, though it appear never so glorious. What soever is done without the word of God, that count idolatry. The kingdom of heaven is within us. Luk. xvij. Wonder Luke. 17. therefore at no monstrous shape, nor at any outward thing without the word. For the world was never drawn from God, but with an outward show, and glorious appearance, and Ipocrites are vain glorious in in all their works. shining of hypocrisy, and of feigned and visured fasting, praying, watching, singing, offering, sacrificing, hallowing of superstitious ceremonies, and monstrous disguising. Take this for an ensample. john Baptist which had testimony of Christ and of the Gospel, that there never rose a greater among wemens' children, with his fasting, watching, praying, raiment, and stranight living, deceived the jews, and brought them in doubt, whether john were very Christ or not, and yet no Scripture or miracle testifying it, so greatly the blind nature of man looketh on the outward shining of works, and regardeth not the inward word, which speaketh to the heart. When they sent to john ask him whether he were Christ, he denied it. When they asked him what he was, and what he said of himself, he answered not, I am he that watcheth, prayeth, drinketh no wine, nor strong drink, eateth neither fish nor flesh, but live with wild honey, and Grasshoppers, and wear a coat of camels hear, and a girdle of a skin: but said I am a voice of a crier. My voice only pertaineth to you. Those outward things which you wonder at, pertain to myself only, unto the taming of my body. To you am I a voice only, and that which I preach. My preaching (if it be received into a penitent or repenting heart) shall teach you how to live and please God, according as God shall shed out his grace on every man. john preached repentance, True preachers must preach repentance. saying, prepare the lords way and make his paths strait. The lords way is repentance, and not hypocrisy of man's imagination, & invention. It is not possible that the Lord Christ should come to a man, except he know himself, and his sin, & truly repent. Make his paths strait: the paths are the law, if thou understand it a right, as God hath given it. Christ saith in the xvij. of Mat. Helias shall Math. 17. first come, that is, shall come before Christ, and restore all things, meaning of john Baptist. john Baptist did restore the law, and the Scripture unto the right sense & understanding, which the Pharisees partly had darkened, and made of none effect, through their own traditions. Math. xv. where Math. 17. Christ rebuketh them saying: why transgress you the commandments of God through your traditions: and partly had corrupt it with gloss, and false interpretations, that no man could understand it. Wherefore Christ rebuketh them Mat. 23. saying: woe be to you Pharisees, hypocrites, which shut Math. 〈◊〉 up the kingdom of heaven before men: you enter not yourselves, neither suffer them that come, to enter in: and partly did beguile the people and blind their The manner & doctrine of hypocrites. eyes in disguising themselves, as thou readest in the same 23. chap. how they made broad and large phylacteries, and did all their works to be seen of men, that the people should wonder at their disguisings and visuring of themselves, otherwise than God had made them: and partly mocked them with hypocrisy of false holiness in fasting, praying, and alms giving Mat. Math. 6. 6. and this did they for lucre to be in authority, to sit in the consciences of people, and to be counted as God himself, that people should trust in their holiness, and not in God, as thou readest in the place above rehearsed Mat. 23. woe be to you Pharisees, hypocrites, Math. 23. which devour widows houses under a colour of long prayer. Counterfeit therefore nothing without that word of God, when thou understandest that it shall teach thee all things, how to apply outward things, and whereunto to refer them. Beware of thy good intent, good mind, good affection or zeal as they call it. Peter of a good mind, and of a good affection or zeal chid Christ, Math. 16. because Math. 16. he said that he must go to Jerusalem, and there be slain. But Christ called him Satan for his labour, a name that belongeth to the devil. And said, that he perceived not godly things, but worldly. Of a good intent and of a fervent affection to Christ, the sons of Zededei would have had fire to come down from heaven to consume the Samaritans Luk. 9 But Luke. 9 Christ rebuked them, saying that they witted not of what spirit they were: that is, that they understood not how that they were altogether worldly & fleshly minded. Peter smote Malchus of a good zeal: but Christ condemned his deed. The very jews of a good intent, and of a good zeal slay Christ, and persecuted the Apostles, as Paul beareth them record, Rom. x. I bear Rom. 10. them record (saith he) that they have a fervent mind to Godward, but not according to knowledge. It is an other No zeal without knowledge 〈◊〉 good. thing then to do of a good mind, and to do of knowledge. Labour for knowledge, that thou mayest know God's will, and what he would have thee to do. Our mind, intent, and affection or zeal, are blind, and all that we do of them is damned of god, and for that cause hath God made a testament between him and us, wherein is contained both what he would have us to do, and what he would have us to ask of him. See therefore that thou do nothing to please God withal, but that he commandeth, neither ask any thing of him, but that he hath promised thee. The jews also (as it appeareth Act. seven) slay Steven of a good zeal: because he proved by the scripture, that God dwelleth not in Churches or temples made with hands. The Churches at the beginning were Churches why they were first ordained. ordained that the people should thither resort to hear the word of God there preached only, and not for the use wherein they now are. The temple wherein God will be worshipped, The true Temple of God is the heart of man. is the heart of man. For God is a spirit (saith Christ joh. 4.) and will be worshipped in that spirit & in truth: that is, when a penitent heart consenteth unto the law of God, and with a strong faith longeth for the promises of God. So is God honoured on all sides, in that we count him righteous in all his laws and ordinances, and also trust in all his promises. Other worshipping of God is there none, except we make an Idol of him. IT shallbe recompensed thee at the rising again of the righteous. Lu. xiv. Read the text before, and thou Luke. 14. shalt perceive that Christ doth here that same that he doth Math. u. that Math. 5. is, he putteth us in remembrance of our duty, that we be to the poor as Christ is to us, and also teacheth us how that we can never know whether our love be right, and whether it spring of Christ or no, as long as we are but kind to them only which do as much for us again. But and we be merciful to the poor, for conscience to God, and of compassion and hearty love, which compassion & love spring of the love we have to God in Christ, for the pure mercy and love that he hath showed on us: then have we a sure token that we are beloved of God, and washed in Christ's blood, and elect by Christ's deserving unto eternal life. The scripture speaketh as a father doth to his young son, do this, or The manet of the speaking of the Scripture. that, and then will I love thee, yet the father loveth his son first, and studieth with all his power and wit to overcome his child with love, and with kindness, to make him do that which is comely, honest, and good for itself. A kind father, and mother love their children, even when they are evil, that they would shed their blood to make them better, and to bring than into the right way. And a natural child studieth not to obtain his father's love with works, but considereth with what love his father loveth him with all, and therefore loveth again, is glad to do his father's will, and studieth to be thankful. The spirit of the world understandeth The wise of this world do not understand the speaking of God in his scriptures. not the speaking of God, neither the spirit of the wise of this world, neither the spirit of Philosophers, neither the spirit of Socrates, of Plato, or of Aristotle's Ethikes, as thou mayest see in the first and second chapter of the first to the corinth. Though that many are not ashamed to rail and blaspheme, saying, how should he understand the scripture, seeing he is no Philosopher, neither hath seen his metaphisike? Moreover they blaspheme, saying, how can he be a divine and woteth not what is subiectum in theologia? Nevertheless as a man without the spirit of Aristo tell or Philosophy, may by the spirit of God understand scripture: Even so by the spirit of God, understandeth he that god is to be sought in all the Scripture, and in all things & yet wotteth not what means Subiectum in Theologia, because The Papists arguments. it is a term of their own making. If thou shouldst say to him, that hath the spirit of god, the love of god is the keeping of the commandments, & to love a man's neighbour is to show mercy, he would without arguing or disputing understand, how that of the love of God springeth the keeping of his commandments, and of the love to thy neighbour springeth mercy. Now would Aristotle deny such speaking, & a Duns man would make xx. distinctions. If thou shouldst say (as saith john the 4. of his Epistle) how can he that loveth not his neighbour, whom he seethe, love God whom he seethe not? Aristotle would say lo, a man must first love his neighbour and then God, and out of the love to thy neighbour springeth the love to God. But he that feeleth the working of the spirit of God, and also from what vengeance the blood of Christ hath delivered him, understandeth how that it is impossible to love either father or mother, sister, brother, neighbour, or his own self a right, except it spring out of the love to God, and perceiveth that the love to a man's neighbour, is a sign of the love to God, as good fruit declareth a good tree, and that the love to a man's neighbour accompanieth, and followeth the love of God, as heat accompanieth and followeth fire. Likewise when the Scripture saith. Christ shall reward every man at the resurrection or uprising again according to his deeds, the spirit of Aristotle's ethikes would say, lo with that multitude of good works mayst thou, & Aristotle's and Papists doctrine. must thou obtain everlasting life, & also a place in heaven high or low, according as thou hast many or few good works, & yet wotteth not what a good work means, as Christ speaketh of good works, as he that seethe not the heart, but outward things only. But he that hath God's spirit understandeth it. He feeleth that good works are nothing but fruits of love, compassion, mercifulness, and of Good works are the fruits of love. a tenderness of heart, which a Christian hath to his neighbour, and that love springeth of that love which he hath to god, to his will & commandments, and understandeth also that the love which man hath to God, springeth of the infinite love, and bottomless mercy, which God in Christ showed first to us, as says john in the Epistle and Chap. above rehearsed. In this (saith he) appeared the love of GOD to usward, because that God sent his only begotten son into the world that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that God first loved us, and not 〈◊〉 him. he loved us, & sent his son to make agreement for our sins. In conclusion a Christian man feeleth, that that unspeakable love and mercy which god hath to us, & that spirit which worketh all things that are wrought according to the will of God, and that love wherewith we love God, & that love which we have to our neighbour, and that mercy and compassion which we show on him, & also that eternal life which is laid up in store for us in Christ, are altogether the gift of God, through Christ's purchasing. If the Scripture said always Christ shall reward thee according to to thy faith, or according to thy hope, and trust thou hast in God, or according to the love thou hast to god, & thy neighbour, so were it true also as thou seest. 1. Pet. 1. receiving the end or reward of your faith, the health or salvation of your souls. But that spiritual things could not be known save by their works, as a tree can not be known, but by her fruit. How could I know that I loved my neighbour, if never occasion were given me to show mercy unto him: how should I know that How we understand the love of God to be in us. I loved GOD, if I never suffered for his sake? how should I know that God loved me, if there were no infirmity, temptation, peril and jeopardy whence God should deliver me? THere is no man that forsaketh house, either father, or mother, either brethren, or sistern, wife, or children for the kingdom of heavens sake, which shall not receive much more in this world, and in the world to come everlasting life. Luke. xviij. Luke. 18. Here seest thou that a Christian man in all his works hath respect to nothing, but unto the glory of god only, and to the maintaining of the truth of god, and doth and leaveth undone all things of love, to the glory and honour of god only, as Christ teacheth in the Pater noster. Moreover when he saith, he shall receive much more in this world, of a truth, yea he hath received much more already. For except he had felt the infinite mercy, goodness, love and kindness of God, and the fellowship of the blood of Christ, and the comfort of the spirit of Christ, in his heart, he could never have forsaken any thing for gods sake. Notwithstanding (as says Mark. x.) Who soever for Christ's sake & the Whosoever for Christian sake loseth any thing, sh●l receive an hundredth fold. gospels forsaketh house, brethren or sisters etc. He shall receive an hundred fold, houses, brethren etc. that is spiritually. For Christ shallbe all things unto thee. The angels, all Christian and who soever doth the will of the father, shallbe father, mother, sister & brother unto thee, and all there's shall be thine. And god shall take the care of thee, & minister all things unto thee, as long as thou seekest but his honour only. Moreover if thou were Lord over all the world, yea often worlds before thou knewest god: yet was not thine appetite quenched, thou thyrstedest for more. But if thou seek his honour only, then shall he slake thy If we once possess Christ by faith, then have we all in all, and are content with that we have. thirst, and thou shalt have all that thou desirest, and shallbe content: yea if thou devil among insidels, and among the most cruellest nation of the world, yet shall he be a father unto thee, and shall defend thee, as he did Abraham, Isaac and jacob, & all Saints whose lives thou readest in the Scripture. For all that are past and go before, are but ensamples to strength our faith, and trust in the word of god. It is the same god, and hath sworn to us all that he swore unto them, and is as true as ever he was, and therefore can not but fulfil his promises to us, as well as he did to them, if we believe as they did. The hour shall come when all they that are in the graves shall hear his voice, that is to say Christ's voice, & shall come forth, they that have done good into the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil, into the resurrection of damnation, john. u This Here note what followeth of good works. & all like texts declare what soloweth good works, and that our deeds shall testify with us, or against us at that day, and putteth us in remembrance to be diligent, and fervent in doing good. Here by mayst thou not understand that we obtain the favour of god, and the inheritance of life through the merits of good works, as hyrelynges do their wages. For then shouldst thou rob Christ, of whose fullness we have received favour for favour, joh. i that is, god's favour was john. 〈◊〉. so full in Christ, that for his sake he giveth us his favour, as affirmeth also Paul Ephe. i he loved us in his beloved by whom we have (saith Paul) redemption through his blood, and forgiveness of sins. The forgiveness of sins than is our redemption in Christ, and not that reward of works. In whom (saith he in the same place) he chose us before the making of the world, that is long before we did good works. Through faith in Christ, are we also By faith in Christ we are made the sons of God. the sons of god, as thou readest Io. i in that they believed on his name, he gave them power to be the sons of god. God with all his fullness & riches dwelleth in Christ, and out of Christ must we fetch all things. Thou readest also john. iij. he that believeth on john. 3. the son hath eternal life. And he that believeth not, shall see no life, but the wrath of god abideth upon him. Here seest thou that the wrath & vengeance of God possesseth every man till faith come. faith and trust in Christ, expelleth Faith doth expel the wrath of God. the wrath of god, and bringeth favour, that spirit power to do good, and everlasting life. Moreover until Christ hath given thee light, thou knowest not wherein standeth the goodness of thy works, & until his spirit hath loosed thine heart▪ thou canst not consent unto good works. All that is good in us, both will and works, cometh of the favour of GOD, through Christ to whom be the laud. Amen. IF any man will do his will (he means the will of the father) he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of god, or whether I speak of myself. john. seven. This text means not that john. 7. any man of his own strength, power and free will (as they call it) can do the will of god, before he hath received the spirit, and strength of Christ through saith. But here is meant that, which is spokenin the third of john, when Nicodemus marveled how it were possible, that a man should be born again. Christ answered, that which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit, as who should say, he that hath the spirit through faith, and is born again, and made a new in Christ, understandeth the things of the spirit, and what he that is spiritual means. But he that is flesh, and as Paul saith. i Cor. ij. a 1. Cor. 2. natural man, & led of his blind reason only, can never ascend to the capacity of the spirit. And he giveth an ensample, saying, the wind bloweth where he listeth, and thou hearest his voice, and wottest not whence he cometh, nor whether he will. So is every man that The natural man which is but flesh, savoureth not those things that are of the spirit. is born of the spirit, he that speaketh of the spirit, can never be understand of the natural man, which is but flesh and savoureth no more than things of the flesh. So here means Christ, if any man have the spirit, & consenteth unto the will of God, this same at once wotteth what I mean. IF you understand these things, happy are you if you do them john. xiii. A john. 13. Christian man's heart is with the will of God, with the law and commandments of God, and hongreth and thyrsteth after strength to fulfil them, and mourneth day and night, desiring God according to his promises, for to give him power to fulfil the will of God with love and lust: then testifieth his deed that he is blessed, and that the spirit which blesseth us in Christ, is in him, and ministereth such strength. The outward deed testifieth what is within us, as thou readest john. u The deeds which I john. 5. do testify of me saith Christ. And joh. 13. hereby shall all men know that you are my Disciples (if you love one an other. And joh. 14. he that hath john. 14. my commandments, & keepeth them, the same it is that loveth me. And again, he that loveth me keepeth my commandments, and he that loveth me not, keepeth not my commandments, the outward deed testifiing of the inward heart. And joh. xv. If you shall keep my commandments, you shall continued in my love, as I keep my father's commandment, and continued in his love. That is, as you see the love that I have to my father, in that I keep his commandments, so shall you see the love that you have to me, in that you keep my commandments. Thou mayest not think that our We are blessed by God only in Christ our saviour, and not by our works. deeds bless us first, and that we prevent God and his grace in Christ, as though we in our natural gifts, and being as we were born in Adam, looked on the law of God, and of our own strength fulfilled it, and so be-became righteous, and then with that righteousness obtained the favour of God. As Philosophers writ of righteousness, and as the righteousness of temporal law is, where the law is satisfied with the hypocrisy of the outward deed. For contrary to y●, readest thou joh. xv. You have not choose me john. 15. (saith Christ) but I have choose you, that you go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit remain. And in the same chapter. I am a vine, and you the branches, and without me can you do nothing. With us therefore so goeth it. In Adam are we all as it were wild crab trees, of which God chooseth whom he will, and plucketh them out of Adam, and planteth them in the garden of his mercy, and stocketh them, and grafteth the spirit of Christ in them, which bringeth forth the fruit of the will of God, which fruit testifieth that God hath blessed us in Christ. Note this also, that as long as we live we are yet partly carnal, and fleshly (notwithstanding, that we are in Christ and though it be not imputed unto us for Christ's sake) for there abideth, & remains in us yet of the old Adam, as it were the stock of the crab tree, and ever among when occasion is given him, shoteth forth his branches and leaves, bud, blossom, and fruit. Against whom we must fight and subdue We must wrestle with our old man, that we may put o● Christ. Mat. 13. him, and change all his nature by little a and little, with prayer, fasting, and watching, with virtuous meditation and holy works, until we be altogether spirit. The kingdom of heaven saith Christ Math. 13. is like leaven which a woman taketh & hideth in three pecks of meal, till all be leavened. The leaven is the spirit, and we the meal which must be seasoned with the spirit by a little & a little, till we be throughout spiritual. Which shall reward every man according to his deed, Rom. 2. that is, Roma. 1. according as the deeds are; so shall every man's reward be, the deeds declare what we are, as the fruit the tree, according to the fruit shall the tree be praised. The reward is given of the mercy and truth of God, and by the deserving and merits of Christ. Whosoever repenteth, believeth the Gospel, & putteth his trust in Christ's merits, the same is heir with Christ of eternal life, for assurance whereof the spirit of God is poured into his heart as an earnest, which loseth him from the bonds of Satan, and giveth him lust and strength every day more and more, according as he is diligent to ask of God for Christ's sake. And eternal life followeth good living. I suppose (saith S. Paul in the same epistle the viii. chapter) that Roma. 8. the afflictions of this world are not worthy of the glory which shallbe showed on us, that is to say, that which we here suffer, can never deserve that reward, which there shallbe given us. Moreover, if the reward should depend, and hung of the works, no man should be saved. For as much as our best deeds, compared to the law, are Our best works are damnable in the sight of god with out Christ. damnable sin. By the deeds of the law is no flesh justified, as it is written in the third chapter to the Rom. The law justifieth not, but uttereth the sin only, & compelleth and driveth the penitent, or repenting sinner to flee unto the sanctuary of mercy in the blood of Christ. Also repent we never so much, be we never so well willing unto the law of God, yet are we so weak, and the snares and occasions so innumerable, that we fall daily and hourly. So that we could not but despair, if the reward hanged of the work. Whosoever ascribeth eternal life unto the deserving, and merit of works, must fall in one of two inconveniences, either must he be a blind Pharisey, not seeing that the law is spiritual and he carnal, and look and rejoice in the outward shining of his deeds, despising the weak and in respect of them, justify himself. Or else (if he see how that the law is spiritual, and he never able to ascend unto that which that law requireth) he must needs despair. Let every Christian man therefore Christ is our hope & righteousness. rejoice in Christ our hope, trust, and righteousness, in whom we are loved, choose, and accept unto that inheritance of eternal life, neither presuming in our perfectness, neither despairing in our weakness. The perfecter a man is, the clearer is his sight, and seethe a thousand things which displease him, and also perfectness that can not be obtained in this life. And therefore desireth to be with Christ, where is no more sin. Let him that Let no man despair, but put his hope in Christ and he shallbe safe. is weak, & can not do that he would fain do, not despair, but turn to him that is strong, and hath promised to give strength to all that ask of him in Christ's name, and complain to GOD, and desire him to fulfil his promises, and to God commit himself. And he shall of his mercy & truth strength him, and make him feel with what love he is beloved for Christ's sake, though he be never so weak. THey are not righteous before god which hear the law, but they which do the law shall be justified. Rom. ij. This text is plainer than that Roma. 2. it needeth to be expounded. In the chapter before, Paul proveth that the law natural, holp not the Gentiles, (as appeareth by the laws, statutes, and ordinances which they made in their cities) yet kept they them not. The great keep the small under, for their own profit with the violence of the law. Every man praiseth the law as far forth as it is profitable and pleasant unto himself. But when his own appetites should be refrained, then grudgeth he against the law. Moreover he proveth that no knowledge holp the Gentiles. For though the learned men (as the Philosophers) came to the knowledge of God, by the creatures of the world, yet had they no power to worship God. In this second chapter proveth he that the jews (though they had the law written) yet it holp them not: they could not keep it, but were idolaters, and were also murderers, adulterers, & whatsoever the law forbade. He concludeth therefore that that jew, is as well damned as the Gentle. If hearing of the law only might have justified, them had the jews been righteous. But it required that a man do the law, if he will be righteous. Which because the jew did not, he is no less damned than the Gentle. The publishing & declaring of the law, doth but utter a man's sin, & giveth neither strength, nor help to fulfil the law. The law killeth thy conscience, & giveth No man can fulfil the law but he that believeth in Christ. thee no lust to fulfil the law. Faith in christ, giveth lust & power to do the law. Now is it true, that he which doth the law is righteous, but that doth no man save he that believeth & putteth his trust in Christ. IF any man's work that he hath built upon, abide, he shall receive a reward. 1. Cor. 2. 1. Cor. 2. The circumstance of the same chapter, that is to wit, that which goeth before, & that which followeth, declareth plainly what is meant. Paul talketh of learning, doctrine or preaching. He saith that he himself hath laid the foundation, Christ is the sure foundation. which is jesus Christ: and that no man can say any other. He exhorteth therefore every man to take heed what he buildeth upon, and borroweth a similitude of the goldsmith, which trieth his metals with fire, saying, that the fire (that is) the judgement of that scripture, shall try every man's work, that is, every man's preaching and doctrine. If any build upon the foundation laid of Paul, I mean jesus Christ, gold, silver, or precious stone, which are all one thing, and signify true doctrine, which when it is examined, the scripture alloweth, then shall he have his reward, that is, he shall be sure that his learning is of God, & that God's spirit is in him, and that he shall have the reward that Christ hath purchased for him. On the other side, if any man build there on timbre, hay, or stubble, which are all one, and signify doctrine of man's imagination, traditions, and fantasies, which stand not with Christ when they are examined, and judged by the Scripture, he Man's foundation is feeble. shall suffer damage, but shall be saved himself, yet as it were through fire, that is, it shall be painful unto him, that he hath lost his labour, and to see his building perish, notwithstanding if he repent, and embrace the truth in Christ, he shall obtain mercy and be saved. But if Paul were now a live, & would defend his own learning, he should be tried through fire, not through fire of the judgement of Scripture (for that light men now utterly refuse) but by the pope's law, and with fire of Faggots. WE must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, for to receive every man according to the deeds of his body. 2. Corinth. u 2. Cor. 5. As thy deeds testify of thee so shall thy reward be. Thy deeds be evil, then is the wrath of God upon thee, and thine heart is evil, and so shall thy reward be, if thou repent not. Fear therefore and cry to God for grace, that thou mayst love his laws. And when thou lovest them cease not till thou have obtained power of God to fulfil them: so shalt thou be sure that a good reward shall follow. Christ rewardeth his own works in us. Which reward not thy deeds, but Christ's have purchased for thee, whose purchasing also is that lust which thou hast to God's law, & that might where with thou fulfillest them. Remember also, that a reward is rather called that which is given freely, then that which is deserved. That which is deserved, is called (if thou will't give him his right name) hire or wages. A reward is given freely to provoke unto love and to make friends. Remember that what soever good thing any man doth, that shall he receive of the Lord. Eph. uj. Ephe. 6. Remembering that you shall receive of the Lord the reward of inheritance. Col. iij. These ij. texts are exceeding plain. Paul means Collos. 3. as Peter doth. i Pet. ij. that servants should obey their masters with all their hearts, and with good will, though they were never so evil. We must obey the magistrates, because God will have it so. Yea he will that all that are under power obey, even of heart, and of conscience to God, because God will have it so, be the rulers never so wicked. The children must obey father and mother, be they never so cruel or unkind, likewise the wife her husband, the servant his master, the subjects and commons their Lord or King. Why? For you serve the Lord saith he in the Collos. iij. We are Christ's, and Christ hath bought us, as thou readest. Rom. xiv. i Cor. uj. i Pet. i Rom. 14. 1. Cor. 6. 1. Pet. 1. Christ is our Lord and we his possession, & his also is the commandment. Now aught not the cruelness & churlishness of father and mother, of husband, master, Lord, or King, 'cause us to hate the commandment of our so kind a Lord Christ, which spared not his blood for our sakes, which also hath purchased for us with his blood, that reward of eternal life, which life shall follow the patience of good living, and whereunto our good deeds testify that we are choose. Furthermore we are so carnal, that if that rulers be good, we can not know whether we keep the commandment for the love that we have to Christ, and to god through him or no. But and if thou canst find in thy heart do good unto him that A good lesson to teach us to know when we have the spirit of God. rewardeth the evil again, then art thou sure that the same spirit is in thee, that is in Christ. And it followeth in the same Chapter to the Collossians. He that doth wrong shall receive for the wrong that he hath done. That is God shall avenge thee abundantly, which seethe what wrong is done unto thee, and yet suffereth it for a time, that thou mightest feel thy patience, and the working of his spirit in thee, and be made perfect. Therefore see that thou not once desire vengeance, but remit ●emit all vengeance to God. all vengeance unto GOD, as Christ did. Which (saith Peter. i Pet. ij.) when he was reviled, reviled not again, neither threatened when he suffered. Unto such obedience, unto such patience, unto such a poor heart, and unto such feeling, is Paul's meaning to bring all men, and not unto the vain disputing of them, that ascribe so high a place in heaven unto their peelde merits. Which as they feel not the working of God's spirit, so obey they no man. If the king do unto them but right, The fury of the Popish Clergy. they will interdict the whole Realm, curse, excommunicate & sand them down far beneath the bottom of hell, as they have brought the people out of their wits, and made them mad to believe. THy prayers and alms are come up into remembrance in the presence of GOD, (in the Acts. x.) That Acts. 10 is God forgetteth thee not, though he come not at the first calling, he looketh on, and beholdeth thy prayers and alms. Prayer cometh from the heart. God looketh first on the heart, and then on the deed. As thou readest Gene. iiij. God beheld or looked first on Abel, & then on his offering. If the heart be unpure, the deed verily pleaseth not, as thou seest in Cain. Mark the order. In the beginning of the chapter thou readest, there was a certain man named Cornelius which feared god, gave much alms, and prayed God always. He feared God, that is he trembled & quaked, to break the commandments of god. Then prayed he always. Prayer Prayer is the fruit of faith. is the fruit, effect, deed or act of faith & is nothing but the longing of the heart for those things, which a man lacketh & which god hath promised to give him. He doth also alms. Alms is the fruit, effect or deed of compassion and pity, which we have to our neighbour. O a glorious faith and a right, which so trusteth God, and believeth his promises, that she fears to break his commandments, and is also merciful unto her neighbour. This is that faith whereof thou readest namely in Peter, Lively ●ayth to not without works, Paul and john, that we are thereby both justified and saved. And who soever imagineth any other faith, deceiveth himself, and is a vain disputer, and a brawler about words, and hath no feeling in his heart. Though thou consent to the law, that it is good, righteous, & holy, sorowest and repentest because thou hast broken it, mornest because thou hast no strength to fulfil it: yet art not thou Faith maketh us at one with God. thereby at one with GOD. Yea thou shouldst shortly despair, and blaspheme God, if the promises of forgiveness and of help were not there by, & faith in thine heart to believe them. faith therefore setteth thee at one with God. Faith prayeth always. For she hath always her infirmities & weaknesses before her eyes, and also God's promises, for which she always longeth, and Faith prayeth always and in all places. in all places. But blind unbelief prayeth not always nor in all places, but in the Church only, and that in such a Church, where it is not lawful to preach gods promises, neither to teach men to trust therein. Faith when she prayeth setteth not her good deeds before her, saying: Lord for my good deeds do this or that. Nor bargaineth with god, saying, Lord grant me this or do this or that, and I will do this or that for thee, as mumble so much daily, go so far, or fast this, or that fast, enter in this Religion or that, with such other points of infidelity, yea rather Idolatry. But she setteth her infirmities, & her lack before her face, The prayer of a faithful man. and Gods promises saying: Lord for thy mercy and truth, which thou hast sworn be merciful unto me, and pluck me out of this prison, and out of this hell. And lose the bonds of Satan, and give me power to glorify thy name. faith therefore justifieth in the heart, and before GOD, and the deeds justify outwardly before the world, that is, testify only before men, what we are inwardly before God. Who soever looketh in the perfect law of liberty and continueth therein, (if he be not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work) he shallbe happy in his deed. james. i The law of liberty, jaco. that is, which requireth a free heart, or (if thou fulfil it) declareth a free heart loosed from the bonds of Satan. The preaching of the law maketh no man free, but bindeth. For it is the key that bindeth all consciences unto eternal damnation, when it is preached: as the promises or Gospel is the key, that lowseth all consciences that repent, when they are bound through preaching of the law. He shallbe happy in his deed, that is, by his deed shall he know, that he is happy, and blessed of God, which hath given him a good heart, and power to fulfil the law. By hearing the law thou shalt not know that thou art blessed, but if thou do it, it declareth that thou art happy & blessed. WAs not Abraham justified of his deeds, when he offered his son james. 3. Isaac upon the altar? james. iij. his deed justified him before the world, that is, it declared and uttered the faith which both justifieth him before God, and wrought that wonderful work, as james also affirmeth. Was not Raab the harlot justified when she received the messengers, and sent them out another way? james. iij. that is likewise outwardly, but before GOD she was justified by faith, which wrought that outward deed, as thou mayest see joshua. ij. She had herded what God had done in Egypt, in the red Sea, in the desert, and unto the two kings of the Amorreans, Seon, and Og. And she confessed saying: your Lord God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath. She also believed that God as he had promised the children of Israel, would give them the land wherein she dwelled, and consented thereunto, submitted herself unto the will of God, and holp GOD (as much as in her was) & saved his spies and messengers. The other feared that which she believed, but resisted God with all their might, and had no power to submit themselves unto the will of God. And therefore perished they, and she was saved, and that through faith, as we read Heb. 11. where thou mayest see how the holy fathers were saved through faith, and how faith wrought in them. Faith is the goodness of all the deeds that are done Faith is the goodness of all the deeds that are done within the law of God. within the law of God, and maketh them good & glorious, seem they never so vile, and unbelief maketh them damnable, seem they never so glorious. AS pertaining to that which james in this 3. chapter saith. What availeth though a man say that he hath faith, jaco. 3. if he have no deeds? can faith save him? And again, faith without deeds is dead in itself. And the devils believe and tremble. And as the body without the spirit is dead, even so faith without deeds is dead. It is manifest and clear, that he means not of the faith whereof Peter and Paul spoke in their epistles: john in his Gospel & first epistle, and Christ in the Gospel when he saith, thy faith hath made thee safe, be it to thee according to thy faith, or great is thy faith, & so forth, and of which james himself speaketh in the first Chapter saying: of his own will begat he us with the word of life, that is, in believing the promises wherein is life, are we made the sons of God. Which thing I also this wise prove. Paul saith, how shall or can they believe without a preacher? how should they preach except they were sent? Now I pray you when was it herded that god sent any man to preach unto the devils, or that he made them any good promise? He threateneth them often, but never sent ambassadors to preach any atonement between him and them. Take an ensample An example. that thou mayest understand. Let there be two poor men both destitute of raiment in a cold winter, the one strong, that he feeleth no grief, the other grievously mourning for pain of the cold. I then come by and moved with pity and compassion, say unto him that feeleth his disease, come to such a place, and I will give thee raiment sufficient. He believeth, cometh, & obtaineth that which I have promised. That other seethe all this & knoweth it, but is partaker of naught. For he hath no faith, and that is because there is no promise made him. So is it of the devils. The devils have no faith. For faith is but earnest believing of gods promises. Now are there no promises made unto the devils, but sore threatenings. The old Philosophers known that there was one God, but yet had no faith, for they had no power to seek his will, neither to worship him. The Turks and the Turks have no faith 〈…〉 know than is a God. Saresons know that there is one God, but yet have no faith. For they have no power to worship God in spirit, to seek his pleasure, and to submit them unto his will. They made an Idol of God (as we do for the most part) and worshipped him every man after his own imagination, and for a sundry purpose. What we will have done, that must God do, and to do our will worship we him, and pray unto him: but what God will have done, that will neither Turk nor Sareson, nor the most part of us do. What soever we imagine righteous, that must God admit. But God's righteousness, will not our hearts admit. Take an other ensample. Let there betwo such as I An example. spoke of before, and I promise' both, and the one because he feeleth not his disease cometh not. So is it of God's promises. No man is holp by them but sinners that feel their sins, mourn and sorrow for them, and repent with all their hearts. For john Baptist went before Christ, and preached repentance, that is, he preached the law of God, right, and brought the people into knowledge of themselves, and unto the fear of God, and then sent them unto Christ to be healed. For in Christ and for his sake only, hath god promised to receive us unto mercy, to forgive us, and to give us power to resist sin. How shall God save thee, when thou knowest not thy damnation? How shall Christ deliver thee from sin, when thou will't not knowledge thy sin? Now I pray thee how many thousands are there of them that say, I believe that Christ was born of a Virgin, that he died, that he rose again, and so forth, and thou canst not bring them in belief, that they have any sin at all? How many are there of the same sort which thou canst not make believe that a thousand things are sin, which God damneth for sin all the scripture throughout? As to buy as Sins that are ac●empted no sins. good cheap as he can, and to cell as dear as he can, to raise the market of corn and victuale, for his own vantage, without respect of his neighbour, or of the poor of the common wealth, and such like. Moreover how many hundred thousands are there, which when they have sinned, & knowledge their sins: yet trust in a bald ceremony, or in a lousy friars coat and merits, or in the prayers of them that Faithless fruits. devour widows houses, and eateth the poor out of house and harbour, in a thing of his own imagination, in a foolish dream, and a false vision, & not in Christ's blood, and in the truth that God hath sworn? All these are faithless, for they follow their own righteousness, and are disobedient unto all manner righteousness of God: both unto the righteousness of God's law, wherewith he damneth all our deeds (for though some of them see their sins for fear of pain, yet had they rather that such deeds were no sin) and also unto the righteousness of the truth of God in his promises, whereby he saveth all that repent and believe them. For though they believe that Christ died, yet believe they not that he died for their sins, and that his death is a sufficient satisfaction for their sins, and that God for his sake will be a father unto them, and give them power to resist sin. Paul saith (to the Romans in Rom. 10. the x. chap. if thou confess with thy mouth that jesus is the Lord, and believe with thy heart that God raised him up from death, thou shalt be safe. That is, if thou believe he raised him up again for thy salvation. Many believe that God is rich and almighty, but not unto themselves, and that he he will be good unto them, and defend them, and be their God. Pharaoh for pain of the plague, Pharaoh confessed his sins. was compelled to confess his sins, but had yet no power to submit himself unto that will of God, and to let the children of Israel go, and to lose so great profit for God's pleasure. As our Prelates confess their sins, saying, though we be never so evil, yet have we the power. And again, the Scribes and the Pharisees (say they) sat in Moses' seat, do as they teach, but not as they do, thus confess they that they are abominable. But to the second I answer, if they sat on Christ's sear, they would preach Christ's doctrine, now preach they their own traditions, and therefore not to be herded. If they preached Christ, we aught to hear them though they were never so abominable, as they of themselves confess, and have yet no power to amend, neither to let lose Christ's flock to serve God in the spirit, which they hold captive, compelling them to serve their false lies. The devils The devils confessed Christ to be the son of God. felt the power of Christ, and were compelled against their wills to confess that he was the son of God, but had no power to be content therewith, neither to consent unto the ordinance & eternal council of the everlasting God, as our Prelates feel the power of God against them, but yet have no grace to give room unto Christ, because that they (as the devils nature is) will themselves sit in his holy temple, that is to wit, the consciences of men. ¶ Simon Magus believed, Acts. 8. Simon Magus faith. with such a faith as the devils confessed Christ, but had no right faith, as thou seest in the said chapter. For he repented not, consenting unto the law of God. Neither believed the promises, or longed for them, but wondered only at the miracles which Philip wrought, and because tha● he himself in Philip's presence had no power to use his witchcraft, sorcery and art magic, wherewith he mocked & deluded the wits of that people. He would have bought the gift of God, to have sold it much dearer, as his successors now do, and not the successors of Simon Peter. For were they Simon Peter's successors, they would preach Christ, as he did, but they are Simon Magus his successors, of which Simon Peter well proved in that second chapter of his second epistle, saying, there were false Prophets among the people 2. Pet. 2. (meaning of the jews) even as there shall be false teachers or doctors among you, which privily shall bring in sects damnable (sects is part taking as one holdeth of Frances, another of Dominyck, which thing also Paul rebuketh. 1. Corin. 1. and 3.) even 〈◊〉. Cor. 1. 3. denying the Lord that bought them (for they will not be saved by Christ, neither suffer any man to preach him to other). And many shall follow their damnable ways (thou will't say, shall God suffer so many to go out of the right ways so long? I answer many must follow their damnable ways, or else must Peter be a false Prophet) by which the way of truth shallbe evil spoken of (as it is now at this present time, for it is heresy to preach the truth) and through covetousness shall they with feigned words, make merchandise of you, of their merchandise and covetousness it needeth not to make rehearsal, for they that be blind see it evidently. Thus seest thou that james when An Epitome, or brief recital of that which is entreated of before. he saith faith without deeds is dead, and as the body without the spirit is dead, so is faith without deeds: and the devils believe, that he means not of the faith, & trust that we have in the truth of God's promises, and his holy Testament, made unto us in Christ's blood, which faith followeth repentance, and the consent of the heart, un-the law of God, and maketh a man safe, and setteth him at peace with god. But speaketh of that false opinion and imagination wherewith some say, I believe that Christ was born of a virgin, and that he died, and so forth. That believe they verily, and so strongly that they are ready to slay who soever would say the contrary. But they believe not that Christ died for their sins, and that his death hath peased the wrath of God, and hath obtained for them all that God hath promised in the Scripture. For how can they believe that Christ died for their sins, and that he is their only and sufficient Saviour, seeing that they seek other saviours of their own imagination, & seeing that they feel not their sins neither repent, except that some repent (as I above said) for fear of pain, but for no love, nor consent unto the law of god, nor longing that they have, for those good promises which he hath made them in Christ's blood. If they repented, and loved the law of God, and longed for that help which God hath promised to give to all that call on him for Christ's sake, then verily must Gods truth give them power, & strength to do good works, when so ever occasion were given, either must God be a false God. But let God be true, and every man a liar as Scripture saith. For the truth of God lasteth ever, to whom only be all honour and glory for ever. Amen. The end of the Parable of the Wicked Mammon. ¶ The obedience of a Christian man, and how Christian rulers aught to govern, Wherein also (if thou mark diligently) thou shalt find eyes to perceive the crafty conveyance of all jugglers. Set forth by William Tyndall. 1528. Octob. 2. William Tyndall otherwise called Hitchins to the Reader. GRace, peace, and increase of knowledge in our Lord jesus Christ, be with thee reader, and with all that call on the name of the Lord unfeignedly, and with a pure conscience. Amen. Let it not make thee despair, neither yet discourage thee (O Reader,) that it is forbidden thee in pain of life and goods, or that it is made breaking of the kings peace, or treason unto his highness to read the word of thy soul's health: but much rather be bold The nature of God's word is to be persecuted. in the Lord, and comfort thy soul, for as much as thou art sure, and hast an evident token through such persecution, that it is the true word of God: which word is ever hated of the world, neither was ever without persecution, (as thou seest in all the stories of the Bible, both of the new Testament, and also of the old) neither can be, no more than the Sun can be without his light. And The Pope is received and receiveth and persecuteth. forasmuch as contrariwise thou art sure that the pope's doctrine is not of God, which (as thou seest) is so agreeable unto the world, and is so received of the world, or which rather so receiveth the world, and the pleasures of the world, and seeketh nothing but the possessions of the world, and authority in the world, & to bear a rule in the world, & persecuteth the word of God, & with all wiliness driveth the people from it, and with false and sophistical reasons maketh them afeard of it: he curseth them, and excommunicateth them, and bringeth them in belief that they be damned if they look on it: and that it is but doctrine to deceive men: and moveth the blind powers of the world to slay with fire, water, and sword, all that cleave unto it: For the Love of the world is hatred of God and his holy Gospel. world loveth that which is his, and hateth that which is choose out of the world to serve God in the spirit, as Christ saith to his Disciples. john. 15. If you were of the world, the world would love his own: but I have choose you out of the world, and therefore the world hateth you. another comfort hast thou, that as the God defendeth his doctrine himself. weak powers of the world defend the doctrine of the world: so the mighty power of God, defendeth the doctrine of God. Which thing thou shalt evidently perceive, if thou call to mind the wonderful deeds which God hath ever wrought for his word in extreme necessity, since the world began, beyond all man's reason. Which are written (as Paul saith, Roma. 15.) for our learning, (and not for our deceiving) that we through patience, and comfort of the scripture might have hope. The nature of God's word God's word sighteth against hypocrites. is to fight against hypocrites. It began at Abel, and hath ever since continued, and shall (I doubt not) until the last day. And the hypocrites have always the world on their sides, as thou seest in the time of Christ. They had the elders, that is to wit, the rulers Now our master Christ was entreated● of the jews, on their side. They had Pilate, and the Emperor's power on their side: They had Herode also on their side. Moreover, they brought all their worldly wisdom to pass, and all that they could think▪ or imagine, to serve for their purpose. first, to fear the people withal, they excommunicated all that believed in him, and put The craft o● the hypocrites. them out of the temple, as thou seest john. 9 Secondly, they found the means to have him condemned by the Emperor's power, and made it treason to Cesar, to believe in him. Thirdly, they obtained to have him hanged as a thief, or a murderer, which after their belly wisdom, was a cause above all causes, that no man should believe in him: For the jews take it for a sure token of everlasting damnation, if a man be hanged. For it is written in their law, Deutero. 21. Cursed is whosoever hangs on tree. Moses' also in the same place commandeth, if any man be hanged, to take him down the same day, and bury him, for fear of polluting or defiling the country, that is, lest they should bring the wrath and curse of God upon them. And therefore the wicked jews themselves, which with so venomous hate persecuted the doctrine of Christ, and did all the shame, that they could do unto him, (though they would fain have had Christ to hung still on the cross, and there to rot, as he should have done by the Emperor's law, yet for fear of defiling their Sabbath, and of bringing the wrath and curse of God upon them,) begged of Pilate to take him down. joh. 19 which was against themselves. Finally, when they had done all they could, and that they thought sufficient, and when christ was in the heart of the earth, & so many bills and pollares about him, to keep him down, and when it was past man's help, than holp God when man could not bring God's truth worketh w● dear & maketh the wisdom of the hypocrites foolishness. him again, God's truth fetched him again. The oath that God had sworn to Abraham, to David, & to other holy fathers & Prophets, raised him up again, to bless, and save all that believe in him. Thus become the wisdom of the hypocrites foolishness. Lo, this was written for thy learning and comfort. How wonderfully were the children of The captivity of the Israelit●● under 〈…〉. Israel locked in Egypt? In what tribulation. cumbrance, and adversity were they in? The land also that was promised them, was far of, and full of great cities, walled with high walls up to the sky, & inhabited with If 〈…〉 with 〈…〉 who can be 〈…〉. great giants: yet God's truth brought them out of Egypt, and planted them in the land of the giants. This is also written for our learning: For there is no power against Gods, If God be with us, who can be against us? Pharaoh s●aieth the men children. neither any wisdom against God's wisdoms he is stronger and wiser, than all his enemies. What holp it Pharaoh, to drown the men children? So little (I fear not) shall it at the last help the pope, and his bishops, to burn our men children, which manfully confess, that jesus Christ is the Lord, and that there is no other name given unto men, to be saved by: as Peter testifieth, Acts. 4. Who dried up the read sea? Who slay Golias? How Moses comforteth the Israelites. Who did all those wonderful deeds, which thou readest in the Bible? Who delivered the Israelites evermore from thraldom and bondage, as soon as they repented, and turned to God? Faith verily, and God's truth, and the trust in the promises which he had made. Read the xj. to the Hebrues, for thy consolation. When the children of Israel were ready to despair, for the greatness & the multitude of the Giants, Moses' comforted them ever, saying: Remember what your Lord God hath done for you in Egypt, his wonderful plagues, his miracles, his wonders, his mighty hand, his stretched out arm, and what he hath done for you hitherto. He shall destroy them, he shall take their hearts from them, and make them fear, and fly before you. He shall storm them, and stir up a tempest among them, and scatter them, and bring them to nought. He hath sworn, he is true, he will fulfil the promises that he hath made unto Abraham, Isaac, and jacob. This is written God's truth fighteth for us. for our learning: for verily he is a true God, and is our God as well as theirs, and his promises are with us, as well as with them, and he present with us, as well as he was with them. If we ask, we shall obtain: if we knock, he will open: if we seek, we shall find: if we thirst, his truth shall fulfil our lust. Christ is with us until the worlds end. Math. the last. Let this little flock be bold therefore: for if God be on our side, what matter maketh it who be against us, be they bishops, cardinals, pope's, or what so ever names they will? Mark this also, if God send thee to the sea, and promise' to go with thee, and to bring God trieth the faith of his children. thee safe to land, he will raise up a tempest against thee, to prove whether thou will't abide by his word, and that thou mayst feel thy faith, and perceive his goodness. For, if it were always fair weather, and thou never brought into such jeopardy, whence his mercy only delivered thee, thy faith should be but a presumption, and thou shouldst be ever unthankful to God, and merciless unto thy neighbour. If God promise' riches, the way thereto is God worketh backward. poverty. Whom he loveth, him he chasteneth: whom he exalteth, he casts down: whom he saveth, he damneth first: he bringeth no man to heaven, except he sand him to hell first: if he promise' life, he slayeth first: when he buildeth, he casts all down first: he is no patcher; he can not build on an other man's foundation: he will not work, until all be past remedy, and brought unto such a case, that men may see, how that his hand, his power, his mercy, his goodness, and truth hath wrought all together: he will let no man be partaker with him of his praise, and glory: his works are wondered, and contrary unto man's works. Who ever (saving he) delivered his own son, his only son, his dear son unto the death, and that for his enemy's sake, to win his enemy, to overcome him with love, that he might see love, and love again, and of love to do likewise to other men, and to overcome them with well doing? joseph see the Sun and the Moon, and xj. stars worshipping him. Nevertheless joseph. ere that came to pass, God laid him where he could neither see sun, nor moon, neither any star of the sky, and that many years, and also undeserved, to norture him, to humble, to meek, and to teach him Gods ways, and to make him apt and meet for the room and honour, against he came to it, that he might perceive and feel, that it came of God, and that he might be strong in the spirit to minister it godly. He promised the children of Israel a Israelites. land with rivers of milk and honey. But brought them for the space of forty years, into a land, where not only rivers of milk and honey were not, but where so much as a drop of water was not, to nurture them, and to teach them, as a father doth his son, and to do them good at the latter end, and that they might be strong in their spirit, & souls, to use his gifts and benefits, godly, and after his will. He promised David a kingdom, and immediately David. stirred up king Saul against him, to persecute him, to hunt him as men do hares with greyhoundes, and to ferret him out of every hole, & that for the space of many years to tame him, to meek him, to kill his lusts, to make him feel other men's diseases, to make him merciful, to make him understand that he was made king, to minister, and to serve his brethren, and that he should not think that his subjects were made to minister unto his lusts, and that it were lawful for him to take away from them life & goods, at his pleasure. O that our kings were so nurtured How Bishops instruct kings. how a days, which our holy bishops teach of a far other manner, saying: Your grace shall take your pleasure: yea, take what pleasure you list, spare nothing: we shall dispense with you, we have power, we are God's vicar's: and let us alone with the realm, we shall take pain for you, and see that nothing be well: your Grace shall but defend the faith only. Let us therefore look diligently whereunto Whereunto a christian is called. we are called, that we deceive not ourselves. We are called, not to dispute as the pope's disciples do: but to dye with Christ, that we may live with him, and to suffer with him, that we may reign with him. We be called unto a kingdom, that must be won with suffering only, as a sick man winneth health. Our fighting is to suffer while God fighteth for us. God is he that doth all thing for us, and fighteth for us, & we do but suffer only. Christ saith, john xx. As my Father sent me, so send I you. and john xv. If they persecute me, then shall they persecute you. and Christ saith Math. x. I sand you forth, as sheep among wolves. The sheep fight not: but the shepherd fighteth for them, and careth for them. Be harmless as Doves therefore, says Christ, and wise as serpents. The doves imagine no defence, nor seek to avenge themselves. The wisdom of the Serpent. The serpent's wisdom is, to keep his head, and those parts wherein his life rests. Christ is our head, and God's word is that wherein our life rests. To cleave therefore fast unto Christ, and unto those promises which God hath made us for his sake, is our wisdom. Beware of men (saith he) for they shall deliver you up unto their counsels, and shall scourge you, and you shall be brought before rulers, and kings for my sake: the brother shall betray, or deliver the brother to death, and the father, the son: and the children shall rise against father and mother, and put them to death. Hear what Christ saith more, The disciple is not greater than his master, neither the servant greater or better than his Lord: if they have called the goodman of the house Beelzebub, how much rather shall they call his household servants so? And Luke xiv. saith Christ, Which of you disposed to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to perform it? jest when he hath laid the foundation, and then not able to perform it, all that behold it, begin to mock him, He maketh a mock of himself, that casts not the end ●re he begin saying: this man began to build, and was not able to make an end: so likewise none of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, can be my disciple. Whosoever therefore casts not this aforehand, I must ieoberd life, goods, honour, worship, and all that there is, for Christ's sake.) deceiveth himself, and maketh a mock of himself, unto the godless hypocrites & infidels. No man can serve two masters, God, and Mammon (that is to say) wicked riches also. Matthew. uj. Thou must love Christ above all thing: but that dost thou How is the Pope ●ure which taketh all for Christ's sake but forsaketh naught. not, if thou be not ready to forsake all for his sake: if thou have forsaken all for his sake, than art thou sure, that thou lovest him. Tribulation is our right baptism, and is signified by plunging into the water. We that are baptised in the name of Christ (saith Paul Rom. uj.) are baptised to dye with him. Tribulation is ou● Baptism. The spirit through tribulation purgeth us, and killeth our fleshly wit, our worldly understanding, and belly wisdom: and filleth us full of the wisdom of God. Tribulation is a blessing that cometh of God, as witnesseth Christ, Math. u. Blessed are they that Tribulation is a blessing suffer persecution for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Is not this a comfortable word? Who aught not rather to choose and desire to be blessed with Christ in a little tribulation, then to be cursed perpetually with the world for a little pleasure? Prosperity is a right curse, and a thing Prosperity is a curse. that God giveth unto his enemies. Woe be to you rich: (saith Christ; Luke. uj.) lo, you have your consolation: woe be to you that are full, for you shall hunger: woe be to you that laugh, for you shall weep: woe be to you when men praise you, for so did their fathers unto the false prophets: yea, and so have our fathers done unto the false hypocrites. The hypocrites with worldly preaching, have not got the praise only, but even the possessions also, and the dominion, and rule of the whole world. Tribulation for righteousness, is not a Tribulation in the gift of God. blessing only: but also a gift that God giveth unto none save his special friends. The Apostles, Act. u rejoiced, that they were counted worthy, to suffer rebuke for Christ's sake. And Paul in the second epistle & third chapter to Timothe, saith: All that will live godly in Christ jesus must suffer persecution. And Philip. j he saith: Unto you it is given not only to believe in Christ, but also to suffer for his sake. Here seest thou, that it is God's gift, to suffer for Christ's sake. And in the 1. Pet. 4. saith: Happy are you, if you suffer for the name of Christ, for the glorious spirit of God rests in you. Is it not an happy thing, to be sure, that thou art sealed with God's spirit unto everlasting life? And verily thou art sure thereof, if thou suffer patiently for his sake. By suffering art thou sure: but by persecuting canst thou never be sure. For Paul Rom. 5. saith: Tribulation maketh feeling, Whereby the are the pope and bishops sure? that is, it maketh us feel the goodness of God, and his help, and the working of his spirit. 2. Cor. 12. the Lord said unto Paul: My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect through weakness. Lo, Christ is never strong in us, till we be weak. As our strength abateth, so groweth the strength The weake● to the world the stronger to Christ. of Christ in us: when we are clean emptied of our own strength, then are we full of Christ's strength: & look how much of our own strength remaineth in us, so much lacketh there of the strength of Christ. Therefore saith Paul, 2. Cor. 12. Very gladly will I rejoice in my weakness, that the strength of Christ may devil in me: therefore have I delectation (saith Paul) in infirmities, in rebukes, in need, in persecutions, and in anguish for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, Weakness of the flesh a the strength of the spirit then am I strong. Meaning, that the weakness of the flesh, is the strength of the spirit. And by flesh understand, wit, wisdom, and all that is in a man, before the spirit of God Flesh. come, and whatsoever springeth not of the spirit of God, and of God's word. And of like testimonies is all the scripture full. Behold, God setteth before us a blessing and also a curse. A blessing verily, and that a glorious and an everlasting, if we will suffer In ij. things we are put to our choice tribulation and adversity with our Lord, and saviour Christ. And an everlasting curse, if for a little pleasure sake, we withdraw ourselves from the chastysing & nurture of God, wherewith he teacheth all his sons, and fashioneth them after his godly will, and maketh them perfect (as he did Christ,) and maketh them apt, and meet vessels to receive his grace, and his spirit, that they might perceive and feel the exceeding mercy which we have in Christ, & the innumerable blessings, and the unspeakable inheritance, whereunto we are called, and choose, and sealed in our saviour jesus Christ, unto whom be praise for ever. Amen. Finally, whom God chooseth to reign everlastingly with christ, him sealeth he with his mighty spirit, and poureth strength into The difference between the children of God & of the devil. his heart to suffer afflictions also with Christ, for bearing witness unto the truth. And this is the difference between the children of God and of salvation, and between the children of the devil, and of damnation: that the children of God have power in their hearts, to suffer for God's word, which is their life and salvation, their hope, and trust, and whereby they live in the soul, and spirit before God. And the children of the devil in time of adversity fly from Christ, whom they followed feignedly, their hearts not sealed with his holy & mighty spirit, and get them to the standard of their right father the devil, and take his The devils wages. wages, the pleasures of this world, which are the earnest of everlasting damnation: which conclusion the xii. chap. to the Hebrues, well confirmeth saying, My son despise not thou the chasticing of the Lord, neither faint when thou art rebuked of him: for whom the Lord All Gods children are under chasticing. loveth, him he chasticeth: yea, & he scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. To, persecution and adversity for the truths sake is God's scourge, and God's rod, and pertaineth unto all his children indifferently: for when he saith, he scourgeth every son, he maketh none exception. Moreover saith the text: If you shall endure chasticing, God offereth himself unto you, as unto sons: what son is it that the father chasticeth not? If you be not under correction (whereof all are partakers) then are you bastards, and not sons. Forasmuch then as we must needs be baptized in tribulations, and through the read sea, and a great, and a fearful wilderness, & a land of cruel Giants, into our natural country▪ yea, and in as much as it is a plain earnest, that there is no other way into the kingdom Which way go the Bishops to heaven then? of life, then through persecution, & suffering of pain, & of very death, after the ensample of Christ: therefore let us arm our souls with the comfort of the Scriptures: How that God is ever ready at hand in time of need to help us: and how that such tyrants and persecutors, are but gods scourge, and his rod to chastise us. And as the father hath always in time of correction the rod fast in his hand, so that the rod doth nothing, but as the father moveth it: even so hath God all tyrants The tyrants have not power to do what they would. in his hand, and letteth them not do whatsoever they would, but as much only, as he appointeth them to do, and as far forth as it is necessary for us. And as when the child submitteth himself unto his father's correction and nurture, and humbleth himself altogether unto the will of his father, then the rod is taken away: even so when we are come unto the knowledge of the right way, and have forsaken our own will, and offer ourselves clean unto the will of God, to walk which way soever he will have us: then turneth he the tyrants: or else, if they enforce to persecute us any further, he putteth them out of the way, according unto the comfortable ensamples of the scripture. Moreover, let us arm our souls with the promises both of help and assistance, and The promises of God are comfortable, yea they are all comfort. also of the glorious reward that followeth. Great is your reward in heaven, saith Christ, Math. 5. And he that knowledgeth me before men, him will I knowledge before my father that is in heaven. Math. 10. and, Call on me in time of tribulation, and I will deliver thee. Psal. 65. and, Behold the eyes of the Lord are over them thet fear him, and over them, that trust in his mercy: to deliver their souls from death, and to feed them in time of hunger. Psal. 46. And in Psal. 47. saith David, The Lord is nigh them that are troubled in their hearts, and the meek in spirit will he save. The tribulations of the righteous are many, and out of them all will the Lord deliver them. The Lord keepeth all the bones of them, so that not one of them shall be bruised. The Lord shall redeem the souls of his servants. And of such like consolation are all the Psalms full: would to God, when you read them, you understood them. And Math. 10. When they deliver you, take no thought what you shall say: it shall be given you the same hour what you shall say: for it is not you that speak, but the spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. The very hears of your heads are numbered, says Christ also Math. 10. If God care for our hears, he much more careth for our souls, which he hath sealed with his holy spirit. Therefore saith Peter, 1. Pet. 4. Cast all your care upon him: for he careth for you. And Paul 1 Cor. 10. sayeth: God is true, he will not suffer you to be tempted above your might. And Psal. 71. Cast thy care upon the Lord Let thy care be to prepare thyself with A Christian man's care. all thy strength, for to walk which way he will have thee, and to believe that he will go with thee, & assist thee, and strengthen thee against all tyrants, & deliver thee out of all tribulation. But what way, or by what means he will do it, that commit unto him, and his godly pleasure, and wisdom, and cast that care upon him. And though it seem never so unlikely, or never so impossible unto natural reason, yet believe steadfastly that he will do it: and then shall he (according to his old use) change the course of the world, even in the twinkling of an eye, and come suddenly upon our Giants, as a thief in the night, and compass them in their wiles, and worldly wisdom, when they cry peace, & all is safe, then shall their sorrows begin, as the pangs of a woman that traveleth with child: and then shall he destroy them, and deliver thee, unto the glorious praise of his mercy and truth. Amen. ANd as pertaining unto them that despise God's word, counting it as a fantasy, or The despisers, persecutors & they that fall from the word are threatened. a dream, and to them also that for fear of a little persecution fall from it, set this before thine eyes: how God since the beginning of the world, before a general plague, ever sent his true prophets, & preachers of his word, to warn the people, and gave them time to repent. But they for the greatest part of them, hardened their hearts, and persecuted the word that was sent to save them. And then God destroyed them utterly, and took them clean from the earth. As thou seest what followed the preaching of No in the old world, what followed the preaching of Loath among N●…. Loth. Moses and Aaron. the Sodomites, & the preaching of Moses, and Aaron among the Egyptians, and that suddenly against all possibility of man's wit. Moreover as oft as the children of Israel fell from God to the worshipping of images, he sent his prophets unto them: and they persecuted The Prophets. and waxed hard hearted: and then he sent them into all places of the world captive. Last of all he sent his own son unto them: and they waxed more. hard hearted then ever Christ. before: And see what a fearful example of his wrath, and cruel vengeance he hath made of them unto all the world, now almost fifteen hundred years. Unto the old Britain's also (which dwelled where our nation doth now) preached ●…ildas, Gildas, and rebuked them of their wickedness, and prophesied both unto the spiritual ●hey be spi●…tuall: that 〈◊〉 devilish: ●…r the de●…ll is a spi●…t●. (as they will be called,) and unto the lay men also, what vengeance would follow, except they repented. But they waxed hard hearted: and God sent his plagues, and pestilences among them, and sent their enemies in upon them on every side, & destroyed them utterly. Mark also how Christ threateneth them that forsake him, for whatsoever cause it be: whether for fear, either for shame, either for loss of honour, friends, life, or goods▪ He that denieth me before men, him will I de●y before my father, that is in heaven. He that loveth, father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me, all this he saith Math. 10. And in Mark. 8. he saith: Whosoever is ashamed of me, or my words, among this adulterous and sinful generation, of him shall the son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his father, with his holy We must in no case deny Christ. Angels. And Luk. 9 also: None that layeth his hand to the plough, and looketh back, is meet for the kingdom of heaven. Nevertheless yet, if any man have resisted God receiveth them that come again. ignorantly as Paul did, let him look on the truth which Paul written after he came to knowledge. Also if any man clean against his heart (but overcome with the weakness of the flesh) for fear of persecution, have denied as Peter did, or have delivered his book, or put it away secretly: let him (if he repent) come again, and take better hold, and not despair or take it for a sign that God hath forsaken him: for God oft-times taketh his Why God letteth his elect fall. strength even from his very elect, when they either trust in their own strength, or are negligent to call to him for his strength. And that doth he to teach them, & to make them feel that in that fire of tribulation for his words sake, nothing can endure and abide, save his word, and that strength only, which he hath promised. For the which strength he will have us to pray unto him night and day, with all instance. THat thou mayst perceive how that the scripture That the Scripture aught to be in the English tongue. aught to be in the mother tongue: and that the reasons which our spirits make for the contrary, are but sophistry and false wiles to fear thee from the light, that thou mightest follow them blindfold, and be their captive to honour their ceremonies, and to offer to their belly. First God gave the children of Israel a law by the hand of Moses, in their mother tongue, and all the prophets written in their mother tongue, and all the Psalms were in the mother tongue. And there was Christ but figured, and described in ceremonies, in riddles, in parables, and in dark prophecies. What is the cause that we may not have the old Testament, with the new also, which is the light of the old, and wherein is openly declared before the eyes, that there was darckly prophesied? I can imagine no cause verily, except it be that we should not see the work of Antichrist, & juggling of hypocrites: what should be the cause, that we which walk in the broad day, should not see, as well as they that walked in the night, or that we should not see as well at noon, as they did in the twilight? Came Christ to make the world more blind? By this means, Christ is the darkness of the world, and no● the light, as he says himself, john. 8. Moreover Moses says, Deut. 6. Hear Israel, let these words which I command thee this day stick fast in thy heart, & whet whet th● on thy children that is exercise thy children in them, and put them 〈◊〉 ●re. then on thy children, & talk of them as thou sittest in thy house, & as thou walkest by the way, & when thou liest down, & when thou risest up, & bind them for a token to thine hand, & let them be a remembrance between thy eyes, & writ them on the posies & gates of thy house. This was commanded generally unto all men: How cometh it that god's word pertaineth less unto us, than unto thee? Yea, how cometh it, that our Moysesses forbidden us, and command us the contrary, & threaten us if we do, & will not that we once speak of God's word. How can we whet God's word (that is, to put it in practice, use, & exercise) upon our children & household, when we are violently kept from it, and know it not? How can we (as Peter commandeth) give a reason of our hope, when we wots not what it is that God hath promised, or what to hope? Moses' also commandeth in the said chapter: If the son ask what the testimonies, laws, and observances of the Lord mean, that the father teach him. If our children ask what our ceremonies (which Not nor sy● john his ghostly children. are more than the jews were) mean: no father can tell his son. And in the xj. chapter, he repeateth all again for fear of forgetting. They will say happily, the scripture requireth a pure mind, and a quiet mind. And therefore the lay man because he is altogether cumbered with worldly business, can not understand them. If that be the cause, than it is a plain case, that our prelate's understand not the Scriptures themselves: for no lay man is so tangled with worldly business as they are. The great things of the world are ministered by them: neither do the lay people any great thing, but at their assignment. If the Scripture were in the mother tongue, they will say, then would the lay people understand it, every man after his own ways. Wherefore serveth the Curate, but to teach him the right way? Wherefore were the holy days made, but that the people should Holy days come and learn? Are ye not abominable schoolmasters, in that you take so great wages Our School masters take great wages but teach not. if you will not teach? If you would teach, how could you do it so well, and with so great profit, as when the lay people have the scripture before them in their mother tongue? for than should they see by the order of the text, whether thou iugledest or not: and then would they believe it, because it is the scripture of god, though thy living be never so abominable. Why the preachers are not beloved when they say troth. Where now, because your living, & your preaching are so contrary, and because they grope out in every sermon your open, and manifest lies, and smell your unsatiable covetousness, they believe you not when you preach truth. But alas, the Curates themselves (for the The curates wot not what a Bible means most part) wots no more what the new or old Testament means, then do the Turks: neither know they of any more than that they read at mass, matins, and evensong, which yet they understand not: neither care they, but even to mumble up so much every day (as the Pie and Poymgay speak, they wots not what) to fill up their bellies withal. If they will not let the lay man have the word of God in his mother tongue, yet let the priests have it, which for a great part of them do understand The Priests understand ●o Latin. no latin at all: but sing, and say, and patter all day with the lips only, that which the heart understandeth not. Christ commandeth to search the scriptures. Search the Scriptures. john. 5. Though that miracles bore record unto his doctrine, yet desired he no faith to be given either unto his doctrine, or unto his miracles, without record of the scripture. When Paul preached Act. 17. the other searched the scriptures daily, whether they were as he alleged them. Why shall not I likewise see, whether it be the scripture that thou alleagest: yea, why shall I not see the scripture and the circumstances, and what goeth before and after, that I may know whether thy interpretation be the right sense, or whether thou iuglest, and drawest the scripture violently unto thy carnal and fleshly purpose? or whether thou be about to teach me, or to disccave me. Christ saith, that there shall come false prophets in his name, and say that they themselves are Christ, that is, they shall so preach christ that men must believe in them, in their holiness, and things of their imagination without gods word: yea, & that against Christ or Antichrist that shall come, is nothing but such false prophets that shall juggle with the scripture, and beguile the people with false interpretations, as all the false prophets, scribes, & pharisies did in that old Testament. How shall I know whether you are against Christ, or falls prophets, or not, seeing you will not let me see how you allege the scriptures? Christ saith: By their deeds you shall know them. Now Against Christ is known by his deeds. A several kingdom. when we look on your deeds, we see that you are all sworn together, and have separated yourselves from the lay people, and have a several kingdom among yourselves, and several laws of your own making, wherewith you violently bind the lay people that never Several laws. What christ lowseth freely the Pope bindeth to louse it again for money. A secret counsel. consented unto the making of them. A thousand things forbid you, which Christ made free, and dispense with them again for money: neither is there any exception at all, but lack of money. You have a secret counsel by yourselves. All other men's secrets & counsels know you, and no man yours: you seek but honour, riches, promotion, authority, and to reign over all, and will obey no man. If the father give you aught of courtesy, you will compel the son to give it violently, whether he will or not, by craft of your own laws. These deeds are against Christ. When a whole parish of us hire a schoolmaster to teach our children, what reason is it, that we should be compelled to pay this schoolmaster his wages, and he should have licence to go where he will, and to devil in an other country, and to leave our children untaught? Doth not the pope so? Have we not given up our tithes of courtesy unto one, for to teach us Gods word? and cometh not the pope, and compelleth us to pay it violently to them that never teach? Maketh he not one Parson, which never cometh at us? Person. yea, one shall have u or uj. or as many as he can get, and wotteth oftentimes where never one of them standeth. Another is made Vicar, Vicar. to whom he giveth a dispensation to go where he will, and to set in a parish priest which can but minister a sort of dumb ceremonies. Parish Priest. And he because he hath most labour and lest profit, polleth on his part, and setteth here a mass pevy, there a trental, yonder dirige money, and for his beadroule with a confession penny, and such like. And thus are we never taught, and are yet nevertheless compelled: you compelled to hire many costly schoolmasters. These deeds are verily against Christ. Shall we therefore judge you by your deeds, as Christ commandeth? So are you false Prophets, and the Disciples of Antichrist, or against Christ. The Sermons which thou readest in the Acts of the Apostles, and all that the Apostles preached, were no doubt preached in the mother tongue. Why then might they not be written in the mother tongue? As if one of us preach a good sermon, why may it not be written? Saint Jerome also translated the Bible into his mother tongue: Why may not we also? They will say it can not be translated into our tongue it is so rude. It is not so rude as they are false liars. For the Greek tongue agreeth more with the English then with the Latin. And the properties of the The prop●…ties of the Hebrew tongue agreed with the English. Hebrew tongue agreeth a thousand times more with the English, then with the latin. The manner of speaking is both one, so that in a thousand places thou needest not but to translate it into the English, word for word, when thou must seek a compass in the Latin, and yet shalt have much work to translate it well-fevouredly, so that it have the same grace & sweetness, sense & pure understanding with it in the Latin, & as it hath in the Hebrew. A thousand parts better may it be translated into the English, them into the Latin. Yea, and except my memory fail me, and that I have forgotten what I read when I was a child, thou shalt find in the English chronicle, how that king Adelstone caused King Adelston. the holy Scripture to be translated into the tongue that then was in England, and how the Prelates exhorted him thereunto. Moreover seeing that one of you ever Contrary preaching. preacheth contrary to an other: and when two of you meet, the one disputeth & brauleth with the other, as it were two scolds. And forasmuch as one holdeth this Doctor, and an other that: One followeth Duns, an Contrary Doctors. other Saint Thomas, an other Bonaventure, Alexander de hales, Raymond, Lyre, Brygot, Dorbell, Holcot, Gorram, Trumbett, Hugo de sancto victore, De monte regio, De nova villa, De media villa, and such like out of number. So that if thou hadst but of every author one book, thou couldst not pile them up in any aware house in London, and every author is one contrary unto an other. In so great diversity of spirits, how shall I know who lieth, and who sayeth truth? Whereby shall I try them and judge them? Verily by God's word which only is true. But how shall I that do, when thou will't not let me see scripture? Nay say they, the scriptures is so hard that thou couldst never understand it but by the Doctors. That is, I must measure the meet yard by the clot. Here be twenty clotheses of divers lengths & of divers bredthes. How shall I be sure of the length of the meet yard by them? I suppose rather I must be first sure of the length of the meet yard, and thereby measure, and judge the clotheses. If I must first believe the Doctor, then is the Doctor first true, and the truth of the scripture dependeth of his truth, & so the truth of God springeth of the truth of man. Thus Antichrist turneth the rotes of the trees upward. What is the cause that we damn Antichrist turneth the roots of the tree upward. some of Origenes works, and allow some? How know we that some is heresy, and some not? By the scripture I trow. How know we that Saint Augustine (which is the best or one of the best that ever written upon the Scripture) written many things amiss at the beginning, as many other Doctors The Scripture is the trial of all doctrine, & the right touch stone. do? Verily by the Scriptures, as he himself well perceived afterward when he looked more diligently upon them, and revoked many things again. He written of many things which he understood not when he was newly converted, year he had thoroughly seen the Scriptures: and followed the opinions of Plato, and the common persuasions of man's wisdom, that were then famous. Philosophy They will say yet more shamefully, that no man can understand the Scriptures without Philautia, that is to say, Philosophy. A man must first be well seen in Aristotle, year he can understand the Scripture say they. Aristotle. Aristotle's doctrine is, that the world was without beginning, and shall be without end, and that the first man never was, and the last shall never be. And that God doth all of necessity, neither careth what we do, neither will ask any accounts of that we do. Scripture. Without this doctrine how could we understand the Scripture that saith, God created the world of naught, and God worketh all thing of his free will, and for a secret purpose, & that we shall all rise again, and that God will have accounts of all that Aristotle. we have done in this life. Aristotle saith. give a man a law, and he hath power of himself to do or fulfil the law, and becometh righteous with working righteously. Paul But Paul and all the scripture saith, that the law doth but utter sin only, and helpeth not. Neither hath any man power to do the law, till the spirit of God be given him through faith in Christ. Is it not a madness then to say that we could not understand the Scripture without Aristotle? Aristotle. Aristotle's righteousness, and all his virtues spring of man's free will. And a Turk and every Infidel and Idolater may be righteous, and virtuous with that righteousness & those virtues. Moreover Aristotle's felicity and blessedness standeth in avoiding of all tribulations, and in riches, health, honour, worship, friends and authority, which felicity pleaseth our spiritualty well. Now without these and a thousand such like points, couldst thou not understand Scripture, which 〈◊〉. saith that righteousness cometh by Christ, and not of man's will, and how that virtues are the fruits, and the gift of God's spirit, and that Christ blesseth us in tribulations, persecution, and adversity. How, I say, couldst thou understand the scripture without Philosophy, in as much as Paul in the Philosophy Paul second to the Collossians warned them to beware lest any man should spoil them (that is to say, rob them of their faith in Christ) through Philosophy and deceitful vanities, and through the traditions of men, and ordinances after the world, & not after Christ▪ By this means then, thou will't that no man teach an other, but that every man take the Scripture, and learn by himself. Nay When no man will teach, if we desire▪ God will teach. verily, so say I not. Nevertheless, seeing that you will not teach, if any man thirst for the truth, and read the Scripture by himself, desiring God to open the door of knowledge unto him, god for his truths sake will, and must teach him. Howbeit my meaning is, that as a master teacheth his apprentice to know all the points of the meet yard, first how many inches, how many feet, and the half yard, the quarter, and the nail, and then teacheth him to meet other things thereby: even so will I that you teach the people The order of teaching. God's law, and what obedience God requireth of us unto father and mother, master, Lord, King, and all superiors, and with what friendly love he commandeth one to love an other. And teach them to know that natural vename, and birth poison, which moveth the very hearts of us to rebel against the ordinances and will of God, and prove that no man is righteous in the sight of God, but that we are all damned by the law. And then (when thou hast meeked them, and feared them with the law) teach them the testament, and promises which God hath made unto us in Christ, and how much he loveth us in Christ. And teach them the principles, and the ground of the faith, and what the sacraments signify, and then shall the spirit work with thy preaching, & make them feel. So would it come to pass, that as we know by natural wit, what followeth of a true principle of natural reason: even so by the principles of the faith, & by the plain scriptures, & by the circumstances of the text, should we judge all men's exposition, and all men's doctrine, and should receive the best, and refuse the worst. I would have you to teach them also the properties, and manner of speakinges of the scripture, and how to expound proverbs and similitudes. And then if they go abroad, and walk by the fields, and meadows of all manner doctors and Philosophers, they could catch no harm. They should discern the poison from the hoonny, and bring home nothing, The disorder or over thwart order of our 〈◊〉 men. The school doctrine 〈◊〉 they call 〈◊〉 corrupteth the judgements o● youth. but that which is wholesome. But now do you clean contrary, you drive them from God's word, and will let no man come thereto, until he have been two years master of art. First they nosel them in sophistry, and in benefundatum. And there corrupt they their judgements with apparent arguments, and with alleging unto them texts of Logic, of natural P●…ia. of metaphisike, and moral Philosophy, & of all manner books of Aristotle, and of all manner Doctors which they yet never saw. Moreover one holdeth this, an other that. One is real, an other nominal. What wonderful dreams have they 〈…〉. of their Predicamentes, universales, second intentions, Quiddities, Hecseities. and Relatives? And whether Species sundata in chimerae, be ●…aspecies. And whether this proposition be true, 〈◊〉 eus est aliquid. Whether eus be ●quiuocum, or 〈…〉. ●ns is a voice only say some. Ens is 〈…〉 says an other, and descendeth into ens crea●…▪ and into e●s increatum per mod●s in●…s●…os. when they have this wise brauled viii. x. or xii. or more years, and after that their judgements are utterly corrupt: then they begin their divinity. Not at the scripture: 〈…〉. but every man taketh a sundry Doctor, which Doctors are as sundry, and as divers, the one contrary unto the other, as there Yet in this they all agreed, that no 〈…〉 is saved 〈…〉▪ 〈…〉. 〈◊〉 th●… 〈…〉 ●…er▪ and that t●e Pope 〈…〉 C●…st 〈◊〉 me 〈…〉 to who 〈◊〉 will and take them ●●om whom 〈◊〉 will. 〈◊〉: you 〈…〉. are divers fashions and monstrous shapes, none like an other, among our secres of religion. Every religion, every university, and almost every man hath a sundry divinity. Now what soever opinions every man findeth with his Doctor, that is his Gospel, and that only is true with him, and that holdeth he all his life long, and every man to maintain his Doctor with all, corrupteth the Scripture & fashioneth it after his own imagination, as a Potter doth his clay. Of what text thou provest hell, will an other prove purgatory, an other Limbo p●trum, and an other the assumption of our Lady: And an other shall prove of the same text that an Ape hath a tail. And of what text the gray Friar proveth that our Lady was without original sin, of the same shall the black Friar prove that she was conceived in original sin. And all this do they with apparent reasons, with false similitudes, and likenesses, and with arguments and persuasions of man's wisdom. Now there is no other division or heresy in the world save man's 〈◊〉 simi 〈◊〉. wisdom, and when man's foolish wisdom interpreteth the scripture. Man's wisdom 〈…〉. ●●atereth, divideth and maketh sects, while the wisdom of one is that a white coat is best to serve God in, & an other says a black, an other a grey, an other a blue: And while one says that God will hear your prayer in this place, an other says in that place: And while one says this place is holier, and an other, that place is holier, and this religion Place. 〈…〉 〈◊〉. ●…s wise 〈◊〉 ●s 〈◊〉 ●ol●t●y. ●hat ●…od 〈◊〉. is holier than that, and this Saint is greater with God then that, & an hundred thousand like things. Man's wisdom is plain idolatry, neither is there any other idolatry than to imagine of God after man's wisdom. God is not man's imagination, but that only which he says of himself. God is nothing but his law, and his promises, that is to say, that which he biddeth thee to do, and that which he biddeth thee believe and hope. God is but his word: as Christ saith john. 8. I am that I say unto you, that is to say, that which I preach am I My words are spirit and life. God is that only which he testifieth of himself, and to imagine any other thing of God then that, is damnable idolatry. Therefore says the 118. Psalm. Happy are they which search the testimonies of the Lord, that is to say, that which God testifieth, and witnesseth unto us. But how shall I that do, when you will not let me have his Then think the papists their wicked life will show itself to their shame and confusion. testimonies, or witnesses in a tongue which I understand? Will you resist God? Will you forbidden him to give his spirit unto the lay as well unto you? Hath he not made the English tongue? Why forbid you him to speak in the English tongue then, as well as in the Latin? Finally that this threatening and forbidding the lay people to read the Scripture The Pope licensed the people to read & say what they would save the truth. is not for love of your souls (which they care for, as the Fox both for the Geese) is evident and clearer than the Sun, in as much as they permit and suffer you to read Robin Hode & Bevis of Hampton, Hercules, Hector, and Troilus, with a thousand histories and fables of love and wantonness, and of ribaldry, as filthy as heart can think, to corrupt the minds of youth withal, clean contrary to the doctrine of Christ and of his Apostles. For Paul (Ephes. u) saith: see that fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness be not once named among you, as it becometh Saintes: neither filthiness, neither foolish talking, nor jesting which are not comely. For this you know that no whoremonger either unclean person or covetous person (which is the worshipper of images) hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. And after saith he, through such things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of unbelief. Now seeing they permit you freely to read But the one forbiddeth not their pomp and be●●y cheat, as the other doth. those things which corrupt your minds, and rob you of the kingdom of God and Christ, and bring the wrath of God upon you, how is this forbidding, for love of your souls? A thousand reasons more might be made (as thou mayst see in Paraclesis Erasmi, & in his preface to the paraphasis of Matthew) unto which they should be compelled to hold their peace, or to give shameful answers. But I hope that these are sufficient unto them that thirst the truth. God for his mercy and truth shall well open them more: yea, and other secrets of his Godly wisdom, if they be diligent to cry unto him, which grace grant God. Amen. ¶ The Prologue unto the book. FOr as much as our holy Prelates and our ghostly religious, which aught Prelates not professors but p●…phaners of God's word. to defend gods word, speak evil of it and do all the shame they can to it, & rail on it & bear their captives in hand, that it causeth insurrection & teacheth the people to disobey their heads & governors, & moveth them to rise against their Princes, and to make all common and to The obedience of mō●… not 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉 t●ey 〈◊〉 no● of 〈…〉 but 〈…〉 〈◊〉 sayving. make havoc of other men's goods: therefore have I made this little treatise that followeth containing all obedience, that is of god. In which (who soever readeth it) shall easily perceive, not the contrary only & that they lie: but also the very cause of such blasphemy, and what stirreth them so furiously to rage and to belie the truth? Howbeit, it is no new thing unto the word of God to be railed upon, neither is this the first time that hypocrites have ascribed to God's word the vengeance The hyppocrites lay that to God's word which they themselves o●e cause of. God warneth ere he strike. where of they themselves were ever cause. For the hypocrites with their false doctrine and Idolatry have evermore led the wrath and vengeance of God upon the people, so sore that God could no longer forbear nor differre his punishment. Yet God, which is always merciful, before he would take vengeance, hath ever sent his true Prophets and true Preachers, to warn the people that they might repent. But the people for the most part, and namely the heads and rulers through comfort and persuading of the hyopcrites, have ever waxed more hard hearted then before, and have persecuted the word of God and his Prophets. Then God which is also righteous, hath always poured his plagues upon them without delay. Which plagues the hypocrites ascribe unto God's word saying: see When God punisheth ●oo●…ry of the hypocrites: then say they: that new learning is the cause thereof. what mischief is come upon us sense this new learning came up and this new sect and this new doctrine. This seest thou Hieremias. xliiij. Where the people cried to go to their old Idolatry again saying: sense we left it, we have been in all necessity and have been consumed with war and hunger. But the Prophet answered them, that their Idolatry went unto the heart of God, so that he could no longer suffer the maliciousness of their own imaginations or inventions, & that the cause of all such mischiefs was, because they would not hear the voice of the Lord and walk in his law, ordinances and testimonies. The Scribes and the Christ was 〈◊〉 of ●…tion. Phariseis laid also to Christ's charge (Luke. twenty-three.) that be moved the people to sedition. And said to pilate, we have found this fellow perverting the people and forbidding to pay tribute to Caesar, and saith that he is Christ a king. And again in the same Chapter, he moveth the people (said they) teaching throughout jury and began at Galilee even to this place. So likewise laid they to the Apostles charge, as thou mayst see in the Acts. S. Cyprian also and S. Augustine and many other more made works in defence of the word of God against such blasphemies: So that thou mayst see, how that it is no new thing, but an old and accustomed thing with the hypocrites to wite God's word and the true Preachers of all the mischieve which their lying doctrine is the very cause of. Never the later in very deed, after the preaching of God's word, because it is Why trouble followeth the preaching of the Gospel. not truly received, God sendeth great trouble into the world: partly to avenge himself of the tyrants and persecutors of his word: and partly to destroy those worldly people which make of God's word nothing but a cloak of their fleshly liberty. They are not all good that follow the Gospel. Christ (Math. xiii.) likeneth the kingdom of heaven unto a net cast in the Sea that katcheth fish both good and bad The kingdom of heaven is the preaching of the Gospel, unto which come both good and bad. But the good are few. Christ calleth them Christ's flock, a little flock. therefore a little flock. Luke xii. For they are ever few that come to the Gospel of a true intent seeking therein nothing but the glory and praise of God, and offering themselves freely and willingly to take adversity with Christ for the Gospel's sake and for bearing record unto the As our Prelates do not take their vocation to seek God's glory and honour, but to live easily, & promote themselves to dignity. truth, that all men may hear it. The greatest number come and ever came and followed even Christ himself for a worldly purpose. As thou mayst well see (john uj.) how that almost five thousand followed Christ and would also have made him a king, because he had well fed them. Whom he rebuked saying: you seek me not, because you see the miracles: But because you eat of the bread and were filled, and drove them away from him with hard preaching. Even so now (as ever) the most part seek liberty. They be glad when they Liberty. hear the unsatiable covetousness of the spirituality rebuked: When they hear their falsehood and wiles uttered: When tyranny and oppression is preached against: When they hear how kings and all officers should rule christenly and brotherly, & seek no other thing save the wealth of their subjects: and when they hear that they have no such authority of God so to pill and poll, as they do and to raise up taxes and gatherynges to maintain their fantasies and to make war they wot not for what cause. And therefore because the heads will not so rule, will they also no longer obey, but resist God destroyeth one wicked with an other. God's word is not the cause of evil. and rise against their evil heads. And one wicked destroyeth an other. Yet is God's word not the cause of this, neither yet the preachers. For though that Christ himself taught all obedience, how that it is not lawful to resist wrong (but for the officer that is appointed thereunto) and how a man must love his very enemy, & pray for them that persecute him and bless them that curse him, and how that all vengeance must be remitted to God, and that a man must forgive, if he will be forgiven of God. Yet the people for the most part received it not. They were ever ready to rise, and to fight. For ever when the Scribes and Phariseis went about to take Christ, they were afraid of the people. Not on the holy day (said they Math. xxuj.) jest any rumour arise among the people. And Math. xxi. They would have taken him, but they feared the people. And Luke. xx. Christ asked the Phariseis a question unto which they dared not answer, jest the people should have stoned them. Last of all for as much as the very Disciples Christ's Disciples were long weak, and worldly minded. and Apostles of Christ, after so long hearing of Christ's doctrine, were yet ready to fight for Christ clean against Christ's teaching. As Peter (Math. xxvi.) drawn his sword but he was rebuked. And Luke. ix. james and john would have had fire to come from heaven, to consume the Samaritans, and to avenge the injury of Christ: but were likewise rebuked, if Christ's Disciples were so long carnal what wonder is it, if we be not all perfect the first day? Yea in as much as we be What the Pope's doctrine causeth: he commandeth murder. taught even of very babes, to kill a Turk, to slay a jew, to burn an heretic, to fight for the liberties and right of the Church as they call it: yea, and in as much as we are brought in belief, if we shed the blood of our even Christian, or if the son shed the blood of his father that begat him, for the defence, not of the Pope's Godhead only, but also for what so ever 'cause it be, yea though it be for no cause, but that his holiness commandeth it only, that we deserve as much as Christ deserved for us, when he died on the cross: or if we be slain in the quarrel, that our souls go, nay fly to heaven, and be there ere our blood be cold. In as much (I say) as we have sucked in such bloody imaginations into the bottom of our hearts, even with our mother's milk, and have been so long hardened therein, what wonder were it, if while we be yet young in Christ, we thought that it were lawful to fight, for the true word of god? Yea and though a man were thoroughly persuaded that it were not lawful to resist his king, though he would wrongfully take away life and goods: Yet might he think that it were lawful to resist the hypocrites and to rise, not against his king: but with his king to deliver his king out of bondage and captivity, wherein the hypocrites hold him with wiles and falsehood, so that no man may be suffered to come at him, to tell him the troth. This seest thou, that it is the bloody doctrine of the Pope, which causeth disobedience, The pope's doctrine is bloody. rebellion and insurrection. For he teacheth to sight, and to defend his traditions, and what soever he dreameth with fire, water and sword, and to disobey Father, Mother, Master, Lord, King and Emperor: Yea, and to invade what Christ's doctrine to peaceable. so ever land or nation that will not receive and admit his Godhead. Where the peaceable doctrine of Christ teacheth to obey, and to suffer for the word of God, & to remit the vengeance and the defence of the word to god, which is mighty and able to defend it, which also as soon as God avengeth his doctrine himself. the word is once openly preached, and testified or witnessed unto the world, and when he hath given them a season to repent, is ready at once to take vengeance of his enemies, and shoteth arrows with heads dippeth in deadly poison at them, and poureth his plagues from heaven down upon them, and sendeth the murrain and pestilence among them, and sinketh the Cities of them, and maketh the earth swallow them, and compasseth them in their wiles, and taketh them in their own traps and snares, and casts them into the pits which they digged for other men, and sendeth them a dazing in in the head, and utterly destroyeth them with their own subtle council. Prepare How a man aught to behave himself in reading of doctors, and also in the Scripture. thy mind therefore unto this little treatise and read it discretely, and judge it indifferently, and when I allege any Scripture, look thou on the text, whether I interpret it right: which thou shalt easily perceive, by the circumstance and process of them, if thou make Christ the foundation and ground, and build all on him, and referrest all to him, and findest also that the exposition agreeth unto the common Articles of the faith, and open scriptures. And GOD the father of mercy, which for his truths sake raised our Saviour Christ up again to justify us, give thee his spirit to judge what is righteous, in his eyes, and give the strength to abide by it, and to maintain it withal patience, and long suffering, unto the example and edifying of his congregation, and glory of his name. Amen. The obedience of all degrees proved by God's word and first of children unto their elders. GOd (which worketh all in all things) for a secret judgement and purpose and for his godly pleasure, provided an hour that thy father and mother should come together, to make thee through them. He was present with thee in thy mother's womb and fashioned thee & breathed life into thee, and for that great love he had unto thee, provided milk in thy mother's breasts for thee against thou were born: moved also thy father and mother and all other to love thee, to pity thee and to care for thee. And as he made thee through them, so hath he cast thee under the power & authority of them, to obey and serve them in his stead, saying: honour thy father and mother. Exo. xx. Which is not Our fathers and mothers are to us in God's stead. to be understand in bowing the knee and putting of the cap only, but that thou love them with all thine heart and fear and dread them and wait on their commandments, and seek their worship, pleasure, will and profit in all things, and give thy life for them, counting them worthy of all honour, remembering that thou art their good and possession, & that thou owest unto them thy own self, and all thou art able, yea and more than thou art able to do. Understand also that what soever What we do to our fathers & mothers, that we do to God. thou dost unto them (be it good or bad) thou dost unto God. When thou pleasest them, y● pleasest god: when thou displeasest them, thou displeasest God: when they are angry with thee, god is angry with thee: neither is it possible for thee to come unto the favour of God again (no though all the angels of heaven pray for thee) until thou have submitted thyself unto thy father and mother again. If thou obey (though it be but carnally The reward of obedience. (either for fear, for vain glory or profit) thy blessing shallbe long life upon the earth. For he saith, honour thy father and mother, that thou mayest live long upon the earth. Exod. xx. Contrariwise The reward of disobedience. if thou disobey them, thy life shallbe shortened upon the earth. For it followeth. Exod. xxj. He that smiteth his father or mother shallbe put to death for it. And he that curseth (that is to say, raileth or dishonoured his father or mother with opprobrious words) shallbe slain for it. And Deut. xx●. If any man have a son stubborn and disobedient, which heareth not the voice of his father and the voice of his mother, so that they have taught him nurture and he regardeth them not, then let his father and mother take him, & bring him forth unto the Seniors, or elders of the City and unto the gate of the same place. And let them say unto the Seniors of that City: this our son is stubborn, and disobedient. He will not hearken unto our voice: he is a rioter, and a drunkard. Then let the men of the City, stone him with stones unto death: so shall you put away wickedness from among you, and all Israel shall hear and shall fear. And though that the temporal officers (to their own damnation) be negligent in punishing such disobedience (as the spiritual officers are to teach it) and wink at it or look on it through the fingers: yet shall they not scape unpunished. For the vengeance God avengeth disobedience himself though the officer will not. of God shall accompany them (as thou mayst see Deut. xxviij.) With all misfortune and evil luck, & shall not departed from them until they be murdered, drowned or hanged, either until by one mischance or an other they be utterly brought to naught. Yea & the world often times hangs many a man for that they never deserved, but God hangeth them because they would not obey and hearken unto their elders: as the consciences of many well find when they come unto the gallows. There can they preach and teach other, that which they themselves would not learn in season. The Marriage also of the children Marriage. pertaineth unto their elders, as thou mayst see. i Cor. seven. and throughout all the Scripture, by the authority of the said commandment, child obey father and mother. Which thing the heathen and gentiles have ever kept and to this day keep, unto thee great shame and rebuke of us Christen: in as covetousness maketh our spirituality that they cannot see that which a Turk is ashamed of. much as the weddyngs of our virgins (shame it is to speak it) are more like unto the saute of a bitch, than the marrying of a reasonable creature. See not we daily three or four calenging one woman before the Commissary or Official, of which not one hath the consent of her father and mother. And yet he that hath most money, hath best right, and shall have her in the despite of all her friends and in deffiaunce of God's ordinances. Moreover when she is given by the judge unto that one party, & also married, even then often times shall the contrary party sue before an higher judge, or an other that succeedeth the same, & for money divorce her again. So shamefully doth the covetousness and ambition of our Prelates mock with the laws of God. I pass over with silence how many years they will prolong the sentence with cavillations and subtlety, if they be well moneyed on both parties, Get her with child say they so shall thy cause be best. and if a damsel promise' ij. how shameful Council they will give the second, and also how the religious of Satan do separate unseparable matrimony. For after thou art lawfully married at the commandment of father and mother, and with the consent of all thy friends: yet if thou will't be disgised eke God's commandments break they through their own traditions. unto one of them, and swear obedience unto their traditions, thou mayst disobey father and mother, break the oath which thou hast sworn to God before his holy congregation, and withdraw love and charity the hyest of God's commandments, and that duty and service which thou owest unto thy wife: whereof Christ can not dispense with thee. For Christ is not against God, but with God, and came not to break God's ordinances, but to fulfil them. That is, he came to overcome thee with kindness, and to make thee to do of very love the thing which the law compelleth thee to do. For love only and to do service unto thy neighbour is the fulfilling of the law in that sight of God. To be a Monk or a Friar, thou mayst thus forsake thy wife before thou hast line with her, but not to be a seculare priest. And yet after thou art professed, the Pope for money will dispense with Money maketh merchandise. thee, both for thy coat and all thy obedience, & make a secular Priest of thee: likewise as it is simony to cell a benefice (as they call it) but to resign upon a pension, and then to redeine the same, is no simony at all. O crafty jugglers jugglers. and mockers with the word of God. ¶ The obedience of wives unto their husbands. AFter that Eve was deceived of the Serpent, God said unto her Gene. iij. Thy lust or appetite shall pertain unto thy husband, and he shall rule thee or reign over thee. God which created the woman knoweth what is in that weak vessel (as Peter calleth her) and hath therefore put her under the obedience of her husband, to rule her lusts and wanton appetites. i Peter. iij. exhorteth wives to be in subjection unto their husbands, after the ensample of the holy women which in old time trusted in GOD, and as Sara obeyed Abraham and called him Lord Which Sara before she was married, was Abraham's sister and equal with him: but as soon as she was married Marriage altereth the degree of nature. was in subjection, and become with out comparison inferior. For so is the nature of wedlock by the ordinance of God. It were much better that our wives followed the ensample of the holy women of old time in obeying their husbands, then to worship them with a Pater noster, an ave and a Credo, or to stick up candles before their images. Paul Ephe. u saith: women submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord For the husband is the wives head, even as Christ is the head of the congregation. Therefore as the congregation is in subjection to Christ, likewise let wives be in subjection unto their husbands in all things. Let the woman therefore fear her husband, as Paul saith in the said place. For her husband is unto her in that stead of God, that she obey him, and wait on his commandments. And his commandments are Gods commandments. The husband is 〈◊〉 the wife in gods stead. If she therefore grudge against him. or resist him, she grudgeth against God, and resisteth God. ¶ The obedience of Servants unto their Masters. Servants obey your carnal masters with fear and trembling, in singleness of your hearts as unto Christ: not with service in the eye sight as men pleaseres: but as the servants of Christ doing the will of God from the heart with good will, even as though you served the Lord, and not men. Eph. uj. And i Pet. ij. servants obey your masters with all fear not only if they be good and courteous: but also though they be froward. For it cometh of grace, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief suffering wrongfully. In suffering wrongs patiently ●e follow the steps of Christ. For what praise is it if when you be buffeted for your faults, you take it patiently? But and if when you do well, you suffer wrong and take it patiently, them is there thank with God. Hereunto verily were you called. For Christ also suffered for our sakes, leaving us an example to follow his steps. In what so ever kind therefore thou art a servant, during the time of thy covenants, thy master is unto thee The master is unto the servant in God's stead. in the stead and room of God, and God through him feedeth thee, clotheth thee, ruleth thee, and learneth thee. His commandments are Gods commandments, and thou oughtest to obey him as God, and in all things to seek his pleasure and profit. For thou art his good and possession, as his Ox or his Horse, in so much that who so ever doth but desire thee in his heart from him without his love and licence, is condemned of God, which saith Exod. xx. See thou once covet not thy neighbour's servants. Paul the Apostle sent home Onemus Our spirituality retain men's servants not to honour God, but their. traditions and ceremonies only. unto his master (as thou readest in the epistle of Paul to Philemon). In so much that though the said Philemon with his servant also was converted by Paul, & obeyed unto Paul and to the word that Paul preached, not his servant only, but also himself: yea and though that Paul was in necessity, and lacked ministers to minister unto him in that bonds which he suffered for the Gospel's sake: yet would he not retain the servant necessary unto the furtherance of the Gospel, without the consent of the master. O how sore differeth the doctrine Christ's doctrine & the Pope's differre. of Christ and his Apostles, from the doctrine of the Pope, and of his Apostles. For if any man will obey neither father nor mother, neither Lord nor master, neither King nor Prince, If thy master please thee not shave thyself a Monk a Friar or a Priest. the same needeth but only to take the mark of the beast, that is, to shave himself a Monk, a Friar, or a priest, and is then immediately free and exempted from all service and obedience due unto man. He that will obey no man (as they will not) is most acceptable To obey no man is a spiritual thing. unto them. The more disobedient that thou art unto God's ordinances, the more apt & meet art thou for there's. Neither is the professing, vowing and swearing obedience unto their ordinances, any other thing, than the defiing, denying & forswearing obedience unto the ordinances of God. ¶ The obedience of Subjects unto kings, Princes, and rulers. LEt every soul submit himself unto Rom. 13. the authority of the higher powers. There is no power but of God. The powers that be, are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God. They that resist, shall receive to themselves Kings. are choose to suppress the wicked, & support the good. damnation. For rulers are not to be feared for good works, but for evil. Will't thou be without fear of the power? Do well then, and so shalt thou be praised of the same. For he is the minister of God, for thy wealth. But and if thou do evil, than fear. For he beareth not a sword for naught. For he is the minister of god, to take vengeance on them that do evil. Wherefore you must needs obey, not for fear of vengeance only: but also because of conscience. Even for this cause pay you tribute. For they are Gods ministers serving for the same purpose. give to every man therefore his duty: Tribute to whom tribute belongeth: Custom to whom custom is due: fear to whom fear belongeth: honour to whom honour pertaineth. Own nothing to any man: but to love one an other. For he that loveth an other, fulfilleth the law. For these commandments: Thou shalt not commit adultery: Thou shalt not kill: Thou shalt not steal: Thou shalt not bear false witness: Thou shalt not desire, and so forth: if there be any other commandment, are all comprehended in this saying: Love thine neighbour as thyself. Love hurteth not his neighbour: therefore is love the fulfilling of the law. AS a father over his children is An ●pte similitude. both Lord and judge, forbidding one brother to avenge himself on an other, but (if any cause of strife be between them) will have it brought unto himself or his assigns, to be judged and correct: so God forbiddeth all men to avenge themselves, and taketh the authority and office of avenging unto himself, saying: Vengeance is mine, and I will reward. Deut. xxxij. Which text Paul allegeth Rom. xii. For it is impossible that a man should be a righteous, an equal or an indifferent judge in his own cause, lusts and appetites so blind us. Moreover when thou avengest thyself, thou makest not peace, but stirrest up more debate. God therefore hath given laws unto all nations, and in all lands hath put kings, governors, and rulers in his own stead, to rule the world through them. And hath commanded all causes to be brought before them, as thou readest Exod. xxij. In all causes (saith he) of injury or wrong, whether it be Ox, Ass, sheep or vesture, or any lost thing which an other challengeth, let the cause of both parties be brought unto the Gods, whom the Gods condemn, the same shall pay double unto his neighbour. Mark, the judges are called Gods in the judges are called Gods. Scriptures, because they are in God's room, and execute the commandments of God. And in an other place of the said chapter, Moses charges saying: see that thou rail not on the Gods, neither speak evil of the ruler of thy people. Who so ever therefore resisteth them, resisteth God (for they are in the rowne of God) and they that reliste, shall receive the damnation. Such obedience unto father and mother, master, husband, Emperor, Blessing. King, Lords and rulers, requireth God of all nations, yea of the very Turks and Infidels. The blessing and reward of them that keep them, is the life of this world, as thou readest Levit. xviij. Keep my ordinances and laws: which if a man keep, he shall live therein. which text Paul rehearseth Rom. x. proving thereby that the righteousness of the law is but worldly, and the reward thereof is the life of this world. And the curse Curse. of them that breaketh them, is the loss of this life: as thou seest by the punishment appointed for them. And whosoever keepeth the law (whether it be for fear, for vain glory or profit) though no man reward him, yet shall God bless him abundantly, God rewardeth a● obedience: though no man else do. and sand him worldly prosperity, as thou readest Deut. xxviij. What good blessings accompany the keeping of the law, and as we see the Turks far exceed us christian men in worldly prosperity for their just keeping of their temporal laws. God avengeth all disobedience though no man else do. Likewise though no man punish the breakers of the law, yet shall God sand his curses upon them till they be utterly brought to naught, as thou readest most terribly even in the same place. Neither may the inferior person avenge himself upon the superior, or violently resist him for what so ever wrong it be. If he do, he is condemned in the deed doing: in as much as he taketh upon him that which belongeth to God only, which saith, Vengeance Vengeance is Gods. is mine, and I will reward. Deut. xxxij. And Christ saith Mat. 26. All they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Takest thou a sword to avenge thyself? so givest thou not room unto God to avenge thee, but robbest him of his most high honour, in that thou will't not let him be judge over thee. If any man might have avenged himself upon his superior, that might David most righteously have done upon David. king Saul which so wrongfully persecuted David, even for no other cause, than that God had anointed him king and promised him the kingdom. Yet when God had delivered Saul into that hands of David, that he might have done what he would with him as thou seest in the first book of kings the xxiv. Chapter, how Saul came into the cave where David was. And David came to him secretly, and cut of a peace of his garment. And as soon as he had done it his heart smote him because he had done so much unto his Lord And when his men couraged him to slay him, he answered, the Lord forbidden it me, that I should lay mine hand on him. Neither suffered he his men to hurt him. When Saul was go out, David followed and showed him the piece of his garment and said: why believest thou the words of men that say, David goeth about to do thee harm: perceive and see that there is neither evil nor wickedness in my hand and that I have not trespassed against thee, and yet thou layest await for my life. God destroyeth one wicked by an other God judge between thee and me and avenge me of thee, but mine hand be not upon thee, as the old proverb saith (said David) out of the wicked shall wickedness proceed (but mine hand be not upon thee, meaning that God ever punisheth one wicked by another) And again (said David) GOD be judge, and judge between thee and me, and behold & pleat my cause, & give me judgement or right of thee. And in the. xxuj. Chapter of the same book, when Saul persecuted David again. David came to Saul by night, as he slept and all his men, and took away his spear, and a cup of water from his head. Then said Abisai David servant, God hath delivered thee thy enemy into thy hand this day, let me now therefore nail him to the ground with my spear, and give him but even one stripe and no more. David forbade him saying. Kill him not. For who (said he) shall lay hands on God provideth a means to take the evil out of the way when they have fulfilled their wickedness the Lords anointed & be not guilty? The Lord liveth, or by the lords life (said he) he dieth not except the Lord smite him or that his day be come to dye, or else go to battle, & there perish. Why did not David slay Saul, seeing he was so wicked, not in persecuting David only, but in disobeying Gods Why David slew not Saul. commandments, and in that he had slain. lxxxv. of God's priests wrongfully? Verily for it was not lawful. For if he had done it, he must have sinned against God. For God hath made the king in every Realm judge over The king 〈◊〉 in the ro●●●e of god in this world. all, and over him is there no judge. He that judgeth the king judgeth God, & he that layeth hands on the king, layeth hand on God, and he that resisteth the king resisteth God, and damneth God's law and ordinance. If the subjects sin they must be brought to that kings judgement. If the king sin The king must be reserved unto the vengeance of God. he must be reserved unto that judgement, wrath and vengeance of God. And as it is to resist the king, so is it to resist his officer, which is set or sent to execute the kings commandment. And in the first Chapter of the second book of Kings, David commanded the young man to be slain, which brought unto him the crown & bracelet of Saul, and said to please David with all, that he himself had slain Saul. And in the fourth Chapter of the same book, David commanded those two to be slain which brought unto him the head of Isboseth Sauls son, by whose means yet the whole kingdom returned unto David, according unto the promise of God. And Luke xiii. When they showed Christ of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate mingled with their own sacrifice: he answered, suppose you that these Galileans were sinners above all other Galileans, because they suffered such punishment? I tell you nay: but except you repent you shall likewise perish. This was told Christ, no doubt, of such an intent as they asked him. Math. xxij. It i● not lawful for a Christian subject to resist his Prince, though he be an heathen man. Whether it were lawful to give tribute unto Cesar? For they thought that it was no sin to resist an Heathen Prince: as few of us would think (if we were under the Turk) that it were sin to rise against him, and to rid ourselves from under his dominion, so sore have our Bishops rob us of the true doctrine of Christ. But Christ condemned their deeds, and also the secret thoughts of all other, that consented thereunto, saying: except you repent you shall likewise perish. As who should say, I know that you are within in your hearts, such as they were outward in their deeds, and are under the same damnation: except therefore you repent betimes, you shall break out at the last into like deeds, and likewise perish, as it came afterward to pass. Hereby seest thou that the king is in this world without law, & may Kings must make account of their doings only to God. at his lust do right or wrong, & shall give acomptes, but to God only. another conclusion is this, that no person, neither any degree may be exempt from this ordinance of God. Neither can the profession of Monks and Friars, or any thing that the Pope or Bishops can say for themselves, except them from the sword of the Emperor of kings, if they break the laws. For it is written, let every soul submit himself unto the authority of the higher powers. Here is no man except, but all souls must obey. The higher powers are the temporal kings and Princes, unto whom God hath given the sword to punish who soever sinneth. God hath not given them sword to punish one, and The king hath no power but to his damnation to privilege the spirituality to sin unpunished. to let an other go free, and sin unpunished. Moreover, with what face dared the spirituality, which aught to be the light, & an example of good living unto all other, desire to sin unpunished, or to be excepted from tribute, toll, or custom, that they would not bear pain with their brethren, unto the maintenance of kings and officers ordained of God to punish sin? There is no power but of God (by power understand the authority of kings and Princes.) The powers that be, are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth power, resisteth god: Yea though he be Pope, bishop, Monk or Friar. They that resist shall receive unto themselves damnation. Why? For God's word is against them which will have all men under the power of the temporal sword. For rulers are not to be feared for good works, but for evil. Hereby seest thou that they that resist the powers, or seek to be exempt from their authority, have evil consciences, and seek liberty to sin unpunished, and to be free from bearing pain with their brethren. Will't thou be without fear of the power? So do well, and thou shalt have laud of the same (that is to say of the ruler) with good living aught that spirituality to rid themselves from fear of the temporal sword, & not with craft and with blinding the kings & bringing the vengeance of God upon them, & in purchasing licence to sin unpunished. For he is the minister of God for thy wealth: to defend thee from a thousand inconveniences, from thieves, murderers and them that would defile thy wife, thy daughter and take from thee all that thou hast: yea life and all, if thou did resist. Furthermore though he be A king is a great benefit though he be never so evil. the greatest tyrant in the world, yet is he unto thee a great benefit of God and a thing wherefore thou oughtest to thank God highly. For it is better to have somewhat then to be clean strippeth out of altogether: it is better to pay the tenth then to lose all: it is better to suffer one tyrant then many, and to suffer wrong of one then of every man. Yea and it is better to have a tyrant unto thy king then a shadow, a passive king that doth naught himself, but suffer other to do with him what they will, and to lead him whether they list. For a tyrant though he do wrong unto thee good, yet he punisheth the evil and maketh all men obey neither suffereth any man to poll but himself only. A king that is soft as silk and effeminate, that is to say turned unto the nature of a woman, what with his own lusts, which are as the longing of a woman with child, so that he can not resist them, and what with the wily tyranny of them that ever rule him, shallbe much more grievous unto that realm then a right tyrant. Read the Chronicles and thou shalt find it ever so. But & if thou do evil, them fear. For Princes are ordained to p●uill do●rs. he beareth not a sword for naught. For he is the minister of God, to take vengeance on them that do evil. If the office of Princes given them of God be to take vengeance of evil doers: then by this text and God's word, are all Princes damned, even as many as The damnation of Princes. give liberty or licence unto the spirituality to sin unpunished, and not only to sin unpunished themselves: but also to open sanctuaries, privileged places, churchyards, S. john's hold: Sanctuaries. yea and if they come to short unto all these, yet to setfoorth a neckeverse to save all manner trespassers from the fear Neckeverse. of the sword of the vengeance of God put in the hands of Princes to take vengeance on all such. GOd requireth the law to be kept of all men let them keep it for what soever purpose they will. Will they not keep the law: so vouchsafeth he not that they enjoy this temporal life. Now are there three natures of men, one all Three natures. together beastly, which in no wise receive the law in their hearts, but rise against Princes and rulers when soever they are able to make their party good. These are signified by them that worshipped the golden calf. For Moses broke the tables of the law ere he came at them. The second are not so beastly, but receive the law, and unto them the law cometh: but they look not Moses in the face. For his countenance is to What it is to look Moses in the face. bright for them, that is, they understand not that the law is spiritual, and requireth the heart. They look on the pleasure, profit and promotion that followeth the keeping of the law, & in respect of the reward keep they the law outwardly with works, but not in the heart. For if they might obtain like honour, glory, promotion and dignity and also avoid all inconveniences, if they broken the law, so would they also break the law and follow their lusts. The third are spiritual and look Moses in the open face, & are (as Paul saith the second to the Romans) a law unto themselves & have the law written in their hearts by that spirit of God. These need neither of king nor officers to drive them, neither that any man proffer them any reward for to keep the law. For they do it naturally. The first work for fear of the sword only. The second for reward. The third work for love freely. They look on the exceeding mercy, love & kinds which God hath showed them in Christ, and therefore love again and work freely. Heaven they take of the free gift of God through Christ's deseruyngs, and hope without all manner doubting Heaven cometh by Christ. that GOD according to his promise, will in this world also defend them and do all thing for them of his goodness and for Christ's sake, and not for any goodness that is in them. They consent unto the law that it is holy and just, & that all men aught to do what soever God commandeth for no other cause, but because God commandeth it. And A Christian man seeketh no more but Gods will. their great sorrow is, because that there is no strength in their members to do that which their heart lusteth to do and is a thirst to do. These of the last sort keep the law of their own accord and that in the heart, and have professed perpetual war against the lusts and appetites of the flesh, till they be utterly subdued: yet not through their own strength, but knowing and knowledging their weakness cry ever for strength to god which hath promised assistance unto all that call upon him. These follow God and are led of his spirit. The other ij. are led of lusts and appetites. Lusts & appetites are divers and Lusts. many and that in one man: yea and one lust contrary to an other and the greatest lust carrieth a man altogether away with him. We are also changed from one lust unto an other. Otherwise are we disposed when we are children, otherwise when we are youngmen, and otherwise when we are old, otherwise over even, and otherwise in the morning: yea sometimes altered. uj. times in an hour. How fortuneth all this? Because that the will of man followeth Fre●ill. the wit, and is subject unto the wit & as the wit erreth so doth the will, and as the wit is in captivity, so is the will, neither is it possible that the will should be free where the wit is in bondage. That thou mayst perceive & feel that thing in thy heart and not be a vain sophister, disputing about words without perceiving, mark this. The root of all evil, the greatest damnation and most terrible wrath & vengeance of god that we are in, is natural blindness. We are all out of the right way, every man his ways: One judgeth this best, an other that to be best. Now is Worldly wit. worldly wit nothing else but craft & sutletie to obtain that which we judge falsely to be best. As I err in my wit, so err I in my wil When I judge that The will is bond and ●ed. to be evil, which in deed is good, then hate I that which is good. And when I suppose that good which is evil in deed, then love I evil. As if I be persuaded and born in hand that my most friend is mine enemy, then hate I my best friend: and if I be brought in belief that my most enemy is my friend, Then love I my most enemy. Now when we say, every man hath his free will, to do what him lusteth I say verily that men do what they lust. Notwithstanding, to follow lusts is not freedom, but captivity & bondage. If God open any man's wits to make him feel in his heart, that lusts and appetites are damnable, and give him power to hate and resist them, than is he free even with the freedom wherewith freedom. Christ maketh free, and hath power to do the will of God. Thou mayst hereby perceive that All is sin that springeth not of the spirit of God, and all that is not done in the light of God's word. all that is done in the world (before the spirit of God come & giveth us light) is damnable sin, and the more glorious the more damnable: so that, that which the world counteth most glorious is more damnable in the sight of GOD, then that which the whore, the thief, and the murderer do. With blind reasons of worldly wisdom mayst thou change the minds of youth and make them give themselves to what thou will't either for fear, for praise or for profit, and yet dost but change them from one vice to an other. As the persuasions So do our spirituality in all their works. of her friends made Lucrece chaste. Lucrece believed if she were a good housewife and chaste, that she should be most glorious, & that all the world would give her honour, & praise her. She sought her own glory in her chastity and not gods. When she had lost her chastity, then counted she herself most abominable in the sight of all men, and for very pain and thought which she had, not that she had displeased God, but that she had lost her honour, slay herself. Look how great her pain and sorrow was for the loss of her chastity, so great was her glory and rejoicing therein, and so much despised she them that were otherwise, and pitied them not. Which pride God more abhorreth than the whoredom of any whore. Of like pride are all the moral virtues of Aristotle, Plato and Socrates, and all the doctrine of the Philosophers the very Gods of our school men. In like manner is it for the most part of our most holy Religion. For they of like imagination do things which they of Bedlam may see, that they are but madness. They look on the miracles True miracles are wrought to confirm the preaching, and not the God head of the preacher. which God did by the Saints to move the unbelieving unto the faith and to confirm the troth of his promises in Christ, whereby all that believe are made Saints: as thou seest in the last Chapter of Mark. They preached (saith he) every where, the Lord working with them and confirming their preaching with miracles that followed. And in the fourth of the Acts) the Disciples prayed that God would stretch forth his hands to do miracles and wonders in the name of jesus. And Paul i Corin. xiv. saith, that the miracle of speaking with divers tongues, is but a sign for unbelievers, and not for them that believe. These miracles turn they unto an other purpose saying in their blind Our hypocrites are blind. hearts. See what miracles God hath showed for this Saint, he must be verily great with GOD. And at once turn themselves from God's word, and put their trust and confidence in the Saint and his merits, and make an Advocate or rather a GOD of the Saint, and of their blind imagination make a Testament or bond between the Saint and them, the Testament of Christ's blood clean forgotten. They look on the Saints garments and The religious look upon the out side only. lives or rather lies, which men lie on the Saints: and this wise imagine in their hearts saying: the Saint for wearing such a garment and for such deeds is become so glorious in heaven. If I do likewise, so shall I be also. They see not the faith and trust, which the Saints had in Christ, neither the the word of God which the Saints preached, neither the intent of the Saints, how that the Saints did such things to tame their bodies and to be an ensample to the world, and to teach that such things are to be despised which the world most wondereth at and magnifieth. They see not also that some lands are so hot that a man can neither drink wine nor eat flesh therein: neither consider they the complexion of the Saints, and a thousand like things see they not. So when they have killed their bodies and brought them in that case, that scarce with any restaurative they can recover their health again, yet had they liefer dye then to eat flesh. Why? for they think, I have now this. xx. thirty. or xl. years eaten no flesh and have obtained I doubt not by this time as high a room as the best of them: should I now lose that? nay I had liefer dye: and as Lucretia had liefer have been slain, if he had not been to strong for her, then to have lost her glory, even so had these. They ascribe heaven unto their imaginations and mad inventions, and receive it not of the liberality of God, by the merits and deservings of Christ. He now that is renewed in Christ, keepeth the law without any law written The spiritual man. or compulsion of any ruler or officer, save by the leading of the spirit only: but the natural man is enticed and moved to keep the law carnally, The natural man. with carnal reasons and worldly persuasions, as for glory, honour riches and dignity. But the last remedy of all when all other fail, is fear. Beat Feat is the last remedy. one & the rest will abstain for fear: as Moses ever putteth in remembrance saying: kill, stone, burn. So shall thou put evil from thee, and all Israel shall hear and fear, and shall no more do so. If fear help not, then will God that they be taken out of this life. Kings were ordained then, as I kings defend the false authority of the pope, their office punishing of sin loyd apart. before said, and the sword put in their hands to take vengeance of evil doers, that other might fear, and were not ordained to fight one against an other or to rise against the Emperor to defend the false authority of the Pope that very Antichrist: Bishops bishops minister the kings duty, their own laid apart: yea, they persecute their own office. they only can minister the temporal sword: their office, the preaching of God's word laid a part, which the will neither do nor suffer any man to do, but slay with the temporal sword (which they have got out of the hand of all Princes) them that would. The preaching of God's word is hateful and contrary unto them: Why? For it is impossible to preach Christ except thou preach against Antichrist, that is to say, them which with their false doctrine and violence of sword enforce to quench the true doctrine of Christ. And as thou canst heal no disease, except thou begin at the root: even so canst thou preach against no mischief, except thou begin, at the Bishops. Kings they are but shadows, vain Kings do but wait on the Pope's pleasure. names and things idle, having nothing to do in the world, but when our holy father needeth their help. The Pope contrary unto all conscience The juggling of the Pope. and against all the doctrine of Christ, which saith my kingdom is not of this world (john. xviij.) hath usurped the right of the Emperor. And by policy of the Bishops of Almany Bishops of Almany. and with corrupting the electors or chosers of the Emperor with money, bringeth to pass that such a one is ever choose Emperor that is not able to make his party good with the Pope. To stop the Emperor that he come not at Rome, he bringeth the French king up to Milane, and milan. on the other side bringeth he the Venetians. If the Venetians come to nigh, the Bishops of France must bring Bishops of France. A cap of maintenance. Most Christian king. Defendre of the Pope's Faith. The elder son of the holy 〈◊〉 in the French king. And the Socheners are called and sent for to come and secure. And for their labour he giveth to some a Rose, to an other a cap of maintenance. One is called most christian king: an other defender of the faith: an other the elder son of the most holy seat. He blazeth also Bl●●●ng of arms. the arms of other and putteth in the holy cross, the crown of thorn, or the nails and so forth. If the French king go to high, and creep up other to Bononie or Naples: then must our English The English bishops. Bishops bring in our king. The craft of the Bishops is to entitle one king with an others Realm. He is called king of Dennemarke, and of The falsehood of the Bishops. England: he king of England and of France. Then to blind the Lords and the commons, the king must challenge his right. Then must the land be taxed and every man pay, and the treasure born out of the Realm and the land beggerde. How many a thousand men's lives hath it cost? And how many an hundred thousand pounds hath it carried out of the Realm in our remembrance? Besides how abominable O a cruel and an abominable example of tyranny: judge them by their deeds says Christ. an example of gathering was there? such verily as never tyrant sense the world began did, yea such as was never before herded or thought on, neither among jews, Saresens, Turks or Heathen sense God created the Sun to shine: that a beast should break up into the Temple of God, that is to say, into the heart and consciences of men, and compel them to swear every man what he was worth, to lend that should never be paid again. How many thousands forswore themselves? How many thousands set themselves above their ability, partly for fear jest they should be forsworn and partly to save their credence? When the pope hath his purpose, then is peace made, no man woteth how, and our most enemy is our most friend. Now because the Emperor is able to obtain his right: French, English, Venetians and all must upon him. O great whore of Babylon, how abuseth The whore of Babylon. she the Princes of the world, how drunk hath she made them with her wine? How shameful licences doth she give them, to use Nichromancy, to hold whores, to divorce themselves to break the faith and promises that one maketh with an other: that the confessors shall deliver unto the king the confession of whom he will, and dispenseth Confession. with them even of the very law of God, which Christ himself can not do. ¶ Against the Pope's false power. MAthew. xxuj. Christ saith unto Peter, put up thy sword into his sheth. For all that lay hand upon the sword, shall perish with the sword, that is, who soever without the commandment of the temporal officer to whom Not Peter only but Christ also was under the temporal sword. God hath given the sword layeth hand on the sword to take vengeance, the same deserveth death in the deed doing. God did not put Peter only under the temporal sword, but also Christ himself. As it appeareth in the fourth Chapter to the Galatians. And Christ saith Math. iij. Thus becometh it us to fulfil all righteousness, that is to say, all ordinances of God. If the head be then under the temporal sword, how can the members be excepted? If Peter sinned in defending Christ against the temporal sword (whose authority and Ministers the Bishops then abused against Christ as ours do now) who can excuse our Prelates of sin which will obey no man, neither The king's sin in giving exemptions & the Prelates in receiving them. King nor Emperor? Yea who can excuse from sin, either the Kings that give, either the Bishops that receive such exemptions contrary to God's ordinances, and Christ's doctrine? And Math. xvij. both Christ and also Peter pay tribute, where the meaning of Christ's question unto Peter is: if Princes take tribute of strangers only and not of their children, then verily aught I to be free which am the son of God, whose servants and Ministers, they are and of whom they have their authority. Yet because they neither known that neither Christ came to use that authority, but to be our servant and to bear our burden and to obey all ordinances, both in right and wrong for our sakes and to teach us: therefore said he to S. Peter. Pay for thee and melest we offend them. Moreover though that Christ & Peter (because they were poor) might have escaped, yet would he not for fear of offending other and hurting their consciences. For he might well have given occasion unto the tribute gatherers to have judged amiss both of him and his doctrine: yea and the jews might happily have been offended thereby, and have thought that it had not been lawful, for them to have paid tribute unto Heathen Princes and Idolaters, seeing that he so great a Prophet paid not: Yea and what other thing causeth the lay so little to regard their Princes, as that they see When the spirituality payeth tribute. them both despised & disobeyed of the spirituality? But our Prelates which care for none offending of consciences and less for God's ordinances, will pay naught: but when Princes must fight in our most holy father's quarrel and against Christ. Then are they the first. There also is none so poor that then hath not somewhat to give. Mark here how past all shame our Shameless jugglers. school Doctors are (as Rochester is in his Sermon against Martin Luther) which of this text of Matthew dispute that Peter because he paid tribute, is greater than the other Apostles, and hath more authority and power than they, and was head unto them all, contrary unto so many clear texts, where Christ rebuketh them saying: that is an Heathenish thing that one should climb above an other or desire to be greater. To be great in the kingdom of heaven is to be a servant, and he that most humbleth himself and becometh a servant unto other (after the ensample of Christ I mean & his Apostles, and not of the Pope and his Apostles, our Cardinals and Bishops) the same is greatest in that kingdom. If Peter in paying tribute become greatest, how cometh it, that they will pay none at all? But to pay tribute is a sign of subjection verily, & the cause why Christ paid was because he had an household, and for the same cause paid Peter also. For he had an house, a ship and nets, as thou readest in the Gospel. But let us go to Paul again. Wherefore you must needs obey, not for fear of vengeance only: but also because of conscience. That is though thou be so naughty (as now many years our Pope and Prelates every where are) that thou needest not to obey the temporal sword for fear of They make no conscience at any evil doing. vengeance: yet must thou obey because of conscience. First because of thy own conscience. For though thou be able to resist, yet shalt thou never have a good conscience, as long as God's They care for their neighbours as the wolf doth for the sheep. word, law and ordinance are against thee. Secondarily for thy neighbour's conscience. For though through craft and violence thou mightest escape and obtain liberty or privilege to be free The evil ensample of the spirituality causeth the lay to believe that they are not bond to obey. from all manner duties: yet oughtest thou neither to sue or to seek for any such thing, neither yet admit or accept, if it were proffered, jest thy freedom make thy weak brother to grudge & rebel, in that he seethe thee go empty and he himself more laden, thy part also laid on his shoulders. Seest thou not if a man favour one son more than an other, or one servant more than an other, how all the rest grudge, and how love, peace and unity is broken? What Christenly love is in the to thy neighbour ward, when thou canst There is no Christian love in them. find in thine heart to go up and down empty by him all day long and see him over charged, yea to fall under his burden, and yet will't not once set to thine hand to help him? What good conscience can there be among our spirituality to gather so great treasure together, and with hypocrisy of their false learning to rob almost every man of house and lands, and yet not therewith content, but with all craft and wilenes to purchase so great liberties and exemptions from all manner bearing with their brethren, seeking in Christ nothing but lucre? I pass over with silence how they teach Princes What purpose? even to flatter the princes that they may abuse their authority to sle● who soever believeth 〈◊〉 Christ and to maintain the Pope. in every land to lad new exactions and tyranny on their subjects more and more daily neither for what purpose they do it say I God I trust shall shortly disclose their juggling and bring their falsehood to light, and lay a medicine to them, to make their scabs break out. Nevertheless this I say, that they have rob all Realms, not of God's word only: but also of all wealth and prosperity, and have driven peace out of all lands & withdrawn themselves from all obedience to Princes, and have separated themselves from the lay men, counting them viler than dogs, and have set up that great Idol the whore of Babylon Antichrist of Rome whom they call pope, and have conspired against all common wealths, & have made them a several kingdom, wherein it is lawful unpunished to work all abomination. In every Parish have they spies and in every great man's house, and in every tavern and alchouse. And through Confessi●. confessions know they all secrets, so that no man may open his mouth to rebuke what soever they do, but that he shallbe shortly made an heretic. Prelates know all men's secrets 〈…〉 man the●…. In all Counsels is one of them, yea the most part and chief rulers of the Counsels are of them: But of there Council is no man. Even for this cause pay you tribute, that is to wit, for consciences sake, to thy neighbour, and for the cause that followeth. For they are Gods Ministers serving for the same purpose. Because God will so have it, we must obey. We do not look (if we have Christ's spirit in us) what is good profitable, glorious and honourable for us, neither on our own will, but on Gods will only. give to every man therefore his duty: tribute to whom tribute belongeth: custom to whom custom is due: fear to whom fear belongeth: honour to whom honour pertaineth. That thou mightest feel the working of the spirit of God in thee, and jest the beauty of the deed should deceive thee, and make thee think that the law of God which is spiritual were content and fulfilled with the outward and bodily deed it followeth. Own nothing to any man: but to love ●oue fulfilleth the law before God & not the outward deed. one an other. For he that loveth an other fulfilleth the law. For these commandments: thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear false witness, thou shalt not desire, and so forth if there be any other commandment are all comprehended or contained in this saying: love thy neighbour: Against workmen. therefore is love the fulfilling of the law. Here hast thou sufficient against all the sophisters workeholy & justifiers in the world, which so magnify their deeds. The law is spiritual and requireth the heart, & is never fulfilled with the deed in the sight of god. With the deed thou fulfillest the law before The deed fulfilleth the law before the world. the world & livest thereby, that is, y● enjoyest this present life and avoydest the wrath and vengeance the death and punishment which the law threateneth to them that break it. But before God thou keepest the law if thou love only. Now what shall make us love? Faith maketh a man to love. Verily that shall faith do. If thou behold how much God loveth thee in Christ, and from what vengeance he hath delivered thee for his sake, and of what kingdom he hath made thee heir, then shalt thou see cause enough to love thy very enemy without respect of reward, either in this life or in the life to come, but because that God will so have it, and Christ hath deserved it: Yet thou shouldst feel in thine heart that all thy deeds to come, are abundantly recompensed all ready in Christ. Thou will't say haply, if love fulfil the law, than it justifieth. I say that that wherewith a man fulfilleth the law declareth him justified: but that which giveth him wherewith to fulfil the law, justifieth him. By justifying justifying. understand the forgiveness of sins and the favour of God. Now saith the text Roma. x. the end of the law or the cause, wherefore the law was made is Christ, to justify all that believe. That is, the law is given to utter The office or duty of the law. sin, to kill the consciences, to damn our deeds, to bring to repentance and to drive unto Christ: in whom God hath promised his favour and forgiveness of sin unto all that repent and consent to the law that it is good. If The believing of God's promises justifieth. thou believe the promises than doth God's truth justify thee, that is forgiveth thee and receiveth thee to favour for Christ's sake. In a surety whereof and to certify thy heart, he sealeth thee with the spirit. Ephe. i and. iiij. And. ij. Cor. u saith Paul which gave us his spirit in earnest. How the spirit is given us through Christ, read the viii. chapter of the Epistle to the Romans and Gallat. iij. and. ij. Cor. iij. Nevertheless the spirit, and his fruits The spirit and the inward virtues are known by the outward deed. wherewith the heart is purified, as faith, hope, love, patience, long suffering and obedience, could never be seen without outward experience. For if thou were not brought sometime into cumbrance, whence God only could deliver thee, thou shouldst never see thy faith, yea except thou foughtest sometime against desperation, hell, death, sin and powers of this world, for thy faith's sake, thou shouldst never know true faith from a dream. Except thy brother now and then offended thee, thou couldst not know whether thy love were Godly. For a Turk is not anger, till he be hurt and offended, but it thou love him that doth thee evil, then is thy love of God: likewise if thy rulers were always kind, thou shouldst not know whether thine obedience were pure or no: but & if thou canst patiently obey evil rulers in all things that is not to the dishonour of God, and when thou hurtest not thy neighbours, than art thou sure, that God's spirit worketh in thee, and that thy faith is no dream, nor any false imagination. Therefore counceleth Paul Rom. xii. recompense to no man evil: And on your part have peace with all men. dearly beloved avenge not your selves: but give room unto the wrath of God. For it is written vengeance is mine and I will reward, saith the Lord Therefore if thy enemy hunger, Overcome thine enemy with well doing. feed him: If he thirst, give him drink. For in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his heed (that is, thou shalt kindle love in him.) Be not overcome of evil (that is, let not an other man's wickedness make thee wicked also). But overcome evil with good, that is, with softness, kindness, and all patience win him: even as God with kindness wonue thee. THe law was given in thunder, lightening, fire, smoke and the voice The law. of a trumpet and terrible sight. Exod. xx. So that the people quaked for fear and stood a far of saying to Moses. Speak thou to us and we will hear: let not the Lord speak unto us, left we dye. No ear (if it be awaked and understandeth the meaning) is able to abide the voice of the law: except the promises of mercy be by. That thunder except the rain of mercy be joined with it, destroyeth all and buildeth not. The law is a witness against us and testifieth that God abhorreth the the sins, that are in us and us for our sins sake. In like manner when God gave the The king. people of Israel a king, it thundered and reigned that the people feared so sore that they cried to Samuel for to pray for them, that they should not dye. i Reg. xii. As the law is a terrible thing: even so is the king. For he is ordained to take vengeance and hath a sword in his hand and not peacocks feethers. Fear him therefore and look on him as thou wouldst look on a sharp sword that hanged over thy head by an hear. Heads and governors are ordained Rulers are God's gift. of God, and are even the gift of God, whether they be good or bad. And what soever is done unto us by them, that doth God, be it good or bad. If they be evil, why are they evil? verily Why the rulers are evil. for our wickedness sake are they evil. Because that when they were good we would not receive that goodness of the hand of God and be thankful: submitting ourselves unto his laws and ordinances, but abused the goodness of God unto our sensual & beastly lusts. Therefore doth God make his scourge of them, and turn them unto wild beasts, contrary to the nature of their names and offices, even into Lions, Bears, Foxes, and unclean Swine, to avenge himself of our unnatural and blind unkindness, and of our rebellious disobedience. In the Cuj. Psalm thou readest, he destroyed the rivers, and dried up the springs of water, and turned that fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of the inhabiters therein. When the children of Israel had forgotten God in Egypt, God moved the hearts of the Egyptians to hate them, and to subdue them with craft and wiliness. Psal. Ciiij. and Deuteronomiun. iij. Moses rehearseth saying: God was angry with me for your sakes: so that the wrath of God fallen on Moses for the wickedness of the people. And in the second Chap. of the second book of kings: God was angry with the people and moved David to number them when joab and the other Lords wondered why he would have them numbered, and because they feared jest some evil should follow, dissuaded the king: yet it holp not. God so hardened his heart in his purpose, to have an occasion to slay the wicked people. Evil rulers than are a sign that Evil rulers are a sign that God is angry with us. God is angry and wroth with us. Is it not a great wrath and vengeance that the father and mother should hate their children, even their flesh and their blood? or that an husband should be unkind unto his wife or a master unto the servant that waiteth on his profit, or the Lords and Kings should be tyrants unto their subjects and tenants which pay them tribute, tolle, custom and rent, labouring and toiling to find them in honour, and to maintain them in their estate? is not this a fearful judgement of God and a cruel wrath that the very Prelates and shepherds of our souls which were wont to feed Christ's flock with Christ's doctrine, and to walk before them in living there after, and to give their lives for them, to their ensample and edifying, and to strengthen their weak faiths, are now so sore changed that if they smell that one of their flock (as they now call them and no longer Christ's) do but once long or desire for the true knowledge of Christ, they will slay him, burning him with fire most cruelly? What is the cause of this, and that Why the Prelates are so wicked. they also teach false doctrine confirming it with lies? verily it is the hand of God to avenge the wickedness of them that have no love nor lust unto the truth of God, when it is preached, but rejoice in unrighteousness. As thou mayst see in the second Epistle of Paul to the Thessalonians: Where he speaketh of the coming of Antichrist. Whose coming shallbe (saith he) by the working of Satan with all miracles signs and wonders which are but lies, and in all deceanable unrighteousness among them that perish, because they received not any love to the The cause of false miracles is: that we have no lust unto the truth. truth to have been saved. Therefore shall God sand them strong delusion, to believe lies. Mark how God to avenge his truth, sendeth to the unthankful false doctrine and false miracles to confirm them, and to harden their hearts in the false way, that afterward it shall not be possible for them to admit the truth. As thou seest in Exod. seven. and viii. how God suffered false miracles to be showed in that sight of Pharaoh to harden his heart, that he should not believe the truth, in as much as his sorcerers turned their rods into Serpents, and turned water into blood, and made frogs by their enchantment: so thought he that Moses did all his miracles by the same craft and not by the power of GOD. And abode therefore in unbelief and perished in resisting God. Let us receive all things of God The right way to came of bondage. whether it be good or bad: let us humble ourselves under his mighty hand and submit ourselves unto his nurture and chastising, and not withdraw ourselves from his correction. Read Hebr. xii. for thy comfort: and let us not take the stafe by the end or seek to avenge ourselves on his rod, which is the evil rulers. The child as long as he seeketh to avenge himself upon the rod hath an evil heart. For he thinketh not that the correction is right or that he hath deserved it, neither repenteth, but rejoiceth in his wickedness. And so long shall he never be without a rod: yea so long shall the rod be made sharper and sharper. If he knowledge his fault and take the correction meekly and even kiss the rod and amend himself with the learning and nurture of his father & mother, then is the rod taken away and burned. So if we resist evil rulers seeking Evil rulers aught not to be resisted. to set ourselves at liberty, we shall no doubt bring ourselves into more evil bondage & wrap ourselves in much more misery and wretchedness. For if the heads overcome, then lay they more weight on their backs & make their yoke sorer and tie them shorter. If they overcome their evil rulers, then make they way for a more cruel nation, or for some tyrant of their own nation, which hath no right unto the crown. If we submit ourselves unto the chastising of God and meekly knowledge our sins for which we are scourged, and kiss the rod, and amend our living: then will GOD take the rod away, that is, he will give the rulers a better heart. Or if they continued their malice and persecute you for well doing, and because you put your trust in GOD, then will God deliver you out of their tyranny for his truths sake. It is the same God is always one, always true, always merciful, and excludeth no man from his promises. God now that was in the old time & delivered the fathers and the Prophets, the Apostles and other holy Saints. And what soever he swore to them he hath sworn to us. And as he delivered them out of all temptation combraunce and adversity, because they consented and submitted themselves unto his will and trusted in his goodness and truth: even so will he do us if we do likewise. When soever the children of Israel fell from the way which God commanded them to walk in, he gave them up under one tyrant or an other. As soon as they came to the knowledge of themselves and repented crying for mercy and leaning unto the truth of his promises he sent one to deliver them, as the histories of the Bible make mention. A Christian man in respect of God A Christ● man doth but suffer only. is but a passive thing, a thing that suffereth only and doth naught, as the sick in respect of the Surgeon or Physician doth but suffer only. The Surgeon launceth and cutteth out the dead flesh, searcheth the wounds, thrusteth in tents, sereth, burneth, soweth or sticheth, and leyeth to corsies to draw out the corruption, & last of all leyeth to healing plasters & maketh it whole. The Physician likewise giveth purgations and drinks to drive out the disease and then with restauratives bringeth health. Now if the sick resist the razor, the searching iron, and so forth, doth he not resist his own health and is cause of his own death? So likewise Evil rulers are wholesome medicines. is it of us, if we resist evil rulers which are the rod & scourge wherewith God chastiseth us, the instruments wherewith God searcheth out wounds and bitter drinks to drive out the sin and to make it appear, and corsies to draw out by the rotes the core of the pox of the soul that freateth inward. A Christian man therefore A Christian man receiveth. receiveth all thing of the hand of God both good and bad, both sweet and sour, both wealth & wo. If any person do me good, whether it be father mother and so forth, that receive I of God and to God give thanks. For he gave wherewith, and gave a commandment, and moved his heart so to do. Adversity also receive I of the hand of God as an wholesome medicine, though it be somewhat bitter. Temptation and adversity do both kill sin, and also utter it. For though How profitable adversity is. a Christian man knoweth every thing how to live: yet is the flesh so weak, that he can never take up his cross himself to kill and mortify the flesh. He must have an other to lay it on his back. In many also sin lieth hid within and festereth and rotteth inward & is not seen: so that they think how they are good and perfect & keep the law. As the young man. Math. nineteeen. said he had observed all of a child, and yet lied falsely in his heart, as the text following well declareth. When all is at peace and no man troubleth us, we think that we are patient and love our neighbours as ourselves: but let our neighbour hurt us in word or deed, and then find we it otherwise. Then fume we and rage and set up the bristels & bend ourselves to take vengeance. If we loved with godly love for Christ's kindness sake, we should desire no vengeance, but pity him and desire God to forgive and amend him knowing well that no flesh can do otherwise the sin, except that God preserve him. Thou will't say what good doth such persecution and tyranny unto the righteous? First it maketh them feel the working of God's spirit in them, and that their faith is unfeigned. Secondaryly I say The greatest sinner is righteous in Christ and the promises. And the perfectest and holiest is a sinner in the law & the flesh. that no man is so great a sinner, if he repent and believe, but that he is righteous in Christ and in the promises: yet if thou look on the flesh and unto the law there is no man so perfect that is not found a sinner. Nor any man so pure, that hath not somewhat to be yet purged. This shall suffice at this time as concerning obedience. BEcause that God excludeth no degree from his mercy. But who so ever repenteth and believeth his promises (of what soever degree he be of) the same shallbe partaker of his grace: therefore as I have described the obedience of them that are under power and rule, even so will I with God's help (as my duty is) declare how the rulers which God shall vouchsafe to call unto the knowledge of the truth aught to rule. ¶ The office of a Father, and how he should rule. Father's move not your children unto wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and information Rigour in parents towards their chilchildrens is to be eschewed. of the Lord Ephe. vi. and Collos. iij. Fathers rate not your children, lest they be of desperate mind, that is, lest you discourage them. For where the father's and mothers are wayward hasty and churlish, ever brawling and chiding: there are that children anon discouraged and heartless, and apt for nothing, neither can they The right bringing up of children. do any thing aright. Bring them up in the nurture and information of the Lord Teach them to know Christ, and set God's ordinance before them, saying: son or daughter, God hath created thee and made thee, through us thy father and mother, and at his commandment have we so long thus kindly brought thee up, and kept thee from all perils, he hath commanded thee also to obey us, saying: child obey thy father and mother. If thou meekly obey, so shalt thou grow both in the favour of God & man, & knowledge of our Lord Christ. If thou will't not obey us at his commandment: them are we charged to correct thee, yea, and if thou repent not and amend thyself, God shall slay thee by his officers, The destruction & marring of children. or punish thee everlastingly. nurture them not worldly, & with worldly wisdom, saying: thou shalt come to honour, dignity, promotion, and riches, thou shalt be better than such and such, thou shalt have iij. or iiij. benefices, and be a great doctor or a Bishop, and have so many men waiting on thee, and do nothing but hawk and hunt, and live at pleasure, thou shalt not need to sweat, to labour or to take any pain for thy living and so forth, filling them full of pride, disdain, and ambition, and corrupting their minds with worldly persuasions. Let the fathers and mothers mark how they themselves were disposed at all ages, & by experience of their own infirmities, help their children and keep them from occasions. Let them teach their children to axe marriages of The marriage of children without con●… of their parents is unlawful. their fathers & mothers. And let their elders provide marriages for them in season: teaching them also to know, that she is not his wife which the son taketh, nor he her husband which the daughter taketh without the consent and good will of their elders, or them that have authority over them. If their friends will not marry them, then are they not to blame, if they marry themselves. Let not that fathers & mothers always take the utmost of their authority of their children, but at a time suffer with them, and bear their weaknesses, as Christ doth ours. Seek Christ in your children, in your wives, servants, and subjects. Father, mother, son, daughter, master, servant, king and subject, be names in the worldly regiment. In Christ we are all one thing, In Christ we are all servants, and he that hath knowledge is bound. none better than other, all brethren, & must all seek Christ, and our brother's profit in Christ. And he that hath the knowledge whether he be Lord or king, is bound to submit himself and serve his brethren, and to give himself for them, to win them to Christ. ¶ The office of an husband and how he aught to rule. husbands love your wives, as Christ loved the congregation, and gave himself for it, to sanctify it, and cleanse it. Men aught to love their wives, as their own bodies. For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall continued with his wife, and shall be made both one flesh. See that ever one of you love his wife even as his own body: All this saith Paul Ephe. u. and Collo. iij. he saith husbands love your wives, and be not bitter unto them. And Peter in the third chapter of his first epistle saith: men Men aught to rule their wives by God's word. devil with your wives according to knowledge, (that is, according to the doctrine of Christ) giving reverence unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel (that is, help her to bear her infirmities) and as unto them that are heirs also of the grace of life, that your prayers be not let. In many things Why the man is stronger than the woman. God hath made the men stronger than the women, not to rage's upon them, & to be tyrants unto then, but to help them, but to bear their weakness. Be courteous thereaefore unto them, and win them unto Christ, and overcome them with kindness, that of love they may obey the ordinance that God hath made between man and wife. ¶ The office of a master, and how he aught to rule. Paul Ephe. vi. says: you masters do even the same things unto them (that is, be master after the example & doctrine of Christ, as he before taught the servants to obey unto their masters as unto Christ) putting away threatenings (that is, give Teach thy servant to know Christ, and after Christ's doctrine deal with him. them fair words, & exhort them kindly to do their duty: yea nurture them as thy own sons with the Lords nurture, that they may see in Christ a cause why they aught lovingly to obey) and remember (says he) that your master also is in heaven. Neither is there any respect of people with him, that is, he is indifferent and not partial: as great in his sight is a servant as a master. And the third chapter to the Col. says he: you masters, do unto your servants that which is just and equal, remembering that you also have a master in heaven. give your servants kind words, food, raiment and learning. Be not bitter unto them, rail not on them, give them no cruel countenance: but according to the ensample and doctrine of Christ, deal with them. And when they labour sore, cherish them Do all thing with God's word. again. When you correct them, let God's word be by, and do it with such good manner that they may see how that you do it to amend them only, and to bring them unto the way which God biddeth us walk in, and not to avenge yourselves, or to wreak your malice on them. If at a time through hastiness you exceed measure in punishing, recompense it an other way and pardon them an other tyme. ¶ The duty of Landlords. LEt Christian Landlords be content with their rent and Landlords should raise no rents, nor bring up new customs. old customs, not reysing the rend or fines & bringing up new customs to oppress their tenants: neither letting two or three tenauntryes unto one man. Let them not take in their communes, neither make parks nor pastures of whole parishes. For God gave the earth to God gave ●he earth to men. men to inhabit, and not unto sheep and wild dear. Be as fathers unto your tenants: yea be unto them, as Christ was unto us, and show unto them all love, and kindness. What soever business is among them, be not partial, favouring one more than an other. The complaints, quarrels, and strife that are among them, count diseases of sick people, and as a merciful physician heal them with wisdom and good council. Be pitiful and tender hearted unto them, and let not one of thy tenants tear out an others throat, but judge their causes indifferently and compel them to make their diches, hedges, gates and ways. For even for such causes were you made landlords, and for such causes paid men rend at the beginning. For if such an order were not, one should slay an other, and all should go to waste. If thy tenant shall labour and toil all the year to pay thee thy rent, and when he hath bestowed all his labour, his neighbours cattle shall devour his fruits, how tedious and bitter should his life Landlords should withstand the worng of the tenants. be? See therefore that you do your duties again, and suffer no man to do them wrong, save the king only. If he do wrong, then must they abide God's judgement. ¶ The duty of Kings, and of the judges and Officers. LEt Kings (if they had liefer be Christian in deed then so to be called) give themselves all together to the wealth of their Realms after the ensample of Christ: remembering that the people are Gods & not there's: you are Christ's inheritance and possession bought with his blood. The most despised There is no respect of person afore God. person in his Realm is the kings brother, and felowmember with him, and equal with him in the kingdom of God and of Christ. Let him therefore not think himself to good to do them service, neither seek any other thing in them, than a father seeketh in his children, yea then Christ sought in us. Though that the king in the temporal regiment be in the room of God and representeth God himself, and is with out all comparison better than his subjects: yet let him put of that and become a brother, doing and leaving undone all things in respect of the common wealth, that all men may see that he seeketh nothing, but the profit of his subjects. When a cause that requireth execution is brought before him, then only let him take the person of God on him. Then let him know no creature but hear all indifferently, whether it be a stranger or one of his own Realm, & the small as well as the great and judge righteously for the judgement is the Lords. Deut. i In time of judgement he is no minister in the kingdom of Christ: he preacheth no Gospel, but the sharp law of vengeance. Let him take the holy judges of the old Testament for an example and namely Moses which in executing the Moses. law was merciless, otherwise more than a mother unto them, never avenging his own wrongs but suffering all thing, bearing every man's weakness, teaching, warning, exhorting and ever caring for them, and so tenderly loved them, that he desired God either to forgive them, or to damn him with them. Let the judges also privately when judges. they have put of the person of a judge exhort with good counsel and warn the people & help, that they come not at God's judgement: but the causes that are brought unto them, when they sit in God's stead, let them judge, and condemn the trespasser under lawful witnesses and not break up into the consciences O tyranny to compel a man to accuse himself. of men, after the example of Antichristes disciples, and compel them either to forswear themselves by the almighty God, and by the holy Gospel of his merciful promises, or to testify against themselves. Which abomination Our Prelates learned of Cayphas. our Prelates learned of Cayphas Math. xxuj. saying to Christ: I adjure or charge thee in the name of the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be Christ the son of God: Secret sins pertain unto God to punish, and open sins unto the king. Let that which is secret to God only, where of no proof can be made nor lawful witness brought, abide unto the coming of the Lord which shall open all secrets. If any malice break forth, that let them judge only. For further authority hath God not given them. Moses' Deut. xvij. warneth judges ☜ to keep them upright and to look on no man's person, that is, that they prefer Partiality in judges is wicked. not the high before the low, the great before the small, the rich before poor, his acquaintance, friend, kinsman, country man or one of his own nation before a stranger, a friend or an alien, you or one of their own faith before an infidel: but that they look on the cause only to judge indifferently. For the room that they are in, and the law that they execute are Gods, which as he hath made all, and is God of all and all are his sons: even so is he judge over all, and will have all judged by his law indifferently, and to have the right of his law, and will avenge the wrong done unto the Turk or Sareson. For though they be not under the everlasting Testament of God in Christ, as few of us which are called christian be, and even no more then to whom God hath sent his promises and poured his spirit into their hearts to believe them, and through faith graven lust in their hearts, to fulfil the law of love: yet are they under the Testament of the law natural, which is the laws of every land made for the common wealth there, and for peace and unite that one may live by an other. In which laws the infidels (if they keep them) have promises of worldly things. Who soever therefore hindereth Partiality, & bribe taking, is the pestilence of judges. a very infidel from the right of that law, sinneth against God, and of him will God be avenged. Moreover Moses warneth them that they receive no gifts, rewards or bribes. For those two points, favouring of one person more than an other, and receiving rewards, pervert all right and equity and is the only pestilence of all judges. And the kings warneth he that ☞ they have not to many wives, jest their hearts turn away: and that they read always in the law of God, to learn to fear him, jest their hearts be lift up above their brethren. Which ij. points, women and pride the despising of their Women, pride and contempt of subjects, are the pestilence of Princes. subjects, which are in very deed their own brethren, are the common pestilence of all Princes. Read the stories and see. The Shyriffes, Bayly arauntes, Constables and such like officers may let no man that hurteth his neighbour scape, but that they bring them before the judges, except they in the mean time agreed with their neighbours and make them amendss. Let Kings defend their subjects from the wrongs of other nations, but pick no quarrels for every trifle: not let not our most holy father make them no more so drunken with vain names, Vain names. with caps of maintenance, and like babbles, as it were popetry for children, to beggar their Realms and to murder their people, for defending of our holy father's tyranny. If a lawful peace The holy father lonseth peace and vm●●e trace trauth and a● honesty. that standeth with God's word be made between Prince and Prince, and the name of God taken to record and the body of our Saviour broken between them, upon the bond which they have made, that peace or bond can our holy father not dispense with, neither louse it with all the keys he hath: not verily Christ can not break it. For he came not to break the law but to fulfil it. Math. u. If any man have broken the law or a good ordinance and repent & come to the rightway again, then hath Christ power to forgive him: but licence to break the law can he not give, much more his disciples and vicars (as they call themselves) can not do it. The keys whereof they so greatly boast What the keys ar● & why they are so called. themselves are no carnal things, but spiritual, and nothing else save knowledge of the law and of the promises or Gospel: if any man for lack of spiritual feeling desire authority of men, let him read the old Doctors. If any man desire authority of Scripture Christ saith (Luke. xj.) woe be to you lawyers for you have taken away the key of knowledge, you enter not in your selves, and them that come in, you forbid, that is, they had blinded the Scripture whose knowledge (as it were a key) letteth into God, with gloss and traditions. Likewise findest thou Math. twenty-three. As Peter answered in the name The keys are promised. of all: so Christ promised him the keys in the person of all: Math. xuj. And in the. xx. of john he paid them saying: receive the holy Ghost, who soevers The keys are paid. sins you remit they are remitted or forgiven, & who soevers sins you retain they are retained or held. With To bind and lose. preaching the promises lose they as many as repent and believe. And for that john saith receive that holy ghost. Luke in his last Chapter saith: then opened he their wits, that they might understand the Scriptures and said unto them: thus it is written. And thus it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise again the third day. And that repentance Repentance and forgiveness come by preaching. & remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations. At preaching of the law repent men, and at the preaching of the promises do they believe & are saved. Peter in the second of the Acts practised Peter practiseth his keys. his keys, and by preaching the law brought the people into that knowledge of themselves, and bond their consciences, so that they were pricked in their hearts, and said unto Peter and to the other Apostles, what shall we do? Then brought they forth the key of the sweet promises saying: repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the holy ghost. For the promise was made unto you, and unto your children, and to all that are a far even as many as the Lord shall call. Of like examples is the Acts full, and Peter's Epistles, and Paul's Epistles and all The pope's authority: is to preach gods word only. the Scripture, neither hath our holy father any other authority of Christ or by the reason of his predecessor Peter then to preach God's word. As Christ compareth the understanding of Scripture unto a key, so compareth he it to a net, and unto leaven and unto many other things for certain properties. I marvel therefore that they boast not Beware of the net and of the leaven and of the counterfeit keys of our holy father. themselves of their net and leaven, as well as of their keys, for they are all one thing. But as Christ biddeth us beware of the leaven of the Phariseis, so beware of their counterfeited keys and of their false net (which are their traditions and ceremonies, their hypocrisy & false doctrine, wherewith they catch, not souls unto Christ, but authority and riches unto themselves. Let christian kings therefore keep Not with an heretic saith the Pope. their faith and truth, and all lawful promises and bonds, not one with an other only, but even with the Turk or whatsoever infidel it be. For so it is right before God, as the scriptures and examples of the Bible testify. Whosoever Unlawful vows or oaths men are commanded to break. voweth an unlawful vow, promises an unlawful promise, sweareth an unlawful oath, sinneth against God, and aught therefore to break it. He needeth not to sue to Rome for a licence. For he hath God's word, & not a licence only: but also a commandment to break it. They therefore that are sworn to be true unto Cardinals & Bishops, that is to say, false unto God, the king, and the realm, may break their oaths lawfully without grudge of conscience by the authority of God's word. In making them they sinned, but in repenting and breaking them they please God highly, and receive forgiveness in Christ. Let kings take their duty of their subjects, and that is necessary unto that defence of the realm. Let them rule their Realms themselves, with the help of say men that are sage, wise, learned, and expert. Is it not a shame above all shames & a monstrous thing, that no man should be found able to govern a worldly kingdom save bishops Bishops. and prelate's, that have forsaken the world, and are taken out of the world and appointed to preach the kingdom of God? Christ saith, that his kingdom is not of this world. john. 18. And Luk. 12. unto the young man that desired him to bid his brother to give him part of the inheritance, he answered, who made me a judge or a divider Behold the face of the Pope and of the Bishops in this glass. among you. No man that layeth his hand to the Plough and looketh back is apt for the kingdom of heaven. Luke. ix. No man can serve two masters but he must despise the one Math. uj. To preach God's word is to much for half a man. And to minister a temporal kingdom is to much for half a man also. Either other requireth an whole man. One therefore can not well do both. He that avengeth himself on every trifle is not meet to preach that patience of Christ, how that a man aught to forgive and to suffer all things. He that is overwhelmed with all manner riches, and doth but seek more daily, is not meet to preach poverty. He that will obey no man, is not meet to preach how we aught to obey all men. Peter says Act. uj. It is not meet that we should leave the word of God and serve at the tables. Paul saith in the ix. chapter of the first Corinthe. Woe is me if I preach not a terrible saying, verily for Popes, Cardinals, and bishops. If he had said, woe be unto me, if I fight not & move Princes unto war, or if I increase not S. Peter's patrimony (as they call it) it had Peter's patrimony. been a more easy saying for them. Christ forbiddeth his disciples and The pope's authority is improved. that often (as thou mayst see Math. xviij. And also xx. Mark. ix. and also x. Luk. ix. and also xxij. Even at his last supper) not only to climb above Lords. kings, and Emperors in worldly rule, but also to exalt themselves one above an other in the kingdom of God. But in vain: for the Pope would not hear it though he had commanded it ten thousand times. God's word should rule only and not bishop's Bishops have captived God's word with their own decrees. decrees, or the Pope's pleasure. That aught they to preach purely and spiritually, and to fashion their lives after, & with all ensample of godly living & long suffering, to draw all to Christ: and not to expound the Scriptures carnally and worldly, saying: God spoke this to Peter and I am his successor, therefore this authority is mine only: and then bring in the tyranny of their fleshly wisdom, in praesentia maioris, cessat potestas minoris, that is, in the presence of the greater, the less hath no power. There is no brotherhod where such philosophy is taught. Such philosophy, and so to abuse the scriptures, and to mock with God's word, is after the manner of the Bishop of Rochester's divinity. For he in his Rochester. Sermon of the condemnation of Martin Luther, proveth by a shadow of the old testament, that is, by Moses and Aaron, that Satan and Antichrist our most holy father the Pope is Christ's vicar & head of Christ's congregation. Moses (saith he) signifieth Christ, and Aaron the Pope. And yet the epistle unto the Hebrues proveth that the high Priest of the old law signifieth Christ, and his offering and his going in once in the year into the inner temple, signify the offering wherewith Christ offered himself, and Christ's going in unto the father to be an everlasting mediator or intercessor for us. Nevertheless Rochester proveth the contrary by a shadow: by a shadow verily. For in shadows they walk with out all shame, and the light will they They walk in shadows. not come at, but enforce to stop and quench it with all craft and falsehood, jest their abominable juggling should be seen. If any man look in the light of the new testament, he shall clearly see, that that shadow may not be so understand. Understand therefore that one thing in the Scripture representeth divers things. A Serpent figureth Christ in one place, and the Devil in an other. And a Lion doth likewise. Christ by leaven signifieth God's word in one place, and in an other signifieth thereby the traditions of that Phareseis which soured & altered God's word for their advantage. Now Moses verily in the said place representeth Christ, and Aaron Aaron is every true preacher. which was not yet high Priest, represented not Peter only or his successor, as my Lord of Rochester would have it (for Peter was to little to bear Christ's message unto all the world) but signifieth every disciple of Christ & every true preacher of God's word. For Moses put in Aaron's mouth, what he should say, and Aaron was Moses' Prophet, and spoke not his own message (as the Pope and bishops do) but that which Moses had received of God and delivered unto him. Exod. 4. and also 7. So aught every preacher to preach God's word purely, and neither to add nor minish. A true messenger must do his message truly, and say neither more nor less than he is commanded. Aaron when Aaron representeth Christ. he is high priest, and offereth and purgeth the people of their worldly sin, which they had fallen in in touching uncleanly things, and in eating meats forbidden (as we sin in handling the chalice, and the Altar stone, & are purged with the Bishop's blessing) representeth Christ, which purgeth us from all sin in the sight of God, as the epistle unto the Hebrues maketh mention. When Moses was go up into the mount and Aaron left behind, and made the golden Calf, there Aaron representeth all false preachers, and namely, our most holy father the Pope, which in like manner maketh us believe in a Bull, as that Bishop of Rochester full well allegeth the place in his sermon. If the Pope be signified by Aaron and Christ by Moses, why is not the Pope as well content with Christ's Aaron addeth nothing to Moses law. law and doctrine, as Aaron was with Moses? What is the cause that our Bishops preach the pope and not Christ, seeing the Apostles preached not Peter, but Christ. Paul ij. Cor. iiij. saith of himself and of his felowapostles: The Apostles preached not Peter: but Christ. we preach not ourselves but Christ jesus the Lord, and preach ourselves your servants for jesus sake. And. i Cor. iij. Let no man rejoice in men. For all things are yours, whether it be Paul, or Apollo, or Peter: whether it be the world, or life, or death: whether they be present things or things to come: all are yours & you are Christ's & Christ is Gods. He leaveth out you are Peter's, or you are the pope's. And in the Chapter following he saith. Let men thus wise esteem us, even the ministers of Christ. etc. And. ij. Cor. xj. Paul was jealous over his Corinthians, because they fallen from Christ, to whom he had married them, & did cleave unto the authority of men (for even then false Prophets sought authority in the name of the high Apostles) I am saith he jealous over you with godly controversy. For I coupled you to one man, to make you a chaste virgin to Christ: but I fear jest as the Serpent deceived ●…e through his suttiltie, even so your wits should be corrupt from the singleness that is in Christ. And it followeth: If he that cometh to you preached an other jesus, or if you receive an other spirit or another Gospel, then might you well have been content, that is, you might have well suffered him to have authority above me. But I suppose (saith he) that I was not behind the high Apostles: meaning in preaching jesus & his Gospel, and in ministering the spirit. And in the said. xj. Chapter, he proveth by the doctrine of Christ, that he is greater than the high Apostles. For Christ saith, to be great in the kingdom of God, is to do service and take pain for other. Paul is greater than high Apostles. Upon which rule Paul disputeth saying: if they be the ministers of Christ I am more. In labours more abundant, in stripes about measure in prison more plenteously, in death often and so forth. If Paul preached Christ more Paul is greater than Peter. than Peter and suffered more for his congregation, then is he greater than Peter by the testimony of Christ. And in the xii. he saith. In nothing was I inferior unto the high Apostles. Though I Paul proved his apostleship with preaching and suffering: The Bishops prove there apostleship with bulls & shadows. be nothing, yet the tokens of an Apostle were wrought among you with all patience, with signs & wonders & mighty deeds. So proved he his authority & not with a bull from Peter sealed with cold lead, either with shadows of the old Testament falsely expounded. Moreover the Apostles were sent immediately of Christ and of Christ received they their authority, as Paul boasteth himself every where. Christ The Apostles were sent of Christ with like authority. (saith he) sent me to preach the Gospel. i Corint. i And I received of the Lord that which I delivered unto you i Cor. xi. And Gal. i I certify you brethren that the Gospel which was preached of me, was not after the manner of men (that is to wit, carnal or fleshly) neither received I it of man, neither was it taught me: but I received it by that revelation of jesus Christ. And Gal. ij. He that was mighty in Peter in the Apostleship over the circumcision, was mighty in me among the Gentiles. And 1. Timoth. 1 Readest thou likewise. And john xx. Christ sent them forth indifferently, and gave them like power. As my father sent me (saith he) so sand I you: that is, to preach and to suffer, as I have done, and not to conquer enemies and kingdoms, and to subdue all temporal power under you with disguised hypocrisy. He gave them the holy Ghost to bind and lose indifferently, as thou seest: And afterward he sent forth Paul with like authority, as thou seest in the Acts. And in the last of Matthew saith he: all power is given me in heaven and in earth, go therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father, & of the son, and of the holy Ghost, teaching them to observe whatsoever I commanded you. The authority that The authority that Christ gave was to preach Christ's word. Christ gave them was to preach, yet not what they would imagine, but what he had commanded. Lo saith he, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. He said not I go my way, and lo here is Peter in my stead: But sent them every man to a sundry country, whether soever the spirit carried them, and went with them himself. And as he wrought with Peter where he went, so wrought he with the other where they went, as Paul boasteth of himself unto the Galathians. Seeing now that we have Christ's ☞ doctrine and Christ's holy promises, and seeing that Christ is ever present with us his own self, how cometh it that Christ may not reign immediately over us, as well as the Pope which cometh never at us? Seeing also that the office of an Apostle is to preach only, how can the Pope challenge with right, any authority where he preacheth not? How cometh it also that Rochester will not let us be called one congregation be the reason of one God, one Christ, one spirit, one Gospel, one faith, one hope, and one Baptism, as well as because of one Pope? If any natural beast with his worldly wisdom strive, that one is ☞ greater than an other, because that in congregations one is sent of an other, as we see in the Acts. I answer that Peter sent no man, but was sent himself, and john was sent, and Paul, Sylas and Barnabas were sent. Howbeit such manner sendynges are not worldly, as Princes sand Ambassadors, not nor as Friars sand their limiters to gather their brethrenhedes which must obey whether they will or will not. Here all thing is free and willingly. And the holy ghost bringeth them together which maketh their wills free, and ready to bestow themselves upon their neighbour's profit. And they that come, offer themselves, and all that they have or can do, to serve the Lord & their brethren. And every man, as he is found apt and meet to serve his neighbour, so is he sent or put in office. And of the holy Ghost are they sent with the consent of their brethren and with their own consent also. And God's word ruleth in that congregation, unto which word every man confirmeth his will. And Christ which is always present is the head. But as our Bishops hear not Christ's voice, so see they him not Why Bishops make them a god on earth. present: and therefore make them a God on the earth, of the kind (I suppose) of Aaron's calf. For he bringeth forth Aaron made a calf. And the Pope maketh Bulls. no other fruit but Bulls. For as much also as Christ is as great as Peter, why is not his seat as great as Peter's? Had the head of the Empire been at jerusalem, there had been no mention made of Peter. It is verily, as Paul saith in the xj. Chap. of the ij. Epistle to the Corinthians. The false Apostles are deceitful workers, and fashion themselves like unto the Apostles of Christ. That is the The shaven nation hath put Christ out of his ●owme, and all kings and the Emperor. shaven nation preached Christ falsely, yea under the name of Christ preached themselves, and reign in Christ's stead: have also taken away the key of knowledge and have wrapped the people in ignorance, and have taught them to believe in themselves, in their traditions and false ceremonies: so that Christ is but a vain name, and after Christ is but a vain name. they had put Christ out of his room, they gate themselves to the Emperor and kings, and so long ministered their business till they have also put them out of their rooms, & have got their Proper ministers. authorities from them and reign also in their stead: so that the Emperor and kings are but vain names and shadows, as Christ is, having nothing to do in the world. Thus reign they in the stead of God and man and have all power under them, and do what they list. Let us see an other point of our great clerk. A little after the beginning Rochester is proved both ignorant and malicious. of his Sermon, intending to prove that which is clearer than the son & serveth no more for his purpose then Ite missa est serveth to prove that our Lady was born without original sin: he allegeth a saying that Martin Luther saith, which is this, if we affirm that any one Epistle of Paul or any one place of his Epistles perteineith not unto the universal Church, that is, to all the congregation of them that believe in Christ, we take away all S. Paul's authority. Whereupon saith Rochester. If it be thus of the words of S. Paul, much rather it is true of the Gospels of Christ and of every place of them. O malicious blindness. First note his blindness. He understandeth by this word Gospel no more but the four Evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke and john, and thinketh not that the Acts of Apostles and the Epistles of Peter, of Paul & of john The Epistles of Paul are the Gospel. and of other like, are also the Gospel. Paul calleth his preaching the Gospel. Rom. ij. and. i Cor. iiij. and Gal. i and. i Timoth. i The Gospel is every where one though it be preached of divers, and signifieth glad tidings, What Gospel signifieth. that is to wit, an open preaching of Christ and the holy Testament & gracious promises that God hath made in Christ's blood, to all that repent and believe. Now is there more Gospel in one Epistle of Paul, that is to say, Christ is more clearly preached, and more promises rehearsed in one Epistle of Paul, then in the. iij. first Evangelists. Matthew, Mark & Luke. Consider also his maliciousness, how wickedly and how craftily he taketh away the authority of Paul. It is much rather true of the Gospels, and of every place in them then of Paul. If One Gospel, one spirit, one truth. that which the four Evangelists written be truer than that which Paul written, then is it not one Gospel that they preached, neither one spirit that taught them. If it be one Gospel and one spirit, how is one truer than the other? Paul proveth his authority to the Galathians The authority of Paul, and of his Gospel. and to the Corinthians, because that he received his Gospel by revelation of Christ and not of man: & because that when he com●●ed with Peter and the high Apostles of his Gospel & preaching, they could improve nothing, neither teach him any thing: and because also that as many were converted and as great miracles showed by his preaching, as at the preaching of the high Apostles, and therefore will be of no less authority, than Peter and other high Apostles: Nor have his Gospel of less reputation than there's. Finally that thou mayst know Rochester Rochester playeth bo● peep. for ever, and all the remnant by him, what they are within the skin, mark how he playeth bo pepe with the Scripture. He allegeth the beginning of the tenth chapter to the Hebrues. Vmbram habens lex futurorum bonorum, the law hath but a shadow of things to come. And immediately expoundeth the figure clean contrary unto the chapter following, and to all the whole epistle, making Aaron a figure of that Pope, whom the Epistle maketh a figure of Christ. He allegeth half a text of Paul. i Timoth. iiij. In the latter days some shall departed from the faith, giving heed unto spirits of error and devilish doctrine: but it followeth in the text, giving attendance or heed unto the devilish doctrine of them which speak false thorough hypocrisy, and have their consciences marked with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats which God hath created to be received with giving thanks. Which two things who Never man for bad to marry save the Pope. ever did save the Pope Rochesters God, making sin in the creatures which God hath created for man's use to be received with thanks? The kingdom of heaven is not meat and drink saith Paul, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the holy Ghost. For whosoever in these things serveth Christ, pleaseth God, and is allowed of men. Rom. xiv. Had Rochester therefore not a conscience marked with the hot iron of malice, so that he can not consent unto the will of God and glory of Christ, he would not have so alleged the text which is contrary to none save themselves. He allegeth an other text of Paul in the second chapter of his second epistle to the Thessalonians. Erit dissessi● primum, that is saith Rochester, before the coming of Antichrist, there shall be a notable departing from the faith. And Paul saith. The Lord cometh not except there come a departing first. Paul's meaning is, that the last day cometh not so shortly, but that Antichrist shall come first and destroy the faith, and sit in the temple of God, and make all men worship him, and believe in him (as the Pope doth) and then shall God's word come to light again (as it doth at this time) and destroy him and utter his juggling, and then cometh Christ unto judgement. What say you of this crafty conveyar? Would he spare, suppose you to allege & to wrist other doctors pestilently, which fears not for to juggle with the holy scripture of God, expounding y● unto Antichrist which Paul speaketh of Christ? Not be you sure. But even after this manner wise pervert they the whole scripture and all doctors, wresting them unto their abominable purpose, clean contrary to the meaning of the text, & to the circumstances that go before and after. Which devilish falsehood jest the lay men should perceive, is the very The cause why they will not have the scripture in English. cause why that they will not suffer the Scripture to be had in the English tongue, neither any work to be made, that should bring the people to knowledge of the truth. He allegeth for the Pope's authority, Saint Cyprian, Saint Augustine, Ambrose, Jerome, and Origene: of which never one known of any authority, that one Bishop should have above an other. And Saint Gregory allegeth he, which would receive no such authority above his brethren when it was proffered him. As the manner is to call Tully chief of Orators for his Tully chief of Orators. singular eloquence, and Aristotle chief of Philosophers, and Virgil chief of Poets, for their singular learning, and not for any authority that they had over other: so was it the manner to call Peter chief of the Apostles for his singular activity and boldness, and not that he should be Lord over his brethren, contrary to his own doctrine. Yet compare that chief Apostle unto Paul, and he is found a great way inferior. This I say not that I would that any man should make a God of Paul, contrary unto his own learning. Notwithstanding yet this manner of speaking is left unto us of our elders, that when we say the Apostle saith so, we understand Paul for his excellency above other Apostles. I would he would tell you how Hieroin, Augustine, Bede, Origene, and other doctors expound this text upon this rock I will build my congregation: and how they interpret the keys also. Thereto, Pasce, pasce, pasce, which Rochester leaveth without any English, signifieth not Pol●, shear, and shave. Upon which text behold the faithful exposition of Bede. Note also how craftily he would enfeoff the Apostles of Christ with their Rochester allegeth Paul for his blind ceremonies contrary to Paul's doctrine. wicked traditions and false Ceremonies, which they themselves have feigned, alleging Paul. ij. Thessaly. ij. I answer that Paul taught by mouth such things as he written in his epistles. And his traditions were the Gospel of Christ, and honest manners & living, and such a good order as becometh the doctrine of Christ. As that a woman obey her husband, have her head covered, keep silence, and go womanly and christenly appareled: that children and servants be in subjection: and that the young obey their elders, that no man eat but he that laboureth and worketh, and that men make an earnest thing of God's word, and of his holy Sacraments: and to watch, fast, and pray, and such like, as the Scripture commandeth. Which things he that would break were no christian man. But we may well complain and cry to God for help, that It is not lawful for us to tell what prayer is, what fasting is, or wherefore it serveth. it is not lawful for the Pope's tyranny, to teach the people what prayer is, what fasting is, and wherefore it serveth. There were also certain customs always which were not commanded in pain of hell or everlasting damnation, as to watch all night, and to kiss one an other: which as soon as the people abused, than they broke them. For which cause the Bishops might break many things now in like manner. Paul also in many things which God had made free, gave pure and faithful council without tangling of any man's conscience, and without all manner commanding under pain of cursing, pain of cursing, damnation, and so forth. pain of excommunication, pain of heresy, pain of burning, pain of deadly sin, pain of hell, and pain of damnation. As thou mayst see. i Cor. 7. Where he counceleth the unmarried, the widows, and virgins that it is good so to abide, if they have the gift of chastity. Not to win heaven thereby (for neither Circumcision neither uncircumcision is any thing at all, but the keeping of the commandments is altogether) But that they might be without trouble, and might also the better wait on God's word and s●elyer serve their brethren. And If Paul had none authority: them had Peter none, where had then the Pope this authority? saith (as a faithful servant) that he had none authority of the Lord to give them any commandment. But that the Apostles gave us any blind ceremonies whereof we should not know the reason that I deny and also defy, as a thing clean contrary unto the learning of Paul every where. For Paul commandeth that no Rochester is improved. man once speak in the Church, that is, in the congregation, but in a tongue that all men understand, except that there be an interpreter by: he commandeth to labour for knowledge, understanding, and feeling and to beware of superstition, & persuasions of worldly wisdom, philosophy, and of hypocrisy and ceremonies, and of all manner disguising, & to walk in the plain and open truth. You were once darkness (saith he) but now are you light in the Lord, walk therefore as the children of light. Ephe. u. how doth Paul also wish them increase of grace in every Epistle? How crieth he to God to augment their knowledge, that they should be no more children wavering with every wind of doctrine, but would vouchsafe to make them full men in Christ, and in the understanding of the mysteries or secrets of Christ? so that it should no be possible for any man to deceive them with any enticing reasons of worldly wisdom, or to beguile them with blind ceremonies, or to lead them out of the way with superstitiousness of disguiled hypocrisy: unto which full knowledge are Wherefore the spiritual officers are ordained. the spiritual officers ordained to bring them. Ephes. iiij. So far it is away that Christ's Apostles should give them traditions of blind ceremonies without signification, or of which no man should know the reason as Rochester which loveth shadows and darkness lieth on them: God stop his blasphemous mouth. Consider also how studiously Rochester Rochester allegeth heretics for his purpose for lack of scripture. allegeth Origene, both for his Pope, and also to establish his blind ceremonies with all: which Origene of all heretics is condemned to be the greatest. He is an ancient Doctor saith he, yea and to whom in this point great faith is to be given: yea verily Robynhode is of authority enough to prove the Pope withal. Aristotle and Plato and even very Robynhode is to believed in such a point, that so greatly maintaineth our holy father's authority, and all his disguisings. Last of all as once a crafty thief when he was espied and followed, cried unto the people. Stop the thief, stop the thief. And as many to begin with all, cast first in an other man's teeth that which he fears should be laid to his own charge: even so Rochester layeth to Martin Luther's charge the slaying & murdering of Christian men, because they will not believe in his doctrine, which thing Rochester and his brethren have not ceased to do now certain hundred years, with such malice that when they be dead, theyrage burning their bodies, of which some they them selves of lickelyhode killed before secretly. And because that all the world knoweth that Martin Luther slayeth no man, but killeth only with the spiritual sword, the word of God, such cankered consciences as Rochester hath. Neither persecuteth, but suffereth persecution: yet Rochester with a goodly Argument proveth that he would do it if he could. And mark I pray you what an Orator he is, and how vehemently Rochester is an orator. he persuadeth it. Martin Luther hath burned the Pope's decretals: a manifest sign, saith he, that he would have burned the Pope's holiness also, if he had had him. A like Argument (which I suppose to be rather true) I make. Rochester and his holy brethren have burned Christ's Testament: an evident sign verily that they would have burned Christ himself also if they had had him. I had almost verily left out the Rochester is clean beside himself. chiefest point of all. Rochester both abominable and shameless, yea & sterke mad with pure malice, and so adased in the brains with spite, that he can not overcome the truth that he seethe not, or rather careth not what he saith: in the end of his first destruction, I would say instruction as he calleth it, intending to prove that we are justified thorough holy works, allegeth half a text of Paul of the fift to the Galathians (as his manner is to juggle and convey craftily) fides per dilectionem operans. Which If Rochester be such a juggler: What suppose you of the rest? let Rochester be an example therefore to judge them all. text he this wise Englisheth: faith which is wrought by love, and maketh a verb passive of a verb deponent. Rochester will have love to go before and faith to spring out of love. Thus Antichrist turneth the rotes of the tree upward. I must first love a bitter medicine (after Rochester's doctrine) and then believe that it is wholesome. When by natural reason, I first hate a bitter medicine, until I be brought in belief of the physician, that it is wholesome, & that the bitterness shall heal me, and then afterward love it of that belief. Doth the child love the father first, & then believe that he is his son or heir, or rather because he knoweth that he is his son or heir and beloved, therefore loveth again? john saith in the Faith is the root: and love springeth of faith. third of his first epistle. See what love the father hath showed upon us, that we should be called his sons. Because we are sons therefore love we. Now by faith are we sons as john saith in the first chapter of his Gospel. He gave them power to be the sons of God, in that they believed on his name. And Paul saith, in the third chapter of his Epistle to the Galathians, we are all the sons of God by the faith which is in jesus Christ. And john in the said chapter of his epistle saith. Hereby perceive we love, that he gave his life for us. We could see no love nor cause to love again, except that we believed that he died for us, and that we were saved through his death. And in the chapter following saith john. Herein is love: not that we loved God: but that he loved us, and sent his son to make agreement for our sins. So God sent not his son for any love that we had to him: but of the love, that he had to us, sent he his son, that we might so love & love again. Paul likewise in the 8. chapter to the Romans, after that he hath declared the infinite love of God to us ward, in that he spared not his own son, but gave him for us, crieth out saying: who shall separate us from the love of God? shall persecution, shall a sword? etc. Not, saith he, I am sure that no creature shall separate us from the love of God, that is, in Christ jesus our Lord: as who should say, we see so great love in God to us ward in Christ's death, that though all misfortune should fall on us, we can not but love again. Now how know we that God loveth us? verily by faith. So therefore, though Rochester Though Rochester have not the spirit to judge spiritual things, yet aught reason to have kept him from so shameful lying. But God hath blinded him to bring their falsehood to light. be a beast faithless, yet aught natural reason to have taught him, that love springeth out of faith and knowledge: and not faith and knowledge out of love. But let us see the text. Paul saith thus. In Christ jesus, neither circumcision is any thing worth, nor incircumcision: but faith which worketh thorough love, or which thorough love is strong or mighty in working, & not which is wrought by love, as the juggler saith. Faith that loveth God's commandments iustitieth a man. If thou believe gods promises in christ, and love his commandments, than art thou safe. If thou love the commandment, than art thou sure that thy faith is unfeigned, & that god's spirit is in thee. How faith justifieth before God in the heart, & how love springeth of faith, and compelleth us to work, and how the works justify before the world, & testify what we are, & certify us that our faith is unfeigned, and that the right spirit of God is in us, see in my book of the justifying of faith, and there shalt thou see all thing abundantly. Also of the controversy between Paul and The controversy between james & Paul. james see there. Never the later, when Rochester saith, if faith only justified, then both the devils and also sinners that lie still in sin should be saved, his argument is not worth a straw. For neither the devils nor yet sinners that continued in sin of purpose & delectation, Why devils have none of Paul's faith, nor sinners that repent not. have any such faith as Paul speaketh of. For Paul's faith is to believe God's promises. faith (saith he) Rom. x. cometh by hearing, and hearing cometh by the word of God. And how shall they hear without a preacher, and how shall they preach except they be sent? As it is written (says he) how beautiful are the fecte that bring glad tidings of peace, and bring tidings of good things. Now when sent God any messengers unto the devils to preach them peace, or any good thing: The devil hath no promise: he is therefore excluded from Paul's faith. The devil believeth that A man may believe that Christ died and many other things, 〈◊〉 not believe in Christ. Christ died, but not that he died for his sins. Neither doth any that consenteth in the heart to continued in sin, believe that Christ died for him. For to believe that Christ died for us, is to see our horrible damnation, and how we What it is to believe in Christ. were appointed unto eternal pains, and to feel, and to be sure that we are delivered therefrom through Christ: in that we have power to hate our sins, and to love God's commandments. All such repent and have their hearts loosed out of captivity and bondage of sin, and are therefore justified through faith in Christ. Wicked sinners have no faith, but imaginations and opinions about Christ, as our school men have in their principles, about which they brawl so fast one with another. It is an other thing to believe that the king is rich, & that he is rich unto me, and that my part is therein: and that he will not spare a penny of his riches at my need, when I believe that the king is rich I am not moved. But when I believe that he is rich for me, & that he will never fail me at my need, then love I, and of love am ready to work unto the uttermost of my power: But let us return at the last unto our purpose again. WHat is the cause that lay men can Why say men can not rule. not now rule, as well as in times past, and as the Turks yet do? Verily because that Antichrist with the mist of his juggling hath beguiled our eyes, and hath cast a superstitious fear upon the world of christian men, & hath taught them to dread, not God & his word, but himself and his word: not God's law and ordinances, princes and officers which God hath set to rule the world, but his own law and ordinances, traditions and ceremonies, and disguised disciples, which he hath set every where to deceive the world, and to expel the light of God's word, that his darkness may have room. For we see by daily experience of certain hundred years long, that he which fears neither God nor his word, neither regardeth father, mother, master, or Christ himself, which rebelleth against God ordinances, rises Men fear the Pope's oil more than God's commandment. against the kings, and resisteth his officers, dare not once lay hands on one of the Pope's anointed: not though he slay his father before his face, or do violence unto his brother, or defile his sister, wife or mother. Like honour give we unto his traditions & ceremonies. What devotion have we when we are blessed (as they call it) with the chalice, or when the Bishop lifteth up his holy hand over us? Who dare handle the chalice, touch the Altar stone, or put his hand in the fount, or his finger into the holy oil? What reverence give we unto holy water, holy ●yre, holy bread, holy salt, hallowed bells, holy wax, holy bows, holy candles, and holy ashes? And last of all unto the holy candle commit we our souls at our last departing. Yea and of the very clout which the Bishop or his chapplen that standeth by, knitteth about children's necks at confirmation, what lay person dared be so bold as to to unloose the knot? Thou will't say, do not such things bring the holy Ghost and put away sin and drive away spirits? I say that a steadfast faith or belief in Christ & in the promises that God hath sworn to give us for his sake, bringeth the holy Ghost as all the Scriptures make mention, & as Paul saith (Acts. nineteeen.) have you received the holy Ghost through faith or believing? Faith is the rock where on Christ Faith driveth y● deuil● away. buildeth his congregation, against which ●ayth Christ Math. xuj. hell gates shall not prevail. As soon as thou believest in Christ, the holy Ghost cometh, sin falls away and devils fly: when we cast holy water at the devil or ring the bells, he fleeth, Why do not the Bishops make him flee from shooting of guns. as men do from young children, and mocketh with us, to bring us from the true faith that is in God's word unto a superstitious, and a false belief of our own imagination. If thou hadst faith & threwest an unhallowed stone at his head, he would earnestly flee and without mocking, yea though thou threwest nothing at all, he would not yet abide. Though that at the beginning miracles Ceremonies did not the miracle but faith. were showed through such ceremonies, to move the infidels to believe the word of God. As thou readest how the Apostles anointed the sick with oil and healed them, and Paul sent his pertelet or jirkyn to the sick and healed them also. Yet was it not the ceremony that did the miracle, but faith of the preacher and the truth of God, which had promised to confirm and establish his Gospel with such miracles. Therefore as soon as the gift of miracles ceased, aught the ceremony to have ceased also: or else if they will needs have a ceremony to signify some promise or benefit of GOD (which I praise not but would have God's word preached every Sunday, for which intent Sundays and holy Let them tell what the ceremony means. days were ordained) then let them tell the people what it means: and not set up a haulde and a naked ceremony without signification, to make the people believe therein, and to quench the faith that aught to be given unto the word of God. What helpeth it also that the Priest The priest disguiseth himself with the passion of Christ. when he goeth to Mass disguifeth himself with a great part of the passion of Christ, and playeth out the rest under silence with signs and proffers, with nodding, becking and mowing, as it were jacke an apes, when neither he himself neither any man else woteth what he means? not at all verily, but hurteth and that exceedingly. For as much as it not only destroyeth the faith & quencheth the love that should Domme ceremonies quench faith and love and make the infidels to mock us. be given unto the commandments, and maketh the people unthankful, in that it bringeth them into such superstition, that they think that they have done abundantly enough for God, yea & deserved above measure, if they be present once in a day at such mumming: But also maketh the infidels to mock us and abhor us, in that they see nothing but such apes play among us, where of no man can give a reason. All this cometh to pass to fulfil the prophesy which Christ prophesied. The prophesy of Christ is fulfilled. Mark. xiii. And Luke. xxj. that there shall come in his name which shall say that they themselves are Christ. That do verily the Pope and our holy orders of Religion. For they under the name of Christ preach themselves, their own word, and their own traditions, and teach the people to believe in them. The Pope giveth pardons of his full power, of the treasure of the Church and of the merits of Saintes. The Friars likewise make their benefactors (which only they call their brethren and sisters) partakers of their masses, fasting, watchings, praying and wolward goings. Yea and when a novice of the obseruauntes is professed The testament of the obseruauntes. the father asketh him, will you keep the rules of holy S. Frances? and he saith yea: will you so in deed saith he? the other answereth: yea forsooth father. Then saith the father, and I promise' you again everlasting life. O blasphemy. If eternal life be due unto the piled traditions of lousy Friars, where is the Testament become that God made unto us in Christ's blood? Christ saith Math. xxiv. And Mark. xiii. that there shall come Pseudo-christs'. False anointed. Which though I, for a consideration have translated false Christ's, keeping the Greek word: yet signifieth it in the English false anointed and aught so to be translated. There shall come (says Christ) false anointed and false Prophets, and shall do miracles and wonders, so greatly that if it were possible, the very elect or choose should be brought out of the way. Compare the Pope's doctrine unto the word of GOD, and thou shalt find that there hath been, and yet is a great going out of the way, and that evil men and deceivers (as Paul prophesied. ij. Timo. iij.) have prevailed and waxed worse and worse, beguiling other as they are beguiled themselves. Thou tremblest and quakest saying: shall God let us go so sore out of the right way? I answer it is Christ that warneth us, Christ's prophesis▪ be it never so terrible must be yet fulfilled. which as he known all that should follow, so prophesied he before and is a true Prophet, and his prophesy must needs be fulfilled. GOd anointed his son jesus with the holy Ghost, and therefore Christ was neither shanen nor shorn nor anointed with oil. called him Christ, which is as much to say as anointed. Outwardly he disguised him not but made him like other men and sent him into the world to bless us, and to offer himself for us a sacrifice of a sweet savour, to kill the stench of our sins, that God hence forth should smell them no more, nor think on them any more: and to make full & sufficient satisfaction or amendss for all them that repent, believing the truth of god, and submitting them selves unto his ordinances both for their sins that they do, have done and shall do. For sin we through fragility never so often, yet as soon as we repent and come into the right way again, and unto the Testament which God hath made in Christ's blood, our sins vanish away as smoke in the wind, and as darkness at the coming of light, or as thou cast a little blood or milk into that main see. In so He that doth aught to make satisfaction or to get heaven hath lost his part of Christ's blood. much that who soever goeth about to make satisfaction for his sins to God ward, saying in his heart, this much have I sinned, this much will I do again, or this wise will I live to make amendss with all, or this will I do to get heaven with all, the same is an infidel, faithless and damned in his deed doing, and hath lost his part in Christ's blood: because he is disobedient unto God's Testament, and setteth up an other of his own imagination, unto which he will compel God to obey. If we love God we have a commandment to love our neighbour also, as saith john in his Epistle. And if we have offended him to make him amendss, To our neighbour make we amendss. or if we have not wherewith, to ask him forgiveness, and to do and suffer all things for his sake, to win him to God & to nourish peace and unity: but to Godward Christ is an everlasting satisfaction and ever sufficient. Christ when he had fulfilled his The Apostles were neither shave nor shorn nor anointed with oil. course, anointed his Apostles and disciples with the same spirit, and sent them forth without all manner disguising, like other men also, to preach the atonement and peace which Christ had made between God and man. The Apostles likewise disguised no man, but chose men anointed with the same spirit: one to preach the word of God, whom we call after the greek tongue Bishop: an overseer. a Bishop or a Priest, that is, in English, an overseer and an Elder. How he was anointed, thou readest. i Timothe. iij. A bishop or an overseer The true anointing old Priest. must be faultless, the husband of one wife. (Many jews and also Gentiles that were converted unto the faith, had at that time divers wines, yet were not compelled to put any of them away, which Paul because of ensample would not have preachers for as much as in Christ we return again unto the first ordinance of God, that one man and one woman should go together) he must be sober, of honest behaviour, honestly appareled, barbarous (that is, ready to lodge strangers, apt to This oil is not among our Bishops. teach, no dronckard, no fighter, not given to filthy lucre: but gentle, abhorring fighting, abhorring covetousness, and one that ruleth his own household honestly, having children under obedience with all honesty. For if a man can can not rule his own house, how can he care for the congregation of God? he may not be young in the faith, or as a man would say a Novice, lest he swell and fall into that judgement of that evil speaker, that is, he may not be unlearned in the secrets of the faith. For such are attonce stubborn, and headstrong, and set not a little by themselves. But alas, we have above twenty thousand that know no more scripture than is written in their portoves, and among them is he exceeding well learned that can turn to his service. He must be well reported of them that are without: lest he fall into rebuke, and into the snare of the evil speaker, that is, lest the infidels which yet believe not, should be hurt by him, and driven from the faith, if a man that were defamed were made head or overseer of the congregation. He must have a wife for two causes, priests aught to to have wives & why. one, that it may thereby be known who is meet for the room. He is unapt for so chargeable an office, which had never household to rule. another cause is, that chastity is an exceeding seldom gift, and unchastity exceeding perilous for that degree. In as much as the people look as well unto the living as unto the preaching, and are hurt at once if the living disagree, and fall from the faith, and believe not the word. This overseer, because he was taken What the priests duty is to do: & what to have. from his own business and labour, to preach God's word unto the parish, hath right by the authority of his office, to challenge an honest living of that parish, as thou mayst see in the Enangelistes, and also in paul. For who will have a servant and will not give him meat, drink, and raiment, and all things necessary? How they would Men are not bond to pay the Priest in tithes, by God's law. pay him, whether in money, or assign him so much rend, or in tithes, as the guise is now in many countries, was at their liberty. Likewise in every congregation Deacon what it signifieth and what is his office. chose they an other after the same ensample, and even so anointed, as it is to see in the said chapter of Paul, and Act. uj. Whom after the Greek word we call Deacon, that is to say in English, a servant or a minister, whose office was to help and assist the Priest, and to gather up his duty, and to gather for the poor of the parish, which were destitute of friends and could not Not beggars. work, common beggars to run from door to door, were not then suffered. On that Saintes days, namely, such as had How holy days and offerings came up. suffered death for the word sake, came men together into the church, and the Priest preached unto them, and exhorted them to cleave fast unto the word, and to be strong in the faith, and to fight against the powers of the world, with suffering for their faith's sake, Saints were not yet Gods. after the ensample of the Saints. And taught them not to believe in the saints and to trust in their merits, and to make Gods of them: but took the saints for an example only, and prayed God to give them like faith and trust in his word, and like strength and power to suffer therefore, and to give them so sure hope of the life to come, as thou mayst see in the collects of Saint Laurence and of Saint Stephen in our Lady matens. And in such days, as we now offer, so gave they every man his portion according to his ability, and as God put in his heart, to the maintenance of the priest, Deacon, and other common ministers, and of the poor, and to find learned men to teach, and so forth. And all was put in the hands of the Deacon, as thou mayst see in the life of Saint Laurence, and in the histories. And for such purposes Why lands were given unto the spiritual officers before we fallen from the faith. gave men lands afterward to ease the parishes, and made hospitals, and also places to teach their children, and to bring them up, and to nurture them in God's word, which lands our Monks now devour. Antichrist. ANtichrist of an other manner hath sent forth his disciples, those false anointed of which Christ warneth us False anointed. before, that they should come & show miracles and wonders, even to bring the very elect out of the way, if it were possible. He anointeth them after the Shaving is borrowed of the heathen, and oiling of the Jews. manner of the Jews, and shaveth them & shoreth them after the manner of the Heathen Priests, which serve the Idols. Hesendeth them forth not with false oil only, but with false names False names. also. For compare their names unto their deeds, and thou shalt find them false. He sendeth them forth as Paul prophesied of them. ij. Thess. ij. with lying signs & wonders. What sign Lying signs. is the anointing? that they be full of the holy ghost. Compare them to the signs of the holy ghost which Paul reckoneth, and thou shalt find it a false sign. A Bishop must be faultless, the husband of one wife. Nay saith that No wife but ●n whore. Pope, the husband of no wife, but the holder of as many whores as he listeth. God commandeth all degrees, if they burn, and can not live chaste, to marry. The Pope says, if thou burn take a dispensation for a Concubine, Take a dispensation. and put her away when thou art old, or else as our Lawyers say, si non caste tamen caute, that is, if you live not chaste, Knaveate. see you carry clean, and play the knave secretly. Barbarous, yea to whores and bawds, for a poor man shall as soon break his neck as his fast with them, but of the scraps and with the dogs, when dinner is done. Apt to teach, and as Peter saith. j Pet. ij. ready always to give an answer to every man that axeth you a reason of the hope that you have, and that with meekness. Which thing is signified by the boots which doctors of divinity Bootes. are created in, because they should be ready always to go through thick and thin, to preach God's word, & by the bishop's two horned mitre, Mitres. which betokeneth the absolute & perfect knowledge that they aught to have in the new Testament and the old. Be not these false signs? For they beat only and teach not. Yea says that Pope Cite them. if they will not be ruled, cite them to Pose them. appear, and pose them sharply, what they hold of the Pope's power, of his Pardons, of his Bulls, of Purgatory, of ceremonies, of confession and such like creatures of our most holy fathers. If they miss in any point, make heretics of them and burn them. If they be of mine anointed and bear Make them heretics. my mark, digress them, I would say disgraduate them and (after the example Burn them of noble Antiochus. ij. Mach. seven.) pare the crowns and the fingers of them, and torment them craftily, and for very pain make them deny the truth. But now say our Bishops, because the truth is come to far abroad, and that lay people begin to smell our wiles, it is best to oppress them with craft secretly, & to tame them in prison. Yea let us find the means to have them in the kings prison, and to make treason of such doctrine: Yea we must stir up some war one where or an other, to bring the people into an other imagination. If they be Gentlemen abjure them secretly. Curse them iiij. times in the year. Curse them. Make them afraid of every thing and namely to touch mine anointed, Fear them. and make them to fear the sentence of the Church, suspentions, excommunications and curses. Be the right or wrong, bear them in hand that they are to be feared yet. Preach me and mine authority, & how terrible a thing my curse is, and how black it maketh their souls. On the holidays which were ordained to preach God's word, set up long ceremonies, long Matines, long Masses, and long Euensonges, and all in Latin that they understand not: and All in Latin. roll them in darkness, that you may lead them whether you will. And jest roll them. such things should be to tedious, sing Sing. some, say some, pipe some, ring the Ring. bells and lull them and rock them a sleep. And yet Paul ij. Cor. xiv. forbiddeth Lull them. to speak in the church or congregation Rock them a sleep. save in the tongue that all understand. For the lay man thereby is not edified or taught. How shall the lay man say Amen (saith Paul) to thy blessing or thanks giving, when he woteth not what thou sayest? He wotted not whether thou bless or curse. What then saith the Pope, what care Pray in Latin. I for Paul I command by the virtue of obedience to read the Gospel in Latin. Let them not pray but in Latin, Say them a Gospel. not not there Pater noster. If any be sick, go also and say them a Gospel and all in Latin: yea to the very corn and fruits of the field in the procession week, preach the Gospel in Latin. Make the people believe, that it shall grow the better. It is verily as good to preach it to swine as to men, if thou preach it in a tongue they understand not. How shall I prepare myself to God's commandments? How shall I be thankful to Christ for his kindness? How shall I believe the truth and promises which GOD hath sworn, while thou tellest them unto me in a tongue which I understand not? What then says me Lord of Caunterbury to a Priest that would have What quoth my Lord of Canterbury. had the new Testament go forth in English: What (saith he) wouldst thou that the lay people should weet what we do? No fighter, which I suppose is signified by the cross that is born before Cross. the high Prelates and born before them in procession: Is that also not a false sign? What Realm can be in peace for such turmoylers? What so little a Turmoylers. Parish is it, but they will pick one quarrel or an other with them, either for some syrplis, cresome or mortuary, either for one trifle or other, and city them to the arches? Traitors they are to all creatures and have a secret conspiration between themselves. One The craft of the Prelates. craft they have, to make many kingdoms and small, and to nourish old titles or quarrels, that they may ever move them to war at their pleasure. And if much lands by any chance, fall to one man, ever to cast a bone in the way, that he shall never be able to obtain it, as we now see in the Empeperour. Why? For as long as the kings be small, if God would open the eyes of any to set a reformation in his Realm, then should the Pope interdict Interdict his land, and sand in other Princes to conquer it. Not given to filthy lucre, but abhorring covetousness. And as Peter saith. i Pet. u taking the oversight of them, not as though you were compelled thereunto: but willingly.: Not for desire of filthy lucre, but of a good mind: not as though you were Lords over the Parishes (over the Parishes quoth he) O Peter Peter thou wast to Peter 〈◊〉 never to school at the arches. long a fisher, thou wast never brought up at the arches, neither waste master of the Rolls, nor yet Chancellor of England. They are not content to reign over king and Emperor and the whole earth: but challenge authority also in heaven and in hell. It is not enough for them to reign over all that are quick, but have created them a Purgatory, to reign also over the dead, and to have one kingdom more The Pope hath one kingdom more than God himself. than God himself hath. But that you be an ensample to the flock (saith Peter.) And when the chief shepherd shall appear you shall receive an incorruptible crown of glory. This abhorring of covetousness is signified as I suppose by shaving and shearing of the Shering what it signifieth. of the hear, that they have no superfluity. But is not this also a false sign? yea verily it is to them a remembrance to shear and shave, to heap benefice upon benefice, promotion upon promotion, dignity upon dignity, Bishopric upon Bishopric, with pluralities, unions and Tota quots. Tot quot. First by the authority of the Gospel they that preach the word of God in every Parish and other necessary ministreys, have right to challenge an honest living like unto one of the brethren, and therewith aught to be content. Bishops and priests that preach Bishops that preach not. not, or that preach, aught save God's word, are none of Christ's, nor of his anointing: but servants of the beast whose mark they bear, whose word they preach, whose law they maintain clean against God's law, and with their false sophistry give him greater power than God ever gave to his son Christ. BUt they as unsatiable beasts not unmindful why they were shaven and shorn, because they will stand at no man's grace, or be in any man's danger, have got into their own hands, first the tithe or tenth of all the Tithes. realm. Then I suppose with in a little or all together the third foot of all the temporal lands. Mark well how many personages Temporal lands. or vicarages are there in the Realm, which at the lest have a plough land a piece. Then note the lands of bishops, Abbots, priors, Nuns, knights of Saint Johns, Cathedral Churches, Colleges, Chauntryes and Frechapels. For though the house fall Frechappell. in decay, and the ordinance of the founder be lost, yet will not they lose the lands. What cometh once in, may never more out. They make a Frechapell of it, so that he which enjoyeth it shall do naught therefore. Besides all this, how many chaplains do Gentlemen find at their own cost in their houses. How many sing for souls by testaments. Then the proving of Testaments, Testaments. the prising of goods, the Bishop of Caunterburies' prerogative. Is that not much through the Realm in a year? Four offering Offering days. Privy tithes. days and privy tithes. There is no servant, but that he shall pay somewhat of his wages. None shall receive the body of Christ at Easter, be he never so poor a beggar, or never so young a lad or maid, but they must pay somewhat for it. Then mortuaryes Mortuaries. for forgotten tithes (as they say) And yet what Parson or Vicar is there that will forget to have a Pygin house to peck up somewhat both at sowing time, and at harvest when corn is ripe. They will forget nothing. No man shall die in their debt, or if any man do, he shall pay it when he is dead. They will lose no thing. Why? It is Gods, it is not there's. It is Saint Cudberts' rents, Saint Albans lands, Saint Edmondes' right, Saint Peter's patrimony say they, and none of ours. Item if a man die in an other man's parish, If he die from home. besides that he must pay at home a mortuary for forgotten tithes, he must there pay also the best that he there Thou must pay ere thou pass. hath. Whether it be an horse of twenty pound, or how good so ever he be: either a chain of gold of an hundredth mark, or five hundredth pound, if it so chance. It is much verily for so little pain taking in confession and in ministering the Sacraments. Then beadrolles. Item chrisom, Churchinges, banes, weddings, offering at weddings, offering at buriynges, offering to Images, offering of wax & lights, which come to their vantage, Petty pillage. besides the superstitious waist of wax in torches and tapers throughout the land. Then brotherhoods and pardoners. What get they also by confessions? Yea, and many enjoin penance Confession. to give a certain for to have so many Masses said, and desire to provide a chappellayne themselves. Soul masses, diriges, monethmyndes, year minds, Alsoulday and trentals. The mother Church and the high altar must have some what in every Testament. First Mass. Professinges. Conturations. Offerings at Priests first Masses. Iten no man is professed, of what soever religion it be, but he must bring somewhat. The hallowing or rather conjuring of Churches, chapels, altars, superaltares, chalice, vestments & bells. Then book, bell, candlestick, organs, chalice, vestiments, copes, altere clotheses, syrplese: towels, basins, ewars, sheep, senser and all manner ornaments must be found them freely, they will not give a mite thereunto. Last of all what swarms of begging Friars are there. The Parson shereth, the Vicar Parson. Vicar. Parish priest. Friars. shaveth, the Parish Priest polleth, the Friar scrapeth, and the Pardoner pareth, we lack but a butcher to pull of the skin. What get they in their spiritual Spiritual law. law (as they call it) in a year, at the arches & in every diocese? what get the Commissaries, and Officials with their sumner's and apparitars by bawdry in a year? Shall you not find Curates A proper commodity of confession. enough which to flatter the Commissaries and Officials with all that they may go quite themselves, shall open unto them the confessions of the richest of their Parishes. Whom they cite privily, and lay to their charges secretly. If they desire to know their accusers, nay say they, the matter is known well enough, and to more than you are ware of. Come lay your hand on the Say your hand on the book. book, if you forswear yourself, we shall bring proves, we will handle you, we will make an example of you. O how terrible are they? Come and swear (say they) that you willbe obedient unto our injunctions. And by that craft wring they their purses and make them drop as long as there is a penny in them. In three or four years shall they in those offices get enough to pay for a bishops bull. What other thing are these in a Realm save horsleches and even very maggotes, cankres, & caterpillars, which devour no more but all that is green, and those wolves which Paul prophesied should come & should not spare the flock. Acts. xx. Chapter. And which Christ said should come in lambs skins, and bade us beware of them and judge them by their works. THough as I before have sufficiently No man may avenge save the king▪ and he is bond by his office. proved, a Christian man must suffer all thing, be it never so great unright, as long as it is not against God's commandment, neither is it lawful for him to cast any burden of his back by his own authority, till God pull it of which laid it on for our deservings, yet aught the kings every where to defend their realms from such oppression, if they were Christian, which is seldom seen: and is an hard thing verily, though not impossible. For alas they be captives or ever they kings are in captivity. be kings, yea almost ere they be born. No man may be suffered about him but flatterers, and such as are first sworn true unto our most holy fathers the Bishops, that is to say, false to God and man. If any of the nobles of the realm be true to the king, and so bold that he dare council him that which should be to his honour, and for the wealth of the realm. They will wait a season for him (as men say) They will provide a ghostly father for him. God bring their wickedness to light. There is no mischief whereof they are not the root, nor bloodshed, but through their cause, either by their counsel, or in that they preach not true obedience, and teach not the people to fear God. If any faithful servant be in all the court, he shall have twenty spies waiting upon him, he shallbe cast out of the court, or (as the saying is) conveyed to Calais, and made a captain, or an ambassador, he shallbe kept far enough from the kings presence. The kings aught I say to remember The duty of kings. that they are in God's steed, & ordained of God, not for themselves, but for the wealth of their subjects. Let them remember that their subjects are their brethren, their flesh & blood, members of their own body, and even their own selves in Christ. Therefore aught they to pity them, & to rid them from such wily tyranny which increaseth more and more daily. And though that the kings by the falsehood of the Bishops and abbots, be sworn to defend such liberties: yet aught they Unlawful oaths aught to be broken, and may without dispensation. not to keep their oaths, but to break them. For as much as they are unright and clean against God's ordinance, and even but cruel oppression, contrary unto brotherly love and charity. Moreover the spiritual officer aught to punish no sin, but and if any sin The king only aught to punish sin: I mean that is broken forth, the heart must remain to God. break out the king is ordained to punish it, and they not: but to preach & exhort them to fear God, and that they sin not. And let the kings put down some of their tyranny, and turn some unto a common wealth. If the tenth part of such tyranny were given the king yearly, & laid up in the shire towns against the realm had need, what would it grow to in certain years? Moreover one king, one law, is God's ordinance in every realm. Therefore aught not the king to suffer them to have a several law by themselves, and to draw his subjects thither. It is not meet will they say, that a spiritual man should be judged of a worldly or a temporal man. O abomination: The spirit pertaineth unto the shaven only. see how they divide and separate themselves? If the lay man be of the world, so is he not of God. If he believe in Christ, then is he a member of Christ, Christ's brother, Christ's flesh, Christ's blood, Christ's spouse, coheyre with Christ, and hath his spirit in earnest, and is also spiritual. If they would rob us of the spirit of God, why should they fear to rob us of worldly goods? Because thou art put in office to preach God's word, art thou therefore no more one of the brethren? is the Mayor of London no more one of the City, because he is the chief officer? Is the king no more of the realm because he is head thereof? The king is in the room of God, and The king's law is God's law. his law is God's law, and nothing but the law of nature and natural equity, which God graved in the hearts of men. Yet Antichrist is to good to be judged by the law of God, he must have a new of his own making. It were meet verily that they went to no law at all. Not more needed they, if they would study to preach God's word truly, and be contented with sufficient, and to be like one of their brethren. If any question arose about the faith, How men aught to judge, questions of the scripture. or of the scripture, that let them judge by the manifest and open scriptures, not excluding the lay men. For there are many found among the lay men, which are as wise as the officers. Or else when the officer dieth, how could we put an other in his room? Wyl● thou so teach xx. thirty. xl. or fifty years, that no man shall have knowledge or judgement in God's word save thou only? Is it not a shame that we We come often to school. But are never caught. Christen come so often to Church in vain, when he of four score year old knoweth no more than he that was born yesterday. Moreover when the spiritual officers have excommunicate any man, or have condemned any opinion for heresy: Let not the king nor temporal officers punish & slay by & by at their kings aught to see what they do and not to believe the bishops, namely, seeing their living is so sore suspects, commandment. But let them look on God's word, and compare their judgement unto the scripture, and see whether it be right or not, and not believe them at the first chop, whatsoever they say, namely in things that pertain unto their own authorities and power. For no man is a right judge in his own cause. Why doth Christ cōma●…de the Scripture to be preached unto all creatures, but that it pertaineth It pertaineth unto all men to know the scriptures. unto all men to know them? Christ referreth himself unto the scriptures john. u And in the. xj. Chapter of Matthew, unto the question of john Baptistes' Disciples he answered. The blind see, the lepers are cleansed, the dead arise again etc. meaning that if I do the works which are prophesied that Christ should do when he cometh, why doubt you whether I be he or not, as who should say, ask the scripture whether I be Christ or no, & not myself. How happeneth it then that our Prelates will not come to the light also that we may see whether their works be wrought in GOD or no? Why fear they to let the ●ay men see what they do? Why make they all their examinations in darkness? Why examine ☞ they not their causes of heresy openly, as the lay men do their fellous and murderers? Wherefore did Christ and his Apostles also warn us so diligently of Antichrist, and of false Prophets that should come? Because that we should slumber or sleep careless, or rather that we should look in the light of the Scripture with all diligence to spy them when they came, and not to suffer ourselves to be deceived and led out of the way? john biddeth judge the spirits. Whereby shall we judge them but by the Scripture? How shalt thou know, whether the Prophet be true or false, or whether he speak God's word of his own head, if thou will't not see the Scriptures? Why said David in the second Psalm be learned Be learned you that judge the earth. you that judge the earth, jest the Lord be angry with you, and you perish from the right way? A terrible warning verily: yea and look on the stories well, & thou shalt find very few kings sense the beginning of the world that have not perished from the right way, and that because they would not be learned. The Emperor and Kings are The kings are become Antichrists hangmen. nothing now a days but even hangmen unto the Pope and Bishops, to kill whosoever they condemn, without any more a do, as pilate was unto the Scribes and Phariseis and the high Bishops, to hung Christ. For as those Prelates answered pilate (when he asked what he had done) if he were not an evil doer, we would not have brought him unto thee. As who should say, we are to holy to do any thing amiss, thou mayst believe us well enough: yea and his blood on our heads, said they, kill him hardly, we will bear the charge, our souls for thine: we have also a law by which he aught to dye, for he calleth himself God's son. Even so say our Prelates, he aught to dye by our laws, he speaketh against the Church. And your grace is sworn to defend the liberties and ordinances of the Church, and to maintain our most holy father's authority: our souls for yours, you shall do a meritorious deed therein. Nevertheless as pilate escaped not the judgement of God, even so is it to be feared jest our temporal powers shall not. Wherefore be learned you that judge the Be learned you that judge the earth. earth jest the Lord be angry with you and you perish from the right way. Who slay the Prophets? Who slay Who slay the prophets. Christ? Who slay his Apostles? Who the martyrs and all the righteous that ever were slain? The kings and the temporal sword at the request of the false Prophets. They deserved such murder to do, and to have their part with the hypocrites, because they would not be learned, and see the truth themselves. Wherefore suffered the Prophet's? Why were the prophets slain? because they rebuked the hypocrites which beguiled the world, and namely Princes and rulers and taught them to put their trust in things of vanity and not in God's word. And taught What deeds of mercy teach the hipocrited? them to do such deeds of mercy as were profitable unto no man but unto the false Prophets themselves only, making merchandise of God's word. wherefore slay they Christ? even for rebuking Why flew they christ? the hypocrites: because he said, woe be to you Scribes and Phariseis hypocrites, for you shut up the kingdom of heaven before men Math. twenty-three. that is, as it is written. Luke. xj. you have taken away the key of knowledge. The keys. The law of God which is the key wherewith men bind, and the promises which are the keys wherewith men lose, have our hypocrites also taken away. They will suffer no man to know God's word, but burn it and make heresy of it: yea and because the people begin to smell their falsehood they make it treason to the king and Christ is a traitor and a breaker of the kings peace. breaking of the kings peace to have so much as their Pater noster in English. And in stead of God's law, they bind with their own law. And in stead of God's promises they loose & justify How the hypocrites bind and loose. ☞ with pardons and ceremonies, which they themselves have imagined for their own profit. They preach it were better for thee to eat flesh on good Friday then to hate thy neighbour: but let any man eat flesh but on a Saturday or break any other tradition of there's, and he shallbe bound & not loosed, till he have paid the utter most farthing, either with shame most vile, or death most cruel, but hate thy neighbour as much as thou will't and thou shalt have no rebuke of them, yea rob him, murder him, and then come to them and welcome. They have a sanctuary for thee, to save thee, yea and a neckuerse, if thou canst but read a little Latinly, though it be never so soryly, so that y● be ready to receive the beasts mark. They care for no understanding: it is enough, if thou canst roll up a pair of Matins or an Evensong and mumble a few ceremonies. And because they be rebuked, this they rage. Be learned therefore you that Be learned you that judge the earth. judge the world jest God be angry with you, and you perish from the right way. Woe be to you scribes, and pharisees hypocrites, saith Christ, Math. xriij. for ●or rebuking this 〈…〉. And for the same cause are we persecutes. you deudure widows houses under a colour of long prayer. Our hypocrites rob not the widows only: but Knight, Squire, Lord, Duke, King, and Emperor, and even the whole world under the same colour: teaching the people to trust in their prayers, and not in Christ, for whose sake God hath forgiven all the sin of the whole world, unto as many as repent and believe. They fear them with purgatory, and promise to pray perpetually, They be 〈…〉 Purgatory that make perpetu●…. lest the lands should ever return home again unto the right heirs. What hast thou bought with robbing thy heirs, or with giving the hypocrites that which thou robbest of other men? Perpetual prayer? Yea perpetual pain. For they appoint thee no time of deliverance, their prayers are so mighty. The Pope for money can Why it is 〈◊〉 Pur gatory. empty purgatory when he will. It is verily purgatory. For it purgeth and maketh clean riddance: yea it is hell. For it devoureth all things. His fatherhood sendeth them to heaven with scala coeli: that is, with a ladder to scale Scala C●…. the walls. For by the door Christ, will they not let them come in. That door The door is stopped vies you must climb and scale the walls. have they stopped up, and that because you should buy ladders of them. For some they pray daily which gave them perpetuities, and yet make Saints of them, receiving offerings in their Some are prayed for and prayed to also. names, and teaching other to pray to them. None of them also which taketh upon them to save other with their prayers, trusteth to be saved thereby The craft that helpeth other helpeth not his own master. themselves, but hire other to pray for them. Moses taketh record of God that he took not of any of the people so much as an Ass, neither vexed any of Prayer was not sold in the old times. them. Numeri. xuj. Samuel in that first book of kings the xii. chapter, asked all Israel whether he had taken any man's Ox, or Ass, or had vexed any man, or had taken any gift or reward of any man. And all the people testified nay, yet these two both taught the people, and also prayed for them as much as our prelate's do. Peter. j Peter. u exhorteth the elders to take the oversight of Christ's flock, not for filthy lucre: but of a good will even for love. Paul Act. xx. taketh the Priests or elders to record, that he had taught repentance and faith, and all the council of God. And yet had desired no man's gold, silver, or vesture: but fed himself with the labour of his hands. And yet these two taught and prayed for the people as much as our Prelates do, with whom it goeth after the common saying, no penny, no Pater noster. Which Prelates yet as they teach not, but beat only, so wot they not what prayer means. Moreover the law of love which Christ left among us, is to give and not to receive. What prayer is it then that thus robbeth all the world contrary Their prayer breaketh the great commandment of God. It is time that they were tied by therefore. to that great commandment which is the end of all commandments, and in which all other are contained. If men should continued to buy prayer four or five hundred years more, as they have done, there would not be a foot of ground in Christendom, neither any worldly thing, which they that will be called spiritual only should not possess. And thus all should be called spiritual. Woe be to you Lawyers, for you lad men with burdens, which they are not able to bear, & you yours selves touch not the packs with one of your fingers says Christ Luke. xj. Our Lawyers verily have laden us a thousand The burdens of our spiritual lawyers. times more. What spiritual kindred have they made in baptism, to let matrimony, besides that they have added certain degrees unto the law natural for the same purpose. What an unbearable burden of chastity do they violently thrust on other men's backs, and how easily bear they it themselves? How sore a burden? How cruel a hangman? How grievous a torment? yea & Confession tormenteth the conscience: robbeth the purse of money, and the soul of faith. how painful an hell is this ear confession unto men's consciences. For the people are brought in belief, that with out that they can not be saved. In so much that some fast certain days in the year, and pray certain superstitious prayers all their lives long, that they may not die without confession. In peril of death, if the Priest be not by, the shippemen shrive themselves unto the Mast. If any be present, they run then every man into his ear, but to gods promises fly they not: for they know them not. If any man have a deaths wound, he crieth immediately for a Priest. If a man die without shrift many take it for a sign of damnation. Many by reason of that false belief die in desperation. Many for shame keep back of their confession xx. thirty. years, and think all the while that they be damned. I known a poor woman with child which longed, and being overcomen of her passion, eat flesh on a Friday, which thing she dared not confess in the space of xviij. years, and thought all that while that she had been damned, and yet sinned she not at all. Is not this a sore burden that so weigheth down the soul unto the bottom of hell? What should I say? A great book were not sufficient to rehearse the snares which they have laid to rob men both of their goods, and also of the trust which they should have in God's word. The Scribes and Phariseis do all their works to be seen of men. They set abroad their phylacteries, & make long borders on their garments, and love to sit uppermost at feasts, and to have the chief seats in the synagogues, that, is in the congregations or counsels, and to be called Rabbi, that is to say masters saith Christ. Math. twenty-three. Behold the deeds of our spirituality, and how many thousand fashions are among them to be known by? Which as none is like an other, so loveth none Bags or babbles to be known by. an other. For every one of them supposeth that all other poll to fast and make to many captives: yet to resist Christ, are they all agreed lest they should be all compelled to deliver up their prisoners to him. Behold the monsters how they are disguised, with mitres, croses, and hatt●s, with crosses, pillars, and pollaxes, and with three crowns. What names have they? my Lord Prior, my Lord Abbot, my Glorious names. Lord Bishop, my Lord Archbishop, Cardinal and Legate: if it please your fatherhod, if it please your Lordship, if it please your grace, if it please your holiness, and innumerable such like. Behold how they are esteemed, and How are they esteemed? how high they be crept up above all, not into worldly seats only: but into the seat of God, the hearts of men, where they sit above God himself. For both they & whatsoever they make of their own heads is more feared and dread then God and his commandments. In them and their deservings put we more trust, then in Christ and his merits. To their promises give we more faith, then to the promises which God hath sworn in Christ's blood. The hypocrites say unto the kings and Lords, these heretics would have us down first, and then you, to make of all common. Nay you hypocrites kings are down: they can not go lower. and right heretics approved by open Scripture, the kings and Lords are down already, & that so low that they can not go lower. You tread them under your feet, and lead them captive and have made them your bond servants to wait on your filthy lusts, and to avenge your malice on every man, contrary unto the right of God's word. You have not only rob them of their land, authority honour and due obedience, which you own unto them, but also of their wits, so that they are not without understanding in God's word only: but even in worldly matters that pertain unto their offices, they are more than children. You bear them in hand what you will, and have brought them even in case like unto them which when they dance naked in nets, believe they are invisible. We would have them up again, and restored unto the room and authority which GOD hath given them, and whereof you have rob them. And your inward falsehood we do but utter only with the light of God's word, that your hypocrisy might be seen. Be learned therefore you that judge the world, jest God be angry with you, and you perish from the right way. Woe be to you Scribes and Phariseis, hypocrites. For you make clean that utterside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of brybry & excess, says Christ. Mat. twenty-three. Is that Our hypocrites live by theft. which our hypocrites eat and drink and all their riotous excess any other thing save robbery, & that which they have falsely got with their lying doctrine? Be learned therefore you that judge the world, and compel them to make restitution again. You blind guides saith Christ, you strain out a gnat & swallow a camel. Math. twenty-three. do not our blind guides also stumble at a straw, and leap over a block, making narrow consciences at Consciences that are so narrow about traditions, have wide mouths about gods commandments. trifles, and at matters of weight none at all? If any of them happen to swallow his spittle or any of the water wherewith he washeth his mouth, ere he go to Mass: or touch the Sacrament with his nose, or if the Ass forget to breath on him, or happen to handle it with any of his fingers which are not anointed, or say Alleluia in stead of Laus tibi Domine, or Ite Missa est in stead of Benedicamus Domino, or pour to much wine in the chalice, or read the Gospel without light, or make not his crosses a right, how trembleth he? how fears he? what an horrible sin is committed? I cry God mercy, saith he, and you my Ghostly father. But to hold an whore or an other man's wife, to buy a benefice, to set one Realm at variance with an other, and to 'cause xx. thousand men to dye on a day is but a trifle and a pastime with them. The jews boasteth themselves of As the jews are the children of Abraham: so are the Bishops the successors of the Apostles. Abraham. And Christ said unto them. john. viii. If you were Abraham's children, you would do the deeds of Abraham. Our hypocrites boast them selves of the authority of Peter, and of Paul & the other Apostles, clean contrary unto the deeds and doctrine of Peter, Paul and of all the other Apostles. Which both obeyed all worldly authority and power, usurping none to themselves, and taught all other to fear the kings and rulers, and to obey them in all things not contrary to the commandment of God, and not to resist them, though they took away life and goods wrongfully, but patiently to abide God's vengeance. This did our spirituality never yet, The spiritualty have taught to fear their traditions. nor taught it. They taught not to fear God in his commandments, but to fear them in their traditions. In so much that the evil people which fear not to resist a good king and to rise against him, dare not lay hands on one of them, neither for defiling of wife daughter or very mother. When all They win somewhat always. men loose life & lands, they remain always sure and in safety, and ever win somewhat. For who soever conquereth other men's lands unrightfully, ever giveth than part with them. To them is all thing lawful. In all Counsels and Parlamentes are they the chief. Without them may no king ☜ be crowned, neither until he be sworn to their liberties. All secrets know they, even the very thoughts of men's hearts. By them all things are ministered. No king nor Realm may through their falsehood live in peace. To believe they teach not in Christ, but in them and their disguised hypocrisy. And of them compel they all men to buy redemption & forgiveness of sins. The people's sin they eat & thereof wax fat. The more wicked the people are, the more prosperous is their common wealth. If kings and great men do amiss, they must build abbeys & Colleges, mean men build chauntreis', poor find trentals and brotherhodes and begging Friars. Their own heirs do men disherit to endote them. All kings are compelled to submit themselves to them. Read the story of king john, and of other kings. They will have their causes avenged, though whole Realms should therefore perish. Take from them their desguising, so are they not spiritual. Compare that they have taught us unto the Scripture, so are we without faith. Christ saith john. u Chapter: how They that seek honour have no faith, neither can they do God's message. can you believe which receive glory one of an other. If they that seek to be glorious, can have no faith, then are our Prelates faithless verily. And john. seven. he saith: he that speaketh of himself, seeketh his own glory. If to seek glory and honour be a sure token, that a man speaketh of his own self, and doth his own message & not his masters: then is the doctrine of our Prelates of themselves, and not of God. Be learned therefore you that judge the earth, jest God be angry with you and you perish from the right way. Be learned jest the hypocrites bring Be learned. the wrath of God upon your heads & compel you to shed innocent blood: as they have compelled your predecessors to slay the Prophets, to kill Christ & his Apostles and all the righteous the sense were slain. God's word Gods wordought all men to know. pertaineth unto all men: as it pertaineth unto all servants to know their masters will and pleasure: and to all subjects to know the laws of their Prince. Let not the hypocrites do all thing secretly. What reason is it that They do all secretly. ☞ mine enemy should put me in prison at his pleasure and their diet me, and handle me, as he lusteth, and judge me himself and that secretly, and condemn me by a law of his own making, and then deliver me to pilate to murder me? Let God's word try every Gods wordought so judge. man's doctrine, and whom so ever God's word proveth unclean let him be taken for a leper. One Scripture ●he right way to understand the scripture. will help to declare an other. And the circumstances, that is to say, the places that go before and after, will give light unto the middle text. And the open and manifest Scriptures will ever improve the false and wrong exposition of the darker sentences. Let the temporal power to whom God hath given the sword to take vengeance, look or ever that they leap, & see what they do. Let the causes be disputed before them, and let him that is accused have room to answer for himself. The The kings have a judge before whom my soul for yours helpeth not. powers to whom God hath committed the sword shall give acountes for every drop of blood that is shed on the earth. Then shall their ignorance not excuse them, nor the saying of the hypocrites help them, my soul for yours, your grace shall do a meritorious deed, your grace aught not to hear them, it is an old heresy condemned by the Church. The king aught to look in the Scripture, and see whether it were truly condemned or not, if he will punish it. If the king or his officer for him, will slay me, so aught the king or his officer to judge me. The king can not, but unto his damnation, lend his sword to kill whom he judgeth not by his own laws. Let him that is accused stand on the one side and the accuser on the other side, and let the kings judge sit and judge the cause, if the king will kill and not be a murderer before God. Hereof may you see, not only that Preach what thou will't but rebuke nor hypocrisy. our persecution is for the same cause that Christ's was, and that we say nothing that Christ said not: but also that all persecution is only for rebuking of hypocrisy, that is to say, of man's righteousness, and of holy deeds which man hath imagined to please God, & to be saved by, without God's word, and beside the testament that God hath made in Christ. If Christ had not rebuked that Phareseis because they taught the people to believe in their traditions and holiness, and in offerings that came to their advantage, and that they taught the widows and then that had their friends dead, to believe in their prayers, & that through their prayers the dead should be saved, and through that means rob them both of their goods, and also of the testament and promises that God had made, to all that repented, in Christ to come, he might have been uncrucified unto this day. If Saint Paul also had not preached against circumcision, that it justified not: and that vows, offerings, and ceremonies justified not: and that righteousness and forgiveness of sins came not by any deserving of our deeds, but by faith or believing the promises of God, and by the deserving & merits of Christ only, he might have lived unto this hour. Likewise if we preached not against pride, covetousness, lechery, extortion, usury, simony, and against the evil living both of the spirituality as well of the temporality, and against enclosings of parks, reising of rent and fines, and of the carrying out of wool out of the realm, we might endure long enough. But touch the scab of hypocrisy or popeholynes, and go about to utter their false doctrine wherewith they reign as Gods in the heart and consciences of men, and rob them not of lands, goods, and authority only, but also of the testament of God, and salvation that is in Christ: then helpeth thee neither God's word, nor yet if thou diddist miracles, but that thou art not an heretic only, and hast the devil within thee, but also a breaker of the kings peace, and a traitor. But let us return unto our lying signs again. WHat signifieth that the Prelates The Prelates are clothed in read. are so bloody, and clothed in read? that they be ready every hour to suffer martyrdom for the testimony of God's word. Is that also not a false sign? When no man dare for them once open his mouth to ask a question of God's word, because they are ready to burn him. What signifieth the pollaxes that Pole-axes. are born before high Legates A Later: What so ever false sign they make of them, I care not: but of this I am sure, that as the old hypocrites when they had slain Christ, set pollaxes to keep him in his sepulchre that he should not rise again: even so have our hypocrites buried the testament that God made unto us in Christ's blood, and to keep it down, that it rise not again, is all their study: whereof these pollaxes are the very sign. Is not that shepardes hook the bishops cross a false sign? Is not that white rochette that the Bishops and Canons wear so like a Nun, and so effeminatly, a false sign? What other things are their sandals, gloves, miters, & all the whole pomp of their disguising, then false signs in which Paul prophesied that they should come? And as Christ warned us to beware of wolves in lambs skins, & bade us look rather unto their fruits judge the free by his fruit, and not by his leans. and deeds, then to wonder at their disguisings. Run throughout all our holy religious, and thou shalt find them likewise all clothed in falsehood. ¶ Of the sacraments. FOrasmuch as we be come to signs, we will speak a word or two of the signs which God hath ordained, that is to say, of the sacraments which Christ left amongst us for our comfort, that we may walk in light and in truth, & in feeling of the power of God. For he that walketh in the day, stumbleth not, when contrariwise he that walketh in the night stumbleth. joh. xi. And they that walk in darkness wot not whether they go. joh. xii. This word sacrament is as much to say as an holy sign, and representeth always some promise of God. As Sacraments are signs of God's promises. in the old Testament God ordained that the rainbow should represent and signify unto all men an oath that God swore to No, & to all men after him, that he would no more drown the world through water. ¶ The sacrament of the body and blood of Christ. SO the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, hath a promise annexed, which the Priest should declare in the English tongue. This is my body that is broken for you. This is my blood that is shed for many unto the forgiveness of sins. This do in remembrance of me saith Christ. Luk. 22. And 1. Cor. 11. If when thou seest the Sacrament, or eatest his body, or drinckest The promise which the Sacrament preacheth, justifieth only. his blood, thou have this promise fast in thy heart (that his body was slain, and his blood shed for thy sins) and believest it, so art thou saved and justified thereby. If not, so helpeth it thee not, though thou hearest a thousand masses in a day, or though thou dost nothing else all thy life long then eat his body or drink his blood: no more than it should help thee in a dead thirst, to behold a bush at a tavern door, if thou knewest not thereby that there were wine within to be sold●. ¶ Baptism. Baptism hath also his word and promise, which the Priest aught to to teach the people, and christian them in the English tongue, and not to play the popengay with Credo say you, ●olo say you, and Baptismum say you, for there aught to be no mumming in such a matter. The Priest before he baptizeth, asketh saying: believest thou in God the father almighty, and in his son jesus Christ, and in the holy ghost, and that the congregation of Christ is holy? And they say, yea. Then the Priest upon this faith baptizeth the child in the name of the father, and of that son, and of the holy ghost, for the forgiveness of sins, as Peter says. Act. ij. The washing without the word helpeth not: but through the word it purifieth and cleanseth us. As thou readest Ephe. u. How Christ cleanseth the congregation in the fountain of water through the word. The word is the promise that God hath made. Now as a preacher, in preaching the How the sacraments justify. word of God saveth the hearers that believe, so doth the washing, in that it preacheth and representeth unto us the promise that God hath made unto us in Christ. The washing preacheth unto us, that we are cleansed with Christ's bloodshedding, which was an offering and a satisfaction for the sin of all that repent and believe, consenting and submitting themselves unto the will of God. The plunging into the water signifieth that we die, and are buried with Christ, as concerning the old life of sin which is Adam. And the pulling out again, signifieth that we rise again with Christ in a new life full of the holy ghost, which shall teach us & guide us, & work the will of God in us, as thou seest. Rom. uj. Of wedlock. MAtrimony or wedlock is a state or a degree ordained of God, and an office wherein the husband serveth the wife, and the wife the husband. It was ordained for a remedy and to increase the world, and for the man to help the woman, and the woman the man with all love and kindness, and not to signify any promise that ever I herded or red of in the scripture. Therefore Matrimony was not ordained to signify any promise. aught it not to be called a Sacrament. It hath a promise that we sin not in that state, if a man receive his wise as a gift given to him of God, & the wife her husband likewise: as all manner meats and drinks have a promise that we sin not, if we use them measurably with thanks giving. If they call matrimony a Sacrament because the scripture useth the similitude of matrimony, to express the marriage or wedlock that is between us and Christ. (For as a woman though she be never so poor, yet when she is married, is as rich as her husband: even so we when we repent and believe the promises of God in Christ, though we be never so poor sinners, yet are as rich as Christ, all his merits are ours with all that he hath). If for that cause they call it a sacrament: so will I mustered seed, leaven, a net, keys, bread, water, and a thousand other things which Christ and the Prophets, and all the scripture use, to express the kingdom of heaven and God's word withal. They praise wedlock with their If wedlock be holy, why had they liefer have whores than wines? mouth, and say it is an holy thing, as it is verily: but had liefer be sanctified with an whore, then to come within the sanctuary. ¶ Of Order. SUbdeacon, Deacon, Priest, Bishop, Cardinal, Patriarch and Pope, be names of offices and service, or should be, and not Sacraments. There is no promise coupled therewith. If they minister their offices truly, it is a sign that Christ's spirit is in them, if not, that the devil is in them. Are these all Sacraments, or which one of them? Or what thing in them is that holy sign or Sacrament? The shaving or the anointing? What also is the promise that is signified thereby? But what word printeth in them that charact: that spiritual seal? O dreamers and natural beasts without the seal Character. of the spirit of God: but sealed with the mark of the beast and with cankered consciences. There is a word called in Latin Sacerdos Sacerdos. in Greek Hiercus, in Hebrew Cohan, that is, a Minister an officer, a sacrificer or a Priest, as Aaron was a Priest and sacrificed for the people and was a mediator between God & them. And in the English should it have had some other name then Priest? But Antichrist hath deceived us with unknown and strange terms, to bring us into confusion and superstitious blindness. Of that manner is Christ a Priest for ever, and all we Priests through him and need no more of any such Priest on earth to be a mean for us unto god. For Christ hath brought us all into the inner temple within the veil or forehanging, and unto the mercy stool of God. And hath coupled us unto God, where we offer every man for himself the desires & petitions of his heart, & sacrifice and kill the lusts & appetits of his flesh with prayer, fasting, & all manner godly living. another word is there in Greek called Presbyter, in latin, Senior, in english an elder, and is nothing but an Presbyter. officer to teach, and not to be a mediator between God and us. This needeth no anointing of man. They o● that old testament were anointed with oil, priests now aught not to be anointed with oil. to signify the anointing of Christ and of us through Christ with the holy ghost. This wise is no man Priest but he that is choose, save as in time of necessity every parson Christeneth, so may every man teach his wife & household, and the wife her children. So in time of need if I see my brother sin, I may between him and me rebuke him, and damn his deed by the law of God. And may also comfort them that are in despair with the promises of God, and save them if they believe. By a Priest then in the new testament The office of a Priest. understand nothing but an elder to teach the younger, and to bring them unto the full knowledge and understanding of Christ and to minister the Sacraments which Christ ordained, which is also nothing but to preach Christ's promises. And by them that give all their study to quench the light of truth, and to hold the people in darkness, understand the disciples of Satan and messengers of Antichrist, what soever names they have, or what soever they call themselves. And as concerning that our spirituality (as they will be called) make themselves holier than the lay people, and take so They will be holier, but their deeds be not holy at all. great lands and goods to pray for them, and promise' them pardons and forgiveness of sins, or absolution, without preaching of Christ's promises, is falsehood and the working of Antichrist: and (as I have said) the ravening of those wolves which Paul (Act. xx.) prophesied, should come after his departing not sparing the flock. Their doctrine is that merchandise whereof Peter speaketh saying: through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you. ij. Pet. ij. And their reasons wherewith they prove their doctrine are (as saith Paul i Timo. uj.) superfluous disputynges, arguynges or braulyng of men with corrupt minds and destitute of truth, which think Compare their deeds to the doctrine end deeds of Christ. and of his Apostles, and judge their fruits. that lucre is godliness. But Christ saith. Math. seven. by their fruits shalt thou know them, that is by their filthy covetousness and shameless ambition and drunken desire of honour, contrary unto the example & doctrine of Christ and of his Apostles. Christ said to Peter, the last Chapter of john. Feed my sheep, and not shear thy flock. And Pet. saith. i Pet. u. Not being Lords over the Parishes: but these shear, and are become Lords. Paul says. ij. Cor. ij. Not that we be Lords over your faith: but these will be Lords & compel us to believe what soever they lust, without any witness of Scripture, yea clean contrary to the Scripture, when the open text rebuketh it. Paul saith, it is better to give, than to receive. Act. xx. But these do nothing in the world but lay snares to catch and receive what so ever cometh, as it were the gaping mouth of hell. And. ij. Cor. xii. I seek not yours but you: but these seek not you to Christ, but yours to themselves, and therefore jest their deeds should be rebuked will not come at the light. Nevertheless the truth is, that we are all equally beloved in Christ, and God hath sworn to all indifferently. According therefore as every man believeth God's promises, longeth for them, and is diligent to pray unto GOD to fulfil them, so is his prayer herded, and as good is the prayer of a cobbler, as of a Cardinal: and of a bocher, as of a Bishop: & the blessing of a baker that knoweth the truth, is as good as the blessing of our most holy father the Pope. And by blessing understand not What blessing means. the wagging of the pope's or Bishop's hand over thine head, but prayer, as when we say, God make thee a good man, Christ put his spirit in thee, or give thee grace and power to walk in the truth, & to follow his commandments etc. As Rebeccas friends blessed her when she departed, Gene. xxiv. saying. Thou art our sister: grow unto thousand thousands, and thy seed possess the gates of their enemies. And as Isaac blessed jacob Gene. xxvij. saying. God give thee of the dew of heaven, and of the fatness of the earth, abundance of corn, wine and oil etc. And Gene. xxviij. Almighty God bless thee and make thee grow, and multiply thee, that thou mayst be a great multitude of people, and give to thee and to thy seed after thee the blessings of Abraham, that thou mayst possess the land wherein thou art a stranger which he promised to thy grandfather and such like. Last of all one singular doubt they have: what maketh the Priest, the anointing or putting on of the hands or what other ceremony or what words. About which they brawl and scold one ready to tear out an others throat. One saith this, & an other that, but they can not agreed. Neither can any of them make so strong a reason which an other can not improve. For they are all out of the way, and without the spirit of God to judge spiritual things. Howbeit to this I answer, that when Christ called. xii. up into the mountain and chose them, then immediately without any anointing or ceremony were they his Apostles, that is to wit, ministers choose to be sent to preach his Testament, unto all the whole world. And after the resurrection when he had opened their wits, and given them knowledge to understand the secrets of his Testament, & how to bind & lose, and what he would have them to do in all things, than he sent them forth with a commandment to preach and bind the unbelieving that continued in sin, and to lose the believing that repent. And that commandment The commandment maketh Priests. or charge made them Bishops, priests, Popes and all thing. If they say that Christ made them priests at his Maundey or last Supper when he said, do this in the remembrance of me. I answer, though the Apostles witted not then what he meant, yet I will not strive nor say that against. Never the latter the commandment and the charge which he gave them made them Priests. And Acts the first, when Mathias was choose by lot, it is not to be doubted but that the Apostles, after their common manner, prayed for him that God would give him grace to minister his office truly, and put their hands on him, and exhorted him and gave him charge to be diligent & faithful, and then was he as great as the best. And Acts. uj. When the Disciples that believed had choose. uj. Deacons to minister to the widows, the Apostles prayed and put their hands on them, and admitted them without more add. Their putting on of hands Putting on of hands. was not after the manner of the doom blessing of our holy bishops with two fingers: but they spoke unto them, and told them their duty and gave them a charge and warned them to be faithful in the lords business: as we choose temporal officers and read their duty to them, and they promise' to be faithful ministers, and then are admitted. Neither is there any other manner or ceremony at all required in making of our spiritual officers, then to choose an able person, and then to rehearse him his duty and give him his charge and so to put him in his room. And as for that other solemn doubt, as they call it whether judas was a Priest or What judas is now. not, I care not what he then was: but of this I am sure, that he is now not only Priest, but also Bishop, Cardinal and Pope. ¶ Of Penance. Penance is a word of their own forging to deceive us with all, as many other are. In the Scripture we find panitentia repentance. Agite poenitentiam, do repent: Poeniteat vos, let it repent you. Metanoyte in Greek, forthinke you, or let it forthinke you. Of repentance A point of practice. they have made penance, to blind the people and to make them think that they must take pain and do some holy deeds to make satisfaction for their sins, namely such as they enjoyve them. As thou mayst see ☞ in the Chronicles, when great kings and tyrants (which with violence of sword conquered other kings lands and slay all that came to hand) came to themselves, and had conscience of their wicked deeds, than the Bishops coupled them, not to Christ: but unto the Pope, and preached the Pope unto them, and made them to submit themselves and also their realms unto the holy father the Pope, and to take penance, as they call it, that is to say, such injunctions as the Pope and Bishops would command them to do, to build abbeys, to endote them with livelihood, to be prayed for for ever: and to give them exemptions and privilege and licence to do what the lust unpunished. Repentance goeth before faith and Repentance. prepareth the way to Christ, and to the promises. For Christ, cometh not, but unto them that see their sins in the law and repent. Repentance that is to say, this morning and sorrow of the heart lasteth all our lives long. For we find ourselves all our lives long to weak for God's law, and therefore sorrow & morn longing for strength. Repentance is no Sacrament: as faith, hope, love, and knowledge of a man's sins are not to be called Sacraments. For they are spiritual and invisible. Now must a Sacrament be an outward sign that may be seen to signify, to represent, and to put a man in remembrance of some spiritual promise which can not be seen but by faith only. Repentance and all the good deeds which accompany repentance to slay the lusts of the flesh are signified by Baptism. For Paul saith Repentance is signified by Baptism. Roma. uj. (as it is above rehearsed.) Remember you not (says he) that all we which are baptized in the name of Christ jesus, are baptized to dye with him? we are buried with him in Baptism for to dye, that is, to kill the lusts and the rebellion which remaineth in the flesh. And after that he saith, you are dead as concerning sin but live unto God, through jesus Christ our Lord If thou look on the profession ☜ of our hearts, and on the spirit and forgiveness which we have received through Christ's merits, we are full dead: but if thou look on the rebellion of the flesh we do but begin to dye and to be baptized, that is, to drown and quench the lusts, and are full baptized at the last minute of death. And as concerning the working of the spirit we begin to live, & grow every day more and more both in knowledge and also in Godly living, according as the lusts abate. As a child receiveth ye●ull soul at the first day, yet groweth daily in the operations & works thereof. ¶ Of Confession. COnfession is divers? One followeth true faith insparably. And is the confessing and knowledging with the One confession is to knowledge wherein thou puttest thy trust. mouth, wherein we put our trust and confidence. As when we say our Credo: confessing that we trust in God the father almighty, and in his truth & promises: & in his son jesus our Lord, and in his merits and deservings: & in the holy Ghost, and in his power, assistance and guiding. This confession is necessary unto all men that will be saved. For Christ says Matthew. x. he that denieth me before men, him will I deny before my father that is in heaven. And of this confession saith the holy Apostle Paul in the x. chapter. The belief of the heart justifieth: and to knowledge with the mouth maketh a man safe. This is a wonderful text for our Philosophers or rather sophisters, our worldly wise enemies to the wisdom of God, our deep & profound wells without water, our clouds without moisture of rain, that is to say, natural souls without the spirit of God, and feeling of godly things. To justify and to make safe are both one thing. And to confess with the mouth is a good work, and the fruit of a true faith, as all other works are. If thou repent and believe the promises, than God's truth justifieth thee, that is, forgiveth thee thy sins, and sealeth thee with his holy spirit, and maketh thee heir of everlasting life through Christ's deservings. Now if thou have true faith, so seest thou the exceeding and infinite love and mercy which God hath showed thee freely in Christ: then must thou needs love again: and love can not but compel If when tyrants oppose thee thou have power to confess than art thou sure that thou & art sat. thee to work, and boldly to confess & knowledge thy Lord Christ, and the trust which thou hast in his word. And this knowledge maketh thee safe, that is declareth that thou art safe already, certifieth thy heart, and maketh thee feel that thy faith is right, and that God's spirit is in thee, as all other good works do. For if when it cometh unto the point, thou hast no lust to work, nor power to confess, how couldst thou presume to think that God's spirit were in thee? another confession is there which another confession is to knowledge thy sins in 〈…〉 unto God. goeth before says, and accompanieth repentance. For who so ever repenteth doth knowledge his sins in his heart. And who soever doth knowledge his sins, receiveth forgenenes (as ●ayth john in the first of his first Epistle.) If we knowledge our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us out sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, that is, because he hath promised, he must for his truths sake do it. This confession is necessary all our lives long, as is repentance. And as thou understandest of repentance, so understand of this confession, for it is likewise included in the sacrament of Baptism. For we always repent and always knowledge or confess our sins unto God, and yet despair not: but remember that we are washed in in Christ's blood, which thing our baptism doth represent, and signify unto us. Shrift in the ear is verily a work of Satan, and that the ●alsest that ever Shrift. was wrought, and that most hath devoured the faith. It began among the Greeks, and was not as it is now, to reckon all a man's sins in the priests ear: but to ask council of such doubts as men had, as thou mayst see in S. Jerome, and in other authors. Neither went they to priests only which were very few at that time, no more than preached the word of God, for this so great vantage in so many masses saying, was not yet found: but went indifferently, where they see a good and a learned man. And for because Shrift was put down for knavery among the Greeks: But is established the● by among us. of a little knavery which a Deacon at Constantinople played through confession with one of the chief wives of the city, it was laid down again. But we Antichristes possession, the more knavery we see grow thereby daily, the more we stablish it. A christian man is a spiritual thing, and hath God's word in his heart, and gods spirit to certify him of all thing. He is not bond to come to any ear. And as for the reasons which they make are but persuasions of man's wisdom. First as pertaining unto the keys & manner of binding and losing is eough above rehearsed, & in other places. Thou mayst also see how the Apostles used them in the Acts, and in Paul's Epistles, how at the preaching of faith the spirit came, and certified their hearts that they were justified through believing the promises. When a man feeleth that his heart How a man shall know that 〈◊〉 sins are forgiven. consenteth unto the law of God, and feeleth himself meek, patient, courteous and merciful to his neighbour, altered and fashioned like unto Christ, why should he doubt but that God hath forgiven him and choose him and put his spirit in him, though he never cromme his sin into the priests ear? One blind reason have they saying. Blind reason to their guide and not God's spirit. How shall the Priest unbind, lose and forgive the sin which he knoweth not? How did the Apostles? The Scripture forsake they and run unto their blind reasons, and draw the Scripture unto a carnal purpose. When I have told thee in thine ear all that I have done my life long, in order and with all circumstances after the shamefullest manner, what canst thou do more than preach me the promises, saying: if thou repent & believe, God's truth shall save thee for Christ's sake? Thou seest not mine heart, thou knowest not whether I repent or not, neither whether I consent to the law, that it is holy, righteous, and good. Moreover whether I believe the promises or not, is also unknown to thee. If thou preach the law and the promises, (as the Apostles did) so should they that God hath choose repent and believe and be saved: even now as well as then. How be it Antichrist must know all secrets to establish his kingdom, & to work his mysteries withal. They bring also for them the story of the x. lepers, which is written Learn to know them for they are verily lepers in their hearts. in the. xvij. Chapter of Luke. Here mark their falsehood, and learn to know them for ever. The fourteen Sunday after the feast of the Trinity, the beginning of the seven. le●…n is the said Gospel and the viii. & the ix. lessons with the rest of the seventh is the exposition of Bede upon the said Gospel. Where, says Bede, of all that Christ healed, of what so ever disease it were, he sent none unto the Priests, but the lepers. And by the lepers enterpreteth the followers of false doctrine only, which the spiritual officers, and the learned men of the congregation aught to examine, and rebuke their learning with God's word, and to warn the congregation to beware of them. Which, if they were afterward healed by the grace of Christ, aught to come before the congregation, and there openly confess their true faith. But all other vices (says he) doth God heal within in the conscience. Though they this wise read at matins, yet at high mass, if they have any sermon at all, they lie clean contrary unto this open truth. Neither are they ashamed at all. For why they walk altogether in darkness. ¶ Of Contrition. COntrition and repentance are both one and nothing else but a sorrowful & a mourning heart. And because that God hath promised mercy unto a contrite heart, that is, to a sorrowful and repenting heart, they to beguile God's word and to establish their wicked tradition, have feigned that new word attrition saying: thou canst not know whether thy sorrow or repentance be contrition or attrition, except thou Attrition is of the leaves of the pharisees. be shriven. When thou art shriven, them it is true contrition. O foxy Pharisay, that is thy leaven, of which Christ so diligently bade us beware. Math. uj. And the very prophesy of Peter through covetousness with feigned words shall they make merchandise of you. ij. Pet. ij. with such gloss corrupt they God's word, to sit in the consciences of the people, to lead them captive, and to make a pray of them: buying and selling their sins, to satisfy their unsatiable covetousness. Nevertheless the truth is, when any man hath trespassed against God. If he repent and knowledge his trespass, God promises him forgiveness without ear shrift. If he that hath offended his neighbour repent and knowledge his fault asking forgiveness, if his neighbour forgive him, God forgiveth him also, by his holy promise. Mat. xviij. Likewise if he that sinneth openly, when he is openly rebuked, repent and turn, then if the congregation forgive him God forgiveth him. And so forth who soever repenteth and when he is rebuked knowledgeth his fault is forgiven. He also that doubteth or hath his consciences tangled, aught to open his mind unto some faithful brother that is learned, and he shall give him faithful council to help him withal. To whom a man trespasseth, unto him he aught to confess. But to confess Whom a man offendeth 〈◊〉 must he confess. myself unto thee O Antichrist, whom I have not offended, am I not bound. They of the old law had no confession in the ear. Neither the Apostles nor they that followed many hundred years after known of any such whispering. Whereby then was their attrition turned unto contrition? yea why are we which Christ came to lose, more bond than the jews. Yea and why are we more bound without Scripture? For Christ came not to make us more bound, but to lose us and to make a thousand things no sin which before were sin, and are now become sin again. He left none other law with us, but the law of love. He loosed us not from Moses to bind us unto Antichristes ear. God had not tied Christ unto Antichristes ear, neither hath poured all his mercy in thither, for it hath no record in the old Testament, that Antichristes ear should be Propiciatorium, that is to wit, God's It hath no record in 〈◊〉 the Scripture that God should creep in, & hide him 〈◊〉 in Antichristes ear. mercy stolen, and that God should creep into so narrow a hole, so that he could no where else be found. Neither did God writ his laws neither yet his holy promises in Antichristes ear: but hath graved them with his holy spirit in the hearts of them that believe, that they might have them always ready at hand to be saved thereby. ¶ Satisfaction. AS pertaining unto satisfaction, this wise understand, that he that loveth God hath a commandment (as S. john saith in the fourth Chap. of his first Epistle) to love his neighbour also: whom if thou have offended thou must make him amendss or satisfaction, or at the least way if thou be not able, ask him forgiveness, & if he will have mercy of God, he is bond to forgive thee. If he will not: yet God forgiveth thee, if thou thus submit thyself. But unto Godward Christ is a perpetual Christ is 〈◊〉 everlasting satisfaction. and an everlasting satisfaction for evermore. As often as thou fallest through frailty, repent & come again and thou art safe & welcome, as thou mayst see by the similitude of the riotous son, Luke. xv. If thou be lopen out of sanctuary come in again. If thou be fallen from the way of truth come thereto again and thou art safe, if thou be go astray come to the fold again & the shepherd Christ shall save thee, yea and the angels of heaven shall rejoice at thy coming, so far it is of that any man shall beat thee or chide thee. If any Pharisey envy thee, grudge at thee, or rail upon thee, thy father shall make answer for thee, as thou seist in the fore rehearsed likeness or parable. Who soever therefore is go out of the way by whatsoever chance it be, let him come to his Baptism again and unto the profession thereof and he shallbe safe. For though that the washing of Baptism be past, yet the power thereof, Baptism ●…steth e●er. that is to say, that word of God which Baptism preacheth lasteth ever and saveth for ever. As Paul is passed and go, nevertheless the word that Paul preached lasteth ever and saveth ever as many as come thereto with a repenting heart and a steadfast faith. Hereby seest thou that when they make penance of repentance and call it a Sacrament and divide it into contrition, confession and satisfaction they speak of their own heads and lie falsely. ¶ Absolution. THeir absolution also justifieth no man from sin. For with the heart do men believe to be justified with all saith Paul Roma. 10. that is, through faith and believing the promises, are we justified, as I have sufficiently proved in other places with the Scripture. faith (saith Paul in the same place) cometh by hearing, that is to say, by hearing the preacher that is sent from God and preacheth God's promises. Now when thou absoluest in Latin, the unlearned heareth not. For how, says Paul i Cor. xiv. when thou blessest in an unknown tongue, shall the unlearned say Amen unto thy thanks giving? for he wotteth not thou sayest. So likewise the lay wotteth not whether thou lose or bind, or whether thou bless or curse. In like manner is it if the lay understand Latin or though the Priest absolve in English. For in his absolution he rehearseth no promise of God: but speaketh his own words saying: I by the authority of Peter and Paul absolve or lose thee from all thy sins. Thou sayest so, which art but a lying man and never more then now verily. Thou sayest I forgive thee thy sins, and the Scripture (john the first) that Christ only forgiveth & taketh away the sins of the world. And Paul and Peter and all the Apostles preach that all is forgiven in Christ and for Christ's sake. God's word only loseth and thou in preaching that mightest lose also and else not. ¶ Who soever hath ears let him hear and let him that hath eyes, see. If any man love to be blind, his blindness on his own head and not on mine. Of binding and losing and of the Pope's authority or power. THey allege for themselves the saying of Christ to Peter Math. xuj. Whatsoever thou byndest on earth, it shallbe bound, & what soever thou loseth, and so forth. Lo say they, what soever we bind & what soever we lose here is nothing excepted. And an other text lay they of Christ in the last of Matthew. All power is given to me saith Christ, in heaven and in earth: go therefore and preach etc. Preaching leaveth The Pope challengeth power not over man only but over God also. the Pope out, and saith lo all power is given me in heaven & in earth. And thereupon taketh upon him temporal power above king and Emperor, & maketh laws and bindeth them. And like power taketh he over gods laws and dispenseth with them at his lust, making no sin of that which God maketh sin, & maketh sin where God maketh none: yea & wipeth out God's laws clean and maketh at his pleasure, & with him is lawful what he lusteth. He bindeth where God loseth & loseth where God bindeth. He blesseth where GOD curseth and curseth where God blesseth. He taketh authority also to bind & lose in Purgatory. Purgatory is the Pope's creature: he may therefore be bold there. That permit I unto him: for it is a creature of his own making. He also bindeth the angels. For we read of Popes that have commanded the angels to fet divers out of Purgatory. The Pope bindeth the angels. Howbeit I am not yet certified whether they obeyed or no. Understand therrfore that to bind and to lose, is to preach the law of The true binding & losing. God and the Gospel or promises, as thou mayst see in the third chapter of the second epistle to the Corinthians: Where Paul calleth the preaching of the law the ministration of death, and damnation, and the preaching of the promises then ministering of the spirit and of righteousness. For when the law is preached, all men are found sinners, and therefore damned: and when the Gospel & glad tidings are preached, then are all that repent and believe, found righteous in Christ. And so expound it all the old doctors. S. Jerome against Bishops and Priests. Saint Jerome saith upon this text, whatsoever thou bindest, the Bishops and Priests saith he, for lack of understanding, take a little presumption of the Phareseiss upon them. And think that they have authority to bind innocentes, and to lose the wicked, which thing our Pope and Bishops do. For they say the curse is to be feared, The curse is to be feared. be it right or wrong. Though thou have not deserved, yet if the Pope curse thee, thou art in peril of thy soul as they lie: yea and though he be never foe wrongfully cursed, he must be fain to The right manner of losing. buy absolution. But Saint Jerome saith as the Priest of the old law made the lepers clean or unclean, so bindeth and unbindeth the Priest of the new law. ☜ The Priest there made no man a leper, neither cleansed any man, but God: and the Priest judged only by Moses' law, who was clean, & who was unclean, when they were brought unto him. So here we have the law of God to judge what is sin, and what is not, and who is bound, and who is not. Moreover if any man have sinned, yet if he repent and believe the promise, we are sure by God's word that he is loosed & forgiven in Christ. Other authority than this wise to preach, have the Priests not. Christ's Apostles had no other themselves, as it appeareth throughout all the new testament. Therefore it is manifest that they have not. Saint Paul saith i Corinth. xv. Christ understood this text all power is given me in heaven & in earth: & also used it far other wise than the Pope. When we say all things are under Christ, he is to be excepted that put all under him. God the father is not under Christ, but above Christ, and Christ's head. i Corinth. vi. Christ saith john. xii. I have not spoken of mine own head, but my father which sent me, gave a commandment what I should say, and what I should speak. What soever I speak ☜ therefore, even as my father bade me so I speak. If Christ had a law what he should do, how happeneth it, that the Pope so runneth at large lawless? Though that all power were given unto Christ in heaven and in earth: Yet had he no power over his father, nor yet to reign temporally over temporal Princes: but a commandment to obey them. How hath the Pope then such temporal authority over king & Emperor? How hath he authority above God's laws, and to command the Angels, the saints, and God himself? Christ's authority which he gave to What authority Christ gave his Apostles. his Disciples, was to preach the law and to bring sinners to repentance, and then to preach unto them the promises which the father had made unto all men for his sake. And the same to preach only sent he his Apostles. As The right binding & losing. a king sendeth forth his judges, and giveth them his authority, saying: What you do, that do I I give you my full power. Yet means he not by that full power, that they should destroy any town or City, or oppress any man or do what they list, or should reign over the Lords and Dukes of his Realm and over his own self. But giveth them a law with them & authority to bind and lose, as farforth as the law stretcheth and maketh mention: that is, to punish the evil, that do wrong, and to avenge the poor that suffer wrong. And so far as the law stretcheth, will the king defend his judge against all men. And as the temporal judges bind & lose temporally, so do the pristes spiritually, and no other ways. How be it by falsehood How the Pope reigneth under Christ. and subtlety the Pope reigneth under Christ, as Cardinals and Bishops do under kings lawless. THe Pope (say they) absolveth or loseth a poena et culpa, that is from A poena et a culia is a proper brea●…. the fault or trespass, and from the pain due unto the trespass. God if a man repent forgiveth the offence only, and not the pain also, say they, save turneth the everlasting pain unto a temporal pain. And appointeth seven years in purgatory for every deadly sin. But the Pope for money forgiveth The Pope is more mighty & more merciful for money, than God is for the death of his only son. both, and hath more power than God, and is more merciful than God. This do I says the Pope of my full power and of the treasure of the Church, of deservings of martyrs, confessors, and menrites of Christ. First the merits of the Saints did not save themselves, but were saved by Christ's merits only. The merits of saints. Secondarily God hath promised Christ's merits unto all that repent: so that whosoever repenteth is immediately The merits of Christ. heir of all Christ's merits and beloved of God as Christ is. How then came this foul monster to be Lord over The Pope selleth that which God giveth freely. Christ's merits, so that he hath power to cell that which God giveth freely. O dreamers, yea O devils and O venomous scorpians, what poison have you in your tails? O pestilent leaven, that so turneth the sweet bread of Christ's doctrine into the bitterness of gall. The Friars run in the same spirit Friars. and teach, saying: do good deeds and redeem the pains that abide you in purgatory, yea give us somewhat to do good works for you. And thus Sin is the best merchandise that is. is sin become the profitablest merchandise in the world. O the cruel wrath of God upon us because we love not the truth. For this is the damnation & judgement of God, to sand a false Prophet unto him that will not hear the truth. I know you says Christ, john. u that you have not the love of God in you. I am come in my father's name and you receive me not, if an other shall come Christ prophesied of Antichrist and told why he should come. in his own name, him shall you receive. This doth God avenge himself on the malicious hearts which have no love to his truth. All the promises of God have they either wiped clean out, or thus leavened The promises are either put out or leavened, and why. them with open lies to stablish their confession with all. And to keep us from knowledge of the truth, they do all thing in Latin. They pray in Latin, they christian in Latin, they bless in Latin, they All is in Latin. give absolution in Latin, only curse they in the English tongue. Wherein they take upon them greater authority than ever God gave them. For in their curses as they call them, with book bell and candle, they command God and Christ and the angels and The Pope commandeth God to curse. all Saints to curse them: curie them God (say they) father, son and holy ghost, curse them virgin Mary. etc. O you abommable, Who gave you authority to command God to curse? God commandeth you to bless, and you command him to curse. Bless them that persecute you: bless but curse not, saith S. Paul Roma. xii. What tyranny will these not use over men, which presume and take upon them to be Lords over God and to command him? If God shall curse any man, who shall bless and make him better? No man can amend himself, except God pour his spirit unto him. Have we not a commandment to love our neighbour as ourselves? How can I love him and curse him also? james saith, it is not possible that blessing & cursing should come both out of one mouth. Christ commandeth. Math. u saying: love your enemies. Bless them that curse you. Do good to them that hate you. Pray for them that do you wrong and persecute you, that you may be the children of your heavenly father. In the marches of Wales it is the manner if any man have an Ox or a A custom that is used in the marches of ways. Cow stolen, he cometh to the Curate and desireth him to curse the stealer. And he commandeth the Parish to give him every man God's curse and his. God's curse & mine have he, saith every man in the Parish. O merciful God what is blasphemy, if this be not blasphemy & shaming of the doctrine of Christ? Understand therefore, the power of excommunication is this. If any man sin openly and amendeth not when he is warned? then aught he to be rebuked openly before all the Parish. And the Priest aught to prove by the Scripture, that all such have no part with Christ. For Christ serveth not but for them that love the law of God, and consent that it is good holy and righteous. And repent sorrowing & mourning for power and strength to fulfil it. And all the parish aught to be warned, to avoid the company of all such, and to take them as heathen people. This is not done that he should perish, but to save him, to make him ashamed & to kill the lusts of the flesh, that the spirit might come unto the knowledge of truth. And we aught to pity him, and to have compassion on him, and with all diligence to pray unto God for him, to give him grace to repent and to come to the right way again, and not to use such tyranny over God and man, commanding God to curse. And if he repent we aught with all mercy to receive him in again. This mayst thou see Mat. xviij. and. i Cor. u and ij. Cor. ij. ¶ Confirmation. IF confirmation have a promise, than it justifieth, as far as the promise extendeth. If it have no promise, then is it not of GOD as the Bishops be not. The Apostles and Ministers of God's sacraments preach Gods promises. God preach God's word: and God's signs or Sacraments signify God's word also, and put us in remembrance of the promises which God hath made unto us in Christ. Contrariwise Antichristes The pope's sacraments are dumb. Bishops preach not & their Sacraments speak not, but as the disguised bishops mum, so are their superstitious Sacraments domme. After that the Bishops had left preaching, then feigned they this domme ceremony of confirmation to have somewhat at the least way, whereby they might reign over their Dioceses. They reserved unto themselves, also the Christening of Bells and conjuring Christening of bells. or hallowing of Churches and Churchyards, and of Altars and superaltares, and holowing of Chalices and so forth, what soever is of honour or profit. Which confirmation and the other conjurations, also they have now committed to their Suffragans: because Why Suffragans are ordained. they themselves have no leisure to minister such things, for their lusts and pleasures and abundance of all things, and for the cumbrance that they have in the kings matters and business of the Realm. One keepeth The Bishops divide all among them. the privy seal, an other the great seal, the third is confessor, that is to say, a privy traitor and a secret judas, he is Precedent of the Prince's Counsel, he is an Ambassador, an other sort of the Kings secret Counsel. Woe is unto the Realms where they are of that counsel. As profitable are they verily unto the Realms with their Counsel, as the Wolves unto the Sheep, or the Foxes unto the Geese. They will say that the holy Ghost Ceremonies bring not the holy Ghost. is given through such ceremonies. If God had so promised, so should it be, but Paul says Galat. iij. that the spirit is received through preaching of the faith. And Acts tenth, while Peter preached the faith, the holy Ghost fallen on Cornelius and on his household. How shall we say then to that which they will lay against us, in the eight chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. Where Peter and john put Putting on of hands. their hands on the Samaritans, and the holy Ghost came? I say that by putting or with putting, or as they put their hands on them, the holy Ghost came. Nevertheless the putting on of the hands did neither help nor hinder. For the text saith they prayed for them that they might receive the holy ghost. God had made the Apostles a promise, that he would with such miracles confirm their preaching, and mou● other to the faith. Mar. the last. The Apostles therefore believed and prayed God to fulfil his promise, and God for his truths sake even so did. So was it the prayer of faith that brought Prayer of faith doth the miracles. the holy Ghost, as thou mayst see also in the last of james. If any man be sick says james, call the elders of the congregation, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil, in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith shall heal the sick. Where a promise is, there is faith bold to pray, and God true to give her her petition. Putting on of the hands is an indifferent thing. For the holy Ghost came by preaching of the faith, and miracles were done at the prayer of faith as The ●…ting on o● hands doth neither help nor hinder. well without putting on of the hands, as with, as thou seest in many places. Putting on of the hands was the manner of that nation, as it was to rend their clotheses, & to put on sackcloth, & to sprinkle themselves with ashes and earth, when they herded of or see any sorrowful thing, as it was Paul's manner to stretch out his hand, when he preached. And as it is our manner to hold up our hands, when we pray, and as some kiss their thome nail, and put it to their eyes, and as we put our hands on children's heads, when we bless than, saying: Christ bless thee my son, and God make thee a good man: which gestures neither help nor hinder. This mayst thou well see by the xiii. of the Acts, where the holy Ghost commanded to separate Paul and Barnabas, to go and preach. Then the other fasted and prayed, and put their hands on their heads, and sent them forth. They received not the holy Ghost them, by putting on of hands, but the other as they put their hands on their heads prayed for them, that God would go with them & strength them, and coraged them also, bidding them to be strong in God, and warned them to be faithful and diligent in the work of God, and so forth. ¶ Anoyling. LAst of all cometh the anoyling without promise, and therefore without the spirit and without profit, but altogether unfruitful and superstitious. The sacraments which they have imagined are all without promise, and therefore help not. For What soever is not of faith, is sin. whatsoever is not of faith is sin. Rom. xiv. Now without a promise can there be no faith. The sacraments which Christ himself ordained, which have also promises, and would save us The latin tongue destroyeth the saith. if we known them and believed them, them minister they in the latin tongue. So are they also become as unfruitful as the other. Yea they make us believe That the work without the promise' saveth, is unproved. that the work itself without the promise saveth us, which doctrine they learned of Aristotle. And thus are we become an hundred times worse than the wicked jews which believed that the very work of their sacrifice justified them. Against which Paul fighteth in every epistle, proving that nothing helpeth save the promises which God hath sworn in Christ. Ask the people what they understand by their Baptism or washing. And thou shalt see The prople believe in the work without the pr●…e. that they believe, how that the very plunging into the water saveth them: of the promises they know not, nor what is signified thereby. Baptism is called volowing in many places of Volow●…g. England, because the priest saith, ●olo say you. The child was well volowed (say they) yea and our Vicar is as fair a volower as ever a priest within this twenty miles. Behold how narrowly the people look on the ceremony. If aught be left out, or if the child be not altogether dipped in the water, or if, because the child is sick, that priest dare not plunge him into the water, but pour water on his head, how tremble they? how quake they? how say you sir john say they, is this child christened enough? hath it his full christendom? They believe verily that the child is not christened: yea I have known Priests ☜ that have go unto the orders again supposing that they were not priests, because that the Bishop left one of his ceremonies undone. That they call confirmation, the people call Byshoping. They think that if the Bishop butter the child in the forehead, that it is safe. The work saveth not, but the word, that is to say, 〈◊〉 promise. They think that the work maketh safe, and likewise suppose they of anoyling. Now is this false doctrine verily. For james saith in the first chapter of his Epistle. Of his good will begat he us with the word of life, that is, with the word of promise. In which we are made Gods sons & heirs of the goodness of god before any good works. For we can not work Gods will till we be his sons and know his will and have his spirit to teach us. And Saint Paul saith in that fift chapter of his Epistle to the Ephesians. Christ cleansed the congregation in the fountain of water through the word. And Peter says in the first of his first epistle. You are born anew, not of mortal seed, but of immortal seed, by the word of God which liveth and lasteth ever. Paul in every Epistle warneth us that we put no trust in works, and to beware of persuasions or arguments of man's wisdom, of superstitiousness, of ceremonies, of Pope holiness, and of all manner disguising. And exhorteth us to cleave fast unto the the naked and pure ☜ word of God. The promise of God is the Anchor that saveth us in all temptations. If all the world be against, us, God's word is stronger than the world. If the world kill us, that shall make us alive again. If it be possible for the world to cast us into hell, from thence yet shall God's word bring us again. Herby seest thou that it is not Works, be they never so glorious justify not. the work, but the promise that justifieth us through faith. Now where no promise is, there can no faith be, and therefore no justifying though there be never so glorious works. The Sacrament of Christ's body after this wise preach they. Thou must In all thing they leave ou● the promises. believe that it is no more bread, but the very body of Christ, flesh, blood, and bone, even as he went here on earth, save his coat. For that is here yet, I wots not in how many places. I pray thee what helpeth all this? Here is no promise. The devils know that Christ died on a Friday, and the jews also. What are they holp thereby? We have a promise that Christ and his body and his blood, and all that he did and suffered, is a sacrifice, a ransom, and a full satisfaction for our sins: that God for his sake will think no more on them, if they have power to repent and believe. Holy work men think that God rejoiceth in the deed self, without any further respect. They think also that God as a cruel tyrant, rejoiceth and hath delectation in our pain taking without any further respect. And therefore many of them martyr themselves without cause, after the ensample of Baal's Priests which (iij. Reg. xviij. cut themselves to please their God with all, and as the old heathen pagans sacrificed their children in the fire unto their Gods. The Monks of the Charterhouse think that the very eating of fish in itself pleaseth God, and refer not the eating unto the chastening of the body. For when they have slain their bodies with cold phlegm of fisheating: yet then will they eat no flesh, and slay themselves before their days. We also when we offer our sons or daughters, and compel or persuade them to vow & profess chastity, think that the very pain and that rage and burning which they suffer in abstaining from a make, pleaseth God, and so refer not our chastity unto our neighbours profit. For when we see thousands fall to innumerable diseases thereby, and to die before their days: yea though we see them break the commandments of God daily, and also of very impatiency work abominations against nature, to shameful to be spoken of: yet will we not let them marry, but compel them to continued still with violence. And thus teach our divines as it appeareth by their arguments. He that taketh most pain, say they, is greatest and so forth. The people are thoroughly brought in belief that the deed in itself without any further respect saveth them, if they be so long at Church, or say so many Pater nosters, and read so much in a tongue whtch they understand not, or go so much a pilgrimage, and take so much pain, or fast such a superstitious fast, or observe such a superstitious observance, neither profitable to himself nor to his neighbour: but done of a good intent only say they, to please God withal, you to kiss the pax they think it a meritorious deed, when to love their neighbour, and to forgive him, which thing is signified thereby, they study not to do, nor have power to do, nor think that they are bound to do it, if they be offended by him. So fore have our false prophets brought the people out of their wits, & have wrapped them in darkness, and have rocked them a sleep in blindness and ignorancy. Now is all such doctrine false doctrine, and all such faith false faith. For the deed pleaseth How far forth the deed is acceptable to God. not, but as far forth as it is applied unto our neighbours profit, or the taming of our bodies to keep the commandment. Now must the body be tame only, and that with the remedies that God hath ordained, and not killed. Thou must not forswear the natural remedy which God hath ordained, and bring thyself into such case that thou shouldst either break God's commandment or kill thyself, or burn night and day without rest, so that thou canst not once think a godly thought: neither is it lawful to forsake thy neighbour, and to withdraw thyself from serving him, and to get thee into a den, and live idly profitable to no man, but robbing all men, first of faith, and then of goods and land, and of all he hath, with making him believe in the hypocrisy of thy superstitious prayers and Popeholy deeds. The prayer of faith, and the deeds thereof that spring of love are accepted before God. The prayer is good according to the proportion Our prayers acceptable according to our faith, ou● deeds according to the measure of love. of faith, and the deed according to the measure of love. Now he that bideth in the world, as Monks call it, hath more faith than the cloisterer. For he hangs on God in all things. He must trust God to send him good speed, good luck, favour, help, a good master, a good neighbour, a good servant, a good wife, a good chapman merchant, to sand his merchandise safe to land, and a thousand like. He loveth also more, which appeareth in that he doth service always unto his neighbour. To pray one for an other are we equally bound, and to pray is a thing that we may always do, what so ever we have in hand, and that to do may no man hire an other: Christ's blood hath hired us all ready. Thus in the deed delighteth God as farforth as we do it either to to serve our neighbour with all, as I have said: or to tame the flesh, that we may fulfil the commandment from the bottom of the heart. And as for our pain taking God rejoiceth not therein as a tyrant: but pitieth us & as it were morneth with us, and is always ready and at hand to help us, if we call, as a merciful father and a kind mother. Never the later he suffereth us to fall into many temptations and much adversity: yea himself layeth the cross of tribulation on our backs, not that he rejoiceth in our sorrow, but to drive sin out of the flesh, which can none otherwise be cured: as the Physician and Surgeon do many things which are painful to the sick, not that they rejoice in the pains of the poor wretches: but to persecute and to drive out the diseases which can no otherwise be healed. When the people believe therefore if they do so much work or suffer so much pain, or go so much a pilgrimage, that they are safe, is a false faith. For a Christian man is not saved by works, but by faith in the promises before all good works, though that the works (when we work God's commandment with a good will, and not works of our own imagination) declare that we are safe and that the spirit of him that hath made us safe is in us: yea and as God through preaching of faith doth purge and justify the heart, even so through working of deeds, doth he purge and justify the members, making us perfect both in body and soul after the likeness of Christ. Neither needeth a Christian man to A Christian man needeth not to go a pilgrimage to be saved thereby. run hither or thither, to Rome, to Jerusalem, or S. james: or any other pilgrimage far or near, to be saved thereby, or to purchase forgiveness of his sins. For a Christian man's health and salvation is with in him: even in Salvation is with in us. his mouth. Roma. x. The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth and in thine heart that is the word of faith which we preach saith Paul If we believe the promises with our hearts and confess them with our mouths, we are safe. This is our health with in us. But how shall they believe that, they hear not? And how shall they hear without a preacher saith Paul Roma. x. For look on the promises of God, and so are all our preachers domme. Or if they preach them they so sauce them and leaven them, that no stomach can brook them nor find any savour in them. For they paint us such an ear confession Confession. as is impossible to be kept, and more impossible that it should stand with the promises and Testament of God. And they join them penance, as they call it, to fast, to go pilgrimages, and give so much to make satisfaction with all. They preach their Masses, their merits, their pardons, their ceremonies, and put the promise clean out of possession. The word of health and salvation is nigh thee, in thy mouth & thine heart saith Paul Nay say they, thy salvation ☞ is in our faithful ear. This is their hold, thereby know they all secrets, thereby mock they all men and all men's wives, and beguile Knight, and squire, Lord, and King, and betray all Realms. The Bishops with bishops work there treason through confession. the Pope have a certain conspiration and secret treason against the whole world. And by confession know they what Kings and Emperors think. If aught be against them, do they never so evil, then move they their captives to war and to fight, and give them pardons to slay whom they will have taken out of the way. They have with falsehood taken from all Kings and Emperors their right and duties, which now they call their freedoms, liberties, & privileges & have perverted the ordinances that God left in the world, and have made every King swear to defend their falsehood Kings be sworn to the bishops and not the Bishops unto the kings. against their own selves. So that now if any man preach God's word truly and show the freedom and liberty of the soul which we have in Christ, or intend to restore the Kings again unto their duties and right, and to the room and authority which they have of God, and of shadows to make them Kings in deed, & to put the world in his order again: then the Kings deliver their sword and authority unto the hypocrites to ●lay him. So drunken are they with the wine of the whore. ¶ The text that followeth in Paul will they happily lay to my charge and others. How shall they preach except How shall they preach except they be sent is expounded. they be sent, saith Paul in the said. x. to the Romans. We will they say, the Pope, Cardinals and bishops: all authority is ours. The Scripture pertaineth unto us and is our possession. And we have a law, that who soever presume to preach without the authority of the Bishops is excommunicate in the deed doing. Whence therefore hast thou thy authority will they say. The old Phariseis had the Scripture in captivity likewise, and asked Christ by what authority dost thou these things? as who should say: We are pharisees & thou art none of our order, nor hast authority of us. Christ asked them an other question, and so will I do our hypocrites. Who sent you? God? How to know who is sent of God and who is not. Nay he that is sent of God, speaketh God's word john. iij. Now speak you not God's word, nor any thing save your own laws made clean contrary unto God's word. Christ's Apostles preached Christ, & not them selves. He that is of the truth, preacheth the truth. Now you preach nothing but lies, and therefore are of the devil the father of all lies, & of him are you sent. And as for mine authority or who sent me: I report me unto my works as Christ john. u and. x. If Gods word bear record that I say truth, why should any man doubt, but that God the father of truth and of light hath sent me as the father of lies & of darkness hath sent you, and that the spirit of truth, and of light is with me, as the spirit of lies and of darkness is with you? By this means thou will't that every man be a preacher will they say. Nay verily. For GOD will No man may preach but he that is called & sent of god. ☜ that not, and therefore will I it not, no more than I would that every man of London were Mayre of London, or every man of the Realm King thereof. God is not the author of dissension and strife, but of unity and peace and of good order. I will therefore that where a congregation is gathered together in Christ one be choose after the rule of Paul, and that he only preach, and else no man openly: but that every man teach his household after the same doctrine. But if the preacher preach false: then whosoever's heart God moveth, to the same it shallbe law full to rebuke and improve the false teacher, with the clear and manifest Scripture, and that same is no doubt a true Prophet sent of GOD. For the Scripture is gods, and there's that believe and not the false Prophet. SAcrament is then as much to say as an holy sign. And the Sacraments which Christ ordained preach God's word unto us, and therefore justify and minister the spirit to them that believe, as Paul through preaching the Gospel was a minister of righteousness, & of the spirit, unto all that believed his preaching. Domme ceremonies are no Sacraments, but superstitiousness. Christ's Sacraments preach the faith of Christ as his Apostles did & thereby justify. Antichristes domme ceremonies preach not the faith that is in Christ, as his Apostles our Bishops and Cardinals do not. But as Antichristes Bishops are ordained to kill who soever preach the true faith of Christ: so are his ceremonies ordained to quench the faith which Christ's Sacraments preach. And hereby mayst thou know the difference between The difference between true Sacraments and false. Christ's signs or Sacraments, and Antichristes signs or ceremonies, that Christ's signs speak, and Antichristes be domme. Hereby seest thou what is to be thought of all other ceremonies, as hallowed water, bread, salt, bows, bells, wax, ashes, and so forth, and all other disguisings and Apesplay, and of all manner conjurations, as the conjuring of church and churchyards and of altar stones & such like. Where no promise of God is, there can be no faith nor justifying, nor forgiveness of sins. For it is more than madness to look for any thing of god, save that he hath promised. How far he hath promised, so far is he bodun to them that believe, and further not. To have a A saith without God's promise is idolatry. faith therefore or a trust in any thing, where god hath not promised is plain idolatry, and a worshipping of thine own imagination in stead of God. Let us see the pith of a ceremony, or two, to judge the rest by. In conjuring of holy water they pray, that whosoever be sprinkled therewith may receive health as well of body as of soul, and likewise in making holy bread and so forth in the conjurations of other ceremonies. Now we see by daily experience that half their prayer is unheard. For no man receiveth health of body thereby. Not more of likelihood do they of soul. Yea we see also by experience that no man receiveth health of soul thereby. For no man by sprinkling himself with holy water, and with eating holy bread, is more merciful than before, or forgiveth wrong, or becometh at one with his enemy, or is more patiented and less covetous, and so forth. Which are the sure tokens of the soul health. They preach also that the wagging of the bishops hand over us blesseth us, The bishops blessing. and putteth away our sins. Are these works not against Christ? How can they do more shame unto Christ's blood? For if the wagging of the bishops hand over me be so precious a thing in the sight of God that I am thereby blessed, how then am I full blessed with all spiritual blessing in Christ as Paul says Ephe. j? Or if my sins be full done away in Christ, how remaineth there any to be done away by such fantasies? The Apostles known no ways to put away sin, or to bless us but by preaching Christ. Paul saith Gal. ij. How the Apostles blessed us. If righteousness come by the law, than Christ died in vain. So dispute I here. If blessing come by the wagging of the bishops hand, than died Christ in vain, and his death blesseth us not. And a little afore, saith Paul, if while we seek to be justified by Christ, we be yet found sinners (so that we must be justified by the law or ceremonies) is not Christ then a minister of sin? So dispute I here. If while we seek to be blessed in Christ we are yet unblessed, and must be blessed by the wagging of the bishop's hand, what have we then of Christ but curse? Thou will't say: When we come first to the faith, than Christ forgiveth us and blesseth us. But the sins which we afterward commit are forgiven us through such things. I answer: Repentance and sure faith in in Christ purgeth our sins. If any man repent truly and come to the faith and put his trust in Christ, them as often as he sinneth of frailty, at the sigh of the heart is his sin put away in Christ's blood. For Christ's blood purgeth ever and blesseth ever. For john saith in the second of his first epistle. This I writ unto you that you sin not. And though any man sin (meaning of frailty and so repent) yet have we an advocate with the father, jesus Christ which is righteous, and he it is that obtaineth grace for our sins, and Heb. seven. it is written. But this man (meaning Christ) because he lasteth or abideth ever, hath an everlasting priesthood. Therefore is he able also ever to save them that come to God through him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for us. The Bishops therefore aught to bless us in preaching Christ, and not to deceive us and to bring the curse of God upon us, with wagging their hands over us. To preach is their duty only, and not to offer their feet to be kissed, or testicles or stones to be groped. We feel also by experience that after the Popes, bishops or Cardinal's blessing we are no otherwise disposed in our souls then before. Let this be sufficient as concerning the sacraments and ceremonies, with The protestation of the author. this protestation, that if any can say better or improve this with God's word, no man shall be better content therewith then I For I seek nothing but the truth and to walk in the light. I submit therefore this work and all other that I have made or shall make (if God will that I shall more make) unto the judgements, not of them that furiously burn all truth, but of them which are ready with God's word to correct, if any thing be said amiss, & to further Gods word. I will talk a word or two after Confession robbeth the Sacraments and maketh them fruitless. the worldly wisdom with them, and make an end of this matter. If the sacraments justify, as they say, I understand by justifying forgiveness of sins. Then do they wrong unto the sacraments, in as much as they rob the most part of them through confession of their effect, & of the cause wherefore they were ordained. For no man may receive the body of Christ, no man may marry, no man may be oiled or aneiled as they call it, no man may receive orders, except he be first shriven. Now when the sins be forgiven by shrift afore hand, there is naught left for the sacraments to do. They will answer, that at the lest way they increase grace, and not the sacraments only, but also hearing of mass, matens and evensong, and receiving of holy water, holy bread, and of the Bishop's blessing, and so forth by all ceremonies. By grace I understand the favour of God, and also the gifts and What grace is. working of his spirit in us, as love, kindness, patience, obedience, mercifulness, despising of worldly things, How to know what justifieth: and what not: or what bringeth grace and what not. peace, concord, and such like. If after thou hast herded so many masses, matens and evensonges, and after thou hast received holy bread, holy water, and the bishops blessing, or a Cardinals or the Popes, if thou will't, be more kind to thy neighbour, and love him better than before, if thou be more obedient unto thy superiors, more merciful, more ready to forgive wrong done unto thee, more despisest the world, and more a thirst after spiritual things, if after that a Priest hath taken orders he be less covetous than before: if a wife after so many and often pilgrimages be more chaste, more obedient unto her husband, more kind to her maids and other servants: if Gentlemen, knights, Lords, and kings, and Emperors, after they have said so often daily service with their Chappellaynes, know more of With their Chaplayns quoth he: God give grace their Chaplayns at the last make them not so mad to say service alone while they. Christ then before, and can better skill to rule their tenants, subjects, and realms christenly then before, and be content with their duties, then do such things increase grace: if not, it is a lie. Whether it be so or not, I report me to experience. If they have any other enterpretations of justifying or grace, I pray them to teach it me. For I would gladly learn it. Now let us go to our purpose again. ¶ Of miracles and worshipping of Saintes. ANtichrist shall not only come with lying signs, and disguised with falsehood, but also with lying miracles and True miracles draw to Christ. wonders, says Paul in the said place ij. Thess. ij. All the true miracles which are of God, are showed (as I above rehearsed) to move us to hear God's word, and to stablish our faith therein: and to confirm the truth of God's promises, that we might without all doubting believe them. For God's word through faith bringeth the spirit into our hearts, and also life, as Christ saith john. vi. The words which I speak are spirit and life. The word also purgeth us and cleanseth us, as Christ saith john. xv. you are clean by the means of the word. Paul saith. i Timo. ij. One God, one Mediator (that is to say, advocate, intercessor, or an atonemaker) between God & man: the man Christ jesus which gave himself a ransom for all men Peter saith of Christ Acts. iiij. Neither is their health in any other: neither yet also any other name given unto men wherein we must be saved. So now Christ is our peace, our redemption or ransom for our sins, our righteousness, satisfaction and all the promises of God are yea & Amen in him. ij. Cor. i And we for that great and infinite love which God hath to us in Christ, love him again, love also his laws, & love one an other. And the deeds which we The effect and force of our good deeds. hence forth do, do we not to make satisfaction or to obtain heaven: but to secure our neighbour to tame that flesh that we may wax perfect and strong men in Christ, and to be thankful to God again for his mercy, and to glorify his name. Contrariwise the miracles of Antichrist False miracles drive from Christ. are done to pull thee from the word of God, and from believing his promises and from Christ, and to put thy trust in a man, or a ceremony wherein God's word is not. As soon as God's word is believed, the faith spread abroad, then seize the miracles of god. But the miracles of Antichrist, because they are wrought by the devil, to quench the faith, grow daily more and more: neither shall cease until the worlds end among them that belove not God's word and promises. Seest thou not how God loosed & sent forth all the devils in the old world among the Heathen or Gentiles? And how the devils wrought miracles, & spoke to them in every image? Even so shall the devil work falsehood by one craft or an other, until the worlds end among them that believe not God's word. For the judgement and damnation of him that hath no lust to hear the truth, is to hear lies, and to be established and grounded therein through false miracles, and he that will not see, is worthy to be blind, and he that biddeth the spirit of God go from him, is worthy to be without him. Paul, Peter, and all true Apostles preached Christ only. And the miracles did but confirm and establish their preaching, and those everlasting promises & eternal Testament that God had made between man and him in Christ's blood, and the miracles did testify also that they were true servants of Christ. Paul preached not himself, he taught not any man to trust in him or his holiness, or in Peter or in any ceremony, but in the promises which God hath sworn only, yea he mightily resisteth all such false doctrine both to the Corinthians, Galathians, Ephesians and every where. If He that teacheth to trust in a saint is a false Prophet. this be true (as it is true and nothing more truer) that if Paul had preached himself, or taught any man to believe in his holiness or prayer or in any thing, save in the promises that GOD hath made and sworn to give us for Christ's sake, he had been a false Prophet: why am not I also a false Prophet, if I teach thee to trust in Paul or in his holiness or prayer, or in any thing save in God's word as Paul did. If Paul were here and loved me What he should pray that prayeth for his neighbour. (as he loved them of his time of whom he was sent and to whom he was a servant to preach Christ, what good could he do for me or wish me, but preach Christ and pray to God for me, to open mine heart, to give me his spirit, & to bring me unto the full knowledge of Christ? unto which port or haven, when I am once come, I am as safe as Paul, fellow with Paul, jointheyre with Paul of all the promises of God, and gods truth heareth my prayer as well as Paul's, I also now could not but love Paul & wish him good, and pray for him, that God would strength him in all his temptations & give him victory, as he would do for me. Nevertheless there are many The 〈…〉 be 〈◊〉 and not deceived. weak, and young consciences always in the congregation which they that have the office to preach aught to teach, and not to deceive them. What prayers pray our Clergy for us which stop us and exclude us from The spiri●… pray not that we might come to the knowledge of Christ. Christ and seek all the means possible to keep us from knowledge of Christ? They compel us to hire Friars, Monks, Nuns, Canons, and Priests, & to buy their abominable merits, and to hire the Saints that are dead to pray for us, for the very Saints have they made hyrelynges also: because that their offeryngs come to their profit. What pray all those: that we might come to the knowledge of Christ, as the Apostles did? Nay verily. For it is a plain case, that all they which enforce to keep us from Christ, pray not that we might come to the knowledge of Christ. And as for the Saints (whose prayer was when they were a line that we might be grounded, established and strengthened in Christ only) if it were of God that we should this wise worship them contrary unto their own doctrine, I dare be bold to affirm that by the means of their prayers, we should have been brought long a go unto the knowledge of God and Christ again, though that these beasts had done their worst to set it. Let us therefore set our hearts at rest in Christ and in God's promises, for so I think it best, and let us take the The 〈◊〉 are but an en●… 〈◊〉. Saints soran example only, and let us do as they both taught and did. Let us set God's promises before our eyes, and desire him for his mercy and for Christ's sake to fulfil them. And he is as true as ever he was, and will do it, as well as ever he did, for to us are the promises made as well as to them. Moreover the end of God's miracles is good, the end to these miracles are evil. For the offerings which are Offerings cause of the miracles. the cause of the miracles do but minister and maintain vice, sin and all abomination, and are given to them that have to much, so that for very abundance, they ●ome out their own shame, and corrupt the whole world with the styuch of their filthiness. Thereto what soever is not of faith is sin, Roma. xiv, Faith cometh by hearing Gods word Roma. x. when now thou fastest or dost any thing in the worship of any Saint believing to come to the favour of God or to be saved thereby if thou have God's word, then is it true faith and shall save thee. If thou have not God's word, then is it a false faith superstitiousness and Idolatry, and damnable sin. Also in the Collects of the Saints with which we pray God to save us through the merits or deservings of the Saints (which Saints yet were not saved by their own deservings themselves) we say Per Christ 〈◊〉 Dominum nostrum, that is for Christ our lords sake. We say save us good Lord through the saints merits for Christ's sake. How can he save us through the Saintes merits for Christ's sake and for his deserving merits and love? Take an example. A Gentleman saith unto me I will do the uttermost of my power for thee, for the love which I own unto thy father. Though thou hast never done me pleasure, yet I love thy father well, thy father is my friend and hath deserved that I do all that I can for thee etc. Here is a Testament and a promise' made unto me in the love of my father only. If I come to the said Gentleman in the name of one of his servants which I never see, never spoke with, neither have any acquaintance at all with and say: Sir I pray you be good master unto me in such a cause. I have not deserved that he should so do. Nevertheless I pray you do it for such a servants sake: yea I pray you for the love that you own to my father do that for me for such a servants sake. If I this wise made my petition, would not men think that I come late out of S. Patrikes God the father fulfilleth his promises to us for Christ's sake, & not for the merits of saints as the Papists taught. Purgatory, & had left my wits behind me. This do we. For the Testament and promises are all made unto us in Christ. And we desire God to fulfil his promises for the Saints sake: yea that he will for Christ's sake do it for the Saints sake. They have also martyrs which never preached God's word, neither died therefore: but for privileges and liberties All such Martyrs are the pope's martyrs & not Gods. For martyr signifieth a witness bearer: now is he not God's witness that testifieth not his word. which they falsely purchased contrary unto God's ordinances. Yea & such Saints though they be dead, yet rob now as fast as ever they did, neither are less covetous now then when they were alive. I doubt not but that they will make a Saint of my Lord Cardinal, after the death of us that be alive, and know his juggling and crafty conveyance, and will shrine him gloriously, for his mightily defending of the right of holy Church, except we be diligent to leave a commemoration of that Nimroth behind us. The reasons wherewith they prove their doctrine are but fleshly: and as The reasons which they make for the worshipping of Saints are solved. Paul calleth them, enticing words of man's wisdom, that is to wit, sophistry and brawling arguments of men with corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, whose God is their belly, unto which idol whosoever offereth not, the same is an heretic, and worthy to be brunt. The Saint was great with God when he was alive, as it appeareth by the miracles which God showed for him, he must therefore be great now say they. This rea●on appeareth wisdom, but it is very foolishness with God. For the miracle was not showed that thou should put thy trust in the Saint, but in the word which the saint preached, which word if thou believest, would save thee, as God hath promised and sworn, & would make thee also great with God, as it did the Saint. If a man have a matter with a great man, or a king, he must go first unto one of his mean servants, and then higher and higher till he come at the king. This enticing argument is but a blind reason of man's wit. It is not like in the kingdom of the world, and in the It is not like with kings and God. kingdom of God and Christ. With kings for the most part we have none acquaintance, neither promise. They be also most commonly merciless. Moreover if they promise', they are yet men as unconstant as are other people, & as untrue. But with God, if we have belief, we are accounted, and have an open way in unto him by the door Christ, which is never shut, but through unbelief, neither is there any porter to keep any man out. By him says Paul Ephe. ij. that is to say, by Christ we have an open way in unto the father. So are you now no more strangers and foreigners (saith he) but citizens with the Saints, and of the household of God. God hath also made us promises and hath sworn: yea hath made a testament or a covenant, and hath bound himself, and hath sealed his obligation with Christ's blood, and confirmed it with miracles. He is also merciful and kind, and complaineth that we will not come unto him. He is mighty and able to perform that he promises. He is true and can not be but true, as he can not be but God. Therefore is it not like with the king and God. We be sinners say they, God will not hear us. Behold how they flee from God as from a tyrant merciless. Whom a man counteth most merciful unto him, he soonest flieth. But these teachers dare not come at God. Why? For they are the children of Caine. If the Saints love whom God hateth, than God and his Saints are divided. When thou prayest to the saints, how do they know, except that God whom thou countest merciless, tell them? If God be so cruel and so hateth thee, it is not likely that he will tell the Saints that thou prayest unto them. When they say we be sinners: I answer, that Christ is no sinner, save a Christ is no sinner. satisfaction, and an offering for sin. Take Christ from the saints and what are they? What is Paul without Christ? is he any thing save a blasphemer, a persecuter, a murderer, and a shedder of Christian blood? But as soon as he came to Christ he was no more a sinner, but a minister of righteousness, he went not to Rome to take penance upon him, but went & preached unto his brethren the same mercy which he had received free, without doing penance or hiering of Saints or of Monks or Friars. Moreover if it be God's word that thou should put thy trust in the saints merits or prayers, then be bold. For God's word shall defend thee and save thee. If it be but thy own reason, than fear. For God commandeth by Moses Deut. xii. saying: what I command you, that observe and do, and put nothing to, nor take aught therefrom: yea and Moses warneth straightly Nothing bringeth a man sooner to confusion then the Idolatry of his own imagination in an hundred places, that we do that only which God commandeth, and which seemeth good and righteous in his sight, and not in our own sight. For nothing bringeth the wrath of god so soon and so sore on a man, as the idolatry of his own imagination. Last of all these arguments are contrary to the arguments of Christ and of his Apostles. Christ disputeth, Luk. 11. saying: If the son ask the father bread, will he give him a stone? or if he ask him fish, will he give him a serpent? and so forth. If you then (says he) which are evil can give good gifts to your children, how much rather shall your heavenly father give a good spirit unto them that ask him? And a little before in the same chapter he sayeth: If a man came never so out of season to his neighbour to borrow bread: even when he is in his chamber, & the door shut, and all his servants with him: nevertheless yet if he continued knocking and praying, he will rise and give him as much as he needeth, though not for love, yet to be rid of him, that he may have rest: As who should say: what will God do if a man pray him, seeing that prayer overcometh an evil man? Ask therefore (saith he) and it shall be given you, seek, and you shall find, knock and it shallbe opened unto you. And Luke 18. he putteth forth the parable or similitude of the wicked judge which was overcome with the importunate prayer of the widow. And concludeth, saying: Hear what the wicked judge did. And shall not God avenge his elect which cry unto him night and day? Whether therefore we complain of the intolerable oppression and persecution that we suffer, or of the flesh that cumbereth & resisteth the spirit, God is merciful to hear ●s, & to help us. Seest thou not also how Christ cureth many, and casts out devils out of many unspoken too, how shall he not help, if he be desired and spoken to? When the old pharisies (whose nature is to drive sinners from Christ) asked Christ why he did eat with publicans and sinners. Christ answered that the whole needed not the physician but the sick. that is, he came to have conversation with sinners to heal them. ●hrist is a 〈◊〉 give to ●…rs. He was a gift given unto sinners, and a treasure to pay their debts. And Christ sent the complaining and disdaining pharisies to the Prophet Oseas God loveth mercy. saying, Go and learn what this means, I desire or require mercy, and not sacrifice. As who should say, Hypocrites love o●●e●ynges. You Pharisees love sacrifice and offering, for to feed that God your bellies withal, but God commandeth to be merciful. Sinners are ever captives and a pray unto the Pharisees and hypocrites, for to offer unto their bellies, & to buy merits, pardons, and forgiveness of sins of them. And therefore fear they them away from Christ, with arguments of their belly wisdom. For he that receiveth forgiveness free of Christ, will buy no forgiveness of them. I came (saith Christ) to call, not the righteous, but the sinners unto repentance. The pharisies are righteous, and therefore have no part with Christ, neither need they: for they are Gods themselves & saviours. But sinners that repent pertain to Christ. If we repent, Christ hath made satisfaction for us already. God so loved the world, that he gave his only son, that none that believe on him should perish, but should have everlasting life. For God sent not his son into the world, to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him shall not be damned, but he that believeth not is damned already. john. iij. Paul Rom. 5. saith: Because we are justified through faith, we are at peace with God through our lord jesus Christ, that is, because that God, which can not lie, hath promised and sworn to be merciful unto us, and to forgive us for Christ's sake, we We are at peace in our consciences when we believe constantly ou● sins are remitted through jesus Christ. believe and are at peace in our consciences, we run not hither and thither for pardon, we trust not in this friar, nor that monk, neither in any thing, save in the word of God only. As a child when his father threateneth him for his fa●t, hath never rest till he hear the word of mercy and forgiveness of his father's mouth again, but assoon as he heareth his father say, Go thy ways, do me no more so, I forgive thee this fault: then is his heart at rest, then is he at peace, then runneth he to no man to make intercession for him. Neither though there come any false merchant saying, what will't thou give me, and I will obtain pardon of thy father for thee. Will he suffer himself to be beguiled? Not, he will not buy of a wily fox, that which his father hath given him freely. It followeth: God setteth out his love that he hath to us. that is, he maketh it appear, that men may perceive love, if they be not more than stock blind. In as much (saith Paul) as while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more now (saith he) seeing we are justified by his blood, shall we be preserved from wrath through him: for if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God, by the death of his son, much more seeing we are reconciled we shall be preserved by his life. As who should say, If God loved us when we known him not, much more loveth he us now we know him. If he were merciful to us while we hated his Law, how much more merciful will he be now seeing we love it, and desire strength to fulfil it. And in the viii. he argueth: If God spared not his own son, but gave him for us all, how shall he not with him give us all things also? Christ prayed, john xvij. not for the Apostles only, but also for as many as should believe through their preaching and was herded, whatsoever we ask in his name the Father giveth us john. xuj. Christ is also as merciful Why we come not to Christ. as the saints. Why go we not strait way unto him? Verily because we feal not the mercy of God neither believe his truth. God will at the lest way (say they) hear us the sooner for the saints sake. Then loveth he the saints better than Christ and his own truth. Hears he us for the saints sake? so heareth he us not for his mercy: For merits and mercy can not stand together. Finally if thou put any trust in thy own deeds, or in the deeds of any other man, of any saint, than minishest thou the truth, mercy, and goodness of God. For if God look unto thy works, or unto the works of any other man, or goodness of the saint, then doth he not all things of pure mercy, and of his goodness, and for the truths sake which he hath sworn in Christ. Now saith Paul Tit. 3. Not of the righteous deeds which we did, but of his mercy saved he us. Our blind disputers will say: If our good deeds justify us not, if God look not on our good deeds, neither regard them nor love us the better for them, what need we to do good deeds? I answer, God looketh on our good deeds, and loveth them, yet loveth us not for their sakes. God loveth us first God looketh on our good deeds in Christ of his goodness and mercy, and poureth his spirit into us, and giveth us power to do good deeds. And because he loveth us, he loveth our good deeds: yea because he loveth us he forgiveth us our evil deeds, which we do of frailty and not of purpose or for the nonce. Our good deeds do but testify only that we are justified and beloved. For except we were beloved, and had God's spirit, we could neither do, nor yet consent unto any good deed. Antichrist turneth the roots of Intichrist turneth the roots of the trees unword. the trees upward. He maketh the goodness of God the branches, and our goodness the roots. We must be first good after Antichristes doctrine, and move God, and compel him to be good again for our goodnesses sake: so must God's goodness spring out of our goodness. Nay verily God's goodness is the root of all goodness and our goodness, if we have any, springeth out of his goodness. Prayer. OF Prayer and good deeds, and of the order of love or charity I have abundantly written in my book of the justifying of faith. Never the later that thou mayst see, what the prayers and good works of our monks and friars and of other ghostly people are worth, I will speak a word or two, and make an end. Paul saith Gal. 3 All you are the sons of God through faith in jesus Christ: for all you that are In Christ● we are one as good as an other equally beloved & indifferently herded. baptised have put Christ on you. that is, you are become Christ himself. There is no jew (saith he) neither Greek, neither bond nor free, neither man nor woman, but you are all one thing in Christ jesus. In Christ there is neither french nor english, but the frenchman is the englishman's own self, and the english the frenchman's own self. In Christ there is neither father nor son neither master nor servant, neither husband nor wife, neither king nor subject: but the father is the sons self, and the son the father's own self: and the king is the subjects own self, and the subject is the kings own self, and so fourth. I am thou ●hy self, and thou art I myself, and can be no nearer of kin. We are all the sons of God, all Christ's servants bought with his blood, and every man to other Christ his own self. And Col. 3, You have put on the new man which is tenned in the knowledge of God after the image of him that made him (that is to say, Christ) where is (saith he) neither Greek nor jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, barbarous or Scythian. bond or free: but Christ is all in all things. I love thee not now because Christ is all to a Christian man. thou art my father, and hast done so much for me, or my mother, and hast born me, and given me suck of thy breasts (for so do jews and saracens) but because of the great love that Christ hath showed me. I serve thee not because thou art my master, or my king, for hope of reward, or fear of pain, but for the love of Christ: for the children of faith are under no law (as thou seest in the Epistles to the Romans, The children of faith work of love and need no law to compel them. to the Galathians, in the first to Timothe) but are free. The spirit of Christ hath written the lively law of love in their hearts, which driveth them to work of their own accord freely & willingly, for the great loves sake only which they see in Christ, & therefore need they no law to compel them. Christ is all in all things to them that We are all Christ's servants and serve Christ. believe, and the cause of all love. Paul saith Ephes. 6. Servants obey unto your carnal or fleshly masters with fear and trembling, in singleness of your hearts as unto Christ: not with eye service as menpleasers, but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, even as though you served the Lord and not men. And remember that whatsoever good thing any man doth, that shall he receive again of the Lord, whether he be bond or free. Christ thus is all in all things and cause of all to a christian man. And Christ saith Math. 25. In as much as you have done it to any of the lest of these my brethren, you have done it to me. And in as much as you have not The contempt or love, we show one to another, the same show we to Christ. done it unto one of the lest of these, you have not done it to me. Here seest thou that we are Christ's brethren, and cven Christ himself, and what so ever we do one to another that do we to Christ If we be in Christ we work for no worldly purpose, but of love. As Paul says 2. Cor. 5. The love of Christ compelled us (as who should say) we work not of a fleshly purpose: For (sayeth he) we know henceforth no man fleshly: not though we once known Christ fleshly we do so now no more. We are otherwise minded, then when Peter drew his sword to fight for Christ. We are now ready to suffer with Christ, and to loose life and all for our very enemies to bring them unto Christ. If we be in Christ, we are minded like unto Christ, which known nothing Christ knoweth nothing worldly 〈◊〉 not his ●…ry mother. fleshly, or after the will of the flesh, as thou seest Math. 12. when one said to him: Lo, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. He answered, who is my mother, and who are my brethren? And stretched his hand over his Disciples saying: see my mother and my brethren: for whosoever doth the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, my sister, and my mother. He known not his mother in that she bore him, but in that she did the will of his Father in heaven. So now as God the Father's will and commandment is all to Christ, even so Christ is all to a Christian man. Christ is the cause why I love thee, why I am ready to do the uttermost of my power for thee, and why I pray for thee. And as long as the cause abideth, so long lasteth the effect: even as As long as Christ abideth so long a Christian man loveth. it is always day, so long as the Sun shines. Do therefore the worst thou caused unto me, take away my goods, take away my good name: yet as long as Christ remaineth in my heart, so long I love thee not a whit the less, and so long art thou as dear unto me as mine own soul, and so long am I ready to do thee good for thy evil, and so long I pray for thee with all my heart: for Christ desireth it of me, and hath deserved it of me. Thy unkindness compared unto his kindness is no thing at all, yea it is swallowed up as a little smoke of a mighty wind, and is no more scene or thought upon. Moreover that evil which thou didst to me, I receive not of thy hand, but of the hand of God, and as God's scourge to teach me patience & to norture me. And therefore have no cause to be angry with thee, more than the child hath to be angry with his fathers rod. or a sick man with a sour or bitter medicine that heals him, or a prisoner with his fetters, or he that is punished lawfully with the officer that punisheth him. Thus is Christ all and the whole cause why I love thee. And Money bindeth not Christ● people to pray. to all can naught be added. Therefore cannot a little money make me love thee better, or more bond to pray for thee, nor make God's commandment greater. Last of all, if I be in Christ, than the love of Christ compelleth me. And therefore I am ready to give thee mine & not to take thine from thee. If I be able I will do thee service freely: if not, then if thou minister to me again, that receive I of the hand of God, which ministereth it to me by thee: For God God careth for his. careth for his and ministereth all things unto them, and moveth Turks and Saracenes, and all manner infidels to do them good as thou seest in Abraham, Isaac and jacob, and how God went with joseph into Egypt, and got him favour in the prison, and in every place, which favour joseph received of the hand of God, and to God gave the thanks. This is God and Christ all in all, good and bad receive I of God. Them that are good I love because they are in Christ, and the evil to bring them to Christ. When any man doth well I rejoice, that God is honoured, and when any man doth evil I sorrow because that God is dishonoured. Finally in as much as God hath created all, and Christ bought all with his blood, therefore aught all to seek God & Christ in all, & else nothing. But contrariwise unto monks, The belly to a God & cause of all unto our spiritualty. friars, and to that other of our holy spirituality the belly is all in all, & cause of all love. Offer thereto, so art thou father, mother, sister, and brother unto them. Offerest thou not, so know they thee not, thou art neither father mother sister brother, nor any kin at all to them. She is a sister of ours, he is a brother of ours say they, he is verily a good man, for he doth much for our religion. She is a mother to our covent: we be greatly bond to pray for them. And as for such and such (say they) we know not whether they be good or bad, or whether they be fish or flesh, for they do naught for us: we be more bound to pray for our benefactors (say they) and for them that give us, them for them that give us not. For them that give little are they little bond, and them they love little: and for them that give much they are much bond, and them they love much. And for them that give naught are they nought bond, and them they love not at al. And as they love thee when thou givest: so hate they thee when thou takest away from them, and run all under a stool, and curse thee as black as pitch. So is cloister love belly love, ●●ll is of the belly & nothing of Christ. cloister prayer belly prayer, and cloister brotherhood belly brotherhood. moreover love that springeth of Christ seeketh not her own self (1. Cor. 13.) but forgetteth herself, and bestoweth her upon her neighbours profit, as Christ's love forgetteth herself: but Monks love thinketh on the belly. Christ sought our profit and not his own. He sought not the favour of god for himself, but for us, yea he took the wrath and vengeance of God from us unto himself, and bore it on his own back to bring us unto favour. Likewise doth a Christian man give to his brethren, & robbeth them not as friars and monks do: but as Paul commandeth Ephes. 4. laboureth with his hands some good work to have wherewith to help the needy. They give not but receive only. They labour not, but live idly of the sweat of the poor. There is none so poor a widow, though she have not to find herself and her children, nor any money to give: yet shall the friar snatch a cheese or somewhat. They preach, sayest thou, and labour in the word. First I say, Friars and Monks aught not to preach. they are not called and therefore aught not: for it is the Curates office. The Curate can not (sayst thou.) What doth the thief there then? Secondarily a true preacher preacheth Christ's testament only and maketh Christ the cause and reward of all our deeds, and teacheth every man to bear his cross willingly for Christ's sake. But these are enemies unto the cross of Christ, and preach their belly which is their God: Ephes. 3. and they think that lucre is the serving of God. 1. Tim. 6. that is, they think them christian only which offer unto their belies, which when thou hast filled, then spew they out prayers for thee, to be thy reward, and yet w●t not what prayer means. Prayer is the longing for God's promises, which promises as they preach them not, so long they not for them, nor wish them unto any man. Their longing is to fill their paunch whom they serve, & not Christ: and through sweet preaching and flattering words deceive the hearts of the simple and unlearned. Rom. 16. Finally as Christ is the whole cause Christ is the whole cause why God loveth us. why we do all thing for our neighbour, even so is he the cause why God doth all thing for us, why he receiveth us into his holy Testament, and maketh us heirs of all his promises, and poureth his spirit into us, and maketh us his sons, and fashioneth us like unto Christ, and maketh us such as he would have us to be. The assurance How to know that we are God's sons. that we are the sons, beloved, and heirs with Christ, & have God's spirit in us, is the consent of our hearts, unto the law of God. Which law is all The law is the mark: yea and the touch stone where with we aught to try ourselves & see how far ●orth we are purged. perfection, and the mark whereat all we aught to shoot. And he that hitteth that mark, so that he fulfilleth the law with all his heart, soul, and might, and with full love and lust, without all let or resistance is pure gold and needeth not to be put any more in the fire, he is strait and right, & needeth to be no more shaven: he is full fashioned like Christ, and can have no more added unto him. Nevertheless there is none so perfect in this life that finds not let & resistance by the reason of original sin, or birth poison that remaineth Our birth poison that remaineth in us. resisteth the spirit. in him, as thou mayst see in the lives of all the saints throughout all the scripture, and in Paul Rom. 7. The will is present (saith he) but I find no means to perform that which is good. I do not that good thing which I would: but that evil do I which I would not. I find by the law that when I would do good, evil is present with me. I delight in the law as concerning the inner man, but I find an other law in my members rebelling against the law of my mind, & subduing me unto the law of sin. Which law of sin is nothing but a ☞ corrupt and a poisoned nature which breaketh into evil lusts, and from evil The right cross of Christ. lusts into wicked deeds, & must be purged with the true purgatory of the cross of Christ: that is, thou must hate it with all thy heart, and desire God to take it from thee. And than whatsoever cross God putteth on thy back, bear it patiently, whether it be poverty sickness or persecution or what soever it be, and take it for the right Purgatory and think that God hath nailed thee fast to it, to purge thee thereby. For he that loveth not the law He that loveth not the law & hateth sin hath no part with Christ. and hateth his sin, & hath not professed in his heart to fight against it, and mourneth not to god to take it away & to purge him of it, the same hath no part with Christ. If thou love the law and findest that thou hast yet sin hanging on thee, where of thou sorowest How to try the do▪ ctrine of our spirituality. to be delivered and purged: as for an example, thou hast a covetous mind and mistrustest God and therefore art moved to beguile thy neighbour & art unto him merciless, not caring whether he sink or swim so thou mayst win by him or get from him that he hath: then get thee to the obseruaunte which is so purged from that sin that he will not once handle a penny & with that wile doth the subtle fox make the goose come flying into his hole ready prepared for his mouth without his labour or sweat, & buy of his incrites, which he hath in store, & give thy money not into his holy hands but to offer him that he hath hired either with part of his prayers or part of his pray to take the sin upon him and to handle his money for him. In like manner if any parson that is under obedience unto God's ordinance (whether it be son or daughter, servant, wife or subject) consent unto the ordinance, & yet find contrary motions: let him go also to them that have professed an obedience of their own making, and buy part of their merits. If thy wife give the ix. words for three, go to the charterhouse and buy of their silence: And so if the abstaining of the observant If the prayers & merits of our religious men purge our lusts then are they of value and else not. from handling money heal thy heart from desiring money, & the obedience of them that will obey nothing but their own ordinance, heal thy disobedience to God's ordinance, and the silence of the charterhouse Monk tan●e thy wives tongue, them believe that their prayers shall deliver thy soul from the pains of that terrible and fearful Purgatory which they have feigned to purge thy purse withal. The spirituality increaseth daily. ☞ more prelate's, mother Priests, more monks, friars, canons, nuns and more heretics, I would say hermits with like draff, Set before the the increase of S. France's disciples in so few years. reckon how many thousands, yea how many twenty thousands, not disciples only: but whole cloisters are sprung out of hell of them in so little space. Patering of prayers increaseth daily. Their service as they call it, waxeth longer and longer and the labour of their lips greater, new Saints, new service, new feasts, and new holy days. What take all these away? Sin? Nay. For we ●ee the contrary by experience & that sin groweth as they grow. But they take away first What the spiritualtis taketh away with their prayers. God's word with faith, hope, peace, unity, love & concord then house and land, rend & see, tower & town, goods and cattle, and the very meat out of men's mouths. All these live by Purgatory. When other weep for their friends they sing merely when other When other wept, they sing, and when other lose, they win. lose their friends, they get friends. The Pope with all his Pardons is grounded on Purgatory. priests Monks, Canons, Friars with all other swermes of hypocrites do but empty Purgatory and fill hell. Every Mass, say they, delivereth one soul out of Purgatory. If that were true, All is of Purgatory. ●…ese Physicians give none other medicines save purgations only. yea if ten Masses were enough for one soul, yet were the Parish Priests and Curates of every Parish sufficient to scour Purgatory. All the other costly workmen might be well spared. ¶ The four senses of the Scripture. THey divide the Scripture in to four senses, the literal, tropological, allegorical and anagogical. The literal sense is become nothing at all. For the pope hath taken it clean away & hath made it his possession. He hath partly locked it up with the false and counterfeited keys of his traditions ceremonies & feigned lies. And partly driveth men from it with violence of sword. For no man dare abide by the literal sense of the text, but under a Protestation, if it shall please the Pope. The chopologicall sense pertaineth to good manners (say they) and teacheth what we aught to do. The allegory is appropriate to faith, and the anagogical to hope and things above. Tropological and anagogical are terms of their own feigning and all together unnecessary. For they are but allegories both two of them and this word allegory comprehendeth them both & is enough. For tropological is but an Allegory of manners & anagogical an Allegory of hope. And Allegory is as much to say as strange Allegory. & what it signifieth. speaking, or borrowed speech. As when we say of a wanton child, this sheep hath magottes in his tail, he must be anointed with byrchin salve, which speech I borrow of the shepherds. ¶ Thou shalt understand therefore The scripture hath but one sense. that the Scripture hath but one sense, which is the literal sense. And that literal sense is the root and ground of all, and the anchor that never faileth whereunto if thou cleave thou canst never err or go out of the way. And if thou leave the literal sense thou canst not but go out of the way. Never the latter the Scripture useth proverbs, similitudes, redels', or allegories as all other speeches do, but that which the proverb, similitude, redell, or allegory signifieth is ever the literal sense which thou must seek out diligently. As in the English we borrow words and sentences of o●e thing and apply them unto another and give than new significations. We say let the sea rise as high as he will, yet hath God appointed how far he shall go: meaning that the tyrants shall not do what they would▪ but that only which God hath appointed them to do, 〈…〉 thou leap▪ whose literal sense 〈…〉 nothing suddenly or without ad●… Cut not the bow that thou 〈…〉 upon: whose literal sense is, 〈…〉 not the comyns & is borrowed ●…ers. When a thing spedeth not we●, 〈◊〉 borrow speech and say, the bishop hath ●orowe●●peach▪ ☜ blessed it, because that nothing spedeth well that they meddle with all. If th● porridge be burned to, or the meat over roasted, we say, the Bishop hath put his foot in the pot or the Bishop hath played the Cook, because the Bishops burn who they lust & whosoever displeaseth them. He is a pontifical fellow, that is, proud and stately. He is Popish, that is, superstitious and faith less. It is a pastime for a Prelate. It is a pleasure for a Pope. He would be free & yet will not have his head shaven. He would that no man should smite him and yet hath not the Pope's mark. And of him that is betrayed & woteth not how, we say, he hath been at shrift. She is master People sisters daughter. He is the Bishop's sister's son, he hath a Cardinal to his uncle, she is a spiritual whore, it is the Gentlewoman of the parsonage, he gave me a Kyrieleyson. And of her that answereth her husband uj. words for one we say, she is a sister of the charter house, as who should say, she thinketh that she is not bound to keep silence, their silence shallbe a satisfaction for her. And of him that will not be saved by Christ's merits, but by the works of his own imagination we say it is a holy workman. Thus borrow we and fain new speech in every tongue. All fables prophecies and redles are allegories as Ysopus fables & Marliens prophecies and the interpretation of them are the literal sense. So in like manner the Scripture borroweth words and sentences of all manner things and maketh proverbs & similitudes or allegories. As Christ saith Luke. iiij. Physician heal thyself. Whose interpretation is do that at whom which thou dost in strange places, & that is the literal sense. So when I say Christ is a lamb, I mean not a lamb that beareth will, but a meek & a patient lamb which is beaten for other men's faults, Christ is a vine, not that beareth grapes: but out of whose root the branches that believe, suck the spirit of life, and mercy, & grace, and power to be the sons of God & to do his will. The similitudes of the Gospel are allegories borrowed of worldly matters to express spiritual things. The Apocalypse or revelations of john are allegories whose literal The right use of allegories. sense is hard to find in many places. Beyond all this, when we have found out the literal sense of the Scripture by the process of the text or by a like text of another place. Then go we and as the Scripture borroweth similitudes of worldly things even so we again borrow similitudes or allegories of the Scripture and apply them to our purposes, which allegories are Allegories are no sense of Scripture. no sense of the scripture: but free things besides the Scripture and all together in the liberty, of the spirit. Which allegories I may not make at all the wild adventures: but must keep me with in the compass of the faith & ever apply mine allegory to Christ and unto the faith. Take an ensample, thou ☞ hast the story of Peter how he smote of Malchuses ear and how Christ healed it again. There hast thou in the plain text great learning, great fruit and great edifying which I pass over because of tediousness. Then come I, when I preach of the law and the Gospel, & borrow this example to express the nature of the law and of the Gospel and to paint it unto thee before thy eyes. And of Peter & his sword make I the law and of Christ the Gospel saying, as Peter's sword cutteth of the ear so doth the law. The law damneth, the law killeth, and mangleth the conscience. There is no care so righteous that can abide the hearing of the law. There is no deed so good but that the law damneth it. But Christ, that is to say the Gospel, the promises and Testament that God hath made in Christ heals the ear and conscience which the law hath hurt. The Gospel is life, mercy & forgiveness freely, and all together an healing plaster. And as Peter doth but hurt & make a wound where was none before: even so doth the law. For when we think that we are holy & righteous & full of good deeds if the law be preached a right, our righteousness and good deeds vanish away, as smoke in the wind and we are left damnable sinners only. And as thou seest how that Christ heals not till Peter had wounded, and as an healing plaster helpeth not till the corrosie hath troubled the wound, even so the Gospel helpeth not, but when the law hath wounded the conscience and brought the sinner into the knowledge of his sin. This allegory proveth nothing neither can do. For it is not the Scripture, Allegories prove nothing. but an example or a similitude borrowed of the Scripture to declare a text or a conclusion of the Scripture more expressly and to root it and grave it in the heart. For a similitude or an example doth print a thing much deeper in the wits of a man then doth a plain speaking and leaveth behind him as it were a sting to prick him forward and to awake him with all. Moreover if I could not prove with an open text If thou c● not prove the allegory with an open text then is it false doctrine. that which the Allegory doth express, than were the Allegory a thing to be gested at and of no greater value than a tale of Robin hode. This allegory as touching his first part is proved by Paul in the .iij. chap. of his Epistle to the Romans, where he saith. The law causeth wrath. And in the seven. chapter to the Romans. When the law or commandment came, sin revived, and I become dead. And in the ij. Epistle to the Cor. in the third chap. the law is called the minister of death and damnation. etc. And as concerning the second part Paul saith to the Rom. in the u chap. In that we are justified by faith we are at peace with God. And in the ij. Epistle to the Corinthians in the. iij. The Gospel is called the ministration of justifying and of the spirit. And Gala. iiij. The spirit cometh by preaching The literal sense proveth the allegory. of the faith etc. This doth the literal sense prove the allegory & bear it, as the foundation beareth the house. And because that allegories prove nothing therefore are they to be used soberly and seldom & only where the text offereth thee an allegory. And of this manner (as I above have done) doth Paul borrow a similitude, a figure or allegory of Genesis to express the nature of the law and of the Gospel, and by Agar & her son They th●● justify themselves by their works are the bond children of the law. declareth the property of the law and of her bond children which willbe justified by deeds, and by Sara and her son declareth the property of the Gospel and of her free children which are justified by faith, and how the children of the law which believe in their works persecute the children of the Gospel which believe in the mercy and truth of God and in the Testament of his son jesus our Lord And likewise do we borrow likenesses or allegories of the Scripture, as of Pharaoh and Derode and of the Scribes and Phariseis, to express our miserable captivity and persecution under Antichrist the Pope. The greatest cause of which captivity The faith was lost through Allegories and the decay of the faith & this blindness wherein we now are, sprung first of allegories. For Origene and the doctors of his time drawn all the Scripture unto allegories. Whose ensample they that came after followed so long, till at the last they forgot the order, and process of the text, supposing that the scripture served but to feign allegories upon. In somuch that twenty doctors expound one text xx. ways, as children make descant upon plain song. Then came our sophisters with the●● Chopologicall sophisters. Anagogical and Chopologicall sense & with an antetheme of half an inch, out of which some of them draw a thread of ix. days long. Yea thou shalt find enough that will preach Christ, and prove what soever point of thee faith that thou will't, as well out of a fabell of ovid or any other Poet, as Poetry is as good divinity as the Scripture to our school men. out of S. john's Gospel or Paul's Epistles. Yea they are come unto such blindness that they not only say the literal sense profiteth not, but also that it is hurtful and noisome and killeth the soul. Which damnable doctrine The literal sense killeth say sophisters. they prove by a text of Paul ij. Corinth. iij. Where he saith the letter killeth but the spirit giveth life. Lo say they the literal sense killeth and the spiritual sense giveth life. We must therefore, say they, seek out some choplogical sense. Here learn what sophistry is, and how blind they are, that thou mayest abhor them and spew them out of thy stomach for ever. Paul by the letter means Moses' law, which the process of the text following declareth more bright than the sun. But it is not their guise to look on the order of any text, but as they found it in their doctors so allege they it, and so understand it. Paul maketh a comparison between The letter killeth expound this the law and the Gospel, & calleth the law the letter, because it was but letters graven in two tables of cold sto●e. For the law doth but kill and damn the consciences, as long as there is no lust in the heart to do that which the law commandeth. Contrary wise he calleth the Gospel the administration of the spirit & of righteousness or justifying. For when Christ is preached and the promises which God hath made in Christ are believed, the spirit entereth the heart, and loseth the heart, and giveth lust to do the law, and maketh the law a lively thing in the heart. Now as soon as the heart lusteth To love the law is righteousness. to do the law, then are we righteous before God, & our sins forgiven. Nevertheless the law of the letter graved in stone, and not in the hearts was so glorious, and Moses his face shone so bright that the children of Israel could not behold his face for brightness. It was also given in thunder and lightning and terrible signs, so that they for fear came to Moses & desired him that he would speak to them & let God speak no more. Jest we die (said they.) If we hear him any more: as thou mayst see. Exod. xx. Whereupon Paul maketh his comparison saying: if the ministration of death through the letters figured in stones was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance: why shall not the administration of the spirit be glorious? And again: if the administration of damnation be glorious: much more shall the administration of righteousness exceed in glory: That is, if the law that killeth sinners & helpeth them not to be glorious: then the Gospel which pardoneth sinners and giveth them power to be the sons of God & to over come sin, is much more glorious. And the text that goeth before is as clear. For the holy Apostle Paul saith, you Corinthians are our Epistle, which is understand and read of all men, in that you are known how that you are the Epistle of Christ ministered by us and written: not with ink (as Moses' law) but with the spirit of the living God: not in tables of stone (as the ten commandments) but in the fleshy tables of the heart, as who should say, we written not a dead law with ink and in parchment, nor grave that which damned you in tables of stone: but preach you that which bringeth the spirit of life unto your breasts, which spirit writeth and graveth the law of love in your hearts and giveth you lust to do the will of God. And furthermore, saith he our ableness cometh of God which hath made us able to minister the new Testament, not of the letter (that is to say not of the law) but of the spirit. For the letter (that is to say the law) killeth: but the spirit giveth life (that is to say the spirit of God) which entereth your hearts when you believe the glad tidings that are preached you in Christ, quickeneth your hearts and giveth you life & lust and maketh you to do of love and of your own accord without compulsion, that which the law compelled you to do and damned you, because you could not do with love, and lust, and naturally. Thus seest thou that the letter signifieth not the literal sense and the spirit the spiritual sense. And Rom. ij. Paul useth this term Littera for the law. And Rom. seven. where he setteth it so plain, that it the great wrath of God had not blinded them they could never have stumbled at it. God is a spirit and all his words The literal sense is spiritual. are spiritual. His literal sense is spituall, and all his words are spiritual. When thou readest Math. j she shall bear a son & thou shalt call his name jesus. For he shall save his people from their sins. This literal sense is spiritual and everlasting life unto as many as believe it. And the literal sense of these words, Math. u. blessed are the merciful, for they shall have mercy, are spiritual and life. Whereby they that are merciful may of right by the truth and promise of God challenge mercy. And like is it of these words, Math. uj. If you forgive othermen their sins your heavenly father shall forgive you yours. And so is it of all the promises of God. Finally all gods words are spiritual, if thou have eyes of God to see the right meaning of the text, & whereunto the Scripture pertaineth, & the final end and cause thereof. All the Scripture is either the promises What is to be sought in the Scripture and in the litte●… sense. and Testament of God in Christ and stories pertaining thereunto, to strength thy faith, either the law and stories pertaining thereto to fear thee from evil doing. There is no story nor gest, seem it never so simple or so vile unto the world, but that thou shalt find therein spirit and life and edifying in the literal sense. For it is god's Scripture written for thy learning and comfort. There is no clout or tag there that hath not precious relics wrapped therein of faith, hope, patience and long suffering and of the truth of God, and also of his righteousness. The story of Reuben. Set before thee the story of Reuben which defiled his father's beo. Mark what a cross God suffered to fall on the neck of his elect jacob. Consider first the shame among the heathen, when as yet there was no more of the whole world within the Testament of God but he and his household. I report me to our Prelates which swear by their honour whether it were a cross Swears they by their honour? th●● are they not ready to suffer shame for Christ's sake. or no. Seest thou not how our wicked bylders rage, because they see their bildynges burn, now they are tried by the fire of God's word, and how they stir up the whole world, to quench the word of God, for fear of losing their honour? Then what business had he to pacify his children? Look what a do he had at the defiling of his daughter Dina. And be thou sure that the brethren there were no more furious for the defiling of their sister, than the sons hear for defiling of their mother. Mark what followed Reuben, to fear other that they shame not their fathers and mothers. He was cursed and lost the kingdom and also the Priestdome, and his tribe or generation was ever few in number as it appeareth in the stories of the Bible. The adultery of David with Barsabe The adultery of David. is an ensample, not to move us to evil: but if (while we follow the way of righteousness) any chance drive us aside, that we despair not. For if we see not such infirmities in Gods elect, we which are so weak and fall so often should utterly despair & think that God had clean forsaken us. It is therefore a sure and an undoubted conclusion, whether we be holy or unholy, we are all sinners. But the difference The difference between gods sinners & the devils. is, that God's sinners consent not to their sin. They consent unto the law that it is both holy and righteous and mourn to have their sin taken away. But the devils sinners consent unto their sin and would have the law and hell taken away and are enemies unto the righteousness of God. Likewise in the whomely gest of Nos. No, when he was drunk, and lay in his tent with his privy members open, hast thou great edifying in the literal sense? Thou seest what become of the curied children of wicked Ham which see his father's privy members and gested thereof unto his brethren. Thou seest also what blessing fallen on Sem and japhet which went backward and covered their father's members & see them not. And thirdly thou seest what infirmity accompanieth Go●s elect be they never so holy, which yet is not imputed unto them. For the faith & trust they have in God swalloweth up all their sins. Notwithstanding this text offereth The Pope is likened to Ham. us an apt and an handsome allegory or similitude to describe our wicked Ham, Antichrist the Pope, which many hundred years hath done all the shame that heart can think unto the pri●ey member of God which is the word of promise or the word of faith as Paul calleth it Rom. x. and the Gospel and Testament of Christ wherewith we are begotten, as thou seest. i Peter. i and james. i And as the cursed children of Ham grew into giants so mighty and great that the children of Israel seemed but greshoppers in respect of them: so the cursed sons of our Ham the Pope his Cardinals, bishops, Abbots, Monks, and Friars are become mighty giants above all power and authority, so that the children of faith in respect of them, are much less than greshoppers. They heap mountain upon mountain They will to heaven by away of their own making. & will to heaven by their own strength by away of their own making & not by the way Christ. Never the latter those giants for the wickedness & abominations which they had wrought, did God utterly destroy, part of them by the children of Loath, and part by the children of Esau and seven nations of them by the children of Israel. So no doubt shall he destroy these for like abominations & that shortly. For their kingdom is but the kingdom of lies and falsehood which must needs perish at the coming of the truth of God's word, as the night vanisheth away at the presence of day. The children of Israel slay not those giants, but the power of God, God's truth & promises as thou mayst see in Deut. So it is not we that shall destroy those giants, as thou mayst see by Paul. ij. Thess. ij. speaking of our Ham Antichrist. Whom the Lord shall destroy (says he) with the spirit of his mouth that is, by the words of truth) and by the brightness of his coming (that is, by the preaching of his Gospel.) ANd as I have said of allegories, The use of similitudes even so it is of worldly similitudes which we make either when we preach either when we expound the Scripture. The similitudes prove nothing, but are made to express more plainly that which is contained in the Scripture and to lead thee into the spiritual understanding of the text. As the similitude of Matrimony is taken to express the Marriage that is between Christ and our souls and what exceeding mercy we have there, whereof all the Scriptures make mention. And the similitude of the members, how every one of them careth for other is taken to make thee feel what it is to love thy neighbour as thyself. That A similitude without Scripture is a sure token of a false Prophet. preacher therefore that bringeth a naked similitude to prove that which is contained in no text of Scripture nor followeth of a text, count a deceiver, a leader out of the way and a false Prophet, and beware of his Philosophy and persuasions of man's wisdom as Paul i Corinth. ij. saith: my words Paul preached not worldly wisdom. and my preaching were not with enticing words & persuasions of man's wisdom but in showing of the spirit and power, that is, he preached not dreams confirming them with similitudes: but God's word confirming it with miracles and with working of the spirit the which made them feel every thing in their hearts. That your faith, saith he, should not stand in the wisdom of man: but in the power of God. For the reasons and similitudes Similitudes and reasons of man's wisdom make no faith but wavering opinions only. of man's wisdom make no faith, but wavering & uncertain opinions only: one draweth me this way with his argument, another that way, & of what principle thou provest black an other proveth white, and so am I ever uncertain, as if thou tell me of a thing done in a far land and an other tell me the contrary, I wot not what to believe. But faith is wrought by the God's word maketh sur● faith for God can not lie, power of God, that is, when God's word is preached, the spirit entereth thine heart and maketh thy soul feel it and maketh thee so sure of it, that neither adversity nor persecution, nor death, neither hell, nor the powers of hell, neither yet all the pains of hell could once prevail against thee or move thee from the sure rock of God's word, that thou shouldst not believe that which God hath sworn. And Peter. ij. Pet. i saith we followed Peter preached not fables and false similitudes but the plain Scripture not deceivable fables, when we opened unto you the power and coming of our Lord jesus Christ: but with our eyes we see his majesty. And again, we have (saith he) a more sure word of prophesy, whereunto if you take heed, as unto a light shining in a dark place, you do well. The word of prophesy was the old Testament which beareth record unto Christ in every place, without which record the Apostles made neither similitudes nor arguments of worldly wit. Hereof seest thou, that all the allegories, similitudes, ☞ persuasions & arguments which they bring without Scripture, to prove praying to Saints, Purgatory, care confession and that God will hear thy prayer more in one place than in another, and that it is more meritorious to eat fish then flesh, and that to disguise thyself & put on this or that manner cote is more acceptable then to go as God hath made thee, and that widowhood is better than matrimony and virginity than widowhood, and to prove the Assumption of our Lady and that she was born without original sin, yea & with a kiss say some, are but false doctrine. Take an example how they prove School do 〈◊〉. that widowhood and virginity exceed matrimony they bring this worldly similitude. He that taketh most pain for a man deserveth most and to him a man is most bond, so likewise must it be with God and so forth: now the widow and virgin take more pain in resisting their lusts then the married wife, therefore is their state holier. First I say, that in their own sophistry a similitude Similitudes are no good arguments among the sophisters own self. is the worst and feblest argument that can be and proveth lest and soon deceiveth. Though that one son do more service for his father then an other, yet is the father free and may with right reward them all a like. For though I had a thousand brethren and did more than they all, yet do I not my duty. The fathers and mothers also care most for the jest and weakest and them that can do jest: you for the worst care they most and would spend, not their goods only: but also their blood to bring them to the right way. And even so is it of the kingdom of Christ as thou mayst well see in the similitude of the riotous son. Luke. xv. Moreover Paul saith. i Cor. seven. It is better to marry then to burn. For the person that burneth can not quietly serve God in as much as his mind is drawn away & the thoughts of his heart occupied with wonderful and monstrous imaginations. He can neither see, nor hear, nor read but that his wits are rapt and he clean from himself. And again, saith he, Circumcision is nothing uncircumcision is nothing: but the keeping of the commandments is all together. Look wherein thou canst best keep the commandments thither get thyself and therein abide, whether thou be widow wife or maid, and then hast thou all with God. If we have infirmities that draw us from the laws of God, We must ●ure our in 〈…〉 with the remedies that God hath ordained & not tempt god. let us cure them with the remedies that God hath made. If thou burn marry. For God hath promised thee no chastity, as long as thou mayst use the remedy that he hath ordained: no more than he hath promised to slake thy hunger without meat. Now to ask of God more than he hath promised cometh of a false faith and is plain Idolatry: and to desire a miracle where there is natural remedy, is tempting of God. And of pain taking this wise understand. He that taketh pain to keep the commandments of God is sure thereby that he loveth God and that he hath God's spirit in him. And the more What 〈…〉. pain a man taketh (I mean patiently and without grudging) the more he loveth God and the perfecter he is & nearer unto that health which the soul's of all Christian men long for & the more purged from the infirmity and sin that remains in the flesh: but to look for any other reward or promotion in heaven or in the life to come then that which God hath promised for Christ's sake and which Christ hath deserved for us with his pain taking, is abominable in the sight of God. For Christ only hath purchased the reward, and our pain taking: to keep the commandments doth but purge the sin that remaineth in the flesh, and certify us that we are choose and sealed with God's spirit unto the reward that Christ hath purchased for us. I was once at the creating of Doctors of divinity, where the opponent brought the same reason to prove that the widow had more merit than the virgin, because she had greater pain for as much as she had once proved the pleasures of Matrimony. Ego nego Domine Doctor said the respondent. For though the virgin have not proved, yet she imagineth that the pleasure is greater than it is in deed and therefore is more moved & hath greater temptation and greater pain. Are not these disputers they that Paul speaketh of in the sixt chapter of the first Epistle to Timot. That they are not content with the wholesome words of our Lord jesus Christ, & doctrine of godliness. And therefore know nothing: but wast their brains about questions & strife of words, whereof spring envy, strife and railing of men with corrupt minds destitute of the truth. As pertaining to our ladies body, where it is or where the body of Elyas, of john the Enangelist and of many other be, pertaineth not to us to know. One thing are we sure of, that they are where God hath laid them. If they be in heaven, we have never the ☞ more in Christ: If they be not there, we have never the less. Our duty is to prepare ourselves unto the commandments and to be thankful for that which is opened unto us, and not to search the unsearchable secrets of God. Of God's secrets can we know no more than he openeth unto us. If God shut, who shall open? How then can natural reason come by the knowledge of that which God hath hid unto himself? Yet let us see one of their reasons wherewith they prove it. The chief reason is this, every man doth more for his mother, say they, then for other, in like manner must Christ do for his mother, therefore hath she this pre-eminence, that her body is in heaven. And yet Christ in the xii. chapter of Math. knoweth her not for his mother: but as farrefoorth as she kept his father's commandments. And Paul in the ij. Epistle to the Corinthians u chap. knoweth not Christ himself fleshly or after a worldly purpose. Last of all God is free & no further bound than he bindeth himself: if he have made her any promise he is bound, if not, then is he not. Finally if thou set this above rehearsed chapter of Math. before thee where Christ would not know his mother, and the ij. of john where he rebuked her, and the ij. of Luke where she lost him and how negligent she was to leave him behind her at jerusalem unwares and to go a days journey ere she sought for him y● mightest resolve many of their reasons which they make of this matter, and that she was without original sin: read also Erasmus annotations in the said places. And as for me I commit all such matters unto those idle belies which have naught else to do, then to move such questions and give them free liberty to hold what they list, as long as it hurteth not the faith, whether it be so or not, exhorting yet with Paul all that will please God and obtain that salvation that is in Christ, that they give no heed unto unnecessary and brawling disputations, & that they labour for the knowledge of those things without which they can not be saved. And remember that the sun was given us to guide us in our way and works bodily. Now if thou leave the natural use of the sun and will look directly on him to see how bright he is and such like curiosity then will the sun blind thee. So was the Scripture given us to guide us in our way and works ghostly. The way is Christ & the promises in him are our salvation if we long for them. Now if we shall leave that right use and turn ourselves unto vain questions and to search the unsearchable secrets of God: then no doubt shall the Scripture blind us as it hath done our school men and our subtle disputers. ANd as they are false Prophets which prove with allegories, similitudes and worldly reasons that which is no where made mention of in the Scripture. Even so count them for false Prophets which expound the ☜ scriptures drawing them unto a worldly purpose clean contrary unto the example, living, and practising of Christ and of his Apostles and of all In expounding of the Scripture we must have a respect unto the living and practising of Christ and of his Apostles and Prophets. the holy Prophets. For saith Peter. ij. Pet. i no prophesy in the Scripture hath any private interpretation. For the Scripture▪ came not by the will of man: but the holy men of God spoke, as they were moved by the holy ghost. No place of the Scripture may have a private exposition, that is it may not be expound after the will of man or after the will of the flesh or drawn unto a worldly purpose contrary unto the open texts, and the general articles of the faith, and the whole course of the Scripture and contrary to the living and practising of Christ and the Apostles and holy Prophets. For as they came not by the will of man so may they not be drawn or expound after the will of man: but as they came by the holy ghost, so must they expound & understand by the holy ghost. The Scripture is that wherewith God draweth us unto him and not wherewith we should be lead from him. The Scriptures spring out of God and flow unto Christ, and were given to lead us to Christ. Thou must therefore go along The scripture was given to lead us unto Christ by the Scripture as by a line, until thou come at Christ, which is the ways end and resting place. If any man therefore use the Scripture to draw thee from Christ and to nosell thee in any thing save in Christ, the same is a false Prophet. And that thou mayst perceive what Peter means, it followeth in the text. There were false Prophets among the people (whose prophecies ☞ were belly wisdom) as there shallbe false teachers among you: which shall privily bring in damnable sects (as thou seest how we are divided into Sets or orders. monstrous sects or orders of Religion) even denying the Lord that hath bought them. (For every one of them taketh on him to cell thee for money, that which God in Christ promises thee freely) and many shall follow their damnable ways, by whom the way of troth shallbe evil spoken of (as thou seest how the way of troth is become heresy, seditious, or cause of insurrection, & breaking of the kings peace, & treason unto his highness.) And through covetousness with feigned words shall they make merchandise of you. Covetousness Covetousness & desire of honour is the end of all false doctrine, and that which false prophets seek. is the conclusion: for covetousness and ambition that is to say, lucre and desire of honour is the final end of all false Prophets and of all false teachers. Look upon the Pope's false doctrine, what is the end thereof and what seek they thereby? Wherefore serveth Purgatory? but to purge thy Purgatory purse, and to poll thee, & rob both thee and thy hairs of house and lands, and of all thou hast, that they may be in honour. Serve not Pardons for Pardons. the same purpose? Whereto pertaineth praying to Saints, but to offer unto Praying to saints. their belies? Wherefore serveth confession, but to sit in thy conscience and to Confession. make thee fear and tremble at what soever they dream, and that thou worship them as Gods: and so forth in all their traditions, ceremonies, and conjurations they serve not the Lord: but their belies. And of their false expounding the Scripture and drawing it contrary unto the example of Christ, and the Apostles and holy Prophets unto their damnable covetousness and filthy ambition take an example. Math. xuj. When Peter saith to An example of false expounding the scriptures. Christ, thou art the son of the living God, and Christ answered, thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my congregation. By the rock interpret they Peter. And then cometh the Pope & willbe Peter's successor, whether Peter will or will not, yea whether God will or will not, and though all the Scripture say nay to any such succession, and says, lo I am the rock, the foundation, and head of Christ's Church. Now saith all the Scripture Christ the ●ayth, and God's word that the rock is Christ, the faith and God's word. As Christ saith Math. seven. he that heareth my words & doth is the rock and not the Pope. thereafter is like a man that buildeth on a rock. For the house that is build on God's word will stand, though heaven should fall. And john. xv. Christ is the wine and we the branches, so is Christ the rock, the stock and foundation whereon we be built. And Paul i Cor. iij. calleth Christ our foundation, and all other, whether it be Peter or Paul, he calleth them servants to preach Christ, and to build us on him. If therefore the Pope be Peter's successor, his duty is to preach Christ only The authority of Peter's successor ●o but to preach. and other authority hath he none. And. ij. xj. Paul marrieth us unto Christ and driveth us from all trust & confidence in man. And Epht. ij. saith Paul. You are build on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, that is on the word which they preached, Christ being, saith he, the head corner stone, in whom every building coupled together groweth up into an holy temple in the Lord, in whom also you are built together & made an habitation for God in the spirit. And Peter in the ij. of his first Epistle buildeth us on Christ, contrary to the Pope, which buildeth on himself. Hell gates shall not prevail against it, that is to say, against the congregation that is build upon Christ's saith and upon God's word. Now were the Pope the rock, hell gates could not prevail against him. For the house could not stand if the rock and foundation whereon it is built did perish: but the contrary see we in our Popes. For hell gates have prevailed against them many hundred years, and have swallowed them up: if God's word be true and the stories that are written of them: yea or if it be true that we see with our eyes. I will give thee the keys of heaven saith Christ, and not I give. And john xx. after that resurrection paid 〈◊〉, and gave the keys to them all indifferently. What soever thou byndest on earth, it shallbe bound in heaven, & what soever thou lousest on earth it shallbe loused in heaven. Of this text maketh the Pope what he will, and expoundeth it contrary to all the Scripture, contrary to That exposition to false which is against th● o●en scripture or against th● practising of Christ and of his Apostles. Christ's practising, and the Apostles, and all the Prophets. Now the scripture giveth record to himself and ever expoundeth itself by an other open text. If the Pope than can not bring for his exposition the practising of Christ or of the Apostles and prophets or an open text, then is his exposition false doctrine. Christ expoundeth himself. Math. xviij. saying: If the brother sin against the rebuke him betwixt him & thee alone. If he hear thee thou hast won thy brother: but if he hear thee not, them take with thee one or two and & so forth as it standeth in the text. He concludeth saying to them all, whatsoever you bind in earth it shallbe bond in heaven, and what soever you louse on earth it shallbe loused in heaven. Where binding is but to rebuke them that sin and losing to forgive them that repent. And john. xx. Whose sins you forgive they are forgiven and whose sins you hold they are held. And Paul i Cor. u bindeth, and ij. Cor. ij. louseth after the same manner. Also this binding and losing is Binding 〈◊〉 lousing is one power. one power, and as he bindeth so louseth he: yea and bindeth first ere he canlouse. For who can louse that is not bond. Now what soever Peter bindeth or his successor (as he willbe called and is not, but in dead that very successor of Satan) is not so to be understood, that Peter or the Pope hath power to command a man to be in deadly sin or to be damned or to go into hell saying: be thou in deadly sin, be thou damned, go thou to hell, go thou to Purgatory. For that exposition is contrary to the everlasting Testament that God hath made unto us in Christ. He sent his son Christ to louse us from sin and damnation and hell, and that to testify unto the world sent he his Disciples Acts. i Paul also hath no power to destroy, but to edify. ij. Cor. x. and. xiii. How can Christ give his Disciples power against himself and against his everlasting Testament? Can he sand them to preach salvation & give them power to damn whom they lust? What mercy and profit have we in Christ's death and in his Gospel, if the Pope which passeth all men in wickedness hath power to send whom he will to hell, and to damn whom he lusteth? we had them no cause, to call him jesus, What jesus signifieth. that is to say saviour: but might of right call him destroyer. Wherefore then this binding is to be understood as Christ interpreteth it in the places above rehearsed, What binding means. & as the Apostles practised it and is nothing but to rebuke men of their sins by preaching the law. A man must first sin against God's law ere the Pope can bind him: yea and a man must first sin against God's law ere he need to fear the Pope's curse. For cursing and binding are both one, & nothing saving to rebuke What cursing means. a man of his sins by God's law. It followeth also then that the losing is of like manner, and is nothing but forgiving of sin to them that repent What lousing means. through preaching of the promises which God hath made in Christ in whom only we have all forgiveness of sins, as Christ interpreteth it, and as the Apostles and Prophets practised it. So is it a false power that the Pope taketh on him to louse God's laws, as to give a man licence to put away his wife to whom God hath bond him, and to bind them to chastity which God commandeth to marry, that is to wit, them that burn and can not live chaste. It is also a false power to bind that which Gods word maketh free, making sin in the creatures which God hath made for man's use. The Pope which so fast lowses and ☜ purgeth in Purgatory, can not with all the lousinges and purgations that he hath, either louse or purge our appetites and lust and rebellion that is in us against the law of God. And yet the purging of them is the right Purgatory. If he can not purge them that are alive, where with purgeth he them, that are dead? The Apostles known no not other ways to purge, but through preaching God's word which word only is that that purgeth the heart, as thou mayst see john. xv. You are pure, saith Christ, through the word. Now the pope preacheth not to them whom they fain to lie in Purgatory, no more than he doth to us that are a live. How then purgeth he them? The pope The Pope is Robin goodfelow. is kin to Robin good fellow which swepeth the house, washeth the dishes and purgeth all by night. But when day cometh there is nothing found clean. Some man will say the Pope bindeth them not, they bind themselves. I answer he that bindeth himself to the pope and had liefer have his life and soul ruled by the Pope's will then by the will of God, and by the Pope's word then by the word of God, is a fool. And he that had liefer be bond then free is not wise. And he that will not abide in the freedom wherein Christ hath set us, is also mad. And he that maketh deadly sin where none is and seeketh causes of hatred between him and God is not in his right wits. Furthermore no man can bind himself further than he hath power over himself. He that is under the Of our selves we can perform nothing, further than God ●…ll give us power. power of an other man can not bind himself without licence, as son, daughter, wife, servant and subject. Neither canst thou give God that which is not in thy power. Chastity can● thou not give further than God dareth it thee, if thou can not live chaste thou art bound to marry or to be damned. Last of all for what purpose thou byndest thyself must be seen. If thou do it to obtain thereby that which Christ hath purchased for thee freely, so art thou an infidel, and hast no part with Christ, and so forth. If thou will't see more of this matter look in Deut. and there shalt thou find it more largely entreated. Take an other ensample of there Another example. false expounding the Scripture. Christ says Math. twenty-three. The Scribes and the Phariseis sit on Moses' seat, what soever they bid you observe, that observe and do: but after their works do not. Lo say our sophisters or hypocrites, line we never so abominably, yet is our authority never the less. Do as we teach therefore (say they) and not as we do And yet Christ saith they sit on Moses' seat, that is as long as they teach Moses do as they teach. For the law of Moses is the law of God. But for their own traditions & false doctrine Christ rebuked them, and disobeyed them, and taught other to beware of their leaven. So if our Phariscis To sit on Christ's sea●e. is to preach and confess Christ. sit on Christ's seat and preach him, we aught to hear them: but when they sit on their own seat, than aught we to beware as well of their pestilent doctrine as of their abominable lining. Likewise where they find mention ma●e of asword, they turn it unto the Pope's power. The disciples said unto Christ Luke. xxij. Lo here be two sword. And Christ answered two is enough. Lo, say they the Pope hath ij. sword, the spiritual sword & the temporal sword. And therefore is it lawful for him to fight and make war. Christ a little before he went to his passion, asked his Disciples saying: when I sent you out without all proiusion lacked you any thing. And they said nay. And he answered, but now let him, that hath a walet take it with him & he that hath a scrip likewise, and let him that hath never a sword cell his co●e and by one: As who should say, it shall go otherwise now then them. Then you went forth in faith of my word, and my father's promises, and it fed you and made provision for you, & was your sword and shield and defender: but now it shall go as thou readest Zacharias. xiii. I will smite the shepherd and the sheep of the flock shallbe scattered. Now shall my father leave me in the hands of theswicked, and you also shallbe forsaken and destitute of faith, and shall trust in your selves, and in your own provision, and in your own defence. Christ gave no commandment, but prophesied what should happen. And they because they understood him not, answered here are two sword. And Christ (to make an end of such babbling) answered two is enough. For if he had commanded every man to by a sword, how had two been enough? Also if two were enough, & pertained to the Pope only, why are they all commanded to buy every man a sword? By the sword therefore Christ prophesied that they should be left unto their own defence. And two sword were enough yea never a one had been enough. For if every one of them had had ten sword they would have fled ere midnight. In the same chapter of Luke not. Christ rebuked desire of pre-eminence in his Disciples, but the Pope challengeth it above all men as hy●… own inheritance. xii. lines from the foresaid text. The Disciples even at the last Supper asked who should be the greatest. And Christ rebuked them and said it was an heathenish thing and there should be no such thing among them, but that the greatest should be as the smailest, and that to be great was to do service as Christ did. But this text because it is brighter than the sin, that they can make no sophistry of it, therefore will they not hear it nor let other know it. FOr as much now as thou partly seest the salshed of our prelate's, how all their study is to deceive us and to keep us in darkness, to sit as Gods in our consciences, & handle us at their pleasure, and to lead us whether they lust: therefore, I read thee, get thee to God's word, and thereby try all doctrine and against that receive nothing. Neither any exposition contrary unto the open texts, neither contrary to the general articles of the faith: neither contrary to the living & practising of Christ and of his Apostles. And when they cry father's fathers, remember that Father's fathers. it were the fathers that blinded & rob the whole world and brought us into this captivity wherein these enforce to keep us still. Furthermore as they of the old time are fathers to us, so shall these foul monsters be fathers to them that come after us, and the hypocrites that follow us will cry of these and of their doings fathers, fathers, as these cry fathers, fathers, of them that are past. And as we feel our fathers, so did they that are passed feel their fathers: neither were there in the world any other fathers then such as we both see and feel this many hundred years, as their Decrees bear record and the stories and Chronicles well testify. If God's word appeared any where they agreed all against it. When they had brought that a sleep, then strove they one with an other about their own traditions and one Pope condemned an others Decrees and were sometime ij. yea three Popes at once. And one Bishop went to law with an other and one cursed an other for their own fantasies, & such things as they had falsely gotten. And the greatest Samts are they that most defended the liberties of the church (as they call it) which they falsely got with blynding kings, neither had the world any rest this many hundred years for reforming of Friars and Monks and ceasing of schisms that were among our Clergy. And as for the holy Doctors as Augustine, Jerome, Cyprian, Chrisostomus and Bede, will they not hear. If they written any thing negligently (as they were men) that draw they clean contrary to their meaning and thereof triumph they. Those Doctors known of none authority that one Bishop should have above another, neither thought or once dreamt that ever any such should be, or of any such whispering or of Pardons, or scouring of Purgatory, as they have feigned. And when they cry miracles miracles Miracles miracles. remember that God hath made an everlasting Testament with us in Christ's blood, against which we may receive no miracles no neither the preaching of Paul himself if he came again, by his own teaching to the Galathians, neither yet the preaching of the angels of heaven. Wherefore either The woman of Lemster was a solemn miracle. they are no miracles, but they have feigned them (as is the miracle that S. Peter hallowed Westminster) or else if there be miracles that confirm doctrine contrary to God's word, them are they done of the devil (as the maid of Ipswich & of Kent) to prove us whether we will clean last to God's word and to deceive them that have no love to the truth of God's word nor lust to walk in his laws. And for as much as they to deceive with all, arm themselves against them The armour of the spirituality. with arguments and perinnasions of fleshly wisdom, with worldly similitudes with shadows, with false Allegories, with false expositions of the Scripture contrary unto the living & practising of Christ and the Apostles, with lies and false miracles, with false names, domne ceremonies, with disguising of hypocrisy, with the authorities of the fathers and last of all with the violence of the temporal sword: therefore do thou contrariwise arm thy The armour of a Christ man is God's word and faith. self, to defend thee with all, as Paul teacheth in the last chapter to the Ephesians Gird on thee the sword of the spirit which is God's word and take to thee the shield of faith, which is not to believe a ●ate of Robynhode or Gestus Romanorum or of the Chronicles, but to believe God's word that pasteth ever. And when the Pope with his falsehood challengeth temporal authority above King and Emperor: set before thee the twenty-five. chapter of S. Math. Where Christ commanudeth Peter to put up his sword. And set before thee Paul ij. Cor. x. Where he saith the weapons of of our war are not carnal things, but mighty in God to bring all understanding in captivity under the obedience of Christ, that is, the weapons are God's word and doctrine and not sword of iron and steel, & set before thee the doctrine of Christ and of his Apostles and their practice. And when the Pope challengeth authority over his fellow Bishops and over all the congregation of Christ by succession of Peter set before thee the first of the Acts where Peter for all his authority put no man in the room of judas, but all the Apostles chose two indifferently and cast lots desiring God to temper them that the lot might fall on the most ablest. And Acts. viii. the Apostles sent Peter, and in the xi. call him to reckoning and to give accounts of that he hath done. And when the Pope's law commandeth ☜ saying: though that the Pope live never so wickedly and draw with him through his evil ensample innumerable thousands unto hell, yet see that no man presume to rebuke him, for he is head over all and no man over him: set before thee Gallates. ij. Where Paul rebuketh Peter openly. And see how both to the Corinthians, and also to the Galathians he will have no superior but God's word, & he that could teach better by God's word. And because God's word about all men's judge mentes. when he rehearsed his preaching and his doings unto the high Apostles, they could improve nothing, therefore will he be equal with the best. And when the Friars say, they do more than their duty, when they preach, Friars be not bond to preach. and more than they are bond to: to say our service are we bound (say they) and that is our duty, & to preach is more than we are bond to. Set thou before thee how that Christ's blood shedding hath bound us to love one an other withal our might and to do the uttermost of our power one to an other. And Paul saith. i Cor. ix. Woe be unto me if I preach not: yea woe is unto him that hath wherewith to help his neighbour and to make him better and do it not. If they think it more than their duty to preach Christ unto you then they think it more than their duty to pray that you should come to the knowledge of Christ. And therefore it is no marvel though they take so great labour: yea and so great wages also to keep you still in darkness. And when they cry furiously hold the heretics unto the brickwall, and if they will not revoke, burn them without any more a do, reason not with than, it is an Article condemned, by the fathers. Set thou before thee the saying of Peter. i Pet. iij. To all that ask you, be ready to give an answer of the hope that is in you, and that with meekness. The fathers of the jews and the Bishops, which had as great authority over them as ours have over us, condemned Christ & his doctrine. If it be enough to say the fathers have condemned it, then be the Jews to beholden excused: yea they are yet in the right way and we in the false. But & if the jews be bond to look in the Scripture and to see whether their fathers have done right or wrong, then are we likewise bond to look in the Scripture whether our fathers have done right or wrong, and aught to believe nothing without a reason of the Scripture and authority of God's word. And of this manner defend thyself against all manner wickedness of our spirits, armed always with God's word & with a strong and a steadfast faith thereunto. Without God's word do nothing. And to his word add nothing neither pull any thing ther●rō, as Moses every where teacheth thee. Serve God in the spirit, & thy neighbour How God aught to be served. with all outward service. Serve God as he hath appointed thee & not with thy good intent and good zeal. Remember Saul was cast away of God for ever for his good intent. God requireth obedience unto his word & abhorreth all good intentes and good zeals which are without God's word. For they are nothing else then plain Idolatry and worshipping of false Gods. And remember that Christ is the end In Christ to rest of conscience only. of all thing. He only is our resting place & he is our peace. Ephe. ij. chap. For as there is no salvation in any other name, so is there no peace in any other name. Thou shalt never have rest in thy soul neither shall the worm of conscience ever cease to gnaw thine heart till thou come at Christ: till thou hear the glad tidings, how that God for his sake hath forgiven thee all freely. If thou trust in thy works there is no rest. Thou shalt think, I have not done enough. Have I done, it with so great love as I should do? Was I so glad in doing as I would be to receive help at my need? I have left this or that undone and such like. If thou trust in confession, then shalt thou think. Have I told all? Have I told all the circumstances? Did I repent enough? Had I as great sorrow in my repentance for my sins as I had pleasure in doing them? Likewise in our holy Pardons & pilgrimages, gettest thou no rest. For thou seest that the very God's themselves which cell their pardon so good cheap or some while give them freely for glory sake, trust not therein themselves. They build Colleges and make perpetuities to be prayed for, for ever, & lady ● lips of their beadmen, or chaplains with so many Masses, & Diriges, and so long service, that I have known some that have bid the devil take their founder's souls, for very impatiency and weariness of so painful labour. As pertaining to good deeds therefore, do the best thou canst, and desire Do good deeds and trust in Christ. God to give strength to do better daily, but in Christ put thy trust and in the Pardon & promises that God hath made thee for his sake, & on that rock build thy house and there devil. For there only shalt thou be sure from all storms and tempests & from all wily assaults of our wicked spirits which study with all falsehood to undermine us. And the God of all mercy give the grace so to do, unto whom be glory for ever. Amen. ¶ A compendious rehearsal of that which goeth before. I Have described unto you the obedience of children, servants, wines, & subjects. These iiij. orders God's word is the rule of children, servants, wives & subjects. are of Gods making & the rules thereof are God's word. He that keepeth them shallbe blessed: yea is blessed all ready and he that breaketh them shallbe cursed. If any person of impatiency or of a stubborn and rebellious mind withdraw himself from any of these, and get him to any other order: let him not think thereby to avoid the vengeance of God in obeying rules and traditions of man's imagination. If thou poulledst thy head in the worship of thy father and breakest his commandments, shouldst y● so escape? Or if thou payntedst thy master's image on a brickwall and stickedst up a candle before it, shouldst thou therewith make satisfaction, for the breaking of his commandments. Or if thou warest a blue coat in the worship of the king and brakest his laws shouldst thou so go quite. Let a man's wife make herself a sister of the charterhouse and answer her husband when he biddeth her hold her peace, my brethren keep silence for me, and see whether she shall so escape. And be thou sure God is more jealous over his commandments then man is over his, or then any man is over his wife. Because we be blind, God hath appointed in the Scripture how we should serve him & please him. As pertaining unto his own person he is abundantly ●o please God ●o to believe his promises, & to love his commandments. pleased when we believe his promises and holy Testament which he hath made unto us in Christ, & for the mercy which ●e there showed us, love his commandments. All bodily service must be done to man in God's stead. We must give obedience, honour, tolle, tribute, custom, and rend unto whom they belong. Then if thou have aught more to bestow, give unto that poor which are left here in Christ's stead that we show mercy on them. If we keep the commandments of love them are we sure that we fulfil the law in the sight of God and that our blessing shallbe everlasting life. Now when we obey patiently and without grudging evil Princes that oppress us, & persecute us and be kind and merciful to them that are merciless to us, and do the worst they can to us, and so take all fortune patiently, and kiss what soever cross God layeth on our backs: then are we sure that we keep the commandments of love. I declared that God hath taken all vengeance into his own hands, and will avenge all unright himself: either by the powers or officers which are appointed thereto or else, if they be negligent, he will sand his curses upon the transgressors & destroy them with his secret judgements. I showed also that whosoever avengeth himself is He that will avenge, robbeth God of his honour. damned in the deed doing and falls into the hands of the temporal sword, because be taketh the office of God upon him and robbeth God of his most high honour, in that he will not patiently abide his judgement. I showed you of the authority of Princes, how they are in God's stead and how they may not be resisted, do they never so evil, they must be reserved unto the wrath of God. Never the latter if they command to do evil we must then disobey and say we are otherwise commander of God: but not to rise against them. They will kill us then sayest thou. Therefore, I say is a Christian called, to suffer even the bitter death for his hopes sake, and because he will do no evil. I How 〈◊〉 soever the king is. 〈…〉 unto th●… great gift of God. showed also that the Kings and rulers (be they never so evil) are yet a great gift of the goodness of God, and defend us from a thousand things that we see not. I proved also that all men without exception are under the temporal sword, what soever names they give themselves. Because the Priest is choose out of the lay men, to teach this obedience, is that a lawful cause for him to disobey? Because he preacheth that the lay man should not steal, is it therefore lawful for him to steal unpunished? Because thou teachest me that I may not kill, or if I do, the king must kill me again, is it therefore lawful for thee to kill and go free? Either whether is it rather meet that thou which are my guide to teach me the rightwaye shouldst walk therein before me? The Priests of the old law with their high bishop Aaron. and all his successors, though they were anointed by God's commandment and appointed to serve God in his temple and exempt from all offices & ministering of worldly matters, were yet nevertheless under the temporal sword, if they broke the laws. Christ saith to Peter, all that take the sword, shall perish by the sword. Here is none exception. Paul says, all souls must obey. Here is none exception. Paul himself is here not exempt. God saith Gene. ix. Who soever sheds man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed again. Here is none exception. Moreover Christ become poor to make other men rich, and bond to make other free. He left also with his Disciples the law of love. Now love The Pope hath a law that none of his spirits may be surety. seeketh not her own profit: but her neighbours, love sceketh not her own freedom, but becometh surety and bond to make her neighbour fire. Damned therefore are the spirituality by all the laws of God, which through falsehood & disguised hypocrisy have sought so great profit, so great riches, so great authority and so great liberties, and have so bedgerd the lay, & so brought them in subjection and bondage and so despised them, that they have set up franchises in all towns and villages for who soever robbeth, murdereth or slayeth them, and even for traitors unto the kings person also. I proved also that no king hath power to grant them such liberty: but are as well damned for their giving, as they for their false purchasing. For as God giveth the father power over his children: even so giveth he him a commandment to execute it, and not to suffer them to do wickedly unpunished but unto his damnation, as thou mayst see by Hely the high Priest. etc. And as the master hath authority over his servants: even so hath he a commandment to govern them. And as the husband is head over his wife: even so hath he commandment to rule her appetites and is damned if he suffer her to be an whore & a miss liver, or submit himself to her, & make her his head. And even in like manner as God maketh the king head over The king is but a servant to execute the laws of God. his Realm, even so giveth he him commandment to execute the laws upon all men indifferently. For the law is Gods and not the kings. The king is but a servant to execute the law of God, and not to rule after his own imagination. I showed also that the law and the king are to be feared, as things that were gevenin fire, and in thunder, and lightning, & terrible signs. I showed the cause why rulers are evil, and by what means we might obtain better. I showed also how wholesome those bitter medicines evil Princes are to right Christian men. I declared how they which God hath made governors in the world aught to rule if they be Christian. They aught to remember that they are heads and arms, to defend the body, to minister peace, health, & wealth, and even to save the body, and that they have received their offices of God to minister & to do service unto their brethren. King, subject, Master, servant, are names in the world: but not in Christ. In Christ we are all one and even brethren. No man is his own, but we are all Christ's servants bought with Christ's blood. Therefore aught no man to seek himself or his own profit: but Christ and his will. In Christ no man ruleth as a king his subjects, or a master his servants: but serveth as one hand doth to an other and as the hands do unto the feet and the feet to the hands, as thou seest. 1. Cor. xii. We also serve not as servants unto masters: but as they which are bought with Christ's blood serve Christ himself. We be here all servants unto Christ. For what soever we do one to an other in Christ's name, that do we unto Christ, & the reward of that shall we receive of Christ. The king counteth How far a king aught to seek at his commons hands. his commons Christ himself, & therefore doth them service willingly, seeking no more of them than is sufficient to maintain peace & unity, & to defend the realm, And they obey again willingly and lovingly as unto Christ. And of Christ every man seeketh his reward. I warned the judges that they take not an ensample how to minister their offices, of our spirituality, which are bought and solo to do the will of Satan: but of the Scripture whence they have their authority. Let that which is secret abide secret till God open it, which is the judge of secrets. For it is more than a cruel thing to break Note. 4 up into a man's heart & to compel him to put either soul or body in jeopardy or to shame himself. If Peter that great pillar for fear of death forsook his master, aught we not to spare weak consciences? I declared how the king aught to rid his Realm from the wily tyranny of the hypocrites, and to bring the hypocrites under his laws: yea and how he aught to be learned, & to hear, and to look upon the causes himself, which he will punish, and not to believe the hypocrites, and to give them his sword to kill whom they will. The king aught to count what he hath spent in the Pope's quarrel since he was king. The first voyage cost upon xiv. hundred thousand pounds. reckon sens what hath been spent by sea and land between us and Frenchmen, and Scots, and then in triumphs, and in Ambasiasies, and what hath been sent out of the Realm secretly, and all to maintain our holy father, and I doubt not but that will surmount the some of. xl. or. l. hundred thousand pounds. For we had no cause to spend one penny but for our holy father. The king therefore aught to make them pay this money every farthing, and fet it out of their miters, croses, shrines and all manner treasure of the Church, and pay it to his commons again: not that only which the Cardinal and his Bishops compelled the commons to lend, and made them swear with such an ensample of tyranny as was never before thought on: but also all that he hath gathered of them. Or else by the consent of the commons to keep it in store for the defence of the realm. Yea the king aught to look in the Chronicles what the Popes have done to kings in time past and make them restore it also, And aught to take away from them their lands which they have got with their false prayers, & restore it unto the right heirs again, or with consent & advisement turn them unto the maintaining of the poor and bringing up of youth virtuously and to maintain necessary officers and ministers for to defend the common wealth. If he will not do it: then aught the commons to take patience and to take it for God's scourge, and to think that God hath blinded the king for their sins sake and commit their cause to God: And then shall God make a scourge for them and drive them out of his Temple after his wonderful judgement. ON the other side I have also uttered the wickedness of the spirituality, the falsehood of the Bishops, and juggling of the Pope, and how they have disguised themselves, borrowing some of their pomp of the jews, and some of the Gentiles, and have with suttill wiles turned the obedience that should be given to God's ordinance unto themselves. And how they have put out God's Testament and God's truth and set up their own traditions and lies, in which they have taught the people to believe & there by sit in their consciences as God, and have by that means rob the world of lands & goods, of peace and unity, and of all temporal authority, and have brought the people into the ignorance of God & have heaped the wrath of God upon all realms & namely upon the kings. Whom they have rob (I speak not of worldly things only) but even of their very natural wits. They make them believe that they are most Christian, when they live most abominably, and will suffer no man in their Realms that believeth on Christ, and that they are defenders of the faith, when they burn the Gospel & promises of God, out of which all faith springeth. I showed how they have ministered Christ, King and Emperor out of their rooms, & how they have made them a several kingdom which they got at the first in deceiving of Princes, and now pervert the whole scripture to prove that they have such authority of God. And jest the lay men should see how falsely they allege the places of the Scripture, is the greatest cause of this persecution. They have feigned confession for the same purpose to establish their kingdom Confession. with all. All secrets know they thereby. The Bishop knoweth the confession of whom he lusteth throughout all his Diocese. Yea and his Chancellor commandeth the ghostly father to deliver it written. The pope, his Cardinals and Bishops know the confession of the Emperor, Kings, & of all Lords: & by confession they know all their captives. If any believe in Christ, by confession they know him. Shrive thyself where thou will't, whether at The manifold enormities which their auricular confession did breed. Zion charterhouse or at the obseruants thy confession is known well enough. And thou, if thou believe in Christ, art waited upon. Wonderful are the things that thereby are wrought. The wife is feared and compelled to utter not her own only but also the secrets of her husband, and the servant the secrets of his master. Besides that thoraugh confession they quench the faith of all the promises of God, and take away the effect and virtue of all the Sacraments of Christ. They have also corrupted the Saints lives with lies and feigned miracles & have put many things out of the sentence or great curse, as raising of ●ente and fines and hiring men out of their houses, and whatsoever wickedness they themselves do, & have put a great part of the stories and Chronicles on't of the way jest their falsehood should be seen. For there is no mischiefs or The Pope and his chapteyns were the fountains of all evils in spiritual regiment, or temporal. disorder, whether it be in the temporal regiment, or else in the spiritual whereof they are not the chief causes and even the very fountain and springs, and as we say, the well head so that it is impossible to preach against mischief except thou begin at them, or to set any reformation in the world except thou reform them first. Now are they indurate and tough as Pharaoh, and will not bow unto any right way or order. And therefore persecute they God's word and the preachers thereof, and on the other side lie await unto all princes & stir up all mischief in the world and sand them to war, and occupy their minds therewith or with other voluptuousness, jest they should have leisure to hear the word of God and to set an order in their realms. By them is all thing ministered and by them are all kings ruled: yea in every kings conscience sit they ●re he be king and persuade every king what they lust, and make them both to believe what they will and to do what they will. Neither can any king or any realm have rest for their businesses. Behold king Henry the u whom they sent out for such a purpose as they sent out our king that now is. See how the Realm is inhabited. Ask where the goodly towns and their walls and the people that was wont to be in them are become, and where the blood royal of the Realm is become also. Turn thy eyes whether thou will't & thou shalt see nothing prosperons but their subtle polling. With that it is flowing water: yea and I trust it willbe shortly a full see. In all their doings though they Under an outward pretence of God's honour, the po●●● Clergy procured their own dignity. pretend outwardly the honour of God or a common wealth, their intent and secret Council is only to bring all under their power and to take out of the way who soever letteth them, or is to mighty for them. As when they sand the Princes to Jerusalem to conquer the holy land and to fight against the Turks. What soever they pretend outwardly their secret intent is, while the Princes there conquer them more bishoprics, to conquer their lands in the mean season with their false hypocrisy, and to bring all under them, which thou mayest easily perceive by that they will not let us know the faith of Christ. And when they are once on high, then are they tyrants above all tyrants, whether they be Turks or Saracenes. How minister they proving of testaments? How causes of wedlock? or if any man die intestate? If a poor man dye and leave his wi●e and half a dozen young children & but one cow to find them, that will they have for a mortuary merciless: let come of wife and children what will. Yea let any thing be done against their pleasure and they will interdite the whole realm sparing no person. Read the Chronicles of England (out of which yet they have put a great part of their wickedness) & thou shalt find them all ways both rebellious and disobedient to the kings and also churiish and unthankful, so that, when all the Realm gave the king somewhat to maintain him in his right, they would not give a mite. Consider the story of K. john, where I doubt not but they have put the best & fairest for themselves, & the worst of king john, For I suppose they make the Chronicles themselves. Compare the doings of their holy Church (as they ever call it) unto the learning of Christ and of his Apostles. Did not the Legate of Rome assoil all the Lords of the realm of their due obedience which they aught to the king by the ordinance of God? would he not have cursed the king with his solemn pomp, because he would have done that office which God commandeth every king to do and wherefore God hath put the sword in every kings hand? that is to weet, because king john would have punished a wicked Clerk that had coined false money. The lay men that had not done half so great faults must dye, but the Clerk must go escape free. Scent not the Pope also unto the king of France remission of his sins to go and conquer king john's Realm. So now remission of sins cometh not by faith in the Testament that God hath made in Christ's blood: but by fighting & murdering for the Pope's pleasure. Last of all was not king john fain to deliver his crown unto the Legate and to yield up his Realm unto the Pope, wherefore we pay Peter pennies. They might be called the polling pennies of false Prophets well enough. They care not by what mischief they come by their purpose. War and conquering of lands is their harvest. The wickeder the people are, the more they have the hypocrites in reverence, the more they fear them and the more they believe in them. And they that conquer other men's lands, when they die, make them their heirs, to be prayed for for ever. Let there come one The keeping down of God's word, promoted the Pope's spiritualties honour. conquest more in the Realm, and thou shalt see them get yet as much more as they have (if they can keep down God's word that their juggling come not to light) yea thou shalt see them take the Realm whole into their hands and crown one of themselves king thereof. And verily I see no other likelihood, but that the land shallbe shortly conquered. The stars of the Scripture promise' us none other fortune, in as much as we deny Christ with the wicked jews, and will not have him reign over us: but willbe still children of darkness under Antichrist, and Antichristes possession, burning the Gospel of Christ, and defending a faith that may not stand with his holy Testament. If any man shed blood in the church, it shallbe interoited, till he have paid for the hallowing. If he be not able the parish must pay or else shall it stand always interdited. They willbe avenged on them that never offended. Full well prophesied of them. Paul in the ij. Epistle to Timo. iij. Some man will say, wouldst thou that men should fight in the Church unpunished? Nay but let the king ordain a punishment for them, as he doth for them that fight in his palace and let not all the Parish be troubled for onhis fall. And as for their hallowing it, is that juggling of Antichrist. A Christian man is the temple of God and of the holy ghost, & hallowed in Christ's blood. A Christian man is holy in himself by reason of the spirit that dwelleth in him and the place wherein he is, is holy be reason of him, whether he be in the field or town. A Christian husband sanctifieth an unchristen wife, and a Christian wife an unchristen husband (as concerning the use of matrimony) saith Paul to the Corinthians. If now while we seek to be hallowed in Christ, we are found unholy, & must be hallowed by the ground or place or walls, them died Christ in vain. howbeit Antichrist must have wherewith to sit in men's consciences, and to make them fear where is no fear, and to rob them of their faith, and to make them trust in that can not help them, and to seek holiness of that which is not holy in itself. After that the old king of France was brought down out of Italy, mark what pageants have been plays, and what are yet a playing to separate us from the Emperor (jest by the help or aid of us he should be able to recover his right of the Pope) & to couple us to the Frenchmen, whose might the pope ever abuseth to keep the Emperor from Italy. What prevaileth it for any king to marry his daughter or his son or to make any peace or good ordinance for the wealth of his realm? For it shall no longer last than it is profitable to them. Their treason is so secret that the world can not perceive it. They dissimule those things which they are only cause of, & simul discord among themselves when they are most agreed. One shall hold this, and another shall dispute the contrary: But the conclusion shallbe that most maynteineth their falsehood, though God's word be never so contrary. What have they wrought in our days, yea and what work they yet, to the perpetual dishonour of the King and rebuke of the Realm, and shame of all the nation in what soever Realms they go? I uttered unto you partly the malicious The Bishop of Rochester as a fit paterna to 〈…〉 ●ll y● 〈…〉 a●…. blindness of the Bishop of Rochester, his juggling his conneying, his foxi wilenes, his bopepe, his wresting, renting and shameful abusing of the Scripture, his Oratory & alieging of heretics and how he would make the Apostles authors of blind ceremonies without signification contrary to their own doctrine, and have set him for an ensample to judge all other by. What soever thou art that readest this. I exhort thee in Christ, to compare his sermon and that which I have written, and the scripture together and judge. There shalt thou find of our holy father's authority, and what it is to be great, and how to know the greatest. Then followeth the cause why lay men can not rule temporal offices which is the falsehood of the Bishops. There shalt thou find of miracles & ceremonies without signification, of false anointing & lying signs & false names and how the spirituality are disguised in falsehood, & how they roll the people in darkness and do all thing in the Latin tongue and of their petty pillage, Their polling is like a soaking consumption wherein a man complaineth of feebleness and of fayntynes and wotteth not whence his disease cometh: it is like a pocke that freateth inward and consumeth the very marrow of the bones. There seest thou the cause why it is impossible for kings to come to the The cause why kings could not come to the knowledge of the truth. knowledge of the truth. For the spirits lay await for them & serve their appetites at all points and through confession buy and sell and betray both them, and all their true friends & lay beytes for them and never leave them till they have blinded them with their sophistry & have brought them into their nets. And then when the king is captive, they compel all the rest with violence of his sword. For if any man will not obey them be it right or wrong they cite him, suspend him, and curse or excommunicate him. If he then obey not they deliver him to pilate, that is to say, unto the temporal officers to destroy him. Last of all there findest thou the very cause of all persecution, which is the preaching against hypocrisy. Then come we to the Sacraments, where thou seest that the work of the Sacrament saveth not, but the faith in the promise which the Sacrament signifieth justifieth us only. There haste thou that a Priest is but a servant to teach only and what soever he taketh upon him more than to preach & to minister the Sacraments of Christ (which is also preaching) is falsehood. Then cometh how they juggle through dumb ceremonies & how they make merchandise with feigned words, penance, a poena & a culpa, satisfaction, attrition, character, Purgatory pickpurse and how through confession they make the Sacraments and all the promise of none effect or value. There seest thou that absolving is but preaching the promises & cursing or excommunicating preaching the law, and of their power, & of their keys, of false miracles & praying to Saintes. There seest Miracles are done by faith and not by ceremonies. thou that ceremonies did not the miracles but faith: even as it was not Moses, rod that did the miracles but Moses faith in the promise of God. Thou seest also that to have a faith where God hath not a promise is Idolatry. And there also seest thou how the pope exalteth himself above God and commandeth him to obey his tyranny. Last of all thou hast there that no man aught to preach but he that is called. Then followeth the belly brotherhood of Monks & Friars. For Christ hath deserved naught with them. For his sake gettest thou no favour. Thou must offer unto their belies & then they pray bitterly for thee. There seest thou that Christ is the only cause: yea & all the cause why God doth aught for us and heareth our complaint. And there hast thou doctrine how to know and to be sure that thou art elect and hast God's spirit in thee. And hast there learning to try the doctrine of our spirits. Then follow the four senses of the Scripture of which three are no senses and the fourth that is to wit the literal sense which is the very sense hath the Pope taken to himself. It may have no other meaning than as it pleaseth his fatherhood. We must abide his interpretation. And as his bells think so must we think, though it be impossible together any such meaning of the Scripture. Then hast thou the very use of Allegories and how they are The use of Allegories. nothing but ensamples borrowed of the Scripture to express a text or an open conclusion of the Scripture and as it were to paint it before thine eyes, that thou mayest feel the meaning and the power of the Scripture in thine heart. Then cometh the use of worldly similitudes, & how they are The use of similitudes. false Prophets which bring a worldly similitude for any other purpose, save to express more plainly the which is contained in an open text. And so are they also which draw the Scripture contrary to the open places and contrary to the ensample living and practising of Christ, the Apostles and of the holy Prophets. And then finally hast thou of our holy father's power and of his keys and of his binding and excommunicating and of his cursing and blessing with ensamples of every thing. The end of the obedience of a Christian man. ¶ An exposition upon the u vi. seven. chapters of Matthew, which three chapters are the key and the door of the scripture, and the restoring again of Moses law corrupt by the Scribes and Pharisees. And the exposition is the restoring again of Christ's law corrupt by the Papists. ¶ Item before the book, thou hast a Prologue very necessary, containing the whole sum of the covenant made between God and us, upon which we be baptized to keep it. Set forth by William Tyndall. ¶ The Prologue. HEre hast thou dear Reader an exposition upon the u vi. and seven. chapters of Matthew, wherein Christ our spiritual Isaac, diggeth again the wells of To dig the wells of Abraham, is to open and to make plain the scriptures, which is the kingdom of God. Abraham: which wells that Scribes & Pharisees, those wicked & spiteful Philistines, had stopped and filled up with the earth of their false expositions. He openeth the kingdom of heaven which they had shut up that other men should not enter, as they themselves had no lust to go in. He restoreth the key of knowledge which they had taken away and broken the wards with wresting the text contrary to his due and natural course, with their false gloss. He plucketh away from the face of Moses, the vail which the Scribes and Phareises had spread thereon, that no man might perceive the brightness of his countenance. He wedeth out the thorns and bushes of their Pharesaicall gloss, wherewith they had stopped up the narrow way and strait gate, that few could find them. The wells of Abraham, are the scripture. Abraham's wells. And the Scripture may well be called the kingdom of heaven, which is eternal The kingdom of heaven what it 〈◊〉. Moses face. life, and nothing save the knowledge of God the father and of his son jesus Christ. joh. xvij. Moses face is the law in her right understanding, and the law in her right understanding is the key, or at the lest way The key what it is. the first and principal key to open the door of the Scripture. And the law is the very way that bringeth unto the door Christ, as it The law is the way that leadeth to Christ. is written Gala. iij. The law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. And Rom. x. the end of the law: that is to say, the thing or cause why the law was given, is Christ, to justify all that believe. That is to say: the law was given to prove us unrighteous and to drive us to Christ, to be made righteous the row forgiveness of sin by him. The law was given to make the sin known saith Law what her office is. Saint Paul Rom. iiij. and that sin committed under the law might be the more sinful. Rom. seven. The law is that thing, which Paul in his inward man granted to be good, but was yet compelled often times of his members to do those things which that good law condemned for evil. Rom. seven. The law maketh no man to love the law, The la 〈…〉 ●●reth sin, condemneth our deeds, & drinketh us to Christ. or less to do or commit sin: but gendereth more lust, Rom. seven. and increaseth sin. Rom. u For I cannot but hate the law, in as much as I find no power to do it, and it nevertheless condemneth me because I do it not. The law setteth not at one with God, but causeth wrath. Rom. iij. The law was given by Moses, but grace and verity by jesus Christ. joh. j Behold though Moses gave the law, yet he gave no Moses 〈◊〉 the law but Christ only giveth grace to do it, and understand it aright. man grace to do it or to understand it aright, or written it in any man's heart, to consent that it was good, and to wish after power to fulfil it. But Christ giveth grace to do it, and to understand it aright, and writeth it with his holy spirit in the table's o● the hearts of men, and maketh it a true thing there, and none hypocrisy. The law truly understood, is those fiery serpents that strong the children of Israel with present death: But Christ is the brazen serpent on whom whosoever being stoge The 〈◊〉 ser●ent. Num. 〈◊〉. with conscience of sin, & looketh with a ●ure faith, is healed immediately of that stinging and saved from the pains and sorrows of hell. It is one thing to condemn and pronounce The 〈◊〉 〈…〉 contra●… pe●acio●s. the sentence of death, and to fling the conscience with fear of everlasting pain. And it is an other thing to justify from sin: that is to say, to forgive and remit sin, and to heal the conscience, and certify a man, not only that he is delivered from eternal death, but also that he is made the son of God & heir of everlasting lise. The first is the office of the law. The second pertaineth unto Christ only thorough faith. Now if thou give the law a false gloze 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 ●ure 〈◊〉 is looked up say: that the law is a thing which a man may do of his own strength, even out of the power of his free will: and that by the deeds of the law thou mayst deserve forgiveness of thy foresinnes. Then died Christ in vain Galat. ij. and is made almost of no sled, seeing thou art become thine own saviour. Neither can Christ (where that gloze is admitted) be otherwise taken or esteemed of Christian men (for all his passion and promises made to us in his blood) than he is of the turks: how that he was an holy prophet, and that he prayeth for us as other Saints do: save that we Christian think that he is somewhat more in favour then other saints be (though we imagine him so proud that he will not hear us but thorough his m●●de mother and other holy saints, which all we count much more meek and merciful than he, but him most of might) and that he hath also an higher place in heaven, as the grey Friars and obseruaunts set him, as it were from the chin upward above S. Frances. And so when by this false interpretation of the law, Christ which is the door, the Christ is the door, the way, and foundation, of all the Scriptures. way, and the gronund or foundation of all the scripture, is lost concerning the chiefest fruit of his passion, and no more seen in his own likeness: then is the scripture locked up, and henceforth extreme darkness and a maze, wherein if thou walk, thou wottest neither where thou art, nor canst find any way out. It is a confused Chaos, and a mingling of all things together without order, every thing contrary to an other. It is an hedge or grove of briars, wherein if thou be caught, it is impossible to get out, but that if thou louse thyself in one place, thou art tangled and caught in an other for it. This wise was the scripture locked up When by gloss of out own imagination we darken the clear text of god's word, them is the Scripture locked by from us. of the Scribes & Phareseiss, that the jews could not see Christ when he came, nor yet can. And though Christ with these iij. chapters did open it again: yet by such gloss, for our unthankfulness sake, that we had no lust to live according: have we christian lost Christ again, and the understanding of the most clear text, wherewith Christ expoundeth and restoreth the law again. For the hypocrites whatsoever seemeth impossible to their corrupt nature unrenued in Christ, that they cover overwith the mist of their gloss, that the light thereof should not be seen. As they have interpreted here the words of Christ, wherewith he restoreth the law again, to be but good councils only, but no precepts that bind the consciences. And thereto they have so ruffled and tangled the temporal and spiritual regiment together, Christ used 〈◊〉 temporal regiment. and made thereof such confusion that no man can know the one from the other: to the intent that they would seem to have both by the authority of Christ, which never usurped temporal regiment unto him. Notwithstanding (most dear reader) if thou read this exposition with a good heart only to know the truth for the amending chiefly of thy own living, and then of other men's (as charity requireth where an occasion is given) then shalt thou perceive their falsehood, and see their mist expelled with the brightness of the incuytable truth. another conclusion is this: all the good promises which are made us thorough out all Christ is a g●… given only to them that love the law and profess it. the scripture for Christ's sake, for his love, his passion or suffering, his bloudsheding or death all are made us on this condition and covenant on our party, that we henceforth love the law of God, to walk therein & to do it & fashion our lives thereafter. In so much that whosoever hath not the law of God written in his heart, that he love it, have his lust in it, and record therein night and day, understanding it as God hath given it, and He that professeth not the law hath 〈…〉 in the promises. as Christ and the Apostles expound it: the same hath no part in the promises, or can have any true faith in the blood of Christ: because there is no promise made him, but to them only that promise to keep the law. Thou will't happily say to me again: if I cannot have my sins forgiven except I love the law, and of love endeavour myself to keep it: then the keeping of the law justifieth me. I answer that the argument is Works do not justify. false and but blind sophistry, and like unto this argument: I cannot have forgiveness of my sin except I have sinned, Ergo to have sinned is the forgiveness of sin. And it is like to this also: No man can be healed of the pocks but he that hath them: Ergo to have the pocks doth heal the pocks. And like sophistry are these arguments: if thou will't enter into life, keep the commandments. Math. nineteeen. Ergo the deeds of the law justify us. Item the hearers of the law are not righteous in the sight of God, but the do●rs of the law shall be justified. Rom. ij. Ergo the deeds of the law justify from sin. And again: we must all stand before the judgement feat of Christ, to receive every man according to the deeds which he did in the body: Ergo the law or the deeds 2. Cor. 〈◊〉. of the law justify. These and all such are naughty arguments. For you see that the king pardoneth no murderer but on a condition, that he henceforth keep the law and do no more so, and yet you know well enough that he is saved by grace, favour, and pardon, yet the keeping of the law come .. Howbeit, if he break the law afterward, he falls again into the same danger of death. Even so, none of us can be received to The law. By keeping the law we continued in grace. grace but upon a condition to keep the law, neither yet continued any longer in grace then that purpose lasteth. And if we break the law, we must sue for a new pardon, and have a new sight against sin, hell, and desperation, ye● we can come to a quiet faith again and feel that the sin is forgiven. Neither can there be in the a stable and an undoubted faith that thy sin is forgiven thee, except there be also a lusty courage in thy heart, & a trust that thou will't sin no more, for on that condition that thou endeavour thyself to sin no more, is the promise of mercy and forgiveness made unto thee. And as thy love to the law increaseth, so faith, love and hope are insepararable in this life. doth thy faith in Christ, and so doth thine hope and longing for the life to come. And as thy love is cold, so is thy faith weak, & thy hope and longing for the life to come little. And where no love to the law is, there is neither faith in Christ for the forgiveness of sin, nor longing for the life to come: but in steed of faith, a wicked imagination that God is so unrighteous that he is not offended with sin. And in stead of hope, a desire to live ever here, and a greediness of worldly voluptuousness. And unto all such is the Scripture locked They that love not the law cannot understand the Scripture to salvation. up and made impossible to understand. They may read it and rehearse the stories thereof, and dispute of it, as the turks may, and as we may of the turks law. And they may suck pride, hypocrisy and all manner of poison there out to slay their own souls, and to put stumbling blocks in other men's ways, to thrust them from the truth? and get such learning therein as in Aristotle's Ethikes and moral philosophy, and in the precepts of old philosophers. But it is impossible for them to apply one sentence thereof to their soul's health for to fashion their lives thereby for to please God, or to make them love the law or understand it, either to feel the power of Christ's death and might of his resurrection and sweetness of the life to come. So that they ever remain carnal and fleshly, as thou hast an ensample of the Scribes, Phariseis, and jews in the new testament. another conclusion is this: of them that Care. believe in Christ for the remission of sin and love the law, are a thousand degrees and not How God careth for the weak. so few, one perfecter or weaker than another: of which a great sort are so feeble that they can neither go forward in their profession & purpose, nor yet stand except they be holp and borke of their stronger brethren, and tended as young children are by the care of their fathers and mothers. And therefore doth God command the elder to care for the younger. As Paul teacheth Rom. xv, saying: we that be stronger, aught to bear the feebleness of the weaker. And Gala. uj. brethren if any man be caught in any fault, you that be spiritual (and By bearing each other weakness we fulfil the law of Christ. are grown in knowledge and have gotten the victory of your flesh) teach such with the spirit of softness, not calling them heretics at the first chop, & threatening them with fire and fagottes. But alter alterius onera portate (saith he) & sic adimplebitis legem Christi. That is to say: bear each others burden, & so shall you fulfil the law of Christ. Even so verily shall you fulfil the law of Christ, and not with smiting your brethren, and putting stumbling blocks before their weak feet, and killing their consciences, and making them more afraid of shadows and bugs, then to break their father's commandments, and to trust in words of wind and vanity more than in their father's promise. And for their sakes also, he hath ordained Rulers why they were ordained. rulers both spiritual and temporal, to teach them and exhort them, to warn them and to keep occasions from them, that with custom of sin they fall not from their profession. Now when they that take upon them to be the elder brethren, are become hypocrites, Why God scourgeth his. and turned to wily Foxes and cruel wolves and fierce Lions, and the officers be waxed evil and servants to Mammon, ministering their offices for their own lucre only, and not for the profit of their brethren, but favouring all vices whereby they may have a vantage. Then is God compelled of his fatherly pity to scourge his weak himself, with poverty, oppression, wrong, loss, danger, and with a thousand manner of diseases, to bring them again if they be fallen, and to keep their hearts fast to their profession. So that diligentibus Deum omnia cooperantur in bonum. Roma. viii. They that love God, that is to say, the law of God (for that is to love God) unto them god turneth all to the best, and scourgeth them with the lusts of their own weakness to their own salvation. another conclusion is this: God receiveth both perfit and weak in like grace for Christ's sake, as a father receiveth all his children both small and great in like love. He receiveth them to be his sons and maketh The conditions of the covenant. a covenant with them, to bear their weakness for Christ's sake, till they be waxen stronger, and how often soever they fall, yet to forgive them if they will turn again, and never to cast of any, till he yield himself to sin, and take sins part, and for affection and lust to sin, fight against his own profession to destroy it. And he correcteth and chastiseth his children ever at home with the rod of mercy and love, to make them better: but he bringeth them not forth to be judged after the condemnation of the law. another conclusion is this: every man is two men, flesh and spirit. Which so fight perpetually one against an other, that a man must go either back or forward, and can not stand long in on state. If the spirit overcome Flesh and spirit. the temptation: then is she stronger and the flesh weaker. But and if the flesh get a custom, then is the spirit none otherwise oppressed of the flesh, then as though she had a mountain upon her back, and as we sometime in our dreams think we bear mightier than a millstone on our breasts, or when we dream now and then that we would run away for fear, our legs seem heavier than lead. Even so is the spirit oppressed and over laden of the flesh through custom, that she struggeleth and striveth to get up and to break louse in vain, until the God of mercy which heareth her groan through jesus Christ, come and louse her with his power, and put his cross of tribulation on the back of the flesh to keep her down, to minish her strength and to mortify her. Wherefore every man must have his cross Cross. to nail his flesh to, for the mortifying of her. Now if thou be not strong enough and discrete thereto, to take up thy cross thyself and to tame thy flesh with prayer and fasting, watching, deeds of mercy, holy meditations Evil lusts and affections are to be purged with the cross of Christ. and reading the Scripture, and with bodily labour and in withdrawing all manner of pleasures from the flesh, and with exercises contrary to the vices which thou markest thy body most inclined to, and with abstaining from all that courage the flesh against the spirit: as reading of wanton books, wanton communication, foolish jesting and effeminate thoughts, and talking of covetousness, which Paul forbiddeth Ephe. u. and magnifying of worldly promotions: And takest I say up such a cross by thine own self or by the counsel of other that are better learned and exercised than thou. Then must God put his cross of adversity upon thee. For we must have every man his cross in this world, or be damned with the world. Of this you see the difference between the To sin under grace, and to 〈◊〉 under the law. sin of them that believe in the blood of Christ for the remission of sin, and consent and submit themselves unto the law: and the sin of them that yield themselves unto sin to serve it. etc. The first sin under grace, and their sins are venial, that is to say: forgivable. The other sin under the law & under the damnation of the law, and fight (for a great part of them) against grace & against the spirit of grace, & against the law of God and faith of Christ, and corrupt the text of the covenant with false gloss, and are disobedient to God, and therefore s●… deadly. O● this also you see the difference between the lambs of true believers, and between the Lambs. Swine. Dogs. unclean swine that follow carnal lusts & fleshly liberty, and the churlish and hypocr●…e dogs. Which for the blind zeal of their own righteousness, persecute the righteousness of the faith in Christ's blood. The effeminate and careless swine which continued Swyre have ●o faith. in their fleshliness, & cease not to wallow themselves in their old podell, think that they believe very well in Christ's blood, but they are deceived (as thou mayst clearly perceive) because they fear not the damnation of evil works, nor love the law of good works, and therefore have no part in the promise. The cruel and doggish hypocrites which Dogs love not the law. take upon them to work, think they love the law, which yet they never saw, save under a veil. But they be deceived (as thou mayst perceive) by that they believe not in Christ for the forgiveness of sin. Whereby also (I mean that they believe not) thou mayst perceive that they understand not the law. For if they understood the law, it would either drive them to Christ or make them despair immediately. But the true believers behold the law in her own likeness and see the impossibility True faith to coupled with love to the law. thereof to be fulfilled with natural power, and therefore flee to Christ for mercy, grace, and power: and then of a very thankfulness for the mercy received, love the law in her own likeness, and submit themselves to learn it and to profit therein, and to do to morrow that they can not do to day. You see also the difference of all manner of faiths. The faith of the true believers is, The difference of faiths, and how it is to be understood faith justifieth. that God justifieth or forgiveth, and Christ deserveth it, and the faith or trust in Christ's blood receiveth it, and certifieth the conscience thereof, and saveth and delivereth her from fear of death and damnation. And this is that we mean when we say, faith justifieth: that faith (I mean in Christ and not in our own works) certifieth the conscience that our sins are forgiven us for Christ's bloods sake. But the faith of hypocrites is that God faith of hypocrites. forgiveth and works deserve it. And that same false faith in their own works receiveth the mercy promised to the merits of their own works: and so Christ utterly excluded. And thus you see that faith is the thing that to affirmed to justify, of all parties. For faith in Christ's blood (which is God's promise) quieteth the conscience of the true believers. And a false faith or trust in works (which is their own feigning) beguileth the blind hypocrites for a season, till God for the greatness of their sin, when it is ●ull, openeth their eyes, & then they despair. But the swine say: God is so good that he will save devils and all, and damn no man perpetually, faith of 〈◊〉. whatsoever he do. another conclusion is this, to believe in Christ for the remission of sins, and of a thankfulness for that mercy to love the law truly: that is to say, to love God that is father of all and giveth all, and jesus Christ that is Lord of us all and bought us all, with all our hearts, souls, power, and might, and our brethren for our father's sake (because they be created after his image) and for our Lord and master Christ's sake, because they be the price of his blood: and to long for the life to come, because this life cannot be fed without sin. These ●…tes (I say) are the profession and religion of a Christian man, and the inward baptism of the heart signified The ●ight bapt●…. by the outward washing of the body. And they be that spiritual character, badge or sign, wherewith God thorouge his spirit marketh all his immediately and assoon as they be joined to Christ and made members of his Church by true faith. The Church of Christ then, is the multitude The church of Christ. of all them that believe in Christ for the remission of sin, and of a thankfulness for that mercy, love the law of God purely and without gloss, and of hate they have to the sin of this world, long for the life to come. This is the church that cannot err dampnably nor any long time, nor all of them: but assoon as any question ariseth, the truth of God's promise stirreth up one or other to teach them the truth of every thing needful to salvation out of God's word, and lighteneth the hearts of the other true members to see the same and to consent thereto. And as all they that have their hearts washed with this inward baptism of the spirit are of the church and have the keys of the scripture. you and of binding and lousing, and do not err: Even so they that sin of purpose & will not hear when their faults Whosoever derogate any thing from the 〈◊〉 of Christ are not of the church. be told them, but seek liberties and privileges to sin unpunished, and gloze out the law of God, and maintain ceremonies, traditions and customs, to destroy the faith of Christ: the same be members of Satan, & all their doctrine is poison. Error & darkness, you though they be Popes, bishops, Abbots, Eurates and Doctoures of divinity, and though they can rehearse all the scripture without book, and though they be seen in Greek, Hebrew and Latin: you and though they so preach Christ and the passion of Christ that they make the poor women weep and howl again. For when they They that have not the law write● in their hearts▪ cannot understand the passion of Christ to salvation. come to the point that they should minister Christ's passion unto the salvation of our souls, there they poison all together, and gloze out the law that should make us feel our salvation in Christ, and drive us in that point from Christ, and teach us to put our trust in our own works for the remission and satisfaction of our sins, and in the Apish play of hypocrites which cell their merits in steed of Christ's blood & passion▪ ●o now (dear reader) to believe in Christ's A 〈◊〉re peting. blood for the remission of sinn● and putchasing of all the good promises that help to the life to come: and to love the law, and to What the inward baptism of the soul i●. long for the life to come, is the inward Baptism of the soul, the Baptism that only availeth in the sight of God, the new generation and image of Christ, the only key also to bind and ●owse sinners. The touchstone to try all doctrines. The lantern and light that scattereth and expelleth the mist & darkness of all hypocrisy, and a preservative against all error and heresy: The mother of all good works. The earnest of everlasting life and title whereby we challenge our inheritance. And though faith in Christ's blood make the marriage between our soul and Christ, & is properly the Marriage garment, yea and the sign Thau, that defendeth us Thau. from the s●…tyng and power of the evil angels, and is also the rock whereon Christ's Church is built, and whereon all that is built, standeth against all weather of wind and tempests: yet might the profession of the faith in Christ's blood, and of the love to the law, and longing for the life to come, Faith ●ope, and charity are inseparable. be called all these things, were malice and froward understanding away: because that where one of them is, there be all three and where all are not, there is none of them. And because that the one is known by the other & is impossible to know any of them truly, and not be deceived, but in respect and comparison of the other. For if thou will't be sure that thy faith be Faith hope, and charity are known one by the other. perfect, then examine thyself whether thou love the law. And in like manner, if thou will't know whether thou love the law aright: then examine thyself whether thou believe in Christ only, for the remission of sin, and obtaining the promises made in the Scripture. And even so compare thy hope of the life to come unto faith and love, and to hating the sin of this life: which hate, the love to the law engendereth in thee. And if they accompany not one another, all three together, then be sure that all is but hypocrisy. If you say: seeing faith, love, and hope be three virtues inseparable. Ergo faith only justifieth not. I answer: though they be inseparable, yet they have separable and sundry offices, as it is above said of the law & faith. faith only which is a sure ●nd an The office of faith. undoubted trust in Christ, and in the father thorough him, certifieth the conscience that the sin is forgiven and the damnation and impossibility of the law taken away (as it is above rehearsed in the conditions of the covenant.) And with such persuasions mollesieth the heart and maketh her love God again and his law. And as often as we sin, faith only keepeth that we forsake not our profession, and that love utterly quench not, and hope fail, and only maketh the peace again. For a true believer trusteth in Christ only, and not in his own works or aught else, for the remission of sin. And the office of love is to power out again The office of love. the same goodness that she hath received of God, upon her neighbour, and to be to him as she feeleth Christ to herself. The office of love only is to have compassion and to bear with her neighbour the burden of his infirmities. And as it is written. 1. Pet. 4. Operit multitudinem peccatorum, covereth the multitude of sins. That is to say: considereth the infirmities and enterpreteth all to the best, and taketh for no sin at all, a thousand things of which the lest were enough (if a man loved not to go to law for, & to trouble & unquiet an whole town, and sometime an whole realm or two. And the office of hope is to comfort in adversity The office of hope. and make patiented, that we faint not and fall down under the cross, or cast it o●… our backs. And thus you see that these three inseparable in this life have yet separable and sundry offices and effects, as heat & drith being inseparable in the fire, have yet their separable operations. For the drith only expelleth the moistness of all that is consumed by fire, and heat only destroyeth the coldness. For drith and cold may stand together, and so may heat and moistness. It is not all one to say the dryth only, and the dryth that is alone: nor all one to say, faith only and faith that is alone. Go to then and desire God to print this profession in thine heart, and to increase it daily more and more, that thou mayst be full shapen like unto the image of Christ in knowledge and love, and meek thyself & creep low by the ground, and cleave fast to the rock of this profession, and tie to thy ship The anchor of our salvation is perfect faith in Christ's blood. this anchor of faith in Christ's blood, with the gable of love, to cast it out against all t●…pests: and so set up thy sail and get thee to the main sea of God's word. And read here the words of Christ with this exposition following, and thou shalt see the law, faith, and works, restored each to his right use and true meaning. And thereto the clear difference between the spiritual regiment & the temporal, and shalt have an entrance and open way into the rest of all the scripture. Wherein, and in all other things the spirit of verity guide thee, and thine understanding. Amen. ¶ The fift Chapter of Matthew. WHen he see the people, 1. he went up into a mountain and sat him down, and his Disciples came to him, and he opened his mouth and taught them saying. Blessed be the poor in spirit, for there's is the kingdom of heaven. CHrist here in his first Sermon beginneth to restore the law of the ten commanndements unto her right understanding, against the Scribes and Phariseis which were hypocrites, false Prophets, and false preachers, & had corrupt the scripture with the leaven of their gloss. And it is not without a great mystery that Christ beginneth Poverth in spirit. his preaching at poverty in spirit, which is neither beggary nor against the possessing of richesses. But a virtue contrary to the vice of covetousness, the inordinate desire and love of richesses and putting trust in richesse. Richeses is the gift of God given man Richeses. to maintain the degrees of this world, and therefore not evil: yea and some must be poor and some rich, if we shall have an order in this world. And God our father divideth richesse and poverty among his children according to his godly pleasure and wisdom. And as Neither riches or poverty exclude, or assure us of God's blessing. richesse doth not exclude the from the blessing, so doth not poverty certify thee: But to put thy trust in the living god maketh the heir thereof. For if thou trust in the living God: Then if thou be poor, thou covetest not to be rich, for thou art certified that thy father shall minister unto thee food & raiment, and be thy defender: & if thou have riches thou knowest that they be but vanity, and that as thou broughtest them not into the world, so shalt thou not carry them out: and that as they be thine to day, so may they be an other man's to morrow, and that the favour of God only both gave and also keepeth thee & them, and not thy wisdom or power: and that they, neither aught else can help at need, save the good will of thy heavenly father only. Happy and blessed then Who are poor in spirit is here pithily declared. are the poor in spirit: that is to say the rich that have not their confidence nor consolation in the vanity of their richesses: and the poor that desire not inordinately to be rich, but have their trust in the living: God for food and raiment and for all that partayneth either to the body or the soul: for there's is the kingdom of heaven. And contrariwise, unhappy & accursed Rich in spirit. and that with the first & deepest of all curses, are the rich in spirit: that is to say, the covetous that being rich trust in their richesses, or being poor long for the consolation of richesse, and comfort not their souls with the promises of their heavenly father, confirmed with the blood of their Lord Christ. For unto them it is harder to enter into the kingdom of heaven, then for a camel to enter through the eye, of an needle. Mar. 10. Not they have no part in the kingdom of Christ, & God Ephe. u Therefore is it evident why Christ so diligently warneth all his to beware of covetousness, and why he admitteth none to be his Disciples except he first forsake all together. For there was never covetous person true yet either to God or man. If a covetous man be choose to preach God's word, he is a false Prophet immediately. Covetousness is a thing contraris to the word of God and to the ministers of the same. If he be of the lay sort, so joineth he himself unto the false Prophets, to persecute the truth. Covetousness is not only above all other lusts, those thorns that choke that word of God in them that possess it: But it is also a deadly enemy to all that interpret God's word truly. All other vices though they laugh than to scorn that talk godly, yet they can suffer them to live and to devil in the country. But covetousness cannot rest as long as there is one that cleaveth to God's word in all the land. Take heed to thy preacher therefore: By covetousness is a false Prophet chief known. and be sure, if he be covetous and gape for promotion, that he is a false Prophet & leaveneth the Scripture, for all his crying fathers fathers, holy Church, and fourteen hundred years, and for all his other holy pretences. Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. 2. This mourning is also in the spirit, and no kin to the sour looking Some cry the world is naught, not ●or their own, and others iniquity: but for waywardness they can not enjoy their own lusles. of hypocrites, nor to the impatient weywardnesse of those fleshly which ever whine and complain that the world is nought, because they cannot obtain and enjoy their lusts therein. Neither forbiddeth it always to be merry and and to laugh, & make good cheer now and then, to forget sorrow, that overmuch heaviness swallow not a man clean up. For the wise man saith, sorrow hath cost many their lives. And Prover. xvij. an heavy spirit drieth up the bones. And Paul commandeth, Philip. iiij. to rejoice ever. And Roma. xii. he saith rejoice with them that rejoice, and sorrow with them that sorrow, and weep with them that weep, which seem two contraries. This mourning is that cross without which was never any Disciple of Godly mourning. Christ or ever shallbe. For of what soever state or degree thou be in this world, if thou profess the gospel, there followeth the a cross (as warmness As warmeth accompanieth the s●nne so followeth the cross a true Christian man. accompanieth the son shining) under which thy spirit shall groan and mourn secretly, not only because the world and thine own flesh carry thee away clean contrary to the purpose of thine heart. But also to see and behold the wretchedness & misfortunes of thy brethren: for which) because thou lovest them as well as thyself) thou shalt mourn and sorrow no less than for thyself. Though thou be King or Emperor, yet if thou knowest Christ and God through Christ, and intendest to walk in the fight of God, and to minister thine office truly, thou shalt (to keep justice with all) be compelled to do daily that, which thou art no less loath to do, then if thou shouldst cut of arm, hand or any other member of thine own body: yea and if thou will't follow the right way, and neither turn on the right hand nor on the left, thou shalt have immediately thy own subjects, thine own servants, thine own Lords, thine own counsellors and thine own Prophets thereto against thee. Unto whose froward malice and stubborness, thou shalt be compelled to permit a thousand things against thy conscience, not able to resist them, at which thine heart shall bleed inwardly, and shalt sawse thy sweet sops which the world weeneth thou hast, with sorrows mough and still mourning, studying either alone or else with a few friends secretly night and day, and sighing to God for help, to mitigate the furious frowardness of them whom thou art not able to with stand, that all go not after the will of the ungodly. What was David compelled to suffer all the days of his life, of his own servants the sons of Servia. Beside the mischances of his own children? And how was our king john K. john. forsaken of his own Lords, when he would have put a good and godly reformation in his own land? How was Henry the second compassed in like manner Henry the second. of his own Prelates whom he had promoted of naught, with the secret conspiracy of some of his own temporal Lords with them? I spare to speak of the mourning of the true preachers, & the poor common people which have none other help, but the secret hand of God, and the word of his promise. But they shallbe comforted of all their The promise of God's word, is the comfort of the afflicted in this world for Christ's sake. tribulation and their sorrow shallbe turned into joy and that infinite & everlasting in the life to come. Neither are they without comfort here in this world: for Christ hath promised to sand them a comforter to be with them for ever, the spirit of troth which the world knoweth not. john. xiv. And they rejoice in hope (of the comfort to come) Rom. xii. And they overcome through faith, as it is written Hebr. xj. the Saints through faith overcame kingdoms & obtained the promises. And. i john. u this is the victory that overcometh Faith is our victory the world, even our faith. But the blind world, neither seethe our comfort nor our trust in God, nor how God through faith in his word, helpeth us & maketh us overcome. How overcome they (will thou say) that be always persecuted and ever slain? verily in every battle some of them that win the field, be slain: yet they leave the victory unto their dear friends for whose sakes they took the fight upon them, and therefore are conquerors, seeing they obtain their purpose & maintain that they fought for. The cursed rich of this world which have their joy and comfort in their riches, have sense the beginning fought against them, to weed them out of the world. But yet in vain. For By persecution and death, for the truths sake, we obtain life & get the victory. though they have always slain some, yet those that were slain, wan the victory for their brethren with death, & ever increased the number of them. And though they seemed to dye in the sight of the foolish, yet they are in peace and have obtained that everlasting kingdom for which they fought. And beside The mourners for righteousness are saved when God taketh vengeance on the unright 〈◊〉 wise. all this when God plagueth the world for their sin, these that mourn and sorrow are marked with the sign of Thau in their foreheads, and saved from the plague, that they perish not with the wicked, as thou seest Ezech. ix. & as Lot was delivered from among the Sodomites. And contrariwise, cursed are they that laugh now▪ that is to say, which have their joy, solace, and comfort in their riches: for they shall sorrow and weep. Luke. uj. And as it was answered the rich man. Luke. xuj. son remember how that thou receivedst thy good days in thy life time, and Lazarus likewise evil, And therefore is he comforted and thou tormented. Blessed are the meek, for they 3. shall inherit the earth. By the earth understand all that we meekness possesseth the earth. possess in this world, which all, God will keep for us, if we be soft and me●ke. And whatsoever trouble arise, yet if we will be patiented and abide, the end will go on our side: as it is written in the 36. Psal. The wicked shall be wedded out, but they that abide the lords leisure, shall inherit the earth. And again: within a while the wicked shall be go, thou shalt behold the place where he was, and he shallbe away, but the meek or soft shall inherit the earth. Even as we say, be still & have thy will, and of little meddling cometh much rest: for a patiented man shall wear out all his enemies. It is impossible to devil in any place where no displeasure should be done thee. If it be done unwillingly, as when thy neighbour's beasts break into thy corn by some chance against his will, than it is reason that thou be soft and forgive. If it be done of malice and self will, then with revenging thou dost but with pottering in the fire, make the flame greater, and givest an occasion of more evil to be done thee. If any man rail on thee and rebuke thee, answer not again, and the heat of his malice shall die in itself, and go out immediately, as fire doth when no more wood is laid thereon. If the wrong that is done, be greater Refer the revenge of thy cause to the Magistrate whom God appointeth to forbid such violence. than thou art able to bear, trust in God and complain with all meekness unto the officer that is set of God to forbidden such violence. And if the Gentlemen that devil about thee be tyrants, be ready to help to fet home their wood, to blow their land, to bring in their harvest and so forth, and let thy wife visit my Lady now and then with a couple of fat Hens, or a fat Capon, and such like, and then thou shalt possess all the remnant in rest, or else one quarrel or other may be picked to thee, to make thee quite of all together. Choose whether thou will't with softness and suffering have God on thy side, ever to save thee, and to give thee ever enough, and to have a good conscience and peace on the earth, or with furiousness and impatiency to have God against thee, and to be polled a little and little of all together, and to have an evil conscience and never rest on earth, and to have thy days shortened thereto. God hath promised if thou be meek and soft and suffer a little persecution, to give thee not only Hundred fold. the life to come, but also an hundred fold here in this life: that is to say, to give thee his own self, and to be thy protector, and minister to thee ever enough, which may of right be called an hundred fold: and is a treasure passing the treasure of all Princes. Finally Christ teacheth here how The private person may not avenge, but the officer must. every man must live for himself among them to whom he is a neighbour, & in private matters in which he is but as a neighbour (though he be a king) and in which thou canst not be to soft. But and if thou be an officer, them thou must be good, kind, and merciful, but not a milksop and negligent. And to whom thou art a father, them must thou rule, and make obedient, and that with sharpness, if softness will not be herded, and so in all other offices. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they 4. shallbe fulfilled. Righteousness in this place is not taken for the principal righteousness Righteousness. of a Christian man, thorough which the parson is good accepted before God. For these viii. points are but doctrine of the fruits and works of a Christian man, before which the faith must be there: to make righteous without all deserving of works, and as a tree out of which all such fruits and works must spring. Wherefore understand here the outward righteousness before How this word righteousness aught here to be understood. the word, and true and faithful dealing each with other, and just executing of the offices of all manner degrees, and meek obedience of all that are under power. So that the meaning is: happy are they which not only do their duties to all men, but also study and help to the uttermost of their power with word, deed, counsel, and exhorting, that all other deal truly also according to the degree that every man beareth in the world, and be as desirous to further good order & righteous dealing, as the hungry & thirsty be desirous to eat and drink. And note that it is not for nought that he says hunger and thirst. For except thy soul hunger & thirst for this righteousness of her new nature, as the body doth for meat and drink of his old nature, the devil & the children of this world (which cannot suffer Monks. that a man either deal truly himself, or help other) will so resist thee, Monks why they run into Religion. plague thee, and so weary thee, that thou hadst liefer of very mistrust & desperation, that thy state should be better, to forsake all & make thyself a Monk or a Friar, yea & to run into a strange country, & leave all thy friends, then to abide in the world, and to let it choose whether it will sink or swim. But to comfort us, that we faint not, or be weary of well doing, Christ promises that all that have this thirst and hunger, shall have their lust satisfied, and be translated into a kingdom, where none unrighteousness is, besides that thou shalt here at length see many come to the right way and help with thee, and many things that cannot be all together mended, yet somewhat bettered and more tolerable, so that all righteousness shall not be quenched. And contrariwise cursed be all they that are full, as Luke in the uj. saith, Luc. vi. that is to say, the hypocrites which to avoid all labour, sorrow, care, cumbrance and suffering with their brethren, get them to dens, to live at Monks be cursed. rest and to fill their bellies, the wealth of other men not regarded. Not, it were a grief to them that other were better, that they alone may be taken for holy, and that whosoever will to heaven, must buy it of them, yea they be so full, that they prefer themselves before poor sinners, and look as narrowly on them as the Pharisey did on the Publicans, thanking God that he alone was good, and the other evil. Cursed are they yet for all their fullness, for they shall hunger with everlasting hunger, where none shall give them to eat, nor they have any refreshing of their pains. Blessed be the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. 5. To be merciful, is to have compassion To be merciful, what it is: & how many ways mercy may be showed. and to feel an other man's disease, and to mourn with them that mourn, and suffer with them that suffer, and to help and secure them that are in tribulation and adversity, and to comfort them with good counsel & wholesome instruction and loving words. And to be merciful, is lovingly to forgive them that offended thee, assoon as they knowledge their misdoing & ask thee mercy. To be merciful, is patiently long to abide the conversion of sinners with a lusty courage and hope that God will at the last convert them, and in the mean time to pray instantly for them, and ever when he seethe an occasion, to exhort them, warn them, monish them, and rebuke them. And to be merciful, is to interpret all to the best, and to look thorough the fingers at many things, and not to make a grievous sin of every small trifle, and to suffer and forbear in his own cause the malice of them that will not repent nor be a known of their wickedness, as long as he can suffer it, and as long as it aught to be suffered, and when he can no longer, then to complain to them that have authority to forbid wrong and to punish such evil doers. But the hypocrites clean contrary Monks. condemn all men for grievous sinners, save them only that buy their holiness of them. And because they will suffer with no man, they get them to silence. And because they will help no man, all that they have (say they) pertaineth to the Covent, and is none of there's. And if they be offended, they Covent. will be avenged immediately. And to cloak, that they should not seem to avenge themselves, the matter (say they) pertaineth to God and holy Church, or to some Saint, or to one or other holy thing: as if thou smite one of them on the one cheek, he will turn to thee the other year he will avenge himself. But the injury of the holy oil wherewith he O●le. was anointed, that must he avenge, and that with a spiritual punishment, Holy oil must be avenged. that thou must be accursed as black as a Colyer, and delivered to Satan. And if thou come not in and ask absolution, and to offer thyself to penance and to paying thereto, they will not suffer till the Devil fetch thee. But will deliver thee to the fire in the mean tyme. And all for zeal of righteousness (say they.) O hypocrites, the zeal of righteousness Zeal of righteousness what it is. is to hunger and thirst for righteousness, as it is above described: that is, to care and study and to do the uttermost of thy power, that all things went in the right course and due order both thorough all degrees of the temporalty and also of the spirituality, and to jeopardy life and goods thereon. All the world can bear record Car●. what pain you take and how you care for the temporal common wealth, that How the spirituality▪ care for the temporal common wealth. all degrees therein did, and had their duty: & how you put your lives in adventure to preach the truth: and to inform Lords and Princes, and to cry upon them to fear God & to be learned, and to minister their offices truly unto their subjects, and to be merciful & an example of virtue unto them. And how help you that youth were brought up in learning and virtue, & that the poor were provided for of food and raiment etc. And how provide you that your Priests be all learned, and preach and do their duties truly every man in his Parish? how provide you that sects arise not to poll the people and lead them out of the way▪ under a colour of long praying and hypocritish holiness, living themselves idle and being utterly unto the common wealth improfitable? who smelleth not the sweet odour of chastity that is among you? What righteousness is in your sanctuaries, and what indifferent equity is in all your exemptions, privileges and liberties? By your works we judge you and your zeal to righteousness, & not by your sophistical subtle reasons, with which you would claw our ears, blear our eyes, & beguile our wits, to take your tyrannous covetous crudelity for the zeal of righteousness. Finally he that will not be merciful, to be blessed of God & to obtain As thou 〈…〉 ‑ 〈◊〉, ●o shalt 〈◊〉 ob 〈◊〉 mercy in the life to come. mercy of him, both hear and in the life to come, let him be accursed with the unmerciful, and to him be judgement without mercy, according to the words of S. james in the second chapter of his Epistle. Blessed be the pure in heart, for 6. they shall see God. That which entereth into a man defileth not a man. But the things that defile a man, proceed first out of his heart, as ●hou mayst see Math. xv. Thence come out evil thoughts (says Christ) as murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witnessynges and blasphemies. The filthiness of the heart, what. These are the things that make a man foul. A man than is not foul in the sight of God, till his heart be foul. And the filthiness of the heart are thoughts that study to break God's commandments. Wherefore the pureness of the The pureness of the heart, what. heart is the consenting & studious purpose to keep the law of God, and to mean truly in all thy words & works, and to do them with a true intent. It followeth then that thou mayst be pure hearted and therewith do all that God hath commanded or not forbidden. Thou mayst be pure hearted and have a wife and get children, be a judge and condemn to death them that have deserved it, hung or behead evil doers, after they be by a just process condemned. Thou mayst be pure hearted, & do all the drudge in the world. Lot was pure hearted among the Sodomites. Nicodem●s being in the council among them that conspired the death of Christ was pure hearted & consented not with them to the death of that innocent. If the law be written in thine heart The end of the law 〈◊〉, to iusti●… all that ●…leue. it will drive thee to Christ, which is the end of the law to justify all that believe Rom. x. And Christ will show thee his father. For no man seethe the father but the son, and he to whom the son will show him Luke. x. If thou believe in Christ, that he is thy Saviour: that faith will lead thee in immediately, and show thee God with a lovely & amiable countenance, and make thee feel, and see how that he is thy father, all together merciful to thee, & at one with thee, and thou his son and highly in his favour and grace, & sure that thou pleasest him, when thou dost an hundred things which some holy people would suppose themselves defiled, if they should but think on them. And to see God is the blessing of a pure heart. Impure and unclean hearted then are all they that study to break God's Impure hearted, who are. commandments. Impure hearted are all that believe not in Christ to be justified by him. Impure hearted are all hypocrites that do their work for a false purpose: either for praise, profit, or to be justified thereby, which painted sepulchres (as Christ calleth them) can never see God, or be sure that they be in the state of grace, and that their works be accepted because they have not God's word with them, but clean against them. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shallbe called the children of 7. God. To inherit this blessing, it is not Peacemaking, what. only required that thou have peace in thyself, and that thou take all to the best, and be not offended lightly and for every small trifle, and always ready to forgive▪ nor sow no discord, nor avenge thine own wrong: But also that thou be fervent & diligent to make peace and to go between, where thou knowest or hearest malice and envy to be, or seest bate or strife to arise between person and person, and that thou leave nothing unsought, to set them at one. And though Christ here speak not of the temporal sword, but teacheth how every man shall live for himself toward his neighbour: yet Princes (if Princes what they aught to 〈◊〉 yet they make war. they willbe Gods children) must not only give no cause of war, nor begin any, but also (though he have a just cause) suffer himself to be entreated, if he that gave the cause repent, and must also seek all ways of peace before he fight. Howbeit, when all is sought, and nothing will help, than he aught and is bond to defend his land & subjects, & in so doing he is a peacemaker, as well as when he causeth thieves & murderers to be punished for their evil doing and breaking of the common peace of his land and subjects. If thou have peace in thyself and When thou mayst assure thyself to be the son and heir of God. lovest the peace of thy brethren after this manner, so is God through Christ at peace with thee, and thou his beloved son and heir also. Moreover if the wrong done thee, be greater, than thou mayst bear: as when thou art a person, not for thyself only. But in respect of other, in what soever worldly degree it be, and hast an office committed thee: then (when thou hast warned with all good manner him that did it, and none amendment willbe had) keep peace in thine heart and love him still, and complain to them that are set to reform such things, and so art thou yet a peacemaker and still the son of God. But if thou advenge thyself or desirest more than that such wrongs be forbidden, Vengeance pertaineth to God only. thou sinnest against god, in taking the authority of God upon thee without his commandment. God is father over all, and is (of right) judge over all his children, and to him only partayneth all advenging. Who therefore without his commandment advengeth either with heart or hand, the same doth cast himself into the hands of the sword, & loseth the right of his cause. And on the other side, cursed be the peacebreakers, picquarels, whisperers, backbyters, sowers of discord, dispraysers of them that be good to bring them out of favour, interpreters to evil that is done for a good purpose, finders of faults where none is, stirrers up of Princes to battle and war: & above all cursed be they that falsely belly the true preachers of God's word, to bring them into hate, and to shed their blood wrongfully for hate of the truth. For all such are children of the devil. Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousness sake, for 8. there's is the kingdom of heaven. If the faith of Christ & law of God, in which two all righteousness is contained, In the faith of Christ & law of God▪ all o●r righteousness is contained. be written in thy heart: that is, if thou believe in Christ to be justified from sin or for remission of sin, & consentest in thine heart to the law that it is good, holy, and just and thy duty to do it and submittest thyself so to do, & thereupon goest forth and testifiest that faith and law of righteousness openly unto the world in word, & deed. Then will Satan stir up his members against thee, and thou shalt be persecuted on every side. But be of good comfort and faint not. Call to mind the saying of Paul. ij. Timo. iij. how all that will live godly in Christ jesus. shall suffer persecution. Remember how all the Prophets that went before thee, were so dealt with Luke. uj. Remember the examples of the Apostles, and of Christ himself, and that the Disciple is no better than his Maistee, and that Christ admitteth no disciple which not only leaveth not all, but also taketh his cross to. We be not called to a soft living and to peace in this world. But Peace. The peace of Christ is a peace of conscience. unto peace of conscience in God our father through jesus Christ, & to war in this world. Moreover comfort thyself with the hope of the blessing of the inheritance To suffer with Christ in this world, is to be glorified with him in the world to come. of heaven, there to be glorified with Christ, if thou here suffer with him. For if we be like Christ here in his passions, and bear his image in soul and body, & fight manfully, that Satan blot it not out, & suffer with Christ for bearing record to righteousness: them shall we be like him in glory. S. john. iij. of his Epistle: yet appeareth not what we shallbe. But we know, that when he appeareth, we shallbe like him. And Paul Phil. iij. our conversation is in heaven, whence we look for a Saviour, the Lord jesus Christ which shall change our vile bodies and make them like his glorious body. It is an happy thing to suffer for righteousness sake, but not for unrighteousness. For what praise is it (sayeth Peter in the second of his first epistle) though you suffer, when you be buffeted for your offences. Wherefore in the forth of the same he saith, see that none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief, or an evil doer, or a busy body in other men's matters. Such suffering glorifieth not God, nor thou art thereby heir of heaven. Beware therefore that thou deserve not that thou sufferest. But if thou do: then beware much more of them that would bear thee in hand, bow that such suffering should be satisfaction of thy sins and a deserving pain. No 〈◊〉 pain ca● be a satisfaction to God 〈◊〉 Christ's passion. of heaven. Not, suffering for righteousness (though heaven be promised thereto) yet doth it not deserve heaven, nor yet make satisfaction for the foresinnes: Christ doth both twain. But and if thou repent and believe in Christ for the remission of sin, and then confess, not only before God, but also open before all that see thee suffer, how that thou hast deserved that thou sufferest, for breaking the good and righteous law of thy father, and then takest to● punishment patiently, as an wholesome medicine to heal thy flesh that it sin no more, and to fear thy brethren that they fall not into like offence, as Moses teacheth every where: then as thy patience in suffering is pleasant in the sight of thy brethren which behold thee, pity thee, and suffer with thee in their hearts, even so is it in the sight of God, and it is to thee a sure token that thou hast true faith and true repentance. And as they be blessed which suffer for righteousness: even so are they accursed which run away and let it be trodden under the feet, and will not suffer for the faith of their Lord and law of their father, nor stand by their neighbours in their just causes. Blessed are you, when they revile you, and persecute you, and say all 9 manner of evil sayings against you for my sake, and yet lie. Rejoice, and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven. Even so verily they persecuted the Prophets that were before you. Here seest thou the uttermost what a Christian man must look for. It is not enough to suffer for righteousness: But that no bitterness or poison be left out of thy cup, thou shalt be reviled and railed upon: and even when thou art condemned to death then be What the most cruel persecution is. excommunicate and delivered to Satan, deprived of the fellowship of holy Church, the company of the Angels, and of thy part in Christ's blood, and shalt be cursed down to hell, defied, detested, and execrat with all the blasphemous railings that the poisonful heart of hypocrites can think or imagine, and shalt see before thy face when thou goest to thy death, that all the world is persuaded and brought in belief that thou hast said and done that thou never thoughtest, and that thou diest for that thou art as guiltless of, as the child that is unborn. Well, though iniquity so highly prevail, and the truth, for which thou diest, be so low kept under and be not once known before the world, in so much that it seemeth rather to be hindered by thy death, than furthered (which is of all griefs the greatest) yet let not thine heart fail thee, neither despair, as though God had forsaken thee, or loved thee not. But comfort thyself with old ensamples, how God hath suffered all his old friends to be so entreated, and also his only & dear son jesus. Whose ensample Set the example of Christ before thee. above all other set before thy eyes, because thou art sure he was beloved above all other, that thou doubt not, but thou art beloved also, and so much the more beloved, the more thou art like to the image of his ensample in suffering. Did not the hypocrites watch him in all his sermons, to trap him in his own words? was he not subtly opposed, whether it were lawful to pay tribute to Cesar? were not all his words wrong reported? were not his miracles ascribed to Belsebud? said they not, he was a Samaritane & had a devil in him? was he not called a breaker of the Saboth, a wine drinker, a friend of Publicans and sinners? did he aught wherewith no fault was found, and that was not interpreted to be done for an evil purpose? was not the pretence of his death the destroying of the temple, to bring him into the hate of all men? was he not thereto accused of treason, that he forbade to pay tribute to Cesar: and that he moved the people to insurrection? Railed they not on him in the bitterest of all his passion, as he hanged on the cross, saying: save thyself thou that savest other: come down from the cross and we will believe in thee: fie wretch that destroyest that temple of God. Yet he was beloved of God, and so art thou. His cause came to light also, and so shall thine at the last: yea and thy reward is great in heaven with him, for thy deep suffering. And on the other side, as they be cursed which leave righteousness destitute Cursed. and will not suffer therewith: Most accursed, who? so are they most accursed which know the truth, and yet not only flee therefrom because they will not suffer: But also for lucre, become the most cruel enemies thereof, and most subtle persecutors, & most falsely lie thereon also. Finally though God when he promises to bless our works, do bind Works justify no●. us to work if we will obtain the blessing or promise: yet must we beware of this pharesaicall pestilence, to think that our works did deserve the promises. For whatsoever God commandeth us to do, that is our duty to do, though there were no such promise made to us at all. The promise therefore cometh not of the deserving of the worker (as though God had need of aught that we could do) but of the pure mercy of God, to make us the more willing to do that is our duty. etc. For if when we had done all that God commandeth us to do, he then gave us up into the hands of tyrants. and killed us, sent us to purgatory (which men so greatly fear) or to hell, and all the Angels of heaven with us, he did us no wrong nor were unrighteous for aught that we or they could challenge of deserving, howsoever that God useth his creatures, he ever abideth righteous: till Not the worker, but the pure mercy of God is cause of the promise made unto. thou canst prove that after he hath bound himself with his own word of mercy, he then break promise with them that keep covenant with him. So now, if naught were promised, naught could we challenge, whatsoever we did. And therefore the promise cometh of the goodness of the promiser only, and not of the deserving of those works, of which God hath no need, and which were no less our duty to do, though there were no such promise. You be the salt of the earth. But if the salt be waxed unsavoury, what can be salted therewith? It is henceforth nothing worth. But to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. The office of an Apostle & the preacher is to salt, not only the corrupt The office of a true preacher. manners & conversation of earthly people, but also the rotten heart within and all that springeth out thereof: their natural reason, their will, their understanding and wisdom: yea & their faith and belief and all that they have imagined without God's word, concerning righteousness justifying, satisfaction and serving of God. And the nature of salt is to bite, frete, and make smart. And the sick pacientes of the world are marvelous impatient: so that though with great pain they can suffer It is a leopardous thing to salt hypocrisy. their gross sins to be rebuked under a fashion, as in a parable a far of, yet to have their righteousness their holiness and serving of God and his Saints, disallowed, improved & condemned for damnable and devilish, that may they not abide. In so much that thou must leave thy salting or else be prepared to suffer again: even to be called a railer, seditious, a maker of discord, and a troubler of the common peace, yea a schismatic and an heretic also, and to be lied upon, that thou hast done and said that thou never thoughtest, & then to be called coram nobis, and to sing a new song & forswear salting, or else to be sent after thy fellows that are go before, and the way thy master went. True preaching is a salting that Salt. stirreth up persecution, and an office Who is meet to salt. that no man is meet for, save he that is seasoned himself before with poverty in spirit, softness, meekness, patience, mercifulness, pureness of heart, and hunger of righteousness, and looking for persecution also: and hath all his hope, comfort and solace in the blessing only, & in no worldly thing. Nay will some say, a man might A true preacher of god's word must use no partiality for fear of persecution. preach long enough without persecution, yea & get favour to, if he would not meddle with the Pope, Bishops, Prelates, and holy ghostly people that live in contemplation and solitariness, nor with great men of the world. I answer, true preaching is salting, and all that is corrupt must be salted. And those persons are of all other most corrupt: and therefore may not be left untouched. The Pope's pardons must be rebuked, the abuse of the Mass, of the Sacraments, and of all the ceremonies must be rebuked and salted. And selling of merits and of prayers must be salted. The abuse of fasting, and of pilgrimage must be salted. All idolatry & false faith must be rebuked. And those Friars that teach men to believe in S. France's coat, how that they shall never come in hell or purgatory, if they be buried therein, may not be passed over with silence. The pain & grief of salting made Monks why they run to cloystures. Monks flee to their cloisture. Nay (say they) we went thither of pure denotion to pray for the people. Yea but for all that the more you increase, and the more you multiply your prayers, the worse the world is. That is not our fault (say they) but there's, that they dispose not themselves but continued in sin, and so are unapt to receive the influence of our prayers. O hypocrites, if you were true salt and had good hearts and loved your neighbours (if dead men be neighbours to them that are alive) and would come out of your dens and take pain to salt and season them, you should make a great many of them so apt, that your prayers might take effect. But now seeing as you say, they be so unsavoury that your prayers be to them improfitable, though their goods be to you profitable, and yet you have no compassion to come out and ●alt them, it is manifest that you love not them, but there's, and that you pray not for them, but under the colour of praying mock them and rob them. Finally salt which is the true understanding By salt is understeod the true understanding of the ●…as of faith, of wo●kes. etc. of the law, of faith, and of the intent of all works, hath in you lost her virtue, neither be there any so unsavoury in the world as year, nor any that so sore kick against true salting as you: and therefore are you to be cast out and trodden under foot and despised of all men, by the righteous judgement of God. If salt have lost his saltness, it is good for nothing but to be trodden under spirituality: why 〈◊〉 be dispi●●d. foot of men. That is, if the preacher which for his doctrine is called salt, have lost the nature of salt: that is to say, his sharpness in rebuking all unrighteousness, all natural reason, natural wit and understanding, & all trust and confidence in what soever it be, save in the blood of Christ, he is condemned of God, and disallowed of all them that cleave to the truth. In what case stand they then that have benefices & preach not? verily though they stand at the altar, yet are they excommunicate and cast out of the living Church of almighty God. And what if the doctrine be not true salt? verily then is it to be trodden under foot: As must all werish and unsavoury Ceremonies must be salted. ceremonies which have los●e their significations, and not only teach not, and are become unprofitable & do no more service to man: But also have obtained authority as God in the heart of man, that man serveth them and putteth in them the trust & confidence that he should put in God his maker through jesus Christ his redeemer. Are the institutions of man better than Gods? yea are Gods ordinances better now than in the old time? The Prophets trod under foot and defied the temple of God and the sacrifices of God and all ceremonies that God had ordained, with sastinges and prayinge, and all that the people perverted and committed idolatry with. We have as strait a commandment to salt and rebuke all ungodliness as had the Prophets. Will they then have their ceremonies honourably spoken of? then let them restore them to the right use, and put the salt of the true meaning & significations of them to them again. But as they be now used, none that loveth Christ, can speak honourably of them. What true Christian man can give honour to that that taketh all honour from Christ? who can give honour to that that slayeth the soul of his brother & robbeth his heart of that trust and con●●dence which he should give to his Lord that hath bought him with his blood▪ You are the light of the world. A City that is set on an hill, cannot be hide, neither do men light a candle. And put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick, and so giveth it light to all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and praise your father that is in heaven. Christ goeth forth and describeth the office of an Apostle and true preacher by another likeness, calling them as before the salt of the earth. Even so here the light of the world●… signifying thereby that all the doctrine, all the wisdom and high knowledge of the world, whether it were Philosophy of natural conc●usions, of manners and virtue, or of laws of righteousness, whether it were of the holy scripture and of God Darkness, all knowledge is darkness, 〈◊〉 the knowledge of Christ's blood shed●ing be in the heart. himself, was yet but a darkness, until the doctrine of his Apostles came: that is to say, until the knowledge of Christ came, how that he is the sacrifice for our sins, our satisfaction, our peace, atonement and redemption, our life thereto and resurrection. Whatsoever holiness, wisdom, virtue, perfectness or righteousness is in the world among men, howsoever perfect & holy they appear, yet is all damnable darkness, except the right knowledge of Christ's blood be there first, to i●ftifie the heart before all other holiness. another conclusion. As a city built on a hill can not be hide, no more can the light of Christ's Gospel. Let the world rage as much as it will, yet it will shine on their sore eyes whether they be content or no. another conclusion: as men light not a candle to whelm it under a bushel, but to put it on a candlestick to light all that are in the house: even so the light of Christ's Gospel may nor be hide nor made a several thing, as though it pertained to some certain holy people only. Nay it is the light of the whole world, and pertaineth to all men, and therefore may not be made several. It is a madness that diverse men say, the lay people may not know Say. The lay aught to have the Gospel. it: except they can prove that the lay people be not of the world. Moreover it will not be hide, but as the lightning that breaketh out of the clouds, shineth over all, even so doth the Gospel of Christ. For where it is truly received, there it purifieth the heart, and maketh the person to consent to the laws of God, and to begin a new and a godly living, fashioned after God's laws, and without all dissimulation. And then it will kindle so great Gospel. The property of the gospel. love in him toward his neighbour, that he shall not only have compassion on him in his bodily adversity, but much more pity him over the blindness of his soul, and to minister to him Gospel. The tr●e Gospel is not hide in dens. Christ's Gospel. Wherefore if they say, it is here or there, in Saint France's coat, or Dominickes and such like, & that if thou will't put on that coat, thou shalt find it there it is false. For if it If the spiritualty were a light as they aught to be, they would make them ●…ues poor to make other rich: but they make other poor and themselves rich. were there, thou shouldst see it shine abroad though thou creptst not into a cell or a monks cowl, as thou seest the lightning without creeping into the clouds, yea their light would so shine that men should not only see the light of the Gospel, but also their good works, which would as fast come out, as they now run in. In so much that y● shouldst see them make themselves poor, to help other as they now make other poor to make themselves rich. This light and salt pertained not then to the Apostles, and now to our kings aught to be learned. Bishops and spirituality only. Not it pertaineth to the temporal men also. For all kings and all rulers are bond to be salt and light, not only in example of living, but also in teaching of doctrine unto their subjects, as well as they be bound to punish evil doers. Doth not the scripture testify that king David was choose to be a shepherd and to feed his people with God's word. It is an evil schoolmaster that cannot but beat only. But it is a good schoolmaster that so teacheth that few need to be beaten. This salt and light therefore pertain to the temporalty also, and that to every member of Christ's Church: so that every man aught to be salt & light to other. The order how every man may be a preacher, and how not. Every man then may be a common preacher thou will't say, and preach every where by his own authority. Nay verily: Not man may yet be a common preacher save he that is called and choose thereto by the common ordinance of the congregation, as long as the preacher teacheth the true word of God. But every private man aught to be in virtuous living, both light and salt to his neighbour: in so much that the poorest aught to strive to overrun the Bishop, and to preach to him in ensample of living. Moreover every man aught to preach in word & deed unto his household, and to them that are under his governance. etc. And None aught to preach: ●…ly, but such as are admitted by the ordinance of the congregation. though no man may preach openly save he that hath the office committed unto him, yet aught every man to endeavour himself, to be as well learned as the preacher, as nigh as it is possible. And every man may privately inform his neighbour, yea and the preacher and Bishop to, if need be. For if the preacher preach wrong, then may any man whatsoever he be rebuke him, first privately, and then (if that help not) to complain further. And when all is proved, according to the order of charity, and yet none amendment had: then aught every man that can to resist him, and to stand by Christ's doctrine, & to jeopardy life & all for it. Look on the old ensamples & they shall teach thee. The Gospel hath an other freedom with her then the temporal regiment. Spiritual and temporal req●… do biffer. Though every man's body and goods be under the king, do he right or wrong, yet is the authority of God's word free and above the king: so that the worst in the realm may tell the king, if he do him wrong, that he doth naught and otherwise than God hath commanded him, and so warn him to avoid the wrath of God which is the patient avenger of all unrighteousness. May I then and aught also, to resist father and mother and all temporal power with God's word, when they wrongfully do or command that hurteth or killeth the body: and have I no power to resist the Bishop or preacher that with false doctrine slayeth the souls, for which my master and Lord Christ hath shed his blood: Be we otherwise under our Bishops then Christ and his Apostles, and all the other Prophets were under the Bishops of the old law? Nay verily: and therefore may we and also aught to do as they did, and to answer as the Apostles did. Act. u Oportet magis obedire deo Every man must defend Christ's doctrine in 〈◊〉 own person. quàm hominibus. We must rather obey God then men. In the Gospel every man is Christ's Disciple and a person for himself to defend Christ's doctrine in his own person. The faith of the Bishop will not help me, nor the bishop's keeping the law is sufficient for me. But I must believe in Christ for the remission of all sin, for mine own self and in mine own person. Not more is the Bishops or preachers defending God's word enough for me, But I must defend it in mine own person, and jeopard life and all thereon when I see need & occasion. I am bound to get worldly substance for myself & for mine household with my just labour and somewhat more for than that cannot, to save my neighbour's body. And am I not more bound to labour for God's word to have thereof in store, to save my neighbour's soul? And when is it so much time to resist with God's word and to help, as when they which are believed to minister the true word, do slay the souls with false doctrine, for covetousness sake? He that Whose refuseth tad●… for Christ's sake, can not be the disciple of Christ. is not ready to give his live for the maintenance of Christ's doctrine against hypocrites, with what soever name or title they be disguised, the same is not worthy of Christ nor can be Christ's Disciple, by the very words and testimony of Christ. Nevertheless we must use wisdom, patience, meekness and a discrete process after the due order of charity in our defending the word of God, lest while we go about to amend our Prelates we make them worse. But when we have proved all that charity bindeth us & yet in vain: then we must come forth openly and rebuke their wickedness in the face o● the world and jeopardy life & all thereon. You shall not think that I am come to destroy the law or the propheres, not, I am not come to destroy them, but to fulfil them. For truly I say unto you, till heaven and earth perish, there shall not one jot or one title of the law scape, till all be fulfilled. A little before Christ calleth his Disciples the light of the world, & the salt of the earth, & that because of their doctrine, wherewith they should lighten the blind understanding of man, and with true knowledge drive out the false opinions and sophistical persuasions of natural reason, & deliver the Scripture out of the captivity of false gloss: which the hypocritishe Phariseis had p●●ched thereto: and ●o out of the light of trueknowledge, to stir up a new living, and to salt & season the corrupt manners of the old blind conversation. For where false doctrine, corrupt opinions, and sophistical gloss reign in False doctrine causeth▪ 〈◊〉 works. the wit and understanding: there is the living devilish in the sight of God, how soever it appear in the sight of the blind world. And on the other side, True doctrine is cause of good works. where the doctrine is true and perfect, there followeth godly living of necessity. For out of the inward believe of the heart, sloweth▪ the outward conversation of the members. He that believeth that he aught to love his enemy, shall never cease fighting against his own self, till he have weeded a●… rancour and malice out of his heart. But he that believeth it not, shall put a visor of hypocrisy on his face, till he got opportunity to avenge himself. And here he beginneth to teach them to be that light, and that salt of which he spoke, and saith. Though the Scribes and Phariseis bear the people in hand, that all I do, is of the devil, and accuse me of breaking the law and the Prophets (as they afterward railed on the Apostles, that they drove the people from good works, through preaching the justifying and righteousness of faith) yet see that you my Disciples▪ be not of that belief. For heaven and earth shall sooner perish, than one ●o●● or t●…e of the law should be put out. I come not to destroy the law, but to repair it only, & to make it go upright where it halteth: and even to make crooked straight, & rough smooth, as john the Baptist doth in the wilderness, and to teach the true understanding of the law. Without me the law cannot be fulfilled, nor ever could. For though the law were given by Moses, yet grace Grace and truth through jesus Christ. and verity: that is to say, the true understanding and power to love it and of love to fulfil it, cometh and ever came through faith in me. I do but only wipe away the filthy and rotten Gloss wherewith the Scribes and the Phariseis have smered the law, and the Prophets, & rebuke their damnable living which they have fashioned, not after the law of God, but after their own sophistical gloss feigned to mock out the law of God, and to beguile the whole world, and to lead them in blindness. And that the Scribes and Phariseis falsely belie me how that I go about to destroy the law, and to set the people at a fleshly liberty, and to make them first disobedient, and to despise their spiritual Prelates, and then to rise against the temporal rulers and to make all common, & to give licence to sin unpunished: cometh only of pure malice, hate, envy, and furious impatiency, that their visures are plucked from their faces and their hypocrisy discovered. Howbeit what I teach and what my learning is concerning the law, you shall shortly hear and that in few words. Who soever breaketh one of these lest commandments and teach men so, shallbe called the lest in the kingdom of heaven. But he that doth them and teacheth them, the same shallbe great in the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever studieth to destroy one of the commandments following, which are yet the lest and but childish things in respect of the perfect doctrine that shall hereafter be showed, & of the mysteries yet hide in Christ: and Gloss. They that destroy the law of God with gloss must be cast out. teach other men even so, in word or ensample, whether openly or under a colour, and thorough false gloss of hypocrisy: that same doctor shall all they of the kingdom of heaven abhor and despise, and cast him out of their company, as a seething pot doth cast up her foam and scum and purge herself. So fast shall they of the kingdom of heaven cleave unto the pure law of God without all men's gloss. But whosoever shall first fulfil them himself, and then teach other, and set all his study to the furtherance and mayntaining of them, that doctor shall all they of the kingdom of heaven have in price, and follow him and seek him out, as doth an Eagle her pray, & cleave to him as burrs. For these commandments are but the very law of Moses (the draff of the Phareseis gloss cleansed out) interpreted according to the pure word of God, and as the open text compelleth to understand them, if you look diligently thereon. The kingdom of heaven take for The Church. the congregation or church of Christ. And to be of the kingdom of heaven, is to know God for our father, and Christ for our Lord and saviour from all sin. And to enter into this kingdom it is impossible except the heart of men be to keep the commandments Law. of God purely, as it is written. john. seven. if any man will obey his will, that Except a man lo●e God's law: ●e cannot understand the doctrine of Christ. is to say, the will of the father that sent me (saith Christ) he shall know of the doctrine: whether it be of God, or whether I speak of mine own head. For if thine heart be to do the will of God, which is his commandments: he will give thee a pure eye, both to discern the true doctrine from the false, & the true Doctor from the howling hypocrite. And therefore he saith. For I say unto you, except your The righteousness of Phariseis. righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Phariseis, you can not enter into the kingdom of heaven. The righteousness of the Scribes & Phariseis can not enter into the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom of heaven is the true knowledge of God & Christ: Ergo the righteousness of the Scribes & Phariseis neither knoweth God nor Christ. He that is willing to obey the will of God, understandeth the doctrine of Christ, as it is proved above: the Scribes and the Phariseis understand not the doctrine of Christ: Ergo, they have no will nor lust to obey the will of God. To obey the will of God, is to seek the glory of God (for the glory of a master is the meek obedience of his servants, the glory of a Prince is the humble obedience of his subjects, the glory of an husband is the chaste obedience of his wife, the glory of a father is the loving obedience of his children) the Scribes and the Phariseis have no lust to obey the will of God: Ergo, they seek not the glory of God. Glory? Furthermore the Scribes & the Phariseis seek their own glory, they that He that seeketh his own glory, teacheth his own doctrine & not his masters. seek their own glory, preach their own doctrine, Ergo, the Scribes and the Phariseis preach their own doctrine. The mayor thou hast Math. twenty-three the Scribes and Phariseis do all their works to be seen of men: they love to sit uppermost at feasts and to have the chief seats in the synagogues, and salutations in the open markets, and to be called Rabbi. And the minor followeth the text above rehearsed john seven. he that speaketh of himself or of his own head, seeketh his own glory: that is to say, he that preacheth his own doctrine is ever known by seeking his own glory: so that it is a general rule to know that a man preacheth his own doctrine, if he seek his own glory. Some man will haply say: the Scribes and Phariseis had no other law then Moses & the Prophets nor any other Scripture: and grounded their sayings thereon. That is truth: how then preached they their own doctrine? verily it followeth in the said seventh of john. He that seeketh the glory of Glory▪ he that sek●… came glory altereth his ma●…s message. him that sent him, the same is true and there is no unrighteousness in him: that is to say, he will do his master's message truly, and not altar it. Where contrariwise he that seeketh his own glory, will be false (when he is sent) and will altar his master's message, to turn his master's glory unto his own self. Even so did the Scribes and Phariseis altar the word of God for their own profit & glory. And when God's word. God's word altered is not his word. word is altered with false gloss, it is no more Gods word. As when God saith, love thy neighbour, & thou puttest to thy leaven and sayest: if my neighbour do me no hurt nor say me any, I am bond to love him, but not to give him at his need my goods which I have gotten with my sore labour. Now this is thy law and not Gods. God's law is pure and single: love thy neighbour, whether he be good or bad. And by love god means, to help at need. To love is to help at ●eede. Now when God biddeth thee to get thy living and somewhat over to help him that cannot, or at a time hath not wherewith to help himself: if thou & thirty. or. xl. with thee get you to wilderness, Prayer. The prayer of Monks robbeth, & helpeth not. & not only help not your neighbours, but also rob a great number of two or three thousand pound yearly, how love you your neighbours? Such men help the world with prayer, thou will't say to me. Thou were better to say, they rob the world with their hypocrisy, say I to thee: and it is truth in deed, that they so do. For if I stick up to the middle in the mire like to perish without present help, and thou stand by and will't not secure me, but knelest down and prayest, will God hear the prayers of such an hypocrite? God biddeth thee so to love me, that thou put thyself in jeopardy to help me, and that thine heart while thy body laboureth, do pray and trust in God, that he will assist thee, & through thee to save me. An hypocrite that will put neither body nor goods in peril for to help me at my need, loveth me not neither hath compassion on me, & therefore his heart can not pray, though he wag his lips never so much. It is written, john. ix. If a man be a worshipper of God and do his will (which is the true worship) him God heareth. Now the will of God is, that we love one an other to help at need. And such lovers he heareth & not subtle hypocrites. As love maketh thee help me at my need: so when it is passed thy power to help, it maketh thee pray to God. Even so Love prayeth. where is no love to make thee take bodily pain with me: there is no love that maketh thee pray for me. But thy prayer is in deed fo●…y belly which y● lovest. What were the scribes and Pharisees? The scribes beside that they Scribes & Ph●… what they were. were Pharisees (as I suppose) were also officers: as are our bishops, chancellors, Comistaries, Archdeacones and Officialles. And the Pharisees were religious men, which had professed, not as now, one dominic, the other Fraunces, an other Barnardes' rules: But even to hold the very law of God, with prayer, fasting, and alme●●eedes, and were the flower and persection of all the jews: as Saint Paul rejoiceth of himself, Phil. ii●. saying: I was an Ebrue, and concerning the law a Pharisey, and concerning the righteousness of the law, I was faultless. They were more honourable than any sect of the Monks with us, whether obseruaunt, or Anchor, or whatsoever other be had in price. These might much better have rejoiced The Phariseye● might better have proved themselves the true Church than our spiritual●●e way. to have been the true Church, and to have had the spirit of God, & that they could not have erred, than they whom all the world seethe, neither to keep God's laws nor man's, nor yet that devils law of their own making. For God had made them of the old testament as great promises, that he would be their God, and that his spirit and all grace should be with them, if they kept his laws, as he hath made to us. Now seeing they kept the uttermost jot of the law in the sight of the world and were faultless: and seeing thereto that God hath promised neither us nor them aught at all, but The promises are made upon the profession of the keeping of the law of God, so that the Church that will not keep God's law hath no promise that they ca●ot err. upon the profession of keeping his laws: whether were more like to be the right church and to be taught of the spirit of God, that they could not err, those Pharisees or ours? Might not the general councils of those, & the things there decreed without scripture, seem to be of as great authority as the general councils of ours, & the things there ordained and decreed both clean without & also against God's word? Might not the ceremonies which those had added to the ceremonies of Moses, seem to be as holy and as well to please God, as the ceremonies of ours. The things which they added to the ceremonies of Moses, were of the same kind as those ceremonies were, and no more to be rebuked then the ceremonies of Moses. As for an ensample, if Moses bade wash a table or a dish, when an unclean worm had crept thereon, the Pharisees did wash the table with a were clout before every refection, lest any unclean thing had touched them unwares to all men: as we put unto our tithes a mortuary for all forgotten tithes. What was then the wickedness The wickedness of the Pharisees what it was. of the Pharisees? verily the leaven of their gloss to the moral laws, by which they corrupted the commandments, and made them no more Gods: and their false faith in the ceremonies that the bore work was a sacrifice and a service to God, the significations lost: and the opinion of false righteousness in their prayers, fastings, and almeso●edes, that such works did justify a man before God, and not that God forgiveth sin of his mere mercy, if a man believe, repent, and promise' to do his uttermost to sin no more. When these thus sat in the hearts of the people, with the opinion of virtue, holiness and righteousness, and their law the law of God, their works, works commanded by God, Preacher. Why the true preacher is accused of treason and heresy. and confirmed by all his prophets, as prayer, fasting and al●nesdeede, & they looked upon as the Church of God that could not err: and finally they themselves either every where, were the chief rulers, or so sat in the hearts of the rulers, that their word was believed to be the word of God. What other thing could it be, to preach against all such, and to condemn their righteousness for the most damnable sin that can be, then to seem to go about to destroy the law and the prophets? What other thing can such a preacher seem to be before the blind world, than an heretic, schismatic, hypocrisy. Why hypocrisy must be first rebuked, though it be jeopardy to preach against it. seditious, possessed with the devil, & worthy of shame most vile, and death most cruel? And yet these must be first rebuked, and their false righteousness detected, year thou mayst preach against open sinners. Or else if thou shouldst convert an open sinner from his evil living, thou shouldst make him nine hundred times worse than before. For he would at once be one of these sort: even an observant, or of some like sect, of which among an hundred thousand, thou shalt never bring one to believe in Christ. Where among open sinners many believe at the hour of death, fall flat upon Christ, & believe in him only, without all other righteousness. It were an hundred thousand times better never to pray, than to pray such lip prayers: & never to fast or do alms, then to fast, and to do alms with a mind thereby to be made righteous, and to make satisfaction for the fore sins. You have herded how that it was said to them of old time, kill not, for whosoever killeth shallbe in danger of judgement. But I say unto you, whosoever is angry with his brother, shallbe in danger of judgement. And who soever says unto his brother Racha, shallbe in danger of a council. But who soever saith to his brother, thou fool, shallbe in danger of hell fire. Here Christ beginneth, not to destroy The law is restored. the law (as the Pharisees had falsely accused him) but t● restore i● again to the right understanding, and to purge it from the gloss of the Pharisees. He that slayeth shallbe guilty or in daunge: of judgement: that is to say, if a man murder, his deed testifieth against him: there is no more to do, then to pronounce sentence of death against him. This text did the Pharisees The Phariseis 〈◊〉 extend 〈…〉 doings or acts, to the outward show 〈◊〉 deed, and nothing to the heart. extend no further than to kill with the hand and outward members. But hate, envy, malice, churlishness, and to withdraw help at need, to beguile and cirumvent with wiles and subtle bargaining, was no sin at all. Not, to bring him whom thou haredst to death with craft and falsehood, so thou didst not put thine hand thereto, was no sin at all. As when they had brought Christ to death wrongfully, & compelled Pilate with subtiltis to slay him, they thought themselves pure. In so much that they would not go into the hall for defaling themselves & being partakers with Pilate in his blood. And Act. u. they said to the Apostles: you would bring this man's blood upon us, as who would say, we slew him not. And Saul in the first book of the Kings in the xviij. chap. being so wroth with David, that he would gladly have had him slain, determined yet that he would not defile himself, b●t to thrust him into the hands of the Philistines, that they might slay him, and he himself abide pure. And as our spirituality now offer a man mercy once, though he have spoken against holy church, only if he will but perjure and bear a faggot. But if he will not, they do but diet him a season, to win him and make him tell more and deliver him to the lay power saying: he hath deserved death by our laws and you aught to kill him. how beit we desire it not. But Christ restoreth the law again and saith, to be angry with thy neighbour, is to slay him & to deserve death. For the law goeth as well on the heart as on the ●and. He that hateth his brother The law 〈…〉 w●●t on the heart as the hand. is a murderer. i joh iij. If then the blind hand deserve death, how much more those parts which have the sight of reason? And he that saith Racha, lewd or whatsoever sign of wrath Racha. it be, or that provoketh to wrath, hath not only deserved that men should immediately pronounce sentence of death upon him, but also that when death is pronounced, they should gather a council, to decree what horrible death he should suffer. And he that calleth his brother fool, hath sinned down to hell. Shall then a man not be angry at all, nor rebuke or punish: yes, if thou be a father or a mother, master, or ma●s●…sse, How a man may be angry without sinning husband, Lord, or ruler: yet with love and mercy, that the anger, rebuke, or punishment exceed not the fault or trespass. May a man be angry with love? you, mothers can be so with their children. It is a loving anger that hateth only the vice, and studieth to mend the person. But here is forbidden not only wrath against father, mother, and all that have governance over thee, which is to be angry and to grudge against God himself, & that the ruler shall not be wrath without a cause against the subject. But also all private wrath against thy neighbour over whom thou hast no rule, nor he over thee, not though he do thee wrong. For he that doth wrong lacketh wit and discretion, and cannot amend till he be informed and taught lovingly. Therefore thou must refrain thy wrath, and tell him his fault lovingly, and with kindness win him to thy father: for he is thy brother as well made and as dear bought as thou, & as well beloved, though he be yet childish and lack discretion. But some will say: I will not hate my neighbour nor yet love him or do him Love is the keeping of the law. good, yes y● must love him: for the first commandment out of which all other flow, is: thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart with all thy soul and with all thy might. That is, thou must keep all his commandments with love. Love must keep thee from kill or hurting thy neighbour and from coveting in thine heart what soever is his. And. 1. john. iiij. This commandment have we of him, that he which loveth God, love his brother also. And again. 1. john. iij. he that hath the substance of this world and seethe his brother have necessity, & shutteth up his compassion from him, how is the love of God in him? he than that helpeth not at need loveth not God, but breaketh the first commandment. Let us love therefore saith S. john, not with word and tongue, but in deed, and truth. And again S. john saith in the said place, he that loveth not his brother abideth yet still in death. And of love hath Moses' texts enough. But the Phariseis glossed them out, saying they were but good councils if a man desired to be perfect, but not precepts. Exod. twenty-three. if thou meet thine enemies Ox or Ass going astray, thou shalt in any wise bring them to him again. And if thou see thine enemies Ass fall down under his burden, thou shalt help him up again. And Levit. nineteeen. thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart, but shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, that thou bear no sin for his sake. For if thou Sinnerse He that helpeth not to m●nde sinners, must suffer with them when they be punished. study not to amend thy neighbour when he sinneth, so art thou partaker of his sins. And therefore when God taketh vengeance and sendeth what soever plague it be, to punish open sinners, thou must perish with them. For thou didst sin in the light of God as deep as they because thou didst not love the law of God to maintain it withal thive heart, soul, power, and might. Is not he that seethe his neighbour's house in jeopardy to be set on fire and warneth not, nor helpeth in time, to avoid the peril worthy (if his neighbour's house be burned up) that his be burned also: seeing it was in his power to have kept all out of jeopardy, if he had would: as he would no doubt if he had loved his neighbour? Even so when God sendeth In doing out best to further our neighbour in virtue, (although we prevail not) we are excused. a general pestilence or war to thy City, to punish the sin thereof: art y● not worthy that thy house should be infected or perish, if thou mightest have kept it from sinning, and thou hadst been willing thereto? But if thou do thy best to further the law of God & to keep thy land or neighbours from sinning against God, then (though it help not) thou shalt bear no sin for their sakes when they be punished. He therefore that loveth the law of God, may be bold in time of pestilence and all jeopardy to believe in God. And again in the same place, thou shalt not avenge thyself nor bear hate in mind against the children of thy people: But shalt love thy fellow as thyself. I am the Lord As who should say, for my sake shalt thou do it. And Deut. x. The Lord your God, is the God of Gods & Lord of Lords, a great God, mighty & terrible, which regardeth no man's person or degree, nor taketh gifts: But doth right to the fatherless & the widow, and loveth the stranger, to give him raiment and food, love therefore the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. And Levit. 19 if a stranger sojourn by thee, in your land, see that you vex him not. But let the stranger that dwelleth among you, be as one of yourselves, and love him as thyself: For you were strangers in the land of Egypt. I am the Lord As who should say, love him for my sake. Notwithstanding when thy neighbour Hate. When a man may hate his neighbour. hath showed thee more unkindness than God hath love, then mayst thou hate him, & not before. But must love him for God's sake, till he fight against God to destroy the name and glory of God. Therefore when thou offerest thy gift at the altar, and there remember'st that thy brother hath aught against thee. Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go first & reconcile thyself unto thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. Agree with thy adversary at oncen while thou art in the way with him, lest thine adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the minister, and thou be cast into prison. Verily I say unto thee, thou shalt not come out thence, till thou have paid the uttermost farthing. This text with that similitude is somewhat subtle, and bindeth both him that hath offended to reconcile himself as much as in him is and him that is offended to forgive and be at one. The offerings were signs, and did certify Offerings or sacrifices what they meant. a man that God was at one with him, and was his friend and loved him. For the fat of beasts was offered and wine thereto, as though God had sat and eaten and drunk with them: and the rest they and their households did eat before God, as though they had eat and drunk with God, and were commanded to be merry and to make good cheer, fully certified that God was at one with them and had forgot all old offences, and now loved them, that he would fulfil all his promises of mercy with them. Now will God receive no sacrifice: that is to weet, neither forgive or fulfil any of his promises, except we be first reconciled unto our brethren, whether we have offended or be offended. In the chapter following thou readest if you forgive, your father shall forgive you. And Osia. uj. I love mercy & not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than I do burned offerings: that is to say, the knowledge of the appointementes made between God and us what he will have us to do first, and then what he will do for us again. And Esaias. lviij. God refuseth fasting and punishing of the body that was coupled with cruelty and saith that he desired no such fast. But saith this fast require I, that you be merciful and forgive, The fast that God require●…. and clothe the naked and feed the hungry. etc. Then call (says he) and the Lord shall answer: cry, and he shall lay: see, here I am. And that similitude will, that as a man here, if he will no other wise agreed, must suffer the extremity of the law, if he be brought before a judge (for the judge hath no power to forgive or to remit, but to condemn him in the uttermost of the law) even so, if we will not forgive one another here, we shall have judgement of God, without all mercy. And that some make Purgatory of Last farthing. the last farthing, they show their deep ignorance. For first no similitude holdeth every word and syllable of the similitude. Furthermore when they dispute, till he pay the last farthing, Ergo, he shall pay. But not in hell, Ergo in Purgatory. A wise reason: joseph known not Marie till she had born her first son, Ergo she bore the second or he known her after. I will not forgive thee till I be dead or while I live, Ergo I will do it after my death, and a thousand like. You have hard how is was said to them of old time, commit not adultery. But I say to you, that who soever looketh on a wife, lusting after her, hath committed adultery with her all ready in his heart. This commandment, commit none adultery, had the Phariseis blinded and corrupt with their sophistry How corruptly the Phariseis did attribute all evil to the deed only. and leaven, interpreting the concupiscence of the heart, lewd toys, filthy gestures, unclean words, clipping, kissing and so forth, not to be imputed for sin. But even the act & deed alone, though Moses say in the text, thou shalt not covet, thy neighbour's wife. etc. But Christ putteth to, light, & salt, & bringeth the precept to his true understanding and natural cast again, and condemneth the root of sin, the concupiscence and consent of the heart. Before the world I am no murderer till I have killed with mine hand. But before God I kill, if I hate: you if I love not, and of love keep me both from doing hurt, and also be ready and prepared to help at need. Even so the consent of the heart with all other means that follow thereof, be as well adultery before God, as the deed itself. Finally I am an adulterer before God, if I so love not my neighbour, that very love forbid me to covet his wife. Love is the fulfilling of all commandments. Love is the fulfilling of the law. And without love it is impossible to abstain from sinning against my neighbour in any precept, if occasion be given. Carnal love will not suffer a mother to rob her child, no it maketh her rob herself, to make it rich. A natural father shall never lust after his sons wife: Not, he careth more for her chastity then his son doth himself. Even so would love to my neighbour, keep me from sinning against him. Adultery is a damnable thing in Adultery. the sight of God, & much mischief followeth thereof. David to save his honour was driven to commit grievous murder also. It is unright in the sight of God and man that thy child should be at an other man's cost, & be an other man's heir. Neither canst thou or thy mother have lightly a quiet conscience to God, or a merry heart as long as it so is. Moreover what greater shame canst thou do to thy neighbour, or what greater displeasure? what if it never be known, nor come any child thereof? The preciousest gift that a man hath, in this world, of God, is the true heart of his wife, to abide by him in wealth & woe, & to bear all fortunes with him. Of that hast thou rob him: for after she hath once coupled herself to thee, she shall not lightly love him any more so truly: But haply hate him and procure his death. Moreover thou hast untaught her to fear God, and hast made her to sin against God. For to God promised she and not to man only: for the law of Matrimony is God's ordinance. For it is written Genes. xxxix. When Putiphars wife would have had joseph to lie with her, he answered: how could I do this wickedness and sin against God? yea verily it is impossible to sin against man, except thou sin against God first. Finally read Chronicles & stories, and see what hath followed of adultery. What shall we say, that some Doctors Some doctor ●aue doubted in that, which Christ hath flatly condemned. have disputed and doubted whether single fornication should be sin, when it is condemned both by Christ and Moses to. And Paul testifieth. 1. Cor. 6. that no fornicator or whore keeper shall possess the kingdom of God. It is right that all th● that hope in God, should bring up their trute in the fear and knowledge of God, and not to leave his seed where he careth not what come thereof. Wherefore if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is better for thee that one of thy members perish, than that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And even so if thy right hand offend thee, cut it of and cast it from thee. For it is better for thee that one of thy members perish, then that thy whole body should be cast into hell. This is not meant of the outward members, For than we must cut of nose, ears, hand and ●ote: you we must procure to destroy the seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and tealing, and so every man kill himself. But it is a phrase or speech of the Ebrue tongue, and will that we cut of occasions, dancing, kissing, riotous cating, and drinking, & the lust of the heart and filthy imaginations that move a man to coucupiscence. Let every man have his wife, and think her the fairest and the best Filthy. conditioned, and every woman her husband so to. For God hath blessed A wife. thy wife and made her without sin How good a thing. to thee, which aught to seem a beautiful fairness. And all that you suffer together the one with the other, is blessed also, and made the very cross of Christ and pleasant in the sight of God. Why should she then be loathsome to thee, because of a little suffering, that thou shouldst just after an other, that should defile thy soul & ●lea thy conscience, and make thee suffer everlastingly? It is said, whosoever putteth away his wife, let him give her a testimonial of the divorcement. But I say unto you, who soever putteth away his wife (except it be for fornication) maketh her to break wedlock, and who soever marrieth the divorced, breaketh wedlock. Moses Deut. xxiv. permitted his Israelites in extreme necessity, as when they so hated their wives that they abhorred the company of them, then to put them away, to avoid a worse inconvenience. Whereof you read also Mat. nineteeen. And he knit thereto that they might not receive them again after they had been known of any other people. Which sense the Iewes abused and put away their wives for every light or feigned cause, and whensoever they lusted. But Christ calleth back again and enterpreteth the law after the first ordinance, and cutteth of all causes of divorcement, save fornication of the wives party, when she breaketh her matrimony. In which case Moses law pronounceth her dead, and so do the laws of many other countries: which laws where they be used, there is the man free without all question. Now where they be let live, there the man (if he see sign of repentance and amendment) may forgive for once. If he may not find in his heart (as joseph as holy as he was, could not find in his heart to take Christ's mother to him, when he spied her with child) he is free no doubt to take an other, while the law interpreteth her deed: for her sin aught of no right to bind him. What shall the woman do, if she repent and be so tempted in her flesh that she cannot live chaste? verily I can show you nothing out of the scripture. The office of the preacher is, to The office of a preacher. preach the x. commandments which are the law natural, and to promise' them which submit themselves to keep them of love and fear of God, everlasting life for their labour, thorough faith in Christ: and to threaten the disobedient with everlasting pain in hell. And his punishment is, if any man have offended thorough frailty, & when he is rebuked, turn and repent, to receive him unto grace, and absolve him: and if any will not amend when he is rebuked, to cast him out among the infidels. This I say, if the temporal power shut her up, as a convict person appointing her a sober living, to make satisfaction to the congregation for her damnable example, they did not amiss. It is better that one misdoer suffer, then that a common wealth be corrupt. Where the officers be negligent, & the woman not able to put herself to penance, it she went where she is not known and there marry, God is the God of mercy. If any man in the same place where she trespasseth, pitied her, and married her, I could suffer it: were it not that the liberty would be the next way to provoke all other that were once weary of their husbands, to commit adultery, for to be divorced from them, that they might marry other which they loved better. Let the temporal sword take heed to their charge therefore: For this is truth, all Law. the temporal blessings set in the law of Moses for keeping their laws, as What followeth the keeping of the law. wealth and prosperity, long life, the upperhand of their enemies, plenteousness of fruits, and cheap of all thing, and to be without pestilence, war and famishment, and all manner other abominable diseases & plagues pertain to us as well as to them, if we keep our temporal laws. And all the curses and terrible plagues Law. which are threatened throughout What followeth the breaking of the law. the law of Moses, as hunger, dearth, war and dissension, pestilence, fevers, and wonderful and strange fearful diseases, as the sweat, pocks, and falling sickness, shorting of days, that the sword, hunger, and such diseases shall eat them up in their youth, that their enemies should have the upperhand, that the people of the land should be minished, and the towns decayed, and the land brought to a wilderness, and that a plenteous land should be made barren, or so ordered that dearth shall devour the enhabyters, and wealth be among few that should oppress the rest, with a thousand such like, so that nothing they begin, should have a prosperous end all those curses (I say) pertain to us as well as to them, if we break our temporal laws. Let England look about them, & mark what hath chanced them since they s●ue their right king whom God had anointed over them, King richard The enormities that have chanced since the slaughter of King Richard the second, unto this realm of England. the second. Their people, towns and villages, are minished by the third part. And of their noble blood remaineth not the third nor I believe the sixte, yea and if I dared be bold, I ween I might safely swear that there remains not the sixteneth part. Their own sword hath eaten them up. And though pastures be enlarged above all measure, yet rot of sheep, Moren of beasts, with parks & warennes, with reising of fines and rent, make all things twice so dear as they were. And our own commodities are so abused, that they be the destruction of our own realm. And right: for if we will not know God to keep his laws, how should tyrants: Why God giveth us up, and leaveth us in the hands of titaunts and in all misery. God know us, to keep us & to care for us, and to fulfil his promises of mercy unto us? saith not Paul Ro. i of the heathen: Sicut non probaverunt habere deum in noticia, ita tradidit illos Deus. As it seemed them not good, or as they had no lust, or as they admitted it not, nor allowed for right in their hearts to know God as God, to give him the honour of God, that is: to fear him as God, and as avenger of all evil, and to seek his will: even so God gave them up to follow their own blindness, and took his spirit and his grace from them, and would no longer rule their wits. Even so if we cast of us, the yoke of our temporal laws which are that laws of God, and drawn out of the ten commandments and law natural, and out of love thy neighbour as thyself: God shall cast us of and let us slip, to follow our own wit. And then shall all go against us, what soever we take in hand: in so much that when we gather a parliament to reform or amenoe aught, that we there determine shallbe our own snare, confusion, and utter destruction, so that all the enemies we have under heaven could not wish us so great mischief as our own council shall do us, God shall so blind the wisdom of the wise. If any man have any godly council, it shall have none audience: Error, madness, and dasing shall have the upper hand. And let the spirituality take heed and look well about them, and see whether they walk as they have promised An admonition. God, and in the steps of his son Christ, & of his Apostles whose offices they bear. For I promise' them, all the devils in hell, if God had let them lo wse, could not have given them worse counsel, than they have given themselves this xx. year long. God gave up his Israelites often time, when they would not be ruled, nor know themselves and their duty to God, and brought them into captivity under their enemies, to prove and feel (says the text) whether were better service, either to serve God, and willingly to obey his law coupled with so manifold blessings, or to serve their enemies, and to obey their cruelness and tyranny (spite of their heads) in need and necessity. And set the temporalty remember, that because those nacious under which the Israelites were in captivity, did deal cruelty with them, not to punish them for their idolatry and sin which they had committed against God, but to have their lands and goods and service only, rejoicing to make them worse and more out of their father's favour: therefore when God had scourged his children mough, he did beat the other for their labour. But to our purpose, what if the man What rulers aught to do, touching such as run. run from his wife & leave her desolate. Verily the rulers aught to make a law, if any do so and come not again by a certain day, as with in the space of a year or so, that then he be banished the country: and if he come again, to Fly from their wives without ●ust cause. come on his head, and let the wife be free to marry where she will. For what right is it that a lewd wretch should take his goods & run from his wife without a cause and sit by a whore, yea and come again after a year or two (as I have known it) and rob his wife of that she hath got in the mean time, & go again to his whore? Paul saith to the Corinthiaus, that if a man or a womambe coupled with an infidel, and the infidel departed, the other is free to marry where they lust. And. 1. Timo. 5. he says, if there be any man that provideth not for his, and namely for them of his own how should, the same denieth the faith and is worse than an infidel. And even so is this man much more to be interpreted for an infidel that causeless runneth from his wife. Let I say the governors take heed how they let sin be unpunished, and how they bring the wrath of God upon their Realms. For God willbe avenged on all iniquity, and punish it with plagues from heaven. In like manner if the woman departed causeless and will not be reconciled, though she commit none adultery, the man aught of right to be free to marry again. And in all other causes if they separate themselves of impatiency that the one can not suffer the others infirmities, they must remain unmarried. If any part burn, let the same suffer the pain or infirmities of the other. And the temporality aught to make laws to bridle the unruly party. Again you have herded how it was said to them of old time, forswear not thyself, but pay thine oaths unto the Lord But I say unto you, swear not at all, neither by heaven, for it is the seat of God, neither by the earth, for it is his footstool, neither by jerusalem, for it is the City of the great king, neither shalt thou swear by thine head, for thou canst not make a white here or a black. But your communication shallbe yea yea, nay nay. For if aught be above that, it proceedeth of evil. As to hate in the heart, or to covet an Swearing other man's wife, was no sin with the Phariseis: no more was it to hide one thing in the heart, & to speak an other with the mouth, to deceive a man's neighbour, if it were not bound with an oath. And though Moses say Levit. nineteeen. Lie not, nor deceive any man his neighbour or one an other, yet they interpreted it but good council, if a man desired to be perfect: But no precept to bind under pain of sin. And so by that means not only they that spoke true, but also they that lied, to deceive, were compelled to swear and to confirm their words with oaths, if they would be believed. But Christ bringeth light, and salt to the text (which the Phari●eis had darckened and corrupt with the stinking mist of their sophistry) and forbiddeth to swear at all, either by God or any creature of Gods: for thou canst swear by none oath at all, except the dishonour shall redound unto the name of God. If thou swear, by God it is To swear by God. so, or by God I will do this or that, the meaning is, that thou makest God judge, to avenge it of thee, if it be not as thou sayest or if thou shalt not do as thou promisest. Now if truth be not in thy words, thou shamest thine heavenly father, and testifiest that thou believest that he is no righteous judge nor will avenge unrighteousness, but that he is wicked as thou art and consenteth and laugheth at thee, while thou deceivest thy brother, as well created after the likeness of God and as dear bought with the precious blood of Christ, as thou. And thus through thee (a wicked son) is the name of thy father dishonoured, and his law not feared nor his promises believed. And when thou swearest by the gospel book or Bible, the meaning is, that God, if thou lie, shall not fulfil unto thee, the promises of mercy there in written. But contrariwise to bring upon thee all the curses, plagues & vengeance therein threatened unto the disobedient & evil doers. And even so when thou swearest by any creature, as by bread or salt, the meaning is, that thou desirest, that the creator thereof shall avenge it of thee, if thou lie, etc. Where Men aught so 〈◊〉 deal that their words may be credited without any oaths. fore our dealing aught to be so substantial, that our words might be believed without an oath. Our words are the signs of the truth of our hearts, in which aught to be pure and single love toward thy brother: for what soever proceedeth not of love, is damnable. Now falsehood to deceive him & pure love can not stand together. It can not therefore be but damnable sin to deceive thy brother with lying, though thou add no oath to thy words. Much more damnable is it then to deceive & to add an oath thereto. etc. Howbeit all manner of swearing is Swearing in what sort it is lawful. not here forbidden, no more than all manner of killing, when the commandment says, kill not: for judges and rulers must kill. Even so aught they, when they put any man in office, to take an oath of him that he shallbe true & faithful and diligent therein. And of their subjects it is lawful to take oaths, & of all that offer themselves to bear witness. But if the superior would compel the inferior, to swear that should be to the dishonour of God or hurting of an innocent, the inferior aught rather to dye then to swear. Neither aught a judge to compel a man to swear against himself, that he make him not sin & forswear. Whereof it is enough spoken in an other place. But here is forbidden swearing between neighbour & neighbour, and in all our private business and daily communication. For customable swearing, though we lied not, doth rob the name of God of his due reverence & fear. And in our daily communication & business one with an other is so much vanity of words that we can not but in many things lie, which to confirm with an oath, though we beguile not, is to take the name of God in vain, & unreverently against the second precept. Now to lie for the intent to beguile, is damnable of itself, how much more than to abuse the holy name of God thereto, and to call to God for vengeance upon thine own self? Many cases yet there chance daily Charity moderareth the law. between man and man, in which charity compelleth to swear: as if I know that my neighbour is falsely slandered, I am bond to report the truth, and may lawfully swear, yea & am bound if it need, and that though not before a judge. And unto y● weak where you and nay have lost their credence thorough the multitude of liars, a man may lawfully swear to put them out of doubt. Which yet cometh of the Oath. evil of them that abuse their language to deceive withal. Finally to swear To perform an evil oath is double● sin. to do evil is damnable, and to perform that is double damnation. Herodes oath made him not innocent and guiltless of the death of john the Baptist, though the hypocrite had not known what his wives daughter would have asked. And when men say, a king's word must stand: that is troth, if his oath or promise be lawful & expedient. In all our promises it is to be added, if God will, & if there be no lawful ●et. And though it be not added, it is to be interpret, as added. As if I borrow thy sword, and by the hour I promise' to bring it thee again, thou be beside thyself. If I promise' to pay by a certain day, and be in the mean time rob or decayed by chance, that I cannot perform it. I am not He is not forsworn whose heart meant truly when he promised. forsworn, if mine heart meant truly when I promised. And many like cases there be of which are touched in other places. To lie also and to dissemble is not always sin. David 1. Reg. 27. told king Achis the Philistine, that he had rob his own people the jews, when he had been a roving among the Amalekites, and had slain man, woman, and child, for telling To lie or dissemble 〈◊〉 some causes not culpable. tales. And yet was that lie no more sin, than it was to destroy the Amalekytes those deadly enemies of the faith of one almighty God. Neither sinned Cusai David's trusty friend 2. Reg. 17. in feigning and beguiling Absalon, but pleased God highly. To bear a sick man in hand that wholesome bitter medicine is sweet, to make him drink it, it is the duty of charity, and no sin. To persuade him that pursueth his neighbour, to hurt him or slay him, that his neighbour is go an other contrary way, is the duty of every Christian man by the law of charity, and no sin: not though I confirmed it with an oath. But to lie for to deceive and hurt, that is damnable only. etc. You have herded, how it is said, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. But I say unto you, that you withstand not wrong. But if a man give thee a blow on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will go to law with thee and take away thy coat, let him have thy clock thereto. And if any man compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. give to him that asketh, and from him that would borrow turn not away. Christ here intendeth not to disannul the temporal regiment, and to forbidden rulers to punish evil doers, no more than he meant to destroy matrimony, when he forbade to lust, and to covet an other man's wife in the heart. But as he there forbade, that which defileth matrimony, even so he forbiddeth here that which troubleth, unquieteth and destroyeth the temporal regiment, and that thing which (to forbidden) the temporal regiment was ordained: which is that no man avenge himself. Christ meddleth not with the temporal regiment. But in all this long sermon fighteth against the Phareseyes false doctrine, and salteth the law, to purge it of the corruption of their filthy gloss, and to bring it unto the right taste and true understanding again. For the Phariseyes had so interpret that law of Moses (which pertained only unto the rulers) that every private person might avenge himself, & do his adversary as much harm again as he had received of him. Now if he that is angry have deserved that men pronounce death upon him, and he that saith Racha hath deserved that men should gather a counsel to determine some sundry and cruel death for so heinous a crime, & if he that calleth his brother fool, have deserved hell: what deserveth he that smiteth or advengeth himself with his own hand? Here is forbidden therefore private wrath only, and that a man avenge himself. To turn the other cheek, is a matter Cheke. of speaking and not to be understand as the words sound, as was To turn the other cheek what it is. to cut of the hand and to pluck out the eye. And as we command our children not only, not to come nigh a brook or a water, but also not so hardy as once to look that way, either to look on fire or once to think on fire, which are impossible to be observed. Moore is spoken then meant to fear them, and to make them perceive that it is earnest that we command. Even so is the meaning here, that we in no wise advenge, but be prepared ever to suffer as much more, & never to think it lawful to avenge, how great soever the injury be: for he himself turned not the other cheek, when he was smitten before the bishop, nor yet Paul when he was buffeted before the Bishop also. But you have herded a little above. Blessed are the meek, for meekness. they shall possess the earth. Let all the world study to do thee wrong, yea let them do thee wrong: and yet if thou be meek, thou shalt have food and raiment enough for thee and thine. And moreover, if the worst come, God shall yet set such a tyrant over thee, that (if thou be meek and canst be content that he poll thee properly, and even as thou mayst bear) shall defend thee from all other. Who is polled Polling how to avoid it. intolerably, that his light is bitter and even death to him, but he that is impatient and cannot suffer to be polled. Yea, poll thyself and prevent other, and give the Bailiff or like officer, now a Capon, now a Pig, now a Goosse, and so to thy Landlord likewise: or if thou have a great Farm. now a Lamb, now a Calf, and let thy wife visit thy Landladye three or four times in a year, with spised cakes, and Apples, Pears, Cherries, and such like. And be thou ready with thine Oxen or Horses three or four, or half a dozen days in the year to set home their wood, or to blow their land: yea and if thou have a good horse, let them have him good cheap, or take a worse for him, and they shall be thy shield and defend thee, though they be tyrants and care not for God, that no man else shall dare poll thee. And thereto thou mayst with wisdom get of them, that shall recompense all that thou dost to them: All this I mean, if thou be patiented and wise and fear God thereto, & love thy neighbour, and do none evil. For if thou keep thyself in favour, with hurting thy neighbour, thy end will be evil, and at the last desperation in this world, and hell after. But and if thou canst not poll thyself with wisdom, and laugh & bear a good countenance, as though thou reioysedst while such personnes polle thee, every man shall poll thee, and they shall maintain them, and not defend thee. Let this therefore be a common proverb, be contented to be polled of some man, or to be polled of every man. You must understand that there be two states or degrees in this world: Two manner states, & degrees of regiments. the kingdom of heaven which is the regiment of the Gospel. And the kingdom of this world which is the temporal regiment. In the first state there is neither father, mother, son daughter: neither master, master, mayoe, manservant: nor husband, nor wife, nor Lord, or subject, nor man or woman. But Christ is all, and each to other is Christ himself. There is none better than other, but all like good, all brethren, and Christ only is Lord over all. Neither is there any other thing to do, or other law save to love one an other as Christ loved us. In the temporal regiment is husband, wife, father, mother, son, daughter, master, mistress, maid, manservant, Lord and subject. Now is every person a double person, Every man is of the spirituality and of the temporality both. and under both the regiments. In the first regiment, thou art a person for thine own self, under Christ and his doctrine, & mayst neither hate or be angry, and much less fight or avenge: But must after the ensample of Christ humble thyself, forsake and deny thyself, and hate thyself, and cast thyself away, and be meek and patiented, and let every man go over thee, and tread thee under foot and do thee wrong: and yet love them, and pray for them, as Christ did for his crucifiers. For love is all, and what is not of love that, is damnable and cast out of that kingdom. For that kingdom is the knowledge of God and Christ. But he that loveth not, knoweth neither God nor 〈…〉 He that loveth not his neighbour ●ath not the true faith of Christ. Christ: therefore he that loveth not is not of that kingdom. The minor is on this wise proved, he that knoweth God and Christ seethe light, for Christ is light: But he that hateth his brother, is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and wotteth not whether he goeth, for darkness hath blinded his eyes. 1. joh. 2. Ergo, he that hateth his brother, knoweth not what Christ hath done for him, and therefore hath no true faith, nor is of the spiritual kingdom of God. To hate thyself, that shalt thou get, if thou considerest thine own sins and the deep damnation that long thereto, with due repentance. And to love, that thou shalt obtain, if thou behold the great and infinite mercy of God with strong faith. There is none so great an enemy to thee in this world, but thou shalt lightly love him, if thou look well on the love that God showed thee in Christ. In the temporal regiment thou art The temporal regiment. a person in respect of other thou art an husband, father, mother, master, mistress, lord, ruler, or wife, son, daughter, servant, subject etc. And there thou must do according to thine office. If thou be a father thou must do the office of a father, and rule, or else thou damnest thyself. Thou must bring all under obedience whether by fair means or foul. Thou must have obedience of thy wife, of thy servants, and of thy subjects: and the other must obey. If they will not obey with love, thou must chide and fight, as far as the law of God, and the law of the land will suffer thee. And when thou canst not rule them, thou art bond in many cases, to deliver them unto the higher officer of whom thou didst take the charge over them. Now to our purpose, whether a man Violence: Not to resist violence, how it is understood. may resist violence, and defend or avenge himself. I say nay, in the first state, where thou art a person for thyself alone & Christ's Disciple. There thou must love, and of love do, study. and enforce: yea and suffer all things (as Christ did to make peace, that the blessing of God may come upon thee, which saith: Blessed be the peace makers, for they shallbe the children of God. If thou suffer and keepest peace in thyself only, thy blessing is, the possession of this world. But if thou so love the peace of thy brethren, that thou leave nothing undone or unsuffred to further it, thy blessing is, thou shalt be God's son and consequently possess heaven. But in the worldly state, where thou art no private man, but a person in respect of other, thou not only mayest, but also must, and art bound under pain of danuation to execute thine office. Where thou art a father, thou must have obedience by fair means or by foul: and to whom thou art an husband, of her thou must require obedience & chastity, and to get that, attempt all that the law of the land commandeth and will. And of thy servants thou must exact obedience and fear, & mayest not suffer thyself to be despised. And where thou art a ruler thereto Ruler's must punish, ●ut for malice, but for defence of the people, and maintenance of the laws. appointed, thou must take, prison, and slay to: not of malice and hate, to avenge thyself, but to defend thy subjects, and to maintain thy office. Concerning thyself, oppress not thy subjects with rent, fines or custom at all, neither pity them with taxes and such like, to maintain thyve own lusts: But be loving and kind to them, as Christ was to thee, for they be his and the price of his blood. But those that are evil doers among them and vex their brethren, and will not know thee for their judge and fear thy law, them smite, and upon them draw thy sword, & put it not up until thou have thine office: yet without hate to thee person, for his masters sake, and because he is in the first regiment thy brother, but to amend him euely, or if it cannot be, but that thou must loose one to save many, then execute thy office with such assertion, with such compassion and sorrow of heart, as thou wouldst out of thy own arm to save the rest of the body. Take an example: thou art in thy father's house among thy brethren and An example how to understand the two regiments. sisters. There if one fight with an other, or if any do thee wrong, thou mayst not avenge nor smite: For that pertaineth to thy father only. But if thy father give thee authority in his absence, and command thee to smite if if they will not be ruled: now then art an other person. Notwithstanding yet thou hast not put of the first person, but art a brother still, and must ever love, and prove all thing to rule with love. But if love will not serve: then thou must use the office of the other person, or sin against thy father. Even so when thou art a temporal person, thou puttest not of the spiritual. Therefore thou must ever love. But when love will not help, thou must with love execute the office of the temporal person or sin against God. A mother can smite and love: and so mayst thou with love execute the office of thy second state. And the wife, son, servant and subject are brethren in the first state and put not that person of, by reason of the second degree: & therefore must they love ever, and with love pay custom, tribute, What soever thou art bond to do, do it with love. fear, honour and obedience to whom they belong as Paul teacheth Roma. xiii. And though the other do not his duty and love thee, but rule the with rigorousness & deal unkindly with thee, thou not deserving: yet cleave thou to Christ, and love still, and let not his evil overcome thy goodness and make thee evil also. And as after the example above, thy father hath power over thee to command thee to use his power over thy brethren, even so hath thy master, to give thee his authority over thy fellows. Which when thou hast, thou must remember that thou art a fellow still, and bond to love still. But if love alone will not help, than put thy master's authority unto thy love. And so hath the ruler power over thee, to sand thee to use violence upon thy neighbour, to take him, to prison him, and haply to kill him to. And thou must ever love thy neighbour in thine heart by the reason that he is thy brother in the first state, and yet obey thy ruler & go with the constable or like officer, and break open thy neighbour's door, if he will not open it in the kings name: yea and if he will not yield in the kings name, thou must lay on, and smite him to ground till he be subdued. And look what harm he getteth, yea though he be slain, that be on his own head. For thy heart loved him & that desiredest him lovingly to obey, and hast not advenged thyself in that state where thou art a brother. But in the worldly state where thou art an other manner person in this case, thou had executed the authority of him that hath such power of God, to command thee, and where thou were damned of God if thou didst not obey. And like is it, if thy Lord or Prince How to be a warrior. sand thee a warfare into an other land, thou must obey at God's commandment, and go, and avenge thy Prince's quarrel which thou knowest not but that it is right. And when thou comest thither, remember what thou art in the first state with them against whom thou must fight, how that they be thy brethren and as deeply bought with Christ's blood as thou, and for Christ's sake to be beloved in thine heart. And see that thou desire neither their life or goods, save to avenge thy prince's quarrel and to bring them under thy Prince's power. And be content with thy prince's wages, and with such Thou 〈…〉 or 〈…〉, & 〈…〉. part of the spoil (when thou hast won) as thy prince or his deputy appointeth thee. For if thou hate them in thine heart and covetest their gods, and art glad that an occasion is found (thou carest not whether it be right or wrong) that thou mayst go a robbing and murdering unpunished, than art thou a murderer in the sight of God, & thy blood will be shed again for it, either in the same war following: or when thou art come home (as thou there didst in thine heart) so shalt thou rob and steal, and be hanged for thy labour, or slain by some other mischief. Now concerning the goods of this world, it is easy to judge. Goods. In the first state or degree that oughtest to be thankful to Christ, and to love, to give and to lend to them that are bought with his precious blood, all that thou art able. For all that thou owest to Christ whose servant thou art to do his will, that must pay them. And that thou dost Math. twenty-five. to them, that same thou dost to Christ, and that thou art not ready to do for them, that deniest thou to do for Christ. But and any of thy brethren will withhold or take away by force above that thou mayst spare by the reason of some office that thou hast in the second state, or invade thee violently, and lay more on thy back then thou canst bear: them hold thine heart & hand, that thou neither hate or smite, and speak fair and lovingly, and let neighbours go between. And when thou hast proved all means of love in vain, then complain to the law and the officer that is set to be thy father & defend thee, & to judge between thee and thy brother. To go● 〈◊〉 law. Thou will't say the text forbiddeth me to go to law: for it saith, ●…a man will law with thee and take thy coat, thou must let him have gown and all. If I must suffer myself to be rob by the law, will't thou say, by what right can I with law recover mine own? I answer: Behold the text diligently. For by no right of law can a man take thy coat from thee: For the law was ordained of God, to maintain thee in thy right and to forbid that wrong should be done thee. Wherefore the text means thus, that where the law is unjustly ministered, and the governors and judges corrupt, and take bribes and be partial, there be patient & ready to suffer ever as much more, what soever unright be done thee, rather To rise against the judge, or magistrate so to resist God. them of impatiency, thou shouldst avenge thyself on thy neighbour or rail or make insurrection against the superiors which God hath set over thee. For to rise against them is to rebel against God and against thy father when he scourgeth thee for thine offence, and a thousand times more sin then to avenge thee on thy neighbour. And to rail on them is to rail on God, as though thou wouldst blasp●… him, if he made the sick, poor or 〈◊〉 ●ow degree or otherwise than thou wouldst be made thyself. Thou will't happily say: the subjects ever chose the ruler and make Princes: whether they may be resisted or put down of their subjects in any case. him swear to keep their law and to maintain their privileges and ●…erties, and upon that submit their selves unto him: Ergo, if he rule amiss they are not bound to obey. But may resist him and put him down again? I answer your argument is naught. For the husband sweareth to his wife: yet though he forswear himself. She hath no power to compel him. Also though a master keep not covenant with his servant, or one neighbour with an other: yet hath neither servant, not nor yet neighbour (though he be under none obedience) power to avenge: But the vengeance pertaineth ever to an higher officer, to whom thou must complain. Yea but you will ●ay: it is not like. For the whole body of the subjects chose those the ruler. Now, cuius est ligare: eius est solvere: Ergo, if he rule amiss, they that set him up, may put him down again. I answer: God (and not the common people) chooseth the Prince, though he choose him by them. For deut. xuj. God commandeth to choose and set up officers: and therefore is God the chief chooser and setter up of them, and so must he be the chief putter down of them again: so that without his special commandment, they may not be put down again. Now hath God given no commandment to put them down again: But contrariwise, when we have anointed a king over us at his commandment, he saith: touch not mine anointed. And what jeopardy it is to rise against thy Prince that is anointed over thee, how evil so ever he be, see in the story of king David, and throughout all the books of the kings. The authority of the king is the authority of God: and all the subjects The king hath God's authority. compared to the king, are but subjects still (though the king be never so evil) as a thousand sons gathered together are but sins still, & the commandment obey your fathers, goeth over all, as well as over one. Even so goeth the commandment over all the subjects: obey your Prince and the higher power, and he that resisteth him, resisteth God, and getteth him damnation. And unto your argument, cuius est ligare, eius est solvere, I answer: he that bindeth An answer to the former Argument with absolute power, and without any higher authority, his is the might to louse again. But he that bindeth at an other man's commandment, may not louse again without the commandment of the same. As they of London, choose them a Mayor: But may not put him down again how evil so ever he be without the authority of him with whose licence they chose him. As long as the powers or officers be one under an other, if the inferior do thee wrong, complain to the higher. But if the highest of all do thee wrong, thou must complain to God only. Wherefore the only remedy against evil rulers is, that thou turn thy eyes to thyself and thine own sin, and then look up to God and say: O father, for our sin, and the sin of our fathers is this misery come upon us, we know not thee as our father, to obey thee and to walk in thy ways, and therefore thou knowest not us as thy sons, to set loving schoolmasters over us. We hate thy law, and therefore hast thou through the wickedness of unrighteous judges, made that law that was for our defence, to be a tyrant most cruel and to oppress us and do us injury above all other kinds of violence and robbing. And amend thy living, and be meek and patiented, and let them rob as much as they will, yet shall God give thee food and raiment, and an honest possession in the earth, to maintain thee and thy withal. Moreover concerning thy goods, Goods. thou must remember how that thou art a person in the temporal regiment, and the king; as he is over thy body, even so is he Lord of thy goods, and of The king as ●ee is Lord of thy body, so 〈◊〉 he of thy goods. him thou holdest them, not for thyself only, but for to maintain thy wife, children and servants, and to maintain the king, the realm, & the country, & town or city where tho●… dwellest. Wherefore thou mayst not suffer them to be wasted, that thou were not able to do thy duty, no more than a servant may suffer his master's goods to go to wrack neghgently. For he that provideth not for his, and namely for them of his own household, saith Paul, denieth the faith, and is worse than an Infidel. But every man is bound to labour diligently & truly, & therewith so soberly to ●…e, that he may have enough for him, and his, and somewhat above for them that can not labour, or by chance are fallen into necessity. And of that give & lend, and look not for it again. And if that suffice not thy neighbour's necessity: then speak and make labour to thy brethren, to help also. For it is a common proverb, many hands make light work, & many may beat that that one alone cannot. And thy wife, thy children, and servants, art thou bound to defend. If any man would force thy wife, thy daughter, or thy maid, it is not enough for thee to look on, & say, God amede you. Nay thou must execute thy office and authority which the king giveth thee. And by the way y● must defend thy master and his goods, and the king's goods, which thou hast to maintain thy wife and household withal, and thy neighbour that goeth with thee, against thieves & murderers. And against all such people lay about thee, and do as thou wouldst do if thou were under the kings standard against his enemies which had invaded the realm. For all such people are mortal enemies to the realm, and seek to put down the king, and law, and altogether, and to make that it might be lawful to sin unpunished. And of this manner if thou mark well the difference of these two states and regiments, thou mayst soil all like doubts that shallbe laid against thee. Moreover when I say, there be two Regiments. regiments, the spiritual and the temporal: Even so I say that every person Every man is under both regiments. baptized to keep the law of God and to believe in Christ, is under both the rigimentes, and is both a spiritual person and also a temporal, and under the officers of both the regiments: so that the king is as deep under the spiritual officer, to hear ou● of God's word what he aught to believe and how to live, and how to rule, as is the poorest beggar in the realm. And even so the spiritual officer, if he sin against his neighbour, or teach As the spirituality may rebuke kings vices, so may kings use temporal correction against the spirituality. false doctrine, is under the kings, or temporal correction, how high so ever he be. And look how damnable it is for the king to withdraw himself from the obedience of the spiritual officer: that is to say, from hearing his duty, to do it, and from hearing his vices rebuked, to amend them: so damnable is it for the spiritual officer, how high so ever he be, to withdraw himself from under the kings correction, if he teach false, or sin against any temporal law. Finally you must consider that Christ A preacher of ●…e●ce. here teacheth his disciples, and them that should be the light and salt in living & doctrine, to shi●e in the weak and feeble eyes of the world, diseased with the mygrim, and accustomed to darkness, that with our great pain they can behold no light, and to salt their old feasterd sores, and to frete out the rotten flesh, even to the hard quick, that it sinert again, and spare no degree. But tell all men, high & low, their faults, and warn them of the jeopardy, and exhort them to the right way. Now such schoolmasters shall Rulers do repene to hear of their ●…es. find small favour and friendship with the rulers of this world, or defence in their laws. As Christ warneth them, Math. x. saying (I send you out as sheep among wolves. Beware therefore of men, for they shall deliver you up to their counsels, and shall scourge you in their synagogues or counselhouses, and you shall be brought before the chief rulers and kings, for my sake) and there teacheth them, as here, to arms themselves with patience, and to go forth boldly with a strong faith, and trust in the succour and assistance of God only, and to plant the gospel with all love & meekness, and to water it with their own blond, as Christ did. Thou mayst not in that state come with a sword, to defend either thyself or thy Gospel, and to compel men to worship thee as God, and to believe what thou will't. Nay, you sheep, v●e no such regiment among Wolves. If thou be a sheep, thou art not 〈…〉 taking if thou canst bring to pass that Wolf be content with thy ●●ese only, and to shear thee yearly. give to him that asketh, and from him that would borrow, turn not away. Luke saith, give to whosoever asketh thee: that is to say, wheresoever thou seest need, or seest not the contrary, but there may be need: to the uttermost of thy power there open thy heart & be merciful only. And of mercifulness set God thy father, and Christ thy Lord and master for an ensample: and enforce to be as like them as thou canst. If thou be merciful, God hath bond himself to be merciful to thee again. Lo, is not this an excceding great thing, that God which of no right aught to be bond to his creatures, hath yet put it whole in thine own hands, to bind him against the day of thy tribulation, then to show thee mercy. Concerning lending, proceed by that foresaid rule of mercy. Many in extreme In lending we must follow the rule of mercy. need, yet ashamed to beg, shall desire thee to lend. Unto such in steed of lending give, or say thus, lo, here is as much as you require. If you can pay it again well, do, and you shall find me ready against an other time, to lend or give (if need be) as much more. But and i● you shall not be able to pay it again, trouble not your conscience, I give it you. We be all one man's children: one man hath bought us all with his blood, & bond us to help one an other. And with so doing, thou shalt win the heart of him to thy father. Concerning merchandise, & chapmen, the less borrowing were among them, the better should the common wealth be: if it were possible, I would it were, ware for ware, or money for ware, or part money & part ware. But if it will not be: but that a man to get his living with, must needs lend, and call for it again to find his household, and to pay his dettes: then in the lending, be first single and harmless as a Dove, and then as wise as a Serpent. and take heed to whom thou lendest. It when thou hast lent an honest man, God visit him, and take away his goods, with what chance it be, whether by sea or land, that he is not able to pay thee: then to prison him, or to sue him at the law, or once to speak an unkind word, were against the law of love, and contrary to showing mercy. There thou must suffer with thy neighbour and brother as Christ did with thee, and as God doth daily. If an unthrift have beguiled thee, and spent thy We must not revenge ourselves upon our evil debtors, but refer our cause to God, and his officers 〈◊〉 goods away, and hath not to pay, then hold thy hand and heart, that thou advenge not thyself: But love him, and pray for him, and remember how God hath promised to bless the patient and meek. Nevertheless because such people corrupt the common manners and cause the name of God the less to be feared, men aught to complain upon such people to the officer that is ordained of God to punish evil doers, and the officer is bond to punish them. If thou have lent a fox which with canillation will keep thy goods from thee: then if the ruler and the law will not help thee to thy right, do as it is above said of him that will go to law with thee, and take thy coat from thee. That is to say: be content to lo●e that & as much more to it, rather than thou wouldst avenge thyself. Let not the wickedness of other men pluck thee from God. But abide by God and his blessings, and tarry his judgement. Liberality is mercifulness that bindeth God to be merciful again. Covetousness Covetousness is the root of all evil. (the root of all evil, and father of all false Prophets, and the schoolmaster that teacheth the messengers of Satan to disguise themselves like to the messengers of Christ) is mercyles that jaco. ij. shall have judgement without mercy: And therefore exhorteth Christ all his so diligently, and above all thing, to be liberal & to beware of covetousness. You have herded, how it is said, thou shalt love thy neighbour and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, love your enemies. Bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you. Pray for them which do you wrong and persecute you. That you may be the children of your heavenvly father. For he maketh his sun to arise over the evil, and over the good, and sendeth rain upon the righteous and unrighteous. For if you love them that love you, what reward shall you have? do not the Publicans so? and if you be friendly to your brethren only what singular thing do you? do not the Publicans likewise? you shall therefore be perfect, as your father which is in heaven, is perfect. This text of hating a man's enemy▪ st●deth not in any one place of the Bible, but is gathered of many places, in The enemies of God, and hi● word●, are to be huted. which God commandeth the children of Israel to destroy 〈◊〉 enemies, the Ca●…s, th●●…es, the Amalek●…s and other 〈…〉 people, as the 〈◊〉, and ●…es, which 〈…〉 out of the favour of God, and ●o destroy the name of God. 〈…〉 came behind them, and 〈…〉 were fainty and we●…y, as they came out of Egy●… Moabites and Ammonues 〈…〉 to curse them, and beguiled them with their women, and made a great plague among them. These and like nations were perpetual enemies to their land which God had given them, and also of the name of God and of their faith. For which cause they not only might lawfully, but were also bound to hate them, and to study their destruction again: howbeit they might not yet hate (of the said nations) such as were converted to their faith. Now by the reason of such texts as commanded to hate the common enemies of their country, and of God and his law, and of their faith: the Phariseis doctrine was, that a man might Levi. 19 lawfully hate all his private enemies without exception, nor was bond to do them good. And yet Moses saith, Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart. And again thou shalt not avenge thyself, nor bear hate in thy mind against the children of thy people. And if thy enemies Ass sink under his burden, help to lift him up again. And if his Ox or Ass go astray bring them home again. Which all no doubt, the Phariseis did interpret for good council, but for no precepts, wherefore Christ salteth their doctrine, & proveth that a man is bond both to love & to do good to his enemy. And as a natural son, though his brethren be never so evil, yet to love them, & show them kindness, for his father's sake, & to study to amend them. What hast thou to rejoice of, if thy Religion be no better than the Religion of theenes? For Publicans what they were. thieves love among themselves: and so do the covetous of the world, as the usurers and publicans, which bought in great the emperors tribute, and to make their most advantage, did over set the people. Nay, it is not enough for thee to love thy benefactors only, as Monks and Friars do, & them of thy own coat, and order, or the brethren of thine own Abbay only (for among some their love stretcheth no further, and that shall he that is removed out of an other cloisture thither, will find: yea and in some places charity reacheth not to all the cells of the same cloisture, and to all the monks that were professed in the same place. As our heavenvly father bestoweth his benefits upon good & bad so aught we to love both friend and so. But lift up thy eyes unto thy heavenvly father, and as thy father doth, so do thou love all thy father's children. He ministereth sun, and rain to good & bad, by which two, understand all his benefits. For of the heat and drieth of the sun and cold and moist of the rain, spring all things that are necessary to the life of man. Even so provoke thou and draw thine evil brethren to goodness, with patience, with love in word and deed, and pray for them to him that is able to make them better and to convert them. And so thou shalt be thy father's natural son, and perfect, as he is perfect. The text saith not, you shallbe as perfect as God: But To be perfect what it means. perfect after his example. To be perfect. in the Scripture is not to be a Monk or a Friar, or never to sin. For Christ teacheth not here Monks or Friars, but his disciples and every Christian man and woman. And to be in this life all together without sin, is impossible. But to be perfect, is to have pure doctrine without false opinions, and that thine heart be to follow that learning. An exposition of the sixt Chapter. TAke heed to your almose, that you do it not before men, to be seen of them, or else you get no reward of your father which is in heaven. Therefore when thou givest almose, make not a trumpet to be blown before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues & in the streets, to be praised of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward. But thou when thou givest almose, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth, that thy almose may be in secret. And then thy father which seethin secret, shall reward thee openly. AS he rebuked their doctrine above, even so here he rebuketh their works: for out of devilish doctrine can Almose. spring no godly works. But what works rebuketh he? verily such as as God in the Scripture commandeth, Deeds commanded by the scripture, done to any other end than they aught are ●o good deeds. and without which no man can be a Christian man: even prayer, fasting and almose deed. For as the Scripture corrupt with gloss, is no more Gods word, even so the deeds commanded in the Scripture (when the intent of them is perverted) are no more godly deeds. What said the Scribes & Phariseis of him (think you) when he rebuked such manner of works? No doubt as they said (when he rebuked their false gloss) how he destroyed the law and the Prophets, interpreting the Scripture after the literal sense, which killeth, & after his own brain, clean contrary to the common faith of holy Church, and minds of great Clerks and authentic expositions of old holy Doctors. Even so here what other could they say, then, behold the heretic, and did not we tell you before whereto he would come, and that he kept some mischief behind, and spewed not out all his venom at once: see to what all his godly new doctrine that sounded so sweetly, is come? he preached all of love, and would have the people saved by faith, so long till that now at the last, he preached clean against all deeds of mercy, as prayer, fasting and almose deed, and destroyeth all good works. His disciples fast no more than dogs, they despise their divine service, & come not to Church, yea and if the holiest of all S. France's order ask themalmes, they bid him labour with his hands, and get his living, and say that he that laboureth not is not worthy to eat, & that God ●ad that no such strong lubbers should loiter, and go a begging, and be chargeable to the congregation, and eat up that other poor men get with thee▪ sweat of their booyes: yea and at the last you shall see, if we resist him not betimes, that he shall move the people to insurrection, as Cayphas said, and the Romans shall come & take our land from us. As you see in the text, Luk. twenty-three. How (when they could not drive the people from him with those periwasions) they accused him to Pilate saying: we have found this fellow perverting the people, and forbidding to pay tribute to Cesar, and saying that he is Christ a king. Wherefore thou canst not be Caesar's friend, if thou 〈◊〉. xuj. let him escape. But after all these blasphemies, yet must the holy ghost rebuke the world of their righteousness, yea of their false righteousness and false holiness, which are neither righteousness nor holiness, but colour of hypocrisy. Christ here destroyeth not prayer, fasting & alms deed: But preacheth against the false purpose and intent of It is the purpose & intent of our deeds that make, or marr●. such works, and perverting the true use: that is to say, their seeking of glory, and that they esteemed themselves righteous thereby, and better than other men, and so despised and condemned their brethren. With our almose (which is as much to say as deeds of mercy) or compassion, we aught to seek our father's glory only, even the wealth of our brethren, and to win them to the knowledge of our father, and keeping of his law. He that seeketh the glory of his good works, seeketh the glory that belongeth to God, and maketh himself God. Is it not a blind thing of the world, that either they will do no good works at all, or will be God for their good works, and have the glory themselves. Concerning blowing of trumpets, Trumpets To blow trumpetes what. and ringing of belies, or making a cry, to call men to ●et alms (though the right way be, that we should know in every parish, all ourpoore, & have a common coser for them, and that strangers should bring a letter of recommendation with them of their necessity, and that we had a commonplace to receive them into, for the time, and though also we aught to flee all occasions of vain glory) yet while the world is out of order, it is not damnable to do it. So that the very meaning, both that we blow no trumpets, and that the left hand know not what the right hand doth, is that we do as secretly as we can, and in no wise seek glory, or to receive it, if it were proffered: But to do our deeds in singleness of conscience to God, because it is his commandment, Left hand. and even of pure compassion and love to our brethren: and not that our good deeds through standing in our own conceit, should 'cause us to despise them. If thou be tempted Vain glory: A good remedy against it. to vain glory for thy good deees, them look on thine evil thereto, and put the one in the one balance, and the other in the other. And then if thou understand the law of God any thing at all, tell me whether weigheth he●…er. If that y● thou dost, do tempt thee, then consider what thou dost not. If it move thee to set up thy comb, when thou givest thy brother a farthing, or an halfpenny: ponder in thy heart, how far thou art of from loving him as well as thyself, and caring for him as much as for thyself. And be sure how much y● lackest of that, so much thou art in sin, and that in damnable sin, if God for Christ's sake did not pardon thee, because thy heart mourneth therefore, and thou fightest with thyself to come to such perfection. If a Peacock did look well on his feet, and mark the evil-favoured shrieking of his voice, he would not be so proud of the beauty of his fail. Finally that many dispute, because Works justify not from sin, neither deserve the reward promised. God hath promised to reward our deeds in heaven, that our deeds deserve heaven: and because he promises to show mercy to the merciful, that with our deeds we deserve mercy, and because he promises forgiveness of sins to them that forgive, that our deeds deserve forgiveness of sin, and so justify us. I answer: first there is enough spoken thereof in other places, so that to them that have read that, it is superstitious to rehearse the matter again. Furthermore the argument is naught and holdeth by no rule. See you not that the father and mother have more right to the child and to all it can do, than to an Ox or a Cow. It is their flesh and blood, nourished up with their labour and cost. The life of it, and the maintenance, and continuance thereof is their benefit, so that it is not able to recompense that it oweth to father and mother by a thousand parts. And though it be not able to do his duty, nor for blindness to know his duty, yet the father and mother promise' more gifts still without ceasing, and that such as they think should most make it to see love, & to provoke it to be willing to do part of his duty. And when it hath done amiss, though it have no power to do satisfaction, nor lust or courage to come to the right way again, yet their love and mercy abideth still so great to it, that upon appointment of mending, they not only forgive that is past, and fulfil their promise nevertheless, but promise' greater gifts than ever before, and to be better father and mother to it than ever they were. Now when it cannot do the thousand part of his duty, how could it deserve such promises of the father & mother, as a labourer doth his hire? the reward therefore cometh of the love, mercy, and truth of the father and mother, as well when the child keepeth the appointment, as when they fulfil their promise, when it hath broken the appointment: and not of the deserving of the child. Even so, if we were not thus drowned Our reward cometh not of our deserts but th●… the love that God beareth 〈◊〉 through faith in jesus Christ. in blindness, we should easily see, that we cannot do the thousand part of our duty to God: not though there were no life to come. If there were no life to come, it were not right that I should touch any creature of God, otherwise than he hath appointed. Though there were no life to come, it had nevertheless been right, that Adam had abstayned from the forbidden apple tree, and from all other to, if they had been forbidden. Yea & though there were no life to come, it were not the less right that I loved my brother and forgave him to day, seeing I shall sin against him to morrow. Because a father cannot give his children heaven, hath he no power to charge them to love one another, and to forgive, and not avenge one an other? And hath he not right to beaten them if they smite each other, because he cannot give them heaven? A bondman that hath a master more cruel than a reasonable man would be to a dog: if there were no heaven, might this bond servant accuse God of unrighteousness, because he hath not made him a master? Now then when we cannot do our duty by a thousand parts, though there were no such promises: and that the thing commanded is no less our duty, though no such promise were, it is easy to perceive that the reward promised cometh of the goodness, mercy, & truth of the promiser, to make us the gladder to do our duty, and not of the deserving of the receiver. When we have done all we can, we aught to say in our heart, that it was our duty, and that we aught to do a thousand times more, and that God (if he had not promised us mercy, of his goodness in Christ) he might yet of right damn us, for that we have left undone. And as touching forgiveness of sin: though forgiveness of sin be We may not challenge the pro●… by our merits, but by Christ's blood. promised unto thee, yet challenge it not by thy merits, but by the merits of Christ's blood, and hear what Paul saith Phil. iij. Concerning the righteousness of the law, I was faultless, or such as no man could rebuke. But the things that were to vantage, I thought damage for Christ's sake, you, I think all thing to be damage or loss, for the excellent knowledges sake of Christ jesus my Lord: for whose sake I let all go to loss, and count them as chaff or refuse (that is to say, as things which are purged out, and refused when a thing is tried and made perfect) that I might win Christ, & might be found in him: not having my righteousness that cometh of that law. But the which cometh of faith in Christ jesus, which righteousness cometh of God through faith, and is to know him, and the power of his resurrection (how he is Lord over all sin, & the only thing that slayeth and vanquisheth sin) and to know also the fellowship of his passions that I might be made like unto his death. So that when righteousness, and true merits be tried, we must be content that ours be the chaff & Christ's the pure corn: ours the scum and refuse, Cross. and Christ's the pure gold. And we must fashion ourselves like unto Christ and take every man his cross & slay and mortify the sin in the flesh: or else we cannot be partakers of his passion. The sin we do before our conversion is forgiven clearly, through faith, if we repent, and submit ourselves to a new life. And the sin we do against our wills (I mean the will of the spirit, for after our conversion Works. we have two wills fighting one against the other) that sin is also What they ●o●. forgiven us through faith, if we repent and submit ourselves to amend. And our diligence in working keepeth us from sinning again, and minisheth the sin that remains in the flesh & maketh us pure and less apt and disposed to sin: and it maketh us merry in adversities and strong in temptations and bold to go into God with a strong & fervent saith in our prayers, and sure that we shallbe herded when we Negligence 〈◊〉 doing ●…ed, bryn●…th us to desperation cry for help at need, either for our selves or our brethren. Now they that be negligent, and sin, are brought in temptation unto the point of desperation, and feel the very pains of hell, so that they stand in doubt whether God hath cast them away or no. And in adversity they be sorrowful and discouraged, and think that God is angry, & punisheth them for their sins. Two apt similitudes 〈◊〉 well and ●…l doings When a child taketh pain to do his father his pleasure, and is sure that he shall have thank, & a reward for his labour: he is merry & rejoiceth in work and pain that he suffereth: and so is the adversity of them that keep them selves from sinning. But a child when he is beaten for his fault, or when he thinketh his father is angry & loveth him not, is anon desperate and discouraged: so is the adversity of them that are weak and sin often. A child that never displeaseth his father, is bold in his father's presence to speak for himself or his friend. But he that often offendeth and is correct or chid, though the peace be made again, yet the remembrance of his offences maketh him fearful, and to mistrust, and to think his father would not hear him: so is the faith of the weak that Promise. sin often. But as for them that profess He that professeth not a new life, hath no promise of mercy in Christ. not a new living how ever so much they dream of faith, they have no faith at all: for they have no promise, except they be converted to a new life. And therefore in adversities, temptation and death, they utterly despair of all mercy and perish. And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues, and in corners of the streets, that they might be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward. Thou therefore when thou prayest, go into thy chamber, and shut thy door, and pray to thy father which is in secret. And thy father which seethe in secret, shall reward the openly. After almose followeth prayer. For Prayer. as it is a Christian man's part, to help his neighbour and to bear with him when he is over charged, and suffer with him, and ●o stand one by an other, as long as we live here on this earth. Even so because we be ever in such peril & cumbrance, that we cannot rid ourselves out: we must daily & hourly cry to God for aid & succour, as well for our neighbours as for ourselves. To give almose, to pray, to fast or Works must be seasoned with God's word, if they shall please God to do any thing at all, whether between thee and God, or between thee and thy neighbour, canst thou never do to please God therewith, except thou have the true knowledge of God's word to season thy deeds with all. For God hath put a rule in the Scripture without which thou caused not move an here of thine head, but that it is damnable in the sight of God. As it is of the Jews, though (as Paul beareth them record) they have a fervent zeal to God, yea and have the Scripture thereto: yet because they have not the true understanding, all is damnable that they do. Hypocrites with scraps of almose get an hundred fold. And with prayer they get praise (as thou seest here) and pray thereto and rob widows houses, as thou readest Math. twenty-three. And with fasting they get fat belies, full dishes & ever more than enough. And yet there is none almose, praying or fasting among them in the sight of God. With their prayers they exclude all true prayers, and make it impossible that there should be any among them. For prayer is, either a longing for the honour of Prayer. the name of God that all men should fear him, and keep his precepts, and What it is, and how many ways it may be named prayer. believe in him. And contrary to that, they seek their own honour, that men should fear them and keep their ordinances, and believe in their sweet blessings, prayers, pardons, and what soever they promise'. If they bid fast thou must do it or be damned and be an heretic and rebellious to holy Church. If they dispense and give thee clean remission for to eat flesh on good friday (though thou be never so lusty) thou must obey, or else thou art damned and an heretic, because thou dost not believe in holy Church. Either prayer is, to give God thanks for the benefits received. Contrary to which, they will first have thanks of the world for their prayers, and rob not only widows houses: But also Lord, Prince, Emperor and all the world, of house and land, yea & of their wits to. And then they bind God to thank them, and to give them. (Beside the thanks which they have got in the world) not only heaven and an higher place but that he give heaven to no other man, save through their merits. Either prayer is a complaining & a showing of thine own misery and necessity, or of they neighbours before God: desiring him with all the power of thy heart, to have compassion and to secure. contrary to this, they have excluded with their prayers all necessity, & misery from among them. They be Lords over all, and do what they will through the whole world. King and Emperor are their servants: they need but say the word, and their will is fulfilled. And as for their neighbours, they have no compassion upon them, to bring their complaints before God. But with their prayers rob them of that little they have, and so make them more miserable. Of entering into the chamber and Chamber. shutting the door to, I say as above To shut thy chamber door, what it means. of that the lift hand should not know what the right hand doth: the meaning is, that we should avoid all worldly praise and profit, and pray with a single eye and true intent according to God's word: and is not forbidden thereby, to pray openly. For we must have a place to come together to pray in general, to thank and to cry to God for the common necessities, as well as to preach the word of God in. Where the Priest aught to pray in the mother tongue, that the name of God may be hallowed and his word faithfully taught and truly understood, and faith and godly living increased: and for the king and rulers, that God will give them his spirit, to love the common wealth: and for peace, that God will defend us from all enemies: for weathering and fruits, that God will keep away pestilence and all plagues. And the Priest should be an example to the people how they should pray. There be of such things as the Priests and other babble (and not pray) many good collects that should much edify the people if they were spoken in the mother tongue. And then while the Priests sing Psalms, let every man pray privately and give God thanks for such benefits as his heart knoweth he hath received of God, & commend to God his private necessities, and the private necessities of his neighbours which he knoweth, & is privy to. Neither is there in all such any jeopardy of vain glory. But and if God have given any man the spirit of praying, as all men have not like gifts, that he pray often and when other do not: than to have a secret place to pray in, both for the avoiding of vain glory, & speech of people, and that thou mayst be free, to use thy words as thou lustest, and what soever gestures and behaviours do move the most to devotion, is necessary and good. And finally what soever necessity Prayer. thou hast, though thou feel thyself a great sinner, yet if thine heart be to amend, God's commandment and promise should mo●● us to pray. let not that discourage thee. But go boldly to thy father, seeing thou hast his commandment, ever to pray, and promise' that he will hear thee: not for thy goodness, but of his goodness, & for his truth. Moreover when you pray, babble not much as the heathen do. For they think that they shallbe herded, for their much babblings sake. Be not therefore like unto them. For your Father knoweth of what things you have need, before you ask him. Of this manner therefore pray you. O our father which art in heaven, honoured be thy name, thy The Pater noster. kingdom come. Thy will be fulfilled, even in earth, as it is in heaven. give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive our trespassers. And lead us not into temptation. But deliver us from evil. For thy is the kingdom, the power & the glory for ever. Amen. As before he rebuked their false intent in praying, that they sought praise and profit of that work which aught to be direct to God alone, either to give him thanks, that is to say, to be a known and to confess in the heart, that all we have, cometh of him: or to call upon him for aid and secure in temptations and all necessity. Even so here he rebuketh a false kind of praying, That prayer is vain wherein that heart is not joined with the tongue. wherein the tongue, and lips labour, and all the body is pained, but the heart talketh not with God, nor feeleth any sweetness at all, nor hath any confidence in the promises of God: But trusteth in the multitude of words, and in the pain and tediousness of the length of the prayer, as a coniurar doth in his circles, Characters, and superstitious words of his conjuration. As you see now to be among our Friars, Monks, Canons and Nuns, and even throughout all the spirituality. Which (as I have proved above) have with their false intent of praying, excluded all occasions, and the whole matter of true prayer, & have turned it into a bodily labour, to vex the tongue, lips, eyes, and throat with roaring, and to weary all the members: so that they say (& may truly swear it) that there is no False prayer is painful. greater labour in the world, than prayer: for no labour whatsoever it be, when the body is compelled and the heart unwilling, can be other then grievous and painful. But true prayer True prayer to pleasant. (if they complained and sought help either for themselves or for their neighbours, and trusted in the promise of God) would so comfort the soul and courage the heart, that the body (though it were half dead and more) would revive and be lusty again, and the labour would be short and easy (as for an ensample, if thou we●e so oppresied that thou were wea●y of thy life, and wenttest to the king for help, and hadst sped, thy spirits would so rejoice, that thy body would receive her strength again, and be as lusty as ever it was) even so the promises of God work joy above all measure, where they believed in the heart. But our hierlinges have no Gods word, but trust in the multitude of words, length of babbling, and pain of body, as bond servants. Neither know they any other virtue to be in prayer: as you may see by the ordinances of all foundations. King Henry the fift built Zion, and the Charterhouse of Shene on the other side of the Zion Shen●… water, of such a manner that lip labour may never cease. For when the Friars of Zion ring out, the nuns begin. And when the Nuns ring out of service, the Monks on the other side begin. And when they ring out, the Friars begin again, and vex themselves night and day, & take pain for God's sake: for which God must give them heaven. Yea & I have known of some year this, that for very pain and tediousness, have bidden the Devil take their founders. They call Lent the holiest time of the year: but wherein is that holiness, verily in multitude of words and tedious length of the service. For let them begin at six, and it will be twelve or they can end. In which time they be so wearied that by the time they have dined, they have lust to nothing save to sleep. And in the end of all they think no farther then that God must reward their pain. And if thou ask how they know it. They will answer: he must reward it or be unrighteous. Now god looketh not on the pain of the prayer, Not the multitude of thy ●ordes, but thy faith 〈◊〉 praying, God doth respect. but on thy faith in his promise & goodness: neither yet on the multitude of thy words, or long habling. For he knoweth thy matter better than thou thyself. And though the jews and the heathen were so foolish through their unbelief, to babble many words, yet were they never so mad, as to m●mble and buzz out words that they understood not. Thou will't say: what matter maketh it, if I speak words which I understand not, or if I pray not at all, seeing God knoweth my matter all ready: I answer, he will have thee to open thy heart to him, to inform and edify thy own self. That thou mightest know how all goodness is of him, to put thy trust and confidence in him, and to fly to him in time of need, and to be thankful, and to love him and obey his commandments, and turn and be converted unto thy Lord God, and not to run wild, as the ungodly do, which know not the benefits of God, and therefore be unthankful to obey his commandments. And that thou mayst know how & what to pray, he giveth thee a short instruction and ensample saying: after this manner pray. O our father which art in heaven. The Dater noster is expounded. First thou must go to him as a merciful father, which of his own goodness and fatherly love that he beareth to thee, is ready to do more for thee then thou canst desire, though thou have no merits. But because he is thy father, only if thou will't turn, & henceforth submit thyself to learn to do his will. Honoured be thy name. To honour God's name, what it is. Honoured and praised be thy name or honoured and praised be thou: for to honour God and to honour that name of God is all one. And to honour the name of God is, to dread him, to love him, and to keep his commandments. For when a child obeyeth his father, he honoureth and praiseth his father: and when he is rebellions and disobedient, he dishonoureth his father. This is then the understanding & meaning of it. O father, seeing thou art father over all, power out thy spirit upon all flesh, and make all men to fear and dread & love thee as their father, & in keeping thy commandments, to honour thee and thy holy name. Thy kingdom come. kings must command nothing, nor forbidden to do any thing contrary to God's word. That is, seeing thou art king over all, make all to know thee, & make the kings and rulers which are but thy substitutes, to command nothing but according to thy word, and to them make all subjects obey. Thy will be fulfilled in earth, as it is in heaven. This is all one with that goeth before. For as much then as thou art father and king over all, and all we thy children & brethren among ourselves, make us all as obedient to seek, and to do thy will as the Angels do in heaven. Make that no man seek his own will but all thy. But & if thou withdraw thine hand to tempt thy children, that the rulers command aught contrary to thy will, then make the subjects to stand fast by thy word, & to offer themselves to suffer all extremity, rather than to obey. Finally when we pray to thee in our temptations When we request any thing at God's hand, we must pray that his will be done, & not ours. and adversities, desiring thee of whatsoever thing it be, and mean truly: yet if thou which knowest all, seest a better way to thy glory and our profit, than thy will be, and not ours. As thy son jesus gave us an ensample, when he desired (if it had been possible) that that cup of bitter death might have departed from him, saying: yet not as I will, but as thou will't. give us our daily bread. By bread is understood all manner Daily bread, whereby is understood all that pertaineth unto the necessity of this life. of sustenance in the Ebrue speech, yea and here is understand thereby, all that pertaineth unto the necessity of this life. If we have bread, there is dearth of nothing that can pinch, namely in that land, give us our daily bread. give us all that the necessity of this life daily requireth. give it us day by day, as we need it. We desire not to have store for many years, to exclude all necessity of praying to thee, and to be as it were out of thy danger, and to forget thee. But minister it day by day, that we may daily feel thy benefits and never forget thee. Or if thou give us abundance above that we desire, then give us an heart to use it, and to bestow it for that purpose thou gavest it, and to deal with our neighbours, and not to love it inordinately. But to think that it is thine, and that thou mayst take it away every hour, and that we be content that thou so do ac thy pleasure: and so ever to have it but for daily bread. forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive our trespassers. Because he knoweth that our nature is so weak that we cannot but sin daily: therefore he teacheth us daily to repent and to reconcile our selves together, and daily to ask God forgiveness. Seeing he commandeth us to ask, we may behold so to do, and to believe that he will forgive us. No man therefore needeth to despair that can repent and ask forgiveness, how ever so deep he hath sinned. And me thinketh, if we looked somewhat nearer to this text, we needed not to make the Pope so great a God for his pardons. For Christ (which is a man to be believed) showeth us here a more sure A surer way than pardons. way, yea and that a sensible way, by which we may feel that we be pardoned and our sins forgiven. We can have no experience of the pope's things whether they be so, or no. He can with all his pardons deliver no man of any Purgatory that God putteth us unto in this world. He can not bless, or heal any man so much as of a poor ague, or totheach, which diseases yet (by his own confession) God putteth on us to purge us from sin. But where we cannot see, feel, or have any experience at all, that it so is, there is he mighty. If I were come whom out of a land where never man was before, and were sure never man should come, I might tell as many wonders as Master Moore doth of Utopia, and no man could rebuke me. But here, Christ maketh thee sure of How thou mayst be sure of pardon for thy sins. pardon: for if thou canst forgive thy brother, God hath bond himself to forgive thee. What if no man have sinned against me? That were hard in this life: nevertheless yet, if that profession be in thine heart, that thou knowest that it is thy duty to forgive thy brother for thy father's sake, and art obedient to thy father's ordinance, and wouldst forgive, if any of thy brethren had offended thee and did ask thee forgiveness. Then hast thou that same spirit which God desireth to be in the. Mark what Christ saith above in the beginning of the fift chap. Blessed be the merciful: for they shall have mercy. Dost thou pity thy brethren that sin, and dost thy best to amend them, that thy father's name may be honoured? Then hast thou that, whereby thou art sure of mercy, as soon as thou desirest it. And again: Blessed be the peace makers for they shall be God's children. Lo, if there be any variance among thy brethren, that one have offended the other, do thy best to set than at one, and thou hast the same thing that God desireth of thee, and for which he hath bond himself forgive thee. Lead us not into temptation. That is, let us not slip out of thy lease, but hold us fast: give us not up nor cease to govern us, nor take thy spirit from us. For as an hound can not but follow his game when he seethe We cannot of our selves but ●all into 〈◊〉. it before him, if he be louse, so can we not but fall into sin when occasion is given us, if thou withdraw thy hand from us. Led us not into temptation. Let no temptation fall upon us, greater than thy help in us: But be thou stronger in us then the temptation thou sendest or lettest come upon us. Led us not into temptations: Father though we be negligent, yea and unthankful, and disobedient to thy true Prophets: yet let not the devil louse upon us, to deceive us, with his false Prophets, and to harden us in the way, in which we gladly walk, as thou didst Pharaoh with the false miracles of his sorcerers, as thy Apostle Paul threateneth us. ij. Thes. ij. A little thread holdeth a strong man where he gladly is. A little pulling draweth a man whether he gladly goeth. A little wind dryneth Small occasions dr●… us to 〈…〉 〈◊〉 we are 〈◊〉 lie prove. a great ship with the stream. A light persuasion is enough to make a lecherous man believe that fornication is no sin. And an angry man that it is lawful to avenge himself, and so forth by all the corrupt nature of man. A little miracle is able to consirme and harden a man in that opinion, and says which his blind reason believeth all ready. A few false miracles were suffici●t to persuade the covetousness of Pharaoh, and his greediness (to hold the children of Israel in bondage for their service) that thy true miracles showed by Moses for their deliverance, were not of thee: But of the same kind, and done by the same craft, as were the miracles of his sorcerers, and so to harden his heart. Even so father if thou give us over for our unkindness (seeing the blind nature of man delighteth in evil, and is ready to believe lies) a little thing is enough to make them that love thee all ready not to walk in thy truth, and therefore never able to understand thy sons doctrine. john. seven: But for to believe that fayninges of our most holy father, all is superstitions Popery and invisible blessings, and to harden them there in. As a stone cast up into the air, can neither go any higher neither ye there abide, when the power of the hurler ceaseth to drive it: Even so father, seeing our corrupt nature can but go downward only, and the devil and the world driveth thereto the same way, how can we proceed further in virtue or stand there in, if thy power cease in us. Lead us not therefore O merciful father into temptation nor cease at any time to govern us. Now seeing the God of all mercy which knoweth thy infirmity, commandeth thee to pray in all temptation and adversity, and hath promised to help, if thou trust in him: what excuse is it to say, when thou hast sinned, I could not stand of myself, when his power was ready to help thee, if thou hadst asked. But deliver us from evil. First (as above) let us not fall into temptation. secondarily, if we be fallen, as who liveth and falls never? for never to fall were enough to make Who should think himself to be without sin were as evil as Lucifer. a man as evil as Lucifer, and to believe that he stood by his own power. If therefore we be fallen even to the bottom, how so ever deep it be, put in thy arm after, for it is long & strong enough, and pluck us out again. Thirdly, deliver us from evil, & pluck us out of the flesh, and the world, and the power of the devil, and place us in thy kingdom, where we be passed all jeopardy, and where we can not sin any more. For the kingdom, and the power and the glory is thine for ever. Amen. Because that thou only art the king, and all other but substitutes. And because all power is thine, and all other men's power but borrowed of thee: therefore aught all honour: and obedience to be thine of right, as chief Lord: and none to be given other men, but only for the office they hold of thee. Neither aught any creature to seek any more in this world, then to be a brother, till thou have put him in office: them (if brotherlynesse will not help, which he aught first to prove) let him execute thy power. Neither may any man take authority of himself, till God have choose him: that is to were, till he be choose by the ordinance that God hath set in the world, to rule it. Finally no King, Lord, Master or what ruler it be, hath absolute power in this world, & is the very thing which he is called: For than they ceased to be brethren still, neither could they sin what soever they commanded. But now their authority is but a limered power. Which when they transgress, they sin against their brethren, and aught to reconcile themselves to their brethren & to ask forgiveness, & they are bound to forgive. Finally let kings, rulers and officers Kings 〈◊〉 subjects are all one afore God. remember that God is the very king, and refer the honour that is given to them for their offices sake, to him, and humble themselves to him & knowledge and confess in their hearts, that they be but brethren and even no better before God, than the worst of their subjects. Amen. For if you forgive men their faults, your heavenly father shall forgive you also. But and if you do not forgive men their faults, no more shall your father forgive your faults. This is God's covenant with us, A covenant where with, God is bound to forgive us, and we to forgive each other. and a confirmation of the petition above rehearsed in the Pater noster: forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive our trespassers. If thou will't enter into the covenant of thy Lord God, and forgive thy brother: than what soever thou hast committed against God, if thou repent and ask him forgiveness, thou art sure that thou art so absolved by these words, that none in heaven nor earth can bind thee: Not though our most holy father curse thee as black as coals, seven foot under the earth and seven, foot above, and cast all his lightning upon thee, to burn thee to powder Keep the covenant of that Lord thy God therefore, and fear no bugs. But and if thou will't not God's covenant is a sure absolution to all that keep. come within the covenant of God, or if when thou hast professed it and received the sign thereof, thou cast the yoke of the Lord from of thy neck: be thou sure, thou art bond by these words so fast that none in heaven or in earth can louse thee. Not, though our earthyshe God whisper all his absolutions over thee, & claw thee, & struck thine head with all his sweet blessings. Furthermore though forgiveness of thy sins be annexed to thy work and forgiving thy brother: yet do not (as I said) thy works justify thee before God. But the faith in Christ's blood, & in the promises made to us for his sake, doth bring righteousness in to the heart. And the righteousness of the heart by faith, is felt and known by the work. As Peter in the first of his second Epistle commandeth to do good works, for to make our vocation and election sure: that we might feel our faith, & be certified that it is right. For except a man be proved and tried, it cannot be known, neither to himself or other men, that he is righteous and in the true faith. Take an example lest thou be beguiled with sophistry: Christ saith Math. xiii. the kingdom of heaven is like leaven which a woman taketh & hideth in three pecks of meal till all be leuenned or sour●. leaven is leaven how many weighed it is taken. sometime taken in an evil sense, for the doctrine of the Phariseis, which corrupted the sweetness of the word of God with the leaven of their gloss: and sometime in a good sense, for the kingdom of heaven, that is to say the Gospel and glad tidings of Christ. For as leaven altereth the nature of dough and maketh it through sour: even so the Gospel turneth a man into a new life and altereth him a little and a little: first the heart, and then the members. Faith in Christ first certifieth the conscience Faith, what power it is of, and the fruits that spring thereof. of the forgiveness of sins and delivereth us from the fear of everlasting damnation: and then bringeth the love of God & of his law into the heart, which love is the righteousness of the heart. Love bringeth good works into the members, which works are the outward righteousness and the righteousness of the members. To hate the will of God is the unrighteousness of the heart, & causeth evil works which are the unrighteousness of the members. As when I hated my brother, my tongue spoke evil, my hands smote & Love is righteousness. so forth. To love is the righteousness of the heart, and causeth good works which are the righteousness of the members. As if I love my brother, and he have need of me & be in poverty, love will make me put mine hand into my purse or almory and to give him some what to refresh him etc. That the love of God and of his commandments is the righteousness of the heart, doth no man doubt save he that is heartless. And that love springeth of faith thou mayst evidently see. i joh. ij. he that loveth Faith bringeth love. his brother dwelleth in that light. But he that hate: h his brother, is in darkness, & walketh in darkness, and wotteth not whether he goeth, for darkness hath blinded his eyes. Why is he that hateth, in darkness (verily because he seethe not the love of God in Christ. For if he see that, he could not but love his brother for so kind a father's sake. If any man hate his brother, be thou sure that the same man is in darkness, and hath not the light of true faith, nor seethe what Christ hath done. If a man so love that he can forgive his brother, assure thyself that he is in the light of the true faith, and seethe what mercy is showed him in Christ. This is then the sum of altogetheri works are the outward righteousness Works. before the world, & may be called the righteousness of the members, & spring Love. of inward love. Love is the righteousness of the heart, and springeth of faith. faith. Faith is the trust in Christ's blood, & is the gift of God. Ephes. ij. whereunto a man is drawn of the goodness of God, and driven thorough true knowledge of the law, and of beholding his decdes in the lust and desire of the members unto the request of the law, and with seeing his own damnation in the glass of the law. For if a man saw his own damnation in that law, he should immediately hate God & his works, and utterly despair, except God offered him Christ, and forgave all that were passed, and made him his son, and took the damnation of the law away, and promised that if he would submit himself to learn and to do his best, that he should be accept as well as an Angel in heaven, and thereto if he fallen of frailty, and not of malice and stubbornness, it should be forgiven upon amendment, and that God would ever take him for his son, and only chastise him at home when he did amiss, after the most fatherlyest manner, and as easily as his disease would suffer, but never bring him forth to be judged after the rigorousness of that law. As leaven can not be seen in a loaf without smell or taste, so cannot saith in us without good works, and the intent of the same be seen or appear. And as thou couldst not see Leaven though thou brakest up a loaf, except thou smelledst or tastedst the sourness, even so couldst thou never see true faith or love, except thou sawest works: & also sawest the intent & meaning of the worker, lest hypocrisy deceive thee. Our deeds are the effect of righteousness, and thereto an outward testimony and certifying of the inward righteousness, as sourness is of Leaven. And when I say faith justifieth, the understanding is, that faith receiveth the justifying. God promises to forgive us our sins, and to impute us for full righteous. And God justifieth That faith justifieth, what i● means. us actively: that is to say, forgiveth us and reckoneth us for full righteous. And Christ's blood deserveth it, and faith in the promise receiveth it, and certifieth the conscience thereof. Faith challengeth it for Christ's sake, which hath deserved all that is promised, and cleaveth ever to the promise, and truth of the promiser, and pretendeth not the goodness of her work, but knowledgeth that our works deserve it not, but are crowned and rewarded with the deservings of Christ. Take an ensample of young children, when the father promises them a good thing for that doing of some trifle, and when they come for their reward, delayeth with them saying: What, that thou hast done is not worth half so much: should I give thee so great a thing for so little a trif●▪ They will answer: you did promise' me: you said I should have it: why did you promise, and why then did you say so? And let him say what he will to drive them of, they will ever say again: you did promise' me, so you did: you said I should have it, so you did. But hirelinges will pretend their work and say: I have deserved it: I have done so much, and so much, and my labour is worth it. Now at the first covenant making with God, and as often as we be reconciled, after we have sinned, the righteousness cometh of God altogether. But after the atonement is faith. made and we reconciled, than we be partly righteous in ourselves & unrighteous: righteous as far as we love, and unrighteous as far as the love is unperfect. And faith in the promise' of God that he doth reckon us for full righteous doth ever supply that unrighteousness & imperfectness▪ as it is our whole righteousness at the beginning. Finally, our works which God commandeth, and unto which he annexed his promises that he will reward Works are sacraments. them, are as it were very sacraments and visible and sensible signs, tokens, earnest obligations, witnesses, testimonies, and a sure certifying of our souls, that God hath and will do according to his promise, to strength our weak faith, and to keep the promise in mind. But they justify us not, no more than the visible works of the sacraments do. As for an example, the work of baptism, that out ward washing, which is the visible facrament or sign, justifieth us not. But God only justifieth us actively, as 'cause efficient or workman. God promises to justify whosoever is baptized to believe in Christ, and to keep the law of God, that is to say, to forgive Baptim. them their foresinnes, and to impute righteousness unto them, to take them for his sons, and to love them as well as though they were full righteous. Christ hath deserved us the promise', Christ. and that righteousness. And faith doth receive it, & God doth give it & faith. impure it to faith, & not to that washing. And the washing doth testify it, and certify us of it, as the Pope's letters do certify the believers of the Pope's pardons. Now the letters help not or hinder, but that the pardons were as good without them, save only to stablish weak souls that could not believe except they read the letters, looked on the seal, and see the print of Saint Peter's keys. O a merciful God and a most loving father, how careth he for us: first above all and beside all his other benefits, to give us his own son jesus, and with him to give us himself and all: and not content therewith, but to give us so many sacraments, or visible signs to provoke us & to help our weak faith, & to keep his mercy in mind: as baptism, the sacrament of his body and blood, and as many other sacraments as they will have, if they put significations to them (for we destroy none, but they destroy which have put out the significations or feigned some without) as wedlock to signify that Christ is the husband and we his wife and partakers with him, as the wife with her husband of all his riches. etc. And beyond all those visible sacraments, to give us yet more sensible and surer sacraments & suraunces of his goodness, even in our own selves: as if we love and give almose to our neighbour, if we have compassion and pray for him, if we be merciful and forgive him, if we deny ourselves, and fast, and withdraw all pleasures from the flesh for love of the life to come: and to keep the commandments of God. For when such things being before impossible, and now are easy and natural, we feel, and are sure that we be altered and of a new creature shapen in righteousness after the image of Christ and God our father, seeing his laws of righteousness are written in our hearts. When you fast, be not sad as the hypocrites are. For they fashion them a new countenance, that it might appear unto men how they fast. Verily I say unto you, they Fast. have their reward. Thou therefore when thou fastest, anoint thy head, & wash thy face, that it appear not unto men how thou fastest. But unto thy father which is in secret. And thy father which seethe in secret, shall reward thee openly. As above of almose and prayer: even so here Christ rebuketh the false intent and hypocrisy of fasting. That they sought praise of that work that was ordained for to tame the flesh, and used If fasting be used to any other and then to tame the flesh, that thereby we may be the more prove to serve God, it is abused. such fashions, that all the world might know that they fasted, to praise them, and to say: O what holy men are these, how pale and pitiful look they, even like death, hanging down their heads, and beholding the earth, as men clean out of the world? If these come not to heaven, what shall become of us poor wretches of the world? If these be not great in the favour of god, and their prayers be herded whatsoever they ask, in what case are we lay people? Happy is he that may be a brother among them, & partaker of their prayers and fastings, and other holy living. In an unhappy, in an happy (I would say) hour was he born that buildeth them a cell or a cloisture, or giveth them a portion of his land to comfort them good men, in this painful living and strait penance which they have taken upon them. Blessed were he that might kiss the edge of the coat of one of them. O, he that might have his body wrapped in one of their old coats at the hour of death, it were as good to him as his Christendom. etc. It appeareth also by that they asked Christ why his disciples fasted not as well as the phariseyes, that they often fasted when the common people fasted not, and all to appear holy. As ours fast Aduent, and begin before Lent at Septuagesima, when Laus tibi domine commethin. And concerning the anointing of To anoint the head, what it means. thy head. etc. is meant, as afore of turning the other cheek, and of that the left hand should not know what the right did: that is, that they should avoid all vain glory, and fast to god, and for the intent that God ordained it for, and that with a merry heart and cheerful countenance, thereby to feel the working of God, and to be sure of his favour. Such is the meaning, & not to bind them that will fast to anoint their head and wash their faces. And the manner or phrase of speaking cometh of an usage, that was among the jews, to anoint themselves with sweet and odoriferous annointmentes whenthey were disposed to be merry and to make good cheer, as you see how Mary of Bethanie powered a box of precious ointment upon Christ's head at supper. As concerning fasting, it were good, Fasting. that kings and rulers did set an order of soberness among their subjects, to avoid dearth, innumerable diseases, and the great heap of vices that spring of intemperancy, and that they forbio not only riot and excess: but also all manner wanton, delicious, and customable eating and drinking of such things as corrupt the people, & make the men more effeminate than the women, so that there remaineth no more tokens of a man in them save their beards. Our fashions of eating make The heap of inconveniences that spring by ●…rate & superfluous 〈◊〉, and drinking. us slothful and unlusty to labour & study: unstable, inconstant, and light mannered: full of wits, after witted (as we call it) incircumspect inconsiderate, heady, rash, and hasty to begin unadvisedly, and without casting of perils, the end not considered what may follow, nor the means well looked upon, how and by what way the matter might be brought to pass, triflers, mockers, rude, unsavoury gesture without all manner of salt, and even very apes and marinesettes, and full of wanton and ribaldish communication & lewd gestures. It corrupteth the wit with fal●e judgement, and infecteth the body with lust, and maketh the whole man so unquiet in himself, that the body cannot sit still and rest in one place and continued in his work, nor the mind persever and endure in one purpose. Let them provide that there be diligent fishing in the Sea, & command the Sea cost and towns whether fish may easily come, to fast Friday, Saturday Fasting days, or days of abstmence are to be ordained for common weals sake. and Wednesday to if need be, & on the friday to eat no white meat. And let the countries which have none abundance of fish, yet have white meat enough, fast Friday and Saturday from flesh only. And let those countries where scarcity of both is, fast Friday from flesh only, and eat flesh Wednesday and Saturday. But abstain from supper or from dinner, or eat soberly those days. And let them so moderate their fasts that the people may bear it, a provision made for the old, the sieke and fable etc. Which fast shallbe a temporal thing, for a temporal common wealth only, & not a service to God. Then let the Priests preach first the law truly and teach the people to see their sins, and so bring them to repentannce: And secondearely the faith of Christ and the forgiveness of sin through faith: And Thirdly almose, prayer, & fasting, which are the whole life of a Christian man, & without which there is no Christian man a live. And let them preach the true use of their almose, Almose. which is to help thy neighbour with counsel, with body and goods and all that is in thy power: and the true use of prayer which is to bring Prayer. his necessity and thine own before God with a strong faith in his promises: and the true use of fasting, which Fasting. is to tame that flesh unto the spirit, that the soul may attend to the word of God and pray through faith. By these three we keep the spirit of Almose, prayer, and fasting, how necessary. God, and both continued and also grow in righteousness and wax perfecter & perfecter in soul & body. And if these fail or that we understand not the right intent, we lose the spirit again, and the righteousness of faith, and the true understanding of the Scripture, and all our learning shallbe but pure darkness. And then what a blindness is that, whenthe darkness of hell is called the light of heaven. As it is of almose & prayer, so it is Almose, prayer, and fasting, are inseparable of fasting: judge like of all three. Where any one of them is, there are they all three: and where any one is away, there is none at all. We must have the profession of all three ever written in our hearts. I must ever love my neighbour and be ready to help, and when occasion is offered, then do it. I aught to consider and know that all cometh of God, and to knowledge that same to him in mine heart. And what so ever we need, we aught to know, that we must receive that of God, and therefore to call ever to him with a strong faith. Even so I must ever fight against my flesh, and therefore ever withdraw from it all that moveth it to rebel against the spirit. So now fasting standeth not in eating Fasting is not in eating and drinking only. and drinking only, and much less in flesh alone. But in abstinence of all that moveth the flesh against the spirit, as long sleeping, idleness, and filthy communication and all worldly talking, as of covetousness and promotion and such like, and wanton company, soft clotheses, and soft beds and so forth. Which are that right hand and right eye that must be cut of and plucked out, that the whole man perish not. And as you can put no general rule of almose or prayer, no more can you of fasting. But I must be all way ready to cut of what soever I perceive to strength the flesh against the spirit. And I must have a diligent eye to the flesh and his complexion, and if aught scape me in word or deed, seek whence the occasion came, and at once cut of that right hand, and pluck out that eye. If this fast be truly preached, then is fasting good, and not afore, for making Works make hypocrites, 〈◊〉 the true intent be away. of hypocrites: as Christ would not let his Disciples fast before they were learned, jest they should thereby have been no better than the Phariseis. And then the outward fasting ordained by the temporal rulers helpeth much, for the weaks sake. Yea and though the land were so plenteous that it needed not to command such fast for to avoid dearth, yet they aught to set such up. Because of them that cannot rule themselves, Rulers be ordained for them that cannot rule themselves. for whose sakes they aught to forbid excesses of taverns and alehouses and rioting out of season. For if the people could rule themselves, what ned rulers. Moreover if any man privately show the Priest his infirmities, and the Priest see any manner of abstinence or chastising apt for the person, that let him council him to do for the subdueing of the flesh, and not command as a tyrant under pain of damnation and to make satisfaction. Thus wise let him say: brother or sister: you be bound under pain of deadly sin to tame your flesh by some manner of way that you sin not against God: & I know no better than this: my council & my desire therefore is, that you use this till either you have no more need, or till god show you some better etc. And let the elders consider diligently the course of their youth, and with wisdom, counsel and discrete governance, help the younger to avoid the perils and jeopardies which they have learned by their own experience to be in that dangerous journey. Moreover when the people be fallen from their profession and from the law: Preacher: The office of a true preacher. as it shallbe impossible for the preacher, to keep the great multitude together, if the temporal sword be slack and negligent in punishing open offences (as Note this well, you temporal magistrates. they ever have and willbe, save in those points only wherein lieth the pith of their own profit and advantage, and the weight of their honour & main tenance of their dignities) and when God also (as his promise is) hath brought upon them the curses of the law: hunger, dearth, battle, pestilence and all manner of plagues with all misfortune and evil luck. Then let the true preachers be importune, & show the people the causes of their misery & wretched adversity, and expound the law to them and bring them to knowledge of their sins, and so bind their consciences and draw them to repentance and to the appointment & covenant of the Lord again. As many Prophets, Priests, yea and Kings of the old Testament zealous Preachers. holy Prophets, Priests and Kings in the old Testament did call the people back and brought them again in time of adversity, unto the appointment of the Lord And the Priest, Prophet or King in God's stead smote hands with them, and took an oath of them, to be the lords people and to turn again to the lords covenant, for to keep his law and to believe in his promises. And God immediately withdrew his hand and rid them out of all captivity and danger, & become as merciful as ever before. But we Christian have been very seldom or never called again to the covenant of the Lord, the law of God Papists have often been called to the Pope's covenant, but seldom to the Lords. and faith of Christ: But to the covenant of the Pope often. As he now clocketh apase for his chekyns & will both prove all his old policies, & seek and imagine new practices. And if the people come again let the Priest or Bishop after the ensample of the Prophets and high Priests of the Israelites take an oath in God's stead of the King and Lords. And let the King and Lords receive an oath of the people, and follow the example of the Ninivites in fasting and praying. Some man will say: seeing fasting Objection. is to withdraw all pleasures from the body and to punish the flesh, than God delighteth in our pain taking etc. I answer: God delighteth in true obedience Solution. & in all that we do at his commandment and for the intent that he commanndeth it for. If thou love and pity thy neighbour and help him, thy almose is acceptable. If thou do it of vain glory to have the praise that belongeth to God, or for a greater profit only, or to make satisfaction for thy sins past and to dishonour Christ's blood, which hath made it all ready: then is thine almose abominable. If thy prayer be thanks in heart or calling to God for help with trust in him according pain. to his promise: them thy prayer pleaseth. If thou believe in Christ's How God delveth in our pain taking. blood for the remission of sins, and henceforth hatest sin, that thou punishest thy body to i'll thy lusts & to keep them under that thou sin not again, than it pleaseth God exceedingly. But & if thou think that God delyteh in the work for the work itself, the true intent away, & in thy pain for thy pame itself, y● art as far out of the way as from heaven to the earth. If y● wouldst kill thy body or when it is tame enough▪ pain him further that thou were not able to serve God & thy neighbour, according to the room and estate thou art in, thy sacrifice were clean without salt, & all together unsavoury in the taste of God, and thou mad and out of thy wit. But and if thou trust in thy work, than art thou abominable. Now let us look on the Pope's Fast. fast. First the intent should be to ●ame thy lusts, not lechery only, but pr●… The intent of fasting what ●…s. chief, wrath, malice, hate, 〈◊〉, & covetousness, and to keep the law of God, and therefore standeth not in meat and drink only, but how they keep God's law, compare it to their deeds and thou shalt see. Secondarily Fast. the fast of the old law was, to put How the jews did fast. on mourning clotheses, as heir or sack, and neither to eat nor drink v●…ll night, and all the while to pray and to do almose deeds and show mercy. And at even they eat flesh and what God give, soberly as little as would sustain the body. etc. The Pope's fast Fast. The pope's fast. is commonly, only to eat no flesh. I say not look how leave they be, but consider what a taming of the flesh it is, to eat ten or twenty manner of fish dressed af●er the costliest manner, & to sit a couple of hours, and to pour in of the best wine and Ale that may be got. And at night to banquet with A feasting fast. dew (as they say) of all manner of fruits and confections, marmelad, Succad, Grenegynger, comffettes, sugerplate, with malmesay & romney burned with sugar, Synamond & cloves, with bastard, Muscadel and Ipocrasie. etc. Think you not that such dews with drinking a piece of saltfish or a Pickrell, doth not tame that body exceedingly? Furthermore that the true intent is Fasling. away both of their fasting & prayers, it is evident: first by the multiplying The true intent is away from the Pope's fasting. of them, for when the jews had lost the understanding of their sacrifices, and did believe in the work, than they were mad upon them, that well was he that could rob himself to offer most: in so much that the Prophets cried out against them, that their offerings stank in the nose of God. And ours had so multiplied their fasting that they could no longer bear them. At the beginning they were tolerable for the vantage: quia levis est labour cum l●●ro. But when they had purchased enough and enough again, they become intolerable. And therefore all our Monks whose profession was never to eat flesh, set up the Pope, & took dispensations, both for that fast, and also for their strait rules, & made their strait rules as wide as the hoods of their cowls. And as for the hypocrisy Monks made the Pope a ●…od for his dispensations. of the fratrie where they eat but invisible flesh, or that is interpret to be no flesh is spoken of in other places. An other proof is, that they so long a time have given pardons of the merits of their fasting, as though they had done more then enough for themselves, and of that merchandise have got all they have, and have brought the knowledge of Christ's blood clean into darkness. And last of all, what shall I say of the open idolatry of innumerable fasts: of saint Brandon's fast, Saint Patrick's fast, of 4. holy Fridays, of Saint Antony's between Saint Mary's days, of our Lady fast, either seven. year the same day that her day falls on in March, and then begin, or one year with bread and water, and all for what purposes, you know well enough, and of such like, I trow ten thousand in the world. And who hath rebuked them? See that you gather not treasure upon the earth, where rust and moths corrupt, and where thieves break up and steal, But gather you treasure in heaven, where neither rust nor moths corrupt, and where thieves neither break up not steal. For where your treasure is, there will be your hearts also. Note the goodly order of Christ's preaching. First he restored the true understanding of the law, then the true intent of the works. And here consequently Covetousness 〈◊〉 at a 〈…〉 〈◊〉 is. he rebuketh the mortal foe & sworn enemy, both of true doctrine and true living, which is covetousness the root of all evil saith Paul. 1. Tim. 6. Covetousness is Image service. Col. 3. It maketh men to err from the faith. 1. Tim. 6. It hath no part in the kingdom of Christ & God. Ephe. 5. Covetousness hardened the heart of Pharad that the faith of the miracles of God could not sink into it. Covetousness did make Balam which known all the truth of God to hate it, & to give the most pestilent and poisonful council against it, that heart could imagine, even for to destroy it if it had been possible. Covetousness taught the false prophets in the old testament to interpret the law of God falsely, and to pervert the meaning and intent of all the sacrifices and ceremonies, and to slay the true preachers that rebuked them. And with their false persuasions they did lead all the kings of Israel out of the right way, and the most part of the kings of juda also. And Peter in the second chapter of his second Epistle 2. Pet 〈◊〉. prophesieth that there should be false teachers among us, that should follow the way of Balam (that is to say, for covetousness persecute the truth) & thorough covetousness with feigned words to make merchandise of the people, and to bring in damnable sects to. And here you have an infallible rule Covetousness cannot but err. that where covetousness is, there is no truth: not though they call themselves the church, and say thereto that they cannot err. Covetousness kept judas still in unbelief though he see and did also many miracles in the name of Christ, and compelled him to cell him to the Scribes and Phariseis: for covetousness is a thing merciless. Covetousness made the Phariseis to lie on Christ, to persecute him, and falsely to accuse him. And it made Pilate though he found him an innocent, yet to slay him. It caused Herode to persecute Christ yet in his cradle. Covetousness maketh hypocrites to persecute the truth against their own consciences, and to lie to Princes, that the true preachers move sedition and make their subjects to rise against them, and the said covetousness maketh the Princes to believe their wicked persuasions, and to lend their sword to shed innocent blood. Finally covetousness maketh many (whom the truth pleaseth at the beginning) to cast it up again and to be afterward the most cruel enemies thereof, after the ensample of Simon Magus. Act. 8. Yea and after the ensample of Sir Thomas More K. which known the truth, and for covetousness Moore. forsook it again, and conspired first with the Cardinal to deceive the king, and to lead him in darkness. And afterward when the light was sprung upon them, and had driven them clean out of the scripture, and had delivered it out of their tyranny, and had expelled the dark stinking mist of their devilish gloss: and had wiped away the cobwebs which those poisoned spiders had spread upon the face of the clear text, so that the spirituality (as they call themselves) were ashamed of their part, as shameless as they be: yet for all that, covetousness blinded the eyes of that glering Fox, more & Covetousness blinded the eyes, & hardened the heart of Sir Thomas Moore. more, and hardened his hart against the truth, with the confidence of his painted Poetry, babbling eloquence, and juggling arguments of subtle sophistry, grounded on his unwritten verities, as true and as authentic as his story of Utopia. Paul therefore biddeth Timothy to charge the rich to believe in the living god, and not in their uncertain riches, for it is impossible for a covetous Idolater or Image server, that trusteth in the dead God of his riches, to put his trust in the living God. One misery is, that they which here gather & lay up, cannot tell for whom. The commodities that follow covetous and worldly rich men. An other is, rust, canker, moths, and a thousand misfortunes, beside, thieves, extortioners, oppressors, & mighty tyrants, to the which the rich be ever a prey. And though they prospero to the end outwardly, yet fear ever guaweth their hearts inwardly. And at the hour of death they know & feel that they have gathered nought, & then sorrow they, and are like one that dreameth of riches, and in the morning when he finds naught, is heavy and sorry for the remembrance of the pleasant dream. And finally when they be most loath to die and hope to live long, them they perish suddenly, after the ensample of the rich man which intended to make him larger barns and store houses. Happy therefore is he that layeth up treasure ●uke. xii. in heaven, and is rich in faith and good works: for the reward thereto promised shall God keep sure for him: no man can take it away. Here is not forbidden to have riches. But to love it, to trust in it, and to be careful for it. For God hath promised to care for us, and to give us enough, & to keep that which is got, if we will care to keep his commandments. Whatsoever office or degree thou art in, in this world, do the duty of thy office diligently, and trust in God, & let him care. If thou be an husband man, ear and sow, and husband thy ground, and let God alone for the rest, he will care to make it grow plenteously, and to sand seasonable weather to have it in, and will provide thee a good market to cell▪ etc. In like manner, if thou be a king, do the office of a king, and receive the duties of the king, and let God care to keep thee in thy kingdom. His savour shall do more for thee than a thousand millions of gold, and so of all other. He that hath but a little and is sure that God shall keep both him & it, is richer than he which hath thousands, and hath none other hope than that he and it must be kept with his own care and policy. And finally mark one point in Luke. 14. None of them that re●useth Luke. xiv. not all that he possesseth can be my disciple, that is, he that casts not away the love of all worldly things, can be no scholar of Christ's to learn his doctrine. Then he addeth that salt is good, but if the salt be unsavoury or hath lost his ve●…e, what can be seasoned therewith? verily nothing. Now by salt is understand the doctrine, and the meaning Covetousness maketh the salt of Gods word unsavoury. is, if you be covetous and love worldly things, it will corrupt the salt of your doctrine, so that whatsoever you powder therewith it shallbe more unsavoury than before. Where your treasure is, there are your hearts. If your treasure be in the world, so is the love of your hearts. And if you love the world & the things of the world, the love of God is not in you, and the love of God is the love of his commandments: and he that Covetousness maketh a false Prophet. loveth not God's commandments shall never preach them truly, because he loveth them not. But shall corrupt them with gloss that they may stand with that which his heart loveth, and until they have an other sense then ever God gave them. Ergo no covetous person can be a true Prophet. It is not for naught then that Christ to often and so diligently warneth his disciples to beware of covetousness, as of that thing which he witted well had ever corrupt the word of God, and ever should. The light of thy body is thine eye, wherefore if thy eye be single, all thy body shall be full of light. But and if thy eye be wicked, than shall thy whole body be dark. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness. Note the conclusion with a proper similitude. The eye is the light of the body, and by the light of the eye all other Darkness. members see and are governed. As long as the eye seethe, hand & foot do their duties, neither is there any fear that a man should sinnible or fall into fire or water. But if the eye be blind, all the body is blind, and that so blind that there is no remedy at all: set a candle before him, he seethe not, give him a lantern in his hand, and yet he goeth not straight. Bring him out into the sun & point him unto that which thou wouldst have him see, it booteth not. Even so, if covetousness Covetousness causeth darkness. have blinded the spiritual eye, & perverted the right intent of the law of God, and of the works commanded by God, and of the sacrifice, ceremonies, and sacraments, and of all other ordinances of God (which intent is the spiritual eye) then is all the doctrine dark and very blindness: yea and then how dark is the darkness, when that which is pure blindness is believed to be light? how dark is the doctrine of them that teach that a man may compel God with the works of free will to give them his favour & grace, or make God unrighteous? How dark is the doctrine of them which (to the rebuke of Christ's blood) teach that works do justify before God, and make satisfaction for sins? How blind are they which think prayer to be the pattering of many words, and will therefore not only be praised and paid of the world, but also by the title thereof challenge heaven & not by the merits of Christ's blood? How dark is the doctrine of them whose faith is only and all together in appointmentes which they themselves have feigned between them and God, unto which yet God never subscribed: In which also they assign what work and how much they will do, and what reward, and how great God must give them, or choose whether he will be unrighteous. How dark is the doctrine of them Darkness. that say stiffly that the work of the Sacraments in itself (not referring it to stir up the faith of the promises annexed to them) doth justify: and affirm that bodily pain for the pain itself (not referring it either to the love of the law of god or of their neighbour) doth please God? How dark, damnable & devilish is the doctrine of them which not only think lucre to be the service of God, but also are so far past all shame that they affirm they be the holy Church and cannot err, and all that The da●●nes of the Pope's doctrine here plainly appeareth. they decree, must be an article of our faith, and that it is damnable once to doubt or search the Scripture whether their doctrine will thereto agreed or no: But say their decrees must be believed as they sound, how contrary so ever the Scripture be: and the Scripture must be expounded and made agreed to them. They need not to regard the Scripture, but to do and say as their holy Ghost moveth them: and if the Scripture be contrary, then make it a nose of wax and wrist it this way and that way till it agreed. Faith of works was the darkness of the false Prophets, out of the which faith in works is darkness. the true could not draw them. Faith of works was the blindness of the pharisees, out of the which neither john Baptist nor Christ could bring them. And though john Baptist pyped to them with reasons of the Scripture in vincible, and Christ thereto added miracles, yet the Phariseis would not dance. For john Baptist (as they thought) was to mad to live so straight a life, and to refuse to be justified thereby. And as for Christ & his Disciples, the Phariseis were much holier themselves, fasted oftener, and prayed thicker, yea and uttered many more words in their prayer than they. faith of works is that belief of the Turks & jews which driveth them ever away from Christ. Faith of works hath been that light of darkness in which a great part of us Christian have walked ever sense Pelagius and Faustus, well about xii. C. years, and ever mother and more: & in which all our religious have walked all and more to this four or five hundred year: & in which the Priests also have walked a long season, the Lord bring them out again. Finally how dark is the darkness Darkness. when a Pharisey and a very Pelagian standeth up, and preacheth against the Phariseis & the Pelagians and is allowed of all the audience? And in conclusion when the world ever sense it began hath & doth of natural blindness believe in their own works, them if the Scripture be perverted to confirm that error, how sore are their hearts hardened and how deep is that darkness. No man can serve two masters, for he shall either hate the one, and love the other, or cleave to the one, and despise the other. You can not serve God and Mammon. Mammon is riches or abundance Mammon what it is. of goods. And Christ concludeth with a plain similitude, that as it is impossible to serve two contrary masters, & as it is impossible to be retained unto two divers Lords, which are enemies one to the other, so is it impossible to serve God and Mammon. Two masters of one mind, & one will, might a man serve: for if one will, one mind, and one accord be in twenty then are they all but one master. And two masters where one is under the other and a substitute, may a man serve. For the service of the inferior is the commandment of the superior. As to serve & obey Father, Mother, Husband, Master and Lord is God's commandment. But and if the inferior be of a contrary will to the superior, & command any contrary thing, then mayst thou not obey. For now they be two contrary masters. So God and Mammon Mammon is a God. are two contrary masters: yea two contrary Gods, and of contrary commandments. God saith, I thy Lord God am but one, & me shalt thou serve alone: that is, thou shalt love me with all thine heart, or with thine whole heart, with all thy soul & with all thy might. Thou shalt neither serve, obey or love any thing save me and that I bid thee: & that as far and no further than I bid thee. And Mammon saith the same. For Mammon willbe a God also and served and loved alone. God saith, see thou love thy neighbour, that thou labour with thy hands to get thy living and somewhat above to help him. Mammon saith, he is called thy neighbour, because he is nigh thee. Now who is so nigh thee as thyself. Ergo proximus esto tibi: that is love thyself, & make lewd and vile wretches to labour diligently to get thee as much as thou mayst, and some scraps above for themselves. Or will't thou be perfect? Then disguist thyself and put on Mammon maketh men disguise themselves. a grey coat, a black or a pied & give thyself to devotion, despise the world and take a covetous, (I would say a contemplative life) upon thee. Tell the people how hot Purgatory is, and what pains there must be suffered for small fantes. And then give mercifully a thousand fold for one, spiritual for temporal: give heaven, and take but house and land, and foolish temporal things. God saith, judge truly between thy brethren, and therefore take no gifts. Mammon saith, it is good manner and appoint of courtesy to take that is offered. And he that giveth thee loveth thee better than such a chur●…e that giveth thee nought, yea & thou ar● more bond to favour his cause? God saith, fell and give almose. Mammon saith lay up to have enough to maintain thine estate and to defend thee from thine enemies and to serve thee in thine age. etc. For as much then as God & Mammon The servants of Mammon are not o● Chri●●es Church. be two so contrary masters, that whosoever will serve God, must give up Mammon, and all that will serve Mammon must forsake God: it followeth that they which are the sworn servants of Mammon, and have his holy spirit, and are his faithful Church, are not the true servants of God, nor have his spirit of truth in them, or can be his true Church. Moreover seeing that God & Mammon be so contrary that God's word The servant of Mammon to no true preacher. is death in Mammon's ear, & his doctrine poison in Mammon's mouth: it followeth that if the ministers of God's word: do favour Mammon, they will so fashion their speech & so sound their words that they may be pleasant in the ears of Mammon. Finally alonely to have richesse is To be Mammon's servant what it is. not to be the servant of Mammon, but to love it and clea●e to it in thine heart. For if thou have goods only to maint●ine the office which God hath put thee in, & of the rest to help thy neighbour's need, so art thou Lord over thy Mammon and not his servant. Of them that be rich, how shalt thou know Mammon's servant how he is known. the master of Mammon from the servant? verily first by the getting, secondarily when his poor neighbour complaineth, if he be Mammon's servant, Mammon will shut up his heart and make him without compassion. Thirdly the cross of Christ will try them the one from the other. For when persecution ariseth for the word: then will the true servant of Christ bid Mammon adieu. And the faithful servant of Mammon will utter his hypocrisy, and not only renounce the doctrine of Christ, but also be a cruel & a sharp persecuter thereof, to put away all surmise, and that his fidelity which he hath in his master Mammon, map openly appear. Therefore I say unto you, care not for your lives what you shall eat, or what you shall drink, neither for your bodies what you shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body more than the raiment? He that bundeth a costly house even to the tyling, will not leave there and loose so great cost for so small a trifle more. Not more will he that gave thee so precious a soul & so beautiful a body, The goodness of god toward mankind. let either of them perish again before the day, for so small a thnig as food or raiment. God never made mouth but he made meat for it, nor body but he made raiment also. Howbeit Mammon blindeth our eyes, so that we can neither see nor judge a right. Behold the fowls of the air, how they sow not, neither reap nor gather into storehouses, and yet your heavenly father feedeth them. And are not you far better than they? Which of you with taking thought, is able to put one cubit unto his stature? He that careth for the lest of his creatures will much more care for that greatest. Birds & beasts teach us to put away care. The birds of the air and beasts preach all to us that we should leave caring and put our trust in our father. But Mammon hath made us so dull and so clean without capacity that none example or argument be it never so vehement, can enter the wits of us, to make us see or judge a right. Finally what a madness it is to take so great thought for food or raiment, when the wealth, health, life of thy body and all together is out of thy power. If all the world were thine thou couldst not make thyself one inch longer, nor that thy stomach shall digest the meat that thou puttest into it: Not thou art not sure that that which thou puttest into thy mouth shall go through thee or whether it shall choke thee. Thou canst not make when thou liest or sittest down that thou shalt arise again, or when thou sleepest that thou shalt awake again, or that thou shouldst live one hour longer. So that he which cared for thee when thou couldst not care, must care for thee still or else thou shouldst perish. And he will not care for thee to thy soul's profit, if thou mistrust him and care for thyself. And for raiment why take you thought? Behold the lilies of the field, how they grow, they labour not, neither spin. And yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not appareled like one of them. Wherefore if the grass which is to day in the fields and to morrow shallbe cast into the furnace, God so cloth, how much more shall he do the same unto you, O you of little faith? Not only foul and beast, but also Care. tree herb, & all the flowers of the earth do cry unto us, to trust God and to cast away all care that is coupled with covetousness of more than sufficient to bear the charges which we have in our hands, by the reason of the state we be in the world: and all care that is annexed with mistrust, that God should not minister enough to bear all our charges: if we endeavour ourselves to keep his commandments and to do every man his craft or office he is in truly, and (when God to prove us, suffereth us to have need of our neighbours) we first complain to God, & desire him to prepare the hearts of our neighbours against we come to desire their help. But Mammon pypeth an other song, saying: if thou shouldst make no other Mammon. manner of labour for a benefice, then as if thou careddest not whether thou had dost it or hadst it not, it would be long ere thou gattest one, all would be take out of thine hand? I answer: as thy labour was to get it, such shallbe thy be haviour in it: as thou flatteredest to have it, so shalt thou it it. And as thou boughtest and souldest to get it, so shalt thou cell in it to buy ●auour and to be set by in the world. If thy principal in tent that thou seekest a benefice for, be lucre, then take heed to the example of thy forefather Simon Magus. Let thy Acts. 〈◊〉. care therefore be to do the office that God putteth thee in truly, and the blessing that he coupleth thereto that take with thanks, and neither care nor covet further. Take no thought therefore saying: What shall we eat or what shall we drink, or what shall we put on? all these things the heathen seek. Yea and your heavenly father knoweth that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof, and all these things shallbe ministered unto you. Be not like the heathen which have no trust in God nor his word, nor believe any life to come. Let them vex themselves and each be a devil to an other sore worldly things. But comfort Conenaunt. keep covenant with God and he shall keep promise with thee. thou thyself with y● hope of a better life in another world, ever assured that y● shalt have here sufficient, only if thou keep covenant with the Lord thy God, and seek his kingdom and the righteousness thereof above all things. The kingdom of God, is the Gospel and doctrine of Christ. And the righteousness Kingdom of heaven, what. thereof, is to believe in Christ's blood for the remission of sins. Out of which righteousness springeth love to God, & thy neighbour for his sake, which is also righteousness as I have said afore, so far as it is perfect, and that which lacketh is supplied by faith in God's word, in that he hath promised to accept that, till more come. Then Righteousness of the kingdom of heaven, what it is. followeth the outward righteousness of works by the which, and diligent recording of God's word together, we grow and wax perfect and keep ourselves from going back and losing the spirit again. And these have our spirituality with their corrupt doctrine mingled together: that is to say, the righteousness of the kingdom of God, which is faith in Christ's blood: & the outward righteousness of the members that we ascribe to the one that pertaineth to the other. Seek the kingdom of heaven therefore and the righteousness of the same, and be sure thou shalt ever have sufficient, and these things shallbe ministered unto thee, that is to say: shall come of their own accord by the promise of God: yea Christ promises thee an hundredfolde even in this life, of all that thou leavest for his sake. If that were true would some say, who would not rather serve him then Mammon? yet is it true. For first if thou be servant of Mammon, thou must keep thy God, and thy God not thee. And every man that is stronger than thou, will take thy God from thee. Moreover God will take either thee from thy Mammon, or thy Mammon from thee, ere thou wouldst, to avenge▪ himself of thy blind unkindness, that when he hath made thee and given thee all, thou forsakest him and servest his mortal enemy. But if thou follow Christ, all the world (and let them take all the devils I● thou follow Christ, thou canst not 〈…〉 sufficient living. in hell to them) shall not be able to disappoint thee of a sufficient living. And though they persecute thee from house to house a thousand times, yet shall God provide thee of an other with all things sufficient to live by. Now compare the surety of his, with the incertainty of the other: & then the blessed end of this (that heaven is promised thee also) with the miserable departing from the other so sore against thy will, and then the desperation that thy heart ●eeleth that thou art all ready in hell. And then may not this be well called a thousand fold more than the other. Care not then for the day following, but let the day following care for itself. For the day that is present, hath ever enough of his own trouble. If thou look well on the conenaunt Care. that is between thee & thy Lord God, on the one side, and the temptations of the world, the flesh and Satan on the other: thou shalt soon perceive that the day present hath ever enough to be cared for, & for which thou must ●ry instantly to God for help also, though thou do thy best. Now then seeing that day present is overcharged with her own care, what madness is it to lad upon her also the care of the day following, yea the care of a year, you of xx. year, or as though thou never intendest to die, and to torment and vex the soul thorough mistrust and unbelief, & to make thy life sour and bitter, and as unquiet▪ as the life of the devils in hell? Therefore care day by day, & hour What we aught ch●●●●est to care for. by hour earnestly to keep the covenant of the Lord thy God, and to record therein day and night, and to do thy part unto the uttermost of thy power. And as for God's part, let him care for it himself, and believe thou his words steadfastly: and be sure that heaven and earth shall sooner perish then one jot bide behind of that he hath promised. And for thy own part also, care not of that manner, as though thou shouldst do all alone. Nay: God hath first promised to help thee: Secondarily to accept thy heart, and that little that thou art able to do, be it never so imperfect: Thirdly though wind, weather & the stream carry thee clean contrary to thy purpose, yet because thou bidest still in thy profession, ready to turn the right course as soon as the tempest is a little over blown, God promises to forgive that, & not that less to fulfil his promises of one jot. Doth Christ so defend his, that they Tempt. Why God letteth his children be tempted with adversity. never come in danger of trouble? yes they come into such straits often, that no wit nor reason can see any way out, save faith only is sure that God hath & will make a way thorough. But that temptation is but for an hour to teach them, and to make them feel the goodness of their father, and the passions of their brethren and of their master Christ also. It is but as a loving mother, to make her child to perceive and feel her kindness (to love her a-againe and be thankful) letteth it hunger in a morning. And when it calleth for his breakfast, maketh as she herded not, till for pain and impatiency it beginneth to cry a good. And then she stilleth it and giveth it all that it asketh and more to, to please it. And when it is peaced and beginneth to eat, and rejoiceth and is glad and fain, she asketh who gave thee that, thy mother? and it saith you: Then saith she: Am not I a good mother that give thee all things? and it answereth, you. And she asketh, will't thou love thy mother. etc. And it saith you, and so cometh it to the knowledge of his mother's kindness, and is thankful. Such is the temptation of Christ's elect, and other wise not. Here is not forbiddin all manner of What care is forbidden. care, but that worldly and devilish care that springeth of an inordinate love to worldly things, and of mistrust in God. As for an ensample: I covet inordinately more than sufficient, or but even that I have need of. And it (because I mistrust God and have no hope in him, and therefore pray not to him) cometh not: Then I mourn, sorrow and pine away, and am whole unquiet in mynehart. Or whether I have to much or but sufficient, and love it inordinately: then I care for the keeking. And because I mistrust God, & have no hope in him, that he will help me, therefore when I have locked doors, chambers and coffers, I am never the nearer at rest, but care still and cast a thousand perils, of which the most part were not in my might to avoid though I never slept. And where this care is, there can the word of God have no resting place, but is choked up as soon as it is sown. There is an other care that springeth out of the love of God (for every love hath her care) & is a care to keep Care: wh●… care every man aught to have. God's commandments. This care must every man have. For a man liveth not by bread only, but much more by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. The keeping of God's commandment is the life of a man, as well in this world as in the world God's commandment is man's life. to come. As child obey father & mother, that thou mayst long live on the earth. And by father & mother is understand all rulers. which if thou obey, thy blessing shall be long life: and contrary if thou disobey, short life: and shalt either perish by the sword, or by some other plague, and that shortly. And even so shall the ruler, if he rule not as God hath commanded. Oppress thou a widow and fatherless children (saith God) and they shall cry to me, and I will hear their voice, & Exod. xx. then will my wrath wax hot: so I will sinite you with sword, & your wives shall be widows, & your children fatherless. Some will say, I see none more prospero or longer continued then those Why God suffereth tyrants to prospero. that be most cruel tyrants. What then? yet say I that God abideth ever true. For where he setteth up a tyrant and continueth him in prosperity, it is to be a scourge to wicked subjects that have forsaken the covenant of the Lord their God. And unto them his good promises pertain not, save his curses only. But if the subjects would turn and repent, and follow the ways of God, he would shortly deliver them. How be it, yet where the superior corrupteth, the inferior which else is disposed enough to goodness, God will not let them long continued. An exposition of the seventh Chapter. judge not, that you be not judged. For as you judge, so shall you be judged. And with what measure you meet with the same shall it be measured to you again. Why lookest thou on the mote that is in thy brother's eye, and markest not the beam that is in thy own eye? Or how canst thou say to thy brother. Let me pluck out the mote out of thy eye, and behold, there is a beam in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, pluck first the beam out of thy own eye, and then thou shalt see clearly to pluck the mote out of thy brother's eye. This is not meant of the temporal judging. judgements: for Christ forbade not that, but often did stablish it, as do Peter & Paul in their Epistles also. Nor here is not forbidden to judge those deeds which are manifest against the law of God: for those aught every Christian man to persecute, yet must they do it after the order that Christ hath set. But when he saith: hypocrite, cast out first the What judging is to be rebuked beam that is in thine own eye: it is easy to understand of what manner of judging he means. The hypocrites will have fastings, prayinge, kneeling, crouching, ducking, and a thousand ceremonies of their own invention. And whosoever do not as they do, him they count a dampened soul by and by. To Christ they say, why fast not thy disciples, as the Phariseyes do? Why pluck they the ears of corn and rub them in their hands (though they did it compelled with pure hunger) and do that is not lawful on the Sabbath day? Why break you the traditions of our Elders, and wash not when you sit down to meat? yea and why dost thou thyself heal the people upon the holy day? Why didst thou, not only heal him that was bedrid 38. years, All days are indifferent to do good deeds to the praise of God. & the profit of our neighbore. but also badst him bear his bed away upon the Saboth day? Be there not working day sufficient to do good deed to the praise of God, and profit of thy neigybour, but that thou must break thy Saboth day? He cannot be but a damned person that breaketh the holy day, and despiseth the ordinance of the holy Church. He eateth Butter a fridays without a dispensation of our holy father the Pope, yea & cakebread made with milk and eggs to, and white meat in the Lent, he taketh no holy water when he cometh to the Church, he heareth no Mass from Sunday to Sunday. And either, he hath no beads at all, or else y● shalt not hear a stone clink in the hand of him, nor yet his lips wag all the Mass and Matins while. &. O hypocrite, cast out first the The beam. beam that is in thy own eye, and then thou shalt see better. Thou understandest all God's laws falsely, & therefore thou keepest none of them truly: his laws require mercy and no● sacrifice. Moreover thou hast a false intent in all the works that y● dost, and therefore are they all damnable in the sight of God. Hypocrite cast out the beam that is in thy own eye, learn to understand the law of God truly, and to do thy works aright, and for the intent that God ordained them. And then thou shalt see whether thy brother have a mote in his eye or not, and if he have, how to pluck it out, and else not. For he that knoweth the intent of Ceremonies, he that breaketh unity for zeal of ceremonies under slandeth not God's law. the law and of works, though he observe a thousand ceremonies for his own exercise, he shall never condemn his brother or break unity with him, in those things which Christ never commanded, but left indifferent. Or if he see a mo●e in his brother's eye, that he observeth not with his brethren some certain ordinance made for a good purpose, because he knoweth not Ceremonies. the intent: he will pluck it out fair and softly, and instruct him lovingly, and make him well content. Which thing if our spiritualty would do, men would not so abhor to obey their tyranny. But they be hypocrites and do and command all their works for a false purpose, and therefore judge, slay and shed their brethren's blood mercilessly. God is the father of all mercy, and therefore gave not hypocrites such absolute power to compel their brethren to obey what they list, or to slay them without pity, showing either no cause of their commandments at all, but so will we have it, or else assigning an intent damnable and contrary to all scripture. Paul Rom. 14. saith to them that observed ceremonies, that they should not judge them that did not: for he that observeth and knoweth not the intent judgeth at once, and to them that observed not that they should not despise them that observed, he that observeth not, aught not to despise the weakness or ignorance of his brother, till he perceive that he is obstinate and will not learn. Moreover such measure as thou givest, Measure. thou shalt receive again: that is, if thou judge thy neighbour, God shall judge thee, for if thou judge thy neighbour in such things, thou knowest not the law of God, nor the intent of works, and art therefore condemned of God. etc. Give not that holy thing unto dogs, neither cast your pearls be fore the swine, jest they tread them under their feet, and the other turn again and all to tear you. The dogs are those obstinate and indurate, which for the blind zeal of Dogs, who they be, & what is signified thereby. their leaven, wherewith they have soured both the doctrine & also the works, maliciously resist the truth, and persecute the ministers thereof: and are those wolves among which Christ sendeth his sheep, warning them, not only to be single & pure in their doctrine, but also wise and circumspect & to beware of men. For they should bring them before judges and kings and slay them, thinking to do God service therein: that is as Paul to the Romans testifieth of the jews, for blind zeal to their own false & feigned righteousness, persecute the righteousness of God. The swine are they which for all they have received the pure Gospel of Swine truly described. Christ, will yet continued still in sin, and roll themselves in the podell & mire of their old filthy conversation, & both before the ignorant and also the weak, use the uttermost of their liberty, interpreting it after the largest fashion, and most favour of the flesh, as it were the Pope's pardon, and therewith make that truth evil spoken of, that thousands which else might have been easily won, will now not once here thereof: and stir up cruel persecution, which else would be much easier, yea and sometime none at all. And yet will those swine, when it cometh to the point abide no persecution at all: But offer themselves willing even at the first chop for to deny ere they be scarcely opposed of their doctrine. Therefore lay first the law of God before them, & call them to repentance. And if thou see no hope of mending in them, seize there and go no further: for they be swine. But alas, it ever was and shall be that the greater number receive the words for a newness and curiosity (as they say) and to seem to be somewhat and that they have not go to school in vain, they will forthwith year they have felt any change of living in themselves, be schoolmasters and begin at liberty, and practise openly before their Disciples. And when the Phariseis see their traditions broken, they rage and persecute immediately. And then our new schoolmasters be neither grounded in the doctrine to defend their doings, nor rooted in the profession of a new life to suffer with Christ. etc. Ask and it shallbe given you, seek and you shall find. Knock and it shallbe opened unto you. For all that ask receive, and he that seeketh finds. And to him that knocketh, it shallbe opened. For what man is it among you, if his son asked him bread, that would proffer him a stone? Or if he asked him fish, would he offer him a Serpent? If you then which are evil know to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your father which is in heaven, give good things to them that ask him. First note of these words, that to pray is God's commandment, as it Pra●er is a commandment. is to believe in God, to love God or to love thy neighbour: and so are almose & fasting also. Neither is it possible to belief. believe in God, to love him or to love thy neighbour, But that prayer will To believe in God, what. spring out there hence immediately. For to believe in God, is to be sure that all thou hast is of him, and all thou needest must come of him. Which if thou do thou canst not but continually thank him for his benefits which thou continually without ceasing▪ receivest of his hand, and thereto ever cry for help, for thou art ever in need, and canst no whence else be helped. And thy neighbour is in such necessity also: Wherefore if thou love him, it will compel thee to pity him, and to cry to God for him continually, and to thank as well for him as thyself. secondarily, this heaping of so many words together, ask, seek and knock, signify that the prayer must be continual, and so doth the parable of the widow that sued to the wicked Luke. 18. judge: and the cause is, that we are ever in continual necessity (as I say) and all our life, but even a war fare and a perpetual battle. In which we prevail Prayer. By prayer we win the victory only, and therefore is it of all thynges● most necessary. as long as we pray, and be overcome assoon as we cease praying: as Israel overcame the Amalechites. Exod. xvij. as long as Moses held up his hands in prayer, and assoon as he had let down his hands for weariness, the Amalechites prevailed and had the better. Christ warned his Disciples at his last supper to have peace in him, affirming that they should have none in the world. The false Prophets False Prophets what their wickedness 〈◊〉. shall ever impugn the faith in Christ's blood, and enforce to quench the true understanding of the law, and the right meaning and intent of all the works commanded by God, which fight is a fight above all fights. First they shallbe in such number that Christ's true disciples shallbe but a small flock in respect of them. They shall have works like Christ's, so that fasting, prayer, poverty obedience and chastity shall be the names of their profession. For as Paul says to the Corinthians, the angels or messengers of Satan shall change themselves into angels or messengers of light and truth. They shall come in Christ's name, and that Mark. xiii. with signs and miracles, and have the upper hand also, even to deceive the very elect if it were possible. Yea & beyond Math. 24. all this, if thou get the victory of the false Prophets, and pluck a multitude out of their hands, there shall immediately rise of the same, and set up a new false sect against thee. And against Thy heart must be joined with thy prayer. all these Amalechites, the only remedy is to lift up the hands of thy heart to God in continual prayer. Which hands, if thou for weariness once let fall, thou goest to the worse immediately. Then beside the fight and conflict of the subtle sophistry, false miracles, disguised and hypocritish works of these false Prophets, cometh the Dogs & Wolves of their Disciples with the servants of Mammon, and the swine of thine own scholars: against which all thou hast no other shield or defence but prayer. Then the sin & lusts of thine own flesh, Satan, and a thousand temptations unto evil in the world, will either drive thee to the castle and refuge of prayer or take the prisoner undoubtedly. Last of all thy neighbour's necessity and thine own will compel thee to The rich must pray for daily bread. cry, father which art in heaven give us our daily bread, though thou were as rich as king Solomon. For Christ commandeth the rich as well as the poor, to cry to God continually for their daily bread. And if they have no such need, then is Christ a deceiver & a mocker. What need I to pray thee to give or lend me, that is in mine own possession all ready? Is not the first commandment, that there is but one God, and that thou put thy whole trust in him? Which if it were written in thine heart thou shouldst easily perceive, & though thou hadst as many thousands as David left behind him, and Solomon heaped more to them, that thou hadst no more than the poor beggar that goeth from door to door: yea and that the beggar (if that commandment be written in his heart) is sure, that he is as rich as thou. For first thou must knowledge that thou hast received the great treasure of the hand of God. Whersore when thou fettest an halfpenny thereof, thou oughtest to give God thanks in thine heart for the gift thereof. Thou must confess also that God To think ourselves saved, or preserved, by any other means then by Gods▪ is Idolatry. only hath kept it and thee that same night, and ever before, or else be an idolater and put thy trust in some other thing then God. And thou must confess that God only must keep it and thee, the day and night following, and so continually after, & not thy own wit or power, or the wit or power of any other creature or creatures. For if God kept it not for thee, it would be thy own destruction and they that help thee to keep it, would cut thy throat for it. There is no king in Christendom so well beloved, but he hath ●…ow of his own evil subjects (if God kept them not down with fear) that would at one hour rise upon him and slay him, to make havoc of all he hath. Who is so well beloved thorough out all England but that there be ●…ow in the same parish or nigh about that would, for his good wish him to hell if they could, and would with their hands destroy him, if God kept him not and did cast fear on the other. Now than if God must ever keep it for thee, and thou must daily receive it of his hand (as a poor man doth receive his almose of an other man) thou art in no more surety of thy daily bread: not though thou were a Cardinal, than the poorest is. Wherefore howsoever rich thou be, yet must thou ever cry to God for thy daily bread. So now it is a commandment to pray and that continually, short, thick, and often, as the Psalms be, and all the prayers of the Bible. Finally the third is that we be commanded Faith must be joined to our prayer. to pray with faith and trust, and that we believe in the Lord our God, and doubt not in his promises, unto which Christ enduceth us with an apt similitude, saying: If you being evil can yet give good things unto your children, how much more shall God fulfil his promises of mercy unto his children if they cry unto him? he is better and more merciful than all men. Wherefore seeing God commandeth thee to pray, and for as much as thou hast so great necessity so to do, & because he is merciful and hath promised and is true and cannot deny his own words: Therefore pray, and when thou prayest, look not on thy unworthiness, but on his commandment, mercy, & goodness, & on his truth and faithfulness, & believe stedsastly in him. Moreover whatsoever thou hast done, yet if thou repent and will't amend, he promises that he will not think on Though God differ thy request yet must thou not saint. thy sins. And though he differ thee, think it not long, nor faint not in thy faith, or be slack in thy prayer. For he will surely come and give thee more than thou desirest, though he differre for thy profit, or change thy request into a better thing. All things therefore whatsoever you would men should do to you, so do you to them. This is verily the law and the Prophets. This is a short sermon, that no man need to complain that he cannot for the length bear it away. It is so nigh Doubts. thee, that thou needest not to send over sea for it. It is with thee, that thou How to ●oyle doubts. needest not to be importune upon master Doctor: saying, sir I pray you, what say you to this case and to that, & is not this lawful, and may I not so do, and so, well enough? Ask thine own conscience what thou mayst or oughtest to do. Wouldst thou men did so with thee, then do it. Wouldst thou not be so dealt with, then do it not. Thou wouldst not that men should do to thee wrong and oppress thee: Thou wouldst not that men should do thee shame and rebuke, lie on thee, kill thee, hire thy house from thee, or 'tice thy servant away, or take against thy will aught that is thine. Thou wouldst not that men should cell thee false ware when thou puttest them in trust to make it ready or lay it Note. out for thee, nor thou wouldst not that men should deceive thee with great oaths, swearing that to be good which in deed is very nought: Thou wouldst not also that men should cell thee ware that is nought and to dear, to undo thee: do no such things then to thy neighbour. But as loath as thou wouldst be to buy false ware or to dear, for undoing thyself, so loath be thou to cell false ware or to dear, for undoing thy neighbour. And in all thy needs, how glad thou wouldst be to be holpen, so glad be to help thy neighbour. And so in all cases examine thy conscience and ask her what is to be done in all doubts between thy neighbour and thee, and she will teach thee, except thou be more filthy than a swine and all together beastly. He saith here: this is the law and the Prophets. And Math. xxij. he Note. saith: Thou shalt love thy Lord God with all thine heart, with all thy soul Law, what the fulfilling thereof is. and all thy mind, and as Mark addeth, with all thy might, & thy neighbour as thyself. In these two commandments, hangs the whole law and the Prophets. And Paul Rom. xiii. and Gal. u saith that love is the fulfilling of the law. And it is written that Christ is the fulfilling or end of the law, To make all these agreed, this thou must understand: that to love God purely is the final and uttermost end of all the law and the Prophets. To love thy neighbour is the end of all laws that is between The end of all the laws between m● and man, is to love thy neighbour as thyself. man and man: as are: kill not, steal not, bear no false witness, commit none adultery, covet not thy neighbour's wife, his house, Ox, Ass, maid manservant: nor aught that is his. etc Christ is the fulfilling of the law for us, where we be imperfect. And when we break and repent, his fulfilling is imputed unto us. And this text, this is the law and the Prophets, mayst thou understand, as when Paul says, love is the fulfilling of the law. That is, to do as y● wouldst be done to, is all the law that is between thee & thy neighbour, and that according to the true understanding and interpreting of all true Prophets. Enter in at the strait gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, & many they be, that go in thereat. But strait is the gate, and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, and few they be that find it. The strait gate is the true knowledge and understanding of the law, Straight gate. and of that true intent of works. Which whosoever understandeth, the same shallbe driven to Christ to fetch of his fullness, and to take him for his righteousness and fulfilling of the law, all together at the beginning, and as often as we fall afterward, and for more than the thousand part of our fulfilling of the law and righteousness of our best works all our life long. For except the righteousness of Christ be knit to the best deed we do, it will be to short to reach to heaven. The narrow way. And the narrow way is to live after this knowledge. He that will enter in at this gate, must be made a new: his head will else be to great, he must be untaught all that he hath learned, to be made less for to enter in: and disused in all things to which he hath been accustomed, to be made less to walk thorough the narrow way. Where he shall find such an heap of tempeations and so continual, that it shall be impossible to endure or to stand, but by prayer of strong faith. Few find the narrow wa●, and wh●. And note an other, that few find the way. Why? for their own wisdom, their own power and the reasons of their own sophistry blind them utterly. That is to say: the light of their own doctrine which is in them: is so extreme darkness that they cannot see. Should God let his Church err (say they) Should our elders have go out of the way? Should God have let the devil do these miracles and so forth? And when Christ saith, few shall find the gate: yea say they: in respect of the Turks and Saracens which are the greater multitude. Yea but yet hear a little: the Scribes & Phariseis, which had all the authority over the people, and taught out of the Scripture, and the Saducees, with all other false Prophets that were when Christ came, were no Turks nor Saracens: neither had God any other Church than Peter. was among them. And S. Peter prophesieth that it shall be so among us, & that we shall be drawn with false sects of covetousness, to deny Christ, as we now do, and believe no more in him. Paul▪ Christ. And Paul & Christ confirm the same, that the elect should be deceived, if it were possible. Moreover if it were enough to say, I will believe and do as mine elders have done, as though they could not err: then was Christ to blame for to say, that except thou forsake father mother and thine elders, thou couldst not be his disciple. Christ must be thy master, and thou must be taught of God: and therefore oughtest thou to examine the doctrine of thine elders by the word of God. For the great multitude that Christ means are the false Prophets and them that follow them: as it shall better appear hereafter. Beware of false Prophets which come to you in sheeps clothing. But are with in ravening Wolves. By their fruits you shall know them, do men gather grapes of thorns? either figs of briars? even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit. But a corrupt tree, bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree can not bring forth evil fruit, nor a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is to be hewn down and to be cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them. Here Christ warneth thee, and describeth unto thee, those captains that The false prophets, who. should so blind the great multitude (that they should not find the straight gate) and lead them the broad way to perdition. Note first that though they be false, yet he calleth them Prophets, which word in the new Testament is taken for an expounder and an interpreter of Scripture. And he saith they shall come to you my Disciples, than they must be our Preachers and our doctors. You verily they must be those our false preachers which Peter prophesied should be among us, and bring in damnable sects, for to fulful & satisfy their covetousness, and follow the way and steps of their father Baalam. And they shall come thereto in sheep's clothing: Ergo, they be neither the Turks nor yet Saracens. For they come clothed in iron and steel, & will thereto suffer us to keep our faith, if we will submit ourselves to them, as the Grckes do. And as for the jews they be an hundred times fewer than we, and are every where in bondage, yea & for the great part capitues unto us. They also be not clothed in sheep's skins, but maintain openly their faith clean contrary to ours. But what are these sheep's clothinges, truly the very name of Christ. sheeps clothing, what it means. For saith Christ Mat. xxiv. There shall come many in my name and deceive many. And besides that, they shall do miracles in Christ's name: as it followeth in the text, that they shall call Christ Master, Master, & begin their sermon saying: Our master Christ saith in such a chapter, whatsoever you bind upon earth shall be bound in heaven: see friends these be not our words, but our master Christ's. And they shall do myracies in Christ's name thereto, to confirm the false doctrine which they preach in his name. O fearful and terrible judgement of almighty God, and sentence of extreme rigorousness upon all that love not the truth (when it is preached them) that God to avenge himself of their unkindness, shall send them so strong delusions, that doctrine should be preached unto them in the name of Christ, and made seem to follow out of his words and be confirmed with myracies done in calling upon the name of Christ, to harden their hearts in the faith of lies, according to the prophesy of Paul to the Thessalonians in the second 〈◊〉. Thess. 2. Epistle. An other of their sheeps coats is, sheeps clothing. that they shall in every sermon preach mightily against the Scribes & Phariseyes, against Faustus and Pelagian with such like heretics: which yet never preached other doctrine than they themselves do. And more of their clothing is, they shall preach that Christ preached: almost, prayer, and fasting: and profess obedience, poverty, and chastity: works that our Saviour Christ both preached and did. Finally they be holy church and cannot err. But they be within ravening wolnes. Ravening wolves. They preach to other, steal not: yet they themselves rob God of his honour, and take from him the praise and profit of all their doctrine and of all their works. They rob that law of God of her mighty power wherewith she driveth all men to Christ, and make her so weak, that the feeble free will of man is not able to wrestle with her, without calling to Christ for help. They have rob Christ of all his merits and clothed themselves therewith. They have rob the soul of man of the bread of her life, the faith and trust in Christ's blood: and have fed her with the shales and cods of the hope in their merits, and confidence in their good works. They have rob the works commanded by God of the intent & purpose that they were ordained for. And with their obedience they have drawn themselves from under the obedience of all Princes and temporal laws. with their poverty, they have rob all nations and kingdoms, and so with their wilful poverty have enriched themselves, and have made the commons poor, with their chastity they have filled all the world full of whores and sodomites, thinking to The obedience. poverty, and wilful chastity of our spirituality. please God more highly with keeping of an whore than an honest chaste wife. If they say it is not truth, than all the world knoweth they lie, for if a priest marry an honest wife, they punish him immediately, and say, he is an heinous heretic, as though matrimony were abominable. But if he keep a whore, then is he a good chaste child of their holy father the Pope, whose ensample they follow, and I warrant him sing Mass on the next day after, as well as he did before, without either persecution or excommunication, such are the laws of their unchaste, I would say their own chaste father. If thou profess obedience, why runnest thou from father, mother, master and ruler (which God biddeth thee to obey) to be a Friar? If thou obey, why obeyest thou not the king and his law, by whom God defendeth thee both in life and goods, and all thy great possessions? If thou profess poverty, what dost thou with the lands of Gentlemen, poverty. Squyres, Knights, Barons, Earls, and Dukes? What should a lords brother be a beggars servant? or what should a beggar ride with three or four score horses waiting on him. Is it meet that a man of noble birth, and the right heir of the lands which thou possessest should be thine horse-keeper, thou being a beggar. If you profess chastity: why desire you Chastity. above all other men the company of women? What do you with whores openly in many countries, and with secret dispensations to keep Concubines? Why corrupt you so much other men's wives? and why be there so many sodomites among you? Your charity is merciless to the Charity. rest of the world to whom you may give naught again, and only liberal to yourselves (as is the charity of thieves) thirty or forty of you together in one den: among which yet are not many that love three of his neighbours heartily. Your fasting maketh you as full and Fasting. as fat as your hides can hold, beside that you have a dispensation of your holy father for your fasting. Your prayer is but pattering without all affection, your singing is but Prayer. roaring to stretch out your maws (as do your othee gestures and rising at midnight) to make the meat sink to the bottom of the stomach, that he may have perfect digestion, and be ready to devour a fresh against the next refection. You shall know them by their fruits. Thorns bear no Figs. First thorns bear no grapes, nor briars figs. Also if thou see goodly blossoms in them, and thinkest there to have figs, grapes, or any fruit for the sustenance or comfort of man: go to them in time of need, and thou shalt find naught at all. Thou shalt find: forsooth I have no goods, nor any thing proper, or that is mine own. It is the covents. I were a thief if The answer of cloisterers to such as shall desire ●elefe at the● hands. I gave it my father whatsoever need he had. It is Saint Edmund's patrimony, Saint Albon's patrimony, S. Edward's patrimony the goods of holy church, it may not be minished, nor occupied upon lay and profane uses. The king of the realm for all that he defendeth them above all other, yet getteth he naught what need so ever he have, save then only, when he must spend on their causes a● that they give, with all that he can get beside of his poor commons. If the king will attempt to take aught from them by the authority of his office, for the defence of the realm. Or if any man will entreat them other wise than they lust themselves, by what law or right it be: they turn to thorns and briars, and wax atonce rougher than a hedgehog, and will sprinkle them with the holy water of their malidictions as thick as hail: and breath out the lightning of excommunication upon them, and so consume them to powder. Moreover a corrupt tree can bear A corrupt tree beareth no good ●●ute. no good fruit. That is, where they have fruit that seemeth to be good, go to and prove it, and thou shalt find it rotten, or the kernel eaten out, and that it is but as a hollow ●●t●. For faith in Christ (that we and all our Faith is the kernel of all our good fruits. works done within the compass of the law of God, be accepted to God for his sake) is the kernel, the sweetness and the pleasant beauty of all our works in the sight of God. As it is written joh. vi. this is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he hath sent. This faith is a work which God not only worketh in us, but also hath therein pleasure and delectation, and in all other for that faiths sake. Faith is the life of man, as it is written, justus ex fide vivit, out of which life the pleasantness of all his works spring. As for an ensample thou art a shoumaker which is a work within the laws of God, and sayest in thine Faith maketh the work ●o●d and acceptable, heart, lo God here I make a shoe as truly as I would for myself, to do my neighbour service, and so get my living in truth with the labour of mine hands, as thou commandest, and thank thee that thou hast given me this craft, and makest it lucky that I get my living therewith, and am surely persuaded that both I & my work please thee, O father, for thy son jesus sake: lo now this faith hath made this simple work pleasant in the sight of God. another ensample, thou takest a An example how thy work● or deed may be pleasant and acceptable before God. wife & sayest: O father, thou not only permittest this, but also commandest all that burn & have their minds unquieted, to marry for fear of formcation and so forth. And father I promise' thee to love this woman truly, and to care for her, and govern her after thy laws, and to be true to her, and to stand by her in all adversities, and to take in worth as well the evil as the good, and to bring up the fruit that thou shalt give me of her, in thy fear, and teach it to know thee. Moreover as concerning the act of matrimony, as when thou will't eat, thou blessest God & receivest thy daily food of his hand according to the fourth petition of thy Pater noster, & knowledgest that it is his gift, and thankest him, believing his word, that he hath created it for thee to receive it with thanks, by the which word & prayer of thanks, thy meat and drnicke is sanctified. i Tim. iiij. Even so thou sayest, father this I do, not only at thy permission which is enough to please thee withal, but also at thy commandment, and have bond myself hereunto, to keep my soul from sinning against thee, & to help my neighbour that he s●me not also. and promise' thee to keep this profession truly, and to nourish the fruit that thou shalt give me, in the fear of thee, and in the faith of thy son jesus, and so thankest the Lord for his gifts. Now is thy work thorough this saith and thanks pleasant and acceptable in the sight of God. And so was the gendering of jacob in faith, and of Samuel, & many other. And the giving suck was a good work, and so was the dressing of them by the fire. And when our Lady conceived Christ thorough faith, was not that a good work? What if God when she doubted and asked (by what manner she should conceive him) had commanded her to conceive him of joseph or of some other man, had not that work done in obedience and faith, been as good a work? The will that Abraham had to s●ay Isaac, and all that he did till he came at the very point to slay him, were good works, and so had been the slaying also. And Abraham was sure that he pleased God highly, and as well as in any other work, and had as deeply sinned if he had been disobedient therein, as though he had done any other cruel deed forbidden by God. Yea but shomaking is not commanded by God. Yes and hath the promise of God annexed thereto. For God hath commanded me for the avoiding of sin to do Handy crafts are the commandment of God. my brethren service, and to live thereby, and to choose one estate or other (for if thou wouldst receive only of thy brethren and do naught again thou were a these and an extortioner & a tyrant.) And I chose shomaking, or receive it at the obedience of mine elders. Now have I God's commandment to work therein truly, and his promise annexed thereto, that he will bless mine occupation and make it lucky & fruitful to bring me an honest living. Work I not now at God's commandment and have his promise that it pleaseth him? Note this also: first my craft is God's commandment. secondarily I believe & am sure that my work pleaseth God for Christ's sake. Thirdly my work is profitable unto my neighbour, and helpeth his necessity. Fourthly I receive my reward of the hand of God with thanks, and work, surely certified that I please God in my work through Christ, and that God will give me my daily bread thereby. But if thou examine their doctrine, thou shalt find that this faith is away in all their fruits, and therefore are they worm eaten and shales with out kernels. Note again, the Turks & jews The jews & Turks ge●r alms as we do, yet for lack of faith, it is abominable. give almose aswell as we, & as much, & yet abominable for lack of faith & knowledge of the true intent. What saith the text: he that receiveth a prophet in the name of a Prophet, shall have the reward of a Prophet. That is, because thou aydest him in preaching of of Christ's word, thou shalt be partader with him & have the same reward. And he that receiveth a Disciple in the name of a disciple, shall have etc. And he that giveth one of these little once but a cup of cold water for my name's sake, shall have his reward. If a king minister his kingdom in the faith of this name, because his subjects be his brethren and the price of Christ's blood, he pleaseth God highly: and if this faith be not there, it pleaseth him not. And if I sow a shoe truly in the faith of his name, to do my brother service, because he is the price of Christ's blood: it pleaseth God. Thus is faith the goodness of all works. Finally when God giveth, end I God is aswell pleased when we thankfully receive his benefits, as when we do give for his sake. receive with thanks, is not God as well pleased, as when I give for his sake and he receiveth? A true friend is as glad to do his friend a good turn, as to receive a good turn. When the father giveth his son a new coat and saith: am not I a good father, and will't not thou love me again and do what I bid thee. And the boy receiveth it with thanks and saith, yea, and is glad and proud thereof: doth not the father rejoice as much now in the lad, as an other time when the lad doth what soever it be at his father's commandment? But the false Prophets do well to paynce God after the likeness of their own visenomy: glad when he receiveth, you when they receive in his name: But sour, grudging, and evil content when he giveth again. But thou pleasest God, when thou askest in faith, and when thou receivest with thanks, and when thou reioysest in his gifts and lovest him again, to keep his commandments and the appointment and covenant made between him and thee. And for a conclusion beside, that Hypocrites extol their own works, to destroy the works of God. they expel faith which is the goodness of all works: they set up works of their own making to destroy the works of God, and to be holier than God's works, to the despising of Gods works, and to make Gods works vile. With their chastity they destroy the chastity that God ordained and only requireth. With their obedience, they destroy the obedience that God ordained in this world, & desireth no other. With their poverty they destroy the poverty of the spirit which Christ taught only: which is, only not to love worldly goods. With their fast, they destroy the fast which God commandeth, that is a perpetual soberness to tame the flesh. With their pattering prayer, they destroy the prayer taught by God, which is either thanks or desiring help with faith & trust that God heareth me. Their holiness is to forbid that God The holiness of hypocrites wherein it is. ordained to be received with thanks giving: as meat & matrimony. And their own works they maintain, & let Gods decay. Break there's & they persecute to the death. But break Gods, and they either look through the fingers or else give thee a flap with a Fox tail for a little money. There is none order among them that is so perfect, but that they have a prison more cruel than any jail of thieves and murderers. And if one of their brethren commit fornication or adultery in the world, he finisheth his penance therein in three weeks or a month, and then is sent to an other place of the same religion. But if he attempt Ask the 〈◊〉 stem Fri●is why they murdered one of their fellows at London. to put of the holy habit, he cometh never out, & is so straightly dioted thereto, that it is marvel if he live a year, beside other cruel murder that hath been found among them, and yet is this shameful dyoting of there's, murder cruel enough. Be not deceived with visions, nor yet with miracles. But go to & judge their works, for the spiritual judgeth all things saith Paul. i Cor. ij. Who is that spiritual? not such as we now call men of holy Church. But all that have the true interpretation of the law Who is the spiritualty. written in their hearts. The right faith of Christ and the true intent of works, which God biddeth us work, he is spiritual and judged all things, and is judged of no man. Not all that say to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. But he that fulfilleth the will of my father which is in heaven. Many will say unto me at that day, Lord Lord did we not prophesy in thy name? and in thy name cast out devils? and did we not in thy name many miracles? Then will I confess unto them, I never known you, departed from me you workers of iniquity. This doubling of Lord hath vehemency and betokeneth that they which shallbe excluded are such as think themselves better and perfitter than other men, and to deserve heaven with holy works, not for themselves only, but also for other. And by that they prophesied, by which thou mayst understand the interpreting of Scripture, and by that they cast out devils, & did miracles in Christ's name (and for all that they are yet works of wickedness, and do not the will of the father which is in heaven) it is plain that they be false Prophets, and even the same of which Christ warned before. And now for as much as Christ and his Apostles warn us that such shall Ignorance 〈◊〉 not if we w●● notice. come, and describe us the fashions of their visures (Christ's name, holy Church, holy fathers and xv. hundred years, with Scripture and miracles) and command us to turn our eyes from their visures, and consider their fruits, and cut them up and look with in whether they be sound in the core & kernel or not, and give us a rule to try them by: is it excuse good enough to say, God will not let so great a multitude err, I will follow the most part and believe as my fathers did, and as the preachers teach, and will not busy myself: chose them, the fault is there's and not ours, God shall not lay it to our charge if we err. Where such words be, there are the False prophets. how to 〈◊〉 ●here they be. false Prophets all ready. For where no love to the truth is, there are the false Prophets: & where such words be, there to be no love to the truth is plame: Ergo, where such words be, there be the false Prophets in their full swing by Paul's rule. ij. Thessa. ij. another conclusion where no love to the truth is, there be false Prophets: The greatest of the world have lest love to the truth: Ergo, the false Prophets be the Chaplains of the greatest which may with the sword compel the rest: As the kings of Israel compelled to worship the golden Calves. And by false Prophets understand fal●e teachers, as Peter calleth them and wicked expounders of the Scripture. Who soever heareth these words of me and doth them, I will liken him unto a wise man that built his house upon a rock, and there fallen a rain, and the floods came, and the winds blue, and beat upon that house, but it fallen not, for it was grounded upon a rock. And all that hear of me these words, and do them not, shallbe likened unto a foolish man that built his house upon the sand, and there fallen a rain, and the floods came, and the winds bl●w, and dashed upon that house, and it fallen, and the fall thereof was great. Christ hath two sorts of hearers, of Believers without 〈◊〉, & workers without faith are built on 〈◊〉. which neither of them do there after. The one willbe saved by faith of their own making without works. The other with works of their own making without faith. The first are those voluptuous which have yielded themselves up to sin saying: tush God is merciful, & Christ died for us: that must save us only, for we cannot but sin without resistance. The second are the hypocrites which will deserve all with their own imagined works only. And of faith they have no other experience, save that it is a little meritorious where it is painful to be believed: As that Christ was born of a virgin, and that he came not out the way that other children do, he no, that were a great inconvenience but above under her arm & yet made no hole, though he had a very natural body, & as other men have: and that there is no bread in the Sacrament nor wine: though the five wits say all you. And the meritorious pain of this belief is so heavy to them, that except they had feigned them a thousand wise similitudes and lousy lykenesses, and as many mad reasons to stay them with all, and to help to captivate their understanding, they were like to cast all of their backs. And the only refuge of a great many to keep in that faith, is to cast it out of their minds & not to think upon it. As though they forgive not, yet it they put the displeasure out of their minds and think not of it till a good occasion be given to avenge it, they think they love their neighbour well enough all the while, and be in good charge. And the faith of the best of them is, but like their faith in other worldly The 〈…〉 〈…〉 the● 〈…〉 in jesus Christ. stories. But the faith which is trust and confidence to be saved and to have their sins forgiven by Christ which was so born, have they not at all. That faith have they in their own works only. But the true hearers understand the law, as Christ interpreteth it here, and feel thereby their righteous damnation, and run to Christ for succour, and for remission of all their sins that are past, and for all the sin, which chance through infirmities, shall compel them to do, & for remission of that the law is to strong for their weak nature. And upon that they consent to the law, love it and profess it, to fulfil it to the uttermost of their power, and then go to and work. Faith or confidence faith, what it breeds, in Christ's blood without help and before the works of the law bringeth all manner of remission of sins & satisfaction. Faith is mother of love, faith accompanieth love in all her works to fulfil as much as there lacketh in our doing the law, of that perfect love, which Christ had to his father and us in his fulfilling of the law for us. Now when we be reconciled, Love. then is love & faith together our righteousness, our keeping the law, our continuing, our proceeding forward in the grace which we stand in, & our bringing to the everlasting saving and everlasting life. And the works be esteemed of God according to the love of the heart. If the works be great & love little and cold, than the works be regarded thereafter of God. If the works be small, and love much and fervent, the works be taken for great of God. And it came to pass, that when jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine, for he taught them as one having power, and not as the Scribes. The Scribes and Phariseyes had thrust up the sword of the word of God into a scabbard or sheathe of gloss, and therein had knit it fast, that it could neither stick nor cut: teaching dead works without faith and love, which are the life and the whole goodness of all works, and the only thing why they please God. And therefore their audience abode ever carnal and fleshly minded without faith to God and love to their neighbours. Christ's words were spirit & life. joh. vi. That is to say: they ministered spirit and life, and entered into the heart and grated on the conscience, and thorough preaching the law, made the hearers perceive their duties: even what love they aught to God, & what to man, and the right damnation of all them that had not the love of God and man written in their hearts: and thorough preaching of faith, made all that consented to the law of God, feel the mercy of God in Christ, and certified them of their salvation. For the word of God is a two edged sword that pierceth and divideth the spirit and soul of man a sunder. Heb. 〈◊〉. A The word of God, 〈…〉, 〈◊〉 a man into 〈◊〉 parts, 〈…〉 that fle●●e to hold one ●ay, and 〈◊〉 spirit to draw an other. man before the preaching of Gods word is but one man, all flesh, the soul consenting unto the lusts of the flesh, to follow them. But the sword of the word of God where it taketh effect, divideth a man in two, and serteth him at variance against his own self: The flesh haling one way, and the spirit drawing another: the flesh raging to follow lusts, and the spirit calling back again, to follow the law and will of God. A man all the while ●e consenteth to the flesh & before he be born again in Christ, is called soul or carnal. But when he is renewed in Christ through that word of ly●e, and hath the love of God and of his neighbour, and the faith of Christ written in his heart, he is called spirit or spiritual. The Lord of all mercy sand us preachers with power: that is to say, 〈◊〉 expounders of the word of God, and speakers to the heart of man: and deliver us from Scribes, Phariseyes, hypocrites, and all false Prophets. Amen. An answer unto Sir Thomas Moor's Dialogue, made by William Tyndall. 1530. ☞ First he declareth what the Church is, and giveth a reason of certain words which Master Moore rebuketh in the translation of the new Testament. ¶ After that he answereth particularly unto every Chapter which seemeth to have any appearance of truth through all his four books. ¶ Awake thou that sleepest and stand up from death, and Christ shall give the light. Ephesians. 5. THe grace of our Lord, the light of his spirit to see & to judge, true repentance towards Gods l●we, a fast faith in the merciful pr●…es that are in our saviour Christ, servant love toward thy neighbour after the example of Christ & his Saints, be with thee (O Reader) & with all that love the truth & long for the redemption of Gods elect. Amen. Our Saviour I esus in the 16. of john john. 16. at his last Supper when he took his leave of his Disciples, warned them saying, the holy Ghost shall come and rebuke the world of judgement. That is, he shall rebuke the world The holy ghost shall rebuke the world for lack of true judgement. for lack of true judgement and discretion to judge, and shall prove that the taste of their mouths is corrupt, so that they judge sweet to be sour and sour to be sweet, & the eyes to be blind, so that they think that to be the ver● service of God which is but a blind superstition, for zeal of which yet they persecute the true service of God: and that they judge to be the law of God, which is but a false imagination of a corrupt judgement, for blind affection of which yet they persecute the true law of God and them that keep it. And this same it is that Paul saith 1. Corinth. 〈◊〉. Cor. 2. ij. how that the natural man that is not born again and created a new with the spirit of God, be he never so great a Philosopher, never so well seen in the law, never so sore studied in the Scripture, as we have examples in the Phariseis, yet he cannot understand the things of the spirit of God: but The spiritual judgeth all things spiritually. saith he, the spiritual judgeth all things and his spir●e searcheth the deep secrets of God, so that what soever God commandeth him to do, he never leaveth searching till he come at the bottom, the pith, the quick, the ly●e, the s●…, the m●●ow & very cause why, and judgeth all thing. Take an example, in the great commandment, love God with all thine heart, that spiritual searcheth the cause Math. 22. and looketh on the benefits of God and so conceiveth love in his heart. And when he is Rom. 13. commanded to obey the powers and rulers of the world, he looketh on the benefits which God showeth the world through them and therefore doth it gladly. And when he▪ Math. 22. is commanded to love his neighbour as himself, he searcheth that his neighbour is created of God and bought with Christ's blood and so forth, and therefore he loveth him out The spiritual man searcheth 〈◊〉 the cause why 〈◊〉, aught to love his neighbour. of his heart, and if he be evil forheareth him and with all love and patience draweth him to good: as elder brethren wait on the younger and serve them and suffer them, & when they will not come they speak fair, & flatter, and give some gay thing and promise fair and so draw them and ●…te them not, but if they may in no wise be holp, refer the punishment to the father and mother and so forth. And by these judgeth he all other laws of God and understandeth the true use and meaning of them. And by these understandeth he in the laws of man, which are right, and which tyranny. If God should command him to drink no wine, as he commanded in the old testament that the priests should not: when they ministered in the temple, and forbade diverse mea●es, the spiritual (because he knoweth Man is Lord over all the creatures of the 〈◊〉. that man is Lord over all other creatures, & they his servants, made to be at his pleasure, and that it is not commanded for the wine or meat itself that man should be in bondage unto his own servant the inferior creature) ceaseth not to search the cause. And when he finds it, that it is to tame the flesh, and that he be always sober, he obeyeth gladly, and yet not so superstitiously, that the time of his disease he would not drink wine in the way of a medicine to recover his health, as David eat of the hallowed bread, and as Moses for necessity left the children of Israel uncircumcised xl. years, where of likelihood 〈◊〉. Reg. ●1. some died uncircumcised, and were Circum●…on not trequented in 〈◊〉. ●eares. yet thought to be in no worse case than they that were circumcised, as the children that died within the viii. day, were counted in as good case as they that were circumcised, which ensamples might teach us many things, if there were spirit in us. And likewise of the holy day, he knoweth Holy days are ordained for 〈◊〉, and not man for the holy days. that the day is servant to man, and therefore when he finds that it is done because he should not be let from hearing the word of God, he obeyeth gladly, and yet not so superstitiously that he would not help his neighbour on the holy day, and let the sermon alone for one day, or that he would not work on the holiday, need requiring it, at such time as men be not wont to be at church, and so throughout all laws. And even likewise in all ceremonies and sacraments he searcheth The signification of things are to be sought and not to serve the visible signs. the significations, & will not serve ●he visible things. It is as good to him, that the priest say Mass in his gown as in his other apparel, if they teach him not somewhat, and that his soul be edified thereby. And as soon will he gape while thou puttest sand as holy salt in his mouth, if thou show him Ceremonies with out some good doctrine are to be rejected. no reason thereof. He had as lief be s●●ered with unhallowed butter as anointed with charmed oil, if his soul be not taught to understand somewhat thereby, and so forth. But the world captivateth his wit, and about the law of God, maketh him wonderful imaginations, unto which he so fast cleaveth that ten john Baptistes were not able to dispute them out of his head. He believeth Turks are rather to be lamented for their ignorance and to be won with good doctrine & example of good life, then to be hated and murdered. that he loveth God, because he is ready to kill a Turk for his sake, that believeth better in God then he) whom God also commandeth us to love and to leave nothing unsought to win him unto the knowledge of the truth, though with the loss of our ●●ues. He supposeth that he loveth his neighbour as much as he is bound, if he be not actually angry with him, whom yet he will not help freely with an halfpenny but for a vantage or vainglory, or for a worldly purpose. If any man have displeased him, he keepeth his malice in and will not chafe himself about it, till he see an occasion to avenge it craftily, and thinketh that well enough. And the rulers of the world he obeyeth, thinketh he, when he flattereth them, and blindeth them with gifts, and corrupteth the We do nothing well except we do it of love from a pure heart. officers with rewards, and ●egui●th the law with cautels and subtleties. And because the love of God and of his neighbour, which is the spirit and the life of all laws, & wherefore all laws are made, is not written in his heart, therefore in all inferior ●awes and in all worldly ordinances is he beetle blind. If he be commanded to abstain from wine, that will he observe unto the death to, as the Charterhouse Monks had liefer dye then eat flesh: and as for Superstitious observations are rather the breaking of the law then the keeping of the same. the soberness and chastising of the members will he not look for, but will pour male & bear of the strongest without measure, and heat them with spices and so forth. And the holiday will he keep so strait, that if he meet a s●ee in his bed he dare not kill her, & not once regard wherefore the holiday was ordained to seek for God's word, and so forth in all laws. And in ceremonies and sacraments, there he captivateth his wit & understanding to obey holy Church, without ask what they mean, or desiring to know, but only careth for the keeping, and looketh ever with a pair of narrow eyes, and with all his spectacles upon them, jest aught be left out. For if the priest should say Mass, baptize, or hear confession without a stolen about his neck, he would think all were marred, and doubt whether he had power to consecrated, and think that the virtue of the Mass were lost, and the child not well baptized or not baptized at all, and that his absolution were not worth a mite. He had liefer that the Bishop should wag two fingers over him, then that an other man should say God save him, and so forth. Wherefore beloved reader, in as much as the holy ghost rebuketh the world for lack of judgement, The world is to be rebuked for lack of judgement. and in as much also as their ignorance is without excuse before whose faces enough is set to judge by, if they would open their eyes to see, and not captivate their understanding to believe lies: and in as much as the spiritual judgeth all thing, even the very bottom of God's secrets, that is to say, the causes of the things which God commandeth, how much more aught we to judge our holy father's secrets, & not to be as an Ox or an Ass without understanding. judge therefore reader whether the Pope judge by these things whether the Pope have erred or no● with his be the Church, whether their authority be above the Scripture: whether all they teach without Scripture be equal with the Scripture: whether they have erred, and not only whether they can. And against the mist of their sophistry take the examples that are passed in the old Testament, & authentic stories, and the present practice which thou seest before thine eyes. judge whether it be possible that any good should judge what baggage is in the Pope's doctrine and of his making come out of their domme ceremonies & Sacraments into thy soul. judge their penance, pilgrimages, pardons, purgatory, praying to posts, domme blessings, domme absolutions, their domme patering and howling, their domme strange holy gestures with all their domme disguisings, their satisfactions and justifyings. And because thou findest them false in so many things, trust them in nothing but judge them in all things. Mark at the last the practice of our fleshly spirituality and their ways by which they Note the 〈…〉 spirituality. have walked above eight hundred years, how they establish their lies, first with falsifying the Scripture, then through corrupting with their riches whereof they have infinite treasure in store: and last of all with the sword. Have they not compelled the Emperors of the earth and the great Lords and high ●…cers to be obedient unto them, to dispute for them, and to be their tormentors, and the Samsumims themselves do but imagine mischief and inspire them. Mark whether it were ever truer than 〈…〉 Christ. now, the Scribes, Phariseis, pilate, Herode, Cayphas and Anna, are gathered together against God & Christ. But yet I trust in vain, and he that broke the Counsel of A chitophell shall scatter there's. Mark whether it 〈◊〉 not true in the highest degree, that Our 〈◊〉 is the cause that hypo●…. for the sin of the people hypocrites shall rain over them. What shows, what faces and contrary pretences are made, and all to establish them in their theft, falsehood, & damnable lies, and to gather them together for The practice of prelate's. to continued su●…ltie to oppress the truth and to stop the light & to keep all still in darkness. Wherefore it is time to awake and to see every man with his own eyes and to judge, if we will not be judged of Christ when he cometh to judge. And remember that he which is warned hath none excuse, if he take n●…ede. Here with fare well in the Lord jesus Christ whose spirit be thy guide & doctrine and the light to judge with all. Amen. ¶ What the Church is. THis word Church Signification of the 〈…〉 are 〈…〉. hath diverse significations. First it signifieth a place or house, whether Christian people were wont in the old time to resort at times convenient, for to hear the word of doctrine, the law of God & the faith of our Saviour jesus Christ, & how and what to pray and whence to ask power and strength to live godly. For The ministers of the 〈◊〉 are 〈…〉 to preach to that people s●…ly the wo●… of 〈◊〉 & to pray in a 〈…〉 understand. the officers thereto appointed preached the price word of God only and prayed in a t●●ng that all men understood. And that people hearkened unto his prayers, & said thereto Amen & prayed with him in their hearts, & of him learned to pray at home and every where, and to instruct every man his household. Where now we hear but voices with out signification and buzsinges, howlynges and cryings, as it were the ha●…yng●s of Foxes or baitings of Bear●s, & wonder at disguisings & twyes whereof we know no meaning. By reason whereof we be fallen into such ignorancy, that we know of the mercy & promises which are in Christ nothing at all. And of the law of God we think as do the Turks, and as did the old The law cannot be fulfilled with works or they never so holy. heathen people, how that it is a thing which every man may do of his own power, and in doing thereof becometh good and waxeth righteous and deserveth heaven: yea and are yet more mad than that. For we imagine the same of Fantasies and vain ceremonies of our own making, neither needful unto the taming of our own flesh, neither profitable unto our neighbour, neither honour unto God. And of prayer we think, that no A great abuse in prayer. man can pray but at Church, and that it is nothing else but to say Pater noster unto a post. Wherewith yet and with other observances of our own imagining, we believe, we deserve to be sped of all that our blind hearts desire. In an other signification it is abused The church taken for the spiritualty. and mistaken for a multitude of shaven shorn, and oiled which we now call the spirituality and Clergy. As when we read in the Chronicles king William was a great tyrant and a wicked King William. man unto holy Church and took much lands from them. King john King john. was also a per●●ous man and a wicked unto holy Church, & would have had them punished for theft, murder and what soever mischief they did, as though they had not been people anointed, but even of the vile rascal and common lay people. And Thomas Becket was a blessed & an holy man for he died for the liberties S. Thomas of Caunterbury. (to do all mischief unpunished) & privileges of the Church. Is he a lay man or a man of the Church? Such is the living of holy Church. So men say Holy Church hath bornt a great swinge. of holy church. You must believe in holy Church & do as they teach you. Will you not obey holy Church? Will you not do the penance enjoined you by holy Church? Will yet not forswear obedience unto holy Church? Beware lest you fall into that indignation of holy church, jest they curse you & so forth. In which The Pope and his rabble taken for the church. all we understand but the Pope, Cardinals, Legates, patriarchs, archbishops, Bishops, Abbots, priors, Chauncelers, Archdeacon's, Commissaries, Officials, Priests, Monks, Friars, Black, Whit, Pied, Grey, and so forth, by (I trow) a thousand names of blasphemy and of hypocrisies & as many sundry fashions of disguisings. It hath yet or should have an other signification, little known among the common people now a days. That is to wit, it signifieth a congregation, a multitude or a company gathered together The church is a congregation of people of all sorts gathered together. in one, of all degrees of people. As a man would say, the church of London, meaning not the spirituality only (as they will be called for their diligent serving of God in the spirit, and so sore eschewing to meddle with temporal matters) but the whole body of the city, of all kinds, conditions & degrees: and the church of Bristol, all that pertain unto the town generally. And what congregation is meant, thou shalt always understand by the matter that is entreated of, and by the circumstances thereof. And in this third signification is the The church of God how it is taken in Scripture. church of God or Christ taken in the scripture, even for the whole multitude of all them that receive the name of Christ to believe in him, and not for the clergy only. For Paul saith Gal. i Gal. 1. I persecuted the church of God above measure, which was not the preachers only, but all that believed generally, as it is to see Act. xxij. where he says, Acts. 23. I persecuted this way even unto the death, binding and putting in prison both men and women. And Gal. i I Gal. 1. was unknown concerning my person unto the congregations of the jews which were in Christ. And Rom. Rom. 16. xuj. I commend unto you Phebe the Deaconi●●e of the church of Cenchris. And the churches of Asia salute you. i 1. Cor. 16. Corin. the last. And if a man can not rule his own house, how shall he take the care of the church of God. i Tim. iij? if any faithful 1. Tim. 3. man or woman have widows, let them find them, that the church be not charged. i Tim. u And Mat. 18. 1. Tim. 5. if thy brother hear thee not, tell the church or congregation and so forth. The church is a multitude of all them that believe in Christ wheresoever ●hey be gathered together. In which places and throughout all the scripture, the church is taken for the whole multitude of them that believe in Christ in that place, in that parish, town, city, province, land, or throughout all the world, and not for the spirituality only. Notwithstanding yet it is sometimes taken generally for all them that embrace A double signification of this word church. the name of Christ, though their faiths be nought, or though they have no faith at all. And sometimes it is taken specially for the elect only, in whose hearts God hath written his law with his holy spirit, and given them a feeling faith of the mercy that is in Christ jesus our Lord ¶ Why tindal used this word congregation, rather than church in the translation of the new Testament. WHerefore in as much (as the clergy, as the nature of those hard & indurat Adamantstones is, to draw all to them) had appropriate unto themselves the term that of right is common The cause why Tyndall translated that word church into this word congregation. unto all the whole congregation of them that believe in Christ, & with their false and subtle wiles had beguiled and mocked the people, & brought them into the ignorance of the word, making them understand by this word church, nothing but the shaven flock, of them that shore the whole world: therefore in the translation of the new Testament where I found this word Ecclesia, I enterpreted it, by this word congregation. Even therefore did I it, and not of any mischievous mind or purpose to establish heresy, as master Moore untruly reporteth of me in his Dialogue, where he raileth on that translation of the new Testament. And when M. Moore saith, that this word Church is known well enough. I report me unto the consciences of all the land, whether he say truth or other wise, or whether the lay people understand by Church the whole multitude of all that profess Christ, or the juggling spirits only. And when he says that congregation is a more general Congregation is understand by the circumstance. term, if it were, it hurteth not. For the circumstance doth ever tell what congregation is meant. Nevertheless yet saith he not the truth. For wheresoever I may say a congregation, there may I say a Church also, as the Church of the devil, the Church of Satan, the Church of wretches, that Church of wickedmen, the Church of liars and a Church of Turks thereto. For M. Moore must grant (if he will have Ecclesia translated throughout all the new Testament by this word Church) that Church is as common as Ecclesia. Now is Ecclesia a Greek Ecclesia is a greek word, and signifieth a congregation. word and was in use before the time of the Apostles and taken for a congregation among the heathen, where was no congregation of God or of Christ. And also Lucas himself useth Ecclesia for a Church or congregation of heathen people thrice in one Chapter, even in the nineteeen. of the Acts, where Demetrius the goldsmith or siluersmith had gathered Acts. 19 a company against Paul for preaching against Images. Howbeit M. More hath so long used▪ his figures of Poetry, that (I suppose) M. Moore was ●…ful in Poetry. when he erreth most, he now by the reason o● a long custom, believeth himself, that he saith most true. Or else (as the wise people which when they dance naked in nets believe that no man seethe them) even so M. Moore thinketh that his errors be so subtly couched that no man can espy them. So blind he counteth all other men in comparison of his great understanding. But charitably I exhort him in Christ to take heed, for though judas were wilier than his fellows to get lucre, yet judas. he proved not most wise at that last end. Neither though Balam the false Prophet Balaa●. had a clear sight to bring the curse of God upon the children of Israel for honour's sake, yet his covetousness did so blind his prophesy, that he could not see his own end. Let therefore M. A good ad●… to M. Moore. More and his company awake be times ere ever their sin be ripe, jest the voice of their wickedness asceno● up and awake God out of his sleep, to look upon them and to how his ears unto their cursed blasphemies against the open truth, and to sand his harvest men and mowares of vengeance to reap it. But how happeth it that M. Moore hath not contended in likewise against his dereling Erasmus all this long M. Moore did greatly favour Erasm●s. while? Doth not he change this word Ecclesia into congregation and that not seldom in the new Testament? peradventure he oweth him favour because he made Moria in his house. Which book if it were in English, them should every man see, how that he then was far otherwise minded than he now writeth. But verily I think that as judas betrayed not Christ for any love that he had unto the high Priests, Scribes and Phariseis, but only to come by that wherefore he thirsted: even so M. Moore (as there are tokens evident) M. Moore was a ●epe dissembler. written not these books for any affection that he bore unto the spiritualty or unto the opinions which he so barely defendeth, but to obtain only that which he was an hungered for: I pray God that he eat not to hastily jest he be chokeo at the latter end, but that he repent and resist not the spirit of God which openeth light unto the world. ¶ Why he useth this word Elder and not Priest. AN other thing which he rebuketh, is, that I interpret this Greek word Presbiteros by this word Senior. M. Moore 〈◊〉 captious. Of a truth Senior is no very good English, though Senior and juniot be used in the universities: but there came no better in my mind at that tyme. Howbeit I spied my fault since, long year M. Moore told it me, and have ●…ded it in all the works which I since made, and call it an Elder. And in that he maketh here●ie of it, to call M. Moore 〈…〉 Presbiteros an Elder, he condemneth their own old Latin text of heresy also, which they use yet daily my●●…ch and have used, I suppose, this, I suppose, this run hundred years. For that text doth 〈…〉 an elder likewise. In the. 1. Pet. 5. ●…s 1. Pet. 5. standeth it in the Latin text. Se●…ores qui in vobis sunt, obsecro ego con●… pascite qui in vobis est gregem Chri●… 〈…〉 elders that are among you I 〈…〉 which am an elder also, that you sed●… flock of Christ, which is among 〈…〉 There is Presbyteros calle● 〈…〉 And in that he saith feed Chris●… he means even the Ministe●… choose to teach the people & to 〈…〉 them in God's word & no ●ay 〈…〉 And in the 2. Epistle of Ioh● 〈…〉 〈…〉 text, Senior electae Dominae & 〈…〉 The elder unto the ele●t Lady 〈…〉 her children. And in the 〈…〉 john. Senior Ga●o dilecto. 〈…〉 〈…〉 unto the beloved Gai●s. In these 〈…〉 pistles Presbyteros is calle● an 〈…〉 And in the xx. of the Acts, the text s●… 〈…〉 Paul sent for maiores natu Eccle●… 〈…〉 elders in birth of the congregation or Church, and said unto them, take 〈…〉 unto yourselves & unto y● who●e 〈◊〉, over which the holy ghos● hath 〈…〉 〈…〉 you Episcopos ad regendum Eccle●… Dei, bishops ouer●ca●s to 〈…〉 the Church of God. There is ●…teros called an Elder in birth 〈…〉 same immediately called a 〈…〉 overseer, to declare what p●… meant. Hereof you see that I have 〈…〉 more erred than their own text 〈…〉 they have used sense the scripture wa● first in the Latin ●oung, and that their own text understandeth by Presby●eros 〈…〉 nothing save an Elder. And they were called Elders, because of their age, gravity & sadness, as thou may●t see by the text: and Bishops or overseers by the reason of their offices. And all that were called Elders (or Priests if they so will) were called Bishops also, though they have divided that names now, which thing thou mayst evidently see by the first Chapter of Titus. And Acts xx. and other places more. And when he layeth T●mothe unto my charge, how he was young, them he weneth that he hath wo●●e his g●lden spu●…s: But I would pray him to show me where he readeth that Paul calleth him Presbyteros, Priest or Elder. I 〈◊〉 not then call him Episcopus properiy. For those ouer●ears which bishops aught to be byd●rs in one place. we now call Bishops after the Greek word, we●… always biding in one place to 〈…〉 the congregation there. N●w was T●…the an Apostle. And Paul also writeth that he came shortly again. well, will he say, it cometh yet all to one. For if it be cometh the lower Minister to be of a sad and dis●… much more it becometh the higher. It is ●…h. But ij. things are without law, God and necessity. If Note. God to show his power shall shed out his grace more upon youth then upon age at a 〈…〉, who shall let him? we●en be no 〈◊〉 v●… to rule or to preach Women. (for both are forbidden them) yet hath God endowed them with his spirit at sundry times and showed his power and goodness upon them and wrought wonderful things by them, because God poureth his holy spirit 〈◊〉 wisdom & 〈…〉 aswell we●… men. he would not have them ●…d. We ●●ad that women have judged all Isra●ll and have been great propheti●ies and have done mighty deeds. Yea and if stones be true, women have preached sense the opening of that new Testament. Do not our w●men now christian and minister the Sacrament of Baptism in time of need? Might they not by as good reason preach also, if necessity required? 〈◊〉 a woman were driven into some Island, where Christ was never preached, might she there not preach him, it she had the g●…t thereto? Might she not also baptize? And why might she not, by the same reason minister the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, and teach them how to choose ●…rs & ministers? O poor women, how despite you them? The vi●… the better welcome unto you. An whore had you liefer than an honest wife. If only shaven and anointed may do these things, than Christ did them not nor any of his Apostles, nor any man in long time after. For they used no such ceremonies. Notwithstanding, though God be under no law, and necessity lawless: God is under no 〈…〉 necessity lawless. yet be we under a law, and aught to prefer the men before the women, & age before youth, as ●he as we can. For it is against the law of nature that young men should rule the elder, and as uncomely as that women should rule the men, but when need requireth. And therefore if Paul had had other shift, and a man of age as meet for The cause why young 〈◊〉 was preferred by 〈◊〉 to be a Bishop. the room, he would not have put Timothy in the office, he should no doubt have been kept back until a fulier age, and have learned in the mean time in silence. And whatsoever thou be that reade●t this, I exhort thee in our lord, that thou read both that epis●…s of Paul to Timothy, that thou mayst see how diligently (as a mother careth for her child if it be in peril) Paul writeth unto Timothy to instruct him, to teach him, to exhort, to courage him, to sh●●e him up, to be wise, sober, diligent, circumspect, sad, humble and me●ke, saying▪ these I writ that thou mayest Paul was a fatherly instructor to 〈◊〉 ●…thy. know how to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church or congregation. A●oy●●●ustes of yo●…h, beware of ungodly fables & old wives tales, & avoid the company of men of corrupt minds, which wast their brains about wrangling questions. Let no man despise thy●e youth. As who should say, youth is a despised thing of itself, whereunto men give none obedience or reverence naturally. See therefore that thy ve●●ue exceed, S. Paul was a worthy & mo●t ●…ther & instructor. to recompense thy lack of age, and that thou so behave thyself that no fault be found with thee. And again, rebuke not an Elder sharply, but exhort him as thy father, and youngmen as thy brethren, and the elder women as thy mothers, and that young women as thy sisters, and such like in every chapter. Adm● none accusation against an Elder under less than two witnesses. And Paul charges him in the sight of God, and of the Lord jesus Christ, and of his elect Angels, to do nothing rashly or of affection. And shortly whereunto youth is most prove and ready to fall, thereof warneth he him with all diligence, even almost or altogether half a ●osen times of some one thing. And finally as a man would A great difference between teaching of the people, and teaching of a preacher. teach a child that had ●…euer be●ore go to school, so tenderly & so carefully doth Paul teach him. It is an other thing to teach the people, and to teach the preacher. Here Paul teacheth the preacher, young Timothy. And when he affirmeth that I say, how that the oiling and shaving is no ●●lyng, 〈◊〉 sha●ing ●…ny thing or any part of priest●…. part of the priesthood. That improne●h he not, nor can do. And therefore I say i● yet. And when he hath insearched the ●…most that he can, this is all that he can say against me, that of an hundred there be not x. that have the properties which Paul requireth to be in them. Wherefore if oiling and shaving be no part of their priesthood, than evermore of a thousand ix. hundred at the jest should be no Priests at all. And quoth your friend would confirm it with an oath and swear deeply, that it would follow and that it must needs so be. Which argument yet, if there were no other shift I would solve after an Oxford fashion, with concedo consequentiam & consequens. And I say moreover that their anointing is but a ceremony borrowed of the jews, though they have somewhat altered the manner, and their shaving borrowed of the heathen Priests, and that they be no O●…●alt & 〈◊〉 are 〈…〉 more of their priesthood, than the oil, salt, spittle, ●aper and chrisom clot of the substance of baptism. Which things no doubt, because they be of their conjuring, they would have preached of necessity unto the salvation of the child, except necessity had driven them unto the contrary. And seeing that the oil is not of necessity, let M. Moore tell me what more virtue is in the oil of confirmation, in as much as the bishop sacreth the one as well as the other: yea and let him tell the reason why there should be ●yle hath ●…o 〈◊〉 at all, 〈…〉 the 〈…〉. more virtue in the oil wherewith that Bishop anointeth his Priests. Let him tell you from whence the oil cometh, how it is made, and why he selleth it to the curates wherewith they anoint the sick, or whether this be of less virtue than the other. And finally, why used not the Apostles ☞ this greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or the interpreter this Latin word Sacerdos, but always this word Presbyteros and Senior, by which was at that time nothing signified but an Elder? And it The minister among the 〈…〉 were na●… 〈◊〉 age. was no doubt taken of the custom of the Hebrues, where the officers were ever elderly men as nature requireth. As it appeareth in the old testament and also in the new. The Scribes, Pharisees, and the elders of the people saith the text, which were the officers and rulers, so called by the reason of their age. ¶ Why he useth love rather than charity. HE rebuketh me also that I translate Why ●yn 〈…〉 this word 〈…〉 rather 〈◊〉 this greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into love, and not rather into charity, so holy & so known a term. Verily charity is no known English, in that sense which agape requireth. For when we say, give your alms in the worship of God and sweet saint charity, and when the father teacheth his son to say blessing father for saint charity, what mean they? In good faith they wots not. Moreover when we say, God help you, I have done my charity for this day, do we not take it for a●…s? And the man is ever childing and out Charity hath 〈◊〉 significations. of charity, and I beshrew him saving my charity, there we take it for patience. And when I say a charitable man, it is taken for merciful. And though mercifulness be a good love, or rather spring of a good love, yet is not every good love mercifulness. As when a woman loveth her husband godly, or a man his wife or his friend that is in none adversity, it is not always mercifulness. Also we say not this man love 〈◊〉 is 〈…〉 understand. hath a great charity to god, but a great love. Wherefore I must have used this general term love, in spite of mine heart oftentimes. And agape & charitas were words used among the Hethe● yer Chrst came, and signified therefore more than a godly love. And we may say well enough and have herded it spoken that the Turks be charitable one to an other among themselves, & some of them unto the christian to. Besides all this agape is common unto all loves. And when M. Moore says every love Every love is not charity nor every charity is not love. is not charity, no more is every Apostle Christ's Apostle, nor every Angel God's Angel, nor every hope christian hope, nor every saith or belief Christ's belief, and so by an hundred thousand words. So that if I should always use but a word that were no more general than the word I interpret, I should interpret nothing at all. But the matter itself and the circumstances do declare what love, what hope, and what faith is spoken of. And finally I say not charity God, or charity your neighbour, but jove God and love your neighbour, you & though we say a man aught to love his neighbour's wife & his daughter, a Christian man doth understand that he is commanded to defile his neighbour's wife or his daughter. ¶ Why favour and not grace. ANd with like reasons rageth he Why Tyndall saith favour and ●ot grace. because I turn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into favour and not into grace, saying that every favour is not grace, and that in some favour there is but little grace. I can say also in some grace there is little goodness. And when we say, he standeth well in my ladies grace, we understand no great godly savour. And in Universities many ungracious graces are got. ¶ Why knowledge and not confession, repentance and not penance. ANd that I use this word knowledge Knowledge and not confession, repentance and not penance. and not confession, and this word repentance and not penance. In which all he can not prove, that I give not the right English unto the Greek word. But it is a far other thing that pay●eth them and biteth them by the breasts. There he secret pangs that pinch the very hearts of them, whereof they dare not complain. The sickness that maketh them so impatient is, that they have lost their juggling terms. For the doctors and preachers were wont to make many dimisions, distinctions & sorts of grace, gratis data, gratum faciens, preveniens & subsequens. And with confession they The Papists may not forbear to have their juggling terms. juggled, & so made the people, as often as they spoke of it: understand shrift in the care. Whereof the Scripture maketh no mention: no it is cle●ne against the Scripture as they use it and preach it, and unto God an abomination and a soul stinking sacrifice unto the filthy Idol Priapus. The loss of those juggling terms is the matter where of all these bots' breed, that gnaw them by the belies and make them so unquiet. And in like manner, by this word penance, Penance. they make the people understand holy deeds of their enjoining, with which they must make satisfaction Penance was profit●… to the Papists. unto Godward for their sins. When all the Scripture preacheth that Christ hath made full satisfaction for our sins to Godward, & we must now be thankful to God again and kill the lusts of our flesh with holy works of gods enjoining & to take patiently all that God layeth on my back. And if I have ●rue penance what it is. hurt my neighbour, I am bound to shr●…e myself unto him and to make him amendss, if I have wherewith, or if not them to ask him sorgevenesse, and he is bound to forgive me. And as for their penance the Scripture knoweth not of. The Greek hath Metanoia and Metanoite, repentance and repent▪ or forthinkyng and forethink. As we say in English it forthinketh me or I forthinke, and I repent or it repenteth me and I am sorry that I did it. So now the Scripture ●ayth repent or let it forthinke you and come & believe the Gospel or glad tidings that is brought you in Christ, and so shall all be forgiven you, and henceforth live a new life: And it will follow if I repent in faith in Christ 〈◊〉 get a true repentance the heart, that I shall do no more so willingly and of purpose. And if I believed the Gospel, what God hath done for me in Christ, I should surely love him again & of love prepare myself unto his commandments. These things to be even so M. Moore knoweth well enough. For he understandeth the Greek, and he known them long year I But so blind is covetousness & drunken desire of honour. Gifts blind the eyes of the seeing and pervert the words of the righteous Deut. xvij Deut. 17. ☜ When covetousness finds vantage in serving falsehood, it rises up into an o●…mate malice against the truth & seeketh all means to resist it, and to quench it. As Balam the false Prophet, though he wist that God loved Israel Balam. and had blessed them and promised them great things, and that he would fulfil his promises, yet for covetousness and desire of honour, he fallen into such malice against the truth of God, that he sought ●ow to resist it and to curse the people. Which when God would not let him do, he turned himself an other way and gave pestilent counsel, to make the people sin against God, whereby the wrath of God ●el upon them, and many thousand perished. Notwithstanding God's truth abode fast and was fulfilled in the rest. And Balam as he was the cause that many perished, so escaped he not himself. Not more did any that maliciously resisted the open truth against his own conscience, sense the world began, that ever I read. For it is sin against the holy ghost, which Christ says The sin against the holy ghost. shall neither be forgiven here nor in the world to come, which text may this wise be understand that as that sin ☜ shallbe punished with everlasting damnation in the life to come: even so shall it not escape vengeance here. As thou ●eest in judas, in Pharaoh, in Balam and in all other tyrants which against their consciences resisted the open truth of God. So now the cause why our Prelates thus rage, & that moveth them to call M. Moore to help, is not that they find just causes in the translation, but because they have lost their juggling and feigned terms, wherewith Peter prophesied 2. Pet. 1. they should make merchandise of the people. ¶ Whether the Church were before the Gospel or the Gospel before the Church. AN other doubt there is, whether the Church or congregation be before The church before the gospel, or the Gospel before the church. the Gospel or the Gospel before the Church. Which question is as hard to solve, as whether the father be elder than the son or the son elder than his father. For the whole Scripture and all believing hearts testify that we are begotten through the word. Wherefore if the word beget the congregation, & he that begetteth is before him that is begotten, then is the Gospel before the Church. Paul also Rom. ix. saith, how shall they call on him whom they Rom. 9 believe not? And how shall they believe without a preacher? That is, Christ must first be preached yer men can believe in him. And then it followeth, that the word of the preacher must be before the faith of the believer. And therefore The word which is the gospel was before the church. in as much as the word is before the faith, and faith maketh the congregation, therefore is the word or Gospel before the congregation. And again as the air is dark of itself & receiveth all her light of the son: even so are all men's hearts of themselves dark with lies and receive all their truth of God's word, in that they consent thereto. And moreover as the dark air giveth the son no light, but contrariwise the light of the son in respect of the air is of itself and lighteneth the air & purgeth it from darkness: even so the lying heart of man can give the word of God no truth, but contrary wise the truth of God's word is of herself, and lighteneth the hearts of the believers and maketh them true, and cleanseth them from lies, as thou readest john. xv. you be clean by reason of the joh. 15. word. Which is to be understand, in that the word had purged their harces from lies, from false opinions & from thinking evil good, and therefore from consenting to sin. And john. xvij. joh. 17. sanctify them O father through thy truth. And thy word is truth. And thus thou seest that God's truth dependeth not of man. It is not true because man so saith or admitteth it for true: But man is true because he believeth it, testifieth and giveth witness in his heart that it is true. And Christ also saith himself john. u I receive no witness of man. For if the multitude of Note w●ll this. man's witness might make aught true, then were the doctrine of Mahomete truer than Christ's. ¶ Whether the Apostles left aught unwritten, that is of necessity to be believed. BUt did not the Apostles teach aught Whether the Apostles taught any thing that they did not writ. by mouth that they wrote not? I answer, because that many taught one thing, and every man the same in divers places and unto divers people. and confirmed every sermon with a sundry miracle: therefore Christ & his Apostles preached an ●…red thousand sermons, and did as many miracles, which had been superfluous to have been all written. But the pith and substance in general of every thing necessary unto our soul's health, both of what we aught to believe, and what we aught to do was written, and of the miracles done to confirm it, as many as were needful. So that whatsoever So much to written as is necessary ●or 〈◊〉 salvation. we aught to believe or do, that same is written expresely, or drawn out of that which is written. For if I were bond to do or believe under pain of the loss of my soul any thing that were written, nor depended of that which is written, what holp me the scripture that is written? And The scripture written must con●o●nde the unwritten verities. thereto in as much as Christ and all his Apostles warned us that false prophets should come with false miracles, even to deceive the elect if it were possible, wherewith should the true preacher confounded the false, except he brought true miracles to confounded the false, or else authentic scripture of full authority already among the people. Some man would ask, how did God continued his congregation from Adam to No, and from No to Abraham, and so to Moses, without writing, but with teaching from mouth to mouth. I answer, first that there was no scripture all the while, they Writing hath been from the beginning. shall prove, when our Lady hath a new son. God taught Adam greater things then to writ. And that there was writing in the world long year Abraham yea & year No, do stories testify. Notwithstanding, though there had been no writing, the preachers were God from the beginning hath 〈◊〉 ten 〈…〉 the hearts of his 〈◊〉. ever prophets glorious in doing of miracles, wherewith they cofirmed their preaching. And beyond that god written his testament unto them a●way, both what to do and to believe, even in the sacraments. For the sacrifices which God gave Adam's sons, were no dumb popetrie or superstitious mahometry, but signs of the testament of God. And in them they read the word of God, as we do in books, and as we should do in our sacraments, if the wicked Pope had not taken the significations The Pope hath taken fro us the significations of the Sacraments. away from us, as he hath rob us of the true sense of all the scripture. The testament which God made with No, that he would no more drown the world with water, he written in the sacrament of the rainbow. And the appointment made between him and Abraham, he written in the sacrament of circumcision. And therefore said Steven Act. seven. he gave them the testament of circumcision. Not Acts. 7. that the outward circumcision was the whole testament, but the sacrament or sign there. For circumcision preached God's word unto them, as I have in other places declared. But in the time of Moses when the congregation was increased, that they must have many preachers & also rulers temporal, than all was received in scripture, in so much that Christ and his Apostles might not have been believed without scripture for all their miracles. Wherefore in as much as Christ's congregation is spread abroad There can no more be taught us then to contained in the scriptures. into all the world much broader than Moses, and in as much as we have not the old testament only but also the new, wherein all things are opened so richly and all fulfilled that before was promised, & in as much as there is no promise behind of aught to be showed more save the resurrection: yea and seeing that Christ and all the Apostles with all the Angels of heaven, if they were here, could preach no more than is preached, of necessity unto our souls: How then should we receive a new article of the faith, with out scripture, as profitable unto my soul, when I had believed it, as smoke for ●ore eyes. What holp it me to believe that our Lady's body is in heaven? What am I the better for the belief purgatory. of Purgatory? to fear men thou will't say. Christ & his Apostles thought hell ●…ough. And yet (besides that the fleshly imagination may not stand with God's word) what great fear can there be of that terrible fire which thou mayst quench almost for three half pennies? And that the Apostles should teach aught by mouth which they would not writ, I pray you for what purpose? because they should not come into the hands of the Heathen for mocking, says M. Moore. I pray you what thing more to be mocked of the Heathen could they teach, than the resurrection, and that Christ was God and man, and died between two thieves, and that for his deaths sake, all that repent and believe therein should have their sins forgiven them, yea and if the Apostles understood thereby as we do, what madder thing unto heathen people could they have taught them that bread is Christ's body, & wine The Heathen thought nothing more madder than the doctrine of the resurrection. his blood. And yet all these things they written. And again purgatory, confession in the ear, penance and satisfaction for sin to Godward, with holy deeds, and praying to Saints with such like, as dumb sacraments and ceremonies, are marvelous agreeable unto the superstition of the Heathen people, so that they needed not to abstain from writing of them, for fear lest the Heathen should have mocked them. Moreover what is it that the Apostles The Apostles taught nothing that they were afraid to writ. taught by mouth, and dared not writ? The sacraments? As for baptim and the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ they written, and it is expressed what is signified by them. And also all the ceremonies and sacraments that were from Adam to Christ Sacraments have significations. had significations, and all that are made mention of in the new testament, Wherefore in as much as the sacraments of the old testament have significations, and in as much as the sacraments of the new testament (of which mention is made that they were delivered unto us by the very Apostles at Christ's commandment) have also significations, and in as much as the office of an Apostle is to edify in Christ, and in as much as a dumb eremonie edifieth not, but hurteth altogether (for if it preach not unto me, All the Sacraments taught either in the old testament or new, have significations. than I can not but put confidence therein, that the deed itself justifieth me, which is the denying of Christ's blood) and in as much as no mention is made of them, as well as of other, nor is known what is meant by them: therefore it appeareth that the Apostles taught them not, but that they be the false merchandise of wily hypocrites. And thereto priesthood was in the time of the Apostles an office which if they would do truly, it would more profit then all the sacraments in the world. ☞ The Popish Sacraments 〈◊〉 one against an other. And again God's holinesses strine not one against an other, nor defile one another. Their sacraments defile one another. For wedlock defileth priesthood more than whoredom, theft, murder, or any sin against nature. They will haply demand where it is written that women should baptize. Verily in this commandment, Love thy neighbour as thyself, it is written, that they may and aught to minister not only Baptim, but all other in time of need, if they be so necessary as they preach them. Sacraments with out significations are not to be 〈◊〉. And finally though we were sure that God himself had given us a sacrament, whatsoever it were, yet if the signification were once lost, we must of necessity, either seek up the signification or put some signification of God's word thereto, what we aught to do or believe thereby, or else put it down. For it is impossible to observe a sacrament without signification, but unto our damnation. If we keep the faith purely & the law of love undefiled, which are the significations of all ceremonies there is no icopardy to altar or change the fashion of the ceremony, or to put it down if need require. ¶ Whether the Church can err. THere is an other question, whether Whether the Church cā●… or not. the Church may err. Which if you understand of the Pope and his generation, it is verily as hard a question as to ask whether he which hath both his eyes out be blind or not, or whether it be possible for him that hath one leg shorter than an other, to halt. But I said that Christ's elect church What the very Church is & what faith saveth. is the whole multitude of all repenting sinners that believe in Christ, and put all their trust and confidence in the mercy of God, feeling in their hearts, that God for Christ's sake loveth them, and will be or rather is merciful unto them, and forgiveth them their sins of which they repent, and that he forgiveth them also all the motions unto sin, of which they fear lest they should thereby be drawn into sin again. And this faith they have with out all respect of their own deservings, yea and for none other cause then that the merciful truth of God the father, which can not lie, hath so promised, and so sworn. And this faith and knowledge is everlasting By faith we are life, and by this we be born a new and made the sons of God, and obtain forgiveness of sins, and made the sons of God. are translated from death to life, & from the wrath of God unto his love and favour. And this faith is the mother of all truth, and bringeth with her the spirit of all truth. Which spirit purgeth us, as from all sin, even so from all lies and error noisome and hurtful. And this faith is the foundation laid of the Apostles and Prophets whereon Paul saith Ephes. ij. that we Ephe. 〈◊〉. are built, and thereby of the household of God. And this faith is the rock whereon Christ build his congregation. Christ asked the Apostles Math. xuj. Math. 〈…〉 whom they took him for. And Peter answered for them all saying I say that thou art Christ the son of the living God that ar● come into this world. That is, we believe that thou art he that was promised unto Abraham, that should come bless us and deliver us. Howbeit Peter yet witted not by what means. But now it is opened throroughout The offering of Christ's body and blood is the only satisfaction for our sins. all the world, that through the offering of his body & blood, that offering is a satisfaction for the sin of all that repent and a purchasing of what soever they can ask, to keep them in favour. And that they sin no more. And Christ answered upon this rock I will build my congregation: that is, upon this faith. And against the rock of this faith can no sin, no hell, no devil, no lies nor error prevail. For what soever any man hath committed, if he repent and come to this rock, he is safe. And that this faith is the only way by which the Church of Christ goeth unto God and unto the inheritance of all his riches, testify all the Apostles and Prophets & all the Scripture, with signs and miracles, and all that blood of Martyrs. And There is no way to salvation, but by Christ's death and passion. who soever goeth unto God and unto forgiveness of sins or salvation, by any other way then this, the same is an heretic out of the rightway & not of Christ's Church. For this knowledge maketh a man of the Church. And the Church is Christ's body Collos. i and every person Collos. 1. of the Church is a member of Christ. Ephes. 5. Now it is no member of Christ Ephes. 5. Rom. 8. that hath not Christ's spirit in it. Rom. viii. as it is no part of me or member of my body wherein my soul is not present and quickeneth it. And then if a man be none of Christ's, he is not of his Church. ¶ How a true member of Christ's Church sinneth not, and how he is yet a sinner. FUrthermore, he that hath this faith can not sin, and therefore can not be deceived with damnable errors. For by this faith we be (as I said) born of God. Now he that is born of God can not sin, for his seed dwelleth in him, & he can not therefore sin, because he is born of God. i john. iij. which seed is the holy ghost that keepeth 1. john. 3. a man's heart from consenting unto sin. And therefore it is a false conclusion faith and sin can not ●a●d together. that M. Moore holdeth, how that a man may have a right faith joined with all kinds of abomination & sin. And yet every member of Christ's congregation is a sinner and sinneth daily, some more and some less. For it is written. i john. i if we say we have 1. john. 1. no sin, we deceive ourselves & the truth is not in us. And again if we say, we have not sinned, we make him a liar and his word is not in us. And Paul Rom. seven. saith, that good which I would, that do I not, but that evil which I would not, that do I So it is not I that do it (saith he) but sin that dwelleth in me. Thus are we sinners and no sinners. Not sinners, if thou look unto the profession of our hearts toward the law of God, on our repentance and sorrow that we have, both because we have sinned and also because we be yet full of sin still, and unto the promises of mercy in our Saviour Christ, and unto our faith. Sinners are we, if thou look unto the frail All flesh death sin. tie of our flesh, which is as the weakness of one that is newly recovered out of a great disease, by the reason where of our deeds are imperfect. And by the reason whereof also, when occasions be great, we fall into horrible deeds, and the fruit of the sin which remains in our members breaketh out. Notwithstanding yet the spirit leaveth us not, but rebuketh us & bringeth us home again unto our profession, so that we never cast of the yoke of God from our necks neither yield up ourselves unto sin, for to serve it, but fight a fresh and begin a new battle. ¶ How a Christian man can not err, and how he may yet err. ANd as they sin not, so they err not. And on the other side as they sin, so they err: but never unto death and damnation. For they never sin of purpose nor hold any error maliciously, sinning against the holy ghost, but of weakness & infirmity. As good obedient children, though they love their father's commandments, yet break them often, by the reason of their weakness. And as they can not yield themselves bond unto sin, to We sin of frailty & weakness. serve it: even so they can not err in any thing that should be against the promises which are in Christ. And in other things their errors be not unto damnation, though they be never so great, because they hold them not maliciously. As now, if some when they read in the new Testament of Christ's brethren, would think that they were our ladies children after the birth of Christ, because they know not the use of speaking of the Scripture or of the Hebrues, how that ●ye kinsinen be called brethren, or happily they might be josephes' children, by some first wife, neither can have any to teach him for tyranny that is so great, yet could it not hurt him, though he died therein, because it hurteth not the redemption that is in Christ's blood. For though she had none but Christ, I am therefore never the more saved, neither yet the less, though she had had. And in such like We may err, & yet be saved. an hundred that pluck not a man's faith from Christ, they might err, and yet be nevertheless saved no though the contrary were written in the Gospel. For as in other sins, as soon as they be rebuked, they repent: even so here, assoon as they were better taught, they should immediately knowledge their error and not resist. But they which maliciously maintain opinions against the Scripture, or that that can not be proved by the Scripture, or such as make no matter unto the Scripture and salvation that is in Christ whether they be true or not, and for the blind zeal of them make sects, breaking that unity of Christ's Church, for whose sake they aught to suffer all thing, and rise against their neighbours, whom they aught to love as Who they be that err from the way of ●ayth. themselves, to sle● them (such men I say are fallen from Christ and make an Idol of their opinions. For except they put trust in such opinions and thought them necessary unto salvation, or with a cankered conscience went about to deceive, for some filthy purpose, they would never break the unity of faith or yet slay their brethren. Now is this a plain conclusion, that both they that trust in their own works, and they also that put confidence in their own opinions, be fallen from Christ and err from the way of faith that is in Christ's blood, & therefore are none of Christ's Church, because they be not built upon the rock of faith. ¶ faith is ever assailed and fought with all. Moreover this our faith which we have in Christ, is ever fought against, Faith is ever assailed with besperation. ever assailed & beaten at with besperation: not when we sin only, but also in all temptations of adversity, into which God bringeth us, to nurture us, and to show us our own hearts, the hypocrisy & false thoughts that there lie hide, our almost no faith at all, and as little love, even then haply when we thought ourselves most perfect of all. For when temptations come we can not stand, when we have sinned faith is feeble, when wrong is done us we can not forgive, in sickness, in loss of goods and in all tribulations we be impatient: when our neighbour needeth our help, that We must departed with him of ours then love is cold. And thus we learn and feel that there is no goodness nor yet power to do good, but of God only. And in all All power & readiness to do good cō●eth of God & not of ourselves. such temptations our faith perisheth not utterly, neither our love and consent unto the law of God. But they be weak, sick, and wounded, and not clean dead. As a good child whom the father & mother have taught nurture and wisdom, loveth his father A very good example. and all his commandments, and perceiveth of that goodness showed him, that his father loveth him, and that all his father's precepts are unto his wealth and profit, and that his father commandeth him nothing for any need that his father hath thereof, but seeketh his profit only, and therefore hath a good faith unto all his father's promises, and loveth all his commandments, and doth them with good will, & with good will goeth to school. And by the way haply he seethe company play, and with the sight is taken and ravished of his memory, and forgetteth himself, and standeth and beholdeth and falls to play also, forgetting father and mother, all their kindness, all their laws, and his own profit thereto. Howbeit, the knowledge of his father's kindness, the faith of his promises, and the love that he hath again unto his father, and the obedient mind are not utterly quenched, but lie hide, as all things do when a man sleepeth or lieth in a trance. And as soon as he hath played out all his lusts The faithful though they sl●●, yet they fall not or be warned in the mean season, he cometh again unto his old profession. Never the later, many temptations go over his heart, and the law as a right hangman tormenteth his conscience, and goeth nigh to persuade him that his father will cast him away and hung him if he catch him, so that he is like a great while to run a way rather than to return unto his father again. Fear and dread of rebuke, & of loss of his father's love and of punishment wrestle with the trust which he hath in his father's goodness, and as it were give his faith a fall. But it rises again assoon as the rage of the first brunt is past and his mind more quiet. And the goodness of his father, and his old kindness cometh unto Faith in the good ne● of God is our stay. remembrance, either of his own courage or by the comfort of some other. And he believeth that his father will not cast him away or destroy him, and hopeth that he will no more do so. And upon that he getteth him home, dismayed. But not altogether faithless. The old kindnesses will not let him despair. Howbeit, all the world cannot set his ha●t at rest, until the pain be past, and until he have herded the voice of his father that all is forgiven. ¶ The manner and order of our election. EVen so goeth it with Gods elect. God chooseth them first, and they not God, as thou readest john. xv. And joh. 15. then he sendeth forth and calleth them, and showeth them his good will which he beareth unto them, and maketh them see both their own damnation in the law, and also the mercy that is laid up for them in Christ's blood, and thereto what he will have them do. And If we consider how merciful god is unto us, we cannot choose but submit ourselves unto his laws. then when we see his mercy, we love him again, and choose him and submit ourselves unto his laws to walk in them. For when we err not in wit, reason and judgement of things, we can not err in will and choice of things. The choice of a man's will doth naturally and of her own accord follow the judgement of a man's reason, whether he judge right or wrong. So that in teaching only rests the pith of a man's living. How be it, there be swine that receive no learning but to defile it. And there be dogs that rend all good learning with their teeth. And there be Pope holy, which following a righteousness of their own feigning, resist the righteousness of God in Christ. And there be that cannot attend to hearken unto the truth for rage of lusts, which when lusts abate, come and obey well enough. And therefore a Christian man must Christian men must be patiented. be patiented and suffer long to win his brother to Christ, that he which attendeth not to day, may receive grace & hear to morrow, we see some at their very latter end, when cold fear of death hath quenched the heat of their appetites, learn & consent unto the truth, whereunto before they could give none care, for the wild rages of lusts that blinded their wits. And though God's elect can not so fall that they rise not again, because that the mercy of God ever waiteth Mercy waiteth ever on the elect. upon them, to deliver them from evil, as the care of a kind father waiteth upon his son, to warn him and to keep him from occasions, and to call him back again if he be gone to far: yet they forget themselves oft-times, & sink down into trances and fall a sleep in lusts for a season. But assoon as they be awaked they repent & come again without resistance. God now and then withdraweth his hand and leaveth them unto their own strength, to make them feel that there is no power to do good but of God only, jest they should be proud of that which is none of there's. God laid so sore await of persecution vpp●n David's back that David. passed his strength to bear. So that he cried often out of his Psalms, saying that he had lived well and followed the right way of God in vain. For the more he kept himself from s●nne, the worse it went with him, as he thought, and the better with his enemy Saul, the worse he was. Yet God left him not there, but comforted him & showed him things which before he witted not The elect of God must have patience & be long sufferers. of, how that the Saints must be patient and abide God's harvest, until the wickedness of ungodly sinners be full ripe, that God may ripe it in due season. God also suffered occasions stronger than David, to fall upon him & to carry him clean out of the way. Was he not ready for a churlysse answer to have slain nabal & all the males of his house, so much as the child in the cradle? howbeit God with held him and kept him back from that evil, through the wisdom of abigal. How God trieth his elect by suffering them to tell into temptation. long slomberd he, or rather how hard in sleep was he in the adultery of Beth sabe. And in the murder of her husband Vriah, But at both times assoon as he was rebuked and his fault told him, he repented immediately & turned again meekly. Now in all that long time, from the adultery of Bethsabe until the Prophet Nathan rebuked him he had not lost his faith nor yet his love unto the laws of God, no more than a man loseth his wits when he is a sleep. He had forgot himself only and had not maliciously cast of the yoke of God's commandments from of his neck. There is no man so good, but We may conant sin and yet not forget God that there cometh a time upon him, when he feeleth in himself no more faith or love unto God, than a sick man oft-times feeleth the taste of his meat which he eateth. And in like manner the Apostles of Christ at his passion were astonied and The ampostles being amazed with temptations forgot all Christ's miracles. amazed and in such a storm of temptations, for the sudden change from so great glory into so vile and shameful death, that they had forget all the miracles and all the words which he had told them before, how that he should be betrayed and delivered on the same manner unto death. Moreover they never understood that saying of his death because their hearts were all way heavy and over lad with earthly thoughts. For though they see him raise up other, yet who should raise him up, when he were dead, they could not comprehend. Read what thou read canst, & thou A great temptation laid upon the Apostles. shalt find no temptation like unto that from the creation of the world, or so great as it by the hundred part. So that the wonderful sudden change and the terrible sight of his passion and of his most cruel and most vile death, & the loss of whom they so greatly loved, that their hearts would fain have died with him, and the fear of their own death, and the impossibility that a man should rise again of his own power, so occupied their minds and so astonied them and amazed them, that they could receive no comfort, either of the Scripture or of the miracles which they had seen Christ do, nor of the monitions & warnings wherewith he had warned them before, neither of the women that brought them tidings that he was risen. The sword of temptations with fear sorrow, mourning and weeping, had deeply pierced their hearts, and the cruel sight had so cumbered their minds, that they could not believe, until Christ himself came, death put of, and overcome, yea & when The Apostles were very doubtful. they first see him, they were astonied for wondering and joy together that thoughts arose in their hearts; alas is this he or doth some spirit mock us? he was fain to let them feel him and to eat with them, to strength their faiths. Howbeit there was none of them that was fallen in his heart from Christ. For assoon as the women brought word, Peter and john ran unto the sepulchre & see and wondered & would fain have believed that he was risen and longed for him? But could not believe the wound of temptation being greater than that it could be healed with the preaching of a woman without any other miracle. joseph of Arimathia and Nicodemus which while he yet lived dared not be a known of him assoon as he was dead, begged his body and buried him boldly. And the women assoon Christ his resurrection as it was lawful to work, prepared their annoyntments with all diligence. And the hearts of the Disciples that went to Emaus burned in their breasts to hear him spoken of. And Thomas had not forsaken Christ, but could not believe until he see him, and yet desired and longed to see him and rejoiced when he see him and for joy cried out, my Lord my God. There was none of them that The Disciples were not without faith but yet the ●ame was very doubtful. ever nailed on him and came so far forth, to say, he was a deceiver and wrought with the devils craft all this while, and see where to he is come in the end? we defy him & all his works false wretch that he was, and his false doctrine also. And thereto must they have come at the last, when fear, sorrow and wondering had been past, if they had not been prevented and holp in the mean tyme. Yea and Peter assoon as he had denied Peter's faith failed not. Christ came to himself immediately and went out and wept bitterly for sorrow. And thus you see, that Peter's faith failed not, though it were oppressed for a time: so that we need to seek no gloss for the text that Christ said to Peter how that his faith should not fail. Yes saith M. Moore it failed ☞ in himself, but was reserved in our Lady. But let us see the text and their gloze together. Christ saith Luke. xxij. Simon, Luke. 22. Simon, Satan seeketh you to sift you as men sift where: but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith shall not fail, wherefore when thou art come unto thyself again strength thy brethren. Now put this wise glo●e thereto and A foolish gloze made by M. More. see how they agreed together. Simon, Satan seeketh to sift you as where, but I have prayed for thee, that my mother's faith shall not fail, wherefore when thou art come to thyself again, according as my prayer hath obtained for thee, that my mother's faith shall ☜ not fail, strength thy brethren. How say you, is not this a proper text & well framed together? Do you not think that there is as much wit in the head of mad Colens, as in the draynes o● such expositors? ¶ Whether the Pope and his sect be Christ's Church or no. THat the Pope and his spirit ●e not the Church may this wise be 1. proved. He that hath no faith to be saved through Christ, is not of Christ's Pope. Church. The Pope believeth not to be saved through Christ. For he teacheth The Pope & his sect are not the Church of Christ. to trust in holy works for the remission of sins and salvation: as in the works of penance enjoined, in vows, in pilgrimage, in chastity, in other men's prayers and holy living, in Friars & friars coats, in Saints merits, and the significations put out, he teacheth to believe in that deeds of the ceremonies & of the Sacraments ordained at the beginning to preach unto us and to do us service, & not that we should believe in them and serve them. And a thousand such super●●iciousnesses setteth he before us in stead of Christ, to believe in, neither Christ nor God's word, neither honourable to God nor serviceable unto our neighbour nor profitable unto ourselves for the taming of the flesh, which all are the denying of Christ's blood. another reason is this. Whosoever believeth in Christ, contenteth that 2. God's law is good. The pope contenteth not that God's law is good. For he hath forbidden lawful wedlock 〈◊〉 The Pope in forbidding marriage to Priests, doth not consent that the law of god is 〈◊〉. unto all his, over whom he reigneth as a temporal tyrant with laws of his own making & not as a brother exhorting them to keep Christ's. And he hath granted unlawful whoredom unto as many as bring money As through Dutchland, every Priest paying a gildrens unto the Archdeacon shall freely and quietly have his whore and put her away at his pleasure and take an other at his own lust. As they The Pope licenseth whoredom which God forbiddeth. do in wales, in Ireland, Scotland, France and Spain. And in England thereto they be not few which have licences to keep whores, some of the pope and some of their ordinaries. And when the Parishes go to law with them to put away their whores, the bishops officers mock them, poll them & make them spend their ●hr●res, & the Priests keep their whores still. Howbeit in very deed sense they were rebuked by the preaching of wickleffe, our English spirituality have laid their snares unto men's wives, to cover their abominations, though they bide not all way secret. Thereto all Christian men if they have done amiss, repent when their faults 3. be told them. The spirituality repent The Popish Clergy are persecutors. not, but of very lust and consent to sin persecute both the scripture wherewith they be rebuked, and also them that warn them to amend, and make heretics of them, and burn them. And besides that, the Pope hath made a plain decree in which he commandeth saying, though the Pope sin never An abominable, wicked & devilish decree. so grievously and draw with him to hell by his ensample thousands innumerable, yet let no man be so hardy to rebuke him. For he is head overall, & none over him, Distinct. 〈◊〉 Si Papa. And Paul says Rom. xiii. let every 4. Rom. 13. soul obey the higher powers that are ordained to punish sin. The Pope will not, nor let any of his. And Paul charges 1. Cor. 5. if he 5. 1. Cor. 5. that is a brother be an whorekeeper, a drunkard, covetous, an extortioner, or a railer and so forth, that we have no fellowship with him: No not so much as to eat in his company. But the The Pope is utterly against the doctrine of Christ. Pope with violence compelleth us to have such in honour, to receive the sacraments of them, to hear their Masses, and to believe all they say, and yet they will not let us see whether they say truth or no. And he compelleth. x. parishes to pay their tithes and offerings unto one such to go and run at riot at their cost, and to do naught therefore. And a thousand such like doth the Pope contrary unto Christ's doctrine. ¶ The arguments wherewith the Pope would prove himself the church, are solved. NOtwithstanding because as they be all shaven they be all shameless to affirm that they be the right church and can not err, though all the world seethe that not one of them is in the right way, and that they have with utter defiance forsaken both the doctrine and living of Christ & of all his Apostles, let us see the sophistry wherewith they would persuade it. One of their high reasons is this. The Church say they, was before the heretics, & the heretics Their first reason. came ever out of the church and left it. And they were before all them which they now call heretics and Lutherans, and the Lutherans came out of them. etc. Wherefore they be the right church, and the other heretics in deed as they be called. Well, I will likewise dispute. First the right church A 〈◊〉 reason. was under Moses and Aaron and so forth, in whose rooms sat the Scribes Phariseis and high priests in the time of Christ. And they were before Christ. And Christ and his Apostles One Argument confuted with an other of like nature came out of them, and departed from them and left them. Wherefore the Scribes, Phariseis, and high priests were the right Church, and Christ and his Apostles and disciples heretics and a damnable sect. And so the jews are yet in the right way and we in error. And of truth if their blind reason be good, them is this argument so to. For they be like, & are both one thing. But in as much as the kingdom of God standeth not in words, as Paul The solution. saith 1. Cor. 4. but in power, therefore look unto the marrow and pith of the things self, and let vain words pass, Under Abraham, Isaac, & jacob was the church great in faith, and small in number. And as it increased in number, so it decreased in faith until the time of Moses. And out of those unbelievers God stirred up Moses, & brought them unto the faith right again. And Moses left a glorious Church, both in faith & cleaving unto the word of God, and delivered them unto josuah, Eleazar, Phineas, and Caleb. But assoon as the generation of them that see the miracles of God were dead, they fallen to Idolatry immediately, as thou seest in the Bible. And god when he had delivered them into captivity for to chastise their wickedness, stirred them up a Prophet evermore, to call them unto his testament again. And so he did well me an hundred times, I suppose, year Christ came, for The right faith did never 〈◊〉 continued in the greater number of 〈◊〉 Church. they never bode any space in the right faith. And against the coming of Christ the Scribes, Phariseis, Caiphas, Anna, and the Elders, were crept up into the seat of Moses, Aaron, and the holy Prophets & patriarchs and suceded them linially, and had the scripture of God but even in captivity to make merchandise of it, and to abuse it unto their own glory and profit. And though they kept the people from outward Idolatry of worshipping of Images with the Heathen: yet they brought them into a worse inward Idolatry of a false faith & trust in their own deeds and in vain traditions of their own feigning. And had put out the significations of all the ceremonies and sacraments of the old testament, and taught the people to believe in the works self, and had corrupt the scripture with false gloss. As y● mayst see in the Gospel, how Christ warneth his Disciples to beware of that leaven of the Phariseis which was their false doctrine & gloss. And in another place he rebuked the Scribes and the Math. 16. Phariseis saying: woe be to them, because they had taken away the key of knowledge, Math. 23. and had shut up the kingdom of heaven, and neither would enter in themselves, nor suffer them that would. How had they shut it up? verily with their traditions and false gloss which they had sowed to the scripture in plain places, and in the taking away the meaning of the ceremonies and sacrifices, and teaching to believe in the work. And our hypocrites are in like manner crept up into the seat of Christ and Hypocrites are crept up in to the seat of Christ & his Apostles. 〈◊〉. Pet. 2. of his Apostles by succession: not to do the deeds of Christ and his Apostles, but for lucre only (as the nature of the wily Fox is, to get him an hole made with another beasts labour) and to make merchandise of the people with feigned words, as Peter warned us before, and to do according as Christ and all his Apostles prophesied, how they should beguile and lead out of the right way, all them that had no love to follow and live after the truth. And in like manner have they corrupt The Pope and his clergy have corrupted the Scriptures of God with their traditions. the Scripture, and blinded the right way with their own constitutions, with traditions of dumb ceremonies, with taking away the significations of the sacraments, to make us believe in the work of the sacraments first, whereby they might the better make us believe in works of their setting up afterward, and with false gloss which they have patched to the Scripture in plain places, to destroy the literal sense for to set up a false feigned sense of allegories, when there is none such. And thereby they have stopped up the gates of heaven, the true knowledge of Christ, and have made their own bel●es the door. For thorough their bellies must thou creep, and the●e leave all that fall behind thee. And such blind reasons as ours make against us, made they against john. 〈◊〉. Christ saying: Abraham is our father, we be Moses disciples, how knoweth he the understanding of the Scripture seeing he never learned of any of us? only the cursed unlearned people that know not the scripture believe in him. Look whether any of the rulers or Phariseis do believe in him? Wherefore the scripture truly understood The scriptures bear witness who are the right Church. after the plainer places and general articles of that faith, which thou findest in the scripture, and the ensamples that are go before, will always testify who is the church. Though the Phariseis succeeded the patriarchs & prophets, and had the scripture of them, yet they were heretics and fallen from the faith of them, and from their living. And Christ and his disciples, & john Christ. john Baptist. the Baptist departed from the Phariseis which were heretics, unto the right sense of the scripture and unto the faith and living of the patriarchs and Prophets, and rebuked the Phariseis. As thou seest how Christ calleth them hypocrites, dissimulers, blind guides and painted sepulchres. And john called them the generation of vipers and serpents. Of john, the angel said unto his father Luke. i he Luke. 1. shall turn many of the children of Israel unto their Lord God, which yet before john believed after a fleshly understanding in God, and thought themselves in the right way. And he shall turn the hearts of the fathers unto the children. That is, he shall with his preaching and true interpreting of the scripture make such a spiritual heart in the children as was in their father's Abraham, ☜ The doctrine of john brought the heart of the jews into the right way. Isaac, and jacob. And he shall turn the disobedient unto the obedience of the righteous, and prepare the Lord a perfect people. That is, them that had set up a righteousness of their own, and were therefore disobedient unto the righteousness of faith, shall he convert from their blindness unto the wisdom of them that believed in God to be made righteous, and with those fathers shall he give the children Eagles eyes to spy out Christ and his righteousness, and to forsake their own, and so to become perfect. And after the same manner, though Our Popish hypocrites have need of a john Baptist to convert them our Popish hypocrites succeed Christ and his Apostles and have their scripture, yet they be fallen from the faith & living of them and are heretics and had need of a john Baptist to convert them. And we departed from them unto the true Scripture and unto the faith and living thereof, and rebuke them in like manner. And as they which departed from the faith of the true Church are heretics, even so they that departed from Those which departed from the faith of hypocrites are the true Church. the Church of heretics and false feigned faith of hypocrites, are the true church, which thou shalt always know by their faith examined by the Scripture & by their profession and consent to live according unto the laws of God. ¶ An other Argument. AN other like blind reason they have Their second reason. wherein is all their trust. As we come out of them and they not of us, so we receive the Scripture of them & they not of us. How know we that it is the Scripture of God and true, but because they teach us so? How can we believe, except we first believe that they be the Church and can not err in any thing that pertaineth unto our soul's health. For if a man tell me of a Note here this Popish Argument. marvelous thing, whereof I can have no other knowledge than by his mouth only, how should I give credence except I believed that the man were so honest that he could not lie or would not lie. Wherefore we must believe that they be the right Church that can not err, or else we can believe naught at all. This wise reason is their shoteancre & all their hold, their refuge, to fly unto & chief stone in their foundation, whereon they have built all their lies & all the mischief that they have wrought this viii. hundred years. And this reason do the jews lay unto our charge this day, and this reason doth chief blind them and hold them still in obstinacy. Our spirits first falsify the The Pope and his sect say they are the church and can not err. Scripture to establish their lies. And when the Scripture cometh to light and is restored unto the true understanding and their juggling spied, & they like to suffer shipwreck, than they cast out this anchor, they be the Church and can not err, their authority is greater than the Scripture, and the Scripture is not true, but because they say so and admit it. And therefore what soever they affirm, is of as great authority as the Scripture. Notwithstanding, as I said, the The solution. kingdom of heaven standeth not in words of man's wisdom, but in power and spirit. And therefore look unto the examples of the Scripture and so shalt thou understand. And of an hundred examples between Moses and Christ, where the Israelites fallen from john Baptist was a true expositor of the law. God & were eue● restored by one Prophet or other, let us take one: even john the Baptist. john went before Christ to prepare his way, that is, to bring men unto the knowledge of their sins and unto repentance, through true expounding of the law, which is the only way unto Christ. For except a man knowledge his sins & repent of them, he can have no part in Christ, of john Christ faith Math. xvij. that Math. 17. he was Elias that should come & restore all thing. That is, he should restore the scripture unto the right sense again, which the Phariseis had corrupt with the leaven of their false gloss and vain fleshly traditions. He made crooked things strait, as it is written, and rough smooth. Which is all so to be understand of the Scripture, which the Phariseis had made crooked wresting them unto a false sense with wicked gloss, & so wrought that no man could walk in the way of them. For The Phariseis added false gloss to the Scripture when God said, honour father & mother, meaning that we should obey them and also help them at their need, the Phariseis put this gloze thereto, out of their own leaven saying: God is thy father and mother. Wherefore what soever need thy father & mother have, if thou offer to God, thou art hold excused. For it is better to offer to God, then to thy father and mother and so much more meritorious, as God is greater than they: yea and God hath done more for thee then they & is more thy father and mother than they. As ours now affirm, that it is more meritorious to offer to God and his holy dead Saints, then unto the poor living Saints. And when God had promised the people a Saviour to come & bless them and save them from their sins, the Phariseis taught to believe in holy works to be saved by, as if they offered and gave to be prayed for. As ours, as often as we have a promise to be forgiven at the repentance of the heart through Christ's blood shedding, put to, thou must first shrive thyself to us of every s●…abe, & we must lay out hands on thy head and whistle out The Page 〈◊〉 doctrine. thy sins and enjoin the penance to make satisfaction. And yet art thou but loused from the sin only that thou shalt not come into hell, but thou must yet suffer for every sin seven years in Purgatory which is as hot as hell, except thou buy it out of the purgatory. Pope. And it y● ask by what means the Pope giveth such pardon. They answer out of the merits of Christ. And thus at the last they grant against themselves, that Christ hath not only deserved for us the remission of our sins, but also the forgiveness of that gross and fleshly imagined Purgatory, save thou must buy it out of the Pope. And with such traditions they took away the key of knowledge and stopped up the kingdom of heaven that no man could enter in. And as I said, they taught the people to believe in the deeds of the ceremonies The Phariseis and papists agreed in the false interpreting of the scriptures. which God ordained not to justify but to be signs of promises by which they that believed were justified. But the Phariseis put out the significations & quenched the faith and taught to be justified by the work, as ours have served us. For our Sacraments were once but signs partly of what we should believe, to stir us up unto faith, and The sacraments are signs to faith. partly what we should do, to stir us up to do the law of God, and were not works to justify. Now make this reason unto john and unto many Prophets that went before him and did as he did, yea and The Pope will by his reason make Christ and all his Apostles heretics. unto Christ himself and his Apostles, & thou shalt find them all heretics, and the Scribes and Phariseis good men, if that reason be good. Therefore this wise thou mayst answer. Not thanks unto the heads of the Church that the Scripture was kept, but unto the mercy of God. For as they had destroyed the right sense of it for their lucre sake, even so would they have destroyed it also if they could, rather then the people should have come unto the right understanding of it, as they slay the true interpreters and preachers of it. And even so no thanks un to our hypocrites that the Scripture is kept, but unto the bottomless mercy of God. For as they have destroyed the right sense of it with their leaven, and as they destroy daily the true preachers of it, and as they keep it from the lay people, that they should not see how they juggle with it, even so would they destroy The Pope and his 〈◊〉 would (if they could) destroy the scripture as well as they destroy the preachers thereof. it also, could they bring it about, rather than we should come by the true understanding of it, were it not that God provided otherwise for us. For they have put the stories that should in many things help us, clean out of the way, as nigh as they could. They have corrupt the Legend and lives almost of all Saints. They have feigned false books and put them forth, some in the name of S. Jerome, some in the name of S. Augustine, in the name of S. Cyprian, S. Dionise and other holy men. which are proved none of there's, partly by the style and Latin, & partly by authentic stories. And as the jews have set up a book of traditions called Talmud, to destroy the sense Talmud. of the Scripture, Unto which they give faith and unto the Scripture none at all be it never so plain, but say it can not be understand, save by the Talmud: even so have ours set up their Dunce, their Thomas and a thousand Dunc●. like draff, to establish their lies, through falsifying the Scripture, & say that it can not be understand without them, be it never so plain. And if a man allege an holy Doctor against them they gloze him out as they do the Scripture, or will not hear, or say the Church hath otherwise determined. Now therefore when they ask us Question answer. how we know that it is the Scripture of God, ask them how john Baptist known & other Prophets, which God A good answer to be made to the Papists. stirred up in all such times as the scripture was in like captivity under hypocrites? Did john believe that the Scribes, Phariseis and high Priests were the true Church of God, and had his spirit and could not err? who taught the Eagles to spy out their prey? even so the children of God spy out their father and Christ's elect spy out their Lord, and trace out the paths of his feet and follow, yea though he go upon the plain and liquid water which will receive no stepe: & yet there they found out his foot, his elect know him, but the world knoweth him not john john. 1●. ☜ 1 If the world know him not, & thou call the world pride, wrath, envy, covetousness, sloth, gluttony and lechery, than our spirituality know him not. Christ's sheep hear the voice of Christ john. x. where the world of hypocrites joh. 1●. as they know him not, even so the wolves hear not his voice, but compel the Scripture to hear them and to speak what they lust. And therefore except the Lord of Sabaoth had jest us seed, we had been all as Sodom and Gomor said Esay. 1. And even so said Esa. 1. Paul in his tyme. And even so say we in our time, that the Lord of the hosts Rom. 9 hath saved him seed & hath gathered him a flock to whom he hath given cares to hear, that the hypocritish Wolf's can not hear, and eyes to see, that the blind leaders of the blind can not see, and an heart to understand, that the generation of poisoned Vipers can neither understand nor know. If they allege S. Augustine which Augustine. saith, I had not believed the Bospell, except the authority of the church had moved me. I answer, as they abuse The true meaning of the words of S. Augustine. that saying of the holy man, even so they allege all the Scripture, and all that they bring for them, even in a false sense. S. Augustine before he was converted was an heathen man and a Philosopher, full of worldly wisdom, unto whom the preaching of Christ is but foolishness, saith Paul. i Corin. i 〈◊〉. Cor. 1. And he disputed with blind reasons of worldly wisdom against the Christian. Nevertheless the earnest living of the Christian according unto their doctrine and the constant suffering of persecution and adversity for their doctrines sake, moved him & stirred him to believe that it was no vain doctrine, but that it must needs be of god, in that it had such power with it. For it happeneth that they which will not hear the word at the beginning, are afterward moved by the holy conversation of them that believe. As Peter warneth Christian wines that had heathen 〈◊〉. Pet. 3. husbands that would not hear the truth preached, to live so godly that they might win their heathen husbands with holy conversation. And Paul saith, how knowest thou christian 〈◊〉. Cor. 7. wife, whether thou shalt win thy heathen husband, with holy conversation meant he. For many are won with godly living, which at the first either will not hear or can not belene. And that is the authority that S. Augustine mean. But if we shall not believe, till the living of the spirituality convert us, we be like to bide long enough in unbelief. And when they ask whether we received the scripture of them? I answer, that they which come after receive the scripture of them that go before. And when they ask whether we believe not that it is God's word by the reason that they tell us so. I answer, that there are two manuer faiths, There are two manner of faiths. an historical faith, and a feeling faith. The historical faith hangs of the truth and honesty of the teller, or of the common fame and consent of many. An historical faith. As if one told me that the turk had won a city, and I believed it, moved with the honesty of the man. Now if there come an other that seemeth more honest or that hath better persuasions that it is not so, I think immediately that he lied and loose my faith again. And a feeling faith is, as if a man were there present when it was won, and there were wounded and had there lost all that he had, and were taken prisoner there also. That man should so believe that all the world could not turn him from his faith. Even likewise if my mother had blown on her finger and told me that the fire would burn me, I should have believed her with an historical faith, as we believe the stories of the world, because I thought she would not have mocked me. And so I should have done, if she had told me that the fire had been cold and would not have burned, but assoon as I had put my finger in the fire, I should have believed, A feeling faith. not by reason of her, but with a feeling faith, so that she could not have persuaded me afterward the contrary. So now with an historical faith I may believe that the scripture is gods by the teaching of them, & so I should have done though they had told me that Roben Hode had been the scripture of God. Which faith is but an opinion, and therefore abideth ever frutlesse and falls away, if a more glorious reason be made unto me, or if the preacher live contrary. But of a feeling faith it is written. john. 6. john vi. They shall be all taught of God. That is, God shall writ it in their hearts with his holy spirit. And Paul also testifieth Rom. 8. the spirit Rom. 8. beareth record unto our spirit that we be the sons of God. And this faith is none opinion, but a sure feeling, and The true & sure feeling faith. therefore ever fruitful. Neither hangs it of the honesty of the preacher, but of the power of God and of the spirit, and therefore if all the preachers of the world would go about to persuade the contrary, it would not prevail, no more than though they would make me believe the tire were cold, after that I had put my finger therein. Of this you have an ensample joh. 4. joh. 4. of the Samaritanish wife, which left her pitcher and went into the city and said, come & see a man that hath told me all that ever I did, is not he Christ. And many of the Samaritans believed because of the saying of the woman, how that he had told her all that ever she did, and went out unto him & desired him to come in, which faith was but an opinion and no faith that could have lasted or have brought out fruit, but when they had herded Christ, the spirit wrought and made them feel. Whereupon they came unto the woman and said: we believe not now because of thy saying, but because we have herded ourselves, and know that he is Christ the saviour of the world. For The feeling faith doth far excel the historical faith. Christ's preaching was with power and spirit that maketh a man feel and know and work to, and not as the Scribes and Pharisies preached, and as ours make a man ready to cast his gorge to hear them rave and rage's as mad men. And therefore saith the scripture, cursed is he that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, that is to say, his strength. And even so, cursed Cursed is he that trusteth in man is he that hath none other belief but because men so say. Cursed were he that had none other why to believe than that I so say. And even so cursed is he that believeth only because the Pope so says, and so forth throughout all the men in the world. ¶ The faith that dependeth of an other man's mouth is weak. IF I have none other feeling in my faith then because a man so saith, then is my faith faithless and fruitless. For if I have none other ceiling that lechery is sin then that the Pope so Lechery. preacheth, whom I see before my face set up in Rome a stews of xx. or thirty. thousand whores, taking of every piece tribute yearly, and his Bishops with all other his disciples following the ensample mightily, and the Pope therewith not content, but to set up thereto The abomination of the Romish Church. a stews of young boys against nature, the committers of which sin be burned at a stake among the Turks, as Moses also commandeth in his law. And the Pope also to forbidden all the spirituality, a multitude of xl or l. Marriage forbidden & whoredom moved. hundred thousand to marry, and to give them licence to keep every man his whore who so will: If I say, I have none other feeling in my faith that lechery is sin them this man's preaching, I think my faith should be to weak to bear much fruit. How could I believe a man that would say he loved me, if all his deeds were contrary? I could not believe God himself that he loved me, if in all my tribulations I had of him none other comfort then those bore words. And in like manner if I had none other feeling in my faith that covetousness Covetousness. were sin, then that the spirituality so saith, my faith could be but weak and fainty, when I see how the Pope with wiles hath thrust down the Emperor, and how the Bishops and Prelates be cropped up an high in all regions above their kings, and have made them a several kingdom, and have got into their hands almost the one half of every realm, which they divide among themselves, giving no lay man any part with them, & heaping up Byshopprike upon Byshopprike, promotion upon promotion, benefice upon benefice, with unions and Unions 〈◊〉 quottes. tot quottes, robbing in every parish the souls of their ●oode, and the poor of their due sustenance, yea and some preaching that it were less sin 〈◊〉 ☜ have two wives then two benefices, but while they be yet young and ho●●, and therefore think covetousness greater sin than lechery: which same, when they be waxed elder, and their cōpl●●tion somewhat altered, think that covetousness is as small a sin as lechery, and therefore take all that cometh. And if any man cast their preaching in The P●…. their tethes, they answer that they be better learned, and have seve further. If I say, I have no other feeling that covetousness is sin, then the preaching of these holy fathers, my faith were built but upon a weak rock, or rather on the soft ●and. And therefore our defenders do right well to some out their own shame, and to utter the secret thoughts of their har●es. For as they writ, so they believe. Other feeling of 〈…〉 with the 〈…〉 so the 〈…〉. the laws of God and faith of Christ have they none, then that their God the Pope so saith. And therefore as the Pope preacheth with his mo●th only, even so believe they with their mouth only whatsoever he preacheth, without more a do, be it never so abominable, and in their hearts consent unto all their father's wickedness, and follow him in their deeds as fast as they can run. The Turks being in number five 〈…〉. times more than we are, knowledge one God, and believe many things of God, moved only by the authority of their elders, and presume that God will not let so great a multitude err so long tyme. And yet they have erred and been faithless these eight hundred years. And the jews believe this day, as much as the carnal sort of them ever jews. believed, moved also by the authority The Turks and jews believe that they can not err because they believe as their Elders did. of their elders only, and think that it is impossible for them to err, being Abraham's seed, and the children of them to whom the promises of all that we believe were made. And yet they have erred and been faithless this xv. hundred years. And we of like blindness believe only by the authority of our elders and of like pride think that we can not err, being such a multitude. And yet we see how God in the old Testament did let the great multitude err, reserving always a little flock to God reserved a little flock. call the other back again and to testify unto them the right way. ¶ How this word Church hath a double interpretation. THis is therefore a sure conclusion, as Rom. 9 Paul saith. Rom. ix. that not all they that are of Israel are Israelites, neither because they be Abraham's seed, are they all Abraham's children: but they only that follow the faith of Abraham. Even so now none of them that believe with their mouths moved with the authority of their elders only, that is, none of them that believe with M. Moor's faith, the Pope's faith and the devils faith which may stand (as M. More confesseth) ☞ with all manner abominations, have the right faith of Christ or are of Who they be that are of ●o●● true Church. his Church. But they only that repent & feel that the law is good, And have the law of God written in their hearts and the faith of our Saviour jesus, even with the spirit of God. There is a carnali Israel & a spiritual. There is Isaac and Ishmael, jacob, & Esau. And Ishmael persecuted Isaac & Esau The fleshly persecute the spiritual. jacob & the fleshly the spiritual. Where of Paul complained in his time persecuted of his carnal brethren, as we do in our time and as the elect ever did & shall do till the worlds end. What a multitude came out of Egypt under Moses of which the Scripture testifieth that they believed, moved by the miracles of Moses, as Simon magus believed A●…. by the reason of Philippes miracles Acts. viii. Nevertheless the Scripture testifieth that uj. hundred thousand of those believers perished through unbelief and left their carcases in the wilderness and never entered into the land that was promised them. And even so shall the children of M. Moor's faithless faith made by the persuasion The children of this world are the Papists. of man, leap short of the test which our Saviour jesus is risen unto. And therefore let them embrace this present world as they do, whose children they are though they hate so to be called. And hereby you see that it is a plain & an evident conclusion as bright as the sun shining that the truth of God's word dependeth not of the truth of the congregation. And therefore when thou Questions art asked, why thou believest that thou shalt be saved through Christ and of such like principles of our faith, answer Answers. thou wottest and feelest that it is true. And when he asketh how thou knowest that it is true, answer because it is written in thine heart. And if he ask who written it, answer the spirit of God. And if he ask how thou came first by it, tell him, whether by Answers to be made to captions Papists. reading in books or hearing it preached, as by an outward instrument, but that inwardly thou wast taught by the spirit of God. And if he ask whether thou believest it not because it is written in books or because the Priests so preach, answer no, not now, but only because it is written in thine heart and because the spirit of God so preacheth and so testifieth unto thy soul. And say, though at the beginning thou wast moved by reading or preaching, as the Samaritans were by the words john. 4. of the woman, yet now thou believest it not therefore any longer, but only because thou hast herded it of the spirit of God, and read it written in thy heart. And concerning outward teaching we allege for us Scripture elder than any Church that was this. xiv. hundred years, and old antenticke stories which they had brought a sleep where with we confound their lies. Remember you not how in our own time, of Teachers of Grammar understood not the Latin tongue. all that taught Grammar in England not one understood the Latin tongue? how came we then by the Latin tongue again? not by them, though we learned certain rules & principles of them by which we were moved & had an occasion to seek further, but out of the old authors. Even so we seek up old antiquities out of which we learn and not of our Church, though we received many principles of our Church, at the beginning, but more falsehood than truth, It hath pleased God of his exceeding love wherewith he loved us in Christ (as, Paul saith) before the world was made, and when we were dead in sin and his enemies, in that we did consent to sin and to live evil, to writ with his spirit ij. conclusions in our hearts, The faith 〈◊〉 Christ, & love of our neighbours to all that is required of a Christian man. by which we understand all thing: that is to were, the faith of Christ and the love of our neighbours. For whosoever feeleth the just damnation of sin, and the forgiveness and mercy that is in Christ's blood for all that repent & forsake it, and come and believe in that mercy, the same only knoweth how God is to be honoured and worshipped, and can judge between true serving of God in the spirit, and false Image serving of God with works▪ And the same knoweth that sacraments, signs, ceremonies and bodily things The use of signs & ce●…nyes can be no service to God in his person but memorials unto men, and a remembrance of the testament wherewith God is served in the spirit. And he that feeleth not that, is blind in his soul, and of our holy father's generation, and maketh God an Image, & a creature, & worshippeth him with bodily service. And on the other side, he that loveth his neighbour as himself, understandeth all laws, and can judge between good and evil, right & wrong, godly and ungodly, in all conversation, deeds, laws, bargains, covenances, ordinances and decrees of men, and knoweth the office of every degree, and the due honour of every person. And he that hath not that written in his heart is popish, and of the spirituality which understandeth nothing save his own honour, his own profit & what is good for himself only: and when he is as he would be, thinketh that all the world is as it should be. ¶ Of worshipping and what is to be understand by the word. COncerning worshipping or honouring (which two terms are both one) M. Moore Worship●… and 〈…〉 are ●●th one. bringeth forth a difference, a distinction or division of Greek words, feigned of our schoolmen, which of late neither understood greek, latin or Hebrew, called doulia, hyperdoulia and La●ria. But the difference declareth he not, nor the properties of the words, but with confused terms leadeth you blindfold in his maze. As for hyperdoulias I would fain we●e where he readeth of it in all the scripture, and whether the worship done to his Lord the cardinals hat were doulia, hyperdoulia, or idololatria. And as for doulia and latria we find them both referred unto God in a thousand places. Therefore that thou be not beguiled with falsehood of sophistical words, understand that the words which the scripture useth in the worshipping or honouring of God are these: love god, The true words that express the God. cleave to God, dread, serve, bow, pray and call on God, believe and trust in God and such like. Which words all we use in the worshipping of man also, how be it diversly, and the difference thereof doth all the scripture teach. God hath created us and made us unto his own likeness, and our saviour Christ hath bought us with his blood. And therefore are we God's possession of duty and right, and Christ's servants only, to wa●…e on his will What it is to honour God. and pleasure, and aught therefore to move neither hand nor fo●e, nor any other member, either heart or mind, otherwise than he hath appointed. God is honoured in his own person, when we receive all things both good & bad The true honour of God. at his hand, and love his law with all our hearts, and believe, hope, and long for all that he promises. THe officers that rule the world in What it is to honour rulers. God's stead, as father, mother, master, husband, Lord and Prince are honoured, when the law which almighty God hath committed unto them to rule with, is obeyed. Thy neighbour that is out of office, is honoured, when What it is to honour 〈◊〉 man's neighbour. thou (as God hath commanded thee) lovest him as thyself, countest him as good as thyself, thinkest him as worthy of any thing as thyself, and comest lovingly to help him at all his need, as thou wouldst be holp thyself, because God hath made him like unto his own image as well as thee, and Christ hath bought him as well as thee. If I hate the law, so I break it in What it is to dishonour God and dishonour our neighbour. mine heart, and both hate & dishonour God the maker thereof. If I break it outwardly, than I dishonour god before the world, and the officer that ministereth it. If I hurt my neighbour, than I dishonour my neighbour and him that made him, and him also that bought him with his blood. And even so, if I hate my neighbour in mine heart, than I hate him that commandeth me to love him and him that hath deserved that I should at the least way for his sake love him. If I be not ready to help my neighbour at his need, To deny to help my neighbour is to dishonour him. so I take his due honour from him, & dishonour him, & him that made him, and him also that bought him with his blood, whose servant he is. If I love such things as God hath lent me and committed unto mine administration, so that I can not find in mine heart to bestow them on the uses which God hath appointed me, than I dishonour God and abuse his creature in that I give more honour unto it than I should do, And then I make an idol of it in that I love it more than God and his commandment and then I dishonour my neighbour from whose need I withdraw it. In like manner if the officer abusing his power, compel the subject to do that To do that God forbiddeth is to dishonour God. which God forbiddeth or to leave undone that which God commandeth, so he dishonoureth God, in withdrawing his servant from him, & maketh an Idol of his own lusts, in that he honoureth them above God, & he dishonoureth his brother in that he abuseth him contrary unto the right use which God hath created him for and Christ hath bought him for, which is to wait on God's commandments. For if the officer be otherwise minded I true officer in the sight of God. then this, the worst of these subjects is made by the hands of him that made me, and bought with the blood of him that bought me, and therefore my brother, and I but his servant only, to defend him and to keep him in the honour that God & Christ hath set him, that no man dishonour him: he dishonoureth both God & man. And thereto if any subject think any otherwise of that officer (though he be an Emperor) then that he is but a servant only, to minister the office indifferently, he dishonoureth the office and God that ordained it. So that all men, what soever degree they be of are every man in his room, servants to other, as the hand serveth the foot and every member one an other. And the angels of heaven are also our brethren and very servants for Christ's sake, to defend us from the power of the devils. And finally all other creatures that All creatures are o●…ed to ●…ue 〈◊〉. are neither angels nor man, are in honour less than man, and man is Lord over them, and they created to serve him, as Scripture testifieth, and he not to serve them, but only, his Lord God and his Saviour Christ. ¶ Of worshipping of Sacraments, ceremonies, images, relics and so forth. NOw let us come to the worshipping or honouring of Sacraments ceremonies images and relics. First images be not God, and Images. therefore no confidence is to be put in them. They be not made after the image of God nor are the price of Christ's blood, but the woorkemanshyp of the crafts man and the price of money and therefore inferiors to man. Wherefore of all right man is Lord over them and the honour of them is to Images are servants to man, and not man to images. do man service and man's dishonour it is to do them honourable service, as unto his better. Images then and relics you and as Christ saith, the holy day to, are servants unto man. And therefore it followeth that we can not, but unto our damnation put on a coat worth an hundred coats, upon a posts ☜ back, and let the image of God & the price of Christ's blood go up & down thereby naked. For if we care more to clothe the dead image made by man and the price of silver than the lively image of God and price of Christ's blood, than we dishonour the Image of God and him that made him and the price of Christ's blood and him that bought him. Wherefore the right use, office and honour The use of creatures inferiors to man. of all creatures inferiors unto man, is to do man service, whether they be images, relics, ornaments signs or Sacraments, holidays, ceremonies or sacrifices. And that may be on this manner & no doubt it so once was. If (for an example) I take a piece of The worshipping of the cross. the cross of Christ and make a little cross thereof and bear it about me, to look thereon with a repenting heart, at times when I am moved thereto, to put me in remembrance that the body of Christ was broken and his blood shed thereon, for my sins, and believe steadfastly How a man may use Images well. that the merciful truth of God shall forgive the sins of all that repent for his death sake and never think on them more: than it serveth me & I not it, & doth me the same service as if I read the Testament in a book, or as if the preacher preached it unto me. And in like manner if I make a cross in my forehead, in a remembrance that God hath promised assistance unto all that believe in him, for his sake that died on the cross, then doth the cross serve me and I not if. And in like manner if I bear on me or look upon a cross of what soever matter it be, or make a cross upon me, in remembrance that who soever willbe Christ's Disciple must suffer a cross of adversity tribulations and persecution, so doth the cross serve me and I not it. And this was the use of the cross once, and for this cause it was at the beginning set up in the Churches. And so if I make an image of Christ The worshipping of images. or of any thing that Christ hath done for me, in a memory, it is good and not evil until it be abused. And even so, if I take the true life of a Saint and cause it to be painted or carved, to put me in remembrance of the Saints life, to follow the Saint as the Saint did Christ, and to put me in remembrance of the great faith of the Saint to God and how true God was to help him out of all tribulation, and to see the Saints love towards his neighbour, in that he so patiently suffered so painful a death & so cruel Martyrdom to testify the truth for to save other, and all to strength my soul with all and my faith to God and love to my neighbour, then doth the image serve me and I not it. And this was the use of images at the beginning & of relics also. And to kneel before the cross unto Images & relics at the first were well used, but now shame fully abused. the word of God which the cross preacheth is not evil. Neither to kneel down before an image in a man's meditations to call the living of the saint to mind for to desire God of like grace to follow the example, is not evil. But the abuse of the thing is evil, and False worshipping. 〈◊〉 to have a false faith: as to bear a piece of the cross about a man, thinking that so long as that is about him, spirits shall not come at him, his enemies shall do him no bodily harm, all causes The abuse of Images shall go on his side even for bearing it about him, and to think that if it were not about him it would not be so, and to think, if any misfortune chance, that it came for leaving it of, or because this or that ceremony was left undone, and not rather because we have broken Gods commandments, or that God tempteth us to prove our patience. This is plain idolatry, & here a man is captive, bond & servant unto a false faith & a false imagination, that is neither God nor his word. Now am I God's only and aught to serve nothing but God and his word. My body must serve that rulers of this world My body must serve the Prince oh my neighbour, but my soul must serve God only and my neighbour (as God hath appointed it) and so must all my goods: but my soul must serve God only, to love his law and to trust in his promises of mercy in all my deeds. And in like manner it is that thousands, while the Priest pattereth S. john's S. john's Gospel. Gospel in Latin over their heads, cross themselves with, I trow a legion of crosses, behind and before, and with reverence on the very arses, and (as jacke of napes when he claweth himself) pluck up their legs and cross so much as their heels and the very soles of their feet, and believe that if it be done in the time that he readeth the gospel (and else not) that there shall no mischance happen them that day, because only of those crosses. And This is the true crossing that we should use. where he should cross himself, to be armed and to make himself strong to bear the cross with Christ, be crosseth himself to drive the cross from him, and blesseth himself with a cross from the cross And if he leave it undone, he thinketh it no small sin, and that god is highly displeased with him, and it any misfortune chance, thinketh it is therefore, which is also Idolatry and not God's word. And such is the confidence in the place or image or whatsoever bodily observance it be: such is SAINT Agathes letter written in the Gospel tyme. And such are the crosses on palmesonday made in the passion tyme. And A great number of superstitious baggages. such is the bearing of holy wax about a man. And such is that some hung a piece of S. john's Gospel about their necks. And such is to bear the names of god with crosses between each name about them. Such is the saying of gospels unto women in childbed. Such is the limeteriers saying of in principio erat verbum from house to house. Such is the saying of Gospels to the corn in the field in the procession week that it should the better grow. And such is holy bread, holy water, and serving of all ceremonies and sacraments in general without signification. And I pray you how is it possible that the people can worship images, relics, ceremonies and sacraments, save superstitiously, so long as they know not the true meaning, neither will the Prelates suffer any man to tell them: yea and the very meaning of some and right use no man can tell? And as for the riches that is bestowed on images and relics, they can not prove but that it is abominable, Richeses bestowed on images or relics. as long as the poor are despised and uncared for and not first served, for whose sakes and to find preachers, offerings, tithes, lands, rents, and all that they have, was given the spirituality. They will say we may do both. Objection. May or not may, I see that the one Solution. most necessary of both, is not done: but the poor are bereaved of the spirituality of all that was in time passed offered unto them. Moreover though both were done, they shall never prove that the sight of gold and silver and of precious stones should move a man's heart to despise such things after the doctrine of Christ. Neither can the rich coat help to move thy mind, to follow the ensample of the Saint, but rather if he were purtrayde as he suffered, in the most ungodly wise. Which thing taken away, that such things with all other service, as sticking up candles, move not thy mind to follow the ensample of the Saint, nor To worship Images is Idolatry. teach thy soul any godly learning: them the image serveth not thee, but thou that Image, and so art thou an Idolater, that is to say in English, a serve Image. And thus it appeareth that your ungodly and belly doctrine wherewith you so magnify the deeds of your ceremonies, and of your pilgrimages, and offering for the deed itself, to please God and to obtain the favour of dead Saints (and not to move you and to put you in remembrance of the law of God and of the promises which are in his son, and to follow the ensample of the Saint) is but an exhorting to serve Images, and so are you Image servers, that is, Idolaters. And finally the more devotion men have unto such deeds, the less they have unto God's commandment, in so much that they which be most wont to offer to Images & to show them, be so cold in offering to the poor, that they will scarce give them the scraps which must else be given dogs, or their old shone, if they may have new bromes for them. ¶ Pilgrimages. TO speak of pilgrimages, I say, that a Christian man, so that he True Pilgrimage is to walk from place to place the better to serve God & to help my neighbour. leave nothing undone at home that he is bound to do, is free to go whether he will, only after the doctrine of the Lord, whose servant he is and not his own. If he go and visit the poor, the sick and the prisoner, it is well done and a work that God commandeth. If he go to this or that place, to hear a Sermon or because his mind is not quiet at home or if because his heart is to much occupied on his worldly businesses by the reasons of occasions at home, he get him into a more quiet and still place, where his mind is more abstract and pulled from worldly thoughts, it is well done. And in all these places, if whatsoever it be, whether lively preaching, ceremony, relic, or Image, stir up his heart to God and preach the word of God and the ensample of our Saviour jesus more in one place then in an other, that he thither go, I am content. And yet he bideth a Lord, and the things serve him and he not them. Now whether his intent be so or not, his deeds will testify, as his virtuous governing of his house, and loving demeanour toward his neighbours: yea and Gods word will be always in his heart, and in his mouth, & he every day perfecter than other. For there can nothing edify man's soul save that which preacheth him God's word. Only the word of god worketh the health of the soul. And whatsomever preacheth him that, can not but make him perfecter. But to believe that God will be sought more in one place then in an other, or that God will hear thee more ☜ in one place then in an other, or more where the Image is, then where it is not, is a false faith, and Idolatry, or Image service. For first God dwelleth God dwelleth not in Temples made with men's hands. not in temples made with hands. Act. xvij. Item Steven died for the contrary, and proved it by the prophets. Act. seven. And Solomon in the viii. of the third of the kings, when he had built his temple testified the same, and that he had not built it for god to dwell in, yea and that God dwelleth not in the earth, but that he should out of heaven hear the prayers of them that prayed there. And the Prophets did often testify unto the people that had such a false faith that God dwelled in the temple, that he dwelled not there. Moreover God in his Testament bindeth himself unto no place nor yet thee: But speaketh generally (concerning where and when) saying Psalm. xlix. in the Psal. 49. day of the tribulation thou shalt call on me and I will deliver thee, & thou shalt glorify me. He setteth neither place nor tyme. But wheresoever and when soever: so that the prayer of job upon the dunghill was as good as Paul's in the temple. And when our Saviour saith john. xuj. What soever john. 16. you ask my father in my name, I will give it you, he saith not in this or that place, or this or that day: but wheresoever and when soever, as well in the fields as in the town and on the Monday as on the Sunday. God is a spirit and willbe worshipped in the spirit. john. iiij. That is, though he be present every where, yet he dwelleth lively & john. 4. gloriously in the minds of angels only & hearts of men that love his laws and trust in his promises. And wheresoever God finds such an heart, there he heareth the prayer in all places and times indifferently. So that the outward place neither helpeth or hindereth except (as I said) that a man's mind be more quiet and still from the rage of worldly businesses, or that some thing stir up the word of God and example of our Saviour more in one place then in an other. ¶ Whence Idolatry or image service springeth. NOw that thou mayst see whence all this Idolatry or image service is sprung, mark a little, and then I will answer unto the Arguments which these Image servers make against the open truth. All the ceremonies ornaments and sacrifices of the old Testament were Sacraments. Sacraments. That is to weet, signs preaching unto the people one thing or an other. As Circumcision. circumcision preached unto them, that God had choose them to be his people, and that he would be their God & defend them and increase and multiply them and keep them in that land and All the ceremonies of the old law were preachers to the people. bless the fruits of the earth & all their possessions. And on the other side it preached, how that they had promised God again to keep his commandments, ceremonies and ordinances. Now when they see their young children circumcised, if they consented unto the appointment made between God and them, moved by the preaching of that same, than were they justified thereby. Howbeit the deed in itself, the cutting of of that foreskin of the manchilds' The ●t●es by saith were justified, & not by the deeds of the law. privy member justified them not, nor was a satisfaction for the child's sins, but the preaching only did justify them that received the faith thereof. For it was a badge given indifferently aswell unto them that never consented in their hearts unto God's law, as unto the elect in whose hearts the law was written. And that this was the meaning of Circumcision may be proved many ways: But namely by Paul Rom. 2. where he saith, circumcision is much worth, if thou keep the law (whose sign it was) and else not. And Rom. iij. where he saith that God did justify the circumcised of faith (whose sign it was on the other side) and else not. And the paschal lamb was a memorial paschal lamb. of their deliverance out of Egypt only, and no satisfaction or offering for sin. And the offering of their first fruits preached how they had received all First fruits. such fruits of the hand of God, and that it was God that gave them that land, and that kept them in it, and that did bless & make their fruits grow. In token whereof as unto a Lord royal they brought him the first ripe fruits of their harvest. Which remembrance as long as it abode in their harces, it moved them to love God again & their neighbour for his sake, as he so often desired them. And out of this ceremony was fet the blessing of our new ripe fruits for like purpose, though we have lost the signification. And their other offerings, as that sacrices Sacrifices of Dones, Turtles, Lambs, kids, sheep, Calves, Goats and Oxen were no satisfactions for sin, but only a sign and token, that at that repentance of the heart, thorough an offering to come, and for that seeds sake that was promised Abraham, their sins were forgiven them. And in like manner the ornaments Ornaments. and all other ceremonies were either an open preaching or secret prophecies and not satisfactions or justifyings. And thus the works did serve them, Worked must serve us, and not we the works. and preach unto them, and they not the works, nor put any confidence therein. ¶ False worshipping. BUt what did the children of Israel and the jews? They let the significations of their ceremonies go, & lost the meaning of them, and turned them unto the works to serve them, saying that they were holy works commanded of God, & the offerers were thereby justified, & obtained forgiveness of sins, & thereby become good: as the parable of the Pharesey & Publican declare, Luke. xviij. and as it is Luke. 18. to see in Paul and throughout all the Bible: and become captive to serve & put their trust in that which was neither God nor his word. And so the better creature against nature did serve the worse. Whereof all likelihood God should have accepted their work by the reason of them, if their hearts had The jews become servants & captives to their works. been right, and not have accepted their souls for the bloods sake of a Calf or sheep, for as much as a man is much better than a Calf or sheep, as Christ testifieth Math. xii. For what pleasure should God have in the blood of Calves or in the light of our candles? his pleasure is only in the hearts of them that love his commandments. Then they went further in the imagination of their blind reason saying, The blind reason of hypocrites. in as much as God accepteth these holy works, that we be made righteous thereby, than it followeth that he which offereth most, is most righteous, and the bestman: yea and it is better to offer an Ox than a sheep, because it is more costly. And so they strove who might offer most, and the priests were well apaid. Then went they further ☞ in their fleshly wisdom, saying: if I be good for the offering of a Dove, and better for a sheep, and yet better for an Ox, and so ever the better thing I offer the better I am, O how accepted should I be if I offered a man, & namehym O blind & ●●ll the imagination. that I most loved? And upon that imagination, they offered their own children, and burned them to ashes before Images that they had imagined. And to cōti●…e their blindues, they laid for them (no doubt) the ensample of Abraham, which offered his son Isaac, and was so accepted that God had promised him, how that in his seed all the world should be blessed. Hereof you see unto what abomination blind reason bringeth a man, when she is destitute of God's word. And to speak of the Sabbath (which was ordained to be their servant, & Holy day. to preach & to be a sign unto them, that God thorough his holy spirit and word Exod. 31. did sanctify them, in that they obeyed his commandments, and believed and trusted in his promises (and therefore were charged to leave working The Saboth day must serve us, and not we the Saboth day. and to come on the holy day and hear the word of God by which they were sanctified) unto it, also they become captive and bond to serve it, saying that they were justified by abstaining from bodily labour (as ours think also) in so much that though they bestowed not the holy day in virtue prayer and How the Saboth day should be occupied. hearing the word of God, in almosedede, in visiting the sick, the needy & comfortless and so forth, but went up and down idly, yet what soever need his neighbour had, he would not have holp him on the Saboth day, as thou mayst see by the ruler of the synagogue which rebuked Christ for healing the Luke. 13. people on the holy day Luke. xiii. And of like blindness they went & The brazen Serpent. fet out the brazen Serpent (which Moses commanded to be kept in the Ark for a memory) & offered before it: thinking (no doubt) that God must be there present, for else how could it have healed the people that came not nigh it, but stood a far of and beheld it only. And a thousand such madness did they. And of the temple they thought that The temple. God herded them there better than any where else: yea and he herded them no where save there. And therefore they could not pray but there, as ours can no where but at Church and before an Image. For what prayer can a man Prayer without faith is n● prayer. pray, when the word of God is not in the temple of his heart: yea & when such come to Church, what is their prayer & what is their devotion, save the blind image service of their hearts. But the Prophets ever rebuked them for such faithless works & for Psal. 46. such false faith in their works In the xlix. Psalm says that Prophet, I will receive no Calves of your houses nor Goats out of your folds, think you God despise● the sacrifices of the unfaithful ●ewes. that I will eat the flesh of Oxen or drink the blood of Goats? And Esayas saith in his first Chapter, what care I for the multitude of your sacrifices saith the Lord I am full. I have no lust in the burned offerings of your Rams, or in the fat of fa● beasts or blood of Calves, Lambs or Goats: offer me no more such false sacrifice. And thereto your sweet cense is an abomination unto me. And thus he said because of the false faith and perverting the right use of them. And for their calf fasting, not referring Fasting. their fast unto the taming & subduing of their flesh unto the spirit, Superstitious falling doth God abhor. when they complained unto God justifying themselves and saying, how happeneth it that we have fasted and thou wouldst not look upon it, we have humbled our souls and thou wouldst not know it, God answered them by Esa. 28. the Prophet Esayas in the. lviij. chapter, behold, in the day of your fast, you do your own lusts and gather up all your dettes. And how soever you fast, you nevertheless strive and fight and s●inite with tiste cruelly. I have choose no such fast and humbling of soul. etc. But that you louse wicked bonds and True fasting, what it is. let the oppressed go free, and to break bread unto the hungry and to clothe the naked and so forth. And concerning the temple, Esaya● saith in his last chapter. What house Temple. will you build for me or in what place shall I rest? heaven is my seat and the earth my foot stolen. As who should say I am to great for any place that you can make, and (as Steven saith Acts seven. and Paul Acts. xvij. I devil not Acts. 7. Acts. 17. in a temple made with hands. ¶ How ceremonies sprung among us. Understand also (to see how we came into like blindness) that before the coming of Christ in the flesh, the Israelites & jews were scattered throughout all the world, for their Image service, both East, West, South, and North, as you read in the Chronicles how England was once full: so that there was no Province or great City in the world where no jews were: God so providing for the speedy preaching of the Gospel among the heathen throughout the world. Now Christ, as he was promised, so was he sent, unto the jews or Israelites. And what by Christ's preaching & the Apostles after his resurrection, there were innumerable jews converted haply an hundred thousand or more in jerusalem and jewry and in the countries about, and abode still in the land. Then Paul rose up and persecuted them Pa●…e a trowel persecutor. in jerusalem and throughout all jewry and Damascus, slaying all that he could catch or making them for ●weare Christ. For fear of which persecution they fled into all costs & preached unto the jews that were scattered, proving that jesus was Christ the Saviour of the world, both by the scripture & also by miracles: so that a great part of the jews came to the faith every Many jews were converted to ye●aith of Christ. where, and we heathen came in shortly after, and part abode still in unbelief as unto this day. Now the jews being born and bread up, rooted and noseld in ceremonies as I have showed and as you may better see in the. u. books of Moses, if you would read them, could but with great difficulty, departed from them as it is to see in all the Epistles of Paul, how he fought against them, and in process got the upper hand. And thereto the first that were christened, and all the officers and Bishops of the church, even so much as the great God of Rome were jews for the most part a great season. And moreover, as Paul saith. Ro. All that came of Israel are not israelites. ix. not all that came of Israel are right Israelites, neither are all they Abraham's sons that are Abraham's seed, why so? because they followed not the steps of the faith of their grandfathers. Even so, not all they that were called and also came unto the marriage which God the father made between Christ Math. 22. his son & all sinners, brought their marriage garment with them, that is to were, true faith wherewith we be married unto Christ, and made his flesh & his blood and one spirit with him, his brethren and heirs with him, and the sons of God also. But many of them (to fulfil the saying of Christ, that the kingdom of heaven, which is the gospel, is like a net that ketcheth good & bad) were driven into the net and compelled to confess that jesus was Christ and that seed that was promised Abraham and Messiah that should come: not of any inward feeling that the spirit The jews cam● 〈◊〉 to vn●… of Christ of love, bu● 〈◊〉 enforced the● unto by the scriptures. of God gave them, neither of any lovely consent that they had unto the law of God that it was good, mourning, both because they had broken it, and because also they had no power to fulfil it, and therefore to obtain mercy and power came to Christ and unto the father thorough him, with the heart of natural children which receive all thing freely of their father's bounteous liberality, and of love become servants unto their brethren for their father's sake: But were compelled only with violence of the scripture which every where bore witness unto Christ, and agreed unto all that he did, and overcome also with the power of miracles that confirmed the same. That is to say, they came with a story faith, a popish faith, a faithless faith, and a feigned faith of their own making, and not as God in the scripture describeth the faith, so believing in Christ, that they would be justified by their own deeds, which is the denying of Christ. As our Papists believe, which more mad than those jews, believe nothing by the reason of the scripture, but only that such a multitude consent thereto, compelled with violence of sword, with falsifying of the scripture and feigned lies. Which multitude yet is not the fift part so many The Turk●● are a ●…re greater number than the Papists. as they that consent unto the law of Mahomet. And therefore by their own arguments, the faith of the Turks is better than there's. And their faith thereto may stand by their own confession, with all mischief (as it well appeareth by them) and with yielding themselves to work all wickedness with full delectation, after the ensample of the faith of their father the devil, and without repenraunce and consent unto the law of God, that it is good. And the popish also do so believe in Christ, and so will be his servants, that they will be bond unto dumb ceremonies and dead works putting their trust and confidence in them, and hoping to be saved by them, and ascribing unto them the thank of their salvation and righteousness. And therefore because, as I said, the jews you and the Heathen to, were so accustomed unto ceremonies, and because such a multitude came with a faithless faith, they went clean contrary Ceremonies set up in the new testament. unto the mind of Paul, and set up ceremonies in the new testament, partly borrowing them of Moses and partly imagening like, as you now see, and called them sacraments, that is to say, signs (as it is plain in the stories) the sacrament of holy water, of holy fire, holy bread, holy salt and so forth. And they gave them significations. As holy water signified the sprincling of What holy water signifieth. Christ's blood for our redemption, which sacrament or sign) though it seem superstitious, in as much as the sacrament of Christ's body and blood signifieth the same daily) yet as long as the signification bode, it hurted not. And the kissing of the Pax was set up to signify, The Pax. that the peace of Christ should be ever among us, one to love an other after his ensample, as the word itself well declareth. For pax is as much to say as peace. And as for confirmation, it is no doubt but that it came this wise up, & Confirmation. that this was the use, which the word itself well declareth. We read in the stories, that they which were converted unto the faith of the age of discretion, Confirmation how it came first unto the church. were full taught in the law of God (as right is) and in the faith of our saviour jesus, year they were baptized, & upon the profession or promising to to keep that law and faith, were baptized. And then for the s●ccour & help of young children, baptized before the age of discretion, to know the law of God and faith of Christ was confirmation instituted, that they should not be always ignorant and faithless, but be taught the profession of their baptism. And this no doubt was the manner, as we may well gather by probable conjectures and evident tokens, when the children were of six or seven years old, their elders brought them unto the priest or Deacon in every parish, which officer taught the children what their baptism meant, & what they had professed therein: that is to weet: the law of God and their duty unto all degrees, and the faith of our saviour. And then because it should not be neglect or left undone, an higher officer, as the Archdeacon (for it hath not been as I suppose in the bishops hands always as now, neither were it meet) came about from parish to parish, at The manner of confirming of children. times convenient. And the Priests brought the children unto him at xj. or twelve. year old, before they were admitted to receive the sacrament of Christ's body haply. And he opposed them of the law of God and faith of Christ, & asked them, whether they thought that law good, and whether their hearts were to follow it. And they answered yea. And he opposed them in the articles of our faith, and asked them, whether they put their hop and trust in Christ, to be saved thorough his death and merits. And they answered you. Then confirmed This is a right confirmation. he their baptim saying: I confirm you, that is, I denounce and declare, by the authority of God's word and doctrine of Christ, that you be truly baptized within in your hearts, and in your spirits, thorough professing the law of God and the faith of our saviour jesus, which your outward baptism doth signify, and thereupon I put this cross in your foreheads, that you go and fight against the devil, the world and the flesh, under the standard of our Saviour, in the name of the father, the son, & the holy ghost. Amen. Which manner I would to God for his tender mercy were in use this day. But after that the devil was broken louse and the Bishops began to purchase, and the Dea●…s to scratch all to them, and the spirituality to climb an high: then because the labour se●… to tedious and painful, to appose the children one by one, they asked the Priests that presented them only, whether The abuse of confirmation. the children were taught the profession of their Baptism. And they answered y●●. And so upon their words they confirmed them without apposing. So when they no longer opposed them, the Priests no longer taught them, but committed the charge to their Godfather and Godmothers, and they to the father and mother, discharging themselves by their own authority within half an hour. And the father & mother taught than The fruits of ignorance. a monstrous Latin Pater noster and an ave and a Crede. Which gibbresh every Pop●…iaye speaketh with a sundry pronunciation and fashion, so that one Pater noster seemeth as many languages almost as there be tongues that speak it. Howbeit, it is all one, as long as they understand it not. And in process as the ignorance grew, they brought them to confirmation strait from Baptism: so that now oft-times they be volowed and bishoped both in one day, that is, we be confirmed in Confirmation is made now a confirming in all superstition, ignorance and popery. blindness to be kept from knowledge for ever. And thus are we come into this damnable ignorance and fierce wrath of God through our own deserving, because when the truth was told us we had no love thereto. And to declare the full and set wrath of God upon us, our Prelates whom we have exalted over us to whom we have given almost all we had, have persuaded the worldly Princes (to whom we have submitted ourselves and given up our power) to devour us up body & soul, and to keep us, down in darkness, with violence of sword, and with all falsehood and guile. In so much that if any do but lift up his nose to smell after The Papistical tyranny. the truth, they swap him in the face with a fire brand to seng his smelling, or if he open one of his eyes once to look toward the light of god's word, they blear & daze his sight with their false juggling: so that if it were possible, though he were Gods elect, he could not but be kept down and perish for lack of knowledge of the truth. And in like manner, because Christ How the ceremonies about the ministration of the lords Supper came first into the Church. ●mice. had institute the Sacrament of his body and blood, to keep us in remembrance of his body breaking & blood shedding for our sins, therefore went they and set up this fashion of the Mass and ordained Sacraments in the ornaments thereof to signify and express all the rest of his passion. The amice on the head is the kercheve that Christ was blind folded with, when the soldiers buffeted him and mocked him saying: prophecy unto us who smote thee? But now it may well signify that he that putteth it on, is blind and hath professed to lead us after him in darkness, according unto the beginning of his play. And the flap thereon is the crown of thorn. And the albe is the The flap on the amice. white garment that Herode put on him, saying he was a fool because he held his peace and would not answer The albe. him. And the ij. flaps on the sleeves and the other ij. on the albe beneath over The flaps on the albe. against his feet behind and before, are the. iiij. nails. And the fanon on his hand, the cord that his hands were The fanon bond with: And the stolen the rope The stole. wherewith he was bond unto the pillar, when he was scorged: And the corporiscloth, The corp●rescloth. The altar. the sindon wherein he was buried: and the altar is the cross or haply the grave and so forth. And the casting abroad of his hands, the splaying of Christ upon the cross. And the light and sticking up of candles & bearing of candles or tapers in procession haply signified this text. Math. u you Candles. be the light of the world, and let your Math. 5. light so shine before men, that they may see your good works & glorify your father which is in heaven. And the salt signifieth the wisdom of Christ's doctrine, Salt. and that we should therewith salt our deeds and do nothing without the authority of God's word. So that in one thing or other, what in the garments and what in the gestures all his ☜ played, in so much that before he will go to Mass, he willbe sure to cell him, lest Judases part should be left out. And so throughout all the Sacraments, ceremonies or signs (iij. words All ceremonies at the beginning had significations. of one signification) there were significations unto them at the beginning. And so long as it was understand what was meant by them and they did but serve the people and preach one thing or an other unto them, they hurted not greatly, though that the free servant of Christ aught not to be brought violently into captivity under the bondage of traditions of men. As S. Augustine complaineth in his days, how that Austin. the condition and state of the jews was more easy than the Christians under The state of the jews more easy than the Christians under traditions. traditions: so sore had the tyranny of the shepherds invaded the flock all ready in those days. And then what just cause have we to complain our captivity now, unto whose yoke from that time hitherto, enen. xii. hundred years long, hath ever somewhat more weight been added to, for to keep us bown and to confirm us in blindness? howbeit, as long as the significations bode, they hurted not the soul, though they were painful unto the body. Nevertheless I impute this our Out of the ceremontes sprung the ignorance o● the scripture. grievous fall into so extreme and horrible blindness (wherein we are so deep and so deadly brought a sleep) unto no thing so much as unto the multitude of ceremonies. For assoon as the Prelates had set up such a rabble of ceremonies, they thonght it superflnous to preach the plain text any longer and the law of God, faith of Christ, love toward our neighbour and the order of The multitude of ceremonies put away preaching. our justifying & salvation, for as much as all such things were played before the people's faces daily in the ceremonies & every child witted the meaning: but got them unto allegories, feigning them every man after his own brain, without rule, all most on every silable, and from thence unto disputing and wasting their brains about words, not attending the significations until Ceremonies are the chirt cause of ignorance. at the last the lay people had lost the meaning of the ceremonies & the Prelates the understanding of the plain text, and of the Greek Latin and specially of the Hebrew which is most of need to be known, and of all phrases, the proper manner of speakynges and borrowed speech of the Hebrues. Remember you not how within this The doctrine of Dunce advanced. thirty. years and far less, and yet dureth unto this day, the old barking curs Dunces disciples &. like draff called Scotistes, the children of darkness, raged in every pulpit against Greek Latin and Hebrew, and what The blind Papists are enemies to all good learning and knowledge sorrow the Schoolmasters that taught the true Latin tongue had with them, some beating the pulpit with their fists for madness & roaring out with open and soming mouth, that if there were but one Tirence or Virgil in the world and that same in their fleves & a fire before them, they would burn them therein, though it should cost them their lives, affirming that all good learning decayed & was utterly lost sense men gave them unto the Latin tongue? yea & I day say, that there be. xx. thousand Priests Curates this day in England Igaoraunt Priests. and not so few, that can not give you the right English unto this text in the Pater noster, fiat voluntas tua sicut in coelo & in terra & answer thereto. And assoon as the signification of the ceremonies was lost, and the priests preached Christ no longer than the common people began to wax mad & out of their minds upon the ceremonies. And that trust and confidence which the ceremonies preached, to be ☜ given unto God's word and Christ's blood, that same they turned unto the Ignorance made us servants to ceremonies. ceremony itself, as though a man were so mad to forget that the bush at the tavern door did signisse wine to be sold within, but would believe that the bush itself would quench his thirst. And so they become servants unto the ceremonies, ascribing their justifying and salvation unto them, supposing that it was nothing else to be a christian man, then to serve ceremonies, & him most christian that most served them, & contrary wise him that was not Popish and ceremonial, no christian man at all. For I pray you, for what cause worship we our spirituality so highly, or wherefore think we their prayers better than the poor lay men's, then for their disguisings and ceremonies? yea and what other virtue see we in the holiest of them, then to wait upon dumb superstitious ceremonies? Yea and how cometh it that a poor lay man having wife and xx. children, and not able to find them, though all The sole Papists are preferred by ceremonies. his neighbours know his necessity, shall not get with begging for Christ's sake in a long summers day enough to find them two days honestly, when if a disguised monster come, he shall with an hours lying in the pulpit, get enough to find thirty or forty sturdy lubbers a month long, of which the weakest shall be as strong in the belly when he cometh unto the manger, as the mightiest porter in the weyhouse, or best courser that is in the kings stable? Is there any other cause then disguising and ceremonies. For the deeds of the ceremonies we count better than the deeds which God commandeth to be done to our neighbour at his need, who thinketh it as good a deed to feed the poor, as to stick up a candle before a post, or as to sprinkle himself with holy water? Neither is it possible to be otherwise, as long as the signification is lost. For what other thing Is long as we had the signification of the ceremonies, so long they were sufferable, but y●●…can●…tion being go, the ceremony is mere superstuion. can the people think, then that such deeds be ordained of God, and because as it is evident, they serve not our neighbour's need, to be referred unto the person of God, and he though he be aspirite, yet served therewith? And then he can not but forth on dispute in his blind reason, that as god is greater than man, so is that deed that is appointed to serve God greater than that which serveth man. And then when it is not possible to think them ordained for naught, what can I other wise think then that they were ordained to justice, and that I should be holy thereby, according to the pope's doctrine, as though God were better pleased when I sprinkle myself with water or set up a candle before a block, then if I fed, or clothed, or holp at his need him whom he so tenderly loveth that he gave his own son unto the death for him, and commanded me to love him as myself? And when the people began to When the people by ignorance waxed superstitious then the clergy holp them forward with falsifying the scripture. run that way, the prelaces were glad, and holp to have after with subtle allegories and falsifying the scripture, & went and hallowed the ceremonies, to make them more worshipful, that the lay people should have them in greater estimation & honour, and to be afraid to touch them for reverence unto the holy charm that was said over them, and affirmed also that Christ's death had purchased such grace unto the ceremonies to forgive sin and to justify. O monster, Christ's death purchased grace for man's soul, to repent Christ's death purchased grace for man's soul. of evil, and to believe in Christ for remission of sin, and to love the law of God, & his neighbour as himself, which is the true worshipping of god in the spirit, and he died not to purchase such honour unto unsensible things, that man to his dishonour, should do them honourable service & receive his salvation of them. This I have declared unto you, that you might see and feel every thing sensibly. For I intend not to lead you in darkness. Neither though twice ij. Cranes make not iiij. wild Geese, would I therefore that he should believe that twice two made not four. Neither intend I to prove unto you that Paul's steeple is the cause why Thames is broken in about Erith, or the Teinterden steeple is the cause of the Teinterden steeple. decay of Sandwich haven as M. More jesteth. Nevertheless, this I would were persuaded unto you (as it is true) that the building of them and such like, thorough the false faith that we have in them, is the decay of all the havens in England, & of all the cities, towns, high ways, and shortly of the whole common wealth. For since these false monsters crope up into our consciences, and rob us of the knowledge of our saviour Christ, making us believe in such popeholy works, and to think that there was none other way unto heaven, we have not ceased to build them abbeys, cloisters, coledges, The building of ●…beies, clopsters & religious houses have been 〈◊〉 great decay to the good state of this realing chantries, and cathedral churches with high steeples, striving and envying one an other, who should do most. And as for the deeds that pertain unto our neighbours, and unto the common wealth, we have not regarded at all, as things which seemed no holy works, or such as God would not once look upon. And therefore we left them unseen to, until they were past remedy, or past our power to remedy them, in as much as our slowbellies with their false blessings had juggled away from us, that wherewith they might have been helped in due season. So that the silly poor man though he had haply no wisdom to express his mind, or that he dared not, or y● M. Moore fashioneth his tale as he doth other men's to least out the truth, saw that neither Goodwinsandes nor any other cause alleged was the decay of Sandwich haven, so much as that the people had no lust to maintain the common wealth, for blind devotion which they have to popeholy works. ¶ The solutions and answers unto M. Moor's first book. IN the first chapter to begin the book withal, to bring you good luck and to give you a say or a taste what truth shall follow, he feigneth a letter sent from no man. The second Chapter. Worshipping. In the second chapter, besides that it is untrue this use to have been ever since the time of the Apostles, he maketh many sophistical reasons about worshipping of saints, relics, and Images, & yet declareth not with what manner worship, but iuggleth with the term in common, as he doth with this word church, and this word faith, when the words have divers significations: for all faiths are not one manner faith and so forth, and therefore he beguileth a man's understanding. As if a man said, the boys will was good Subtle suggling 〈◊〉 words. to have given his father a blow, and an other would infer, that a good will could be no sin, and conclude that a man might lawfully smite his father. Now is good will taken in one sense in the mayor and in an other in the minor, to use scholars terms, & therefore the conclusion doth mock a man's wit. Then disputeth he, the servant is honoured for the master's sake, and what is done to the poor is done to Christ (as the popish shall once feel for their so robbing them). And the twelve. Apostles shall have their seats & sit and judge with Christ (as shall all that here preach him truly as they did) and Mary that powered the ointment on Christ's head before his passion, hath her memorial, and therefore we aught to set candles before Images. First I ask him by what rule his argument holdeth. And secondarily I answer that the true worshipping of True worshipping of Saintes. Saintes is their memorial: to follow them as they did Christ. And that honour we give them, and so do not you papists, but follow the steps of your father the Pope, as he doth the steps of his father the devil. And as for sticking up of candles, I answer that God is a spirit, and in the spirit must be worshipped only. Faith to his promises, True worshipping of God. and love to his laws, and longing for the life that is in his son, are his due honour and service. All bodily service must be referred unto our selves, and not unto the person of God immediately. All outward things which we receive of God are given us. to take our parts with thanks, and to bestow the rest upon our neighbours. For God useth no such things in his own person, but created them for to give them us, that we should thank him, and not to receive them of us, to thank us: for that were our praise and not his. Fasting, watching, Bodily exercise. wolward going, pilgrimage, and all bodily exercise must be referred unto that taming of the flesh only. For as god delighteth not in the taste of meat, drink, or in the sight of gold or silver, no more doth he in my fast and such like, that I should refer them unto his person, to do him a pleasure withal. For God in himself is as good as he can be, & hath all the delectation that he can have. And the refore to wish that God were better than be is, or had more pleasure than he hath, is of a worldly imagination. And all the spirits that be in heaven are in as good case as they can be, and have all the delectation they can have, and therefore to wish them in better case or to study to do them more pleasure than they have, is fleshly minded popishnes. The pleasure of them that be in heaven is, that we hearken to god and keep his commandments, They that are in heaven do chief desire that we hearken to God & do his will. which when we do, they have all the pleasure that they can have in us. If in this life I suffer hell gladly, to win my brother to follow God, how much more if I were in heaven should I rejoice that he so did? If in this world when I have need of my neighbour, by the reason of mine infirmities, yet I seek naught of him, save his wealth only, what other thing should I seek of him, if I were in heaven, where he can do me no service, nor I use any pleasure that he can do me? THe devil desired to have his imaginations worshipped as God, & his popish children desire the same, & compel men so to honour them, and of their devilish nature describe they both God and his Saints. And therefore All popish imaginations are I dolatry. I say, all such fleshly imaginations, as to fast the wednesday in the worship of S. john or of S. Katerine, or what Saint it be, or to fast Saints eves, or to go a pilgrimage unto their images or to offer to them, to do them pleasure, thinking thereby to obtain their favour and to make special adnocates of them, as a man would win the favour of an other with presents and gifts, and thinking that if we did it not, they would be angry, are plain Idolatry & image service, for the saint delighteth in no such. And when thou stickest up a candle before the image, thou Candle. mightest with as good reason make an hollow belly in the image and power in meat and drink. For as the Saint neither eateth nor drinketh, so hath he no bodily eyes to delight in the light of a candle. An other is this, God giveth not the promises that are in Christ for bodily we receive all things of God out father for jesus Christ's ●ake his son and our only Saviour. service, but of his mercy only, unto his own glory. Yea and of the father's goodness do all natural children receive. Ask a little boy, who gave him his gay coat, he answereth, his father. Ask him why, and he annswereth, because he is his father and loveth him, and because he is his son. Ask him whether his father love him, and he saith yea. Ask him how he knoweth it and he saith, because he giveth me this or that. Ask him whether he love his father, he saith yea. Ask him why, he saith, for his father loveth him and giveth him all thing. Ask him why he worketh, he answereth, his father will so have it. Ask him why his father geneth not such and such boy's coats to. Nay says he, they be not his sons their fathers must give them as mint doth me. Go now you Popish bond servants and receive your reward for your false works and rob your brethren and reign over them with violence and cruel tyranny and make them worship your pillars, pole-axes images and hats. And we will receive of the We must dot all thyuges of love. merciful kindness of our father and will serve our brethren freely, of very love and willbe their servants & suffer for their sakes. And there to our good deeds which we do unto our neighbour's need, spring out of our righteousness or justifying, which is the forgiveness of our sins in Christ's blood, & of other righteousness know we not before God. And contrariwise your righteousness or justifying which standeth, as your faith doth, with all wickedness, springeth out of your holy works which you do to no man srely save unto painted posts. And when he allegeth the sacrifices Sacrifices of the old law, I say they were Sacraments and preached unto the people (as no doubt, our candles once were) and were no holy works to be referred unto God's person to obtain his favour, and to justify the people, and that the people should do them for the works selves. And when the people had lost the significations and looked on the holiness of the deeds, to be justified thereby, they were image service and hateful to God and rebuked of the Prophets, as it is to see throughout all the old Testament. Then he iuggleth with a text of S. Paul Rom. xiv. let every man for his Rom. 14. part abound, one in this Idolatry & an other in that: when the sense of the text is, let every man be sure of his own conscience, that he do nothing, except he know well and his conscience serve him that it may be lawfully dove. But what care they to abuse God's word & to wrist it unto the contrary. And in the last end, to utter his excel lent blindness, he saith, the wiseman Luther thinketh that if the gold were taken from the relics, it would be given unto the poor immediately, when he seethe the contrary, that they which have their purses full will give the poor (if they give aught) either an half penny or in his country the iiij. part of a farthing. Now I ask M. Moor's conscience, A sure ●…ken of a self faith and ●…seruice. seeing they have no devotion unto the poor which are as Christ's own person and for whom Christ hath suffered his passion that we should be kind to them and whom to visit with our alms is God's commandment, with what mind do they offer so great treasure, to the garnishing of shrines images & relics? It is manifest that they which love not God's commandment, can do nothing godly. Wherefore such offerings come of a false faith, so that they think them better than works commavaded by God and believe to be justified thereby. And therefore are they but image service. And when he saith, we might as well rebuke the pouring of the anointment A disserence between Christ's natural body, and a painted Image. on Christ's head. Nay, Christ was then mortal as well as we, and used such things as we do, and it refreshed his body. But and if thou wouldest now pour such on his image to do him pleasure, I would rebuke it. The third Chapter. IN the third Chapter he bringeth in miracles done at S. Steves tomb. Miracles. I answer that the miracles done at Miracles were done by y● sain●… to confirm their doctrine. Saints tombs, were done for the same purpose that the miracles which they did when they were alive, were done: even to provoke unto the faith of their doctrine, and not to trust in the place or in bones or in the Saint. As Paul sent his napkin to heal the sick, not that men should put trust in his nap kin, but beieve his preaching. And in the old Testament Eliseus Helisens'. healed Naaman the heathen man in the water of jordan, not to put trust in the water or to pray in that place, but to wonder at the power of God & to come & believe as he also did. And that his bones, when he was dead, raised up a dead man, was not done that men should pray to him: for that was not lawful thee, by their own doctrme, neither to put their trust in his bones. For Dead bones may not be worshipped. God to annoyed all such Idolatry, had polluted all dead bones, so that whosoever touched a dead bone, was unclean and all that came in his company, until he had washed himself: in so much that if a place were abused with offering unto Idols, there was no better remedy then to scatter dead bones there, to drive the people thence, for being defiled and polluted. But his boves did that miracle, to testify that he was a true Prophet & to move men unto the faith of his doctrine. And even so miracles done at the holy cross, were done, to move men unto faith of him that died thereon, & not that we should believe in the wood. He says that pilgrims put not trust in the place, as Nicromancers do in Pilgrimages. their circles, and saith he wotteth not what, to mock out the text of our Saviour of praying in the spirit. And in the end he confoundeth himself saying, we reckon our prayers more pleasant in one place than in an other. And that must be by the reason of the place, for God is as good in one place as in an other and also the man. Moreover Moore reasoneth untowardly. where a man pleaseth God best, thither is he most bond to go. And so that imagination bindeth a man to the place with a false faith, as Nicromancers trust in their circles. And again if God had said that he God is like good in every place. would more hear in one place then in an other, he had bond himself to the place. Now as God is like good every where generally so hath he made his Testament generally, wheresoever mine heart moveth me & am quiet to pray unto him, there to hear me like graciously. And if a man lay to our charge, that Temple. God bond them unto the tabernacle & after to the Temple in the old Testament. I say that he did it not for the places sake, but for the monuments and The people were specially called to the Temple to behold the monuments there, whereby they might the better learn the mighty power of God. testimonies, that their preached the word of god unto them, so that though the priests had been negligent to preach, yet should such things that there were have kept the people in the remembrance of the Testament made between God and them. Which cause and such like only should move us to come to Church, and unto one place more than an other. And as long as I come more to one place then an other because of the quietness or that some thing preacheth god's word more lively unto me there then in an other, the place is my servant and I not bond to it: which cause and such like taken away, I can not but put trust in the place as Nicromancers do in their circles, and am an image server & walk after mine own imagination & not after God's word. And when he saith, we might as paschal Lamb. well mock the observance of the paschal Lamb. I answer, Christ our paschal Lamb is offered for us and hath delivered us as Paul saith. 1. Cor. u. whose sign and memorial is 1. 〈…〉. the Sacrament of his body and blood. Moreover we were not delivered one of Egypt. And therefore in as much as we be overladen with our own, I see no cause why we should become jews, to observe their ceremonies to. And when he saith holy strange gestures. Holy strange gestures is like anapes play. I answer, for the holiness I will not swear: but the strangeness I dare well avow. For every Priest maketh them of a sundry manner & many more madly than the gestures of jack anapes. And when he saith that they were left from hand to hand sense the Apostles time, it is untrue. For the Apostles used the Sacrament as Christ did, as thou mayst see. 1. Cor. xj. Moore 1. Cor. 11. over the Apostles left us in the light & taught us all the counsel of God, as Paul witnesseth Acts. xx. and hide nothing in strange holy gestures and apes play the significations whereof no man might understand. And a Christian man is more moved to pity saith he, at the sight of the cross, then without it. If he take pity as Englishmen pity. do, for compassion, I say, that a Christian man is moved to pity when he seethe his brother bear the cross. And at the sight of the Cross, he that is learned in God weepeth not, with The true be holding of the sign of the cross ignorant women, as a man doth for his father when he is dead: but mourneth for his sins, and at the sight of the cross comforteth his soul with the consolation of him that died thereon. But there is no sight whether of the cross or aught else, that can move you to leave your wickedness, for the Testament of God is not written in your hearts. And when he speaketh of praying at The Church is a place of prayer. Church who denieth him that men might not pray at Church or that the church should not be a place of prayer? But that a man could not pray save at Church, and that my prayers were God heareth our prayer in all places. not herded as well else where, If I prayed with like ferventness & strong saith, is a false lie. And when he speaketh of the presence of God in the temple. I answer, that the Prophets testified, how that he dwelled not there, & so doth Paul Acts Acts. 17. xvij. & so doth Steven Acts. seven. & Solomon. iij. Of the kings. viii. And no Acts. 7. doubt as the mad jews meant, he 3. Reg. 8. dwelled not there, nor as we more mad suppose also. But he dwelled there only in his signs Sacraments, and testimonies which preached his word jerusalem and the temple is destroyed. unto the people. And finally for their false confidence in the temple, God destroyed it. And no doubt for our false faith in visiting the monuments of Christ, therefore hath God also destroyed them and given the place under the infidels. And when he speaketh of the pillar of fire and cloud. I answer. that god The pillar of fire. was no otherwise present there, then in all fire and in all clouds save that he showed his power there specially by the reason of the miracle, as he doth in the eyes of the blind whom he maketh see, and yet is no other wise present in those eyes then in other, nor more there to be prayed to then in other. And in like manner he is no more God is present in all places alike. to be prayed to where he doth a miracle then where he doth none. Neither though we can not but be in some place, aught we to seek God in any place, save only in our hearts, and that in verity, in faith, hope, and love or charity, according to the word of his doctrine. And our sacraments, signs, ceremonies, Images, relics and monuments aught to be had in reverence, so farforth as they put us in mind of God's word, and of the ensample of them that lived thereafter and no further. And the place is to be sought, and one to be preferred before an other for quietness to pray, and for lively preaching, All places are to be preferred where we may worship God most quietly. and for the preaching of such monuments and so forth. And so long as the people so used them in the old testament, they were acceptable & pleasant to God, and God was said to devil in the temple. But when the significations being lost, the people worshipped such things for the things selves, as we now do, they were abominable to God, and God was said to be no longer in the temple. The fourth chapter. ANd in the fourth he saith, that god M. Moore teacheth false doctrine. setteth more by one place then an other. Which doctrine besides that it should bind us unto the place, and God thereto, and can not but make us have confidence in the place, is yet false. For first God unto whose word we may add naught, hath given no such commandment nor made any such covenant. Neither is Christ here Math. 24. or there says the scripture, but in our hearts is the place where God dwelleth by his own testimony if his word be there. And when he proveth it, because God doth a miracle more in one place then in an other, I answer, if God Miracles were not done for the place but for the people. will do a miracle, it requireth a place to be done in. Howbeit he doth it not for the place but for the people's sakes whom he would call unto the knowledge of his name, and not to worship him more in one place then in an other. As the miracles done in Egypt, in the read sea, in mount Sinai & so forth, were not done that men should go in pilgrimage unto the places to pray there, but to provoke them unto the true knowledge of god, that afterward they might ever pray in the spirit, wheresoever they were. Christ also did not his miracles that men should pray in the places where he did them, but to stir up the people to come and hear the word of their soul's health. And when he bringeth the miracle of Silo, Siloe: joh. 4. & 9 I answer, that the said miracle, and that Christ sent the blind thither to receive his sight, were not done that men should pray in the pool: but the second miracle was so done to declare the obedient faith of the blind, and to make the miracle more known, and the first for the word of God that was preached in the temple, to move the Miracles done to draw the people to hear the word of God. country about to come thither and learn to know God, and to become a lively temple, out of which they might ever pray, and in all places. Neither was the miracle of Lazarus done, that men should more pray in that place then in an other, but to show Christ's power, & to move the people thorough wondering at the miracle to hearken unto God's word and believe it, as it is to see plainly. Moreover God so loveth no church, but that the parish have liberty to All places must serve man, a not man bond to serve any place. take it down and to build it in an other place: yea and if it be timber to make it of stone, and to altar it at their pleasure. For the places, yea and the Images must serve us and not God which is a spirit, and careth for none more than other, nor is otherwise present in one place than in an other. And likewise is it of Saintes bones, we may remove them whether we will, yea & break all Images thereto, and make new, or if they be abused, put them one of the way for ever, as was the brazen serpent, so that we be Lords over all such things, and they our servants. For if the Saints were our servants, how much more their bones. It is the heart and not the place that worshippeth God. The kitchen page turning the spit may have a puce● heart to God God is worshipped in our hearts, & not in any other place. then his master at church, and therefore worship God better in the kitchen than his master at church. But when will M. Moore be able to prove that miracles done at Saints tombs, were done that we should pray unto the Saints, or that miracles done by dead Saints which a li●e neither preached God's word nor could do miracle are done of God? God loveth none Angel in heaven better than the greatest sinner in earth The father ●…th most for the youngest. that repenteth and believeth in Christ. But contrariwise careth most for the weakest, and maketh all that be perfect their servants, until as Paul says Ephe. 4. they be grown up in the knowledge Ephes. 4. of God into a perfect man, and into the measure of age of the fullness of Christ, that is, that we know all the mysteries and secrets that God hath hide in Christ, that we be no more children wa●ering with every wind of doctrine, through the subtlety & wiliness of men that come upon us to bring us into error or beguile us. So far it is of that he would have us kept down to serve Images. For with God cannot be served with bodily service. bodily service we can serve nothing that is a spirit. And thereto if it were possible that all the Angels of heaven could be mine enemies: yet would I hold me by the testament that my merciful and true father hath made me in the blood of my Saviour, and so come unto all that is promised me, & Christ hath purchased for me, and give not a straw for them all. The fift chapter. IN the fift chapter he falls from all he hath so long sweat to prove, and believeth, not by the reason of the miracles, but by the common consent of the church and that many so believe. This Our faith may be grounded upon men. man is of a far other complexion than was the Prophet Elias. For he believed a love as he thought, against the consent by all likelihood of ix. or x. hundred thousand believers. And yet M. Mores church is in no other condition under the Pope, than was that church against whose consent Elias believed alone under the kings of Sama●y. The sixt chapter. IN the sixt chapter & unto the xviij. he proveth almost naught save that which never man denied him, that miracles have been done. But how to know the true miracles from the false A● true miracles provoue us to faith and trust in God. were good to be known, which we shall this wise do if we take those for true sacraments & ceremonies which preach us Gods word, even so we count them true miracles only which move us to hearken thereto. The xuj. Chapter. COncerning his xuj. chapter of the maid of Ipswiche, I answer, that The may be of Ipswich. Moses warned his Israelites that false miracles should be done to prove them, whether their hearts were ta●● in the Lord. And even so Christ and the Apostles showed us before the lying miracles should come to pervert the very elect if it were possible. And therefore we must have a rule to know the true miracles from the false, or else it were impossible that any man should scape undeceaved and continued in the true way. And other rule then this is True miracles are done to provoke us to the hearing of God's word, and the false do the contrary. there not: that the true are done to provoke men to come & hearken unto God's word, and the false to confirm doctrine that is not gods word. Now it is not gods word it thou read all the scripture throughout, but contrary thereto, that we should put such trust and confidence in our blessed Lady as we do, & clean against the testament that is in Christ's blood. Wherefore a man need not to fear, to pronounce that the devil did it to mock us withal. Never the later let us compare the The maid of Kent. maid of Ipswiche and the maid of Kent together. First they say that the maid of Ipswich was possessed with a devil, and the maid of Kent with the holy ghost. And yet the tragedies are so like the one to the other in all points, that thou couldst not know the holy ghost to be in the one and the devil in the other by any difference of The maid of Ipswich 〈◊〉 the maid of Kent were both false dissembling harlots. works. But that thou mightest with as good reason say that the devil was in both, or the holy ghost in both, or the devil in the maid of Kent and the holy ghost in the maid of Ipswich. For they were both in like tra●nses, both ravished from themselves, both tormented a like, both disfigured, like terrible ugly and grisly in sight, and their mouths drawn a side, even unto the very ears of them, both en●pyred, both preach, both tell of wonders, will be both carried unto our Lady, & are both certified by revelation that our Lady in those places and before those Images should deliver them. Now as for the maid of Ipswich was possessed of the devil by their own confession. Whence then came that revelation, that she should be holp and all her holy preaching? If of the devil, than was the miracle & all of the devil. If of the holy ghost, than was she inspired with the holy ghost and had the devil within her both at once. And in The maid of Kent. as much as the maid of Kent was inspired by the holy ghost by their confession, whence came that stopping of her throat, that raving, those grievous pangs that tormenting, disfiguring, drawing of her mouth awry and that fearful & terrible countenance? If of the holy ghost, and the why not the revel and gamboldes of the maid of Ipswich also? and than what matter maketh it whether a man have the devil or the holy ghost in him. If you say of the devil, them had she likewise both the devil and the holy ghost both at once. Moreover those possessed which Christ Such as were possessed with devils fled from Christ. holp avoided Christ and fled from him, so that other which believed were fame to bring them unto him against their wills. For which causes and many more that might be made, thou mayst conclude, that the devil vexed them and preached in them, to confirmed feigned confession and doom ceremonies and Sacraments without signification & damnable sects, & showed them those A false delusion to bring us to Idolatry. revelations. And assoon as they were brought before our ladies image, departed out of them, to delude us and to turn our faiths from Christ unto an old block. As we read in the Legend of S. Bartholomew, how the devils S. Bartholomew. hurt men in their lynnues and assoon as they were brought into a certain temple before an Idol, there they departed out of them and so beguiled the people making them believe that the Idol had healed them of some natural diseases. Howbeit let it be the holy ghost that was in the maid of Kent. Then I pray you what thing worthy of so great praise hath our Lady done? Our Lady Our Lady did the maid of Kent small pleasure. hath delivered her of the holy ghost & emptied her of much high learning which as a goodly Poetisse, she uttered in Rhymes. For appose her now of Christ, as Scripture testifieth of him, and thou shalt find her clean without rhyme or reason. The maid was at home also in heavenly pleasures, and our Lady hath delivered her out of the joys of Orestes and brought her into Orestes. the miseries of middle earth again. The xvij. Chapter. AS for Doulia, Hyperdoulia & Lattia, though he show not with which of them he worshipped the Cardinal's hat, is answered unto him already. The xviij. Chapter. IN the xviij. where he would fain Tradit●… prove that the Pope's Church can not err, he allegeth things whereof he might be ashamed, if he were not past shame, to prove that the Bishops have authority to lad us with traditions neither profitable for soul nor body. He bringeth a false allegory upon the overplus that the Samaritane if it were laid out, promised to pay when he came again, for the bishops traditions. Nay. M. Moore, besides that allegories which every man may fayne at Allegory. his pleasure can prove nothing, Christ interpreteth it himself, that it betokeneth a kind mind & a loving neighbour, which, so loved a stranger, that he never left caring for him, both absent as well as present, until he were full whole and common out of all necessity. It signifieth that the Prelates, if they were true Apostles and loved us after the doctrine of Christ, would cell their miters, croses, plate, shrines, jewels and costly shows to secure the poor and not rob them, of all that A true exposition of the parable of the ●a●…tan. was offered unto them, as they have done: & to repair things fallen in decay and ruin in the common wealth, & not to beggar the realms with false Idolatry and imagese●uice, that they have not left them wherewith to bear the cost of the common charges. And moreover when the Scribes & Phariseis taught their own doctrine, they sat not upon Moses seat, but on their own. And therefore Christ (so far it is of that he would have us harken All that God hath not planted shallbe plucked up by the roots. unto man's doctrine) ●ayd, beware of the leaven of the Scribes, Phariseis & Saducees which is their doctrine & rebuked them for their doctrine & broke it himself and taught his Disciples so to do and excused them, and said of all traditions, that what soever his heavenly father had not planted, should be plucked up by the roots. And thereto all the persecution that the Apostles had of the jews, was for breaking of traditions. Our Prelates aught to be our servants as the Apostles were, to teach bishops should be seruaunted and not Lords. us Christ's doctrine, and not Lords over us, to oppress us with their own. Peter calleth it tempting of the holy ghost Acts. xv. to lad the heathen Acts. 15. with aught above that which necessity and brotherly love required. And Paul rebuketh his Corinthians for their over much obedience and the Galathians also and warneth all men to stand fast and not to suffer themselves to be brought into bondage. And when he saith Peter & Paul The Pope will not obey princes though God have commanded him so to do. commanded us, to obey our superiors. That is troth, they commanded us to obey the temporal sword which the Pope will not. And they commanded to obey the Bishops in the doctrine of Christ and not in their own. And we teach not to break all things rashly, as M. Moore untruly reporteth on us) which is to be seen in our books, if men will look upon them. Of traditions therefore understand generally. Traditions He that may be free is a fool to be bond. But if through wiliness, thou be brought into bondage: then if the tradition hurt thy soul & thy faith, they are to be broken immediately, though with the loss of thy life. If they grieve the body only, them are they to be born till God take them of, for breaking the peace and unity. Then how sore maketh he Christ's Christ's burden is easy and gentle. burden. If it be so sore, why is M. Moore so cruel to help the Bishops to lad us with more? But surely he speaketh very undiscreetly. For Christ did not lad us with one sillabe more than we were ever bond to, neither did he any thing but interpret the law truly. And besides that, he giveth unto all his, love unto the law: which love maketh all things easy be born that were before impossible. And when he saith, you be the salt of Math. 5. the ●earth that it was spoken for the Bishops and Priests only it is untrue, but it was spoken generally unto all that believe and know the truth, that they should be salt unto the ignorant, and the perfecter unto the weaker, each to other every man in his measure. And moreover if it be spoken unto the Prelates only, how fortuneth it that ☞ M. Moore is so ●usie to ●ault the world i● his hygt, learning? And last of all the The salt of our Prelate's i● vn●…ery. salt of Prelates which is their readitions & ceremonies without signification is unsavoury long a go, & therefore no more worth but to be cast out at the doors and to be trodden underfoot. And that he saith in the end that a man may have a good faith with evil living, I have proved it a lie in an other place. Moreover faith, hope and love be iij. sisters that never can departed in faith, love, & charity, ar● iij. sisters. this world, though in the world to come love shall swallow up the other two. Neither can the one be stronger or weaker than the other. But as much as I believe, so much I love, and so much I hope you and so much I work. The nineteeen. Chapter. IN the nineteeen. he proveth that praying to Saintes is good, & miracles that confirm it are of God or else the church saith he doth err. It followeth in deed or that the Pope's Church erreth. And We must believe neither to much nor yet little. when he saith it is sin to believe to much I say we had the more need to take heed what we believe and to search God's word the more diligently that we believe neither to much nor to little. And when he saith God is honoured by praying to Saints because it is done for his sake: I answer, if it sprang not out of a false faith but of the love we have to God, then should we love God more. And moreover in as We are promised all things for our Saviour Christ's sake▪ & not for the Saints. much as all our love to God springeth put of faith, we should believe and trust God. And then if our faith in God were greater than our fervent devotion to Saintes, we should pray to no Saints at all, seeing we have promises of all things in our Saviour jesus and in the Saints none at all. The twenty-five. Chapter. IN that twenty-five. how iuggleth he, to prove that all that pertaineth unto the faith, was not written, alleging john in the john. 21. last, that the world could not contain the books, if all should be written. And john means of the miracles which jesus did, and not of the necessary points of the faith. And how bringeth he in the perpetual virginity of our Lady, which The virginity of our Lady. though it be never so true, is yet none article of our faith, to be saved by. But we believe it with a story faith, because we see no cause reasonable to think the contrary. And when he saith many mysteries Antichrist is known. are yet to be opened, as the coming of Antichrist. Nay verily the babe is known well enough, and all the tokens spied in him, which the scripture describeth him by. And when he allegeth Paul's traditions to the Thessalo. to prove his Paul's traditions were the doctrine of the Gospel fantasy. I have answered Rochester in the obedience, that his traditions were the Gospel that he preached. And when he allegeth Paul to the Corin. I say that Paul never known of this word Mass. Neither can any Christ's Supper & not Mass. man gather thereof any strange holy gestures, but the plain contrary, and that there was no other use there then to break the bread among them at supper as Christ did. And therefore he calleth it Christ's supper and not Mass. There was learned the manner of consecration. The consecration. A great doubt, as though we could not gather of the scripture how to do it. And of the water that the Priest mingleth with the wine. A great doubt also and a perilois case if it were left out. For either it was done Water mixed with the wine. to slake the heat of the wine, or put to after as a ceremony, to signify that as the water is changed into wine, so are we changed thorough saith as it were into Christ, and are one with him, how be it, all is to their own shame, that aught should be done or used among us christian, whereof no man witted the meaning. For if I understand not the meaning, it helpeth me not. 1. Cor. 14. and as experience 1. Cor. 14. reacheth. But if our shepherds had been as well willing to feed as to shear, we had needed no such dispicience, nor they to have burned so many as they have. And as for that he allegeth out of the Epistle of James for the justifying of works, I have answered in the justification of works. Mammon, against which he can not hiss, and will speak more in the iiij. book. And as for the Saboth, a great matter, Saboth. we be Lords over the Saboth, & may yet change it into the monday or or any other day, as we see need, or may make every tenth day holy day The Saboth day & holy days are made for be & not ●…e for them. only if we see a cause why, we may make two every week, if it were expedient and one not inongh to teach the people. Neither was there any cause to change it from the Saturday then to put difference between us and the jews, and lest we should become servants unto the day after their superstition. Neither needed we any holiday at all, if the people might be taught without it. And when he asketh by what scripture we know that a woman may christian. I answer if baptim be so necessary as they make it, then love thy Why women baptize. neighbour as thyself, doth teach women to baptize in time of need: yea and to teach, & to rule their husbands to, if they be beside themselves. And when he saith that of likelihood the lay people understood the Gospel of john and Paul's Epistles better than great Clerks now. I answer, the more shame is there's. How be it there be ij. causes why: the one is their diligent shering, and an other, Why the Prelates understand not the Scripture they deny the justifying of faith whereof both Paul and john do entreat & almost of nothing else, if the signification of our baptism which is the law of God & faith of Christ were expounded truly unto us, that scripture would be easy to all that exercised themselves therein. And sir in as much as the prelate's care so little for the loss of that understanding of the Scripture and to teach the people, how happeneth it that they care so sore for a bald ceremony, which the signification lost, though Christ hymfelse had institute it, we could not observe without a false faith and without hurting of our souls? And finally to rock us a sleep with all, he saith, that he shall never speed A good tale if it were long enough. well that will seek in the scripture whether our Prelates teach us a true faith, though ten preach each contrary to other in one day. And yet Christ for You can not speed well if you try the doctrine of our Prelates by the Scripture all his miracles sendeth us to that scripture. And for all Paul's miracles, the jews studied the scripture the deligenterly, to see whether it were as he said or no. How be it he means that such can not speed well because the prelate's will burn them, except M. Moore help them, and make them forswear Christ before hand. The xxvii. chapter. IN the xxvij. he bringeth Paul exhorting to agreed and to tell all one tale in the faith, which can not be says M. Moore, except one believe by the reason of an other. Yes verily we all believe the the fire is hot, and yet not by the reason of an other, and that with a more surer knowledge then if we believed it y● one by the telling of an other. And even so they that have the law of God written All believe in God that have the law written in their hart● in their hearts, and are taught of that spirit to know sin and to abhor it, and to feel the power of the resurrection of Christ, believe much surer than they that have none other certainty of their faith then the Pope's preaching confirmed with so godly living. And it is not unknown to M. Moore that the churches of late days and the churches now being have determined things in one case the one contrary to the other, in such wise that he can not deny but the one hath or doth err: the which case I could show him if I so The Church must show a reason of their doctrine. were minded. The old Popes, Cardinals and Bishops said you to the thing that I mean, whereunto these that now reign say nay. Now sir if you gather a general counsel for the matter, the churches of France and Italy will not believe the Churches of Spain and Douchland, because they so say: but will ask how they prove it. Neither will Lovayne believe Paris because they say that they can not err, but will hear first their probation. Also how shall we know that the old Pope and his Prelates erred, because these that are now so say? When that old Pope's may not be believed without Scripture. Pope lived we were as much bound to believe that he could not err, as we be now that this can not: wherefore you must grant me, that God must show a miracle for the tone part, or else they must bring authentic scripture. Now sir God hath made his last & everlasting testament, so that all is open and no more behind then the appearing of Christ again. And because he will not stir up every day a new prophet with a new miracle to confirm new doctrine or to call again the old that was forgotten: therefore were all things necessary to salvation comprehended in scripture ever to endure. By which scripture the counsels general Corusailes aught to conclude eccording to the Scriptures. and not by open miracles, have concluded such things as were in them determined, as stories make mention. And by the same fcripture we know which counsels were true & which false. And by the same scripture shall we, if any new question ar●…e determine it also. Abraham answered the rich man, they have Moses and the Prophets, let them Luke. 16. hear them, and said not, they have the Scribes and the Phariseis whom they should hear preaching out of the seat of their own doctrine without scripture. And when he allegeth, he that heareth Luke. 10. you heareth me, and if any man hear not the church take him for an Math. 18. heathen, concluding that we must believe whosoever is shaven in all that he affirmeth without scripture or miracle, I would fain know in what figure that silogismus is made. Christ's disciples taught Christ's doctrine confirming it with miracles, that it might be known for Gods and not there's. And even so must the Church that I will believe show a miracle, or bring authentic scripture that is come from the Apostles which confirmed it with miracles. The xxix. Chapter. IN the xxix. he allegeth that Christ said not the holy ghost shall writ, but shall teach. It is not the use to say the holy ghost writeth, but inspireth the writer. I marvel that he had not brought, as many of his brethren do, Matthew in the last, where Christ commanded the Apostles to go and teach Math. 〈◊〉. all nations, and said not writ. I auswere, that this precept love thy neighbour as thyself, and God above all The cause why the Apostles written the Gospels. thing, went with the Apostles & compelled them to seek God's honour in us, and to seek all means to continued the faith unto the worlds end. Now the Apostles known before that heresies should come, and therefore written, that it might be a remedy against heresies, as it well appeareth john. xx. Where he saith, these are john. 20. written that you believe and thorough belief have life. And in the second of his 1. john. 2. first Epistle he saith, these I writ because of them that deceive you. And Paul and Peter thereto warn us in many places. Wherefore it is manifest that the same love compelled them to leave nothing unwritten that should be necessarily required, and that if it were left out, should hurt the soul. And in the last chapter to make all fast, he bringeth in the kings grace, how he confuted Martin Luther, with this conclusion, the Church can not err: The Pope and his Cardinals erred in K. Henry the ●ights case where unto I will make none answer for fear to displease his grace, nevertheless because Martin could not soil it, if his grace look well upon the matter, he shall find that God hath assoiled it for him in a case of his own. And upon that M. Moore concludeth M. Moor's conclusion. his first book, that what soever the Church, that is to were, the pope & his brood say, it is God's word, though it be not written nor confirmed with miracle nor yet good living, yea and though they say to day this and to morrow the contrary, all is good enough and God's word: yea and though one Pope condemn an other (ix. or x. Popes ☜ a-row) with all their works for he retickes, as it is to see in the stories, yet all is right and none error. And thus good night and good rest, Christ is brought a sleep & laid in his grave and the door sealed to, and the men of arms about the grave to keep him down with pole-axes. For that is the si● rest argument, to help at need and to be rid of these babbling heretics, that The furest way to oppress true doctrine, is to say the preachers fall. so bark at the holy spirituality with that Scripture, being thereto wretches of no repuration, neither Cardinals nor Bishops nor yet great beneficed men, yea and without torquottes and pluralities, having no hold but the very Scripture, whereunto they cleave as burrs so fast that they can not be pulied away save with very singing them of. ¶ A sure token that the Pope is Antichrist. ANd though unto all the arguments and persuasions which he would blind us with, to believe that the Pope with his sect were the right Church, and that God for the multitude will The Pope is 〈◊〉 ●…st. not suffer them err, we were so simple that we see not the suttiltie of the Arguments nor had words to sol●e them with, but our bore faith in our hearts yet we be sure and so sure that we can therein not be deceived, and do both seel and see that the conclusion is false and the contrary true. For first Peter saith. ij. Pet. ij. there 〈◊〉. Pet. 2. shall be false teachers among you which shall secretly bring in damnable sects, denying the Lord that bought them, and many shall follow their damnable ways, by whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of, and with feigned words they shall make merchandise over you? Now says Paul. Rom. iij. Rom. 3. the law speaketh unto them that are under the law. And even so this is spoken of them that profess the name of Christ. Now the Pope hath x. thousand sects A swarm of sects set up by the Pope. ●ropen in, as pied in their consciences as in their coats, setting up a thousand manner of works to be saved by, which is the denying of Christ. And we see many and all most all together follow their damnable ways. And in that Peter said that they shall rail & blaspheme the truth, it followeth that there shallbe a little flock reserved by the hand of God to testify the truth unto them or else how could they rail on it? And it followeth that those railers shallbe the mightier part in the world, or else they dared not do it. Now what The Pope by setting up of false works denieth the truth of god's word. truth in Christ doth not the Pope rebuke and in setting up false works deny all together? And as for their fayved words, where findest thou in all the Scripture Purgatory, shrift penance, pardon, poena culpa, hyperdoulia and a thousand feigned terms more? And as for their merchandise, look whether they cell not all God's laws and also their own, and all sin and all Christ's merits and all that a man The Pope selleth sin and pain & all that 〈◊〉 be sold. can think. To one he selleth the fault only and to an other the fault and the pain to, and purgeth his purse of his money and his brains of his wits, and maketh him so beastly, that he can understand no godly thing. And Christ saith Math. xxiv. there Math. 24. shall false anointed arise and show signs and wonders: that is, they shall show miracles & so prevail that, if it were possible, the elect should be brought out of the true way. And these false anointed, by the same rule of Paul and in that Christ saith also that they shall come in his name must be in the Church of Christ and of them that shall call themselves christian, and shall show their wonders before the elect and be a sore temptation unto them, to bring them out of the way. And the elect which 〈◊〉 few in comparison of them that be called and come feignedly, shall among that great multitude be kept by the mighty hand of God against all natural possibility. So that the Church & The popish church are 〈◊〉 but no sufferes. very elert shall never be such a multitude together by themselves without persecution & temptation of their ●ayth, as the great multitude under the pope is which persecute and ●…t. And these which the Pope calleth heretics show no miracles, by their own confession, neither aught they▪ 〈◊〉 as much as they bring no new learning nor aught save the Scripture which is all ready received & confirmed with miracles. Christ also promises us naught in this world save persecution for our faith. And the stories of the old Testament are also by Paulus. 1. Cor. x. our 1. Cor. 10. examples. And there, though God at a time called with miracles a great multitude, The church of Chri●… ever persecuted. yet the very choose that received the faith in their hearts, to put their trust in God alone, and which endureth in temptations, were but few and ever oppressed of their false brethren and persecuted unto the death, and driven unto corners. And when Paul. ij. Thes. ij. saith 2. Thess. 〈◊〉. that Antichristes coming, shallbe by the working of Satan with all power, signs and wonders of falsehood & all deceivableness for them that perish, because they conceived not love unto the truth, to be saved by, and therefore shall God sand them strong delusion or guile, to believe lies: the text must also pertain unto a multitude gathered The church of Antichrist is the false church▪ and ever the greater number together in Christ's name, of which one part and no doubt the greater, for lack of love unto the truth that is in Christ, to live thereafter, shall fall into sects and a false faith under the name of Christ and shallbe indurate and established therein with false miracles to perish for their unkindness. The pope first hath no Scripture that he dare abide The Pope is a devilish blasphemer of God. by in the light, neither careth, but blasphemeth that his word is truer than the Scripture. He hath miracles with out God's word, as all false Prophets had. He hath lies in all his Legends in all preachings and in all books. They have no love unto the truth, which appeareth by their great sins that they have set up above all the abomination of all the heathen that ever were, and by their long continuance therein, not of frailty: but of malice unto the truth and of obstinate lust & self will to sin. Which appeareth in two things: the one, that they have got them with wiles and falsehood from under all laws of man and even above King and Emperor, that no man The Pope is above king and Emperor. should constrain their bodies & bring them unto better order, that they may sin freely without fear of man. And on the other side, they have brought God's word a sleep, that it should not unquiet their consciences, in so much The Pope persecuteth the word of God. that if any man rebuke them with that, they persecute him immediately & pose him in their false doctrine and make him an heretic and burn him and quench it. And Paul saith. ij. Timo. iij. in the later days there shall be perilous times. For there shall be men that love themselves, covetous, high minded, S. Paul describeth the Pope & his in their co●ters. proud, railers, disobedient to father and mother, unthankful, ungodly, churlish, promisebreakers, accusers or pickquareles, unloving, despisers of the good, traitors, hedy, pu●sed up & that love lusts more than God, having an appearance of godliness, but denying the power thereof. And by power I understand the pure faith in god's word which is the power and pith of all godliness and whence all that pleaseth God springeth. And this text pertaineth God's word is that power and pith of all goodness. unto them that profess Christ. And in that he saith having an appearance of godliness & of that followeth in the text, of this sort are they that enter into men's houses and lead women captive laden with sin, ever asking & never able to attain unto the truth (as our hearers of confessions do) it appeareth Confession. that they be such as willbe holier than other and teachers and leaders of the rest. And look whether there be here any sillabe that agreeth not unto our spirituality in the highest degree. Love they not themselves their own Love is of themselves. decrees and ordinances, their own lies and dreams & despise all laws of God and man, regard no man but then only that be disguised as they be? And as for their covetousness which Covetous. all the world is not able to satisfy, tell me what it is that they make not serve it? in so much that if God punish the world with an evil pocke, they immediately paint a block and call it job to heal the disease in stead of warning the people to mend their living. And as for their high mind and pride, see high minded. Proud. whether they be not above Kings and Emperor & all the names of God, & whether any man may come to bear rule in this world except he be sworn to them and come up under them. And as for their railing look in their excommunication, and see whether Railers. they spare King or Emperor or the Testament of God. And as for e●edience to father and mother, Nay, they Disobedient. be immediately under God and his holy vicar the Pope, he is their father & on his ceremonies they must wait. And as for unthankful, they be so kind, Unthankful. that if they have received a thousand pound land of a man, yet for all that they would not receive one of his offspring unto a night's harbour at his need, for their founder's sake. And whether they be ungodly or no I report me unto Ungodly▪ Churlish. the parchment. And as for churlishness, see whether they will not have their causes venged, though it should cost whole regions, yea and all Christendom, as you shall see and as it hath cost half Christendom all ready. And as for their promise or trucebreaking, see Promise breaketh. whether any appointment may endure for their dispensations, be it never so lawful, though the Sacrament were received for the confirmation. And see whether they have not broken all the appointementes made between them and their founders. And see whether they be not accusers and traitors also Accusers. of all men, and that secretly & of their very own Kings and of their own nation. And as for their headmeste, see Heady●. whether they be not prove, bold and run headlong unto all mischief, without pity & compassion or caring what misery and destruction should fall on other men, so they may have their present pleasure fulfilled. And see whether they love not their lusts, that they leaving lusts. will not be refrained from them either by any law of God or man. And as for Appearance of godliness. their appearance of godliness, see whether all be not God's service that they fain, and see whether not almost all consciences be captive thereto. And it followeth in the text, as the sorcerers of Egypt resisted Moses, so resisted they the truth. They must be therefore mighty The Pope and his are mighty jugglers. jugglers. And to point the popish with the finger he saith, men are they with corrupt minds, and cast aways concerning faith, that is, they be so fleshly minded, so crooked so stubborn and so monstrous shapen, that they can receive no fashion to stand in any building that is grounded upon faith: but when thou hast turned them all ways and done thy best to hue them and to make them frame, thou must be fain to cast them out with the Turks and jews, to serve God with the image service of their own false works. Of ☞ these and such like texts, and of the similitudes that Christ maketh in the Gospel of the kingdom of heaven it appeareth, that though the holy ghost be in the choose, and teacheth them all truth in Christ, to put their trust in him, so that they cannot err therein, yet while the world standeth, God shall never have a church that shall either persecute or be unpersecuted themselves any season, after the fashion of the Pope. But there shall be in the church In the Church shall there be for ever, both good and evil. a fleshly seed of Abraham and a spiritual, a Cain and an Abel, an Ishmael and an Isaac, an Esau and a jacob, as I have said, a worker and a believer, a great multitude of them that be called and a small flock of them that be elect and choose. And the fleshly shall persecute the spiritual, as Cain did Abel, and Ishmael Isaac, & so forth, and the great multitude shall persecute the small little flock, and Antichrist will be ever the best christian man. SO now the church of God is double, This word Church is taken ij. manner ways. a fleshly and a spiritual: the one will be and is not, the other is & may not be so be called, but must be called a Lutheran, an heretic, and such The spiritual Church of God are called Lutherans and heretics. like. Understand therefore, that God when he calleth a congregation unto his name, sendeth forth his messengers to call generally, which messengers bring in a great multitude amazed and astonished with miracles and power of the reasons which the preachers make, and therewith be compelled to confess that there is but one God of power & might above all, & that Christ is God and man, and born of a virgin, and a thousand other things. And then the great multitude that is called and not choose, when they have got this faith common as well to the devils as them, & more strongly persuaded unto the devils then unto them, than they go unto their own imaginations, saying: we may no longer serve Idols, but God that is but one. And the manner of service they fet out of their own The fleshly Church serve God with works of their own. brains and not of the word of God, and serve God with bodily service as they did in times past their Idols, their hearts serving their own lusts still. And one will serve him in white, an other in black, an other in grey, & an other in pied. And an other to do Friars. ☜ God a pleasure withal, will be sure, that his show shall have two or three good thick soles under, and will cut The blazing of hypocrites. him above, so that in summer while the weather is hot thou mayst see his bore foot, & in winter his sock. They will be shorn and shaven and Saducees: that is to say, righteous, and Phariseis, that is separated in fashions from all other men. Yea and they will consecrat themselves altogether unto God, and will anoint their hands, and hallow them as the chalice, from all manner lay uses: so that they may serve neither father nor mother, master, Lord or Prince, for poluting themselves, but must wait on God only, to gather up his rents, tithes, offerings, & all other duties. And all the sacrifice that come, they consume in the altar of their bellies, and make Calil of it, that is, a sacrifice that no man may have part of. Calil, is a sacrifice that no m● may have any part thereof. They believe that there is a God: But as they can not love his laws, so they have no power to believe in him. But they put their trust and confidence in their own works, and by their own works they will be saved, as the rich of this world, when they sue unto great men, hope with gifts and presents to obtain their causes. Neither other serving of God know they, save such as their eyes may see and their bellies feel. And of very zeal they will be God's vicar's, and prescribe a manner unto other, and after what fashion they shall serve God, and compel them thereto, for the avoiding of Idolatry, as thou seest in the Phariseis. But little flock, as soon as he is The small flock of Christ cometh to the word and promises of God. persuaded that there is a God, he runneth not unto his own imaginations, but unto the messenger that called him, and of him asketh how he shall serve God. As little Paul Act. ix. when Christ had overthrown him and caught him Acts. 9 in his net, asked saying: Lord what will't thou that I do. And as the multitude that were converted Act. 2. asked Acts. 2. of the Apostles what they should do. And the preacher setteth the law of God before them, and they offer their hearts to have it written therein, consenting that it is good and righteous. And because they have run clean contrary unto that good law, they sorrow & mourn, and because also their bodies and flesh are otherwise disposed. But the preacher comforteth them and showeth them the testament of Christ's Christ only is the perfect conforte● of the Christian. blood, how that for his sake all that is done is forgiven, and all their weakness shallbe taken in worth until they be stronger, only if they repent & will submit themselves to be scholars and learn to keep this law. And a little flock receiveth this testament in his heart, and in it walketh & serveth God, in the spirit. And from henceforth all is Christ with him, and Christ is his, & he is Christ's. All that he receiveth, he receiveth of Christ, and all that he ☞ doth, he doth to Christ. Father, mother, master, Lord and Prince, are Christ's unto him, and as Christ he serveth them with all love. His wife, children, servants and subjects are Christ unto him, and he teacheth them to serve Christ and not himself and his lusts. And if he receive any good The Christian man in all things seeketh ●he honour of Christ. thing of man, he thanketh god in Christ, which moved the man's heart. And his neighbour he serveth as Christ in all his need, of such things as God hath lent, because that all degrees are bought as he is, with Christ's blood. And he will not be saved, for serving his brethren, neither promises his brethren heaven for serving him. But heaven, justifying, forgiveness, all gifts The Christian sel●eth his salvation only in Christ. of grace, and all that is promised them they receive of Christ and by his merits freely. And of that which they have received of Christ they serve each other freely as one hand doth the other, seeking for their service no more than one hand doth of an other each the others health, wealth, help aid, succour, & to assist one an other in the way of Christ. And God they serve in the spirit only, in love, hope, faith and dread. When the great multitude that be A pretty 〈◊〉 n●●thesis between the Pope's Church & Christ's little flock. called and not choose, Cain, Ishmael, Esau & carnal Israel that serve God night and day with bodily service and holy works, such as they were wont to serve their Idols withal, behold little flock that they come not forth in the service of god, they roar out, where are thou? Why comest thou not forth and takest holy water? Wherefore says the little flock. To put away thy sins. Nay brethren, god forbidden that you should so think, Christ's blood only washeth away the sins of all that repent and believe. Fire, salt, water, bread, & ☜ oil be bodily things, given unto man for his necessity and to help his brother with, and God that is a spirit cannot be served therewith. Neither can such things enter into the soul to purge her. For God's word only is her purgation. Not say they, are not such things hallowed. And say we not in the hallowing of them that who The Popish church answereth. soever is sprinkled with the water, or eateth of the bread shall receive health of soul and body? Sir the blessings The little flock. promised unto Abraham for all nations are in Christ, and out of his blood we must fet them, and his word is the bread, salt, & water of our souls. God hath given you no power to give thorough your charms such virtue unto unsensible creatures, which he hath hallowed himself & made them all clean (for the bodily use of them that believe) thorough his word of promise and permission and our thanks giving. God saith, if thou believe Saint Ihons' gospel thou shalt be saved, and not for the bearing of it about thee with so many crosses, or for the observing of any such observances. God for thy bitter passion roar they The Pope's church out by & by, what an heretic is this? I tell thee that holy church need to allege no scripture for them, for they have the holy Ghost which inspireth them ever secretly, so that they can not err whatsoever they, say, do, or ordain. What will't thou despise the blessed Sacraments of holy church wherewith God hath been served this xv. hundred year (you verily this u thousand years, even since Cain hitherto, and shall endure unto the worlds end, among them that have no love unto the truth to be saved thereby) thou art a strong heretic and worthy to be burned. And then he is excommunicate out of the church. If that little flock fear not that bug, than they go strait unto the king, And it like your grace, perilous people and seditious, and even enough to destroy The manner o● that Pope's clergy. your realm, if you see not to them betimes. They be so obstinate & tough, that they will not be converted, and rebellious against God and the ordinances of his holy church. And how much more shall they so be against your grace, if they increase and grow to a multitude. They will pervert all, and surely make new laws, and either subdue your grace unto them, or rise against you. And then goeth a part of that little flock to pot, and the rest scatter. Little flock g●●th ever to wrack. Thus hath it ever been and shall ever ●e, let no man therefore deceive himself. An answer to M. Moor's second book. IN the first Chapter you may not try the doctrine of the spirituality by the Scripture: But what they say, that believe undoubtedly and by that try the Scripture. And if thou The Pope 〈…〉 be ●●●d by scripture & by scripture must be judged 〈◊〉. find the plain contrary in the Scripture, thou mayst not believe the Scripture, but seek a Gloze and an allegory to make them agreed. As when the pope saith, you be justified by the works of the ceremonies and Sacraments and so forth, and the Scripture saith, that we be justified at the repentance of the heart through Christ's blood. The first is true plain, as the pope saith it and as it standeth in his text, but the second is false as it appeareth unto thy understanding and the literal sense that killeth. Thou must therefore believe the Pope and for Christ's doctrine seek an allegory and a mystical sense: that is, thou must leave the clear light and walk in the mist. And yet Christ and his Apostles for all their miracles required ☞ john. 5. not to be believed without scripture, as thou mayst see john. u and Act. xvij. and by their diligent alleging of Scripture through out all the new Testament. And in the end he saith for his pleasure, None can minister the Sacraments super●…ly but the Pope's generation. that we knowledge, that no man may minister Sacraments but he that is derivede out of the Pope. Howbeit this we knowledge, that no man could minister Sacraments without signification which are no Sacraments, save such as are of the Pope's generation. The iij. Chapter. IN the third Chapter & in the Chapter following, he uttereth how fleshly minded he is, and how beastly he imagineth of God, as Paul saith. 1. 1. Cor. 2. Cor. 2. the natural man can not under stand the things of the spirit of God. He thinketh of God, as he doth of his The natural & carnal man savoureth not the thing that be of God. Cardinal, that he is a monster, pleased when men flatter him, & if of whatsoever frailty it be, men break his commandments, he is then raging mad as the Pope is & seeketh to be venged. Nay, God is ever fatherly minded toward the elect members of his Church. He loved them year the world began, in Christ. Ephe. 1 He loveth them, while they be yet evil & his enemies in their Rom. 5. God is fatherly to his elect members. hearts, year they be come unto the knowledge of his son Christ, and year his law be written in their hearts: as a father loveth his young son, while he is yet evil & year it know the father's law to consent thereto. And after they be once actually of his Church and the law of God & faith of Christ written in their hearts, their hearts never sin any more, though as Paul saith. Rom. seven. the flesh doth Rom. 7. in them that the spirit would not. And when they sin of frailty, God ceaseth I● we sin of frailty God is merciful & ready to forgive. not to love them still, though he ●e angry, to put a cross of tribulations upon their backs, to purge them and to subdue the flesh unto the spirit or to all to break their consciences with threatening of the law and to fear them with hell. As a father when his son offendeth him fears him with the rod, but hateth him not. God did not hate Paul, when he persecuted, but had laid up mercy for him in store, though he was angry with him to scourge him and to teach him better. Neither were those things laid on his back which he after suffered, to make satisfaction for his foresinnes, but only to serve his brethren and to keep the flesh under. Neither The new life doth tame the flesh and serve her neighbour. did God hate David when he had sinned, though he was angry with him. Neither did he after suffer to make satisfaction to God for his old sins, but to keep his flesh under & to keep him in meekness and to be an example for our learning. The iiij. Chapter. IN the fourth saith he if the Church were an unknown company, how should the infidels, if they longed for the faith, come thereby? O whether wandereth a fleshly mind, as though we first God seeketh us and we not him. sought out God. Nay, God kitoweth his and seeketh them out & sendeth his messengers unto them & giveth them an heart to understand. Did the heathen or any nation seek Christ? Nay, Christ sought them and sent his Apostles unto them. As thou seest in the stories from the beginning of the world and as the parables and similitudes of the Gospel declare. And when he saith, he never found nor herded of any of us, but that he would Moore a lying papist. forswear to save his life. Answer, the more wrath of God will light on them, that so cruelly delight to torment them and so craftily to beguile the weak. Nevertheless yet it is untrue. For he hath herded of Sir Thomas Hitton whom Sir Thomas Hitton. the Bishops of Rochester and Caunterbury slay at Maydstone and of many that suffered in Braband, Holland, & at Colen and in all quarters of Dutchland and do daily. And when he saith that their Church hath many Martyrs, let him show me The Pope hath no martyrs. one, that died for pardons, and Purgatory that the Pope hath feigned, and let him take the mastery. And what a do maketh he, that we say, there is a Church that sinneth not & that there is no man but that he sinneth, which are yet both true. We read. i john. iij. he that is born of God sinneth 1. john. 3. not. And Ephes. u men love your wives as the Lord doth the Church, and gave himself for her, to sanctify There is a church that sinneth not. her and to cleanse her in the fountain of water through the word, and to make her a glorious Church unto himself, without spot or wrinkle. And i john. i If we say, we have no sin we deceive ourselves and make him a liar and his word is not in us. M. Moore also will not understand that the Church is some time taken for The church is double. the elect only which have the law of God written in their hearts & faith to be saved through Christ written there also. Which same for all that say with Paul, that good which I would, that do I not. But that evil which I hate, that do I: so it is not I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in my flesh. And Gala. u the flesh lusteth contrary to the spirit & the spirit contrary to the flesh, Gal. 5. so that these two fighting between themselves, you can not do what you would. For they never consent that sin is good nor hate the law nor cease to fight against the flesh, but assoon as they be fallen, rise and fight a fresh. And that the Church is some time taken for the common rascal of all that believe, whether with the mouth only & carnally with out spirit neither loving the law in The carnal church sinneth. their hearts, nor feeling the mercy that is in Christ, but either run all together at riot or keep the law with cautels and expositions of their own feigning and yet not of love but for fear of hell, as the thieves do for fear of the gallows, & make recompense to God for their sins with holy deeds. He also will not understand, that Two manner faiths. there be two manner faiths: one, that is the faith of the elect, which purgeth them of all their sins for ever. As you see john. xv. you be clean saith Christ, john. 15. by the reason of the word: that is, through believing Christ's doctrine. And john. i he gave them power to be the sons of God, through believing in his name. And john. iij. he that believeth the son hath everlasting life, & a thousand like texts. And an other of them that be called The ●aith of them that be called▪ but not elect. and never elect. As the faith of judas, of Simon Magus, of the devil, and of the Pope. In whose hearts the law of God is not written, as it appeareth by their works. And therefore when they believe many things of Christ, yet when they come unto the salvation that is in his blood, they be but jews and Turks & forsake Christ and run unto the justifying of ceremonies with the jews & Turks. And therefore they remain ever in sin within in their hearts. Where the elect having the law written in their breasts & leaving it in their spirits, sin there never, but without in the flesh. Against which sin they fight continually and minish it daily with the help of the spirit, through prayer, fasting and serving their neighbours lovingly with all manner service, out of the law that is written in their hearts. And their hope of forgiveness is in Christ only, through his blood and not in ceremonies. The u Chapter. ANd unto his u Chapter I answer, by the Pope the scripture The Pope hideth the scripture. is hide and brought into ignorance, & the true sense corrupt. And by them that you call heretics we know the scripture and the true sense thereof. And I say, that the Pope keepeth the scripture as did the Phariseis, to make merchandise of it. And again, that the heretics become out of you, as out of the Scribes and Phariseis came the Apostles and Christ himself & john Baptist, and that they be plucked out of you and graffed in Christ and built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets. And in the end, when he saith that The heretics be fallen out of the mist. the heretics be fallen out of Christ's mystical body, which is the Pope and his. I answer that you be a mystical body, and walk in the mist and will not come at the light, and the heretics be departed out of your mist, and walk in the clear light of God's word. The uj. Chapter. IN the uj. he saith that the heretics be all naught, for they all perjure and abjure. He yet says untrue. Many abide unto the death. Many for their Why many ●all. weakness are kept out of your hands. Many for their over much boldness in their own strength be delivered into your hands and fall in the flesh, their hearts abiding still in the truth, as Peter and thousands did, & after repent and be no less christian than before, though you have them in derision unto your own damnation. And many because they come to Christ for fleshly liberty and not for love of the truth, fall as it becometh them under your hands: as judas and Balam, which at the beginning take Christ's part, but afterward when they find either loss or no vantage, they get them unto the contrary part, and are by profession the most cruel enemies, and subtellest persecutors of the truth. Look Master Moore and read and mark well. The seven. Chapter. IN the seven. he saith, that he hath holy Saints and holy counsels on his side. Name the Saints & prove it. Name the counsels and the holy Prelates Counsels. thereof. Thou shalt show me none other Popes or Cardinals, than such as we have now, that will obey neither God nor man, or any law made by God or man: but compel all men to follow them, strengthening their kingdom with the multitude of all misdoers. He saith also that good and bad worship Saintes, the good well and the bad evil How cometh it then that you show not the difference, and teach to do it well? I see but one fashion among all the popish. And finally he saith, he is not boun● to answer unto the reasons and scriptures that are laid against them. It is enough to prove their part, that it is a ☜ common custom, and that such a multitude do it, and so by his doctrine the Turks are in the right way. The viii. Chapter. IN the viii. he saith, the Saints be Saintes. more charitable now then when they lived. I answer, Abraham was while he lived as charitable as the best. And yet dead, he answered him that prayed to him, they have Moses and the Prophets', let them hear them. And so Luke. 1●… have we, not Moses and the prophets only, but a more clear light, even Christ and the Apostles, unto which if we hearken, we be Saints already. And to prove that they in heaven be better than we in earth, he allegeth a text of our Saviour Luke. seven. that the worst in heaven is better than John Baptist. Now the text is, he that is less in the kingdom of God is greater than Luke. 7. he. We that believe are God's kingdom. And he that is least (in doing service unto his brethren) is ever the greatest after the doctrine of Christ. Now Christ was less than John, and Christ dy● such service as all the Saints could not do. therefore greater than he. And by their own doctrine, there was no Saint in heaven before the resurrection of Christ, but what care they what they say, blinded with their own sophistry. Moreover cursed is he that trusteth in aught save God saith the text, and therefore the Saints would have no man to trust in them while they were alive. As Paul saith 1. Cor. 3. What 1. Cor. 3. is Paul save your servant to preach Christ. Did Paul dye for you? were you baptized in the name of Paul? Did I not marry you to Christ to put your trust in him? And again, let no man rejoice or trust in man, saith he. For all are yours, whether Paul, or Apollo, or Cephas: whether the world, life, death, present things, or things to come: all are yours, and you are Christ's, and Christ is Gods. If my faith be steadfast in the promises that I have in Christ's blood, I need but to pray my father in Christ's name, and he shall sand me a legion of Angels to help me: so that my faith is Lord over the Angels and over all creatures to turn them unto my soul's health and my father's honour, and may be subject unto no creature, but unto God's word in our Saviour Christ We may not trust to Saintes. only. I may have no trust therefore in the Saints. If you say, you put no trust in them, but only put them in remembrance of their duty, as a man desireth his neighbour to pray for him, remembering him of his duty, and as when we desire our brethren to help us at our need. That is false, for you put trust in all your ceremonies & all your holy deeds, and in whosoever disguiseth himself and altereth his coat from the common fashion, you and even in the coats of them that be not yet Saintes, after your dortrine. If a priest said mass in his gown, would you not rise against him and slay him, and that for the false faith that you have in the other garments. For what honour can those other garments do to God more than his gown or profit unto your souls▪ seeing you understand naught thereby? And thereto in the collects of Saints you say, save me God and give me everlasting life for the merits of this or that Saint, every man after his fantasy, choosing him one Saint singularly to be saved Prayer to Saintes is a great superstition. by. With which collects I pray you show me, how standeth the death of Christ? Paul would say that Christ died in vain if that doctrine were true. And thereto in as much as you say, the Saints merit or deserve not in heaven, but in this world only, it is to be feared lest their merits be sore wasted, and the deservings of many all spent thorough our holy fathers so great liberality. Abraham and the Prophets, and the Apostles, and many since prayed to no Before Christ we used not to pray to Saintes. Saints, and yet were holy enough. And when he saith, they could help when they were alive. That was thorough their faith in believing the promise. For they had promises that they should do such miracles to establish their doctrine, and to provoke unto Christ, and not unto themselves. And when he proveth that the Saintes be in heaven in glory with Christ already, saying: if God be their God they be in heaven, for he is not the God of the dead. There he stealeth away Christ's argument wherewith he proveth the M. Moore destroyeth the resurrection. resurrection, that Abraham and all Saints should rise again, and not that their souls were in heaven, which doctrine was not yet in the world. And with that doctrine he taketh away the resurrection quite, and maketh Christ's argument of none effect. For when Christ allegeth the Scripture that God is Abraham's God, & addeth to, that God is not God of the dead but of the living, and so proveth that Abraham must rise again: I deny Math. 2●. Christ's argument and say with M. More, that Abraham is yet alive, not because of the resurrection, but because his soul is in heaven. And in like manner Paul's argument unto the Corrinthians is naught worth. For when 1. Cor. 15. he saith, if there be no resurrection, we be of all wretches the miserablest. Here we have no pleasure, but sorrow, care, and oppression. And therefore if we rise not again, all our suffering is in vain. Nay Paul, thou art unlearned▪ go to Master Moore and learn a new way. We be not most miserable, though we rise not again, for our souls go to heaven assoon as we be dead, and are there in as great joy as Christ that is risen again. And I marvel that Paul had not comforted the Thessalonians with that doctrine, if he had wist it, that the souls of their 1. Thes. 4. dead had been in joy, as he did with the resurrection, that their dead should rise again. If the souls be in heaven in as great glory as the angels after your doctrine, show me what cause should be of the resurrection. And when he saith, Whether the Saints do it themselves, or by intercession made to God, it maketh no matter, so we be holp, it appeareth by his doctrine, that all is good that helpeth, though a man pray unto the devil, by whom many be holp. Now in Christ we have promises of all manner help & The more trust we have in Saints, the less we have in Christ. not in them. Where then is our faith to be holp by Christ when we hope to be holp by the merits of Saintes? So it appeareth that the more trust we have in Saints, the less we have in Christ. And when he bringeth in a similitude that we pray Physicians, though God can physicians help us, and therefore we must pray to Saintes. It is not like, for they have natural remedies for us which we must use & not tempt God. But the Saints have no natural remedies nor promise of supernatural. And therefore it can be but a false superstitious faith. And where no natural remedy is there god hath promised to help them that believe in him, And moreover when I pray a Physician or Surgeon and trust to be holp by them, I dishonour God, except I first pray to God & believe that he will work with their doctrine and medicines and so receive mine health of the hand of God. And even so when I pray to man, to help me at mine need, I sin except I complain first to God We must first call upon God, & then send for the physician. and show him my need and desire him to move one or an other to help me, & then when I am holp, thank him and receive it of his hand, in as much as he moved the heart of him that holp me & gave him wherewith, and a commandment to do it. M. Moore, Christ is not dishonoured because that they which here preach him truly, shall sit and judge with him. Tyndale. That to be true the Scripture testifieth, but what is that to your purpose that they which be dead can hear us & help us? howbeit, if M. More should describe us those sects, I am sure he would paint them after the fashion of my Lord Cardinals holy chair, as he doth God after the similitude of worldly tyrants and not according to his own word. For they that be worldly and fleshly minded The fleshly minded cannot judge the things that be of God. can but fleshly imagine of God all together like unto the similitude of worldly things. M. Moore. The Apostles and Saintes were prayed so when they were alive and God not dishonoured. Tynd. What helpeth that your carnal purpose. I have answered you unto that & many things ●…o in the obedience and other places against which you reply not, but keep your tune and unto all thing sing kokow, kokow, we be the Church & can not err. The Apostles had God's word for all that they did and you none. 1. Cor. 3. And yet many dishonoured God and Christ for their false trust & confidence which they had in the Apostles as thou mayst see by Paul to the Corinthians. Then he breaketh forth into open blasphemy and saith that it behoveth Moore driveth from God. us to pray unto Saints and that God will else not hear us, for our presumptuous malapertenesse. So it is now presumptuous malapertenesse to trust in God's word and to believe that God is true. Paul teacheth us to be bold Heb. 4. to go unto God & showeth us good cause in Christ, why we so may & that God would so have us. Neither is there any cause to keep us back, save that we love him not nor trust him. If a man say, our sin should keep us back. I say it we repent and believe in Christ, Christ hath taken them away and therefore, through him we may be bold. And Christ said at his last Supper john. xuj. I say not that I will john. 1●. pray for you unto my father, for my father loveth you. As who should say, be not afraid nor stand without the doors as a dastard: but be bold & go into my father yourselves in my name, & show your complaints, for he now loveth you, because you love my doctrine. And Paul saith Ephe. ij. we have all an open Ephes. 2. way in through him, and are now no more forenners or strangers but of the household of God. Of God therefore we be bold as of a most loving and merciful We may be bold to ●●sort to god for he ●…leth us so to do. father, above all the mercy of fathers. And of our Saviour jesus we be bold, as of a thing that is our own and more our own then our own skins, and a thing that is so soft and gentle, that lad we him never so much with our sins, he can not be angry nor cast them from of his back, so we repent and will amend. But M. Moore hath an other doctrine to drive us from God and to make us tremble and be afeared of him. He likeneth God to worldly tyrants, at whom no man may come, save a few flatterers which minister unto them all voluptuousness & serve their lu●●es at all points which flatterers must first be corrupt with gifts, yer a man may come at the king. Then he saith, a man may pray to every dead M. Moore is against the Pope's profit. man. That me thinketh should be against the Pope's doctrine and profit also. For he will have no man prayed to until he have canuesed him, I would say, canonised him, and till God or at the le●t way the devil have showed miracles for him. Then he bringeth how one that was dead and in the invisible purgatory holp Purgatory. an other that was alive and in the visible Purgatory. This is a strange case, that a man there may help an other & not himself. And a more strange case that God heareth a man here for himself, being in his own Purgatory and helpeth 〈◊〉 purgatory visible, and a purgatory in●●sible. him clean out, or caseth him if it be to sore. But and he be in the Pope's Purgatory God will not hear him for himself, and that because the Pope might have somewhat to deliver him. And the strangest case of a● is that the Pope is almighty there and God can do there naught at all as the Pope can not here in this Purgatory. But because this is not God's word nor like God's doctrine, I think it no damnable sin to believe it Poetry. Then how you may pray for them and to them, till they be canonised: and when Canonis●… they be canonised, but to them only, for than you be sure that they be in heaven. By what token? I may be as sure by the canonizing, as I am that all the Bishops How you may know who be Saints in heaven. which the Pope confirmeth, be holy men, and all the Doctors that he maketh well learned, and that all the Priests which he anointeth have the holy ghost. If you say, because of the miracles, then do men wrong to pray King Henry of Windsor. for king Henry of Windsor at Cambridge and Eton. For he, as men say doth miracles. And also if the miracles certify us, what needeth to buy the Pope's canonizing? The ix. Chapter. IN the ix. he putteth no jeopardy to A strange doctrine to pray to him for help that is dead & damned, pray to him that, is damned and to stick up a candle to him, nor I trow unto the devil thereto, if he might have a vantage by him. Then he maketh no jeopardy to do and believe what soever an open multitude called God's Church doth and believeth. For God will have an open Church that can not err. For saith he, when the Israelites fallen to Idolatry, the true church remained in Jerusalem among the jews. First I say, if a man had no better understanding then M. Moor's doctrine, he could not know whether were that true Church, the jews or the Israelites. For the Israelites were in number u The Israelites were ●o in number than the jews. times more than the jews and worshipped God, though as present in the Image of a Calf, as that jews for the most part, present in the ark of testimony. And secondarily he saith false. For the jews were fallen into open Idolatry a thousand times worse than the Israelites, even in their very temple, as it appeareth by open stories and by the Prophets: so that for their open Idolatry, which they would for no The jews committed Idolatry. preaching of the Prophets amend, their Priests thereto resisting the Prophets and encoragyng the people in their wickedness, God sent them captive out of the land. Yea and the people erred in following the Scribes and Phariseis & the open multitude called God's Church, at that coming of Christ, as it is to see in the Gospel, contrary unto M. Moor's deceitful Poetry. And again, God reserved him a little flock ever in Israel and had ever Prophets God ever reserveth a little flock. there, some time openly and some time in persecution, that every man must hide himself and keep his faith secret: and even in the houses of the evil kings both of jewry and also of Israel he had good people, and that among the high officers, but secretly, as Nicodemus among the Phariseis. So that the very Church was every where oft-times in captivity and persecution under their brethren, as we be under ours in the kingdom of the Pope. Then he putteth no jeopardy to worshpp an vnconsecrated host. But with Moore fears not to worship an vnconsecrated hos●e. what worship men should worship the consecrated doth he not teach, neither the use of that Sacrament or any other, nor how aught may be worshipped but teacheth only that all things may be worshipped, and showeth not the right worship from the false. Then he noteth Paul 1 Cor. 1. how he exhorteth us to agreed only, but not 1. Cor. 1. on the truth or on the good, but only to agreed a great multitude together. O this We must first know the true way & then agreed in the same. deep blindness. Did not Paul first teach them the true way? And did he not instruct them a new in the true way and in the said Epistle rebuke the false confidence that they had in men, the cause of all their dissension and all errors that were among them? Then he saith, the jews had Saints in honour, as the patriarchs and Prophets. We teach to dishonour none: But the jews prayed to none. Moore. Christ rebuked not the Phariseis for garnishing the sepulchres of the Prophets but for that they followed the conditions of them that slay them. Tyndale. Christ rebuked the false trust the jews had in their will works. Yes and for their false trust in such works as we do you. And you Sir think that you deserve heaven in worshipping the Saints bones, and be as ready to slay them that believe, teach and live as the Saints did, as your fathers were to slay them: beside that you worship Saintes that followed Christ after the example of your holy Cardinal, of whom I doubt not but that you will make a God in process of time also. Then repeateth he for forgetting, how Eliseus bones raised up a dead body That was to confirm his preaching only. For the Israelites, as wicked as they were, neither prayed to him, The miracles done by the prophets and Apostles. was to confirm their doctrine. neither kissed his bones, nor offered nor sticked up candles before him. Which thing if they had done in the kingdom of the Jews, I doubt not but that some good king would have burned his bones to ashes, as well as the brazen Serpent, that was as great a relic as dead bones. And Christ showed miracles at the finding of the cross. That was to establish the faith of Christ's death and that it should be a memory of his death, & not that we should trust in the wood as we do. For which false abuse, that whole land where Christ did his miracles, is destroyed. Then he allegeth the woman that was healed, through touching of Christ's Christ made the woman whole and not his coat. coat, because we should worship it. When Christ said her faith hath made her whole, not in the coat, but in Christ. And the miracle was showed, to provoke to the worshipping of the preaching and not of the coat. Though to keep the coat reverently in the memorial of the deed, to provoke unto the faith of Christ were not evil of itself. Miracles were done for the confirmation of doctrine. And Paul by your doctrine, sent his napkin to heal that sick, that men should shrine his sneveled napkin, and not to believe his preaching. The x. Chapter. THe x. chapter of Saint Walary is meet for the auctor, and his worshipful doctrine. A filthy chapter. The xi. Chapter. IN the xi. he iuggleth with this mystical term Latria. I answer God is no vain name, but signifieth one that is almighty, all merciful, all true Latri●. and good, which he that believeth will go to God, to his promises and Testament, and not follow his own imaginations, as M. Moor's doctrine teacheth. He saith, that bodily service is not Latria. Not but bodily service done & referred unto him▪ which is a spirit, is Idololatria. He trusteth, that men know the Image from the Saint. I ask M. More why God did hide Moses body & divers Moses. other. The jews would have known that Moses had not been God, Moses▪ bones. and that Moses bones had not been Moses. And they known that the brazen serpent was not God, and that that golden The brazen Serpent. calves were not God, & that would and stone were not God. But Sir there is ever a false imagination by. The world because they can not worship God in the spirit, to repent of evil and to love the law, and to believe that he will help at all need, therefore run they unto their own imaginations, and think that God for such service as they do to Images, will fulfil their worldly desires: for godly can they naught desire. Now God is a spirit and willbe worshipped in his word God is a spirit and willbe worshipped spiritually. only which is spiritual, and will have no bodily service. And the ceremonies of the old law he set up, to signify his word only, and to keep the people in mind of his testament. So that he which observeth any ceremony of any other purpose is an Idolater, that is, an Image server. And when he saith, if men ask women whether it were our Lady of Walsingam or Ipswich that was saluted of Gabriel, or that stood by Christ when he hung on the cross, they will say neither nother. Then I ask him what means it that they say, our Lady of Walsingam pray for me, our Lady of Ipswich The Idolatrous person worshippeth the Image for that Saint. pray for me, our Lady of Wilsdom pray for me, in so much that some which reckon themselves no small fools, make them rolls of half an hour long, to pray after that manner. And they that so pray, thou mayst ●e sure, mean our Lady that stood by the cross, and her that was saluted thereto. Then he rehearseth many abuses, and how that women sing songs of ribaudry Passions, though they be abused may not be put down. in processions in cathedral churches, unto which abominations yet our holy church that cannot err, consent with full delectation. For on the one side they will not amend the abuse. And on the other side they have hired M. More to prove with his sophistry that the things aught not to be put down. Then he bringeth in how the wild Wild Irish. Welsh men. Irish and the Welsh pray, when they go to steal. And asketh whether, because they abuse prayer, we should put all praying down. Nay M. More, it is not like. Many things are altered for the abuses sake. Prayer is God's commandment, & where faith is, there must prayer needs be & cannot be away. How be it, things that are but men's traditions and all indifferent things which we may be as well without as with, may well be put down for their dishonouring of God, thorough the abuse. We have turned kissing in the Church into the Pax. We have put down watching all night in the church on saints eves, for the abuse. And Ezechias broke the Ezech●as. brazen serpent 4. King. 18. for the abuse. And even so, such processions and the multitude of ceremonies, and of holidays to, might as well be put down. And the ceremonies that be left would have their significations put to them, and the people should be taught them. And on the Sundays God's word would be truly preached. Which if his holy church would do, neither the The true preaching of God's word removeth theft and an other wickedness Irish nor yet the Welsh would so pray. By which praying and other like blindness M. Moore may see, that buzsing in Latin on the holy days helpeth not the hearts of the people. And I wonder that M. Moore can laugh at it and not rather weep for compassion, to see the souls for which Christ shed his blood to perish. And yet I believe that your holy Church will not refuse at Easter to receive the tithes of all that such blind people rob, as well as they dispense with all false gotten good that is brought them, and will lay the ensample of Abraham and Melchisedeck for them. The twelve. Chapter. IN the xii. he allegeth that S. Jerome and Augustine prayed to Saints, and concludeth, that if any sect be one better than an other they be the best. I answer, though he could prove that they prayed to Saints, yet could he not prove himself thereby of the best sect nor that it were good therefore to pray to Saints. For first the Apostles, patriarchs and Prophets were sure to be followed, which prayed to none. ☞ And again, a good man might err in many things and not be damned, so that his error were not directly agayust A good man may err & yet not be dampened. the promises that are in Christ's blood, neither that he held them maliciously. As if I believed that the souls were in heaven immediately, and that they prayed for us, as we do one for an other, and did believe that they herded all that we spoke or thought, and upon that prayed to some Saint, to pray for me, to put him in remembrance only, as I pray my neighbour, and without other trust or confidence, and though all be false, yet should I not be damned so long as I had no obstinacy therein, for the faith that I have in Christ's blood should swallow up that error, till I were better taught, but M. More should have alleged the places where they prayed unto saints. And then he allegeth against himself, that the miracles were wrought by God, to confirm his doctrine and to testify that the preacher there was a true messenger. But the miracles that confirm praying to Saints, do not confirm. Th● miracles of Saints confirm man's imaginations. God's doctrine. But man's imaginations. For there was never man yet that came forth and said, lo, the s●ul●s of the Saints that be dead be in heaven in joy with Christ, and God will that you pray unto them. In token whereof I do this or that miracle. And when he triumpheth a little after, as though all were won saying, if our old holy doctors were false and their doctrine untrue and their miracles feigned, let them come forth and do miracles themselves and prove ours feigned. Sir, you have no doctors that did miracles to stablish your worshipping There were no doctors neither Apostles that did miracles to establish the worshipping of damages. of Images and so forth. Your doctrine is but the opinion of faithless people, which to confirm that devil hath wrought much subtlety. And as for the miracles done at Saints graves and at the presence of relics, as long as true miracles endured, and until the scripture was antentickly received, were done to confirm the preaching that such Saints had preached while they were alive. And thereto the miracles which Witches do, we confounded not with other miracles, but with scripture we Witches. prove them not of God, but of the devil, to stablish a false faith, & to lead from God, as your doctrine doth. And likewise where we can confounded your where true doctrine is set forth▪ there needeth no miracle. false doctrine with autenticke & manifest scripture, there need we to do no miracle. We bring God's testament confirmed with miracles for all that we do, & you aught to require no more of us. And in like manner do you first give ☜ us authentic scripture for your doctrine. If you have no scripture, come Let the Papists for lack of scriptures come torch and do miracles. forth and preach your doctrine, and confirm it with a miracle. And then if we bring not authentic scripture against you or confound your miracle with a greater, as Moses did the sorcerers of Egypt, we will believe you. And when he speaketh of trial of God's wor● to the touchstone to tri● miracles. miracles, what do you to try your miracles, whether they be true or feigned. And besides that, God's word which should be the trial you refuse and do all that you can to falsify it. And when he speaketh of sects of heretics, I answer, that they which you call heretics, believe all in one Christ, as the scripture teacheth, and you in all save Christ. And in your false The sects in the popists church are almost innumerable. doctrine of your own feigning without scripture, you have as many sundry sects as all Monks and Friars and students in divinity in all your universities. For first year you come to divinity, you be all taught to deny the salvation that is in Christ. And none of you teacheth an nother so much as the articles of your faith. But follow almost every man a sundry doctor, & in the scripture his own brain, framing it ever after the false opinions which he hath professed year he come at it. And when he saith that God would soon utter feigned miracles. I answer, Mahomet's doctrine hath prevailed these viii. hundred years God hath had at all times one or another to improve yours with God's word. And I ask whether Mahomates feigned miracles have not prevailed viii. hundred years. And your abominable deeds worse than the Turks testify that you love the truth less than they. And unto them that The cause of false miracles. love not the truth hath God promised by the mouth of Paul 2. Thess. 2. to sand them abundance and strength of false miracles, to stablish them in lies and to deceive them and lead them out of the way, so that they cannot but perish for their unkindness, that they loved not the truth to live thereafter, & to honour God in their members. And when he says, the heretics have Where the Scripture is, there needeth no miracles. no miracles. I answer, they need not, so long as they have autentickescripture. And when he saith, God showeth no miracles for the doctoures of the heretics. Not more he needeth not, for all they preach is the scripture confirmed with miracles, and received many hundred years ago. And therefore God needeth not to show miracles for The preachers of the word of God need no miracles. them while they live to strength their preaching. And to show miracles for them when they be dead, to move the people to pray to them and to put their trust in them as you do in yours, were to make them Idols & not Saints. And when he speaketh of miracles done in their churches in time of persecution. I answer, those were not the miracles of your Church but of them that believed the Scripture and suffered for it, as that heretics do now. For you had never persecution for your false False docctrine was never persecuted. doctrine, which you have brought in besides the Scripture, nor any that died for it: But you persecute and ●lea, whos● ever with God's word doth rebuke it. And as for your own miracles of which you make your boast, you have feigned them so grossly throughout all your The Papists are ashamed of their Legend of lies. Legends of Saints, that you be now ashamed of them and would fain be rid of them if you witted how with honesty, and so would you of a thousand things which you have feigned. And the cause why heretics fayne no miracles as you do, is that they walk purely and intend no falsehood. And why the devil doth none for them, is that they cleave fast to God's word which the devil hateth and can do no miracles to further it, But to hinder it, as he doth with you. Read the The devil hath holpen Popes to their dignities. stories of your Popes and Cardinals, & see whether the devil hath not holp them unto their high dignities. And look whether your holy bishops come any otherwise unto their promotions, then by serving the devil, in setting all Christendom at variance, in shedding blood, in bringing the common wealth to tyranny and in teaching Christian Princes to ●ule more cruelly than did ever any heathen, contrary unto the doctrine of Christ. And as for the Turks and Sarasenes that you speak of, I answer that they were Christen once, at the least way for the most part. And because they had no love unto the truth to live their after The cause why the Turks & jews ca● not come to to the truth as you have not, God did sand them false miracles to carry them out of the right way as you be. And as for the jews, why they hide out, is only because they have set up their own righteousness, as you have, and therefore can not admit the righteousness that is in Christ's blood, as you can not, and as you have forsworn it. And when he saith, in that they have miracles and the heretics none, it is a Popish doctrine needeth miracles but Christ's doctrine needeth not now of miracles, for it was confirmed by Christ with miracles. sure sign that they be the true Church and the heretics not. Had you God's word with your miracles and the heretics doctrine were without, than it were true. But now because you have miracles without God's word, to confirm your false imaginations, and they which you call heretics have God's word confirmed with miracles, five hundred years together, it is a sure sign that they be the true church & you not, in as much also as Christ says, that the deceivers shall come with miracles: you & in his name thereto, as you do. For when christ says there shall come in my name that shall say he himself is Christ, who is Math. 24. that save your Pope, that willbe Christ's Vicar and yet maketh men to believe The Pope cometh 〈◊〉 Christ's name with false miracles. in himself, in his Bulls & calves skins and in what soever he listeth. And who be those false anointed that shall come with miracles to deceive the elect if it were possible, save your Pope with his gresiamus? And when he repeateth his miracles, to prove that the old holy Doctors were good men in the right belief. I answer again, that the Doctors which planted God's word watered it with miracles, while they were alive, And when they were dead God showed The preachers of gods word confirmed the same with miracles while they were alive. miracles at their graves, to confirm the same, as of Heliseus. And that continued till the Scripture was full received and authentic. But you can not show, nor shall any Doctor which being alive preached your false doctrine confirming it with miracles, as God doth his Scripture. Then saith he, God had in the old Testament good men full of miracles, whose living a man might be bold to follow, and whose, doctrine a man might believe by reason of their miracles, and then iuggleth God suffers such as have no love to his truth, to be deceived with lying miracles. saying: if God should not so now in the new Testament have Doctors with miracles to confirm their doctrine and livings, but contrariwise should bring to pass or suffer to be brought to pass with false miracles, that his church should take hypocrites for Saints, which exposided the Scripture falsely, then should he deceive his Church and not have his spirit present in his Church, to teach them all truth, as he promised them. I answer, God suffereth not his Church Why the Pope tell. to be deceived: But he suffereth the pope's Church: because they have no love unto the truth to live after the laws of God, but consent unto all iniquity, as he suffered the Church of Mahomet. Moreover the gift of miracles was not all way among the preachers in the old Testament. For john Baptist did In the Popish church all miracles are wrought by dead Saints. no miracle at all. The miracles were ceased longyer Christ. And as for you in the Pope's kingdom had never man that either confirmed God's doctrine, or your own with miracles. All your Saints be first Saints when they be dead and then do first miracles, to confirm tithes and offerings & the Poetry which you have feigned, and not true doctrine. For to confirm what preaching S. Thomas of Canterbury. doth S. Thomas of Canterbury miracles? He preached never nor lived any other life then as our Cardinal, and for his mischief died a mischievous death. And of our Cardinal, if we be not diligent, they will make a Saint also and make a greater relic of his show then of the others. Thomas de Aquino And of your dead Saints let us take on● for an example. Thomas de Aquino is a Saint full of miracles, as Friars tell. And his doctrine was, that our Lady was born in original sin. Dunce. And Dunce doing no miracle at all, because I suppose no man wotteth where he lieth, improveth that with his sophistry and affirmeth the contrary. And of the contrary hath the Pope, for the devotion of that the grey Friars gave him, you may well think, made an Article of the faith. ☜ And finally as for the miracles, they are to make a man astonished & to wonder Miracles. and to draw him to hear the word earnestly, rather than to writ it in his heart. For whosoever hath no other feeling of the law of God that it is good, then because of miracles, the sa●…e shall believe in Christ, as did Simon Magus and judas: and as they that came out of Egypt with Moses, and fallen away Our faith may not be grounded only upon miracles, but upon the word of God. at every temptation, & shall have good works like unto our Popes, bishops and Cardinals. And therefore when the Scripture is fully received, there is no need of miracles. In so much that they which will not believe Moses and the Prophets when the Scripture is received, the same willbe no true believers by the reason of miracles, though one arose from death to life to preach unto them by the testimony of Christ. And again, how doth S. Jerome, Augustine, Bede and many other old Doctors that were before the Pope was cropped up into the consciences of men and had sent forth his damnable sects, to preach him under that name of Christ, as Christ prophesied it should be, expound this text, thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my Math. 1●. Church, and this text, Peter feed my john. 21. sheep, and all power is given me in heaven and in earth, and innumerable such texts clean contrary unto all those new old holy doctors that have made the Pope a God? They known of no power that man should have in the kingdom of Christ, but to preach Christ truly. They known of no power The Apostles of Christ known no such authority as the Pope now usurpeth. that the Pope should have to sand to Purgatory or to deliver thence, neither of any Pardons nor of any such confession as they preach and teach, neither were many that are articles with you, Articles of their faith. They all preached forgiveness of sins through repentance toward the law and faith in our Saviour Christ, as all the Scripture plainly doth and can no otherwise be taken, and as all the hearts of as many as love the law of God, do feel, as surely as the finger feeleth the fire hot. An answer unto Master Moor's third book. IN his third book he proceedeth forth as before to prove that the opinions which the Popish teach without Scripture are of equal authority with the Scripture. He asketh what if there had never been Scripture written? I answer, What i● there had been no scripture. God careth for his elect & therefore hath provided them of Scripture, to try all things and to defend them from all false Prophets. And I say moreover that if there had been no scripture written, that God for his mercy & fatherly love and care toward his elect must have provided, that there should never have been heresies or against all times when sects should arise, have stirred up preachers to confounded the he resies with miracles. Take this example, the Greeks have the Scripture & Greeks. serve God therein much more diligently than we. Now let us give that there were no Scripture, but that we received all our faith by the authority of our elders, & the Greeks by the authority of God to 〈…〉 ●…de heres●… caused the scriptures to be written. their elders. When I shall dispute with a Greek about the articles of the faith which my elders taught me and his elders deny, as eareconfession, the holy pardons of the Pope and all his power that he hath above other Bishops & many other things beside the Scripture which we hold for articles of our faith & they deny. If there be no other proof of either part, then to say, my elders which can not err so affirm, & that he should answer, his Elders which can not not err so deny, what reason is it, that I should leave the authority of my elders and go & believe his, or that he should leave the authority of his elders and come and believe mine? none at all verily. But the one party must show a miracle or else we must refer our causes unto autenticke scripture received in old time, & confirmed with miracles, and therewith try the controversy of our Elders. And when he asketh, whether there Noe. were no true faith from Adam to Noe. I answer, that god partly written their faith in their sacrifices and partly the patriarchs were full of miracles as you may see in the Bible. And when Moore to utter his darkness and blind ignorance saith, that they which were overwhelmed with No yes flood, had a good faith, and bringeth for him Nicolaus de Lira. I answer, that Nicolaus de Lira delirat. For it is What faith ●…th. impossible to have a faith to be saved by except a man consent unto God's law with all his heart and all his soul, that it is righteous, holy, good, and to be kept of all men, and thereupon repent that he hath broken it, and sorrow that his flesh moveth unto the contrary, and then come and believe that god for his mercy will forgive him all that he hath done against the law, & will help him to tame his flesh, and suffer his weakness in the mean season, till Where true faith is, there is repentance and amendment of 〈◊〉. he be waxed stronger: which faith if they that perished in Noyes flood had had, they could not but have mended their livings, and had not hardened their hearts thorough unbelief, and provoked the wrath of God, and waxed worse and worse an hundred & twenty years which God gave them to repent, until God could no longer suffer them, but washed their filthiness away with the flood (as he doth the Popes shameful ☜ abominations with like inundations of water) & destroyed them utterly. And when he asketh whether Abraham believed no more than is written of him. I ask him how he will prove that there Abraham. was no writing in Abraham's time, & that Abraham wrote not. And again, as for Abraham's person, he received his faith of God, which to confirm unto other, miracles were showed daily. And when he feigneth forth, that The elder● did err. they believed only because they known their elders could not err. How could they know that without miracles or writing confirmed with miracles, more than the Turk knoweth that his elders so many hundred years in so great a multitude can not err & teach false doctrine to damn the believers. And the contrary doth M. Moore see in all the Bible, how after all was received in The elders in the time of the jews did err. scripture confirmed with miracles, & though miracles ceased not, but were showed daily, yet the elders erred & fallen to idolatry, an hundred for one that bode in the right way, and led the younger in to error with them so sore, that God to save the younger, was feign to destroy the elders and to begin his testament a fresh with the new generation. He seethe also that the most part were always Idolaters for all the scripture The Scribes, Phariseis and Elders did err. and true miracles thereto, and believed the false miracles of the devil, because his doctrine was more agreeable unto their carnal understanding, than the doctrine of God's spirit, as it now goeth with the Pope: did not the Scribes, Phariseis, and Priests which were the elders err? And when he asketh, who taught the church to know the true scripture from false books. I answer, true miracles The scripture was authorized by true miracles. that confounded the false, gave authority unto the true scripture. And thereby have we ever since judged all other books and doctrine. And by that we know that your legends False books set forth by the Papists. be corrupt with lies. As Erasmus hath improved many false books which you have feigned and put forth in the name of S. Hierom, Augustine, Cyprian, Erasmus. Dionise and of other, partly with authentic stories, and partly by the style and latin and like evident tokens. And when M. More ●ayth (unto them that believe naught but the scripture) he will prove with the scripture, that we be bound to believe the church in things, wherefore they have no scripture. Because God hath promised in the scripture, that the holy ghost shall teach his church all truth. Nay, that text will not prove it. For the first Church taught naught but they confirmed it with miracles which could not be done but of God, till the scripture was autentickly received. And the Church following The true church teacheth nothing but that which the scripture proveth and maintaineth. teacheth naught that they will have believed as an article of the faith, but that which the scripture proveth and maintaineth. As S. Augustine protesteth of his works that men should compare them unto the scripture, & thereby judge them and cast away whatsoever the scripture did not allow. And therefore they that will be believed without scripture are false hypocrites and not Christ's church. For though I know that that messenger which Christ sendeth can not lie, yet in a cō●any where many liars be, I can not know which is he without a token of scripture or of miracle. And when he saith, the scripture it sel●e maketh us not to believe the scripture, but the church teacheth us to know the scripture: for a man might read it & not believe it. And so I say, that a man might hear you preach and yet believe The Pope hideth the scripture. you not also. And I say thereto, that your church teacheth nor to know the Scripture, but hideth it in the Latin from the common people. And from The Papists hide the scripture. them that understand latin they hide the true se●●e with a thousand sal●e gloss. And I say moreover that the scripture is the cause why men believe the The scripture is the cause why men believe the scripture. scripture as well as a preacher is the cause why men believe his preaching. For as he that first told in England that the Rhodes was taken, was the cause why some believed it, even 〈◊〉 might writing sent from those parties be the cause that some men which read it believed it. M. Moore will say, that letter had his authority of the man that sent it, and so hath the scripture her authority of the church. Nay, the scripture hath her authority of him that sent it, that is to weet of God, which thing the miracles did testify, and not of the man that brought it. He will say, thou knowest the scripture by their showing. I grant at the beginning I do. Then will he say, why should you not believe them, in all their other doctrine The Papists docctrine is n●● to be believed wiihou● scripture. besides the scripture & in all their expositions of the scripture, as well as you believe them, when they tell you that such and such books are the scripture. May they not show you a false book? yes, and therefore at the beginning I believe all a like. Every lie that they tell out of their own brains we believe to be scripture, and so should I believe them if they showed me a ●alse book, but when I have read the scripture and find no● their doctrine there nor depend thereof, I do not give so great credence unto their other doctrine as unto the scripture. Why? For I find more witness unto the scripture them unto their other doctrine. I find whole nations and Why the 〈◊〉 is not to be believed without scripture, & why he is not the true church. countries that receive the scripture & refuse their other doctrine and their expositions in many places. And I find the scripture otherwise expounded of them of old time them they which now will be the church expound it. Whereby their doctrine is the more suspect. I find mention made of the scripture in stories, that it was, when I can find no mention or likelihood that their doctrine was. I find in all ages The doctrine of the Papists hath been 〈◊〉 resisted by the scripture. that men have resisted their doctrine with the scripture & have suffered death by the hundred thousands in resisting their doctrine. I see their doctrine brought in and maintained by a contrary way to that by which the scripture was brought in. I find by the self same scripture, when I look diligently thereon, that their other doctrine can not stand therewith. I find in the scripture that they What things 〈◊〉 find in scripture. Rom. 〈◊〉. which have not Christ's spirit to follow the steps of his living pertain not unto Christ. Rom. viii. I find in the scripture, that they which walk in their carnal birth after the manner of the children of Adam cannot understand the things of the spirit of God. 1. Cor. 1. Cor. ●. 2. I find in the scripture that they 1. Cor. 2. which seek glory can not believe Christ. joh. 5. I find in the scripture that they john. 5. which submit not themselves to do the will of God, can not know what doctrine is of god and what not. joh. 7. I find john. 7. in the scripture, jere. 31. & Heb. 8. that all the children of God, which only are the true members of his church have Heb. 8. every one of them the law of god written in their hearts: so that if there were no law to compel, they would yet naturally out of their own hearts keep the law of God: yea and against violence compelling to the contrary. And I see that they which will be the church (and to prove it hath not so great trust in the scripture as in their sophistry & in the sword which they have set up in all lands to keep them with violence in the room) are so far of from having the laws of God written in their hearts, that they neither by God's law The Papists will neither by God's law nor man's refrain from their wicked living. nor man's refrain from their open outward wicked living. Look in the Chronicles what blood it hath cofle England to attempt to bring them under the law, yea and see what business the Realm hath had, to keep the Prelates within the Realm from taking the benefices with them and lying at Rome, and yet scarcely brought it to pass, for all that the Pope hath the stint of every bishopric and of every great Abbey thereto as often as any is void, yer a new be admitted to the room. And I see them bond unto their own will, & both to do and to consent unto other to do all that God hath forbidden. I see them of all people most vain glorious. I see them walk after their john. 10. fleshly birth. I see them so far of from the Image of Christ, that not only they will not dye for their flock after his ensample, but also, year they would loose one town, or village, any polling or privilege which they have falsely got, bringing themselves into good pastures with wiles & shutting their The Papists will loose nothing that belongeth to them. flock without, they would cast away an hundred thousand of them in one day and beggar their Realms, yea and interdite them and bring in strange nations, though it were the Turk, to conquer them and slay them up, so much as the innocent in the cradle. And I see that their other doctrine is for their vantage only & that therewith they have got all that they have. And I find in the Scripture that the jews before the coming of Christ, known that those books were the scripture by the Scribes and the Phariseis. And yet as many as believed their other doctrine and many expositions of Christ delivered the jews out of error. the scripture were deceived, as you see, and how Christ delivered them out of error. And I see again (which is no small miracle) that the merciful care of God to keep the Scripture to be a ☜ testimony unto his elect, is so great, that no men be more jealous over the books, to keep them and show them, and to allege, that they be the Scripture of God and true, than they which when it is read in their ears have no power to believe it, as the jews and the Popish. And therefore because they neither can believe it false, neither consent None have more care of the scripture, than those that believe it not. that it is true as it soundeth plainly in their ears in that it is so contrary unto their fleshly wisdom, from which they can not departed, they seek a thousand gloss to turn it into an other sense, to make it agreed unto their beastliness, and where it will receive no such gloss, their they think that no man understandeth it. Then in the end of the Chapter M. Moore cometh unto his wise conclusion and proveth nothing save showeth his ignorance, as in all thing. He saith we believe the doctrine of the Scripture without Scripture, as for an example, the Pope's pardons, because only that the Church so teacheth, though no Scripture confirmeth it. Why so? because saith he the holy ghost by inspiration, if I do my endeavour and captivate mine understanding, teacheth me to believe the Church concerning God's word taught by the Church and graven in men's hearts with out Scripture, as well as he teacheth us to believe words written in the Scripture. Mark where he is now. Afore he says, the Scripture causeth us not to believe the Scripture, for a man may M. Moore reasoneth against himself. read it & believe it not. And much more the preacher maketh us not to believe the preacher, for a man may hear him and believe him not also. As we see the Apostles could not 'cause all men to believe them. For though the Scripture be an outward instrument and the preacher also to move men to believe, yet the chief and principal cause why a man believeth or believeth not is within. That is the spirit of God teacheth his children ☜ to believe and the devil blindeth his children and keepeth them in unbelief and maketh them to consent unto lies & think good evil & evil good. As the Acts of the Apostles say in many Acts. 13. places there believed as many as were ordained unto everlasting life. And Christ saith john. viii. they that john. 8. be of God hear God's word. And unto the wicked jews he says you can not believe because you be not of God. And in the same place saith he, you be of your father the devil and his will you will do, and he bode not in the truth, & therefore will not suffer his children to consent to the truth. And john in the x. says They that preach not Christ truty are murderers. Christ, all that came before me, be thieves & murderers, but my sheep herded not their voices. That is, all that preach any salvation save in Christ murder the souls. Howbeit Christ's sheep could not consent to their lies, as the rest can not but believe lies, so that there is ever a remanant kept by grace. And of this I have seen divers examples. I have known as holy men as might be, as the world counteth holiness, which at the hour of death had no trust in God at all, but cried cast holy water, light the holy candle, and so forth, sore lamenting that they must dye. And I have known other which were despised, as men that cared not The end of hypocrites. for their divine service, which at death have falsen so flat upon the blood of Christ as is possible and have preached unto other mightily as it had been an Apostle of our Saviour and comforted them with comfort of the life to come & have died so gladly, that they would have received no worlds good, to bide still in the flesh. And thus is M. Moore Predestination. fallen upon predestination and is compelled wish violence of Scripture to confess that which he hateth and studieth to make appear false, to establish free-will with all, not so much of ignorance I fear as for lucre's sake and to get honour, promotion, dignity and money by help of our mitred monsters. Take example of Balam the false Balam. Prophet which gave counsel & sought means, through like blind covetousness, to make the truth and prophesy which God had showed him false. He had the knowledge of the truth but with out love thereto and therefore for vantage become enemy unto the truth, but what came of him? But M. Moore pepereth his conclusion jest men should feel the taste, saying, if we endeavour ourselves and captive our understanding to believe. O how betleblynd is fleshly reason? the will hath none operation at all in the working of faith in my soul, no more than the child hath in the begetting of his father. For saith Paul it is the gift of God and not of us. My wit must conclude good or bad year my will can love or hate. My wit must show me a true Wit must first show a cause, and then will is sturted to work. cause or an apparent cause why, year my will have any working at all. And of that pepering it well appeareth what the Pope's faith is: even a blind imagination of their natural wit, wrought without the light of the spirit of God, agreeing unto their voluptuous lusts in which their beastly will so delighteth that he will not let their wits attend unto any other learning for unquieting himself and stirring from his pleasure and delectation. And thus we be as far a sunder as ever we were and his mighty arguments prove not the value of a poding prick. M. Moore feeleth in his heart Moore feeleth. by inspiration and with his endevering himself and captivating his understanding to believe it, that there is a Purgatory Purgatory as hot as hell. Wherein if a silly soul were appointed by God, to lie a thousand years, to purge him with all, the Pope for the value of a Popish do trine concerning Purgatory groat shall command him thence full purged in the twinkling of an eye, & by as good reason if her were going thence, keep him there still. He feeleth by inspiration and in captivating his wits that the Pope can work wonders with a Caives skin, that he can command one to eat f●esh though he be never so lusty, and that an other eat none on pain of damnation, though The pope, how he can both forgive and receive sin. he should dye for lack of it: and that he can forgive sin and not the pain, & as much and as little of the pain or all if he lust, and yet can neither help him to love the law or to believe or to hate the flesh, seeing he preacheth not. And such things innumerable. M. Moore feeleth true, and therefore believeth that the Pope is the true Church. And I clean contrary feel that there Tyndall feeleth Purgatory is no such worldly and fleshly imagined Purgatory. For I feel that the souls be purged only by the word of God & doctrine of Christ, as it is written john. xv. you be clean through the john. 15. word, says Christ to his Apostles. And I feel again that he which is clean through the doctrine, needeth not but to wash his feet only, for his head & hands are clean all ready john. xiii. john. 13. that is, he must tame his flesh & keep it under for his soul is clean all ready through the doctrine. I feel also that bodily pain doth but purge the body Bodily pain purgeth the body, and not the soul, only: in so much that the pain not only purgeth not the soul, but maketh it more foul, except that there be kind learning by, to purge the soul: so that the more a man beateth his son, the worse he is, except he teach him lovingly & show him kindness beside, partly to keep him from desperation and partly that he fall not into hate of his father and of his commandment thereto, and think that his father is a tyrant and his law but tyranny. M. Moore seleth with his good endeavour & inspiration together, that a man M. Moore ●o of an evil opinion. may have the best faith coupled with the worst life and with consenting to sin. And I feel that it is impossible to believe truly except a man repent, and that it is impossible to trust in the mercy that is in Christ or to feel it, but that a man must immediately love God & his commandments, and therefore disagree & disconsent unto the flesh, and be at bate therewith and fight against it. And I feel that every soul that loveth the law and hateth his flesh and believeth in Christ's blood, hath his sins which he committed and pain which he deserved in haring the law and consenting unto his flesh, forgiven him, by that faith. And I feel that the frailty Faith in Ch●… 〈◊〉 purchaseth forg●… of sin. of the flesh against which a believing soul lighteth to subdue it, is also forgiven and not reckoned or imputed for sin all the time of our curing: as a kind father and mother reckon not or impute the imposumbilitie of their young children to consent unto their law, and as when the children be of age and consent, them they reckon not nor impute the impossibility of the flesh to follow it immediately, but take all a worth and love them no less, but rather more tenderly than their old and perfect children that do their commandments, so long as they go to school & learn such things as their fathers & mothers set them to. And I believe that every soul that repenteth, believeth and loveth the law, is through that faith a member of Christ's Church and pure without spot or wrinkle, as Paul affirmeth. Ephe. u And it is an Article of my belief Ephe. 5. that Christ's elect Church is holy and pure without sin and every member There is no purgatory for him that dieth repent●unt & believeth. of the same, thorough faith in Christ, and that they be in the full favour of God. And I feel that the uncleanness of the soul is but the consent unto sin and unto the flesh. And therefore I feel that every soul that believeth and consenteth unto the law, and here in this life hateth his flesh and the lusts thereof, and doth his best to drive sin out of his flesh, and for hate of the sin gladly departeth from his flesh, when he is dead (and the lusts of the flesh slain with death) needeth not as it were bodily tormenting to be purged of that whereof he is quit already. And therefore if aught remain, it is out to be taught and not to be beaten. And I feel that every soul that beareth fruit in Christ shallbe purged of the father to bear more fruit day by day, as it is written joh. xv. not in the Pope's john. 15. Purgatory where no man feeleth it, but here in this life such fruit as is unto his neighbour's profit, so that he which hath his hope in Christ purgeth himself here, as Christ is pure. 1. joh. 1. john. 〈◊〉. 3. and that ever yet the blood of jesus only doth purge us of all our ●…s for the imperfectness of our works. And I feel that the forgiveness of sins is to remit mercifully the pain that I have deserved. And I do believe that the pain that I here suffer in my pain of sin. flesh is to keep the body under, and to serve my neighbour, and not to make satsfaction unto god for the sore sinses. And therefore when the Pope describeth God after his covetous complexion, and when M. More feeleth by inspiration 〈◊〉 pope's 〈◊〉. and captivating his wits unto the Pope, that God forgiveth the everlasting pain and will yet punish Purgatory pr●… to the Pope. me a thousand years in the Pope's purgatory, that leaven savoureth not in my mouth. I understand my father's words as they sound, and after the most merciful manner and not after the Pope's leaven and M. Moor's captining his wits, to believe that every poets fable is a true story. There is no father here that punisheth his son to purge him, when he is purged already and hath utterly forsaken sin and evil, and hath submitted himself unto his father's doctrine. For to punish a man that hath forsaken sin of his own accord, is not to purge him, but to satisfy the lust of a tyrant. Neither aught it to be called Purgatory, but a jail oftormenting and a satisfactory. Purgatory to a tormenting jail as the Pope maketh it. And when the Pope saith it is done to satisfy the righteousness as a judge. I say we that believe have no judge of him, but a father, neither shall we come into judgement as Christ hath promised us, but are received under grace, mercy, and forgiveness. Show the Pope a little money, and God is so Money dispatcheth Purgatory merciful that there is no Purgatory. And why is not the fire out as well, if I offer for me the blood of Christ? If Christ hath deserved all for me, who gave the Pope might to keep part of his deservings from me, and to buy & cell Christ's merits, & to make merchandise over us with feigned words. And thus as M. More feeleth that the Pope is holy church, I feel that he is Antichrist. And as my feeling can be The Pope is Antichrist. no proof to him, no more can his with all his captivating his wits to believe fantasies be unto me, wherefore if he have no other probation to prove that the Pope is holy church, then that his heart so agreeth unto his learning, he aught of no right to compel with sword unto his sect. How be it there are ever two manner people that will cleave unto God a fleshly, and a spiritual. The spiritual which be of God shall hear God's word and the children of the truth shall consent unto the truth. And contrary, the fleshly and children of The fleshly children do naturally consent unto lies. falsehood and of the devil, whose hearts be full of lies, shall naturally consent unto lies (as young children though they have eat themselves as good as dead with fruit, yet will not nor can believe him that telleth them that such fruit is naught: but him that praiseth them will they hear and eat themselves stark dead, because their hearts be full of lies, and they judge all things as they appear unto the eyes). And the fleshly minded, assoon as he believeth of God as much as the devil The fleshly minded can never consent unto God's law. doth, he hath enough, and goeth to and serveth God with bodily service as he before served his Idols, and after his own imagination and not in the spirit, in loving his laws and believing his promises or longing for them: not if he might ever live in the flesh, he would never desire them. And God must do for him again, not what he The fleshly persecute them of the spirit. hath promised, but what he lusteth. And his brother that serveth God in the spirit according to God's word, him will the carnal beast persecute. So that he which will godly live must suffer persecution unto the worlds end, according unto the doctrine of Christ and of his Apostles, and according unto the ensamples that are go before. And finally, I have better reasons for my feeling that the Pope is Antichrist then M. More hath for his endeavouring himself and captiving his wits The true church is not with out a sign of a miracle to prove that it is God's church. that h● is the true Church. For the church that was the true messenger of God hath ever showed a sign and a badge thereof, either a present miracle or autentickescripture, in so much that Moses when he was sent, asked how shall they believe me, & God gave him a sign, as ever before and since. Neither was there any other cause of the writing of the new & last & everlasting testament, then that when miracles ceased, we might have wherewith to detende ourselves against false doctrine and heresies. Which we could not do, if we were bond to believe that were no where written. And again, if the The pope's life & doctrine is more wicked than the Turks & all the heathen that ever were. Pope could not err in his doctrine, he could not sin of purpose and profession, abominably and openly above the Turks and all the heathen that ever were, and defend it so maliciously as he hath viii. hundred years long, and will not be reform, and maketh them his Saints and his defenders the sin as he doth. He persecuteth as the carnal church ever did. When the scripture is away, he proveth his doctrine with the scripture, and assoon as the scripture cometh to light he runneth away unto his sophistry and unto his sword. We see also by stories how your confession, penance & pardons are come up, and whence your purgatory is sprung. And your falsehood in the sacraments we see by open scripture. And all your works we rebuke with the scripture, and therewith prove that the false belief that you couple to them, may not stand with the true faith that is in our Saviour jesus. The second chapter. IN the end of the second chapter he bringeth in Euticus that fallen out at a window Euticus. Act. 20. whom says he, S. Paul's merits did recover. Verily Paul dared not say so, but that Christ's merits did it. Peter saith Act. 3 You men of Acts. 3. Israel, why gaze you and stare upon us, as though we by our power and godliness had made this man go. Nay the name of jesus and faith that is in All glory and honour is to be given to the name of jesus. him, hath given him strength & made him sound: And even here, it was the name of jesus thorough Paul's faith that did that miracle, and not Paul's merits, though he were never so holy. The third Chap. IN the iij. chapter he saith that Bilneyes' judges (which he yet nameth not for fear of sclaundering them) were indifferent. Nay, they that take rewards judges. be not indifferent. For rewards and gifts blind the eyes of the seeing and pervert the words of the righteous. Deut. 17. Now all they that be shorn take great rewards to defend Deut. 17. Pilgrimages, Purgatory, and praying unto Saints: even the third part I trow of all Christendom. For Purgatory to the foundation of Abbeys, Colleges. etc. all they have, they have received in the name of purgatory, and of Saintes, & on that foundation be all their bishopprickes, Abbeys, colleges and Cathedral churches built. If they be indifferent judges, they must be made servants, and do service, as their duty is. And when they have done a quarter's service, then give them wages as right is, unto every man that laboureth in Christ's harvest a sufficient living, and no more, and that in the name of his labour, and not of Saintes, and so forth. And then they shall be more indifferent judges, when there cometh no vantage to judge more on one side then an other. The fourth Chap. IN the end of the fourth he says, the man took an oath secretly, and was dismissed with secret penance. O hypocrites, why dare you not do it openly. The fift Chapter. IN the fift the messenger asketh him whether he were present. And he denieth and saith ever, he herded say Alas Sir, why take you bribes to defend that you know not? why suffer you not them that were present, and to whom the matter pertaineth, to lie for themselves? Then he jesteth out the matter with M. Moore is a commō●ester and a scouner. Wilken and Simken, as he doth Hun and every thing, because men should not consider their falsehood earnestly. Wherein behold his subtle conveyance. He asketh, What if Simken would have sworn that he see men make those prints. Whereunto M. Moore answereth under the name of, quoth he, that he would swore, that besides the loss of the wager, he had lost his honesty and his soul thereto. Behold this man's gravity, how could you that do when the case is possible. You should have put him to his proves, and bid him bring record. Then saith he, the church receiveth ☞ no man convict of heresy unto mercy, but of mercy receiveth him to open shame. Of such mercy, God give them plenty that are so merciful. Then he showeth how merciful they were to receive the man to penance that abode still in perjury and deadly sin. O shameless hypocrites how can you receive into the congregation of Christ an open obstinate sinner that repētet● not, when you are commanded of Christ to cast all such out? And again, O Scribes The Papists are cruel and unmerciful. and Phariseis, by what example of Christ and of his doctrine can you put a man that repenteth unto open shame and to that thing whereby ever after he is had in derision among his brethren of whom he aught to be loved & not mocked: You might enjoin honest things, to tame his flesh, as prayer and fasting: and not that which should be to him shame ever after and such as you yourselves would not do. The seven. Chapter. IN the seven. chapter he maketh much Swering. to do about swearing and that for a subtle purpose. Notwithstanding, the truth is, that no judge aught to make a man swear against his will for many inconvenients. If a man receive an office he that putteth him in the room aught to charge him to do it truly, and may and haply aught to take an oath of him. If a man offer him The oath of a witness may be taken, but no man may be compelled to swear & be a witness. self to bear witness, the judge may & of some haply aught to take an oath of them: but to compel a man to bear witness aught he not. And Moreover if a judge put a man to an oath that he shall answer unto all that he shallbe demanded of, he aught to refuse. howbeit if he have sworn, and then the wicked judge ask him of things hurtful unto his neighbour & against the love that is in Christ, than he must repent A godly lesson. that he hath sworn, but not sin again to fulfil his oath. For it is against God's commandment, that a man should hurt his neighbour that hath not deserved it. The viii. Chapter. Unto Church, priest, charity, grace, M. Moore is a liar. confession and penance is answered him in the beginning of the book. And when he saith Tyndall was confederate with Luther, that is not truth. The ix. Chapter. THen his ix. chapter is there nothing more foolish. For if he would have any wise man to believe that my translation would destroy the Mass any otherwise then the Latin or Greek text, he should have alleged the place and how. The xi. Chapter. IN the xj. chapter M. Moore will not defend the living of our spirituality, because it is so open that he can not. And as little should he be able to defend their lies, if the light were abroad that men might see. And as he can not deny them The Papists are obstinate & will not repent. abominable, so can he not deny them obstinate and indurat therein, for they have been often rebuked with God's word, but in vain. And of such the text is plain that they can not understand the Scripture. And yet M. More will receive rewards to dispute against the heresies of some such as be cast out of Christ's Churches by such holy patriarchs, whose livings he himself can not praise. As holy judas, though judas. the Prelates of his Church that is the Phariseis were never so abominable yet because Christ's doctrine was condemned of them as of God's Church that could not err, and all that believed on him excommunicate, he was bold to say. Quid ●ult●s mihi dare & ego tradan eū●obis? That is, what will you give me and I will deliver him unto you? The twelve. Chapter. IN the xii. he hath one conclusion, that Prayers of an evil Priest profit not. the prayers of an evil Priest profit not. Which though it be true, yet the contrary is believed among a great many, in all quarters of England, so blind be the people and wot not what prayer means. I have herded men of no small A fond saying. reputation say yer this in great audience, that it maketh no matter whether the Priest were good or bad so he took money to pray as they seldom pray without, for he could not hurt the prayer were he never so naughty. And when he says that the evil Priest hurteth us not so much with his living as he profitetn us with ministering the Sacraments. O worldly wisdom, if a man lead me through a jeopardous place by day, he can not hurt me so greatly as by night. The Turk seethe that murder, theft, extortion, oppression, and adultery be sin. But when To minister Sacraments with out signification is to be lead in darkness. he leadeth me by the darkness of Sacraments without signification, I can not but catch harm and put my trust and confidence in that which is neither God nor his word. As for an example, what trust put the people in anoyling and how cry they for it, with no other knowledge then that the oil saveth them, unto their damnation and denying of Christ's blood? And when he says the Priest offereth or sacrificeth Christ's body. I answer, Sacrifice. Christ was offered once for all as it is to see in the Epistle to the Hebrues. Heb. 10. As the Priest sleath Christ, breaketh his body and shedeth his blood, so he Christ's body in the Sacrament is not carnal, but spiritual. sacrificeth him and offereth him. Now the Priest sleath him not actually nor breaketh his body actually nor shede●h his blood actually neither scourgeth him and so forth, throughout all his passion: but representeth his s●aying, his body breaking and blood shedding for my sins and all the rest of his passion & playeth it before mine eyes only. Which signification of the Mass, because the people understand not, therefore they receive no forgiveness of their sins thereby, and thereto can not but catch hurt in their souls, through a false faith as it well appeareth, how every man cometh thereto for a sundry imagination, all ignorant of the true way. Let no man beguile you with his juggling sophistry. Our offering of Christ is to believe in him, and to come with a repenting heart unto the remembrance of his passion & to desire God the father for the breaking of Christ's Christ was sacrificed on the cross once for all. body on the cross and shedding of his blood and for his death and all his passions, to be merciful unto us & to forgive us according unto his Testament and promise. And so we receive forgiveness of our sins. And other offering or sacrificing of Christ is there now none. Walk in the open light and feeling and let not yourselves be lead with juggling words as Mules and Asi●s in which there is none understanding. M. Deacons were had in price in the old tyme. Tyndall. For the Deacons Moore. Deacons. Tyndall. than took the care of all the poor and suffered none to go a begging, but provided a living for every one of them. Christ's Dea●…s and the p●●e● Deacons differ much. Where now they that should be Deacons make themselves Priests and rob the poor of lands, rents, offerings and all that was given them, devouring all themselves & the poor dying for hunger. M. Priests be despised because of the Moore. Priests. Tyndall. multitude. Tyndall. If there were but one in the world as men say of the Fenix, yet if he lived abominably, he could not but be despised. M. A man may have a good faith coupled Moore. Tyndall. with all manner sin. Tyndall. A good faith putteth away all sin, how then can all manner of sin devil with a good faith? I dare say, that M. More dared affirm, that a man might love God and hate his neighbour both at once, and yet S. john in his Epistle 1. john. 4. will say that he saith untruly. But M. M. Moor's faith was a common faith. Moore means of the best faith that ever he felt. By all likelihood he knoweth of no other but such as may stand with all wickedness, neither in himself nor in his Prelates. Wherefore in as much as their faith may stand with all that Christ hateth, I am sure he looketh but for small thanks of God for his defending of them. And therefore he playeth surely to take his reward here of our holy patriarchs. M. Few dared be Priests in the old tyme. Tyndall. Then they knew the Moore. Tyndall. charge and feared God. But now they know the vantage & dread him not. M. If the laws of the Church were executed which Tyndal and Luther would Moore. Tyndall. have burned, it would be better. Tyndall. If the testament of our Saviour might be known for blind wretches & covetous tyrants, it would writ the law of God in all men's hearts that believed it, and then should men naturally & with out compulsion keep all honesty. And again though the Pope's law could As good no law, as a law not executed. help, yet is no law as good as a law unexecuted. The xiii. Chapter. IN the xiii. he rageth and fareth exceeding foul with himself. There he biteth, sucketh, gnaweth, towseth, and mowseth Tyndall. There he weeneth that he hath won his spurs & that it is not possible to answer him. And yet there, because he there most standeth in his own conceit, I doubt not unto them that be learned in Christ to prove him most ignorant of all, and clean without understanding of godly things. And I say yet, that as no woman aught to rule a man's office●, where a Age is to be preferred before ●outh. man is present, by the order of nature, and as a young man aught not to be choose, to minister in the Church, where an old meet for the room may be had by the order of nature, even so it was Paul's meaning to prefer the married before the unmarried, for the inconveniences that might chance by the reason of unchastity, which inconveniences M. Moore might see with sorrow The chaste unchastirie of the Papists is abominable both to God and man. of heart (if he had as great love to Christ as to other things) to happen daily unto the shame of Christ's doctrine, among Priests, Friars and Monks, partly with open whores, partly with their sodometry, whereof they cast each other in the teeth daily in every Abbey, for the lest displeasure that one doth to an other. M. Moore might see what occasions of vnchas●itie be given unto the Curates every where by the reason of their office and daily conversation with the married. And when he saith, never man could find that exposition till now, there he saith untrue. For S. Jerome himself S. Jerome. says that he known them that so expo●ded the text, and rebuked them of Rome because they would not admit into the clergy them that had had two wives, the one before baptism and the other after, saying: if a man had killed xx. men before his Baptism, they would not have forbidden him, and why then should that which is no sin at all be The Pope judgeth no sin to be sin, and sin to be no sin. a let unto him. But the God of Rome would not hear him. For Satan began then to work his mysteries of wickedness. And when he says, he that hath ten wives hath one wife. I say that one is taken by the use of speaking for one only. As when I say, I am content to give thee one, meaning one only. And unto him that hath no help, is there one help, to look for no help where one help is taken for one only, and many places else. And when M. Moore saith, he that hath had two wives one after an nother, may not be Priest, and that if a priests wife die he may not have another, or that if he were made Priest having no wife, he might not after marry if he burned. I desire a reason of him: If he say, it hath A Priest by the Pope's order may have a whore but not a wife. been so the use: then say I an whore is better than a wife, for that hath been the use of our holy father many hundred years. But I affirm unto M. More the contrary. And I say first with Paul, that the kingdom of God is Rom. 14. not meat and drink, and by the same reason neither husband or wife, but that keeping of the commandments and to love every man his neighbour as himself. And therefore as meat and drink were ordained for man's necessity, and as a man may care & drink at all needs in all degrees, so far as it letteth him not to keep the commandments and to love his neighbour as himself: even so was the wife created for the man's necessity, and therefore may a man use her at all his need in all degrees, as far as she letteth him not to keep God's law, which is nothing else by Paul's learning, then that a man love his neighbour as himself. Now I desire a reason of M. Moor's doctrine, what doth my second wife, or my third hinder me Moor's doctrine is superstitious to love my neighbour as myself, and to do him service against I come to be priest? What let is your second wife to you to serve our holy father the Pope, more than your first would have been? And in like manner if my first wife die, when I am a Priest, why may I not love my neighbour & do him as good service with the second as with the first? And again, if I be made priest having no wife, and after burn, and therefore marry, why may I not love my neighbour and serve him with that wife, as well as he that brought a wife with him? It was not for naught that Paul 1. Tim. 4. prophesied that some should depart from the faith, & attend unto deceivable spirits and devilish doctrine, The Pope forbiddeth marriage. forbidding to marry and to eat meats which god hath created to be received with thanks of them that know the truth, to buy dispensations, to use lawful meat and unlawful wives. And I ask M. More why he that hath Apparent godliness why the Priest may not have the second wife. the second wife or hath had two wives may not be a Priest, or why if a priests first wife die, he may not marry the second. He will answer because the Priest must represent the mysteries or secret properties and union of Christ the only husband of his only wife the church or congregation that believeth in him only. That is, as I have Christ's benefits toward us are figured by matrimony. in other places said, the scripture describeth us in matrimony the mysteries and secret benefits which God the father hath hide in Christ for all them that be choose and ordained to believe and put their trust in him to be saved. As when a man taketh a wife, he giveth her himself, his honour, his riches, and all that he hath, and maketh her of equal degree unto himself: if he be king, and she before a beggars daughter, yet she is not the less Queen, and in honour above all other. If he be Emperor she is Empress, and honoured of men as the Emperor, and partaker of all. Even so if a man repent and come, and believe in Christ to be saved from the damnation of the sin, of which he repenteth, Christ is his owue good immediately: Christ's death, pain, prayer, passion, fasting, and all his merits are for that man's sins a full satisfaction, and a sacrifice of might and power to absolve him 〈◊〉 pena et a culp. 〈◊〉. Christ's inheritance, his love and favour that he hath with God his father are that man's by and by: and the man by that marriage is pure as Christ, and clean without sin, and honourable, glorious, weibeloved and in favour thorough that grace of that marriage. And because that the Priest must represent us this signification, is the cause why a Priest may not have the second wife say they, which popish reason hath deceived many wise, as who can be but deceived in some thing, if he receive all his doctrine by the authority of his elders, except he have an occasion as we have to run to Moses and the Prophets, & there hear & see with our own eyes, and believe no longer by the reason of our forefathers, when we see them so shamefully beguiled themselves, and to beguile us in a thousand things which the Turks see. Now to our purpose, if this doctrine be true, then must every Priest have a wife or have had a wife. For he that never had wife can not represent us this. And again, he that hath an whore or an other man's wife hath lost this property, and therefore aught to be put down. And again, the second marriage then of no man is, or can be a Sacrament by that doctrine. And yet I will describe you the marriage of Christ as well by his marriage that hath had ix. wives, and hath now the tenth, as by his that hath now the first. O will they say, his wife was no We were Idolaters when we came to Christ. virgin, or he when they were married. Sir the signification standeth not in that virginity but in the actual wedlock. We were no virgins when we came to Christ but common whores believing in a thousand Idols. And in the second marriage or tenth and you will, the man hath but one wife and all his are hers, and his other wives be in a land where is no husband or wife. I say therefore with Paul that this is a devilish doctrine and hath a similitude of godliness with it, but the power is away. The mist of it blindeth the eyes of the simple and beguileth them, that they can not see a thousand abominations wrought under that cloak. And therefore I say still, that the Apostles meaning was that he should S. Paul's doctrine is that priests should have wives. have a wi●e, if haply his age were not the greater, and that by one wi●e he excludeth them that had two, and them that were defamed with other save their own wives, and would have them to be such as were known of virtuous living, for to do reverence & honour unto the doctrine of Christ. As it appeareth by the widows which he excludeth before lx. years, for fear of Widows. unchastity, and admitteth yet none of that age, except she were well known of chaste, honest and godly behaviour, and that to honour God's word withal, than which the Pope hath nothing more vile. And when M. Moore to mock, bringeth forth the text of the widow, that she must be the wife of one man. I answer, for all his jesting, that Paul excludeth not her that had x. husbands one after an other, but her that had ij. husbands attonce. And when Moore laugheth at it, as though it had never Moore is a scoffer. been the guise. I would to god for his mercy that it were not the guise at this day, and then I am sure his wrath would not be so great as it is. Paul means only that he would have no defamed woman choose widow for dishonouring the word of God and the congregation of Christ, and therefore excludeth common women, and such as were defamed besides their husbands, and haply that divorced thereto. And that I prove by the same doctrine of Paul, that the kingdom of God is no such business but the keeping of God's commandments only, & to love one an other. Now look on that thing and on the office of the widow. It was but to wait on the sick and poor people, and to wash strangers feet. Now the widows of ten husbands must have be found of the cost of the congregation, if they were desticute of friends, as all other poor were, though in time passed they have been defamed people. But under lx. would Paul let none minister for fear of occasions of unchastity, and thereto none but such as were well known of honest living and of good report. Now in as much as the widow of ten husbands must be found of the common cost at her need, what uncleanness is in her by the reason of her second husband, that she is not good enough to be a servant unto the poor people, to dress their meat, washtheir clotheses, to make their beds and so The office of the w●ddowes in the primatine church. forth and to wash strangers feet, that came out of one congregation unto an other about business▪ and to do all manner service of love unto her poor brethren and sisters. To have had the second husband is no shame among the heathen: it is no shame among the Christian for when the husband is dead, the wife is free to marry to whom she will in the Lord, and by as good reason the husband, and of right who more free than the Priest? And therefore they shame not our doctrine nor our congregation, nor dishonour God among the heathen or weak Christian. Now when we have a plain rule that he which Rom. 13. loveth his neighbour as himself keepeth all the laws of God, let him tell me for what cause of love toward his neighbour, a widow of two lawful husbands may not do service unto the poor people. Why may not a widow of fifty do service unto the poor? Paul which knytteth no snares nor leadeth us blind nor teacheth us without a reason giving of his doctrine, answereth, for fear of occasions of evil, jest she be tempted or tempt other: And then if she be taken in misdoing, the doctrine of Christ be evil spoken of thereto and the weak offended. And when M. Moore mocketh with my reason that I would have every Priest to have a wife because few men can live chaste, I answer, that if he loved the honour of Christ and his neighbour as he doth his own covetousness, he should find that a good Argument. Paul maketh the same and much more sclenderly than I after your sophistry. For he disputeth thus, some young widows Young widows were forbidden to minister in the common service. do dishonest the congregation of Christ and his doctrine, therefore shall no young widow at all minister in the common service thereof: But shall all be married & bear children and serve their husbands. And it is a far less rebuke to the doctrine of Christ and his congregation, that a woman should do amiss, than the Bishop or Priest. I am not so mad, to think that there could no Priest at all line chaste. Neither am I so foolish to think that there be not as many women that could live chaste at fifty, as Priests as xxiv. And yet though of a thousand widows of fifty year old ix. hundred xc. & ix. could live chaste, Paul because he knoweth not that one will let none at all minister in the common service among occasions of unchastity. Christ's Apostles considered all infirmities and all that might hinder the doctrine of Christ, and therefore did their best to prevent all occasions. Wherefore, Fish no better than flesh, nor flesh no better than fish in the kingdame of Christ. as fish is no better than flesh, nor flesh better than fish in the kingdom of Christ, even so virginity wedlock and widowed are none better than other to be saved by in their own nature or to please God with all, but with what soever I may best serve my brethren, that is ever best according unto the time and fashion of the world. In persecution it is good for every man to live chaste if he can, and namely for the preacher. In peace when a man may live quietly and abide in one place, a wise is a sure thing to cut of occasions. Then he would make it seem that priests wives were the occasions of heresies 〈◊〉. ☞ Tyndall. in Almany. Nay, they fallen first to heresies and then took wives, as you cell first to the Pope's holy doctrine & then took whores. Moore. The Church bindeth no man Moore. Tyndall. to chastity. Tyndall. of a truth, for it giveth licence to who soever will, to keep whores, and permitteth to abuse men's wives and suffereth sodomitry, and doth but only forbidden matrimony. And when he saith, chastity was all most received by general custom, before Three lies at ●…ce. the law was made: one lie. And good fathers did but give their advise thereto: an other lie. And it was ratified and received with the consent of all Christendom: the third lie. They did well to choose a Poet to be their defender. First it was attempted in general Council and resisted by holy fathers which yet themselves were never married, saying that men might not knit a ●…ate for their weak brethren, against the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles. Neither could it be brought to pass, until the Pope had got the emperors sword out of his hand. The Greeks which were the one half of Christendom than I suppose, would never admit it. Now godly love would never suffer them to consent that we should be bound unto that burden which they themselves could not bear as M. More in an other place affirmeth that they did. And again, we have manifest stories that it was brought in with violence ot sword & that all the Priests of Germany 〈…〉. were compelled to put away their wives. And we find that wheresoever the pope reigneth, he came in with deceiving the king of the country and then with his sword cō●elled the rest. The Pope came but now late into Wales to reign there over the Bishops and Priests, and that with the sword of the king of England. And yet though all the Clergy of christendom had granted it, all the Church had not made it, nor yet the tenth part of the Church. The lay people be as well of the Church as the Priests. Neither can all the Priests in the world of right make any law wherein their part lieth without their consent. Now it pertaineth unto the common people and most of all unto the priests must be endued with virtue and honesty. weakest, that their Priests be endued with all virtue and honesty. And the chastity of his wife, daughter and servant pertaineth unto every particular man, which we see by experience defiled daily, by the unchaste chastity of the spirituality. Wherefore if the Parishes, or any one Parish, after they had seen the experience what inconveniences came of their chastity, would have no Curate except he had a wife to cut of occasions, as Paul when he had seen that proof, would have no young widows minister, who save a tyrant, should be against them? Moreover the general Counsels of the spirituality are of no other manner, General counsel. sense the Pope was a God, than the general Parlamentes of the temporality. Where no man dare say his mind freely and liberally for ●eare of some one, and of his flatterers. And look in what captivity the Parlamentes be under the private counsels Parl●…ment. of kings, so are the general Counsels under the Pope and his Cardinals. And this is the manner of both. Some one two or three wily Foxes, that have all other in subjection, as you The 〈◊〉 used both in general to▪ ●…es, and also 〈◊〉 parliaments. have seen in my Lord Cardinal, imagine, not what aught to be, but what they lust to have and conceive in their own brains and go with child, some time a year. ij. iij. iiij. u vi. or. seven. and some tyme. xx. and above, casting, can●esing and compassing for the birth against opportunity: opening the matter privily under an oath a little and a little unto certain Secretaries whose part is therein, as they find men of activity and of courage, prepared to cell soul and body for promotion. And the matter in the mean time is turmoiled and tossed among themselves: and persuasions and subtle reasons are forged to blind the right way and to beguile men's wits. And whom they fear to have adversaries able to resist them, for such, means are sought to bring them in unto their party or to convey them out of the way. And when opportunity is come, they call a counsel or Parliament under a contrary pretence. And a Mass of the holy ghost, whom they desire as far away as were possible, is song and a goodly Sermon is made, to blear men's eyes with all. And then suddenly other men unprovided, the matter is opened, after the most subtle manner. And many are beguiled with subtle arguments and crafty persuasions. And they that hold hard against A practice used in all counsels and Parlamentes. them are called aside and reasoned with a part and handled after a fashion, and partly enticed with fair promises and partly feared with cruel threatnyngs, and so some are overcome with silver syllogisms & other for fear of threatening are driven unto silence, And if any be found at the last, that will not obey their falsehood and tyranny, they rail on him and jest him out of countenance & call him opinative, self minded and obstinate, & bear him in hand that the devil is in him that he so cleaveth unto his own wit, though he speak no silllable but God's word, & is asked whether he willbe wiser than other men. And in the spirituality, they excommunicate him and make an heretic The spirituality make heretics of them that resist their power and will. of him. And this to be true in the Clergies chastity is as clear as the day by manifest chronicles, in so much that the Prelates of Rome, were a brewing it above an hundred years and I wots not how long longer, year they could bring it to pass, and yet in vain till they had got the emperors sword to prove that it was most expedient so to be. And for what intent? to Why Priests may have no wives. bring all under the Pope, and that the Prelates of all lands might as the old manner was, come and wait on the Pope at Rome, where he prepared them whores enough. And that his sworn Prelates in every land, might the more conveniently wait in kings Courts, to minister the common wealth unto the pope's pleasure and profit. For had the Clergy kept their wives, they could never have come unto this where they now be, and to these pluralities, unions and totquottes. For there is no lay man though he were never so evil disposed, that could for his wife & children have leisure to cōtr●…e such mischief, and to run from country to country, to learn falsehood and subtlety, as our spirituality do, which without fear of The chastity of the ●●ergy pertaineth to the tempo●…ie, as much as to the spirituality. God and shame of man, keep whores wheresoever they come. And thus you see, that the clergies chastity, pertaineth as much unto the temporalty as unto the spirituality. And an other is this, no power among them that profess the truth may bind where God lowseth, save only where love and my neighbour's necessity requireth it of me. Neither can any power now bind them to come, but they may freely keep or break, as the thing is hurtful or expedient. Neither can there be any bond where love and necessity requireth the contrary. So that this law, love thy neighbour, to help him as thou wouldst be holp, must interpret all man's laws. As if I had sworn young or unwisely that I would live chaste & all the world had bond me, if afterward I burned and could not overcome the passion, I aught to marry. For I must condition my vow and Vows. show a cause of it thereto. I may not vow for the chastity itself, as though it were sacrifice to please God in itself, for that is the Idolatry of heathen. I must therefore vow to do my neighbour service (which in that case he may not require) or to give myself more quietly to prayer and study (which is not possible as long as I burn, and the mind will not be quiet) or that I may the better keep the laws of God, which if I burn, I stand thorough my chastity in more jeopardy to break & No oath is to be kept that is against charity or necessity. to hurt my neighbour, and to shame that doctrine of Christ. And in like manner, if I had forsworn flesh, & all the world had bond me, yet if necessity require it of me, to save my life or my health, I aught to break it. And again though I had sworn chastity, and the common wealth or the necessity of an other required the contrary, I must break it. But on the one side, of all that ever burned in the Pope's chastity, he never gave priest licence to take wife, but to keep whores only. And on the other side, all that vow any vow, do it for the thing itself, as though it were as I said service or sacrifice to God that had delight in the deed, as young children have in Apples, and that for that deed they shall have an higher room in heaven then their neighbours, which is the Idolatry of the heathen, when he aught to bestow his vow upon his neighbour to bring him to heaven, & not to envy him, & to seek thereby an higher room, not caring whether his neighbour come thither or no. And finally to burn and not to use the natural remedy that God hath made, is but to tempt God, as in all other things. But & if God have brought thee into a strait, and have thereto taken the natural remedy from thee, then to resist and to cry unto God for help, & to suffer, is a sign that thou lovest Gods laws. And to love God's law is to be sure that thou art God's child elect to mercy. For in all his children only, he writeth that token. And then he saith, every man hath his choice whether he will be Priest or no. But what nets and snares doth The pope's snares. Antichrist lay for them? First his false doctrine, where with the Elders beguiled, compel their children 〈◊〉. and sacrifice them, to burn in the Pope's chastity with no other mind, than those old Idolaters sacrificed their children unto the false God Moloch: so that they think, by the merits of their children's burning, after the Pope's false doctrine, to please god and to get heaven, clean ignorant of the testament made in Christ's blood. Then what a multitude are blinded 2. and drawn into the net, with the bait of promotion, honour, dignity, pleasures, freedom and liberty to sin, & to do all mischief unpunished, things which all evil that fear not God do desire? And what a number brought up idly unto xx. and above, than put their 3. heads in his halter, because they have no other craft to get their livings, & not because they can live chaste. Also some live chaste at xxiv. which same burn at thirty. And that to be true 4. daily experience teacheth, and good natural causes there be. And then look on the Apostles learning 5. and ordinance. When one or two young widows had broken their chastity, he would never after let any more be choose of the same age. How cometh it then that the Pope for so many hundred thousands that miscarry, will neither break the ordinance or mitigat it, or let any go back, but if any burn, sendeth them unto the shame of Christ's doctrine, and offending and hurt of his Church, & never unto the lawful remedy of marriage. And when M. Moore calleth it heresy, Tyndall doth here plainly prove Moore an heretic. to think that the married were as pleasant to God as the unmarried, he is surely an heretic that thinketh the contrary. Christ's kingdom is neither meat nor drink, nor husband nor wife, nor widow nor virgin, but the keeping of the commandments and serving of a man's neighbour lovingly by the doctrine of S. Paul, where not to eat helpeth me to keep the commmaundementes better than to eat, there it is better not to eat then to eat. And where to eat helpeth me to keep the That is ever best, that moveth man to the keeping of God's commandments. commandments and to do my duty unto my neighbour, there it is better to eat then not to eat. And in like case where to be without a wife helpeth more to keep the commandments and to serve a man's neighbour, there it is better to be unmarried then married, and where a wife helpeth to keep the commandments better than to be without, there it is better to have a wife then to be without. That heart only which is ready to do or let undone ☜ all things for his neighbour's sake, is a pleasant thing in the sight of God. And when he will have the Priests to live chaste, for reverence of the Sacraments, Devilish doctrine. it is devilish doctrine having the similitude of godliness, but the pith & marrow is away. If he mean water, oil, salt, and such like, then is the wife with her body and all her uses in the laws of God, incomparable purer & holier. If he mean the sacrament of Christ's body, I answer, that the hands defile not the man, nor aught that goeth thorough the hands be they never so unwashed, by the testimony of Christ, and much less can they then Math. 15. defile Christ. Moreover, the Priest toucheth not Christ's natural body is not in the Sacrament. Christ's natural body with his hands by your own doctrine, nor seethe it with his eyes, nor breaketh it with his fingers, nor eateth it with his mouth, nor chammeth it with his teeth, nor drinketh his blood with his lips for Christ is impassable. But he that repenteth toward the law of God, and The Sacrament of the body 〈◊〉 blood of Christ how it must be received. at the sight of the sacrament, or of the breaking, feeling, eating, chamming or drinking, calleth to remembrance the death of Christ, his body breaking and blood shedding for our sins, and all his passion, the same eateth our saviours body and drinketh his blood thorough faith only, & receiveth forgiveness of all his sins thereby, and other not. And all that have not this doctrine of the Sacrament come thereto in vain. And therefore there is no more cause that he which saith the Mass should live chaste, than he that heareth it, or he that ministereth the Sacrament, than he that receiveth it. It is to me great marvel that unlawful whoredom, covetousness, and extortion, can not defile their hands, as well as law full matrimony. Cursed therefore be their devilish doctrine with false appearing godliness, the fruit and power away, out of the hearts of all Christian men. And when he bringeth the ensample of the heathen, I praise him. For the heathen because they could not understand God spiritually, to serve him in the spirit, to believe in him, and to love his laws, therefore they turned his glory unto an Image, and served him after their own imagination with bodily service, as the whole kingdom of the Pope doth, having less power to serve him in spirit then the Turks. For when the heathen made an Image of the axes or fevers and sacrificed there ☞ to, they known that the Image was not the fevers, but under the similitude of the Image, they worshipped the power of God which plagued them with the fevers, with bodily service, as the Pope doth above all the Idolaters that ever were in the world. As when we paint Saint Machael weighing the souls, & S. Michael weigheth 〈◊〉 souls. stick up a candle to flatter him, and to make him favourable unto us, and regard not the testament of Christ, nor the laws of God, because we have no power to believe nor to love the truth. And even so, to refer virginity unto the person of God, to please him therewith, is false sacrifice and heathenish Idolatry. For the only service of god The true service of God, what it is. is to believe in Christ and to love the law. Wherefore thou must refer thy wedlock, thy virginity and all thy other deeds unto the keeping of the law and serving thy neighbour only. And then when thou lookest with a loving heart, on the law that says, break not wedlock, keep no whore and so forth, and findest thy body weak, and thine office such that thou must have conversation with men's wives, daughters and servants, than it is better to have a wife than to be without. And again if thou see service to be done that thou canst not so well do with a wife as without, then if thou have power to be without, it is best so to be, and in such like. And else the one is as good as the other, and no difference. And to to take a wife for pleasure, is as good as to abstain for displeasure. And when M. Moore seethe no other cause, why it is not best that our spirituality were all gelded, then for loss of merit in resisting, besides that that imagination is plain Idolatry, I hold M. Moore beguiled, if all we read of gelded men be true and the experience we see in other beasts. For then the gelded lust in their flesh as much as the ungelded. Which if it be true, than the gelded, Whether it were best that priests were gelded. in that he taketh such great pain in gelding, not to minish his lusts, but if lusts overcome him, yet that he have not wherewith to hurt his neighbour, deserveth more than the ungelded. And then it were best that we did eat and drink & make our flesh strong that we burned, to deserve in resisting, as some of your holy Saints have laid virgins in their beds; to kindle their courage, that they might after ☜ quench their heat in cold water, to deserve the merit of holy Martyrs. And when he saith, the Priests of the old law abstained from their wives when they served in the temple. Many things were forbidden them, to keep them in bond and servile fear & for other purposes. And yet I trow h● finds it not in the text that they were forbidden their wives. And when he imagineth so because Zacharias, when his course was out, got him home to his house, I think it was better for him to go to his house, then to sand for his house to him, he was also old and his wife to. But and if they were forbidden, it was but for a time, to give them to prayer, as we might do right well and as well as they. But I read that they were for Levit. 10. bidden to drink wine & strong drink, when they ministered: of which ours power in without measure. M. Moore. Christ lived chaste and exhorteth Moore. unto chastity. Tyndall. We be not all of Christ's Tyndall. complexion, neither exhorteth he to other chastity than wedlock, save at a time to serve our neighbours. Now that Pope's chastity is not to serve a man's neighbour, but to run to riot and to carry away with him the living of the poor and of the true preacher, even the tithes of u or uj. Parishes and to go & either devil by a stews or to carry a stews with him, or to corrupt other men's wives. Paphnutius a man that never proved Paphnutius. Marriage is praised in the stories, for resisting such doctrine with God's word in a general Council before the Pope was a God. And now M. More a man that hath proved it twice is magnified for defending it with sophistry. And again me seemeth that it is a great Moore had two wives & therefore was Bigamus. over sight of M. Moore to think that Christ though he were never married would not more accept the service of a married man that would more say truth for him than they that abhor wedlock: in as much as the spirituality accept his humble service & reward his merits with so high honour, because he can better fayne for them, than any of their unchaste, I would say own chaste people, though he be Bigamus & past the grace of his neck verse. And finally, if M. More look so much on the pleasure that is in Marriage, why setteth he not his eyes on the thanks giving for that pleasure, & on the patience of other displeasures. The xiv. Chapter. MOre. Wicleffe was the occasion of Moore. the utter subversion of the Realm of Boheme, both in faith and good living and of the loss of many a thousand lives. Tyndall. The rule of their faith are Tyndall. Christ's promises, and the rule of their living God's law▪ And as for loss of The Pope a cruel tyrant. lives, it is truth that the Pope s●●e I think an hundred thousand of them, because of their faith & that they would no l●nger serve him. As he s●●e in England many a thousand, & s●●e the true ●yng and see up a false unto the effusion of all the noble blood and murthe ring up of the commonalty, because he should be his desender. M. The constitution of the Bishops is Moore. not that the Scripture shall not be in English, but that no man may translate it by his own authority or read it, until they had approved it. Tyndall. If no translation shallbe had Tyndall. until they give licence or till they approve it, it shall never be had. And so it is all one in effect: to say there shallbe The spirituality would not have the scripture in English. none at all in English, and to say, till we admit it, seeing they be so malicious that they will none admit, but fain all the cavillations they can, to prove it were not expedient. So that if it be not had spite of their hearts it shall never be had. And thereto, they have done their best to have had it enacted by Parliament, that it should not be in English. The xv. Chapter. HE jesteth out Huns death with Hun. his Poetry were with he built Utopia. Many great Lords came to Baynard's Castle (but all nameless) to examine the cause (as the credible Prelares so well learned, so holy and so indifferent which examined Bilney and Artery, be also all nameless.) M. Horsey took his pardon, because Moore. Horsey. it is not good, to refuse God's pardon and the kings. Tyndall. God's pardon can no man Tyndall. have except he knowledge himself a sinner. And even so he that receiveth the kings yieldeth himself guilty. And moreover it is not possible that he which If we be not guilty, we need no pardon. putteth his trust in God, should for fear of the xii. men or of his judges, receive pardon for that he never was faulty unto the dishonouring of our saviour jesus, but would have denied it rather unto the death. And thereto, if the matter were so clear as you jest it out, than I am sure the kings graces both courtesy and wisdom, would have charged the judges Moore would excuse the murder of Hun. to have examined the evidence laid against him diligently & so to have quit him with more honesty then to give him pardon of that he never trespassed in, and to have rid the spirituality out of hate and all suspicion. Then saith he Hun was sore suspect Hun. of heresy and convict. And after he saith Hun was an heretic in deed and in peril so to be proved. And then ☜ how was he convict? I herded say, that he was first convict, when he was dead and then they did wrong to burn him, till they had spoken with him, to were whether he would abjure or no. M. The Bishop of London, was wise, virtuous and cunning. Moore. Tyndall. For all those three yet he Tyndall. would have made the old Deane Colet of Paul's an heretic, for translating Doetour Lolet. the Pater n●ster in English, had not the Bishop of Canterbury holp the Dean. The xuj. Chapter. THe messenger asketh him, if there be an old lawful translation before Wicleffes, how happeneth it that it is Old translation. in so few men's hands, seeing so many desire it? He answereth the Printer dare not Print it and then hung on a doubtful trial, whether it were translated sense or before, for if it were translated sense, it must be first approved. What may not M. Moore say by authority Moore was a subtle Poet. of his Poetry? there is a lawful translation that no man knoweth, which is as much as no lawful translation. Why might not the bishops show which were that lawful translation & let it be Printed? Nay if that might have been obtained of them with large money it had be Printed you may be sure long year this. But Sir answer me here unto, how happeneth that you defenders translate not one yourselves, to cease the mumur of the people, & put to your own gloss, to prevent heretics? you would no doubt have done it long sense, if you The having of the Scripture in English is utterly against the minds of the Popish Clergy. could have made your gloss agreed with the text in every place. And what can you say to this, how that beside they have done their best to disannul all translating by Parliament, they have disputed before the kings grace, that is it perilous and not meet and so concluded that it shall not be, under a pretence of deferring it of certain years: where M. Moore was their special Orator, to fain lies for their purpose. M. Nothing discourageth the Clergy Moore. so much as that they of the worst sort most calleth after it. Tyndall. It might well be, Phariseis Tyndall. full of holiness long not after it, but Publicans that hunger after mercy might sore desire it. Howbeit, it is in very deed a suspect thing & a great sign of an heretic to require it. Then he iuggleth with allegories. The scripture was first delivered to the p●op●e in their vulgere's tongue Sir Moses delivered them all that he had received of God & that in the mother tongue, in which all that had the heart thereto studied and not the Priests only as thou mayst see in the Scripture. And the Apostles kept nothing behind, as Paul testified Acts xx. how he had showed them all the counsel of God & had kept naught back. Should the lay people less harken unto the expositions of the Prelates in doubtful places, if the text were in their hands when they preached? M. The jews give great reverence Moore. unto the Bible and we sit on it. Tyndall. The Pope putteth it under Tyndall. his feet and treadeth on it, in token that he is Lord over it that it should serve him, and he not it. M. God hath ordained the ordinaries Moore. for chief Physicians. Tyndall. They be Lawyers ordained Tyndall. of the Pope, and can no more skill of the Scripture than they that never see it: you and have professed a contrary doctrine. They be right hangmen to The ordina●… are hangmen to such as desire the knowledge of the scripture. murder who soever desireth for that doctrine that God hath given to be the ordinary of our faith and living. And when he maketh so great difficulty and hardness in Paul's Epistles. I say, it is impossible to understand either Peter or Paul or aught at all in the scripture, for him that denieth that justifying of faith in Christ's blood. And again, it is impossible to understand in the None can understand the Scripture except he knew scripture more than a Turk, for whosoever hath not the law of God written in his heart to fulfil it. Of which point and of true faith to, I fear me that you are void and empty with all your spirituality, whose defender you Christ to be his justification. have taken upon you to be, for to mock out the truth for lucre and vantage. An answer to M. Moor's fourth book. Christes' church hath the true doctrine already, Moore. and the self same that S. Paul would not give an Angel audience unto the contrary. Tyndall. But the Tyndall. Pope's Church will not hear that doctrine. Moore. Confirmed with such a multitude of miracles, and so much blood of Moore. martyrs, and common consent of all Christendom. Tyndall. Who showed a miracle to confirm his preaching of ear confession Tyndall. and Pardons with like pedlery? Ear confession and pardons were never confirmed by miracle. or who shed his blood for them? I can show you many thousands that you have slain for preaching the contrary. And again, Grecia the one half of Christendom consenteth not unto them, which Greeks, if such things had come from the Apostles, should have had them ere you. M. The spirituality be not so tender eared, but that they may hear their sins Moore. rebuked. Tyndall. They consent not unto the way of truth, but sin of malice, and Tyndall. of profession. And therefore as they have no power to repent, even so can they The Popish spirituality are tyrants & persecutors not but persecute both him that rebuketh them and his doctrine to, after the ensamples of the Phariseis and all tyrants that begun before, namely, if the preacher touch any ground where by they should be reform, or by what means they maintain their mischief. The second Chapter. MOre. A Friars living that hath married Moore. a Nun, maketh it easy to know that his doctrine is not good. Tyndall. The profession of either other Tyndall. is plain Idolatry, and deceiving of a man's soul and robbing him of his good, and taken upon them ignorantly thereto. Wherefore when they be come unto the knowledge of the truth, they aught no longer therein to abide, but the Pope's forbidding Matrimony and to eat of meats created of God Pope forbiddeth matrimony & the eating of meats. for man's use, which is devilish doctrine by Paul's prophesy, his giving licence to hold whores, his continual occupying of Princes in shedding of Christian blood, his robbing of the poor throughout Christendom of all that was given to maintain them, his setting up in Rome a stues not of women The wicked & monstrous doings of the Pope. only, but of the male kind also against nature, and a thousand abominations to gross for a Turk, are tokens good enough that he is the right Antichrist and his doctrine sprung of the devil. Moore. In penance Martin says there Moore. needeth no contrition nor satisfaction. Tyndall. Call it repentance and then Tyndall. it is contrition of itself. And as for mends making with worldly things, that do to thy brother whom thou hast offended, and unto God offer the repentance of thy heart, and the satisfaction of Christ's blood. M. Tyndall says that the confessor Moore. uttereth the confessions of them that be rich. But yet we see that both rich and poor keep whores openly without paying penny. Tyndall. If they be very rich they Tyndall. be suffered, because they may be good defenders of the spiritualty, and if they be very poor, because they have no money to pay, or else they fine with one or other secretly. Moore. Upon that lie Tyndall buildeth Moore. the destruction of the sacrament of penance. Tyndall. Sacrament is a sign signifying Tyndall. what I should do or believe, or both. As Baptim is the sign of repentance, signifying that I must repent All Sacraments teach us what to do, or what to believe. of evil, and believe to be saved therefrom by the blood of Christ. Now Sir in your penance describe us which is the sign and the outward sacrament, and what is the thing that▪ I must do or believe, and then we will ensearch whether it may be a sacrament or no. Moore. Tyndall says that confession is the worst invention that ever was. Moore. Tyndall. As you fashion it mean I, Tyndall. and of that filthy priapishe confession which you spew in the ear wherewith Ear confession destroyeth the benefit of Christ's blood. you exclude the forgiveness that is in Christ's blood for all that repent and believe therein, and make the people believe that their sins be never forgiven until they be shriven unto the Priest, and then for no other cause save that they have there told them, and for the holy deeds to come which the confessor hath enjoined them more profitable oft-times for himself then any man else. Moore. Never man had grace to spy Moore. that before Tyndall. Tyndall. Yes very many. For many nations never received it. And the Tyndall. Greeks when they had proved it, and see the bawdry that followed of it, put it down again. For which cause and to know all secrets, and to lead the consciences captive, the Pope falsely maintaineth it. M. What fruit would then come of Moore. penance? Tyndall.▪ Of your juggling term Tyndall. Repentance penance I can not affirm. But of repentance would come this fruit, that no man that had it, should sin willingly, but every man should continually fight against his flesh. Moore. He teacheth that the sacrament Moore. hath no virtue at all, but by faith only. Tynd. The faith of a repenting soul Tyndall. Sacrament. in Christ's blood doth justify only. And the sacrament standeth in as good stead as a lively preacher. And as the preacher justifieth me not, but my faith in the doctrine: even so the sign justifieth not, but the faith in the promise which the sacrament signifieth & preacheth. And to preach is all the virtue of the sacrament. And where the sacraments preach not, there they have no virtue at all. And sir we teach not as you do, to believe in the sacrament or in holy church, but to believe the sacrament and holy church. Moore. He teacheth that faith sufficeth Moore. faith. unto salvation without good works. Tyndall. The Scripture saith, that Tyndall. assoon as a man repenteth of evil, & believeth in Christ's blood, he obtaineth mercy immediately, because he should love God, and of that love do good works, and that he tarrieth not in sin still till he have done good works, and then is first forgiven for his works sake, as the Pope beareth his in hand, excluding the virtue of Christ's blood. For a man must be first reconciled The P●pistes a●● slanderous of the Gospel. unto God by Christ and in God's favour, year his works can be good and pleasant in the sight of god. But we say not as some damnably lie on us, that we should do evil to be justified by faith, as thou mayst see Rom. iij. how they said of the Apostles for like preaching. M. He calleth it sacrilege to please god with good works. Moore. Wo●… Tyndall. Tyndall. To refer the work unto the person of God to buy out thy sin therewith, is to make an Idol of god or a creature. But if thou refer●e thy work unto thy neighbour's profit or taming of thy own flesh, than thou pleasest God therewith. Moore. Item that a man can do no good Moore. work. Tyndall. It is false. But he saith a Tyndall. man can do no good work till he believe that his sins be forgiven him in Christ, and till he love God's law, and have obtained grace to work with. And then saith he that we can not do our works so perfectly, by the reason We can do no good work except we believe that our sins are forgiven in Christ. of our corrupt flesh, but that there is some imper●ectnes therein, as in the works of them that be not their crafts master. Which is yet not reckoned, because they do their good wills, and be scholars & go to school to learn to do better. M. Item that the good and righteous Moore. sin.. man sinneth always in doing well. Tyndall. In all his works there Tyndall. lacketh somewhat and is a fault until he do them with as great love unto his neighbour as Christ did for him and as long as there is more resistance in his flesh then was in Christ's, or less hope in God: and then no longer. M. Item that no sin damneth a man Moore. Vnbel●efe. save unbelief. Tyndall. What soever a man hath Tyndall. done, if he repent and believe in Christ, it is forgiven him. And so it followeth, that no sin damneth save there where there is no belief. M. Item that we have no free-will to do Moore. Frewill. aught therewith, though the grace of God be joined thereto, and that God doth all in us both good and bad and we do but suffer as wax doth of the workman. Tyndall. First where he affirmeth Tyndall. that we say, our will is not free to do good and to help to compel the members, when God hath given us grace to love his laws, is false. But we say that we have no free-will to captivate our wits and understanding, for to believe the pope in what soever he says without reason giving, when we found in the Scripture contrary testimony, and see in him so great falsehood and deeds so abominable and thereto all the signs by which the Scripture teacheth us to know Antichrist. And we affirm that we have no free-will We have no free-will to prevent grace & prepare ourselves. to prevent God & his grace, & before grace prepare ourselves thereto, neither can we consent unto God before grace be come. For until god have prevented us & powered the spirit of his grace into our souls, to love his laws, and hath graven them in our hearts by the outward ministration of his true preacher and inward working of his spirit or by inspiration only, we know no● God as he is to be known nor feel the goodness or any sweetness in his law. How then can we consent thereto▪ Saith not the text, that we can do no good Math. 12. while we be evil, and they which seek glory and to climb in honour above john. 5. their brethren can not believe the truth, and that whores, thieves, murderers, 1. Cor. 6. extortioners & such like have no part in the kingdom of God & Christ nor any feeling thereof? And who shall take those diseases from them? God only through his mercy, for they can not put The hearing of god's word causeth repentance. of that complexion of themselves, until they be taught to believe and to feel that it is damnable and to consent unto the contrary living. And unto the second part I answer, that in respect of God we do but suffer only and receive power to john. 19 do all our deeds whether we do good or bad, as Christ answered pilate, that he could have no power against him except it were given him from above, and no more could judas neither. There can be no repentance in us but god doth first work in us by his grace. But in respect of the thing, wherein or wherewith we work and shed out again the power that we have received, we work actually. As the axe doth nothing in respect of the hand that heweth, save receive: but in respect of the tree that is cut, it worketh actually & poureth out again the power that it hath received. M. Item that God is author of good Moore. and evil: as well of the evil will of judas in betraying Christ, as of the good will of Christ in suffering his passion. Tyndall. The power wherewith we Tyndall. do good and evil is of God & the will is of God. As the power which the murderer All power that we have to good or evil is of God: But the crooked and naughty usage of the same is of our own c●●kerd & corrupt nature. abuseth and wherewith he killeth a man unrighteously is of God & the will wherewith he willeth it. But the wickedness of his will and crookedness or frowardness wherewith he sleath unrighteously, to avenge himself & to satisfy his own lusts, & the cause why he knoweth not the law of God and consenteth not to it, which law should have informed his will and corrected the crookedness thereof and have taught him to use his will & his power right, is his blindnesses fault only and not Gods. Which blindness the devil hath poisoned him with. M. Item matrimony is no Sacrament. Moore. matrimony. Tyndall. Tyndall. Matrimony is a similitude of the kingdom of heaven, as are many things more, like as it appeareth by Christ in the Gospel. But who institute it to be a Sacrament? Or who at his marriage was taught the signification of it? Who was ever bond to receive it in the name of a Sacrament. I Matrimony can be no Sacrament except a doctrine be added thereunto that the people may know the benefit of Christ that we have by matrimony would to Christ's blood that you would make a Sacrament of it unto all men and women that be married and unto all other, and would at every marriage teach the people to know the benefit of Christ through the similitude of Matrimony. And I affirm that in the pope's Church there is no Sacrament. For where no signification is, there is no Sacrament. A sign is no sign unto him that understandeth naught thereby: as a speech is no speech unto him that understandeth it not. I would to Christ's passion that you would let them be Sacraments which Christ institute & ordained for Sacraments. And then if you make of your own brains five hundred thereto I would not be so greatly grieved, though I would not give my consent unto so great a multitude, partly for the bondage, and specially jest we should in time to come, the significations of them lost, fall into Idolatry again and make holy works of them, after the example of the blindness wherein we be now, but I would have the word ever lively preached out of the plain text. M. Item that all holy orders be but Moore. Orders. men's invention. Tyndall. The office of an Apostle, Tyndall. Bishop, Priest, Deacon, and Widow, are of God: But as concerning the shaning, the oiling and diversity of raiment and many degrees sense added thereto, prove that they be but men's traditions. But and you will make Sacraments No Sacrament is without signification. of the oiling, shaning, shearing, and garments, put their significations unto them and let the kings grace compel them to keep them and I admit them for Sacraments, and until that time I hold them for the false signs of hypocrites. M. Itemm that every man and woman Moore. Consecrated. is a Priest and may consecrated the body of Christ. Tyndall. In bodily service if the officer Tyndall. appointed be away, every other person not only may, but also is bound to help at need, even so much as his neighbour's dog. How much more than aught men to assist one an other in the health of their souls, at all times of need? if the man be away, the woman may and is bond to baptize in time of need, by the law of love, which office pertaineth unto the priest only. If she be Lady over the greatest ordained by God, that she may baptize, why should Women that are virtuous and discrete may in cases of necessity minister the Sacraments as well as the Priest. she not have power also over the less, to minister the ceremonies which the Pope hath added to, as his oil, his salt, his spitell, his candle and cresomcloth? And why might she not pray all the prayers, except that Idol the pope be greater than the very God? if women had brought a child to Church & while the Priest & other men tarried the child were in jeopardy, might they not baptize him in the font, if there were no other water by? And if other water were by, yet if that holp better one mite, love requireth to baptize him therein. And then why might not women touch all their other oil? If a woman learned in Christ were driven unto an isle where Christ was never preached, might she not there preach and teach to minister the Sacraments and make officers? The case is possible, show them what should let that she might not? love thy neighbour as thyself doth compel. Nay, she may not consecrat. Why? If the pope loved us as well as Christ, he would find no fault therewith, though a woman at need ministered that Sacrament if it be so necessary as you make it. In bodily wealth, he that would have me one ace less than himself, loveth me not as well as himself how much more aught we to love one an other in things pertaining unto the soul? M. Item that the host is no sacrifice. Moore. Sacrifice. Tyndall. Tyndall. Christ is no more killed. It is therefore the Sacrament sign & memorial of that sacrifice wherewith Christ offered his body for our sins and commanded saying, this do in the remembrance of me. We be not holp with any visible deed that the Priest there doth, save in that it putteth us in remembrance of Christ's death & passion for our sins. As the garments and strange holy gestures, help us not, but in that they put us in remembrance of things that Christ suffered for us in his passion. Even so the showing, breaking, and eating of the host, the showing and drinking of the cup of Christ's blood, and the words and the consecration, help us not a pin, nor are god's service, save only in that they stir up our repenting faith to call to mind the death and passion of Christ for our sins. And therefore to call it a sacrifice, is but abused speech, In ensample. as when we call one that is new come home to breakfast and set a Capon before him and say, this is your welcome home, meaning yet by that speech, that it is but a sign of the love of mine heart The supper of the Lord is given us to be a memorial of his death once offered for all. which rejoiceth and is glad that he is come home safe and sound. And even so is this but the memorial of the very sacrifice of Christ once done for al. And if you would no otherwise mean, you shall have my good will to call it so still, or if you can show me a reason of some other meaning. And therefore I would that it had been called (as it in deed is and as it was commanded to be) Christ's Christ's memorial Mass. memorial, though that I doubt not but that it was called Mass of his He brew word Misach, which signifieth a a pension giving, because that at every Mass, men gave every man a portion according unto his power unto the in stentation of the poor. Which offering yet remaineth. But to a false use and profit of them that have too much, as all other things are perverted. Finally it is the same thing that it was when Christ institute it at his last supper. If it were then the very sacrificing of Christ's body, and had that same virtue and power with it that his very passion after wrought, why was he sacrificed so cruelly on the morrow, and not hold excused therewith, seeing he was there verily sacrificed? M. Item that there remaineth bread Moore. Bread. and wine in the sacrament Tyndall. Improve it. What is that Tyndall. that is broken, and that the Priest eateth with his teeth, air only? if a child were fed with no other food he should wax haply as long as his father. Whereof then should his body, his flesh and bones grow? whereof should that come (with reverence I speak it) that he pisseth and so forth? all by miracle will they say. O what wonderful miracles must we feign to save Antichristes doctrine, I might with as The corrupt and vain disputations of men to prove christ to be really in the Sacrament. good reason say that the host is neither round nor white, but that as my mouth is deceived in the taste of bread, even so mine eyes are in the sight of roundness, and so is there nothing at all. Which all are but the disputations of men with corrupt minds, without spirit to judge. Never the later when the Priest hath once rehearsed the testament of our saviour thereon. I look not on bread and wine, but on the body of Christ broken, and blood shed for my sins, and by that faith am I saved from the damnation of my sins. Neither come I to Mass for any other purpose then to fet forgiveness for Christ's deaths sake, nor for any other purpose say I Confiteor, & knowledge my sins at the beginning of Mass. And if you have other doctrine, teach us a reason & lead us in light, & we will follow. Christ saith john. xi. john. 〈◊〉 it is the spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing at all, the words which I speak says he are spirit and life. That is, the fleshly eating and drinking of Christ's body and blood profit not, as his carnal presence profited not, by the reason of his presence only, as you see by judas and the Phariseis, and the soldiers that touched him, and how his bodily presence did let the disciples to understand spiritually. But to eat and drink in the spirit, that is, to hearken unto his words, and with a repenting heart to believe in his death, bringeth us all that Christ can do for us. Moore. Item that the mass availeth no Moore. Mass. man but the Priest. Tyndall. If you speak of the prayers, Tyndall. his prayers help us as much as ours him. If you speak of the sacrament, The Sacrament of Christ's body when it is faithfully ministered doth profit as many as do believe in Christ's death. it helpeth as many as be present as much as him, if moved thereby they be leave in Christ's death as well as he. If they be absent, the sacrament profiteth them as much as a sermon made in the church helpeth them that be in the fields. And how profiteth it the souls of the dead tell me, unto whom it is no sign? If you mean the carnal eating and drinking, than it profiteth the Priest only, for he eateth and drinketh up all alone, and giveth no man part with him. Moore. Item that a man should not be Moore. howseled till he lay a dying. Tynd. That is to shameless a lie. Tyndall. M. Item that men and women should Moore. Touch. Tyndall. not spare to touch it. Tynd. A perilous case. Why? Because the Pope hath not oiled them. Nevertheless Christ hath anointed them with his spirit and with his blood. But wots you why? The Pope thinketh if they should be too busy in handling it, they would believe that there were bread, and for that cause to strength their faiths, he hath imagined little pretty thin manchetes that shine thorough, and seem more like to be made of paper or fine Parchment then of wheat flower. About which was no small question in Oxford of late days, whether it were bread or none: some affirming that the flower with long lying in water was turned to starch, and had lost his nature. M. Item that the sacrament should not Moore. Worship. be worshipped. Tyndall. It is the Sacrament of Tyndall. Christ's body and blood. And Christ calleth it the new and everlasting testament in his blood, and commanded that we should so do in the remembrance of him, that his body was broken and his blood shed for our sins. And Paul commandeth thereby to show or preach the Lords death. They say not pray to it, neither put any faith therein. For I may not believe in the sacrament, but I must believe The true worshipping of the Sacrament, is to believe that it is a true sign that Christ suffered death for us. the Sacrament, that it is a true sign, and it true that is signified thereby (which is the only worshipping of the Sacrament, if you give it other worship you plainly dishonour it). As I may not believe in Christ's Church, but believe Christ's Church, that the doctrine which they preach of Christ is true. If you have any other doctrine, teach us a reason and lead us in light, and we will follow. Moore. Item that a Christian is not bond to keep any law made by man or any Moore. at all. Tynd. You say untruly: a Christian man is bond to obey tyranny: if it be Tyndall. not against his faith nor the law of God, until God deliver him thereof. But he is no Christian man that bindeth him to any thing save that which love and his neighbour's necessity requireth of them. And when a law made, is no longer profitable, Christian rulers aught to break it. But now a days when tyrants have got the simple people under, they compel them to serve their lusts and wily tyranny, without respect of any common wealth. Which wily tyranny, because the truth rebuketh it, is the cause why they persecute it, lest the common people seeing how good they should be, and feeling how wicked they are, should withdraw their necks from their unrighteous yoke. As you have ensample in Herode, in the Scribes and Phariseis, and in many other. Moore. Item that there is no Purgatory. Moore. Purgatory Tyndall. Believe in Christ and thou Tyndall. shalt shortly find purgatoryes enough, as you now make other feel. M. Item that all souls lie and sleep Moore. Souls sleep. Tyndall. till domes day. Tyndall. And you in putting them in heaven, hell, and purgatory, destroy the arguments wherewith Christ & Paul prove the resurrection. What God doth with them, that shall we know when we come to them. The true faith The souls departed rest at God's will & pleasure. putteth the resurrection which we be warned to look for every hour. The Heathen Philosophers denying that, did put that the souls did ever live. And the Pope joineth the spiritual doctrine of Christ and the fleshly doctrine of philosophers together, things so contrary that they can not agreed, no more than the spirit and the flesh do in a Christian man. And because the fleshly minded Pope consenteth unto heathen doctrine, therefore he corrupteth the scripture to establish it. Moses saith in Deut. the secret things pertain Deut. 2●. unto the Lord, and the things that be opened pertain unto us, that we do all that is written in the book. Wherefore Sir if we loved the laws of God and would occupy ourselves to fulfil them, and would on the other side be meek and let God alone with his secrets and suffer him to be wiser than we, we should make none article of the faith of this or that. And again, if the souls be in heaven, tell me why they be not in as good case as the Angels be? And then what cause is there of the resurrection? M. Item no man shall pray to saints. Moore. Saintes. Tyndall. Tyndall. When you speak with saints that be departed, it is not evil to put them in remembrance to pray for you. M. Why do they not hear us? Moore. Tyndall. If they love you so fervently Tyndall. and be so great with God, why certify they you not, that they so do? Moore. So they do in that we feel our Moore. petitions granted. Tyndall. God saved the old Idolaters Tyndall. with worldly salvation, and gave them their petitions, which they yet asked of their Idols, as you see thorough out all the old testament. God heareth the crows, fowls, beasts, and worms of the earth, as the text says, men and beasts doth God save, which beasts yet pray not to God. The jews and Turks doth god save in this world, and giveth them their worldly petitions, which yet worship not God, as his godly nature is to be worshipped but after their own Saints are not to be called upon, for we have no promise nor assurance that either they hear us or can profit us. imagination: not in the spirit with faith, hope, and love, but with bodily service as the Pope doth. As the popish serve S. Appoline for the tooth ache and are healed: even so the jews and Turks be healed and pray not to her, but serve God after an other manner for the same disease. So that God doth save in this world all that keep the worldly laws worldly, that is to weet, outward in the body for bodily reward and not in the heart of love that springeth out of the mercy that God hath given us in Christ, which same, though they be Turks, if they break the worldly laws, he rebuketh them, as the Ninivites and punisheth them diversly. And if they knowledge their sin and mend, he healeeh them again. But and if they harden and sin as beasts, and will not amend, he destroyeth them utterly as the Sodomites. And yet all such have no part in the life to come. But with his children in whose hearts he writeth the faith of his son The children of god are obedient to his laws. jesus and the love of his laws, he goeth otherwise to work his laws in their will: and their petitions are his honour & their neighbour's wealth: and that he will provide them of all things necessary unto this life, and govern them that their hearts be not overcome of evil. And he heareth them unto his honour and their everlasting salvation, and purgeth them and teacheth them things whereof the popish and all they whose hearts the God of this world hath blinded, to serve God with works, hath no feeling. And when he saith, that the Emperor Images. and that counsel which decreed that Images for the abuse should be put out of the church, were heretics. It is much easier so to say, then so to prove. Understand therefore, that Images were not yet received in the Church in the time of S. Jerome, at the lest way generally, whether in some one Jerome. place or not, I can not tell. For S. Jerome rehearseth of one Epiphanius a Bishop in the country of Cypress, & that the most perfect of all the Bishops of his time, how that the said Epiphanius Images were not allowed in the primitive church & the Bishop of jerusalem went together to bethel, & by the way they entered into a Church for to pray and there found a veil hanging before the door and an image: painted thereon, as it had been of Christ or some Saint. For the Bishop was so moved therewith because saith S. Jerome, that it Epiphanius cut the Image. was contrary to the Scripture, that he cut & counseled to bury some dead there in, and sent an other clot to hung in the stead. And afterward when they were crept in a little and little: there was no worshipping of them, at the lest way generally until the time of S. Gregory. In so much that when Cirenus the Bishop of Massilia offended with the superstitiousness of the people burned them, S. Gregory written that he should not destroy Gregory Cirenus. the Images, but teach only that the people should not worship them. But when it was so far come that the people worshipped them with a false faith (as we now know no other use) and were no longer memorials only, than the Bishops of Grece & the Emperor A Council gathered in Grece did put down all Images. gathered them together, to provide a remedy against that mischief & concluded that they should be put down for the abuse, thinking it so most expedient, having for them, first the example of God whom a man may boldly follow, which commanded in the beginning of all his precepts, that there should be no image used to worship or pray before, not for the Image itself, but for the weakness of his people: and having again before their eyes, that the people were fallen unto Idolatry and imageseruing by the reason of them. Now answer me, by what reason caused thou make an heretic of him, that concludeth naught against God, but worketh with God & putteth that block out of the way, where at his brother the price of Christ's blood srombleth and loseth his soul. They put not down the images for hate of God and of his Saints, no more than Ezechias broke the brazen Serpent for envy Ezechias. of the great miracle that was wrought by it, or in spite of God that commanded it to be kept for a memorial. But to keep the people in the true faith only. Now seeing we may be all without Images are not to be had in Churches. images & to put them down is not against God's commandment but with it, namely if they be abused, to the dishonour of God and hurt of our neighbours, where is charity, if thou which knowest the truth and caused use thine image well, will't not yet forbear thine image and suffer it to be put out of the way, for thy weak brother's sake whom thou seest perish there through? yea & what thing maketh both the Turk & the jew abhor our faith so much as our imageservice? But the Pope was then glad to find an occasion to pick a quarrel with the Emperor, to get the Empire into his own hands, which thing he brought to pass with the sword of France & claim so high that eversence he hath put his own authority in stead of God's word in every general Council and hath concluded what him list, as against all god's word and against all charity he condemned that blessed deed of that Council and Emperor. M. They blaspheme our Lady and all Moore. Our Lady. Saints. Tyndall. That is untrue. We honour Tyndall. our blessed Lady and all holy Saints and follow their faith and living unto the uttermost of our power and submit ourselves to be scholars of the same school. M. They may not abide Salue regina. Moore. Salue Regina. Tyndall. Tyndall. For therein is much blasphemy unto our blessed Lady, because Christ is our hope and lice only and not she. And you in ascribing unto her that she is not, dishonour God & worship her not. M. They say if a woman being alive Mors. believe in God and love him as much as our Lady, she may help with her prayers as much as our Lady. Tyndall. Tell why not. Christ when Tyndall. it was told him that his mother & his brethren sought him, answered, that his mother, his sisters and his brethren Math. 12. were all they that did his father's will. And unto the woman that said to Christ, blessed be the womb that bore the and paps that gave thee suck, Christ answered, Nay blessed are they that hear Luke. 1●. the word of God & keep it. As Paul saith. 1. Cor. ix. I have naught to rejoice though I preach, for necessity lieth upon me, and woe is me, if I preach not. If I do it unwillingly, an office The prayers of all good women are aswell accepted of God as the prayers of our Lady. is committed unto me, but and if I do it with a good will, than I have a reward. So now carnal bearing of Christ and carnal giving him suck make not our Lady great. But our blessed ladies greatness is her faith and love wherein she exceeded other. Wherefore if God gave his mercy that an other woman were in those two points equal with her, why were she not like great and her prayers as much herded. M. Item that men should not worship Moore. Cross. Tyndall. the holy cross. Tyndall. With no false worship and superstitious faith, but as I have said, to have it in reverence for the memorial of him that died thereon. M. Item Luther hateth the feasts of the Moore. cross and of Corpus Christi. Tyndall. Not for envy of the cross Tyndall. which sinned not in the death of Christ nor of malice toward the blessed body of Christ, but for the idolatry used in those feasts. M. Item that no man or woman is bond to keep any vow. Moore. Vow. Tyndall. Tyndall. Lawful vows are to be kept until necessity break them. But unlawful vows are to be broken immediately. M. Martin appealed unto the next general Council that should be gathered Moore. Martin. Tyndall. in the holy ghost, to seek a long delay. Tyndall. Of a truth that were a long delay. For should Martin live, till the Pope would gather a Council in the holy ghost or for any godly purpose, he were like to be for every here of his head a thousand years old. Then bringeth he in the inconstancy of Martin, because he says in his later Martin. book, how that he seethe further than in his first. Peradventure, he is kin to our Doctors which when with preaching against pluralities All falsehood is not espied on in one 〈◊〉. they have got them three or four benefices, allege the same excuse. But yet to say the truth the very Apostles of Christ learned not all truth in one day. For long after the Ascension they witted not that the heathen should be received unto the faith. How then could Martin (brought up in the blindness of your sect above xl. years) spy out all your falsehood in one day. M. Martin offered at Worms before Moore. the Emperor and all the Lords of Germany, to abide by his book and to dispute, which he might well do, sithence he had his safe conduct that he should have no bodily harm. Tyndal. O merciful God, how come Tyndall. you out your own shame? you can not dispute except you have a man in your own danger to do him bodily harm, to diote him after your fashion, to torment him and to murder him. If you might have had him at your pleasure, you would have disputed with him: first with sophistry and corrupting the Scripture: ☜ then with offering him promotions: them with the sword. So that you would have been sure, to have overcome him with one Argument or other. M. He would agreed on no judges. Moore. Martin. Tyndall. Tyndall. What judges offered you him, sane blind Bishops and Cardinals, enemies of all truth, whose promotions and dignities they fear to be plucked from them, if the truth came to light, or such Judases as they had corrupt with money to maintain their sect? The Apostles might have admitted as well the heathen Bishops of Idols to have been their judges as he them. But he offered you authentic Scripture and the hearts of the whole world. Which ij. judges, if you had good consciences and trust in God, you would not have refused. The iiij. Chapter. THe fourth Chapter is not the first Poetry that he hath feigned. The u Chapter. IN the end of the fift he untruly reporteth, that Martin saith, no man is bond to keep any vow. Lawful promises are to be kept; and unlawful to he broken. The uj. Chapter. IN the beginning of the uj. he describeth Martin after the example of his own nature, as in other places he describeth God after the complexion of Popes, Cardinals & worldly tyrants. M. Martin will abide, but by the Scripture Moore. Martin. only. Tyndall. And you will come at no scripture Tyndall. only: And as for the old doctors you will hear as little; save where it pleaseth you, for all your crying, old holy fathers. For tell me this, why have you in England condemned the union Vn●●n. of Doctors, but because you would not have your falsehood disclosed by the doctrine of them. M. They say, that a Christian man is discharged of all laws spiritual and temporal Moore. save the Gospel. Tyndall. You juggle, we say that no Tyndall. Christian man aught to bind his brother violently, unto any law whereof he could not give a reason out of Christ's doctrine and out of the law of love. And on the other side we say, that a How far a Christian man is bound to suffer. Christian man is called to suffer wrong and tyranny (though no man aught to bind him) until God rid us thereof: so far yet as the tyranny is not directly against the law of God and faith of Christ, and no further. Moore. Martin was the cause of the destruction of the uplandish people of Germany. Moore. Tyndall. That is false, for than he Tyndall. could not have escaped himself. Martin was as much the cause of their confusion, as Christ of the destruction of jerusalem. The Duke elector of Saxon came from the war of those uplandish people and other Dukes with him into Wittenberg where Martin is, with xv. hundred men of arms, so that Martin if he had been guilty, could not have gone quite. And thereto all the Dukes and Lords that cleave unto the word of God this day, were no less cumbered with their common people than other men. Then after the loudest manner he setteth out the cruelness of the Emperor's soldiers which they used at Rome: but he maketh no mention of the treason which holy church wrought secretly, wherewith the men of war were so set on fire. The viii. Chapter. M. What good deed will he do, that Moore. believeth Martin, how that we have no free-will to do any good with the help of grace. Tyndall. O Poet without shame. Tyndall. Moore. Moore. What harm shall he care to forbear, that believeth Luther, how god alone; without our will worketh all the mischief that they do. Tyndall. O natural son of the father Tyndall. of all lies. Moore. What shall he care, how long Moore. he live in sin that believeth Luther, that he shall after this life feel neither good nor evil in body nor soul until the day of doom? Tyndall. Christ and his Apostles Tyndall. taught no other, but warned to look for Christ's coming again every hour. Which coming again; because you believe will never be, therefore have you feigned that other merchandise. M. Martin's books be open, if you will Moore. not believe us. Tyndall. Nay, you have shut them Tyndall. up, and therefore be bold to say what you lust. M. They live as they teach, and teach Moore. as they live. Tyndall. But neither teach nor live Tyndall. as other lie on them. The ix. Chapter. M. Though the Turk offer pleasures unto the receivers, and death unto Moore. the refusers of his sect (as the Pope doth) yet he suffereth none to break their promises of chastity dedicated to God (though haply they use no such vows, and as the Pope will not except it be for money) but Luther teacheth to break holy vows. Tyndall. Luther teacheth that unlaw Tyndall. full vows grounded on a false faith unto the dishonouring of God are to Unlawful vows are not to be observed. be broken and no other. And again, constrained service pleaseth not God. And thirdly, your Pope giveth licence and his blessing to break all lawful vows, but with the most unlawful of all will you not dispense. Then he bringeth forth the ensample of the heathen, to confirm the Pope's chastity. And no wrong, for the same false imagination that the heathen had in there's, hath the Pope in his. Understand therefore, if thou vow any indifferent thing, to please God in his Vows. own person, he receiveth not thine Idolatry: for his pleasure & honour is, that thou shouldst be as he hath made thee, and shouldst receive all such things of his hand and use them so farforth as they were needful, and give him thanks, and be bound to him: and not that thou shouldst be as thou hadst made thyself, & that he should receive such things of thee to be bound to thee, to thank thee & reward thee. And again, thou must give me a reason of thy vow out of the word of God. Moreover when thou All vows are to be made with great advisement. vowest lawfully, thou mayst not do it precisely, but always except, if thine own or thy neighbour's necessity required the contrary. As if thou hadst vowed never to eat flesh, or drink wine, or strong drink, to tame thy flesh, and thou afterward fellest in disease so that thy body in that behalf were to tame, or that there could no other sustenance be got. Than thou must interpret such cases except, though thou madest no mention of them at the making of thy vow. Some man would say, other shift might be made: What then? If other drink as We m●st use God's creatures for our nec●…e. hot as wine and of the same operation, and other meat of the same power and virtue as flesh is, must be had, why shouldst thou forswear wine or flesh, seeing it is now no longer for the taming of thy body. And so forth of all other, as I have above declared. And when he bringeth in the Apostles, martyrs, confessors, and xv. hundred years, it is clean contrary. For they had no such false imagination of chastity or of any other work: but they used it to serve their neighbour and to All our abstinence & chastising of our selves, is to our own profit. avoid trouble in time of persecution, and to be eased of that burden that was to heavy for their weak shoulders, and not to compel God to thank them for that liberty for which they be bond to thank him. The tenth Chapter. IN the tenth he inveigheth and raileth against that which neither he nor any Freewi●t. fleshly minded Papist can understand; as they have no power to consent unto the laws of God, which herein appeareth, that they compel their brethren which be as good as they, to do and believe what they lust, & not what God commandeth. He affirmeth that Martin saith, how that we do no sin ourselves with our own will, but that Moore blasphemeth God. God sinneth in us, and useth us as a dead instrument, and forceth us thereunto and damneth us, not for our own deeds but for his, and for his own pleasure, as he compelleth unto sin for his pleasure or rather he for his pleasure sinneth in us. I say, that a man sinneth voluntarily, but the power of the will and of the deed is of God, and every will and deed are good in the nature of the deed, and the evilness is a lack that there is, as the eye, though it be blind is good in nature, in that it is such a member created for such a good use: but it is called evil for lack of sight. And so are our deeds evil because we Our deeds are evil, because we lack know ledge to refer them unto the glory of God. lack knowledge and love to refer them unto the glory of God. Which lack cometh of the devil that blindeth us with lusts and occasions that we can not see the goodness and righteousness of the law of God & the means how to fulfil it. For could we see it, and the way to do it, we should love it naturally as a child doth a fair apple. For a child when as a man showeth him a fair apple, and will not give it him weary, so should we naturally mourn when the members would not come forward to fulfil the law according to the desire of our hearts. For Paul saith. ij. Cor. iiij. If our 2. Cor. 4. Gospel be hide, it is hide unto them that perish, among which the God of this world hath blinded the wits of the unbelievers, that the light of the glorious gospel of Christ should not shine The devil is the blinder & kepee of us from the understanding of gods will. to them. And Christ saith that the birds eat up the seed sown upon the way, and interpreteth by the seed the word, and by the fowls, the devil. So that the devil blindeth us with falsehood and lies which is our worldly The devil is the blinde● and keeper of us from the understanding of Gods wil wisdom, and therewith stoppeth out the true light of God's wisdom, which blindness is the evilness of all our deeds. And on the other side, that an other man loveth the laws of God and useth the power that he hath of god well, and referreth his will and his deeds unto the honour of God, cometh of the mercy of God which hath opened his wits, and showed him light to see the goodness and righteousness of the law of God, and the way that is in Christ to fulfil it, whereby he loveth it naturally and trusteth to do it. Why doth God open one man's eyes & not an others? Paul Rom. ix. forbiddeth to ask why. For it is to deep for man's We may not be curious to search gods secrets. capacity. God we see is honoured thereby, and his mercy set out, and the more seen in the vessels of mercy. But the popish can suffer God to have no secret hide to himself. They have searched to come to the bottom of his bottomless wisdom, and because they can not attain to that secret and be to proud to let it alone, and to grant themselves ignorant with the Apostle that known no other than God's glory A Papistical opinion. in the elect, they go and set up free-will with the heathen philosophers, and say that a man's free-will is the cause why God chooseth one and not an other, contrary unto all the scripture. Paul says it cometh not of the will nor of the deed, but of the mercy of God. And they say that every man hath at the lest way power in his free-will, to deserve that power should be given him of god to keep the law. But the scripture testifieth that Christ hath deserved for the elect, even then when they hated God, that their eyes should be opened to see the goodness of the law of God, and the way to fulfil it, and forgiveness of all that is passed, whereby they be drawn to love it and to hate sin. I ask the popish one question whether the will can prevent a man's wit Witte, reason, & judgement goeth before will. and make the wit see the righteousness of the law, and the way to fulfil it in Christ? If I must first see the reason why year I can love, how shall I with my will do that good thing that I know not of? how shall I thank God for the mercy that is laid up for me in Christ, year I believe it. For I must believe the mercy year I can love the work. Now faith cometh not of our free-will, but is the grace of God given us by grace year there be any will in our hearts to do the law of Faith is the gift of God & cometh not by free wil God. And why God giveth it not every man I can give no reckoning of his judgements. But well I wots, I never deserved it, nor prepared myself unto it, but ran an other way clean contrary in my blindness, and sought not that way, but he sought me, and found me out, and showed it me, and therewith drawn me to him. And I bow the knees of mine heart unto god night and day, that he will show it all other men. And I suffer all that I can to be a servant to open their eyes. For well I wots they can not see of themselves before God have prevented them with his grace. For Paul says Phil. i he that began a good work in Phil. 1. you shall continued or bring it unto a full end, so that God must beginue to work in us. And Phil. ij. God it is Phil. 2. that worketh both the willing and also bringing to pass. And it must needs God is the first worker & bringger to pass of our well doings. be, for God must open mine eyes, and show me somewhat and make me see the goodness of it, to draw me to him, year I can love, consent, or have any actual will to come. And when I am willing, he must assist me and help to tame my flesh, and to overcome the occasions of the world, and the power of the fendes. God therefore hath a special care for his Math. 24. elect, in so much that he will shorten the wicked days for their sakes, in which no man, if they should continued might endure. And Paul suffereth all for the elect. ij. Timothy. ij. And God's sure foundation standeth saith Paul, God knoweth his. So that refuse the truth who shall, God will keep a number of his mercy, and call them out of blindness; to testify the truth unto the rest, that their damnation may be with out excuse. The Turk, the jew and the Popish build upon free-will & ascribe their justifying unto their works. The Turk when he hath sinned, runneth to the purifyings or ceremonies of Mahomet, and the jew to the ceremonies of Moses, and the Pope unto his own ceremonies, to fet forgiveness of their sins. And the Christian goeth The Christians seek help of Christ. through repentance toward the law, unto the faith that is in Christ's blood. And the Pope says that the ceremonies of Moses justified not, compelled with the words of Paul. And how then should his justify? Moses' Sacraments were but signs of promises of faith, by which faith the believers are justified, and even so be Christ's also. And now because the jews have put out the significations of their Sacraments and put their trust in the works of them, therefore they be Idolaters, and so is the Pope for like purpose. The Pope saith that Christ died O abominable blasphemy. not for us, but for the Sacraments, to give them power to justify. O Antichrist. The xj. Chapter. HIs xj. chapter is as true as his story Doct. Ferman. of Utopia & all his other Poetry. He means Doctor Ferman person of honey lane. Whom after they had handled after their secret manner and disputed with secretly and had made him swear that he should not utter how he was dealt with, as they have made many other, than they contrived a manner of disputations had with him, with such oppositions, aunswearynges and arguments as should serve only to set forth their purpose. As M. More throughout all his book maketh, quoth Master doctor Fermon was a virtuous godly and learned man he, to dispute and move questions after such a manner as he can soil them or make them appear soiled, and maketh him grant where he listeth and at the last to be concluded and lad whether M. Moore will have him. Wherefore I will not rehearse all the arguments, for it were to long, and is also not to be believed that he so made them or so disputed with them, but that they added and pulled away & feigned as they list as their guise is. But I will declare in light that which M. Moore ruffeleth up in darkness, that you may see their falsehood. First if you were not false hypocrites, A true note to know hypocrites. why had you not disputed openly with him, that the world might have herded and born record, that that which you now say of him were true? what cause is there that the lay people might not as well have herded his words of his own mouth, as read them of your writing, except you were juggling spirits that walk in darkness? When M. More saith, the Church teacheth that men should not trust in their works, it is false if he mean the Popes Church. For they teach a man to trust in domme ceremonies & Sacraments, in penance and all manner works that come them to profit, which yet help not unto repentance nor to faith nor to love a man's neighbour. M. Moore declareth the meaning of no sentence, he describeth the proper signification of no word, nor the difference of the significations of any term, but runneth forth confusedly in unknown words and general terms. And where one word hath many significations he maketh a man some time believe that many things are but one thing, and some time he leadeth from one signification unto an other & mocketh a man's wits. As he iuggleth M. Moore 〈◊〉 a iuggle● with terms. with this term Church, making us in the beginning understand all that believe, and in the conclusion the Priests only. He telleth not the office of the law, he describeth not his penance nor the virtue thereof or use, he declareth no Sacrament, nor what they mean nor the use nor wherein the fruit of confession standeth, nor whence the power of the absolution cometh, nor wherein it rests, nor what justifying means, nor the order nor showeth any diversity of faiths, as though all faiths were one faith and one thing. Mark therefore, the way toward justifying or forgiveness of sin, is the The order of justifying. law. God causeth the law to be preached unto us & writeth it in our hearts and maketh us by good reasons feel that the law is good and aught to be kept and that they which keep it not are worthy to be damned. And on the other side I feel that there is no power in me, to keep the law whereupon it would shortly follow that I should despair, if I were not shortly ho●pe. But A lively description of our 〈◊〉 fication. God which hath begun to cure me and hath laid that corosy unto my sores, goeth forth in his cure, and setteth his son jesus before me and all his passions and death, and saith to me: this is my dear son, and he hath prayed for thee & hath suffered all this for thee, and for his sake I will forgive thee all that thou hast done against this good law, and I will heal thy flesh & teach thee to keep this law, if y● will't learn. And I will bear with thee & take all a worth that thou dost, till thou caused do better. And in the mean season, not withstanding thy weakness, I will yet love thee no less than I do the angels in heaven, so thou will't be diligent to learn. And I will assist thee and keep thee and defend thee and be thy shield and care for thee. And the heart here beginneth to mollify and wax soft & to receive health and believeth the mercy of God and in believing is saved from the fear of everlasting death, and made sure of everlasting life, and then being overcome The great mercy and kindness of God moveth man to repentance. with this kindness, beginneth to love again and to submit herself unto the law of God to learn them and to walk in them. Note now the order, first God giveth me light to see the goodness and righteousness of the law, & mine own sin and unrighteousness. Out of which knowledge springeth repentance. The right order of our justification. Now repentance teacheth me not that the law is good, and I evil, but a light that the spirit of God hath given me, out of which light repentance springeth. Then the same spirit worketh in mine heart trust and confidence to believe the mercy of God and his truth, that he will do as he hath promised. Which belief saveth me. And immediately out of that trust springeth love toward the law of God again. And what soever a man worketh of any other love than this it pleaseth not God, nor is that love godly. Now love doth not receive this mercy but faith only, out of which faith love springeth, by which love I power out again upon my neighbour that goodness which I have received of God by faith. Hereof you see that I can not be justified without repentance and yet repentance justifieth me not. And hereof you see that I can not have a faith to be justified and saved, except love spring thereof immediately, and yet love justifieth me not before God. For my natural love to God again doth not make me first see & feel the kindness of God in Christ, but faith through preaching. For we love not God first, to compel him to love again: but he loved us first & gave his son for us, that we might see love and love 1. john. 4. again, saith S. john in his first Epistle. Which love of God to us ward we receive by Christ through faith saith Paul. And this example have I set out for Faith only apprehendeth our justification. them in divers places, but their blind Popish eyes have no power to see it, covetousness hath so blinded them. And when we say faith only justifieth us, that is to say, receiveth the mercy wherewith God justifieth us and forgiveth us, we mean not faith which hath no repentance and faith which hath no love unto the laws of God again and unto good works, as wicked hypocrites falsely belie us. For how then should we suffer as we do all misery, to call the blind and ignorant unto repentance & good works which now do but consent unto all evil, and study mischief all day long, for all their preaching their justifying of good works. Let M. Moore improve this with his sophistry and set forth his own doctrine that we may see the reason of it and walk in light. Hereof you see what faith it is that what faith justifieth. justifieth us. The faith in Christ's blood of a repenting heart toward the law doth justify us only and not all manner faiths. You must understand therefore, that you may see to come out of Moor's blind maze, how that there be many faiths and that all faiths be not one faith, though they be all called with on general name. There is a story There are diversities of faith, and but one faith that justifieth us. faith without feeling in the heart, where with I may believe the whole story of the Bible & yet not set mine heart earnestly thereto, taking it for the food of my soul, to learn to believe and trust God, to love him dread him and fear him by the doctrine and examples there of, but to seem learned & to know the story, to dispute and make merchandise, after as we have examples enough. And the faith wherewith a man doth miracles, is an other gift than the faith of a repenting heart to be saved through Christ's blood, and the one no kin to the other though M. More would have them so appear. Neither is the devils faith & the Pope's faith (wherewith they believe that there is a God & that Christ is & all the story of the Bible and may yet stand with all wickedness and full consent to evil) kin unto the faith of them that hate evil and repent of their misdeeds and knowledge their sins and be fled with full hope and trust of mercy unto the blood of Christ. And when he saith, if faith certify our hearts that we be in the favonr of God and our sins forgiven, & become Works. good year we do good works, as the tree must be first good year it bring forth good fruit, by Christ's doctrine, them we make good works but a shadow wherewith a man is never the better. Nay Sir we make good works, fruits whereby Out of a lively and justifying faith springeth good works. our neighbour is the better, and whereby God is honoured, and our flesh tamed. And we make of them sure tokens whereby we know that our faith is no feigned imagination and dead opinion, made with captiving our wits after the Pope's traditions, but a lively thing wrought by the holy Ghost. And when he disputeth, if they that have faith, have love unto the law, and purpose to fulfil it, than faith alone justifieth not, how will he prove that argument? faith alone justifieth. he iuggleth with this word alone: and would make the people believe that we said, how a bore faith that is without all other company, of repentance, love, and other virtues, yea & without God's spirit to, did justify us, so that we should not care to do good. But the Scripture so taketh not alone, nor we so mean, as M. More knoweth well enough. When an horse A similitude. beareth a saddle and a man therein, we may well say, that that horse only & alone beareth the saddle, and is not holp of the man in bearing thereof. But he would make men understand that we meant, the horse bore the saddle empty and no man therein: let him mark this to see his ignorance, which would God were not coupled with malice. Every man that hath wit, hath a will Moore is maliciously blind. to, and then by M. Moor's argument, wit only giveth not the light of understanding. Now the conclusion is false and the contrary true. For that wit without help of the will giveth the light of the understanding, neither doth the will work at all, until the wit have determined this or that to be good or bad. Now what is faith save a spiritual light of understanding, and an inward knowledge or feeling of mercy. Out of which knowledge love doth spring. But love brought me not that knowledge, for I known it year I loved. So that love in the process of nature to dispute from the cause to the An ap● and proper example of love. effect helpeth not at all to the feeling that God is merciful to me no more than the loving heart and kind behaviour of an obedient wife to her husband maketh her see his love & kindness to her, for many such have unkind husbands. But by his kind deeds to her, doth she see his love. Even so my love and deeds make me not see God's love to me in the process of nature: but his kind deeds to me, in that he gave his son for me, maketh me see his love, & to love again. Our love and good works make not God first love us, and change him from hate to love, as the Turk, jew, and vain popish mean, but his love and deeds make us love, & change us from hate to love. For he Rom. 5. loved us when we were evil, and his enemies, as testifieth Paul in divers God loved us first, that we places, and chose us, to make us good and to show us love, and to draw us should love him again to him, that we should love again. The father loveth his child, when it hath no power to do good, & when it must be suffered to run after the own lusts without law, and never loveth it better than then, to make it better, and to show it love, to love again. If you could see what is written in the first epistle of john, though all the other scripture were laid a part, he should see all this. And you must understand, that we sometime dispute forward, from the cause to the effect, and sometime backward from the effect to the cause, and must beware that we be not therewith beguiled, we say summer is come and therefore all is green, and dispute forward. For somme● is the cause of the ☜ greenness. We say the trees be green, & therefore summer is come, and dispute backward from the effect to the cause. For the green trees make not summer but maketh somme● known. So we dispute backward, the man doth good He that loveth God loveth his neighbour. deeds and profitable unto his neighbour, he must therefore love God: he loveth God, he must therefore have a true faith and see mercy. And yet my works make not my love, nor my love my faith, nor my faith God's mercy: But contrary, god's Note here the mercy & goodness of God. mercy maketh my faith, and my faith my love, and my love my works. And if the Pope could see mercy and work of love to his neighbour, and not cell his works to God for heaven after M. Moor's doctrine, we needed not so subtle disputing of faith. And when M. Moore allegeth Paul to the Corinthians, to prove that faith may be without love, he proveth nothing, but iuggleth only. He says, it Faith may be had without love, but it is a barren & naked faith is evident by the words of Paul, that a man may have a faith to do miracles without love, & may give all his good in alms without love, and give his body to burn for the name of Christ, & all without charity. Well I will not stick with him: he may so do without charity & without faith thereto. Then a man may have faith without faith. You verily because there be many differences of faith, as I have said, and not all faiths one faith, as master Moore iuggleth. We read in the works of S. Cyprian, that Cyprian. there were martyrs that suffered martyrdom for the name of Christ all the Martyrs that suffered all a year long. year long, and were tormented and healed again, and then brought forth a fresh. Which martyrs believed as you do, that the pain of their martyrdom should be a deserving & merit enough not only to deserve heaven for themselves, but to make satisfaction for the sins of other men thereto, and gave pardons of their merits, after the ensample of the Pope's doctrine, and forgave the sins of other men, which had openly denied Christ, and written unto Cyprian, that he should receive those men that had denied Christ into the congregation again, at the satisfaction of their merits. For which pride Cyprian written to them and called The devils Martyrs. them the devils martyrs and not Gods. Those martyrs had a faith without faith. For had they believed that all mercy is given for Christ's bloodshedding, they would have sent other men thither, and would have suffered their own martyrdom for love of their neighbours only, to serve them and to testify the truth of God in our saviour jesus, unto the world, to save at the lest way some, that is to weet, the elect, for whose sake Paul suffereth all thing, and not to win heaven. If I work for a worldly purpose, I We must do good works of love, and not for reward. get no reward in heaven: even so if I work for heaven or an higher place in heaven, I get there no reward. But I must do my work for that love of my neighbour, because he is my brother, and the price of Christ's blood, and because Christ hath deserved it, and desireth it of me, and then my reward is great in heaven. And all they which believe that their sins be forgiven them, and they received as the scripture testifieth, unto the inheritance of heaven for Christ's merits, the same love Christ and their brethren for his sake, and do all thing for their sakes only, not once thinking of heaven when they work, but on their brethren's need. When they suffer themselves above might, than they comfort their soul with the remembrance of heaven, that this wretchedness shall have an end, and we shall have a thousand fold pleasures and rewards in heaven, not for the merits Our doings can deserve nothing, but Christ hath deserved for us. of our deservings, but given us freely for Christ's. And he that hath that love, hath the right faith, and he that hath that faith hath the right love. For I can not love my neighbour for Christ's sake, except I first believe that I have received such mercy of Christ. Nor can I believe that I have received such mercy of Christ, but that I must love my neighbour for his sake, seeing that he so instantly desireth me. And when he allegeth S. james, james. 〈◊〉. it is answered him in the Mammon, and S. Augustine answereth him. And S. james expoundeth himself. For he says in the first chapter, God which begat us of his own will with the word of truth, which word of truth, is his promises of mercy and forgiveness in our Saviour jesus, by which he begat us, gave us life and made us a new creature thorough a fast faith. And james goeth and rebuketh the opinion james reproveth sel●●●●●tes and not a true and lively saith. and false faith of them that think it enough to be saved by, if they believe that there is but one god, & that Christ was born of a virgin, and a thousand things which a man may believe, and yet not believe in Christ, to be saved from sin thorough him. And that james speaketh of another faith then at the beginning appeareth by his ensample. The devils have faith says he: yea but the devils have no faith that can repent of evil or to believe in Christ to be saved thorough him, or that can love God and work his will of love. Now Paul speaketh of a faith that is in Christ's blood to be saved thereby, which worketh immediately through love of the benefit received. And james at the beginning speaketh of a faith that bideth trying, saying, the trying of your faith worketh or causeth patience. But the faith of the devils will bide no trying, for they will not work Gods will because they love him not. And in like manner is it of the Faith that will not work when opportunity serveth can not justify. faith of them that repent not, or that think themselves without sin. For except a man feel out of what danger Christ hath delivered him, he can not love the work. And therefore james saith right, that no such faith that will not work can justify a man. And when Paul says faith only justifieth: And james, that a man is justified by works and not by faith only, there is great difference between Paul's only and james only. For Paul's only is to be understand, that faith justifieth in the heart and before God, without help of works, yea & year I can work. For I must receive life thorough faith to work wi●h, yet I can work. But james only is this wise to be understand, that faith doth not so justify, that nothing justifieth How works justify. save faith. For deeds do justify also. But faith justifieth in the heart and before God, and the deeds before the world only, and maketh the other seen, as you may see by the scripture. For Paul saith Rome iiij. it Abraham Rom. 4. have works, he hath whereof to rejoice, but not before god. For if Abraham had received those promises of deserving, then had it been Abraham's praise & not gods, as thou mayst see in the text: neither had God showed Abraham mercy and grace, but had only given him his duty and deserving. But in that Abraham received all the mercy that was showed him, freely through faith, out of the deservings of the seed that was promised him, as thou mayst see by Genesis & by the Gospel of john, john. 8. where Christ testifieth that Abraham see his day and rejoiced, and of that joy no doubt wrought, it is god's praise, and the glory of his mercy. And the same mayst thou see by james, when he saith Abraham offered his son, & so was the Scripture fulfilled, that Abraham believed, & it was reckoned him for righteousness and he was thereby made God's friend. How was it fulfilled? before God? Nay, it was fulfilled before God many years before, and he was God's friend many years before, even from the first appointment that was made between God and him. Abraham received Abraham believed gods promises & therefore was justified. promises of all mercy & believed and trusted God and went & wrought out of that faith. But it was fulfilled before us which can not see the heart, as james says, I will show thee my faith out of my works, and as the angel said to Abraham, now I know that thou dreadest God. Not but that he known it before, but for us spoke he that, which can see naught in Abraham more than in other men, save by his works. And what works meant james? verily the works of mercy. As if a brother or a sister lack raiment or sustenance and you be not moved to compassion nor feel their diseases, what faith have you then? No faith (be sure) He that seethe his neighbour in necessity & hath no compassion on him, hath no faith. that feeleth the mercy that is in Christ. For they that feel that, be merciful again & thankful. But look on the works of our spirituality which will not only be justified with works before the world, but also before God. They have had all Christendom to rule this viii. hundred years, and as they only be anointed in the head, so have they only been King and Emperor and have had all power in their hands and have been the doers only and the leders of those shadows that have had the name of Princes, and have led them whether they would & have breathed into their brains what they lysted. And they have wrought the world out of peace and unity and every man out of his welfare and are become alone well at ease, only free, only at liberty, only have all thing & only do naught therefore, only lay on other men's backs & bear naught themselves. And the good works of them that wrought out of faith and gave their goods & lands to find the poor, them devour they also alone. And what works preach they? Only that are to The Papists preach works that are profitable to themselves. them profitable & whereby they reign in men's consciences as God: to offer, to give to be prayed for & to be delivered out of Purgatory and to redeem your sin of them, and to worship ceremonies and to be shriven and so forth. And when M. Moore is come to himself and saith the first faith and the first justifying is given us without our deserving. God be thanked, and I would fayne that he would describe me what he means by the second justifying. I know no more to do, then when I have received all mercy and all forgiveness of Christ freely, to go and power out the same upon my neighbour. M. David lost not his faith, when he Moore. David. Tyndall. committed adultery. Tyndall. Not, and therefore he could not continued in sin, but repented assoon as his fault was told him. But was he not reconciled by faith only, & not by deeds? said he not have mercy on me Lord for thy great mercy and for the multitude of thy mercies put away Psal. 51. my sin. And again, make me hear joy and gladness, that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. That is let me hear thy voice that my sin is forgiven and then I am safe & will rejoice. And afterward he knowledgeth that God delighteth not in sacrifices When we have offended God we must return quickly by repentance and call upon God to hear us for Christ our saviours sake. for sins, but that a troubled spirit and a broken heart is that which God requireth. And when the peace was made, he prayeth boldly and familiarly to God, that he would be good to Zion and jerusalem, and says that then last of all when God hath forgiven us of mercy, & hath done us good for our evil, we shall offer sacrifice of thanks to him again. So that our deeds are but thanksgiving. When we have sinned, we go with a repenting heart unto Christ's blood, & there wash it of thorough faith. And our deeds are but thanks giving to God to help our neighbours at their need, for which our neighbours and each of them own us as much again at our need. So that the Testament or forgiveness of sins, is built upon faith in Christ's blood and not on works. M. Moore will run to the Pope for forgiveness a poenae & culpae. By what merits doth the Pope that? by Christ's. Poena culpa. And Christ hath promised all his merits to them that repent and believe & not given them unto the Pope to cell. And in your absolutions you often absolve without joining of penance. He must have a purpose to do good works will you say. That condition is set before As we have received at the hand of God mercy, so must we show mercy to our neighbours. him to do, out of the mercy that he hath received and not to receive mercy out of them. But the Popish can not repent out of the heart. And therefore can not feel the mercy that faith bringeth, & therefore can not be merciful to their neighbours to do their works for their sakes. But they feign them a sorrow for their sin in which they ever continued and so morn for them in the morning that they laugh in them yer midday again. And then they imagine them Popish deeds, to make satisfaction to God and make an Idol of him. And finally that good works, as to Works of themselves justify not. give alms and such like, justify not of themselves, is manifest. For as the good which are taught of God do them well, of very love to God and Christ & of their neighbours for Christ's sake, even so the evil do them of vain glory & a false faith wickedly, as we have examples in the Phariseis, so that a man must be good year he can do good. And so is it of the purpose to do them: One's purpose is good and an others evil: so that we must be good, yer a good purpose come. How then, to love the law of God and to consent thereto & to have it written in thine heart and to profess it, so that thou art ready of thine own accord to do it and without compulsion, is to be righteous: that I grant and that love may be called righteousness before God passive and the life & quickness of the soul passive. He that loveth his neighbour for Christ's sake the same is righteous. And so far forth as a man loveth the law of God, so far forth he is righteous, & so much as he lacketh of love toward his neighbour after the example of Christ, so much he lacketh of righteousness. And that thing which maketh a man love the law of God, doth make a man righteous and justifieth him effectively and actually and maketh him alive as a workman and cause efficient. Now what is it that maketh a man to love? verily not the deeds, for they follow and spring of love, if they be good. Neither the preaching of the law, for that quickeneth not the heart Gal. iij. but causeth wrath Rom. iiij. & uttereth the sin only Rom. iij. And therefore saith Paul that righteousness springeth not out of the deeds of the law into the heart, as the jews & the Pope mean: but contrary the deeds of the law spring out of the righteousness of the heart if they be good. As when a father pronounceth the law, that the child shall go to school, it saith nay. For that killeth his heart & all his lusts, so that he hath no power to love it. But what maketh his heart alive to love it? verily fair promises of love & kindness, that it shall have a gentle schoolmaster and shall play enough and shall have many gay things and so forth. All our works if they proceed not of love are nothing. Even so the preaching of faith doth work love in our souls & make them alive & draw our hearts to God. The mercy that we have in christ doth make us love only & only bringeth the spirit of life into our souls. And therefore saith Paul, we be justified by faith and by grace without deeds: that is, yet the deeds come. For faith only bringeth, the spirit of life and delivereth our souls from fear of damnation, which is in the law and ever maketh peace between God and us, as often as there is any variance between us. And finally when the peace is made between God and us and all forgiven through faith in Christ's blood, & we faith in Christ maketh our small works acceptable. begin to love the law, we were never the nearer except faith went with us, to supply out the lack of full love, in that we have promises, that that little we have is taken a worth and accepted till more come. And again when our frailty hath overthrown us and fear of damnation invaded our consciences, we were utterly lost, if faith were not buy to help us up again, in that we are promised that when soever we repent of evil and come to the right way again, it shallbe forgiven for Christ's sake. For when we be fallen, there is no Testament made in works to come, that they shall save us. And therefore the works of repentance or of the Sacraments can never quiet our consciences & deliver us from fear of damnation. And last of all in temptation tribulation and adversities, we perished daily except faith went with us to deliver us, in that we have promises, that god will assist us, clothe us, feed us & fight for us and rid us out of the hands of our enemies. And thus the righteous ☞ The righteous liveth by ●aith. liveth ever by faith, even from faith to faith, that is, as soon as he is delivered out of one temptation an other is set before him, to fight against, and to overcome thorough faith. The scripture saith, blessed is the man whose transgression is forgiven & his sins hide, and unto whom the Lord reckoneth not unrighteousness. So that the only righteousness of him that can but sin, and hath naught of himself to make amendss, is the forgiveness of sin, which says only bringeth. And as farforth as we be unrighteous, Faith in Christ's blood doth only justify us. faith only justifieth us actively, and else nothing on our party. And as farforth as we have sinned, be in sin, or do sin, or shall sin, so farforth must faith in Christ's blood justify us only, and else nothing. To love, is to be righteous, so farforth as thou lovest, but not to make righteous, nor to make peace. To believe in Christ's blood with a repenting heart, is to make righteous, and the only making of peace and satisfaction to Godward. And thus because terms be dark to them that be not expert and exercised, we always set out our meaning with clear ensamples, reporting ourselves unto the hearts and consciences of all men. M. The blasphemous words of Luther seem to signify, that both john baptist Moore. and our Lady were sinners. Tyndall. john baptist said to Christ Mat. 3. I had need to be baptized Tyndall. of thee, and comest thou to me? Whereof did john confess that he had need to be washed & purged by Christ, of his holiness and good deeds? When john said, behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the john Baptist and our Lady also were sinners & looked for the redemption in Christ. world, he was not of that sort, nor had any sins to be taken away at any time, nor any part in Christ's blood which died for sinners only. john came to restore all thing saith Christ. That is, he came to interpret the law of God truly, and to prove all flesh sinners, to sand them to Christ, as Paul doth in the beginning of the Romans. Which law if M. More could understand how spiritual it is, and what it requireth of us, he would not so dispute. And if there were no imperfectness in our Lady's deeds, why did Christ rebuke her john. 2. when he aught rather to have honoured his mother, and why did he make her seek him three days. Chrisostomus dare say Chrisostomus. that our Lady was now and then taken with a little vain glory. She ioked for the promises of him that should come and bless her, from what? She believed to be saved by Christ, from what? This I grant, that our Lady, john baptist, Isaac, jacob, joseph, There was never any but Christ that was without sin. Moses, and many like, did never consent to sin, to follow it: But had the holy ghost from the beginning. Never the later, while they followed the spirit and wrought their best, yet chances met them by the way and temptations, that made their works come sometimes unperfectly to pass, as a potter that hath his craft never so well, meeteth a chance now and then, that maketh him fashion a pot a miss. So that I think the perfectest of them all as we have ensamples of some, were compelled to say with Paul, that good that I would, I do not and that evil that I would not, that I do. I would not swear on a book that if our Lady had been let slip as we other were, and as hard opposed with as present death before her eyes, that she would not have denied somethinges that she known true, you but she was preserved by grace that she was not. Not but though she were kept by grace from the outward deed, yet if there were such wickedness in her flesh, she had sin. And the grace was, that she known it, and was meek to believe in Christ, to have it forgiven her, and to be preserved that it should not bud forth john the Evangelist, when he was as holy as ever was john the Baptist said, if 1. john. 1. we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves. Then he compareth faith & deeds together and will that faith should Works are under the law. stand in no better service of right than deeds. Yes, for the deeds be examined by the law, and therefore it is not enough to do them only, or to do them with love: but I must do them with as great love as Christ did for me, and Faith is under no law. as I receive a good deed at my need. But faith is under no law, and therefore be she never so feeble, she shall receive according to the truth of the promiser. M. What thing could we ask God Moore. of right because we believe him? Tyndall. Verily all that he promises, Tyndall. may we be bold to ask of right and duty and by good obligation. Moore. Ferman said that all works be Moore. good enough in them that god hath choose. Tyndall. I am sure it is untrue, for Tyndall. their best be not good enough, though God forgiveth them their evil of his mercy, at the repentance of their hearts. Then he endeth in his school doctrine contrary unto all the scripture, that God remitteth not the sin of his choose people, because that he hath choose them not of his mercy, but of a towardness The blind and ●ond reasoning of Moore. that is more in one then in an other saying, God see before that Peter should repent, and judas would despair, and therefore chose Peter. If God chose Peter because he did repent, why chose he not judas to, which repented as much as he & knowledged his sin, and brought the money again? O this blindness, as God had wrought nothing in the repentance of Peter. Said not Christ before, that Peter Luke. 22. should fall. And said he not that he had prayed for him that he should be holp up again? Christ prayed a strong prayer for Peter to help him up again, and suffered a strong death thereto. And before his death he committed them unto his father saying, I have kept them in thy name and I departed, john. 17. keep them now from evil. Peter had a good heart to God, and loved his law, and believed in Christ, & had the spirit of God in him which never left him for all his fall. Peter sinned of no malice, but of frailty and sudden The difference between Peter's fall & the fall of judas. fear of death. And the goodness of God wrought his repentance and all the means by which he was brought up again at Christ's request. And judas was never good, nor came to Christ for love of his doctrine, but of covetousness, nor did ever believe in Christ. judas was by nature and birth (as judas. we all be) heir of the wrath of God, in whom the devil wrought his will and blinded his heart with ignorance. In which ignorannce and blindness he grew, as he grew in age and fallen deeper and deeper therein, and thereby judas perished in desperation. wrought all his wickedness, and the devils will and perished therein. Fron which ignorance God purged Peter of his mercy, and gave him light, and his spirit to govern him, and not of any towardness that was in Peter of his own birth: but for the mercy that we have in the birth of Christ's death. And how will M. Moore prove that God chooseth not of his goodness but of our towardness? What good towardness can he have and endeavour that is altogether blind and carried away at the will of the devil, till the devil be cast out? Are we not rob of all towardness By Adam we are all made the children of the wrath of God. in Adam, and be by nature made the children of sin, so that we sin naturally and to sin is our nature? So that as now, though we would do well, the flesh yet sinneth naturally, neither ceaseth to sin, but so farforth as it is kept under with violence: even so once our hearts sinned as naturally with full lust and consent unto the flesh, the devil possessing our hearts, and keeping out the light of grace. What good towardness and endeavour can we have to hate sin, as long as we love it? What good towardness can we have unto the will of God while we hate it and be ignorant thereof. Can the will desire that the wit seethe not? Can the will long for and sigh for that the wit knoweth not of? Can a man take thought for that loss that he wotteth not of? what good endeavour can the Turks children, the jews children, and the Pope's infants have, when they be taught all falsehood only, with like persuasions of worldly reason, to be all justified with works? It is not therefore as Rom. 9 Paul says of the running or willing, but of the mercy of God, that a man is called and choose to grace. The first grace, the first faith, and the first justifying is given us freely saith M. Moore, which I would feign weet how it will stand with his other doctrine, & whether he mean any other thing by choosing them to have God's spirit given me and faith to see the mercy that is laid up for me & to have my sins forgiven without all deserving & preparing of myself God did not see only that the these that was saved at Christ's death, should come thither, but God worketh by divers to make us to call upon and to trust in his mercy. God chose him to show his mercy unto us that should after believe, and provided actually & wrought for the bringing of him thither that day, to make him see and to receive the mercy that was laid up for him in store, before the world was made. The xii. Chapt●…. IN that xii. in chaffyng himself to heap lie upon lie, he uttereth his feleable blindness. For he axeth this question wherefore serveth exhortations unto faith, if the hearers have not liberty of their free-will, by which together with God's Frewill. grace a man may labour to submit the rebellion of reason unto the obedience of faith and credence of the word of God. Whereof you see, that besides his grant that reason rebelleth against faith, contrary to the doctrine of his first book, he will that the will shall compel the wit to believe. Which is as much to say as the cart must draw the horses and the son beget the father, and the authority of the Church is greater than God's word. For the will can not teach the wit nor lead her, but followeth naturally: so that what soever the wit judgeth good or evil, that the will loveth or hateth. If the wit see and lead strait, the will followeth. If the wit be blind and lead amiss, the will followeth clean out of that way. The wit leadeth the will. I can not love God's word before I believe it, nor hate it, before I judge it false and vanity. He might have wiselier spoken on this manner, wherefore serveth the preaching of faith, if the wit have no power to draw the will to love that which the wit judgeth true and good. If the will be naught, teach the wit better & the will shall altar and turn to good immediately. Blindness is the cause of all evil, and light the cause of all good: so that where the faith is right there the heart can not consent unto evil, to follow the lusts of the flesh, as the pope's faith doth. And this conclusion hath he half a dozen times in his book, Moor's wits are captivated. that the will may compel the wit and captivate it, to believe what a man lusteth. Verily it is like that his wits be in captivity and for vantage tangled with out holy father's sophistry. His doctrine is after his own feeling and as the profession of his heart is. For the Popish have yielded them selves, to follow the lusts of their flesh, & compel their wit to abstain from looking on the truth jest she should unquiet them and draw them out of the podell of their filthy voluptuousness. As a A pretty example. cart that is overladen going up an hill draweth the horses back, and in ☞ a tough mire maketh them stand still. And then the carter the devil which driveth them is ever by and whistelleth unto them and biddeth them captivate their understanding unto profitable doctrine for which they shall have no persecution but shall reign and be kings and enjoy the pleasures of the world at their own will. The xiii. Chapter. IN the xiii. he saith that the Clergy burneth no man. As though the pope had not first found the law, & as though all his preachers babled not that in every Sermon, burn these heretics burn them for we have no other argument to convince them and as though they compelled not both King & Emperor to swear that they shall so do, yet they crown them. Then he bringeth in provisions of King Henry the u Of whom I ask. M. King Henry the. u. Moore whether he were right heir unto England or held he the land with the sword as an heathen tyrant, against all right. Whom the Prelates, jest he should have had leisure to harken unto the truth, sent into France, to occupy his mind in war, and led him at their will. And I ask whether King Henry the 4. was an usurper of the crown his father slay not his liege king and true inheritor unto the crown and was therefore set up of the Bishops a false king to maintain their falsehood? And I ask whether after that wicked deed, followed not the destruction of the commonalty and quenching of all noble blood. The xiv. Chapter. IN the xiv. he affirmeth that Martin Luther saith it is not lawful to resist ☜ the Turk. I wonder that he shameth not so to lie, seeing that Martin hath The Turk is to be resisted. written a singular treatise for the contrary. Besides that in many other works he proveth it lawful, if he invade us. The xuj. Chapter. IN the xuj. he allegeth Counsels. I ask whether Counsels have authority to make Articles of the faith with out God's word, yea and of things improved by God's word? He allegeth Augustine, Jerome & Cyprian. Let him put their works in The union of Doctors a good book. English and S. Prosperus with them. Why damned they the union of Doctors, but because the Doctors are against them. And when he allegeth Martyrs, let him show one and take the calf for his labour. And in the end he biddeth beware of them that live well in any wise. As though they which live evil can not teach amiss. And if that be true than they be ☜ of the surest side. M. When Tyndall was opposed of his Moore. doctrine, year he went over see, he said and swear, he meant no harm. Tyndall. He swore not neither was there any man that required an oath of Tyndall sweareth. him: but he now sweareth by him whom ●e trusteth to be saved by, that he never meant or yet means any other harm then to suffer all that God hath prepared to be laid on his back, for to bring his brethren unto the light of our Saviour jesus which the Pope through falsehood and corrupting such poets as you are (ready unto all thing for vantage) leadeth in the darkness of death. M. Tyndall doth know how that S. Augustine and S. Jerome do prove with Moore. holy Scripture that confession is of necessity unto salvation. Tyndall. That is false if you mean eareconfession. Why allege you not the Tyndall. places where? But you know by S. Jerome and other stories and by the conversation Ear confession. with Erasmus, how it came up and that the use was once far other then now. M. I marvel that Tyndal denieth Purgatory, Moore. Purgatory except he intend to go to hell. Tyndall. He intendeth to purge here Tyndall. unto the uttermost of his power & hopeth that death will end and finish his purgation. And if there be any other purging, he will commit it to God & take it as he finds it, when he cometh at it, and in the mean time take no thought therefore, but for this that is present wherewith all Saints were purged and were taught so to be. And Tyndall marueleth what secret pills they take to purge themselves which not only will not purge here with the cross of Christ, but also buy out their Purgatory thereof the pope, for a groat or uj. pennies. The xviij. Chapter. M. The Clergy doth nothing unto Moore. the heretics but as the holy Doctors did. Clergy. Tyndall. Yes you put them in your prisons Tyndall. and diote them and handle them after your fashion as temporal tyrants, and dispute with them secretly and will not come at light. And you slay them Note. for rebuking you with God's word, and so did not the old holy Doctors. If a man slay his father, you care not. But if any man touch one of you, though he have never so great an occasion given him, you curse him, and if he will not submit himself unto your punishment, you leave him unto the temporal power whom you have hired with the spoil of his goods to be your hangman, so that he must loose his life, for giving one of you but a blow on the cheek. M. Saint Paul gave two heretics unto the devil which tormented their Moore. flesh which was no small punishment and haply he slay them. Tyndall. O expounder of the Scripture like Hugo Charensis which exposideth Tyndall. haereticum hominem devita, take the heretic out of his life. We read of no pain that he had whom the Corinthians Paul did excommunicate, but our Bishops do burn. excommunicated and gave to Satan, to slay his flesh, save that he was ashamed of himself and repent, when he see his offence so earnestly taken and so abhorred. But you because you have no power to deliver them to Satan to blind their minds, you deliver them to the fire to destroy their flesh, that no more is seen of them after then the ashes. ¶ FINIS. ¶ The practice of papistical Prelates, made by William Tyndall. ¶ In the year of our Lord. 1530. ¶ William Tyndall to the Christian Reader. WHen the old Scribes and Phariseis had darkened the Scripture with their traditions, and false interpretations, and wicked persuasions of fleshly wisdom, and shut up the kingdom of heaven (which is God's word) that the people could not enter in unto the knowledge of the true way, as Christ complaineth in the Gospel. Math. x. iij. Then Math. 23. they sat in the hearts of men with their false doctrine in the stead of God and his word, & slay the souls of the people to devour their bodies, and to rob them of their worldly substance. But when Christ and john the baptist had restored the Scripture again unto the true understanding, and had uttered their falsehood, and improved their traditions, and confounded their false interpretations with the clear and evident texts, and with power of the holy Ghost, & had brought all their juggling and hypocrisy to light, then they got them unto the elders of the people & persuaded them saying, this man is surely of the devil, and his miracles be of the devil no doubt. And these good works which he An old practice of the Phariseis, newly practised by the Pope & his Prelates. doth in healing the people, yea and his preaching against our covetousness are but a cloak to bring him unto his purpose, that when he hath gotten him disciples enough, he may rise against the Emperor, and make himself king. And then shall the Romans come & take our land from us, and carry away our people, and put other nation's in our realm: and so shall we loose all that we have, and the most part of our lives thereto. Take heed therefore betimes while there is remedy, year he go so far that you be not able to resist him. The elders of the people which were rich Worldly preferments are le●●es to true Christianity. and wealthy, though before they in a manner favoured Christ, or at the lest way were indifferent, nor greatly caring whether God or the devil reigned, so that they might bide in their authority, feared immediately (as Herode did of the loss of his kingdom, when the wise men asked where the new born king of jewed was) and conspired with the Scribes and Phariseis against Christ, and took him and braught him unto Pilate, saying: We The Jew●● 〈◊〉 accused Christ. have ●ounde this fellow perverting the people, and forbidding to pay tribute unto Cesar, and saying that he is king, and moving the people from Galilee unto this place. The Pilot though he likewise was before indifferent, put now in fear of the loss of his office thorough such persuasions, slay innocent Christ. And in very deed as the Scribes & Phariseis were all their lives before blind guides unto the destruction of their souls, even so were they at their last end blind Prophets unto the destruction of their bodies. For after that they had slain Christ and divers of his Apostles, and persecuted those poor wretches that believed on him, God to avenge the poor innocent blood The c●●ell jews by persecuting Christ & his Apostles procured the vengeance of God to lighten upon themselves that bore witness unto the truth, poured his wrath among them, that they themselves rose against the Emperor. And the Romans came (according as they blindly prophesied) and slay the most part of them and carried the rest captive into all nations, and put other nations in the Realm. But whose fault was that insurrection against the Emperor and mischief that followed? Christ's and his Apostles whom they falsely accused before hand? Nay Christ taught that they should give Cesar that pertained unto Cesar, and God that which belonged to God: Even that they should give Cesar lawful their bodily service & God the heart, and that they should love God's law & repent of their evil, & come and receive mercy, and let the wrath of god be taken from of them. And the Apostles The Apostles 〈…〉 all o●…. taught that all souls should obey the higher powers or temporal rulers: but their obstinate malice that so hardened their har●s that they could not repent, and their railing upon the open and manifest with which they could not improve, and resisting the holy Ghost, and sleying of the preachers of righteousness, brought the wrath of God upon them, and was cause of their utter destruction. Even so our Scribes and Pharisees, now that their hypocrisy is disclosed, and there falsehood so brought to light that it can no longer be hide, get them unto the elders of the people, the Lords, gentlemen, and temporal officers, and to all that love this world as The practice of our Prelates in these days. they do, and unto whosoever is great with the king, and unto the kings grace himself, and after the same ensample, and with the same persuasions cast them into like fear of losing of their worldly dominions, and roar unto them, saying: you be negligent and care nothing ot all, but have a good sport that the heretics rail on us. But give them space a while till they be grown unto a multitude, and then you shall see them preach as fast against you, and move the people against you, and do their best to thrust you down also, and shall cry havoc, and make The generation of Serpents all common. O generation of serpents, how well declare you that you be the right sons of the father of all lies. For they which you call heretics preach nothing save that which our Saviour jesus Christ preached and his Apostles, adding naught thereto nor plucking aught therefro; as the Scripture commandeth, and teach all men repentance to God and his holy law, and faith unto our Saviour jesus Christ, and the promises of mercy made in him, and obedience unto all that God commandeth to obey. Neither teach we so much as to resist your most cruel tyranny with bodily violence, save with God's word only: intending nothing but to drive you out of the temple of Christ, the hearts, consciences, and souls of men (wherein with your falsehood you sit) and to restore again jesus our Saviour unto his possession and inheritance bought with his blood, whence you have driven him out with your manifold wiles and subtlety. Take heed therefore wicked Prelates, blind leaders of the blind, indurat and obstinate A good admunition to all blind guides. hypocrites take heed. For if the Phariseis for their resisting the holy Ghost, that is to say, persecuting the open and manifest truth and sleying the preachers thereof escaped not the wrath & vengeance of god: how shall you scape which are far worse than the Phariseis. For though the Phariseis had shut up the Scripture and set up their own professions: yet they kept their own professions for the most part. But you will be Our Prelates seek to be chief and highest. the chiefest in Christ's flock, and yet will not keep one jot of the right way of his doctrine. You have thereto set up wonderful professions to be more holy thereby then you think that Christ's doctrine is able to make you, Swarms of sects set up by the Pope & his Prelates. and yet keep as little thereof (except it be with dispensations) in so much that if a man ask you, what your marvelous fashioned playing coats, and your other popatrye mean, and what your disfigured heads, & all your Apishplay mean, you know not: and yet are they but signs of things which you have professed. Thirdly you will be Papists Our Prelates professethe Pope to be their Lord but ye● keep no part of his law. and hold of the Pope, and yet look in the Pope's law and you keep thereof almost naught at all but whatsoever soundeth to make for your bellies, and to maintain your honour, whether in the Scripture or in your own traditions, or in the Pope's law, that you compel the lay people to observe violently, threatening them with your excommunications and curses, that they shallbe damned both body and soul if they keep them not. And if that help you not, than you murder The Pope's clergy are murderers them mercilessly with the sword of the temporal powers, whom you have made so blind that they be ready to slay whom you command, and will not yet hear his cause examined nor give him room to answer for himself. And you elders of the people, fear you God also. For as the elders of the jews which A good admonition to all rulers. were partakers with the Scribes and Phariseis in resisting the holy Ghost, and in persecuting the open truth, and sleying the witnesses thereof, and in provoking the wrath of God, had their part with them also in the day of wrath and sharp vengeance which shortly after fallen upon them, as the nature of the sin against the holy Ghost is, have her damnation, not only in the world to come, but also in this life, according unto all the ensamples of the Bible and authentic stories since the world began: even likewise you, if you will wink in so open & clear light and let yourselves be led blyndfold, and have your part with the hypocrites in like sin and mischief, be sure, you shall have your part with them in like wrath and vengeance that is like shortly to fall upon them. And concerning that the hypocrites put you in fear of the rising of your commons against The common persuasion used by hypocrites. you, I answer: if you fear your commons, so testify you against yourselves that you are tyrants. For if your consciences accused you not of evil doing, what need you to fear your commons? What commons was ever so evil that they rose against their heads for well doing? Moreover you witness against yourselves also that you have no trust in God. For he hath promised the temporal officers assistance, if they minister their offices truly, and to care for the keeping of them, as much as they care for to keep his laws. The hypocrites haply bid you take an example of the Vplanoish people of Almany The Pope's clergy are liars. which (they lie) that Martin Luther stirred up. For first what one sentence in all the writing of Martin Luther find they that teacheth a man to resist his superior? Moreover if Martin Luther and the preachers had stirred up the common people of Germany, how happened it that Martin Luther & other like preachers had not perished likewise with them, which are yet all alive at this hour? You will ask me who stirred them up them. I ask you. Who stirred up the commons of the jews to resist the Emperor, after that the Scribes and Phariseis with the Elders of the people had slain Christ & The wrath of God stirreth up the people to destroy the enemy's and persecutors of the truth. his Apostles? Verily the wrath of God. And even so here, the wrath of God stirred them up, partly to destroy the enemies and persecutors of the truth, and partly to take vengeance on those carnal beasts. which abused the Gospel of Christ to make a cloak of it to defend their fleshly liberty, and not to obey it and to save their souls thereby. If Kings, Lords, and great men therefore fear the loss of this world. Let them fear God also. For in fearing God shall God is the defender of kings and princes. they prolong their days upon the earth, and not with sighting against God. The earth is Gods only, & his favour and mercy doth prolong the days of kings in their estate & not their own power and might. And let all men (be they never so great) hearken unto this and let this be an answer unto them. Wicked king Achab said unto the Prophet Elias, Art thou he that troublest Wicked kings and rulers that persecute God's ministers are the troublers of themselves and their realm and not the preachers. Israel? And Elias answered, it is not I that trouble Israel, but thou and thy father's household, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord and follow Idols. Even so the preachers of the truth which rebuke sin are not the troublers of Realms and common wealths, but they that do wickedly, and namely high Prelates and mighty Princes which walk without the fear of God and live abominably, corrupting the common people with their example. They be they that bring the wrath of God on all Realms and trouble all common wealths, with war, dearth, poverty, pestilence, evil luck and all misfortune, And unto all subjects be it said, if they profess the law of God & faith of the Lord jesus, & willbe Christ's Disciples: then let them remember that there was never man so great a subject as Christ was: there was As many as will be the disciples of Christ must learn of him meekness & obedience to the higher powers. never creature that suffered so great unright so patiently and so meekly, as he. Therefore what soever they have been in times past, let them now think that it is their parts to be subject in the lowest kind of subjection and to suffer all things patiently. If the high powers be cruel unto you with natural cruelty, then with softness and patience you shall either win them or mitigate their fierceness. If they join them unto the Pope, and persecute you for your faith and hope which you have in the Lord jesus: then call to mind that you be choose to suffer here with You must suffer with Christ that you may joy with him in the life to come. Christ, that you may joy with him in the life to come with joy everlasting that shall infinitely pass this your short pain here. If they command that God forbiddeth: or forbid that God commandeth, then answer as the Apostles did, Acts. u that God must be obeyed more than man. If they compel you to suffer unright, then Christ shall help you to bear, and his spirit shall comfort you. But only see that neither they put you from God's word, nor you resist them with bodily violence. But abide patiently a while till the hypocrisy of hypocrites be slain with the sword of God's word, and until the word be openly published & witnessed unto the powers of the world, that their blindness may be with out excuse. And then will god awake as a fierce God will be revenged upon cruel tyrants. Lion against those cruel Wolves which devour his Lambs, and will play with the hypocrites, and compass them in their own wiles, & sand them a dazing in the head and a swimming in their brains, & destroy them with their own counsel. And then those malicious and wilful blind persecutors which refusing mercy when they were called thereto, chose rather to have their part with hypocrites in shedding of innocent blood, shallbe partakers with them also in having their own blood shed again, God giving an occasion that one wicked shall destroy an other. And as for wickedness whence it springeth, and who is the cause of all insurrection, In the treatise following is showed who are the cause●s of insurrection. and of the fall of Princes, & the shortening of their days upon the earth, thou shalt see in the glass following which I have set before thine eyes, not to resist the hypocrites with violence (which vengeance pertaineth unto God) but that thou mightest see their wicked ways and abominable paths, to withdraw thyself from after them and to come again to Christ, and walk in his light, and to follow his steps, and to commit the keeping both of thy body and soul also unto him, and unto the father through him, whose name be glorious for ever. Amen. ¶ Prelates appointed to preach Christ, may not leave God's word, and minister temporal offices: But aught to teach the lay people the right way, and let them alone with all temporal business. Our Saviour jesus Christ answered Pilate, joh. 18. that his kingdom was not of john. 18. this world. And Matthew. x. he saith: The Disciple is not Math. 1●. greater than his master: but it aught to suffice the Disciple that he be as his master is. Wherefore if Christ's kingdom be not of this world, nor any of his disciples may be otherwise then he was, than Christ's Vicars which minister The m●…sters of Christ's doctrine may not have any temporal offices. his kingdom here in his bodily absence, & have the oversight of his flock, may be none Emperors, kings, Dukes, Lords, Knights, temporal judges, or any temporal officer, or under false names have any such dominion, or minister any such office as requireth violence. And Math. 6. No man can serve two masters. Where Christ concludeth Math. 6. saying: You can not serve God & Mammon: that is, riches, covetousness, ambition and temporal dignities. And Math. xx. Christ called his disciples unto him, and said: you know that Math. 1●. the Lords of the heathen people have dommion over them, and they that be great do exercise power over them: How be it, it shall not be so among you. But whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister, and he that will be chief shallbe your servant: even as the son of man came not that men should minister unto him: but for to minister and give his life for the redemption of many. Wherefore the officers in Christ's The officers in Christ's kingdom may have no temporal dominion. kingdom may have no temporal dominion or jurisdiction, nor execute any temporal authority or law of violence, nor may have any like manner among them. But clean contrary they must cast themselves down under all, and become servants unto all, suffer of all, and bear the burden of every man's infirmities, and go before them, & fight for them against the world with the sword of God's word, even unto the death, after the ensample of Christ. And Math. xviij. When the disciples asked who should be greatest in the Math. 1●. kingdom of heaven, Christ called a young child unto him and set him i● the mids among them saying: Except you turn back and become as children, you shall not enter in the kingdom of heaven. Now young children bear no rule one over an other, but all is fellowship among them. And he said moreover: whosoever humbleth himself after the ensample of this child, he is greatest in the kingdom of heaven, that is, to be (as concerning ambition and worldly desire) so childish that thou couldst not heave thyself above thy brother, is the very bearing of rule, & to be great in Christ's kingdom. And to describe the very ●ashion of the greatness of his kingdom, he said: He that receiveth one such child in my name receiveth me. What is that to receive a child in Christ's name? Verily to submit, to meek, and to ●o receive a child in Christ's name what it is. humble thyself, and to cast thyself under all men, & to consider all men's infirmities and weaknesses, and to help to heal their diseases with the word of truth, and to live purely that they see no contrary ensample in thee to whatsoever thou teachest them in Christ, that thou put no stumbling block before them, to make them fall while they be yet young and weak in the faith: But that thou abstain as Paul teacheth. 1. Thes. 5. Ab omni specie 〈◊〉. Thes. 3. mala, from all that might seem evil or whereof a man might surmise a●iste, and that thou so love them, that whatsoever gi●t of god in thee is, thou think the same there's and their food, and for their sakes given unto thee, as the truth is, and that all their infirmities be thy, and that thou fe●e them, and that thy heart mourn for them, and that with all thy power thou help to amend them, and cease not to cry to God for them neither day nor night: and that thou let nothing be found in thee that any man may rebuke, but whatsoever thou teachest them, that ●e thou: and that thou be not a Wolf in The Pope is a Wolf in a lambs skin. a lambs skin as our holy ●ather the Pope is, which cometh unto us in a name of hypocrisy, and in the ●…e of cursed Cham or Ham, calling himself servus servorum, the servant of all servants, and is yet found tyrannus tyra●norum, of all tyrants the most cruel. This is to receive young children in Christ's name, and to receive young children in Christ's name, is to bear rule in the kingdom of Christ. Thus you see, that Christ's kingdom is all together spiritual, and the bearing of rule in it is clean contrary unto the bearing of rule temporally. Wherefore none that beareth rule in it may have any temporal jurisdiction, or minister any temporal office that requireth violence to compel withal. ¶ Peter was not greater than the other Apostles, by any authority given him of Christ. THey say that Peter was Why Peter was called chief of the Apostles. chief of the Apostles, verily as Appe●●●s was called chief of Painters for his excellent cunning above other, even so Peter may be called chief of the Apostles for his activity and boldness above the other: but that Peter had any authority Peter had no authority above the rest of the Apostles. or rule over his brethren and fellow Apostles, is false and contrary to the scripture. Christ forbade it the last even before his passion, and in divers tunes before, and taught always the contrary as I have rehearsed. Thou will't say: thou caused not see how there should be any good order in that kingdom where none were better than other, and where the superior had not a law and authority to compel the inferior with violence. The world truly can see no other way to rule then with violence. For there no man absteineth from evil but for fear, because the love of righteousness is not written in their hearts. And therefore The ●opes kingdom is of the world. the Pope's kingdom is of the world. For there one sort are your grace, your holiness, your fatherhood: An other, my Lord Bishop, my Lord Abbot, my Lord prior: An other, master ●…able of the Pope's g●…e 〈◊〉 ●…e his badge. Doctor, Father, Bachelar, master Parson, master Vicar, and at the last cometh in simple sir john. And every man reigneth over other with might, and have every ruler his prison, his jailer, his chains, his torments, even so much as the friars ob●eruauntes observe that rule, and compel every man other, with violence above the cruelness of the heathen tyrants, so that what cometh once in, may never out for fear of telling ta●es out of school. They rule over the body with violence, and compel 〈◊〉 whether the heart will or not, to observe things of their own making. But in the kingdom of God it is contrary. For the spirit that bringeth them thither, maketh them wil●ing, and giveth them lust unto the law of The ministers of the kingdom of God, must govern with all love, meekness & patience. God, & love compelleth them to work, and love maketh everty man's good & all that he can do common unto his neighbour's need. And as every man is strong in that kingdom, so love compelleth him to take the weak by the hand and to help him, and to take him that can not go upon his shoulders and bear him. And so to do service unto the weaker, is to bear rule in that kingdom. And because Peter did exceed the other Peter in the use of speaking for his diligence is called (but not in the Scripture) the chief of the Apostles. Apostles in fervent service toward his brethren, therefore is ●e called, no● in the Scripture, but in the use of speaking the chiefest of the Apostles & not that he had any dominion over them. Of which truth thou mayst see also the practice in the Acts of the Apostles after the resurrection. For when Peter had been and preached in the house of Cornelius an heathen man the other that were Circumcised chode him, because he had been in an uncircumcised man's house & had eaten with him, for it was forbidden in the law, neither witted they yet that the heathen should be called. And Peter was fain to give accounts unto them (which is no token Peter was enforced to tender an account to his brethren of his doings. of superiority) and to show them how he was warned of the holy ghost so to do Acts. xj. And Acts xv. when a Council was gathered of the Apostles and disciples about the Circumcision of the heathen, Peter brought forth, not his commandment and the authority of his Vicarshyp, Peter showed no pa●t of his a● ho●…e, 〈◊〉 the mighty power of 〈◊〉. but the miracle that the holy ghost had showed for the heathen, how at the preaching of the Gospel the holy ghost had lighted upon them and purified, ●heir hearts through faith, and therefore proved that they aught not to be Circumcised. And Paul and Barnabas brought soorth the miracles also that God had showed by them among the heathen through preaching of says. And then 〈◊〉 the Apostles allege the authority of God in Christ. and no authority of their own. james brought soorth a prophecy of the old Testament for the said part: And therewith the adversaries gave over their hold, and they concluded with one assent by the authority of the scripture and of the holy ghost, that the heathen should not be Circumcised, & not by the commandment of Peter under pain of cursing, excommunication 〈◊〉 interditing and like bugs to make fools and children afraid withal. And Acts viii. Peter was sent of Peter was sent by the other Apostles to preach 〈◊〉 Samaria. the other Apostles unto the Samaritans. which is an evident token that he had no jurisdiction over them (for then they could not have sent him) But rather (as the truth is) that the congregation had authority over him & over all other private persons, to admit them for ministers and sand them forth to preach whether so ever the spirit of God moved them, and as they see occasion. And in the Epistle unto the Galathians Gal. thou seest also how Paul corrected Peter when he walked not the Paul 〈…〉 to his 〈◊〉. strait way after the truth of the Gospel. So now thou seest that in the kingdom of Christ and in his Church or congregation and in his counsels the ruler Scripture is the chiefest of the Apostles. is the Scripture approved through the miracles of the holy ghost and men be servants only, and Christ is the head and we all brethren: And when we call men our heads, that we do not be cause they be shorn or shaven, or because of their names: Parson, Vicare, Bishop, Pope: But only because of We ge●e the 〈…〉 〈◊〉 reverence, no● for them ●…es b●● because of the word th●●●…y minister. the word which they preach. If they err from the word, them may whosoever God moveth his heart play Paul and correct him. If he will not obey the Scripture, then have his brethren authority by the Scripture to put him down and sand him out of Christ's Church among the heretics which prefer their false doctrine above the true word of Christ, ¶ How the Gospel punisheth trespassers, and how by the Gospel we aught to go to law with our adversaries. THough that they of Christ's congregation be all willing: yet because that the most pa●t is always weak, & because also that the occasions of the world be ever many and great, in so much that Christ which witted all thing before hand saith Math. xviij. Woe be unto the world by Math. 18. reason of occasions of evil, and saith also, that it can not be avoided, but that occasions shall come, therefore it can not be choose but that many shall over fall when a weak brother hath trespassed, by what law shall he be punished? verily by the law of love, whose properties thou readest in the 1. Cor. xiii. If O●● brethren 〈◊〉 they 〈◊〉 must b● reform by love▪ a 〈◊〉 ●y 〈◊〉 the love of God which is my profession be written in mine heart, it will not let me hate my weak brother when he hath offended me, no more then natural love will let a mother hate her child when it trespasseth against her. My weak brother hath offended me, he is fallen, his weakness hath overthrown him: it is not right by the law of love that I should now fall upon him and tread him down in the mire and destroy him utterly: But it is right by the law of love that I run to him & help him up again. By what process we should go to how we may go to the law without trespassers. law with our trespassers, Christ teacheth us Math. xviij. Tell him his fault between him and thee with all meekness remembering thou art a man and mayst fall also: If he repent and thou love him, you shall soon agreed, and then forgive him. And when thou forgivest thy neighbour, them thou art sure that God forgiveth thee thy trespasses by his holy promise Math. uj. If he Math. 6. hear thee not, then take a neighbour or two. If he hear them not, then tell the congregation where thou art: and let the preacher pronounce God's law against him and ●et the sad and discrete men rebuke him and exhort him unto repentance. If he repent and thou also love him according to thy profession, you shall soon agreed. If he hear not the congregation, then let him be taken as an heathen. If he that is offended be weak also, them let them that be strong go between and help them. And Open and 〈◊〉 offenders are to be rebuked openly. in like manner if any sin against the doctrine of Christ and the profession of a Christian man, so that he be a dronckard and an whore keeper or what soever open sin he do, or if he teach false learning: then let such be rebuked openly before the congregation and by the authority of Scripture. And if they repent not, let them be put out of the congregation as heathen people. If they then be not ashamed, we have no remedy but patiently to abide what God will do and to pray in the mean time that God will open their hearts and give them repentance. Other law then this, Christ's Gospel knoweth not, nor the officers thereof. It is manifest therefore that the kingdom The kingdom of Christ is spiritual. of Christ is a spiritual kingdom which no man can minister well and a temporal kingdom to, as it is sufficiently proved: because that no man which putteth his hand to the plough, and looketh back is apt for the kingdom of heaven, as Christ answered Luke. ix. unto him that would have followed him, but would first have take leave of his household. If a man put his hand to the plough of God's word to preach it and look also unto worldly business, his plough will surely go awry. And therefore saith Christ unto an other that Luk●… would likewise follow him but desired first to go and bury his father, Let the dead bury the dead: but come thou and show or preach the kingdom of God. As who should say, he that will preach the kingdom of god (which is Christ's Gospel) truly, must have his heart no where else. What officers the Apostles ordained in Christ's Church and what their offices were to do. Wherefore the Apostles following Officers first ordained in Christ's church and obeying the rule doctrine & commandment of our Saviour jesus Christ their master, ordained in his kingdom and congregation two officers: One called after the Breeke Bishop. word Bishop, in English an overseer: which same was called Priest after the Greek, Elder in English because of his age discretion and fadnesse: for he was as nigh as could be always an elderly man: as thou seest both in the new and old Testament also, how the officers of the jews be called the Elders of the people, because (as thou mayst well think) they were over old men as nigh as could be. For unto age do men naturally obey and unto age doth God command to give honour Honour the aged. saying Leu●. nineteeen. Rise up before the horehead and reverence the face of the old man. And also experience of things and coldness, without which it is In the aged is experience. hard to rule well is more in age than in youth. And this overseer did put his hands unto the plough of God's word and fed Christ's flock and tended them only without looking unto any other business in the world. another officer they chose and called Deacon. him Deacon after the Greek, a minister in English, to minister the alms of the people unto the poor and needy. For in the congregation of Christ love maketh every man's gift & goods In the primitive Church they chose Deacons to minister to the poor. common unto the necessity of his neighbour. Wherefore the love of God being yet hot in the hearts of men, the rich that had the substance of this worlds goods brought of their abundance great plenty unto the sustentation of the poor & delivered it unto the hands of the Deacons. And unto the help of the Deacons were widows of lx. year Widows. old, holy, virtuous, and destitute of friends, choose: to tend & wait upon the sick, and to wash the Saints feet, that came from one congregation unto an other, whether for any business or for fear of persecution. And Common goods. those common goods of the Church offered for the succour of the poor grew in all Churches so exceedingly The ●reat and fervent charity in the primative church that in some congregation it was so much that it was sufficient to maintain an host of men. In so much that tyrants did often times persecute the Christian for those common goods, as thou seest in the life of S. Laurence the Deacon of Rome. And moreover the covetousness of the Prelates was the decay of Christendom, The covetousness of that Prelates was the decay of Christendom and the increasing of the kingdom of Mahomete and the increasing of the kingdom of Mahomete. For by the first springing of the empire of Mahomete, the Emperors, Kings, and great Lords of Christendom had given their treasure so mightily unto the Church, what after great victories, & what at their deaths, that their successors were not able to maintain battle against the Saracenes & Turks (for the world was not yet in such captivity that they could make their subjects swear on books what they were worth, & raise up taxes at their pleasure) so that a certain writer of stories saith▪ The prelate's gaped when the lay men would take the war upon them against the Turks, & the lay men looked when the Prelates would lay out their money to make the war withal, and not to spend it in worse use, as the most part of them were wont to do, spending the money The proud clergy how they spent the treasure 〈◊〉 y●●oore. that was got with almose & blood of martyrs upon goodly plate and great vessels of gold & silver, without care of things to come, despising God whom they worshipped for their bellies sake only and also man. Moreover it was the custom even then, says the auctor, to ask what the Byshopprike was worth: yea and to leave a worse for a better, or to keep both with a union. And at the same time Isacius the deputy of the Emperor came to Isacius. Rome to confirm the Pope in his sea The election was confirmed by the Emperor. with the emperors authority, for the election of the Pope was then nothing worth except it had been confirmed by the Emperor, and he found so great treasure in the Church of Saint john Lateran, that for disdain which he had that they should have such treasure in store, and not to help the Emperor in his wars against the Turks, ●…ng his soldiers lacked wages, he took it away with violence against the will Note here the treasure that the Bishops of Rome had at this tyme. of the Prelates, of which he exiled some, and paid his own men of war with one part, and took an other part unto himself, and sent the third part unto the Emperor: which must needs have been a great treasure in one Church. ¶ By what means the Prelates fallen from Christ. THe office of a bishop was a room at the beginning that no man coveted, The Bishop of Rome in the primative Church was a dangerous office. and that no man dared take upon him, save he only which loved Christ better than his own life. For as Christ says that no man might be his disciple except that he were ready to forsake life and all: even so might that officer be sure that it would cost him his life at one time or another for bearing record unto the truth. But after that the multitude of the Christian were increased & many great men had received the faith, than both lands, and rents, as well as other goods were given unto the maintenance as well of the clergy as of the poor: because they gave then no At the first entry of Christ's Church, there was no tithes paid to the ministers. tithes to the Priests, nor yet now do save in certain countries. For it is to much to give alms, offerings, lands, and tithes also. And then the Bishops made them substitutes under them to help them, which they called priest, and kept the name of Bishop unto themselves. But out of the Deacons sprung all the mischief. For thorough their hands All corruption of the Church came first out of the Deacons. went all thing, they ministered unto the clergy, they ministered unto the poor, they were in favour with great and small. And when the bishops office began to have rest and to be honourable, than the Deacons thorough favour and Money purchased preferment. gifts climbed up thereunto, as lightly he that hath the old Abbots treasure succeedeth with us. And by the means of their practice and acquintaunce in the world they were more subtle and worldly wise than the old Bishops, & less learned in God's word, as our Prelates are, when they come from stuardships in gentlemen's houses, and from surveying of great men's lands, Lords secrets, kings counsels, Embassidourship, from war and ministering all worldly matters, you worldly mischief: and yet now they come not thence, but receive all and bide there still, yea they have enacted by plain parliament that they must bide in the The Prelates must bide still in the court. court still, or else they may not have plurality of benefices. And then by little and little they enhanced themselves, and turned all to themselves, minishing the poor people's part, and increasing there's, and joining acquaintance with great men, and with their power climbed up and entitled them with the choosing and confirming of the Pope and all Bishops, to flatter and purchase How the clergy first by riches & then by ●…attery advanced themselves. favour and defenders: trusting more unto their worldly wisdom than unto the doctrine of Christ which is the wisdom of God, and unto the defence of man then of God. Then while they that had the plough by the tail looked back, the plough went awry, faith waxed feeble and fainty, love waxed cold, the Scripture waxed dark, Christ was no more seen: he was in the mount When the Prelates waxed rich, than they disputed who should be highest. with Moses, and therefore the Bishops would have a God upon the earth whom they might see, and thereupon they begun to dispute who should be greatest. ¶ How the Bishop of Rome become greater than other, and called himself Pope. THen quoth worldly wisdom, jerusalem was y● fir●t sea● of ou● 〈◊〉 bishop. Jerusalem must be the greatest, for yt is Christ's seat, Et factum est, so it came to pass ●or a season. And in conclusion where a great City was and much riches, there was the bishop ever greater than his fellows. Alexandre in Egipte and Antioch in Grece, were greater than their neighbours. Then those decaying Constantinople and Rome waxed Constantinople. Rome. great, and strove who should be greater. And Constantinople said, where the Emperor is there aught to be the greatest seat and chiefest Bishop. For the Emperor lay most at Constantinople, because it was (I suppose) nigh the mids of the Empire, therefore I must be the greatest said the Bishop of Constantinople. Nay quod the Bishop H●● Rome come to be the chiefest city. of Rome, though the Emperor lie never so much at Constantinople yet he is called Emperor of Rome, & Rome is the head of the Empire, wherefore of right I must be the father of all Waten. Rome the seat and mother of all wickedness. And thus whether they challenged their ●itle by the authority of God or man: or by Peter or pouling, it was all one, so they might be greatest. And great intercession was made unto the Emperors of both parties: but in vain a great season, for the Emperors stopped their ●ares at such ambitious requests long time, till at the last there came an Emperor called Phocas which lay long in italy, and Phocas. was a very soft man & a pray for Prelates. In whose time Boniface the iij. Pope Boniface the third. was Bishop of Rome, a man ambitious and greedy upon honour, and of a very subtle wit, nothing in●erior unto Thomas Wolsee Cardinal of Yorcke. This Boniface was great with the Emperor Phocas, and with his wily persuasions and great intercession together obtained of Phocas to be called the chiefest of all Bishops, and Phocas the Emperor first gave privilege to the Bishop of Rome ●o be the chief Bishop. that his Church should be the chief Church. Which authority as soon as he had purchased, he sent immediately his commandment with the emperors power unto all the Bishops of Almany commanding that every bishop should call all the priests of his diocese, and charge them that every man should put away his wife under The chastity of Priests how it came up. pain of excommunication. Which tyranny though great resistance was made against it, he yet brought to pass with the emperors sword, and his subtlety together. For the Bishops were rich, and dared not displease the Pope for fear of the Emperor. Assoon as Nembroth that mighty hunter had caught this prey, that he Note 〈◊〉 the climbing up of the Pope. had compelled all Bishops to be under him and to swear obedience unto him, than he began to be great in the earth, and called himself Papa, with this interpretation, father of fathers. And when the Pope had exalted his throne above his fellows, than the unity that aught to be among brethren Division in the Church. in Christ's Church broke: and division began between us and the Greeks, which Greeks (I suppose) were at that time the one half of Christendom. And when any Pope since exhorteth them to unity, they answer, that he which will reign over his brethren with violence, breaketh unity and not they, and that they will not be under The Greeks will not be under the Pope's tyranny. his tyranny whereunto he calleth them under a colour of unity. And from henceforth with the help of his bishops which weresworne to be true ligemen unto him, when beforetime they were admitted to their byshopprikes of the Emperors and Kings, he began to lay a bait to catch the whole Empire into his hands also. By what means the Pope invaded the Empire. AT that same season Mahomete Mahomet & the Pope began at one tyme. the auctor of the sect of the turks and Saracenes began. And assoon as he had got much people unto him with wiles and feigned miracles, he invaded the Empire of Rome in those quarters. And look how busy Mahomete was in those parries, so busy was the Pope in these quarters to invade the Empire (with the help of his sworn bishops which preached all of none other God than the Pope) while the Emperor was occupied a far of in resisting of Mahomete. And within few years after, when the kings of Italy now and then vexed our holy fathers for their covetous ambition, than Gregory the third joined Gregory The Pope came up by the French men, and by them he continueth his estate still. amity with the Frenchmen, and called them to help, by whose power they got all they have, and also maintain it unto this day. For if any man since that time hither displeased the Pope never so little, he immediately cursed him, and excommunicate him, and proclaimed him no right inheritor, and that it was not lawful to hold of him, and absolved his Lords and subjects of their allegiance, and sent his blessing unto the French king and remission of sins to go and conquer his land, the Pope and French king always dividing the spoil between them, the bishops and all that served God for the belie preaching the Pope's might, how that he had power so to do, and all things to bind and lose at his will, wresting the Scriptures to serve for their purpose, corrupting all the laws both of God & man to prove his Godhead with all. THen came Pope Zacharias the first Pope Zacharias the first. Hildericus in whose time Hildericus was K. of France a man that governed his Realm (as it often chanceth) by a debit (as people preach) one Pipine a Pipinns. Lord of his own and his sworn subject. This Pipine sent an holy Bishop to Pope Zacharias that he should help to make him king of France and he would be his defender in Italy (as the The Pope put down the right French king and set up Pipine. manner of scalled horses is the one to claw the other) and Zacharias answered that he was more worthy to be king that ruled the Realm and took the labours, than an idle shadow that went up and down and did naught And so upon that the Lords of France The king of France was made a Monk. by the persuasions of the Prelates consented unto Pipine and thrust down their right king unto whom they were sworn, & made a Monk of him. And both the Lords and also Pipine took dispensations for their oaths of our holy father and were forsworn. Thus was our holy father the Pope crept up into the consciences of men with his false interpretation of binding & losing good. viii. hundred years agone. THen came Pope Stephanus the second out of whose hands Estulphus Pope Steven the second. Estulphus king of Lombary king of Lombardy would fain have scratched somewhat, for he thought that the holy fathers gathered to taste and had all ready raked to much unto them. But the new king Pipine of France warned of his duty and service promised, and mindful of old friendship, and hoping for part of the pray, came to secure the Pope. And when he had subdued the king of Lambardy, he gave unto our holy father or rather to How the Pope was advanced. S. Peter that hungry beggar great Provinces and countries in Lombardy and in Italy, with the isle Corsica and many great Cities of which some pertained unto the Emperor being them at Constantinople, and yet the Emperor had sent before unto king Pipine that he should not give of his towns unto the Pope. But Pipine answered that he came for the same intent, and to enhance our holy father. And our holy father received them. And thus the Empire was divided in two parts: the Pope & the French king parting the one half between them. And as the Emperor decayed, the pope grew. And as the pope grew, so the sect of Mahomete grew, for the By what means Mahomet waxed great. Emperor (half his empire lost) was not able to defend himself against the infidels. And the Pope would suffer no help hence to come for two causes: One, jest the Emperor should recover his Empire again, and an other because the Prelates of the Greeks would not submit themselves unto his Godhead as the Prelates of these quarters of the world had done. AFter Pipine reigned his son the Carolus magnus. great Charles whom we call Charle main which known no other God but the pope, nor any other way to heaven then to do the Pope pleasure. For the Pope served him for two purposes: One, to dispense with him for whatsoever The Pope become a great God on the earth. mischief he did: an other, to be established in the Empire by his help, for without his favour he witted it would not be, so great a God was our holy father become all ready in those days. This Pope Stephen in his latter days fallen at variance with Desiderius Desiderius king of Lombardy about the Archbishop of Rauen●a. AFter Stephen succeeded Adrian the first, Pope Adrian the first. with whom Desiderius the K. of Lombardy would fain have made peace but pope Adrian would not. And shortly upon that the brother of this Charlemagne which reigned with him in half the dominion of France died, whose wife for fear of Charles fled with her ij. sons unto Desiderius king of Lombardy for succour. Defiderius was glad of their coming trusting by the means of these two children to obtain favour among many of the Frenchmen and so to be able to resist Charles if he would meddle and to bring Italy unto the right Emperor again, & would have had that pope Adrian should have anointed them kings in their father's room. But Adrian refused that to do (for he see Charles mighty and meet for his purpose) and was as wily as Desiderius & thought to keep out The Pope purposed to be Emperor himself. the right Emperor and be Emperor of Rome himself, though he gave an other the name for a season till a more convenient time came. Then Desiderius warred upon the Pope's jurisdiction. And Adrian sent to Charles. And Charles came with his army and drove out Desiderius and his son, which son fled unto the right Emperor to Constantinople. And Charles & the Pope divided the kingdom Charles & the Pope divided the kingdom of Lombardy. of Lombardy between them. And Charles came to Rome. And the Pope & he were sworn together, that who soever should be enemy unto the one, should be enemy also unto the other. This Adrian gathered a Council The Pope gathered a Council, and gave unto Charles the Emp●re of Rome. immediately of an. C. liij. Bishops, Abbots, and religious persons & gave unto Charles & his successors the empire of Rome & ordained that the right and power to choose the Pope should be his, and that no Bishop should be consecrated till he had obtained of him both consent and the ornaments of a Bishop also (which they now buy of the Pope) under pain of cursing and to be delivered unto black Satan the devil and loss of goods Dist. lxiij. And Leo the third which succeeded Leo the 〈◊〉. Pope. Adrian confirmed the same and crowned Charles Emperor of Rome for like service done unto him. And then O●…ne who●e Empire, the Pope made ●●o. there was appointment made between the Emperors of Constantinople and of Rome and the places assigned how far the borders of either Empire should reach. And thus of one Empire was made twain. And therefore the Empire of Constantinople for lack of help was shortly after subdued of the Turks. The said Leo also called Charles the Most Christian king. most Christian king, because of his good service: which title the kings of France use unto this day though many of them be never so unchristened: As the last Leo called our king the defender Defender of the faith of the faith. And as this Pope Clemens calleth the Duke of Builder the elder son of that holy sea of Rome, The elder son of the holy seat. for no other virtue nor property that any man can know, save that he hath been all his ●yte a pickequar●ll and a cruel and an unrighteous bloudshedder, as his father that sitteth in that holy sea is. So now above seven hundred Who is a Christian king. years to be a Christian king is to fight for the Pope, and most christian that most fighteth and sleath most men for his pleasure. This Charles was a great conqueror The life of Charles. that is to say a great tyrant, & overcame many nations with the sword, and as the Turk compelleth us unto his faith, so he compelled them with violence unto the faith of Christ say the stories. But (alas) Christ's faith whereunto Charles compelled a● men to the obedience of the pope. the holy Ghost only draweth men's hearts through preaching the word of truth and holy living according thereto, he known not, but unto the Pope he subdued them and unto this superstitious Idolatry which we use clean contrary unto the Scripture. Moreover, at the request and great desire of his mother, he married the daughter of Desiderius king of Lombardy, but after one year unto the Practice. great displeasure of his mother he put her away again: but not without the false subtlety of the Pope thou mayst be sure, neither without his dispensation. For how could Charles have made war for the Pope's pleasure with Desiderius her father, and have thrust him out of his kingdom, and banished his son for ever, dividing his kingdom between him and the pope, as long as she had been his wife? And therefore the Pope with his authority of binding and losing, loosed The Pope is a dispenser a breaker of the bonds of Matrimony. the bonds of that Matrimony (as he hath many other sense, and daily doth for like purposes) to the intent that he would with the sword of the French king put the kingdom of Lombardy that was somewhat to nigh him, out of the way: by the reason of whose kings his fatherhood could not reign alone nor assign or cell the Byshopprikes of Italy to whom he lusted and at his pleasure. The said Charles also kept iiij. concubines, Charles a filthy whoremonger. and lay with two of his own daughters thereto. And though he witted how that it was not unknown, yet his lusts being greater than great Charles, he would not weet nor yet refrain. And beyond all that, the saying is: that in his old age a whore had so bewitched him with a ring and a pearl in it and I wot not what imagery graven therein, that he went a sa●te after her as a dog after a bitch, and the Charles hath his whore ca●●ed with him. dotehead was beside himself & whole out of his mind: in so much that when the whore was dead, he could not depart from the dead corpse, but caused it to be enba●…ed & to be carried with him whether soever he went, so that all the world wondered at him: till at the last his Lords accumbered with carrying her from place to place and ashamed This was an Emperor for the ●●pes own mouth. that so old a man, so great an Emperor and such a most Christian king, on whom & whose deeds every man's eyes were set, should dote on a dead whore, took counsel what should be the cause. And it was concluded that it must needs be by enchantment. Then they went unto the Cophyne and opened it and sought and found this ring on her finger: which one of the Lords took of and put it on his own finger. When the ring was of, he commanded to bury her, regarding her no longer. Nevertheless he cast a fantasy unto this Lord and began to dote as fast on Ido●yng Emperor him, so that he might never be out of sight: But where our Charles was there must that Lord also be, and what Charles did, that must he be privy unto: until that this Lord perceiving that it came because of this enchanted ring, for very pain and tediousness took and cast it into a well at Acon in Douchland. And after that the ring was in the well the Emperor could never departed from the town, but in the ●ayd place where the ring was cast, though it were a foul marresse, yet he built a goodly monastery in the worship of our Lady, and thither brought relics, from whence he could get them, and pardons to sanctify the place, & to make it more haunted. And there he lieth, & is a Saint, as right is. For he did for Christ's Vicar as much as the The Pope made this lecherous Emperor a Saint. great turk for Mahomete: but to save his holiness that he might be canonised for a Saint, they fain in his life that his abiding there so continually was for the hot baths sakes which ●e there. AFter Charlemagne, jews the mild jews the mild. was Emperor, which was a very patiented man (another Phocas and another pray for the Pope) and so meek and soft that scarcely he could be angry at any thing at all. When our holy fathers had seen his water and spied what complexion he was, they chose Steven the 4. of that name Pope, without his Pope Steven the iiij. knowledge, and bade him neither good morrow nor good even, nor once God speed about the matter, against their own grant unto his father for his good service. And his softness The Pope elected and set up with out the assent of the Emperor was yet somewhat displeased therewith, in as much as the election of the Pope pertained unto his right. But the Pope sent Ambassadors & written all the excuses that he could, and came after himself to France to him, and peaced him, and crowned him there Emperor, and passed the time a season with him, and they become very familiar together. After that, they chose Paschalis Pope Pope Paschale. of the same manner, which Paschalis sent immediately Legates unto the Emperor soft jews, excusing himself & saying: that it was not his fault, but that the clergy and the common people had drawn him thereto with violence against his will. Then the Emperor was content for that once, & bade they The Pope how he abused the Emperor should no more do so, but that the old ordinance aught to be kept. The softness of this jews did him much care. For he was after prisoned of his own son with help of Pope Gregory the fourth. After this man's days the Popes never regarded the Emperors, nor The Pope setteth no● by the Emperor. did the clergy of Rome sue any more to the Emperor, either for the election or confirmation of the Pope. Moore over after this jews there was never Emperor in Christendom of any power or able of his own might to correct any Pope, neither was there any king that could correct the outrageous vices of the spirituality of his own realm after this time. For this jews left three sons, among which he divided the realm of France & all Douchland. Which same for pride & disdain that one should have more than an other, fallen together (as we say) by the ears, each destroying others power, so that France was afterward of no might to do any great thing. And then the Pope reigned in Italy alone with ●…ne. out care of any Emperor: in so much that Nicholaus the first, decreed that no Pope Nicholaus the first. secular Prince or Emperor should have aught to do or be at the counsels of the clergy. And after that Adrian the second was Pope Adrian the second. choose Pope, the emperors deputy being in Rome, and not once spoken to of the matter. And when the emperors ambassadors disdained, they answered who can resist the rage of the people, and prayed them to be content, and to salute him as Pope. And Adrian the third Pope Adrian the third. decreed that they should not abide or tarry for the emperors confirmation or authority in choosing the Pope, and that the Pope only should call a general counsel, and not the Emperor: or if the Emperor would presume that to do, the counsel should be of none effect, though all the prelate's of Christendom were there, and though what soever they did were but God's word. So mighty was the beast now waxed The virtue of the Pope and power o● the Emperor perished together. when he once began to reign alone. And from this time hitherto perished the power of the Emperors and the virtue of the Popes, saith Platina in the life of Popes. For since that time, as there was none Emperor of might, so was there no Pope of any virtue. After this jews, the Empire of France, and of all Douchland, was divided between his three sons, which (as I said) fought one with another and destroyed the strength of the Empire of France. And from that time The pope's have been only blood shede●● above. seven. C. peats. to this, which is above seven. hundred years, thou shalt read of few Popes that have not led their lives in bloodshedding, in so much that if thou consider the stories well, thou shalt easily perceive that there hath been slain about their cause far above xl. hundred thousand men, besides that there hath been but few Princes in Christendom that hath not been busied and cumbered a great part of his life about their matter. Either in wars begun at their setting on, either in ceasing schisms or division that hath been among the clergy, who should be Pope: or striving All Christ●dome hath been troubled with the Pope's causes. of bishops, who should be greatest, as between the Bishop of York & Canterbury in England, and between the Bishops of England & Wales, whereof all the chronicles be full, or in reforming Friars or Monks, or in sleying them that uttered their false hypocrisy with God's word. When the Emperor was down, and no man in Christendom of any power to be feared, than every nation fallen upon other, and all lands were at variance between themselves. And then as the Danes came into England and vexed the Englishmen, and dwelled there in spite of their hearts, even so came strange nations whose names were scarce herded of before in these quarters (as the Vandals, Huns, Vandals, Huns. Goths. and Goths) and ran throughout all Christendom by C. thousands together, and subdued the lands and dwelled therein ma●gre the inhabitors, as thou mayst see in Douchland how divers nations are enclosed in the mids of the land of a strange tongue which no Douchmen understand: and that rule continued well viii. or ix. score or two hundred years. And in The spirituality obeyed to him that got the victory, how wicked soever he was. all this season, whosoever won the mastery, him the spirituality received, and him they crowned king, and to him they clave. And whatsoever any tyrant had rob all his life, that or the most part thereof must he deal among them at his death for fear of Purgatory. The spirituality all that season preached the Pope mightily, Building of Abbeys built abbeys for recreation and quietness, shrining them always for saints Shrining of saints. which purchased them privileges, or fought for their liberties, or disputed for the Pope's power, howsoever they lived (but after l. year when their lives were forgotten) and if any resisted them whatsoever mischief they went about, him they noted in the chronicles as a cruel tyrant: you and whatsoever misfortune chanced any of his posterity after him, that they noted also, as though God had plagued them, because their forefather was disobedient unto holy church, and ever put the stories that uttered their wickedness out This was the time that false prophets did arise in the church. of the way, and gathered relics from whence they could get them, and feigned miracles, and gave themselves only unto Poetry: and shut up the scripture: so that this was the very time of which Christ speaketh Math. xxiv. in which false Prophets should arise, & show miracles and wonders, to deceive the very elect if it had been possible. FInally in this busy world, the kings of Lombary got a little might and came up again, and were divers times Emperors, though of no great might. And one Beringarius king of Lombary began to meddle Beringarius. with our holy father's business. Wherefore the Poge fled unto Ottho king of the Saxons, which by that time had got might, and brought him into Italy against Beringarium, which Ottho Ottho. overcame Beringarium, and was made Emperor for his labour, and thus came the Empire first unto Douchlande. And Ottho received the Empire of one Pope john (say they) with this Pope john the. xii. oath: I Ottho do promise and swear unto the Lord john by the father, the The oath of the Emperor made to the pope. son, and the holy Ghost, and by this wood of the cross that maketh living, and by these relics of Saints, that if I come to Rome with God's help, I will exalt the holy church of Rome and the governor of the same unto my power: Neither shalt thou loose life nor members, or that honour that thou hast by my will, counsel, consent or setting a work. Moreover I will make in Rome no constitution or ordinance of any thing that pertaineth unto thee or unto the Romans with out thy counsel. And what so ever of Not● here the dissimulation of the Pope, in calling his possessions S. Peter's possessions. the lands of Saint Peter cometh unto our hands, I will deliver it thee. And unto whosoever I shall commit the rule of Italy, I will make him swear that he shall help thee, to defend the lands of Saint Peter unto his power. And Gregory the fift (when they had got at the last that which they long gaped Pope Gregory the fi●t. for) made this ordinance of choosing the Emperor, to stablish it withal: that vi. Lords of Almany, iij. of The election of the Emperor appertaineth to the Lords of Germany. the spirituality and iij. of the temporalty with the king of Bohem the seven. to be the odd man & Vmpere should choose him for ever, and send him to the Pope to receive his oath, and to be crowned. Nevertheless the Pope to keep the Emperor a far of, sendeth him his coronation home to him oft-times, much liefer than that he should come any nearer, as a meek spryted man, that had liefer live solitary and alone then have his holiness seen. ¶ A proper similitude to describe our holy father. ANd to see how our holy father came up, mark the example of an juytree: first it springeth out of the earth, & The juytree springeth. then a while creepeth along by that ground till it find a great tree: than it joineth itself be neath allow unto the body of the tree and creepeth up a little and a little fair and softly. And at the beginning while it is yet thin and small The manner how the pope did spring up to his great authority. that the burden is not perceived, it seemeth glorious to garnish the tree in the wyntre & to bear of the tempests of the weather. But in the mean season it thrusteth his roots into that bark of the tree to hold fast with all and ceaseth not to climb up till it be at the top and above all. And then it sendeth his branches a long by the branches of the tree and overgroweth all and waxeth great, heavy and thick and sucketh the moisture so sore out of the tree and his branches, that it choketh and stifleth them. And then the foul stinking ivy waxeth mighty in the stompe of the tree and becometh a seat and a nest for all unclean birds & for blind Oules which hawk in the dark and dare not come at the light. Even so the Bishop of Rome now called Pope at the beginning crope a long upon the earth, and every man trod upon him in this world. But assoon as there came a Christian Emperor he joined himself unto his feet and kissed them, and crope up a little with begging now this privilege now that, now this City now that, to find poor people with all and the necessary Ministers of God's word. And The choosing of the Pope & all Bishops pertained unto the Emperor and kings once. he entitled the Emperor with choosing the Pope and other Bishops, and promoted in the spiritualty, not whom virtue and learning but whom the favour of great men commended: to flatter to get friends and defenders with all, And the alms of the congregation which was the food and patrimony of The alms given unto the poor is become S. Peter's patrimony. the poor and necessary preachers, that he called S. Peter's patrimony, S. Peter's reutes, S. Peter's lands, S. Peter's right: to cast a vain fear and an heathenish superstitiousness into the hearts of men, that no man should dare meddle with what soever came once in to their hands for fear of Saint Peter, though they ministered it never so evil: and that they which should think it none alms to give them any more (because they had to much already) should yet give S. Peter somewhat (as Nabucodonesser gave his GOD Beel) to purchase an advocate and an Dani. xiv. intercessor of S. Peter, and that S. Peter should at the first knock let them in. And thus with flattering and feigning and vain superstition under the name of S. Peter he crept up and fastened The Pope first got above all the Bishops, & then above the Emperor. his roots in the heart of the Emperor, and with his sword claim up above all his fellow bishops & brought them under his feet. And as he subdued them with the emperors sword, even so by subtlety & help of them (after that they were sworn faithful) he claim above the Emperor, and subdued him also, and made s●oupe unto his feet, and kiss them an other while. Yea pope Coelestinus crowned the Emperor Henry the fift holding the crown O Lucifer. between his feet. And when he had put the crown on, he smote it of with Note this devilish & ●…nable pride. his feet again saying: that he had might to make Emperors and put them down again. And he made a constitution that no ●…e ●…e by the Pope. lay man should meddle with their matters nor be in their Counsels or wit what they did, and that the pope only should call the Council, and the Emperor should but defend the Pope, provided alway that the Council should be in one of the Pope's Towns, and where the Pope's power was greater than the Emperors: then under a pretence The Pope createth his shavelings into dignities. of condemning some heresy he called a general Council, where he made one a patriarch, an other Cardinal, an other Legate, an other Primate, an other Archbishop, an other Bishop, another Dean, another Arch deacon, and so forth as we now see. And as the Pope played with the Qualis pater talis filius, good natural children. Emperor, so did his branches and his members the Bishops play in every Kingdom, Dukedom, & Lordship: in so much that the very heirs of them by whom they came up, hold now their lands of them and take them for their chief Lords. And as the Emperor is sworn to the Pope, even so every king is sworn to the Bishops and Prelates of his Realm: and they are the chiefest in all Parlamentes: yea they and their money and they that be sworn to them and come up by them rule all together. And thus the Pope the father of all The pope's order compared with Christ's. hypocrites hath with falsehood & guile perverted the order of the world and turned the roots of the trees upward and hath put down the kingdom of Christ, and set up the kingdom of the devil whose Vicar he is, and hath put down the Ministers of Christ, and hath set up the Ministers of Satan, disguised yet in names and garments like unto the angels of light & ministers of righteousness. For Christ's kingdom is not of the world john. xviij. and the Pope's kingdom is all the world. And Christ is neither judge nor divider in this world Luke. xii. But the Christ a●d the Pope compared together. Pope judgeth & divideth all the world and taketh the Empire and all kingdoms and giveth them to whom he lusteth. Christ saith Math. u. Blessed are the poor in spirit: so that the first step in the kingdom of Christ is humbleness or humility, that thou canst find in thine heart to do service unto all men and to suffer that all men tread thee. The Pope saith. Blessed be the proud & high minded that can climb and subdue all under them and maintain their right and such as will suffer of no man: so that he which was yesterday taken from the dongehill and promoted this day by his Prince, shall tomorrow for the Pope's pleasure curse him and excommunicate him and interdite his Realm. Christ saith. Blessed be the meek or soft that be harmless as Doves. The Pope blesseth them that can set all the world together by the ears and fight and s●ea mafully for his sake, that he may come haote from bloodshedding to a Bishopric as our Cardinal did, and as S. Thomas of Canterbury did, which was made Bishop in the field in complete harness on his horse back and his spear bloody in his hand. Christ hath neither holes for Foxes nor nests for birds nor yet whereon to lay his head, nor promised aught in this world unto his Disciples nor took any to his Disciple but him that had forsaken all. The juytree the Pope hath under his roots throughout all Christendom in every village holes for Foxes and nests for unclean birds in all his branches, and promises unto his Disciples all the promotions of the world. Christ bringeth a man low, but the Pope lifteth up a high. The nearer unto Christ a man cometh, the lower he must descend and the poorer he must wax: But the nearer unto the Pope you come, the higher you must climb and the more riches you must gather whence soever you can get them, to pay for your Bulls, and to purchase a glorions name and licence to wear a mitre & a cross and a pall and goodly ornaments. How the Pope receiveth his kingdom of the devil and how he distributeth it again. SHortly, the kingdoms of the earth The Pope receiveth his riches and kingdoms of the devil. and the glory of them (which Christ refused (Math. iiij. did the devil proffer unto the Pope, and he immediately fallen from Christ and worshipped the devil, and received them. For by falsehood (as he maynteineth them) came he thereto, and by falsehood do all his disciples come thereto. Who of an hundred one is pope, Bishop or any great Prelate, but either by Nicromancy or Simony or waiting on great men's pleasures & with corrupting of God's word & fashioning it after their lusts. And the Pope after he had received The Pope distributeth his father's king doom. the kingdom of the world of the devil and was become the devils Vicar, took up in like manner all Christendom an high and brought them from the meekness of Christ unto the high hill of the pride of Lucifer and showed them all the kingdoms of the earth, saying: fall down and worship me, and I will give you these. Unto the spirituality he saith: fall from Christ and preach me and take thou that Car dinalship thou that Bishopric, thou that Abbotshyp, and so forth: thou as many benefices as thou will't and a dispensation for what thou will't. And to Monks and Friars in like manner, ●ake thou that hole, and thou that nest with what privileges you will desire and dispensations of your rules, if you will preach me. And unto the temporality he saith: First to the Emperor, if thou will't fall down and kiss my feet and swear to hold of me and to defend me I give thee the Empire. And to all kings in like manner, if they will swear to defend his liberties, and to hold of him, he crowneth them. And even so all temporal Lords from the highest unto the lowest and all officers and all manner subjects, if they will enjoy lands, rents, offices, goods and their very lives they must ●…me the same way. The very whores (Gods honour unregarded) as long as they despise not him and his ordinances, they shall nest in his rents and among his Prelates. And the thieves and murderers shall have dens in his sanctuaries, whatsoever they do against God, so long as they hung on him. The Apostles chose Priests to The pope's order compared with the order of the Apostles. preach Christ only all other things laid a part, and chose none but learned and virtuous. The Pope shaveth whosoever cometh, liefer out of the stues then from study, and when they be sworn, he The pope's Priests. sendeth them unto all great men's houses to preach his godhead, to be stuardes, surueyers, receivers and counsellors of all manner mischief: to corrupt wife, daughter and maid, and to betray their own master, as often as it needeth to promote their falsehood withal. For thereto are they sworn together. And when they have done all mischief, there shall no man were whence it cometh. The Apostles chose Deacons to minister the almose of the rich unto the poor. And to help the Deacons they The pope's widows. chose widows of lx. year old, holy and destitute of friends to tend the sick. And the Pope in stead of such widows, maketh whosoever cometh whether she be young or old, but none save them that be rich and able to pay xx. thirty. or xl. pound for their profession, to whom for as much more he will give a dispensation on the morrow to marry again. And in stead of such Dea The pope's Deacons. cons, he maketh both Deacons & subdeacons, which do nothing at all but are vain names without office, except it be that on some holy day in stead of ministering the goods of the church unto the poor they sing an epistle or gospel to beg more from the poor. And as his Deacons minister the goods of the Church unto the poor: even so do his Priests preach Christ's Gospel unto the flock. And the almose that was given to How the Pope divideth the poor people's alms. the sustentation of the poor, which thou shalt read in stories that it was in some cities above xx. thirty. xl. yea an hundred thousand pound, and all the lands given for the same purpose, they have stolen from them and have divided it among themselves. And therewith did they at the beginning corrupt the great men of the world, and clam up to this heith where they now be. And for that have they striven among themselves this viii. hundred years. And to maintain that which they have falsely got, hath the pope stirred up a sword of war in all Christendom this viii. hundred years, and hath taken peace clean out of the world. When the Bishops, Priests, and Deacons were fallen, and had received of the Pope the kingdom that pertained unto the poor people, and had rob them and parted their patrimony among themselves: then sprung the orders of Monks. Whose profefsion was, to abstain from flesh all Monks. their lives, to wear vile raiment, to eat but once in the day, and that but butter, cheese, eggs, fruits, roots, and such things that were not costly, and might every where be found. And they wrote books, and wrought divers things to get their lining withal. When the lay men saw that the priests were fallen into such covetousness, and that the Monks were so holy: they thought, these be meet men to minister our almose unto the poor people. For their profession is so holy that they can not deceive us as the priests Monks made ministers to the poor, do, and made the Monks tutors and ministers unto the poor, & gave great lands & riches into their hands to deal it unto the poor. When the Monks see such abundance, they fallen after the ensample of the Priests, and took dispensations of the Pope for their rules, and strait profession, which now is as wide as their cowls, and divided all among them and rob Monks rob the poor. the poor once more. And out of the abbeys took he the most part of byshopprikes and cathedral churches, and the most part of all the lands he hath, besides that there remain yet so many mighty abbeys and Nunneries thereto. Assoon as the Monks were fallen, then sprung these begging Friars out of hell, the last kind of Caterpillars, Begging friars. in a more vile apparel, and a more strait religion, that (if aught of relief were left among the lay men for the poor people) these horseleches might suck that also. Which dronebees as soon as they had learned their craft, and had built them goodly and costly nests, and their limiters had denided all countries among them to beg in, and had prepared livings of a certain tie, though with begging, than they also took dispeusations of the Pope for to live as largely and as lewdly as the Monks. And yet unto the lay men whom they have thus falsely rob, and from which they have divided themselves, The charge of the ●ay people. and made them a several kingdom among themself, they leave the paying of tolle, custom, and tribute (for unto all that charges of the realms will they not pay one mite, and the finding of all the poor, the finding of scholars for the most part, the finding of these foresaid horseleches, and caterpillars, the begging Friars, the repairing of the high ways, and bridges, the building and reparations of their abbeys and Cathedral Churches, Chapels, Coledges, for which they send out their pardons daily by heaps, and gather a thousand pound for every hundred that they bestow truly. If the lay people have war or what soever charge it be, they will not bear a mite. If the war be there's (as the one part almost of all war is to defend them) they will with falsehood make them bear the greatest part, besides that they must leave their wines and children and go fight for them and loose their lives. And likewise in all their charges they have a cast to poule the lay people. The Scots cast down a castle of the Bishop of Durhams on the Scottish bank called Norant castle. And he got a pardon from Rome for the building of it again, wherewith I doubt not but he got for every penny that he bestowed three. And what do they with their store that they have in so great plenty every How the spirituality bestow their treasure. where: so that the very begging Friars in short space to make a Cardinal or a Pope of their sect, or to do what feat it were for their profit, would not stick to bring above a kings ransom? verily make goodly places and parks of pleasure, and gay shrines, and painted posts, and purchase pardons, wherewith they yet still paul and pluck away that little wherewith the poor which perish for need, and fall into great inconveniences might be somewhat helped and relieved. And lay up in store to have always to pay for the defending of their faith, and for to oppress the truth. ¶ How the Pope made him a law, and why. AFter that the Pope with tyranny was clom up above his brethren, and had made all the spirituality his subjects, and had made of them & him a several kingdom among themselves, and had separated them from the lay in all things, and had got privileges, that whatsoever they did no man should meddle with them: and after also he had received the kingdoms of the earth of Satan, and was become his Vicar to distribute them: and after that the Emperor was fallen in like manner at his feet and had worshipped him as God to receive his Empire of him, and all kings had done likewise to be anointed of him and to be crowned of him, and after that the world both great & small had submitted themselves to receive the beasts badge: then because that Christ's doctrine was contrary unto all such kingdoms, & therefore had no law therein how to rule it, he went and made him a several law of his own making, which The Pope maketh laws. passed in cruelty and tyranny the laws of all heathen Princes. And in his law he thrust in feigned gifts of old Emperors that were out of memory, saying that the Emperor Constantinus had given up the Empire What subtlety the Pope useth to stablish his kingdom. of Rome unto Saint Silvester which is proved a false lie for divers causes: One that Saint Silvester being so holy a man as he was would not have received it contrary to his master's commandments & doctrine: Another that the Emperors reigned in Rome many years after, and all Bishops sued unto the Emperor, & The Pope hath feigned the gift of Constantine. not to the pope, which was but bishop of Rome only, & not called father of fathers. Moreover that no authentic story maketh meution that any Emperor gave them their patrimony, but that Pipine which falsely and with strength invaded the Empire gave it unto him. Then put he in the grant of Phocas, than the gift of Pipine confirmed by the great Charles: then a feigned release of the election of the Pope given up again unto Pope Paschale by the Emperor jews. For they themselves had granted unto Charlemagne and his successors, for ever the election or denomination of the Pope and Bishops to flatter him withal, and to make him a faithful defender, and that in a general counsel which (as they say) cannot err. Nevertheless Pope paschal though he believed the counsel could not err, yet he thought them somewhat over seen to make so long a grannt, and therefore he purchased a release of gentle jews as they pretend. But verily it is more likely that they feigned that grant to excuse their tyranny after they had taken the election into their hands again with violence, when the Emperors were weak & not able to resist them: as they feigned the gift of Constantine, after they had invaded the Empire with subtlety & falsehood. And last of all they brought in the oath of Ottho with the order that now is used to choose the Emperor. How the Pope corrupteth the Scripture and why. Moreover jest these his lies should be spied and jest haply the emperors The Pope corrupteth the scripture, and why? following might say, our predecessors had no power to bind us nor to minish our might: And jest kings following should say after the same manner, that the sword & full power to punish evil doers indifferently is given of God to every king for his time, and therefore that their predecessor could not bind them contrary unto the ordinance of God: but rather that it was unto their damnation to make such grants and that they did not execute their office. And therefore thefoule and misshaped monster gate him to the Scripture and corrupted it with false expositions, to prove that such authority was given him of God, and challenged it by the authority of Peter, Peter (saith the Pope) was the head of Christ's church. saying that Peter was the head of Christ's Church, and that Christ had made him Lord over the Apostles his fellows in that he bade him feed his sheep and lambs: john the last, as who should say that Paul▪ which came long after, was not commanded to feed as specially as Peter, which yet would take none authority over the bodies or over the faiths of them which he fed, but was their servant for Christ's sake, Christ ever the lord and head: And as though the other Apostles were not likewise All ministers have as great a charge given them of God as Peter had as specially commanded as Peter: And as though we now & all that here after shall love Christ were not commanded to feed Christ's flock, every man in his measure, as well as Peter. Are not we commanded to love our neighbours as ourselves as well as Peter? Why then are we not commanded to care for his flock as well as Peter? Moreover if to feed Christ's sheep is to be greatest (as no doubt to feed Christ's flock is to be great and most to feed, is to be greatest, in which office though Peter was great, yet Paul Peter preached but the Pope preached not. was greater) how cometh it that the pope by that authority challengeth to be greatest, & yet this viii. hundred years feedeth not at all: but poisoneth their pasture with the venomous leaven of his traditions and with wresting the text unto a contrary sense? Then came he to this text Math. xuj. Thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my congregation or Church. Lo says Antichrist the carnal beast, Peter is the rock whereon the Church of Christ is built, & I am his successor, and therefore: the head of Christ's Church. When Christ meant by the rock the confession that Peter had confessed saying: Thou art Christ the son of the lining God which art come into this world. This faith is Faith is the rock whercon Christ's Church is built. the rock whereon Christ's Church is built. For who is of Christ's Church but he only: that believeth that Christ is God's son come into this world to save sinners? This faith is it, against which hell gates can not prevail. This faith is it, which saveth the congregation of Christ, and not Peter. Then he goeth forth unto that which followeth: Unto thee I will give the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and what soever thou byndest in earth, it shallbe bond in heaven. etc. Lo saith Binding and losing how it is to be understand. he, in that he saith what soever thou bindest in earth, he excepteth nothing, therefore I may make laws and bind both King & Emperor. When Christ as he had no worldly kingdom, even so he spoke of no worldly binding, but of binding of sinners. Christ gave his Disciples the key of the knowledge The keys of the law of God to bind all sinners, and the key of the promises to lose all that repent & to let them into the mercy that is laid up for us in Christ. Then cometh he unto an other text which Christ rehearseth Matthew last saying: All power is given me in heaven and earth go you therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the father and the son & of the hely ghost, teaching them to keep all that I commanded you: And behold, I am Behold here Antichrist, how he wresteth the Scriptures. with you unto the worlds end: Loc saith the Pope, Christ hath all power in heaven and earth without exception, and I am Christ's Vicar, wherefore all power is mine and I am above all kings and Emperors in temporal jurisdiction and they but my servants to kiss not my feet only but my. N. also if I list not to have them stoop so low. When Christ as I said, because he had no temporal kingdom, even Christ's power is 〈◊〉 save sinners. so he meant of no temporal power: but of power to save sinners, which the process of the text declareth by that he saith, go you therefore and teach and baptize: that is, preach this power to all nations, and wash of their sins through faith in the promises made in my blood. Then he cometh unto an other Of this manner iuggleth ●ee with all texts. text. Heb. seven. which is. The priesthood being translated, the law must needs be translated also. Now says the pope, the priesthood is translated unto me, wherefore it pertaineth unto me to make laws and to bind every man. And the Epistle means no such thing, but proveth evidently that the ceremonies of Moses must cease. For the Priests of the old Testament must needs have been of the tribe of Le●i as Aaron was, whose duty for ever was the offering of sacrifices. Wherefore when that priesthood ceased the sacrifices & ceremonies ceased also. Now that priesthood At the suffering of Christ, the offering of sacrifices & ceremonies▪ ceased: for Christ offered himself once for all. ceased in Christ, which was a Priest of the order of Melchisedeke & not of the order of Aaron: for than he must have been of the tribe of Le●i, and that he was not, but of the tribe of juda & of the seed of David. Wherefore they that are under Christ's priesthood are under no sacrifices or ceremonies. And of this manner juggle they with all the Scripture, which falsehood jest the lay men should perceive with reading the process of the text, is all their fear what soever they pretend. Moreover that thou mayst perceive the Pope's falsehood, mark, Christ said unto Peter I will give & not I give, neither said he I will give unto the only. Therefore look in the. xx. chapter Christ gave all his Apostles like authority. of john where he gave them the keys after his resurrection, and thou shalt see that he gave them unto all indifferently saying: As my father sent me so sand I you. Whether sent he then? into all the world, and unto all nations. What to do? to preach the law that the people might repent, and the promises that they might believe in Christ for the remission of sins saying: receive the holy ghost, who soevers sin you forgive they shall be forgiven. By which holy ghost he gave them understanding of the Scripture and of all that they should preach: as thou mayst see Luke last, where he opened their wits to understand the Scripture and said, that repentauce and forgiveness of sins must be preached in his name to all nations, and that they were witnesses to preach it. Whereby thou seest that to To bind and loose is to preach. bind and to loose is but to preach & to tell the people their faults, & to preach mercy in Christ to all that repent. And when he saith all power is given me: he saith not, go thou Peter & Christ sent out all his Apostles & not Peter ●●●n●. preach: but says unto all indifferently, go you and preach this power given me of my father to save all that repent and to damn them that repent not, but follow the lusts of their flesh with full desire to live beastly being enemies unto the law of God. And Math. xviij. Peter asked Christ how often he should forgive his brethren, Note, whether seven times. And Christ said, seventy times seven times. As who should say, as oft as he repenteth and asketh forgiveness. Now though this were spoken unto Peter only, because Peter only moved the question, yet pertaineth it not unto us all as well as unto Peter? Are We are bond to forgive our neighbours aswell as Peter was. not we as much bound to forgive our neighbours that repent and ask forgiveness, as Peter? Yes verily. But because Peter only asked the question, therefore did Christ teach us by Peter. If an other had asked, he would have taught us by that other. And in like manner when Christ asked who say you that I am: if any other of the Apostles which believed it as well as Peter, had Christ builded his Church upon the confession of Peter, & not upon Peter. said as Peter did, thou art Christ the son of the living God which art come into the world of sinners, to save them: unto him would Christ have answered as he did to Peter, that upon the rock of that his confession he would have built his church, and would have promised him keys as well as he did Peter. Yea and in the xviij. chapter of Matthew Christ saith to all the Apostles, yea and to all congregations where sinners be▪ that what soever they bond should be bond, and whatsoever they loosed should be loosed. Moreover every man and woman A woman hath power to bind. that know Christ & his doctrine, have the keys and power to bind & lose: man order, and in their measure, as time place and occasion giveth, & privately. May not a wife, if her husband sin against God and her, and take an other woman, tell him his fault between him & her secretly, and in good manner humbly, & bind his conscience with the law of God? And if he repent How 〈…〉 man may bind and loose. may she not forgive him and lose him as well as the Pope? Yea, and better to, as long as the sin is secret, in as much as he sinneth specially against her and not against the Pope. And so may the son do to his father, and a servant to his master, and every man to his neighbour, as thou seest in the said. xviij. chapter of Matthew. Howbeit to bind and loose in the conscience by open preaching pertaineth To bind the conscience, and to reprove open sinners pertaineth to the congregation. unto the officers that are appointed thereto. And to bind and loose open sinners, and them that will not repent till they be complained on unto the congregation, pertaineth unto the congregation. Finally, there were many that preached Reasons that Peter was not the greatest by authority given him of Christ. Christ at Rome year Peter came thither, if he came ever thither: as Paul and many other. Had they not authority to bind and loose? Or else how did they convert the people? Peter also was an Apostle and went from place to place as Paul did, and as Paul ordained bishops in every place to teach the people, so no doubt did Peter. Why then might not those bishops challenge authority by Peter as well as they of Rome? They say Peter had first his seat at Antioch. also in their own Legends that Peter had his seat at Antioch first. Did he run to Rome leaving no man behind him to teach the people at Antioch? God forbidden. Why then might not that Bishop challenge Peter's authority? They will haply say sooner than prove it, that Peter died at Rome, and therefore his authority is greatest there. Then by that rule Christ's power is no where so full as at Jerusalem. But what hath Christ's invisible kingdom to do with places? Where Christ's power is in the Gospel Christ's Gospel is, there is his power full and all his authority as well in one place as in an other. Finally to get authority whence so ever they can snatch it, they join Paul with Peter in their own laws Distinctio. xxij. saying, By the authority Paul is called to help of Peter and Paul. Which is clean against themselves. For they say in their own law in the presence of the superior the power of the inferior ceaseth and is none at all. Now if Peter In the presence of the greater the power of the lesser doth 〈◊〉. be greater than Paul, then by that rule where Peter is present there Paul is but a subject and without authority: And where Christ is present bodily and preacheth himself, there the Apostles give up their authority, and hold their peace and sit down at his feet, and become scholars & hearken to. Wherefore in that they join Paul with Peter, and challenge their superiority as well by the authority of Paul as of Peter, there they make Paul fellow and equal with Peter. And thus it is false that Peter was Paul is made equal fellow with Peter. greater than his fellows. But that blind owls care not what they howl, seeing it is night and the day light of God's word shut up that no man can spy them. Moreover with this term Peter's seat they juggle apase (as with infinite other) saying that Peter's seat is the chief seat, but what Peter's seat is, that they tell you not. For witted you that, you should soon perceive that they lie. Peter's seat is no stool or chair (for what hath the kingdom of Christ to do with such baggage) but it is a spiritual thing. Christ says in the Gospel Math. twenty-three. The Scribes & Phariseis Peter's seat what it is. sit on Moses seat. What was Moses seat there, a chair, or the temple, or the church's, or synagogue of the land? Nay verily, for Moses came never there. But Moses seat was Moses law and doctrine. Even so Peter's Peter's seat Peter's doctrine & Peter's keys are all but one thing. seat is Peter's doctrine, the Gospel of Christ which Peter taught. And the same doctrine is Peter's keys: so that Peter's seat, Peter's keys and Peter's doctrine is all one thing. Now is Peter's doctrine Paul's doctrine, and the doctrine of all the xii. Apostles indifferently, for they taught all one thing. Wherefore it followeth that Peter's keys and Peter's seat be the keys & seat of Paul also and of all the other xii. Apostles, and are nothing save the gospel of Christ. And thus as Peter's doctrine is no better than Paul's but one thing: Even so Peter's seat is no greater nor higher nor holier than the seat of the other xii. Peter's seat now is Peter's seat is Christ's Gospel. Christ's seat, Christ's gospel on which all the Apostles sat, and on which this day sitteth all they only the preach christ truly. Wherefore as Antichrist preacheth not Peter's doctrine (which is Christ's Gospel) so he sitteth not on Peter's seat, but on the seat of Satan, The Pope sitteth in th● devils seat, whose Vicar he is. whose vicar he is and on the seat of his own laws and ceremonies and false doctrine whereunto he compelleth all men with violence of sword. Then he claim to Purgatory with the ladder of the said text, whatsoever Purgatory thou bindest in earth. etc. Purgatory saith he is in earth: wherefore I am Lord there to. Nevertheless as he can The Pope saith that Purgatory ●s in ●arth. prove no purgatory, so can he not prove that if there were any, it should be in the earth. It might well be in the element or spear of fire under the Moon as well as in the earth. But to bind and loose is as I have above said, to preach and to feed, and with Christ's doctrine to purge souls. And they that be dead be not of the flock which Christ bad Peter feed, but they that live only. Then claim he up with the same ladder still over all vows and professions Vows. of all religious people, and over oaths Oaths. made between man and man to dispense Testaments with them, and over all men's testaments to altar them. For what The Pope altereth men's wills & testaments at his pleasure. thou makest an hospital, that will he shortly make a college of Priests, or a place of religion, or what he lusteth. Then all manner Monks and Friars and like draff took dispensations of him for the ordinances of their old founders. And because, as they thought they had prayed & distributed for their souls enough to bring them out of purgatory, they thrust them out of their beadrolles, and took daily more and more. But ever since they took dispensations of the Pope, both for their rules and to divide all among them, they received in the name, not of the poor, The pope's merchandise. but of purgatory, to quench the raging fire thereof, which is as hot as their bellies can fayne it, and fools be out of their wits to believe it: promising a Mass daily for xl. shillings by the year, of which foundations when they have got twenty, they will yet with an union purchased of the Pope make Union. but one chantry. For if they should do all that they have promised from the first founder unto this day. u hundred Monks were not enough in many cloisters. Thinkest thou that men were ever so mad to make the fashions that are now among them? to give the Sel●rar such a sum, and the Prior or suppriour and the other officers so much for their parts as they have yearly, and to exempt the Abbot from his brethren, The great and shameful abuse of abbeys and to sand him out of the Abbay into such parks & places of pleasures, and give him a thousand, fifteen hundred, two thousand or three thousand pound yearly to sport himself with all? Nay but when thorough hypocrisy they had got land enough, them they turned unto the Pope and took Dispensations purchased of the Pope. dispensations both for their rules which were to hard for such abundance, & for the wills of their founders, and served a great sort of founders under one per dominum, and divided among few, that which was enough for a great multitude. It was the Pope that devised all these fashions to corrupt the Prelates with abundance of worldly pleasures, of which he witted that the worst would be most greedy, and for which he witted also that he should find judasses' enough that would forsake Christ and betray the truth and be sworn false unto him and his Godhead. He maketh of many chauntryes one, of an Abbay a Cathedral church, and out of the abbeys plucked he the Byshopprikes. And as Bishops pay for their bulls, Chopping and changing used by the pope even so do an infinite number of abbots in Christendom, in all lands some, which abbots be bishops within themselves, & immediately under the Pope. And other Abbots and priors sand after the same example daily unto Rome to purchase licence to wear a nutre and a cross & gay ornaments, to be as glorious as the best. etc. And where before God no man is a Priest but he that is appointed to preach Christ's Gospel unto the people, and the people aught not to give aught unto the spirituality but for the maintenance of the preaching of God's word, the The wicked bestowing of benefices by the Pope. Pope taketh vi. or seven. yea ten. xx. and as many benefices as he listeth, & giveth them unto one that preacheth not at all, as he doth all other dignities of the spirituality. He that will purchase and pay and be sworn shall have what he will. How they prove all their general counsels. WHen the Bishops and abbots and other great Prelates had forsaken Christ and his living, and were fallen down before the beast the vicar of Satan to receive their kingdom of him, than the Pope called together diverse counseles of such holy Apostles and there concluded and made of every opinion that seemed profitable, an article of the faith. If thou ask where the scripture is to prove it? They answer we be the church and can not err. and therefore say they, what we conclude, The church can ●ot err. though there be no scripture to prove it, it is as true as the Scripture and of equal authority with the Scripture & must be believed as well as the scripture under pain of damnation. For say they our truth dependeth not of the truth of the scripture, that is, we be not true in our doing because the scripture testifieth unto us that we do truly: but contrary, the truth of the scripture (say they) dependeth of us: that is, the scripture The Pope saith that the Scripture is true not of itself, but because he alloweth 〈◊〉 approveth it. is true because that we admit it, and tell thee that it is true. For how couldst thou know that it were the scripture except we told thee so? and therefore we need no witness of the scripture, for that we do it is enough that we so say of our own head, for we can not err. Which reason is like as though young Monks newly professed should A similitude. come by the rules of their order & ordinances of their old founders, and would go about to keep them: and the old cankered Monks should call them back unto the corrupt and false manner that now is used saying: you err. Do only as we teach you, for your profession is to obey your elders. According unto the rules of our order and ordinances of our founder shall they say. We can teach you no other shall the old Monks say, nor can lie unto you: you aught therefore to believe us and to do as we bid you. The young Monks shall answer we see that you lie clean contrary unto all that is written in our rules and ordinances. The old Monks shall say you can not This doctrine the papists used in those days. understand them except we expound them unto you, neither yet know that they be your rules except that you believe that we can not lie unto you. For how can you know that these be your rules and ordinances, but as we your elders tell you so? Now when we tell you that these be your rules and ordinances, how can you be sure undoubtedly that it is so, except you believe undoubtedly that we can not lie. Wherefore if you will be sure that they be your rules and ordinances, than you must first believe that we can not lie. Leave such imaginations and disputations therefore and say your rules and ordinances out of your hands and look no more on them, for they make you err. And come and do as we tell you and captivate your wits and believe that we can not lie unto you and that you can not understand your rules a●d ordinances. Even so if thou say it is contrary unto the Scripture: they answer that thou understandest it not, & The c●●mon and 〈◊〉 and ●…ching of ●he Papists. that thou must captive thy wit and believe that though it seem never so contrary, yet it is not contrary: not if they determine that Christ is not risen again and though the Scripture testify that he is risen again yet (say they) they be not contrary, if they be wisely understand. Thou must believe say they that there is some other meaning in the Scripture and that no man understandeth it: but that we say, whether with out Scripture, or against it, that must thou believe that it is true. And thus because that the Scripture would not agreed with them they thrust it out of the way first and shut up the kingdom of heaven which is Christ's Gospel, with false expositions and with such sophistry and with false principles of natural wisdom. And the abbots took the Scripture from The Abbots keep the monks in ignorance and the bishops the priests. their Monks, jest some should ever bark against the abbots lining, & set up such long service and singing to weary them with all that they should have no leisure to read in the Scripture but with their lips, and made them good cheer to fill their belies & to stop their mouths. And the Bishops in like manner to occupy their Priests with all that they should not study the Scripture for barking against them, set up long service wondrous intricate, so that in a dozen years thou couldst scarce learn to turn a right unto it: long Matens, long Euensongs, long Masses, long Diriges with vantage yet to mitigate the tediousness, quia levis est labour cum lucro, for lucre ●alne joined with pain maketh ●●yne nothing, (say they) maketh the labour light: ever noseling them in ceremonies & in their own constitutions, decrees, ordinances and laws of holy Church. And the promises and Testament which the Sacrament of Christ's body & blood did preach daily unto the people, that they put out of knowledge and say now that it is a sacrifice for the souls of Purgatory, that they might the better cell their Mass. And in the Universities they have ordained that no man shall look on the Scripture until he be nuzzled in heathen learning viii. or nine year & armed with false The use of universities. principles, with which he is clean shut out of the understanding of the Scripture. And at his first coming unto University he is sworn that he shall not defame the University what soever he seethe. And when he taketh first degree he is sworn that he shall hold none opinion condemned by the Church, but what such opinions be that he shall not know. And they when they be admitted to study divinity, because the Scripture is locked up with such false expositions & with false principles of natural Philosophy that they can not enter in, they go about the out side and dispute all their lives about words & vain opinions pertaining as much unto the healing of a man's hele as health of his soul. Provided yet all way, jest god give his singular grace Proviso. unto any person, that none may preach except he be admitted of the Bishops. Then came Thomas de Aquino and he made the Pope a God with his sophistry, S. Tho. de Aquino. and the Pope made him a Saint for his labour and called him Doctor Sanctus, for whose holiness no man may deny what so ever he saith save in certain places where among so many lies he said now and then true. And in like manner who soever defendeth his Saintes. traditions, decrees and privileges him he made a Saint also for his labour were his living never so contrary unto the Scripture, as Thomas of Canterbury with many other like whose life was like Thomas Cardinals, but not Christ's, neither is Thomas Cardinal's life any thing save a counterfeiting of saint Thomas of Canterbury. Thomas Becket was first seen in merchandise temporal and then to learn Thomas of Canterbury. spiritual merchandise he got him to Theobald Archbishop of Canterbury which sent him divers times to Rome about business of holy Church. And when Theobald had spied his activity he shore him Deacon jest he should go back & made him Archdeacon of Canterbury and upon that presented him to the king. And the king made him Tho. ●e●ket & Tho. Wolsey copared together. his chancellor in which office he passed the pomp & pride of Thomas Cardinal as far as the one's shrine passeth the others tomb in glory and riches. And after that, he was a man of war and captaynen over five or six thousand men in full harness as bright as S. George & his spear in his hand & encountered who soever came against him and overthrew the jolliest rutter that was in all the host of France. And out of the seld hot from blood shedding was he made Bishop of Canterbury, and did put of his helm and put on his mitre, put of his harness & on with his robes, and laid down his spear & took his cross, year his hands were cold, and so came with a lusty courage of a man of war to fight an other while against his Prince for the Pope. Where his Prince's causes were with the law of God and the Pope's clean contrary. And the pomp of his consecration was after his old worldly fashion. Howbeit yet he is made a Saint The Pope rewardeth his servants highly when they be dead. for his worshipping of the holy seat of saint Peter, not that seat of Peter which is Christ's Gospel, but an other lied to be Peter's and is in deed Cathedra pestilentiae, a chair of false do ctrine. And because he could no skill of our lords Gospel, he said of Matene with our Lady. Such as understand the Latin, read his life and compare it unto the Scripture, and then he shall see such holiness as were here to long to be rehearsed. And every Abbay & every Cathedral Church did shrine them one God or other, and mingled the lives of the very Saints with stark lies, to move men to offer which thing they call devotion. And though in all their doings they oppress the temporalty and their common wealth, and be grievous unto the rich, and painful to the poor: yet they be so many and so exercised in wiles & so sutill, and so knit and sworn together that they compass the temporality and make them bear them whether they will or will not (as the Oak doth the ivy) partly with juggling and beside that with worldly policy. For every Abbot will make him that may do Policy. most in the shire or with the king, the steward of his lands and give him a feeyearely, and will lend unto some, and feast other, that by such means they do what they will. And little master The practice of little master parson. Parson after the same manner, if he come into an house and the wife be snoutefaire he will root himself there by one craft or other: either by using such pastime as the good man doth, or in being beneficial by one way or other, or he will lend him, and so bring him into his danger, that he can not thrust him out when he would, but must be compelled to bear him and to let him be homely whether he will or no. An example of practice out of our own Chronicles. TAke an example of their practice out K. Herold. of our own stories. King Herold exiled or banished Robert Archbishop Robert of Canterbury of Canterbury. For what cause the English Polychronicon specifieth not. But if the cause were not somewhat suspect, I think they would not have passed it over with silence. This Robert got him immediately unto king William the conqueror than Duke of Normandy. And the pope Alexander sent Duke William a banner to go and conquer England Remission of sins to conquer England. and clean remission unto who soever would follow the banner and go with king William. Here mark how straight the Pope followed Christ's steps & his Apostles: they preached forgiveness of sins to all that repented through Christ's blood shedding: that pope preacheth forgiveness of sins to all Note here how well Christ and the pope agre Christ biddeth save, & the pope biddeth kill. that will s●ea their brethrē●ought with Christ's blood, to subdue them unto his tyranny. What soever other cause Duke William had against K. Herold, thou mayst be sure that the pope would not have meddled if Herold had not troubled his kingdom: neither should Duke William have been able to conquer the land at that time except the spirituality had wrought on his side. What blood did that conquest cost England, thorough which almost all the Lords of the English blood were slain, and the Normandes become rulers, & all the laws were changed into French? But what careth the holy father for shedding of lay men's blood? It were better that ten hundred thousand lay The pope is a cruel & merciless tyrant. knaves lost their lives, than that holy Church should loose one inch of her honour, or Saint Peter's seat one jot of her right. And Anselmus that was Bishop in short time after, never left striumge with that mighty prince king William Anselmus a chaplain of the pope's. the second until he had compelled him maugre his teeth, to deliver up the investiture or election of Bishops unto Saint Peter's vicar, which investiture was of old time the kings duty. And again, when the said king William would have had the tribute that Priests gave yearly unto their bishops for their whores, paid to him, did not Ranfe Bishop of Chichester forbidden God's service (as they call ☜ The pope is well pleased to admit priests to have whores. but not wives. it) and stop up the Church doors with thorns throughout all his diocese, until the king had yielded him up his tribute again? For when the holy father had forbade Priests their wives, the Bishop permitted them whores of their own for a yearly tribute, & do still yet in all lands save in England where they may not have any other save men's wives only. And again, for the election of Steven Langton Archbishop of Canterbury, what misery and wretchedness was in the realm a long season? Then was the land interdited many years. And when that holp not, than Ireland rebelled against king john immediately, & not Note here the pride and wickedness of the Pope. without the secret working of our Prelates I dare well say. But finally, when neither the interditing, neither that secret subtlety holp, and when john would in no means consent that Saint Peter's vicar should reign alone over the spirituality, and over all that pertained unto them, and that they should sin and do all mischief unpunished, the Pope sent remission of Remission of sins to conquer England. sins to the king of France, for to go and conquer his land. Whereof king john was so sore afraid that he yielded up his crown unto the Pope, and swore to hold the land of him, and that his successors should do so likewise. And again, in king Richard's days Thomas Arundel. the second, Thomas Arundel Archbishop of Canterbury and Chauncellar was exiled with the Earl of Derby. The outward pretence of the variance between the king and his Lords was for the deliverance of the town of Breast in Britain. But our prelate's had an other secret mystery a bruing. They could not at their own lust slay the poor wretches which at that time were converted unto repentance & to that true faith, to put their trust in Christ's death & blood shedding for the remission of their sins by the preaching of john Wiclefe. As soon as the Archbishop Practise of Prelates. was out of the realm, the Irishmen began to rebel against king Richard, as before against king john: But not hardly without the invisible inspiration of them that rule both in the court and also in the consciences of all men. They be one kingdom sworn together one to help an other scattered abroad in all realines. And howbeit, that they strive among themselves who shallbe greatest, yet against the temporal power they be always at one; though they dissemble it, & feign as though one held against The pope's clergy are secret and subtle conspirators. the other, to know their enemy's secrets, to betray them withal. They can inspire privily into the breasts of the people what mischief they list, & no man shall know whence it cometh. Their letters go secretly from one to an other throughout all kingdoms. Saint Peter's vicar shall have word in xv. or xuj. days from the uttermost ☞ part of Christendom. The Bishops of England at their need can writ unto the Bishops of Ireland, Scotland, Denmark, Douchland, France and Spain, promising them as good a turn an other time, putting than 〈◊〉 remembrance that they be all one holy Church, and that the cause of that tone is the cause of the t'other, saying: if our juggling break out, yours can not belong hide. And the other shall serve their turn and bring the game unto their hands, and no man shall know how it cometh about. Assoon as king Richard was go to Ireland to subdue these rebellions, A traitorous practice. the Bishop came in again and prevented the king, and took up his power against him, and took him prisoner, and put him down, and to death most cruelly, and crowned the Earl of Darbye King. O merciful Christ what blood hath that coronation cost England? but what care they? their causes must be avenged. He is not worthy to be king that will not avenge their quarrels. For do not the kings receive their kingdom of the beast, & swear to worship him, and maintain his throne? And then when the Earl of Darbye which was king Henry the fourth, was crowned, the prelate's took his ☜ The Papists are styrers up of wars & sheders of blood. sword, and his sons Henry the fift after him (as all the kings sword since) and abused them to shed Christian blood at their pleasure. And they coupled their cause unto the kings cause (as now) and made it treason to believe in Christ as the scripture teacheth, and to resist the Bishops (as now) and thrust them in the kings prisons (as now) so that it is no new invention that they now do, but even an old practice, though they have done their busy cure to hide their science, that their conveyance should not be espied. And in king Henry the sixt days how raged they as fierce Lions against good Duke Humphrey of Gloucester the kings uncle and protector of the Duke Humfrey. realm in the kings youth and childhod, because that for him they might not slay whom they would, and make what chevisance they lusted. Would not the bishop of winchester have Papists are cruel. fallen upon him and oppressed him openly with might and power in the city of London, had not the Citizens come to his help. But at the last they found that means to contrive a drift to bring their matters to pass, and made a parliament far from the citizens of London, A Parliament kept at Bury. where was slain the good Duke and only wealth of the realm, and the mighty shield that so long before that kept it from sorrow which shortly after his death fallen thereon by heaps. But The death of Homfrey Duke of Gloucester protector of the Realm of England. the chronicles can not tell wherefore he died, nor by what means. Not marvel verily. For he had need of other eyes then such as the world seethe withal that should spy out their privy paths. Nevertheless the chronicles testify that he was a virtuous man, a godly and good to the common wealth. Moreover the proctor of purgatory This is Sir Tho. Moore. says in his Dialogue, quoth I, and quoth he, and quoth your friend, how that the foresaid Duke of Gloucester was a noble man and a great clerk, and so wise that he could spy false miracles and disclose them, and judge them from the true, which is an hateful science unto our spirituality, and more abhorred amongst them then necromancy or The Clergy cannot abide them that can judge talse miracles. witchcraft, and a thing wherefore a man by their law I dare well say, is worthy to dye, and that secretly if it be possible. Now to be good to the common wealth, and to see false miracles, and Thirdly to withstand that France then brought under the foot of the Englishmen, should not be set up again, by whose power the Pope holdeth down the Emperor, and reigneth in his stead, be causes why he might die though by what means be not known. For to be good to the common wealth Three causes why the Duke of Gloucester was murdered is to be hurtful to the spirituality, seeing the one is the others pray, as the Lamb is the Wolves. Secondaryly, if a man be so clear eyed that he can spy false miracles, how can jugglers get their living and be in price where such a fellow is? Thirdly to keep down the kingdom of France is to pull Saint Peter's Vicar out of his seat. Now, if the great bawd the whore The Pope is the whore of Babylon. of Babylon were destroyed, them would the bordello and stues of our Prelates shortly perish. If Abadon that destroyer king of the grasshoppers which devour all that is green, were destroyed, then were the kingdom of our caterpillars at an end. ¶ By what craft the Pope keepeth the Emperor down. Mark an other practice of our most another practice of Prelates. holy prelate's. When the Empire was translated unto the germans, though the Emperor was fallen down and had kissed the Pope's feet, and was become his sworn servant: yet there was much strife and open war oft-times between the pope's and the Emperors. And the pope's have put down many good Emperors by help of the bishops, which every where secretly persuaded the Lords to forsake the Emperors and to take dispensations of that pope for their oaths. And contrariwise the Emperors have now and then deposed diverse Pope's have deposed Emperors, and likewise Emperors have deposed Popes. pope's at request of the Cardinals & other great prelate's, by whose help only they were able to do it. For else verily though all kings christened had sworn to depose one pope out of his seat, if they had not the favour of other prelate's thereto, they might haply by the secret practice of them, to be put out of their own seats in the mean tyme. The pope therefore, to be sure of himself, and out of the fear and danger of the Emperor were he never so mighty, and that the Emperor should not see his daily open pastimes, made friendship and amity with the Venetians on the one side of him, and let them come into certain cities of the Emperors in Italy: and with the French king on the other side, and let him also up into certain cities and possessions of the Emperors: and he himself in the mids: & shut out the Emperor from coming any more to Rome, and ever sent him his coronation home to him. And then he made a No man may rebuke the Pope for any mischief that he doth. law that no man should rebuke the Pope for what soever mischief he did, saying, that the Pope was above all & judge over all and none over him, and therefore forbade in his law. Distinctio. xl. Si Papa, saying: though the pope be proved negligent about himself and also the soul health of his brethren & slack in his works & speechless as concerning any good, & draw with him by his example innumerable people to hell to be punished with him with divers torments everlasting: yet see that no mortal man presume once to rebuke his faults here. For he shall judge all men and no man him. O Antichrist. Is he not Antichrist that will not have his life tried by God's word? If the Venetians catch any of our holy father's Towns or possessions, Venetians. whether by war, or that they have bought it, or that it be laid to mortgage The Pope may give and take again at his will & pleasure. unto them, or that the old Pope hath given it with the marriage of some daughter, unto the Duke of Venice: then the holy father that succeedeth, when he seethe his season sendeth for it again saying that it is not lawful for lay men to withhold S. Peter's patrimony. If they allege that they bought it and so forth: his fatherhood answereth that the old Pope had none authority to make any such chevisaunce with S. Peter's inheritance: he could have but the use of it his life long, and after it must needs return unto his successor again. And upon that he interditeth them & curseth them as black as coals down to the pit of hell. But the Venicians knowing more of our holy father's practice for their nyenesse than we which devil a far of, & wiser than we of cold countries, perceiving also that their colour changeth, not with his cursing, & that they The Venetians ●a●e not for the pope's cursing nor blessing. sink not, and that their meat digesteth as well as before, and that (as Erasmus saith) they shit as easily as before (with reverence of the holy course I speak it) and therefore fear not his interdiction nor excommunication. Then our holy father raiseth up all the power that he is able to make in Italy against them and sendeth for them Sochenars to come and help. If he be not yet strong enough, than he sendeth unto the bishops of France warning them that if his seat decay, there's can not long prospero, and therefore, that they put their king in remembrance how that he is called ●…ost Christian king, and that they desire him to do somewhat for his title, against this disobedient rebellions unto the most holy sea of Rome our mother holy Church. If an other time the Frenchmen come to our holy father, as they be ever Frenchmen. gaping for Italy, to bring the Empire home again to France. Then the most holy Vicar bringeth his whole power against them with the power of the Venicians, & with his old friends the Sochenars. If he be not yet strong enough, them he sendeth to the Bishops of England, to help their God and to Englishmen move▪ their king to do somewhat for holy Church, putting him in remembrance of whom he holdeth his crown and of his oath, and how many caps of maintenance have been ever sent The practice of the pope with all kings & princes. unto his forefathers and what honour it was unto them and that he may easily get as great honour as they, and haply a more excellent title, if he will take our holy father's part, besides that he shall purchase remission of all his sins. Then must the peace and all the appointementes made between us and The pope a breaker of peace. France be broken, and the king must take a dispensation for his oath. For the king of France will attempt nothing in Italy, until he have sent his ambassadors & have made a perpetual peace with our king, the Sacrament of the body of our Saviour broken between them to confirm the appointment. But I suppose that the breaking signifieth that the appointment shall not long The abuse of the sacrament. endure, for a great deal of flower would not make so many hosts as they call them or singing loves, as hath been broken in our days between Christian Princes (as they will be called) to confirm promises that have not long been kept. Other use of that blessed sacrament will the Princes none know: but Christ ordained it to be a perpetual memory that his body was broken for our sins upon the cross, and that all that repent should receive as often as they eat of it forgiveness of their misdeeds through faith. If the kings of the earth when they break that Sacrament between them, do say on this wise: The body of our Saviour (which was broken on the cross for the sin of all that repent and have good hearts and How the sacrament should be broken between kings and princes. would fain keep his law) be broken unto my danmation if I break this oath: then is it a terrible oath and they had need to take heed how they make it: and if it be lawfully made, not to break it at all. But as they care for their oath, which they make in wedlock, so they care for this. What soever need the Pope hath, he will not sand to the Emperor to come and help him in Italy, for fear jest he would take to himself what soever he conquered of the Frenchmen and The Pope would not have the Emperor to strong wax to strong and minish our holy father's power and become our holy father's Vicar, as he is S. Peter's. Nevertheless if we Englishmen will hire the Emperor to come and fight against France for the right of the Church in these quarters that be next unto us, his fatherhood is content to admit his service. When our king hath granted to take our holy father's part, than the pretence and cloak outward must be, that the king will challenge his right in France. And to aid the king in his right must the commons be milked till they bleed again. Then to do the king service the Lords sell or lay their lands to mortgage. Then is clean remission given to slay French dogs. He that dieth in the quarrel shall never see Purgatory, Remission of sins, & clean deliverance out of pu●gato●ye. but fly to heaven straight, even with a thought. WHen the Pope hath what he desireth in Italy, then must we make peace with the Frenchmen again immediately, that France be not all together trodden under the foot: but that it remain alway in a mean state, strong enough to match the Emperor and to keep him down, but not to mighty for oppressing the Pope. And then our Prelates to bring the peace about, sand immediately a Friar Forest A friar Forest or a vicar of Croyden. or a Vicar of Croyden to preach before the King and his Lords, which preacher roareth and crieth unto them as though he hallowed his hounds & maketh exclamations saying: Alas what will you do? spare Christian blood: will you sea your own souls? Be not Popish practices. the Frenchmen as well christian as you? Moreover you slay poor innocentes that never offended. Make peace for the passion of Christ. Kill not one an other as though Christ had not died for you: but fight rather against the Turks. Then come in the Ambassadors of France and money a few Prelates & certain other the kings playfelowes that be sworn with them to betray both the king and the Realm to: And then is peace concluded. But outwardly Dissembled ●ruce. there is nothing save a truce taken for half an year, till our soldiers be at home again, for fear jest they would not be content. Then cometh the whole host home beggarde both great and small. And the poor that can not suddenly get work fall to stealing and be hanged at home. This could Moore tell in his Utopia before he was the Cardinals sworn Secretary and fallen at his foot to betray the truth, for to get promotion. Take an example: the Bishops sent Henry. u king Henry the fift out to conquer France. The cause was says the Chronicles, that the king went about to take their temporalities from them. And therefore to bring the king into an other imagination they moneyed him & sent him into France. When they had sent out the king, he conquered more than was their will K. Henry. u conquered more than the prelate's thought he would do. and more than they supposed possible for him in so short space and brought France clean under the foot: so that our Prelates had much secret business to set it up again, but what is impossible unto so great Gods. In king Henry's days the vi. our Henry. vi. holy father of Rome made the Bishop of winchester a Cardinal, which went shortly after into France to treat of a truce between England & France. And him met a Legate of Rome a Cardinal also: after which meatyng Englishmen had ever the worse in France, and their chiefest friend the The crafty practice of the pope's legate. Duke of Burgaine forsook them. For when Cardinals and Bishops meet together they have their secret counsel by themselves, wherein they conclude neither what is good for England nor yet for France, but what is best for our holy father's profit to keep him in his state. When king Henry was of age there was a marriage made between him and the Earl of Arminackes daughter in Gyan with the which should have been given many Castles and Towns in Gyan & a great sum of money thereto. But that marriage was broken, not without the secret working of our Prelates and dispensation of our holy father thou mayst be sure. And a marriage The marriage of king Henry vi. was made between him and the kings daughter of Cecile for which England gave up the whole Dukedom of Gyan and Earldom of Main whereby we lost all Normandy whereof they were the kaye. And beside that the commons gave a fifteen and an half to fet her in with pomp. And then was the good Duke of Gloucester traitorously The Duke of Gloucester traitorously murdered. murdered, partly because he could judge false miracles, & partly because of the deliverance of these two countries. For he being a live they durst not do it. And when king Edward had put down king Harry, a marriage was made and concluded between him and the king of Spain, this queens mother that now is. But yet the Ambassadors were come home, our Prelates had bewitched king Edward by their apostle Friar Bongaye, and married ☜ Friar Bongaye. him unto a widow that was a knights wife, lest if Spain and England had been joined together, king Edward should have recovered France again. But what followed after the breaking of the marriage between Cruel war between k. Henry, and the earl of Warwick. king Edward and the Earl of Warwick, and what came of his children? yea and what came on king Henry of Windsores children also? But what care our prelate's what vengeance or mischief fall on Princes or on their realms, so their kingdom prospero. In king Henry's days the seven. the Cardinal Murton, and Bishop Fox of Winchester delivered unto that kings grace the confessions of as many Lords as his grace lusted. Who so ever Confession in the ear was a wicked invention. was mistrusted, if he shrove himself at the Charter houses, Zion, Greenwich, at Saint john's or wheresoever it was, the confessor was commanded by the authority of the Pope to deliver his confession written, & sworn that it was all. And Cardinal Murton had a licence of the Pope for xiv. to Licence of the Pope for xiv. to study Nicromancy. to study Necromancy, of which he himself was one, & other I have herded named, which at this time I pass over with silence. And how the holy friars obseruauntes carried feigned letters to try who was true, I pass over with silence also. Howbeit such temptations & feigned proffers were enough to move them that never would have thought amiss: yea & in confession, men will shrine themselves of thoughts which they never went about in the outward deed. When any great man is put to death how his confessor entreateth him, & what penance is enjoined him, concerning what he shall say when he cometh unto the place of execution, I could guess at a practice that might make men's ears glow. And did not the subtle counsel of A subtle practice of Prelates. the said two prelate's fain the siege of Bolen to make a pretence to gather in afiftene, when there was no more war between the king of France and of England, than is between a man's head that hath lust to sleep & his pillow? Which siege yet cost many a man their lives, yea and some great men thereto which known not of that feigning. The kings grace went over with a ten thousand men to conquer all France, and spent haply an hundred thousand pound, of which he saved the fourth part in the dandy prats, and gathered at home u or vi. hundred or more. And two other such feigned viages could I haply rehearse, which I pass over for diverse causes, where many an English man lost his life. But what care they for men's lives? And did not our Cardinal with like He means Cardinal Wol●ey. policy think you, to gather that which he thought would not well be paid, except the commons saw some cause, bring a great multitude of Scots unto the English pale, either by some bishops of Scotland, or by some great man whom he corrupted with some yearly pension? against which the poor Northern men must go on their own cost to keep them out. And general procession was commanded at London thrice in the week and throughout all the land, while the kings receivers gathered the tax of the common people. Which plague & such like after the threatening of God Levit. xxuj. and Deut. xxviij. and xxix. I am sure will fall on all Christendom Leut. 2●. Deut. 28. 29. without cease until they either defy that name of Christ with the turks, or if they will be called christian, they turn and look on his doctrine. Yea and what feigned the Cardinal at that great love to beguile his own Priests to make them swear what they were worth, and the better willing to pay, for the common priests be not so obedient unto their ordinaries that they will pay money except they know why. Now it is not expedient that every rascal should know the secrets of the very true cause, for many considerations. And therefore another pretence must be made and another A practice of the Prelates with their poor Priests. cause alleged. And therefore the priests were charged by their ordinaries to appear before the gentlemen of the country and temporal officers, & swear what every man was worth. Now the priests had liefer be slain and dye martyrs after the ensample of Saint Thomas of Caunterbury, then to swear before a lay judge, for they think it greater sin then to slay their own fathers, and that then the liberties of the Church were clean lost, & they no better than the vile lay people. And when they were in that perplexity that they must either swear or run into the kings danger and loose their gods (I would say their goods) then my Lord Cardinal sent down his gracious power that they should swear unto their ordinaries only. And then the Priests for joy that they were rid out of the lay men's hands, were so glad & joyous that they witted not what thanks to give my Lord Cardinal, and so were obedient to swear and to lend, or else for all the curses that my Lord Cardinal hath and the Pope to, they would neither have sworn or paid a penny. ¶ The practice of our tyme. WHen the kings grace came first to the right of the crown & unto Thomas Wolffe. the governance of the realm young and unexpert, Thomas Wolfsee a man of lust and courage and bodily strength to do and to suffer great things, and to endure in all manner of voluptuousness, expert and exercised in the course of the world, as he which had herded, read, and seen much policy, and had done many things himself, and had been of the secret counsel of weighty matters, as subtle as Sinon that betrayed Troy, veterly appointed to semble The description of Cardinal Wolsey. and dissemble, to have one thing in the heart and an other in the mouth, being thereto as eloquent, as subtle, and able to persuade what he lusted to them that were unexpert: so desirous & greedy of honour, that he cared not but for the next and most compendious way thereto, whether godly or ungodly: this wily Wolf I say, and raging sea, and shipwreck of all England, though he showed himself pleasant & c●…e at the first (as whores do unto their lovers) came unto the kings grace, and waited upon him, and was no man so obsequyous and serviceable, & in all games and sports the first and next at hand, and as a captain to courage The king's birth calked by the Cardinal. other, & a gay sinder out of new pastimes to obtain favour withal. And thereto as the secret communication went, which by many tokens thou mayst well conjecture and gather to be true, he calked the kings nativity Bishops talk kings nativities. and birth, which is a common practice among Prelates in all lands, whereby he see whereunto the kings grace should be inclined all his life, & what should be like to chance him at all times. And as I herded it spoken of divers, he made by craft of Necromancy, graven imagery to bear upon him, wherewith he bewitched the Kings mind, and made the king to dote upon King Henry the viii. had Cardinal Wolsey in great estimation. him more than ever he did on any Lady or gentlewoman, so that now the kings grace followed him as he before followed the king. And than what he said, that was wisdom, what he praised, that was honourable only. Moore over in the mean time he spied out the natures and dispositions of that kings play fellows, & of all that were great, and whom he spied meet for his purpose, him he slattered, & him he made faithful with great promises, & to him he swore, & of him he took an oath again, that the one should help the other, for without a secret oath he admitted no man unto any part of his privities. And ever as he grew in promotions and dignity, so gathered he unto him of the most subtle witted, and of them that were drunk in the desire of honour most like unto himself. And after The manner & practice of Cardinal Wolsey. they were sworn he promoted them and with great promises made them in falsehood faithful, and of them ever presented unto the kings grace, and put them into his service, saying, this is a man meet for your grace. And by these spies (if aught were done or spoken in the court against the Cardinal) The king is betrayed of that he had word within an hour or two. And then came the Cardinal to court with all his magic to persuade to the contrary. If any in the court had spoken against the Cardinal, and the same not great in the kings favour, the Cardinal bade him walk a villain, and thrust him out of the court headlong. If he were in conceit with the kings grace, than he flattered and persuaded, & corrupt some with gifts, and sent some Ambassadors, & some he made captain at Calais, Hams, Gynes, jarnsie and Gernsie, or sent them to Ireland, and into the North, and so occupied them till the king had forgot them, and other were in their rooms, or till he had sped what he intended. And in like manner played he with The queen is betraye● the Ladies and gentlewomen. Whosoever of them was great, with her was he familiar and to her gave he gifts. Yea: and where Saint Thomas of Canterbury was wont to come after, Thomas Cardinal went often before preventing his Prince, and perverted the order of the holy man. If any were suttill witted & meet for his purpose, Note this devilish practice. her made he sworn to betray the Queen likewise & to tell him what she said or did. I know one that departed the Court for no other cause than that she would no longer betray her mistress. And after the same example he furnished the Court with Chaplains of his own sworn Disciples and children of his own bringing up to be always present and to dispute of vanities and to water what soever the Cardinal had planted. If among those cormorauntes any yet began to be to much in favour with the king, & to be somewhat busy in the Court and to draw any other way then as my Lord Cardinal had appointed that the plough should go, anon he was sent to Italy or to Spain: or some quarrel was picked against him and so was thrust out of the Court, as Stokesly was. He promoted the Bishop of Lyncolne The Bishop of Lyncolne. that now is, his most faithful trend and old companion & made him confessor: to whom of what soever the kings grace shrove himself, think you not that he spoke so loud that the Cardinal herded it? and not unright: for as God's creatures aught to obey God and serve his honour, so aught the Pope's creatures to obey the pope and serve his Majesty. Finally Thomas Wolfsey become Cardinal Wolsey ruled altogether. what he would, even porter of heaven, so that no man could enter into promotion but through him. ¶ The cause of all that we have suffered this xx. years. ABout the beginning of the kings grace that now is, France was mighty, so that I suppose it was not mightyer this u hundred years. King jews of France had won Naples K. jews. and had taken Bonony from S. Peter's see. Wherefore Pope july was Pope july. wroth & cast how to bring the Frenchmen down, yet soberly jest while he brought him lower he should give an occasion to lift up the Emperor higher. Our first voyage into Spain was to bring the Frenchmen lower. For our meinie were set in the forefront and borders of Spain toward Gascoigne: partly to keep those parties and partly This is a true story. to fear the Gascoynes and to keep them at home while in the mean time the Spanyardes wan Naverne. When Naverne was won our men came to house, as many as died not there, and brought all their money with them home again save that they spent there. Howbeit for all the loss of Naverne, the Frenchmen were yet able enough, to match. Spain, the Venetians, and the Pope, with all the souchenars that he could make: so that there was yet no remedy but we must set on the Frenchmen also, if they should be brought out of Italy. Then pope julie written unto his dear son Thomas Wolfse, that he would be as good, as loving, and as helping to holy church, as any Thomas ever was, seeing he was as able. Then the new Thomas as glorious The new Thomas. as the old, took the matter in hand, & persuaded the kings grace. And then the kings grace took a dispensation for his oath made upon the appointment of peace between him, and the french king, and promised to help the holy seat, wherein Pope Peter never sat. But the Emperor Maximilian might in no wise stand still, lest the Frenchmen Maximilian the Emperor was K. Henry. 〈◊〉 his soldier should money him, and get aid of him, since the Almains refuse not money whence soever it be proffered: then quoth Thomas Wolfse, O and like your grace, what an honour should it be unto your grace, if the Emperor were your soldier? so great honour never chanced any King christened: it should be spoken of while the world stood: the glory and honour shall hide and darken the cost that it shall never be seen, though it should cost half your Realm. Dixit, & factum est. It was even so. And then a Parliament: and then pay: & then upon the French dogs, with clean remission of all his sins, that slay one of them, or if he Remission of sins. be slain (for the pardons have no strength to save in this life, but in the life to come only) then to heaven strait without feeling of the pains of purgatory. Then came our king with all his might by sea and by land, and the Emperor with a strong army, and the Spaniards, and the Pope, & the Venetians all at once against king jews of France. Assove as the Pope had that he desired in Italy, than peace immediately. And Frenchmen were christian Note here the subtlety & craft of the pope. men: and pity yea and great sin also were it to shed their blood: & the French King was the most Christian king again. And thus was peace concluded, and our Englishmen or rather sheep, came home against winter, and Now King Henry. 8. with a● his army was abused. left their flecces behind them. Wherefore no small number of them while they sought them better raiment at home, were hanged for their labour. Why the kings sister was turned unto France. WHen this peace was made, our holy Cardinals and Bishops (as their old guise is to calk and cast xl. l. yea, an hundred year before, what is like to chance unto their kingdom) considered how the Emperor that now is, was most like to be choose emperor after his grandfather Maximilian: for Maximilian had already obtained of divers of the electors, that it should so be. They considered also how mighty The Prelates see ever beforehand what is like to follow. he should be: first king of Spain with all that pertaineth thereto, which was wont to be u uj. or seven. kingdoms: then duke ot Burgaine, earl of Flaunders, of Hollonde, Zelande, and Braband, with all that pertain thereto: them Emperor: and his brother Duke of Austrie: and his sister Queen of Hungry. Wherefore thought our prelate's, if we take not heed betimes, our kingdom is like to be troubled, and we to be brought under that feet: for this man shall be so mighty, that he shall with power take out of the French kings hands, out of the hands of the Venetians, and from the pope also, whatsoever pertaineth unto the Empire, and whatsoever belongeth unto his other kingdoms and dominions thereto: and then will he come to Rome, & be crowned there: and so shall he overlook our holy father, and see what he doth: and then shall the old heretics Papists are great forecasters of perils. rise up again and say that the pope is Antichrist, and stir up again & bring to light that we have hide and brought a sleep with much cost, pain, & bloodshedding more than this hundred year long. Considered also that his Aunt is Queen of England, and his wife the King of England's sister: considered the old amity between the house of Burgaine, & the old kings of England, so that they could never do aught in France without their help: & last of all considered the course of merchandise that England hath in those parties, & also the natural hate that Englishmen bear to Frenchmen: Wherefore if we shall use our old practice, and set the French king against him: then he shall lightly obtain the favour of the King of England, by the means of his aunt and his wife, & aid with men and money: Wherefore we must take heed betimes and break this amity: Which thing we may by this our old Practice. craft easily bring to pass. Let us take a dispensation, and break this marriage, and turn the kings sister unto the French King: If the French King get a male of her, than we shall lightly make our king protector of France: and so shall England and France be coupled together: and as for the Queen of England, we shall trim her well enough, and occupy the king with straying love, and keep her that she shall bear no rule. And as the gods had spoken, so it came to pass. Our fair young daughter was sent to The kings sister 〈◊〉 to France. the old pocky king of France, the year before our mortal enemy and a miscreant, worse them a Turk, and disobedient unto our holy father, and no more obedient, than he was compelled to be against his will. The cause of the journey to Calais. IN short space thereafter Thomas Wolfse now cardinal and Legate a later, and greatly desirous to be pope also, thought it exceeding expedient for his many secret purposes, to bring our king, & the king of France that now is, together: both to make a perpetual peace and amity between them, and that while the two Kings and their lords dalied together, the great Cardinals and Bishops of both parties Traitorous Prelates. might betray them both, and the Emperor and all christian kings thereto. Then he made a journey of gentlemen arrayed altogether in silk, so much as their very shoes, and lining of their boots, more like their mothers, than men of war: yea I am sure that many of their mothers would have been ashamed of so nice and wanton array: Howbeit they went not to make war but peace for ever & a day longer. But to speak of the pompous apparel of ☜ The pomp and apparel of the Cardinal & his chaplains passed the xii. Apostles. my Lord himself, & of his chaplains, it passeth the xii. Apostles. I dare swear that if Peter and Paul had seen them suddenly & at a blush, they would have been harder in belief that they or any such should be their successors, than Thomas Didimus was to believe that Christ was risen again from death. When all was concluded between the King of France, and ours, that Thomas Wolfse had devised: and when the Prelates of both parties had cast their peniworthes against all chances, and devised remedies for all mischiefs. Then the right reverend father in God Thomas Cardinal & Legate would go see the young Emperor newly choose to the room, and have a certain secret communication with some of his prelate's also. And got him to Bridges Prelates. in Flaunders, where he was received with great solemnity as belongeth unto so mighty a pillar of Christ's church, and was saluted at the entering into the town of a merry fellow which said, Salue rex Regis tui, atquè regni sui. Hail both king of thy king, Salutation and also of his Realm. And though there were never so great strife bewene the Emperor, and the French king, yet my lord Cardinal juggled him favour of them both: & finally brought the Emperor to Cales to the kings grace, where was great triumph and great love and amity showed on both Cardinal Wolsey was a sub●… worker parties, insomuch that a certain man marveling at it, asked the old Bishop of Deram. How it might be that we were so great with the Emperor so shortly upon so strong and everlasting a peace made between us & the frenchmen, the Emperor and the King of France being so mortal enemies. My lord answered that it might be well enough if he witted all: but there was a A certain secret. certain secret (said he) whereof all men known not. Yea verily, they have had secrets this vi●. hundred years, which though all the lay men have felt them, yet few have spied them, save a few Judases which for lucre have been confederate with them to betray their own kings and all other. Then were we indifferent, & stood still: and the Emperor & the French king wrasled together: and Ferdinandus the Emperor's brother wan Milan Milane. of the frenchmen: and the Emperor Turnay our great conquest, which Turnay. yet after so great cost in building a castle, we delivered up again unto the Frenchmen, in earnest and hope of a marriage between the Dolphin, and our Princess. How the Emperor came thorough England. AFter that the Emperor would The Emperor came through England. into Spain, & came through England, where he was received with great honour and with all that partaineth to love and amity. The king's grace lent him money, and promised him more: & the Emperor should tarry a certain years and marry our princess: not that the Cardinal intended that, thou mayst be sure, for it was not profitable for their kingdom: but his mind was to dally with the Emperor, and to keep him without a wife that (insomuch as he was young and lusty) he might have been nozeled & entangled with hores, (which is their nurturing of kings) & Nurturing of kings. made so effeminate and beastly, that he should never have been able to lift up his heart to any goodness or virtue: that Cardinals and Bishops might have administered his dominions in the mean time, unto our holy father's profit. The king of France hearing the favour Pract●●e. that was showed unto the Emperor, sent immediately a defiance unto our king, not without our Cardinals and Bishops counsel thou mayst well The french king sendeth a defiance to K. Henry vi●. wit. For frenchmen are not so foolish to have done it so unadvisedly and so rashly, seeing they had to many in their tops already. Then our king spoke many great words, that he would drive the frenchking out of his realm, or else the frenchking should drive him out of his. But had he added as the legate Pandulph taught king john, with the Pope's licence, his words had sounded much better. For there can no vow stand in effect, except the holy father confirmed it. We sent out our soldiers two summers Armies see into stance. against the Frenchmen, unto whose chief captains the Cardinal had appointed how far they should go and what they should do: and therefore the French king was nothing afraid, but brought all his power against the Emperor in other places: & so was the Emperor ever betrayed. And thus the Cardinal was the emperors The Cardinal was the emperors friend openly, and the french kings secretly. friend openly, and the french kings secretly. For at the meeting with the french king beside Cales he utterly betrayed the Emperor, yet for no love that he had to France, but to help the Pope, and to have been Pope haply, & to save their kingdom. Which treason though all the world smelled it, yet it broke not out openly to the eye, till the siege of Pavia. And the Cardinal The siege of Pavia. lent the Emperor much money openly, and gave the French king more secretly. He played with both hands to serve their secret that all men know not, as the Bishop of Durham said. But whatsoever the frenchmen did, they had ever the worse notwithstanding the secret working of our holy prelate's on their side. Finally unto the siege of Pavia, came the French king personally with lx. Pavia. thousand men of war, of which xii. thousand were horsemen, & with money enough. And the emperors host was under xx. thousand, of which were but iij. thousand horsemen, with no money at all. For he trusted unto the pope for aid of men, and unto our Cardinal for money. But the pope kept back A false pope and lewd Cardinal. his men till the Frenchmen had given them a field: and our Cardinal kept back his money for the same purpose. And thus was the silly Emperor betrayed, as all his predecessoures have been this viii. hundred years. Howbeit there be that say, that the emperors soldiers so threatened Place the kings grace's Ambassador, that he was fain to make che●isaunce with Pace, the 〈◊〉. of England's Ambassador. merchants for money in the kings name, to pay the soldiers withal. Wherefore the Cardinal took from him all his promotions, & played tormentors with him, when he came home, because he presumed to do one jot more than was in his commission. But howsoever it was, the Emperor's men in tarrying for help had spent out all their vitayles. Whereupon Bourbon Bourbon. the chief captain of the Emperor, said unto his under captains: you see, help cometh not, and that our vitayles are spent: wherefore there is no remedy but to fight, though we be unequally matched. If we win we shall find meat enough: if we loose we shall loose no more than we must loose with hunger though we fight not. And so they concluded to set upon the Frenchmen by night. The king of France, and his lords supposing that the Moon would sooner have fallen out of the sky, then that the emperors host dared have fought with them, were somewhat negligent, The Emperor setteth upon the french king by night. & went the same night a mumming that Bourbon set upon them. The emperors host therefore with their sudden coming upon them, amazed the frenchmen, and drove them upon heaps together one on another, so that they never could come in array again, and took the king, and divers of his lords, and slay many, and wan the field. And there came out all the Cardinal's privy treason: for in the French kings tent (say men) were letters found, & beside that in the french king's treasure, and in all the host among the soldiers were english ships found These ships were english Angels of gold innumerable, which had come sailing a thousand miles by land. But what wonder? ships be made to sail over the sea, & wings to fly into far countries, and to mount to the top of high hills. When the French king was taken, we sang, Te Deum. But for all that singing At the taking of the french king Te Deum, was song, and great triumph made in England. we made peace with frenchmen. And the Pope, the Venetians, France and England were knit together, lest the emperors army should do any hurt in France. Whereby you may conjecture of what mind the Pope & the Cardinal were toward the Emperor and with what heart our spirituality with their invisible secrets, sang, Te Deum. And from that time hitherto, the Emperor & our Cardinal have been twain. After that when the king of France was delivered home again, and his sons left in pledge, many ways were sought to bring home the sons also: but in vain except the Frenchking would make good that which he had promised the Emperor. For the bringing home of those children no man more busied his wits then the Cardinal. He would in any wise the Emperor should have sent them home, & it had been but for our king's pleasure for the great kindness that he showed him in times past. He would have married the Subtle practices of the Cardinal. king's daughter our princess unto the Dolphin again, or as the voice went among many, unto the second brother, & he should have been Prince in England, & king in time to come: so that he sought all ways to pluck us from the Emperor, & to join us unto France to make France strong enough to match the Emperor, & to keep him down, that the Pope might reign a god alone, and do what pleaseth him, without controlling of any overseer. And for the same purpose he left nothing unprovided to bring the mart The mart should have been at Cales. from Antwerp to Cales. But at that time, the Pope taking part with the French king had war with the Emperor: and at the last the Pope was taken, which when the Cardinal herded, he written unto the Emperor that he should make him pope. And when he had got an answer that pleased him not, but according unto his deservings toward the Emperor, than he waxed furious mad, & sought all means to displease the Emperor, and imagined the divorcement between the King and the Queen, and written sharply unto the Emperor with menacing letters, that if he would not make him Pope, he would make such ruffling between A ruffelar. Christian princes as was not this him dread year, to make the Emperor repent: yea, though it should cost the whole realm of England. The Lord jesus be our shield, what a fierce wrath of God is this upon us, The pride and arrogancy of Cardinal Wolsey. that a misshaped monster should spring out of a dunghill into such an height, that the dread of God and man laid a part, he should be so malapert, not only to defy utterly the majesty of so mighty an Emperor, whose authority both Christ, and all his Apostles obeyed, and taught all other to obey, threatening damnation to them that would not: But should also set so little by the whole realm of England which hath bestowed so great cost, and shed so much blood to exalt and maintain such proud, churlish, & unthankful hypocrites, that he should not care to destroy it utterly, for the satisfying of his villainous lusts. ¶ The putting down of Cardinal Wolsey. COncerning the Cardinals putting Cardinal Wolsey a great traitor. down, I consider many things. First that I never herded, or read, that any man being so great a traitor was so easily put to death. Then the natural disposition and inclination of the man, how that his chief study, yea and all his felicity and inward joy hath ever been to exercise that angels wit of his (as my lord of Lincoln was won to praise him) in driving of such dristes to beguile all men and to bind the whole world with all. Wherefore I can none otherwise indge by an HUNDRED tokens evident unto whomsoever hath a natural wit, but that this is also nothing save a cast of his old practice: so that when God had wrapped him in his own wiles that he witted not which way out, (for the Emperor prevailed for all the Cardinal's treason: and the french children might not come home: and he had learned also of his necromancy, that this would be a iopardous year for him) what for the treason that he had Cardinal Wolsey committed treason against the Emperor. wrought against the Emperor, and what for that money which he had borrowed of the Commons, lest any rising should be against him, than he thought to undo his destiny with his policies and went and put down himself under a colour (which the process of the tragedy well declareth) and set up in his room to minister forth, & to fight against God as he had begun, the chiefest of all his Secretaries, one nothing inferior unto his master in lying, feigning, & bearing two faces in one hode, a whelp that goeth not out of kind from his sire, the chiefest stale wherewith the Cardinal caught the kings grace, whom he called unto the confirmation of all that he intended to persuade, saying: If it like your grace, Moore is a learned man, and knoweth it: and is also a lay man, wherefore he Cardinal Wolsey preferred Moore to he chancellor. will not say otherwise then it is, for any partiality to usward. Which secretary, yet must first deserve it with writing against Martin, and against the Obedience, and Mammon, and be come the proctor of purgatory, to writ against the supplication of beggars. And then to blind the world withal, many quarrels were picked: the Treason laid to the Cardinal charge. Cardinal might not speak with the kings grace, the broad seal was fet away, high treason was laid to his charge. i that he breathed (herded I say) in the kings face, when he had the french pocks, (O hypocrices) but the very treason that he had wrought, was not spoken of at all, nor aught worthy of a traitor done to him at all. Then they called a Parliament (as though the golden world should come again) wherein the hypocrites to blear men's eyes withal, made a reformation of mortuaries and probates Mortunries, probate of Testaments. of testaments, the root yet left behind whence all that they have for a time weeded out, will spring again by little and little as before, if they as their hope is, may stop this light of God's word that is now abroad. They made a reformation also of pluralities of benefices, Plurality of benefices. ordaining that henceforth no man may come by plurality of benefices with virtue and cunning, but with serving for them in the court. Which what other thing is it save plain simony? O blind busserdes and shameless hypocrites. What care they to do, whether against God or their own laws, to flatter great men withal, & to blind them. But hark here. The tithes were Tithes. ordained at the beginning to find the preachers, and the poor people which now go a begging: so that the church wardens aught to take the benefices The Churchewardens have been accustomed to gather the tithes, and to give the Pa●●o his reasonable stipend, and to give the re● to the poor. into their hands in the name of the parish, & deliver the preacher of God's word there dwelling and present a sufficient living, & divide the rest among the poor people. And the king is bond to maintain that order, and not to resist them except he will be an open tyrant. Now I appeal the consciences of the kings grace and of his lords. What answer will they give when they come before Christ in the last judgement, for their robbing of so many souls in so many parishes, of God's word, with holding every man so many chaplains in their houses with pluralities of benefices, and for the robbing Princes have herein much to answer. of so many poor and needy of their due and daily food, whose need for lack of succour crieth to God continually for vengeance against them, which we see daily by a thousand misfortunes fall on them, and on their wives and children. Let them read Exodus and deuteronomy, and see what they find there. Yea and what shall so many chaplains do? First slay their souls, & then defile their wives, their daughters, and their maidens, and last of all betray them. When this reformation the colour and cloak of their hypocrisy was made, than the spirituality came douking before the kings grace, and forgave him The loan first forgiven by the Clergy. that money which they had lent their pope, to bring in the temporalty, & to make them after their example to do likewise, as loving subjects, & no less kind unto their Prince than the spiritualty. For their arses were upon thorns till the lone was forgiven, for fear of afterclaps. The loan forgiven by the temporality. whereupon the temporality forgave their part also in hope of that thy obtained not. For assoon as the loan was forgiven the parliament broke up, because our prelate's, & their confederate friends had found that they sought, & caught the fish for which they laid the bait of all those faces of reformations, and for which the Cardinal, to bring that world into a fools paradise, was compelled even with his own good will to resign his chauncellorshyp, & that to whom he listed himself. And as for the bishopric of Durham, The Byshoprieke of Durham. to say the very truth, he could not of good congruity but reward his old chaplain, and one of the chief of all his secretaries with all, still Saturn, that so seldom speaketh, but walketh up & down all day musing and imagining mischief, a douking hypocrite made to dissemble. Which for what service done in Christ's Gospel came he to the bishopric of London? Or what such service did he therein? He burned the new Testament, Tunstall Bishop of Durham brent the new Testament. calling it, Doctrinam perigrinam, straying learning. Yea verily: Look how strange his living in whose blood that testament was made, was from the living of the pope: even so straying is that doctrine from the pope's law, in which only, and in the practice thereof is Tunstal learned. Which also for what cause left he the bishopric of London? Even for the same cause he took it after that he had long served for it, covetousness and ambition. Neither is it possible naturally that there should be any good Bishop, so long as the bisshoprickes be nothing save worldly A Bishopric is a superfluous honour, and a lewd liberty. pomp and honour, superfluous abundance of all manner riches and liberty to do what a man listeth unpunished: things which only the evil desire, and all good men abhor. And assoon as the Parliament was The Carnal clearly discharged. ended, the Cardinal had his charter, and got him home: and all Bishops got them every fox to his hole, leving yet their attorneys behind them: to come again themselves assoon as the constellation is somewhat overrun, whereof they be afraid. ¶ What the cause of all this mischief is. WHence cometh all this mischief●Verily it is the hand of God to avenge the wantonness of great men, which will walk without the fear of God, following the steps of the high Prelates, contrary unto their profession, & to avenge also that wrongs, the blasphemies & subtle persecuting of his word. For when Martin Luther had uttered the abominations of the Pope, and his clergy with God's word, and divers books were come into England: our Cardinal thought to find a remedy against that well enough, and sent to Rome for this vain title, Defender of the faith: which the Vicar of Defender of the faith. Croyden preached, that the Kings grace would not loose for all London, and xx. mile round about it. Neither is it marvel, for it hath cost more than London and xl. mile about it is able to make (I think) at this hour, beside the effusion of innocent blood that was offered unto the idol, and daily is offered thereto. When this glorious name was come from our holy father, the The title of the defender of the faith came from Rome. Cardinal brought it unto the kings grace at Greenwich. And though the king had it already and had read it, yet against the morning, were all the lords & gentlemen that could in so short space be gathered together, sent for, to come and receive it in with honour. And in the morning after, the Cardinal got him through the backside into the friar obseruantes. And part of the The Popish and vain glorious manner of Cardinal Wolsey. gentiles went round about, and welcomed him from Rome, as representing the Pope's person: part met him half way: part at the court gate: and last of all the king's grace himself met him in the hall, and brought him up in to a great chamber, where was a seat prepared on high for the kings grace and the Cardinal, while the Bull was read: in so much that not the wise only, but men of mean understanding laughed the vain pomp to scorn, not far unlike to the receiving of the Cardinal's hat. Which when a ruffian had brought unto him to Westminster under his cloak, he clothed the messenger The Cardinal's hat. in rich array, and sent him back to Dover again, and appointed the Bishop of Canterbury to meet him, and then an other company of lords and gentles I wot not how often, ere it came The falsest and vainest Cardinal that ever was. to Westminster, where it was set on a cupboard and tapers about, so that the greatest Duke in the land must make courtesy thereto: yea and to his empty seat he being away. And shortly for lack of authority of God's word Martin must be condemned by the authority of the king. And the kings grace to claw the Pope again must make a book, in which to prove all that they would have established, for lack of scripture, yea and contrary to the open scripture, is made this mighty reason: Such prelate's are the The church erreth. if the pope and bishops be the church. church, and the church cannot err, and therefore all that they do is right, & we aught to believe them without any scripture, yea and though the scripture be contrary. Wherefore God offended with such blasphemy, to make his enemies feel that they would not see in the open scripture, nor in the practice of their livings and doings clean contrary unto the scripture, and unto the living of Christ and his Apostles, this viii. hundred years, hath poured his wrath upon us, and hath snared the wise of the world with the subtlety of their own wits. Moreover when Marten Luther had Marten Luther submitted himself to king Henry viii. submitted himself in an epistle, let his grace consider what answer he gave again. Where is the glory of that great praise become that his grace gave the Cardinal for his goodly acts and benefits which all the common wealth of the whole realm should feel? And Moore among his other blasphemies Moore is proved a liar. in his Dialogue saith, that none of us dare abide by our faith unto the death: but shortly thereafter, God to prove Moore, that he hath ever been a false liar, gave strength unto his servant Sir Thomas Hitton, to confess, Sir Thomas Hitton and that unto the death, the faith of his holy son jesus, which Thomas, the bishops of Canterbury and Rochester, after they had dieted and tormented him secretly, murdered at Maydstone most cruelly. I beseech the kings most noble grace therefore to consider all the ways by which the Cardinal and our holy Bishops have lead him, since he was first king, and to see whereunto all the pride, pomp, and vain boast of the Cardinal is come, and how God hath resisted him and our Prelates in all their wiles. We having nothing to do at all, have meddled yet in all matters, and have spent for our prelates causes more than all Christendom, even unto the utter beggaring of ourselves, & have got nothing but rebuke and shame & hate among all nations, and a mock and a scorn thereto of them whom we have most helped. For the Frenchmen (as the saying is) of late days made a play or a disguising at Paris, in which the Emperor daunsed with the Pope, and the A dance in Paris. French king, and wearied them, the K. of England sitting on a high bentch, and looking on. And when it was asked, why he daunsed not, it was answered, that he sat there, but to pay the ministrels their wages only. As who should say, we paid for all men's dancing. We moneyed the Emperor openly, and gave the French men double and triple secretly, and to the Pope also. Yea and though Fardinandus had money sent him openly to blind the world withal: yet the saying is throughout all Douchland, that we sent money to the king of Pole, and to the Turk also, and that by help of our money Fardinandus was driven out of Hungary. Which thing though it were not true, yet it will breed us a scab at the last, and get us with our meddling, more hate than we shall be able to bear, if a chance come: unless that we wax wiser betime. And I beseech his grace also to have mercy of his own soul, and not to suffer Here Tindal prayeth for the ceasing of persecution. Christ, and his holy Testament to be persecuted under his name any longer, that the sword of the wrath of god may be put up again, which for that cause no doubt is most chief drawn. And I beseech his grace to have compassion on his poor subjects, which have ever been unto his grace both obedient, loving, and kind: that the realm utterly perish not, with the wicked counsel of our pestilent prelate's. For if his grace which is but a man, should dye, the lords and commons not knowing who hath most right to enjoy the crown: the realm could not but stand in great danger. And I exhort the lords temporal of the realm, that they come and fall before the kings grace, and humbly desire his majesty to suffer it to be tried, who of right aught to succeed, and if he or she fail who next, yea and who third. And let it be proclaimed openly. tindal proveth the understanding of such as of right should succeed to the crown. And let all the lords temporal be sworn thereto, and all the knights, & squires, and gentlemen, and the commons above xviij. years old, that there be no strife for the succession. For if they try it by the sword, I promise' them, I see none other likelihood, but that as the Cardinal hath prophesied it will cost the realm of England. And all that be sworn unto the cardinal, I warn them yet once again to break their oaths, as I did in the obedience. And all my lord Cardinals tindal warneth all the Cardinal's secretaries to repent and turn to God. privy secretaries and spies, by whom he worketh yet I warn them to beware betime. My lord Cardinal though he have the name of all, yet he wrought not all of his own brain: but of all wily and exercised in mischief, he called unto him the most expert, and of their counsel and practise, gathered that most seemed to serve his wicked purpose. And all that be confederate with the Cardinal, and with the Bishops upon any secret appointment be they never so great, I read them to break their bonds, A general exhortation to all kinds of people. and to follow right by the plain and open way, and to be content, and not too ambitious: for it is now evil climbing, the boughs be brittle. And let them look well on the practice of Bishops, how they have served all other men in tunes past, and into what troubles they have brought them that were quiet. Many a man both great & small have they brought to death in England, even in my days (beside in times past) whose blood God will seek once. Let them learn at the last that it is but the cast of the Bishops to receive Popish bishops make no account of perjury. the sacrament with one man secretly upon one purpose, and with an other man as secretly upon the contrary to deceive all parties. For of perjury they make as much conscience, as a dog of a bone: for they have power to dispense with all thing, think they. At the beginning of the war between the Frenchking and the Emperor, the prognostication said year by year, that there should be great labour for peace: but it shall not come to pass, for there is Bicorporeun, or Corpus neutrum, that cometh between and letteth it: that is to say, a body that is neither The spirituality are neither of y● 〈◊〉 side nor of the other for there is no truth in them more than shall serve their turn. nother, or holdeth on neither part: and that body is the spirituality, which hold but of themselves only. For when any Ambassadors go between to entreat of peace, the bishops are ever the chief, which though they make a goodly oration for the peace openly to deceive the lay men, yet secretly by the bishops of the same country, they cast a bone in the way, and there can be no peace, until the peace be for their profit, let it cost in the mean season what blood it will. And as for them which for lucre, as judas, betray the truth, and writ against their consciences, and which for honour as Balaam, enforce to curse the people of God: I would fain (if their hearts were not to hard) that they did repent. And as fain I would that our prelate's did repent, if it were possible for them to prefer God's honour before their own. And unto all subjects I say, that they repent. For the cause of evil rulers is the sin of the subjects, testifieth the Scripture. And the cause of An admonition to all subjects. false preachers is, that the people have no love unto the truth, saith Paul. 2. Thes. 2. We be all sinners an hundred times greater than all that we suffer. Let us therefore each forgive other, remembering the greater sinners the more welcome, if we repent, according to the similitude of the riotous son. Luc. 15. For Christ died for sinners and Luk. 15. is their saviour, and his blood their treasure to pay sore their sins. He is that fatted calf which is slain to make them good cheer withal, if they will repent, and come to their father again. And his merits is that goodly raiment, to cover the naked deformities of our sins. These be sufficient at this time, although I could say more, and though other have deserved that I more said: yea, and I could more deeply have entered into the practice of our Cardinal, but I spare for divers considerations, and namely for his sake, which never spared me, nor any faithful friend of his own, nor any that told him truth, nor spareth to persecute the blood of Christ in as clear light as ever was, and under as subtle colour of hypocrisy as ever was any persecution since the creation of the world. Neither have I said for hate of any person or people, Here tindal showeth himself to be void of malice to any private person. God I take to record: but of their wickedness only, and to call them to repentance, knowledging that I am a sinner also, and that a grievous. Howbeit it is a devilish thing and a merciless, to defend wickedness against the open truth, and not to have power to repent. And therefore I doubt not, if men will not be warned hereby, but that God will utter more practice by whom he will, and not cease until he have broken the bond of wily hypocrites which persecute so subtly. And finally if the persecution of the God is merciful to the ignorant, but he pleaseth the malicious & wilful offender. kings grace, and of other temporal people conspiring with the spirituality be of ignorance, I doubt not but that their eyes shall be opened shortly and they shall see & repent & God shall show them mercy. But and if it be of a set malice against the truth, and of a grounded hate against the law of God by the reason of a full consent they have to sin, and to walk in their old ways of ignorancy, whereunto (being now past all repentance) they have utterly yielded themselves to follow with full lust without bridle or snaffle, which is the sin against the holy Ghost: than you shall see even shortly that God shall turn the point of the sword wherewith they now shed Christ's blood, homeward to shed their own again after the ensamples of the bible. And let them remember that I well The obedience of 〈◊〉 Christian man written three years before this book. toward iij. years agone to prevent all occasions and all carnal beasts that seek fleshly liberty, sent forth the true obedience of a christian man which yet they condemned, but after they had condemned the New Testament, as right was whence the Obedience hath his authority. Now than if when the light is come abroad, in which their wickedness can not be hide, they find no such obedience in the people unto their old tyranny, whose fault is it? This is a sure conclusion: none obedience that is not of love can not long endure: and in your deeds can no man see any cause of love: and the knowledge of Christ, for whose sake only a man would love you though you were never so evil, you persecute. Now then if any disobedience rise you are the cause of it yourselves. Say not but that you be warned. A Pathway into the holy Scripture, made by William Tyndall. I Do marvel greatly, dearly beloved in christ, that ever any man should repugn or speak against the Scripture to be had in every language and that of every man. For I thought Scriptures should be translated into ●●●ry language. that no man had been so blind to ask why light should be showed to them that walk in darkness, where they can not but stumble, and where to stumble, is the danger of eternal damnation: other so despiteful that he would envy any man (I speak not his brother) so necessary a thing: or so Bedlam mad to affirm that good is that natural cause of evil, and darkness to proceed out of light, that lying should be grounded in truth and verity, and not rather clean contrary, that light destroyeth darkness and verity reproveth all manner lying. Nevertheless seeing that it hath pleased God to sand unto our English men, even to as many as unfeignedly desire it, the Scripture in their mother tongue, considering that there be in every place false teachers and blind leaders, that you should be deceived of no man, I supposed it very necessary to prepare The cause of the edition of this Pathway. this Pathway into the Scripture for you, that you might walk surely & ever know the true from the false. And above all to put you in remembrance of certain points, which are: that you well understand what these words mean. The old Testament. The new Testament. The law. The Gospel. Moses, Christ, Nature, Grace. Working and believing. deeds and faith. Jest we ascribe, to the one that which belongeth to the other, and make of Christ, Moses, of the Gospel the Law, despise grace and rob faith: & fall from meek learning into idle despitions, brawling and scolding about words. The old Testament is a book, What are contained in the old Testament. wherein is written the law of God, & the deeds of them which fulfil them, & of them also which fulfil them not. The new Testament is a book, wherein are contained the promises of The contents of the new Testament. God and the deeds of them which believe them or believe them not. Euangelion (that we call the Gospel) is a Break word, and signifieth good, merry, glad and joyful tidings, that The Etymology of this word Euangelion maketh a man's heart glad, and maketh him sing, dance and leap for joy. As when David had killed Goliath the giant, came glad tidings unto the jews, that their fearful and cruel enemy was slain, and they delivered out of all danger: for gladness whereof, they song, danced, and were joyful. In like manner is the Euangelion of God (which we call Gospel, and the new Testament) joyful tidings and as some say: a good hearing published by the Apostles throughout all the world, of Christ the right David how that he hath fought with sin, with death, and the devil, & overcome them. whereby all men that were in bondage to sin wounded with death, overcome of the devil, are without their own merits or deservings, loosed, justified restored to life and saved, brought to liberty and reconciled unto the favour of God & set at one with him again: which tidings as many as believe laud, praise, & thank God, are glad, sing and dance for joy. This Euangelion or Gospel (that is Euangelion is called the new Testament. to say, such joyful tidings) is called the new Testament. Because that as a man when he shall dye appointeth his goods to be dealt & distributed after his death among them which he nameth to be his heirs. Even so Christ before his death commanded and appointed that such Euangelion, Gospel, or tidings should be declared throughout all the world, and therewith to give unto all that repent and believe all his goods: that is to say, his life wherewith he swallowed and devoured up death: his righteousness, wherewith he banished sin: his salvation, wherewith he overcame eternal damnation. Now can the Not greater comfort can happen to a sinner being penitent than the promises of the Gospel. wretched man (that knoweth himself to be wrapped in sin, and in danger to death & hell) hear no more joyous a thing, them such glad and comfortable tidings of Christ. So that he can not but be glad and laugh from the low bottom of his heart, if he believe that the tidings are true. The Gospel was promised of God in the old Testament by the Prophets. To strength such saith with all, God promised this his Euangelion in the old Testament by the Prophets (as Paul saith Rom. 1) How that he was choose out to preach Gods Euamgelion, which he before had promised by the Prophets in the Scriptures that treat of his son which was born of the seed of David. In the Gene. iij. God saith to the Serpent: I will put hatred between thee and the woman, between thy seed and her seed, that self seed shall tread thy head under foot. Christ is this Christ hath over▪ thrown the devil, and all his power. woman's seed, he it is that hath trodden under foot the devils head, that is to say, sin, death, hell, & all his power. For without this seed can no man annoyed sin, death, hell, and everlasting damnation. Again Gene. xxij. God promised Abraham saying: in thy seed shall all the generations of the earth be blessed. Christ is that seed of Abraham saith S. Paul Gala. iij. He hath blessed all the world through the Gospel. For where Christ is not, there remains the curse that fallen on Adam as soon as he had sinned, so that they are in bondage under the damnation of sin, death, and hell. Against this curse blesseth now the Gospel all the world, in as much as it crieth openly, unto all that knowledge their sins and repent saying: who soever believeth on the seed of Abraham shallbe blessed, that is, he shall be delivered from sin, death and hell, and shall hence forth continued righteous, and saved for ever, as Christ himself saith (in the xj. of john.) He that believeth on me shall never more dye. The law (saith john. i) was given by Moses: but grace and verity by jesus The 〈◊〉 was given by Moses, grace and truth by jesus Christ. Christ. The law (whose minister is Moses) was given to bring us unto the knowledge of ourselves, that we might thereby feel and perceive what we are of nature. The law condemneth us and all our deeds, and is called of Paul (in the ij. Cor. iij.) the ministration of death. For it killeth our consciences and driveth us to desperation, The law requireth of us that which is impossible for our nature to do. in as much as it requireth of us that which is unpossible for our nature to do. It requireth of us the deeds of an whole man. It requireth perfect love from the low bottom and ground of the heart, as well in all things which we suffer, as in the things which we do. But saith john in the same place, grace and verity is given us in Christ. So that when the law hath passed upon When the law hath condemned us, Christ granteth us free pardon. us, and condemned us to death (which is his nature to do) then have we in Christ grace, that is to say favour, promises of life, of mercy, of pardon, freely by the merits of Christ, & in Christ have we verity & truth, in that God for his sake fulfilleth all his promises to them that believe. Therefore is the gospel the ministration of life. Paul calleth it in the fore rehearsed place of the Cor. ij. the ministration of the spirit and of righteousness. In the Gospel when we believe the promises, we receive the spirit of life, and are justified in the blood of Christ from all things whereof the law condemned us. And we receive love unto the law and power to fulfil it, and grow therein daily. Of Christ it is written in the fore rehearsed joh. i this is he of whose abundance or fullness, all we have received, grace for grace, or favour for favour. That is to say, for the favour that God hath to his son Christ, he giveth unto us his favour & good will & all gifts of his grace as a father to his sons. As affirmeth Paul saying: which loved us in his beloved before the creation of the world. So that Christ bringeth the love of God unto us and not our own holy works. Christ is made Christ is God's mercy stool, so that no mercy cometh from God, but through Christ. Lord over all, and is called in Scripture God's mercy stolen, who soever therefore flieth to Christ, can neither hear nor receive of God any other thing save mercy. In the old Testament are many promises, which are nothing else but the Euamgelion or Gospel, to save those that believed them from that vengeance of the law. And in the new Testament is often made mention of the law, to condemn them, which believe not the promises. Moreover the law and Gospel may never be separate: for the Gospel and promises serve but for troubled consciences, which are brought to desperation and feel the pains of hell and death under the law, and are in captivity and bondage under the law. In all my deeds I must have the law before me to condemn mine unperfectness. For all that I do (be I never so perfect) is yet damnable sin, when it is compared to the law, which requireth the ground and bottom of mine heart. I must therefore have always the law in my sight, that I may be meek in the The law must ever be in sight to make us humble spirited: & the gospel also before our ●yes to comfort us. spirit, and give God all the laud and praise, ascribing to him all righteousness, and to myself all unrighteousness and sin. I must also have the promises before mine eyes, that I despair not, in which promises I see the mercy, favour, and good will of God upon me in the blood of his son Christ, which hath made satisfaction for mine unperfectness, and fulfilled for me, that which I could not do. Here may you perceive that two manner of people are sore deceived. First Two manner of people deceived, those which justify themselves by these works: & those that through their blind opinion of faith utterly pervert the lively faith. they which justify themselves with outward deeds, in that they abstain outwardly from that which the law forbiddeth, and do outwardly that which the law commandeth. They compare themselves to open sinners and in respect of them justify themselves condemning the open sinners. They set a veil on Moses' face and see not how the law requireth love from the bottom of the heart and that love only is the fulfilling of the law. If they did they would not condemn their neighbours. Love hideth the multitude of sins, saith S. Peter in his first Epistle. For whom I love from the deep bottom & ground of mine heart him condemn I not, neither reckon his sins, but suffer his weakness & infirmity, as a mother the weakness of her son, until he grow up into a perfect man. Those also are deceived which with out all fear of God give themselves unto all manner vices with full consent, and full delectation, having no respect to the law of God (under whose vengeance they are locked up in captivitic) but say: God is merciful & Christ died for us, supposing that such dreaming & imagination is that faith which is so greatly commended in holy Scripture. Nay that is not faith, but rather a foolish blind opinion springing of their own corrupt nature, and is not given them of the spirit of God but rather of the spirit of the devil, whose faith, now a days, the Popish compare and make equal unto the best trust, confidence and belief that a repenting soul can have in the blood of our Saviour jesus, unto their own confusion, shame & uttering what they are with in. But true faith is (as saith the Apostle Paul) the gift of God and is given to sinners after the law hath passed upon them and hath brought their consciences unto the brim of desperation, and sorrows of hell. They that have this right faith, consent to the law that it is righteous, and good, and justify God which made the He that hath a right faith delighteth in the law although his weakness can not fulfil the same. law, and have delectation in the law (notwithstanding that they can not fulfil it as they would for their weakness) and they abhor what soever the law forbiddeth, though they can not all ways avoid it. And their great sorrow is, because they can not fulfil the will of God in the law, and the spirit that is in them crieth to God night & day for strength and help with tears (as saith Paul) that can not be expressed with tongue. Of which things the belief of our Popish or of their father, whom they so magnify for his strong faith hath none experience at all. The first, that is to say, he which justifieth himself with his outward He that justifieth himself rejecteth that law & privises. deeds, consenteth not to the law inward, neither hath delectation therein, you, he would rather that no such law were. So justifieth he not God, but hateth him as a tyrant, neither careth he for the promises, but will with his own strength be saviour of himself: no wise glorifieth he God, though he seem outward to do. The second, that is to say, the sensual person, as a voluptuous swine, The voluptuous person. neither fears God in his law, neither is thankful to him for his promises and mercy, which is set forth in Christ to all them that believe. The right Christian man consenteth to the law that it is righteous, and justifieth A true christian. God in the law, for he affirmeth that God is righteous and just, which is author of the law, he believeth the promises of God, & justifieth God, judging him true and believing that he will fulfil his promises: with the law he condemneth himself and all his deeds, and giveth all the praise to God. He believeth the promises, and ascribeth all truth to God: thus every where justifieth he God, and praiseth God. By nature through the fall of Adam are we the children of wrath, heirs of the vengeance of God by birth, yea and from our conception. And we have our fellowship with the damned devils under the power of darkness and rule of Satan, while we are yet in our mother's wombs, and though we show not forth the fruits of sin, as soon as we be born, yet are we full of the natural poison whereof all sinful deeds spring, and can not but sin outwards (be we never so young) as soon as we be able to work if occasion be given, for our nature is to do sin as is the nature of a Serpent to sting. And as Serpent yet young, or yet unbrought forth is full of poison, A proper similitude. and can not afterward (when the time is come and occasion given) but bring forth the fruits thereof. And as an adder, a toad, or a snake is hated of man (not for the evil that it hath done, but for the poison that is in it and hurt which it can not but do) so are we hated of God for that natural poison which is conceived and born with us, before we do any outward evil. And as the evil, which a venomous worm doth, maketh it not a Serpent: but because it is a venomous worm, doth it evil and poisoneth, and as the fruit maketh not the tree evil: but because it is an evil tree, therefore bringeth it forth evil fruit, when the season of fruit is. Even so do not our evil deeds make usfirst evil though ignorance & blindness through evil working hardeneth us in evil & maketh us worse and worse: but because that of nature we are evil, therefore we both think and do evil, and are under vengeance under the law, convict to eternal damnation by the law, and are contrary to the will of God in all our will, and in all things consent to the will of the tend. By grace (that is to say by favour) We are plucked from Adam, and graffed in Christ by grace. we are plucked out of Adam the ground of all evil, and graffed in Christ the root of all goodness. In Christ God loved us his elect and choose, before the world began, and reserved us unto the knowledge of his son and of his holy Gospel, and when the Gospel is preached to us openeth our hearts, and giveth us grace to believe and putteth the spirit of Christ in us, and we know him as our father most merciful, and consent to the law, and lone it inwardly in our heart, and desire to fulfil it, and sorrow because we can not: which will (sin we of frailty never so much) is sufficient till more strength be given us; the blood of Christ hath made satisfaction for the rest: the blood of Christ hath obtained The blood of jesus hath obtained all things for us of God. all things for us of God. Christ is our satisfaction, redeemer, deliverer, saviour from vengeance and wrath. Observe and mark in Paul's, Peter's & john's Epistles & in the Gospel what Christ is unto us. By faith are we saved only in believing the promises. And though faith be never without love & good works, yet is our saving imputed neither to love nor unto good works but unto faith only. For love and works are under the law which requireth perfection, and the ground and fountain of the heart, and damneth all imperfectness. Now is faith under the promises, which damn not: but give pardon grace, mercy, favour, and what soever is contained in the promises. Sundry sorts of righteousness. Righteousness is divers: for blind reason imaguieth many manner of righteousnesses. There is the righteousness of works (as I said before) when the heart is a way and is not felt how the law is spiritual and can not be fulfilled, but from the bottom of the heart. As the just ministration▪ of all manner of laws, and the observing of them, for a worldly purpose and for our own profit and not of love unto our neighbour without all other respect, and moral virtues wherein Philosophers put their felicity and blessedness, which all are nothing in the sight of God in respect of the life to come. There is in like manner the justifying of ceremonies which some imagine their own selves, some counterfeit other, saying, in their blind reason: such holy people did thus and thus, and they were holy men, therefore if I do so likewise I shall please God: but they have none answer of God, that, that pleaseth. The jews seek righteousness in their ceremonies which god gave unto them not for to justify: but to describe and paint Christ unto them, of which jews testifieth Paul saying: how that they have affection to god: but not after knowledge, for they go about to establish their own justice, and are not obedient to the justice or righteousness that cometh of God, which is the forgiveness of sin in Christ's blood unto all that repent and believe. The cause is verily, that Man's sensual reason can not perceive the virtue of Christ's blood. except a man cast away his own imagination and reason, he can not perceive God, and understand the virtue & power of the blood of Christ. There is a full righteousness, when the law is fulfilled from the ground of the heart. This had neither Peter nor Paul in this life perfectly: unto the uttermost, that they could not be perfecter but sighed after it. They were so farforth blessed in Christ, that they hungered and thyrsted after it. Paul had this thirst, he consented to the law of God, that it aught so to be, but he found an other lust in his members contrary to the lust & desire of his mind that letted him, and therefore cried out saying: O wretched man that I am: who shall deliver me from this body of death? thanks be to God through jesus Christ. The righteousness that before God is of value, is to believe the promises of God, after the law hath confounded the conscience. As when the temporal law oft-times condenmeth the thief or murderer & bringeth him to execution, so that he seethe nothing before him but present death, and then cometh good tidings, a charter from the king and delivereth him. Likewise when God's law hath brought the sinner into knowledge of himself, and hath confounded his conscience, & opened unto him the wrath and vengeance of God, then cometh good tidings, the Euangelion showeth unto him the promises of God in Christ, and how that Christ hath purchased pardon for him, hath satisfied the law for him and peased the wrath of God. And the poor sinner believeth, laudeth and thanketh God, through Christ, and breaketh out into exceeding inward joy and gladness, for that he hath escaped so great wrath, so heavy vengeance, so fearful and so everlasting a death. And he henceforth is an hungered and a thirst after more righteousness, that he might fulfil the law, & mourneth continually commending his weakness unto God in the blood of our Saviour Christ jesus. Here shall you see compendiously and plainly set out the order and practise of every thing afore rehearsed. The fall of Adam hath made us Adam's fall brought us in bondage to the devil. heirs of the vengeance and wrath of God and heirs of eternal damnation. And hath brought us into captivity and bondage under the devil. And the devil is our Lord, and our ruler, our head, our governor, our Prince, yea and our God. And our will is locked and knit faster unto the will of the devil, then could an hundred thousand chains bind a man unto a post. Unto the devils will consent we, with all our hearts, with all our minds, with all our might, power, strength, will and lust: so that the law and will of the devil is written as well in our hearts as in our members, and we run headlong after the devil with full seal, and the whole swing of all the power we have: as a stone cast up into the air cometh down naturally of his own self with all the violence and swing of his own weight. With what poison deadly, and venomous hate, hateth The natural corruption of the minds of Adam's heirs plainly s●● forth. a man his enemy? With how great malice of mind inwardly do we slay and murder? With what violence and rage, yea and with how fervent lust commit we adultery, fornication, and such like uncleanness? with what pleasure and delectation inwardly serveth a glutton his belly? With what diligence deceive we? How busily seek we the things of this world? What soever we do, think, or imaginne, is abominable in the sight of God. For we can refer nothing unto the honour of God: neither is his law or will written in our members or in our hearts: neither is there any more power in us to follow the will of God then in a stone to ascend upward of his own self. And beside that we are as it were a sleep in so deep blindness, that we can neither see, nor feel in what misery, thraldom, and wretchedness we are in, till Moses come and wake us, and publish the law. When we hear the law truly preached, how that we aught to love and honour God with all our strength and might, from the low bottom of the heart: because he hath created us, and both heaven and earth for our sakes and made us Lord thereof: and our neighbours (yea our enemies) as ourselves inwardly from the ground of the heart, because God hath made them after the likeness of his own image, & they are his sons as well as we, and Christ hath bought them with his blood and made them heirs of everlasting life as well as us: And how we aught to do what soever God biddeth, and abstain from what soever God forbiddeth, with all love and meekness, with a fervent and a burning lust from the centre of the heart, then beginneth the conscience to rage's against the law, and against God. No sea, be it never so great a tempest, is so unquiet. For it is not possible for a natural man to consent to the law, that it should be good, or that God should be righteous, which maketh the law: in as much as it is contrary unto his nature and damneth him and all that he can do, & neither showeth him where to fetch help nor preacheth any mercy, but only setteth man at variance with God, as witnesseth Paul Rom. iiij. and provoketh him and stirreth him to rail on God and to blaspheme him as a cruel tyrant. For it is not possible Man before his regeneration, can not think well of God. for a man, till he be born again, to think that God is righteous to make him of so poison a nature, either for his own pleasure or for the sin of an other man, and to give him a law that is impossible for him to do or to consent to: his wit, reason, and will being so fast glued, yea nailed and chained unto the will of the devil. Neither can any creature louse the bonds, save the blood of Christ only. This is captivity and bondage whence Christ delivered us, redeemed, and loused us. His blood, his death, his patience, in suffering rebukes and wrongs, his prayers and fastings his meekness and fulfilling of the uttermost point of the law, peased the wrath of God, brought the favour of God to us again, obtained that God should love us first, and be our father, and that a merciful father, that will consider our infirmities and weakness, and will give us his spirit again (which was taken away in the fall of Adam) to rule, govern, & strength us, and to break the bonds of Satan, wherein we were so strait bound. When Christ is thus wise preached, & the promises rehearsed which are contained in the Prophets, in the Psalms, and in divers places of the five books of Moses: which preaching is called the Gospel or glad tidings: The hearts of the elect● do even melt at the preaching of God's mercy, and Christ's kindness. then the hearts of them which are elect and choose, begin to wax soft and melt at the bounteous mercy of God, and kindness showed of Christ. For when the Euangelion is preached, the spirit of God entereth into them, which God hath ordained and appointed unto eternal life, and openeth their inward eyes, and worketh such belief in them. When the woeful consciences feel and taste how sweet a thing the bitter death of Christ is, & how merciful & loving God is through Christ's purchasing and merits, they begin to love gain, and to consent to the law of God, how that it is good and aught so to be, and that God is righteous which made it, and desire to fulfil the law even as a sick man desireth to be whole, and are an hungered and thirst after more righteousness and after more strength, to fulfil the law more perfectly. And in all that they do, or omit and leave undone, they seek God's honour, and his will with meekness, ever condemning the unperfectness of their deeds by the law. Now Christ standeth us in double stead, and us serveth two manner wise. First he is our redeemer, deliverer, reconciler, mediator, intercessor, advocate, Christ ●e●● nothing undone, that might be to our salvation. attorney, solicitor, our hope, comfort, shield, protection, defender, strength, health, satisfaction and salvation. His blood, his death, all that he ever did, is ours. And Christ himself, with all that he is or can do, is ours. His blood shedding and all that he did, doth me as good service, as though I myself had done it. And God (as great as he is) is mine with all that he hath as an husband is his wives, through Christ and his purchasing. Secondaryly after that we be overcome with love and kindness, and now seek to do the will of God (which is a Christian man's nature) Then have we Christ an example to counterfeit, as says Christ an example to us of all goodness. Christ himself in john: I have given you an example. And in an other Evangelist, he saith: He that willbe great among you shallbe your servant and Minister, as the son of man came to minister and not to be ministered unto. And Paul saith: Counterfeit Christ. And Peter saith: Christ died for you, and left you an example to follow his steps. What soever therefore faith What faith receiveth of God through Christ's blood, that we must bestow on our neighbours, though they be our enemies. hath received of God through Christ's blood and deserving, that same must love shed out every whit, and bestow it on our neighbours unto their profit, yea and that though they be our enemies. By faith we receive of God and by love we shed out again. And that must we do freely after the example of Christ without any other respect, save our neighbour's wealth only, & neither look for reward in earth, nor yet in heaven for the deserving & merits of our deeds as Friars preach, though we know that good deeds are rewarded, both in this life and in the life to come: but of pure love must we bestow ourselves all that we have, & all that we are able to do, even on our enemies to bring them to God, considering nothing but their wealth, as Christ did ours. Christ did not his Christ did not good deeds to merit heaven, for that was his all ready, but freely for our sakes. deeds to obtain heaven thereby (that had been a madness) heaven was his all ready, he was heir thereof, it was his by inheritance, but did them freely for our sakes, considering nothing but our wealth and to bring the favour of God to us again and us to God. As no natural son that is his father's heir, doth his father's will because he would be heir, that he is already by birth: his father gave him that year he was born and is loather that he should go without it, than he himself hath wit to be: but of pure love doth he that he doth. And ask him why he doth any thing that he doth, he answereth: my father bade, it is my father's will, it pleaseth my father. Bond servants work for hire, Children for love. For their father with all he hath, is there's already. So doth a Christian man freely all that he doth, considereth nothing but the will of God, & his neighbour's wealth only. If I live chaste, I do it not to obtain heaven thereby. For than should I do wrong to the blood of Christ: Christ's blood hath obtained me that, Christ's merits have made me heir thereof. He is both door and way thither wards. Neither that I look for an higher room in heaven, then they shall have which live in wedlock, other than a whore of the stews (if she repent) for that were the pride of Lucifer. But freely to wait on the Euangelion: and to avoid the trouble of the world and occasions that might pluck me there from, and to serve my brother with all, even as one hand helpeth an other, or one member an other, because one feeleth an others grief, & the pain of the one is the pain of the other. What soever is done to the jest of us (whether it be good or bad) it is done to Christ, and what soever is done to my brother (if I be a Christian man) that same is done to me. Neither doth my brother's pain grieve me less than mine own. Neither rejoice I less at his wealth then at mine own if I love him as well and as much as myself, as the law commandeth me. If it were not so: how saith Paul? let him that rejoiceth, rejoice in the Lord, that is to say Christ, which is Lord over all creatures. I● my merits obtained me heaven or a higher place there, then had I wherein I might rejoice beside the Lord Here see you the nature of the law, & the nature of the Euangelion. How the The law bindeth, & the Gospel louseth all men. law is the key that bindeth and damneth all men, and the Euangelion is the key that loseth them again. The law goeth before, and the Euangelion followeth. When a preacher preacheth the law, he bindeth all consciences, and when he preacheth the Gospel, he loseth them again. These two salves (I mean the law and the Gospel) useth god & his preacher to heal & cure sinners with all. The law driveth out the The force of the law. disease, and maketh it appear, and is a sharp salve, and a freating corsie, & killeth the dead flesh, and louseth and draweth the sores out by the roots, & all corruption. It pulleth from a man the trust and confidence that he hath in himself, & in his own works, merits, deservings and ceremonies and robbeth him of all his righteousness and maketh him poor. It killeth him, sendeth him down to hell, and bringeth him to utter desperation, and prepareth the way of the Lord, as it is written of john the Baptist. For it is not possible that Christ should come to a man, as long as he trusteth in himself, or in any worldly thing or hath any righteousness of his own, or riches of holy works. Then cometh the Euamgelion a more gentle paster, which soupleth and suageth the wounds of the conscience, and bringeth health. It bringeth the spirit of God, which loseth the bonds of Satan, and coupleth us to God and his will through strong faith and fervent love, with bonds to strong for the devil, the world, or any creature to loose them. And the poor & The uprising sinner feeleth such joy in the Gospel that he thinketh it▪ impossible that God should forsake him. wretched sinner feeleth so great mercy, love, & kindness in God, that he is sure in himself how that it is not possible that God should forsake him, or withdraw his mercy and love from him. And boldly crieth out with Paul saying: Who shall separate us from the love that GOD loveth us withal? That is to say: what shall make me believe that God loveth me not? Shall tribulation? Anguish? Persecution? Shall hunger? Nakedness? Shall sword? Nay, I am sure that neither death, nor life, neither angel, neither rule nor power, neither present things, nor things to come, neither high nor low, neither any creature is able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ jesus our Lord In all such tribulations a Christian man perceiveth that God is his father, and loveth him, even as he loved Christ when he shed his blood on the cross. Finally, as before, when I was bond to the devil and his will, I wrought all manner evil and wickedness, not for hell's sake which is the reward of sin, but because I was heir of hell by birth and bondage to the devil, did I evil. For I could none otherwise do: to do sin was my nature. Even so now since I am coupled to GOD by Christ's blood, do I well, not for heavens sake which is yet the reward of well doing: but because I am heir of heaven by grace and Christ's purchasing, & have the spirit of God I do good freely, for so is my nature. As a good tree bringeth forth good fruit, and an evil tree evil fruit. By the fruits shall you know what the tree is. A man's deeds declare what he is within, but make him neither good nor bad, though after we be created a new by the spirit & doctrine of Christ we wax perfecter alway with working according to the doctrine, and not with blind works of our own imagining. We must be first evil year we do evil, as a Serpent is first poisoned year he poison. We must be also good year we do good, as the fire must be first hot year it heat an other thing. Take an example. As those blind and deaf which are cured in the Gospel could not see nor hear, till Christ had given them sight & hearing, and those sick could not do the deeds of an whole man, till Christ had given them health: So can no man do good in his soul, till Christ have loosed him out of the bonds of Satan, and have given him wherewith to do good, yea & first have powered into him that self good thing which he shedeth forth afterward on other. Whatsoever is our own is sin. Whatsoever is above that, is Christ's gift, purches, doing, All sin in us is of 〈◊〉 selves▪ and all goodness of Christ. and working. He bought it of his father dearly with his blood, yea with his most bitter death, and gave his life for it. What soever good thing is in us, that is given us freely without our deserving or merits for Christ's bloods sake. That we desire to follow that will of God, it is the gift of Christ's blood. That we now hate the devils will (whereunto we were so fast locked, and could not but love it) is also the gift of Christ's blood, unto whom belongeth the praise and honour of our good deeds, and not unto us. Our deeds do us three manner service. First they certify us that we are Works certify us of everlasting ●nheritaunce, ●ill sin in us, and relieve the necessity of our neighbour. heirs of everlasting life. And that the spirit of God, which is the earnest thereof is in us, in that our hearts consent unto the law of God, and we have power in our members to do it, though imperfectly. And secondarily we tame the flesh therewith and kill the sin that remaineth yet in us & wax daily perfecter and perfecter in the spirit therewith & keep that the lusts choke not the word of God that is sown in us, nor quench the gifts and working of the spirit, and that we loose not the spirit again. And thirdly we do our duty unto our neighbour therewith & help their necessity unto our own comfort also, and draw all men unto the honouring and praising of God. And whosoever excels in the Gifts of grace belong to our brother as much as to ourselves. gifts of grace, let the same think that they be given him, as much to do his brother service as for his own self, & as much for the love which God hath to the weak as unto him, unto whom God giveth such gifts. And he that withdraweth aught that he hath from his neighbour's need, robbeth his neighbour and is a thief. And he that is proud of the gifts of God & thinketh himself, by the reason of them better than his feeble neighbour, & not rather as the truth is, knowledgeth himself a servant unto his poor neighbour, by the reason of them the same hath Lucifer's spirit in him and not Christ's. These things to know: first the law: how that it is natural, right, and equity, that we have but one God to put our hope and trust in, and him to love with all the heart, all the soul, and all our might and power, and neither to move heart nor hand but at his commandment, because he hath first created us of naught, and heaven and earth for our sakes. And afterward when we had marred ourself through sin, he forgave us and created us again in the blood of his beloved son. And that we have the name of our one God in fear and reverence, & that we dishonour it not in swearing thereby about light trifles or vanity or call it to record for the confirming of wickedness or falsehood, or aught that is to the dishonour of God, which is the breaking of his laws, or unto the hurt of our neighbour. And in as much as he is our Lord and God and we his double possession, by creation and redemption, and therefore aught, as I said, neither to move heart or hand without his commandment, it is right that we have needful holy days to come together & learn Holidays necessary to come together in, & learn Christ's will. his will, both the law, which he will have us ruled by, and also the promises of mercy which he will have us trust unto: and to give God thanks together for his mercy, and to commit our infirmities to him through our Saviour jesus, and to reconsile ourselves unto him, and each to other, if aught be between brother and, brother that requireth it. And for this purpose and such like, as to visit the sick and needy, and redress peace and unity were the holy days ordained only, & so farforth are they to be kept holy from all manner works that may be conveniently spared for the time till this be done and no further, but then lawfully to work. And that it is right that we obey father and mother, Master, Lord, Prince and King and all the ordinances of the world bodily and ghostly by which God ruleth us and ministereth freely his benefits unto us all. And that we love them for the benefits that we receive by them, and fear them for the power they have over us to punish us if we trespass the law and good order. So far yet are the worldly powers or rulers to be obeyed only, as their Worldly rulers to be obeyed so far forth a● their laws impugn not Gods laws. commandments repugn not against the commandment of God, and then hoo. Wherefore we must have God's commandment ever in our hearts, and by the higher law interpret the inferior: that we obey nothing against the belief of one God, or against the faith, hope and trust that is him only, or against the love of God, whereby we do or leave undone all thing for his sake, & that we do nothing for any man's commandment against the reverence of the name of God, to make it despised and the less feared & set by: and that we obey nothing to the hindrance of the knowledge of the blessed doctrine of God whose servant the holy day is. Notwithstanding though the rulers which God hath set over us command Though rulers appointed of God oppress us, yet we may not avenge they being in God's room. us against God, or do us open wrong and oppress us with cruel tyranny, yet because they are in God's room, we may not avenge ourselves, but by the process and order of God's law, and laws of man made by the authority of God's law, which is also God's law, ever by an higher power, and remitting the vengeance unto God, and in the mean season suffer until the hour be come. And on the other side to know that a man aught to love his neighbour equally We must love our neighbour as ourself. and fully as well as himself, because his neighbour (be he never so simple) is equally created of God and as full redeemed by the blood of our saviour jesus Christ. Out of which commandment of love spring these: Kill not thy neighbour: defile not his wife: bear no false witness against him, & finally, not only do not these things in deed but covet not in thine heart, his house, his wife, his manservant, maydeseruaunt, ox, ass or what soever is his. So that these laws pertaining unto our neighbour are not fulfilled in the sight of God save with love. He that loveth not his neighbour keepeth not this commandment, defile not thy neighbour's wife, though he never touch her or never see her or think upon her. For the commandment is, though thy neighbour's wife be never so fair, & thou have never so great opportunity given thee, and she content, or haply provoke thee as Putiphers wife did joseph, yet see thou love thy neighbour so well, that for very love thou can not find in thy heart to do that wickedness. And even so he that trusteth in any thing save in God only & in his son jesus Christ, keepeth no commandment at all in the sight of God. For he that hath trust in any creature whether in heaven or in earth, save in God & his son jesus, can see no cause to love God with all his heart etc. neither to abstain from dishonouring his name nor to keep the holy day for the love of his doctrine, nor to obey loving lie that rulers of this world nor any cause to love his neighbour as himself & to abstain from hurting him, where he may get profit by him & save himself harmless. And in likewise against this law, love thy neighbour as thyself. I may obey no worldly power, to do aught at any man's commandment unto the hurt of my neighbour that hath not deserved it, though he be a Turk. And to know how contrary this law is unto our nature, & how it is damnation not to have this law written in our hearts, though we never commit the deeds: & how there is no other means to be saved from this damnation then through repentance toward the law & faith in Christ's blood which are the very inward baptism of our souls, & the washing & the dipping of our bodies in that water is the outward sign. The plunging of the body under the Our baptism signifieth that we repent and profess a new life. water signifieth that we repent & profess to fight against sin and lusts, & to kill them every day more and more, with the help of God & our diligence in following the doctrine of Christ and the leading of his spirit, and that we believe to be washed from our natural damnation in which we are born, and from all the wrath of the law, and from all the infirmities & weaknesses that remain in us, after we have given our consent unto the law, and yielded ourself to be scholars thereof, and from all the imperfectness of all our deeds done with cold love, and from all actual sin which shall chance on us while we enforce the contrary and ever fight thereagaynst and hope to sin no more. And thus, repentance and faith begin at our Baptism and first professing the laws of God, and continued unto our lives end, and grow as we grow in the spirit. For the perfecter we be, the greater is our repentance & the stronger our faith. And thus, as the spirit & doctrine on God's part, & repentance & faith in our part beget us a new in Christ: even so they make us grow & wax perfect & save us unto the end, & never leave us until all The perfecter we are, the greater is our repentant and the stronger is our faith. sin be put of and we clean purified and full form & fashioned after the similitude & likeness of the perfectness of our Saviour jesus, whose gift all is. And finally to know that what soever good thing is in us, that same is that gift of grace and therefore not of deserving, though many things be given of God through our diligence in working his laws & chastising our bodies and in praying for them & believing his promises, which else should not be given us: yet our working deserveth not the gifts, Our works deserve not that gifts of grace. no more than the diligence of a merchant in seeking a good ship bringeth the goods safe to land, though such diligence doth now & then help thereto. But when we believe in God and then do all that is in our might & not tempt him, then is God true to abide by his promise & to help us and perform alone when our strength is past. These things I say to know, is to have all the scripture unlocked & opened before thee, so that if thou will't go in & read thou canst not but understand. And in these things to be ignorant, is to have all the Scripture locked up, so that the more thou readest it, the blinder thou art, & the more contrariety thou findest in it, & the more tangled art thou The principles of scripture perfectly learned, a● the rest is more easy. therein & canst no where through. For if thou add a gloze in one place, in an other it will not serve. And therefore because we be never taught the profession of our Baptism, we remain always unlearned, as well the spirituality for all their great clergy & high schools, as we say, as the lay people. And now because the lay and unlearned people are taught these first principles of our profession therefore they read the scripture & understand and delight therein. And our great pillars of holy church, which have nailed a vail of false gloss on Moses face, to corrupt the true understanding of his law, can not come in. And therefore bark & say that scripture maketh heretics & it is not possible for them to understand it in the English, because they themselves do not in Latin. And of pure malice that they can not have their will, they slay their brethren for their faith they have in our saviour, & therewith utter their bloody wolvish tyranny, and what they be within & whose disciples. Herewith, reader, be committed unto the grace of our saviour jesus, unto whom and God our father through him be praise for ever and for ever. Amen. The exposition of the first Epistle of S. john, set forth by M. William Tyndall in the year of our Lord 1531. Septemb. Except a man have the profession of his baptism in his heart, he can not understand the Scripture. ¶ The Prologue. AS a man can by no means read, except he be first taught the letters of the crosserow: We must first learn the profession of our Baptism. even so it is unpossible for a man of whatsoever degree or name he be off, to understand aught in the Scripture unto the honour of God, and health of his soul, except he be first taught the profession of his baptism, & have it also written in his heart. Which profession standeth in ij. things. The profession of our Baptism what it is. The one is the knowledge of God, understanding it spiritually, as Christ expoundeth it, Math. u uj. and seven. so that the root and life of all laws be this: Love thy Lord God with all thine heart, all thy soul, and all thy might: and thy neighbour as thyself, for his sake: and that love only is the fulfilling of the law (as Paul teacheth) and that whatsoever deed we do, and not of that love, that same fulfilleth no law in the sight of God. And the other is to know the promises Gospel. of mercy, which are in our Saviour Christ: understanding them also purely without all leaven, after the mercifullest fashion as Scripture soundeth them, and after all fatherly love and kindness of God, unto all that repent toward the law, and believe in Christ. And to have this profession written in thine heart is to consent unto the law that it is righteous, and good, and to love it in thine heart, and to submit thyself thereunto for to learn it, and to rule and square all thy deeds thereby, & then to believe in Christ, that for his All our sins for jesus Christ's sake, & for his death & passion are clearly forgiven. sake all thy sins which thou didst before the knowledge of this profession, are forgiven thee clearly both a poena & culpa, to use the pope's terms, and that for none other satisfaction to Godward then Christ's blood, and even so, that all the sin which we do after this knowledge, either of chance, ignorance, infirmity, negligence, or provoked and overcome of the flesh, is forgiven us like wise both Poena & culpa, through repentance and faith in Christ, without our satisfaction of works to Godward. Notwithstanding we being all sons of one God, and servants of one Christ, must agreed among ourselves, and he that hath offended must meekly knowledge his fault, and Every Christian man must reconcile himself unto his brother. offer himself to make amendss unto the utmost of his power: and if he have not wherewith, ask forgiveness for Christ's sake, the other is bond to forgive him. Neither with out reconsiling himself unto his brother may any man be at the first received unto the profession of Christ's faith nor continued therein, nor be received in again if he be for his open offences put thereout. For how can a man love his neighbour as well as himself, and be sorry that he hath hurt him, except he should offer himself to make amendss? And we must from henceforth walk in The right penance is repentance of sin and amendment of life. the life of penance (if you will have it so called) and after the doctrine of Christ every man tame his flesh with prayer, fasting, and the continual meditations of Christ's penance, and passions for us, and of the holy saints, and with such abstinence, and kind of living as every man thinketh most meet All our life must tend to this end, to came our flesh & serve our neighbour. for his complexion, the younger confessing their infirmities to the elder, discreter, and better learned, and ask their advise and wholesome counsel for the repressing of their diseases, but all to tame the flesh, and to serve thy neighbour without any superstitious mind. But to Godward is there no satisfaction, faith in Christ's blood with a repentant heart is the only satisfaction that we can make toward God. save faith in Christ's blood out of a repenting heart. For our outward deeds can not be referred unto God, to do him service in his own person, and to help him, or make him better therewith. We can do no more with them, were they never so perfect, & done with all love, then satisfy the law for the present time, and do our duty unto our neighbours, and tame our own flesh, but not to make satisfaction to God for sin that is once past. The sin that is once committed must God forgive freely of a fatherly love for Christ's sake. When God visiteth us with sickness, poverty, or whatsoever adversity it be, he doth it not of a tyrannous mind to satisfy his lust in our suffering of evil to make satisfaction for the sin that is passed of which we repent, and be sorry: But of a fatherly love to make The father of love correcteth the child. us know ourselves, and feel his mercy, and to tame our flesh, and to keep us from sinning again. As no natural father punisheth his child because he delighteth in tormenting of him, to take satisfaction for the sin that is past: but first teacheth kindly, and suffereth, and forgiveth once or twice, and then at the last, when he seethe the body so wanton, that the child can not continued in the right way for the rage of wild lusts, he beateth to subdue the flesh only, and to tame it, that the doctrine of the father may have her due course in the heart of the child, and should not be choked with lusts. Even so is it of God, if any of his children God as a loving father careth for us and gentlely correcteth us to keep us in the right way. that have professed his law, and then faith of our Saviour, be negligent to tame his flesh, with prayer, fasting, and good deeds after the doctrine of Christ, he will surely scourge him, to bring him into the right way again, and to keep him that the doctrine of his soul's health perish not in him. But he taketh not his mercy from us, nor thinketh on the sin that is past, after that we repent and be full converted, but ablolueth us both a poena & culpa, for Christ's sake: and is as mighty & as merciful to do it for Christ's sake, as the Pope for money, besides that he hath promised mercifully so to do. ¶ The knowledge of our baptism is the key and the light of the Scripture. ANd again, as he which knoweth his letters well, and can spell perfectly, can not but read if he be diligent: and as he which hath clear eyes without impediment or let, To understand our baptism is to understand the law and the Gospel. and walketh thereto in the light and open day, can not but see, if he attend and take heed: even so who so ever hath the profession of baptism written in his heart, can not but understand the scripture, if he exercise himself therein, and compare one place to an other, and mark the manner of speech, and ask here and there the meaning of a sentence, of them that be better exercised. For as the doctrine which we should be The key & light of the Scripture. taught before we were baptised, and for lack of age is deferred unto the years of discretion is the key that bindeth and loseth, locketh and unlocketh the conscience of all sinners: even so that lesson, where it is understand is only the key that openeth all the scripture, and even the whole scripture in itself gathered together in a narrow compass, and brought into a compendiousness. And till thou be taught that lesson, that thy heart feel the sweetness of it, the Scripture is locked and shut up from thee, and so dark that thou couldst not understand it, though Peter, Paul, or Christ himself did expound it unto thee, no more than a blind man can see, though thou set a candle before him, or showedst him the Sun, or poyntedst with thy finger, unto that thou wouldst have him look upon. Now we be all baptised: But alas, not How the Scripture is locked up from ou● understanding. one from the hyest to the lowest ever taught the profession or meaning thereof. And therefore we remain all blind generally, as well our great Rabines for all their high learning which they seem to have, as the lay people: yea and so much the more blind are our great clerks, that where the lay people for a great number of them are caught nought at all, they be all wrong taught, and the doctrine of their baptism is all corrupt unto them, with the l●uen of false gloss, ere they come to read the scripture. So that the light which they bring with them to understand the scripture withal, is utter darkness, & as contrary unto the scripture as the devil unto Christ, By reason whereof the Scripture is locked up and become so dark unto them, that they grope for the door, and can find no way in, and is become a maze unto them, in which they wander as in a nust, or (as we say) led by Robin Goodfellow, that they can not come to the right way, not though they turn their caps: and the brightness thereof hath blinded their eyes with malice, so that though they believe not the Scripture to be false, yet If we be not taught by God, we do but wander ●leane out of the way. they persecute the right understanding thereof, and can not believe it true in the plain sense, which it speaketh to them in. It is become a tu●nagaine lane unto them, which they can not go through, nor make iij. lines agreed together. And finally the sentences of the Scripture are nothing but very riddles unto them, ●s the which they cast, as the blind man doth at the Crow, and expound by guess, an hundred Doctoures an hundred ways, and one man in xx. sermons alleging one text after xx. fashions, having no sure doctrine to cleave unto, and all for lack of the right knowledge of the profession of our Baptism. ¶ He that hath the profession of his Baptism written in his heart, can be no heretic. AN other conclusion is this. As he which ever creepeth a long by the ground and never clymeth can not fall from an high. Even so no man that hath the profession of He that understandeth the profession of his Baptism can be no heretic. his Baptism written in his heart can stumble in the Scripture, and fall unto heresies or become a maker of division and sets and a defender of wild and vain opinions. For the whole and only cause of heresies and sects is pride. Now the law of God truly interpreted robbeth all them in whose hearts it is written, and maketh them as bore as job of all things whereof a man can be moved to pride. And on the other side they have utterly forsaken themselves with all their high learning and wisdom and are become the servants of Christ only which hath bought The Scripture teacheth low, lines, and hateth pride. them with his blood, & have promised in their hearts unfeignedly to follow him and to take him only for the author of their religion, & his doctrine only for their wisdom & learning, and to maintain it in word and deed, and to keep it pure and to build no strange doctrine thereupon, and to be at the highest never but fellow with their brethren, and in that fellowship The Scripture maketh no heretics. to wax ever lawer and lower, and every day more servant than other, unto his weaker brethren, after the example and Image of Christ and after his commandment and ordinance, and not in feigned words of the Pope. This he said because of them that say that the Scripture maketh men heretics and corrupteth with false opinions contrary unto the profession of their Baptism, and the light wherewith they should expound the Scripture is turned into darkness in their hearts, & the door of the Scripture locked, & the wells stopped up year they come at it. And therefore because their darkness can not comprehend the light of Scripture, as it is written john. i The light shined in darkness If God lighten not our hearts we read the Scripture in vain. but the darkness could not comprehend it, they turn it into blind riddles and read it without understanding as lay men do our Lady Matins, or as it were Marlynes' prophecies, ever their minds are upon their heresies. And when they come to a place that soundeth like, there they rest and wring out wonderful expositions to stablish their heresies with all, after the tale of the boy that would fain have eaten of the pasty of lamprese but dared not unto the bells sang unto him. Sat down jacke boy and eat of the lamprey, to stablish his wavering conscience withal. Is it not a great blindness to say in the beginning of all together, that the whole scripture is false in the literal sense, and killeth the soul. Which pestilent heresy to prove, they abuse the text of Paul saying. The letter killeth, because that text was become a riddle unto them and they understood it not. The law condemneth to drive us to faith in Christ's death. When Paul by this word letter understood the law given by Moses to condemn all consciences and to rob them of all righteousness to compel them unto the promises of mercy that are in Christ. Heresy springeth not of the Scripture no more than darkness of the Sun, but is a dark cloud that springeth out of the blind hearts of hypocrites, and covereth the face of Heresy springeth out of the hearts of hypocrites. the Scripture, and blindeth their eyes that they can not behold the bright beams of the Scripture. The whole & sum then of all together is this. If our hearts were taught the appointment made between GOD and us in Christ's blood when we were baptized, we had the key to open the Scripture, and light to see and perceive the true meaning of it, and the Scripture should be easy to understand. And because we be not taught that profession, is the cause why the Scripture is so dark, and so far passing our capacity. And the cause why our expositions are heresies, is because we be wrong taught, & corrupt with false opinions before hand and made heretics year we come at the Scripture, and have corrupt it, and it not us: as the taste of the sick maketh wholesome and well seasoned meat bitter, He that is sound in faith shall easily attain to the true sense of the scripture. werish and unsavoury. Nevertheless yet the Scripture abideth pure in herself and bright, so that he which is sound in the faith shall at once perceive that the judgement of the heretic is corrupt in their expositions, as an whole man doth feel at once even with smelling to the meat that the taste of the sick is infected. And with the Scripture shall they ever improve heresies and false expositions, for the Scripture purgeth herself, even as the water once in the year casts all filthiness unto the sides. Which to be true you see by the authority of Paul. 2. Timo. 3. saying. All the Scripture was given of God by inspiration, and is good to teach with all, to improve and so forth. And by the example of Christ and the Apostles, how they confounded the jews with the same Scripture which they had corrupt, & understood them amiss after their own darkness, and as you see by the example of us now also, how we have manifestly improved the hypocrites in an hundre h texts which they had corrupt to prove their false opinions brought in besides the Scripture, and have driven them of. And they be fled and openly confess unto their shame that they have no Scripture and sing an other song, and say they received them by the mouth of the Apostles. Unto which stopping oyster. I answer here grossly, seeing The papists unwritten berities are not to be credited. they are answered before. That as he were a fool which would trust him to tell his money in his absent that hath piked his purse before his face, even so sith you have corrupt the open Scripture before our eyes and taken with the manner that you can not deny, we were mad to believe that, which hath lyen. xv. C. years as you say in your rotten maws, should now be wholesome for us you have chewed and mingled it with your poison spetel. Can you bear us in hand and persuade us think you with your sophistry to believe that you should minister your secret traditions without ground truly, when we see you minister the open Scripture falsely? Can you bewyche our wits with your Poetry to believe that you should minister your secret traditions for our profit when we see you corrupt the open Scripture to the loss of our souls for your profit? Nay it is an hundredth times more likely that you should be false in secret things then in open. And therefore in the very Sacraments which the Scripture testifieth, that Christ himself ordained them we must have an eye unto your hand, how you minister them. The papist 〈…〉 have corrupted the scriptures & abused the sacraments. And as we restore the Scripture unto her right understanding from your false gloss: even so deliver we the Sacraments and ceremonies unto their right use from your abuse. And that must we do with the Scripture, which can corrupt no man that cometh thereto with a meek spirit, seeking there only to fashion himself like Christ, according to the profession and vow of our Baptism. But contrariwise, he shall there find the mighty power of GOD, to altar him, and change him in the inner man a little and little in process until he be full shappen after the image of our Saviour, in knowledge & love of all truth and power to work thereafter. Finally then for as much as the Scripture is the light and life of Gods elect, & that mighty power wherewith God createth them The scripture to the life of Gods elect. and shapeth them, after the similitude, likeness and very fashion of Christ, and therefore sustenance, comfort, and strength to courage them, that they may stand fast, and endure and merrily bear their soul's health, wherewith the lusts of the flesh subdued and killed, and the spirit mollified and made soft, to receive the print of the image of our Saviour jesus. And as much as the Scripture is so pure of itself that it can corrupt no man, but the wicked only, which are infect before hand and year they come at it, corrupt it with the heresies they bring with them. And for as much as the complaint of the hypocrites that the Scripture maketh heretics is vain and feigned, & the reasons wherewith they would Hypocrites say that the scripture maketh heretics. prove that the lay people aught not to read the Scripture false, wicked, and the fruit of rotten trees, therefore are they faithful servants of Christ and faithful Ministers & dispensers of his doctrine, and true hearted toward their brethren, which have given themselves up into the hand of God, and put themselves in jeopardy of all persecution, their very life despised, and have translated the Scripture purely and with good conscience, submitting themselves, and desiring them that can to amend their translation, or (if it please them) to translate it themselves, after their best manner, yea and let them sow to their gloss, as many as they think they can make cleave thereto, and then put other men's translation out of the way. The translation of the scripture is not sufficient only, but it must be well taught that the people may have the true sense. Howbeit, though God hath so wrought with them that a great part is translated, yet as it is not enough that the father and the mother have both begotten the child & brought it into this world, except they care for it and bring it up till it can help itself. Even so it is not enough to have translated, though it were the whole Scripture into the vulgar & common tongue. Except we also brought again, the light to understand it by, and expel that dark cloud which the hypocrites have spread over the face of the scripture to blind the right sense and true meaning thereof. And Introductions made to bring you to the true understanding of the scripture. therefore at their divers introductions ordained for you, to teach you the profession of your Baptism the only light of the Scripture, one upon the Epistle of Paul to the Romans and an other called The pathway into the Scripture. And for the same cause, have I taken in hand to interpret this Epistle of S. john the Evangelist to edify the lay man and to teach him how to read the Scripture, and what to seek therein, & that he may have to answer the hypocrites and to stop their mouths with all. And first understand that all the Epistles that the Apostles written, are the Gospel of Christ, though all that is the Gospel be not an Epistle. It is called a Gospel, that is to say glad tidings, because it is an open preaching of Christ, and an Epistle, because it is sent as a letter or a bill to them that are absent. ¶ Here beginneth the first Epistle of S. john. Chapter. 1. THat which was from the beginning declare 〈◊〉▪ joh. 1. we unto you, which we have herded, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon, and our hands have handled of the word of life. For the life appeared, and we have seen, and bear witness and show unto you that everlasting life, which was with the father and appeared unto us. In that S. john saith. The thing S. john witnesseth that Christ is very God. which was from the beginning, and the everlasting life that was with the father, he witnesseth that Christ is very God, as he doth in the beginning of his Gospel saying. The word or the thing, was at the beginning, and the thing was with God, and that thing was God, and all things were made by it. And when he saith, which we herded & see with our eyes, & our hands handled That Christ is very man. him, he testifieth that Christ is very man also, as he doth in the beginning of his Gospel saying. The word or that thing was made flesh, that is, become man. And thus we have in plain and open words a manifest Article of our faith, that our Saviour Christ is very God and very man. Which Article who soever not only He that believeth that Christ is the son of God, & also very man, hath everlasting life. believeth, but also believeth in it, the same is the son of God, & hath everlasting life in him, & shall never come into condemnation, as it is written. john. i He gave them power to be the sons of God, in that they believed in his name. And john. iij. He that believeth in the son hath everlasting life. And a little before in the said Chapter. He that believeth in him shall not be condemned. And to believe in the words of this Article, is that eating of Christ's flesh and drinking his blood of which is spoken john. uj. The words which I speak are spirit and life, & the flesh profiteth not at all, meaning of the fleshly eating of his body, and fleshly drinking To believe in Christ. of his blood. There is therefore great difference between believing that there is a God and that Christ is God & man, and to believe in God and Christ God and man, and in the promises of mercy that are in him. The first is common to good and bad, and unto the devils thereto and is called the faith & believe of the history. The second is proper unto the sons of God & is their life, as it is written. The righteous liveth To believe that Christ is God and man, is to put all our trust, hope, & confidence in him. by faith, that is, in putting his trust, confidence, and whole hope in the goodness, mercy, and help of God, in all adversities, bodily and ghostly, and all temptations, & even in sin & hell, how deep so ever he be fallen therein. But as he which feeleth not his disease, can long for no health, even so it is impossible for any man to believe in Christ's blood, except Moses have had him first in cure, & with his law have Moses. rob him of his righteousness, and condemned him unto everlasting death & have showed him under what damnation they are in by birth in Adam: & how all their deeds (appear they never so holy) are yet but damnable sin because they can refer nothing unto the glory of God, but seek themselves, their own profit, honour and glory. So that repentance toward the law must go before this belief, and he which repenteth not, but consenteth unto the life of sin hath no part in this faith. And when john calleth Christ the everlasting life that was with the father, he signifieth that Christ is our life, as after in the Epistle, and in the first also of his Gospel saying. In him Christ is our life. was life. For until we receive life of Christ by faith we are dead and can be but dead, as says john. iij. He that believeth not in the son, can see no life, but the wrath of God abideth upon him. Of which wrath we are heirs by birth saith Paul. Ephe. ij. Of which By nature we are the children of wrath. wrath we are ignorant, until the law be published, and walk quietly after our lusts, & love God wickedly, that he should be content therewith & maintain us therein contrary unto his godly and righteous nature. But assoon as the law (whose nature is to utter sin. Roma. iij. and to set man at variance, with God) is preached, them we first awake out of our dream, and see The law condemneth us. our damnation, and have the law which is so contrary unto our nature, and grudge against God thereto, as young children do against their elders when they first command, and count God a cruel tyrant because of his law in that he condemneth us for that thing which we can not love, nor of love fulfil. But when Christ is preached, how Christ. that God for his sake receiveth us to mercy, & forgiveth us all that is past, & henceforth reckoneth not unto us our corrupt and poisoned nature, & taketh us as his sons, and putteth us under grace and mercy, & promises that he will not judge us by the rigorousness of the law, but nurture us with all mercy and patience, as a father most merciful. Only if we will submit our If we submit our selves to Christ, & knowledge our weakness he will of his great mercy receive us. selves unto his doctrine and learn to keep his laws. Yea and he will thereto consider our meekness, and what soever chanceth never taketh away his mercy, till we cast of the yoke of our profession first, and run away with utter defiance, that we will never come more at school. Then our stubborn and hard hearts mollify & wax soft, and in the confidence and hope that we have in Christ and his kindness we go to God boldly as unto our father and receive life, that is to say love unto God and unto the law also. That which we have seen and herded we declare unto you that you may have fellowship with us, and that our fellowship may be with the father, and with his son jesus Christ. And these things we writ unto you that your joy may be full. To bring unto the fellowship of The touch stone of all true doctrine and preachers. God and Christ, and of them that believe in Christ, is the final intent of all the Scripture, why it was given of God unto man, and the only thing which all true preachers seek, & whereby you shall ever know and discern the true word of God from all false, and counterfeited doctrine of vain traditions & the true preacher from the wily hypocrite. We preach unto you (saith john) that everlasting life which we have herded, and in hearing received through faith and are sure of it, to draw you to us out of the fellowship that you have with the damned devils in sinful lusts and ignorance of God, for we seek you and not yours as saith Paul ij. Cor. xii. We love you The modest & charitable manner of S. Paul's doctrine. as ourselves in God, & therefore would have you fellows, and equal with us, & build you upon the foundation laid of the Apostles and Prophets which is Christ▪ jesus, and make you of the household of God for ever, that you, and we, fellows and brethren, and coupled together in one spirit, in one faith and in one hope, might have our fellowship thereby with God, and become his sons & heirs, & with jesus Christ, being his brethren and coheir, and to make your joy full through that glad tidings, as the angel said unto the shepherds Luck. ij. Behold I show you great joy that shallbe unto all the people, how that there is a Saviour born unto you this day which is Christ the Lord And these tidings we bring you with the word of God only which we received of his spirit, and out of the mouth of his son as true messengers. We preach not ourselves, but Christ S. Paul preached Christ and not himself. our Lord, and us your servants for his sake, we do not love ourselves, to seek yours unto us, that after we had with wiles rob you of all you have, we should exalt ourselves over you & separate ourselves from you and make ourselves a several kingdom, free and frank reigning over you as heathen tyrants & holding you in bondage to serve our lucre and lusts tangling your conscience with doctrine of man which draweth from God and Christ and fearing you with the bug of excommunication against God's word. Or if that served not, shaking a sword at you. And this is the tidings which we have herded of him, and declare unto you, that God is light and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and yet walk in darkness we lie, and do not the truth. But and if we walk in light as he is in light, then have we fellowship together, and the blood of Christ his son cleanseth us from all sin. As the devil is darkness and lies, so is God light and truth only, and As God is light, so the devil is darkness. there is no darkness of falsehood & consenting to wickedness in him. And the brightness of his light is his word and doctrine, as the. C. and. nineteeen. Psalm saith. Thy word is a lantern unto my feet & a light to my paths. And Christ is the light that lighteneth all men. And the Apostles are called the light of the world, because of the doctrine. And all that know truth are light. You were once darkness saith Paul. Ephes. u but now light in the Lord, walk therefore as the children of Good works are the fruits of light. light. And good works are called the fruits of light. And all that live in ignorance are called darkness, as he saith afterward, he that hateth his brother walketh in darkness. For if the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ did shine in his heart, he could not hate his brother. By walking understand consenting, doing, and working. If then we Walking in darkness or in light. walk in darkness, that is, consent and work wickedness, and say we have fellowship with God, we lie. For to have fellowship with him, is to know, and consent, and profess his doctrine in our hearts. Now if the commandments of GOD be written in our hearts, our members can not but practise them & show the fruit. So whether light or darkness be in the heart, it will appear in that walking. For though our members be never so dead unto virtue, yet if our soul's knowledge the truth, & consent unto righteousness, we have the spirit of life in us. And Paul saith, Rom. viii. If the spirit of him that If we have the spirit of God in us, then will he raise us up with jesus Christ. raised up jesus from death be in you, them will he that raised up jesus from death, quicken your mortal bodies, by the reason of the spirit that dwelleth in you. So that it is not possible for him that knoweth the truth, & consenteth thereto, to continued in sin. And then finally if we have the light in our hearts, and walk therein, than we have fellowship with God, and are his sons and heirs, and are purged from all sin through Christ's blood. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and truth is not in us. If we think there is no sin in us, He that saith he hath no sin deceiveth himself. we are beguiled, and blind, and the light of God's word is not in us, and either follow sin as beasts without conscience at all. Or if we see the gross sins, as murder, theft, and adultery, yet we have hanged a veil of false gloss upon Moses face, and see not the brightness of the law, how that it requireth of us, as pure an heart to God, and as great love unto our neighbours as was in our saviour jesus, & ceaseth not before to condemn us as sinners. If we knowledge our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrigh teousnes. If we confess our sins, not in the If we confess our sins to God with true faith and repentance he will forgive us. priests ear (though that tradition restored unto the right use were not damnable,) but in our hearts to God with true repentance and fast belief: then is he faithful to forgive and to purge us, because of his merciful truth and promise. For he promised Abraham, that in his seed all the world should be blessed from the curse of sin. And hath abundantly renewed his everlasting mercy unto us in the new testament, promising that our sins shall be forgiven us in Christ's blood, if we repent and trust thereto. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. For his word testifieth against us, All men are sinners. that we are all sinners, yea, and else Christ died in vain. Solomon saith, 3. Reg. 8. That there is no man that sinneth not against God. And Paul proveth by the authority of the Scripture unto the Romans, that we are all sinners without exception. And the scripture witnesseth that we are damnable sinners, and that our nature is to sin. Which corrupt and poisoned nature, though it be begun to be healed, yet it is never through whole until the hour of death. For the which cause with all our best fruits, there grow weeds among. Neither can there be any deed so perfect that could not be amended. When a blind bungler wondereth at his glorious works, a cunning workman that hath a clear judgement, perceiveth that it is unpossible to make a work that could not be Nothing can be so well done, but it may be amended. made better. Now the law requireth works of us in the highest degree of perfection, and ceaseth not to accuse us until our works flow naturally, as glorious in perfection as the works of Christ. And Christ teacheth us to pray in our Pater noster: forgive us our trespasses as we forgive our trespassers. Whereby you may easily understand, that we sin daily one against another, and all against God. Christ taught also to pray that our Father should not let us slip into temptation: signifying that our nature cannot but sin if occasions be given, except that God of his especial grace keep us back. Which readiness to sin is damnable sin in the law of God. David prayed Psal. 68 Let not the tempest drown me, let me not fall into the bottom, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me: as who should say: First keep me O God from sinning, then if I shall chance to fall, as no flesh can escape, one time or other, then All the nature of man is sinful. call me shortly back again, and let me not sink to deep therein: and though I yet fall never so deep, yet Lord let not the way of mercy be stopped: signifying that it is unpossible to stand of ourselves, and much less to rise again. Which impotency and feebleness is damnable in the law of God except that we see it, and repent, and were fled to Christ for mercy. Chap. 2. MY little children, I writ these things unto you, that you sin not. And though any man sin, yet we have an advocate with the Father, even jesus Christ, which is righteous. I writ unto you on the one side, that God is light, and therefore that no man which willingly walketh in the unfruitful works of darkness, hath any fellowship with that light, or part in the blood of his Son. And this I We must resist sin with all our power and might. writ and testify unto you my dear children, that you sin not: that is, that you consent not unto sin, nor should sin of lust and purpose maliciously: but contrariwise that you fear God, & resist sin with all your might and power according as you have promised. For whosoever sinneth of purpose after the knowledge of truth, the same sinneth against the holy Ghost remediless. Heb. 6. 10. And on the other side I testify unto you that we be always sinners, though not of purpose and malice after the nature We sin daily by the frailty and weakness of our flesh. of damned devils, but of infirmity and frailty of our flesh, which flesh not only letteth us that our works can not be perfect, but also now & then through manifold occasions and temptations carrieth us clean out of the right way, spite of our hearts. How be it (I say) if when the rage is past, we turn unto the right way again, and confess our sins unto our Father with a repenting heart, he hath promised us mercy, and is true to fulfil it. So that if we sin not devilishly against the holy Ghost, refusing the doctrine which we can not improve that it should not be true: but after the frail tie of man, there is no cause to despair: For we have an advocate and an intercessor with the Father, even jesus Christ that is righteous. The name of our advocate is jesus, Our advocate jesus that is to say, a saviour. Call his name jesus, said the Angel to joseph: for he shall save his people from their sins. Math. 1. And this advocate & our jesus to save us from our sins, continueth ever, as it is written, Heb. 7. and hath, Sempiternum Sacerdotium, an everlasting office, to make an atonement for sin: by the reason whereof (saith the text) he is able ever to save them that come to God through him, with repentance and faith, and liveth ever to speak for us. And besides that jesus that is God and man, calleth ●…o thee O Father for us. our jesus is God and almighty. He took our nature upon him, and felt all our infirmities and sicknesses, and in feeling learned to have compassion on us, and for compassion cried mightily in prayers to God the Father for us, & was herded. And the voice of the same blood that once cried, not for vengeance as Abel's, but for mercy only, & was herded, crieth now and ever, and is ever herded, as often as we call unto remembrance with repenting faith how that it was shed for our sins. He is Christus. also called Christus, that is to say, king anointed with all might and power over sin, death and hell, and over all sins, so that none that flieth unto him shall ever come into judgement of damnation. He is anointed with all fullness of grace, and hath all the treasure and riches of the spirit of God in his hand, with which he blesseth all men according to the promise made to By jesus Christ we are made blessed. Abraham, and is thereto merciful to give unto all that call on him. And how much be loveth us, I report me unto the ensamples of his deeds. And he is righteous, both toward God in that he never sinned, and therefore hath obtained all his favour and grace: and also toward us in that he is true to fulfil all the mercy that he hath promised us, even unto the uttermost jot. And he is the satisfaction for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for all the worlds. That I call satisfaction, the Greek calleth Ilasmos, and the Hebrew Copar. And it is first taken for the swaging of wounds, sores, and swellings, and the taking away of pain and sinarte of them. And thence is borrowed for the pacifying and swaging of wrath and anger, and for an amendss making, a contenting, satisfaction, a ransom, & making at one, as it is to see abundantly in the Bible. So that Christ is a full contenting, satisfaction and ransom Christ's blood is the satisfaction for our sins. for our sins. And not for ours only which are Apostles and Disciples of Christ while he was yet here: or for ours which are jews or Israclites and the seed of Abraham: or for ours that now believe at this present time, but for all men's sins, both for their sins which went before and believed the promises to come, & for ours which have seen them fulfilled, and also for all them which shall afterward believe unto the worlds end, of what soever nation or degree they be. For Paul commandeth. 1. Timo. 2. To pray for all men and all degrees, saying that to be acceptable unto our Saviour God, which will have all men saved and come to the knowledge of the truth, that is, some of all nations and all degrees, & not the jews only. For (saith he) there is one God, and one Christ gave himself for the redemption & salnation of all the world. mediator between God and man, the man Christ jesus, which gave himself a redemption and full satisfaction for all men. Let this therefore be an undoubted Article of thy faith, not of an history faith as thou believest a gest of Alexander, or of the old Romans, but of a lively faith and belief, to put thy trust and confidence in, and to by and cell thereon, as we say, and to have thy sins taken away, and thy soul saved thereby, if thou hold it fast: and to continued ever in sin, and to have thy soul damned if thou let it slip, that our jesus, our saviour that saveth his people from their sins, & our Christ, that is our king over all sin, death and hell, anointed with fullness of all grace and with the spirit of God, to distribute unto all men, hath according unto the Epistle to the Hebrues & all the scripture, in the days of his mortal flesh, Christ is king over death, hell, & sin. with fasting, praying, suffering, and crying to God mightily for us, & with shedding his blood made full satisfaction both a poena & a culpa (with our holy father's leave) for all the sins of the world both of there's that went before, & of there's that come after in the faith, whether it be Original sin or actual, & not only the sins committed with consent to evil in time of ignorance before the knowledge of the truth, but also the sins done of frailty after we have forsaken evil and consented to the laws of God in our hearts promising to follow Christ and walk in the light of his doctrine. He saveth his people from their Christ only is our saviour. sins. Math. 1. and that he only. So that there is no other name to be saved by. Acts. 4. And unto him bear all the Prophet's record, that all that believe in him shall receive remission of their sins, in his name. Acts. 10. And by him only we have an entering in unto the father and unto all grace. Ephe. 2. 3. and Rom. 5. And as many as come before him are thieves & murderers. john. 10. That is, whosoever preacheth any other forginenesse of sin then through faith in his name, the same slayeth the soul. This to be true, not only of original but of actual, and aswell of that we commit after our profession, as before, mayst thou evidently see by the ensamples of the Scripture. Christ forgave the woman taken in adultery. john. 8 Christ forgiveth all our sins freely for his mercy sake. and an other whom be healed. john. 5 And he forgave Publicans and open sinners, and put none to do penance as they call it, for to make satisfaction for the sin, which he forgave through repentance & faith, but enjoined them the life of penance, the profession of their Baptism, to tame the flesh in keeping the commandments and that they should sin no more. And those sinners were for the most part jews and had their Original sin forgiven them before through faith in the Testament of God. Christ forgave his Apostles their actual sins after their profession which they committed in denying him, & put none to do penance for satisfaction. Peter Acts. 2. absolveth the jews through repentance and faith from their actual sins which they did in consenting unto Christ's death, and enjoined them no penance to make satisfaction. Paul also had his actual sins forgiven him freely through repentance and faith without Christ only is our advocate. mention of satisfaction. Acts. 9 So that according unto this present text of johu. If it chance us to sin of frailty, let us not despair for we have an advocate and intercessor, a true attorney with the father jesus Christ righteous toward God and man, and is the reconciling and satisfaction for our sins. For Christ's works are perfect, so that he hath obtained us all mercy and hath set us in the full state of grace and favour of God, and hath shade us as well-beloved as the angels of heaven, though we be yet weak. As the young children though they can do no good at all are yet as tenderly beloved as the old. And God for Christ's sake hath promised that whatsoever evil we shall do, yet if we turn and repent he will never more think on our sins. Thou will't say, God forgiveth the displeasure but we must suffer pain Popish for gevenesse. to satisfy the righteousness of God. A then God hath a righteousness which may not forgive pain & all, that the poor sinner should go skotfre without aught at all. God was unrighteous to forgive the thief his pain and all thorough repentance & faith unto whom for lack of leisure was no penasice enjoined. And my faith is, that whatsoever example of mercy God hath showed one, that same he hath promised all, you will he peradventure forgive me, but I must make amendss? If I own you xx. l. you will forgive me, that is, you will The forgiveness that we have of god for Christ's sake, is ●ree. no more be angry with me, but I shall pay you the. xx. pounds. O Popish forgiveness with whom it goeth after the common proverb, no penny no pardon. His fatherhood giveth pardon freely but we must pay money abundantly. Paul's doctrine is. Rom. 9 if a man work, it aught not to be said, that his hire was given him of grace or favour, but of duty: But to him that worketh not: but believeth in him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith (he saith not his works although he commandeth us diligently to work and despiseth none Faith in Christ is accounted to us for righteousness. that God commandeth) his faith (says he) is reckoned him for his righteousness. Confirming his saying with the testimony of the prophet David in the 32. Psalm: saying. Blessed is the man unto whom God imputeth or reckoneth not his sin: that is to say, which man although he be a sinner, yet God layeth not it to his charge for his faiths sake. And in the. xi. he saith. If it come of grace than it cometh not of works. For than were grace no grace saith he: For We are saved by grace, and not by works of the law. it was a very strange speaking in Paul's cares to call that grace that came of deserving of works: Or that deserving of works, which came by grace: for he reckoned works & grace to be contrary in such manner of speech. But our holy father hath coupled them together of pure liberality I dare say, & not for covetousness. For as his holiness if he have a cause against any man, immediately bretheth out an excommunication upon him and will have satisfaction for the uttermost farthing and somewhat above, to teach them to beware against an other time yet he will bless again from the terrible sentence of his heavy curse, even so of that blessed complexion he describeth the nature of the mercy of God that The Pope when any man offendeth him, falls to cursing. God will remit his anger to us upon the appointment of our satisfaction. When the Scripture saith Christ is our righteousness, our justifying, our redemption, our atonement, that hath appeased God, and cleanseth us from our sins, and all in his blood, so that his blood, is the satisfaction only. And that thou mayst the better perceive Works can be no satisfaction for sin to Godward. the falsehood of our holy father's fleshly imagination, call to mind how that the Scripture saith. john the iiij. God is a spirit and must be worshipped in the spirit. That is, repentance, faith, hope, and love toward his law and our neighbour for his sake is his worship in the spirit. And therefore whosoever woorshyppeth God with works, and referreth his works to God, to be a sacrifice unto him, to appease God is a spirit, and must be worshipped in that spirit. him as though he delighted in the work for the works sake, the same maketh of God an image or idol and is an image server, and as wicked an Idolater as ever was any blind heathen, and serveth God after the imagination of his own heart and is abominable unto god, as thou seest in how many places God defieth the sacrifice of the children of Israel, for the said imagination. So that whosoever supposeth that his candle sticking before an Image, his putting a penny in the box, Popish works. his going a pilgrimage, his fasting, his wolward going, barefoot going, his crouching, kneeling, and pain taking, be sacrifice unto God, as though he delighted in them, as we in the gestures of jack Napes, is as blind as he that gropeth for his way at none. God's worship is to love him for his mercy, & of love to bestow all our works God's worship. upon our neighbour for his sake, and upon the taming of our flesh, that we sin not again, which should be the chiefest care of a Christian man while Christ careth for that that is once past and committed already, whether before our profession or after. For the conditions of the peace that is made between God & us in Christ's blood are these. The law is set before us, unto which if we consent and submit ourselves to be scholars thereof, then are not only all our foresinnes forgiven both Poena & culpa (with our holy father's licence ever) but also all our infirmities, weakness, proneness, readiness, and motions unto sin are pardoned and taken aworth and we translated from under the damnation of the law which damneth as well those infirmities as the sin that springeth of them, and putteth us under grace. Rom. 7. So that we shall not henceforth, as long as we forsake not our profession be judged by the rigorousness of the law. But chastised if we do amise as children that are under no law. Now than if God in Christ pardon God doth pardon and forgive all our sins whatsoever they are for Christ's sake. our infirmities, by reason of which we cannot escape but that we shall now and then sin, it followeth that he must likewise pardon the actual sin which we do compelled of those infirmities in spite of our hearts, and against the will of the spirit. For if thou pardon the sickness of the sick, then must thou pardon the deeds which he doth, or keveth undone by the reason of his sickness. If the madness of a mad man be pardoned and under no law, then if he murder in his madness, he may not be slain again. If children within a certain age are not under the law that flayeth thieves, then can you not of right hung them, though they steal. What popish pardoning were that? This doth Paul, Rom. 7. so confirm that all the world cannot quitch against it, saying: I consent unto the law of God that it is good, and fain would I do it, and yet have I not always power so to do, but found an other thing in my flesh, rehelling against the will of my mind, and leading me captain into sin, so that I cannot do that I would do: but am compelled to do that I would not. If (saith he) I do that I would not, than I do it not, but the sin that dwelleth in me doth it: And then saith he: Who shall deliver me from this body of death, in which I am bond prisoner against my will? Thanks be to God (says he) through Christ's victory. jesus Christ our Lord, which hath conquered and overcome sin, death, and hell, and hath put the damnation of the law out of the way, unto all that profess the law, and believe in him. We be under the law to learn it, and to fashion our deeds as like as we can, but not under the damnation of the law, that we should be damned though our deeds were not perfect as the law requireth, or though of frailty we at a time break it. As children are under the law that they steal not, but not under the damnation though they steal. So that all they that are graffed into Christ to follow his doctrine, are under the law to learn it only, but are delivered from fear of everlasting death and hell, and all the threatenings of the law, and from conscience of sin, which feared us from God. And we are come into God through the confidence that we have in jesus Christ, & are as familiar & bold with him, as young innocent children which have no conscience of sin, are with their fathers and mothers, or them that nourish them. Which were unpossible if God now (as the pope painteth The pope's purgatory is terrible. him) did shake a rod at us of seven. years punishment, as sharp as the pains of hell for every trespass we do, which trespass for the number of them were like to make our purgatory almost as long as hell, seeing we have no Gods word, that we shall be delivered thence, until we have paid the last farthing. And therefore could our conscience never be at rest, nor be bold and familiar with God. If you say the Pope can deliver my Bind and loose. conscience from fear of purgatory (as his poetry only putteth me in fear) and that by this text, Whatsoever thou bindest on earth. etc. If thou this way understand the text, whatsoever thou being in earth losest any where: then might he loose in hell, and bind in heaven. But why may not I take the text Note this text. of Christ. joh. 16. Whatsoever you ask my Father in my name, he will give it you, and desire forgiveness of all together in Christ's name, both a poena & culpa: and then remaineth no such purgatory at all? Howbeit the text of binding & losing, is but borrowed speech, Binding & losing is by the true preaching of God's Word. how that after the similitude of worldly binding and losing locking and unlocking: the word of God truly preached doth bind and loose the conscience, God saith to Hieremias, cap. 1. Behold I give thee power over nations and kingdoms to pluck up by the roots, and to shiver in pieces, to destroy and cast down, and to build and plant. How did he destroy nations & kingdoms, and how did he build them? verily by preaching and prophesying. What nation, kingdom, or city he prophesied to be overthrown, was so. And what City he prophesied to be built again, was so. And what nation after they were brought into captivity he prophesied to be restored again, were so. And whom he prophesied to perish, perished. And whom he prophesied to be saved, was saved. Even so whomsoever a true preacher of God's word says shall be damned for his sin, because he will not repent and believe in Christ, the same is damned: And whomsoever a true preacher of God's word saith shall be saved because he repenteth and believeth in Christ's blood, the same is saved. And this is the binding and losing that Christment. Notwithstanding you must understand that when we have sinned, though our hearts were not to sin, and though we repent, ere the deed be done, yet the body in sinning hath overcome the spirit, and hath got the mastery. So that the spirit is now weaker and feebler to virtue, and to follow the law of God and doctrine of Christ, and the flesh stronger to follow vice and sin. Wherefore as when an old sore is broken forth again, we begin as it were a new cure with greater diligence and more care than before: even so here we We must struggle & strive with sin. must renew our old battle against the flesh, and more strongly go to work, to subdue it, and to quench the lusts thereof, which are waxen so rank, that they bnd out openly, according to the profession of our baptism, which is the very sacrament or sign of repentance, or if they will so have it called penance, by the interpretation of Paul Rom. 6. For the plunging into the water, as it betokeneth on the one part that Christ hath washed our soul's with his blood: even so on the other part it signifieth that we have promised to quench and ●lay the lusts of the flesh with prayer, fasting, and holy meditation, after the doctrine of Christ, and with all godly exercise, that tame the flesh, and kill not the man. Whereupon the Bishops that succeeded How penance came up & Purgatory. the Apostles, when men had done any open sins, enjoined them penance as they call it, by the authority of the congregation and governors thereof, and advise of the most wise and discrete, and with the willing cousent of the trespassers, to tame the flesh, as to go woolward, to wear shurtes of heir, to go barefoot and bore head, to pray, to fast bread and water, some once in the week, some twice, or all the week, an whole year, ij. years, iij. years, seven. years, xx. years, & some all their lives long. And to go in pilgrimage to visit the memorial of saints, to strength them the better to follow the ensample and such like, and all to slay the worldly mind of the flesh. Which manner when it was once received of that people by custom, it become a law. And the bishops by little & little got it whole into their own hands. When the Bishops saw that, how they had got the simple people under How the Pope and his shavelings have abused penance. them in such humble obedience, they began to set up their crests, and to reign over them as princes, and to enjoin sore penance for small trifles, namely, if aught were done against their pleasure, and beat some sore, and spared other, and sold their penance to the rich, and overladed the poor, until the tyranny was waxed so grenous that the people would bear it no longer. For by this time, what with the multitude of ceremonies and heap of men's constitutions whose right use was thereto clean forgotten, & partly because our shepherds were busied to seek themselves and their high authority, & exalted every man his throne, and were become wolves unto that flock, the cause why the people were disobedient unto wholesome counsel: the word of God was sore darckened, and no where purely preached. And therefore the Prelates loath to loose their high authority, and to let the people go free of their yoke, began to turn their tale, and sing a new song, how that this penance was enjoined to make satisfaction to God for the sin that was committed, robbing our souls of the fruit of Christ's blood, and making us imageseruauntes, referring our deeds unto the person of God, & worshipping him as an image of our own imagination with bodily work, saying moreover, if we would not do such penance here at their injunctions we must do it in an other world, and so feigned purgatory where we must suffer Here was Purgatory kindled. seven. years for every sin. And when the kingdom of Antichrist was so enlarged that it must have an head, they set up our holy father of Rome, or rather usurped that Rome with violence, and to him was given this prerogative to cell whom he would from purgatory. And the sacrament of penance they The de●…nition of penance made by the Papists. thus describe: Contrition, Confession, and Satisfaction. Contrition, sorrow for thy sins. Confession, not to God and them whom thou hast offended, but tell thy sins in the priests ear. Satisfaction, to do certain deeds enjoined of them, to buy out thy sins. And in their description they have clean excluded the faith in the satisfaction of Christ's blood, which only bringeth life, and the spirit of life, and righteousness, and without the which it is impossible to please God. Heb. 11. In whose stead they have put in the Faith is the chiefest part of penance. presumption of our own works. And for lack of trust in Christ's blood our contrition is but a fruitless sorrow in that respect of hell, which maketh us hate the law still, & consequently God that made it: where true contrition annexed with faith, is sorrow in respect of the law, unto which we consent that it is good & love it and therefore mourn partly because we have offended it and partly because we lack power to fulfil it as we would. These things to be true our Prelates know by open histories as well, as when it is Noon, the Sun is flat South: but it delighteth them to resist the holy ghost and to persecute the preachers of the things which if they as well loved as they know to be true, they would preach the same them selves and live thereafter. Hereof you may see our works are but to tame the Our works can make no satisfaction, but only faith in Christ's blood. flesh only, and can be no satisfaction to God, except we make him an image & ourselves image servants. And hereof you may see how out of this open penance came the ear confession, satisfaction of works Purgatory and pardons. For when they had put the satisfaction of Christ's blood out of that way, then as they compelled to confess open sins and to take open penance, even so they compelled to confess secret sins and to take secret penance. And as they made merchandise of open penance, so did they of secret. And for them The practice & marcheundise of the Pope & his Clergy that would not receive such pardon, feigned they Purgatory, and for them that received them feigned they pardon, turning binding and losing with preaching God's word unto buying and selling sin for money. And since that time hitherto, the worse the people were the better were the Prelate's content, ever resisting that they should be made better through their blessed covetousness & proud desire of honour. And out of this false presumption of Vows of Religion. works, spranke the wicked vows of Religion which they vow to make satisfaction for sin, and to be higher in heaven, in stead of the life of penance which Christ taught us in the Gospel to tame the flesh & to crucify the members with all, that we henceforth should walk in the ways of God's law, and sin no more. And to speak of worshipping of worshipping of Saints. Saints and praying unto them and of that we make them our advocates well nigh above Christ or all together, though it require a long disputation, yet it is as bright as the day to all that know the truth, how that our fasting of their evens & keeping their holy days going bore foot, sticking up of candles in the bright day in the worshipping of them to obtain their favour, our giving them so costly jewels, offering into their boxes, clothing their Images, The Pope and his Clergy setteth up Idolatry. shooing them with silver shoes with an ouche of Crystal in the mids, to struck the lips and eyes of the ignorant as a man would struck yolig children's heads to entice them and bring them in, and rock them a sleep in ignorance are with all like service plain idolatry, that is in English imageservice. For the Saints are spirits & can have no delectation in bodily things. And because those bodily deeds can be no service unto the spiritual Saints, and we do them not to be a service to ourselves or our neighbours: we serve the work and the false imagination of our fleshly wit, after the doctrine of man, and not of God, and are imageseruauntes. And this is it that Paul calleth servire elementis mundi, to be in captivity under doom ceremonies and vain traditions of men's doctrine and to do the work for the work itself, as though God delighted therein, for the deed itself without all other respect. But and you will know the true worshipping of Saints, hearken unto The true worshipping of saints. Paul Phil. ij. where he saith, You shine as lights in the world holding fast the word of life unto my glory or worship against the day of jesus Christ, that I have not run nor laboured in vain. That is to weet the worship which all true Saints now seek and the worship that all the true messengers of God seek this day or ever shall seek, is to draw all to Christ with preaching the true word of God, and with the example of pure living fashioned thereafter. Will you therefore worship saints truly? then hear what they preached, Good lessons are to be learned of the saints. and believe their doctrine. And as they followed that doctrine so conform your living like unto there's. And that shallbe unto their high worship in the coming again of Christ (when all men's deeds shall appear and every man shallbe judged and receive his reward according unto his deeds) how that they not only while they here lived, but also after their death with the example of their doctrine and living left behind in writing and other memorials unto the example of them that should follow, them unto Christ that were The true worshipping of saints is to follow their life and doctrine. born. u. hundredth, yea a thousand years after their death. This was their worship in the spirit at the beginning as they were spirits, & lights were sticked before their memorials at the beginning to be a ceremony to put us in remembrance that we so praised the Saints and boasted their liings that we followed their examples in our deeds, as Christ saith Math. u. Let your light so shine before men that they see your good works & glorify your father that is in heaven. For preaching of the doctrine which is light hath but small effect to move the heart if the example of living do disagree. And that we worship Saintes for fear jest they should be displeased and angry with us and plague us or hurt us, as who is not afraid of S. Laurence? who dare deny. S. Anthony a flese of will for fear of his terrible fire or jest he send the pox among our sheep) is heathen imageservice & clean against the first commandment which is. Hear Israel, the Lord thy God is one God. Now God in the Hebrew is called El or Elohim in the plural number, strength or might. So that the commandment is, Hear Israel he that If we hearken to the voice of God, he is mighty and of power to help us. is thy power and might, thy sword & shield is but one, that is, there is none or might to help or hurt the save one, which is all together thine and at thy commandment if thou will't hear bis voice. And all other might in the world, is borrowed of him. And he will lend no might against the contrary to his promises: keep therefore his commandments and he shall keep thee. And if thou have broken them, and he have lent of his power against thee, repent and come again unto thy profession and he will return again unto his mercy & fetch his power home again, which he lent to vex thee, because thou forsookest him and brakest his commandments. And fear no other creature, for false fear is the cause of all Idolatry. Moreover all we that are baptized in Christ have professed to do good for evil and not to avenge ourselves. And We must do good for evil. many of us come unto such perfection that we can be provoked by no temptation to desire vengeance, but have compassion and meekly pray for them that slay us. How wicked a thing than is it to A popish imagination's think that the Saints plague us, because we do them not such superstitious honour which is their dishonour and our shame? It is verily a Popish imagination, & even to describe the Saints after the nature of our Prelates which be meek and lowly till they be where they would be. But when they be once a fit they play the tormentors if we will not honour them and do whatsoever they command, more earnestly than that which God himself hath commanded, and fear them above God himself. And it can be but like abomination Aduour●es. also, that we choose of a fleshly mind every man his several Saint or rather several God, to be our advocates, attorneys, mediators (when there is but one. i Timo. ij.) and intercessors, and call them our advouryes, when we might better call them our adulterers, and serve them or rather a painted post Idolatry. in their stead, with our imageferuice, therewith to bind them for to help us whensoever and for whatsoever we call unto them, and to save our souls there to with their prayers and merits, and will yet neither hear that doctrine or follow the example of living (which is their only honour in the spirit of any saint whose doctrine & living is authentic. For first, God which alone hath power to help or hurt, hath made appointment God hath promised to give us whatsoever we ask in Christ's name, & for Christ's sake. betwixt him & us in Christ's blood and hath bond himself to give us whatsoever we ask in his name, testifying thereto that there is no other name to be saved by; and that he willbe a father unto us & save us both in this life and in the life to come, and take us from under the damnation of the law, and set us under grace & mercy, to be scholars only to learn the law, and that our unperfect deeds shall be taken in worth, yea and though at a time we mar all through our infirmity, yet if we turn again, that shall be forgiven us mercifully, so that we shallbe under no damnation: which testament is confirmed with signs and wonders wrought through the holy ghost. Now this indented obligation laid apart, we make an other of our own imagination between the Saints Saints can not help us and us, in their merits for our image service. Which can be but a false faith, seeing it hath not God's word (unto which alone we aught to cleave) but is also clean contrary thereto. And again the Saints were not saved through their own merits, but through Christ's. Neither were their deeds which they did after they were The saints were not saved by their ●…ne merits, but by Christ's merits. received under grace sufficient in themselves to fulfil the law for the present time, save as Christ's merits did supply the imperfectness of them, and that which was lacking on their part through their infirmities. And therefore as the Saints holy works made no satisfaction for the sin they did before they were received under mercy, even so made they none for the deadly sins which they did under mercy: seeing the deeds were unperfect, and had sin annexed unto them by reason of the flesh, and were insufficient to excuse their own masters. What merits have they in store for us then, seeing by all men's confession they now merit not● If the most obedient child in the world disobey his father's commandments, his fore good deeds cannot make that disobedience no sin, or to be a satisfaction, that the child should presume in the confidence of his old deeds, and We must humble ourselves to the mercy of almighty God. think his father should do him wrong to punish him. But he must knowledge his fault, and that he hath deserved punishment, and desire forgiveness, unto the glory of his father's mercifulness, and not of his old deeds, though his old obedience be a great presumption that he sinned of frailty, and not of purpose. Even so if I being as holy as ever was Paul in his most holiness, sin this day through the frailty of my flesh, mine old deeds can be no satisfaction: but I must know ledge my sin unto my Father, and grant that I have deserved damnation, and meekly desire forgiveness, and challenge it by the obligation, wherein God hath bond himself to me, unto the glory of the mercy of God, & not to the glory of my holy deeds: for if my deeds save me, it is my glory. But if he forgive us freely without respect of my deeds, than it is the glory of his mercy, by Paul's doctrine unto the Romans. Moreover if the saints be in heaven, The Angels serve us. then can they be there in none other case then the Angels, in which state Christ testifieth they shall be in the resurrection. Now the Angels are ministers sent of God, to do service unto the elect, which shall be saved. Heb. 1 And God hath bond himself, that if I come in the right way, by the door of Christ's blood and ask help, that he will sand me if need be, an hundred legions of Angels or saints. But when God hath bond himself to send me angels or saints, or an angel or saint, he hath not promised to sand this Angel or that, or this or that saint. And therefore when I appoint God whom he shall sand, and bind him, where he hath not bond himself, to send me what saint I will, I tempt God. And thus this choosing of several saints is To choose saints to be our advacates, is mere idolatry. but tempting of God. And yet we do worse than this: for we leave that way of Christ's blood, & go not to God through him: but run to the saints in a testament of our own making, and will that they either save us themselves for our imageservice, or compel God for merit's sake to save us. Why goest thou not unto thy Father thy own self? I am a sinner, will they say, and dare not. If thou go in the right way, thou hast no sin. Christ hath taken all thy sins from thee, and God hath no rod in his hand, nor looketh sour, but merrily, that it is a lust to behold his cheerful countenance, and offereth thee his hand. But this way is stopped up through unbelief, and therefore Christ is the way & life that leadeth us to salvation. we seek an other which is no way to life, but unto everlasting death. We will not look on the law with open eyes, and therefore have we no due repentance, and so no lust to hearken unto the gospel of glad tidings in Christ's blood. And where the right way is set before us, and we of malice will not walk therein, God can not but let the devil play with us, and juggle our eyes to confirm us in blindness. But after what manner doth Christ How Christ prayeth for us pray for us? Verily Christ in the days of his mortal flesh suffered and prayed for all that shall be saved, and obtained and was herded, and had his petitions granted. And he made satisfaction, & purged, and purchased forgiveness, even then for all the sin that ever shall be forgiven: And his praying for us, and being a mediator now, is that the remembrance of all that he did for us, is present in the sight of God the Father, as fresh as the hour he did them, yea the same hour is yet present, and not passed in the sight of God. And Christ is Christ is a king and hath power himself to forgive us, and to receive us unto himself. now a King, and reigneth, and hath received power of all that he prayed for, to do it himself. And that whensoever the elect call for aught in his name he sendeth help even of that power which he hath received: yea ere they ask, he sendeth his spirit into their hearts to move them to ask. So that it is his gift that we desire aught in his name. And in all that we do or think well, he preventeth us with his grace: yea he careth for us, ere we care for ourselves, and when we were yet evil, he sendeth to call us, & draweth us with such power that our hearts cannot but consent and come. And the Angels stand by, and behold the testament of the elect, how we shall be received into their fellowship, and see all the grace that Christ shall pour out upon us. And they rejoice All the blessed company of heaven rejoice and are glad to have us to be with them, that we might loye together. and praise God for his infinite mercy, and are glad, and long for us, & of very love are ready against all hours when we shall call for help in Christ's name, to come & help. And Christ sendeth them when we call in his name, and ere we call, even while we be yet evil, and happily persecute the truth of ignorance, as Paul did, the Angels wait upon us to keep that the devils slay us not, before the time of our calling be come. Now if an Angel should appear unto thee, what wouldst thou say unto him? If thou prayedst him to help, he would answer: I do. Christ hath sent me to help, and believe that the Angels be ever about thee to help. If thou desiredst him to pray for thee to obtain this or that, he would say: Christ hath prayed, and his prayer is herded for whatsoever thou askest in his Christ prayeth for us and his prayer is herded. name, and would show thee all that God would do to thee, and what he would also have thee to do: and if thou believest, so were thou safe. If thou desiredst him to save thee with his merits. He would answer that he had no merits: but that Christ only is Lord of all merits: nor salvation, but that Christ is Lord of salvation. Wilt thou therefore be saved by merits, would the Angel say: then pray to God in Christ's name, and thou shalt be saved by the merits of him, and have me or some other thy servant immediately to help thee unto the uttermost of our power, and to keep thee and bring thee unto the reward of his mertites. If thou wouldst promise' him to worship imageservice is abhorred of God. him with imageservice, that is, to stick up a candle before his image, or such an image as he appeared to thee in. He would answer that he were a spirit, and delighted in no candlelight but would bid thee give a candle to thy neighbour that lacked, if thou hadst to many. And so would he answer thee if thou wouldst put money in a box for him, or clothe his image in clot of gold, or put golden shoes upon his Images feet. If thou saidest that thou God hateth superstition. wouldst build a chapel in his name, he would answer that he dwelled in no house made with stones, but would bid thee go to the churches that are made already, and learn of the Preachers there how to believe, and how to live, and honour God in the spirit, for the which cause churches were chief builded, and for quietness to pray. And if there be no church, then to give of that Churches were or deined for preaching and calling on the name of God. thou mayst spare to help that one were builded to be a preaching and a praying house, and of worshipping God in the spirit, and not of imageservice. And if Paul appeared unto thee, what other thing could he answer also, then that he were a spirit, & would refuse all thy imageservice. And if thou speak to Paul of his merits, he can none otherwise answer thee, than he answered his Corinthians: That he died for no man's sins, and that no man was baptised in his name to trust in his merits. He would say, I builded all men upon Christ's merits: preaching that all that repented and believed in his name, should be saved, and taken from under the wrath, vengeance, and damnation of the law, & be put under mercy and grace. And by this faith was I saved from damnation, and put under mercy and grace, Christ hath made a change with us, for he hath taken upon him all our sins, and granted us his mercy and gifts of grace. and made one with Christ, to have my part with him, and he with me, or rather to make a change that he should have all my sins, and I his mercy and the gifts of his grace, and become glorious with the ornaments of his riches. And of my saviour Christ I received this law, that I should love my brethren all Gods elect as tenderly as he loved them. And I consented unto this law, for it seemed right, and become a scholar to learn it. And as I profited in the knowledge, faith, and love of Christ, so I grew in the love of my brethren, and suffered all things for their sakes, and at the last waxed so perfect, that I wished myself damned (if it might have been) to save my brethren. And all my brethren that received Christ received the same commandment, & grew therein. And they that were perfect loved me and all their other brethren, no less than I loved them. And look with what love I ministered the gifts of grace, which I received of Christ for the edifying of his congregation, upon my brethren, with the same love did they minister their gifts again on me, which they had and I lacked: and so love made all common. love maketh all things common. And moreover if they call my works my merits, I bestowed all my works upon my brethren to teach them, and reaped the fruit thereof, even my brethren's edifying and souls health, yea and reap daily, in that I left my doctrine & ensample of living behind me, by which many are converted unto Christ daily. If thou desire therefore to enjoy part of my merit, go & read in my Gospel, and thou shalt find the fruit of my labour, the knowledge of Christ, the health of the soul, and ever lasting life. And as I loved my brethren when I lived so I love them still, & now more perfectly. Howbeit my love then was painful: for the more I loved the more S. Paul was a loving and careful preacher. I sorrowed, feared and cared for them to bring them into the knowledge of the truth, and to keep them in unity of faith jest the false prophets should deceive them, or their own infirmities should break peace & unity, or 'cause them to fall into any sin. But now my love is without pain. For I see the will and providence of God, and how the end of all things shallbe unto his glory & profit of the elect. And though I see the elect shall sometime fall, yet I see how they shall arise again & how that their fall shallbe unto the glory of God & their own profect. And we that are in heaven, love you all a like: neither we love one more & an other less. And therefore if you love us more one than an other, that is fleshly as mine old Corinthians once loved, and I rebuked them. Neither can we A good saying of S. Paul. be moved to come more to help one than an other. But we wait when God will sand any of us unto the elect that call for help in Christ's name. Wherefore if thou will't be holp of any of us pray in Christ's name. And God shall sand one of us, an Angel or a Saint, to keep the power of the devils from you: but not whom thou wouldst choose tempting God: but whom it pleaseth God to sand. And if your preachers love you not after the same manner, to edify you with the true doctrine of Christ and example of living thereafter, and to keep you in unity of faith and charity, they be not of Christ's Disciples, but Antichristes which under that name of Christ, seek to reign over you as temporal tyrants. And in like manner if this be not written in your hearts, that you aught to love one an other as Christ loved you, and as you had example of us his Apostles, you go astray in vanities and are not in the right way. And hereby are we sure that we know him, if we keep his commandments. This is clean against the doctrine of The state of grace. them which say that we can not know whether we be in the state of grace or no. john saith if we keep his commandments, than we be sure that we know Christ is everlasting life john. xvij. Then contrary to the pope: Christian men have doctrine to know whether they be in grace or no. The keeping of God's commandments certifieth us that we be in the They that keep the commandments are in the state of grace. state of grace. But our Doctors have no doctrine to know when a man is in the state of grace, wherefore it is manifest that they keep not Gods commandments, nor be in state of grace, but of all ungraciousness. Our Doctors know not whether they be in state of grace. Our doctors keep men's commandments, Ergo mens commandments certify not that we be in state of grace. Though thou have a devotion to stick up a candle before a post, and so forth, yet thou canst never be sure thereby that thou art in the When we do good to our neighbour, than we may be assured that we are in the state of grace. favour of God. But if thou have devotion to help thy brother in all his misfortunes, because he is the image of God and price of Christ's blood, than thy denotion certifieth the that thou art in the favour of God or state of grace. He that saith I know him and yet keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. When our Phariseis say, do as we bid you and not as we do, they testify that they keep not Gods commandments, A sure argument to know false Prophets by. unto which testimony our eyes also bear record: And they that keep not Gods commandments, be liars & have no truth in them. And then when they preach, they can not but preach lies. And then though they preach Christ, they preach him falsely, unto their fleshsly vantage and not our soul's health. And for as much as we may have no fellowship with them that keep not Gods commandments. i Cor. u and in as much as all such are false Prophets void of all truth, it followeth that we aught to give our Doctors none audience, though their defenders stood by them with their swords drawn, but rather to say down our heads and stretch forth our necks, to be slain. He that keepeth his word: in him verily is the love of God perfect, and hereby know we that we are in him. That is, he that keepeth his commandments, To be in God is to believe in the mercy of God. loveth unfeignedly, and is thereby sure that he is in God. For to be in God is to believe in the mercy of God: And to believe in mercy is cause of love, & love cause of working. And therefore he that worketh for God's sake, is sure that he loveth and that he trusteth in God: which is to be in God or in Christ. And as by wilful keeping A rule to know whether we love God or love him not. of the commandment we be sure that we love God and believe in God, even so through wilful breaking of them we may be sure that we neither love nor believe in him, and therefore that we be not in him. He that saith he abideth in him aught to walk as he walked. All that be baptized in Christ, are washed in him, to put of pride, wrath, hate and envy, with all their old conversation by which they oppressed their neighbours, and have promised to become every man even as Christ himself unto his brethren in love & kindness both in word & deed. They therefore They that be enemies to the Testament of Christ, and are teachers of man's 〈◊〉tions are not in Christ. which resist Christ's Testament and will not let it be known, & walk in the Testament of the Pope, with unions pluralities, and tot-quots, some one of them robbing. x. parishes of the tenth of all their yearly increase, and withdrawing from them Gods word, the food of their souls, and from the poor their daily sustenance, which aught to have their part in the tithes and other rents, when the preacher & other necessary Ministers have out their parts, a due and lawful stipend: are not in Christ. For Christ neither so walked not so taught. Brethrens I writ no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which you had at the beginning. For an old commandment is the word which you herded from the beginning. I writ no new precept, but only put you in remembrance of that old which was taught you when you were And old commandment is the word which you herded from the beginning. first baptized in Christ, to love each other as he did you. Which is an old commandment and was given at the beginning of the world, and hath ever since been written in the heart of all that put their hope in God. Again, a new commandment I writ unto you, which is true in him and also in you: for the darkness is past and the true light now shineth. The devil hath sown his darkness in the field where this commandment should grow and the weeds of men's traditions had overgrown the corn of this old commandment: so that it was antiquate & clean out of knowledge. But Christ that light of all true doctrine now shineth, & hath scattered the darkness and plucked up the weeds by the roots & restored this old commandment again. And in him it is a true commandment, for he loved truly. And in you it is a true commandment for you for his sake, love one an other truly also. And by the reason of this renewing, it is called a new commandment, as it is now called new learning, & may well so be: for it hath lyen long in darkness, and that in such darkness, that many be shrined for holy Saints, whose deeds & living, when thou lookest upon them in the light of this old doctrine that now shineth again out of darkness, are more abominable than the deeds and living of Si● transit glori●●ū●…. him, which of late for all his exalting his throne and swearing by his high honour, and for the worship of his hat and glory of his precious shoes when This was Cardinal wolsey. he was pained with the colic of an evil conscience having no other shift, because his soul could find no other issue, took himself a medicine, 〈◊〉 emit●er●t spiritum per posteriora. He that saith he is in the light: and yet hateth his brother: is in darkness. For whosoever feeleth his own damnation under the law, & believeth in the mercy that is in Christ, the same can not but love Christ and his neighbour for his sake. And therefore he that hateth He that hates his brother, is in darkness and se●th not Christ. his brother for any offence done to him the same saith not what Christ hath done for him, but is in darkness still. He that loveth his brother: abideth in the light: and there is none offending in him. Abideth in the light, that is continueth To abide in the light is to abide in 〈◊〉 knowledge of Christ. in the knowledge of Christ. And there is none offending in him, that is. First he will willingly do nothing either in word or in deed that shall offend his brother. For love will not let him. And secondarily if aught be done or said, that may be well done or said, he taketh it to the best and is not offended. And thus you see that the knowledge of Christ is cause of all goodness, and the igoraunce of Christ cause of all evil. And so the doctrine of them is not false, Faith in Christ is the root of all goodness. which say that faith in Christ is root of all godly virtue and the cause of keeping the commandments: & where saith is, there to be no sin, nor damnation: and that say, unbelief to be the mother of all vice, and cause of breaking the commandments, and to keep men in sin and damnation only, as faith only loseth us thence. And he that hateth his brother is in darkness: and walketh in darkness and knoweth not whether he goeth. For darkness hath blinded his eyes. He that hateth his brother, is in the He that hateth his brother is in ignorance. ignorance of Christ, and of his own sin, and without repentance & faith that his sins be forgiven him in Christ, and therefore is merciless unto his brother, whom Christ commanded him to pity and love. And in that ignorance he walketh: that is, worketh Ignorance evil, and loveth the things of the world, and seeketh in them the lusts of the ●lesh, which are the quenching of the spirit, and death of the soul, & for love of them hateth his brother. And this ignorance of Christ which is unbelief, is the cause of all the wickedness that we do unto our brethren. I writ unto you little children, that your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake. I writ unto you fathers, that you know him that was from the beginning. I writ unto you young men, how that you have overcome the wicked. I writ unto you that are young in When we have offended our brother, if we reconcile ourselves unto him again, them are our sins forgiven. the faith and yet weak, and therefore fall now and then, how that your sins are forgiven you, as soon as you repent and reconcile yourselves unto your brethren whom you have offended even for his name's sake only, and not for our own deeds whether afore or after, or for any other man's deeds or satisfaction, save for his only. I writ unto you that are fathers in the doctrine of God to teach other how that you know him that was from the beginning & is no new thing, though he newly received our nature. And through knowledge of him which is the only light, and the door unto the knowledge of God, you are become fathers in the Scriptures. Or else you had never understand it, though you had studied never so much, as it appeareth by the indurate jews, and also by our own new Pharisies, which persecute the scripture, and the true sense thereof, because they be drowned in the ignorance of Christ, as their deeds and contrary living well testify. I writ unto you young men that are strong in suffering persecutions, and fight for your profession, not with the sword, but with suffering, how that you have overcome that wicked which poisoned the world at the beginning, and yet worketh in the children of darkness, and unbelief: and that in believing the word of truth, as it followeth anon after. I writ unto you young children how that you know the Father. I writ unto you fathers, how that you know him that was from the beginning. I writ unto you young men, that you be strong: and the word of God dwelleth in you, and that you have overcome the wicked. I writ unto you young children, how that you know the Father, whom We can not know the father, but by the son. ye love through knowledge of the Son, or else you had never known him as a father, but as a judge and a tyrant, and had hated him. I writ unto you fathers as before, how you are fathers of all truth in knowing the Son. Or else you had ever continued in darkness remediless. I writ unto you young men, how that you are strong, and that your strength is the word of God, which dwelleth in faith in Christ over cometh the world. your breast through faith, in which you have overcome the wicked devil, and all his pomp: as it followeth chapped. u this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Love not the world, nor the things that are in the world. If a man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, as the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of good, are not of the Father, but are of the world. And the world vanisheth away and the lust thereof. But he that doth the will of God abideth ever. The love of the world quencheth the ●●arice or covetousness. love of God. Balaam for the love of the world, closed his eyes at the clear light which he well see. For love of the world the old Pharisies blasphemed the holy Ghost, and persecuted the manifest truth, which they could not improve. For love of the world many are this day fallen away, and many The love of the world 〈◊〉 many from Christ. which stood on the truths side, and defended it a while, for love of the world have got them unto the contrary part, and are become the Popes mamalukes, & are waxed the most wicked ●…s unto the truth and most cruel against it. They know the truth but they love the world. And when they espied the truth could not stand wish the honours which they sought in the world, they hated it deadly, and both wittingly and willingly persecuted it, sinning against the holy Ghost. Which sin shall not escape here unpunished as it shall not be without damnation in the world to come, but shall have an end here with confusion and shame, as had the glory of our right reverend father in God Thomas Wolfse late cardinal Thomas Wol●… l●●● Cardinal of England. and legate a later etc. whom after his shitten death (as the saying is) his own servants which before exalted his glory, have sent to hell with grace and privilege. By the lust of the flesh is understand Lechery. lechery which maketh a man altogether a swine, and by the lust of the eyes is understood covetousness, which is Covetousness. the root of all evil, and maketh ●o err from the faith. 1. Tim. vl●. And then followeth pride: which three are the Pride. world, and captains over all other vices, and occasions of all mischief. And if pride, covetousness, and lechery be the world, as S. john saith, then turn your eyes unto the spirituality: Compare the world● to the pope Cardinals▪ etc. and you shall find them to be the world. unto the pope, cardinals, bishops, a●bates, and all other prelate's, and see whether such dignities be not the world, and whether the way to them be not also the world. To get the old abbots treasure I think it be the readiest way to be the new. How few come by promotion, except they buy it, or serve long for it, or both? To be well skilled in war and in polling, to maintain war and lusts, and to be a good ambassador, is the only way to a bishopric, or to pay truly for it. See whether pluralities, unions, totquets and chainging the less benefice & bysshoprike for the greater (for the contrary change I trow was never e'en) may be without covetousness & pride. And then if such things be the world, and the world not of God, how is our spirituality of God? If pride be seeking Pride. of glory, and they that seek glory can not believe. joh. 5. How can our spiritualty believe in Christ? If covetousness turn men from the faith, how are our spiritualty in the faith? If Christ when the devil proffered him the kingdoms of the world and the glory thereof, refused them as things unpossible to stand with his kingdom, which is not of the world: of whom are our spirituality which Covetousness. have received them? If covetousness be a traitor, and taught judas to cell his master: how should he not in so long time teach our spirituality the same craft? namely when they be of all kings secrets and the ambassadors of their secrets, and have thereto throughout all Christendom a secret counsel of their own of the which never lay man was partaker, and with which they turn the end of all appointments unto their own honour and profit? Covetousness hath taught them to bring in damnable sects, according unto the prophecy of Peter, and to corrupt the Note. Scripture with false gloss, & to turn every good ordinance that had a virtuous beginning unto vicious end. The pro●…tions of the spirituality corrupt their minds. The promotions of the spirituality corrupt their minds while they be yet in the shell and unhatthed. For they come thither but for covetousness, and to avoid the cross of Christ in the world: except them that be compelled of their friends, or be so simple that they mark not their falsehood beforehand. Who knowing the truth & loving it, would put his head in the pope's halter that so moseleth men's mouths that they can not open them to defend any truth at all? When the temporal kings were in their high authority, than the general Counsel repressed the enormities of the spirituality. But since the Pope, Popes and Bishops will suffer nothing that shall restrain their pride and covetousness. cardinals and bishops were exalted, & the emperor and kings become their servants: they would suffer naught to be determined in their counsels that should reform the world of their demilish pride, insatiable covetousness, & stinking lechery, which may stand with no godly virtue. But the world which is not of God, shall at the last have an end with confusion, and they only abide that do the will of the Father, which will is, that we believe in the Son, and love one an other. Let them therefore that have the worlds good (I might say the worlds God) use it, but not love it, that they may be ready to bestow it at the pleasure of God. And let Richeses and covetousness, blyudeth the eyes of the 〈◊〉. them which have it not, desire it not, for it blindeth the eyes of the seeing: Seut. 1●. But let them put their trust in God, which shall not fail them, nor leave them destitute of raiment and food, which Paul counseleth to be content with. The rich (as james saith) persecute the true believers. The 〈…〉 never stand forth openly for the 〈◊〉 of God. If of x. thousand there 〈◊〉 Nichodemus, it is 〈◊〉 great thing. Little children it is now the last hour, and as you have herded that Antichrist should come: even so now are many Antichristes come already: whereby we know that it is the last hour. They went out of us, but were none of us: for had they been of us, they had continued with us. But that fortuned that it might appear, how they were not all of us. Hour is here taken for time: the Hour. last hour is as much to say, as the last tyme. Though the Apostles might not know when the last day shallbe & how long the world should endure yet this was showed them, and us by them, that Antichrist should first come, & not only come but also prevail and be received after a worldly manner and reign over all, and set up a long continuing kingdom with damnable sects and wonderful kinds of hypocrisy that is to say, falsehood cloaked under a contrary pretence as testifieth Paul and also Peter. Which Antichrist began Antichrist. with the Apostles and sue his doctrine among the doctrine of the Apostles, preaching many things as the Apostles did and adding ever somewhat of his own, that the weeds might ever grow up together with the corn. Of which john gathered a sign, that the last day drawn nigh, though he could not be sure how long it were thereto. Antichrist is one of the first that seethe the light and cometh and preacheth Christ a while, and seeketh his glory in Christ's Gospel. But when The worldings love the Gospel, so longs it bringeth gain. he e●pyeth that there will no glory clean unto that preaching, them he getteth him to the contrary party and professeth himself an open enemy, if he can not disguise himself and hide the angle of his poisoned heresy under a bait of true doctrine. The Apostles were clear eyed and espied Antichrist at once, and put him to flight and weeded out his doctrine quickly. But when charity waxed cold, and the preachers began to seek themselves and to admit glory and honour of riches, than Antichrist disguised him The Papists powdered the doctrine of Christ with their dregss. self after the fashion of a true Apostle and preached Christ wylyly, bringing in now this tradition and now that, to darken the doctrine of Christ, and set up innumerable ceremonies and Sacraments and imagery: giving them significations at the first: but at the last the significations laid a part, preached the work as an holy deed, to justify and to put away sin and to save the soul, that men should put their trust in works & in whatsoever was unto his glory and profit, and under the name of Christ, ministered Christ out of all together and become head of the congregation himself. The Pope made a law of his own The Pope hath put Christ from his rule & government. to rule his church by, and put Christ's out of the way. All the Bishops swear unto the Pope, and all Curates unto the Bishops, but all forswear Christ and his doctrine. But seeing john took a sign of the last day that he see Antichrist begin, how nigh aught we to think that it is, which after viii. hundredth years reigning in prosperity, see it decay again, and his falsehood to be disclosed and him to be slain with the spirit of Antichrist hath been long among us. the mouth of Christ: that is, with that old doctrine that proceeded out of Christ's mouth? for Paul saith when Antichrist is uttered, them cometh the end. But you have anointing of that holy, and know all thing. I writ not unto you as though you knew not the truth, but as unto them that know it, and how that no lie is of truth. Christ in the Scripture is called the Christ only is called holy. holy, because he only sanctifieth & halloweth us. And he is called Christ: that is to say, anointed, because he anointeth Anointed. our souls with the holy ghost and with all the gifts of the same. You are not anointed with oil in your bodies, but with the spirit of Christ in your souls: which spirit teacheth you all truth in Christ and maketh you to judge what is a lie and what truth, and to know Christ from Antichrist. For except he taught your souls with in, the pouring in of words at your cares were in vain. For they must be all taught of God. john. uj. And the things of God no man knoweth, save the spirit of God: and the carnal man The carnal man knoweth not the things of the spirit of God. knoweth not the things of the spirit of God: when contrary the spiritual that is anointed with the spirit, judgeth all things. i Cor. ij. And therefore we are forbidden to call us any Master upon earth. Math. twenty-three. seeing we have all one Master now in heaven, which only teacheth us with his spirit though by the administration and office of a faithful preacher. Which preacher yet can not make his preaching spring in the heart, no more than a sour can make his corn grow, nor can say this man shall receive and this not: but soweth the word only & committeth the growing to God whose spirit bretheth where he listeth and maketh the ground of whose heart he lusteth fruitful, and chooseth whom he will at his own pleasure, and for no other cause known unto any man. Who is a liar but he that denieth that jesus is Christ? The same is Antichrist that denieth the father and the son. For as much as Antichrist and Christ Antichrist who it is. are two contraries, & the study of Antichrist is to quench the name of Christ, how can the Pope & his sects be Antichrist, when they all preach Christ? How was say I again to thee, Pelagius whose doctrine the Pope defendeth in the highest degree, Antichrist, and all other heretics? Verily Sir the Pope seeketh himself as all heretics did and abuseth the name of Christ, to gather offerings, tithes and rents in his name, to bestow them unto his own honour and not Christ's, The Pope captivateth the understanding of all men with his superstitious rites and ceremonies. and to bring the conscience of the people into captivity under him through superstitious fear, as though he had such authority given him of Christ. And every syllable that hath a sound as though it made for his purpose, that he expoundeth falsely and fleshly, and therewith iuggleth & bewitcheth the ears of the people & maketh them his own possession, to believe what him lusteth, as though it made no matter to them whether he preached true or false, so they believe and do as he biddeth them. But all the texts that show his duty to do, he putteth out of the way, and all the texts thereto that set the consciences at liberty in Christ & prove our salvation to be in Christ only. And Pelagius heresy. with Pelagius he preacheth the justifying of works, which is the denying of Christ. He preacheth a false binding and losing with ear confession which is not in the trust and confidence of Christ's blood shedding. He preacheth the false penance of deeds, not to tame the flesh that we sin no more, but to make satisfaction & to redeem the sin that is past. Which what other can it be save the denying of Christ, which is the only redemption of sin. He maketh of the works of the ceremonies, which were wont to be lignes and remembrances of things to be believed or done, image service unto God & his Saints which are spirits, to purchase with the merits of them, what soever the blind soul imagineth which all are the denying of Christ. For if thou will't receive any anointing of grace or mercy any whence, save of him, he is no longer Christ unto thee. Christ is called jesus, a Saviour, he is jesus. Christus. called Christus, king anointed over all men of whom they must hold, and whose benefit must all they have. He is called Emanuel, God is with us. Emanuel. For he only maketh God our God, our strength, power, sword and shield, & shortly our father. He is called Sanctus, that is, holy that halloweth, sanctifieth, Sanctus. and blesseth all nations. And these be his names for ever, & be no names of hypocrisy, as we some time call him Thomas Curteis, which is but a churl: and as we call them Curates which Thomas Curteise, a churl. care for their Parishes as the Wolf for the flock, and them Bishops that are overseers, which will so over see, that they will suffer naught to be prosperous save their own common wealth: & as some call themselves dead which Dead men live in all voluptuousness, and as some call themselves poor without having Poor men. any thing proper, and yet live in all abundance: and as they shave and disguise themselves with garments and ornaments, to signify ever a contrary thing then that they be. Nay Christ is no hypocrite, or disguised Christ is no disguised person. that playeth a part in a play and representeth a person or state which he is not: But is always that his name signifieth, he is ever a Saviour, & ever annyonteth with grace, & ever maketh God with us, and ever sanctifieth. Neither is there any other to save and sanctify from sin or anoint with grace, or to set God at one with men. And these things which his name signify doth he ever unto all that have trust & confidence in his blood, assoon as they repent of the sin which they desire to be saved and sanctified from. Now though the Pope & his sects give Christ these names, yet in that they rob him of the effect, and take The Pope and his shanelynges are right Antichrists the significations of his names unto themselves, and make of him but an hypocrite, as they themselves be, they be right Antichristes and deny both the father and son. For they deny the witness that the father bore unto his son, and deprive the son of all the power and glory that his father gave him. Whosoever denieth the son, the same hath not the father. For no man knoweth the father but To know God. the son & to whom the son showeth him. Math. xj. Moreover if thou know not the mercy that God hath showed thee in Christ, thou canst not know him as a father. Thou mayst well besides Christ know him as a tyrant. And thou mayst know him by his works as the old Philosophers did, that there is a God, but thou canst neither believe in his mercy, nor love his laws, which is his only worship in the spirit, save by Christ. Let therefore abide in you that which you herded at the beginning. If that which you herded at the beginning shall remain in you, then shall you continued in the Son, and in the Father. And this is the promise that he hath promised us, everlasting life. If we abide in thold doctrine which The Apostles doctrine aught we to abide by. the Apostles taught, and hearken to no new: then abide we in the Son (for upon the Son build they us) and in the Father through confidence in the Son, & are heirs of everlasting life. These things have I written un to you because of them that deceive you. And the anointing that you received of him dwelleth in you and you need not that any man teach you, but as that anointing teacheth you of all things, and is true, and is no lie: Even as it hath taught you, so abide therein. When a true preacher preacheth, the spirit entereth the hearts of the elect, and maketh them feel the righteousness of the law of God, and by the law the poison of their corrupt nature, and thence leadeth them through repentance unto the mercy that is in Christ's blood, and as an ointment heals the body: even so the spirit through confidence and trust in Christ's blood heals the soul, and maketh her love the law of God, and therefore is called anointing or an ointment, and may Anointing. well be signified by the oil of our sacrament. But outward oil can neither heal the soul, nor make her feel save as a sign, or as a bush at a tavern Outward oil availeth nothing. door quencheth a man's thirst, neither is it a thing to put trust in. Let us there fore follow the teaching of the spirit, which we have received (as Paul sayeth) an earnest, to certify our hearts, and to make us feel the things of God, and not cleave to the traditions of men, in which is no feeling, but that one saith so, and an other thus, confirming their assertions with glorious persuasions of wisdom, but not after the wisdom of God, which reasons an other denieth with contrary sophisms: & so rises brawling about vain words without all certainty. And now little children abide in him, that when he shall appear we may have confidence, and not be made ashamed of him at his coming. Here are ij. things to be marked: We must cleave to the doctrine of the Apostles. one, if we cleave unto Christ after the doctrine of the Apostles, and as they built us upon him, we shall be bold & sure of ourselves at his coming. As a servant which in his masters absence doth only his masters commandments, cannot be confounded at his coming home again. But and if we follow men's doctrine, how can we be bold: yea how should we not be ashamed with our teachers, unto whom then he shall say (when they boast them selves how that they have been his vicar's,) A fore saying to all hypocrites and teachers of false doctrine. I know you not, departed from me you that have wrought wickedness, and under my name have brought in damnable sects, and have taught your disciples to believe in other things then in me. Now the sum of all that the Apostles taught, and how they built us upon Christ is the new testament. But the pope's doctrine is not there found, but improved. Confounded therefore shall he be, which witting and willing shutteth his eyes at the true light, and openeth them to believe his lies. another thing is this, all the scripture maketh mention of the resurrection & coming again of Christ: & that all men, both they that go before, and they that come after, shall then receive their rewards together, & we are commanded to look every hour for that day. And what is done with the souls from their departing their bodies unto that day, doth the Scripture make no mention, save only that they rest in the Lord, & in their faith. We must believe the resurrection & not to be curious to understand the state of the souls departed, where they are, nor what they do. Wherefore he that determineth aught of the state of them that be departed, doth but teach the presumptuous imaginations of his own brain: neither can his doctrine be any article of our faith. What God doth with them is a secret laid up in the treasury of God. And we aught to be patiented, being certified of the scripture that they which die in the faith, are at rest, & aught no more to search that secret, than to search the hour of the resurrection which God hath put only in his own power. But this remember that the whole nature of man is poisoned, & infected with sin. And the whole life of sin must be mortified. And the root of all sin and first vice we were infect with, is that we would be wise where God hath not taught us, as you see how Eve would have been as God in the knowledge of good & bad. And therefore hath God hide many things in his power, and commanded that we shall search none of his secrets further, than he hath opened them in his scripture, to mortify this poison of all poisons, the desire to appear wise, & that we be ashamed to be ignorant in any thing at all. Wherefore they that violently make articles of the faith with out God's word, are yet alive in the root of all sin and vice, and grow out of the devil, and not out of Christ. And their articles are of the blindness of the devil, and not of the light of Christ, for Christ's light hath testimony of the scripture every where. If you know that he is righteous, know that all that work righteousness are born of him. Our nature is to work wickedness and so blind thereto that it can see no righteousness. And then it followeth that we must be born a new in Christ ere we can either do or yet know what is righteous. And in him we must first be made righteous ourselves ere we can work righteous works, which conclusion is contrary unto the Pope, for he saith that the works do make the man righteous. And Christ's doctrine saith that the man maketh the works righteous. A righteous man The doctrine of the Pope is clean contrary to Christ's doctrine. springeth out of righteous works, saith the Pope's doctrine. Righteous works spring out of a righteous man, and a righteous man springeth out of Christ, saith Christ's doctrine. The works make that man righteous which before was wicked, saith the Pope. The works declare that the man is righteous, saith Christ's doctrine: but the man was first made righteous in Christ, and the spirit of Christ taught him what righteousness was, and healed his heart, & made him consent thereto, & to have his lust in righteousness, and to work righteously. Chap. 3. Behold what love the Father hath The third Chapter. showed us, that we should be called the sons of god. For this cause the world knoweth you not, because it knoweth not him. dearly beloved now we are the sons of God, though yet it appeareth not what we shall be. But we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. The love of God to us ward is exceeding great, in that he hath made us his sons without all deserving of us and hath given us his spirit through Christ, to certify our hearts thereof, in that we feel that our trust is in God, & that our souls have received health, and power to love the law of God, which is a sure testimony, that we are sons, & under no damnation. Neither aught it to discourage us, or to make us think we were less beloved because the world hateth us, and persecuteth us, for the world knoweth us not. Neither any marvel, for that world The world could not know Christ. could not know Christ himself for all his glorious coming with miracles and benefits in healing the sick, and raising the dead. But for all the oppression of the world, we are yet sure that we are Gods sons. And in like manner, though the glory that we shall be in appear not: yet we are sure that we shall be like him, when he appeareth. As darkness vanisheth away at the coming of the sun, and the world receiveth a new fashion, and is turned in to light, and suddenly made glorious: Even so when he appeareth, and we The world shall know Christ. shall see him as he is, we shall with the sight of him, be changed into the glory of his image, and made like him. And then shall the world both know him, and us, unto their shame and confusion. And all that have this hope in him, purge themselves as he is pure. The faith and hope of a Christian A Christian man's faith and hope are not idle. man, are no dead, idle, or barren things, but lively works and fruitful. For when the law through conscience of sin, hath slain the soul, them hope and trust in Christ's blood through certefying of the conscience, that the damnation of the law is taken away, quickeneth her again, & maketh her to love the law, which is the purifying of the soul, and her life, and serving the law in the inner man. And then the said gifts of hope and faith stretch themselves forth unto the members, dead with natural lust, consent, and custom to sin, and quickeneth them and purgeth them, with the wholesome penance of Christ's doctrine, & make them serve the law outward, and bear wholesome fruit of love unto the profect of their neighbours, according to Christ's love unto us. For if the spirit of Christ with which God anointeth The faith of a Christian man. us and maketh us kings, and sealeth us and maketh us his sure and several kingdom, & which he giveth us in earnest. 2. Cor. 1. And with which he changeth us into the Image of Christ. 2. Cor. 4. devil in our souls through faith, the same spirit can not but quicken the members also, & make The pope's faith. them fruitful. Rom. viii. Wherefore the faith and hope of the Pope which by their own confession, may stand with all wickedness and consent unto all evil & be without repentance toward God's law (as it appeareth by their three capital sins touched of john a little above: pride, covetousness and lechery) are no true faith and hope: but vain words and visures only, according to his other disguising and names of hypocrisy. All that commit sin, commit unrighteousness, for sin is unrighteousness. That the English calleth here unrighteousness the Greek calleth Anomia, unlawfulness or breaking that law. So that all sin is breaking of God's What sin is. law, & only the transgression of God's law is sin. Now all God's laws are contained in these two points, believe The sum of God's law. in Christ, and love thy neighbour. And these two points are the interpreting and expounding of all laws, so that whatsoever edifieth in faith and love, is to be kept, as long as it so doth. And whatsoever hurteth faith or love, is to be broken immediately: though King, Emperor, Pope or an Angel command it. And all indifferent things that neither help nor hurt faith and love, are whole in the hands of Father, Mother, Master, Lord and Prince. So that if they will sin against God and overlade our backs, we may well run away, if we can escape, but not avenge over selves. But and if they will break into thy conscience, as the Pope doth with his doom traditions, and faith, to do this saveth thy soul, and to leave it undone loseth thy soul, them defy them as the works of Antichrist, for they make thee sin against the faith that is in Christ's blood, by which only thy soul is saved, and for lack of that only damned. And how love breaketh the law take Love breaketh the law. an example. It is a good law that men come to the Church on the Sundays to hear God's word and to receive the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, in remembrance of his benefits and so to strengthen thy soul, for to walk in his love and in the love of our neighbour for his sake etc. yet if my father, mother, or any other that requireth my help be sick, I break that good commandment, to do my duty to mine elders or my neighbour. And thus all laws are under love & give room to love. And love interpreteth them: yea and breaketh them at a time, though God himself command them. For love is Lord over all laws. And you know that he appeared to take away our sins, and there is no sin in him. Christ died not alone to purchase pardon for our foresinnes, but also to s●ay all sin and the life of sin in our members. For all we that are baptized in the name of Christ saith Paul. Rom. 6. are baptized to dye with him We are baptized to dye with Christ concerning sin. concerning sin, and that as he after his resurrection dieth no more, so we after our Baptism should walk in a new life and sin no more. Our members are crucified with him, in all that pertaineth unto the life of sin. And if in Christ be no sin, then how can therebe wilful sin in the faith that is in him, or in the quick members that through faith grow out of him? Every man therefore that hath the true faith of Christ, purgeth himself, as he is pure. All that abide in him sin not. And all that sin have neither seen him nor known him. As there is no sin in Christ the stock, so can there be none in the quick members that live and grow in him by faith. And they that give them selves to sin have neither seen, known, or felt by faith the mercy that is in him. Our holy father then which forbiddeth The filthiness of the Pope's doctrine. Matrimony and giveth his Disciples licences with his holy blessing to keep whores: and pluralities, unions, and tot-quots, to rob the Parishes, hath neither seen nor known Christ, no more have his Disciples that consent unto his iniquity. And if they know him not, they can not truly describe him unto us. It followeth then, that their preaching is but hypocrisy. Little children let no man beguile you. He that worketh righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. judge men by their deeds. For Where true faith is there proceedeth good works. whosoever hath the light of God in his soul, he will let his light shine, that men shall see his good works. And therefore where you see not the righteousness of works in the members outward, there, be sure, is no righteousness of faith in the heart in ward. Let no man mock you with vain words. Whosoever preacheth Christ in word He that preacheth Christ in word and deed, him take for Christ's vicar. & deed, him take for Christ's Vicar. And them that would prove them selves his Vicars with Sophistry, and when it is come to the point make a sword only their mighty arguments, and live contrary to all his doctrine, and in all their preachings blaspheme and rail on his blessed blood, take for the Vicars of Antichrist. He that sinneth is of the devil, for the devil sinneth from the beginneth. But for this cause appeared the son of God: Even to destroy the works of the devil. All that are born of God do no sin, for his seed abideth in them and they can not sin, because they be born of God: And hereby are the sons of God known, and also the sons of the devil. God and the devil are two contrary fathers two contrary fountains, and two contrary causes: the one of all goodness, the other of all evil. And they that do evil are born of the devil and first evil by that birth, year they do evil. For yer a man do any evil outward of purpose, he conceived that evil first The man is first evil. in his mind and consented unto it, and so was evil in his heart year he wrought evil, and year he conceived evil in his heart he was born of the devil and had received of his seed and nature: By the reason of which nature, seed and birth, he worketh evil naturally, and can do no other. As Christ says john 8. you are of your father the devil & therefore will do the lusts of your father. And on the other side, they that do good are first born of God and receive The man is first good. of his nature & seed, and by the reason of that nature and seed, are first good year they do good by that same rule. And Christ which is contrary to the devil came to destroy the works of the devil in us & to give us a new birth, a new nature, and to sow new seed in us, that we should, by the reason of that birth, sin no more. For the seed of that birth, that is to weet the spirit of God and the lively seed of his word, sown in our hearts, keepeth our hearts that we can not consent to sin, as the seed of the devil holdeth the hearts of his, that they can not consent to good. This is contrary unto the Pope in two The Pope's doctrine. points, in one that he saith, that our good deeds make us first good, and teacheth us not to believe in Christ's blood, there to be washed & made first good. And in an other, that he saith, God chooseth us first for our good qualities & properties and for the enforcement and good endeavour of our free-will. What good endeavour is there where the devil possesseth the whole heart, that it can consent to no good. And finally there is great difference The faithful and unfaithful sin diversly. between the sin of them that believe in Christ unfeignedly, and the sin of them that believe not. For they that believe, sin not of purpose and of consent to wickedness that it is good, casting and compassing afore hand without grudge of conscience to bring their purpose about. As you see our hypocrites have vexed all Christendom this. xx. years to bring a little lust to effect. Their father's conceived mischief. viii. hundredth years ago. And the sons consent unto the same & have no power to departed therefrom. And therefore their sin is devilish and under the damnation of the law. But if he that believeth, sin: he doth it not of purpose, or that he consenteth unto the life of sin: But of infirmity, chance, and some great temptation that hath overcome him. And therefore his sin is venial and under mercy and grace, though it be murder, theft, or adultery: and not under the damnation of the law. So that his father shall scourge him, but not cast him away or damn him. Mark in the sin of Saul & of David. Saul ever excused his sin, and could not but persecute the will of God. And David confessed his sin, with great repentance at the first warning, whensoever he forgot himself. All that work not righteousness are not of God. Nor he that loveth not his brother. For this is the tidings which you herded at the beginning, that we should love one an other, and not be as Cain which was of the devil and slay his brother. And wherefore slay he him? for his deeds were evil and his brothers righteous. Marvel not my brethren though the world hate you. The law of righteousness is, that we love one an other as Christ loved us, and he that hath not this law living in his heart, and when the time is, bringeth not forth the fruits thereof, the same is not of God, but of the devil whose birth and properties of the same you see described in Cain, how he resisted God and persecuted the children of God for their belief & works thereof. And as you see in Cain and his brother Abel, so shall it ever continued between the children of God and of the devil unto the worlds end. Wonder not therefore though the world hate you. We know that we are translated from death to life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother, abideth in death. All that hate their brethren are murderers, and you know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. If thou love thy brother in Christ, and art ready to do & to suffer for him as Christ did for thee, than thou art sure thereby that thou art the son of God and heir of life and delivered from death and damnation. So have Christian men signs to know whether they be in the state of grace or no. And on the other side he that hath no power to love his brethren, may be sure that he is in the state of death and damnation. An other is this, let every man look upon his heart, and be sure that he which hateth his brother hath slain him before God & is a murderer. And murderers shall not obtain the kingdom of God. Gala. 5. But are Cain's brethren and the devils children, and are heirs of death and ever under damnation. Compare the regiment of the spirituality, which have had the temporal sword in their hands now above viii. hundredth years unto this doctrine of john, & judge whether they have led us truly after the steps of Christ's doctrine. Hereby we are assured of love, because he left his life for us, and therefore aught we to leave our lives for our brethren. He than that hath the substance of the world, and saith his brother have need and shutteth up his compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? If we felt the love of Christ's death, it would sure set our heart on fire to love him again and our brethren for his sake, and should never cease to s●ay our resisting members until we could not only be well content, that our brethren were in a more prosperous state than we, but also until we could bless them whe●● they curse us, and pray for them when they persecute us, and to suffer death for them, to testify the word We must recompense evil with goodness. of their soul's health unto them, and with love to overcome them, and to win them unto Christ. If now every Christian man aught to have this rule of his profession before his eyes to learn it, that he should love his brother as Christ did him, to departed with his life for his brother's example, how far are they of from good scholars, that can not find in their hearts to departed with a little of the abundance & superfluity of their temporal goods, to help their neighbour's need? My little children let us not love in word nor with the tongue, but with the deed and of a truth. For thereby we know that we be of the truth, and so shall we certify our hearts in his sight. If we have power to work, then doth the work certify our hearts that our faith in Christ, and love to God, and our neighbour for his sake are unfeigned, and that we are true children, and no hypocrites. And then are we bold in our conscience before God. And Good corks declare where good saith is. this is it that Peter means. 2. Pet. 1. where he biddeth us minister in our faith virtue, godly living, and all manner of good works, and therewith to make our vocation and election, or our calling add choosing sure. For the sight of the work doth certify us, that God hath called us, and choose us unto grace and mercy. But and if when the time of working is come, I fly and have no power to work, then will our conscience accuse us of sin and transgression within the heart before God, and so for fear of the rod we dare not be bold, but draw back and stand aloof. Let a child have never so merciful a father, yet if he break his father's commandments, though he be not under damnation, yet is he ever child and rebuked, and now & then lasshed with the rod: by the reason whereof he is never bold in his father's presence. But that child that keepeth his father's commandments, is sure of himself, and bold in his father's presence, to speak & ask what he will. They that minister well get them good degree and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ jesus, saith Paul. 1. Tim. 3. He that worketh, is bold before God and man. For his conscience accuseth him not within, neither have we aught to wite him withal or to cast in his teeth. And as without the sight of the works jacob the Apostle can not see thy faith jaco. 2. no more shalt thou ever be sure or bold before God or man. But if our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all thing. If our conscience accuse us of sin, God is so great and so mighty that it can not be hide. dearly beloved if our hearts condemn us not, than we trust to Godward. And whatsoever we ask, that shall we receive of him, because we keep his commandments and do the things which are pleasant in his sight. Keeping of the commandments maketh a man see his faith and to be bold therein. And faith when it is without conscience of sin, goeth into God boldly, and is strong and mighty in prayer to conjure God by all his mercies, & therewith obtaineth what soever he asketh, of all his promises. And the text saith, because we keep his commandments. Yea verily his commandments make us bold. But the keeping of men's traditions and domine ceremonies make us, not bold before God, nor certify our conscience that our faith is unfeigned. Thou shalt not know by sprynkling thyself with holy water, nor kissing the pax, nor with taking ashes, or though thou were anointed with all the oil in Thames street that thy faith is sure. But and if thou couldst find in thine heart to bestow both life and goods upon thy neighbour in a just cause, and hast proved it: then art thou sure, that thou lovest Christ, and feelest that thou hast thy trust in his blood. And this is his commandment that we believe in his son jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave commandment. Faith is the first and also the root Faith is the root of all commandments. of all commandments. And out of faith springeth love: and out of love works. And when I break any commandment I sin against love. For had I loved I had not done it. And when I sin against love I sin against faith. For had I earnestly and with a full trust remembered the mercy that Christ hath showed me, I must have loved. Wherefore when we have broken any commandment, there is no other way to be restored again, than to go through repentance unto our faith again, and ask mercy for Christ's sake. And assoon as we have received faith that our sin is forgiven, we shall immediately love the commandment again, and through love receive power, to work. And he that keepeth his commandments abideth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that there dwelleth in us of his spirit which he gave us. Through the works we are sure that we continued in Christ, and Christ in us, and that his spirit dwelleth in us. For his spirit it is that keepeth us in faith, and through faith in love and through love in works. The fourth Chapter. dearly beloved believe not every spirit, but prove the spirits whether they be of God. For many false Prophets are go out into the world. Spirits are taken here for preachers, Spirits. because of the preaching or doctrine, which if it be good, is of the spirit of God: and if it be evil, of the spirit of the devil. Now aught we not to believe every man's doctrine unadvisedly, or condeinne any man's preaching year it be herded and seen what it is. But a Christian man's part is to examine, judge & try it, whether it be true or no. Quench not the spirit says Paul i Thess. the last. Neither despise prophesiynges, We may not believe every doctrine that is taught and preached, but we must first examine it with the touch stone of God's word, and so either receive it or reject it. but prove all thing, and keep that which is good. Destroy not the gifts of the spirit of God, but try whether they be of God, and good for the edifying of his congregation: and keep that which is good and refuse that which is evil. And suffer every person that hath any gift of God, to serve God therein, in his degree and estate, after a Christian manner and a due order. Why shall we try the doctrines: Verily for there be many false Prophets abroad already. We told you before that Antichrist should come, as our master Christ told us that he should come. But now I certify you that Antichristes kingdom is begun already. And his Disciples are go out to preach. Try therefore all doctrine. The trial of all doctrine. wherewith shall we try it? with the doctrine of the Apostles, and with the Scripture which is the touchstone: you and because you love compendiousness, you shall have a short rule, to try them with all. Hereby know you the spirit of God. Every spirit that confesseth that jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God. And every spirit that confesseth not that jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is not of God. And the same is that spirit of Antichrist, of whom you have herded that he should come: And even now he is in the world already. Whatsoever opinion any member Antichrist will not confess that Christ 〈◊〉 come in the flesh. of Antichrist holdeth, the ground of all his doctrine is to destroy this article of our faith, that Christ is come in the flesh. For though the most part of all heretics confess that Christ is come in the flesh after their manner, yet they deny that he is come, as the Scripture testifieth & the Apostles preached him to be come. The whole study of the devil and all his members is to destroy the hope and trust that we should have in Christ's flesh, and in those things which he suffered for us in his flesh, & in the Testament and promises of mercy which are made us in his flesh. For the scripture testifieth that Christ hath taken away the sin of the world in his flesh, and that the same hour that he yielded up his spirit into the hands of his father, he had full purged and made full satisfaction for all the sins of the world. So that all the sin of the world, both before his passion and after, must be put away through repentance toward the law and faith and trust in his blood, without respect of any other satisfaction, sacrifice or work. For if I once sin, the law rebuketh my conscience, and setteth variance between God and me. And I shall never be at peace with God again until I have herded the voice of his mouth, how that my sin is forgiven me for Christ's blood sake. And assoon as I that believe, I am at peace with God. Rom. u. and love his law again, and of love work. And that Christ hath done this service in his flesh, deny all the members of Antichrist. And hereby thou shalt know them. All doctrine that buildeth Doctrine that is of God. thee upon Christ, to put thy trust and confidence in his blood, is of God and true doctrine. And all doctrine that withdraweth thine hope and trust from Doctrine that is of the devil. Christ, is of the devil and the doctrine of Antichrist. Examine the Pope by this rule, and thou shalt find that all he doth, is to the destruction of this article. He wresteth all the Scriptures & setteth them clean against the will, to destroy this article. He ministereth the very Sacraments of Christ unto the destruction of this article: and so doth he all other ceremonies, and his absolution, penance, purgatory, dispensations, pardons, vows, with all disguisings. The Pope preacheth that Christ The Pope's doctrine of Christ. is come to do away sins, yet not in the flesh but in water, salt, oil, candles, bows, ashes, friars coats, and monks cowls, and in the vows of them that forswear matrunonie to keep whores, and swear beggary, to possess all the treasure, riches, wealth & pleasures of the world: and have vowed obedience, to disobey with authority, all the laws both of God and man. For in these hypocritish and false sacrifices, teacheth he us to trust for the forgiveness of sins, & not in Christ's flesh. You are of God little children, and have overcome them. For greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. He that dwelleth in you, and worketh God is the worker in us by faith that we have in 〈◊〉. in you through faith, is greater than he which dwelleth and worketh in them through unbelief. And in his strength, you abide by your profession, and confess your Lord jesus, how that he is come in the flesh and hath purged the sin of all that believe in his flesh. And through that faith you overcome them in the very torments of death. So that neither their iugglinges, neither their pleasures, neither their thretnynges, or their torments, or the very death wherewith they slay your bodies, can prevail against you. They be of the world, and therefore they speak of the world, and the world attendeth unto them. We be of God: and he that knoweth God heareth us. And he that is not of God heareth us not. And hereby we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. There be and ever shallbe two generations Two generations in the world. in the world: one of the devil, which naturally harken unto the false Apostles of the devil, because they speak so agreeable unto their natural complexion. And an other of God, which hearken unto the true Apostles of God, & consent unto their doctrine. And this is a sure rule to indge spirits with all, that we indge them to have the spirit of truth, which hearken unto that true doctrine of Christ's Apostles: & them to have the spirit of error which hearken unto worldly and devilish doctrine, abhorring the preathing of the Apostles. And look hither the Pope's doctrine be worldly or not, if pride and covetousness be worldly, yea and secherie to. For what The Pope's doctrine is worldly. other is all his doctrine then of benefices, promotions, dignities, byshoprikes, cardinallshyps, vicarages, parsonages, prebends, change of bishoprics, and resigning of benefices, of unions, pluralities, tot-quots, and that which cometh once into their hands, may not out again: yea and of whores and concubines, and of captiving of consciences for covetousness, & all that hearken to that doctrine abhor the doctrine of the Apostles and persecute it, and them that preach it. dearly beloved let us love one an other, for love is of God. And all that love are born of God, and know God. And he that loveth not, knoweth not God: for God is love. john singeth his old song again, and teacheth an infallible and sure token which we may see and feel at our finger's ends, and thereby be out of all doubt, that our faith is unfeigned and He that loveth God, is born of God. that we know God and be born of God, and that we hearken unto the doctrine of the Apostles purely and godly & not of any curiosity, to seek glory and honour therein unto ourselves, & to make a cloak thereof to cover our covetousness, and filthy lusts. Which token is, if we love one an other. For the love of a man's neighbour unfeignedly springeth out of the unfeigned knowledge of God in Christ's blood. By which knowledge we be born of The founte●ne of love. God & love God and our neighbours for his sake. And so he that loveth his neighbour unfeignedly, is sure of himself, that he knoweth God, and is of God unfeignedly. And contrariwise, he that loveth not, knoweth not God. For God in Christ's blood is such a love that if a man see it, it were impossible that he should not break out into the love of God again & of his neighbour for his sake. Herein appeared the love of God unto us ward, because God sent his only son into the world, that we should live through him. Herein is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his son, a satisfaction for our sins. If a man had once felt within in his conscience the fierce wrath of God toward sinners and the terrible & most cruel damnation that the law threateneth: and then beheld with the eyes of God first loved us before we could love him. a strong faith, the mercy, favour and grace the taking away of the damnation of the law and restoring again of life, freely offered us in Christ's blood, he should perceive love, and so much the more, that it was showed us, when we were sinners and enemies to God. Roma. 5. and that without all deseruyngs, without our endeavouring, enforcing and preparing ourselves, and without all good motions, qualities & properties of our free-will. But when our hearts were as dead unto all good working, as the members of him whose soul is departed, which thing to prove, and to stop the blasphemous mouths of all our adversaries, I will of innumerable texts rehearse one in the beginning of the second chapter to the Ephes. where Paul saith thus. You Ephes●. were dead in trespass & sin in which you walked according to the course of the world and after the governor that ruleth in the air, the spirit that worketh in the children of unbelief, among which we also had our conversation in time past, in the lusts of our flesh: and fulfilled the lusts of the flesh and of the mind (so that the flesh and the mind were agreed both to sin, and the mind consented as well as the flesh) and were by nature the children of wrath, as well as other. But God Herein appeareth the great and loving mercy of almightte God toward us, when we were yet sinuers. being rich in mercy, through the great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sin, hath quickened us with Christ: for by grace are you saved: and with him hath raised us up and with him hath made us sit in heavenly things through jesus Christ, for to show in time to come the exceeding riches of his grace, in kindness to us ward in jesus Christ. For by grace are you saved through faith, & that not of yourselves: for it is the gift of God, and cometh not of works, jest any man should boast himself. But we are his workmanship created in Christ jesus unto good works, unto which God ordained us before that we should walk in them. The text is plain, we were stone, dead and without life or power to do or consent to good. The whole nature of us was captive under the devil and led at his will. And we were as wicked as the devil now is (Except that he now sinneth again the holy ghost) and we consented unto sin, with soul and body and hated the law of God. But God of his grace only quickened us in Christ, and raised us out of that death and made us sit with Christ in heavenly things. That is, he set our hearts at rest and made us sit fast in the life of Christ's doctrine, and unmovable from the love of Christ. And finally we are in this our second birth God's workmanship and creation in Christ: so that as he which is yet unmade, hath no life nor power to work, no more had we till we were made again in Christ. The preaching of mercy in Christ quickened our hearts through faith, wrought by the spirit of Christ which God poured into our hearts, year we witted. dearly beloved, if God so loved us, than aught we love one an other. If we felt the love of God in Chrisles blood, we could not but love again, not only God and Christ, but also all that are bought with Christ's blood. If we love God for the pleasures that we receive, then love we ourselves. But if we love him to do him pleasure again: that can we no otherwise do, then in loving our neighbours for his sake, them that are good, to continued them in their goodness, & them that are evil, to draw them to good. Love is the instrument wherewith faith maketh us Gods sons & Love maketh us the sons of God. fashioneth us like the image of God, and certifieth us that we so are. And therefore commandeth Christ. Math. u Love your enemies, Bless them that curse you, pray for them that persecute you, that you may be the sons of your heavenly father, which maketh his sun rise over good and bad, and sendeth his rain upon just and unjust: you which made the sun of his mercy shine upon us and sent the rain of the blood of his dear and only child upon our souls, to quicken us and to make us see love to love again. No man hath at any time seen God. If we love one an other God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfect in us. Though we can not see God, yet if we love one an other, we be sure that No man hath seen God. he abideth in us, and that his love is perfect in us: that is, that we love him unfeignedly. For, to love God truly & to give him thanks, is only to love our neighbour for his sake. For upon his person thou canst bestow no benefit. And for as much as we never see The scripture hath seen God. God, let us make no image of him nor do him any imageservice after our own imagination, but let us go to the scripture that hath seen him, and there weet what fashion he is of and what service he willbe served with. Blind reason saith God is a kerued post and will be served with a candle. But Scripture saith God is love & willbe served with love. If thou love thy neighbour then art thou the image of God thyself, and he dwelleth in the living temple of thy heart. And thy loving of thy neighbour for his sake, is his service and worship in the spirit, and a candle that burneth before him in thine heart and casts out the light of good works before the world, & draweth all to God, and maketh his enemies leave their evil, and come and worship him also. Hereby we know that we abide in him, and he in us. For he hath given us of his spirit. He that hath not Christ's spirit, the By this badge of love, we are known to have the spirit of God. same is none of his. Roma. 8. If we have the spirit of God, then are we sure. But how shall we know whether we have the spirit? Ask john and he will say, if we love one an other. And we have seen and do testify that the father hath sent his son, the saviour of the world. Whosoever confesseth that jesus is the son of God, in him dwelleth God, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. First the Apostles taught no fables, but that they see and received of God by the witness of his spirit. Secondaryly He that be leaveth that jesus to God's son, hath God in him. john ascendeth up stepe higher, from love to faith, and saith he that be leaveth that jesus is God's son, hath God in him. And I doubt not but the Pope and his defenders will answer john and say, than the devil hath God in him, and is also in God. For other faith than such as the devil hath, felt they never any. But john preventeth them, we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. That is, we believe not only with story faith, as men believe old Chronicles, but we believe the love and mercy that GOD showed us, and put our trust and confidence therein (And so taketh Scripture belief) we believe that jesus is the son of God, made man and slain for our sins, which is a token of great love. And that love believe we & trust thereto. Where Paul saith. i Cor. xii. No man can call jesus Lord except the holy ghost had taught him. But through the holy ghost he means not with the mouth only, but in the heart with unfeigned faith, putting his hope & trust in the Lordship which he hath over sin, damnation, hell, and death. For so could no man call jesus Lord, except the holy ghost had taught him, as Christ says Math. xuj. flesh & blood showed thee not that. But yet how shall I see my faith? I must come down to love again, & thence to the works of love, year I can see my faith. Not always but sometime thou shalt fecle thy faith without the outward deed, as in great adversity and persecution when the devil assaulteth thee with desperation, and layeth thy sins before thee, & would bear the in hand that God had cast the away and left the succourless, for thy sins sake. Then cometh faith forth with her shield, and turneth back again Faith taketh hold of Christ's death and deserving. the darts of the devil, and answereth: Nay for jesus is the son of God: yea and my very God and my very Lord, and hath taken away my sins & all damnation. And this trouble & adversity which is come upon me, by setting of thee and on of thy limbs, is only to make me feel the mercy of my father and his power and help within in my soul, and to slay the rest of the poison which remains in the flesh. God is love and he that abideth in love, abideth in God, and God in him. This have we herded above and it is easy to be understand. Herefore is love perfect with us, that we should have confidence in the day of judgement. Howsoever this text sound, this me thinketh should be the meaning: that we should provoke each other to love, and ever have those examples of edifying before our eyes that should most move us to love. For perfit love serveth to make a man bold, because it is the keeping of the commandments. And therefore he that is perfect in love, when he saith himself yet in this Love maketh the faithful & Christian man to be bold. world to be unto his neighbour as God is unto him, and to be like his heavenly father in all example of kindness, is bold in the presence of God: yea though he come to judge sinners. When on the other side, they that continued ever in their wickedness & grow not in love, fall often. And therefore their conscience ever accuseth them and putteth them in fear, by the reason of the fresh memory of the offence, that they can not at once be bold, though they have never so great promises of mercy. There is no fear in love. But perfect love casts out fear. For fear hath painfulness. He therefore that fears, is not perfect in love. Love is not painful but maketh Love. all thing easy and pleasant: fear of punishment for the trespass newly committed is painful: Therefore where love is perfect there is no such fear. Love is the fulfilling of all commandments. And therefore where love is perfect, there is no sin. And where conscience doth not accuse of sin, there is faith bold to go into God & to stand before him, and look him in the face, and to conjure him by all his mercies, and to ask the petitions of his desire. Lack of love is the breaking of the commandments and cause of sin. And where the conscience accuseth of sin, their faith is abashed, dismayed, ashamed & afraid to go in, for fear of rebuke. Love therefore serveth to make a man bold in the day of judgement and in all temptations. john speaketh not generally of all Fear. manner fear, but of that only which the conscience of sin putteth a man in. For divers fears there be that accompany love and grow as she doth. The more a woman loveth her child, the more she careth for it and fears jest aught should chance it a miss. Even If we love ou● brethren them are we careful for them. so the more we love our brethren, the more we care for them, and fear jest any temptation should trouble them. As Paul saith. ij. Cor. xj. who is sick and I am not sick? who is offended or hurt and mine heart burneth not? How cared he for Timothe, for Titus, and for all that were weak, & for the Corinthians, Galatians, and for all congregations? and how diligently written he to them in his absence? and the more we love God, the more diligent and circumspect are we, that we offend him The more we love God, the more diligent we are to do his will. not. And tell me I pray thee, whosoever haste had experience, what a pain and grief, yea and what a freating coresey is it unto the heart of a true lover of God, to here the poison generation of vipers, the pestilent sect of hypocritish Phariseis, wittingly and willingly to blaspheme and rail on the open and manifest truth of the holy ghost? If you will see how bold love is: go to Moses. Exod. 32. and Numeri. 14. And there behold how he coniureth God and among all saith: Forgive this people or put me out of the book that thou hast written. As who should say, they be thy people and thou commandest me to love them. And for thy sake I love them and teach them and care for them, as a mother that had born them and love them no less than myself. Wherefore if thou love me as thou Where perfect love is there is no fear. promisest me, then save them with me: or if not, then cast me away with them, and let me have such part as they take. And Paul said as much. Roma. ix. Look upon worldly love, and see what pageantes she playeth now and then and how drunken a thing it is: and be sure, where the love of God is perfect, she will not only go between bodily death and her lover, but also between him and hell. If a man would take of this, that a man might be so perfect in this life, that he might not be perfecter, it would not follow. For though the spirit at a time get the upper hand of the flesh, & winneth herself to God, that she can not tell whether she be in the body or no: yet the flesh will pull her down again and not let her continued, and now and then pluck of some of her feathers, for mounting so high again. For Moses fallen through unbelief well enough after that seruentnes. We love him, because he loved us first. We deserve not the love of God first, but he deserveth our love, and loveth us first, to win us and to make us his friends of his enemies. And as soon as we believe his love, we love again. And so faith is mother of all Faith is the mother of love. love. And as great as my faith is so great is love, though faith can not be perfectly seen, but through the works of love and in the fire of temptation. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother: he is a liar. For how can he that loveth not his brother whom he seethe, love God whom he seethe not? And this commandment have we of him: that he which loveth God, love his brother also. To love a man's neighbour in God A sure rule is a sure rule to know that we love God: and not to love him, is a sure token that we love not God: and to hate our neighbour is to hate God. For to love God is to do his commandments as Christ saith john. xv. you are If we love God, we must do his commandments, & his commandment is to love our neighbours. my lovers if you do those things which I have commanded you: and the commandment is to love our neighbours: then he that loveth not his neighbour, loveth not God. And likewise to hate the commandment, is to hate God that commanded it: and the commandment is to love our neighbours: he then that hateth his brother whom God biddeth him love, hateth God. The fift Chapter. ALl that believe that jesus is Christ are born of God. And all that love him which begat, love him that is begotten of him. In this we know that we love the sons of God, when we love God and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God that we keep his commandments. This is a sure conclusion that we be Faith maketh us Gods sons. born of God through faith. And that faith maketh us Gods sons, in that we believe that jesus is Christ: as the first chapter of john also testifieth, he gave them power to be the sons of God, in that they believed in his name. What it is to believe that jesus is What it is to believe that jesus is Christ. Christ, may be understand by that which is above rehearsed. It is a far other thing then as the devil believed it against his will and to his great pain, or as they believe it which to fulfil their sin, envy the glory of Christ and persecute his Gospel, forbidding to preach it or to read in it. To believe that jesus is Christ, is to believe in Christ: that is, to believe earnestly, and to put all thy trust therein, and to lay the price of thy soul thereupon: that the son of Marie whom the angel commanded to be called jesus because he should save his people from their sins, is that Christ, that Messiah, and that jesus the true Messiah and the Daviour of the world from their sins. anointed which God promised the fathers should come and bless all nations and anoint them with the oil of his spirit, & with mercy and grace, and to deliver them from death of their souls, which is the consenting to sin, and to make them a live with consenting unto the law of God, and in certifying them that they be the sons of God: And to put the whole trust in all that he suffered in his flesh for thy sake and in all promises of mercy that are in him and that thou be full persuaded that there is no other name under heaven given unto men to be saved from sin by, or to purchase forgiveness of the jest sin that ever was committed. another conclusion is this: whosoever loveth God, loveth all that believe All that love God love all that believe in him. in God. For all that love him that begetteth, love them that are begotten of him: and all that believe in God are begotten of God through that belief, and made his sons: them all that love God, love all that believe in God. another conclusion is this. When we love God and his law, them we love the sons of God. Which is this wise He that loveth God, loveth also the sons of God. proved: The love of God is to keep the law of God, by the text before and after the law of GOD is to love our neighbours & therefore if we love God in keeping his laws we must needs love the sons of God. But john should seem to be a very negligent disputer to many men in that he here certifieth us of the love of our neighbours by the love of God, when above he certifieth us that we love God because we love our neighbours. He seemeth to do as I herded once a great Clerk in Oxford stand half an hour in a pulpit to prove that Christ was a true Prophet by the testimony of john Baptist and an other half hour to prove john that Baptist a true Prophet by the authority of Christ, as we say claw me, claw thee: and as every these might lightly prove himself a true man, in bearing record to an other as false as he and taking record of the same again. Which kind of disputing school men call Petiti● pr●ncipij, the proving of two certain things, each by the other, and is no proving at all, as our holy father proveth the authority of Scripture by his decrees (for the Scripture is not authentic but as his decrees admit it) & to make his decrees shine and appear glorious, and to obtain authority, he allegeth the Scripture after his juggling manner, to make fools stark mad. But it is not so here, for both the demonstrations are certain, both the proof of the love of God and his law by the love of my neighbour, and the proof of the love of my neighbour by the love of God and his law. For when ij. things are so joined together that they can not be separated, than the presence of the one uttereth the presence of the other, whether soever thou first seest. As if I see fire I am sure that The love of God and the love of my neighbour are in separable. some thing doth burn. And if I smell burning, I am certified of fire. Even so the love of God is the cause why I love my neighbour: and my love toward my neighbour is the effect of the love of God. And these two loves are ever inseparable, so that whether soever I feel first, the same certifieth me of the other. john calleth the love of a man's neighbour the deeds of love, after the Hebrew speech, as to help at need. For the deed declareth what the man is within. Neither can my love to God & faith be seen to the world, save through the works. And by the works doth Christ command us to judge. So that if a man have evil works and Works set forth 〈◊〉 declare faith. continueth therein, he loveth not God nor knoweth God, not though he call himself master doctor, or God's vicar. Neither understandeth he God's word for all his high divinity: but is in all his preaching an hypocrite, a false Prophet, and a liar though his preaching please the world never so well. Nevertheless a man is certified that he loveth God year he come at the work, by the testimony of the spirit which is given him in earnest. The spirit saith Paul. Roma. viii. testifieth unto our spirit, that we be the sons of God: and then it testifieth that we believe in God: for through faith are we sons. And then it certifieth me that I love God. For faith and love are inseparable. The spirit through faith certifieth my conscience that my sins are forgiven, and I received under grace and made the very son of God, and beloved of God. And then naturally mine heart breaketh out into the love of God again, & I seek how to utter my love, and to do God some pleasure. And because I can neither do service or pleasure unto his own person, my neighbour is set before me, to do God service and pleasure in him & to be to him as Christ is to me, because he is my brother, bought with Christ's To do good to my neighbour is to do God good service. blood as I am. And I consent unto that law, and love it year I come at the deed, and long after the deed. And then when I love my neighbour in the deed according to this law; I am sure that I love him truly. Or else if I examined not my love by this law, I might be deceived. For some love their neighbours for pleasure, profit, glory and for their doing service only, as our spirituality love us, and of that blessed love, do their busy cure to keep us in darkness: which love is a sign that a man hateth God and his neighbour thereto, and loveth himself only. But God's law is that I should abstain from mine own pleasure and profit, and become my neighbour's servant, and bestow life and goods upon him, after the example of Christ. Wherefore if I love my neighbour out of the love of Christ and after the example of his law, I am sure that I love him truly. And his commandments are not grievous. For all that is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. To love is not painful: the commandments are but love: therefore they be not grievous, because love maketh the commandments easy. The service that a mother doth unto her child is not grievous, because she loveth it. But if she should do the tenth part unto one that she loved not, her A goodly similitude. heart would braced for impatience. Unto a man that fetleth not the love of Christ it is as impossible to keep the commandments, as for a Camel to enter through the eye of a needle. But impossible is possible and easy to, where the love of Christ is believed. For it followeth, All that are born of God overcome the world. all that are born of God, overcome the world: that is to weet, the devil which is the ruler of the world: and his disciples which have their lust in his governance & consent to sin, both in body and soul, and give themselves to follow their lusts without resistance: and their own flesh which also consenteth to sin, do they overcome with all that moveth to sin. By what victory? Verily through faith. For if our souls be truly underset with sure hope and trust, and continual meditations of Christ's love, showed already, and of succour, help and assistance that is promised in his name, and with the continual memory of their examples which in times past have sought through faith and overcome: them were it impossible for the world with all his chinalrie, to overthrow us with any assault or with any ordinance that he could shoot against us. For if that faith The conquests of faith. & meditation were ever present in us, then love through that faith, should easily overcome what so ever peril thou couldst imagine. Read in the Bible and see what conquests faith hath made, both in doing & also suffering. The xj. chapter unto the Hebrues ministereth the examples abundantly. How mighty was David when he came to fight, and how overcame he through faith? And how mightier was he when he came to suffering, as in the persecution of the king Saul? In so much that when he had his most mortal enemy king Saul, that twelve years persecuted him against all right, in his hands to have done what he would with him, through faith he touched him not, nor suffered any man else to do, though he was yet all his life a man of war and accustomed to murder and shedding of blood. For he believed that God should avenge him on his unrighteous king, upon whom it was not lawful to avenge himself. Who is it that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that jesus is the son of God? If to believe that jesus is God's son be to overcome the world, than our Prelates understand not what belief is, which affirm that the best belief and the worst man in the world may stand together. This is he that came by water and blood jesus Christ: not by water only but by water and blood. And it is the spirit that testifieth, because the spirit is truth. For there are three that bear witness in heaven. The father, the word, and the holy ghost And these three are one. And there are three which bear record in earth the spirit water and blood, and these three are one. Christ came with three witnesses, Christ had three witnesses. water, blood and spirit. He ordained the Sacrament of Baptism to be his witness unto us. And he ordained the Sacrament of his blood, to be his witness unto us. And he poureth his spirit into the hearts of his, to testify and to make them feel that the testimony of those two Sacraments are true. And the testimony of these three is, as it after followeth, that we have everlasting life in the son of God. And these iij. are one full witness sufficient at the most that the law requireth, which saith ij. or. iij. at the most is one full sufficient witness. But alas we are ●…t taught to take the Sacraments for witnesses, but The true doctrine of the Sacraments is away from us. for imageservice, & to fore the work of them to God, with such a mind as the old heathen offered sacrifices of beasts unto their Gods. So that what soever testifieth unto us, that we have everlasting life in Christ, that mouth have they stopped with a levended manchet of their Pharisaical gloss. If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater. For this is the witness that God hath born of his son. If the witness of men, so they be iij. is to be received, much more is the witness of God to be received. Now the witness that these iij. water blood, & spirit bear, is the witness of God & therefore the more to be believed. He that believeth in the son of God hath witness in himself. And he that believeth not God, maketh him a liar, because he doth not believe the witness that God hath testified of his son. And this is the witness, that God hath given us eternal life: and this life is in his son. He that hath the son, hath life. And he that hath not the son of God, hath not life. The true believers have the testimony of God in their hearts, & they glorify The faithful have the true witness of God in their hearts God witnessing that he is true. They have the kingdom of God with in them and the temple of God within them, and God in that temple, & have the son of God & life through him. And in that temple they seek God, and offer for their sins the sacrifice of Christ's blood, and the fat of his mercies in the fire of their prayers, and in the confidence of that sacrifice go in boldly to God their father. But the unbelievers blaspheme God and make him false, describing him after the complexion of their lyieng nature. And because they be so full stuffed The unfaithful, worship God in imageservice and outward Popery. with lies that they can receive nothing else, they look for the kingdom of God in outward things and seek God in a temple of stone where they offer their imageservice and the fate of their holy deeds: in confidence whereof they go into God and trust to have everlasting life. And though the text testifieth that this life is only in the son, yet they will come at no son shining but as unclean birds hate the light. These things have I written unto you that believe in the name of the son of God, that you may know that you have everlasting life, & that you may believe in the son of God. They that have the faith of Christ's The Papists have not the faith of the Apostles neither do they know and therefore they rail on it. Apostles, know that they have eternal life. For the spirtte testifieth unto their spirits that they are the sons of God. Roma. viii. and received under grace. Our Doctors say they can not know whether they be in the state of grace: therefore they have not the faith of the Apostles. And that they know it not, is the cause whey they rail on it. This is the confidence that we have in him, that if we ask aught according to his will, he heareth us. And if we know that he heareth us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we ask of him. Christ saith Math. seven. ask & it shall To ask in Christ's name what it is. be given you. And john in the. xuj. chap. Whatsoever you ask in my name, he shall give it you. To ask in that name of jesus Christ & according to his will be both one, and are nothing else but to ask the things contained in the promises and Testament of God to us ward, that God willbe our father and care for us both in body and in soul: and if we sin of frailty & repent forgive us, and minister us all things necessary unto this life, & keep us that we be not overcome of evil etc. Now if they which believe in Christ are bold with God that he heareth them & sure that he granteth their petitions, it followeth that they which are not bold that he heareth them nor sure that he granteth their petitions, do not believe in Christ. They that go to dead Saints with which they never speak nor wot where they be, be not bold Such as lack faith in Christ wander they wots not whether. that God will hear them, nor sure that he will grant their petitions therefore they believe not in Christ. That they be neither bold nor sure, appeareth first by their deeds, and secondarily by their own confession: for they say what should God hear them or grant them aught seeing they be unworthy, yea and they confirm it with a similitude of worldly wisdom, that they should be put back for their malapertness, and far the worse, as if a rude fellow should break up into the kings privy chamber, and press unto his own person without knocking or speaking to any other officer: so that they believe it an augmenting of sin, to go to God themselves in the confidence of Christ's blood as he bade them. If a man see his brother sin a sin not unto death, let him ask: and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death, and for it say I not that thou shouldst pray. All unrighteousness is sin. And there is a sin not to death. Whatsoever sin we see in that world, let us pray and not despair. For God is the God of mercy. But for the sin The sin to that death. to death which is resisting grace and fighting against mercy and open blaspheming of the holy ghost, affirming that Christ's miracles are dove in Beel sabub, and his doctrine to be of the devil, I think that no Christian man if he perceive it, can otherwise pray, then as Paul prayed for Alexander the Copersmith the. ij. Timo. the last: that God would reward him according unto his works. They that go back again after they know the truth, and give themselves willingly to sin, for to follow it and persecute the doctrine of truth by profession to maintain falsehood for their glory and vantage, are remediless: as you may see. Hebr. uj. and. x. Bala●… so sinned: the false Prophets in the old Testament so sinned the Phariseis so sinned: Alexander so sinned: & now many so sin: following their pride & covetousness. We know that all that are born of God sin not: But he that is born of God keepeth himself, and the wicked touch him not. As thou readest in the third chapter, they that are born of God can not All that are born of God c● not sin. sin, for the seed of God keepeth them. They cannot cast of the yoke of Christ and consent to continued in sin nor defy his doctrine, nor persecute it, for to quench it or to maintain any thing contrary unto it. But in whatsoever captivity they be in that flesh, their hearts yield not: but imagine to break louse and to escape, and fly away, unto the party & standard of their Lord Christ. And as men of war they ever keep The armour of a Christian man. watch and prepare themselves unto war, and put on the armure of God, the which is God's word, the shield of faith, the helmet of hope, and harness themselves with the meditation of those things which Christ suffered for us, & with the examples of all the Saints that followed him, and think earnestly that it is their part to live as purely as the best & come after as fast as they can. And yet in all their works they knowledge themselves sinners unsay nedly, as long as one jot of the perfectness that was in that deeds of Christ, is lacking in there's. So that the devil can not touch the hearts of them, neither with pride or vain glory of pure living, neither to make them consenting unto the flesh in gross sins, if at a time they be taken tardy & ketche a fall. Whatsoever chance them, the devil can catch no hold of them, to keep them still in captivity: but they will break loose again, and repent and do penance, to chaste their flesh that they come no more under that devils claws. We know that we be of God, and that the whole world is set on mischief. They that believe: that is to say, put their trust in Christ, see both their own glorious state in God, and also the wretched estate of that world in their wickedness. But the world as they The world seethe not the things that are of God. know not God, nor the glory of the sons of God: Even so they see not their own miserable estate in wickedness and damnation under the law of God, but the worse they are, the bolder they be and the surer of themselves, the further from repentance and the more standing in their own conceits, for the darkness that is in them. And therefore say our Doctors, a man can not know whether he be in the state of grace or no nor needeth to care therefore. And they be therefore the blind leaders of the blind. We know that the son of God is come, and hath given us understanding to know him that is true: and we be in the truth through jesus Christ. He is very God and eternal life. Christ is all and the fountain of all Christ e●e 〈◊〉 is the fountain and fullness of all good gifts. and of his fullness receive we all. And as he poureth the gifts of his grace upon them that believe in him so he giveth them understanding to know the very God, and that they be in the very God and that they have obtained that through his purchasing: and leaveth not his sheep in darkness. And the same jesus Christ is very God and eternal life: God and eternal life was he from the beginning, and become man for the great love he had to us, for to bring us unto his eternal life. And he He that seeketh any other way to eternal salvation, then by Christ, shall never come there. that hath any other way thither, whether his own works or other men's, or works of ceremonies, or sacraments, or merits of Saints, or of aught save jesus Christ only, shall never come thither. The world saith the Pope, and saith that they which be in the Pope, be Lords in this world: and therefore they care to be in the Pope: but whether they be in God or not they say, it is not necessary to know. Little children beware of Images. Serve none Image in your hearts. Idolatry is Greek, and the English is imageservice: And an Idolater is also Idolatry. Greek, and the English an imageseruaunt. Idolater. Be not Idolaters nor commit Idolatry, that is be none imageseruauntes, nor do any imageservice, but beware of serving all manner images. And think it not enough to have put all the Images of false Gods out of the way, if you now set up the Image of very God and of his true Saints in their rooms, to do the same service unto them, which you did unto the other. For you may do as strong imageservice unto the Image of GOD and of his As great Idolatry may be committed to the Image of a Saint as was by the Gentiles committed unto Idols. Saints, as unto the Images of false Gods: yea thou mayst commit as great Idolatry to God, and yet before none outward Image, but before the image which thou hast feigned of God in thy heart, as thou mayst before an outward Image of the devil. The jews in the temple of God where was none Image of God, did as great imageservice to God, as the heathen unto their false Gods: yea the jews in doing to God the things which God commanded them, did commit worse Idolatry & sinned more grievously against God, than the heathen did in offering unto their false Gods, which thing to be true, the Prophets testify. For when the jews did their ceremonies and sacrifices: the meaning & signification lost, and the cause forgotten which God ordained them for: to flatter and please God with the gloriousness of the deed in itself, and to purchase aught of him for the costliness or properness of the present, what other made they of God in their imagination, than a child whom if he cry or be displeased, men still with a popet, or if we will have him to do aught, make him an horse of a stick. If thou bring a bowl of blood and set it before God, to flatter him, to Gross worshipping of God. struck him, and to cory and claw him, as he were an horse, and imaginest that he hath pleasure and delectation therein, what better makest thou of God, than a butcher's dog? If thou bring the fat of thy beasts to God, for the same imagination, what makest thou of God, but one that had need of grease to grease shoes or smear boots? If thou burnest blood and fat together to please God, what other thing dost thou make of God, than one that had lust to smell to burned flotesse? God commanded a courtesy of all Ceremonies. first ripe fruits to be offered: not to be an imageservice, but a witness and testimony that he had made them grow, that the people should not forget God, but think on his benefits and love him and of love keep his commandments. And likewise if any had sinned against God's law God commanded that they should repent, and then bring a beast and fly it and offer the blood and that fat of the inwards: not to make satistaction, but to testify only that God was pleased, and had of his mercy at the repentance of the heart forgiven the sin. The sacrifices of blood Sacrifices were ordained partly to be a secret prophesyeng of Christ's bloodshedding, & partly to be a testimony and certifiyeng of our hearts, that the sin was forgiven and peace made between us and God, and not to be a satisfaction. For that were imageservice, and to make an image of God. We read in the histories that when a love day or a truce was made between man and man the covenants were rehearsed: and upon that, they sl●e beasts in a memorial and remembrance of the appointment only. And so were the sacrifices signs and memorials only, that God was at one with us. For the jew could believe no The jews could believe nothing with out tokens. words though an angel had spoken, without a token, as we hold up our fingers and clap hands. And likewise whatsoever they were bid to do, they must have had a token of remembrance, though it had been but a ring of a rush, as it is to see in the Bible. Even so our images, relics, ceremonies Sacraments and ceremonies were ordained only for remembrances. and Sacraments were our memorials & signs of remembrance only. And he that giveth in his heart more to them then that, is an imageseruaunt. But when God is a spirit and worshipped in the spirit, we for lack of faith, being spiriteles, and having no power to desire of God any spiritual thing, serve God in the body, with imagined service, for such worldly things as our profession is to defy. Who kisseth a relic or beholdeth an image for love of the Saints living, to follow the example? Nay we will fast the Saints evens & go barefoot unto their Images and take pain, to obtain greater pleasure in the world, and to purchase worldly things as to maintain the body in lusts that the soul can not once wish for power to Idolatry. live as the Saints lived or to long for the life to come. If we went in pilgrimage to keep the remembrance of the Saints living in mind for our example, and fasted and went barefoot to tame that flesh that it should not lust after such worldly things which we now desire of the Saints, than did our fasting and pilgrimage going serve us, yea & the Saint were yet our servant to edify us in Christ with the remembrance of his life left behind, to preach and to provoke us to follow the example. For our bodily service can be no service unto the Saint which is a spirit, except we imagine him to be an Image. Saint White must have a cheese once in a year, and that of the greatest sort which yet eateth no cheese. It shallbe given unto the poor in her name say they. First that to be false we see with our eyes. secondarily Christ commandeth We aught to be frank and to distribute to our poor brethren, such as God hath sent us. to care for the poor, and give them all that we may spare in his name: saying that what is given them is given him, and what is denied them is denied him. If the law of Christ be written in thy heart, why distributest thou not unto thy brethren with thy own hands, in the name of thy Saviour jesus Christ which died both for them & thee, as thou hast vowed and promised to him in thy Baptism. It is given unto Saint Whites Superstitious Popery are Idolatry. chaplain. Saint Whites chaplain hath a stipend already sufficient for a Christian man, and aught to receive no more, but therewith to be content and to be an example of despising covetousness. Moreover that Priest that would follow the living of jesus Christ as Saint White did, and teach his Parisshens to do so, were a right chaplain of Christ. And they have a promise to be fed & clothed as well as ever was their master in the name of Christ. And so be they and ever were, so that they need not to beg in the name of saint White. What shall Saint White do for thee again for that great cheese? (for I wots well it is not given for naught) Give abundance of milk to make butter and cheese? All we that believe in Christ, are the sons of God, and God hath promised to care for us, as much as we care for the keeping of his commandments, and hath promised that we shall receive what soever we ask to his honour and our need, of his hand. If then we be the natural sons of God, why run we from our father, a begging to Saint White? Saint White sendeth no rain upon the earth nor maketh In all our needs we must call upon God in the name of jesus Christ & he will ●eare us. the sun shine thereon nor maketh the grass grow. Neither is there any God's word that he will now do so much for us at her request. But God hath promised if we will keep his laws to do so much for us at our own request, for the blood of his son jesus. What other thing than is thy serving of Saint White, them lack of faith & trust to Godward in Christ's name, and a false faith of thy own feigning to Saint Whiteward for thy imageservice or serving her with cheese, as though she were a bodily thing? And like disputation is it of all other saints. And as we worship the Saints with imageservice to obtain temporal things: even so worship we God. And as the jews turned their sacrifices unto imageservice which were given them of God to be signs to move them to serve God in the spirit: Even The mass as the pope useth it is damnable Idolatry. so have we our Sacraments. And for an example let us take the Mass, which after the Pope's abuse of it, is the most damnable imageservice that ever was sense it began. Christ according to the testimony of the Scripture, made in the days of his flesh, satisfaction for all the sin of them that had or should be leave in his name, & obtained that they should be the sons of God, and taken from under the damnation of the law and put under grace and mercy, & that God should henceforth deal with them as a merciful father dealeth with his children that run not away from him, not though aught be at a time We must e●er cleave unto God and submit ourselves to his mercy. chanced amiss: but tarry ever still by their father and by his doctrine, & confess their trespass, and promise' henceforth to enforce themselves unto the uttermost of their power that they do no more so negligently. And this purchase made he with the things which he suffered in his flesh, & with the strong prayers which he prayed. And to keep his Testament, everfresh in mind, that it were not forgot, he left with us the Sacrament or sign of his body and blood, to strength our faith and to certify our conscience, that our sins were forgiven assoon as we repented and had reconciled ourselves unto our brethren: and to arm our souls, through the continual remembrance of Christ's death, unto the despising of the world, mortifying of the flesh, & quenching of the lusts and thirst of worldly things. As they which have daily conversation with the sick and miserable and are present at the deaths of men, are moved to defy the world, and the lusts thereof. And as Christ had institute the Sacrament The mass at the first was a declaration of Christ's passion. of his body and blood, so the bishops in process of time, set signs of all the rest of Christ's passion, in the ornaments and gestures of the Mass: so that the, whole passion was daily described before our eyes, as though we had presently looked upon it. And that thou mayst see for what cause they came unto the Sacrament, they reconciled themselves each one to other, if any man had offended his brother, ere they were admitted into the congregation or body of Christ to be members of each other knit together in one faith and love to eat the lords Supper (as Paul calleth it) for the congregation 1. Cor. 11. 1. Cor. 10. and 12. Ephe. 1 thus gathered is called Christ's body and Christ their head. And likewise if a man had been taken in open sin, against the profession of his Baptism, he was rebuked openly. And he confessed his sin openly, and asked forgiveness of God and of the congregation whom he had offended with the example of his evil deed: and took penance as they call it, of the congregation, What penance was. that is, certain discreet injunctions how he should live and order himself in time to come & came his flesh, for the avoiding of the said vice: because his confession and repentance which he seemed to have, should be none hypocrisy, but an earnest thing. For if an open sinner be found among us, we must immediately amend him or cast him out of the congregation with defiance and decestation of his sin, as thou seist how quickly Paul cast out the Corinthian, that kept his father's wife, and when he was warned would not amend. Or else if we suffer grievous sin, not passed upon. such to be among us unrebuked, we can not but at once fall from the constancy of our profession, and laugh and have delectation and consent unto their sin, as it is come to pass throughout all Christendom. Which is ten thousand times more abominable than if we sinned ourselves. For the best man in the world that hateth sin, might at a time through frailty of the flesh be drawn to sin. But it is altogether devilish and a sure token that the spirit of Christ is not in us, nor the profession of our Baptism written in the heart, if we laugh at an other man's sins, though we ourselves abstain for shame or fear of hell or for what so ever imagination it be, or that we be so blind that we see no other sin in us, than our outward deeds. And the penance Discipline used in the primative Church. enjoined frail people that could not rule themselves was under the authority of the Curate, and the sad and discrete men of the Parish, to release part or all at a time if necessity required, or when they saw the person so grown in perfectness that he needed it not. But see whereto it is now come, & after what manner our holy father that is at Rome dispenseth withal together? And see what our Bishop's officers do, and where the authority of the Curate and of the Parish is become. If in ten Parishes round there be not one learned and discreet to help the other, than the devil hath a great swing among us: that the bishops officers that devil so far of, must abuse us as they do. And if within a Diocese or an whole land, we can find no shift, but that the Pope that dwelleth at the devil in hell, must thus mock us, what a stroke think you hath Satan among us? And all is because we be hypocrites and love not the way of truth, for all our pretending the contrary. And to begin with all, they said Confiteor, The description of the parts of the mass and knowledged themselves to be sinners. And then the Priest prayed in general for all estates and degrees and for increase of grace, and in especially, if need required: unto which prayers the people hearkened and said Amen. And then the Gospel and glad tidings of forgiveness of sins was preached, to stir our faith. And then the Sacrament was ministered for the confirmation of the faith of the Gospel, and of the Testament made between God and us of forgiveness of sins in Christ's blood, for our repentance and faith: as you see how after all bargains there is a sign thereof made, either clapping of hands, or bowing a penny or a groat, or a piece of gold, or giving some earnest, and as I showed you, how after a truce made they slew beasts, for a confirmation. And then men departed, every man to his business, full certified that their sins were forgiven, and armed with the remembrance of Christ's passion and death for the mortifying of the flesh all the day after. And in all these was neither the Sacrament, neither other ceremonies of the Mass, imageservice to God, and holy deeds to make satisfaction for our sins, or to purchase such worldly things as the Gospel teacheth us to despise. And now compare this use of the Mass to ours, and see whether the Mass be not become the most damnable Idolatry & image service that ever was in the world. We never reconcile ourselves unto The abominable use of the mass our brethren which we have offended: we receive unto our Mass open sinners, the covetous, the extortioners, the adulter, the backbiter, the common whore, and the whore keeper, which have no part in Christ by that Scripture, you such are suffered to say the Mass, as the use is now to speak, you such are we compelled with the sword to take for our pastors and Curates of our souls and not so hardy to rebuke them. Neither do they repeut and confess their sins, and promise' amendment, or submit themselves to wholesome injunctions for the avoiding of such sins, and taming of their flesh. We say Confiteor and knowledge ourselves to be sinners in Latin, but never repent in English. The Priest prayeth in Latin and says evermore a still Mass, as we say. For though he sing and strain his throat to cry ●onde unto them that be by him, yet as long as no man woteth what he prayeth, or whether he bless or curse, he is doubt and speechless. And so in that part we abide fruitless and untaught how to pray unto God. And the Gospel is song or said in Latin only and no preaching of repentance toward the law & faith toward Christ had. And therefore abide we ever faithless and without studying to amend our livings. And of the ceremonies of the Mass we have no other imagination, then that they be an holy service unto God which he receiveth of our hands and hath great delectation in them and that we purchase great favour of God with them, as we do of great men here in the world with gifts and presents. In so much that if the Priest said Mass without those vestiments or left the other ceremonies undone, we should all quake for fear, & think that there were a sin committed enough to sink us all and that the priest for his labour were worthy to be put in the Pope's purgatory & there to be brent to ashes. And of the very Sacrament itself we know no other thing then that we come thither to see an unseable miracle, which they affirm, the angels in heaven have no power to do: Sed solis Presbyteris, quibus sic congruit, ut sumant nec dent caeteris: how that bread is turned The abuse of the Sacrament. into the body, and wine into the blood of Christ, to mock our seeing, sinelling, feeling and tasting, which is a very strong faith, and more a great deal (I think) then the text compelleth a man to. Nevertheless it were somewhat yet, if they had been as loning, kind, careful and diligent to teach the people to repent, and to believe in the blood of Christ for the forgiveness of their sins unto the glory of the mercy of God & of his exceeding love to us, and unto the profit of our souls, & upon that preaching to have ministered the Sacrament as a memorial, remembrance, sign, token, earnest, the seal of an obligation and clapping of hands together for the assurance of the promise of God, to quiet, establish and certify our consciences, and to put us out of all wavering & doubt that our sins were forgiven us and God become our father & at one with us, for which cause only Christ ordained it: as they were zealous and fervent to maintain the opinion of so turning bread and wine into the body & blood of Christ, that it ceaseth to be bread and wine in nature, unto their own glory and profit, without help of Scripture, but with subtle Arguments of sophistry and with crafty wiles. First with taking away half the sacrament, Half of the Sacrament kept from the lay people. jest if the people should have drunk the blood of Christ, they should have smelled the savour and felt the taste of wine, and so have been to weak to believe that there had been no wine. And secondarily when they dared not rob the people of all the Sacrament, they yet took away common bread, and imagined maunchetes which may not be handled, and in sight have no similitude of bread, and in eating very little ●ast, if there be any at all. And Thirdly whom they could not catch with those crafts, against him they disputed with the sword. For when they had taken away the signification and very intent of the Sacrament, to establish the ear confession, their merits, deservings, justifying of works and like invention unto their own glory and profit: what had the Sacrament been, if they had not made of that opinion an article of the faith? But now when they have destroyed for the nonce that faith which profited, and have set up with wiles, subtlety, falsehood, guile and with violence, that faith which profiteth not, we have good cause to judge and examine the doctrine of the spirits, whether it be grounded upon God's word or no. But I ask, wherefore we believe that Christ's body and his blood is there present? verily as many heads as many wits, every man hath his meaning. We take pains to come thither to see strange holy gestures, whereof, say they to their shame, who knoweth the meaning you or of the other disguising: and to hear strange holy voices, whereof, say I also that no man knoweth the understanding: and to look upon the Sacrament: and all to obtain worldly things, for that service. Why may not a man desire worldly things of God? Yes, we aught to ask of God only sufficiency of all worldly things, as we do spiritual things, yet not for bodily service, when God is a spirit: but for the goodness and mercy of our father and for the truth of his promise and deservings of his son. And so when we do men bodily service, we aught to look for our wages of God: jest if he move not the hearts of our masters, we be shrewdly paid: & like wise when we lend or bargain, we aught to desire God for payment, jest through our negligence he forget us, & the appointementes be not truly kept. Some there be yet, that ask heaven: but for bodily service, which is like abomination. But who cometh thither with repentance and faith, for to obtain forgiveness of his sins, and with purpose to walk in the life of penance for the taming of the flesh that he sin no more? and to establish his heart in that purpose, and to arm his soul against all that move to the contrary, and when he goeth home is certified in his conscience, through that sign and token, that his sins are forgiven him: as No was certified by the sign of the rain bow that the world should no more be overrun with water: and as Abraham The fruitful and profitable doctrine of the Sacraments are kept from us. was certified by the sign of Circumcision that God would fulfil to him and his offspring all the mercies that he had promised: and as Abraham Genesis. xv. when he asked a sign to be sure that he should possess that land of Canaan, was certified through the sign that God gave him thereof, and of the four hundred years that his posterity should be in thraldom in Egypt & of their deliverance: and as Gedeon was certified by the sign of his Flese, of the victory that God had promised him: and as many other that believed in God, were certified by the signs that God gave them, of the promises which God made them? Verily no man. For our Prelates which lay for themselves, compelle intrare, compel not us to enter into any such feast nor will suffer any such meat to be set before us: for fear of overthrowing the foundation of their false building whereof springeth so great glory and profit unto them, which foundation to build their lies upon, they could never have laid, except they had first thrust this doctrine of our soul's health clean out of knowledge. And as soon as they had blinded the light, they become leaders in darkness: and made of the Mass imageservice: so that the strange holy gestures, and the strange holy voices, and strange holy vestures, with all other strange holy ceremonies, must be meritorious works to deserve long life, health, riches, honour, favour, dignity and abundance of all that we have, forsaking our baptism, & to arm us from bearing of the cross with Christ. And they have made of it a pill of two contrary operations: so that the same medicine that preserveth our souls from purgatory, doth purge the body of house, lands, rents, goods and money, that it is made as bore as job and as baulde as a Cout. And the light that rebuketh them, they call seditious, that it maketh the subjects to rise against their Princes. Which thing the hypocrites laid sometime unto the Prophets, as you may see in the old Testament. And at last they laid it unto Christ's charge, as you may see in the Gospel, and to the charge of the Apostles, as you may see in the Acts. But at all such times, the hypocrites themselves stirred up such a sword to maintain their falsehood, that evermore a great part of the world perished through their own mischievous incensing and provoking Princes to battle. These hypocrites laid to Wickle●●es charge (and do yet) that his doctrine caused insurrection: but they, to quench the truth of his preaching, slay the right king, and set up iij. false kings a row: by which mischievous sedition, they caused half England to be slain up, and brought the Realm into such ruin and desolation that M. Moore could say in his Utopia, that as Englishmen were wont to eat sheep, even so their sheep now eat up them by whole Parishes at once, besides other inconveniencies that he then see. And so the hypocrites say now likewise: that god's word causeth insurrection: but you shall see shortly that these hypocrites themselves after their old wont and examples in quenching that truth that uttereth their juggling, shall 'cause all realms christian to rise one against an other, and some against themselves. You shall see them run out before the year come about, that which they have been in bruwing (as I have marked) above this dozen years. etc. ¶ This much I have said because of them that deceive you, to give you an occasion to judge the spirits. The Testament of master William Tracie Esquire, expounded by William Tyndall. Wherein thou shalt perceive with what charity the Chancellor of Worceter burned, when he took up the dead carcase and made ashes of it after it was buried. 1535. ¶ To the Reader. THou shalt understand most dear Reader that after William Tyndall was so judasly betrayed by an Englisheman, a Scholar of Lovayne, whose name is Philippes, there were certain things of his doing found: which he had intended to have put forth to the furtherance of God's word among which was this Testament of M. Tracie expounded by himself, whereunto was annexed, the exposition of the same of john Frithes doing and own hand writing, which I have caused to be put in Print, to the intent that all the world should see how earnestly the Cannonistes and spiritual lawyers (which be the chief rulers under Bishops in every Diocese, in so much that in every Cathedral Church the Deane Chancellor and Archdeacon are commonly doctors or Bachelors of law) do endeavour themselves justly to judge and spiritually to give sentence according to charity upon all the acts and deeds done of their Diocessanes, after the example of the Chancellor of Worceter, which after M. Tracie was buried (of pure zeal & love hardly) took up the dead carcase and burned it, wherefore he did it, it shall evidently appear to the Reader in this little treatise, read it therefore, I beseech thee & judge the spirits of our spirituality, and pray that the spirit of him that raised up Christ, may once inhabit them, and mollify their hearts, and so illumine them, that they may both see and show true light, & no longer to resist God nor his truth. Amen. The Testament itself. In the name of God. Amen. I William Tracie of Todyngton in the County of Gloceter Esquire, make my Testament and last will, as hereafter followeth. ¶ First, and before all other thing, I commit me unto God, & to his mercy, trusting without any doubt or mistrust, that by his grace and the merits of jesus Christ, and by the virtue of his passion, and of his resurrection, I have & shall have remission of my sins, and resurrection of body and soul, according as it is written job. nineteeen. I believe that my redeemer liveth, and that in the last day I shall rise out of the earth, and in my flesh shall see my Saviour, this my hope is laid up in my bosom. And as touching the wealth of my soul, the faith that I have taken & rehearsed, is sufficient (as I suppose) without any other man's work, or works. My ground and my belief is, that there is but one God and one medaitour between God and man, which is jesus Christ. So that I do except none in heaven nor in earth to be my mediator between me & God, but only jesus Christ, all other be but petitioners in receiving of grace, but none able to give influence of grace. And therefore will I bestow no part of my goods for that intent that any man should say, or do, to help my soul: for therein I trust only to the promise of God, he that believeth & is baptized shallbe saved, and he that believeth not shallbe damned, Mark, the last Chapter. And touching the burying of my body, it availeth me not what be done thereto, wherein S. Augustine De cura agenda promortuis saith, that they are rather the solace of them that live than the wealth or comfort of them that are departed, and therefore I remit it only to the discretion of mine executors. And touching the distribution of my temporal goods, my purpose is by the grace of God, to bestow them to be accepted as fruits of faith, So that I do not suppose that my merit be, by good bestowing of them, but my merit is the faith of jesus Christ only, by which faith such works are good according to the words of our Lord, Mat. twenty-five. I was hungry, and thou gavest me to eat, and it followeth, that you have done to the lest of my brethren you have done to me, etc. and ever we should consider the true sentence, that a good work maketh not a good man, but a good man maketh a good work, for faith maketh the man both good and righteous, for a righteous man liveth by faith. Rom. i and what soever springeth not out of faith, is sin. Rom. xiv. And all my temporal goods that I have not given, or delivered, or not given by writing of mine own hand bearing the date of this present writing I do leave and give to Margarete my wife, and to Richard my son which I make mine executors, witness this mine own hand, the x. day of October, in the xxij. year of the reign of king Henry the eight. Tyndall. NOw let us examine the I description of God. parts of this Testament sentence by sentence. First to commit ourselves to God above all, is the first of all precepts, & the first stone in the foundation of our faith, that we believe & put our trust in one God, one all true, one almighty, all good, & all merciful, cleaving fast to his truth, might, mercy, and goodness, surely certified & fully persuaded, that he is our God, yea ours, & to us all true, without all falsehood & guile & can not fail in his promises. And to us almighty, that his will can not be let to fulfil all the truth that he hath promised us. And to us all good, and all merciful, what soever we have done, and how soever grievously we have trespassed, so that jesus Christ the only way to his father. we come to him the way that he hath appointed, which way is jesus Christ only, as we shall see folowingly. This first clause then, is the first commandment, or at the lest, the first sentence in the first commandment, and the first Article of our Crede. And that this trust and confidence in the mercy of God is through jesus Christ, is the second article of our Crede confirmed and testified throughout all scripture. That Christ bringeth us into this grace, Paul proveth. Rom. u saying. justified by faith we are at peace with God, through jesus Christ our Lord: by whom we have an entering in unto this grace in which we stand. And Ephes. iij. By whom saith Paul we have a bold entering in, through the faith that is in him: and in the second of the said Epistle, By him we have an entering in unto the father, and a little before in the same Chapter, he is our peace. And john in the first Chapter. Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world, which sin was the bush that stopped the entering in, and kept us out, & the sword wherewith was kept the entering unto the tree of life from Adam and all his offspring. And in the second of the first of Peter, which bore our sins in his body, and by whose stripes we are made whole. By whom we have redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of our sins, Collos. i & Ephes. i And Rom. iiij. He was delivered for our sins and rose again for our iustifyeng. And concerning the resurrection, it The belief of the resurrection is an article of our faith is an article of our faith, and proved there sufficiently, and that it shallbe by the power of Christ, is also the open Scripture. john uj. This is the will of my father which sent me, that I loose nothing of all that he hath given me, but that I raise it up again in the last day, and again, I am the resurrection. john. xi. That this lively faith is sufficient to Faith is sufficient to justify us. justification without adding to of any more help, is this wise proved: The promiser is God of whom Paul saith, Rom. viii. If God be on our side what matter maketh it who be against us, he is thereto all good, all merciful, all true, and all mighty, wherefore sufficient to be believed by his oath, more over Christ in whom the promise is made hath received all power in heaven and in earth. Math. the last. He hath also a perpetual priesthood, and therefore able perpetually to save. Heb. seven. And that there is but one mediator Christ the only mediator between God and man. Christ, as Paul i Tim. ij. And by that word understand an attonemaker, a peace maker and bringer into grace and favour, having full power so to do. And that Christ is so, is proved at the full. It is written john. iij. The father loveth the son, and hath given all into his hand. And he that believeth the son hath everlasting life and he that believeth not the son shall not see life, but the wrath of God bideth upon him. All things are given me of my father. Luke x. And all who soever call on the name of the Lord shallbe saved. Acts. ij. Of his fullness have we all received, joh. i There is no other name given to man in which we must be saved. Acts. iiij. And again, unto his name bear all the Prophet's record, that by his name shall all that believe in him receive remission. Acts. x. In him dwelleth all the fullness of God bodily. Collos. ij. All what soever my father hath are mine. john. xuj. What soever you ask in my name that will I do for you john. xiv. One Lord, one faith, one Baptism, one God and father of all, which is above all, through all and in you all. Ephes. iiij. There is but one whose servant I am, to do his will. But one that shall pay me my wages, there is but one to whom I am bound, Ergo, but one that hath power over me to damn or save me, I will add to this Paul's Argument Balat. iij. GOD swore unto Abraham. cccc. year before Argumento proving our salvation in Christ. the law was given, that we should be saved by Christ. Ergo, the law given cccc. years after can not disannul that covenant, So dispute I: Christ when he had suffered his passion, and was risen again and entered into his glory, was sufficient for his Apostles, without any other mean or help, Ergo, the holiness of no Saint since hath diminished aught of that his power, but that he is as full sufficient now: for the promise is as deeply made to us as to them. Moreover the treasure of his mercy was laid up in Christ for all that should believe, yer the world was made, Ergo, nothing that hath happened sense hath changed the purpose of the inunuariable God. moreover to exclude the blind imagination The false faith of the down falling sinner. falsely called faith, of them that give themselves to vice without resistance, affirming, that they have no power to do otherwise, but that God hath so made them, and therefore must save them, they not intending or purposing to mend their living, but sinning with whole consent and full lust, he declareth what faith he means ij. manner of ways. First by that he says, who soever believeth and is baptized, shallbe saved. By which words he declareth faith in the promise between ●●od and 〈…〉 our souls. evidently, that he means that faith, that is in the promise made upon the appointment between God and us, that we should keep his law to the uttermost of our power, that is, he that believeth in Christ for the remission of sin, and is baptized to do the will of Christ, and to keep his law, of love, & to mortify the flesh, that man shallbe saved: and so is the imagination of these swine that will not leave wallowing themselves in every mire and puddle, clean excluded: for God never made God's promises have covenants annexed un to them, the breakers▪ ●herof are ●…luded 〈◊〉 the promise. promise but upon an appointment or covenant under which who soever will not come can be no partaker of the promise. True faith in Christ, giveth power to love the law of God: for it is written john the first, He gave them power to be the sons of God in that they believe in his name. Now to be the son of God, is to love righteousness, and hate unrighteousness and so to be like thy father. Hast thou then no power to love the law? so hast thou no faith in Christ's blood. And Rom. iij. We set up or maintain the law through faith, why so? for the preaching of faith ministereth the spirit. Gala. iij. And ij. Cor. iij. And the spirit lowseth the bands of Satan, & giveth power to love the law, and also to do it. For saith Paul Rom. viii. if the spirit of him that raised up jesus devil in you, then will he that raised up jesus quicken your mortal bodies by the means of his spirit dwelling in you. A well (will't thou say) if I must profess An objection of our adversaries against justification by faith. the law and work, Ergo, faith alone saveth me not. Be not deceived with sophistry: but withdraw thine ears from words and consider the thing in thine heart. Faith justifieth thee: that is bringeth remission of all A compendious declaration of our justification by faith. sins, and setteth thee in the state of grace before all works, and getteth thee power to work yet thou couldst work, but if thou will't not go back again, but continued in grace, and come to that salvation and glorious resurrection of Christ, thou must work and join works to thy faith in will, and deed to, if thou have time and leisure, and as often as thou fallest set thee on thy faith again without help of works. And although when thou art reconciled & restored to grace, works be required: yet is not that reconciling and grace the benefit of the works that follow: but clean contrary, that forgiveness of thy sins and restoring to favour deserve the works that follow. Though when the king (after that sentence A similitude of an earthly king pardoning a condemned person. of death is given upon a murderer) hath pardoned him, at the request of some of his friends, works be required of him that he henceforth keep the kings laws, if he will continued in his grace's favour, in which he now standeth, yet the benefit of his life proceedeth not of the deserving of the works that follow, but of the kings goodness, and favour of his friends, yea and that benefit and gift of his life deserve the works that follow. Though the father chastise the child, yet is the child no less bound to obey, and to do the will of the father. If when the father pardoneth it, the works that follow deserve that favour, then must the works that followed the correction have deserved favour also: and then was the father unrighteous to chastise it. All what soever thou art able to do, to please God with all, is thy duty to do, though thou hadst never sinned, if it be thy duty how can it then be the deserving of the mercy and grace that went before? Now that mercy, was the benefit of God thy father through the deserving of that Lord Christ, which hath bought thee with the price of his blood. And again when he saith that he purposeth to bestow his good, to be accepted as fruits of faith, it is evident that he means that living faith which professeth the law of God, and is the mother of all good works, yea and nurse thereto. another ca●illation which they might make in the second part, where he admitteth no other mediator but Christ only, nor will give of his goods, to bind any man to any feigned observance for the help of his soul, when he were whole in the kingdom of Christ clean delivered both body and soul from the dominion of Satan (as the Scripture testifieth all that die in Christ to be) is this, they will say, that he held that none should pray for him save Christ, and that we be not bond to pray one for an other, nor aught to desire the prayers of an other man: that he excludeth, in that he saith all other be but petitioners. By The prayer of the faithful for his brother taking effect, thanks therefore mu●● wholly be attributed to the giver. which words he plainly confesseth that other may and aught for to pray, and that we may and aught to desire other to pray for us: but means that we may not put our trust and confidence in their prayer, as though they gave of themselves that which they desire for us in their petitions, and so give them the thanks, & ascribe to their merits that which is given us in the name of our master Christ, at the deservings of his blood. Christ is my Lord, & hath deserved and also obtained power, to give me all that can be desired for me. And all that other desire for me: this is desired in Christ's name & given at the merits of his blood. All the honour then, trust, confidence, and thanks, pertain to him also. Some will haply say, how should I desire an other to pray for me, and not trust to his prayer. Verily even as I desire my neighbour All our help is from above, for man can not help ●ut when God prepareth his heart. to help me at my need, and yet trust not to him. Christ hath commanded us to love each other. Now when I go or desire help, I put my trust in God, and complain to God first, and say, Lo father, I go to my brother, to ask help in thy name, prepare the heart of him against I come: that he may pity me and help me for thy sake etc. Now if my brother remember his duty & help me, I received it of God, and give God the thanks which moved the heart of my brother & gave my brother a courage to help me & wherewith to do it, and so hath holp me by my brother. And I love my brother again and say: Lo father I went to my brother in thy name, and he hath holp me for thy sake: wherefore O father be thou as merciful to him at his need, as he hath been to me for thy sake, at my need. Lo now as my brother did his duty when he holp me, so do I my duty when I pray for him again: and as I might not have put my trust and confidence in my brother's help, so may he not in my prayers. I am sure that God will help me by his promise, but am not sure that my brother will help me, though it be his duty, so am I sure that God will hear me what soever I ask in Christ's name by his promise, but am not sure that my brother will pray for me, or that he hath a good heart to God. No. But the Saints in heaven cannot but pray and be hard, no more can the Saints in earth, but pray and he herded neither. Moses, Samuel, David, Noye, Elias, Elizeus, Esayas, Daniel, and all the Prophets prayed and were herded: yet was none of those wicked that would not put their trust in God, according to their doctrine and preaching partaker of their prayers in the end. And as damnable as it Praying to Saintes is damnable. is for the poor to trust in the riches of the richest upon earth, so damnable is it also to leave the covenant made in Christ's blood, and to trust in the saint of heaven. They that be in heaven know the elect that trust in Christ's blood & profess the law of God and for them only pray: and these wicked Idolaters which have no trust in the covenant of God, nor serve God in the spirit nor in the Gospel of Christ's blood, but after their blind Imagination, choosing them everyman a sundry Saint to be their Mediator, to trust to and to be saved by their merits, do the Saints abhor and defy. And their prayers and offerings, are to the Saints abhor them that pray unto them. Saints as acceptable and pleasant, as was the prayer and the offering of Simon Magus to Peter. Act. viii. Moreover the Saints in their most cumbrance are most comforted & most able to comfort other, as Paul testifieth. i Cor. i In so much that S. Stephen and S. james prayed for them that slew them, S. Martin preached & comforted his desperate brethren even unto the last breath, & likewise (as stories make mention) did innumerable mother. Yea and I have known of simple unlearned people & that of some that were great sinners which at the hour of death have fallen flat on the blood of Christ, and given no room to other men's either prayers or preachings: but have as strongly trusted in Christ's blood, as ever did Peter or Paul, and have thereto preached it to other, & exhorted other so mightily that an angel of heaven could not mend them. Who then should resist God that he might not give the same grace to M. Tracie, which was a learned man, and M. Tracie studious in S. Austen. better seen in the works of S. Austen. xx. year before he died, then ever I known Doccour in England, but that he must then faint and shrink, when most need is to be strong, & fear the Pope's Purgatory & trust to the prayer of Priests dearly paid for? I dare say that he prayed for the Priests when he died, that God would convert a great many of them, and if he had known of any good man among them that had needed, he would have given, and if he had known of any lack of priests, he would have given to maintain more: But now sense there be more then enough, & have more than every man a sufficient living, how should he have given them but to hire their prayers of pure mistrust in Christ's blood? If robbing of widows houses under pretence of long prayers be damnable. Math. twenty-three. Then is it damnable also for widows to suffer themselves to be rob by the long pattering of hypocrites, through mistrust in Christ's blood: yea and is it not damnable to maintain such abomination? Now when this danuation is spread over all, how can we give them that have enough already, or how can they that have enough already take more under the name of praying, & not harden the people more in this danuable damnation. And concerning the burying of his body he allegeth S. Austen, neither is there any man (think I) so mad to affirm that the outward pomp of the body should help the soul. Moreover what greater sign of infidelity is there, then to care at the time of death, with what pomp the carcase shallbe carried to the grave? He denieth not but Burials must be celebrated honourably for the hope of our resurrection. that a Christian man should be honourably buried namely for the honour and hope of the resurrection, and therefore committed that care to his dear executors his son and his wife, which he witted would in that part do sufficient, & leave nothing of the use of the country undone, but the abuse. And that best awyng of a great part of his goods (while be yet lived) upon the poor, to be thankful for the mercy received, without buying and selling with God, that is, without binding those poor unto any other appointed One must pray for an other, and one help an other. prayers than God hath bond us already, one to pray for an other, one to help an other, as he hath helped us, but patiently abiding for the blessings that God hath appointed unto all manner good works, trusting faithfully to his promise, thanking (as you may see by his words) the blood of Christ for the reward promised to his works and not the goodness of the works as though he had done more than his duty, or all that: And assigned by writing unto whom an other part should be distrubuted, and giving the rest to his executors, that no strife should be, which executors were by right the heirs of all that was left to them: These things I say are signs evident A true Christian fears not the Pope's Purgatory. not only of a good Christian man, but also of a perfect Christian man, and of such a one as needed not to be aghast and desperate for fear of the painful pains of Purgatory, which who so fears as they fayne it can not but utterly abhor death: seeing that Christ is there no longer thy Lord, after he hath brought thee thither, but art excluded from his satisfaction, and must satisfy for thyself alone, and that with suffering pain only, or else tarrying the satisfying of them that shall never satisfy enough for themselves, or gaping for the Pope's pardons, which have so great doubts and dangers, what in the mind and intent of the granter, and what in the purchaser, year they can be truly obtained with all due circumstances, and much less certitude that they have any authority at all. Paul thristed to be dissolved & to be with Christ: Stephen desired Christ to take his spirit, the Prophets also desired God to take their souls from them, and all the Saints went with a lusty courage to death, neither fearing or teaching us to fear any such crudelity. Where hath the Church then got authority to bind us from being so perfit, from having any such faith in the goodness of God our Father, and Lord Christ, and to make such perfitues and faith of all heresies the greatest? Solomon says in the thirty. of his proverbs, three things are insatiable and the fourth saith never, It is enough. But there is a fift called dame anarice, with as greedy a gut; as melting a Covetousness prettily described. maw, as wide a throat, as gaping a mouth, and with as ravening teeth as the best, which the more she eateth the hongryer she is. An unquiet evil never at rest, a blind monster and a surmising beast, fearing at the fall of every leaf. Quid non mortalia pectora cogis, auri sacrafames? What doth not that holy hunger compel them that love this world inordinately, to commit? might that devils belie be once full, truth should have audience, and words be constcued a right, and taken in the same sense as they be meant. Though it seem not impossible haply that there might be a place, where the souls might be kept for a space, to be taught and instruct: yet that there should be fitch a jail as they jangle, and such fashions as they fain, is plain impossible and repugnant to the Scripture: for when a man is translated veterly out of the kingdom of Satan, and so confirmed in grace that he can not sin, so burning in love that his lust can not be plucked from God's will, and being partaker with us of all the promises of God and under the commandments: what could God granteth all things to the faithful. be denied him in that deep innocency of his most kind father, that hath left no mercy unpromised, and asking it thereto in the name of his son jesus, the child of his hearts lust, which is our Lord & hath left no mercy undeserved for us? namely when GOD hath sworn that he will put of righteousness, and be to us a father, and that of all mercy, and hath slain his most dear son jesus, to confirm his oath. Finally seeing that Christ's love taketh all to the best, and nothing is here that may not be well understanded (the circumstances declaring in what sense all was meant) they aught to have interpreted in charitably, if aught had been found doubtful or seeming to sound amiss. Moreover if any thing had been therein that could not have been taken well, yet their part had been to have interpret it as spoken of idleness of the head, by the reason of sickness, for as much as the man was virtuous, wise, and well learned, and of good fame, and report, and sound in the faith while he was a live. But if they say he was suspect when he was a live, then is their doing so much the worse, and to be thought that they feared his doctrine when he was a live, and mistrusted their own part, their consciences testifying to them that he held no other doctrine than that was true, seeing they then neither spoke nor written against him, nor brought him to any examination. Besides that, some merry fellows will think, that they aught first to have sent to him to wit whether he would have revoked, yet they had so despitefully burned the dead body, that could not answer for itself, nor interpret his words, how he meant them, namely the man being of so worshipful and ancient a blood. But here will I make at end desiring that reader to look on this thing with indifferent eyes, and judge whether I have expounded the words of this Testament as they should seem to signify, or not, judge also whether the maker thereof seem not by his work both virtuous and godly: which if it so be, think that he was the worse because the dead body was burned to ashes, but rather learn to know the great desire that hypocrites have to find one craft or other to dase the truth with, & 'cause it to be counted for heresy of the simple and unlearned people which are so ignorant they can not spy their subtlety, it must needs be heresy that toucheth Papists burn both quick and dead if they touch their rotten sores. any thing their rotten bile they will have it so who soever say nay: only the eternal God must be prayed to night & day to amend them in whose power it only lieth. Who also grant them once earnestly to thirst his true doctrine contained in the sweet and pure fountains of his Scriptures and in his paths to direct their ways. AMEN. Here endeth the Exposition of Master Tracies will, by William Tyndall. ¶ A fruitful and godly treatise expressing the right institution and usage of the Sacraments of Baptism, and the Sacrament of the body and blood of our Saviour jesus Christ. Compiled by William Tyndall. TO understand the pith of the Sacraments, how they came up, & the very meaning of them, we must consider diligently the manners & fashions of the Hebrues, which were a people of great gravity & sadness, and earnest in all their doings, if any notable thing chanced among them, so that they not only wrote, but also set up pillars, and marks, & divers writings and monuments preserve the memory of notable doings. Gene. 32. signs to testify the same unto their posterity, and named the places where the things were done, with such names as could not but keep the deeds in memory. As jacob called the place where he see God face to face, Pheniell, that is, God's face. And the place where the Egyptians mourned for jacob seven days, the people of the country called Abel Miram, (that is) Gene. 50. the lamentation of the Egyptians, to the intent that such names should keep the gests and stories in mind. And likewise in all their covenants they not only promised one to another and swore thereon, but also set up signs and tokens thereof, and gave the A sure hand of all couena●tes amongst the jews. places names to keep the thing in mind. And they used thereto such circumstances, protestations, solemn fashions and ceremonies, to confirm the covenants, and to testify that they were made with great earnest advise and deliberation, to the intent that it should be to much shame, and to much abomination both before God and man, to break them ever after. As Abraham Genes. 21. when he made a covenant of peace with Abimeleck Gene. 21. king of the Philistines, after they had eaten and drunk together, and sworn, he put seven Lambs by themselves, and Abimelecke received them of his hand, to testify that he there had digged a certain well, and that the right thereof pertained to him. And he called the well Beer Seba: the well of Swearing, or the well of senem, The well of swearing or the well of seven. because of the oath, & of the seven lambs, and by that title did Abraham his children challenge it many hundred years after. And when jacob & Laban made Gene. 31. a coue●aunt together Genes. 31. they cast up an heap of stones in witness, and called it Giliad, the heap of witness, A heap of stones was a sufficient band for all covenants. and they bond each other for than and their posterity, that neither part should pass the heap to the others countreyward, to hurt or conquer their land: and Laban bound jacob also, that he should take no other wives besides his daughters, to vex them. And of all that covenant, they made that heap a witness, calling it the witnesseheape, that their children should inquire the cause of the name, & their father should declare unto them the history. And such fashions, as they use among them selves, did God also use to themward in all his notable deeds, whether of mercy in delivering them, or of wrath in punishing their disobedience and transgression, in all his promises to them, and covenants made between them and him. As when after the general flood Gene. 9 God made a covenant with No and all mankind & also withal living creatures, that he would no more drown the world he gave them the rain bow The rainbow a pledge of God's promise. to be a sign of the promises, and for to make it the better believed, and to keep it in mind for ever, he said, when I bring clouds upon the earth, I will put my bow in the clouds, and will look on it, and remember the everlasting covenant made between God and all living creatures. And Abram, (which signifieth an Gene. 17. excellent father) he named Abraham, the father of a great multitude of people, because he had promised to make him even so, and that his seed should be as the Stars, & as the sand of the Sea innumerable, and that name gave The blessing of God to Abraham. he him as a seal of the promise to confirm it, and to strengthen the faith of Abraham and his posterity, and to keep the promise in mind, that they might have wherewith to bind God and to conjure him, as Moses and the holy Prophets ever do, holding him fast to his own promise, and binding him with his own words, and bringing forth the obligation and seal thereof, in all times of necessity and temptation. After that he made a covenant with Gene. 17. Abraham to be his God, and the God of his posterity, and their shield & defender, and Abraham promised for him and his seed to be his people, and to believe and trust in him, & to keep his commandments, which covenant God caused to be written in the flesh of Abraham, and in the males of all his posterity, commanding the males to be Circumcised the eight day, or to be slain: which Circumcision was the Circumcision the seal of God's covenant with us. seal and obligation of the said covenant, to keep it in mind, and to testify that it was an earnest thing, whereby God challenged them to be his people and required the keeping of his laws of them, and faith to trust in him only and in no other thing for help and succour, and all that can be needful and necessary for man, And whereby he condemned the disobedient and rebellious, and punished them, and whereby also the godly challenged him to be their God and father, and to help and secure them at need, and to minister all things unto them according to all his promises. And though the seal of this covenant were not written in the flesh of the females, yet it served the womankind, bond them to God, to trust in him, and to keep his laws, as well as it did the men children, & the womankind not Circumcised in the flesh, yet through the help of the sign written in the males loving God's law, & trusting wholly in him, were truly Circumcised in the heart and soul before God. And as the maid children believing and loving God, whereunto the outward Circumcision bound them, were truly Circumcised before God: Even so the males having the flesh Circumcised, yet not believing, nor loving God (whereunto the outward Circumcision bound them) were uncircumcised before God, and God not bound to them, but had good right thereby to punish them: so that neither Circumcision, or to be uncircumcised, is aught worth (as S. Paul saith Rom. 2.) save for the keeping of the law Rom. 2. for if Circumcision help not to keep the law, so serveth it for naught, but for to condemn. And as the womankind uncircumcised were in as good case, as the males that were Circumcised: even so the infants of that maidens, which died uncircumcised, were in as good case, as the infants of males which died Circumcised. And in as good case by the same rule were the men children that died before the eight day: or else let them tell, why the covenant made between God and Abraham saved the man-child as soon as it was born, yea as soon as it had life in the mother's womb for the covenant, that God would be God of Abraham's seed, went over the fruit, as soon as it had life and then there is no reason, but that the covenant must needs pertain to the males, as soon as to the females. Wherefore the covenant must needs save the males unto the eight day and then the covenant was, that the ruler should slay the males only, if their friends did not Circumcise them, not that the Circumcision saved them, but to testify the covenant only. And then it followeth, that the infants that die unbaptised of us christian, that would baptize them at due time, and teach them to believe in Christ, are in as good case as these that die baptized, for as the covenant made to the God's promise reacheth to all Abraham's posterity. faith of Abraham, went over his seed, as soon as it had life, & before the sign was put on them: even so must needs the covenant made to all that believe in Christ's blood, go over that seed as soon as it hath life in the mother's womb, before the sign be put on it. For it is the covenant only, and not the sign that saveth us, though the sign be commanded to be put on at due time, to stir up faith of the covenant that saveth us: and in stead of Baptism to us is as Circumcision was to the jews Circuncision came our Baptism: where by we be received into the Religion of Christ and made partaker of his passion, and members of his Church, and whereby we are bound to believe in Christ, and in the father through him, for the remission of sins, and to keep the law of Christ, & to love each other, as he loved us, & whereby (if we thus believe and love) we calling God to be our father, and to do his will, shall receive remission of our sins through the merits of jesus Christ his son, as he hath promised. So now by baptism we be bound to God, and God to us, and the bond and seal of the covenant is written in our flesh, by which seal or writing God challengeth faith and love, under pain of just damnation. And we (if we believe and love) challenge (as it is above rehearsed) all mercy, and what soever we need, or else God must be an untrue God. And God hath bond us Christian men to receive this sign for our infirmities sake, to be a witness between him and us, and also to put this sign upon our children not binding us to any appointed time, but as it shall seem to us most convenient, to bring them to the knowledge of God the father, and of Christ, and of their duty to God and his law. And as the Circuncised in the flesh and not in the heart, hath no part in God's good promises: even so they that be baptized in the flesh, and not in heart hath no part in Christ's blood. And as the Circumcised in the heart and not in the flesh, had part in Gods good promises: Even so a Turk unbaptised (because he either knoweth not, that he aught to have it, or cannot for tyranny, if he believe in Christ, and love as Christ did and taught, then hath he his part in Christ's blood. And though the outward Circumcision, by the which God challengeth them to do him service, yea whether they would or not, and by the which they were taught to believe in God, & in the seed of Abraham, that should come, and bless all the world, and to love the law, and certified them also on the other side, of the good will of God, if they so did, thought (I say) it was the chief and most principal sign, (for so are such ceremonies called in the Hebrew, because they yet signify other things, then appeareth to the outward sense,) yet God gave them divers other signs, both to stir up faith in the promise made them, and also to keep the benefit of the mercy of God in mind. As in Exodus. 13. all the first born both of man and beast are sanctified and Axod. 13. dedicated unto the Lord for a remembrance, that the Lord sieve all the first born of Egypt. This did God command to be observed, that their children should ask why: and he commanded their fathers to teach their children, when they should ask what was meant thereby. Also Exodus. 20. the Saboth is commanded Exod. 20. to be observed, to be a sign, and to testify that God had sanctified, and dedicated or choose them, that they should be his people to keep his laws, & that he would be their God to keep them, and to testify also, that God hath created all things of naught in six days, and rested the seventh. Also Nun. x. where almighty God Nume. 10. commanded the children of Israel to blow a trumpet, when they entered in to battle against their enemies, and promised that they should be thought upon before the Lord their God, and saved from their enemies. And likewise in their solemn feasts God commanded them to blow trumpets over the sacrifice, to be a sign unto them, that God would think on them according to the covenant, made in the blood of the sacrifice. Lo the trumpets were commanded to be blown, not that God delighted in the noise of the trumpets, but in the faith of his people. Also Nume. 15. the Israelites are commanded to make yellow guards upon Nume. 15. their garments, to put them in remembrance to keep his commandments, that they should do nothing after their own imagination, nor observe any fashion, that pleased their own eyes. Whereby you see that ceremonies are not a service to God, but a service to man, to put him in mind of the covenant, and to stir up faith and love, which are Gods spiritual sacrifices in man's heart etc. And jehosua 4. when the water of josua. 4. jordane had given place, to go over by dry ground, God commanded jehosua, to take xii. stones out of the bottom of jordan, and to pitch them on the land, to keep the deed in memory, & commanded when the children should ask what the stones meant, that their father should teach them. In the 3. of kings. 11. Ahiah the 3. Reg. 11. Prophet tare the clock of jeroboam in xii. pieces, and bade him take x. in sign, that he should reign over x. of the tribes. In 4. Reg. 13. Eliseus' made johab 4. Reg. 13. king of Israel open a window Eastward toward the Syrians, and made him to shoot out an arrow, and said it is the arrow of victory through the Lord against the Syrians: and that did he to stablish the kings faith in God, that he should with Gods help overcome the Syrians, and then he bade the king smite the ground with an arrow, and the king smote it thrice where by he prophesied and certified the king that he should thrice overcome the Syrians. And Esayas in his xii. chapter was Esay. 12. commanded to go naked and barefoot, to be a sign that Egypt, in whom the children of Israel trusted, should be so carried away of Nabuchadnezzar. And jeremias 27. cometh among jerem. 27. the people with bonds and chains put about his neck, and showeth them unto all the kings of those countries, in token that they must be under the yoke of Nabuchadnezzar king of Babylon. God so used to give them signs, that they would not believe without signs, as you may see not only in the old Testament, but also in the new. How the jews asked Christ saying, what sign dost thou show us? etc. And Paul. 1. Cor. 1. the jews asked signs. Also Zacharias john Baptistes' father asked a sign, and the angel gave Luke. 1. it him. Christ's mother also asked a sign, and the angel gave her Elizabeth to Luke. 1. a sign. And unto the shepherds gave the Luke. 2. angel a sign, as you read, Luke. 2. And Exod. xii. God gave the children Exod. 12. of Israel the sign of Pesah, which we call the Easter Lamb, for a sign that the time was come, that the children of Israel should be delivered out of Egypt. And therefore God sent Moses and Aaron to them, which wrought many miracles among them, to stir up their faith to the promise of that deliverance, against the manifold and sore temptations to the contrary, through the most strait and grievous bondage & merciless oppression. And in that most specially, that Pharaoh was waxed ten times worse to them, after the coming of Moses and Aaron than before, yet in the last night in which he had promised to smite the first born of Egypt, both of man and of beast, and Exod. 12. to deliver them, he commanded them to take for every house a Lamb, or a kid, and to slay them, and to strike the door posts with the blood, to be a sign to them, and a seal of the promise that God would deliver them that night, both out of the hands of Pharaoh, and also from the smiting of the angel, that went about all Egypt and slew the first born in every house. And this sign Pesah, beside that it The institution of that Pa●ch all lamb. was a seal of the promise to be delivered the same night, to establish the faith, and commanded to be observed ever after yearly, to keep the benefit in memory, it was also a very prophecy of the passion of Christ, describing the very manner and fashion of his death, and the effect & virtue thereof also. In whose stead is the Sacrament of the body & blood of Christ come, as Baptism in the room or stead of Circumcision. To see how Christ was prophesied and described therein, consider & mark, how that the kid or Lamb must be without spot or blemish, and so was Christ only of all mankind, in the sight of God and of his law. It must be taken up the tenth day of the first month, which is the x. day of the first new mane in March, for so count they their months from the new Moon, & there began in 〈◊〉 time of March with us. And the same day came Christ to jerusalem, there to be offered, and to suffer his passion. It must be offered the xiv. day of the same month at night, and the same hour begun Christ his passion, he was the same hour betrayed, and persecuted all night, and taken in the morning early. The fear of death was the same hour upon him, neither slept he any more after, but went immediately, as soon as he had comforted his Disciples, into the place where he was taken, to abide his persecutors, where also he sweet water and blood, of very agony conceived of his passion so nigh at hand. The blood strike on the posts Christ's death figured by the paschal lamb. saved them, that they were not plagued with the Egyptians, & delivered them out of the captivity of Pharaoh. And the blood of Christ strike on the posts of our consciences, delivereth us from the captivity of Pharaoh the devil, and smiting of his angels etc. There might not a bone thereof be broken, no more were there of Christ's, though the ij. that were hanged with him, had either of them his legs & his arms broken. Moreover that it was a very prophecy of the death of Christ, & of the virtue of his passion, it is made the more manifest by the words of Christ himself. Luke. 22. for the night before his Luke. 22. passion, when he had eaten Pesah with his Disciples, he said, I will no more ●ate of it henceforth, till it be fulfilled in the kingdom of GOD. As who should say. This memorial, which we yearly have hitherto observed, was once fulfilled in the kingdom of this world, when your fathers were delivered out of bondage and servitude of the Egyptians. But it hath yet an other Christ's exposition of that paschal lamb. signification hitherto unknown unto you, which must be fulfilled spiritually in the kingdom of God, by my passion that is at hand, and blood that now shall shortly be shed, by the which you shallbe delivered out of the power of Satan, sin, and hell, & made heirs of the kingdom of heaven. Neither was it the lambs blood, that delivered you then. For what regard hath God in the blood of sheep and calves? but the blood of Christ, (whom that lamb figured, and described his innocency, pureness, and obedience to his father, and compassion to mankind ward, whose feeble nature he had put on with all the infirmities of the same, (save sin) did then deliver you, to bring you to the faith of this deliverance, and to make you through faith partakers thereof. Many things there be in the Scripture The Scriptures of God 〈◊〉 full of hi●den mysteries. which have a carnal fulfilling, even there where they be spoken, or done, and yet have an other spiritual signification, to be fulfilled long after in Christ and his kingdom, and yet never known till the thing be done. As the Serpent of Brass, which Moses Nun. 21. john. 3. hanged up in the wilderness, though it took effect carnally in the wilderness, yet it so describeth the lifting up of Christ upon the cross, & the virtue of his passion, that no tongue could better declare it to make the heart feel it. If you ask, why they may not be known, till they be done, and what prophecy may help: I answer. If men did understand them before they were done, they would endeavour to let the fulfilling of them, and when the signification is fulfilled, then to see how plainly it was described in the Scripture, doth exceedingly confirm the faith thereof, and make it better to be understand. And when this Pesah was fulfilled 〈◊〉 the 〈…〉 was spiritually fulfilled in the kingdom of heaven. spiritually in the kingdom of heaven, by the death and blood shedding of Christ, it ended there. And in that room thereof (concerning that spiritual signification) came the sign of the Sacrament of the body and blood of our Saviour Christ, as Baptism came in stead of Circuncision, things more easy, & less 〈◊〉 ●…t●t, o● of that Sacrament of that body & b●… of our 〈…〉 Christ. painful and tedious to be observed, and more gentle to provoke and entice the Heathen. For as the lamb describeth the death of Christ to come, and the manner of his passion, by which we should be delivered: even so doth the ceremony of the body and blood of The paschal lamb 〈◊〉 the death and sacr●… 〈…〉 〈…〉 together. Christ testify unto us, that he hath given himself to death for us, and redeemed us already, if we believe, and cleave 〈◊〉 to the profession of our Baptism, 〈…〉 th●●in, or will (if any tempest had 〈◊〉 us out of the right course) return to the right way again. This to be so, the words of the Instituted declare, which are these. 1. Cor. 11. The Lord jesus the night that he 1. Cor. 11. was betrayed, took bread and gave thanks and broke it and said: Take, eat, this is my body that shallbe given for you: this do in remembrance of me. And likewise he took the cup when Supper was done, saying. This cup is the new Testament in my blood, this do as often as you shall drink it, in the remembrance of me. Here you see by these words that it was ordained to keep the death of Christ in mind, and to testify, that his body was given and his blood shed for us. And Luke. 22. This is my body that is given for you: do this in remembrance of me. And this cup is the new Testament in my blood, which shallbe shed for you. Lo The chief and only cause of the institution of the Sacrament. here you see again that it was instituted to keep that death of Christ in mind, and to testify wherefore he died, even to save us from sin, death, and hell, that we should seek none other means to be delivered with: for there is none other name for us to be saved by, but only by the name of jesus. Acts. 4. Acts. 4. And as the children of Israel stung of the fiery Serpents, could have none other remedy to save them from present death, then to go and behold the brazen Serpent hanged up by Moses in the wilderness, which looking on only healed them: Even so if the sting of 1. Cor. 15. death which is sin have wounded their soul, with the working of the law in the consciences, there is none other remedy, then to run to Christ, which shed his blood hanging upon the Cross, and to his everlasting Testament, and merciful promise, that it was shed for us, for the remission of our sins. If thou be stung with conscience of sin, & the Cockatrice of thy poisoned nature, hath beheld herself in the glass of the righteous law of GOD, there is none other salve for remedy, than to run to Christ immediately, and to the father through him, And to say: In all afflictions we must reso●● to Christ. father I have sinned against thee and thy godly, holy, and righteous law, & against my brother, whom I aught of all right to love for thy sake, as well as myself, forgive me O father for thy son jesus Christ's sake, according to thy most merciful promises & Testament, & I will ask my brother forgiveness (if the peace I mean be not made already) and will make to my power such satisfaction to him as shall seem right in his eyes, if he be reasonable or as the congregation shall assign, or faithful men thereunto appointed by the congregation, or such as I and he will agreed upon, and will endeavour myself to do so no more with the help of thy grace. And will submit myself We must be ordered by the congregation. to the wholesome ordinance of the congregation, according the doctrine of thy son jesus and of his faithful Apostles. For there is none other name Only by the name of jesus Christ cometh our salvation. Acts. 4. given under heaven, whereby we shallbe saved, but only the name of jesus. Hereof you see, that the Sacrament is an absolution of our sins, as often as we receive it, where it is truly taught and understand, and received a right. Hereof you see also, that as the Hebrues The nature of the Sacrament of the S●ppe● of our Lord written their stories, in covenants and signs, giving their signs such names as could not but keep them in mind: so God the father did follow the example of the people (or they following him) and commanded his Sacraments and ceremonies were first ordained by God to keep his covenants and promises in remembrance. promises, covenants, and prophecies to be written in gestures, signs, and ceremonies, giving them names, that could not but keep his covenants in mind. Even so Christ written the covenant of his body & blood, in bread and wine, giving them that name, that aught to keep covenant in remembrance. And hereof you see, that our Sacraments Sacraments are as stories to keep Christ's covenants in memory. are bodies of stories only, and that there is none other virtue in them, than to testify and exhibit to the senses and understanding the covenants & promises made in Christ's blood. And here you see that where the Sacraments or ceremonies, are not rightly understand there they be clean unprofitable. And as the Circumcision in the flesh, Circumcisio without faith availed noching their hearts still uncircumcised, hating the law of God and believing in their own imaginations, were Circumcised to their damnation. And as the baptised in the flesh Baptism with out faith availeth nothing. only, the heart still unclean, neither believing in Christ for the forgiveness of their sins, neither loving their neighbour for Christ's sake, are baptized also unto their greater damnation. (For though God have right to all men, because he hath created and made man: yet to all such people by reason of the sign and badge, and of their own consent, grant, and promise, he hath more right to the calling of them to the keeping of his law, if they trust in him only, or to damn them, because when they know their duty, or might if they would, (the sign moving them and giving them an occasion to ask the rather) and yet do it not.) Even so all that come to the Sacrament for any other purpose, than it was ordained and instituted for, (that is to say) to seek absotion of their sins, with a set purpose to sin no more, as nigh as they 〈…〉 to call to me 〈◊〉 the benefit of the passion of Christ, with that meditation to weaken the flesh, & to strength the spirit Against her, & to give thanks again, (that is to say) to call to mind, how much he is bound to love his neighbour, to help his need, and to 〈◊〉 his infirmity and to forgive him, 〈◊〉 have offended, and desire forgiveness, promising to amend, whereunto Christ bindeth all that willbe partakers of his blood. All such as are not thus prepared, come to their greater damnation. I pass over with silence the wicked 〈◊〉 damnable doctrine of these servants of Mammon, which for lucre pervert the true use of the Sacrament, and hide it from the people for their gain, teaching it to be a sacrifice, instituted of God to help the souls of the dead in Purgatory, and that it will make men rich, and bring them to such promotion, as Christ never promised his Disciples, but forbade it them. Some will say: This Sacrament Baptism and the Sacrament of Christ's body and blood are both necessary. needed not, Baptism is enough, Baptism, is a receiving into Religion, and there is the covenants made, what we shall do, and what we shall have. And baptism is a sign, whereby God hath right to us, and we to God, and to Christ, and whereby every man hath right to call other to do their duties, and to rebuke them that will not. Neither our salvation so greatly standeth in that or any other Sacrament, that we could not be saved without them, by preaching the word only. Nevertheless God hath written his will, to have his benefits kept in memory, to his glory and our benefit, and namely this benefit of all benefits, wherein The Sacrament of Baptism what it worketh in us. only the pith of our salvation rests: therefore though the effect of it be signified by Baptism, and though we be baptized to believe in that death of Christ, and to dye with him, by the mortifying of the flesh: yet doth this Sacrament The Sacrament of the body & blood of Christ, what it worketh in us. through that rehearsing of the covenant, and breaking of the bread, and pouring out of wine, much more lively express the whole story, & kept it better in memory, by daily repeating thereof, and hath more might and vehemency to heal the conscience stung with fresh sin. For the nature of man is so weak, so feeble, and so frail, that he can not but sin, as there is no man that liveth and sinneth not. Mark. 10. And when he is so fallen then the law looketh upon him with so terrible The law driveth a sinner to desperation. a countenance, & so thundereth in his ears, that he dare not abide, but turneth his back and to go, but the enemy still assaileth him on the other side, The devil enemy to man. to persuade him that GOD hath cast him away, saying: they that be Gods have power to keep his law, thou hast not, but breakest them: Ergo, thou art a cast away & a damned creature, and hell gapeth, and setteth open her mouth to devour him, & the flesh also wrestleth The flesh enemy to man. with the spirit to keep him down, and to take prisoner, and to stop his mouth that he cry no more upon her, that she might sin at pleasure without all fear. The careless swine that consent unto The impe●…ent and wilful sinner feeleth not the wrath of God in his law. sin, feel not these things neither the hypocrites that have put a vizard on their face of the law, and make her look with such a countenance as pleaseth them, but the poor folks that have the eyes open, and consent, and fain would do the law, they feel that can not be expressed with tongue. Neither is there living any man, that feeleth the virtue and power of the blood of Christ, which hath not first felt the strong pains of hell. Seeing then that this man is so sick, The law, the flesh & the devil are three great enemies unto man. so prove and ready to fall, and so cruelly invaded, when he hath sinned, of the fiend, the flesh, and the law, that he is often put to flight, and feared and made to run away from his father. Therefore hath the God of all mercy and of his infinite pity and bottomless compassion set up this Sacrament, as a Why the Sacraments were chief ordained by God. sign on an high hill, whence it may be seen on every side a far and near, to call again them that be fled and run away. And with this Sacrament he (as it were) clocketh to them, as an hen doth for her chickens, together them under the wings of his mercy. And God hath commanded his Sacraments to be had in daily use & the cause why. hath commanded his Sacrament to be had in continual use to put them in mind of mercy, laid up for them in Christ's blood, and to witness and testify it unto them, and to be the seal thereof. For the Sacrament doth much more vehemently print lively the faith, and make it sink down into the heart, then do bore words only. As a man is more sure of that he heareth, seethe, feeleth, smelleth, and tasteth then that he heareth only. Now when the words of the Testament The Sacrament of Christ's body, & blood 〈…〉 to. and promises are spoken over the bread. This is my body that shallbe broken for you. This is my blood that shallbe shed, for you, they confirm the ken of Christ's promise of our salvation in his death. faith, but much more when the Sacrament is seen with the eyes, & the bread broken, the wine poured out or looked on: and yet more when I taste it and smell it. As you see when a man maketh promise' to an other with light words between themselves, and as they departed, he to whom the promise is made, beginneth to doubt, whether the other spoke earnestly or mocked, and doubteth whether he will remember his promise to bide by it or not. But when any man speaketh with advisement and deliberation, the words are then more credible: but yet if he swear, it confirmeth the thing more, and yet the more, if he strake hands, if he give earnest, if he call record, if he give his hand writing, and seal it: so is the promise more, and more believed, for the heart gathereth: Lo he spoke with advisement, deliberation, and good sadness, he clapped hands, called records, and put to his hand and seal, the man cannot be so faint without the fear of God, as to deny all this: Shame shall make him bide by his promise, though he were such a man, that I could not compel him, if he would deny it. If a young man break a ring between him and a maid, doth not the fact testify, & make a presumption to all men, that his heart meant, as his words spoke. Manoha Sampsones father when judi. 13. he had seen an angel, jud. 13. he said to his wife, we shall surely dye, because we have seen the Lord But his wife gathered other comfort of the circumstances, and said, if the Lord would kill us, he would not have received such offerings of our hands, nor showed us such things as he hath, nor told us of things to come. Even so our hearts gather of the circumstances, protestations, and other miracles of God, good arguments and reasons, to establish our weak faith with all, such as we could not gather at bore words only. And this we dispute, God sent his A brief collection of the premises. son in our nature, & made him feel all our infirmities, that move us to sin, and named him jesus (that is to say) Saviour because he should save his people from their sins. Math. 1. Math. 1. And after his death he sent his Apostles to preach the things or tidings, and to thrust it in at the ears of us, & set up a Sacrament of it, to testify it to be a seal of it, to thrust it in, not at the ears only, by the rehearsing of the promises and Testament over it, neither at our eyes only in beholding it, but beat it in through our feeling, tasting and smelling also, and to be repeated daily, & to be ministered to us. He would not (think we) make half so much a do with us, if he loved us not, or if he would not have us fain come, and be as merciful to us, as he was to his friends in the old time, that fallen and rose again. God so then used the jews, (to whom all ceremonies were first given, and from whom they came to us) even such fashions as they used among themselves in all his promises and covenants, not for his necessity, but for ours, that such things should be a witness and testimony, between him and us, to confirm the faith of his promise, that we should not waver nor doubt in them, when we look on the seals of his obligations, wherewith he hath bond himself. And to keep the promises and covenants better in mind, and to make them the more deep sink in our hearts, and to be more earnestly regarded, and that we should ask what such things meant, and why God commanded them to be observed, that ignorance should not excuse, if we know not what we aught to do & believe, for natural reason aught to teach us, that that outward, corporal & bodily thing can not help the spiritual soul, and that GOD hath not delectation in such fantasy. Now if we were diligent to search for the good will of God, and would ask what such ceremonies meant, It were impossible, but then God, (which hath promised, Math. 7. If we seek we shall Math. 7. find,) would sand us true interpreters of his signs or Sacraments. And he that being of a lawful age To an ignorant and unfaithful person the Sacraments and ceremonies are sin. observeth a ceremony, and knoweth not the intent, to him is the ceremony not only unprofitable, but also hurtful, and cause of sin. In that he is not careful, and diligent to search for it, and he there observeth them with a false faith of his own imagination, thinking as all Idolaters do, and ever Idolatry what it is. have done, that the outward work is a sacrifice and service to God. The same therefore sinneth yet more deeper and more damnable: Neither is Idolatry The spiritual and right serving of God what it is. any other thing then to believe that a visible ceremony is a service to the invisible God whose service is spiritual as he is a spirit, and is none other thing then to know that all is of him and to trust in him only for all things and to love him for his great goodness and mercy above all, and our neighbours as ourselves for his sake: unto which spiritual serving of God, and to lead us to the same, the old ceremonies were ordained. These be now sufficient concerning the intent and use of the ceremonies & how they came up. Now let us consider the words of this Testament and promises as they be rehearsed of the three Evangelists Matthew, Mark, and Luke & of the Apostle Paul. For john which written last touched nothing that was sufficiently declared of other Math in the 26. thus saith, when Math. 26. Mark. 14. Luke. 22. 1. Cor. 11. they were eating jesus took bread & gave thanks and brake and gave his Disciples, and said, take, eat this is my body: And he took the cup and thanked The institution of the Sacraments of Christ's body and blood. and gave it them, saying: Drink you all of this, for this is my blood, which is of the new Testament, that is shed for many for the remission of sins. First you see by these words that the body was given to death, and the blood shed for the remiunion of sins and that for many. But who are these many? Verily Who they are that receive the benefit of Christ's death. they that turn to GOD to believe in him only and to endeavour them selves to keep his law from hence forth. Which many, yet in respect of them that love not the law, are but very few, and even that little flock that gave themselves wholly to follow Christ, wherefore if any man think he believe in Christ, and have not the law written in his heart to consent, that his duty is to love his brother for Christ sake as Christ loved him and to endeavour himself so to do, The faith of that same man is vain and built upon sand of of his own imagination and not upon the rock of God's word: for his word unto which he hath bond himself is, that they only which turn to God to keep his laws shall have mercy for Christ's sake. Drink of it all for it is The cup of the blood of Christ what it is. my blood of the new Testament, for it is (that is to say) the drink that is in the cup, or if you list the cup is my blood of the new Testament taking the cup for drink, by a manner of speaking used in all tongues as when we say. I have drunk a cup of wine, we take there the cup for the wine. My blood of this new Testament, that is to say my blood for whose shedding sake this new Testament and covenant is made to you, for the forgiveness of sin. The old Testament made between God and your fathers in mount Sinai in which, life was promised to them only that kept it, and to the breakers, death, wrath and vengeance, and to be accursed, and no mention made of mercy which was confirmed with blood, Exodus. 24. Exod. 24. Moses' offered half the blood to God and sprinkeled the people with the other half to confirm the covenant and to bind both parties: neither was there any covenant made that was not confirmed with blood as it is rehearsed Hebrues the 9 Hebr. 9 And as we see in the books of Moses, whose custom of bloushedding was not only to confirm those, old covenants, but also to be a prophecy of the blood that should be shed to confirm this Testament. That old cruel & fearful testament, which drawn the people away, so that they dared not abide the voice of thunder, nor the terrible sight of the fire, The great & merciful difference between the old Testament & the new. but went and stood a far of, was confirmed with the blood of calves. But this new and gentle Testament which calleth again and promises mercy to all that will amend: And as it is a better Testament, so is it confirmed with a better blood to make men see love, to love again, and to be a greater confirmation of the love promised. For if he The great mercy of God to mankind. gave us his son what will he deny us? If God so loved us when we were sinners and known him not, that he gave his son for us, how much more loveth he us now when we love again and would fain keep his commandments? In the old covenants the people were sprinkled with blood of calves without in their bodies to bind them to keep the law, else we were bound to just damnation for the breaking of it. Here it is said, drink of it every one, that your souls within may be sprinkled and washed through faith with the blood of the son of God for the forgiveness of sin and to be partakers of a more easy and kind Testament, under which if you sin through fragility you shallbe warned lovingly & received to mercy if you will turn again and amend. Mark. 14. Mark in the. 14. And as they did eat, jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, & gave it to them & said, Take, eat, this is my body: and he took the cup and when he had given thanks, he took it to them, & they all drank of it: And he said to them, this is my blood of the new Testament, which is shed for many. This is all one with Matthew as is aforesaid. Luke. 22. Luke in the 22. And he took bread & when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave to them, saying. This is my body which is given for you, this do in remembrance of me, Likewise also, when he had supped he took the cup, saying: This cup is the new Testament in my blood which is shed for you. The cause of the institution of the Sacrament of Christ's body. Here is also to be noted that that cause of the institution was to be a memorial to testify that Christ's body was given and his blood shed for us. And again where Matthew & Mark said, this is my blood in the new Testament. Luke saith, This cup is the new testament in my blood which shallbe shed for you. The sign of the body of Christ is called by the name of Christ's body, which is there signified. This is a strange speaking & far from the use of our tongue, to call the sign & confirmation by the name of the thing that is signified & confirmed. The Testament is that Christ's blood is shed for our sins. And Christ saith. This cup is that testament, signifying thereby that the thing that is meant by this ceremony is that we believe that his blood shedding is the remission of our sins, which is the very Testament. Paul 1. Cor. 11. 1. Cor. 11. says on this manner. That which I delivered unto you I received of the Lord For the Lord jesus the same night in the which he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it and said. Take you and eat, this is my body which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me: After the same manner also he took the cup when he had supped saying. This cup is the new Testament in my blood: this do as often as you drink it in the remembrance of me. For as often as you shall eat this bread and drink this cup you shall show the lords death until he come. As Matthew and Mark agreed in these words. So do Lucas and Paul And as it is above declared upon the words of Luke, and so here by often repeating one thing. This do in remembrance of me. This cup is the new Testament in my blood. This do as often as you drink it in the remembrance of me. Again, as often as you shall eat of this bread and drink of this cup, so often you must declare the lords death. By this often repeating (I say) you may evidently perceive, the cause, intent, and whole purpose of the institution of this Sacrament was to testify and confirm the faith of the Testament made in the death of Christ, how that for his sake our sins shallbe forgiven. So, do this in the remembrance of me, that is to say, Take bread & wine and rehearse the covenant, and testament over them, How that my body was broken and my blood shed for many and then give them to the people to eat and drink to be a sign and earnest, and the seal of the Testament, & cry upon them without ceasing to believe in me only for the remission of sins and not to despair how weak soever they be, only if they hung on me and desire power to keep the law after my doctrine and example of my life and do morn and be sorry because they cannot do that good thing which they would. For saith Paul who soever shall eat 1. Cor. 11. of this bread or drink of the cup of the Lord unworthily shallbe guilty of the body and blood of the Lord, that is to say, whoso receiveth the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ with an unclean heart not forsaking the old lusts of the flesh. Nor purposing to follow Christ, and to love his neighbour as only Christ was to him merciful. The same sinneth against the body & blood of Christ. In that he maketh a mock of the earnest death of Christ, & as it is written hebrews the. 10. treadeth Hebr. 10. Christ under foot and counteth the blood of the Testament wherewith he was sanctified as an unholy thing, & doth dishonour to the spirit of grace. Of this you may perceive again What the Sacrament means & why the same was instituted. what the Sacrament means & what the intent of the ordinance was, and how such ceremonies came up, and whence they had their beginning and what the fruit thereof is, and what is therein to be sought: And though this were enough so that I might here well cease, yet because the unquiet scrupulous and superstitious nature of man wholly given to Idolatry hath stirred up such traditions about this one Sacrament most specially: I cannot but speak thereof somewhat more and declare what my conscience thinketh in this matter. You shall understand therefore that There are iij. opinions about the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ. there is great dissension and three opinions about the words of Christ where he saith in pronouncing the testament over the bread This is my body: And in pronouncing it over the wine This is my blood. One part say, that these words This is my body: The first opinion, This is my blood compel us to believe under pain of damnation that the bread and wine are changed into the very body and blood of Christ really. As the water at Cana Galilee was turned into very wine, The second part saith, we be not The second opinion. bond to believe that bread and wine are changed but only that his body and blood are there presently. The third say, we be bond by these The third opinion. words only to believe that Christ's body was broken and his bloodshed for the remission of our sins and that there is no other satisfaction for sin then the death and passion of Christ. The first say these words This is A declaration made by them of the first opinion above mentioned. my body: This is my blood compel us to believe, that things there showed, are the very body and blood of Christ really. But bread and wine say they cannot be Christ's natural body: there fore the bread and wine, are changed turned, altered and transubstantiated, into the very body & blood of Christ, And they of this opinion have busied themselves in seeking subtleties and similitudes to prove how the very body and blood might be there under the similitude of bread and wine only, the very bread and wine being thus transubstantiated. And these men have been so occupied in slaying, all that will not captive their wits to believe them: that they never taught nor understood that the Sacrament is an absolution to all that thereby believe in the body & blood of Christ. The second part grant, with the A declaration of them of the second opinion abou● mentioned. first, that the words compel us to believe that the things showed in the Sacrament are the very body and blood of Christ. But where the first say bread and wine cannot be the very body and blood of Christ: There they vary and descent from them, affirming that bread and wine may and also is Christ's body really and very blood of Christ: and say that it is as true to say that bread is Christ's body and that wine is his blood as it is true to say Christ being a very man is also very God. And they say, as the Godhead and manhood in Christ are in such manner coupled togegether that man is very God and God very man: Even so the very body and the bread are so coupled that it is as true to say that bread is the body of Christ and the blood so annexed there with the wine, that it is even as true to say that the wine is Christ's blood. The first though they have slain so many, in and for the defence of their opinion, yet they are ready to receive the second sort to fellowship, not greatly striving with them or abhorring the presence of bread and wine with the very body and blood so that they ye by that means may keep him there still, and hope to cell him as dear as before, and also some to buy him and not to minish the price. The third sort affirm, that the A declaration of them of the third opinion about mentioned. words mean no more but only that we believe by the things that are there showed that Christ's body was broken and his blood shed for our sins, if we will forsake our sins & turn to God to keep his law. And they say that these sayings, This is my body: and This is my blood, showing bread & wine are true as Christ meant them, and as the people of that country (to whom Christ spoke) were accustomed to understand such words, and as the Scripture useth in a thousand places to speak. As when one of us saith, I have drunk a cup of good wine, that saying is true as the man meant: that he drank wine only and not the cup: which words happily, in some other nations ears, would sound that he drank the cup. And as when we say of a child. This is such a man's very face: the words are true as the manner of our land is to understand them, that the face of the one is very like the other, And as when we say he gave me his faith and his truth in my hand, the words are true as we understand them that he struck hands with me, or gave earnest in sign or token that he would bide by his promise, For the faith of a man doth always rest in his soul, and cannot be given out though we gives signs and tokens of them. Even so (say they) we have a thousand examples in the Scripture, where signs are named with names of things signified by them. As jacob called the place where he see the Lord face to face. Phenyell that Gene. 32. is God's face, when he see the Lord face to face. Now it is true to say of that field that it is God's face, though it be not his very face. The same field was so called to signify that jacob there see God face to face. The chief hold and principal anchor that the two first have, is these words, This is my body: This is my blood. Unto these the third answereth as is above said, other texts they allege for themselves, which not only do not strength their cause, but rather make it worse. As in the sixt of john which they john. 6. draw and wrist to the carnal and flesh lie eating of Christ's body in the mouth, Papists are the wresters of Scriptures. when it only means of this eating by faith. For when Christ said except you eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood you have no life in you. This cannot be understanded of the Sacrament. For Abraham had life and all the old holy fathers, Christ's mother, Elizabeth, Zacharias, john Baptist, simeon, Anna, and all the Apostles, had life already by faith in Christ: Of which not one had eaten his flesh and drunk his blood with their bodily mouths, But truth it is, that the righteous liveth by his faith: Ergo, to believe and trust in Christ's blood is the eating that there was meant, as the text well proveth, if they say we grant that life cometh by faith: but we all that believe must be baptized to keep the law and to keep the covenant in mind: Even so all that liveth by faith must receive the Sacrament. I answer. The Sacrament is The Sacramente●… are confirmations to weak consciences. a confirmation to weak consciences, and in no wise to be despised, howbeit many have lived by faith in the wilderness, which in. 20. 30. or 40. years have not received the Sacrament. Notwithstanding this Oration is nothing to the purpose. For Christ spoke to the blind and unbelieving jews, testifying to them that they could have no life, except they should first eat his flesh and drink his blood: Ergo, this eating and drinking is meant only of that thing, that first bringeth life Faith increaseth by the worthy receiving of the Sacraments. into the soul and that is faith by your own confession. And therefore must it be understand of faith only, and not of the Sacrament. And Matthew the last, I am with you always even unto the end of the world, Math. 28. which may well be understand, and so was it of old Doctors that by his spiritual being with us by faith, and in his spirit and so may that text of Matthew Math. 18. 18. be understand where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them. There is many times ij. or three good men that meet together in Christ's name where the Sacrament is not. And Ephe. 3 Paul, Ephes. 3. boweth his knees for the Ephesians to God, that he would give them his riches to be strenghthened with his spirit that Christ may devil in their hearts through faith. Where the heart than believeth in Christ, there dwelleth Christ in the heart: though there be no bread in the heart, neither yet in the maw. The old Doctors vary in their opinion of the Sacrament. The two first parts taking the old Doctors to be on their side. I answer many of the old doctors spoke so mystically that they sent sometimes to affirm plainly that it is but bread and wine only concerning the substance. And that it is a figure of the body and blood of Christ only & some time that it is his very body & blood, therefore it were needless to wade any further herein. And unto them of the second opinion In answer to them of the second opinion. that the bread is his very body, I answer you must remember that the old Doctors, as earnestly call it a sacrifice as they do Christ's body. But that you deny: And say with the Epistle to the Hebrues that he was but once sacrificed for altogether when he offered & sacrificed himself to the father for our sins, and can now no more be sacriced. Christ dieth no more now and therefore is no more sacrificed. Neither do we properly offer him to God. But he Christ once sacrificed is a sacrifice for ever. in his mortal flesh offered himself for us to GOD the father and purchased therewith a general pardon for ever. And now doth God the father proffer The doctrine of the Papists. him and giveth him to us. And the Priests in God's stead proffer him and give him unto the people for a remission and absolution of their sins daily, if they by the moving and stirring of the Sacrament believe in the body and blood of Christ. Wherefore you aught of no right to be Papists be aggrieved with ●uch as consent not to their gross opi●…on. angry with them of the third opinion though they deny the Doctors, where they seem to say that the Sacrament is the very body of Christ. As they be not angry with you, when you deny them, where they as earnestly affirm that it is a sacrifice. Nevertheless they answer that Doctors call it a sacrifice only because it is the memorial, the earnest and seal of that everlasting sacrifice offered once for all. And even so say they that the Doctors called the Sacrament the body & blood of Christ Signs commonly called by the name of things signified thereby. after the same manner only, because it is the memorial, the earnest and seal of body and blood, as the use of Scriptures is to call signs by the names of things signified thereby. And unto them of the first opinion I answer with the same reason that it is impossible that the Sacrament should be a very sacrifice. For neither the sacrifices of the old law which prophesied the sacrificing of Christ, neither yet our redemption was fulfilled at night. For if the Scriptures and prophecies were then fulfilled and we then redeemed. Christ died on the morrow in vain and false are the Apostles and Evangelists that preach his body breaking and blood shedding under Note this worthy & true argument following. Pontius pilate by the persecution of Cayphas and Annas, to be our redemption. Moreover for all the breaking and dividing of the Sacrament of his body among his Apostles. His body abode still alive and for all the pouring out of the Sacrament of his blood of the pot into the cup, and out of the cup into the mouths and belies of his Disciples: he bleed as fresh on the morrow, as though he had bleed than nothing at all. He was verily much more easily sacrificed that night in the breaking & dividing of the bread and pouring out of wine, than he was on the morrow. The Sacrament was that night no doubt but a description of his passion to come. And it is now a memorial of his passion past. He instituted the manner of the Sacrament then, and taught his Disciples also, that they after understood when he was risen again, and not then, as they never had capacity to understand him when he spoke of his death. For they then imagined carnally of Christ (as the jews yet do, that Christ should never dye as he did, not concerning his Godhead but should live ever bodily as he now doth concerning his resurrection. Wherefore seeing that all the Doctors All the doctors with one accord call the Sacrament a sacrifice. with one accord call the Sacrament so earnestly a sacrifice they cannot otherwise understand them that they so say after the use of the Scripture only, but because it is the memorial of the sacrifice of his death & bloushedding. Why should they then of right be offended Papists should be indifferent in judgements as Protestant's are. if we understand the Doctors after the same manner when they call it his body and blood? And that they so call it after the use of the Scripture because that it is only a memorial of his body and blood. As concerning the transubstantiation: Transubciation was a word used among the old Doctors. I think that such a speech was among the old Doctors though they that came after understood them amiss. Their hearts were gross, through busiing themselves to much with worldly business, for the bread and wine are but only bread & wine till the words of the Testament be rehearsed over them, & then they cease to be any more bread & wine in the hearts of the true believers, for the heart after these words once spoken thinketh only upon the covenant made in the body and blood of Christ and through faith eateth his body and drinketh his blood, though the eyes and other senses perceive nothing but bread and wine. As when a man sometime seeketh for a text in the Bible he seethe paper and iuke and the figure of letters: yet his heart not once thinketh of any other thing than on the words and sense of his text. And thereof no doubt came up this transubstantiation through false understanding. Another thing is this, none of those wicked heretics which denied Christ to be very God, or any of them that denied Christ to be man or to have a very body save a fantastical body did cast the true believers in the teeth at any An effectual and good Argument. time, of the faith of Christ's body present in their Sacrament every where, which thing is not like but they would have done, if that opinion had then been a general article of the faith. Neither was there any heresy or The Pope confirming transubstantiation, did purchase his own gain to the overthrow of the right use of Christ's Sacrament. diversity of opinion or disputing about the matter till the Pope had gathered a Council to confirm this transubstantiation: wherefore it is most likely that this opinion came up by them of latter days. Furthermore all the law and Prophets, all the Christ did, or can yet do, is to bring us to believe in him, and in God the father through him, for the remission of sins, & to bring us unto that (which immediately followeth out of that belief) to love our neighbours for his sake as he loved us. Wherefore if Christ did put his bodily presence in the Sacrament and would we should believe it: It is done only to bring us to this faith. Now is this faith no where less had, then where that opinion is most strong neither so cruelly persecuted of jew or Turk, as of them that most fervently defend that opinion. True faith maketh a man to love his brother, but that opinion maketh them to hate and slay their brethren that better believe in Christ, than they of that opinion do, and that murder do they for fear of losing that they have got through that opinion. Item, they of this opinion in stead of The common persuasion of Papists. teaching us to believe in Christ, teach us to serve Christ with bodily service, which thing is naught else but Idolatry. For they preach that all the ceremonies of the Mass are a service to God, by reason of the bodily works to obtain forgiveness of sins thereby, and to deserve & merit therewith. And yet Christ is now a spiritual substance with his father having also a spiritual body and with the father to be worshipped, in spirit only. And his service in the spirit is only to believe in him for the remission of sin, to call upon him, & give him thanks & to love our neighbours for his sake. Now all works done to serve man and to bring him to this point to put his trust in Christ, are good & acceptable to God: but done for any other purpose they be Idolatry and imageservice and make God an Idol or bodily Image. Again seeing the faith of the Testament in Christ's blood is the life of the righteous from the beginning of the world to the end: and for as much as the Sacrament was instituted only to bring to this life: Now when they which think not the body to be present in the Sacrament have by the preaching and confirmation of the Sacrament obtained this life or steadfast faith in Christ's blood, and by the daily use of the Sacrament are more & more hardened therein and in the love that springeth thereof? What reasonable cause have the contrary part (which believe the body present and bread turned into the very body as flesh bones, her●, sinews, nails & all other, as he was put on the cross of length and quantity, I cannot tell what) to rail on us as heretics, hate persecute and slay us most cruelly, as enemies? Christ saith Qui contra me non est, mecum est, He Mark. 9 that is not against me is with me. Now they that believe in Christ for Papists are cruel persecutors the remission of their sins and for his sake love their foes are not Christ's enemies Ergo, they be on Christ's side. Why then should they that boast themselves to be Christ's trendes: slay them? faith in Christ's blood and in the father through him is God's service in spirit. And so have they which believe not the bodily presence served God a long time, and there to been helped by the Sacrament. The other part fallen The faithful are in good state though the wicked judge the contrary. there from through believing the body present, serving God, with bodily service (which is Idolatry) and to make God an Idol or Image, in that they trust in the goodness of their works (as they which serve tyrants) & not in the goodness of God through trust in the blood of Christ: Ergo, they that believe not the bodily presence, (not a little thereto compelled through the wicked Idolatry of the contrary belief) are not to be thought so evil as the other would have them seem to be. Paul teacheth. 1. Cor. 13. that if a 1. Cor. 13. man had all other gifts that God can give man and had not charity to love his neighbour, it helpeth not. For all other gifts and the remission in Christ's blood also are given him of God to bring him to love his neighbour (which thing had) a man hath all, which not had, a man hath nothing. And Phil. 2. how sweetly and how Phil. 2. vehemently coniureth he them to draw all one way to be of one accord & one mind or sentence, And to do nothing of strife or of vain glory, that is to say of hate or disdain one of another, or of affection to himself for to seem glorious, but each to prefer other through meekness and to have his opinion suspect, and to fear lest he hath not obtained the understanding, rather than of presumption to his own wit to despise & hate the contrary party & persecute as a tyrant. And in the third of the same Paul saith, let as many as be perfect (that is to say be truly taught) and know the law truly and her office and the office and effect of faith, and know which be good works before God, and what the intent of them is, let (saith he) so serve as we be come, proceed in one rule, that we may be of one accord. Now hitherto we be all come, and faith only justifieth what it is to say. this general rule have we got that faith only instifieth that is to say that the sin is forgiven only for Christ's sake: & again that our duty is to love our neighbours no less than Christ loved us, wherefore let us proceed forth in this rule & exhort each other to trust to Christ & to love each other as Christ did, and in this where in we all agreed let us bewise only & fervent and strive who shallbe greatest and go foremost. And in this which is not opened to all parties, let us be meek sober and cold and keep our wisdom secret to ourselves and abide patiently till God open it to other also. The cause why the third part say that this word (is) compelleth us not to believe the bodily presence of Christ to be there is this. The jews (say they) are wont ever to name the memorial and signs of things with the very name of the thing signified that the very name might the better keep the thing in mind. As when jacob Gene. 32. turned home again out of Gene. 32. Mesopotamia see the angels of God come against him he called the place where he see them Mahanaim: An host, because his posterity in time to come, when they heard the field which was none host yet so called should ask why it was so named, that their elders might thereby have an occasion to teach that jacob see there an host of angels. And again in the same chapter when the angel that wresteled with him had blessed him & was departed, jacob called the name of the place Pheniell God's face, that the people in time to come should ask why it was called God's face & their Elders should answer because jacob see there GOD face to face that the name should keep the thing in mind. And again in the 33. where he had Gene. 33. made boughts, or houses of boughs for his beasts he named the place Sucoth, that is Booths. Item Gene. 33. He bought a parcel of land and built there an altar and called it, the mighty God of Israel. Item Gene. 35. the God of bethel, Gene. 35. and Genesis the last chapter joseph held a lamentation for his father seven days and the people of the country called the name of the place Abel Masrayn the lamentation of the Egyptians. Now the place was not the lamentation, but so called to keep the lamentation in memory. Item Exodus xii. the lamb is called Exod. 12. Pesah, a passing by, because the angel did pass by the houses and hurted not where it was slain, and the blood stricken on the posts: that the name should keep the thing in memory. Item Exod. 29. and Levit. 8. almost every where the beast offered for sin is called sin, which use of speaking Paul useth Rom. 9 and 2. Cor. 5. and calleth Christ sin, when Christ is neither sin nor sinful, but an acceptable offering for sin, & yet he is called our sin, because he bore our sins on his back, and because our sins are consumed and made no sin in him if we will forsake our sins and believe in Christ for the remission thereof. Christ is also called our righteousness to certify us that when we have no righteousness of our own, yet that his righteousness is given us to make satisfaction for our unrighteousness, if we will believe it. Item Exodus the 30. The sin or Exod. 30. sin offering is called Atonement, and it was yet but a sign certifi●ng the conscience, that the aronement was made and that God had forgiven the sin. Item judicum 10. They called the judi. 10. name of a certain Horna, as it were an utter destruction. Because that they had utterly destroyed man woman & child and all that bore life. Item judicum 15. the place where judi. 15. Samson killed men with an Ass jaw was called Lehy that is jaw bone, to keep the act in mind. Item judic. 19 There went a company judic. 19 out of the tribe of Dan and pitched besides Kyriath jearym, in juda, and the place was called ever after, the host of Dan, only to keep the thing in mind. Item 1. Reg. 6. A great stone where 1. Reg. 6. God slew fifty thousand was called the great lamentation. In so much that the text saith they put the Ark on the great lamentation. Item. 1. Reg. 7. Samuel pitched a 1. Reg. 7. stone on an end, and called it the help stone, because God had there helped them and given them a great victory of the Philistines. Item the last of the 3. of kings Sedechias 3. Reg. 22. came to Achab with a couple of horns on his head, saying, With these horns shalt thou slay the Assyrians he meant not that Achab should take those horns and gore at the Assyrians: But would that he should believe only that as a beast scattereth a cock of hay with his horns so should Achab scatter the host of the Assyrians, with his host. Item Numeri the. 6. he that voweth Nume. 6. abstinence must let his hear grow to keep his abstinence in mind, and when his abstinence is out, he is commanded to shave the head of his abstinence, and to offer such offeryngs as are there appointed after that he hath shaven of his abstinence. Lo here, the hear is called his abstinence, and is yet but a memory of his abstinence. Item jere. 7. The Prophet was commanded jerem. 7. to shear of his abstinence and to cast it away, which abstinence is but his hear. Also ezechiel 12. God commanded Ezech. 12. the Prophet to remove withal his goods after such manner as conquerors carry away the people captain from country to country, and when he had done. The Lord said unto him, this prophesy is the captain or Prince of jerusalem, when it was but an example to him how he should be served. A short and effectual collection of the former arguments. Finally where Matthew and Mark say. This cup is my blood of the new Testament. Paul and Luke say This cup is the new Testament in my blood. Now must the sense of the words of the two first Matthew and Mark be all one with the senses of the words of the ij. last Luke & Paul. The words of Luke and Paul are. This cup is the new Testament made in my blood, or for my blood sake. Now the Testament is that his blood was shed for our sins, but it is impossible that the cup or his blood should be that promise. Wherefore the sense must be needs that it is the memorial and seal of the Testament only. And therefore where Matthew and Mark say. This cup is my blood of the new Testament, the sense must needs be also. That it is the memorial & seal thereof, only calling after the use of the Hebrues the sign with that name of that which is signified that is to say, calling the wine which only signifieth the blood with the name of the blood. And then it followeth that the bread is called his body after the same manner because it is the sign of his body. These & like examples move the third part to affirm that we be not bond to believe that the bread is the very body of Christ. Though it be so called, nor that the bread is transubstantiated into the body. Not more than the things here rehearsed are that they be called or transubstantiated into the very things which they be called. The other will answer, though An objection made by that Papists. this memorial were not the things whose names they bear yet it will not follow that it should be so here in the Sacrament: for they that gave such other names had no power to make the things so to be: But Christ is very God and hath power to make his body to be every thing and every where. I answer, that God cannot make An answer to thou former objection. every of his creatures God, neither can it be proved less repugnance that a creature should be every where then that he should be God. Moreover, though God where he appeared to jacob had pitched a stone on an end and called it God's face, yet had he not been any more bond to believe that it had been the very face of God then if jacob had done it. The almightynes of GOD standeth not in that he is able to do all that our foolish lewd thoughts may Imagme. But because all power is his & of him and that heè doth all he will and hath made all of nought, and can bring all to nought again. And can do all that includeth not contrary to the truth and verity that God hath put in his creatures: and because he can do things impossible for man or any other creature to do or to think how they should be done, therefore he is called the Lord almighty, but because to brawl about such possibility, or impossibility is the lust of Sophisters, and also the desire of the devil to quench the profession of our Baptism and to wipe out the Image of Christ out of our hearts, and a thing endless: Therefore I count it wickedness to wade forth in it, and to give them that seek an occasion perpetually to scold. The negative may a man hold till they can prove the affirmative. Moreover, if bread be the very body of Christ, whether abiding the very body still or transubstantiated, and enjoy the glory of the soul of Christ and also of the Godhead. It seemeth impossible to be avoided but that Christ was made man & died: Also bread, which seemeth to some a great inconvenience. Howbeit that great proclamation of bread and also that high power of Priests above all angels I admit also to anoide all brawling but one reason I have unto which I cleave somewhat and it is this. All that is between God and man In excellent argument. in the Scripture is for man's necessity and not for any need that GOD hath thereof: And other spiritual profit can none have by that faith in the Sacrament, then to be taught thereby to believe in Christ our Saviour and to do good to his neighbour now is that belief & love had as well & rather better as is above proved without such faith with it, Ergo, where the Scripture compelleth to no such believe it is wickedness to make it a necessary article of our faith, & to slay them that can not think that it aught to be believed. Notwithstanding all these reasons and the damnable Idolatry which the Papists have committed with the Sacrament: yet whether they affirm the body and blood to be present with the bread and wine or the bread and wine to be turned and transubstantiated into the body and blood, I am therewith content (for unities sake) if they will there cease, and let him be there only to testify and consirme the Testament or covenant made in Christ's blood and body, for which cause only Christ instituted the Sacrament. But and if they will rage's further with their blind reasons of their subtle sophistry & devilish Idolatry, & say, where Christ's blood is, there is his body and where his body is, there is his soul, & where his soul is, there is his godhead & the trimty, the father, the son, & the holy ghost and there men aught to pray and say. O father which art present with thy son Christ under bread & wine, or in form of bread & wine. If (I say) they so rave, them as the old Prophet for like Idolatry deemeth God to dwell in the temple or to have pleasure in sacrifice of blood of goats, sheep & calves: Even so deny I the body of Christ to be any more in the Sacrament than God was in the golden calves, which jeroboham set up to be prayed to, the one in bethel and the other in Dan for though God be present every where, yet if heaven of heavens can not compass him to make him a dwelling place (as the Scripture testifieth, and much less the temple that was at jerusalem, how should he have a dwelling place in a little wafer or crome of bread. God dwelleth not in the temple neither did our fathers, which were of the true faith in the old Testament pray to God as present in the temple, but the name of God only was in the temple 3. of the Kings 8. and his law and 3. Reg. 8. covenants and wonderful deeds were therein written in signs and were there preached and testified continually of the true Priests and Prophets unto the people the fathers of the true faith came thither. Furthermore of the servant love which they had towards the laws & covenants of God. For the which Prophets. Solomon prayed so earnestly unto the Lord God saying. Here thou O God in heaven thy dwelling place and do all that the stranger calleth to thee for: that all nations of the earth may know the & fear thy name, as do this people Israel etc. Read the third book of kings the 3. Reg. 8. 8. chapter when God delighted only in the faith of the offerer, which believed in God only for all mercy, taking the sacrifice for a sure token and earnest of the mercy of God, certified by that sign, that God loved them, and was at one with them for Christ's sake to come. As we should be certified by the Sacrament of God with us for Christ's death that is past. And Christ taught us in our prayers to look up to heaven and say, Our father which ar● in heaven, & he himself in all his prayers did lift up his eyes to heaven to his father, and so did he when he instituted the Sacrament and rehearsed the words of the covenant over bread & wine as it is written Matthew. 26. Mark. 14. Luke. 22. 1. Cor. 11. in these Math. 26. Mark. 14. Luke. 22. 1. Cor. 11. words jesus took bread. etc. Christ though he affirm himself to be the son of God & his father to be in him, yet he taught not his Disciples to direct the prayer to the father in him but up to the father in heaven neither lift he up his eyes or prayer to his father in the Sacrament but to his father in heaven. I know divers, & divers men know me which love me as I do them, yet if I should pray them when I meet them in the street openly they would abhor me, but if I pray them where they be appointed to meet me secretly they will hear me & accept my request. Even so though gods presence be every where yet will he be prayed so, up to the place only where he shall see him, & where he would have us for to long for to be. Moreover if I grant you that the blood of Christ is in the cup, it will follow that his body is there also, neither when I grant that his body is in the bread, or under the form of bread, will it follow that his soul is there to. Christ made the bread the Sacrament of his body only wherefore as the bread is no similitude of his blood. So am I not bond or aught to affirm that his blood is there present. And he did institute the wine to be the Sacrament of his blood only. And happily it was read wine, that more lovely to represent it. Now as the wine in no similitude doth represent the body, so am I not bound or aught to affirm that his body is there present. You say that Christ is so mighty, that though he stood mortal before his Disciples eyes, yet he was able to make the same body that same time to be in the Sacrament immortal, & to be under every little piece of bread or of the Sacrament though it be no greater than a mote in the son and that as long as great & thick as he stood before them. If he wereso mighty, why is he not as mighty to make his blood to be alone and his body alone? his blood, body, and soul were each alone at his death, and while the body lay in the sepulchre. Finally Christ said this is my blood that shallbe shed: Ergo, it is true now, this is my blood that was shed. Now the blood of Hails and the blood that is in many other places men say is the blood that was shed, Ergo, that blood is in the Sacrament if any be, but I am not bond to believe or aught to affirm, that the blood that is at Hails is animate with the soul of Christ, or that his body is there present. Wherefore to avoid this endless brawling which the devils no doubt hath stirred up to turn that eyes of our souls from the everlasting covenant made us in Christ's blood & body & to nossell us in Idolatry, which is trust & confidence in false worshipping of God & to quench first the faith to Christward and then the love due to our neighbour therefore me thinketh that the party that hath professed the faith of Christ, & the love of his neighbour aught of denty to bear each other as long as the other opinion is not plain wicked through false Idolatry nor contrary to the salvation that is in Christ, nor against the open & manifest doctrine of Christ and his Apostles nor contrary to the general articles of the faith of the general Church of Christ, which are confirmed with open Scripture. In which articles never a true Church in any land dissenteth. There be many texts of the Scripture & therefore diversly expounded of holy doctors & taken in contrary senses, when no text hath contrary senses in deed or more than one single sense & yet that hurteth not, neither are the holy doctors therefore heretics, as the exposition destroyeth not the faith in Christ's blood nor is contrary to the open scripture or general articles. Not more doth it hurt to say that the body & blood are not in the Sacrament. Neither doth it help to say they be there, but hurt exceedingly, if you infer that the soul is there to, and that God must be there prayed to when as our kingdom is not on the earth, even so we aught not to direct our prayers to any God in earth but up where our kingdom is. And whether our redeemer & saviour is go & there sitteth on the right hand of his father to pray for us, & to offer out prayers unto his father & to make them for his sake acceptable: neither aught he that is bond under pain of damnation to love his brother as Christ loved him, to hate to persecute & to slay his brother for blind zeal to any opinion that neither letteth nor hindereth to salvation that is in Christ: As they which pray to God in the Sacrament not only do: but also through that opinion, as they have lost love to their neighbours: even so have they lost the true faith in that covenant made in Christ's blood and body. Which covenant only is that which saveth. And to testify this was the sacrament institute only. ¶ FINIS. A Letter sent from William Tyndall, unto john Frith, being prisoner in the Tower of London. THe grace and peace of God our father and of jesus A letter of Master Tyndall to M. ●r●●h. Christ our Lord, be with you Amen. dearly beloved brother john. I have herded say, how that hypocrites now that they have overcome that great business which letted them at the lest way, have brought it at a stay, they return to their old nature again. The will of God be fulfilled, and that which he hath ordained to be ere the world was made, that come, and his glory reign over all. dearly beloved, how ever the matter be, commit yourself wholly and only unto your most loving father, & most kind Lord, and fear not men that threat, nor trust men that speak fair: but trust him that is true of promise, and able to make his word good. Your cause is Christ's Gospel, a light that must be fed with the blood of faith. The lamp must be dressed and snuffed daily, and that oil poured in every evening and morning, that the light go not out. Though we be sinners, yet is the cause right. If when we be busteted 1. Pet. 2. for well doing, we suffer patiently and endure, that is acceptable to God: for to that end we are called. For Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that we should follow his steps, who did no sin. Hereby have we perceaned 1. joh. 5. love, that he laid down his life for us: Therefore we aught also to say down our lives for the brethren. Rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven. Math. 5. Rom. 8. Phil. 3. For we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified with him: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subject all things unto him. dearly beloved, be of good courage, and comfort your soul with the hope of this Boldness of spirit. high reward, and bear the Image of Christ in your mortal body, that it may at his coming be made like to his, immortal: and follow the example of all your other dear Weunde not conscience. brethren, which chose to suffer in hope of a better resurrection. Keep your conscience pure and undefiled, and say against that nothing. Stick at necessary things, and remember the blasphemies of the enemies of Christ, saying: they find none but that will Standing upon things necessary. abjure rather than suffer the extremity. Moreover, the death of them that come again after they have once denied, thouh it be accepted with God, and all that believe, yet is Death after denying, evil spoken of by the adversaries. it not glorious, for the hypocrites say, he must needs dye, denying helpeth not: But might it have helped, they would have denied five hundred times: but seeing it would not help them, therefore of pure pride, and mere malice together, they speak with their mouths, that their conscience knoweth false. If you give yourself, cast yourself, yield yourself, commit yourself wholly and only to your loving father: then shall his power be in you and make you strong, and that so strong, that you shall feel Obedience of God. no pain: which should be to an other present death: and his spirit shall speak in you, and teach you what to answer, according to his promise. He shall set out his truth by you wonderfully, and work for you above all that your heart can imagine: Yea, & you are not yet dead, though the hypocrites all, with all they can make, have sworn To look for no man's help, bringeth God's help. your death. una salus victis nullam sperare salutem: To look for no man's help, bringeth the help of God to them that seem to be overcome in the eyes of the hypocrites: Yea it shall make God to carry you through thick and thin for his truths sake, in spite of all the enemies of his truth. There falls not an hear till his hour be come: Conslancie in standing. Patience in suffering. and when his hour is come, necessity carrieth us hence though we be not willing. But if we be willing, then have we a reward and thank. Fear not threatening therefore, neither be overcome with sweet words: with which twain, the hypocrites shall assail you. Neither let the persuasions of worldly wisdom bear rule in your heart: Not, though they be your friends that counsel you. Let Bilney be a warning to you. Let not their visure beguile your eyes. Let not your body Bylney. saint. He that endureth to the end shall be saved. If the pain be above your perseverance to the end. Math. 21. strength, remember: Whatsoever, you shall ask in my name, I will give it you. And pray to your father in that name, and he will ease your pain, or shorten it. The Lord of peace, of hope, and of faith, be with you. Amen. William Tyndall. TWo have suffered in Antwerp, In die sancta Crucis, unto the great glory of the Two Martyrs at Antwerp. Four martyrs in Flaunders, and one at Luke. Persecution at Ro●ne. Five Doctors at Paris taken for the Gospel. Gospel: four at Riselles in Flaunders, and at Luke hath there one at the lest suffered, and all ni the same day. At Rouen in France they persecute. And at Paris are five doctors taken for the Gospel. See, you are not alone: Be cheerful and remember that among the hard hearted in England, there is a number reserved by grace: for whose sakes if need be, you must be ready to suffer. Sir if you may writ, how short so ever it be, forget it not, that we may know how it goeth with you, for our hearts ease. The Lord be yet again with you, with all his plenteousness, and fill you the you flow over. Amen. If when you have read this, you may sand it to Adrian, do I pray you, that he may know how that our heart is with you. George joy at Candelmasse being at Barrow, Printed two leaves of Genesis in a great form, and sent one Copy to the King, and an other to the new Queen, with a letter to N. for to deliver them: and to purchase licence, the he might so go through all the Bible. Out of that is sprung the noise of the new Bible: and out of that is the great seeking for English books at all Printers & Book bynders in Antwerp, and for an English Priest the should Print. This chanced the ix. day of May. Sir your wife is well content with the will of God, and would not for her sake, have the glory of God hindered. William Tyndall. another notable and worthy Letter of master William Tyndall sent to the said john Frith, under the name of jacob. ¶ The grace of our Saviour jesus, his patience, meekness, humbleness, circumspection, and wisdom be with your heart. Amen. dearly beloved brother In other Letter of M. Tyndall. jacob, mine hearts desire in our Saviour jesus is, that you arm yourself with patience, and be cold, sober, wise and circumspect, & that you keep you allow by the ground, avoiding high questions that pass the common capacity. High questions to be avoided. But expound the law truly, and open the veil of Moses to condemn all flesh, and prove all men sinners, and All deeds before they be justified by faith are sin. all deeds under the law, before mercy have taken away the condemnation there of, to be sin and damnable. And then as a faithful Minister, set abroach the mercy of our Lord jesus, and let the wounded consciences drink of the water of him. And then shall your preaching be with power, and not as the doctrine of the hypocrites: and the spirit of God shall work with you, and all consciences shall bear record unto you, & feel that it is so. And all doctrine Preaching the law of God, and mercy of Christ. that casts a mist on those two, to shadow and hide them, I mean the law of God and mercy of Christ, that resist you withal your power. Sacraments without signification refuse. If they put Sacraments without significations to be refused. significations to them, receive them, if you see it may help though it be not necessary. Of the presence of Christ's body in M. Tynball he●e beareth with tyme. the Sacrament, meddle as little as you can, that there appear no division among us. Barnes will be hot against you. The Saxons be ●ore on the affirmative, whether constant or obstivate, I omit it to God. Philippe Melancton is said to be with the French king. There be in Antwerp that say, they see him come into Paris with an c. and l. horses, and that they spoke with him. If the Frenchmen receive the word of God, he will plant the affirmative in them. By the affir●… he ●…neth the ●…on which M. Luther & the ●axons be hold of the Sacrament. George joy would have put forth a treatise of the matter, but I have stopped him as yet, what he will do if he get money, I wot not. I believe he would make many reasons little serving to the purpose. My mind is, that nothing be put forth till we hear how you shall have speed. I would have the right use preached, and the presence to be an indifferent M. Tyndall a●… beareth with tyme. thing, till the matter might be reasoned in peace at leisure, of both parties. If you be required, show the phrases of the Scripture, and let them talk what they will. For as to believe that God is every where, hurteth no man that worship him no where but within, in the heart, in spirit and verity: even so to believe that the body of Christ is every where (though it can not be proved) hurteth no man that worshippeth Vbiquetie can not be proved. him no where save in the faith of his Gospel. You perceive my mind: howbeit if God show you otherwise, it is free for you to do as he moveth you. I guessed long ago that God would sand a dasing into the head of the spirituality, to be catched themselves in their own subtlety, and I trust it is come to pass. And now me thinketh I smell a counsel to be taken, little for their profits in time to come. But you must understand, that it is not of a pure heart & for love of the truth, but to avenge them Eating the whore's flesh, is to spoil the Pope's Church▪ only for the pray and spoil there of. selves, and to eat the Whore's flesh, & to suck the marrow of her bones. Wherefore cleave fast to the rock of the help of God, & commit the end of all things to him: and if God shall call you, that you may then use the wisdom of the worldly, as far as you perceive the glory of God may come thereof, refuse it not: and ever among, thrust in, that Worldly wisdom so far as it may serve to God's glory, may be used. the Scripture may be in the mother tongue, and learning set up in the Universities. But and if aught be required contrary to the glory of God and his Christ, them stand fast, and commit yourself to God, and be not overcome of men's persuasions, which happily shall say: we see no other way to bring in the truth. Brother jacob, beloved in my heart, there liveth not in whom I have so good hope and trust, and in whom mine heart rejoiceth and my soul comforteth herself, as in you: not the thousand part so much for your learning, and what other gifts else you have, as that you will creep alow by the ground, and Low walking. walk in those things that the conscience may feel, and not in the imaginations of the brain: in fear and not in boldness: in open necessary things, and not to pronounce or define of hid secrets, or things that neither help or hinder whether they be so or no: in unity and not in seditious opinions: in so much that if you be sure you know, yet in things that may abide leisure, you will defer, or say (till other agreed with you) me think the text requireth this sense or understanding: yea and that if you be sure that your part be good, and in other hold the contrary, yet if it be a thing that maketh no matter, you will laugh and let it pass, and refer the thing to other men, and stick you stiffly and stubbornly in earnest and necessary things. And I trust you be persuaded even so of me. For I call God to The upright handling in the translation of M. Tyndall. record against the day we shall appear before our Lord jesus, to give a reckoning of our doings, that I never altered one syllable of God's word against my conscience, nor would this day, if all that is in the earth, whether it be pleasure, honour or riches, might be given me. Moreover I take God to record to my conscience, that I desire of God to myself in this world no more, then that without which I can not keep his laws. Finally, if there were in me any gift that could help at hand, & aid you if need required: I promise' you I would not be far of, and commit the end to God: my soul is not faint, though my body be weary. But God hath made me evil favoured in this world, and without grace in the sight of men, speechless and rude, dull & slow witted: your part shallbe to supply that lacketh in A low heart maketh a man high with God. me, remembering, that as lowliness of heart shall make you high with God, even so meekness of words shall make Authority is the glory of age. you sink into the hearts of men. Nature giveth age authority, but meekness is the glory of youth, and giveth Meekness is the glory of youth. them honour. Abundance of love maketh me exceed in babbling. Sir as concerning Purgatory, and many other things, if you be demanded, you may say, if you err, the spirituality hath so le● you, & that they have taught you to believe as you do. For they preached you all such things out of God's word, and alleged a thousand texts, by reason of which texts you believed as they taught you. But now you find them liars, and that the texts mean no such things, and therefore you can believe no longer, but are as you were before they taught you, and believe no such thing. Howbeit you are ready to believe, if they have any other way to prove it. For without proof Purgatory hath no proof by Scripture. you can not believe them, when you have found them with so many lies. etc. If you perceive wherein we may help, other in being still, or doing somewhat, let us have word, and I will do mine uttermost. My Lord of London hath a servant called john Tisen with a read beard, and a black radish head, and was once my scholar, he was seve in Antwerp, but came not among the Englishmen: whether he is go an Ambassador secret, I wot not. The mighty God of jacob be with you to supplant his enemies, and give you the favour of joseph: and the wisdom, & the spirit of Stephen, be with your heart and with your mouth, and teach your lips what they shall say, and how to answer to all things. He is our God if we despair in ourselves, and trust in him: and his is the glory. Amen. William Tyndall. ¶ I hope our redemption is nigh. ¶ This letter was written. an. 1533. in the month of January. Which letter although it do pretend the name of jacob, yet understand (good reader) that it was written in very deed to john Frith, as is above told thee. For more proof and evidence whereof read Frithes book of the Sacrament, and there thou shalt find a certain place of this Epistle repeated word for word, beginning this: I call God to record, against the day, we shall appear before our Lord jesus to give a reckoning of our doings, that I never altered one syllable of God's word against my conscience etc. Which Epistle john Frith himself witnesseth that he received from Tyndall as in his testimony above appeareth. The end of all M. William Tindals works, newly Imprinted, according to his first copies, which he himself set forth. God's name be blessed for ever. Amen. ☞ Here followeth a short and pithy treatise touching the lords Supper, compiled, as some do gather, by M. William Tyndall, because the method and phrase agreed with his, and the time of writing are concurrent, which for thy further instruction & learning (gentle Reader) I have annexed to his works, le●t the Church of God should want any of the painful travels of godly men, whose only care & endeavour was to advance the glory of God, & to further the salvation of Christ's flock committed to their charge. The Supper of the Lord After the true meaning of the vi. of john and the xi. of the first Epistle to the Cor. And incidently in the exposition of the Supper is confuted the Letter of Master Moore against john Frith. Anno. 1533. the u day of April. WHen Christ saw those gluttons seeking their bellies flocking, so fast unto him, after his wont manner (the occasion taken to teach & preach unto them of the thing now moved) he said. Verily verily I say unto you: you john. 6. seek me not because you have seen my miracles, but because you have eaten of the loaves and were well filled. But as for me, I am not comen into this world only to fill men's bellies: but to feed and satisfy their souls. You take great pains to follow me for the meat of your bellies: but o sloughardes, work, take pains & labour rather to get that meat that shall never perish. For this meat that you have sought of me hitherto, perisheth with your bellies: but the meat that I shall give you, is spiritual, and may not perish, but abideth for ever, giving life everlasting. For my father hath consigned and confirmed me with his assured testimony, to be that assured saving health and earnest penny of everlasting life. When the jews understood not The jews were blind and ignorant, & understood not the words of Christ. what Christ meant, bidding them to work and labour for that meat that should never perish, they asked him, what shall we do, that we might work the works of God? supposing that he had spoken of some outward work required of them. Wherefore jesus answered, saying. Even this is the work of God, to believe and trust in him whom the father hath sent. Lo, here may you see The true work that is acceptable before God. that work of God which he requireth of us, even to believe in Christ. Also consider again what this meat is, which he bade them here prepare and seek for, saying: work, take pains and seek for that meat etc. and thou shalt see it none other meat then the belief in Christ: wherefore he concludeth, that this meat so often mentioned, is faith: of the which meat (●ayth the Prophet) the Abacuk. 2. just liveth. faith in him is therefore the meat which Christ prepareth & dresseth so purely: pouldering and spicing it with spiritual Allegories in all this Chapter following, to give us everlasting life through it. Then said the jews unto him. The jews desire a sig●e or token whereby they might believe that he was Christ. What token dost thou whereby we might know that we should believe in thee? Do somewhat that we might believe in thee? what thing workest thou that we might know thee to be God? Thou knowest well enough that our fathers did eat bread or Mamna in the desert, as it is written, he gave them bread from above. jesus answered. Verily verily I say unto you: Moses gave you not that bread from heaven: for Psal. 7. though it fallen down from the air: yet was it not heavenvly food for it did but feed the belly: but this bread of God that is descended from heaven (whom my father giveth) refresheth the soul so abundantly, that it giveth life un to the world. When the jews understood not this saying, which was naught else then the declaring of the Gospel (for by the eating of this bread he meant that belief of this his Gospel) they said. Sir, give us this bread evermore. jesus said unto them. Christ required of the jews to have faith and trust in him. I am the bread of life, and who so cometh to me, shall not hunger: & who so believeth in me shall never thirst. When the jews hard Christ say, the bread that descended from heaven should give life to the world: they desired to have this bread given them for ever. And jesus perceiving that they understood not the sense of this Gospel: he expounded Christ explaineth & showeth himself to the jews. unto them who was this so lively bread that giveth life to all the world, saying. I am the bread of life, and who so cometh to me, that is to say, who so is graffed and joined to me by faith, shall never hunger, that is, who so believeth in me is satisfied. It is faith therefore that stauncheth this hunger and thirst of the soul. Faith it is therefore in Christ that filleth our hungry hearts, so that we can desire none other, faith only apprehendeth Christ and all his benefits. if we▪ once eat & drink him by faith, that is to say, if we believe his flesh and body to have been broken & his blood shed for our sins. For then are our souls satisfied and we be justified. Over this, it followeth: But I have told you this, because you look upon me, and believe me not, that is, you be offended that I said, he that cometh to me shall neither hunger nor thirst, seeing that yourselves being present, be yet both hungry and thirty. But this Christ rebuketh the incredulity and lack of faith in the jews cometh because you have seen me with your bodily eyes, and yet see me & believe not in me: but I speak not of such sight nor coming, but of the sight of faith, which who so hath, he shall have none other desire, he shall not seek by night to love an other before whom be would lay his grief. He shall not run wandering here and there to seek dead stocks and stones: for he is certified by his ●ayth to whom he shall cleave, he is coupled by faith unto me his very spouse & lively food, the only treasure of his soul, never more to thirst for any other. This light of faith you have not, for you believe not nor trust in me: wherefore you understand not how I am the very bread and meat of your souls, that is to say, your faith & hope. And the cause of this your blindness is All that the father draw come unto Christ (I will not say over hardly to you) that the father hath not drawn you in to the knowledge of me, or else you had received me. For all that the father giveth me, must come unto me. And as for me, I cast out no man that cometh to me: For I am not come down from heaven to do my will, which you attribute unto me as unto each any other man, for I am verily a very man: & according to that nature I have a special proper will: but much more obedient to my father, than one of you. For your Christ came from heaven into earth to fulfil the will of his father. will often resisteth and repugneth God's will, but so doth mine never. I am therefore come down to do his will that hath sent me. And to do you to wit what his will is. This (I say) is my father's will that hath sent me. That of all that he hath given me, I lee●e none: but must raise him up again in the last day: and to be plain. This is the will of him that sent me. That who so seethe (that is to know) the son and believeth in him, he shall have life everlalasting: and I shall stir him up in the last day. Here may you see what meat he speaketh of. God sent his son into this world, that we might live through him. Who liveth by him? They that eat his flesh & drink his blood. Who eat his flesh & drink his blood? Herald that believeth Christ's death to be for the remission of his sins the same eateth the flesh & drinketh the blood of Christ. They that believe his body crucified & his blood shed for their sins: these clea●e unto his gracious favour. But how could they clean thus unto him except they known him? And therefore he added saying. Every man that seethe the son, that is to say, understandeth wherefore the son was sent into this world and believeth in him shall have everlasting life. Here it appeared to the carnal The cause of the Iewes murmur. jews that Christ had taken to much upon himself, to say: I am the bread of life, which am come down from heaven to give life to the world wherefore the flesh, that is to say the jews now murmured, and no● marveled (as M. More showeth his own dream to an other text following which I shall touch anon) they murmured at this saying of Christ. I am the bread which am come from heaven, saying, Is not this jesus josephes' son whose father & mother we know well enough? How then saith he, I am come from heaven? jesus answered saying, mumur Christ reproveth the murmuring of the jews. not among yourselves: Heard you not what I told you even now? All that my father giveth me, come to me? your unbelief (whereof followeth this false understanding of my words spiritually spoken) compelleth me to tell you one thing more than once or twice. This therefore it is: Not man may come to me the only earnest penny & pledge▪ of your salvation, unless my father that sent me draw him: and whom he draweth unto me, that is, joineth unto me by faith, him shall I stir up in the last day. I wonder that you take my words so strangely, believing them to be some hard r●dels, or dark parables, when I say nothing else, them that is written in your own Prophets, both in Esay, and jeremy, saying, that Esay. 54. jerem. 31. all shall be taught of the Lord Sigh even your Prophets testify this knowledge to be given you of my father: what can be spoken more plainly then to say: what my father giveth me, that cometh to me? or this, no man may come to me, except my father draw him. And yet have it more manifestly. Who so hath herded my father, and is learned of john. 6. him, he cometh to me as unto the very only anchor of his salvation. Not that any man hath seen the father, jest peradnenture you mistake these words to hear, and to learn, as though they pertemed to the outward senses, and not rather to the mind and inward illumining of the soul. For no man ever see the father, although he work secretly upon his heart, so that what so ever he willeth, we must hear and learn. No man (I say) seethe him, but he that is sent of God, as I said before of myself, he it is that seethe the father. Now therefore say I unto you, verily, All that believe & hope in Christ have everlasting life. verily, as plainly, that who so believeth & trusteth in me, he hath life everlasting. Now have you that sum of this my doctrine, even my very gospel the whole tale of all my legacy and message wherefore I am sent into the world. Had M. Moore M. Moore had not the understanding of the scriptures. 1. Cor. 11. understood this short sentence, (who so believeth in me hath life everlasting) & known what Paul with the other Apostles preached: especially Paul being a year & a half among the Corinthians, determining not, neither presuming to have known any other thing to be preached them (as himself says) than jesus Christ, & that he was crucified. Had M. Moore understand this point, he should never have thus blasphemed Christ & his sufficient Scriptures, neither have so belied his evangelists & holy Apostles, as to say, they written not all things necessary for our salvation, but left out things of necessity to be believed, making Gods holy testament insufficient & unperfit. First revealed unto our fathers, written often sense by Moses, and then by his Prophets, and at last written both by his holy Evangelists and Apostles to. Moore is a mocker. But turn we to john again & let Moore mock still & lie to. I am the bread of life says Christ. And no man denieth that our fathers & elders did eat Manna in the desert, & yet are they dead. But he that eateth of this bread: that is to say, believeth in me, he hath life everlasting. For it is I that am this lively bread, which am come from heaven, of whom who so eat by faith, shall never The eating or the bread of Christ is only to believe in Christ's ●eath. dye. Here therefore it is to be noted diligently that Christ means, as every man may see, by the eating of this bread none other thing than the belief in himself, offered up for our sins: which faith only justifieth us. Which sentence to declare more plainly, & that he would have it noted more diligently, he repeateth it yet again, saying: It is I that am the lively bread which am come down from heaven: who so eateth of this bread, shall live everlastingly. And to put you clear out of doubt, I shall show you in few words, what this matter is, & by what ways I must be the Saviour & redeemer of the world, to give it this life so often rehearsed: & therefore now take good heed. This bread which I How the bread signifieth and showeth Christ's ●…esh. speak of so much & shall give it you: it is mine own flesh: which I must lay forth & pay for the life of the world. Here it is now manifest, that he should suffer death in his own flesh for our redemption to give us this life everlasting. Thus now may you see how Christ's flesh, Christ's flesh is the spiritual food of ou● souls. which he called bread, is the spiritual food & meat of our souls. When our souls by faith see God the father not to have spared his only so dear beloved son, but to have delivered him to suffer that ignominious & so painful death, to restore us to life: them have we eaten his flesh, and drunken his blood, assured firmly of the favour of God, satisfied & certified of our salvation. After this communication, that he said. The bread which I shall give you is my flesh, which I shall pay for the life of the world: yet were the carnal jews never the wiser. For their The obstinate & wilful blindness of the jews. unbelief and sturdy hatred, would not suffer the very spiritual sense & mind of Christ's words to enter into their hearts. They could not see that Christ's flesh broken and crucified, and not bodily eaten, should be our salvation, and this spiritual meat: as our souls to be fed and certified of the mercy of God, and forgiveness of our sins through his passion: and not for any eating of his flesh with our teeth. The The malice of the jews, toward our Saviour Christ. more ignorant therefore & fleshly they were, the more fierce were they full of indignation, striving one against an other, saying. How may this fellow give us his flesh to eat it? They stoke fast yet in his flesh before their eyes: those fleshly jews. Wherefore no marvel though they abhorred the bodily eating thereof: although our fleshly Papists (being of the jews carnal The carnal Papists cease not still to offer him. Hebr. 10. opinion) yet abhor it not, neither cease they daily to crucify and offer him up again, which was once for ever and all offered as Paul testifieth. And even here, sith Christ came to teach, to take away all doubt, and to break strife, he might (his words otherwise declared, than he hath & will here after expound them) have soluted their question: saying, if he had so meant as Moore means, that he would have been conveyed and conversed (as our jugglers sleighly can convey him with a few words) into a singing loaf: or else (as the Thomisticall Papists Thomists be the school Doctors. say) been invisible with all his dimensioned body under the form of bread transubstantiated into it. And after a like Thomisticall mystery, the wine transubstantiated to, into his blood so that they should eat his flesh and drink his blood after their own carnal understanding, but yet in an other form, to put away all grudge of stomach. Or sith S. john (if he had understood his masters mind, and took upon him to writ his words) would leave this Sermon unto the world to be read: he might now have delivered us and them from this doubt. But Christ would not so satisfy their question: but answered. Verily verily I say unto you: except you eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood, you shall not have that life in yourselves. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, hath life everlasting: Christ in saying that his flesh is very meat doth not say that bread shallbe transubsta●●ated into his flesh. and I shall stir him up in the last day: for my flesh is very meat and my blood the very drink. He says not here that bread shallbe transubstanciated or converted into his body, nor yet the wine into his blood. But now confer this saying to his purpose at the beginning: where he had them work for that meat that should never perish telling them, that to believe in him whom God hath sent, was the work of God. And who so believeth in him should never thirst nor hunger, but have life everlasting. Confer also Christ's words are spiritual & not carnal. this that followeth and then shalt see it plain, that his words be understand spiritually of the belief in his flesh crucified, and his blood shed, for which belief we be promised everlasting life: himself, saying. Who so believeth in me hath life everlasting. Here therefore their question (how may this man give us his flesh to eat it) is soluted: even when he gave his body to be broken, & his blood to be shed. And we eat and drink it in deed, when we believe steadfastly that he died for the remission of our sins: Austen and Tertullian to witness. But here maketh Moore his argument against the young man. Because the jews marvelled at this saying: My flesh is very meat, and my blood drink. And not at this: I am the door, and the very vine: therefore this text (saith he) My flesh is etc. must be understand after the literal sense, that is to wirte: even as the carnal jews understood it, murmuring at it, being offended, going their ways from Christ, for their so carnal understanding thereof. And the other texts. I am the door. Moore declareth his ignorance and wilful blindness. etc. must be understand in an Allegory and spituall sense, because his hearers marveled nothing at the manner of the speech. Lo christian Reader, here hast thou not a ●ast: but a great tun full of Moor's mischief and pernicious perverting of God's holy word: and as thou seist him here falsely & pestilently destroy the pure sense of God's word, so doth he in all other places of his books. First where he saith they marveled at this Christ's saying. My flesh is very meat. etc. that is not so, neither is there any such word in the text, except Moore reporteth the Scriptures untruly. Moore will expound Murmurabant, idest, mirabantur, they murmured, that is to say, they marveled, as he expoundeth. Oportet, idest, expedit & convenit. He must dye, or it behoveth him to dye, that is to say, it was expedient and of good congruence that he should dye. etc. Thus this Poet may make a man to signify an Ass, & black white to blear the simple eyes. But yet for his Lordly Moor's first reason is confute●. pleasure, let us grant him that, they murmured, is as much to say, as they marveled: because perchance the one may follow at the other. And then do I ask him: whether Christ's Disciples and his Apostles herded ●im not, & understood him not when he said. I am the door and the vine: and when he said. My flesh. etc. If he say no, or nay: john. 6. 10. 15. the Scripture is plain against him. If he say yea, or yes: then yea do I ask him whether his Disciples and Apostles thus hearing and understanding his words in all these three Chapters wondered and marveled (as Moore saith) or murmured (as hath the text) at their masters speech? What think you, Moore must answer here? Here may you see whether this old holy upholder of the Pope's Church is brought: even to be taken in his own trap. For the Disciples and his Apostles Christ's Disciples murmured not at his saying. neither murmured, nor marvelled, nor yet were offended with this their master Christ's words and manner of speech: for they w●…ainted with such ph●…red their master Christ when h●●…e, will you also go hence fr●me▪ Lord said they to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of everlasting ly●e: and we believe that thou ar●… son of the living God. Lo M. Moore, they neither marveled, nor murmured. And Christ's ●…s w●… in all things to be spiritually understand. why? For because as you say the● understood i● in an Allegory 〈◊〉, ●●d perceived well that he meant not of his material ●ody to be eaten with their teeth, but he meant 〈◊〉 of himself to be believed, to be very God and very man having flesh and blood as they had, and yet was he ●he son of the living God. This belief gathered they of all his spiritual sayings as him self expounded his own words, saying. My flesh profiteth nothing, meaning, to be eaten: but it is the spirit that giveth this life. And the words that I speak unto you are spirit and life: so that who so believe my flesh to be crucified and broken, and my blood to be shed for his sins, he eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, and hath life everlasting. And this is the life Abacuk. 2. wherewith the righteous live, even by faith. The second argument of Moore. AFter this text thus wisely proved to be understand in the literal sense, with carnal jews, and not in the Allegorike or spiritual sense with Christ & his Apostles: the whole sum of Moor's confutation of the young man standeth upon this Argument. 〈◊〉 Posse ad Esse. That is to wit, God may do it, Erg●, it is done Christ may make his body in many, or in all places at once, Ergo, it is in many or in all places at once. Which manner of argumentation, how false and nought it is every sophister, and every man that hath wit perceiveth. A like argument. God may The confutation of his ij. argument. show Moore the truth and call him to repentance, as he did Paul for persecuting his Church: Ergo, More is converted to God. Or, God may let him run of an indurate heart with Pharaoh, and at last take an open and sudden vengeance upon him for persecuting his word, and burning his poor members: Ergo, it is done already. M. Moore Christ in that he is God may do all things that he will, but yet he will not falsify his holy Scriptures. must first prove it us by express words of holy Scripture, and not by his own unwritten dreams, that Christ's body is in many places, or in all places at once: and then though our reason can not reach it, yet our faith measured and directed with the word of faith will both reach it, receive it, and hold it fast to: not because it is possible to God, and impossible to reason: but because the written word of our faith saith it. But when we read Gods words in more than xx. places contrary, that his body should be here. Moore must give us leave to believe his unwritten vanities (verities I should say) at leisure. Here mayst thou see Christian reader wherefore Moore would so fain make thee believe, that the Apostles left out certain things unwritten, of necessity to be believed, even to establish the Pope's kingdom, which standeth of Moor's unwritten vanities. As of the presence of Christ's body and making thereof in the bread. Of Purgatory, of invocation of Saintes, worshipping of stones and stocks, pilgrimages, hallowing of bows and bells, and creeping to the cross etc. If you will believe what so ever Moore can fayne without the Scripture: then can this Poet feign you an other Church than Christ's, and Moore is a great sette●orth of unwritten verities. that you must believe it what so ever it teacheth you, for he hath feigned to that, it can not err, though you see it err and fight against itself a thousand rhymes. Yea if it tell you black is white, good is bad, and the devil is God: yet must you believe it, or else be burned as heretics. But let us return to our purpose. To dispute of God's almighty absolute Although the Pope da●e ●ot take upon him to be God▪ yet he is contented to be named & taken for half a God power, what God may do with his body, it is great folly and no less presumption to Moore, sith the Pope which is no whole God but half a God by their own decrees have decreed, no man to dispute of his power. But Christian Reader be thou content to know that Gods will, his word, and his power be all one and repugn not. And neither willeth he, nor may not do any thing including repugnance, imperfection, or that should derogate, minish or hurt his glory & his name. The glory of his Godhead is to be present and to fill all places at once essencially presently with his almighty power, which glory is denied to any other creature, himself saying by his Prophet: I will not give my glory to Esay. 42. any other creature: now therefore sith his manhood is a creature, it can not have this glory only which is appropried to the Godhead. To attribute to his manhood that property which only is appropried to his Godhead is to confound both the natures of Christ. What thing so ever, is every where after the said manner, that must needs be infinite, without beginning and end, it must be one alone, and almighty: which properties only are appropried Christ ●s touching his manhood occupieth at one ●y me but one place, but his Godhead is in all places at once. john. 14. john. 10. Hebr. 11. unto the glorious majesty of the Godhead. Wherefore Christ's body may not be in all or in many places at once. Christ himself saying as concerning his manhood. He is less than the father, but as touching his Godhead, the father & I be both one thing. And Paul reciting the Psalm affirmeth: Christ as concerning his manhood to be less than God: or less than angels as some text hath it? Here it is plain that all things that Moore imagineth & feigneth are not possible to God, for it is not possible for God to make acreature equal unto himself, for it includeth repugnance & derogateth his glory. God promised & sworn that all nations should be blessed in the death of that promised seed which was Christ. God had determined and decreed it before the world was made: Ergo, Christ must needs have died, and not to expound this word Oportet, as Moore mynseth it. For it was so necessary that the contrary was impossible, except More would make God a liar, which is impossible. Paul concludeth that Christ Hebr. 9 must needs have died, using this Latin term Necesse. Saying: where so ever Christ's must needs dye, for God had so promised before. is a Testament, there must the death of the Testament maker go between: or else the Testament is not ratified & sure, but righteousness and remission of sins in Christ's blood is his new Testament, whereof he is mediator: Ergo, the Testament maker must needs have died. Wrist not therefore (M. More) this word Oportet (though you find Potest for Oportet in some corrupt copy) unto your unsavoury sense. But let Oportet signify, he must or it behoveth him to dye. For he took our very mortal nature for the same decreed council: himself saying. Oportet exaltari filium hominis. etc. john. 2. and 12. It behoveth, that the son of man must dye, that every one that believeth in him perish not etc. Here may you see also that it is impossible for God to break his promise. It is impossible to God God may not be found●…. which is that verity, to be found contrary in his deeds and words: as to save them whom he hath damned, or to damn them whom he hath saved, wherefore all things imagined of M. Moor's brain are not possible to God. And when Moore saith, that Christ had power to let his life and to take it again, & therefore not to have died of necessity: I wonder me, that his schoolmaster here sailed him, so cunning as he maketh himself therein: which granteth and affirmeth (as true it is) that with the necessary decreed works of God's foresight and providence standeth right well his free liberty. But M. Moore Moore would have believed Christ if he had talked with him, what soever he had said to him. saith at last, if God would cell me that he would make each of both their bodies two (meaning the young man's body and his) to be in fourteen places at once, I would believe him, that he werable to make his words true in the bodies of both twain, and never would I so much as ask him whether he would glorify them both first or not: but I am sure glorified or unglorified, if he said it, he is able to do it. ●o here may you see what a ●eruent faith this old man hath, and what an earnest mind to believe Christ's words if he had told him: but I pray you M. Moore, what and if Christ never told it you, nor said it, nor never would: would you not be as hasty not to believe it? If he told it you: I pray you tell us where you spoke with him, and who was by to bear you record: and if you bring as false a shrew as yourself to testify this thing: yet by your own doctrine, must you make us a miracle to confirm your tale, ere we be bond to believe you: or yet to admit this your argument, God may make his body in many places at once, Ergo, it is so. Sir you be to busy God's almighty power is not to be to busily deal withal. with God's almighty power, and have taken to great a burden upon your weak shoulders, you have overladen yourself with your own harness and weapons: and young David is likely to prevail against you with his sling and stone. God hath infatuated your high subtle wisdom. Your crafty conveyance is spied. God hath sent your Church a meet cover for such a cup, even such a defender as you take upon yourself to be, that shall let all their whole cause fall flat in the mire unto both your shames and utter confusion. God therefore be praised ever. Amen. Then saith M. Moore, though it seemeth repugnant both to him & to me, one body to be in two places at once: yet God seethe how to make them stand together well enough. This man with Moore doth but scoff out the matter. his old eyen & spectacles seethe far in God's sight, and is of his privy Council: that knoweth belike by some secret revelation how God seethe one body to be in many places at once, including no repugnance. For word hath he none for him in all Scripture no more than one body to be in all places at once. It implieth first repugnance to my Matters of ●ayth are repugnant to reason. sight and reason, that all this world should be made of nothing: and that a virgin should bring forth a child. But yet, when I see it written with the words of my faith, which God spoke: and brought it so to pass: them implieth it no repugnance to me at all. For my faith reacheth it and receiveth it steadfastly. For I know that voice of my herd man: which if he said in any place of Scripture that his body should have been contained under the form of bread & so many places at once here, in earth, and also abiding yet still in heaven to. Verily I would have believed him, as soon and as firmly as M. More. And God's blessed will is declared in his Scriptures. therefore even yet, if he can show us but one sentence truly taken for his part, as we can do many for the contrary, we must give place. For, as for his unwritten verities, & the authority of his Antichristes synagogue, unto which (that scripture forsaken) he is now at last with shame enough compelled to flee: they be proved stark lies and very develry. Then saith he, that you wots well that many good folk have used in this matter many good fruitful examples of Gods other works: not only miracles, written in Scripture. unde versus? (where one I pray you?) but also done by the common course of nature here in earth. If they be done by the common Moore trauc●leth in his Poetry. course of nature, so be they no miracles. And some things made also by man's hand. As one face beholded in divers glasses: and every piece of one glass broken into twenty. etc. Lord how this pontifical Poet playeth his part. Because (as he says) we see many faces in many glasses: therefore may one body be in many places, as though every shadow and similitude representing the body, were a bodily substance. But I ask Moore, when he seethe his own face in so many glasses, whether all those faces that appear in the glasses be his own very faces having bodily substance, skin, flesh & bone, as hath that face, which hath his very mouth nose eyen etc. wherewith he faceth us out the truth thus falsely with lies? And if they be all his very faces, Moor's similitude of faces in the glass proveth no faces in substance. then in very deed there is one body in many places, and he himself beareth as many faces in one hode. But according to his purpose, even as they be no very faces, nor those so many voices, sows and similitudes, multiplied in the air, between the glasses or other object & the body (as the Philosopher proveth by natural reason) be no very bodies: no more is it Christ's very body: as they would make thee believe in the bread, in so many places at once. But the bread broken and eaten in the Supper monisheth and putteth us in By ●ayth we must eat and drink Christ's body and blo●d spiritually. remembrance of his death, and so exciteth us to thanks giving to land and praise: for the benefit of our redemption, and thus we there have Christ present in the inward eye and sight of our faith. We eat his body and drink his blood, that is, we believe surely that his body was crucified for our sins and his blood shed for our salvation. At last note (christian reader) that M. Moore in the third book of his confutation of Tyndall the. CCxlix side, to prove S. john's Gospel unperfit and insufficient (for leaving out of so necessary a point of our faith, as he calleth the last Supper of Christ his Maundy) saith, that john speak nothing at all Moore writeth against himself. of this Sacrament. And now see again in these his letters against Frith, how himself bringeth in john the uj. chap. to impugn Frithes writing, and to make all for the Sacrament, even thus. My flesh is verily meat, & my blood drink. Belike the man had there over shot himself foul: the young man here causing him to put on his spectacles and poor better and more wisely with his old eyen upon S. john's Gospel to find that thing there now written, which before he would have made one of his unwritten verities. As yet if he look narrowly he shall espy that himself hath proved us by Scripture, in the xxxvij. leaf of his Dialogue of quoth he and quoth I, our Ladies perpetual virginity expounding non cog●osco, id est, non cognoscam, which now written unwritten verity he numbereth a little before among his unwritten vanities. Thus may you see how this Moore an upholder of unwritten verities. old holy upholder of the pope's church, his words fight against himself into his own confusion, in finding us forth his unwritten written vanities, verities I should say. But return we unto the exposition of S. john. When the jews would not understand the spiritual saying of the eating of Christ's flesh and drinking of his blood, so often and so plainly declared: he gave them a strong stripe and made them more blind, for they so deserved it (such are the secret judgements of God) adding unto all his sayings thus, who so eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood: abideth in me and I in him. These words were spoken unto these unbelievers into their farther obstination, but unto the faithful for their better instruction. Now gather of this the contrary, & say, who so eateth not my flesh and drinketh not my blood: abideth not in me, nor I in him, and join this to the foresaid sentence. Except Abacuk. 2. you eat the flesh of the son of man, & drink his blood, you have no life in you, let it never fall from thy mind (christian reader) that faith is the life of the Faith is the life of the righteous. righteous, and that Christ is this living bread whom thou eatest, that is to say, in whom thou believest. For if our Papists take eating & drinking here bodily, as to eat the natural body of Christ under the form of bread, and to drink his blood under the form of wine: them must all young children that never came to God's board departed, & all lay men that never drank his 1. john. 4. blood be damned. By love we abide in God and he in us, love followeth faith in the order of our understanding and not in order of succession of time, if thou lookest upon the self gifts and not on their fruits. So that principally by faith, whereby we cleave to God's goodness and mercy, we abide in God, and God in us, as declare his words following, saying, as the living father By faith we eat & drink Christ, and so he abideth in us and we in him. sent me, so live I by my father. And even so he that eateth me shall live because of me, or for my sake. My father sent me whose will in all things I obey, for I am his son. And even soverely must they that eat me, that is believe in me, form and fashion them after my example mortifying their flesh changing their living: or else they eat me in vain and dissemble their belief. For I am not come to redeem that world only, but also to change their life. Christian religion is faith, and a life correspondent. They therefore that believe in me shall transform their life after my example & doctrine, & not after any man's traditions. This is the bread that came from heaven, as the effect itself declareth, whom who so eateth shall live ever. But he that eateth bodily bread liveth not ever, as you may see of your father's that eat Mamna, & yet are they dead. It is not therefore any material bread nor bodily food that may give you life eternal. These words did not only offend them that hated Christ, but also some of his Disciples. They were offended (said the text) and not marveled as More trifleth out the truth) which said. This is an hard saying: who may here this? These Disciples yet stoke no less in Christ's visible flesh, and in the bark of his words, than did the other jews: and as doth now Moore, believing him to have had spoken of his natural body to be eaten with their teeth. Which offence Christ seeing, said: doth The jews and also the disciples of Christ were offended at his words. this offend you, what then will you say, if you see the son of man ascend thither where he was before? If it offend you to eat my flesh while I am here, it shall much more offend you to eat it when my body shallbe go out of your sight, ascended into heaven there sitting on the right hand of my father until I come again, as I went, that is to judgement. Here might Christ have instructed his disciples in the truth of the eating of his flesh in form of bread, had this been his meaning. For he left them never in any perplexity or doubt: but sought all the ways by similitudes & familiar examples to teeth them plainly. He never spoke them so hard a parable, but where he perceived their ●eble ignorance, anon he helped them and declared it them. Yea and sometimes he prevented their asking with his own declaration, & think you that he did not so here? yes verily. For he came to teach us, and not to leave us in any doubt and ignorance, especially in the chief point of our salvation, which standeth in the belief in his death for our sins. Wherefore, to put them out of all doubt as concerning this eating of his flesh, and drinking of his blood, that should give everlasting life: where they took it for his very body to be eaten with their teeth: he said. It is the spirit that giveth this Here Christ doth plainly show that it is the spiritual eating, & not the fleshly eating of his body that profiteth. life, my flesh profiteth nothing at all, to be eaten as you mean so carnally. It is spiritual meat that I hear speak of. It is my spirit that draweth the hearts of men to me by faith and so refresheth them ghostly. You be therefore carnal, to think that I speak of my flesh to be eaten bodily, for so it profiteth you nothing at all. How long will you be without understanding? It is my spirit I tell you that giveth life. My flesh profiteth you nothing to eat it: but to believe that it shallbe crucified & suffer for the redemption of the world it profiteth. And when you thus believe, then eat you my flesh and drink my blood, that is, you believe in me to suffer for your sins. The verity hath spoken these words. My flesh profiteth nothing at all: it can not therefore be false. For both the jews and his Disciples murmured and disputed of his flesh how it should be eaten, and not of the offering thereof for our sins as Christ meant. This therefore is the sure anchor to hold us by against all the objections of the Papists for the eating of Christ's body (as they say) in form of bread. Christ said: My flesh profiteth The eating of Christ's flesh profited nothing. nothing: meaning to eat it bodily. This is the key that solueth all their arguments and openeth the way to show us all their false and abominable blasphemous lies upon Christ's words, and uttereth their sleigh juggling over the bread to maintain Antichristes kingdom therewith. And thus when Christ had declared it and taught them that it was not the bodily eating of his material body: but the eating with the spirit of faith: he added saying. The words which I here The words of Christ were spirit and life. speak unto you are spirit and life. That is to say, this matter that I here have spoken of with so many words must be spiritually understand, to give you this life everlasting. Wherefore the cause why you understand me not is, that you believe not. Here is lo the conclusion of all this Sermon. Christ very God and man, had set his flesh before them to be received with faith that it should be broken & suffer for their sins, but they could not eat it spiritually, because they believed not in him. Wherefore many of his Disciples fallen from him & walked no more with him. And then he said to the twelve. Will you go away to? And Simon Peter answered: Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of everlasting life, and we believe and are sure, that thou art Christ the son of the living God. Here is it manifest what Peter and his fellows understood by this eating and drinking of Christ. For they were perfitly taught that it stood all in the belief in Christ as their answer here testifieth. If this matter had stand upon so deep a miracle, as our Papists fayne without any word of God, not comprehended under any of their common senses, that they should eat his body being under the form of bread as long, deep, thick, and as broad as it hanged upon the cross, they being yet but feeble of faith, not confirmed with the holy ghost, must here needs have woundered, stoned and staggerde, & have been more inquisitive in and of so strange Christ's disciples understood Christ to speak spiritually and believed. a matter than they were. But they neither doubted nor marveled nor murmured, nor were any thing offended with this manner of speech, as were that other that slipped away, but they answered firmly. Thou hast the words of everlasting life: and we believe. etc. Now to the exposition of the words of our lords Supper. Among the holy Evangelists, writing the story of Christ's Supper: john because the other three had written it at large, did but make a mention thereof in his. xiii. Chapter Matthew, Math. 26. Math. 24. Luke. 24. Mark and Luke declaring it clearly, orderly & with just number of words. With whom Paul agreeth, thus writing unto the Corinthians. Our Lord 1. Cor. 11. jesus, y●●ame night he was betrayed: he took the bread, and after he had given thanks: he broke it, saying: Take you it, eat it. This is my body, which is for you broken. Here is now to be noted the order of this action or act. First The order of the act●… Christ took the bread in his hands, secondaryly he gave thanks, thirdly he broke it: fourthly he taught it them saying, take it, fiftly he had them eat it. At last after all this he said. This is my body which is for you broken, this thing do you into the remembrance of me. Here you see, that this bread was first broken delivered them, and they were commanded to eat it to: ere Christ said. This is my body. And for because it is to suppose verily, that they took it at his hand as he had them, and did eat it to, when they had it in their hands their master (whose words they did ever obey) commmaunding them. It must needs follow (if these be the words of the consecration) that they were houseled with vnconsecrated bread, or else now eaten, or at jest wise part of it, ere Christ consecrated it, yea it followeth that it was out of Christ's hands and in they● mouths when Christ consecrated it, & so to have consecrated it when it was now in his disciples hands or in their mouths or rather in their bellies. Here it is manifest that Christ consecrated Christ consecrated no bread, but delivered it to his Apostles to eat. no bread, but delivered it to his Disciples, and bade them eat it. In somuch that S. Thomas their own Doctor, that made their transubstantiation confesseth that some there were, that said that Christ did first consecrated with other words, ere he now reaching the bread to his Disciples said. This is my body. etc. And yet calleth he it no heresy so to say. Now sith in all this act and Supper, there be no words of consecration, but of the delivering of the bread broken after thanks giving with a commandment to eat it: bring us your words of consecration, and show us by what words God promised you and gave you power to make his body. There is neither commandment, nor yet any words left in all the Scripture to There is left unto us no words of consecration, whereby we should altar and change the nature of bread into his body. make or to consecrated Christ's body, to bring it into the bread. But there be the words of God left in the first chapter of Genesis, whereby he made all the world: with which words, all be it we yet have them: yet is it denied us to make that thing that he made with them. Now, sith we having his words of the creation, can not yet make any new creature of nothing: how then shall we without any words of consecration and making, make the maker of all things? Unto this action or supper or deliverance of the bread, he added a reason and signification of this sign or Sacrament, and what also is the use thereof: The use of the Supper. as though any should ask them thereafter: what Sacrament, Religion, or rite is this? They should answer even in a like manner of speech as it was commanded their fathers to make answer to their children at the eating of the old passover, whereof this new passover was the verity, and that the figure, saying. When your children ask you what Religion is this? you shall answer them. It is the sacrifice of the passing by of the Lord etc. Lo here the The paschal lamb. lamb that signified, and did put them in remembrance of that passing by in Egypt (the Israelites spared, and the Egyptians smitten) was called in like phrase the self thing that it represented, signified, and did put them in remembrance of: none otherwise then if Christ's Disciples, or any man else, seeing in that Supper, the bread taken, thanks given, the bread broken, distributed and eaten: should have asked him. What Sacrament or religion is this? He had to answer them that Christ said. This is my body which is for you broken. This thing do you The true meaning & signification of the Sacrament of the body & blood of Christ. in remembrance of me, that is to say, so often as you celebrated this Supper, give thanks to me for your redemption. In which answer he calleth the outward sensible sign or Sacrament, that is the bread with all the other action, even the same thing that it signifieth, representeth, and putteth such eaters of the lords Supper in remembrance of. For when he said, which is broken for you, every one of them see that then it was not his body, that was there broken: but the bread for as yet he had not suffered, but the bread broken was denided in pieces every one of the twelve taking and eating a piece before he said. This is my body. etc. Now sith M. More will stick so fast in his literal sense upon these words. This is my body. etc. Then do I ask Moor's literal sense ●s lost. him, what thing he showeth us by this first word and pronoun demonstrative Hoc, in English (this.) If you show us then bread: so is the bread Christ's body, and Christ's body the bread, which saying in the literal sense is an high heresy after them. And for this saying they burned the Lord Cobham Also I ask whether Christ speaking these words. This is my body. etc. had then the bread in his hands wherewith he houseled his Disciples or no? That he had it not, but had now delivered it them: and had commanded them to eat it to, the order and words of the text plainly prove it, as is declared before. Mark. 14. And S. Mark telleth the story also in this order. The cup taken in his hands, after he had given thanks, he gave it them, & they all drank thereof. And he said to them. This is my blood of the new Testament: which is shed for many. Here it is manifest that The words of consecration were spoken after Christ had delivered the bread & the cup. they had all drunken thereof first ere he said the words of consecration (if they be the words of any consecration.) Besides this: if you be so sworn to the literal sense in this matter, that you will not in these words of Christ. This is my body. etc. admit in so plain a speech any trope (for allegory there is none, if you known the proper difference of them both, which every Grammarian can teach you) then do I lay before your old eyen and spectacles to, Christ's words spoken of the cup both in Luke. 22. Luke and Paul saying: this cup is the new Testament through my blood 1. Cor. 11. which is shed for you. Here Christ calleth the wine in the cup the self cup which every man knoweth is not the wine. Also he calleth the cup the new Testament, and yet was not the cup nor yet the wine contained therein the new Testament, and yet calleth it the new Testament established & confirmed with his blood here you see he called not the cup his blood but the Testament. Where is now your literal sense that you would ●o fain frame for your Papists pleasure? If you will so sore stick to the letter: why do your faction leave here the plain letter: saying that the letter slayth: going about the bush with this exposition and circumlocution, expounding. This is my How the Papists wrist the words of Scripture. body, that is to say, this is converted & turned into my body, & this bread is transubstantiated into my body? How far lo, M. Moore is this your strange Thomisticall sense from the flat letter? If you be so addictt to the letter, why fray you the common people from the literal sense with this bug, telling them the letter slayeth? but there is neither letter nor spirit that may bridle nor hold your stiff necked heads. Also you shall understand that Christ john. 6. rebuked the jews for their literal sense and carnal understanding of his spiritual words, saying: My flesh profiteth you nothing at all to eat it. etc. And their literal taking of his spiritual words was the cause of their murmur. etc. For even there (as also like in other places) to eat Christ's flesh. etc. after the common phrase of the Scripture, is not else, them to believe that Christ suffered death, & shed his blood for us. Read you Paul Our fathers did 1. Cor. 10. all eat the same spiritual meat and drink the same spiritual drink that To eat Christ's flesh is to believe in him. we now eat & drink: Here I think M. More must leave his literal sense & material meat, or else deny Paul, and deny to that our fathers did eat Christ and drink his blood, which all here Paul saith, for to eat and to drink this spiritual meat and drink, was as himself declareth to eat & drink Christ. They drank of the stone (saith The manner of Saint Paul's speaking. Paul) that went with them. Which stone was Christ. And we eat and drink the very same stone. Which is nothing else, then to believe in Christ. They believed in Christ to come, & we believe in him comen, and to have suffered, where is now think you M. Mores literal sense for the eating of Christ's material body? Our fathers were one, and the same Church with us, under the same Testament and promise, and even of the same faith in Christ. And even as they eat him and drank his blood even the same spiritual meat & drink that we do eat and drink: so do we now in the same faith. For what else was signified by this manner of speech, our fathers did eat and drink Christ, then that they believed in Christ Math. 15. to be incarnated and to suffer death? what else meant the poor woman of Lanane by eating, then to believe? when she answered Christ, saying. You say soothe my Lord. But yet do the little whelps eat of the crumbs that fall from their masters table. This did An allegoticall speech well allowed and used of Christ. she answer in an allegory according to Christ's first answer unto her, she meaning by that eating of the crumbs, the belief of his words and Gospel to be scattered among the Gentiles as Christ answering, confirmed her meaning, saying: O woman great is thy faith. He said not, thou art a great eater and devourer of bread. Here it is plain that to eat in the Scripture is taken to believe: as Christ himself expoundeth john. 6. it, so often, and so plenteously. And I am here compelled to inculke & iterate it with so many words, to satisfy (if it were possible) this carnal fleshvowerer and fleshly Iew. Now to examine and to discuss this The old passover compared with the Supper of our Lord matter more deeply & plainly. I shall compare the old passover, with the new and supper of the Lord And to show you how the figures correspond their verities: I will begin my comparison at Baptism comparing it with Baptism compared with Circumcision. the lords Supper, which be the two Sacraments left us now under the grace of the Gospel. And afterward (to set forth both these Sacraments plainly) I will compare Circumcision with Baptism: & the pass lamb with Christ's Supper. We (by Baptism) as we testified unto 1. Cor. 10. 11. and 12. Rom. 6. Ephes. 4. the congregation our entering into the body of Christ (take here Christ's body, as doth Paul for his congregation) to dye, to be buried, and to rise with him, to mortify our flesh, and to be revived in spirit, to cast of the old man, and to do upon us the new: even Eucharistia thanks giving. 1. Cor. 10. and 11. so, by the thanks giving (for so did the old Greek doctors call this Supper) at God's board, or at the lords Supper (for so doth Paul call it) we testify the unity and communion of our hearts, glued unto the whole body of Christ in love: yea and that such love as Christ at this, his last Supper expressed: what time he said, his body should be broken, and his blood shed for the remission of our sins. And to be short. As Baptism is the badge of our faith, so is the lords Supper the 1. Tim. 1. token of our love to God & our neighbours: where upon standeth the law and the Prophets. For the end of the precept, is love out of a pure heart, and good conscience and faith unfeigned. So that by baptism we be initiated & consigned unto the worship of one God in one faith: And by the same faith and love at the lords Supper, we show ourselves to continued in our possession, to be incorporated and to be the very members of Christ's body. Both these Sacraments were figured Baptism was figured by Circumcision, and the lords Supper by the paschal lamb. in Moses' law. Baptism was figured by Circumcision: & the lords Supper, by the eating of the passelambe. Where like as by Circumcision, the people of Israel were reckoned to be God's people, several from the Gentiles, so be we now by Baptism reckoned to be consigned unto Christ's Church several from jews, paynims etc. And as their passover, that is to say, their solemn feast yearly in eating their passelambe, was an outward token of their perseverance in their religion, and in remembrance of their passage out of Egypt into the land of Chanaan: so is now the eating of the lords Supper (which Christ and Luke. 12. 1. Cor. 5. Paul called our passover) a token of our perseverance in our Christian profession at Baptism: and also thanks giving with that joyful remembrance of our redemption from sin, death, and Exod. 12. hell by Christ's death. Of the figure of this Supper: our new passover: thus it is written. After you be entered into that land, which the Lord God shall give you according to his promise: you shall keep this ceremony. And when your children ask you what Religion is this? you shall answer them. It is the sacrifice of the passing over of the Lord, when the Lord passed forth by the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, smiting the Egyptians and delivering our houses. This eating therefore of the pass lamb was the figure of the lords Supper▪ which figure when the hour was come that he would it to cease and give place unto the verity, as the shadow to vanish away at the presence of the body: He said thus, with a fervent desire do I long to eat Luke. 22. this passover with you ere I suffer. Again, let us compare the figure with the truth, the old passover with the new, and diligently consider the property of speaking, in and of either of them. Let us expend the succession, imitation, The paschal lamb eaten and the Sacrament instituted. and time, how the new succeeding the old mediator Christ between both sitting at the Supper celebrating both with his presence: did put out the old and bring in the new. For there is in either of them such like composition of words, such affinity and proportion of speech, such similitude and property in them both, the new so corresponding in all things to the old, that the old declareth the new, what is it, wherefore it was instituted, and what is the very use thereof. And to begin at Circumcision Two things to be considered in the Sacraments. the figure of Baptism, you shall un derstand, that in such rites and Sacraments there are two things to be considered, that is to wit. The thing, and the sign and of thing. The thing is it wherefore the sign is instituted to signify it: as in Circumcision, the thing is the covenant to be of the people of God, and the sign is, the cutting of the foreskin of the privy member. In the passover, the thing was, the remembrance with thanks giving for the deliverance out of the hard servitude of Egypt: but the sign was, the lamb roasted with such ceremonies as were there prescribed them. So in baptism: The matter and substance of of the Sacrament and the signs of the 〈◊〉. The thing is, the promise to be of the Church of Christ: the sign is, the dipping into the water with the holy words. In our lords Supper, the very thing is Christ promised and crucified, and of faith with thanks giving unto the father for his son given to suffer for us. But the sign is, the dealing and distributing or reaching forth of the bread and wine, with the holy words of our Lord spoken at his supper, after he had thus dealt the bread & wine, unto his Disciples. And here is it diligently to be noted: The sign is called the thing. That in all such rites, ceremonies, or Sacraments of God thus instituted: these two things (that is to wit the thing signified, and the sign that signifieth) be concurraunt and inseparable. It is the common use and property of speech in the Scripture, to call the sign, the thing. As is Circumcision called the covenant. Every man-child Gene. 17. must be circumcised that my covenant might be in your flesh for a perpetual band. And yet was it only but the outward sign & seal of the covenant, that the seed of Abraham should be his especial choose people, & that he would be their God. The lamb, that was Exod. 12. but the sign, was called the passover: and yet was not the lamb the passing over, but the sign only exciting and monishing them to remember that deliverance by the angel pasling by the Israelites in Egypt, siniting the Egyptians. And sith this trope or manner of speech the Scripture did use with so great grace in the old rites and ceremonies that figured our Sacraments: why may it not with like grace, for that analogy and proper congruence of the figures with their verities, use the same phrase and manner of speech in their verities? If the Scripture called the The scripture calleth the sign by the name of the thing that it signifieth. sign the thing in Circumcision & the passover: why should we be offended with the same speech in our Baptism & in the lords Supper? Sigh such manner of speech have no less grace and fullness here then there to bring the thing signified into our hearts by such outward sensible signs. For when that sign of Circumcision was given the child: them were they certified (as an outword token may certify) that the child was of the people of Israel. And therefore did the signs them, as they do now bear the names of things which they signified as the lamb eaten in the passover was called the sacrifice & the self passover, none otherwise then in our new passover, that is the lords supper, The bread in the Sacrament called the body of Christ & the wine called the blood of Christ. the bread broken etc. is called the body of Christ, & the wine poured forth and distributed to each man, the blood of Christ because the bread so broken and dealt signifieth unto the receivers and putteth them in remembrance of the sacrifice of his body on the altar of the cross, and of his blood poured forth for our redemption. So that this manner of speech in the administration and use of the Supper of our Lord: to say. This is my body, & this is my blood: is as much to say as, this signifieth my body, this signifieth my blood. Which Supper is here celebrated to put us in remembrance of Christ's death, and to excite us to thanks giving. Neither let it offend thee (O Christian reader) That est, is taken for significat: ●st, is taken for significat. that is to say. This is that, is as much to say, as this signifieth that. For this is a common manner of speech in many places of Scripture, and also in our mother tongue: as when we see many pictures or images, which you know well are but signs to represent the bodies whom they be made like, yet we say of the Image of our Lady. This is our Lord, and of S. Katherive, this is S. Katherine, & yet do they but represent and signify us, our Lady or S. Katherine. And as it is written. The in. branches are three days. The three baskets Gene. 40. are three days, which was not else but they signified three days. Also in the The figurative speeches used in the scripture. xxviij. chapter. jacob said. This stone which I have set up an end, shallbe God's house, which stone yet was never God's house nor never shallbe: but only did signify gods house to be builded in that same place. Again Pharaoh dreamt to have seen seven. fair fat Oxen, & eftsoons seven. poor lean Oxen, which joseph expounding said: The seven. fat Oxen are seven. plenteous years, in which phrase or manner of speech every man sith that the Oxen were no years: but they signified such years. Marvel not therefore though est, likewise in this sentence: Hoc est corpus meum, be taken for significat, as much to say, as this signifieth my body. And yet for because the Scriptures conferred together expound themself as saith S. Austen: And Peter. 〈◊〉. Pet. 2. That we have before a firm and sure prophetical speech unto which if we attend as unto a light set up in a dark place, we do well: I shall show you a like phrase in ezechiel where the destruction of jerusalem was thus figured. God commanding ezechiel to Ezech. 5. take a sword as sharp as a razor, and shave of his head and beard, and then take a certain weight of the hears divided into three parts: The one, he should burn in the mids of the City. An other he should cut round about, and cast the third up into the wind. etc. which done he said: Thus saith the The manner of speaking in the scripturo. Lord God. This is jerusalem. Which act and deed so done, was not jerusalem. But it signified and preached unto the beholders of it, jerusalem to be destroyed: none otherwise than the breaking and distributing of the bread and wine called Christ's body and blood signifieth and preacheth us the death of Christ, the figure and sign bearing the name of the thing signified, as in the Prophets' speech, saying: This is jerusalem: which did but signify jerusalem. When Christ did breath into his Disciples, saying: Take you the holy john. 3. ghost: the same breath was not the holy ghost, but signified and represented them the holy ghost, with a thousand like manner of speech in the Scripture. In the old passover thanks were given for the slaughter of the first begotten, wherein the kings posterity of Egypt fallen away. (The Hebrues spared, passover, and delivered.) But in the new passover, thanks were given that the only begotten son of the most highest was crucified, whereby all faithful are spared, passed over, and not smitten with the sword of damnation, but delivered and saved in the lambs blood that hath taken away the sin of the world. In the old passover. The lamb or feast is called the Lords passover, and yet was neither the lamb nor the feast his passing over: but the sign and commemoration of his passing by. And even so is it now in the new Supper of our Lord It is The natural body of Christ is not in the Sacrament. there called the body of our Lord, not that there is any thing, wherein his very natural body is contained so long and broad as it hanged on the cross, for so is it ascended into heaven and sitteth on the right hand of the father: but that thing that is there done in that Supper, as the breaking and dealing and eating of the bread, and the whole like action of the wine, signifieth, representeth, and putteth into our hearts by the spirit of faith this commemoration, joyful remembrance, & so to give thanks for that inestimable benefit of our redemption, wherein we see with the eye of our faith presently his body broken & his blood shed for our sins. This is no small Sacrament, nor yet irreverently The Sacrament is to be received with thanks giving. to be entreated: but it is the most glorious and highest Sacrament, with all reverence and thanks giving to be ministered, used received, preached & solemnly in the face of the congregation to be celebrated: of whose holy administration and use I shall peradventure speak in the end of this Supper. But in the mean season (christian reader) let these sensible signs signify The use of the supper. and represent his death, and print it in thy heart giving thanks incessantly unto God the father for so incomparable a benefit, that hath given thee his own only so dearly beloved son our Saviour jesus Christ to dye for thy sins yea and that when we were not his children but his enemies. Christ's disciples said to the man where is Luke. 22. this gest chamber where I might eat the passing by with my disciples? & they prepared the passover. And yet Christ eat not the passover, but the lamb with his disciples, where it is plain, the sign to do on the name of the thing. At last, consider unto what eude all Note here the whole circumstance of the manner and institution of the Sacrament of Christ's body. things tended in that last supper, how the figure teached the verity, the shadow the body, and how the verity abolished the figure, and the shadow gave place to the body. Look also with what congruence, proportion, and similitude both in the action & the speech, all things were consummate and finished, and all to lead us by such seusible signs from the figure unto the verity, from the flesh unto the spirit. And take thou here this infallible & assured saying of Christ never to fall fro thy mind in this last supper, do you this into the remembrance Luke. 22. of me. And also of Paul, saying. So often as you shall eat this bread (lo this heretic 1. Cor. 11. calleth it bread even after the words of the Pope's consecration) and drink of this cup, praise, declare & give thanks for the death of the Lord until he shall come again to judgement. Remember thou also: what Christ said to the carnal jews taking the eating of his flesh and drinking of his blood so carnally, answering them. My flesh profiteth not, meaning to eat it bodily john. 6. but the spirit maketh life. And to this set the Prophet Abacukes' sentence. The Abacuk. 2. just liveth of his faith. And now (christian reader) to put thee clean out of doubt, that Christ's body is not here present under the form of bread (as the papists have mocked us many a day) but in heaven, even as he rose and ascended. Thou shalt Christ declared to his disciples that he would leave this world 〈◊〉 go to his father in heaven. know that he told his Disciples almost twenty times between the xiii. and xviij. chap. of john that he should, and would go hence, and leave this world. Where to comfort them again for that they were so heavy for his bodily absence, he promised to sand them his holy Ghost to be their comforter, defender, and teacher: in whom and by whom, he would be present with them and all faithful unto the worlds end. He said unto his Disciples. I go Scriptures are many that show Christ as touching his natural body is go and is not here. Acts. 2. hence, I go the father, I leave the world, and now shall I no more be in the world, but you shall abide still in the world. Father I come to thee. Poor men have you ever with you: but me shall you not always have with you. And when he ascended unto heaven, they did behold him & see the cloud take his body out of their sight: and they fastening their eyes after him, the two men clothed in white, said unto them. you men of Galilee, wherefore stand you thus looking up into heaven? This is jesus that is taken up from you into heaven, which shall so come again, even as you have seen him going hence. Here I would not Moore to flit from Christ ascended into heaven. his literal plain sense. All these so plain words be sufficient, I trow, to a Christian man to certify his conscience that Christ went his way bodily ascending into heaven. For when he had told his disciples so often of his bodily departing from them: they were marvelous heavy and sad. Unto whom Christ said. Because I told you that I john. 14. and. 16. go hence, your hearts are full of heaviness. If they had not believed him to have spoken of his very bodily absence: they would never have so mourned for his going away. And for because they so understood him, and he so mean as his words swooned: He added (as he should have said) be you never so heavy or how heavily so ever you take my going hence, yet do I tell you truth. For it is expedient for you that I go hence. For if I should not go hence, that comforter should not come unto you. But and if I go hence, I shall Christ ●●playne words declareth his bodily departure out of this world. sand him unto you. And again in the same chap. I am come from the father, and am come into the world, and shall leave the world again and go to my father. What mystery, think you, should be in these so manifest words? Did he speak them in any dark parables: Did he mean otherwise than he spoke? Did he understand by going hence so often repeated, to tarry here still? or did he mean by forsaking and leaving the world to be but invisible being still in the world with his body? Not surely. For he meant as faithfully & as plainly as his words swooned, and even so did his Disciples without any more marveling understand him. For they answered him, saying: Lo, now speakest thou apertly: neither speakest thou any proverb. But what a dark proverb and subtle riddle had it been: if he had meant by his going hence to have ●aryed here still? and by forsaking the world, to abide still in the world? and by his going hence to his father by his very bodily Ascension, to be but invisible? Who would intrepret this plain sentence thus? I go hence, that is to say: I tarry here still. I forsake the world and go to the father, that is to say, I will be but invisible and yet here abide still in the world bodily? For as concerning his Godhead, which was ever with the father, and in all places at once, he never spoke such words of it. When Christ said (his death now Christ plainly showed unto the disciples that he must departed from this world to his father in heaven. was at hand) unto his Disciples: now agaynen I forsake the world and go to my father, but you shall tarry still in the world. If they will expound by his for sakyng the world, to tarry here still bodily, and to be but invisible: why do they not by like exposition interpret the tarrying here still of the Disciples at that time, to be go hence bodily and to be here visible? For Christ did set these contraries one against an other to declare each other. As if to tarry here still, did signify to the Disciples that they should abide in the world, as it doth in deed: then must needs his going hence and forsaking the world signify his bodily absence as both the words plainly loon, Christ meant, and they understood them. But in so plain a matter what need these words? Be thou therefore sure (christian reader) that Christ's glorified body is not in this world, but in heaven, as he thither ascended in which body he shall Christ's ●…rified body is in heaven. come even as he went gloriously with power and great majesty to judge all the world in the last day. Be thou therefore assured, that he never thus juggled nor mocked his so dearly beloved Disciples so full of heaviness now for his bodily departing. For if he had so meant as our Papists have perverted his, saying, his Disciples would have wondered at so strange manner of speech, and he would have expressed his mind plainly, sith at this time he was so full set to leave them in no doubt but to comfort them with his plain and comfortable words. And Christ's 〈◊〉 scention was witnessed by many. if he would have been but invisible and still bodily present: he would never have covered himself with the cloud showing them and testifying also by those ij. men his very bodily Ascension out of their sights. We may not make of his very bodily Ascension, such an invisible juggling cast as our Papists fain. Fashioning and feigning Christ a body now invisible, now in many places at once, & then so great, and yet in so little a place, not discerned of any of our senses now glorified, now unglorified, now passable, and then impassable, and I wot near what they imagine and make of their maker, and all without any word, yea clean against all the words of holy Scripture. For surely, in this their imagination and so saying they bring in a fresh, the heresy of that great heretic Marcian, which said The here 〈◊〉 of Marc●… what it was? that Christ took but a fantastical body. And so was neither verily born nor suffered, nor rose, nor ascended verily, neither was he very man. Which heresy Tertulian confuteth: Christ took verily our nature such a passable and mortal body as we bear about with us, save that he was without all manner of sin. In such a body he suffered verily, and rose again from death in such a glorified body now immortal etc. as every one of us shall rise at the general judgement. It is appropried only to his Godhead to be every where and not to be circumscribed nor contained in no one place. And as for our Papists profane void voices, his body to be in many places at once, indifinitive incircumscriptive, non per modum quanti neque localiter etc. which includeth in itself contradiction, of which Paul warned Timothe 1. Timo. 6. 2. Timo. 2. calling them the oppositions of a false named science (for that their Scholastical Divinity must make objections against every truth, be it never so plain with pro & contra: which science 1. Timo. 〈◊〉. many that profess it (saith Paul) have erred from the faith, as for this contention and battle about words profitable for nothing else; but to subvert the hearers, I care not for them. For I have the almighty testimony of the everlasting word of God ready to soil all their mad and unreasonable reasons, to wipe them clean away, and to turn them into their own confession. And for because they hold them so fast by Paul. I shall lose their hold, 1. Cor. 11. expounding the lords Supper after Paul, which addeth immediately unto the cup, this that Luke there left forth: Do you this into my remembrance. This doth Paul repeat so oft to put The Supper of the Lord is the commemoration and memorial of Christ's death. us in mind, that these thanks giving and Supper is the commemoration and the memorial of Christ's death. Wherefore after all he repeateth it yet again the third time saying. So often as you shall eat this bread (he calleth it still bread even after the Pope's consecration) and drink the cup (he saith not drink this blood) see that you give thanks, be joyous and preach the death of the Lord, for so much signifieth, Annunciate, in this place, until he come that is to say, from the time of his death and Ascension until he come again to judgement. Furthermore (sayeth S. Paul calleth the Sacrament bread after the consecration. Paul) who so eateth this bread (he calleth it still bread) or drink of the cup of the Lord unworthily: is guilty of the body and blood of the Lord The body and blood of the Lord Paul calleth here the congregation assembled together to eat the lords Supper. For they are his body and blood which are redeemed with his body and blood, as he said in the x. chapter before. The cup of thanks giving which we receive with thanks: is it not the fellowship of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the fellowship of the body of Christ? For we being many together are one bread, and one body. Lo here Paul expounding himself useth the same form of speech that is used in these words. This is my body, taking is, for signifieth. We are By one loaf of bread, we are signified to be one body in Christ. one bread & one body, that is to say, we are signified by one loaf of bread to be one body, he showeth the cause, adding because we be all partakers of one loaf or piece of bread. And in the xii. chapter following, he saith plainly, you be the body of Christ and his particular members, and in the first to the Ephesians. God did set Christ to be the head over all unto his congregation which is his body. etc. And because the comparison in the x. chapter between the lords board and his cup, and the devils board and his cup, do declare this matter. I shall The cup of the Lord, 〈◊〉 the cup of recite Paul's words, saying: you may not drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of the devil both together. You the devil, how they differte. may not be partakers of the lords board & the devils board both at once. The devils board and his cup was not his body and blood, but the ear-ring and drinking before their images and Idols as did the heathen in the worship and thanks of their Gods. Of the which thing thou mayst gather what Paul meant by the lords board and his cup. Now let us return to Paul in the x●. chapter. They eat this Who they are that eat of the bread and drink of the cup unworthily. bread, and drink of this cup unworthily, that come not unto this board with such faith and love as they professed at their Baptism. They eat unworthily that thrust themselves in among this congregation having not the love that this Sacrament and sign of unity teacheth and signifieth. Which manner of people Paul in the same chapter rebuketh, and bendeth all his Sermon against them: for that they were contentious, and came together not for the better but for the worse. So that their coming together which should have been a token of faith, and love, was turned into the occasion and matter of disscution and strife: because every man did eat (as Paul saith) his own supper and not the lords supper: wherein the bread and drink is common as well to the poor as to the rich. But here the rich disdained the Every 〈◊〉 did eat his own supper and not the Supper of the ●●rd. poor and would not tarry for them. So that some (as the rich) went their way drunken and full: and the poor departed hungry and dry, which was a token of no equal distribution of the bread and drink: and that the rich contemned the poor, and so become slanderous and guilty of the body & blood of Christ: that is to wit, of the poor congregation redeemed with Christ's body and blood. Thus they that came together appearing to have had that love which the Supper signified and had it not, uttered themselves by this contentious and unloving dealing not to be members of Christ's body, but rather guilty and hurtful unto them. As if a soldier of our adversaries part should come in among us with our lords badge, having not that heart faith and love to our captain that we have, we would (if we espied it by any token) take him for a spy and betrayer We must first examine out stlues, and then come to the table of the Lord rather than one of us. Let a man therefore (saith Paul) prove himself well before, whether he hath this faith to Christ & love to God and his neighbour which all he professed at Baptism, and this Supper signified: and so come in among the congregation to eat of this bread & drink of this cup (he calleth it still bread and wine: & neither his body nor blood.) For he that eateth & drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh his own damnation: because he discerneth not the lords body. He calleth still the lords body the congregation redeemed with Christ's body as he did before, Look more of this in the Epistle to the reader. and also in the chapter following fetching his analogy and similitude at the natural body. In which although there be divers members one excelling an other, one inferior, viler and more contemptible than an other, yet may not the body want them: but must cover them reverently, and hold them in honour. Again, in the body, though there be divers members of divers offices: yet is there no discord among them: but every member be it never so, low and vile: yet doth it minister and serve an other, and all together hold up and help the whole body. This consideration with these comparisons so eloquently, so plenteously, so lively doth Paul set forth in that xii. chap. that no man candesire any more. And all to bring us into the consideration and discretion of the body of Christ which is his congregation: without which consideration and discretion, if we thrust ourselves If we come not thankfully and charitably unto that lords board, we eat and drink our damnation. in with his sign and recognizance feignedly: we be but hypocrites and eat and drink our own judgement. For this cause many are sick among you, and many are a sleep, that is, are dead. Here it seemeth some plague to have bencast upon the Corinthians for this abuse in the eating of the lords Supper. For both the law & the Prophets threatened us plagues, as pestilence, famine, and sword for our sins. For if we had judged our souls, that is, if we had diligently examined our own living & repent: we should not have been judged, that is to say, punished of that Lord. But while we be punished, we be corrected of the Lord jest we should be condemned with the world. Wherefore my brethren, when you come together to eat, tarry one for an other. Here is the cause of all this dissension wherefore Paul rebuketh them. But here might some of them object & tell Paul Sir we come thither hungry and may not tarry so long: whereunto Paul answereth as he did before: saying. Have you not houses to eat & drink in? Do you contemn the congregation of God, and shame them that have none? Here S. Paul calleth the poor the Church of God. he calleth the poor the church of God, whom afterward he called the body of the Lord: and now at last he saith. If any man be so hungry, let him eat somewhat at home, and so delay his hunger that he may the better tarry for the poor, jest you come together unto your condemnation. And as for other things This place the Papists allege to prove unwritten be ritie. I shall dispose and set in order when I come. These other things were concerning this Supper and such as were out of frame among them which if you read the whole Epistle are easy to see: & that they were no necessary truths for their salvation. For all such truths Paul had preached them before and written them to. Neither were these other things, Lent, Fast, the Assumption of our Lady, hallowing of bows, Bells, and Ashes, hallowing of Vestiments, and creeping to the Cross, with such other unwritten vanities, as M. More listeth to jest and tryful out the truth. Now have you the very pure sense of these Christ's words, this is my body, that is to say. This signifieth or representeth my body taking Est, for significat. As M. More himself uttered it in his Dialogue put forth in William Barlowes name, reciting the opinions of Oecolampadius and Zwinglius: saying, this is my body, is as much to say as this signifieth my body, where he says that Oecolampadius allegeth for him Moore belieth Decolamp●dius; and Zuingitus. Tertulian, Chrisostome and Austen, but falsely sometime adding more to their words, sometime taking away from their sentences. Which saying is plain false and he belieth the man now departed, for first his incomparable learning and very spiritual judgement would not suffer him to be ignorant in the understanding of these old holy Doctors (whom I dare say he under stood as well as Moore. And his conscience and faithfulness would not suffer him falsely to pervert them as M. More belieth and perverteth Christ & Paul and all holy Scripture. And if this man had thus dealt with these Doctors sayings: Luther against whom he did contend in this matter would not have left it untold him. But (Christian reader) to put thee out Look more of this in the Epistle to the reader. of doubt have here these doctors own words both in Latin and English. And first hear Tertulian, where thou must first understand that there was an heretic called Martion, saying that Christ took not to him the very body of man, but an imagived and a fantastical body, to put of, and on, when he lysted: and so not to have been born verily of the virgin Mary nor yet to have suffered verily death etc. against whom, thus writeth Tertulian in his fourth book. Professus itaque se concupiscentia concupisse Tertulian. edere pascha, ut suum acceptum panem & distributum Discipulis corpus suuni illum fecit, hoc est corpus meum dicendo: id est figura corporis mei. Figura autem non fuisset, nisi veritatis esset corpus. Caeterum, vacua res, quod est phantasma, figuram capere non posset. Which words are thus in English spoken of Christ. Which acknowledging himself with how fervent desire he longed to eat the passover, as his bread taken and distributing to his Disciples: made it his body, saying: This is my The wor●es of Tertulian. body: that is to say, the figure of my body. For figure had it been none, except it were a very body. For a void thing which is a fantasy can receive no figure. Here it is plain, that this is my body after the old holy Doctor, is as much to say, as this is the figure or sign that representeth or signifieth my body. Also, thus sayeth Austen. Lex dicit non esse manducandum sanguinem, quod anima sit sanguis: Quod lex dicit, sanguis Austen cap. xii. against, ●dim●nt. est anima: esse positum dicimus, sicut alia multa & penè omnia Scripturarum illarum Sacramenta signis & figuris plena futurae predicationis, quae iam per Dominum nostrum jesum Christum declarata est. etc. Possum etiam interpretari praeceptum illud in signo esse positum. Non enim dubitavit Dominus dicere. Hoc est corpus meum, quum signum daret corporis sui. Sic est enim sanguis anima, quomodo petra erat Christus. Nec tamen quum haec diceret, ait: petra significabat Christum, sed ait: petra erat Christus. Quae rursus ne carnaliter acciperetur, spiritualem illam vocat, id est spiritualiter intelligi docet. Which words be thus in English. The law sayeth that blood should not Gene. 6. Levi. 7. Deut. 12. be eaten, because the life is blood. Which precept of the law and because that blood is life: we affirm it to be set like as many other almost innumerable sacraments of those Scriptures, full of signs and figures of the preaching to come: which now is declared by our Lord jesus Christ etc. And I may interpret that precept to be laid in a sign. For the Lord doubted not to say. This is my body: when he gave the sign of his body. And even so is the blood life, and the stone was Christ. Austen calleth Sacrament the sign of his body. And yet when he said these words: he said not the stone signified Christ: but he said, the stone was Christ, which jest they should be taken carnally, he calleth it spiritual, that is to say, he teacheth it to be understand spiritually. Where is now Moor's literal sense, and material meat? Now shall you hear Chrisostome. Hom●. 83. operiti● imperfect. Nihil sensibile tradidit Christus: licet dederit panem & vinum: non quod panis & vinum non sint sensibilia, sed quod in illis mentem haerere noluit. Name in suum corpus, quod est panis vitae, subvehit dicens. Hoc est corpus meum: perinde ac dicat. Hoc licet panis sit, significat tamen tibi corpus. Thus it is in English. Christ giving bread and wine, gave no sensible thing: not that bread and wine be not sensible: but that he would not our mind to stick still in them. For he lifted us up into his body, Chrisostome calleth the sacrament the sign of Christ's body. which is the bread of life: saying. This is my body: as though he should say. Though this be but bread, yet it signifieth unto thee, my body. Now judge thou (Christen reader) whether M. Moore reporteth right, of this man that allegeth these holy Doctors, or no. Now have you the pure understanding The confutation of the Papists gloss. of the words of the lords supper confirmed with the old holy Doctors. That, this is my body, is as much to say, as this signifieth my body. And this is my blood: is, this signifieth my blood. But yet was there never such manner of speaking in the scripture. This is that: that is to say. This is converted and transubstanciated into that. Or this is contained in that: the thing converted and changed keeping still her form, qualities, quantities etc. As to say. This is my body, The Papists are wre●ters & perverters of the scriptures. that is to say. This bread is converted into my body, the bread abiding still in his fashion, taste, colour, weight. etc. For Christ when he converted water into wine, did not leave the form, colour, and taste still in the water. For so had it been no changing. But let our covetous converters chop and change bread and wine till we there feel, see, & taste neither bread nor wine, and then will we believe them so they bring for them the word of God. For as for their false juggling we feel it at our finger's end: we see it, had we but half an eye: we taste it at our tongues end, and know it with all our wits and understanding so manifestly, that we perceived them openly long ago, to be the very Antichristes, of whom Christ and his Apostles warned us to come in this last tyme. And if they say. That this conversion The Papists say that the tran substantion is done by miracles. is made by miracles. Then must every one of them as he say a Mass, make us many a miracle the very marks of M. Moor's Church. For it is one great miracle that Christ's body should come so suddenly invisible and so often out of heaven, and that such a miracle as the word of God never known. An other that so great a body should be contained in so little a place, and that one body should be at once in so many places and two bodies in one place. An other that it is eaten, neither the cater feeling it, nor the body eaten suffering nor feeling the teeth of the eater. With as many more marvelous & like miracles or rather absurdities of the bread and wine, that there must be the form, colour, taste, weight, broken etc. and yet neither to be bread nor wine in our belief except we will be burned of them because we believe not their juggling casts. O mischievous miracle makers. O cruel converters: O bloody butchers. But hark (christian reader) and I shall learn thee to know Christ's plain and true miracles, from the sleighty juggling of these crafty conneyers. Christ would never have done miracle had men believed him only by his words, but when he said first these words. This is my body, no man doubted at them, no man was in any vnbeleue of them, wherefore these words must needs be plain single and pure without miracle, as these. The iij. branches are three days: without any subtle transubstantiation, such insensible conversion, or any false miracle. All true miracles are done to let forth the glory of God. Christ wrought all his miracles for the glory of God to declare himself both God and man, so that all Christ's miracles were comprehended under man's senses or common wits, which bring in such knowledge unto the understanding. As when he changed water into wine, the miracle was first received with the sight, open at the eye, tasted with the mouth and so conveyed unto the understanding. And now though Christ did miracles to declare h●m self to be both God and man. we neither see nor taste that miracle, yet we hear it, see it, read it, and so understand that it was once a miracle done of Christ? when he restored the sight to the blind, healed the lame, cleansed the leprous, reared the dead: all was seen, herded, and so comprehended under our most sweet senses: that his very enemies were compelled to coufesse them for miracles. But our miracle makers, that make daily so often and so many, are so far from this clear point, that their miracles in this matter, be not, neither shallbe contained nor comprehended 〈…〉 under any of our five wits, but they rather delude and deceive both sight, taste, feeling, hearing, and smelling: you our faith and understanding to. Beware therefore of these mischievous miracle makers for their own glory and profit and will kill thee to, if thou believest not their lies. Beware I say of those Merchants that will cell the wares, which they will not suffer thee to see, nor to taste, nor to touch but when they show the white, thou must believe it is black: If they give 〈…〉 the bread, thou must believe it without any word of thy faith, that it is Christ's body, and that of their own making. If thou taste, see and feel it bread yet thou must say it is none though the Scripture calleth it bread xx. times. Beware, beware I say of Antichrist: whose coming saith Paul (He is come already saith john, now are there 1. Thes. 2. 1. john. 2. many Antichristes) shall be after the working of Satan with an almighty power, with false signs and wouders lying miracles, & with all deceit of unrighteousness. etc. To be to curious in so plain a Sacrament and sign, to cavil Christ's clear words with sophistical so●…mes, and to tryfull out the truth with taunts and mocks, as M. More doth, is no Christian manner. And if our Papists, and Scholastical Sophisters will object and make answer to thus Supper of the Lord, bringing ●o ●or them, their unwritten words, deeds, & dreams (for we have compelled Moore 〈…〉 scriptures. with shame to flit from the Scripture) strewed with their vain strange terms which Paul damneth, and giveth Timothe warning of: I shall by god's grace so set the almighty word of God against them, that all Christian shall see falsehood and deceit in this Sacrament: and so disclose their devilish doctrine and fleighty juggling, that all that can read English, shall see the troth of God's word openly bear down their unwritten lies. For it is verily the thing that I desire, even to be written against in this matter, for I have the solutions of all their objections ready, And know right well, that the more they stir this Sacrament, the brother shall their lies be spread, the more shall their falsehood appear and the more gloriously shall the troth triumph: as it is to see this day by long contention The contentious and wicked doctrine of the Papists hath provoked the light of god's truth to be set forth to the understanding of the people. in this same, and other like Articles: which the Papists have so long abused, and how Moore his lies utter the truth every day more and more. For had he not come begging for the Clergy from Purgatory, with his supplication of souls, and Rastel and Rochester had they not so wisely played their parts: Purgatory peradventure had served them yet another year: neither had it so soon have been quenched, nor the poor soul and Proctor there been with his bloody Bishop Christē●atte, so far conjured into his own Utopia with a satchel about his neck to gather for the proud Priests in Synagoga Papistica. When Christ was ascended into heaven: and had sent his Apostles the spirit of truth to lead them into all truth pertaining unto our salvation, even ●nto him that said: I am the truth of which truth he instructed them after his resurrection. Luke. xxiv. and they had preached the same truth now at jerusalem Acts. ij. at which preaching there were that received their words How the 〈…〉. and were baptized, about iij. M. his Apostles remembering how their maist●● Christ at his last Supper did institute and leave them this holy Sacrament of his body and blood to be celebrated and done in his remembrance among such as had received his Gospel, were baptized, had professed his faith, and would persever in his Religion: did now in this first congregation celebrated the lords Supper breaking the bread and eating it as Christ did teach them, which Supper, Luke and Paul called afterward the breaking of the bread. As Acts. ij. saying. That they which gladly had now received Peter's act, & were baptized: were persevering in the doctrine of the Apostles, and in the communion, and in the breaking of the bread, and in prayer, which Sacrament was now a token of the perseverance in their Christian Religion now professed. Of this breaking of bread, Luke writing of Paul coming unto Troades, saith also, A●…●2. that their upon a Sabbath day, when the Disciples were come together unto the breaking of the bread: Paul made a Germon during to midnight etc. And that this was no common nor profane use but an heavenly Sacrament and a reverent rite and usage, the circumstances of the action declare, both in Luke and Paul, shewyngit to be the very institution that Christ ordained at his Supper. Paul thus reciting this breaking of the break: saying. The bread which we bread, is it not the fellowship of the body of Christ? that is to say, doth it not signify us to be the body of Christ that is his congregation and people, as doth the words following declare? Paul adding the cause saying. For we being many are all together siguified by the one loaf to be one body: for that we be partakers of the same bread. Also before, he calleth in the same Supper, the cup of thanks giving the fellowship of the blood of Christ: that is to say, the congregation redeemed with Christ's blood. The holy Sacrament therefore, The Sacrament is not used in these days as it was in the time of the Apostles. would God it were restored unto the pure use, as the Apostles used in it their tyme. Would God, the secular princes which should be the very pastors and head rulers of their congregations committed unto their cure, would first command or suffer the true preachers of God's word to preach the Gospel purely and plainly with discrete liberty: and constitute over each particular Parish such Curates as can and would preach the word, and that once or twice in the Week, appointing unto their flock certain days after their discretion and zeal to Godward, to come together to celebrated the lords Supper. At the which assemble the Curate A good doctrine for all such ministers as have cure of souls, to use to his flock. would propone and declare them first this text of Paul. i Corinthians. xj. So often as you shall eat this bread and drink of this cup: see that you be joyous, praise, and give thanks preaching the death of the Lord etc. which declared, and every one exhorted to prayer, he would preach them purely Christ to have died and been offered upon the altar of the Cross for their redemption: which only oblation to be sufficient sacrifice to peace the father's wrath, and to purge all the sins of the world. Then to excite them with humble diligence, every man unto the knowledge of himself & his sins: and to believe and trust to the forgiveness in Christ's blood: and for this so incomparable benefit of our redemption, (which were sold bondmen to sin) to give thanks unto God the father for so merciful a deliverance through the death of jesus Christ, every one, some singing, and some saying devoutly, one or other Psalm or prayer Thanks giving. of thanks giving in the mother tongue. Then the bread and wine set before them in the face of the Church upon the table of the Lord purely and honesty laid: let him declare to the people the significations of those sensible signs, what the action and deed moveth, teacheth and exhorteth them unto: and that the bread and wine be no profane common signs: but holy Sacraments reverently to be considered The bread and wine are not profane but Sacraments to holy use. and received with a deep faith, and remembrance of Christ's death and of the shedding of his blood for our sins, those sensible things to represent us the very body and blood of Christ, so that while every man beholdeth with his corporal eye those sensible Sacraments: the inward eye of his faith may see & believe steadfastly Christ offered and dying upon the Cross for his sins, how his body was broken and his blood shed for us, and hath given himself whole for us, himself to be all ours, and what soever he did to serve us, as to be made for us of his father our righteousness, our wisdom, 1. Cor. 1. holiness, redemption, satisfaction. etc. Then let this preacher exhort them A wholesome and good lesson namely for all ministers. lovingly to draw near unto this table of the Lord, and that not only bodily, but also (their hearts purged by faith, garnished with love and innoceney) every man to forgive each other unfeignedly, and to express or at lest wise to endeavour them to follow that love which Christ did set before our eyes at his last Supper when he offered himself willingly to dye for us his enemies: Which incomparable love to commend, bring in Paul's Arguments, so that this, his flock Rom. 5. may come together, and be joined into one body, one spirit, and one people. This done let him come down: and accompanied honestly with other Ministers come forth reverently unto the lords table, the congregation now set round about it, and also in their other At the ministration of the Sacrament let the minister exhort all men to have faith and lone & to pray for grace. convenient scates, the pastor exhorting them all to pray for grace, faith and love, which all this Sacrament signifieth and putteth them in mind of. Then let there be read apertely and distinctly the vi. Chapter of john in their mother tongue: Whereby they may clearly understand, what it is to eat Christ's flesh and to drink his blood. This done, and some brief prayer and praise song or read, let one or other minister read the xj. chapter of the first to the Corinthians, that the people might perceive clearly of those words the mystery of this Christ's Supper, and wherefore he did institute it. These with such like preparations I good and necessary exhortation to be mate to the people of the t●… they receive the communion. and exhortations had, I would every man present should profess the Articles of our faith openly in our mother tongue, and confess his sins secretly unto God, praying entirely that he would now vouchsafe to have mercy upon him, receive his prayers, glue his heart unto him by faith and love, increase his faith, give him grace to forgive and to love his neighbour as himself, to garnish his life with pureness and innocency, and to confirm him in all goodness and virtue. Then again it behoveth the curate to warn and exhort every man deeply to consider and expend with himself, the signification & substance of this Sacrament, so that he sit not down an hypocrite and a dissembler, sith God is searcher of heart and rains, thoughts and affects: and see that he come not to the None may come to the commu●… without the wedding germent 〈◊〉 ●ayth. holy table of the Lord without that faith which he professed at his Baptism, and also that love which the Sacrament preacheth and testifieth unto his heart, jest he now, found guilty of the body and blood of the Lord (that is to wit a dissembler with Christ's death and slanderous to the congregregation, the body & blood of Christ) receive his own damnation. And here let every man fall down upon his knees saying secretly with all devotion their Pater noster in English, their Curate as example kneeling down before them. Which done, let him take the bread and eft the wine in the sight of the people hearing him with a loud voice, with godly gravity, and after a Christian religious reverence rehearsing distinctly the words of the lords Supper in their mother tongue. And then distribute it to the ministers, which taking the bread with great reverence. will divide it to the congregation every man breaking and reaching it forth to his next neighbour and member of the mystic body of Christ, other ministers following with the cups pouring forth & dealing them the wine, all together thus ●●yng now partakers of one bread and one cup, the ching thereby signified and preached printed fast in their hearts. But in this mean● while must the minister or pastor be reading the communication that Christ had with his Disciples after his Supper, beginning at the washing of their feet: so reading till the bread & wine john. 13. be eaten and drunken and all the action done. And then let them all fall down on their knees giving thanks highly thanksgiving to God. unto God the father, for this benefit and death of his son, whereby now by faith every man is assured of remission of his sins, as this blessed Sacrament had put them in mind, and preached it them in this outward action and Supper. This done, let every man commend and give themselves whole to God and departed. I would have hereto put my name, (good Reader) but I know well that thou regardest not who writeth, but what is written: thou estemest the word of the verity, and not of the author. And as for M. Moore, whom the verity most offendeth, and doth but mock it out when he cannot soil it: he knoweth my name well enough. For the devil Those words of his are in his book that he made for that poor souls in Purgatory. his guardian, as himself saith: cometh every day into Purgatory, (if there be any day at all) with his heinous and envious laughter, gnashing his teeth and grinning, telling the Proctor with his Pope's prisoners, what soever is here done or written against them, both his person and name to. And he is now, I dare say, as great with his guardian, as ever he was. If any man tell you, lo here is Christ, or there is he, believe him not: For Mark. 42. there shall arise false Christ's false anointed giving great miracles. Take heed, I have told you before, if they therefore tell you: lo, he is in the desert, go not forth, lo he is in the privy pixe, believe it not. FINIS. A diligent, and necessary Index, or Table of the most notable things, matters, and words contained in these works of Master William Tyndall. The letter A. signifieth the first column, and B. the second column of the same side. A. A Aron added nothing to Moses law. Representeth Christ, & every true preacher 125. a abbots and bishops keep Monks in ignorance. 361. a Abominable blasphemy. 330. a Abjects from God, who? 25. a Abraham 303. his children have his faith. 45. a. and are the children of faith. 63. a Abraham how justified. 334. a Abstinence outward is hypocrisis. 76. b. for common wealth sake is conunendable. 228. a Abstaining from Images. 22. a Absolution of the Pope's Legate 181. b Abuse of Abbeys. 359. b. of confirmation. 277. a. of Images. 271. a. of scriptures and Sacraments by Papists 13. b. 339. b. 427. b. 365. b. in prayer. 249. b Actual sin washed away in Christ's blood. 32. a Adam must be overthrown, & Christ put on. 90. b Adelstone king. 102. b Admonition. 207. b. to blind guides, to rulers. 341. a. to ministers. 427. b. to Moore. 251. a. to all subjects. 376. b to votaries. 21. a Adrian the first Pope. 349. a Adrian the ij. and iij. 351. a Advancement of the Pope. 348. b. of the Clergy. 347. a Aduengers rob God of his honour. 178. b adultery. 205. a Adultery of David. 169. b Adversaries to Christ known by their deeds. 102. a Adversity how profitable. 120. a Affinity of the passover, and Christ's Supper. 467. a Afflicted in this World wherewith comforted. 190. a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 253. a Age, to be preferred before youth. 311. a. to be honoured. 345. b Agreement in doctrine between Papists, and Phariseis. 17. b. and in Scriptures. 265. a Albe. 277. b Alchouse a pulpit for Papists. 2. a Allegories. 166. a. not agreeable to the text are false. 167. b. their right use. 167. a. they prove nothing. cause blindness. Well to be weighed. How to be understood. 14. a. they are no sense of Scripture. 167. a almost. 217. a. and 228. a. What in signifieth. 83. b. How truly bestowed. 74. b Almose of the poor become Peter's patrimony. 352. b Altar. 277. b Alteration of God's word intolerable. 23. a Alteration of bread into Christ's body not proved by any scripture. 465. b Alteration of things for the abuse thereof. 299. b Ambition. 290. b. altereth her master's message. 201. a Ambitious persons have neither faith, nor can do good message. 141. b Amendment of life followeth true faith. 303. b. the same to be wished for. 177. b Amendment may, be in all things. 393. a Amice. 277. b Anger, how no sin. 203. a Anchor of our salvation. 188. b Anointing. 408. b Anointing of the head. 227. a. and of Priests sincerely. 133. a Answer of the Popish Church. 292. b. of cloisterers to the poor. 243. a Answer to the Papists by Paul concerning justification. 44. b Anselmus the Pope's Chaplain. 362. b Antichrist. 406. b. What it signifieth. 60. a. who it is. 407. b Antichrist is known. 286. b Antichrist his Church. 290. a. his properties. 60. b Antichrist believeth Christ to be comen in the flesh. 415. a. wresteth Scriptures. 357. a Antichrist sendeth his soorth with false names and signs. 134. a Antichrist hath reigned among us long tyme. 60. b. 407. a. subverteth all things. 162. b. turneth the root upward. 130. a Antithesis between Christ, and the Pope 175. b. between the Pope's Church and Christ's. 292. b Antioch Peter'S see. 358. b A poena, & culpa. 151. a Apostles allege not their own authority. 344. a. their faith railed on by Papists. 422. b. all had like authority of Christ. 257. b. all sent out. 358. a Apostles how they blessed us. 157. a. gave us no blind ceremonies. 129. a Apostles doubtful. 261. a. their ignorance. 26. a Apostles how they first celebrated the lords Supper. 476. a. neither shaven, shorn, nor anointed. 133. a. known not the Pope's usurped authority. 392. b Apostles taught things they writ not. 255. b. they taught obedience. 340. preached Christ, and not Peter. 125. b. their doctrine is firm. 256. b. must be clea●ed unto. 40●. a Apostles preached repentance to the jews. 28. a. made heretics of the pope with their master Christ. 265. a Apparent godliness in Popish Decrees. 312. a Appearance of godliness. 291. a Application of vows. 21. a Arguments Popish to be noted 260. a. to know false Prophets by. 403. a Arguments proving our salvation in Christ. 432. a. Worthy noting touching the Sacrament of the lords Supper. 447. b Aristotle. 103. a believed of Papists before Christ. 61. b Aristotle and Plato cannot understand the Scriptures. 88 a Armour of the Popish spiritualty. 176. b. of a Christian man. 423. a Arms sent into France. 371. b A true story. 369. a Attrition a new seyned word. 148. b Avarice. 405. a Angels bond of the Pope. 150. a Authority of Peter. 358. b. of his successor only is to preach. 173. b. not above the rest. 343. b Authority of the Pope. 149. b. challenged over God and man. 150. a Auricular contession opened all secrets. 116. b. standeth not with God's Testament. 155. b Austen, his opinion of the Sacrament. Calleth it a sign of Christ's body. 474. b Austen his place of the Church expounded. 266. a. he complaineth one his tyme. 277. b B. BAdges of sundry fashions among the shavelings. 140. a Badge of love. 417. b Baggages superstitious. 271. b Baggage all the Pope's doctrine. 248. b Balaam. 251. a. 254. b Balaam an example. 306. a Baptism. 14. b. 187. b. 226. a. description thereof. 14. b Baptism figured by Circumcision. compared with Circumcision. 467. b. is everlasting. 148. a. to us, as Circumcision to the jews. 437. b Baptism inward of the soul what. 187. b▪ Baptism to what end. 411. a. teacheth repentance. 14. b. what it worketh in us. 441. b. without faith not available. ibidem. Baptism 〈◊〉 that Sacrament of Christ's Supper are most necessary. 467. b Barren faith, without love. 332. b B●…le between the spirit and the flesh. 46. a Beauty of the tabernacle. 9 a Beggars in times passed not suffered to run abroad. 133. b beggars Friars. 355. a beginning of penance and Purga to●… 97. b. of the Pope's authority 352. b Behaviour in reading Scriptures and Doctors. 106. b Bele● in Christ what. 131. a. in God and contempt of the world. 7. b. of Christ's humanity and divinity. 390. b belief in God's promise justifieth. 117. b. in Christ. 390. b belief must be taken heed to. 286. b Be●… of the resurrection is an article 〈◊〉 our faith. 431. b belief in Christ and that he died not al●●e. 130. b belief in God. 238. b Believers in God, whom. 287. b. in man cursed. 267. a Believers in Christ must follow him. 132. b believing remission of sins in Christ 321. a Belly Gods reproved of Christ 457. a Bells christined. 152. a Benefit of Christ's death of whom received. 443. b Beren garius king of Lombardy. 352. a ●…wyng of benefices wickedly. 360. a Bibles searched for to be burned. 454. b 〈…〉 strange word to Popish Curates. 102. a 〈…〉 warning to the godly. 454. b Binding & lousing. 123. by the meaning thereof. 174. a. and 150. a. &. b Binding and lousing cometh thoro●…chyng. 15. a. are of one 〈…〉. 174. a B●… 1●4. a. and ●4●. b. oversee 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉. a. why ordained. 251. b Bishop described. ●4. a Bys●… of France. 114. b. of ●yn 〈…〉. b. 〈◊〉 Al●…e. 114. b. of 〈…〉 ●●essed down the 〈◊〉. 1●…. a 〈…〉 of Rome 〈◊〉 the prove 〈…〉 Their of●… in primitive 〈…〉 346. b 〈…〉 must not be ●●gitiue. 2●2. a. 〈◊〉 should be 〈…〉, and not 〈…〉. 285. b B●●hops 〈…〉 all 〈◊〉. b. they perse●… 114. b 〈…〉 not sw●… 〈◊〉 kings, but 〈…〉 to them. 〈◊〉. b. they 〈…〉. 141. a 〈…〉 th●● 〈…〉, or reach false doctrine none of Gods anointed. 135. b Bishop of Durham. 374. a Birds and beasts examples of security. 334. a Blazing of arms. 113. a. and of hypocrites. 291. b Blasphemy of Christ's death by papists. 16. b Blessed who. 34. b Blessedness through whom. 394. a Blessing. 110. a. of God to Abraham 436. b. of Bishops. 157. a Blessing what it means. 145. a Blindness through Allegories. 14. a. of the jews. 457. a. of our nature. 44. a Blood of Christ in whom lost. 132. b Blood of faith feedeth Christ Gospel. 453. b Blood of Christ washeth away actual sin. 32. a. maketh perfect our works. 31. a Blood sacrifices. 424. b Bodily exercise. 280. a Bodily service satisfieth not God. 184. b. and 284. a. nor purgeth the soul. 306. b Bodily eating of Christ profiteth not. 464. b Body of Christ spiritual in the Sacrament. 310. b. naturally not in the Sacrament. 316. b Body and blood of Christ how to be received. 316. b Body subject to the Prince, soul to God. 271. b Boldness of spirit in Christ's cause bringeth immortality. 454. a Bones not to be wor●hypped. 281. b Boniface the third. 347. b Boötes. 134. b Borne of God all that love him. 416. a Borrowed speech. 397. a Bountifulness toward our neighbour. 383. a Brazen Serpent. 274. b. it was not God. 299. a Bread. 323. a. not consecrated by Christ 467. b. how it signifieth Christ's flesh. 59 a Bread and wine are Sacraments to holy uses. 477. a Bread and wine in the Sacrament called the body and blood of Christ 469. a Breaking of promise. 290. b Breaking the Sacrament among Princes. 295. b Bribetaking a pestilence in judges. 123. a Brother's weakness must be considered. 40. b Building of Abbeys. 351. b Building on sand. 246. a. 35. a Bourbon the emperors chief Capi●ayne. 37●. a Burden of spiritual Lawyers. 140. a Burtals are to be celebrated honourably, and why? 434. a C. CAlil what kind of sacrifice. 291. b Candles. 280. a. 277. b Canonization. 297. b Captivity of the Israelites. 97. b Captious Papists how to be answered. 268. b Cap of maintenance. 114. b Carnal man. 293. b Carnal man ignorawt of God's spirit. 407. a Carnal weakness comforted. 454. a Cardinal Wolsey most false. 375. a. his practice. 368. b. had two faces. 371. b. his hat. 375. a Cardinal Wolsey and his Chaplems passed the xii. Apostles in pomp●. 370. b Care, of what sort forbidden. 236. a. of the Scripture. 305. b. of a Christian man. 100 b. of the spirituality for the temporalty. 192. b Care for worldly wealth to be rejected. 234. b. to keep God's couenaū● the chief care. 235. b Care due to every man of what sort. 236. b Carefulness of god for y● weak. 189. a Carolus Magnus. 348. b Cause of false miracles. 301. a. of Turkish & jewish obstinacy. 301. b Cause of love searched of the spiritual. 247. b Caution in swearing. 209. a Cautels in vows. 21. b Ceremonies. 9 a. 12. a. 237. b. preferred by Papists. 278. b. Schoolmasters to the jews. 12. a. cause of ignorance. 278. a. bring not the holy ghost. 152. b. cannot justify. 10. a. rejected without good doctrine. 248. a Ceremonies with their true signififations tolerable. 278. b. confirm faith. 12. b. contain profitable doctrine. 12. b Ceremonies had significations generally at the beginning. 277. b. why given. 10. a Ceremonies of the communion how first they came into the Church. 277. a Ceremonies of the new Testament. 226. a Ceremonies, and Sacraments their uses. 12. a Certification of pardon for sins. 213. a Charles the Great his life. 349. b. a whoremonger, and a saint. 350. a. b receiveth the Empire of the Pope 349. a. an Emperor for the pope's purpose. 350. a. compelled all to obey the Pope. 349. b Charles called of the Pope most Christian king. 349. b 253. b. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Charity. 242. b. moderateth the law. 209. a Charity fervent in the primitive Church. 346. a Charity hath diverse significations. 253. b Chastity. 242. b. feigned. 20. b. wilful. 16. b. of the Clergy. 315. a Chastity of Priests, original thereof. 347. b chaste unchastity of Papists. 311. a Chastising of the body is for our profit. 328. b Cheek to be stricken on the other side, what it means. 210. a Chief cause of the institution of the Sacrament. 440. b Children of faith, Abraham's children. 63. a. they work of love. 163. a Children of God obedient to the law. 325. a. why tempted with adversity. 236. a Children all of wrath by Adam. 337. b how to be brought up. 120. b. not to be rigorously dealt withal of parents. 120. b. how destroyed. 120. b to be taught God's word. 101. b Choice put to us in ij. things. 99 b Christ. 226. a. he only is holy. 407. a a store house of mercy. 64. b. our only Saviour. 394. b. our example. 195. b. our faith and rock. 173. a. our life. 390. b. father of all righteousness. 72. a. our advocate. 395. a. our anchor hold. 6. a. our hope. 91. a. our only Physician. 75. b. our righteousness. 82. b Christ purchaseth all goodness for us 70. b. his burden is easy. 286. a. azure foundation. 92. a. A perfect comforter of Christians. 292. a Christ did good works, and why? 383. a. his works rewarded in us. 92. b. his love. 164. b. the fullness of all goodness. 424. a. the way to salvation. ibid. the comforter in all afflictions. 440. b. no sinner. 160. b. justifieth the greatest sinner. 120. a. loveth all Christians alike. 162. b. he brought salvation, as Adam brought sin. 46. a. his general rule. 63. b. an example of all goodness. 383. a. In him we are all in all. 75. a. his saying to hypocrites. 409. a Christ ignorant of worldly matters 163. b. his Church. 187. b. he is very God. 390. a. possessed by faith. bringeth all goodness. 89. a. to whom given. 185. a. neither shaven, shorn, nor anointed with oil. 132. b. how he was entreated. 97. b. his doctrine and the Pope's contrary. 409. b. his exchange with us. 402. a. why he delivered us. 22. a. given to sinners. 161. a. his commandment to preach maketh Pristes'. 145. b. what authority he gave his Apostles. 150. b. only without sin. 336. b Christ did all things for our salvation. 382. b. only mediator between God and man. 431. b. dwelleth in us by faith. 464. a. In no cause to be denied. 101. a. his seat is his preaching. 175. a. will not falsify the Scriptures. 461. a. is very man. 390. a. his Vicar who. 411. b. his flock a little flock. 105. b. his Disciples are acquainted with his phrases. 460. b. his three witnesses 421. b. sent his Apostles with like authority. 126. a. why he came from heaven to earth. 458. a. Reigning in us all is good. 163. b. God's mercy stool. 379. a. his Church ever persecuted. 289. b. a king. 401. a. king over death. hell, and sin. 394. b. preached in the old Testament. 23. a Christ's Gospel must be fed with the blood of faith. 453. b. his passion to salvation not understood of whom. 187. b. most contrary to the Pope. 145. a. and. 362. b. his steps how to be followed. 108. b. and. 73. a told his Disciples of his Ascension 470. b. plainly declareth his bodily departure. ibid. Christ causeth God to love us. 164. b openeth himself to the jews. 457. b. plainly declareth his bodily departure. 470. b. condemneth Phariseis, and why? 17. a. sought of many for a worldly purpose. 105 b. compared with jonas. 27. b. persecuted and slain with Christians 139. a. his words offend that jews and his Disciples. 464. a. he is all to a Christian. 163. a. &. 54. b. all in all things. 102. a. his mercifulness. 394. b. merciful to the penitent. 29. a. preached repentance. 28. b Christ why slain. 138. b. once sacrificed is a sacrifice for ever. 447. a. only an acceptable sacrifice. 18. a. why he gave himself. 394. a. his blood putteth away all sin. 72. b. an everlasting satisfaction. 14. a. apprehended by faith. 457. b. expoundeth the paschal lamb. 439. b. his glorified body in heaven. 471. a. his memorial Mass. 323. a. his blood only purchaseth remission of sins 55. b. his flesh the food of our souls 459. b. a full satisfaction for our sins. 50. b. his body not naturally in the Sacrament. 469. b. how he is in many places and how not at one instant. 461. b. his blood blesseth us from curse of the law. 77. a. he consecrated no bread. 465. b. satisfied for our sins after & afore Baptism. 32. a. sacrificed once for all. 310. b. he borroweth figures of the old Testament, and why? 14. b. his prayer is herded praying for us. 401. b. his treasures who understand not. 69. b Christ why not embraced. 162. a. dishonoured. 18. a. under the temporal sword. 115. b. a vain name in respect of the Pope's name. 127. a. his prophesy must be fulfilled how terrible soever it be. 132. b. he prophesied why Antichrist should come. 151. b. not tied to Antichristes ear 149. a. not disguised. 408. a. accused of insurrection. 105. a. his prophesy fulfilled in the papistes. 132. a. commandeth Scriptures to be searched. 102. a. alloweth allegories aptly applied. 467. a. only fulfilleth the law. 40. a Chrisostome calleth the Sacrament a sign of Christ's body. 474. b. his saying of our Lady. 336. b Christian man only suffereth. 119. b. receiveth ibid. hath Christ's spirit 83. b. how far bosid to suffer 327 a. whereunto called. 98. b. what requisite for him. 34. a. seeketh Christ's honour. 292. a. seeketh his salvation only of Christ. 292. a. seeketh to Christ. 329. b Christian love of whom rejected. 116. b Christian patience. 260. a Christian doctrine sufficiently contained in Paul to the Romans. 49. b Christian king, who. 349. b Christening of Bells. 152. a Church 200. a. what it is. 257. a. 〈◊〉 word of diverse significations. 249. a. without sin. 294. a. containeth good & evil. 291. a. a place of prayer. 282. b. why first ordained. 87. b. cannot err. 360. a Church of God how taken in Scripture. 250. a. repugnant to God's law erreth. 201. b. hath a double signification. 291. a. why translated into this word congregation. 250. b Church must yield a reason of their doctrine. 288. a. Papal persecuteth, never suffereth. 289. b. erreth if the Pope be head thereof. 375. a Church carnal sinneth. 294. b churlishness. 290. b Churchwardens their office in times past. 373. b Cyprian. 332. b Circumcision. 273. a. a figure of baptism. 467. b. the seal of God's covenant with us. 437. a. not used in xl. years. 248. a. without faith availeth not. 441. a Circumspect Prelates. 369. b Citations. 134. b Civil orders for fasting. 136. a Clergy. 339. a Clergy of the Pope. 293. a. are liars 341. b. rob God of all honour. 165 b. secret conspirators. 363. a. murderers. 341. a. persecutors. 262. a Clergy discharged. 374. b Climbing up of the Pope. 347. b Cloister love, is belly love. 164. b Comparison between jonas & Christ 27. b. contrariety between Christ & the Pope. 353. b. between the old passover & Christ's last Supper. 467. b Comparison between Thomas Becket and Thomas Wolsey. 361. b Competent living sufficient. 20. a. it cometh by following Christ. 235. b Compassion for Christ's sake must be showed. 84. b Commodities following covetous rich men. 231. a Common wealth. 23. a Common goods. 346. a Compulsion that Priests should put away their wives. 314. a Commonalty what to be required of by the Prince. 179. b Common saying of Papists. 360. b Comfort against desperation. 4. a Commandments of whom kept. 76. b Comfort against carnal weakness. 454. a Condemnation not under three witnesses. 23. a Condemnation of the law. 57 a Confirmation of children. 276. b. how it came first into the Church. 276. a Congregation how understood. 205. b it must order us. 441. a. what pertaineth to them. 358. b Confession. 115. a. 290. b. 173. a Confession, the nurse of treason. 155. b. what an intolerable burden. 140 a. robbeth the Sacraments. 157. b. stablisheth the Pope's kingdom 180. b Confession due to them whom we have offended. 148. b Confession with repentance. 392. b. knowledgeth her sins heartily to God. 147. a Confession of thy faith in Christ with out carnal fear assureth thee of salvation. 147. a Conquest of the world, what? 405. a Conquests of faith. 421. b Conscience how pacified. ibid. b Conscience accuseth not the worker. 413. b Consciences must be examined before the communion be received. 472. b Consideration of two things in Sacraments. 468. a Constancy. 454. a Constantine's gift feigned. 356. a Correction of God, a token of love. 25. a Corpors ecloth. 277. b Contemners of the law, who? 380. a Contempt of the world. 7. b Contempt or love showed to Christ as to our brethren. 163. a Contents of the old Testament, and new. 377. b Controversies concerning salvation to be stood unto. 1454. a. between james and Paul. 130. b Continuance to the end in the Gospel maketh us blessed. 52. b Conversation of Christ and his Apostles to be considered in expounding Scriptures. 172. b covenant of God. 186. b. to be kept with him. 23. a. a sure absolution. 224. a covenant of God's promise. 432. a. of his binding himself to us. 224▪ b. of the jews. 436. a Covent. 192. b Covetousness. 189. b. 267. b. 290. b. 205. b Covetousness a plague. 230. a. blindeth our eyes. 406. a. blindeth Religion. 19 b. blindeth the spirituality. 107. b. root of all evil. 215. b Covetousness bewrayeth a false Prophet. 189. b. maketh a false prophet. 231. b. the end of false doctrine. 173. a. of Prelate's decayed Christendom. 346. a. of shavelings must not be restrained. 406. a Counsels. 295. a. general. 314. b. how they should conclude. 288. a. put down all Images in Grece. 323. b Council of Papists damnable. 108. a Craft of the Pope. 369. b. of his Legates. 366. b. of Prelates. 135. a. of hypocrites. 134. a Cross. 186. b. 219. a. 326. a Cross born in procession. 135. a Cross of Christ purgeth all vices. 165. a. followeth a true Christian. 209. a Cruelty of Papists. 309. b. 363. b Curse. 110. a Curse of God upon law breakers. 23. b Curse of the Pope a fearful bug 150. a Cursed who. 195. b Cursing the meaning thereof. 174. b Curiosity reproveth. 23. b. to be avoided. 409. b Curiosity in searching Gods secrets 329. a Custom of welsh people. 152. b Cut of from Christ who. 165. a Cup of Christ's blood what. 443. b Cup of Christ & the devil how they differre. 472. a. and b. D. DAmnation of Princes. 112. a Damnation not due to them that are in Christ. 42. a Darkness. 232. b. of the Pope's doctrine. 232. b Darkness caused through covetousness. 232. a David. 260. a. would not avenge himself. 110. b. slew not Saul, & why? 111. a Dancing in Paris. 375. b Daily bread expounded. 222. b Daily use of the Sacraments commanded by God. 442. a Deacon. 345. b. what it signifieth his office. 133. b Deacons how admitted of the Apostles. 146. a. their office in the primitive Church. 345. b Deacons were the first corruption of the Church. 346. b Deacons of Christ, and of the Pope differre. 310. b Dead men. 408. a. not helped by man 13. b. rewarded of the Pope. 362. a Dead Saints, their miracles in the Popish Church. 302. a Death of Christ why so necessary. 462. a. way to salvation. 257. b Death and resurrection of Christ showed by jonas. 27. b. figured by the paschal lamb. 439. b Death of Christ purchased grace for our souls. 279. a Death of Christ blasphemed by Papists. 16. b Deceiving of ourselves. 392. b Declaration of Adames heirs. 381. b. of Christ in the old Testament. 23. a Decrees devilish. 262. a Decrees of Bishops above God's word. 124. b Deeds not allowed without faith. 85. b. how farforth acceptable to God. 154. b Deeds of ours why evil. 328. b. proceeding and not proceeding of ourselves. 47. b Deeds of Christ, and ours, their effects. 35. b Deeds not justified by faith are sin. 155. a Definition of the Church. 250. a. of faith in general. 42. b. of ●rue faith 64 b Definition of Popish penance. 398. a Defender of the faith. 374. b Defiance sent from the French king to king Henry the viii. 371. b Degrees of nature altered by marriage. 108. b deliverance by Christ, & why. 22. a deliverance out of purgatory. 366. a Deliberation of Princes in making war. 193. b Delight of the faithful. 379. b Denial of help to our neighbour dishonoureth him. 270. a Derogation from the dignity of Christ's blood. 70. a Derogation from Christ's faith is against his Church. 187. b Description of swine. 238. a Description of Baptism. 14. b. of our justification. 330. b Desert and free gift are contraries. 19 b Desperation how it cometh. 219▪ a. assaileth faith. 259. a Despere of man's help bringeth God's help. 454. a Desiderius. 359. a Devilish doctrine. 415. a. practices. 368. b. pride. 353. a. expounding the Scriptures by Papists. 175. a Devil is darkness. 392. a. blindeth us from Gods wil 329. a. to be resisted with the shield of faith. 62. b. everthrowen by Christ. 278. b Devil driven away by faith. 131. b. advancer of Popes. 301. b Devils and stiff-necked sinners destitute of the faith that Paul speaketh of. 130. b Devils confessed Christ to be the son of God. 95. b Devils wages. 100 a devices of the Cardinal. 372. b Deuteronomium a book of Moses commended. 21. b Differences of faith. 197. a. between the old and new Testament. 444. a. between the jews and the 〈◊〉 ●ls. 44. a. between true faith and feigned. 66. b. between false faith and right. 66. a Differences between God's children and the devils. 99 b. between God's sinners and the devil. 199. b. between the fall of Peter & judas. 337. a. between true Sacraments and false. 156. between Sacraments and sacrifices. 13. b. between Christ's natural body and a painted Image. 281. b. between teaching the people and a preacher 252. b Difference none of days to do good. 237. a Digging of Abraham's wells. 184. a Dignities of shavelings. 353. a Diligence (although in vain) towards our neighbour to be excused. 203. b Direction of our life to what end. 387. b Disciples of Antichrist. 134. a Disciples of Christ were worldly minded. 106. a. had a wicked opinion of him. 25. b. doubtful in faith 261. a Disciples of Christ understood Christ spiritually. 465. a. refuse not death for his sake. 199. a Discipline used in the primitive church 496. b Dishonour of God and neighbour. 269. b Dispensations purchased of the pope. 329. b Dispensations for concubines. 134. a Disobedience. 290. b. counted a spiritual thing. 109. a Disputations backward. 67. a. for superiority. 347. a Disputations of predestination not rashly to be enterprised. 48. b Dissimulation of the Pope. 352. a. of Papists. 19 a Dissimulation not culpable in some causes. 209 a Dissembled truce. 366. a distemperance in eating and drinking. 227. b Distrust aught not to be in God's prolongation of help. 240. a Diversities of faith. 331. b Division in the Church. 347. b Doctrine of the Pope. 412. a. &. 415. b. abominable. 316. b. wicked. 29. b. Papistical. 360. b. of Phariseis blind. 30. a. of shavelings vain and obstinate. 137. b. of Moore superstitions. 317. a. of Papists concerning Purgatory. 306 b Doctrine false causeth evil works 199. b Doctrine of hypocrites. 87. a. of Papists needeth miracles. 301. b. with out Scripture not to be believed. 304. b Doctrine universally must be examined by God's word. 414. b Doctrine of Christ peaceable. 106. b Doctrine Apostolical. 408. b. of the true Church. 304. a. of the Scripture. 388. b. and. 304. b. of Sacraments. 320. a Doctrine of the Apostles confirmed with miracles. 298. b Doctrine sincere causeth good works. 199. b Doctrine of Christ must be defended of every man in his own person. 198. b Doctors doubt at Christ's plain words. 205. b. differ in the opinion of the Sacrament. 446. b Doctors generally call the Sacrament a sacrifice. 447. b Doctor Colct. 318. b Doctor Ferman a virtuous man, and godly. 330. a Documents of Scripture necessary. 389. b Dogs. 187. a. who they be. 238. a Down falling sinner hath a false faith. 432. a Double signification of this word Church. 250. a dregs of Papists. 406. b Duns. 302. a. his doctrine advanced. 278. a Dunstical dreams, and terms. 104. a Duke H●●frey. 363. b. his death. 364. a Duty of kings. 137. a. of Priests. 133. b. of Ministers at the communion. 476. b Duty must be done with love. 212. a E. Ear confession. 339. a. a wicked devise. 367. a. destroyeth Christ's benefits. 320. a Ear confession and pardons never confirmed by miracle. 319. b Earth given to man of God. 121. b Eating Christ's flesh is believing in Christ. 467. a Eating Christ's body & blood truly what it means. 463. a Eating the whores flesh what. 455. b Ecclesia. 250. b Effect of Christ blood. 380. b. of God's word. 247. a. of his laws. 22. b. of our good deeds. 158. b Effects of faith spiritual. 43. b Elders have erred. 303. b Elders and Priests why so named. 38. a Elder son of the holy seat. 349. b Elect must be patiented and tried. 260. a. b. have Gods will written in your hearts. 255. b Elect ever meditate upon Christ's kindness. 382. b Election of the Pope confirmed by the Emperor. 346. a Elias and Moore contrary. 284. a Emanuel. 408. a emperors election to whom belonging. 352. a Emperors have deposed Popes, & Pope's Emperors. 364. b. their oath to the Pope. 352. a. must not be very strong by the Pope's will. 365. b. abused by the Pope. 350. b. not esteemed of the Pope. ibidem. doteth. 350. a Emperor setteth on the French king by night. 372. a. came through England. 371. a End of the law. 193. a. of all laws. 240. b. of hypocrites. 306. a End must be cast before we begin. 99 a Enemies to God's word. 14. a Enemies of the truth to be hated. 216. a Enemies must be overcome with well doing. 117. b Englishmen. 365. a English Bishops. 114. a Enormities of auricular confession. 180. b Enormities happened sithence king Richard the second his death to this Realm. 207. a Intent of fasting. 229. b Intent of our ●eedes is all. 217. b Epiphanius cut down Images. 325. b Erasmus. 304. a. favoured of Moore. 251. a. partial in judgement. 2. a Error may be saved. 258. b Error of covetousness. 230. b Estulphus king of Lombardy. 348. b Etymology of this word Euangelion. 378. a Euangelion called the new Testament. 378. a Eucharistia. 467. b Everlasting life to whom due. 390. b Evil rulers not to be refused. 119. a. sign of God's wrath. 118. b. whole some medicines. 119. b Evil Priests their prayers prosits not. 300. a Evil outward to be avoided. 22. a. must be recompensed with goodness. 413. a. Examples for our learning. 5. a. of love. 332. a. of two poor men. 94. b Examples very profitable. 30. b. and 259. a Example of false expounding Scriptures. 173. a. how to understand ij. regiments. 211. b Examples evil, and their use. 4. a. of acceptable deeds before God. 243. b Examination of consciences must go before the receipt of the lords Supper. 472. b Exceptions in bows. 21. b Exempt from Christ who. 403. b Exhortation general to all people. 376. a Experience is in the aged. 345. b Exposition of the Pater noster. 222. a. of this word (seven times). 17. b Ezechias. 299. b. face of the law. 383. b F. Faith. 42. a. 225. b. 16. a. 8. a. 226. b▪ truly defined. 42. b faith justifieth expounded. 187. a 225. b. 64. b. justifieth before all works. 45. b. apprehendeth justification. 330. a. sufficient to justify us. 431. b. and 62. a Faith that worketh not justifieth not 333. b. 331. b. and. 303. a. 432. in Christ's blood only justifieth. 336. a. only bringeth to Christ. 17. a. under no law. 336. b. accounted to us for righteousness. 63. b. in Christ fulfilleth the law. 91. b Faith how it justifieth compendiously declared. 433. b faith eateth and drinketh Christ's body and blood spiritually. 464. a Faith in Gods promise' saved the jews. 12. b faith apprehendeth Christ. 457. b Faith apprehendeth Christ's death. 418. a Faith in Christ bringeth to salvation. 80. b Faith, love, and charity three sisters. 286. b. casts out devils, fasteth, and prayeth. 77. a. prayeth in all places. 93. b. the life of the righteous. 463. b. expelleth God's wrath. Not idic. 430. b. chief part of penance. 398. a Faith and charity joineth with true prayer. 82. a Faith the foundation of Christ's church. 357. a. the holy candle wherewith to bless us at the hour of death. 62. b▪ followeth repentance. 18. b. stirred up in God's people. 22. b. confirmed by ceremonies. 12. b faith required of the jews. 457. b God respecteth in prayer. 221. and 239. b. bringeth forth fruits of herself. 65. b▪ maketh us gods sons 89. b. accompanied with God's spirit. 64. b. maketh deeds of the law glorious. 94. a. how it bringeth forth fruits. 63. b. without fruits vain. 33. b faith maketh us Gods heirs. 67. b. 69. b. & 419. b. maketh works acceptable. 335. b. known by her fruits▪ 66. a. of two sorts. 266. b. 294. lost through allegories. 168. a Faith of works is darkness. 232. b. contrary to the law in operations. 184. b. cannot appear without works. 225. a Faith of the called, & not of the elect. 294. b. cometh not by free-will. 329. b. without fruit is a dream. 65. a Faith and works come not of ourselves. 66. a Faith false and feigned. 42. b. without God's promise is Idolatry. 156. b Faith our victory. 190. b. God's gift. 65. a. only receiveth grace. 45. b. the surest shield. 4. b. the root of all goodness. 130. a. bringeth life. 62. a Gods gift. 329. b. possesseth God's spirit. 67. b. idle without works. 55. a. her power. 225. a. uniteth us to Christ. 93. b faith feeling. 266. b. true and lively. 42. b. in Christ's blood. 395. b. and 307. a. bringeth love. 32. a. 117. a. & 225. a. the mother of love. 419. a Faith what it breedeth. 246. b Faithful have all things of God. 435. a. are in good state. 448. b. though they slip yet fall not. 259 b Faithless man's prayer. 93. b Faithful and unfaithful sin diversly. 412. a Faithful fruits. 95. a False Prophets who. 241. b. how known. 245. b. prove unwritten verityes by similitudes. 170. b. teach us to trust in Saintes. 158. b False worshipping. 271. a. of martyrs 333. a. delusions. 285. a. miracles. 119. a False prayer is painful. 221. a False doctrine never persecuted. 301. a False Popish books. 3. 4. a False preachers are murderers. 306. a Falsehood not all spied in one day. 326. b Fall of the Pope from God. 302. a Fall of Adam made us slaves to the devil. 381. b Fanon. 277▪ b Fasting. 21. a. 228. a▪ and 242. b Fasting truly, what. 275. a true use thereof. 81. a. 227. a. which required of God. 204. b Fasting not only in eating & drinking. 228. a Fasting papal, is hypocritical. 229. b Fast superstitious which. 81. a Father not known but by the son 405. a Fear. 114. b. 418. b Fear of God not taught by the spiritualty, but fear of traditions 141. a Feasting fasts. 229. b fighting, slaying, and love may all be used at one instant to our enemies. 212▪ b Figures by Christ borrowed of the old Testament. 14. b Figurative speeches used in Scriptures. 469. b filthiness of the heart. 193. a. of Popish doctrine. 411. b Firye pillar. 283. a First fruits. 273 b Fisher. 182. b. his shameless juggling 116 a Fish and flesh all one in heaven. 313. b Five Doctors apprehended at Paris for the Gospel. 454. b Flap. 277▪ b flaps of the Albe. 277▪ b Flesh described. 43. b. how to be understood in Scriptures. 43. a. sinneth all generally. 258. a. enemy to man. 442. a Flesh and spirit what. 43. a. 186. b. contrary. 48. a Flesh of Christ how signified by bread. 459. a Flesh and blood of Christ of whom eaten and drunk. 458. a. b Fleshly Church. 291. b Fleshly persecute the spiritual. 268. a Fleshly minded void of judgement. 297 a Fleshly reasons for worshipping Saints. 160. a Fleshly man savoureth not spiritual things. 90. a Fond saying. 310. a Fond reasons of Moore. 337. a Foolish Imaginations. 274. a Forbydding of Marriage. 312. a Forgiveness. 358. a Force of good works. 15. a Fountain of true righteousness is Christ's blood. 74. a Free wil 113. b. 321. a. and 328. b. preventeth not grace. 321. a. overthrew our forefathers. 16. a Freedom. 113. a. from sin and the law. 46. b Free from the law who? 46. b Free gift and desert are contrary. 19 b Free Chapels. 136. a Frenchmen. 365. a French king. 182. b. made a Monk. 348. b. helped forward the Pope. 348. a Friars. 151. a. 292. b Friar Forest. 366. a Friar Bongey. 366. b friars not bond to preach. 277. a Friars and Monks should not preach. 164. b Fruits of faith and works. 45. b. of our love towards God. 22. b. of ignorance. 277. a Fullness of all goodness Christ. 424. a Fulfilling the law, what. 240. b. obtained by faith. 44. b Foundations of man feeble. 92. a Foundation of love. 416. a. of the old Testament. 9 b. of Abbeys, and Purgatory. 309. a Fury of the Popish Clergy. 93. a G. Gain joined with pain easeth the same. 361. a Gainful Gospel loved of shave lynges. 406. b Gelding of Priests. 317. b Generation of two sorts. 415. b Generation of Serpents. 340. b George joy writeth to the king for licence to translate the Bible. 454. b Gildas. 28. a. a preacher and a Prophet. 101. a Gift what it is. 42. a Gifts of grace our brothers aswell as ours. 384. b Guiltless need no pardon. 318. b Glory. 200. b Glorious names of the Pope's Clergy, their estimation. 140. b Gloss. 200. a. Pharisaical. 264. b God described. 431. a. what he is. 104 a spirit. 294 b. invisible. 417. a. what he requireth. 26. a. only to be believed. 22. b. giveth all things. 24. b. always most gracious. 119. b. defendeth his doctrine himself. 97. a. teacheth us if man will not. 103. b. seeketh us. 294. a. pardoneth us of his mercy. 74. b. draweth us to Christ. 458. a. heareth prayer at all times. 20. b. receiveth the humble. 85. b. worketh by grace in us before repentance come. 321. b. biddeth us be bold with him. 297. b. rewardeth all obedience. 110. a. merciful to the ignorant. 377. a. forgiveth our frailty. 293. b. reserveth a little flock. 298. a. what work he requireth. 457. a. maketh us blessed in Christ. 90. b God is light. 392. a. the chief Physician. 297. a. can not lie. 170. b. in whom dwelling. 417. b. how rightly served. 86. a. how truly worshipped. 180. a. whom he receiveth. 101. a God who he will plague. 35. b. poureth vengeance upon the unrepentant. 28. a. advengeth his doctrine. 106. b. advengeth disobedience. 107 b. and 110. a. plagueth his enemies and helpeth his servants. 7. b. will not be tempted. 171. a God forbiddeth Images. 8. b. like himself every where. 282. a God who he rejecteth. 25. a. taketh away the wicked. 111. a. warneth before he strike. 105. a. destroyeth one wicked by an other. 110. b. punisher of secret sins, the king of open. 122. b God worketh backward. 98. a. no liar. 462. a God worketh upon all creatures as he will. 80. b. respecteth not people. 122. a. a just judge over king & all degrees. 142. a. only taketh vengeance on the king. 111. a. how he is at one with us. 72. b. burdened with his promises. 4. b God sometimes weakeneth his elect and why? 101. a. scourgeth whom he loveth. 8. a and 186. a. trieth his children's faith. 98. a. is fatherly to his elect. 293. b. keepeth a little flock 268. a God first loved us. 88 b. and 333. b. fighteth for us. 98. b. receiveth us for Christ's sake. 42. a. worketh in us by faith. 415. b. loveth us not for our works sake. 162. b. to us as we should be to our neighbour. 73. b. stronger than all his enemies. 98. a. defender of all estates. 341. b. pardonneth all simple for Christ's sake. 346. a God in the name of jesus must be called upon in all adversities. 425. b. rejoiceth in an acceptable receiver as much as in a liberal giver. 244. b God'S will is we should do good works. 75. a Gods children cannot sin. 423. b. his love how to be understood in us. 89. a. his promise reacheth to all Abraham's posterity. 437. b. his promises are all comfort. 100 a. his favour at what time from us. 34. b. his two Testaments. 9 b God's spirit. 392. a. where it is. 41. a his word may not be altered. 23. a. his gentle correction. 287. b. his children under chastising. 100 a. his forgiveness. 395. a. his goodness to mankind. 234. a. his glory set forth by true miracles. 475. a. his kindness moveth us to love him. 67. b. his mercy stirreth up faith in us. 45. a. his general covenant with us. 33. b. his word pith of all goodness. 290 ●a. not the cause of evil. 105. b. aught to judge. 14. a. how to understand the same. 142. a. must season all things. 121. b. must be herded and done. 75. a Gods spirit hath spoken the Scriptures. 80. a. his truth worketh wonders. 97. b. fighteth for us. 98. a Gods grace must be exercised in us. 68 a. his Sacraments preach his promises. 162. a. his promise saveth us. 52. a. his mercy saveth us. 45. a. his mercy toward the penitent. 22. a Gods promises justify. 51. b. his promises in Christ belong only to the penitent. 31. a. his will sought out only of a true Christian. 102. a Gods word sighteth against hypocrites. 97. b. persecuted. 97. a. his Church called heretics. 291. a. his true church who are. 268. a. his true service. 217. a Gods works supernatural. 21. b. his omnipotency not to curiously to be dealt withal. 462. b. his presence in all places alike. 287. a. his wonderful care for his. 164. a Goods. 212. b Good works where. 78. a. where true faith is. 45. b. and 55. b Good works how far forth they please God. 54. a. significations of true faith. 44. b. fruits of faith. 45. b Good men may err and not be damned. 300. a Goodness must be showed to evil people. 71. a Gospel. 36. b. 387. a. what it signifieth 127. a. comforteth. 77. b. promised by the Prophets. 378. a. a true touchstone. 3. a. the ministration of of righteousness. 62. a. why written of the Apostles. 288. b Gospel and the Pope's doctrine differ. 475. b. slandered by Papists. 320. b Goths. 351. b Government of God's Ministers. 344. a Going to law. 212. b Grace what. 157. b. how to be understood. 42. a Grace & truth come through Christ. 199. b. received only by faith. 45. b. continueth by keeping the law. 185. b Grammarians understand not Latin. 268. b Grecians. 303. a. refuse the Pope's tyranny. 347. b Gregory. 325. b Gregory the fifth. ibidem grievous sin not rebuked. 426. b gross worshipping of God. 424. b H. HAm and the Pope like. 170. a Handy crafts commanded by God. 244. a Hatred. 204. a. and 404. a heart must join with prayer. 239. a. worshyppeth God. 284. a heart of man God's true temple. 87. b Hart containeth the word of the law, and Christ's promises. 31. b Headynes. ●90. b Heathen repent at jonas preaching 30. b. moved by miracles to know God. 27. a Hearing the word causeth repentance 321. b hearing God's word provoked by true miracles. 284. a Heaven cometh by Christ. 112. b Heirs of God by saith. 257. b Helizeus. 281. b help cometh all from above. 433. a Help toward our neighbour must be in a readiness. 78. b Hell followeth evil works, as good works follow faith. 70. a Henry the second. 190. a Henry the fourth set up. 28. b Henry the fifth. 28. b. a great conqueror. 366. a Henry the vi. 28. b. and 366. b Heresy whence. 38●. a Heretics alleged by Rochester for his purpose. 129. b Heretics fallen out of the mist. 295. a Heretics all termed that resist the Pope's tyranny. 315. a Jerome. 311. b. against Popish Bishops and Priests. 150. a Hildericus. 348. a Historical faith much in●eriour to feeling faith. 267. a Holy days. 181. b. and 274. a. their ordinance. 248. a Holy days and offering days how first they came up. 133. b Holy Church hath born a swing. 289. b Holy ghost. 5. a. shall rebuke the world. 247. a Holy strange gestures like Apish play. 282. b Holy water what it signifieth. 276. a Honouring God what. 269. b Honour God's name how we must. ●22. a Honour superfluous. 374. a Honour due to rulers. ●69. b. to our neighbours. ibidem Honour of Christ abrogate with trust in Saintes. ●●6. b Honour double due to virtuous Bishops. 53. b Hope her office. 188. b Hope certain in Christ saveth. 91. b Hope, love, & faith inseparable. 185. b Horsley. 318. a House what it means. 406. 〈◊〉 Household must be cared for. 84. a Humility, of the Apostles. 2. a. advanuceth to heaven. 456. a Hun a Merchant. 318. a Huns a kind of people. 351. b Husbands how to rule their wives. 54. b Husbands must rule their wives by God's word. 121. a Husband in God's stead to his wife. 108. a Hypocritical prayers. 13. b. blind reasons. 274. a Hypocrisy of Papists. 181. a. must not be rebuked. 142. a. condemned of Paul generally. 44. a Hypocrites their holiness. 245. a. blind 114 a. how they read God's law. 24. a. what deeds of mercy they taught. 138. b. why they extol their works. 244. b. how they bind and louse. 134. a. how they apply God's punishment. 105. a. need john Baptist. 264. a Hypocrites sit in Christ seat. 263. a. love offerings. 161. b. causers of all wickedness. 105. a. must be salted. 196. a. live altogether by theft. 141. a I IAmes reproveth false fruits. 333. b Idolatry. 239. b. 424. a. 425. b. and 443. a Idolatry of man's Imagination bringeth confusion. 161. a Idolatry to worship Images. 273. a. set up the shavelings. 398. b idolaters all before we came to Christ. 312. b Idolatrous people, their worship. 299. b Idols abhorred of God. 8. b Jerome a brother of Grenwich, his intent. 60. a jerusalem the first seat of the high Bishop 347. a. destroyed. 282. b jesus. 408. a. signifieth a Saviour 174. a. our advocate. 393. b. a true Messiah. 420. a. calleth to his father for us. 393. b. the way to his father. 431. a. procureth all things for us. 280. a. look more in this word (Christ.) jews require signs to confirm their belief. 425. a. committed Idolatry. 298. a. their obstinate blindness, 459. b. accused Christ falsely. 304. a. procured their own vengeance. 〈◊〉 how. 340. b. rebuked of incredulity. 458. a. rebuked of Christ and why. 298. b. enforced by Scripture to acknowledge Christ. 275. b. their hearts how hardened. 30. a. locked from the understanding of scripture. 33. a. justified by faith. 273. a jews and Gentiles how they differ. 44. a. instructed of ceremonies. 12. a. delivered by Christ from error. ●●5. b. converted to Christ. 275. a. saved by faith in God's promise. 12. b. captures to their works. 274. a jewish murmuring reproved of Christ. 458. b. their incredulity taxed. 438. a jewish state in traditions more easy than the Christians. 277. b Ignorance of Scripture whence. 278. a. excuseth not. 245. b. promoted Popery. 182. a. made us servants to ceremonies. 278. b. her fruits. 277. a Ignorance of Moore. 406. a. of the Apostles. 26. a Ignorant who. 404. b. Popish Priests. 278. a Incredulity chief of all sins. 43. b Infidels mock our domme ceremonies which quench faith. 132. a Infirmity of our nature. 13. a. how to be cured. 171. a Inseparable the love of God, & our neighbour. 420. a Institution of the Sacrament. 440. a. of the lords Supper. 444. b Institution of the paschal lamb. 439. a Instruction necessary for all preachers. 43. b Interdiction. 135. a Introductions into the Scriptures. 390. a Images how well used. 270. b. disallowed in the primitive Church. 325 a. not tolerable in Churches. 325. b servants to man and not econtr●. 270. b. forbidden of God. 8. b. must be abstaynod from. 22. a imageservice abhorred of GOD. 401. b Imaginations Papal are Idolatry 280. a. carnal without God's spirit. 26. b Imaginations of man confirmed by Saintes miracles. 30. a. altar not God. 83. a Imperial power and the Pope's virtue perished together. 351. a Impure hearted who. 193. b john Tisen servant to the Bishop of London, a secret Ambassador. 456. b john Baptist. 263. b. expounded the law truly. 264. b john Baptist and our Lady were sinners. 336. a john the xii. Pope. 352. a jonas his sacrifice. 28. b. prayeth out of the Whale's belly. 28. b. moved the Heathen to repentance with preaching. 30. b jonas afraid. 27. a. divided within himself. 27. a. an unmeet message of himself. 26. b jonas being carnal fled from God. ibid. confesseth his sins. 27. a joseph an example of God's wonderful working. 98. a Israelites have a king given them. 118. a. more in number then the jews 298. a. how comforted of Moses. 98. a judas. 251. a. 310. a. perished. 337. a judas a Priest, a Cardinal, and a Pope. 146. a judges. 122. b. are called Gods. 110. a. must be learned. 138. a judgements Papal. Concerning sin. 311. b. not indifferent. 341. a judgements hypocritical of Scriptures. 389. b judging of false miracles intolerable to Papists. 364. a judging rebuked of some sort. 237. a jugglers. 108. a juggling with words. 279. b. with texts. 357. b juggling terms of Papists. 254. a. of Moore. 330. b just who. 335. a justification. 17. a. 332. a. only cometh by faith. 10. a. 14. a justification by faith loathsome to Papists. 18. a. not by merits. 17. a. of ourselves. 17. b justification cometh not by works though they be never so glorious. 153. b justiciaries, bond children of the law. 167. b justifying signifieth Gods favour. 117. a K. KEy. 184. a. of the Scripture. 388. a Keys of knowledge. 357. a. what they be. 123. b. promised, paid. ibid. are the law of God. 138. b. counterfeited to be avoided. 123. a keepers of the commandment, in the state of grace. 402. b Kernel of all fruits faith. 243. a Kindling first of Purgatory. 398. a King jews. 369. a King john. 249. b King Henry of Windsor. 298. a King Henry the iiij. an usurper. 338. b King Henry the viii. with his army abused. 369. b. called defender of the faith. 349. b King Herold. 362. a King of France made a Monk. 348. b King is anointed. 393. b. God's gift, though a tyrant. 178. b. a great benefit, though never so evil. 112. b. in god's room in this world. 111. a hath God's authority. 213. b. may correct the spirituality. 214. b. Lord of body and goods. 214. a. cannot privilege the spirituality to sin. 111. b. is bond by office to advenge and no man else. 136. b. only aught to punish open sin. 137. a King given to the Israelites. 118. a Kings why choose. 109. b Kings and Emperors once elected the Pope, only. 352. b. thrown down by Papists. 127. a. how instructed of Bishops. 98. b. captives through flatterers. 137. a. become hangmen to Antichrist. 138. a in subjection to the Clergy. 140. b. sin in giving, and Prelates in reuyng exemptions. 115. b. wait on the Pope's pleasure. 114. b. defended the Pope's false authority. 114. b. sworn to Bishops and not Bishops to kings. 155. b Kings must make their account to to God only. 111. b. must keep law-promise with all men. 124. a. must execute their office themselves, and commit the same to wicked Popish Bishops. 138. a kings law is God's law. 137. b Kings must be learned. 198. a. may not rule after their own Imagination. 179. a. must follow God's word in all their doings. 222. a Kings and subjects one afore God 224. b Kingdom of heaven what. 235. a. of Christ spiritual. 343. a. of heaven & of this world not alike. 160. a Kingdom of the pope of this world. 343. b Kingdom of Lombardy divided. 349. a Knavery in shrift. 147. b Knowledge of God. 408. b. of the true way. 298. b. of Scriptures pertaineth to all men. 138. a Knowledge of Christ not taught us by Papists. 159. a Knowledge all dark save hearty knowledge of Christ's bloodshedding. 197. b Knowledge why used and not confession. 254. a L. LAdders sold of Papists to climb to heaven. 123. b Lambs. 187. a Lands why first given to spiritual officers. 134. a Lands temporal small in respect of the spiritual lands. 135. b Landlords should not raise rents. 121. b. should not suffer their tenants to be damaged. 122. a (Last farthing) expounded. 204. b Latin service. 151. b Latin tongue only used to all. 134. b Latin text condemned of Moore. 251. b Latria. 299. a Laws of Papists several. 102. a Law spiritual of the Arches how it spoileth. 136. b Law condemneth. 77. b. bringeth death. 62. a. how given. 117. b. what it requireth. 47. a. a mark to see how we are purged. 165. a. must be in ●ight and why. 379. a. requireth impossible things of us. 378. b. driveth to desperation. 442. a Law her office. 186. a. how fulfilled. 186. a. accuseth the holiest of all. 120. a. cannot justify. 64. a. leadeth to Christ. 184. a. cannot give life. 9 b. fulfilled with love. 22. a. fulfilled with Christ's mercy. 31. b. given by Moses. 184. b. & 378. how read of hypocrites. 24. a Law walking. 74. a. requireth all our hearts. 39 b. condemneth, and why. 389. a. must be fulfilled spiritually. 41. a. bindeth, the Gospel lowseth. 383. b. is spiritual. 26. a. and 40. b. fulfilled by Christ only. 40. a. condemneth, Christ giveth pardon. 378. b. how satisfied. 40. a. wholly contained in the x. commandments. 33. b Law her subjection, what. 46. b Law and sin words to be noted. 39 b Law uttereth what sin is. 47. b. increaseth sin. 40. b Laws temporal. 10. b. not executed, no law. 311. a Law of nature bindeth us to help our neighbour. 72. a Law keeping, and breaking what followeth. 206. b Law breakers cursed of God. 23. b laity why they rule not. 131. a. kept from half the Sacrament. 428. a. must needs now have the Gospel. 148. a Leading in darkness. 310. a Learned men have doubted of Paul his Epistle to the Hebrues, who is author thereof. 56. a Leaven of many sorts. 225. a. of the Pope. 307. b Lechery. 267. a. 405. b Lechery and covetousness no sins with Papists. 267. b Legend of Popish lies. 301. a Left hand. 141. a Leo the iij. Pope. 349. b Leper a good example. 15. a Lesser ceaseth in presence of the greater. 358. b Lesson very fruitful. 31. b. godly. 309. b. good for ministers. 477. a. telling us when we have God's spirit. 92. b Lewd Cardinal and a false Pope. 371. b jews the mild. 350. b Liberty. 105. b. cometh through patience. 119. a Liberties granted by Papists to all manner malefactors. 179. a Liberality to our brethren. 425. a Light, continuance therein what. 404. a Little flock. 292. b. receiveth the promises. 292. a. goeth to wrack. 293. a Little master Parson, his practices. 362. b Life of Gods elect, Scripture. 389. b Life not given by the law. 9 b Literal sense is spiritual. 169. a. proveth an allegory. 167. b Literal sense of Moore dashed. 466. a Loaf of bread signifieth one body in Christ. 472. a Loane forgiven of the Clergy. 374. a and by the temporalty. ibidem Losing and binding. 357. a. the right manner thereof. 150. a. signification thereof. 174. b Loss for Christ's sake a HUNDRED times restored. 89. a Lots casting lawful. 27. a Loan. 10. b. 205. a. 225. b. and 246. b. office thereof. 188. a. diversly understood. 253. b. is righteousness. 225. a. prayeth. 201. b. expelleth fear. 419. a. causeth boldness. 418. b. maketh us Gods sons. 417. a. maketh all things common. 40●. a. helpeth at need. 201. a. careth for our brethren. 418. b Love of the world. 97. a. 405. a. of our neighbour. 211. a. towards god and our neighbour how to be tried 22. b. must work in all things. 281. a Love of God and the contrary what they be. 23. a Love to the law is coupled with true faith. 187. a Love fulfilleth the law. 49. a. 22. a. 50 keepeth the law. 203. a. fulfilleth Gods will. 419. a Love towards God, fruits thereof. 22. b. seeketh not her own. 84. a Love of ourselves. ●90. b. of our neighbour God's commandment 419. b Love is not charity generally, & econtra. 253. b Love understandeth the law. 36. b. breaketh the law. 411. a Love towards God what. 78. a. among Christians maketh all things common. 83. a. beautifieth all things. 248. b. not painful. 418. b. signified to us by God's correction. 25. a Love of God to us before ours to him. 416. b Love both friend and foe. 216. b Lovers of God love their neighbour 332. b Lucretia the Roman Lady. 113. b Lucifer 353. a. his brood justify themselves. 224. a Lusts evil how purged. 186. b. diverse in one man. 113. a Luther his submission to king Henry the viii. 375. a M. Magistrate's revengers of temporal causes. 191. a Mahomet waxed great, & how 348. b. his doctrine, and continuance thereof. 301. a Mahomet and the pope began at one tyme. 348. a Maid of Ipswich. 284. b Maid of Kent inspired. 285. a. received small pleasure of our Lady. 285. a Master in God's stead to his servant. 109. a Malice of the jews toward Christ 459. b Malicious blindness in Moore. Mammon what it is. 71. b. 233. a. a God. ibidem. his servant who, and how known. 233. b. disguiseth men. 233. a. his servant no true preacher. 233. b. may purchase friends for us. 71. 〈◊〉 Man is first good. 412. a. first evil ibidem, cannot help the dead. 13. b. Lord over all creatures. 248. a. hath three chief enemies. 442. a. universally sinneth. 392. b. not subject to places. 283. b plucked from Adam▪ and graffed in Christ. 380. b Man's nature is sinful. 393. a. his wisdom maketh sects. 104. a. his life is God's commandment. 236. b Manner of Christ's, praying for us. 401. a Many fall and why. 295. a Merchandise of the Pope. 359. b. of Papists. 398. b Mart should have been at Calais. 372. b Martyrs of the pope never preached Christ nor died for his word. 295. b Mary an example of faith. 66. a Marriage. 107. b. forbidden only by the Pope. 127. b. 261. b. of children unlawful without consent of parents. 120. b Marriage of king Henry the eight. 366. b Marriage altereth degrees of nature. 108. b Mass described. 427. a. friendly to Papists. 13. b. damnable. 425. b Mass at the first was a declaration of Christ's passion. 426. a Matrimony figureth Christ's benefits towards us. 312. a Matrimony. 322. a. no Sacrament ibidem, not ordained to signify any promise. 144. a Matrimony and eating of meat forbidden by the Pope. 220. a Matters of faith are repugnant to reason. 462. b Material temples God dwelleth not in. 272. b Ma●imi●… the Emperor was soldier to king Henry the viii. 369. b Measure. 237. b Meditations of God's mercy. 259. b. of ●…s own frailty necessary. 413. a Meekness. 190. b. 201. a. the glory of youth. 456. a Meekness towards the higher power. 342. a Melancthon. 455. a Men of three sorts. 112. b Mercy of God. 332. b. great. 30. b. toward mankind. 444. a. waiteth on the elect. 260. a. must be cleaved unto. 426. a. from whom locked. 57 a Mercy of Christ fulfilleth the law. 31. b Mercy in this life obtaineth mercy in the life to come. 193. a. how many ways it may be showed. 192. a mercifulness taught. 335. a. towards our neighbour. 9 a. must be showed of one to an other. 86. a Merits justify not. 17. a. Papistical of no value. 165. b Meritemongers obstinate. 17. b Mertion his heresy. 471. b Method of Paul's doctrine. 43. b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 37. a Milan. 371. a Ministers named Elders with the jews. 253. a. why so named. 251. b. why reverenced. 344. b Ministers of the Church their duty. 249. a. their office as chargeable before God as Peter'S was. 356. b. had no tithes at the beginning. 346. b Miracles why wrought of Christ his miracles were subject to our senses. 475. a. and b Miracles of God draw to Christ. 158. a. wrought by faithful prayer. 152. b. wrought by faith, and not by ceremonies. 131. b. 183. a Miracles done by the Saints confirmed their doctrine. 281. b. done for the people. 283. a Miracles move the heathen to know God. 27. b Miracles feigned drive from Christ. 158. b. maintained by Popish offerings. 159. b Mystical and high questions to be avoided. 455. a Mitres. 134. b Modest manner of Paul's doctrine. 391. b Money purchaseth preferment. 346. b. dispatcheth Purgatery. 307. b. maketh merchandise. 108. a. bindeth not people to pray. 163. b Monks why cloistered. 196. b. made ministers to the poor. 355. a. rob them. ibid. why they run into Religion. 191. b. accursed. 192. a Monks and Friars not of God. 104. b Monks their love. 164. b monuments of notable doings. 436. a Mortuaries. 136. a. 373. b. to two Parishes. 136. a Mortification of our flesh the right work of faith. 48. b More. 330. b. skilful. 251. a. subtle. 318. b. a jester. 309. a. a scoffer. 452. b. a mocker. 459. a. A dissembler. 251. a. a liar. 294. a. 375. a. 30. b. a setter forth of unwritten verities. 461. b More would drive us from God. 297. a. Bigamus. 317. b. maintaineth unwritten verities expoundeth the Scriptures falsely. 460. a. against himself. 463. b More against the Pope's profit. 297 b. against himself. 305. b. his similitude of faces, weak. 463. a. blind in scriptures. 460. a. blinded with covetousness. 231. a. driven from the Scripture. 475. b Moore captious. 251. a. would excuse Huns murder. 318. b More blasphemeth God. 328. b. proved an heretic. 316. a Moore preferred to the Chauncellershyp by Wolsey. 373. a Moore if he had spoken with Christ would have believed him. 462. a Moore, his second argument touching the last Supper confuted. 461. a. his first reason touching the last Supper confuted. 460. b Mores foolish gloze. 261. b. his wits captivate. 338. a. his false doctrine. 283. a. his conclusion. 288. b. his naughty opinion. 307. a. his faith common. 311. a. his Purgatory as hot as hell. 306. b Moses. 390. b. a mild mother. 122. b. his bo●es. 299. a. his face. 184. a. how looked in the face. 112. b. merciless in executing the law. 122. b. mindful of God's benefits. 8. b Mourning, godly. 189. b Mourners for righteousness saved. 190. b Motions to prayer. 220. b Multitude of man's witnesses verifieth not. 255. b Murder among Friars. 255. b. of the Duke of Gloucester. 3●4. a Murderers are false preachers. 306. a Murmuring of the jews at Christ's Divinity. 458. b Mutual friendship and love. 434. b N. NAme of jesus saveth. 441. a Narrow gate found of few. 241. a Natural man. 114. a Nature of the Sacrament of our lords Supper. 441. a Nature giveth authority to the aged 456. a Natural man understandeth not Scriptures. 80. a Naturally we are the children of wrath. 391. a Nativity of the king cast by the Cardinal. 368. a Necessity of almose, prayer, and fasting. 228. a Necessity lawless. 252. a Necessity of holy days. 385. a Necromancy licenced by the Pope. 367. a Neck verse. 112. a Neighbour how to be prayed for. 15. a. 82. b. must be beloved as our selves. 385. b Newman life. 293. b Newman Thomas Becket. 369. a New practice of Papists. 364. a New Testament. 10. a. 36. b. burned by Tunstall. 374. a Ninive the greatest City in the world. 29. a Nicolas the first Pope. 351. a Nicolaus de Lyra. 303. a Noath. 303. a Noath drunk. 169. b Note of the circumstances of the last Supper. 470. a Note to know hypocrites by. 350. a for temporal Magistrates. 228. b No flesh can fulfil the law. 74. a Nurture of kings. 371. 〈◊〉 O. OBedience wilful. 17. a Obedience, poverty etc. of the spirituality. 242. b Obedience excluded through marks of Antichrist. 109. a Obedience for diverse causes must be used. 116. a. toward Magistrates. 92. b. to God quencheth furious torments. 454. a. of jonas towards God. 29. a Obedience to parents is service to God. 107. a Objection against justification by faith. 432. b O●…on in the Apostles. 260. b Obst●…acy of Papists. 310. a. of meri●…no●gers. 17. b Occasions light move great strife. 5 a. move sin●e in us. 223. b Office ●…f faith. 188. a. of a Bishop. 52. a. of a Priest. 144. b. of a true preacher. 196. a. of a good shepherd. 51. a. of the law. 117. b Office of Magistrates showed. 8. a Officers of Christ's kingdom must leave temporal dominion. 342. b Officers first ordained in Christ's Church. 345. b Officer, not the private person must avenge. 191. a Offering days, and privy tithes. 136. a ffrings what they meant. 204. a. of ripe fruits. 424. b. at first masses of Priests. 336. b. maintain Po- Opish miracles. 159. b ffenders open, openly to be rebuked. 345. a Old translation. 318. b Old commandment, what. 403. b Old ceremonies preachers to the people. 273. a Old Pharisaical practice now practised by Papists. 340. a Old testament whereupon built. 9 b Old man must be put of. 80. b Old Adam bynd●tl▪ our consciences. 47. a Opinions Popish & wavering how bread. 329. a. and 170. b Opinions iij. touching the Sacrament of the last Supper. 445. a Oppression of sure doctrine. 289. a Opportunity. 455. a. and b Orders. 322. a. in teaching. 103. b. of justifying. 330. b. of Schoolmen overthwart. 103. b. of S. Paul's doctrine. 43. b Orders how every man may preach, and how not. 198. a. Papal compared with orders Apostolical. 354. b compared with Christ's doctrine. 353. b Ordinaries hangmen to the faithful. 319. a Ordinance of rulers. 186. a Ornaments. 273. b Original of good works whence. 10. b Oath of a witness may be taken. 309. b. unlawful may be broken. 137. a against charity to be broken. 315. b Otho king of Saxons. 252. a Ouercommers of the world who. 421. a Overthrow of our forefathers was free-will. 16. a Oules and Papists alike in abhorring light. 1. b Outward Popery is the worship of the unfaithful. 422. b Outward signs required of Christ, by the jews. 457. b Outward deed fulfilleth not the law 117. a Outward oil not available. 409. a P. Place an Ambassador. 372. a Pa●…e taking how delightsome to God. 229. a Paphnutius his opinion concerning marriage. 317. b Papistical school doctrine corrupteth youth. 103. b Papistical Doctors repugnant. 102. b. their arguments. 88 a. their gloss confuted. 474. b. their works. 79. a Papists can do miracles. 300. b. teach with the mouth only. 267. b, still purge their patientes. 166. a. of the carnal opinion of the jews. 459. b. cannot abide Scripture. 287. b. 319. a. wrist the Scriptures. 466. b. pervert the Scripture. ibid. suppressors of Scriptures. 1. b. walk in shadows. 125. a Papists great jugglers. 201. a. persecutors. 448. b. furious against their adversaries. 447. a. persecuting tyrants. 319. b. blousheders 363. b. children of this world. 268. b throw down Kings and Emperors. ●27. a. hear not Christ's voice. 126. b. fruits of their earthly Gods. 126. b. why they will not have Scriptures in English. 128. a. preach works for their own profit. 334. b. trust in works as they should in Christ. 246. a Papists and Phariseis make sin of no sin. 29. b Papists will louse nothing. 305. a. forecasters of perils. 370. a. make no account of perjury. 376. a. abolish the true doctrine of Sacraments. 422. a. enemies to all good learning. 278. a. know all other men's counsel. 102. a Papists have a way of their own to heaven. 170. a. their malicious prating. 475. b. have robbe● many realms of the Gospel and all goodness. 116. b. Churchtheives. 20. a. win what others lose. 165. b Papists abuse the Sacraments. 13 b. against the Pope's laws. 341. a. hate Scriptures as oules do light. 1. b. their contrary preaching. 102. b lock up the Scripture that they only may expound the same. 23. b. their ground for unwritten verities. 473. b. cannot expound their ceremonies. 131. b. sworn to their wicked living. 305. a Papists and peripatetics their doctrine. 88 b Parable how to understand it. 78. b. of the Samaritane expounded. 285. b Partiality in Erasmus. 2. a Partiality in a preacher for fear of persecution odious. 196. b. in judges is wicked. 122. b Pardons. 173. a Pardons surer than the Pope's pardon. 223. a Parents to us in God's stead. 107. a how they try their children's love. 12. a Parish Priest. 102. b Parliament. 314. b. at Bury. 363. b paschal lamb. 282. a. 273. b. figured the lords Supper. 468. a. how spiritually fulfilled in God's kingdom. 440. a paschal lamb and Christ's death compared together. 440. a Patience in suffering. 454. a. bringeth liberty. 119. a Paul. 103. a. a persecutor. 39 b. 275. a. a careful preacher. 402. a. describeth the Pope. 290. a. answereth the Papists concerning justification. 44. known not Mass. 287. a. preached Christ, and not himself. 391. b. how he rebuketh hypocrites 44. a. condemneth all hypocrisy. ibid. no preacher of worldly wisdom. 170. b. gave faithful couns●… without vexing men's consciences. 129. a. teacheth marriage of Priests 312. b. calleth the Sacrament bread after the consecration. 472. a. a fatherly instructor to Timothy. 252. rebuked Peter to his face. 344. b. his Epistles are the Gospel. 127. a his traditions were the doctrine of the Gospel. 286. b. the order of his doctrine. 43. b Paul and Peter equals. 359. a. above Peter in apostleship. 126. a. his Apostleship how proved. 126. a Paul excommunicated, but Papists burn. 339. b. lacked Ministers. 109. a. retained not Ones●…us from his master. 109. a Pax. 276. a Peace making. 193. b Peace of conscience. 194. b Pelagius his heresy. 407. b Penance. 426. b. profitable to Papists. 254. a. abused by shavelings 397. b Penance put for repentance. 146. a People of two sorts deceived. 379. b People why called to the temple. 282. a People believe in the work without the promise. 153. a Persecution for the truth obtaineth life. 190 b Persecution of Papists. 195. a. at Rysell●s in Flaunders. At Saint Luke. 454. b Persecutors of the spiritual. 308. a. of the word threatened. 100 b Perfect Christians in no danger. 48. a Perfect keeping of the law. 40. a Perfection. 216. b. joined with repentance and strong faith. 386. b Performance of man's pretence not of himself, but of God. 17. a. of an evil oath double sin. 209. a Persuasions of Papists. 448. a. of hypocrites. 341. b Partakers of Gods promise' profess the law. 185. a Pestilence of Princes what. 123. a Peter his patrimony. 124. b. was never scholar in the Arches. 135. b Peter rebuked openly of Paul. 344. b Peter and john, their putting on of hands. 152. b Peter showed God's power. 344. a. called chief of the Apostles & why. 343. b. in what respect so called ibidem. preached, but so doth not the Pope. 357. a. practised his keys. 123. b. sent to preach in Samaria. 344. a. preached plain Scripture. 170. b. his seat and his keys are his doctrine. 359. a. his seat Christ's Gospel. ibid. his submission to his brethren. 344. a. prophesieth of the pope's spirituality Epist. 2. cap. 2. 55. a. his faith strong. 261. a. his possessions. 352. a Petty pillage. 136. a Phariseis applied all to their deeds 205. condemned of Christ. 17. a Phariseis nearer the true Church then Papists. 201 b Phariseis rebuked. 17. a. agreed with Papists in doctrine. 17. b. cleanse their souls with their own works. 30. a. their acts all outward. 202. b. their free-will. 16. b Pharaoh confessed his sins. 95. b Phocas an Emperor. 347. b. his privilege to the see of Rome. ibid. Phrases of speech expounded. 77. b Pilgrimages. 282. a. how lawful. 20 a. not needful to a Christian for his salvation. 155 a Pilgrimages true, what they be. 272 a Pity. 282. b Pipinus. 348. a Places of Scripture showing Christ's departure hence as touching his natural body. 470. b Places having prerogative for prayer. 283. a Plerophoria how known. 414. a Plurality of benefices. 373. b Poetry Scripture to Popish school men. 168. a Pole-axes born before high Legates what they signify. 142. b Pope with his Prelates set forth. 53. b. a God on earth. 349. a. Antichrist. 262. a 289. a. 308. a. the devils vicar. 359. a. persecuteth God's word. 25. b. 290. a. a deni●…h blasphemer ibid. hath no Martyrs. 294. a. a peacebreaker. 365. b. a tyrant. 318. a. a breaker of bonds of Matrimony. 350. a commandeth murder. 106. a. cause of great perjury. 115. a Popes have been bloudsheders above this. 700. years. 351. a Pope a mercyles tyrant. 362. b. curseth his enemies. 395. b. will not be rebuked. 364. b. only forbiddeth marriage. 127. b. half a God. 461. b aloft over all Bishops and Kings 353. a. advanceth his in worldliness. 353. b. hath more kingdoms then God. 135. b. a maker of laws. 356. a. selleth Gods free gift. 151. a. challengeth authority over God and man. 159. a. commandeth God to curse. 151. b. may do all at his pleasure. 364. b. will not obey Princes. 286. a. made a God for his dispensations. 230. a. cometh in Christ's name with miracles. 301. b. saith he cannot err. 264. a. distributeth his father's kingdom. 354. a thrusteth down Christ. 292. a. lycenseth all things to be read saving the truth. 21. a. forbiddeth that God commandeth. 21. a Pope how he remitteth and retaineth sins. 306. b. maketh heretics of true preachers. 134. b selleth all things. 289. b. receiveth his possessions of the devil. 354. a. how he reigneth under Christ. 151. a. expoundeth Scripture contrary to Christ, and his Apostles. 173. b. bindeth that Christ louseth. 102. a Pope not to be believed, & why 304. b. lonseth all honesty. 123. a. more merciful for money, than God for Christ's death. 151. a. divideth poor people, and how. 354. b choose without consent of the Emperor. 360. b. purposed to be Emperor. 349. made two empires of one. 349. b Pope & Pipine put down the right French king. 348. a Pope and Cardinals their opinions concerning king Henry the eight. 288 b Pope july. 369. a Pope his fast. 229. b. his traditions are wicked, and break God's commandments. 108. a. his authority improved. 12. 4. b. his clergy subtle. 1. a. his doctrine corrupt. 24. a. his doctrine doth persecute. 97. a. his sect not of Christ's church. 261 b. his doctrine bloody. 106. b. his saying of the scripture. 306. b. his authority is only to preach God's word. 123. b. his false authority defended by kings. 114. b. his false works. 289. a. his juggling 114. b. his widows. 354. b. his priests ibidem. his law. 355. a. his faith. 410 b. his Church. 292. b. his practice with all Princes. 365. a. his Deacons. 354. b. his Prelates taught of Caiphas. 122. b Popish tyranny. 475. b. ceremonies more obstinate & more in number then the jews. 101. b. forgiveness. 395 a. Purgatory not feared of a true Christian. 434. b. Prelates would be highest. 341. a. superstition. 425 b. doctrine. 447. a. hath caused the truth to be set forth more plainly. 476. a. works. 396. a. oil more feared than God's commandments. 131. a. confirmation 277. a Pope holy works a cloak for the wicked. 27. a Possessed with divines fled from Christ. 285. a Poor men. 408. a. in spirit who. 189 a. must be cared for next our own household. 84. a. called of Paul God's Church. 473. b. poverty. 242. b poverty wilful. 16. b. her vow. 19 a Power good and evil whence. 321. b Poison of our birth resisteth the spirit. 165. a A prayer. 228. a Prayer. 22. b. 242. b. 219. b. defined. 81. b. of how many sorts. 220. a. a commandment. 238. b. herded in all places of God. 282. b. the fruit of faith. 93. a. herded of God at all times. 20. b. winneth the victory. 238. b. of faith doth miracles. 152. b vain without heart and tongue. 221. a. of shavelings breaketh God's commandment. 139. b. of Monks robbeth. 201. a. not sold in old tyme. 139. b. to Saintes superilitious. 296. a. without faith nothing. 274. b. to Saints not before Christ's tyme. 296. a Practices. 371. a. of parliaments. 315. a. of Prelates. 363. a. of Popish Prelates in these days. 340. b. with poor Priests. 367. b. of fleshly spirituality. 249. a Prayers and our deeds accepted according to our faith. 154. b Prayers of all good women accepted aswell as our Ladies. 326. a. to Saints damnable. 433 b. all in Latin. 151. b. commanded to the ignorant. 135. a Praise sought of hypocrites. 373. b Praise of Paul Epistle to the Romans. 39 a Preacher his office. 206. a. may not preach unless he be sent of God. 156. why accused of heresy & treason. 202. 〈◊〉 Preachers who are sent and who not, how to know. 156. a. of God's word, their miracles. 302. a. need no miracles. 301. a. must preach repentance. 86. b. why not believed when they preach truth. 101. b. must have a competent living allowed them. 133. b. must not be violent. 214. b. who aught to be. 198. b Preaching is binding and losing. 359. a. of Christ. 391. the authority of Peter his successor. 173. b. the chief authority that Christ gave his Apostles. 126. a. extinct with ceremonies. 278. a Predestination. 306. a. in God's hand. 48. b. not rashly to be disputed upon. 48. b. how far to be proceeded in. ibidem Presbyter. 144. b Priests. 310. b. must be virtuous. 314. b Priests how truly anointed. 133. a aught not to be anointed with oil. 144. b. tell the confessions of the rich to the Officials and Commissaries, and why. 136. b. may have whores but no wives. 311. b. must have wives for two causes. 133. b Priest disguiseth himself with Christ's passion. 132. a Priests understand no Latin. 103. a Prelates why so wicked. 118. b. Courtiers. 347. a. understand not Scriptures, and why. 287. b. why clothed in read. 142. b Pride. 405. b. of the Pope. 363. a. of the Cardinals. 372. b Princes why ordained. 117. a. not to be resisted though they be infidels. 111. a. whether they may be resisted or no. 213. a Principles of Scriptures. 386. b Processions abused. 299. b Profession of our Baptism. 388. b. first to be learned. 387. a Profession of new life procureth Christ's mercy. 219. b Promise' how we may challenge. 218. b Promise of God fulfilled for Christ's and not for Saintes merits. 160. a. left out in all things by the Pope. 154. a Promises of the Gospel comfortable to a sinner. 378. a Promise cometh of the promisers goodness. 196. a Promises of God either wiped out or leavened by shavelings, and why. 151. b Promotions of the spiritualty. 406. b property of the Gospel. 194. a Properties of the Hebrew tongue agreeth with the English. 102. b profaners of God's word. 104. b Prosperity is a curse. 99 a A Prophet who. 76. a Prophets of whom slain. 138. b. and why. ibidem. bore their brethren's weakness. 25. b prophesy of Paul to Tim. iij. and iiij. chap. fulfilled in our days 53. b Protestation of the author of this work. 157. b Protector of Purgatory, Moore. 364. a A proviso of the Papists. 361. b Pseudochristi. 132. a Publicans what they be. 216. a Purgatory. 256. a. 265. a. 324. a. and why so called. 139. a. the Pope's creature. 150. a. profitable to Papists. 307. b. not proved by Scripture. 456. b. is terrible 396. b. stuffeth purses, and disheriteth right heirs. 139. a. a jail tormenting. 307 b. is in earth as the pope saith. 359 a. visible and invisible. 297. b. none to the penitent. 307. a Punishment how it must be executed. 211. b Pure faith aboundeth with good works. 52. b Pureness of the heart. 143. a. of conscience. 142. a Putting on of hands without faith of no force. 152. b Purses stuffed with Purgatory. 139. a Q. QValis pater, talis filius. 353. a Quick and dead burned of Papists. 435. b Questions of Scripture how to be judged. 137. a R. RAblementes of Popery. 136. b. of the Pope's guard. 343. b. taken for the Church. 249. b Racha. 203. a rainbow a pledge of God's promise. 436. b Ravenous Wolves. 242. a Railing. 290. b Readiness to do good cometh of God. 259. a Realm decayeth by building of Abbeys, cloisters etc. 279. b Reasons Papal proving the Pope the Church. 262. b. against translating Scriptures. 1. a Receipt of a child in Christ's name how to be understood. 343. a Reconciliation. 387. a. to our brother. 44. b Reformation must be had by love. 344. b Regeneration causeth the love of God. 382. a Regiments, states, and degrees of two sorts. 201. b Regiment spiritual and temporal poisoned by Papists. 181. b Regiment temporal not used of Christ. 185. a Religion how to be tried. 3. a. one holier than an other. 104. a. blinded with covetousness. 19 b Religious shavelings behold the outward side only. 114. a Relics, and Images enriched, poor neglected. 272. a Remission of sins. 369. b Remission of sins to conquer England. 362. b Remedy against vainglory. 217. b Repentance. 18. b. 320. b. and 331. a. how acquired. 254. b. preached by Christ. 28. b. by Sacraments. 13. a. preached to the jews by the Apostles. 28. a Repentance the forerunner of faith. 18. b. hath three parts. 37. b. taught by Baptism. 14. b. signified by Baptism. 146. b Repentance prepareth the way to Christ. 145. b Repentance, and sure faith in Christ purge our sins. 157. a Repentance interpreted for penance of Tyndall. 254. a Repentance and forgiveness come by preaching. 123. b repentant justified by faith. 31. b. no sinner before God. 82. b. receiveth God's promises in Christ. 31. a Request how to be made to God. 222. b Resistance must be made against all false doctrine. 454. a Resistance against God dishonoureth him. 270. a Resistance of magistrates, resistance of God. 213. a Resistance. 393. a Restitution of the law. 202. b Resurrection of Christ. 261. a. destroyed by Moore. 296. a. foolish to the heathen. 256. b Rest of conscience in Christ. 177. b Revengement must be referred to to God, and his officers. 215. b Reward how it cometh. 218. b. of patience in persecution for the Gospel. 52. a. of obedience. 107. a. of disobedience. 107. a Righteous live by faith. 336. a Righteousness of many sorts. 380. b. both outward and inward, what? 68 b. cometh freely from Christ. 71. a. how purchased. 44. a. where contained. 194. a. how to be understood. 43. a. and 191. b Righteousness of the Phariseis. 200. b. of the kingdom of heaven. 235. a. of man odious to God's word. 52. a Richeses. 189. a Rich in spirit. 189. a Rich men thieves before God if they help not the poor. 77. a. must pray for daily bread. 239. a Richard the second slain. 28. b Right Antichrist who. 408. a Right penance. 387. b Right Israelites, not all that came of Israel. 275. b Ripe fruits offered. 424. b Rites and ceremonies Papal. 407. b Rouen persecuteth. 454. b Robin good fellow and the Pope a like. 174. b Robinhode of authority in the pope's behalf. 129. b Robart of Caunterbury. 362. a Romish Church abominable. 267. a Rome how it came to be chief. 347. a. mother of all wickedness. ibidem Root of all goodness faith. 404. a. of all commandments faith. 414. a Rochester an Orator. 129. b. his Divinity. 124. b. improved. 129. a. faithless. 130. b. misconstrueth Paul's text most shamefully. 130. a. falsely allegeth Paul for ceremonies. 128. b his malicious blindness. 127. a. allegeth heretics for his purpose. 129. b. maketh Aaron a figure of of the Pope. 127. b Reuben his story. 169. a Rustler. 372. b Rule to know if we love God. 403. a Rulers Gods gift. 118. a. for whom ordained. 228. b. why evil. 118. a. not to be resisted. 385. b. their duty toward runagates. 207. b Rulers repined to hear their faults. 214. b S. Sabbath day must serve us. 274. a. for man's use. 287. a. how it should be occupied. 274. b Sacraments. 273. a. why ordained. 425. a. and. 442. a. not without significations. 322. a. all have significations. 322. a. all have significations. 256. b. without significations to be rejected. 455. a. are sin to the unfaithful. 443. a. how profitable. 13. a. how they justify. 143. b. confirm weak consciences. 448. b. preach repentance unto us. 13. a. are stories to keep the covenant in memory. 441. a. signs of God's promise. 144. a. no Sacraments to the dead. 13. b Sacraments of whom superstitiously ministered. 293. a. abused by Papists. 13. b. of Papists disagree. 253. a. Rob through confession. 157. b. ministered in an unknown tongue. 153. a Sacraments of Papists are dumine. 152. a Sacrament. 320. b. what it means. 445. a. of Christ's body to whom profitable. 323. b. the effect thereof. 441. b. how to be received. 470. a. a sure token of our salvation. 442. a. only preacheth justification. 143. the true meaning thereof. 464. b Sacrifice and Sacrament differre. 13. b Sacrifice. 310. a. 322. b. 273. b. of blood. 424. b. of the old law. 281. a Sacrifices and ceremonies when they ceased. 357. b Sacrifices old why ordained. 29. a Sacrilegie in Papists. 20. a Sacerdos. 144. b Salvation to believe in Christ. 70. a. not attained by pilgrimage. 155. a Sanctus. 408. a Saints. 295. b. in heaven who. 298. a. cannot help us. 70. b. not to be trusted in. 296. a. why not to be called on. 325. a. are examples. 159. a Saints truly worshipped. 280. a. examples of faith. 133. b. desire our salvation. 280. a. joyful of our company. 401. a. abhor them that pray to them. 433. b Saint Bartholomew. 285. a Sanctuaries. 112. a Salt. 196. b. 277. b. meaning thereof. 197. a Salt of the word unsavoury through covetousness. 231. b Salt of Papists unsavoury. 280. a Salutation. 370. b Salvation certified in writing. 255. b. is within us. 155. a. by grace. 395 b. by faith. 34. a. cometh by the word. 18. b Salue Regina. 326. a Satan an enemy to man. 442. a Satisfaction what & how we should make it. 37. b. only for our sins what. 257. b. Christ's blood. 394. a. true faith. 387. b Satisfaction may be made to our neighbour. 133. a Scala coeli. 139. b Scriptures. 103. a. how they speak. 87. b. have seen God. 417. b. wisdom thereof. 99 a. contents and method thereof. 169. a. how to be searched. 3. b. how locked up. 184. b. and 388. b. how to be read. 30. b. how to be understood. 7. a. 33. a. of whom understood. 319. a. the right touchstone. 103. a. teach the truth. 388. b. must be kept sincerely 22. a Scripture teacheth the truth. 388. b. chief of the Apostles. 344. b. declareth gods good will & needeth no miracles. 301. a. authorized with true miracles. ibidem. 304. a. testifieth of the right Church. 293. b. containeth our salvation wholly. 256. a. causeth belief of Scripture. 304. a Scripture hath body and soul. 23. b. calleth signs things signified. 469 b. delivered first to the people in the vulgar tongue. 319. a. aught to be known of all men. 142. a. aught to be in English. 101. a. should be in every language. 377. a Scriptures caused of God, to avoid heresies. 303. a. must try the Papists. 288. a. corrupted by the pope and why. 256. b. hid by the pope, and Papists. 1. a. 304. and 394. b. wrested by Papists. 24. a. 446. a. locked up by Papists, and why. 23. b. suppressed by Papists. 1. b Scripture resisteth Popish doctrine. 304. b Scriptures speak diversly. 79. b. full of hid mysteries. 440. a. opened with two keys. 31. a. contain three principal things. 23. b. not grossly to be understood. 80. a. have but one sense. 166. a Schools of Divinity. 104. a School doctrine of Papists corrupt 171. a Schoolmasters take great wages, and teach not. 101. b Scribes, Phariseis, and elders erred. 303. b Scribes and Phariseis what they were. 201. b. were very Antichrists 60. b Scoffing. 313. a Secrets. 371. a. of God known to few. 12. b Sectaries Papish are scoulders and brawlers. 2. b Sects through man's wisdom, innumerable in Popery. 300. b. damnable amongst Papists and heretics. 173. a S●●ge of Pavia. 371. b Service of God. 177. b. of Christ passeth service of Saintes. 295. b Servants all in Christ. 121. a Servants must be taught to know Christ. 121. b Servants of Mammon not Christ's Church. 233. b Shavelings win whosoever lose 141. b. put down Christ. 127. a. are the world. 405. b. desire to be sanctified with an whore rather than a wife. 144. a. challenge only God's spirit to themselves. 137. b Shaving borrowed of the heathen, oiling of the jews. 134. a sheeps clothing. 241. b Shering what it signifieth. 135. b shield of faith invincible. 4. b Ships sailing by land a. M. miles. 372. a Shrift a work of Satan. 147. b. put down among the Grecians for knavery. 147. b Shrining of Saintes. 351. b Shutting the chamber door expounded. 220. b Sick comforted by Papists with a Latin Gospel. 135. a Signs evident of the latter day. 53. a Sign of the cross truly beholden. 282. b Signs are called commonly by the names of things signed. 447. a Sign of Christ's body called by the name of Christ's body. 444. b Significations of things must be sought. 248. a Significations of Sacraments taken away by the Pope. 256. a Signification of our Baptism. 386. b Similitude. 332. a. 360. b. 380. a. of what force. 12. a. aptly applied. 18. b 109. b Similitude of works. 69. b. of a mother. 421. a. of an earthly king. 432. b Similitudes their use. 170. a. prove weakly. 171. a Similitudes and reasons of men's wisdom. 170. b Similitudes of well and evil doing. 219. a Simon Magus his faith. 95. b sin.. 41. b. 321. a. defined. 410. b. how far it extendeth. 113. b. under grace. 186. b. under the law. ibidem. increased by the law. 40. b. all with out faith. 153. a. when it chief reigneth in us. 40. a. pain thereof. 307 b. must be wrestled withal. 397. a Sin called in Scriptures unbelief 41. b. against the holy ghost. 254. b. cannot stand with faith. 258. a. the best merchandise. 151. a Sin all of ourselves, goodness all of God. 384. b sins accounted no sin. ●5. a. are of ourselves. 32. a. venial. 186. b. beadly. 187. a. all forgiven for jesus sake. 387. a. washed away. 13. a. how known to be forgiven. 47. b Sinners must be helped of us, or else we must perish with them in their sin. 203. b Sinners all in general. 44. a Sinners all forget not God. 260. b. must repent speedily. 334. b Sinners saved all by Christ's power. 357. b Sincerity required in all. 104. a Sir. Thomas Hitton. 294. a. murdered. 375. a S●eigh practices. 367. a S●●res of Papists. 316. a Solution of doubts. 240. a. of Popish reasons. 262. a Sophisters. 168. a. say the literal sense killeth. 168. a Souls departed rest at God's pleasure. 324. b Soundness in faith bringeth knowledge in Scriptures. 38●. a Spirices. 414. b Spirit of God maketh a man spiritual. 40. b Spirit of God accompanieth faith. 65. b contrary to the ●lesh 48. a Spirit resisted by our by●… remaining in us. 165. a Spirit unclean. 35. a Spirit of God ●o guide to popists. 148. a Spirit 〈◊〉 188. b Speech bo●…. 166. b Spiritual 〈◊〉. 1●4. a Spiritual ●…ers why ●…ned 1●… Spi●… 247 b Spiritual ●…ce of God, what. 443. a Spiritual ●…ng only ●…eth. 464▪ b Spiritual understanding of Chris●… 460▪ b Spiritual and temp●ral re●… 〈◊〉. 〈…〉 〈…〉 woul● not that s●…. 3●8. a 〈…〉 des●…sed. 〈◊〉. a 〈…〉 ●45. 〈…〉 with co●…. ●07. 〈…〉 for Ch●… us. 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉 ●…ure. 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉. 〈…〉 〈…〉 and tempor●…. 201. 〈◊〉. 〈…〉 works true ●ayth. 41. b 〈…〉. 402. b S●… the fourth ●ope. 〈◊〉. b 〈…〉 the second Pope. ●48. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 277▪ b ●…e. 24●. b ●…ctrine. 29●. 〈◊〉 〈…〉 the ●…ers. 143 a ●…ed how 〈◊〉 be applied to 〈…〉. 31. b Submission to Christ. A 1. a sufferance with Christ bringeth joy. 342. a Suffragans why ordained. 152. a Sum of God's law. 410. b Supper of Christ how instituted. 470. a. a memortall of his death. 441. b. why given us. 323. a Superstition odious. 401. b. furthered by Papists. 279. a Superstitious observations. 248. b Superstitious fast God abhorreth. 274. b subtlety of the Pope to enlarge h●● kingdom. 356. a. of Allegories. 1●. b. of the Pope's Clergy. 〈…〉 subtle conveyances of Papists. 3●6. a Suit in law without offence. ●45. a Swarms of Popish sects. 280. a. 〈…〉 Swearing. 30●. b. by God. 〈…〉 how lawful. 〈…〉 Sweet words baits o●… 〈◊〉▪ b S●…. a. have 〈…〉 S●●●de of P●pistes 〈…〉 T. T●… why so ●…ull. 〈…〉 Te De●… the French king. 372. 〈◊〉 Te●… 270. 〈◊〉 Temple. 274. b Tem●… re●…ment. 211 〈◊〉 Tem●… are not belong●… 〈…〉. 342. 〈◊〉 T●… of God. what. 〈◊〉. a. 〈…〉 Apostles. 〈…〉 Temp●… Te●… of the Sacrament. 4●… a Test●…ie of God in true believers hearts 〈◊〉. a Te●…tes. 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉. of obser●a●nt F●… T●…. 〈◊〉. a Thankesgeving▪ 477. b. ●o ●od. 478 〈◊〉 Thanks must be given to the gra●ter of 〈…〉. 433. a These days why called evil. 71. b Thom●s of C●…er. 302. a. & ●61. b 〈…〉 ●40. b Thomas Aq●… a. & 361. b Tho●…es 〈…〉 ●…nces. 45●. a Thomas ●ols●y ●…d. 36●. a ●…mas Ar●… 363▪ 〈◊〉 ●…r●es hear no sigges. 〈…〉 ●hree 〈◊〉 at once. 3●4. 〈◊〉 〈…〉 of man not to be ●…d. 4●… 〈◊〉 made B●sh●● by 〈…〉 Paul. 〈…〉 tindal why he useth the wo●…●…taunce. 37. a. his submission to the learned. 3. 〈◊〉. ●oyde of ma●…. 376. b. deceived. 2. b tindal swea●●th. 〈◊〉. b. moved to translate the S●… prot●… 〈…〉 1. a. 〈…〉 books and 〈…〉 tindal 〈…〉 Tokens 〈…〉 To●…. b. 207 b To●…. 260. a T●…. 3●●. a 〈…〉. b 〈…〉. Pr●…es. 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 by 〈…〉 By●…. 340. b 〈…〉 ●73. a. to the 〈…〉 wrought through con●…. 155. 〈◊〉. laid against the 〈…〉. 373. 〈◊〉 〈…〉 practices. 363. 〈◊〉. o● Pre●…s. 370. 〈◊〉 ●…ther of the 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 〈…〉 by the 〈…〉 〈…〉 b. of●… Gos●…er. 3. a. of 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈◊〉. b. 9●. b 〈…〉 for the Gospel bringeth 〈…〉 〈…〉 paid o● the Pope's 〈◊〉. 〈…〉 〈…〉 Chri●…end●… the pope's 〈…〉 preaching of Gods 〈…〉 why 100L. b 〈…〉 Christ. 〈◊〉. b 〈…〉. 〈◊〉. a 〈…〉. 271. b ●…es. 〈…〉 ●08. 〈◊〉 〈…〉. 415. a. 〈…〉. 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 ●…nce. 254▪ a Tru● prayer. 〈…〉 pleasa●…t. 221. a Tru● prea●…ng bindeth and rouseth▪ 15●…●28. 〈◊〉 〈…〉 from Christ's blood. 74. a True watching. 81. b True worshipping of the Sacrament what. 324. a. Truth none in the Popish spirituality. 376. b Trumpets blowing. 217. b Turks. 267. b. must be resisted. 338. b. have no faith and acknowledge one God. 94. b. more in number then Papists. 276. a. must be lamented for their ignorance. 248. a Turks and jews think they can not dye. 268. a Turks their almose void of faith abominable. 244. a Tullius chief of Orators. 128. a Tunstall Bishop of London after Bishop of Durham. 2. a Turney. 371. a tyrants why given us. 207. a. cannot have all their will. 100 a. why God suffereth them to prospero. 236. b Tyranny of Papists. 277. a. to 'cause a man to accuse himself. 122. b V VAgaboundes from faith. 358. b vandals. 351. b Vain disputations. 323. a Vain names. 123. a Vbiquetie cannot be proved. 455. b Vengeance is Gods. 110. b. must be remitted to God. 93. a. will fall on tyrants. 342. a. poured on the unpenitent by God. 28. a. pertaineth to God only. 194. a Verb (est) taken for (significat) 469. a Venetians. 364. b. neglected the pope. 365. a Verities Papal unwritten are not to be credited. 389. a Virtue of Christ's blood. 381. a Virtues inward known by the outward deeds. 117. b Virtues divine inseparable. 188 a Vicar. 102. b Vicar of Troydon. 366. a Vigilancy required in Bishops. 53. b Violence. 211. a Victory of Christ. 396. b Virginity of our Lady. 286. b Unbelief. 321. a Unbelief & sin how taken in scriptures. 41. b Unfaithful jews their sacrifi●● despised. 274. b Unfaithful worship of God with outward Popery. 422. b ungodliness. 290. b Unions. 267. a Union of Doctors. 327. a. a good book. 338. b Unity must not be broken. 237. b Unlawful othesmust be broken. 124. a Vnmercyfull are saythles. 334. a Unrighteous steward who. 72. a Unspeakable mercy of God. 416. b Unthankfulness. 290. b Unthankful receivers eat & drink their damnation. 473. a Untoward reasoning of Moore. 282. a Unworthy receivers of Christ's Supper, who? 443. a Void of faith in Christ are night-wanderers. 423 a Volowing. 152. a Voluptuous people. 380. a Votaries admonished. 21. a Vows. 18. a. 315. b. and 326. b. of religion. 398. b. made in general for three caused. ibidem. how to be made, and how applied. 21. a. unlawful not to be observed. 328. a. must be made warily. 328. a. how they be good, and what is a good vow. 20. a Upright officers in God's sight. 270. a Uprightness required in all men. 208. b Uprising sinner, his chief joy. 384. a Use of the Mass abominable. 427. a. of signs and ceremonies. 269. a. of God's creatures. 328. a. of inferior creatures to manward. 270. b Use of Popish universities. 361. a Use of Christ's Supper. 466. a. and. 470. a W. WAlshmen. 299. b Walsh customs. 151. b Walking in light or darkness. 392. a War between king Henry and the Earl of Warwick. 366. b Warrior. 212. a Warning to repent. 376 a Watching superstitious. 81. b Water and wine mixed together. 287. a Way to salvation Christ. 424. a Way how we may be made righteous. 44. a Weak flesh hath a strong spirit to God. 99 b Weak brethren must be lovingly dealt withal. 49. b Weakness of the flesh. 393. b Weakness and frailty cause sin in us. 258. b Weakelynges to the world strong to Christ. 99 b Weakelynges should be taught and not deceived. 159. a Wedding garment of faith must be put on at the Communion. 477. b Well of swearing. 436. a Weighing of souls. 317. a Whore of Babylon. 115. a. the Pope is she. 384. a Whore carried about with the Emperor Charles the great. 350. a Whores not wives embraced of the Pope's brood. 134 a Whores please Papists. 362. b Whoredom licenced by the Pope. 262. a Whoredom allowed, and maring● forbidden. 267. a Wicked Princes. 341. b Wicked doings of the Pope. 320 a Wickedness of false Prophets. 239. a of Phariseis. 202. a Wickedness removed by preaching. 300. a Wickedness destroyeth wickedness. 105. b Wickedness where committed. 48. a Wicles●e. 28. a Widows. 313. a. and 345. b Widows their office in the primitive Church. 313. a Wife. 205. b Wilful sinners feel not God's wrath in his law. 44●. a Wilful chastity. 16. b. not to be vowed of all. 20. b Wilful poverty. 16. b. how to be vowed. 18. a Wilful obedience. 17 a William King. 249. b William Roye a false Disciple. 59 b Wild Irish. 299. b Will, in bondage. 113. a Wills and Testaments altered at the Pope's pleasure. 359. b Witte and will. 306. b Witte leadeth the will. 338. a Wit, reason, and judgement go before will. 329. a Witnesses many of Christ's ascension into heaven. 471. b Witches. 300. b Witchcraft, sorcery. etc. 8. b Wolsey the Cardinal in great estimation with the king. 368. a. his subtlety. 371. a. vainglorious. 374. b. Legate a Later. 405. b. a traitor. 373. a Wolsey ruled all. 369. a Wolsey his last potion. 404. a Wolf in a lambs skin, is the pope. 343. a Woman made whole by Christ, and not by his coat. 298. a Woman of Lemster was a great miracle. 176. a Women aswell as men endued with wisdom. 252. a Women why they baptize. 287. a Women discrete may minister the sacraments. 322 b Women have power to bind, and how. 358. a World shall know Christ. 410. a World knoweth not Christ. 409. a. blind in godly matters. 423. b Wrold worse, & worse 55. b. a lover of wickedness. 7. b World of whom overcomen. 421. a World must be rebuked for lack of judgement. 248. b Worldliness in the Pope's doctrine. 416. a Worldly wisdom tending to God's glory is commendable. 455. b Worldly preferments are lets to true Christianity. 340. a Worldly wisemen understand not the Scriptures. 88 a Worldly rulers, how far to be obeyed. 385. b Worldly wit. 113. a Word of the law, and Christ's promises contained in the heart. 31 b Word of God. 34 a. the force thereof. 178. a. ground of faith. 302. b. maketh true faith. 170. b. trieth miracles. 300. b Word being the Gospel, before the Church. 255. a Word saveth. 18. b Word altered not God's word. 201. a Words honouring God expressly. 269 b Words of Christ are spiritual only. 460. a. are spirit and life. 465. b Work made acceptable by faith. 243. b Works. 4. b. 16. a. 19 b. 219. a. 225. b. and. 331. b What they be, and to what end. 81. a. God's workmanship. 15. b. are Sacraments. 226. a. which be good. 84. b. whence they be. 331. b. how to be done. 73. a. how accepted of God. 18. b. must be seasoned with God's word. 219. b Works their force. 15. a. 384. b Works of the law, and fulfilling the same two things. 40. b Works Papistical. 396. a. taught with cruelty. 29. b. blind. ibidem Works make hypocrites, the true in tent away. 228. b Works without faith. 16. a Works are made perfect with Christ's blood. 31. a. without Christ in God's sight damnable. 70. a Works our witnesses before God. 69. a. a show of faith. 55. a. cannot be separated from faith. 42. b. declare faith. 402. a. declare God's goodness. 67. b. expressed by faith. 413. b. cannot be done without faith. 73. b. where true faith is. 411. b. follow true faith. 68 a. spring from true faith universally 41. b. follow justification. 45. a Works looked on. 162. b. not to be presumed upon. 11. a. cannot fulfil the law. 249. b. deserve not the reward promised. 218. a Works of the law justify not. 41. a. 195. b. 185. b. and 335. a. no satisfaction for sins to Godward. 39 a. satisfactory in no wise. 398. a. deserve not the gifts of grace. 386. b Works are under the law. 336. b Works without the promise save not. 153. a Works of ours can deserve nothing 333. a. must be done without hope of reward. 69. a. must be done and not trusted in. 85. a. must serve us, and not we them. 273. b Works all evil where faith lacketh. 46. a Works of ours how far they extend. 37. a. fulfil the law before the world. 117. a. must not be done for reward. 333. a. obtain not God's favour. 89. b Works must proceed of love. 335. b Works to our neighbour works to God. 421. a. the fruits of light. 392. a. of love. 88 b. of faith. 73. b Works outward declare where true faith is. 68 b Works which most meet to be done. 49. a. why they must be done. 32. a Worker first of our work GOD. 329. b Work holy sophisters confounded. 117. a Worship of Saintes, and heathen Gods a like. 424. a Worship of God truly. 396. a worshipping of Saintes. 398. b. and 224. b. of the Cross. 270. b. of vnconsecrate hosts. 298. b. of Images 271. a worshipping of Images never established by miracles. 300. b worshipping, and honouring are one. 26●. a worshipping in spirit. 395. b Worthy receiving of the Sacraments increaseth faith. 446. b Wrath of God stirreth up destroyers of the Church. 341. b Written Scriptures must confounded unwritten verities. 255. b Writing from the beginning. ibidem Y. Youngest best beloved of parents. 264. a Young widows forbidden ministration. 313. b Young Timothy made a Bishop. 252. b Yuye tree a similitude. 352. b Z. ZAcharias the first Pope. 348. a Zeal without knowledge naught. 87. a Zeal of righteousness, what. 192. b Zeal of ceremonies may not break unity. 237. b Zuinglius and Oecolampadius belied of Moore. 473. b ¶ The end of the Table of M. Tyndals' works. Imprinted at London by john day, dwelling over Aldersgate. An. 1572. ¶ Cum gratia & Privilegio Regiae Maiestatis. I D THE WORKS of the excellent Martyr of Christ, john Frith. DIEV ET MON DRIOT His life and Martyrdom. 1. His book of Purgatory. Fol. 1. 2. An answer to Rastals Dialogue. 7. 3. An answer to Sir Thomas Moore. 32. 4. His answer unto Fisher Bishop of Rochester. 51. 5. A Bulwark against Rastall. 60. 6. His judgement upon M. Tracyes will and Testament. 77. 7. A letter written from the Tower to Christ's congregation. 81. 8. A mirror or glass to know thyself. 83. 9 A treatise upon the Sacrament of Baptism. 90. 10. An antithesis between Christ and the Pope. 97. 11. A book of the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ. 107. 12. Articles for the which he died. 170. A Table containing the principal matters of all his works. ARISE, FOR IT IS DAY The story, life, and Martyrdom of john Frith with the Godly and learned works and writings of the said Author, here after ensuing. THe said john Frith was born in Kent and was the son of Richard Frith Inholder in Senenock in the county of Kent. This young man so greatly profited in learning, that scarcely in his time there might be any found equal unto him. And unto his great knowledge and learning, was adjoined such an honest conversation and godliness of life, that it was hard to judge, in whether of them he was more commendable. Of the great godliness that was in him, this may serve for experiment sufficient, that not withstanding his other manifold and singular gifts and ornaments of the mind in him most pregnant, wherewith all he might have opened an easy way unto honour, and dignity, yet he chose rather wholly to consecrated himself unto the Church of Christ, excellently showing forth and practising in himself the Precept so highly commended of the Philosophers touching the life of man, which life (they say) is given unto us in such sort, that how much better the man is, so much the less he should live unto himself, but unto other, serving for the common utility: And that we should think a great part of our birth to be due unto our parents, A greater part unto our country, And the greatest part of all, to be béestowed upon the Church, if we will be counted good men. first of all he began his study at Cambridge where he had to his tutor Stephen Gardiner, who afterward was Bishop of Winchester. And in the nature of this young man being but a child, God had planted marvelous instinctions, and love unto learning, where unto he was addict. He had also a wonderful promptness of wit, and a ready capacity to receive and understand any thing, in so much that he seemed not to be sent unto learning, but also born for the same purpose. Neither was there any diligence wanting in him equal to that towardness or worthy of his disposition. Whereby it came to pass, that he was not only a lover of learning, but also become an exquisite learned man. And at that time it happened that Thomas Wolsey Cardinal of York prepared to build a College in Oxford, which had the name and title of Frideswyd, but now named Christ's Church. And unto this College the said Cardinal gathered together such men as were found to excel in any kind of Learning, and knowledge. Among whom this john Frith, the Author of these notable works was one, who then being a student in Cambridge, and Bachelor of art was called from thence, and placed in the said College. And when he had diligently Laboured in most godly study certain years, not without great profit both of latin and Greek. Then being suspected to be a favourer of Martin Luther's doctrine. He was aprehended and committed to prison, from whence afterward being delivered he resorted to the City of London, and there came in acquaintance with William Tyndall. And not long after the said William & john Frith had many metinges and great conferences, and by the said William he first received into his heart the seed of the Gospel and sencere godliness, & after with great peril and Danger they both being enquired & sought for, fled. William Tyndall first placed himself in Germany, and there did first translate the Gospel of S. matthew into English, and after the whole new testament etc. And not long after the departure of Tyndall, john Frith escaped and fled into Flaunders where he remained almost the space of iij. years, and there he made his book against purgatory, and diverse other Godly and learned works, as in the perface of the said book doth appear. But at the last he being driven to necessity and lack of money, was forced secretly to return over into this Realm to be relieved of his friends: namely of the Prior of Reading. And (as it was thought he purposed to have had the Prior over with him. And he being at Reading, it happened that he was there taken for a vagabond, and brought to examination. Where the simple man loath to utter himself what he was, and unacquainted with their manner of examinations, and they greatly offended with him, committed him to the stocks, where when he had sitten a long time, and was almost pined with hunger, & would not for all that declare what he was: At the last he desired that the Schoolmaster of the town might be brought unto him, which at that time was one Leonard Cox, a man very well learned. Assoon as he came unto him, Frith by and by in the latin tongue began to bewail his Captivity. The school master being overcome with his eloquence, did not only take pity and compassion upon him, but also began to love and embrace such an excellent wit, and disposition unlooked for, especially in such state of misery. Afterwards they conferring more together upon many things as touching the Universities, Schools, and tongues, fallen from the latin tongue, to the Greek, wherein Frith did so inflame the love of the said school master towards him, that he brought him into a marvelous admiration, especially when as the schoolmaster heard him so promptly by heart rehearese Homer's verses out of his first book of Iliads. Where upon the schoolmaster, went with all speed unto the Magistrates, grievously complaining of the injury which they did show unto so excellent and innocent a young man. And so through the help of the said schoolmaster, the said Frith was freely set at liberty. All be it, his safety cantynued not long, through the great hatred and deadly pursuit of Sir Thomas More who at that time being Chancellor of England, persecuted him both by land and Sea: besetting all the ways, havens, and ports, yea and promising great rewards if any man could bring him any news or tidings of him. Thus Frith being on every part beset with troubles, not knowing which way to turn him, sought for some place to hide him in. And so flying from one place to another, & often changing both his garments and place, yet could he be in safety in no place, not not long amongst his very friends, so that at the last he coming to a port town in Essex called Milton shore, and there purposing to have taken shipping to have passed over into Flaunders, was betrayed and brought bound back again, and laid in the Tower of London. And diverse times after was called before Sir Thomas Moore, & also before the Bishops with whom he had many conflicts. And he continuing long prisoner in the Tower, at the last a false brother resorted unto him whose name was William Holt a Tailor, who (feigning that he bore great friendship unto him) so slattered him (and he himself being utterly void of all suspicious nature) that he began to communicate unto him his very Secrets, and among other entered into a long discourse of the sacrament, which Frith had penned in a book in the time that he was Prisoner in the Tower. And when the said Holt had seen the said book, he required him most instantly to lend him the same only to read over, the which the said john Frith did unadvisedly grant, which after was the occasion of his great trouble and finally of his death. So soon as this false brother had the book, he departed, for now he had the pray that he had long watched for, And forth with he carried the said book● unto Sir Thomas Moore, who rejoiced not a little at the having thereof, and forthwith whetted his wits, and called his spirits together, meaning to refute his opinion by a contrary book, but that was more than he could do. Yet he attempted to do as much as he might, and at the last written a book against him, the Copy whereof when it came to Frithes hands, although he were then prisoner in the Tower and destitute both of books and conference, yet he answered it, omitting nothing that any man could desire to the perfect and absolute handling of the matter. Beside all these commendations of the afore said Learned young man, there was also in him a friendly and prudent moderation in uttering of the truth, joined with learned godliness, which virtue hath always so much prevailed in the Church of Christ, that without it all other good gifts of knowledge be they never so great can not greatly profit, but oftentimes do very much hurt. And in all matters, where necessity did not move him to contend, he was ready to grant all things for quietness sake. After he had sufficiently contended in his writings with Moore, Rochester, and Rastall Moor's son in law, whom he did so valiantly fight withal and confound, that he connerted Rastall to his part. Then he was ●●ryed to Lambeth before the Bishop of Caunterburie, and afterward to Croyden where was present Stephen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester who had been his tutor in Cambridge as aforesaid, and seemed to own unto him great love and favour, but in the steed thereof he found in the end his great malice and tyranny, and last of all he was called before the Bishops in a Common assembly at London, where he so costantly defended himself that he had prevailed, if he might have been herded, as indeed he was not. The order of his judgement with the manner of his examination and Articles which were objected against him, are comprised and set forth by himself in a letter written to his friends, which letter also is imprinted and set forth in this book. After sentence given against him by the Bishop of London, he was delivered to the Mayor & Sheriffs of the said City (Sir Stephen peacock, a simple man being then Mayor) and forth with he was committed to new gate, where he was put into the Dungeon under the said Gate, and laden with Bolts, and Irons as many as he could bear, and his neck with a Coler of Iron made fast to a post, so that he could neither stand upright nor stoop down, yet was he there continually occupied in writing of diverse things, namely with a candle both day, and night, for there came none other light into that place. And in this case he remained iij. or iiij. days, and then was from thence carried into Smithféelde the iiij. day of july. 1533. where with great patience, and constancy he suffered that most h●lly, and cruel death of burning. And when the fire was set on the faggottes he embraced the same in his Arms, & and with all patience committed his spirit unto almighty God. But this one thing is yet to be remembered, that he being bound to the stake with an other good Martyr, which was a very simple young man named Andrew Hewet, there was present one Doctor Cook that was person of the Church called Allhalowes in honey lane situate in the mids of cheapside. And the said Cook made an open exclamation and admonished the people that they should in no wise pray for them no more than they would do for a dog. At which words Frith smile, desired the Lord to forgive him. But the ungodly and uncharitable words of the said Doctor did not a little offend the people. And thus for the testimony of the true doctrine of Christ, which the said Frith sealed with his blood the day, and year afore said, he died in the xxiv. year of his age (as some say) but his parents reported in the thirty. year of his age. JOHN FRITH UNTO the Christian Reader. GRace and peace be with thee Christian reader. I am sure there are many that will much marvel & count it a great presumption that I being so young and of so small learning dare attempt to dispute Not who speaketh, but that which is spoken is to be weighed most. this matter against these three personages of the which number two, that is to say, my Lord of Rochester and Sir Thomas Moore, are ancient men both of great wit, and dignity. Notwithstanding I will desire them patiently, to hear mine answer, not advertising who speaketh the words, but rather what is said. And as concerning mine youth, let them remember what Paul monisheth. i Timot. iiij. willing that 1. Tim. 4. Timotheus should instruct the congregration The holy ghost inspireth where, when, and on whom he pleaseth. and that no man should despise his youth: for as the spirit of God is bond to no place, cven so is he not addict to any age or person, but inspireth when he will and where he will, making the young to see visions and espy the truth, and the elders to dream dreams, and to wander in fantasies Acts. 2. joel. 2. Acts. 2. And as touching my learning I must needs acknowledge (as the truth is very small, nevertheless that little 1. Cor. 12. (as I am bond, have I determined, by God's grace) to bestow to the edifying The talon of our learning is to be employed to the edifying of Christ's congregation. of Christ's congregation which I pray god to increase in the knowledge of his word. I would not that any man should admit my words or learning, except they will stand with the Scripture, and be approved thereby. Lay them to the touchstone, and try them with God's word. If they be found false and counterfeit, then damn them, and I shall also revoke them with all mine heart. But if the Scripture allow them, that you can not deny but it so is, then resist not the doctrine of God, but knowledge your ignorance and seduction, and return gladly into the right way. Wilfully to resist God's word, is sin against the holy ghost. For if you can not improve it by God's word, and yet, of an hate and malicious mind that you bear to the truth labour to resist it & condemn it that it should not spread: I ensure you your sin is irremissible and even against the holy ghost, and the blood of them Ezech. 33. that perish for fault of instruction shallbe required on your hands. Objection. Peradventure some of you will say, your fathers & old progenitors▪ with many holy men and Doctors have so believed & that therefore you will abide by the old. I answer: The ways & Answer. judgements of God are marvelous, who knoweth whether God have suffered his elect to err and be seduced for a season, to the intent that the unfaithful which would not believe the truth, but had pleasure in iniquity might stumble at their error into their utter confusion 1. Thess. and ruin? Although a man be never so faithful and holy, yet is there much imperfection in him as long as he Our imperfection forgiven through faith in Christ's blood. is included in this mortal body, how be it, it is not imputed unto him, but through the faith in Christ's blood who lie pacified and forgiven. And therefore it is not sure, that we follow their exteour works or other imaginations, but let us ever confer them unto the pure word of God, and as the Scripture testifieth so let us receive them. My Lord of Rochester doth testify The Bishop of Rochesters own opinion concerning the understanding of the scriptures in his time, and long a for● that. himself writing upon the xviij. Article, that there are many points both of the Gospels and other Scriptures which are now discussed more diligently, and more clearly understand, than they have been in times past. And addeth furthermore that there are diverse places in Scripture yet some deal dark, which he doubteth not, but that they shallbe more open and light unto our posterity, for why shall we despair of that (says he) sith that the Scripture is for that intent left with us, that it may be understand of us exactly, and to the uttermost point? Of this may you evidently perceive that the old fathers and holy Doctors have not seen all the truth. But somewhat is also left, through the high provision of God, to be discussed of their successors. And therefore is it not meet, that we strait ways cleave unto their words, with out any further ensearching the scriptures, but we must examine all things by the Scriptures although. S. Paul or Peter should preach it unto us, as we see experience Acts. xvij. that when Acts. 17. Paul preached, the audience daily searched the Scriptures, whether it were as he said. But you have been of long continuance The cause of our blindness, and gross errors. secluded from the scriptures, which is cause of such gross errors as you are now fallen in, so that you could neither search them, nor yet once look on them. Alas what blindness doth occupy our eyes? Are you so childish to believe that the same word which hath made the unfaithful and heretics, faithful and christian in times past, is now so far altered that it should 'cause the faithful and christian to become heretics? I pray God open your eyes. Howbeit we may now well taste at our finger's ends that we have long been in that miserable case that Paul prophesied upon us. ij. Thes. ij. 2. Thess 2. that God hath sent us strong delusions because we would not receive the knowledge of the truth: what greater delusion can we have, then to think that the very word of God, which was written for our comfort, which is the very food and sustenance of our souls, which is the sure metyarde and perfect touchstone that judgeth and examineth all things: Rom. 15. to think (I say) that this wholesome word should be our poison and condemnation? And all be it our forefathers have lived without it and received all for truth that our Prelates belies have imagined: yet is not their fault & ours a like (although I can not excuse their ignorance but that it is sin before the face of God) for they had not the light of God's word opened unto them. Voluntary ignorance, not to be excused. Now sith we have the light declared unto us, and yet will proceed in blind ignorancy and not confer and examine these juggling mists with the light of God's word, our ignorance is wilful and without excuse. Suffer therefore all things what soever they be, to be tried and examined by the Scripture. If they be true then shall the Scripture do them no hurt, but establish and strengthen them, for the Scripture discloseth nothing but falsehood, and condemneth nothing but that is damnable. The cause of john Frithes writing against Purgatory. And now to descend unto our matter and disputation which is of Purgatory, I shall show you what occasion I had to take it in hand. I written a letter unto a certain friend in England, desiring him instantly to sand me certain books which I though necessary for my use, and were not to be got in these parties, as the Chronicles, Sir Thomas Moor's book against the Supplication of Beggars, and certain other. These books I received upon S. Thomas day before Christmas, the year of our Saviour a. M. ccccc. & thirty. with a letter written in this form: Sir I have sent you such books as you written for, and one more of Rastels making, wherein he goeth about to prove Purgatory, by natural Philosophy: which thing (quoth he) I think be more easy to do, than to prove it by any good Scripture. etc. This stuff received, I was marvelously desirous and tickled to see what reasons he brought for his probations. And in the beginning and Prologue of the book, he set seven reasons which he said that fond fellows alleged for them to prove that there could be no Purgatory. And in deed they are very fond that would deny Purgatory, if there were no better Arguments to confute it then he assigneth. But by God's grace I will propound seven. times seven which shall have such pith, that their painful purgatory shall not be able to abide the worst of them, for these seven that Rastell assigneth are not worth one bean. When I had read and well pondered these reasons, I thought that he should sharply have confuted them, as he might full well have done, specially sith they were but of his own imagination. Neverthesse's when I came unto his solutions I found not one but it had certain points repugnant unto the Scripture (unto which our reason must ever be obedient) Man's reason must be obedient to the Scriptures. yea and also they were extremely injurious unto Christ and his precious blood. Then left I him, & read: Sir Thomas Moor's book, to see what Scripture might be brought for that purpose, and after that made I diligent inquire to come by my Lord of Rochester's book which also writeth on the same matter, and when I had well examined their reasons and had seen the order and process of the Scriptures which they alleged: Aulus Gelius. I found that clearly verified which Aulus Gellius sayeth, that it were a great deal better for a man to be sharply rebuked yea and openly to have his faults published of his enemy, then to be coldly and slenderly praised of his friend. The rebuke of an open enemy better than the slender praise of a friend. For a man's enemy ensearcheth narrowly and gathereth together all that he can imagine, and so accuseth a man more of a fumous heat then of any verity: and therefore the audience (if they be wise) consider his words thereafter, and so give very small credence or else none unto them. But if a man's friend before audience do praise him slenderly and coldly, it is an argument that the person is very faulty, for a friend beholdeth all qualities and circumstances, his birth, bringing up, & what feats he hath done all his life long: yea and applieth many things unto his friends praise, which serve but sinally for it, for he will lean nothing behind that may be imagined to employ his friends fame and honour. Now if in all these points he can not colour out a glorious apparent laud, but is compelled for lack of matter to praise his friend slenderly, than (if the audience be wise) they may soon conjecture that he is no praise worthy, & also may well doubt whether that small praise which he gave him be true or not. Even so, when I had read these books of Sir Thomas More and my Lord of Rochester, and see the small probations & slender reasons that those two witty and learned men had brought to confirm Purgatory: considering also that they are the chiefest friends, proctors and patrons thereof, and that they had applied many reasons and Scriptures for their purpose (for lack of matter) that rather made against them: yea and not that only, but also that they dissented between themselves in their probations: for M. Moore saith that there is no water in Purgatory. And my Lord M. Moore & my Lord of Rochester can not agreed. of Rochester saith that there is water. Master Moore saith that the ministers of the punishment are devils. And my Lord of Rochester saith that the ministers of the punishment are angels. Master Moore saith, that both the grace and charity of them that lie in the pains of Purgatory, are increased. My Lord of Rochester says, that the souls in Purgatory obtain there neither more faith nor grace nor charity than they brought in with them. These things considered, it made mine heart yearn and fully to consent, that this their painful Purgatory was but a vain imagination, and that it hath of long time but deceived the people and milked them from their money. Notwithstanding God hath left us two Purgatories. One to purge the The Purgatoryes, that God hath ordained. heart and cleanse it from the filth which we have partly received of Adam (for we are by nature the children of wrath. Ephe. ij.) and partly added thereto by consenting unto our natural infirmity. This Purgatory is the word of God as Christ saith. john. xv. Now john. 15. are you clean for the word which I have spoken unto you. This purgation The Purgatory of the heart. obtaineth no man but through faith, for the unfaithful are not purged by the word of God, as the Scribes and Phariseis were nothing the the better for hearing his word but rather the worse for it was a testimony against them unto their condemnation. And because we receive this purgation The Purgatory of the heart, is faith. only through believing the word, therefore is the virtue of this purging applied also unto faith, for Peter saith. Act. xv. that the Gentiles hearts were purged through faith, that is to say, through believing the word. And what word is that? verily the preaching that Christ's death hath fully satisfied for our sins and pacified for ever the father's wrath towards us. etc. This faith purifieth the heart and giveth us a will and gladness to do what soever our most merciful father commandeth us. Nevertheless because our infirmity The Purgatory of the members. is so great, and our members so weak and frail that we can not eschew sin, as our heart would, and as our will desireth: therefore hath God left us an other purgatory which is Christ's cross. I mean not his material cross that he himself died on, but a spiritual cross which is adversity, tribulation, worldly depression. etc. And this Heb. 12. is called the rod or scourge of God wherewith he scourgeth every son The Purgatory of the members is the cross of Christ. that he receiveth, that we may remember his law and mortify the old Adam and fleshly lust which else would wax so rebellious that it would subdue us, reign in us, and hold us thraull under sin. When soever we have committed a crime them is God present with Psal. 89. this rod as he says Psal. lxxxix. If they defile my ceremonies and not observe my commandments, then with a rod shall I punish their sins and with beatyngs shall I reward their iniquities, but yet my mercy shall I not take from him neither will I deceive him of my promise. This cross must we deceive with a God nayleth us to the cross, to heal our infirmities. glad heart and thank our loving father for it, for it is but a medicine to heal our infirmity and to subdue our rebellion's members. But when our members are fully mortified, that is, when death hath subdued our corruptible body, and our flesh committed to rest in the earth, then cease the Purgatories that God hath ordained, & then are we fully So evil was the life of the Papists that they imagined a Purgatory for themselves. purged in his sight. If our Clergy could have found in their hearts to have taken these Purgatories upon them, they had never needed to imagine any other, but sith their life begun to wax so dissolute, specially sith they should be the salt of the earth and lanterns of light: It was necessary for them to imagine Purgatory after this life, for else they might be sure that the most part of them were never like to come in heaven. judge Christian reader which hast the spirit to discern and knowest the voice of Christ what reasons Rastell hath brought and how he hath soluted them: for in my mind both his reasons and solutions are so childish and unsavoury, so unlearned and barren, so full of faults and fantasies, that I rather pity the man's deep ignorance and blindness (which hath so deceived himself through Philosophy and natural reason) them I fear that he by his vain probations should allure any man to consent unto him. judge and confer the Scriptures which Sir Thomas More and my Lord of Rochester allege for their opinion, and I doubt not but that God shall open thy eyes to espy that thing which hath blinded them. judge and compare the Scriptures together which I have brought to confirm my purpose, ponder their reasons and my solutions unto them, and I am sure thou shalt perceive that my small learning hath condemned their high eloquence, that my folly hath brought to naught their wisdom, and that my youth hath disclosed their old and festered ignorance. And this is even the old practice of The wisdom of the world foolishness afore God. God: to chose the foolish things of the world: to confounded the wise: to chose the weak to confound the mighty: And to choose the vile things which are of no reputation: to confounded them of high degree: that no flesh might boast itself in his sight to whom only be praise and thanks for ever. Amen. ¶ A Prologue whereby a man may the better perceive the occasion and whole cause of this Book. THere was a brother Simon Fish the maker of the book of the Supplication of Beggars. of ours named Simon Fish (which now I trust rests in God's hands) whose eyes God had opened, not only to espy the wily walking of hypocrites and ruin of the realm which through their means was nigh at hand: but also to mark and ponder the peril of men's souls, and how that the ignorant people by their seduction was fallen into that frantic imagination that they more feared the Pope and his Decrees which are but vanity, than God himself and his law which are most righteous and eternal. This man therefore of a fervent and burning zeal that he bore to the wealth of the commonalty broke out and touched these hypocrites in a little treatise which he called The Supplication of Beggars, willing Our riches is to be bestowed on the poor. that we should give the abundance of our richesses unto the poor to whom it is due by the law of God: and that we should no longer suffer ourselves to be despoiled and rob of a sight of sturdy lubbars which under a false cloak of virtue and prayer deceive the poor of their living and both the poor and the rich of their soul's health, if credence be given unto them. And where these wily Foxes Either there is no Purgatory, else the Pope is merciless. would have pretended the cloak of Purgatory affirming that it were due unto them because they pray for their friends souls that they might come to rest, he answered unto that point preventing their objection, and proved that either there could be no such Purgatory, or else that the Pope were a merciless tyrant which (as he says himself may deliver them from thence and will not except he have money. At this point began M. Moore Whereat M. More first began to fume against such as deny Purgatory to fume and took upon himself to be Proctor for Purgatory (I will not say that he was hired there to of our spirituality although many men dare swear it (and to confirm his purpose he wrested sore the Scriptures, and triumpheth also that the very miscreants and Idolaters believe that there is a Purgatory. He addeth thereto (to establish his matter with all) that there is no man which believeth that there is a God, and that the soul of man is immortal, but he must needs grant that there is a Purgatory. There took Rastell his hold, Rastell followeth M. Moore. which is a Printer dwelling at Paul's gate in London and of Master Moor's alliance, which also coveteth to counterfeit his kinsman, although the beams of his brains be nothing so radiaunt nor his conveyance so commendable in the eyes of the wise. Notwithstanding this Rastell hath enterprised to dilate this matter, and hath divided it into three dialogues, imagining that two men dispute this matter by natural reason and Philosophy, secluding Christ and all Scripture. The one of them (that should dispute The names of the disputers in the matter of Purgatory this matter) he calleth Gingemen, & feigneth him to be a Turk and of Mahomates law. The second he nameth Comingo an Almany & of Christ's faith. And he maketh the Turk to teach the Christian man what he should believe. The first Dialogue goeth about The some and contents of Rastels iij. Dialogues to prove by reason that there is a God, which is merciful and righteous. The second intendeth to prove, that the soul of a man is immortal. Against these two Dialogues I will not dispute, partly because this treatise should not be over long and tedious, and partly because that those two points which he there laboureth to prove are such as no Christian man will deny (although many of his probations are so slender, that they may well be improved) but as concerning his third Dialogue wherein he would prove Purgatory, it is wholly injurious unto the blood of Christ and the destruction of all Christian faith, if men were so mad as to believe his vain persuasions. And therefore I thought expedient to compare this third Dialogue with all the deceitful reasons unto the true light and pure word of God that at the lest Rastell himself might perceive his own blind ignorance and return again into the right way. And if any man have been deceived through his book (as I trust there are but few except they be very ignorant) that they may repent with him and glorify GOD for his inestimable mercy which hath sent his light into this world to disclose and expel their dark and blind ignorancy, that they may see his ways and walk in them praising the Lord eternally. Amen. The first Book which is an answer unto Rastelles' Dialogue. THere is no man as I An answer to Rastels' Dialogue. think that hath a natural wit, but he will grant me that this book of Rastels making is either true, or false, If it be false then how so ever it seem to agree with natural reason Rastels' book is either true or false. it is not to be allowed: if it be true, then must we approve it. Natural reason must be ruled by Scripture. If natural reason conclude against the Scripture, so is it false, but if it be agreeing to Scripture then is it to be herded. Of this may I conclude that if Rastels' If natural reason conclude against the Scripture than is natural reason false. book be agreeing to Scripture, then is it true and to be allowed, if it determine contrary to the Scripture, then is it false and to be abhorred, how soever it seem to agree with natural reason. Now is there no Christian man but he believeth surely that if Christ had not died for our sins we should all have been damned perpetually & never have entered into the joys of heaven, which thing is easy to be proved, for Paul saith Rom. 5. As through one man's sin, that is Adam, ensued Roma. 5. death in all men unto condemnation: Even so through one man's righteousness which is Christ, came righteousness, in all men unto the justification of life. Also. john. xi. It is necessary john. 11. that one man dye for the people, that all the people perish not: so that we had been condemned and had perished perpetually if Christ had not died for us. But Rastel with his Turk Gingemin excludeth Christ and knoweth not of his death, wherefore all that reasons that they can make unto doomsday can never prove Purgatory (except they imagine that we must first go to Purgatory 2. Rastels' book clearly & quickly confounded. and then after to hell:) for this is a plain conclusion that without Christ (whom they exclude) we can never come to heaven: what fondness were it then to invent a Purgatory. Now may you see that Rastels' book is fully answered, and lieth already in the dirt, and that his third Dialogue is all false and injurious unto the blood of Christ. As for the first and second Dialogue, although there be some errors both against Divinity and all good Philosophy, yet will I pass them over, for they are not so blasphemous against God and his Christ as the third is. Notwithstanding I will not thus leave his book, although I might full well, but I will declare unto you what solutions he maketh to these seven weak reasons which he hath propounded himself) for he avoideth them so slenderly, that if a man had any doubt of Purgatory before, it would make him swear on a book that there were none at all. Besides that it hath not one solution but there Rastel beaten to the brickwall. are in it certain points repugnant unto Scripture, so that it is great shame that any Christian man should Print it, and much more shame that it should be Printed with the kings privilege. The first and chiefest reason that The first & chief reason made for Purgatory moveth this man (yea and all other) to affirm Purgatory is this, which he putteth both in the first Chapter of his third Dialogue, and also in the last. Man (saith he) is made to serve and Rastell. honour God, now if man be negligent about the commandments of God and commit some venial sin, for which he aught to be punished by the justice of God, & dye suddenly without repentance, and have not made sufficient satisfaction unto God here in the world, his soul aught neither immediately to come into the glorious place of heaven, because it is somewhat defouled with sin, neither aught it to go to hell unto eternal damnation: but by all good order of justice that soul must be purged in an other place, to make satisfaction for those offences, that it may afterward ●ee received into the glorious place of heaven. And so by the justice of God there must needs be a Purgatory. Forsooth this reason hath some appearance Answer to the first argument. of truth and the similitude of wisdom, howbeit in deed it is nothing but man's imagination and fantasy. For if we compare it unto God's word, then vanisheth it away. But we regard not the word of the Lord, and therefore chanceth even the same thing unto us, that happened before unto the children of Israel. Psal. 81. My people regarded not my Psal. 81. voice and Israel gave no heed unto me: therefore let I them go after the appetites of their own hearts. They shall wander in their own imaginations. Now what go they about in this their invention and imagination of Purgatory, but to ponder the justice of God in the balance of man's justice, saying. It is no reason that we should enter into heaven which have not here satisfied unto God for our iniquity except that we should be tormented and purified in an other place. We were surely in evil taking if God were of man's complexion which remitteth the fault and reserveth the pain. Nay, nay, Christ is not greedy to be avenged. He thirsteth not after our blood, but suffered all torments in his own body to deliver us from the pains that we had deserved. But seeing they think their reason so strong and invincible, I will confute it with one question that they shall not know whither to turn them. But first I will ground me upon this Scripture. S. Paul writeth. 1. Thess. 4. on this 1. Thess. 4. manner: we that live and are remaining in the coming of the Lord (unto judgement) shall not come year they that sleep, for the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout and the voice of the archangel and trump of God. And the dead in Christ shall arise first, then shall we which live and remain be caught up with them also in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord Now hearken Question. to my question. Those men that shallbe found alive at the last day (for as it was in the time of No, even so shall the last day come upon us unwares and as a thief in the night. Math. 24. Math. 24. those men I speak of, shall any of them be saved or not? There is no man that The confutation of Rastels first & chief argument. liveth but he may well say his Pater nostor, of the which one part is: forgive us Lord our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us, therefore is no man pure and with out all sin. And this confirmeth S. john, saying: If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 1. john. 1. what remedy 1. john. 1. now? shall they all be damned? There is no doubt but some of them shall not be very evil, although they have not made sufficient satisfaction unto God in this world, & they aught not to go unto hell to everlasting damnation (as your own reason proveth) and then shall there be no Purgatory to purge and punish them. Besides that if there were a Purgatory at the time yet could they not be cast into it, for all shall be done in the twinkling of an eye. 1. Cor. xv. and they shall be 1. Cor. 15. 1. Thess. 4. caught up to meet the Lord 1. Thess. 4. Is God not as just then as he was before? will he not have punished as well then as before. Now see you no evasion for all your subtle imaginations, for they are not pure and without spot (as you say) except they make satisfaction themselves unto God. But they must be without spot or wrinkle that shall enter into heaven, as Rastell himself doth prove in the ix. Chapter of his third Dialogue. Howbeit? I regard not his testimony, but the Scripture affirmeth that to be true, as Paul saith. Ephesians. Ephes. 1. and. 5. 1. and. 5. Now sith they must be pure even without spot or wrinkle that shall enter into heaven, and these people are yet spotted with sin, and have neither place nor space to purge them in: you must needs conclude whether you will or not that they must all be damned and yet you think that unreasonable to. See whither your Arguments of natural reason bring you. But what saith the Scripture? verily Paul. 1. Thess. 4. espied an other way: for he says: and so shall we ever be with the Lord: and not damned. Of this may we evidently conclude, that some shall be saved although they be sinners & never come in Purgatory (there taketh Rastell a fall & all his faultours) Rastell overthrown in his own turn. and sith God is as just and merciful now as he shall be then: why shall we go more in Purgatory than they? But mark I pray you how properly that substauntiall reason wherewith they go about to stablish Purgatory concludeth: which condemneth into hell so many thousands, yea and even them whom Paul affirmeth to be saved. And yet at the beginning it seemed very reasonable. Now have I proved you sufficiently that this their reason can prove no Purgatory, for as I said there shall sinners enter into heaven and never come in Purgatory. Here peradventure you be desirous to know how God's justice is pacified. For all sin by the justice of God must needs be punished. Now can the world espy no punishment here, and therefore they thought it necessary to imagine a purgatory to purge & punish sin. Here answer I with S. Paul. Christ the son of God being the 3. Hebr. 1. brightness of his glory & very image of his substance bearing up all things with the word of his power, hath in his own person purged our sins and is set on the right hand of God. Christ is the only Purgatory and purger of our sins. Behold the true Purgatory and consuming fire, which hath fully burned up and consumed our sins, & hath for ever pacified the father's wrath towards us. Mark how he saith, that Christ in his own person hath purged our sins. If thou yet seek an other purgation, then are you injurious unto the blood of Christ. For if thou thought his blood sufficient, then wouldst thou seek no other Purgatory, but give him all the thanks and all the praise, of thy whole health and salvation, and rejoice whole in the Lord Paul writeth▪ Ephes. 5. on this manner, 4. Ephe. 5. Christ loved the congregation. And what did he for it, sent he it into Purgatory there to be cleansed. Nay verily, but gave himself for it that he might sanctify it and cleanse it in the fountain of water, through the word to make it unto himself a glorious congregation, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blame. Now if Christ by these means have A, fruitful and excellent argument. sanctified it and made it without spot, wrinkle and blame, than were it against all right to cast it into Purgatory, wherefore I must needs conclude that either Paul says not true which affirmeth that Christ hath so purged his congregation, or else that Christ is unrighteous if he cast them into Purgatory which are without spot wrinkle and blame, in his sight. Christ those us in him before the 5. beginning of the world, that we might be holy and without spot in his sight. Ephes. 1. If through his choosing Ephe. 1 and election we be without spot in his sight, Alas what blind unthank Christ by his election doth purge and cleanse us. fullness is that to suppose that he will yet have us tormented in Purgatory. Peradventure every man perceiveth not what this means, that 6. we are righteous in his sight seeing that every man is a sinner. 1. john. 1 Therefore I will briefly declare the 1. john. 1. meaning of the Apostle. This is first a clear case, that there liveth no man upon the earth without sin. Notwithstanding all they that were choose in Christ before the foundation of the world were laid, are without spot of sin in the sight of God. Ephes. 1. Ephe. 1 So that they are both sinners & righteous. If we consider the imperfection of our faith and charity, If we consider the conflict of the flesh and the spirit. Gala. 5. If we consider our rebellious Gallat. 5. members, which are sold under sin. Roma. 7. then are we grievous Roma. 7. sinners. And contrariwise, if we believe that of merciable favour God gave his most dear son to redeem us from our sin: If we believe that he imputeth not our sins unto us, but that his wrath is pacified in Christ and his blood, If we believe that he bath▪ freely given us his Christ and with him all things so that we be destitute in no gift. Roma. viii. then are Roma. 8. we righteous in his sight, and our conscience at peace with God, not through ourselves, but through our Lord jesus Christ. Roma. u So mayst Roma. 5. thou perceive that thou art a sinner in thyself, & yet art thou righteous in Christ, for through him is not thy sin imputed nor reckoned unto thee. And so are they to whom God imputeth not their sins, blessed, righteous, without spot, wrinkle or blame. Roma. 4. Psal. 31. And therefore will Roma. 4. Psal. 31. he never thrust them into Purgatory. Paul saith there is no difference, justification freely, doth exclude Purgatory. for all have sinned and lack the glory which before God is allowed, but they are justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ jesus. Roma. iij. what say you now, Roma. 3. shall they yet go into Purgatory? Call you that justification freely by his grace, to lie in the pains of Purgatory. Surely that were a new kind of speech, which I think Paul never understood. Peradventure some man will Objection. think mine Arguments to be of small pith, and to dissolve them by a distinction, saying: It is truth that God hath so purged and cleansed us from all our iniquities, nevertheless his mercy, purging & forgiveness, have only purified us from the fault and crime, but not from the pain which is due to the crime. To this objection I answer that In answer to the first objection. if God of his mercy and through the blood of his son jesus have not remitted that pain due unto that crime, then shall we all be damned: for the pain due unto every disobedience that is against God, is eternal damnation. And therefore if this pain were not forgiven us, then are we still under condemnation, and so were Christ's blood shed in vain, & could save no man. If they will say that this everlasting Objection. pain is not wholly forgiven us, but that it is altered into the temporal pain of Purgatory, out of which the Pope may deliver them by his pardon, for else have they no evasion at all, then may we soon confute them and that by divers reasons. First, that their words are nothing 1. In answer to the second objection. but even their own imagination, for they cannot confirm their sayings by the Scripture, neither aught we to accept any thing as an article of our faith which is not approved by God's word: for we may neither decline unto the right hand nor unto the left: but only do that the Lord commandeth us. Deut. 4. 5. 12. 13. And again if a man should ask 2. them by what authority the pope giveth such pardon. They answer, that it is out of that merits of Christ's passion. And so at the last they are compelled The Pope kelleth Christ's merits for money. to grant even against them selves, that Christ hath not only deserved for us the forgiveness of that crime but also of the pain. If Christ have deserved all for us, who giveth the Pope authority to reserve a part of his deservings from me, and to cell me Christ's merits for money. Besides that, every Christian man 3. aught to apply unto God all things which should employ his honour as far forth as the Scripture will suffer. Now seeing it is more unto the honour of God that he should deliver us in his blood both from the crime and from the pain, and also not repugnant unto the Scripture but that he hath relesed us from the pain as We may not rob God of his honour. well as from the sin: for what intent should we be so unkind as to despoil him of this great honour, & without any authority of Scripture imagine that he hath not delivered us from the pain as well as from the sin. Moreover if he should reserve the 4. Blasphemy to say Christ's blood is not full remission for our sins. pain, than were it no full remission and forgiveness, but what blasphemy is that to think the Christ's blood was not sufficient to give full remission unto his faithful? Furthermore, for what intent should the pain be reserved? to satisfy 5. towards God for their offences? Nay verily, for all men living are not There is no satisfaction for sin, but Christ's death. able to satisfy towards God for one sin. Neither are all the pains of hell able to purge one sin or satisfy for it: for then at the length the damned souls should be delivered out of hell. Finally, I think that there was 6. never any temporal punishment institute of God to be any satisfaction for sin, but the use of all temporal pains and chiefest cause why they were ordained is this. Temporal pains are profitable 1. Why temporal pains are ordained. for the common wealth, that they may be examples to learn the unfaithful (which else fear not God) that they may at the jest for fear of punishment abstain from committing like offences, for if their sin were unpunished then should all vice reign to the utter subversion of the common wealth. They are also profitable for the 2. faithful, for they try and purify the faith of Gods elect, and subdue and mortify their carnal members, that they may be the more able to serve their brethren and to withstand the vehement assaults of temptation which are ever at hand: and jest they should wax proud and boast themselves for those gifts which they have received of God. Furthermore they set out and advance the glory of God. For after that we be put in remembrance and made to feel our frail nature that so continually displeaseth God our father: then have we occasion to ponder and compare this transitory pain which we here suffer with those enor mous trespasses that we have committed Worldly pains can not sufficiently punish sin. and so to espy the infinite mercy and favour of God, and even in our adversities to be compelled to praise God our merciful and tender father which scourgeth us so favourably for those grievous offences that have deserved a thousand times more punishment. Howbeit (to say truth) there is no man that can take any such profit of them that men fain to be punished in Purgatory. For we neither see it nor hear it, neither have we any mention made of it in Scripture, that we may be sure that it so is. Now sith we Scripture maketh no mention of Purgatory have no infallible evidence, but only fantastical imaginations, it is plain enough that there was no such thing ordained neither to advance God's honour nor yet to the profit of the commonalty or else of Gods elect, for than I am sure that Christ and all his Apostles would not have forgotten to have remembered us of it. NOw let us see some of Rastels' reasons which he saith that fond fellows lay for themselves to prove that there should be no Purgatory. They say (saith Rastell) that contrition Rastels' first argument. which some call repentance is that which is the very payment and satisfaction for sin, and they say that when a man committeth a sin and after is repentant therefore, that God of his goodness doth forgive him, and that that repentance is the only satisfaction that God would have made and done for that sin. And then sith a man by such repentance hath made such payment and satisfaction for his sin as God would have to be made therefore, if then that man should go to Purgatory and have a new punishment after his death, that repentance that he had before should be but void. Forsooth I think that neither Rastell Frith. ever herded any such reason, neither yet that any man ever would be A fond argument. so fond as to say that this argument confuted Purgatory, except it were one that were clean purged of his wit before. But whose reason so ever it be, whether Rastels, or any other man's, let us lay it unto the touchstone, that is the Scripture, to prove whether it be gold or copper, upright or counterfeit, truth or untruth. And to be short, the first proposition and Mayor of his reason is this, that contrition or repentance is the very payment and satisfaction for sin. That is a stark The Mayor of Rastels' argument is a lie. lie to begin withal. For if we by all our contrition, repentance, sacrifices and works (I add more to help him) can fully pay and satisfy for our sins, then is Christ dead in vain, and might full well have spared his blood. This can no man deny, but he that will set at naught both Christ & all the Scripture. Now mark how he proceedeth. And they say (says Rastell) Rastell. that when a man committeth a sin and after is repentant therefore, that God of his goodness doth forgive him, and that that repentance is the only satisfaction that God would have to be made and done for that sin. That is the next part of his argument Frith. and containeth two lies at once theined together, for where he saith that when a man committeth a sin and after is repentant therefore that God of his goodness doth for give him: you must first consider that neither he nor his Turk Gingemin know any thing of Christ. Now if it Christ's death only is the cause of the forg●●enes of our sins. were not for Christ's sake, all the repentance that man can imagine could not mo●e the goodness of God to forgive one sin. But by his justice (where Christ's death hath no effect) he must needs condemn. The second lie is this, that that repentance is the only satisfaction that God would have made and done for that sin: for if this be true, them is our faith false. For our faith holdeth that i● Christ had not died for us, we had all perished. Then proceedeth Rastell. he as though all that he had said before were true, on this manner. And Rastels' fond argument beaten to the ground. then (saith he) sith a man by such repentance hath made such payment and satisfaction for his sin as God would have to be made therefore, If then that man should go to Purgatory and have a new punishment after his death, that repentance that he had before should be but void. Even just, if heaven fallen we should catch larks. Now let us see how properly ●ée Frith. answereth unto his own question. And you shall find more blasphemies against Christ in his answer then preceded in the argument. Think you this man hath not taken great pains. To prepare himself unto his matter Three lies at once. he bringeth in three lies in the first chapter. The first is he saith that only the soul suffereth and not the body, & maketh Comingo, whom he feigneth to be a Christian man, to What folly is in natural reason, to reason against the Scripture. grant it well and wisely. Forsooth this is new learning in deed. For if this be true, than Christ's body suffered no harm, neither when he was scourged, neither when he was crowned with thorn neither when he was nailed on the cross. But I report me unto your own selves if you cut but your finger, feel you no pain? and yet I think you will not say that you cut your soul. From hence forward if you see a poor man shivering for cold in the street, you may bid him walk a knave and bear him in hand that he feeleth no harm, for as this man says his body feeleth no harm, and I promise' you of honesty that his soul A good conclusion. catcheth no cold. But what need I to make more words of this matter sith you may make experience yourselves. The second lie is this. That man was created of God, to do him honour and service. For if a man may say the God's honour consi●teth not in our service. truth man was not made for the intent to be a s●ruaunt & do service. For God hath no need of our service, but was in as full honour and as well served before the world begun as he now is. So that his honour, joy and service is whole in himself, and is by us neither employed nor diminished. But the cause why he made man Why man was made. was this that man should have the fruition of his joy and honour. Such was his goodness, he made us not that he should have any pleasure by us, but that we should have pleasure by him. The third lie is this, that no other God made us not for his pleasure but that we should receive pleasure by him creature here in earth doth service and honour to God but only man. This is also a stark lie for all creatures honour God through their creation and being, for the whole glory of their creation redowneth into the honour of God and what service can they do better than so to glorify God? Neither y●t letteth he them be idle but worketh through them marvelous things and all to his glory. Fire at his commandment came down from heaven and burned Sodom and Gomorra. Genesis nineteeen. was that no honour Gene. 19 Exod. 14. Math. 8. and service: he made a strong and burning wind to dry up and divide the read Sea. Exod. xiv. At his voice the wind and sea were obedient and warred calm. Math. vi●j. was this no honour & service? But a man may see that his wit was so purged in Purgatory, that he hath not one drop left to espy any truth at all. But yet let us see how he answereth the argument, and severally examine every part. The first part was: Rastell. that contrition or repentance is the very payment & satisfaction for sin. To this he answereth, that when An other of Rastels foolish arguments. thou takest repentance and askest mercy of God for thine offence: No man aught to be so foolish to think that God should be restrained or compelled, but that it is at his liberty whether he will forgive or no. I would be loath to move the man Frith. and ask him what repentance is? for surely as far as I can gather by his words he wotteth nothing what it means. But I pray you see how substantially he answereth the argument. It argueth that contrition or repentance is the very payment and satisfaction for sin. And to that answereth he neither yea nor nay, for fear of trapping (All beit the words are clean against Scripture.) But he answereth that when thou takest repentance and askest mercy of God for thy sin: no man aught to be so foolish to think that God should be constrained or compelled to forgive thee. But for all that this is sure enough that if repentance be the very payment and satisfaction for sin (as the Repentance is no satisfaction for our sin, but Christ's death only argument falsely supposeth) that God of his justice must needs forgive me when I repent. For then have I wholly paid him his and may require my right even by his justice. If thou object that God were then restrained & compelled, I answer nay. But it were rather a great pleasure unto him to forgive all men if so they could make satisfaction unto his justice by repentance, for he rejoiceth not in punishing us. Then addeth Rastell Rastell. that it is at his liberty always to execute justice or mercy at his pleasure. To that I answer, that he hath no pleasure to do against his Scripture, Frith. but therein hath he fully opened his pleasure. His pleasure is to forgive God forgiveth for Christ's ●ake & not otherwise. freely all them that believe in his son Christ jesus, and to condemn them that believe not. If Rastell mean on this fashion then grant we him. But if he understand that God taketh his pleasure & liberty in ministering his mercy and justice, so that he may condemn him which hath given the very payment and full satisfaction of sin (as it seemeth ●e should mean seeing he denieth not the first part of the argument) and again save him that believed not, then will I say that Rastell runneth ryotte and taketh his Rastell groundeth him upon lies & imaginations. own pleasure. For God hath no power against himself and his Scripture, but look what he hath promised and that he will perform. And therefore in this can Rastell prove no purgatory for all that he groundeth him on so many lies. But yet is it necessary that we declare unto you what is the very satisfaction for sin and then shall we see whether Purgatory may stand with it or not. Paul saith Hebr. x. that Christ 8. Heb. 10. with one oblation hath satisfied for our sins, for we are hallowed (says he) by the offering of the body of Christ jesus which was once done (upon the cross) and with that one oblation hath he made them which are hallowed perfit for ever. Now if this be true that we are made perfit by the oblation of his own body upon the cross, then is Purgatory in Christ's merits utterly setteth aside Purgatory. vain. For if he have so purged us, what need we an other purgation? If we be made perfit through him what need we after this life to be purged? I● he have satisfied for us, why seek we an other satisfaction? why leave we the fountain of living water and seek our refreshing out of polluted pools and specially sith the headspring is so ready at hand? If we must make satisfaction unto God for our sins, than would I 9 know why Christ died? think you that There is no mean to purge us but only the death of Christ. his blood was shed in vain? This is no doubt, if there were any other way unto the father than through Christ's blood, whether Purgatory or sacrifices or what thou canst imagine, them was his death not necessary. But alas what unkindness is that so to deject the precious blood of Christ and to set his gracious favour at nought? If there be any means by the which I may satisfy for my sins, I need no redeemer nor yet any ●auour. But may call for my right and duty. And so were there no need of Christ's blood mercy & favour. But what may be more blasphemous unto Christ's blood and his free redemption? Christ is able fully and for ever to 10. save them that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession Christ is able fully to save all that cometh to God by him. for us. Hebr. v●j. If he be able fully & for ever to save us, why run we from him and seek an other Purgatory? If he make intercession for us, then is it like that he is no cruel stepfather towards us, but rather that by all means he seeketh our health, why fly we from him that offereth himself so lovingly to us? why dar● we not put our trust in him, which when we were his enemies vouchsafed to dye for us, and to reconcile us unto his father. Rom. 5. Now maketh he Comyngo his Almany, Roma. 5. to bring in an example, and in confuting that he thinketh to win the field. But we will show you that his similitude is nothing like in deed. But if he will imagine that it be like, then doth he not confute it but maketh it stronger. The example is this: If I own thee. an. C. li. of true debt, and humbly desire thee to forgive, discharge Rastell. & pardon me & thou make me a clear release thereof then am I not bound to make thee any other payment or satisfaction. To prove that the similitude is naught, Frith. and nothing like to the purpose, is very eas●e. For the purpose and first part of the argument was this: that contrition or repentance is the very payment and satisfaction for sin. Therefore if he will have it like, then Rastels' similitude is not good. must he suppose that this humble request of forgiveness, discharge and pardon is the very payment and satisfaction for that. C. li. and therefore upon that should they first have agreed or else can the example serve for nothing. Now if he make them like and imagine that this humble desire or forgiveness is the very payment and satisfaction for that. C. li. then hath he made a rod for his own arse, for he shall never be able to avoid it. But let us see his answer. In the case that you have put Rastell. (saith Rastell) if you desire me forgiveness of that. C. li. yet is it at my liberty and gentleness whether I will forgive thee the whole. C. li. or else part thereof, well hit Master john. If I should pay you that. C. li. Frith. in good current money were it yet in your liberty and gentleness whether you would forgive me a part or the whole thereof? Truly I would be loath to be one of your debtors, if you ●e so hard to your creditors. Be like Maior. you have studied some cautel in the law. For I never herded but that if I owed you an. C. li. & gave you the very payment & satisfaction thereof, then should I be clean discharged whether you would yea or nay, and neither need to thank your liberality nor gentleness. But in your case the request Minor. and desire of forgiveness is and must be the very payment and satisfaction of y●. C. li. or else it is nothing like the argument, so that you may put your similitude in your purse till an other place and time where it shall better agree, wherefore I must needs conclude, that if I desire forgiveness (this Conclusio. standing that the said desire of forgiveness Rastels' similitude clearly confounded. is the very payment and satisfaction of that. C. li. (for else as I said it is nothing like) I am clean discharged and need neither to thank your liberality nor gentleness. Now where you object the recompense for the loss of time and damages, hurt and hindrance that you have had for the none payment of that. C. li. and so forth, that can not be applied unto God and the remission of our sins. For there is no such loss Our doings can ma●… God neither better nor worse. of time, damage, hurt or hindrance towards God. For we neither hurt nor hinder him although we never ask forgiveness but be damned perpetually. So that it is our profit to ask it, and our hurt and hindrance i● we ask it not. If I own a man. xx. li. the l●●ger I keep it the more is my profile & the more his loss: but God receiveth v● young, he receiveth us at man's state, he receiveth us old, and thinketh it no loss or hurt then to receive us, for he says by his Prophet. The wickedness of the wicked shall 11. not hurt him in what day soever he turn from his ungodliness czech Ezech. 33. xxxi●j. But it should surely hurt him if he should broil in Purgatory for it. Wherefore either there is no such painful Purgatory, or else can not I see how the Prophet, which speaketh these words in the person of God, should be true. I shall pour upon you clean water 12. Ezech. 36. If Christ have purged us clean, w●…deth an other Purgatory. 13. (saith God the father) & you shallbe cleansed from all your iniquities. Ezech. xxxvi. If we be purged from all, what need an other Purgatory? need we more purging when all are cleansed? I will surely convert juda and turn Israel unto me, and I will purify them from all their iniquities wherewith they hau● offended me. Hieremie. xxxi●j. If he purify them ●erem. 33. from all, what should they do in Purgatory. I will be merciful unto their wickedness, 14. & their sins will I no more remember. Hieremy. xxxj. Hebr. vi●j. jerem. 32. If he will not remember our sins any more, then may we be sure that he will not fry us in the fire of Purgatory for our sins. NOw let us see his second argument The second argument. which is in the. iiij. chap. and is surely fond, how beit his solution is yet more foolish. The sum of his argument is this. Man was made and ordained to Rastell. have an infinite being, therefore after this mortality and death he must have infinite joy or infinite pain. I will put you a like argument. A Frith. man is ordained in this world to be a king or a subject therefore after he is born he is ever a king or else ever a subject. Now may this be false, for Rastels' second argument confuted. peradventure he may be born a subject and after made king or else he may be born a king and after deposed & made a subject. Therefore this argument holdeth not formally. But it holdeth on this manner, as I should say to an Ape thou must needs be an ape or an ass, which now is true. But if I should say the very same words to M. john Rastell, I think he would Anypping conclusion. be angry and say that it were false. And I suppose our schoolmen will say that he lieth, and put him an example of the infants that die without Christendom, which (as the schoolmen say) shall never have joy nor pain. But I will grant him his argument to see how properly he will confute it. Now mark his answer which standeth in the u chapter. There are degrees in sins, some Rastell. sins are great and some greater, and therefore must there be degrees in punishment, some punishment is great and some greater. Well for your pleasure I am content to grant Frith. you this to. But else were it a matter worthy disputation what now? When that a man (saith Rastell) here in earth hath committed a Rastell. great sin and offence and taken repentance whereby the sin is forgiven (mark that he being ignorant of Christ, saith through repentance the sin is forgiven,) and yet Rastelles' fond argument to prove a Purgatory hath not taken such sufficient repentance therefore, nor had any sufficient punishment which should make a full payment and satisfaction for that sin, and dieth before any condign or full satisfaction made, God must then of his righteousness ordain a place of Purgatory, where his soul shall have a further punishment to make a condign and full satisfaction for that sin, and so to be purged and purified before it shallbe able and worthy to be admitted to receive the eternal joy in heaven. First brethren you must grant, Frith. that we have a Christ or no Christ: a redeemer or no redeemer: a justifier or no justifier. If there be none such (as Rastels' second argument clearly confuted. Rastell with his Turk Gingemini suppose) than all the repentance in the world could not satisfy for one sin, but who soever committed a sin should be damned therefore. So that Rastell speaketh and seyeth all in diminutives, for where he should of truth spy hell, there espieth he but Purgatory. And where he should say that all sinners (if they stick not to Christ's blood) shall be damned eternally, there saith he that they shallbe punished in Purgatory. And to be short, if Rastell say truth than is Christ dead in vain: If he say not truth why stick you to his reason? But peradventure An answer to an objection. thou that knowest Christ will't say (as many do) that Christ's death and redemption serveth thee but for original sin, or at most for those sins that thou committedest before Baptism: To that I answer with S. john. Children, this do I writ unto you 15. that you sin not. And if any man sin, yet we have an advocate with the father, jesus Christ, which is righteous. And he it is that obtaineth grace for our sins, not for our sins only, but also for the sins of all the world. To whom written. S. john. this 1. john. 2. Epistle? Think you that he written not unto the Christian and them that were all ready baptized? And yet he said: if any man sin, we have an advocate with the father, jesus Christ which is righteous: and he it is that obtaineth grace for our sins. Lo he adnumbreth himself also: for he saith we have an advocate: and says again, for our sins. You may see that he means not only original sin, neither yet the sins done before baptism: for I doubt not but he was baptized when he written this Epistle, and yet said he: if we sin (meaning If we fall into sin, We have no remedy but Christ our advocate. after Baptism or when soever it be) we have an advocate with the father jesus Christ, this is S. john's learning: he known no other remedy if we fallen into sin, but only Christ. Notwithstanding our Prelates have practised further, for they say: if any man sin he shall lie in the pains of purgatory, until he be delivered thence by Mass pennies, the Pope's pardon or certain other Suffragies, but not without money you may be sure. Christ saith (no man cometh unto 16. the father but through me. john. john. 13. xiii. for saith he) I am the way, yes Lord, our Prelates have espied an other way, which although it be more painful unto the poor, yet is it more profitable for Prelates. Come unto me all you that labour 17. and are laden & I will ease you saith our Saviour Christ jesus. Math. xj. Math. 11. will't thou sand us Lord into Purgatory? forsooth there is little ease, if the Purgatory ●icke purse fire be so hot as our Prelates have feigned it. It is even I that put out thy iniquities 18. Esay. 43. for mine own sake saith God the father, and thy sins will I no more remember. Esay. xliij. Ergo, than Broiling in Purgatory putteth not away sin. he putteth them not away for broiling in Purgatory. He addeth also that he will no more remember our sins: call you that no remembrance to cast us into Purgatory for them. Whom God predestinated, them 19 he called, and whom he called, them he justified: and what did he with them Those whom God calleth he justifieth 〈◊〉 glorifieth. then? Did he cast them in Purgatory there to be cleansed? forsooth the Apostle maketh no mention thereof but addeth immediately, whom he justified them he glorified. Roma. viii. Wherefore let Roma. 8. not us put such obstacles and be unkind unto the gracious favour of God. Besides that Paul forbidedth us 20. to be careful for them that sleep (that is to say for that dead) as they that have no hope. But surely if he had known 1. Thess 4. of any Purgatory, he would have been careful for them, sith they fayne them in such miserable torments. Now seeing he had occasion to make mention of the dead, and spoke not one word of Purgatory, it is plain enough that he known nothing of it or else was he very negligent to overhip it. But yet had I liefer say that Purgatory is but a fancy of man's imagination. Purgatory were but a fantasy of man's imagination, then to ascribe such forgetfulness or negligence unto that Apostle. THe third reason that Rastell allegeth The third argument. is in the uj. chapter, the sum is this. There are degrees of joy in heaven, and degrees of pain in hell. And therefore may God pass every man and give him according to his desert, either more or less and never need Purgatory. Well let us grant these degrees for Rastels' pleasure although the question be s● disputable that I am sure be can not defend it. What followeth on this? for sooth he bringeth in proper examples if they could serve for the purpose. But let us pass over to his solution which is in the end of the seven. chapter. When a man (saith Rastell) is infected Rastell. The solution of Rastels third argument. with a great mortal sin and so departed, than his soul aught not to do service in heaven unto God because it is putrefied with that foul sin. But if that man had taken the medicine of full repentance in his life, that medicine would have restored him again to his soul health and virtue. (But Frith. here you must remember that Christ is dead in vain, for if repentance be the medicine that restoreth again the health & virtue of the soul, what needeth Christ.) Now forth. But if he Rastell. have taken (saith Rastell) some repentance for that sin and not sufficient, and had not sufficient time to make sufficient satisfaction therefore, yet by the taking of that medicine of repentance, that sin is expelled and go, and the soul of that sickness and sin is clearly whole, but yet the spots and tokens of the sin which is a deformity to the soul do still remain till the soul have a time to be purged from those tokens and spots to make it pure and clean of that deformity. This man is ever in one supposition Frith. which is both false and injurious unto the precious blood of Christ. I wonder who taught him that conclusion, and why he granteth so soon unto it, for he would not have granted that there were a God, neither that the soul was immortal (although they were both true) until he had proved it (as he thought himself) by good natural reason. But as for this that Rastels' natural reason doth foully deceive both him & his Turk Ginge●…in. is stark false (that is to say) that repentance while he excludeth Christ, doth satisfy for our sin, he never putteth in question, but granteth it by and by, belike the Turks have such an opinion. But let him go with his Turk and let us christian men grant nothing contrary to the scripture, but ever captivate our reason unto that, for it is the infallible reason and wisdom of God, & passeth our reason far. THe fourth reason is propounded The iiij. argument. in the viii. chapter which is this: that the soul unpurged may do some mean & low service to God Ephes. 5. in heaven, though it be not the highest & best, which thing is false & against Scripture. Ephes. u Cant. iiij. But let us see what answer he maketh Cant. 4. unto it. His answer beginneth Rastell. in the ix. chap. & the sum is this. Heaven is so pure and clean of Rastelles' answer to his iiij. argument. nature, that it must expel all manner of impurity and uncleanness, neither can it suffer any thing therein, that is of any manner uncleanness or evil, or other thing unpleasant. So now it followeth that when a man hath committed a mortal sin and after taketh repentance by the which he is healed of the foul infirmity. (See how he harpeth all of one string which is also so far out of tune that I wonder how any man can abide him. For if I can heal mine Rastell. infirmity through repentance wherefore died Christ? But yet (saith he) Frith. the spots and tokens remain for lack of full satisfaction. I answer that it remains every whit, sin, spots, tokens, & all together except Christ have taken it from of us, through his death and bitter passion. Therefore says Rastel) God of his justice may Rastell. not condemn his soul to eternal pain in hell for that offence which is purged and put away. Wherewith is it purged and put away? There is no remission of sin 21. Frith. Hebr. 9 without blood. Hebr. ix. If there be no remission without blood, what shall repentance do, where the blood of Sin can not be taken away but by that blood of jesus Christ. Christ is excluded? yea or what shall thy Purgatory do, for there is no bloodshed. So is there nothing that taketh away sin: but only the blood of Christ jesus, shed for our redemption. And yet (saith Rastell) God by his Rastell. justice and by his discrete wisdom and goodness aught not immediately to receive that soul into that clean and most pure place in heaven to accompany the pure angels. etc. Not marry I warrant Frith. A merry conclusion of john Frith. thee, be not afraid of that, for neither Gyngemin thy companion nor thou neither shall enter in there, either immediately or mediatlye, if you exclude Christ as you have done hitherto, not not if you had taken all the repentance in the world, and would thereto imagine as many Purgatoryes as will pesen into a Monks cowl. But it is Christ the lamb of God 22. that taketh away the sin of the world. john. i It is he that hath purged john. 1. our sin and now sitteth on the right hand of the father. Hebr. i It is Heb. 1 he that hath purged our sin & hath made us in his own sight & in that sight of his father, without spot or wrinkle Ephes. i albeit in our own sight we Ephe. 1 find ourselves sinners. i john. i 1. john. 1. But he maketh us blessed and righteous and imputeth not our sins unto Rom. 4. No need of Purgatory us. Roma. iiij. Then what needeth Purgatory? THe fift Argument that he bringeth The u argument. Rastell. against Purgatory is touched in his x. chapter, the sum is this. It should seem convenient that this Purgatory (if there were one) should be in earth: partly because the body which offendeth with the soul might be purged with the soul: & partly to be a good example to all men living to put them in fear to do any like offence, and so should 'cause many to abstain from committing any such like offence and sin, or else where should Purgatory be? This reason hath no great pith. Frith. Notwithstanding if it were well prosecuted, it would be to hard for Rastell to avoid it. For this is no formal How Rastel proveth that Purgatory is upon the earth. argument, it is meet that the body which offendeth with the soul should be purged with the soul, Ergo, Purgatory must be upon the earth. For God may join the body and soul together again after they be departed and so punish them together although purgatory were not in earth, even where soever it be. And therefore thus me thinketh it should well follow. The body was fellow and partner 23. with the soul in committing the crime and sin, and shall also be partaker of the glory, which is prepared for them that love God. Wherefore it is reason if the soul should be purged and punished in Purgatory: that the body should also suffer with him in Purgatory: fain the place of Purgatory where you will, in heaven, in earth or in hell. But wot you what Rastelles' fond conclusion of his u argument. Rastell would here say unto me? forsooth even as he did in the first chapter of the third Dialogue, that is to say: he would stoutly affirm that the body suffereth neither well nor woe, joy nor pain, good nor evil, and therefore it needeth not go to Purgatory. And by that reason it is folly that the body should go either to heaven or hell, for it neither feeleth pleasure nor pain, this is new learning in deed. But I think there is no Christian man so foolish as to believe him. And as for the second point that it should be a good example to put men in fear for committing such trespasses, it were soon answered. For We may not abstain from sin for fear, but for love we aught not to abstain from evil because of that punishment that followeth the crime but only for the love that we have to God without any respect either of salvation or of damnation. If thou abstain for fear, so art thou under the law and under damnation: The law of God and the law of man are far unlike: for the law of man is fulfilled by the exterior act although the heart be far from it. As if I own The law of God, & the law of man doth greatly vary. a man. xx. pound and be compelled by the law to pay him at a certain day: if I then pay albeit mine heart be never so grudging and evil willing, yet have I fulfilled the law so that there shall no process or sentence pass against me. But God's law requireth a thing to be done with a well willing heart, and even for pure love. For if thou do it for fear or unwillingly that shall be imputed unto thee for sin. If thou do it for fear, than workest thou not of love, but rather hatest both the thing that thou dost, and also the law that constraineth the unto it. And if thou do it unwillingly then The law of God requireth the heart and mind. willest thou to do the contrary, and so wouldst thou that there were no such law neither yet any God that should judge thee in so doing. And sith God judgeth thee after thy heart The law of man requireth the body and outward deeds. and will, then must he needs condemn thee, for thou willest contrary unto his law and will: yea & willest in thy heart contrary to that thou dost in thine outward deed. Now let us see his solution which is in the xi. chapter and so foolish, that if it were not for the great length of the chapter, for loss of time and for the more cost in Printing, I would surely have answered unto it at length, even that he should have been ashamed of himself. But to be short Rastels' foolish solution of his fifth argument. we will touch some of his words. The first part of the argument which he intendeth to answer to, is this: that it should seem convenient that Purgatory should be here on earth, because the body which offendeth with the soul should be purged with the soul. This reason is of no value as I have showed you before. But what saith Rastell? That reason (saith Rastell) Rastelles' solution. proveth not only that there is no Purgatory, but also that there should be neither heaven nor hell. For if a man have lived so virtuously in earth, that he aught to be saved & go to the joys of heaven, (let us pardon him this lie, for the Prophet saith that no man shall be justified in the sight of God, if he enter into judgement with us Psalm. C. xliij. Psal. 143. And yet did never meritorious act but only when the soul was joined with the body, then should he never be rewarded, but here in earth while his soul is joined with the body. Rastels' reason faileth him. Here may you perceive what Frith. Rastell thinketh of heaven and hell, even thus that the body shall never come in heaven nor hell, which point I will touch more largely a none. First where Comingo in his argument saith, that it should seem convenient for Purgatory to be upon earth, there saith Rastell that he would take away the liberty, prerogative, and authority of God. As by example, if I would say, It should seem convenient that the Bishop of London's palace should be in London, partly because it is the chiefest City of his Diocese, Rastell doth to much abuse himself. and partly because it is nigh the Court whereto he may the better resort to get further promotion, there would Rastell say by and by that I took the bishops liberty, prerogative, and authority that he might not set it where he would: belike this man hath drunk of a merry cup. He affirmeth also that this argument taketh Rastell. Frith. away both heaven and hell: why so? Because he supposeth it convenient that Purgatory should be here upon earth? Albeit he say it is convenient, yet saith he not that it must needs be. Nay, but there is an other thing that Rastels sore yes can not abide. What is that? verily for he added that it were most convenient that the body which is partaker in committing the crime, should also be purged and punished with the soul. And that as you know plucketh Rastell by the beard, for he went about to prove the Rastell is contrary to himself. contrary in the first chapter, that the body hath neither pain nor pleasure. etc. But how should this take away heaven and hell? for sooth on this manner. Rastell thinketh not that God can and will join the body again with the soul after this transitory life that they may together receive joy or pain for that passeth his natural Philosophy. But thus he imagineth, when the body and soul are once departed, them say they adieu for ever and a day. Therefore (thinketh he) if God will punish them in hell together, or save them together in heaven, them he must take them while they are here living in earth. And so this Rastell hath here a foul overthrow. supposition that the body must suffer with the soul (after Rastels' learning) must prove that heaven and hell be here in earth or else there can be none. See this learned man that would prove Purgatory by good Philosophy. The second cause, that Purgatory should be a good example to the living to put them in fear to do any like offence, is not soluted of Rastell, but I have soluted it before and will yet satisfy you again because Rastell leaveth it out. Rastels' solution confuted. We have here in the world Moses & the Prophets that is the old Testament, yea & also Christ & his Apostles, which we call the new Testament, now if we believe not these then shall we not surely believe although we had Purgatory & hell to among us. And this may well be gathered of Christ's own words. Luke. xuj. Luke. 16. Where he brought in the parable of the rich man & Lazarus, for the rich man being in pains desired Abraham to sand Lazarus unto his u brethren to warn them that they might not come into that fire. Abraham answered again, that they had Moses & the Prophets. And added, let them hear them. Then said the rich man: Nay father Abraham, but if any of them that are departed appear unto them, then will they believe it. And Abraham concludeth on this manner. If they believe not Moses and the Prophets, no more will they believe if any of the dead should rise again. And therefore may I likewise conclude, that if they believe not, A true and good conclusion. neither yet fear the pains which Moses and the Prophets, yea and Christ and his Apostles have prophesied to fall on the unfaithful, then will they not believe for fear of the pains of Purgatory. Rastell. Now to the last point where Purgatory should be, he answereth as you shall hear. Frith. First that it is a foolish question (for he can not answer unto it by his Philosophy.) Rastell can not tell where purgatory is, whether on the earth or else where. And then he saith that no man can tell, neither the place neither yet the manner of the pain. Here maketh he. S. Thomas yea and all our Schoolmen fools by craft: partly because they take upon them to answer unto this question which he calleth foolish, and partly because they fully determine that the place of Purgatory is the third place in hell, and all to assign fire to be the manner of that pain. Rastell proveth all the schoolmen to be double fools. And again in this last part he proveth them double fools. Once because they stoutly affirm that thing which no man can tell (as Rastel saith) And again because they restrain God of his liberty that assign any place & make him oflesse authority than an inferior judge: which hath no place assigned him, but may do execution and punish the guilty in what place he will. I wonder that our Schoolmen may abide this fellow. Rastell. And then he saith that Purgatory is in a place limitative. And where soever God doth limit the soul to be purged there is the limitative place of that soul and there is the Purgatory of that soul. Purgatory is not in one place only but in many & divers plates. So that a man may gather by Rastell that the souls be not limited to one place to be purged and punished. And thereto agreeth also his similitude of the judge which assigneth one to be punished in one place, and an other in an other place, even at his pleasure. If such gear had come from beyond the Sea it should soon have been condemned although it had not been half so grievous against our Schoolmen. But let this pass as it is well worthy, and let us see & examine more of this newfangled Philosophy. NOw are we come unto the sixte Rastels vi. argument. argument which beginneth in the. xii. chapter the effect is this. Repentance is the full payment and satisfaction of sin and bringeth remission, therefore as soon as repentance is taken, God of his justice must give remission, and so there aught to be no Purgatory. This argument is nothing worth, Frith. for the first part as we have often proved is false. For if repentance were the full payment and very satisfaction for sin, than died Christ in vain. Notwithstanding if he grant this first part to be true, neither he nor all his fellows shall be able to solute this argument while they live. But because we will be short, let us pass over to his answer which is in the. xiii. chapter. In soluting this argument he Rastell. groundeth him on two lies at once, the first is that God never giveth remission except he see in us a convenient cause counterpaysing his justice. Frith. What cause found he in the man that was brought unto him sick of the palsy, to whom he said: There can be no cause in us that may deserve the forgiveness of sin. Luke. 23. be of good comfort (son) thy sins are forgiven thee? Math. ix. Mark. ij. Luke. u what cause found he in the thief that was crucified with him, but that he had been an unthrift all his life long? And yet even the same day that he suffered with Christ was he partaker of joy with him in Paradise. Luke. twenty-three. Where was Purgatory then where was the punishment that he should have suffered for his enormities? If any man should suffer in Purgatory, it is like that this thief should have done it. There is no Purgatory, But he went from death to life, & never came in Purgatory, wherefore I may conclude that no man shall come there, if there were any. What cause I pray you doth Paul assign as touching our redemption & remission of our sin? forsooth no other but that we were wretched sinners and the very enemies of God. Roma. u Roma. 5. God of his mere mercy For saith Paul, if when we were his enemies, we were reconciled unto God through the death of his son, much more now we are reconciled, reconciled us when we were his enemies. shall we besaved by his life. So that in us is no manner cause of remission but only misery and sin. But the whole cause of the remission of our sins & of our salvation, 25. is the blood of Christ which hath fully counterpoised the justice of God The shedding of Christ's blood is our salvation. the father, & hath pacified his wrath towards us that believe. He is the very Purgatory for all faithful which hath already purged our sins & sitteth on the right hand of the father. Hebr. i The second lie is this, he saith Heb. 1 Rastell. that God of his justice must give to every thing his own, which own is the thing that it deserveth to have. If this were true then should Frith. not one of us enter the inheritance of heaven, for we have every one of us deserved death and damnation. For as Paul says Roma. iij. we have Roma. 3. all sinned and want the glory which before God is allowed. But we are freely justified through his grace by that faith that is in Christ jesus. If it be freely through his grace, then is it not by our own deserving, for them grace were no grace. And contrariwise if it be by our own deserving, them is it not of grace, for then deserving were no deserving. Roma. xj. But the truth is Rom. 11. this: that God of his mercy had promised unto our forefathers his dear son Christ that he should deliver them from all their iniquities and that all the nations of the world should be blessed in him Gene. xii. This seed he Gene. 12. promised of his mercy & favour, whom also he sent in the time that he had ordained Gala. iiij. not for our own deservings, Gallat. 4. but for his truths sake & to fulfil that he had promised. This God for his truths sake is merciful unto us. 1. Cor. 1. Christ is become our righteousness. i Cor. i so that the justice of God is not to give us that we ourselves have deserved (as Rastell lieth) but to clothe us with an other man's justice (that is Christ's) & to give us the which Christ hath deserved for us. And this justice of God through the faith of jesus cometh unto all and upon all them that believe. Roma. iij. Now mark a mystery. Roma. 3. and 26. Christ humbled himself and was made obedient unto the death: even to the death of that cross. Phil. ij. This Phil. 2. obedience and death was not for himself but for us, for he alone suffered and died for us all. Cor. u Now sith 2. Cor. 5. he was obedient unto the death for us, that is even as good as though we ourselves had been obedient every man for himself unto the death. And Christ only submitted himself to death for our sins. sith he died for us, that is even as good as though we had died ourselves for our own sins. What will't thou have more of a man than that he be obedient unto God the father even unto death, yea & dye for his sins, will't thou yet thrust him into Purgatory. On these two lies bringeth he in an answer which is so confused, intricate and long that it were not only foolishness to solute it, but also much lost labour & cost to rehearse it, wherefore I let it pass, for every child shall Rastels' ignorancy. easily solute it sith his foundation and first stone is taken from him. But yet one thing is necessary to be touched. He goeth about to prove his purpose with an ensample on this manner. If I do beat thy servant or apprentisse Rastell. and do maim him, where by thou dost lose his service: and A foolish example set forth by Rastell. also that this servant during his life is not able to get his living. If so be that thou do forgive me the offence done unto thee in that thou hast lost his service: yet am I bound to make an other satisfaction unto thy servant for the hurt I have done him, which is the cause of the hindrance of his living. And in like manner if I have offended God and my neighbour, Albeit God for give me his deal, yet can he not of justice forgive me my neighbours deal to, but yet must I make satisfaction unto my neighbour. Now in case I would and be not able to satisfy my neighbour, and There is no way to pacify the wrath of God against our sins, but faith in Christ. yet he forgive me not, then must I suffer in the pains of Purgatory for it: & those pains shall stand my neighbour in profit for part of his Purgatory if he come there or else to the increase of his joy if he go to heaven: this is that sum but he speaketh it in many more words. Now because he hath touched the matter of satisfaction I will show you my mind therein. There are two manner of satisfactions. Frith. The one is to God: the other to my neighbour. To God can not all the world make satisfaction for one crime. In so much that if every grass of the ground were a man, even as holy as ever was Paul or Peter and should pray unto God all their lives long for one crime, yet could they not make satisfaction for it. But it is only the blood of Christ that hath made full satisfaction unto God for all such crimes. Heb. seven. or else were there no Hebr. 7. remedy but we should all perish: as I have proved before. And he that seeketh any other satisfaction towards God then Christ our Saviour, he doth wrong unto his precious blood. There is an other satisfaction which is unto my neighbour whom I have offended. As if I have taken any man's good from him. For then am I bond to pacify him either by restoring it again or else by other means as we two can agree. If I have defamed him, then am I bond to pacify him, and to restore him unto his good fame again, and so forth. But if I be not able to satisfy him, them must I knowledge myself guilty and desire him to forgive me and then is he bound to forgive me, or else shall he never enter into heaven. For God hath taught us to pray. Math. uj. that he should forgive Math. 6. us, as we forgive them that trespass against us, so if that we forgive not one an other than will not God forgive us. To this well agreeth the parable. Math. xviij. The kingdom Math. 18. of heaven is likened unto a certain king which would take accounts of his servants. And when he had begun There are two manner of satisfactions one to God and the other to our neighbour. to reckon, one was brought to him, which aught him ten thousand talentes: but when he had naught to pay, the Lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife and his children, & all that he had, & payment to be made. The servant fallen down & besought him saying: Sir give me respite, and I will pay it every whit. Then had the Lord pity on the servant and loosed him and forgave him that debt. The same servant went out and found one of his fellows, which aught him an. C. pennies. And laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying: pay that thou owest. And his fellow fallen down and besought him saying: have patience with me & I will pay thee all: & he would not, but went and cast him into prison till he should pay the debt. When his other fellows see what was done they were very sorry and came & told unto their Lord all that happened. Then the Lord called him & said unto him. Devil servant I forgave thee all the debt, because y● praydest me: was it not meet also that thou shouldst have had compassion on thy fellow, even as I had pity on thee? And his Lord was wroth and delivered him to the gaylers, till he should pay all that was due to him. So likewise shall your heavenly father do unto you if you will not forgive with your hearts, each one to his brother their trespasses. Here mayest thou see that if you forgive heartily the small debt or offence that thy neighbour Except we be ready to forgive them that offend us God will not forgive us. hath done against thee, then will thy heavenly father forgive thee, that whole and great debt that thou owest him, for the which thou art well worthy to be damned. And so is it more profitable for thee to forgive it then that thy neighbour should broil in Purgatory for it, as Rastell feigneth. And contrariwise if thou forgive him not, them shall not God forgive thee thy great debt, but thou shalt surely be damned, and so shall not thy neighbour's Purgatory profit thee (be it in case there were one and that he should go thither) but it is rather the cause of thy damnation: but this can not Rastell see. NOw be we come unto the seventh reason which is in the. xiv. chap. The argument is this. God is the very owner of all, and thy neighbour Rastelles seven argument. hath no property, but as a servant to God, as but to make account to God. Therefore when thou dost an offence to God and to thy neighbour, when God forgiveth it thou needest no other satisfaction unto thy neighbour. And to establish his reason he bringeth in a stmilitude, which is nothing to the purpose. The similitude is this. I put case thou have a servant whom thou puttest in trust to occupy for thee, to make bargains change and cell to thy use, to take bonds and again to make acquitaunces and releases in his own name. If this servant cell part This similitude is not proper between God and man, as it is between man and man. of thy ware and take an obligation for the payment of xx. pound, if thou afterward knowing of this, either for love or some other cause will't make unto the said debtor a clear release: I suppose no man will deny but that this debtor is fully discharged of this. xx. pound, and is not bound by any justice to make any satisfaction either unto thy servant or to any other man. For thou art the very owner thereof, and thy servant had but the occupation as to give the accounts thereof. This similitude can not well be applied Frith. unto God & man. For albeit it is true that all our substance pertaineth unto God as it is written. Agge. ij. Gold is mine and silver is mine: Agge. 2. yet hath not God given it us to occupy it for his profit and use (as the servant doth for his master) but only that we should use his gifts for the profit of our neighbour and to the use of the congregation. i Cor. xii. And where 〈◊〉. Cor. 12. as he induceth that when God forgiveth us which is the principal part, that thou needest no other satisfaction to ●hy neighbour. I answer that God God forgiveth no man that offendeth his neighbour, except he first reconcile himself to his neighbour. forgiveth no man which had offended his neighbour, unless that he make satisfaction unto his neighbour, if he be able but if he be not able, yet is he bond to knowledge his fault unto his neighbour and then is his neighbour bond under the pain of damnation to forgive him, so that God never forgiveth until thy neighbour be pacified in case the crime extend unto thy neighbour. This soluteth ●oth the reason and also improveth the similitude. Now let us declare his solution. God of himself hath two powers: Rastell. One is an absolute power, and Rastel●… solution to his seven argument. an other is an ordinary power. The absolute power is the authority that God hath over all thing in the world, by that he may give to every creature what pleaseth him, and also forgive every offence done by any creature at his pleasure without any cause. And by this may he forgive both the crime done towards himself, and also towards my neighbour. But by his ordinary power he doth every thing by order of justice and equity. And by this can he not forgive the offence done to him and my neighbour without satisfaction. Frith. Now would I fain weet, whether Rastel imagine the God by his absolute power may save the unfaithful & damn the faithful. If he say nay, then may I conclude the Rastels definition is false where he says: that god by his absolute power may give to every creature what pleaseth him, and also forgive every offence done by any creature at his pleasure without A perfect definition of God's absolute power. any cause. If he say yea, them must I conclude that God hath power to do contrary to his Scripture, for the Scripture says: that he that believeth and is baptized shallbe saved, but ●e that believeth not shallbe condemned. Mark. ●6. Mark. xuj. Now if he grant me that he hath power to do against his scripture, (●●th his Scripture is the truth & his own word,) then must it needs follow the he hath power to do against his truth: & consequently he hath power God can not be against himself. to be false, and so to sin. And sith ●●th he hath power against his own word, and that word is his son, them must we grant him power against his son, even to make him a liar where he saith in the foresaid text Mark. xuj. And sith his son is God, then hath God power to do against God and so can not his kingdom endure. Math. 1●. Math. xii. Furthermore, if I might be bold with Rastel, I would ask him this question, whether God have not an absolute justice as well as an absolute power? Whether God have an absolute justice? If God have also an absolute iustiee? then can not his absolute power prevail until his absolute justice be fully counterpesed. And so is it false that Rastell beginneth withal, that God by his absolute power may forgive every offence at his pleasure without any cause. For (as I said) his absolute justice must needs be satisfied & fully counterpesed. If Rastell dare say that God hath an absolute power and no absolute justice, then taketh he his pleasure in deed. For if he make one Nocionall in God greater than an other (by this word Nocionall which the Schoolmen use, I would you should There is no one power in God greater than an other. understand the goodness, wisdom, power, justice and mercy of God etc.) then shall he make a dissension in God and imagine that one Nocionall subdueth an other: yea and besides that, sith each one of these Nocionals is very God (for the power of God is nothing but God himself, and the justice of God is nothing but God himself, & so forth of all the other) then if his power were greater than his justice, it should follow the God were greater than God, & consequently we should have a great God and a little God and more Gods then one, such revel maketh Rastel with his Turk. But the Christian believe that one power of God is no greater than an other and that his power is not above his justice, neither his justice above his mercy etc. And so may you see that Rastels' Rastels' imagination of God's absolute power is childish. imagination of God's absolute power is but very childish and unsavoury. For he hath no power against his Scripture and himself. Thus finish his seven reasons with their solutions. But yet that his work should long endure all tempests and storms, he addeth a batelment and weather stone to avoid and shoot of the rain, for fear it should soak in and make his building decay. And there with concludeth his book. To believe (saith he) that there The conclusion of Rastels' book. were no Purgatory to purge and punish our sins after we be departed, should put away that dread of God from the most part of the people and give them boldness to commit offences and sins. And again, if the people should believe that they never need to make any satisfaction nor restitution to their neighbours for the wrongs done unto them, they should never force nor care what injuries, extortions, thefts, robberies and murders they did. Finally if they believed that such a light repentance should be sufficient without any other satisfaction to be made, it should be an occasion to destroy all virtue & increase vice and sin to the utter destruction of the common wealth and quiet living of the people. And thus much he maketh an end. As to the first where he saith that Frith. it would put away the dread of God and give boldness to sin, if we thought there were no Purgatory, we see and may evidently perceive the contrary all day both in young & old of them that believe there is a Purgatory. The young say I will The fear of Purgatory cannot keep us from sin but rather y● fear● of hell and everlasting damnation. take my pleasure while I may, and if I may have but one hours respite to cry God mercy, I care not, for than shall I go but to Purgatory & so shall I be sure to be saved. The old say: I will keep my goods as long as I may for I wot not what need I shall have. But when I die I will cry God mercy, and then shall I go but to Purgatory, and mine executors that have my goods shall redeem me thence well enough. And so to believe Purgatory, is rather an occasion of reckless, boldness, then of the fear of God. Besides that if they known that there were no Purgatory, then should many the more fear God and do well them selves and not trust to their executors for fear of damnation, howbeit as I have said before they that fear not God but for pain whether it be of hell or Purgatory are yet under condemnation and not in God's favour. Such as fear not God but for Purgatory and hells sake shall never come in heaven. And this dare I boldly affirm, that they which fear not God but for Purgatoryes sake shall never come in it no nor yet in heaven. And therefore it is but folly to imagine Purgatory for that intent. As concerning the second point. If the people believe that they needed not to make satisfaction to their neighbours for their trespasses etc. I have sufficiently answered before, that we must make satisfaction unto our neighbours, if we be able or else will God never forgive us. And if we be not able, yet must we knowledge our offence & then is our neighbour bound to forgive us under the pain of damnation. And so can this prove no Purgatory. Now as touching the third, that if they believed that such a light repentance were sufficient without any other satisfaction, it should be an occasion of vice and subversion of the common wealth: I answer, All the penance and repentance in the world without faith in Christ's blood can not save us. as I have done before almost in every argument: sith thou art ignorant of Christ's death and his satisfaction unto the father for us, that all the repentance which we can take is not sufficient to counterpeses one crime, but that if Christ were not we should all be damned. Here will I leave Rastell and his Turk Gingemin with all their natural Philosophy (which is now proved foolishness) for hitherto hath he proved no Purgatory, neither hath he one good reason nor yet to that barren reasons one good solution, as we have sufficiently declared. But let us hear somewhat more of God's word: and see how Purgatory standeth with that. Paul says, we must all be brought 27. before the judgement seat of Christ, that every man may receive according to the works of his body, whether it be good or bad. 2. Cor. 5. If this 2. Cor. 5. be true, then can there be no Purgatory which shall profit him after he is dissolved from his body, for than should he not receive according to the works of his body. But rather according to the pains that he suffered in Purgatory. Now if this text be true then must it follow that all thine executors dealing, & offering of Mass pennies. etc. help thee not a mite. And by this text it is not possible that there should be a Purgatory. Upon this text would I fain dispute a point of Sophistry, which I would gladly have dissolved of them that think themselves learned in Philosophy. My Sophism is, the ij. contradictories Contradictories. may stand together & be both true. Which I am sure no Sophister dare grant, for it hath in times past been condemned in Oxford for an heresy. The contradictories are these. Every man shall receive according to the works of his body. And some man shall not receive according to the works of his body, that these two contradictories be both true I will prove. The first proposition is Paul's. 2. How two contradictories may be both true. Cor. 5. which no man will deny to be true. And the second may easily be proved true, which is, that some man shall not receive according to the works of his body. For be it in case that there departed a man out of this world, which is not clean purged by faith and the word of God, neither are his rebellious members subdued through death (as they imagine) but that the spots and remnauntes of sin remain in him, for the which he is worthy to lie in the pains of purgatory for the space of six year. This granted, which I am sure they will not deny, then also put I the case that this man lying in Purgatory by the space of a month, have a friend which offereth for him a penny unto S. Dominikes box (which hath such power that assoon as the tinging is hard in the box, so soon the soul is free in heaven) or that a friend of his buy a Pardon for him which may absolve him a poena & a culpa for all cometh to one effect. This man delivered on that manner doth not receive according to the works of his body for by the works of his body he should yet lie in Purgatory more than five years? And that doth he not, but is by and by delivered from Purgatory. Ergo, I may conclude that some man receiveth not according to the works of his body, & so are two contradictories true or else there can be no such deliverance out of Purgatory, which destroyeth all Pardons, Massepences and Suffragies for the dead. This would I have soluted. How beit I will not adnumber it for an argument because the unlearned people (to whom I writ this book) can not well perceive it. But this Sophism have I written to stop the chattering mouths of the Sophisters and to cast them a bone to gnaw upon. Paul saith, you which were in 28. times past strangers and enemies because your minds were set in evil works hath he now reconciled in the body of his flesh through death to make you holy & such as no man can complain on, and without ●aulte in his own sight if you continued grounded and established in the faith, and be not moved away from the hope of the Gospel. Collos. i Here Paul affirmeth We are reconciled to god by the death of Christ, & therefore need not to book for any other Purgatory that you are reconciled through his death, so that you are made holy and without fault in his sight (I have expounded what it is to be without fault in his ●ixt argument) look you yet for an other Purgatory? are you so childish and insensible no imagine that you must yet go through Purgatory, ●ith you are already without fault in his ●ight? This a plain ●ase, God of his The ●…th 〈…〉 〈◊〉 Purgatory although there were one. righteousness will not punish a man for nothing: but all that are grounded and established in the faith are in his ●ight without fault (for their sins are not imputed unto them but forgiven through Christ's blood (wherefore of necessity I must conclude that no faithful shall ever come there. Every man that departeth this 29. world is either faithful or unfaithful if he be faithful then cometh he not there, as the foresaid argument proveth. And if he be unfaithful them cometh he never in Purgatory, but is all ready damned. john. iij. Mark the last. john. 3. Now if neither faithful nor unfaithful ●…e ●…ō to say there is a Purgatory. enter into it, than should it be in vain: but there is nothing made in vain wherefore I must conclude that there is no such Purgatory. Paul saith he that spared not his 30. own son but delivered him for us all, how shall he not with him give us all things also? who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods choose? Roma. viii. Forsooth Lord God our Roma. 8. prelate's lay so sore unto their charge, that they would have them broil in Purgatory. But Lord be our protector for it is thou that iustifiest us, & W●… d●… that God 〈…〉. 〈…〉. hast freely given us all thing with him. Roma. viii. Paul saith the law of the spirit, wherein is life through Christ jesus hath delivered me from the law of sin and death. Roma. viii. Seeing R●… we be so delivered what n●…de us seek an other deliverance specially ●ith they make it so painful? S●yng, we are on the manner delivered, how chanceth it that we are taken prisoners again under sin, that we must be purged a fresh by the fire of Purgatory? I pray God give us grace that Christ hath purged ou● sins. we may be purged from this our blind ignorance through his spirit of knowledge, that we may perceive how it is jesus Christ that purgeth our sins, and hath delivered us through his bloodshedding. So should we give him the praise which hath deserved it. And not be so unkind unto him as we now be. Paul saith the there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ jesus. Roma. 8. But if we continued firm & Roma. 8. stable in Christ unto the end then shall we be saved. Math. 24. what needeth Math. 24. them purgatory yea & what should purgatory There is no Purgatory. do? Is not Christ sufficient? then is our faith in vain. And if he be sufficient, them is Purgatory in vain. Paul saith if you be justified by 33. the law than is Christ dead in vain. Now if the law being good just and holy. Roma. seven. And even of Gods Roma. 〈…〉 own making can not justify us, thinkest thou to be justified by frying in Purgatory? They that are the chief patrons 34. and proctors of Purgatory, do fain it for no other intent, but to purgeevill works, and to be as a penance to supply the good works which we lacked being in this world. But all this can not bring us into heaven. For than were Christ dead in vain. And of this have we evident examples. Abraham, Isaac, jacob, David and all Purgatory is a vain imagination. holy Prophets were excluded from heaven until Christ had suffered death, this all men testify. But if good works or penance could have brought them to heaven they should not have tarried out of it so long. Therefore I may conclude that it is but vanity to imagine a Purgatory for to purge evil works and supply good. For as I have showed, that holp not the patriarchs. Peradventure thou will't say unto Objections me, shall I then do no good works? I answer yes. Thou will't ask me Good works. wherefore? I answer, thou must do them because God hath commanded them. Thou will't say, for what intent hath he commanded them? I answer, because thou art living in this we must do good works because God hath so commanded us. world, and must needs have conversation with men, therefore hath God appointed thee what thou shalt do to the profit of thy neighbour and taming of thy flesh. As Paul testifieth. Ephes. 2. we are his work made in Ephe. 2. Christ jesus to good works, which works God hath prepared that we should walk in them. These works God would have us do that the unfaithful might see the godly and virtuous conversation of his faithful & thereby be compelled to glorify our father which is in heaven. Math. u Math. 5. And so are they both profitable for thy neighbour and also a testimony unto thee by the which men may know that thou art the right son of thy heavenvly father and a very Christ unto thy neighbour: and even as our heavenly father gave his Christ unto us not for any profit that he should have there by, but only for our profit, likewise y● shouldst do all thy good works not having respect what commodities thou shalt have of it, but ever attending through charity, the wealth and profit of thy neighbour. Thou will't yet object, then see I no great profit that I shall have by them: I answer, An answer to an other objection. what wouldst y● have? First Christ is given thee freely and with him hast thou all things. He is thy wisdom, righteousness, hallowing and redemption. i Cor. i by him art thou made 1. Cor. 1. inheritor of God, and felowheyre with Christ. Roma. viii. This is freely Roma. 8. given thee with Christ before thou wast born through the favour and election of God which election was done before the foundations of the world were cast. Ephes. i Now were Ephe. 〈◊〉. thou very fond and unkind if thou thoughtest to purchase by thy works the thing which is already given thee. Therefore must thou do thy works We must work with a single eye. with a single eye, having neither respect unto the joys of heaven, neither yet to the pains of hell, but only do them for the profit of thy neighbour as God commandeth thee, and let him alone with the residue. To this well agreeth Paul. Ephe. 35. Ephe. 2. 2. saying: by grace are you made safe through faith and that cometh not of yourselves, but it is that gift of God & cometh not of works jest any man should boast himself. Lo here saith Our salvation is that gift of God, and cometh not by works. Paul plainly that our salvation is the gift of God & cometh not of works, if it come not of works than are we worse than mad to fayne a Purgatory. For the chiefest operation of that should be but to supply the works which we have not accomplished being in this body. Paul saith Roma. xi. The remnant 36. Roma. 11. which are left at this time, are through the election of grace. If it be through grace then is it not by works, for then grace were no grace. Or if it be for the works sake so is it not of favour and grace, according to that which he written before. Roma. iiij. If Rom. 4. Abraham (saith Paul) were justified by his works, then may he rejoice but not before God. But what saith the Faith in Christ is our righteousness. Scripture? Abraham believed God & that was imputed unto him for righteousness, for he that worketh receiveth his reward not of favour but of duty. Now if it be duty, then needeth he not to thank God, but rather himself for than God giveth him nothing but that which is his own of duty. Where is then the praise and glory that we own to God? Therefore it followeth Faith is imputed for righteousness. in the same text: unto him that worketh not, but believeth in him that justifieth the wicked, is his faith imputed for righteousness. Now if our salvation come of faith and not through our works & deserts, then is Purgatory shut out of door & quite vanisheth away. Christ saith. So hath God loved 37. the world that he would give his only son that all which believe in him should not perish: but that they should have everlasting life. john. iij. john. 3. Then what needeth Purgatory? Thou will't peradventure say, it is true they Purgatory is needless. shall have everlasting life but they must first go through Purgatory. I answer nay verily. But Christ affirmeth and that with an oath, that he which heareth his word and believeth his father which sent him, hath everlasting life. Yea and that he is go already from death unto life. john. v. john. 5. will't thou now say that he shall into Purgatory? forsooth if that were true, and the fire also so hot as our Prelates affirm, than went he not from I forged & famed Purgatory. death unto life, but rather from a small death unto a greater death. The Prophet saith: precious is in 38. the sight of the Lord the death of his Saints. Psal. C. xuj. And S. john. Psal. 116. saith, blessed are the dead which die in the Lord Apocal. 14. but surely if Apoca. 14. they should go into the painful Purgatory, there to be tormented of fendes, them were they not blessed, but rather wretched. God saith by Moses Exod. 33. I 39 Exod. 33. will show mercy to whom I show mercy and will have compassion on whom I have compassion. Now if our salvation be of mercy and compassion, then can there be no such Purgatory. For that nature of mercy is to forgive, Mercy and Purgatory cannot agreed. but Purgatory will have all paid & satisfied so that they twain be desperate and can in no wise agree. And look how many texts in Scripture commend God's mercy, even so many deny this painful Purgatory. The Prophet saith, he hath not 40. dealt with us after our sins neither hath rewarded us according to our iniquities, but look how high heavens are above the earth, even so high God is merciful & forgiveth us our sins. hath he made his mercy to prevail over them that worship him. And look how far the East is from the West, even so far hath he set our sins from us. Psal. Citj. And before Psal. 103. in the same Psalm the Prophet exhorteth his soul to praise the Lord, saying. Praise the Lord (O my soul) which forgiveth thee all thine iniquities and heals all thy diseases. Now if this be true that he ordereth us not according to our sins, but poureth his mercy so plenteously upon us, if also he forgive us all our iniquities, why should there be any such Purgatory to purge and torment the silly souls, & specially sith all was for given them before? Will't thou not call him a shrewed 41. creditor which after he hath freely forgiven his debtor, will yet cast him in prison for the same debt? I think every man would say on this manner▪ God hath forgiven us our sins and therefore will not punish us in Purgatory. It was in his own pleasure whether he would forgive it or not and then of favour and compassion he forgave it. But now he hath forgiven it he doth unrighteously to punish his debtor for it. And albeit man repent his forgiving and afterward sue for his debt, yet God can never repent himself of his merciable gifts. Roma. xi. Rom. 11. And therefore will he never torment us for our trespasses no nor yet once remember them Ezech. xviij. Heb. x. Ezech. 18. Sigh God forgiveth the greater offences why shall he not also forgive 42. that less? He forgave freely much greater offences unto the Publican which knowledged himself to be a sinner. Luke. xviij. than those be for which Luke. 18. men fain that we must be tormented in Purgatory. For there is no soul (as they grant themselves) that suffereth in purgatory for great crimes & mortal sins. But only for little pretty pecca dulians (if a man may be bold to use M. Moor's word) and for venial sins. Dis. twenty-five. Cap. qualis. He forgave much greater enormities unto the thief, to whom he said this day shalt thou be with me, not in Purgatory, but in Paradise. Luke. 23. He Luke. 23. forgave much greater to Marie Magdalene. Luke. seven. Is his hand now Luke. 7. shortened? Is not his power as great as it was? Is he not as merciful as ever he was? why leave we that cistern The thief went not to Purgatory but to Paradise. of living water, and dig us pits of our own which can hold no pure water? jere. ●j. why forsake we Christ which hath wholly purged us & seek an other Purgatory of our own imagination? If thou believe that Christ's blood is sufficient to purge thy sin, why seekest thou an other purgatory? S. Paul saith: I desire to be loosed 43. from this body and to be with Christ Phil. i Phil. 1. Verily if he had thought to have go through Purgatory he would not have been so hasty. For there should he have had an hot broth and an heartless, and so might he rather have desired long to have lived. S. Paul knew of no Purgatory. And therefore I suppose that he known nothing of Purgatory but that he rather thought (as the truth is) that death should finish all his evils and so rows and give him rest in losing him from his rebbellious members which were sold and captive under sin. How a Christian man should desire death All Christian men should desire death as Paul doth. Phil. 1. not because of their cross and trouble which they suffer in this present world for then they sought themselves and their own profit and not the glory of God. But if we will well desire death, we must first consider how sore sin displeaseth God our father, & then our own nature and frailty and our members so bound under sin that we can not do nor yet think a good thought of ourselves. 2. Cor. 3. 2. Cor. 3. Then shall we find occasion to lament our life, not for the troubles that we suffer in it, Because daily we offend God, therefore we should pray to be dissolved as Paul did. but because we be so prove unto sin and so continually displease God our father. What desireth he that would long live, but daily to heap sin upon sin? And therefore should we have a will to dye because that in death our sin is finished, and then shall we no more displease God our father. Now if we should fayne a Purgatory, it were not possible to imagine a greater obstacle to make us fear & fly from death. For sith every man must knowledge himself a sinner. 1. john. 1. 1. john. 1. And not believe that Christ's death were sufficient, but that he must also go to Purgatory: who should departed this world with a quiet mind? 45. The wiseman saith: The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God. They seemed to dye in the eyes of the foolish & their end was thought to be pain and affliction, but they are in peace. Sapi. 3 Sapien. 3. There is no man but he must needs grant me that every faithful is righteous in the sight of God as it is written Abac. ij. Abacuc. 2. the righteous man liveth by his faith. And Roma. u Roma. 5. because we are justified by faith we are at peace with God through our Lord jesus Christ etc. It is mere foolishness to think there is a Purgatory When these faithful or righteous depart, them saith this text that they are fools which think them to be in pain or affliction: for it affirmeth that they are in peace. Now sith their Purgatory which they imagine is pain and affliction, and yet fain that the righteous only shall enter into it after their death, then are they fools that suppose there is a Purgatory, or else this text can not be true. 46. For what intent will God have us tormented in Purgatory, to make satisfaction for our sins? verily then is Christ dead in vain as we have often proved before. But think you not rather that our purgation should be to increase our faith, or grace, or charity (for these three cover the multitude of sins) no verily we can not fayne a purgatory for any such cause. For faith springeth by hearing of the word. Roma. x. Rom. 10. But the Pope sendeth them no preachers thither, The Pope sendeth no preachers into Purgatory. Ergo, their faith can not there be increased. And again, pain engendereth and kyndleth hate against God and not love or charity. M. Moore & my Lord of Rochester can not agreed. Furthermore My Lord of Rochester is compelled to grant that the souls in purgatory obtain there neither more faith nor grace nor charity than they brought in with them, and so can I see no reasonable cause why there should be a purgatory. Nevertheless M. More saith that both their grace and charity is increased. And so may you perceive that lies can never agree how witty so ever they be that fain and cloak them. For in some points they shall be found contrary so that at the length they may be disclosed. 47. when thou hast no power to accomplish the outward fact. For the wiseman saith Prou. twenty-three. son give me Prou. 23. God is fully pacified with thy will thy heart. Now if thy will be upright and so that thou have a desire to fulfil the law, then doth God reckon that will unto thee for the full fact. If then through the frailty of thy members thou fall into sin, thou mayest well say with the Apostle Roma. v●j. The Roma. 7. good that I would do, that do I not: that is, I have a will and desire to fulfil the law of God, & not to displease my heavenly father, yet that I do not. But the evil which I hate, that do I, that is I do commit sin which in deed I hate. Now if I hate the sin which I do, then love I the law of God which forbiddeth sin, and do consent unto this law that it is good righteous and holy. And so the sin which I hate and yet commit it through the frailty of my members, is not imputed or reckoned unto me for sin. Neither will S. Paul grant that it is I which do that sin: but he said: I have a will to do good: but I can not perform that will. For I do not that good which I would, but the evil which I would not, that do I Now if I do that thing which I would not do, then is it not I that do it but the sin that dwelleth with in me. I delight in the law of God with mine inward man (that is with my will and mind which is renewed with the spirit of God) but I see an other law in my members which rebelleth against the law of my mind and maketh me bond unto the law of sin which is in my members. So that I we have a will and mind to obey the law of God, but our sinful flesh will not consent thereunto. myself in my will and mind do obey the law of God (hating sin as the law commandeth me and not consenting unto it in my mind & will) but in my flesh and members I serve the law of sin, for the frailty of my members compelleth me to sin. Rom. 7. As by example if I see a poor man Example. which is not of ability to do me any pleasure, and nevertheless doth all his diligence to seek my favour & would with heart and mind give me some acceptable present if he were of power being also sorry that he can not perform his will ●nd mind towards me. Now if there be any point of humanity or gentleness in me, I will count this man for my friend, and accept his good will as well, as though he had in deed performed his wil For his ability extendeth no further. If his power were better, better should I have. Even so sith we are not of God accepteth our good will if we do that in us is to obey his commandments. power and ability to perform the law of God, and yet bear a good heart towards God and his law, lamenting our imbecility that we can do him no further pleasure: then will God recount us not as his enemies, but as his dear children and beloved friends. Neither will he afterward thrust us into Purgatory, but as a tender father pardon us our trespasses, and accept our good will for the full deed. S. Paul exhorteth us Gal. uj. that 48. Gallat. 6. we work well while we have time, for what soever a man doth sow that shall he réepe, by this may we evidently perceive that he shall not receive according to his doing or suffering in Purgatory is needless. an other world, and therefore can there be no Purgatory. The wiseman saith Eccle. xiv. 49. Eccle. 14. work righteousness before thy death for after this life there is no meet, that is to say succour to be found. There are some which will understand this place & also the text in the xlviij. argument on this manner that there should be no place of deserving, but yet there may well be a place of punishment. But this solution besides Some imagine Purgatory to be a place of satisfaction. that it is not grounded on Scripture, is very slender. For I pray you wherefore should their invention of Purgatory serve but to be a place of purging, punishment, and penance, by the which the soul should make satisfaction, that it might so deserve to enter into the rest of heaven? Blessed are the dead which die in 50, the Lord from hence forward, yea truly saith the spirit, that they may rest from their labours. But their works follow with them. This text they use Apoca. 14, in their soul masses as though it made for Purgatory. But surely me thinketh that it maketh much against them. For let us inquire of all the proctors and fautors of Purgatory, whether the soul's that must be prayed The dead that dye in the Lord are blessed, and therefore are not in Purgatory. for, are departed in the Lord or not? And they must needs answer that they are departed in the Lord, for the unfaithful which die not in the Lord must not be prayed for. And therefore must they be upright Christian souls which are tormented, for the other are all damned. Now saith the text that all such dead as dye in the Lord are blessed: but what blessedness were that to broil in Purgatory? And if they would here fayne a gloze (as their manner is) when they are in a strait ever to seek a starting hole & say that they are blessed because they are in a good hope, although they have not yet the rest, but must suffer before in Purgatory: that evasion will not this text suffer, for the text saith that they rest and are in peace as Esayas also saith in the. lvij. that the righteous Esay. 57 (and every faithful man is righteous in the sight of God as we have often proved before) when he departeth rests in peace as in a bed. And Sapien. iij. it is said that the righteous Sapien. 3. souls are in peace: & so is it not possible that there should be such a painful Purgatory. Thus have we confuted Rastell: both his arguments and also solutions, for all that he writeth is false & against Scripture. Furthermore, we have brought in, to prove that there can be no such Purgatory l. arguments all grounded on Scripture. And if need were a man might make a thousand of which our Clergy should not be able to avoid one? Here I think some men will wonder The conclusion of john Frith against Rastels' book. that I have the Scripture so full on my side because that there are certain men, as my Lord of Rochester & Sir Thomas Moore, which by Scripture go about to prove Purgatory: & this is sure that Scripture is not contrary unto itself. Therefore it is necessary that we examine the texts which they bring in for their purpose, in marking the process both what goeth before and what cometh after. And then shall we easily perceive the truth, & how these ij. men have been piteously deceived. First I will answer unto M. More which hath in a manner nothing but that he took out of my Lord of Rochester, although he handle it more suttelly. And what soever is not answered in this part, shallbe touched and fully convinced in the third, which shall be a several book against my Lord of Rochester. ¶ Thus endeth the first Book. The second book which is an aunwere unto Sir Thomas Moore. Master Moore beginneth M. Moore beginneth pitifully. with the silly souls of Purgatory and maketh them to wail and lament, that they hear the world wax so faint in the faith of Christ that any man should need now to prove Purgatory to Christian men, or that any man could be found which would in so great a thing so fully and fastly believed for an undoubted article this. xv. hundred year, begin now to staggar and stand in doubt. etc. Verily me thinketh it a foul fault Frith. so sore to stumble even at the first. It were a great blot for him, if he should be compelled by good authority to cut of. iiij. hundred of his foresaid number. Now if we can not only prove that Purgatory in 400. year after Christ was neither believed as an article of that faith nor yet for an undoubted truth. he must cut of that iiij. hundred year, but also bring witness that it was neither at that time believed for an article of that faith nor yet for an undoubted truth: them I think you would suppose this man somewhat out of the way. And that will I prove by God's grace. S. Austen was four hundred year after Christ. And yet in his time was it not fully and fastly believed for an article of the faith, not nor yet fully and fastly believed to be true. For he himself writeth in his Enchiridion on this manner speaking of Purgatory. After he expounded the place of Paul 1. Cor. 3. and had taken this 1. Cor. 3. word fire not for Purgatory, but for temptation and tribulation, he added these words in the. 69. chapter. It is not incredible that such a thing should also chance after this life, & whether it be so or not it may be questioned etc. Of these words may we well perceive S. Austen doubted of Purgatory that he counted it not for an article of that faith, neither yet for an undoubted truth for if it had been an article of the faith, or an undoubted truth than would he not have said, Potest etiam queri, that is to say: it may be questioned, doubted or moved: for those holy fathers used not to make questions & doubts in articles of the faith among themselves, neither yet in such things as were undoubted true: they Roma. 4. used not to dispute whether Christ died for our sins & rose again for our justification, but only believed it. Beside: that the occasion why he written the book entitled Enchiridion was this. There was one Laurentius a Christian man, which instantly required of S. Austen that he would writ him a form of his belief which he might continually bear in hand and whereunto he should stick. Upon this written him S. Austen this little book, where in he commandeth him not fully and fastly to believe (these are M. Moor's words) that there was a Purgatory: but saith that it may be questioned, doubted or moved whether there be such a place or not. Of this have we plain evidence that it was none article of that faith in S. Austin's M. More much deceived in the accounting of his time (which was four hundred year after Christ) neither yet undoubted truth. And so may all men see that M. Moore is sore deceived and set on the sand even at the first brunt and in the beginning of his voyage. His second reason that he hath to M. Moore. prove Purgatory is this. The very miscreauntes & Idolaters, Turks, Saracenes and Paynimes have ever for the most part thought and believed M. Moor's second reason. that after the bodies are deceased: the souls of such as were neither deadly dampened wretches for ever, nor on the other side, so good but that their offences done in this world have deserved more punishment than they had suffered and sustained there, were purged and punished by pain after the death, ere ever they were admitted unto their wealth and rest. And so must there needs be a Purgatory. I answer, if it were lawful to require Frith. wisdom in a man so wise as M. Moore is counted, here would I wish him a little more wit, for I think M. Moore maketh a false and fond argument. there is no wiseman that will grant this to be a good argument, that Turks, Saracenes, Paynimes & jews believe it to be true, Ergo, we must believe that it is true: for I will show you a like argument. The Turks, Saracenes, Paynimes & jews believe that we have not that right Christ, but that we are all damned which believe in Christ. Is it therefore true? shall we turn our faith because they believe that we be deceived? I think there is no man so foolish as to grant him this. But if M. More will have his reason hold, he must argue on this manner: The miscreauntes and infidels john Frith amendeth M. Moor's argument. before named believe that there is a Purgatory & their belief is true, therefore we must believe that there is a Purgatory. Now followeth this argument somewhat more formally. Here might I put him to the proof of his Minor: which is, that their belief (in believing Purgatory) is true: which thing he shall never be able to prove. But I have such confidence of the truth on my side that I will take upon me to prove the negative, Cut that their belief is not true as concerning Purgatory. For these miscreauntes john Frith proveth the negative to be true. which believe Purgatory, believe that there is a Purgatory for us that be Christian: for they believe that we are fallen from all truth and utterly damned. But they think that there is a Purgatory for themselves wherein they shallbe purged & punished until they have made full satisfaction for their sins committed: but that is false, for neither Turks, Saracenes Paynimes nor jews which believe not in Christ have or ever shall enter into any Purgatory, but they are all damned wretches because they believe not in jesus Christ. john. 3. Now sith john. 3. they be deceived, for they have no Purgatory, but are all damned as many as believe not. Alas what blindness is that to argue that we must follow them which are both blind and out of the right way? After this disputeth he by natural Rastell had his arguments from M. More. reason that there must be a Purgatory, his disputation continueth a leaf and an half, out of the which Rastell took all his book. And so are all his apparent reasons disclosed before against Rastell. Then beginneth he with the Scripture, on this manner. IT seemeth very probable and likely M. Moore. that the good king Ezechias Ezechias. for no other cause wept at the warning of his death given him by the Prophet, but only for the fear of Purgatory. The story is written. 4. Kings. 2. Frith. 4. Kings. 2 Esay. 38. And Esay. 38. Exechias was sick unto the death. And Esay the Prophet and son of Amos came unto him saying, this saith the Lord, dispose thy house for thou shalt dye and not live. He turned his face unto the brickwall and prayed the Lord saying, I beseech thee Lord, remember I pray thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and in a perfit heart & have done that thing which is pleasant & acceptable before thee. Then Ezechias wept with great crying: these are the words of the text. We can not perceive by the text that he was a great sinner, but rather the contrary, for he saith that he had walked before the Lord in truth and in a perfit heart, & hath done that thing which is pleasant and acceptable before the Lord And therefore it is nothing like that he should fear Purgatory neither yet hell. Thou will't peradventure ask me, if he wept not for fear of Purgatory, why did he then weep? I will also ask you a question, and then will A question to Master Moore. I show you my mind. Christ did not only weep, but feared so sore that he sweated like drops of blood running down upon the earth, which was more than to weep. Now if I should ask you why Christ feared & sweat so sore: what would you answer me? A very apt similitude. that it was for fear of the pains of Purgatory? forsooth he that would so answer should be laughed to scorn of all the world, as he were well worthy. Wherefore was it then? Verily even for fear of death, as it plainly appeareth after: for he prayed unto his Father, saying: my father if it be possible let this death pass fro me. Math. xxuj. So fearful a thing is Math. 26. death even unto the most purest flesh. And even the same cause will I assign in Ezechias, that he wept for fear of death and not for Purgatory. Now proceedeth he further & promises to prove it by plain evident texts, as it is very needful for the text that he alleged before is somewhat to far wrested and yet will it not serve him. Have you not (saith he) the words M. Moore. of Scripture written in the book of the kings, Dominus deducit ad in feros & reducit: Our Lord bringeth folk down into hell, and bringeth them thence again? But they that be in that where damned souls be, they be never delivered thence again. Wherefore it appeareth well that they whom God delivereth and bringeth thence again, be in that part of hell that is Purgatory. This text is written in the first Frith. 1. Kings. 2 book of the kings and in the second chapter, and they are the words of Anna which saith: The Lord doth kill & quicken again: he leadeth down into hell & bringeth again. Here he thinketh to have good hold. But surely his hold will fail him, for in this one text he showeth himself twice ignorant. First because he knoweth M. Moore here seemeth to be ignorant in the Hebrew tongue. Gene. 42. not that the Hebrew word, Sheol, doth not signify hell, but a grave or a pit that is digged. As it is written Gene. 42. Si quid adversitatis acciderit ei in terra ad quam pergitis, deducetis canos meos cum dolore ad inferos, that is if any evil chance unto my son Benjamin in the land whether you go, you shall bring down mine hoore hears with sorrow unto my grave, not unto hell nor yet unto Purgatory, for he thought neither to go to hell nor Purgatory for his son, but thought that he should dye for sorrow if his son had any mischance. Besides that he is clean ignorant M. Moore 〈◊〉 of the manner of the speaking of the Prophets. of the common manner of all Prophets which for the most part in all Psalms, Hymns and other songs of praise (as this is) make the first end of the verse to expound the last and the last to expound the first. He that observeth this rule shall understand very much in the Scripture although he be ignorant in the Hebrew. So doth this place full well expound itself without any imagination of Purgatory. Confer the first part of the verse unto the last and you shall easily perceive it. The first part of the half verse is this. The Lord doth kill, and The Lord doth kill & raise again. that expoundeth the other half of this verse where she saith, he leadeth down to hell, so that in this place to kill and to lead down to hell is all one thing. And likewise in the second part of the half verse, to quicken again and bring again is all one thing. Now if any man be superstitious that he dare not understand this thing as figurately spoken, then may he verify it upon them that God raised from natural death as he did Lazarus. john. xj. And albeit no man john. 11. can deny but that this sense is good and that the text may so be understand, yet in my mind we shall go more nigh unto the very and pure truth, if we expound it thus. The Lord doth kill and quicken again, he leadeth down to hell and bringeth again: that is, he bringeth men into extreme affliction and misery (which is signified by death and hell) and after turneth not his face unto them and maketh them to follow him. And to this well agreeth the. 78. Psalm that speaketh Psal. 78. of the children of Israel (which figure his elect Church and congregation.) Their years passed over in perpetual trouble, when he destroyed or killed ●hen God says he killeth & doth quicken again, what the meaning thereof is. them, than they sought him, they turned and besought him busily. He means not here that he had first killed them by temporal death and after their death made them to seek him: but that he had wrapped them in extreme afflictions and perpetual troubles, and that he sore scourged them when they broke his commandments & yet after turned his merciful face unto him. Finally, if you will have the pure understanding of this place. Note the words of the iij. children Daniel. 3. Daniel. 3. which were cast into the furnace of fire and yet preserved from death through the mighty hand of God, their words & song was this: Benedicite Anania, Azaria, misael Domino, laudate & superexaltate eum in secula: quia eruit nos de inferno, & saluos fecit de manu mortis, & liberavit nos de medio arden's flammae, & de medio ignis eruit nos. That is: bliss you anania, azaria, and misaell the Lord: praise and advance him for ever. For he hath plucked us out of hell, & hath saved us from the power of death. He hath delivered A true interpretation of Scripture. us from the midst of the burning flame and hath plucked us out from the mids of the fire. Here may you see the same manner of speaking & how the last end expoundeth the beginning. These children say that God hath plucked them out of hell, and yet were they neither damned nor in Purgatory nor dead. But the next part of this verse expoundeth their meaning which saith: he hath saved us from the hand of power of death. So may you know that to be plucked out of hell, and to be saved from the power of death, are all one thing. And again where they say that God hath delivered them from the burning flame, and that he hath plucked them from the mids of the fire, is all one sense as every child may well perceive: and therefore is M. Moore to blame to be so A foul fault in M. Moore. busy seeing he understandeth not the phrase and manner of speech of the Scripture. THen bringeth he in the Prophet M. Moore. Zachary which saith. Tu quoque in sanguine Testamenti tui eduxisti vinctos Zacharie. tuos de lacu in quo non erat aqua. Thou hast in the blood of thy Testament brought out thy bound prisoners out of the pit or lake in which there was no water. Now in hell is there no redemption, and in limbo patrum the souls were in rest? wherefore it appeareth clearly that those prisoners which he brought out of their pain, he brought only out of Purgatory. This text is spoken Zachary. 9 for Frith. a full answer of this text I needed no more but to bring the authority of Zacharie. 9 my Lord of Rochester against him. For he expoundeth the place of the Psalm. 66. for Purgatory, which Psal. 66. saith. Transivimus per ignem & aquam & adduxisti nos in refrigerium, we have go through fire and water & thou hast brought us into colenesse: If this text of the Psalm serve for Purgatory which saith that there is both fire and water, as my Lord of Rochester doth affirm & bringeth also Origine to confirm it, then can not this place of Zacharie serve, which saith that there is no water. And so must M. Moore needs be overseen, for Origene and Rochester be able to weigh up him. Here might I say unto them More and Rochester can not agreed. both that they should first agree with in themselves and then would I shape them an answer. Howbeit I know my part so sure that I will confute them both, and prove that neither other place speaketh any thing of this painful Purgatory that the describe. But my Lord of Rochester's authority shall be differred until the third part which shallbe a several book against him. This place verily approveth not How the saving of the Prophet Zachary is to be understand. Purgatory but showeth the virtue of Christ's redemption which through his blood redeemed his captives & prisoners that is to say them whom he found bond with the strong bonds of sin to everlasting damnation which were subjects unto the devil and the extreme enemies of God, but why calleth he them his? verily because they were choose in Christ jesus before the beginning of the world, that they with him and through him should enjoy the everlasting inheritance of heaven. Why are they called bound and prisoners? Surely because they were captives, bound and imprisoned under the devil through the sin that Adam committed. Roma. Roma. 5. u why saith he that he delivered them out of the pit where in is no water? Forsooth that is even as much to say, as he delivered them out of hell and from eternal damnation. Thou will't An objection and answer thereunto. happily say, he delivered them not out of hell and from eternal damnation, for his prisoners that is to say, they that shallbe saved never came there. I answer, that they should without doubt have go thither & have been damned perpetually, except that Christ by his death had delivered and loosed them. And therefore saith the Scripture that Christ delivereth us out of hell, because he saveth and delivereth us that we come not there, which else should surely enter into it for ever. It is also a common manner of speech among us, if a man should go to prison for debt or any such matter, & one of his friends come in that mean season which pacified the adversaries & payeth that debt, then may we well say, that he hath delivered this man out of prison although he came not there, but should have go thither. And likewise when we say that such a man hath delivered his friend from the gallows, we mean not that he was all ready hanged, for than were the deliverance to late but we mean that he delivered him that he should not be hanged. Furthermore if a man might A question to master Moore. be bold to ask M. Moore whether Christ have redeemed, loosed and delivered him in the blood of his Testament? I think he would answer yea. Now if we should ask him further, from whence he hath delivered him? I am sure he is not so ignorant as to say that Christ hath delivered him from Purgatory, but even that be hath delivered him from eternal death and damnation. And so hath Christ delivered us from the pit wherein is no water, that is to say, from hell and everlasting damnation, not that we were in hell all ready (although we were bond under sin and ready to be cast therein, but because we should not enter into hell. This is the pure understanding of the text. Here might I dispute with him both of A true and plain exposition of the prophet Zachary. hell & of Limbus patrum but because I willbe as short as possible is I will defer that until an other occasion that I may reason with him somewhat at large. AN other place is there also in M. Moore. the old Testament that putteth Purgatory quite out of question. For (saith he) what is plainer than the places which in the book of the Machebees make mention of Machabeus. the devout remembrance, prayer, asmose & sacrifice to be done for souls, when the good and holy man judas Machabeus gathered money among the people to buy sacrifice withal to be offered up for the souls of them that were dead in the battle. What shift find they here? Surely a very shameless shift Sore spo●… of M. Moore. and are fain to take them to that talking which is their shoot anchor always, when they find the storm so great that they see their ship goeth all to wrack. For first they use to set some false gloss unto the text, and if that help not, then fall they to a shameless boldness, and let not to deny the Scripture and all. The place which he reciteth is Frith. written. 2. Macha. 12. And to say the 2, Mach. 12 truth, that book is not of sufficient authority to make an article of our faith: neither is it admitted in the Canon of the Hebrues. Here he objecteth that the Church hath allowed it, and the holy Doctors, as S. Jerome. S. Austin and such other I answer: S. Hieromes mind is opened unto us by the Epistle which he written before that proverbs of Solomon, his words are these. Sicut judith & Toby Machabeorum libros, legit quidem eos ecclesia, sed inter canonicas Scripturas non recipit, sic & haec duo volumina legate ad aedificationem plebis, non ad authoritatem ecclesiasticorum dogmatum confirmandum. That is like as the Church The books of the Maccabees are not in the Canon of that hebrews. doth read the books of judith, Tobias, & the Machabées, but receiveth them not among the canonical Scriptures, even so let it read these two books (he means the book of Sapience and Ecclesiasticus) unto the edifying of the people, and not to confirm the doctrine of the Church thereby. And it is nothing like that S. Austen should descent from S. Jerome, for they were both in one time, yea & S. Jerome out lived S. Austen. And therefore the Church could not admit any such books either before S. Austin's time or in his time, but that S. Jerome should have known of it. And so may you gather that if S. Austen allow these books, or else say that the Church hath allowed them, you may not understand that they have allowed and received them as canonical Scriptures, for than you make S. Jerome a liar. But thus you must understand it, that they have received them to be read for the edifying of the people, and not to confirm the doctrine of the Church or articles of the faith thereby, according to S. Hieromes exposition. Now may you see that our shoot anchor (as he called it) is so strong that all his storms and waves can not once move it, for we deny not but that the book is received of the church to be read, and we show by S. Jerome for what intent it is received and read, not to prove any article of our faith thereby, but only to order our manner of living thereafter in such points as are not repugnant unto the canonical Scripture. But yet for this once, to do the man pleasure we will let slip our shoot anchor & take the seas with him. And for all their furious winds and frothy 〈◊〉. waves, we will never strike sail, so strong is our ship and so well ballaunced. Be it in case that this book of the Machabées were of as good authority as Esay: yet can he not prove this fury and painful purgatory thereby. For it speaketh not one word neither of fire nor pain, but it speaketh of a sacrifice offered for the dead, that they might be loosed from their sins because there is a resurrection of that dead. which may well be without any pain or fire. So that this conclusion is very The meaning & true exposition of the Maccabees touching purgatory. bore and naked? It is good to offer sacrifice for the dead that they may be loosed from their sins, Ergo, there is a sensible fire which doth punish the holy and choose people of God. I am sure there is no child, but he may perceive that this argument is nought. Besides that is to be doubted 〈◊〉. whether judas did well or not in offering this sacrifice. And therefore aught we not of a foolish presumption to follow his fact until we know how it was accepted. Peradventure thou will't say that the deed is commended in the said text, where it saith: But because he considered that they which with godliness had entered their sleep (that is their death) had good favour laid up in store for them, therefore is the remembrance to pray for the dead holy & wholesome, that they may be loosed from their sins. I answer, that the people which were slain in the battle for whom this prayer & sacrifice was made, were found to have under their cloaks oblations of idols which were at jamniam, & for The slaughter of the jews was is for idolatry. that cause were they slain as it is plain in the text, yea and all the host praised the right judgement of God. Now these men that were so slain were damned by the law. Deut. seven. which saith. The images of their Deutro. 7. Gods thou shalt burn with fire, & see that thou covet not the silver or gold that is on them nor take it unto thee jest judas Machabeus was deceived in his sacrifice. thou be snared therewith, for it is an abomination unto the Lord thy God. Bring not therefore the abomination unto thy house jest thou be a damned thing as it is: But utterly defy it and abhor it for it is a thing that must be destroyed. Of this may we evidently perceive, that albeit judas did this thing of a good mind, yet was he deceived, for his sacrifice could nothing help them sith they were damned by the law, and entered not their sleep with godliness as he supposed. Furthermore it is evident that the 〈◊〉. jews had sacrifices for the sins of them that lived. Levit. 4. 5. 6. etc. But how known they that these sacrifices would extend themselves unto the sins of the dead? And they were commanded under the pain of cursing that they should add nothing unto the word of God. Deut. 12. Verily it Deut. 12. is like that the Priests even at that time sought their own profit, abused the sacrifices, & deceived the simple people. M. Moore also saith, that the money 4 was sent to buy sacrifices which should be offered for the sin of the slain. Now knoweth every Christian that all manner of sacrifices & offeryngs were nothing but figures of Christ which should be offered for the sin of his people. So that when By Christ's death all sacrifices ceased. Christ came, all sacrifices & oblations ceased. If thou shouldst now offer a calf to purge thy sin, thou were no doubt injurious unto the blood of Christ, for if thou thought his blood sufficient, then wouldst thou not seek an other sacrifice for thy sin. Yea I will go further with you 5 there was not one sacrifice in the old Testament that purged or took away sin. For the blood of oxen or goats can not take away sin. Heb. x. But Heb. 〈◊〉. all the sacrifices which were then offered, did but signify that Christ should come and be made a sacrifice for us, which should purge our sin for ever. Now were their sacrifices and oblations institute of God and yet could they not take away sin: but only No sacrifice can take away sin but only the sacrifice made by Christ. signified that Christ through his bl●d should take it away. What madness then is come into our brains that we think that our oblations which are ordained but of our own imagination should take away sin? What if judas gathered such an 6 offering in the old Testament, should it then follow that we must do so to, which know that Christ is come and that all oblations are ceased in him? shall we become jews and go back again to the shadow and ceremony sith we have the body and signification The holiest men have fallen. which is Christ jesue? Be it that judas were a holy man, might he not do yet amiss? Be it in case that he did well, shall we therefore strait ways out of his work ground an article of our faith? David was an holy man & yet committed he both murder and adultery shall we without further ensearching the Scriptures straightways follow his example? Abraham was an holy man and was commanded of God to offer his own son: shall we offer our children therefore? Gedson and joshua destroyed the unfaithful Kings and Princes and did well and were praised of God. Must we do so to? And wherefore shall we The example of judas Machabeus is profitable to the church, and therefore it must be followed. more fellow the example of judas than of the other? Shall I tell you why? Verily for this example of judas bringeth money unto our spiritualty. These xii. thousand drachmas shine so bright in their eyes, that without other candle lantern or spectacles they have espied an article of our faith: you may not consider that they have taken this text of. xii. thousand drachmas for an Epistle in soul masses, for then peradventure you might fall into some shrewed suspection, that they should do it of covetousness, which fault can not be espied in our spirituality, as you know well enough. He that holdeth any ceremony of 7. the law as necessary, is bound to keep and fulfil the whole law. This is evident of Paul Gal. 6. where he saith, Gallat 6. If you be circumcised, then are you debtors to fulfil the whole law. That is if you put any confidence in circumcision or recount it as necessary (for else it is of itself, neither good nor evil) then make you yourselves bound under the law which burden neither we nor our fathers could bear, and tempt God. Act. xv. And this sacrifice Acts. 15. of judas was but a ceremony & signified that Christ should with his blood Rastell. quench our sins. Ergo, he that keepeth or counteth this ceremony as necessary (as are all the articles of the faith) doth captive himself under the law and tempteth God to speak no more sharply. Yet will I go a little near unto you. 8. judas himself believed not that there was a Purgatory. For in the time of The schoolmen say that in the time of the old Testament there was no Purgatory. the old Testament there was no purgatory as the Schoolmen grant themselves but only a place of rest which they called Limbus patrum: wherefore they are piteously deceived that will prove Purgatory by the texts of the old Testament, sigh, as they say themselves, there was no Purgatory at that tyme. Finally, I can not find a place that 9 of itself more properly confuteth this fantastical Purgatory, then doth this same text which they stick so sore to, imagining that it stablisheth Purgatory. The text says on this manner, except he had hoped that they which were slain should rise again, It should seem void and in vain to pray for the dead. If you fain a Purgatory, them must this text needs be false: for be it in case that the dead should not rise again. Now saith the text that it were void & in vain to pray for the dead if they should not rise again. But if there were a Purgatory wherein they should be purged and punished in the mean season: then were it not in vain to pray for them to deliver them out of that pain, but rather very fruitful and necessary although they should never rise again. And therefore if this text be of authority, is it impossible that there should be any Purgatory, neither is there any text that in my judgement can better undermine Purgatory and make it fall. Peradventure you desire to know my mind in this place, and that I should expound unto you what judasment A declaration of the meaning of judas Machabeus in offering his sacrifice for the dead. in his oblation sith he thought of no Purgatory as that foresaid text doth well specify. Verily I think that judas believed that there should be a resurrection, as this text praised him, saying, thinking well and devoutly of the resurrection. For among the jews there were many that believed not the resurrection of our flesh, and they that believed it were yet so rude and ignorant, that they thought they should rise but to obtain a carnal kingdom & have their enemies subdued under them without rebellion. And thereto stick the jews unto this day. And it is most like that this should be his meaning, we shall all rise again, and possess this land in peace, and these men which are slain are out of the favour of God because they have contrary to the law. Deut. Deut. 7. seven. Take of the idols oblations, therefore is it best that we sand a sacrifice unto jerusalem to pacify the wrath of God towards them, jest when they rise again the Lord should sand some plague amongst us for their transgression which they committed while they were here living. If any man can better judas Machabeus thought of no Purgatory. guess I am well content to admit it, but this is plain enough: he thought that this sacrifice could not help them before they should rise again, which doth fully destroy Purgatory. For where he saith that it were void & in vain to pray for the dead except they should rise again: Is even as much to say unto him that hath any wit as that this prayer & sacrifices can do them no good before they be risen again from death: for else were it not in vain to pray for them although they should never rise again. As by example, if I say to a man that he shall never obtain his purpose except he should sue to the king's grace, it is even as much to say to a man that hath any wit, as he shall never obtain his purpose before he hath sued to the kings highness. Master Moore goeth about to jest M. Moore is like to be proved an incipient. them out of countenance which say that the book of Machabées is not authentic because it is not received in that Canon of the Hebrues and saith that by this reason we may also deny the book of Sapience & prove ourselves insipientes: but verily, if he admit the book of Sapience to be true and authentic, I fear me it will go nigh to prove him an incipient for granting that there is a Purgatory. Read the. 45. argument against Rastell, & then judge whether I say true or not. Hitherto have I let slip our sheet-anchor and have run the Seas with him, granting him for his pleasure that this book should be of as good authority as Esay. Not that the Church or holy Doctors, or any wise man supposeth it of so good authority, but only to see what conclusion might be brought upon it (that once granted.) And if any man would require my john Frithes judgement of the books of the Maccabees. judgement as concerning this book, I would shortly answer that either this book is false and of no authority, or else that Christ & his Apostles all holy Doctors & Schoolmen thereto are false and without authority. For he that admitteth prayers and sacrifice to be done for the dead, yea & also affirmeth that they are holy and whole some for such sins as are damned by the law of God (which are in deed very mortal) doth not he against the word of God, yea and also against the common consent of all men? But this book doth so: which admitteth prayer and sacrifice to be done for the dead that were slain in the battle for their offence, yea and also damned by the law. Deut. 7. Now conclude yourselves what you think of this book. Thus much hath M. Moore brought (to prove his purpose) out of the old Testament and I think you see it sufficiently answered. And now he intendeth to prove his Purgatory by good and substantial authority in the new Testament also. FIrst let us consider (saith Master M. Moore. Moore) the words of the blessed Apostle and Evangelist. S. john. 1. john. 5. where he saith. Est peccatum ad mortem, non dico ut pro eo roget quis. There is saith he some sin that is unto the death, I bid not that any man should pray for that, this sin as the interpreters agreed is understand Desperation and impenitency are damnable sinners. of desperation and impenitence, as though Saint john, would say: that who depart out of this world impenitent or in despair, any prayer after made can never stand him in stead. Then it appeareth clearly that S. john means that there are other which die not in such case for whom he would men should pray, because that prayer, to such souls may be profitable. But that profit can no man take being in heaven where it needeth not, nor being in hell where it booteth not, wherefore it appeareth that such prayer helpeth only for Purgatory, which thou must therefore needs grant except thou deny S. john. The text is written. 1. john. 5. Frith. 1. john. 5. which saith: there is a sin unto the death, I bid not that any man shall pray for that. In this place doth M. Moore understand by this word death, temporal death, and then he taketh his pleasure. But we will desire him to look two lines above, and not to snatch one piece of the text on this fashion. I will rehearse you the whole text and then you shall hear mine answer. The text is this, if any man perceive that his brother doth sin, a sin not unto that death, let him ask and he shall give him life, to them that sin not unto death. For there is some sin that is unto death I bid not that any man should pray for that. Now mark mine answer. Death and life be contrary and both words are in this text, therefore if you understand this word death for temporal death, then must you, also understand by this word life, temporal life. And so should our prayer restore men again unto temporal life. But I ensure you, M. Moore taketh this word M. Moore is confuse in the interpretation of the scriptures. death so confusedly that no man can tell what he means. For in one place he taketh it for temporal death, saying: who so departed out of this world impenitent. etc. And in an other place he is compelled to take it for everlasting death. Therefore will I show you the very understanding of that text. And better interpreters desire I none then Christ himself which said unto the Phariseis, every blasphemy shall be forgiven, but that blasphemy against the holy ghost (which S. john calleth a sin unto the death) shall never be forgiven, but is guilty unto everlasting damnation. Mark. iij. what sin or blasphemy is this? verily Mark. 3. that declareth S. Mark, saying. They What blasphemy and sin against the holy ghost ●s. said that he had an unclean spirit that was that sin unto death everlasting, that was the sin, that should never be forgiven. He proveth so evidently unto them that his miracles were done with that spirit of God, that they could not deny it. And yet of an hard and obstinate heart, even knowing the contrary, they said that he had a devil within him. These Phariseis died not forth with, but lived peradventure many years after. Notwithstanding if all the Apostles had prayed for these Phariseis while they were yet living, for all that their sin should never have been forgiven them. And truth is that after they died in impenitency and desperation, which was the fruit of that sin, but not the sin itself. Now see you the meaning of this The pure understanding. text, and what the sin unto death or against the holy ghost is. If any man perceive his brother to sin a sin not unto death, that is not against the holy ghost: let him ask and he shall give him life, that is, let him pray unto God for his brother and his sin shallbe forgiven him. But if he see his brother sin a sin unto death, that is, against the holy ghost, let him never pray for him for it booteth not. And so is not the text understand of prayer after this life (as M. Moore imagineth) but even of prayer for our brother which is living with us. Notwithstanding this sin is not lightly known, except the person knowledge it himself, or else the spirit of God open it unto us. Therefore may we pray for all men, except we have evident knowledge that they have so offended as is before rehearsed. And this is his text taken from him wherewith he laboureth to prove Purgatory. What say they to the words of M. Moore. Apoca. 5. S. john Apoc. 5. I have herded (saith he) every creature that is in heaven and upon the earth and under the earth, and that be in the Sea and all things that be in them, all these have I herded say, benediction, and honour, and glory and power for ever be to him, that is sitting in the throne and unto the lamb. By the creatures in heaven he means angels. By the creatures upon the Note. earth, he means men. By the creatures under the earth, he means the souls in Purgatory. And by the creatures in the Sea he means men that sail on the Sea. By this text I understand not only Frith. angels and men, but also heaven and earth and all that is in them, even all beasts, fish, worms, and other creatures & think that all these creatures do praise the Lord And where he taketh the creatures under that earth for the souls in Purgatory: I take 〈◊〉 and More doth not agreed. it for all manner of creatures under that earth, both worms vermin and all other. And where he draweth the text and maketh the creatures in the sea, to signify men that are sailing on the Sea: I say that the creatures in the Sea do signify fish, and such other things, and that S. john by this textment even plainly that all manner of things give praise unto God and the lamb, yea and I dare be bold to add that even the very devils & damned souls are compelled to praise him. For their just punishment commends his puissant power & righteousness. Neither needest thou to wonder or think this any new thing, for David in the 148. biddeth Serpents beasts and birds to praise the Lord, as it is also written Dani. iij. And Paul saith Roma. 8. All manner A▪ true exposition of the Scripture. of creatures long for our redemption and praise God for it, yea and mourn that the last day is not yet come that the elect children of God might enter into rest: for than shall also those creatures be delivered from their corruption and bondage into the liberty and glory of the children of God. Now judge Christian reader which sentence standeth most with the Scripture and glory of God. Doth not the blessed Apostle. M More. S. Peter as it appeareth. Acts. ij. say of our Saviour Christ in this wise. Quem Deus suscitavit solutis doloribus inferni. In these words he showed that pains of hell were loosed: but those pains were not the pains of damned souls. And in limbo patrum there was no pain, Ergo, it was the pain of Purgatory which he loosed. Alas what shall I say? I am in a Frith. manner compelled to say that this man wandereth in wilful blindness. For else were it not possible that he should err so far as to bring in this text for his purpose. The words of Peter are these: You men of Israel hear these words, jesus of Nazareth a man set forth of God for you with powers, wonders, and tokens which God hath done by him among you, as (you yourselves know) after he was delivered by the purposed counsel and foreknowledge of God, and you received him of the hands of the wicked, you crucified and killed him whom God hath raised, dissolving the pains of death: for it was impossible that he should be subdued of it. Here in stead of these words Moore purposely corrupteth the sense of the Scripture. The pains of death, he setteth the pains of hell (as it is most like) even of a purposed deceit. For albeit the man would not take the pain to read the Greek, yet if he had but once looked upon the translation of his old friend and companion Erasmus, it would have taught him to have said, solutis doloribus mortis, that is, dissolving the pains of death, according to the Greek, and very words of Luke which written these acts in the Greek tongue. And albeit the old translation useth this word Infernus which is diversly taken in scripture, both for death, for a grave, & for hell, yet in this place is master Moore without excuse which calleth it hell in our English tongue. For albeit the word of itself were indifferent in the Latin, yet it is not indifferent in the English: for there is no English man that taketh this word hell, either for death, or for a grave, not not master Moore himself. For first he translateth the text falsely Moore falsely descanteth upon the Scriptures. calling it hell, and then he descanteth on a false ground, and calleth hell, not death but purgatory: when S. Peter brought in these words for no other purpose but to prove that Christ was risen from death through the power of his Father, meaning, that God the Father did raise his Son Christ notwithstanding the sorrowful pains and pangs which he suffered unto that death, for it was impossible that Christ should be utterly subdued of death. So that this text proveth no more purgatory, than it proveth that master Moore was hired of the spiritualty to defend purgatory. Besides M. Moore a proctor for Purgatory. that, if it should serve for Purgatory (which no wise man will grant when he seeth the process of the Text) it should prove nothing, but that Christ should lie in the pains of purgatory until God his Father had holp him out: for the pains▪ which he speaketh of were Christ's pains, which no man can deny if he read the Text. But what a fond opinion were that, to fain that Christ which was without sin, should be tormented in the pains of purgatory. The blessed Apostle Paul in his M. Moore. 1. Cor. 3. first epistle to the Corinthians the third chapter, speaking of our saviour Christ the very and only foundation of all our faith and salvation, saith: If any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, every man's work shall be made open, for the day of the Lord shall declare it, for in the fire it shallbe showed, & the fire shall prove what manner of thing every man's work M. Moore would feign prove a purgatory. is. If any man's work that he hath builded thereon do abide, he shall have a reward: if any man's work burn, he shall suffer harm, but he shallbe safe, but yet as by fire. And finally he concludeth that this word fire, must needs signify the fire of purgatory. He that considereth the order or F●ith. process of the text shall easily perceive that this man erreth: for the Text speaketh of the preachers, & blameth the Corrinthians that they made such sects and dissensions among themselves, for one said that he was Paul's man, and held on his side: an other said that he was Peter's man: the third did stick to Apollo, and so forth, even as our friars do now a days, one sect holdeth on S. Frances, an other of S. Dominike, the third of S. Austen. etc. S. Paul rebuketh these sects, & called the people carnal, commanding them to take Christ for their head, & to cleave only to him: and as for Apollo, Peter, and Paul he saith, that they are but ministers of the word▪ every man according to the gift given him of God, the one more, the other less. Paul planted Apollo watered, that is, Paul set the Corinthians in the ground of Christ's faith, and then came Apollo and preached them further of Christ, and comforted them to abide in the way which they walked in: howbeit it was only God that made them prospero in the word and gave the increase. Nevertheless every He shall laboureth much in Gods by 〈◊〉 nyard shall receive much. etc. man shall receive according to his labour: if he preach much, the more shall be his reward: if he preach little, thereafter shall he be rewarded. For we are Gods workmen to preach his word, and you are God's husbandry whom we must till and dress in declaring you the word and perpetual will of God: you are become Gods building through the grace of God which he hath given me, whom we must frame and so couch by the word of God, that we may make of you a temple of living stones. Like a wise woorkemaister have I laid the foundation, for I first began to preach you Christ. Now cometh there an other and buildeth upon this my foundation intending to instruct you further in the ways of Christ. But let every man take heed how he buildeth or preach unto you, for no man can lay any other foundation than is laid already, for all our building and preaching leneth only on this point and principal stone, to declare unto you what Christ hath done for you. If any build on this foundation What it is to build on gold, silver or precious stone. gold, silver, or precious stones, that is: if any man preach purely the word of God, which is likened to gold, silver, and precious stones because that as these are not consumed with material fire, but rather made more pure, even so the pure word of God suffereth neither hurt nor damage in spiritual fire, that is temptation and persecution. Or else if any man build upon this What it is to build on wood, hay or stubble. foundation wood, hay, or stubble, that is, if a man of good intent (but yet through ignorance) preach and teach you to stick unto ceremonies & men's traditions (although they seem never so glorious) and to such things as are not grounded on Scripture (as S. Cyprian taught and defended to Cyprian. rebaptise him, that was once baptized and after fallen into heresy, yea & many Bishops consented unto him, yet was it surely a great error) this is wood, hay and stubble that can not endure the fire of temptation & light of God's word. Every man's work shallbe declared for the day shall open it. Albeit it prosper for a season in the dark and can not be perceived, yet when the day cometh, which is the light of God's word, it shallbe espied and judged. The day shall open it that shallbe revelated in fire, and the fire shall prove every man's work what it is. Fire signifieth temptation, tribulation, persecution etc. which shall prove every man's works. If any man's work that he hath builded do abide this How every man's work is tried by fire. fire, that is, if the word that a man hath preached do abide all assaults & temptations, it is a token that they are surely grounded on the Scripture of God, and then shall the preacher receive his reward. If any man's work be burned, that is if the preachers words will not abide the trial and light but vanish away, then is it a token that they are not well grounded on Scripture, and so shall he suffer hurt, for it shallbe a great cross and vexation to the preachers heart that he hath been so deceived himself and hath also led other into his error. Notwithstanding he shallbe saved, because of his faith in the foundation, which is Christ, and his ignorance shallbe pardoned sith he erreth not of a malicious purpose but of a good zeal. But yet shall it be as it were a fire to him, for it shall grieve his heart to see that he had laboured in vain, and that he must destroy the same which he before through ignorance preached: this is the process & pure understanding of the text. There is no man but he granteth that these words, foundation, laying Words figuratively spoken. of foundation, building, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay and stubble are figuratively spoken: and why can they not suffer that this word fire be so taken to? But where they find this word fire, what soever the process be, there plant they Purgatory by and by, without any further consideration. And yet if they had any judgement at all, they might well perceive by Paul's own words that he took not this word fire for material fire, as they grossly imagine, but proceeded in his Allegory and spoke it figuratively: for Paul says, He shallbe saved, but so as it were through fire. Mark well his words, he saith not that he shallbe saved through fire. But as it were through fire, signifying that it shallbe a great grief & veration unto him. So that by these words of Paul, a very child may perceive what he meant. Furthermore, if they be so stiff-necked that they will not bow to that truth, but still persever in their own fantasies feigning Purgatory out of this place: them will I boldly say unto them that there shall no man enter into it but only preachers. For in this place Paul only speaketh of them, and affirmeth that it is their preaching and learning that shall be so proved through fire, and that such a Preacher shall be saved, but yet as it were through fire. And therefore may the temporalty be of good comfort, for I promise' them that by this text they shall never have hurt in this their painful Purgatory. DOth not our blessed Saviour M. Moore. Math. 12. himself say that there is a certain sin which a man may so commit against the holy ghost, that it shall never be remitted▪ nor forgiven, neither in this world, nor in the world to come? Now when our Lord saith that the blasphemy against the holy ghost shall not be forgiven, neither in this world, nor in the world to come, he giveth us clear knowledge, that of other sins, some shall be forgiven in this world, and some in the world to come. Although this argument be a very Frith. Sophism, yet is there neither one rule in Sophistry that can prove this A subtle sophism. argument, nor yet one Sophister so foolish as to grant it. For if I should say unto mine enemy that I would neither forgive him as long as I lived nor after my death, because he had done me some heinous trespass, than would men count him worse than made that would say, Frith will not forgive his enemy as long as he liveth nor after his death, Ergo, some men will forgive their enemies after their death. For when I say that I will not forgive him, neither in my life nor after my death, I mean that I will never forgive him, and make that addiction because he should not of foolishness look for any such forgiveness. But thus followeth the argument There is no remission of sins after this life. well, It shall not be forgiven in this world nor in the world to come, ergo, it shall never be forgiven. And even so doth the holy evangelist S. Mark expound these words of Christ in the third chapter. For Matthew says chap. 12. He that speaketh against the holy Ghost shall never have it forgiven in this world nor in the world to come: Mark expoundeth it thus, Mark. 3. he that speaketh a blasphemy against the holy Ghost hath no remission for ever, but is guilty unto everlasting damnation. But of this I have spoken sufficiently before (in soluting the Text 1, joh. 5.) both what the sin and also how the text is to be understand. Neither affirmeth the Scripture in any place that any sin is forgiven after this life, but saith, be ready for you know not the time when the Lord shall come, as who should say, in this life is remission and full mercy to be had: labour therefore to attain it, for after this life is no such forgiveness, but even as the Lord finds thee, so shall he judge thee. His next and last argument of scripture is this: CHrist saith, as it is rehearsed in M. Moore. Math. 12. the xii. of Matthew, that men shall yield a reckoning of every idle word, and that shall be after this present life. Then wotteth every man that by that reckoning is understand a punishment therefore, which shall not be in hell, and much less in heaven, and therefore can it be no where else but in Purgatory. Verily I have not herded of a patron Frith. that so unprofitably defendeth his client, nor yet of any man that giveth himself such proper trips to cast himself, except he went about M. Moore doth quite overthrow himself. to betray and utterly destroy the part which he would seem to favour: for this text maketh more against him, than any that he brought before seemeth to make with him. The words of Matthew are these: I tell you that of every idle word that men speak, shall they yield a reckoning in the day of judgement: but that leaveth he out full craftily. Now let us reason of this text. By the reckoning is understood a punishment for the sin (as master Moore saith himself) and this reckoning shall be upon the day of doom, ergo, than this punishment for sin, can not be before the day of doom, but either upon or else after the day of doom: For God will not first punish them, and then after reckon with them to punish them a new: And so is purgatory quite excluded: Here by M. Moor's argument, Purgatory is quite excluded. For all they that ever imagined any purgatory do put it before the judgement: for when Christ cometh to judgement then ceaseth purgatory as they all consent: neither is there any prayer or suffrage which at that time can do any help at all. And so hath master Moore by this text given himself a proper fall. Here may you see how strong his reasons are: and what will happen to him that taketh in hand to defend the falsehood against the truth of God's word: for his reasons make more against him then wish him. You may well know that if his matter had been any thing likely, he would have coloured it of an other fashion. But sith such a patron so greatly commended for his conveyance & wisdom handleth this matter so flenderly, you may well mistrust his cause. This is the last reason grounded of Scripture, wherewith he hath laboured to prove purgatory. And after this reason he reckoneth up the doctors, and saith for his pleasure that all make for him: but as touching the doctoures I will make a sufficient answer in the third part, which is against my Lord of Rochester. Thus he leaveth the Scripture, which he hath full unmannerly handled, and now endeavoureth himself to prove his purpose by some probable reasons. And first he bringeth in his old argument that the church can not err, to the which reason I need not to answer, for William Tyndall hath declared abundantly in a treatise which by God's grace you shall shortly have, what the church is, and also that it both may err, & doth err, if the pope and his adherents be the church, as M. More imagineth. AFter this he confirmeth his fantasy M. Moore. with fantastical apparitions, saying: that there have in every country and in every age apparitions been had, and well known & testified, by which men have had sufficient revelation and proof of purgatory. How many have by Gods most gracious favour appeared to their friends after their death, and showed themselves helped and delivered thence by pilgrimages, almesdeedes, prayer. etc. If they say that these be lies, than they be much worse than their master Luther himself, for he consenteth in his sermons that many such apparitions be true, and they be true: then must there needs be a purgatory. Here playeth master Moore the subtle M. Moore is a subtle Sophister. sophister, and would deceive men with a fallace, which lieth in this word, true, so that when he sayeth that such apparitions be true, this sentence may be taken two manner of ways. One, that it is true that such fantastical apparitions do appear to divers, and that I think no man be so foolish but he will grant him. And yet in deed are they no souls but very devils that so appear to delude men, that they should fall from the the faith of Christ and make a God of their own works trusting to be saved thereby. But to suppose this true that they are the souls of Purgatory which so appear, is very fond false and against all Scripture, for Esay saith, shall we go from the quick unto the dead? that is, shall we inquire Esay. 8. of the dead and believe them in such points as concern our wealth? Nay saith he, but unto the law & witness, that is unto God and his word. And so are we monished by Esay Truth is not to be sought of the dead. in the. 8. that we believe no such fantasies, we are commanded by the law of God, that we inquire not of the dead, not for the truth, for God abhorreth it. Deut. xviij. Besides that the parable of the rich man and Lazarus doth utterly condemn all such apparitions, that they are no souls which appear but very devils. For when the rich man desired that Lazarus might go & warn Luke. 16. his brethren, that they should not come into that place of pain, Abraham answered, that they had Moses and the Prophets, adding also, that if they believed not them, than would they not believe although one should rise again and tell it them. And so may I conclude that it were in vain to sand them any such apparitions of souls, & that in very deed there are no souls sent of God, but that they are verily devils which come to delude the people, & to withdraw them from Christ. Furthermore all men grant that the appearing of Samuel was but an illusion of the devil, thou shalt find the story. i Reg. xxviij. It is not long sigh such a question 1. King. ●3 was moved in Oxford, the thing was this, there was a poor man of the country, which was sore troubled with such apparitions, for there came a thing to him which desired him to go certain pilgrymages and to do certain other ceremonies whereby it said that it should be delivered from innumerable torments which it now suffered. The poor man believed that An apparition of a spirit moved to certain of Oxford. this thing said truth, and did as it commanded. Notwithstanding it came so often unto him, that what with labour and what with fear, the man was almost besides himself, and then was he sent to Oxford to ask counsel what was best to be done. The question was moved to one Doctor Nicolas, and he affirmed by & by that it was no soul but the very devil, and that he should no more follow the fendes appetite. Then was it moved to D. Kyngton, and he affirmed the same. Finally, they inquired of D. Roper what his mind was therein, & he said that he would look on his book, and when he had looked his pleasure, he gave this answer. Let him alone a while (quoth he) and I warrant you, that this fellow shall either hung himself, or drown himself, or come to some other mischief. Thus determined these men which are a great deal to superstitious to descent from any of the old Doctors, yea or else from their own Schoolmen. And yet would M. Moore make us believe that they were very souls, & that by such ceremonies they might be delivered. Now cometh M. Moore to solute those two reasons that were brought against Purgatory in the Supplication of Beggars, which was that whole occasion of his book. And mark how slender his solutions are. The first reason is this. If there were any Purgatory out of which the Pope might deliver one soul by his pardon, then may he by the same authority deliver many: and if he may deliver many, then may he deliver them all. The second reason is this. If he can deliver them for money: then may he also deliver them without money. And then is he a very cruel tyrant which keepeth them in pains so intolerable (as he imagineth himself) until they pay money. THe first he soluteth on this manner: M. Moore his solution of the two former reasons. Sigh our Lord sendeth them thither for satisfaction to be made in some manner for their sin: the Pope should rather against God's purpose deliver them free then change the manner of their satisfaction from pain into prayer, almose or other good works to be done by their friends for them in some point profitable and necessary for the whole corpse of Christendom or some good member of the same. As concerning satisfaction, I have spoken sufficiently before against Rastell. Frith. The Scripture knoweth no other satisfaction to be made for sin towards God, but only the blood of his son jesus Christ, for if there were an other satisfaction than died Christ in vain: yea and he that seeketh any other satisfaction for his sin (towards God) than Christ's blood (which must be received with a repenting heart through faith) doth despise Christ's blood and tread it under his feet. And so is the first part of M. Moor's solution false, that they should M. Moore his argument is false. be shut in Purgatory to make satisfaction. Besides that where he saith that if the Pope should so deliver them, he should deliver them free. I say nay. For the Pope can deliver no man from thence until satisfaction be made, as both he & all his adherentes grant. And therefore to find away how he might seem to deliver them, he feigneth that he hath in his hands the merits of Christ's passion, and the merits of all Saints to distribute them at his pleasure. And therefore might the Pope apply the merits of Christ's passion & of other Saints unto these silly souls and so deliver them. For those merits are enough to satisfy for that souls in purgatory, if there were ten times so many. And so should the Pope deliver them not free, but changing the manner of their satisfaction from pain, into merits of Christ's passion and of all Saints. And so is this reason not abated but rather stronger than it was before. Howbeit to say the truth, the merits of Christ's passion are only distributed unto the faithful, and tha● by God and his spirit and not by the Pope. And as for the merits of Saints can not help other, for they have to little for themselves if God should enter into judgement with them. Psalm. 104. And Christ saith: Luke. 17. when Christ saith. you have done all that is commanded you, say we are unprofitable servants. To this well agreeth the parable of the x. Virgins. Math. 25. which could not departed with any of their oil, for fear that they should not have had enough for themselves. THe second reason biteth him somewhat, and therefore he calleth it unreasonable, and would avoid it by an example on this wise: Presuppose that the Pope may M. M●●e 〈…〉 second reason. deliver all souls out of purgatory, yet if he were therefore cruel as often as he leaveth any there. This unreasonable reason layeth cruelty unto the blame of God which may undoubtedly deliver all souls thence and yet he leaveth them there. This blasphemy should also touch his high majesty for keeping any soul in hell, from whence no man doubteth but that he might if he list deliver them all for ever. I answer, that the example is F●ith. nothing like, for God can deliver no man neither from hell, nor from purgatory (if such one were) until his justice be counterpoised, as I have sufficiently proved against Rastell. And if you object his absolute power then answer I that he hath an absolute justice as well as an absolute power, and so can his absolute power do nothing until his absolute justice be satisfied. And again I say, that God hath no power nor lust to do against his scripture and himself: God cannot be against himself. but his power & lust is to fulfil that he hath promised: unto the faithful, everlasting glory: and unto the wicked eternal damnation. So that god by his scripture can deliver no man out of hell, for than had he power to make himself a liar, & so were he no God: neither can he deliver any man out of purgatory (supposed that there were one) until his justice be pacified. But the pope (as he saith himself) hath the full satisfaction in his own hand whereby God's justice must be pacified: wherefore it is only the pope's fault, which hath the satisfaction in his power, and will not give it till he have money, & not God's fault which must needs tarry until satisfaction be made. And so is this reason as strong as it was before, & the pope proved a cruel tyrant. But yet to excuse the pope he saith, It is not meet that the Pope M● Moore. should be so quick in deliverance: for so should he give a great occasion to men boldly to fall into sin and little to care or fear how slowly they rise again, and that were not meet for his office. Forsooth this is a gentle reason. He Frith. may not be quick in deliverance because he should give men occasion of sin. But for one penny he will quite deliver you and that with speed. For A penny offered into S. Dominickes box worketh great matter. if you offer a penny into S. Dominikes box, assoon as you hear the penny ring in the box, even so soon is the soul in heaven. Call you not that quick deliverance? If you give not that penny, then may he not deliver the soul, for it should be an occasion of sin. But if you give that penny then is there no such occasion of sin. Such great virtue Note what ve●… is in a p●…y. hath that one penny in M. Moor's sight, that it clean wipeth away the occasion of sin. Furthermore, if this redemption may be done for money, it shall be still an occasion unto the rich that they regard not sin, and yet they had more need to be bridled than the poor: for where riches & abundance is there reigneth sin most of all. Howbeit I have showed sufficiently before against Rastell, that they which fear not to sin but for fear of purgatory, shall never come into it, but be damned in hell. For we should not abstain from sin for any fear, but for the pure love that we have to god our most merciful Father. etc. THen cometh master Moore to this imagination, that we should say, how no man's prayer or good M. Moore. deed can help an other. And (says he) if that were true, them could not Christ's bitter passion profit us. Sir mine opinion of Christ's death Frith. is this: 1 We have all sinned in Adam without our own consent and work. joh. Frith declareth his opinion of Christ's death. 1 And we are loosed from sin through Christ without our works or deservings. 2 Sin is come into the world thorough Adam, and is punished with death. 2 The death through Christ is turned into a medicine, and clean finisheth sin. 3 One man's sin which is Adam, hath condemned many men. 3 One man's grace which is Christ, hath vanquished sin and helped many. 4 If one man's sin be able to condemn us without our works. 4 Then much more is God's grace of power to save us without our works. 5 Sin through Adam was planted in us. 5 Grace through Christ is planted in us. 6 Sin hath had dominion over all men through Adam. 6 Grace prevaileth over us through Christ. 7 Death through sin is planted in us. 7 Life through grace is planted in us. 8 Death through sin hath dominion over us. 8 Life through grace prevaileth over us. 9 Sin and death have condemned all men. 9 Grace and life have saved all men. 10 Through Adam, Adam's sin was counted our own. 10 Through Christ, Christ's righteousness is reputed unto us for our own. ¶ Of this may you perceive that we think that Christ's death profiteth us, for we take his death and resurrection for our whole redemption and salvation. Now as concerning How men's prayers & good deeds do help one an other. men's good deeds and prayers, I say that they profit our neighbours: yea and good works were ordained for that intent that I should profit my neighbour through them: And prayer aught to be made to God for every state. But if I should grant that such works & prayers should help them that are departed, them should I speak clean without my book, for the word of God knoweth no such thing. Let them therefore that pray for the dead examine themselves well with what faith they do it, for faith leaneth only on thee, word of God, so that where his word is not there can be no good faith: and if their prayer proceed not of faith, surely it can not please God. hebrews. xj. NOw. suppose (saith M. More) that purgatory could in no M. Moore. wise be proved by Scripture, and that some would yet say plainly that there were one and some would say plainly nay, let us now see whether sort of these twain might take most harm if their part were the wrong. First he that believed there were Purgatory, & that his prayer and good works wrought for his friends souls might relieve them therein, and because of that used much prayer and almose for them, he could not lose the reward of his good will although his opinion were untrue and that there were no Purgatory at all. But on the other side, he that believeth there is none, and therefore prayeth for none: if his opinion be false and that there be Purgatory in deed, he leseth much good, and getteth him also much harm. For he both fears much less to sin, and to lie long in Purgatory, saving that his heresy shall keep him thence, and send him down deep into hell. I answer, that he should take most Frith. harm that believed there were a Purgatory, if his opinion were wrong and could not be proved by the Scripture (as M. Moore supposed) for he should sin and transgress against the law of God which saith. Deut. xii. That I command thee that only do unto the Lord, neither add any thing nor diminish. And before in the iiij. chap. of the same book, you shall not add unto the word that I speak unto you neither shall you take any thing from it. And again in the u chapter you shall not decline neither to the left hand (doing that which is good in your own sight) neither yet unto the right hand, doing that which I manifestly forbid you as though he should say, do that only which I command thee. And where M. Moore saith that he can not lose the reward of his good will, although his opinion be untrue. I answer yes for it is but choose holiness which Paul condemneth. Collos. 2. which surely shall rather be imputed unto him for sin then for any good work. And because It is better not to believe that which the scripture alloweth not, then to make a faith where we should not. (as I said before) it can not be done through faith. I say that it is utterly reproved of God. And on the other side he that believeth it not, sith it can not be proved by Scripture, can catch no harm at all, although his opinion were false, but rather much good and praise both of God and all good men: because he fears to swerver from the word of God, and had liefer not to be leave that thing which is true (be it in case that purgatory were) and not set forth in Scripture, for so shall he be sure not to sin: then to believe for an article of that faith that thing which is false in deed, for so should he surely sin and transgress against God and his holy word. And so is there great peril to believe a thing for an article of the faith which is not opened nor spoken of in Scripture: But if I believe it not (although it were true) yet is there no right nor law that can condemn me. Now may you see, that to believe for an article of the faith that there is a Purgatory, sith it can not be proved by Scripture, may condemn a man and make him lie for ever in the pains of hell, where as the other should but a little longer lie in the pains of Purgatory (if there were one) and so shall he be sure to catch most harm that believeth there is a Purgatory. Saving (saith Master Moore) that M. Moore. his heresy shall keep him from thence, and send him down deep into hell. Before he supposed that it could not be Frith. proved by scripture. And now (standing the same supposition) he calleth it an heresy, & anheresie is a stiff held opinion repugnant unto Scripture. What is heresy. If Purgatory can not be proved by Scripture (as he maketh his supposition) then can not the contrary opinion be repugnant to Scripture, & thus of his own supposition he doth evil to call it an heresy. And where he saith, M. Moore is a sore, judge. that his opinion shall send him down deep into hell, verily he steppeth to far in God's judgement to conclude and determine so cruelly, & specially in the same argument where he supposeth that it can not be proved, for if it can not be proved by Scripture, whereby will you condemn him so deep that holdeth the contrary? forsooth you are a fierce judge. God give you eyes to see. finally, if you pity any man in M. Moore. pain, never knew you pain comparable to ours, whose fire passeth The fire of purgatory is a marvelous hot fire. as far in heat all the fires that ever burned upon earth, as the hottest of all those passeth a feigned fire painted on a brickwall. Verily among all his other Poetry Frith. it is reason that we grant him this. Yea and that our fire is but water in comparison to it. For I ensure you it hath alone melted more gold Behold here the force of the fire of purgatory. and silver for our spiritualties profit out of poor men's purses, than all the gold smiths fires within England, neither yet therewith can the raging heat be assuaged. But it melteth castles, hard stones, lands and tenements innumerable. For all your sects of Religion, Monks, Friars, Canons and Nuns, with other priests regulare & seculare, by this fire, multiplication and alchemy have obtained their whole riches and pleasures: even the sweet of England. And so must we grant him that this fire is very hot. Now may you well perceive what a slender foundation their hot purgatory hath. For by this confutation may you easily see that it hath no ground nor authority of Scripture. Notwithstanding it is the foundation of all religions and cloisters, yea and of all the goods that now are in these spirituality. Are not they witty work men which can build so much on so slender a foundation? Howbeit they have made it so toppehevye, that it is surely like to have a fall. Thus hath M. Moore fully answered to all that he can say for purgatory. Master Moore a full answer, both to his Scriptures which were to far wrested out of their places, and also to his own apparent reasons. Howbeit if his mastershyppe be not fully pacified, let him more groundly open his mind, and bring for his purpose all that he thinketh to make for it and I shall by God's grace shortly make him an answer and quiet his mind. ¶ Thus endeth the second book. ¶ The third book, which answereth unto my Lord of Rochester and declareth the mind of the old Doctors. NOw will I address me to the third part, which shallbe an answer unto my lord of Rochester. And all his reasons and arguments both of the Scriptures, and doctoures, which are not before dissouled in the second part, will I clean confute (by God's grace) in this third book. Howbeit the chiefest of M. Moore was the Bishop of Rochester's Disciple. his scriptures hath M. Moore perused and hath in a manner nothing but that was before written by my lord of Rochester: saving that he maketh the silly souls to pull, to help his matter withal. My lord of Rochester is Rochester the first patron of Purgatory the first patron and defender of this fantasy. And even as M. More took his work out of my lord of Rochesters: even so plucked Rastell his book out of M. Mores. My lord of Rochester to confirm his sentence, rekoneth up the doctors by heap, M. john, M. William, M. Thomas, & omnes. But as concerning the doctors, that they are not so fully on his side as he would make them seem, is soon proved. And where should I better begin to confute him, then of his own words? for he writeth himself upon the xviij. article on this manner: THere is no man now a days that Rochester. doubteth of purgatory (sayeth he) and yet among the old ancient fathers was there either none, The Bishop of Rochesters own words. or else very seldom mention made of it. And also among the Grecians even unto this day is not purgatory believed? Let him read that will the commentaries of the old Grecians, and as I suppose he shall find either no word spoken of it, or else very few. These are my lords words. I wonder what obliviousness is come upon him, that he so cleaveth unto the Doctors, whom he affirmed before Frith. either to make no mention of it, or else very seldom. notwithstanding I will declare you somewhat of the Doctors, that you may the better know their meaning. To speak of the Doctors, & what their mind was in this matter, it were necessary to declare in what time they were, and what condition the world was in their days. S. Austin, Ambrose, & Jerome were in one time, even about iiij. hundred years after Christ, and yet before their time were there arisen infinite heretics by whole sects, as the Arrians, Sects of heretics. Domitian's, Eunomians, Vigilanttians, Pelagians, with infinite other, which had so swerved from the truth, and wrested the Scripture out of frame, that it was not possible for one man, not nor for one man's age to restore it again unto the true sense. Among these there were some which not only feigned a purgatory, but also doted so far, that they affirmed that every man were he never so vicious should be saved through that fire, and alleged for them the place of Paul 1 Corinthians 3 These holy doctors 1. Cor. 3. perceiving those great errors, thought it not best by and by to condemn all things indifferently: but to suffer and dissemble with the less, that they might weed out the opinions which were most noisome, as the Apostles granted unto the jews, that the Gentiles should keep some of Moses' law, Acts xv. that they Acts. 15. might the better come to their purpose to save the jews with the Gentiles. For if they had at the first utterly set of the law, than would the jews never have given any audience unto the Apostles. And even so S. Austen S. Austen. went wisely to work: First condemning by the Scripture that error which was most noisome, and written on this manner. Albeit some might be purged through fire, yet not such as the Apostle condemneth when he sayeth, that the people which so do, shall not possess the kingdom of heaven. And where they would have stuck unto Paul's text 1. Cor. 3. and affirm that they should be saved through fire, S. Austen answered, that Paul's text was understand of the spiritual fire, which is, temptation, affliction, tribulation etc. This written he in the 67. 68 of his Enchiridion, to subvert that gross error, that all should be saved through that fire of purgatory. Yet in the 69. he goeth a little near them and saith, that it may be doubted whether there be any such purgatory or not. He dared not yet openly condemn it, because he thought that men could not at that time bear it. But after in his book which he entitled, De vanitate huius soeculi, there doth he fully show his mind in these words: Scitote quòd cum anima a corpore S. Austen showeth what he thought of Purgatory avellitur, statim aut pro meritis bonis in Paradiso collocatur, aut pro merit is malis in inferni tartara praecipitatur. i Wot you well that when the soul is departed from the body, either it is by and by put into paradise according to his good deserts, or else it is thrust headlong into hell for his sins. Here he clean condemneth purgatory: for if this be done by and by assoon as the soul is departed from the body, then can there be no purgatory: and so maketh S. Austen wholly with us. Think you that S. Austen dissenteth from his companion S. Jerome, or from his own Master S. Ambrose? Saint Ambrose. Nay verily: Howbeit I will allege their own words, and then judge. SAint Ambrose dissenteth not from S. Austin, but doth stablish his sentence as fully as is possible: for he writeth in the second chapter of his book which is called De bono mortis, on this manner bringing in the words of David Psal. 39 Aduena ego sum in terra, & peregrinus sicut omnes patres S. Ambrose showeth his opinion of Purgatory. mei. Et ideo tanquam peregrinus ad illam sanctorum communem omnium patriam festinabat. Petens pro huius commorationis inquinamento remitti sibi peccata, priusquam discederet de vita. Qui enim hîc non acceperit remissionem peccatorum illic non erit. Non erit autem, quia ad vitam aeternam non potuerit pervenire, quia vita aeterna remissio peccatorum est. Ideoque dicit, remit mihi ut refrigerer priusquam abeam. etc. that is, I am a stranger and a pilgrim in the earth as all my fathers have been. And therefore as a pilgrim he hasted unto the common country of all saints, requiring for the filthiness that he had received in this bodily mansion, that his sins might be forgiven him before he departed from this life. For he that here hath not received forgiveness of his sins, shall not be there. He shall not surely be there, for he can not come unto everlasting life, for everlasting life is the forgiveness of sins. And therefore he saith, forgive me that I may be cooled before I departed. Here may you evidently perceive, that S. Ambrose known not of purgatory, nor of any forgiveness that should be after this life: But plainly affirmeth that he that receiveth not forgiveness of his sins here (that is, in this life) shall never come in heaven. And for a more vehement affirmation he dubleth his own words saying: He that here hath not received forgiveness of his sins, he shall not be there, he shall not surely be there. He means that he shall never come to Heaven, which here hath not his remission. SAint Hieromes mind may soon be Saint Jerome. Eccle. 9 gathered by his exposition of the ix. chapter of Ecclesiastes upon this text: The dead have no part in this world, nor in any work that is done under the Sun. There addeth All suffrages prayers & good deeds done for the dead are in vain. saint Jerome, that the dead can add nothing unto that which they have taken with them out of this life, for they can neither do good nor sin, neither can they increase in virtue or vice. Albeit (saith he) some will contrary this exposition, affirming also that we may increase & decrease after death. Here are three things to be noted: first, that the Text saith, that the dead are not partakers of any work that is 1. done under the sun. And there may you see that all suffrages, offerings, and diriges for the dead are in vain, and profit them not, for they are partakers of nothing under the sun. Secondarily, you may see S. Hieromes 2. own mind, that the dead can neither do good nor evil, neither increase The dead can neither do good or evil, nor increase in virtue. in virtue nor vice. And so is purgatory put out: for if they can do no good, what should they do in purgatory? And again, if they can not increase in virtue, they be like to lie long in purgatory. Peradventure some man would think that they do no good, but only that they suffer good. To that I answer that he that suffereth good, doth good: for if a man should suffer his body to be burned for the faith of Christ, would you not say that he did a good deed? and yet doth he but suffer. Thirdly you may note, that S. Jerome 3 was not ignorant that certain (as they which did fain purgatory) would deny his exposition, and say that we might increase and decrease in virtue and vice after death, yet notwithstanding he held his sentence condemning their opinion, which thing he would not have done (specially sith he known that he should have adversaries for it) except he had been sure that his sentence was right. See I pray you how that not only scripture, but even their own doctoures condemn this fantastical purgatory: and yet my lords are not ashamed to say that all make for them. Nevertheless, I will go further with him. Be it in case that all the Doctors did affirm purgatory, as they do not: what were my Lord The sayings of the Doctors are no farther to be credited than they agreed with that scripture. the nearer his purpose? Verily not one jot: for the authority of doctors by my lords own confession extendeth no further, but is only to be admitted whilst they confirm their words by Scripture, or else by some probable reason. For my Lord writeth on this manner, Article xxxvij. The Pope hath not so allowed the Rochester. whole doctrine of S. Thomas, that men should believe every point he written were true. Neither hath the church so approved either S. Austin or S. Jerome, nor any other author's doctrine, but that in some places we may descent from them: The doctors have erred in many things. for they in many places have openly declared themselves to be men; and many times to have erred. These are my lords own words. Now sith the doctors sometime err, and in certain places are not to be admitted (as he granteth himself) how should we know when to approve them, and when to deny them? If we should hung on the Doctoures authority, then should we as well allow the untruth, as the truth, sith he affirmeth both. Therefore we must have a judge to discern between truth and falsehood. And who should that be? the pope? Nay verily: for he being a man (as well as the Doctors were) may err as they did, and so shall we ever be uncertain. Our judge therefore must not be partial flexible, nor ignorant (and so are all natural men excluded:) but he must be inalterable, even searching the bottom & ground of all thing. Who must that be? Verily The word of God is the touchstone & trieth all of all doctrine. the scripture and word of God, which was given by his Son, confirmed and sealed by the holy Ghost, and testified by miracles and blood of all martyrs. This word is the judge that must examine the matter, the perfect touchstone that trieth all thing, and day that discloseth all juggling mists. If the doctors say any thing not dissonant from this word, than it is to be admitted and held for truth. But if any of their doctrine discord from it, it is to be abhorred, and held accursed. To this full well agreeth S. Austen S. Austin which writeth unto S. Jerome on this wise: Dear brother, I think that you will not have your books reputed like unto the works of the Prophets and Apostles: for I (the Scripture reserved) do read all other men's works on that manner, that I S. Austen read old authors, and would also have all men read his works. do not believe them because the author so saith, be he never so well learned and holy, except that he can certify me by the Scripture or clear reason that he saith true. And even so would I that other men should read my books, as I read there's. These are S. Austin's words. And thus have I proved both by S. Austen and also by my Lords own words, that no man is bond to believe the Doctors, except they can be proved true either by Scripture or good reason not repugnant to Scripture. Therefore let us see what Scripture or good reason my Lord bringeth to approve his doctors withal. For else they can not help him (as we have declared both by S. Austen & my Lords own confession,) although they all made with him, as they do not. First he bringeth in the sin against the holy ghost. Math. 12. And Paul. 1. Cor. 3. And. 1. john. 5. And Apoca. 5. which texts I pass over because I have answered unto them before in the second book, against M. More. THe first reason that my Lord hath which is not before soluted (for as I said the reasons that are already dissolved will I now overhyp) is this which he groundeth on divers Scriptures. Of the souls that are departed, some are all ready damned in Rochester. Luc. 16. hell, and some are all ready in heaven. And to prove this true, he allegeth the parable of the rich man. Luke xv. I am sure my Lord is not so ignorant as to say that a parable proveth any thing. But the right use of a parable is this, to expound an hard text Parables in that scripture prove nothing, but only open and expound dark and hard things. or point, that was before touched & could not enter into every man's capacity. Neither are all things like which are spoken in a similitude, neither yet all things true that are touched in a parable: but we must consider the thing wherefore they be spoken, and apply them only to that they are spoken for, and let the residue go: as William Tyndall hath well declared unto you in the parable of wicked Mammon. This parable is very hard to be expounded. The cause is this, no man can well espy by the text for what purpose it was spoken. But this should seem to be the cause, that there were many of the Phariseis & other multitude which would not believe the preaching of Christ although he confirmed his words with the authority of Moses and the Prophets, but they were curious and some deal fantastical and therefore would they not believe his words except some apparitions had been made unto them that they might have been assured by them that were before dead, that his words were true. Unto such it is like that he speaketh this parable, plainly concluding that they should have no such apparitions of the dead, and also that it was not necessary: but that they had Moses By Moses and the prophets is meant the old Testament. & the Prophets, to whom if they would give no credence, then should they not believe although one of the dead should rise again & tell it them. Notwithstanding let me grant it him, that some are all ready in hell and some in heaven (which thing he shall never be able to prove by the Scripture, yea and which plainly destroyeth the resurrection and taketh away the arguments wherewith Christ and Paul do prove that we shall rise) yet I say let me grant it him to see how he will conclude. What followeth on that? Neither it is credible (saith he) Rochester. that all which are cast into hell should straight way go to heaven, therefore must we put a purgatory where they may be purged. I answer: All that live are faithful Frith. or unfaithful. If he be unfaithful There is but two. places after this life, that is, heaven and hell. then is he damned. john. 3. If he believe then is he not condemned, but is go from death to life. john. 3. 5. The righteous man when he dieth shall rest in peace. Sapi. 3 And every faithful man is righteous before God, as that whole Epistle, to the Romans proveth: Ergo, than every faithful man shall rest in peace and be tormented in the pains of Purgatory. And as touching this point where they rest, I dare be bold to say that they are in the hand of God and that God would that we should be ignorant where they be, and not to take upon us to determine the matter. Peradventure you would inquire of me (sith the parable saith that Lazarus Abraham's bosom, what it signifieth. rested in Abraham's bosom) what Abraham's bosom is? To that would I answer that Abraham's bosom were nothing else then Abraham's faith. For all we are called the children of Abraham because of his perfit faith which we aught to follow. In this faith are many and in a manner infinite degrees: notwithstanding if it be no greater than a mustard seed that is to say very small, yet shall it save us. He that departeth in this faith rests in peace, and waiteth for the last day when God shall give unto his faithful, that is, to his elect (for only are the elect faithful & the faithful elect) the crown of his glory The elect are faithful & the faithful are elect which he hath prepared for them that love him. This crown doth Paul say that he shall receive it in that day. 2. Timo. 4. that is in the day of judgement. And in the mean season God hath so provided for us, that they shall wait until the number of their brethren which daily suffer and shall suffer for Christ, be wholly fulfilled, and so shall they not be made perfit without us. Hebr. xj. If my Lord will understand by Abraham's bosom heaven, I will not be contentious, let the Christian judge which sentence seemeth most true. But this is once a Abraham's bosom can prove no purgatory. clear case that of this he can prove no Purgatory. For the unfaithful are all ready damned, and the faithful rest in peace, let him call that what he will, whether to rest in heaven or to rest in their faith until the last day. For I am sure there is no man so mad To rest in peace is not to lie in torments. as to say, that to rest in peace should signify to lie in the pains of Purgatory. Furthermore, this text shall rather make sore against him than any thing with him. For Lazarus while he was living was not without sin, nor no man else. 1. john. 1. so that no 1. john. 1. man as long as he hath breath in his body can say that he is without sin, for than should he make S. john a liar. And yet was not Lazarus carried into purgatory to be purged of his sins which were remaining in his body the hour of his death: wherefore A good conclusion against purgatory. I may conclude that there is no such Purgatory. For God is as just unto him as unto us, and therefore would he purge him as well as us, & again he is as merciful unto us as unto him, and will as well forgive us as him, without broiling on that coals in purgatory: for his justice and mercy are ever one and not alterable. But our perfit purgation is the pure blood of Christ which washeth away the sin of the world. And albeit we ever have the remnauntes and dregs Christ's death hath ouercom●● our death, & turned it into life. of sin, and rebellion of our members as long as we have life, yet are they wholly finished in death: for of such efficacity is Christ's death, that it hath turned the death of his faithful (which was laid upon us as the pain of sin) into a medicine against sin which fully cureth it and maketh an end of it, as it was well figured in Golias that was slain with his own sword. ANd where as my Lord bringeth Rochester. Math. 12. for his purpose. Math. xii. that men shall give accounts of every idle word. I have soluted that before against Frith. M. More, that I think he shall say himself that he is answered. For if men shall give a reckoning for them on the day of doom (as the text saith) that should rather argue that there were no Purgatory wherein those sins should be purged, for if they had been purged before of them, than should they not give an account for them. And if it proved If there be any purgatory it must be after doomsday, for before there can be none. any thing at all, it should prove that there were a Purgatory after doomsday which no man was ever so foolish as to grant. But the true understanding of this text is this. There are two kinds of men one faithful, the other unfaithful. The faithful through their faith in Christ's blood are all ready fully Faithful. purged in their heart, and their rebellious members through death are wholly subdued. These men shall give no reckoning, neither of idle word, nor evil deed: for all their sins are covered of Christ, and his blood shall give the whole accounts for them. The unfaithful to their utter confusion shall have the book of their conscience Unfaithful. opened, and there shall be presented before them all their evil deeds, words, and thoughts. And these are they that Christ speaketh of which shall give this great account. Note also that in the text they are called men, which word in Scripture is Men. ever for the most part taken in the worst sense, and signifieth wicked men, fleshly men, and men that follow their own lusts and appetites. THen confirmeth he purgatory out of the 66. Psalm, which saith: Rochester. Psal. 66. we have go through fire and water and thou hast brought us into colenesse. I am sure you have not forgotten that M. Moore allegeth the Frith. Zacharie. 9 Prophet Zachary in the ix. and affirmeth that th●re is no water in Purgatory. It were hard to make these Rochester & Moore agreed not, two agree, for when men ground them on a lie, then for the most part their tales and probations are contrary and will not well stand together. Nevertheless in one point they agree full well, that is, both of them say untruly: for neither nother text serveth any whit for Purgatory. And as concerning the place of Zachary: it is sufficiently declared what it means. And now will I also declare you the under standing of this text, and first that it can not serve for purgatory. I beseech you that have the psalter once to read the Psalm & I think you shall wonder at their do●yng dreams and ignorance which allege this text for Purgatory. The text of the Psalm is this: A true interpretation of the 66. Psalm. Thou hast brought us into a strait & laden our backs with trouble or heaviness. Thou hast set men upon our heads, we have go through fire & water and thou hast led us out again into a place of refreshing. The texts before and after in the same Psalm will not suffer that this place should be understand of Purgatory. For the text immediately before saith, thou hast set men upon our heads. But the chiefest defenders of Purgatory (and even M. More himself) say that they are not men, but devils which torment the souls in Purgatory, notwithstanding my Lord of Rochester More and Rochester cannot agreed (good man) affirmeth that they are angels which torment the souls there: but never man doted so far as to say that men torment the souls in Purgatory, wherefore I may conclude that this text is not meant of purgatory, but that the Prophet meant that men ran over the children of Israel & subdued them, and wrapped them in extreme troubles which in the Scripture are signified by fire and water. Besides that the texts following will not admit that this should be understand of Purgatory for it followeth immediately, I will enter into thy house with ●urt offerings, I shall offer unto thee fat sacrifices with the reek of wethers I shall burn to the Oxen & Goats. Now is there no man so mad as to think that the souls of Purgatory Souls in purgatory cannot offer Oxen nor goats in sacrifice. should offer unto God any such sacrifices. So that the text is plainly understand of the children of Israel, which through the Lord were delivered from their afflictions and enemies & then offered their loyal sacrifices of praise and thanks to the Lord their shield and protection. Now flieth my Lord unto the Church & saith, that because the Rochester. Church hath affirmed it we must needs believe it, for the Church can not err. As touching this point I Frith. will refer you unto a work that William Tyndal hath written against M. More wherein you shall well perceive what the Church of Christ is, & that The church saith Rochester, meaning the pope's church can not err. his Church never determined any such thing. But that it is the synagogue of Satan that maketh articles of the faith & bindeth men's consciences further than the Scripture will. THen waxeth his Lordship somewhat hot against Martin Luther, because he would that no man should be compelled to believe Purgatory. For my Lord saith that it is profitable and well done to compel men to believe such things whether they will or will not. And to stablish his opinion he plucketh out a word of the parable of Luke. xiv. that Luke. 14. a certain man made a great supper, and said unto his servants, go forth quickly into the ways and compel them to enter in. Verily there Christ meant no other Frith. thing, but that his Apostles should go forth into all the world and preach his The parable of Luke 14. truly interpreted. word unto all nations, opening unto them the miserable state and condition that they be in, and again what mercy God hath showed them in his son Christ. This would Christ that his Apostles should expound and lay out so evidently, by reasons, Scriptures, and miracles unto the Gentiles, that they should even by their manifest persuasions be compelled to grant unto them that he was Christ, and to take upon them the faith that is in Christ. On this manner did Christ compel the How men should be compelled to believe. Saducees to grant the resurrection. Math. xxij. And by these means compelled he the Phariseis to grant in their consciences that he did his miracles with the power of God, & yet afterward of very hate knowing in their hearts the contrary, they said the he did them by the power of the devil. Math. xii. But to say that Christ Christ was meek and gentle and no tyrannous school master. would have his Disciples to compel men with prisonment, fetters, scourging, sword and fire is very false and far from the mildness of a Christian spirit, although my Lord approve it never so much. For Christ did forbid his Disciples such tyranny, yea and rebuked them because they would have desired that fire should descend from heaven to consume the Samaritans which would not receive Christ. Luke ix. But he commanded them that if Luke. 9 men would not receive their doctrine, they should depart from thence and sprinkle of the dust of their feet to be a testimony against the unfaithful that they had been there & preached unto them the word of life: But with violence will God have no man compelled unto his law. Paul also testifieth. 2. Cor. 1. that he had not rule over Paul saith he had no power over their faith. the Corinthians as touching their faith. By our faith we stand in the Lord, & by our infidelity we fall from him. As no man can search the heart but only God, so can no man judge or order our faith but only God through his holy spirit. Furthermore faith is a gift of God, which he distributeth at his own pleasure. 1. Cor. 12. If he give 1. Cor. 12. it not this day, he may give it to morrow. And if thou perceive by any exterior work that thy neighbour have it not, instruct him with God's word, and pray God to give him grace to believe: that is rather a point of a christian man, then to compel a man by death or exterior violence. Finally, what doth thy compulsion Faith is not procured by violence, but is the mere & only of gift of God and violence? Verily nothing but make a stark hypocrites: for no man can compel the heart to believe a thing except it see evidence and sufficient proof. I have herd tell of a boy which was present at his father's burning for his belief, and assoon as the officers had espied the boy, they said each to other, Let us take him and examine him also, peradventure we shall find him as great an heretic as his father. When the boy see that his father was dead, and that the catchpoles began to snatch at him, he was sore dismayed, and thought that he should dye to. And when one of them opposed him, ask him how he believed, he answered, Master I believe even as it pleaseth you. Even so by torments and crafty handling a man may be compelled to say that he believeth the thing which he neither thinketh, nor yet can believe: for Fear maketh faith no faith at all. a man's faith is not in his own power. But how doth God accept this thing, to say that I believe that which indeed I believe not? Verily he utterly condemneth it, whether the opinion be true or false. For if the opinion be true (as by example, that the faith in Christ's blood justifieth me before God) and I confess it before all the bishops in England with my mouth, and believe it not with mine heart, then am I nothing the better, (for I should have no part of Christ's blood) but I am much the worse. For first God condemneth me, which judgeth me after mine heart, and also mine own heart condemneth me, because I have openly granted that mine heart denieth. And contrariwise, if I should believe this fully in mine heart, and yet Faith is first the gift of God and proceedeth from the heart, which may not be compelled. for fear of persecution should deny it when I were examined openly of my faith, then shall I be condemned of God (except A repent,) and also mine own heart shall be a witness to condemn me. And so it is very noisome & ungodly to be compelled unto any thing: for God ever searcheth the heart which can not be compelled. But my Lord objecteth writing upon Rochester. the xviij. article saying: If a man take away purgatory, for what intent shall we need any pardons? As long (saith he) as no man regarded purgatory, there was no man that sought any pardon: for all the estimation of pardons hangs Pardons. thereof, so that we shall have Rochester saith herein very truly and yet was not ware of it. no need of them, if there be no purgatory. Verily I care not though I grant him that to. And I think that movy was the mother of them both. For out of the scripture shall he be able to prove neither nother. But Mammon is a great god, even of power enough to innent such knacks, yea and to make them articles of the faith, and to burn those Purgatory and pardons have been goodly merchandise for the clergy. that can not believe them. And it was a preaty practise to make such points articles of the faith. For after that our holy fathers had given up preaching, and would take no more pains, neither serve their brethren any more, than set they up such articles of the faith, as should bring in money to uphold their estate withal. And he that would not believe them, rid him out of the way for fear of disclosing their juggling: for he that doubteth of pardons and purgatory, he plucketh our holy father by the beard. NOtwithstanding my lord confirmeth Rochester. both pardons and purgatory, by the text that Christ spoke unto Peter, Math. 16. To the will I give the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou bindest upon the earth, it shall be bond in heaven, and whatsoever thou losest on the earth it shall be loosed in heaven. But these words (saith my lord) had been spoken in vain if he could not give pardons, and loose men out of purgatory. etc. As touching the keys, albeit they Frith. have oftentimes been declared, and in manner in every treatise that hath been put forth in the english tongue, yet will I somewhat show my mind in them. There is but one kaye of heaven, which Christ calleth the kaye of knowledge. Luc. 11. And this key The keys Luke. 11. is the word of God. Christ rebuked the law givers for taking away this The key of knowledge is the word of God. key from the people: for they with their traditions, and false expositions had fully excluded the kaye of knowledge which is the word of God, and had clean shut up the Scripture, as ours have done now a days. It is also called the kaye of David, which shutteth, and no man openeth: openeth, Apoc. 3 and no man shutteth. Apoc. 3 And because of these two effects which it worketh (for it both shutteth and openeth) hath it the nomination of keys, and yet (as I said) indeed it is but one, which is the word of God. This key or keys (now call it as you will sith you know what it means) Christ delivered unto Peter, and unto his other Apostles a like, which you shall easily perceive if you mark where and when they were given. For Mat. 16. they were Math. 16. only promised, and not yet given: for Christ said, I will give thee the keys, and not, I give thee. But after he was risen from death, than performed he his promise, and gave the keys to all indifferently, as thou mayst see, joh. 20. And Luke cap. 24 john. 20. Luke. 24. How christ gave the keys to Peter and the rest of the Apostles. expoundeth it, that he opened their wits to understand the Scripture, that repentance and forgiveness might be preached. etc. Therefore it is the word that bindeth and loseth through the preaching of it. For when thou tellest them their vices and iniquities condemning them, by the law than bindest thou them by the word of God: And when thou preachest mercy in Christ unto all that repent, To open, & to shut, to bind & to loose, what it is. than dost thou lose them by the word of God. Therefore he that preacheth not the word of God, can neither bind nor loose, not though he call himself pope. And contrariwise, he that preacheth his word, he bindeth and loseth as well as Peter and Paul, although he be called but Sir john of the country. And consequently, to say that the pope can deliver any soul out of purgatory (if there were one) is but a vain lie, except he can prove that he goeth down unto them, and The pope can deliver no soul out of purgatory, except he first go thither, & preach unto them. preacheth unto them the word of God (which is the salt that must season them, and key that must let them out) for other losing there is none. And likewise, to say that the Pope can give any pardon to redeem sins, except he preach me that Christ's blood hath pardoned me, is even like vanity. Me thinketh also that he wadeth to deep to descend to purgatory by this text. For the text says, that what soever he bindeth on earth, shall be Math. 16. bond in heaven, and whatsoever he loseth on earth, etc. But now they grant themselves, that purgatory is Purgatory is not on earth, but as Rochester saith is the third place in hell. not on earth, but the third place in hell: And therefore it passeth his bonds to stretch his hand to purgatory: and so this text can not serve him. NOtwithstanding my lord is not content to give him this power only, but he hath so far waded in the pope's power, that he hath granted him full authority to deliver all men from hell, if they be not damned already: For (saith he) whosoever hath committed a capital crime, Rochester. hath thereby deserved damnation: Rochester is in this place far beside himself. and yet may the Pope deliver him both from the crime, and also from the pain due unto it. And he affirmeth that three times in the xxj. article for fear of forgetting. Upon this point will I a little reason Frith. with my Lord, and so will I make an end. If the Pope may deliver any man from the crime that he hath committed & also from the pain due unto it, as you affirm, then may he by the same authority deliver. xx. an hundred, a thousand, yea & all the world: for I am sure you can show me no reason why he may deliver some and not all. If he can do it, then let him deliver A plain declaration of the pope's tyranny. every man that is in the point of death both from the crime and from the pain, & so shall never man more neither enter into hell nor yet into Purgatory: which were the best deed & most charitablest that ever he did, yea & this aught he to do (if he could) although it should cost him his own life and soul thereto (as Moses and Exod. 〈◊〉. Roma 9 Paul give him example) but yet there is no jeopardy of neither other. Now if he can do it (as you say) and will not, then is he the most wretched & cruel tyrant that ever lived, even the very son of perdition and worthy to be damned in an hundred thousand hells. For if he have received such The Pope a proud shameless & tyrannous Antichrist. power of God that he may save all men & yet will not, but suffer so many to be damned, I report me unto yourselves what he is worthy to have? Now if any man would solute this reason and say that he may do it, but that it is not meet for him to do it, because that by their pains God's justice may be satisfied: I say that this their evasion is nothing worth, neither yet can I imagine any way whereby they may have any appearance to escape. For my Lord saith himself that the Pope must pacify God's justice for every soul that he delivereth from Purgatory, and therefore A blasphemous pope & the devils vicar. hath he imagined that the Pope hath in his hand the merits of Christ's passion which he may apply at his pleasure where he will. And also he saith that the merits of Christ's passion are sufficient to redeem all the sins in the world. Now sith these merits on their part are sufficient to satisfy the justice of God and redeem the whole world, & also that the pope hath them in his hand to distribute at his pleasure, then lacketh there no more but even the Pope's distribution unto the the salvation of the world. For he may pacify God's wrath and satisfy his justice (saith my Lord) by applying these merits to them that lack good works. And so if the pope will, God's justice may be fully satisfied & the whole world saved. Now if he may so justly & easily save the whole world (charity also moving him unto it) and yet will not apply these merits The pope is the son of perdition worthy of more pain than can be imagined, if Rochester's doctrine be true. so fruitfully, then is the fault only his, and he the son of perdition and worthy more pain than can be imagined. And so is not the reason improved but much more established, and as I think inevitable. Behold I pray you whether my Lord of Rochester hath brought our holy father in advancing his power so high, even into that deepest pit of hell. which (if my Lord said true) it is impossible for him to avoid. But it chanceth unto him even as it doth customably where such pride reigneth: for when they are at the highest, then fall they down headlong unto their utter confusion and ruin. If any man feel himself grieved, and not yet fully satisfied in this matter, let him writ his mind, and by God's grace I shall make him an answer, and that with speed. Pray christian Reader that the word of God may increase. Amen. ¶ An other book against Rastell, named the subsidy or bulwark to his first book, made by john Frithe prisoner in the Tower. IT needeth not Christen reader (I think) now that thou hast overread and diligently pondered in thy inward senses that the treatise of john Frith, wherein he confuteth all the reason which Rastel, More, and Rochester, made for the maintenance and upholding of the bitter pains of purgatory: to commend unto thee this brief work following, named a subsidy, A subsidy, defence, or bulwark. defence, or bulwark to the same. And much les needeth it to dehort thee from the vain & childish fear, which our forefathers have had of that place of purgatory, as their good works which at this day remain upon the earth founded for their thence deliverance, do testify. And forasmuch as thou art a Christian man, and reioysest in Christ, I dare boldly affirm for thee, that thou takest neither pleasure nor joy of that place, like as some people Much joy made for that finding of purgatory although it were to small purpose. do, which triumphed of late, and with much joy and clapping of hands sent tidings into all parts, that purgatory was found again: because they read in a book named the Institution of a Christian man, this word Purgatory. And yet have I not herded hitherto, that the self same people have showed any tokens of gladness, for God's word translated into english: so that to me they seem to rejoice more, to have the silly souls purged with punishments when they be departed, then to have them purged with the word of God while they be here. Who will think but as they have uttered their hearts concerning Purgatory with their tongues, even so say they in their stomachs, that their holy father the Pope (whom we may as justly call the Bishop of Rome, seeing Christ is divided into Peter & Paul. he is there the head of S. Peter's church: as we may call the head of S. Paul's church in London, Bishop of London) hath recovered again here in England his old authority, yea that he never yet lost, because they find in their churches copes, ropes, bells and beads, with other like holiness, and on themselves long gowns, shaven crowns, and fingers anointed with the holy oil of idleness. For who will say but that these holy relics declare the bishop of Rome as clerkly as this word purgatory proveth a place to be where souls after the departure from their bodies suffer pains and punishments. Doth not this preaty pageant of purgatory signify and prognosticate what Tragedy they will play hereafter, when the word of God shall blow and scatter from the face of the earth, the dark clouds and mists of men's inventions, and shall scour away that rust of fleshly understanding of the scriptures in other things likewise as it hath done in this, if aught may be found in that book wherewith they may resist? that such things may be picked out of it, the fruit which commonly hath come of all counsels, convocations, and synods since the Apostles time (very few excepted) causeth me somewhat to fear: for if a man weigh the good with the bad that hath sprung from them, he will perchance think that the lay people of all estates may well and justly say, farewell the one with the other: and no marvel, for they have not been all the children of one father that have been in counsels, as they have not been all sheep that have go in sheeps clothing: and often times the greater part overcometh the better. Which things gathered by experience and by reading, causeth me oftentimes to wish, that they which would be counted sincere and true ministers of the Gospel, either might and would clean abstain from such counsels, that they have no part in them, or else that they would give no more place to the fruits of infidelity (I mean man's inventions and carnal interpretations which the faith in Christ never begat) then S. Paul gave to Peter his colleague, when he left the table of the Gentiles and went to the jews, which fact of Peter in my judgement Paul might more conveniently have approved, seeing Peter did it to the intent he would not offend his weak brethren the jews with his eating: then the true and sincere ministers of Christ in the Gospel may wink at many things used in these days among the disciples of the Gospel: much less may they approve than with the fashion of their own living, and confirm them with the authority of a Counsel, and with preaching they say it is not time to speak against them: yet is it time to leave them, and no longer to seem to allow them, unless they intend always to walk in them. Had the author of this book looked after a time, as some do, he had not written against purgatory when he did. I fear me some maintain blindness more with their simulation, than they open the light with their preaching. But this have I spoken (good Reader) besides my purpose, which was none other then to admonish the Rochester More, and Rastel, are all three defenders of one herely. that although Rochester, More, and Rastell, have all three (as thou perceivest by reading this former treatise) stiffly defended one heresy, yet shouldst thou not have of all three, one judgement or opinion. More and Rochester were men of high dignity in this world, the one a Bishop, the other Chancellor of this noble realm of England, both ancient in years, of so great wit, and so More and 〈…〉 of 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉. singular erudition in all kind of learning, esteemed as well of themselves, as of many other, that no two like might in all this land be found: it was thought that for their dignity no man dared, for their years wit and learning no man was able to gay●●ayt them: wherefore they were persw●…d to be the most meet of all other to ●ake in hand the defence of the terrible pains of purgatory, either the very foundation, or else the chief building se● upon that foundation of the church of Rome. Rastell had nothing common with them. But only many years, and a wit sophistical, which he called natural reason. As Rastel was but an ●…rior to Rochester and Moore. appartayning to God's word, he acknowledged himself ignorant thereof: notwithstanding he had such opinion of his wit, that he thought he could as well prove purgatory by it, as the other two had done by the scriptures, wherein I think he was not deceived. And as these three people were not like, so took they the answer made to them not a like: More and Rochester More and Rochester thought foul ●…ne of john F●●th●● answer. thought foul scorn (see what the glory of this world, and high estimation of ourselves doth) that a young man of small reputation should take upon him so clean contrary to their opinion to writ against them, and (to be short) took the matter so grievously, that they could never be at quiet in their stomachs until they had drunken his blood. Rastell though he perceived his natural reason to be sore said to, yet was he not malicious, as the other were: and therefore written he again. Which work of Rastell came Rastel was not malicious, but gladly recognized his ignorance. to his hands, when he was prisoner in the Tower of London, where he made the answer following to the same: which answer after Rastel had read, he was well content to count his natural reason foolishness, and with hearty thanks given to God, become a child again, and sucked of the wisdom which cometh from above and saveth all that be nourished therewith: In the which he continued to his lives end with the honour and glory of God. To whom be praise for ever. Amen. ¶ Here followeth the Preface of this book. BRother Rastell I thank you that it hath pleased you to be so favourable unto me a poor prisoner, as to show me a copy of your book which you have written to confute my reasons and Scripture that I have alleged against Purgatory, for that hath caused me to make a subsidy defence and bulwark to my book, which by God's grace shallbe an occasion to open more light, although not to you, yet at the leastwise unto them whose hearts the prince of this world hath not blinded but 2. Cor. 4. that the light of the Gospel and glory of Christ may shine in them. And where as you writ and protest that you will bring no Scripture against me. But only rehearse my Scripture again which I have alleged unperfeitly and wound me with mine own darts, and will but even do as one that playeth at tens with an other tossing the ball again, I do very well admit your similitude. Notwithstanding you know right well that it is not enough for a man playing at tens to toss the ball again, but he john Frith seemeth that he could pla● well at ten●…e. must so toss it that the other take it not. For if the other smite it over again then is the game in as great ieoberdy as it was before, beside that he must take heed that he neither smite to short of the line not yet under, for than it is a loss and he had been better to let it go. And finally sometime a man smiteth over and thinketh all wone, and yet an ungracious post standeth in the way and maketh the ball to rebound back again over the cord & so loseth the game. And that will anger a man, and I assartayne you that you have tossed never a ball but you offend in one of these points, & yet besides that some time you play a touch of legerdemain and cast me a ball which when it cometh I perceive to be none of mine, and all the court shall judge the same. These points shallbe declared when we come to them and now I will answer in order. Rastell. IN your Prologue you assigned two causes of the making of your first book of purgatory with out alleging any texts of scripture for the proof thereof, which are the controversy of two sorts of people. One sort you Rastel allegeth two causes why he made his first book in the defence of purgatory. say be those that believe not in Christ, but deny Christ and his Scripture as be the Turks Paynimes and such other miscreauntes. another sort be they that believe in Christ & his scripture nor will deny no text of holy scripture, but yet they will construe expound and interpret these texts after their own wills and obstinate mind. etc. Now let us consider your foresaid causes & ponder whether your book have or may do any such good as you say pretended, & whether it have converted those sorts of people, or else be any thing likely to do such a fact. And first let us see what it profiteth that first sort which are infidels not believing in Christ nor his scripture. Our saviour Christ saith, he that believeth john. 3 john Frith answereth to Rastels two causes. is not damned, & john Baptist confirmeth the same saying: he that believeth in the son hath everlasting life, but he that believeth not in the son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth upon him. Here it is evident not by my exposition, but by the consent of all Christian men, that those infidels are damned, for what intent then should Rastell teach them that there is a Purgatory: without Christ there is no way but damnation, as scripture & all faithful men testify. Then would I know by what way he would persuade that there were a Purgatory (which should be away & a mean to salvation and not to damnation) for them which believe not in Christ. This Rastelles' first cause proved to be in vain. I am sure of (and I think Rastell be leaveth it also) that the infideles shall never come in it though there were one? This you may see that his first cause is very vain, and that if they did believe it they were in deed deceived. Now let us proceed unto the second sort of people (which believe in Christ and his scripture) and yet misconstrue it expounding it after their own wills. And let us see what fruit they take of this book & what it profiteth them & we shall find that it less serveth these men than the first: for if this men believe in Christ and in his Scripture, then is it not possible that they should receive or admit that thing which is against the Scripture both by the exposition of themselves & of all the world. For this is both against Scripture and all faithful men that there should be any way to health if we exclude Christ and his Scripture. And sith Purgatory is counted away to health, he that would go about to prove it (secluding Christ and Scripture) is against Scripture and all faithful men. Besides that if they be so obstinate that they will not receive the very Scripture but expound it after their own wills & wrist it after the same, then will they much less receive your book which is so plain against scripture, & therefore if you would think that they could be tamed by your book which notwithstanding so wresteth Scripture, then may I very well In apt and good example. liken you to him that hath a wild horse to tame which when he perceiveth that he can not hold him with a scoktishe snafle will yet labour to break him with a rooten twine thread: So that I can espy no manner of profit that can come of your book if you can allege no better causes than you yet show, but that it had been a great deal better unwritten. And brother Rastel where you say Frith answereth gently Rastels bitter taunts. that I advance & boast myself much more than becometh me, and that I detract and slander my neighbours, & that I provoke all men that read my book rather to vice then to virtue with such other things as you lay to my charge, I trust I shall declare my inconvenience and give you a sufficient answer. ¶ An answer to Rastels first chapter which reproveth me for boasting myself. IN the first chapter of this book Rastell Rastell. laboureth to prove that I am sore over seen in lauding & boasting myself & that I like myself so well that he is sure that other men do like me the less, and that he fears that God will therefore like me & favour me rather the worse than the better. Here he iuggeleth with me, and Frith. would make me believe that he tossed me mine own ball again, but when I behold it, I perceive it to be none of mine: for he hath cut out all that Frith meeteth here with a false ball. should make for me, so that he hath given it clean an other shape then ever I intended that it should have, as it appeareth by his writing which rehearseth my words in this manner. I am sure, there are many that Rastell. marvel that I being so young dare attempt to dispute this matter against these three people. But my words Frith. are these: I am sure that there are many that will much marvel, that I being so young and of so small learning dare dispute this matter. etc. Here Rastell leaveth out the words, (and of so small learning) for if he had put that in, he had bewrayed himself. For I think no man so mad as to say, that he which sayeth himself to be both young and of small learning, should praise and boast himself. Also immediately after the words Note here the modesty of john Frith. of his first allegation I say on this manner: And as touching my learning I must needs acknowledge (as the truth is) that it is very small, which I think is but a base boasting: and anon after I say, I would not that any man should admit my words or learning except they will stand with the scripture, and be approved thereby. Lay them to the touchstone, and try them with God's word, if they be found false and contrary, then damn them, and I also shall revoke them with all mine heart. etc. Finally, I exhorted them to read my book, not advertising who speaketh the words, but rather what is spoken: by which words you might well see, that I intended not to boast myself, and all this have I written, and be left it out even in the first page (as he calleth it) wherein he reporteth that I boast myself. Notwithstanding one thing doth Rastell. sore vex him, that I should recite the Epistle of S. Paul, whereby he says I would have men believe that I had the spirit of God, and think that though I be young that I see visions and espy the truth, and that mine elders have dreamt dreams and wandered in fantasies. This he recounteth to be a great Frith. boast, and that this one place should win him the field: whereunto I answer that indeed my words do not prove that thing which you seem No man aught to condemn, that which he hath not seen. so surely to gather of them: but my words do argue on this manner, that no man aught to condemn a thing before he read it, and then to give sentence, and because you seem ignorant in the matter, I shall declare it unto you, and how it standeth, It is a colour of Rhetoric, and is called Auantopodosis, that is to say, An answer to an objection that a man might have here made, on this manner: thou grantest thyself young and of so small learning, dost thou then think that we shall once read or regard thy book, specially sith it is written against ancient men both of great wit & dignity? To these two points I answer preventing their objection, that they should not despise it because of my youth: for as the spirit of God is bond to no place, even so is he not addict to any age or person, but enspyreth where he will, & when he will, and bring in for an example God inspireth youth aswell as age. that he enspyred young Timothy proving thereby, that the youth of itself is not to be despised, but according to the learning which it bringeth, and that therefore they may not despise my youth, but first read what doctrine I bring, and thereafter to judge it. Not more in this I prove not, that I am enspyred, and have the spirit of God as Timothy had, but only prove that God may inspire youth, as he did Tymothe, and that therefore you aught first to read before you condemn: for you know not who is enspyred, and who not, until you have read their works, or seen their facts. Thus you may see that my words define not, that all youth is inspired, although some may be: but I exhort 〈◊〉. Thess. 1. that no man despise prophecies, but prove all, and approve that is good. And to make the matter more plain I shall bring you an example out of Paul to the Hebrues, which Hebr. 13. exhorteth them to hospitality, for by that some men unwares have received Angels to harbour, be not therefore unmindful of it. Here Paul exhorteth you to hospitality, and showing you that by those means some men have received angels into their house, he would not have you think that all the gests that you shall receive shall be angels, but some shall be lewd losels. And likewise I in exhorting you to read my book, and not despising my youth, because that sometime God enspireth the young, would not have you think that the books made of young men (which you shall receive) shall be wholesome doctrine, but some men be lewd and unfruitful, nevertheless even as if they received not those gests they should also put away angels if any came. So if you despise to read such books as be written by young men, you may also fortune to despise them which are written by the inspiration of Christ's spirit, and therefore you aught to read. But be it in case I had indeed praised Frith speaketh to cavillers. myself (as I have not) and that I had said that I had the Spirit of God, what inconvenience should follow thereof? would you thereof argue that my doctrine were false? If that were a good argument, than were Christ's Doctrine false, then were Paul a false prophet, and our faith nothing: for Christ said to the jews john 8. that he was the light of the world. And again he said, It is my Father that glorified me, whom you call your God. Now if it had been a sufficient A man may use godly & modest boasting. argument to condemn his doctrine because the world calleth it boasting, them should we have believed no truth at all. Besides that Paul seemeth not 2. Cor. 11. a little to boast himself, if men look on it with a carnal eye, for he saith, that he thinketh not himself inferior unto that hyest Apostles: and saith again, that if they glory to be the ministers of Christ (though he speak unwisely) he is more copious in labours, in stripes above measure, in prison more often, often at the point of death. etc. Should we for these words think that his doctrine were not right? Nayverely that doth not improve the doctrine, but that it may be good & wholesome for a man may boast himself & do well so he refer that praise to God from whom all goodness cometh: but be it in case that I should say that God of his mere mercy and for the love that he oweth me in Christ and his blood had given me his spirit This is a thankful, & godly boasting. that I might be to his laud & praise to whom be thanks for ever. Amen. would you think that this were so great a boasting that the doctrine should be impaired thereby? Ah blind guides I pray God give you the light of understanding, I beseech you brother Rastell be not discontent with me if I ask you one question, be you a Christian man or no? I am sure you will answer yes, then if I brought you the text of Paul which saith, he that hath not that spirit of God is none Roma. 8. of his, I pray you how will you avoid it, notwithstanding if you would avoid that text, yet will I lay an other block in the way that you shall not be able to remove, and that is the saying of Paul. 2. Corin. 13. Know you not 2. Cor. 13. yourselves that Christ is in you? except you be reprobate people, now how soever you would judge of yourselves, I think verily that I am no such & therefore whereas before I did not so writ. Now I certify you that Frith the faithful servant and true martyr of Christ. I am Christ's, conclude what you will, & the day shall come that you shall surely know that so it is, albeit in mean season I be reputed a laughing stoke in this world for I know in whom I trust and he can not deceive me. Then bringeth he against me that Rastell. I say we have been long secluded from the Scripture and also that our fore fathers have not had that light of God's word opened unto them. I marvel what Rastell means Frith. by bringing this for his purpose, for Rastell showeth himself to be very ignorant. I think it no boasting of myself, but if you think that it be untrue, I think he is very blind. For what Scripture hath the poor commons been admitted unto even till this day? It hath been hide and locked up in a strange tongue and from them that have attained the knowledge of that tongue hath it been locked with a thousand false gloss of Antichristes making and innumerable laws. And where I say our forefathers have not Frith showeth his meaning how that scripture was kept from our forefathers had the light of God's word opened unto them, I mean that they have not the Scripture in their own mother tongue, that they might have conferred these juggling mists with the light of God's word as the process of my words can testify which he hath holy left out, but I beseech the Christian reader once to read the place for my discharge and his confusion, you shall find it in the second leaf of my book. And now he allegeth against me that I should say this: judge Christian Rastell. reader what reasons Rastell hath brought and how he hath soluted them, for in my mind both his reasons and solutions are so childish and unsavoury, so unlearned and barren so full of faults and fantasies that I rather pity the man's deep ignorance and blindness which hath so deceived himself through Philosophy and natural reason, than I fear that he by his vain probations should allure any man to consent unto him. I think Rastell layeth not this against Frith. me, because I boast myself in these words: And verily as touching the truth of those words I will add thus much more unto than, that I never wist man that was counted wise which hath brought so slender reasons except he intended to destroy a thing which you seem to have build. And finally where as I exhort all men to judge and confer the Scriptures Rastell. which Sir Thomas More and my Lord of Rochester allege for their opinions and would have them to ponder their reasons and my Rastell cavileth. solutions unto them annexing these words I am sure that my small learning hath condemned their high eloquence, that my folly hath brought to naught their wisdom & that my youth hath disclosed their festered ignorance. There Rastell thinketh that I stand Frith. well in my own conceit and boast myself above the Moon because I touch M. Moore his kinsman: but let Rastell take this for an answer, if M. More would keep him within his own bonds that is with meddling of Moore would not be ignorant in any thing & therefore understood nothing as he should have understand, neither his duty to the prince, nor yet to God. worldly matters only, I would never compare with him, yet he must remember that a dauber may correct him in his own craft, but it is even as Socrates sayeth, when a man is wise in one thing then will he take upon him to define all things and be ignorant in nothing and so disdaineth the gift that he hath and proveth himself unwise. Furthermore I see no great praise that I here attribute unto myself: but confess my small learning, my folly, and my youth: nevertheless if he recount it a praise, because I say it hath condemned their high eloquence and their wisdom, and disclosed their ignorance, then let him also annex the words that I written saying. And it is even the old practice of God, to choose the foolish things of the world to confounded the wise, to choose the weak to confounded the mighty, A good conclusion made by john Frith against Rastels first chapter. and to choose the vile things which are of no reputation to confounded them of high degree, that no flesh might boast itself in his sight, to whom only be praise and thanks for ever. Amen. Where all men may see that I refer all praise to him which only is worthy: and so I may conclude, that you have not looked indifferently on my book. An answer unto Rastels second chapter, which improveth me for railing & dispraising others. IN the second chapter he rangeth Rastell. the field, and searcheth out with all diligence, what word I have spoken that might be taken in the worst sense, and calleth them railing, jesting, and scolding words: And because he would have me to be abhorred of the Reader, he allegeth not only these words that are spoken against himself, but also that are spoken against my lord of Rochester, and sir Thomas Moore, not that he intendeth to answer for them, or to defend their parties you may be sure, but only to leave nothing behind which should seem to make for him, like a noble orator, the words that he reproveth are these: There Rastell taketh his foundation Rastell. upon a stark lie, and there he maketh two lies: and there he maketh three lies. Here I would desire my brother Frith. Rastell to pardon me of a little ignorance, for surely I thought it had been no more offence to call a lie, a lie, then to call a sheep a sheep: notwithstanding sith he recounteth it to be railing, jesting, and scolding, I will hereafter temper myself, and change my words, and will say that when he lieth (that by his leave) he maketh a fitten. It angreth him when I say, that Rastell. Rastel hath lost his wit in purgatory, and therefore I will say so no more. Frith. But this I will affirm (be Rastell never so furious) that whosoever maketh such reasons and solutions, and counteth them good in earnest, that he hath no wit in his head, wheresoever he lost it: but if you would read Rastels first argument which I have set in my book in the twelve leaf, than you shall perceive whether I say the truth, or not. Also he aleageth that I should say, that Rastell. saying of Rastell is against scripture: but if you count that railing, and and would not have me say so much unto him, I will count the man somewhat Frith. stately: and this I ensure him, that if God suffer me to live, I will say so again, take it as he will. Also he reciteth as a great reproach Rastell. that I should say, I marueyll how our schoolmen may abide this fellow. And surely the same I say again, for Frith. he proveth both saint Thomas and them also fools & double fools, which if I should so do, would be counted heinous heresy. Then he rehearseth what I say of Rastell. M. Moore, and my L. of Rochester, and all to help his matter, that when I say, the small probations and slender reasons that those two witted men, Sir Thomas Moore, and my Lord of Rochester had brought to confirm purgatory, made my heart to yearn. What railing or jesting this is, let Frith. other men judge, but this I dare avow that I said the truth: for what should a man do or say, to see them so contrary in their tales. M. Moore sayeth, Rochester contrary to Moore, and Moore contrary to Rochester. that there is fire and no water in purgatory: and my lord of Rochester saith, that there is both fire and water. M. Moore saith, that the ministers of punishment are devils: and my lord of Rochester saith, that the ministers of punishment are angels. M. Moore saith, that both the grace & charity of them that lie in the pains of purgatory are increased: my lord of Rochester saith, the souls of purgatory obtain there neither more faith, nor grace, nor charity them they brought in with them. Now judge good Reader, whether I have railed, or said the truth, but all this doth Rastell leave out full craftily: he reciteth full diligently both the head and tail, but the middle which expoundeth the matter will he not let you see. He allegeth also against me, that Rastell. I say, M. Moore is sore deceived, and set on the sand even at the first brunt, and in the beginning of his voyage, and that I would wish M. Moore a little more wit. Even that I say again, and affirm Frith. it to be true, and is so evidently proved in the beginning of mine answer against M. More, that I need to say nothing, but only refer the reader unto the place. Also he improveth me for saying in Rastell. an other place, that M. Moore showeth him in one text twice ignorant, and that he is to buste, for he understandeth not the phrase of scripture. This and such other sayings he Frith. allegeth (which I pass over:) for I count it folly to spend paper and labour about the rehearsing of them, for if you read my book, you shall see all these points so plainly proved that he might be ashamed to make mention of them. This he counteth jesting, slandering, Rastell. and railing, saying that no reasonable man will think these points to be things belonging to virtue, but rather spices and branches Rastell is a bitter taunter. of pride, and that I show not myself therein charitable but rather malicious, nor no wisdom therein but rather ●olly, adding that if I had been half a year at two schools, that is to say, the school of discretion, and the school of charity, I should more have prospered in virtuous learning, than I have done in other schools this seven. year: and saith, that I have been at the schools of slandering, railing, and jesting. Dear brother, if it had been so, Frith. that I had spoken certain words in deed, which might have seemed in your eyes to be railing, detracting, and slandering (as I have not, saving a little jesting) would you disprove my doctrine thereby? What will you then say to S. john baptist which calleth Math. 3. the pharisies (than heads of the church, as are now our doctoures) generation of vipers? would you therefore conclude that his doctrines were nought? I think you be not so childish. And it seemeth this one sentence to be more railing, and slandering, than all that I have written. What will you say to Christ which called the scribes and pharisies hypocrites, Math. 15. 16. 22. And in the 13. he seemeth to rail above measure where he calleth them hypocrites, The reproving of the papistical hypocrites must not be called railing. and blind guides, painted sepulchres, which outwardly appear righteous, but within are full of hypocrisy, serpents, and generation of Vipers. Besides that he calleth Herode Fox. Luc. 13: and the jews Luc. 13. he called a froward and adulterous generation, Math. 12. 16: and in the 17. he saith, O unfaithful and overthwart nation: would you think it should excuse the jews which refused his doctrine to say that he railed, and that no reasonable man would think those things to be points, belonging to virtue, but rather spices and branches of pride and that he showed not himself charitable, but malicious, nor no wisdom therein but folly, would it excuse them to say (as you do to me) that if he had been one half year at school of discretion and charity, he should more have prospered in virtuous learning and that he had been at the schools of sclandering, railing and jesting. Finally S. Paul in your eyes might appear to rail and slander and to be clean destitute of God's spirit, which as Luke says replenished Luc. 13. with the holy Ghost said to Clemas that resisteth him. Acts. 13. O thou full of all subtlety & deceit thou son of the devil and enemy of all righteousness ceaseth not to pervert the rightwayes of the Lord I can bring many ●●o such sayings of Peter, john, james, and judas, and yet I think you will not improve their doctrine thereby but because I study to be short, I shall count it sufficient to have warned the reader of this. Notwithstanding peradventure Rastell will not yet be answered, but will say that albeit I have touched enough as concerning those things that appear railing and slandering in his eyes, yet I brought none that jest as I do, whereunto I may answer and allege for me Helias the The Prophets and Apostles were great reprovers of the ungodly and wicked. Prophet which both mocked the false Priests and jested with them, saying call loud unto your Gods for peradventure they are a sleep and can not here, or else they be go out of town. I cannot enough marvel that my brother Rastell would use such manner of reasoning with me as to improve my doctrine because of my railing and jesting. For there with he hath made a foul hole in his kinsman's best coat for every man perceiveth that M. Moore his books are so full of railing, jesting and bawdy tales, that if the furious Momus & Venus had take out their parts there should be very little left for Vulcanus. Rastell. After this Rastell dissenteth to the purpose of his matter & would prove that my expositions of Scripture are not good because they are an occasion to bring that people to boldness of sin and to move the people to delight in other men's faults, and to laugh thereat, and to put you an example: he saith, if I should take upon me the exposition of this text. In principio erat verbum & verbum erat apud deum etc. and expound it after this manner. As it is a fond exposition, so it is false metre. In the beginning of this year john Frith is a noble Clerk He killed a millstone with his spear Keep well your geese your dogs do bark. I trow saith Rastell all wise men would think that this were a fond exposition & yet this exposition would please children fools and mad men, as well as the exposition of S. Austen or S. Jerome or any other Doctor of the Church, because it would make them to laugh, so (saith Rastell) Frith maketh such expositions with jesting and railing to make the people laugh, not regarding to edify the people, nor to provoke them to virtue meekness or charity nor to leave their sin, but rather giveth them boldness & to believe that there is no Purgatory nor A sore and fond saying of Rastell. hell, but mocketh and jesteth at those reasons that be made for proof of Purgatory. Now as touching the first part, Firth. where he says that my expositions be an occasion to bring the people to boldness of sin, I ask him why? his answer is because I give them boldness that there is no Purgatory, nor yet hell, thereto Rastell by his leave (maketh a fitten) I dare not say he Frith is a good scholar & soon hath learned his lesson, he will say no more they lie, for that is bitter. maketh a lie for that he would call railing for I never denied hell, but affirm in many places of my book & even in the first side of mine answer against him I affirm hell, and perpetual damnation, but when you come to the proof of his words, than you shall see how wisely the man concludeth, for he thinketh that ab inferiori ad suum superius confuse distribue, men shall think it a good consequent as if I should say that we lack fire in prison, then would he conclude that there lacked fire in all Middlesex. Or if I would say their were no wit in Rastels' head then would he conclude that there were no wit in no man's head, but he hath so long studied Philosophy, that he hath clean forgotten his principals of Sophistry, notwithstanding we will forgive him this fault for the man is somewhat aged and therefore I think it is long since he read them, and that they are now out of his memory: nevertheless he will say that his argument is not soluted for although I deny not hell, yet I deny Purgatory, and so I give the people an occasion to sin, because they fear not Purgatory, whereunto I have so sufficiently answered in Rastels seven. argument that I wonder that he is not a shamed to bring the same again but he trusteth that my books shall never be read, and his may go surely abroad, and therefore he may say what he will only he careth not what he says so he hold not his peace. And where he reporteth that I Rastell. make expositions to make the people to delight to hear of other men's faults and to laugh thereat, thereto will I say nay, till he be at leisure to prove it, Frith. and where he saith, if he should take upon him to expound, In principio erat verbum in this manner. Rastell. In the beginning of this year john Frith is a noble Clerk He killed a millstone with his spear Keep well your geese the dogs do bark. Saying that all wise men would say that this were a fond exposition. Thereto I answer that, saying: Frith. for the rhyme & metre they might well say that a goose had made it for any I goose would have made better rhyme and meter than Rastell did. reason, that is therein, and yet as touching the metre, the second verse lacketh a foot, and is shorter than his fellows, but if you put out this word Frith, and put in this word Rastell for it, then shall his metre also be perfit, and that halting verse shall run merely with his fellows upon his right feet on this manner. In the beginning of this year john Rastell is a noble Clerk He killed a millstone with his spear Keep well your geese the dogs do bark. Thus I have amended his metre, Frith taketh pain to amend Rastels' metre, but not his reason. but as for the reason I leave it to himself to amend it at his leisure. In the end of his second chapter he saith that I intend with my expositions to bring the people to believe in four other great errors, whereof the first is that there is no hell, ordained for any that is of Christ's faith, although he do never so many sins but let us see how he proveth it. An Answer to Rastels third Chapter, which would prove that I deny hell. IT seemeth (saith Rastel) by the reasons Rastell. that Frith hath alleged that his intent is to bring the people in belief that there is no hell, for I allege in my answer to Rastels' dialogue the saying of S. Paul. Ephe. 1 Christ Ephe. 1 chose us in him before the beginning of the world, that we might be holy & without spot in his sight, and again Eph. 5. Christ loved his congregation Frithes answer to Rastels third chapter. and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify it in the fountain of water thorough the word to make it without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blame. And upon these texts I conclude, Frith. that if Christ have so purged us that we are without spot, wrinkle or blame in his sight, (as Paul testifieth) then will he never cast us into Purgatory. For what should be purged in them, that are without spot, wrinkle or blame. And then somewhat to declare the matter how we be sinners as long as we live, and yet without sin in the sight of God, add these words which I would that all men did well note, and because Rastell leaveth out the best of the matter, I will rehearse my own words again. Peradventure every man perceiveth not what this means that we are rightwise in his sight, seeing that every man is a sinner. 1. joh. 2. therefore I will briefly declare the meaning of the apostle. This is first a clear case, that there liveth no man upon the earth without sin, not withstanding all they that were choose in Christ before the foundation of How we are righteous in the sight of God, & yet ●…e sinners. the world were laid, are without spot of sin in the sight of God. Ephes. 1. so that they are both sinners, & rightwise if we consider the imperfection of our faith and charity, if we consider the conflict of the flesh and the spirit. Galath. 5. if we consider our rebellious members which are under sin. Rom. 7. then are we grievous sinners: and contrary wise, if we believe that of that merciful favour God gave his most dear son to redeem us from our sin, if we believe that he imputeth not our sins unto us, but that his wrath is pacified in Christ & his blood, if we believe that he hath freely given us his Christ, and with him all things, so that we be destitute of no gift. Rom. 8. then are we righteous Roma. 8. in his sight, and our conscience at peace with God, not thorough ourselves, but thorough our Lord jesus Christ. Ro. 5. So mayst thou perceive Roma. 5. that thou art a sinner in thyself, and yet art thou rightwise in Christ, for We are sinners in ourselves and yet righteous in Christ. thorough him is not thy sin imputed nor reckoned unto thee, & so are they to whom God imputeth not their sins, blessed rightwise without spot, wrinkle, or blame. Rom. 4. Psal. 31. Roma. 4. Psal. 31. And therefore will he never thrust them into purgatory, and for proof of this I allege (as Rastel beareth me witness) divers texts of S. Paul Eph. 2. Rom. 4. 5. 7. 8. but that notwithstanding Rastell. Rastel saith that I have not recited them sufficiently, for I have left out somewhat which I have rehearsed for the opening of the truth, and then bringeth in that S. Paul exhorteth and biddeth us we shall use no fornication, uncleanness, avarice, filth or foolish speeches, for such shall have no inheritance in the kingdom of heaven, and even so say I too, but judge good Fi●●h. reader, what is this to the purpose: for it neither maketh for purgatory, neither against it. This text I could have alleged if I had endeavoured myself that we should do good works (which I never known christian man deny) but else as touching my matter it is nothing to the purpose, and as well he might have improved me because I bring in no text to prove that that father of heaven is god, or to prove that which never man doubted of. Then he allegeth Paul Ro. u uj. Rastell. saying, though grace do reign thorough Christ, shall we therefore dwell in sin, nay God forbidden saith Paul, & even so say I again: he allegeth Rom. viii. that there is no damnation Rastell setteth a trap wherein he willbe taken himself. to them which be in Christ jesus if they live not after the flesh, and even so say I, but Rastell will say the contrary anon. Besides that he allegeth Rom. iij. we be freely justified by grace, by Christ's redemption to show his justice for the remission of sin done before (and yet saith Rastell) Paul saith that the law is not destroyed by faith but made stable, but this hath Frith left out of his book to 'cause the people to believe that they be clean purged by the blood of Christ only, and that there need no purgatory. By these words you may evidently Frith. perceive what Rastell means by this alleging of Paul, for the establishing of the law, verily that the work of the law should justify and The works of the law can not justify us. clean purge you from sin which is contrary to Paul and all scripture, for even in this same Chapter that he allegeth, Paul says: that of works of the law no flesh shallbe justified in his sight, and saith that the rightwiseness of God cometh by faith of jesus Christ unto all, and upon all that believe. But as touching good works, I will touch more hereafter. Furthermore Rastell saith, that if Rastell. my arguments could prove that there is no purgatory, it must follow Rastelles' blind argument. as well that there is no hell for us that be christian men though we continued still in sin: for if we be blessed with out spot, wrinkle, or blame, and that therefore he will not cast us into purgatory, than he will not cast us into hell whatsoever sin we do commit. Here Rastell uttereth his blindness Frith. unto you, and showeth you what understanding he hath in scripture: first he armeth himself with a false supposition, and yet thereupon he concludeth his argument falsely. His supposition is this, that all men which are baptised with material water are very Christian men and have the true faith, Note well this worthy & learned argument. and be those which Paul affirmeth to be without spot, blame, or wrinkle. But thereto I say nay, for even as the outward circumcision made not the jews the elect people and children of salvation, so doth not the outward baptism make us the faithful members of Christ: but as they were the children of God, which were inwardly circumcised, even so they that are washed inwardly from the concupiscens of this world, are the members of Christ, whom Paul affirmeth so to be purged through his blood. Again, you may know that Rastell knoweth none other faith but that which may stand with all manner of sin, but the faith which we speak of, is the same which worketh through charity, whereof Paul, speaketh Gal. 5. They that have this faith, are born of God and sin not, these Gallat. 5. 1. john 3 that have this faith do hope and look daily for deliverance out of this thraldom and body of sin: and in the mean season they purifyings themselves 1. john. 3. 〈◊〉. john. 2. as he is pure. For if a man will say that he knoweth Christ or believeth in him, and keepeth not his commandments, he is a liar, and we renounce him to be any of this number that we speak of. And when Rastell saith, I would conclude there is no hell for them that be Christian men, though they continued still in sin. I Frith. answer, he that committeth sin is of the devil, and I say again, that the Christian that we spoke of, which are the children of God cannot continued Such christian people as are the children of God, will not devil nor abide in sin●e, and so for them there is no hell. still in sin, but seek all means to fulfil God's commandments. Notwithstanding the christian which Rastel speaketh of which are the children of the devil, may do as they list: and indeed they had need to make a friend of Rastell to help them into his purgatory, if it be any better than hell: for they shall never come in heaven, except they repent and walk innocently Luke. 12. in this world, as Christ and his little flock have ever done: for they that walk otherwise are none of his, though they wear mitres. This little flock it is that are so The smaller number belong to Christ, and not the greater. purged (and not Rastels' multitude) and for this is there neither hell nor purgatory ordained, even as for the hope that continueth still in sin is ordained no heaven. And that there is no hell ordained for these faithful followers of Christ, I will prove even by this word of Paul which Rastel rehearsed before. Rom. 8. That there Rom. 8. is no damnation to them that be in Christ jesus, if they live not after the flesh. Here Rastell hath smitten the ball quite under the cord, and hath Here Rastel is taken in his own trap. alleged that, that shall condemn him. For if there be no damnation, but because you are somewhat slow in perceiving the matter, I shall reduce it into a Sillogismus on this manner: There is no damnation unto them Maior. that be in Christ jesus if they live not after the flesh, but after the spirit. Every hell is damnation. Ergo, there is no hell to them that be in Christ jesus Minor. if they live not after the flesh but after the spirit. This is in the first figure made by Relarent. not by any profit that I think that the poor commons can take by such babbling but only to satisfy your mind and pleasure. Notwithstanding one thing I must Rastel falsyfieth the scripture. put you in remembrance, that you have falsely translated the text for the text hath not that conditional although I was contented to take it at your hands to see what you could prove, but the text saith thus there is no damnation to them that are in Christ jesus, which walk not after the flesh but after the spirit: where Paul doth certify you that they which are in Christ jesus, walk not after the flesh but after 1. Cor. 8. Galath. 2. the spirit, so that you may gather by Paul that if they walk not after the spirit they are not in Christ jesus, that is to say: they are none of Christ's, although Rastell will call them christian men, therefore dear brethren look that no man deceive himself, for Christ is not that minister of sins. If we be delivered from sin through Roma. 6. 1. john. 2. Phil. 2. Pet. 1. Christ, then must we walk in a new conversation of our life, or else we are still in darkness. Remember that we have this precious treasure in frail, britell and earthy vessels, let us therefore with fear and trembling, work our health, and make stable our vocation and election, for if we retain the Roma. 1. truth & knowledge of God in sin and unrighteousness we shall shortly perceive the wrath of God upon us with infinite delusions, and the end of us shallbe worse than the beginning: awake therefore and understand your health. Now you may see how he concludeth that I establish this error, that there is no hell, for seeing mine arguments, There is no hell to those that are in christ jesus. and Paul Rom. viii. do conclude that there is no hell nor damnation to them that are in christ jesus, and are his faithful followers, he thinketh it should well follow that if there be no hell for them, that there is no hell for no man: for in his second chapter, and also in the beginning of the third, he saith that I deny hell, There is a ●…or such as fear not God nor 〈◊〉 his commandments. and when we come to his probation, there is nothing said but that which Paul confirmeth, that is, there is no damp●ton for them that are in christ jesus, which walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit, which are thorough christ without spot wrynkle or blame. And so though Rastel appear to himself to conclude like a sage Philosopher, yet I answer you he concludeth like an ignorant sophister as all men may see, for it followeth not: Paul and Fryth say there is no hell, as contrariwise it followeth not there As there is no heaven for good & evil, so there is▪ no hell for good and evil. is no heaven for Rastelles christian men which continue still in sin, Ergo there is no heaven for the devil their father, and yet is there heaven for christ and his elect. I have before declared how Chrystes elect are sinners and no sinners. And now because you should not mistake the tertes of S. john which I before alleged, I will show you how they do commit sin, which I did also fufficiently touch in my answer against Rastels' dialogue, even two leaves from the end, and yet I will touch it again, because you shall not think that I would not lead you in ignorance and darkness. There are two parts in a faithful There are two parts in man, that is. the outward man and the inward man. man, which rebel each against other, and are at continual strife, and both of them have divers names in serypture, the one is called the inward man, the heart, the mind, the will, and the sprite: the other is called the outward man, the rebellious members, the body of sin and the flesh, and these in a faithful man keep continual war, and albeit the one be subdued and taken prisoner of the other, yet never consenteth to his enemy, he can not leave him, neither will make peace with him, but will labour what he can, and will call for all that he thinketh will help him to be delivered from his enemy, and then warreth upon him a fresh, what time the faithful man is brought to the knowledge of God, and believeth in christ, and hath his will and mind renewed with the sprite of God that consenteth to the law of God, that is good, righteous and holy, and beginneth to love the law, and hath a will and a desire to fulfil the law of God, and not to despise his heavenly father, and look how much he loveth the law, counting it rightwise and holy. Even so much doth he hate sin which the How the inward man resisteth the assaults of the outward man. law forbiddeth and abhoreth it in his heart and inward man, and then albeit the outward man and rebellious members do at time besiege him and take him captive under sin, yet doth not the inward man consent that this sin is good and the law nought, which forbiddeth it, neither doth the heart delight in this same sin, neither can it delight in such sin, because the spirit of God testyfieth unto him that it is abominable in the sight of God, and then fighteth the inward man against the outward with faith, prayer, almose deeds and fasting, and laboureth The faithful man fears God's displeasure. to subdue the members, lamenting that he hath been overcome, because he fears to displease God his father, and desireth him for the blood of his son Christ, that he will forgive that which is past, and his diligence that he taketh in taming his members, is not recompense towards God for the sin that is paste, but to subdue the flesh that he sin no more, this rebellion had Paul. Rom. 7. saying, that he did not that good thing Roma. 7. which he would, but the evil which he hated, that he did, that is, he did not fulfil that good law of God, as his heart, will, and inward man desired, but did the evil as touching his flesh and outward man which he hated, and so he sinned with his outward man, then how is this true, that he that committeth sin is of the Devil, and he that is of God committeth no sin, was not Paul of God? yes verily, and all be it he committeth sin with his members & outward man, yet he sinned not, for he saith. If I do that thing that I hate, then How a man may commit sin, and yet sin not. is it not I that do it, but the sin that dwelleth in me, and even likewise the faithful followers of Christ commit no sin, for they hate it, and if they fortune to be entangled with sin, it is not they that do it (as Paul says) but the sin that dwelleth in them, which God hath left to exercise them, as he left that Philistians to exercise and nurture the children of Israel, and if the remnauntes of Sinneremaineth in our outward members, to exercise the inward man in resisting of sin. sin fortune at any time to look aloft and begin to reign, than he sendeth some cross of adversity or sickness to help to suppress them. And thus shall it be as long as we live, but when we be once dead, than our members rebel no more, and then needeth neither purgatory nor any other cross, for the outward man is turned into vanity, and our inward john. 15. man was ever pure thorough believing the word of God, and never consented to sin, and needeth nother purgatory in this world nor in the world to come, but only for subduing the outward man, and therefore after this life he shall never have any purgatory. Mark well what I say and read it again, for more shall read it then shall understand it, but he that hath ears let him hear. The second error that Rastell layeth to my charge, is, that I would bring the people in belief that repentance of a man, helpeth not for the remission of his sin. IN proving this second error against me, Rastel taketh so great pains, Rastell. that he is almost besides himself. For he says that I would make men Frith. believe that it forceth not, whether they sin or no. Why so brother Rastel? verily because I allege S. john, Rastelwold feign canel, but he cannot tell at what. S. Paul, Erechiell and Hieremie to quench the hot fire of purgatory, and allege no authorities to prove good works, whereunto I answer (as I did before) that it is nothing to my purpose, for the proving of good works doth neither make for purgatory nor against it, I could have alleged all those texts if I had intended myself to prove that I should do good works (which I never knew christian man deny) but as touching my matter it is nothing to the purpose, and as well he might have improved me, because I bring in no texts to prove that the father of heaven is god, or to prove that which never man doubted of, notwithstanding if Rastel had indifferent eyes, I spoke sufficiently of good works in the. 34. argument against his dialogue, let all men read the place and judge. Rastel taketh the matter very grievously that I attempt to allege how S. john & S. Paul sand us to Christ, Rastell. and then add that we know no other to take away sin but only Christ, and because I add this word only, therefore he thinketh that I clean destroy Frith. There is no mean to put away sin, but only by Christ. repentance, whereunto I answer, that I added not this word only for nought, but I did it by the authority of S. john, which says: if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with each other, and in the blood of jesus Christ his son, purifieth us from all sin, whereupon I say that for us which are in the light, his blood only is sufficient, but for your christian men which continued still in sin, and walk in darkness after their father the Devil, must some other means be For such as devil in the light of Christ, his blood only to sufficient. found, or else they shall never enter into the kingdom of heaven. But because I will be short, let Rastell note that I find two manner of repentance, one is without faith, and There are two manner, of repentances. is such a repentance as judas and Rastels christian men which continued still in sin have at the latter end, which doth rather purchase them an halter then the remission of sins. another repentance followeth, justification and remission of sins, and is a flourishing fruit of faith, for when True repentance is a flourishing fruit of faith. by faith we do perceive the favour and kindness that our loving father hath showed us in his son christ jesus, and that he hath reconciled us unto himself by the blood of his son. Then begin we to love him, the more we hate the body of sin, and lament and be sorry that our members are so frail, that they can not fulfil the law of God, and so in mourning and bewailing our infirmity, it causeth us to abstain from both meat & drink and all worldly pleasures, which is What pure fasting is. is the pure fasting that we talk of, but you understand it not: and this repentance cometh not to purge the sins which is committed before, but only taketh an occasion by the sins before committed, to know what poison there remained in our flesh, and seeketh all means to make us hate this body of sin, and to subdue it with all manner of works that God hath appointed, to the intent that it should in time to come no more displease God our most merciful father, which of gentleness so often pardoneth and forgiveth us, as I have touched before. This is the manner of repentance which I find in scripture, but this helpeth that we should sin no more, but what Rastell dreameth, I wots not. But to express to the uttermost what I mean Repentance lively declared by an example. by repentance, mark this example. If a man build an house which doth cost him much labour and money, and have laid no sure foundation, but that when a tempest cometh, his house doth fall, then will he be very sorry, and repent that he hath so foolishly bestowed his money and labour. withstanding, all this great sorrow & repentance can not set up his house again which is fallen, but only it taketh an occasion by the ruin of the house, to teach the owner wit against an other time, that when he buildeth again, he may make a sure foundation. Even so though thou repent never so much, that can not get remission for the sins that is past, but that must be pardoned only by the faith of Christ's blood. Nevertheless it doth teach thee wit, and learn thee to tame thy body and subdue it, and cast a low foundation, that in time thou mayst the better resist the assaults of the devil, the world and the flesh. This doth Frith teach of repentance, let the world take it as they will, but Chrystes sheep do hear his voice. ¶ The third error which Rastell layeth against me is, that I would make men believe that they need not to do penance for the satisfaction of their sins. EVery child may answer him to this if he ever read or perceive what I written before of repentance, for as they take repentance for the sorrow and mourning that followeth the crime, even so they call penance the good works that ensue of repentance, and these good works which follow do mortify the members, and How good works do mortify our members. exercise us in God's commandments that we sin no more: but they can get no more remission of the sin which is once past, then that which they call repentance: and yet do we neither destroy sorrowing for sin, nor good works as he falsely reporteth by us, but we teach you how they aught to be done, and that they are fruits of faith, and mortify our members, and are profitable to our neighbour, and a testinony unto us Good works are the fruits of faith. that we are the children of our heavenly Father, as by example I say, that neither the sun nor the moon do iustiune us, or purchase remission of our sins, and yet I would not that Rastell should say, that I deny or destroy the sun and the moon, for I say that without them we can have no light, and that we can not be without them. And as touching the solution of this, that penance taking in his largest signification, both for good works and taking of pains, is not satisfaction for sins. I must tell you once again that there are two manner of satisfactions, the one is to God the other to my neighbour. To God There are two manner of satisfactions. can not all the world make satisfaction for one crime: insomuch that if every grass of the ground were a man as holy as ever was Paul or Peter, and should pray unto God all their life long for one crime, yet could they not make satisfaction for it, but it is only the blood of Christ, that hath made full satisfaction unto God for all such crimes. Heb. 7: or else were Hebr. 7. there none other remedy, but we should all perish. There is an other satisfaction which is to my neighbour whom I have offended, whom I am Satisfaction to our neighbour. bond to pacify as we two can agree, and as the laws of the realm determine between us, as if I had defamed him, then am I bond to pacify him, and to restore him to his good name again: if I have murdered any man, then by the laws of the Realm I must dye for it, to pacify my neighbour & the common wealth: But yet I am sure Rastell is not so childish, as to think that this civil satisfaction is the very satisfaction which pacifieth God's wrath for breaking his law: For if thou murder a man, and should dye a hundred times for it, yet except thou have satisfaction of Christ's blood, thou shalt be damned thereto: and so I spoke that no temporal pain was instituted of God for the intent that we should satisfy God's wrath thereby, as it is plain in my book if Rastell could see. ¶ The fourth error that he layeth against me is, that I would persuade the people that good works are nothing available. NOw are we come to the fourth error, where Rastell untruly reporteth on me that I would persuade the people that good works done by any man in this world is nothing available unto him that doth them, & that it is no hurt nor hindrance unto any man, though he never do none. Because I say they justify not before God, therefore he thinketh that other men would understand me as wisely as he doth, and argue that they are no thing available, but I must desire him to put on his spectacles and look again upon my book, and he shall find these words. Peradventure Good works are to be done and why? thou will't answer unto me, shall I then do no good deeds? I answer, yes: thou will't answer me, wherefore? I answer, thou must do them because God hath commanded them. I answer, thou art living in this world with men, and hast conversation with them, therefore hath God appointed thee what thou shalt do to the profit of thy neighbour and taming of thy flesh, as Paul testifieth, Ephe. 2. We are his work in Christ jesus, Ephes. 2. unto good works, which works God hath prepared that we should walk in them. These works God would have us do that the unfaithful might see the godly and virtuous conversation of his faithful, and thereby be compelled to glorify our Father which is in heaven. Math. 5. and so are they both profitable unto thy neighbour, Good works are profitable to our neighbour and also a testimony that we are the children of God. & also a testimony unto thee, by the which a man may know that thou art the right son of thy heavenvly Father, and a very christ unto thy neighbour: and after teacheth that we aught to do these works without having respect either to heaven or hell, but attending through charity the wealth of our neighbour. etc. I wonder that Rastell is not ashamed to say that I would make them believe that they are not available, therefore good reader note my words, first I say we must do them because God hath commanded them, is it not available to keep the commandments of God? secondaryly I say that they are to the profit of my neighbour: is it not available? thirdly I say that they tame our flesh, is it not available? fourthly I say they are to the glory of God, is it not available? Fiftly I say they are a testimony to them that doth them by the which men may know that he is that very son of God, is that not available? belike Rastell counteth nothing available but that which justifieth before God, he will say the son is not available because it justifieth not, fire is not available in his eyes because it justifieth not. etc. Then Rastell saith that I make a wonders work with that Scripture, & allegeth certain texts that we aught to do good works (which I never denied) and thereupon would conclude that works save and justify, and playeth me the ball lustily over the cord, but as God would there stood a post right in the way and he hit it so full, that it made the ball to rebound over again backward, for in the alleging of his purpose Paul saith. Ephe. 2. he hath clean lost the game: Ephe. 2. the words are these, by grace you be saved by your faith and that is not of We are justified by grace and faith, which is not of ourselves, but is the gift of God. you, it is the gift of God and not of works that no man should glorify himself, we are the works created of God in Christ jesus which God hath prepared that we should walk in them, here because he would have the latter end of the text to serve for his purpose which teacheth good works (which I never denied) he bringeth in that thing which clean confuteth his opinion, for his opinion (which in all places he hath laboured to prove) is that we are saved by good works, but now mark what he allegeth out of Paul by grace you be saved by your faith: and that is not of you, it is the gift of God and not of works. For that no man should glorify himself, here Paul says plainly that our salvation is not of works: and so hath Rastell cast down that he Rastell hath here overthrown all that he hath before built and set up. built before, and may be likened to a shrewd cow, which when she hath given a large mess of milk turneth it down with her heel. Thus have I answered to as much of Rastels' treatise as I could get, if there be any more which may come to my hands I shall do my diligence to disclose his deceit so that God give me leave to keep the court with him he shall win but little, except he convey his balls more craftily, and yet the truth to say we play not on even hand, for I am in a manner as a man bond to a post, and can not so well bestow me in my play, as as if I were at liberty, for I may not have such books as are necessary for me, neither yet pen, ink, ne paper, but only secretly, so that I am in continual fear, both of the Lefetenaunt and of my keeper, jest they should espy any such thing by me: and therefore it is little marvel though the work be unperfit: for when soever I hear John Frith was straightly kept. the keys ring at the door, straight all much be conveyed out of the way (and then if any notable thing had been in my mind) it was clean lost, & therefore I beseech thee good reader count it as a thing born out of season, which for many causes can not have his perfect form and shape, and pardon me my rudeness and imperfection. ¶ FINIS. john Frithes judgement upon master William Tracyes Testament. 1531. ¶ john Frith to the Christian Reader. THere is nothing in this world that is so firm, stable or godly, but that it may be undermined, and frowardly wrested of men, and specially if they be void of charity. As it is evident by William Tracyes Testament and last will that he left, against the which many men, and that of long continuance have blasphemously barked. Whether of a godly zeal, or of a dasing brain, let other men judge. But this I dare boldly profess, that his godly sayings are ungodly hand led, which thing I can not so justly ascribe unto ignorance, as unto rancour, unto the furies I had almost said, for if they had conferred all things unto the rule of charity, which envieth not, which is not puffed up, which is not stirred to vengeance, which thinketh none evil: but suffereth all things, believeth all things, trusteth all things, and beareth all things, they would not so heddely have condemned those things, which might have been full devoutly expounded, howbeit they have not only attempted that thing, but have proceeded unto such madness, that they have taken upon them to strive with dead folks, for it is a most common jest in every man's mouth that after the maker of this Testament was departed, and buried, they took up his body and burned it, which thing declared their fury although he felt no fire, Therefore we humbly require our most redoubted Prince, withal his nobles, & present assembly, that even as all other things do of right depend of their judgement, that even so they would by their discreet advise, cure this disease, pondering all things with a more equal balance. So shall this enormous fact be looked upon with worthy correction, and the condition of the common wealth shallbe more quiet, mark you therefore what things they are, which they so cruelly condemn. Master Tracie. IN the name of God. Amen. I William Tracie of Todyngton in the County of Gloceter Esquire, make my Testament and last will, as hereafter followeth. etc. The rest of which Testament you shall find before in the works of William Tyndall. fol. 429. john Frith. IT is marvel but here be somewhat that they improve, for their mind is so intoxicate that there is nothing, but they will note it with a black coal, and yet all may be established by the testimony of Scripture, for faith is the sure persuasion of our mind, of God and his goodness towards us. And whereas is a sure persuasion of the mind, there can be no doubting or mistrust, for he that doubteth is like the flood of the sea which is tossed with winds & carried with violence, and let not that man think that he shall obtain any thing of God ja. i And therefore, S. Austen saith, if I doubt I shallbe no holy seed, furthermore whereas he looketh through the grace and merits of Christ to obtain remission of his sins, surely it is a faithful saying, and worthy to be commended, for it is even the same that Peter professed Acts. xv. where he saith, unto him do all the Prophets bear witness, that through his name as many as believe in him shall receive remission of their sins, moreover in that he trusteth through Christ to have resurrection of body and soul they have no cause to blame him, for thus doth Paul argue, if Christ be risen, then shall we also rise and if Christ be not risen, then shall not we rise, but Christ is risen, for his soul was not jest in hell, therefore shall we also rise (whom Christ shall bring with him) and be immortal, both body & soul. 1. Cor. 15. And therefore he doth both righteously and godly deduce his resurrection by Christ's, by whom the father hath given us all things, or else we should not be, but there are some, that gather of his words, that he should recount the soul to be mortal which thing after my judgement is more suttelly gathered then either truly or charitably, for seeing there was never christian man that ever so thought (no not the very Pagans) what godly zeal, or brotherly love was there which caused them so to surmise, for a good man would not once dream such a thing: but I pray you why should we not say that the soul doth verily rise which through Christ rising from the filth of sin, doth enter with the body into a new conversation of life, which they shall lead together without possibility of sinning, we say also of God (by a certain phrase of Scripture) that he ariseth, when he openeth unto us his power, and presence: And why may we not say the same thing of the soul which in the mean season seemeth to lie secret, & then shall express unto us (through Christ) her power and presence, in taking again her natural body, why should you then condemn these things? There is no man that can receive venom by those words, except he have such a spyderous nature that he can turn an honey comb into perilous poison. Therefore let us look on the residue. Master Tracie. And as touching the wealth of my soul. etc. Frith. Here he only cleaveth to God and his mercy, being surely persuaded that according to the testimony of Peter, who so ever believeth in him, thorough his name shall receive remission of sins. Act. 15. Paul also affirmeth, that who so ever trusteth in him shall not be confounded. Ro. 10. And who can deny but this is most true, when it is understand of that faith which is form with hope and charity, which that Apostle calleth faith, that worketh by charity. Gal. 5. Now sith these things may be expounded so purely, forsooth he uttereth his own envy, which would otherwise wrist the mind of the maker of this Testament. And as touching the addition of this particle without any other man's work, or works: it seemeth that he had respect unto this saying of Peter, which declareth that there is none other name under heaven given unto men, in which we should be saved. Act. 4. Besides that, S. Paul committeth the power of sanctifying to Christ only. Heb. 2. where he saith, both he that sanctifieth (that is to say Christ) and they that are sanctified (that is to say the faithful) are all of one (that is God) and surely if we laboured to precel each other in love and charity, we should not condemn this innocent, but we should rather measure his words by the rule of charity, in so much that if a thing at the first sight did appear wicked, yet should we take it in the best sense, not judging wickedly of our brother, but referring that secret judgement unto Christ which can not be deceived, and though they be deceived by the pretence of charity, yet therein they may rejoice, and therefore they would be loath to condemn the innocent, but let us pass these things, and see what followeth. Master Tracie. My ground & my belief is, that there is but one God. etc. Frith. Why look you so sourly good brethren? why do you not rather give him great thanks? sith he hath opened unto you such a proper distinction, by the which you may escape the scholastical snares and mazes, he only deserveth the name of a mid dealer, which being God, become man to make men Gods. And who can by right be called a mid dealer between God and man, but he that is both God and man, therefore sith we have such a mid dealer, which in all points hath proved our infirmity (saving only in sin) which is exalted above the heavens, and sitteth on the right hand of God, and hath in all things obtained the next power unto him, of whose Empery all things depend, let us come with sure confidence unto the throne of grace. Heb. 4. All other be calleth petitioners which receive grace, but are not able to empress & power thereof into any other man, for that doth only God distribute with his finger (that is to say, the spirit of God) thorough Christ, I marvel that you are angry with him that hath done you such a great pleasure, how be it I do ascribe this condemnation rather unto the canonists than unto divines. For the godly divines would never dote so far, as to condemn so proper sayings, but peradventure this might move their patience, that he will distribute no portion of his goods, for that intent that any man should say or do for the weal of his soul, are you so sore afraid of your market? Be not afraid, you have salves enough to supple that sore, you know that he is not bound under pain of damnation to distribute his goods on that fashion, for then those holy fathers were in shrewd cause, which continuing in long penury, scant left at their departing, a half penny. Thou will't peradventure say, that they shall suffer the grievous pains of purgatory, be it so, yet may they be quenched both with less cost & labour, the pope's pardon is ready at hand, where both the crime and the pain are remitted at once, and verily there is such plenty of them in all places, that I can scantly believe that there liveth any man that is worth an half penny, but that he is sure of some pardons in store, And as for this man he had innumerable. Notwithstanding this distribution is not of necessity (for unto him that is dampened, it profiteth nothing, and he that is not dampened, is sure of salvation) why are you so hot against this man? are not his goods in his own power? he shall give a reckoning of them unto God, and not unto you, here you may see of how light judgement you have condemned these things, now let us ponder the residue. Master Tracie. And as touching the burying of my body. etc. Frith. What hath he here offended which rehearseth nothing but the words of S. Austin. If you improve these things then reprove you S. Austin himself. Now if you can find the means to allow S. Austen, and charitably to expound his words, why do you not admit the same favour unto your brother, especially seeing charity requireth it? Besides that, no man can deny but that these things are true, although S. Austin's authority were of no reputation with you, for if these things were of so great value before God, than Christ had evil provided for his martyrs, whose bodies are commonly cast out to be consumed with fire and wild beasts: notwithstanding I would be afraid to say that they were any thing the worse for the burning of their bodies or tearing of it in pieces. Be therefore charitable towards your brother and ponder his words (which are rather Saint Austin's) somewhat more justly. M. Tracie. As touching the distribution of my temporal goods, my purpose is. etc. Frith. There is no man doubteth, but that faith is the root of the tree, and the quickening power out of which all good fruits spring, therefore it is necessary that this faith be present, or else we should look for good works in vain: for without faith it is impossible to please God. Heb. 11. Insomuch that S. Austin called those works that are done before faith, swift running out of the way. Moreover that our merit cannot properly be ascribed unto our works doth the Evangelist teach us saying, When you have done all things that are commanded you, say, we are unprofitable servants, we have done but our duty. Luke 17. By the which saying he doth in a manner fear us from putting any confidence in our own works: and so is our glorious pride and high mind excluded: then where is our merit? Hark what S. Austin saith, The death of the Lord is my merit: I am not without merit as long as that merciful Lord faileth me not. etc. This death of the Lord can not profit me except I receive it through faith: and therefore he rekoneth right well that the faith in Christ is all his merit, I mean the faith which worketh through charity, that is to say, faith form with hope and charity, and not that dead historical faith which the devils have and tremble. jam. 2. Furthermore what S. Austin judgeth of our merit he expresseth in these words: mark the Psalm, how the proud head will not receive the crown when he saith he that redeemed thy life from corruption: which crowneth thee (saith the Psalm) hereupon would a man say, which crowneth thee, my merits grant that, my virtue hath done it, I have deserved it, it is not freely given, but give care rather to the pleasure, for that is but thy own saying, and every man is a liar: but hear what God saith, which crowneth thee in compassion and mercy, of mercy he crowneth thee, of compassion he crowneth thee, for thou wast not worthy that he should call thee, and whom he should justify when he called thee, and whom he should glorify, when he justifieth thee: For the remnantes are saved by the election which is by grace & favour. Rom. 11. Now if it be by grace then is it not of works, for than were grace no grace. Rom. 4. For unto him that worketh is the reward imputed not of grace but of duty. Rom. 4. the Apostle saith, not of grace but of duty, but he crowneth thee in compassion and mercy: and if thy merits have proceeded, God saith unto thee, bolt out thy good merits, and thou shalt find that they are my gifts, this is the righteousness of God, not meaning the righteousness whereby he himself is right wise, but the righteousness wherewith he justifieth them whom he maketh rightwise, where before they were wicked. These are Austin's words. finally, let not that move you where he addeth, that a good work maketh not a good man, but rather a good man maketh the work good, for there is no man but he is either good or evil. If he be evil than can he not do good but evil: for according to Christ's testimony, A rotten tree beareth no good fruit. Math. 7. And again he sayeth, How can you say well seeing you yourselves are evil. Math. 12. But if he be good, he shall also bring forth good fruit at his season: howbeit that fruit maketh not the man good, for except the man be first good he can not bring forth good fruit, but the tree is known by the fruit. And therefore faith, as a quickening root must ever go before, which of wicked maketh us rightwise and good, which thing our works could never bring to pass. Out of this fountain spring those good works which justify us before men, that is to say, declare us to be very rightwise, for before God we are verily justified by that root of faith, for he searcheth the heart, and therefore this just judge doth inwardly justify or condemn, giving sentence according to faith: but men must look for the works, for their sight cannot enter into the heart, and therefore they first give judgement of works, and are many times deceived under the cloak of hypocrisy. You may see that here is nothing, but that a good man may expound it well albeit the children of this world (which with their wiles deceive themselves entering so presumptuously in to God's judgement) do seek a doubt where none is, Go you therefore and let charity be your guide, for God is charity, and though our Lawyer's heart would break, yet must you needs judge him a Christian man, which says nothing but that Scripture confirmeth. And verily the judgement of this cause came out of season and even ungraciously unto our canonists, for they are clean ignorant of Scripture & therefore condemn all things that they read not in their law, wherefore we renounce their sentence and appeal unto the divines, which will soon know the voice of their shepherd and gladly admit those things which are allowed by the Scripture whereunto they are accustomed. ¶ FINIS. ¶ A Letter which john Frith written unto the faithful followers of Christ's Gospel, whiles he was prisoner in the Tower of London for the word of God. Anno. M. D. xxxij. ¶ Grace and peace from God the father through our Saviour Christ jesus be with all them that love the Lord unfeignedly. Amen. IT can not be expressed (dearly beloved in the Lord) what joy and comfort it is to myhart to perceive how the word of God hath wrought and continually worketh among you: so that I find john. 2. no small number walking in that ways of the Lord, according as he gave us john. 15. commandment, willing that we should love each other, as he loved us. Now have I experience of the faith which is in you, and can testify that Roma. 12. it is without simulation, that you love not in word and tongue only, but in work and verity. john. 3. What can be more trial of a faithful heart, then to adventure not only to aid and secure by the means of other (which without danger may not be admitted unto us) but also personally to visit the poor oppressed, & see that nothing be lacking unto them, but that they have both ghostly comfort and bodily sustenance, notwith standing the straight inhibition and terrible menacing of these worldly rulers: even ready to abide the extreme jeopardies that tyrants can imagine. This is an evidence, that you have prepared yourselves to the Cross of Christ, according unto the council of the wise man which saith: my son when thou shalt enter into the way of the Lord, prepare thyself unto tribulation. This is an evidence that you have cast your accounts, and have wherewith to finish the tower which you have begun to build. And I doubt Luke. 14. not but that he which hath begun to work in you, shall for his glory accomplish Phil. 1. the same, even unto the coming of the Lord, which shall give unto every man according to his deeds. And albeit God of his secret judgements Roma, 21. for a time keep the rod from some of them that ensue his steps yet let them surely reckon upon it for there is no doubt but all which will devoutly live in Christ, must suffer 2. Ti. 3. persecution: for whom the Lord loveth Heb. 12. he correcteth, and scourgeth every child that he receiveth: for what child is that, whom the father chastiseth not. If you be not under correction of which we are all partakers, them are you bastards and not children. Nevertheless we may not suppose that our most loving father should do that because he reioiseth in our blood or punishment, but he doth it for our singular profit, that we may be partakers of holiness, and that the remnant of sin (which through the frailty of our members) rebel against the spirit & will, causing our works to go unparfectly forwards, & may somedel be suppressed, jest they should subdue us and reign over us, as I have sufficiently declared in the Epistle of my book which entreateth of Purgatory, to the which I remit them that desire to be further instructed in this matter. Of these things God had given me the speculation before, and now it hath pleased him to put in ure and practice upon me. I ever thought and yet do think, that to walk after God's word, would cost me my life at one time or an other. And albeit that the kings grace should take me into his favour and not to suffer the bloody Edomites to have their pleasures upon me, yet will I not think that I am escaped, but that God hath only differred it for a season to the intent that I should work somewhat that he hath appointed me to do, and so to use me unto his glory. And I beseech all the faithful followers of the Lord, to arm them selves with the same supposition, marking themselves with the sign of the cross, not from the cross as the superstitious multitude doth, but rather to the cross in token that they be ever ready willingly to receive the cross, when it shall please God to lay it upon them. The day that it cometh not, count it clear won, giving thanks to the Lord, which hath kept it from you. And then when it cometh, it shall nothing dismay you: for it is no new thing, but even that which you have continually looked for. Cor. 10. And doubt not but that god which is faithful shall not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are able to bear, but shall ever sand some occasion by the which you shall stand steadfast: for either he shall blind the eyes of your enemies and diminish their tyrannous power, or else when he hath suffered them to do their best, and that the Dragon hath cast a whole blood of waters after you, he shall 'cause even the very earth to open her mouth and swallow them up. Apoc. 12. So faith full is he and careful to ease us what time the vexation should be too heavy for us. He shall sand a joseph before you against you shall come into Egypt, yea he shall so provide for you, that you shall have an hundred fathers for one, an hundred mothers for one, an hundred houses for one, and that in this life, as I have proved by experience. Mark. 1. And after this life, everlasting joy with Christ our Saviour. Not withstanding sigh this steadfastness cometh not of ourselves (for as S. Austen saith) there was never man so weak or frail no not the greatest offender that ever lived but that every man of his own nature should be as frail and commit as great enormities, except he were kept from it by the spirit & power of God I beseech you brethren in the Lord jesus Christ and for the love of his Roma. 15. spirit, to pray with me that we may be vessels to his laud & praise, what time soever it pleaseth him to call upon us. Ephe. 1 The father of glory give us the spirit of wisdom understanding and knowledge, and lighten the eyes of our mind, that we may know his ways, praising the Lord eternally. If it please any of our brethren to writ unto us of any such doubts as peradventure may be found in our books it should be very acceptable unto us, and as I trust not unfruitful for them. For I will endeavour myself to satisfy them in all points by God's grace. To whom I commit to be governed and defended, for ever. Amen. john Frith the prisoner of jesus Christ, at all times abiding his pleasure. A treatise made by the said john Frith while he was prisoner in the Tower of London. Anno. M. D. xxxij. called a Mirror or glass to know thyself. I Was desired of a faith full friend (to whom I am so much bond that he might lawfully have commanded me) that I would make him a little treatise, by the which he might be somewhat instructed to know himself, and so give God thanks for the benefits which he hath so abundantly poured upon him. This thing I took upon me very gladly, partly to fulfil his right wise request, which I trust shall be to the great profit of Christ's flock, and partly to declare what I think both of myself, and of all other. Herein may all men see, what they have received of God, and how they aught to bestow the talon that is committed unto them, which if you note well, it will 'cause you to say with the wise man Solomon: Vaiversa vanitas omnis homo vivens, that is, Every man Eccle. 1. living is nothing but vanity: which also the Prophet David confirmeth Psal. 62. saying, If all men living were pondered in one balance, and vanity hanged in the balance against them, it Eccle. 5. should quite way them down, and be heavier than all they. As by example, if a man praise a very fool and think Note. his wit good and profound, then is that person in deed more fool than the other. And even so unth man doth praise and commend riches, honour, beauty, strength, and such other vain and transitory things which are but as a dream, and vanish like a flower in the field, when a man should have most need of them, it followeth well that he himself is more vain than those things which are but vanity. For if it were possible that thou shouldest have all these things an hundredth year continually without any trouble or adversity as never man had, yet were it but a vain dream if it be compared unto that everlasting life, which is prepared for Christ's elect and faithful followers. So that all flesh is as hay, and all his glory like a flower of the hay is withered, Esay. 40. and the flower fallen, but God and his word endure for ever. Heb. 9 Therefore let not the wise man rejoice in his wisdom, neither the strong man in his strength, nor the rich in his riches. But he that rejoiceth, let him rejoice in the Lord, to whom be all honour & praise without end. 〈…〉 Amen. The first Chapter. That all goodness cometh of God, and all c●… o. ourselves. THe Philosophers to 〈◊〉 God had inspired 〈…〉 of Ro●…. truth, knowledged that the ch●… point of wisdom and direction of a man's life, was to know himself, which sentence the scripture establysheth so clearly, that no man may descent from the truth of the same. For Solomon saith that the fear of the Prover. 1. Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Now who can fear the Lord, but only he that knoweth himself, as the scripture teacheth him? For if I perceive Roma. 8. not the imperfection of my nature, which is subject unto corruption and void of all stableness: If I perceive Roma 7. Math. 25. not the unstableness of my flesh being prove to all sin, and rebellious to rightwiseness, and that there dwelleth no goodness in me: If I perceive not the poison of the old serpent and hell, and sin which lieth hid within me, unto which are prepared pains intolerable, I shall have none occasion to fear God, but rather to advance myself equal ●●yth God, Esay. 14. Daniel. 〈◊〉. Acts. 12. as Lucifer, Nabuchodonozor, Herode and such other have done, which after were sore chastened for their folly. What hast thou (vain man) whereof thou mayst rejoice? For the scripture testifieth that every good and persecte gift cometh from above from the father of light, with whom is no Roma. 3. ●am. 1 transmutation. So that whether they be outward gifts or inward, pertaining either to the body or soul, if they be good, they come from above from the father of light. For if thou behold Math. 6. the proportion of thy body, stature or beauty, thou shalt easily perceive that it cometh of God, even by the words of Christ which exhorteth us not to be careful. For there is none of us all Math. 5. though we be never so careful, that can add one stature, either make one white hear or black. And as touching our wisdom, eloquence, long life, victory, glory, and such other, the scripture testifieth that they come of God and not of ourselves. For S. james saith: If any james. 1 lack wisdom, let him ask it of god, which giveth it abundantly. As it is evident by Solomon, which of God desired wisdom to judge between 〈◊〉. King. 3 good and evil. And the Lord made him answer, that because he asked that thing, and not long life, nor riches, nor the destruction of his enemies, but rather wisdom to discern in judgement. Behold, I have given unto thee an heart full of wisdom & understanding, in so much that none before thee hath been like unto thee, neither yet after thee shall any be like unto thee. And besides that, I have given thee riches and glory. Furthermore, the most glorious gifts concerning our souls, come from God even of his mere mercy and favour which he showeth us in Christ, and for Christ, as predestination, election, vocation and justification: and albeit M. More with his painted Moor's mist. Poetry and crafty conveyance do cast a mist before your eyes, that you might wander out of the right way, endeavouring himself to instruct you that God hath predestinate and choose us before the beginning of the world, because he knew before that we should do good works, yet will I set you upon a candle which shall shine so bright, and so clearly dispel his mist & vain Poetry, that you shall plainly perceive him dancing naked in a net, which notwithstanding thinketh M. Moore dancing in a net, thinketh himself invisible. john. 15. himself to go invisible. And although there be scriptures enough, both Tit. 3. and Rom. 11. to prove the same true, yet will I let that pass, and allege for me S. Austin, which is the candle that I speak of, which shall disclose his juggling, and utter his ignorance: for S. Austin saith, some man will affirm that God did choose us, because he saw before that we should do good works: but Christ sayeth not so, which sayeth: you have not choose me, but I have choose you, for (sayeth he) if he had choose us because he saw before that we should do good works, than should he also have seen before that we should first have choose him, which is contrary to the words of Christ, and mind of the evangelist. Here may you see how evidently S. Austin confuteth M. Moor's Poetry, and openeth his serpentine deceit. Finally S. Paul saith Ephes. 2. Ephe. 2. that we are saved thorough grace, and that it cometh not of ourselves, it is the gift of God, and cometh not of works, lest any man should boast himself, which words M. Moore might be ashamed to hear if he were not an other Lucian, neither regarding God nor man. But S. Austin addeth thus much more unto it: Non erit gratia vllo modo nisi fuerit gratuita omni modo: That is to say, that it can in no wise be grace or favour, except it be always free. And therefore I may conclude that it is neither of the works going before, nor of the works coming after, but only of the free favour of God. And this are we sure of, that whom soever he chooseth, them he saveth of his mercy: and whom he repelleth, them of his secret and unsearchable judgement he condemneth. But why he chooseth the one and repelleth the other, inquire not (saith S. Austin) if thou wilt not err. In so much that S. Paul could not attain to the Roma. 11 knowledge thereof, but cried out: O the depth of the riches and wisdom of the knowledge of God, how unsearchable are his judgements, and how incomprehensible are his ways. But M. Moore had liefer loud to lie, and far to err, than to let God alone with his secrets, or to acknowledge his ignorance in any thing. And to be short, S. Paul saith, what hast thou that thou hast not received? If thou hast received it, why dost thou advance thyself, as though thou hadst not received it? So we may conclude that all goodness cometh of God, and all sin or mischief of our own poisoned nature. In so much that we may say with the Prophet Daniel: Tibi domine gloria, nobis autem confusio faciei. O Lord all glory be unto thee, and unto us shame and confusion, so that he that rejoiceth, may 1. Cor. 1. rejoice in the Lord The second Chapter. For what intent God giveth us these gifts, and that they are rather a charge and a careful burden, than any pleasure to rejoice at. LIke as there are many members of our body, and every member 1. Cor. 11. hath his office appointed unto him which he must do, not for his own wealth and safeguard only, but for the preservation of the whole body, in so much that the most honest member must serve the vilest at his necessity, for if the hand would not serve the ●lowe belly, they should both perish together, even so hath God appointed his gifts, and distributed them in this world unto us (which should be as one body) that every nation hath need of other, every occupation need of an other, and every man need of his neighbour. This is so plain that it can not be denied. Nevertheless I will more specially touch the matter, because I would have it so rooted in you, that you might endeavour yourselves to fulfil it towards each other. If God have opened the eyes of thy mind, and have given thee spiritual wisdom through the knowledge of his word, boast not thyself of it, but rather fear and tremble, for a chargeable office is committed unto thee, which (if thou fulfil it) is like to cost thee thy life at one time or other with much trouble and persecution. But if thou fulfil it not, then shall that office be thy damnation. For 1. Cor. 9 S. Paul saith: Woe is to me if I preach not. And by the Prophet Ezechiel Ezech. 23. God says: If I say unto the wicked that he shall dye the death, & thou show him not of it, the wicked shall dye in his iniquity, but I shall require his blood of thy hand. But peradventure our Divines would expound these texts only upon them that are sent and have cure of souls. Whereunto I answer that every man which hath the light of God's word revelated unto him, is sent when soever he seeth necessity, & hath cure of his neighbour's soul. As by example. If God have given me my sight, and I perceive a blind man going in the way, which is ready for lack of sight to fall into a pit wherein he were like to perish, then am I bound by God's commandment to guide him till he were past that jeopardy, or else if he perish there in, (where I might have delivered him) his blood shallbe required of my hand. And likewise if I perceive my my neighbour like to perish for lack of Christ's doctrine, then am I bound to instruct him with the knowledge that God hath given me, or else his blood shallbe required of my hand. Peradventure they will say that there is all ready one appointed to Objection. watch the pit, and therefore if any man fall into it he shall make it good, and that therefore I am discharged & need to take no thought. Whereunto I answer I would be glad that it Solution. so were. Notwithstanding if I perceive that the watchman be a sleep, or run to that ale house to make good cheer, or go out of the country a whorehunting and thorough his negligence espy my neighbour in danger of the pit, then am I nevertheless bound to lead him from it, I think that God hath sent me at that time to save that soul from perishing. And the law of God and nature bindeth me thereto, which charges me to love my neighbour as myself, and to do unto him as I would be done to. And I think there is no man (that is in this case) but he would have his neighbour to help him, and therefore Math. 7. is he bond to help his neighbour if he be in like jeopardy. And even thus art thou bond to give good counsel to him that lacketh it, & to distribute what soever talon thou hast received of God unto the profit of thy neighbour. Moreover besides that you can not avoid this my solution, yet I desire you to note how the text itself which I alleged doth condemn your vain objection, the words are these Ezech. iij. If I say unto the wicked that he shall dye the death, and thou show him not of it, the wicked shall die in his iniquity, but I shall require his blood of thy hand. Mark I pray you that the Prophet says not as you object that he which should show the wicked his iniquity, and doth not so, shall perish only, and the wicked himself to be saved, because his fault was told him, by him which take charge to teach him: But contrariwise the wicked shall perish in his iniquity (says God by his prophet Ezechiel) and his blood shall be required of the hand of him which should have instructed him in the truth. If God have given thee faith in Roma. 11. Christ's blood, be not proud of it, but fear: for sith God hath not spared the natural branches (I mean 2. Pet. 2. the jews which were his elect people) sith he spared not the angels that sinned, but hath cast them into hell, to be reserved unto judgement, sith he spared not the old world, but overwhelmed them with waters, delivering No the preacher of righteousness, take heed jest he also spare not thee. Truth it is that where faith is present no sin can be imputed, but this faith is not in thy power, for it is the gift of God. And therefore if thou 1. Cor. 12. be unkind & endeavour not thyself to walk innocently, & to bring forth the fruits of faith, it is to be feared that for thine unkindness God will Math. 3. take it from thee, and higher out his vineyard to an other, which shall restore the fruit in due season, and then shall thine end be worse than thy beginning. Let us therefore with fear and trembling seek our health and make stable our vocation and election, Math. 21, Math. 12. Phil. 2. 2. Pet. 1. mortifying our members and man of sin, by exercising ourselves in Christ's precepts, that we may be the children of our father that is in heaven, and fellow heyers with our Saviour and brother Christ jesus. If God have given thee riches, Math. 5. thou mayst not think that he hath committed them unto thee for thy own use only, but that he hath made thee a steward over them to distribute them to the profit of the commonty. For indeed thou art not the very owner of them, but God is the owner, which saith by the Prophet Agge, Gold is mine, and silver is Agge. 2. mine: and he hath committed them for a season to thy hand, to see whether thou will't be faithful in distributing this wicked Mammon, according Luke. 16. to his commandments. And that it so is thou mayst well note by the parable of the rich man, which was clothed in silk and fared delicately in this world, and after was buried in hell. whereupon S. Gregory noteth that he was not damned because he despoiled any other man's, but because he did not distribute his own, as that process of the Text doth also well declare. Wherefore if we must give accounts of all that is given us, then have we little cause to glory, but rather to fear and tremble, and to count him most happy, to whom least is committed. For God to whom this accounts must be made, can not be deluded, although the world may be blinded. If God have given thee thy perfit limbs and members, then get to some occupation, and work with thine own hands, that thy members which are whole and perfit, may minister to their necessity that lack their members: for that is acceptable in the sight of God, and the contrary so detestable, that if thou withdraw thy members from aiding thy neighbours, thou shalt of God be recounted for a thief and a murderer. And therefore I affirm that all our holy hypocrites and idle bellied Monks, canons, and priests, whether they be regulare or seculare, if they labour not to preach God's word are thieves and also murderers: for they maintain their strong members in idleness, which aught to labour for the profit of their neighbours, that their perfit members might minister unto the necessity of them that lack their members. As the eye must minister her fruit of sight unto the feet, hands and other members which lack it: or else are they in jeopardy to perish at every pit, and the eye guilty of their destruction for withdrawing her office from them. And this may we establish by the words of S. Paul which saith, Ephes. 4. He that did steal, let him steal no more, but rather labour with his own hands that he may have to distribute to them that lack. And some doctoures do very well expound it of certain people that walked inordinately, and would not work themselves though they were sturdy lubbers, but lived on other men's charity, which thing the Apostle calleth theft, and exhorteth them to work with their own hands, that they may both help themselves and other. And for because some people which feel themselves grieved, because they are guilty, will not be content to allow this exposition I will allege an other text of the Wise man, which shall not only allow this sentence, but also bite them better: for he saith, Panis egentium vita pauperis Eccl. 34. est, qui autem defraudat eum homo sanguinis est. that is to say, The bread of the needy is the life of the poor, and he that defraudeth him of it is a murderer. This text holdeth their noses so hard to the grindstone that it clean disfigureth their faces, for it proveth our Bishops, Abbots, and spiritual possessionaries double thieves and murderers, as concerning the body (besides their murdering of the soul for lack of God's word, which they will neither preach, nor suffer any to do it purely, but persecute and put them unto the most cruel death) first they are thieves and murderers, because they distribute not that which was appointed by our faithful forefathers to the intent it should have been ministered unto the poor (for then they seemed to be very virtuous) but now they bestow it upon hawks, hounds, horses, etc. upon gorgeous apparel and delicate fare. And glad are that poor when they may get the scraps. They may have not so much as a pig of their own sow, no scant a feather of their own goose. For he that may dispend four or u thousand marks a year, would think it were too much if he gave xx. nobles of it unto the poor, which notwithstanding are the owners under God of all together the ministers living deduct, which (as the Apostle saith) having their food and clotheses to cover them aught therewith to be content. 1. Tim. 6. And thus they defraud the poor of their bread, & so are they thieves, and (because this bread is their life) as the aforesaid text testifieth, he that defraudeth him of it, is not only a thief, but also a murderer. And when they think to bestow it very well and bestow it in building palaces of pleasure, yet are they therein much to be reproved. For as an old Doctor saith, they are in that point worse than the devil, for the devil would have had that Christ should have turned stones into breed (which might have suckored the poor) & these builders turn the bread into stones. For they bestow the good which should be given to the poor for their sustenance, upon an heap of stones. But here they will object (as they Objection. are never without evasions) that if they should distribute it among the poor according as they are bound, within a while all would be spent, & no good should come of it, nor no man know where it is become or who fareth the better for it. Whereunto I Solution. answer that in deed you be to wise for me, for sith you go about to correct Christ, and to fet him to school and learn him what is best, it were but folly for me to meddle with you. For Christ's mind and commandment is that we should distribute it and not Eccle. 4. withhold it from them. And saith by his Prophet: woe be to them that couple Esay. 5. and knit houses together, which I think may justly be verified upon you. Nevertheless this I dare say, that if a Bishop which may dispend four thousand mark would unto the poor of his Diocese distribute every year, but the one half giving unto one man. xl. shilling, and lending to an other. xx. nobles to set up his occupation with all, and so give and lend as he seeth need, he should within. u or. uj. years make a flourishing Diocese. And I think verily that his face should more be allowed before God, then if he had builded a thousand abbeys: for God's commandment aught first to be done, & is much more acceptable to him then all the works that proceed of our imaginations and foolish fantasies. Besides that they are thieves and murderers for withdrawing their perfit members from labour whereby they might minister unto their neighbour's necessity (I speak of as many as are not occupied about preaching God's word) for in that they withdraw their members from succouring their poor neighbours, they are thieves. And because this succour is called their life, they are murderers for keeping it from them. Here our begging orders of Friars would think to be exempt, because they have not received rents to be distributed. Notwithstanding if we ponder this text well we shall find them condemned as deep as the other. For they enter into every man's house, and with unshamefasted begging poll them so nigh, that in a manner they leave nothing behind for the very poor which are sick, lame, créeple, blind and maimed. For there is not the poorest desolate widow, but with his fair flattering he will so deceive her, that he will be sure either of money or ware: but dear brethren maintain you no such murderers, jest you be partakers of their sins, but rather follow the counsel of the Apostle, which charges us in the name of our Lord jesus Christ, that we withdraw ourselves from every brother that walketh inordinately & worketh not and biddeth if he will not 2. Thess. 3. work he should not eat. Now if they object that they live in contemplation & study of Scripture, and say that they aught not to be let from that holy work: for Christ said that mary had choose the best part which should not be taken from her. Thereunto may I make the same answer which that holy father and Abbot S. Sylvan made. This Sylvan was an Abbot an holy man, having many Monks under him, whom he caused after their prayers (which were nothing so long as our Monks use now a days) which think for their many words to be herded, like as did the Phariseis whom Christ rebuked, he caused them I say to labour for their living, according to the mind of Paul. And upon a time there came a religious man to his abbey, and when he saw his Monks working, he asked the Abbot why he so used them, and why they gave not themselves to holy contemplation, seeing that Marie had choose the best part. The Abbot made few words, but gave this Monk a book, and sent him into a cell, to be there occupied in study and contemplation. And at dinner time the Abbot called all his monks to meat, and let him sit in contemplation. After noon when he began to ware very hungry, he came out again to the Abbot Sylvan, and asked whether his Monks had not yet dined: And he answered, yes. And why called you not me, quoth the Monk, to dine with them? Verily said the Abbot, I thought you had been all spiritual, and had needed no meat. Nay quod the Monk I am not so spiritual nor fervent in contemplation, but that I must needs eat. Verily said the Abbot, then must you also needs work, for Mary hath need of Martha. When the Monk herded that, he repented and fallen to work as the other did. And I would to God that this answer would 'cause our religious even so to do, & to fall to work, that they might succour their needy neighbours. And as touching their study in scripture, S. Austin sayeth: how shalt thou better learn to understand the scripture, then by going about to fulfil that thou there readest? And if thou go about to fulfil it saith he, then must thou work with thy hands, for that doth S. Paul teach thee. Of this I have compiled an whole book, which if God have appointed me to finish it, and set it forth, shallbe a rule of more perfection unto our religious, than any that they have used this hundredth year. The third Chapter. The conclusion of this treatise, that no flesh should rejoice, but fear and tremble in all the gifts that he receiveth. HEre mayst thou perceive that no man liveth but he may fear and tremble, and most he may fear, to whom most is committed, for of him shall much be required: and much are we bound to thank God in all things. For of ourselves have we nought but sin and vanity, but thorough his gracious favour have we all goodness, and be that we be. And sith all our goodness cometh of him, we must again be thankful unto him, and keep his commandments. For else we may fear lest he take his gifts from us, and then shall we receive the greater damnation. If thou have received the knowledge of his word, give him thanks, and be a faithful minister thereof: for else he shall deliver thee unto thine own fantastical imaginations, and cast thee headlong into an heap of heresies, which shall bring thee into utter destruction. If he give thee faith in his word, give him thanks, and bring forth the fruits thereof in due season, for else he will take it away from thee, and send thee into final desperation. If he give thee riches, then give him thanks, and distribute them according to God's commandment, or else he shall take them from thee (if he love thee) either by thieves, by water, by death of thy cattle, by blasting thy fruits, or such other scourges, to 'cause thee love him, because he would isaiah. 5. jerem. 7. alienate thy heart from them, this I say he will do, if he love thee, to make thee put thy whole trust in him, and not in these transitory things. But if Ier●m. 12. he hate thee, then will he send thee great prosperity, and increase them plenteously, and give thee thy heaven in this world unto thy everlasting damnation in the life to come, and therefore fear and take good heed while thou hast leisure. If thou ask me what his honour, praise, and thanks are? I answer, that his honour, praise and thanks, is nothing else but the fulfilling of his commandments. If thou ask me what his commandments are as touching the bestowing of thy goods? I answer, his commandments are that thou bestow them in the works of mercy, and that shall he lay to thy charge at the day of judgement. He shall ask you whether you have fed the hungry, and given drink to the thirsty, and not whether you have builded abbeys or chantries. He shall ask you whether you have harboured the harbourless, and clothed the naked, and not whether you have gilded images, or given copes to churches. He shall ask you whether you have visited the sick, and go to the prisoners, and not whether you have go a pilgrimage to Walsingham or Canterbury. And this I affirm unto thee, that if thou build a thousand cloisters, and give as many copes and chalices to churches, and visitest all the pilgrimages in the world, and espiest and seest a poor man whom thou mightest help, perishing for lack of one groat, all these things whereon thou hast bestowed so much money, shall not be able to help thee. Therefore take good heed, and say not but that you be warned. If God have given thee thy perfit limbs and members than give him thanks, and use them to the taming of thy body, and profit of thy neighbour. For else if God love thee he will sand thee some main or mischief and take them from thee, that thy negligence and none using of them be not so extremely imputed unto thee. But if he hate thee, he shall keep them whole and sound for thee, that the none using of them may be thy greater damnation. Therefore beware and fear giving him thanks according to his commandments. For we are his creatures, and are much bound to him that he hath given to us our perfit members: for it is better for us to have our limbs and to work with them distributing to other, then that other should distribute unto us: for it is a more holy thing to give than A●…. 2. to take: yea we are much bond unto him, although he have made us imperfect and mutilate: for we were jerem. 18. in his hands (as we are yet) to have done with us whatsoever had pleased him, even to have made us the vilest creature upon the earth. I have read of a shepherd which keeping his sheep in the field espied a foul Toad, and when he had well marked her, and conferred her shape and nature, unto himself and his nature, he fallen a weeping and cried out piteously. At the last came a Bishop by, riding right royally: and when he see the shepherd so sore lamenting, he reined his horse, & asked him the cause of his great wailing. Then answered the shepherd, Verily sir I weep for mine unkindness toward almighty God: for I have given thanks to God of many things, but yet I was never so kind since I was born, as to thank him of this thing. What is that, said the Bishop? Sir (quoth he) see you not this foul toad? Yes (quoth the Bishop) what is that to the purpose? Verily (said the shepherd) it is the creature of God as well as I am, and God might have made me even such a foul and unreasonable beast as this is, if it had pleased him, & yet he hath not done so, but of his mercy and goodness he hath made me a reasonable creature, after his own shape and likeness: and yet was I never so kind as to thank him that he had not made me so vile a creature, which thing I greatly bewail, and mine unkindness tauseth me now thus to weep. With that the Bishop departed, and I trust learned to do thereafter. And I beseeth God that we may so do, and be the faithful followers of our Saviour Christ jesus, to whom be praise, honour, and glory for ever. Amen. A mirror or looking glass wherein you may behold the Sacrament of Baptism described. Anno. M. D. xxxiij. By me john Frith. Considering the manifold & lamentable errors wherewith not the ignorant people only, but also the learned (as they seem) have been seduced long as touching the blessed Sacrament of Baptism. I thought it expedient therein to writ my mind. Trusting by that means to bring again the blind hearts of many unto the right way, and I doubt not but that john. 10. 1. Cor. 2. the elect and choose of God, that know their shepherds voice, and have the spirit to judge all things, shall Gods elect perceive easily the spiritual meaning of his Sacraments. easily perceive whether this be conformable to their master's voice, and shall hereby be monished to leave their wandering in the dark & loathsome ways which lead unto death, and to walk without stumbling in Walking in the truth bringeth rest of conscience. Phil. 4. Papists, through the gross understanding of Baptism condemn infants unbaptised. the comfortable light which bringeth their consciences to rest, & such peace that passeth all understanding. One error is this. They put so great confidence in the outward sign that without discretion they condemn the infants, which die or they be baptized unto ever lasting pain, an other is this. They cleave so strongly unto the weak ceremonies, that they think if a drunken Priest leave out a word, as Volo say you, or Credo say external signs with out spiritual sense taught and believed of the blind papists. you, or forget to put spittle or salt in the child's mouth that the child is not christened, yea so much give they thereunto the beggarly salt, that they will say spill not the salt, for it is our Christendom, and use also to swear by it. Saying by this salt that is my Christendom. Alas what blindness is this, these two errors are the principal that I do intend at this time to confute. For when they are fallen, the other that are grounded on these must needs decay. First we must mark three things in every Sacrament Three things aught to be considered in every Sacrament. to be considered the sign, the signification and the faith, which is given unto the words of God. The sign in Baptism is the plounging down in the material water and lifting up again by the which as by an outward badge we are known to be of the number of them which profess Christ to be their redeemer and Saviour. This outward sign doth neither Outward signs neither minister unto us God's spirit nor his grace. give us the spirit of God: neither yet grace that is the favour of God. For if through the washing in the water the spirit or grace were given, then should it follow that who soever were baptized in water should receive this precious gift, but that is not so, wherefore I must needs conclude that this outward sign by any power or influence that it hath, bringeth not the spirit or favour of God. That every man receiveth not this treasure in Baptism it is evident: for put the case that a jew or an infidel Mark well this example. should say that he did believe, & believed not in deed, and upon his words were baptized in deed (for no man can judge what his heart is, but we must receive him unto Baptism if he confess our faith with his mouth albeit his heart be far from thence) this miscreant now thus baptized hath received this outward sign and Sacrament, aswell as the most faithful man believing. Howbeit he neither receiveth the spirit of God, neither He that receiveth the sign of a sacrament outwardly and not the signification inwardly in heart, receiveth his damnation. yet any grace but rather condemnation. Wherefore it is evident that the exterior sign giveth not this gift which is also as certain in all other Sacraments, yea in the Sacrament of the altar which may be called a double Sacrament. For it is not only a remembrance that the natural body of Christ was broken and his Note. blood shed for our redemption as the Evangelists do testify, but also it is his spiritual body which is the congregation of the faithful as S. Paul testifieth: saying, the bread which we break is it not the partaking (that is to say we that are partakers) of the body of Christ? For we (saith he) though we be many yet are we one bread & one body. But for all that, the receiving of this Sacrament giveth us not the spirit of God neither yet his favour: for the wicked receiveth it as well as the good. Howbeit that receiving is to their damnation. Wherefore it followeth that the outward sign giveth no man any grace. Moreover if the spirit of God and his grace were bound unto the Sacraments, then The spirit of God is not bound to the outward signs of sacraments. where the Sacraments were ministered there must the spirit of grace wait on, and where they were not ministered, should be neither spirit nor grace. But that is false, for Cornelius & all his household received the holy ghost before they were baptized. In so much that Acts. 10. Peter said may any man forbid that these should be baptized with water which have received the holy ghost as well as we. And so he commanded them to be baptized, in the name of the Lord, here may we see that as the spirit of God lighteth where he God's spirit not bound to any place. will, neither is he bound to any thing. Yea and this example doth well declare unto us that the Sacraments are given to be an outward witness unto all the congregation of that grace which is given before privately unto every man. So is Baptism given before the congregation unto him which before he receive it, hath either professed the Religion of Christ, or else hath the word of promise, by the which promise Infidel's must first believe in Christ, and after receive Baptism as the ●…ge of your faith 〈…〉 〈◊〉. he is known to be of the sensible congregation of Christ and for this cause when we baptize one that is come unto the age of discretion we axe of him whether he believe, if he answer yea and desire Baptism then is he baptized so that we require faith in him before he be baptized (which is the gift of God) and cometh of grace, and so it is an outward sign of his invisible faith which before was given him of God. If an infant be brought unto baptism whom his friends offer up willing to sanctify and fulfil the commandment and ordinance of God, we inquire of his friends before the congregation whether they will that their child be baptized and when they have answered yea, them receiveth he Baptism. Here also went before the promise of God that he of his grace reputeth our infants no less of the congregation than the infants of the Hebrues and through Baptism doth the congregation receive him which was first received through grace of the promise, thus may we see that Baptism bringeth not grace, but doth testify unto the congregation that he which is baptized had such grace given him before, so is Baptism a Sacrament, The desinition of Baptism. that is the sign of an holy thing even a token of the grace and free mercy which was before given him a visible example of invisible grace which is done and given through the gentleness of God. By this may we perceive how gross their ignorance is which without discretion condemn the infants that depart out of this world not baptized in our material water. For if that water give no grace as I have sufficiently proved, why should they condemn more before that washing, then after. Beside that the election of God is free and followeth Faith followeth our election. not our faith, but faith followeth the election as it is written. And there believed even as many as were ordained unto everlasting life for Acts. 13. they that are choose from the beginning are no doubt choose before they had faith, we aught not therefore to give such unadvised judgement on these Rash judgement in mystical matters not lawful. children which by their age have not yet herded our faith, seeing God's election is hid from our eyes. The children of Israel were a Israelites, God's peculiar people. people which God had choose from among all nations of the world, and gave them Circumcision for a token and memorial of that election, which Sacraments, and figures thereof, grossly understood breed errors. circumcision was a figure of our baptism, and they thought that the gentiles which were not carnally circumcised had been all condemned. But their opinion deceived them for there were also of the Gentiles which although they were not circumcised outwardly were elect of God & were spiritually circumcised, which only is the thing that God regardeth, as Paul testifieth, saying, He is not a jew which is a jew outward, neither is that circumcision any thing Roma. 〈◊〉. which is outward in the flesh: but he is a jew which is hide within the circumcision of the heart, which is the cutting off, of carnal desires, and is the true circumcision. This circumcision was in price with God, with the which the gentiles (as job) were circumcised. And in like manner may we say of our Baptism, he is not a Christian man which is washed with water, neither is that baptism which is outward in the flesh: but that is the very baptism which God alloweth, to be baptized spiritually in the heart, that is, to subdue and weed out the branches of sin that it reign not in your mortal bodies, and bring them into bondage under it: of the which our Baptism is but a sign. And there are many (I doubt not) which are thus spiritually baptised although their bodies touch no water, as there were gentiles thus spiritually circumcised and yet never cut of the foreskin of their privy members. Furthermore the children of the uncircumcision are of the people and congregation of God aswell as the children of the Hebrews under the law were members of their congregation. I take the congregation of God's church largely taken, what it is. God in this place even somewhat largely, that is, for all them that are thought or counted to be the members of Christ, as it is taken, Matthew 13. Math. 13. where Christ compareth it unto a net which receiveth both good fish and evil: and again Matthew 25. Math. 25. where he likeneth the kingdom of heaven, that is to say, the congregation of God unto x. virgins, of the which u were wise, and u foolish: God's elect Church is without spot and only known to God. but I speak not in this place of the elect sanctified and invisible congregation, which is without spot and wrinkle, and only known unto God which hath choose her before the foundations of the world were laid, neither is it to be esteemed but that God is as merciful unto us which are of the spiritual Israel, as he was unto the carnal Israel. S. john, S. Paul and such other were they not (being infants) of the congregation of God elect in Christ jesus before the creation of the world? howbeit in their infancy they neither had faith, nor yet known any thing of this election. Matthew, Zacheus, the thief Man is uncertain of his election until the holy ghost working in him assure him thereof. and Mary Magdalene were they not likewise so choose, yet they themselves known it not until they were lightened of the holy Ghost, and drawn unto Christ by our heavenly Father, neither knoweth any man of an others election, but every man may know his own through his faith and will that he hath to fulfil the law of God. Of this sensible congregation Good and bad are of the sensible Church. of Christ was judas, yea and all the other which after forsook Christ, neither witted the Apostles but that judas had been of the elect, sanctified, and invisible congregation of Christ, as well as Peter or john: so that our judgement recounteth all faithful and choose, that seem to be, but Christ knoweth them that are his, and them that shall forsake him. Now is there an opinion risen among certain, which affirm the children may not be baptized until they come unto a perfect age, and that because they have no faith: but verily me thinketh that they are far from the meekness of Christ, and his spirit, which when children were brought unto him, received them lovingly, and embraced them in his arms. Mat. 9 and when his Disciples blamed the Math. 〈◊〉. bringers, he called them unto him, saying: suffer children to come unto me, and forbidden them not, for of such is the kingdom of heaven. Luk. 18. And Luke. 〈◊〉. albeit they have no faith, but are only of that invisible congregation, that is, Infants' may be baptized because they be partakers of the promise although they as yet have no faith. with out spot or wrinkel: yet as I have said they have a promiss as well as the children of the Hebrews, by the which they are of the visible congregation, which thing only is testified in their baptism. So it appeareth that these men are ignorant what baptism is. For our baptism doth not testify that we are of that pure congregation, which was choose and sanctified in Christ before the world began, which have their names written in the book of life, of the which it is not possible that one should perish, for than were it a false testimony: seeing many which are baptized, fall afterward into perilous heresies, and utter desperation which bringeth them unto death everlasting. And as for faith if they have none when they are baptized, let them pray unto God to give it them afterward: for the lack of faith hurteth not the sacrament, but the sacrament may be as well ministered unto a miscreant as to a faithful, if he say that he hath faith, or have any promise of God, but this matter will I pass over: for I trust the English (unto whom I write this) have no such opinions. Now will I proceed with the second The second thing to be considered in Baptism. point of this sacrament, which is the signification. The signification of baptism is described of Paul in the. 6. of the Romans, that as we are plunged bodily into the watenr. Even Roma. 6. so we are dead & buried with Christ from sin: and as we are lifted again out of the water, even so are we risen with Christ from our sins, that we might hereafter walk in a new conversation of life. So that these two things, that is to be plunged Dipping in the water, and lifting up again of intantes, what it signifieth. in the water, and lift up again, do signify and represent the whole pith and effect of baptism, that is the mortification of our old Adam, & the rising up of our new man. What is the old Adam? verily even that by natural inheritance is planted through Adam's fall in us, as to be unfaithful, angry, envious, covetous, slothful, proud, and ungodly, these and such other uses wherewith our nature is venemed, aught we withal diligence to cut of, and mortify, that we may daily be more patient, liberal, and merciful according to that our baptism doth signify. In so much that a The whole course of man's life is a continual Baptism. Christian man's life is nothing else save a continual baptism, which is begun when are dipped in the water, and is put in continual ure and exercise, as long as the infection of sin remains in our bodies, which is never utterly vanquished until the hour of death, and there is the great Golias slain with his own sword, that is death, which is the power of sin, and the gate of everlasting life opened unto us, and thus is Paul to be understand. Galat. 3. where he saith. All you that are baptized into Galat. 3 Christ, have put Christ on you, that is, you have promised to dye with Christ as touching your sins and worldly desires passed, and to become new men, or creatures or members of Christ, this have we all promised unto the congregation, and it is represented in our Baptism. But alas there are but few which in deed fulfil that they promise' or rather that the Sacrament promises for them. And for this cause it is called of Paul the fountain of the new birth and regeneration. Tit. iij. because it signifieth that we will in deed renounce & utterly Tit. 3. Baptism is the fountain of our new birth. forsake our old life & purge our members from the works of iniquity through the virtue of the holy ghost, which as the water or fire doth cleanse the body, Even so doth it purify the heart from all uncleanness: yea it is a common phrase in Scripture to call the holy ghost water and fire, because these two elements express so lively his purging operation. Now have we expounded the signification The signification of Baptism, that is to say, banishing the old man and putting on the new acquired only by faith. of Baptism which signification we may obtain only by faith, for if thou be baptized a thousand times with water & have no faith it availeth thee no more towards God, the it doth a Goose when she ducketh herself under the water. Therefore if thou will't obtain the profit of Baptism thou must have faith, that is, thou must be surely persuaded that thou art newly born again not by water only, but by water and the holy ghost, john. iij. & thou art▪ become the john. 3. child of God & that thy sins are not imputed to thee, but forgiven through the blood & passion of Christ, according unto the promise of God. This faith have neither the devils, neither yet the The wicked distrusting in God's promises despair. wicked. For the wicked can not believe the remission of their sins, but fall unto utter desperation and make God a liar as much as in them is. For they believe not the testimony which he gave his son, and this is that testimony, that all which believe on him have everlasting life john. u And the devils john. 5. can not believe it, for they have no promise made unto them. Thus Christ's blood is the strength of our Baptism. through Christ's blood, whereof our Baptism hath his full strength and vigour, are we regenerate and made at one with the father. For by our first natural birth, we are the children of wrath. Ephes. ij. and the enemies of God. Roma. uj. Roma. 5. Finally baptism is an ordinance institute of God (and no practice of man's imagination) put in use in Christ's time, and after his resurrection commanded to be ministered unto all that believe, whether they were jews or Gentiles. For Christ Matthew the last. saith to his Apostles, Go you & teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, & of the Son Math. 28. and of the holy Ghost. Wherefore although it seem never so exterior a thing, yet aught it to be had in great Causes why the Sacrament of Baptism should be had in great reverence. price and much reverence because it was commanded of God to be done. Beside that it is an outward sign or witness unto the congregation of the invisible promise given before by grace unto every private man, and by it doth the congregation receive him openly to be counted one of them which was first received by faith, or through the grace of the promise: it putteth us also in remembrance that we (advertising the kindness of God and our promise in Baptism) may learn to dye and mortify our rebelling members, otherwise giveth it no grace, neither hath it any secret virtue as we have sufficiently proved, and therefore is he sore to blame that so unadvisedly condemneth these infant's judging his brother which is in God's hand, yea and peradventure baptized in Christ's blood. For God's election is unknown to man. Now will I endeavour myself to overthrow and utterly put out the second error which hath long reigned and seduced many: and that is of them which so strongly stick unto the weak ceremonies. Concerning the ceremonies of Baptism, yea and all other, we must behave ourselves wisely as charity teacheth us, seeking the profit of many, that they may be saved. We must consider Sundry sorts of men which we have conversation withal diversly affected. that we have our conversation with men in this world of the which the most part know not God. Some are young, some weak, some perverse, and some stiff-necked and obdurate unto the young ceremonies, which although they be not noisome unto the faith, nor contrary to the word of God, yet will it be hard to find such. They are good and expedient Ceremonies of some sorts are as guides unto the knowledge of God. (as milk) to lead the young tenderly into the more perfit knowledge of God. The second sort are the weak unto whom in all things it behoveth us to have respect & bear their infirmities by charity: for their sake Acts. xv. did Paul circumcise Timothe, yea and for their sake he Acts. 15. had liefer to captive his liberty and never eat flesh nor drink wine them to offend one of them. The third kind of men are perfit I mean not so perfect that they are clean without sin having no remnauntes of old Adam assailing them for such are there none, but only Christ: but I call them The perfection of man. perfit which have perfect knowledge in the use of things which know, that what soever entereth into the belly deff●eth not the man, which know Math. 15. that all such things be pure unto them that are pure Tit. i which know Tit. 1. that if we eat we are nothing the better, or if we eat not we are nothing the worse. 1. Cor. 8. these are 1. Cor. 8. free between God & their conscience, & may use all things: howbeit they are Weak consciences either by breaking of any ancient custom, or neglecting ceremonies not to be offended. 1. Cor. 8. yet bound as concerning their neighbour which is weak and hath not the knowledge, yea bond under the pain of sin to abstain from woundyng of their conscience, for he sinneth against God that woundeth an other man's conscience. 1. Cor. 8. The fourth kind are self willed and obstinate which put confidence in such indifferent things. For I think them not needful unto our salvation. Then The obstinate which put trust in things not needful to salvation must be resisted. aught we to resist in the face, and not to yield an inch unto them, as Paul giveth us example, which would not for their pleasure circumcise Titus but utterly resisted their obdurate ignorance. If thou make this division, thou shalt know how to behave thyself towards all men, but now it is meet that we show thee which are the ceremonies of Baptism. The ceremonies of Baptism are easily expressed if thou know what the substance of it is, and how the Apostles ministered it: and where may we have that better expressed then Acts. viii. where Philip baptized the Eunuch, Acts. 8. chamberlain to the Queen of Candace, this Eunuch did knowledge that jesus was the son of GOD which is the sign of our faith, and desired Baptism and Philip at the Philip the Apostle used not so many outward ceremonies in Baptism as papists do. next water they came to, washed him in the name of the father and of the son, and of the holy ghost. There will no man deny but that that Baptism was as full, & as good as ours, & yet was there neither font nor holy water, candle, cream, oil, salt, godfather, or godmothers, or any other, popatrie. Wherefore we may conclude that all these things are but ceremonies that is to say exterior things which make Baptism neither the better nor worse of a mite, thus say I not to have these ceremonies that want judgement disannulled, which are not noisome to our faith, for fear of offending the weak, but only that thou mayest know how to use them, as indifferent and to put no confidence in them. For than should they hurt and unquiet our conscience, if thorough negligence, or otherwise any thing were undone, and so should they be an occasion to pluck us from Christ, which were institute for a mean to bring us unto him. Therefore the Seniors and ministers of Ministers must be circumspect in the uses & abuses of ceremonies. the congregations aught to instruct their flocks to take these things indifferent, which neither save nor damn, whether they be done or undone. And if they perceive the people cleave to sore to them, than aught they to seek out a time convenient, and to abrogate or altar those ceremonies, or else they can not escape the wrath of God. For they that seek health in such ceremonies are fallen from grace and tread under their ●●te the blood of Christ, unto their condemnation. But their blood shall be required at your hands, which better should have instructed them. And as concerning the abrogation or alteration of ceremonies, we have a ●…i 33. godly ensample of the Sabaoth. The Sabaoth was instituted and commanded of God to be kept of the children Exod. 20. Deut. 5. of Israel. Notwithstanding because it was a sign or a ceremony, and did signify unto them that it was God which sanctified them with his spirit, and not themselves with their holy works. And because also that all ceremonies and shadows ceased when Exod. 31. Christ came. So that they might be done or left undone indifferently. Our Sabaoth abrogated for fear of superstition forefathers, which were in the beginning of the church, did abrogate this Sabaoth to the intent that men might have an ensample of Christian liberty, and that they might know that neither the keeping of the Saboth, nor of any other day, is necessary according to Paul. You observe days, Gallat. 4. times, and months, I am afraid of you that I have laboured in vain towards you. Howbeit, because it was necessary that a day should be reserved, in the which the people might come together to hear the word of God, they ordained in the stead of the Sabbaoth which was Saturday, the next day following which is Sunday. And although they might have kept Sabaoth kept on the Sunday. the Saturday with the jews as a thing indifferent: yet did they much better to overset the day, to be a perpetual memory that we are free and not bound to any day, but that we may do all lawful works to the pleasure of God and profit of our neighbour. We are in manner as superstitious in the So●…s they were in the Saturday, ye●… we are much madder. For the jews have the word of God for their saturday, sith it is the seventh day, and they were commanded to keep the seventh day solemn. And we have not the word of God for us but rather against us, for we keep not the seventh day as the jews do. But the first which is not commanded by God's law: but Paul biddeth that no man judge us as concerning holy day meats, and such other exterior things, yea and Coll. 2. in no wise will he that we observe them, counting them more holy than other days. For they were institute that the people should come together to hear God's word, receive the sacraments, and give God thanks. That done, they may return unto their houses and do their business aswell as any other day. He that thinketh that a man sinneth which worketh on the holy day, if he be weak or ignorant, aught better to be instruct, and so to leave his hold. But if he be obstinate and persever in his sentence, he is not of God, but of the devil, for he maketh sin in such as God leaveth free. According to this ensample, would I that our ceremonies were altered, because (as I have said) the people seek health in them. And what villainy can they do more to Christ's blood? And as concerning Godfathers & Godmothers, they promise' for their Godchildren that they shall mortify the root of sin which springeth in the bodies, and subdue their lusts under the law of God. They promise' also that they will instruct and bring up their Godchildren in the faith of Christ: which office pertaineth unto their parents, for they are commanded of God to teach their children. So that the parents should Exod. 13. Deut. 4. and. 5. be either alone, or at the lest the chiefest Godfather. But now a days the fathers may not be suffered to know any thing themselves. How should they then instruct their children? They keep the scripture and word of God from you, and bear you in hand that it is heresy. Alas how long will you lack understanding? perceive you not yet that they would keep you in darkness because you should not espy their privy practice and slightly conveyance? Are you so mad that this blessed word which made the evil good, will make the good evil? think you that this wholesome medicine which heals all infirmities, is now changed into such a nature that it will poison you? Are you so simple and childish to surmise that this godly doctrine which discloseth all hypocrisy, and confoundeth all heresies, should make you to err and fall into heresies? I pray God give you eyes to see, ears to hear, and open your hearts that you may perceive what his pleasure is. For surely ignorancy shall not excuse you (as ezechiel Ezech. 3. and. 30. speaking in the person of God) saith unto the curates. Thou son of man, I have made thee an overseer unto the house of Israel, thou shalt hear the word of my mouth, and shalt show it them from me. If I say unto the wicked thou shalt surely die, and thou show him not, nor exhort him to turn from his wicked way that he may live: then he shall dye in his wickedness, but I will require his blood at thy hand. Yea, and if the righteous turn from his righteousness and do iniquity: he shall die although thou show it him not, he shall die in his sin, but I will require his blood at thy hand. Take heed you curates unto your charge, and let no man excuse himself through ignorance. FINIS. Antithesis, wherein are compared together Christ's acts and the Popes, gathered by john Frith and annexed unto the Revelation of Antichrist, which he translated. 1529. ¶ Antithesis. WE have annexed (Christian Reader) unto the end of the Revelation, a little treatise after the manner of an Epitome and short rehearsal of all things that examined more diligently in the aforesaid book, wherein their false and cloaked hypocrisy is abundantly opened, by the compairing of Christ's Math. 7. acts and there's together, for Christ's rule can not be deceivable, which saith that we should know them by their works, for Paul says 1▪ Cor. 11. that such false Apostles are wicked workers which be transfigured into Christ's Apostles. And no marvel for Satan himself, is some time transfigured into an angel of light, therefore it is no great thing, if that his ministers do take upon them a similitude, as though they were the ministers of justice, whose end shallbe according to their works. Christian men should mark such and fly away from them for such serve not Christ but their own bellies. And by sweet preachings, and flattering words deceive the hearts of the innocentes. And even as jannes' and jambres 2. Timb. 3. Exod. 8. withstood Moses, even so these resist the truth, men they are of corrupt minds, and lewd as concerning the faith, but they shall prevail no longer, for their madness shallbe uttered unto all men as there's was. Thus the people be blinded falling into unbelief. And are deceived through the sleghty conveyance of Antichrist and his adherents. Saint john said, that there john. 4. were many Antichristes in his time no wonder if now be more, howbeit by their works they shallbe known and also by their words, for they shall contrary Christ both in life & learning, whom they profess to follow. Now let us consider Popes, Cardinals, bishops, Suffragans, Archdeacon's, Deacons, Officials, People, Abbots, with Deans, and Friars, Sumners, Pardoners, and these Papal Notaries, take heed to Monks, Canons, Ankers, and He remites, Nuns, and Sisters, and mark how they follow Christ. We will chief touch the head which is the Pope, although it may be verified through all his members. First. Math. 8. CHrist was poor, saying. The Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the son of man hath not whereon to lay his head. The Pope and his adherents are rich, for the Pope saith Rome is mine, Sicilia is mine, Corsica is mine. etc. And his adherentes have also, fruitful possessions, this every man knoweth. 2. Christ was meek and low, and john. 6. forsook this worldly glory, and fled alone unto the mountains, when john. 6. the people would have made him a king. Saying my kingdom is not of john. 17. this world. The Pope, is full high and proud, saying, I am a Lord of both the realms, earthly and heavenly, and the Emperor is my subject: This witnesseth his law. Di. 96. ca Si imperator. 3 Christ full lowly and meekly washed john. 13. his disciples feet. The Pope saith, the Emperors and kings, shall kneel and kiss my feet, and is not ashamed to express it in the law. ca Cum olim. de priuil. ele. 4. Christ came not to be served but to serve, taking upon him the similitude Luke. 22. Phil. 2. of a servant, humbling himself and made himself of no reputation to serve us. The Pope will be served, and saith it were a shame if he should so humble himself. Dist. 86. ca Quando necessitas. 5. Christ went on his feet with his disciples both in wet and dry, heat and cold, to teach the people, as it is evident through the Gospels. The Popes and Bishops will keep their feet full clean with shoes of gold and silver. Sigh with precious stones, and will not preach them selves, but say it is sufficient, to 'cause other to preach. cap. Inter ceteram de office Ivor. After this manner might the Turk be Pope also. 6. Christ would not suffer that doves, Math. 21. sheep, & oxen for the offering, should be sold in the temple of God, but drove out the buyers & sellers with whipes. The Pope and Bishops, suffer chapmen in the Church that minister the Sacraments for money, daily unto the common people. And they give great pardon unto it, that they may be partakers of the winning, to maintain their cradles and other necessaries with all, this may you see daily. 7. Christ says, you have it for nothing Math. 10. therefore shall you give it for nothing. The Pope hath judas mind, for you get nothing of him without money, for he selleth both prayer & preaching. 8. Christ sat at meat among his Luke. 22. Disciples full lowly and poorly. Not requiring the highest seat. The Pope sitteth full high in a curious throne and will be served gloriously with long kneeling and men to carve his morssels, with jagged coats blaspheming God with oaths, & many other vices as we may see daily. 9 Christ was in hills with weeping Math. 14. and. 15. and praying and walked in desert, feeding many thousands, both with meat and preaching. The Pope sitteth in his Castles & towers with minstrelsy & laughter. And the hungry poor shall sit at the gate, he will not serve them himself for shame he thinketh it were. 10. Christ lay and slept in a boat on Math. 8. the hard boards and had to his chamberlains but fishers, crying to him upon the Sea in the tempest when they were a feared to perish. The Pope sleepeth full soft & easily, and no man may awake him until he have slept enough, for his chamberlains shallbe ready with Marshals and ushers, to keep his hall and chamber from noise. And the portar at the gate to keep out the poor. Their Lord they will not awake. 11. Christ fasted & sought the fruit on the tree when he was hungry, and Math. 21. found none thereon. The Pope hath great provision at Cities and Towns to get him of the best that may be found, well dressed and dayntely to make digestion, with spicery, sauces, and siropes, coloured out of kind. 12. Christ lay in a stable, with few clotheses, betwixt an ox and an Ass for Luke. 2. the place was narrow. The Pope, in rich chambers, with quiltes, curtains, carpettes and cushions spread all about with sweet smells and painted walls. 13. Christ chose to him poor men, and commanded them to be simple as doves. Math. 11. The Pope chooseth subtle men and crafty, full of pride or else they are not meet for him. 14. Christ road simply on an Ass, Math. 21. & had twelve that followed him a foot all about. The Pope on a mule or a white palfrey much higher than his master did. And hath many more than twelve following him on horseback with swords and bucklers, as it were to battle. 15. Christ bade his Disciples to go Mark. 16. into all the world and to preach the Gospel to every creature. The Pope and his Bishops forbid it in the pain of disobedience and excommunication, save only such as they will assign. 16. Christ was naked, beaten, scourged, john. 19 and false witness brought against him. The Pope and his adherentes are well clothed with precious garments, and have change for each day, & false witness they have enough, not against them, but to testify with them what soever they will have against the innocentes. 17. Christ came to seek the poor & comfort them, he was not chargeful unto them, but was mild, and had pity on them. The Pope and Bishops, summon & cite them be they never so poor, not regarding their adversity. But curse if they come not. So that they go away sorrier, and sicker in soul, and in purse then they were before. 18. Christ commanded that we should not swear at all, neither by Math. 5. heaven, neither by the temple. etc. But that our words should be, yea, yea, nay, nay. The Pope saith, if any man will receive any office under us, he shallbe sworn before, yea, and give a great sum of money. Ca signify. de elect. 19 Christ had a crown of thorn thrust upon his head, so that the blood john. 19 ran down upon his amiable countenance, and sharp nails thorough his precious hands. The Pope must wear three crowns Ca Constant. dist. ●●vi. of gold, set with rich precious stones, he lacketh no Diadems, his hands and fingers with ouches and rings are royally dight, he passeth poor Christ far. 20. Christ took the cross of painful affliction upon himself, and commanded his disciples to follow him, saying, Math. 10. he that taketh not his cross, and follow me, is not meet for me. The Pope and his Bishops take the cross of pride, and have it born before them, well gilded and amelde, to have a worship of this world, as for other cross know they none. 21. Christ prayed his father to forgive Luke. 23. them that trespassed him, yea, and for them that put him to death. Our bishops, pray the king to be avenged on them that resist their minds, with forgiveness they have no acquaintance. 22. Christ bad his disciples to preach Math. 10. the Gospel. The Pope and his Bishops will have men to preach fables, and thereto grant letter and seal, and many days of pardon. 23. Christ commanded his disciples john. 19 to know his law, and bad the jews to search the Scriptures. And Exod. 16. Moses exhorted the Israelites to teach the law of God to their young children. And that they should have it bound as a sign in their hands, that it might ever be before their eyes: And caused them to writ it on the posts and doors of their houses. The Pope and his Bishops say, that it is not meet for us to know it, they make it heresy and treason to the king to know Christ or his laws, they have digged cisterns of their own traditions, and have stopped up the pure fountains of Israel. O Lord, (in whom is all our trust) come down from the heavens, why dost thou tarry so long, seeing thine adversary thus prevailing against thee? 24. Christ approved his law and Heb. 9 confirmed it with his own death. The Pope and Bishops us full busy how they may destroy it, and magnify more their own law than Christ's, to maintain their fat bellies. 25. Christ would men visited prisoners, to comfort and deliver them. Math. 25. The Pope with his adherentes, discomfort the poor and the true, and put them in prison for the truth. 26. Christ whom they call their example, did never prison nor persecute any. The Pope and his champyons, persecute, punish, prison, and put to death, them that are disobedient to their voluptuous pleasures. You see how straight they follow Christ's steps. 27. Christ commanded his disciples that if any man trespassed against Math. 18. them, they should go & reprove him privily, if he would not obey and be reconciled, then should they take with them one witness or twain, if he would not then hear them, that they should tell it to the whole congregation. And if he would still continued in his stubbornness, that they should avoid his company. The Pope and bishops will cast strait into prison, there to remain in irons to make them revoke the truth, and grant to their wills, and if he be strong and will not forsake the truth, they will condemn him without audience, for fear of losing of their temporal winning. And offering to their wombs, and taking away of their temporaltyes, wherewith the church is venomed. 28. Christ charged Peter thrice, to john. 21. keep well and nourish his sheep. The Pope charges much more to keep well his money. As for the sheep he shereth and punisheth with infinite exactions. 29. Christ healing the sick and doing Math. 8. Mark. 1. Luke. 5. many miracles, did lightly, ever command that they should tell no man who did heal them. The Pope and bishops, give great gifts to minstrels and messengers, to lewd liars and flatterers to cry their name about, that they may have worship in this world. 30. Christ had no secular courts to Math. 5. plead the matters of his disciples, for they would not resist evil. The Pope and Bishops, have many with men of law to oppress the poor against mercy, forgive they will not, but ever be avenged. 31. Christ in cities and towns hunted Math. 8. & 17. the fiends out of men that they dwelled in, with the words of his mouth. The Pope and bishops, hunt the wild Dear, the For, and the Hare, in their closed parks, with great cries, and horns blowing, with Hounds and ratches running. 32. God was called the holy father john. 22. of jesus Christ his son. The Pope is called most holy father of Satan's children, & taketh that name on him with Lucifer's pride: his disciples say the he is god on earth, and we are taught by Christ's law to have but one God. 33. Christ sat in the mids of the Luke. 2. Doctors, ask, and hearing them. The Pope and bishops sit in thrones with glorious miters, judging and condemning by their own made laws. A little matter, long in pleating, which might be soon determined by the law of God, if they would use it, but then were their winning the less, and their law without profit. 34 Christ taught that a man should forsake his wife for no cause but for Math. 5. adultery. The Pope and bishops will make divorces for money, as often as they list, and so they pill the poor and make themselves rich, nothing regarding to break the law of God. 35. Christ sent the holy ghost in fervent love, to teach all the truth unto Acts. 2. them which were choose of God. The Pope and bishops send commandments all about to curse and ask avengeance on them that resist their tyranny, And absoile them again clean for money: all their doctrines have golden tails, for money is ever the end, give them money, and you have fulfilled all their laws. 36. Christ fulfilled and kept the old Math. 3. law and the new, and all righteousness. The Pope and bishops keep their own traditions and laws, but the law of God is clean out of their minds. 37. Christ said, that men should john. 12. know his disciples by their charity, because they should love one another as he hath loved them. The Pope causeth his to be known, by their shaven crowns, by gathering up of tithes, mass pennies, and offerings, by the gylden trentals, and salaryes to sing, by Peter pennies gathering, and shriving for money, by penny wedding, and holy water sprinkling, and many more marks hath he given them, As for charity, they know it not at all. 38. Christ bade them that he healed john. 9 to go and sin no more. The Pope and Bishops have feigned penance, and command men to fast bread & water, to go barefoot, without a shirt, & to offer to certain idols money or cattle, some Masses must be song for them because their confessors should have some profit, Some must go about the church, and Churchyard, with a taper burning in his hand. And ever some be punished by the purse, though they offend not. 39 Christ sent to preach seventy and Luke. 10. and two Disciples, which promised freely heaven to them that would believe in the name of Christ. The Pope and Bishops send about four sects of beggars to give pardon under their master Antichrist. And to cell heaven to whom so ever they list, the Apostles known no such things. 40. Christ was buried in a garden john. 19 in a poor monument without any funeral pomp. The Pope and Bishops are buried in tombs well gilded with many a torch and great solemnity, with angels gloriously portered that bear their souls to heaven. Notwithstanding it is to be feared that they go to supper with the devil. 41. Christ saith if thou will't be perfit Math. 19 go and cell all thy goods and give it unto the poor for then shalt thou have treasure in heaven. The pope says if thou will't be perfit give me thy money & I will give thee a pardon that shall absolve thee clean a poena & culpa I will for thy money give thee, the kaye of heaven gates. 42. Christ said unto his Apostles the Luke. 22. Kings and Princes of the Gentiles have rule and power over them, but you shall not so have. The Pope saith, all Emperors, Kings and Lords be my subjects, This is daily read in his Bulls, where in he commandeth the nobility, like as a master doth his servant. 43. Christ saith, he that among you Math. 23. Mark. 9 willbe greatest, let him be all your servants. The Pope saith, The Emperor must swear an oath unto me as unto his Lord, that he will be my subject & eralte and worship me with honour. Ca Tibi Domino. Di. 63. 44. Christ saith that we worship ●ath. 17. him in vain with men's doctrines & traditions. The Pope saith my traditions in the spiritual law, shall be kept as duly, as if God had commanded it himself, or S. Peter had preached it himself. Ca Si omnes. Dist. 19 45. Christ saith I am the way and john. 14. the truth follow me in my learning. And rule you by the Scripture for that shall be your judge. The Pope saith, you shall in all things follow the Church of Rome (by that means he himself and his Cardinals) Dist. xi. Cap. quis ne sciat. And as for the Scripture, it standeth in my power & authority, for I may make of it what soever I will. Dist. nineteeen. Cap. Si romanorum. 46. Christ says he that believeth and Mark. 11. is baptized, he shall be saved, but he that believeth not shallbe damned. The Pope saith he that giveth much money for my pardon shallbe absoyled a poena & a culpa. And then must he needs be saved. And he that teacheth otherwise is an heretic, this testifieth his bulls and pardons. 47. Christ promises forgiveness of Math. 4. sin. And the kingdom of heaven unto them that repent and will amend their lives. The Pope saith, that no man can be saved except he be first shriven of his Priests & Friars, for they bring in money. Cap. omnes. 48. Christ saith you shall love your Math. 5. enemies, and shall do good unto them that hate you. The Pope saith, they that be enemies, to me & my Cardinals, be cursed with the great excommunication, and can not be absoyled without much money, this is evident enough. 49. Christ commanded his Disciples Math. 17. not to resist evil, but if a man strike them on the one cheek, that they should offer him the other also. The Pope saith we may avenge and drive away force with force. D● sen. excom. cap. dilecto. 50. Christ (saith God the father) is Math. 11. my dear son, him shall you hear, for his yoke is sweet and his burden light. The Pope saith you shall hear me, and my commandment shall be kept and received of every man. Dist. 93. cap. Si evils. And if my commandment and burden were so heavy that it can not well be sustained and born, yet shall you obey me. Dist. 19 cap. In memoriam. 51. Christ said unto the. ij. brethren, Luke. 12. who hath set me to be your judge in temporal goods. As though he should say. It pertaineth not to me, but unto worldly judges. The Pope saith I am judge in all manner of causes for they bring money unto me. 9 q. 3. Conquestus. 52. Christ says give the Emperor Math. 23. such as pertaineth unto him as tribute and custom, for I have paid Math. 17. tolle for me and Peter. The Pope says I care not for this, But I excommunicate all them that ask any toll or tribute of me and my shavelings, for I have made them all free. Cap. Novit. de senten. excom. Et ca Si quis. de cons. dist. i 53. Christ saith. Peter put up thy Math. 26. sword into the sheath, for he that striketh with sword shall perish with the sword. The Pope saith, you Emperors, Kings, Princes, and Lords, take sword, spears, halberdes, clubs and guns, and help me to slay them, that will not obey my tyranny. This must an Emperor do or else he must be perjured. After this manner hath julius the Pope slain. xuj. thousand men in one day, was not that well pastored? Did not he well nourish the sheep which Christ did commit unto his tuition? 54. Christ said. Drink you all of this cup, for this is the blood of Math. 26. my promise. The Pope saith, I will not grant this, for my priests alone shall drink of it (because it may cry avengeaunce on them alone) the other shall not drink of it in the pain of heresy. 55. Christ saith: You are my friends john. 15. if you do all things that I myself command you. The Pope saith, you shall do as I bid you, for I have power and authority to make laws. And after them shall you live. 25. q. j ca Sunt quidam. 56. Christ saith that chastity is not Math. 19 given unto every man, they that have it given, let them take it giving thanks to God. And let the other use the remedy which God hath prepared, for it is better to marry then to burn. The Pope saith, all monks, Friars, 1. Cor. 7. and Nuns, shall vow and swear chastity, be it given them or not, my Priests also shall not be wedded, but as for to keep whores, and ravish other men's daughters & wives, shallbe dispensed withal. I will see no such things, for my bishops have yearly great money by it, like as bawds be wont to have. 57 Christ saith, all meats that man Math. 15. Roma. 14. Collos. 2. Tit. 1. taketh with thanks staineth not the soul, for all things are pure to them that are pure. The Pope saith, he that eateth eggs, butter, or flesh in these days that I have commanded to be fasted, doth not only stain his soul with sin, but also is to be denounced an heretic. Dist. 4. ca Statuimus. This agreeth with Christ even as the light doth with the darkness. And yet have we been thus blinded long, that we could never perceive this Antichrist till now in the last days. 58. Christ said unto his Disciples, Math. 16. Math. 18. john. 15. that you bind in earth shallbe bound in heaven, and that you loose in earth shallbe loosed in heaven. The Pope challengeth greater authority for he will loose souls out of Purgatory, and command the angels to fetch them out and all for money, without money you get nothing. 59 Christ saith when you have done Luke. 17. all things that I have commanded you, yet say that you are unprofitable servants. The Pope saith do those things that I command thee, and take a sure conscience unto thee that thou art a just and a religious man, and that thou hast deserved heaven. And as for I myself, If I do wrong in every thing, 〈◊〉 O abomination. bring many thousands with me into damnation, yet shall no man rebuke me, but call me the most holiest father. Dist. 40. ca Si Papa. 60. Christ teacheth us to fulfil the Math. 2●. Osea. 〈◊〉 Math. 9 works of mercy to the poor, ever commending mercy above offerings and sacrifice. The Pope teacheth us to give our money for pardons, masses, diriges, to images and Churches, so that we may offer unto their bellies. And he that saith it is better to give our charity to the poor (as Christ saith) is counted half an heretic, because he goeth about to mar the Pope's market. 61. Christ suffered death for our Roma. 4. john. 11. sins and arose for our justification, or else we all should have perished. The Pope saith if thou buy my pardon, or else be buried in a grey friars coat thou must needs be saved, so that Christ hath suffered in vain, sith a friars coat will save a man. 62. Christ only is our mediator 1. john. 2. which maketh unite betwixt his father & us, howbeit the prayer of a just james. 5. man is very good and profitable. The Pope saith. The greatest power and salvation next to Christ is mine. Dist. 60. cap. Si Papa. I marvel then why he is so curious to 'cause us to worship the Saints that are a sleep. And not rather himself, sith he challengeth a greater power than ever they did while they lived. 63. Christ saith, who soever break Math. 5. one of my least commandments, shall be called the jest (that is to say none) in the kingdom of heaven. The Pope saith, what pertaineth his law unto me. I am subject to no laws. 25. q. 1. cap. Omnia. therefore doth the Pope but seldom right. And is always against right yea and against his own laws, as often as men do bring him money, for that loveth he above all things. 64. Christ's law is fulfilled through Roma. 13. charity. The Pope's law is fulfilled by money, if thou have no money to give them, thou shalt carry a faggot, though thou offend not, money them & they see thee not, do what thou will't. 65. Christ is the head of the Church Ephe. 1 Collos. 1. 1. Cor. 10. as the Apostle doth testify. And also the stone whereon the Church is builded. And this Church is the congregation of the faithful and the very body of Christ. The Pope saith, I am the head of the Church. Dist. 19 cap. Enim vero. And the seat of Rome is the stone whereon the Church is builded. Dist. 19 Ita Dominus. Can any thing be more contrary unto the honour and glory of God, then thus to despoil him of his kingdom, which he so dearly hath bought shedding his precious blood for it? 66. Christ's law which is the holy 2. Pet. 2. 2. Timo. 3. Scripture came by the inspiring of the holy ghost which did infuse it abundantly into the hearts of the Apostles, and of the same spirit hath it his endurance and interpretation. The Pope saith, I am Lord of the Scripture to allow and disallow it, for of me doth it take his full authority. ca▪ Si omnes. And for a token of this, is the Scripture of Christ, laid under his feet when he is at Mass. 67. Christ's Apostle saith, that a Tit. 1. Bishop aught to be so well learned, that he with the Scripture, be able to overcome all them that be against the faith. The Pope and Bishops will dispute in Scripture with no man, but cast them first in prison, and proper engines they have invented to wring their fingers so sore, that the blood shall burst out at their finger's ends, they pine them, and scourge them with infinite other torments paining than, to forsake the truth. And after make them swear on a book that they shall tell no man of it, thus cruelly do they entreat them against justice. And if they can not subdue them to their wills, then do they commit them unto the seculare power to be burned. 68 Christ's accusation, and cause john. 19 why he was condemned unto death, was written over his head in Hebrew, Greek, & Latin, that all men might know the cause, this was an argument that they used justice (although they condemned him unjustly) sith men might see the offence and judgement joined together. The Pope and bishops condemn men, and commit them unto the seculare power, that they should execute the sentence. But this is a mischievous abomination, that they will not suffer the seculare power, to know the cause why they put men to death, worshipful, does divines, Master Doctor. O you gentle nobility, ponder this matter indifferently. Beware how you do execution, except you know the cause why. Think you the blood shall not be required on you, if for an others pleasure you destroy the work of God. They will say unto you, as the jews said unto Pilate concerning Christ: If he were not an evil doer we would not have delivered him unto you. Trust not their words, for (no doubt) they are liars, know the cause your selves, and hear the matter unfeignedly. Think you they would not let you know the cause and judgement, if they did justice and not tyranny? Be therefore no longer ●oyes to them, which aught to be your servants, God hath given you his spirit, grace and understanding, hide not the talon that God hath given you, but do your diligence to see justice executed, secluding all tyranny, for that is your office appointed you of God. 69. Christ saith, blessed are you when Luke. 6. men hate you, curse you, and excommunicate you for the righteousness, that is to say, you nothing guilty nor worthy such affliction. The Pope and bishops say that their curse is sore to be feared, yea and that it maketh men as black as a coal in the sight of God, though they have not offended. In so much that they must needs be damned except they absoile them again: howbeit Christ saith, that they are blessed: wherefore Christ is false, or else they are most vain liars. 70. Christ said, when thou makest Luke. 〈◊〉. a dinner or feast, call not thy friends, kinsmen, and neighbours that are rich, but the poor, lame and blind, which are not able to recompense thee, then shalt thou be happy, for it shall be rewarded thee in the resurrection of the just. The Pope and bishops will call none such, for they think it great shame, but they call men of great authority and riches, which will receive them with an other feast, they had liefer have their bellies well stuffed in this world, then to tarry for the promise of Christ. They think it long a coming. 71. Christ saith, either make the tree Math. 5. Luke. 6. good and his fruit good also, or else make the tree nought and his fruit nought also: meaning, that the tree first should be good, and then bring forth good fruit, the fruit maketh not the tree good, but the tree maketh the fruit good, although we can not know that the tree is good, but by his fruit (for we can judge nothing but by his outward operation) yet God seeth the quickness in the root, which in the time that God hath appointed him, shall bring forth his fruit. And approveth the tree to be good, although he seem dead unto us. The tree is faith, which is the mother of all good works, which ever worketh by charity when he seeth occasion. The Pope and Bishops say, that the fruit maketh the tree good, clean contrary to all Scripture and reason. And thus turn they the trees and the roots upward, while they affirm that faith springeth and is made good of works. And not the contrary, even as a man would say, the fruit bringeth forth and maketh good the tree. And not the contrary. O what madness is is? They would make men believe if they should long continued, that the Moon is made of green cheese. 72. Christ saith, I am the door of the fold, he that entereth not in by the door, but by some other way, is a thief & a murderer, and regardeth not the sheep. The Pope, yea and all the clergy (for the most part) enter not in by Christ, but they run in and are not called nor sent of Christ, One entereth by a bag of money, wherewith he buyeth a fat benefice. An other entereth by serving great men, and corying favour. An other, because he is a great man born, must be made a Cardinal, or else a Bpshop. Some have voysons of abbeys and other places, to speak a good word for them to the king or other great men. Some enter thorough their curious singing, and minion dancing, few or none for virtue & learning. 73. Christ saith, I am a good shepherd, A good shephead giveth his life for his sheep. The Pope and bishops say also, that they are good shepherds, how be it, they pill and shear the sheep so nigh, that they leave not one lock of wool on their backs. And in all points may be likened unto the shepherds that Zacharias prophesied of: which saith, I shall raise up a shepherd in the earth, which shall not visit the things that are forsaken, and shall not seek that which is go astray, neither yet heal the diseased, nor nourish and maintain that which standeth, but such a shepherd that shall nourish himself and not the sheep, and crieth out of him, saying. O thou shepherd and idol, think you that this shepherd will give his life for the sheep? 74. Christ saith, desire you not to be called master, for you have but one Math. 23. master, which is Christ, and all you are brothers. The Pope will be called most holy, his Cardinals, most reverend, his bishop's reverend, his abbots and Priors most, and other glorious titles have they, that pass master, far. And except thou call them by those names and titles, thou shalt run far into their indignation, let Christ say what he will. 75. Christ commanded his Disciples Math. 23. that they should call no man father on the earth, showing them that they had but one father, which is in heaven. The Pope must be called most holy father, if thou give him not that name he will excommunicate you out of his synagogue, reason not with him, you may show him the scripture, but it availeth not, for he will wrist it & wring it into a thousand fashions. And will never leave it until he have brought it unto his own purpose. 76. Christ's faithful servant Stephen, Act. 7. said, that God almighty dwelleth not in temples that are made with man's hands, according unto the prophets saying. Heaven is my seat, Esay. 66. 2. King. 7. and the earth is my footstool. What house will you build for me, saith the Lord? which is the place of my rest? Did not my hands make all these things? The Pope and his adherentes say, that he dwelleth in this place and that place, the Friars say we have him, you must buy him of us, the Monks say, he is with us, be good to our monastery, and you shall be sure to have him. And so run the silly souls from Herode to Pilate. But they find not Christ, for he dwelleth in no place but in the heart of a faithful man, which is the very temple of God. 1. Cor. 3. 77. Christ's Apostle Paul saith, We aught not to think that God is Acts. 17. like gold, silver, kar●ed stones, or any such thing as man imagineth. The Pope and his adherentes say that he is like a stock and a stone, & causeth men to make images of him, though God commanded contrary saying. Thou shalt make no graven image, neither any manner of similitude Exod. 20. of those things which are in heaven above or on the earth beneath. Neither of those things which are in the water, or under the earth, neither shalt thou honour or worship them. Good Christian beware of these Idols as Saint john councileth thee, truly I think it be one of the john. 5. greatest causes of this excecation which God hath sent into the world for sin. 78. Christ said unto Peter, thou art Simon the son of jona, thou shalt john. 1. be called Cephas which if it be enterpreted signifieth a stone as S. john saith in his Gospel. The Pope saith that Cephas signifieth Dist. xxij. ca sacrosancta. the head, and of that gathereth he to be head of all the Bishops, here doth he plainly contrary to Gospel which expoundeth Cephas to be a stone, what impudency is this? I think he would say also that an Ass were a man if he thought to get any advantage through it. There are infinite other things wherein he contrarieth Christ in so much that if it be diligently examined, I think there is no word that Christ spoke, but the other hath taught or made a law against it. Howbeit for to avoid tediousness, we shall leave them unto your own judgement, for they are soon searched out & espied. judge Christian reader all these things with a simple eye, be not parcially addict to the one nor to the other. But judge them by the Scripture. And knowledge that to be the truth which Gods word doth allow, avoiding all other doctrine for it springeth of Satan, be not ashamed to confess poor Christ (and to take him for thy head) before these ravenous Wolves, for than shall he confess thee again before Math. 10. his father & the angels in heaven. Then shalt thou be inheritor with jesus Christ, And the faithful son of thy father which is in heaven, to whom be all glory eternally. Amen. ¶ Here endeth the Antithesis between Christ and the Pope. A book made by john Frith prisoner in the Tower of London, answering unto M. Moor's letter which he written against the first little treatise that john Frith made concerning the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, unto which book are added in the end the articles of his examination before the Bishops of London, Winchester and Lyncolne, in Paul's Church at London, for which john Frith was condemned and after burned in Smithfield without Newgate the fourth day of july. Anno. 1533. ¶ The Preface of this book. GRace and increase of knowledge from God the father through our Lord jesus Christ, be with the Christian reader, and with all them that love the Lord unfeignedly. Amen. I chanced being in these parties, to be in company with a Christian brother which for his commendable conversation, and sober behaviour, might better be a Bishop then many that wear mitres if the rule of S. Paul were regarded in their election. 1. Timo. 3. Tit. 1. This brother after much communication, desired to know my mind as touching the Sacrament of the body and blood of our saviour Christ. Which thing I opened unto him according to the gift that God had given me. First I proved unto him that it was The order that john Frith keepeth in showing his mind in the Sacrament of the body & blood of Christ. no article of our faith necessary to be believed under pain of damnation. Then I declared, that Christ had a natural body, even as mine is (saving sin) and that it could no more be in two places at once than mine can. Thirdly I showed him that it was not necessary, that the words should so be understand as they sound. But that it might be a phrase of Scripture, as there are innumerable. After that I showed him certain phrases and manner of speakynges. And that it was well used in our English tongue and finally I recited after what manner they might receive it according to Christ's institution, not fearing the froward alteration that the Priests use contrary to the first form and institution. When I had sufficiently published The occasion that moved john Frith to writ on the Sacrament. my mind, he desired me to entitle the sum of my words, and writ them for him, because they seemed overlong to be well retained in memory. And albeit I was loath to take the matter in hand, yet to fulfil his instant intercession, I took upon me to touch this terrible tragedy, and written a treatise, which beside my painful imprisonment, is like to purchase me most cruel death, which I am ready and glad to receive with the spirit and inward man (although the flesh be frail) when soever it shall please God to lay it upon me. Notwithstanding to say the truth I written it not to the intent that it should have been published. For than I would have touched the matter more earnestly, and have written, as well of the spiritual eating & drinking which is of necessity, as I did of the carnal which is not so necessary. For the treatise that I made was not expedient for all men, albeit it were sufficient for them whom I took in hand to instruct. For they known the spiritual and necessary eating The spiritual eating of the Sacrament is by faith. and drinking of his body & blood which is not received with the teeth and belly, but with the ears and faith, and only needed instruction in the outward eating, which thing I therefore only declared. But now it is common abroad and in many men's mouths, in so much that M. More which of late hath busied himself to meddle in all such matters (of what zeal I will not define) hath sore laboured to confute it, but some men think that he is ashamed of his part and for that cause doth so diligently suppress the work which he printed. For I myself see the work in Print in my Lord of Winchester's house, upon S. Stephen's day last passed. But neither I neither all the friends I could make, might attain any copy, but only one written copy which as it seemed was drawn out in great haste: notwithstanding I can not well judge what the cause should be, that his book is kept so secret: But this I am right sure of, that he never touched the foundation that my treatise was builded upon. And therefore sith my foundation standeth so sure and invincible (for else I think verily he would sore have laboured to have undermined it) I will thereupon build a little more, and also declare that his ordinance is to slender to break it down, although it were set upon a worse foundation. ¶ The foundation of that little treatise was, that it is no article of our faith necessary to be believed under pain of damnation, that the Sacrament should be the natural body of Christ: which thing is proved, on this manner. first we must all acknowledge The Sacrament to be the natural body of Christ is no article of our faith, necessary to be believed upon pain of damnation. that it is no article of our faith which can save us, nor which we are bond to believe under the pain of eternal damnation. For if I should believe that his very natural body both flesh and blood were naturally in the bread and wine, that should not save me, seeing many believe that, and receive it to their damnation, for it is not his presence in the bread that can save me, but his presence in my heart through faith in his blood, which hath washed out my sins and pacified that father's wrath toward me. And again if I do not believe his bodily presence in the bread and wine, that shall not damn me, but the absence out of my heart through unbelief. Now if they would here object that Objection. though it be truth that the absence out of the bread could not damn us: yet are we bound to believe it, because of god's word which (who believeth not, as much as in him lieth) maketh God a liar. And therefore of an obstinate mind not to believe his word, may be an occasion of damnation. To this we may answer, that we Solution. believe God's word, and knowledge that it is true: but in this we descent, whether it be true in the sense that we take it in, or in the sense that you take it in. And we say again, that though you have (as it appeareth unto you) the evident words of Christ, and therefore consist in the bark of the letter: yet are we compelled by conferring of the scriptures together within the letter, to search out the mind of our Saviour which spoke the words. And we say thirdly, that we do it not of an obstinate mind: For he that defendeth a cause obstinately Obstinate defending of any cause is worthy of reprehension. (whether it be true or false) is ever to be reprehended. But we do it to satisfy our consciences, which are compelled by other places of Scripture, reasons, and Doctors so to judge of it. And even so aught you to judge of your party, and to defend your sentence, not of obstinacy, but by the reason The foundation of john Frithes first treatise upon the Sacrament. of Scriptures, which cause you so to take it. And so aught neither party to despise other, for each seeketh the glory of God, and the true understanding of the Scripture. This was the foundation of my first treatise that he hath left unshaken, which is a great argument that it is very true: For else his pregnant wit could not have passed it so clean over, but would have assailed it with some sophistical cavillation, which by his painted poetry he might so have coloured, that at the jest he might make the ignorant some appearance of truth, as he hath done against the residue of my first treatise, which nevertheless is true, and shall so be proved. And first, that it is none article of our faith necessary to be believed under pain of damnation, may thus be further confirmed. The same It is no article of our faith to believe it to be the natural body of Christ. faith shall save us which saved the old fathers before Christ's incarnation, But they were not bound under pain of damnation to believe this point: therefore it shall follow that we are not bound thereto under the pain of damnation. The first part of mine argument is proved by S. Agustine ad Durdamun. And I dare boldly say almost in an HUNDRED places. For I think there be no proposition which he doth more often inculcate than this, that the same faith saved us which saved our fathers. The second part is manifest, The same faith saveth us that saved our fathers that it needeth no probation. For how could they believe the thing which was never said nor done, and without the word they could have no faith, upon the truth of these two parties must the conclusion needs follow. Notwithstanding, they all did eat Christ's body and drank his blood spiritually, although they ●ad him not present to their teeth. And by the spiritual eating (which is the faith in his body and blood) were saved as well as we are. For as soon as our forefather Adam had transgressed Adam. God's precept, and was fallen under condemnation, our most merciful father of his gracious favour gave him the promise of health and comfort, whereby as many as believed it, were saved from the thrauldome of their transgression: the word & promise was this: I shall put enmity between thee and the woman, between thy seed and her seed, that seed shall Gene. 3. tread thee on the head, and thou shalt tread it on the heel. In this promise they had knowledge that Christ should become the seed or son of a woman, and that he should destroy the devil with all his power, and deliver his faithful from their sins. And where he said that the devil should tread it on the heel, they understood right well that the devil should find the means by his wiles and wicked ministers to put Christ to death. And they known that God was true, and would fulfil his promise unto them, and heartily longed after this seed, and so did both eat his body and drink his blood, knowledging How our fathers did eat the body of christ and drunk his blood. with infinite thanks, that Christ should for their sins take the perfect nature of manhood upon him, and also suffer the death. This promise was given to Adam, and saved as many as did believe and were thank full to God for his kindness, and after it was established unto our father Abraham by the word of God, which said, In thy seed shall all nations of the earth be blessed. And with him God made a covenant that he would be his God, and do him good. And Abraham Abraham. Gene. 12. again promised to keep his precepts and walk in his ways. Then God gave him the sacrament of circumcision, and called that his covenant, Circumcision was the Sacrament of God's covenasit made with Abraham. which thing notwithstanding was not the very covenant in deed, although it were so called. But was only a sign, token, sacrament, or memorial of the covenant that was between God and him, which might expound our matter, if men had eyes to see. After that, God promised him a son when his wife was past child bearing, and he also very old. Nevertheless, he doubted not of God's word. But surely believed that he which promised it, was able to perform it. And that was recounted unto him for righteousness. Abraham by faith did eat and drink Christ's body and blood. This Abraham did both eat his body and drink his blood (through faith) believing verily that Christ should take our nature, & spring out of his seed (as touching his flesh) and also that he should suffer death to redeem us. john. 8. And as Christ testifieth, he heartily desired to see the day of Christ. And he saw it and rejoiced, he saw it in faith and had the day of Christ, that is to say all those things that should chance him, plainly revelated unto him, albeit he were dead many hundred years before it were actually fulfilled and revelated unto the world. And by that faith was he saved, and yet never did eat his flesh with his teeth, nor never believed that bread should be his body and wine his blood. And therefore sith he was also saved without that faith, and the same faith shall save us which saved him, I think that we shall also be saved if The spiritual eating & drinking of Christ shall save us. we eat him spiritually (as he did) although we never believe that the bread is his body. Furthermore, that merciful Moses which brought the children of Israel out of Egypt into the wilderness, obtained of God by prayers, both Manna from heaven to feed his people, and also water out of the stone to refresh and comfort them. This Manna and water, were even Manna was to the Israelites the same that the Sacrament is to us now. the same thing unto them, that the bread and wine is to us. For Saint Austen sayeth: Quicunque in manna Christum intellexerunt, eundem quem nos cibum spiritualem manducaverunt. August. de utilitate poenicentiae. Quicunque autem de manna solam saturitatemquè sinerunt manducabant & mortui sunt. Sic etiam eundem potum: petra enim erat christus. That is to say, as many as in that manna understood Christ, did eat that same spiritual meat that we do, but as many as fought only to fill their bellies of that manna (the fathers of the unfaithful) did eat and are dead. And likewise the same drink, for the stone was Christ. Here may you gather of S. Austen that the Manna was unto them, as the bread is to us, and likewise, that the water was to them, as the wine is to us, which anon shall appear more plainly. Aug. super joan. tract. 26. S. Austen saith further, manducavit & Moses manna, manducauit & Aaron, manducavit & Phinees, manducaverunt ibi multi qui Deo placuerunt & mortui non sunt. Quare? quia visibilem cibum spiritualiter intellexerunt, spiritualiter esurierunt, spiritualiter gustaverunt, ut spiritualiter satiarentur. Omnes eandem escam spiritualem manducaverunt, & omnes eumdem potum spiritualem biberunt, spiritualem utique eandem: nam corporalem alteram (quia illi manna, nos aliud) spiritualem vero eandem quam nos. Vt omnes eundem potum spiritualem biberunt aliud illi, aliud nos: sed specie visibili quod tamen hoc idem significaret virtute spirituali. Quomodo eundem potum bibebant (inquit Apostolus) A goodly saying of S. Augustine. de spirituali sequenti petra: petra autem erat Christus. That is to say, Moses also did eat Manna and Aaron and Phinées did eat of it, and many other did there eat of it, which pleased God and are not dead. Wherefore? Because they understood the visible meat spiritually. They were spiritually an hungered, they tasted it spiritually, that they might spiritually be replenished. They did all eat the same spiritual meat, and all drank the spiritual, drink. Even the same spiritual meat albeit an other bodily meat, for they did eat Manna, and we eat an other thing, but they did eat the same spiritual, which we do. And they all did drink the same spiritual drink. They drank one thing and we an other: but that was in the outward appearance, which nevertheless did signify the same thing spiritually. How drank they the same drink? They (saith the Apostle) drank of the spiritual stone following them, and that stone was Christ. And thereunto Beda added these words. Beda suitor. 1. Cor. 10. Videte autem fide manente signa variata. That is to say. Behold that the signs are altered, and yet the faith abideth one. Of these places you may plainly perceive not only that it is no article necessary to be believed under pain of damnation, seeing the old fathers never believed it. And yet did eat Christ in faith both before they had the Manna, & more expressly through the Manna with no less fruit when the Manna was ceased. To eat the Sacrament by faith spiritually is to eat the body of Christ. etc. And albeit the Manna was to them as the Sacrament is to us, and they eat even the same spiritual meat that we do, yet were they never so mad as to believe that the Manna was changed into Christ's own natural body. But understood it spiritually that as the outward man did eat the material Manna which comforted the body, so did the inward man through faith, eat the body of Christ believing that as that Manna came down from heaven and comforted their bodies, so should their Saviour Christ which was promised them of God the father, come down from heaven & strength their souls in everlasting life, redeeming them from their sin by his death and resurrection. There is no cause why we should account the Sacrament to be Christ's natural body, for that were to gross an imagination. And likewise do we eat Christ in faith, both before we come to the Sacrament, and more expressly through the Sacrament, and with no less fruit after we have received the sacrament, and need no more to make it his natural body than the manna was, but might much better understand it spiritually: that as the outward man doth eat the material bread which comforteth the body, so doth the inward man through faith eat the body of Christ, believing that as the the bread is broken, so was Christ's body broken on the cross for our sins, which comforteth our souls unto life everlasting. And as the faith did save them without believing that the manna was altered into his body, even so doth this faith save us although we believe not that the substance of bread is turned into his natural body. For the same faith shall save us which saved them. We are not bound● to believe upon pain of damnation more than our fathers believed. And we are bond to believe no more under pain of damnation, than they were bond to believe. They believed in God the father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and all that is in them. They did believe that Christ was the son of God. They did believe that he should take our nature of a virgin. Gene. 1. They believed that he should suffer the death for our deliverance, Psal. 1. Esay. 7. Act. 3. which thing was signified in all the sacrifices, and besides that testified in every Prophet, for there was verily not one Prophet but he spoke of that point. They believed that his soul should not be left in hell, Acts. 2. Psal. 16. but that he should arise from death and reign everlasting with his father. And to be short, there is no point in our creed, but that they believed it, as well as we do, & those articles are only necessary unto salvation, For them am I bond to believe, & am damned without excuse, if I believe them not. But the other points contained in scripture, although they be undoubted verities, yet may I be saved without them. As be it in case that I never herded of them, or when I hear of them, I can not understand them, nor comprehend them, or that I fear them and understand them, and yet by the reason of an other text misconstrue them, as the Bohemes do the We must believe the articles of our faith upon pain of damnation, but in the other, there is no peril. words of Christ in the 6. chapter of john. All these I say may be done without any jeopardy of damnation. In every text is but only one verity for which it was spoken and yet some texts there be which of Catholic Doctors are expounded in uj. or. seven. sundry fashions. Therefore we believe these articles of our Crede: in the other is no peril, so that we have a probable reason to descent from them. But now to return to our purpose, if we will examine the authorities of S. Austen & Beda before alleged, we shall espy that beside the probation of this foresaid proposition, they open the mystery of all our matter to them that have eyen to see. For S. Austen saith that we and the old fathers do differ as touching the bodily meat for they did eat Manna, and we bread, but albeit it varied in the outward appearance, yet nevertheless spiritually it did signify one thing. For both the Manna and bread do signify Christ. And so both they and we do eat one spiritual meat, that is to say we both eat the thing which signifieth and representeth unto us the very one spiritual meat of our souls which is Christ. And Beda doth plainly call both the Mamna and the bread signs, saying behold that the signs are altered and yet the faith abideth one. Now if they be signs, than they do signify, & are not the very thing itself which they do signify, for the sign of a thing differeth from the thing itself which it doth signify and represent. As the alepole is not the ale itself which it doth signify or represent. Here thou will't object against me that if this faith be sufficient what needeth the institution of a Sacrament? I answer that Sacraments are instituted for three causes? The first is assigned of S. Austen which saith on this manner. Aug. contra Faustum Lib. 19 cap. 11. In nullum autem nomen religionis, seu verum, seu falsum, coagulari homines possunt, nisi signaculorum seu Sacramentorum visibilium consortio colligantur, quorum Sacramentorum vis inenarrabiliter valet plurimum. Et ideo contempta sacrilegos facit. Impie quip contemnitur sine qua perfici non potest pietas. That is to say: Men can not be joined into any kind of religion, whether it be true or false except they be knit in fellowship by some visible tokens or Sacraments, the power of which Sacraments is of such efficacy, that can not be expressed. There be three causes why the Sacraments were instituted. And therefore it maketh them that despise it to be abhorred, for it is wickedness to despise that thing without which godliness can not be brought to pass. Thus it appeareth that necessity is the first cause. The first is necessity. For there can no congregation be severed out of the multitude of men but they must needs have a sign, token, Sacrament, or common badge, by the which they may know each other. And there is no difference between a sign or a badge and a Sacrament, but that the Sacrament signifieth an holy thing, and a sign or a badge doth signify a worldly thing as S. Austen saith, August. ad Marcellinum. signs when they are referred to holy things are called Sacraments. The second cause of the institution of Sacraments. The second cause of their institution is, that they may be a mean to bring us unto faith and to imprint it the deeper in us, for it doth customably the more move a man to believe, when he perceiveth the thing expressed to diverse senses at once, as by example, if I promise' a man to meet him at a day appointed, he will somewhat trust my word: Notwithstanding, he trusteth not so much unto it, as if I did both promise him with my word and also clap hands with him or hold up my finger for he counteth that this promise is strong and more faithful than is the bore word, because it moveth more senses. For the word doth but only certify the thing unto a man by the sense of hearing, but when with my promise immediately after I hold up my finger, then do I not only certify him by the sense of hearing: But also by his sight, he perceiveth that that fact confirmeth my word. And in the clapping of hands he perceiveth both by his sight and feeling (beside the word) that I will fulfil my promise. And likewise it is in this Sacrament, Christ promised them, that he would give his body to be slain for their sins. And for to establish the faith of his promise in them, he did institute the Sacrament which he called his body, to the intent that the very name itself might put them in remembrance what was meant by it, he broke the bread before them signifying unto them outwardly, even the same thing, that he by his words had before protested and even as his words had informed them by their hearing, that he intended so to do, so the breaking of that bread informed their eye sight that he would fulfil his promise. Then he did distribute it among them to imprint the matter more deeply in them, signifying thereby that even as that bread was divided among them, so should his body & fruit of his passion be distributed unto as many as believed his words. How diligently Christ set forth the Sacrament of his body & blood that we might by that outward sign assure our faith, that his very true body was crucified for our sins. Finally he caused them to eat it, that nothing should be lacking to confirm that necessary point of faith in them, signifying thereby that as verily as they felt that bread within them, so sure should they be of his body through faith. And that even as that bread doth nourish the body, so doth faith in his body breaking, nourish the soul unto everlasting life. This did our merciful Saviour (which knoweth our frailty and weakness) to establish & strength their faith in his body breaking and blood shedding, which is our sheet-anchor and last refuge without which we should all perish. The third cause of the institution of Sacraments. The third cause of the institution and profit that cometh of it, is this. They that have received these blessed tidings and word of health, do love to publish this felicity unto other men. And to give thanks before the face of the congregation unto their bounteous benefactor, and as much as in them is, to draw all people to the praising of God with them, which thing, though it be partly done by the preaching of God's word and fruitful exhortations, yet doth that visible token and Sacrament (if a man understand what is meant thereby) more effectuously work in them both faith and thanksgiving, then doth the bore word: The sacrament is profitable to none but to such as understand the doctrine thereof. but if a man wots not what it means, and seeketh health in the sacrament and outward sign, them may he well be likened unto a fond fellow, which when he is very dry, and an honest man show him an alepole and tell him that there is good ale enough, would go and suck the alepole, trusting to get drink out of it, and so to quench his thirst. Now a wise man will tell him that he playeth the fool, for the alepole doth but signify that there is good ale in the house where the alepole standeth, and will tell him that he must go near the house, and there he shall find the drink, and not stand sucking the alepole in vain, An example of the Alepole. for it shall not ease him, but rather make him more dry, for the alepole doth signify good ale: yet the alepole itself is no good ale, neither is there any good ale in the alepole. And likewise it is in all sacraments. For if we understand not what they mean, and seek health in the outward sign: then we suck the alepole and labour in vain. But if we do understand the meaning of them, then shall we seek what they signify, and go to the significations, and there shall we find undoubted health. As to our purpose in this sacrament whereof we speak, we must note what it signifieth, and there shall we find our redemption. It signifieth that Christ's body was broken upon the cross to redeem us The true signification of the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ. from the thraldom of the devil, and that his blood was shed for us, to wash away our sins. Therefore we must run thither if we will be eased. For if we think to have our sins forgiven for eating of the Sacrament, or for seeing the Sacrament once a day, or for praying unto it: them surely we suck the alepole. And by this you may perceive what profit cometh of those sacraments, which either have no significations put unto them, or else when their significations are lost and forgotten. For than no doubt they are not commended of God, but are rather abominable, for when we know not what they mean, then seek we health in the outward deed, and so are injurious unto Christ and his blood. As by example, the Sacrifices of the jews, The sacrifices of the jews as long as they were rightly used, were well accepted. were well allowed & accepted of God as long as they used them aright, and understood by them that death of Christ, the shedding of his blood, and that holy oblation offered on the cross once for ever. But when they begun to forget this signification, and sought their health and righteousness in the bodily work, and in the sacrifice itself: then were they abominable in the sight of God, and then he cried out of them both by the Prophet David and Esay: And likewise it is with our Sacraments, let us therefore seek up the significations, and go to the very thing which the sacrament is set to present unto us. And there shall we find such fruitful food as shall never fail us, but comfort our souls into life everlasting. Now will I in order answer to M. Moor's book, and as I find occasion given me, I shall endeavour myself to supply that thing which lacked in the first treatise, and I trust I shall show such light, that all men whose eyes the Prince of this world hath not blinded, shall perceive the truth of the scriptures and glory of Christ. And where as in my first treatise, the truth was set forth with all simplicity, and nothing armed against the assault of sophisters: that have I somewhat redressed in this book, & have brought bones filte for their teeth, which if they be to busy, may chance to choke them. ¶ Thus beginneth the Preface of M. Moor's book. Moore. IN my most hearty wise I recommend me unto you, and sand you by this bringer the writing again which I received from you. Whereof I have been offered a couple of copies more, in the mean while, as late as you wots well it was. Dear brethren, consider these Frith. words, and prepare you to the cross that Christ shall lay upon you, as you have often been counsaylled. For even as when the Wolf howleth, the sheep 1. Pet. 2. Luke. 22. had need to gather themselves to their shepherd, to be delivered from the assault of the bloody beast, likewise had you need to sly unto the shepherd of your souls Christ jesus, & to cell your coats, and buy his spiritual Ephes. 6. sword (which is the word) of God) to defend and deliver you in this present necessity: for now is the time that Christ told us of, Math. x. that he was come (by his word to set Math. 10. variance between the son and his father, between the daughter and her mother, between the daughter in law and her mother in law, & that Mich 5. in a man's own household shall be his enemies. But be not dismayed, nor think it no wonder, for Christ those twelve, and one of them was the john. 6. Devil and betrayed his master. And we that are his disciples may look for Math. 10. no better than he had himself: for the scholar is not above his master. Saint Paul protesteth the he was in peril among false brethren, & surely 3. Cor. 11. I suppose that we are in no less jeopardy. For if it be so that his mastership received one copy and had a couple of copies more offered in the mean while, then may you be sure that there are many false brethren joh. Frith met with false brethren. which pretend to have knowledge, & in deed are but pykethankes, providing for their belly: prepare you therefore cloaks, for the weather waxeth cloudy, and rain is like to follow. I mean not false excuses and forswearing of yourselves: but that you look substantially upon God's word, that you may be able to answer their subtle objections. And rather choose manfully to dye for Christ and his word, than cowardly to deny him, for this vain and transitory life, considering that they have no further power but over this corruptible body, which if they put it not to death, must yet at the length perish of itself. But I trust the Lord shall not suffer you to 2. Cor. 10. be tempted above that you may bear, but according to the spirit that he shall pour upon you, shall he also send An exhortation to stand manfully by the profession of God's word. you the scourge, and make him that hath received more of the spirit to suffer more, and him that receiveth less thereof, to suffer according to his Talon. I thought it necessary first to admonish you of this matter, and now I will recite more of M. Moor's book. Whereby men may see how greedily Moore. these new named brethren writeit out, & secretly spread it abroad. The name is of great antiquity, although you list to jest. For they Frith. were called brethren ere our Bishops were called Lords, and had the name given them by Christ, saying, Math. Brethrens, is an ancient name in the scripture. twenty-three. all you are brethren. And Luke the xxij. Confirm they brethren. And the name was continued by the Apostles, and is a name that nourisheth love & amity. And very glad I am to hear of their greedy affection in writing out and spreading abroad the word of Amos. 8. God, for by that I do perceive the prophesy of Amos to have place, which saith: In the person of God I will sand hunger and thirst into the earth, not hunger for meat, nor thirst for drink: But for to here the word of God. Now beginneth the kingdom of heaven to suffer violence: Now run the poor Publicans Math. 11. Luke. 18. which knowledge themselves sinners, to the word of God putting, both goods and body in jeopardy for the soul health. And though our Bishops do call it heresy, and all them heretics that hunges after it, yet do we know that it is the Gospel of the living God, for the health and salvation of all that believe. And as for the Roma. 1. name doth nothing offend us, though they call it heresy a thousand times. For S. Paul, testifieth that the Phariseis and Priests which were counted the Acts. 24. very Church in his time did so call it, and therefore it foreceth not though they, ruling in their rooms, use the same names. Which young man I here say hath Moore. lately made divers other things, that yet run in hoker moker so close among the brethren that there cometh no copies abroad. I answer, that surely I can not Frith. spin, and I think no man more hateth to be idle than I do. Wherefore in such things as I am able to do, I shallbe diligent as long as God dareth me my life. And if you think I be to busy you may rid me the sooner, for even as the sheep is in the butcher's joh. Frith feared not death. hands ready bond and looketh but even for the grace of the butcher when he shall shed his blood: Even so am I bound at the bishops pleasures, ever looking for the day of my death. In so much, that plain word was sent me, that the chancellor of London said, it should cost me the best blood in my body, which I would gladly were shed to morrow, if so be, it might open the kings graces eyen. And verily I marvel that any thing can run in hoker moker or be hid from you. For sith you might have such store of copies, concerning the thing which I most desired to have been kept secret, how should you then lack a copy of those things which I most would have published? And hereof you may be sure, I care not Frith wisheth all his works to be seen. though you and all the Bishops with in England look on all that ever I written, but rather would be glad that you so did. For if there be any sparkle of grace in your breasts, I trust it should be an occasion somewhat to kindle it, that you may consider and know yourselves, which is the first point of wisdom. And would God for his mercy Moore. (saith M. More) that sith there can nothing refrain their study, from devising and compassing of evil and ungracious writing, that they would and could keep it so secretly, that never man should see it, but such as are so far corrupted, as never would be cured of their canker. It is not possible for him that hath his eyen and seeth his brother which Frith. lacketh sight in jeopardy of perishing at a perilous pit, but that he must come to him and guide him, till he be He that seethe his brother in peril of jeopardy, must warn him thereof. past that jeopardy, & at the jest wise, if he can not come to him, yet will he call and cry unto him to 'cause him chose the better way, except his heart be cankered with the contagion of such hatred that he can rejoice in his neighbour's destruction. And even so is it not possible for us which have received the knowledge of god's word, but that we must cry and call to other, that they leave the perilous paths of their own foolish fantasies. And do that only to the Lord, that he commandeth Deut. 12. them, neither adding any thing nor diminishing. And therefore until we see some means found, by the which a reasonable reformation may be had on the one partio, and sufficient Note here the earnest zeal of Frith. instruction for the poor commons I insure you, I neither will nor can cease to speak, for the word of God boileth in my body, like a fervent fire, and will needs have an issue and breaketh out, when occasion is given. But this hath been offered you, is offered, and shall be offered: Grant that the word of God, I mean the text of Scripture, may go abroad in our English tongue, as other nations have it in their tongues, and my brother An offer made to the Clergy by Io. Frith. William Tyndall, and I have done, & will promise' you to writ no more. If you will not grant this condition, then will we be doing while we have breath, and show in few words that the Scripture doth in many: and so at the jest save some. But a lack this will not be, for as S. Paul saith, the contagion of Moore. heresy creepeth on, like a canker. For as the canker, corrupteth the body further and further and turneth the whole parties into the same deadly sickness, so doth these heresies creep forth among good simple souls, till at the last it be almost past remedy. This is a very true saying and maketh Frith. well against his own purpose, for in deed this contagion began to spring even in S. Paul's tyme. In so much that the Galathians were in a manner wholly seduced from his doctrine. And he said to the Thessalonians the mystery of iniquity even now 2. Thes. 2. beginneth to work. And S. john testifieth that there were all ready many 1. john. 4. Antichristes risen in his days. And also Paul prophesied what should follow after his tyme. Acts. 20. Acts. 20. saying: take you heed to yourselves and to all the flock, over which the holy ghost hath put you overseers, to feed the congregation of God which he purchased with his own blood. The prophesy of S. Paul ●the latter times. For I know this well, that after my departing shall enter in grievous Wolves among you, which shall not spare the flock. And even of yourselves shall arise men, speaking perverse things, to draw Disciples after them and therefore watch. etc. This canker than began to spread in the congregation, and did full sore noy the body, in so much that within. iiij. C. year, there were very many sects scattered in every cost. Notwithstanding there were faithful fathers that diligently subdued them with the sword of God's word. Silvester. But surely since Silvester received such possessions, hath the canker so créept in the Church, that it hath almost left never a sound member. And as Cistercensis writeth in the 8. book, that day that he received revenues was a voice herded in the air, crying over the court which said, this day is venom shed into the church of God. when corruption entered into the Church. Before that time there was no Bishop greedy to take a cure. For it was no honour and profit as it is now, but only a careful charge bishoprics were not greedily sought in the primitive Church, for than it was a charge and not a Lordship. which was like to cost him his life at one time or other. And therefore no man would take it, but he that bore such a love and zeal to God and his flock, that he could be content to shed his blood for them. But after that it was made so honourable and profitable, they that were worst both in learning and living, most laboured for it. For they that were virtuous would not entangle themselves with the vain pride of this world, and wear three crowns of gold, Math. 27. Mark. 15. john. 19 where Christ did wear one of thorn. And in conclusion it came so far, that who soever would give most money for it or best could flatter the Prince (which he known well all good men to abhor) had the pre-eminence and goat the best Byshoprike, and then in stead of God's word, they published their own commandments, and made laws to have all under them, and made men believe they could not err what soever they did or said, & even as in the rooms and stead of Moses, Aaron, Eliazer, joshua, Calib, and other faith full folk, came Herode, Annas, Cayphas, pilate and judas, which put Christ to death. A great alteration in the church, sithen the time of Christ and his Apostles. So now in the stead of Christ, Peter, Paul, james and john and the faithful followers of Christ, we have the Pope, Cardinals, archbishops, Bishops, and proud Prelates with their Proctor, the malicious ministers of their masters the devil, which notwithstanding transform themselves into a likeness, 1. Cor. 11. as though they were the ministers of righteousness whose end shallbe according to their works. A little flock is left that are not corrupted. So that the body is cankered long agone, and now are left but certain small members, which God of his puissant power hath reserved uncorrupted & because they see that they can not be cankered as their own flesh is, for pure anger they burn them, jest if they continued there might seem some deformity in their own cankered carcase, by the comparing of these whole members to their scabed body. Moore. Teacheth in a few leaves shortly all the poison that Wickleff, Oecolampadius, Huskyn, Tyndall and Zwynglius have taught in all their books before. Concerning the blessed Sacrament of the altar: not only affirming it to very bread still (as Luther doth) but also (as these other beasts do) saith it is nothing else. And after, the same Sir Thomas More says. These dregs hath he drunken of Wickleffe, Oecolampadius, Tyndall, and Zwinglius, and so hath he all that he argueth here beside, which iiij. what manner folk they be, is meetly well perceived and known, and God hath in part, with his open vengeance declared. Frith. Luther is not the prick that I run at, but the scripture of God. I do neither affirm nor deny any thing, because Luther so saith: but because the Scripture of God doth so conclude & determine. I take not Luther for such an author that I think he can not err, but I think verily that he both may err and doth err in certain points, although not in such as concern salvation and damnation, for in these (blessed be God) all these whom you call heretics do agree right well. And likewise I do not allow this thing because Wickleffe, Oecolampadius, Tyndall and Zwinglius so say, but be cause I see them in that place more purely expound the Scripture, and that the process of the text doth more favour their sentence. And where you say that I affirm it to be bread still as Luther doth, the same I say again, not because Luther so saith, but because I can prove my words true by scripture, reason, nature, and doctors. Paul calleth it bread saying: the bread which we 1. Cor. 10. break, is it not the fellowship of the body of Christ? For we though we Paul calleth the Sacrament bread. be many, are yet one body and one bread, as many as are partakers of one bread. And again he saith: as often as you eat of this bread, or 1. Cor. 11. drink of this cup, you shall show the lords death until he come. Also Luke calleth it bread in the Acts saying: they continued in the fellowship Acts. 2. of the Apostles and in breaking of bread, and in prayer. Also Christ called the cup, the fruit of the vine saying: I shall not from hence forth drink of the fruit of the vine, until Luke. 22. I drink that new in the kingdom of my father. Furthermore, nature doth teach you that both the bread and Nature saith there is bread in the Sacrament. wine continued in their nature. For the bread mouleth if it be kept long, yea and worms breed in it. And the poor mouse will run away with it, and desire no other meat to her dinner, which are evident enough that there remaineth bread. Also the wine if it were reserved would wax sour, The wine will wax sour if it be kept long. as they confess themselves, and therefore they housel the lay people but with one kind only, because the wine can not continued nor be reserved, to have ready at hand when need were. And surely as if there remained no bread, it could not mould nor wax full of worms. Even so if there remained no wine, it could not wax sour, and therefore it is but false doctrine, that our prelate's so long have published. Finally that there remaineth bread might be proved by The Doctors prove that bread remaineth in the Sacrament. the authority of many doctors, which call it bread and wine, as Christ and his Apostles did. And though some sophisters would wrest their sayings and expound them after their fantasy, yet shall I allege them one doctor (which was also Pope of Rome) that maketh so plain with us, that they shall be compelled with shame to hold their tongues. For Pope Gelasius writeth on this manner. Certain sacramenta Gelasius a Pope. Contra Eutych. & Nestorium. quae sumimus corporis & sanguinis Christi divine res sunt & propterea per illa, participes facti sumus divinae naturae, & tamen non desinit esse substantia vel panis & vini, sed permanent in suae proprietate naturae. Et certe imago & similitudo corporis & sanguinis Christi in actione misteriorum celebrantur. That is to say: Surely the sacraments of the body and blood of Christ, are a godly thing, and therefore through them are we made partakers of the godly nature. And yet doth it not cease to be This is the saying of Gelasius a Pope. the substance, or nature of bread and wine, but they continued in the property of their own nature, and surely the image and similitude of the body and blood of Christ are celebrated in the act of the mysteries. This I am sure was the old doctrine which they can not avoid. And therefore with the Scripture, nature, and fathers, I will conclude that there remains the substance and nature of bread and wine. And where you say that we affirm it to be nothing else, I dare say that you untruly report on us all. And here after I will show you what it is more than bread. And where you say that it is meetly well known what manner of folk they be, and that God hath in part with his open vengeance declared. I answer that master Wickliff Wickleffe. was noted while he was living, to be a man not only of most famous doctrine, but also of a very sincere life and conversation. Wickleffe buried xv. year, and then brent. Nevertheless to declare your malicious minds and vengeable hearts (as men say) xv. year after he was buried, you took him up and burned him, which fact declared your fury, although he felt no fire: Math. 10. but blessed be God which hath given such tyrants no further power, but over this corruptible body. Malach. 2. For the soul you can not bind nor burn, but God may bless where you curse, and curse where you bless. Oecolampadius. And as for Oecolampadius, whom you also call Huskyn, his most adversaries have ever commended his conversation, and godly life, which when God had appointed his time, gave place unto nature (as every man must) and died of a canker. Tyndall. And Tyndall I trust liveth, well content with such a poor Apostles life, as God gave his son Christ, and his faithful ministers in this world, which is not sure of so many mites, as you be yearly of pounds, although I am sure that for his learning and judgement in Scripture, he were more worthy to be promoted, than all the Bishops in England. I received a letter from him, which was written since Christmas, wherein among other matters he writeth thus. I call God to record against the day we shall appear before our Lord jesus to give a reckoning of our doings, that I never altered one Tyndall declareth his innocency. syllable of God's word, against my conscience, nor would do this day, if all that is in earth, whether it be honour, pleasure, or riches, might be given me. Moreover, I take God to record to my conscience, that I desire of God to myself in this world, no more than that without which I can not keep his laws. etc. judge Christian reader whether these words be not spoken of a faithful, clear innocent heart. And as for his behaviour is such, that I am sure no man can reprove him of any sin, howbeit no man is innocent before God which beholdeth the heart. Zwinglius Finally Zwinglius was a man of such learning and gravity (beside eloquence) that I think, no man in Christendom might have compared with him, notwithstanding he was slain in battle in defending his City Zwinglius slain in a just and righteous cause. and common wealth, against the assault of wicked enemies, which cause was most righteous. And if his mastership mean, that that was the vengeance of God, and declared him to be an evil person because he was slain: I may say nay, and show evident examples of the contrary, for sometime God giveth the victory against them that have most righteous cause, as it is evident in the book of judges, judic. 20. where all the children of Israel were gathered together, to punish the shameful sodomitry of the Tribe of Benjamin, which were in number but 25. thousand. And the Israelites were 400. thousand fight men, which came into Silo, and asked of God who should be their Captain against Benjamin. Here note that the children of Israel fought at God's commandment and in a righteous cause, & yet were twice overthrown. And they being but 25. thousand slew of the other Israelites 12. thousand in one day. Then fled the children of Israel unto the Lord in Silo, & made great lamentation before him even until night: and asked him counsel saying: shall we go any more to fight against the tribe of Benjamin our brethren or not? God said unto them yes, go up and sight against them. Then went they the next day & fought against them, and there were slain again of the Israelites 18. thousand men. Then came they back again unto the house of God, and sat down and wept before the Lord, and fasted that day until even, and asked him again, whether they should any more fight against their brethren or not. God said unto them yes, to morrow I will deliver them into your hands. And the next day was the tribe of Benjamin utterly destroyed, saving 600. men which hid themselves in the wilderness. Here it is evident that the children of Israel lost the victory twice, and yet notwithstanding had a just cause, and fought at God's commandment. Besides that, judas Machabeus was slain in a righteous cause, as it is manifest in the first book of the Machabées. 1. Macha. 3 And therefore it can be no evident argument of the vengeance of God, that he was slain in battle in a righteous cause, and therefore me thinketh that this man is too malaparte, so bluntly to enter into God's judgement, and give sentence in that matter before he be called to counsel. Thus have I sufficiently touched his Preface, for those points the he afterward touched more largely, have I willingly passed, because I shall touch them earnestly hereafter. Now let us see what heproveth. ¶ It is a great wonder to see upon how light and slight occasions M. Moore. he is fallen unto these abominable heresies. For he denieth not nor can not say nay, but that our Saviour said himself, my flesh is verily meat & my blood is verily drink he denieth not also that Christ himself at his last Supper, taking the bread into his blessed hands, after that he had blessed it said unto his disciples? Take you this and eat it, this is my body, that shallbe given for you. And likewise gave them the chalice after his blessing and consecration, and said unto them, this is the chalice of my blood of the new testament, which shallbe shed out for many, do you this in remembrance of me. ¶ It is a great wonder to see how Frith. ignorant their proctor is, in the plain texts of scripture. For if he had any judgement at all he might well perceive that when Christ spoke these words, my flesh is verily meat and my blood is verily drink, he spoke nothing of the sacrament. For it was not institute until his last supper. And these words were spoken to the jews long before, & meant them not of the carnal eating or drinking of his body or blood, but of the spiritual eating, which is done by faith and not with tooth, or belly. Whereof S. Austyn Christ spoke of no carnal eating of him, but of a spiritual catyng by saith. saith upon his gospel of john why preparest thou other tooth or belly? believe and thou hast eaten him. So the Christ's words must here be understanded spiritually. And that he calleth his flesh very meat because that as meat by the eating of it & disgetting it in our body doth strengthen these corruptible membres, so likewise doth Christ's flesh by the believing that it taketh our sin upon itself & suffered the death to deliver us & strengthen our immortal soul. And likewise as drink when it is drunken, doth comfort and quicken our frail nature. So likewise doth Christ's blood by the drinking of it into the bowels of our soul that it is by the believing and remembering that it is shed for our sins, comfort and quicken our soul unto everlasting life. And this is the eating and drinking the he speaketh of in that place. And that The Papists do falsely allege this text. it is so you may perceive by the text following which saith, he that eateth my body & drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him, which is not possible to be understand of the sacrament. For it is false to say that he the eateth the sacrament of his body and drinketh the sacrament of his blood, dwelleth in Christ and Christ in him For some man receiveth it unto his condemnation, And thus doth Saint Austen expound it saying, Hoc est enim Aug. in johan. tract. 26 Christum manducare, in illo manner & illum manentem in se habere. This is the very eating of Christ to devil in him & to have him dwelling in us So the who so ever dwelleth in Christ To believe in Christ is to devil in Christ. (the is to say believeth that he is sent of God to save us from our sins) doth verily eat and drink his body and blood although he never received the sacrament. This is the spiritual eating necessary for all that shall be saved for there is no man that cometh to God without this eating of Christ, that is the believing in him. And so I deny not but that Christ speaketh these words but surely he meant it spiritually, as Saint Austen declareth, and as the place plainly proveth. And as touching the other words the Math. 26. Christ spoke unto his disciples at the last Supper I deny not but that he said so, but that he so fleshly ment as you falsely feign, I utterly deny. For I say the his words were then also spirit & life, & were spiritually to be understanded, & the he called it his body. For a certain john. 6. john. 15. property, even as he called himself a very vine, & his disciples dery vine branches, and as he called himself john. 10. a door: not the he was so in deed, but for certain properties in the similitudes, as a man for some property sayeth of his neighhours horse, this horse is mine up and down, meaning that it is in every thing so like. And like as jacob builded an altar Gene. 35. Gene. 32. and called it the house of God, & as jacob called the place where he wrestled with the angel, the face of God, and as the paschal lamb was called the passing by of the Lord And as a broken potsherd was called Jerusalem, jeremy. 19 not for that they were so in deed but for certain similitudes in the properties, and that the very name itself might put men in remembrance what is meant by the thing, as I sufficiently declared in my first treatise. He must needs confess, that they that believe that it is the very Moore. body and his very blood in deed, have the plain words of our saviour himself upon their side, for the ground & foundation of their faith. That is very true and so have they the very words of god, which say that a Frith. broken potsherd is Jerusalem, and that Christ is a stone, and that Christ is a vine and a door. And yet if they should believe or think that he were in deed any of these things, they were spiritual and nevertheless deceived. For though he so said, yet I say his words were spiritually to be understanded. And where you say that I fly from the faith of plain and open scriptures, & for the allegory destroy the true sense of the letter. I answer that some texts of Scripture are only to be understand after the letter: as when Paul sayeth, Christ Roma. 4. died for our sins and arose again for our justification. And some texts are only to be understand spiritually or in the way of allegory: As when Paul saith, Christ was the stone, & when Christ saith himself, I am a 1. Cor. 10. john. 15. john. 10. very vine I am the door, and some must be understand both literally, & spiritually: As when God said, out of Egypt called I my son, which although it were literally fulfilled in the children of Israel when he brought Osea. 17. them out of Egypt with great power and wonders yet was it also meant & verified in Christ himself, his very spiritual son, which was called out of Egypt after the death of Herod. And again it is very spiritually fulfilled Math. 2. in us which through Christ's blood are delivered from the Egypt of sin, & from the power of Pharaoh the The Scripture speaketh diversly and hath divers senses. devil. And I say that this text of scripture: This is my body, is only spiritually to be understand, & not literally. And the doth S. Austen also confirm which writeth unto Adamantus. and saith, These sentenses of scripture, Christ was the stone, the blood is the soul, and this is my body. are figuratively to be understand (that is to say spiritually or by the way of an allegory) and thus have I Saint. Augustin wholly on my side, which thing shall yet hear after more plainly appear. Now his example of his bridegrooms M. Moore. ring I very well allow, for I take the blessed sacrament to beleft with us for a very token and a memorial of Christ in deed. but I say that the hole substance of the same token and memorial is his own blessed body. And so I say Moore is a mocker and trifler. that Christ hath left us a better token than this man would have us take it for, & therein he fareth like a man to whom a bridegroom had delivered a goodly gold ring with a rich ruby therein, to deliver his bride for a token. And then he would like a false shrew, keep away that gold ring, & give the bride in stead thereof, a proper ring of a rish, and tell her that the bridegroom would sand her no better. Or else like one that when the bridegroom had given such a ring of gold to his bride for a token, will tell her plain, and make her believe that the ring were but coper or brass, to minish the bridegrooms thank. I am right glad the you admit mine example, and grant that the sacrament Frith. is left to be a very token and a memorial of Christ in deed. But where you say, that the whole substance of the same token and memorial is his own blessed body, that is sooner said then proved. For S. Austen showeth the contrary, as it is partly before touched, and here after shallbe declared more plainly. & where you say that we far like a false shrew that would keep the gold ring from the bride, and give her a ring of a rish, or tell her that her gold ring were copper or brass, to minish the bridegrooms thank. I answer that we In answer to Moors trifling. deny not but that the ring is most fine gold, and is set with as rich Rubies as can be got. For that ring (I mean the Sacrament) is not only a most perfit token and a memorial of the bridegrooms benefits and unfeigned favour on his party but it is also on the other party Eucharistia: Eucharistia that is to say, a thanks giving, for the gracious gifts which she undoubtedly knowledgeth herself to have received. For as verily as that bread is broken among them, so verily was Christ's body broken for their sins. And as verily as they receive that bread into their belly through eating it, so verily do they receive the fruit of his death into their souls by believing in him. And therefore they The right cause why we should come to the Table of our Lord assemble to that Supper, not for the valour of the bread, wine or meat that is there eaten, but for the intent to give him thanks commonly among them all, for his inestimable goodness. But to proceed unto our purpose, if a man would come unto the bride, and tell her that this goodly gold ring were her own bridegroom, both flesh blood and bones (as you do) them I think if she have any wit, she Moore hath here a cheek mate. might answer him, that he mocked and the more he said it, the less she might believe him, and say that if that were her own bridegroom, what should she then need any remembrance of him or why should he give it her for a remembrance? For a remembrance presupposeth the thing to be absent, and therefore if this be a remembrance of him, then can he not here be present. I marvel me therefore much, that M. Moore. he is not afeard, to affirm that these words of Christ, of his body and of his blood, must needs be understand by way of a similitude or an allegory as the words be of the vine and the door. Now this he wottes well, that though some words spoken by the mouth of Christ be to be understand only by way of a similitude or an allegory, yet followeth it not thereupon, that every like word of Christ in orher places was no other but an allegory, for such was the shift and cavillation that the wicked Arrians used which took from Christ's person his omnipotent Godhead. I grant that the Arrians erred, for as M. Moore saith, though in some Frith. place a word be taken figuratively, it followeth not therefore in every other place, it should likewise be taken. But one question must I ask his mastership how doth he know that there is any word or text in Scripture that must be taken figuratively? that is by the way of a similitude or as he calleth it a necessary allegory? I think (though some men may assign other good causes and evidences) that the first knowledge is by other texts of Scripture. For if other texts be conferred Why certain places of the Scripture must be understand spiritually. unto it, and will not stand with the literal sense, them I think it must needs be taken spiritually or figuratively as there are infinite texts in Scripture. Now when I see that S. Thomas which felt christ his wounds and put his finger in his side, called him his Lord and God, and that no text in scripture repugneth unto the same, but that they may well stand together me thinketh it were folly to affirm that this word, God, in that text should be taken figuratively or by way of an allegory: But now in our matter the process of Scripture will not stand with the literal sense, as shall hereafter appear. And therefore necessity compelleth us to expound it figuratively, as doth also S. Austen and other holy Doctors, as hereafter shall plainly appear. If every man that can find out a new fond fantasy upon a text M. More of holy Scripture, may have his own mind taken and his own exposition believed against the expositions of the old cunning Doctors and Saints, them may you surely see that no article of the christian faith, can stand and eudure long. And then he allegeth S. Jerome which saith, that if the exposition of other interpreters, and the consent of the common Catholic Church, were of no more strength, but that every man might be believed that could bring some texts of Scripture, for him expounded as it pleased himself, than could I (saith this holy man) bring a new sect also, and say by Scripture, that no man were a true Christian man nor a member of the Church, that keepeth ij. coats. And in good faith (saith M. More) if that way were allowed, I were able myself to found out xv. new sects in one fore noon. S. Peter saith, that the Scripture is not expounded after the appetite of Frith. any private person, but even as it was given, by the spirit of God and not by man's will. So must it be declared by the same spirit. And therefore I No man is to be believed that bringeth his own judgement only upon any sentence of Scripture. will not that any man shallbe believed, by bringing his own mind & fantasy. But if he will be believed, let him bring either an other plain text, which shall expound the first, or else at the jest he must bring such a sentence, as will stand with the process of the Scripture. Why was S. Jerome allowed against the determination of the counsel of Malta, sith he was alone, and they a great multitude? but only because he brought evident scripture, which at the time of their sentence, none of them remembered: and yet when it was brought, they could not avoid it. And likewise except I bring evident scripture which they all shall expound as I do, I desire not to be believed. And where M. Moore saith, that in good faith he were able to found out xv. new sects in one fore noon, he may thank God that he hath such a pregnant wit: But yet I trust he Moore is here prettily ●…ypped. should not found one (if there were any peril of damnation therein) but that we would with a plain text confute it, which he should not be able to avoid. And over this the very circumstances M. Moore. of the places in the gospel in which our Saviour speaketh of that Sacrament, may well make open the difference of his speech in this matter and of all those other, and that as he spoke all those but in an allegory, so spoke he this plainly, meaning that he spoke of his very body and his very blood, beside all allegories. For when our Lord said, he was a very vine, and when he said he was the door, there was none that herded him, that any thing marveled thereof. And why? For because they perceived well, that he meant not that he was a material vine in deed, nor a door neither: But when he said that his flesh was very meat, and his blood very drink, and that they should not be saved, but if they did eat his flesh and drink his blood, than were they all in such a wonder there of, that they could not abide. And wherefore, but because they perceived well by his words and his manner of circumstances, that Christ spoke of his very flesh and his very blood in deed. It is openly known & confessed Frith. john. 6. among all learned men that in the 6. chapter of joh. Christ spoke not one word concerning the sacrament of his body and blood (which at that time was not yet institute) but all that he there spoke was of the spiritual eating and drinking of his body, and blood, into our souls, which is the faith in his body and blood, as I have touched before. And the circumstances of this place do in deed prove that they were fleshly minded, & understood not the spiritual words of our saviour Christ, and therefore wondered & murmured Insomuch that Christ said unto them, doth this offend you? what will you say then when you shall see the son of man ascending thither where he was before? Then (addeth S. Austen) you shall Note here the saying of S. Austen. know that he meant not to give his flesh to eat with your teeth: for he shall ascend hole. And Christ addeth, it is the spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing, the word that I speak, are spirit and life: that is to say, saith S. Austen, are spiritually to be understand. And where Christ saith, that the flesh profiteth nothing (meaning of his own flesh, as S. Austen saith) he means that it How the flesh of Christ profiteth nothing and how it doth profit. profiteth not, as they understood him the is to say, it profiteth not, if it were eaten. But it doth much profit to be slain, that through it and the shedding of his blood, the wrath of God our father is pacified, and our sins forgiven. And where his mastership saith, that the people perceived well what he meant, and therefore he wondered so sore and could not abide, because they perceived well by his words and manner of circumstances what his meaning was. I will say as I did before, that the understood him not. Now here he will say unto me, if it be Frith useth not words without alleging authorities. but your nay & my yea, them I would think to be believed as soon as you, and surely the were but reason. Not withstanding (thanks be to God) I am able to bring in authority to judge between us both, whose judgement I trust his mastership will admit. This auctor is S. Austen which saith. Discipuli enim eius qui eum sequebantur Augustinus in sermon ad infants expaverunt & exhorruerunt sermonem non intelligentes. That is to say, his his disciples which followed him were astonished, and abhorred his words and understood them not. And because your mastership shall not think that he overshot him self, and spoke he witted not what, we shall allege him saying the same words in an other place. Cum diceret. Nisi quis manducaverit carnem. etc. illi (non intelligentes) Augu. 54. dixerunt ad invicem, Durus est hic sermo, quis potest eum audire? That is, when Christ said, except a man eat my flesh and drink my blood, he shall The jews understood Christ carnally and not spiritually as he meant. have no life in him, they (because they understood him not) said to each other, this is an hard saying, who can hear him? Thus I trust you will give place (although not to me) yet at the lest unto S. Austen, and receive the truth which is so plainly proved. And where his mastership allegeth this text for the sacrament, that except they did eat his flesh and drink his blood the could not be saved, M. Moore fallen into the error of pope In nocent. it seemeth that he is fallen into the error of Pope innocent, which likewise understanding this text upon the sacrament (as M. Moore doth) caused young children and infants to receive the sacrament, as though they had all been damned which died and had not received it. And of this carnal mind were many more Bushoppes a great while (as are now the bohemes) whom he after dispraiseth, and yet expoundeth the text as they do, but afterward they looked more spiritually upon the matter and confessed their ignorance (as I trust M. Moore will) but now will I show you S. Austin's mind upon this text which shall help for the exposition of all this matter. S. Austen in the third book De Doctrina Christiana the 16. Aug. Lib. 3. de doctrina Christiana. chapter teaching how we shall know the tropes, figures, allegories & phrases, of the scripture saith. Si autem flagitium aut facinus jubere videntur, figurativa locutio est. Nisi manducaveritis (inquit) carnem filij hominis et biberitis eius sanguinem, not habebitis vitam in vobis. Facinus vel flagitium videtur jubere: Figura est ergo precipiens passionis dominicae esse commicandum, et suaviter atque utiliter in memoria recondendum quod pro nobis caro eius crucifixa & vul nerata sit. That is to say, when soever the scripture or Christ, seemeth to command any foul or wicked thing, then must that text be taken figuratively (that as it is a phrase, allegory and manner of speaking, and must be understand spiritually and not after the letter) Except (saith Christ) you eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood you shall have no life in you. He seemeth (saith S. Austen) to Here S. Augustine showeth plainly that Christ's words were a figurative speech command a foul & a wicked thing. It is therefore a figure, commanding us to be partakers of his passion, and sweetly and profitably to print in our mind that his flesh was crucified and wounded for us. This truth (thanks be to God) doth S. Austen declare unto us, which thing beside the opening of this text against M. Moor's mind, doth plainly show what he thought in the words of Christ's supper. For sith he called it a foul & a wicked thing, to eat his flesh, then may you soon perceive, that he thought it was as foul & as wicked a thing to eat his body, seeing his body is flesh and then consequently it shall follow, that either this word eat (where Christ said take this and eat it) must be taken spiritually, or else that this saying of Christ, this is my body, must be figuratively spoken, but this word eat is taken after the letter (for they did in deed eat the bread) therefore it must needs follow, that this sentence (this is my body) must be figuratively spoken Or else is S. Austen not to be approved in this place, which thing our Bishops I think, will not say nay. Besides that S. Austen saith: Quando loquebatur dominus noster jesus Augustinus in sermon ad infants Christus de corpore suo, nisi (inquit) quis manducaverit carnem meam & ●iberit sanguinem meum, non habebit in sevitam. Caro enim mea vere est cibus, & sanguis meus vere est potus, intellectus spiritualis credentem saluum facit, quia litera occidit spiritus est qui vivificat. That is to say: When our Lord jesus Christ spoke of his body, except (quoth he) a man eat my flesh and drink my blood, he shall have no life in himself, for my flesh is very meat, and my blood is very drink. The spiritual understanding saveth him that believeth, for the letter killeth, but the spirit quickeneth. Here may you plainly perceive, that this text must only be taken spiritually. For he saith, that to take it after the letter, it killeth and profiteth nothing at all, and therefore I wonder that we have been led so long in this gross error. This saying doth the famous clerk Origine confirm, saying. Agnosce quod figurae sunt quae in voluminibus Domini Origi. in leus ho. 7. scriptae sunt: & ideo tanquam spirituales & non tanquam carnales, examinate & intelligite quae dicuntur. Si enim secundum literam sequaris hoc ipsum quod dictum est, Nisi manducaveritis carnem. etc. occidit haec litera. That is to say. Mark the they are figures which are written in the Scripture of God, and therefore examine them as spiritual men and not as carnal, and understand those things that are spoken. For if thou follow after the letter, Christ's words are spiritual and not carnal. this thing that is spoken: except you eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood, you can have no life in you, this letter killeth. Alas dear brethren, why should any man be offended with this doctrine, sith it is approved so plainly, by such ancient and holy fathers? Again S. Austen saith: Qui manducat Augusti. sermo. eirca sacra feria Pascha. carnem meam & bibit meum sanguinem in me manet & ego in illo. Hoc est ergo manducare illam escam & illum bibere potum, in Christo manner & illum manentem in se habere, ac per hoc quinon manet in Christo & in quo non manet Christus proculdubio non manducat eius carnem nec bibit sanguinem, etiam si tantaerei sacramentum ad judicium sibi manducet & bibit. That is to say. He that eateth my flesh & drinketh my blood, abideth in me, and I in him. This The eating & drinking of Christ, what it is. is therefore the eating of that meat, and drinking of that blood, to abide in Christ, and have him abiding in us. And therefore he that abideth not in Christ, and in whom Christ abideth not, without doubt he eateth not his flesh, nor drinketh not his blood, although he eat and drink the sacrament of so great a thing unto his damnation. And even the same words hath Bede upon the Corinthians. 1. Cor. 10. This one place, is sufficient Idem Beda super. 1. Cor. 10. for to prove my purpose though he said not one word more. For here he doth plainly determine, that he which abideth not in Christ, that is to say, he the is wicked or unfaithful, doth not eat his flesh nor drink his The wicked eat not the flesh of Christ. blood, although he eat and drink the Sacrament of so great a thing. And so must it needs follow, that the Sacrament is not the very natural body of Christ. For then the unfaithful should eat his flesh, seeing he eateth the sacrament of his body. But that doth S. Austen deny: wherefore it must needs follow, that it is but only a token of a remembrance, and a sign of his body breaking, and a representation of his passion, that we might keep his fact in memory, and Roma. 5. give him thanks for his tender love and kindness, which when we were his enemies took upon him to suffer most vile death, to reconcile us unto his father, and make us his friends. This saying hath S. Austen in an other place also, where he writeth on this manner: Qui non in me manet, & in quo ego non maneo, non se August. de civitat. dei. li. 21. ca 25. dicat aut existimet manducare corpus meum, aut bibere sanguinem meum. Non it aque manent in Christo, qui non sunt eius membra: non sunt autem membra Christi, qui se faciunt membra meretricis. That is to say: He that abideth not in me, and in whom I abide not, let him not say or think that he eateth my body or drinketh my blood: They abide not in Christ which are not his members. And they are not his members which make themselves the members of an harlot. And these are also the very words of Bede. Here it is plain proved again by the authority of S. Austen and Bede, that the Beda super 1. Cor. 6. wicked and unfaithful (which are not the members of Christ) do not eat his body nor drink his blood, The sacrament is a figure, token, and a memorial of the breaking of Christ's body & shedding of his blood. and yet they do eat the sacrament as well as the other. Wherefore you must needs grant, that the Sacrament is not the natural body of Christ but a figure, token, or memorial thereof. Now good Christian people count not this new learning which is firmed by such old Doctors and faithful fathers. Now were this enough for a Christian man that loved no contention. But because there are so many sophisters in the world which care not what they say, so they hold not their peace. I must needs set some bulwark by this holy Doctor to help to defend him, for else they will shortly overrun him (as they do me) and make him an heretic too. Therefore I will allege his master S. Ambrose. Saint Ambrose saith: Non iste panis Ambros. de sacra. Lib. 5 cap. 4. est qui vadit in corpus, sed ille panis vitae aeternae qui animae nostrae substantiam fulscit. That is: It is not this bread that goeth into the body, but that bread of everlasting life which upboldeth the substance of our soul. Furthermore the great clerk Prospero confirmeth the same saying. Qui discordat a Christo nec carnem Christi Prosp. in libro sententiarum. sent. 339. manducat, nec sanguinem bibit, etiamsi tamtae rei sacramentum ad judicium suae praesumptionis quotidie indifferenter accipiat. That is: He that discordeth from Christ, doth neither eat his flesh nor drink his blood, although he receive indifferently every day the sacrament of so great a thing unto the condemnation of his presumption. And these are also the very words of Bede upon the xj. Chapter of the Idem Beda super. 1. Cor. 11. first Epistle to the Corinthians. Now you may see, that it is not S. Austin's mind only, but also the saying of many more. And therefore I trust you will be good unto him. And if you condemn not these holy fathers, then am I wrongfully punished. But if you condemn them, then must poor Frith be content to bear the burden with them. ¶ The mind and exposition of the old Doctors upon the words of Christ's maundey. Moore. ANd where M. Moore saith, that if Christ had not meant after the plain literal sense, that both the hearers at that time, and the expositors since, and all Christian people beside this xv. c. year would not have taken only the literal sense being so strange and marvelous that it might seem impossible, & decline from the letter for allegories in all such other things being (as he saith) and as in deed they be, so many far in number mother. As touching the hearers they were Frith. deceived and understood him not (I mean as many as took his words fleshly as you do.) And they had their answer of Christ (when they murmured) that his words were spirit and life: that is (as S. Austen saith) spiritually to be understand and not fleshly, as is before declared. And as for the expositors. I think he hath not one of the old fathers for him, but certain new fellows: as Dominie. S. Thomas, Decam, and such other Moore hath no old author to maintain his quarreling Papistry. which have made the Pope a God. And as I have showed. S. Austen maketh full for us, and so do all the old fathers, as Occolampadius hath well declared in his book, Quid veteres senserint de Sacramento eucharistiae. And some of their sayings I shall allege anon. And where you say that all Christian people have so believed this 1500. years, that is very false. For there is no doubt, but that the people thought as holy S. Austen and other faithful fathers taught them. Which as I said, make with us. Notwithstanding in deed, sith our Prelates have been made Lords and have set up their laws and decrees contrary to the prerogative of all Princes, & like most subtle traitors, have made all men believe that they may make laws and bind men's consciences, to obey them: and that their laws are Gods laws blinding the people's eyes with The Papists have corrupted the Scriptures and advanced themselves above Kings and rulers. two or three texts wrongfully wrested, to advance their pride, where they aught to obey Kings and Princes, and be subject to their laws, as Christ and his Apostles were even unto the death. Sigh that time I say they have made men believe what they list and made articles of the faith at their pleasure. One article must be the they be the Church, and can not err: And this is the ground of all their doctrine. But the truth of this article is now sufficiently known. For if Queen Katherine be king Henry's wife, than they do err, and if she be not, than they have erred, to speak no more cruelly: It is now become an article of our faith the the Pope of Articles of our faith made by the Pope. Rome must be the head of the Church & the Vicar of Christ: & that by God's law. It is an article of our faith that what soever he bindeth in earth, is bound in heaven, in so much that if he curse wrongfully, yet you must be feared, and infinite such other which are not in our Crede, but blessed be God that hath given some light into our Prince's heart. For he hath lately put forth a book called the glass of truth, which proveth many of these articles very foolish fantasies and that even by their own Doctors, & so I trust you shallbe proved in this point of the Sacrament for though it To believe the articles contained in our creed is sufficient for our salvation. be an article of our faith it is no article of our Crede in the xii. articles where of are sufficient for our salvation. And therefore we may think that you lie without all jeopardy of damnation. Nevertheless seeing his mastership says that all make for him, and I say clean contrary, that all the old fathers make against him, or at the jest wise not with him, It were necessary that one of us should prove his purpose. But indeed in this point he would look to have the vantage of me. For he thinketh that men will sooner Frith allegeth authorities to prove his doctrine true. believe him which is a great man then me which am but a poor man, and that therefore I had more need to prove my part true, than he to prove his. Well I am content and therefore give ear (dear reader) and judge between us. First I will begin with Tertulian, Tertul. lib. 2. contra Marcionem. because he is of most antiquity. Tertulian speaking of Christ, saith: Nec panem reprobavit quo ipsum corpus suum representat. That is to say. Christ himself did not reprove or discommend bread whereby he doth represent his very body. For the understanding of this place, you must know that there was an heretic called Martion, which did reprove creatures, and said that all manner of creatures were evil. This thing doth Tertulian improve by the Sacrament and saith: Christ did not reprove or discommend bread whereby he doth represent his body: as though he should say, if Christ had counted the bread evil, then would he not have left it for a Sacrament to represent his body, meaning that it is a sacrament, sign, token and memorial of his body, and not the body itself. And that this is his mind, doth plainly appear in his fourth book, where he saith: Tertul. lib. 4. contra Marcionem. Christus acceptum panem & distributum discipulis, corpus suum illud fecit: hoc est corpus meum dicendo, id est, figura corporis mei figura autem non fuisset, nisi veritatis esset corpus. Caeterum vacuares quod est phantasma, figuram capere non posset. That is to say: Christ taking bread and distributing unto his disciples made it his body, saying: this is my body, that is to say, a figure of This is my body, that is to say, a figure of my body. my body, but this bread could not have been a figure of it, except Christ had had a true body. For a vain thing or a fantasy can take no figure. For the understanding of this place, you must mark that this heretic Martion, against whom this author writeth, did hold opinion that Christ had no natural body, but only a fantastical body, and this opinion doth this Doctor improve by the sacrament of the altar, saying: the sacrament is a figure of his body: ergo, Christ had a true body, and not a fantastical body: For a vain thing or fantasy can take no figure, Lo, here doth this old father which was long before S. Austen: or S. Jerome, expound these words of Christ This is my body: that is to say, a figure of my body therefore you are to blame to call it new learning. Now because they shall not of temerarious presumption reject this old father, I shall establish his words by S. Austen which commends Christ's marvelous patience for suffering so long the traitor judas, as though he had been a good man, and yet was not ignorant of his wicked thoughts. Adhibuit (inquit) ad conuivium in quo corporis August. in prafa. Psal. 3. & sanguinis sui figuram discipulis commendavit ac tradidit. That is to say he admitted him (saith S. Austen) unto the maundy wherein he did be take and deliver unto the disciples the figure of his body and blood, Here doth this holy father S. Austen call it a figure of his body. And I am sure Christ delivered to his desciples the figure of his body. there is no man so childish, but that he knoweth that the figure of a thing is not the thing itself. As by example the figure of Christ is not Christ himself, the figure of S. Peter is not S. Peter himself. And yet we do nevertheless commonly call those figures by the name of the thing that they do represent. As I may say when I see the figure of S. Peter, this is S. Peter to whom Christ delivered the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And yet he were a fool that would think that figure to be S. Peter himself: for it is only a representation of him. Besides that S. Austen saith, Non hoc corpus quod videtis estis manducaturi, nec bibituri August. super Psal. 98. illum sanguinem quem effusuri sunt qui me crucifigent. Sacramentum aliquod vobis commendavi, spiritualiter intellectum vivificat vos. That is to say, you shall not eat this body that you see, nor drink that blood which they that crucify me shall shed out. I have given a certain sacrament unto you if it be spiritually understand it quickeneth you: What things can be more plainly spoken? Furthermore S. Austen saith. Sepe S. Austen ad Bonifacium, Epist. 23. it a loquimu● ut pascha appropinquante crastinam vel perendinam Domini passionem dicamus: cum ille ante tam multos annos passus sit, nec omnino nisi semel illa passio facta sit. Nempe ipso die dominico dicimus body Dominus resurrexit, cum ex quo surrexit tot anni transierunt. Quare nemo tam ineptus est, ut nos it a loquentes arguat esse mentitos, quia istos dies secundum illorum quibus haec gest a sunt similitudinem nuncupamus: ut dicatur ipse dies qui non sit ipse, sed revolutione temporum similis eius: & dicatur illo die fieri propter Sacramenti celebrationem, quod non illo die, sed iam olim factum est. Nun semel immolatus est Christus in scipso? & tamen in Sacramento non solum per annuas pascha solennitates, sed omni die pro populis immolatur: nec utique mentitur qui interrogatus, responderit eum immolari. Si enim Sacramenta quandam similitudinem earum rerum quarum sunt Sacramenta non haberent, omnino Sacramenta non essent. Ex hac autem similitudine plerumque etiam ipsarum rerum nomina accipiunt. Sicut ergo secundum quendam modum Sacra mentum corporis Christi corpus Christi est, & Sacramentum sanguinis Christi sanguis Christi est. It a Sacramentum fidei sides est. Nihilest autem aliud credere, cue fidem habere, ac per hoc eum respondetur paruulus credere, qui fidei non dum habet effectum respondetur fidem habere propter fidei Sacramentum, et convertere se ad Deum propter conversionis Sacramentum. Quia & ipsa responsio pertinet ad celebrationem Sacramenti. Sicut de ipso Baptismo apostolus consepulti (inquit) su mus Christo per Baptismum in mortem. Non ait sepulturam significamus, sed prorsus ait, consepulti sumus. Sacramentum ergo tantae rei non nisi eiusdem rei vocabulo nuncupavit. That is to say: We often use to say, when Caster draweth nigh, that to morrow or the next day is the lords passion, and yet it is many years sith he suffered, and that passion was never done but once. And upon that Sunday we say, this day the Lord did rise again, and yet it is many years since he rose. Now is there no man so foolish to reprove us as liars for so saying, because we name these days after the similitude of those in which these things were done so that it is called the same day, which is not the very same, but by the revolution of time, like it. And it is named to be done the same day through the celebration of the Sacrament (through keeping the memorial of the thing once done) which is not done that day, but was The sacrament is the memorial of Christ's death. done long agone. Was not Christ once crucified in his own person? and yet in a mystery (which is the remembrance of his very passion) he is crucified for the people not only every feast of Easter, but every day: neither doth he lie which (when he is asked) answereth that he is crucified: for if the Sacraments, had not certain similitudes of those things whereof they are Sacraments, than should they be no Sacraments at all. And for this similitude for the most part they take the names of the very things, and therefore as after a certain manner the Sacrament of The sacrament of Christ's body and blood, after a manner, is Christ's body and blood. Christ's body is Christ's body, and the Sacrament of Christ's blood is Christ's blood, so the Sacrament of faith is faith. For it is no other thing to believe then to have faith, and therefore when a man answereth that the infant believeth which hath not the effect of faith, he answereth that it hath faith for the Sacrament of faith: And that it turneth itself to God, for the Sacrament of conversion. For the answer itself pertaineth unto the ministering of the Sacrament. As the Apostle writeth of Baptism: we are buried (saith he) with Christ through Baptism unto death. He saith not we signify burying, but utterly saith we are buried. He called therefore the Sacrament of so great a thing even with the name of that very thing itself. etc. If a man would avoid contention and look soberly on those words of S. Austen, he shall soon perceive the mystery of this matter. For even as the next good Friday shallbe called the Good Friday next is called the day that Christ suffered his passion, and yet it is not so, for that good Friday is passed long sithence. day of Christ's passion: & yet he shall not suffer death again upon that day for he died but once and is now immortal: even so is the Sacrament called Christ's body. And as that day is not the very day that he died on, but only a remembrance thereof: so the Sacrament is not his very natural body, but only a remembrance of his body breaking, & blood shedding. And likewise, as the next Easter day shallbe called the day of his resurrection, not that it is the very same day that Christ did rise in, but a remembrance of the same: even so the Sacrament is called his body: not that it is his body in deed, but only a remembrance of the same. And furthermore, even as the Priest doth offer him, that is to say crucify him at Mass, even so is the Sacrament his body. But the Mass doth but only represent his Frith writeth of the Mass according to the common opinion that was at that time. passion. And so doth the Sacrament represent his body. And yet though the Mass doth but represent his crucifying, we may truly say he is crucified, even so though the Sacrament do but signify or represent his body, yet may we truly say that it is his body. Why so? verily (saith he) for the Sacraments have a certain similitude of those things whereof they are Sacraments. And for this similitude for the most part, they take the names of the very things. Blessed be God which hath so clearly discussed this matter by this faithful father. Notwithstanding he doth yet express it more plainly saying: after a certain manner, the Sacrament of Christ's body is Christ's body. Behold dear After a certain manner the Sacrament of Christ's body is Christ's body. brethren he saith after a certain manner the Sacrament is Christ's body. And by that you may soon know that he never meant that it should be his very natural body in deed, but only a token and memorial to keep in memory the death of his body, and so to nourish our faith. Besides that his similitude which he after allegeth of Baptism, doth wholly expound this matter, for (saith he) the Apostle saith not we signify burying: but he saith, we are buried (and yet in deed the Baptism doth but signify it.) And thereupon S. Austen addeth, that he called the Sacrament of so great a thing even with the name of the very thing itself. And likewise it is in our Sacrament. Finally to be short I will pass over many places which I have gathered out of his holy father, and will touch but this one more. S. Austen saith. Non enim Dominus dubitavit dicere, Hoc est corpus meum, cum August. contra Adaman tum. cap. 12 daret signum corporis sui. Et in eodem capite exponit. Sic est enim sanguis anima, quomodo petra erat Christus, nec tamen petra (ait) significabat Christum, sed ait petra erat Christus. That is to say. The Lord doubted not to say, this is my body, when he gave a sign of his Christ gave to his Disciples the sign of his body. body. And after in the same chapter he expoundeth it. For truly so the blood is soul, as Christ was the stone. And yet the Apostle saith not, the stone did signify Christ, but he saith the stone was Christ. Here. S. Austen saith plainly that Christ called the sign of his body, his body, and in this chapter doth compare these three texts of scripture, this is my body, the blood is the soul, and Christ was the stone: and declareth them to be one phrase and to be expounded after one fashion. Now is there no man so mad, as to say, that Christ was a natural stone (except he be a natural fool) whose judgement we need not greatly to regard therefore we may well conclude that the sacrament is not his natural body, but is called his body, for a similitude that it hath wherein it signifieth & representeth his body. And that the sacrament of so great a thing is called even with the name of the very thing itself, as S. Austen said immediately before. This were proof enough to conclude that all the old fathers did hold the same opinion, for who would once surmise (seeing we have S. Austen so plain for us which is the chiefest among them all) who would once sur mice I say, that he dissented in this great matter from the other faithful fathers, or they from him? nevertheless I dare not let him stand post alone, jest you despise him. And therefore I will show you the mind of certain other also: and first of his master S. Ambrose. S. Ambrose wrighting upon the Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians Ambrosi: super illud mortem domini annū●ia. in the xi. chapter saith. Quia enim morte Domini liberati sumus huius rei memoris in edendo & potando, carnem & sanguinem que pro nobis oblata sunt significamus. That is to say, because we be delivered by the death of the Lord being mindful of this thing, meaning of the sacrament, we signify ●he flesh and blood which were offered for us. Here doth S. Ambrose say enough if men were not sophisters, but would be content with reason. For he saith that in eating and drinking the sacrament of Christ's body, we signify or represent the flesh and blood of our Saviour jesus. Not withstanding because you are so slippery, we shall bind you a little better by this man's words. S. Ambrose saith. Sed forte dices speciem sanguinis non video. Sed habet Ambrosi. de sacra. Lib. 4 Cap. 4. similitudinis Sicut enim mortis similitudinem sumpsisti, ita etiam similitudinem preciosi sanguinis bibis. That is to say But peradventure thou will't say. I seen appearance of blood, but it hath a similitude. For even as thou hast taken the similitude of death, even so thou drinkest the similitude of the precious blood. Here may you see by the conferring of these two sacraments, What. S. Ambrose judged of it For he saith even as thou hast taken a similitude of his death in the sacrament of baptism, so dost thou drink a similitude of his precious blood in the sacrament of the altar. And yet as S. Austen said before, the Apostle saith not we signify burning, but saith, we are buried. And likewise here Christ said not this signifieth my body, but this is my body, calling the sacrament, sign, token and memorial of so great a thing, even with the name of the very thing itself, thus doth S. Ambrose choke our sophisters. Nevertheless I will allege one place more out of S. Ambrose, where he Ambrosi. Libro. 4. de Sacramen. Cap. 5. says. Dicit sacerdos, fac nobis inquit hanc oblationem scriptan rationabilem, quod est figura corporis Domini nostri jesu Christi. That is, the Priest saith make us this oblation acceptable. etc. For it is a figure of the body of our Lord The Sacrament is a figure of Christ's body. jesus Christ. Here he cauleth it plainly a figure of Christ's body, which thing you can not avoid. Therefore give praise unto God & let his truth spread which is so plainly testified, by these holy fathers. Now let us see what S. Jerome saith. S. Jerome writing upon Ecclesiaste, saith on this manner: Caro Domini Hieroni. super eccle. Cap. 3. verus cibus est, & sanguis eius verus potus est, hoc solum habemus in praesenti saeculo bonum, si vescamur carne eius cruoreque potemur, non solum in mysterio, sed ●tiam in scripturarum lectione, verus enim cibus & potus, qui ex verbo dei sumitur scientia scripturarum est. That is to say. The flesh of the Lord is very meat, & his blood is very drink. This is only the pleasure or profit that we have in this world, that we may eat his flesh and drink his blood, not only in a mystery, but also in the reading of Scriptures. For the very meat and drink, which is taken out of God's word, is the knowledge of Scriptures. Here may you see Saint Hieromes mind in few words. For first he saith, that we eat his flesh and drink his blood in a mystery, which is the sacrament of his remembrance and memorial We eat the very flesh of Christ & drink his blood in a mystery. of his passion. And after he addeth that we eat his flesh and drink his blood in the reading and knowledge of Scriptures, and calleth that very meat and very drink. And yet I am sure you are not so gross, as to think that the letters which you read are turned into natural flesh and blood. And likewise it is not necessary that the bread should be turned into his body, no more than the letters in scripture are turned into his flesh. And nevertheless through ●ayth we may as well eat his body in receiving of the sacrament, as eat his flesh in reading of the letters of the Scripture. Besides that S. Jerome calleth the understanding of the Scripture very meat and very drink: which you must needs understand in a mystery The under standing of the Scripture is very meat & very drink and spiritual sense, for it is neither material meat nor drink that is received with the mouth and teeth, but it is spiritual meat and drink, and is so called for a similitude & property: because that as meat and drink comfort the body and outward man, so doth the reading and knowledge of Scripture comfort the soul and inward man. And likewise it is of Christ's body, which is called very meat and very drink, which you must needs understand in a mystery or spiritual sense (as S. Jerome called it) Christ's body is no material meat or drink. for his body is no material meat nor drink that is received with the mouth or teeth, but it is spiritual meat and drink, and so called for a similitude and property, because that as meat and drink comforteth the body, so doth the faith in his body breaking and bloudsheding, refresh the soul unto life everlasting. We use it customably in our daily speech to say, when a child setteth all his mind and delight on sport & play: It is meat and drink to this child to play. And also we say by a man that loveth well hawking and hunting: it is meat and drink to this man to hawk & hunt. Where no man doubteth, but it is a figurative speech. And therefore I wonder that they are so blind in this one point, of Christ's body: and can not also take the words figuratively, as these old Doctors did. Again S. Jerome saith. Postq mysticum pascha fuerat impletum & agni carnes cum Apostolis comederat, assumit panem qui comfortat cor hominis, & ad verum paschae Hieronimus super. Math. 26. transgreditur sacramentum, ut quomodo in praefiguratione eius Melchisedech summi Dei sacerdos, vinum & panem offerens fecerat, ipse quoquè viritatem corporis & sanguinis repraesentaret. That is to say. After the mystical Easter Lamb fulfilled, and that Christ had eaten the lambs flesh with the Apostles, he took bread which comforteth the heart of man, and passeth to the true sacrament of the Easter Lamb: that as Melchisedech brought forth bread and wine figuring him, so might he likewise represent the truth of his body and blood. Here doth S. Jerome speak after the manner that Tertullian did before: that Christ with bread and wine did represent the truth of his body. For except Where there is no true body there can beno figure of the same. he had had a true body, he could not leave a figure of it, nor represent it unto us. For a vain thing or fantasy can have no figure, nor can not be represented: as by example, how should a man make a figure of his dream or represent it unto our memory? But Christ hath left us a figure and representation of his body in bread and wine: therefore it followeth that he had a true body. And that this was S. Hieromes mind it doth manifestly appear by the words of Beda, which doth more copiously set out this saying of Jerome. For Beda super. Luke. 22. he writeth on this manner: Finitis paschae veteris solennijs quae in commemorationem antic de Aegypto liberationis agebantur, transit ad nowm quod in suae redemptionis memoriam Ecclesia frequentare desiderat, ut videlicet pro carne agni vel sanguine, suae carnis sanguinisque sacramentum in panis ac vini figura substituens, ipsum se esse monstraret cui inravit Dominus & non poenitebit eum: Tu es sacerdos in aeternum secundum ordinem Melchisedech. Frangit autenipse panem quem porrigit, ut ostendat corporis sui fractionem non sine sua sponte futuram. etc. Et paulò post. Similiter & calicem postquam coenavit dedit eyes. Quia ergo panis carnem confirmat, vinum vero sanguinem operatur in carne, hic ad corpus Christi mystice, illud refertur ad sanguinem. That is to say. After the solemnity of the old Easter Lamb was finished (which was observed in the remembrance of the old deliverance out of Egypt) he goeth unto the new which the Church gladly observeth in the remembrance of his redemption, that he in the stead of the flesh and blood of the Lamb, might institute and ordain the Sacrament of his flesh and blood in the figure of bread and wine, and so declare himself to be the same unto whom the Lord swore and will not repent, thou art a perpetual Priest after the order of Melchisedech. And he himself broke the bread which he gave, to show that the breaking of his body should not be done without his own will. etc. And a little after. And likewise he gave them the cup after he had supped. And because bread doth Bread and wi●●e is mystically referred to the body & blood of Christ. confirm or strength the flesh, and wine worketh blood in the flesh, therefore is the bread mystically referred unto the body of Christ, and the wine referred unto his blood. Here may you note, first that as the Lamb was a remembrance of their deliverance out of Egypt (and yet the Lamb delivered them not) so is the Sacrament a remembrance of our redemption (and yet the Sacrament redeemed us not). Besides that he saith, that Christ in the stead of the flesh and blood of the Lamb, did institute the Sacrament of his flesh and blood in figure of bread and wine. Mark well, he saith not that in the stead of lambs flesh & blood he did institute his own flesh and blood, but saith that he did institute the Sacrament of his flesh & blood. What thing is a Sacrament: verily A Sacrament what it is? it is the sign of an holy thing, and there is no difference between a sign and a Sacrament, but that the sign is referred unto a worldly thing, and a Sacrament unto a spiritual or holy thing: as S. Austen saith: Signa Ad Marcellum (cum ad res dininas pertinent) sacramenta appellantur: That is to say: Signs when they pertain unto godly things are called sacraments. Therefore when Beda saith, that they did institute the sacrament of his flesh and blood in the figure of bread & wine it is as much to say (by S. Austin's definition) as that he did institute the figure of his holy flesh and blood in the figure of bread and wine, that is to say, that bread and wine should Bread and wine represent unto us the flesh and blood of Christ. be the figure and sign representing his holy flesh and blood unto us, for a perpetual remembrance. And afterward he declareth the property for which the bread is called the body and the wine the blood: saving he speaketh not so darkly as I now do, but plainly says, that the bread is mystically referred unto the body of Christ: because that as bread doth strength the flesh, so Christ's body which is figured by the bread doth strength that soul through faith in his death. And so doth he clearly prove my purpose. Now let us see what Chrisostome Chrisosto. super. Math. 26. saith which shall describe us the faith of the old grecyans and (I doubt not) he had not lost the true faith, how so ever the world go now a days. Chrisostome saith in this manner. Si enim mortuus jesus non est, cuius signum et simbolum hoc sacrificium est? vides quantum ei studium fuerit ut semper memoria teneamus pro nobis ipsum mortuum fuisse That is to say, for if jesus have not died, whose memorial and sign is that sacrifice? Thou seest what diligence he gave that we should continually keep in memory that he died for us. Here you may see that Chrisostome calleth the Sacrament simbolun & signum: that is to say, a memorial & sign of Christ, and that it was institute to keep his death in perpetual remembrance. But of one thing thou must beware or else thou art deceived, he calleth it also a sacrifice, and there thou must wisely understand him. For Sacrifice. if it were the sacrifice of Christ's body, them must Christ's body be slain there again, which thing God forbid. And therefore thou must understand him when he calleth it a sacrifice, that he means it to be a remembrance of that holy sacrifice where Christ's body was offered on the cross once for all: For he can be sacrificed no more, seeing he is immortal. Notwithstanding our prelate's will hear Christ's body a sacrifice offered on the cross once for all. note me of presumption, that I dare be so bold to expound his mind on this fashion: For in deed the take him otherwise, and think that it is a very sacrifice. And therefore I will bring one other text, where Chrisostome shall expound himself. Chrisostome saith: Nun per singulos dies offerrimus? Chrisosto, ad Hebre. Home. 17. offerrimus quidem, sed ad recorda ●●onem mortis eius facient●s etc et paulo po●t. Non alive sacrificium (sicut pontifex) sed id ipsum semper facimus: magis autem recordationem sacrificij opera mur. That is to say, do we not daily offer or do sacrifice? yes surely, But we do it for the remembrance of his death, for this sacrifice is an example of that we offer, not an other sacrifice as the▪ bishop (in the old law) did, but ever the same: yea rather a remembrance of the sacrifice, first he saith that they daily do sacrifice, but it is in remembrance of Christ's death, than he saith that the sacrifice is an example of that: Thirdly he saith that they offer not an other sacrifice (that is to say an ox or a goat as the Bishops of the old law,) but ever the same, Mark this point: for though it seem at the first sight to make with them yet doth it make so directly against them, that they shall never be able to avoid it. Chrisostome saith they do not offer an other sacrifice as the Bishops did, but ever the same. They offer other bread and wine this day than they did yesterday: they shall say an other Mass to morrow than they did this day. Now if this bread and wine, or the Mass be a sacrifice, then do they offer an other sacrifice, as well as the Bishops of the old law. For this sacrifice did signify the Christ should come & shed his blood, The Sacrifice that we offer in bread and wine is the remembrance of Christ's death. as well as the bread, wine & Massedo represent that he hath done it in deed. And therefore if it be a sacrifice, them do they offer any other sacrifice, representing his passion, aswell as the Bishop of the old law, But that doth Chrisostome deny, and sayeth that they offer every day the same. What same? verily even the same that was done and sacrificed when Christ shed his blood, In this sacrifice is Christ bond and buffeted and led from Anna to Cayphas: he is brought to Pilate & condemned: he is scourged and crowned with thorn and nailed on the cross and his heart opened with a spear, & so shedeth his blood, for our redemption. Why Chrisostome, and do you the self same sacrifice every day? yea verily. Then why doth S. Paul say Roma. 6. that Christ is risen from death, and dieth no more? if he die no more, how do you daily crucify him? Forsooth Paul saith truth. For we do not actually indeed, but only in a mystery And yet we say, that we do sacrifice As S. Austen declareth afore ad Bonifacum. him, and that this is his sacrifice, for the celebration of the sacrament and memory of that passion which we keep. And for this cause it hath the name of the thing that it doth represent & signify. And therefore I expound my mind by a rethorical correction and say, magis recordationem sacrificij, that is to say, yea rather the remembrance of the sacrifice. Grant mercies (good Chrisostome:) now do I perceive the pith of this matter: even as the mass is the very death and passion of christ so is it a sacrifice. Now it doth but only represent the very death and passion of Christ, therefore it doth follow that the Mass in very deed doth but only represent a sacrifice. And yet The mass is called a sacrifice, be cause it representeth the death & passion of Christ that was sacrificed on the Cross. notwithstanding many times it is called a sacrifice of holy Doctors, and hath the name of the very same thing that it doth represent & signify. And even so we may say of this sacrament, that as the Mass is the very sacrifice and passion of Christ, so is the Sacrament his very body & sacrifice that is offered. Now the Mass doth but only represent & signify the passion: so the Sacrament doth but only represent and signify the body and very sacrifice once offered for ever. Notwithstanding many times the Mass is called a sacrifice of holy Doctors: and so the Sacrament is called the body and a sacrifice. And hath the name of the very same thing that it doth represent and signify. Chrisost super. Furthermore Chrisostome saith. Ipse quoque bibit ex eo, ne auditis verbis illis dicerent: quid igitur sanguinem bibimus Math. 〈◊〉. & carnem comedimus? ac ideo perturbarentur. Name & quando prius de his verba fecit multi solummodo propter verba scandalum passi sunt. Neigitur tunc id quoque accideret, primus ipse hoc fecit, ut tranquillo animo ad communicationem misteriorum induceret. That is to say: he also drank of it, jest when they herded his words, they should say, why do we then drink blood and eat flesh? and so should be troubled. For when he spoke before of those things many of them were offended with his words. And because that should not now also chance, he himself drank first of it, that he might 'cause them to come without fear to the partaking of those mysteries: here Chrisostome noteth the Christ drank Christ by drinking of the cup, did show the mystery and that it was no natural nor carnal blood. of it, to draw them from the gross understanding of his words, and by his drinking to testify unto them that it was not his natural blood nor his natural flesh in deed, but only memorials and representations of his body and blood. And therefore he called them mysteries: that is to say sacraments. For in this place a Sacrament and a mystery is all one thing. Notwithstanding sometime this word mystery is more common and large in signifying then this word Sacrament. And I have showed you before, that a Sacrament is the sign of an holy thing itself, that it representeth: albeit some time it bear the name of the very thing itself, as the Image of S. Peter is not S. Peter himself and yet it beareth his name. Chrisostome saith. Caro non prodest quicq: hoc est secundum spiritum verba Super joh. cap. 6. Ho●…. 46. mea audienda sunt. Qui secundum carnem audit, nihil lucratur, nihil utilitatis accipit. Et paulò post. Quid est autem carnalit er intelligere? simpliciter utres dicuntur, neque aliud quippiam excogitare. Misteria omnia interioribus oculis consid●rāda sunt, hoc est spiritualiter. That is to say. The flesh profiteth nothing: that is, my words must be understand after the spirit. He that understandeth them after that flesh winneth nothing, nor taketh any profit. And a little after What means this, to understand after the flesh or carnally? verily to All mysteries must be considered spiritually. take the things simply as they are spoken, and to think no other thing. All mysteries or Sacraments must be considered with the inward eyes, that is to say, spiritually. And after he expoundeth himself on this manner. Interiores autem oculi ut panem viderint, creaturas transuolant, & non de illo pane a pistore cocto cogitant: sed de eo qui dixit se panem vitae, qu● per misticum panem significatur. That is to say. The inward eyes as soon as The plain saying of Chrisostome. they see the bread, they pass over the creatures, & think not of that bread which is baken of the baker, but of him that called himself the bread of life which is signified by the mystical or sacramental bread. Would you have him say any more? he telleth you plain, that Christ which is the very bread of life, is signified by this sacramental bread. And that is the thing which our Bishops so fleshly deny now a days, which thing yet you may see the old fathers conclude with one assent. Notwithstanding yet I will allege more old Doctors, so that from hence forward they may be ashamed to call it new learning. Fulgentius saith. In illis enim carnalibus ●u●pentius. 〈◊〉. Lib. de 〈◊〉. (tempore legis) victimis, significatio fuit carnis Christi, quam pro peccatis nostris, & ipse sine peccato fuerat oblaturus, & sanguinis quem erat effusurus in remissionem peccatorum nostrorum. In ●sto autem sacrificio gratiarum actio atque commemoratio est carnis Christi quam pronobis obtulit, & sanguinis quem pro nobis idem Deus effudit. That is to say. In these carnal sacrifices (in the time of the law) was a signification of the flesh of christ which he without sin, should offer for our sins, & of the blood which he should shed out in remission of our sins. But in this sacrifice The Sacrament of Christ's body is a thanks Seuyng. is a thanks giving & remembrance of the flesh of Christ which he offered for us, and of the blood which the same God shed out for us. First note that he calleth it a sacrifice which notwithstanding is but a remembrance of that sacrifice offered on the cross once for all, as it is proved before out of Chrisostome. Then he plainly calleth it a thanks giving, & remembrance of Christ's flesh and blood: and so concludeth with us. Nevertheless because Sophisters would soon think to avoid this place, I will allege one other saying of the same author, which they shall never be able to avoid. Fulgentius says, as Haymo testifieth. Hic calix nowm Testamentum est: Fulgentius. id est, hic calix quem vobis trado nowm Testamentum significat. That is to say This cup or chalice is the new Testament: That is, this cup or chalice This cup is the new Testament. is as much as this cup signifieth the new testament. which I deliver you doth signify the new Testament. In this place he doth plainly show his mind, which can not be avoided. For even as the cup is the new Testament, so is the bread the body. Now the cup doth but signify the new Testament, and therefore I may conclude that the bread doth but signify the body. Eusebius saith. Quia corpus assumptum ablaturus erat ex ocul●s nostris Eusebius. & sideribus allaturus, necessarium erat ut nobis in hac die sacramentum corporis & sanguinis consecraret, ut colleretur iugiter per misterium quod semel offerabatur in precium. That is ta say, Because he would take away out of our eyes the body that he took and carry it into heaven, It was necessary that in this time he should consecrated to us the sacrament of his body and blood that that which was once offered for the price of our redemption, might continually be honoured through the mystery. To consecrated a thing, is to aply it Consecrat. unto an holy use. Here you may see the he calleth it the sacrament of his body and blood, which body is carried up in the heaven: And also he calleth it a mystery which is enough for them that will see. Also Druthmarius, expoundeth these words this is my body on this Druthmarius. manner: Hoc est corpus meum in misterio. That is to say: this is my body in a mystery. I think you know what a mystery means, Christ is crucified every day in a mystery: that is to say every day his death is represented by the sacraments of remembrance. The Mass is Christ's passion in a mystery: that is to say: the Mass doth represent his passion and keepeth it in our memory. The bread is Christ's body in a mystery: that is to say, it representeth his body that was broken for us, and keepeth it in our remembrance. You have herded all ready the mind of the doctors how the sacrament is Christ's body. And now I shall show you how the sacrament is our body, which doth not a little help to the understanding of these words which are in controversy. The sacrament The Sacrament how it is our body. of the altar is our body as well as it is Christ's body. And even as it is our body, so is it Christ's. But there is no man that can say that it is our natural body in deed, but only a figure, sign, memorial or representation of our body. Wherefore it must also follow, that it is but only a figure, sign, memorial or representation of Christ's body. The first part of this argument may thus be proved S. Austen writing in a sermon saith on this manner. Corpus ergo Christi si vultis intelligere, apostolum audite dicentem, Augustinus in sermon ad●…fantes. Vos estis corpus Christi & membra. 1. Cor. 12. Si ergo estis corpus Christi et membra, misterium vestrumque in mensa Dominipositum est, misterium Domini accipitis, ad id quod estis, Amen respondetis, & respondendo subscribitis. That is to say: If you will understand the body of Christ, hear the apostle which saith, you are the body of Christ and members. 1 cor. 12. therefore if you be the body of Christ & members, your mystery is put upon the lords table yereceive the mystery of the Lord, unto the you are, you answer Amen And in answering subscribe unto it. Here may you see that the sacrament is also our body, and yet is not our natural body, but only our body in a mystery, that is to say, a figure, sign, memorial or representation of our body, for as the bread is made of many grains or corns, so we (though we be many) are one bread & one body. And for this property and similitude it is called our body and beareth the name of the very thing which it doth represent and signify. Again S. Austen saith. Quia Christus passus est pro nobis, commenda Aug. in sermo. de sacraferia pascha. vit nobis in isto sacramento corpus et sanguinem suum, quod etiam fecit & nos ipsos. Nam et nos ipsius corpus facti sumus, & per misericordiam ipsius quod accipimus nos sumus. Et postea dicit. Iam in nomine Christi tanquam ad calicem Domi ni venistis, ibi vos estis in mensa & ibi vos estis in chalice. That is, because Christ hath suffered for us, he hath betaken unto us in this sacrament his body and blood which he hath also made even ourselves. For we also are made his body, and by his mercy we are even the same thing that we receive. And after he saith, now in that name of Christ you are come, as a man would say, to the chalice of the Lord, there are you upon the table and there are you in that Here you may see that the Sacrament is our body. chalice. Here you may see, that the sacrament is our body. And yet it is not our natural body, but only in a mystery as it is before said. Furthermore S. Austen saith. Hunc itaque cibum & potum societatem vult intellegi corporis & membrorum suorum August. de sacra feria pascha. quod est sancta ecclesia in praedestinatis et vocatis, et iustificatis, et glorisicatis sanctis & fidelibus eius. Huius rei sacramemtum alicubi quotidie, alicubi certis inter vallis dierum in dominico preparatur, & de mensa Domini sumitur, quibusdam ad vitam, quibusdam ad exitium. Res vero ipsa cuius est omni homini ad vitam nulli ad exitium, quicumque cius particeps fuerit. That is to say, he will that this meat and drink should be understand to be the fellowship of his body & members, which is the holy Church in the predestinate, and called and justified and glorified his saints & faithful, The sacrament of this thing is prepared in some place daily, & in some place at certain appointed days, as on the Sunday And it is received from S. Austen calleth it by the name of Sacrament meaning the figure, sign or token of Christ's body●… the table of the Lord, to some unto life, and to some unto destruction, but the thing itself whose sacrament this is, is received of all men unto life and of no man to destruction, who so ever is partaker of it. Here doth S. Austen first say, that this sacrament is the fellowship of his body and members which are we. And yet it is not our natural body, as is before said. And then he saith, that the Sacrament of this thing is received of some unto life and salvation, and of some unto death and damnation, for both faithful and unfaithful may receive the sacrament. And after he saith, that the thing itself whose sacrament it is, is received of all men unto life, and of no man unto destruction, who so ever is partaker of it. And of this saying it must needs follow, that only the faithful eat Christ's body, and the unfaithful eat not: For he is received of no man unto destruction. And of this it must also follow that the sacrament is not Christ's body in deed, but only in a mystery, for if the sacrament were The w●…ked and unfaithful do not receive the body of Christ and yet they receive the Sacrament to their damnation. his natural body, then should it follow, that the unfaithful should receive his body, which is contrary to the mind of S. Austen, and against all truth. Thus have we sufficiently proved the first part of our argument, that the sacrament is our body, as well as it is Christ's. And now will I prove the second part more plainly although it be enough declared all ready, to them that have ears, that even as it is our body so is it Christ's. first you shall understand that in the wine which is called Christ's blood, is admixed water, which doth signify the people that are redeemed The Sacrament as it is our body so it is Christ's with his blood: so that the head which is Christ, is not without his body which is the faithful people, nor the body without his head. Now if the wine when it ●s consecrated, be turned bodily into Christ's blood, then Note well this argument. is it also necessary that the water which is admixed be bodily turned into the blood of the faithful people. For where as is one consecration must follow one operation. And where as is like reason, there must follow like mystery. But whatsoever is signified by the water as concerning the faithful people, is taken spiritually. Therefore whatsoever is spoken of the blood in the wine, must also needs be taken spiritually. This reason is not mine, but it is made by one Bartram upon a 700. years Bartram. since, when this matter was first in disputation. Whereupon at the instance of great Charles the Emperor he made a book professing even the same thing that I do, and proveth by The Sacrament is Christ's body in a mystery. the old Doctors & faithful fathers, that the Sacrament is Christ's body in a mystery, that is to say, a sign, figure or memorial of his body which was broken for us, and not his natural body. And therefore that doctrine is new which other wise teacheth, & not mine, which is not mine, but the doctrine of Christ and of the old fathers of Christ's Church, till Antichrist began to sit and reign in the temple of God. Besides that Cyprian saith, that the people is annexed in the Sacrament Cyprianus ad●…. through the mixture of water. Therefore I marvel me much that As water is the people, so wine is Christ's blood. they are so contentious and will not see, that as the water is the people, so the wine is Christ's blood, that is to say, in a mystery, because it representeth Christ's blood, as the water doth the people. Furthermore Eusebius saith: Dum in sacramentis vino aqua miscetur, Christo Eusebius. fidelis populus incorporatur & iungitur, & quandam ei copula perfecta charitatis unitur. That is to say. While in the Sacrament water is admixte By yt●…ture of water, that faithful people are in corporate with Christ. with the wine, the faithful people is incorporate and joined with Christ, and is made one with him, with a certain knot of perfit charity. Now where he saith, that we are joined and incorporate with Christ, what fondness were it to contend, sith we are there only in a mystery, and not naturally: to contend I say with such pertinacity that his natural body must be there: and not rather that he is joined with us, as we are joined with him and both in a mystery, by the knot of perfit charity. The young man perceiveth well M. Moore. enough that an allegory used in some place is not a cause sufficient to leave the proper significations of God's word in every other place and seek an allegory, and forsake the plain common sense. For he confesseth that he would not so do save for necessity: because (as he saith) that the common literal sense is impossible. For the thing he says that is meant thereby can not be true: That is to wit, that the very body of Christ can be in the sacrament, because the sacrament is in many divers places at once, and was at the Maundy: that is to wit, in the hands of Christ and every of his Apostles mouths. And at that time it was not glorified. And then he saith that Christ's body not being glorified, could no more be in two places at once then his own can. And yet he goeth after further, and saith no more it can when it is glorified too. And that he proveth by the saying of Saint Austen, whose words be, that the body with which Christ arose, must be in one place. etc. Hitherto hath M. Moore reasoned reasonably: but now he beginneth to ●rith. decline from the dignity of divinity into the dirty dregs of vain sophistry. For where I say that I must of necessity seek an allegory because the literal sense is impossible, and can not be true, meaning that it can not stand with the process of Scripture, but that other texts do of necessitis constrain me to construe it spiritually. There catcheth he this word (can) and this word (impossible) Moore is a captious Sophister, 〈◊〉 subtle Poet, and 〈◊〉 malicious Papist. and would make men believe that I meant, it could not be true because reason can not reach it, but thinketh it impossible. And there he triumpheth (before the victory) and would know what article of our faith I could assign, in which reason shall no●driue away the strength of my proof, and make me leave the literal sense wherein my proof should stand, and sand me to seek an allegory that might stand with reason, and drive away the faith. But now dear brethren, sith I speak not of the impossibility of reason, but of the impossibility to stand with other texts of Scripture, you may see that this royal reason is not worth a rush. Then would he fain know the place where S. Austen so saith, which thing although it were hard for me to tell, sith I have not his books to look for it, yet I thank God my memory is not so bad, but I can show him where he shall find it. And because I think that he is more accustomed to the Pope's laws then to Saint Austin's Moore is better acquainted with the Pope's laws them with S. Austin's works. works (sith he is become the Prelate's proctor and patron) I say he shall not fail but found it in his laws the consecratione. And where as he would wrist the words of S. Austen, which saith that the body in which Christ arose, must needs be in one place: saying that he might mean, not that his body might not be in divers places at once, but that it must be in one place, that is to say, in some one place or other, he speaketh (saith M. More) nothing of the sacrament, nor saith not his body with which he rose must needs be in one place, that it can by no possibility be in any more. This seemeth to some a goodly gloze, and yet it shall prove but a vain evasion. For if a man would say that the king's grace's body must be in one place, and then an other would expound the notwithstanding his words his grace's body might be in two places at once: I think men might soon judge that he delighted to delay, and might say, what need be to determine, that he must be in one place, except he thought in deed, that he might be in no more but only one. And though men might so argue on other men's words, yet of S. Austin's words this must needs follow, for he bringeth them in (as God would) by a contrary Antithesis saying: Corpus in quo resurrexit in uno loco esse oportet, veritas Ad Hi●r●nimum. autem eius ubique diffusa est. That is to say. His body wherein he rose, must be in one place, but his truth is dispersed in all places. Where he plainly concludeth by the contrary Antithesis, Christ's body occupieth one place only. that as his truth is dispersed in all places, so must his body needs be in one place only. As by example, if a man should say: The king his grace's body must needs be in one place, but his power is throughout his realm. Where no man doubteth, but that in saying one place, he means one place only. And therefore though in some place, the word must, doth not signify such a necessity as excludeth all possibility, yet in this place it doth so signify, as the contrary Antithesis doth evidently express. And where you say, that he speaketh nothing of the sacrament, I would you should stick still to that saying. For this is plain, that he speaketh of his natural body, and therefore if he speak not of the sacrament, then have you concluded that the sacrament is not his natural body: the contrary whereof you would have men believe. Thus have I showed evidence, both where he shall find the words of S. Austen, and also that I have rightly alleged them. Notwithstanding sith he maketh so much of his painted sheth, I shall allege him more authority that Christ's natural body is in one place only. Which thing proved, doth utterly conclude that the Sacrament is not his natural body, but only a memorial and a representation of the same. And first let us see S. Austin's mind. S. Austen writing unto Dardanus doth plainly prove that the natural August. ad Bardanun. body of Christ must needs be in one place only, and also that his soul can be but in one place at once. The occasion of his Epistle is this: Dardanus did writ unto S. Austen for the exposition of those words that Christ spoke unto the thief saying: This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise: and witted not how he should understand it, whether Christ meant that the thief should be in Paradise with Christ's soul, or with his body, or with his Godhead: Thereupon S. Austen writeth that as touching Christ's body, that day it was in the sepulchre. And says What Christ meant by this word Paradise. that it was not Paradise, although it were in a garden that he was buried. For Christ (he saith) meant of a place of joy: And that was not (saith S. Austen) in his sepulchre: And as for Christ's soul, it was that day in hell, and no man will say, that Paradise was there. Wherefore (saith S. Austen) the text must needs be understand, that Christ spoke it of his Godhead. Now mark this Argument of S. Austen, and you shall see my purpose plainly proved. For seeing he erpoundeth this text upon Christ's Godhead, because his manhood as touching the body, was in the grave, and as touching his soul, was in hell: you may soon perceive, that S. Austen thought that whilst his body was in the grave, it was not in Paradise to: & because his soul was in hell, it could not be in paradise also. And therefore he ver●o fieth the text upon his divinity. For if he had thought that Christ's body or soul might have been in diverse places at once, he would not have said, that the text must needs be understand of his divinity, but it might full well, yea & much better have been understand of his manhood. Mark well this place which doth determine the doubt of this matter. Notwithstanding the faithful father leaveth How S. Austen laboureth to prove that Christ's body might not be in into places at once then in one. not the matter on this fashion, but also taketh away such sand imaginations as would 'cause men to surmise, that Christ's body should be in more places at once than one. For he says. Cavendum est ne it a divinitatem astruamus hominis, ut veritatem auser amus corporis. Non est autem consequens ut quod in Deo est, it a sit ubique. Name & de nobis veracissime Scriptura dicit, quod in illo vivimus, movemur & sumus. Nec tamen sicut ille, ubique sumus, sed aliter homo ille in Deo, quoniam & aliter Deus in illo homine, proprio quodam & singulari modo. una enim persona Deus & homo est, & utrumque est unus Christus jesus, vibque per id quod Deus est, in coelo autem per id quod homo. That is to say we must beware that we do not so affirm the divinity of the man, that we take away the truth of his body. For it followeth not that the thing which is in God should be in every place as God is. For the Scripture doth truly testify on us, that we live, move and be in him. And yet are we not in every place as he is. Howbeit, that man is otherwise in God, and God otherwise in that man by a certain peculiar and singular way: For God and man is one person, and both of them one Christ jesus which is in every place in that he is God, and in heaven, in that he is man. Here S. Austen If we affirm that the body of Christ is in many places at one mstant, them we should take away the truth of his body. doth say, that if we should grant Christ to be in all places as touching his manhood, we should take away the truth of his body. For though his manhood be in God, and God in his manhood, yet it followeth not, that it should be in every place, as God is. And after he concludeth that as touching his Godhead he is in every place, and as touching his manhood he is in heaven. What need he to make these words and Antithesis, but because he thought verily that though his Godhead were in every place, yet his manhood was in heaven only. But yet this holy Doctor goeth further (so that they may be ashamed Augustin. ibide●s. of their party) and saith. Secundum hominem namque in terra erat, non in coelo (ubi nunc est) quando dicebat, nemo ascendit in coelum nisi qui descendit de coelo, filius hominis qui est in coelo. That is to say, as touching his manhood he was in the earth and not in heaven (where he now is) when he said, no man ascendeth into heaven but he the descended from heaven, the son of man which is in heaven. Now I trust you will be content and let the truth spread. For I am sure it is not possible for you to avoid it for he sayeth, that as touching his manhood he was in the earth and not in heaven, when he spoke those words: & so proved that he was not in more places at once then only one place. For else if S. Austen had thought the he could have been in more places at once than one with his body, then might he not have said, that he was in earth and not in heaven. For then a man might soon have deluded him & have said Austen you can not tell, for he may be in every place. But they that so think after S. Austin's mind, do take away the truth of his natural body, and make it a very fantastical body: from the which heresy God deliver his faithful. Besides this S. Austen doth say. Christum Dominum nostrum unigenitum DEI ●ilium equalem patri, eundemque hominis filium, quo maior est pater, & ubique totum presentem esse non dubites tanquam Deum, & in eodem temple DEI esse verum DE VM, & in aliena part coeli propter corpo ris modum. That is to say, doubt not Christ as touching his Godhead is in all places. but that Christ our Lord the only begotten son of God equal to the Father and the same being the son of man wherein the father is greater, is hole present in all places as touching his Godhead and dwelleth in the same temple of God, as God, and in some place of heaven for the condition of his very body. Here is it evident by S. Austin's words that as touching his godhead he is in all places, and as touching his manhood he is only in heaven, yea and not that only, but that he being in heaven as touching the measure, nature, condition, and quality of his natural body, is only in one certain place in heaven, and not in many places at once. Thus much is proved out of S. Austen. This truth is not only proved by S. Austin's authority, but also by the noble clerk Fulgentius which writeth on this manner. unus idemque homo Fulgentius. localis ex homine, qui est Deus immensus ex patre, unus idemque secundum bumanam substantiam absens coelo cum esset in terra, & derelinquens terram, cum ascendisset in coelum. Secundum d●●inam vero immensamque substantiam, nec coelum dimittens cum de coelo descendit, nec terram deserens, cum ad coelum ascendit: Quod ipsius Domini certissimo sermon potest cognosci, qui ut localem ostenderet suam humanitatem, dicit Discipulis suis: Ascendo ad patrem meum & patrem vestrum, Deum meum & Deum vestrum, De Lazaro quoque cum dixisset, Lazarus mortuus est, adiunxit dicens, & gaudeo propter vos (ut credatis) quoniam non eram ibi immensitatem vero suae di●initatis ostendens Discipulis dicit: Ecce ego vobiscum sum usque ad consummationem s●culi. Quomodo autem ascendit in coelum nisi quia localis & verus est homo, aut quomodo adest fidelibus suis, nisi quia idem immensus & verus Deus est. That is to say. The same one man is local (that is to say, contained in one place) as touching his manhood, which is also God unmeasurable from the father: the same one man as touching the substance of his manhood, was absent from heaven, when he was in earth, and forsaking the earth, when he ascended into heaven, but as touching his godly & unmeasurable substance neither forsook heaven when he descended from heaven, nor forsook the earth, when he ascended unto heaven. Which may be known by the most sure word of the Lord which to show his humanity to be local (that is to say, contained in one place only) did say unto his Disciples. I ascend unto my father and your father, my God and your God, of Lazarus also when he said, Lazarus is dead, he said further, I am glad for your sakes (that you may believe) for that I was not there. And again, showing the unmeasurableness of his Godhead, Christ ascended into heaven, because he is local and a very man. he said unto his Disciples, behold I am with you unto the worlds end, how did he ascend into heaven, but because he is local and a very man? Or how is he present unto his faithful, but because he is unmeasurable & very God? Here may you conclude by the authority of this Doctor also, that Christ's body is only in one place at once. For he says, that Christ as touching his manhood is local: that is to say, contained in one place only. And that he proveth by the Scripture even of Christ's own words. Now if this be true (as my conscience doth testify, how so ever other men shall judge) then must it needs follow that his natural body can not be in the Sacrament. And the authority, I am sure no man can avoid, it is so plain. Now as for his natural reasons be Moore. not worthy the reasoning. For first that the body of Christ unglorified could no more be in ij. places at once then his own can, because he is a natural body, as he is. I will not examine no comparison between there ij. bodies: but if Christ would tell me that he would each of both their bodies to be in fifteen places at once, I would believe him, and would never ask him whether he would first glorify them or not. But I am sure glorified or unglorified, if he said it, he is able to do it. For the matter is not impossible to God. Truth it is, that if Christ so said & in so saying so meant, there is no doubt, Frith. but he were able so to do. But that he in deed so grossly meant you shall never prove. And in deed if he had so meant that his own body natural should have continued in the Sacrament which is the meat of the soul through faith, and not of the body by eating it, and may as well be eaten through faith although it remain in heaven, as if it were here present to our mouths: if I say he had so meant, them would he never have given us such Scriptures as he did. For I say, that this gross imagination may not stand with the process of the Scripture which is received as it shall appear by certain texts. 1. First where our Saviour saith: the flesh profiteth nothing. The weight The flesh profiteth nothing. of those words doth compel us to understand our matter spiritually, for by this short sentence we are no less plucked back from the carnal eating, them was Nichodemus that he should not once dream of the carnal regeneration, when Christ said unto him: that what soever was of that flesh was flesh. For this is a plain conclusion, that when Christ said, the flesh profiteth nothing, he meant it even of his The flesh of Christ profiteth much if it be eaten with faith. own flesh that it could not profit (as they understood him) to be eaten with the teeth. Albeit it doth much profit to be slain for our redemption and eaten through faith. Which thing we may do, although his natural flesh be not in the sacrament. For I may as well believe in him (though he be in heaven) as if he were in earth and in the Sacrament, & before mine eyes. And that Christ spoke these words of his own body, it is plain by S. Austin's words writing upon the same place: And therefore he saith, August. tract. super 6. 〈◊〉. that they must be understand spiritually, and addeth: if thou understand them spiritually, they are spirit and life. And though thou understand them carnally, yet nevertheless they are spirit and life: But unto thee they are not spirit and life, which understandest not spiritually, those things that I have spoken. Also Athanasius saith. Spiritus est qui vivificat, caro non prodest quicque verba Athanasius 3. lib. qui dix. verb. quae ego locutus sum, spiritus sunt & vita. Name & hoc loco utrumquè de seipso dicit carnem & spiritum, & spiritum ab eo quod est secundum carnem distinxit, ut non solum visibile, sed etiam invisibile quod in ipso erat credentes discant, quod & ea quae dicit non sunt carnalia, sed spiritualia. Quod enim comedentibus suffecisset corpus, ut totius mundi alimonia fiat? Sed ea propter meminit ascensus filij hominis in coelum ut illos a corporali cogitation avelleret, & posthac discant carnem dictam cibum coelestem superne venientem & spiritualem alimoniam quam ipse debt, nam quae locutus sum (inquit) vobis spiritus sunt & vita. That is to say, it is the spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing: the words which I speak unto you, are spirit & life. For in this place also he means both of his own flesh and his own spirit, & he divided the spirit from the flesh: that they might know through faith not only the visible part but also the visible part the was in him, & also that the words which he spoke were not carnal, but spiritual. For what body should have sufficed to have been the meat of all that world? And even therefore did he make mention of the Ascension of the son of man into heaven, that he might withdraw them from the bodley imagination, that they might hereafter learn, that the flesh was called heavenly meat which cometh from above and spiritual meat which he would give. For (saith Christ) the words that I have spoken unto you, are spirit and life. Here you may see that Christ spoke it of his own flesh, and meant plainly that it did nothing profit, as infidels did understand him. For else it giveth life, as it is received of the faithful in a mystery. For as Bartram saith, in l●…ram. this mystery of the body and blood, is a spiritual operation which giveth The bread and wine in the Sacrament why they are called mysteries. life. Without the which operation those mysteries do nothing profit, for surely (saith he) they may feed the body, but the soul they can not feed. 2. Besides that the Scripture saith, that, that entereth in by the mouth doth not defile a man, for as Christ saith, it is cast forth into the draft. And by the same reason it followeth that it doth not sanctify or make a man holy. But the Sacrament entereth in by the mouth: therefore it doth follow that (of itself) it doth not sanctify or make holy, & of this text should follow two inconveniences, if the Sacrament were the natural body of Christ. First it should follow that the body of If the Sacrament of the body of Christ, were his natural body, them note what inconveniences must follow Christ should not sanctify the faithful because it entereth in by that mouth. And again it should follow, that the body of Christ should be cast out into the draft, which thing is abominable. Wherefore it must needs follow, that the Sacrament can not be his natural body. 3. Furthermore Christ would not suffer that devout woman which of love sought him at his sepulture, to touch his natural body, because she lacked a point of faith, and did not count him to be equal with his father. And much more it shall follow The wicked may not nor can not eat the body of Christ. that the wicked which have no faith nor love towards him, shall not be suffered to eat his flesh with their teeth, and swallow it into their unclean bodies: for that were much more than to touch him. And yet notwithstanding they receive and eat the Sacrament. Whereupon it should follow, if the sacrament were his natural body, that they should in deed eat his body: which thing may be counted a blasphemy against God. Moreover Christ saith, he that eateth my flesh & drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me and I in him. Now we The wicked eat the Sacrament, but yet devil not in Christ. know right well that the wicked do eat the Sacrament, and yet neither devil in Christ, nor Christ in them. Wherefore it must follow that the Sacrament is not the very flesh of Christ. And surely I can not excuse them of blasphemy, which so directly contrary Christ's words. How can you avoid these texts which Christ speaketh unto his disciples saying: yet a little while am I john. 6. with you, and then I departed to him that sent me. And again: It is expedient john. 6. for you that I departed. For except that I depart, that comforter shall not come unto you. And again he saith: I forsake the world and go john. 6. Math. 26. Mark. 14. john. 12. to my father. And to be short he says: Poor men you shall ever have with you, but me shall you not ever have. Now we know right well that his Godhead is in all places, and that as touching his Godhead he forsook not the world, when he ascended unto his father. Wherefore it must needs follow that he forsook it as touching his flesh and manhood. And thereto agreeth the expositions of S. Austen and Fulgentius before alleged, yea and all other old faithful fathers. Now if he have forsaken the world as touching the presence of his natural flesh and manhood (as all Doctors define) then meant he not that his natural flesh should be present in the Sacrament, to be eaten with our teeth: And therefore though Christ so tell you, yet must you take him as he means, or else you be beguiled. For if you think that God both may and will fulfil and verify all things according to the letter as he speaketh them, I may call you an obedient man, as S. Bernard doth his Monk Adam. And may say (as he doth) that if that be the right way, so simply to receive all thing, we may put out the text of Scripture which warneth us to be wise as Serpents. For the text following is sufficient, which biddeth us to be simple as Doves. Why doth your mastership grant a necessary allegory, when Paul saith, Christ is a stone, or when Christ saith that he is a door? The scripture saith he is both twain, and sith God so saith, he is able so to make it. And therefore by your reason we shall need none allegory in all scripture, and then he that is most simple and foolish, may be counted most faithful. And so shall we need no faithful fathers to expound the text, but it shall be most merit, to believe the letter. This I deny not, but that God could have done it if he had so intended, when he spoke the words: But now the scripture standing as it doth, I think he can not do it. As by example: I think that God by the blood of his son Christ might have saved all men, both faithful and unfaithful, if he had so intended, and that it had so pleased him. But now the Scriptures God may do all thing but yet so as he cannot deny his truth, neither restore virginity. etc. john. 3. standing as they do, I say he can not do it, and that it is impossible for him. For than he might make his son a liar which saith: He that believeth not is damned. And again: He that believeth not shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth upon him. And even as it is impossible to stand with the process of Scripture, (wherein God hath declared his will) that the unfaithful should be saved although God might have done it at the first if he had so would. Likewise it is impossible, the Scriptures standing as they do, that the natural body of Christ should be present to our The natural body of Christ is not present to our teeth in the Sacrament. teeth in the Sacrament. And as for our faith, it needeth not to have him present in the bread. For I may as well eat him and drink him through faith, that is to say, believe in him, as though he were as present in the Sacrament, as he was hanging on the Cross. 1. And because you say, that my natural reasons be not worth the reasoning. I will allege you some more, to see what you can say to them. First Arguments to prove that Christ's natural body is not in the Sacrament of his body and blood. every sacrament is the sign of an holy thing: but the sacrament of the altar is a sacrament (as all faithful men confess) ergo it must follow that the sacrament of the altar is the sign of an holy thing. Now if it be the sign of an holy thing, than it is not the holy thing itself which it doth signify and represent. Why should we then fear, to call that bread a figure, that is to say, a sacrament of that holy body of our Lord and Saviour. 2. Besides that I would know of what necessity or profit his flesh must be present in the sacrament. For the presence of his flesh can no more profit us, then doth the remembrance of his body, but this remembrance may as well be done by the sacrament, as though his body were present. And therefore ●ith God and nature make naught in vain, it followeth consequently, that his natural flesh is not there, but only a memorial thereof. 3. Furthermore the end and final cause of a thing is ever better than those things which are provided for the end (as the house is better than the lime, stone, and timber, which are provided for the house) but the end and final cause of the sacrament is the remembrance of Christ's body: and thereupon it must follow that if the sacrament be his natural body, that the remembrance of Christ's body should be better than his body itself. Which thing is to be abhorred of all faithful men. 4. It were fondness to fayne that the soul did otherwise eat then do the Angels in heaven, and their meat is only the joy and delectation that they have of God and of his glory, and even so doth the soul which is here upon the earth eat through faith the body of Christ which is in heaven. For it delighteth and rejoiceth while The joyful eating of Christ, is ●y faith. it understandeth through faith, that Christ hath taken our sins upon him, and pacified the father's wrath. Neither it is necessary that for that or for this cause, that his flesh should be present. For a man may as well love and rejoice in the thing, which is from him & not present, as though it were present by him of that manner. 5. Moreover the bread is Christ's body, even as the breaking of the bread is the death of his body. Now the breaking of bread at the maundy is not the very death of Christ's body, but only a representation o● the same (all be it the mind through faith doth spiritually behold his very death) & even likewise that natural bread is not the very body of our Lord, but only a sacrament, sign, memorial, or representation of this same, albeit through the monision thereof the mind through faith, doth spiritually behold the very body: And surely thereof if a man be faithful, the spirit of God worketh in his heart very sweetly at his communion. 6. Finally, it was not lawful to eat or drink the blood not only of man but also of a brute beast, and the apostles themselves moved by the rule of Charity, did institute that men should abstain from blood, somewhat sau● ring the infirmity of the Jews. Now The Apostles did orde●…e that we should abstain from blood, meaning all natural blood. if the apostles had taught (as you do) that in the sacrament his very flesh and blood is eaten and drunk with the teeth and mouth of faithful and unfaithful, what could have been a greater occasion to have excluded the jews from Christ's faith even at once? Think you that Apostles would not have been to scrupulous to have drunken his very blood? seeing it was so plain against Moses law if they had understand him so grossly as you do? Peter had a clot sent Acts. 10. down from heaven, in which were all manner of beasts forbidden by the law, and was commanded to slay & eat them. And he answered, God The wine in the Sacrament is no natural blood. forbidden for I never eat any unclean thing, meaning thereby that he never eat any thing forbidden by the law. Whereof it must needs follow that either he never received the sacrament (which is plain false) or else that he more spiritually understood the words of Christ's maundy, than you falsely fain. For it was plainly forbidden by the law, to eat or drink any manner of blood. And I know Objection. but one reason that they have which they count insoluble: how ●e it by Gods grace we shall soon avoid it. There reason is this, Paul saith, he that eateth and drinketh this sacrament unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord Now say they, how should they be guilty of the Lords body and blood which receive it unworthily? except it were the very body and blood of the Lord? This argument I say, is very weak and slender. For I can show Solution. many examples by the which it may be dissolved for he that despiseth the kings seal or letters offendeth against his own person, and yet the letter or seal is not his own person. He that violently plucketh down his grace's arms or breaketh his broad seal with a furious mind or violence, committeth treason against his own person. And yet his arms To pull down violently the kings arms is treason against his own person, and yet the arms are not the kings person. and broad seal are not his own person. He that clippeth the king's coin committeth treason against the kings person and the common wealth, and yet the money is neither his grace's person nor the common wealth. And therefore your argument is but weak and slender For even as a man doth offend against the prince's person by despising his arms, seal or letters, So doth a man offend against Christ's body and blood, by abusing the sacrament of his body and blood, although he be not there present, as the kings person is not present in his arms, seal or letters. Besides that S. Paul says that every man which prayeth or prophesieth with covered head shameth his head and his head is Christ: shall we therefore Imagine that Christ is naturally in every man's head? as your argument concludeth For sooth that were a pretty fantasy. Finally S. Austen To be negligent in the hearing of the word of God is a great offence saith that he doth no less sin which negligently heareth the word of God than doth the other which unworthily receiveth the sacrament of Christ's body & blood. Now if this be true, then is your reason not worth a rish For Christ's natural body is not in the word which is preached, as all men know. And yet he sinneth no less that negligently heareth it, then doth he, that unworthily receiveth the sacrament. And thus you see their insoluble argument easily dissolved. ¶ But now must this young man consider again that himself confesseth, M. Moore. that the cause for which himself saith that Christ in so saying did so mean, is because that if he should have meant so, it was impossible to God to bring his meaning about: that is to say, that Christ's body might be in two places at once. And therefore but if he prove that thing impossible for God to do, else he confesseth that God not only said it but also meant it in deed. And yet over this, if Christ had never said it, yet doubtted I nothing, ●ut he is able to do it, or else were there s●m what that he could not do: And then were God not almighty. Here M. More would mire me with his sophestrie, and with wiles would Frith. win his spurs. For as he before did discant on these words, can and impossible, and would have made men believe that I meant it could not be, because it could not be by reason and that I meant impossible because reason could not reach it. So now he disputeth with like manner of sophistication concluding that I confess that it is impossible and can not be, because that if God should have meant it was impossible for God to bring his meaning about. Dear brethren M. Moore is a quarelyng brabbler. this babbling is sufficiently discused all ready. For I meant not that it was impossible For God to bring it about If he had so meant, but I meant that it is impossible to stand with the process of the scripture which we have received. And I say more over, that though it was possible for God to have done it (if it had pleased him) yet now the scripture thus standing, it is impossible for him to do it for then he must make his son a liar. And I say, that if he had so meant as the letter standeth, that he would them have given us other scripture, and would not have said that he must departed to him that sent him, with other texts as are before rehearsed. And where M. Moore saith that if there were somewhat that he could not do, than were God not almighty. I say it is a shame for our prelate's that they have got such an ignorant procture to defend them. And I am M. Moore an ignorant proctor, for the Clergy. sure that they themselves could have said much better: for else how should they instruct other and lead them in the right way? if they themselves were so rude and unlearned, should they not know what this means the God is almighty which is a piece of the first article of our Crede, then how should there ship have have any sure flight? Moore thinketh that God is called almighty, because he can do all things. And then indeed it should follow that he were not almighty for all things he can not do, he can God is almighty, and yet cannot do all things. not save the unfaithful, he can not restore virginity once violate, saith S. Thomas. and also (as I remember) S. Jerome writing of virginity unto Paul and Eustochium: he can not sin saith Dunce: he can not deny himself saith S. Paul. 2. Timo. 2. Now if this man's leraning were alow●d them might not God be almighty, because there is somewhat that he can not do: but they that are acustomed with scripture, do know that he is called almighty, not because he can do all things: but because there God is said to be almighty because there is no supenour power above him, and he can do all that he wil is no superior power above him, but that he may do all that he will: and all that his pleasure is to do that may he bring to pass, and no power is able to resist him, but he hath no pleasure nor will to make his son a liar nor to make his scripture false, and in deed he may not do it. And yet notwithstanding he abideth almighty, for he may do all that he will. Then M. More touching the reason M. Moore. of repugnance saith, that many things may seem repugnant both to him and me which things God seethe how to make them stand together well enough, and addeth such blind reasons of repugnance as induce many men into a great error: some ascribing all thing unto destiny without any power of man's free-will at all, and some giving all to man's own will, and no foresight at all to the providence of God, and all because the poor blind reason of man can not see so far, as to perceive how God's prescience and man's free-will can stand together, but seem clearly to be repugnant. As for his digression of man's free-will Frith. I will not greatly wrestle with him. But this one thing I may say, that if the son of God deliver us, then are we very free. And where the john 8. 2. Cor. 3. spirit of God is, there is freedom: I mean not freedom to do what you will, but freedom from sin, that we may be the servants of righteousness. But if we have not the Roma. 6. spirit of Christ, then will I say with S. Austen, that our free-will is wretched, and can do naught but sin. And Aug. de spiritu & litera. as touching such texts of repungnancy, if they be so diffuse that man's reason, (which is the light of his understanding) can not attain to set them together, then were you best to make them none articles of our faith. For I think as many as are necessary unto our salvation, are contained The articles in our Creed are as many as are necessary for our salvation. in the Crede which I think every man believeth. I beseech you lay no bigger burden upon us then those faithful fathers did which thought that sufficient. And then I am sure, we should have fewer heretics. For I never herded of heretic that ever held against any article of our creed, but all that you defame, by this name, are only put to death, because they say that we are not bond to believe every point that the laws and tyranny of the clergy allow & maintain. Which thing how true it is (blessed be God) is meetly well known already. For else had I and many more been dead ere this day. I wots well that many good folk M. Moore. have used in this matter many fruitful examples, as of one face beholden in divers glasses, and in every piece of one glass broken into twenty: and of one word coming whole to an hundredth ears at once: and the sight of one little eye present and beholding an whole great country at once, with a thousand such marvels more, such as those that see them daily done (and therefore marvel not at them) shall yet never be able, not not this young man himself, to give such a reason by what mean they may be done, but that he may have such repugnancy laid against it, that he shall be fain in conclusion (for the chief and most evident reason) to say, that the cause of all those things is because God that hath so caused them to be done, is almighty of himself, and may do what him list. As touching the examples that M. Moore doth here allege, I may soon Frith. make answer. For they that are like our matter, make clean against him, and the other can not make for him. The glass I grant is a good example, for even as the glass doth represent the very face of man so doth this Sacrament represent the very body and blood of Christ. And like as every piece of the glass doth represent The glass that representeth the face, is not the face. that one face, so doth every piece of that Sacrament represent that one body of Christ. But every man knoweth right well that though the glass represent my face, yet the substance of the glass is not my very face, neither is my very face in the glass. And even so though the Sacrament do represent the body of Christ, yet the substance The body of Christ is no more in the Sacrament than my face is in the glass of the Sacrament is not his very body, no more than the glass is my face, neither is his very body in the Sacrament, no more than my very face is in the glass and thus this example maketh well for us. And for that one word coming whole to an hundredth ears, I say that word is but a sound and a quality and not a substance, and therefore it is nothing to our purpose, and can not be likened to Christ's body which is a substance. And as concerning the sight of the little eye, I say that though the eye descry and see an whole country, yet is not that whole country in the eye: but as the country is known by the sight of eye (though the country be not in it), so is the death of Christ and his body breaking and blood shedding Christ's death and body breaking, is known by the Sacrament & yet it is not the natural body of Christ. known by the Sacrament, though his natural body be not in it. And thus his examples make nothing with him, but rather much against him. And where he saith that the young man himself can give him no reason, by what mean they may be done: I may say unto his mastership, that when I was seven year younger than I am this day, I would have been ashamed if I could not have given an evident reason at the Austin's in Oxford before the whole University. And albeit I now vouchsafe, not to spend labour and paper about Aristotle's doctrine, yet have I so much touched his examples, that he may be weary of them. Also I can not see why it should be more repugnant that one body M. Moore. may be by the power of God in two places at once, than that two bodies may be together in one place at once. And that point I think this young man denieth not. The being of our body in two places at once is against nature, & Scripture Frith. can not allow it. But that two bodies should be in one place seemeth more reasonable. For I have good experience that though my body can not be in two places at once (both in the Tower and where I would have it Frith speaketh mer●ly. beside) yet blessed be God in this one place, I am not without company. But if M. Moore mean that in one proper and several place, may be two bodies at once, that I will deny, till he have leisure to prove it. And yet at the length I am sure, his prove shall not be worth a pooding prick. For I am sure it must be, Ratione porositatis ut in igne & ferro: nam penetrationem dimensionum nunq probabit. And then he is as near as he was before. Now his last reason with which M. Moore. he proveth it impossible for the body of Christ to be in two places at once, is this: you can (saith he) show no reason why he should be in many places at once & not in all. But in all places he can not be. Wherefore we must conclude that he can not be in many places at once. This is a marvelous concluded argument. I am sure that every child may soon see that this consequent can never follow upon these two premises of this antecedent. When I made this reason & compiled my treatise I had no regard to Frith. the cavillations of subtle Sophisters: for I thought no Sophisters should have meddled with that meat. But nevertheless sith now I perceive that they principally are pouring on it, seeking some pray to set their teeth a work. In this book I have somewhat provided for them, and have brought such hard bones, that if they be to busy, may chance to choke them. And yet is not the Argument so feeble as he feigneth. For the first part (if he list to consider the sense and mind, and be not to curious) where I say that they can show no reason why he should be in many places and not in all, is thus to be understand of wise men, that the very reason and cause, that he should be in many places, must be, because the body is so annexed with the Godhead, that it is in every place as the Godhead is. This I say must be the cause and reason of his being in many places. And neither you nor no man else can justly assign any other. Now of this mayor or first proposition thus understand, doth the conclusion follow directly. For if this should be the cause (as they must needs grant). And this cause proved false by Scripture: then must they needs grant that the thing which so followeth of this cause, must needs be false. And so is my purpose proved, & they concluded. As by example, the Astronomers say: that the natural Astronomers say that the natural course of the Sun is from the West to the East. course of the Sun is from the west to the East. Now if a man should ask them what is then the cause that we see him daily take the contrary course, from the East to the West against his nature, they answer. Because the highest sphere (whose course is from the East to the West) with his swift moving doth violently draw the inferior spheres with him. This is the cause that they allege, and no man can assign any other. And now sith I can prove this sense false by scripture. And S. Austen (for Scripture saith that the sphere is fastened Hebr. viii. chap. And S. Austen expounding that text improveth the Astronomers which affirm that it moveth, sith I say, this cause is proved false by scripture, they must needs grant that the thing which followeth of this cause must needs be false. And so we may conclude against them all, that the natural course of the Sun is not from the West to the East (as the Astronomers say). But contrary from the A conclusion against the Astronomers. East to the West. And likewise sith the cause that Christ's body should be in many places, is assigned of learned men to be, because his body is so annexed with the Godhead (which is in every place) that it is also in all places with it, & no man can assign any other. And that this cause is proved false by Scripture, for when the women Mark. 14. sought Christ at his grave, an angel gave the answer that he was not there. But if his body had been in every place, than the angel lied. Also Christ said unto his Disciples Luke. 16. of Lazarus which died at Bethania. Lazarus is dead. And I am glad john. 11. for your sakes (that you may believe) because I was not there. Now if his body were in every place as is the Godhead, than Christ said not truly, when he said he was not there. Therefore sith (as I said) this is the cause assigned, & yet proved false by Scripture, Christ's body is in one place only. they must needs grant, that the thing which followeth of this cause, must also needs be false. And so we may conclude against them all, the Christ's body is in one place only. And now you may see how my consequent followeth the premises. For he can no further conclude, but that we can show no reason M. Moore. why he should be in many places at once. What had he won by that? might he then conclude thereupon, that he could not be in many places at once? As though it were not possible for God to make his body in two places at once, but if we were able to tell how, and why, and whereby, and show the reason. How far I can conclude is showed Frith. immediately before. For though of the bore words as you took them, it was hard to conclude any thing, yet have I now declared them, and so far concluded, that you can not avoid them. And where he saith, that though they can show no reason, yet I had won naught by it: I think he would be angry if I should so answer. But surely they are in good case, for it is enough for them to say, thus it is, and need never to show any cause or reason What soever the Papists say, that must stand for reason. why they so say. For they are the Church and can not err: so that if they teach contrary things, yet all is good enough. And when they see that no man can make the Scriptures to agree with their doctrine, than they say, that their doctrine is true enough, but no man can understand the Scripture. And though the scripture seem never so repugnant both to them and to us, yet God seethe well enough (say they) how to set them together, and it is possible for God to make it agreed though they cannot tell how. But this doctrine hath long enough deceived us: For men have seen to long with your spectacles, yet now (thanks be to God) they begin to see with their own eyes. And as touching how this matter was possible to God, and how it is not possible, is sufficiently declared before to all that list to look. How beit as for me (though I be not bound to it) I am content M. Moore. yet to prove, that God may make the body of Christ to be in all places at once. And because this young man coupleth that proposition with the other: so will I do to. And I prove therefore that God can make his body be both in many places at once, and in all places at once, by that that he is almighty, and therefore can do all thing. Now is the good man in his old Frith. dream again, & thinketh that God is called almighty, because he can do all things. And then in deed it should follow that he were not almighty. Moore harpeth upon a false string. For all things he can not do, he can not save the unfaithful, he can not restore virginity once violated, he can not sin, he can not deny himself. Now if this man's learning were allowed, then might not God be called almighty, because there is some what that he can not do. But they that are accustomed with scripture, do know that he is called almighty, not because he can not do all things, but because there is no superior power above him, but that he may do all that he will, and all that his pleasure is may he bring to pass. But he hath no wilpleasure nor power to make his son a liar, and to make his Scripture false, and yet notwithstanding he abideth almighty and may do what he will. And even as it is impossible to stand with the process of the Scriptures (wherein God hath declared his will) that the unfaithful should be saved (although at the first God might have done it, if he had so would) likewise it is impossible (the Scriptures standing as they do) that the natural body of Christ should be present to our teeth in the Sacrament. And as for our faith it needeth not to have him present in the bread: For I may as well eat him & drink him, through faith (that is to say, belief in him) though he continued still in heaven, as though he were as present in the Sacrament, as he was hanging on the cross. But yet his mastership hath left one thing unproved, and that is even the pith of his purpose. For though he had proved (as he hath not) that God by his almightynes Moore says that God may do all things, but he doth not prove that he hath so done. might make Christ's body in many places, and in all places, and in the Sacrament, yet he forgot to prove that God hath so done. And therefore albeit I did grant him (as I will not) that he might so do, yet thereof it doth not follow, that he hath so done in deed. For God may do many things which he doth not. And therefore his argument doth not prove his purpose. Now if he do but think that God hath so done, I am well pleased and will not put him to the pain to prove it. For anon you shall see him so entangled in briars, that he shall not wit where to become. But yet this young man goeth about to prove the point by scripture. M. Moore. For except we grant him that point to be true, he saith that else we make the angel a liar that said, he is not here, and also that else we make as though Christ's body in his ascension did not go up in the cloud into heaven from earth, but only hide himself in the cloud, and playeth bo peepe, & tarried beneath still. Here in the end he forgetteth himself so foul, that when he was a young sophister, he would I dare say, have been full sore ashamed so to have overseen himself at Oxford at a pervise. For you wot well that thing which he saith, & which he must therefore prove, is that the body of Christ can not be in every place at once by no mean that God could make. And the texts that he bringeth in for the proof, say no further but that he was not in all places at once. There are two things disputed between M. More and me: the one Frith. is, whether God can make the body Two things disputed between More and Frith. of Christ in many places, and in the Sacrament. And thereto his mastership saith you: For God is almighty and may do all things. And I say nay, and affirm that God is not called almighty because he may do all things, but because he may do all that he will, and I say that he will not make his son a liar, nor his scripture false, and that he can not do it and yet abideth almighty. The other thing is this, whether he have done it or not. For albeit I did grant him that it were possible, yet is he never y● near, except the other can prove that he hath done it in deed, or else think that God hath so done. For as I said God can do many things which he doth not. And the controversy of this doubt is resolved by the Angel and Scripture, which (as M. More granteth himself) proveth that he was not in all places at once. And thereof it followeth, that God hath not done it, although it be possible. And so is his mastership at a point. For if I should grant it never so possible, yet if scripture prove that it be not so in deed, then is he never the near his purpose, but much the further from it. And this is even it that I said before: that it was not possible to stand with the process of the Scripture which we have received. And now his mastership hath granted it himself, which you may be sure he would not have done if he could otherwise avoid it. And here you may see how sore I have overseen myself. God forbidden that any man should Moore. be the more prove & ready to believe this young man in this great matter, because he saith in the beginning that he will bring all men to a concord & a quietness of conscience. for he bringeth men to the worst kind of quietness that may be devised when he telleth us as he doth, that every man in this matter, may without peril believe which way he list, Every man may in every matter without any counsel, soon set himself at rest, if he list to take that way and to believe as he list himself, & care not how. But and if that way had been sure S. Paul would never have showed that many were in peril of sickness and death to, For lack of discerning reverently the body of our Lord in that sacrament when they came to receive him. When Christ should departed this world and go to his Father he gave Frith. his desciples a commandment that john. 15. they should love each other, saying by this shall all men know, that you are Christ's badge is love. my disciples, if you love each other, as I have loved you. This rule of charity would I not have broken, which notwithstanding is often in jeopardy among faithful folk, for this sacrament of unity, This thing considered, I thought necessary, to advertise both parties to save this rule of charity, and proved in the first chapter of my treatise, that it was That the sacrament is the natural body, is none article of our faith necessary to be believed upon pain of damnation. no article of the faith necessary to be believed under pain of damnation and therefore that they were to blame that would be contentious for the matter. For sith it is no article of the faith, that may lawfully descent without all jeopardy: & need not to break the rule of charity, but rather to receive the other like poor brethren. As by example, Some think that the marriage between our most redoubted prince & Queen Katerine is lawful & may stand with the laws of God: & some think that it is unlawful and aught to be disannulled. now if we should for this matter break the rule of charity, and every man hate his neighbour that would not think as he doth, than were we greatly to blame and in jeopardy of condemnation. This I say I proved in the first chapter against which Moore maketh no business, and improveth it not, whereby you may soon gather that it is very true. For else sith his mastership so laboureth in these other points, he would not have left y● untouched, you may be sure. This is the concord that I would bring them unto. And as touching quietness of conscience, I have known many that have sore been cumbered with it And among all, A certain master of art which died in Oxford confessed upon his death bed, that he had wept lying in his bed an hundredth nights within one years space, because he could not believe it. Now if he had known it had been no necessary article, what comfort & quietness should it have been unto him. Furthermore every man can not so quiet himself, as M. More Imagineth. For there are many that think themselves no small fools, which when they have received some foolish superstition, either by their own Imagination, or by believing their gossepes' gospel and old wives tales by and by think the contrary to be deadly sin, and utterly forbidden by Christ's Gospel. As by example, I know an house of Religion, wherein is a person that thinketh it deadly sin, to go over a Superstition. straw if it lie a cross. And if their be on the pavement any painted picture or any Image graven on a dead man's grave, he will not tread upon it, although he should go a forelong about. What is this but vain superstition wherewith the conscience is cumbered and corrupted? May not this be wéeded out with the word of God, showing him that it is none article of the faith so to think, & then to tell him that it is not forbidden by the scripture, and that it is no sin? Now albeit his conscience be so cankered that the rust will not be rubbed out? yet with God's grace, some other whom he hath infect with the same may come again to God's word and be cured full well, which should never have been able to quiet themselves And likewise there are some which believe as your superstitious hearts have informed them, and these can not quiet themselves, because they believe the you have fet your doctrine out of scripture: But when it is proved to them, and they themselves perceive that scripture saith not so, then can they not be content to think the contrary, and judge it no sin at all. And as touching S. Paul, surely you take him wrong, for I will show you what process he taketh, and how he is to be understood, but because it is not possible to finish it in few words, I shall defer it unto the books end, and then I shall declare him at large. And what a fashion is this, to say Moore. that we may believe if we list, that there is the very body of our Lord in deed, and then to tell us for a truth, that such a faith is impossible to be true: For God himself can never bring it about, to make his body be there. If a man take the bore words of Frith. Christ, and of simplicity be deceived, and think that his very body be in the A man may judge of error: but God only must be judge of condemnation. sacrament present to their teeth that eat it, I dare not say that he sinneth therein, but will refer the matter unto God's judgement, and yet without doubt, I dare say he is deceived. As by example: If a man (deceived by the literal sense) would think that Frith is no hasty judge. men should preach to fish (as Saint Frances did) because Christ bade his disciples go preach to all creatures, yet would not I think that he sinned therein, but will refer him unto God's judgement. But yet I ween every woman that hath any wit, will say that he was deceived. I am very sure that the old holy Moore. doctors which believed Christ's body and blood to be there, and so taught other to believe, as by there books plainly doth apere, if they had thought either that it could not be there or that it was not there in deed, they would not for all the good in this world have written as they have done. For would those holy men (ween you) have taught that men be bond to believe, that the very body and blood of Christ is there, if themselves thought they were not bond there to? would they make men honour and worship that thing as the very body & blood of Christ which themselves thought were not it? this gear is to childish to speak. This the old Doctors and faithful Frith. fathers so taught or thought as you fain of them, is very false. For S. Austen as I have showed, maketh wholly for us. Besides that, there is none of the old fathers but they call it a Sacrament, a mystery, and mystical meat, which is not eaten with tooth or belly, but with ears & faith. And touching the honour and worship done unto it, I say it is plain Idolatry. And I say, that he falsely reporteth To honour and worship the sacrament is plain idolatry. on the old holy doctors. For they never taught men to worship it, neither can he allege one place in any of them all which would have men to worship the Sacrament. Peradventure he may allege me certain new fellows for his purpose, as Dunce, Dorbell, Durand & such draff which by their doctrine have drenched the world with damnable Idolatry. But I speak of the old holy fathers & Doctors as S. Austen, Ambrose, Hierom, Cyprian, Cirille, Chrisostome, Fulgentius, and such other: these I say, do not teach men to worship it, and by that I dare abide. Of this point I am so sure, that I will use it for a contrary argument, that his natural body is not there present. For if the holy fathers before named had taken this text after the letter and not only spiritually, then in there works they The old holy fathers have not taught to worship the sacrament. would have taught men to worship it, but they never taught men to worship this Sacrament, therefore it followeth they took not the text after the letter, but only spiritually. Now do I provoke you to seek a proof of your purpose. Nevertheless I will not deny, but that these holy Doctors in divers places, do call it his body, as Christ and Paul do, & so do we likewise, and say also that his very body is there eaten. But yet we mean, that it is eaten with faith (that is to say by believing that his body was broken for us) and have his body more in memory Note. ☜ at this maundy than the meat that we there eat. And therefore it hath the name of his body, because the name itself should put us in remembrance of his body, and that his body is there chief eaten, even more (through faith) than the meat with the mouth. And so are they also to be understand. Yet one great pleasure he doth us, in that he putteth us all at liberty, Moore. that we may without peril of damnation believe as we did before: that is to wit, that in the blessed Sacrament the whole substance of the bread and the wine is transmuted & changed into the very body and blood of Christ. For if we may without peril of damnation believe thus, as himself granteth that we may, then granteth he that we may also without peril of damnation believe that himself lieth, where he saith, the truth of that belief is impossible. The believing of this point, is of itself not damnable, as it is not damnable Frith. to think that Christ is a very stone or a vine, because the literal sense so saith: or if you believe that you aught to preach to fish and go christian them an other while, as you do bells. And I insure you, if there were no worse mischief that ensued of this belief, than it is in itself, I would never have spoken against it. But now there followeth upon it damnable idolatry. For through the belief that this body is there, men fall down and worship it. And thinking to please God, do damnably sin against him. This I say, is the cause that I so earnestly writ against it, to Martin Luther saith that the natural body of Christ is present in the sacrament, but he would not have it worshipped avoid the idolatry that is committed through it. Part of the Germans do think that his natural body is present in the Sacrament and take the words fleshly, as Martin taught them. But none of them worship it for that Martin forbiddeth both in his words and works, and so blessed be god they avoid that jeopardy which thing if you will also grant and publish but this one proposition, that it aught not to be worshipped, I promise' you I will never writ against it. For than is the jeopardy taken away, and then I am content that your mastership think I lie. But in the mean season I must think that you fill the world with damnable Idolatry. And thus have you also answer unto the conclusion which you allege out of the kings grace's book. For I say in your way is no hurt, as long as you do but only believe the bore words of the text (as S. Frances did, when he preached to fish. But if through the occasion of those words, you fall into the worshipping of it, than I say that in your way is undoubted damnation. And so is there great jeopardy in your way, & none at all in ours. For though he were there in deed, yet do not we sin if we worship it not, for we are not commanded to worship the Sacrament. But if he be not there, then do you commit damnable Idolatry. ¶ The consecration of the Sacrament. Now as for an other quietness of every man's Moore. conscience this young man biddeth every man be bold, whether the blessed Sacrament be consecrated or unconsecrate (for though he most especially speaketh of the wine, yet he speaketh it of both) & biddeth us not care, but take it for all that unblessed as it is because the Priest (he saith) can not deceive us nor take from us the profit of Christ's institution, whether he altar the words or leave them all unsayd. Is not this a wondered doctrine of this young man? We wot well all, that the Priest can not hurt us by his oversight or malice, if there be no fault upon our own party, for that perfection that lacketh on the priests part, the great mercy of God as we trust of his own goodness supplieth. And therefore as holy Chrisostome saith, no man can take harm but of himself. But now if we see the thing disordered our own self by the Priest and Christ's institution broken, if we then wittyngly receive it unblessed & vnconsecrated, & care not whether Christ's institution be kept and observed or not, but reckon that it is as good without it as with it, then make we ourselves partakers of the fault and lose the profit of the Sacrament, and receive it with damnation: not for the priests fault, but for our own. I had thought that no Turk would Frith. have wrested a man's words so unfaithfully, for he leaveth out all the pith of my matter, for my words are these. I will show you a means how you shall ever receive it according to Christ's institution, although the Priest would withdraw it from you. First you need to have no respect unto the Priest's words which ministereth A mean how we may receive the sacrament according to Christ's institution, though the minister be negligent. it. For if you remember for what intent Christ did institute this Sacrament, and know that it was to put us in remembrance of his body breaking & blood shedding, that we might give him thanks for it and be as sure of it through faith according to his promises, as we are sure of the bread by eating of it: if as I say, you remember this thing (for which intent only the Priest speaketh those words) then if the Priest leave out those words or part thereof, he can not hurt you. For you have all ready the effect and final purpose for the which he should speak them. And again if he should wholly altar them, yet he can not deceive you. For than you be sure that he is a liar, and though you see the Priest bring you the wine consecrated yet never stick at that. For as surely shall it certify your conscience and outward The worthy receiver of the sacrament may consecrated the same to himself. senses though he consecrated it not (so thou consecrated it thyself: that is to say, so thou know what is meant thereby and give him thanks) as though he made a thousand blessings over it. And so I say that it is ever consecrated in his heart that believeth, though the Priest consecrated it not. And contrariwise if they consecrated it never so much, and thy consecration be not buy, it helpeth thee not a rish. For except thou know what is meant thereby, and believe, giving thanks for his body breaking & bloodshedding, it can not profit thee. Now where you say, that if we M. Moore. see the thing disordered by the Priest, and Christ's institution broken, and wyttingly receive it, we make ourselves partakers of the crime. I answer that if the reformation thereof lay in our hands, than said Frith. you truth, but sith it is written to private people which may not reform this matter, and that the reformation thereof rests only in the hand of your Prince and Parliament (for the error consists not in the misordering of the matter by one Priest only but rather of the doctrine of them all saving such as God hath lightened) to these private people I say that your doctrine should sooner be the occasion of an insurrection which we labour to eshew, than any quieting of them by Christ's doctrine. And therefore sith there is an other way to wood (saving all upright) we will avoid that perilous path. But when you see Christ's institution broken and the one kind left out unto the lay people, why are you partaker thereof. How beit as for his belief that M. Moore. taketh it no better but for bore bread & wine, it maketh him little matter consecrated or not, saving that the better it is consecrated the more it is ever noyous to him that receiveth it, having his conscience cumbered with such an execrable heresy, by which well appeareth that he putteth no difference between the body of our Lord in the blessed sacrament, and the common bread that he eateth at his dinner, But rather he esteemeth it less, for the one yet I think or he begin, if he lack a priest, he will bless it himself, the other he careth not as he saith, whether it be blessed or no. What I reacon it more than bread Frith. and wine I will show you here after in declaring the mind of S. Paul upon this sacrament, & that in the conclusion of this book. And in the mean season I will say no more but that he belieth me. And as for their blessings & consecration profit not The right consecration to him that receiveth the Sacrament is faith in Christ's death. me, except I consecrated it myself with faith in Christ's blood, & with giving him praise & thanks for his inestimable goodness, which when I was his enemy reconciled me unto his father by his own death: This consecration, must I set by, if I will have any profit of his death which the sacrament representeth unto me. And if I myself do thus consecrated it, then shall I be sure of the fruit of his death. And I say again, that as the Priests do now use to consecrated it, it helpeth not the poor comens of a rish. For their consecration should stand in preaching unto them the death of Christ, which hath delivered them out of the Egypt of sin & from the fiery furnace of Pharaoh the devil. And as for their wagging of their fingers The Popish consecration in Latin is not worth a rish. over it, and saying, uj. or seven. words in latten, helpeth them nothing at all for how can they believe by the means of his words when they know not what he saith? And as touching the common bread that I eat at my dinner, whether I have a Priest or not, I bless it with my heart (and not with my fingers) and heartily give God thanks for it. For if I have an hundredth Priests to bless it, yet am not I excused thereby. For except I bless it myself, it profiteth me no more than if it were unblessed. And if I bless it my ●elfe, than I care not The Bishops and their proctor can not tell what a blessing means. what the Priest prate. For as long as I understand him not it profiteth me nothing, but in good faith I ween the bishops and their proctor wot not what a blessing means. Therefore dear brethren harken to me. To bless God, is to give him praise and thanks for his benefits: To bless a king or a prince is to ☜ thank him for his kindness, and to pray to God for him that he may long reign to the laud of God & wealth of his comens. To bless a man's neighbour is to pray for him and to do him good. To bless my bread or Blessing what it is? meat, is to give God thanks for it To bless myself, is to give God thanks for his benefits that I have received of him, & to pray God that of his infinite goodness he will increase those gifts that he hath given me & finish his work which he hath begone in me, unto his laud and praise and as touching this flesh, to fulfil his will in it, and not to spare it but scourge, cut and burn it, only that it may be to his honour & glory. This is the form of blessing, and not to wag two fingers over them. But alack, of this blessing our Bishops be ignorant. But as for those that are good and faithful folk, and have any M. Moore. grace or any sparkle of reason in their heads, will (I verily think) never to be so far overseen, as in this article (the truth whereof God hath himself testified by as many open miracles as ever he testified any one) to believe this young man upon his barren reasons against the faith and reason both of all old holy writers and all good Christian people this xv. C. years. As for the miracles, I marvel not at them, neither may they make me Frith. the sooner to believe it, for Christ told us before that such delusions should come, that if it were possible, the very elect Math. 24. should be deceived by them. And S. Paul exhorteth us to beware of such signs and wonders: And therefore 〈◊〉. Thess. 2. I do as Moses teacheth me when I hear of such a wonder, then strait Deutro. 13. I look on the doctrine that is annexed with it. If it teach me to refer all the honour to God and not to creatures, and teach me noghing but that will stand with God's word, then will I say, that it is of God. But if it teach me such things as will not stand with his word, then will I determine that it is done by the devil, to delude the people with damnable idolatry. When Paul and Barnabas preached at Listra and had done a miracle among them, the people Acts. 24. ran and would have done sacrifice unto them. But the Apostles ran among them and tare their clotheses, crying unto them, sirs what do you? we are even corruptible men as you are, and preach unto you, that you should leave this vain superstition, and worship the living God, which made heaven, earth, the sea, and all that is in them. etc. Here the Apostles refused such honour & worship. And therefore I am sure they would not suffer their images to have it. Now when I see a miracle done at any How you may judge true miracles from false. image, and perceive that it bringeth men to the worshipping of itself, contrary to the fact and doctrine of the Apostles, which would not receive it themselves, I must needs conclude, that it is but a delusion done by the devil to deceive us and to bring the wrath of God upon us. Even so I say of the sacrament, sith the miracles that are done by it, do make men think otherwise then Scripture will, and cause men to worship it: I doubt not but they are done by the devil, to delude the people. Thou will't peradventure say that God will not suffer him to abuse the sacrament of his body and blood. Yes verily, God will suffer it, and doth suffer it, to see whether we will be faithful and abide by his word or not. And marvel not thereof, for God suffered him to take up the very natural body of his son Christ and set him on Math. 4. a pinnacle of the temple. And after he took him up again, and lead him to an exceeding mountain. And therefore think not but that he hath more power over the Sacrament than he had over Christ's own body. And therefore when they tell me, lo here is False Ante christes. Christ, lo there is Christ (as Christ prophesied) lo he is at this altar, lo he is at that, I will not believe them. Nevertheless if I should grant that all the miracles which were done, and ascribed unto the sacrament, were very true miracles and done of God himself (as I doubt not but some of them be true) yet thereupon it doth not follow that the sacrament should be the very natural body of Christ. For we have evident stories that certain people have been delivered from bodily diseases through the Sacrament of baptism. And yet the water is not the holy Ghost, nor the very thing itself whereof it is a sacrament. The shadow of Peter hath Acts. 4. healed many, and yet was not that shadow Peter's own person. We read also that napkins and handkerchiefs were carried from Paul unto them that were sick & possessed with Acts. 12. unclean spirits, and they received their health. And yet it were nevertheless madness, to think the Paul's body had been actually or naturally in those things. And therefore this is but a very weak reason, to judge by the miracles the presence of Christ's body. And surely you might be ashamed to make so slender reasons. For God may work miracles through many things which are not his natural body. And as touching the old Doctors, whom you fain to make with you, and the truth of your opinion which you say hath been believed of all good Christian people this xv. C. years, is sufficiently declared before, and proved to be but a point of your old Poetry. ¶ D. Barnes did graciously escape M. Moor's hands. ANd also Friar Barnes albeit M. Moore. (that as you wot well) he is in many other things a brother of this young man's sect, yet in this, he sore abhorreth his heresy, or else he lieth himself. For at his last being here he written a letter to me, wherein he writeth that I lay that heresy wrongfully to his charge. And showeth himself so sore grieved therewith, that he saith, he will in my reproach make a book against me: wherein he will profess and protest his faith concerning this blessed sacrament. But in the mean season it well contenteth me, that Friar Barnes being a man of more age & of more ripe discretion, and a Doctor of divinity, and in those things better learned then this young man is, abhorreth this youngman's heresy in this point, as well as he liketh him in many other. The more your mastershyppe Frith. praiseth Doctor Barnes, the worse men may like your matter. For in many points he doth condemn your damnable doctrine, as in his book appeareth. And therefore if such credence must be given to him, then much the less will be given to you. But peradventure you will say, that he is to be believed in this point, although he err in other. Where unto I answer that if you will consent unto him I would be well apaid and will promise' you to wright no more in ☜ The Sacrament may not be worshipped. that matter. For in this we both agree, that it aught not to be worshipped (yea and blessed be God all the other whom you call heretics) And so both of us do avoid Idolatry which you with so great danger do daily commit. And therefore if you allow his learning then am I content that you descent from me. For let it not be worshipped, and think as you will: for than is the perillpast. And sith we agree in this point, doubt not but we shall soon agree in the residue and admit each other for faithful brothers. And your mastership sayeth, that he wrote you a letter protesting that you lay the heresy wrongfully to his charge I think it was more wisdom for him twice to have written to you, than once to have come and tell you of it. For it was plainly told him, the you The Papists say that no promise nor covenant is to be kept with an heretic. had conspired his death, and that not withstanding his safe conduit, you were minded to have murdered him: and for that cause he was compelled both being here, to keep himself secretly, and also privily to depart the realm. And blessed be God, you have sufficiently published your purpose in Moore was fully addict to the mind of the Prelates and to kill and burn as fast as they. your answer against W. Tyndall, Where you say, that you might lawfully have burnt him. Here men may see how perciable you are addict to our prelate's. And how prove you were to fulfil their pleasures contrary to our Prince's prerogative royal. And thanks be to GOD which gave you such grace in the sight of our sovereign, that he shortly withdrew your power. For else it is to be feared, that you would further have proceeded against his grace's prerogative which thing whether it be treason or not let other men define. But this I dare say, that it is Printed and published to our Princes great dishonour: For what learned man may in time to come, trust to his grace's safe-conduct, or come at his grace's instance or request, sith not only the spiritually (which of their profession resist his prerogative) but also a lay man promoted to such pre-eminence by Moore a Popish and a malicious tyrant. his grace's goodness, dare presume so to depress his prerogative, and not only to say, but also to publish it in Print: that notwithstanding his graces safe conduit, they might lawfully have burned him. But here he would say unto me as he doth in his book, that he had forfeited his safe-conduct, and thereby was fallen into his enemies hands. Whereunto I answer, that this your saying is but a vain gloze: For I myself did read the safe-conduct that came unto him, which had but only this one condition annexed unto The condition contained in Barnes safe conduit. it, that if he came before the feast of Christmas than next insueing, he should have free liberty to depart at his pleasure. And this condition I know was fulfilled, how should he then forfeit his safe-conduct? But M▪ More hath learned of his masters our Prelates (whose proctor he is) to depress our Prince's prerogative that men aught not to keep any promise with heretics. And so his safe conduit could not save him. As though the Kings grace might not No promise nor licence made to heretics by the king, without the consent of our Prelates is to be kept and observed. admit any man to go and come freely into his grace's realm, but that he must have leave of our Prelates. For else they might lay heresy against the person, and so slay him contrary to the kings safe-conduct, which thing all wise men do know, to be prejudicial to his grace's prerogative royal. And yet I am sure that of all the time of his being here, you can not accuse him of one crime, albeit (unto your shame) you say that he had forfeited his safe conduit. These words had been very extreme and worthy to have been looked upon, although they had been written by some presumptuous Prelate. But that a lay man so highly promoted by his Prince, should speak them, and also 'cause them openly to be published among his grace's commons, to reject the estimation of his royal power, doth in my mind deserve correction. Notwithstanding, I leave the judgement and determination unto the discretion of his graces honourable counsel. And as for that holy prayer that M. Moore. this devote young man as a new Christ, teacheth to make at the receiving of this blessed Sacrament, all his congregation: I would not give the paring of a pear for his prayer, though it were better than it is, pulling away the true faith therefrom, as he doth. How beit his prayer there is so devised and penned and painted with leisure and study, that I trust every good Christian woman maketh a much better prayer at the time of her housel, by faithful affection and by God's good inspiration suddenly. Frith is an unmeet master to teach us what we should pray at the receiving of the blessed Sacrament, when he will not knowledge it as it is, but take Christ's blessed body for nothing but bore bread, and so little esteem the receiving of the blessed Sacrament, that he forceth little whether it be blessed or not. Where he discommendeth my prayer & saith that I am an unmeet master Frith. to teach men to pray, seeing I take away the true faith from it, and saith that every woman can make a better when she receiveth the Sacrament. I would to God that every woman were so well learned that they could teach us both. And surely I intended not to prescribe to all men that prayer The modesty & meek spirit of john Frith. only but hoped to help the ignorant, that they might either speak those words, or else (taking occasion at them) to say some other to the laud and praise of God. And as for your faith (which you call the true faith) must I needs improve. For it will not stand with the true text of Scripture as it plainly appeareth. But to Christ's body is to be eaten with faith & not with the teeth. the faith in Christ's blood I exhort all men, and teach them to eat his body with faith (and not with teeth) which is by having his death in continual remembrance, and digesting it into the bowels of their soul. And because you so sore improve my prayer, to conclude my answer against you, I will writ again. And let all men judge between us. Blessed be thou most dear & merciful A prayer made by john▪ Frith to be said before the receiving of the Communion. father which of thy tender favour and benignity (notwithstanding our grievous enormities committed against thee,) vouchsavedst to send thine own and only dear son, to suffer most vile death for our redemption. Blessed be thou Christ jesus our Lord and Saviour, which of thine abundant pity considering our miserable estate, willingly tookest upon thee to have thy most innocent body broken and blood shed, to purge us and wash us which are laden with iniquity. And to certify us thereof, hast left us not only thy word which may instruct our hearts, but also a visible token, to certify even our outward senses of this great benefit, that we should not doubt, but that the body and fruit of thy passion are ours (through faith) as surely as the bread, which by our senses we know that we have with in us. Blessed be also A godly & good prayer. that spirit of verity which is sent from God our father through our Saviour Christ jesus, to lighten our dark ignorance, & lead us through faith into the knowledge of him which is all verity. Strength we beseech thee our frail nature and increase our faith: that we may praise God our most merciful father and Christ his son our Saviour and redeemer. Amen. The Paschal lamb and our sacrament are here compared together. NOw we shall shortly express The paschal lamb and our sacrament compared together. the pith of our matter and borrow the figure of the Paschal lamb which is in all points so like, that the offering of the Paschal lamb did signify the offering of Christ's body is plain by Paul which saith, Christ our paschal lamb is offered up for us. When the 1. Cor. 5. children of Israel were very sad and heavy for their sore oppression under the power of Pharaoh (for the more miracles were showed, the worse were they handled). God sent unto them by Moses, that every household should kill a lamb to be a sacrifice unto God and that they should eat him, with their staves in their hands, their loins girded & shows on their feet even as men that were going an hasty journey. This lamb must they eat hastily The manner of the eating of the Paschal lamb. and make a merry maundy. Now because they should not say, that they could not be merry, for their oppression, and what could the lamb help them: he added glad tidings unio it and said, this is the passing by of the Lord Which this night shall pass by you and slay all the first begotten, with in the Land of Egypt, & shall deliver you out of your bondage, and bring you into the land that he hath promised unto yourfathers. Mark the process and conveyance of this matter, for even likewise it is in our sacrament. The apostles were sad and heavy, The manner of the institution of the Sacrament. john. 16. partly considering the bondage of sin wherewith they were oppressed & partly because he told them that he must depart from them in whom they did put all their hope of their deliverance. While they were in this heaviness, Christ thought to comfort them & to give them the seal of their deliverance, and took in his hand bread, blessed & The institution of the Sacrament. broke it, and gave it to his disciples saying: this is my body which shallbe given for you. For this night shall the power of Pharaoh the devil be destroyed, and to morrow shall you be delivered from Egypt the place of sin, and shall take your journey towards the heavenly mansion which is prepared of God for all that love him. Now compare them together. 1 The paschal lamb was instituted & eaten the night before the children of The comparison of the paschal lamb with Christ's Supper. Israel were indeed delivered from Egypt, Likewise was the sacrament instituted and eaten that night before we were delivered from our sins. 2 The paschal lamb was a very lamb in deed And so is the sacrament very bread in deed. 3 The paschal lamb was called the passing by of the Lord which destroyed the power of Pharaoh and delivered them. The sacrament is called the body of the Lord which destroyed the power of the devil and delivered us. 4 ¶ As many as did eat the paschal lamb in faith, were very merry and gave God great thanks. For they were sure the next day to be delivered out of Egypt, as many did eat his sacrament in faith, were merry & gave God great thanks, for they were sure the next day to be delivered from there sin, 5. They that did not eat the paschal lamb in faith, could not be merry. For they were not so sure of deliverance from the power of Pharaoh. They that did not eat this Sacrament in faith, could not be merry: For they were not sure of deliverance from the power of the devil. 6. They that believed the word of the Lord did more eat the passing by of the Lord which should deliver them, than they did the lamb. They that did believe the word of the Lord did more eat the body of the Lord, which should be given for their deliverance than they did the bread. For the thing doth a man most eat that he most hath in memory & most revolveth in mind as appeareth by Christ, john. 4. I have meat to eat that you know not. 7. They that believed not the next day to be delivered from Egypt, did not eat the passing by of the Lord, although they did eat the lamb. They that believed not the next day to be delivered from sin, did not eat the body of the Lord, although they eat the bread. 8. The children of Israel were but once delivered from Egypt, notwithstanding they did every year eat the lamb, to keep that fact in perpetual remembrance. Even so Christ bought and redeemed us but once for all and was offered and sacrificed but once for all though the sacrament thereof be daily broken among us to keep that benefit in continual memory. 9 As many as did eat the paschal Lamb in faith, and believed God's word as touching their deliverance from Egypt, were as sure of their deliverance through faith, as they were sure of the Lamb by eating it. As many as do eat this sacrament in faith, and believe God's word as touching their deliverance from sin, are as sure of their deliverance through faith, as they are sure of the bread by eating it. 10. As many as did eat of that paschal Lamb did magnify their God, testifying that he only was the God almighty, and they his people sticking to him, to be delivered by his power from all danger. As many as do eat of this sacrament do magnify their God, testifying that he only is the God almighty, and they his people sticking by him to be delivered by his power from all danger. 11. When the Israelites were delivered from Egypt, they eat nevertheless the paschal Lamb which was still called the passing by (because it was the remembrance of the passing by of the Lord) and heartily rejoiced, offering him sacrifice, & acknowledging with infinite thanks, that they were the fellowship of them that had such a merciful God. Now Christ's elect are delivered from sin, they eat nevertheless the sacrament which is still called his body that once died for their deliverance, and heartily rejoice, offering to him the sacrifice of praise, & knowledging with infinite thanks, that they are of the fellowship of them that have such a merciful God. 12. The paschal Lamb after their deliverance it was yearly eaten, brought as much mirth and joy unto them that did eat it in faith, as it did to their fathers which felt Pharaoh his fury, and were not yet delivered. For they known right well that except God of his mercy and wondered power had so delivered them, they should also themselves have been bond in the land of Egypt and under that wicked prince Pharaoh, of which bondage they greatly rejoiced to be rid already, and thanked God highly because they found themselves in that plenteous land which God provided for them. The sacrament which after our deliverance is yearly and daily eaten, bringeth as much mirth and joy unto us that eat it in faith, as it did to the Apostles which were not yet delivered. For we know right well that except God of his mercy & through the blood of his son, had so delivered us, we should also ourselves have been bond in Egypt the place of sin, under that wicked prince the devil, of which bondage we greatly rejoice to be rid already, & thank God highly because we find our selves in the state of grace, & have received through faith the first fruits and a taste of the spirit which testifieth unto us that we are the children of God. ¶ This Maundy of remembrance was it that Paul received of the The maundy of remembrance that Paul received of the Lord, & delivered to the Corinthians. Lord and delivered to the Corinthians in the xi. chapter. For though he borrow one property and similitude of the sacrament in the x. chapter, that in my mind maketh neither with us nor against us, albeit some think that it maketh whole for the exposition of Christ's words, this is my body. But in my mind they are 1. Cor. 10. deceived. For the occasion that Paul spoke of it in the x. chapter was this. The Corinthians had knowledge that all meats were indifferent, and whether it were offered to an Idol or not, that the meat was not the worse, and they might lawfully eat of it, whether it were sold them in the Shambles, or set before them when they dined and supped in an unfaithful man's house, ask no questions: except some man did tell them that it God hath ordained all meats to be indifferent. was offered to an Idol, and then they should not eat of it for offending his conscience that so told them (albeit they were else free and the thing indifferent) this knowledge because it was not annexed with charity was the occasion of great offending. For by reason thereof they sat down among the Gentiles at their feasts, where they eat in the honour of their Idols, and so did not only wound the conscience of their weak brethren, but also committed Idolatry in deed: And therefore S. Paul said unto them: Paul. My dear beloved flee from worshipping of Idols, I speak unto them ☜ which have discretion. judge you what I say. Is not the cup of blessing which we bless, the fellowship of the blood of Christ? Is not the bread which we break the fellowship of the body of Christ? For we though we be many, are yet one bread and one body, in as much as we are partakers of one bread. Christ did call himself bread, Christ called himself bread, and Paul calleth us bread. and the bread his body: And here Paul calleth us bread, and the bread our body. Now may you not take Paul that he in this place should directly expound Christ's mind. And that the very exposition of Christ's words, when he said, this is my body, should be that it was the fellowship of his body (as some say which seeking the key in this place of Paul lock themselves so fast in, that they can find no way out): For Christ spoke those words of his own body which should be given for us, but the How the words of S. Paul are to be understand. fellowship of Christ's body (or congregation) was not given for us. And so he meant not as Paul here saith, but meant his own body. For as Paul calleth the bread our body for a certain property, even so doth Christ call it his body for certain other properties. In that the bread was broken, it was Christ's own body, signifying that as that bread was broken, so should his body be broken for us. In that it was distributed unto his disciples it was his own body, signifying that as verily as the bread was distributed unto them, so verily should the death of his body and fruit of his passion be distributed to all faithful folk. In that the bread strengtheneth our bodies it is his own body, signifying that as our bodies are strengthened and comforted by bread, so are our souls by that faith in his body breaking: And likewise of the wine in that it was so distributed, and so comforteth us and maketh us merry. Furthermore the bread and wine have an other property, for Why the bread is called our body. the which it is called our body. For in that the bread is made one bread of many grains or corns, it is our body, signifying that we though we be many, are made one bread, that is to say, one body: And in that the wine is made one wine of many grapes, it is our body, signifying that though we are many, yet in Christ & through Christ we are made one body & members to each other. But in this thing Paul and Christ agree. For as Paul calleth the bread our body and us the bread because of this property, that it is made one of many: even so doth Christ call it his body because of the proporties before rehearsed. Furthermore in this they agree, that as Paul's words must be taken spiritually (for I think there is no man so mad, as to judge that the bread is our body in deed, although in that We must understand the Sacrament spiritually or else we receive it not to our comfort. property it representeth our body): even so must Christ's words be understand spiritually, that in those properties it representeth his very body. Now when we come together to receive this bread, then by the receiving of it in the congregation, we do openly testify that we all (which receive it) are one body, professing one God, one faith, and one baptism, and that the body of Christ was broken and his blood shed for remission of our sins. Now sith we so do, we may not company nor fit in the congregation or fellowship of them that offer unto Idols and eat before them. For as Paul saith: you can not drink Paul. the cup of the Lord, and the cup of the devils: you can not be partakers of the table of the Lord and of the table of the devils. I would not that you should have fellowship with devils. The heathen which offered unto Idols were the fellowship of devils, not because they eat the devils body or drank the devils blood, but because they believed & put their confidence in the Idol or devil as in their God, and all that were of that faith had their ceremonies, and gave hearty thanks to their God with that feast which they kept. They came to one place and brought their meat before the Idol and offered it: and with their offering gave unto the devil godly honour. And then they sat down and eat the offering together giving praise and thanks unto their God, and were one body and one fellowship of that devil which they testify by eating of that offering before that idol. Now doth S. Paul reprehend the Corinthians for bearing the gentiles company in eating before the Idol. For they know that the meat was like other meat. And therefore thought themselves free to eat it or leave it. But they perceived not that The Gentiles offered their meat to Idolies. that congregregation was the fellowship of devils which were there gathered (not for the meat sake) but for to thank and praise the Idol there God in whom they had their confidence. And all that there assembled and did there eat, and did openly testify, that they all were one body, professing one faith in their God that Idol, So Paul rebuked them, for because that by there eating (in that place and fellowship) they testified openly, that they were of the devils body and rejoiced in the Idol their God in whom they had faith and confidence. And therefore faith Paul, that they can not both drink the cup of the Lord testifying him to be their God in whom only they have trust and affiance, & the cup of the devil testifying that Idol to be their God and refuge. Here you may note that the meat To drink of the cup of the Lord & to drink of the cup of the devil, how it is to be understand. and the eating of it in this place & fellowship is more theny ᵗ common meat and eating in other places. For else they might lawfully have drunken the devils cup with them the one day, & the cup of the Lord the next day with his Disciples. What was it more, verily it was meat which by the eating of it in that place and fellowship, did testify openly unto all men, that he was their God whose cup they drank, and before whom they eat in that fellowship: and so in their eating they praised and honoured the idol. And therefore they that had their trust in the living God and in the blood of his son Christ, might not eat with them. And likewise it is the in sacrament, the bread and the eating of it in the place and fellowship where it is received, is more than common bread. What is it more? Verily it is bread which by that eating of it in that place and fellowship, doth testify openly unto all men, that he is our very God whose cup we drink and before whom we eat in that fellowship, & that we put all our afsiaunce in him and in the blood of his son Christ jesus, giving God all honour & infinite thanks for his great love wherewith he loved us, as it is testified, in the blood of his son, which was shed for our sins. So that in this place and fellowship may no man eat nor drink with us, but he that is of our faith and knowledgeth the same God that we do. As by example, if a man were well beloved among his neighbours (albeit he have some enemies) and were long absent from his friends in a strange country: when he were come home, his neighbours A proper example. that loved him would greatly rejoice and peradventure would buy a Capon or an other piece of meat to give him his welcome home, and get them to some honest man's house or to a Tavern, and make good cheer together, to testify openly that he is welcome home, & that they all which are at that banquet rejoice of his coming home. Now I say, that this banquet is more than an other meal, for at this banquet his enemies may be loath to come, because they can not rejoice at his coming home, and therefore can not make good cheer among them, testifiing that he is welcome home? but rather abhorreth the meat and drink that is there eaten because their heart doth not favour the person for whose sake it is prepared. Notwithstanding if a capon's leg were reserved for one of his enemies and afterward given him when the banquet were done, he might lawfully eat it. For than it were but bore meat such as he eateth at home. And likewise the enemies of Christ which believe not that they have remission of sins through his bloudsheding, can not rejoice The enemies of Christ can not rejoice in Christ's blood shedding. of his body breaking. And therefore can make good cheer among them, but if any be reserved after the maundy, he may lawfully eat it for is but bread. And his lovers that are there present do rather come thither to give him his welcome home then for the meat, and they more eat his welcome home then the meat. But if any of his enemy's fortune to be there they eat only the meat, and not his welcome home. For they rejoice not at his coming home. Likewise the faithful that are there present, do rather come thither to rejoice in the faith of his body breaking, them in breaking or eating of the bread or meat. But if any of the unfaithful fortune to be there they eat only the bread, and not his body breaking. For they rejoice not at his body breaking. Here peradventure some will suppose that I were contrary to myself. For before I said, that it was more than meat that was eaten at the gentiles feast & more than meat that was eaten at my neighbours welcome home, & more than bread that is eaten at the receiving of the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ. And now I say, that if a man's enemy be there, he eateth only the The faithful and unfaithful do not eat alike. meat and not the welcome home. And likewise the unfaithful eateth only bread and not the body and blood of Christ. How may these words stand together? I answer, that they eat but only bread or meat that profiteth them, but indeed they eat more to their hindrance, & even their own damnation. For they that did eat in that fellowship of that gentiles, did but only eat the meat to there profit but in eating their meat their fact did openly testify that they honoured that Idol for their God (although their heart were otherwise) wherein they 1. Cor. 8. committed idolatry. And besides that they wounded the consciences of their weak brethren and so sinned against God. Besides that, he that envieth his neighbour and cometh to that banquet, eateth but only the meat that profiteth him: notwithstanding in his own heart, he eateth the rancour & malice of his mind, to his great grievance, when he seeth them so rejoice. And of his own companions which are also these man's enemies, he doth purchase himself hatred, because with his fact he testifieth that he loveth him, although his heart be otherwise, and of God shallbe condemned. For he that hateth his brother, is a murderer. Furthermore, he that is 1. john 3 unfaithful and cometh to the maundy, The unfaithful and wicked eat their own damnation. eateth but only that bread that profiteth him, notwithstanding he eateth beside that, his own damnation, because he believeth not that the body of our Saviour which the Sacrament representeth, is broken for his sins, and his blood shed, to wash them away. This I am compelled to do, to stop the chattering mouths of Sophisters, albeit to them that be sober, it bade been enough to have said, they eat only bread, & not the body broken etc. For they right well understand it by the contrary Antithesie, & know that I meant not by that (only) that he should eat the bread & nothing else but only bread: but that I meant by this word (only) that he should eat the bread without the body. And so likewise in other examples. Thus have we sufficiently declared Paul's mind in the. 10. Chapter. In the xj. chapter Paul maketh much mention of the maundy & dyscribeth 1. Cor. 11. it to that uttermost. first he says when you come together in one place, a man can not eat the Lords supper. For every man beginnyth afore to eat his own supper, and one is hungry and an other is drunken. Have you not houses to eat and drink in? or else despise you the congregation of God and shame them that have not what shall I say unto you? shall I praise you? In this I praise you not. Paul did instruct according to Christ's mind, that the Corinthians should come together to eat the lords supper. Which lieth not so much in the carnal eating as in the spiritual: and The true eating of the Sacrament is the spiritual eating of the same. is greatly desired to be eaten, not by the hunger of the body, but by the hunger of the faithful heart, which is greedy to publish the praise of the Lord and give him hearty thanks, & move other to the same that of many, praise might be given unto our most merciful father for the love which he showed us in the blood of his own most dear son Christ jesus. Wherewith we are washed from our sins and surely sealed unto everlasting life. With such hunger did Christ eat the paschal lamb, saying to his Disciples: I have in wardly desired to eat Luke. 22. this Easter land with you before that I suffer. Christ's inward desire was not to fill his belly with his disciples, but he had a spiritual hunger: both to praise his father with them, for their bodily deliverance out of the land of Egypt: and specially to altar the Pasichall lamb and memory of the carnal deliverance, into the maundy of mirth and thankesgeving for our spiritual deliverance out of the bondage of sin. In so much that when Christ knew that it was his father's will and pleasure, that he should suffer for our sins (wherein his honour, glory and praise should be published) then was it a pleasure unto him, to declare unto his Disciples that great benefit, unto his father's praise and glory: & so did institute that we should come together and break the bread in the remembrance of his body breaking and blood shedding: and that we should eat it together rejoicing with each other & declaring his benefits. Now were the Corinthians fallen from this hunger, and came not together The manner of the coming of the Corinthians together. to the intent that God's praise should be published by them in the midst of the congregation, but came to feed their flesh and to make carnal cheer. In so much that that rich would have meat and drink enough, and take such abundance that they would be drunk (and so made it their own per & not the Lords, as Paul says, and did eat only the bread & meat, and not the body breaking, as I have before said, & the poor which had not (that is to say that had no meat to eat) were ashamed and hungry, and so could not rejoice and praise the Lord: by the reason that the delicate fare of the rich was an occasion for the poor to lament their poverty and thus the rich did neither praise God themselves, nor suffered the poor to do it, but were an occasion to hinder them. They should have brought their meat and drink and have divided it with their poor brethren, that they might have been merry together, and so to have given them occasion to be merry and rejoice in the Lord with thanks giving. But they had neither lust to praise God nor to comfort their neighbour. Their faith was feeble and their charity cold, and had no regard but to fill their body and feed their flesh: And so despised that poor congregation of God whom they should have honoured for that spirit that was in them & favour that God had showed indifferently unto them in the blood of his son Christ. When Paul perceived that they were thus fleshly minded and had no mind unto that spiritual maundy which chief should there be advertised, he reproveth them sore, rehearsing that words of Christ. That which I gave unto you I received of the Lord For the Lord jesus the same night in the which he was betrayed, took bread and thanked and broke it and said: take you and eat you, this is my body which is broken for you, this do you in the remembrance of me. After the same manner he took the cup when supper was done saying, this cup is the new Testament in my blood, this do you as oft as you drink it in the remembrance of me. For as often as you shall eat this bread & drink of this cup, you shall show the lords death, till he come. As though he should say, you Corinthians are much to blame which at this Supper seek the food of your flesh. For it was institute of Christ, Why Christ did institute the Sacrament. not for the intent to nourish the belly, but to strengthen the heart and soul in God. And by this you may know that Christ so meant. For he calleth it his body which is given for you, so that the name itself might testify unto you, that in this supper you should more eat his body which is given for you (by digesting that into the bowels of your soul) than the bread which by the breaking, and the distributing of it, doth represent his body breaking and the distributing thereof unto all that are faithful. And that be so means is evident by the words following, which say, this do in the remembrance of me: and likewise of the cup. And finally concluding of both, Paul saith, as often as you shall eat this bread & drink of this cup The sacrament was ordained to feed our souls, and not our bodies. (in this place and fellowship) you shall show that lords death until he come, praising the Lord for the death of his son and exhorting other to do the same, rejoicing in him with infinite thanks. And therefore you are to blame which seek only to feed the belly with that thing which was only institute to feed the soul. And thereupon it followeth. Wherefore who soever doth eat of this bread and drink of this cup unworthily, is guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. He eateth this bread unworthily, which regardeth The worthy and unworthy eating of Christ's body. not the purpose for the which Christ dydinstitute it, which cometh not to it with spiritual hunger, to eat through faith his very body, which the bread representeth by the breaking and disstributing of it: which cometh not with a merry heart, giving God hearty thanks for their deliverance from sin: Which do not much more eat in their heart that death of his body, than they do the bread with their mouth. Now sith the Corinthyans' did only seek their belly and flesh, and forgot God's honour and praise (for which it was instituted, the thanks should be given by the remembrance of his body breaking for us) they eat it to God's dishonour & to their neighbours hindrance, & to their own condemnation, & so for lack of faith were guilty of Christ's body which (by faith) they should there chiefly have eaten to their soul's health. And therefore it followeth. ❀ Let a man therefore examine himself and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup. What it is to prove & examine a man's own self. THis proving or examining of a man's self is first to think with himself with what lust and desire he cometh unto the maundy & will eat that bread: whether he be sure that he is the child of God and in the faith of Christ: And whether his conscience do bear him witness that Christ's body was broken for him: And whether the lust that he hath to praise God and thank him with a faithful heart in the mids of the brethren, do drive him thither ward. Or else whether he do it for that meats sake or to keep the custom: for than were it better that he were away. For he that eateth or drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh his own damnation, becaufe he maketh no difference of the lords body. That is, as it is said before, he that regardeth not the purpose for which it was instituted, & putteth no difference between his eating and other eating (for other eating doth only serve the belly) but this eating was instituted and ordained, to serve the soul and inward man. And therefore he that abuseth it to the flesh, eateth and drinketh his own damnation, And he cometh unworthily to the maundy where the sacrament of Christ's body is eaten: you where the body of the Lord is eaten: not carnally with the teeth and belly but spiritually with the heart and faith Upon this followeth the text that M. Moore allegeth and wresteth for his purpose. For this cause many are weak & sick among you, and many sleep. if we had truly judged ourselves, we should not have been judged when we are judged of the Lord, we are chastened because we should not be damned which the world. Wherefore my brethren, when you come together to eat, tarry one for an other. If a man hunger, let him eat at home, that you come not together unto condemnation. For this cause (that is) for lack of good examining of ourselves (as is The meaning of S. Paul's formet words. before touched) many are weak and sick in the faith, and many a sleep, and have lost their faith in Christ's blood, for lack of remembrance of his body breaking & blood shedding: yea & not that only but many were weak and sick even stricken with bodily diseases for abusing the sacrament of his body, eating the bread with their teeth and not his body with their heart and mind and peradventure some slain for it, by the stroke of God, which if they had truly judged and examined themselves for what intent they came thither and why it was instituted, should not have been so judged and chastened of the Lord. For the Lord doth chasten to bring us unto repentance and to mortify our rebellious members, that we may remember him. Here you may shortly perceive the mind of Paul. An Epitome and short rehearsal of all this book, showing in what points Frith dissenteth from our Prelates. NOw to be short, in these three points Frith dissenteth An Epitome of this whole book. from our Prelates, and from M. More which taketh upon him to be their proctor. 1. Our Prelates believe that in the Sacrament remains no bread, but The opinion of the Prelates. that it is turned into the natural body of Christ both flesh, blood, and bones. Frith saith that it is no article of our Crede: and therefore let The opinion of Frith. them believe it that will. And he thinketh that there remaineth bread still, and that he proveth three manner of ways. First by the scripture of Paul, which calleth it bread, saying: the 1. Cor. 1●… bread which we break, is it not the fellowship of the body of Christ? For we though we be many, are yet one body and one bread, as many as are partakers of one bread. And again he saith: as often as you eat of this bread or drink of this cup, you shall 1. Cor. 11. show the lords death until he come. Also Luke calleth it bread, saying in the Acts: they continued in the fellowship of the Apostles, and in the Acts. 2. breaking of the bread & prayer. Also Christ called the cup the fruit of a Math. 26. Mark. 14. Luke. 22. vine, saying: I shall not from hence forward drink of the fruit of the vine, until I drink that new in the kingdom of my father. Furthermore nature doth teach Nature teacheth that there is both bread and wine in the Sacrament. you that both the bread and wine continued in their nature. For the bread mouldeth if it be kept long, yea and worms breed in it: and the poor mouse will run away with it and eat it ', which are evidence enough that there remaineth bread. Also the wine if it were reserved, would wax sour, as they confess themselves, and therefore they housel the lay people but with one kind only, because the wine can not continued nor be reserved to have ready at hand when need were. And surely as if there remained no bread, it could not mould nor wax full of worms: even so if there remained no wine, it could not wax sour. And therefore it is but false doctrine that our prelate's so long have taught and published. Finally the there remaineth bread, might be proved by the authority of The old Doctors prove that there is bread in the Sacrament. many Doctors which call it bread and wine, even as Christ and his Apostles did. And though some sophisters would wrist their saying, and expound them after their own fantasy, yet shall I allege then one Doctor which was Pope, that maketh so plain with us, that they shall never be able to avoid them. For Pope Gelasius writeth on this manner: Certain sacramenta quae sumimus Gelasius in concilio Ro. corporis & sanguinis Christi, divinae res sunt, propter quod & per eadem divinae efficimur consortes naturae. Et tamen non desinit esse substantia vel natura panis & vini, sed permanet in suae proproprietate naturae. Et certe imago & similitudo corporis & sanguinis Christi in actione mysteriorum celebrantur. That is to say. Surely the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ which we receive, are a godly thing, and therefore through them are we made partakers of the godly nature. And yet doth it not cease to be the substance or nature of bread and wine, but they continued in the property of their own nature. And surely the image and similitude of the body and blood are celebrated in the act of the mysteries. This I am sure, that no man can avoid it, nor so wrist it, but that all men shall soon espy his folly, and therefore I may conclude that there remaineth the substance and nature of bread and wine. The second point wherein Frith dissenteth from our Prelates and their Proctor. THe Prelates believe that his very flesh is present to the teeth of The faith of the Prelates. them that eat the sacrament, and that the wicked eat his very body. Frith saith that it is no article of our The opinion of john Frith. creed, and therefore he reckoneth that he is in no jeopardy though he believe it not. And he thinketh that his flesh is not present unto the teeth of them that receive the Sacrament. For his flesh is only in one place at once: And that he proveth both by that authority of S. Austen ad Dardanum, and also by the authority of Fulgentius ad Thraswandum lib. 20. as before appeareth in that book. And Frith saith that the wicked eat not his very flesh, although they receive the sacrament: And that he proveth by the Scripture, Doctors, and good reason grounded upon the scriptures. The Scripture is this: he that eateth john. 6. Christ's body hath everlasting life, but the wicked hath not everlasting life, ergo than the wicked eat not his body. Again the Scripture saith: he that eateth Christ's flesh and drinketh his blood, abideth in Christ and Christ in him, but that wicked abide not in Christ, nor Christ in him, ergo the wicked eat not his flesh nor drink his blood. This may also be confirmed by August. in serm. de sacra fe. passch●. good authority. For S. Austen saith: he that abideth not in Christ, and in whom Christ abideth not, without doubt he eateth not his flesh, nor drinketh his blood, although he eat and drink the sacrament of so great a thing unto his damnation. And even the same words hath Beda upon the x. chapter of the first Beda. Epistle to the Corinthians. Again S. Austen saith: he that abideth not in me, and in whom I abide Aug. de Civitate Dei in libro. 21. Cap. 25. not, let him not say nor think, that he eateth my body or drinketh my blood. And even the same words hath Beda upon the vi. chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians. And even the same sentence hath Ambrose, and Prospero, and Beda upon the xi. chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians. Finally this may be proved by good reason grounded upon the scripture. Christ would not suffer Mary (though she loved him well) to touch him, because she lacked one point of faith, and did not believe that he was equal with his father. And therefore by reason it must follow, that he The wicked eat not Christ's body. will not suffer the wicked (which neither have good faith nor love towards him) both to touch him and eat him into their unclean bodies. Now sith this is proved true, that the wicked eat not his body, it must also thereof needs follow, that the sacrament is not his natural body. For they do eat the sacrament as all men know. Besides that the faithful do not eat Christ's body with their teeth. And therefore it must follow that the wicked do not eat it with their teeth. The antecedent or first part of the reason is proved by the words of Christ, which saith, that the flesh profiteth nothing at all, john. 6. meaning that it doth not profit as they understood him, that is to say, it profiteth nothing to be eaten carnally with their teeth and belly, as they understood him. For else it profiteth much to be eaten spiritually, that is to say, to believe that through his body breaking & blood shedding our sins are purged. And thus doth Origene, S. Austen, Beda, chrysostom, and Athanasius expound it, as appeareth in the book before. And therefore Frith saith that only faithful Only the faithful do eat Christ's body and drink his blood. men eat his body, not with their teeth and mouth, but with their faith and heart, that digest it into the bowels of their souls through believing that it was broken on the cross, to wash away their sins. And the wicked eat not his body but only the bread and their damnation, because they eat him not spiritually, that is, because they believe not in his body breaking and blood shedding. ❀ The third point wherein Frith dissenteth from our prelate's and their proctor. 3. THe Prelates believe that men aught to worship the sacrament. The faith of the Prelates. But Frith saith nay, and affirmeth that it is Idolatry to worship it. And he saith that Christ and his Apostles taught us not so to do: neither did the holy fathers so teach us. And Frith saith, that the authors of this The opinion of Frith. worshipping are the children of perdition which have overwhelmed this world with sin. Nevertheless we must receive it reverently, because of the doctrine that it bringeth us. For it preacheth Christ's death unto us, and describeth it before our eyes, even as a faithful preacher by the word doth instill it into us by our ears and hearing. And that it supplieth the room of a preacher is evident by the words of S. Austen which saith. Paulus quamuis portaret farcinam corporis quod aggravat animam, potuit tamen significando predicare Dominum jesum Christum, aliter per linguam suam, aliter per epistolam, aliter per sacramentum corporis Christi. That is to faith, though Paul did bear the burden of the body which doth honorate the soul, yet was he able in signifying to preach the lord jesus Christ, one way by his tongue, and an other way by an epistle, & an other way by the sacrament of Christ's body. etc. For as the people by understanding the fignification of the words which he spoke did hear the glorious Gospel of God, and as by the reading of his pistle they understood his mind and received the word of the soul's health, so by the ministration of the sacrament they might see with their eye the thing which they herded & read and so have their senses occupied about the mystery, that they might the more earnestly print it in their mind. As by example: The Prophet Hieremie being in Jerusalem in the time of Sedechias king of the jews, prophesied jerem. 27. and preached unto them, that they should be taken prisoners of Nabugodonesar the king of Babylon, & the jews were angry with him and would not believe his words. And therefore be made a chain or fetters of wood and put them about his neke and prophesied again and preached that they should be taken prisoners & led captive into Babylon. And as his words did certify their ears that they should be subdued, so the chain did represent their captivity even before their eye. Which thing did more vehemently work in them then the bore words could do, and even so it is in the Sacrament. For likewise as the words did instill into our ears, that his body was given for The ministration of the Sacrament doth lively express the death and passion of Christ. us, and his blood shed for the remission of our sins, even so did the ministration of the sacrament express the same thing unto our sight, and doth more effectuously move, than the bore words might do and make us more attended unto the thing, that we may wholly give thanks unto God and praise him for his bounteous benefits. And therefore seeing it is a preacher, expressing unto our sight the same thing that the words do to our ears represent you must receive it with reverence & sober behaviour, advertising that thing, that it representeth unto you. And even the same honour is dew unto it which is given unto the scripture that is the word of God. For unto that must a man devoutly give ear and reverently take the book in his hand: yea and if he kiss that book for the doctrines sake that he learenth thereout, he is to be commended, Nevertheless if he should go sense his book, men might well think that he were very childish. But if he should kneel down and pray to this book than he did commit plain idolatry Consider dear brethren what I say and avoid this jeopardy. which thing avoided, I care not as touching the presence of his body, though you believe that his natural flesh be there in deed (and not only in a mystery as I have taught) For when that jeopardy is passed, he were a fool that would be contentious for a thing as long as there cometh no hurt thereby. The Germans which believe the presence of his body, do not worship it, but plainly teach the contrary and in that point (thanks be to God) all they whom you call heretics, do agree fulwell. Only avoid this Idolatry and I desire no more. ¶ The conclusion of this treatise. Now dear brethren I beseech you for the mercy that you look for in Christ jesus, that you accept this work with a single eye and no contentious heart. For necessity hath compelled me to writ it, because I was informed both of my Lord of Winchester and other credible people, that I had by the means of my first treatise offended many men. Which thing may well be true: For it was to slender, to instruct all them which have since seen it, albe 〈◊〉 it were sufficient for their use to whom it was first delivered. And therefore I thought it not only expedient, but also necessary, to instruct them further in the truth, that they might see plain evidence of that thing wherein they were offended. By this work you shall espy their blasphemies & the venomous tongues where with they flaunder not only them that publish the truth, but even the truth itself. They shame not to say that we affirm it to be only bread and nothing else. And we say not so: but we say, that beside the substance of bread, it is the sacrament of Christ's body and blood. As the ivy hanging before the tavern door is more than bore ivy. For beside the substance The Sament beside the substance of of bread is Christ's body and blood. of ivy, it is a sign, and signifieth that there is wine to be sold. And this sacrament signifieth unto us and pointeth out before our eyes that as verily as that bread is broken, so verily was Christ's body broken for our sins: and as that bread is distributed unto us, so is his body & fruit of his passion distributed unto all his faithful. And as the bread comforteth the body, so doth the faith in Christ's death comfort our souls. And as surely as we have that bread and eat it with our mouth and teeth, & know by our senses that we have it within us, & are partakers thereof: no more need we to doubt of his body and blood, but that thorough faith, we are as sure of them, as we are sure of that bread. As it is sufficiently declared in my book. They dishonour the Sacrament that give it that honour that is due unto God. Again you may perceive how wickedly they report on us which affirm that we dishonour it which give it the right honour that it aught to have. And you do plainly dishonour it, which give unto it the honour that is only due unto God. We give it the same honour that we give unto the holy Scripture and word of God, because it expresseth unto our senses the death of our Saviour, and doth more deeply Print it within us. And therefore we call it an holy Sacrament, as we call God's word, holy Scripture. And we receive this Sacrament with great reverence, even as we reverently read or hear preached the holy word of God which containeth the health of our souls. And we grant that his body is present with the bread as it is with the word, and with both it is verily received & eaten through faith. But if we should kneel down and pray unto the holy Scripture, men might count us fools, & might lawfully say, that we do not honour the scripture by that means, but rather dishonour it. For the right honour of a thing is, to use it for that intent that it was instituted of God. And he that abuseth it to any other purpose, doth in deed dishonour it. And likewise it is in the Sacrament which was instituted to keep in memory the death of Christ, which if we do any otherwise honour, than we do the holy Scripture (unto that which we may in no wise make our prayers) I say that then we should utterly dishonour it. Avoid therefore this point of Idolatry, and all is safe. Finally we say that they speak Frith here showeth what he thinketh of the Sacrament. well & faithfully which say that they go to the body and receive the body of Christ, and that they speak villainously and wickedly which say that they only receive bread or the sign of his body for in so saying they declare their infidelity. For the faithful will reckon that he is evil reported of, and reputed for a traitor and an other judas, if men should say of him that he did only receive the Sacrament, and not also the thing which the Sacrament doth signify. For albeit he only eateth the bread and sacrament with his mouth and teeth: yet with his heart and faith inwardly, he eateth the very thing itself which the Sacrament outwardly doth represent. And of this, spring the manner of speakynges that the old fathers do sometime use, which at the first sight might seem contrary to our senses. But if they be well pondered, it may soon be seen, how they should be taken. For many times when they speak of the Sacrament and outward eating, they apply unto the Sacrament and outward eating the fruit & conditions of the inward eating & thing it self, because that in a faithful man they are so jointly joined that the one is never without the other. The Godhead is so joined with the manhood of Christ that they both make but one person. As by example, Mary is named the mother of God, and yet she is not the mother of his Godhead by the which part only he is called God, but because she is his mother, as touching his manhood, & the Godhead is so annexed with the manhood that they both, make but one person, therefore is she called the mother of God, which in deed if it be wisely weighed, shallbe found to be abused speech. And yet nevertheless it may very well be used, if men unverstand what is meant thereby, but if through the use of this speech, men should fall into such an error that would affirm our Lady to be in deed the mother of his Godhead, than necessity should compel us to make a distinction between the nature of his Godhead and the nature of his manhood, and so to expound the matter unto them, and bring them home again into the right understanding. As we are now constrained to do in this Sacrament, because you misconstrue the sayings of the Scripture & Doctors. Which notwithstanding (if a man understand them) say very well. And many such manner of speeches are contained in the Scripture: As where Christ saith. joh. 3. There shall noman ascend into heaven, but he that descendeth from heaven, the son of man which is in heaven. This text doth say that the son of man was then in heaven, when he spoke these words unto Nicodemus here on earth: which thing, all wise men consent to be understanded, propter unitatem personae: That is to say, for the unity of the person. For albeit his godhead was in every place at that time, yet was not his manhood (by the which he was called the son of man) in heaven at that time. And yet Christ said that it was in heaven for the unity of his person. For his Godhead was in heaven, and because the Godhead and manhood made but one person, therefore it was ascribed unto that manhood, which was only verified upon the Godhead, as S. Augustine ad Dardanum August. doth diligently declare. And likewise in the sacrament of Baptism, because the inward working Of Baptism. of the holy ghost is ever annexed in the faithful, unto the outward ceremony: therefore sometime the fruit of the inward Baptism is ascribed unto the outward work. And so the scripture useth to speak of the outward baptism as though it were the inward: that is to say, the spirit of God. And therefore S. Paul says, that we are buried with Christ through baptism. And yet as S. Augustine Augustinus ad Bonifacium. expoundeth it, that outward Baptism doth but signify this burial. And again Paul saith, as many as are baptized have put Christ upon them. And yet in deed our outward baptism doth but signify, that we have put Christ upon us. But by the inward baptism (which is the water of life and spirit of God) we have in deed put him upon us & live in him, and he in us. Which notwithstanding is very false for all the outward baptism, in them that receive it not in faith. And unto them it is but a bore sign, whereof they get no profit, but damnation. And here you may evidently perceive how it is sometime in scripture ascribed unto the inward work and ceremony, which is only true in the outward verity. And this place shall expound all the old doctoures which seem contrary to our sentence. And therefore mark it well. Thus have you my mind farther upon the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ. Wherein, if you reckon that I have been too long in repeating one thing so often, I shall pray you of pardon. But surely, me thought I could not be shorter. For the world is such now a days, that some would hear and can not, and some do hear and will not. And therefore I am compelled so often to repeat that thing which a wise man would understand with half the words. ¶ Pray Christian reader that the word of God may increase, and that God may be glorified through my bonds. Amen. The Articles wherefore john Frith died, which he written in Newgate the. 23. day of june, the year of our Lord 1533. I Doubt not dear brethren, but that it doth, some deal vex you, to see the one part have all the words, and freely to speak what they lift, and the other to be put to silence, and not to be herded indifferently. But refer your matters to God, which shortly shall judge after an other fashion. But in the mean reason, I shall rehearse unto you the articles for which I am condemned. ¶ They examined me but of two articles which are these. first whether I thought, there The first article. were no Purgatory to purge the soul after this present life. And I said, that I thought there was none. For man is made but of two parts, the body and the soul. And the body is purged by that cross of Christ, which he layeth upon every child that he receiveth: as affliction, worldly oppression, persecution, imprisonment etc. and death finisheth sin. And that soul is purged by the word of God, which we receive through faith, unto the health & salvation both of body & soul. Now and if I did know any third part whereof we are made, I would also gladly grant the third Purgatory: but seeing, I know none such, I must deny the Pope's Purgatory. Nevertheless, I count neither part a necessary article of our faith, necessarily to be believed under pain of damnation, whether there be such a purgatory or not. The second article was this, whether The second article. that I thought, that the Sacrament of the altar was the body of Christ. And I said yea, that I thought that it was both Christ's body, and also our body, as S. Paul saith. 1. Cor. 10. chapter. In that it is made one bread of many grains it is our body signifying that we though we be many, are yet one body: and likewise of the wine in that it is made one wine, of many grapes. And again in that it is broken, it is Christ's body, signifying that his body should be broken, that is to say suffer death, to redeem us from our iniquities. In that it was distributed, it was Christ's body, signifying that as verily, as that Sacrament is distributed unto us, so verily is Christ's body, & the fruit of his passion distributed unto all faithful men. In that it is received, it is Christ's body signifying that as verily, as outward man receiveth the Sacrament with his teeth, and mouth, so verily doth the inward man, through faith, receive Christ's body & fruit of his passion, and is as sure of it, as of the bread that he eateth. Well said they, do you not think, another question. that his very natural body, both flesh and blood is really contained under the Sacrament, and there actually present, beside all similitudes. Not said I, I do not so think. Notwithstanding An answer. I would not that any should count that I make my saying (which is the negative) any article of the faith For even as I say that you aught not to make any necessary article of that faith of your part (which is that affirmative.) So I say again, that we make none necessary article of the faith of our part, but leave it indifferent for all men to judge therein, as God shall open his heart, and no side to condemn or despise the other, but to nourish in all things brotherly love, & to bear others infirmities. The text of S. Augustine which they there alleged against me, was this: S. Augustine's text. that in that Sacrament Christ was born in his own hands. Whereunto I said, that S. Augustine doth full well expound himself. For in an other place he sayeth Ferebatur tanq in manibus suis. That is, he was horn after a certain manner, in his own hands. And by that he saith after a certain manner, you may soon perceive what he means. Howbeit if S. Augustin had not thus expounded himself, yet he saith ad Bonifacium, that that Sacrament of a thing, hath a similitude or property of the thing which it signifieth. And for that cause it hath many times, that name of that very thing which it signifieth. And so he saith that he bore himself, because he bore that Sacrament of his body & blood which did so earnestly express himself, that nothing might more do it. If you read the place of S. Augustine ad Bonifacium, which I allege in my last book, you shall soon see them answered. another place they alleged out of Chrisostome, which at the first blush Chrisostomus. seemeth to make well for them. But if it be well weighed, it maketh much less for them then they ween. The words are these. Dost thou see bread and wine? Chrisostomes' words. do they departed from thee into the draft as other meats do? God forbidden for as in wax when it cometh to the fire, nothing of the sub stance remaineth nor aboundeth: so likewise think that the mysteries are consumed by the substance of the body. These words I expounded, by the words of the same Doctor S. Chrisostome, which in an other Homily saith on this manner. The inward eyes as soon as they see the bread, they fly over all creatures and think not of the bread that is baken of the baker, but of the bread of everlasting life, which is signified by the mystical bread. Now confer these places together and you shall perceive, that the last expoundeth the first clearly. First he saith, will't thou see bread & wine, I answer by the second, nay. For the inward eyes as soon as they see the bread, think not of it, but of that thing itself that is signified thereby. And so he seeth it & seeth it not. He seeth it with his outward and carnal eyen, but his inward eyen seeth it not. That is to say, regard not the bread or think not on it. Even as we commonly say, when we play a game negligently (by my truth I see not what I do) meaning that our minds, is not upon that thing which we see with our outward eyen. And likewise we may answer the next part, where he saith. Do they departed from thee into the draft (as other meats do? Nay forsooth said I, for other meats do only come to nourish that body, & to departed into the draft. But this meat The exposition of S. Chrisosto. text. that I here receive, is spiritual meat received with faith & nourisheth us everlastingly, both body & soul, & never entereth into the draft. And even as before the outward eyen do see the bread & yet the outward eyen do not regard that or think upon it. So likewise the outward man digesteth the bread, & casts it into the draft. And yet the inward man doth not regard that nor think upon it. But thinketh on the thing itself that is signified, by that bread. And therefore said Chrisostome even a little before the words which The true meaning of Chriso stomes words. they here alleged, lift up your mind & hearts (said he) whereby he monisheth us, to look upon and consider those heavenly things, which are represented and signified by the bread and wine, & not to mark the bread and wine in itself. Here they will say unto me, that it is not Chrisostomes' mind (for by his example he plainly showeth that there remaneth no bread nor wine) that I deny. For the example in this place, proveth no more but that you shall not think on that bread & wine, no more than if they were not there, but only on that thing which is signified by them. And that you may evidently perceive by the words following where he says, think that the mysteries are consumed by the substance of the body. Now whether Chrisostome thought that there remained bread or Solution. not, both ways shall our purpose be proved. First if he thought there remained still bread and wine, than we have our purpose. Now if he thought that the bread & wine remained not, but were changed, then are the bread and wine neither mysteries nor Sacraments of the body and blood of Christ. For that that is not, can neither be mystery nor Sacrament. Finally if he speak of the outward appearance of bread: then we know Conclusion. that that remains still & is not consumed by the substance of the body. And therefore he must needs be understanded as I take him. I think many men wonder how I can dye in this article, seeing that it is no necessary article of our faith, for I grant that neither part is an article necessary to be believed under pain of damnation, but leave it as a thing indifferent, to think therein as God shall instill in every man's mind, and that neither part condemn other for this matter, but receive each other in brotherly love, reserving each others infirmity to god. The cause of my death is this, because I can not in conscience, abjure Behold the cause of mi death. and swear, that our Prelate's opinion of the sacrament, (that is, that the substance of bread and wine is verily changed into the flesh and blood of our saviour jesus Christ) is an undoubted article of the faith, necessary to be believed under pain of damnation. Now though this opinion were indeed true (which thing they can neither prove true by scripture nor doctors) yet could I not in conscience Note. grant that it should be an article of the faith necessary to be believed. etc. For there are many verities, which yet may be no such articles of our faith. It is true that I lay in irons when I written this: howbeit I would not have you to receive this truth for an article of our faith. For you may think the contrary without all jeopardy of damnation. ¶ The cause why I can not believe their opinion of transmutation is this. 1 FIrst, because I think verily Three causes. that it is false, and can neither he proved by scripture, nor faithful doctors, if they be well pondered. 2 The second cause is this, because I will not bind the congregation of Christ (by mine example) to admit any necessary Article beside our Creed, and specially none such as can not be proved true by Scripture. And I say that the Church, as they call it, can not compel us to receive any such articles to be of necessity under pain of damnation. 3 The third cause is, because I dare not be so presumptuous in entering into God's judgement, as to make the prelate's in this point a necessary article of our faith. For than I should damnably condemn all the Germans & Almains with, infinite more, which in deed do not believe nor think that the substance of bread and wine is changed into the substance of Christ's natural body. And surely I can not be so foolish hardy, as to condemn such an infinite number for our prelate's pleasures. Thus all the Germaynes and Almains, both of Luther's side and also of Oecolampadius, do wholly approve my matter. And surely I think there is no man that hath a pure conscience, but he will think that I die righteously. For that this transubstantiation should be a necessary article of the faith, I think no man can say it with a good conscience, although it were true in deed. By me john Frith. An exact and diligent Table, whereby you may readily turn to any special matter that is contained in all john Frithes books. 1572. A. ABraham. 20 Abrahames bosom, what it signified. 55 Abraham by faith did eat Christ's body and drink Christ's blood. 109 Ambrose opinion of Purgatory. 52 Antithesis between Christ and the Pope. 97 Arguments to prove that Christ's natural body is not in the Sacrament. 142 Articles of our faith are to be believed upon pain of damnation. 111 Articles of our faith are as many as are necessary for our salvation. 145 Augustine being 400. years after Christ doubted of Purgatory. 32 Augustine's opinion of purgatory. 52 B. Baptism defined what it is. 92 Baptism is the fountain of our new birth. 94 Bishopric in the primative church was a charge and not a Lordship. 116 Blasphemy to say that Christ's blood is not the full remission of our sins. 11 Blessing, what it is. 154 Books of the Maccabees are not Canonical. 37 Books against Rastall. 60 Boasting that is modest is commendable. 64 Body of Christ eaten by our fathers and his blood drunk. 109 Body of Christ is no more in the Sacrament than a man's face in the glass. 146 Brethrens is an ancient name in the holy Scripture. 114 Bread and wine remain in the Sacrament. 117 Bread why it is called our body. 160 C. 'Cause of our blindness and gross errors. 3 Causes why the Sacraments were first instituted. 112 Ceremonies of some sorts are guides unto the knowledge of God. 95 Christ only hath satisfied for our sins. 14. 15 Christ's merits putteth out the fire of Purgatory. 14. 17. 18 Christ is our Advocate. 17 Christ's sacrifice only taketh away sin. 17. 38 Christ only is our head. 43 Christ's death hath overcomed our death. 55 Christ was meek and gentle 57 Christ only is the mean to put away our sins. 73 Christ's blood is the strength of our Baptism. 94 Christ and the Pope compared together. 97. 98. 99 100 102. 103. 104. 105. 106 Christ is not to be eaten carnally, but spiritually. 118. 119 Christ's words are spiritual and not carnal. 124 Christ gave to his Disciples the sign of his blood. 129 Christ's body is neither material bread nor drink. 131 Christ his body occupieth one place only. 137 Christ as touching his Godhead is in all places. 139 Christ his body is in one place only. 147 Christ is eaten with faith and not with the teeth. 157 Christ calleth himself bread. 159 Church cannot err saith Rochester 56 Contradictories cannot be true. 26 Corruption when it entered into the Church. 116 Corinthians, how they came together to eat the Supper of the Lord 162 D. DEath is terrible to all flesh. 34 Dead people can neither do good nor evil. 53 Doctors have erred in many things. 53 Doctors prove that there is bread in the Sacrament. 165 Dipping in water and lifting up again, what it means. 93 E. EXample of the Alepolle. 113 Epitome of Frithes book of the Supper of the Lord 164 F. Faith in Christ is our righteousness. 28 Faith is not procured by violence. 57 Faith is the gift of God. 58 Faith is the spiritual eating of Christ in the Sacrament. 108 Faith that saved our fathers, the same now saveth us. 109 Faith eateth Christ joyfully. 143 Faith in Christ's blood consecrateth the Sacrament. 153 Faithful and unfaithful do not ●ate a like. 161 False Antichristes. 154 Fear maketh faith no faith. 5● Fire of Purgatory is of great force. 50 Flesh may not rejoice in the gifts of nature, but must fear and tremble 89 Flesh of Christ doth profit nothing and yet it doth profit. 123. 140 Foundation of Frithes treatise of the Sacrament. 108 Frith, why he written against Purgatory. 4 Frithes conclusion against Rastals book. 32 Frithes answer to Sir Thomas Moore. 32 Frithes judgement upon the book of the Maccabees. 40 Frith and More do not agreed. 42 Frithes opinion of Christ's death, read it, for it is excellent. 48 Frithes answer to the Bishop of Rochester. 51 Frithes Bulwark against Rastall. 60 Frith a good player at the tennyce. 62 Frith handleth Rastall gently. 63 Frith a true Martyr of Christ. 65 Frithes answer to Rastals second chapter. 66 Frith a good scholar. 68 69 Frithes answer to Rastals third chapter. 69 Frithes judgement upon Tracyes last will and testament. 77 Frithes letter to the congregation. 81 Frithes mirror or glass wherein a man may learn to know himself. 83 Frithes mirror or glass, wherein behold the efficacy of the Sacrament of Baptism. 90 Frithes answer to Master Mores first book of the Sacrament. 107 Frith met with false brethren. 114 Frithes offer to the Clergy. 115 Frithes earnest zeal. 115 Frith fears not death. 115 Frith is no hasty judge. 150 Frith hath great modesty. 156 Frithes prayer. 157 Frith doth plainly declare his doctrine is the Sacrament. 168 G. Germans believe the presence of the body, but worship it not. 167 Glass that representeth the face, is not the face. 146 God hath left us two Purgatoryes. 5 God is to be honoured of all creatures. 13 God forgiveth our sins for Christ's sake. 14 God neither the better nor the worse for our doings. 15 God can not be against himself. 48 God is said to be almighty, because there is no superior power above him, & that he can do all things that he will. 145 God is so united to the manhood of Christ, that they make but one person. 169 Gods honour consists not in our service. 13 Gods word is the touchstone to try all doctrine. 53 Gods word is the key of knowledge. 58 Gods spirit is not bound to any place. 91 Gods Church, what it is. 92 Good & bad are of the sensible church. 93 Gods Church is without spot or wrinkle. 93 Godfathers and Godmothers and their charge. 96 God cannot do all things. 142 Good works are to be done, because God commandeth them to be done. 28 Good works are the fruits of faith 74 Good works do mortify our members. 75 Good works are profitable to our neighbour. 75 Good gifts given to us of God, why they are given? 85. 86 Goodness is of God, and all evil of ourselves. 83 Grace is the gift of God. 76 H. Heaven and hell is expressed in the Scripture, but no word of Purgatory. 54 Hell there is none to them that are in Christ jesus. 72 Hell is ordained for such as fear not God. 72 Heresy, what it is? 50 I Jews slain for Idolatry. 38. Institution of the Sacrament. 157. 163. judas Machabeus believeth the resurrection. 39 judas Machabeus profitable to the Papes clergy. 39 justification freely excludeth purgatory. 10. K. keys how they were given to Peter and Paul. 58. L. Law of God and law of man do greatly differ. 19 Lazarus. 20. M. MAn, why he was made. 13. Manna was to the jews the same that the Sacrament is to us. 110. 118. Maundy of remembrance. 159. Ministers must be circumspect. 96. Miracles how the true are tried from the false. 154. More and Rochester cannot agreed. 30. 36. 56. Moor's false and fond argument. 33. Moore understandeth not the Scripture. 35. Moore proved to be an incipient. 40. Moore, a quarreling brabbler. 144. Moore a confused interpreter of the Scriptures. 41. Moore a proctor for purgatory. 42. Moore a subtle Sophister. 46. 137. More and his purgatory confuted and confounded. 50. Moor's Poetry. 84. 137. Moore a trifling mocker. 120. Moore hath a chekmate. 121. Moore prettily nipped. 122. Moore a subtle Poet. 137. Moore an ignorant proctor for the clergy. 144. Moore dancing naked in a net, thinketh himself invisible. 84. Moore harpeth on a wrong string. 148 Moore and Frith dispute two things. 149. Moore a popish and malicious tyrant. 156. N. Natural reason not meet to reason against Scripture. 13. Nature teacheth us that there is both bread and wine in the Sacrament. 165. O. OBstinate people. 95. Oecolampadius died of a Canker. 118. Opinion of Frith. 164. 165. 166. Opinion of the Prelates. 164. 165. 166. P. Paul prophesieth of the latter times. 116. Papists imagined a purgatory for themselves. 5. Papists corrupt the Scriptures. 126. Papists say that no promise or covenant aught to be kept with heretics. 155. Parables prove nothing. 54. Paradise, what Christ meant by that word. 138 paschal Lamb compared with the Sacrament of Christ's body. 157 158. Philip his manner of Baptism. 95. Pope is merciless if there be a purgatory. 6. Pope is the devils vicar. 59 Pope selleth Christ's merits for money. 11. Pope is Antichrist. 59 Prayers and good deeds how they help. 49. Prayers for the dead are vain. 52. Prayers made by john Frith. 157. Purgatory pickepursse. 17. Purgatory a fantasy of man's imagination. 17. 27. Purgatory on the earth. 18. Purgatory, there is none. 21. 27. Purgatory is in many places. 21. Purgatory can not fear us from sin. 25. Purgatory is needless. 29. 31. Purgatory quite excluded. 45. Purgatory and pardons have been good merchandise for the Pope and his clergy. 58. R. RAstalles dialogues & what they contained. 7. Rastall followeth Moore. 7. 8. Rastall clearly and quickly confounded. 8. 9 Rastalles lies. 13. 14. Rastalles similitudes and his arguments are nought. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19 20. 21. 22. Rastall saith Purgatory is on the earth. 18. Rastalles natural reason deceiveth himself and his Turk Gingemyn. 18. 20. Rastall cannot tell where purgatory should be. 21. Rastalles ignorance. 22. Rastall recogniseth his fault. 61 Rastall showeth two causes why he standeth in that defence of purgatory. 62 Rastals blind argument. 70 Rastall falsefieth the Scripture. 71 Repentance is no satisfaction for sin. 14 Reconciliation to our neighbour is required of God. 14 Reproving of hypocrites may not be called railing. 6● Repentance, what it is? 74 Rochester the first patron of Purgatory. 5● Rochester and More agreed not. 5● Rochester, Moore and Rastall defenders of one heresy. 6● Rochester contrary to Moore, and Moore contrary to Rochester. 6● S. SAbaoth kept on Saturday. 96 Sabaoth kept on Sunday. 96 Sabaoth abrogated. 96 Sacraments, why they were instituted. 111. 112 Sacraments hath three things to be considered. 91. 112 Sacrament to be the body of Christ is no Article of our faith. 108. 109 Sacrament to be Christ's natural body is to gross an Imagination. 111 Sacrament diligently set forth by our Saviour Christ. 112 Sacrifices of the jews. 113 Sacrament of Christ's body and blood what it signifieth. 113 Sacrament is a figure of the breaking of Christ's body and shedding of his blood. 115. 130 Sacrament may not be worshipped. 151. 155 Sacrament is the memorial of Christ's death. 128 Sacrament what it is. 132 Sacrament of Christ's body is a thanks giving. 135 Sacrament, how it is our body. 136 ibidem Satisfaction is of two sorts. 23. 57 Scripture maketh no mention of Purgatory. 12 Scripture hath many senses. 120 Scripture is to be understanded spiritually. 121 Sects of heretics. 51 Simon Fish made the supplication of Beggars. 6 Silvester Pope in whose time corruption entered into the Church. 116 Sin against the holy ghost what it is. 341 Sins are not remitted after this life. 45 Sin may be committed, and yet it is no sin. 73 Supplication of Beggars. 6 T. Turks and jews believe that there is a Purgatory. 33 Truth is not to be sought at the dead. 46 Tracyes last will and testament. 77 thieves and murderers who they are. 86. 87. 88 Tyndall a man of most innocent life. 118 V VOluntary or wilful ignorance is not to be excused. 4 W. WIckle●●e burned. 118 Wicked and unfaithful people do not receive the body of Christ. 136. 141 William Tracyes will. 77 Wisdom of the world, is foolishness with God. 6 Words figuratively spoken. 44 worshipping of the Sacrament is Idolatry. 151 Z. ZWinglius slain. 118 Finis. Here endeth the Table of M. Frithes book. DIEV ET MON DRIOT THE WORKS of Doctor Barnes. His life and Martyrdom. 1 A supplication to K. Henry the viii. fol. 183 2 His Articles condemned by Popish Bishops. 205. 3. The disputation between the bishops and him. 217. 4. faith only justifieth before God. 226. 5. What the Church is: and who be thereof, and whereby men may know her. 242. 6. another declaration of the Church, wherein he answereth M. Moore. 252. 7. What the keys of the Church be, and to whom they were geeuen. 257. 8. free-will of man, after the fall of Adam of his natural strength, can do nothing but sin afore God. 267. 9 That it is lawful for all manner of men to read the holy Scripture. 282. 10. That men's constitutions, which are not grounded in Scripture, bind not the conscience of man under the pain of deadly sin. 292. 11. That all men are bound to receive the holy Communion under both kinds, under the pain of deadly sin. 301. 12. That by God's word it is lawful to Priests that hath not the gift of chastistie, to marry wives. 309. 13. That it is against the holy Scripture to honour Images & to pray to Saintes. 339. 14. Of the original of the Mass. 356. 15. A collection of Doctors testimonies. 358. ARISE, FOR IT IS DAY. The death and burning of the most constant Martyrs in Christ, D. Rob. Barnes, Tho. Garret, and W. Jerome, in Smithfielde. an. 1541. ¶ A brief discourse of the life and doings of Robert Barnes Doctor in Divinity, a blessed servant and Martyr of Christ, summarely extracted out of the book of Monuments. THe first bringing up of the said Rob. Barnes from a child, was in the university of Cambridge, and was made a Novice in the house of the Friar Augustine's there. And being very apt unto learning, did so profit, that by the help of his friends, he was removed from thence to the university of Lovayne in Brabant, where he remained certain years, and greatly profited in the study of the tongues, and there proceeded Doctor of Divinity. And then from thence returned again into England, and so to the university of Cambridge, where he was made Prior and Master of the house of Augustine's, wherein he was first brought up. And at that time the knowledge of good letters was scarcely entered into the university, all things being full of rudeness & barbarietie, saving in very few, which were privy and secret: whereupon Barnes having some feeling of better learning, and had read better actors, begun in his house to read Terence, Cicero, and Plautus, so that what with his industry, pains and labours, and with the help of Thomas parnel his scholar, whom he brought from Lovayne with him, reading Copia verborum et rorum, he caused the house shortly to flourish Doct. Barnes a bolisher of barbarism, a founder of learning, and a light of the truth. with good letters, & made a great part of the house learned, which before were drowned in barbarous rudeness, as M. Cambridge. M. Field, M. Colman, M. Burley, M. Coverdale, with divers other of the university, that sojourned there for learning's sake. After these foundations laid, then did he read openly Paul's Epistles, and put by D●ns and Dorbell, and yet he was a questionary himself: and only because he would have Christ there taught and his holy word, he turned their unsavoury problems, and fruitless disputations, to other better matter of the holy Scripture, and thereby in short space he made divers good divines. The same order of disputation which he kept in his house, he observed likewise in the university abroad, when he should dispute with any man in the common schools. And the first man that answered M. Barnes in the Scriptures was M. Stafford for his form to be Bachelor of Divinity, which disputation was marvelous in the sight of the great blind Doctors, and very joyful to the godly spirited. Thus Barnes, what with his reading, disputation, and preaching, become famous and mighty in the Scriptures, preaching ever against Bishops and hypocrites, and yet did not see his inward and outward Idolatry, which he both taught and maintained, until that good Master Bilney with other converted him unto Christ. The first Sermon that ever he preached of this truth, was that Sunday before Christmas day at S. Edward's Church longing to Trinity hall in Cambridge by the Pease market: whose theme was the Epistle of the same Sunday, Gaudete in domino semper. etc. And so postilled the whole Epistle, following the Scripture and Luther's postil. And for that Sermon, he was immediately accused of heresy by ij. Fellows of that kings hall. Then the godly learned in Christ, both of Pembroke hall, S. john's, Peter house, queens college, that king's college, Gunwell hall, & Benet college, showed themselves, and flocked together in open sight, both in the Schools, & at open Sermons, at S. Mary's, at S. Austin's, and at other disputations: and then they conferred continually together. The house that they resorted most commonly unto, was the white Horse, which for despite of them, to bring God's word into contempt, was named Germany. This house specially was choose, because of them of S. john's. The King's college, and that queens college, came in on the backside. At this time much trouble began to ensue. And first the adversaries of D. Barnes accused him in the Regent's house before the vicechancellor, where as his Articles were presented with him and received, he promising to make answer at the next convocation, and so it was done. Then Doctor Notoris, a rank enemy to Christ, moved D. Barnes to recant, but he refused so to do, as appeareth in his book made to K. Henry the viii. And this tragedy continued in Cambridge, in preaching one against an other in trying out of God's truth, until within uj. days of Shroftyde. Then was sent down a Sergeant at Arms called Gibson, who suddenly arrested Doctor Barnes openly in the convocation house, to make all other afraid: and privily they had determined to make search for Luther's books, and all the Germaynes works suddenly. But good Doctor Forman of the queens college, sent word incontinently thereof to the chambers of those that were suspected, which were in number thirty. people. But God be praised, they were conveyed by that time that the Sergeant of Arms, the Vichchauncelour and the proctors were at every man's chamber, going directly to the place where that books lay, whereby it was perceived that there were some privy spies among that small company. The next day in the morning the Sergeant of Arms carried Barns with him, and brought him to London before Cardinal Wolsey, where after long waiting, he by the reason of Doctor Gardiner Secretary to that Cardinal (of whose familiar acquaintance, Doctor Barnes had been before) and M. Fox master of the wards, at the last he spoke with the Cardinal in his chamber of estate, and there before him knéeled on his knees. Then said the Cardinal unto them, is this Doct. Barnes your man that is accused of heresy? They answered, yea and it please your grace, and we trust you shall find him reformable, for he is both wise and well learned. Then said the Cardinal, what master Doctor, had you not a sufficient scope in the Scriptures to teach the people, but that my golden shoes, my pillars, my Polleares, my golden cusheons, and my crosses did so sore offend you, that you must make us Ridiculum Caput amongst the people? We were that day iolily laughed to sckorne. Verily it was a Sermon more fit to be preached on a stage, then in a pulpit: For at the last you said I did wear a pair of read gloves (I should say bloody gloves quoth you) that I should not be cold in the midst of my Ceremonies. Then Barnes answered, I spoke nothing but the truth out of the scriptures, according to my conscience, and according to the old Doctors: and then he delivered him uj. sheeets of paper written, to confirm and corroborated his sayings. The Cardinal received them, smiling on him, and saying: we perceive that you intent to stand to your Articles, and to show your learning: yea said Barns that I do intend by God's grace and your Lordship's favour. Then said the Cardinal unto Barnes, such as you are bear us little favour and the Catholic Church. I will ask you a question: whether do you think it more necessary that I should have all this royalty, because I represent the kings majesties person in all the high courts of this Realm, to the terror and keeping down of all rebellions, treasons, traitors, and all the wicked and corrupt members of the common wealth, or to be as simple as you would have us, and to cell all these aforesaid things, and to give it to the poor, which shortly would piss it against the walls, & to pull away this majesty of a princely dignity, which is a terror to all the wicked, and to follow your counsel in this behalf? Barnes answered, I think it necessary to be sold and given to the poor, for this is not comely for your cauling, nor the kings majesty is not maintained by your pomp and pollares, but by God, who saith, per●me Reges regnant. Kings and their majesties reign and stand by me. Then said the Cardinal, lo master Doctors, here is the learned and wise man that you told me of. Then they knéeled down and said: we desire your grace to be good unto him, for he will be reformable. Then said he, stand you up, for your sakes and the university, we will be good unto him. And then said the Cardinal to Barnes, how say you M. Doctor, do you not know that I am Legatus de later, and that I am able to dispense in all matters concerning religion within this Realm, as much as the Pope may? He said, I know it to be so. Will you then be ruled by us, and we will do all things for your honesty, and for the honesty of the university. He answered. I thank your grace for your good will, I will stick to the holy Scripture, & to God's book according to the simple talon that God hath lent me. Then said the Cardinal, answer well I would advise thee, for thou shalt have thy learning tried to the uttermost, and thou shalt have the law. Then D. Barnes required him that he might have justice with equity, but forthwith he should have go to the tower, but that Gardiner and Fox become his suertyes for that night. And in the morning he came again to York place to Gardiner & Fox, and forthwith he was committed to the Sergeant at Arms, to bring him into the Chapter house at Westminster, before the bishops and the Abbot of Westminster called Islip. So soon as the Sergeant had presented Barnes, the said bishops and Abbot▪ did first swear him, and laid Articles unto him, who answered in like manner as before he had answered to the Cardinal, and he offered unto them his book of probations: who asked him, whether he had an other for himself, and he said yea, & shewe● it unto them, and they took them both from him, saying that they should have no la●… sure at that present to dispute with him: But demanded of him, whether he wou●… subscribe to his Articles or not? And he subscribed willingly. Then was he committe● to the Fleet, and the Warden of the Fleet commanded that no man should speak● with him. On the Saturday following, he was again brought before them into the Chapt●… house at Westminster, where he remained almost the whole day, and late in the eu●ning they called him before them, and demanded of him, whether he would abi●… or burn? He was then in a great agony, and thought rather to burn then abiur●… But than was he sent again to have the counsel of Gardiner and Fox, and they persuaded him rather to abjure then to burn, because they said he should do more good in time to come, & with divers other persuasions that were mighty in the sight of reason and flesh. Upon that kneeling upon his knees, he consented to abjure, and the abjuration put into his hand, he abjured as it was there written, and then he subscribed it with his own hand, and yet they would scarcely receive him into the bosom of the Church, as they termed it. Then they put him to an oath, and charged him to execute do and fulfil all that they commanded him, and he promised so to do. Then they commanded the warden of the fleet to carry him with u other of the stiliard that then were in like trouble with him unto the fleet from whence they came, and to keep them close prisoners, and in the morning to provide u. Faggots for Doctor Barnes and iiij. stillyard men, the which was readily done the next day by viii. of the clock in the morning. At which time the knight Martial with all his Bills, and glaives, & all the Tipstaffs he could make was commanded to bring them from the Fleet unto Paul's Church, and in like manner to bring them from thence to the fleet again. And in the morning they were all ready by their hour appointed in Paul's Church aforesaid, the which Church was then so full that no man might get in. The Cardinal had a scaffold made for him in the top of the steyers before the Choir door, where he himself with xxxuj. abbots, mitred Priors and Bishops, and he in his whole Pomp mitred (which Barnes had spoken against) sat there enthronized, his Chapleynes and spiritual Doctors in gowns of Damask and Satin, and he himself in Purple, even like a bloody Antichrist. And on the top of the stairs also, there was erected a new pulpit for the Bishop of Rochester, whose name was fisher to preach against Luther and Barnes, and great basketes full of Books standing before them with in the rails, which after the end of the Sermon, a great fire being first made before the Rood of Northern, were commanded to be there brent, and the aforesaid heretics after the sermon to go thrice about the fire, and to cast in their fagottes. Now while the sermon was a doing, Doctor Barnes and the Stillyard men were commanded to kneel down, and to ask God forgiveness, that Catholic Church and the cardinals grace. And after that he was commanded at the end of the Sermon to declare, that he was more charitabler handled than he deserved, or was worthy (his heresies were so horrible and so detestable) and once again knéeled down on his knees, desiring the people of forgiveness, and to pray for him. And the Cardinal departed under a canapye with all his mitred men with him until he came to the West door of Paul's, and there he took his Mule, and the mitred men came back again. Then Barnes and the other said poor men, being commanded to come down from the stage (whereon the swéepers use to stand when they sweep the Church) the Bishop's ●at them down again, and commannded the knight Martial and the warden of the fleet with their company to carry them about the fire, and so were they brought to the Bishops, and there for absolution knéeled down. At which time Rochester declared to the people, how many days of pardon and forgiveness of sins they had for being 〈◊〉 that Sermond, and there did assoil Doctor Barnes with the other, and showed that people that they were received into the Church again. These things being done, the warden of the Fleet, and the knight Martial were commanded to carry them again unto the Fleet, and charged that they should have the ●…tie of the fleet as other prisoners had, and that their friends might resort unto ●hem, and there to remain until the Lord cardinals pleasure were known. After that Barnes had continued in the Fleet by the space of half a year, at length ●…ng delivered he was committed to be free prisoner at the Augustine friars in Lon 〈◊〉. When those Caterpillars and bloody beasts had undermined him, they complay 〈◊〉 again to their Lord Cardinal. Whereupon he was removed to the Austen friars 〈◊〉 North hampton, there to be burned. Yet he himself understanding nothing there 〈◊〉, but supposing still that he should there remain and continue in free prison. At the 〈◊〉 one M. Horn who had brought him up, and was his special friend, having intel●…nce of the writ that should shortly be sent down to burn him, gave him counsel to fayne himself desperate, and that he should writ a letter to the Cardinal, & leave it on his table where he lay, and a paper by, to declare whether he was go to drown A witty and pleasant devise to escape the cruelty of tyrants. himself, and to leave his clotheses in the same place: & there an other letter to be left to the Mayor of the town to search for him in the water, because he had a letter written in parchment about his neck closed in wax for the Cardinal, which would teach all men to beware by him. Upon this they were seven. days in searching for him, but he was conveyed to London in a poor man's apparel, and tarried not there, but took shipping and went to Antwerp, and so into Germany to Luther, and there fell to study until he had made answer to all the Bishops of the Realm, and had made a book entitled Acta Romanorum Pontificum, and an other book with a supplication to King Henry the viii. immediately it was told the Cardinal that he was drowned, and he said, Perijt memoria eius cum sonitu. But this did light upon himself shortly after, which wretchedly died at Leicester. In the mean time D. Barnes was made strong in Christ, and got favour both of the learned in Christ, and of foreign Princes in Germany, and was great with Luther, Melanction, Pomeran, justus jonas, Hegendorphinus and Aepimus, and with the Duke of Saxon, and king of Denmark: which king of Denmark in that time of Moore and Stokesley sent him with the Lubeckes, as an Ambassador to King Henry the eight. And during the time he remained here, he lay with the Lubeckes chancellor at the Stiliard. Sir Thomas More being than chancellor would fain have entrapped him, but the king would not let him, for Cromwell was his great and dear friend. And ere he went the Lubeckes and he disputed with the Bishops of this Realm in defence of the truth. And so he departed again without restraint with the Lubeckes. After this he went again to Whittembergh to the Duke of Saxson and to Luther and there remained to set forth his works in Print that he had begun. And from thence shortly after he returned again into England in the time of Queen Anne Boleyn and continued a faithful preacher in this City of London all the time that she remained Queen. And was well entertained and promoted. After this by the mean of the Lord Cromwell he was sent Ambassador from K. Henry the viii. to the Duke of Cleve, for the marriage of that Lady Anne of Cleve between the king and her, and was well excepted in that Ambassade, and in all his doings, until the time that Stephen Gardiner came out of France: But after he came, neither Stephen Gardyner the author of mischief and decay of religion in England. Religion prospered, nor the queens majesty, nor Cromwell, nor the preachers, who after the marriage of the Lady. Anne of Cleve, never ceased until he had graffed the marriage in an other stock, by the occasion whereof he began his bloody broil. For not long after the dissolution of that said marriage between king Henry that viii. and that Lady Anne of Cleve, that said Doctor Barnes with two of his brethren fellow preachers, named Iherome and Garret, were apprehended and carried before the kings majesty to Hampton court, and there were examined: where the kings majesty seeking the means of Barnes safety to bring Winchester and him agreed, at Winchester's request granted him leave to go home with the Bishop to confer with him, and so he did. But as it happened, they not agreeing, Gardiner & his comparteners sought by all subtle means how to entangle and entrap them into farther danger, which not long after was brought to pass. For by certain complaints made to the king of them, they were enjoined to preach iij. Sermons the next Easter following at the Hospital beside London. At the which Sermons besides other reporters which were thither sent. Stephen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester was there present, sitting with the Mayor, either to bear record of their recantation, or else as the Pharisees came to Christ, to trip them in their talk, if they had spoken any thing awry. When the aforesaid three had preached their Sermons, among whom Barnes preaching the first Sermon, and he seeing Stephen Gardener there present, humbly desired him in the face of all the audience to forgéeve him, and that if he forgave him to hold●… up his hand, and the said Gardener thereupon held up his finger. Yet notwithstanding, by the means of that said reporters, they all iij. immediately after they had preached, were sent for to Hampton court, and from thence carried to the Tower by Sir john Gostwyke, and there they remained until the thirty. day of july next following. Then ensued process against them by the kings counsel in the Parliament, to the which Gardener confessed himself to be privy among the rest. Whereupon all the aforesaid three Saints and true Martyrs, the thirty. day of july (not coming to any answer, nor yet knowing any cause of their condemnation, without any public hearing) were drawn on herdelles from the Tower to Smithfield, where they preparing themselves to the fire, had there at the stake diverse & sundry exhortations, amongst whom Doctor Barnes first began with this protestation following. I am come hither to be burned as an heretic, and you shall hear my belief whereby you shall perceive what erroneous opinions▪ I hold. God I take to record I never (to my knowledge) taught any erroneous doctrine, but only those things which the Scripture lead me unto, and that in my sermons I never maintained any error, neither moved, nor gave occasion of any insurrection. Although I have been slandered to preach that our lady was but a Saffron bag, which I utterly protest before God that I never meant it nor preached it: But all my study and diligence hath been utterly to confounded and confute all men of that doctrine: as are the Anabaptistes, which deny that our Saviour Christ took any flesh of the blessed virgin Mary, which sects I detest and abhor. And in deed in this place there hath been burned some of them, whom I never favoured nor maintained, but with all diligence I did study evermore to set forth the glory of God, the obedience to our sovereign Lord the King, and the true and sincere religion of Christ. And now hearken to my faith. I believe in the holy and blessed Trinity three people and one God, that created and made all the world. And that this blessed Trinity sent down the second person jesus Christ into the womb of the most blessed & purest virgin Mary. And hear bear me record that I do utterly condemn that abominable and detestable opinion of the anabaptists, which say that Christ took no flesh of the blessed virgin. For I believe that without the consent of man's will or power, he was conceived by the holy ghost, and took flesh of her, and that he suffered hunger, thirst, cold, and other passions of our body (sin except) according to the saying of S. Peter, he was made in all things like to his brethren (except sin) And I do believe that he lived here among us: and after he had preached and taught his father's will, he suffered the most cruel and bitter death for me and all mankind. And I do believe that this his death, and passion was the sufficient price and ransom for the sin of all the world. And I believe that through his death he overcame the devil, sin, death, and hell, and that there is none other satisfaction unto the father, but this his death and passion only: and that no work of man did deserve any thing of God, but only his passion as touching our justification. For I knowledge the best work that ever I did is unpure and unperfect. And here withal he cast abroad his hands and desired God to forgive him his trespasces. For although perchance (said he) you know nothing by me, yet I do confess that my thoughts and cogitations be innumerable. Wherefore (said he) I beseech the oh Lord, not to enter into judgement with me. According to the saying of the Prophet David. Non intres in iuditium cum servo tuo domine. And in an other place. Si iniquitates obseruaveris domine quis sustinebit. Lord if thou straightly mark our inniquitie who is able to abide thy judgement. Wherefore I trust in no good work that ever I did, but only in the death of Christ, & I do not doubt but through him to inherit the kingdom of heaven. Take me not here that I speak against good works, for they are to be done, and verily they that do them not, shall never come to the kingdom of God. We must do them because they are commanded us of God to show and set forth our profession, not to deserve or merit, for that is only the death of Christ. I believe that there is a holy Church & a company of all them that do profess Christ: & that all that have suffered and confessed his name, be Saints, and that all they do la●de and praise God in heaven, more than I or any man's tongue can express, and that always I have spoken reverently of Saints, and praised them as much as scripture willed me to do: And that our Lady (I say) she was a vergyn immaculate and undefiled: and that she is the most purest virgin that ever God created, and a vessel of God elected, of whom jesus Christ should be born. Then the sheriff somewhat stayeing him and hastening him to make an end, he turned him to the people and desired all men to forgive him: and if he had said any evil at any time unadvisedly, whereby he had offended any man, or given any occasion of evil that they would forgive it him, and amend that evil they took of him: and to bear witness that he detested and abhorred all evil opinions and doctrines against the word of God: and that he died in the faith of jesus Christ, by whom he doubted not but to be saved. And with those words he desired them all to pray for him, and then turned him about, and put of his clotheses, and made him ready to the fire, where patiently he suffered the bitter and cruel Martyrdom and death. And the like did the other his companions that suffered with him. Which was in the year of our Lord. 1541. A Supplication unto the most gracious Prince King Henry. viii. ¶ Grace and peace from God the father of our Saviour jesus Christ be with your most noble and excellent grace for ever. Amen. The complaint of Doctor Barnes made to K. Henry the viii. against the Lordly Bishops & Prelates of England. IN most humble wise complaineth unto your grace your continual orator Robert Barnes, of the intolerable injuries, wrongs, and oppressions wherewith certain Bishops of your realm vex and have vexed, contrary unto the word of God, and their ownelawes, and doctors, not only me, but also all true preachers & professors of the same, in condemning them for heretics, as they did me: which thing they were not able to prove by the Scripture of God, nor yet shall, if it would please your grace indifferently (according to the office wherein God hath set you) to hear the small as well as the great, and to sustain your poor Orator against their violence and strength. God I take to record that I am right sorry to make this complaint unto your grace against them, if I could conjecture any other mean to 'cause them to redress their intolerable oppressions, wherewith they daily oppress your poor and true subjects, so sore and so violently, that without doubt (if your grace see not shortly a remedy) God must needs punish. For I do not believe that ever he will suffer long so great tyranny against his word, and so violent oppression of true Christian men, as they do now use, and that in the name of Christ and his holy Church. For verily we do not read in any memories, that our fathers have left us, that ever the people were under so great tyranny, as now your poor subjects be unto them. Now it is so far come, that what soever he be, high or low, poor or rich, wise or foolish, The tyrannous government of the Bishops of England. that speaketh against them and their vicious living, he is either made a traitor unto your grace, or an heretic against holy Church, as though they were Kings, or Gods. This may your most excellent grace perfectly know, if you call to remembrance those good men that they have had to do with. Is it not a marvelous court In the Bishops court no man can be found Innocent. that they have? wherein there was never man accused of heresy, were he learned or not learned, but they found him guilty? Is not that a marvelous court the never hath innocentes? What court within your realm may say this again? And if any man speak of God's law and right conscience, against this damnable tyranny, little will they stick to make him an heretic. And if that will not help (to colour and maintain their oppression) then add they treason against your grace, though he be never so true a subject, and all unlikely to make any resistance, or to think any evil unto your grace. Now if it please your grace, let us consider to what end this uncharitable and unrighteous accusation of the Bishops, yea rather of the devil is invented. First, if there be any men the preach dispute, or put forth in writing any What soever is not against the clergy, though the same be never so wicked, yet find they no fault therewith. thing not touching them, though it be never so blasphemous against God, the blood of Christ, and his holy word, they will not once be moved therewith, the examples thereof are so plain that it needeth no proof. Your grace may see what blasphemous rubrikes they allow against that blood of Christ, what shameful & abominable pardons they they tolerate & admit, what disputations they do maintain to prove that Pope a God & no man, having these words, That the Pope is neither God nor man. And whether the Pope In vi. Cap. Quo. in for 〈◊〉 Papa. Dist. xl. Ca Si Papa. can sin or not? & that no man can condemn the Pope though he bring innumerable souls to hell by his occasion. Again let us consider, that if any man but once speak against their cloaked hypocrisy, or against never so little a thing that longeth to them by the which their abominations should be disclosed. And we shall evidently Whosoever speak against or preach against any of their abuses and abominations, her ●…st needs be caught and most shamefully and cruelly handled and tormented. perceive that their can no scripture, no place, no mastership, nor excuse in the world save, but he must either to open shame, or cruel death. So that is plain that their cruelness serveth to no other end, but as they should say, if that any man will take in hand to preach the verety, and the true Gospel of their Master Christ purely whereby those winnings should be deminyshed, wherewith we maintain our honour, our dignity, our worldly promotion, our delicious living, our gorgeous apparel, our sumptuous palaces, our lordships, briefly all things that we use to our pastime & pleasure should be manifest to all men, the we not only get these things by false feigned holiness in deceiving and robbing the people of their goods, but also the dyspending of them to be abominable, and contrary to the ordinance and word of God. Now rather than this should come to pass, we had liefer No power nor potentae may hinder the gain and profits of the Clergy gather our strength together & oppress by violence as many as will hold with this learning, be he King, Duke, Lord, Baron, knight, man, woman, or child. So that by there practise it is evident to all that will see: that it is they that go about to make insurrection to that maintaining of their world lie pomp, and pride, and not the true preacher, for he intendeth to maintain Is that false preacher is a persecuter, so the true preacher is a sufferer. nothing, but to bring to light the most glorious & heavenly word of God, which by them hath been darkened and kept under, and that with suffering persecution, as the nature of the word is) and not with persecuting, for he maketh no striving (if be be the true preacher of God) nor fight for this world, but suffereth the children of the world to enjoy these worldly things. Not withstanding they are not ashamed thus falsely to say it to the preachers charge, and all because they would make your grace to maintain their maliciousness. So that under the pretence of treason, they might execute the tyranny of their hearts. For who is he that would be a traitor, or maintain a traitor, against your most excellent and noble grace? I think no man yea & I know surely that no man can do it, without the great displeasure of the eternal God. For S. Paul commandeth straightly unto all christians, to be obedient in all things, on this manner: Let every man submit Roma. 13. himself to the authority of the higher power. For whosoever resisteth the power, resisteth that ordinance of God, And they that resist, shall receive to themselves damnation. Also S. Peter confirmeth this saying: Submit yourselves unto all manner 1. Pet. 2. of ordinance of man for that lord's sake, whether it be unto the king, as unto their chief head, either unto Dukes as unto them that are sent of him for the punishment of evil doers, but to the praise of them the do well. wherefore The scriptures in the common tongue teach all obedience to the rulers, and is not the mover of sedition. if every man had the scriptures, (as I would to god they had) to judge every man's doctrine, than were it out of question, that the preachers thereof, either would or could make, or cause to be made any insurrection against there Prince: seeing the self same scriptures straitly commandeth all subjects to be obedient unto their Princes, as Paul witnesseth, saying: warn them (saith he) that they submit themselves to Princes and to powers, & to obey the officers. Now how can they that preach and The Gospel of Christ is not the cause of insurrection. exhort all men to this doctrine cause any insurrection, or disobedience against their prince. But let us go further, and consider the preachers, which only have preached the word of God, and mark if ever they were occasion of disobedience or rebellion against princes. First call to mind the old Prophets, No Prophet that ever stirred up the people against the Prince. and with a single eye judge if any of them either privily or apertly stirred up the people against their Princes. Look on Christ, if he submitted not himself to the high powers: Paid Christ submitted himself to the higher powers. he not tribute for all he was free, and caused Peter likewise to pay? Suffered not he with all patience the punishments of the princes? yea death most cruel, although they did him open wrong, and could find him guilty in no cause. Look also of the Apostles (which both taught and written the doctrine of The Apostles obeyed the Princes. Christ, and in their living followed his steps) and if ever they stirred by any occasion the people against their princes, yea if they themselves obeyed not to all princes, although the most part of them were tyrants and infidels. Consider likewise those Doctors, which purely and sincerely hath handled All true preachers teach obedience to the Prince. the word of God, either in preaching, or writing, if ever by their means any insurrection or disobedience rise among the people against their princes: But you shall rather find, that they have been ready to lay down their own heads, to suffer with all patience, whatsoever tyranny any power would minister unto them, giving all people example to do the same. Now to conclude, if neither the Scriptures, neither the practice of the preachers thereof teacheth, or affirmeth that the people may disobey their princes, or their ordinances, but contrariwise teacheth all obedience to be done unto them, it is plain that those Bishops or rather Papists, do falsely accuse those true preachers and subjects: which thing would appear in every man's sight, if by their violence, the word of God were not kept under. Now is this the doctrine that I do preach and teach, and none other, as concerning this matter, God I take to record, and all my books & writings that ever I written or made. And only I allow and favour them, which furthereth this doctrine of Christ, and of this I am sure mine adversaries, or rather adversaries to Christ's doctrine, must bear me witness. But now as we have briefly touched the doctrine that the true preachers preach to the people, both by word, writing, and practise of them: So let us somewhat touch the doctrine and practice of the Pope, and the Papistical Bishops, and then let every man seek out the heretics, and traitors to their princes. First, where the preachers only of the word of God, preacheth and teacheth all men to obey their princes and their ordinances, according to the words of S. Peter. There the In 6. Lib. 1. titulo. 33. de matori obedientiae cap. Solite. Pope and the Papistical Bishops, contrary unto the mind and fact of Saint Peter, expoundeth S. Peter's words saying: that S. Peter meaned not himself, nor his successors, The Pope falsifyath the Scriptures. but his subjects. And by this false interpretation excludeth himself with his, from all obedience to princes. And yet not so content, but craftily drawing all other subjects from the obedience of their princes, saith to them also, that the words of S. Peter were not spoken as a commandment, but as a counsel. And by this craft, if any prince espy his falsehood, and of conscience go about to reprove him, then by his The Papists teach disobedience to Princes. false preachers, and maintainers of him, he lightly withdraweth the hearts of the commons from their prince, affirming the commandment of God to be but a counsel, and at the lest wise his authority to be sufficient to dispense with all the commandments of God. And thus (the people being ignorant, because they lack the word of God to judge every doctrine by) they delude their wits. And if any man that perceiveth their craft, of very love that he hath to God and his commandments, exhorteth the people to judge the doctrine of those Papists by the word of God: Anon they lay heresy unto his charge, laying for them there God's The doctrine of the Papist. law, saying: No man may judge the Pope, no man also may give sentence above his judgement, but he shall Dist. xl. c. Si papa. 9 q. 6. ca Cuncta. 30. cue 1. cap. Ideo permit judge all men upon earth. Item, the seat of Rome giveth strength and might to all laws, but it is subject to none. Item, that the subjects may be disobedient to their own Lords, and In 6. Lib. 2. de sen. & re judic. that he may depose kings. Item, that he hath authority to break all oaths, bonds, and obligations 15. q. 6. cap. Alius. made between any man of high or low degree. Item, that the Pope hath power to interpret, declare, and to lay forth 26. q. capit. Quotiens the holy scripture after his own will, and to suffer no man to expound it contrary to his pleasure. Item, that the Pope is a God upon In 6. de conc. preb. ca Ad Apostolatus in verb. continetur dist. 40. cap. Si Papa. earth, over all, heavenly, earthly, ghostly, and worldly, and he is all his own, and no man may say to him, what dost thou? Item, though the Pope were so evil, that he lead innumerable men by great heaps to hell, yet shall no man reprove him therefore. ¶ Now after that they had sitten in the consciences of men, with these & The shameless doings of the Papists. such like abominable doctrines, and had excluded men from the scriptures, as an unlawful thing to have in their mother tongue, jest they should espy their deceitfulness: Then as men past shame, being both without fear of God and man, spared not to put in execution these abominable doctrines insomuch that they deposed openly Princes, and Emperors, yea and assoiled all their subjects from the obedience of them, the commandment of God not regarded. But that my words should the better appear to all men, I shall recite some of their practices, both out of Autenticke crownycles, and out of their own law. ¶ Zacharias did depose the king of ●5. quest. 6. Alius item. France, not all only for his iniquity, but also because he was unprofitable for so great a power, and set t● The shameful arrogancy and tyranny of the Pope. his ●●éede Pipinum the emperors father, and did assoil all France of their oath and alleagyaunce that they had made ●nto the old king. The which thing, the holy church of Rome doth oft-times, by her authority. etc. ¶ Now would to God your grace earnestly would look on this law, or at the lest, to suffer and give the word of God into the hands of your subjects to compare the obedience, that these men both preach and practice, to it. But fain would I know of them all, who hath deposed any king sith Christ's passion, saving they only? who will be kings fellows, yea and controllers, saving they only? Is not this a subtle craft of Antychrist, to warn other men of heretics, A cast of Antichrist. and of traitors, and in the mean season, while men stand lokeing fhr traitors, cometh he in and playeth the part of an open traitor saving only he coloureth his name, and calleth himself a true Bishop, & is ready to accuse other men of treason, that he might escape himself, but he is sure, that he will never accuse none of them that speak against the authority of Princes. But if a man do begin but to open his mouth, for to declare that he hath no temporal power, then rageth he, and crieth out, treason, treason. But let us return to their law, & see how they can prove it by God's word, and how it standeth with true subjection. Is this reasonable, that the Pope, and Pope's take upon them the deposition of kings. they (being by God's law, but subjects) shall depose a king? what example have they of our master Christ or if any of his Apostles? what scripture have they to help them? How dare they be so bold, as to depose a king, which is ordained of God, yea and by his holy word, having no example, nor scripture for them? Be they above God & his blessed word? But they will say, that the king was a wicked man, I answer the crownicles give contrary witness, how the he was a very good man, and right simple. And because he was simple, Therefore Pipinus, which had all the rule under him, thought himself better worthy to rule then the king, so written by a Bishop, and by his chaplain unto the Pope, & desireth him to give sentence, whether he was better worthy to be king, that had all the pains and labours, or he that had no labour & could do nothing? Now the Pope. to make Pipinum his friend and trusting by that means to have help of him against the Emperor, with whom he had then been at variance, gave sentence with him, & deposed the other, and made him a Monk: & that this falsehood should not be perceived they feigned that the king had been a Monk afore, called Samuel. This can I prove by good chronicles. Now let your noble grace consider, if it were right, not only to depose such a king, but also to make him a Monk. Thus have they done with other noble kings, And no doubt, but that same or worse, will they attempt to do unto your grace, if you displease them, and at the lest they will do their uttermost. Let all the hole rabble of them tell your grace, when a true preacher of Christ's Gospel did such a deed? There is no officer that hath need to be afraid of Christ's Gospel, nor yet of the preachers thereof. But of these privy traitors, can no man be too wary. But let us grant them, that the king was a wicked man. The Scripture commandeth us, to obey We aught not to depose a king though he be wicked. to wicked Princes, and giveth us none authority to depose them, as their own gloze testifieth upon this text: Subdeti estote. Who was more wicked than Herode? & yet S. john suffered death under him, who was wyckedder than Pilate? And yet Christ did not put him down, But was crucified under him. Bréeflye, which of all the Princes were good in the Apostles days? & yet they deposed none. So that God's word and their own learning, and the practice of our Master Christ, and his holy apostles, are openly against them. Moreover their own gloze saith, that he 1. Pet. 2. was not deposed, because he was unsufficient, but because he was wanton and lecherous with women. O my Lords, if you be not afraid of the vengeance of God, at the lest take a little shame of the world unto you, that have so long time with so great tyranny defended these laws, that be so openly against God's ordinance, against God's word, and against the common ordinance and consent of all the world. And this have you done, to the great injury of noble Princes, to the intolerable subduing of all noble blood, to the oppression of their true subjects, to the destruction of all common wealths, and finally to the everlasting damnation of many a Christened soul. Tell me by your faith, do you believe that there is a living God, that is mighty to punish his enemies? if you believe it, say unto me, can you devise for to avoid his vengeance, which be so openly contrary to his word? What answer think you to make to him? Think you that he will suffer your word to be herded, and let his godly word be despised? Think you, that it will be sufficient for you to say, that they be the laws of holy Church? Think you that he will be thus taught of you? Then were it time to pluck him down, and set you up. Nay my Lords he is no child, nor you shall find it no child's game, thus to trifle and play with his holy word, and his blessed ordinance, yea and that to the despising of the maker both of heaven and earth. Say what you will, you are not able by no learning, to defend this matter, neither afore God, nor yet afore our noble Christ and his Apostles are the overthrowers of the Popes, doctrine. Prince, nor afore any man of learning, that will be true to his prince. For which way soever you turn you, our master Christ, & all his blessed Apostles be against you, & will openly accuse you, that you be contrary to their word, and to their deed. Answer you to them, answer not to me. If I hold my peace, they will speak. Nor it will help you but little, to cry after your old manner, heresy, heresy, a traitor, a traitor: for now you cry against yourselves, & of those things. Christ and his Apostles do accuse you. Do you think it with the ordinance of God, that you shall depose a king, because he liveth in adultery, or is a lecherous man? If you think it a lawful cause, why do you not preach it openly? why do you not lay it to kings charge? Why suffer you them to be kings, that live in adultery? Why do you not put your laws in execution? You say they be the laws of holy church, and thereby may you depose Princes. But if you will put them in execution, than were it much better, to be a Bishop, or a Priest, then to be a King, or a Duke. For you may live in whoredom, or in any other ungracious living, yea and that to the destruction of many men's souls, and yet no man so hardy to reprove you, as your own law doth openly command in these words. If the Pope do draw with Dist. ul. Si Papa. him innumerable people on a heap to the devil of hell, there to be punished for ever, yet shall no mortal man presume to reprove his sins, for he must judge all men, and may be judged of no man. etc. Likewise have De hereticis. Cum ex iniuncto. Et sieut in. you an other law in your Decretals, that no lay man may reprove a Priest. etc. How think you by these laws, if they be not of the devil, tell me what is of the devil? You will both reprove, yea and also depose Princes, but you will neither be deposed, nor yet reproved of any mortal man. What think you yourselves? Gods? But and you will depose Kings for fornication, how would you handle king David? and king Solomon? would you depose them because of adultery? David. Solomon. Nathan. So do you more than the Prophet Nathan dared do. Briefly will you be content that the king shall depose you for fornication, then shall we shortly be rid of the most part of you. But let us come to Herode, that Herode. kept his brother's wife, would you depose him therefore? Then do you more then S. john dared do. For he dared no more do, but reprove his vice, and dare you depose him? But let us go forth with your law. What authority had the Pope & you to set Pipinum in that room, and not rather to let the kingdom choose than a king? Our master Christ said, his kingdom was not of this world. But you will be above kings in this world, & not all only depose them, but also set in new at your pleasure. Moreover by what authority did the Pope dispense with the Realm of their oath? Your law saith, that the holy church of Rome is wont so to do. I pray you of whom hath she learned this same wont? who hath given her this authority? The Pope will dispense with the oath of obedience that subjects make to their prince. Can she discharge us of our obedience that we own to our Princes? Is not this of the law of God? Stands it not also with that law of nature? Yea do not Turks & infidels faithfully obey to their princes? Is not the Prince's power of God? & will you depose this power? or can you dipence with this law? S. Peter learneth Actuum. 5. you, that you are more bond to obey God and his law, then man. but you little regard S. Peter's saying. wherefore what say you to your own 23. q. 5. Regum officium. law? whose words be these? we must keep unto Princes and powers faith and reverence. etc. My Lords here you not fidem and oportet. & how come you with your despensation, for our oath, and say, Non oportet, that we are not bond to be obedient to our princes, if you despence with us. How can you dispense with us of our oath, seeing it is against God's law? Here may men see, what teachers you have been, and also be toward God and his holy Apostles, and toward your noble Princes. And the this thing may be clearly known, I shall recite an other practise of yours. Our Chronicles make mention, An. 1366. that in the time of Edward the iij. Pope Vrban did depose pierce King of Spain, because he was a vicious liver, and set in his stead one Henry a bastard. How think you, standeth this fact with Christ's doctrine? bishops captains of Rebels against the Prince. which of us all that preach the Gospel, hath go about to do princes such a villainy? you do the deed, and lay the blame to us. Do you not remember, how that in the days of Henry the iiij, a captain of your Church, called Richard Scroupe, Archbishop of York, did gather an host of men, & waged battle against his king? but God the defender of his ruler, gave the king the victory, which caused the traitor to be beheaded. And then your forefathers with their devilish craft, made the people believe by their false Chronicle, that at every stroke that was given at the Bishop's neck, the king received an other of God in his neck. And where as the king was afterward strike with a sickness, you made him and all his subjects believe the it was God's punishment, because he had killed the Bishop. And not thus content, but you feigned after his death, that he did miracles. Is not this toe much, both to be traitors to your king? and also to feign God to be displeased with your king, for punishing of treason? finally to make him a saint, and also that God had done miracles to the defending of his treason? How is it possible to invent a more pestilent doctrine than this is? Here is God's ruler despised, and hereby is open treason maintained? Think you that God will show miracles to fortify these things? But no doubt the proverb is true, such lips such lectuse, such saints such miracles. Here were many things to be said, but I will pass it over. I am sure you do remember how obediently King john was cruelly handled of the Clergy. you drove King john out of his kingdom? And the very original of the strife was, because there were iiij. Bishops of England at variance with the kings grace, and because he required a dymie of the pied Monks of England, for to maintain his war against the Irish men, but they would give him none. Wherefore after the king had sped well in Ireland, he revenged him of the Monks, and took of every place a certain. For that which thing your forefathers, maintainers of your devilish doctrine, written unto their God that Pope, and caused him first to excommunicate the king, and afterward to interdict the land, & gave it to the French kings son, which was maintained through your fathers, and your natural king compelled to flee into Wales, and there to tarry till the time that he was content to make agreement with your holy Idol the Pope. The conditions of the agreement were, that he should first give xl. M. mark to the iiij. Bishops, and make restitution to the pied Monks again, and also should give to Pandolphus the Pope's Legate, a great sum of money. Finally, he should be bond to give yearly to the Pope of Rome a certain great sum of money, and he and all his successors should receive the land of the Pope, and hold it in see farm, and unto this your fathers set their hands & seals, binding themselves to tompell the King john poisoned. king to keep this contract. But yet you were not so content, but afterward you found the means that this good king was poisoned by a traitorous Monk of Swinested, because he should say, that he would make a halfpenny loaf worth xx. shillings if he lived a year. For the which Abominable hypocrisy. word your holy Monk was moved, and went and confessed himself to the Abbot, how that he would poison the king for this, and the one devil, as good as the other, the holy traitor absolved the holy murderer before the deed was done, and for this holy murderer is there founded u masses for ever. This is the blessed obedience of your holy Church. How would you cry? how would you yaulpe, if we There is no such enemy to a true man as is a thief. had handled a gentleman's dog on this fashion: but you can call us poor men traitors, and in the mean season, you bring both king & kingdom into servitude and bondage? What is treason? if this be no treason? to bring so honourable a king, and his land into such bondage, and compel him to receive his natural and free kingdom, of such a villain, and limb of the devil. What can be said or thought to defend this matter: you have not all only done wrong to the king, but unto the youngest child the lieth in the cradle, the which by your means is bond. And think it not sufficient, to say that it is not your deed: for first you are the children of these fathers, and you have always allowed this act. This hath been blazed, blown, preached, and cried out, and all your books full of this matter, and many a true man's blood hath been shed for speaking against this. And yet was there never none of you, the did ever preach against this damnable fact: but with full consent with full agreement, both in word, deed, and in writing, you have allowed this treason. Therefore I take you for the authors, as well as your forefathers. I would not speak how damnable it is, to institute masses, for a willing traitor, and murderer: there was never no learning that could allow this. But there is no remedy, he that dies against his king, and for the maintaining of your treason must needs be a saint, if masses, blessings, and miracles will help, for all these be at your commandment to give where you list. So that we poor men must be accused of insurrection and treason, and we must bear all the blame, we must be driven out of the realm, we must be burned for it, and as God knoweth, there is no people under heaven, that more abhorreth, and with earnester heart resisteth, & more diligenly doth preach against disobedience, than we do. Yea I dare say boldly, let all your books be searched, that were written this. 500 years, & all they shall not declare the authority of a prince, and the true obedience toward him, as one of our little books shall do, that be condemned by you for heresy, and all this will not help us. But as for you, you may preach, you may write you may do, you may swear, against your Princes, and also assoil all other men of their obedience towards their princes. You may compel princes to be sworn to you, and yet are you children of obedience, and good christian men. And if you die for this doctrine, then is there no remedy but you must be saints, and rather than fail, you shall do miracles. To prove this, I will tell you of a holy saint of yours, of whom your legend The story of Germaine one of the pope's Saints. and chronicles maketh mention, his name, as you call him is s. Germayne. So it chanced the in the time of king Vortiger he came into England, into a place where the king lay, & desired for him & his company lodging. The king because he kept no common Inn, would not receive him. So he departed very angrily, and went to the kings Neteherdes' house, and there desired lodging, and meat, and drink for him and his company. The Neteherde was content to lodge him, but he said he had no meat for him, saving a young calf, that stood sucking of the dam by the crib. The bishop commanded the calf to be slain, and to be dressed, & brought A worthy miracle for the Pope's Saints. afore him, and he and his company eat it up, and after commanded the bones of the calf to be gathered together and put in the calves skin again, and to be laid in the crib by the dam, and by and by the calf start up alive again. The next day the bishop went to king Vortiger, & reproved him marvelous straightly, because he would not lodge him, and said that he was unworthy to be A king deposed by a Saint, and a cowherd set up in his kingdom. king, and therefore deposed him, & made his Neteherde king in his stead. Of the which Neteherde as the chronicles maketh mension, came afterward many kings. This is written by one called Petrus de netalibus, the which writeth the lives of all saints I think no man will bind me to prove this thing a lie, but yet it must be preached, & taught in your church it must be written in holy saints lives, & he must be a saint that did it, and why? because he deposed a king, and set in a Neteherde. These shameful and abominable things do you praise, and allow: and in the mean season, condemn us for heretics, and for traitors. And if we chance (moved by the abhomynablenes of your doctrine) to give you but one evil word, than all the world rekoneth us uncharitable. But as for my part, I take God to record, afore whom I shall be saved or damned, that though you have done me shameful wrong, and intolerable violence, yet with your own people am I never displeased nor angry: but against that horrible devil the dwelleth in you, that is the causer, & auctor and maintainer of such abominable doctrine, that is against God and his blessed word, against him (I say) is my quarrel, and against him do I strive, this is the truth, let men take my words as they will. Is it not abominable, think you, so shamefully to depose princes? so to rebuke them so to handle them? to compel them to be sworn to you? and to hold their lands of you? & to be your ministers? to the great dishonour of the living God, and blaspheming of his blessed word, and to the great despite of all noble potentates? You remember the just. li. ij. de sen. & re iuds. ca ad Apost. fact that is declared in your law of the noble Emperor Friderike, and that wretch Innocent the fourth: the thing was this. The Pope by the reason of certain complaints, made by the Fridericke the Emperor deposed. emperors enemies, cited the Emperor to appear at Rome, and because the Emperor would not appear, he cursed him with book, bell, and candle, and afterward deposed him, and commanded the electors to choose an other. This is the cause of your law briefly. But your text declareth certain articles against the Emperor, which be these. The first Articles alleged against Friderike the Emperor that he had sworn to keep peace with the church of Rome, which oath he broke, saith the Pope. The second that he had done sacrilege, in taking 22. Galleys laden with holy spiritual prelate's the which would have go to the council, gathered against the Emperor in Lugdune. The third, because the Emperor was accused of certain articles of heresy, the which be not set out. The fourth, because that he had not paid the annual pension for the kingdom of Sicill (Sicill the which the Pope calleth the spiritual patrimony of S. Peter) in the space of ix. years. For these same things did he depose the Emperor and private him of all his dignity, and assoyleth all his subjects of their oath and obedience, and commandeth every man not to obey him, but all men the either gave him council, help, or favour, to be excommunicate & cursed. This is your fact, this is your deed, this is your doctrine, in this learning you be promoted doctors, & unto this learning you are sworn, these books be read openly in your unyversities. Mark now, which of us twain be traitors. Either you that do depose Emperors, & kings for such trifles, yea and also make a Note here the difference between the Papists and Protestants. law thereof, and swear unto it, and compel all other to swear unto it: or else we, that speak against it, & say the you do wrong both to God, to his blessed ordinance, and to all noble potentates. For first, you aught to be under them, and not they under you, & more can you not do but reprove by God's word their unlawful facts, but to depose them though they be infydelles, and heretics, have you none authority. You see how our master Christ, and all his blessed Apostles did use themselves toward unbeléeving Princes, they neither deposed them, nor yet caused them to be sworn unto them. What a matter is it to depose an Emperor, because he layeth hands of a carnal Cardinal? Is not Paul and Peter, as holy as all the College of you? And yet for laying hands of them was no man deposed. What and if he keep no peace? is that a sufficient cause to depose him? your own law testifieth otherwise. The holy church xxxiij. q. q. Inter haec. of God hath no sword, but the spiritual sword, with the which she doth not kill, but quicken. Likewise in an twenty-three. q. viii Conuenter. other place, blessed S. Ambrose saith, willingly will I never forsake you, but if I be compelled I may not resist, I may sorrow, I may weep, I may wail. Against weapons, against soldiers, against the Gothans, my tears are my weapons. For such things be the defence of a Priest, otherwise aught I not, nor may not resist. etc. Blessed S. Ambrose dared not depose the Emperor, neither for laying hand of him, nor yet for heresy, neither for defending the liberties of holy Church. But S. Ambrose was a simple fool, & known not what the liberties of the Church meant, nor yet what the holy spiritual flesh of Cardinals is worth, and therefore he could do nothing, but weep & wail. But & if he had been half so wise, as I read of a certain Bishop of Salisbury was, he had done more in The haughty mind and lofty courage of a Bishop. this matter. In the time of king Richard the second, it chanced a baker of London to bear horsebread in a basket, and there came a servant of the Bishop of Salisbury, and took by violence a loaf from him. The baker asked why he did so, & he made him none answer, but broke his head, & the poor fellow cried for help against this violence, whereby the people were moved in the street to come out, & keep the kings peace, so that the bishops servant was compelled to fly into a house: Nevertheless the people moved at this great violence, caused the Constable to come for to take him, & to bring him to prison, but anon the Mayor and the Shrives' come and pacified the multitude, and so departed, & did the bishops servant no more hurt. Notwithstanding the Bishop The patience of Bishops are soon turned to wrath. of Salisbury, and the Archbishop of York were so moved with the City, for making an asaute to the Bishop's house, that they made such a complaint to the kings grace, that he put the Mayor, and both the Shrives' out, and set in a Knight called Sir Edward, to rule that City, and all this was done for a horseloafe. What shall a man say to the patience of these spiritual men? They do open violence, they break the kings peace, they rob men of their goods, yea & that in the kings chamber, and also in the kings high street, to the great disdain of justice, to the rebuke of the king, and to the great displeasure of his subjects, and yet they can pack the matter so, that they be white sons, and other men must suffer for it. I can believe none otherwise, but that they have witched the world, that men could neither hear nor see. For if this be not a shameful fact, I can not tell what is shameful. It had becomed them a great deal better, to have punished their servant in example of all other. But that was never the wont of the spiritual Church, and yet they will accuse all other men of insurrection, but I dare say there was no rebellion in this Realm this u C. years, if the king had displeased them, but they were at the beginning of it. We do read in the time of king Henry the second, that he required of his spiritual Henry the second. Bishops, that none of them should depart out of that land, but they should find him sureties, that they should purchase nothing, to the hurt of the kings person, & his Realm. But the spirit of the spiritual fathers would not agree to it, but rather found the means, that Pope Alexander the Alexander the third. third (the which was an usurper of the sea of Rome) condemned this article for heresy, and afterward one of the Bishops (but against his will) died for this, and such like articles more, and you declared him a stinking martyr, but of this holy martyr, I will speak more an other time. If this be obedience to Princes, to intend and The true occasions & matters that stir up insurrection against Princes. purpose to betray them, and their Realms, then are you the best obedient children that ever were. But if making of dissension, debate, and strife, & setting men together by the ears, assoiling men of their oath toward their Princes, may be cause of insurrection, and treason: then are you the master of all masters, and the best conveyors of all jugglers. What true English heart would think, but that the kings request was both godly & lawful? what learning is able to defend the contrary? Stands it not with our fidelity that we own toward our Prince? yea with the truth that we own to our father and mother? to our brethren and sistern? and to all our country men? Doth not our oath made to our Prince, bind us to it? & yet you will not agree to it: but all your books must rather be fulfilled with contrary doctrine, and all men must be condemned for heretics, that speaketh against them. Believe me, if I were your mortal enemy (as you reckon me to be, and as you have well deserved, that I should be) I could so set out this matter, that all men should spit at you: but I will use myself charitable toward you, and if the matter had not been so heinously, and so violently handled of you, I would not have given you one ill word. But now let no man require of me, that I should (unto such an abominable & detestable devil, as hath brought in this wicked and shameful learning and manners) put of my cap, & make low courtesy, and give fair words, and say: God give you good morrow sir devil, how far you? I am glad of your welfare, and prosperity, your Lordship doth rule very graciously, and all men praiseth you. I doubt not but God shall prospero you. I say, let no man require this of me: for I am, and will be so taken, for his mortal enemy, wheresoever I do find him, whether he be Lord, or Bishop, saving peradventure, if I spy him dwelling in a bishop, I will not handle him with so rough words, for the weakness of certain men, as I would, if I found him in an other place. It were not uncharitable, if I recited here by name the innocent blood, that you have shed in my time, for the speaking against your unlawful doctrine. Alas what fault could you find in good master Bylney, whom you have cast away so violently? I dare Master Bylney. say, there is not one among you (that known him, but must commend and praise his virtuous living. And though you had found him with a little fault (the which I think, and he were now alive, should be no fault) alas would you cast away so cruelly, so good a man? and so true a man? both to God, and to his king? But I will return again to my purpose, and show an other example, how you have learned, and taught to set kings and kingdoms together by the ears, for the maintenance of your dignities and doctrines. Pope Vrban the uj. which was choose in the year of our Lord 1378. johan Fros. in Croni. suis. by sedition, & violence of Romans, which would have no Cardinal of France, because they would the Pope should be resident in Rome. This urban (I say) devising how to maintain his sect and part against his adversary, which was called Clement, of whose side the king of France held, sent to the king of England, Ed. the 3. (the which as than was not well content with the French king) certain Bulls containing clean remission a poena & a culpa, for all them that would wage battle against the king of France, & against them that were of Clement side. And because the king and his Lords Pope Clement against Pope Urban, and Urban against Clement, each defiing and cursing other. should be the willinger to take battle on them, he sent a commandment to the Bishops, to raise of the spirituality a tax, for to pay the soldiers with. Moreover because the Duke of Lancaster had a title to the kingdom of Castle, the which held of Clement side: therefore the Pope granted, that part of this money should also be delivered to him, if he would wage battle against the king of Castle, promising him also, that he would stir the king of Portyngale (which than had also variance with the said king of Castelll) to war against the said king, and to the maintaining of his war, he would grant that king of Portyngale a demi of his spiritualty thorough all his Realm. How much was gathered in Portyngale, our stories maketh no mension: but in London, and in the diocese was gathered a tun of gold, and in the whole realm of England was gathered twenty-five. C. M. franks, which makes in English money. CC. lxxvij. M. seven. C. lxxvij. 〈◊〉. And because this money was gathered of the spirituality, and by their diligence therefore the Pope ordained Henry Spenser the Bishop of Norwych to be the chief captain of this war: but or ever the Pope could bring this matter to pass, he sent to the king, to his Lords, and to his bishops thirty. Bulls: So that at the last, this foresaid Bishop of Norwyche was sent forth with a great number of men, in the wages of the Church, And the Duke of Lankester likewise against the king of Castle. Their oath was given them, to fight against no man, nor country that held with Pope Vrban. And our chronicle says, that Pope Vrban would have made peace between the French king, and ours at the last. How think you? Popes the stirs up and procurers of war and destruction of people & countries. is not this a pretty practice, to set men together by the ears? and than to make them believe, that he would make a peace? first we must have clean remission to fight, and than we shall be cursed as black as a pot, if we will make no peace, And why? because the Pope hath his purpose. Is not this a goodly packing of spiritual men? Is not here goodly obedience taught toward Princes? be not men's souls well fed with this doctrine? be not these good fathers, that thus watcheth night and day, for that cure and charge, that they have of men's souls? Mark how charitable, and liberal that the holy Fathers be, in distributing of Christ's merits? Every man that fighteth in his cause, shall have clean remission a pena, & a culpa, and must needs be the child of salvation. Let Christ say and do what he can, for the holy Church hath so determined. And that no man should doubt of it, there be thirty. Bulls granted, and that under lead. And the Church of Rome Dist. nineteeen. Si. Ro. & enim vero & nul ifas. & ca Sic omnes. can not err, for the spiritual law saith: what the sea of Rome doth approve, that must needs be allowed: and that, that she reproveth must be of no strength. Likewise in an other place: So must the decrees of the sea of Rome be accepted, as though they were spoken by the godly voice of Peter himself. Against these things dare I not speak, for I would fain be taken for a Christian man: but yet I must be so bold to speak one word, the truth is, the devil himself hath blown out these presumptuous voices. And yet men must set both life, & soul on these words. For there be thirty. Bulls of lead, to confirm the matter. And that is a weighty thing. But when king john, our natural prince, should have had of the pied Monks, for the defence of this realm, but a small sum of money. Than was there never a Bull to get, nor yet one Bishop in England, to preach on his side: But now CC. M. pound gathered in one Lent, and a great deal more, & for the maintenance of the pope his holy flesh. Was not this a marvelous subjection? that we should suffer ourselves so lightly to be moved, to give, not only so great a sum of money? but also to sand forth, in the defence of such a wicked person, our natural brethren, kinsmen, and countrymen? I dare say of my conscience, that in five hundred years, there was not such a sum of money so lightly granted, (were the cause never so great) unto our right natural, and lege Lord. You I do believe, that if the kings grace at this same day, should desire of the spirituality, but half of this sum, I dare say How ready the spirituality is is to help the Pope. they would never grant him with their good will, nor there should not be found one Divine in England, of the holy Pope's Church, that could and would prove by good Divinity, that the king might take it, and the spirituality were bound to give it. Alas, what shall I say? believe me, I do want words, to the setting out of this matter: where is natural affection? where is natural love? where is fidelity? where is truth of heart, that men aught to have, and to bear toward their natural Prince? toward their native country? toward their fathers and mothers? toward their wives and children? yea toward their lives? God of his infinite goodness hath given us a noble Prince, to the maintaining and defence of all these things, and toward him we have little or none affection. But unto this idol of Rome, are we ready to give both body, and goods, and the more we give, the better we are content. Was not this a marvelous poveryshing to this Realm? to send out so many thousands? and to receive nothing again? but deceitful Bulls? and sheeps skins? and a little piece of lead? yea and worst of all, to make men believe, that their salvation did hang on it? I dare say boldly, that if we poor men (which be now condemned for heretics, and also for traitors against our king) had not been, the Realm of England had not stand in so good a condition as it is, for men had been bound still in their conscience, What profit England hath by the Gospel. for to obey this wretched idol. Who dared have kept the innumerable sum of money, within the realm, the yearly was sucked out, by this adder, if our godly learning had not instructed their conscience? Let all the libraries be sought in England, and there shall not be one book written in. iiij. C. years, and (admitted by the Church of Rome, and by our spirituality) found, that doth teach this obedience, and fidelity toward Princes, and delivereth our Realm, from the bondage of this wicked Satan the pope, or else that is able to satisfy, and to quiet any man's conscience within this Realm: and yet I dare say, he is not in England, that can reprove our learning, by the doctrine of our master Christ, or else of his holy Apostles. Yea men have studied, and devised how they might bring our mighty Prince, and his noble Realm, under the feet of this devil. There could be nothing handled so secretly within this Realm, but if it were, either pleasant, or profitable to the Pope to know, than were all the Bishops in England sworn, to revelate that matter to him. This may be well proved, by their shameful, & traitorous oath, that they contrary to God's law, man's law, and order of nature) have In. vi. lib. ij. tit. de iure iurando c. Ego Episcopus. made to this false man, the Pope. The words of their oath, written in their own law, be these. I Bishop. N. from this hour forth, shallbe faithful to S. Peter, to the holy The oath of the Bishops made to the pope. Church of Rome, and to my Lord the Pope, to his successors, lawfully entering into the Popedom. I shall not consent in counsel, nor in deed, that he should loose either life, or limb, or that he should be taken in any evil trap. His council, that shall be showed unto me, either by himself, or else by his letters, or by his Legates, I shall open to no man, to his hurt, or damage. I shall help to defend & maintain the Papacy of the Church of Rome, the rules of the holy fathers (saving mine order) against all men living. I shall come to the Council, when soever I be called, unless I be lawfully let. The Pope's Legate I shall honourably entreat, both going, and coming, & in his necessities, I shall help him. I shall visit yearly, either by mine own proper person, or else by some sure messenger, the sea of Rome, unless I be dispensed with. So help me God, and this holy Evangelist. There hath been wondrous packing used, and hath cost many a thousand men's lives, ere that the spirituality brought it to pass, that all they should be sworn to the Pope, & own none obedience to any man, but to him only. This matter hath been wondrous craftily conveyed, for at the beginning the Bishops were not sworn so straightly unto the Pope, as now. For I do read in the time of Isidorus in Decretis Gregoris mi noris c. In nomine. Gregory the third, which was in the year of our Lord seven. C. lix. how their oath was no more, but to swear for to keep the faith of holy Church, and to abide in the unity of the same, and not to consent for any man's pleasure to the contrary, to promise' also to seek the profits of the Church of Rome. And if any Bishops did live against the old statutes of holy fathers, with him they should have no conversation, but rather forbid it, if they could, or else truly to show the Pope of it. This oath continued a The Pope changeth the bishop's oath, as often as it maketh for his profit. great many of years, till that a mortal hatred sprung between the Emperor, and the Pope, for confirming of Bishops, than as many Bishops as were confirmed of the Pope, did swear the oath, that I have first written. For this oath, that Gregory maketh mention of, was not sufficient: because that by it, the Bishops were not bound to betray their Princes, nor to revelate their counsels to the Pope. The which thing the pope must needs know, or else he could not bring to pass his purpose, that is to say, he could not be Lord over the world, and cause Emperors, and kings, to fetch their confirmation of him, and to kneel down, and kiss his feet. The which when he had brought to pass, he proceeded farther, first kings he brought with violence under the Pope's foot, & then Bishops be sworn to maintain it. adding more things in the bishops oath, to the maintaining of his worldly honour and dignity, as it shall afterward appear. But first we will examine this oath, how it standeth with God's word, and with the true obedience to our prince. I pray you tell me out of what Scripture, or else out of what example of our master Christ & his holy Apostles, you have taken this doctrine, to learn to swear to Saint Peter? or else to the Church of Rome? or else to the Pope? What need you to swear to Saint Peter? you can neither do him good by your fidelity, nor yet hurt by your falsehood. Oaths be taken, that he that the oath is made unto, might be sure of the true help, and secure of him that sweareth, against all men that could hurt him. Now Saint Peter hath none enymies, and though he had, yet is not he afeard of them, neither can you help him, nor deliver him, if he had need. But the verity is, that good S. Peter must here stand in the fore frunt, to make men afraid with, and to make men believe that you are his friends: but God knoweth, that you neither favour his person, lrarning nor living For if S. Peter's person were here with his net on his neck, I think you would bid him walk beggar, if you called him not heretic. Why do you not swear to follow his living? and to preach and teach his doctrine? but that maketh nothing for your purpose. Therefore you swerre all only to S. Peter's name. But wherein will you be faithful to S. Peter? to mayntane his worldly honours? dignities? or riches? you know well, he saith, that he hath forsaken all these things for Christ's sake: & And for these things, I think he will require none oath of you. Wherefore if you will needs be faithful, & sworn unto S. Peter, it must be in maintaining, and in defending spiritual things, as preaching of Christ's Gospel purely, and sincerely, mynystring truly after the institution of our master Christ, the blessed sacraments of holy church, and in virtuous living, giving example to the holy church of Christ. But now if this be your oath, truly you are perjured, & worthy to wear papers, for you do reckon yourselves to high, and to honourable, to go about such simple things, as these be. And therefore you have applied yourselves, to The holy works of Bishops. other greater matters, as to christening of bells, to hallowing of churches, to blessing of candles, to consecrating of holy oil, to hallowing of chalesies, vestementes, and altars, and to giving 40. days of pardon, to them that receiveth your blessings in the street, and to some that visit holy saints, & such like great matters, which partayneth nothing to your oath. wherefore I do reckon, the after the true form of your oath, we have but few bishops, but the be perjured or abjured (call it as you will) both against God, against S. Peter, and against their prince. It followeth And to the holy church of Rome what needeth this? what good can you do to the holy church of Rome. Or what profit is it to her, that you swear? where is any request of her in holy scripture that you should swear? Think you that she will compel you by your oath to be true to her? then must she needs sue you of perjury if you break your oath. But mark how the church of Rome is set in your oath. as the better person, before the Pope. wherefore it must needs follow, that the Pope is under the church, and less than the church, and no head of the church, except you will make him a third person, that neither pertaineth to S. Peter nor yet to holy Church: but is a thing of himself, and as your law saith: neither God, In Prohe. vi. ca Quoni. in verbo Papa. nor man, but middle between them both, that is as much to say, after my learning, as the devil himself. But what means it, that you swear only to the holy Church of Rome? will you be traitors to the holy Church of Constantinople? or else to the holy Church of England? Or do you think other Churches not holy? tell us what you mean? for it seemeth a marvelous thing, and also a special thing, that you make such an oath all only to the holy Church of Rome, naming none other church. Why are you not rather sworn to keep? and to feed? to nourish? and to be true to your own Church? of the which you have taken cure & charge? As S. Peter commandeth you: See 1. Pe●. 5. that you feed Christ's flock, which is among you. For of these you have taken your name, living, and dignity. You are called Bishop of Winchester, of London, and of Lyncolne, And of these you are fed, but these be forgotten in your oath, and these you little regard, but to maintain the holy Church of Rome, that giveth you never a penny, but robbeth all other Churches, you must be straightly sworn. And why? Antichrist must have a cloak for his treason. For now if he be a traitor, he is to be excused, Bishop Fisher otherwise called B. of Rochester. answered that he was sworn to that Pope, and therefore he would not swear to the kings supremacy. why? for he is sworn to it. But shall I tell you what I do take out of it? The truth is, that you swear, to betray, to kill, and slay all members of all other Churches, saving those, that liveth after the whoredom, and mischief, that is used in Rome. For if you should be bound to seek out in Rome, Christened men, and those that doth live after the living of holy church, I think you should find but few. Yea and unto those, you would think scorn to be sworn, Ergo, it must follow, that you are sworn to the worst sort of Rome, and that your holy Church of Rome is taken for such a sort, as liveth against God, against his blessed word, against the living of holy Apostles, against the conditions of our holy mother the church. I could say, in all whoredom, in all oppression, in all Sodomytrie, in all murder, in all pomp, & pride, summa summarum, in all manner of mischief, what tongue can tell, or heart can think. But I will not say so, for men would reckon me uncharitable, and to vehement. Nevertheless all the world knoweth, that you do reckon yourself, by the virtue of your oath, bound to no men: but unto such, as in very deed, liveth after this ungracious manner: and yet will you be faithful, and true unto them against all men. Yea I dare say, if that their conscience had A true description of the lewdness of the Bishops of Rome. not condemned them of such mischief, they would never have desired this assistance of you, or else have thought it necessary to have required an oath of you. But the verity is, they be nought, and have need of maintainers in their mischief. And also suspect you, not to be true, except you made an oath to them, yea and scarcely then, unless that you in very deed, at time and place convenient, do betray your Princes, for that is the cause of your oath, and other profit hath not the king by it. I will be reported by all practice that ever came out of your oath. It followeth, And to my Lord the How cometh the Pope by the name of Lord Pope. I would gladly learn, where the Pope hath got the dignity of a Lord This thing is little regarded of my Lords the Bishops, to bring in such a worldly dignity, yea they will say, it is but a trifle, and mock men for speaking against it. But the truth is, if they dared as much now, as in times past, they would burn for this little trifle, the best Lord in England. For I dare say, it hath cost many a man's life, or ever they brought the Pope to Lordship. Blessed S. Peter (whose successor the Pope boasteth himself to be) known nothing of this Lordship, for be saith unto his fellows, 1. Pet. 5. they shall not exercise no Lordship over the congregation. And likewise S. Paul dared not take upon 2. Cor. 8. him to command, as a Lord, collections to be made for poor men, but meekly desires them without any Lordship. Also in an other place: Let no 1. Cor. 4. man judge us, but as the Ministers of Christ. Blessed S. Paul reckoneth himself but a minister, & a servant: And yet the day hath been, that he was so good, as my Lord the Pope. Our master Christ, that came to teach both Peter, and Paul, learned his Disciples Math. 20. not to use themselves as Lords, but as servants. And mark the occasion that he had. There be two new Disciples brought unto him, and the old (being not yet perfit) thought scorn, that these two should sit above all other, the one of the right hand, and the other of the left hand: But our master Christ reproveth this proud stomach of there's, very straightly, saying: How the Princes & rulers of the infidels hath power over their subjects, but so shall not you. For he that will be greatest among you, shall be lest. Here our master Christ learneth none hypocrisy, that they should be called jest in name, and be greatest in very deed: but he will that this doctrine shallbe expressed in their deeds. My Lord the pope, calleth himself in words, the servant of all servants: but in very deed he will be Lord over all Lords. servus servorum. Yea and my lords Bishops, will be sworn to him, as unto a Lord, & they will reckon themselves perjured, if they burn not all them, that will take the Pope but for a servant. Is not this a marvelous hypocrisy? to The Pope is a monstrous hypocrite. be called servant of all servants? and yet desire for to be taken as Lord and King over all Kings? Yea and unto this be our Bishops sworn, because they will be obedient to their Princes. But and their consciences were ripped, you should find no man sit there as a King, but my lozel the Pope. And we poor men must be condemned, for reproving of this. And why? Verily because my Lords have sworn to him, against their Prince, and all his true subjects. But how standeth it with your oath toward your Prince, for to be sworn to the Pope? which is not all only an other Lord: but also contrary, yea and as the world now is the greatest mortal enemy, that our Prince hath. For I dare say, that if What good mind Clement the Pope bore unto king Henry the viii. this wretched Clement could drown our noble Prince with one word, it should not be long undone, sine Clementia. The common saying went in Hamburgh, that this caitiff hath not all only excommunicated our noble prince, but also given away the kingdom to an other. And this fact must you defend, for you are sworn to the Pope. Yea I dare say, if you had convenient occasion, you would declare your fidelity. I do judge after your facts, that you have done to kings in times past, whensoever that you had power & might to bring to pass the which you have conceived against your Prince. If you think I judge a miss, or else do you wrong. let me be put to my proof, and you shall see, what an heap of holy facts the I will bring you out of your own chronicles and books, for the which you will be lauded, and praised hyely, that you have so faithfully stuck unto this damnable Idol of Rome. Yea I dare say it had been heresy within this two years, to have written, or said thus much against the limb of the devil on our prince's side. This all the world can testify, wherefore I think you will put me to no trial. But to your oath. How doth it stand with your allegyance toward your prince, to be sworn to the Pope? your own law saith, that a league man can make none In. 6. lib. 2. de senten. et re iudicata. ca pastoralis in verbo homoque. oath of fydelytye, to none other man, but to his own king. Moreover you do remember your oath made unto your prince, wherein you do renounce all clauses, words and sentences, made unto the Pope, which may be hurtful or prejudicial to his highness. How agreeth these ij. oaths? you may set them together as well as you can: but I know no ways Excuse the bishops perjury who can. to avoid your perjury. For the very truth is, that the kings grace, and his council, considering your oath made to the Pope, to be periudiciall to his regal power, causeth you, in your oath afterward made unto him to revoke those things that you have afore sworn to the Pope, & to declare that his grace & his counsel did reckon your oath made to the pope to be against him, therefore he maketh you to revoke it by name, naming the same oath, & also the same Pope. So that you may clearly perceive, how that our prince doth suspect you, for your Bishops be assoiled of their oath toward their prince, but never from oath made to the Pope. oath making. And in very deed, the pope's meaning & yours was none other: but for to betray the king and his realm. And therefore as soon as there was any variance, between the king & that pope, them were you first of all, assoiled of your allegyance dew unto our king, and that absolution, was blazons and blown, preached, and taught, throughout all the world, & all doors and posts must be decked with papers and bulls, for your discharge. But for to help your Prince, you could never be discharged of your heretical, & traitorous oath made unto the Pope, against your Prince. Here neither Peter nor Paul can help, nor there is no key the can open that lock. O Lord God how have we been blinded thus traitorously to handle our natural Prince? But how this Caterpillar is come to be a Lord, and hath brought kings under his feet, I will speak (God willing) after this in a peculiar treatise. It followeth, and to his successors, lawfully and regularly entering in. After what law? I read in your own Di. 23. Qui episcepus ex consilio. 4. Cartha. books of law, after which me thinketh there be very few bishops made wherein I find among all other good things, that he should be chaste of living, meek, gentle to speak to, merciful, well learned in that new & old testament, and the we should not forbid marriage, nor should blame the eating of flesh, and should also believe, that all manner of sins, as well actual, as original, be clearly forgiven in baptism. How many of these things the Pope's holiness is endued with all, and how many he alloweth, his own books, and deeds will testelie. Wherefore I reckon that your oath doth not mean this laws, nor yet the law that blessed S. Paul writeth of. For than I reckon, that by the virtue of 1. Timo. 3. Tit. 1. your oath, you have not been bond to one Pope this 400. years, so that it must follow, that you have other laws, then blessed S. Paul speaketh of, or the council of Charthaginence to choose your Pope by: the which as far as men can reckon, by common experience, and practice, be these, In primis, He that shall be able to Who is lawful to be Pope. be Pope, must be a vengeable tyrant, never kéepeing peace, but all ways warring for the defence (as ye call it) of S. Peter's patrimony. To suffer no Prince to devil in rest by him but to snatch his possessions, to the unholy Church of Rome. To set princes together by the ears, till they be both weary, and then to take the matter in his hand, and never to make an end, till both parties hath given some possessions to his holy fatherhed: to assoil the souls, that hath been slain through his packing. And he The pope's wickedness described at large. that dare most boldly, and with lest shame, depose Princes, without a cause, he is best able to be pope. He that can by any train, craft, or subtlety, bring under him any bishop, or any spiritual person, or invent any new clausein their oath, he is to be allowed afore other. Moreover, he the keepeth fewest women, and hath most of them, that you wot of, he is holiest, & apt to be head of your church. And he the can most tyrannously burn men for preaching of the Gospel, and he himself to take no labours therein. Item to burn priests the mary wives and he himself, to live in all mischief, & whoredom: yea in such abhominablenes, as no man may with honesty speak (you know what I mean) this man I say, hath a good testimony, afore his spirituality, that he is a lawful man to that office. Furthermore, he that is a whore's Clement the Pope was the son of a Courtesan. son, as our holy father is now, and can find the means, that. 12. men will forswear themself, that he is lawfully born, as this holy Clement did. This is a fit father, for such children. Finally, he the can give most money, and buy the greatest part of cardinals of his side, he is best worthy to be called Pope, & to sit on Peter's stool. For it can not be unknown to you, how the Thomas Woulcy, an holy pillar of your Church, would have been Pope, when this Clement was choose, and did offer for it a reasonable penny: But Clement dashed him out of conceit with. 20000. li. more than he offered, and so he was judged best worthy, and entered in lawfully, and regularly, and unto him our bishops be sworn, and obedient. And why because they will have such a head, as they be members: for how could else their kingdom stand? For If Popes should be choose after S. Paul's rule. than all the vain trumpery of the clergy were clearly overthrown. if one should be choose, after the rule of blessed S. Paul, or else after the living of these new heretics, which be simple and poor, and care not for no dignities, nor will never swear, nor fight, and would rather marry a wife of their own, then take other men's, and always studying, & preaching God's word, seeking only the honour of God, and the profit of his neighbour, and will be subject and obedient in all things (desiring none exception) to his prince. This man I say, should be unlawful, & not eligible, for he were able to destroy the whole kingdom of the papistes and not worthy to receive an oath of my lords the bishops, which will not gladly be perjured for such a man's sake. For he were able to destroy the whole church of Rome, unto the which our Bishops have been before sworn. It followeth in your oath, I shall not consent in counsel or in deed, that they should loose either life or member, or that they should be taken or trapped, by any evil mean. What need you to swear thus unto the Charity by●…deth all men to think well one of another. Pope? doth not the order of charity bind you thus to use yourself toward all men? that is to say, neither to hurt them, nor to harm them, neither to entrap them, nor betray them. But all men must be betrayed and with craft and subtlety undone, for the maintenance of this one wretched person. The truth is, that never man spoke against this popet, but you destroyed him, and betrayed him. But this popet hath blasphemed and betrayed all potestates, and yet you were never against him. And why? because you be sworn to him. And you will keep your oath, be it right or wrong. But in your last oath, which hath been newly made, is added this clause. That no man should lay violent bands upon them in any wise, or any wrong should be done unto them by any manner of colour. This part is newly brought in, since the The flesh of the pope is now much more holy, then in time past it hath been. flesh of the Pope hath been so holy, that no man might touch it but harlots. Christian men must patiently suffer injuries and wrongs, but your head will forswear that point, and maintain himself through your power against all men. How near that this is the Apostles living, all Christian men can well judge. It followeth in your oath. Their counsel that shall be showed unto me, either by their letters, or by their messengers, I shall open to no man to their hurt or damage. Let Princes beware, when the pope sendeth counsels unto you, for the meaning is to betray them. For all the world knoweth that the pope and you doth little regard, what the beggars of the world doth handle: But what Emperors, kings, and Dukes doth handle, that must you let, and destroy. For that is the Pope's counsel. And you may show it to no man, Not not to your king. And why? because you are sworn to the pope. But what say you to your oath made unto your prince? wherein you swear, that you shall be faithful and true, and bear unto him above all creatures, love, and favour, to live and to dye with him, and to open unto him all manner of counsels, that may be hurtful unto his grace. Now is it well known, that the pope hath The Pope doth practise counsels against the honourable state of Princes. done and daily doth handle such counsels, as be against our prince's honour, and conservation. And yet you may neither tell it to your prince, nor let it. And why? because you be sworn to the pope, and for sworn to your prince. Tell me when any thing was opened unto our prince, by you, that the pope had handled in counsel against our prince. Of this thing I will take record of his noble grace, whether I say true or false. And yet must I be accused of treason. And why? because you are sworn to the pope, And I am true to the king. It followeth. I shall help to defend and maintain the papistry of Rome, against all men, saving mine order. And in your new oath, now in our days made, is added. The regalles of Saint Peter. What and in all men be contained your prince? you must needs defend him. And why? because you be sworn to the pope, & forsworn to your prince. For your oath to your prince, is to defend him with all your wit & reason against all men. Now must you forsake one of them, And your practice hath been always to forsake your prince, and stick to the pope. For of your oath made to your prince, you have been oftentimes assoiled. And as your law saith, the 〈◊〉. quest. vi. c. Alius. Church of Rome is wont so do do. But of your oath made unto the pope, there is no absolution, neither in heaven nor earth. Neither was it ever Here is specially to be noted the practice of Prelates. For such are the doings of the holy father of Rome that for the rebellion against princes, he would give absolution but for matter against his popedom, there was never absolution might be obtained. red, herded, nor seen, that there could be any dispensation for it. Let me be reported by all the books that ever were written, and by all the bulls that ever were granted, and by all the experience that ever was used. And if I be found false, let me be blamed. And yet I am sure many men will reckon, that I speak uncharitably. But I would feign learn of all the charitable men in England, with what other English words I could declare this intolerable or subtle treason, thus long & shamefully used against my prince, which is necessary to be known. And I am compelled by violence to declare both my confession and learning in this cause. For men hath not been ashamed to report, that I would (which am but a wretch and poor simple worm, and not able to kill a Cat, though I would do my uttermost) to make insurrection against my noble and mighty prince, whom (as God knoweth) I do both honour, worship, love, and favour, to the uttermost power of my heart, and am not satisfied, because it is no more. This I speak afore God. Let him be merciful unto me as it is true. And if I were not so true in mine heart, it were not possible for me so earnestly to writ against them, whom I do reckon to handle unfaithfully, and untruly with their prince, yea against both God's law, and man's law. The very truth is, I can suffer, (through God's grace) all manner of wrongs, injuries, and slanders: but to be called an heretic against God, or a traitor against my prince, he liveth not, but I will say, he lieth. And will be able so to prove him, if I may be reported by my works or deeds, by my conversation or living, or by any thing that ever I did. But unto my purpose: the bishops doth swear one oath to the pope, and an other contrary to their prince. And yet they will be taken for good and faithful children. And I poor man must be condemned, and all my works for heresy, and no man to read them under the pain of treason. And why? because I writ against their perjury toward their prince. But how cometh S. Peter The pope's Regales. by these regalles, that you are sworn to defend? seeing that he was never no king, but a fisher? All the world knoweth, that regalia belongeth to kings, and to like power of kings. Why are you not rather Peter was acquainted with his nets, but not with Regalles. sworn to defend Peter's net, and his fisheries? the which things he both hadand used, & never regalles. But these things will not maintain the holy Church of Rome, and therefore you swear not to maintain them. But what mean you by that sentence: Saving mine order? why say you not, saving my kings pleasure? Your gloze saith, you may not defend In Verb. salve ordine. these things with weapons. But o Lord God, what unshamefulnesse is this? thus to delude with words all the whole world? Men knoweth, that when the Pope hath need of your help, there is no men sooner in arms than you are, if you call arms harneys, bills, & glaives, sword, and guns, and such other things. Do you not remember how soon the Bishop of Norwiche, Henry Spenser, was in arms to defend pope Urban? It were but folly to recite examples. In the year of our Lord 1164. was there a controversy between the kings grace, & the Bishops of England, for certain prerogatives belonging to the king. Wherefore the king These Articles be now granted and are none heresy. required an oath, and a confirmation of the Bishops, as concerning those Articles and prerogatives. But answer was made of the Bishops, that those prerogatives, cum omnibus pravitatibus in regio scripto contentis, were of none effect, nor strength, because they did forbid to appeal to the Court of Rome, unless the king gave licence. And because that no Bishop might go at the Pope's calling out of the Realm, without the kings assent. And because that Clerks should be convented in criminal causes afore a temporal judge. And because the The Prelates can not abide to use obedience to their prince. king would hear matters, as concerning tithes & other spiritual causes. And because that it was against the sea of Rome, and the dignity of the same, that a Bishop should be convented afore the king. Briefly, they would not be under the king, but this addition should be set unto it, Saluo honore Dei, & Ecclesie Roman, & ordine nostro, that is, we will be under your grace, saving the honour of God, of the Church of Rome, and of our order. The cause why they did except these things, was this, as they themselves grant: For kings received their authorities, and power of the We have been lead by blind guides. church, but the Church receiveth her authority of Christ only, wherefore they conclude, that the king can not command over the Bishops, nor absolve any of them, nor to judge of tithes, nor of Churches, neither yet to forbid bishops, the handling of any spiritual cause. Is not here a marvelous blindness and obstinacy against their Prince? They will make it against God's honour, to obey their king, and The king's power is immediately of God. are not ashamed to say in the kings face, that his power is of them. But I pray you whether was kings before Bishops? or Bishops before kings? You shall find, that God had long admitted kings, or any Bishop (as you take him) was thought of. Doth not the holy ghost command, that we should honour kings? Also 1. Pet. 2. in an other place. Let all men be under the high powers, for the power is Roma. 13. of God, and he that resisteth the power, resisteth God's ordinance. Here blessed S. Paul saith, that kings power is of God, & not of Bishops. Furthermore, what reason is it to defend the Pope's prerogative against He that defendeth the Pope against his sovereign Lord or Lady is a unnatural subject. your Princes? Is not your Prince nearer, and more natural unto you, than this wretch the Pope? But here is a thing, the maketh me to marvel. When you swear to the Pope (Saving your order.) Is as much to say, as you shall not use no weapons: but else you shall be ready and obedient in all things. But when you shall swear to your king, than (Saving Saving of order hath two significations. your order) is as much to say, as you have authority to confirm kings, and to be their fellows, and neither to be obedient unto them, nor yet to answer to any justice before them, but clearly to be exempted, and they not to meddle with you, except they will give you some worldly promotion. If I would use myself as unchatariblye against you, as you have handled me, doubtless I could make some thing of this, that should diplease you. How would you cry? and how would you handle me poor wretch, if you had half so much against me, as this is? But I will let you pass, God hath preserved me hitherto of his infinite mercy against your insatiable malice, and no doubt but he shall do the same still. I will return to your oath. It followeth. I shall come to the Synod when I am called, unless I shall be lawfully let. But why do The Pope will hold a Council where and when it pleaseth him. you not swear to compel the Pope to call a Council? seeing that it hath been so often, and so instantly required of him, by many and noble Princes of Christendom, yea, seeing that all Christendom doth require with great sights, an order to be taken, & set in the highest articles of our faith? But unto this you are not sworn. And why? because it is against your holy popet of Rome. For if there were a general Council, both he, & you do know, that there must needs follow, both over him & you a straight reformation. Therefore after my counsel say, that you can not come, for you be lawfully let. It followeth I shall honourably entreat the pope's Legate, both going and coming, and in his necessity I shall help him. I pray you see, and provide well, that he go not a begging, as Peter did. And see also that he neither preach nor teach, but pill and pole, with all mischief, and unshamefastness. And why? because you are sworn this to maintain. It followeth. I shall visit yearly myself, or by some other messenger, the pope of Rome, unless I be dispensed with of them. I pray you what pertaineth this to the office of a Bishop, yearly to visit Rome? Christ and the most of his Apostles, were never at Rome, and yet they were meetly good Christian men. But I read in the traditions of the Turk, that certain of them must yearly visit their Mahomet. From whom I think, In. vi. lib. i de maioritate & obedientia Dilecti filij, De iure iurando. ca Ego in verb singulis. you have taken this custom. Your own law says, that unto this clause must these bishops all only be bound, that be immediately underneath the Pope. Now are not you such, for you swear in your oath to the king, that you will immediately take your Byshopprick of him, and hold it all only of his grace. Wherefore then do you here swear against your own law? And also against your oath made to your prince? Moreover, you know that there was an old custom, in the days of king Henry the second, that no Bishop should go out of the Realm, without the kings licence. Are you not bond to keep this custom: but answer, that the Pope hath dispensed with you, and that you are not The Prelates will obey the Pope, but not the Prince. bound to keep any obedience toward the acts that your prince maketh. Moreover, I marvel sore, that you be all so straightly sworn of so long time, and never one of you that ever went in my days to Rome to discharge his oath. And why? because you are dispensed with. But were it not as good to leave it out of your oath at the first, seeing you intend not to keep it, as afterward to dispense with you for it? Not forsooth, for than the Pope could not bind you to come to Rome at his pleasure, and betray your king, & all his counsels. But in your oath that is newly made, & that you have sworn last, is added. That if the pope be on this side the mountains, you shall visit him every year. But if he be beyond the mountains, than every three years. One that known not your practice and the circumstances of your facts the hath been done, would little suspect this addition. But the very truth is, there is a mischievous and abominable treason in it against Princes. For if it chanced the Emperor, or else any temporal Prince near unto Rome, to fall at variance with the Pope, than did the Pope strait run into France, that is to say, on this side the mountains, where you must visit him yearly. And why? Because your god is in distress, and hath conceived a deadly hatred against a Prince, and can not bring it to pass without your help and counsel. Wherefore you must come yearly. And also he must know, through your betraying, how A devilish practice of Prelates. your Prince is minded, and whether he be addicted to his contrary part or not. If he be, then must you betray his counsel, and that yearly. And why? because the pope is on this side the mountains. But and if he be in Rome, and hath all Prince's necks under his girdle, then is it sufficient that you come every third year. For you can at one's coming, devise as much treason, as Princes shall avoid in five years. But what belongeth this unto a Bishop? that the Pope is on this side The bishops swear to visit the Pope yearly. the mountains, or beyond. If you be bound by God's law, yearly to visit the Pope, then must you visit him, where soever he be, though he were either with God, or the devil, And if you be not bound by God's law, what a presumption is it of him to bind you? Yea what an oversight is it of you, to let yourself thus to be bound? And what a wickedness is it of you so straightly to keep this oath? to the which you are not bound by Scripture, against your obedience made to your Prince, which is commanded by God's word? But I pray you what example hath either he or you of blessed S. Peter, to bind by the virtue of an oath, the other Apostles yearly to visit him at Rome. All the world may perceive, that this oath is invented of insatiable covetousness, that the Pope and you have toward honours and dignities. And that is well declared by these words, that followeth in your oath. The possessions The Pope taketh sure order with his Bishops for his own gain. of my Church, I shall not cell, give, lay to mortgage, or make any feoffment, or by any other means alienate the same, without the counsel of the pope. But I pray you tell me one thing, why do you not swear, that you shall neither buy, nor yet receive any possessions to your church, nor you shall neither pill, nor pole, nor shave, to increase the possessions of your Church. But the truth is, all is fish that cometh to the net with you. And if it come one's within your cloukes, it never cometh out again, though the King and his Realm should stand in never so great need. But to receive all his land, you are always ready, and it is not against your oath. I do not say thus, because I would you should cell, or alienate the possessions of the Church, but because I see that there is nothing maintained by them, but all only your mischievous pomp and your pride. Your own ●ij. quest. ij. c. Quatu. & de reditibus, etc. Mosest. law commandeth, that the fourth part of the spiritual goods, should be distributed among poor men. And for that cause they be called, Bona pauperum, but how little their part is, all the world can testify. Wherefore do you swear, not to alienate your goods, without the pope's licence? The pope gave them not to you, but the king & his subjects. How cometh he now to be so near of your counsel in alienating them? and the king is thrust out, the which hath deserved best to be of your counsel. But do you not remember your own law? the which xii. quest. ij. c. non liciat Papa. doth forbidden that the pope in any wise, or sore any necessity, should alienate the goods of the Church, except it be old houses, which can not be kept without great charges. This is your own law, and against this will you swear? Then must you needs be perjured, for if you alienate your goods with the Pope's licence, then is this Decree against you and curseth you. Wherefore then put you this in your oath, seeing you can not alienate your goods with his consent, nor yet without it? It followeth in your new oath, decrees, ordinances, sentences, disposions, reservations, provisions, and commandments apostolic, with all my power I will observe, & shall and 'cause other men to observe them These things were added, when this Idol was brought so high, that no man durst winch against him. and when he might say, and do what he would. And as your law commandeth, no man so hardy to ask him why he doth so. Then began decrees, ordinances, depocytions, dispositions, In vi. tit. iiij. ca ad Apost. in verbo conti●etur. reservations, provisions with like shamefulness sore to spring. and there is no remedy, but they must continue? And why? Because you are sworn to keep them yourself, and to compel other men also to keep them. And out of the keeping of this part of your oath, springeth out an other sentence that followeth, which is this. All heretics, sysmatikes, and rebels, towards our said Lord the Pope, to my power I shall persecute and withstand. This is the cause that hath made This is the clause that maintaineth the Pope's pomp and glory. And this is that that to giveth him liberty say and do what he list. us poor men so great heretics. For it can never be proved, that ever we spoke against God, or our king, and yet be we heretics. And why? Forsooth because the Bishops are sworn to the Pope's decrees, the which condemneth all them for heretics, that speaketh against his holiness, though he be as holy as my horse. For he saith himself in his law, that he needeth not to be holy himself, but it is sufficient, that he sitteth in an holy seat. These be his words: who doubteth Dist. xl. ca Non nos. but he is holy, the which is exalted to so great a dignity? In whom though good works of his own merits be wanting yet are those good works sufficient, the which were done by his predecessors. Upon the which Glosa in verbo quis. text their gloze saith, that if it be openly known, that the Pope be an advoulterer, or a murderer, yet aught he not to be accused. etc. Now we poor men can not suffer such mischievous vices, wherefore we must be heretics. But why? because my lords the bishops are sworn to persecute us. But nevertheless, I The preachers of the doctrine of Christ must needs be heretics for the said doctrine is against the Pope, and so they preach against the Pope, and therefore are heretics. trust to God's grace, and the Kings, that my Lords the Bishops, will not be so hard, in this point of their oath, as they have been. And why? Because men may now come to their answer. Surely, there be many clauses in his last oath added, that be clear injury unto princes, & against God's law, and man's law. And yet our Bishops will swear them, yea & that, which is worst of all, they will accuse other men of treason & rebellion, And there is no man sworn to treason, nor rebellion, but they only. ¶ Wherefore most gracious prince with all meekness and lowliness that is due to so noble a prince, and also The writer's petition of the kings grace. that doth become a true subject to do, I lowly and meekly require and desire your grace, to judge between the Bishops and me, which of us is trewest and faithfullest to God and to your grace. I speak all only of those that hath and also would now (if they durst) defend the Pope, and his laws. Against them I make this supplication, and against them have I declared the learning and doctrine, that I have both taught and written. And as for my facts, & deeds, what I have done against God and your grace, I require them to say their uttermost, that they can prove, or else by your gracious favour, I am bear present and offer myself to prove them liars, And that under any manner of pain, that your grace shall assign. And against them I have declared the learning and doctrine of their Church, and also brought examples of their facts and deeds, with the which they have put their doctrine in exercise. Now if they be grieved, or think themselves wrongfully handled of me, than I require no more of your grace, but indifferently and graciously, to here both them and me, the which thing, no doubt as your grace doth know our heavenvly father doth require of you. who preserve your highness in all honour & dignity. Amen. The cause of my condemnation. Most gracious Prince, the your grace should know what cause of heresy the Bishops had against me, for the which, they so uncharitably, and so cruelly hath cast me away. Therefore have I set out the articles the were laid against me. And as they were laid against me, as I will be reported by their own acts and books. The which articles doubtless were uncharitably, & falsely gathered against me, in a sermon the I made in Cambridge, in S. Edward's Churrh. 〈◊〉. 1525. die, 14. De●…bris. Wherefore I will beseech your grace, with all meekness, & lowliness, to be my gracious Lord, & Prince. And not to suffer me thus shamefully, & cruelly, against all law, & conscience, utterly to be undone, & cast away. But of your most high goodness to suffer me to come to mine answer, and then, if I can not justify my cause I will be at your gracious commandment, to be punished after right, and conscience. IF thou believe, that thou art more The first Article. bound to serve God to morrow which is Christmas day, or of easter day, or of whitsunday, for an holiness that is in one day more than in an other, than art thou no faithful christian man, but superstitious, And S. Paul is Galat. 5. against thee, saying: You do observe days, years, months, and tides. For unto a faithful christian man, every day aught to be Christmas day Easter day, and whitsunday. The Why holy days were ordained. which thing the father's considering that thou didst not observe, yea, & that thou wouldst never observe, if it were left to thy judgement, because thou art given so much to worldly businesses, For that cause they have assigned thee certain days to come to the certain days to come to the church to pray together, to hear the word of God together, and to receive the blessed sacrament together. what fault find you in this article? because I There is not one day of itself higher or better than an other. say, that one day is not holier than an other? I pray you what is the cause or what nature is in one day, that is not in an other, whereby that it should be holier than the other? Because (you will say) that we hallow the remembrance of Christ's birth and of Christ's resurrection in one day, and not in an other. This thing I say must you do every day, for Christ is every day born, every day risen, every day ascended up. And this must you believe every day steadfastly. This must you sanctify in your hearts daily, and not one day. ¶ Now vary we but in this thing. You say that we are bond to sanctify but one Christmas day in the year, and that is superstitiousness, & heresy say I, not that I condemn your one day, but that you set it to one day all only, that we are bond to do every day. Briefly, my Lord of Rochester allowed this article, saying: he would The Bishop of Rochester's great and deep judgement. not condemn it for heresy, for an C. li. (this was a great sum of money) but it was folishely said (quoth he) to preach this afore the butchers of cambridge, As who say, they were all butchers, that were at the sermon And not the most part of the university. But the bishop of Bath asked me, whether we might labour on the holy days or not, seeing it is written, Thou shalt observe thy holy day. I Let us not play the jews. answered that Christian men were not bound to abstain from bodily labour by that commandment, for it was so given to the jews. And if we were bond to abstain from bodily labour by that commandment than was the kings grace, and all his council, my Lord Cardinal, and all That would they not do, if it were against god's commandment. his counsel, in the way of damnation, For they 'cause men to carry their stuff on the holy day, what day so ever it be, when they will remove. At this reason all my Lords were astonished, and witted not what to say: they were loath to condemn my Lord Cardinal's grace, seeing he was so holy a prelate of Christ's church, and that fact they could not deneye. Wherefore at the last, my Lord of Rochester remembered himself, and objected in The Bishop of Rochester against the Bishop of Winchester this manner. A goodly reason, I will make you a like reason, The bishop of Winchester suffered the stues, Ergo the stues be lawful. At this reason I ineruayled much. For I perceived, that it was as lawful for our noble Prince to carry stuff on the holy day (which is not against the word of god) as it is for an harlot of the stnes to live in open whoredom, which is against the word of God. And yet my Lords the bishops of their great charity, & and of their innumerable spiritual treasure suffereth against their conscience both to be done. Briefly it were to long to recite all the uncharitable manner that they did use with me. And yet earnestly I must be condemned poor man for an heretic. But I will recite the saying of doctors for me, the men may see how shamefully I have erred. Saint Gallat. 4. Jerome saith, Therefore be certine days assigned, that we should come together, not that, that day, in the which we come together is holier than an other, but all days be like, All days be alike. and equal, And Christ is not alonely crucified in Parasceden, and risen only on the sunday, but the day of resurrection is always, and always may we eat of our lords flesh. etc. Here S. Jerome saith the self words the I spoke, And of these words was I moved to speak, as God doth know. Also S. Augustine saith, we must observe the sabbath day, not the Epist. c. nineteeen we should reckon ourself not to labour, but that all thing that we do work well, must have an intention to the everlasting rest. Wherefore we must observe the holy day, not by corporal idleness, and unto the letter, but spiritually must we rest from vices, and concupiscences, wherefore among all the ten commandments, that of the sabbath day is alonely commanded to be figuratively observed etc. Also tertulyan. The Carnal Aduersus judeos. circumcision is put away, and extincted at his time. So likewise the observation of the sabbath day is declared to be for a time, for we must keep the sabbath day, not alonely the seventh day, but at all times, as Esay saith etc. But here my Lord of Rochester said, first, that I understood not Tertulian, secondarily, that he was an heretic. But I pass over mine answer, for this is but a Lordly word, and he could none otherwise save his honour, but yet standeth my scripture fast. And S. Jerome, and S. Augustine, & also their own law, whose words be these: It is come unto me, that certain men, which be of an evil Do consec. dist. iij. cap. pervenit. spirit, have sown certain evil things among you, and contrary to the holy faith, so that they do forbidden, that men should work on the Sabbath day. The which men, what other thing shall we call them, but the preachers of Antichrist, the which Antichrist shall make the Sabbath day, and the Sunday be kept from all manner of work. etc. This law clearly declareth you to be Antichristes, this is more than I said. I have great marvel, that the Bishop of Bath, being so mighty a Lord in condemning of heretics, was not learned in this law, seeing it is his own faculty. NOw dare no man preach the truth, The second article. and the very Gospel of God, & in especial they that be feeble, and fearful. But I trust, yea and I pray to God, that it may shortly come, that false and manifest errors may be plainly showed. There be certain men like conditioned to dogs, if there be any man, that is not their countryman, or that they love not, or know not, say any thing against them, then cry they, an heretic, an heretic, ad ignem, ad ignem. These be the dogs that fear true preachers. What heresy find you in this article? I do think that you do feel my prayer to be herds. For doubtless there be many shameful errors now manifestly opened, that at those days had been heresy to have touched them. We make now a days many The third article. Martyrs, I trust we shall have many more shortly. For the viritie could never be preached plainly, but persecution did follow. Here did my Lord of Bath inquire of me, if I reckoned them for martyrs, that were burnt at Bruselles, I answered, that I knew not their cause, wherefore they died, but I reckoned as many men to be martyrs, as were persecuted, and died for the word of God, but he said, he would make me to fry for this. How think you by this holy prelate? was not this a charitable argument to refel mine answer with? But this was the strongest argument, that ever they used. And peradventure I may see the day, that this argument may be made against them. THese laws, these lawyers, these The iiij. article. justiciares, that say, that a man may lawfully ask his own good afore God forgive them that laid this to me. a judge, and contend in judgement, have destroyed all patience, devotion, and faith in Christian people. On this article hangs also the next. THis pleading in judgement, is The fifth article. manifestly against the Gospel. Luk. 12. Homo quis constituit judicem. And contrary to S. Paul, jam omnino delictum est etc. Mine adversaries most uncharitably laid these two articles against me, as though I had condemned the lawmaker, law, and execution thereof, when I only spoke against As it is lawful for a Christian man to demand his debt by the order of the law. So is it not lawful to vex and sue uncharitably those in whom there is such necessity as they can not make payment, but rather shall perish and dye in prison, which thing is against charity & therefore it is sinful. the unchariblenes of some men, which rather seek vengeance of their brethren, than any right or help of the law. Nor I speak not against all lawyers, or against any for pleading justly, after the form of the law: but only against those which taught men, that they were bound to prosicute the uttermost of the law, under the pain of deadly sin, were the man never so poor, and unlike to pay the debt. Against these two people spoke I, and against none other. For it is not, nor never was mine intent, to forbidden suing at the law, for I do know very well, that maiestratus is of God. Ergo, it must needs follow that all laws, having probable reasons of nature, made to conserve a common wealth, must also be allowed of God, for laws be a part of the power that is instituted of God. Moreover, S. Paul doth appeal to the Emperor, which is also pars litis. And that he could not do, if suing were simpliciter, forbidden. Also good laws be God's gifts. Wherefore it must needs follow, that we may lawfully use them. But as men may misuse cunning, and beauty, so may men also misuse the excellent gift of the laws, not that laws be evil, but because we use them not to the intent that they were ordained for. No man doubteth, but in using of all God's creatures, there must be an epykya, that is, a mean, a measure, and an order, so that no man may thereby destroy his neighbour against the order of charity, which is a guide and a ruler in using of all creatures. As for men to make a rumour in a whole country, for a trifle, or else for a man to sue his neighbour, which is not able by no means to pay his debt, and so utterly to undo him, and to take none end with him, but after the extremity of the law: I say that this manner of suits do not become Christian men. Vbi transgreditur equitatis, et charitatis limits. And that all men may clearly perceive, that these only were both my words and intent. I shall rehearse the occasion, that moved me to speak of the lawyers, and sueters. The cause was this. There was a poor man dead, and had made an other poor man his executor, and bequeathed in his will to a Church in Cambridge a kettle, worth. ij. s. iiij. d. the which kettle was Extreme law is extreme justice. afterward required by the Church Warden. But this executor being a poor man, and not able to give this bequest at that time, therefore he desired the Church Warden of longer respite, but he could not be herded, for the Church Warden would have the uttermost of the law, and sued him be fore the Commissary, and at the last, condemned him unto prison, where he lay, and neither was able to pay his debt, nor to help his wife, & children. Now, because I might do something with the Church Warden, therefore the poor man's wife came weeping, and wailing to me, desiring me in the way of charity to speak to the Church Warden, for to be good to her poor husband, whereby I was moved to sand for this my friend, his name is called John Drake, a man well known in Cambridge, unto whom I spoke in this manner. Countryman, I am very sorry to hear of your uncharitable demeanour. Here hath been with me a poor woman weeping, and wailing, and crying out, how you have undone her, her poor husband, and her miserable children, for all they have not one bit of bread, towards their food, neither is she able to labour. Wherefore I marvel sore at you, that you will be so extreme unto poor men, whom God visited with poverty, to prove your charity. What mercy will you have at Christ's hand? the which is so extreme unto your poor neighbour? whom he hath bought with his precious blood. Unto this he made me answer on this manner, how that thing pertained not to him, but unto the Church, wherefore The evil counsel of the Doctors of law. he said, that all Doctors of law did say, that they must sue therefore, under the pain of deadly sin. And if it were wrong, why did they learn so? Now, I had many words with him between him, and me, as concerning this manner. But the next day, when I preached, by the reason that the self same man stood afore me in the Church, was I brought to remembrance of the case, that he, and I had commoned of. And because I had not clearly converted him, therefore I recited the case in a parable, that no man known what I meant, but he, & I And of this thing was I moved (as God knoweth) to speak of suitors, the which I think in this case, no Christian man can allow. And therefore I say in mine Article, these lawyers. Now is there utterly sin among you (saith Paul) 1. Cor. 6. because you go to law one with an other, why rather suffer you not wrong? why rather suffer you not yourselves to be rob? Also our master saith, If any man will sue at the law, and Math. 5. take thy coat from thee, let him have thy cloak also. May not I say these words? wherefore were they written I do not condemn suing, but in a case. by the holy ghost? but that they should be learned? Here our master Christ, and S. Paul speaketh against suitors, no man can deny it, the text is so clear. Now, what suing can be unlawful? if this be not unlawful, against the which I did speak? Here is a poor man, wife, and children destroyed, and no charitable ways taken with the poor man, whereby he might make restitution. And my learning says: That Summum ius summa iniuria est. Wherefore I will be judged by all Christian men, if I aught not in this case to give my friend counsel, not for to sue. Or whether I be worthy to be condemned for an The spirituality forbiddeth Priests to sue, in causa sanguinis et tamen non dampnant leges Athanasius. heretic, because I counsel my friend and brother, rather to suffer wrong, than for to undo a whole household for a naughty lewd kettle. But let us see, how the holy doctors that hath written over these places of scripture, doth erpounde them. First, Athanasius, on this text of Saint Paul, that I bring: There is utterly sin among you, that is to say, It is to your condemnation, and to your ignominy, that you do exercise judicials among you. Wherefore do you not rather suffer wrong? Also saint Jerome, It is sin unto S. Heir. ad Cor. 6. you that you do against the commandment of Christ, that you have judgements among you, the which aught always to keep peace, yea, though it were with the loss of your temporal goods. Wherefore do you not rather suffer wrong? Where as you aught by the commandment of the These doctors will not, nor can not destroy all iudicialles, but only, uncharitable suits. Gospel, and by the example of the Lord, patiently to suffer, there do you the contrary, not all only not suffer, but you do wrong unto them, that do no wrong. etc. Mark how S. Jerome calleth it a precept, and a commandment, and no counsel, and also calleth it sin to do against this commandment. Likewise Haymo says: It is offence and sin in Haymo ad Cor. 6. you, that you have judicials. For accusation engendereth strife, strife engendereth discord, discord engendereth hatred. And lest peradventure they would say, this is no sin, to require mine own: Therefore saith the Apostle: Truly it is sin unto you, for you do against the commandment Luke. 6. of the Lord, the which saith: He that taketh away thy good, ask it not again. Wherefore do you not rather suffer loss? that you might fulfil the commandment of the Lord etc. Mark how he calleth it the commandment of God? and it is sin to ask our own with contention? Now, what have I said in mine article, that holy scripture, and also holy Doctors do not say? But after this came a Doctor of If it be a counsel, than can you not condemn it for heresy. law (whom I known not) and said, that their law had condemned this epinion, and declared those scriptures to be but counsels. But I denied that, and said, I known no such law. And suddenly Doctor Steven, now Bishop of Winchester, showed me their law, whose words be these: Illud evangelii, si quis abstulerit. etc. 14. quest. 1. His ita. non est precipientis sed exhortantis. Now let every Christian man judge, whether that these words of their law be of sufficient authority, to refel the holy words of Scripture or no? But than came doctor Wolman, and he brought this text. If thy brother do offend thee, than tell the Church. What is that (said he) tell the Church? to whom I answered, that this place made not for his purpose, aleaging Saint Augustine for me. For it speaketh of the crimes, that should be reproved by the congregation, and not of the correction of the temporal sword. It also followeth, If he hear not the church, count him as an heathen, and as a publican. This is the uttermost pain, that our M. Christ assigneth there, the which is no pain of the temporal law. But at this answer, was he sore moved and said: if I did abide by it, I should be burned. This was a sharp sentence, of so great a man as he is. Apppelles' was a jolly wise fellow, that said They understood mine answer so well that they were than content with me. once to a shoemaker, Ne suitor ultra crepidam. But nevertheless let him, and them burn as many as they can, yet it is plain, that I have spoken never a word, but the holy scripture, and holy doctors say the same, both in sentence, and in words. Wherefore I can not see how they can condemn this article, for heresy, yea, and I dare say for them, that they reckon it none heresy, nor they did not condemn me for this article. I Will never believe, nor yet I can never believe, that one man may be The sixte article. by the law of God a bishop of 2. or 3. cities, yea of an whole country, for it is contrary to S. Paul, which saith, I have left thee behind, to set Tit. 1. in every city a bishop. And if you find in one place of scripture, the they be called Episcopi, you shall find in divers other places, that they be called Persoiteri. ¶ I was brought afore my Lord Cardinal into his galary, and there The Cardinal and Doctor Barnes reasoned together. he read all mine articles, till he came to this, and there he stopped, & said, that this touched him, and therefore he asked me, if I thought it wrong, that one bishop should have so many cities underneath him, unto whom I answered, that I could no But therefore was. I an heretic. farther go, then to S. Paul's text, which set in every city a bishop. Then asked he me, if I thought it now unright (seeing the ordinance of the church) that one bishop should have so many cities? I answered, the I known none ordinance of the church (as concerning this thing) but S. Paul's saying only. Nevertheless I did see a contrary custom and practice in the world, but I know not the original thereof. Then said he, the O sigmentum. in the Apostles time, there were divers cities, some 7. mile, some uj. mile long, and over them was there set but one bishop, & of their subbards also. So likewise now, a bishop hath but one city to his cathedral church and the country about, is as subbards unto it. Me thought this was far fetched, but I dared not deny it, because it was so great authority, and of so holy a father, and of so great a If I feigned sut●… thing 〈◊〉 should be an heretic. divine. But this dare I say, that his holiness could never prove it by scripture, nor yet by any authority of doctors, nor yet by any practice of the Apostles, and yet it must be true, because a pillar of the church hath spoken it. But let us see what the doctors say to mine article. Athanasius doth Athanasius. declare this text of the Apostle, I have left thee behind. etc. He would not commit unto one bythop a whole ylde but he did enjoin, that every city should have his proper pastor, supposing, the by this means they should more diligently over see the people, & and also that the labour should be more easy to bear. etc. Also Chrisostome Chrisostome. on that same text. He would not the a whole country should be permitted unto one man, but he enjoined unto every man his cure, by the means he known, that the labour should be more eaysye, and the subjects should be with more diligence governed, if the teachers were not distracted with the governing of many churches, but had cure, and charge of one church only. etc. Me thinketh these be plain words, and able to move a man to speak asmuch as I did. But grant, that you may have all these cities, yet can you make it none heresy. For my lord Cardinal granted, that it was but against him, and against you, which be no Gods. But I poor man must be an heretic, there is no remedy, you will have it so. And who is able to say nay? Not all scripture, nor yet God himself. IT can not be proved by scripture, The seven. article. that a man of the church should have so great temporal possessions. But they will say, if they had not so great possessions, they could not keep so many servants, so many dogs, so many horses, as 40. or 50. & maintain so great pomp, and pride, and live so deliciously, what heresy find you in this? Is it heresy to speak against your horses, and your hounds and your abominable living? And doubtless, I did not say, but that you might have possessions, all only I spoke against the superfluousness, and the abuse of them, for the which all the world wondereth on you. What mischief is there in the world used, the is more clearly, and openly known, then that you do abuse the goods of the Church? And yet must I be condemned for an heretic, for speaking against it. Alas, do you think, that God will suffer this violence, that you do use against poor men? I will stand in the danger, & prove how his Godly majesty shall judge this matter between you and me I dare trust him with it. SUre I am, that they can not by the The viii. article. law of God, have any jurisdiction secular, and yet they challenge both powers, which if they have, why do they not put them both in use? For they must say, as the jews said, we may kill no man. This is the article, that did bite you, for you can not be content with the office of a bishop, but you will be also kings. How that standeth with God's law, and with your oath, I have declared it to our noble prince. I doubt not, but he will put you to the trial of it. Have not you this many years condemned Officicers be but bishops hangmen, God amend it. many a poor man, & then delivered him to the temporal power to be put to death, which known nothing of his cause? And if he would, the ye should put him to death yourself, than answered ye, how you might kill no man. So that they were always your hangmen. THey say they be the successors of The ix. article. Christ and of his Apostles, but I can see them follow none, but judas. For they bear the purse, and have all the money. And if they had not so great possessions, I am sure an. C. would speak against them, where now dare not one, for loss of promotion. As for this article I will overcome you with the witness of all the world, you may well condemn it for heresy, but it is as true as your Pater noster. judas sold our ma●…ter but once, and you cell him as often as he cometh in your hands. But I would it were that ye could prove me a liar, and that you followed any of the Apostles saving judas only. Yea, I would that ye were in certain points as good as judas was. It had been better for you that you had not meddled against me in these matters. For now I am compelled to speak many things, which I would for shame of the world never have spoken. But now that you will have it so, take it to you, and make the best you can of it. THere is not the greatest Pharisee The x. article. in this Church, but I am sure I prick him with these words, and he knoweth that they be true, though he say the contrary, and that do I well know. This article did I speak because of Doctor Riddle, which on a time granted in master Doctor Buttes house, that the bishops were clean out of order. And therefore I say, that I know it. THese ordinary Bishops and prelate's The xj. article. do follow that false Prophet Balaam. For they would curse the people, but by the provision of God, they were compelled to bless them, that is to say, to teach them to live well, though they themselves live most mischievously. And so the Asses which they ride upon, that is, the common people, have their lives in abhominaiton. This is the heinous heresy. For it speaketh against the holy fathers, which be almost as holy as Balaams' Ass, that did once speak the word of God to a good purpose: And so do they never. But I grant that I did offend in caulling you ordinary Bishops, for I should have called you inordinate butchers. And as for that, that I compared you to Balaam, it is your own law. 2. quest. 7. Secuti sunt. And cap. Nos si. 2. cue 7. Secuti sunt. & cap. Nos si. And as for your living all the world knoweth it. I could tell here many holy points of Bishops living, as keeping of men's wives, and daughters, but I will not, for I should be reckoned uncharitable. But you may do them, breaking not your holy charity. THey set up an Idol to deceive the The xii. article. people withal, which is called Baal Peor, or Baal Phegor, that is interpretated gasping, as their laws and constitutions, the which gasp and gape to maintain their worldly honour. They 'cause us to do sacrifice by fair women, that is by their carnal affections, and sweet words, so that God of Israel is forgotten. And thus by their sweet words, and benediction they deceive the simple. These be the false masters that Saint Peter speaketh of. These 2. Pet. 2. be the fountains without water, for they give no good doctrine to the people. Where is the heresy in this? because I compare your laws to Baal? But look whether the interpretation of the word do agree with the nature of your laws or not? What do all your laws, but minish the authority of Princes? and of all other Lords, and exalt yours only? Call you not that a gasping Idol? Let this article stand till you be able to prove it heresy. NOw they cell us, they cell the people, they cell holy orders, they cell The xiii. article. church hallowing, there is no better merchandise in Chepeside. Wilt thou know what is the price of a Church hallowing? no less than xl. shillings. They cell pardons, and remissions of sins as openly as a Cow, and an Ox is sold, for they never grant them without money. The Suffragan of Ely did ask of master john Purgolde xl. s. and the offering, for hallowing of S. Edward's in Cambrige: yea and he would not do it so good cheap (quoth he) but because he had a God-daughter buried in the churchyard. But this may be proved by examples enough. For bring ye forth one church in all England, that you have hallowed without money, or without hope of money, and I will grant my conclusion false. And as for your pardons, all the world knoweth your handling. I The pope's pardons hath been the best merchandise in England. dare say it is the best merchandise in the world, as you handle it. But was it not a marvelous blindness, and a great presumption, so cruelly to handle me for these articles? was there no middle to have punished me for speaking against you, but that I must needs be an heretic? I dare say, there is not one among you so shameless, the dare come forth now at this day, and prove these articles heresy against me. But doubtless as long as I live, and am not restored to my name and fame again, which you have violently taken away from me, will I be unto you a devil, and a pestilence. I require nothing of you, but my good name and fame, to the which I have right, and to the which you aught of your charity restore me, though I never required you. I think you have punished me enough, for speaking of a foolish word or twain against you. Wilt thou know what their benedictions The xiv. article. is worth? They had rather give thee then benedictions, than one halfpenny. Is not this a sore heresy? You ride thorough streets, and towns, blessing man and stone, but you never give halfepenye to man, nor child. Now is come a pardon, whereby The xv. article. they say that they have power to send an hundredth souls to heaven. And if they may so do without any further respect, then may they likewise send an other 100 to hell. For it followeth in the text, Quodcunque ligaveris, that is, what so ever thou byndest. Is not this a sore heresy, to say that you may not rule this matter at your judgement. But this is a marvelous text, Quodcunque ligaveris, for it bindeth in hell, and loseth in heaven, and openeth men's purses, & coffers in earth, it deposeth Princes, it interditeth lands, it loseth a man out of his coote: yea and often times it loseth a man from his wife, yea and the horse out of the cart. And all is done by this text Quodcunque ligaveris. Is not this a marvelous text, that hath so great a power? I know not such an other in all the Bible. IT is abominable to hear how The xuj. article. they preach, and teach, that they may absolve a poena and a culpa, which I am sure is impossible, as they understand it. Make of this what you can, and look of your own scholastical doctors, The which learneth boldly that the keys of the church hath none authority over sin, nor yet over eternal pain. But all only hath authority to change everlasting pain unto a temporal pain: & that the pope may change, & take away at his pleasure. And among all temporal pains, you reckon purgatory the greatest. Over the which that pope hath full power. This is your own doctrine. Look in Alexander de Hales, in Alexander Duns, Bonaventure in iiij. sent. Duns, and in Bonaventure, in the 4. book of the sentences. Now if you will condemn me, then must you fyrist condemn this your own doctrine. WHat is the cause that they forbidden us that we should not discuss The xvij. article. how great their power is? but because that they would make all men fools, and hold us in ignorance? Your own schoolmen say, the pope's power is so great, that no man can, nor may discuss it. Also your law commandeth. That no man be so hardy, The Pope may not be conptrolled of any man. as to ask the pope, Lord why do you so? But put the case that this were a lie, yet is it far from heresy. Yet my Lords say, that I shall be an heretic, And why say I? Because we will have it so, say they. Yea and thou be'st not so content, thou shalt be burned. Marry I thank you heartily my Lords. Pro bona vestra informacione. THey have a law most abominable, & contrary to God's law The xviij. article. and charity, to excommunicate the people. 4. times in a year, that is to say, those men that raise the rent of an house: that must you understand, if it belong not to the church. For if it belong unto the church, thou mayst raise it in every month on's, and no man shall curse thee. Also they curse them that be not buried in their parish church, the must be understanded, if that they be rich men, for if they be poor, they may be buried among the friars. The Bishop of Bath said, there was no such manner to curse men. And all the world knoweth the contrary. Moore over I read these articles in the book of the general curse, that belongeth to saint Benet's church in Cambrige and there did I mark it with mine own hand, and yet the bishop was not ashamed to deny it. And why? Because I must be an heretic, there is no remedy, the holy fathers hath so determined it. THey have miters with glystering The nineteeen. article. precious stones, they have gloves for catching cold in the midst of their ceremonies. They have rings, and ouches, & other ceremonies, so many the there is in a manner now nothing else in the church, but all iewyshe manners. will you make this heresy? because I speak against your damnable and pompous miters? I think such ornaments were to be condemned even among heathen men, I will not say among christian men. But this No man may speak against the pomp of Prelates. dare I say, that there was never no God among heathen men, that ever delighted in such ornaments: And yet you will serve the God of heaven by them. And your poor brother, whom Christ hath redeemed with his precious blood dieth in prison, and openly in the street & hangs himself for necessity, & yet will you not bestow on him so much as one of your precious stones. Tell me of one bishop that ever broke his mitre to the helping of a poor man? was there never man in necessity in England? but all the world may see what you be. These things be sensible enough. THese miters I can not tell from The xx. article. whence they do come, except they take them from the jews bishops. & if they take them from the jews, then let them also take their sacrifices, and their oblations from them, and offer calves, and lambs, as they did, and then have we nothing to do with them, for we be christian men, and no jews. I pray you tell me where bishops miters, cometh from the jews. ye find but one prick in holy scripture of your miters? Our master did institute bishops, And S. Paul setteth out what is their office, and also what is their ornament. & yet speaketh never a word of your miters. But I dare boldly say, the if you be put to the trial, you shall be fain to run to the old law. But can I be an heretic, if I condemned clearly your miters, and said they were of the devil? when you prove them to be of Christ's institution, then will I be an heretic. Is not that Enough? I pray you let me so long be taken for a christian man. And if you be not content with this, truly then do ye me wrong. THese miters with 2. horns I cannot The xxi. article. tell what they should signify, except it be the horns of the false prophet, of whom It is spoken, with 3. King. these horns shalt thou blow afore thee all Syria. And so did he mock their rings, and all their ornaments, and ecclesiastical ceremonies. It will come Bishops use vain & foolish ceremonies. to my saying, that you be bishops of the old law, for you have nothing to defend your rings, your ornaments, and your ceremonies, but very tyranny. Wherefore to maintain these, depose you kings, and prince's interdite lands & burn man, wife, and child. And when you have all done, you have defended but a devilish token of pride. The doctors, that would favour your proud tokens, & expound them to the best, have declared that the two horns of your miters did signify the new and the old testament, that is, how you should be learned in them both. Now I see, that this exposition did not agree with that thing (for no man can be less learned in them than you be, I speak of a great many.) Wherefore me thought it was but a vain exposition, and therefore I compared What the two horns of the mitre means. them to the two horns of the false Prophet, because (as you know) this false Prophet, said unto the king, that he should with these two horns blow afore him all Syria. And yet he lied, for the king was the first man that was slain. So likewise you say unto kings, if they follow your counsel, and maintain your authority, and be ruled after you, Then shall they overcome all their enemies: As sin, death, and hell, and yet (Saluo ordine vestro) you lie, for you have no word of God for you. Wherefore you must be false Prophets. Here have I compared with a similitude your miters to the two horns, and you to false Prophets, what if this be false? what if I can not prove it? yet can you make me none heretic. For than must you make those men heretics, that have compared the forks of your miters to the new, and to the old Testaments, and you to the true Apostles, for they have made a greater lie than I have done, and they are never able to prove it. And as for me, I will prove my saying true (if you will stand to Scripture) or else will I be taken for an heretic. THey have baculum pastoralem to The xxij. article. take sheep with, but it is not like a shepherds hook, for it is intricate and manifold crooked, and turneth always in, so that it may be called a maze, for it hath neither beginning nor ending, and it is more like to knock swine and woules in the head with, then to take sheep. They have also pyllers, and pollaxes, and other ceremonies, which no doubt, be but trifles, and things of nought. I pray you what is the cause that you call your staff a shepherds staff? you help no man with it? you comfort no man? you lift up no man with it? but you have stricken down kings, and kingdoms with it, and knocked in the head Dukes & Earls with it. Call you this a shepherds staff? There is a space in the shepherds The meaning of the bishops crosier staff. staff, for the foot to come out again, but your staff turneth, and wyndeth always inward, and never outward, signifying that what soever he be that cometh within your danger, that he shall never come out again. This exposition your deeds do declare, let them be examined, that you have had to do with. And let us see how they have escaped your shepherds hook. But these be the articles, for the which I must needs be an heretic. Nevertheless all the world may see how shamefully, that I have erred against your holynesses in saying the truth. My Lord Cardinal reasoned with me in this article, all the other he passed over, saving this, and the sixte article. Here did he ask, if I thought it good and reasonable, that he should lay down his pyllers and pollaxes, & coin them? Here is the heresy that is so abominable. I made him answer, Cardinal Wolsey liked well his pyllers & pollaxes. that I thought it well done. Then said he, how think you, were it better for me? (being in the honour and dignity that I am) to coin my pyllers, and pollaxes, and to give the money to. u or uj. beggars? then for to maintain the common wealth by them as I do? Do you not reckon (quoth he) the common wealth better than five or six beggars? To this I did answer, that I reckoned it more to the honour of God, and to the salnation of his soul, and also to the comfort of his poor brethren, that they were coined, and given in alms. And as for the common wealth did not hang of them, for as his grace known, the common wealth was afore Where be they now. his grace, and must be when his grace is go, and the pyllers and pollaxes came with him, and should also go away with him. Notwithstanding if the common wealth were in such a condition, that it had need of them, than might his grace so long use them, or any other thing in their stead, so long as the common wealth needed them. Notwithstanding I said, thus much did I not say, in my Sermon against them, but all only I damned in my Sermon the gorgeous pomp and pride of all exterior ornaments. Then he said, well, you say very well. But as well as it was said, I am sure that these words made me an heretic, for if these words had not been therein, mine adversaries dared never have showed their faces against me. But now they known well that I could never be indifferently herded. For if I had got the victory, them must all the Bishops, and my Lord Cardinal, have laid down all their gorgeous ornaments. For the which they had rather burn xx. such heretics, as I am, as all the world knoweth. But God is mighty, and of me hath he showed his power, for I dare say, they never intented thing more in their lives, than they did to destroy me, and yet God of his mercy hath saved me, against all their violence, unto his godly wisdom is the cause all only known. The Bishop of London that was Tunstall Bishop of London had intelligence where D. Barnes was become. then called Tunstall, after my departing out of prison, said unto a substantial man, that I was not dead (for I dare say his conscience did not reckon me such an heretic, that I would have killed myself, as the voice went, but yet would he have done it gladly of his charity) but I was (said he) in Amsterdame, where I had never been in my life (as God knoweth, nor yet in the country this x. years) & certain men did there speak with me (said he) and he feigned certain words, that they should say to me, & I to them, and added thereunto, that my Lord Cardinal would have me again, or it should cost him a great sum of money, how much I do not clearly remember. I have marvel that my Lord is not ashamed, thus shamefully, and thus Lordly to lie, all though he might do it by authority. And where my Lord Cardinal, & he would spend so much money to have me again, I have great marvel of it. What can they make of I am now here what say to you me. me? I am a simple poor wretch, and worth no man's money in the world (saving there's) not the tenth penny, that they will give for me. And to burn me, or to destroy me, can not so greatly profit them. For when I am dead, the Sun, & the Moon, the stars, and the element, water and fire, yea and also stones, shall defend this cause against them, rather than the verity should perish. But if they be so charitable to do good Good counsel given to the Bishops. works, and to spend their money so well, they have prisoners & poor men enough in the land, let them bestow their money of them. And as for me, I do promise them here by this present writing, and by the faith that I own to Christ jesus, and by that fidelity that I own to my prince, that if they will be bound to our noble Prince, after the manner of his law, and after good conscience, and right, that they shall do me no violence, nor wrong, but disc●…sse and dispute these articles, and all other that I have written, after the holy word of God, and by Christ's holy scripture with me. Then will I (as soon as I may know it) present myself unto our most noble prince, there offering myself to his grace, that I will either prove these things by God's word against you all, or else I will suffer at his grace's pleasure. Whom the father of heaven preserve in honour. Amen. And if you refuse this condition, then say that you are neither good, nor charitable. For I dare say you can desire no more of a Christian man. Priests do mumble, and roar out their Dyriges, and Masses in the The twenty-three. article. Church and churchyards, for their founders, curious to speak their words distinctly. But I ensure them that their prayers shall do them no good, but only acceptatio divina. As for this article, the Bishops did not make much of, for they perceived that it was gathered without any sentence. For my saying was, that men should make their prayers in such a faith, and with such a devotion, that God might accept them, and not so idly, and without all devotion babble, and say their dyriges, alonely of vondage and of custom, and not of devotion. I brought the laying of the Apostle for me, which saith: Let your petitions, and prayers appear before God. And also he that asketh, let him Phil. 4. jaco. 1. ask in faith, nothing doubting. THere is no prayer acceptable to The xxiv. article. God, except it be fetched from the fire of the altar. This article was also gathered without any sentence, for my adversaries did not greatly care what they made of such articles as pertained to learning, and edifying. And therefore they never erred so much as they did in them. For in those articles that were against the Bishops, they did great diligence, & in a part of them gathered they my very true sentences, and mine own words. though in those things they left out uncharitably, those words that made for my declaration, and also for the probation of my saying, the which I have also here left out, all The articles as evil as they were laid of mine adversaries. only adding the articles as thy laid them against me, that all men may see that worst that they had against me. For all men may think that they will neither lay the best, nor yet the truth against me. But this article did I thus preach: that men should not in their petition and prayers, put to their good works, nor their good deeds, and their merits: As O Lord I do fast, I do pray, I am no thief, I am in charity with all the world, and for them desire God to be merciful unto them. But they should desire the father of heaven to be merciful unto them, alonely for Christ's merits. For they were the things whereby both we, and our prayers are accepted in the sight of the father. And john. 14. to prove this I brought certain Scriptures. As this: whatsoever ye shall ask the father in my name, he shall give it you. And also the figure of the old law, where there was no sacrifice done, but with the fire that was taken from the altar. Now did I say, that Christ is our altar. But this mine adversaries understood not. But I marvel what this article doth among the other heretical articles? I think they do not reckon it heresy. He did not pray for the three estates The twenty-five. article. of holy Church, neither made he his prayers in the beginning of his sermon, according to the old custom, but at the last end, and for the true knowledge of all Christian men, making no prayer to our Lady, nor for the souls in gurgatory, nor for grace expedient. If the Bishops had had any indifferency in them, or any charity, they would have been ashamed that such articles should have been brought afore them. What is this to the purpose of heresy, that I did not pray for the three estates of holy Church? And yet they grant, that I prayed for all true Christian men, and that men might come to the true knowledge. Is not all the church contained in this? But they be uncharitable men, without all consideration, they be so blinded in their worldly honour. That I did not pray to our Lady, nor for the souls in purgatory, what is that to heresy? for than were the Apostles heretics, for they did not pray in their sermons to our Liberties of holy Church may in wise be impugned. Lady, nor yet to the souls in purgatory. And as for praying for grace expedient, that is not the preacher bond to do openly. But me thinketh by these articles, that God gave me a great grace, that I dared so boldly reprove their abominable living not fearing the danger that should come thereof, but this I leave to other men's judgement. And I dare boldly say, the if I had spoken ten-times as much against the authority of our noble prince and against all his noble dukes, and Lords, & had taken all power, both spiritual and temporal from them, and given it to our idle bishops, than had I been a faithful christian man, for I had defended the liberties of holy church. But god sand them his grace, and space for to convert. Amen. The whole disputation between the Bishops and Doctor Barnes. NOw most honourable, & gracious Prince, here have I showed your grace the articles, that mine adversaries uncharitably, hath laid against me. In the which though a great many of my words, and sayings were. Yet nevertheless there was left out all those things, that did make for my declaration, and for probations of my words, and also for mollifying, and temperating of those things, that seemed to be somewhat hardly spoken, against the Bishops. The which things were to long to recite unto your noble grace. But as God is my judge, and also my conscience, and all my words, and deeds, and all manner of my living, and conversation, I did never intend, to speak against the Bishops, or else any other man, further than their living, and conversation were against the blessed word of God, and the holy doctrine of Christ's Church. For the truth is, there was no great clerk in the Church of All the ancient & learned fathers cry out upon the pride & lewd living of the Bishops. God this. CCCC. years, that written any thing, but he complained vehemently against the living of the spirituality. Let their books be brought forth, to prove whether my saying be truth or not. Alas is it not a piteous case, yea and also against all law and conscience, that I poor man shallbe thus violently cast away, for speaking against these vices, that been damned by almighty God? and by all his holy creatures? yea and the Bishops themselves, and all the world must grant that they do live as evil, yea and rather worse, than I did speak? O Lord God, where is love to virtue? where is the shamefastness that Christian men aught to have? where is justice? That I shallbe thus shamefully cast away, for speaking of that thing, that every Christian man is bound to speak? They do so live, and I being a preacher of the verity, must be condemned, for speaking against it. But most gracious and mighty Prince, God hath set your grace in the same honour, and dignity, that you by God's ordinance, aught to defend those men, that are oppressed wrongfully. Wherefore humbly, and meekly, and with all lowliness, & reverence, I beseech your grace to minister unto me gracious justice, & let me be herded indifferently, whether that I can justify my cause, with learning or not. If I can not justify it, your grace is a minister of justice, I An earnest petition made by Doctor Barnes. will refuse no manner of pain that shall be due for my transgression. Wherefore one's again, with all meekness, and lowliness, in the way of charity, and in Christ's name, and for his sweet blood sake, that he hath shed for your grace, yea and also by the virtue of your authority, that the heavenvly God hath delivered you, I do require, and desire of your grace audience, and justice. I and all my parents be your natural subjects born, and a great many of us hath died in your grace's quarrel and yet is there none of us, but are ready to do your grace that service, with our bodies, & blood that shall become true subjects to do, to their noble prince. Wherefore Thirdly, in my name, and in all our names (for all they are rebuked in me) with all meekness & reverence, I béeseche your grace of gracious audience and of favourable justice. This thing I trust your grace will not deny me Nor yet take any displeasure with me your poor subject, for thus requiring. For I have none other prince, nor Lord to seek unto here on earth, but unto your grace only. Nor can I come to any charitable end with mine adversaries. Wherefore I am compelled by extreme violence, thus to complain unto your grace, for my name, and fame, and estimation, & all things that belong to an honest poor man in this world, is taken wrongfully from me hereby, and have been by the space of. 9 or 10. years (which is no small time) compelled to live in misery, and obloquy. Wherefore most gracious prince, lamentably I cry, & call unto your grace, for gracious audience, & indifferent justice. It were to long a process to trouble your grace with, to tell all the uncharitable handling, that the cardinal, and the bishops appointed by him, did use with me. But I will make unto your grace a short somme of it, as near as I can call now to remembrance. In the year of our Lord. 1525. yt. 24. day of December, did I make 1525. a sermon, at the request of the parish in S. Edward's church in Cambrige out of the which sermon did mine adversaries gather these articles: which when I known, I offered myself to preach again the sunday following. And to declare myself, and my meaning clearly. But Doctor Rydley, and Doctor Preston, chaplains, and kinsmen to that bishop of London found the means, that the Vicechauncelour did Doct. Batnes inhibited of preaching. inhibet me to preach. But I could never know any reasonable cause why, but that alonely he said, it should be for my profit to hold my peace. And with this I was so content. Till at the last, that these foresaid doctors with one master Tyrell gathered in in writing certain articles, and presented them to the vicechancellor, which sent for me, and asked me, what I said to those articles. I answered, that they were none of mine, But certain words, and sentences there were in them, that I had spoken, but that was left out, that should make for my declaration. Wherefore I said they were none of mine, And that I would be reported by the audience. To this he said, that I should take heed what I denied, for if they brouht witness against me, them must I needs dye. I answered, that the witness should be false, for I never spoke them. Then said he, I could not prove a negative. I answered, that I would prove that witness false, what so ever he were. He said, whether The Popish law is tyrannous. they were true or false, I must suffer for it, if witness come in against me, for that was the law, I said, how that was a piteous case, And by that law they might condemn our M. Christ. He said, how that I should remember me what I did, for the matter was so dangerous, and so heinous in the law, that I might have no counsel. Then I answered, & said, well, let god help, which knoweth all things. This was in the university schools, the doors shut fast, no man being with in on my part, but I alone, But of my adversaries part, was there doctor Rydly, doctor watson, doctor Preston, and a doctor of law, whose name I have forgotten, their was also one master Fooke, & master Tyrel which was appointed among them, to be the presenter of these articles. Now the vicechancellor when he could have no more of me, in communication between us, be asked me, what I would do, I answered, he should go his way, and set him down, and hear their complaint, And I would make such an answer as God should put in my mind. He required me instantly, not to cast myself away, So he went and set him down, and I was called before him. As soon as I came, then stood forth M. Tyrell, & presented a roll, in the which were certain articles (as he Doctor Barnes is accused of contention, sedition and heresy. said) gathered out of my sermon, of that which some of them, said he, were contentious, some were seditious, some were slanderous, and some were heretical. When he had thus spoken, Then said I to him, Good M. Tyrell, will you present any of these articles as heresy? At this word spoke that vicechancellor to me, good master doctor, let that pass. Will you be content to submit yourself? Then said I where so ever I have spoken against God's word, or against the exposition of holy doctors, I will be content to be reform, and to submit myself. But with this was not doctor Rydlye, nor doctor watson content, except I should add unto it, If I had offended the laws of the church. But at that I stopped, and said, it was to large, for I knew not, what they meant by the laws of the church, nor I was no doctor of law. Wherefore I judged it sufficient for me, to be reported by God's word, & by the exposition of holy doctors. For that was my faculty. Then the vicechancellor reckoned, that it was sufficient for me. But we could not agreed in a great space, in this thing. Wherefore I said I would agree to all manner of laws, that were not 'gainst God's word, nor S. Agustine nor S. Jerome, nor yet against none of the four doctors. So did it rest that day, at this point, and no more was handled. For in this time was the whole body of that university gathered together, and knocked at the school doors, and said, they would hear the examination, seeing the matter was manifest. And these few people should not take authority on them only to here, and to determine such causes. Than the vicechancellor sent the bedell to the door, requiring them to be content, but they were the more moved, and knocked sorer. So rose the vicechancellor, and went himself to the door, & gave them as good and as fair words as he could. But the conclusion was, they would not depart, except they might hear this matter judged, and as they said, it apertained to learning. And they were the body of the university. So ytVicechauncelour came back again unto The body of the University stirred up. us all, and said, we must give over this matter for the university is in a rumour, & so departed we a sunder. Then within two or three days after, was I called into Clare hall, to ytVicechauncelours chamber, where were also the foresaid doctors, gathered against me. There did they entreat me with good words for to be content to be ordered after master Vicechauncelours council, I did require, that master vicechancellor would indifferently hear me, and mine adversaries together, And then if I had said any thing against learning, I would be ordered at master Vicechauncelours commandment. Then said they, that it was done for my profit, that master Vicechauncelour did not sit in judgement. For (as they said) they were all my friends, and would be loath that my matter should be herded in judgement. For if there came any witness against me (as they were sure there would) then were I but lost. I answered, what witness soever should come to prove those articles as they were laid against me, I would prove them false. For I had preached openly, and many learned men were at my sermon, and I doubted not, but they would testify the truth for both parties. But then answer was Here ye may note the course of that Pope's law. made me, that if three witnesses came against me, than would three and twenty not help me, for that was that course of the law. Then said I: This is a piteous case, that a man shall not be reported indifferently by his audience, seeing it was in the Vniversite. But by 2. or 3. false witnesses. Wherefore I would abide the danger & let mine adversaries do their uttermost. If I shall thus dye, I must be content (said I) I am no better than our master Christ. Then was there many words used, and many dangerous ways showed me, to have withdrawn me from this purpose, but I did stand fast in it. So they required me to go back into a chamber, & they communed together secretly alone. And at that last they sent unto me the vicechancellor, which entreated me very sore, to be content with their ordinance. For by his conscience he could not perceive, but they were all my friends, and intended to save both my name and fame, which they could not do (the law was so dangerous) unless I would follow their counsel. Then asked I M. Vicechauncelour, what they would that I should do. For truly (said I) these articles were falsely, and uncharitably laid unto me He answered, that there should be no jeopardy A subtle. crafty, and popish chancellor. in the matter, and therefore I should be contented to grant them. But unto that I would not agreed in any wise. Wherefore I desired him to departed again unto them, and I would come, & make them a reasonable answer, So came I in, making this protestation first. Right worshipful masters, I trust you be all my frend●●, and have so A protestation. much charity in you, that you will not cast me away, unless you perceive a great fault, and obstinacy in me, the which I trust you shall not find, for I did never intend, to speak, nor yet to be, against Christ's holy doctrine. Notwithstanding, seeing that that law is so dangerous, as M. vicechancellor, and you have told me: Therefore I had rather put myself unto your charity, then to stand to that danger of the law. And for this purpose two of these articles that be laid unto me thus I answer. These articles as they do here stand, were never mine nor I never D. Barnes answer to the articles alleged against him. intended to speak them, as they be here written. But nevertheless I do grant, that here be many of my words and also a great many of my sentences the I did speak. Wherefore I do submit myself unto you, desiring you charitably to deal with me, & not to take my words to that worst sense. Then made they me to be sworn, to stand to yeVicechauncelours determination. At that I stopped a great while, but at the last I granted to abide his determination, if it were not against learning and charity. And upon this the vicechancellor assoiled me, as they said Ab excommunicacione juris. Now had Note here the crafty and willy Foxes. they there standing unknown unto me, a notary, which did make an instrament of all my agreementes. For I did not know, but that they dealt with me as friends, and as private people. And this instrument made by the notary, was afterward presented unto the court, for witness against me, when I was brought before the bishops. And as we were thus talking in ytVicechauncelours chamber, The University gathered together, so that the body of ytVniuersitie was there. And then sent they up certain masters, and bachelors of divinity to ytVicechauncelour, requiring him that they might be admitted to here the examination of me, in as muth as they had herded me preach. Answer was made again, that there was no such matter in hand, but that they did deal with me friendly, to devise an end most to my profit. By the reason of the which congregation, we were compelled to depart a sunder, as for that tyme. And so rested the matter still, the space of a month. In the which time, doctor watson, and doctor Preston, at the agreement of the vicechancellor, went & written a revocation, and made it of every article by itself, making me in the revocation to grant that articles, as they were laid against me. Adding also Note here the most false and ●euilishe practice of the popish clergy. to every article, that because some men had so understood me, therefore I should revoke the article, as in the first article, where I had said, after the mind of S. Jerome, that all days were of like virtue. They added, the certain men did take me, the I would have no holy days. And therefore I must revoke that article as heresy. Item where I had spoken in myns articles against the gorgeous pomp, and pride of spiritual ornaments. They did ad●e, that certain men did take out of my saying, that I would have no hallowed chalices, nor vestiments, nor yet any ornameutes in that church, And therefore I must revoke that article, as heresy. And so in every one of my articles where they could expound a word to an evil sentence or else of malice, make any mischievous, or seditious saying, that laid they to me, & would have me revoke it, as though it had been my saying, and meaning. So there was never an article, but that was either heretical, seditious, contentious, blasphemous or else, pijs auribus offensinus. Moreover, I had in that same place a good friend, the which written the same revocation privily, as fast for me as he did wright it for doctor Preston. The which man is yet alive. Now when I had this thing in writing, I called into my chamber, an eight, or ten, of that best learned men, that were God to help his true preachers stirreth up some good men. in cambridge, the which be yet alive, as far as I know, saving master George Stafforde, and master Bylney. Of all these I asked their counsel, what they thought best to do, seeing this revocation was so uncharitably made, and things falsely laid unto my charge, which were not in mine articles, nor yet could be charitably taken out of them. They also concluded, that it was neither right nor conscience, that I should agree to this revocation. Wherefore afterward when the vicechancellor called me again afore doctor Rydley, doctor watson, doctor Preston and master Tyrell, and delivered me this revocation in his chamber, which I should read openly that sunday following in S. Edward's church, and should say neither more nor less, than was therein O cruel & merciless Papists. written. Yea and should also promise, that if I were afterward called forth by any higher power spiritual, to be content, and suffer all pain, & punishment, that he or they should lay unto me, Then would I not agree in no wise to this determination, nor consent to these conditions. For they were neither agreeable to learning nor yet standing with charity. There were certain articles condemned for heresy, that were as true as S. john's Gospel. And charity would not, that I should be blamed for that thing, that I never spoke, nor thought, but alonely malicious people did take out of my sayings false meanings. Wherefore here was a great tragedy among them. For some said, that I was perjured, by that reason I was sworn to abide the determination of ytVicechauncelour. And the other part reckoned, that my oath bond me not, by the reason that it was so uncharitably made, the which was not their promise to do: Yea yeVicechauncelour himself, thought it to extreme. So the after many words the the congregation of them was dissolved, and I should make an answer within eight days, what I would do Now in the mean season, did master Tyrell ride to London, and found the means (by the reason that he could not obtain his mind in the University, for I said I would appaele from the vicechancellor, to the whole body of the University) that the Cardinal sent down doctor Capon, and a sergeant of arms, called Gybson, which did arrest me in the University, for to Barns arrested by a Sergeant of arms. appear before your grace's counsel. So was I brought Up to London, the Twesday afore shrove sunday, and on the wedensday at night after was I brought afore the Cardinal in his gallery at westminster, which take & read all my articles quietly, till he came to the 6. There he stopped and asked me, if a bishop might have any more Cities than one. I answered, that a Bishop was instituted to instruct, and teach the City, & therefore he might have as much underneath him, as he were able to preach and teach to. And to that me thought S. Paul did agree commanding Timothe to set in every City a Bishop. Wherefore I known none other order but this. Then said he: That in Paul's days, a City was 6. or 7. miles long, beside the subburbes and of that whole city, was there but one Bishop. So likewise now, a bishop had but one Cathedral see, and all the resedue of the country, were as subburbes unto it. To this I said nothing, for he would hear me no more, but returned and read forth the articles, till that he came to the xxij. articles, where he found his pyllers, Cardinal greatly delighted and esteemed his crosses and pollaxes. and his pollaxes. And there he stopped, and had a great disputation with me of them, as I have written afore in my articles. So at the last we came so far, that I said, how these articles were uncharitably gathered out of my Sermonde. Than he said, you are defamed of heresy. I answered, and said: I trust there is no good man that knoweth me, which will suspect me. He said, do not you know that there is a rumour, how that you be brought afore us for heresy? I answered, that rumour is scattered by mine adversaries of malice, and not of any occasion that I have given. He said, I believe that to be true, but how will you purge yourself: I answered, I will be bound to bring unto your grace xx. honest men, and well learned, of good name and fame, that shall depose for me, how that I am not worthy of this infamy. Then he said, can you bring me vi. or x. doctors of divinity, that will swear for you, that you are neither guilty, nor yet worthy to be suspected? I answered, that it was not possible to bring so many Doctors for me, seeing there were no more but two at my Sermonde, and they belonged both to Bishops. Wherefore I supposed they would not testify with me: But I would bring as many honest men, as should be required, and they should be as well learned, and better than I, for to testify with me. But he said, that would not help, for they must be my peers, after the form of the law. I said, the was impossible. Then said he, you must be burned. I answered, that I trusted Nothing else. to have more grace, and favour at his hand. He said, he was sworn to maintain the laws of the church, and therefore he must follow the form of the law. Wherefore I should take deliberation with myself, whether I would stand to the course of the law, or else submit myself to his grace. Now because I had once submitted myself to the vicechancellor, and I was thereby circunuented: Therefore, I thought I would now not be so hasty in submitting myself: And therefore I answered, that I would submit myself to his grace, in any thing that could be proved against me, that I had spoken, contrary to learning. He said, that this was no submission. And I would grant no more. So after much communication, he concluded with me, & said, how that I was but a fool, & could not perceive, how good he was unto me. Wherefore seeing that I would be reported by my deeds, therefore he had signed xv. or xuj. Doctoures (said he) the which should the next day hear me. And so the next day, which was on the Thursday before Festigam Sunday, was I brought into the Chapterhouse of Westminster, The manner of the examination at Westminster. where sat the Bishop of Bath, as principal judge, and the Bishop of saint Ass, the Abbot of Westminster, the Abbot of bury, Doctor Quarton, Doctor Allen, Doctor Stephen then secretary, with many more, which I known not. Then said the Bishop of Bath: Sir you are defamed of heresy: but I denied the same. He said, ye do see what a multitude of people here is gathered to hear your examination, which must rise of some fame? I said, that I knew no cause of that gathering, for I knew never a man there, nor brought any man with me, saving a child of xiii. years. Than said he, Did you never hear of any man, that you were accused of heresy? Than said I, Men may say their pleasures, I can not let them, but it is no matter to me as long as I am faultless. Then said he, we do believe that you are faultless, but yet you must purge yourself, and declare your innocency. I answered, to that I was content, and would be reported by all men that ever known me, or herded me. Well said he, that is well said. Now said he, be there certain articles delivered unto us, against you, what say you to them? My desire was to know mine accusers. Nay said Here you may note the crafty juggling of the Papists. he, we proceed after an other form of the law, wherefore, what say you to these articles? I answered, that they were uncharitably gathered against me, wherefore I did deliver certain articles into the court, subscribed with mine own hand. As soon as they had them, than had they what they would, for I was now come in further danger, than I witted of, for now must I needs purge myself after their request, or else revoke all things that they had laid against me, as though they had been mine, or else I must needs dye, after their law. The which thing I than neither known, nor suspected, And this The more innocent the sooner trapped and condemned among the Papists. hath been the cause, that all manner of men, whatsoever they were that came afore them, were they never so good, nor innocent, must needs be heretics, if they were not good unto them, the which they were seldom, as their deeds hath declared. But to come to our purpose, they inquired divers questions of me, nothing pertaining unto mine articles: As whether a man might swear or not? And whether my Lord Cardinal were mine ordinary judge or not, with other like captious interogations, at the last they came to my first article, and inquyred of me, if all days were alike. I said, after the mind of S. Jerome, that all days were equal. Then asked they me, if we should keep any holy days? I said, yes. And in this matter we had a great disputation, till at the last my Lord of Rochester came. And he asked me if this commandment, Sabatum sanctifices, were a ceremonial, or a moral precept? I answered, that it was a ceremonial, alleging for me S. Augustine. Than Epist. c. nineteeen said he, that I was not learned. But always when they had asked of me a question, and I had assoiled it, so that they neither would, nor could abject any thing against me, than was I commanded always to stand a part, And they laid their heads together, till they had invented an other captious question. Than was I called again, and mine answer given, I was commanded back again. Thus they continued with me three days, in the which space their Notary written a revocation of all my articles, before the time that mine answer was herded. And on the third day after noon, about iij. of the clock, was there a great long roll offered unto me for to read word by word as it there stood, and commandment was given me by the Bishop of Bath▪ that I should not speak one word afore the people, more or less, than was written in the roll, for if I did, he would handle me well enough. So I required first to see what was written in the roll, or I would grant unto it. Answer was made, that if I would read it as it was written, well & good, if not, I should stand to the jeopardy. So I desired them to know, if they had condemned any of my articles for heresy. They said, yea. I asked them which it was. They said they would not tell me more, than was written. I answered, Alas my Lords, the truth is, that to my judgement I have spoken nothing, but that standeth with S. Augustine, with S. Jerome, and with other Doctors of holy Church. Wherefore if it shall chance me thus to be condemned, and not to be taught: wherein, I can not tell what I should preach in time to come. The Bishop of Bath answered, that I should take no care for that, for as for preaching he would provide for me. But I should alonely answer, if I would read this roll, or not. I desired that Doctor Barnes forbidden preaching. they would first point with their finger (if they would not speak it) which article they had condemned for heresy, and I would be bound to prove it true by S. Augustine, or else by S. Jerome, or I would be taken for an heretic. To this said the Bishop of Bath, that if S. Augustine, and S. Jerome were here, they should stand to the determination of the Church. Unto whom I said, that the Church had so determined of S. Augustine, & S. Jerome, that if any other church determined against them, I would suspect it. Well saith he, If you will stand unto them, do. We are content, alonely tell us whether you will read this roll or not. Then said I My Lords, I beseech you in the way of charity, and for Christ's sake, deal charitably with me, & do me no wrong. For S. Paul sayeth, that you have power given, to edifying, and not to destruction. Very well, said the Bishop of Bath, you need not to fear. Here be Note here the tyranny of the Papists. to many witnesses, that we should oppress you wrongfully. But said he, tell us whether you will read this roll or not? This is the third time, & the last. Then said I I will not grant to it, except I may first see it. Do as it shall please you. At this they sat all still, won looking on the other. Then the Bishop of Bath commanded me to depart aside. So took they their counsel togethers. And at the last I was called again, and this was said to me. Sir you shall have a man, that shall read it unto you afore. Well said I I am content. And so one of their Notaries, a lay man, was assigned unto me, and we departed a little aside, & there he began to read. The year of our Lord, such a day of the month, was one Doct. Barnes convented before the bishops in Westminster, for certain articles, which were gathered out of a Sermonde, that he preached in Cambridge, of the which, some of them be slanderous, some be erroneous, some be contentious, some be seditious, some be foolish, and some be heretical. When that he came to this word heretical. I asked him, which of them were heretical? He answered me again, ye have herded what my Lords saith. I can make you no answer. Alas said I, shall I be thus condemned for an heretic, and can not tell what is mine heresy? Then said he, it belongeth not to me, speak unto them. Well said I Read no more. So went. I again before the Bishops. And ●ell down on my knees, and desired them for the better passion of Christ, that they would show unto me, which article they condemned for heresy, and then if I would not be taught, they should handle me after the form of law. But to this the Bishop of Bath answered, & said, I should choose whether I would read the roll, or else be burned: the one of both I should do. Then said I, jesus have mercy on me, I will surely not read it. That was the jest. And so I delivered it to them again. Then the other Doctors cried upon me, the one here, the other there, that I should remember myself, and not to cast myself away after this manner. For to read the roll, said they, was but a small thing, and I was never the worse man. And I should see that my Lord Cardinal should be good, & gracious unto me, and they would all speak for me, so that I supposed in very deed, that they would have required no more of Grace with out deserving. me, but for to have read the roll afore the face of the world, that I should not seem to have the victory against them all, which thing I did not greatly regard. But in very deed, and if I had known, that there had been so mischievous poison, tyranny, and cruelness, in them, as I found afterward. I would never have read it, to have died for it. But God bringeth all things to pass at his pleasure. Now upon this opinion that I had in them, and by the reason of their good words and piteous, that they spoke unto me. I granted to read the roolle. But than when I would have read it, the bishop of Bath said, it was to late. so was there a great disputation between them, upon the matter: Till that Doctor Quarton said, my Lord it is not to late, for it is all in one session, and in the time of one judgement. But the Bishop of Bath (our Lord forgive him) sought all the means the he could, & used all manner of cruelness to have destroyed me. Nevertheless, at the last he delivered me the roole for to read. Then was all the people that stood there, called to hear me. For in the other iij. days, was there no man suffered to hear one word that I spoke. So after their commandment that was given me, I read it, adding nothing to it, nor saying one word, that might make for mine excuse, supposing that I should have found the bishops the better. After this, I was commanded to subscribe to it, & to make a cross on Note here what crossing & tossing the Papists use. it. Then was I commanded to go kneel down before the Bishop of Bath, and to require absolution of him, but he would not assoil me, except I would first swear, that I would fulfil the penance, that he should enjoin to me. So did I swear, not yet suspecting, but the●e men had had some crumb of charity within them. But when I had sworn, then enjoined he me, that I should return that night again to prison. And the next day, which was Fastingam Sunday, I should do open penance at Paul's. And that the world should think that I was a marvelous heinous heretic, the Cardinal came the next day with all the pomp and pride, that he could make to Paul's church, and all to bring me poor soul out of conceit, And moreover were there commanded to come all the bishops, that were at London, and all the abbots dwelling in London, that did wear mitres, in so much that the prior of S. Marry spittle, and an other monk, which I think was of Tower hill, were there also in their miters. And to set the matter more forth, & that the world should perfectly know & perceive, that the spiritual fathers had determined my matter substantially, The bishop of Rochester must preach there the same day, and all his The glorious assembly of the papists. sermon was against Lutherians as though they had convicted me for one: The which of truth, and afore God, was as far from those things as any man could be, saving that I was no tyrant, nor no persecutor of God's word. And all this gorgeous fasing with miters and crostaves, abbotts, and prior's were done, but to blind the people, and to outface me. God amend all things that is amiss. I had been well content to have suffered all these things, so I might have come to a charitable end. But I must return again after this to prison, & there remain, till my Lord Cardinals farther pleasure. The which pleasure, I did abide first and last▪ 2. years, and three quarters & yet could never be at any point with them. For I sent unto the bishop of London that was then, certain worshipful men The Cardinal had put the matter to him. of the City of London, whose names be these. Master Lambert, which hath been Mayor, M. Raynold, which hath been shreve, M. Palmer, M. Petyt, M. jones, and M. Pernell. And desired these men in the way of charity, to go to the Bishop of London, and to desire him to be good and gracious unto me. And if I had offended, I would be glad to make amendss, as much as he should reasonably require of me. Desiring him to show them, what he would of his charity require me to do, & they for to be bond unto him, the I would keep it. This they did. But what answer the they had of him, they be men alive for the most part, they can tell. And amongst all other, master Petit said unto the bishop: Alas my Lord it is a petuous case. If a man come in the danger of your law, there is no remedy to help him out. Yes sayda the bishop. What is that said master Petyt? This is a young man, & hath good friends, which would be right loath to have him cast away. wherefore if there be any remedy, devise you it, and we will be bond for him. At this the bishop was astonied, and said at the last, that he would speak to my Lord Cardinal for me. Then these men offered him to go with him and to be bound for me. He said it should not need: But nevertheless he spoke so unto them, or they departed, God save me from such speaking. that when they came home, there was not one of them, that dared give me so much bread & meat as he dared give his dog, nor yet speak one word to me. immediately after this, the bishop found the means, that I was sent to northampton, there to remain as in a perpetual prison. Thus most gracious prince have they handled me your poor Orator. I beseech your highness, to be good and gracious unto me, & judge, if this be charitable dealing, thus to condemn me for an heretic & not to show me the point wherefore. But even with a violent tyranny, to compeil me to do, & confess what they will, or else to be put to death. And if there be any of them yet, the will come forth, and prove any of these articles heresy, I will not refuse to suffer any pain, that your grace shall judge me worthy. Thus our Lord jesus Christ preserve your noble grace evermore Amen. Only faith justifieth before God. NOw, if your grace do not take upon you, to hear the disputation, & the probation of this article out of the ground of the holy Scripture, my Lords the Bishops will condemn it, afore they read it, as their manner is to do with all things, that pleaseth them not, and which they understand not: and then cry they, heresy, heresy, an heretic, an heretic, he aught not to be herded, for his matters be condemned by the Church, & by his holy fathers, and by all long customs, and by all manner of laws. Unto whom, with your grace's favour, I make this answer. I would know of them, if all these things, that they have reckoned, can overcome Christ, and his holy word, or set the holy ghost to school? And if they can not, why should not I then be herds that do require it in the name of Christ? and also bring for me his holy word, & the holy fathers, which have understand God's word as I do? Therefore though they will not hear me, yet must they needs hear them. In holy Scripture, Christ is nothing else, but a Saviour, a redeemer, a justifier, & a perfect peace maker, between God, and man. This testimony did the angel give of him in these words. He shall save his people from their sins. And also S. Paul, Christ is Math. 1. 1. Cor. 2. made our righteousness, our satisfaction, and our redemption. Moreover Esay. 53. the Prophet witnesseth the same, saying: For the wretchedness of my people, have I stricken him. So that here have we Christ with his properties. Now, if we will truly confess Christ, then must we grant with our hearts, that Christ is all our justice, all our redemption, Christ is all in all. all our wisdom, all our holiness, all alonely the purchaser of grace, alonely the peace maker between God and man. Briefly all goodness that we have, the it is of him, by him, and for his sake only. And that we have need of nothing towards our salvation, but of him only, and we desire no other salvation, nor no other satisfaction, nor any help of any other creature, either heavenly or earthly, but of him only, for as Saint Peter Acts. 4. saith, there is no other name given unto men, wherein they must be saved. And also S. Paul saith, by him Acts. 13. are all that believe justified from all things. Moreover S. john witnesseth 1. john. 2. the same, in these words. He it is, that hath obtained grace for our sins. And in an other place. He sent 1. john 4. his son to make agreement, for our sins. Now my Lords, here have you Christ, and his very nature full, and whole. And he the denieth any thing, or any part of these things, or taketh any part of them, & applieth them, or giveth the glory of them to any other person, then to Christ only, the same man robbeth Christ of his honour, and denieth Christ, and is very Antichrist. Wherefore my Lords, first what say you to this? and unto the properties of Christ? If you grant them, them are we at a point. For they prove that faith in jesus Christ, only justifieth afore God. Secondarily, if you deny if (as I am sure you will, for you had liefer deny your creed, them grant it.) How can you then avoid, but that you be the very Antichristes? of whom S. john speaketh? For now have we tried your spirits, that they be not 1. john. 4. of God, for you deny Christ. That is, you deny the very nature, & the property of Christ. You grant the name, but you deny the virtue. You grant that he descended from heaven, but you deny the profit thereof. For he descended for our health, this deny you, and yet it is your creed. You grant, that he was born, but you deny the purpose. You grant, that The Papists denying only faith to justify deny the nature of Christ. he is risen from death but you deny the profit thereof for he rose to justify us. You grant, that he is a Saviour, but you deny, that he is alonely that saviour. I pray you wherefore was he born? to justify us in part? to redeem us in part? to do satisfaction for part of our sins? so the we must set a payr of old shoes, a lump of bread, & cheese, or a lousy grey coat to make satisfaction, for that other part? Say what you will, if you give not all, and fully, & alonely to one Christ, them deny you Christ, and the holy ghost. And S. john doth declare you to be contrary to Christ. This may also be proved by a plain Scripture of the holy ghost, which is this. No man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, or to look on the book, till the lamb came, unto whom the seniors spoke, on this manner. Thou Apoc. 5. art worthy to take that book, & to open the seals thereof, for thou wast killed, and hast redeemed us by thy blood. How say you to this my Lords? In heaven was there none found, neither by the angels, nor yet by the Christ only hath wrought our redemption. seniors worthy to open the book, but Christ only. And will you find, that they could not find? will you set an helper to Christ, whom they set alone? But I pray you tell us what be shall be. All the world knoweth, that they he good works. But now, from whence come your good works? whether from heaven? or out of the earth? or from under the earth? If they were in any of these places, where were they when the angels, and the seniors sought them? Have you found them? whom they could not find? but let this pass. I pray you, what will you lay for your good works? or by what title will you bring them in, to join them with the lamb in opening of the book? The seniors have laid for them, that the lamb alonely was worthy to open the book, because he was slain, and redeemed them with his precious blood. Now what cause lay you for your good works? The lamb hath alonely died for us? The lamb hath alonely shed his blood for us? The lamb hath alonely redeemed us? These things hath Christ is our only redeemer & justifier. he done alone? Now if these be sufficient? then hath he alone made satisfaction, and is alonely worthy to be our redeemer, and justifier. Moreover, they that be in heaven confess, that this lamb is alonely worthy to redeem them. be your works better than there's? or can your works help them? If they can? then is not the lamb alonely worthy to redeem them. Moreover, the seniors fall down before the lamb, giving him alonely praise. And shall your good works stand up by the lamb? Then be they better than the seniors. But let us prove this thing by open Scriptures. S. Paul took so great labours to prove this article, as he never took in any other, & all because he would make it plain, and stop the mouths of the agaynesayers. But all this will not help them, that have not the spirit of God. Nevertheless, we will by God's favour, do the best we can to confound the crooked enemies of Christ's blood, & though we can not make them his friends, yet at the jest we will so handle them, that they shall be ashamed openly so to speak against him, as they have done long time, and so will we handle them (by God's help) that all the world shall know, that they glory in Christ's name, and by him be they also so high promoted in this world, that they can not be higher, And yet deserve they of Christ, worst of all men. But let us go to our purpose. S. Paul saith: All men be sinners, and want the glory of God, but they are justified freely by his grace, through Roma. 3. the redemption that is in Christ jesus. What is this that all men have sinned, yea and are justified freely? How shall a sinner do good works? How can he deserve to be justified? what call you freely? if there be any deserving less or more, then is it not freely. What call you by his grace? if it be any part of works, than it is not of grace. For as Saint Paul saith: Then grace were not grace. Here Roma. 11. can be no evasion, the words be so plain. If you bring in any help of works, then for so much is not our redemption freely, nor yet is it of grace, as concerning the part that cometh of works, but partly of works, and then do you destroy all Saint Paul and his whole disputation. For he Faith with out works justifieth. contendeth against works, & clearly excludeth works in justification, and bringeth in grace only. Now, that that is excluded in the whole by contention, can not be brought in, in part to the cause. This is open in his words, where he saith: Where is now thy rejoicing? It is excluded. By what law? by the law of works? Nay, but by the law of faith. We do judge therefore, that a man is justified by faith, without that works of the law. Hear you not, that the gloriation of works is excluded? and Roma. 3. yet will you boast your works? Hear you not plainly S. Paul's sentence, that judgeth clearly with faith, and against all works? How can this be avoided? Is it not clear? What can be answer to it? Is not this Paul's proposition, that he took to prove, faith only justifieth? It were but lost labour for Paul to prove that works did help to justification, For that the jews did grant, and required no more, but that works might not be clearly excluded. They were Christened, and content to receive Christ for their saviour, but not only, and alonely. This was the contentation. In so much that they gloried against the Gentiles, which had no manner of works, and for that despised them, as people unworthy to be justified. But peradventure here will be A crafty & subtle evasion. said, that Paul condemneth the works of the old law, but not the works of the new law. Are you now satisfied in your conscience? Think you, that you have well assoiled S. Paul's argument? Think you, that this is sufficient to avoid Saint Paul, that hath taken so great labour to prove this cause? Think you, that you shall be thus discharged afore God? If you do, then go boldly into the strait judgement of God with this evasion, and doubt you not but there shall you find S. Paul as stiffly and as strongly against you, and your new works, as ever he was against the jews, and their old works: And if he did condemn the works of the law, that were instituted by the mouth of God, and the best works that ever were? Think you that those works that you have invented, shallbe there allowed? Briefly, what works can you All good works are contained in the law of God do, or excogitate (that be good) which be not in the old law? and of the old law? Ergo, he speaketh of all manner of works, for the law includeth all works that ever God instituted. The highest, and the best, and most of perfection of all works be, Opera decalogi, the works of the ten Commandments. And these be the works of the old law, and can not justify, after your own saying. Now what works have you of the now law, other than these? or better than these? Our master Christ showeth, that in fulfilling ij. of these Commandments, be all works included. What works then be of the new law, that were not commanded in the old? Peradventure you will say: All those works that Christ speaketh of in the u of Math. be of the new law, and not of the old. For Christ saith, I say unto you: He that calleth his brother fool, or that looketh on a woman to desire her, and such like, doth offend. These seem to be works of Christ, and not of Moses. Ergo, there be works of the new law, that were not commanded in the old, and against them disputeth not S. Paul, say ye. To this I answer that our master Christ doth there reprove that false interpretation, that the Scribes and Pharysies did set to the law, but he teacheth no new works, nor is no giver of any new law. For Saint john saith: The law is given through john. 1. Moses, but grace and verity came by jesus Christ. He is the géever of grace and mercy, as all the prophets testifieth, and not an other Moses. And therefore to purchase us favour, he died on the cross, and so Christ suffered for our sins. did not Moses: But he commandeth us to do this, and do that. But Christ saith, hang thou on my doing, & believe thou, that I have done for thee, for thee, and not for me. Now to our purpose, Christ I say doth interpret, and declare the old law against the Scribes and pharisees, which learned, that the law was fulfilled and content with outward works, and that was their justification. This false doctrine doth our master Christ reprove: And saith, that the law doth require a pure and a clean heart, and will have his works fulfilled out of the heart, and not alonely with hand, and feet, and tooth, and nail, as the pharisees saith, and teacheth. So that our master Christ teacheth no new works, but alonely expresseth the virtue of the old law. And thus doth holy Doctors declare this u chapter of Math. and specially S. Augustine. Wherefore out of that place can not be August. in ser. Domini de monte. Exod. xx. & Levit. nineteeen. proved, that there be certain works of the new law, that were vever commanded in the old. Moreover, look in the old law whether these things be forbidden, or commanded, and you shall find that the words of the law, and Christ's exposition doth agree. So that our master teacheth no new thing, nor yet any new works. But now grant, that there be certain works of the new law, which be not of the old: yet have you not, nor can not prove that those shall justify? For there can be no more goodness in works, than were in works of the old law, for they were to God's honour, What goodness is in good works. and to the profit of our neighbour. What goodness can works have more? And yet you grant, that they can not justify. How then shall your new works justify? Blessed Saint Paul disputeth against them that were Christened, and had both works Galat. 2. of the old law, and also of the new. And yet concludeth he, that Christ alonely was their justifier. Mark his argument, if righteousness cometh of the law, then is Christ dead in vain: As he would say: if the law help to justify (for that was the opinion of the jews) then is not Christ alonely your justifier. If he be not your justifier alonely, then is be dead in vain. How will S. Paul prove this consequent? On this manner: Either Christ doth this thing alone, or else he is dead in, vain, for he will have no helper. This must needs be the meaning of his argument there. Now will I take this argument, of S. Paul, and likewise dispute against your new works. If new works do help to justify, then is Christ dead in vain. But Christ is not dead in vain. Ergo new works do not help to justify. The first part is Paul's, The second you grant. Therefore the third must ●●edes follow But let us see how S. Paul proveth this preposition by an example, not of the old law as though he disputed alonely against the works of the old law, But by that holy and excellent Patriarch Abraham, whom no manner of works could justify, but faith only. Think you that S. Paul doth speak here of the works of the old Rom. 4. law? nay doubtless. For how could Abraham do that works of law, & there was no law given. 400. & 30. years after? wherefore S. Paul constraineth Galat. 3 you to conclude, that no manner of good works, (though they be so good as Abraham's works) can help to justification. Note also S. Paul's argument. Abraham was instified so many years before that law was given. Ergo (says he) the law doth not justify. So like wise dispute I against your new works. Men were sufficiently, and perfectly justified alonely by faith, afore any new works were given, or preached. Ergo, the works of that new law doth not justify of necessity. The anticedent I prove thus. Abraham, Isaac, jacob, and john Baptist, and all the holy prophets were perfectly justified, afore any new works (as you take new works) were spoken of. Ergo, men were sufficiently justified, alonely by faith. If Saint Paul's argument conclude, so must mine also. Wherefore say what you can, Here standeth holy S. Paul stiffly, and strongly for me, and against you and saith: That we be freely, and alonely justified by faith, without all manner of works. But let us see what S. Ambrose saith to this text. They are justified freely, for they doing nothing, Ambro. ad Rom. 3. nor nothing deserving, alonely by faith are justified by the gift of God. etc. Here you not, the men working nothing at all, nor nothing deserving, are justified by faith only? yea and freely? you were wont to cry for Sola, sola, sola, only, only, only. Here have you him, and to help him you have also gratis, that is to say, freely, and also dono Dei, that is to say the gift of God, and Nihill operantes, that is as much as working nothing at all. If these words, do not exclude works, and allow faith only, I can not tell what words will do it? grant these words, and I will be content. I will also bring you Origyne on this same text, whose words be these. Orig. ad Ro. lib. iij. cap. iij. Paul saith, that the justification of faith is alonely sufficient. So that if a man do believe only, he is justified, though there be no works done of him at all. By faith was the thief faith only and alone justifieth. justified, without the works of the law. For our Lord did not ask him what he had done? nor did look for any works of him? but did accept him all only, for confessing of Christ. It followeth. Wherefore a man is iustied by faith, Unto whom, as concerning justification the works of the law help nothing. etc. What say you to Origine? that saith how men be justified, though they do no good works at all, for works do help nothing to justification, but faith only? be not these plain words? Grant these words, and we will ask no more of you. Here have you also, Sola, sola, sola. So the you need not cry no more for Sola. Also Origine bringeth an open example of the thief, that no man can deny. Who can have less good works then a thief? which is neither good before God nor man, So that all the world may see, that this is no new opinion, seeing that the scripture, and also holy doctors doth teach it. Also S. Paul in the 9 chapter bringeth in the gentle, Roma. 9 which knoweth nothing of God, nor hath done any good works, but contrary blasphemed God & his name, & hath always lived in idolatry, and been an utter enemy unto all goodness. He bringeth in also the jew full of good works of the law which hath also great zeal unto God, and to his works, yea & of that Paul beareth him witness. briefly, he bringeth in for him such a jew, that no man can complain of, but is full of good works. Yea take all the best of the jews together, (for it were madness of Paul to speak of the damnable Roma. 10. jews, that were open wretches & damned by the judgement of the law) with all their good works, and yet S. Paul doth exclude them, & repelleth them clearly from justification, with all their good zeal, and with all their good works, and concludeth with plain words, that the gentle, which is full of damnable words, and had neither zeal, nor love unto goodness, is justified by faith only. These be S. Paul's words: we Roma. 9 say, that the Gentiles, which followed not righteousness, have obtained righteousness. I mean the righteousness, which cometh of faith. But I sraell, which followeth the law of righteousness, could not attain unto righteousness. Wherefore? Because he sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. be not these plain words? That the Gentiles, which followed no righteousness nor had any mind thereunto, are justified freely by faith? Is not here Sola fides, only faith? Moreover, the jew We can never attain to salvation but by faith in Christ. is reproved with all zeal, with all his love, with all his study, and with all his good works. Is not this a marvelous thing? yes verily, And so marvelous, that you shall never understand it, without you believe. But peradventure here shall be said, that the good works of the jews did not profit them, because they had no faith: But if they had had faith, then would they have helped to their justification. To this I make answer, Troth it is, good works did not profit the jews, for lack of faith. But this is false, That works should have helped to justification, if they had had faith. For S. Paul proveth clearly that good works help nothing to justification, nor evil works let not the justification, that cometh by faith. And this he proved by the example of the gentle, which had no good works, but all damnable works, & yet is justified by faith. Moreover, the jew had that zeal of God, and all manner of good works with all things that the world can devise, yea & also S. Paul speaketh of the jews that were Christened, & all this could not help. Wherefore no manner of works, whether they be in faith, or out of faith, can help to justify. Nevertheless works hath their glory, and reward. But the glory, and praise of justification, belongeth to Christ only. Also S. Paul proveth plainly in these words, that works have no place Roma. 4. in justification: To him that worketh is the reward not given of favour, but of duty: To him that worketh not, but believeth on him, that justifieth Faith is accounted for righteousness. the wicked man, is faith counted for righteousness. How think you by these words? be they not openly against all works? Saith he not, that justification is imputed unto him that worketh not but alonely believeth in him, the justifieth the wicked man? I pray you what good works doth the wicked man? Mark also how he saith, that righteousness is imputed unto him. Ergo, it is not deserved. For that that is deserved, is not imputed of favour, but it must be given of duty. How think you? Is not this Sola fides, only faith? You know that there be but works, and faith that do justify? And S. Paul excludeth works clearly. Ergo, faith alone remains. But peradventure you will say, the works with faith do justify. Nevertheless of meekness, and lowliness, & avoiding of all boast of goodness, you will give all that glory to faith, as unto that principal thing, & without the which, no works can help. Notwithstanding works be good, and help to justification, though of meekness you will not know it. Is not this damnable hypocrisy? yea and that with God? which were intolerable, if it were with men. But how can you prove by Scripture, that works are worthy of any glory of justification? Is not this open lying on faith to give all to him, & yet (as you say) he is not worthy of all? for works be worthy of part. If faith be not worthy alone, confess it openly, and geue works his praise, and faith her praise, & say not one thing with your mouth, and think an other in your heart. For God searcheth the privities of hearts. Who hath required of you such a meekness? But I pray you how can works help to justification less or more? when they be neither done, nor yet thought of? Who is justified, but a wicked man? which thinketh nothing of good works. But these meek lies, deserve none answer. Wherefore let us hear what holy Doctors say, on this text. To him that worketh not. etc. Saint Ambrose saith on this manner: Ambrosi, It was so decreed of God, that after the law, the grace of God should require unto salvation, alonely faith. Which thing he proveth by the example of the prophet, saying: Blessed is that man to whom God doth impute justification, without works. He saith, that they be blessed, of whom God hath determined without labour, without all manner of observation, alonely by faith, that they shall be justified before God. Blessed are they whose sins be forgiven. Clearly they are blessed, unto whom without labour, or without any work, their iniquitios be remitted, and their sins be covered, and no manner of works required of them, but alonely that they should believe. etc. be not these words plain? God hath decreed, that he shall require nothing to justification, but faith: And he is blessed, to whom God imputeth justification, without all manner of works, without all manner of observations. Also their sins be covered, Sola fides justificat. & no manner of works of penauncered of them, but alonely to believe. Here have you Sola fides, and Tantum fides, and here can you not say, that S. Ambrose speaketh alonely of works of the law, but of all manner of works, of all manner of observations, yea and also of penance. Peradventure it will D. Wetherall. be said, as a great doctor said once to me, that S. Ambrose did understand it of young children, that were newly baptized: them their faith should save alonely without works. How think you? is not this a likely answer for a great Doctor of Divinity? for a great Duns man? for so great a preacher? Are not S. Paul, and S. Ambrose well avoided? and clerkely? But I made him this answer, that this Epistle was written of S. Paul to the Romans, which were men, and not children, and also the words of Scripture, speak of the man, and not of the child. And S. Ambrose saith, blessed is that man. But at this answer, he was not a little moved, and swore, by the blessed God, let Ambrose, & Augustine, say what they will, he would never believe, but that works did help to justification. This was a Lordly word of a Prelate, & of a pillar of Christ's Church. But what meddling is with such mad men. But yet peradventure you will say, how that I take a piece of the Doctor, as much as maketh for my purpose. Notwithstanding he saith otherwise in an other place, which I do not bring. What is that to me? yet is not my Doctor thus avoided. For you can not deny, but this is his saying, and upon this place of Scripture, and this doth agree with Scripture, or else he doth expound Scripture evil. Wherefore you must answer to the saying of the Doctor in this place, for this is the place that is laid against you, and this is the place, whereby other places must be expounded. And if you dare deny him in this place, then will I deny him in all other places, by that same authority: then be the holy doctors clearly go. Nevertheless, holy Scripture standeth openly against you, which if you deny, then have I a cause to suspect you. Wherefore take heed what you do. But yet peradventure will you say, that I understand not S. Ambrose, nor holy Doctors, as my Lord of Rochester said how I understood not Tertullian, he had none other evasion to save his honour with. But this is not enough, so to say, but you must prove it, & other men must judge it, between you and me. Here have I translated a great many of their sayings into English, let other men judge, whether I understand them or not. Go you to the Latin. and let us see what other sense you can take out. But my Lords, remember that our God is alive, whose cause we defend, afore whom I dare well say, you are already confounded in your conscience, wherefore doubt you not, but that terrible vengeance hangeth over you, if you repent not, which when it cometh, cometh, sharply. How are you able to defend a thing, that you can not prove openly by holy scripture? Say what you will, your conscience will mumur, and grudge, and will never be satisfied with men's dreams, nor yet with tyranny. Think you that your laws, and your inventions can be a sufficient rule for Christian men to live by? and to save their conscience thereby? Think you, that your cause is sufficiently proved, when you have compelled poor men by violence to grant it? Then may we destroy all Scriptures, and receive alonely your tyranny. But my Lords this matter is not righted by your judgement, but by our master Christ, and his blessed word: afore whose straight judgement you shall be judged, and that straightly. For when all your grace, all your honour, all your dignity, all your pomp, and pride, briefly all that your hearts do now rejoice in, shall lie in the dust, then shall you be called to a straight reckoning: It is no light game, nor no child's play. Mark it well, for it lieth on your neck. But what needeth me to lose many words, for if you be half so full of grace, as you say you be of good works, then will you reckon it better than I can move you. But again to our purpose. S. Paul proveth the justification of faith only, in these words. No man is justified Gallat. 2. by the works of the law, but by the faith of jesus Christ, and we do believe in jesus Christ, that we may be justified, by the faith of Christ, & not by the works of the law? Mark how he saith, that no man is justified by the works of the law, not not S. Peter? How think you? doth not S. Paul exclude works? & bringeth in alonely faith? yea and that the works of the law, which were the best works in the world, and he believeth to be justified only by the faith of jesus Christ and not by works, and that proveth he in these Abacuc. 2. words of the Prophet: A righteous man liveth by faith. Here you not? how a righteous man liveth by faith? What call you living by faith? If he live any part by works, then liveth he not by faith, but partly by works. Then is S. Paul's probation unperfit. But let us see how your Doctors Athanasius. Galat. 3 do expound this text. Now doth he plainly show, that saith alonely hath the virtue in him The righteous man liveth by faith & not by works to justify, and bringeth Abacuk saying: Of faith (and not of the law) shall a righteous man live. He addeth, well afore God, for afore man peradventure they shallbe reckoned righteous, that stick to the law, but not afore God. etc. Here have you Sola, only. And also that this holy justification is afore God, and after his judgement, & not after men's judgements. Wherefore glory as much as you can of your good works. They can not alonely justify you, but also they be of no valour, but damnable and very sin, if there be no faith. So far are they from helping to justification. This Aug. in prolo. Psal. 31. doth S. Augustine witness in these words. Those same works that be done afore faith, though they seem unto men laudable, yet are they but vain, and I do judge them, as great strength, and as swift running out of the way. Wherefore let no man count his good works before faith, where as faith is not, there is no good work, the intention maketh a good work, but faith doth guide thee intention. etc. Here S. Augustine condemneth all Good works without faith are but sin. your good works afore faith, & saith that they be nothing worth, but vain and things out of the way. How can such things help to justification? Mark also how that your good intention (whereupon you boast, that you do so many good works by) can not help you, for he is blind, and knoweth not what to do (though he stand well in his own conceit) with out faith, which is his guide. So that all things afore faith, are but very blindness. But as soon as faith cometh, he doth both justify, and also maketh the works good, which were afore sin But let us see what Saint barnard saith of good works. I do abhor (saith he) whatsoever thing is of me. Except peradventure Barnar. super. Can. ser. lxuq. that that be mine which God hath made me his. By grace hath he justified me freely, and by that hath he delivered me from the bondage of sin. Thou hast not choose me, (saith Christ) but I have choose thee, nor I found any merits in thee, that might move me to choose thee, but I prevented all thy merits. Wherefore thus by faith have I married thee unto me, and not by the works of the law. I have married the also in justice, but not in the justice of the law, but in the justice which is of faith. Now this remaineth, that thou dost judge a right judgement between thee and me, give thou judgement, wherein that I have married thee, where it is open, that thy merits did not come between, but my pleasure, and will, etc. S. barnard doth despise all his good works and taketh him only to grace, but you stick partly to your good works, and not only to grace. Had S. barnard no good works to stick to? Mark that. S. barnard is God's child freely by grace, which can not be, if works do help less or more. Was he not a christened man? Had he no works of the new law, Works of the new law. as you call them? I think yes. And yet he saith, the there was no merits, nor any goodness, but that we were freely choose. Wherefore he provoked you, & all such as you be to judge righteously between God and you, the which hath prevented all your goodness and that of his own will, and of his own pleasure. How can he find any goodness, that preventeth all goodness? So that here have you clearly, that good works of the law, or moral good works (as you fain) do nothing help to justification afore God, for they be prevented of justification. This is also well proved by Saint. Augustine's saying. Wherefore these things considered, and declared after Aug. despiri. & lit. c●▪ xii. the strength, that it hath pleased God to give us, we do gather, that a man can not be justified, by the precepts of good living, that is, not by the law of works, but by the law of faith, not by the letter, but by the spirit, not by merits of works, but by free grace. No man can be justified by the law of works, but by the law of faith in Christ's blood. etc. Here you this? not by merits of works, but by free grace? what call you free grace? but without all things, saving gra●e? what call you not of works, but the works help nothing. For if works did help, than would he not say, not of works, but not of works only, but part of works, & part of faith, but he excludeth works fully & only. Again the same thing, that purchaseth us remission of our sins, doth also purchase justification. For justification is nothing but remission of sins. Now faith purchaseth us remission, Ergo, by faith we are justified. Now that faith doth purchase remission of sins, it is well proved by this article of our faith, Credo remissionem peccatorum, I believe remission of sins, Now if I have not this remission for faith, than faith deceiveth me, for I do believe only, because I would have remission of sins. What needeth me to believe remission of sins, if I may deserve it by works? Also our master Christ declareth openly, the no manner of works what so ever they be, can justify afore God. These be his words: when Luke. 17. you have done all things, that be commanded you, yet say, that we are unprofitable servants, If you be unprofitable, then be you not justified. And if you can not be justified, when you have done all things, how will you be justified, When you do in a manner nothing? and specially of those things, that be commanded you wherefore this is plain, the our works can not help us to justification. For when we have done all things yet we are unprofitable. But let us prove this by an open example. I put this case my Lords (unto you I speak) that our noble prince would call you all before him, and say. My Lords, so it is, that it hath pleased us to call you unto the spiritual dignity of Bishops, & to make you of our counsel, and Lords of our Realm, and also of our parliament. Now would we know of you which of you all hath deserved it, or reckoneth himself worthy by his deserving, les or more of this dignity? What will you say to this? What will you answer to the Kings grace? Is there one among you all, that dare be so bold as to say to the kings grace, that he hath not given it unto him freely, but that he hath done the king so faithful service that he was bound to give it unto him? Yea, and that of his deserving? If there were one that were so proud, as to say this, think you that the kings grace would not say to his charge, how that he had not done half his duty, but were rather bond, to do ten times as much more, and yet the kings grace were not bound to give him a bysshopricke, for he had done but his duty, and not all that. Now if your good works, and all your faithful service, be not able to deserve a byshopric, of the kings grace, How will you be able by your works, to deserve heaven, and justification Good works can not deserve remission of sin. before the king of all kings? When you have answered to this, before the kings grace, then come and dispute with God, the justification of your works, and yet shall they be far unlike. Wherefore I conclude of these scriptures, and of these doctors, that the faith, that we have in Christ jesus, and his blessed blood, doth only, and sufficiently justify us before God without the help of any works. And though the all scripture be no thing else but a holle probation of this article (that is alonely a perfect commendation, and a praise of Christ, and of his blessed merits, that he hath deserved for us) yet will I pass over to bring in any more places. For they the are not content with these scriptures, will not be satisfied, nor yet content to give all only glory to God, though I brought in all the new testament. Yea Christ himself could not satisfy them, if he were here, not nor yet though heaven, and earth and all creatures therein, were nothing else, but probations of this article, it would not help. Wherefore I let such infidels pass, and leave them to the judgement of God, alonely certifying them of this one thing, that is infallible, how the day shall come, that it shall repent them, yea, and that sorer than I can either writ, or think, that they did not believe the jest prick of this holy article. But unto our purpose. The very true way of justification is The manner of justification. this. First cometh God, for the love of Christ jesus, alonely of his mere mercy, and giveth us freely the gift of faith, whereby we do believe God, & his holy word, and stick fast unto the promises of God, and believe, that though heaven, and earth, and all that is in them should perish, and come to naught, yet God shall be found true in his promises, for this faith's sake: be we the elect children of God. This is not such a faith, as men Fides historica. dream, when they believe that there is one God, and believe that he is eternal, believe also that he made the world of nought, yea, and believe that the Gospel is true, and all thing that God speaketh must be true, and fulfilled, with other such things. This I say, is not the faith that we be justified by, for devils and infidels have this faith, ●and also we may attain to these things by strength of reason: But the faith that shall justify us, must be of an other manner of strength, for it must come from heaven, and not from the strength of reason. It must also make me believe, Fides iustificans. that God the maker of heaven and earth, is not alonely a father, but also my father: yea, and that thorough the favour that Christ hath purchased me, from the which favour, neither heaven, nor earth, tribulation, nor persecution, death, nor hell, can divide me. But to this stick I Roma. 8. fast, that he is not alonely my father, but also a merciful father, yea, and that unto me merciful, and so merciful, that he will not impute my sins unto me, though they be never so great, so long as I hung on the blessed blood of Christ jesus, and sin not of malice, but of frailty, and of no pleasure He is also a liberal father, yea, and that unto me liberal, which will not alonely promise' me all things, but also give them me, whether they be necessary to the body or to the soul. He is also not alonely liberal, but mighty to perform all things, that he promiseth unto me. Briefly, this faith maketh me to hung clearly of God, and of his blessed promises made in Christ, and in his sweet and precious blood, and not to fear death, nor any affliction, nor persecution: nor tribulation: but to despise all these things: and not alonely these, but to despise also mine own life for Christ's sake. Finally, of a fleshly beast, it maketh The fruits of faith. me a spiritual man: of a damnable child, it maketh me a heavenly son: of a servant of the devil, it maketh me a free man of Gods, both delivered from the law, from sin, from death, from the devil, and from all misery that might hurt me. My Lords, this is the faith that doth justify, and that we do preach. And because it is given from heaven into our hearts by the spirit of God, therefore, it can be no idle thing: But it must needs do all manner of things, the be to the honour of God, and also to the profit of our neighbour: In so much, that at all times necessary, it must needs work well, & also bring forth all good works that may be to the profit and helping of any man. But these works be not done, to justify the man, but a just man must needs do them. Not unto his profit, but alonely to other men's profits, even as our master Christ, suffered hunger, and thirst, and persecution, and took great labours in preaching of his word, yea, and also suffered death. All these things, I say, did he not to further or to profit himself, but for our merits, and for our profit. So likewise doth a just man his works. And as a good tree in time of the year, bringeth An example how faith bringeth forth good works. forth good Apples, not to make him good, for he is good afore, nor yet this apple is not to his profit, but unto other men's, notwithstanding, the good nature that is in him, must needs bring it forth. So likewise, the just man must needs do good works, not by them to be justified, but alonely in them to serve his brother: for he hath no need of them, as concerning his justification. Wherefore now here have you the very true cause of justification, that is, faith alonely: And also the very true way and manner of doing good works: And how that no man can do good works, but a justified man, as our master Christ saith: Either Math. 7. make the tree good, and then his fruit good, or else the tree evil, and his fruit evil: for a good tree must needs bring forth good fruit, and a bad, evil fruit. But now let me answer to the Scriptures, and to the reasons that they bring to prove that works do justify. First cometh the fleshly and damnable reason, and she Solutions and arguments to the Scriptures. saith: If we be justified alonely by faith, what need we to do any good works? what need we to crucify, or mortify our flesh? for all these will not profit us, and we shall be saved though we do none of them all. Thus did blind reason dispute with Saint Paul, when that he had proved that Roma. 6. God of his mercy, had delivered us freely from the damnable bondage of the law. Anon he judged that he might do what he would, for he was no longer under the law. To this S. Paul answereth, that if we obey unto the works of sin, then are we the servants of sin, & if we obey to the works of justice, then are we the servants of justice. So that if we truly have that same faith, that justifieth us, we shall desire to do none other works but those, that belong to justification, not that the works do justify, but that we must needs do these works, as the very true fruits of justification, and not as the cause of justification. Good works are the fruits of true faith. And therefore those men, that will do no good works, because they be justified only by faith, be not the children of God, nor the children of iustificafition. For the living spirit of God is none author of illness, nor of sin, but he crieth in our hearts, Abbapater. And of that, is this a sure, and an evident token, for if they were the very true children of God, they would be the gladder to do good works, because that they are justified freely. Therefore should they also be moved freely to works, if it were for no other purpose, nor profit, but alonely to do the will of their merciful God, the hath so freely justified them, and also to profit their neighbour, whom they are bond to serve of very true charity. Take an example, here is a thief, that is condemned by right, & the law A very good example. to be hanged, whom the king's grace of his mercy, doth freely deliver from the gallows, and giveth him his pardon. Now this thief, thus delivered, will not keep himself a true man, nor do those works, that belong to a true man to do, but falls again to stealing, because the king pardoned him so freely, and reckoneth that the king is so merciful, that he will hung no thieves, but deliver them all of his mercy, without their deserving. Now how think you? will the king be merciful unto this thief, when he cometh again to the gallows? Nay truly, for he was not delivered for that cause, but for to keep himself a true man. Then cometh my Lord of Rochester, and he saith, that faith doth begin a justification in us, but works do perform it, and make it perfit. I will recite his own words. Per fidem initiari dicitur justicia solum, non ●●ti. 2. autem consummari, nam consummata in sticia non aliter quam ex operibus natis, & in lucem editis acquir● potest, opera consummatè iustificant. Fides primum in choat. etc. What Christened man would think, that a Bishop would The Bishop of Rochester's vain distinction. thus trifle, and play with God's holy word? God's word is so plain, that no man can avoid it, how that faith justifieth alonely, and now cometh my Lord of Rochester, with a little, & a ●ayne distinction, invented of his own brain, without authority of Scripture, and will clearly, avoid all Scriptures, and all the whole disputation of S. Paul. But my Lord, say to me of your conscience, how do you reckon to avoid the vengeance of God, sith you thus trifle, & despise Gods holy word? Think you, that this vain distinction, will be allowed afore jesus Christ? for whose glory we do contend & strive? afore whom, we do handle this matter? I do think verily, that your own conscience doth sore accuse you, for thus blaspheming the holy word of God. Wherefore my Lord, for Christ's sake remember, that you be aged, and shall not long tarry here, and these vain distinctions that you have invented to the pleasure of men, and to the great perverting of God's holy word, shall be to your everlasting damnation. And at the least ways, if you fear not the terrible vengeance of God, remember the shame of the world, & think not, that all men be so mad, and so unlearned, as for to be deceived by this trifling distinction, seeing that the word of God is so plain against it. Doth not S. Paul say, that Ephe. 2. our justification is alonely of faith? & not of works? How can you avoid this same? Non ex operibus? Not of works? if that works do make justification perfit, then are not Saint Paul's words true? Also S. Paul saith, that we be the children of God, by faith. And if we be the children, we are also the heirs. Now what imperfection find you in children? and in heirs? Christian men desire no more but this, and all this have they by faith only. And will you say, that faith doth but begin a justification: Beside that, you know well, that S. Paul doth prove in all the whole Epistles to the Romans, and also to the Galathians, that faith doth justify, yea, and that by contention against works. Now how can you bring in works to make justification perfect? And S. Paul hath excluded them? Moreover, why did not the jews, against whose works S. Paul disputeth? bring in this distinction for them? Briefly, what will you say to all the Doctors, that I have here recited? which say, that Sola fides, only faith, doth justify. But doubtless, if it were not to satisfy other men, this distinction were not worthy an answer. another damnable reason is made, that is an open, & a plain lie, which is this. Thou sayest that works do not justify, nor yet help to justification, but faith only. Ergo, thou destroyest all good works, and will't that no man shall work well, but alonely believe. I answer, if there were any shame Good works are to be done although they justify not. in men, they might well be ashamed of these open lies. Tell me one, that is learned, that ever did say, or teach, that men should do no good works? Many there be, that say, works do not justify, as S. Paul, and all his scholars, but no man denieth good works. But I marvel not at them, for they do but the works of their father, which was a liar, & a murderer from the beginning. I pray you, what consequent is this, after your own Logic? works do not justify, Ergo, we need not to do them, but despise them, for they be of no valour. Take a like consequent. You say, that the kings grace doth not justify, Ergo, you despise him? Ergo, he is no longer king? Also the Sun, and Moon do not justify, Ergo, you destroy them? But such a damnable lie, must SAINT Paul needs suffer, when he had proved, that faith only did justify. Then came your overthwart fathers, and said, Ergo, thou destroyest the law, for thou teachest, that it justifieth not. God forbidden, saith S. Paul, for we do learn the Roma. 3. very way to fulfil the law, that is, faith, whereby the law alonely is fulfilled, and without the which, all the works of the law, be but sin. So do we likewise teach the very true way, whereby all good works must be done. As first, a man by faith to be justified, & then a just man, must needs do good works, which afore were but sin, & now be all good, yea, his eating, drinking, & sleeping, are good. But beside all these, have they certain scriptures. First of S. james, whose words be these. Will't thou jam. 2. understand, O thou vain man, that faith without deeds, is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified of his deeds? When he offered his son Isaac on the altar? Likewise was not Rahab the harlot justified, when she received the messengers? and sent them out an other way. S. Augustine doth declare in divers places, that blessed S. Paul, and S. james, seemed for Aug. 83. quest. c. 76. to be contrary in this matter, And therefore S. Agustine willing to save the estimation of this epistle, doth declare, how that S. Paul doth speak of works, that go before faith, and S. james speaketh of works, that follow faith, And yet S. Agustine will not be compelled by the words of this epistle, to grant, the any works do justify, by the reason, that Saint Paul's worde● be so appartly, and vehemently to the contrary. Wherefore seeing that there showeth a controversy here in two places of the scripture, it standeth with all reason, and learning, that the same place, which seemeth for to be féeblest, & also darkest, should be expounded, and declared, by that part of scripture, that is clearest, and most of authority. Now is this of truth, that the authority of S. Paul hath always in the church of God, been more of estimation, and strength, than ever was this epistle, (though that this epistle hath been received) and especially in this cause, that we now here speak of. For in all the scripture is not this article of justification so plainly, and plenteously handled, as it is by blessed S. Paul, this must every learned man grant. Wherefore it standeth with reason and learning, that this saying of Saint james must needs be reduced, and brought unto blessed S. Paul's meaning, & not S. Paul unto S. james saying. Now therefore in as much, that both blessed S. Paul, and also Saint james meaning is, that good works should be done, and they the be christian men, should not be idle, and do no good, because that they are the children of grace, but that they should rather in their living express outwardly their goodness, received of grace: and as blessed S. Paul saith, To give Roma, 6. their members to be servants unto righteousness, as they were afore servants unto uncleanness. For this cause (I say) S. james saying must needs be understanded, for to be written against those men, that boasted themselves, of an idle, and vain opinion, that they thought themselves to have, which they reckoned to be a good faith. Now S. james to prove that this faith was but an idle thing, & of none effect, doth declare it clearly, by thee, that it brought forth in time and place convenient, no good works. And therefore he cauleth it a dead faith. He bringeth in also a naked brother, Faith that bringeth forth fruit is the faith that justifieth, and yet the fruit doth not justify. the which hath need of clothing, unto these men, that boasted their faith, which hath no compassion of his necessity. Wherefore he concludeth, the that they have no true faith. And therefore he saith unto them, show unto me thy faith without works, and I shall show unto thee of works, my faith. Hear is it plain, that S. james would no more, but that that faith is a dead faith, and of no valour the hath no works. For works should declare and show the outward faith, & works should be an outward declaration, and a testimony of the inward justification, received of faith, not the works can or may take away our sin, or else be any satisfaction, for any part of sin, for that belongeth all only to Christ. As blessed S. john 1. john. 2. saith, and also S. Paul, he hath appeared once for all, to put sin to flight by the offering up of himself. And that this is S. james meaning, it is Hebr. 9 declared by that that followeth. Thou seest (saith he) that faith wrought in Abraham's deeds & through the deeds was his faith made perfect. Mark how faith wrought in his deeds? That is, his faith, because it was a living faith, brought forth & wrought out, the high work of oblation. Also his faith was perfect through his deeds. That is his faith was declared, and had a great testimony afore all the world, the it was a living, and a perfect, and a right shapen faith that Abraham had. So that his inward faith declared him afore God, & his faith justifieth before God, and good words declare our justification to that world. outward works afore the world to be good, and justified. And thus was his faith made perfect afore God and man. Now unto this, do we all agree that that faith alonely justifieth before God, which in time and place doth work well, yea it is a living thing of God, which can not be dead, nor idle in man. But yet for all that, we do give to faith, and to Christ's blood, that glory, that belongeth to them only, that is to say, justification, remission of sins, satisfying of God's wrath, taking away of everlasting vengeance, purchasing of mercy, fulfilling of the law, with all other like things. The glory of these, I say, belongeth to Christ only, & we are partakers of them by faith, in Christ's blood only. For it is no work, that receiveth the promise made in Christ's blood, but faith only. Take an example. God saith to Abraham, In thy seed shall I bless all people. Now can Abraham's works do nothing to receiving of this blessing, nor yet can they make him hung on that seed, but he believeth God, and sticketh fast by faith to that promise, and thinketh, that God shall be true, though he be a liar, and so is he partaker of the blessing made in that seed. Note also, that this blessing is promised in Abraham's seed, and not to Abraham's works. Ergo, Abraham is blessed, because he hangs on the seed, & not on his works. Also blessed S. Paul doth drive a sore argument Gala. 3 against works, in as much as Scripture saith, in semine, non in seminibus quasi in multis, sed in uno. Now if works do help less or more to justification, then must needs the promise be made, and pertain to many, and not to one only, the which were sore against blessed S. Paul. Wherefore I conclude, that the glory and praise of justification belongeth only to faith in Christ's blood, and not to works in any wise. Notwithstanding we do also laud, and praise good works, and do teach diligently to do good works, in as much as God their maker hath commanded them: yea, & also to profit their neighbours by their good works: and furthermore, that other men, which blasphemeth the verity, might be moved through their virtuous living, & conversation, to the holy religion of Christ. For these causes, and other more, I say, do I teach good men to live well, and virtuously: yea, & also we teach The reward of good works is not remission of sins. that good works shall have a reward of God as scripture testifieth, but not remission of sins, nor yet iustication for their reward. Wherefore this saying of S. james must needs be verified against them, that boasted themselves of vain faith, that was indeed but an idle opinion, and no true faith, for it did work through charity. And therefore S. james disputeth well against them, that this faith was but a dead faith, and co●● not help them no more than it helpeth the devil. So that this thing of S. james maketh nothing against me, but rather with me. Also you have an other Scripture for you, which is this. Before God, they are not justified which hear the Roma. 2. law, but they which do the law shallbe justified. Of this text you glory & cry opera, opera, works works. But if ye would consider the mind of S. Paul, you should well perceive that he means not, how works might deserve justification, for than could he not have concluded this against the jews, for they did the works of the law to the uttermost, and yet were they not justified. Wherefore S. Paul means by the hearers of the law, all them that do the outward works of the law, for fear, or for reward, or of hypocrisy, or else by them to be justified. The doers caulleth he them that do the works of the law, after the intent of the law, and as the law commandeth them, that is, in the true faith of Christ jesus, which is the very end of the law, and the fulfilling of the law (as Saint Paul saith) to all them that believe. Wherefore all men be but hearers only of the law, till the time that that they have the faith of Christ jesus, which is imputed unto them for justice. And the works of the law be no cause of justification, but alonely an outward testimony and witness that the law is fulfilled inwardly in their conscience afore God, and fulfilled that it hath no accusation against them, for Christ hath made satisfaction for them, of the which they be partakers by their faith. And so the law must be content to admit all these men, to be fulfillers & doers of the law. And now, that you shall not say, that this is my dream, here be S. Augustine's words. The doers of the law shall be justified. So must it be August. de spiri. & lit. understanded, that we may know that they can none otherwise be the doers of the law, except they be first justified, not that justification belongeth unto doers, but that justification doth precéede all manner of doings. etc. Hear you not that justification is first given, that men might be able to do the works of the law? This is also the exposition of your gloze. I have marvel you study it no better. Also you have an other Scripture, Glosa. and that is this. Cornelius a Gentle, did great alms, and prayed unto God always: Unto whom the Angel spoke on this manner: Thy prayer, & thy alms are come up into remembrance in the presence of God. Of Acts. 10. this text you gather, that his good works, did help to justify him. I answer: The holy ghost hath openly declared himself there. For he saith, that this Cornelius was a devout man, and one that feared God. How could this be, without the God had taught him inwardly by faith? Yea, how could he know God, and that devoutly, but by faith? Ergo, he was justified afore God by his faith, The man that is justified before God 〈◊〉 not be idle but must doc good. but the world known not his justification. And therefore that holy ghost doth declare his inward justification, when he says, that he was devout, & feared God: And also doth show openly the fruits of his justification, when he saith, that he did alms. Moreover, you have there that the holy Ghost fallen on them afore they were baptized in water, the which declareth openly, that they were justified afore God. This is well declared also in your own law, whose words be these: Cornelius Centurio, being yet a Heathen man, was made clean by the gift of ij. Quest. 〈◊〉 Non omnes Episcopo. the holy ghost. Here have you plainly that he was justified by that gift of that holy ghost, afore all good works. For he was an heathen man. another scripture ye have, which is this. If I have all faith, so that I may transpose mountains, and have no charity, I am nothing. Of this gather you, that faith without charity can not justify. I answer. This can you not gather of S. Paul, for it is open that he speaketh not of this thing, whereby that men may be justified, but alonely he teacheth how they that be justified, must work with charity. It is also plain, that he speaketh not of faith, that doth justify inwardly, but of that faith that doth work outwardly. The which is caulled a gift of the holy Ghost: As that gift of tongues, the gift of prophecies, the gift of healing, the gift of interpretation, as it is open in the chapter afore. Now is this faith not given to justify, but alonely to do miracles, wonders, and signs by. And therefore saith Paul: If I had all faith, so that I could move mountains. Also it is open, that certain men shall say unto Christ: Behold, we have done miracles, and cast out devils Math. 7. in thy name: And yet he shall say to them, truly, I know you not. So that this faith is a gift of God, that justifieth not, no more than the gift of science, or prophecies. And sometime is it in the Church, and sometime not, and it is never of necessity there to be. But the faith that we speak of, which doth béeleeve the promises of God, and sticketh fast to the blood of Christ, hath none other virtue but to justify, and must needs justify, wheresoever he is, and he sticketh so fast to God's word, that he looketh for no miracles. This faith is never out of the Church, for it is the life of the Church, and it is that faith that our master Christ john. 17. prayed for, that it might never fail. And therefore S. Paul, when he describeth this faith, he caulleth it a faith that worketh by charity, not that it justifieth by charity. For as he saith there plainly, it is neither circumcision, nor yet uncircumcision, Gala. 5. that is of any valour in Christ jesus, but faith. Here doth he plainly exclude from justification, the highest work of the law, circumcision, and setteth faith alone: not the gift of faith, that doth miracles, but the gift of faith, that worketh by charity. And that ye shall not think this to be a dream, here bring I you Athanasius saying, whose words be these. There are two manner of saythes, one is justifying, as that, of the which Atha. ad Rom. is spoken, Thy faith hath saved thee. An other is called the gift of God, whereby miracles be done. Of the which it is written: if you have faith, as a grain of mustard seed. etc. So that here have you plain, that faith doth justify only, and perfectly, before all manner of works, that is, faith is given of God freely into our souls Faith that justifieth us is given us freely of God. unto the which faith, justification is all only promised, and is all only imputed, and reckoned of God. Nevertheless, this faith in time, and place convenient, is of that strength, that he must needs work by charity, not for to be justified thereby, for if he were not afore justified, it were not possible that he could have charity. For after your own school men, an Infidel can not have charity: but the justified man, he is a free servant unto God, for the love the he hath unto him. The which love seeketh not in God, his own profit, nor his own advantage, for than were he wicked, but seeketh alonely the will of God, and the profit of other men, and worketh neither for love of heaven, nor yet for fear of hell. For he knoweth well, that heaven with all the joys thereof, is prepared from the beginning of the world, not by him, but by his father. And it must needs follow, as contrariwise the Infidel, and the wicked man, doth not work his wicked deeds because he would have hell or everlasting damnation to his reward, but he would rather the contrary. Notwithstanding, hell and everlasting damnation, must needs follow his wicked deeds. Finally, a righteous man, is a free servant of Gods, and worketh not as an, hyereling. For if it were possible that there were no heaven, yet would he do no less good, for his respect is to the maker of the world, and the Lord of all rewards. There is also an other argument, and that is this. Faith is a work: but works doth not justify, Ergo, faith doth not justify. Answer: Truth it is, that we do not mean, how that faith for his own dignity, and for his own perfection, doth justify us. But the Scripture doth say, that faith alonely justifieth, because that it is that thing alonely, whereby I do hang of Christ. And by my faith alonely, am I partaker of the merits and mercy purchased by Christ's blood, and faith it is alonely, that receive the promises made in faith only justifieth because by faith we attain the benefit of Christ's death which only justifieth us. Christ. Wherefore we say with blessed S. Paul, that faith only justifieth imputative: that is, all the merits and goodness, grace, and favour, and all that is in Christ, to our salvation, is imputed and reckoned unto us, because we hang and believe of him, and he can deceive no man that doth believe in him. And our justice is not (as the school men teacheth) a formal justice, which is by fulfilling of the law, deserved of us, for then our justification were not of grace, and of mercy, but of deserving, and of duty. But it is a justice that is reckoned & imputed unto us, for the faith in Christ jesus, and it is not of our deserving, but clearly, and fully of mercy imputed unto us. Now most honourable, & gracious Prince, I have declared unto your highness, what faith it is, that doth justify us before God, and also brought for my sentence, not alonely the blessed word of God, the which were sufficient in this cause, but the exposition of holy Doctors, that your grace might see, that I am not moved to this opinion of a light cause, nor that this doctrine of mine is so new, as men hath It is no new doctrine that is now taught. noted it. Moreover, I have declared unto your grace, how that I would have good works done, & would not have a Christian man's life to be an idle thing, or else a life of uncleanness: but I would have them to be changed into all virtue, and goodness, and to live in good works, after the commandment & will of God. So that your grace may well perceive, that mine adversaries hath not reported truly on me, when they have said, how that I would, that men should neither fast, nor pray, nor give alms, nor yet be penitent for their sins. I have never said it, nor yet taught no like sentence, I take God to record, my works, and my deeds, and all my writings, that ever I written, or made. Wherefore I doubt not, if it please your grace, graciously to hear me, but that I will prove them untrue in this cause, & many other more. This doth almighty God know to be true. Who ever preserve your most royal majesty, in honour, and goodness. Amen. What the Church is: and who be thereof: and whereby men may know her. THe name of the holy church, have those men of long time usurped presumptuously and The Pope and his Church agreeth no more with the manners of holy Church, than darkness & light. with out all shame, they were the greatest enemies that holy church could have in earth. For they did no more agree with the manners of holy church, than darkness and light, than God and that devil. For where holy church heard no man but Christ only: They would hear all manner of men saving Christ, and never hear him, except it wear to to their profit or glory. Where as holy church was ruled in this world, they would rule all the world, & where as holy church would be holy by Christ only, they would be holy by their own help. And where as holy church was always despised, and persecuted of the world, They would be honoured of that The Pope is a persecutor of holy Church. world and persecutors of all men. And where as holy church was inwardly decked with spiritual virtues, they would be outwardly shining in spiritual array. And where as holy church would be chaste in sprite they would with their mouths vow chastity, and spend all their lives in whore doom. And where as holy church did always show meekness in the world, they would be so proud, that heart could devise no more. Briefly whatsoever thing the was How far the Pope doth differ with his Church from the true holy Church. agreeable with the church, of that had they never a crumb, but alonely by violence usurped the name of holy church, So that if a man had had a crown or a long gown and a white smock over his gown, them was there no remedy but he must needs be of the church, yea and holy church herself. So the if a Barber had made a Bull a crown, & a Tailor jack napes a long gown, & brought an Ass forth in The foul and great abuse of the Pope in taking upon him, that he and his were the holy Church. a white rochet, them no man might doubt but the there were holy church, & every man must fall down to receive clean remission a poena and a oulpa, toties quoties, for there came the successors of Peter & Paul: and they that have the despensation of Christ's blood, and the merits of holy saints, and the suffrages of holy church to distribute, and the key bearers of heaven and hell. Who can deny but this is truth? It is to open to need an probation, for we see it daily before our eyes. So that if a man will compare our M Christ that is the very head of holy church unto these Prelates (that call themselves his viccars) he shall find but small agreement, between the person and the vicar: and he that will consider. S. Peter and S. Paul, withal other apostles shall think, that either they were none of holy Church, or else our prelals: for they agree in nothing. Yea & he may reckon that S. Peter & S. Paul were stark fools & right mad men that lived so despectuous a life. What need me to make many words, or to tell their names that I speak of, There is no doubt but that galled horse will béewray himself. But shortly, if the devil would come in his own person disguised, tell me how it were impossible that he could be more contrary to Christ and his apostles, than those men that call themselves the holy church: yea take away the name of the church, and set in her steed the name of the devil, & how will you then know a bishop from the devil? By their works? nay truly What difference is between a Bishop & the devil. for they be all one: And yet will you be the heads of Christ's church, yea the holy church herself: not so ye wicked, not so. Wherefore that this blessed spouse of Christ may be known from thee open and abominable whores and harlots, therefore will I (by gods grace) set out what holy Church is and where by men shall know her, This word Ecclesia both in the new testament and the old, is taken oftentimes for the whole congregation and and the whole multitude of that people both good and bad, as it is in the book of Numeri? Why have you brought Nume. 20. the congregation or Church of God into wilderness. Also in an other place, The king 3. King. 8. turned his face and blessed the whole congregation or Church of Israel, and all the Church of Israel stood. Likewise in the new testament Saint Paul to the Corinthians, I have sent 1. Cor. 4. unto you Tymothy the which shall learn you my ways, the be in Christ jesus, as I do learn every where in all congregations. Also in an other place: do you despise 1. Cor. 11. the congregation of God? and shame them that have not? In all these places & in many more, is it open that this greek word Ecclesia is taken for the whole congregation both of good & bad. Wherefore this is not the church that we will greatly speak of: for in this church are jews and Saracens Murderers, and thieves, Bawds, and Harlots, though we know them not. But there is an other holy Church of the which S. Paul speaketh: you Ephe. 5. men love your your wives, as Christ hath loved the Church, and hath given himself for her, that he might sanctify her, and cleanse her in the fountain of water through the word of life, to make her to himself a glorious The holy Church truly defined. Church without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that she might be holy & without blame. Here have you the very true Church of Christ, that is so pure and so clean without spot. But whereby is she pure & clean: not by her own merits nor by her own might, not by exterior array, not by gold nor silver, nor yet by precious stones, neither by miters nor crosestaves, nor by pillars nor pollaxes. But whereby then? by Christ only which hath given himself for that intent that he would make her clean and therefore saith S. Paul: He gave himself that he might sanctify The true holy church is that which is sanctified & made holy by Christ. her, that he might cleanse her, and make her to himself a glorious Church. Also in an other place: you are washed, you are sanctified, you are justified in the name of jesus Christ, and in the spirit of God. See my Lords, how the Church is washed by Christ 1. Cor. 1. & by his holy spirit, and not by your blessings, not by your spiritual ornaments, nor by your spiritual holy water, for these things cannot help the holy Church: for she is holy in spirit and not in outward hypocrisy: she is also cleansed by Christ's blessed blood, & not by outward disguisings. This doth S. Augustine well prove, saying, Of Christ is the church made fair? first was she filthy in sins, afterward by pardon and by grace was Augustinus de verbis domini ser. so. she made fair etc. Here S. Augustine saith that Christ hath made his Church fair, and that by his grace & his pardon, and not by your pardons, nor by your grace. For this Church, standeth by Christ's election, & not by yours. And if Christ have not washed you & choose you then be you none of this Church, though you ride with a thousand spiritual horses, and have all the spiritual tokens on earth. For and if the son of God have delivered you, them john. 6. are you truly delivered. You can not make by all your power and holiness that we shall always find good ale or wine where there hangs out a green sign: and will you with your spiritual signs and tokens make the Church of God to follow you, or by them assign out where the Church shall be? Nay, nay, my Lords, it will not be: but they that believe the Christ The faithful believers in Christ's merits, are that right holy church of God. hath washed them from their sins, and stick fast unto his merits, and to the promise made to them in him only, they be the Church of God, & so pure and so clean that it shall not be lawful, not not for Peter, to say that they be unclean: but whether they be jew or Greek, king or subject, carter or Cardinal, butcher or Bishop, tancardbearer or cannelrater, free or bound, Friar or fiddler, Monk or miller: if they believe in Christ's word, & stick fast to his blessed promises, and trust only in the merits of his blessed blood, they be the holy Church of God, yea and the very true church afore God. And you with all your spiritual tokens, & with all your exterior cleanness, remain in your filthiness of sin: from the which all your blessings, all your pardons, all your spirituallitie, all your holiness, can not cleanse you, nor bring you into this Church. Boast, crack, blast, bless, curse till your holy eyes start out of your head, it will not help you, for Christ chooseth his church, at his judgement and not at yours. The holy ghost is free, & inspireth where he will, he will neither be bond, to God is not to be ruled by any state or degree of person. Pope nor Cardinal, Archbishop nor Bishop, Abbot nor Prior, Deacon nor Archdeacon, Parson nor Vicar, Nun nor Friar. Briefly come all the whole rabble of you together that call yourselves the holy Church, and exclude all other: yea and take sun, moon, & stars to help you with all the friends you have in heaven and earth: and yet shall you not be of holy church, except that you have that spirit of Christ, & be washed in his blessed blood. For the holy Church of Christ is nothing else but that congregation, that is sanctified in spirit, redeemed with Christ's blood, and sticketh fast and sure alonely to the promises that he made therein. So that the Church is a spiritual The holy Church which is that true church of God is to the world invisible. thing, and no exterior thing, but invisible from carnal eyes (I say not that they be invisible that be of the Church, but that holy Church in herself is invisible) as faith is, and her pureness and cleans is before Christ only, and not before the world, for the world hath no judgement nor knowledge of her: but all her honour and cleans is before Christ sure and fast. And if there appear any of her goodness unto the world, of that she maketh no reckoning, nor thinketh herself any thing thing the better, that the world judgeth well of her: for all her trust is in Christ only. She suffereth the world to rage and blaspheme both against her and against Christ her maker. She standeth fast and believeth stead fastly, that, that shall have a shameful end, and everlasting damnation to reward. Briefly, her meditations and her thoughts are heavenly, and all that she doth is spiritual. For she can not err, she cleaveth so fast to the word of God that is the verity. And for this cause S. Paul calleth The true holy church is the pillar and ground of truth. her the pillar and ground of truth, not that she is so sure of, and in her own strength, but that she sticketh so fast to the living God, and to his blessed word, that is the very true Church, that is scattered thorough all the world, and is neither bound to person by the reason of dignity, nor yet to any place by the reason of feigned holiness, but she is a free thing thorough all the world, as S. Augustine doth witness in these words. The holy Church are we, but I do August. ser. 〈◊〉. de tempore. not say, as one should say, we that be here alonely, that hear me now, but as many as be here faithful Christened men in this Church, that is to say, in this City, as many as be in this region, as many as be beyond the sea, as many as be in all the world (for from the rising of the sun, till the going down, is the name of God praised) so is the holy Church our mother. etc. Here have you plainly, that the The holy Church is the congregation of faithful men where soever they be in the world. holy Church is the congregation of faithful men, wheresoever they be in the world. And neither the Pope, nor yet his Cardinals be more this Church or of this Church than the poorest man in earth. For this church standeth alonely in the spiritual faith of Christ jesus, and not in dignities nor honours of the world, as Liranus doth declare in these words. Lyra in mat. ca 19 The Church doth not stand in men by reason of spiritual power, or secular dignities: For many Princes and many Popes, and other inferior people have swerned from the faith. Wherefore that Church doth stand in those people in whom is the true knowledge and confession of faith, and of verity. etc. O my Lords, what will you say to Lyra? I have great marvel that you burn him not. It is high time to condemn him for an heretic, for he speaketh against your law xxiv. q. 1. Quodcunque. Where as your gloze declareth that God suffereth not, the church of Rome for to err. And Lyra saith plainly that many pope's have erred, and also that the Church standeth not in dignity, but in confession of Christ and of his blessed verity. But now here will be objected that I fain such a Church, as our Logitions do intentionem secundam, that is a thing that is no where. Where shall a man find a Church that is so pure and so clean that hath neither spot nor wrinkle in her, and that is without all sin, seeing that all men must of truth say, forgive us our trespass? And if any man say (be he never so righteous) that he hath no Math. 6. 1. john. 1. sin, them is he a liar, and there is no verity in him. To this I answer, Ephe. 5. that this holy Church hath sin in her yet is she pure and clean. Mark S. Paul's words: Christ hath given himself for her, that he might make her glorious. So that the cleanness of The holy Church how it is made pure and clean without spot or wrinkle. this holy church is the mercy of God toward her thorough Christ: for whose sake, he layeth nothing to her charge: yea and if any other person would, he is ready to give her his cleans, and to let her by faith claim of right his pureness for her own. For between them, all is common, as between man and wife. So that if the Church look on her own merits and of her own works, she is full of sin, and must needs say, demitte mihi debita. The which she needed not to say if she had none. But if she refer herself unto the merits of her blessed husband Christ jesus, and to the cleans that she hath in his blood, them is she without spot. For by the reason that she sticketh by faith so fast unto her husband Christ, and doth abide in confession of her sin, & requireth mercy for them, therefore is there nothing laid to her charge, but all thing is forgiven her. And therefore saith S. Paul, there is no damnation unto them that be in Christ jesus. And that this may be the plainer, I will bring you S. Augustine's words, the Augustinus de verbis Apostoli. s. 〈◊〉. which was vexed of the Donatists with this same reason that is laid against me, his words be these. The whole Church saith, forgive us our sins, wherefore she hath spots and wrinkles, but by knowledging of them, her wrinkles be extended and stretched out, by knowledging, her spots are washed away. The church abideth in prayer that she might be cleansed by knowledging of her sins. As long as we live hereso standeth it, and when we shall depart out of this body, all such things be forgiven to every man, wherefore The church of God is the treasures of God without spot or wrinkle. by this mean the church of God, is in the treasures of God, without spot and wrinkles: and therefore here do we not live without sin, but we shall pass from hence without sin. etc. Here have you clearly that the church of God is cleansed and purified by Christ for knowledging of her sins, and not by her own pureness. Wherefore such a church there must needs be, though that the carnal eye can not see her, nor fleshly reason can judge of her. Wherefore we believe this article by faith, that holy church is a communion or fellow ship of holy men, and know it not by seeing or feeling, as we do the fellowship of Drapers or mercers, for than were it none article of the faith. And it is plain, that all your exterior That which is of faith can neither be seen nor felt. signs, with all your holy ornaments, as your holy miters, your holy crossestaves, your holy pyllers, polaxis, your holy read gloves, your holy ouches, and your holy rings, your holy anointed fingers, your holy vestmentes, your holy chalices, and your holy golden shows, yea, & take also to help you S. Thomas of Canterburyes holy show, with all the holy boots of holy Monks, and all these together can not make one crumb of holiness in you, nor help you one prick forward, that you may be within this church. For if these things could help, than were it no mastery to make an Ass to be of the church of God. But our holy mother the Church The true holiness that is of our right holy mother the Church. hath an other holiness, that cometh from God the father through the sweet blood of his blessed son jesus Christ, in whom is all her confidence and trust. Unto whom she sticketh only by stead fast faith, by whose pureness she is also pure in that, that she doth confess her uncleanness, for she believeth steadfastly that she hath an advocate for her sin to the father of heaven, which is Christ jesus, and he is the satisfaction for her sins: & 1. john 2. he of his mercy & not of her merits hath choose her for to be his, and because she is his, therefore must she be clean so long as she abideth in him. This is well declared in S. john john. 15. where our master Christ is compared to the vine and all the members of holy Church to the branches, that as the branches, can bring forth no fruit of themselves, so can holy church of herself bring forth no goodness except she remain in Christ by perfect faith. This is well proved by your own law whose words be these, therefore is the Church holy, because she believeth righteously in God. etc. Here you De con. D. D. 4. c. prima igitur. not the cause wherefore the Church is holy? because she believeth righteously in God, that is she believeth in nothing but in him, and she believeth nor heareth no word but his, as our master Christ beareth witness, my sheep hear my voice, and an other man's voice do they not know. Also in an other place, he that is of God heareth the words of God. How cometh this, that the Church of God hath so sure a judgement, that she knoweth the voice of Christ from other voices, & can not err in her judgement? Because that Christ hath choose her, and because she is learned of God as our master Christ saith, and because she hath (as S. john saith) the inward 1. john. 2. ointment of God, that teacheth his all manner of verity, so that she can not err. But why can she not err? because she may do what she will? Because that all thing that she doth, is well done? because she may make new rules and new laws at her pleasure? Because she may invent a new service of God that is not in Scripture at her will? Nay nay my Lords. For she is but a woman and must be ruled by her husband, yea she is but a sheep and must hear the voice of her shepherd, and so long as she doth, so long can she not err because the voice of her shepherd can not be false. This may be proved by your own De p●ne. Dis. 2. Si in glossa. 24. q. 1. Arecta & in Glossa. law whose words be these, the whole Church can not err. Also in an other place, the congregation of faithful men must needs be, which also can not err. etc. These words be plain what Church it is that can not err: The faithful congregation can not err. that is the congregation of faithful men that be gathered in Christ's name, which have Christ's spirit, which have the holy ointment of God, which abide fast by Christ's word, and hear no other man's voice but his. Now my Lords gather you all together with all the laws that you can make, and all the holiness, that you can devise and cry, the Church, the Church, and the Counsels, the Counsels that were lawfully gathered in the power of the holy ghost (all this may you say & yet lie) and if you have not in deed the holy ghost with in you, and if you do hear any other voice than Christ's, then are you not of the Church, but of the devil, and théenes & murderers as Christ says. For you come into the fold of Christ without him, you bring not his voice, but you come with your own voice, with your own statutes, with your own word, & your own mandamus, The voice of murderers and thieves. mandamus, precipimus, precipimus, excommunicamus, excommunicamus. These be the voices of murderers and thieves, and not of Christ, therefore you can not but err, for you be not taught of God, you have not the holy ointment, you have not the word of God for you, you hear not the voice of the true shepherd, therefore must you needs err in all your counsels. This is an other manner of rule then my Lord of Rochester doth assign to examine your counsels by, A rule that Rochester teacheth to know the difference between the Pope and Council. for he saith, where that the Pope and the counsel doth not agree all in one, there will he suspect the counsel not to be right. Who did ever hear such a rule of a christian man? yea and of a bishop? yea and of a doctor of Divinity, where hath he learned this Divinity? to reckon a counsel to be true, because the the Pope and so many men do agreed in one, yea and that such men as have so often times erred in their counsels, as he doth declare himself reckoning The Council erreth if the Pope agreed not to their do. ynges. the counsel of Constantinople that had. 330. Bishops and yet did err, and he known no other cause, but be, cause the Pope did not agree to them. Is not this a reasonable cause? can not the Pope err? let him read his own law. Distinctio. 19 Anastasius, & Pope's have erred. Distinctio. 40. Si Papa and also. 24. cue 1. Arecta in the gloze, and there shall he find that the Pope hath erred. Wherefore then should the matter stand in his judgement? Now how Pope's condemned for heretics. will he by this rule save the counsels of constance, and of basel where in both counsels, the Popes were condemned for heretics? As the same counsels make mention, also that the counsels have erred, that granted he himself, but peradventure he will say, that they were not full Counsels. Now is it well amended, what distinction is (as conscerning the verity in a counsel that hath a thousand bishops and in an other that hath fyve thousand, can the multitude help to the verity? Then had the Turk the verity and we the falsed, then had the Prophet Micheas the worse part for 3. King. 2. 3. King. 18. he was alone against. iiij. hundred so was the verity by the Prophets of Ball, and not by Elyas, for they were four hundred and fifty & he was but one man. Briefly Christ's flock is always The little flock is the flock of Christ. the smallest number in this world but yet it is the best, not the smallest number maketh Christ's flock, but that Christ's Church standeth neither by the greatest number nor yet by the smallest, nor by the judgement or numbering of man, but by the calling and election of God. Wherefore let my Lord bring forth what counsel that he will, and if they have not the word of God, I will not all only say they may err, but also that they do err in very deed. And that will I prove by the greatest lawyer that they have called Panormitanus whose words De electio. c. significa. be these, that Counsels may err as they have erred, as concerning that contract of matrimony, inter raptorem & raptam, and the saying of Saint Jerome was afterward preferred a The Council of Meldelci did err. 'bove the statute of the counsel as it is proved. 36. q. 2. Tria, for in things concerning the faith is the saying of a private person to be preferred afore the saying of the pope, if he have better reasons and scriptures of the new, and of the old testament for him then the Pope: nor it can not help, to say that the counsel can not err, because that Christ did pray for his Church the her faith should not fail. For I answer to this, that though the general council do represent the whole universal church: nevertheless in very deed there is not the very universal church, but representative. For the universal A general Council is, not the universal Church. church standeth in the election of all faith full men: & all faithful men of the world make that universal Church, whose head and spouse is Christ jesus, & the Pope is but the vicar of Christ and not the very head of the Church, this is the Church that can not err. etc. Here it is open that the counsel may err, and that a private person having scriptures for him is to be herded before the Pope and also the counsel, having no scriptures for them, you have also what is the very true Church which can not err, which thing can not be veryfyed of your counsels for they be neither without error, nor yet the holy Church, but that they do represent the Church as a legate representeth a king's person: but of that followeth not that he is the king, or hath as much power as the king, or is above. The king or that he may rule the king, this may also be proved by. S. Augustine whose words Augustinus de bap li. 2. c. 3 contra Donatistas'. be these, those counsels that be gathered in every Province must without doubt give place to the authority of the full counsels which be gathered of all Christendom: and also those full counsels often times must be amended by the full counsels that come after: if any thing be opened by any experience that was a fore shut, and if any thing be known that was hidden. And this may be done without any Counsels have erred and many err. shadow of superstitious pride, without any boasted Arrogancy, with out any contention of malicious envy, but with holy meekness, with holy peace and with Christian charity. etc. Here it is plain that your full counsels may be amended and reform: the which thing need not, if they could not err: yea and if they did not err in deed. Moreover you must needs grant that there is a rule where by your counsels must be exammined; & where by sentence must be given which of your counsels be true and which false, by the which rule if your counsels be not ordered, they must needs err and be false, and of the devil. Wherefore gather all your counsels together, and yet of them can you not make holy church. But peradventure there may be many in your counsels good and perfit men and of holy Church: but they and you together make not the universal holy church that can not err: neither have you any anctoritie over The holy scriptures are the judges of the Counsels doings holy Church, further than the holy scripture of God: but as soon as you forsake Christ and his holy word, so soon are you the congregation of the devil, and thieves and murderers: and yet for all this, there must needs be an holy church of Christ in earth, that is neither bound to jerusalem nor to Constantinople, nor yet to Rome, as though she were like unto the Ass and the fool. But now will there be objected, that our Master Christ commandeth, Math. 10. if my brother offend me, that I should complain to the church. Now is this church that I have set out spiritual, and no man knoweth her but God only, she is also scattered thorough out the world, wherefore how can a man complain to that church? I answer, our M. Christ doth plainly speak of a man that hath wrong, the which must needs be a particular and a certain man: and therefore likewise he biddeth There are particular Churches to whom we may complain. him complain not to the universal church, but to the particular church. Now this particular church, if she be of God, and a true member of the universal church, she will judge righteously after Christ's word, and after the probations brought afore her. Nevertheless, oftentimes cometh it to pass, that this particular church doth fully and wholly err, and judgeth unright, and excommunicateth him that is blessed of god, as it is open in your own law, whose words be these: oftentimes he that is cast out is within, 24. q. 3. Si. quis et c. cum aliquis. and he that is within is kept without. etc. Here have you plainly the the particular church may err. Wherefore that church that can not err is all only the universal church which is caulled the communion and the fellowship The communion & fellowship of Saintes is the universal Church. of Saintes, the which addition was made by holy fathers (for in Cyprian'S time was there no mention of it) by all likelihood to declare the presumption of certain men, and of certain congregations that reckoned themselves to be holy church. Wherefore my Lords see well to it, lest the holy Ghost have pricked you with this addition, for you have always made yourself holy church, yea and that without any holiness. Now have I declared unto you, what is holy church, that is, the congregation of faithful men throughout all the world: and whereby she is holy, that is, by Christ's holiness and by Christ's blood: and also what is the cause that she can not err: because that she keepeth herself so fast to the word of God, which is a perfit & a true rule. Now must we declare by what signs and tokens, that we may know How a man may know the church. that in this place or in that place there be certain members of this holy church. For though she be in herself spiritual▪ and can not be perfitly known, by our exterior senses, yet nevertheless we may have certain tokens, of her spiritual presence, whereby we may reckon that in this place and in that place be certain of her members. As by a natural example, An example teaching how the true church may be known. though the soul of man in herself be spiritual & invisible: yet may we have sure tokens of her presence, as hearing moving, speaking, smelling, with such other. So likewise, where the word of God is truly and perfitly preached without the damnable dreams of men, and where it is well of the hearers received, & also where we see good works that do openly agree with the doctrine of the Gospel, these be good and sure tokens whereby we may judge, that there be some men of holy Church. As to the first, whereas the Gospel is truly preached it must needs light in some men's hearts, as the prophet witnesseth, my word, shall not return again to me frustrate, but it Esay. 55. shall do all thing that I will, and it shall prospero, in those things, unto the which I did sand it. Also S. Paul saith, faith cometh by hearing, and hearing cometh by Roma. 10. the word of God: and therefore it is open in holy Scripture that when Peter Acts. 10. spoke the words of God, the holy ghost fallen down on them all. Wherefore it is open that God's word can never be preached in vain, but some men must needs receive it, and thereby be made of holy Church, though that men do not know them neither by their names nor yet by their faces, for this word is received into their hearts. The second token is, that the receivers of this word do work well thereafter as S. Paul declareth of 1. Thess 2. his hearers: when you received of us the word wherewith God was preached, you received it not as the word of men, but even (as it was in deed) the word of God, which worketh in you that believe. So that if men do Good works are the fruit of good faith. work after the word of God, it is a good token that there be men of the Church, though that we (hypocrisy is so subtle and so secret) may be oftentimes deceived by these outward works, but nevertheless charity judgeth well of all things that have a good outward show, and be not openly against the word of God. But it is Charity may be deceived, but faith can never be deceived. no jeopardy though charity be deceived, for it is open to all jeopardies: but faith is never deceived. Now to our purpose, that where the word of God is preached truly, it is a good & a perfit token that there be some men of Christ's church. This may be proved by Chrisostomes' words: they that be in judea let them flee up into the mountains, that is to say they that be in Christendom, let them give themselves to Scriptures. Wherefore commandeth he that all Christened men in that time should fly unto Scriptures, for in that time in the which heresies have crept into the Church, there can be no true probation of Christendom, nor no other refuge unto Christian men, willing to know the verity of faith, but the Scriptures of God. Afore by many ways was it showed which was the Church of Christ, and which was the congregation of Gentiles: but now there is no other way to them that will know which is the very true Church of Christ, but alonely by scriptures. By works first was the church of Christ known when the conversation of Christian men, either of all or of many were holy, the which holiness had not the wicked men, but now Christian men, be as evil or worse than heretics or Gentiles, yea & greater continency is found among them, then among Christian men. Wherefore he that will know which is the very church of christ, how A saying of Chrisostome. shall he know it but by Scriptures only. Wherefore our Lord considering that so great confusion of things should come in the latter days, therefore commandeth he that Christian men which be in Christendom willing to reserve the steadfastness of true faith, should fly unto no other thing but unto Scriptures, for if they have respect unto other things they shall be slandered and shall perish, not understanding which is the true Church. etc. These words need no exposition they be plain enough: they do also exclude all manner of learning saving holy scripture. Wherefore see how you can with honesty save your holy laws, and defend them against Chrisostome sendeth us to scriptures to learn which is the holy Church, & not unto them that call themselves the holy church. Chrisostome. Moreover if Chrisostome complain of the incontenency that was in his days, how would he complain if he now lived & saw the bawdry and fornication, that is in the Church? And also he sendeth men to scriptures that will know the holy Church, and not unto the holy Church for in the Church were heresies, but not in scripture. Also. S. Paul witnesseth the same Ephe. 2. saying, you are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, hear have you plainly that the very true Church is grounded, yea and The holy Church is built and founded upon the Apostles & Prophets. founded of holy scripture, and therefore wheresoever that the word of God is preached, that is a good token that there be some men of Christ's Church. But now as to the fruits and works of this Church, she doth all only fetch out her manner of living and all her good works out of the holy word of God, and she feigneth not, nor dreameth any other new holiness, or new invented works that be not in scripture, but she is content with Christ's learning and believeth, that Christ hath sufficiently taught her all manner of good works that be to the honour of our heavenvly father. Therefore inventeth she no other way to heaven but followeth Christ only, in suffering oppressions, and persecutions, blaspheminge, & all other things that may be laid unto her, which as S. Agustine saith she learned of our M. Christ. Our holy mother that church Augustinus. throughout all the world scattered far and long, in her true head Christ jesus taught, hath learned not to fear The true Church is a sufferer, and no persecutor. the contumelies of the Cross nor yet of death: but more and more is she strengthened not in resisting but in suffering. etc. Now my Lords compare yourself to this rule of S. Agustine, and let us see how you can bring yourself into the Church? or else to prove yourself to be holy? The Church suffereth persecutions (for as S. Paul saith, they that will live devoutly in Christ 2. Tim. 3. must suffer persecution) and you with stand all things and suffer nothing. You oppress every man, and you will be oppressed of no man. You persecute every man, and no man may speak a word against you, not though it be never so true. You cast every man in prison, & no man may touch you, but he shall be cursed. You compel every man to say as you say, & you will not once say as Christ saith. And as for your holiness all the world knoweth what it is: for it standeth in clothing and in decking, in watching and sleeping, in The Pope's church are persecutors but no sufferers. eating and drinking this meat or the meat, this drink or that drink, in pattering and mumbling these Psalms or those Psalms, without devotion. briefly all your holiness is in books Bells, Candles, Challeces, oil cream The glory of the Pope's church is in trash. water, horses, hounds, palaces, & all that is mighty and glorious in the world, there on hang you, there in glory you, there on crack you, there on boast you, there upon build you. Is this the natures of the church? is this holiness? Of whom have you learned these manners? You can not deny but these be true, and if you would deny it, all the world is witness against you: yea and also your own facts & deeds. Of whom have you learned this holiness? not of Christ nor yet of his holy Church: but you have learned it of the Arians, the were the servants of the devil. Hilarius Hilarius cont. Arianos. writeth in these words, the Church doth threaten, with banyshmentes & prysonmentes, and she compelleth men to believe her, which was exciled and cast in prison, now hangs she on the dignity of her fellowship, the which was consecrated, by the threatevinge of persecutors: she causeth priests to fly that was increased & by the chasing away of priests, she glorieth that she is loved of the world, the which could never be Christ's except the world did hate her. How think you my Lords, do not you all these things, that be laid to the Arians charge? Your own friends, yea your own consciences must needs accuse you of all these things, and yet will you be called Christ's children, I lay nothing to you, but that holy Doctors lay unto you. But let us see what S. barnard Barnardus supper can. s. 33. saith on you: they call themselves the ministers of Christ, but they serve Antichrist: they go gorgeously arrayed of our lords goods, unto whom they give none honour, and of these goods cometh the harlots decking Note here the saying of Saint Barnard. that thou seest daily, the game players disguising, and kings apparel: of this cometh gold in their bridles, in their saddles, and in their spurs, so that their spurs be brighter than the altars: of this cometh their plenteous wine presses and their full sellers, bolking from this unto that: of this cometh their tons of sweet wines: of this be their bags so filled, for such things as these be, will they be rulers of the church, as Deacons, Archdeacon's, bishops, and archbishops. etc. My Lords I had thought to have added Cardinals and Legates, abbots and priors, to have made the company more holy, but I ourst not. How think you, of whom doth he speak when he faith Bishops and archbishops? what holiness doth he reprove, when he spraketh of gorgeous array, of harlots decking, of game players disguising, of golden spurs, saddelles & bridles? If there were an C. that did use it more than you, yet must you needs grant that S. Barnard greatly reproveth the insatiable pride of the Pope's Church. he speaketh of you. He passeth me sore in condemning of your holy ornaments, for he caulleth you the servants of Antichrist, and your holy ornaments harlots decking, and game players disguising, and he says that you are neither the church nor of the church, but the servants of Antichrist, how think you by S. barnard, it is time to condemn him, for he speaketh against holy church and all her holy ornaments, this dare I well say, that if the best Christian man within the Realm should preach these words of Saint barnard, you would not stick to condemn him for an beretike, but you were wont to call him sweet barnard, but me thinketh that he is sour enough in this thing. Wherefore dispute the matter with him that you may come into the Church, and not with me. FINIS. another declaration of the Church, wherein he answereth to Master Moore. IN my first book I did declare how that certain men did take upon them to be counted of holy Church, whose manners and livings, did nothing agree with holy church. But after that, cometh M. Moore, and he layeth to my charge, that I counted all the spirituality to be nought, because he would make my name somewhat odious unto them. But verily he doth me great wrong, for it was never my meaning, nor yet my saying. But mine intent was to declare that neither the Pope, nor his college of Cardinals, nor yet all the bishops in the world, gathered together, did make holy Church, because of their names, or else for their long gowns, or for their shaven crowns, or else anointed fingers, nor yet for any other exterior things, that the world had in admiration. But yet nevertheless I did grant, and also do now confess many good men to have shaven crowns, and also long gowns. But yet for these things, they were never the more of the church. All the pope's learning hath been, xiv. quest. i c. Quodeunque in verbo Reconciliat. that he and his, hath been the church, the which can not err, and all things that belong unto them, were called the goods of holy church. All laws made by them, were the laws of holy Church. They might not be convented before any temporal Prince, because they were men of holy church. They might not be hanged for murder, because they were anointed, and of holy church. Briefly, there be innumerable such things invented of them, to maintain and to defend their holiness, and to prove that they be holy Church, the which things I think M. More can not deny. And if he would, yet there be a great many of books forth coming, to prove my sentence against him. And also the practice that hath been used in the world, will testify the same. I think M. More, nor yet any man living, did ever know in his time, M. Moore would have us to think there is none other holy church but the Pope and his Cardinals and Bishops etc. that any man was judged, or taken to be of the church, but such men as I have spoken of. And I think this name church, was never named, but it was taken specially, and principally, for those men that had shaven crowns, and other like tokens. Let me be reported to those men that be alive. Now, because I see that these things were nothing the cause of holy church, nor yet belonged greatly to holy church, therefore I say, was I moved to declare what holy church was, and who were thereof, and by what signs and tokens men might know her. ¶ Now to declare this, I brought certain places of scripture to prove, that this word Eccleasia, was taken in scripture, for the whole congregation, both of good, and bad. But I said, I would not greatly speak of that congregation, for that was not it, that could not err, of the which was mine intent to speak. And I brought for me, the saying of S. Paul. Christ hath Epes. 5. given himself, for his Church, that he might sanctify her, and cleanse her in the fountain of water, through the word of life, to make her to himself a glorious church, without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing. But that she might be holy, and without blame. To prove, that the Church was cleansed by Christ, I brought the saying of S. Augustine for me. Of Christ is the church made fair. First Aug. de ver bis Domini. serm. l. was she filthy in sins, afterward by pardon, and by grace, was she made fair. etc. Moreover, to prove, the this church was made clean by Christ, and not by names, or by clothing, or by any other exterior thing, I brought for me the saying of S. john. If the son of God have delivered you, then are you john. 6. truly delivered. Also S. Paul. You are washed, you are sanctified, you are 1. Cor. 6. justified, in the name of jesus Christ, & in the spirit of God. But unto these things, doth M. Moore answer, that I do not well to exclude, out of this Church bad men, for the known church (saith he) standeth in a gathering together of good men and bad: & to prove that, he bringeth in certain parables of our Saviour Christ. To this I answer, that I never denied, but that there was such a congregation of good, and bad: but I said, that that was not the very true church, afore God, though it bear the name of the Church, and in very deed, his own parables doth declare, that our master Christ shall at length, give sentence against them, that call themselves falsely of the Church. judas was called an Apostle, and taken so of all his company, but yet our master Christ calleth him the devil. Now if M. Moore will have judas in his Now evil men be in the church. Church, I must be content, that he shall also betray Christ. The very truth is, that bad men be mixed here in the Church, and after outward signs, be taken for members of the Church, specially if they be not excommunicate. But the Church, which I did speak of, was not a fellowship gathered together in a consent of exterior things, and ceremonies, as other politic fellowships be. But it is a fellowship specially gathered in What the very true church is? the unity of faith, having the holy ghost within them to sanctify their spirits, which doth set their trust only in the redemption promised them, in Christ's blessed blood. This I say, is the very true church of God, let the world say what they will, and let men call themselves as it pleaseth them. For as S. Paul says, Roma. 〈◊〉. he that hath not the spirit of God, is none of his. Also M. Mores learning Homo mortuus non est homo. will grant that evil men, be the dead members of the Church: what they be worth, let other men judge. But M. Moore reckoneth, that there is not such a Church here in earth, that is without spot, and wrinkle, as S. Paul saith. For the Church, saith Ephes. 5. he, is here gracious, and not glorious. Truly, I have marvel, what he means, thus to expound Saint Paul's saying: for I think he can not prove, but that S. Paul's saying is verified of the Church, that is here militant, and not of the church unchangeable. But I will not at this time greatly dispute with M. Moore. But, and if he were as he hath been, I would say some thing more to him, than I will do at this tyme. He can neither mock me, nor jest me out of conceit, and if I were disposed to couple with him, nor it is not his foul, & shameless works, and untrue sayings, that he layeth to me, that could fear me. But now, that it hath pleased M. Moore layeth many things to me wrong fully. God (without any help, or know ledge of me) to bring him unto this fall, I will pray to God for him, to give him grace, that he may revoke all such false doctrine, as he hath brought into the world. For doubtless, if he abide in the meaning, that he is now in, I do not see, how he can dye God's servant. Yea, his own known Church is against him, whom (he saith) men are bond to believe, under pain of damnation. But truly, as God shall judge me, I am sorry for his trouble, if I could help him with any lawful means, I would do my best, so evil will bear I him. But to proceed farther in my matter, I will not greatly speak much of the Church, by the reason, that many other men, sense my first writing, have declared this article, much better than I can do it. Wherefore I will all only recite the places of holy doctors, that I have brought for me in my first book, and the intent wherefore I alleged them, to prove that the Church was afrée thing, throughout all the world, and not bound either to place or to person. I brought for me the saying of S. Augustine, saying these words. The holy Church are we. Aug. Serm. 99 de tempore. But I do not say, are we, as one should say, we that be hear all only that hear me now, but as many as be hear faithful christian men in this Church, the is to say, in this City, as many as be in this region, as many as be beyond the sea, as many as be in all the whole world (for from the rising of the sun, till the going down, is the name of God praised.) So is the holy Church our mother. etc. Also Lyra saith, The Church doth Lyra in Mar. ca nineteeen not stand in men, by the reason of spiritual power, or secular dignity. For many princes, and many Popes, and other inferior people, have swerved from the faith. Wherefore the church doth stand in those people, in whom is the true knowledge, and confession of faith, and of verity. etc. Here Lyra saith as much as I do in clear words. And M. More doth not, nor yet can refel him. Afterwards I bring a saying of S. Augustine, to prove, that the Church hath spots, and wryncles in her: And yet by confessing of them, and by stycking to Christ's blood, they be not imputed unto her. This is his saying. The whole Church prayeth, Lord De verbo Apost. ser. xxix. forgive us our sins. Wherefore she hath spots, and wryncles. But by knowledging of them, her wryncles be stretched out, and by knowledging, her spots are washed away. The Church continueth in prayer, the she might be cleansed by knowledgeing of her sins. And as long as we here live, so standeth it. And when every man departeth out of this body, all such sins are forgiven him, the which aught to be forgiven. For they be forgiven by daily prayer, and he goeth hence cleansed. And the Church Anotable saying of S. Augustine. of God, is laid up in the treasure of God, for puregolde, & by this mean the Church of God is in the treasure of our Lord, without spot or wrynkell. It followeth: Let us therefore pray that God may forgive us, and that we may forgive our dettours, seeing it is said: and it shall be forgiven unto you. We say this daily, and daily we do this, and this thing is done daily in us. We are not here without sin. But we shall depart hence without sin. etc. Let every man judge, whether that this place of S. Augustine, maketh for my purpose, or not, that is to say, whether that the Church hath any spots or wrinkles in her, or not. And yet nevertheless, she hath no spots nor wrinkles. For S. Augustine saith, the Church of God is in the treasury of God, without any spot, so that through God's mercy, nothing is imputed unto her. Her cleanness is not, the she hath no spots: but because, that for Christ's sake, there is nothing laid to her charge. M. Moore maketh many words of denial sins, and deadly sins. But to speak after his own school men, it should be to hard for him to defend that exposition, that he here maketh of S. Augustine. But to prove that the Church is clean, by the reason of Christ, I brought for me their own law, whose words be these. De co●se. D. iiij. c. Igitur. Therefore is the Church holy, because she believeth righteously in God. etc. Furthermore, to prove that this congregation of faithful men, is the Church, that can not err, I brought for me their own law. Whose words be these. The holy Church can not err. etc. Also in an other place xxiv. q. i Ar●cta in glosa. The Congregation of faithful men must needs be, which also can not err. etc. So that it is clear, first, that there must needs be a congregation of faithful men, which be neither bound to Rome, nor to Jerusalem, warrant yet to any certain place, but it is spread abroad throughout the whole world, and standeth in the unity of faithful christian men. And that is the church, that God suffereth not to err in those things, that belong to salvation. Wherefore I did say in my other book, that the Pope's counsels were not the church, that could not err. For, for the most part, those counsels did not order themselves after God's word. Wherefore I said, they might well err. And for that cause a private person, having scripture for him, aught to be preferred afore a whole counsel, if they had no scripture. For God's word aught to be judge over all counsels, and to prove this, I brought for me the saying of Panormitanus, which saith. The De electio. c Significal. 1. counsel may err, as it hath erred, concerning the contract of matrimony, inter Raptorem & Raptam. And the saying of S. Jerome, was afteaward preferred above the statute of the counsel, The counsel of Weld●us did err. as it is proved 36. quest. 2. Tria. For in these things concerning the faith, the saying of a private person, is to be preferred before the saying of the Pope, if he have better reasons and Scriptures of the new and old testament for him, than the Pope hath. Neither it can help to say, that the counsel can not err, because the Christ did pray that the faith of the church should not fail. For I answer to this, that though the general counsel do represent the whole universal church, yet nevertheless, in very deed, there is not the universal church, but representative. For the universal church standeth in the election of all faithful men, throughout the whole world, whose head & spouse is Christ jesus. And the Pope is but the Vicar of Christ, and not the very head of the church. This is the Church that can not err. etc. Here saith this Doctor, that same sentence of the church, that I said. I brought also for the same purpose, the saying of Augustine, whose words be these. Those counsels that be gathered in Au. de Bapt. li. 2, cap. 3. every province, must without doubt give place to the authority of the full counsels, which be gathered of all christendom. And also those full counsels oftentimes must be amended by the full counsels that come afterward, if any thing be opened by experience, that was before shut, and if any thing be known tha● was before hidden. And this must be done without any shadow of superstitious The full counsels may err. pride, without any boasted arrogancy, without any contention of malicious envy, but with holy meekness, with holy peace, and with Christian charity. etc. Here S. Augustine saith plainly, that the full counsels may err, and may be reformed. After this I did declare, how a man should know this church, & by what How a man may know the church. fignes and tokens, & said, that where as the word of God was purely and sincerely preached, and the sacraments orderly ministered, after the blessed ordinance of Christ: and where as men did patiently suffer for the verity, & the hearers did apply their living to Christ's doctrine, and with meekness received the holy sacaments: These I said, were good and perfect tokens to judge upon, that there were certain members of Christ's church. And to prove this, I brought also S. Augustine, saying: Our holy mother The church suffereth. the church, through all the world scattered far and wide, taught in her true head Christ, hath learned not to fear the contumelies of the Cross, nor yet of death: But more, & more, is she strengthened, not in resisting, but in suffering. Also Chrisostomes' Chris. in opere In ꝑsecto. words be these. They that be in judea, let them fly up to the mountains, that is to say, they that be in Christendom, let them give themselves to scriptures. Wherefore commanded he that all christian men in that time, should fly unto scriptures? For in that time, in the which, heresies have crept into the church, there can be no true probation of christendom, nor no other refuge unto christian men, willing to know the verity of faith, but the scriptures of God. Before by many ways was it showed, which was the church of God, and which was the congregation of the Gentiles. But now, there is none other By scriptures men may know the verity. way to them that will know, which is the very true Church of Christ, but alonely by scriptures. By works, first was the church of Christ known, when the congregation of christian men, either of all, or of many were holy, the which holiness had not the wicked men. But now, christian men be as evil, or worse, than heretics or Gentiles: yea, and greater continency is found among them, then christian men. Wherefore he that will know which is the very church of Christ, how shall he know it but by scriptures only? And therefore our Lord, considering that so great confusion of things should come in the latter days, for that cause commandeth he, that christian men, willing to reserve the steadfastness of true faith, should flee unto none other thing, but unto scriptures. For if they have respect unto other things, they shall be slandered, and shall pearish, not understanding, which is the true church. etc. Master Moore hath no great thing in this point against me, saving, that he saith, these sayings are none of Chrisostomes', but of an other man written in Chrisostomes' name. Nevertheless, I let it pass: let other men judge between us both. afterward, because that I saw so great persecution used by the pope's church against all manner of sorts of good men, whom M. Moore caulleth heretics, more for his pleasure then for their deserving: For this cause, I say, I brought a saying of Hilarius, Hila. contra Arrianos. to prove that they that did exercise such tyranny, were more to be compared to the Arians, then to Christ's church: his saying is this. The church doth threaten with banyshmentes, & imprisonmentes, and she compelleth men to believe her, which was exiled and cast in prison. She hangs on the dignity of her felowshop, the which was consecrated by the threatenings of persecutors. She causeth Priests to flee, that were increased by the chasing away of Priests. She glorieth that she is loved of the world, the which could never be Christ's except the world did hate her. etc. After this I brought a saying of S. Barnard, to prove, that the name of Barn. suꝑcan. serm. 33. spiritual array, & gorgeous apparel the is used in the Pope's church, did not make the Church. His saying is thus: They be the ministers of Christ, but they serve Antichrist, they go gorgeously arrayed, of our lords goods unto whom they give no honour. And of these cometh the decking of harlots, that thou seest daily, the game players disguising, & king's apparel. Of this cometh gold in their brydells, in their saddelles, and in their spurs: so that their spures be brighter than the altars. Of this cometh their plenteous wine presses, & their full sellers, bolking from this unto thee. Of this cometh their tons of sweet wines. Of this be their bags so filled. For such things, as these be will they be rulers of the Church. As Deacons, Archdeacon's, Bishops, & archbishops. etc. Men may make an exposition of S. barnard, but it will be hard to frame him to their purpose. But for a conclusion, M. More, and I do vary, but in this point, that he saith, the very Church of God standeth by them, that The true church of Christ standeth only in them that are good men. be good, and bad, and I say, that the true church of Christ, standeth in them only, that be good men. For the kingdom of Christ is distincted in very deed, from the kingdom of the devil. For evil men be doubtless the members of the devil, as Paul saith, Ephe. 2. Also our M. Christ saith, unto the Pharysyes: You are of your father the devil. Wherefore it can not stand with no learning, that wicked men, which be the members of the devil, and be governed by him, can be members of Christ's body, though that in this present life, they be not yet so declared unto the world. God sand us all his grace, that we may be of his holy Church, and membres of his blessed Son jesus Amen. FINIS. What the keys of the Church be, and to whom they were given. TO declare this matter our Schoolmen have wrapped themselves in such doubts that they were never able to come out of them, nor yet to satisfy themselves nor any good Christian man's conscience. For all the they writ is but dreams of their own invention, and as Paul calleth them the doctrines of the devil against 1. Tim. 4. the holy word of God, and wring & wresting the blessed word of God to their purpose, alonely considering how they might, by right or by wrong stablish the authority of miserable men, not considering the intent of the holy ghost which intended nothing else in all places of Scripture, but to open unto us Christ, & the losing from our sin by him alonely. The which The keys of the church is the opening of Christ, and the losing of us from sin. thing our dreamers, and inventors of all subtle lies did never preserve, nor never sought for: but by despising the holy word of God, and sticking so fast to their own corrupted reasons, did they fall into innumerable heresies, dissensions and contentions, and brawlynges of words, and scolding like harlots, so that none of them could agree with an other. Wherefore that saying of the holy Prophet may well be verified of them. My people have not herded my voice Psal. 80. and Israel hath taken no heed unto me, and therefore have I let them pass after the desires of their own hearts: and therefore they shall follow their own inventions. This is always the sore vengeance of God, when we will not believe and receive alonely his word, then doth he let us pass, so that we can do nothing but err. Notwithstanding we are so blinded that we think darkness light, and errors verity. This is openly proved, by all our great clerkly schoolmen: and that it may be open to all men, I will recite what they learn of the keys. Duns & all his scholars say that these keys Sc●tus 4. sent. di. 18. be nothing else, but an authority given to Priests whereby they give sentence, that heaven must be opened How Duns interpreteth the keys. to this man, and shut unto the other: so that heaven is opened & shut at the sentence of the priest. This is his learning. Who could have invented such a doctrine, but the devil himself? who can speak greater heresy than this is? who can speak more openly against Christ and his holy Scripture? If the authority of the Priest be the keys of heaven, and can open open and shut heaven, then need we no other thing to our salvation, but the authority of the Priest: then can no man be saved without the authority of the Priest: then can there no Priests be damned: For they have the keys of heaven: I think they will not be so mad: as by their authority to shut themselves with the devil. Briefly what need have we of Christ and of his holy word. For the authority of the Priest is the key of heaven, but let me bring their own words the the matter may be plainer. The key in this purpose is taken Nicho. de orbel. di. us supra. after the similitude of a material key which is the next instrument to shut and to open a door, whereby we enter into the house: So likewise, the authority to give sentence that heaven must be opened unto this man, is called the key. etc. To use many words in refelling this damnable opinion it needeth not. But against them all, I will set the authority of S. Jerome whose words be these. I shall give thee the keys of heaven. This Hiero. in M. c. 16. place, the bishops and the Priests not understanding have usurped unto them somewhat of the Phariseis pride, so the they think that they may condemn innocentes, and lose them that be guilty: when afore God not the sentence of the Priest but the life of the guilty is regarded. etc. Here you have plainly that the sentence of the The saying of S. Jerome upon the keys. Priest is not looked on, nor able to lose a sinner afore God. Mark also that S. Jerome saith you understand not this place. Moreover I would know of you all, where you can bring me one example in Scripture, that the sentence of a Priest hath loosed a sinner, or bond a righteous man, and if it can not do this, then is there an other thing above the sentence of a Priest. Furthermore that your authority should be the keys of heaven, it is a 'gainst reason, & against your own learning. For Duns and also Lyra of the same text. Qnodcunque ligaveris, Scotus 4. sen. dist. 15. Quest. 1. do plainly declare, that your key of authority may err? Now if it may err, then is it not the right key to the lock of heaven, for the right key can never err in his own lock. Wherefore at the most you can make it but a picklock which belongeth to robbers and thieves only. Moreover if this were the key, then should we never be in surety whether heaven were opened or not. First we have no promise nor no word of God, made unto this key. And again we can not know when it openeth heaven and when not: for it may err after your own doctors. And if it chance for to err, then are not heaven gates opened. So the by this means we shall be always in doubt, whether we be loosed from our sin or not. Wherefore we must seek out an other key that is the very true key to the lock the which can not err, of the which we shall be in surety and without all doubt. But ere we declare what this key is, we will first show the nature and the property of this key. S. Augustine saith, That must be August. ser. 2. de sane. called a key where by the hardness of our hearts are opened unto faith, and whereby the secretness of minds are made manifest. A key it is (saith he) the which doth both open the conscience The nature & property of the keys of heaven. to that knowledge of sin, and also includeth grace, unto the wholesomeness of everlasting mystery. etc. This is the diffynition of this key that we speak of after, S. Augustine. Now compare your power unto this definition, and see how they do agree. first what can your power do (which you call your key) to remove away the hardness of the heart, and to bring in faith? Again what can your key judge of the secreatnes of man's mind? Thirdly what can your power do to men's consciences, to make them to knowledge their sin? yea where by do you know your own sin? by your power? then have all priests a like knowledge. Finally what grace doth your power include in him, the may bring us to everlasting joy? Wherefore you see that this deffinition agreeth as well with your key, as Chalk and Cheese. Therefore must we seek an other key, the hath all these properties. This is nothing else but the holy word of God, whereby that we receive faith into our hearts as. S. Paul saith: Faith is by hearing and hearing is Roma. 10. by the words of God. And for this cause the holy Prophet calleth it a lantern, Psal. 118. saying. Thy word is a lantern unto my feet, & it is a light unto my paths. By this word do we receive life as the prophet saith. Thy speech Ibidem. shall quicken me. Also the secreates of our hearts be opened by this word. S. Paul declareth saying if there 1. Cor. 14. come one that doth not believe, he is reproved by the word of all men, and the secreates of his heart are opened. By this word also is declared unto us grace and everlasting life. as S. Paul saith, Christ hath put away 2. Tim. 1. death, and hath brought life and immortality unto the light through the Gospel. This is the thing only where by that our conscience is loosed and made free from sin. Therefore saith the holy Prophet there is much peace un Psal. 118. to them that love the law of God, & there is no slander unto them. Much peace is nothing else but remission of sins: yea & that without any doubt for he that is loosed by the word of God, that is, he that hath the open word of God for him, that his sins be forgiven him, he can not be slandered: that is, there is nothing can make him to doubt: but though heaven and hell, life and death, do threaten him, he is not offended, he is not slandered, but hideth fast, & knoweth surely that all these things must perish, but the word of God bideth All things shall perish, but the word of God endureth for ever. for ever. Wherefore this is the very key that judgeth the thoughts and the intentes of the heart, as S. Paul saith: By this have we also the very knowledge of our sin, as S. Paul declareth to the Romans: by this is Hebr. 4. also declared unto us grace, & also remission Roma 3. of our sins if we believe it. Wherefore this must needs be the very true key, as you may see evidently throughout all Scripture, and not your boasted and craked power: for there is no such thing, nor yet can be in man, that can lose the soul of man from his sin. Wherefore, it is damnable and devilish learning, and cometh of the presumptuous pride of man to learn, that man hath a power in him, by the which power, man's soul is bound or loosed from sin. But this is all that man hath, he is a minister, and a dispensator of the heavenly word of God, for whose sake our sins What power it is that the Priest hath. be remitted, when we believe it, and our sins be retained when we do despise it. Therefore the blessed word of God is the very key, and in that The word of God is the true key that openeth & loseth. is all the might and power to loouse our sins, and man is but a minister and a servant unto this word. This may be proved by our Master Christ's words, where he saith: Go your ways into all the world, and preach the Gospel unto all creatures, and he that doth believe and is baptized shallbe saved, but he that doth not believe shall be damned. Math. 6. Here may you plainly see, that the Apostles be but ministers and servants, and have no power, but alonely ministration. The keys that they have, whereby they must lose men and bind, is the very word of God. And therefore saith our Master Christ: he that believeth shall be saved, and he that doth not believe shall be damned. By this word did the holy Apostles declare grace through Christ, and learned men to set all their hope of salvation in Christ only. By this word did they learn men to knowledge their sin, and to seek for grace, & fully and wholly to hope for remission & forgéevenes of their sins in Christ only. Briefly, by these keys is opened all goodness, if they be received: And all goodness is shut from us, if we receive them not. Now, where this key is received by faith, there is all things ●wsed: that is, all sins be forgiven, and the consciences be made free. And where it cometh not in, nor is received by faith, there all things be shut and bound. Of this manner did the holy Apostles Act. 2. bind and lose, when they preached this holy word of God unto the people: As we have an open example of S. Peter that preached this holy word, and at his preaching the hearers were pricked in their hearts, and asked Peter what they might do, and he answered them, repent and be baptized every one of you, in the name of jesus for remission of your sins, and you shall receive the gift of the holy Ghost, wherefore as many as received his word, were baptized. Here you have plainly, the very true manner of losing from sins, as The true manner of losing and binding, & of opening and shotting. the holy Apostles used it, that is, when the people believed the word that they preached, them they declared how their sins were remitted for Christ's sake, and not thorough any power that they had, for they were but ministers. But the very power was in the word of God whereby they were delivered from their sins. This is well proved by our master Christ's word, where he saith unto them, go and preach, saying. That the kingdom of heaven is at hand. What is this the kingdom of heaven? not Math. 10. any power that is in man, but remission of sins shall be given to them that receive either your power or your people: and therefore followeth it. In what house you enter, say first peace be with you, and if the house be worthy, your peace shall come upon the same, that is to say if they receive your word and believe it, than shall your peace, that is the peace of the Gospel which you bring with you give them quietness of conscience, and loose them from all sin. But if the house be not worthy, your peace shall return to you again, and whosoever shall not receive you, nor will hear your preaching, when you departed out of that house, shake of the dust from your feet. I say unto you it shallbe easier for Sodom and Gomorra in the day of judgement then for that City. What is this your peace shall return again? nothing else but that they shall not be partakers thereof, but shall remain bond in their sin And why? because they receive not your people or your power? nay truely: but because they hear not your preaching. It is not to be doubted, but that The hearing of the word of God and believing the same, loseth us from our sins. many men by hearing the Apostles preaching the word of God, were loosed from their sins and yet never spoke with the Apostles. Wherefore the receiving of the word, & not the Apostle, loseth us from our sins: & for that cause the Apostle did declare by their departing from them that would not believe the word the they remained still in their sins, for as S. Mark saith, your departing shall be a testimony against them, that is to say a token of their condemnation. We have also an open practice of S. Paul how he did bind them that did not receive his preaching, to whom Mark. 6. he saith these words. Your blood upon your heads. I will depart from hence in cleanness unto the Gentiles. Acts. 18. Now have you plainly how the holy Apostle did bind and lose, and with what key they did it, that is by preaching of the holy word of God. And because this thing should be dons without any error, and that no man should doubt in it, he gave them the holy ghost, saying these words: whose sins you do forgive shall be forgiven, & whose sins, you do john. 20. retain shall be retained. To these words addeth S. Luke. Then opened he, their wit that they might under stand the Scriptures, so that where S. john saith, he gave them the holy Luke. 24. ghost. Luke sayeth, he opened their wit to understand Scripture. It followeth in Luke, thus, & thus, is it written that Christ must suffer death and rise again the third day & that repentance, & remission of sins Luke. 24. should be preached in his name among all nations. Now where Saint john saith, whose sins you do lose shall be loosed etc. That saith Luke in these words remission of sins must be preached in his name. So that Preaching of the word of God is losing from sin. whose sins you do lose shall be loosed, is nothing else but that you must preach remission of sins in my name, and as many as receive this word, you shall lose them by this word & as many as do not receive it you shall bind them by that same word. That this is the sentence of these two places, it is open by that, that they speak all of one story & of that thing that was done all in one day. This doth also S. Paul prove well where Acts. 17. he reciteth the words of Luke saying, Christ must needs suffer & rise again from death, and this jesus is Christ. Here is it plain that s. Paul loosed men from their sins by preaching remission through Christ: so that you have openly here the practice of the holy Apostles, how they did bind & lose by preaching the word of God. They did bind with the word when How the word of God bindeth & how it loseth. it was not believed. They did lose by the word when it was believed. Thus did they by one word preach both salvation and damnation, but unto divers men. This virtue of the 2. Cor. 2. word doth S. Paul declare in these words, we are unto God the sweet savour of Christ both among them that are saved, and also among them which perish. To the one part are we the savour of death unto death, unto the other part are we the savour of life unto life. What is this savour nothing else but the Gospel, which is unto one savour of life, that is nothing else but losing and remission of sins: And unto the other, it is the savour of death unto death, that is occasion of binding and retaining in sin. This doth Paul also declare in an other place. The preaching of 1. Cor. 1. the cross is to them that perish foolishness. But unto us which are saved it is the power of God. What is the power of God? nothing else but remission and losing from our sins. What is The word of God is remission of sin, if it be believed when it is preached. foolishness: nothing else but they despise the Gospel & reckon it of no value, and of no power. Wherefore they remain bond in their sin. Thus is it declared that one word of God worketh in divers men, divers operations. In the one it worketh life, the is, remission of sins: in the other worketh it death, & is taken for foolishness, that is, it declareth them bound and retained in their damnable sins: and yet in himself, he is of one goodness and of our nature: but the diversity cometh, of them that be the receivers. This may be proved by a natural example. The dew of heaven cometh down indifferently upon all ground: but in the one it bringeth forth good corn & sweet fruits: and in the other it bringeth forth nettles & brombilles, that be nothing worth but to the fire. This example have you in the epistle to the Hebrues, for this Hebr. 6. same purpose. Likewise by one word do the holy Apostles & Christ's ministers lose and bind: but this do they not by charming, coungering, juggling, and whysling absolutions as you do: But by preaching the holy By preaching of the word of God, heaven is opened and shut. word of God which when it is believed doth quiet and lose our conscience from all sin, and offereth it us through Christ only. But when it is not believed then doth it bind us and retain us in sin. So that this holy word is the very true key of heaven, for by it heaven is opened and shut. This doth Chrisostome well prove Chriso. in M. c. 15. De doctr. christi. li. 1. c. 15. es. 18. in these words. The key is the word and the knowledge of Scriptures, whereby the gate of verity is opened unto men etc. S. Augustine doth also witness the same saying. These keys hath be given to the Church, that what she bindeth in earth shall be bond in heaven, and what she loseth in earth shall be loosed in heaven, that is to say, who soever doth not believe that his sins be forgiven him in the Church, they be not forgiven him: But he that doth believe, and avert himself from his sins, being with in the Church by that same faith and amendment is he made whole etc. Here have you openly that by be, leeving the word of God our sins be loosed: & by unbelief be we bound in our sins. But now must we search to whom these keys be given. They may not all only be given to Peter, for then Paul, and the two sons of thunder had them not. Nor they may not be given, to one more than Augustine in joan Trac. 124. to the other: For Christ was indifferent and they were all his Apostles & their confession was all one. Wherefore no doubt but these keys wear given unto all Christ's Apostles unto the whole Church, as S. Augustine doth declare openly upon john. This may be also proved by the words of your own law which be 24. q. 1. Quodcunque. these, if Peter have power all only to bind and to lose, then doth it not the Church: But if this be done in the Church, than did Peter when he received the keys, signify holy chucrh etc. Hear have you openly that Peter had not only the keys, but he received them in the name of the Church. Wherefore they belong to all Christian men. This doth Origene well prove in these words. Tu es Petrus. Origenes Super. M. Ho. 1. etc. These words were spoken unto Peter, unto all Apostles, unto all manner of perfect faithful men (for all The church is builded upon the confession of all the Apostles and of all faithful people. they are Petrus) & in all them is builded the church of Christ, and against none of them can the gates of hell prevail. Dost thou reckon that that keys of heaven were all only given to Peter, and that no other Christian man did receive them? etc. Here is it clearly that all Christian men be Peter and all they have received the keys of heaven, and hell can not prevail against them. S. Augustine. doth also testify the same in these words. Wherefore the church Super joan Trac. 124. c. 21. which is founded and grounded in Christ, of him hath received in Peter the keys of heaven, that is, to say power to bind and lose. etc. Thus is it plain that those keys are given to the whole church of Christ for her faith, and they be the common treasure of the Church and béelonge no more to one man then to an other but because that all men can not use these keys all together (for the would make a confusion) therofore doth the Church, that is the congregation of faithful men commit the ministratiof these keys, that is of preaching the word of God, unto certain men whom they think most able and best learned in the word of God: the which men thus choose, be but ministers of the comen treasure, and no Lords over it. For the Church Preachers, if they abuse their preaching, may be deposed. may depose them, the is she may take away the open and the common ministration that she committed unto them, if they use it not well and then they be but as other Christian men having no common office nor administration in the Church. Wherefore they may neither preach nor yet minister sacraments openly but as other Christian men may do privately, in their own houses, or in other places where men be gathered, which will hear of Christ: there I say both they and all other Christian men, may speak and learn Christ's word, and declare it after the gift the is given unto them of God. And they that do believe this word thus preached by Christian men, be by the power of the keys loosed from their sin and bond if they believe not. For all the Church and every part of the Church have power to execute these keys, all only that the open order be not broken, This doth S. Paul declare saying, you may all interpretate 1. Cor. 14. scriptures but see that all things see done after an order. Now to keep an order and that nothing should be done after a confuse manner, therefore the Church assigneth certain men to be the open and the common ministers of this treasure the which be but all only ministers, and no Lords. And of this common treasure and not of their private treasure as S. Paul saith let a man so reckon us as the ministers of Christ and dispensators of the ministry of God. Also in an other place, what is S. Paul? what is Apollo? but ministers 1. Cor. 4. Item. 3. by whom you have believed. Also S. Peter your predecessor, 1. Pet. 5. commandeth you, that you should not exercise any dominion over the The ministers of the Church aught to be no Lords. congregations, but give example to the flock. be not these plain scriptures, how you be no Lords but ministers of Christ's treasure: and you leave the ministration and usurp authority. S. Petter, whose successors you boast yourselves to be, commandeth you that you should be alonely but ministers, & keybearers of these keys. As Chrisostome proveth in In M. c. 23. these words: The key bearers are priests, unto whom is committed the word to teach, and to interpret Scriptures. etc. Hear you not, how you be but keybearers, and teachers of the word of God. This doth S. Ambrose witness in these words: sins be forgiven li. de Cain et Abel. by the word of God, whose interpreter is the Deacon. etc. Mark that sins be forgiven by the word of God, of the which you be but interpreters. Where is now I pray you your Lordly power? which you call the keys of heaven, is not Scripture, and the practice of the Apostles, and the exposition of holy Doctors openly against you? Will you usurp a thing that is contrary to all these? I pray you where find you in all holy Scripture, but one, that Peter or The Bishops and clergy abuse Christ's keys. Paul did assoil after the manner of your keys. And yet no doubt, but they had the keys, yea and also did use them. Wherefore it is to me great marvel, of whom you have learned your usage, and where you have got such keys. It maketh no matter to me though you cry as you are wont. Fathers, Fathers, Counsels, Counsels, the Church, the Church. For it will not help you. You see openly that I have the holy word of god, and our master Christ, which is elder than our fathers. I have also the practice of the holy Apostles, that understand this thing better than all your counsels. But let us grant that you have fathers and counsels for you, That is the next way to deceive the church of God. By whom can christian men The false alleging of fathers and Counsels is the next way to deceive the Church of God. be deceived, but by such men as be of authority, and dignity of that world? This you know, that men can not be deceived by Horses, nor by Calves, but it must be by men, and not by foolish men (for who will regard fools) but by them that be reckoned of wisdom and of reputation in the world. And not by one wise man (for an other wise man may be of as good reputation and wisdom as he) but it must be by many, or else it can have no shine nor colour of excellency, yea and by such a multitude, that reason can not suspect. So that there is never so great danger unto the church of God, as when all these things come together. And therefore saith the holy Prophet: Blessed is that man that followeth not the counsels of wicked Psal. 1. men. You know that counsels can be no small thing, nor no foolish: nor the wicked men themselves do reckon it for no small thing, but for the greatest thing, and the wisest thing, and the strongest that they can think or devise. And no doubt but it hath a fore reason, and a fore all the world a great appearance of no small wisdom, and is so strong that every man is compelled to receive it. Yea and also those men have authority (for as the Prophet says: they sit in the chair, the which doth both signify great learning, and and also great authority): And yet says the Prophet, that blessed is he that followeth not their counsels, nor sitteth in their chair. Now, if these things could be judged by some reason, or else they seemed so evil, that all the world could judge them. What need the holy Ghost to make such a do, or to writ so strongly against them? yea and to say, that blessed is he the heareth them not? Wherefore he must needs speak of such mischief, and of such falsehood, and of such errors as have all those things for them, that you bring for you: That is, fatherhod, wisdom, learning, authority, multitude, and long custom. The which things be able to pervert any man, be he never so wise, or never so holy, if he stick not fast to the word of God only. And therefore saith the Prophet: Blessed are they whose meditation is in the law of God. Blessed is he whose will and meditation is night and day (that is continually) in the law of God. Unto the which, if all your counsels, all your fathers, all your customs, briefly, all that you bring for you, be compared, then shall we see whether it be true, and of God or not. For of themselves they have no truth, but be inventions of corrupted reason, and persuasions of the devil, to pervert the holy church of God. But my Lords, let us go to reason: Tell me by your honour, is it reasonable that the holy Church of God, redeemed with Christ's precious blood, and assoiled by him from all her sins, should be now bound unto you, and to your absolution? and that she should not be released, but thorough your power? seeing that you be but ministers and servants ordained of Christ unto her profit, and not to your honour? This will I declare by an example. I put this case, that there be a prisoner An example. bound fast in chains, over the which you have the custody and the keeping, after the kings commandment, now the kings grace says unto you, lose that fellow, & let him go free out of prison under this condition, that he shall promise' to serve no Prince but me only. What, will you lose him or not? Can you, or dare you keep him longer if you would? Or can you compel him to make any other composition with you, than alonely to serve the king? If you would The ministration of the Church belongeth to the Bishops & other ministers but the authority of the same belongeth to Christ. keep him longer in prison, did you not run in the kings displeasure? And if he did promise' you any other composition, were he bound thereto? Nay doubtless. Moreover, in losing of him, what thing do you by your authority? yea what thing do you at all, but that you are ministers unto the kings commandment, and a servant to the poor fellow. The ministration & service is yours, but the authority is the kings, of the which you have never a crumb. Take an other example. If it please the kings grace to make any another example. of you an Ambassador, and give you a commission, and commandment, to fetch home into his land a banished man, unto whom the kings grace writeth his pardon, with such words and under such condition as pleaseth his grace. Now, this pardon delivereth he to you, for to bear and to declare unto the banished man. Here would I know of you, what you can do for this banished man more than is written in your commission? Also what can you do against him, in these things that the kings grace hath pardoned him? You can neither add nor take away from the kings pardon. You can no more do but declare it unto the party. And if he receive it, then may he as lawfully, and as freely come into the land as you may, and you can not say by right that you have by your authority discharged him, or given him any pardon of his banishment, but alonely you have delivered & declared unto him the kings pardon, which when he had received with the considerations therein, then is he discharged of his banishment. And if he will not receive the kings pardon, then can you neither help him into the land, nor yet discharge him of his transgression: but only you leave him, and declare unto him, yea and that by the kings words that he is a banished man, and so shall remain till he receive the kings pardon. So likewise the word of God where in is pardon for all sinners is committed unto you to preach and to declare, which if they receive by faith, they are free and loosed from their sins, but The doctrine and true preaching of the word of God is the pardon and remission of our sins. if they do not they are bond (not by your authority, for you be but ministers and servants, and can no further go then your commission) but by the authority of God only. Wherefore see well to your conscience how you can discharge yourself afore God that do so presumptuously usurp his authority, of the which you have neither word nor example in scripture. Moreover how can you prove this manner of absolution. Ego absaluo te auctoritate mihi comissa, for to be lawful. I pray you where was there ever any authority committed unto man to take away sin? There is no authority The authority of the church belongeth to Christ only. committed unto man, but all only ministration of the word. Now your absolution maketh mention of authority, yea and that without the sword, and a great many of you understood not the word. Duns saith, Quod absolutio sacerdotis, est dispositio necessitatis ad remissionem culpae. How think you, be these fit words for a Christian man?) if your absolution be necessary, then can not God take away sin without you, nor you without him, but God and you together take away sin. Whether will you now? Will you ascend so high, will you be check mates with God? I think shortly you will also be Gods. The Pharisees did reckon much better of God than you do, for they said, that God only did absolve from sins, & you say I do assoil, yea and that by authority, so that you far pass the Pharisees. But let us see what S. Augustine saith of such men, many sins be forgiven thee, he Prophesied of men that be to come. There wear Luke. 7. August. lib. Quinquaginta home liarum. be. 23. many men to come that would say, I forgive sins, I justify, I sanctify, I make whole so many as I baptize. Wherefore the jews did better understand the remission of sins than heretics do, for the jews said, what man is this, the forgiveth sins, & the heretic says, I forgive, I make clean, I sanctify. etc. These words be plain enough against you, for you say we have authority The pope's Clergy is condemned by S. Austen to be heretics. to remit sins. And. S. Augustine saith, you be heretyckes for so saying. You can not deny, but S. Augustine reproveth your own absolution, where in you say that your absolution is requisite of necessity to remission of sins, the which is nothing else, but clearly denying of christ, of his blessed blood, and also of his holy word. But if we had grace, we might perceive that neither you, nor your absolution, nor yet any thing the you do wear of God. For all the you do is clearly done for money and for no other cause. Reckon one thing that you do, as concerning your ministration, but that you will have money for it: As not so much as washing of a heap of stones. Whereby have you got all your great possessions, but alonely under the colour, that you be Christ's holy bishops. For money you make whore doom as lawful as matrimony. For Money is the Pope's best merchant. money, stolen good shall be better than heritage. For money, you make usury lawful merchandise. For money, all sins be virtue. Yea and also have great pardon to them. For money, you cell man, wife, maid & child king, and land. For money you make as good merchandise, of women's privities, as a Goldsmith doth of gilted plate. You will reckon that this is a Shameful doings must be shamefully rebuked. shame for me to writ, but it is more shame for you to do it. And if you did not these shameful deeds, I should have none occasion to make this shameful writing. Take you away the cause and I will take away that writing. Yea you are not so content, but you cell Christ, you sell the blessed Sacrament of his flesh and blood, you cell his holy word, you cell all other Sacraments. Briefly you cell, all manner of thing that ever he left in earth to The Pope selleth God and all his ordinances the comfort of man's soul, and all for money. Yea and not so content, but you make also more laws, and more statutes, & dispense with them for money, and all these things do you, by the authority of the keys, that both open heaven and hell, and a man's coffer and also his purse yea & sometime they loss the coat from his back. Our master Christ saith unto you, The Pope will not follow nor obey to Christ's commandment, for he biddeth him lose. you have received it free, give it free again, and you give nothing free. But I know your answer. You will say that you cell not your Mass, nor Sacraments, nor the word of God, but the labour that you have about them. O thou devil when will't thou be without an excuse, when will't thou grant thyself guilty? Tell me you that be without shame, if you do cell but your labour, is it not sore and an unlawful price to cell it so dear? what Bishop can deserve by his labour a thousand pound by year: & yet some of them have a great deal more, and labour nothing at all. How dear will The Pope selleth his ware very dear. these men cell their labour, if they should be tankerdebearers. They would make water dearer than wine. Yea tell me what labour there is with in the Realm that is half so dear sold as their idleness is? But you belly gods, did not Christ's Apostles take pains & labours about the ministration of the word? and in fulfilling of their office, more in one day than you do in all your lives: and yet was it not lawful for them more to receive then a living. For our master Christ said, that work man is worthy of his meat: so the our Math. 10. master would that they should receive no more but that was necessary. Also S. Paul saith our Lord did ordain 1. Cor. 9 that they which preach the Gospel should live on that Gospel. Mark how he saith, they that preach that Gospel. Now which of you all doth preach the Gospel: not one: and yet will you enjoy Jerome. these innumerable possessions. S. Jerome saith on this same text, you must live on the Gospel, but not be Chrisosto, ad Ti. 5. rich, also Chrisostome saith, I say boldly that the bishops and Prelates of the Church, may have nothing but meat and drink and clot. etc. Hear have you plainly, that if S. Chrisostome is very strait to bishops and the rest of the clergy. you did labour faithfully and truly in the Gospel, you could have but a living there on, and no Lordly possessions, but now do you nothing in the world, but excercise tyranny on them that would preach the Gospel, and make laws and statutes, to destroy them, and the holy Gospel of Chri. s. 6. de anathemate. God, so that Chrisostome speaketh well of you. Behold I see men that have no true sense of holy scripture: yea they understand nothing at all thereof: & to pass over many things, for I am ashamed to call them mad men, triflers & wranglers) they be such as know not what they say, nor of what thing they speak, but all only be they mighty & bold to make laws, & to curse & condemn those things, of that which they know nothing at all. etc. be not these your works? who can say, but that these words be spoken of you? who maketh statutes and laws but you? who curseth and condemneth but you? how can you lay these things from you? how can you avoid them? so long shall they be laid against you till you can bring in one that is guilty of them, I think that will be long. And yet will you have these great possessions, and be also great Lords, doing nothing therefore at all but all only play the part of a bishop, as a Christmas game player, doth of a king, and as a Popet which springeth Bishops compared to popets and stage players. up and down and crieth Peep Péepe and goeth his way. So do you make a countenance of great holiness & of great perfection, but all the world can testify what you do in indeed. Moore over you are more bond to the Gospel, than all other men be in the world for thereby have you all your honour all your riches, all your Lordly possessions, and if the gospel were not, men would no more regard you, than they do Cobblers, & yet deserve you worst of all men of the Gospel. Wherefore I can no more say unto you, but the words of our Master Christ, Woe be unto you hypocrites the which shut heaven gates before other men, and as. S. Luke saith, Math. 26. Luke. 11. you have taken away the key of science and neither enter in yourself, nor yet suffer other that come to enter in. A sore sentence of Christ against unpreaching Prelates. Now let me see, how all your keys, and all your power can assoil you from this same woe that our M. Christ doth hear lay unto you? This word of God bindeth you to everlasting damnation: let us see if your piklocke can open this lock than will I say that you have the keys of heaven or else not. I think you may seek all your clegge with keys and find not one that will open this lock. FINIS. ¶ Free will of man, after the fall of Adam of his natural strength, can do nothing but sin before God. IN this article will we not dispute, what man may do by the common influence given him of God, over these inferior and wordly things, as what power he hath in eating and drinking, in sleeping, and speaking, in buying and selling, and in all other such natural things, that be given of God indifferently to all men, both to good and bad. But here will we search, what strength is in In what things we have free-will, and in what none. man, of his natural power, without the spirit of God, for to will, or to do those things that be acceptable before God, unto the fulfilling of the will of God: as to believe in God, to love God after his commandments, to love justice for itself, to take God for his father, to reckon him to be merciful unto him, to fear God lovingly, with all other things that men do call good works: this is the thing that we will search to know. Now, that he can do nothing in these causes, by his free will, our master Christ proveth it in these words: He that john. 15. abideth in me, and I in him, bringeth forth much fruit, for without me can you do nothing: if a man abide not in me, he is cast out as a branch, and shall burn. Here it is open, that free-will without grace, can do nothing. I do not speak of eating, & drinking (though that be of grace) but nothing that is fruitful, that is meritorious, that is worthy of thank, that is acceptable The fruits of free-will. free-will without god's grace can do nothing that is good. before God. For he that hath not Christ in him, is cast out, this is the first fruit of free-will: than withereth he, that is the second fruit, this wythering helpeth him nothing to goodness, he must whither, let him do the best: than is he gathered, and cast in the fire, this is the third fruit. What can be in the fire do? nothing but burn. He can not lie there as a thing indifferent, but he must needs burn, & he can not come out of that fire by his own strength: let him intend as much as he can, his intention can Bona intentio. not help him, nor yet further him. So that all the might of free-will, when he is left alone, is nothing else, but first to be cast out: and second to wither, so decayeth he: Thirdly, to be cast into the fire. All this is worse, and worse. Finally, he burneth, this is worst of all, for here is he past help, so that this is the strength, that free-will hath, to bring himself to utter destruction. Now, where will our Duns men, bring in their Bonum conatum? they are so long in bringing of it in, that free-will is brought to the fire, & there can he neither save himself from burning, nor yet help himself out. But to this my Lord of Rochester answereth in a certain place, that free-will can do no good meritorious, sed tamen non omnino facit nihil. What is this to say, but nihil? If he do no good, that is meritorious, nor worthy of thank before God, I pray you, what doth he, but nihil? Our disputation is, what goodness that he can do, without grace, and you grant, that he can do no goodness, and yet you say, that he can do something. But let us see how S. Augustine understandeth this text of S. john. Jest any man should suppose, Super joannem tract. lxxi. that the branch of himself could bring forth, at the least ways, a little fruit, therefore saith he, nor with out me, can you do a little, but without me can you do nothing, therefore whether it be little, or much, without him, can it not be done, without whom is nothing done. One of two things, must the branch needs do, either abide in the vine, or else burn in the fire, if it be not in the vine, then is it in the fire. etc. My Lord, where will you bring in here, your something, that free-will doth? Saint Augustine saith, without grace, can free-will do neither little, nor much: for if she be not in Christ, she burneth in the fire. Call you that somewhat? Where be now M. Dunsis Dunces doctrine overthrown. men, with their bonum conatum, bonum studium, & applicationem ad bonum. Here must they needs lie in the fire, with all their good intentes, with their good preparations, and their holy dispositions. Also S. Paul, we are not 2. Cor. 3. sufficient, to think any thing of ourselves, but our sufficiency, is of God. What is this? that we are not able to think any thing of ourselves? what can be a smaller thing, them to think? and yet this small thing can we not do. It is also open, that Saint Paul We of ourselves as of ourselves can not do● so much as think a good thought. means not of the thinking, that cometh by natural power, for that God doth not let, but letteth it proceed, after his first ordinance, as we have open experience in infidels. But here he speaketh of such a thinking, as is acceptable, and thankful before God, and therefore followeth it, God hath made us worthy ministers of the new Testament. Here is it open, that he speaketh of that thinking, that is a singular, and a special gift of God, and not of the common gift of nature, for that were nothing, to the ministration of the Gospel. But let us see what S. barnard barnard lib. arbit. saith, of this text. What shall we say? is this alonely all the merit of free-will, that he doth alonely consent? yea doubtless. Not that, the same consent, in the which is all his merit, is not of God, when that we can neither think (the which is less, then to consent) any thing of ourselves, as though we were sufficient of our selves. These words be not mine, but the Apostles, the which giveth unto God, and not to his free-will, all manner of things, that can be good, that is to say, to think, to will or to perform. etc. Here you not, that all things, that can be good S. barnard giveth to God? Now, what strength hath free-will, he can neither think good, nor well, nor yet perform it? what remains? I know nothing, but either it is included in thinking, in willing, or in performing, and all these be given to God. Also our master Christ says, Math. 7. Shall men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of bromble bushes? An evil tree, can bring forth no good fruit. What means our master, when he saith, that grapes be not gathered of thorns? nothing else, but that the fruit must be like the manner of the tree. And therefore saith he, an evil tree, can not bring forth good fruit. Now, can you not deny, but that free-will without grace, is an evil tree, Ergo, his fruit must needs be evil, he may well bring forth fruit, but it shall not be good. Is not all fréewils power declared in these words, he can not? I pray you, what means our master Christ in these words, he can not? Christ said, he can not, and will you say, he can? Also our master saith. You adders birds, how can you Math 12. speak good things, seeing that you be evil. Had not these men free-will? and yet saith our master, they could Man's free-will without God's grace can do nothing that is good. not speak good things. You reckon it but a small power, to speak good, and yet as small as it is, free-will can not do it, he may well speak, but it shall not be good. For how should he speak good, that is evil of himself? how should he do good, that knoweth no good? but is the very enemy of goodness, yea and as much as byeth in him, he would there were no goodness. You have also a common principle, there is nothing loved, and desired, but that, that is known. Now how should free-will flee from sin, and desire goodness, and he knoweth not, which is very sin, and which not? As S. Paul saith: by the law, is the knowledge of sin, so blind as free-will, Roma▪ 3. that he knoweth not sin, to be sin, nor virtue, to be virtue, but judgeth that thing to be good, that is evil, and that thing, that is evil, to be good, for he is lost, & hath no true judgement. As S. Augustine saith, In Enche. 〈◊〉. ●9. what goodness can he do, that is lost, except that he be delivered from his misery? Can he do good by his free-will? God forbid, for man evil using his free-will, did both lose himself, & also his free-will, and as man being alive, doth kill himself, & when he hath killed himself, he can not make himself alive again. So likewise, when we do sin by free-will, & sin hath Man by vs●ig of his free-will evil did loose both himself & his free-will. the victory, then is free-will clean lost, for of whom a man is overcome, unto him must he be servant. Doubtless, this sentence is of Peter the Apostle, the which, seeing that it is true. I pray you what manner of freedom can a bond servant have? except it be, when it pleaseth him to sin. etc. What can be said to this? doth he not clearly say, that man hath lost his free-will by sin? and can no more do unto goodness, than a dead man can do, to make himself alive again? yea, he can do nothing, but delight in sin. Call you that a freedom? Call you that bonum conatum? Call you that a preparing to grace? S. Augustine De ●erbis apost▪ ser. 11. doth declare, what goodness, that free-will deserveth, without grace saying. O cursed free-will, without God, we have experience, what free-will can do without God, therefore are we miserable, because we have experience, what free-will is able to do, without God. Behold, man was made good, & by his free-will, was he made an evil man. When shall an evil man by his free-will, forsaking God make a man good, he being good, could not keep himself good, and now, that he is evil, shall he make himself good? when that he was good, he kept not himself good, and now, that he is evil, shall he say, I make myself good? etc. Here is the very strength of free-will, Man's free-will can do nothing but sin. by his strength, are we made miserable, and that doth experience learn. And yet we boast free-will? S. Augustine calleth it cursed free-will, and will we call it blessed free-will? Is not this a goodly freedom, and great power to bring us to this everlasting misery? This is our bonum conatum, and facere qoud in ce est, and preparare se ad graciam, with other damnable dreams, that we have, whose conclusions are nothing else, but to bring us to damnation. You see S. Augustine's words be so plain that no man can avoid them Also S. Paul says: Roma. 8. The wisdom of the flesh, is enemy to God, it is not subject unto the law, nor can be, for they that serve that flesh, can not please God. And he that hath not the spirit of Christ, the same man is none of his: for the self spirit beareth witness to our spirit, that we be the children of God. Here have you Man's fleshly wisdom is enemy to God. plainly, that the wisdom of that flesh, is the very enemy against God. It can not be said, but by wisdom he understandeth the best thing that is in man, for better than wisdom, can there nothing be: and yet that is enemy to God, for it is but flesh, and all that is in man without the spirit of God. And that S. Paul declareth, when he saych: he that hath not the spirit of Christ, the same man is not Christ's. Here is plain, that will, reason, wisdom, heart, or whatsoever thing that is in man (without the spirit of God) is but flesh, and can not be obedient. He saith not, he will not, but he can not, he hath no might, he hath no power, let him intend his best, do all that lieth in him, with all his might, & all his power, & yet can it not please God, for it is but all flesh. But here M. Duns will make a distinction, and say, that flesh is taken Duns. here for fleshly desires only, and voluptuousness, & not for the desires of the soul, nor for the election of that will. I would know, what part of man it is that desireth? or that coveteth this voluptuousness? It is not the bones, nor the sinews, nor the flesh that hangs thereon, but it is the highest part of man, the very soul of man, he is the ground and auctor of all conscupisence: take away him, and there remaineth no voluptuousness. Therefore S. Paul declareth him, and his operation, when he caulleth it the wisdom of the flesh. But I would gladly know what he understandeth by unclean desires, and by voluptuousness? If he understand, evil cogitations, as adultery, fornications, manslaughter, theft, covetousness, deceit, uncleanness, blasphemy, pride, and foolishness. If he call these volupousnes, these be they that come from the heart of man, and be choose by the election of the will, as our M. Christ doth clearly declare Mark. seven. Yea, and that from the very Mark. 7. bottom of the heart. Can they invent any other uncleanly desires than these? And these come not from the bones, nor from the sinews, but from the very ground of the heart, and these be all his desires, and other hath he none of himself. Wherefore these dreamers dream, they wots not what, and speak, that they understand not. For all that is in man, heart, soul, flesh, and bone. etc. with all their works, is but flesh, except the spirit of God be there. Every man hath a soul, but by that is he not Christ's, for them Infidels were Christ's, but the spirit of Christ, maketh Roma. 8. him Christ's, and the spirit of God giveth witness to our spirit, that we be the children of God. Our spirit giveth no witness to himself, that he is Christ's, for than were the spirit of God frustrate. Wherefore let our spirit as well as he can, study his best, to apply himself to goodness after the uttermost of his power: and yet is it but wisdom of the flesh, and hath no witness of God: yea, it is but an enemy, and it must needs be sin. For S. Augustine saith: He that feedeth De verbis Domini ser. xv. without me, feedeth against me. etc. Mark how he saith, against me. Wherefore all that free-will can do without grace, is but sin. Mark also, that Paul did writ unto the free-will without grace is sin. jews: yea, and to the best of them, which did study to do good works: yea, and that the best works, that were the works of the law, and yet all these be caulleth but flesh, and declareth openly, that all these good works could not help them, & yet no doubt but that the jews did as much as lay in their freewill to do, to come to the favour of God, & yet it helped not, for all was but wisdom of the flesh, and enemy to God. Also S. Paul saith: If you mortify Roma. 8. the deeds of the flesh, by the spirit, you shall live. You will not reckon, that S. Paul doth judge the spirit of God necessary, to kill the desires of the flesh, that is, of the syndwes, or of the bones, or of any other thing that is in man, beside the spirit of man, for that were but a small thing, yea it were but frustrate to set the spirit of God to kill these things, for the spirit of man can kill them, yea and also rule them. For after your own Philosophers, the spirit of man, is the ruler and the guider of all the works, that be done by the body. Wherefore the spirit of God must be he that shall kill the disease of our spirit, the which is the most spiritual thing in us: and yet is it but flesh afore God. For if there were any power in him, high, or De verbis Apost. ●…ij. low, to kill his desires, than were it but void to call the spirit of God to help. But let us hear what S. Augustine saith on this text, if you mortify your flesh. etc. Thou wilt say, that can my will do, that can my free-will do. What will? what manner of free-will? except that he guide thee, thou fallest, except he lift thee up, thou liest still. How canst thou We can do nothing that is good without the spirit of God then do it by thy spirit, seeing that that Apostle saith: As many as be led by the spirit of God, be the children of God. Wilt thou do of thyself? Wilt thou be led of thine own self to mortify the deeds of the flesh? what will it profit thee? For if thou be not an Epicure, thou shalt be a Stoic? Whether thou be be an Epicure, or a Stoic, thou shalt not be among the children of God. For they that be guided of the spirit of God, be the children of God: not they that live after their own flesh: not they that live after their own spirit: not they that be led of their own spirit: but as many as be led of the spirit of God, they be the children of God. But hear a man will say, Ergo, then are we well ruled, and we do Who are that children of God? not rule. I answer. Thou both rulest, and art ruled, but then dost thou well rule, if thou be ruled of the good spirit. Utterly, if thou want the spirit of God, thou canst do no good. Thou dost truly without his help, by thy freewill: but it is but evil done. Unto that is thy will apt, which is called free, and by evil doing, is she made a damnanable bond servant. When I say without the help of God, thou dost nothing, I understand by it no good thing, for to do evil, thou hast free will, without the help of God, though that be no freedom. Wherefore you shall know, that so do you goodness, if the helping spirit be your guider, the which if it be absent, you can do no good at all. etc. Me think this saying is sufficient, if men would believe S. Agustine. Mark how he saith, without the spirit of God we lie in sin, let our spirit do the best he can. For they be not the children of God, that are guided after their own spirit but after the spirit of God. For our spirit can do no good at all, but evil, if the spirit do not lead him. Where is now our bonum studium? our bonus conatus and applicacio ad bonum? For Bonus conatus verstum de congrue. our spirit can do nothing but evil, and is of himself, but a damnable servant. What good can a damnable servant do of himself? So that here it is openly proved, that the free will of man, of his own strength, and of his own power, con do nothing but sin. But now cometh the damnable Fleshly & carnal reason, reasoneth frowardly and crookedly. reason, and fleshly wisdom, & will dispute, and say: if our free will can do no goodness, what need God to command so many good things? what need God to give those commandments, that he knoweth well be impossible for us? And if they be impossible, what right is in him that damneth us for that thing, that is impossible, for us to do? I answer. O thou blind and presumptuous and damnable reason, where hast thou learned of any other creature, to inquire a cause of thy makers will? or else to mumur, against the ordinance of thy living God? What hast thou to do to require a cause of his acts? He hath made thee without thy consent and counsel, & may he not set laws, and commandments to rule thee by, at his pleasure, without thy counsel? thou art worthy of none answer, thou art so presumptuous: nor there is no godly answer, that will satisfy thee. Nevertheless, I will stop thy blaspheming mouth, by thy own wisdom, to thy great shame. first, this thing must thou grant As God is nothing but goodness, so can he command nothing but that which is good. me, that thy God is Essential goodness, and is nothing but goodness. Wherefore he can command nothing but that is good, just, and righteous. Which things, if thou do not, or be not able to do, thy maker may not let his goodness undone, because of thy naughtiness, or for thine unableness. And if thou be not able to do those good things, that he commandeth thee, there is no fault in the commander, nor yet in the commandments. Wherefore then dost thou grudge against him without a cause? But yet wilt thou murmur, and say, how that he knoweth, how they be impossible for thee. Truth that is, he knoweth it. Then wilt thou say, wherefore doth he command them to me? O thou presumptuous creature, it were sufficiently answered to thee, to say, that it is his pleasure so to command. What couldst thou say more? what occasion hadst thou to murmur? what wrong hast thou? But I will go farther. Thy maker knoweth that they be impossible for for thee: he knoweth also thy damnable & presumptuous pride, that reckenest, how thou canst do all things that be good of thine own strength, without any other help. And to subdue this presumptuous pride of thy, & to bring thee to knowledge of thine own self, he hath given thee his commandments, of the which thou canst not complain, for they be both righteous and good. And if thou complain because they be impossible for thee, then consider thy damnable pride, that thoughtest thyself so strong, that thou couldst do all goodness. But what will't that now do? These Why God hath given us his commandments to be kept. commandments be given, and can not, nor shall not be changed, to satisfy thy presumptuous pride. Whereof wilt thou now complain? God's commandments be reasonable, they be good, they be righteous, and they be laudable, shall all these things be destroyed, to satisfy thy pride? nay not so. But thou shalt rather remain with all thy pride, under the damnation of these commandments. What sayest thou thereto? Canst thou avoid this? Canst thou say but this is right? Canst thou save thyself from danger? Canst thou avoid thy damnation, by all thy carnal wisdom? Nay verily. For he that is thy adversary is omnipotent. Wherefore, say what thou wilt, so must it be, for it is God's ordinance, which may not be changed. But now, wilt thou ask what remedy? no remedy but this only, to confess thy weakness. to confess thy pride, to knowledge thy unableness, to grant, that these commandments be lawful, holy, and good, & how thou art bound to keep them, and to give laud, and praise to God for them, & to go to thy merciful maker with this confession, and to desire him, that he will help thee, that he will be merciful unto thee, that he will strengthen thee, for thou art to weak, that he will give thee his spirit: for thy spirit is to fleshly, to fulfil these spiritual commandments, and doubt thou not, but thou shalt find him both merciful, and also gracious, for he gave thee these commandments for that intent, secretly declaring, both thy pride, & also thy weakness, that thou mightest seek, and call unto him for help. This doth S. Augustine declare De temp. ser. lxiij. well in these words: If man do perceive, that in the commandments, is any thing impossible, or else to hard let him not remain in himself, but let him run unto God, his helper the which hath given his commandments for that intent, that our desire might be stirred up, and that he might give help. etc. Mark S. Augustine saith, that the commandments be impossible unto our strength, but we must call to God for strength. The Pelagians did reckon, that they had got a great victory, when they had made this carnal reason, that God would command nothing, that was impossible. Of this reason did they glory, and triumph, and thought, that they must needs have some natural strength, and power to fulfil the commandments of God, seeing that God would command nothing impossible to man. Of this same reason, doth my Lord of Rochester, and all his scholars glory unto this same day. But let us see how S. Augustine De lib. arb. cap. xuj. answereth them. The Pelagians (saith he) think, that they know a wondrous thing, when they say, God will not command that thing, the which he knoweth is impossible for man to do. Every man knoweth this, but therefore doth he command certain things, that we can not do, because we might know, what thing we aught to ask of him, Faith is Eccl. 12. God's commandments be impossible to our nature. she, which by prayer, obtaineth that thing, that the law commandeth. Briefly, he that sayeth. If thou will't, thou mayest keep my commandments. In the same book, a little after saith. He shall give me keeping in my mouth. Plain it is, that we may keep the commandments, if we will, but because our will is prepared of God, of him it must be asked, that we may so much will, as will suffice us to do them. Truth it is, that we will when we will, but he maketh us to will that thing, that is good. etc. Here have you plain, that my Lord of Rochester's opinion, and the Pelagians, is all one, for they both do agree, that the commandments of God, be not impossible to our natural strength. But S. Augustine saith, they be impossible. And therefore be they given, that we should know our weakednes, & also ask strength to fulfil them. For faith by prayer, doth obtain strength, to fulfil, the impossible commandments of the law. Here Whereof our good will cometh. have you also, that God moveth us, and causeth us to be good willers, & giveth us a good will, for else we would never will, but evil. Here is also to be noted, that that Pelagians, & our Duns men, agree all in one, for they both say, that the grace of God doth help man's good purpose, so that man doth first intend, & purpose De congruo. well. And as Duns saith, disposeth himself by attrition to receive grace, & then God doth helpeth him. But the truth is contrary, for there is no good purpose in man, no good disposition, nor good intent, but all is against goodness, & clean contrary against all thing that agreeth with grace, until that God of his mere mercy cometh & giveth grace, & changeth a man's will unto grace, and giveth him will, to will goodness, yea, and that when he thought nothing of goodness, but doth clearly resist all goodness. This doth S. Augustine prove in De lib. arb. cap. xuj. these words. The Pelagians say, that they grant how that grace doth help every man's good purpose, but not that The Pelagians saith that God giveth good laws & man may keep them of his natural strength or else the commandments were frustrate. he giveth the love of virtue to him, that striveth against it. This thing do they say, as though man of himself, without the help of God, hath a good purpose, and a good mind unto virtue, by the which merit proceeding afore, he is worthy to be helped of the grace of God, that followeth after. Doubtless, that grace that followeth, doth help the good purpose of man, but the good purpose should never have been, if grace had not preceded. And though that that good study of man, when it beginneth, is helped of grace, yet did it never begin without grace. etc. Here it is open, that the Pelagians grant as much of grace, as my Lord of Rochester doth, and all his Duns men, which learneth, that man may have a good purpose, bonum studium, and a good mind, & a love to grace, of his own natural strength. The Pelagians grant even the same. But here you see, how Saint Augustine is clear against them. But now let us here M. Duns words. A sinner may by the natural, and by the common influence iiij. sen. dist. xiv. quest. ij. of God, consider his sins, as a thing that hath offended God, & as a thing contrary to the law of God, and letteth him from reward, & bringeth him to pain, & by this means may he hate, and abhor his sin: this calleth he attrition, whereby there is a disposition (saith he) or a merit in a man of congruence, to take away mortal sin, and this attrition is sufficient for a man, that shall receive the Sacraments, & quod non ponat obicem, that is, that he have no mortal sin actually in his will, this is sufficient, and also a necessary way to receive grace. etc. This is ten times worse than the Pelagians sayings, for they grant, that man must needs have a special grace, to perform his good purpose. And M. Duns saith, that man may perform his attrition, of his natural power, yea, and this attrition of congruence, is a disposition to take away mortal sin, without any special grace. I pray you M. Duns, of what congruence is it▪ What hath attrition deserved, that mortal sin should be taken away for his pleasure? what hath he deserved, that grace must follow him? Infidel's may have this attrition (for you grant, that it cometh of natural strength) and yet shall it not follow of congruence, that they inust receive grace, and also remission of their sins? Also had not judas this attrition, when he said, I have sinned? and was sorry for his sin, & also repented him? and known well, that he had offended God, and also deserved pain? and was no more willing (I think) so to do, and had all that properties, that belongeth to your attrition, and yet see how he did deserve of congruence grace, and remission of his sins. Yea, did not this attrition, bring him to extreme desperation? How can a man without a special grace, abhor his sin? It is not possible, He that hath not that grace of God cannot abhor sin. but he must love sin, so long as he is the enemy of God, yea he would there were no God, to punish sin, such a pleasure hath he unto sin. This is the nature of our hearts, and that doth every one of us feel, though these men teacheth the contrary, but I say to them the words of the Prophet, redite ad cor prevaricatores, grope in your bosoms, & there find you the mortal enemy of God, which neither careth for God's displeasure, nor yet for his sin. And you say that he may have a good attrition, of his natural strength, and if this attrition be good, then may he do good before grace, so that we shall gather grapes of thorns, and figs of briars. But what saith S. Paul to your Roma. 18. good attrition? He saith, that all thing without faith is nothing. Is not this man a fleshly man? and hath nothing of the spirit of God (for by your own learning, he hath but the common influence) and yet shall he be sorry, that he hath offended God? Shall he abhor his sin? Shall he depose himself of congruence to grace? S. Paul saith. The flesh lusteth contrary to the spirit, and the works of the flesh, be adultery fornication, uncleanness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, wrath, zeal, sedition, envying, with such other. I pray you, how do these works agree with your attrition? Call you this abhorring of sin? Call you this heaviness, for offending God? be these good dispositions? Be these our good preparations unto God? Think you, that these works, do deserve of congruence remission of mortal sin? These be● the best works, that a sinner hath in his heart, or else S. Paul lieth. Wherefore it is not possible, but he must have in his will, actual sin, for he can will nothing but sin. And therefore, if he receive the Sacraments with this attrition, he receiveth them to his damnation. For before grace, he is an utter enemy to God, and to all his Sacraments. Wherefore God must of his mere mercy, mollify his heart, and give him grace to will goodness, or else he can never do it, nor yet desire it. As S. Augustine doth declare in these words. De grede●i●. cap. 8. The grace, which is given of the largeness of God, privily into men's hearts, can not be despised of no manner of hard heart. For therefore it is given, that Grace finds our hearts stony. the hardness of the heart should be taken away. Wherefore when the father is hard within, and doth learn, that we must come to his son. Then taketh he away our stony heart, and giveth us a fleshly heart. And by this means, he maketh us the children of promise, & the vessels of mercy, which he hath prepared to glory. But wherefore doth he not learn all men to come to Christ? Because that those, that he learneth, he learneth of mercy, and those, that he learneth not, of his judgement doth he not learn them. etc. Mark, that S. Augustine saith. That there is no hardness of heart, that can resist grace. And Duns saith, that there may be an obstacle in man's heart. S. Augustine says, that grace finds the heart in hardness, & obstinacy. And Duns says, that there is a mollifying, that precedeth grace, which he calleth attrition. S. Augustine saith, Meritum de congruo. when the father learneth us within, then taketh he away our slony hearts. And Duns saith, that we can do it by the common natural influence, that is, we can dispose ourselves of congruence. Mark also, how all men, be not taught to come to Christ, but alonely they, that be taught, of mercy be taught: and if it be of mercy, than it is not of congruence by attrition. Briefly, a greater heresy, more contrary to Christ, and his blessed word, can no man learn, and yet must he be taken for a great clerk, and a subtle Doctor, because he pleaseth the flesh. But shortly, have I openly proved by invincible Scriptures, and by Doctors of great authority, that free-will of his natural strength, with out a special grace, can do nothing, but abide in sin. Fain, invent, excogitate, and dream, as many holy purposes as we can, as many subtle distinctions, as many good attritions, as many good applications, and all they be but sin, till grace come: Sine fide impossibile est placere Deo yea our sleeping, our eating, our drinking, our almesses, our prayers, our singing, our ringing, our confessing, our mumbling, our mourning, our wailing. Briefly, all that we can do, is but hypocrisy, and double sin afore God, till the time, that he of his mercy chooseth us. For as he saith. You have not choose me, but I have choose you. Now will I declare a scripture or two, that men bring to prove our conatum and our bonum studium. The first place is this. God, from the béeginning did ordain man, and left him in the hands of his own counsel, he did give him his commandments, and his precepts, if thou will't keep the commandments, & also keep peasably faith, for ever they shall keep thee. I have set before thee water, and fire, stretch thy hand to which thou will't. Of this place is gathered, that man may have a good intent, a good mind, to apply himself to God of his natural power. But this can not be proved of this text. For there is never a word of intending, of studying, or of applying will. For if we will take the words of the text, as they sound, they rather prove, that we may keep the Commandments of God, yea, and also believe in God, than any other thing, the which, I am sure no man will grant. For then how could men avoid, but that the Philosophers be saved? For no man can deny, but that they did as much, as lay in their natural power to come to God? Moreover the Pelagians bring this text, to prove, that man may do good of his natural strength. Now how will we avoid them? For if we deny, that it proveth their opinion (for the which the words sound most) then will they deny, that it proveth our conatum, and our bonum studium, of the which, the text speaketh never a word. Wherefore this text maketh neither for them, nor yet for you. Plain it is, that the words of the text sound of keeping, and of beleeveuing, if we will, and not of intending, nor of studying. Wherefore it maketh not for your purpose. But let us go to the text, God from Eccl. 16. the beginning did make man. These words be open of the creation, of the first man. He left him in the hands of his own counsel. These words make nothing for free-will, for hear is nothing commanded him to do, but all only hear is signified, Man's Lordship over all creatures of God. that man is made Lord over all inferior creatures, to use them, at his pleasure, as it is open. Genesis. 2. Where that all things were brought afore Adam, to receive their names, signifying, that they were all left unto his use, and to his will, & he was Lord over them all, and none over him. This was his kingdom, in the which he did reign, and govern all things after his commandments, but yet was it by general influence, given him first of God: He did add his commandments, and his precepts. In these words is there no power given unto him, but hear be given him commandments, Whereby he must be ordered, and ruled, And not rule after his own counsel, but after the counsel, and commandments of God. Wherefore by these Man's dominion restrained. commandments, was their part of his free domination, and lordship, that he had over the inferior things taken away, as where God commanded him, that he should not eat of the Tree of knowledge, both of good and evil. Now was it not free for him to use this tree after his own will, but after the commandment of God, and what power he had, by his free will to keep this commandment, the effect did declare. If thou will't keep the commandments. Here beginneth the doubt. But yet of these words can you not gather, that he hath power to keep them, nor yet that he might intent to keep them. For it followeth not, if thou will't, Ergo, thou mayst, or thou mayst intend, As it followeth not, if I would, Ergo, I could depose you, for you will let this consequent. Also you have a general rule, Condicionalis nihil ponit. Wherefore these words, if thou will't keep the commandments, giveth no power, nor strength to free will. But this all only followeth of this text, if man will keep the commandments, than they shall keep him. But now, where shall he have this will? that is not in his power: but look of S. Augustine Aug. de lib. arb. cap. xuj above recited, and there shall shall you find, how man cometh by this will. Also the words of the text be not, if thou will't, thou mayst keep them, or intend to keep them. Nor they be not, Man may keep them, or intend, if he will. But if thou wilt keep them, than they shall keep thee. Wherefore of these words, can you not conclude any power in man. For it followeth not, when God saith, do this, hear this, hear that, keep this, keep that, if thou wilt do this, if thou will't do that, That we can do these things, or can intend to do them. For God commandeth us to do all good things, Ergo, we be able of our natural strength to do them? Then were the spirit of God frustrate, for the spirit of God is not given us, to give commandments, but for to give us strength, to fulfil, and righteously to understand those things, that be commanded us. By the commandments, is August. de verb. Apost. sent. xiii. declared that thing, that we aught to do and also they show our weakness, and imbecility, that we might learn to seek for a greater strength, and greater help, then is in us. As Saint Augustine sayeth, in these Wherefore the law is given. words. The law was given that man might find himself, and not to make his sickness whole, but by his preaching, the sickness increased that the physician might be sought. Wherefore the law threatening, and not fullfilling that thing, that he commandeth, maketh a man to be underneath him, but the law is good, if a man do use it well. What is that, use the law well? By the law, to know our sins and to seek God's help, to help our health. etc. Hear is it plain, that the commandments of God, give us no strength, nor yet declare any strength to be in us, but showeth us our duty, and also our weakness, and also moveth us, and causeth us to seek further for strength. So that these words, si voluris, si feceris, si audieris, si emundaveris, si vis, with all other such, that be words of commandments, or words under a condition, do nothing declare, but what we are bound to do, and what shall follow, if we do them. And as the words of the law do threaten an evil end for sin, all only for to fear evil doers, and wicked people from evil, so do the words of promise stir up and quicken good men's hearts, for to do well, and also comfort them, that they should not despair in adversities: But neither these, nor those give us any strength, to do that that is commanded: but alonely they do declare what pains and what reward shall follow to the breakers and the keepers of them. another scripture have you, where as our Master Christ saith: How often Math. 23. would I have gathered thy children, and you would not? Here cry you, liberum arbitrium, lib. arb. For if they had no freewill, what need our Master Christ to say, thou wouldst not? First must we consider, that there Two wills in God. are two manner of wills in God: One is called his godly will, or his secret or unscrutable will, whereby that all things be made and ordered, and all things be done. Of this will no creature hath knowledge what he aught thereby to do, or not to do, for as S. Paul saith, it is inscrutable, & therefore it is sufficient for us, to know thereof alonely, that there is an inscrutable will. The other will in God, is called a declared, and a manifest will, the which is declared and given to us in holy Scriptures. Gene. 2. This will was showed unto the uttermost by our M. Christ the son of God, and therefore is it lawful. And also, men are bond to search, & to know this will, and for that consideration, was it manifested unto us. This will doth declare what▪ every man is bound to do, and what every man is bound to fly. And by this will is offered unto every man, those things that be of salvation: And by this will GOD will have no man damned, for he letteth his word to be preached indifferently to all men. Now, he that will know this will, must go to our Master Christ, in whom as S. Paul saith, is all treasures of wisdom and science. So that he will show us as much as is necessary for us to know, and as much as the father of heaven would we should know. Now to the text, here speaketh God, that is incarnated, that was sent to will, to speak, to do, to preach, to be familiar with us, to do miracles, yea, and also to suffer death for our salvation. Now, saith he, I would have gathered How Christ willed to save the jew. thy children, that is to say, I did preach, I did labour with all diligence to convert thee, I did miracles afore thee, yea, I wept, I wailed for thy sake: all these things did I, with all other things that might be to thy conversion, and that belonged to God incarnate to do. But all these things did not profit them. And why? Because they would not. In him was there no fault. For there was nothing undone, that belonged to him to do, so that he was willing, and yet did it not profit jerusalem. And why? Because they would not. But now, why would they not? Because it was in their power to will, to consent? and to will, not to consent? Nay truly, but because as john saith: john. 11. They could not believe, for he had blinded their eyes, & hardened their hearts, that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts. So that they must needs alonely Wherein th● liberty of free-will consists. will, not to consent, and could no otherwise do, but not consent: and yet were they neither constrained, nor compelled, nor wrung to it with violence, but freely they would not consent, and yet had they the liberty of their free-will, that was to be against Christ, and not to be with him. For the liberty of free-will standeth not in this, that he may will this thing, and also will the contrary thereof. But it standeth in that, that all Magist. sen. in. ij. thing that he will, or will not, is at his own will, and is not thereto constrained, but willeth it freely without compulsion, and yet he can not choose, not nor will not choose, bu● so to will, or so not to will. So that there is a necessity immutable, but not a necessity of compulsion, or coaction. Now is it open, that this place maketh not for you, for there was no power, nor none intent in their freewill, to consent unto Christ, but to will the contrary, and not to will unto him: and all was because they It was not in their hands to change their will. were blinded, and their hearts were hardened. And therefore of their natural strength could they none otherwise do, but vary from Christ: not, they would, nor destred no otherwise, but to serve from him: that was all their will and delight. But wherefore they were blinded, and wherefore they were hardened, that must you inquire of the inscrutable will, that pleased him so to leave them. The We may not ●ee to inquisitive of God's secrets. cause thereof, I am sure he can tell you, if he would. I am sure it is rightteously done, that is enough for me. But now cometh the blind and fleshly reason, and murmureth at this, and asketh, why are we condemned for this? why doth God punish us for this? seeing we can will no otherwise? Also he blindeth us, he maketh our heart's hard, that we can not amend us, and it lieth not in our power without his will. Now, why complaineth he of us? why layeth he it to our charge? Here is nothing done but his will: we be but instruments of his will. And if we do not well, why giveth he us not strength to do better? Thou damnable reason, who can satisfy thee? which reckonest nothing to be well done, but that thou dost, and that is done with thy counsel? thinkest thou not, that thou art good and perfect in thine own nature? and all that is in thee, is both well and righteously made? To this, thou wilt answer yea, for thou wi●t not condemn thyself, nor any thing that is thy. But now answer me to this. What hath made thee so well? and given thee all thy righteousness? and all this goodness that thou hast? Thou must needs say God. But what was the cause that thou art so well? so righteous? and so good made? seeing that thou deservest nothing? Yea▪ and all these things be done so well, and so righteously, that thou canst not complain, nor amend them: not, nor yet devise which way to amend them. Now, why dost thou not murmur against God? seeing, that all things is done without thy knowledge? and also without thy deserving? why dost thou not inquire a cause of him? why murmurest thou not, that he hath made thee so good, and so rightful? seeing thou hadst nothing deserved? But here will't thou grant, that God did all thing for the best. Why dost thou not likewise in other things? Furthermore, thou must needs grant, that God thy maker, and the Nothing that God doth can be amended. governor of all things, is most wise most righteous, and most merciful: & so wise that nothing that he doth, can be amended: so righteous, that there can be no suspicion in him, of unrighteousness: so merciful is ●ée, that he can do nothing without mercy. How thinkest thou? will't thou grant these things of thy maker? Thou must needs grant them. Now compare unto this rule, thy Note here the wicked and sinful state of man. blindness that is within thee, thy induration, that is in thee, thy perverse will toward goodness, and what cause hast thou to complain? Thou hast granted, that he doth all things righteously: Ergo, thou hast no wrong. He doth all things mercifully: Ergo, thou art in thy blindness, and in thy hardness, better entreated than thou hast deserved. Moreover, thou believest, that God is righteous, that God is wise, and that God is merciful. Now faith is of those things, that do not appear, nor that can be proved by exterior causes. Hold thee fast to this faith, than all thy fleshly reasons be ass●iled. For when God saveth so few men, and damneth so many, and thou knowest no cause why, yet must thou believe, that he is merciful, and righteous. Faith doth not come of exterior causes, but is the mere gift of God This is faith, which if it could be proved by exterior causes, than were it no need to believe it. Now, if thou believe, that he is merciful, good, & righteous unto thee, wherefore murmurest thou? But yet wouldst thou know wherefore he in durateth thee, and blindeth thee, and giveth thee no grace to amend, and unto thy brother, that hath no better deserved than thou hast: yea, he hath likewise evil deserved as thou hast, and yet he giveth him grace, and taketh away his hardness, & giveth him a will, to will all goodness. This is not indifferently done as thou thinkest. First, I say to thee, thou hast no cause to complain, for thou hast no God disposeth his mercy to whom it pleaseth him. wrong, thou hast all thing, that is thine, and nothing is taken from thee, that belongeth to thee. Why dost thou complain of this right? Yea, but yet sayest thou, that he giveth the one mercy, and giveth the other none. I answer, what is that to thee? is not his mercy his own? Is it not lawful for him to give it to whom he will? is thy eye evil, because he is good? Take that, that is thine, and go thy way. Math. 20. For if it be his will to show his wrath and to make his power known, over the vessels of wrath, ordained to Roma. 9 damnation, and to declare the riches of his glory, unto the vessels of mercy which he had prepared, & elected unto glory. What hast thou therewith to do? what cause hast thou thereof to complain? it is the will of God, which can not be, but well, & righteous, the which (as thou sayest) thou believest. Wherefore leave of thy murmuring, God hath no delight in our damnation. & thy disputation against God, and reckon, that he is of his nature merciful, and hath no delight, nor no pleasure in thy damnation, but believe thou steadfastly, that if he show his mercy but unto one man in all the world, that thou shalt be that same one man, & though an angel would make thee believe, that all the world should be damned, yet stick thou fast to his mercy, and to his justice, that justifieth thee, and believe, that the sweet blood of his blessed son, can not be shed in vain, but it must needs justify sinners, and so many as stick fast unto it, though they be A comfortable and wholesome doctrine. never so blinded, and never so hardened, for it was shed alonely for them. If thou canst thus satisfy thyself, than dost thou well, & thou art doubtless out of jeopardy. If thou will't not be content, but will't dispute, and inquire causes of Gods inscrutable will, then will I stand by, and look on, and see what victordome thou shalt get I doubt not, but it will repent thee, and that he will conclude with thee, on this manner. May not I do what I will? Now here have I answered, to an intricable doubt, that our school men are wrapped in, which would know, what is the cause of predestination, and of reprobation. Duns being Sc●●●s. i s. d●st. 〈◊〉. wrapped between carnal reason, and the invincible Scriptures of S. Paul, can not tell, whether he may grant, that the will of God is alonely the cause of election, or else any merits of man preceding afore: he concludeth, that both the opinions may be defended. Bonaventure blindly Bonaventure. concludeth, that there may be a cause preceding grace to deserve it. So that in these unfruitful questions, which in gender nothing but contention, have they spent all their lives, and for these things be given unto them peculiar names, as subtle and seraphical, and irrefrigable Doctors. But against them all, I set S. Paul, which took intolerable labours, to prove by invincible Scriptures, and examples thereof, that there was no cause but alonely the will of God. And to prove this, he bringeth in an evident example of jacob, & Esau, how jacob was jacob, Esau. elected, & Esau reproved, afore they were born, and afore they had done, either good, or bad. Can there be a plainer example? what means Paul in these words when they wear neither born, nor had done neither good nor bad, but that the election of God might stand? Doth he not clearly take away all manner of merits, both de congruo, & also de condigno? and declare the will Meritum de congruo. of God to be the cause only? But hear will subtle blindness say, that God saw before, that jacob should do good, and therefore did he choose him. He saw also, that Esau should do no good, and therefore he repelled him. Alas for blindness, what will you judge of that, that God see. How know we that God saw that? And if he saw it, yet how know we that that was the cause of jacobs' election? jacob is elected and Esau rejected. These children be unborn, and they have done neither good nor bad, and yet one of them is choose, & the other is refused, S. Paul knoweth none other cause, but the will of God, and will you discuse an other. And where you say, that God did see afore, that one of them should do good, I pray you what was the cause or whereby see he, that he should do good? you must needs say by that that he would give him his grace, Ergo, the will of God is yet the cause of election, for because the God would give him his grace. Therefore God see, that he should do good, and so should also the other have done, if God would have given him that same grace. Wherefore you giants, that will subdue heaven and earth, leave your searching of this cause, and be content with the will of God, & doubt not, but the will of God, is as righteous, and as lawful a cause, as your merits can be. And doubt you not, but S. Paul (that took so great labours Rom. 9 in this matter) did see as far in man's deserving, as we can do: & yet he concluded with these words of scriptures, I will show mercy: to God's mercy is the cause only of our salvation. whom I show mercy: I will have compassion, of whom I have compassion. So lieth it not in man's will, or cunning, but in the mercy of God. He saith not, I will have mercy on him, that I see shall do good? but I will show mercy to whom I wil He says not, I will have compassion of him that shall deserve it de congruo? But of him of whom I will have compassion. This doth S. Augustine well prove in these words: The disputation of them is vain August. super joannem tract. lxxxviij. the which do defend the presence of God, against the grace of God, and therefore say, that we were choose afore the making of the world, because the God known afore that we should be good, not because he should make us good. But he that saith, You have not choose me, saith not that. For if he did therefore choose us, because that he known before, that we should be good, them must he also know before, that we should first have choose him? etc. Here is it plain, that the election of God is not, because he saw afore, that we should do well, but all only the cause of election, is his mere mercy, and the cause of our doing well, is his election. And therefore S. Paul saith, not of works, but of calling. Now go to you subtle Duns men, with all your carnal reasons, & search out a cause of his secret will. If you did believe, that he were good, righteous, and merciful, it were a great comfort for you, that the election stood all only by his will, for so were you sure, that it should be both righteously done, and mercifully, but you have God is merciful. no faith, & therefore must you needs mistrust God, and of that, fall you to invent causes of election of your own strength. As one should say, because God will not of his righteousness, or of his mercy choose us, we will be sure that we shall be elected. For first will Man's good intent to save himself. we invent, that the election cometh of deserving, and then will we also dream certain works, that shall thereunto be appointed of us, and those will we do at our pleasure, so that the election, and reprobation, shall stand all in your hands, let God do what that pleaseth him. But now because there be certain open places of scripture, that give only the cause to God, all only of election, & also of reprobation, therefore are these men sore troubled, and can not tell no other remedy, but all only to study, how they may wring, & wrist the open scriptures, to the fortifiing of their error, and to the satisfying of their carnal reason: so that where the holy Ghost saith, I will obdurate the heart of Pharaoh, they will take upon them to learn and to teach the holy Ghost to speak better, and to say of this manner: I will suffer Pharaoh to be indurated, but I will not do it, but my easynes, my softness, whereby that I shall suffer him, shall bring other men to repentance, but Pharo shall it make more obstinate in malice. So that God doth indurate (as you say) when he doth not chastise a sinner, but showeth softness, and easynes and sufferance to him. He is merciful, when he doth call a sinner to repentance by affliction and scourging. So that induration after your exposition, is nothing else but for to suffer evil by softness, and by goodness. To have mercy, is nothing else but to correct, to scourge, and to punish men for their sins. This is the exposition of induration, Origine in per●arcon. Glos. Rom. 5 Hier●. super Esaiam. after S. Jerome and after your common gloze. S. Hieromes words be these: God doth indurate, when he doth not by and by castigate a sinner. He hath mercy, when he doth call a sinner by and by unto repentance by afflictions. etc. This is authority enough, as you think, what should you search any farther? Did not these men understand scripture? Is not this exposition plain? This taketh away all inconveniences? By this exposition God is not the auctor of evil? This is a clarkely exposition? Briefly, this this must needs be the true exposition Wherefore it wear better for you, to err with S. Jerome, and with our old schoolmen, then for to say true with these new heretics, so call you all them, that will reprove old errors. Now have you well defended the which be new men. matter. Now is your cause well proved. Now must the holy Ghost change his words. For he hath new schoolmasters. And where he was wont to say, I have hardened Pharos heart. Now must he say. Pharaoh hath hardened himself, by my softness, and by my easiness, but I have not done it. But yet I pray you, how would you satisfy a weak conscience? that sticks fast to the word of God, and reckoneth that the holy Ghost knoweth well what he shall speak, and will speak nothing without a great cause but that that he speaketh, shall be so well spoken, that you can not amend it? How think you? is it sufficient to say to this poor man, S. Jerome, and all school men say so? hold thou thy peace, be thou content with their expositions, search thou no further, it doth not become thee to know it? But now, if he will say to your charge, that this thing is openly writin scripture, and the words of Moses and of Paul be plain, therefore you must answer to them. And it shall be as lawful and as necessary for him to know the mind of holy scripture, as the exposition of S. Jerome, or of M. Duns. Scripture says plainly, that God doth indurate pharao's heart, and not Pharaoh his own heart. It is a new exposition, to say, I will indurate pharao's heart, that shall be as much, as Pharaoh shall indurate himself through my softness and patience. By this rule shall Anaragoras Philosophy come in place, that shall How the Papists & school men pervert the holy scriptures. make of every thing what he will. And where as scripture saith, Saul, Saul, why dost thou persecute me? Shall be as much to say, as why sufferest thou me to be persecuted. Also the father of heaven, sent his only son into the world, shall be as much to say, as he suffered his son to be sent. So that we shall expound all places of Scripture, to our own purpose, and not to look what is the sentence of holy Scripture, nor yet what the mind of the holy ghost is: but what exposition will please us best, and what will best serve to our carnal mind. Furthermore, if God do harden men's hearts, when he suffereth, and when he is soft and showeth mercy: then did he harden the hearts of the jews, when he brought them out of Egypt into wilderness: then did he harden them, when he brought them out of the captivity of Babylon, then hardeneth he all the world, whom he suffereth in great softness and mercy. Also after your exposition, he was merciful to Israel, when he sent them into Babylon. For there did he chasten them, and by afflictions provoked them to repentance. Likewise the father of heaven had no mercy on the world, when he sent his son, for of that he gave m●n an occasion of induration. But when he he damneth the sinners, then by your rule hath he mercy on them, for he chasteneth and punisheth them for their sins. This is your rule of induration, and no man may say against it. Miserere may not signify to give grace, nor to remit sin, but to chastise and to scourge, and by pains provoke to repentance. And indurare, shall not signify to harden, but to suffer, and to be patiented, and to be mer●●ull, and not to chastise. But masters, how was God merciful unto Pharaoh, by softness, & by sufferance, whom he chastened so sore with ten plagues, and with such plagues as Moses marveled of? Call you that softness? was that suffering of Pharaoh? was that an occasion of induration? by patience? easiness, & by sufferance? God sand his adversaries of that patience, and of that sufferance. I pray you, how could God chastise him more? and yet at every plague, he saith: I will indurate pharao's heart. Wherefore Pharaoh had none occasion of induration by sufferance, and patience of God, but rather by his scourging. Wherefore there must be an other sense in these words than you do make, and we must seek out an other way to know, how God doth work induration How God indurateth. in men's hearts (such words doth the holy ghost use, therefore dare we speak them.) And how he is the doer both of good and evil: and yet all things that he doth, is well done. first, you must needs grant, that after the fall of Adam, the pure nature of man was corrupted by sin, whereby we be all wicked, and born (as S. Paul saith) by nature Ephe. 2. the children of wrath, and as David saith, we are all conceived in sin. Notwithstanding, of this corrupt nature, doth God make all men, both good and bad. Those that be good, be good by his grace. Those that be bad, be bad of corrupted nature, and yet God hath made them. Nevertheless, by nature they are of the same goodness, and no better than nature is, that is to say, evil: but yet the creation of God, and his workmanship is good, thouth the thing be evil in itself, yet is God's work before himself good, though all the world say nay. Now God of his infinite power doth rule, and guide all manner of men both good and bad, and all men by his infinite power, are moved unto operations, but every man after his nature. As after your own philosophy, Primum mobile, by the reason of his swift motion, carrieth all the inferior things with him, & suffereth nothing to be unmoved: notwithstanding, he moveth all things after their own natural course. So likewise God of his infinite All things are subject to the will of God. power, letteth nothing to be exempted from him, b●t all things to be subject unto his action, and nothing can be done by them, but by his principal motion: so that he worketh in all manner of things that be either good or bad, not changing their nature, but moving them alonely to work after their nature: so that god worketh good, and evil worketh evil, and God useth them both as instruments, and yet doth he nothing evil, but evil is done alonely thorough the evil man, God working by him (but not evil) as by an instrument. Take an example. A man doth saw a block with an evil saw. The which is nothing apt for to cut well, and yet must it needs cut at the moving of the man, though it be never so evil, for the man in moving, doth not change the nature of the saw. Nevertheless, the action of the man is good and cunningly done, but the cutting of the saw is after his nature. So likewise God moveth these evil instruments to working, and by his common influence given to all creatures, suffereth them not to be idle, but he changeth not their nature. Wherefore their operation, is a fruit God's action is good. convenient for their corrupted nature, but yet there is no fault in Gods moving. Here have you now, how God works all things, in all men both good and bad. But now let us go to the induration of them, that be evil. Thus is it. First, they be evil by nature, and can abide nothing that is good, nor yet suffer any good to be done. Wherefore when God the author of goodness, doth any thing, or saith any thing unto them, then are they more, and more, sorer, and sorer contrary unto God, and to all his works, for of their nature they are so corrupted, and can not agree to the will of God, nor to any thing that is good, but when it is offered them either in word, or deed, them blaspheme they, then withstand they with all their might, with all their power, then are they provoked of their corrupted nature to more mischief, and more, and always harder and harder: As for As that faithful take profit by the hearing of the word of God, so the wicked and unfaith full take hurt thereby. an example, when the blessed word of God is preached unto them, that be wicked, to whom God hath given no grace to receive it, then are they nothing amended, but more indurated, and always harder and harder. And the more that word of God is preached, the more obstinate are they, and the more mischief intend they. Then all their study, than all their wisdom, than all their labour, than all their might, than all their power, than all their craft, and subtlety, than all their friends, that they can make in heaven and in earth is nothing else but to oppress the word of God: yea and they think all to little, for that more it is preached the more they grudge, and the woodder be they. After this manner was the heart of Pharaoh indurated, when that the word of God was declared unto him by Moses, & he had no grace to receive it: then the more that Moses laboured in the word, the more sturdyer was he in withstanding of it, and always harder and harder. This is also evidently seen in the corrupt nature of man, for the more a thing is forbidden him, the more desireth he to do it. But what need me to go into Egypt to fetch an example to prove this? Look of mine own countrymen, if they be not openly indurated and so blinded, that no man is able to defend them by any reason, or law, and therefore they take themselves to violence and oppression, as Pharaoh did, which be the right signs, and tokens of induration. For the more that word of God is preached, and the verity is declared unto them the more sturdyer, and obstinate be they against it. And all their study, all their wits, all their counsels, all their craft, and mischief with all glossings and lyings, and with blaspheming of God & his preachers, is nothing else but to keep that word of God under, and to withstand that verity, which they know in their conscience must needs go forth, though all the world say nay. And therefore will they hear no man, nor reason with any man but even say as Pharaoh did, I will not let the people go●. But if they were not indurated, & the very enemies unto the verity, they would at the least ways hear their poor brethren of charity, & know what they could say, & if they could prove their saying to be true: then if they had that love of the verity, as they have but the shadow, they would give immortal thanks to god, & with great meekness, and with a low spirit, receive the heavenly verity, and thank their brethren heartily, that they warned them of such a damnable way, now in good time & season. But there is no love to the verity, nor yet fear of God, nor regard to the danger of their souls. And why? For they be children of induration and of blasphemy. And therefore the more it is preached, the more are they obstinate. This is the very induration, that God worketh in men's hearts, whereby they be the children of darkness. Therefore let us pray instantly to God, to mollify: our hard hearts, for Christ's dear blood sake. Amen. That it is lawful for all manner of men to read the holy Scripture. HOw can Antichrist be better known, then by this token, that he condemneth Scriptures, and maketh it heresy and high treason against the kings grace for lay men to read holy scripture. As though it were alonely a possession and an heritage of certain men that be marked alonely with exterior signs, and the truth to say with the token of the beast: as with shaven crowns, long gowns The Pope and his clergy will not allow that scripture to be in that mother & vulgar tongue of that people. and banners about their necks. They that have these tokens be the heirs of holy Scriptures, and may read it at their pleasure, though they understand as much as a popinjay. But holy Scripture, that is sent us from heaven, yea and that by the son of God, to destroy all heresies: this holy scripture shall engender in lay men heresy: If this be not the doctrine of Antichrist, I know not his doctrine. Tell me what can be more contrary to Christ, then by violence to oppress the scriptures, and to condemn them as unlawful, yea and as heresy, for certain men to read, and to say that there be certain secrettes in them that belong not for lay men to know. And that this thing shall not be denied (for I know they be slipper that I have to do with, and there is no hold of them) therefore will I recite an open act that all the world doth remember. My Lord of London openly at Paul's This was bishop Stokesley. cross was not ashamed with intolerable blasphemes to condemn the holy testament of Christ jesus having A common practice of Prelates to deface the scriptures. for him, but a damnable colour and and a deadly reason of the devil, that was, how there were in the translation so many heresies, that all that world knoweth that it was abominable & and a deadly lie, though it were a lordly lie. But such probations doth God all ways let them have, that be against his holy veretye. But let us grant that that translation was so false. Why did not you there take upon The clergy were more willing to find fault with the translating of the Scripture then to amend it. you openly for to amend it and to set forth truly the holy testament of Christ. You must needs grant that there is an holy testament of his in earth (except you will deny Christ as I doubt not but that you will in effect) Where is it? Why have we it not? If that wear not it? Why do not you set that very true testament out. You were ready to condemn an other W. Tyndal man's faithful labour and diligence: but you had no charity to amend it. You think always to deceive the world with your holy hypocrisy. Men be not so blind but that they can well indge, If you had condemned that testament all only because of errors, yet at that lest ways you should both of charity, and also of duty have set forth the true text, and then would men have thought, that you condemned the other by the reason of errors. But men may now evidently see, that you did not condemn it for errors sakes, (For how should they judge errors that be so unlearned) but all only because that the verity was there in, that which you could The only cause why the Scriptures were condemned by the Bishops. not abide that men should know: & that did the process of your sermon and also your tyranny that doth follow will prove. But my Lord I say to you, and to all yours if you do not amend it shall be to your everalsting damnation: for God will not take this rebuke at your hand. Remember that he hath sworn (by the mouth of his Esay. 61. Prophet) by his right hand, and by the might of his strength, that he will defend this cause. be not these lordly words, of the eternal God, think you to make him forsworn? Remember how the holy ghost threatyneth you in an other place saying, if a man Hebr. 10. did despise the law of Moses, he must without any mercy dye. How much more are they worthy of punishment, that do tread the son of God vederneath their feet, and despise the blood of his testament. How think you is not this openly against you, that condemn not all only Christ, but also his blessed word, & all that longeth to him, Take away Christ's word, and what remaineth béehind of Christ? nothing at all. I The words of God was first written to all nations and people, and not to priests only. pray you my Lord to whom was this word first preached? to whom was this written? all only to priests and not unto lay men? yea was it not written to all the world? yes truly. Whereby will you convert a Turk or an Infidel, not by holy Scripture? When they be converted, what will you learn them? what will you give them to read, any other thing then holy Scripture? I think nay. Now will you make your own countrymen, your own citizens, your own subjects, yea your own brethren, redeemed with Christ's blessed blood, worse than jews and Infidels? But there is no reason, nor no brotherhod, nor no Christian charity that can move you, or that can help you, for you are so blinded and so obstinate against Christ, that you had rather all the world should perish, than his doctrine should be brought to light: but I do promise you, if God do spare me life, and give me grace, I shall so set it out, if you do not revoke it, that it shall be to your utter shame and confusion: find the best remedy that you can. I do believe steadfastly, that god is mightier than you: and I do reckon The bishops worse than the great Turk. and faithfully believe, that you are ten times worse than the great Turk: for he regardeth no more but rule and dominion in this world: and you are not therewith content, but you will also rule over men's consconsciences, yea and oppress Christ and his holy word, and blaspheme and condemn his word. Was it A worship full counsel of an unpreaching Prelate. not a holy counsel of the Chancellor of London, to counsel a certain merchant to buy Robin hood for his servants to read? What should they do with vitas patrum, and with books of holy Scripture? Also the same chancellor said to an other man: what findest thou in the Gospel but a story? what good canst thou take there out. O Lord God where art thou? why The earnest zeal of Doctor Barnes. sléepest thou? why sufferest thou this blasphemy. Thou hast defended thy Prophets with wild fire from heaven, and will't thou suffer thy only fonne and thy heavenly word, thus to be despised, and to be reckoned but as a story of Robin hood. Rise up good Lord. Rise up, thy enemies do prevail. Thy enemies do multiply, show thy power, defend thy glory. It is thy contumely and not ours, what have we to do with it but alonely to thy glory. Revenge this cause or thy enemies shall reckon it not to be thy cause. O thou eternal God though our sins have deserved this, yet look on thy name, yet look on thy verity. See how thou art mocked. See how thou art blasphemed, yea & that by them, that have taken on them to defend thy glory. But now heavenly father, seeing that thou hast, so suffered it: yet for the glory of thy name, give some man strength to defend it, or else shalt thou be clearly taken out of the hearts of all men. Wherefore most gracious Lord, of thy mercy and grace I beseech thee, that I may have the strength to defend thy godly word to thy glory and honour, and to the utter confusion of thy mortal enemies. Help good Lord help, and I shall not fear a thousand of thine enemies. In thy name will I begin to defend this cause. First cometh thy faithful servant Doctor Barnes most earnestly defendeth Christ's cause. Moses, true and just in all thy works, and he commandeth faithfully & truly, with great threatenings that man, woman and child should diligently read thy holy word: saying. Set your hearts on all my words the which that I do testify unto you this day, that you may command them unto your children, to keep, to do, & to fulfil all things that be written in the book of this law. Mark how he commanded them, to learn their children all things that be written in this book, and so to learn them that Deut. 32. they might keep and fulfil all things that were written in that book: Moses made nothing of secretness, & will you make secrets therein? how shall men fulfil those words that they know not. How can men know the very true way of God & have not the word of God: is not all our knowledge therein? The Prophet saith, thy word is a lantern unto my feet and a light unto my paths. He calleth it a lantern Psal. 118. and light, yea and that unto all men: and you call it but a story, darkness, and a thing of secretness, yea and occasion of heresy, how can the occasion of darkness give light, how can a lantern be a thing of secretness, how can the verity of God be occasion of heresy? The holy Prophet saith, blessed Psal. 1. is the man that setteth his delectation The Pope and Christ are contrary. in the will of God, and his meditation in God's law night and day. Here sayeth the spirit of God, that men be blessed, that study the word of God: and you say that men be heretics for studying of it. How doth the spirit of God and you agree? Also S. Paul commandeth us to Ephes. 6. receive the helmet of health, and the sword of the spirit, the which is the word of God. I pray you to whom doth he here speak? to priests only? How many of your Priests did he know? yea was not this Epistle written to the whole Church of the Ephesians? And did not they read it? were not they lay men: and why shall not our lay men read, that they read? Moreover doth not Paul call it the sword of the spirit: is it not lawful for lay men to have the spirit of God? Or is the spirit of God not free but bond alonely to you. Also S. john A godly saying of S. Ihon. saith, if any man come to you & bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house nor yet salute him. Here the holy ghost would we should have no other doctrine, but holy scripture: and you will take it alonely from us. Furthermore this was written unto a woman and to her children and you will that no other man, wife nor child shall read it. But if we should receive your Priests into our houses, after this rule: I think we should not be greatly cumbered with them, for their are few of them that have this word. Also our M. Christ says unto the pharisees, search you scriptures, for in them you think to have eternal life. Our Master sent the Pharisies to The Pharisies judged better of the scriptures of God, than our Bishops did. scriptures, and you forbid Christian men to read them: who had a worse spirit than they? and yet they judged better of holy scriptures than you do. For they judged to have life in them, & you judge to have heresies in them: so that you be ten times worse to scriptures, than ever were they. Also Paul says, all scripture given by insperation 1. Tim. 3. of God is profitable to teach, to improve, to inform, io instruct in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, and prepared unto all good works. You will not deny but but scripture is given us of God? Ergo it followeth. etc. S. Paul says it is profitable to learn with: and you say that it is dawnable & good to learn herises with. S. Paul saith it is good to improve Papists & S. Paul are contrary. heresies, and you say it engendereth heresies. S. Paul saith it is good to inform, and to instruct righteousness: and you say to inform heresies. S. Paul saith that the man of God may be perfect by it, and you say that the Priests all only shall have it, so that you play overthwart with. S. Paul in all things. Also S. Paul saith, you may all interpretate scripture, one by one, that all men may learn, and all men may have comfort, but let your wines keep silence in the congregation. Mark how that all men may prophesy: which S. Augustine doth declare, for interpretating Scriptures. Therefore, it belongeth not all only to priests. Also he saith that women must hold their peace, which he need not to command if they were unlearned. Furthermore he will that women shall learn of their husbands at home: How shall their husbands learn them if they be unlearned themselves? Also S. Paul giveth testimony of 2. Tim. 3. Tymothy that he was learned in holy scriptures, from his childhood, the which were able to instruct him unto salvation, by faith that is in Christ jesus. Here you not how Tymothe was learned in holy scriptures before he was either priest or bishop, yea being but a child? the which as S. Paul saith, wear able to instruct him, and you say they be able to condemn men. Is not this clean contrary against S. Paul: are you not ashamed? What works shall Antichrist do more contrary to Christ than these be? let all christian One of the chiefest works of Antichrist is to condemn the scriutures of God. men writ the deeds of Antichrist & they must all agree in this that he shall condemn scripture. But that shall be not do, without some colour of right and of holiness: and you condemn it having no colour, nor no shadow of holiness, but all only reason of fleshlynes, and of stark madness. Think you if the great Turk would receive such reasons as yours be, yea and a great deal better against his Mahomet, that he could reign so long as he hath done. Nay doubtless, and yet you look to be allowed against Christ, the right son of God (yea and that of Christian men) which could not be hard against mahomet. Also our M. Christ commandeth his Apostles that they should preach the Mar. ult. Mat. ult. gospel unto all creatures, & as Matthew saith, that they should teach men to keep all manner of things that he hath commanded them: Mark that the Gospel, must be preached to all manner of men not to priests only, the Apostles must also learn to keep all things of the Gospel, which they can not do without they know them no if these things that the Apostles: did learn should engender or be any occasion of heresies, than the holy Apostles were occasion (by their doctrine) of heresies. Yea and that at the commandment of our M. Christ, what need the Apostles to learn us any thing that might be occasion of heresy? were we not in heresy before they came? were we not all disposed of our nature unto all manner of mischief? and yet after your learning they come and learn that thing that is occasion of heresy. But of your The Papists are blasphemers of Gods heavenvly word. conscience, are you not ashamed, thus damnably to blaspheme the heavenly word of God? thus shamefully to condemn God's word? thus presumptuously to undertreade the gift of the holy ghost? yea and that under the pretence of holiness, & of Christendom, as though you did favour Christ. Will you make Christ an auctor of heresy, and that under the name of holiness: will you by your holiness, and your damnable hypocrisy, condemn our M. Christ, the auctor of all goodness? But briefly if you would teach nothing, but that which our M. Christ hath left to be taught, we should not have so many heretics as we have. For now men be no heretics for speaking against Scripture (for you grant that men speak scripture) but for speaking against your law: for the cause be they made heretics, and by the be they proved heretics. Now let every Christian man judge in his conscience if this be right or lawful. Is not this a marvelous thing, let a man live in fornication, in whoredom in theft, in murder, drunkenness, in extortyon, in bribery, briefly in all manner of mischyfe, and you will have nothing to do with them, you will scarcely reprove him: yea he shall be a great officer underneath you, & greatly in your favour. But let a man come and Papists abide the true preachers of the Gospel. preach the very true Gospel of Christ, and thereby reprove your damnable lyuy●g, and then béegynneth he to be an heretics, & it shall cost you great labour, if you make him not an heretic in deed. And yet have you nothing that you can reprove in him as concerning his living, but all only that he preacheth the Gospel. Is not this a marvelous heretic? whose living you must needs grant to be good. And also you can not prove, but that his learning is of Christ: but all only that it pleaseth you not: no you dare not take in hand to prove it false but all only by vyol●ce you will condemn it. Think you that God will thus suffer? remember what he saith by the holy Prophet: Thou hast reproved Psal. 9 the unfaithful people, & hast destroyed the wicked, and taken away their name for ever. The Lord hath prepared his throne of judgement, doubt you not but he shall shortly reprove you. His throne is set, & to the judgement must you come, where you shall never be able to defend this cause, but you must perish for ever. But here will you say that you preach the Gospel to the people, and that is inongh: for they need not to have it in english. I answer, I pray you when was there any law that ever men were bound to keep, but that it was given them in wrighting? I will not say that you do not teach them the right Gospel, for you know it not. But how are they able to bear away The evangelists and Apostles did not only preach, but also written the Scripture that all men might read it. that thing the they do but hear? And if they may hear it of you, why may they not also read it? But look on S. Luke that wrote his Gospel that men might know for a certain, those things that they were informed of. Moreover why did the Apostle writ yea and that unto lay men, seeing that they were so diligent in preaching I dare boldly say as you be▪ But let us see how lay men were forbidden to read holy Scripture in the Apostles Acts. 17. time? The noblest of Thessalonia, which received the word, searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things that Paul preached were so or not, here have you plain that lay men searched Scriptures to know whether Paul's doctrine were true or not, and also how they read daily Scriptures. And now come you and say that lay men shall read no Scriptures but alonely receive them of your Papists preach lies. preaching? What if you preach lies (as it will be proved to your face that you do) shall it not be lawful for them to search Scriptures, but to learn your lies? Here will I recite how a great prelate of Christ Church (the first letter of his name is Doct. Allen) did interpretate Decked. allen expoundeth Scripture. and declare certain places of Scripture, to the ghostly instruction of Christ's Church as all men may judge. The first place was this a three fold cable is hard to break, by this three fold cable, he understood, the reverent father in God my Lord Cardinal. The first fold was, that he was A Popish Doctor's interpretation. an Englishman born, the which was a strong thing and hard to withstand. The second fold was that he was Legate & that not after the common manner, but Legatus a later, this is sprung out of the blessed side of our holy father the pope. This was a strong fold and could not be lightly broken. The third sold, he was a Lord and that of the kings counsel. This was a strong A foolish tale of a tub. fold, and all these three together did make so strong a cable that no man within the Realm might break it or withstand it. I was sore afraid that he should have reckoned the noble & the royal blood, that this threefold cable did spring out of, than had it been so strong, that the strongest Ox in the butcher's stall could not break it. This exposition did I here and sat by him, therefore I can testify it the better. The second Scripture was this from Zion shall come out a law, and The Papistical and vain doctrine of Papists. the word of God from jerusalem. This did he expound on this manner. The commandment of the most reverent father in God Lord Legate, is come from his high Palace, and from his noble grace hither unto you. The third Scripture, was this Sumite Psalmum & date tympanum, this did he expound on this manner, I have done my visitation, now give me my money. How think you by this holy Doctor, and this Prelate of Christ's Church hath he not well declared holy Scripture, is he not worthy to be beléeured? What reason were it that lay men should search Scriptures, than might they reprove this noble prelate? what order ware that? It were right if he were well served the he had a threefold balter to stretch Authorities to prove that the scriptures aught to be in the mother tongue. him in. But by such doctors as these be, must the poor people be ruled & if they will search for the verity themselves, then must they be heretics because they will not believe these holy fathers. But let us proceed in our matter against these blasphemers of God's word: Priscila & Aquila did expound Acts. 18. unto Apollo which was a great learned man the perfit understanding of scriptures. These were lay people and yet were they so learned in scriptures that they were able to teach a great Doctor. And now lay men may not read Scriptures. This was allowed by Peter, and Paul But their successors will condemn it as heresy. Also eunuchs that was the treasurer Act. 8. unto the Queen of the Ethiopians did read Esay the Prophet. The which he understood not, till God sent him Philip to declare it unto him. This was a lay man, and also an infidel and yet was not forbidden of God to read Scriptures. But rather helped to the understanding of them and now will you forbidden Christian men, to read holy Scriptures, that are sworn unto them, yea and also to defend them unto death. Also S. Paul saith. Let the word Collos. 3. of God devil in you plenteously. S. Paul would that lay men should learn the word of God, yea & that plenteously. And you command that they shall have nothing of it. How standeth your nothing with Saint Paul's abundance. Abundantly, and nothing, be far a sunder. But thus do you always agree with S. Paul and with holy Scripture. And if you would say plainly in words that your deeds do declare openly, than were we in no The Pope and his Clergy are the very ●lntechristes. doubt of you: for all the world would take you, as you be taken before God, that is, for the Antichristes that the world looketh for. Nevertheless, doubt you not, but God shall declare it openly at his time, to your utter confusion and damnation. For doubt less you neither hold with Christ, with his holy doctors, nor yet with your own law, where they be against you: but all these must be expounded and wroonge unto your carnal purpose, or else you make it heresy. But think you that the father of heaven (which for the great tender love, that he had to man's soul, sent his only son to redeem it, and also to give it a law to live by, out of his own mouth) shall thus suffer it lost through your hypocrisy? and his godly word to be over frodden for the maintaining of your worldly glory? Nay doubtless, for if it were possible that he could more regard your pomp and pride, than man's soul and his godly word: yet were it unpossible that ever he should so despise the sweet blood of his blessed son sweet jesus. Wherefore look upon your charge. But to our purpose, S. Augustine August. ad fratres. s. 3●. is openly against you in these words. My brethren, read holy Scripture in the which you shall find what you aught to hold, and what you ought to fly. What is a man reputed without learning? what is he? Is he not a sheep or a Goat? Is he not an Ox or an Ass? Is he any better than an Horse or a Mule, the which hath no understanding. etc. Here S. Augustine moveth men to read holy Scripture: and you command them not to read it. S. Augustine saith: they shall know in them what to do, and what not to do, & you say they shall learn nothing thereout but heresies, S. Augustine saith, a man without learning of scriptures, is no better than a brute beast: are not you good fathers that will make all your children no better than beasts? Also Athanasius: If thou wilt that In epis. ad Ephes. c. 6. thy children shall be obedient unto thee, use them to the words of God. But thou shalt not say that it belongeth alonely to religious men to study Scriptures: but rather it belongeth to every Christian man, and specially unto him that is wrapped in the businesses of this world: and so much Scriptures reach the commandments of God. the more, because he hath more need of help, for he is wrapped in the troubles of this world: therefore it is greatly to thy profit that thy children should both hear and also read holy Scriptures, for of them shall they learn this commandment: Honour thy father and thy mother. etc. These words be plain enough against you, they need no exposition: And the doctor is of authority, wherefore answer you to him. Also Chrisostome In Gen. 〈◊〉. 9 ho 28. that was a Bishop as well as you be, condemneth your sentence openly, saying: I beseech you that A notable saying of S. Chrisostome. you will oftentimes come hither, and that you will diligently hear the lesson of holy Scripture, and not alonely when you be here, but also take in your hands when you are at home the godly Bibles, and receive the thing therein with great study, for thereby shall you have great advantage. etc. These words be so plain, that I can add nothing to them, would you that we should take you for bishops, and for holy fathers, that be so openly against Scripture, and so centrary to holy doctors? That will I never do while I live. I will never look to see other Antichristes then you, and so will I take you, till I see almighty God convert you. Also the same doctor says. Which of you all that be here, (if it were required) could say one Psalm without the I● Mat. c. 〈◊〉 hom. 2. book, or any other part of holy scripture, not one doubtless. But this is not alonely the worst, but that you be so slow and so remiss unto spiritual things, and unto devillishnesse you are hotter than any fire, but men will defend this mischief, with this excuse, I am no religious man, I have a wife and children, and a house to care for. This is the excuse wherewith The scripture is meet to be known of all states and sorts of people. you do (as it were with a pestilence) corrupt all things: for you do reckon that the study of holy Scripture belongeth alonely unto religious men, when they be much more necessary unto you then unto them. etc. Here may you see that your damnable institution was in the hearts of men in Chrisostomes' days, & how they would read no scriptures: but you see he condemneth it, and calleth it a pestilence, and will you now bring it in again? If you had but a lousy statute of your own against me, or an other man, you would call us hetikes. But you neither regard Christ's holy word, nor holy Doctors, nor yet any other thing the is against you. But let us see what your own law says to this: If Christ (as Paul Di. 38. Si juxta. saith) be the power and the wisdom of God, them to be ignorant in scriptures, is as much as to be ignorant of Christ. etc. Here have you plainly that to take away scriptures from lay men, is as much as to take away Christ from them, the which no doubt but that you do intend in your hearts to do, and that thing God knoweth, and your works do declare it, the which God shall avenge full straightly over you. Also in an other place. I will set my meditation in thy justifications, 7. Synod. c. Omnes et. d●. 38. and I will not forget thy words, the which thing is exceeding good for all Christian men to observe and keep. etc. Here is a counsel of your own that hath admitted that all Christian The reading of the Scripture allowed by a counsel. men shall study Scripture. And will you now condemn it? Is there neither Scripture of God, nor practise of Christian men, nor exposition of Doctors, nor your own law, nor yet any statute of counsels that will hold against you? You be marvelous giants, how shall a man behave himself to handle with you? it is not possible to overcome you, for you will admit nothing that is against you. But yet will I not so leave you, but I will first declare it manifestly, the you be contrary to Christ, and to all holy doctors. S. Jerome, reproveth you very sore in these words. O Paula and Eustochium, if there be any thing in this In prohe. In Epist. ad Ephes. Lively 1. life that doth preserve a wise man and doth persuade him to abide with a good will in the oppressions and the thraldoms of the world, I do reckon that specially it is the meditations and the study of holy scripture, seeing that we do differre from other creatures specially in that that we be reasonable & in that that we can speak: now is reason and all manner of words contained in godly Scripture, whereby that we may learn to know God & also the cause wherefore we be created. Wherefore I do sore marvel, that there be certain men the which give themselves, to slothfulness, & sluggishness and will not learn those things, What benefits we may receive by reading of Scripture. that be good, but reckon those men worthy to be reproved, that have that good mind. etc. Mark how that this was written to two women that were learned. Also he reckoneth nothing better, then to study holy scriptures, he also marueileth, that certain will neither study Scriptures themselves nor yet let other men study them. It is well known, that these words prick no men but you, and you be so slothful & so given to voluptuousness, that you yourselves will not study Scriptures nor yet suffer other men to study them: but if you do study them, it is to deceive your simple and poor brother there by, and to maintain your abominable living, with wrosting and wringing of them: other profit cometh there none of your study, as all the world knoweth. For you may not preach, but when you have damnably condemned Christ's blessed word or else by violence, made some of your poor brethren heretics: then come you with all your gorgeous estate, pomp and pride, to out face Christ and your simple brother, with your outward damnable pride afore the face The great arrogancy, pride & tyranny that is in Papists. of the world. But my Lords, leave of your fasing and your brasing: for our Lord whose cause we defend against you, will at length not be out faced. Remember how the holy ghost prayeth against you saying: judge them Lord, Psal. 5. that they may fall from their cogitations: expel them Lord for they have provoked thee: doubt you not but this holy spirit will prevail against you, though God suffer you for a season, yet hath he till this day defended himself & his godly words against all the proud crakyngs of the world: and think you that he will now take a fall at your hand? nay nay, he shall first thrust you out headlong that all the world shall take example by you: this is my believe. For that word that you have condemned doth thus learn me. Wherefore if you do not revoke the condemnation of the new Testament, and ordain that all Christian men may read holy Scripture, you shall have the greatest shame that ever men had in this world: for you are never able to defend it by any means, nor by any power the is in earth. And if all power in earth will withstand it, he shall rather bring them all to dust and raise up of stones new rulers. You worms meat, you stinking car Doctor Barnes is vehement. rion, you nourishment of hell fire, how dare, you thus presume against your God omnipotent? whether will you fly to avoid his danger. Heaven & earth, water and fire, sun, moon, and stars, saints and angels, man and child, be against you and hold you accursed. What though the devil laugh on you for a season. Remember the end, but God give you his grace, that I loose not my labour about you. But now let me assoil your carnal The Papists first reason to prove that lay men aught not to read Scriptures. reasons that you bring for you. The first is this, evil men do take an occasion of heresy out of scriptures Wherefore it is best they have it not. I answer likewise, good men do take an occasion of goodness there of Ergo, the people aught to have it: but will you condemn all things where by men do take occasion of evil? Then must you first put out your own eyes for by them, take you occasion to see many idle things: you must also destroy your hands, your feet, your tongue, and all that you have for these do you misuse very often, you must also destroy your own hearts whereby you have not alonely occasion of evil, but you do think evil in very deed: you must also destroy all fair women, for of them take you sore occasions of evil: you must also burn all your goods and destroy all your riches, for of them men take occasion to be thieves Evil men will take occasion of evil of every good thing. and you to be proud: you must also destroy all wines, for of them men take occasion to be drunken, you must destroy all meats, for they give men occasion of gluttony, yea you must destroy the mercy of God, of the which evil men take boldness in their mischief. Briefly what is there so good a thing but that evil men can take an occasion of evil, yea and that of Christ himself, as Saint Paul says which unto 1. Cor. 1. the jews is offence, and unto the gentiles occasion of foolishness: & yet for all this you may not destroy Christ but he must remain still, and so likewise the Gospel: for though that the evil men (which will never be good) receive of it occasion of evil: yet there be many thousands the receive there by their salvation. Now because the spider gathereth poison of the good herbs, it were no reason therefore to destroy all good herbs. An other of your reasons: three be certain Math. 13. sentences in scripture that do not belong for every man to know, as our another reason of the Papists. M. Christ saith, unto you it is given to know, the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, unto them it is not given. I answer, whom mean you when you say, unto you it is given: if you mean that Apostles & all only there successors, then may not you read holy scripture, for you be not the successors of the Apostles, by my Lord of Rochester's authority, but if you mean the Christian people, that have the spirit of God, as our M. Christ meant, then be you excluded, for you have not the spirit of God as the effect doth declare, therefore you may not read scriptures. Mark also that our master says, unto you it is given, as who saith if it were not given you, you should no more have it then other men. Now how can you prove that the understanding of scripture is given to you▪ but now to the text: our Master Christ speaketh hear of the spiritual, and the right understanding of holy scriptures, which is the gift of God only, and he speaketh not of studying▪ or reading of holy scripture: for you have in the same place, how that What is meant by this saying, to you, is given the true understing and interpretation of scriptures. many did follow him, and hear his preaching, but yet they understood him not. Therefore this text maketh directly against you, and your works do declare that you be the hearers & readers of the word of God, but the understanding is not given you. But now wyllmy Lord of Rochester say that you have the very understanding as holy doctors had it, for though that scriptures in themselves and of their own nature be plainest, & best to be known, yet be the holy doctors plainest unto us: wherefore he that will understand scripture must first learn to understand the doctors, & they shall bring him to the true understanding of holy scripture, or else he must err. I answer: O my Lord do you write this with a safe conscience? think you that you can discharge your conscience before the dreadful face of Christ with this trifling distynction, Quedam sunt notiora nobis, et quedam notiora naturae, I pray you if you will prove that God were wise, would you béegin to prove it at your wisdom? if you would prove that God were alive, would you prove it by that that you be alive? if you would persuade a man to believe that there is a God, would you learn him, that he must needs believe it, because that there be creatures? These things be best known unto you, and if you would prove that a man hath a true sense of Scriptures, will you prove it, by that that he hath the sense of the doctors? What if the doctors had taken a false and a contrary sense, (this case is possible) would you therefore say that the sense which the man hath taken out of scripture is false. But I pray you my Lord, after this this rule, how could men understand scriptures, in Peter & Paul's days when there wear no doctors. But after your own learning, that same Scotus. 11. Sent. di. 3. q. 3. science which must prove the princypelles of other sciences is first known actualiter, & distinctly. Now be all the pryncipels of all other doctors proved ●rew by holy scripture: therefore there is no saying nor exposition of ho Scriptures must be first known & thereby you may judge the opinion of the Doctors. whether they say right or not. lie doctors that can be perfectly known except that scripture be first known this is your own divinity you can not deny it, wherefore if you will prove that you have the verity you must prove it, because you have the sense of holy scripture, and not the sense of holy doctors. But doubtless I have great marvel, that my Lord of Rochester, is neither ashamed of man, nor yet afraid of the vengeance of God that thus triflyth with holy scripture. Besides this you have an other A third reason of the Papists. bald reason, the City of London hath certain privileges and secret counsels, it were no reason that all men should know them, this was my Lord of London's reason at Paul's cross, when he condemned the new Testament. I answer my Lord: say of your conscience, did you not speak Coūs●…s are to be kept secret, but the Scripture must be made known to all men. these words to please my Lord the Mayor of London and his brethren? But I pray you is this a like similitude of y● certain counsels of men, the which must be kept secret because they be counsels: and of the holy scriptures the which were brought into this world not to be▪ kept secret, but to be preached openly, as our master Christ commandeth, preach the Mar. v●●. Gospel to all creatures, hear you to all creatures, let these men have it (for all these be of the counsel) & keep you it from the residue. Furthermore our master Christ says in an other place, that I have showed you in secretness, preach it on the tope of the house. Also S. Paul saith, the Gospel is Ti. 1. 2. Tim. 2. declared openly through preaching & in an other place God have brought life and immortality, unto light through the Gospel. Also our master calleth it the light of the world: now john. 3. Math. 5. who will set (as he says) a light under a bushel, and not rather openly that all men there by may be lightened. Wherefore my lord your similitude is very far unlike: and if you were not a Lord, it were worthy to be despised. But doubtless it may be well thought A foolish similitude made by Stokesley Bishop of London. that you were at a sore exigent, when you were compelled to prove this thing with so ●auld a reason. Who would have looked for so simple a reason in so earnest a matter of so wise a man, of so great a Doctor, of so worshipful a father, and of the Bishop of London, yea and of him that is called an other Solomon, notwithstanding such an halting similitude did he never learn in the proverbs of Solomon: but it had been a better similitude, of the king's proclamation, which is proclaimed that all men might know it and also keep it & no man is bond to keep it, till it be proclaimed: likewise the Gospel was given for to be proclaimed, and every man is bond to keep it. Wherefore it must needs be proclaimed to every man, and unto you my Lord. I beseech God that you may be one of them of whom it is spoken: To you is it given to know the mysteries of God. Amen. ¶ That men's constitutions, which are not grounded in Scripture, bind not the conscience of man under the pain of deadly sin. There are two manner of powers. TO this article we must note that there be two manner of ministers or powers: one is a temporal power, the other is called a spiritual power: A temporal power. the temporal power is committed of God to Kings, Dukes, Earls, Lords, Barons, judges, Majors, Shrives', & to all other ministers under them, these be they that have only the temporal sword, The description of the temporal power. whereby they must order all the common wealth with all world lie things longing thereunto, as the disposition of these worldly goods, who shall be right owner and who not, the probation of men's testaments, the ordering of payments and customs, the setting of all manner of tasks and forfaites, the correction of all transgressions, whereby the common wealth, or any private person, is disquieted or wronged: as correction of thieves, murderers, harlots, bawds, sclanderers, wranglers, extortioners, brybers, usurers, false buyers and sellers, and of all other things whereunto belongeth any outward ordering, or any corporal pain. In this power is the king chief and full ruler: all other be ministers and servants, as Paul doth declare, ●aying: let every soul be subject and obedient unto the high powers. etc. Also S. Peter: be subject unto the Roma. 13. 1. Pet. 2. king as unto the chief head, either unto rulers as unto them that are sent of the king for the punishment of evil doers. Unto this power must we be obedient in all things that pertain Roma. 13. to the ministration of this present life and of the common wealth, not alonely (as Paul saith) for avoiding of punishment, but also for discharging of our consciences: for this is the will of God. So that if this power command anything of tyranny against right and law (always provided that it repugn not against the Gospel, nor destroy our faith) our charity must needs suffer it: For as Paul saith, charity suffereth all thing. Also 1. Cor. 13. our master Christ: If a man strike Math. 6. thee on the one cheek, turn him the other, for he doth exercise tyranny. But over these worldly goods, & these present things, and over thy corporal body, which Christian men do not alonely not regard, but despise it. Nevertheless, if he command thee any thing against right, or do thee any wrong. (As for an example cast thee in prison wrongfully) if thou canst by any reasonable and quiet means, without sedition, insurrection, A man wrongfully imprisoned by a tyrant may in quiet manner make his escape. or breaking of the common peace save thyself, or avoid his tyranny, thou mayst do it with good conscience. As if thou were in prison, if thou couldst avoid without any sedition, thou mayst lawfully do it, & thy conscience is free so doing, and thou dost not sin, nor offend the law of God, as Paul saith: If thou mayst be 1. Cor. 7. free use it: but in no wise (be it right or wrong) mayst thou make any resistance with sword or with hand, but obey, except thou canst avoid, as I have showed thee. But if the cause Such as have made offences to the common weal aught not to break prison. be right, lawful, or profitable to the common wealth, thou must obey, and thou mayst not fly without sin. That men have fled from the tyranny and the wrong of this power, we have it openly in divers places of scriptures. As of Elezy, that fled from the tyranny of the king of Syria. Also Helyas 4. King. 6. 3. King. 89. fled from the tyranny of king Achas. Also S. Peter fled out of prison: And Acts. 12. idem. 9 and. 14. S. Paul out of the City of Damascum, and out of Iconium, as it is open in the Acts of the Apostles. So that against this power (though thou have wrong) mayst thou not make any corporal resistance: but alonely avoid by flying, or else keep the thing that is commanded thee. But if it be right, and to the profit of the common wealth, thou must both fulfil it and also abide. But now will it be enquired of me of this case: if it please the kings grace to condemn the new testament in English, and to command that none of his subjects shall have it under displeasure, whether they be bound to obey this commandment or no? To this will I answer: That I do believe, that our most noble Prince hath not forbidden that Christian What were to be done if the king should forbid us the reading of the Scripture. men may have Christ's Testament, whether it be in latin or English, French, Douche, Greek, or Hebrew, for Christ's verity, is all one in all tongues. And as his grace knoweth, it were very unreasonable that any man should either counsel, or forbidden his grace that he should know or read the Testament of the most noble Prince his father, in the which is alovely given and promised worldly goods, which as soon as they be given, be ready to decay and to perish: and if (I say) this be unreasonable and unright: how much more were it unreasonable to take away from us our father of heavens testament, whose legacy and promises do as far excel the legacies of the noble Prince his father, as God doth excel man. But what should I make many reasons, to prove unto his grace that thing to be lawful, that the father of heaven hath sent us, from whom cometh nothing but goodness. Yea, and it was not sent by man, by Angel, or by Saint, but by the only son of God both God and man, and diligently declared by him to all the world. Not unto the Pharisees alone, but unto all manner of people, and that to the hour of death, and also thereof took his death, and not yet so content, but sent his glorious Apostles to declare and to learn this godly word through all the world. And because the ministration of this word, required a greater strength than was in any natural man, therefore also gave he them his eternal spirit, to establish them, to confirm them, and to make them strong in all things, that there might be nothing desired, to the declaration and setting out of his word. Now, who could find in his heart that is a true subject, and regardeth the honour of our noble Prince, and the salvation of his soul, either to think that his grace would condemn it, or else to move him to condemn that thing, that cometh from heaven, yea, and that from the father of heaven, and sent and learned by his eternal son, which hath sealed it with his most precious blood, and also commanded his glorious Apostles to preach it, and confirmed it with so many miracles, and did also give to the confirming and the writing of it, the glorious consolatour of the holy Ghost. So that it is open, that the father of heaven did not sand this godly word with a small diligence, or as though he cared not whether it should remain in earth or not. But so hath he declared this holy word, with such a prosses, that heaven, earth & hell, should know that it is his word, and that it is his will, that all men should have it, and that he would defend it, and be enemy unto all them that would overpress it. Wherefore let them that be capital enemies unto his grace, both in heart and in deed, suspect that of his grace and move him unto it, for doubtless I will never do it. For I dare boldly say, that the devil of hell which is enemy unto his grace, both of body and soul will move him unto no other thing but alonely so to condemn God's word: and this thing doth his grace know well, and therefore I doubt not but that he hath and also will avoid the danger thereof. Nevertheless, it may please God to take so great vengeance for our abominable sins that after his grace's days, he may send us such a tyrant, that shall not alonely forbidden the New Testament: but also all things that may be to the honour of God: yea, and that peradventure under such a colour of God's name, that all men shall reckon none other, but that he is God's friend. This will be a great scourge, and an intolerable plague, the father of heaven of his infinite mercy defend us from such a terrible vengeance. For it is the greatest plague that can come in earth (as S. Paul doth declare Roma. 1. to the Romans) when that God's verity is condemned in God's name, and men be so blind that they can not perceive it, for they be given into a perverse sense. This plague never cometh, but it is a token of everlasting reprobation. Our most merciful redeemer Christ jesus, defend us from it, Amen. But if it come that we must needs suffer this plague, how shall christian men use themselves to this Prince, that will so condemn God's word? My Lords the bishops would depose him with short deliberation, and make no conscience of it. They have deposed Princes for lesser causes than this is a great deal. But against them will I always lay Christ's fact, and his holy Apostles, and the word of God, whom Christian men must alonely follow. Therefore, the kings commandment, Note here what is to be done if the king do forbid the Scripture ●o be read of his subjects. must be considered on this manner: If the king forbidden the new Testament, or any of Christ's Sacraments, or the preaching of the word of God, or any other thing that is against Christ under a temporal pain, or else under the pain of death: men shall first make faithful prayers to God, and then diligent intercession unto the kings grace with all due subjection, that his grace would relealse that commandment. If he will not do it, they shall keep their Testament, Subjects must obey, but here is showed in what sort and manner. with all other ordinance of Christ, and let the king exercise his tyranny (if they can not flee) & in no wise, under the pain of damnation shall they withstand him with violence, but suffer patiently all the tyranny that he layeth on them both in their bodies & goods, and leave the vengeance of it unto their heavenly father which hath a scourge to tame those bedlams with, when he seeth his tyme. But in no wise shall they resist violently, neither shall they deny Christ's verity, nor yet forsake it before the Prince, jest they run in the danger of these words: he that denieth me and my word before men, I shall deny him before my father in heaven. And let not men regard this matter lightly, and think that they may give up their testaments, and yet not deny Christ. For what so ever he be that giveth up his Testament, as a thing worthy to be condemned, he doth before God deny Christ, though his testament be peradventure (he not knowing) false and untruly Printed, or untruly translated: yet unto him is it a true testament, and therefore shall he not deliver it to any that will condemn it as unlawful. But this shall he do. If any man that is learned do find any fault there in he shall be glad to amend that fault, but not to suffer in any wise for that Note here how a Christian subject must show himself obedient. or for those faults the whole testament to be condemned as unlawful. For if that should be suffered, then should we have no testament: for there is no testament that is so true, but either there be faults in deed, or else men by cavillations may invent that there be defaults. For this dare I say boldly, that the new testament in English, is ten times truer, than the old transtion in Latin is, in the which be many places that do want whole sentences, and many places, that no man can defend without heresy, as this text. Non omnes immutabimur. 1. Cor. 15. Math. 20. Act. 20. 1. Tim. 6. Also this. Sedere ad dexteram meam vel sinistram non aest meum dare vobis. Also these places want. Commorati sumus trogilij. Seiungere ab is qui huiusmodi sunt, with many other places more, that no man can say but they be evidently false: & yet we may not burn our books for all that, but keep them and amend them. Neither shall they go about, to depose their Prince, as my Lords the Bishops were wont to do, but they shall boldly confess, that they have the verity, and will there by abide: and alonely shall they pray to their heavenly father to change the heart of their Prince, that they may live underneath him, after Christ's word, & in quietness, as Paul exhorteth us saying. 1. Tim. 2. I exhort that prayers supplications, petitions, and giving of thanks, be had for all men: for Kings, & for all that are in pre-eminence, that we may live a quiet and a peaceable life in all goodness and honesty. This shall men behave themselves toward their Prince and in no wise shall they deny Christ's word, or grant to the burning of their testaments: but if the king will do it by violence they must suffer it but not obey to it by agreement. This may be proved by the examples of the Apostles when the high Priests of the temple commanded Peter and john, that they should no more preach and teach Act. 4. & 5. in the name of jesus. But they made them answer it was more right to God is to be obeyed before men. obey God then man. Also the pharisees came and commanded our M. Christ, in Herodes name, That he should departed from thence, or he would kill him: but he would not obey, but made them answer to Herode with a great threatening: Go tell the wolf behold I cast out devils and I make Luke. 13 men whole this day and to morrow, and the third day am I consumed: nevertheless I must continue this day to morrow and the next day etc. So the he left not the ministration of the word neither for the kings pleasure nor yet for fear of death. Also we have openly, that the three children would not obey to the commandment Daniel. 3. of king Nabuchodonosor, but because it was against the word of God. Likewise we have an example where as the king Darius commanded Dan. 6. that no man should ask any petition, either of God or of man within the space of 30. days but of him only. Notwithstanding Daniel went into his house, & thrice in a day made his prayers to God of jerusalem, for the which thing he was put into the den of Lions, the which he did obey as in suffering of the pain, but not in consenting to the unright commandment, So that Christian men are bound to obey in suffering the kings tyranny, but not in consenting to his unlawful commandment: always having before their eyes the comfortable saying of our M. Christ: Fear not them the kill the body, which when they had done they can no more do. Math. 10. Also S. Peter, 1. Pet. 3. happy are ye if you suffer for righteousness sake, nevertheless, fear not, though they seem terrible unto you, neither be troubled, but sanctify the Lord God in your heart. God doth wonderfully work to save and defend his poor flock. And let them not fear, but the their father of heaven hath care for them, and shall deliver them, and also bring his godly word unto light when it shall please his eternal will, against the which no tyrant is able to withstand. But when the tyrants think themselves most sure of the victory, and be all ready provided to burn Susanna, then shall he raise Dan. 13. up a Daniel that shall call again the sentence of the lecherous priests: and when joseph is sold into Egypt, and there cast in prison, then will he make him Lord over all Egypt, yea, Gene. 37. and. 39 and also over them that sold him. He bringeth also to pass that proud Hamon (be he never so great in the kings favour) shallbe hanged on his own gallows, that he made for Mardocheus the Israelite. Also when Pharaoh hath commanded under pain of death to destroy all the men children of Israel. Then can he find the means to save Moses, yea & that on that water: Exod. 2. where as all that power of Egypt could not save the king, yea and he nourished him in the kings house, at the kings cost yea and by the kings daughter. Did Pharaoh suppose this? or was there any counsel of pharao's that could prevail against this? was there any wisdom or tyranny in the earth that was able to extinct Moses? nay verily. Furthermore when Israel hath been in Egypt iiij. C. years in great captivity and thraldom, yet against pharao's will keepeth he his promise and delivereth them, and maketh water, fire, & earth to serve them: and when all Israel was in despair and Pharaoh the tyrant was ready to suck blood, than showed our God his mighty power. What can Israel think when he hath the read Sea before him? And Pharaoh with all his might and power after him, and of every side a great mountain? what hope hath he by man's might, by man's power, by man's wisdom, by man's policy, for to be delivered? none at all. But before Israel's carnall●tye all thing is in extreme desperation. But now you Princes that judge the earth learn and take heed: here Psal. 〈◊〉. cometh the God of Israel, whom all Egypt hath despised, scorned mocked and condemned, and showeth his might where as nothing can help but be only, and where the tyrants reckon to be most sure of victordem, there bringeth he all their malice to an end. And when Herode hath Peter in prison fast bond in chains, & Acts. 12. of every side of him a soldier, & keepers set at the prison door every man in his office watching that Peter shall not escape (for Herode intends the day following to bring him forth to wondering and also to death.) Then against Herodes will, above all his might, above all his wisdom & policy, notwithstanding all the soldiers and gaylers of the prison, cometh the power of our eternal God and leadeth Peter through the first and the second ward, yea and the brazen gate must wilfully open, and let Peter out, whom our Lord God would deliver. Shortly, what should I bring many examples to prove God's power & to declare how the truth of God and his children be always in persecution, but the end is always glory unto them. Wherefore this one example, of our master Christ shall be sufficient to establish & to confirm all feeble hearts, & also to mollify all stony hearts, and finally to confounded, the violent tyranny of mortal tyrants which be but stubbles, hay and dust, & in a moment be brought to a lump of stinking carrion. Consider our master Christ which is the very Math. 27. and. 28. true son of God, & God himself & yet is he crucified and put to death, as a seditious person, as a malefactor, Christ is for ever to be set before us for an example to comfort us in our persecution. as a thief, as a traitor, yea and as an heretic: he is laid also in the grave and a great stone before the door, & soldiers that were not of the common sort, but of the Romans, he set diligently to keep the grave with all the policy and wisdom that the bishops could devise, and all that he should not rise up again according to his word: but all this could not help, for the power of God would not be let, his verity could not be proved false, his word could not be oppressed: but when the tyrants thought to make their triumph of victory, them were they most overcomed. For it is neither water nor fire, Sea nor land, heaven nor earth, death nor hell, that can let God to defend his children, or to bring forth his godly word to light, and to keep his eternal promises. Therefore let Christian men not fear to keep the word of God, and fast there by to abide, and not to deny it for any tyranny: for the day shall come when it shall be greatly to their glory. And Sodom, and Gomorra shall be more easily handled, than such Princes, that do persecute the holy word of God. Now is it clear made that we cannot resist this temporal power in no wise by vi●lēc●● but if we have wrong either we must do the thing that is commanded us, or else fly, but if any thing be commanded us that is against We must rather suffer persecution, then in any wise resist. the word of God whereby our faith is hurt, that we should not do in any wise: but rather suffer per secution and also death. But against this power goeth not our article, for it commandeth nothing as cons●●rning the conscience, but all only as concerning the ordering of worldly things, and therefore, it mynistreth a temporal pain over the body only and therewith is content. Wherefore we will now speak of the other power which men call spiritual. first here is to be noted that this is no power, nor none authority A spiritual power. worldly, but all only a ministration of the word of God and a spiritual regiment, preaching the governing of the soul and the ministration of the spirit, having nothing to do with the erterior justice or righteousness of the world, and therefore hath it no power The spiritual power hath no authority to make laws to rule the world by. by right and law to make any statutes or laws to order the world by, but all only faithfully & truly to preach, and to minister the word of God there by instructing the conscience of man, nothing adding thereto, nor taking there from: but as S. Paul saith, to 2. Tim. 3. abide in those things that they have learned, and that be committed unto them, for. S. Paul (as he himself Roma. 16. saith) ●urst speak no other thing but those things which christ had wrought by him. For he curseth him be he man or Angel that preacheth any other gospel, Gala. 1 than he had preached. Therefore the Prophet commandeth us that we should not hear the words of those prophets which deceive us, for jerem. 23. they speak visions of their own hearts and not out of the mouth of god, and yet speak they in the name of God. Wherefore these men so long as they speak only the word of God, so long are they to be herded, as Christ himself, after the saying, he the heareth Luke. 10. Math. 23. you heareth me: also whatsoever they say unto you sitting in the chair of Moses do it. On the which text speaketh S. Augustine, By sitting in the chair Super joan. Trac. 46. is to understand the learning of the law of God, and therefore God doth teach by them, but if they will teach By the chair of Moses▪ is understand the law of God which Moses delivered to the jews. their own doctrine hear it not, do it not, for such men seek that is there's and not Christ's. etc. These words be plain against all them that preach any thing but the law of God only. Wherefore if these ministers will of tyranny, above the word of God, make any law or statute, it must be considered after two manner of ways: first whether it be openly and directly against the word of God and to the destruction of the faith, as that statute is whereby they have condemned the new testament, & also forbidden certain men to preach the word of God, having no true cause against them, but all only their malicious suspection: also the learning whereby they learn, that works do justify: moreover that statute whereby they bind men under the pain of damnation to be assoiled of them. These statutes I say with other like men are not bound for to obey neither of charity (for here is faith hurt which giveth no place to charity) nor yet for avoiding of slander, for the word of God may not be avoided, nor yet give place unto slander, for than should it never be preached, but it must be fa●●e stuck unto: and the more that men be offended withal, and the stiffer that they he against it, the more openly and plainly, yea and that to their faces, that make such statutes, m●st we resist them with these words: we are more bound Act. 5. to obey God then man. This is well proved by Hilarius Hylarius in Mat. can●. 14. words: All manner of plants that he not planted of the father of heaven, must be plucked up by the roots, that is to say, the traditions of men, by whose means, the commandments of the law he broken, must be destroyed, and therefore caulleth he them blind guides of the way to everlasting life, because they see not that thing they promise': and for that cause he saith, that both the blind guides, and they that be led, shall fall into the dyke. etc. Mark that all traditions of men, which are against God's law, must All traditions of men that are against God, must be rooted up by the roots. be destroyed. Therefore let every man take heed, for it longeth to their charge: for both the blind guides, and also they that be led shall fall in the dyke. It shall be none excuse for him that is led, to say that his guide was blind: but let them hear the word of God by his holy prophets, walk not in the precepts of your fathers, nor keep not their judgements, Ezechi▪ 20. but walk in my precepts, and keep my judgements. The other manner of statutes be, when certain things that be caulled indifferent, be commanded as things to be done of necessity, and under the pains of deadly sin. As for an example: To eat flesh or fish, this day or that Things that are indifferent to be done or not done, are to be obeyed, so that the same be not commanded under the pain of deadly sin. day is indifferent and free: also to go in this raiment, of this colour or that colour: to shave our heads or not: a priest to wear a long gown or a short: a grey Friar to wear a grey coat or a russet: a white Friar to wear a white or a black: a Priest to marry or not to marry: an Heremyt to have a beard or not. These with all other such outward works, be things indifferent, and may be used and also left. Now if the bishops will make any law or statute, that these things shall be determinately used, so that it shall not be lawful for us to leave it undone, but that we must precisely do them, and not the contrary under the pain of deadly sin: here must they be withstanded, and in no wise obeyed, ●or in this is hurt our faith and liberty of Christendom, whereby we are free and not bound to any exterior work, but free in all things, and unto all men at all times, and in all manner, except it be in such a cause where as brotherly charity, or the common peace should be offended. Therefore in all these things be we free, and we must withstand them that will take this liberty from us, with this text of Scripture: We are bought 1. Cor. 7. with the price of Christ's blood, we will not be the servants of men. This text is open against them that will bind men's conscience unto sin, in those things that Christ hath left them free in. Of this we have an evident example of Saint Paul, the which would not circumcise Titus Galat. 2. when the false brethren would have compelled him thereunto as a thing of necessity, unto whom. S. Paul gave no romthe as concerning to be brought into subjection. S. Paul Note here that things that o● the selves are indifferent and yet are commanded to be of necessity observed, those are to be disobeyed. did not withstand them, because that Circumcision was unlawful or might not be used of Christian men, but because that they would have compelled him unto it as unto a thing of necessity, that thing would not Saint Paul suffer, for that was against the liberty that we have in Christ jesus as he saith here plainly. Wherefore we be not alonely by Christ made free from sin, but also made free in using all manner of things that be in different, and unto them we can not be bound as unto things of necessity, as on the Friday to eat fish, and thereunto be bound in conscience under the pain of deadly sin. In this we may not obey for it is against the word of God, not because it is evil to eat fish (for in time convenient and when thou art disposed it is good) but because that they will in this thing bind our consciences and make that thing of necessity, that God had hath left free. Therefore speaketh Paul against them in these words. In the latter days certain men shall serve from 1. Tim. 4. the faith applying themselves to the spirits of errors, and doctrines of the devil, forbidding Marriage, and to abstain from meats, that God hath created to be received of faithful men with thanks: for all creatures of God be good, and nothing to be refused that is received with thanks. Mark how Paul saith, nothing is to be refused that may be received with thanks this is openly against them that will forbidden either fish, or flesh, this day or that day, as a thing unright for a Christian man to eat: for as S. Paul saith, meat doth not commend us unto God. Also in an other 1. Cor. 8. place the kingdom of heaven is neither meat nor drink. Therefore they Roma. 15. do unright to bind our conscience in such things, and to think us unfaithful because we observe them not. Now let our holy hypocrites of the Charter house look on their conscience, Superstition of the Monks of the Charterhouse. which reckon to buy and to cell heaven, for a piece of fish or flesh: but they reckon it no vice to live in hatred, rancour, and malice, & neither to serve God nor their neighbour, but with such an hypocrites service as they have invented of their own hypocrisy, & not received of God. They think it a great perfection to abstain from beef and mutton, and to eat pike, tench gurnarde and all other costly fish, and that of the dentiest fashion dressed: but a piece of gross beef may they not touch, may they not smell: for than they loose heaven and all the merits of Christ's blood. Is not here a goodly feigned hypocrisy, before the world it shynneth bright, but compare it unto Christ's Scripture and there can not be a greater blasphemy. For here in they clearly damned Christ and his ordinance & make that of necessity, the Christ left as indifferent. Against these holy hypocrites writeth S. Paul saying, we Coll. 2. aught not to be led with the traditions of men, that say touch not, taste not, A notable saying of S. Paul. handle not, which things perish with using of them, and are after the commandments and doctrine of men: which things have the similitude of wisdom in superstitious holiness and humbleness, in that they spare not the body and do the flesh no worship unto his need. Here is clearly condemned all superstitiousness, and feigned holiness, that men have invented in eating or drinking, in touching or in handling, or in any other such, things not that we may not do them, but that we do them as things of necessity and reckon ourself holy when we do them, and to sin deadly when we do them not. This is by the damnable institutions of men, The which S. Augustine condemneth in these words, The Apostle saith, touch not, handle not etc. Because that those men by such observations were led from the verity, Ad Paul Epi. 59 by the which they were made free, whereof it is spoken, the verity shall deliver you. It is a shame (saith he) and unconvenient and far from the nobleness of your liberty (seeing you be the body of Christ) to be deceived with shadows and to be judged as sinners if you despise to observe these things. Wherefore let no man overcome you (seeing you are the body of Christ) that will seem to be meek in heart in the holiness of Angels and bringing in things which he hath not seen etc. Here have we plainly that those things which be of the invention of man do not bind our conscience, though they seem to be of never so great holiness and of humbleness and holiness of Angels, as Paul saith. Collos. 2. Wherefore, let them make what statutes they will, and as much holiness as they can devise, Invent as much God's service as they can think, and lie that they have received it from heaven, and that it is no less holiness than Angels have, and set thereunto all their mandamus, remandamus, excommunicamus, sub pena excommunicationis maioris, & minoris, Precipimus, Interdicimus, & sub indignatione dei omnipotentis, & Apostolorun Petri & Pauli ligamus, with all other such blasphemies that they have (for doubtless, if their bellies were ripped, there should be nothing found but blasphemes of God and of his holy word, detractions, oppressions, Confusyons, damnations of their poor brethren, Other good have we none of them, let all Christian men answer to this of their conscience if it be not true) And yet are we free in our conscience, and all these can neither bind, nor damn our conscience, for we are free made thorough Christ, And in conscience nor bond under the pain of deadly sin, to nothing that man can order or set, except it be contained in holy scripture. But in body we are bond to every man. This doth S. Augustine prove Σρι. ad ro propo. 72. in these words. Seeing that we be made of soul and of body, as long as we do live in this temporal life we must use to the noryshing of this life, these temporal goods. Therefore must Our bodies are subject to princes, but our souls to God. we of that part that belongeth to this life be subject unto powers, that is unto men that do minister worldly things with some honour, but as concerning that part, whereby we believe in God and be called unto his kingdom, we aught not to be subject unto any man that will pervert that same thing in us that hath pleased God to give us to eternal life. etc. Here is it plain, that we in conscience by Christ be made free, & nothing can bind us unto sin but his word only. Now is it clearly open, that if any power of heaven, or earth, command any thing against God's word, or to the destruction or minishing of the same, no man may obey in any case under the pain of damnation: for God's verity is not indifferent, to be left or not to be left. Again, if man command any thing to be done that may be done in time and place convenient, if he will bind When things that are indifferent are commanded to be done of necessity then are not the same to obeyed, because the same destroyeth ou● freedom in Christ. us unto indifferent things, as unto a thing of necessity, then shall we not do it, not because it is evil to do, but that it is damnable to be done as a thing of necessity. Nevertheless, if any of these things be commanded of the Bishops, as burdens, and as things indifferent, then shall we keep them in time and place convenient, as where I may by them serve my brother, or edify him, or do him any good, or that it may be unto him any means to come to the verity: nevertheless, at an other time, when I am in place convenient, where I shall not offend my brother, nor engender no slander, nor any disquietness in the common wealth: There may I freely, without any charge of conscience, and without all manner of sin, break the bishops commandment. For it is but as a burden of a tyrant, that is laid on us, and neither helpeth to the increasing of gods honour, nor to the edifying of our brethren, & they themselves keep them not. Of these speaketh our master Christ: they bind grievous and untolerable burdens, & lay them on men's necks, but they themselves will not once set their little ●inger to them. As for an example: To eat flesh on the Friday Math. 2●. is forbidden by the bishops, now if they compel thee to it as unto a thing necessary, and without the which thou canst not be saved, then shalt thou not do it under the pain of sin: but if they will have thee keep this as a thing of congruence, and as a thing that may be an exterior mean to mortify the body, or an outward shine of holiness, and unto this he will compel thee by outward pains, this thing shalt thou do of thy charity, because thou will't not break the outward order, nor make any disquietness for those things that neither make thee good nor yet condemn thee before God: for as S. Paul saith, if we eat neither 1. Cor. 8. are we the better, nor if we eat not, are we the worse. Always provided, that in these indifferent things, thou neither set confidence nor holiness, nor yet offend thy weak brother's charity: for therein though thou be free in thyself, & the thing is also indifferent to thee, yet of charity freely makest thou thyself servant to all men, as S. Paul says: When I was free from all things, yet did I make myself a servant, that I might win many men. Note that he always speaketh of weak brethren, and not of obstinate and indurate people, against whom thou shalt always withstand and defend thy liberty as he did: he is thy weak brother that hath a good mind 2▪ Cor. 9 and béeléeveth the word of God, neverchelesse, he hath not that gift to perceive as yet this liberty to use indifferent things freely with thanks. Therefore faith and charity must be thy guide in all these things, and following them thou canst not err. FINIS. That all men are bound to receive the holy Communion under both kinds under the pain of deadly sin. IF men had stuck to the open scriptures of God, & to the practice of Christ's holy church, and to the exposition of old doctors as it did become Christian men to do: then had it not been needful for me to have taken these pains & labours in this cause, nor yet to have laid to their charges those things the Antichrist doth only. He that doth the works of Antichrist, the same is Antichrist. But now seeing that they will do the open deeds of Antichrist, they must be content that I may also give them his name. And that all the world may openly know, the Antichrist doth rain in the world (yea and that under the name of Christ) I will hear set you forth an act of his which when it is compared to our M. Christ's words I do not doubt but all true Christian men will judge it to be of the devil, as it is in very deed, though that the children of the world do judge it otherwise. This do I say of an act, that the Council of Constance did make against the most holy and glorious sacrament of our eternal God jesus Christ. Where in, the one kind of this most blessed sacrament was condemned as unlawful for lay men to receive: and that every man may know, Council of Constance forbade the Sacrament to be received of the lay people in both kinds. by what authority they did it, & what thing did move them to condemn so blessed and so glorious an ordinance of our Lord jesus Christ, here will I write their own words which be these. As this custom for avoiding certain slanders and perils was reasonably brought in, notwithstanding The words of the council and determination of Antichrist. in the beginning of the Church this sacrament was received of Christian men under both kinds, & afterward it was received all only under the kind of bread, wherefore seeing that such a custom of the Church, and of holy fathers reasonably brought in & long observed must be taken for a law that which shall not be lawful to reprove nor without authority of the Church to change it at a man's pleasure. Wherefore to say that it is sacrilege, or unlawful to observe this consuetude or law, must be judged erroneous, and they that do pertinaciter defend the contrary of these premissis, must be restrained as heretics, and grievously punished by the Bishops or their officials, or by them that be inquisitores hereticae pravitatis, which that be in kingdoms or in provinces, in these men that do attempt or presume any thing against this decree, shall men proceed against them, after the holy and lawful decrees that be invented against heretics and their fauters, into the favour of the Catholical faith. etc. Now will I exhort all Christian men in the glorious name of our mighty Lord jesus Christ (which is both their redeemer & shall be their judge) that they will indifferently hear this article discussed, by the blessed word of our Master Christ jesus, which was not alonely of God, but also very God himself: and all that he did was done by the counsel of the whole trinity, and not alonely by his, by whole counsel all counsels both in heaven and earth must be ordered, and that counsel that is contrary to it whether it be of Saint, Angel, or of Who soever doth altar the word of God & set up their own inventions the same are of the devil. man, must be accursed, and judged to be of the devil, though they be never so mighty, never so well learned, and never so many in multitude, for there is no power, no learning, nor yet no multitude, neither in heaven, nor in earth, nor no jeopardies, nor no slanders that may judge Christ and his holy word, nor that they may give place unto. Wherefore if I can prove by open Scriptures, of our Master Christ, and also by the practice of holy Church, that this counsel is false and damnable, then let all Christian men judge which of us must be herded and believed, either the counsel having no scripture, yea contrary to all scripture, or else I that have the open word of God, and the very use and practise of the holy Apostles, & of holy church. Christ is of God, & that no man doubteth, but the holy counsel though there were five thousands of bishops, therein must prove themselves to be of God by the word of God, and by their works, the which they can not do if they be contrary to Christ and his blessed word. Moreover Christ is not true under a condition because that men do a low him, for though all the world were against him, yet were he nevertheless true, but the counsel is not true but alonely under this condition because it doth agree with Christ's holy word, and of itself it hath no verity, but is of the devil if it vary from Christ. Before the dreadful throne of God shall the counsel be judged by Christ's holy word, & Christ shall not be judged by the decree of the All counsels are of the devil if they vary from Christ. counsel, but he shall be the counsels judge: and if Christ's word condemn the counsel, who shall approve it, who shall praise it, who shall defend it? The temporal sword, God's word is the judge of Counsels and not Counsels judges of God's word. nor the multitude of Bishops, nor interdiction, excommunication, nor cursing, can then help. Wherefore, let every true Christian man look on this matter indifferently: it is no trifling with God, nor with his holy word, for God will remain for ever, & his holy word must be fulfilled: and if we will not fulfil it, be shall cast us down to the deep pit of hell, and make of stones men in our stead that shall keep his word. It is no light thing, for it lieth on the salvation and damnation both of body and soul, from the which we can not be delivered, with these glorious words, Concilium, Concilium, Patres, Patres, Episcopi, Episcopi: for all these may be the ministers of the devil, yea though they were angels. Therefore once again, I do monish and exhort in the glorious name of the living God, and in the sweet blood of Christ jesus all true Christian men, to take heed what they do against Christ's holy word, which is their eternal God, their merciful redemerand shall be also their mighty and glorious judge. Now let us examine the words Note here what the Council hath granted. of the Council. First of all the Council granteth that in the beginning of the church, all Christian men were houseled under both kinds, now would I know of the Council of whom the Church had received this manner: of Christ? or his holy Apostles (as doubtless she did) than what authority had the Council to change the institution of Christ, and of his holy Apostles, and also the use and practise of holy Church? was not the first Church of God? Did she not keep Christ's institution? did she not fulfil Christ's word? Did not the holy Apostles learn here so? And now shall the Council of Constance first condemn Christ and his blessed word, & then the learning of Christ's holy Apostles? and also the long use and practise of Christ's blessed Church, without any Scripture, without authority, or without any special revelation from God, but alonely for avoiding of certain perils? Yea and not content alonely to condemn these things but under the pain of heresy to condemn them. This is to sore a condemnation of Christ's open word, and of that thing which they grant that the Church did use at the beginning. Furthermore the Council saith The Council doth shamefully be lie both the fathers and the Scriptures. that holy fathers and the Church did bring in this custom to housel lay men under one kind. Are you not ashamed of these words? Doth not your conscience prike you thus openly to lie? yea of Christ and of his holy Church? Christ's word is openly against you, and you grant that the use of the church was also otherwise. And as for holy fathers here may you see what they say to it, but you are the children of the kingdom of lies: and doubtless if you bring not forth the holy fathers that make for you, you shall not alonely be taken for abominable and ●…en liars, but also for shameful and detestable slanderers both of holy Church, and also of holy fathers. But it is no wonder, for Antichrist must declare himself openly to be against Christ, & yet is he never without Antichrist doth at all times declare himself to be against Christ. an excuse, and a shadow of holiness, where by he may blind the poor people. But what excuse had he here in the Council to condemn Christ's word? That they might avoid certain slanders and perils, & because that there is no body without blood. be not these lawful causes to condemn Christ's open word, yea and that under the pain of heresy? Is not this a new manner of law to make New doctrine made by Antichrist. that he that will not obey a statute made against God's word, which he is bound to obey under pain of everlasting damnation, alonely for avoiding perils to be condemned for an heretic? Briefly by this reason may they condemn all holy Scripture, by laying icoperdies & perils thereto, they may condemn all the creatures of God, for there may be peril in using of them all. But what need many words to prove this Council to be What soever is contrary to Christ, the same is of the devil. of the devil? for if that be not of the devil that is contrary to Christ, and hath no excuse for it but alonely to avoid perils, I can not tell what is of the devil? I am sure Antichrist shall never be without some carnal excuse, for if he will deny Christ to be both God & man, he shall have stronger carnal reasons for him then the Council hath for this: but this matter must not be judged by carnal reasons. It is God's word that is above all creatures: wherefore let us go to the Scriptures as a sure ancore to overcome Antichrist with all his carnal reasons. First our master Christ when he did institute this blessed Sacrament did use these words, take it and eat it, this is my body. etc. Likewise taking Math. 26. Mark. 14. Luke. 22. the chalice he gave thanks & gave it unto them saying, drink all of this, this is my blood of the new testament the which shall be shed for many into remission of sins. These be plain words drink of it all: he that saith all excepteth no man. Furthermore Christ's institution of the Sacrament of his body and blood. he knew that there might be jeopardies in the receiving of it & yet he saith drink of it all, for it is my blood that shall be shed for the remission of sins. Now was it not shed for lay men's sins? why shall they not then drink of it? The master and the Lord saith drink thereof: and shall the miserable servant withstand his commandment? yea command the plain contrary and say drink not thereof? But now cometh my Lord of Rochester (which perceiveth that the Council is connict in that, that it consenteth that the whole Church in the beginning did receive this Sacrament under both kinds, and yet forbiddeth that same thing, and saith to Rochester's gloze upon Christ's words. maintain this error, that Christ spoke these words, drink of it all, alonely to his Apostles (for there were no other men there but the Apostles) and therefore they must alonely drink thereof. I answer: My Lord if this thing were alonely lawful unto the Apostles, how will you discharge the primative Church, in the which were those men that Christ ministered this Sacrament unto? yea & the self men did minister it under both kinds to the whole congregation according to this commandment drink of it all. Doubt not but they understood Christ's will as well as you in this commandment. But in the way of communication let us grant you, that to the Apostles this was only said, how will you then discharge your own Priests from deadly sin, the which receive it under both kinds, and yet be they neither Apostles nor successors of them, but after your own learning the Bishops alonely be their successors, & the Priests do represent lxxij. Disciples. Shall they in this thing represent the Apostles, and in absolving from sin but the Disciples? But let us see farther in your for fetched reason: tell us how and by what authority (your high politic rule saved) that you dare géeve either of these kinds to the lay men, seeing they were both alonely given to the Apostles, for even by that authority that you have power to take away the one kind, by that self same have you power to take away the other, for they were both given The Pope may aswell forbidden all lay men to eat of Christ's body, as to forbidden them to drink of Christ's blood. at once and indifferently to the receivers, so that as many as received the one, received also the other, and to them that he said take and eat this, this is my body, to them he said, drink all of this. etc. Now if you may thus take away the parts of the sacraments at your pleasure, the consequent shall be, the incontinuance all the sacraments shallbe destroyed, and Christ's word set at nought. Wherefore my Lord this blasphemous evation will not help you: but such shameful solutions must they use that will be against the open word of God. Amend your conscience my Lord, for if you do not remember D. Barnes is plain with the Bishop of Rochester. the terrible words of the Prophet: he shall shake his sword & bend his bow & make it all ready & therein hath he prepared the shot of death, & his arrows for to burn. This is no small threatening nor lightly to avoid. But let us see what the scriptures say, that which I gave unto you I received of the Lord. Mark. S. Paul's words how he received this thing of the Lord. etc. The Lord jesus the same night in the which he was betrayed, took bread and thanked, and broke it, and said. Take you and eat, this is my body which is broken for you: this do ye in the remembrance of me. After the S. Paul setteth forth the institution of Christ. same manner, he took the cup & said, this cup is the New testament in my blood: this do, as often as you drink in the remembrance of me: for as often as you shall eat this bread and drink this c●p, you shall show the lords death till he come. Mark diligently how S. Paul declareth, how the Lord jesus Christ did institute this blessed and comfortable sacrament in both kinds, and in both kinds did minister it himself, and not that all only, but also enacted this commandment to all Christian people which must receive it. This do as often. etc. Yea and this commandment is given after the Sacrament is ministered in both kinds, Teaching us that in both kinds the Lord hath instituted this Sacrament to be received, and also that they that so receive it not, break this commandment of the Lord. This do as often. etc. This commandment. S. Paul did not lightly let slip, but he known that it was the ordinance and the commandment of the Lord: and also known the one jot or title of his words should not, nor aught, nor can not be let slip, without peril of the souls of them that so little makes of his word. And therefore he dared not, nor would not (and yet he had as great authority as the counsel of constance) let slip or tanspose the institution and commandment of the Lord, but wholly and fully with all diligence he written those words unto all the whole congregation of the Corinthians, not to the ministers or priests all only, but to the whole congregation, that is as well to the ministers of the word as to lay men: and also the contrary, for he saith when you come together: & that you may perceive that he speaks indifferently, he there reproveth them that tarried not for poor men. And also these words be plain, who so ever shall eat of this bread and drink of this cup worthily. etc. Now unto this whole congregation (I doubt not but by the spirit of the Lord which saw before this damnable error to be instituted of antichrist and his very & all only ministers) he said drink you, yea and to reprove and manifestly to declare this open error, he adeth this word, Cup, signifying and teaching that Christ's ordinance is Christ's blood is not to be received in his body only, but in the cup. not to receive the blood in the body only, but to receive the blood after his institution) by itself out of the cup, jest they should be found correctors and blasphemers of the holy institution and commandment of the Lord, Of whom S. Paul received this commandment, and of no counsels. Now what Christian man can doubt but our M. Christ (to whom all thing is bore and open both things present & also to come) known that there was blood in his own body. Also Saint Paul his scholar which learned this lesson of him was not ignorant that there was blood in his body. And yet first our master Christ giveth his blood alone by itself out of the cup, and his diligent scholar knowing the doctrine of his master did the same, regarding his masters doctrine and preferring it before his carnal reason, which known that there was blood in every body, but his masters doctrine taught him that his master kept not his blood in his body, but for us lost and damned people for our innume rabble detestable (and above all capacity to declare) damnable and abominable sins, broke his body & shed his blood thereout plentously, and therewith made sacrifice and satisfaction for all our sins, as Saint john saith. The blood of jesus Christ clen 1. john. 1. seth us from all sin, also we are sanctified by the offering of the body of jesus Christ once for all. Now that all Christian men which be sanctified by the offering of this body, and by shedding the blood out of this body, should always have both those Hebr. 10. parts in remembrance, he according as the blood was divided from the body for all sinners indifferently that will come unto Christ, and according to his masters institution & commandment, ministered this Sacrament, and also ordained it to be ministered to all men. The body by itself & the blood by itself. That they might always not remember alonely that our Saviour Paul ministered Christ's body by itself, and the cup of his blood by itself to the lay and common people. Christ offered his body for us, but also shed out of that same body his most precious blood and therefore saith S. Paul (as his master Christ taught him.) As often as you shall eat this bread and drink this cup, you shall show the lords death till he come. Now my Lords come to your counsels. Christ and S. Paul defendeth this thing partinaciter, (as you call it) that is, stiffly and strongly will they abide by it and will not revoke it. Wherefore after the decree of your Counsel, they be condemned for heretics. I can no more say, but God help them, for there is no remedy with them, but they must needs to the fire, for they will not be abjured in no wise. It is a piteous case, that two, so good men as these be, will be thus openly against the decree of the holy counsel, yea and against so many and so noble fathers, and so great clerks, the which known this matter (as you say) as well as they, and it is not to be thought that the holy Ghost would leave so many excellent and holy fathers, and great Doctors of Divinity, and so many noble Princes and wise men of the world, and be with these two poor men which be of no reputation in this world. Wherefore my Lords, proceed against them after the holy decrees Council of Constance condemn Christ and Paul for heretics. that be invented against heretics, stick not for their names, for it is neither Christ nor Paul that can hurt you, you have also condemned their learning and prevailed against them: why should you not condemn them as well? you be Lords, and you have the strength and the wisdom of the world with you, and as a certain Doctor of the law said: they have no man to hold with them but a sort of beggars, and despised people of the world, wherefore spare them not, be bold, Implete numerum patrum vestrorum, All tyrants be not yet dead. But now, when you have condemned them, yet have you as much to do as ever you had: for your own De consecra. di. 2. 6. comperimus. law is openly against you, in these words. We understand that certain men receiving alonely the portion of the blessed body, do abstain from the chalice of the holy blood, the which doubtless (seeing I can not tell The pope's own laws against both himself & his Clergy. by what superstition they are learned to abstain) let them either receive the whole Sacrament, or else let them be forbidden from the whole Sacrament, for the division of one and of the same mystery can not be done without great sacrilege. etc. How think you by these words? be they not plain that all men shall either receive both kinds or none? Here have you an other heretic, for he judgeth, and saith that it is a sacrilege (which is openly against your Counsel) to receive it in one kind. But peradventure you will say this law was written to priests: I answer, to whomsoever it was written, it maketh no matter, for these words be plain: the division of one mystery can not be done without great sacrilege. These words be not spoken of the people that shall receive it, but of the dividing of the sacrament, whosoever shall receive it, it is sacrilege to divide this thing, answer you to that. Mark also, The pope's own law saith it is superstition to receive but the one kind only. that your own law cauleth it superstition to receive but one kind, and no doubt they that did receive it so, were blinded by this damnable reason of yours, that there is no body without blood, and yet he calleth it superstition. But let us see what your gloze says on this text, it is not superfluously (saith he) received under both kinds, for the kind of bread is referred unto the flesh, and the kind of wine unto the blood. The wine is the Sacrament of blood, in the which is the seat of the soul, & therefore it is received under both kinds, to signify that Christ did receive both body and soul, and that the partaking thereof, doth profit both body and soul. Wherefore if it were received alonely under one kind, it The ●gloser against the counsel. should signify that it did profit alonely but one part. etc. How think you, doth this gloze understand it of priests only? have lay men no souls? May not this Sacrament profit them both body and soul? Mark also that he saith it is not superfluously nor without a cause received under both kinds. Also an other law: When the host is broken, De conse●r. di. 2. c. cum frangimus. and the blood shed out of the chalices into the mouths of faithful men, what other thing is there signified, but the immolation of our Lord's body on the cross, and the shedding of his blood out of his side. etc. Here is it plain, that the blood is given out of the chalices, and not out of the body, and into faithful men's mouths, and not alonely into priests mouths. Also an other law: If that De consecr. de. 2. c. Si quocienscumque. the blood of Christ be shed for remission of sins (as often as it is shed) then aught I lawfully for to receive it. I which do always sin, must always receive a medicine. etc. Here your own law saith, that the receiving of the blood is a medycinall Pope's law says the receiving of Christ's blood is medicinable way to be received of them that sin: you will not deny but that lay men sin. Wherefore should they not then receive a medicine for their sin? you may perceive that this is not alonely spoken of Priests, but of sinners. etc. Furthermore, S. Cyprian saith: Ad Corneliu●… apam. How do we teach, or how can we provoke men to shed their blood for the confession of Christ's name, if we A goodly saying of Cyprian. do deny them the blood of Christ when they shall go to battle? Or how dare we able them unto the victordum of martyrdom, if we do not first by right admit them to drink the cup of our Lord in the congregation. etc. Here is Cyprian openly against you which will that as many shall receive the blood of Christ, as do confess the name of Christ, yea and that out of the cup and not out of the body. Also S. Ambrose saith to the Emperor Theodosius, how shalt thou Ecclesiastica ●ist. lift up thy hands out of that which doth yet drop unrighteous blood? how shalt thou with those hands receive the body of God? with what boldness will't thou receive into thy mouth the Cup of the precious blood, seeing that through the woodness of thy words, so great blood is shed wrongfully. etc. Mark that the manner was in Saint Ambrose Saint Ambrose willeth all men to receive the cup of the blood of Christ. time that lay men should receive that blessed blood of Christ, yea and that out of the cup severally, and not out of the body only: wherefore my Lords see to your conscience, how you can discharge yourself before the dreadful throne of Christ jesus, for making this detestable & damnable statute against that heavenvly word of God▪ and against the use of holy Church▪ & The Pope and his clergy fear not to break Christ's institution and ordinance. contrary to the exposition of all holy doctors. It were to great a thing for you so presumptuously to break the statute of your mortal prince, how much more of your immortal God, which will not be avoided with a carnal reason, nor with condemnation of heresy, nor yet with saying there be jeopardies, perils, and slanders, for these proud cracks can not there excuse you nor yet help you. For I doubt not but the great Turk hath as good reasons for him as these be, & also as proud cracks as you have, though peradventure he useth them not so hipocritely against God omnipotent as you do, but yet it will not help him. Wherefore now most excellent and gracious Prince, I do Barnes exhorteth K. Henry the viii. to restore the sincerity of Christ's holy word. with all meekness, with all due subjection admonish & exhort your most noble grace, yea and the father of heaven doth openly commannd you under the pain of his displeasure, and as you will avoid the danger of eternal damnation, and also by the virtue of Christ's blessed blood, and as you will receive remission from all your sins thorough the merits of his glorious blood, that you do defend with all your might Christ's blessed word and his sweet blood, and his holy ordinance, and suffer them not so lightly to be oppressed and trodden under the foot. Your grace may not consider in this cause that multitude nor the dignity of men, for you be as good as the best of them, but your grace must consider that it is God omnipotentes cause, it is Christ's cause, it is the word of God, it is that blessed blood of Christ that is over trodden, it is the ordinance that cometh out of heaven, and not out of counsels, yea and given by God himself, and not by man's authority: And now shall your grace suffer this thing so lightly to be broken, because men do invent a carnal reason against it? the devil was never without a reason, but that proveth not the cause against God's word. King Saul had no small reason for him, when he did save king Agag & the best sheep and Oren to offer 1. Reg. 15. to God, was not this a reasonable cause, to save the beasts to God's honour, and to offer them up unto God? was it not a goodly shine to save the king rather than to kill him. What man will reckon it evil to save a man? what man can judge it evil to save beasts, and that that best to offer them to God? Was not God best worthy? Reason and devotion, being contrary to Gods will, is mere blindness & impiety. was not this a good consideration? was not this a good intent? Finally it is ten times better than the reason of the counsel is, and yet Saul with all his good reason, with all his good devotion, with all his good purpose, with all his fat beasts, is repelled of God for ever & all because he stuck to his good intention & left the commandment of God. Some men will think it but a light thing whether they receive that blessed blood by itself, or else with the body: but as light as they think it, yet is it God's word, yet is it Christ's ordinance, yet did the Apostles observe it, yet did the holy Church so fulfil it. And if that word of God were away, by reason it were but a light thing to baptize in water or in wine, but the word of God is open that it must be done with water and not in wine, and yet there is no cause why, but the word of God. Moreover, by reason it was but a light thing to say: be glad the daughter of Sion, behold thy king cometh to Zacharie. 9 Math. 20. thee sitting on an Ass & on her fool. This saying by reason is not alonely simple, but also foolish, to say that a king shall come riding on an Ass, yea and on a borrowed Ass, and thereof to make so much a do as though it were a notable thing: who would not now mock a king if he did so ride, notwithstanding all this, these be the words of God, yea and also fulfilled in very deed of our master Christ in his own proper person. Moreover by reason, it was but a mad token that the Saviour of the Luke. 2. world Christ jesus was born, to say you shall find a young child wrapped in clouts & laid in a crib, what is this to purpose? what is this to prove that the saviour of that world is born? will not reason mock this? when will reason be persuaded by this token that The sayings and doings of Christ are not to be judged by natural reason. Messiah (whom all the Prophets & all the patriarchs have promised so many hundred years afore) was now born? and yet this token came from heaven, yea and by the ministration of angels and the shepherds did believe that word. Briefly by reason what be all the articles of the faith? where is Christ? where is remission of sins? where is that life to come? Reason mocketh all these things but yet they be true, because alonely that word of God speaketh them. Wherefore most noble and excellent Prince, look on the word of God and not of blind reason, and save the honour thereof, for it shall save your grace at your most need. Furthermore I do exhort and require with all honour, yea and I do command in the virtue of Christ jesus and his blessed word, all Dukes, all Earls, all Lords, all manner of estates high and low, that will be Christian men, that will be saved by the virtue of jesus Christ's blessed blood, that they do see this ordinance john. 6. of the God of heaven observed to the uttermost of their power, and when soever that they will be houseled, that they receive the blessed Sacrament under both kinds, and at the jest desire it with all their heart of their curates, and so desire it that they may be discharged afore the immortal God of heaven which will not be mocked nor avoided with a damnable reason: but what soever thing there be that is against the holy word of God, and the glorious ordinance (what colour What soever is ordained against the ordinance of Christ, the same be occursed. so ever it bring with it of holiness) let it be a cursed and reckoned of the devil. This doth S. Cyprian learn us saying, what thing soever it be that is ordained by man's madness, where by the ordinance of God is violated, it is whoredom, it is of the devil and it is sacrilege. Wherefore fly from such contagiousness of men and avoid their words as a canker and as pestilence. etc. These words be plain of all manner of men of what estate what dignity, or of what honour soever they be, and what colour of holiness soever they bring with them. Wherefore in this present writing I do counsel and exhort all true Christian men to take heed what they do. The word of god is so plain in this matter that they can desire it no plainer. It is no child's game to trifle with God's word: God will not be trifled with nor yet mocked. But now to help poor men that be unlearned I will assoil certain of their damnable reasons. The first is we will not give it Blind reasons of the Papists. under that kind of wine, jest that there should by negligence either of the Priest or of the receiver, fall any drop on the ground. I answer, our Christ did know that such a chance might come, you can not deny it (except you will say that he was not God, as you would not greatly stick to do, if you might have maintenance) and yet notwithstanding did he institute it in both kinds. Answer you to this. Moreover, why do not by this reason your own priests abstain from the wine, seeing that this peril may also chance to them, as your cautelles of that Mass do grant. Also if it be a reasonable cause that you shall not keep Christ's ordinance, because of avoiding of perils, then may you take away all the whole Sacrament to avoid perils, for in receiving of it in the kind of bread, is jeopardous, lest there remain any crumb in the receivers teeth. This reason is as good as yours: so that now all the Sacrament in both kinds is taken away. Furthermore, if you will avoid all perils, then may you give this Sacrament to no man, for you can not tell who is in deadly sin & who not, for you know not their hearts: & it were a sore peril and greatly more jeopardy to give the pure body of Christ jesus into a foul soul, then The Papists find fault with gnats, & swallow Caniels. that a drop of blood by negligence should fall on the ground, for there falls but a drop, and here is that whole body in a foular place then the ground is. Also that may be avoided with good diligence and wisdom of the Priest, but that the sacrament shall always be received into a pure conscience there is no diligence of the priest that can make it. How think you now? now is all the whole sacrament & Christ's blessed ordinance clearly taken away and all for avoiding jeopardies and perells. Thus trifle you with Christ's holy word, yea and that in your great and holy counsels. Other reasons my Lord of Rochester bringeth that be worthy of no solution: for he doth but mock & scorn and trifle with God's word. He bringeth that miracle of that five loves, where there is no mention made of wine, therefore lay men must be houseled in one kind: is not this madness? What mean these men that neither fear God, nor yet be ashamed of man? what is this to the purpose? Christ did a myrackle of five loves, john. 6. where is no mention made of wine: what is this to the sacrament? If the bread fygnifyed one part of the sacrament, what sygnifyed the 2. fishes & they that were there. These 2. things Fond arguments made by the Bishop of Roche estr. must needs signify the other part. Also lay men did touch this bread. Moreover in an other place. Christ giveth all only wine. Therefore the sacrament must be received in the kind of wine all only of the lay men. be not these goodly arguments yea and that of bishops? it were madness to answer to them. That by God's word it is lawful for Priests that hath not the gift of chastity, to marry Wives. The cause that moved him to writ of this thing. I Have seen and herded in diverse countries, where I have been, intolerable persecution against Priests, that were compelled by weakness of nature to marry wives, for that intent that they might after God's law, and man's law use an honest conversation in this world. For the which thing, I say, they have been sore persecuted, some cast out of their country, some drowned, some burned, and some beheaded: Finally, all the cruelness that could be excogitated against them, men thought it to little. Wherefore I, that reckon myself a debtor, and a servant unto all men in all things, wherein I may profit them, and specially in things that appertain to instruction of their conscience, hath taken upon me, in this cause to show my little and small learning: charitably desiring them that be some thing yet against this thing, that they will let themselves be taught, and instructed by God's word, and not to set themselves obstinately against the verity of God's blessed word. For our Lord can easily bear and suffer, an unwilled ignorance, but a perverse malice and a froward resisting of his verity, can he not suffer, but thereunto is he a mortal, and an extreme enemy. Wherefore let men consider, that if this article doth stand with God's word, & ●ith Christ's holy doctrine, that if then they resist, and set themselves against it, how that they do resist God, the which no man is able to perform. Certain men there be, Two sorts of men. that of a very perverse, froward, and obstinate mind, doth set themselves against this article & other more. And will in no wise admit either reason, or learning, but still remain in their old error, that they have conceived in their brains, which is neither grounded in God's holy word, nor yet in the holy conversation, or living of blessed and virtuous men. Unto these men will I writ nothing, because I will not trouble them, and because I would be loath to be torn with dog's teeth, or else to cast pearls before swine. another sort of men there be, that Math. 7. doth not admit this article, by the reason that they be ignorant in Scriptures, and know not the very ground thereof, but alonely are led by an old custom, that they have been brought up in. Yet nevertheless they are not obstinate enemies unto the verity, but would gladly give place to learning, and reason. And all that they do, is to search with a sober meekness, what the truth is. The which thing they are glad to embrace, as soon as it is laid to them. Unto these men is my writing, and my labour spent: whom I do charitably beseech, that they will favourably, and indifferently judge this my writing. This do I bind myself, to prove this thing (by God's grace) out of Christ's holy word, by the sayings of holy Doctors, by the authority of authentical stories, by the examples, & practise of holy and virtuous men. And if I do not this, I will be contented not to be believed, which thing, if I can perform, I think all reasonable men will give credence to me. Finally, and la●t of all I will show those reasons, and authorities, whereby that the Pope hath bound his Priests to keep (as he calleth it) pure chastity. And in conclusion, after my poor learning, I will assoil all those Scriptures and reasons, and prove that in this thing they can have no place. Unto the performing of the which, jesus of his infinite mercy grant me of his holy spirit. Amen. FIrst cometh blessed Saint Paul, whom the Church of God hath always had in reverence, and he approveth this doctrine of mine, saying: Let every man for avoiding of fornication 1. Cor. 7. have his wife, and every woman have her husband. Mark how blessed S. Paul commandeth, where as any danger of fornication is, that every man in avyoding of vicious living, should take a wife. Here is no man excepted, for the text is for every man, and specially for them, that can not live sole. Unto them it is a straight commandment to marry: there is none other remedy ordained of God to avoid fornication, but marriage. Yea, and if there were ten other remedies more than marriage, yet must marriage be as lawful as they to be used, yea and a great deal more, seeing, that it is specially appointed of God, for a remedy in this case. For as for all other remedies (as fasting, watching, labouring, chastising of a priests are more bound to marry for avoiding vicious living them to other chastising of their body, seeing that is God's ordinance there unto appointed. man's body) though they be lawful, laudable and good, yet be they not appropriately, and only appointed of God, to be remedies against fornication: as blessed S. Paul doth here appoint marriage for to be. Wherefore if it be lawful for Priests for to fast, and watch, to avoid fornication, it must needs be more lawful for than to marry wives, if they be in danger of fornication. For marriage in this case, is not alonely commanded of God, but it is appointed of God for an especial, and singular medicine for this disease. Mark also the occasion that S. Paul had to writ this text to the Corinthians. There were certain men among them, that reckoned it an holiness, and a perfection (as certain men doth now, for Priests) that Christian men should live sole without wives, as the text declareth. It is good for a man, not to touch a woman. Now doth blessed S. Paul answer to this holy hypocrisy on this manner: To avoid fornication, saith he, notwithstanding your holiness, let every man marry a wife. Now, if blessed Saint Paul had thought it unlawful to marry for any Christian man, than would not he have said: Let every man marry. Mark also, that it is not against the perfection of any Christian man for to marry, but he is rather bound to marry, if he have not the gift of chastity. furthermore, note that S. Paul neither biddeth them, that thought it holiness to be unmarried, to fast, or to labour, or to wear here. But alonely to marry, as who should say, God hath ordained and approved a lawful and a laudable remedy against your sickness. My doctrine is, that you shall hear your God, and use to your comfort, those creatures & remedies with thanks giving, that God hath appointed, and therewith be you content, and reckon not yourselves wiser than God, in helping and curing your diseases. For nothing can be unlawful that God doth allow, and prove. And for using of God's creatures and his ordinances, in time, and place requisite, can no man be blamed before God. But for refusing of God's remedies, when they be necessary, let no man think, that he shall avoid God's danger. As for an example: He that will not eat and drink when he is hungry and thirsty, but excogitateth some other remedy of his own brain, so long that he bringeth himself in utter destruction: let no man doubt, but in this case before God he is a murderer, and an homicide. I think there is no learning to the contrary. Wherefore I would that men should well remember themselves in this case, & think not that they can invent a thing more pleasant unto God, than he can do himself. His pleasure is best known unto himself. For this cause, I judge it lawful for every Priest that hath not the gift of chastity, to use the remedy that God hath ordained, and also sanctified. Blessed S. Paul says, that marriage is honourable, and the bed of them is undefiled: but fornicators, and advoulterers God shall judge. Mark that S. Paul caulleth it honourable, and a clean thing. What presumption Hebr. 13. is therefore in us, that reckon it a dishonour, and uncleanness for priests to use marriage? God saith, he shall judge whorekéepers and advoulterers: but not them that be married. Wherefore yet again, after the doctrine of S. Paul, I exhort all Priests that can not live chaste, to receive God's remedy with thanks. This is S. Paul's doctrine, where 1. Cor. 7. he saith, I would that all men were as I myself am. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, an other after that. I say unto the unmarried men and widows, it is good for them, if they abide as I do. But and if they can not abstain, let them marry. For it is better to marry It is not sufficient before God to avoid S. Paul with a light and a vain solution. then to burn. I can not devise a clearer text for my purpose then this is. Saint Paul would that every man had the gift of chastity. But in as much as all men hath not one gift, therefore saith S. Paul, must every man use himself after his gifts. And he that hath not the gift of chastity, S. Paul will plainly, that he shall marry. He saith not, that he shall chastise himself with labour and with pain, to remedy that weakness, though I would be content for my part gladly, that men should prove all manner of lawful remedies, to help them to live sole. But then, if they can not so continued, I will in no wise that they shall refuse marriage, as a thing unlawful and filthy: but rather use it, and prove it at the lest wise, as they have done other remedies, that they have invented, seeing that God hath iustituted this, as a thing that he judgeth for a lawful and principal remedy. But note, that S. Paul saith, it is better to marry, then to burn. S. Paul's meaning is, that if man hath not the gift to extinct the burning, and ardent desire of nature, that then he must marry, rather than be subject unto such concupiscence. S. Paul saith not, rather marry then to keep whores. But his will is, that we should be so far from all whoredom, that we should not suffer ourselves so much as to burn. The which precéedeth all whoredom, and is less in very deed then whoredom. And yet S. Paul willing us to avoid this less thing, commandeth us to marry: how much more to avoid open whoredom, & abominable and detestable uncleanness, that is now used shameless in the world? I do not reprove that Priests Whoredom is lawful in no case, but marriage is lawful in diverse cases, ergo marriage must rather be allowed then whoredom. doth live sole, I had rather thereto exhort them. But this I detestate, that men had rather suffer, and allow priests to live in whoredom, and in all abominable fornication, then for to use that lawful remedy that God hath both ordained and sanctified. We have no mention in any story, that ever any Priest was burned for keeping of whores, but for marriage, we have seen, and do see daily, how cruelly and violently men doth persecute them, as though God's blessed ordinance were rather to be extincted and abhorred, than that thing, the both God, & nature reproveth. Where is there one man in England, that hath so great love, and reverence to the holy state of Matrimony, that he should keep a married Priest in his house? But Priests that live unlawfully against God's law, and man's law, and against all honesty, and moral virtue, be in every man's houses & company, and rulers, and counsellors, and controllers. Alas for pity, what shall I say to the affections of men's hearts, that thus can wink (I will not say allow) at such abominable things. Yea, and the self same men shall be most extreme, and cruel unto a poor simple Priest, that of a good heart towards God's ordinance, marrieth a lawful wife. This Priest, I say, shall neither have meat, nor drink of them, nor yet no office of charity. But the other sort shallbe exalted, and set up in all honour and kept in reverence and estimation. And why? Because as they say they be good and clean fellows, and loveth a piece of flesh well. These blasphemous words have I herded diverse times and many. And men sit and laugh at them, & have a great rejoicing in them. So sore is God's holy ordinance, & a moral virtue, & goodness extincted in men's hearts. O Lord God, and thy mercy were not, how were this world able to continue, that thus abominably, and shamefully judgeth of thy hallowed, & sanctified works? But o Lord have thou mercy, and pity on us, for the sweet blood of thy son Christ jesus. Look not on our sins, o lord God, for who is able to abide in thy sight. But Lord of thy infinite mercy, sand down thy spirit into the hearts of thy people, that they may be taught better to judge of thy heavenly, and Godly institutions. Amen. To our purpose. Other articles that I have written of, be something hard, and obscure, saving all only to these men, that be learned. But as for this article, me think it is so plain, that I marvel how any man should doubt in it. For doubtless it needeth no learned judge, but only a Civil, and a moral good man, that is I writ not against those Priests that can, and do live chaste, but I rather exhort than so to continued. endued with reason and equity. For surely mine adversaries doth not earnestly defend pure, and clean chastity, for they know how few priests there be, that keepeth their chastity. Yea & they know how sore they have punished those men, that hath broken their chastity. So that they do not defend chastity, but rather filthiness, and abominable living. In the which the most part of the spirituality doth live. Of this I will be reported to the Let those men at the jest marry wives seeing they do not, nor can not live chaste. records of the kings courts, and also to their own records. in the which (if they should be searched) should be found an innumerable sort detected of uncleanness. These matters be open, notwithstanding I am right sorry to rehearse it, but I am compelled, seeing there is such intolerable violence used against those poor men that marry, be cause they would not all only live virtuously before God, but also morally before the world. Now let men all only use reason No man doubteth, but a great many doth thus live, the which be great persecutors of married Priests, I would desire them not to prove my patience to sore. For I know their names, and some of their children. 1. Thess 4. in this case, and make comparison between these two manner of livings, and consider which of them doth become a politic order, and a common wealth best. Whether is it after reason better for me to defile shamefully, other men's wives, other men's daughters, and other men's maidens, that no man's servant should be in safeguard for me? or else that I should marry a wife of mine own, as other noble kings, and Dukes, and other good men of the world hath done, and doth daily, and so to continue my life with mine other neighbours, after this manner of good neighbourhod? Let men hear without malice judge indifferently. Blessed Saint Paul proceedeth farther with this matter, and proveth clearly, that no man aught, or can be bond to verginitie, farther than the gift of God doth strengthen him. Thus he saith, as concerning virgins, I have no precept of the Lord, but all only I give you my council, for I think it good by the reason of this present necessity, that a man should live so. As he would say Unto verginitie I can not ●inde yo●, farther than your gift is, nor I do not reckon it a thing necessary to win heaven by. For heaven is neither the price of virginity, nor yet of marriage. But all only I reckon verginitie, a Married men shall testify that Virginity is a quiet life. good, and an expedient thing to live quietly by in this world. For in marriage is many things the doth distract, and disturbeth a man's mind. That this is S. Paul's meaning, it is well proved by the text that followeth. If a Marriage hath a greater cross, than virginity. virgin doth marry, she doth not sin vut she shall have much temptation in the flesh. That is to say, many occasions of disquietness. But I (saith S. Paul) would gladly spare you from such occasions, for I would have you without sorrow. And she that is unmarried, hath no care, but how to serve God. But she that is married, hath much care, and sorrow, how she shall dispatch all worldly business. So that S. Paul doth clearly declare his meaning, how that virginity is no nearer way to heaven, than marriage is: saving that all only an unmarried person hath not so many occasions to be disquieted, as a married hath. Wherefore you shall mark of this text, first that S. Paul hath no commandment to bind men to chastity. How cometh it now therefore, that the Pope compelleth all those men that D●…. xxxi. ca●…nte trie●…. will ●ée Priests, first to forswear marriage, and to vow chastity? There is no learning, that is able to prove, how that the pope can make more precepts of God, then blessed S. Paul could do. Furthermore, what authority hath the Pope to bind us to any thing, that God, and his holy Apostles hath left free? All learned men that ever written, doth grant, the there be two manner of things in this world. Some be called, Res necessariae. Res necess. Things that be necessary, and must be done, because that God hath commanded them. And these things no man is able to make iudifferent, but they must needs be necessarily done. Other things there be, which learned men cauleth, Res mediae. things 〈◊〉 me●●●. that be indifferent: and these may be done, and may be left, without sin. Now is the nature of these, contrary to the other, for they can not, nor may not be changed into things necessary. For that is against their nature, as S. Paul declareth to the Romans Roma. 14. and in other divers places. Now is this of truth, that virginity is a thing of himself by God's ordinance indifferent, and may be used and left without sin. Wherefore it Virginity is a state in differens. standeth with no learning, that man's law should change the nature of this thing, and make it unto any man a thing necessary, whereas after god's commandment, it is a thing but in different. For that were as much, as both to change God's ordinance, & also the nature of the thing. The which standeth with no learning. For as the Pope, and all the world can not make of God's commandment a counsel: no more can they of God's counsel make a precept. Wherefore I conclude out of blessed S. Paul, that no man Chastity is God's gift. aught to vow chastity, farther than God hath given him the gift. For if chastity were a thing that could be obtained, and kept through vowing, then were it not the gift of God, but the gift of vowing, the which is against our master Christ, and also against Math. 19 1. Cor. 7. blessed S. Paul. furthermore, let every man now think in himself, seeing that blessed Whether it be better to follow s. Paul, or the Pope. S. Paul had no commandment over chastity, nor yet would give any commandment, whether that it be the surest way, and the lawfullest to follow the Pope's commandment, or else to follow blessed S. Paul's doctrine? the which known the perfection of virginity, and also what did become Priests for to do, as well as the Pope doth. Moreover, if men will judge those Priests, that will marry, which followeth S. Paul's counsel, & doctrine grievously for to sin, and for to be heretics: Why should they not rather judge those men more grievously for to sin, & to be ten times worse than heretics, that followeth the pope's commandment in not marrying? Is no● S. Paul's doctrine as lawful to be kept, and as far from sin, as the Pope's commandments be? Or is not S. Paul of as great authority in the Church of God as the Pope is? I think yes. Note also, that S. Paul would not bind the 1. Cor. 7. Corinthians to virginity, because he would not tangle them in a snare, but alonely he exhorteth them to virginity, as unto an honest & comely thing, that they might that more quietly serve God. Upon this same text, saith Athanasius, that the Apostle would compel Athanasius. 1. Cor. 7. no man to keep virginity against his will, nor he would not make virginity a thing of necessity. Wherefore it must needs follow. First, that the Pope binding men to virginity, doth lay a snare for them, & both nothing else (except they have the gift of chastity) but bring men in danger of damnation. Secondarily, he maketh a thing of necessity, that the holy ghost in blessed ss. Paul dared not, nor would not do. Thirdly, that thing that S. Paul reckoned only to conduce, and help to quietness in this present life, that same thing maketh the Pope a Saviour, and a helper to heaven, the which is a great blasphemy to Christ's holy blood, and also a perverse using of God's blessed creatures. Now let every Christian man judge, if this be charitably done of the pope, yea, whether he hath authority this to do or not? Let no man, I beseech him judge in this matter after parcia litie, but even as he will answer before God. After this blessed S. Paul goeth farther, as concerning them that have a purpose, & a promise between, God 〈…〉 virgi●itatem 〈…〉. and them, to keep their charity: his words be these: He that purposeth surely in his heart, having no need, but hath power over his own will, & hath so decreed in his heart, that he will keep his virginity doth well. Here note first, that S. Paul compelleth no man to vow, but he letteth every man stand to his own will. furthermore, blessed S. Paul willeth what soever he be, that decréeth in his heart to keep virginity, that be must first consider, whether it lieth in his power to keep his decree or not. If it be in his power, then saith S. Blessed S. Paul dispenseth with unlawful vows. Paul doth he better to keep his virginity, than to marry. But if it lie not in his power to be chaste doth body & soul, then willeth S. Paul that he marry. Note here, that S. Paul, notwithstanding man's decree, and purpose which he made to keep virginity, willeth that he do marry, if he can not keep his decree & purpose. How contrary is this to the pope's doctrine, which rather suffereth his Priests to live in all uncleanness, by that reason of their foolish promise made unto him, than he would suffer them to marry wives after S. Paul's holy doctrine. Yea the Pope is not ashamed, more cruelly to punish a poor woman for marrying, than he doth, if she were a whore. For a Nun if she marry x●v● q. c. de filia, in verbo de filia. (saith he) shall never be admitted to receive the blessed Sacrament of Christ. But if she be an whore, than (saith he) may she after penance, be admitted to the Sacrament. What is abhorring of Marriage, if this be none? For to compare it, yea and to make it worse than whoredom? what if she have vowed chastity? hath she not also vowed to fly fornication? Now is she bound unto virginity, but by man's law. But for to avoid fornication, and whoredom, is God's commandment Wherefore see how high that the Pope will set himself above God and his holy ordinance. Thess. 4. Furthermore S. Paul saith, that the will of God is, that we should abstain from fornication, and that every one of us should know to keep his vessel in sanctifiing, and honour. Mark S. Paul's saying: First, that it is the will of God, that we should abhor fornication. Who will now resist the will of God? & not regard the thing that God will have done? I trust no Christian man. Furthermore the will of God is, that every man should keep his vessel in honour. Now if Priests be men, and have not the gift of chastity, then are they bound to regard this commandment. For he saith, every man. Mark also, that blessed S. Paul calleth the vessel of married men honourable and sanctified. Wherefore then should it be unlawful for a priest to use a sanctified, & an holy vessel? To possess other men's vessels in uncleanness is against God, and man. But it is lawful for any man here by this text, to possess a vessel of his own, the which God hath sanctified and honoured. How can man now for any occasion curse that thing, that God hath sanctified, or make it unclean, that God hath purified. S. Paul having that spirit of God did prophecy, that there should come 1. Tim. 4. men in the latter days, which should forbidden men to marry, and these men should speak lies in holy hypocrisy. Now mark the text. Men shall forbid marriage, and that in the latter days. The truth is, that no man hath forbidden any certain state of men to marry, but the Pope only. Wherefore this text must needs touch his kingdom, seeing that he is also in the latter days. There were certain heretics called Taciani, which did condemn fully and wholly all manner of marriage. And though Taciani. Saint Paul speaketh against them, yet in very deed the Pope's doctrine is not excepted, seeing it is contained in these latter days. For though there were twenty heresies more than Taciani, yet must the text be applied against them all, that doth condenne or else despise marriage, in the whole or in the part. For the text is against them all that doth forbidden marriage, and specially in the latter days. But he that doth forbidden his priests to marry, doth forbidden for so much marriage: The Pope forbiddeth marriage. therefore the text maketh against the Pope. Note also, that these men that shall forbidden marriage, shall have an holy colour of hypocrisy. Now hath the Pope forbidden his Priests to marry, under the colour of holiness, because (as he saith) that his Priests must be pure, and clean: As who should say, that marriage were unclean and unpure for priests to use. What can be holy hypocrisy, if this be not hypocrisy? Here is the holy and pure institution of God condemned, as a thing unclean for his holy Priests to use. Moreover, the Taciani did not forbidden marriage under the colour of holiness: but they said it was fully, & wholly an unlawful thing. The which doctrine had no manner of colour. But the Pope saith, that marriage is good and laudable in itself, but his priests be to pure, and to holy for to use that simple thing. For it is not a thing (saith he) that doth become that state of perfect men, but it belongeth to weak & unperfect men. Now judge good reader, which of these heresies, either Taciani, or Papacy doth pretend that greatest colour of holiness? And yet I am sure that the holy Ghost in S. Paul, did speak both against the greatest, & also smallest hypocrisy. For he alloweth no manner of feigned holiness. There were other certain heretics called Marciani. These did receive no man to be a Christian man, except he would refuse marriage. Mark what diversity is between these heretics and the Pope's learning. The Pope receiveth no priests except they forswear marriage. The The Marcianites & the Pope, all one. Marcianites, they receive no man to be a Christian man, except he forswear marriage. So that there is no diversity betwéete the heretics and the Pope, but that these heretics doth except a greater number than that Pope doth, and speaketh more generally: but the thing is all one. For the Marcianites judgeth marriage unclean for their sort, and so doth the Pope for his sort. furthermore, Marcian saith, that among Christian men may be no temporal marriages, but all conjunctions must be turned unto a spiritual marriage. And the Dist. xxxi. ca l●x. self same thing says the Pope of his Priests. Wherefore seeing that they do grant how that blessed S. Paul, 1. Tim. 4. and also holy fathers hath condemned this heresy of Marcian, it m●st needs also follow, that the opinion of the Pope is likewise condemned. But yet peradventure here will be Obiectio. said, as Doctor Eckius, and other men writing of this matter saith, how that the Pope doth not condemn marriage, but he causeth men alonely to keep their vow. I answer, that this is but a small evasion. For The Pope compelleth men to vow, and for so much he forbiddeth marriage. first the Pope compelleth them, if they will be priests, to vow, and to forswear marriage. For if there were no statute made before of the Pope, that all priests should forswear marriage, then should there no vows be made of priests against marriage, but the thing should be free. So that the vow cometh out of the Pope's decree & prohibition, and not the decree out of the vow. Therefore the probation goeth before the vow. Wherefore this evasion can have no place. Take an example. The Emperor maketh a statute, that no man shallbe admitted into his service except that he first swear to be an enemy unto the kings grace of England. Is not now the Emperor first an enemy A good example against the Pope's practices. unto the kings person, and then also a forbydder of love and favour, towards the kings grace of England? I think his grace will take this act none otherwise. For though he doth not, nor can not make all men the kings enemies, yet he maketh all that appertain to him, to be the kings enemies. So likewise the Pope, though he do not forbidden all men marriage, yet he forbiddeth as many as will be Priests. Yea, and he will admit no man to be priest, except he first forswear marriage. So that the vow is first made, ere that that pristhoode is given. Now if he were not an enemy in very deed unto marriage, what should move him to compel his priests to forswear marriage? why doth he not as well bind all his Priests to marriage, as he doth to chastity? Yea, why doth he not at that lest keep himself indifferent, and neither make decree against marriage, nor against chastity? But the very truth is, that all the protectors of uncleanness & filthy living, doth know very well, that this solution is of no strength or valour. For in very deed their hearts doth reckon matrimony unclean and unpure: and though they would now make a gloze, yet their own laws, that which be sprung out of their hearts, doth show how much they hold of holy & unpolluted Dist. 32. c Erubescant. matrimony. The pope doth call clarks that be married, impios, that is, wicked, cursed, unclean, filthy, and all that naught is. Also in an other place, he cauleth the matrimony of lay men, a fleshly, and carnal thing, and the chastity of D. 31. c. lex. his spirituality, he cauleth spiritual marriage. What says Marcian more than this is? Is not this abominable doctrine? thus shameless to speak of holy and sanctified matrimony? and to call it fleshly and carnal? And yet he is not thus content, but he cauleth that marriage of priests sin, and defenders of the same, sectatores libidinum, Dist. 82. c. Plurimos. the followers of filthy lusts, preceptores viciorum, the teachers of vice, laxantes frena luxuriae, giving liberty to lechery. Tell me, if any man would speak and reprove that whores of the stews, what other words co●ld he use against them more shameful than these? And yet they will not be noted to condemn matrimony. What mischief can not the devil cloak, if men would believe him. But furthermore, let us see, how holy, and blessed that he reckoneth matrimony for to be, by the reason of honours, and rewards, that he giveth unto priests that marry. First Dist. 82. c. quia aliquanti. says he, if a Priest doth marry of ignorance, by the reason that he known not the statute of the pope, forbidding priests to marry, that then this priest The pope's laws against marriage of Priests. first shall forsake his wife, and then shall so continued with out any farther promotion, as long as he liveth. And if there be any Priest, that will defend his marriage, by the example of the Priests in the old law, him doth the Pope private of all manner of Ecclesiastical honour for ever. Moreover New devised sin against the holy ghost, help God. he saith, that if any spiritual man doth after this decree marry, than his sin shall never be forgiven him, nor they may never afterward handle the blessed sacrament, because that marriage is a filthy, and a foul concupiscence saith he. Now judge indifferently Christian reader, if this be not despising of holy matrimony, thus shamefully to speak of it, and so cruelly to handle them, that holily doth live in it, having nothing for him, but a lousy decree of Pope Siricius. So that men may perceive clearly, how that he bindeth not his priests, by the reason of their vow, as his protectors doth say, but by that reason of the statute, that Siricius had made afore the priests had vowed any chastity. S. Paul, when he should order such bishops, as should be in the 1. Tim. 3. Church of God irrepresensible, among all other things he would that he should be a man of one wife, having Tit. 1. children well brought up. Here Saint Paul alloweth him one wife. How cometh it then, that men say, that a Priest shall have no wife? How agreeth this one, with none? Men must at the lest ways grant, that S. Paul did not reckon marriage unpure, & unclean for a bishop, for if he had, he would not have granted him one wife. Yea moreover he speaketh of his children well brought up, in the which he admitteth, and alloweth, the conjunction, and copulation Children be not got with looking on women only. between them two, for to be godly, and virtuous. He hath other eyes to look on the blessed, and holy conjunction, which is between man, and wife, than the Pope hath. For the Pope reckoneth it filthy, and not seemly, that a Priest should with his holy hands touch a woman's body, & with the same hands to conscecrate that holy sacrament. O Lord God, what can not the devil bring to pass? what abominable holiness of hypocrisy is this? to reckon a Priest unpure, and unclean, because he hath used himself in God's holy ordinance? Is not this as much to say? God thou art an inventor, and ordayner of that thing that maketh men unpure, & unclean? thou art the author of this uncleaneness? For hadst thou not instituted it, so had men not used it? The Pope alloweth his priests to keep whores, but cannot abide that they should have an honest wife. Alas how fain would I chide. I could here say some thing, If I would but I may not. Nevertheless it grieveth me, for I can not tell where to use evil words, if I shall not use them against such abominable, and execrable heresy as this is. But yet I pray you one word. Why be not your hands defiled for handling of whores flesh? Is whore's flesh so clean? that Priests may handle it? and the flesh of an honest, and a good woman so unclean, Burn all Priests that be known for open whore masters, & benesices will be then better cheap And I will reckon you then earnestly to defend chastity. that Priest must be burned for handling of it? Fie on thee, devil. Thinkest thou that men hath neither reverence in their ●artes toward God, nor yet reason to judge of these things? What can be shameless, if this thing shall be thus allowed amongst Christian men? Here be all honest women and that in honesty, abhorred & despised, and whores in comparison of them, be sanctified, and blessed. But o thou Lord God, I do yet believe that thou will't once be revenged of this d●shonour, & shamefulness. Moreover, why doth not oppression, and violence, and theft, defile Priests hands, as well as marriage? What hath pure matrimony offended, that it alonely should defile priests hands, and all other manner of vices, and uncleaneness, doth nothing contaminate them. But alas for pity, how blindly do we judge of this holy ordinance, and institution of God, that thus do blaspheme it? What will men say to blessed S. 1. Cor. 9 Paul, where he saith, Have we not power to lead about a sister to wife, as well as the brethren of the Lord, and as Cephas? I will not dispute, whether that Paul had a wife or not But this I am sure, that this text doth clearly prove, and that after that mind of great doctors how that Peter, & other Apostles had wives. Wherefore then should it be unlawful for our priests to marry? be our priests holier than S. Peter & other Apostles? Or is marriage now more unlawful, than it was then? But peradventure A great blasphemy against Christ and his holy Apostles. here will be said, that the Apostles had wives before that Christ did choose them, but afterward they forsook their wives, and followed Christ. To this I answer, that it is not enough so to say. For seeing that they have granted, how the apostles had wives, when they were called, it standeth with reason, that these men should prove by an open scripture, that the Apostles after their cauling, did forsake their wives. Yea, I will go farther with them, and say plainly, that is an abominable lie, & a great blasphemy against God, and his holy Apostles, to say that they had forsaken their wives. For our M. Christ taught them not to forsake their Math. 19 wives, but in any wise to keep them, saving alonely for fornication. Now The Apostles forsook not their wives as men dream. is the election unto Apostleship, neither fornication, nor yet like unto fornication. Wherefore I say boldly, that it is a false lie against the holy Apostles, to say that they forsook their wives. Also this same place of S. Paul doth prove it a false lie. For S. Paul speaketh, how S. Peter after his apostleship, and also other disciples of Christ, carried their wives about with them, when they went a preaching. Wherefore it is but a lie, to say, that they had forsaken them. Now Christian reader, here have I performed I trust, one part of my promise, that is to say, I have proved this article of mine by Gods holy word so plainly, that no man (I trust) can or will deny, but that these Scriptures be sufficient to move me and all other men to be of this doctrine that I am of. The second part of my promise was to prove this also by holy doctors. Unto the which, I will now prepare myself. But afore all things, I lovingly, and charitably, desire the reader to set apart all partiality and malice, and to judge indifferently of my doctrine, as he will answer at the dread full day of doom, and not to refuse that thing that is truth, for hatred, or displeasure of my person. For surely mine intent is neither to hurt, or harm, nor yet displease (as much as lieth in me) any person. And though I have in times past, somewhat vehemently written against those things that I thought errors: yet would I require heartily every man to weigh every thing indifferently by himself, and consider how I have taken upon me, not to enuey against any person, but alonely to fight against that devilish doctrine, which is dishonour to Christ and his blessed blood, and perilous and damnable unto all Christian men's souls. Secondarily, I have been wrongfully, and uncharitably handled, as God and all good men doth know, the which I will be bound to prove whensoever it shall please God and the king to assign indifferent judges to hear me, and mine adversaries. Now, let no man require in me, that he can not find in himself, that is to say, that I can so patiently, and so easily bear and suffer these intolerable wrongs, as I aught for to do, yea and peradventure as I gladly would do. Wherefore I confess, that many words hath been sharply written by me, the which I would gladly had been more charitablyer written, but then God had not geeven me so great patience. Wherefore I trust now by God's grace, something more temperately to speak, desiring every good man of his charity, to help me with his devout prayer. Amen. To our purpose. first cometh blessed S. Cyprian, of whom was asked a question, what should be done Cyprian ●pist. 11. with those religious persons, that could not keep their chastity as they had vowed. These be his words. Thou dost ask what we do judge of virgins, the which after they have decreed to live chastened, are afterward found in one bed with a man. Of the which thou sayest that one of them was a Deacon. We do with great sorrow see the great ruin of many people, which cometh by the reason of such unlawful and perilous companying together. Wherefore if they have dedicated themselves unto Christ, out of faith to live purely, and chastened, then let them so remain with out any fable, and strongly, and steadfastly to abide the reward of virginity. But S. Cyprian did more regard honest living, than the religious vow. and if they will not abide, or else can not abide, then is it better to marry, then for to fall into the fire of concupiscence, and let them give unto the brethren and sistern none occasion of slander. etc. I do for my part require no more then blessed Cyprian doth here teach, that is to say, if Priests can live sole, I beseech our Lord to reward them for it, & give them grace to continued. But if they can not, I would have no snare laid for their souls, nor yet have them compelled to a thing that they can not keep. But I would the thing should be indifferent for them that can live chaste, so to remain. And they that have not the gift, nor can not so live, for to use that lawful remedy that God hath ordained. What hath men to do, or what moveth them The marriage of Priests is allowed of God, and therefore not to be condemned of men. to compel Priests not to marry, as long as God is contented with priest's wedlock? Let no man think that such a compulsion is acceptable to God. And if men will not be contented with this doctrine, that is so good, so reasonable, and so honest, what can I say to it? I must be content, I can do no more, but say my learning, and let God alone with his punishment. Also blessed S. Augustine writing of this same matter, saith these Aug. de b●no conjugal ad julianum. words: Certain men do affirm those men to be advoulterers, that doth marry after they have vowed chastity: but I do affirm, that those men do grievously sin, the which doth separate them. etc. Note first that S. Angustine writeth of them that had vowed chastity. And yet notwithstanding he would that those men should continued in their marriage together. The which thing he would never have suffered if it had been unlawful and heres●e, as men would make it now a days. Secondarily observe that there were in his days (as ●ée now many in ours) that thought it a grievous S. Aug. dispenseth with vows where danger is of fornication. sin, for a man to marry after his vow. And yet this opinion S. Augustine doth condemn. Now let men admit this doctrine of S. Augustine, and I will require no more. And if they will condemn me, then let them also condemn S. Augustine, for I have learned it of him. Also blessed S. Ambrose, writeth of virginity in this manner: Chastity of body aught to be desired of us. The which thing I do give for a counsel, and do not command it imperiously. For virginity is a thing alonely, Ambr●. 32. quest. cap. 1. Integritas. that aught to be counseled, but not to be commanded, it is rather a thing of voluntary will, then of a precept. etc. Note how S. Ambrose teacheth, how that virginity aught not to be required, as under a precept. Wherefore it must needs follow, that the Pope's doctrine is unlawful, when he commandeth, that no man shall be a Priest, except he vow chastity. For ●ere the Pope compelleth men under a colour, for to vow chastity. As for an example. It chanceth me to meet by the way a thief, the which saith unto me. Thou shalt not go over the bridge, except thou will't deliver me thy purse. Now is it of truth, that I may choose whether I will go over the bridge or not, but yet this man doth violence, for compelling me either to go back again, or else to loose my purse, if that I will go over. And I doubt not, but Vows that have unlawful conditions are not to be observed. the kings law will both condemn him for doing violence, and also take him for a thief. So likewise the pope doth wrong, when he saith, I shall not be a priest, except that I first vow chastity. I say, that this condition is unlawful, and it is wrongfully done, to bind me to any thing under any condition, that God hath left free to me. Moreover, our M. Christ did not require that condition of his priests. Wherefore it must needs follow, that it is not a thing, that of necessity belongeth to priesthood. Also S. Jerome approveth this Hi●. d. 37. cap. Legan●. doctrine of mine, saying: Let bishops, and priests read this thing (he speaketh against mispending of goods, that is offered to help poor men with) the which doth teach their children profane letters, and maketh them to read comedies, and to sing bawdy songs of jesters, and these children they find of the charges of the church. etc. Observe this y● S. Hierom speaketh here of Bishops, and priests children, the which they could not have, if they were unmarried. For it is not to be supposed, that S. Hie●ome speaketh of bastards, or of whores children, for than he would have used other words. So that good reader, it is clear, after the doctrine of holy Doctors, that it is lawful for Priests to have wives, and specially if they can not live sole. But now will we go farther, and see what holy counsels hath ordained in this cause. The truth is that the devil hath of long time harped on this string, to sorbyd priests Matrimony. Not for any devotion, that he had to virginity, for he known well men could not keep it, farther than their gifts were: but alonely that he might lay a snare for men's souls, and also bring the holy institution, and ordinance of God into a contempt, and a despising. But God hath always of his infinite mercy, stirred up some good man to resist him. We do read in authentical stories, that in the council of Nicene, certain men went about to have pri●ated Priests from their wives. But almighty God did l●t them. The words of the stories be these. The Council of Nicene, The holy Council. willing to reform the life of men, did set certain laws, the which we call Canon's: among the which, certain Ex tripertita historia▪ Dist. xxxi. ca Nicena. men would have had a law to he brought in, that Bishops, priests, Deacons, and Subdeacons', should not lie with their wives, which they had married, before their consecration. But Paphnutius a confessor, did withstand them and said, that their marriage was honourable, and it was pure chastity for them to lie with their wives. So that the Council was persuaded, not to make any such law, affirming it for to be a grievous occasion both unto them, & also unto their wives of fornication. And this thing did Paphnutius, though that he himself was unmarried. The Council did allow this sentence. So that nothing was decreed, as concerning this thing: but every man was left unto his free-will, and not bound of any necessity. etc. Here is to be noted, that this holy Council did not reckon it an unpure▪ or a filthy thing, for a Bishop, or a The Council of Nicen● did not think it an unmeet thing for a Bishop to have a wife. Priest, to company with his wife. But they do grant, that it is a pure, and a clean chastity for a Priest to company with his wife. The which is clearly against the Pope. For he saith, that it is fleshly, and carnal, and that their hands be defiled, and they made unworthy thereby, to handle the blessed Sacraments. But here will be said that these men had wives before their consecration, the which thing they will also grant, that a married man may be choose a Bishop, & also keep his wife afterward. But he may not marry after his consecration, that had no wife before. To this I answer, that it is no lawful solution, thus to say. For if it be lawful for a man to keep his wife after his priesthood? why shall it not be as lawful for him to take a wife after his consecration? What thing is there in his matrimony, that is made after his consecration, that was not in his matrimony before his consecration? Or for what cause did he take a wife before his consecration? If he did it to avoid fornication, then is he now much more bond to take a wife then before: for it becometh him a great deal worse to live in fornication, after his consecration, than he did before. But these men that maketh this light solution, do not handle this matter truly before God. For it is not their meaning, that married men should either be Bishops, or Priests. For let them show me in The Pop● will not suffer that married men shal●e choose Bishops. all their chronicles, that ever any married man was choose to be a bishop▪ since they had made laws, that Priests should have no wives, and then I will believe them: But alonely they seek an e●asion, how to defend the matter by. For I dare say, if any man should go about to choose a married man to be a bishop, or else a person, they would think he were mad. In so much that some of them hath said, that marriage was so unlawful Di●t. xx●i. ca O●…in●. for Piestes, that they have feigned, y●●olye Apostles for to forsake their wives, after their election. How standeth these two togethers? that married men may be bishops, I fear me If married men may be Bishops, then second brethren shall no longer be beggars. the byshoprickes will soon be got out of their hands, and most part also of all benefices. Wherefore I would counsel them rather to grant that Priests might have wives, then for married men to be made bishops. Furthermore mark, that the holy counsel made no law, whether the Priest should marry after their consecration or not. Wherefore it must needs be taken away of them as free and an indifferent thing, for a priest to marry after his consecration or not. For if they had reckoned it unlawful for him to marry, than would they have forbidden it. For the counsel was gathered for to reform those things that were a●…sse, as the text says clearly. Moreover, if it had chanced then a priest to have married after his consecration, he had not offended, for there was no law at that day, that did forbid him. Therefore, it is now no necessary article. If men will not be content with these authorities: yet somewhat to satisfy them, I will bring them an other law, which the Papists calleth Canon Apostolorum, the words be Canon Apost. these. If any man doth teach, that a Priest by the reason of his order aught to forsake his wife, cursed be he. etc. Mark of this law, that for colour of holiness, no man aught to forsake their wives. Wherefore it must needs follow, that for priests to marry wives after their consecration is not against their holiness. Note also, that the text saith: how Priests had wives of their own, and went not a borrowing, as they do now. We read in the counsel Consilium Gangrenes. Canon. 4. of Gangrenes, how they made this decree. If any man doth judge or condemn a Priest that is married, that he may not, by the reason of his marriage do sacrifice, but will abstain from his mass by the reason thereof, cursed be he. etc. first you shall know the occasion wherefore this counsel was gathered. There was a certain heretic called Eustachius, the which did among Eustachius, Hereticus. all other heresies teach, that no mari●d man could be saved. Also be taught that Priests, which did marry, aught for to be despised, and in no wise for to handle the blessed sacraments. Against this heretic, is this decree made. Now let every man judge what diversity is between this heretic, and the Pope's doctrine. This heretic saith, that marriage is unpure, & unclean, and that a married Priest may not touch the sacraments. The self and the same doctrine saith the Pope in divers places: and especially in a chapter, that beginneth with Nullum. Dist. 2●. Where he saith, that no bishop shall presume to consecrated any Deacon, except he will first vow chastity. For no man aught to be admitted (saith he) to serve at the altar, except his chastity be first known. Also in an other chapter he saith, Dist. 28. 〈◊〉. De●ernimus. They that either keep whores, or else marry wives, shallbe privated of their benefices. For they are unworthy for to be in the temple of God, & to touch the holy vessels of the Church, that doth use themselves in such uncleaneness, saith he. What is condemning Saving the Pope, & Eustachius. of matrimony, if this be not? He compareth whoredom, and matrimony to be like clean, the which did never none heretic. The Pope goeth further, Dist. 28. Dist▪ 28. c. Assumi, & pr●teria. and saith: Not man may be either Priest, or Deacon, that is married, except they will promise' to forsake their wives. etc. These laws make against them that say, how that married men may be Priests. The same Dist. 31. ca sac●rdotib●●●piscopi. Tenere cos. Si laicus. thing doth the Pope also confirm in divers other places of his law, having none other cause why, but only because (as he saith) Priests must be pure, and clean. This same cause had also Eustachius. For he reckoned as the Pope doth, how marriage, was unpure, and unclean, and did therefore forbid Priests to marry. Yea in our days, I dare say, that no man forbiddeth Priests to marry, but only they that reckon marriage unclean. But let ●s go farther, and see what holy counsels have decreed, as conserning priests matrimony. We do read in a counsel, that is called the sixth Synod, these words: 6. Sinodus. Considering that it is decreed amongst the laws made by them of Rome, that no deacon, nor Priest, shall company with their wives. Therefore we not withstanding that decree, following that rules of the Apostles, and the constitutions of holy men, will, that from this day forth, marriage shall be lawful, in no wise dissolving the matrimony between them & their wives, nor depriving them of their familiarity in time convenient. Whosoever therefore shall be found able of the order This Council doth fully establish and confirm the marriage of Priests. of Deacon, Subdeacon, or of Priesthood, we will that no such men be prohibited to ascend the dignities aforesaid, for the cohabitation of their wives: Nor that they be constrained at the receipt of their orders, to profess chastity, or to abstain from the company of their lawful wives. It followeth, if any man presume therefore against the Canons of the Apostles to deprive Priests, or Deacons from the copulation and fellowship of their lawful wives, let such a man be deposed. Semblably, both priests and Deacons, which putteth away their wives under the colour of holiness, let them be excommunicated. But if they continued in the same, let them be deposed. Note how this counsel doth condemn by name the Pope's decree, which hath commanded spiritual men to forsake their wives. And in this is also to be observed, that the evasion of the Papists, when they say, that married men may be priests, is a false lie. For the Pope and they did never admit that, as this counsel witnesseth, but alonely that they are driven to a narrow exigent, by that violence of our arguments, & they have none other evasion to delude the people by. Wherefore they be compelled to help themselves with such a lie. For here is it plainly in this Counsel declared, how the Pope, & they have prohibited those Priests that were married, to company with their wives, and would not admit them to minister, before they had forsaken their wives. furthermore, note how that this counsel doth allege for them, the The pope's doctrine is condemned by a Council. rules of the holy Apostles, and the constitutions of blessed men. What Christian man will now set himself against this holy counsel, the which hath so good authority for it? afterward it is to be marked, how that this counsel doth command, that no man shall vow chastity, when he shall be consecrated, the which thing is clearly against the Pope, that compelleth all his priests to vow chastity, before they be sacred. Now let every Christian man judge whether it be better, or surer to follow the Pope having none authority for him, and being also but one man: then to follow this holy Counsel, having for it the authority of the holy Apostles, and of other blessed men. Finally, mark how that this blessed counsel doth depose all those that doth private Priests from the company of a lawful wife. Out of the which doth follow, that the Pope, & all his adherentes be ipso iur● deposed. And if they re●… their error, they be excommunicated. Wherefore I conclude out of this counsel, that Priests may lawfully have wives. We have also even there these words. It is open that neither Dist. xxviij c. Diaconi. Deacons, nor subdeacons, aught to be forbidden from marriage. etc. If this be not plain? I can not tell Dist. xxviij. ca de Siracus. what is plain. Wherefore Gracianus concludeth, that whether he be Priest, Deacon, subdeacon, he may lawfully use matrimony. If men will not be content with these sayings, I can not tell what will satisfy them. Reasonable men aught not to fight both against God and man. But yet let us go farther, and see what the Pope's law saith more. Innocent the third writeth in his De vita & honest. cloricorum. decretals, on this manner: Those Priests, that after the manner of the country, hath not forsaken the conjunction of marriage, if they do break their wedlock, aught grievously to be punished, seeing that they may use lawfully matrimony. Mark how that this was the manner of certain countries, that Priests might marry. Therefore it must needs follow, that priests matrimony is not forbidden by God's law. And if it be not forbidden ●p God's law? what charity is in the Pope to compel men so violently unto the thing, that which God hath not bound them to. Is it not a cruel thing for the Pope to burn a man as an heretic, because that he keepeth not his commandment and liveth not in open whoredom? Why doth he not command him as well neither to hunger, nor yet to thirst? And if he either hunger, or thirst, why doth he not forbidden him to eat and to drink? It is as much in our power to vow chastity, and to keep it, if we have not the gift of God, as it is to vow that we will neither hunger nor thirst: for they are both inclinations of nature, implanted of God. For as Cicero saith, and also the Emperor in his law: Cicero. lib. i officiorum. justinianus lib. i cap. Ius naturale. we are naturally inclined unto the conjunction that is in matrimony, for cause of propagation. And it is as much in our hands, neither to hunger nor to thirst, as it is to change this natural inclination. And as we It is implanted in nature to marry, if God's gift do not change our nature. when we are hungry and thirsty, can not abstain from eating and drinking: no more can we keep our chastity (notwithstanding our vow) if God have not given us the gift. Men may here please somthyng themselves, and stand in their own conseyte, & say how they can invent many remedies to keep their chastity by. But I dare say, they would not for all the clotheses that belongeth to their backs, that the pureness, and cleanness of their hearts were written in great letters, & set up on that church door. Wherefore I would desire men to be contented, and to set aside all hypocrisy, and speak the truth, as it is written in their hearts: for God will not be deceived, nor yet mocked. And doubtless, if I could not show infinite examples, how that Priests neither do, nor yet can keep their chastity, men might well blame me for moving this article. But now seeing that their living doth testify my doctrine, and that to that great offence and slander of Christ's holy Church, and also to the great rebuke and shame of many a good man's child: yea finally to the damnation of many a dear soul: Me think men aught to be content and to thank me for taking of so great labours, for deliverance of their souls, and also for maintenance of honesty, and and good moral virtue, according to God's law, and man's law. But let us proceed farther to Magister Sētentiaru●. lib. ij. Dist. 〈◊〉. prove this matter. The master of the sentences, writeth on this manner: Our weakness is prove to fall into filthiness, but it is helped with honest marriage. And the thing that is unto whole men an offence, is unto sick men a remedy. Mark how the M. of the Sentences saith, that we are ready to fall into filthiness? And how that marriage is an honest remedy? How can men then after their own learning condemn marriage, as no honest thing? seeing that their own Clerks cauleth it honest? Moreover the master of the Sentences will, that both perfect and unperfect may use this honest thing: for to the first it is an offence, & to the other it is a necessary remedy. jesus how would men cry against us poor men, if they had half so much against us, as we have against them. But our Lord send them his grace, and mollify their hearts. Amen. We have also in the Pope's law a Ext. de 〈◊〉 Pres cap ad presentiam. Ven●ens. Proposuit. 〈◊〉 transmissa. title, De filijs Presbyterorum, in the which there be many chapters written to the Bishops of England, as concerning priests children. Wherefore it is to he supposed, that Priests had then wives. And if they had them, why may they not now? By what authority are our Priests now more compelled than they were? Have our Priests now more articles of their faith than they had? But yet here will be said, that the Pope's law speaketh of bastards, and not of lawful children. Me thinketh that this same is not charitably answered, for here they do accuse of fornication many an honest Priest, against whom they have alonely but a light supposition. For they that made this answer, known not those men, nor yet their living. And the text speaketh but of priests children, & not of bastards. furthermore by this solution is 〈…〉 not 〈…〉 de 〈◊〉 holy 〈◊〉 as they do that grant them 〈…〉 bastards. many an honest man defamed, for to ●ée a bastard, the which is an evil name, and me think uncharitably laid by these men unto their charges. Wherefore note, that these men doth sore defame priesthood, & that against the order of charity, that had rather grant all these Priests, that the law speaketh of (which is no small number) for to be breakers of their vow, and to be open whoremasters, yea, and also their children to be bastards, rather than they would grant that those Priests had lawful wives. The which were neither against honesty, nor yet the order of priesthood. Wherefore if I should thus have defamed Priests, & their children, men would ●ore have been grieved with me: yea I am afraid, that some men will be displeased with me, alonely because I do writ against those priests, whom I know of surety to be nought, if having of children can testify it. But what will they say to that pope's law in the same place, whose words be these. Thou dost ask of us (says Extra. lib. i de fi●…s presbyterum. c. Add 〈◊〉. the Pope, to the Bishop of cassel) whether that these men, that hath Priests to their fathers, may be promoted to holy orders or not, if they he of good, and honest de●…our, & well learned. To this we answer (saith the Pope) that if they be gotten of lawful marriage, & there be none other Canonical impediment, then may they lawfully be promoted unto holy orders, and may enjoy that same benefice, which their fathers had before. etc. This no man can not deny, but that law speaketh of priests children, that were got in lawful matrimony. Wherefore it must needs follow, that Priests were then married: yea, and the law calleth their marriage lawful, which must also be noted: so that men may see that this doctrine of mine is no new thing, but it is elder than their law. Also in that same title, the Pope saith, we have understanded, that N. born, and got in priesthood of a Ibidem. cap. Litteras. lawful wife, hath always had an affection to serve God in the office of a spiritual man. etc. Here note, that the Pope speaketh of priests children: yea, and of them that were got in lawful marriage, and not in fornication. Wherefore the Pope supposeth, that Priests may have a lawful matrimony. And therefore me thinketh, that when men find in the law, mention made of priests children, they should rather suppose them to be got in matrimony, then in fornication, both for the honesty of the father, mother, and also of the child: specially seeing that Priests had wives in those days. And it standeth also more with honesty of priesthood, to grant that they had wives, rather than whores. Now let us see what the emperors Imperator Constan. lege. Omnis ●a Ad perangariam. Codice de Epis. & ele. law saith to priests wives. We will (saith he) that all manner of spiritual men shall have this prerogative, that their wives, and their children, and their servants, that is for to say, both male, and female, shall be free from an homage, which is called Perangariam. Here is to be noted, that the Emperor doth not alonely admit priests matrimony, but also he honoureth it with a privilege, & a prerogative, the which he would not have done, if he had judged their matrimony unlawful. Wherefore men may see, if they will, how indifferent our forefathers hath been unto this holy state of matrimony. And it would not become us evil, if we learned of them better to judge of these things, that God our maker hath both instituted and sanctified. Now good reader have I proved this article by God's holy word, by the sayings of Doctors, by the authority of Counsels, & by some certain laws, both Imperial, and Popish. Wherefore now will I go farther unto the histories, and prove this thing by examples, and practise of holy men. First, we have she example of blessed S. Peter, the which had doubtless a wife, as it may be proved by Matthew, which saith: Quod socrus Petri Math. 8. tenebatur magnis febribus. Peter's wives mother had a great ague. Now, if Peter had a wife, as this text is clear, what thing should forbid our priest's marriage? I think they are not bound S. Peter had a wife. to more chastity, than Peter was? Nor it will not help to say, that he forsook his wife after his calling. For the Scripture here speaketh of Peter's wives mother. Why do they not as well take his wives mother's name away, as they take away his wife? But I have answered to this reason largely enough before. Also Philippe the Evangelist, had three daughters, the which he could Acts. 11. not have bad, if that he had had no Philip the Evangelist was married. wife: for I think there is no good man that will reckon them to be bastards, and whores children. Neither it can help, to say, that these children were born before his election, for this is but a simple saying, and no probation. And it is not enough to say, seeing that men will have it for so necessary an article: but men must also prove it by open Scriptures. For else I may say by as good authority, that these daughters were born after his election, as other men say, how they were born before his election. And I have better supposition for me out of the text, than they have: for they are not called Philip's daughters alonely, but Philippe the Evangelist daughters. Wherefore they may by a good reason say, they were not Philippes daughters, as they may say, that their father was none Evangelist. We do read in Tripertita Historia these words: All Priests in the oriental Ex tripertita historia. lib. 9 cap. xxxviij. Church doth abstain with a free will, & of no necessity from wives. For many of them, in time when they be bishops, have had of their lawful wives chlidrens. Note how this history declareth clearly, that priests in the oriental Church were not compelled to vow chastity. Secondarily that history cauleth priests wives lawful wives. And also how the bishops had children, after their consecration. Now doth all learned men know, that the oriental Church receiveth their manners nearer of the Apostles than we. Wherefore it is to be presupposed that these men took their custom of marriage, of the holy apostles. And at the lest wise, it must follow, that if their priests may have wives lawfully, that then our priests may have also. For God hath laid none other burden on our priests necks, than he had on there's. Moreover we do read in Ecclesiastica Lively iiij. ca twenty-three. Historia, that Penitus bishop of a city called Gnoseos, would have made a decree, that priests should have Penitus. Dionysius. vowed chastity. But Dionysius Bishop of Chorinth, written against him and required him, that he would not lay no necessity of compulsed chastity in other men's necks. Penitus followed his counsel. Here you may see, that the devil hath been of long time about to bring in this snare for priests but God hath resisted him. We have also in the same history, Li▪ iij. ca thirty. against those men, that did despise marriage, a goodly saying which is this what will they reprove the Apostles? Peter, and Philip had wives, and did also give their daughters to marriage. In so much as S. Peter did cry unto A plain place to prove that Peter had a wife. his wife, when she should be led unto her passion, and called her by her name, and said unto her: O dear wife, remember our Lord Hear is it clear, that Peter had a wife. And hear is also against them that saith, how that Peter forsook his wife, which is here proved a false lie. Moreover, Spiridon the bishop of Ibi. li. x. c●. u Cypress, having the gift of prophecy, had also a daughter, whose name was called Irenem, which after her faithful service died a virgin. Hear is it clear, that this holy man had a daughter, which he could not have, if he had had no wife. furthermore we do Eccle. hist. li. u cap. xxiv. read, that Polycrates, bishop of Ephesum, doth show, that seven of his parents lynially were bishops in order before him, and he himself was the eight. Now could not this be, that his fathers from the seventh Polycrates. Ephes. Epis. degree could have been bishops, if bishops had had no wives, for the text is clear of his fathers, and not of his kinsmen. Me think this is a clear example, & sufficient to prove as great a matter as this is if men would be content, and satisfied with reason. ¶ Ex damaso Papa, ad Hieronimum, ex Platina, & Nauclero. But let us go farther, and see, how many Popes have been priests children, that this matter may be opened by them, and that Popes themselves may be witness of this doctrine first is there Silverius, pope, the which had a bishop to his father called Silverius Papa. Ormisda. This Silverius lived about the year of our Lord 524. Pope Felix, the third of that name Felix. iij. was that son of Felix, priest of Rome. This man lived about the year of our Lord 474. Pope Deus dedit, was the son Deus dedit. of Stephano the subdeacon, which lived about the year of our Lord 623. Pope Theodorus, was the son Theodorus. i of Theodore bishop of Jerusalem. This man lived about the year of our Lord 634. Hadrian, that second was the son of Hadrianus. ij. Thalare, the bishop. This man lived about the year of our Lord 873. Pope john, the xv. of that name, was that son of priest Leo, This man johannes. xv. lived about the year of our Lord. 984. Pope Agapitus, the first of that name, had a priest to his father called Agapitus. i Gordianus, he lived about the year of our Lord 534. Pope Silverius, had a father called Silverius. Silverius. a bishop of Rome, This man lived about the year of our lord 544. Pope Boniface, the first of that name Bonifacius. i was son to jucundus priest. Pope Osius, was that son of Stephan the subdeacon. Osius. Pope Gelasius, the first, had a bishop to his father called Valenus anno Gelasius. i Domini. 484. john the. x. pope of that name, was son to pope Surgius, about the year johannes. x. of our Lord 924. All these, & a great many more (as the Pope's law testifieth) were the Dist. ●…i▪ ca Osius. children of subdeacons, deacons, and Priests, and have born rule in the Church of Rome. Wherefore I marvel very fore, that men do reckon it so new learning, that priests should have wives, seeing, that it standeth with God's holy word, with the saying of the old doctors, with the determination of counsels, with that emperors law, and also with that Pope's old decrees. Moreover, Christ's holy apostles, and many other holy men, since their days, have lived in the holy estate of matrimony. Finally, there hath been many holy men, and also holy women born in the wedlock of Priests. By what reason now can, or will men damn all these things, that be of so great authority? If men will hear neither God nor man, nor yet no good reason, what need men then so much to speak of learning? seeing that they will hear nothing, but that they alonely judge good? Truly this is a great high mind of men, thus wrongfully to condemn other men for heretics, having so good learning for them: and yet they themselves are grounded only of their own sensual mind, having no learning, nor reason for them. But I will put this matter to God's judgement. And let not men doubt (if they believe there is a God) but that God will be a revenger of such wrongful violence, as men do use in this case, both against him and against all his blessed company of Saintes. But yet for to do men pleasure, and that they might be persuaded if it were possible, I will declare unto them, how that we do find old monuments, testifying clearly, that priests were in peaceable possession of matrimony, & their children gotten in that same matrimony were admitted to spiritual benefices. In the time of Pope Alexander that third, there was a controversy for the patronage of a benefice between the prior of Plimpton in Devonshire, and one john de Valletorda. Now were there deputed judges, Richard Archbishop of Caunterbury, & Roger Bishop of Wynchester, before whom the prior of Plympton proved his patronage, by the reason that he was in possession, and had given it unto divers people. first (he saith) there was a Priest of Plympton called Alpheghe, which had by that gift of the prior of Plympton, the benefice of Sutton, which is now called Plymmouth. This Alpheghe had a son called Sadda, which had also the benefice after his father. And after Sadda, was there an other priest called Alnodus, which had the benefice likewise. This Alnodus had a son called Robert Dunprust, which after the disease of his father Alnode had also the same benefice. And after this Robert Dunpru●t, William Bacon his son, enjoyed the benefice likewise. Here men may see, that it is neither so new learning, nor yet so long ago since priests had lawful wives. Moreover, I read in our own Chronicles, that in the time of king Croni▪ Fa●i. Henry the iij. which reigned that year of our Lord 1101. priests might lawfully marry wives, in so much that Anseline than Archbishop of Caunterbury in a Scene that he held at London, did make a decree, that priests should forsake their wives, the which was both against God's law, and man's. For the text of our Master Christ is clear. Quos deus coniunxit, Homo non seperet. Mark these two words, Deus, and Homo. And how much the one passeth the other. furthermore, the Pope himself hath not greatly regarded Priests chastity, if he might get any money for dispensations, in the which thing he could not have dispensed, if it had been of God's law. And if it be but but man's law, what charity is in the Pope to compel men so sore to keep it, seeing that it is so great danger unto priests, and that so many souls been lost through it? Yea, what tyranny is in him, thus cruelly to kill men for breaking alonely of his commandment, the which is not in their power to keep? To our purpose, the Pope hath often times dispensed both with Priests, and religious men for their vow, & hath given them licence to marry. It is not unknown to many men Abbot Sā●te of Reading. that there was an Abbot of Reading, whom men for his perfect living, called Abbot Sancte. This man being in danger of a certain disease, priests hath married after their priesthood. by the reason he had no wife, sent unto the pope, desiring him to dispense with him for his vow, and that pope dispensed with him, and gave him licence to marry a wife, but under a condition that it should be secretly done, and not In fancy ecclesie. By this men may see, that the Pope himself holdeth not so much of priest's chastity: for than he would not regard more money, than it. And if the pope may dispense with this Abbot for avoiding of a disease corporal: how much more aught he now to dispense with priests: seeing there be so many souls in danger? Yea, and also the order of priesthood is sore defamed and slandered, by the reason that priests hath no wives. Moreover, we do read, that N●… generatione. xl. pope Celestine the third, did dispense with a Nun, whose name was called Constatia, King Roger's daughter of cecyl, and gave her licence to Cransius. Canutus was seven years a Monk ¶ juniacensis, and yet the Pope dispenseth with him to marry a wife. marry with Henry that Emperor, the sixt of that name. This was about that year of our Lord. 1186. So that men may perceive how the pope doth not greatly regard the vow of his spirituality, if any thing may be got, to pay for a dispensation. And it will not help to say, that the pope did dispense with this woman for a common wealth. For the stories maketh mention that the pope dispensed with him under a condition, that he should pay him a yearly pension for the kingdom of cecyl, and should recover it of his own charges, out of the hands of Tancredus, which was then in possession of it. And because that he might have the better title to the kingdom, he gave him the only daughter of Cecil. So that that pope did it not for a common wealth, but for his own lucre. But now grant that it were for▪ a common wealth, therefore, first it was not God's commandment, that priests should live sole. For god's word giveth no place to no common wealth. And if the pope did then dispense for a common wealth? why doth he not now dispense for avoiding of fornication, in so many innumerable priests? Doth not men reckon it for a common wealth to expel fornication, & all occasions thereunto? But now there is no common wealth to be regarded, because there is no shining gold offered. But at that Marriage of Priests is neither against God's law nor man's law. lest ways me thinketh that priests which marry, be very far from heresy: for it is neither against God's law, nor yet against the common wealth. Here were many examples to be brought in, how the pope hath dispensed both with Monks, Friars, and Nuns, the which I will pass over, and will she we as near as I can out out of Chronicles, how long▪ it is, that the pope hath go about to bring in the vow of chastity. Doctor Eckius doth say, that Calixtus primus did first make the statute, that priests should vow chastity, b●t that is false. For all Chronicles beareth witness, that priests had wives in the Council, of Nicene, the which was almost an hundredth years after Calixtus days. Wherefore it can not be supposed, that that statute was made before the Council of Nicene. But authentical histories doth make mention, that Nicholas the first, which was Nicholaus. 1 Bishop of Rome, the year of our Lord 860. did go about this thing: but he could not bring it to pass by the reason of an holy man S. Huldericke, Episcopus Augustensis, the which written a very sharp Epistle against him, reproving him sore, because he would compel priests to vow chastity. His words be these. Thou hast not swerved a little from discretion, that where as thou oughtest to have counseled priests to chastity, thou hast with a Lordly violence compelled them to it. Is not this after the judgement of all wise men, a Compelled chastity is against the institution of the Gospel. great violence, when that thou against the institution of the Gospel, and against the decree of the holy ghost, will't compel men to observe thy private decree? etc. He reciteth also against the Bishop of Rome all those same scriptures, that I have brought herein my book of this matter, and al●o certain of the counsels, to that purpose, that I have brought them. So that men aught not to think, that I am the first, that thus hath understand the Scriptures, nor yet the first, that hath spoken against priests vows. Note also how this holy man saith, that priests aught to be admonished, & counseled to chastity, but not compelled. For that (saith he) is a great To compel Priests to vow chastity that hath not that gift, is half brother unto heresy. violence, and against Christ's holy Gospel, and that blessed spirit of God. These be as vehement words as I have spoken. For out of these words men may gather, that it is not far from heresy to compel priests to vow chastity. This holy man proceedeth farther with that Bishop of Rome, and telleth a fact of S. Gregory, the which went about to compel priests to vow chastity. Upon a day S. Gregory sent unto his ponds for fish, and in the nets A lamentable and horrible sight. that they fished withal, were brought up above six thousand young children's heads, the which thing, when S. Gregory see, struck him sore to the heart, & he was very heavy of that sight, and perceived anon, that his decree, that he made for priester chastity, was the occasion of this great murder: In that that priests could not live sole, nor yet they dared not avow their children, for fear of the decree. And so for safeguard of their honesty, they fallen into a fearful, and abominable sin, to kill their own children. And for this cause S. Gregory (saith this holy Bishop) did revoke his decree again, and did greattly O Lord God that our bishops would now be so charitable. allow the saying of the Apostle: jis better to marry then to burn. Adding unto it of his own: It is better to marry then to give occasion to murder. Here note good reader, what a terrible, and a fearfully example this is? Is not this a piteous case, that so many thousands innocentes be thus slain? When shall the chastity keeping of all the priests in the world be an occasion of so great goodness, as the law of chastity hath been hereof mischief? Alas is there no pity in ●…ens hearts? that are nothing moved, when they read such horrible facts in holy men's writyngs? Or do men think, that there is no mischief now in our days done, by the reason that priests are compelled to chastity? If men think that there come any mischief by the reason of it, how can men reckon to avoid God's vengeance, that will so stiffly and strongly maintain the same? I have been informed of credible people, the which if need were, I could yet bring forth, that in a place of Religion within this few years, there was a religious man, that did A fruit of chastity. get a woman with child, the which woman was brought a bed in the brother's chamber of a fair son. This child was Christened in the same chamber, and as soon as it was christened, he broke the neck of it, and buried it in the night, in the churchyard. A horrible tale. This is the truth, I can prove it. Is not this a terrible thing? doth not nature abhor this? And yet men had rather here this abhominablenes, than for to release a little of their own will. But o Lord God, how straightly shalt thou punish this? It is not yet out of that mind of man, sins that an honest man lost his daughter, by the reason that a priest defiled another trabbe of that same tree. her, the which (because he would not be dishonested) killed the maid privily, and afterward cast her into a well. If men will not be moved at this? and such like other facts? I can not tell what will move them? I could recite a great many of abominable, and detestable facts, if I were not more ashamed to tell them, than priests hath been to do them. Neither will I recite how shamefully that men's daughters, men's wives, men's servants hath been, and are daily cast away, by the▪ reason that priests are so hot of courage, and can not keep their chastity. Would it not abhor a Christian man, to hear tell of the innumerable bawds, that are made by that reason that priests can not live chaste? What a petious case is it to see so many young men cast away? th●… which doth see daily their masters unclean living? Here were many I will not speak of the little pretty ●oyes that follow Priests in long doublets▪ and short hosen. things to be recited, but honesty compelleth me to pass them over. But I think there is no good man, but he will think as much in himself, as I either would say, or can say. I could tell, if If I would, the occasion why that those Cardinals of Rome, which keepeth whores, be noted of the common people to be of the best sort of Cardinals? But I will pass it over. Nevertheless it grieveth me a little, that I may not somewhat open my heart. But this I promise them, if The chastity of the court of Rome, from the which God defend us all. any of these proiectours of this filthy chastity doth take in hand to defend it against me, I will not be ashamed to write●, that they have not been ashamed to do. Nor I will not keep secret how certain bishops of England, and also of other countries doth let whores to farm unto priests. And all because they will not suffer them to marry. Yet hear will I tell you one pretty tale. There is a bishop living at this same day in germany, which had M. spare me a little, to speak but, one word more. need of a great some of money (I could tell his name if I would) this bishop called unto him a gentleman, a great friend of his, which smelled a little of the new learning, so called. An history sprung out of the chastity of Priests. Unto this man he made his complaint how that he must needs make shift shortly for a great sum of money, desiring him both to help him, and also of his counsel. This man said unto him, if he would follow his counsel, he would shortly help him. The This man intended to declare to this holy father, what honesty was maintained by priests chastity. bishop was very glad, and granted to follow his counsel. Then said the gentleman. My Lord, your Lordship shall give a straight commandment, that all your Priests within your diocese, shall put away their whores within this two months, under the pain of heresy at the lest. After this, your Lordship shall sand. ij. of your counsellors, that be known to be greatly in your favour, to handle with the priests, in their own names, for to take up this matter, between your Lordship and them. But under this condition, that the priests shall grant unto them a certain some of money and they shall promise' the priests, that they will bring it to pass, that your Lordship (notwithstanding your straight commandment) shall be contented to suffer them to live, as they have done in times past, and after the old custom of the Church. The bishop A pretty practice to find out a naughty concious Bishop. was contented with this counsel, & incontinent gave out that commandment, and afterward sent out two of his best friends, privily to treat with the Priests in their names, but not in his. For he would not be known of it, because he had vowed chastity. But what think you, that these two men did gather in this one bishopric, within that space of ij. months? Verily . M. guyldens, the which money the bishop received very devoutly, and thought it not against the vow of chastity. What shall men say to these men's conscience? that will not stick to burn a poor priest, that marrieth a wife? but yet, they will receive. xx. M. guyldens to maintain open whoredom. O lord God thou knowest this, & yet doubtless thou sufferest it. And all because they should have space, and respite to amend, unto which, God give them grace. Amen. But again to our purpose: men may perceive that this holy bishop Hulderyke was against the pope, & did also allow my doctrine, and declare that S. Gregory did repent him Dist. 〈◊〉. ca Ante trienium. of that statute that he had made for priest's ●…astitie. Wherefore I conclude here yet again, that God's holy word, old doctors, holy counsels, the emperors law, old decrees of the Church, the practice of the holy apostles, the living of holy men, God's law, and man's law, nature & reason, doth allow this article of mine. Wherefore I trust no good nor reasonable man, will withstand me, in this case. There runneth a great voice of The world will lie. me, that I have married a wife, and for that cause men doth reckon that I will something prove my wit, and also stretch my learning, to maintain that priests might have wives. But I have marvel why men are ashamed to come & lay this thing to my charge, now that I am here? the very truth is before God, & man that I have no wife, ●or never went about to marry: I thank God of his grace. And of this I have as noble princes as be in Germany, to bear me witness, and also many other worshipful, and honest men, that doth know me, and my conversation. I have also the right worshipful man Doctor Lée, which was the kings Ambassador with us, and all his servants to testify for me, which be honest men, and sufficient in a greater cause than this is. Finally, here is also the bishop of our city, with whom I do devil, & am most conversant with. Hear is also the Ambassadors of Lubycke, which doth also know me, and my conversation. And I doubt not, but all they will testify for me, as far as any law shall require. Yea I dare boldly say, that mine adversaries have not so good testimony, that they keep their vow of chastity, as I have, that I am not married. But all is done to bring me in defamation. Let God provide. Nevertheless, what if I had a wife? is y so great a crime? What can men make of it? Hath not many noble Princes, and good men wives? Will men make more articles of salvation for me, then for princes D. Barnes lived sole & unmarried. or for other Christian men? what have I deserved thus to be taken? Men will have to do with me, but I promise' them, they shall get no good by it, if I may come to my answer, I will be able always to defend a wife (if I wear disposed to marry) against all those that keep whores. Let them begin when they will. Notwithstanding, I do not abstain from a wife because that is evil, and unclean to marry: but I have other lawful considerations. Let no man doubt, but this is of truth, if I had a wife, I would not have meddled with this article, because that men might have suspected me, that then I would have defended this article, for the maintenance of my fact. But now on the other side, that men should not think how I despised marriage, or thought it unlawful for a Priest to marry, in as much as I myself do not marry. Therefore have I taken this labour on me, to write my meaning, & so much the more boldly, because that men have no cause to suspect me, that I speak to defend mine own cause, but all only to set out the veretye, so God help me. Amen. But now will I go to the Pope's law, and see what time that this thing begun to take strength. It had been often times attempted, but it was always repelled by one good man or other, till after the days of Saint Gregory. Pope Siricius made a statute, that priests should have no wives, but it took none effect. Dist. 82. ca Plurimos. After him came Pelagius the second, and he commanded, that those priests that had married wives should abstain from their wives. Next after him came S. Gregory, and he thought that statute of Pelagius to sore, that men should abstain from their wives, which had neither vowed chastity, nor yet had used themselves to continency. And therefore he decreed, that the Bishops should consecrated no Subdeacon, except he would first vow chastity. This is openly in the pope's law. Here began the thing somthyng to springe, Dist. 31. ca Ante trie●ium. and to take effect, but yet it was not fully established. For afterward S. Gregory himself repented him, as S. Hulderike beareth witness, by that reason of the great murder thath he saw come thereof. Wherefore it remained so still a great while, unto the coming of Leo the ix: and he saith, that priests may keep their Dist. 31. ca Omnino. wives, but they may not company with them, for the Apostles (saith he) did forsake the company of their wives: alonely they provided them meat and cloth. After him cometh Innocentius the second, the which (not regarding Dist. 28. ca Docerni 〈◊〉. God's ordinance) joineth priests that marrieth, and priests that keepeth whores, all under one damnation. But all these yet could not bring this matter to pass as they would. For in many places (for all this) all priests had wives: till the time of Gregory the seventh, which was called Nauclerus. Alber●●s. Hirsucid●●sis. Hildebrande, a man of evil living, as the chronicles testifieth, and also a great necromancer, and very familiar with the devil. And as chronicles saith, a man that had poisoned 4. or 5. pope's before, that he might come the sooner to it. This man (I say) in the year of our Lord 1074. Here beganneth priest's cha●… get the o●… hand. For this was a captain for the no●ce. began to attempt this matter very sharply in Germany, where priests were then quietly suffered to have wives. This man sent his commandment unto Otto bishop of Constantinople, commanding to forbid priests that had not yet married, for to marry. And those that had married, to be separated from their wives. But bishop Otto perceiving this thing Pe●…am 〈◊〉 gem. Quos deus cō●ūx●… homo non seperet. Et nemo dimittat uxorem, excepta fornicationis caus●. for to be devilish, would not exercise his commandment. Wherefore Pope Gregory cursed him, and assoiled all men from his obedience, and cited him unto Rome, where he had gathered a counsel, in the which he had made a decree, that no Priest should afterward marry. And they that had married before, should forsake their wives. Moreover, it was there decreed, that no man should receive holy orders afterward, except he first swear to live sole. These decrees were prowlgated over all Italy. But the priests, and Bishops of France resisted this decree, Who can require a better answer than these Bishops make? their words be● God's words. and said, that this counsel was contrary to God's word, and took from Priests, that God and nature had granted them. And therefore that Pope (said they) was an heretic, and an author ofdamnable doctrine, and that this decree came not of God, but of the devil, and alleged for them the saying of our master Christ. No● omnes Math. 9 capiunt verbum hoc. And also S. Paul, De virginitate prec●ptum non 1. Cor. 〈◊〉. habeo. They said also, that the pope would compel them to like like Angels, and how he did open a window unto fornication & uncleanness. Wherefore they made him answer, that they had rather to forsake their benefices, than their wives. And if he would despise married priests, than should he go & provide him Angels to serve his cures. But the pope was This hath always been the Pope's manner of teaching, other doctrine had he never. nothing moved at all with their scriptures or reasons: but still written to that bishops strait letters, commanding them, and threatening them under the pain of cursing, and privating them of their byshopprickes, that they should bring this thing to pass. So that at that last, the most part of the bishops consented to him for fear, and laboured all that they could to persuade the priests to forsake their wives, and to vow chastity. But it was long ere the priests were persuaded: yea some of them would never agree thereunto as long as they lived. This Pope written also to the Archbishop of Mentz, commanding him as primate of all Germany, to compel married priests to forsake their wives, and to 'cause all other to vow chastity. This bishop called a convocation, in the which he declared the Pope's pleasure. But that priests resisted marvelous earnestly, alleging for them Scriptures, reasons, and counsels. So far they proceeded together, that there had like to have been a great A tumult for priests wives. tumult. Then the bishop being a wise man, considering how stiff, & earnest the priests ●…ere, desired them to take half a years deliberation, exhorting them to agree unto that thing with a good will, unto the which, he must else compel them, by the Pope's authority. After the half year was come out, the bishops called a convocation at the University of Erforde, and there required an answer of the priests, but they were stiffer than before, and said, how they had rather dye then forsake their wives contrary to God's law. On the other side The devil sleepeth not nor giveth not gladly place to Christ. the archbishop was earnest in setting forth the pope's commandment. Then the priests required to take their counsel, and so when they were departed out of the convocation they agreed (seeing that neither scriptures, reasons, counsels, nor yet intercession could whelp as they said) that they would go in again, and kill the Bishop, that all other Bishops after him should be well advised, ere they set forth that thing any more. But the Bishop had some friends amongst them, the which revelated this thing unto him, and he straight ways sent certain of his friends unto that priests, requiring them to come in again peaceably, and he would promise' them so to entreat the pope, that he should be content to let it pass, and that they should keep their cures still as they had done before. Notwithstanding the Archbishop could not change the pope's mind in any wise. For the year after the pope sent down his Legate Curiensen Episcopum, and joined the Bishop of Mentz with him, commanding them to gather a convocation in Mentz, and there to propound his decree again. But yet that priests would in no wise agree unto them, but laid all Scriptures, and reasons for them, that they could. And when all these things would not help, than they fallen to entreaty, and intercession. But the pope's Legates What shall men do against violence, and tyranny. were so stiff, that there was no remedy, but tyranny, and violence to be used. But as soon as the priests saw that, they gathered them together, & made a tumult, that the pope's Legates scaped very hardly with their lives out of the convocation house, & so was the convocation broken. And the Archbishop of Mentz would never meddle more in it, but committed the matter to the pope's discretion. So that the pope was fain to tarry a convenient time, till he had got certain Bishops, and certain priests of his party. The determinate time doth not that stories declare, but alonely we see that now he is prevailed in mischief. Wherefore I will now proceed after my promise, and recite their Scriptures and reasons, whereby they prove Celibatum Sacerdotum. Their first scripture is. be you holy, for I am holy, Dist. xxxii●… cap. Tenere. saith the Lord Upon this Scripture disputeth that pope on this manner. The priests of the old law did not company with their wives, in the time of their ministration. Wherefore the priests of the new law, which doth Solutions to their reasons. always minister, must much more always keep their chastity. First, the pope doth allege this Scripture The pope's arguments for that maintenance of their constrained chastity. wrong. For it is not Moses' mind, where this text is spoken, to compel men from their wives, or not to marry (the which thing the pope hath taken upon him to prove.) For Moses speaketh there to the whole household of Israel. Now was not the house of Israel compelled by the text, either to forsake their wives, or else to vow chastity. Wherefore this text can not make for the pope's purpose. furthermore, the text saith no more, but that we should be clean, and holy. Now is not matrimony, either unclean, or unholy: for it is a thing instituted, and sanctified of God. And the purest creatures Adam. Eua. that ever God made did use it, & was not thereby defiled. Ergo, this text maketh not for the pope's purpose. And where as the pope says, that that priests of the new law shall be clean, we The Levitirall cleanness lieth to much in the Pope's head. grant the same, and desire God with all our hearts, that they may be so. And because that we would, that it should be so: therefore do we exhort them to use Gods holy ordinance, that they may be holy. For all creatures of 1. Tim. 4. God be good. And unto them that be clean, nothing is unclean. Now is matrimony gods ordinance▪ Wherefore it must needs be clean of itself, and may be lawfully used with thanks. furthermore, what argument is this of the pope's? The priests of the old law, did abstain from their wives, Always. Sometime. the time of their ministration, Ergo, our priests must always abstain? How followeth this, always, out of the old priests, sometime? But me Why hath ●ot our Priests sometime wives, as the old Priests had. thinketh the pope should rather take an occasion of this place, to bind his priests to marriage, if they can not live sole. For the priests of the law, by God's commandment had wives: Ergo, God would not reckon marriage unclean, and unpure. And if it were clean for them, it must much more be cleaner unto our priests. For all things be cleaner unto us, then to them. Wherefore me thinketh that pope should rather dispute on this manner. The priests of that old law had wives, and were not thereby defiled, Ergo, my priests must much rather have wives, for they shall be less defiled. Moreover, it followeth not. The priests of the old law abstained from their wives, in the time of their ministration, Ergo, our priests must abstain always, because they be always in ministration. For many things were unclean to the priests of the old law, that be not unclean unto our priests. Also unto them it was a commandment so to do, or else it had been lawful for them to tarry by their wives. But our priests hath no commandment. Ergo, they are not bound to abstain. Finally, this text of Scripture did not bind the Apostles, nor all the holy fathers after the Apostles till Innocentes time to abstain from their wives. Ergo, it bindeth not our priests now. For god's word was in as full strength before Innocentes days, as after. The second Scripture is this. Abstain Dist. 31. c●▪ Nam sicut. Abstinete ad tempus, ut vacet is orationi. for a time that you may the better give attendance to prayer. On this text disputeth the pope on this manner. Paul commandeth (saith he) say men to abstain for a tyme. Ergo, much more are priests bound to abstain always. The which must always pray, and be in a continual sacrifiing. This argument is also false, and not concluded after Saint Paul's mind. For S. Paul would not by this text forbid marriage, by the reason of prayer. For how could he say then, Abstain for a time? unmarried men must abstain always, and not for a time only. Nor it is no commandment unto lay men (as the pope saith) to abstain. For S. Paul will, that they shall not abstain, except that they be both agreed. Yea and also in a case, that is, where their abstaining should be an occasion of more prayer. But if their abstaining may be the occasion of uncleaneness: Or else, if the one party will abstain, and the other can not: Then will blessed S. Paul that neither of them shall defraud the other. For they are more bound in this case to use them selves in the office of matrimony, then pro illo loco, & tempore to pray. For that text is clear Vxori vir debitum reddat. Let men mark my saying well. For though we be bond to pray by the Gospel, yet I think that the cercumstance of time, and place, is of man's law, & reddere debitum, is in this case of the Gospel. Wherefore the other must give place. Take my words charitably, and after learning. But yet grant it a commandment. How can it follow there out, that priests shall never marry? because that lay men are bond (as the pope saith) to abstain for a time? Why doth not the pope The pope's doctrine is repugnant to the doctrine of S. Paul. rather bind his priests in time, and place requisite to matrimony, for avoiding of fornication, as S. Paul doth? All the world knoweth, that priests doth not always pray. Wherefore then doth not the pope grant them that same liberty, that S. Paul doth. For he w●ll (jest that devil should tempt them by incontenency) that they should return again after their prayer to that office of matrimony. O Lord God, how would men cry out against me, if I should thus The Pope is a tearer ●nd wrester of Scriptures. tear, and wring scriptures? But this popet may do what he lysta: and all that he doth, men do reckon to be articles of our faith There is not a stronger place in all scripture for matrimony, than this is. In so much that all learned men, that ever spoke of this matter, hath brought this same chapter of S. Paul for them, & yet that devil in the Pope can turn this tops turuy. And that that maketh against him, must needs make for him, or else he will wring him till he break his neck. What learning can prove this, that priests may not marry? because they are bound to pray? & to do sacrifice? Doth marriage defile their prayers, or can it contaminate their sacrifices? then the holy patriarchs, & Prophets, have no clean sacrifices. Yea Christ's Apostles had unclean sacrifices. But here is a wonderful juggling of the devil. For sometime The Pope maketh a hodgepodge of marriage. matrimony shall be an holy, and a blessed sacrament, and shall give grace: and an other while it shall be against God, and all his sacrifices, and a defyler of God's ministers, & of all their prayers. Wherefore I conclude, that this text of S. Paul, Abstain for a time that you may the more diligently pray, maketh nothing for the Pope. For if we should be bound (as that pope says) not to marry, by the reason that we Lay men are bound to prayer, as well as Priests. aught to pray, then might no lay man marry a wife. For say men are as much bound by the Gospel to prayer, as priests be. There is no time, that the Gospel commandeth a priest to pray in, nor yet no prayer, that is commanded to priests by that gospel, but lay men are bound to the same. Wherefore if the pope will conclude that priests shall have no wives, because they are bond to pray. By the same reason will I prove, that no christian man may have a wife. Nor it will not help to say, that priests are more bond to pray, then lay men, & therefore they have no wives. For whether that they be bound less or more that maketh no matter to that argument. For both the parties are bound to prayer. Therefore, after the pope's doctrine, neither of them both may marry. But whether the one be more bound than the other, it maketh no matter to me, for they are both bound: therefore they must both abstain. I would desire all Papists, to let this reason of mine stand still unassoyled. another reason their is of Pope Dist. xxxi. ca Omnino. 1. Cor. 9 Nunquid non habemus potestatem muliere●… sor●re●… circunducendi. etc. Leo the. ix. that bringefh this text of S. Paul: Have not we power to lead about with us a wife, as the brother of our Lord, and Cephas? Out of this text disputeth the pope thus. S. Paul saith not, we have power amplectendi mulieren, to embrace a woman. But circunducendi, that is 1. Cor. 9 to lead her with us, that she may be sustained (as the Pope saith) of her husband? But there may be no company of marriage between them. Every Christian man may see what a slender argument this is of the pope. S. Paul saith not, amplectendi sed cercunducendi. Ergo, non licet sacerdotious habere uxores? This can no man deny, but S. Paul's meaning is there, how that priests may lawfully have wives as the example of Peter doth there prove. Wherefore I think no man so mad to judge, that the apostles did myrry wives, alonely to lead them about with them (as the Pope saith) and to put other men to costs and & charges? For this office they might have had of all other women, and needed not to marry, for leading about of women with them. Wherefore it must needs follow, seeing S. Paul's meaning is, that priests may lawfully have wives that they may also lawfully use the office of matrimony. For his own doctrine is, that the man hath no power over his own body, 1. Cor. 7. but his wife. Wherefore it must follow, that the pope maketh an evil supposition, when he supposeth, that the Apostles had wives, and did only but carry them about, to give them meat, and drink, and not to company with them. Also mark of this argument, how the pope granteth, that the apostles had wives? Wherefore he must now prove, that the Apostles, forsook the company of their wives, as he saith. But I am content to take this argument at the pope's hand. This the pope granteth, that the Apostles led their wives about with them. Wherefore it must needs follow (even after the Pope) that our priests may also lead wives about with them. If you grant me this, I am content, I will not bind priests amplectendi uxores, I will put it to his wives discretion, and his, as they two can agree: so am I content, alonely to let them have the liberty that the Pope granteth the holy Apostles to have had. And I doubt not but there will How many facts could I recite here, of amplectendi? follow tokens, not only of circumducendi but of amplectendi. Truly I have great marvel, that men be not ashamed, thus to trifle if children that be got might bear witness. with holy Scripture, yea, and that in matters that be so weighty, & whereby they see daily so great offence and slander to spring in the holy church of God. another Scripture the pope hath Dist. lxxxi●… c. Proposu●sti. Qui in carne sunt Deo placer● non possunt. which is this: They that are in the flesh can not please God. On this text disputeth the Pope thus: They that are defiled, are in the flesh: But priests that marry wives, are defiled: therefore, they be in that flesh, and can not please God. If men had either fear of God in their hearts, or else reverence to God's holy institutions, and ordinances, they would not thus speak nor judge of pure & clean matrimony. I trust The Pope accounteth whoredom to be more clean than holy matrimony. there is no Christian man, but be will grant me that matrimony is of gods ordaining and setting? Wherefore it must needs be pure a●d clean. For our God is no God of uncleaneness, or of filthiness, let the pope judge him as he will. Now to the Pope's argument. The Pope saith in his minor, how Priests that marry, be unclean. I deny that, and say steadfastly, that the pope blasphemeth both God and his holy gifts. And when he can prove his minor true, then will I grant it unlawful for Priests to marry. But I will take the Pope's argument, The Pope blasphemeth God. and prove that no man shall have wives, and so shall the world soon be at an end. The pope's mayor is this: They that be in the flesh can not please God. But married men (as the Pope thinketh) live after the flesh, therefore no married man can be saved. Let the pope of Rome, and all his adherentes answer to my argument, and I will soon answer to there's. For this I am sure of, that the scriptures which he bringeth, maketh not against matrimony, nor yet more against priests then against lay men. Wherefore let him conclude what he can out of them against priests, and I will conclude the same against lay men. These be all the Scriptures that I can find in the Pope's law against this matter. Wherefore, now will I go to their reasons. Their principal reason is this. Married Men that have wives may be Priests, but after their priesthood they may not marry. men may be choose to be priests, but after their priesthood (say they) may they not marry. These men must first consider what doctrine they defend, that is to say, how they intend to defend the pope's doctrine, and that doctrine, which they call the doctrine of the church: for there is none other doctrine against us but that. Now doth this doctrine clearly deterne against them, and say how Dist. x● viii. c. Nullum. etc. Assumi &. ca Preterea. &. c. Pr●usquam. no man that hath a wife, may be choose to be Priest or a Deacon, neither they can bring me one example, that ever the Pope did grant, that a married man might be a priest except he got money for dispensing. So that the Pope by his dispensation hath always testified that it was against his law for Remember the tyranny of Gregory the seven. which compelled priests to forsake their wives a married man to be a Priest. Wherefore these men (if they will defend the laws of the Church) must be bond to prove that married men may after the laws of the Church (as they call them) be choose, or else their answer is nought. For it is no reason that they should feign this solution of their own brains, and say, that it may be so. But they must prove me, that their church doth grant it lawful so to be. Moreover, where be now all their Scriptures, whereby they prove that Priests may not marry for defiling of them? Is not the company that a Priest keepeth with his Marriage is all one, before priesthood, and after. wife after his consecration (which they grant) as pure, and as clean, as it was before his consecration? Hath his consecration made that thing unclean, that was before pure? Wherefore if he may keep his wife (after these men) which he married before his consecration, why may not an other Priest likewise marry a wife after his Priesthood. What doth this man, as concerning the office of matrimony, that the other man doth not? furthermore, they were wont to say, that Priests might not keep their wives, in so much that they feigned how that Apostles did forsake their wives. How standeth this with their solution, that married men might be bishops? But me think they do but trifle with this matter, and seek no more but a light evasion, to help them for a tyme. Moreover, both the practice and the laws of their church declareth clearly, that their meaning is not to choose a married man to be a bishop. For their custom is that a man may be a Subdeacon at 16. years old. Now is there no man customably married so young. And when he shall be subdeacon, Dist. xxvi●… cap. Null●…. he must forswear marriage, as the Pope's law commandeth. Therefore, it must needs follow, that no married man can be a Priest. For he hath forsworn marriage many years before. Moreover, all Doctors do grant, that after the fall of Adam, matrimony was a remedy against fornication, and S. Paul approveth the same. unusquisque suam habeat uxorem propter fornicationem. What if this man, after his consecration is in more jeopardy of fornication than he was before? What remedy will men find now for this infirmity? His consecration taketh not away his natural appetite, nor it maketh God's remedy unlawful. And either he must live in fornication, or else marry a wife. Let men judge, which of them becometh a priest best after his consecration. furthermore no man can deny, but the histories make mention, how diverse priests have been married after their consecration, at the dispensation of the pope. Wherefore it must follow, that it is not against God's law, for a Priest to marry after his consecration. For then the pope might not dispense with him. Men must grant, that many Priests have had wives. Now standeth it with good reason, and learning, that they prove, that all these men did marry before their priesthood only, and not after, seeing they will have it so necessary, and so perfect a solution. And if they can not prove it, The Pope maintaineth his constrained chastity against the institution of Christ. why do they affirm it so stiffly? what moveth them so to say? yea, and so boldly? But yet I will be content, let the matter be indifferently handled, and let as many married men be choose to be Bishops, as be unmarried, seeing they grant it lawful: And then am I sure, that we shall avoid a great heap of fornications, that been now used. Yea I fear me, that our chaste men shall soon be quit of all, and the married men shall have all. another reason they have, & that is this. priests may extinct the brenning priests may get chastity, by praying, & fasting. heat that is in them, by fasting, labouring, watching, praying, & by other good works doing. And if they do thus, no doubt, but God will give them the gift of chastity, for he is liberal in giving, and merciful in hearing of their prayers, Ergo, they need not to marry. First I desire to know of those men, if they will say of their conscience, that the third part of Priests in England do keep their chastity? I think they will rather swear nay, than yea. Now A Notary of London said to me openly, that he had written a thousand dispensations for priests children in his days. How many than have all Notaries written. come to their argument, and see how shamefully they do reprove priests. I dared not speak so much against them, as these men do. For first they say, that if priests did pray, or fast, or did like good works, them God would, yea he must of his liberality, & mercy give them the gift of chastity. Secondly, they grant that that third deal of priests keep not their vow. Now is this as much to say, thinketh me. first, that Priests be nought in deed. secondarily, that they neither will, not yet desire to be better. For if they did desire it of God, he would give it them, say they. In him is no fault, Ergo, the fault is in the priests, that neither be good in deed, nor yet will pray, or desire to be good. I would not gladly have such patrons in my cause. Moreover I grant that Priests priests shall fast, and pray. But what if all that will not help. shall fast, and pray to keep their bodies low. But now to them. Why shall not priests also marry to avoid fornication, as well as fast, and pray? seeing that God hath ordained matrimony, for a peculiar, and singular, remedy against fornication? I do not condemn true fasting, and praying. Why do they then condemn marrying? seeing that God which ordained fasting, and praying, hath also ordained marrying? Yea, and me think, if any one thing should be first proved, then should marriage be first proved, seeing that it is deputed of God, for a proper, and speedy remedy against fornication? Notwithstanding I will be content, first to exhort all Priests, both to praying, and fasting, & if they can so keep their chastity, I will thank God with them. But if they can not, then will I in no wise, that they shall be compelled either by law, or by vow to chastity. For that is against God's word, and the doctrine of his holy Apostles. But yet let me touch their ground nearer. I would desire than to tell me, and to prove unto me by learning, that God is bound, in as much as God is bond to as much as he hath promised. he is liberal, and merciful to grant unto them that gift of chastity, for their praying, and fasting. It is not enough for them thus to say, seeing that many good men hath both prayed, and fasted, and yet had not the gift of chastity: But they must bring me an open Scripture, wherein that this promise is made unto their fasting, and watching, or else they must grant that they be bound to use God's remedies, which he hath ordained, and instituted, to the helping of our infirmity. If I were hungry, and thirsty, and would go, and pray to God to slake my hunger, and thirst, & would not use those means, and remedies, that God hath ordained, think you that God were bond of his liberality to grant me my request? Nay for s●●th. But it were rather to be judged, that I were a tempter of God, & a despiser of his holy ordinance, and would not be content with those remedies, that God hath appointed. The devil cometh with like temptation Math. 4. to our M. Christ, and requireth him to the honour of God to do a miracle, to leap down from the highest of the temple, if he would be taken for the son of God, & as for harm he could have none. For the Scripture Psal. 90. testifieth (says he) that God had commanded his angels to bear thee up in their arms. Wherefore (saith the devil) it shall be a great honour to God, and also a great declaration to thy power, if thou descend from the height of the temple, otherwise then any other man can do. And if thou goest down by the steyers, God shall The devil tempteth God. no more be glorified in thy fact, then in other men's, nor thou shalt not be taken for the man, that thou art, and wouldst be. Moreover, thou needest not doubt, but God will help thee. For the scripture speaketh of thee, which can not be false. Notwithstanding all this, our M. Christ calleth it tempting of God, when men will seek unto him for other remedies, than he hath appointed. And therefore our M. Christ doth clearly declare, that the same Scripture, which the devil bringeth for him, maketh not for his purpose. For though that God doth promise to help Christ, & all his, yet will he be glorified in his creatures, & will that we shall use them with thanks, to the intent, & purpose, that he hath ordained them for: And then, if there be any thing lacking unto our health, & salvation, he will, that we shall both pray, & trust in him. With what boldness can I desire of God to help me? and am not consent to receive his creatures, that he hath instituted to help me? Whereby shall God help me, If I despise his ordinances, and creatures that he hath already ordained to my helping? Is it reason, that God at my instance, shall make a new ordinance God changeth not his order for our pleasure. and new remedies for my diseases? Why am I not content (if I will be helped at God's hand) with those remedies, that be all ready instituted? It was but a small thing, and a vile thing in a manner, for Christ to descend by the steyers from the height of the temple, seeing that the devil required him, by God's honour, & also by his own, to show some special power. If I wear diseased, and sick, and would not use the counsel of Physicians, nor of other medicines, that God hath instituted, but will fast, and pray, and watch, and do alms deeds, think you that men would reckon me wise? And if I did thus dye, were not I a despiser of God, and of his good ordinances? God hath appointed Physicians, and given virtue to herbs, and other creatures, to help my disease. Whèrefore I am bound with meekness, and with thanks to receive them, and to pray to God, that he will fortify, and strengthen the natures of these creatures, and that they may have virtue, and effecacy in me. This is a Christian man bond to do: God hath ordained every thing to a purpose, and thereunto must they be used. For if this reason of these men shall have strength, them will we use no manner of creatures, or remedies that God hath ordained, but against hunger, and thirst, heat, and could, agues, and pestilences, poverty, and necessity, swords and gonnes, against all manner of diseases, against all manner of misfortunes, will we use nothing, but all only pray, or fast, or else give alms, as we shall think best. So that we will teach God what thing is best to the helping of all imperfections. I thank you good Masters for your good doctrine, I pray God reward you. Finally I have great marvel, why that prayer, and fasting shall all only get Priests to the gift of chastity? and not all other men? And priests have a privilege before other men. if other men may have the gift of chastity through their prayer? why be not all men moved to live chaste? seeing that chastity in very deed is a higher state than matrimony is. Why be priests more bound to pray for the gift of chastity, than other Christian men be? Now mark this doctrine. If a limb of the devil would come now and preach universally to all men the ercellencye of chastity, and to show what a great quiet living it is, and what a pleasant state it is before God, And contrariwise, of marriage would The flesh would gladly have a quiet living, & pleasant. say, that it wear a sorrowful state, full of troubles, full of cares, full of heanines, and (as the Pope saith) a fleshly, and a carnal state, and that seemeth to have in itself any uncleanness: and by these reasons, and perswasyons, with many more that he might bring, would exhort all manner of men in England to live sole, and unmarried, And would also teach them to pray, and to fast for the gift of chastity and not to doubt, but that God of his liberality would give it them. I would fain know of learned men▪ if this man were gods friend and the kings? How much he is gods, I will not dispute. But I am sure there could not be a greater traitor to the kings grace than he is. For if he might bring to pass that he intends by his doctrine. first he should destroy that kings succession. Secondarily, he should within this seven years, make that king a Lord of a few subjects, or none, and finally of none indeed. And all this would they do by fasting, and praying. But what thing so ever they tell us of their fasting, and praying, I am Had the world continued, they would have made us poor men believe, that they had got children with fasting, & praying. sure that they fall to getting of children as soon as other men do, and all is with fasting and praying. Alas what thing can not the devil misuse. But let no man take me, as though I condemned fasting, and praying. For surely I would that they should be used, and that diligently. But I would, have them used in time, and place convenient, and for the intent, and purpose, that God hath ordained them. But yet I would not, that other remedies, and gifts of God should be thought unlawful, & also be despised for them. Now most gracious Prince, here have I showed unto your grace, first mine obedience, willing that every man should both so learn, and so do. Secondarylye, I have showed my learning in certain articles, for that which there is a variance in the world at this day, protesting unto your grace, that I have said nothing, but I trust be true, and agreeable with Gods holy word, and with the learning of the Doctors▪ Notwithstanding, if there be any man within your realm, that can prove by good learning the contrary (so that your grace shall allow it to agree with God's word, and to be sufficient before Gods dreadful judgement) I shall be content to submit myself to your grace's determination, and to do that thing that béecommeth a Christian man, & a true subject to do. Thus our Lord jesus Christ, the purchasour of all grace and goodness, ever preserve your grace in all virtue and honour, Amen. That it is against the holy Scripture to honour Images, and to pray to Saintes. IF men had the very true faith in Christ jesus, that belongeth to Christian men to have, this article were open of itself without any farther probation: for if men did believe first that Christ were God and omnipotent, and mighty, to give all things: Secondarily, that he were merciful, gracious, & loving toward us, and so loving, that we could desire nothing of him, but that he would give it us: if men (I say) had this faith, and this love toward Christ, they would go no farther but to him only, they would make, invent, & devise no mediators, but faithfully receive him (according to the Scriptures) for their only mediator, Saviour, and redeemer: and believe and know surely, that they could ask nothing so great in his name, but that they should receive it, so that he would himself give it, and thereunto is able. Also by this faith, they should perfectly know, that they could not be so unworthy, but he of his only and mere mercy, is able, & also would make them worthy to receive their petitions, so that if men had faith, they should perfectly know that they had need of no more than this one Christ, that they should nor aught not seek to any other mediator, either to obtain any thing, or else to make them worthy: but should know and confess both in word and deed, that Christ alonely is able enough, yea & so mighty and so merciful, that all other feigned and invented mediators of men be vile, filthy and abominable of themselves, to be compared to him. If this faith (I say) were printed in the hearts of men, then what should they or could they, desire more than this one mediator jesus Christ? What could they have, that of him and by him they could not obtain? Truly nothing that they could righteously ask, as all Scriptures bear witness. But now, let all these makers of new Gods cumilate themselves together on a heap, and show me but one place, yea but one jot, or one example in holy Scripture, that ever men did pray to Saintes? or one that entered into heaven by Saints prayers? Christ ascended (as the Scriptures Christ ascended into heaven by his own power. be plain) into heaven by his own power: now would I know of these new Godmakers, by whose power and help that the first Saint came into heaven: say not by the intercession of Saintes, for I will say then there were none in heaven: nor by his own holiness, for than died Christ in vain: and if he came by Christ only, why may he not alone help us thither? His power is not weakened: his mercy is no less toward us than it was toward him. Now here you see all the causes that brought the first Saint to heaven, & these causes be sufficient, yea & alonely allowed of the Scriptures of God: therefore they be also sufficient for us, if we will believe the scriptures of God. But now to declare and make this matter open, I will recite the words of the Scriptures: first I will speak of Images, of whom speaketh Moses Exod. 20. Deut. 5. these words. Thou shalt make thee no graven Images, nor similitude of any thing that is in heaven We are forbidden of God to make Images. above, or in earth beneath, or in waters under the earth: thou shalt neither honour nor worship them. be not these words plain against all manner of Images or similitudes? For if saints be in heaven or in earth, or under the earth, here be their figures excepted, either to be honoured, We must neither honour Images nor worship them. or worshipped: and mark that he excepteth both honouring and also worshipping. Now what can you give to Images that is neither hohonour nor worship? It maketh no matter to me, whether you call it latria or dulia, if it be either honour or worship, then is it against Scripture: and if it be neither, then is it nothing but a void name invented of your insatiable covetousness, to deceive simple men with, and to heap innumerable good to yourselves. For if you had no more profit by Images than you have devotion to them, than should they be soon left down: Who hath seen a precious offering of a Priest given to any Image? but we see daily how ye rob Images of other men's oblations. But let us return to our purpose, Duns on this text says, that by it was Duns. 3. Distin. 9 it forbidden to make images before the incarnation of Christ. etc. Now must you prove where they be allowed since the incarnation and show with manifest scriptures where this text is condemned in the new Testament or else it standeth fast against you after your own. M. Duns, whom you dare not deny. Also that Prophet says, a man did plant a pinaple tree, and Esay. 44. the rain did nourish it, and thereof was made a fire unto men, he took of it and warmed him, and burned it and baked bread therewith, and of the other part he Made him a God, and did honour it, and prayed unto it saying, deliver me for thou art my God. Mark the process of that Prophet, first the man planted this tree, them he burned part of it and baked bread with it, and of the other part he made him a God whom he honoured and worshipped, mark also if all these be not true, and fulfilled of your images, of the one is made your God which you do honour, and of whom you desire to be delivered, some from death, some from sickness, some from pestilence, some from poverty, some from thieves, some from evil fortune, some from hanging, some from drowning, and some to save you from the tooth ache, some to save your horse, some your pyges, and some to help your women with child, with many other things more, so that for every thing that you will desire, you have a God to ask it of. Now of the other part is made a pair of gallows: is not this true? is not this plain? of what other thing in earth can the saying of that prophet be verified, but of your images? And if it may be verified of an hundred other things, yet is it also true of your Vain Imaginations of men. images: and unto them agreeth most peculiarly. The prophet speaketh not of one only, but of all things that be like. Now deliver your Gods if you can. They will not be delivered with the answer that Doctor Rydley did once make unto me, that there was no man so blind, nor so mad, or foolish, for to honour the stock and the stone that standeth before them, but they refer the honour to that thing that the Image doth represent. I answer: good Master Doctor, I pray you tell me one thing, what did Cicero with all the whole Senators of Rome? did they not honour that same thing that stood before them (and yet as you say) they did refer it unto the thing that was thereby represented. These men were wise men and as well learned in their time as you, & yet you see (for lack of knowledge of the truth) they honoured stocks and stones. I am sure you will not excuse them from Idolatry, yea and that because they did honour the stocks and stones, and not alonely for honouring of the the thing that was represented. Also what did Roboam when he did set up two golden calves in bethel 3. King. 12. and said to the people, Go● no more to Jerusalem behold thy Gods Israel. Was not this done to the honour of God? for they were not so mad (as you say) to think that those calves were Gods, but they did honour them in the honour of God, and that was well declared in their sacrifice which was none other, but such as God had commanded in the law, Ergo, after your rule they might law, fully honour these calves referring it to God. They had also a great colour for them, for all the old fathers did always offer to god calves, as Abraham with many other which, oblation was accepted of God. Wherefore they might well think that God would be honoured in the images of Calves. Now what thing can you lay to them whereby you will prove that they honoured their stocks and their stones, and their Calves, but those same things shall also be laid unto you, and unto yours, to prove that you do likewise honour your stocks and your stones. First you run from place to place, to seek them, which is a token that you do honour the stock or stone, for there have you nothing of the Saint more than in an other place, saving only the stock & stone. Now, when you have found them, How we have been by ignorance led to worship stocks and stones. then pray you before them, and that with knéelinges, and knockings, and shaking of your heads, and looking devoutly and piteously, then kiss you their feet or their shoowes (for they be seldom barefooted lest they should have the murr or the coaffe, by the reason they be not used to could, as you may see by their smooked scolions faces, hands, and feet, with all the place where they stand) and wipe your napkins, and rub your beads on them, and lick them with your tongues, and lay your eyes on them. Then set you lights before them, & then offer you to them (though in that M. Doctor your person is nothing guilty) great oblations, so that they shine in gold and silver and precious stones: yea and not thus content, but also promise' to visit that stock once a year, if God and that good saint send you life, and health. etc. I pray you is not this honouring of the stock and stone? what did Cicero with all the Romans to their stocks and stones? what did Roboam to his Calves, if this be not honouring, define me what honouring is: what more exterior honour can you devise then this is? and yet you do say that you honour no stocks nor stones. But worldly shame, and invincible Scriptures, have brought you to make this damnable evasion, because you see men now wax wise in the Lord, by the which they see clearly your false dissimulation and hypocrisy. But if you were the true honourers of God, as you be secret hypocrites, you would not make this damnable evaston to establish, uphold and maintain your Idolatry, nor yet suffer (so much as say in you) any thing to be done that hath any colour or shadow of holiness that might be an occasion of Idolatry. But because you be hypocrites and unsatiable belly Gods, you care not (so you may deceive the simple people & lead them with blind shadows, thereby to fill your offering boxes and chéestes to maintain your unsatiable carnal appetites) how the honour of God be saved, or how your poor brethren's conscience be deceived. Think you that this is enough to say that no man is so mad nor so foolish as to honour the stocks and stones. And yet to suffer and daily before your eyes to see, so great exterior honour given unto them. That no tongue can express nor heart can devise more: yea if you will believe your subtle Duns, they Stocks & stones the Papists honour as Gods. give unto them (as I shall well prove by his definition) honour which is called Latria: the which Latria after your own learning aught to be given to God only. This saith Duns, Latria is called an exterior honouring or a bodily service. etc. Now if that be true, it followeth that they give that honour to stocks and stones that only pertaineth to God, which do any exterior honour (whether it be offering of candles, or kissing of their shows, or any other thing) to them: Make you the conclusion, for I need not to say that they do idolatry. furthermore, this word Latria, (where with you deceive the simple people) is a Greek word and after. S. Augustine it signsfyeth no more but service, the which you can not deny but that you give to your stocks and stones. Conclude now this proposytyon after. M. subtle doctor Dunces definition I pray you, for I have no leisure. Thinketh your doctourhed that the children of Israel with their high Priest Aaron could not have made this Pope holy excuse, that they were not so mad nor so foolish as to honour the golden Calf, but rather to refer that honour to the living God? They had a good colour for them. For they knew none other God nor saint but him: and yet this excuse was not lawful, nor could not be allowed when Moses came with the word of God. Mark also what he was that made this Calf, not a fool nor ignorant person among the people, or one of none authority: But the most wisest eloquenst and chief among them: yea he was that time the very head of the Church or congregation. Also note the intent which was to keep the people together in good order. He also made a Calf with the which thing all their fathers had pleased God in doing sacrifice with them: so that they might well think that it might be acceptable to God to be honoured in the image of a Calf before any other Image. But all these colours be naked before the word of God. briefly would you allow that the people should give that same honour to me the they do give to your stokes and stones? And under the same colour that it should be in the name & honour of God (you can not say but I am as good as your best stocks & stones: and if they be the Images of saints and represent saints after your feigning, I am the Image of God and represent him so long as I believe in him according to the holy scriptures. And if a cunning and an artificyall graver made them, God made me. And I have. ij. things above them, which all your carvers, and you with all your distinctions can not give to your stocks nor stones: That is, I am a living creature, and your stocks be dead: I am created to live with the everlasting God, and your stocks be made to the fire) I am sure you nor no man will allow it. But there is one marvelous wonder, That if the best and most holy of all your new gods, yea one that doth miracles every day, were taken out of your hands, & set again in the Carvers & his maker's house, he should be no better than a stock or a stone, nor could do no miracles: yea if he were prayed Practise of Papists to cause Images to work miracles. never so much: no not so much as if the house were a fire, to save either the house or himself. Also it is not lawful so long as he there standeth neither to pray to him, nor yet to offer to him, which offering would both help the poor man, his wife, children, and servants. But let them suffer you to take this wormye God into your hands again, and then is he Lord over all the world, then maketh he rich men and poor men, then maketh he men blind, & blind to see again, then maketh he lame men whole, then maketh he we men with child, yea and also bringeth them well to bed. Then expelleth he devils, then telleth he things to come, then ruleth he in heaven and earth and in water, briefly he defendeth both king and kingdom. Is not here a sudden mutation? and all is because he hath got him a new M. and a new place. O▪ you hypocrites think you that men be so blind that The hypocrisy of the Papists hath greatly prevailed in the practising and advancing of Idolatry. they can not see this falsed? You would make them blind in deed the which would make them to honour stocks and stones: yea and that in the name of an other thing, the which also they know not. Which of you all hath seen our Lady or any other saint where by you may learn to make her similitude? and if you have nothing to lay for you but because she was a woman, then is your Image as much the similitude of an harlot of the stues the which beareth all the shape that belongeth to a natural woman as well as of our Lady. Notwithstanding that our blessed lady is a virgin and the other a strumpet, yet in exterior forms and shapes that may be seen and judged by senses, be they all one, yea and your Image in all exterior signs is a great deal more lyker unto an harlot, then to a pure and a blessed meek virgin. And yet are you not ashamed with these damnable shadows, both to private God of his honour and also compel your simple brethren to this shameful idolatry. If you will look yourself and see clearly your idol in a pure mirror, read the. uj. chapter of Baruch, wherein you shall find these words, Their stocks be polished Baruch. 6. of the carpenter, and they be gilded & silvered, but they be false & A notable declaration of Baruch the Prophet against Idols and Idolatry. can not speak. How think you, have not your Images these properties? Their Gods have golden crowns on their heads from whom the Priests doth take away gold & silver & spend it on themselves: They give also of it unto their strumpets, and deck their harlots: And when they have taken it away from their harlots, them deck they there with their Gods again. Wherefore know that they be no Gods. be not all these things fulfilled on you? do not you take away their oblations & therewith maintain your pomp and pride, & deck also your harlots, say not nay, for all the world will condemn you, for open liars, the matter is so plain. Their Gods have a sceptre like a man, and like a judge of a land, but they can not slay him that offendeth them, wherefore fear them not. Doth not this agree with your Gods? Note how bold the prophet is which dare crack with your God, & saith how that they can not hurt their enemies: wherefore he biddeth us that we shall not fear them. Now if you think that this be not spoken of your Gods (not with standing that none of these things they be void of) go to them and cry: but remember that you cry aloud, for they be very thick of hearing or per adventure they be go forth a town and occupied. Therefore I say cry & whoop aloud, and bid them if they be Gods or will have any honour that they will now avenge themselves of their enemies. If they can do nothing, them will we lay unto them this mock of the profit and will not fear them. They have a sword in their hand, and an axe, but they can not deliver themselves from battle, nor from thieves: therefore fear them not. A righteous man is better that hath none Images for he shall be free from obprobriousnes. How think you have not your Gods all these tokens? how many thieves have you hanged for robbing of your goods? but your gods never saved themself from thieves. Moreover, why make you so sure locks, & so sure doors, if your Gods be able to keep your goods? I think you fear not their running away. furthermore, why keep you so great bandogs, if your Gods be able to save their Gods from thieves? But me thinketh the bandogs be mightier than your Gods, and also you trust more to them: for they defend both you and your Gods. You dumb stocks, where is all your reason? where is all your wit? where is all your wisdom? where is all your policy? where is all your godly faith that you aught to have in the God of heaven? Are you not ashamed thus grossly to deceive men? yea & with those things which you can neither defend with scripture, nor yet with any reason. But peradventure you will say that the Prophet speaketh here of Idols and not of Images. I answer: I pray you what call you Idolum? is it not as much as Imago There is no difference between an Idol & on Image. in Latin? which we call in inglishe an Image, but we will not vary for the name: let us go to the properties. Have not your Images all these properties that the Prophet layeth to these things which you call Idols? can you say nay? can you prove the contrary? Doth not experience learn us that they be all one? Now what matter is it what name you give them, when the properties and the very thing is all one. Moreover the Prophet David doth define an Idol with these properties: First it hath eyes & can The description of an Idol or Image. not see: it hath a nose and can not smell: it hath a mouth and can not speak: it hath ears and can not hear: it hath hands and can not feel: it hath feet and can not go. etc. Now which of all these properties hath not your Idols? what will you make now of them? The Prophet David maketh an idol of the thing that hath these properties: and will you make a God and a helper of them? will you pray to them? will you offer to them? will you run from place to place to seek them? There is no distinction, there is no subtlety that can help you. For more reverence, more service, more honour, more cultus duly may you not do to your Images then the Prophet would that we should not do to Idols: for they be one in all properties and conditions. And as for your miracles that you defend them by, they be but illusions of the devil, invented of your own imaginations, and contrary to the word of God, unto the great blaspheming of the omnipotent God of heaven. For miracles be never done of God that any man can prove of surety, but all only to the magnifiing & declaration of his blessed word. As for all other miracles may be suspected to be done of the devil, by the sufferance of God, to the probation of our faith, and specially when they be against the open word of God. This may be proved by the words of Moses: If there arise in the Deut. 13. midst of thee a Prophet, or a man that says I have seen a vision, and tell thee afore a sign and a wonder, and that thing that he told thee do also come to pass: Now if this man say unto thee, let us go and follow straying Gods which thou knowest not, and let us serve them, thou shalt not hear the Prophet, nor the dreamers words, for God doth prove you, that it may be open whether you love him in all your heart, and in all your soul or not. be not these words open against all manner of miracles? yea & against Prophets whose prophecy is true: and yet because he will draw the hearts of the people unto other things beside God, therefore shall he not be herded: your Images be not here excepted. furthermore, what signifieth this, that God will have all our hearts and all our souls. If God have all, then can your Images have no part. But mark how God doth prove our faith with such miracles, so that he would that neither heaven nor hell, saint, nor miracles, Prophet Idols or Images work no miracles. Hypocrites fayne them to be the workers of miracles. true, nor false, should draw our hearts from him, or from his word: but alonely to stick fast to him. Wherefore lay for your Idols what you can: first they be no Gods: secondarily they can no more do (if they do so much) but do miracles, & tell you before of those things that be to come. And yet all this can not help, for it is openly against the word of God and we may not hear them. furthermore against your Idols will I set the brazen Serpent, of whom it is written that it did miracles so openly that no man can deny it, yea and that by the word of God: which did also stand many hundred years, till the people did to it so much as they now do to your Gods: that is, they did offer incense & other oblations thereto, and therefore was it destroyed. Not withstanding it was instituted of God, and so be none of your idols, wherefore miracles can not help. And among the Turks be miracles done as they think, and yet that proveth not their sect to be lawful. I will tell you of a miracle that is written in their law. On a certain time there was a controversy between the Priests and the religious men which of them should have, the oblations of the people. The Priests laid that they were best worthy because they were ministers in the temple and servants to the Gods, and night and day took pain for the people. The Friars laid for them that they were the succession of all their holy fathers and by their prayers and merit●… was the king & all the people kept, 〈◊〉 ●he land defended from all evil with many other things more. Briefly this matter was deferred of both parts to the sentence of the A notable miracle done by false gods in Turkey. king, the which had thought to have given sentence with the Priests. But when the Friars known it, they came to the king and desired him that he would defer the sentence seven. days, and see what the Gods would show for them. The night before that the king should give sentence, was he compelled by nature to go to the privy, which when he came there, the preevy brake, and he fell in, & there was he crying by the space of an hour, till he was so weary that he could cry no more, & no man could come to him for the palace was locked. Then suddenly appeared unto him a religious man with a glorious light, saying unto him. Now where be they that thou wouldest have given sentence with all? are not they well worthy of the oblations that can not help thee out of danger? but now mayst thou see what we may do with the Gods for thee and all thy land: and with this the king without pain or hurt was taken out of the préevy and laid again in his bed or he witted it: and the day following gave he sentence that the religious men should have the oblations. How think you was not here an open miracle? and was it not done on A stinking miracle. the king the which had understanding and reason. It was an open matter when he was in the préevy and the préevy broken, and he laid again in his bed without any hurt, this passed man's power. But what will you prove of this miracle? all your Gods together can not do a more open miracle then this is. But let us see what the Doctors say against your Gods, Clemens writeth these words, We do honour Libro 5. ad jacob. visible Images to the honour of the invisible God, the which is a false thing: but if you will honour the image of God in doing well to man, To relieve thy poor neighbour that is God's Image, is to honour God. in him shall you honour the true image of God. Wherefore if you will truly honour the image of God, we will open that thing unto you that is of truth, so that you must do well unto man the which is made unto the Image of God: give him honour and reverence: give him meat when he is hungry: give him drink when he is thirsty: Cloth him when he is naked: serve him when he is sick: give him lodging when he is a stranger: and when he is in prison minister to him necessaries. This is the thing that shall be counted to be geeven God truly. What honour is this of god to run about foolishly to stony & woody Images, and to honour as Gods idle and dead figures, and to despise man in whom is the very true Image of God. Wherefore understand you that this is the suggestion of the Serpent that lurketh within, the which doth make you believe that you be devout when you do honour in sensible things. And maketh you to believe that you be not wicked when you hurt sensible and reasonable men. etc. How think you? doth not this dam the worshipping of Images, yea though it be in that honour of God. He showeth you also that there is no There is no true Image, but only the Image of man which few do honour. other true Image but man. Which of you all go a pilgrimage to that Image? which of you all do offer to that Image? which of you all do honour that Image? You land lepers, you inventors of new gods, you Idolaters, what say you to this? how can you avoid this? is not this agreeable with Scriptures? And yet this Image do you despise: This image cast you in prison: this Image do you stock & chain, and whip from town to town, without any cause. This image dieth in the streets before your doors for hunger and cold, and you run to Walsingam & to Ipsewiche with great pomp & pride to honour your dead shadows. It were better for you to burn those Idols and to warm this true image of God there by: for this Image was made unto God only, and all your dumb gods were made for this Images sake. Wherefore it cometh of the devil, that you forsake this very true image & leap to your worm eaten Gods: yea you have burned many a poor man for speaking against these dumb Idols. But tell me when all the Bishops in England did vex or trouble any man for speaking or for doing, yea or for destroying this very true Image of GOD: they had rather destroy it themselves, than it should be undestroyed. Let the kings books be searched throughout the Realm Of the lively Images of man, many have the Bishops burned: But of their worm eaten images not one. and there shall be no small number found of these Images that be troubled and vexed and cast in prison for trifles, yea and utterly undone by the Bishops and by their Priests: & yet will they be that honourers of Images, yea and that to the honour of God, and of all holy Saints. Is not this against all wisdom? yea is it not against nature? and yet no man may tell it. Also the same doctor in an other Clemens in codem libro. place, What thing is there so wicked & so unthankful, as to receive a benefit of God and to give thanks unto stocks and stones? wherefore wake and understand your health. etc. How think you, are you not unthankful unto God of whom you have De ●er● roli. ca ulti. received all thing, and for them you thank your worm eaten Gods? furthermore. S. Augustine saith, Let us not love any visible spectakilles jest by erring from the verity, and by loving shadows we be brought in to darkness, let us have no devotion to our phantesies. It is better to have a true thing what so ever it be then all manner of things that may be feigned at our own pleasure etc. be not your idols visible spectakles? be they any other things than shadows? and yet you will love them & honour them. Answer to Saint. Augustine. You Infidels have not we a living God, and will you bring us from him to dead stocks? Also S. Super Dani. Jerome, Be it known unto the King. etc. the properties of the words be to be marked that he he saith, we will not worship thy gods nor yet honour thy image, for neither of both be come the servants of God to do. etc. Here have you that neither worshipping nor honouring belongeth to Images. But now to that worshipping of saints, which hath a greater shadow of holiness Saintes saith Papists are to be worshipped, for they pray for us than these dumb Gods have. In primis you say that saints must pray for us and be mediators to God for us, that by them we may be able to receive our petition. This is Richard's opinion De media villa, there can not a thing be invented by that craft of the devil that may be a greater blasphemy or more derogation to Christ and his blessed blood then this is. For if Saintes be necessary to be mediators for us, then is Christ unsufficient: for philosophers did never put ij. causes where as one was sufficient: and if any thing be given us of God for saints sakes then be not all things given for Christ's sake, that which is plainly against S. Paul's saying, God for us all hath given his son, and shall he not give Us Roma. 8. all things with him? Let every christ en man judge what a blasphemy that is. But let us prove that Christ is all only our mediator. S. Paul saith. There is one mediator between God and man, the man Christ God hath given us one mediator which is jesus Christ and not appointed any Saint to be our mediator. jesus, the which hath given himself for the redemption of all men. Mark that he saith, one mediator between God and man. Where there is but one, there can no saints come in. Moreover saints be men, therefore they must have a mediator for themselves, and then they can not be mediators for other men. furthermore The mediator between God & man is named jesus, but there is no Saint so named. the mediator between God and man, is called Christ jesus. Now is there any saint that hath this name? if there be none that hath the name, then is there none that can usurp this office, without blaspheming of Christ. furthermore he hath redeemed us only without the help of saints, and why shall he not be only mediator without saints? is not redemption the chief act of a mediator? Also the holy ghost saith, He shall be called Emanuel the which is as much to say as God with us, what is this Esay. 7. God with us, is he with us but as one man is with an other? And as my How God by Christ is ever with us. cote is with my back? Nav, he is an other ways with us, That is to redeem us, to save us, to keep us, to defend us from all evil: yea and is with us, that is, he is on our side, he holdeth with us, he speaketh for us, he excuseth us, he maketh our cause good: briefly he obtaineth all things for us. Of what saint can this be spoken? What do saints now for us? Also S. john saith, If a man do sin 1. john 2. we have an advocate by the father Christ jesus, what is this? he is our advocate to the father? and here be none assigned but Christ jesus, and by him have we only remission of our sins. Now what shall the Saints obtain Saints can obtain nothing for us. for us? what shall they desire for us? if our sins be remitted, then hath the father of heaven no displeasure against us, what shall they then pray for us? Also S. Paul saith. The spirit of God maketh intercession mightily for us with mighty desires, that can not be expressed with tongue. Mark how the spirit of God desireth and prayeth for us, and that no man should reckon that we had need of other mediators, he saith that he prayeth mightily for us, and with great fervency that it can not be expressed. Now is not he able to obtain all things for us, and hath taken this office on him for us? it were doubtless a great rebuke to him, that Saints should be set in his stead, & joined with him in his office as though he were unsufficient. You think to do saints a great honour when you make them Gods, and set them in Christ's stead: but you can not do them a great dishonour nor displeasure, for they will be but Saints, and no Gods, yea & that by Christ's help & not by their own. Also S. Paul faith, Christ sitteth Roma. 8. on the right hand of the father the which doth also pray for us, mark that he prayeth for us, can the father of heaven deny any thing of his prayer? Doth not he ask all things necessary for us? And as Scripture saith? He is our wisdom, he is our 1. Cor. 1. justice, he is our satisfaction, and our redemption made of God. Now what rests for Saints to ask? what will you desire more than Christ is all in all for us, and therefore we need not that help o● Saints. wisdom, justice, sanctification and redemption? all these hath Christ obtained for us, yea and he alonely thereunto was ordained of God: which of all the Saints can say that, but he? & if all saints & all the world would say the contrary, yet he himself standeth fast against them all, & condemneth them for liars & blasphemers, saying, No john. 14. man cometh to the father but by me, note these words. First he says, no man. etc. Ergo, as many as ever shall come to the father of heaven be here contained: then addeth he, but by Saints can not bring us to the father of heaven, but it must be Christ only. me, be not all saints, all your feigned mediators with merits & all other things clean excluded in this word, but? wherefore it is plain that what so ever he be that maketh any other mediator or goeth about by any means (seem it never so holy) but by Christ only to come to the father of heaven, first he despiseth Christ, & if he despise Christ, he despiseth also his father which hath allowed him only to be john. 14. our mediator & way to him, as it is written. I am the way only in the father, therefore let them be sure that seek any other way or any other mediator, but Christ alonely to heaven, that they (according to the word of that verity which can not lie) shall never come there, but as many as trust in him only, let them not doubt but they shall not only obtain to come to heaven, but also what soever they desire be side in his name according to his own promise & word, which can not deceive john. 16. us, What soever (says he) you ask in my name the father shall give it you. Mark these words, what soever, & that we should run to no other he addeth also, in my name. Here is nothing excluded, but all things freely be given us, and that for his name's sake: not for no saints name, not for none of our holiness or merits, but for Christ's name. Now what is it to run from this sweet promise of our most loving Saviour, redeemer, and only mediator jesus Christ, to saints, & to other works, but a plain and an evident token of our infidelity, of our unthankfulness, ye that we think him untrue, and will not fulfil his promise, ye that he is not able to do it, and to make him a liar, & untrue in his word. Also S. Paul saith. He hath given his only son for us, how can it be that he shall not give all things with him? Mark he saith with him, & not with saints, he saith all things, and not certain things, he that faith all, excludeth not the tooth ache, & leaveth it to S. Appolyne. etc. but he excludeth nothing. Now you Infidels and mistrusters of Christ, what will you have of the father of heaven? or what can your hearts desire, that Christ is not able to obtain for you? if you believe him able. It is his office, and thereunto only appointed of that father, & none other, yea all other be excluded with manifest If we ask in Christ's name we shall obtain but so shall we not in any other name. scriptures. Moreover, will you or be you so foolish to ask a thing of one that hath it not to give, nor can not give it, yea hath need of it himself, & leave him that hath abundance, yea and that hath made an open proclamation, that freely without gold or silver, or any merchandise, he will give the self same thing to as many as come and ask of him, whatsoever they be. Now the Lord hath not alonely goodness, but he is all goodness himself: and all Saints have sinned Luke. 18. and need of his goodness: and he hath made this proclamation by his blessed and everlasting word, that whosoever cometh unto him, shall have of his goodness abundantly: now will you leave him and go to the saints? the which if they ever had any goodness, they received it of the father, as S. james saith: All good gifts cometh jaco. 1. from the father of light. Mark how he saith all good gifts. But here have you a distinction, that only God is good of his own nature, and Saints are good by receiving goodness of him. Well to do you a pleasure, I will allow your distinction to be good, for of it can you make no more with all your subtlety, but that Saints have no more goodness than they have received. Now the goodness Saints received God's goodness for themselves and not for us. that they have received, was for themselves only, yea and they can give none of it to you: for they received it not for you, but for themselves, yea and not more than was necessary for them, and that but alonely of mercy, as it is open in matthew in the parable of the five wise virgins, and the five foolish: where as the wise virgins had not so much oil to lend the foolish virgins as would kindle their lamps: finally, they had nothing at all that they could spare them, and yet were they wise virgins, and yet were they Saints, and yet were they admitted to enter into heaven. furthermore, do you not openly against God when you desire any thing of saints, whether it be prosperity, wealth, health, remission of sins, or in adversities consolations, or comforts, or any other thing? seeing that Scripture only knowledgeth all these things to be received of him, and that he is the only géever of them, yea and that all the prophets and fathers in all their tribulation cried alonely to him, as David testifieth of himself in these words, When I am troubled, I will cry unto Psal. 119. the Lord and he will help me. He cried not to any Saint to speak to God for him, but saith: I will cry unto the Lord, yea and he doubted not that he would not hear him because he was a man and a sinner, but faithfully said, he will help me, as he testifieth in an other place, saying: my help is of God that hath made heaven and earth. Psal. 120. Now will you run from God, and ask of Saints, comfort, prosperity, health, or wealth, or any other thing? seeing it belongeth alonely to God to give? seeing he alonely is the fountain and auctor of all goodness? and not Saints which have no more but their part, and that, that is given unto them. Also our M. Christ teaching all creatures to pray, biddeth them not to go to any other thing, but alonely to the father of heaven, he maketh no mention of Saintes, not not so much as to be a mean between them and the father, but commandeth them that pray, to pray themselves to the father. The which thing I doubt not but he would have done if he would that there should have been other mediator, or géevers of any goodness. Moreover is not this a mad manner of prayer that men use to our Lady? O our father which art in heaven hallowed be thy name. etc Thus do you learn men to mock A fond prayer made to our Lady. our Lady when you learn them to say our ladies Psalter. You infidels and mockers both of God & man, are you not ashamed of these open blasphemies? Doubt you not (if you call not for grace to that Lord that you may amend yea and that shortly) but God shall straightly avenge this blasphemy on you, he hath suffered long & no doubt but of his infinite mercy. Notwithstanding I will never believe that he will much longer suffer, seeing that he hath brought so graciously his glorious verity into the world and that so openly, and so clearly that you can not deny it nor withstand it, neither by reason, nor by learning: but your own consciences be confounded and marked with hot irons, notwithstanding you persecute it by tyranny to the increase of your damnation. Our Lord be merciful unto you. But now that you may be known what you be, when you deceive the people with these words fathers fathers, holy Doctors holy doctors: I shall recite certain of your fathers and doctors sayings, that you may be known not alonely open liars and blasphemers of God and his blessed eternal word, but also of his holy saints & fathers, unto whom he hath revelated by the Scriptures his verity. First S. Augustine saith these August. d● vera relic. cap. ulti. words. Let us have no devotion in honouring of dead men, for if they lived well, they may not be counted for such men, as to desire such honours, but they will that God shall be honoured of us, by whose lightning they rejoice, that we are made companions of their glory. Wherefore Saints must be honoured by following them, but not by honouring them of devotion etc. be not these plain The right honouring of Saintes. words? S. Augustine was a father and a doctor, And he saith, that saints will not be honoured of us, but that God shall be only honoured. Secondarily, we may follow their good living, and so honour them, but in no wise to pray to them, or honour them of devotion. It followeth in S. Augustine, wherefore we do honour them, by love, or charity, but not by service, nor we build no temples unto them. For they will not so be honoured of us, for they know well that we (if we be good) be the temples of God. Wherefore it is well written. That man was forbidden of the angel to worship Apoc. 19 and. 22. him, but all only to worship one God, under whom the angel was also a seruanut etc. Can you desire any plainer words than these? we can no more do but love saints of charity, but in no wise to serve them: we may also build no temples to the honour of them. Mark also how he bringeth scripture for him, how the Angel of God would not be honoured of man. How can you avoid this saying of SAINT Augustine, & his example of scripture? Also Chrisostomes' saying Mat. 15. tom 6. ho. de profect. ●…nge. on this text, woman thy faith is great. Dost thou see this woman which was unworthy, but by her perseverance was made worthy? will't thou learn also, that we praying unto God in our own people, do more profit, then when other men do pray for us. This woman did cry, and the disciples came and prayed him that he would speed her for she crieth on us. But to them he answered, I am not sent but unto the sheep which are perished of the house of Israel. But when she came herself and did persever crying and saying, Yes lord, for the whelps do eat the crumbs that An authority declaration that Christ heareth us for ourselves and not the Apostles for us. fall from their master's tables: then did he give her the benefit & said, be it unto the as thou will't. Dost thou not see how he did repel her, when other men prayed for her? but when she came herself and cried, he did grant her. Unto them he said. I am not sent but unto the lost sheep. But unto the woman he saith be, it unto thee as thou will't. etc. Hear you not plainly how we do sooner obtain our petityon of God our own self, them by any other midlers? Mark also how that Apostles did pray for this woman, and they repelled: and she was herded. Also the same Chri. To● 6. ho. de profect● evangeliorum. Doctor wrighteth these words. We have no need of Patrons afore God, nor need of much process to speak fair unto other men, but though they be alone and wantest a patron, but prayest God by thyself, yet for all that shalt thou have thy desire. God doth not so lightly grant, when other men pray for us, as when we pray ourself, yea though we be full of sins etc. Be not these We need no patrons for God heareth. words plain, that we have no need of patrons? but God heareth us sooner, when we pray in our own people, then when other men pray for us. Wherefore they that make other mediators then only Christ, doth mistrust Christ, and believeth that he is not omnipotent God, nor merciful Lord, and therefore fly they unto this Saint, and unto that Saint, trusting to find more mercy at their hands, than they could find at Christ's. But a true Christian Exod. 20. man leaveth his fantasy, and remembreth these words of holy scripture. Hear thou man, I am thy God, and therefore he setteth all his trust, and his confidence, all his belief, all his hope, all his harton him only. And if he will have any thing necessary to body, or soul of him, he asketh it all only, as the prophet David learneth us saying, I will pray unto the Lord, and in the Psal. 5. morning thou shalt here my voice, what is this in the morning but shortly, quickly. Thou art so merciful, that thou will't not prolong the time, but shortly here me. And therefore when I am in any distress of body, or soul, to thee I call for deliverace, and trust to obtain it of thee only. For thou Lord, rhou hast set me, in thy hope only. Psal. 4. Thus doth every good man pray & The Christian man putteth his trust in God that he will hear him. trust in God, for he taketh him not alonely for his God but also for his merciful God, yea and for his father, which will deny him nothing. But contrariwise do the infidels and the feigned Christian men, for they mistrust him and reckon him to be a tyrant and a terrible and a fearful judge, which looketh for much intercession, and that regardeth people, and therefore run they hither and thither, to seek an other mediator, to seek an other helper, to seek an other deliverer than Christ: for with him be they not satisfied; yea they reckon him to be so proud and so stately, and so cruel and so high, that they dare not speak first to him, nor desire him, for they clearly mistrust him, that is the ●ūme thereof. And for that cause seek If we mistrust not Christ, there is no cause why we should run a gadding to this Saint for any thing that is necessary for us. they to this Saint, and to that Saint, and desire of one riches, of an other health: of one they will helped to heaven, & of an other they will be delivered from hell. Of one they will have friendship of this world, of an other long life, of one they will be saved from sickness, of an other they will be made whole, & all this is because they mistrust Christ, & reckon that he is either not able, or that he will not obtain these things for them. This is the very ground of their hearts, let them lie with their mouths what they will, & of this are they compelled to fly from Christ. Is not this making of many Gods? S. Paul says that in covetousness is Idolatry, because that man's heart is of his goods, how much more is here Idolatry whereas man's faith, hope, and trust is set so much on Saints are holy, but yet are they no Gods. creatures. Truth it is that Saints be holy, and worthy to be beloved in in Christ, and for Christ, but yet be they but creatures, and no Gods. I love them as well as you do & praise and magnify them, but wherefore? because they have Christ in them which is the author of all goodness which if he were away, I would spit at them and despise them. But I do not make them Christ (that is my Saviour, my redeemer, my comforter my trust & my hope) because that Christ of his mercy & of his grace dwelleth in them, but I seek alonely to him that hath made them holy, & hath also alonely power both me and all men likewise to make. Wherefore dear brethren, if you will be Christ's, make him alonely Christ is our only intercessor. your mediator and your intercessor to the father of heaven, and all things that you desire, desire them in his name only. Make him first your friend, and then have you all Saints on your side. For they can not choose but be your friends. Wherefore, set all your trust, hope and confidence in Christ only, and direct all your desires, all your petitions, all your prayers unto him only. And as for Saints, you shall love them, favour them, and magnify them, & praise them for God's sake, and to God's honour: and where they lived well after Christ's word, therein shall you follow them, but in no wise shall you believe, hope, or trust in them, or make any prayers unto them, or desire any petition of them: nor their living shall be any rule to live by farther than they followed that word of Christ, for you be called Christian men of Christ, and not of Saintes. But now will I answer to their The Papists carnal reasons. carnal reasons. First they have a law whose words be these: Christian men do not call worshipful Images Gods, nor they do not serve them as Gods, nor they set no hope of their salvation in them, nor they do not look for of them the judgement that is to come: but they do worship them, and effectually pray unto them in remembrance and recordation of the first fruits, but they do not serve them, nor yet any other creature with godly honour. etc. Let every Christian man consider God only is omnipotent and almighty. well in his conscience the words of this law, and call also to remembrance what God is himself? that is to say, how omnipotent he is, how liberal he is, how merciful he is, how gracious he is unto us: and then I think he shall well perceive, that this decree is neither made with faith, with learning, nor yet with reason, but an open blasphemy against God, and a great mistrusting of our merciful master Christ jesus. Briefly there is nothing, but an heap of blind and unfaithful words, invented to béeguile simple men thereby. To the first word venerabiles, what faith, what learning, what reason will that Images should be judged worthy veneration (this doth that latin word venerabiles signify) seeing they be but deaf, dumb and dead, what reason is it then to call them venerabiles? Master Doctor Rydley will say that no man is so mad to worship and to honour the stock and the stone, and yet his own law caulleth them venerabiles, that is as much to say as worthy to be worshipped & honoured. Call you them one thing by name, and reckon them unworthy in deed? It followeth, Christian men call them no Gods, what need these words? All the world knoweth that they be no Gods in deed: But then why call you them venerabiles? furthermore, I would know of all my masters that lawyers, why they be such blasphemers of God, such infidels, and such mortal enemies unto God, as foe suffer, yea and to compel simple men, to give to those stocks and stones such exterior honour, as belongeth only to God, seeing you call them no Gods? What maketh it matter for the name, so long as you give them the very thing? Assign you what exterior worshipping The Papists give the saints that worship to stocks and stones that we should give to God. and honouring belongeth to God, or that we may do or can do to God, and I will prove that ye compel men to give that same to stocks and stones, and yet you think yourselves sufficiently discharged, because that men call them no gods. It followeth: they set no hope in them. Then what need men to pray unto them? what need men to ask petitions of them? what need men to offer unto them? what need men to vow to them? what need men to run to them barefooted and barelegged, and to kiss them and lick them? do they ask that thing of them which they have no hope to receive by them? then do they mock them. It followeth, but they pray unto them and worship them, how think you by this? You say they be no Gods & yet men pray unto them & worship them, add to this that the Latin word signifieth as much as to ask forgiveness of them, and fully and effectually to pray to them. If this stand with faith, and with the honour of God, let every Christian man judge. But how standeth it with your decree, where in you call them no Gods? this is as much to say as you be very hypocrites and dissemblers with God and man, for you say one thing in words and compel the people to do the contrary in deeds, that is to honour them as Gods▪ Is not this contrary to these words of Scripture, thou shalt honour thy Lord God and serve him only? Mark the holy ghost saith, Thou Math. 4. shalt serve God only. Here is the self Latin word, adorare, that your decree hath, Scripture will it shall all only be given to God, and you will give it to your worshipful Images. Mark also the occasion that our M. Christ spoke these words. The devil required that he should fall down and honour him, he required no faith nor no hope on him, nor yet that he should make any prayers, or desire any petition of him, or lick or kiss his foot, or make any oblation to him, but alonely to fall down, and so with exterior service to honour him, but our master said that that belongeth alonely to God, & neither to the devil nor yet to your worshipful images. Now say of your conscience do not you that same thing to your stocks & stones, that the devil required of our master Christ? how can you avoid this? Glos● de consec. Dist. 3. c. venerabiles. but now cometh your gloze with a distinction and will learn our master Christ how that he shall honour the devil, and excuse him with an idle and a damnable distinction, whose words be these: there is cultus latriae, which includeth three things in him, love, multitude of sacrifice, and veneration: this belongeth only to God says he. There is an other worshipping which is called , & this hath but one thing in him, that is veneration, and it hath neither love nor multitude of sacrifice in it, and this belongeth to all creatures. etc. What be these but an heap of idle words without any sentence invented of the devil to deceive simple men. Here say you that Cultus Latriae which includeth love, multitude of sacrifice, and veneration, belongeth to God only. Tell me of your conscience, are you not ashamed of these words? Fere you not the vengeance of God? that thus mock and trifle both with God and man? There can be nothing The blindness & ignorance of the malicious Papists. more against you then these words be. For first do you not love your Images, and your saints? secondarily do you not offer unto them? call you that no sacrifice? yea it is so much that you can hang no more on them. Thirdly, do not you give veneration unto them, yea, and that with all your hearts? or else be you hypocrites and dissemblers. So that you give to your stocks and stones, Cultum Latrie, which by your own distinction belongeth to God only. How can you now avoid Idolatry? Now to the second part of your distinction, you say that you do to saints, & to all creatures that worshipping of Dulya, which is without love, and without the multitude of sacrifice. What call you this? what mean you by this? what worshipping is this that is without love, and without sacrifice? Is not this open hypocrisy to honour a thing outwardly, and neither to love it, nor to fanor it inwardly? nor yet to offer any sacrifice unto it? this is nothing else but open mocking, and I may well Math. 27. compare you unto the wicked jews that crouched, & knéeled unto Christ, but they did it neither of love, nor favour, but of mockage, as you do honour your saints, and Images. This cometh all ways to them that will mock, and trifle with gods holy word, that when they think to avoid it with a damnable distinction, then is it most against them, so that all christian men may see, that the hand of God is hear. Also an other baulde reason you have, which is of M. Richard. If saints when they were here, and De media villa. 4. scent not confirmed in grace, did of their charity pray for us. Therefore now must they pray much more, seeing they are now confirmed in charity etc. Is not this a goodly bald reason to cast at a bishops cure? How can he prove this? what scripture hath he for him? I hear well his carnal reason, but I hear no probation, I will make him a like reason. The saints when they wear hear, did of their charity clot naked men, and feed the A papistical reason, well answered & confuted. hungrey, and gave drink to that thirsty, and visited them that were in prison: therefore much more now, for they be confirmed in charity, and these be deeds of charity. Likewise. S. Paul when he was hear, did of his charity, write epistelles to declare the veretie, therefore now must ●ée much more write: so y●, where afore he wrote but one epistle, now must he at that lest writ three, or else he is not confirmed in charity. & I think he did never a greater deed of charity, than now to wright an epistle, and to declare his own pistels, for all the world is at variance, for understanding of them. You blind guides, who hath learned you to declare, wherein the charity of saints doth stand? who hath given you authority, to give a deed of charity unto saints, that scripture doth not give. Wherefore is it a deed of charity for one to pray for an other? is there any other cause then that the holy Ghost so declared it in his word? Wherefore that is charity in this life, that the word of God biddeth you do, and as for the works that charity shall have in an other life, it belongeth not to you to judge farther than the word of God. Also you have an other reason, God showeth miracles in this place, and in another Papistical reason. that place, to the honouring of this saint, and that saint, therefore we must likewise honour them. I answer as to your miracles, though I have answered to them before, yet will I add this unto it, that God is no God of superstition, nor that favoureth one place more than an other, or that hath any affection to this place, more than to that, wherefore this is your superstition invented of the devil, for God will neither be honoured in the mountain, nor yet in jerusalem, but in men's hearts. And as to john. 4. your myrakles the great Gods Diana did also myrackles, as you may Acts. 19 read in scripture, consider her honour, that scripture speaketh of, and compare it to the honour of your Images, & you may see they do agree. furthermore Apollo, Castor, Aescu lapius and such other did also great miracles, as stories do make mention, and also many men which were both wise, well learned, and also many men of a great reputation and honour as you be, yea and men of great holiness do bear witness of the same. Therefore by this reason we must also honour them. Also an other reason you have out of job. Convert thyself unto some of the saints. Of job. 5. this you conclude that we must pray unto saints. I answer of this you may conclude that you be blind, and dull Asses, and unlearned stocks, Papists are wresters of the scriptures of God. perverters, tearers, renters, of holy scripture. I pray you what saints did that old fathers know before Christ's coming? whom did they reckon to be in heaven before Christ's ascension? why did they desire so sore his coming if they believed that they should have ascended up to heaven? But this is the sentence of that place, Elephas reproved job, and saith that he is not God's servant, and therefore God punished him saith he, and to prove this he biddeth job call to memory all holy men, and servants of God, and reckon one if he can among them all, whom God did so punish: wherefore he concludeth that job is not the servant of God, but a foolish man (which in Scripture is the enemy of God) whom God shall slay in his wrath. This is the sentence of that place. finally you have an other reason, you shall praise God in his saints, Psal. 150. therefore saints must be honoured. I answer is not this a good consequent? I must praise God in Bears and Apes, therefore Bears, & Apes, must be worshipped. Add that that followeth in the text, you must praise God in timbrels, in organs and in pipes, therefore after your conscequent timbrels, organs, and pipes, must be A foolish & papistical argument well answered. worshipped, but if you wear learned in scriptures, you should find an other sentence in the holy Psalm than this is for the very true text is Laudate dominum in sanctititate sua. Praise God in his his holiness, but let us grant that he saith, praise God in his saints, do not you know that scriptures say, blessed is God in all his gifts? out of this can not follow that we shall worship, and pray to God's gifts, but God shall be praised, and honoured in all his gifts, as in saint, man, and Angel. another reason you have of a similitude: A foolish reason of the papistes. Like as a man can not come to the speech of a king, but that he must have certain mediatoures, (as Dukes, earls, and such men as be in favour between him and the king) that may entreat his matter: So likewise before God. I answer: you Infidels and mistrusters of God, what will you make of God? will you make him a fleshly and a carnal stock, full of passions and of affections? Unto a mortal Prince you make mediators because he known not your heart, and because he is more affectionate to one man than to an other, and because he judgeth after the sight of his eye, and after the percialnes and affection of his heart. But so doth not God, but alonely of mere mercy and grace. But to your similitude: you can not have no Dukes to speak for you, except you give them rewards, except they have carnal affection to you: therefore by your similitude you must likewise do to Saintes. But S. Ambrose answereth clearly to this damnable reason of yours, saying: Men are wont to use this Ad. Ro. c. 1. miserable excusation, that by these things may we come to God, as we may come to the king by Earls. I answer, we do come unto the king, by the means of Dukes and Earls, because that the king is a man, and knoweth not to whom he may commit the common wealth, but unto God (from whom nothing can be hid) he knoweth all men's merits, we need no spokesman nor no mediator but alonely a devout mind. etc. Here are you clearly answered of S. Ambrose to your carnal reason. Item, an other reason out of your law, that Images be unto unlearned De consec. Dist. 3. c. perlatum. men, that same thing that letters and writings be unto them that be learned, that they may thereby learn what they aught to follow. If your Images be no more to unlearned men then writings be to learned men, therefore they may no Images are no more to be worshipped than the books that learned men read. more do to them then learned men do to their letters: would you suffer learned men to come and kneel, and offer to my book, and set up candles before it, and to make vows to come yearly thereunto? and to desire petitions before my book of those Saints that be written therein? See how your own example maketh against you, and all thing that I can bring. Wherefore, if there be any grace in you, or if there be any shame in you of the world, for Christ's sake leave of this false▪ learning and colouring of Idolatry. For you do not only deceive your simple brethren, but you do also blaspheme the immortal God of heaven, which doubtless will avenge shortly this rebuke on you, if you do not amend: whose violence and might you are not able to withstand. Wherefore I exhort you in the blessed name of Christ jesus, that you repent in time, and take upon you to learn the verity: which is, how God is only to be honoured, and only to be sacrificed unto, he is only to be prayed unto, of him only must our petitions be asked, it is he only that giveth wealth & prosperity, & he only must deliver and comfort us in all adversities, & he only must help us out of all distress: unto whom as Saint Paul saith, be alonely glory and honour 1. Tim. 1. for ever. Amen. Now most excellent and noble Prince, I have here after the poor Doctor Barnes conclusion. gift that God hath given me set out unto your grace certain articles, which though they seem at the first sight to be new, yet have I proved them openly with the everlasting word of God, and that not wroonge, nor wrested after my light brain, but after the exposition of clarkely doctors, yea and that of the oldest & of the best. Wherefore most excellent Prince, most humbly, & most meekly I beseech your grace, that I may find so great indifferency at your grace's hand, as that the bishops shall not condemn this book, after the manner of their old tyranny: except they can with open Scriptures and with holy Doctors, refel it as I have proved it. But I would it should please your grace to call them before you, and to command as many as will condemn this book, every one of them severally without others counsel, to writ their cause, why they will condemn it, and the scriptures whereby they will condemn it, and to bring them all to your grace, and your grace may judge between both parties. I do not doubt but they will bring your grace marvelous probations, and such as were never heard. And if three of them agree in one tale (if they be divided) let me dye for it, and that your grace shall well see. The father of heaven and his most merciful son jesus Christ, keep your grace in honour, to his pleasure and glory. Amen. Of the original of the Mass and of every part thereof translated into English out of his book De Doctorum Sententijs. ¶ De consecratione. Dist. 1. Cap. jacobus ex 6. Synodo. IAmes the brother of the Lord, as cconerning the flesh, unto whom was first committed the Church of jerusalem, & Basilius the Bishop of Caesaria gave unto us the celebration of the Mass. Saith the gloze, that is to say the manner how to celebrated that Mass. For the words by the which the body is made, were delivered from the Lord himself. But afterward, others also added some one piece, some an other, for comeliness, and solemnity. And thus much saith he. God Christian reader what can these men, wholly addicted to lies, otherwise do, but beguile & deceive. For this is their only endeavour, which although it may be manifest unto thee by many of their deeds, not withstanding by this one▪ (of that which they so greatly boast) it is so manifest that none can dony it. To attribute the original of the Mass unto james the Apostle and to Basilius the bishop, is an error not to be suffered, for as much as it is most false, as by that which followeth shall appear. Let them declare (if they can) what james made thereof, and what Bastill added thereto? Let them bring A bold challenge of Doctor Barnes. forth one of the Apostles that ever said Mass, & they shall have that victory. James died about the year of our Lord 62. And of Mass (as they understand it) there was no mention made in the Church by the space of 200. years. Moreover than this, basil The Papists lie manifestly displayed. tied about the year after Christ 380. How then could he agree with james about the Mass? But what Mass had the Church from after the death of james unto Basiles time? & by what authority did basil deliver to us the mass? Moreover these men do add their authority out of the uj. Synod, that their lie might be the more notorious. Bring forth the uj. Synod in the which these things be written. I pray you what was handled in the uj. Synod, The manner of celebrating Mass? Or against whom was the uj. Synod gathered together? against those that would not say Mass? Nothing less: but against such as wickedly taught that there was one operation in Christ: Read the acts of the Synod and you shall find it to be so. But let us grant in the mean ●eason that this was handled in that Synod, what doth it prove. We do not contend what matters were entreated of in the Synod: but whether James and basil delivered unto us the manner of celebrating the Mass. How doth the uj. Synod prove this: Of this is our contention. Where hence was the uj. Synod certified that james and basil delivered the Mass? Their writings and works james & Basil falsesied by the Papists. remain amongst us, in the which there is not found one syllable to be read as concerning the Mass. Moreover the uj. Synod was in Gréece, who unto this day do vary from our manner of celebrating. Wherefore it must needs be that either we or they do err from the ordinance of S. james. But what say you to this? The uj. Synod was celebrated after the year of Christ. 674. Before this time, of whom took you the manner of celebrating? not of the tradition of James, for that was as yet unknown to the world, & now first of all was it by the Synod opened to the world. But that this matter may be the better known unto all the world, I will set against you the authority of S. Gregory who saith that the Apostles had no peculiar manner in celebrating the Mass, but that they only said the lords prayer. Whose words be In regist. lib. ca 63. these. The manner of the Apostles was, that only at the saying of the lords The simplicity of celebrating the communion in the primative prayer they consecrated▪ the Sacrament. Thus saith Gregory; where is now the tradition of James? S. Gregory known it not. Surely if you were Christians, you would be ashamed at the jest wise (if you reverence not God) so to persecute, tear, and slay your brethren for your wicked Mass, of which you boast that Christ and all his Apostles were the authors, when as you can bring forth not one good man for a testimony thereof. For I speak of your Mass as it is peered and not of thee words of Christ. But that I may briefly finish this matter. Because the mass is so dear gain and advantage maketh the Mass to be the better loved of Papists. unto you (and that for good cause, sithence by it you fill your bellies, you keep horses and dogs, you consecrated harlots to Venus, and many other such kind of good works,) and yet be uncertain of the auctor, I will describe unto you the authors of your patched Mass and that out of your own writers, jest that you should object unto me that I am a Lutheran. Cronic. cro. F●sci. temp. First of all Pope Gregory, surnamed the Great, held a general Council at Rome about the year of Christ. 594. in the which he ordained the Entrance or Introite of the Mass, to be begun with some Psalm. Introitus. He added moreover that Kyrieleison should be sung ix. times. Kirieleyson He also added in the Cannon of the Mass, Diesque nostros in tua pace disponas, unto these words, Per Christum Diesque nostros. Dominium nostrum. He likewise added Pater noster. Pater noster. Fasc. temp. Orationes. Tractus. Cronic. cro. Gloria in excelsis. Pope Gelasius adjoined the Prayers, Hymns, and Tracts about the year of Christ. 482. Pope Thelesphorus appointed that the Gospel and Gloria in excelsis, should be song, about the year of Christ. 134. Pope Symmacus enlarged Gloria in excelsis, for first they had nothing Cronic. cro. more than that was in the Evangelist. He lived about the year. 494. Pope Marcus appointed that upon Cronic. cro. Fasci. temp. Festival days immediately after the Gospel, the Nicene creed should be song with a loud voice by the Quire Nicene Creed. and the people, about the year. 334. This prayer, Veni sanctificator omnipotens eterne Deus, which is said over Bern. Abbas de officio Missa. the host, was taken from the French order. Moreover these words, Suscipe sancta Trinitas, was only taken by custom, and not by the ordinance of any Pope. Pope Sixtus that first ordained that, Cronic cro. Fas●●. temp. Sanctus. Ratio. di. Cronic. cro. Fasci. temp. Sanctus, should be sung iij. times in the Mass, about the year. 124. Pope Gelasius ordained, Teigitur cl●…issime pater, and appointed that the Priests should say the Secrets, the Cannon, and the Prefaces with Doct. Crantz. their arms stretched abroad, he lived about the year. 482. Pope Leo the great, added unto that Fasci. temp. Canon, Hanc igitur oblationem, & sanstum sacrificium, immaculatam hostiam, Sanctum sacrificium. about the year. 444. Pope Gregory the third adjoined, Croni. cro. Fasci. temp. Quorum solemnitas. Quorum solemnitas hody in conspectudivinae maiestatis tuae celebratur, Domine, Deus noster, about the year. 754 Pope Celestine the first appointed Cronic. cro. that the Psalms of David should be song in manner of an Anthem of all that people before the sacrifice which was not wont to be done. For after the Epistle and Gospel were read the sacrifice was ended. He lived about the year of Christ. 424. Pope Alexander the first added, Cronic. cro. Ratio. diui. Qui pridi● quam pateretur. Fasci. temp. Agnus Dei. Qui pridie quam pateretur. He lived about the year. 114. Pope Sergius the first ordained that, Agnus Dei, should be sung three times whilst the Sacrament of Christ's body was in breaking, about the year of Christ. 694. The first Latin Masses were song Cronic. cro. by john Bishop of Portuence in the uj. general Council of Constantinople, about the year. 674. Behold Christian Reader, here now hast thou their Mass as it is patched together and the authors of every part thereof, which our Papists so wickedly defend to be a sacrifice. Neither is it any marvel, if they do with tooth and nail defend a thing so dear, so laborious and that hath been so long time a making. This I dare boldly affirm that that magnificent Temple of Solomon was in a great deal lesser time builded, than this Isopes crow was decked with his borrowed feathers. Neither yet would I have thee to forget the Decree of the Pope which proveth that Mass was ordained by james and basil. I pray thee, take away all that which was added by these fathers and what then is remaining to the Mass? What is left that james delivered, or that basil commended unto them? Nothing at all but the very words of Christ. Thus do these good fathers set themselves against the manifest truth of God. But what shall be their glory and reward thou shalt see, if thou will't leasurably listen and behold to the end of the tragedy. The Lord shall speak with them in his anger and in his heat shall fear them. When he shall wax hot in his sudden displeasure, then evil shall it be with these giants, and well shall béefall to all that trust in the Lord who may illuminat the heart of the faithful. Amen. A general collection out of Doctor Barnes Works of all the testimonies, ancient fathers, Counsels, and of the Popes own laws, alleged by him to prove these articles following, in the manner of a Table or rather an Epitome of all his works that he hath made. A Preface of T. G. to the Reader. FOrasmuch as Master Doctor Barnes in the first Edition of his English works, which were first corruptly Printed beyond the Seas, had collected at the end thereof all the testimonies of the Doctors, Councils, and of the Pope's laws, which he had before alleged, and were confusely mingled with the Table by the order of the alphabet: and whereas it was thought more expedient by the advise of the learned, and for the better edifying of the Reader, to have those testimonies for every article collected severally by themselves: I have therefore according to my simple skill, gathered this Epitome, and have added also thereunto four other articles translated into English out of his Book De Doctorum Sententijs, which be confirmed in the like sort only by bore testimonies of scriptures, fathers, counsels, & laws. Which four articles, and the treatise before of the original of the Mass, were omitted in his English works. But as for all the other testimonies in his book De Doctorun Sententijs, he hath in this volume of his works dispersedly alleged most of them to his purpose, as he had occasion, which by this Epitome following thou mayest perceive. Now hast thou gentle reader to consider of these ancient testimonies: desiring thee for the confirming and establishing of thy doubtful conscience, to compare these sayings of Doctors, holy fathers, and of the Popes own law, unto the saying of the Pope and his Papistical bishops, that be in these latter days, and to their late practices, where their power is, or hath been received: and then give sentence how they do agreed. If they do accord, then is it like they be of the true Church, whereof these holy fathers were. But if they agreed not, then mayest thou suspect, that they have go astray, and that the devil hath transfigured himself into an Angel of light, and that they are his ministers. Who notwithstanding have fashioned themselves as though they were the ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their deeds. ¶ That faith only justifieth. Ambr. ad Rom. 3. AMbrose saith, they are iustefyed freely, for they doing nothing, nor nothing deserving, all only by faith are justified, by the gift of God. Fol. 230. col. 1. Ambrose saith, It was so decreed of God, that after the law, he should require Ambr. super Rom. 4. unto salvation all only the faith of grace, he saith, that they be blessed, of whom God hath determined without labour, without all manner of observation, all only by faith that they shall be iustefyed before God. Blessed are they whose sins are forgiven Clearly: they are blessed, unto whom without labour, or without any work their iniquities be remitted, and their sins covered, and no manner of works required of them, but all only that they should believe. 231. col. 1 Athanasyus saith, there are two manner of faiths, one is iustefying, as that Super Rom. 2. of the which it is spoken, thy faith hath saved thee: An other is called the gift of God, whereby miracles be done, of the which it is written, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed. 241. col. 1. Athanasyus saith, Now doth the Apostle plainly show, that faith Atha. super Galat. 3 all only hath virtue in him to justify: and bringeth Abacuk saying of faith (and not of the law) shall a righteous man live. He addeth well before God, for before man peradventure they shall be reckoned righteous that stick to the law, but not before God. etc. 233. col. 1 Augustine says, those same works that be done before faith, though they Aug. in prol●. psal. 31. seem unto men laudable, are yet but vain, and I do judge them as great strength and swift running out of the way. Wherefore let no man count his good works before faith. where as faith is not, there is no good work, the intention maketh a good work, but faith doth guide the intention. etc. 233. col. 2 Augustine saith, we do gather that a man can not be iustefyed by the precepts De spiri. & lit. cap. 12. of good living, that is, not by that law of works, but by that law of faith: not by the letter but by the spirit, not by the merits of works, but by free grace. 234. col. 1 ●3. quest. c. 76. Augustine saith, S. Paul affirmeth that a man may be justified by faith, without any works going before justification, but when a man is justified by faith, how can he but work well, though that he before working nothing righteously, is now come to the justification of faith, not by merits of good works, but by the grace of God, the which grace in him now can not be Idle, seeing that now thorough love he worketh well. And if he departed out of this world after that he believeth, the justification of faith abideth by him, not by his works going before justification (for by his merits came he not unto that iustefication, but by grace) nor by his works that follow iustefycation, for he is not suffered to live in this life. Wherefore Paul and james are not contrary, for Paul speaketh of the works that go before faith and james speaketh of the works that follow the iustefycation of faith. 238. col. 1 Augustine expounding the text of that De spiri. & lit. Apostle Roma. 2. The doers of the law must be justified, saith, so must it be understood, that we may know, that they can no otherwise be the doers of of the law, except they be first justified: not that justification belongeth to the doers, but that justification doth proceed of all manner of doing. 240. col. 1 Super can▪ ser. 67. barnard saith, I do abhor what so ever thing is of me, except peradventure, that, that be mine, that God hath made me his. By grace hath he justified me freely, and by that hath he delivered me, from the bondage of sin. Thou hast not choose me says Christ) but I have choose thee: nor I found any merits in thee, that might move me to choose thee, but I prevented all thy merits. Wherefore thus by faith I have married thee unto me, and not by the works of the law. I have married thee also in justice, but not in the justice of the law, but in that justice which is of faith. 233. col. 2 Pope's law saith, Cornelius centuno 2. quest. 7. non omnes Episcopi. being a heathen man was justified by the gift of the holy Ghost. 240. col. 2 ¶ What the Church is: and who be thereof, and whereby men may know her. De verb. Domi. ser. 50. AVgustine says, of Christ is the church made fair, first was she filthy in sins, afterward by pardon, and by grace was she made fair. 244. col. 1 August. ser. 〈◊〉 de tempere. Augustine saith, The holy church are we, but I do● not say we as one should say we that be here alonely, that hear 〈◊〉 now, but as many as be here faith full Christian men in this Church, that is to say in this City: as many as be in this region: as many as be beyond the Sea. etc. 245. col. 1 Lyranus saith, The Church doth not●stand in men, by reason of spiritual ●yranus in Mat. cap. 〈◊〉. power, or secular dignities: For many Princes and many Popes, & other inferior people have swerved from the faith. Wherefore that Church doth stand in those people in whom is the true knowledge and confession of faith, and of verity. etc. 245. col. 1 Augustine saith, The whole Church August. de verbus Apostole. ser. 19 saith, forgive us our sins, wherefore she● hath spots and wrinkles, but by knowledging of them, her wrinkles be extended and stretched out, by knowledging, her spots are washed away. 246. col. 1 Augustine saith, Our holy mother Augustinus the Church throughout all the world scattered far and long, in her true head Christ jesus taught, hath learned not to fear the cont●…elyes of the Cross nor yet of death: but more and more is she strengthened not in resisting but in suffering. etc. 250. col. 2 The Pope's law saith, Therefore is De con. D. D. 4. c. prima●gitur. the Church holy, because she believeth righteously in God. etc. 246. col. 2 The Pope's law saith, The whole De pen●. Dis. 2. Si in glos●. 23. q. 1. Arecta & i● glosa. Church can not err. Also in an other place of the congregation of faithful men must needs be, which also can not err. etc. 247. col. 2 ¶ That the keys of the Church be the Word of God and not man's power. Jerome saith upon these words, I shall give thee the keys of heaven. Hiero. in M. c. 16. This place, the bishops & the Priests not understanding have usurped unto them somewhat of the Phariseis pride, so that they think that they may condemn innocentes, and lose them that be guilty: when before God, not the sentence of the Priest, but the life of the guilty is regarded. etc. 257. col. 2 Augustine saith, That must be called a key where by the hardness of our August. ser. 〈◊〉. de sane. hearts are opened unto faith, & where by that secretness of minds are made manifest. A key it is (saith he) the which doth both open the conscience to the knowledge of sin, and also includeth grace, unto the wholesomeness of everlasting mystery. etc. 258. col. 1 This doth Chrisostome well prove Chriso. in M. c. 15. D● doctr. christia. li. 1. c. 15. &. 18. in these words. Th● key is the word & the knowledge of Scriptures, whereby the gate of verity is opened unto men. etc. 261. col. 1 Augustine doth also witness the same saying. These keys hath he given to Super 〈◊〉. the Church, that what she bindeth in in earth shall be bound in heaven, and what she loseth in earth shall be loosed in heaven: that is to say, who soever doth not believe that his sins be forgiven him in the Church, they be not forgiven him: But he that doth believe, and avert himself from his sins, being within the Church by that same faith and amendment is he made whole. etc. 261. col. 1 Origene upon these words Tu es Petrus. Origenes Super. M. H●. 1. etc. The words were spoken unto Peter, unto all Apostles, unto all manner of perfect faithful men (for all they are Petrus) and in all them is builded the Church of Christ, and against none of them can the gates of hell pre●ayle. Dost thou reckon that the keys of heaven were alonely given to Peter, and that no other Christian man did receive them. etc. 261. col. 2 Augustine doth also testify the same Super joan. Tr●…. 124. c. 21. in these words. Wherefore the Church which is founded and grounded in Christ, of him hath received in Peter the keys of heaven, that is, to say power to bind and lose. etc. 261. col. 2 Chrisostome saith, The key bearers In M. c. 23. are Priests, unto whom is committed the word to teach, and to interpret Scripture. etc. 262. col. 2 Ambrose saith, Sins be forgiven Lively de Cain & Abe●●. by the word of God, whose interpreter is the Deacon. etc. 262. col. 2 Chrisostome saith, Behold I see men Chriso. s. 6. de anathemate. that have no true sense of holy Scripture: yea they understand nothing at all thereof: & to pass over many things, for I am ashamed to call them mad men, triflers and wranglers, they be such as know not what they say, nor of what thing they speak, but alonely be they mighty and bold to make laws, and to curse and condemn those things, of the which they know nothing at all. etc. 265. col. 2 The Popes▪ la saith, If Peter 24. q. 〈◊〉. Quod●ūque have power alonely to bind and to lose, then doth it not the Church: But if this be done in the Church, than did Peter when he received the keys, signify holy Church. etc. 261. col. 2 ¶ That free will of man, after the fall of Adam of his natural strength, can do nothing but sin before God. AVgustine saith, Jest any man should Super joannem tract. lxxi. suppose, that the branch of himself could bring forth, at that lest ways, a little srute, therefore says he, nor with out me, can you do a little, but without we can you do nothing. Therefore whether it be little, or much, without him, can it not be done, without whom is nothing done. One of two things, must the branch needs do, either abide in the vine, or else burn in the fire, if it be not in the vine, then is it in the fire. etc. 267. col. 1 barnard saith, What shall we say? is this alonely all the merit of free-will, barnard lib. arbit. that he doth alonely consent? yea doubtless. Not that, the same consent, in the which is all his merit, is not of God, when that we can neither think (the which is less, then to consent) any thing of ourselves, as though we were sufficient of ourselves. These words be not mine, but the Apostles, the which giveth unto God, and not to his free-will, all manner of things, that can be good, that is to say, to think, to will, or to perform. etc. 267. col. 2 Augustine saith, What goodness can he do, that is lost, except that he be In Enche. ca 29. delivered from his misery? Can he do good by his free-will? God forbid, for man evil using his free-will, did both lose himself, and also his free-will, and as man being alive, doth kill himself, and when he hath killed himself, he can not make himself alive again. So likewise, when we do sin by free-will, and sin hath the victory, then is free-will clean lost, for of whom a man is overcome, unto him must he be servant. Doubtless, this sentence is of Peter the Apostle, the which seeing that it is true, I pray you what manner of freedom can a bond servant have? except it be, when it pleaseth him to sin. etc. 268. col. 1 Augustine saith, O cursed free-will, without God, we have experience, what De verbis Apost. ser●…. free-will can do without God, therefore are we miserable, because we have experience, what free-will is able to do, without God. Behold, man was made good, & by his free-will, was he made an evil man. When shall an evil man by his free-will, forsaking God, make a man good, he being good, could not keep himself good: and now, that he is evil, shall he make himself good? when that he was good, he kept not himself good, and now, that he is evil, shall he say, I make myself good? etc. 268. col. 2 Augustine saith: He that feedeth De verbis Demi ser. xv. without me, feedeth against me. etc. 269. col. 2 Augustine saith, Thou will't say, that can my will do, that can my free-will De verbis Apost. ser. xiii. do. What will? what manner of free-will? except that he guide thee, thou fallest, except he lift thee up, thou liest still. How canst thou then do it by thy spirit, seeing that the Apostle says: As many as be led by the spirit of God, be the children of God. Will't thou do of thyself? Will't thou be led of thine own self to mortify the deeds of the flesh? what will it profit thee? For if thou be not an Epicure, thou shalt be a Stoic? Whether thou be an Epicure, or a Stoic, thou shalt not be among the children of God. For they that be guided of the spirit of God, be the children of God: not they that live after their own flesh: not they that live after their own spirit: not they that be led of their own spirit: but as many as be led of the spirit of God, they be the children of God. etc. 270. col. 1 Augustine saith: If man do perceive, De temp. ser. lxiij. that in the commandments, is any thing impossible, or else to hard, let him not remain in himself, but let him run unto God, his helper, the which hath given his commandments for that intent, that our desire might be stirred up, and that he might give help. etc. 271. col. 2 Augustine says, The Pelagians think, De lib. arb. cap. xuj. that they know a wondrous thing, when they say, God will not command that thing, the which he knoweth is impossible for man to do. Every man knoweth this, but therefore doth he command certain things, that we can not do, because we might know, what thing we aught to ask of him. Faith is she, which by prayer, obtaineth that thing, that the law commanndeth. Briefly, he that saith, If thou will't, thou mayest keep my commandments. In the same book, a little after saith. He shall give me keeping in my mouth. etc. 272. col. 1 Augustine saith, The Pelagians say, De lib. arb. cap. xuj. that they grant how that grace doth help every man's good purpose, but not that he giveth the love of virtue to him, that striveth against it. This thing do they say, as though man of himself, without the help of God, hath a good purpose, & a good mind unto virtue, by the which merit proceeding before, he is worthy to be holpen of the grace of God, that followeth after. Doubtless, that grace that followeth, doth help the good purpose of man, but the good purpose should never have been, if grace had not preceded. And though that the good study of man, when it beginneth, is helped of grace, yet did it never begin without grace. etc. 272. col. 2 Augustine saith, The grace, which is given of the largeness of God, privily De predest. Cap. 8. into men's hearts, can not be despised of no manner of hard heart. For therefore it is given, that the hardness of the heart should be taken away. Wherefore when the father is hard within, and doth learn, that we must come to his son, then taketh he away our stony heart, and giveth us a fleshly heart. And by this means, he maketh us the children of promise, and the vessels of mercy, which he hath prepared to glory. But wherefore doth he not learn all men to come to Christ? Because that those, that he learneth, he learneth of mercy, and those, that he learneth not, of his judge meant doth he not learn them. etc. 273. col. 1 Augustine saith, The law was given that man might find himself, and not August. de verb. Apost. sent. xiii. to make his sickness whole, but by his preaching, the sickness increased that the Physician might be sought. Wherefore the law threatening, and not fulfilling that thing, that he commandeth, maketh a man to be underneath him, but the law is good, if a man do use it well. What is that, use the law well? By the law, to know our sins and to seek God's help, to help our health. etc. 275. col. 2 Augustine saith: The disputation of them is vain the which do defend August. Super joannem tract. lxxxviij. the prescience of God, against the grace of God, and therefore say, that we were choose before the making of the world, because that God known before that we should be good, not because he should make us good. But he that saith, you have not choose me, saith not that. For if he did therefore choose us, because that he known before▪ that we should be good, then must he also know before, that we should first have choose him? etc. 279. col. 1 ¶ That it is lawful for all manner of men to read the holy Scripture. AVgustine saith, My brethren, read August. ad fratres s. 38. holy Scripture in the which you shall find what you aught to hold, and what you aught to fly. What is a man reputed without learning? what is he? he is not a sheep, or a goat? Is he not Ox, or an Ass? Is he any better than an Horse, or a Mule, the which hath no understanding. etc. 288. col. 1 Athanasyus saith, If thou will't that In Epis. ad Ephes. c. 6. thy children shall be obedient unto thee, use them unto the words of God, But thou shall not say that it belongeth all only to religious men to study scriptures: but tather it belongeth to every Christian man, and specially unto him that is wrapped in the businesses of this world: and so much the more, because he hath more need of help, for he is wrapped in the troubles of this world therefore it is greatly to thy profit that thy children should both hear and also read holy Scriptures, for of them shall they learn this commandment: Honovour thy father, and thy mother. etc. 288. col. 2 Chrisostome saith, I beseech you that In Gen. c. 9 hom. 28. you will oftentimes come hither, and that you will diligently hear the lesson of holy Scripture, and not all only when you be here, but also take in your hands when you are at home the godly Bibles, and receive the thing therein with great study, for thereby shall you have great advantage. etc. 288. col. 2 Chrisostome saith, Which of you all In Mat. c. 1. hom. 2. that be here, (if it were required) could say one Psalm without the book, or any other part of holy scripture, not one doubtless But this is not alonely the worst, but that you be so slow and so remiss unto spiritual things, and unto devillishnesse you are hotter than any fire, but men will defend this mischief with this excuse, I am no religious man, I have a wife and children, and a house to care for. This is the excuse wherewith you do (as it wear with a pestilence) corrupt all thinges●: for you do reckon that the study of holy Scripture belongeth all only unto religious men, when they be much more necessary unto you then unto them. etc. 289. col. 1 Jerome saith, O Paula and Eustochium, if there be any thing in this life that In pro●e. In Epist. ad Ephes. Lively 1. doth preserve a wise man, and doth persuade him to abide with a good will in the oppressions and the thraldoms of the world, I do reckon that specially it is the meditations and the study of holy Scripture. etc. 289. col. 2 The Pope's law saith, If Christ (as Paul saith) be the power and that wisdom Di. 38. cap. Si juxta. of God, then to be ignorant in scriptures, is as much as to be ignorant of Christ. 289. col. 1 The Pope's law saith, in an other place. I will set my meditation in thy 7. Synod. c. Omnes et. di. 38. justifications, and I will not forget thy words, the which thing is exceeding good for all Christian men to observe & keep. etc. 289. col. 1 ¶ That men's constitutions, which are not grounded in scripture, bind not the conscience of man under the pain of deadly sin. S. Paul saith, We are bought with that price of Christ's blood, we will not 1. Cor. 7. be the servants of men. 298. col. 2 S. Paul saith, In the latter days certain men shall serve from the faith 1. Tim. 4. applying themselves to the spirits of errors, and doctrines of the devil, forbidding Marriage. etc. 298. col. 2 S. Paul saith, meat doth not commend us unto God. Also in an other 1. Cor. 8. place, the kingdom of heaven is neither meat, nor drink. 299. col. 1 S. Paul saith, We aught not to be led with the traditions of men, that say Roma. 15. touch not, taste not. etc. 299. col. 1 Augustine saith by sitting in that chair is to understand the learning of that law Super joan. Tract. 46. of God, and therefore God doth teach by them, but if they will teach their own doctrine hear it not, do it not, for such men seek that is there's, and not Christ's. etc. 297. col. 2 Hilarius saith, All manner of plants that be not planted of the father of heaven, Hilarius in Mat. Cano. 14. must be plucked up by the roots that is to say, the traditions of men, by whose means, the commandments of the law be broken, must be destroyed, and therefore cauleth he them blind guides of the way to everlasting life, because they see not that thing they promise': and for that cause he saith, that both the blind guidds, and they that be led, shall fall into the dyke. etc. 297. col. 2 Augustine saith, Because that those Ad Paul Epist. 59 men by such observations were led from the verity, by that which they were made free, whereof it is spoken, the verity shall deliver you. It is a shame (saith he) and unconvenient and far from the nobleness of your liberty (seeing you be the body of Christ) to be deceived with shadows and is be judged as sinners if you despise to observe these things. Wherefore let no man overcome you (seeing you are the body of Christ) that will seem to be meek in heart in the holiness of Angels and bringing in things which he hath not seen. etc. 299. col. 〈◊〉 Augustine saith, S●ing that we be Epi. ad r●. propo. 72. made of soul, and of body, as long as we do live in this temporal life we must use to the noryshing of this life, these temporal goods. Therefore must we of that part that beelongeth to this life be subject unto powers, that is unto men that do minister worldly things with some honour, but as concerning that part, whereby we believe in God and be called unto his kingdom, we aught not to be subject unto any man that will pervert that same thing in us that hath pleased God to give us to eternal life. etc. 300. col. 1 ¶ That all men are bound to receive the holy Communion in both kinds under the pain of deadly sin. CYprian saith, How do we teach, or Ad Cornelium Papam. how can we provoke men to shed their blood for the confession of Christ's name, if we do deny them the blood of Christ when they shall go to battle? Or how dare we able them unto the victory of martyrdom, if we do not first by right admit them to drink the cup of our Lord in the congregation. etc. 306. col. 2 Ambrose saith, to that Emperor Theodosius, Ecclesiastica hist. how shalt thou lift up thy hands out of the which doth yet drop unrighteous blood? how shalt thou with those hands receive the body of God? with what boldness will thou receive into thy mouth the Cup of the precious blood, seeing that through that woodness of thy words, so great blood is shed wrongfully, etc. 306. col. 2 This doth S. Cyprian learn us saying, what thing so ever it be that is ordained by man's madness, where by the ordinance of God is violated, it is whoredom, it is of the devil and it is sacrilege. Wherefore fly from such contagiousness of men and avoid their words as a cancar, and as pestilence. etc. 308. col. 1 The Pope's law saith, We understand De consecr▪ di. 2. c. comperimus. that certain men receiving alonely the portion of the blessed body, do abstain from the chalice of the holy blood, the which doubtless (seeing I can not tell by what superstition they are learned to abstain) let them either receive the whole Sacrament, or else let them be forbidden from the whole Sacrament, for the division of one and of the same mystery can not be done without great sacrilege. etc. 305. col. 1 The Pope's law saith, When the host is broken, and the blood shed out De consecr. di. 2. c. cum frangimus. of that chalice into that mouths of faithful men, what other thing is there signified, but the immolation of our lords body on the cross, and the shedding of his blood out of his side. etc. ●06. col. 1 The Pope's law saith, If that the blood of Christ be shed for remission of De consecr. de. 2. c. Si quoc●es●umque. sins (as often as it is shed) then aught I lawfully for to receive it. I which do always sin, must always receive a medicine. etc. 306. col. 1 ¶ That by God's word it is lawful for Priests that hath not the gift of chastity to marry wives. AThanasius upon the first Epistle of s. Paul to the Corinthians in the 7. Athanasius super. 1. Cor. 7. chapter saith, that the Apostle would compel no man to keep virginity against his will, nor he would not make virginity a thing of necessity. 314. col. 1 Cyprian saith, Thou dost ask what we do judge of virgins, the which after they have decreed to live chastened, are Cyprian Epist. 11. afterward found in one bed with a man. Of the which thou sayest that one of them was a Deacon. We do with great sorrow see that great ruin of many people, which cometh by the reason of such unlawful and perilous companing togtiher. Wherefore if they have dedicated themselves unto Christ, out of faith to live purely, and chastened, them let them so remain without any fable, and strongly, & steadfastly, to abide the reward of virginity: But if they will not abide, or else can not abide, then is it better to marry, than for to fall into the fire of concupiscence, and let them give unto the brethren and sistern none occasion of slander. etc. 318. col. 2 Augustine saith, Certain men do Aug. de bono coniugali ad julianum. affirm those men to be advoulterers, that doth marry after they have vowed chastity: but I do affirm, that those men do grievously sin, the which doth separate them. etc. 319. col. 1 Also blessed S. Ambrose, writeth of Ambro. 32. quest. cap. 1 Integri●as. virginity in this manner: Chastity of body aught to be desired of us. The which thing I do give for a counsel, and do not command it imperiously. For virginity is a thing all only, that aught to be counseled, but not to be commanded▪ it is rather a thing of voluntary will then of precept. etc. 319. col. 2 S. Jerome also saith, Let Bishops Hie. d. 37. cap. Legans and priests read this thing (he speaketh against misspending of goods, that is offered to help poor men with) the which doth teach their children profane letters, and maketh them to read comedies, and to sing bawdy songs of jesters▪ and these children they find of the charges of the church. etc. 319. col. 2 The Council of Nicene, willing to Ex tripertita historia. Dist. xxxi. ca Nice●a. reform the life of men, did set certain laws, the which we call Canon's: among the which certain men would have had a law to be brought i● that Bishops, priests, Deacons, and subdeacons, should no● lie with their wives, which they had married, before their consecration. But Paphnutius a confessor, did withstand them and said, that their marriage was honourable, and it was pure chastity for them to lie with their wives. So that the couns●…as persuaded, not to make any 〈◊〉 law, affirming it for to be a gre●…us occasion both unto them, a●… a●… unto their wives of fornicatio●…. 〈◊〉 this thing did Paphnutius, though that he himself was vnmary●…. The Council did allow this sentence. So that nothing was decreed, as concerning this thing, but every man was left unto his free-will, and not bound of any necessity. etc. 320. col. 1 The Pope's law saith, If any man Canon Apost. doth teach, that a Priest by the reason of his order aught to forsake his wife, cursed be he. etc. 321. col. 1 We read in the counsel of Gangrenes, Consilium Gangrenes. Canon. 4. how they mo●e this decree. If any man doth judge or condemn a Priest that is married, that he may not, by the reason of his marriage do sacrifice, but will abstain from his mass by the reason thereof, cursed be he. etc. 321. col. 1 We do read in a counsel, that is 6. Sinodus. called the sixt Synod, these words: Considering that it is decreed amongst the laws made by them of Rome, that no Deacon, nor Priest, shall company with their wi●es. Therefore we notwithstanding that decree, following the rules of the Apostles, and the constitutions of holy men, will that from this day forth, marriage shall be lawful, in no wise dissolving the matrimony between them, and their wives, nor depriving them of their familiarytie in time convenient. Whosoever therefore shall be found able of the order of Deacon, Subdeacon, or of priesthood, we will that no such men be prohibited to ascend the dignities aforesaid for the cohabitation of their wives: Nor that they be constrained at the receipt of their orders, to profess chastity, or to abstain from the company of their lawful wives. etc. 322. col. 1 The Pope's law saith. It is open that neither Deacons, nor subdeacons, aught Dist. xxviij c. Diaconi. to be forbidden from marriage. etc. 322. col. 2 Pope Innocent the third, writeth in his decretals, on this manner: Those De vita & honest. clericorum. Priests that after the manner of the country, hath not forsaken the conjunction of marriage, if they do break their wedlock, aught grievously to be punished, seeing that they may use lawfully matrimony. etc. 322. col. 2 The master of sentences, writeth on this manner: Our weakness is prove Magister Sententiarum. lib. ij. Dist. xx. to fall into filthiness, but it is helped with honest marriage. And the thing that is unto whole men an offence, is unto sick men a remedy. etc. 323. col. 2 Ex lege Papal. Thou dost ask of us Extra. lib. i de filijs presbyterum. c. Ad hac. (saith the Pope, to the bishop of cassel) whether that these men that hath Priests to their fathers, may be promoted to holy orders or not, if they be of good, and honest demeanour, and well learned. To this we answer (saith the Pope) that if they be got of lawful marriage, & there be none other Canonical impediment, then may they lawfully be promoted unto holy orders, and may enjoy that same benefice, which their fathers had before. etc. 324. col. 1 Also in that same title, the Pope says we have understanded, that N. Borne Ibidem. cap. Litteras. and got in Priesthood of a lawful wife, hath always had an affection to serve God in the office of a spiritual man. etc. 324. col. 1 The emperors law says of priests wives. We will (saith he) that all Imperator Constan. lege. Omnis Pa. Ad perangariam. Codice de Epis. & ●le. manner of spiritual men shall have this prerogative, that their wives, & their children, and their servants, that is for to say, both male, and female, shall be free from an homage, which is called Perangariam. 324. col. 2 We do read in Tripertita Historia, these words: All Priests in that oriental Ex tripertita historia. lib. 9 cap. xxxviij. Church doth abstain with a free will, and of no necessity from wives. For many of them, in time when they be bishops, have had of their lawful wives children. 325. col. 〈◊〉 We do read in Ecclesiastica Historia, Li iiij. ca twenty-three. that Penitus, Bishop of a city called Gnoseos, would have made a decree, that priests should have vowed chastity, Penitus. Dionysius. But Dionysius Bishop of Corinth, written agynst him, and required him, that he would not lay no necessity of compulsed chastity on other men's necks, Penitus, followed his counsel. 325. col. 2 Polycrates, Bishop of Ephesum, doth Eccle. hist. lib. u cap. xxiv. show, that seven of his parents lynially were Bishops in order before him, and he himself was the eight. 325. col. 2 13. Popes, were Bishops, Deacons and Priests sons, which is sufficiently proved. 326. col. 1 ¶ That it is against the holy Scripture to honour Images, and to pray to Saintes. THou shalt make to thyself no graven Exod. 20. Deut. 5. Esay. 44. Images. etc. 340. col. 1 A man did plant a pinaple tree, and the rain did nourish it. etc. as it is more at large. 340. col. 2 Their stocks be polished of the carpenter, Abacuc. 6. and they be gilded, and silvered, but they be false, and can not speak. etc. as it is more at large. 343. col. 2 Moses says, If the●e arise in the midst of thee a Prophet, etc. as it is more at Deut. 13. large. 344. col. 2 Clement saith, We do honour visible Images to the honour of the invisible Libro 5. ad jacob. God, the which is a false thing: but if you will honour the Image of God in doing well to man, in him shall you honour the true Image of God. Wherefore if you will truly honour that Image of God, we will open that thing unto you that is of truth, so that you must do well unto man the which is made unto the Image of God: give him honour, and reverence: give him meat when he is hungry: give him drink when he is thirsty: Cloth him when he is naked: serve him when he is sick: give him lodging when he is a stranger: and when he is in prison minister to him necessaries. This is the thing that shall be counted to be given God truly. What honour is this of God to run about foolishly to stony and woody Images, and to honour as God's Idle and dead figures, and to despise man in whom is that very true Image of God. Wherefore understand you that this is this the suggestion of the Serpent that lurketh within the which doth make you believe that you be devouce when you do honour in sensible things. And maketh you to believe that you be not wicked when you hurt sensible and reasonable men. etc. 346. col. 1 Clement saith also in an other place, Clemens in codem libro What thing is there so wicked and unthankful, as to receive a benefit of God, and to give thanks unto stocks and stones? Wherefore wake and understand your health. etc. 346. col. 2 Augustine saith, Let us not love any visible spectacles, lest by erring from De vera reli. ca ulti. the verity, and by loving shadows we be brought into darkness: let us have no devotion to our fantasies. It is better to have a true thing what so ever it be, than all manner of things that may be feigned at our own pleasure. etc. 346. col. 2 Jerome, Be it known unto the King etc. The properties of the words be to Super Dani. be marked that he saith. We will not worship thy Gods, nor yet honour thy Image, for neither of both become the servants of God to do. etc. 346. col. 2 God for us all hath given his son, & shall he not give us all things with him? Roma. 8. That we aught not to pray to Saintes. 347. col. 1 There is one mediator between God, and man, the man Christ jesus, the which hath given himself for the redemption of all men. 347. col. 1 S. john saith, If a man do sin we have an advocate by the father Christ jesus. 1. john. 2. 347. col. 2 S. Paul saith, The spirit of God maketh intercession mightily for us, with mighty desires, that can not be expressed with tongue. etc. 347. col. 2 Roma. 8. Also S. Paul saith, Christ sitteth on the right hand of the father, the which doth also pray for us. etc. 347. col. 2 Paul saith, 1. Cor. 1. He is our wisdom, he is our satisfaction, and our redemption made of God. etc. 347. col. 2 S. john saith, No man cometh to the father, but by me. etc. 348. col. 1 john. 14. S. john saith, I am the way only in the father. etc. 348. col. 1 john. 14. john. 16. S. john also saith, Whatsoever you ask in my name, the father shall give it you. etc. 348. col. 1 S. james saith: All good gifts cometh from the father of light. 348. col. 2 jaco. 1. Psal. 119. David saith, When I am troubled, I will cry unto the Lord and he will help me. etc. 349. col. 1 David saith, Psal. 120. My help is of God that hath made heaven and earth. 349. col. 1 August. de vera relic. cap. ulti. Augustine saith, Let us have no devotion in honouring of dead men, for if they lived well, they may not be counted for such men, as to desire such honours, but they will that God shall be honoured of us, by whose lightning they rejoice, that we are made companions of their glory. Wherefore saints must be honoured by following them, but not by honouring them of devotion. etc. 349. col. 2 Apoc. 19 and. 22. That man was forbidden of the angel to worship him, but alonely to worship one God. etc. 350. col. 1 Mat. 15. tom. 6. ho. de profect. Euange. Chrisostome saith, Dost thou see this woman which was unworthy, but by her perseverance was made worthy? will't thou learn also, that we praying unto God in our own people, do more profit, than when other men do pray for us. This woman did cry, and the disciples came and prayed him that he would speed her, for she crieth on us. But to them he answered, I am not sent but unto the sheep which are perished of the house of Israel. But when she came herself and did persever crying and saying, Yes Lord, for the whelps do eat the crumbs that fall from their masters tables: them did he give her the benefit and said, be it unto thee as thou will't. Dost thou not see how he did repel her, when other men prayed for her? but when she came herself and cried, he did grant her. Unto them he said. I am not sent but unto the lost sheep. But unto the woman he saith, be it unto thee as thou will't. etc. 350. col. 1 Also Chrisostome saith, We have no Chri. To. 6. ho. de profectu enangeliorum. need of Patrons before God, nor need of much process to speak fair unto other men, but though thou be alone and wantest a patron, but prayest God by thyself, yet for all that shalt thou have thy desire. God doth not so lightly grant, when other men pray for us, as when we pray ourselves, yea though we be full of sins etc. 350. col. 1 Ambrose saith, Men are wont to Ad Ro. c. 1. use this miserable excusation, that by these things may we come to God, as we may come to the king by Earls. I answer, we do come unto the King, by the means of Dukes and Earls, because that the king is a man, and knoweth not to whom he may commit the common wealth, but unto God (from whom nothing can be hide) he knoweth all men's merits, we need no spokesman, nor no mediator but alonely a devout mind. etc. 354. col. 1 ¶ That Counsels may err. PAnormitanus saith, That Counsels De electio. 〈◊〉. significa. may err as they have erred, as concerning that contract of Matrimony, Inter raptorem & raptam, & the saying of S. Jerome was afterward preferred above the statuteof the Council as it is proved. 36. q. 2. Tria, for in things concerning the faith is the saying of a private person to be preferred before the saying of the pope, if he have better reasons & scriptures of the new, & of the old Testament for him then the Pope. Nor it can not help, to say that the Council can not err, because that Christ did pray for his Church that her faith should not fail▪ For I answer to this, that though the general Council do represent the whole universal Church: nevertheless in very deed there is not the very universal Church, but representative. For the universal Church standeth in the election of all faithful men: and all faith full men of the world make that universal Church, whose head and spouse is Christ jesus, and the Pope is but the Vicar of Christ and not the very head of the Church, this is the Church that can not err. etc. 248. col. 1 Augustine saith, Those Counsels that be gathered in every Province Augustinus de bap. li. 2. c. 3. contra Donatistas'. must without doubt give place to the authority of the full Counsels which be gathered of all Christendom: and also those full counsels often times must be amended by the full counsels that come after: if any thing be opened by any experience that was afore shut, and if any thing be known that was hidden. And this may be done without any shadow of superstitious pride, with out any boasted Arrogancy, without any contention of malicious envy, but with holy meekness, with holy peace, and with Christian charity, etc. 248. col. 2 ¶ That the spiritualty is subject to temporal power and laws, and aught not to resist by violence. THe holy Church of God hath no xxxiij. q. ij. Inter haec. sword, but the spiritual sword, with the which she doth not kill, but quicken. etc. 191. col. 2 ●…iij. q. viii Conueniter. Likewise blessed S. Ambrose, saith, willingly will I never forsake you but if I be compelled I may not resist, I may sorrow, I may weep, I may wail Against weapons, against soldiers, against the Bothans, my tears are my weapons. For such things be the defence of a Priest, otherwise aught I not, nor may not resist. etc. 191. col. 2 ¶ Testimonies proving also the same taken out of his first Edition. Fol. 15. and 16. ORygene upon this text, Omnis anima saith on this manner. All manner of Origene Rom. 13. sins that God would have punished, he would have them punished not by the bishops, and rulers of the Church, but by the judges of the world. etc. The mediator between God and Dist. 10. ca Quoniam. man Christ jesus, hath divided the offices of both powers into their proper acts, and into distinct dygnities, willing by his own medicinal meekness that men's hearts should be lifted up, and not with man's pride again to be drowned in these inferior things: so that Christian Emperors (as concerning eternal life) should have need of Bishops, & likewise the Bishops, for the course all only of these temporal goods, should use the emperors laws, so that that spiritual ac●… should be distincted from the worldly courses, and he that should serve God should not wrap himself in worldly businesses. ¶ That the true observation of the sabaoth, consists not only in abstaining from bodily labours: and that to a Christian man, every day is the Sabaoth, and not only the seventh day. Jerome saith, Therefore be certain days assigned, that we should come together Super Gulat. 4. , not that, that day, in the which we come together is holier than an other but all days be like, and equal. And All days be a like. Christ is not all only crucified in Parasceden, and risen only on the sunday, but the day of resurrection is always, and always may we eat of our lords flesh. etc. 206. col. 2 Augustine saith, we must observe the Epist. c. 19 sabbath day, not that we should reckon ourself not to labour, but that all thing that we do work well, must have an intention to the everlasting rest. Wherefore we must observe the holy day, not by corporal idleness, and unto the letter, but spiritually must we rest from vices, and concupiscences, wherefore among all the ten commandments, that, of the Sabbath day is all only commanded to be figuratively observed. etc. 206. col. 2 Also Tertullian saith, The carnal Circumcision is put away, and extincted Aduersus judeos. at his tyme. So likewise the observation of the Sabbath day is declared to be for a time, for we must keep the Sabbath day, not alonely the seventh day, but at all times, as Esay saith. etc. 206. col. 2 Augustine saith, It is come unto me, De consec. dist. 3. cap. pervenit. that certain men, which be of an evil spirit, have sown certain evil things among you, and contrary to the holy faith, so that they do forbid, that men should work on the Sabbath day. The which men, what other thing shall we call them, but the preachers of Antichrist, the which Antichrist shall make the Sabbath day, and the sunday be kept from all manner of work. etc. 207. col. 1 ¶ Testimonies procaing the same article translated out of his book De Doctorum Sententijs. ANd it shall come to pass that from Moon to his Moon from Sabbath Esay the last. to his Sabbath all flesh shall come to worship before me. etc. For the son of man is also Lord of the sabbath. etc. Math. 12. Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in part of an holy Collos. 2. day, or of the new moon, or of the saboth days etc. You observe days, & times, months, and years, etc. Galat. 4. ¶ S. Ambrose ad Irenae. Epist. 72. The jews were commanded to celebrated the holy sabbath, one day in the week, that they should be subject to no burden: because they being loosed from worldly business, I would they had so passed, that they might not carry with them no burden of grievous sins unto the everlasting sabbath of the world to come. Let the synagogue of that jews observe the day, Let the church observe it to immortality. In the law therefore was a portion, in the Gospel is the perfection. etc. ¶ S. Augustine, de spiritu & lit. cap. 14. Because whosoever observeth that day, hither unto as the letter soundeth he judgeth carnally. ¶ S. Augustine, ad Bonifa. lib. 3. Cap. 4. contra 2. Epist. Pelagia. For if Christ hath taken from us that grievous yoke of many observances, that we should not be carnally circumcised, that we should not offer sacrifice for our sins, that on the sabbath of the seventh day, we should not abstain from necessary business, & other such like, if we observe them being spiritually understand, and setting a side all shadows, signifying the true light of those things: Let us take heed whether we shall therefore say that it pertaineth not unto us which is written? that, whatsoever one finds of an other man's, he restore it again to him that lost it: and many other such like precepts, where by we learn to live well and godly, and especially, that decalogue, which is contained in the ij. tables of stone, the carnal observation of the sabbath only excepted, which signifieth a spiritual sanctification and rest. etc. ¶ S. Augustine upon S. Paul's epistle to the Galath. First must a man know that the works of the law be of too sorts. For they partly consist in sacraments, & partly in moral precepts. Unto the sacraments are referred, the circumcision of the flesh, the temporal sabbath, the new moon, the sacrifices, and all such like innumerable observances. Unto moral precepts are referred these. Thou shalt not slay, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not bear false witness, and such other like. ¶ S. Augustine upon john Tractat. 17. Take up thy bed. etc. Here is a manifest corporal work of that body done: not the healing only of the body, but a plain bodily work. That Christians aught not to seek spitful revengement by extremity of the law. NOw is there utterly sin among you (saith Paul) because you go to 〈◊〉. Cor. 6. law one with an other: why rather suffer you not wrong? why rather suffer you not yourselves to be rob? Also Math. 5. our master saith, If any man will sue at the law, and take thy coat from thee, let him have thy cloak also. 208. col. 2 Athanasius, on this text of Saint Paul saith: There is utterly sin among Athanasius. you, that is to say, It is to your condemnation, and to your ignominy that you do exercise judicials among you. Wherefore do you not rather suffer wrong? etc. 209. col. 1 Also S. Jerome saith, It is ●inne unto you that you do against the come S. Hiero. ad Cor. 6. mandment of Christ, that you have judgements among you, the which aught always to keep peace, yea, though it were with the loss of your temporal goods. Wherefore do you not rather suffer wrong? Where as ye aught by the commandment of the Gospel, and by the example of that Lord patiently to suffer, there do you the contrary, not all only not suffer, but you do wrong unto them, that do no wrong etc. 209. col. 1 Haymo saith: It is offence and sin in you, that you have judicials. For Haymo ad Cor. 6. accusation engendereth strife, strife engendereth discord, discord engendereth hatred. And lest peradventure they would say, this is no sin, to require mine own: Therefore saith that Apostle Truly it is sin unto you, for you do against the commandment of that Lord the which saith: He that taketh away Luke. 6. thy good, ask it not again. Wherefore do you not rather suffer loss? that you might fulfil the commandment of the Lord. etc. 209. col. 1 That Auricular confession is not necessary to salvation translated into English out of his book De Doctorum Sententijs. ¶ De Poenitentia Dist. 1. Cap. Conuertimini. Turn unto me with all your heart and I will turn unto you. By turning is meant the turning upside-down of the heart. For if our heart be turned thoroughly from evil unto God, it forthwith deserveth the fruit of conversion, that God being turned from wrath to mercy, may pardon our offences, which before he intended to revenge. Whereby it is given us to understand that without any confession of mouth we may be forgiven. By this means also these leypers whom the Lord willed to show themselves to the priests, were made whole and sound in the way before they came to the Priests. By which fact it is given us to understand, that before we show our faces to the Priest, that is before we confess our sins, we are cleansed from the lepry of ●inne. It followeth: by this also that the Lord would declare, that not by that sentence of the Priest, but by the gift of divine grace, the sinner is made clean. He cleansed the lepour by touching, & afterward according to the law commanded him to offer sacrifice. It followeth, but before he came to the Priest he is cleansed, whilst that by the contrition of his heart, before the confession of the mouth, remission of sin is granted. Therefore only contrition in the which is made a reviving, taketh away sin. He hath therefore his reviuour present with him, and dwelling within him. ¶ In the same place. Cap. Scindite. Rend your hearts and not your garment etc. Showing that in the contrition of the heart, which is understanded by the renting thereof, sins were forgiven, and not by confession of the mouth, which is a part of exterior satisfaction, which he calleth the renting of our garments, by a part understanding the whole. ¶ In the same place. Cap. Facilius. IN what hour soever a sinner shallbe converted. etc. For it is not said when soever he shall confess with his mouth, but only when he shall be turned & shall be sorry for his sins, he shall live and not dye. ¶ In the same place. Cap. Facilius. THey do more easily purchase gods favour, which being not convicted by man's judgement, but of their own accord acknowledge their faults, which do either by their own confessions bewray the same, or else when other men know not what privy offenders they be do condemn themselves to voluntary excommunication, and separating themselves from the altar whereon they ministered, not by compulsion but willingly bewail their life as no life, being sure that they being reconciled by the fruits of effectual penitency they do not only recover things that were lost from God, but being also made Citizens of the everlasting habitation they may come to joy everlasting. ¶ Chrisostome upon the Psalm. Miserere mei. Homi. 11. Confess thy sins that thou mayst blot them out, if thou be abashed to confess that thou hast offended, confess them daily in thy soul. I do not say that thou shouldst confess to thy companion or fellow servant, who may obrayed thee: declare them to God who hath regard of them. But if thou declare them not, is God ignorant of them? or will he learn them by thee? When thou diddest them he was at hand: when thou committest them he had perfect knowledge. ¶ The same Chrisostome upon the Epistle to the Hebrues. LEt us therefore persuade ourselves that we have sinned, nor let the tongue only pronounce it, but the inward conscience also: Neither let us only say that we be sinners, but let us specially account every singular offence. I do not say that thou shouldst, bewray thyself publicly, neither that thou shouldst accuse thyself to others, but I would have thee obey the Prophet, saying: reveal thy way unto the Lord Psal. 31. ¶ S. Ambrose De Poenitentia Petri Sermo. 46. PEter burst forth into tears, asking nothing with his voice. I do find that he wept, but I find not what he said. Of his tears I read, but of his satisfaction I read nothing. ¶ S. Augustine lib. 10. confession. cap. 1. Therefore to thee Lord am I manifestly known what soever I am, & what profiteth me then to confess myself unto thee. Neither do I it with words of the flesh or with voice, but with the words of my soul and with clamour of my thought which thy ear understandeth. For whereas I am evil, to confess myself unto thee, is nothing else but to mislike of myself. And when I am godly, to confess me unto thee, is nothing else, than not to attribute the same to myself. Because thou Lord dost bless the just, but first thou dost justify him being wicked. My confession therefore my God, in thy sight, is made unto thee both secretly and not secretly. For it is secret in speech, but crieth out in heart. Neither do I say any good thing unto men which thou hast not first herded of me, neither thou also shalt hear any such thing of me, which thou hast not first showed unto me. What therefore have I to do with men that they should hear my confession, as though they should heal all my sorrows & griefs, who commonly are wont to be curious to know an other man's life, and slow to amend their own. Why demand they of me to hear what I am, which will not hear of thee who they themselves are? And how know they that they hear of me to be true? Forasmuch as no man knoweth what is done in man, but the spirit of man that is in man. ¶ De Poenitentia Distinc. 1. Cap. Quinatus. FOrasmuch therefore (as it is proved) that before our confession we are quickened by grace and made the children of light, it manifestly appeareth that only by the contrition of the heart without confession of the mouth sin is remitted. ¶ In the same place. Cap. Omnes qui. Therefore confession is made for the utterance, and not for obtaining of pardon. And even as Circumcision was given to Abraham as a sign of justice and not as the cause of justification: So the confession to the Priest is offered as a sign of pardon already had, and not as a cause of remission to be received. ¶ S. Ambrose upon the. 1. Cor. 2. TO remit sins, and to give the holy ghost, is only in God's power. If God therefore gave the effect of our salvation, man hath nothing in this behalf to glory of. 5. Beda in Lucam Lib. 5. cap. 68 Go your ways and show yourselves unto the Priest. And it came to pass that as they went they were made clean. It is not found that the Lord sent any of those, to whom he showed these corporal benefits, unto the Priests, but only lepers: sooth because the priesthood of the jews was a figure of the regal priesthood to come, which is in the Church, by the which all pertaining to the body of Christ, the highest Priest and Prince of all others, are consecrated. And who soever from heretical A public offender aught to make public satisfaction. malice, or gentilical superstition, or judaical, treachery, or else with brotherly discord, as from the spotted colour of leprosy, shall be cleansed by the grace of Christ, it is necessary for him to come to the Church and there show the Secret offences require no secret confession, for remission of them, to necessity for salvation. true colour of his faith which he hath received. But other vices, as it were diseases of the members of the soul, & the senses, the Lord by himself inwardly in the conscience and understanding doth heal and correct them. S. Chrisostome Tomo 6. Sermon de confession. But now is it not necessary that our Auricular confession is not necessary to salvation. sins should be confessed before witnesses. Let thy offences be searched out in thy inward thought, and let that showing be without a witness, and let God only hear thy confession. God (I say) that obbraideth not thy sins, but loseth them, because of thy confession. ¶ S. Jerome upon Math. 16. TO thee I will give the keys etc. This place the Bishops Is not this offensive to godly ears: slanderous, seditious, and contumelious against our fathers of the Church? What is a reproach if this be not? Do not the bishops and Priests understand this place so manifest. But pride and worldly pomp & judas gain, maketh them as blind as bittles to see any truth. To the fire, to the fire with him, without any farther hearing, for we must not dispute with heretics. & Priests not understanding, do arrogate unto themselves some thing of the Phariseis pride: forasmuch as they think they may condemn innocentes, or release sinners: Where as before God the sentence of the priests is not regarded, but the life of the offenders is considered. We read in Leviticus of the lepers, where as they are willed to show themselves to the Priests. And if they had the lepry then by that priest were they made unclean: not that the Priests did make men lepers & unclean, but because they had the knowledge who were lepours, & who were not, and could discern who were clean, and who were unclean. Like as therefore the Priests did there make the lepour clean, or unclean: so doth our Bishop or Priest lose, or bind, not those which be sinful or innocent, but according to his office, when he hath herded the varieties of the sins, he knoweth who is to be bond, and who is to be loosed. S. Origine in Math. Homel. 1. IT was therefore truly said to Peter. Thou art Peter. And this fellow is an notorious heretic, for he saith that all the faithful be Peter's successors, which if it should be so let pass, that Christians will come and take away your place and dignity. Wherefore you will deny him in this place, because he teacheth against the determination of the Church. etc. Notwithstanding it seemeth to be said also to all the Apostles, and to all perfect faithful men, because they be all Peter'S & rocks and upon them all is the Church of Christ builded, & against no one of those that be such, shall the gates of hell prevail. Notwithstanding by that which followeth let us see farther. Dost thou think that to Peter only were given the keys of the kingdom of heaven? and shall no other of the blessed Saints receive them? If it be common to all, that was said, I will give thee the keys, why should not all that was referred to Peter before, seem to be common to all the Apostles. For in the Gospel of S. john, jesus giving the holy Ghost to his Disciples by breatning, said these words, Receive the holy ghost. etc. as though he said it to all such so affectionated as Peter was. For all which be followers of Christ in like manner are named rocks Thou art Peter etc. But because they which do challenge the place of a bishop do use this text as Peter did, & teach us that they have received the keys of the kingdom of heaven from Christ, because that who soever be bond by them, they be bond in heaven also, & they which be loosed by them, the is, have received remission of their sins, be loosed in heaven also: We must say that they say well, if they have those good works for the which it was said unto Peter, Thou art Peter: and if they be O you inquisitors of heresy, awake, it is broden day, you sleep to long. such as Peter was, that on them may be builded the Church of Christ, if the gates of hell shall not prevail against them. Otherwise it is a vain jest to say, that he which is tied with the bonds of sins, and draweth his sins after him as a long rope, and his iniquities be as the hooves of a calf, for that only, that he is a called Bishop should have such power, that they which be loosed of him, be also loosed in heaven, or who so be bound in earth by him, be bound also in heaven. Let the bishop therefore which doth bind, or lose an other man, be irreprehensible himself. He that is worthy to bind or loose in heaven, must be the husband of one wife, sober, chaste, comely appareled, a lover of hospitality, apt to teach, not given to over much wine, no striker, nor greedy of filthy lukre, but gentle, no quarreler, abhorring covetousness, one that ruleth well his own house, having children in subjection, in all chastity. If he be such a one he shall not unjustly bind upon earth, neither shall he loose without good advisement. For if there shall be as (I may say) a Peter, and hath not these gifts here mentioned, as it we●e to Peter, and shall think, that he can so bind sins, that the same shall be bond in heaven, & so loose them, that they shall be loosed in heaven, he deceiveth himself, not understanding the meaning of the Scripture, but puffed up, he falls into the judgement of the devil. ¶ Tripartita historia lib. 9 cap. 35. Verba Sozemeni. BEcause it is known to be a divine thing and above man's nature never to sin, God commanded remission to be given to sinners that do repent. But they which refuse to acknowledge their sins, they heap unto themselves Here you have the original of your secret confession which the Church of God known not by the space of 300. years I say not this as utterly condemning it: yea rather as approving it: but I do teach it not to be necessary to our salvation. a greater burden of sins. Wherefore it seemed good to the ancient Bishops, that as it were upon a stage under the testimony of the Ecclesiastical people their sins should be opened. And for this purpose they appointed a Priest of good conversation, a wise man, and a keeper of secrets, unto whom they coming that had offended confessed their own sins. But he according to every man's offence assigned a penalty. Which custom also hitherunto is observed in the Weasterne Churches & especially at Rome, where there is also a certain place appointed for repentant sinners. For the offenders stand amongst the penitentes and morners. For when as the holy celebration is a doing, they not participating the communion, prostrate themselves upon the earth with morning and lamentation, unto whom the Bishop repairing, he also prostrateth himself with spiritual tears and groaning, and all the common multitude in the Church fall on weeping. After this, first ariseth the Bishop and taketh up those which lay on the ground. Then when he hath competently prayed for them which have repent, he demisseth them all. But they of there own accord afflicting themselves, either with fasting, or abstinence from washing, or forbearing of meats, or by other like things which they be commanded, do look for the general day which the Bishop assigneth. The time being appointed and they having as it were fulfilled certain duties and tendered the penalty for their sin, then are they admitted to communicate with the people. And this custom, the ancient bishops of Rome have observed even until our days. Moreover at Constantinople there was a minister appointed to attend upon the penitent until that time, that a certain noble woman, when she had confessed her sins, and the minister had commanded her that she should fast and pray unto God with good works, when she had this observed, she confessed that she had often times leyen with the Deacon. When the people A notorious example what mischief cometh by the single life of the Clergy men. understood this they raged at the Priests as though they had been injurious to the Church. Then Nectarius the Bishop removed the wicked Deacon, and certain persuading him, that he would leave free for every man's conscience to communicate when they thought good, appointed no more any Deacon to attend on the penitents. And from that time, that ancient custom was taken away. When as I think less offences were committed for the shame of confession and the subtle examination. ¶ That Monks be no holier than lay men by reason of their cowl or place: translated into English out of his book De Doctor. Sent. ¶ S. Gregory in Ezech. Home. 10 lib. 1. FOr often times we see certain, as it were strike with remorse by the Doth he not here lively set forth our holy Monks. voice of the preacher, to have changed their habit, and not their mind: so that they would take unto them a religions garment, but they would not tread under foot their former vices, but were stirred outrageously with the pricks of anger, or waxing hot with grief of their neighbours, become proud with certain good gifts showed in the sight of men, gape after the gain of this present world and have only a confidence of holiness on their outward habit, which they have taken. For it is of no matter of any merit, to regard what is outwardly done in our body, but we must be very careful what is done in our mind. ¶ S. Gregory in Ezech. Home. 9 lib. 1. FOr often times we complain of our neighbour's life, we endeavour to change our dwelling place, and to choose a secret place for a solitary life, not considering that if God's spirit be wanting, the place helpeth not. Loath went out from the Sodomites holy, but in the mountain he sinned. But that the place doth not strengthen the mind, the first father of all mankind doth witness who fallen by transgression in Paradise. For if the place could have saved, Satan had not fallen from heaven. ¶ The Council of Gangrenes. IF any man shall think it requisite according to his vow or purpose of continency to wear a cowl, as thereby to attain righteousness, & doth reprehend or judge others, who with reverence do wear a lay man's weed, or other common garments used of the lay people, let him be accursed. ¶ Out of the same Council. IF any sons, shall forsake their fathers, especially being faithful Christians, upon the pretence of religion, thin king it lawful, & will not rather yield due reverence to their parents, that they may in them worship God, for that they be faithful, be they accursed. ¶ S. Barnard ad Guilhelmum Abba. THe kingdom of God is within you, that is, not outwardly in your apparel, or nourishments of the body, but in the virtue of the inward man. Whereof the Apostle saith, the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the holy Ghost. ¶ Distinctio 40. cap. Non loca. NOt our place, & orders doth make us nearest unto our creator, but our good deserts doth either join us unto him, or our evil deserts doth separate us from him. ¶ In the same place. THey are not the sons of saints, which possess the place of Saints, but they which exercise their good works. ¶ In the same place. cap. Multi. THe place doth not sanctify the man, but the man sanctifieth the place. Every Priest is not a holy man, but every holy man is a Priest. He that sitteth well on the chair, receiveth the honour of the chair, but he that sitteth evilly is injurious to the chair. ¶ In the same place the words of S. Ambrose Cap. Illud autem. But mark this one thing, that the man was made out of Paradise, and the woman in Paradise, whereby thou mayest note, that not by the worthiness of that kindred or place, but by virtue every man doth purchase to himself the favour of God. Finally, out of Paradise, that is in an inferior place, the man was made which proved the better, and the woman which was made in the worthier place, (that is in Paradise) is the inferior creature. ¶ In the same place. Cap. Quaelibet. NOT secret places without grace, can preserve the soul, which we have eftsoons perceived in the faults of that elect. For Loath in that perverse City was just, but on the mountain he sinned. But what speak we of this, when as we have greater examples. For what was more pleasant than Paradise? What was more safer than heaven? and yet notwithstanding, man fallen out of Paradise and the angel from heaven. ¶ Distinctione 41. Cap. Clericus. Whosoever, despising those things whereby he presently liveth doth seek either more delicate, or more home liar apparel or food then otherwise is commonly used, he is either untemperate of himself, or superstitious. ¶ That the fasting of Christians doth not consist in choice or difference of meats, translated into English out of his book De Doctorum Sententijs. ¶ Distinct. 41. Cap. Quisquis. Verba Augustini. WHo soever doth use things present What manner of fast is yours, who far so dentely with your fish? who would not rather, fast with you, and to eat of a turbate, them with us to eat pork or baken? compare one excess to the other & yet forsooth do you seem to fast more straightly than the manners of them is with whom he liveth, is either untemperate or superstitious. And who soever useth them in such sort that it passeth that bounds of good men's usage with whom he liveth, he either doth it to some special purpose, or else is he a wicked person. For in all such cases, not the use of things, but the carnal lust is in fault. What therefore is agreeable, to place, times, and people, we must diligently mark: neither let us rashly reprehend offences. For it may come to pass, that a wise man may use a most precious and delicate meat, without any greedy lust or gluttony, & that an unwise person may have an unsatiable appetite to some gross food: and that some man after the manner of Christ had leyther feed of fish, then fine broth, as did Esau Abrahames nephew, or on corens as cattles do. For we do not account the most part of brute beasts to be more continent than others, because they be nourished with vilder food. For in all such kind of things which we use, not so much by consideration of their nature, as of the cause of using them, or the manner of desiring them, we either allow or improve them. ¶ S. Augustine. ad januar. Epist. 12. WHereas the Friars be so precise from eating of flesh, that they think them unclean, which do cate, it is most manifestly against faith and sound doctrine. I am sure that in two precepts of God all things be contained, and that the end of the precept is love proceeding from a pure heart, a good conscience, and an unfeigned faith. What soever therefore is ordained over and beside custom, that it shall be observed as though it were a Sacrament, I can not allow it: albeit because I would not be an offence, to any holy or weak people I dare not freely disallow many such things. It followeth: true Christian religion (which the mercy of God would have free, only with the celebration of a few and manifest Sacraments) they oppress with servile burdens: so that the state of the jews is more tolerable, then ours, who although they known not the time of liberty, were but subject unto th● b●…ens of the law, and not to man's presumptions. I▪ Distinct. 41. cap. Delitiae. ALl kind of delicate meats, if they be taken without any greedy desire be not hurtful: and wild meats greedily received do hinder the fruit of abstinency. For David powered out water that was evilly lusted, and Helyas did eat flesh. ¶ In the same place. cap. Quod dicit. AS concerning that the Lord saith in the Evangelist, wisdom is justified of her children, he declareth, that the sons of wisdom, understand, that righteousness consists neither in abstaining, nor in eating, but in the patient suffering of scarcity, and in temperance, not to corrupt themselves by toe much abundance, and in convenient taking, or not taking of those things, whereof the greedy lust is reprehended, and not the simple use. For it forceth not at all what nurrishments thou receaust, to the necessary sustenance of thy body, so that it be agreeable to those kind of nurrishmentes, by the which thou mayst live. Out of the general council of Pope Martin, Destinct. 30. Cap. Si quis. IF any man do abstain from flesh Behold how manifestly by this Council, not that eaters of flesh but the superstitious abstainers are counted heretics. not for abstinaunce, but for the abhorring of the meat, it is willed by that counsel that he do first taste it, and then if he will let him abstain. But if he so despise it, so that he will not taste of the porridge wherein the flesh was sodden, this man, if he be not obedient, and remove not from himself the suspicion of heresy, let him be deposed from the order of the clergy. ¶ Origine in Leuiti. Home. 10. THou therefore, if thou will't fast, fast according to the precept of the gospel, and keep in thy fast, the laws of the gospel, in the which the Lord commandeth of fasting in this wise. When thou dost fast anoint thy head. etc. wouldst thou that I should yet show thee what kind of fasting thou oughtest to fast. Fast from all sin, take no meat of malice, make no bankeres of pleasure, wax not to hot with wine of sensualytye: fast from evil arts, & practices, abstain from evil talk, stay thee from evil thoughts: Touch not the stolen bread of perverse doctrine, and thou shalt not lust after the deceivable food of philosophy, which may seduce thee from the truth. Such fast doth please God. But to abstain from meats which God hath created to be received of the faithful with thanks giving (and this to do with them that crucified Christ) can not be acceptable to God. The Phareseys on a time were offended with our Lord, because his disciples did not fast: unto whom he answereth, that the children of the bridegroom can not fast, as long as the bridegroom is present with them. They therefore do fast, who have lost the bridegroom. We that have the bridegroom with us can not fast. Neither yet not withstanding do we say this, to let loose the bridle of christian abstinency. For we have the time of Lent consecrated to fasting, and we have the fourth, and the sixth ferry of the week, in the which we do solemnly fast. But Christians have liberty to fast at any time, not by superstitious observances, but by the virtue of continency. ¶ De consecra, distinc. 5. Cap. jeiunium THe great and general fast is to abstain from iniquities, and from unlawful pleasures of that world, which is the perfect fast in this world etc. ¶ Athana. upon S. Paul's Epist. to the Hebru. Cap. 13. IT is good that the heart be established with grace, and not with meats, etc. He reprehendeth those which brought in the judaical abstinence, and observance of meats. For you (saith he) are to be established by faith, and to be certified that nothing is unclean, and that to the believing all thing is pure. Therefore this faith, and not the observance of meats is necessary. For they which have sinned through meats, that is, which be always busied in such observances of meats, it is manifest that these have nothing profited. etc. That the unjust excommunication of the Pope doth not hurt the excommunicated: translated into English, out of his book, De docto scent. ¶ 11 Quest. 3. Cap. Illud plane. THey said not that without good advisement, that if any of the faithful shall be unjustly excommunicated, it shall be rather hurtful unto him that doth, then to him that suffereth the injury. For the holy ghost dwelling in the saints, by whom every man is bound or loosed, doth punish no man wrongfully, for by him is love poured into our hearts, which doth not amiss. The peace of that Church forgiveth sins: & can he that is out of the peace of the church, detain his sins? Not according to the sentence of men, but according to the will of God, the rock retaineth sins, and the rock remytteth Prou. 26. them. The dove retaineth, & the dove forgiveth. In like manner saith Solomon even as a bird flying to an uncertain place, and as any sparrow flying in the air, so a curse in vain cast out, cometh on him, who sent it. ¶ In the same place, Verba Augustini cap. qui He that is just, and is unjustly cursed, to him is it turned for a reward ¶ In the same place. Cap. Cuiest illata. Gela. ON whom sentence is given, let him give over his error, and it is voided: but if the judgement be unjust, for so much he need not to care, for as much as before God, and in his church wrongful judgement can ●urt no man. Therefore let him not desire to be absolved of that, whereby he persuadeth himself to be nothing bound. ¶ In the same place. Cap. Cepisti. verba Aug. THou hast undertaken to account thy brother as a publican, or infidel and thou bindest him on earth: but see that thou bind him justly, for justice will break unlawful bonds. ¶ In the same place, Cap. Temerarium judicium, Verba Augustini. Rash judgement for the most part never hurteth him which is rashly judged: but to him that judgeth rashly, his rashness must needs be hurtful. ¶ In the same place. Cap. Quid. Verb. Aug. WHat harm is it to a man, though human ignorance doth blot him out of that table, if his wicked conscience do not blot him out of the book of life? ¶ In the same place. Cap. Et si. Verba Aug. ALthough for a time thou be condemned So you d● here condemn those for heretics whom Christ crowneth for saints. of a man, and the proco●sull hath given judgement upon Cyprian, the earthly seat is one thing, the heavenly judgement seat is an other: from the inferior seat he hath received judgement, from the superior, he receiveth a crown. ¶ 11 Quest. 3. Cap. Custodi. verba Augusti. Keep thy innocency secret unto thyself, when no man doth oppress thy cause: false witness shall prevail against thee, but that only with men: for shall it be of any force before God, where thy cause is to be heard? When as God shall be the judge, then shall be no other witness then thy conscience, between the just judge and thy thy conscience: therefore fear nothing but thy own cause. ¶ 24 Quest. 3. Cap. Si quis. verba Hiero●imi. IF any man be excommunicated with unrighteous judgement of them which be rulers of the Church, if he before hath not go out thereof, that is if he hath not so done that deserved to be excommunicated he is nothing hurt in that he seemeth to be expelled of men by unjust judgement: and so cometh it to pass that sometime he which is cast out, is within, & he is without which seemeth to be kept within. ¶ 24. Quest. 3. Cap. Non in. verba Rabbani. We are not perpetually damned when as we are unjustly judged according to the saying of David, Neither shall he damn him when he is judged. Many of the Priests do profess, that they persecuted a fault of a zeal to God ward: but whilst that this is undiscreetly done, they incur the wickedness of sacrilege & whilst they run headlong to amend others, they themselves do also much rather fall into a worse mischief. In the same place. Cap. Cum aliquis. Verba Orige. WHen as any man doth go out from the truth, from the fear And you only cast out that faithful, and believing: but whoremongers, and adulterers you bless. For if you should cast out all them, your church would be but small. of God, from faith, and from charity, he goeth out of the tents of that Church, although by the sentence of the Bishop, he be not cast out. So contrary wise one is with unjust judgement cast forth, if before he hath not go out of himself, that is if he have not by his doing deserved to go forth, he is no thing at all harmed. For sometime he that is east forth is within, and he that is without, it seemeth that he is within. The council of Meldens 11. Questi. Cap. Nemo Episcoporum. LEt no Bishop (without certain, and manifest cause first known) forbidden any man the ecclesiastical communion. And let no man accurse any one, without the knowledge of that Arch byshop, or Bishops, but so far as the Canon authority doth teach, because a curse is eternal damnation of death, and it aught to be enjoined, but only for a deadly sin, and upon those which could not otherwise be amended. ¶ The end of the works of Doct. Barnes. A brief and necessary Table, of all particular matters and words to be noted in these works of Master Doctor Barnes. A. ALexander the third condemned a Decree made by king Henry the ij. 192 Antichrist a subtle crafty merchant 186 Antichrist, who he is. 301 Antichrist declareth himself to be against Christ. 303 Antichrist his doctrine. ibid. 'em Apostles forsake not their wives. 318 Articles against Fridericke the Emperor. 191 Articles set forth by the authority of the king, made heresy by the pope. 201 Articles for which Barnes was condemned. 205 Authorities to prove that the Scriptures aught to be in the mother tongue. 287 B. Barns was not grieved with the Clergy. but with the devil that reigned in them. 190 Barns earnest zeal in the truth. 201 Barnes and Cardinal Wolsey reason together. 210 Barnes disputation with the Bishops. 217 Barns arrested by a Sergeant of arms. 221 Barns threatened to be burned. 222 Barns examined at Westminster. ibidem Barnes forbidden to preach. 223 Barns cruelly persecuted by the papists. 225 Barns lived sole and unmarried. 330 Baruck the Prophet against Idols and Images. 343 Barnes maketh a bold challenge. 356 Bilney a virtuous and godly man. 193 Bilney a counsaylour to Barnes. 221 Blasphemy against Christ and his Apostles. 317 Blind reasons of Papists. 308 Binding and losing what it is. 259 260. 261 bishops Court, no man can be found innocent. 183 Bishops govern tyrannously. 183 Bishops worse than that great Turk. 284 Bishops Captains of rebels against the Prince. 188 bishops holy works what they are. 196 Bishops have lofty minds. 191 Bishops commit perjury. 198 bishops assoiled of their oath to their Prince, but never of their oath to the Pope. ibidem Bishops swear to visit the Pope yearly. 203 bishop's miters come from the jews. 213 bishops use vain ceremonies. 214 bishops Crosier staff what it means. ibidem Bishops pride and lewd living is to be cried out upon. 217 Bishops compared to popettes and stage players. 266 Bishops burners & murderers of that lively images of God, but of their worm eaten Images, they burn none. 346 C. Cardinal Wolsey and Doctor Barnes reason together. 210 Cardinal Wolsey well pleased with his pillars and pollaxes. 215 Charity may be deceived, but faith cannot. 250 Charity is God's gift. 313 Chastity compelled is against the in stitution of the Gospel. 328 Chastity of Papists most abominable. 328. 329. 330 Children of God, who they are. 270 Clement Pope excommunicated king Henry the viii. 198 Clement the pope the son of a Courtesan. 199 Clement Pope against Urban Pope. 193 Clergy may not be reproved. 183. 184 Clergy may not be hindered by power or potentate. ibidem Clergy the enemies of truth. 189 Christ submitted himself to the higher powers. 185 Christ and his Apostles overthrow the Pope's doctrine. 187 Christian man may not extremely and uncharitably sue and vex their brethren. 207 Christien man may lawfully demand their debt by the law. ibidem Christ only hath wrought our redemption. 227 Christ is all in all. 226. 230 Christ is our example to suffer persecution patiently. 296 Christ's institution of the Sacrament. 303 Christ's blood is to be received aswell of the laity as of the spirituality. 304 Christ is the only mediator between God and man. 347. 351 Christ only bringeth us into the favour of almighty God. 348 Church, why it is called holy. 246 Church of God is the treasures of God without spot or wrinkle. 246 Church, how it is known. 249 Church that is true is a sufferer and not a persecutor. 250 Church truly declared. 253. 254. 256 Counsels have erred and may err. 255 Council of Constance forbade the Sacrament in both hinds. 302 Council of Nice thought it meet for a Bishop to have a wife. 320 D. Days are no one better nor higher than an other. 206 Doctors of the law give evil counsel. 208 E. ENemy to a true man is a thief. 189 Extreme law is extreme miustice. 208 F. Faith only justifieth. 226. 235 Faith without works justifieth. 228 Faith is accounted for righteousness. 231 Faith in Christ attaineth salvation. 231 Faith bringeth forth good works. 236 Faith that bringeth forth fruit is the faith that justifieth. 238 Faith justifieth before God, & good works declare our justification to the world. 239 Faiths are of two sorts. 241 Faith that justifieth is given us freely of God. 241 Faithful believers in Christ's merits are the right holy Church of God. 244 Faithful congregation cannot err. 247 Faith is the mere gift of God. 277 Fisher Bishop of Rochester sworn to the Pope. 197 Flock of Christ is little. 247 Fleshly reason, refoned frowardly. 270 Fridericke the Emper our deposed. 191 free-will of man without God's grace can do no good. 266. 267. 268 free-will without grace is sin. 269. 270 free-will wherein it consists. 276 Fruits of faith. 235 G. GErmayne a Pope's Saint, a strange history. 190 George Stafford a learned man. 221 God only is omnipotent and almighty. 351 God is to be obeyed before men. 295 God doth wonderfully work to save his flock. ibidem God'S commandments are impossible to our nature to be kept. 272 Gods mercy is the only cause of our salvation. 179 Good counsel given to the Bishops 215 Good works, what goodness is in them. 229 Good works cannot deserve remission of sins. 235 Good works are to be done though they justify not. 237 Good works are the fruits of good faith. 249 God disposeth his mercy to whom it pleaseth him. 278 Gospel preaching is no cause of insurrection. 184 Gospel profitable to England. 194 Grace without deserving. 224 Grace finds our hearts stony. 273 H. HErode kept his brother's wise. 188 Hypocrisy abominable. 189 Holy days, why they were ordained. 205 Holy Church truly defined. 243 Holy church, that is the true church of God is to the world invisible. 244 Holy Church is the ground and pillar of truth. 245 Holy Church is built upon the Apostles and Prophets. 250 I Jacob is elected and Esau rejected. 178 Idols and Images described. 344 Idols & Images are all one. ibidem. Ignorance made us worship stocks and stones. 341 Images are neither to be honoured nor worshipped. 340 Image of God is thy poor Christian brother. 345 Images or Idols are not the workers of any miracles, 345 Insurrections whereof they came. 192 Indifferent things are to be obeyed. 298 john king of England cruelly handled by the Clergy of England. 189 justification is not by the law of of works but by the law of faith. 234 justification, how it cometh. 236 justified persons cannot abstain from doing of good works. 240 K. Kings aught not to be deposed though they be wicked. 187 King john was cruelly handled of the Clergy of England. 189 King john poisoned. 189 Kings brought by violence under the Pope's foot. 195 Kings of the kingdom of heaven what they are. 257. 258 Keys of Christ abused by the Bishops. 262. 263 L. LAw, why it was given. 275 Liberties of holy Church may not be impugned. 217 Losing and binding, what it is. 259 M. MAn is Lord over all creatures. 274 Man's dominion restrained. 275 Man is the lively and true Image of God. 346 Marriage of Priests is allowed of God. 317 Marriage hath a greater cross than virginity. 313 Marriage of Priests is neither against God's law nor man's law. 328 Marriage is all one before priesthood and after priesthood. 336 Mass made of many patches. 357 Mass well-beloved of the Papists for gains sake. ibidem Ministers of the Church aught to be no Lords. 262 Money is the pope's best merchant. 265 Monks of the Charterhouse and their superstition. 299 Mores holy Church, are the Pope Cardinals and Bishops. 252 Moses chair what it is. 297 N. Natural reason is a blind judge of the Scriptures. 307 Naturally all men desire Marriage. 323 O. OBedience to the higher powers taught by Christ and his Apoles. 185 Obedience to the Prince we own with our bodies, and to God with our souls. 300 Officers are Bishops hangmen. 211 Offenders of the common weal may not break prison, but patiently suffer that the law doth determine. 293 Orders in the Clergy hath two significations. 202 Oath the bishops made to the Pope. 195 Oath to the Pope last made by the Bishops. 200 P. PApistes and Schoolmen pervert the Scriptures. 180▪ Papists charge the Preachers of God's word with heresy. 185 Papists teach disobedience to Princes. 185. 186 Papists shameless doings. 186 Papists and Protestants wherein they differre. 191 Papist is an unnatural subject against his sovereign Lord and Lady. 202 Papists are arrogant and proud. 209 Papists are crafty jugglers. 223 Papists cruelty. 225 Papists are trappers of innocents. 223 Papists are tyrants. 224 Papists are blasphemers of Gods holy word. 286 Papists preach lies. 287 Papists and S. Paul are contrary. 285 Papists are the nourishers of ignorance and darkness. 290 Papists find fault with gnats and swallow camels. 308 Papists make blind reasons. 308. 309 Papists carnal reasons. 351 Papists, worshippers of stocks and stones. 352 Papists, blind and malicious. 353 Papists foolish arguments soluted. 354 Paul dispenseth with unlawful vows. 314 Peter the Apostle had a wife. 325 Petition of Doct. Barnes to king Henry the viii. 205 Philip the Evangelist was married. 325 Popes depose kings. 186 Popes shameless arrogancy and tyranny. ibidem Popes dispense with oaths that subjects make of obedience to their Princes. 188 Pope's procurers of war and destruction of people. 193 Pope against Pope one cursing an other. ibidem Popes altar the bishops oaths as seemeth best for their purpose. 195 Popes and their lewdness truly described. 197 Pope, how he cometh by the name of Lord ibidem Pope Clement excommunicated king Henry the viii. 198 Popes what manner of men they are that are choose to that dignity. 199 Pope Clement the son of a Courtesan. ibidem Pope a monstrous hypocrite. 198 Pope and his laws agreed not. 199 Popes are not choose after saint Paul's rule. ibidem Power of kings is immediately of God. 202 Pope's Saints work strange miracles. 190 Pope absolveth all rebellion against Princes, but pardoneth none that hath been against himself. 201 Pope's regalles. ibidem Pope calleth Councils as it pleaseth him. 202 Pope hath liberty to say & do● what he list. 204 Pope's pardons have been good merchandise in England. 212 Pope may not be controlled of any man. 213 Popish law is tyrannous. 218. 219. 220 Pope and the true holy church, how far they differre. 242 Pope and his manners agreeth nothing with the holy Church. ibidem Pope shamefully abuseth the holy Church. 243 Pope's Church glory in trash. 251 Pope's Clergy is condemned by S. Augustine as heretics. 264 Pope and Christ are contrary. 284 Pope and his clergy are the very Antechristes'. 288 Pope a persecutor of holy church. 242 Pope selleth God and all his ordidinaunces. 265 Popes condemned for heretics. 247 Popes own laws both against himself and his Clergy. 305 Pope defameth priesthood. 324 Pope and his clergy fear not to break Christ's institution. 306 Pope forbiddeth marriage. 315 Pope accounteth whoredom & matrimony to be all one. 321 Pope's doctrine condemned by a Council. 322 Pope's laws against marriage of Priests. 316 Pope alloweth that keeping of whores. 317 Pope will not suffer any people married to be Bishops. 320 Pope is a renter and tearer of the Scriptures. 334 Pope maketh a hodgepodge of marriage. ibidem Pope accounteth whoredom better than Matrimony. 335 Pope a blasphemer of God. ibidem Practice of Prelates. 203 Practices of Papists to cause Images to work miracles. 343 Preachers of true doctrine teach obedience. 185 Preachers of true doctrine are sufferers. 184 Preachers of false doctrine are persecutors. 184 Preachers against the Pope are accounted heretics. 205 Prelates cannot use obedience to their Prince. 202 Prelates are blind guides. ibidem Prelates will obey the pope, but not the Prince. 203 Priests roar and mumble out their Diriges and Masses. 216 Priests may marry wives by the law of God lawfully. 309 Priests must marry for avoiding of fornication. 310 Prophets never stirred the people against the Prince. 184 Protestants and Papists how they differre. 191 Power temporal described. 292 R. REason & devotion that is against the will of God is mere blindness. 307 Righteous man liveth by faith. 233 Rochester against Winchester. 206 Rochesters great judgement. ibidem Rochesters vain distinction. 237 Rochester's rule to know the difference between the Pope and the Council. 247 Rochesters words upon Christ's words. 303 S. SAcrament forbidden to be received in both kinds. 301 Sacrament under both kinds. 305 Saints can obtain nothing for us. 347 Saints, how they aught to be honoured. 349 Saints are holy, but they are no Gods. 351. Scriptures are to be read of all men 182 Scriptures in the common tongue teach all obedience. 184 Scriptures judge the true Church. 250 Scroupe Richard archbishop of york a rebel. 188 Scriptures are the judges of Counsels. 248 Scriptures not suffered by the Pope's clergy to be in the mother tongue. 283 Scriptures teach the commandments of God. 288 Scripture is profitable to be read. 289 Scriptures is to be made known to all men. 291 Solutions and arguments to the Scriptures. 236 spirituality ready to help the pope. 194 Spiritual power. 297 Stafford George a learned man. 22● Stokesly Bishop of London a foolish and malicious Papist. 291 Stocks and stones the Papists honour as Gods. 342 Subjects must obey, and in what manner. 294. 295 Supplication made by D. Barnes to king Henry the viii. 183 Superstition of the Monks of the Charterhouse. 299 T. TRaditions against God are to be rooted up by the roots. 298 Tunstall Bishop of London. 215 V Virginity is a state indifferent. 313 Uncharitable suits are to be reproved. 209 Universal Church is not a general Council. 248 Vows that have unlawful conditions are not to be observed. 319 Urban Pope against Clement Pope. 193 W. Works, which be of greatest value and are accounted for the best. 228 Works are good and help to justification. 231 Works without faith are but sin. 233 Works of the new law. 234 Whoredom is lawful in no case. 311 ¶ FINIS. AT LONDON Printed by john day, and are to be sold at his shop under Aldersgate. An. 1572. ¶ Cum gratia & Privilegio Regiae Maiestatis. A lively picture describing the authority and substance of Gods most blessed word, weighing against Popish traditions. ☞ judgement indifferent. How light is chaff of Popish toys, if thou desire to try, Lo justice holds true beam without respect of partial eye: One balance holds God's holy word, and on the other part, Is laid the dregs of Antichrist, devised by Popish art: Let Friars and Nuns and baldpate Priests, with triple crown of Pope, The Cardinal's hat, and devil himself, by force pluck down the rope: Bring bell, book, candle, cross, & beads, and mitred Basan bull, Bring bulls of lead and Pope's Decrees, the balance down to pull: Yet shall these tars and filthy dregs, invented by man's brain, Through force of Gods most mighty word, be found both light and vain. Magna est veritas & prevalet, Great is the truth and prevaileth. 3. Esdra. 4.