for Christis sake through mercy they shulde obteyne eternall lyfe and not for these ceremonies or seruices because god dothe onely approue the honours and seruices instituted by his owne worde whiche be stronge effectual in fayth ⧠Of the power of the Churche HEre oure aduersaries make a foule cryenge oute do bragge stoutely of the priuileges and liberties of the churche and at laste adde this conclusion All thingê be vayne whiche in this presente article be alledged agaynst the libertie of churches of preestes This is a false accusation and a starkelye For we disputed of other matiers in this article whiche god dothe allowe as iustice and to charge and lade coÌ„sciences so that it were synne to leaue them vndone All these thingê euen one place in the Actê doth teache where the apostles saye that hertes be purified and made cleane by fayth And afterwardes they forbydde to laye on a yocke and shewe howe great ieoperdie it is where they make it a very greuous and haynous offense of them whiche lade and ouercharge the congregation Why do ye tempte god say they But aduersaries be nothynge aferd with this thunder and sore sentence whan they with violence defende theyr owne traditions and wycked opinions For heretofore also they haue condeÌ„ned our .xv. article in whiche we dyd put that traditioÌ„s do not merite remission of synnes And here they saye that traditions do helpe to eternall lyfe Do they merite remission of synnes Be they seruices whiche god dothe allowe as iustices Do they quickeÌ„ the hertê Paule in his epistle to the Collossianes doth therfore deny that traditions be aduayllable or helpyng to eternal iustice and eternal lyfe because meate drynke apparayle such other be thynges decayenge and peryshynge with vse and occupyenge But eternall lyfe in the herte is wroughte by eternall thynges that is to witte by the worde of god and the holy ghoste Let our aduersaries therfore declare if they can howe traditions helpe to eternall lyfe And for asmoche as the gospel dothe euidently witnesse that there oughte not traditions to be layde vpon the churche to merite remission of synnes or to be seruicê whiche god dothe allowe as iustice or to charge consciences so that it shulde be iudged synne to leaue them vndone our aduersaries shall neuer be able to proue that byshops haue power and auctoritie to institute suche honours and seruices But what power the gospell dothe gyue to byshoppes we haue shewed in our confession They whiche de byshoppes nowe a dayes do nat execute the offices of byshops according to the gospell but they be byshoppes accordyng to the policie and ordenaunce in the canones which we do nat rebuke But we speke of a bysshop accordyng to the rule of the gospell And that olde diuision of power into power of ordre and power of iurisdictioÌ„ pleasith vs verie wel The bysshop therfore hathe power of ordre that is the ministration of the worde and of sacramentê He hath also power of iurisdiction that is to say auctoritie to excommunicate those that haue committed open crymes and agayne auctoritie to assoile them if they wyll conuert desyre absolution But neyther haue they tyrannicall power that is to say without any certayne lawe but they haue a certayne coÌ„maundement I meane the vndoubted worde of god whiche they oughte to teache and accordyng to it to vse theyr iurisdiction Wherfore it folowith nat although they haue some iurisdiction that they may institute newe honours and seruices For ceremonies and seruices nothynge apperteyne to iurisdiction And they haue a worde and a coÌ„maundement howe farre forthe they ought to excercise theyr iurisdiction whiche is if any man haue coÌ„mitted and trespassed agaynst the worde whiche they haue receiued of Christe Howbeit in our coÌ„fession we haue added also howe farre forthe it is laufull for theÌ„ to make traditions that is to wete nat as necessary seruices but that there myght be an ordre in the churche because of tranquilitie And these ought nat to bynde and entangle coÌ„sciences as though they dyd coÌ„maunde necessarie honours and seruices as Paule teachith when he sayeth Stande faste in the libertie in whiche Christe hathe deliuered you and be nat brought agayne vnder the yoke of bondage The vse therfore of suche ordinations ought to be lefte free so that we auoyde the offendyng of our bretherne leaste they myght els be iudged to be necessary seruices And so dyd the apostles them selues they ordeined many thynges whiche afterwardes in processe of time were chauÌ„ged Neyther did they in suche wyse ordeyne the sayde traditions that it myght nat be laufull to chaunge them For they dyd nat disagre from theyr owne writyngê in whiche they labour very greatly that this opinioÌ„ shulde nat oppresse the church that humayne rytes and ceremonies be necessary seruices This is the simple and playne maner of interpretynge traditions that is to wete to knowe that they be no necessary seruices and yet that we obserue and kepe them when we se opportunitie without superstition to auoyde the offeÌ„dyng of our bretherne And this hath ben the mynde of many ryght connynge and excellent men in the churche Neyther we se what can be brought agaynste it For this is vndoubted that the sentence of Christe Qui uos audit me audit that is to saye Whosoeuer hearith you hearith me dothe nat speake of traditions but it maketh moste agaynst traditions For it is no coÌ„maundement but a wytnes gyuen to the apostles that we shulde giue credence to them of another mannes worde For Christe wolde confirme and strengthe vs as nede was to do that we shulde knowe that the worde taught by meÌ„ was of force and strengthe and that we shulde nat nede to seke for any other worde from heuen but it can nat be vnderstonded of traditions For Christe requirith that they shulde so teache that he myght be herde for he sayeth he hearith me He wyll therfore that his worde his voyce be herde and nat humaine traditions So the sayeng that makith moste for vs and conteynith moste graue consolation and doctrine these Asses do wreste and apply to moste trifelynge thynges I meane to the choyse and diuersitie of meates varietie of clothyng and seÌ„blable thyngê They alledge also thê texte Obedite prepositis uestris Obey your rulers This sentence requirith obedience towardes the gospel For it dothe nat establyshe a kyngdome to the bysshoppes with out the gospell Neyther ought bysshops to make traditions agaynst the gospell or to interprete theyr traditions agaynst the gospel For when they do so we be forbydden to obey them accordynge to that sayeng if any man teache any other gospell accursed be he The same answere we make to this sayeng of Christe what soeuer they say do it because it is vndoubted that it is nat here vniuersally coÌ„maunded that we shulde receyue al maner of thynges for the scripture in another place dothe bydde vs obey god more
And S. Ambrose doth teache lyke thynges in the boke intituled of the callynge of the geÌ„tilles and other For in the boke of the callinge of the gentilles he sayeth in this wyse The redemptyon of the bloude of Christ were but vyle and lytle wrothe neyther the prerogatyue of mannes workes shulde gyue place to the mercy of god yf ryghtuousnes whiche is made by grace were due to the merytes goinge before so that it shulde not be the gyfte of the gyuer but the rewarde of the worker But nowe althoughe thys doctryne is contempned and lytle sette by of theÌ„ that be ignoraunt and lacke knowledge yet good feareful conscyences do knowe by experyence howe confortable it is for conscyences can not be made quiet and at reste by any workes but allonly by faythe and that is when they be assured decre for a certayntie that throughe Christe god is appeased lyke as Paule teacheth Ro. 5. sayng When we be made ryghtuous by fayth we be at peace with god Al this doctrine is to be referred to the conflicte or batayll of a troubled conscience and without this conflycte it can nat be well vnderstaÌ„de wherfore men without knowledge and whiche be vnlerned in the scriptures do iudge a mysse of this matter whiche dreame that christian ryghtuousnes is nothing els but ciuile and philosophicall ryghtuousnes In tymes passed coÌ„sciences were vexed with the doctrine of workes but they harde not the conforte out of the gospell Some theyr coÌ„science drawe out inâ—o wyldernes into Monasteries and places of religion trustynge that there they shulde meryte get grace with solitary and monasticall lyfe And dyuerse men founde out dyuerse workes to wynne grace and to make satisfactyon for theyr synnes Wherfore it was greatly nedefull to teache and to renewe thys doctryne of fayth in Christ lest feareful consciences shuld lacke comforte and that they myght learne that grace remission of sinne and iustifycation may be atteyned throughe faythe in Christe Also men be monished warned that here the name of faythe doth not signifye only the knowledge of the historye suche as is the faythe in wycked men and deuylles but doth sygnifye the faythe that beleueth not only the history but also the effecte of the historye that is to say this artycle remyssion of synnes I meane to speake more planly that thorough Christ by Christes merytes and for Chrystes sake we maye haue grace ryghtuousnes and remission of synnes Nowe he that knoweth that through Christe he hathe the father mercyfull and fauorable to hiÌ„ he truly knoweth god he knoweth that god is careful for hiÌ„ he loueth god and calleth vpon hym and shortly to conclude he is nat without god as the Gentilles be for deuylles wycked men caÌ„ nat beleue this artycle remission of synnes Therfore they hate god as an enemy they call not vpon hym they loke for no goodnes of hym Austyne also dothe warne the reader of the name of fayth after lyke maner teacheth that this worde fayth in scrypture is takeÌ„ not for knowledge suche as is in wycked men but for truste whiche doth comforte and rayse vppe fearefull and tremblynge myndes Furthermore our meÌ„ teach that it is necessarye to do good workes not that we shulde truste to deserue grace by them but because it is the wyl of god that we shuld do them Remission of sinnes and peace of conscience is taken allouly by faythe And because the holy goste is taken throughe faythe therfore forthwith hartes are renewed and endued with newe affectyons so that they maye brynge forthe good workes for so sayth Ambrose that fayth is the mother and brynger forthe and getter of good wyll and of iuste and ryghtuous doynge For mannes power without the holye ghoste is full of wycked affections and more weake and feble then that it can do workê that be good before god More ouer it is vnder the dominion of the deuyl which driueth meÌ„ violently to diuerse siÌ„nes to wicked opinions to manifeste and open crymes as we may see in philosophers whiche although they endeuoured theÌ„ selues to lyue honestly yet they coulde not bryng it to passe but were contaminate polluted with many open crimes Such is the imbecilitie and feblenes of man when he is without faythe and the holy ghoste and gouerneth hiÌ„ selfe allouly with his owne streÌ„gth By this it is open inough that this doctrine is not to be accused as prohibitynge good workes but moche rather to be lauded and praysed as shewyng vnto vs howe we may do good workes for without faythe the nature of man can in no wyse do the workes of the fyrste and of the seconde precepte without fayth a man maketh not inuocation to god he loketh for nothyng of god be bereth nat the crosse but seketh for maÌ„s helpe trustinge in mans helpe So in the harte reygneth all maner of lustes and desyers and humane counselles when faythe is a waye and truste towarde god wherfore Christe also sayde that without me ye can nothinge do IohnÌ„ 15. and the churche syngeth without thy influence nothinge is in man nothinge is vngyltye Of honorynge of saintes they teach that the memorie or rememberaunce of sayntes may be purposed or set forth to thentente that we may folowe theyr fayth and theyr good workes accordynge to our vocatyon and callynge as the Emperour may folowe the ensample of Dauyd in holdynge batayll to dryue a waye the Turke from his couÌ„tray for eyther of them is a kynge but scrypture teacheth nat to call vpon sayntes or to aske helpe of sayntes for scripture setteth forth vnto vs Christe allone as a meane a pacifyer or a Byshope and an Intercessour he is to be prayed vnto and he hathe promysed that he wyl heare our prayers he chiefly alloweth this honor that is to say that he be called vpoÌ„ in all afflyctions 1. IohnÌ„ 3. yf any man syn we haue an aduocate with god and so forth This is all moste the some of the doctryne with vs in whiche as euery man may see there is nothing that varyeth from scripture or from the catholyke and vniuersal churche or from the churche of Rome so farre forth as it is knowen of writers The whiche thynge sythe it is thus these felowes iudge vngently and cruelly which require our men to be had reputed and taken for heretykes There is no dissensyon but aboute certayne abuses which haue cropeÌ„ inâ—o the churches without sure auctorytie In yâ— which also yf there shulde be any dissimilitude yet it myght beseme byshoppes to be of suche leâ—ite and myldues that for thys confession whiche we haue nowe rehersed they wolde suffer our men For the verie Canons them selues be not so harde ne so strayt to require the selfe same vsages and rites to be euery where Nor there was neuer in any tyme lyke rytes in all churches all though with vs the olde rytes for the most part are dyligently obserued and kept For it
is a false and a slaunderous reporte that all ceremonyes all olde institutyons ordenaunces and customes be vtterly set a syde in our churches But a comon complaynte there was that certayne abuses dyd stycke and hange in the vulgare and accustomed rytes These because they coulde not with good conscyence be allowed and approued they be some what corrected ¶ The artycles in whiche are rehersed certayne abuses chaunged SYthe the Churches with vs in no article of the faythe dissente froÌ„ the catholyke Churche allouly they omytte a certayne fewe abuses whiche be newe and agaynst the wyll entent in the Canons by processe of tyme whiche gathereth moche vyce receyued we desyer praye the Emperours maiestie that he wyll fauorably heare bothe what thinge is chauÌ„ged and also what were the causes why and wherfore the people is not coÌ„pelled to obserue those abuses agaynste there conscience and that the Emperours maiestie wyll gyue no credence to these felowes whiche sowe amonge the people wonderfull slaunders onely to inflame and kendle hatred of meÌ„ agaynst our preachers By these meanes prouokynge the myndes of good meÌ„ they gaue occasyon of this dissentyon in the begynnynge and by the same crafte they be aboute nowe to encrease debate and make more dyscorde For the Emperours maiestie shal vndoubtedly fynde the forme both of doctryne and also of ceremonyes to be more tolerable with vs then the wycked euyll wylled men do describe iâ— to be Certes the truth of the matter can neyther be gathered of the rumours and ianglinge of the vulgare people nor yet of the euyl reportinges of our enemies But this may sone be iudged that nothynge helpeth more to conserue the dignitie and worthines of ceremonies and to noryshe reuerence and godlynes in the people then yf ceremonies be duely and accordyngly done in the churches ¶ Of the sacrament of the Alter to be receyuid in bothe kyndes of all men and women BOthe kyndes of the sacramente are gyuen to lay men in the souper of the Lorde for thys vsage hathe for it selfe the commaundement of the Lorde in the .26 of Math drynke of this all where Christ commaundeth manifestly that al shulde drinke of the cuppe And leste any man myght make cauillacion and say that thys partayned and beloÌ„ged only to prestes Paule to the Corinthians recyteth an example in which it appereth that the hole congregatyon dyd vse bothe kyndes and this custome remayned loÌ„ge in the church neyther it is surely knowen when or by whose authoritie it was chaunged Cypryan in certayne places doth witnes that the bloude was gyuen to the people the same thinge Hierome doth wytnes sayenge the prestes do serue and minister the body and diuyde the bloude of Christ to the people ye Gelasius the byshoppe of Rome commaundeth that the sacrament be not diuided Distinc. 2. de consecratione capt comperimus Only the custome not verie auncient is other wyse But certayne it is that a custome brought vp agaynst the coÌ„maundementes of god is nat to be allowed as the Canons do wytnes Distinc. 8. capi veritate with other that foloweth but this custome is receyued not allouly agaynste scripture but also agaynst the olde Canons and the example of the Churche wherfore yf any had rather vse both kyndes of the sacrameÌ„tes they ought not to be compelled to do other wyse with offence of theyr coÌ„science And because the dyuisyon of the sacrameÌ„t agreeth not with the ordinaunce of Christe we do omitte and leaue the procession which was accustomed to be obserued here tofore ¶ Of the maryage of prestes EUery man complayned of theramples of Prestes whiche lyued not chaste and continently For whiche cause also Pius the byshop of Rome is reported to haue sayde that theyr weâ—e certayne causes why mariage was taken awaye frome prestes But moche more greater causes there be wherfore it ought to be restored vnto theÌ„ agayn For so writeth Platina Syth therfore the prestes with vs were desyâ—rous to auoyde those open sclauÌ„ders they maryed wyues and taughte that it was lawfull for them to contracte matrimonye and to mary Fyrste because Paule sayth Propter fornicationâ— vnusquisque suam vâ—orem habeat That is to say Lette euery man haue hys wyfe to auoyde fornycatyon Also it is better to be maried then to be burned Secondarely Christe sayeth Non omnes capiunt verbum hoc That is to say Not al do take this worde where he teacheth that nat all men be apte to lyue sole and vnmaried for god dyd create a man to procreation as it appereth in the fyrste of Genes And it lyeth not in mans power without a singlar gyft and worke of god to chaunge the creatyon of god Therfore they that be nat apte to lyue sole vnmaried ought to contracte matrimony and to marie for no mans lawe no vowe can take awaye the commaundement and ordinaunce of god For these causes the prestes do teach that it is lawful for them to marie wyues It is euidently knowen also that in the begynnynge of the Church prestes were maried men For Paule sayeth that he that is a maried man is to be chosen byshop And in Germany fyrst of all other places the prestes were violently constrayned some what more thaÌ„ CCCC yeres agoo to lyue without wyues vnmaried which truly dyd withstoÌ„de it soo greatly that when the Archebyshoppe of Mognus was aboute to publishe the byshopes of Romes bulle of that matter he was all most oppressed of the angrie prestes crieng out vpon hym And the thiÌ„ge was handled so vâ—cutâ—esly and vngentily that nat allonly mariages were inhybited to be made in tyme after wardes to come but also the mariages made alredy were disseuered and broken agaynst all ryghâ— lawe both of god and man yea agaynste the selfe canons made not allonly of byshoppes of Rome but of most laudable councels And for asmoch as the world nowe drawing towarde an ende the nature of man is by lytle lytle made more weake and feble it is conuenient to prouyde before hande that mo vyces crepe nat into Germany Undoutedly god dyd ordeyne mariage to be a remedy for mannes infirmitie And the Canons theÌ„ selues do say that the olde rigour ought other whyles in the later tymes to be released and made more slacke because of the imbecilitie and weakenes of men whiche thynge is to be wyshed that it were done here in thys maâ—er And it shulde seme that Churches shall at length lacke theyr true pastours yf mariage shulde any longer be prohibited But when the commaundemente of god is open when the custome of the Churche is knowen when the vnclene lyuinge without wyues bringeth forth so many sclauÌ„ders occasions of euyl so many adulteries other crimes worthy to be loked vpoÌ„ and ponyshed of a good gouernour yet it is a meruelous thing that in nothing more crueltie is exercised then against the mariage of prestes God coÌ„mauÌ„deth to honour mariage
but a newe founde halydaye and a straunge sayeng euen in his tyme. So many wycked opinioÌ„s hang in vowes as that they deserue remission of synnes iustification that they be the christian perfection that they kepe the counselles and the coÌ„maundementes that they haue super fluiâ—e of good workes All these thynges syth they be false and coÌ„trary to Christes doctrine make vowes to be vayne and of none effecte Of the power of the churche GReate disputacions haue ben of the power of bisshoppes iÌ„ which many men haue confusely mengled togyther the power of the churche and the power of the swerde Of this confusion great batailles greate vnquietnes haue proceded whiles bysshoppes bâ—arynge themselues bolde vpon the power of the keys nat allouly haue institute and begonne newe honours of god nat only haue burdonned consciences with reseruation of cases and with violente excoÌ„munications and cursynges but also haue translated and remoâ—ed the kyngdomes of the worlde and gon aboute to take awaye thempire from themperours Well disposed and learned men haue reproued these vices in the churche longe sythen Therfore our preachers to thentente to conforte coÌ„sciences were constrayned to shewe the difference of the ecclesiasticall power and of the power of the swerde haue taughte that eyther of them because of goddes coÌ„maundement is to be had in greate reuerence and honoure as hyghe benefites of god vpon earthe And thus our lerned men thynke this is theyr opinion that the power of the keys or the power of bysshoppes accordyng to the gospell is a power or coÌ„maundemeÌ„t of god to preache the gospell to remitte and retayne lose and bynde synnes and to ministre sacramentes For with that coÌ„maundement Christe sendeth forthe his apostles sayeng as my father hathe sente me euen so I sende you Take the holy ghoste whose synnes ye remitte they be remitted whose synnes ye holde styll they be holden styll Also in the gospell of Marke he saythe Go preache the gospell to euery creature cÌ„ This power is put in execution only by teaching or preachyng the gospell and by ministryng the sacramentes eyther to a multitudeê or elles to one man by hym selue accordyng to his vocation and callyng for here be graunted nat corporall thynges but eternal thynges as eternal ryghtuousnes the holy ghoste eternall lyfe These thynges can nat chauÌ„ce or come but by ministration of the worde and of the sacramentes as Paule saythe The gospell is the power of god to saluation vnto all that beleue therfore sythe the power of the churche graunteth eternall thynges and is exercised only by ministration of the worde it lettith nat ciuile administracion Lyke as the crafte of singynge nothyng lettith ciuile or politicall administration for politicall administration gothe about other thynges then dothe the gospell For the gouernour or ruler defendeth nat myndes but bodies and bodely thynges agaynste manifeste iniuries and restreyneth men with the swerde and corporal paynes to thentente to kepe ciuile iustice and peace Therfore the power of the churche the ciuile power may nat be mixed and confounded together The power of the churche hathe his coÌ„maundemente to teache the gospell and to ministre the sacramentes Let it nat breake into anothers office let it nat translaâ—e altere the kyngdomes of the worlde as the byshops of Rome haue done let iâ— nat abrogate and defete lawes of princes let it nat take awaye due and laufull obedience of the subiecte to his prince let it nat interrupte iudgementeâ— of any ciuile ordenaunces or contractes let it nat prescribe ne appointe lawes to gouernours of the fourme and facion of the comon welthe as Christe saythe My kyngdome is nat of this worlde Also in an other place he sayth Quis me constituit iudicem aut diuisorem super vos that is to say Who made me iudge or deuider ouer you And Paule saith to the PhilippiaÌ„s Our policye or coÌ„uersation is in heuen And to the Corinthes The armure or wepons of our cheualry be nat carnall but mighty through god to destroy cogitacioÌ„s and thoughtes cÌ„ After this sorte do our men diuide they offices and dueties of bothe these powers and teache to honour them bothe and do acknowlege that eche of them is a gyfte benefite of god If byshops haue any power of the swerde that power haue they nat as bysshoppes by the coÌ„maundemeÌ„t of the gospel bu by mannes lawe gyuen to them of kynges and emperours to the ciuile ministration of theyr owne goodes So that this is another office thaÌ„ is the ministratioÌ„ of the gospel Therfore when soeuer question is made of the iurisdiction of byshopps the empyre and temporall power ought to be deuided and distincted from the ecclesiastical iurisdiction Undubtedly after the gospell and after goddes lawe no iurisdiction belongeth to byshoppes that is to saye to them to whom is coÌ„mitted the ministration of the worde and of the sacrameÌ„tes saue only this power to remitte and lose siÌ„nes and also to discerne and iudge doctrines and to reiecte a doctrine contrary to the gospel and to exclude and shytte out froÌ„ the coÌ„munion of the church wyckedmen whose wickednes is knowen and this muste be with the worde without mannes violence In these thynges the congregations or churches owe of dutie and be by the law of god bounden to submitte them selues and to shewe obedience accordyng to that sayeng of Christe who hearith you hearith me But when they teache or ordeyne any thynge agaynste the gospell then the congregations haue a coÌ„maundemente of god prohibitynge obedience As this beware of false prophetes and Paule to the Galathians If an aungell from heuen wolde preache or shewe any other gospell accursed be he Also to the Corinthes we can nothynge do agaynste the truthe but for the truthe Also in another place he sayeth Power is gyuen to vs for edification and nat for destruction So also do the canon lawes coÌ„maunde 2. D. 7. cap. Sacerdotes et cap. Oues And. S Austine against the epistle of Petilian sayeth If catholique by shoppes be deceiued any where by chaunce and thynke any thyng agaynst the canonical scriptures of god we ought nat to consent vnto theÌ„ If byshops haue any other power or iurisdictioÌ„ as in cognisauns of plee or in determinynge of certayne causes as of matrimony or of tythes they haue it by mans lawe wherin when the ordinaries fayle to do theyr dueties because eyther they wyll nat or can nat prynces be compelled yea whether they wyll or nat to see the lawe ministred to theyr subiectes for peace to be hodde amongest them Moreouer it is disputed whether byshops or pastours haue ryght and auctorite to ordeyne ceremonies in the churche and to make lawes of meatê of holy dayes and degrees of ministers or orders c. They that ymagin this auctorite to be in byshops alledge and bryng for them this testimonie and auctoritie of scripture Yet
I haue many thynges to say to you but ye can nat yet beare them but when that spirite of veritie shall come he shall teache you all truthe They alledge also the example of the apostles whiche made a prohibition that the people shulde absteyne froÌ„ bloude and suffocate They alledge the Sabbat daye chaunged into Sunday contrary to the boke of the .x. coÌ„mauÌ„dementes called the Decalogie as it semeth Neyther is there any example more craked vpon and bosted then is the chaunging of â—he Sabbat daye Greate saye they is the power and auctoritie of the churche sythe it dispensed with one of the .x. commaundementes But as touchyng this question our men teache after this sorte that byshops haue no power to deâ—re and ordeyne any thynge agaynste the gospell as it is shewed before The canone lawes teache the same thynge .9 distinc But it is agaynst scripture to make traditioÌ„s or to exacte or require them to be obserued for th eÌ„tent that by that obseruation we may get pardon of synnes and maye satisfie and make amendes for synnes For thus the glorie of the merite of Christe is hurte and mynyshed whan we go aboute to deserue remission of synnes and iustification with suche obseruations Nowe it is openly knowen that traditions haue growen almoste to an infinite nombre in the churche by the meanes of that ê‘suasion and the doctrine of fayth ryghtuousnes of fayth in the meane whyle hath ben oppressed For styll more holy dayes and more were made and fastâ—â—ngdayes were coÌ„maunded newe ceremonies newe honourynges of sayntes were institute For the deuisers and auctors of suche thinges thought to gette remission of synnes â— iustification with these workes So grewe vppe the penitential canones in tymes passed of whiche yet we see certeyne tokens and steppes in satisfactions Also many wryters there be which fayne that in the newe testament there must be an honourynge of god lyke as that whiche we reade in Leuiticus the orderynge wherof god coÌ„mitted to the apostles and byshoppes And these writers seeme to be deceyued with thexample of Moyses lawe as though the ryghtuousnes of the newe testamente were an outwarde obseruation of certeyne rites ceremonies lyke as the iustice of the olde lawe was an outwarde obseruation of certeyne rytes Wherfore lyke as in the olde lawe it was synne to eate swynes flesshe c. So in the newe testament they putte synne in meates in dayes in vesture and semblable thyngê And they thynke that the ryghtuousnes of the newe testameÌ„t can not be with out these thinges Of this occasion came those burdens that certein meates do defile and pollute the conscience and that it is deadely synne to omitte and leaue vnsayde canonical houres that fastynges deserue remission of synnes and that they be necessarye to the ryghtuousnes of the newe testament that synne in a case reserued can not be forgyuen without thauctorite of the reseruer where as in very dede the canones them selues speake onelye of the reseruation of the canonical payne and not of the reseruation of synne From whens I pray you of whom haue the byshops theyr power and auctorite to laye these traditions vpon the churche to vexe or greue theyr coÌ„sciences For euery man may se open auctorities and clere testimonies whiche prohibite the makynge of suche traditions eyther to deserue remission of synnes or as necessarye to the ryghtuousnes of the newe testament or to saluacion Fyrst Paule to the Collossenses sayth Let no maÌ„ iudge you in meate drynke parte of the holy daye c. Also if ye be deade with Christe from the elementes of the worlde why as lyuyng in the worlde do ye kepe decrees touche not taste not c. whiche be coÌ„maundementes and doctrines of men and haue a presence and a colour of wysedome Also to Lite he prohibiteth traditions apertlye warâ—ynge that they be not attendynge to the Iuâ—aicall â—aâ—es and to coÌ„maundementes of men whiche turne from the truthe And Christ spekynge of them that require traditions sayth in this wyse Let them alone they are blynde guydes of the blynde and he improueth suche honours layinge All plantes whiche the father of heuen dyd not plante shal be plucked vp by the rootes It byshops haue auctoritie to one-rate and lade churches with infinite traditions and to snare the coÌ„sciences why doth scripture so often prohibete to make and to heare traditions why dothe it call them doctrines of deuyls Dyd the holy goost warne those thynges before in vayne wherfore it muste nedes consequently ensue that syth ordenaunces instituted as thynges necessary or with an opinion to deserue remission of synne be contrary to the gospell that it is not lauful for any byshop to institute or require suche honours For it is necessarye that the doctrine of christen libertie be kepte styll in the churches whiche is that the bondage of the lawe is not necessary to iustification as it is wryten in the epistle to the Galathians Be nat subiecâ—e agayne to the yoke of bondage The chiefe place of the gospell muste nedes be kepte styll whiche is that we obteyne remission of synnes and iustification freely by faythe in Christe and not for certeyne obseruations or honours deuysed by men What shall we thynke than of the Sonday and lyke rytes of the temples To this our lerned men saye that it is laufull to byshops or to pastors to make ordenaunces that thynges be ordrelye done in the Churche not that we shulde purchase by them remission of synnes or that we can satisfie for synnes or that consciences be bounde to iudge them necessary honours or to thinke that they synne whaÌ„ without offence of other they breake them So Paule doth ordeyne that in the congregation women shulde couer theyr heeddes and that interpreters and teachers be herde after an ordre in the churche It is conuenient that the churched shulde kepe suche ordenaunces for charitie and tranquilite so farre forthe that one offendeth not another that all thynges be done in the churches in ordre and without busynes and troubleâ— but yet so that the conscience be not charged as to thinke that they be necessary to saluation or to iudge that they synne whan they breake them without hurtynge of other As no man wyll saye that a woman doth synne whiche gothe forthe abrode bare heded offending no body therwith â–ª Euen suche is the obseruation and kepynge of the Sonday of Easter of Penthecoste lyke holydayes and rytes For they that iudge that by the auctorite of the churche the obseruynge of the Sonday in stede of the Sabbat day was ordeyned as a thyng necessary do greatly erre The scripture ê‘mitteth and grauÌ„teth that the kepynge of the Sabbat day is nowe free for it teacheth that the ceremonies of Moyses lawe after the reuelation and shewyng abrode of the gospell are not necessarye And yet because it was nedefull to ordeyne a certeyn day that the people myghte knowe whan
they oughte to come together it apperethe that the Churche dyd appoynte the Sonday whiche daye as it semeth pleased them rather than the Sabbat day euen for this cause that men myght haue an example of christen libertie myght knowe that the kepyng and thobseruation neyther of the saturday nor of any other day is necessary Prodigious monstruous wonderfull disputations are set forthe of the chaungynge of the lawe of the ceremonies of the newe lawe of the chaungynge of the Sabbat daye whiche all haue spronge forth of a false persuation and beleue of men whiche thought that there must nedes be in the churche an honourynge of god lyke to the leuiticall and that Christe coÌ„mitted to thapostles and to bysshops auctoritie to inuente and to fynde oute ceremonies whiche be necessarye to saluation These errours crepte in to the Churche whan the ryghtuousnes of faythe was not clearely ynough taught Some dispute that the kepyng of the Sonday is not merely and fully goddes lawe but in a maner and as it were of the law of god They prescribe of holy days howe far forthe it is laufull to worke Suche maner of disputations what other thynges be they but snares of consciences For although they busy them selues to modefye qualifie and fynde an epikee in theyr tradiditions temperynge the rygour of them with fauourable declarations yet notwithâ—tandynge as longe as the opinion that they are necessary dothe remayne whiche muste nedes remayne where ryghtuousnes of faythe and christen libertie are not knowen this epikee equitie and fauoure can neuer be perceyued ne knowen The Apostles coÌ„maunded to absteyne from bloudde who dothe nowe obserue and kepâ— it And yet they that do not kepe it synne not for vndoubtedly not the apostles them selues wold burden the conscience with suche bondage but they prohited it for a tyme for auoydynge of sclaunder For the perpetuall wyll and mynde of the gospell is to be consydered in a decree Scase any canones are kepte diligentelye and many daylye go oute of vse and memorye yea with them whiche defende traditions moste diligently Neyther can the coÌ„sciences be holpen ne prouided for onles this epikee or equitie be kepte that is to wytte that we knowe that canones and decrees are to be kepte without opinion of necessitie and that consciences are not hurte though traditions be forgotten and vtterly set asyde Certes bysshops myght easely kepe styll lauful obedience if they wolde nat inforce men to kepe traditions whiche can nat be kepte with good conscience They coÌ„maunde prestes to lyue vnmaried they receiue none onles they sweare in effecte that they wyll nat teache the pure doctrine of the gospel The congregations require nat that bysshops shulde repare and make concorde agayne with losse and decaye of theyr honour and yet it shulde become good pastours so to do but they only requyre that they wolde release and pardon vniuste burdones whiche are newe and receiued contrary to the custome of the catholyk churche We wyll nat denye but in the begynnyng some constitutions were grounded vpon reasonable and probable causes Whiche yet are nat nowe agreable ne coÌ„uenient for the tymes ensuyng It appereth also that some were by eâ—rour receyued Wherfore it myght apperteyne to the gentlenes of bysshoppes nowe to mitigate and release them sythe suche mâ—â—ation breaketh nat the vnite of the churche For many mannes traditions in processe of tyme haue ben chauÌ„ged as the caâ—ones them selues do shewe That if it can nat be obteyned that those obseruatioÌ„s shulde be released which can nat be done without synne we muste neades folowe the rule of the apostles whiche coÌ„maunde rather to obey god then men Peter forbiddeth bysshops to be lordes and emperours ouer the churche Nowe it is nat entended by vs to take away iurisdiction from the bysshops but this one thinge is required of them that they wolde suffre the gospell to be purely taught and that they wolde release a fewe certeyne obseruatioÌ„s whiche can not be obserued without synne That if they wyll not remitte ne release any thyng let them loke to theyr charge how they shal make accomptes to god in that they were occasion of this scisme and diuision by reason of theyr obstinacie and styffenes ⧠The conclusion of the boke ⧠THese be the chiefest articles which seme to be in controuersie and debate For al thoughe of moo abuses it myghte haue ben spoken yet because we wolde not be tedious ne longe we medled but with the mooste principall of whiche the rest may easely be iudged Greate compleyntes there were of pardons of pylgrymages of the abuse of excoÌ„munication parochâ—es were many wayes vexed by stationaries Infinite contentions stryfes there were betwyxte curates religious men for the ryght of the paryshe for confessions for buryalles for extraordinarie preachynges and for other thynges innumerable We haue lette these gere passe to th entent that the most principall poyntes of this matter shortely set forth myght be more easelye knowen Neyther is here any thynge sayde or gathered to the reproche sclauÌ„der or hurte of any man Allonly those thynges haue ben rehersed whiche semed necessarye to be spoken to th ende it myght be perceyued that nothyng is receyued in doctrine and ceremonies with vs agaynste scripture or the catholyke Churche For it is manifeste and knowen that we moste diligently take hede leste any newe or wycked opinions shulde creape in to our churches These articles before wryten we thought best to be exhibited and putte forthe accordynge to the coÌ„maundement of Themperours maiestie in whiche myght appere our coÌ„fession and the summe and effecte of theyr doctrine myghte be sene which be teachers preachers amoÌ„ge vs. Nowe if in any thynge this confession shall seme to be not perfecte and sufficient we be redy god wyllyng accordyng to the scriptures to rendre and gyue a larger information ⧠To the imperiall maiestie of Cesar the fyfte his faythfull and true subiectes IohnÌ„ Duke of Saxon elector George Marques of Brandenbrugh Ernest Duke of Lunebrugh Philip Landgraue of Hesse IohnÌ„ Friderike Duke of Saxon. Fraunces Duke of Lunebrugh Uolfgange Prince of Anhalt The Senate and counsell of Nurenberge The Senate of Rentlinge ⧠¶ Finis ⧠¶ The table ¶ The Epistle of the translatour to the ryght honorable mayster Thomas Crumwell â–ª Fo. 2 ¶ The preface to the Emperoure Charles the fyfthe Fo. eodem ¶ The fyrste article of the Trinite Fo. v. ¶ The .ii. article of Originall synne Fo. â—◠¶ The .3 arti of the humanitie of Christ. eod ¶ The .4 article of Iustification Fo. eod ¶ The .5 arti of the obteining of faythe eod ¶ The .6 article of frutes of faythe Fo. vii ¶ The .7 article of the holy churche Fo. eod ¶ The eyght article of the ministers of the churche Fo. eodem ¶ The .9 article of baptysme Fo. eod ¶ The .10 article of the sacrament of the Aulter Fo. viii ¶ The .11 article of confession Fo.
wordê and sacrameÌ„tes be of efficacitie and strength although euyll menne haue the handlynge of them And in the meane season he teachethe that those wicked meÌ„ although they haue the societie of outwarde sygnes yet they be not the very kyngdome of Christe and the membres of Christe for they be membres of the kiÌ„gdome of the deuyll Neyther do we dreme of a Platonical citie as certain men do wyckedly belye vs but we do saye that this hath a beinge and is in dede euen the true beleuers and ryghtous men sparcled scatered abrode throughout the hole worlde And we put vnto tokens and markes the pure doctrine of the gospell and due administration of the sacramentes And this churche is proprely the pyller of trouthe for it holdeth faste the true and pure gospell and as Paule saythe the fouÌ„dation whiche is the true knowledge and faythe of Christ albeit there be euen amonge these also manye weyke persones whiche vpon the fundation do buylde stubble or strawe that shall perysshe that is to say certayne vnprofitable opinions whiche yet bicause they do not ouerturne and destroye the fundation be partly forgyuen them and partly also be amended But the wrytynges of the holy fathers do witnesse that otherwhiles they haue also buylded stubble vpon the fundation but yet suche haue not ouerthrowen theyr fayth But the most parte of these thynges whiche our aduersaries do defende do quite cleane ouerthrowe the faythe as for example that they do condempne the article of remission of synnes In whiche we do say that by fayth is receyued remission of synnes It is a a manifeste and a perylous errour also that our aduersaries do teache men to merite remission of sinnes by loue towardes god before grace For this also is to take awaye the fundation that is to witte Christe Also what shall we nede faythe if the sacramentes iustifie by the vertue of the warke that is wrought without the good motion of mynde And lykewyse as the churche hath a ê“myse that it shall alway haue the holy ghoste so hath it coÌ„minations and thretnyngê that there shal be wycked teachers and wolues But that is proprely the churche whiche hath the holy ghooste where as wolues and euyll teachers although they worke maistries in the church yet they be not proprely the kyngedome of Christe as Lyra witnesseth whan he saythe The churche staÌ„deth not in men by the reason of the power or dignitie ecclesiasticall or seculare For many princes and also byshops of Rome with other infeâ—iors haue ben fouÌ„de to haue runne out of the faythe Wherfore the churche standeth in those persones in whom is the true knowledge and confession of fayth trouthe What other thynge sayde we in our confession than that whiche Lyre sayth here But paradueÌ„ture our aduersaries do require that the Churche shuld be thys wyse defined that it is the hyghest outwarde monarchie of al the worlde in whiche the byshop of Rome ought to haue absolute power to do what soeuer hym lusteth with out rendryng accoÌ„ptes to any man Of whiche power no man ought to dispute or iudge â–ª whiche hath also power to make articles of the fayth to abrogate what soeuer scriptures he lyste to institute obseruauÌ„ces sacrifices Also to make what soeuer lawes hym lysteth to dispense and loose from what soeuer lawes he lyste whether they be goddes lawes or canonical lawes or ciuile lawes of whom themperour and all kynges shulde receyue power and ryght to holde theyr kyngdomes by the coÌ„maundement of Christe to whom sythe the father hath made all thynges subiecte we ought to vnderstaÌ„de that the same power and auctoritie is deryued and translated in to the pope â–ª Wherfore it is necessarye that the pope be lorde of the hole worlde of all the kyngedomes of the worlde of all thynges bothe publyke and priuate and that he haue fulnes of power in temporall spirituall thynges and that he haue bothe the swerdes the spirituall and the temporal And this diffinition not of the churche of Christ but of the kyngdome of the pope hath auctores for it not only canonistê but also Daniell in the .xj. chaptre That if we wolde define the churche after this facion ê‘aduenture we shulde haue more egall and indifferent iudges For many thynges there be vnmeasurably and wyckedly wryten coÌ„cernyng the power of the byshop of Rome for whiche no man was euer yet accused we only be rebuked punyshed bicause we preache the benefite of Christ yâ— by faythe in Christ we get remissyon of sinnes and not by ceremonies seruicê deuised by the bysshop of Rome But Christ the prophetes and all the apostels do farre otherwyse define the churche of Christ than the kyngedome of the byshop of Rome Neither is that to be translated to byshops of Rome whiche apê‘teineth to the true church that is to wit that they be pyllers of truth that they do not erre For what one of them dothe sette his mynde on the gospell or doth iudge it to be worthy the redynge Many men also do openly scorne all good lyuers and the true syncere religion of Christ or yf they do prayse any thynge they prayse those thynges whiche are agreinge to the reason of men They thinke all other thynges to be but lies and tales and like to the tragedies of poetes Wherfore we according to the scriptures do thinke that the churche taken in his proper sygnifycation is the congregation of holy men which do truly beleue the gospel of Christe and haue the holy ghost And yet neuertheles we graunte that there be many hypocrites and euell men mengled amonge them in this lyfe which haue a societie feloshype of outwarde sygnes and sacramentes which be members of the churche as touchynge the societie of outwarde signes and therfore they beare offices in the Churche Neyther dothe thys thyng take away the effycacitie vertue from the sacramentes because they be mynistred by vnworthye persons sythe they do represente the persone of Christe by the reason that the churche hathe called them and nat there owne persons as Christ witnesseth Who that heareth you heareth me For when they mynyster the worde of Christ when they minister the sacrameÌ„tes of Christ they minister theÌ„ in the stede place of Christ. And this teacheth vs that sayenge of Christe leste we shulde be offended with the vnworthynes of the mynisters But as concernynge thê matter we haue spoken plainly ynough in our coÌ„fession where we do disalowe the Donatistes and the wiclevistes which thought that those men dyd syn which receyued the sacramentes of vnworthy persons in the churche These thynges at thê tyme semed to be sufficiente to the defense of the description of the church which we taught Nether do we se syth the churche in hys proper signification is called the body of Christ howe it shulde haue ben otherwyse discrybed then we haue destribed it for thê is vndouted that wycked men do belonge to the kingdome
lyfte vp and coÌ„forte hym selfe with the gospell and the promise of Christe For faythe sheweth the diuer site betwene the contrititioÌ„ of Iudas and the contrition of Peter But our aduersaryes make theyr answere by the lawe that Iudas loued nat god but feared punyshementes but when shall a troubled and frayed conscience namely in these earnest true and greate terrours whiche be described iÌ„ the Psalmes and the prophetes and whiche those men do vndoubtedly taste whiche be truely conuerted when shall I say suche a troubled conscieÌ„ce be able to iudge whether he feareth and dreadeth god truly and for him selfe or whether he dothe but flee euerlastiÌ„g paynes These great motions and trobelouse may be haply discerned or disseuered by letres and vocabules but they can nat be depted so in suÌ„dre iÌ„ very dede as these swete sophisters do dreame Here we call vpon the iudgementes of all good wyse men They vndoubtedly wyl coÌ„fesse graunt that these disputations amonge our aduersaries be very darke doubtfull perplexe and intricate And yet here they be in hande with a moste wayghty matter and with the chief and principall place of all the gospell I meane coÌ„cernyng forgyuenes of synnes All thys hole doctrine concernynge these questions whiche I haue rehersed amonge our aduersaries is full of errours and hypocrisie and defaceth obscureth and endymmeth the benefyte of Christ the power of the keyes and the iustice of faythe These thynges be done in the fyrst acte or parte of the playe But what wheÌ„ they be come vnto confession What infinite and greate busines is there in that endles rehersall numbryng and reckenyng vp of synnes Whiche neuertheles for a greate parte is speÌ„t and consumed in mans traditions and lawes And because that the good and deuoute myndes myght be the more vexed they fayne and ymagen that this rehersall and iuste reckeniÌ„g of the synnes is commaunded by goddê lawe And though they do exacte and require thys rehersall of all the synnes vnder the pretence of the lawe of god yet in the meane season of absolution whiche is in dede of the lawe of god they speake full slenderly and full coldly They fayne that the selfe sacrament Ex opere operato that is to say euen of the very worke that is wrought gyueth and conferreth grace without any good mocion of the vser But of faythe who receyueth the absolution and coÌ„forteth the conscience is made no mencio nat all This is euen accordyng to the prouerbe Ante mysteria discedere that is to say to depart before the mysteries are begonne Nowe resteth and remayneth the thyrde acte or parte of the play whiche is of satisfactioÌ„s And thê acte hathe very confuse disputacions They fayne that euerlastynge paynes be chaunged into the paynes of purgatorie and that parte of these be relesed by the power of the keyes and parte they teache to be redemed with satisfactions They adde moreouer that satisfactions must be workes of suê‘erogation and them they set and put in moste folyshe obseruaunces whiche haue not the coÌ„maundement of god to beare them as in pylgrymages rosaries and lyke obseruatioÌ„s whiche be maynteyned by no coÌ„mauÌ„dement of god Furthermore lykewyse as· they redeme Purgatorye with satisfactions so hath there ben a crafte deuised of redemynge satisfactions whiche hath ben a very gayngfull profytable crafte and hath broughte in moche lucre For they sell pardones whiche they do interprete to be releasemeÌ„tê of satisfactioÌ„s And this gaynes coÌ„meth in not onely by them that be alyue but moche more largely by them whiche be deade And not onely by pardons but also by the sacrifice of the masse they redeme the satisfactions of deade men Finally the matier of satisfactions is endeles Amonge these sclaunders and offendicles of conscience for we be not able to reherse all and doctrines of deuyls the doctrine of the iustice of faythe in Christe â–ª and of the benefite of Christ lyeth oppressed ouerwhelmed Wherfore all good men do perceiue that the doctrine of Sophistes and Canonistes touchynge repentaunce or penaunce is by vs profitably and godly rebuked For these articles and poyntes folowynge be openly false and not onely disagreyng mere repugnant to the holy scriptures but also dissonauÌ„t variable from the holy fathers of the churche These be their articles ¶ That to the takynge awaye of synne onely the detestation hatred of sinne is sufficient ¶ That for our contrition not by faythe in Christe we do obteyne remission of synnes ¶ That we deserue remissioÌ„ of synnes by goddes couenaunt by good workes done without grace and obteyne it not by faythe that is to wite freely by the truste of mercy ¶ That the power and auctority of the keyes auaileth to the remission of siÌ„nes in the syght of the churche but nat in the syght of god ¶ That by the power of the keyes synnes be nat forgiuen before god but that the power of the keyes was instituted to chaunge eternall paynes into temporall and to lay vpon conscieÌ„ces certayne satisfactioÌ„s to institute newe sacrifices and ceremonies and to bynde consciences to suche maner satisfactions and ceremonies ⧠⧠¶ That the nombering or rekening vp of sinnes in confession of the whiche our aduersaries do teache is necessary by the lawe of god ¶ That canonicall satisfactions be necessary to redeme the payne of Purgatory or els be availlable as a recompensation to take awaye synne For so vnlerned men do vnderstande and take it ¶ That the receiuynge of the sacramente of penaunce by the vertue of the worke that is wrought without the faythe in Christe gyueth grace ¶ That by the power of the keyes soules be deliuered out of Purgatory by pardons ¶ That in reseruation of cases nat onely the canonicall payne but also the synne ought to be reserued in him whiche is truly conuerted ⧠We therfore to the enteÌ„t to deliuer godly and wel disposed coÌ„sciences froÌ„ these comberous and endles mases of sophesters do make two partes of penaunce that is to wytte contrition and faythe Yf any man lusteth to adde the thyrde I meane worthy frutes of penauÌ„ce that is to say good workê folowyng coÌ„uersion we wyl nat saye agaynste hym And we knowe well ynoughe that thys worde penitentia in latine that is to saye repentaunce amonge GraÌ„marious doth betokeÌ„ to mislyke and disalowe that thynge whiche before we dyd lyke and alowe This propertye is more agreinge to contricion rather then to faythe But we in this place to th entent to expresse and sette forthe the thynge before mens eyes do vnderstande by penauÌ„ce the hole coÌ„uersion in which there be two termes mortification and viuification whiche we call by the vsuall and accustomed names contrition and faythe As concernynge contrition we do cutte awaye those ydle vnfrutful and endles disputations as to dispute when we be sory throughe loue of god and when through feare of payne But we say that coÌ„trition is the true feares and terrours of conscience whiche perceiueth feleth
se what confession auayleth without absolutioÌ„ But if they do nat seperate the receyuing of absolution from confession they muste nedes thynke that faythe is a parte of penauÌ„ce For absolution is nat receiued but by fayth And that absolution is nat receiued but by faythe it may be proued by Paule whiche teacheth that the promyse can nat be receiued but by faythe Howe absolution is the promyse of the remission of synnes Therfore it dothe necessarily require faythe And we do nat se howe he can be sayde to receiue absolution whiche dothe nat assente and agre to it And what other thyng is it nat to agre to the absolution then to accuse god of a lye If the barte dothe doubte it thynketh that those thynges be vncerteyne vayne whiche god dothe promise Therfore it is wrytten in the epistle of Iohan whosoeuer beleueth nat god maketh hym a lyer because he dothe nat beleue in the testimonye whiche god hathe witnessed of his sonne Secondaryly we suppose that our aduersaries do graunt that remission of synnes is eyther parte or the ende or terminus ad queÌ„ as they vse to speake of penauÌ„ce or repentauÌ„ce ergo that thyng wherby remissioÌ„ of synnes is receyued is of ryght added to the partes of penaunce But most certayne it is most vndoubted although al the gates of helle wolde crye agaynste it that remission of synnes can nat be receiued but only by fayth whiche beleueth that sinnes be forgyuen for Christê sake according to that sayeng of Paule to the Romaines whom god hathe set forthe a propitiator by faythe in the bloude of hym Also in the fyfthe to the Romaynes By whom we haue waye throughe faythe into grace c. For the troubled arraryed coâ—icence can nat plede nor laye agaynste the wrathe of god theyr owne workes or loue but so is only the conscience made quiete when it receiueth the mediatour Christe and beleueth the promises gyuen for hys sake for they do nat perceyue what remission of synnes is or howe it cometh to vs which dreame that hartes be set at peace without faythe in Christe Peter alledgeth out of Esaye thys sayeng whosoeuer shall beleue in hym shall nat be confounded or ashamed â–ª Wherfore hypocrites muste neues be confounded which truste that they receiue remission of synnes for theyr owne workê and nat for Christes sake And Peter sayth in the actes To him all the prophetes beare witnes that al whiche beleue in him do receiue remission of synnes throughe his name It coulde nat be spoken more manifestly than yâ— he sayth throughe his name And he addeth all that beleue in hym We do only therfore thus receiue remission of synnes through the name of Christe that is to wete for Christes sake â–ª and nat for any meritê or workes of our owne And this is so done when we beleue that synnes be forgyuen vs for Christes sake Our aduersaries crye out that they be the churche that they do folowe the coÌ„sent of the church But Peter here in thys our cause alledgeth also the coÌ„sent of the churche To him sayth he al the prophetes beare wytnes that by his name they receiue remission cÌ„ Undoubtedly the consente of the prophetes is to be iudged the consente of the vniuersall churche We do neyther grauÌ„t to the byshop of Rome neither yet vnto the church power or authoritie to decre agaynst this coÌ„sent of the ê“phetes But the Bulle of Leo byshop of Rome do openly condempne this article of remission of sinnes our aduersaries do also coÌ„dempne it in theyr confutation By whiche thynge it appereth what maner churche theyr churche is to be iudged whiche not onely with decrees disalowe this sentence that remission of synnes is purchased by faith not for our workes but for Christ but also coÌ„maunde to destroy that sentence and opinion with violence and with the swerde They coÌ„mauÌ„de also with all kynd of crueltie to destroye the good men whiche be of the same opinion and mynde But they wyll saye that they haue greate and famous authours for them as maister Duns Gabriel â–ª and other lyke the sayenges also of fathers â–ª whiche be recited in the decrees but maymed and vnperfecte Certes if we shulde falle to numbring of testimonies they haue the better bande For there is a great rablement of tryfelyng wryters vpon the mayster of the Sentencies whiche do euen as it were conspire to gether in defendyng these figmentes lyes of the merite of attricion and of workes and the thynges whiche we haue here to fore recyted But let no man be moued with the multitude of them For thauctoritie is not greate of the late wryters whiche were not the fathers of theyr owne wrytynges but onely embesylyng and robbyng the olde fathers dyd shyfre and turmoyle opinions forth of one boke in to an other They vsed no maner iugemeÌ„t but only after the fashyon of the Senatours whiche were called Pedarij without any wordes allowed the errours of them that had writen before whom they perceyued not We therfore wyll not be afraide to set this sayenge of Peter who allegeth the consente of the prophetê agaynst the legions of sententiaries be they neuer so manye And to this preachynge of Peter is added the testimonie of the holy gost For thus sayth the texte Adhuc loquente Petro uerba haec cecidit spiritus sanctus sup omnes qui audiebant uerbum .1 And as Peter was yet speakynge these wordes the holy ghoste lyghted vpon al them which dyd heare the worde Let all good godly consciences therfore knowe that this is the coÌ„maundement of god that they shulde beleue theyr synnes to be freelye forgyuen them for Christes sake and not for our owne workes And with this coÌ„maundement of god let them strengthen and susteyne them selues agaynst desperation and agaynst the terrours of synne and of deathe And let them knowe that this senteÌ„ce opinion hath always remayned in the churche amoÌ„ge holy and good men sythe the begynnynge of the worlde For Peter dothe clearely alledge the consent of the prophetes And the writynges of thapostles testifie that they were of the same mynde we haue also testimonies of the fathers For Barnarde sayth the sawe in playn and open wordes Necesse est enim primo omnium credere quod remissionem peccatoruÌ„ habere noÌ„ possis nisi per indulgeÌ„tiam dei sed adde adhuc ut credas hoc quod per ipsum peccata tibi donantur Hoc est testimonium quod ê‘hibet spiritus sanctus in corde tuo dicens dimissa sunt tibi peccata tua Sic enim arbitratur apostolus gratis iustificari hominem per fidem .i. For it is necessarye fyrste of all to beleue that thou canste not haue forgyuenes of synnes but by the indulgence of god but adde yet hereunto so that thou doste beleue this also that by hym thy synnes be forgyuen the. This is the testimonie which the holy ghost heareth in thy herte
well in his worke of PenauÌ„ce these wordes folowynge Therfore it is conuenient that we beleue both that penauÌ„ce is to be done and that forgyuenes shal be gyuen but yet so that we do hope forgyuenes as through faythe For faythe obteyneth as it were by an especialtie or obligation Also faythe it is whiche dothe couer our synnes So than there be senteÌ„ces in the workes of the fathers not onely of contrition and workes but also of faythe But our aduersaries because they neyther perceyue the nature of penaunce neyther the sayenges of the fathers do pyke out the sayenges concernyng the one parte of penauÌ„ce that is to wit workes But those thyngê whiche be spoken in other places of faythe because they do not vnderstande them they passe them ouer ⧠Of confession and satisfaction ⧠GOod men may easely iudge that it is verie profitable and necessary that the true doctrine be kepte concernynge the partes aâ—ouenamed that is to wete concernyng contrition and faythe Therfore in settynge forthe of these places we haue alwayes most busied our selues and as for confession and satisfaction we haue nat greatly coÌ„tended nor striuen For we also do retayne kepe styll confession and specially because of absolution whiche is the worde of god because the power of the keyes by the auctoritie of god dothe pronouÌ„ce and gyue seÌ„tence of euery thiÌ„g Wherfore it shulde be a wycked dede to take away priuate absolucion out of the churche Neyther do they perceyue and vnderstande what is remission of siÌ„nes or what is the power of the keyes who soeuer they be that do despyse and take away priuate absolution But coÌ„cernyng the rehersall and reckenyng vp of synnes particularly by name in confession we haue sayde before that we do nat thynke it necessary by the lawe of god For where as certeyne meÌ„ do obiecte that a Iudge ought fyrste to knowe the mater before that he do gyue sentence this obiectioÌ„ is nothyng to this purpose For absolutioÌ„ is but the execution of the benefite gyuen by an other and nat a iudgement For Christe gaue charge and coÌ„mauÌ„dement to forgyue synnes Thys commaundement the ministers do eâ—ecute They haue no coÌ„mauÌ„dement of knowiÌ„g the synnes that be secrete Thys thynge may well be perceyued herof because they forgyue innumerable synnes whiche they them selues do neuer remembre to whome they be forgyuen And if remission shulde hange vpon the knowledge of sinnes then al the mater shulde be vncertayne and doutful But in those synnes whiche be openly knowne what maner iurisdiction the churche hathe that belongeth nat to thê preseÌ„t disputatioÌ„ For these because they be open and knowen they be accused by name and afterwardes be forgyuen by name if the doer of them wyl be receiued agayne of the churche And it is a folyshnes to apply vnto this mater the sayeng of Salomon whiche is thys Diligenter cognosce vultum pecoris tui .i. Knowe diligeÌ„tly the face of thy catayle For SalomoÌ„ speaketh no whit of coÌ„fession but he gyueth a morall lesson and instruction to an housholder that he shulde vse that whiche is his owne and forbeare from that whiche is an other mans and he biddeth hym to loke diligently vnto his owne thyngê but yet in suche wyse that hys mynde beyng occupied and set all vpon the desyre of gatheryng goodes he do nat caste away the feare of god or faythe or the loue of the word of god But our aduersaries do merueilously transforme and chauÌ„g the wordes of scripture into what soeuer sentences or meanynges it lyketh them selues here vnto theÌ„ this worde knowe betokeneth to here confessions The face betokeneth nat the outewarde conuersation but the secretes and priuities of conscience And catayle signifieth men Forsothe a goodly and a propre interpretation and semely for suche despysers of the studies of eloquence But if any man lyste by a similitude to translate thys instruccion from the householde keper and to apply it vnto a pastor or curate of the churche then doubtles he ought by the face to vnderstande the outwarde coÌ„uersatioÌ„ Thys shal be a more apte a more agreable similitude But let vs passe ouer these thynges some tymes there is mention made of confessioÌ„ in the psalmes as Dixi coÌ„fiteâ— or aduersum me iniustitiam meam domino et tu remisisti iniquitatem peccati mei .i. I sayde I wyll confesse and knowledge agaynst my selfe my wickednes vnto the lorde and thou haste forgiuen the wickednes of my syn Suche maner coÌ„fession of syn whiche is made vnto god is the very ryght contrition For when coÌ„fession is made vnto god it muste nedes be done with the harte and nat only with the mouthe so as is done of the players in enterludê Suche maner confession therfore is contrition in whiche we felyng perceiuyng the wrathe of god do coÌ„fesse that god is wrothe nat with out iuste cause and that he can nat be pacified with our workes And yet neuertheles we seke mercie of god for hys promyse sake Suche maner coÌ„fession is this confession of the prophete Tibi soli peccaui c. To the alone haue I synned that thou mayste be iustified mayst ouercom when thou shalt iudge that is to say I knoweledge my selfe to be a synner and to haue deserued euerlastyng wrathe neither can I set my ryghtuousnes nor my merites agaiÌ„st thy wrathe Therfore I pronounce the to be rightuous when thou doste condempne punyshe vs I pronouÌ„ce that thou haste the victorie wheÌ„ hypochrites do iudge the that thou arte vnrightuous because thou doste punyshe or condempne theÌ„ wel deseruyng it yea more ouer our merites can nat be sette agaynste thy iuâ—gement but in suche wyse we shal be iustified if thou doste iustify vs if thou dost repute vs iustified through thy mercye Perauenture suÌ„me man wyll alledge Iamys who sayeth coÌ„fesse your synnes one of you to another But he speaketh nat here of confession to be made to the preestê but in a generalitie of the reconciling of bretherne among them selues for he biddeth coÌ„fession to be made of eche to other Furthermore our aduersaries shall condeÌ„pne many of the moste approued auctours if they wyll contende that the rehersall of synnes in confession is necessary by goddê lawe For although we do approue coÌ„fession and do iudge that a certayne examination is profitable to the entent that men may be the better instructed and taught yet neuertheles the thyng is in suche wyse to be moderated and measured that consciences be nat tangled and snarled whiche vndoubtedly shall neuer be quiete if they shulde thynke that they can nat obteyne remission of sinnes onles they make that scripulous and iuste rehersal of synnes That sayeng doubtles is verie false whiche our aduersaries haue put in the coÌ„futation that an hole and perfecte confession is necessary to saluation For suche confession is vnpossible And I pray you what snares caste they here vpon the conscieÌ„ce whan they require a hole
perfecte confession In the bokes of doctours of the churche mention is made of coÌ„fession but they do not speake of this rekenynge vp of secrete synnes but of the ceremonies and maner of open penauÌ„ce For bicause that synners and persones of euyll fame were not receyued agayne in to the churche without certeyne satisfaction therfore suche maner persones made confession vnto the preestes to th entent that accordynge to the quantitie of theyr offences satisfactions myght be enioyned vnto them All this matter is no poynte lyke to this rekenynge vp of synnes wherof we nowe speake That confession than was made nat because that without it there could be no remission of synnes before god but because satisfactions coude not be enioyned onles the kynde of the synne were fyrst knowen For accordynge to the diuersitie of synnes sundry canons and constitutions were made And of that vsage maner of open penauÌ„ce we haue nowe onely the name lefte of satisfaction For the holy fathers wold not receiue agayne synners euyll famed persones onles they had fyrst knowen and proued the repentaunce of them so moche as myghte be And of this thiÌ„g there appereth to haue ben many causes For it was a good ensample to cause other to beware to chastise and correcte them that had offended as the glose teachethe in the decrees and it was an vnsemelye thynge and not coÌ„uenient to receyue notorious synners forthwith to the coÌ„munion These maners and customes haue ben laide down many yeres ago Neyther is it requisite to set them vp agayne for they be not necessary to remission of synnes before god Neyther was this the mynde opinion of the fathers that men shulde merite remission of synnes by suche vsages or suche workê How be it those sightê and spectacles of open peniteÌ„tes be rum onte to begyle the vnlerned vnskylled men in that that they thrughe this occasion thynke that by those workê they merite remissioÌ„ of synnes before god But if any man hath so thought he had a Iudaicall and an hethen thoughte For hethen men also had certeyne purgatioÌ„s and satisfactions of synnes by whiche they imagyned them selues to be recoÌ„ciled to god But now the custome and vsage beinge sayde downe and put away the name of satisfaction dothe remayne and a certeyne steppe token of the custome whiche is that in coÌ„fession be enioyned certeyne satisfactions whiche they call define to be workê not of duetie we call them canonicall satisfactions And of thys our opinion is lykewyse as it was of the rehersall of synnes that canonical satisfactioÌ„s be not necessarie by the lawe of god to the remission of synnes no more thaÌ„ these olde spectacles shewes of satisfactions in open penauÌ„ce were necessary by the law of god to the remission of sinnes For that senteÌ„ce concernyng faythe must be reteyned and kepte that by faythe we obteyne remission of synnes for Christis sake and not for any workes of ours eyther goynge before or folowynge And for this cause principally haue we disputed of satisfactions lest they shulde be receiued to the defacynge and obscurynge of the iustice of fayth lest men shulde thynke that for those workes they obteyne remission of synnes And this errour is encresed by many sayengê whiche be comenly vsed in scholes as for example when in the definition of satisfaction they put thys particle clause that it is done to pacifye the wrathe and displeasure of god But yet our aduersaries grauÌ„t that satisfactions do nat auayle or helpe to the remission of the sinne or offence but they ymagine that satisfactions be auaylable to redeme the paynes eyther of Purgatorie or els other For thus they teache that in the remission of syn god forgyueth the offense And yet because it is conuenient to the iustice of god to punyshe syn he chauÌ„geth the payne eternal into payne temporall transitory They adde moreouer that parte of that temporall payne is released by the power of the keyes and the residue is redemed by satisfactioÌ„s And it can nat be perceiued what paynes they be of whiche parte is released by the power of the keyes onles they do say that parte of the paynes of Purgatory be released of whiche thynge it shulde ensue that satisfactions be only paynes redemyng Purgatory and these satisfactioÌ„s they say to be of streÌ„gth also though they be done of them whiche be fallen agayne into deadly synne as who shulde say that the wrathe and displeasure of god might be appeased by them whiche be in deadly syn All this is but a fayned matter lately imagined without auctorite of scripture and of the olde doctours of the churche and nat somuch as Peter Lombard dothe speake after this maner of satisfactioÌ„s The schole men sawe that there were satisfactions in the churche but they perceyued nat that these open shewes and spectacles of penitentes were instituted partely for cause of example and partely to proue and trye them which desyred to be receyued of the churche Brefely they dyd not perceyue that it was a discipline and a matier vtterlye and mere politicall And therfore they superstitiously imagined those satisfactions not to be auaylable to discipline in the syghte of the churche but to be of power and strength to appease the diuine wrathe And likewyse as in other thingê they haue often tymes mengled together spiritual matiers and politike or ciuile matiers euen so the same hath happened also in satisfactions But the gloose in the canon lawes doth other whyles wytnesse that these obseruances ceremonies were iÌ„stituted for cause of discipline good ordre to be had in the church And see I praye you after what maner in the coÌ„futation whiche they haue presumptuously offered vnto the emperours maiestie they ê“ue these theyr fayned imagitioÌ„s They alledge many sayenges of the scriptures to begyle them whiche be vnlerned as thoughe this thynge had his auctoritie by the scriptures whiche in the tyme of Peter Lumbarde was as yet vnknowen They alledge these sentences Worke ye the worthy frutes of penaunce Also Gyue your membres to serue ryghtwysenes Also Christe preacheth penaunce sayenge Do ye penaunce Also Christe byddethe his apostles to preache penaunce And Peter preacheth penauÌ„ce in the seconde chapitre of the actes After this they alledge certayne sayenges of fathers canones And they conclude with these wordes Satisfactions in the churche be not to be put away coÌ„trary to the expresse wordes of the gospell and to the decrees of councels and of the fathers but rather they that be assoyled of the preest ought to ê‘forme and fulfyl theyr penauÌ„ce enioyned folowyng that sayenge of Paule He gaue hym selfe for vs to redeme vs from all iniquitie and that he myghte clense to hym selfe an acceptable people the ensuer and folâ—wâ—r of good workes Howe I â—â—â—eche god to destroy these wycked sophisters whiche so mischeuously do detorte wrest the worde of god vnto theyr most vayne dreames What
worke it may holde her handes from murdre from adulterie from thefte Sythe there is lefte in the nature of man reason and iudgement of thynges sensible there is lefte also a choyse of these thynges and a libertie and power to worke ciuile iustice For yâ— doth the scripture cal the iustice of the flesshe whiche iustice carnal nature that is to say reason dothe worke by her owne selfe withoute the holy ghooste howbeit the strength of concupiscence is so greate that men do more often obeye and folowe lewde affections than the ryght iudgement And the deuyll who hath greate power ouer wycked persones as saynt Paule saythe dothe not ceasse to styrre and prouoke this weyke nature vnto diuerse and sondry synnes These be the causes wherfore euen ciuile iustice also is so seldome a thynge amonge men that as â—e do see not the philosophers them selues haue attayned it whiche seme to haue greately desyred it But this is a false sayeng to say that man doth not synne whiche dothe the workes of the coÌ„maundementê out of grace And they adde also more that remission of synnes and iustification is due of necessitie to suche maner workes For the hertes of men without the holy ghoste be without feare of god without trust towardes god they do not beleue that they be herde of god that theyr synnes be forgyuen that they be holpen and saued of god Therfore they be wycked But so it is that an euyll tree can not brynge forthe good frutes And without faythe it is impossible to please god Wherfore although we graunt vnto frewyll libertie and power to worke the outwarde workes of the lawe yet we graunt not to frewyll power to worke spirituall workes that is to witte to drede god truelye to beleue and truste in god truelye to decree with it selfe truelye and to thynke that god dothe loke vpon vs doth heare vs dothe forgyue vs. c. These be the verye workes of the fyrst table whiche maÌ„nes herte can not worke without the holye ghooste as Paule saythe The naturall man that is to saye man vsynge onely his naturall powers dothe not perceyue those thynges whiche be of god And this may be iudged if men consydre howe the hertes do thynke of the wyll of god whether they do verelye decree with them selues that they be fauoured and herde of god This fayth it is an herde thyng euen for holy men also to kepe and holde fast ergo moche lesse it is in wycked men and it is receyued as we sayd before whan hertê thrughly made affrayde do heare the gospell and do take consolation and conforte This distribution therfore or diuision is profitable in whiche ciuile iustice is assigned and gyuen to frewyll spirituall iustice to the gouernauÌ„ce of the holy hhoste in them that be regenerate and borne agayne in Christe For so is kepte and reteyned good ordre and discipline For all men ought to knowe bothe that god dothe require that ciuile iustice and that we be able after a certeine maner to ê‘fourme fulfyll it And yet neuertheles there is shewed the diuersitie betwyxte ciuile iustice and spirituall iustice betwyxte philosophicall iustice and the doctrine of the holy ghoste and it may be ê‘ceiued where we haue nede of the holy ghoste Neyther is this diuision fyrst inuented by vs â–ª but the scripture dothe moste euideÌ„tly teache it Augustine also treateth of the same and of late dayes it was very well handeled of Wyllyam of Parrhise but it is vngraciously and wyckedly troden vnder foote and oppressed by them whiche haue dreamed that men may obeye the lawe of god without the holy ghoste And that the holye ghoost is gyuen there where is respecte of merites ⧠Of the cause of synne THe .xix. article our aduersaries receyue in whiche we confesse that althoughe one god alone hath created made all nature and doth conserue and kepe all thingê that be yet that notwithstandynge the cause of synne is in the deuyll and men a wyll turnynge it selfe awaye from god accordynge to the sayenge of Christe of the deuyll Cum loquitur mendacium ex propriâ—s loquitur Whan he speaketh a lye he speaketh of his owne ⧠Of workes IN the .xx. article they put these wordê expressely that they do reiecte and disalowe our sayenge that men do not merite forgyuenes of synnes by good workes This article they do saye openly and playnly that they do reiecte disalowe What is to be sayd in a matter so manifest Here the workmaysters of the confutation do openly shewe and declare with what spirite they be moued and ledde For what is more certein vndoubted in the churche thaÌ„ that forgyuenes of sinnes coÌ„meth freely for Christê sake that Christe is the mercy stocke for our synnes not oure workes as Peter sayth To hym all the prophetê beare witnesse that in his name al they that beleue in hym do receyue remission of synnes To this churche of the prophetes let vs assente and agree rather than to these vngratious writers of the coÌ„futation whiche so boldely without shame blaspheme Christe For although there haue ben certein writers whiche haue thought that after the remission of synnes men be ryghtuouse in the syghte of god not by fayth but by the selfe workes yet dyd they neuer thinke this that the remission of synnes doth come for our workes sake and not freelye for Christis sake Therfore this blasphemye is not to be suffred that the honoure of Christe be gyuen translated to our workê These diuines be ashamed of nothiÌ„g if they dare pronounce suche maner sentence in the Churche And we do not doubte but that the Emperours maiestie and the mooste parte of the princis wolde in no wyse leaue this place remaynynge in the confutation if they were admonyshed ⧠⧠We coulde in this place recite infinite authorities and testimonies of the scripture and of the fathers but we haue sayd many thynges alredye of this matter heretofore And there is no nede to reherse many testimonies vnto hym whiche knowethe wherfore Christe was gyuen vnto vs and whiche knoweth that Christ is the mercy stocke for our synnes Esaie sayth The lorde hath layde on hym the iniquities of vs. Our aduersaries do teache the coÌ„trary that god dothe laye our iniquities not on Christe but on our owne workes Neyther it lustethe me here to tell what maner workê they teache We do se an horrible decree to be made agaiÌ„st vs whiche shulde feare vs a greate dele more if we dyd stryue aboute doubtfull or tryflynge matters But nowe for asmoche as our consciences do vnderstande and knowe that oure aduersaries condempne the manifeste truthe the defence wherof is necessarye to the hole churche and dothe amplifie and set forth the glorie of Christ we easyly despise al terrours and punyshementes of the worlde and with a bolde mynde we shall abyde and suffre if any thyng is to be suffred for the glorie of Christ and for
the vtilitie of the church For I pray you who wolde not be gladde to die in the coÌ„fession of these articles that we do freely obteyne remission of synnes by faythe for Christis sake and that by our workê we do not merite remission of synnes The consciences of godly men shal haue no sure and stronge consolation agaynste the terrours of synne and deathe and agaynst the deuyll temptyng and prouokynge to desperation if they do not knowe that they oughte to be assured and to decree with them selues that they haue remission of sinnes freelye for Christis sake This faythe holdeth vp coÌ„forteth and quickeneth hartes in that moste sharpe batayle of desperation This is therfore a cause worthy wherfore we shulde refuse no maner ieoperdy Thou therfore whosoeuer thou be that doste agre and assent to our confession shrynke nat for any persecutions or punyshementes step forthe the more boldly when the aduersaries go aboute with feares with tormentes with punyshmentes to take from the this so greate consolation whiche is offered and propouned to all the hole churche in this our article If thou sekest thou canste nat lacke testimonies and authorities of scripture whiche shal establishe thy mynde For Paule with full voyce as they say in the thyrd fourth to the Romaynes cryeth out that sinnes be frely forgiuen for Christes sake Therfore sayeth he we be iustified by faythe frely that the promyse shulde be ferme and stable that is for to saye if the promyse dyd hange vpon our workê it shulde nat be firme and stable if remission of synnes were giuen for our workes when shulde we knowe that we had goten remission when shulde the troubled conscience fynde a worke whiche he were assured to be sufficiente to appease the wrathe of god But we haue spoken before of the hole matter and from thens let the reader take testimonies For the vnworthynes and shamefulnes of the thyng hathe enforced and compelled vs to make thys complaynt and be waylyng rather then a disputation because in thys place they haue spoken expressly that they do disalowe our article where we saye that we obtayne remission of synnes nat for our owne workes but by faythe and frely for Christes sake Our aduersaries also do adde testimonies and authorities to theyr condeÌ„pnatioÌ„ And it were good to reherse one or two of them They alledge of Peter Studete firmam facere uocationem uestram .i. Study ye to make your callyng stable sure cÌ„ Thou seest here reader that o r aduersaries haue nat lost theyr labours in learnyng of logyke but that they haue crafte to reason and coÌ„clude of the scriptures euen what soeuer they lyste Make your callyng ferme and sure by good workes ergo workes deserue remission of siÌ„nes Uerely this same shal be a verie feate argument if a man shulde reason thus of one whiche had deserued deathe and were ê‘doned of it The kynge coÌ„maundeth that from hensforthe thou doste holde thy haÌ„des from other mennes goodes g o ergo thou hast deserued pardoÌ„ of thy punishemeÌ„t by thê that thou doste nowe steale none other mennes goodes To reason after this fashyoÌ„ â–ª is to make the cause of that whiche is nat the cause For Peter speaketh of workê folowyng remission of synnes and he teacheth wherfore they ought to be done that is to wete that the calling myght be sure and stable that is for to say that they do nat fal from theyr callyng if they do syn agayne Do good workes that ye may coÌ„tinue in your callyng leaste ye lose the gyftes of callyng which ye had before nat for the workes folowyng but they be nowe retayned and kepte by faythe and faythe dothe nat abyde in them which lose the holy ghoste and whiche do caste away repentauÌ„ce as we sayde before that faythe standeth in repentaunce They adde other authorities hangynge nat muche better together And in coÌ„clusion they say that this opinion was condempned more then a thousande yeres paste in the tyme of Augustine Thys also is a false lye For the church of Christ hathe alwayes thought that remission of synnes coÌ„meth frely But on the contrary syde the Pelagians were condempned whiche dyd stifly affirme that grace is gyuen for our workes But we haue shewed sufficiently here before that we thinke that good workes ought of necessitie to folowe faythe For we do nat sayeth Paule take awaye the lawe but we do establyshe it because syth with faythe we haue receyued the holy ghost there foloweth necessarily the fulfyllynge of the lawe whiche dothe continually encreace more and more as loue patience chastitie and other frutes of the spirite ⧠Of the inuocation of sayntes or prayeng vnto them THe .xxj. article they do vtterly condempne that we do nat require the inuocatioÌ„ of sayntes and in no place do they play the Rhetoricians more largely thaÌ„ here And yet they conclude no thynge els but that sayntes be to be honoured and worshypped Also that sayntê whiche be alyue do pray for other men as who shulde say that therfore it is necessary to pray vnto the sayntes that be deade They alledge Cypriane that he dyd desyre Cornelius being a lyue that when he shulde departe he wolde pray for his bretherne By thys example they proue the inuocatioÌ„ of deade saiÌ„tê They alledge also Hierome agaynst Uigilantius In this matter say they Hierome ouercame Uigilantius more then eleuen hundred yeres ago Thus our aduersaries do triumphe as though they had wonne yâ— felde the warrâ— were all at an ende Neyther do these asses se that in Hieroms writing agaynst Uigilantius there is nat one sillable of inuocatioÌ„ He speaketh of the honours of sayntes nat of inuocation Neyther dyd any of the olde writers before Gregorie make mention of inuocation Doubtles this inuocation with these opinioÌ„s whiche our aduersaries do nowe teache of the application of merites hathe no testimonies ne authorities of olde wryters Our confession dothe allowe the honours of sayntes For these thre maners of honour are to be allowed and coÌ„mended The fyrste is giuing of thankes for we ought to gyue thankê to god that he hath shewed exaÌ„ples of mercy that he hathe gyuen vs knowledge that he is wyllyng to saue men that he hathe gyuen doctours or other gyftê to the church And these gyftes as they be are verie greate so they be to be amplified and extolled and the sayntes them selues be to be praysed whiche dyd vse these gyftes faythfully euen as Christ dothe coÌ„mende the faythful marchauÌ„tes and occupiers of the talentes deliuered to them The secounde maner of worshyp is the coÌ„firmation of our faythe as when we se that to Peter is forgyuen the denieng of hys mayster we also be comforted and lyfte vp to beleue the rather that grace is farre aboue synne The thyrde honour is the Imitation and folowyng fyrste of theyr faythe and then of theyr other vertues whiche euery one ought to folowe accordyng to his callyng These
true honours our aduersaries do nat requyre but onely aboute inuocation and prayeng vnto theÌ„ they braule and chyde whiche although it had no ieoê‘dy in it yet it is nat necessary ⧠⧠Moreouer this we graunt also that aungelles do praye for vs for there is an authoritie in the fyrste of Zacharie where the aungel dothe pray in this wyse Lorde of armes howe longe wiâ—t thou nat haue mercy of Hierusalem c. As concernyng sayntê though we do graunte that lykewyse as when they be alyue they do praye for the hole churche in generall euen so in heuen they do pray for the churche in generall Yet there is no authoritie ne testimonie iÌ„ the scriptures of deade men prayeng only that dreame excepted which is takeÌ„ forthe of the secouÌ„de boke of the Machabies ⧠⧠⧠But though it were so that sayntes praye neuer so muche for the churche yet it foloweth nat that they be to be called vpon and prayed vnto Howbeit our confession dothe onely affâ—rme this that the scripture dothe nat teache the inuocation of sayntes or to desyre helpe of sayntes But forasmuche as neyther commaundement neyther promyse neyther example of praieng to saintes can be brought or alledged out of the scriptures it foloweth that the conscience can haue no certayntie ne any assurance concernyng that inuocation And sythe it is so that prayer ought to be made with faythe howe do we knowe that god doth accepte and allowe that inuocation Whereby knowe we without the testimonie of scripture that sayntes do vnderstande and knowe the prayers and petitions of euery particular person Some men do make of the sayntê vtterly very goddes giuinge vnto them that they do se the secrete thoughtê of the myndes in vs. They dispute of the morow tyde knowledge and the euentyde knowlege peraduenture because they do doubte whether they do heare in the morowtyde or elles in the euentyde These thynges they do imagine not to th entent to put the saintes to worshyp but to defende worshypfull gaynes which come by the worshyppynge of sayntes Our aduersaries can brynge nothyng agaynst this reason that in asmoche as inuocation of sayntes hath no testimonie of the worde of god it can not be affermed that sayntê do vnderstande knowe our inuocation prayer or thoughe they do knowe it neuer so moche that god dothe allowe it Wherfore our aduersaries ought not to compell vs to a thyng vncerteine doubtfull For prayer without faythe is no prayer For as for thexample of the churche whiche they do alledge it is vndoubtedlye knowen that this is a newe maner and custome in the churche For the olde prayers or collectes although they make mention of sayntes yet do they not praye to the sayntes Howe be it this newe inuocation also in the churche is farre vnlyke the inuocatioÌ„ whiche euery man vseth priuately Furthermore oure aduersaries not onelye require inuocation in the honouryng of sayntê but also they do applye the merites of sayntê for other men and do make of the saintes not only intreaters or intercessours but also mercygrauÌ„tours or propitiatours This is in no wyse to be suffred For here the honoure proprely due vnto Christe is vtterly taken from hym gyuen to the sayntes For they make the saintes mediatours and mercy graunters And albeit they make a distinction betwyxte mediatours of intercession and mediatours of redeÌ„ption yet for al that they make plainly of the saintes mediatours or meanes of redemption And agayne they haue no testimonye of scripture for them that sayntes be mediatours of intercessioÌ„ which worde though it be spoken moste shamefastly measurably yet neuertheles it dothe obscure and deface the benefite of Christe and it translateth the truste of mercy due to Christ vnto the sayntê For men do fayne and imagine that Christ is more harde to entreate and that sayntes be more gentle and easie to please and they trust more on the mercy of sayntê than on the mercye of Christe and fleinge from Christe they seke to the sayntes So they make of them in very dede mediatours of redemption Therfore we shal shewe that they make verely of sayntes not only deprecatours but propitiatours that is to saye mediatours of redemption â–ª We do not yet recite here the abuses of the comen people we do yet speake of the opinioÌ„s of lerned men The rest euen the vnlerned may iudge In a propitiatour these two thynges muste coÌ„curre runne together Fyrst there must be the worde of god by whiche we may knowe assuredly that god is wyllynge to haue mercye and to heare those that call on hym for this propitiatours sake Suche maner ê“myse is there made of Christ What soeuer ye shal aske my father iÌ„ my name he shall gyue it you Of the sayntes there is no suche maner promyse wherfore consciences can not certaynly decree with theÌ„ selues that we be herde by the inuocation of sayntê wherfore that inuocatioÌ„ is not made through faythe Furthermore we haue a coÌ„maundement that we shulde call vpon Christe accordynge to that texte Come vnto me all ye that labour c. whiche doubtles was sayd also to vs. And the prophete Esaie saythe In that daye shall the roote of Iesse stande as a marke and signe to the people hym shall the gentyles praye and beseche And in the .4.3 psalme Thy face shal all the ryche men of the people make prayer vnto And in the .71 psalme And all the kyngê of the earthe shall worshyp hym And a lytle after They shall praye in his syght continually And Christ hym selfe saythe That all men may honoure the sonne lykewyse as they do honour the father And Paule to the Thessalonianes in his prayer sayth in this wyse And our lord Iesus Crist hym selfe god our father exhorte your hertê and establyshe you c. But of the inuocation of sayntê what coÌ„mauÌ„dement or what exaÌ„ple can our aduersaries brynge of the scriptures The seconde thyng that belongeth to a propitiator or mercy gyuer is that his merites be set forthe as whiche be gyuen to other men by goddê imputation so that for them they be reputed ryghtuous as it were for theyr owne merities As for example if one frende doth pay anothers debtes â–ª the detter is delyuered by another mans merite as though it were by his owne So the merites of Christ be gyuen to vs that we myght be reputed rightuous by the trust of the merites of Christ whan we beleue in hym as though we had merites of our owne And of both these two that is to wit of the promyse and of the gyuyng of merites there rysethe truste of mercye Suche maner truste of goddes promyse and also of the merites of Christe ought to be brought with vs whan we entende to praye For we oughte to decree verely with our selues bothe that our prayers be herde for Christis sake and that by his merites we haue the father appeased and reconciled Here our aduersaries hyd vs
to say kynges be ordeyned to prouyde that godlye thynges that is to witte the gospel of Christe be maynteyned and spredde abrode and that as beinge goddê deputies they shuld defende the lyfe helth of innocent ê‘sones ⧠Of bothe kyndes to be gyuen in the souper of the lorde ⧠IT can nat be doubted but that it is an holy thing and agreing to the institution of Christ and to the wordes of Paule to vse bothe partes or kyndes in the souper of the lorde For Christe dyd institute bothe partes and he dyd institute theÌ„ nat for parte of the churche but for the hole churche For nat onely prestes but the hole churche vseth the sacrament and that by the authoritie of Christ and nat by the authoritie of maÌ„ And thê we thinke that our aduersaries do grauÌ„t Nowe if Christ dyd institute this sacrameÌ„t for the hole churche why is the one kynde taken awaye frome parte of the church why is the vse of the one kynde forbydden why is the ordenaunce of Christe chaunged namely sythe he hymselfe dothe call it hys testamente That if it be nat lauful to breake the testament and laste wyl of a man muche lesse it shal be laufull to breake the testamente of Christe And Paule sayeth that he receyued of the lorde that whiche he taught But he taught the vse of bothe kyndê as the texte euideÌ„tly sheweth Do this sayeth he fyrste speakyng of the body afterwarde he repeteth the same wordê of the cup. And after he sayeth let a man trye and examyne himselfe and so let him eate of the breade and drynke of the cuppe These be the wordes of one disposing and ordering And he speaketh before that they whiche shulde vse the souper of the lorde shulde vse it togither in one company Wherfore it is euident that the sacrament was instituted for the hole churche And the vse ther of remayneth yet in some churches of the Grekes And the same custome was sometyme also in the latine churches as Cypriane and Hierome do witnesse For thus sayeth Hierome vpon the prophete Sophonie Sacerdotes qui â—ucharistiae seruiunt sanguinem domini populis diuidunt c. The prestes whiche do serue the sacramentâ— of the alter whiche do deuide the bloude of the lorde to the people c. The councel of Toletane witnesseth the same Neyther shal it be any greate mastry to gather a greate heape of testimonies Here we wyll nat exaggerate ne amplifie this thing we only leaue it to the wyse reader to be coÌ„sidered what is to be thought of the ordenauÌ„ce of god Our aduersaries in the coÌ„futatioÌ„ do nat go about to excuse the churche froÌ„ whom the one parte of the sacrameÌ„t was takeÌ„ away â–ª It became good and religious men to do thê They ought to haue sought a sure and strong reason to excuse the churche and to teache the consciences whiche can nat be suffred to haue but one parte of yâ— sacrament Nowe they defende that it is well done to kepe awaye the one parte and they forbidde to graunt the vse of bothe partes Fyrste they fayne that in the church the maner was in some places to gyue but the one parte alone And yet can they briÌ„g forthe none auncient example herof but they alledge the places in whiche mention is made of breade as in Luke Where it is writen that the disciples knewe Christe by breakynge of the breade They alledge also other places of breakyng of the breade And albeit we do nat greately saye agaynste them but that some of those places may be vnderstaÌ„ded of the sacramente yet for all that thys dothe nat folowe that there was gyuen but the one parte alone for by namyng of parte the residue is betokened by a comen maner custome of speakyng They adde also of the laicall coÌ„munion whiche was nat the vse of yâ— one kynde alone but of bothe And if at any tyme prestes be byddeÌ„ to vse the laicall communion it is mente that they were remoued from the ministery of consecration And this thyng our aduersaries do knowe wel ynough but they do abuse the ignoraunce of vnlearned men whiche when they here speake of laicall coÌ„munion by and by do dreame of the maner and vsage of our tyme in which to lay men is gyuen but only one parte of the sacrament And se howe shameles they be Gabriel amonge other causes reciteth why bothe partes be nat gyuen because there was a difference to be made betwene laye men and prestes And it is lykely ynough that thys is the chief cause why the prohibitioÌ„ of the one parte is so greatly defended that the dignitie of the ordre by this religious fashyon myght be the better estemed and the more set by Thê is an humaine reason and purpose I wyll nat speake ouer sharply whiche for what ende it serueth it may easly be iudged And in the confutation they alledge of the sonnes of Helie that wheÌ„ the office of the hygh preste was lost they shulde desyre but one parte sacerdotall as it is wrytten in the fyrste boke of kynges Here they say is signified the vse of one only kynde And they adde thys conclusion So therfore our lay men also ought to be content with one part sacerdotal that is to wete with one kynde Uerely our aduersaries do dallye and tryfle wheÌ„ they applye the hystory of the chyldren of Helie to the sacramentes There is described the punyshmeÌ„t of Helie wyl they say thys also that the laye men be kepte from the one parte because of punyshemente The sacramente was instituted to comforte lyfte vp troubled and feared myndes when they beleue that the flesshe of Christe which was giuen for the lyfe of the worlde is meate wheÌ„ they beleue that they ioyned to Christe be quickened But our aduersaries do reason that laye men be kepte from the one parte because of punyshemeÌ„t The laye men say they ought to be coÌ„tente This is very imperiously spoken And why oughte they There oughte nat to be asked why nor any cause is to be enquired but what soeuer diuines say it must be a lawe This is the foule vometyng and dronkyn sayiÌ„g of Eccius For we espye these thrasonicall and proude bragging wordes of these felowes whiche if we were disposed to touche so as we myght do we shulde nat lacke matter nor oratioÌ„ For ye se howe they be past shame He coÌ„maundeth as it were a tyraunte in tragedies that whether they wyll or nat wyll they ought to be contented Shall these reasons which he alledgeth at domes day excuse these men whiche do forbydde parte of the sacrament and whiche do thus rage agaynste good men that vse the hole sacrameÌ„t If they do forbydde it for this skille that there shuld be a difference of the ordre this selfe same reason ought to moue vs that we do nat agre to our aduersaries euen thoughe we were elles minded to haue obserued the custome maner
ordenaunce of god the earthe began not only at the begynnyng to brynge forthe grasse but yerelye the feldes be couered vestured with grasse â–ª and shal be whyles the worlde and this nature of thynges shall continue and endure Therfore lykewyse as by the laws of man the nature of the earthe can not be chauÌ„ged euen so neyther by vowes neyther by any lawes may the nature of man be chaunged without the speciall worke of god SecuÌ„darily because this creation or ordinaunce of god in man is the law of nature therfore the men of lawe haue sayde very well and wyselye that the coupelynge of man and woman together is of the lawe of nature Nowe sythe the lawe of nature is immutable and can not be chaunged it foloweth necessarilye that the power and libertie to contracte matrimonie dothe alwayes remayne abyde For whan nature is not chaunged that ordenaunce also must nedes remayne whiche god gaue vnto nature neyther can it be taken away by any maÌ„nes lawê That therfore is but a folyshe sayenge whiche our aduersaries after theyr tryfelynge maner do saye that wedlocke was coÌ„maunded at the begynnyng but it is not coÌ„maunded nowe This is euen lyke wyse as if they shulde say In olde tyme men whaÌ„ they were borne brought with them in to the worlde the naturall appetite theyr sexe or kynde but nowe they do not so In olde tyme whaÌ„ they were borne they brought with them the lawe of nature nowe they do not so No workeman coulde euer desyre or imagyne any thynge more craftelye and lyke a craftes man than these folyshe tryfles haue ben imagyned to elude and auoyde the law of nature Let this thynge therfore abyde stable stedfaste in this cause whiche bothe the scripture teacheth the man of law hath wysely spokeÌ„ thaâ— the ioyniÌ„ge together of man and woman is the lawe of nature But the lawe of nature is in dede the lawe of god For it is an ordenaunce imprinted by god in nature And because this lawe can not be chaunged without the speciall worke of god it is necessary and can not be auoyded but that power libertie to contracte matrimonie muste nedes abyde For that naturall appetite is the ordenaunce of god in nature of one kynde or sexe to an other and therfore it is ryght and lawe for els why shulde bothe kyndes be created And we speake as it was sayde before not of concupiscence whiche is synne but of that appetite whiche they cal naturall loue or affectioÌ„ whiche loue coÌ„cupiscence hath not taken out of nature but rather dothe kendle it so that nowe it hath more nede of remedye and wedlocke is nowe necessary not onely because of procreation but also because of remedye These thynges be clere euident and so sure and stronge that they can be by no meanes auoyded ⧠⧠⧠Thyrdely Paule sayth For cause of fornication lette euerye man haue a wyfe of his owne This is an expresse coÌ„mauÌ„dement belongyng to all men whiche be not mete to the single lyfe Our aduersaries do byd that we shulde shewe a coÌ„mauÌ„dement vnto them whiche coÌ„maundeth preestes to wedde wyues as though preestê were no men Certes we iudge that those thynges whiche we dispute in general of the nature of man do also apperteine to preestes Dothe not Paule coÌ„maunde here that those men shulde marie wyues whiche haue not the gyfte of coÌ„tinence and chastite For Paule declareth his owne self not longe after whan he saythe It is better to marye than to burne And Christe sayde playnlye Non omnes capiuÌ„t uerbum hoc sed quibus datum est .1 Al men do not take this sayeng but they only to whom it is gyuen For nowe after synne these two thinges go together naturall appetite and concupiscence whiche inflameth naturall appetite so yâ— nowe there is more nede of wedlocke than was whan nature was perfecte and incorrupted Therfore Paule speaketh of wedlocke as of a remedie And for to auoyde those brennynges and inflammations of the luste he coÌ„maundeth to mary Neyther can any auctoritie or any lawe of man â–ª or any vowes take awaye this sayenge of Paule It is better to mary than to brennne For these sayde thynges take not away nature or coÌ„cupiscence Therfore who soeuer burne haue power libertie to mary And they be bouÌ„de by this coÌ„maundement of Paule that for to auoyde fornication euery one shulde haue a wyfe of his owne as many as do not truelye conteyne lyue chaste the iudgement wherof apperteyneth to euery maÌ„nes owne coÌ„scieÌ„ce For where our aduersaries do bydde vs here desyre continence of god and do byd vs also to tame and mortifie oure bodye with labours and abstinence why do they not synge these hyghe preceptes to theyr owne selues But as we saide before our aduersaries do nought els but tryfle they do nothynge earnestlye If continence or chastitie were possible to all men than it shulde not require a speciall gyfte But Christe sheweth that there is nede of a speciall gyfte wherfore all men do not attayne it The residue whiche haue not this gyfte god wyllethe to vse the comon lawe of nature whiche he hath ordeyned For god is not contente that his ordenaunces or his creatures be despised In suche wyse he wylleth them to be chaste that yet they maye vse the remedy whiche god hath ordeyned Lyke wyse as he wyll that we so mainteine our lyfe if we do vse meate and drynke And Gerson witnessethe yâ— there haue ben many good men whiche haue endeuoured them selues to tame theyr bodye yet it hath lytle auayled them Therfore Ambrose saythe very well Onelye virginitie is the thynge whiche may be counsaylled but can not be coÌ„mauÌ„ded it is a thing more of wysshe or desyre thaÌ„ of coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t If any maÌ„ wyll obiecte here that Christ doth prayse them whiche do gelde them selues for the kyngdome of heuen â–ª let hym also coÌ„sidre this that he prayseth suche maner men whiche haue the gyfte of coÌ„tinence And therfore he added Qui potest capere capiat He that may take let hym take For vnclene fylthy continence dothe not please Christe we also do prayse true continence But we do nowe dispute of the lawe and of them which haue not the gyfte of continencie The thynge ought to be lefte free there ought no bondes or snares to be caste vpon the weyke persones by this lawe Fourthly the law of the byshop of Rome disagreeth also from the canones of the councels For the olde canones do not prohibite wedlocke neyther do they breake or departe wedlocke alredye contracted Albeit they do remoue them from ministration whiche haue made contracte in the tyme that they were in ministerie And this remouyng of them from administration was at those tymes in steade of a benefite But the newe canones whiche were not made in the couÌ„sels but by the priuate wyll of popes bothe do prohibite to coÌ„tracte matrimonie