The fyrste Chapitre. ¶ The cause of the greate blyndnes of the worlde, whiche hathe cōtinued so longe tyme, by what meanes the verytye of scriptures of god hathe be hydde and suppressyd. Capi. i. The Paradoxes.
OF Christ and his apostles,1 the same veryte & truthe, was diligently preached, whiche nowe is opened agayne with his gyfte and spirite.
They dyd preache the 2 moste pure worde of god, wt the same sīcerenes, that it was reuelyd & shew yd of god: nat admyxted with proude phylosophy, chyding sophymes, dreames, decrees, & tradycyons, of mēne. and to do the same we our selues be aboute, and couit with all our hertes.
¶ For it is vnpossible, that any man 3 shulde perceiue the scriptures of god by carnal. wysdome, as. S. Paule dothe say in his fyrst epystle to the Corinthians the .2. chapitre. sayeng god hathe made them open by his spirite [Page] for the spirite sercheth althynges, ye the botome of godes secretes. ❧
4 ¶ Verely the alonly spirite of god is the moste lawfull interpreter of scriptures, and most surely dothe iudge of the secretes of god .i. Corinthians, 2. the thyngꝭ of god, no man knoweth, but the spirite of god. ☞ ❧
5 ¶ who so euer dothe preache and expounde the scriptures, nat of this spirite powres forth his dreames & lyes for he is then carnall, nat perceiuyng those thyngꝭ that be of the spirite of god, for they seme but folyshenes to him. wherfore he can nat ꝑceiue that (as I haue sayde) they be taken in spirite. 1. Corin. 2. ☞: ❧: ❧: ☜
6 ♣ God hathe gyuen to vs, the moste surest testimonie of his spirite, that is to say, his scriptures, by whom is wel knowen who dothe iudge rytiously or no. so scripture is called a witnes or testimonie. Esaie. 8. & the Psalme. 18. and very ofte in the .118. Psalme. ❧
7 ❧ Euery exposicion of any place of scripture, whiche dothe dyssent, from no other place of the same scripture, is of the spirite of god, but if it do dissent [Page 2] in one iote, it is nat of the holy ghoste, but commeth of the lyeng and folyshe sense of men, for euery man of hym selfe is a lyer. Psalmus. 115.
♣ Hat longe after the apostles dayes 8 Doctours began to expoūde, the most spirituall scriptures of god (agaynste theyr propre nature, and ordre of god whiche had openid thē) after the wysdome of the flesshe, & moste vayne phylosophy, admyxtinge them dayly with theyr reꝓuable soteltyes & sophymes.
☞ By what meanes it came to passe, that they were depriued the equal iudgement of god, and true intellygence of scriptures, and blyndyd euery day more then other, so that by the multitude of sophymes and carnall inuencyons the lyght of euerlastyng verytye and truethe was vtterly hydde.
❧ wherof the moste pure textes of scripture were forgotten, and inuentoures, feynours, and dreamars were receyuyd, as chydyng / Sophesters / Scotystes / Thomystes / Occanystes Summystes / and suche other. ❧
☞ After that mannes wysdome and 9 proude phylosophy was admytted, to [Page] the exposycyon of scriptures of god, whiche is inpossyble to it, for it peruertyth the germane and true sense of it, and we fall in to the moste rude and ieoperdouse confusyon of blyndenes ygnorance and erroures that almoste there shuldbe none that walkyth nat in lyenge. ☞: ❧: ♣: ❧: ☜
10 ❧ Also nat longe after the apostles tyme, vnto these happy dayes, hathe be the very worldes of blyndnes and darkenes, but nowe the nyght & darknes be gone, and the amyable daye of verytie and truthe is at hande.
11 ♣ It is heresye to say, that to cōuicte heretykes, we hadde nede of sophistical soteltyes or mannes phylosophy. for veryly god is neuer knowē by thē nor they by hym, bycause no man may stryue, for god and hys veryte, bycause it is contrary to God. Forther more the wysdome of this worlde, is dystroyed, ouercome, and reproued, with the alonly and moste pure worde of the crosse. 1. Cor. 2. and the chapitre folowyng, Paule dothe saye that he dyd nat come to the Corynthyans in eloquēce of speakyng, or wysdome, [Page 3] but that he might open and shewe the testymonye, of Christ Iesu, and many thynges of thys matter in the same place. ☞: ❧: ♣: ❧: ☜
☞ They that beleue by eloquence, so 12 phymes, philosophy, and suche other wordes of mannes wysdome, to teache Christe, wyl that our faythe be in wysdome of men whiche is inpossyble at the leaste of true faythe, whiche is nat but of the worde of the crosse and open shewynge of the spirite & power of god. 1. Corynthyans. 2. ☞: ❧
♣ In all the ieoperdouse tyme of erroure 13 and darkenes, we were herytykes, sysmatikes, from Christe and his verytie, and drowned in the most greuouse erroures whiche we coulde nat perceyue of our selues, for bycause ye alonly iudgement of the flesshe (that dothe neuer condempne it selfe, but is alway aboute to ordayne it, ye aboue god) was then receiued, & dyd please, and men dyd cleaue to it whiche god dothe hyghly abhorre. ☞: ❧: ♣
❧ The lyeng and reprouable sense,14 and iudgement of the flesshe, then rey [...]yng. after that, and contrary to goddes [Page] worde. was inuentyd the supercylyous, and proude state, of the pope, his cardynalles, and bysshopes, and what soeuer dothe perteyne to the apostatate kyngdome, as be the monastycall sectes, indulgences of yeres & dayes from pena & culpa. &c̄. decrees, and rules of men, vsurpyng of rythes, fyrste frutes, and oblacyons, inquisitours .i. ꝓtectoures of this heryticall iniquitie, promocyons of false deuynes, scoles of decrees, and such other of thys kynde execreable feynynges of the dyuell, by the whiche vnto the tyme apoynted, that is, vnto the tyme that the iniquities of this kyngdome of the sonne of perdicyon was endyd, the same kyngdome was establysshed,
15 ♣ The surest and moste euident sygne that this greate blyndenes hathe so longe endured, is that inuēcions, tradycyons, and decrees of men, were regardid and setby, more than the moste holy lawe of god, and bycause ye pure textes and sense of the byble, were almoste clene extyncte and putte our of memory, besydes that in theyr exposicyon, euery man dyd folowe the dreames [Page 4] and feynynges of hys harte, and nat theyr true and germane sense, nat the marke of the euerlastynge spirite, and dyd glory with hys inuencyons, so that there was none that myght be acountyd any thynge worthe at all in mynistery of the worde, but such a ru [...] ler, of whom might be sayde. Beholde here a goodly preacher a noble pla [...]e, with his newe inuēcions, in preachīg and wrytyng he is copyous, & moues mery conceites in euery place, that is as muche to say, as derysyō and mockage of the holy ministery of the gospell, and to be brefe, the bysshopes, apostles, and prophetes, of god, were nat serchyd for. But Antychristꝭ and theyr synagoges whiche with theyr inuēcyons with one brethe, can prouoke men bothe to laughe and wepe, vomyte a hundreth allegaciones, pratyng and preachyng to the people, decrees and lawes of men, customes and deades of many yeres, examples and dreames, of olde wyues, monstrous lyes of the kyngedome of Antychriste, ypocrytes, deceyuers, lyers, nat wyllyng to orden the iustyce of god, but [Page] the iustyce of the flesshe, and of theyr sectes and of antychrystes nat sekyng the glorie of god, but theyr owne glorie (they dyd all stryue for the pope, and the minorites for theyr Francys, Bonauenture, Scote, and Occam. &c agaynst Dominike, Thomas, and Capriolus .&c̄. and so of other) slobelyes, deuourīg vp wydoes, & īnocētꝭ howses, ye all the substance of the worlde.
16 ❧ Another sure and euident token that this blyndnes hathe ben, is discē cyon neuer ceasyng that hathe bene, amongest preachers, for what do we se in them but cōtencyon / debate / and chydynge agaynste the nature of the holy ghoste, whiche is spirite of vnyō and peace, and of the sermons of god, whiche neuer sofferith nature of contrary osnes in thē, and aganst the custome of the churche of god, whiche loueth true peace / and is enemy of contencyon. ☞: ❧: ♣: ❧: ☜
17 ¶ The thyrde & manyfest sygne, is abhomynable peace of the fleshe, for the worde of god bryngethe the sworde, & seperates chyldren from theyr parentes / and frendes from frendes, whose [Page 5] louers muste nedes sufre persecucyon for it is vnpossyble that the worde of the crosse shulde be without a crosse, & that it shulde nat be spoken agaynst for Christe & those that longe to him, be put in sygne of cōtradictyon. Luc. 2. bycause therfore that the doctryne, that hath contynued so longe, the decrees of Antechriste, the pryde, and al the apostasy of his kyngedome, hathe be obserued so longe tyme in an execrable pease so that frely this man of synne with the tyrannes of his kyngedome, what so euer they wolde, scarsly any man withstandynge, dyd ordayne chaunge and dystroy, contrary to the playne textes of scripture, by what meanes it is well knowen, this peryllouse blyndenes to haue reygnyd by suche contynuance. ☞: ❧ ❧: ☜
♣ The .iiij. and moste euydent sygne 18 is, that lawes, lycencyous lyuyng, deuylyshe pompe, moste proude ornamē tes, crownes, burletes, hattes, myters, hypocrysy hauynge no lyke, deceyuable chastitie, dyuersite and supersticyō of sectes, settynge vp of ydolles, chapelles, colleges, phaanes .i. of hye and [Page] monstrouse places, lyeng bulles, stelīg of tythes fyrst frutes and offerynges, vsurping of kyngdomes and lordshyppes, sacryfyce of masses, and all other atteynyng to the kyngdome of Antechriste, clene contrary to the immaculat worde of god. ☞: ♣: ☜
19 ☞It was predestynat, that the sonne of perdycyon, the manne of synne, the pope and his kyngdome, whom the apostle. 2. Thessa. 2. dyd prophesye, to be reuelat: and byfore that he shulde be knowen to be hydde, & that by tyme and tymes, that is to say longe tyme & halfe tyme, for the laste tyme where as he thought to reygne perpetually, is cutte of the halfe, when he falleth by lytle and lytle, as he is knowen by the worde of god, he had neuer reigned so longe if we had knowen whom he had ben, all that tyme therfore yt he hathe reygned vntyl he was knowen by and by, where as he is reuelyd, by the mercye of god in the tyme p̄fynyte of god that is in our blessyd tyme, he begynneth to falle, and is peryshed with the sworde of the mouthe of the lorde, and dayly he is tossed & plucked, without handes.
[Page 6] ❧And for that cause, the lorde hath 20 opened with his worde, fyrste that the pope and as many as do pertayne to his kyngdome, be the chyldren of perdycyon, for no doubte who so euer is nat apostata and alyenat frome that kingdome is apostata and alienat and a scysmatyke frō Christe, wherof they may be bothe callyd chyldren of perdycyon and deceyuynge other with theyr lyes. ❧ ♣
♣ Secondly, he hathe shewed, that 21 they be men of synne, bycause al theyr affectyons and cogytacyons and workes be synne. Also with theyr tradycyons, and synnes, they haue encreasyd synne, aboue al estymacyon, there was neuer man from the begynnyng of the worlde that hathe so bounde mennes conscyence as the pope and his tyrannes, that is cardynales, and byshopes with theyr reprouable counselles.
¶ Thyrdly god hathe made manyfest 22 to vs, that who so euer hathe the prymacye of the churche of Satane, and is takē for the pope, is aboue al other the sonne of perdicion, the man of syn and antychriste, whiche dothe exalte [Page] hymselfe aboue all that is called god or worshypped (suppressing the lawes and true worshyppe of god) so that he dothe sitte in the tēple of god as god, and is taken of the faythefull, whiche be the quycke temples of god, for the vycker, of the hye god.
23 ☞ Nowe afterwarde that god hathe manifestly shewed to vs, that the papacye, that is the kyngedome of Antychriste, is the kyngedome of synne to be abhorryd and damnable, it is necessary for all that do attayne to it to be alyenat from it, and to coūte them for nothynge but as dregges, or castynge out of dyuelles, to attribute nothyng to them, to truste in nothing that they do, as in decrees, excominycacyons, pardons, pryuyleges, bulles, with suche other bagage. And the same of the pope, cardynalles, patriarkes, legates archebyshopes, falsebyshopes, chanones, and monkes, and so of all other.
24 ❧ we haue a sure knowledge, specyally in .iiij. thynges that the doctryne whiche nowe is reuelyd, to vs of the lorde is the very and mere truthe, fyrst that the pure textes of the byble, the [Page 7] deceyuable inuēcions of men abiecte. be dylygently receyued, wryten, and preachyd. The seconde is, that al syncere preachers although they be personally seperate, nor one of them hearyth nat another or rede his wrytingꝭ yet do they for the moste parte agree, but in case they dyssent for a tyme, in any thyng then the scriptures of god, delygently serchyd, they be appesyd & contentyd. The thyrde is, althoughe many do abuse the lybertye of the gospell, yet as many as do receyue thys doctryne, gently, and mekely, be meke, mercyfull, faythefull, reioysyng in spirite, pacyent, very gentyll, full of charytie, procurīg the glorye of god with out any superstycyousnes, or hypocrysye, copyouse in frutes of trewe good workes. The fourthe is, that this doctryne, is neuer resysted, nor spoken agaynste, but of the chyldren of perdycyon, carnall men, antechristes, and men of synne, euyn as Symeon dyd prophisy of Christe, in the .2. chapitre of Luke, sayng, in that signe that shall be resisted and spoken agaynst. &c. yet for al that they do nat specially name [Page] innocentes, and true preachers it can neuer be but they shalbe resysted and spoken agaynste, for it is wrytten, if they haue persecuted me, they shal persecute you. Iohn̄ in ye .15. cha. & agayne: all that wyll mekely lyue in Christ Iesu shal suffre ꝑsecucyō .2. Tymo. 3.
25 ♣ The electe, that haue gone byfore vs, in the miserable time of errour and derkenes, althoughe they dyd aberre from the hydde iudgement of god, yet for theyr electiō, that is bycause they were chosen of god frome the begynnyng they were acceptable to him, for though he dyd abhorre theyr synnes, he dyd immutably loue theyr ꝑsones. For he by the purenes of theyr faythe hathe taken all theyr synnes, & hathe nat ymputed them, for pure faythe is imputed to iustyce. Roma. 4. & in the 33. Psalme. Blessyd be they whose iniquities be forgyuē and whose synnes be coueryd, blessid is that man, to whō the lorde hathe nat imputyd syn. &c̄. If these electe shulde lyue nowe, no doubte but they wolde gyue place to the truthe.
26 ¶ For all that the electe do oftymes [Page 8] erre (yet do they all say as is wrytten the .118. Psalme. I haue erryd as a shepe that hathe peryshed) but for all that they were neuer brought into errour, for they do neuer consent to it, lest they peryshe in it, they do alwaye so erre that they say. Lorde my herte is redy, my herte is redy, verely they be alway redy if they were teachyd, to forsake all erroures.
☞who soeuer couyteth, to be parttaker 27 of the truthe nowe openid agayne muste nedes confesse, al to haue ben in errour. For iuggelers in spirite, and doctryne of dyuelles, haue preueyled in these worldes of darkenes, in the moste horryble iudgement of god. For so god had predestynate afore the bygynninge, that in them shulde be tyme & power of darkenes of the kyndome of antychryste.
♣ And although this was chefely begonne,28 in yt tyme the pope couyted, & ysurped the primacye of the worlde, & byshopes nat cōtent with theyr calle, but wolde be prynces and rulers, yet in the aposteles tyme, the mysterye of īiquite was wrought, in false apostles [Page] and false bretherne as you maye perceyue. 2. Thessa. 2 and .1. Iohanis. 4. 29 ☞ They that can nat take the mysteryes of euerlastynge truthe, but wyll peryshe perpetually, let them beware that they condempne them nat. For who can condempne the thinges that he perceyueth nat, and be without syn let hym humiliat hym selfe before the lorde, and confesse hys ignorance, whiche if he do in verytie, with out doute, he shall optayne, hys desyre, for the mysteryes of god, be hydde frome them that loueth carnall wysdome, and truste to it, and be openyd to the meke, and chyldren. Math. xj. Lu. x.
¶ Of the holy churche of god, and reprouable synagoge of Sathan of canonysynge, and inuocacyon of sayntes.
☞ The seconde Chapitre. ☜
The seconde Chapitre.
THe churche of God is 30 the vnyuersytie of all sayntes, and them that be predestinate, whiche haue ben from the beginnyng of the worlde, and shall be to the ende.
Ecclesia is a greke worde callyd in laten, Congregatio in englyshe a congregation company or churche.
¶ They be sayntes, that be translatid 31 from prophane or worldly thynges, to godly, and spirituall thynges, & made holy and consecratyd to god. That thīg is callyd holy ī scripture that is nat comune, but seperate to god, so those thīgꝭ were callyd holy in tymes paste that were offeryd, in the temple of god, and then they were sanctyfyed whē they were offeryd, and so we pray let thy name be santyfyed. That is we pray, that thy name that is to say thy fame, may be knowen and beleued of al men alone to excell all other and may be countyd for suche a one, as in very dede it is. And that all men may confesse, that there is no prophane or comen thynge in the, but that thou arte [Page] alone, holy / good / iuste / myghty / euerlastyng / nat hauyng another god lyke to the in thy maiesty.
32 ♣ what so euer is of faythe is a holye thynge and iuste, and he that workes / and lyueth, so of faythe, is a saynte / & ryghtwyse, and what so euer is nat of fayth, is prophane, and synne. Roma. 14. and they that do suche thynges be vniuste / worldly / and vnclnee.
33 ¶ He dothe lyue / and worke / of fayth that dothe al thyng with a sure truste, of goddes goodnes. beleuyng in hym that he shall receyue grace / and that nat by his owne meryte / but by the meryte of Christe and his hye goodnes.
34 ¶ To lyue of faythe / and worke of it or in the name of the lorde, or to hys glorye / be taken all for one thynge in holy scrypture.
35 ♣ Faythe is in euery worde of god / whiche is fulfylled, by the meryte of Christe and veryte of him that promiseth it / and it truly is nat virtuall / habytuall / or abydynge (as Sophesters put. But actuall / true / hole / syncere / sanctifieth, quickeneth, & iustifieth, the beleuer. Abacuc .2. a iuste man lyueth [Page 10] of faythe. & Roma. 5. we beynge iustified of faythe let vs haue peace. and againe. Ro. 3. & Galt. 2. euery mā shall nat be iustified of workꝭ but of fayth.
¶ All true faythfull, be sayntes / and 36 therfore Paule wrytyng to the faytheful, callyth thē saītes. Ephe. j. Col. j.
♣ The churche of god is inuisible and 37 spirituall, as faythe is, verely no man excepte he haue it by reuelacyon, can surely defyne of other, if they be of it, although there be many sygnes, as is if any man wyll be ruled, in al thyngꝭ, with the worde of god, and professe Christe in his actes. For it is wryten the prayse of him, in the cōgregacyon of his sayntes. Psalm. 149. I do nat say them that be of the churche of god to be inuisible, but the churche is called inuisible, bycause it is nat knowen by vysible and corporall thynges.
¶ For when the worde of the lorde,38 is preachyd, moste purely it is neuer voyde without frute, but worketh all thyng, to which it is sēde of the lorde Esa. 55. wherfore whersoeuer it is so preachyd it is certayne, that there be some that be of the churche of god, in [Page] whom it bryngeth forthe frute, but we can nat specyally shewe one of them.
39 ♣The pope, ye with al his kyngdome with hym can nat surely shewe one electe, or saynte, therfore they can canonyse none or a [...]scrybe them in the nū bre of fayntes, for alonly god knowith whiche be his. 2. Timoth. 2. and those to whom his wyll is to reuelate.
40 ♣Electe haue no nede, nor wyll nat at all any other canonyser, be sydes hym that dothe adscrybe them in the euerlastynge numbre of hys sayntes, and boke of them that do lyue.
41 ♣ Therfore all sayntes, do hyely abhorre the canonysyng, of the pope, bycause it is no other thyng, then a feynyng of the dyuell a stronge huntyng, a multyplycatyon of ydolles, deceyuyng of the worlde, a turnynge frome the alonly Christe our true and moste suffycyent medyatour, besyde whome god wyll none. For all though god is to be praysed, in his sayntꝭ. Psal. 115. Yet they be not our aduocates, wherfore we ought nat to call vpon them?
42 ♣ For that man Iesus Christe the medyatour of god and mēne. 1. Timo. 2. [Page 11] is our aduocate, and a mercyfulnes for our synnes. 1. Iohannis. 1.
¶ The holy mother of god, and all 43 sayntes do abhorre, aboue that at can be spoken, and hate vowes and pylgrymages, to theyr sepulchres, and buyldynge of chapelles, and ydolles, and suche other of this kynde. by cause by these, the people, be turned frome syncere truste in god, and his Christ, of al meruels, and wonders, as [...]el of these as of all other lyke. I haue spoken of in the boke of the causes of the blyndnes. &c̄. tracta. 5. capi. 12.
¶The pope and other with hym, that 44 canonyse, vsurpe that whiche is ꝓpre to the alonly god, that is to adscrybe and numbre, his electe.
¶ To adfyrme that the pope, or any 45 other men may canonyse, the electe of god, it is herysye, bycause it dothe dissent from holy scrypture.
♣ Alonly the electe, whom god hathe 46 adscrybed in the eternitie, and numbre of his sayntes, be of his churche. But vnto they beleue they abyde without the churche.
¶ For any man to be of the churche 47 [Page] of god kynde condycyon, age, nacyon coloure of clothyng or deynteousnes or any other outwarde thynge nothīg profyteth. As is playne. Galath. 3. Coloss. 3. but syncere faythfull, do admyt no outwarde thynge that dothe nat agre in all thynge with the worde of god.
48 ☞wherof it foloweth, that it is heresye to adfyrme that the pope, cardynalles, byshopes, with all his kyngedome, be of the churche of god, which is meke all pure and holy. Forthermore (as I haue sayde) it is īuisible .i. it maye nat be knowen surely, by outwarde thynges althoughe it haue alway the externe workes of faythe. for it dothe althyng of faythe, whether it eate / drynke or any other thyng. But that it dothe thys of faythe there is none but god, and he beynge worker that seeth.
49 ¶They that be of the cōgregacyon / of the wycked / haue ofte workes aperyngly good / & very ofte apere to the electe to be more holye for it / verely god knoweth that all theyr workes be euyll bycause they be nat of faythe.
[Page 12]¶Therfore of faythe / and infidelyte / 50 good workes and euyll iuste / and iniuste / do come.
¶who so euer lyueth nat and worketh 51 of this forsayde faythe / is of the company / and synagoge that is spoken of Psalmo. 23. I haue hatyd the churche malygnant / and. Apocalip. 2. I knowe theyr blasphemyes that saye they be Iues / and be nat / but be the synagoge of satane. and agayne. capitulo. 3. beholde I shall gyue of the synagoge of satane that say they be Iues & be nat.
¶ Of this kynde / is the hole churche 52 of the pope / it is so muche lesse that it shulde be / of the ympollutyd churche of god.
¶ All that be of the synagoge / of the 53 pope wyl be callyd ecclesiastycall / and there is no lye more open thē this. If thou do referre this name to the churche of god / in a respecte they may be alonly callyd ecclesiasty call or spirituall to the churche of the deuyll.
¶ Therfore bycause / the kyngedome 54 of the pope / hathe nothyng comen / with the churche of god / as many as perteyne to hym / be the very chyldren [Page] of his worlde / veryly all other / if they be noble men or marchātes, artificers / or husbandemen / so that there be syncere faythe / in whiche they lyue / and worke / and dyssēt from the kyngdome of the pope / be ecclesiastycall / and of the churche of god / to whō these scismatikes haue done the most poysened iniury and wronge bycause they haue callyd them seculer and carnal or temporal / and they haue cōmaundyd with a hatefull pryde them selues to be callyd ecclesiasticall and spirituall.
55 ¶ Verely who so euer is of the churche of god is ecclesiastycall and spirituall / and dothe all thynges of fayth / whiche be spirituall.
56 ¶ The sinagoge / of the pope is more aduersary to Christe / then the turke / for the emperoure of trukes sofferyth faythfull that be in his landes / to lyue after the pure worde of god / whom these blynde enemyes of mekenes / dothe nat cease to reclame agaynst in the myddes of theyr blyndnes.
57 ¶ wherfore it were better for vs to lyue vnder the empyre of the turke / then the pope. truely it is lawfull for faythfull [Page 13] to lyue vnder any prynce / so that Christ & his worde be frely sufferid, as it was lawful for the Isralites to lyue vnder Nabugodonosor, Cyro, Daryo, Assuero, ye Romanes, ye Asseryēs .&c̄.
♣ From this forsayde synagoge there 58 may none passe, to the churche of god excepte he fyrste forsake the pope, and his decrees, for the pope, and Christ, be more contrary then fyre and water.
☞He is the very greate and true antechriste,59 and all the tyrannes of hys kyngdome .i. cardinalles, and byshopes. &c̄. & they that do nat dyssent frō hym be also antichristes.
❧ Euen as it was necessarye to the 60 blessyd angelles, to theyr eternal helthe, to dyssent from that fyrste angell apostata, so to all that couit to be sauid, it is necessary to be alyenat from the pope, and his kīgdome orels they shall neuer truely knowe Christe and cleaue to his verytye, with full herte, wherfore they muste nedes peryshe at the laste. ☞: ❧: ♣: ❧: ☜
¶ Of the comunyon of sayntes of excomunicacion & bulles of the son of perdycyon. Capi. 3.
The thyrde Chapitre.
61 ALl that be of the churche of god, haue theyr comunion to gyther of one faythe, one spirite, one grace, truthe, iustice pease, baptym, and of al gyftes of the spirite.
62 ☞Alonly by faythe they that beleue, be partakers of all these. For all the workes of god be in faythe. ❧
63 ♣ Bycause the kyngdome of the pope lyuys nat of faythe, it can haue none of these it is so muche lesse, that it can gyue them to other. ☞: ❧
64 ❧ It is heresye to afyrme, that by the cursyd indulgences of the kyngedome of the pope the grace of god or remyssyon of al sines or of the thyrde or forthe or halfe parte or of one only synne is grauntyd. ☞: ❧: ♣
65 ☞And the grace of god, whiche is of faythe alonly be p̄sēt, al synnes be for gyuen, & nat ymputyd. But if it be absent, none is forgiuen, but al ymputid.
66 ❧ Therfore nat one or some parte of syn is remytted, but all to gether other remytted or holden. For that mā is blessyd alonly, whose iniquityes be [Page 14] forgyuen and coueryd, and are nat ymputyd. Psalm. 31. so that if one syn be retayned, yet dothe other remayne hatred, and cursydnes. ☞: ❧: ♣
♣ Bulles, Iubylyes, and all pardons,67 of the kyngedome of the pope, be no other thynge, but dysceytfulnes, dyuelysshe iuglyng, sure nettes, to drawe all the substance of the worlde, cursyd marchandyse, fedynge of the enemyes of god, an abomynable inuencyon, turnyng frō the syncere faythe of Christ alonly profytable to dystroye soules, and noryshe satannes synagoge. ❧
❧ who so euer, dothe truste to these 68 false bulles, & dothe nat perceyue that they be dystructyon, he is blynde and shall neuer obtayne the grace of god by them or remissyon of one syn, what so euer he dothe or gyuethe therfore.
♣ Alonly god receyueth the electe of 69 faythe, to the aforsayde glory and comunyon of sayntes, frome the whiche he alone makyth infideles straunge.
☞ wherfore no man lyuyng, neyther 70 popes, nor theyr byshopes, nor all angelles, and men togyther, can depryue any man, the comuniō of the faythfull [Page] or lawefully denounce hym for suche one, excepte fyrst it be ꝑfeytly knowē, by testymonye of scrypture, that he be depryuyd it of the lorde. ❧ ❧
71 ♣ Euery churche of the faythfull, and who so euer berythe rule, as kynges, prynces, and offycers, where as cause is, may ye they ought, do dep̄ue theyr subiectes the outwarde company of the faythful, yt is they shall nat dwell with them or otherwyse kepe cōpany.
72 ☞The cause for the whiche many be depriued this outwarde comunyon, is by adultery, horehūtyng, thefte vsure, cursyng, couytousenes, cruelnes, excesse, and drūkenes, to be reproche to the churche of god. 1. Corin. 5. and to be apostata from Christe is to speke agaynste the doctryne of mekenes and nat to sufre it. As is euydent the seconde canonicall epystle of Iohan.
73 ¶ No congregacyon, of the faythful, may lawfully other dreade or receyue the abhomynable costomes, interditementes or decrees of the kyngedome of the pope, for truely they can hurte them that beleue no maner wayes.
74 ☞ In case any man, for thynges that [Page 15] agre with the worde of god, or bicause he is rulyd by the worde, be excomunicate, cursyd or enterdyted, of the pope or his, it is turned to him īto the most precyouse and amyable blessynge, for when they curse god blessythe. Psal. 108. and to those that loue god all thinges be wroght in goodnes. Ro. 8.
¶Of true goodworkes and the lawe, of grace, and the gospell, and vertues of the faythfull. Capi. 4.
ALl though we be iustyfied alonly by fayth yet 75 workes be necessarye.
♣ Faythe is neuer with 76 out true goodworkes, for he hathe his effycacytie by loue. ❧
❧ Trewe good workes be, whatsoeuer 77 is of faythe, ye to eate, to drynke to slepe, so there be no excesse. ❧
♣ what thynges that be nat prohibite 78 by goddꝭ worde, may be done in fayth other may nat. ☞ : ♣ : ☜
☞what so euer is nat of faithe is wicked,79 though it apere outwardly good / iuste, and holy. Roma. 4.
[Page] 80 ☞Faythfull to do well, haue no nede of decrees, and tradycyons, of men.
81 ❧ These be doctryne, lawes and tradycyons, of men that do nat consent, with the scriptures of god, or els they parteyne to them, for the doctryne of man is lyeng, bycause man is alyer. Psalm. 115. trewely the worde of the lorde is verytye. Psalme. 118.
82 ♣ The lawe of god is suffycyent, for faythfull whiche is the lawe of the spirite wrytten in theyr hertes. Eisai. 51. and Hiere. 31. whose scriptures be the most suryst wytnes of the lorde. Psal. 18. &. 118. and the spirite dothe wryte in them the gospell of pease, and euerlastynge healthe, whiche is no other thynge but a surenes of the grace of god and remyssyon of syn, by fayth in Christe, and his truthe, whiche whosoeuer preachythe purely is an euangelyst. For the gospell is a gladde and good tydynges. ☞ : ❧ : ♣
83 ¶ For that same spirite dothe teache them all truthe. Iohan. 16. and is gouerner of them in euery thynge. ❧
84 ♣ It is heresye to say, that scriptures of god, be superfluous. for they be necessarye, [Page 16] & that hyely, that we maye be sure if those thyngꝭ that be in our hertes be of god or no, for by what reasō (as I haue sayde) shulde we be more sure, thē of the scriptures of god, whiche be his testymonyes. ❧:❧
☞ And althoughe we had nede, of the 85 same scriptures, for witnese of truthe, yet for all that, euery sermon of the worde of god and all scripture is vnprofytable and in vayne, excepte it be wryten in our hertes, of the holy spirite, whiche scripture of the spirite is the quicke voyce of god. ☞ : ♣ : ☜
❧ wherfore it is heresye to affyrme 86 that there is any other quycke voyce of god necessary besydes thys and to suppresse his meruelouse testimonies. Psalm. 118. as many false prophetes do nowe adayes. ❧: ❧: ❧: ❧
❧ Therfore the testymonyes of god 87 muste be preached, and it is necessarye to be conuersant in them with all dylygence, which who so euer dothe truly is verely blessid. Psalm. 1. and .118. but the fruyte of that preachyng and conuersacyon, muste be lokyd for of the holy ghoste. ☞: ❧: ♣: ❧: ☜
[Page] 88 ☞ The pryncypall vse of those scriptures of god, is that we maye serche in them the testymonyes of his godly wyll. ☞: ❧: ❧: ☜: ☞
89 ❧ Verely the frute of them is, that we beleuyng may be iustyfyed, that is, we may gette the grace of god and remyssyon of synnes. ☞: ❧: ♣
90 ♣ The grace of god, is nat that qualyty that Sophesters call Habitus, but the fauour and beneuolence of god, hauynge vs free when we beleue hym and he hathe his grace that is kynde to hym. ☞: ❧: ♣: ❧: ☜
91 ☞ Alonly by the merit of Christe, we beleuyng in him, and nothyng doutīg of his wordes, we gette this grace. for then we do receyue hys plentifulnes. Iohan the fyrste chapitre.
92 ❧ Faythful receiued in to the grace of god, by Christe, haue togither by hī that iustyce whiche hathe in it all parfytnes. Of the whiche is spokē. Psal. 71. Iustyce and aboundance of pease shal spryng in his dayes. And Psalm. 84. mercy and veritie haue mette him pease & iustyce haue kyssed hym, and [Page 17] also of this is spokē. Eisaie. 53. in his science, he beyng iuste shall iustify my seruantes very many. ☞❧ ❧☜
♣ Bycause therfore that faythefull,63 haue all thynges in Christe, it is superfluous, curious, and also dampnable, to scarche so many partes kyndes and offyces, of vertues as false Deuynes do, for they that intende suche thyng, be but curyouse, for they put so many pertykeles, that it is vnpossyble to remembre all, as you may perceyue manyfestly ī the Sūleles of Thomas.
❧ Rede what god dothe cōmaunde,64 and be ofte couersant in his scriptures, and thou shalte be full of vertues, all thoughe thou neuer knowe soo many names partꝭ and offices as they putte.
¶ Of the presthode of the faythefull, and trewe mynysters of the churche that is byshopes, and deacōs. The fyfte Chapitre.
The fyfte Chapter.
95 BY ye presthode of christ and mynysters of hys churche, the preesthode of Aaron & ministeryes of hys deacons be abrogat and put downe.
96 ♣ Chryste alone is the bye byshope, and preste of the church Psalmo. 109. Hebre. 5. and. 9. full of grace and truthe.
97 ♣ As many as beleue in hym be made pertakers of hys plentyfulnes. Io. 1. and of hys oyntment, that is of the holy goost. Psalmo. 44. O god (the sone) thy god, the father hath oynted the with oyle of gladnes (the spyryte makynge glade) aboue thy felowes yt is other faythful whiche be pertakers of thy plentyfulnes.
98 ♣ All faythful of both kyndes be consecrate into prestes by hym, as Peter wryteth to all faythful. 1. Pet. 2. you are a chosen generacyon, a ryall presthode. Apocalip. 5. thou haste made vs kynges and prestes to our god, and we shal reygne apon the erthe.
99 ♣ I do not call them seny ours by the greke worde Presbitri, but Saserdotes, [Page 18] whiche we call prestes for Presbiter is a greke worde, and sygnifythe a senyour or elder, and is proper to the hye mynysters of the churche, as byshoppes, or preachers of the worde of god, Sacerdos, whiche we call a prest is who so euer is sacrated to god by faythe.
¶ Euery true senyour .i. euery true 100 mynyster of the worde is a preste, but euery preeste is not a senyour or mynyster.
♣ The pope with all hys byshoppes,101 and all the worlde together can not make one prest of the churche of god, for it is alonely goddes offyce, which dothe sanctyfye hys electe in faythe / and dothe cōsecrate them into prestes for hym selfe.
¶ Presthode of the kyngdome of the 102 pope was inuented of men / without the testymonye of the worde of god / & came forthe by the strenthe, and eyde of the deuell.
¶ Prestes of that kyngdome can not 103 be prestes of the kyngdome of Chryst except firste they do forsake the presthode of the pope .i. they shal not trust or attrybute any thynge to him / altho [Page] for ye tyme they admyt many thynges for the infyrmytye of other.
104 ¶ In place of mynysters of the lawe, as prestes and leuites / there be alonly two kyndes of mynysters vnder the gospell / byshoppes / and deacons.
105 ¶ Euery syncere mynyster of godes / worde / is called in scrypture by these names / fyrste an ouerseer. Ezechiel. 3. secōdly / a prophet. 1. Cor. 14. therdly an euaungelyste of the gospell that he preacheth / Eisaie. 41. I shall gyue Hyerusalem an euaungelest. Ephe. 4. other truly euaungelistes, & it is sayd. 2. Tymo. 4. do the worke of an euaungelyst and. Actes. 21. entrynge into ye house of Phylyp the euaūgelyst therfore / Mathew / Marke / Luke / & Iohā be not alonly euaungelystes / but all true preachers of the scryptures of god / fourthely ecclesyastycal .i. apreacher Ecclesia. i. the church is a congregacyon therfore he that rulythe hyt with the worde, is called a preacher / fyftely a seniour or elder .i. Tymo. 5. senyours that gouerne wel be worthy double honour / and also / agaynst the senyour, syxthely a byshope that is an [Page 19] ouerseer .i. Tymoth. 3. a byshope must be fautles / and to Tytum. 1. a byshope must be without blame / and Act. 10. ye holy goost hath mayde you byshopes seuenthely an apostle / for apostle is a messenger and sente / and cometh of ye greke worde [...] that sygnyfyth to sende that is necessarye for the mynysters of goddes worde / to be hys aposteles that is to be sente of hym Rom. 10. howe shuld they preache except they be sente / but some be greate apostles and some lesse 2. cor. 11. Also that you may knowe ye office of a bishope & apostle to be both one / when Peter Actes. 1. sayde that some man muste be desyred into thys mynysterye and offyce of an apostle / from which Iudas was exyled, he dyd aledge this place of Dauyd and hys byshoppryke another shal possesse.
¶ You may gather therfore / because 106 neyther the pope / nor byshoppes / or tyrantes / of his kyngedome haue any of these afore sayde / they be not of the churche of god ouerseers / prophetes euaungelystes / preachers / senyoures / byshoppes / or aposteles / excepte you [Page] ioyne thys terme false to euery one of them.
107 ¶ Cetyes and townes, which haue no pastore / symply preachynge the moste pure worde of god / haue no byshope / senyour / preacher / or euaungelyste / of Iesu Chryste.
108 ¶ In many cetyes / all that be of the reprouable synagoge of antychryste / perceyuinge yt the immaculate worde of god settes openly forth theyr abhomynacyon / they do so hate them / and dreade leste any true mynyster of the worde shuld be harde of the people / yt assone as any commeth / before he can open hys mouthe they go aboute to stope hym / whiche I haue proued my selfe very ofte / specyally in the noble cetye of Wetens in the whiche god hath delyuered me ofte from the handes of antychrystes sekyng my soule.
109 ¶ There was in that cety / that tyme a holy byshope of god / nowe a blessed martyr & witnes of Christ saynt Iohā castellanc / whome for the testymonye of truthe the apostate kyngedome of the sone of perdycyon vehemently hatynge / when they coulde not hurt him [Page 20] in the cetye / they brought to passe / by treason / that he shuld go forthe of the cetye and he so banyshed they toke hī prysoner by & by afore the .9. monthe whome Anthony abbot with a false procter / & many false pharysyes were aboute to brynge hym to that passe / yt he shulde denye Chryste and hys veryte. But the holy champyon of god perseuered immouable / and was neuer ouer come / the lorde confyrminge his breste with hys spirite / then they moued ī theyr reprouable myndes / ye last of all that is the .12. day of Ianuarye Anno .1525. at vuy a towne of lotheringe the same Iohan reioysynge and beynge glade in the lorde / not warned before of it / but led to execucyō / when that he wolde not recante into the fauoure of antychryste they made him a gloryous merter of Chryst / with most cruel tormētes of fyre, & whō they dyd couet to extyncte / they crouned with a incomperable dyedeme of glorye / euen agaynst theyr wylles so that if it were lawefull to call apon sayntes he were to be named no lesse then Peter or Paule & other aposteles / but there [Page] is one aduocate and our mediator the lorde Iesus Chryste. I haue brought thys paradox that we maye gloryfye this saynt Iohan in the lorde and the lorde in hī / and also that hys burners and bochers / may se theyr fautes / and most greuous cryme / and may amende lest they perishe / ye lord Iesus Chryst make them of Saules / Paules / that is of the enemyes of Chryste and hys truth / his frendes, and of persecuters defenders and his preachers.
110 ¶ There is nor cā be no true bishope of the churche of Iesu Chryste / but a pure and euaungelycall preacher / for other proude blowen pompes bugges of the kyngedome of the pope be nothynge lesse then byshoppes.
111 In euery cety / towne / & village there ought to be many byshoppes .i. euaungelystes or preachers / after the quantyte of places & multytude of people.
112 ¶ Yf many peryshes be so great / that one byshope is not suffycient for thē / let thē be deuyded / and to euery parte a byshoppe assygned / these two conclusions I haue expounded in my exposycyon [Page 20] of the rule of the Mynorytes. Capitulo. 15.
¶ It is necessary for bishoppes to be 113 sēt and called of god / and that I haue proued in the same. 15. Chapi. of the same enarracyō ī the boke of callynge
¶ It is the most greuous cryme / and 114 by no menes to be sufferyd / that many chyldren of perdicyon do depryue the people of god theyr ryght / and iuste tytle, that is to chose them a pastor / for he shulde be chosen of them / that is ordeyned for them to rule with the worde.
¶ Of the cōgregacyon of the faythful 115 he is to be taken for a true byshop and messenger of god / whome so euer he dothe sende / altho thys sendynge be by lot of faythe openly done / as of Mathy. Actes. 1. as I haue declared in my sayde boke of callynge.
¶ The counsell of euery place ought 116 to gyue hede and watche if those that be chosen into byshopprykes be mete to the same ministery of euery peryshe of the faythfull / whiche belonge chefely to prynces.
¶And yf there chaunce any to be electe 116 [Page] vnprofytable, vnlernyd, or strāge from the worde, or that dothe offende the cōgregacyon of god by horemongynge or any other cryme, or not wylto admytte holye matrymonye, or hauynge a vnchast wyfe, or childrē dyssē tynge from mekenes. &c̄. the electyon must be reuoked of them, and lette the electyon turne to the congregacyon that they may cal a byshoppe to them myghtye in workes of mekenes, and the worde. ♣ ❧ ♣
118 ❧Yf the churche dyssent in electyō of a byshoppe, or rulers and prynces, with the churche, nor they do not searche the counsell of the lorde of true byshoppes, nor fynde one open place of scrypture what is necessary for thē to do, then by example of the apostles faythful prayer had before, lette them cast loottes, and what so euer chaunsythe by lootte, they be bounde to receyue for the sure wyll of god, for it is written, loottes be put into ye bosome and tempered of the lorde, Prouer. 16 and Capitulo. 18. lootte putes awaye contradyccyon and doth iudge great men, & more of this matter in my boke [Page 22] of callynge. ☞: ❧: ♣: ☜
♣ All canones of the worlde can not 119 lawefullye chose one byshoppe of the churche of Iesu Chryste. ☞ ❧
❧ Kynges and prynces and other 120 great nobles ought to chose very many lerned men in the worde of god, whiche shulde be byshoppes in theyr courtes, and shulde teache theyr courtyers oft the most pure worde of god.
☞Yf one, or two, or mo houses of the 121 faythfull perceyue that they haue not faythful byshoppes suffred to them, or the people of ye peryshe wyl not chose euaungelycall men, they maye pryuatlye take them selues aproper byshope or pastor. ☞: ❧: ♣: ☜
❧ Those shulde alonely be chosen 122 byshoppes that be suche as Paule descrybethe. 1. Tymothe. 3. and Tyte. 1. that is to be irreprehynsyble with out faute kepynge hospetalyte, gentyl, sober, iuste, meke, holy, husbandes of one wyfe, in feare and care of ye lorde gouernynge theyr owne house, hauynge childrē lerned with al chastyte, which be not proude, couetous, drunkerdes, angrye, contencyous, but honest, able [Page] in worde and māners wel to order the churche of god, and theyr wyues must be chaste honest, sober, and faythful in all thynges. ❧ ❧ ❧
123 ♣ Yf any of the cetizēs or of ye nobles be such one he may be chosen byshope of the congregacyon notwithstādyng all the decrees of the apostate kyngedome. ☞ ☞ ☞ ☜
124 ☞ It is herysye and folyshnes to affyrme that the aforesayde texte of the apostle, of the wyfe and chyldren, is otherwayes vnderstande (as the ennemyes of mekenes do saye) them of a lawefull wyfe and chyldren naturally begotten in matrymonye. ☞ ♣
125 ❧ Therfore maryed men maye be made byshoppes and preache openly the worde of god, and after the pure texte of the apostle, there ought none to be chosen byshoppe of the congregacyon, excepte he be maryed or haue bene or wyll be. ☞ ❧ ♣ ☜
126 ❧: And for that cause god wolde that all, except a fewe prophetes, apostles, and byshopes, shulde haue be maryed, and shulde be to this daye, that there be no suspeccyon of whormongynge [Page 22] or vnclenlynes, and that they myght more safly be conuersante with other. ☞ ❧ ♣ ☜
♣ Also by an other reason that they 127 myght be partakers of holy matrymonye, that ought to preach the hye mysteryes of it, the which be in Chryste & the churche, for what be all the scryptures of god, but sermones of hys mysteryes, and hys churche. ❧
☞ They that haue chosen byshopes,128 where as cause is, maye lawefully depose them. ❧: ❧: ❧
❧ A iust cause of deposycyon of the 129 same is vnsyncere preachynge of the worde of god .i. yf they myxte lawes, decrees, and tradycyons of men, with goddes ordynaunce. ❧ ♣ ♣
♣ Deacons of the churche, be those 130 that ye faythful chose, for to gather, & dystribute to the pore, the almes of the faythful, whiche nowe many cetyes of Germanye do, makynge comen boxes for it, such were the .7. deacons electe and instytute of the apostles at hierusalem, of whom Stephen the Marter was one. ❧: ☞: ♣: ❧:
♣ Men of good wytnes, faythful, and 131 [Page] maryed muste be chosen deacons .1. Tymothe. 3. whiche if they be pore let them be susteyned with the comen almes by the decree of the churche.
132 ❧ The churche of god hath no mynysters besydes these byshoppes and deacons for byshoppes, prestes, deacons, subdeacōs. &c̄. of the kyngdome of the pope, be deacons of men, ordyned without tystymonyes of the word of god. ☞: ❧ ❧: ☜: ♣
☞ Of punyshment and puttynge out false byshoppes and false apostles from the cōgregacion of the faytheful. Capit. 6.
133 AL prophisye and scripture of god is profytable when it is synce rely teached, & handeled. Tymothe. 3. for it is a openynge of the spirite of truthe, to the helthe of the faythfull. 1. Corinth. 12.
134 ♣ For it is the worde of the wysdome of god, more precyous then golde and syluer, and to whom all that can be desyred [Page 23] maye not be cōpared Pro. 3. nor precyous stone maye not be assymulat to it, and all tresure is counted but as cley in the syght of it. Sapien. 1. ❧
¶ Prophane doctryne, and straunge 135 from god doth not profyte, but alway to the greater wykydnes, and dothe waste, crepe, and consume, euen as the dysease of canker. 2. Tymoth. 2. for it it Leuen sone corrupting al the dowe 1. Corin. 5. and Galat. 5. and euell comunycacyon deceyueth, and corruptythe. 1. Corinthy. 5. ❧: ❧
♣ Suche maner of wyked sermones & 136 contrary to truthe, be teached, and loued alonlye of them that be corrupted in mynde. 1. Tymo. 6. and .2. Tymo. 3.
♣ Yf he ought to be taken from the 137 myddes of the faythfull, neyther it be not lawfull, to accompanye with hym that is called brother .i. faythfull, that with his synne offendythe the congregacyon of god, moche more he that with hys wyked teachynge turnythe the people from Chryste, ❧
♣ An heretyke after the thyrde monyshyon,138 repugnynge to the truthe, is to be flede as a banyshed man Tyte. 3. [Page] and not bryngynge the pure worde of god, he is not to be receyued into your house, nor you ought not to salute him for he that salutyth him consentys to hys euell deades. 2. Iohā. canonycal.
139 ♣ Furthermore as euery good man of the house ought to rule hys house, so kynges prynces, and rulers theyr landes subiecte to them. ♣ ♣ : ☜ ☞
140 ♣ Therfore euen as good men of the houses ought to put frō theyr houses, and punyshe false prophetes and heretykes, not bryngynge the doctryne of Chryste, so kinges prynces and rulers frō theyr proper landes and lordshyppes, these be bounde to this, lest theyr proper houses be deceyued and mayde straunge from Chryst. Also the other for helthe of theyr subiectes. : ♣
141 ♣ And for that cause of the best kyngꝭ haue slayne false prophetes, the lorde commaundynge. Deutri. 15. he commaūdeth false prophetes, and fayners of dreames, whiche turne hys people from hym, to be slayne. :¶:¶:¶:
142 ☞ Yf that as is open in many places of scrypture, offences muste be taken frō amonge the myddes of the people [Page 24] of the lorde, those verely are chefely to be taken away that dystroye soules of whom false preachynge is chefe.
☞All preachyng of the kyngdome of 143 the pope is deceyuable and admyxte with lyeng, therfore it must be fled as the poyson of Aspys incurable. Also all preachers of the same kyngedome bycause they be false prophetes and false apostles nat borne and sente of god, but of flesshe and blode. ❧
❧ Therfore this moste pryncypally 144 of all them that rule muste be lokyd on that true byshopes .i. true euangelystꝭ of the worde, gouerne well people subiecte to them in the same worde. ♣
♣ Let them expulse false bysshopes .i.145 false prophetes from theyr landes after the thyrde monishyon, except they amende. and if they affyrme that they haue the worde of god and the quicke voyce of god as some say, lete them be suffred to do what they cā, vntyl they be prouyd of them that haue the moste pure worde if it be of god or nat, and as it is knowen nat to be of god, lette all prynces banyshe them theyr lordeshyppes / and so do with false prophetes [Page] that sprynge dayly. ☞ ❧ ❧
146 ¶ For who that of right wytte wyl denye, kynges, prynces, and rulers to be bounde to that, to seke peace, & helthe of theyr people, and to exyle from thē all what so euer dothe alyenat them from god. ☜☞: ☜: ☞: ☜☞ ❧
147 ♣ And I doure nat but it is lawful for them by the forsayde chapi. Deute. 13. whiche is reuocate in no place to slee them, when they perceyue that they turne theyr people frō the inmaculat scriptures of god, to the sacralegious decrees of the kyngdome of the pope, and other inuencions of men, for they haue the sworde. ☞ ❧ ♣
148 ♣ Dyd Helyas erre whē he slewe. 858. prophetes aswell of Baalle as other places. 3. Reg. 18. and Iehu whiche dyd slee the prophetꝭ and worshypers of Baalle. 4. Regum. 10. ❧
149 ¶ But I do nat affyrme this to be necessarye to chrysten prynces, that all thoughe as I haue sayde, they shulde be seperat and expulsyd from the congregation, vndoutidly it is necessary, or els the gylty men of so many soules as haue ben deceyuyd of this prophetes [Page 15] of antichryst, shulde peryshe, I do rather counsel and wolde alwaye that they shulde be banyshed then slayne / for they maye amende. ☞ ♣
♣ In case you obiecte those that worshyp 150 the pope. to be countyd for mere gentyles, and therfore to suffre thē to haue theyr doctoures and prophetes, we answere that it is nat lyke reason, for they wyll be taken for the faythful of Christe and the other wyll nat.
Forthermore there is one doctryne of 151 the faythful y• most pure worde of god with whiche they muste be gouernyd.
❧Therfore they that be of the kingdome 152 of the pope, if they couyt to be sauyd, muste cleaue to the sīple worde of god, the inuencyons of menne set-aparte. ☞ ❧ ♣
✚ Nor it is nat trewe (that some say)153 that it is lawful to be cōuersant with bretherne yt be reproche to the churche, and false prophetꝭ, as it were with true gentyles, as you may perceyue of scryptures aforsayde. ❧ ♣
♣ They that attayne to the kingdome 154 of the pope wyl be taken for bretherne i. faythfull, and theyr false apostles, [Page] for euangelystes of Chryste. For vnder the cloke of Christe and hys moste holy worde, they beīg deceyuyd craftely stryue againste bothe Christe and his worde. they are to be fledde of all faythfull, and of prynces and rulers to be extyncte. leste they preache or affyrme any suche thynge or els to be taken away and banyshed the companye of the faythefull. ☞ ❧
155 ¶ Nor it is nothynge materyall that some say, there shulde no man be constraynyd to faythe, for that is vnderstande alonly of gentyles, that do professe them selues strange from Christ, the other wyll be coūtyd for faythful.
156 ♣ It is nothīg to the purpose yt some say, so they shulde be cōpellyd to ypocrysye. Verely they be nat excomunicate or confoundyd that they shulde be made ypocrytes, but they so confoundyd of ypocrytes maye be made true christyanes and if they wyll tary in ypocrisy it shalbe imputed to them.
157 ❧ Dyd Paule synne, commaundyng a certayne man to be excomunycate, and taken frō the myddes of the faythful. 1. Cor. 5. if he had nat ben conuertyd [Page 26] but in to hypocrysye, myght it thē haue be sayde that Paule and the companye of the Corinthians had compellyd hym to hypocrysy. ❧ ✚
☞ Therfore, we conclude that euery 158 man ought to banyshe from his house and prynces frome theyr landes false apostles nat wyllyng to amende, leste Christe be teachyd dyuersly and / his worde beleuyd to be dyuerse, wherof Christe may be deuyded in his people and by thys dyuersytye all places be troubled. ☞ ✚ ❧ ♣
¶Therfore it is laufull for byshopes 159 and the people of the faythfull, to desyre theyr prynces, and rulers to be carefull amongestes them all, and to expell false prophetes frome theyr landes that the pure worde of god maye be teachyd in euery place. ¶: ✚: ¶
❧ And if they that rule be enemyes 160 of truthe, and wyll nat here the worde sufferyng them to be deceyuyd, of the prophetes of antychriste and monkes (as is theyr propertie) excepte they amende surely they shall peryshe.
♣ And if they couyt to be sauyd, lette 161 them here the worde of the lorde, and [Page] that moste dylegentlye, and lette them pray the lorde, that he wyll vouchsafe to lyghten them with his spirite. For then they prayeng in faythe god wyll make open his trewethe. ☞ ❧
162 ♣It is dampnable that many say they wyll folowe the maners and faythe of theyr predycessours, for this sacrylegyous sayng dothe peryshe many. As I haue spoken in the boke of the causes of ye blyndnes. &c̄. ī the prologue.
163 ❧ wo be to wycked prynces and rulers that for the decrees of antychrist denye the veryte of Christe, and do enprysone, ꝑsecute, and slee hys louers. Verely they are madder and worse thē Nero or Dioclesiane, and al other tyrannes. For they dyd persecute and denye that they knewe nat. Verely these blynder then blyndnes it selfe. Call them selues Christes seruauntes and loue hys worde, & yet they denye and treade downe bothe Christe and his worde, and receyue for him donge of inuencyons of men, and worshyppe for Christe antichriste and his lawes, this euery man perceyueth excepte he be blynde as they be. O I wolde to [Page 27] God the lorde wolde sende another Iosy as that wolde dystroy all greate buldynges, places, aulters, phaanes, secres, decrees, of antychriste and all that belōgeth to that curfyd worshyp 4. Reg. 23. and. 2. Parali. 34. ❧
❧ In what thynges bysshoppes of the churche of God, shulde be subiecte to prynces and rulers and of theyr auctoryte, and mynystery that is of the worde and sacramentes, and of sentwaryes. The seuenthe Chapitre. ☞: ♣: ♣: ☜
BYshoppes .i. mynysters 169 of the worde / be in all thynge subiecte to prynces and rulers as other cytezyns be, excepte in these thynges that belonge to theyr propre offyce. For it is necessarye that they be cytezyns whiche we adfyrme of all relygyouse. ☞ ✚ ❧ ♣
[Page] 165 ❧ Byshoppes in mynystery of the worde be subiecte to no man but god alone, & iudgement of the churche, whiche dothe iudge by the worde of god.
166 ☞ If lordes probybyte preachyng to byshopes, for a day or .ij. they must be obeyd, but perpetually obey them nat for god must rather be obeyd thē man. Actes .5. If they cōmaunde they shall interprete the worde of god agaynste hys propre nature, that is after the wyl of the pope & his kyngdome, obey them nat, but resyste the mater more purely and feruently. ☞ ✚ ♣ ❧
167 ¶ And they cōmaunde that they shal teache tradycyons and cōmaūdementes of men, obey them nat, and so of al other of this maner, that be agaynste the worde of the lorde. ☞ ❧
168 ☞ The greatyst and hyest poynte of theyr offyce, is to preache to the people, those thynges that the lorde hath spoken so purely, so nakydly, and so symply, as god saythe, nother increasynge, nor demynyshyng .i. puttyng to nothynge of the inuencyons and dreames of mē, for the people of the faythful [Page 28] shuldbe rulyd by the alonly worde of the lorde. ☞ ✚ ☜
♣ Theyr auctorite is, to correcte with 169 the worde of god, ye kynges and prynces and rulers, and with the church togyther to seperate apostates, and slanderers of the worde frō the comunion of the faythfull, and they so amending to receyue them agayne.
☞ It is also aparte of theyr offyce,170 chefly in those dayes, that the chylde of perdycyon the man of syn, is to be publyshed to the electe with ye spirite of the mouthe of the lorde .i. with hys worde, lest they consentyng to him do peryshe, to expoūde to al people, with a quicke voyce and wrytyng, those places of scrypture perteynynge to that kyngdome, euery man as he hathe taken of the lorde, let hym be banyshed from the temples of god, that is frome the hertes of the faythful, and let him neuermore be taken of them, for the vycker of god, or spouse of the church for if he be to be reuelid with ye worde of the lorde, it is necessary that it be done fyrste & pryncypally by thē whō god hathe made his euangelystes.
[Page] 171 ♣ But I do nat denie this to belonge to all faythefull that haue the worde of god, for it is commaundyd to all men of the kyngdome of the pope, vnder the similitude of the whore of Babylon mother of al fornycacyon. Apocalyp. 18. Go from her my people and be nat parttakers of her synnes, bycause her synnes haue come to heuyn and the lorde remembrethe her iniquities, gyue her as she hathe gyuen to you, and double her double workes, in the cuppe that she dyd myxe to you myxte to her double, as muche as she hathe gloryfyed her selfe in delycates so muche gyue to her tormente & mournynge. whiche wordes I haue expoū dyd in the preface of myne oracyon in to the rule of the mynorytes. ❧
172 ¶ Therfore nother emperoure kyngꝭ nor prynces, or any other rulers, may lawfully prohybyte that these thyngꝭ shulde nat be done, and if they do prohybite they ought nat to be obeyd, for God is more than manne [...]ormes and rotennes. ☞ ❧ ♣ ✚
173 ❧ They may forbyd that any thyng shulde be done without the worde and [Page 29] then they are to be obeyed. ❧ ♣
☞ And they may constrayne .i. leste 174 any man robbe or strike the popes chaplens, and monkes / or of hys owne brayne plucke downe ydolles, for this belongeth to prynces and rulers, that haue the sworde, that if any thynge muste be done, it may be done with holsome counsel, and in good tyme by the worde of god. ☞: ❧: ♣: ❧: ☜
❧ For all that the companye of the 175 faythfull gatheryd and well enformyd in the worde of god, may for this matter, desyre and that instantly prynces and rulers, that all thyng may be done pesably, ordinatly and in good season.
¶ wherfore messengers that is apostles 175 and byshoppes of god, be subiecte alonly to god ī ministery of the worde we say in mynystery of the worde, for as for al outwarde thyngꝭ, as to preache in thys place rather then in that place, with a surplyce or without, in tabernacles of the faythfull, and nat in the comen market or in the market and nat in the tabernacles, and so of all other outwarde thynges by which theyr mynysterye is nat lette, they be [Page] subiecte to prynces & rulers as other cytyzens be. ☞ ❧ ♣ ✚ ☜
177 ♣ For and cause lawfull be they may, holsom counsell taken, depryue, putte them forthe, and pryson them. &c̄.
178 ☞Nat withstandynge the decrees of the sonne of perdicyon, whiche vnder payne of cursynge, do prohybyte leste any man touche his tyrannes and mynysters of hys clergye, for what wyll suche preceptes, but to wyll that with out any lette, they may waxe wanton, stele, and go madde. Forthermore I haue sayde that god turnythe all the cursyng of this kyngedome of perdycyon to his electe in to a louyng blessynge. ☞: ❧: ♣: ❧: ☜
179 ❧Also all sanctuaryes, pryuyleges and pardones, of that kyngedome be lyes of the deuyll, and therfore to be countyd for nought. ¶: ✚: ¶
180 ☞ Therfore bothe byshoppes, and al other if they haue offendyd maye be taken from any place, ye frome tabernacles and churcheyardes.
181 ♣ Townes and places may be ordeyned, of prynces and rulers, in whome they that flee, whiche by chaūce, with [Page 30] out hate or malyce haue shedde blode, maye be safe, vnto theyr innocencye knowen they maye retourne to theyr owne. ❧ ♣ ✚ ❧
❧who so euer with sworde, staffe, or 182 stone, or any other way of hate, or lyeng in wayte hathe stryken or slayne any man, he ought nat to be suffered safe in any place, but alonly he that agaynst his wyl hath done any of these. And so the lorde hathe ordeyned cytyes for them that flee. Numeri. 35.
¶No byshop hathe aucthoryte, vpon 183 hys felowe, but to teache hym, if he knowe the truthe better, for the feynynge of archbyshoppes is nat of the worde of god.
❧ Byshoppes haue no nede to be 184 consecrate of any man, but of the holy ghoste, it is suffycyent to them for all consecracyon to be sende and callyd of the lorde.
☞ If any byshoppes in them selues 185 theyr wyues, or with dyuers conuersacyon, offende the cōgregacyon they ought to be correcte of rulers and the churche, and nat geuyng place to holsome [Page] doctryne ought to be deposed of them and seperate the comunyon of the faythefull.
186 ❧ Another mynystery of theyres is to baptyze, to minister the table of the lorde and cōforthe them that amende.
187 ☞ Thys mynysterye of sacramentes whiche is but accydent to them, and not pryncypall, they may commyt to other, when they be let with ministery of the worde. they be nat sende to baptyze, but to preache. As Paule sayeth of hym selfe. 1. Cor. 1.
188 ♣To the fyrste offyce that is to preachyng be inseperably knyt, visitacyon and comfortyng of the sycke, alwayes that they can to helpe the congregacyon that euery byshope rulythe in the worde of god.
189 ❧ Byshoppes shulde nat wayte to be callyd to the howses of the faythefull, where as they knowe necessyty, but of theyr selues shulde watche and haste to brynge them helpe and comforthe.
The eyght Chapitre. ¶That byshoppes may nat be lordes and prynces, and it is agaynste theyr offyce. The eyght Chapitre. ❧
BYshoppes be nat lordes 190 ouer the people of god but mynysters and seruauntes. ☞ ❧
☞ Nor they may commaunde 191 them nothyng of thē selues, although they may reproue, desyre, and blame, in all pacyence and pure doctryne of the scriptures of god. 2. Timoth. 4.
❧ It is nat out of pacyence, but a 192 necessarye and moste free zele to god, when any man is angrye and feruent agaynste the wycked, after the worde of the lorde, for verely there muste be resystence with the worde as ofte as necessyte requyryth, ye with the moste feruent zele. As Phinees dyd please with the zele, sleyng bothe Zambri capitayne of the trybe of Symeon, and [Page] Cozhi doughter of Sur the prynce of Madianites. Numeri. 15. And also Mathathias with that zele. sleynge a Iue and the messenger of the kynge of Antioche, the fyrste boke of Machabeus the seconde Chapitre. Lyke wyse Helias whose sermones were euyn as fyre or a burnynge bronde. 1. Kynges. 17. and Ecclesiasti .48. ♣
♣ Byshoppes may nat be prynces and lordes of any place, but of theyr owne howsholde. for it is contrarye to be a byshope and a prynce. For to be a byshoppe is to be a mynyster and faythefull seruande.
194 ¶ Therfore they ought nat to haue lordeshyppe, of the leaste towne of all the worlde, the sauyour spekyth to byshoppes. Matthewe the .20. chapitre and Marke the .18. Chapitre. & Luke the .22. Chapitre. Kynges of gentyles haue rule ouer them, and they that haue power be callyd gracyous lordꝭ. but you nat so, that is you shall nat haue lordshyppe of other nor shal nat haue power in them as prynces. &c̄.
[Page 31]☞ And bycause the pope, and his byshopes,195 with other perteyninge to his kyngedome, do boste them selues, for mynysters, & seruaūtes, of the church, and neuerthelesse, wylbe prynces, and lordes, they must be depryued al, kyngdome, and lordshyppe, whiche to do, it belongeth to prynces, and rulers.
♣ If that they be of the hye prynces,196 and wylbe taken for suche, and playe the true prynces and to permyte frely holy byshopp [...] [...] of euery congregacyon [...] be suffred, or els to be put [...] other to be chosen, for prynces. ❧: ♣: ☜
¶ It is not laweful for byshoppes, to 197 haue vycars, offycyalles, secretaryes, chauncelers, courtes of stryfe, & suche other. But alonly helpers, for mynystery of Sacramentes, as I haue sayd before. ☞: ❧: ♣: ☜: ❧
¶ For there is no processe, that maye 198 lawfully be determyned, before him, or hys offycyalles, for this doth belonge to prynces and rulers. ☞: ❧
¶ But it is lawfull for them, to haue 199 a scrybe of sermons of truthe, yf they nede or yf they be suche, that can expounde [Page] the scryptures in wrytynge.
200 ¶ Scrybes and other that be of the councell of Cetyes, and other notaryes ordayned of prynces, and rulers, may receyue testamentes, and all maner of contractes, whiche is not to be suffered, to the notaryes of Antychryst, and hys tyrannes, excepte they forsake Antychryst and hꝭ kyngdome and be admytted of rulers, or els the coniurynge, of the sonne of perdycyō shuldbe cōfirmed, which by al meanes after the worde of god, is to be abolysshed, and drounke of hī in the moste harde cuppe. ☞ ♣ ♣ ☜
201 ☞ To prynces, and rulers, it belongeth to subuerte all pompe, & tyranny, of byshoppes, and to reforme them to humylyte, and symplecyte of apostles
202 ♣Therfore to ye pope, and cardynals and byshopes, or other tyrannes, of hꝭ kyngdome, shuld not be suffered pompyous interestys of cetyes, precyous miters, crosses, hattꝭ, slyppers, of sylke and gyltyd, and rynges, for yf he wyll playe, the byshoppe let hym enter lyke a byshoppe, apostle, and pastor, and let it be suffycyent for euery one of them, [Page 32] to haue on, or two, or thre seruauntes, for they be not greater then Peter, or Paule, or other apostles, whiche haue gone very ofie, with one dyscyple alone to the mynysterye, of the worde, to whose humylyte both the pope, cardynalles, and all the tyrantes of hys kyngedome ought to be restored, but what counsel these kinges, and lordes that haue admitted those dygnytes of Antychryste, with theyr honour maye vse. I haue spoken of in the epystele to the noble prynce, Iohan cardynall of lotherynge. ☞ ♣ ❧
Of a brogatyō, of fyrst frutes, tythes, offeringes, and what the faythful owe to theyr byshopes .i. to true mynisters of the worde, and of those they owe to prynces and rulers. Capitulo. 9.
FOr mynysters of the 203 lawe that is to saye prestes and leuytes, god hathe ordyned tythes, fyrste frutes, and oblatyons, of tythes, and fyrst frutes. Exodi. 20. Leuiticum, the last Numeri. 18. and Deutri. 14. of oblatyons. [Page] Exodi. 23. and .34. thou shalte not apere voyde in my syght, and Deuterono .16. he shall not apere voyde before the lorde. ❧ ♣ ☜
204 ♣ Verely ons before the lawe Abrahā dyd gyue tythes to Melchiseadech kynge, and preeste of the hyeste god. Genesis .14. and Iacobe vowyd to the lorde that he wold gyue tythes of all that he shulde receyue. Gene. 28. whiche no doute of, was not without the counsell of the holye gooste that they bothe dyd. ☞ :✚:
205 ✚ Therfore to gyue tythes, that is a good thynge, bycause it dothe agree with holy scryptures. :✚: ☜
206 ✚ But we finde in no place, that euer it was lawefull to any man to requyre them of deuty, except the forsayd mynysters of the lawe, and kynges of Israell, as is manyfest .1. Regum. 8. of the lawe of a kynge that shuld raygne apon them. :✚: :✚: :✚
207 ✚ For that cause the preesthode of Aaron is abrogate, and is translatyd into Chryste, and the faythfull, and christe is made alone the true and hye byshoppe of the faythful, as is openly [Page 33] declaryd in the epystle of S. Paule to the hebrues. ☞: ✚: ♣: ☜
¶ wherfore byshoppes, and prestes 208 of the kyngedome of the pope, be nothynge lesse then that whiche they affyrme them selues to be. ❧:
¶Nor they do nat succede to ye lawe 209 of tythes, fyrst frutes, and oblacyons, whiche be dewe alonly to them aforesayde, for they be not prestes, and leuites of the lawe. ☞: ❧: ♣: ☜
¶ They be therfore execrable theues,210 when they requyre tithes, fyrst frutes and oblacyons. ☞ ❧ ❧ ☜
♣ For they be dewe to thē by no lawe,211 not by goddes lawe, as I haue sayde, nor by mannes lawe, for all suche lawe dothe not bynde the faythful. bycause it is wyked, brynginge them into bondage of the lawe, that god hathe made free from it. ☞ ♣ ❧
¶ Also Chryste spekynge of tythes.212 Mathewe .23. and Luke .11. spekethe in the pretertens, you ought to haue done these. &c̄. that you maye knowe they shulde haue be gyuen them, and not you. ☞: ♣ ❧
¶ And yf you saye they shulde haue 213 [Page] be geuē thē, Ergo nowe, you conclude folishlye, because the lawe is abrogat, for thē it shuld folowe that you shuld haue be cyrcumsysyd, offeryd beastes, go to Hierusalem on dayes apoynted of the lorde, Ergo nowe, yf thys consequente be nought nor the fyrste.
214 ¶ Furthermore althoughe faythfull be not bounde to gyue those thynges to them, yet rather then they shulde stryue, they shulde haue them at theyr requeste accordynge to that of Luke. 6. frō him that taketh away thy cloke, do not forbyde thy coote, to all that axythe the geue, and of hī that taketh from the, axe it not agayne. ☞
215 ¶ They maye, ye they ought, yf they maye do it, to warne them leste they wyll peryshe, for suche a detestable exactyon, and thefte, for it is wytten yf thy brother offende the, correcte hym. Matthewe .18. and Luke .17. ❧ ❧
216 ¶ But it is the duety of princes, and rulers, to make people free, from thys thefte, and tyrannye of the apostate kyngedome, for nother the pope, cardynalles, nor byshoppes, nor all they to gether yt do attayne to this wyked [Page 34] kyngdome, may lawefully requyre one halfepenye, vnder the name of fryste frutes, tythes, and oblacyons. ❧
¶ Let these flowe belyes worke, and 217 lyue with laboure, and lette them haue wherof they may gyue to rhe pore his necessite, as is wrytten in the sweat of thy browes, thou shalt eate thy breade Gene. 3. and .2. Thessal. 3. he that laboryth not let not hī eate, and yf they be of the houses of prynces, or nobles or any other ryche men, lette them go to theyr owne houses, & do sumthyng els better prouydyd, so that they do not steale other mennes gooddes and maye be sauyd. ❧ ♣
¶ To true byshopes .i. to true euaungelystes,218 be not owyd fyrste frutes, tythes, and oblacyons, but alonly they, to whome they preache, be bounde to helpe them, and theyr householde, as you maye openly se in many places of scrypture, as I haue teached in an other place more largelye. ☞ ♣ ❧
¶ For it is sayde cheffelye to them,219 wyl not you to heape treasure. Math. 6. and although thꝭ chaunce to al men yet they shulde gyue example to other [Page] that they maye shewe Chryste, and hꝭ mekenes yee in theyr deades. ❧
220 ♣ Therfore & yf they haue any thyng plentyfully geuen to them, lette them geue it to the pore, and let them kepe hospytalyte as Paule saythe. Tite. 1.
221 ♣ wherfore vnder the gospell there is none that of the apoyntmente of god, tythes shulde specyallye be gyuen to, not the kyngedome of the pope, as we haue sayde, nor yet true euaungelystꝭ to whome euen by the comaundement of god, meate, and drynke, and clothe, is dewe of them whom they rule, with the worde and not to prynces, rulers or nobles. ☞: ✚: ❧: ♣ ☜
222 ♣ For to them must be gyuen tributes and customes, by the precept of christ Matth. 22. Marke. 12. Luke. 20. gyue that to the Emperour, that is the Emperoures, & that, to god that is godes and Roma. 13. gyue to euery one theyr deutye, to whom trybute, gyue trybute to whome custome, gyue custome, to whō honor, giue honor, to whō dread, dreade, & wolde god that many iniuste exactyons were taken away, and that they wolde take alonly tythes, as the [Page 35] lorde dyd apoynte the kynges of Israel. 1. Regum. 8. ☞: ♣: ✚: ☜
♣ Also they must haue tythes, twelftꝭ 223 twentytes, and suche other lawefull customes, whiche many haue purchasyd by laweful meanes, as geuynge for them, and theyr heyres, theyr proper landes, for a perpetual custome of the fyftenth, or twelfte ꝑte of theyr frutes
¶ I do not vnderstande of vsurus 224 bergens, for it is wrytten, lende one to another trustynge of no auauntage. Luke. 6. ☞: ❧: ♣: ✚: ❧
♣ what shall then be of tythes, shall 225 they be vtterly put downe, godforbyd but I saye that the faythfull be free, that they geue nothynge ouer them, to them whome the man of synne commaundethe to be geuen.: ❧: ♣: ❧
¶ I geue thꝭ counsel to the faythful,226 yt of al they that receyue of the lord, to gather tythes, and dystrybute them into good vses, as to helpe the publike weall, to noryshe true byshoppes, that truly gouerne, to helpe the fatherles, puples, and wydoes, with other pore.
¶ we saye this of thē, that be able, for 227 if they be pore, let them pay nothynge [Page] or els that whiche they maye frely, chefly for a comon weall, & mynysters of the worde of whome the greattest count muste be gyuen. 1. Tim. 5. senyours that gouerne well be worthye double honoure, chefly they that laboure in the worde and lernynge.
228 ¶ Prīces, rulers, and nobles, to whō (as I sayd) trybutes, & other shuldbe gyuen by the lawe, maye not thynke them free to do with them what they wyll, for they muste be watchynge for a good state, and pease of the people, and be meke, and plentyful to the pore
229 ¶ To whom thys must be counsyled, that by example of Abraham, and other Sayntes, to dystrybute tythes of all that they receyue, to the pore, and not to set vppe chappels and buylde cloystures. ☞: ❧: ❧: ♣
230 ❧ Nor it is not lawefull for them to multeplye horses, for pride, to haue many wyues, or hores, to gether great heapes of golde, & syluer to be proude ouer hys brethren that is, people whō he shulde haue in steade of hꝭ brethren to declyne from truthe, and iustyce, to the ryght hande, or to the lefte hande, [Page 36] but they shal haue the lawe of ye lord, in whiche they shal rede, all the dayes of theyr lyfe, and lerne to dreade the lorde, and theyr god, and kepe hys preceptes, as is sayde in. Deutryno. 17.
Of the table of the lorde that it is not a sacrefyce, and of wyked and vsurus customes of the kingdome of perdycyon vtterlye to be pluckyd awaye and of purgatory. Capi. 10.
THe pope and hys scoles 231 haue dyffyned the table of the lord, to be a sacryfyse, and haue denyed in it to be the promyse of grace, and both kyndes to be giuen to any other then hys chaplens, whiche be all heresye, because they repugne to ye most opē textes of scripture, for if you loke apon those that be spoken of it. Mat. 26. Marke. 14. Luke. 22. and. 1. Cor. 11. you shall pleynly perceyue thys to be the table of god, whiche you maye not sacrefice, but eate and drynke, and to be the newe Testament, of whom ye scryptures be instrumentes, in whome [Page] the grace of god, and remission of synnes is promysyd, of whome they that beleue be pertakers, and bothe kindes to be gyuen, to all that haue proued them selues whether they beleue in ye promesse of god, and at the laste, by thꝭ takynge to shewe the lordes deathe, vntyll he come to iudegement .i. to remember, & be a memoryal of his death, to them that beleue, for so ofte doth he dye to them, with the most surest signe that is to saye, the frute of his deathe is geuen to them, as ofte as they eate thys breade, and drynke thys bloude in faythe. ☞ ❧ ♣
232 ♣ whosoeuer is pertaker, of this table in fayth, is made a member of Chryst, and eateth his fleshe, and drynketh hꝭ bloude Iohan. 6. to the which he that goethe without faythe eateth, & drynketh his iudgement makynge no difference of the lordes bodye. ♣ ♣
233 ♣To serche here more cureouslye thē the symplenes of the texte wyllyth, is abomynable before the lorde.
234 ♣ The superstecyousnes, is not to be suffred, to kepe the breade of the lord, in the tabernacles of the faythfull, it [Page 37] was not ordayned of the lorde, to be kepyd so or borne aboute so pōposlye but that it myght be eaten. ❧: ✚
♣ And for that cause lette syncere euaungelystes 235 prouyde that it be not kepyd, for that kepynge is besyde the order of god, for truly then the breade is to be santyfyed, with the worde of god, whō it is to be taken, what houre soeuer it be, and what soeuer the heresye of Antychryste hathe otherwyse dyffyned, and we saye the same of the cuppe yt both must be gyuen to gyther
♣ we do not saye, that this table is to 236 be mynystred to chyldren, or they that beleue not, but vtterlye, to all that can beleue in the promyse of god.
♣ It is the deuty of byshoppes to order 237 them dylygentlye that they maye knowe what this holy feast is, and not to receyue to it, all yt puttes him selfe to it, but thē whō they haue instructe, or do not doute, to be well instructe.
❧ The hye preparacyon is, that any 238 man beynge thrystye, or hongry go to it .i. that he confesse with al his harte, that he hath nede of the grace of god, and remissyon of synnes, and beleue to [Page] goddes promyse that beinge pertaker of this table, he shall obteyne hys desyer by the meryte of the passyon of Christ, of whō this feast is a memorye
239 ❧ Althoughe thys holye feast, and also baptysme be moste sure sygnes, to the faythful, of the grace of god to be hade, yet without these sygnes euery faythefull, beleuynge the truthe perceyueth the same, as apereth in many places of scrypture. ☞: ❧:
240 ¶And for that cause it perteyneth to the aboundance of goddes worshype, that he hathe put these sygnes to the more copyous cōforte of the faythful, of whom I haue spoken more, cheflye in the boke of the causes of the blindnes. &c̄. Tracta. 5. Capitulo. 7. and. 8
241 ¶ Augustyne, and other sayntes, and the Mayster of sentences. 12. Dystyn. 4. do not affyrme thys table to be properly a sacrifyce, but so to be called so of some, bycause it is a memorye of a sacryfyce ones offeryd on the crosse.
242 ¶ But as the memorye of a thinge is not the thynge, nor the memorye of golde, or a person, is not golde or the person, soo nor the memorye of the sacryfyce, [Page 38] is the sacryfyce. ☞: ♣ ❧
♣ It was an execrable faynynge of 243 the deuell, to make of thys swetest testament, of euerlasting helthe, a sacryfyce of the kingdome of Antychryste, wherof is spronge vsurye, marchandyse, fayres, and innumerable errores aboute the masse, by the whiche innumerable haue peryshed, & slowe belyes be fatted and sette out. ❧
¶ It is laweful no more to the faythfull 244 to sacrefyce Chryste then to kyll hī, but alonly to worshyppe the memorye of hys deathe in faythe, in pertakynge of hys table.: ☞:
☞ All that, nowe the truthe openyd 245 agayne sacryfyce Chryste, do alwaye synne moste greuouslye.
✚ Therfore yf any man in any place 246 to auoyd ye offēce of many, be cōstraynyd to say masse, let him leaue out al yt that maketh mencyon of a sacryfyce, prīcipally the Canō, except the wordꝭ of būdictiō frō thꝭ place. Qui pridie. &c̄
♣ And let him take hede, that neyther 247 for that nor if he haue lefte out any other thynge as the manyple stole. &c. that he be prykyd in hys conscyence, [Page] as for one offence knowynge that the faythful is not bounde to ye tradycyōs of men, but is free, yet because of the weake these outwarde thynges, are not in euery place to be lefte out.
248 ❧ whiche yf it make agaynste thy conscyence it edefyethe to hell fyer, and yf it folowe a wauerynge conscyence synneth lette hym therfore put away thy wauerynge conscyence, and for that axe lyghtenynge of the lorde.
149 ♣ Neyther for quyke, nor for deade it is laweful to offer Chryste neyther in the sacrament, nor otherwyse, for he hathe offered hym selfe ones for all.
250 ☞ All foundacyons of masses, yeres myndes, cryenge of the quere, and all suche, that be done in the kyngedome of the pope, be hylye abhomynable to god besydes that they be for the more part vsury, what so euer the son of perdycyon in a certen wauerynge hathe otherwyse dyffyned, a thynge vtterly aduersarye to the worde of god, grantyng to hys synagoge Chryst prohybytythe vsury Luke .6. lende one to another trustynge for no auauntage, whiche thys man of synne hath made [Page 39] lawefull / and what is it that he dare not dyffyne agaynste the immaculate scriptures of god, so yt any thyng may come to the tresorye of hꝭ kyngdome.
♣ In a dysceytfull spyryte / and doctryne 251 of deuyls / was purgatorye feynyd as many mo were. ☞: ❧: ❧
✚ Therof hathe the deceyuynge of 252 the worlde cheflye come / and the cursyd fayres of the kingdome of ye pope.
✚ I praye you let the kyngedome of 253 the pope answere / from what thynges shulde a mā be purged to be sauyd / not alonlye from synnes: ☞: ❧: ☜
✚ But alonly by fayth in Chryst we 254 be purged from them / and iustyfyed / not with fyre / water / sworde / laboure / or any other externe thynge / nor with the prayers of any saynte as I haue proued Luke .1. and Cantico .1.
✚ Althoughe he that is iustyfyed of 255 faythe / workethe many good workes / for faythe hathe her strength by loue. Galat. 5. and is neuer seperate from good workes / yf it be true.
✚ If by fyer / ye prayers of other / any 256 laboure or worke / we be pur [...]yd / and iustyfyed / ergo superfluously and frely [Page] Chryste was deade for vs. ☞ ♣ ❧
257 ¶ Therfore there is no other purgatorye / or purgatyon / but that whiche is of faythe in Chryste.
258 ✚ And they that iudge otherwayes / fynde not one place in the holye / and canonycall scryptures / for them.
259 ¶ For that the .2. Machabe the .12. that Iudas a collatyon mayde, sende .12. thousande beysandes of syluer to Hierusalem, is not of auctoryte / for those bokes of the Machabyes be not coūted in the rule of the hebrues / also if thou loke dylygētlye on that place, thou shalt fynde that rather they dyd pray lest the sīnes of the deade, which they hade taken of the giftes of ydolles, shulde hurt thē, then for the deade men them selues, and for that cause it is concludyd, that holsome and holye is the thought to pray, for the deade, that they may be losyd of theyr sīnes, is agaynste canonycall scryptures.
260 ✚ In syght of the lorde the dethe of sayntes, that is of the faytheful is precyous, that be iustefyed and sācryfyed by faythe. Psalmo. 115. also Apoca. 14. Iohan harde a voyce sayenge to [Page 40] him blessyd are they yt dye in ye lorde, that is in the faythe of Chryste.
¶ Also of them yt dye so in the lorde 261 the spirite spekethe that from henceforthe they reste from theyr laboures, and yf they reste, ergo they suffer no fyer Apocal. 14. great is the aucthoryte of thys place, what so euer many other thynke, for it doth dyssent from no place of other scryptures / whiche somtyme god wyllynge I shall proue.
✚ The dethe of synners .i. of vnfaythfull 262 is worste. Psalmo .33. synners be callyd vnfaytheful, bycause synnes be imputyd to them, and all theyr deades be not of faythe, and therfore they be synne. Roma .14. truly faythefull be called iuste, & sayntes, bycause synnes be not imputyd to them for true fayth Psalmo .31. blessyd be they whose iniquites be forgyuen, and whose synnes be coueryd, blessyd is the man, to whō the lorde hathe not ymputyd synne.
¶ Furthermore faythfull lazarus beynge 263 deade, he was borne into the bosome of Abraham / verelye the wykeddynes was buryed quyckely in hell which I haue expounded in my enarracyon [Page] of Luke. Capitulo. 16. ♣ ❧
264 ¶ Therfore blessyd is the faythefull dyenge in the lorde, for into hī he shal slepe, and rest. Psal. 4. the vnfaythful verelye is accursyd. ☞: ✚: ♣: ❧
265 ♣ we conclude therfore / that alonlye fayth is our purgatory, blessyd is he yt so purgyd, dyeth, other purgatory we finde not, for they be most lykest dreames, what so euer hath be dyffyned of these / thꝭ lōge tyme / nor haue nothing profytyd / but to fat / and set out slowe belyes of the kyngedome of the pope.
267 ✚ Therfore bycause they were with out the testimony, of ye worde of god / they be wyked, that the forsayde kyngdome of the pope, hath diffined in thē and to be plucked awaye of prynces / and rulers, and reformyd to ye rule of the scryptures of god. ☞: ❧: ❧
Of sectes of perdycyon, and beggynge. Cap. 11.
268 NOthinge more dampnable, sythe Chryste was borne, was brought in, then these sectes of perdicyon, sectes of perdycyon be they that can not but destroy, as be the monasty call sectes.
[Page 41]¶ Alonly one profession is of helthe,269 that is to saye, to professe Chryste, whiche bycause he hathe, one spirite, one faythe, one god, one redemer, one medyator, or aduocate, one worde, one iudgemēt, one baptysme, one testamēt of grace, dothe hyely abhorre scysmy, and deuysyon of the thynges that atteyne to hī, namely of his only spous the churche, for the whiche Paule reprouethe the Corynthyans of theyr zele, & cōtētion saing I am of Paule I of Cephas, I of Apollo. 1. cor. 1.2. &. 3
♣ Bycause there is, one, and the most suffycyent rule of all, that beleue the worde of god all monastycal sectes be superfluous, and vnprofytable.
✚ Paraduenture they hurte not, and 270 be tollerable to them that trust not or gyue thē nought, verely to them that thynke there is in them, the leste Iote of perfectyon, iustyfycatyon, or effycacyty vnto helthe, they be more poyson then the venym of Aspys.
♣ For verelye the monastycall secte 272 is the well of ypocrysye, the Iakes of enuy, ydlenes, drūknes, grudges, hate ambyshon, and of all vnclenlynes, the [Page] doughter of the bloude, sukker deuourynge althynge, and alwaye saynge, brynge bryng, an ensacyate depnes of tradycyons of mē, stryuynge euen cō trarye to the worde of god. ☞: ❧
273 ¶ Nether kyngedome, lordeshyppe, landes, customes, tythes, or any great ryches, besynes, of marchaundyse, may lawfully, be permyttyd to ye Charterhouse freres, benedictynes celystynes, or any other mōkes, whō they cal possessyoners, of prynces and rulers.
274 ✚ Aboue all cloystures, these ought to be subuertyd, for they drawe almost all the worlde, with stryfe and exactyons, to bryng, vp certayne ydle & fatte hogges, and what they do more ouer, I tell not. ☜: ❧: ☜: ❧: ♣: ♣
275 ✚ But these that they call beggers, what do they not steale with theyr ymportunate beggynge, be they not amongeste the faythefull, as myse, be in barnes, in clothes, mothes, in wortes, wormes, besyde yt, that they be callyd so beggers, they wyll fare better then many greate men. ☞: ❧: ☜
276 ¶ Beggynge is alwaye vnlawefull, and nere thefte, to them that can with [Page 42] theyr laboure gette necessaryes. ❧
¶ Therfore it is not laweful, to gyue 277 any thynge to these monkes, bycause they ought, and maye eate the laboure of theyr hādes, and seke it with occupatyon, whereby they may lyue, and if they can not, let them lerne, for saynte Fraunces commaundyd his, so to do.
✚ For howe ofte are we mouyd ī holy 278 scripture, that it is necessary, to helpe pupylles, the fatherles, wydoes, presoners, ye dyseasyd, and other that haue neade, of our goodes as we be able, in no place it is cōmaundede, or prouyd, that any man shulde be made a begger, althoughe to all faythefull true pouertye is necessarye. ☞: ✚: ♣: ❧
♣ Also it is more blessyd to gyue then 279 take. Actes. 20. ☞: ♣: ✚: ❧
¶ So saynt Fraunces wyl not, yt hys 290 monkes begge, but when they can not wt theyr labour get necessary for lyfe.
✚ All monkes & monyalles, that perceyue 281 they haue not receyued ye gyfte of contence are bounde, to put awaye theyr coweles, and to be maryed.
❧ I wolde not condempne, no I 282 wolde prayse the cloystures of bothe [Page] kyndes, yf they were scolles of the faytheful, in whom they shulde be wel instructyd, with the alonlye worde of god, and honeste laboures, and myght frelye go forthe when they wolde, thē they shulde alway be better, and more chrystyanly be conuersant. ☞: ♣:
283 ♣ Monkes & monyalles, that affyrme that they wolde lyue in the lyberty of the gospell, and do nothyng, but whether the coule be reiecte or not, wyll lyue without the brydle of them that rule, rore as they dyd before, and part to them gooddes of the cloyster, to be distribute at theyr plesure, those be nothyng lesse, then chrystyans, and gospellers, & they be made of Belzebub Sathan, that is of nought worse, and moste hatefull to god. ♣: ♣: ♣: ♣: ♣
284 ❧ Aboue all, the cloystures of the Mynorytes ought to be scolles of the professyon of the gospell, for Chryste commaunded to saynt Frauncys, that they shulde lyue after, the forme of the holy gospel, whiche I haue prouyd in the cōmentaries of theyr rule. Cap. 1.
285 ✚ Princes and rulers, of theyr offyce ought dylygently to watche, that the [Page 43] goynge forthe of all cloysters myght be free, and by al meanes so to do, that they whiche yet tary in cloysters lyue subiecte, and be dylygently instructyd with the alonlye worde of god, or els what shal these cloysters be, but chafe ringe houses, and bonde houses of the deuyl these laste. 18. posytyons, and other belongyng to monastycal secte, I haue declaryd in my cōmentarye into the rule of ye minorytes more largely.
whose deutye is to iudge of the voyce of the lernyd / yf he be of god / and by what we be assuryd / also of wekyd vnyuersytes. Capi. 12.
IT dothe belonge to the 289 church of god / to iudge of the voyce of all that teache / yf it be of god / whiche we haue proued openly in other bokes chefly in ye cantykles of Solomon / the voyce of my well beloued. &c̄. Capitu. 2. and. 5. to what the churche of god is, is declaryd within.
♣ For of the worde of god / they alōly [Page] can iudge, yt haue the spirite of christ, whose deuty is to iudge, of hye thingꝭ 1. Corinthi. 2. ☞: ✚: ♣: ❧: ☜:
288 ¶ It is heresye to affyrme / that the spirite of Chryste is not in the faythfull, for he is in them / and they walke and vnderstande after hym, by whome they mortifye the deades of the fleshe and lyue, and crye in hym. abba Pater. and he gyuethe a testymonye to theyr spirite, that they be children, & heyres of god, hayres annexyd with chryste, he axethe for vs with teres vnable to be spoken of, and makyth intercessyō for sayntes after god, whiche Paule speketh of moste ceposlye. Roma. 8.
289 ♣ Furthermore it is thē knowen, that any man iudgethe of the spirite, when he goeth aboute hys iudgement, with open testimonyes of scrypture, for the scryptures of god, be the moste sureste testimonyes, of the iudgementes of hꝭ spirite, as I haue sayde verye ofte.
290 ✚ whiche scryptures, who so euer denyeth to be necessarye, can no otherwayes affyrme the surenes of hꝭ saynges, bycause those alone be the sure testymonyes of god. ☞: ♣:: ❧
[Page 44]¶ Therfore they that be of ye church 291 of god that is to say symple, and meke yee plowe men, and artyfycers, that syncerely beleue in god, and be the shepe of chryst, may iudge, of ye voyce of theyr pastor, yf it be in those doctoures or not. ☞: ☜: ☞: ♣: ♣: ♣:
✚ Verelye they that be not of that 292 church can not iudge of it, but rather abhore and hate it, bycause it is aduersarye to theyr sense, that is to say, the fleshe by whiche they be ruled.
♣ For any man to iudge, of the worde 293 it helpeth not, to haue be many yeres, at Parryse, or other vnyuersityes, or to haue stodyed the tongues, excepte the holye gooste be presente.
♣ Vnyuersyties that haue be of many 294 yeres, stryue clene agaynst the worde of God. ☞: ✚: ☜: ❧: ♣: ❧
☞ Promotyons of deuynes whiche 295 they hunt for, doth engēdre nothinge, but pryde, and be full of couetousnes, and vanyte, and is a certen gentyles maner, for what so euer is of goddes worde, yf monye be brought, quyckely there is a tytle grauntyd, and doctoures neuer teachynge, and ofte tymes [Page] the most foles be promotyd, wherfore they be abhomynable to god. ❧
296 ¶ And the lorde forbade hꝭ apostles / that they shulde be made maysters. Math. 23. no doute but he wolde haue them maysters, and teachers of the people .i. that they myght teache hys scriptures, but he wolde not that they shulde hunt for the vayne and proude tytles, nor wolde not, that they shuld teach any thyng, but vnder hꝭ seruyce
297 ✚ There is no man almoste, that teachethe more vnhappely, the scryptures of god, then these pompos bugges and ydolles of the worlde. ☞ ♣ ❧
298 ♣ Yf any man be worthye, the mynysterye of god, I wolde counsel, that he shulde fyrste be chosen of other deuynes, mete that he may be sende to any place, and that the companye of the faythefull shulde pray for hym, and yf he haue it, let hī gyue to the nedy and pore people, and make them a feast accordynge to the gospell, & not as they do nowe a dayes, to gyue cappes, gloues, or make greate coste of feastes, to ryche men, and full belyes, yt the same day they begyn to professe the gospell [Page 45] they do openlye agaynste the gospell, for in truthe all these be abhomynatyon byfore the lorde.
¶ Yf al cloystures of the worlde, that 299 withī or nye to cetyes were, as I sayd a lytle before, the scoles of the worde of god, so yt the supersteciō of clothing were not obseruyd, & mans tradicions for we cā not serue both God & Baal, the worde of god, & the worde of men.
✚ Prynces and rulers, yf they wyll iustlye rule, let them take hede aboue 300 al thynge, that Chryste maye rule his people, also let them make scoles in euery place, for chyldren, and maydes, in whō they may be wel instructe, ī the worde of god, and honeste laboures, & lerne to dreade, & loue, our lorde Iesu Chryst, to whom with the father, and the holy goste, be honour, worshyppe, and empyre for euer more.. So be it.
Of the partes, as they cal it of penaunce. Cap. 13.
THe partes of holy & true penaunce,301 is not confessyon, cōtrytyon, & satysfaccyon, but the actes of a true penytente of faythe without satysfaccyon.
[Page] 303 ¶ whiche be necessarye to helthe, but not as sophysters saye. ☞: ♣ & ❧
304 True satysfaccyō, ī so much as it is ī ye merites of Christe alonly, can be no perte of penaūce, nor act of ye penytēt.
305 ✚ But it is the hyest rewarde, which we that beleue syncerely in chryste, haue by hys meryte. ❧: ♣: ❧
306 ♣ The inseperable seruaunte of true, and necessarye penaūce, is pure fayth, for these ye sauyour ioyned to gether, saynge be penytent, & beleue ye gospel.
307 ♣ This necessarye fayth, is not to beleue this or that promise, but so to beleue them all, that we doute in no promyse of god, no not in the leaste, as is that he stedefastlye cleaue to goddes promyse, ī which he hath promysyd to al faithful grace, & remissiō of sīnes by christ, as ofte as they axe it ī faythe, & thꝭ is ye gospel to whō we must beleue.
308 ¶ True penaunce, can neuer be wtout true fayth, nor sayth is neuer without grace, and the spirite of truthe, & also affectyons, and true good workes.
what true penaunce is.
309 PEnaunce, yt the kyngdome of the pope preacheth, & teacheth is wykyd, cursyd, and lyenge to the lorde, [Page 46] for it is nothinge lesse then penaunce, and maketh nought but an ypocryte, wherfore we call it false.
♣ This diffynityō of penaūce is most colde, penaunce is to lamente synnes paste, and in mornynge not to commyt them agayne. ☞: ♣: ☜: ❧
¶True penaunce is to amende dayly from syn, with fayth in Christe, by the whiche he stedfastly beleuyth all synnes to be remyttyd to hym by chryste, and hollye to be gyuen hym to walke, in newenes of lyfe.
♣ This dayly amendynge is a curcyfyenge of ye fleshe, and mortyfyeng of it, necessarye to all faythefull, whiche christe cōmaundeth to be borne about in name of the crosse, that with frut, & in veryte we may folowe him .i. to beleue most purely to him, & folowe him.
¶ All the lyfe of a chrystyan is to be penytent, and beleue in Christ, that is to mortyfye dayly and ryse by chryst.
¶ For a mā altho he be holy, as longe 301 as he is in this lyfe hathe vnstedfaste fleshe resystynge the spirite, and therfore he ought to crucyfye it dayly, yt it may be subiect to the spirite.
[Page] 314 ¶ All affectyons and all worke without the spirite of god, is fleshe, and is then crucyfyed, when it is hatyd and suppressyd. ☞: ☞: ❧: ❧: ❧
315 ¶ who so euer is so truly penytent, hath chryst lyuynge, and reynynge in hym, and therfore is of the kyngdome of chryst, verely the fleshe, that is concupyscēce, and al worke that is not of the spirite of god, is dayly more crucyfyed, subiecte, and mortyfyed.
316 ♣ And who so euer is not so penytent is an ypocryte, and crucyfyeth chryst in hym, not wyllynge that he reygne vpon hī, wherby he is not of the kyngdome of chryst, but of the fleshe and ye worlde, that lyue, & reygne in hꝭ hart.
317 ¶ Chryst reygneth in our hart, & plesythe when we trust to him, verelye he is crucifyed, and doth not please whē we trust in other, and not in hym.
318 ♣ The worlde and the fleshe reygne ī vs, whē they please, & we trust to them, they be crucyfyed, and mortifyed, whē we represse them, and truste nothynge to them, but rather hate them, and do not to theyr desyres.
Of true good workes.
[Page 47]A Trewe penitent is neuer without 319 trewe goodworkes, for he dothe all thyng in faythe, whiche shulde els be wycked, for al thynge that is nat of faythe is synne. Roma. 14.
♣ They that be of the coniuryng and 320 kingdome of antichrist, be neuer truly penitent, or do true good workes, for they do nat lyue and worke of faythe.
☞The prophetes of antichriste, that 321 they may more lyghtly turne the symple people frō Chiste, say that we prohybyte, fastynge, prayers, and all good dedes, when we do preache nothynge more then that they shulde haue true good workes that is of faythe, for we preache thus, that we be iustified alonly by faythe, and say that we muste do god workes, nat to be iustified, but to brynge forthe frutes of true fayth, for they be frutes of faythe, that be done in that faythe.
❧ we saye that there muste be good 322 workes, nat as the kyngedome of the po [...]e but as Christe teachythe, wherfore [...]e can nat erre bycause Christ is truthe, and true doctour of the faythfull, [Page] verely the pope and euery man is alyer. Psalm. 115. ☞ ❧
323 ☞ They say there muste be good workes, after the doctryne of the pope, & other men, wherfore it is nat inpossyble that they shulde erre, and therof it folowyth that they be full of heresies, and made antychristes, scysmatykes and apostata frome the kyngedome of our lorde Iesus Christe. ❧
324 ♣ From whō leste we be made straūge, & therof to peryshe, we be made Christes seruauntes, and be apostata frome the kyngdome of that anty christe the pope. ☞ ❧ ♣
325 ♣And who so euer is nat made straūg from that same kyngdome, is a scismatyke from Christe apostata, and antychriste, and at the laste shall peryshe for euer. ☞: ❧: ♣: ❧: ☞
❧Of lybertye and subiectyon of the faythefull.
326 THe faythful dothe alway worke well for he dothe all thynge in faythe, and lybertie of the holy ghoste. If he eate or drynke, or do any other thynge, he dothe all in the glory of Christe, or els in faythe, [Page 48] or in hys name whiche be all one. ❧
♣ This lybertie is nat that they may 327 thynke it free to do any thynge, but that they may knowe that it is moste fre to them to do those thynges that they be commaundyd by the worde of god, ye and all the men of the worlde wolde commaūde otherwyse, for they be free from all doctrynes and tradycyons of men, that do nat agree with the worde of god, as be the decrees of the kyngedome of the pope and doctryne of sophisters.
¶ The lybertye of the spirite, is nat 328 carnall, but spirituall, and moste holy, makynge a man free frome all lawe of men, that he is bounde to none except it agre with the scriptures of god.
✚ Also as you may se of Paule to the 329 Rom̄. & Galath. it makyth a man free from the lawe of god, euyn that spirite nat that we ought nat to kepe the preceptes of god, nat that we shulde kepe them nowe by compulsyon, as before the spirite be there, but with the moste redy wyll. ☞ ♣ ✚ ❧
☞ Thys lybertie makyth a man syncere,330 without hypocrysy, the louer of [Page] of truthe, plentyful, ful of charity, and moste full of all good workes. ❧
331 ❧ For then a man is so made free in Christe, yt he wyl be subiecte to euery humane creature for Christe.
332 ☞ He is cursyd and execrable to the lorde, who so euer vnder the name of christen lybertie dothe gyue hym selfe to chāburynges, drunknes, and suche other. for verely they walke nat after the spirite but after the fleshe. but this holy lybertie admytteth no carnall thynge. ☞ ♣ ❧
☞ Of contrycyon. ☜
333 COntrycyon is nat a sorowe voluntaryly taken of vs for our sinnes, but that whiche the spirite dothe worke in vs. that is to say trewe hate of syn, for zele of the glory of god, without hypocrysie or lyenge, for it is a worke alonly of the power of god. ☞ ♣ ❧
334 ¶ For the wyll of man can nat without lyeng and hypocrysy hate synne, nor to take for it sorowe & sadnes. for the pure wyl of man, which is without the spirite of god, is a synner alway. 335 ♣ God commaundeth that we shulde [Page 49] take the mournyng of his only sonne, that is, that we shulde be sorowful and mourne truly for our synnes, bycause the wyll of a synner can nat fulfyll it of it selfe. ☞ ♣ ❧
❧ For euery precepte of god, is inpossyble 336 to the wyll beynge a synner, whiche god with hys spirite makythe possyble to vs. for that whiche he commaundythe in vs he wyll fulfyl in vs, that he alone may haue glorye for all, and that euery fleshe may nat presume to be gloryed in hys syght.
¶ But it is by the hyghe goodnes of 337 god, that he gyueth to his seruandes those thyngꝭ that he mercyfully doth in them. callyng them contryte, iuste, penitent, conuertyd. &c̄. ❧
☞ That the preceptes of god be inpossible 338 to man this fruyte comyth of it, that man knowing it, is constreynid to professe, that he can do nothyng of hym selfe, and to meruell at the depnes of the iudgementes of god. ✚
☞: Of confessyon. ☜
[Page] 339 THe maner gyuen of scolers for auryculer confessyon is vnprofytable, moste vayne, inpossyble, curyouse, and moste dampnable, and aduersary to the lawe of god, it is so muche lesse that it is of goddꝭ lawe as sophesters lye, it is vnprofytable and moste vayne bycause it is without the frute of the spirite lettyng frō the purenes of faythe, inpossible also for innumerable bowes, leaues, mothers, doughters, and cyrcumstances, which no man althoughe he be lernyd, can dilygently obserue, muche lesse the vnlernyd. It is curiouse also, serchynge with a friuolouse care those thynges that be nothyng to the purpose, wherby the mynde of him that is confessyd is lette that it can nat ryse with pure faythe in Christe, and the same confession is to him moste dampnable, for so impure and fylthy thynges be ofte rehersyd in suche confessyons that they corrupte good maners, and infecte as well the speker as the herer. For what be they but euyll comunicacyon, and moste hurtefull iangelyng, & so muche more horryble that they be admyttyd [Page 50] vnder the colour of mekenes. ❧
♣ It is the most cōfussyd maase, what 340 so euer the synagoge of the pope, hath gyuen of confessyon, vnto this daye, without the worde of god and of hys owne inuencyon. ☞ ♣ ☜
♣ For by what aucthorite, be these iugelars 341 bolde, to prescribe to the moste free seruauntes of Christ, newe lawes straūge frō the doctryne of mekenes.
¶ Trewe and profytable confessyon 342 of sīnes is made foure maner of ways, fyrste inwardly to god alone. seconde openly when cause requyreth, thyrde to him whom thou haste offendyd, lest thou defende synne, but be reconsylyd to hym in loue of god. fourthe to him of whom thou lokyst for the mery worde of the gospell that is the sermon of goddes grace and remyssyon of synnes, by Christe, and of this laste we speke. ❧ ✚ ❧
¶ To this thou muste chose a propre 343 confessour whom thou seest able, that he can comforte thy spirite with the worde, who so euer he be.
☞ It is execrable and abhomynable 344 byfore the lorde, that a faythfull christyane [Page] is bounde to admytte for a confessoure and his pastor, marchauntes and rauenynge wolues, of the kyngedome of the sonne of perdycyon.
345 ☞ Therfore thou comynge to a man myghty in the wysdome and worde of Christe, the specyal & that same moste hurtfull supputacyon of synnes layde aparte, confesse moste purely the to be subiecte to many synnes, and therfore to haue nede of the marcye of god.
346 ❧ In the begynnyng therfore, lette him be the moste meke accuser of hym selfe. the seconde let hym beleue stedfastly in the promyse of god, that he shall gette the grace of god and remissyon of synnes, the thyrde let him beleue that he can haue it, nat by hys owne merytꝭ, or by the merytes of any saynte ye of the virgyn mary, but alonlye by the goodnes and meryttes of Christ, for he alone is that lambe that takythe away the sīnes of the worlde, the fourthe that by thys fayth he may be made parttaker of this heuenly iusstyce, let him ascrybe nothyng to the iustyce of the fleshe. but confesse with a pure harte alonly the iustyce of god [Page 51] to be louid, serchid for, amplectio, and hym selfe to haue of hym selfe no iustyce at all. and knowledge thys without feyninge, the fyfthe lette him se [...]e some faythfull and conynge man that knowythe to gyue counsell of helthe and with the scriptures of god, and can make stronge the mynde of the penytent in faythe, and if there be nat a man hauyng faythe to do this thynge or he dreadyng him to be vnlawfull, or nat hauyng the worde wherby he may comforthe hym in the lorde. If there be a faythfull woman in whō he knowyth these aforsayde to be, to that same faythfull woman, ye all though she be ioynyd carnally to hym. I saye very nye. It is lawfull for him to be cōfessyd generally. I say generally that he by no reason count hys synnes lest he infecte the herer, for as we haue sayde euyll comunicacyon corruptyth good maners, and of a truth that same foule and lycencyouse spekyng of the confessyons of antychristes factyon haue infecte innumerable and haue drawen them to the moste enormouse crymes.
♣ Therfore let nothyng be openyd of 347 [Page] any man leste that for mannes feynynges & doctryne, he beseme to dyspyse the thynges of god, for god neuer cō maūdith that, what so euer many haue iudgyd in the spirite of errour, wonders and many punyshementes be gyuen of certeyne lyers agaynste them that wyll nat nombre all pertyculerly, but I haue made open that al these be of the deuyll in the boke of the causes of the blyndenes .&c̄.
348 ❧ The confessyon of synnes that be longeth to outwarde thynges may be on thys maner. Brother or syster in Christe. I perceyue me ouer throwen with infidelite and innumerable sines, the which I cōfesse with all my herte, I am very iniuste and full of ifidelite, I haue done no good thynge and am an vnprofitable seruande. wherof my synnes greatly greue me, and I truely knowe that if I couyt to be sauyd I had nede of the mercye of god, grace, and iustyce, therfore I aske of you the worde of the gospell of pease, that is to saye, remssyyon of my synnes.
349 ☞ And let euery faythfull take hede that he say this thyng without any in fidelyte, and at the laste lete hym stedfastly [Page 52] beleue that the worde of absolucyon what so euer it be, is a sure signe of the grace of god and remyssyon of synnes as he hathe beleued to be giuē him of the lorde. for all the workes of god be in faythe. Psalm. 32. and euery man taketh so muche as he beleuythe, and if he beleue nothyng he receyuith nothynge. ☞ ❧ ❧ ☜
♣The forme of absolucyon is free, so 350 that it do sygnyfie all synnes to be remyttyd by Christe. for this is good, I absolue the frō thy sinnes in the name of the father. &c̄. or alonly in the name of Christ, or this. I pronounce to the absolucyō of all thy sīnes in the name &c̄. or thus thy synnes are forgyuē the by Christe or in the name. &c̄. or thus. By the name of Christe al thy synnes be forgyuen the. ☞ ❧ ♣
¶ All suche absolucyon is good, and 351 to the faythful a sure sygne of grace & if he leue out this worde I. It forsyth nat, what so euer sophesters dreame.
❧ The more pure and symple the absolucyon 352 is the better.
☞ All absolucyons of the kyngdome 353 of the pope be wycked, patching many [Page] thyngꝭ to gyther without frute, of the keys, of the holy mother the churche of the apostles Peter and Paule, of excomunycacyon more and lesse frome pena and culpa. ☞ ♣ ❧
354 ❧ An absolucyon ought no wyse to be made in a tonge vnknowen to the penitente. ❧ ✚ ♣ ❧
355 ☞ For it is necessary that he vnderstande the worde wherby hys soule is to be comfortyd in the lorde to whom he muste nedes beleue.
¶ Of sygnes of grace, and remyssoyn of synnes. ❧
356 BAptysme is to the faythefull as lōge as he lyueth, the most surist sygne of grace and remyssyon of sīnes, for in al his lyfe he asking that is moste assurid by that signe all though it be receiuyd but ones.
357 ❧ For what so euer the faythful takyth, as mortyfyeng, crusyfyeng, quotidiane spoylyng of the olde man. be fyguryd in the plongynge out and in the water with the iudgement of the newe man. Roma. 6.
358 ♣ Another sygne there is, the table of the lorde, which is to euery mā receyuyng [Page 53] it in fayth, the moste suryst signe of grace, and remyssyon of synnes.
♣ Thys table is a memory of a sacryfyse 359 ones offerid in the crosse, and nat the sacryfyse.
¶ For to affyrme that it is a sacryfise 360 and that it shulde be sacryfyed of any man, it is execrable, wicked, and abhomynable byfore the lorde, and more of this in another place.
♣ The thyrde sygne, is the worde spoken 361 of the churche, or of any faythful, sygnifieng grace, and remyssyon of sinnes to be gyuen by him that amendith and asketh it in faythe.
❧ These sygnes be the vesselles of 362 grace, as manye haue defynyd in the spirite of errour.
☞ But sygnes do not brynge grace,363 but the lorde Psalmo. 83.
It is not gyuē by signes but by fayth 364
¶ By fayth we be pertakers of al the 365 gyftes of the holye goste.
♣ Also these sygnes without faythe / 366 be nothynge / whiche scolers saye of fayned thynges, ☞ ❧ ☞ ❧
¶ Paule saythe Ephe. 5. Chryst hath 367 santyfyed his churche, made it clene [Page] with the lauer of water, by his worde, verelye it is clensyd with the worde, when it beleueth it, of the which clensynge, the lauer of water is a sygne, he sayd not symply, it is made clene with the lauer of water, but put to, by the worde, that you maye knowe the makyng clene, to be sygnifyed by ye lauer.
368 ¶ whiche thou haste openly. 1. Pe. 3. baptyme hath made vs safe, not by the which fylth of the fleshe, is put away / but it maketh that a good conscyence, answeryth well to god, by the resurrectyon of Iesus Chryste.
369 ♣ Althoughe that we get, by the same alonlye faythe in Chryste, grace & full remyssyon of all our synnes, yet god the hyest, and greateste, of the aboundance of hys goodnes, hathe put to these sygnes, to the greatter comforte of the faythefull.
whether any cases may be reseruyd 370 WHat so euer the man of syn, the son of perdycyon, the pope, with all his kyngdome haue reseruyd and kepte cases, hath ben a faynynge of the deuyl, so moch more hateful, & dampnable, & cursyd, as it repugnethe [Page 54] euen contrarye to the eternall scryptures of god.
♣ Nothynge at all may be reserued to 371 the faythful, that hathe all most plentyfully remytted to hym, so that there can be no greater.
♣ The church cā nether lose or bynde 372 but after the worde of god, by whō she muste be gouerned in all thynge.
Of satysfaccyon, and (as they call it) inioynynge of penaunce.
BYcause satysfaccyon, for synnes dothe shewe a suffycyencye of 373 deades, by whō euelles be restored, which haue chaūsyd ī those synnes there is no mā that can outher gyue or do suffycient for thē, it is wekyd that sophysters thynke, that we can satysfye for them,
¶ For nether with fastynge, prayer,374 nor almes, or any other worke, we be able to satysfye, bycause these be not satisfaccions, but frutes of true fayth for there is another satysfaccyō, with out all these.
♣ There is one alone ful, and true satysfaccyon 375 for the synnes, of all the world, in whom we must nedes beleue, made of the lorde Iesus Chryste.
[Page] 376 ¶Sines be sayde, to be redemed with almes, yf it be of fayth, for they be redemyd of faythe of the gyuer, and not for the almes it selfe.
377 ♣The same iudgement is of fastynge, and prayer, and of al workes of fayth, which be good bycause of true fayth.
378: ¶ whiche fayth beynge absent, be but mere wekydnes and syn, for all that is not of fayth is synne. Roma. 14.
379 ♣ Of iogelyng spirites, and doctryne of deuyls dyd it sprynge, yt many haue affyrmyd penaunce to be inioynyd.
380 ☞For it can not be inioyned of man, but gyuē of god to the sīner, yt he may truly be penytent for his synnes.
381 ♣ They call it folyshlye penaunce, yt these chapleyns haue costomyd to inioyne to him, that telleth his synnes.
382 ☞ For theyr ought nothynge to be inioyned, by cause Chryste is full satysfaccyon, for all faythfull.
383 ❧ The penytent, is to be comfortyd with the worde of god, and to be monyshyd, to true faythe, and the workes of it, for as it is sayde, what so euer is not of faythe, is hypocresye and syn.
384 ♣ Not that people shulde be losyd, or [Page 55] that he cleuynge to this maner of confessyon, shulde styke to vs, as the prophetes of antychryste inioyne vs, but we haue wrytten so of penaunce, that al dreames, and lyes of men, put away, and all crafty conueyance, and greate burdens of the kyngedome of antychryste reiecte, Chryste and the worde of truthe may reygne in euery place.
♣ we haue spoken of penaūce, & those 385 that perteyne to ye scryptures of god, in fewe wordes, hauynge no regarde, what ye wyked synagoge, of the kyngdome of antychryste, in the spirite of errour, hath otherwyse dyffyned, for it is necessary for vs, to flye his poyson, for it can not be, that we shal gyue place both to Chryst, and Antychrist.
♣ The conclusyon.
THe sum of christyanyte we haue breflye wrytten, that is in .385. peradoxes, or posycyons, that thys boke myght be to bere, in the handes of thē, yt desyreth it, there was .ij. thīges, that mouyd me cheflye to do it, fyrste there be very many, that put forthe reprouable peradoxes, as there was one Tregaryus, by whome [Page] they be about to make, the symple people straunge, from the truth, the other is that before the .ix. monethe, at the noble cetye of Wetens, the companye of antychryste, was gatheryd agaynst me, which mouyd me, to styke vp many posytyons, verely I put to them a hū dreth and .xxvi. whō I haue nowe increasyd to .385. let thē answere therfore, yf they haue any thynge, let not these blynde pharesyes stande ī theyr owne conceyte, and legates, and tyrantes of the sonne of perdicyon, that for hꝭ decre, and lyke preachynge, dyd make the noble wytnes of Chryste. S Iohan castellane, somtyme my welbelouyd brother, the laste of all that is ye 12. daye of the monethe of Ianuarye Anno. 1525. at Vuy a towne of lotherynge, with fyer they made hym a martyr of Chryste, but for hī god shall fyght agaynste them, and for one well rayse a thousande, and yf they hade slayne me to, & Chryst hade vouchsafe thys glorye of martyrdome to me, for me ten thousāde shulde ryse, for surely antychryste, with all hys kyngedome apostata shall falle to the glorye of [Page 59] the lorde Iesus Chryst, and that with spirite of hys mouthe, which with the father, and the holye goste lyueth one god gloryous, for euer more. So be it.
WOo woo be to the thou purple whore / whore of Babylon, that loueth ye sygne of ye rose coloryd beaste, and to it empyre, thou arte made drunke with the blode of prophetes, & sayntꝭ, and dothe call to the shedynge of the blode of ye electe, as it were to a feast of dētyes promysinge to thy assystentes, grace, and remyssyon of synnes, with thy false iogelynge. woo I saye to the for thou shalte be dystroyd, for with the vyolence of a mylstone throwen into the see, thou shalte be sende into the botome of hel, and thou shalt be founde no more Apoca. 18. bycause the lorde hathe remembred the blode of hys electe, whom thou haste slayne, and whom thou hast deceyuyd to establyshe thy lyes, and abhomynatyons, and hathe alwaye trode vnder fode, ye veryte of our lorde Iesus Chryste, for [Page] the which thou shalt be troden downe of it for euermore, and the beaste that thou haste worshypped shall peryshe with the. So be it.
¶ Let thys be done lorde Iesu, come quyckly, thy enemyes ouercome, and reygne in vs. So be it.