kepte the lawe of Moyses agaynst whom Paule with so great labour farre otherwyse instituted his churches preachyng wrytyng constantly our synnes to be knowen shewed vs by the lawe and not therby to be taken awaye onely the grace of fayth through Christe to iustify all nations Happy it was that these heretiques spronge vp in his dayes whose epystels we haue yet so myghtlye and clearely confutyng and pressyng downe these heresyes nowe crepte vp agayne by Winchester The chiefe articles of the christen religion vpon the whiche all other are stayed and grounded is that in Christ Iesu is al sufficieÌ„cie and perfection of forgyuenesse of synnes saluacyon of whose fulnes we receyue grace for grace as sayth IhonÌ„ Wherfore as many as be iustified are iustified by thonely fayth in hym and by nothyng els as by any subsidiary atteynement as Winchester wold haue his helpyng wylworkes vnto his full iustification in Christe the perfection of the lawe This is the suÌ„me of the hole Gospell This is the station of the cause the argument â–ª and material of all Paules pistels euen the tredsâ—le or ground-sole whervpon as the dore is turned returned so are all his argumentes and proces thervpon treated and retreated And specyally in his pystels to the Romaynes Galath Hebrues And now syth this Bysshop sterith vp afresshe these olde heresies we can haue no better armoure argumentes then Paule made agaynst hym fyrste warnynge vs of such sedicious secte sowers sayeng There are many runners abrode of whome I warned you often but nowe with wepynge teares I warne you agayne euen of the enemyes of Christes crosse whose ende is dampnatioÌ„ whose belly is theyr god and theyr glory shall ende with shame whose care and study is set vpon earthly thynges I can not maruayle ynough at this Bysshoppe fyghtyng so earnestly for good workes to iustify that he doth none hym self but persecuteth Christes church so cruelly pryson pitiously and destroye the poore innocent lambes of God christes owne blode I passe ouer his luciferine pryde ambytion arrogancye viciouse lyuynge c. aboue Nero Iulian Traiane Herod or any softe Sardanapale By lyke he beleueth not his owne articles for yf he dyd he wolde do better workes for his owne iustification The frutes of Paules fayth beynge ones a Pharisaie of Winch. opinion were the persecution of Christes churche aboue measure as hym selfe testifieth And as all lyke pharisees haue euer done and do yet styll vnto this day God coÌ„uerte them ones as he dyd Paule So be it We therfore with Paule and Christe affirme our onely one alone sauioure Christe for his owne merites and oure fayth into hym through the fauour of his father appeased in hym to iustifye that is to absolue vs from our synnes and to gyue vs lyfe eternall This our onely sauyour we preache write to be the only rightwysnes wisedome holy maker redemptioÌ„ and satisfactioÌ„ sufficient for all that beleue in hym And yf there be any that thynke Christes rightwysenes his satisfaction his merites redemptioÌ„ made for vs of his father not a sufficieÌ„t iustificacioÌ„ forgyuenes of theyr synnes but that they must set theyr own workes checkmate with his passyon redemption to helpe furth vnto the atteynement of this effecte of Christes passyon well lette them couple and wrappe in theyr owne workes to for theyr iustification and then in so doynge shall they procure theyr owne dampnatioÌ„ For al our good workes or ryghtwysenes sayth I say are ryght fylthy and nought so much the worse then nought for that they be set in so hygh a place eâ—all with Christes bloud whiche is a playne blasphemye These vnryght rightwyse makers wolde serue two contrarye maysters at ones the pope and god to the gospell the popes lawes but whyles they thus haulte on bothe sydes with Baals preestes they serue truely the deuyl which hath no concorde with Christe neyther shall there any papyst nor chrystian beleue them for in conclusion ye shall se them to be iustified neyther by workes nor fayth but dampned for theyr vnbelefe no man beleuyng nor louyng them by theyr wicked workes procurynge them selfe the hatred of all men VvintonÌ„ WIthout I wolde encountre with you in rayling I haue nothynge to saye hereunto but that ye spende a great meany of wordes in vayne whiche shall more playnly appeare by then ye come to th ende of mine aunswere and that youre propre termes of subsidiarye atteynement wyllworkes â—euisers of â—we termes â—e noted by â—ynt Paule â—â— men of â—issension â— religion and workes checkemate with such deuises of newe wordes whiche saynt Paule noteth as a marke to tel what ye be be all to no purpose And besides the issue of the matter in hand ye disproue troublers of the churche with euil opinions as though ye were none of them that troubled it ye crye stowe the thefe to hyde your selfe with the noyse and thereby escape thattachement of the folowers I for my selfe boost not my workes to the worlde but do the offyce of an hande at a crosse to saye this is the ryght waye and whether I stere or no to enter the waye my selfe I haue god to my iudge to whome I stande or fall and ye take vpon you to iudge an other mans seruaunte I styrre vp no heresies but as ye prouoke me say my conscience to the disproue of such blasphemouse heresyes as ye styrre vp Wherein your asseueracions and myne sette aparte lette the matter shewe it selfe The scryptures ye haue broughte in agaynste me reade them ones agayne and marke them for your owne parte to whome moost properlye appertayneth to be called the runners aboute to me that speake to no man of the matter but as I am prouoked or you that in your writinges wander abrode and be in euery mans eares and where ye dare appeare shewe youre selfe and specyallye at Antwerpe to corrupte the youth frome whense one came of late to serche proufes agaynste youre personne to dysproue the false wytnesse as he saied ye had borne with your tongue whether he belyed you or no I will not affirme for albeit ye gyue me cause to doubte of youre truth throughlye yet I wyl not comdemne you in that I knowe not as ye do me But lette vs se what foloweth in your booke Ye entre into myne articles thus Nowe to his articles Vvynch Fyrst article Theffecte of Christes passyon hath a condicion The fulfyllynge of the condicion dyminisheth nothynge theffecte of Christes passyon Ioye God is thelyghte and wyll not be taught with darke and coÌ„fuse termes Isay prophecyed of Christe that when he should come he should not be darke and dyfficyle or harde in his doctryne Nowe speakest thou playnely said his disciples And Paule reioyced greatly that he hadde so syncerelye and frelye preached the gospell Christ toulde his that they shoulde be the lyghte of the worlde purely and clearely to teache especially the chief principilles of the christen relygion
Christ which all are inuisible thynges hoped for But Winchester dreaming vs forth his new fained faith coupleth her to an externe knowledge of what maner a visible fulfylling I caÌ„ not tel you nor yet of what a fond confuse condicion nor yet of hym selfe expressed Ioyne thou thy faith to an outward visible bodely thinge and so it is neither faith nor hope Blessed are they that beleue se not Nowe muste Wyn. proue his condition with the fulfylling and knowledge thereof to be thinges inuisible hoped for as eternall life c. or elles his faith shal not be that fayth whiche Paule diffineth christe so often mencioneth in his gospell VvintonÌ„ IT may appeare in you euidently howe malyce maketh you blynd wheÌ„ rehersyng my wordes yet ye aske me whether fayth goeth before workes For when I saye as you reherse that the fulfyllynge of the condicion requireth fyrst knowledge what the condicion is and then that this knowledge is attayned by fayth do not I geue faith the fyrst place as the meane of knowledge what is the condicion which must nedes go before the fulfyllynge the fulfyllyng before thatteyning of the effecte In this place who is first saye you by myne owne wordes fayth or workes And yet ye saye by my proces workes go before when my wordes rehersed hitherto declare the contrary But ye were so pleasaunt in scoffinge that ye forgate the matter And these be the frutes of the spirite that vexeth you This is the milde meke sobrenes of your profession of christiane charitie I wyll aske you a question wakynge Is not all oure certeine knoweledge of gods wyl and pleasure by faith Some parte of your wordes semeth to saye yes when ye call it the certeinte of thinges inuisible And yet wheÌ„ ye say that I dreame an exâ—erne knoweledge of visible thinges with addicioÌ„ of these two wordes that is to say externe visible Ye say ye can not tel vs more of it And it is a world to se howe fondely ye talke for fayth in no sence can signify an externe knowledge which is only by the senses And where dydde I talke in my dreame of visible thinges speakynge of god and his wyll which be all inuisible and in gods wyll is coÌ„teyned the condicioÌ„ I speake of whiche after knowledge thereof as I saide muste be fulfylled and without knoweledge before can not be fulfilled As for your mangled argument to conferme the proufe ye promysse shall be more commodiously entreated afterwarde In this parte I shewe only howe ye wrangle with me take vpon you to improue that ye vnderstand not as by the rehersal of my next article shal appeare more plainly Ye reherse it thus Vvinch thyrde artycle This faith commeth of God this faith is a good gift It is good and profitable to me It is profitable to me to do well and to exercise this faith Ioye This faith so farre of flytted frome the inuisible iustyfycatyon whether it be the gyfte of God and profytable to Wynchester I doubte it but this I am sure of by Christes owne wordes that when Wynchester hathe done all that God commaunded hym whyche I dare saye he shall neuer do and so neuer fulfyll his condicion yet is he but a seruauÌ„t if he be not a lord vnprofitable I wolde aske Wynchester when he loketh and considereth fyrste theffecte of christes passion whether he beleued it or no If he did not beleue so was he then an infidell If he beleued it seinge it is the promysed forgyuenes of synnes in Christes bloud whether beleued he it to be effectuouse to hym selfe or only to other men If to other and not to hym selfe so is his faythe and the deuylles faythe all one If he beleued his owne synnes to be forgyuen thereby so was he iustified by faith onelye ere any other condicion was knowen or spoken of or elles he muste make christ a lyer which sayeth As thou beleuest so come it to the. WheÌ„ Iairus desyred Christ to come helpe his doughter and in Christes commynge Iairus his seruaunt mette him saienge Desease not Christe out mayster no further for your doughter is deade What sayde Christ Sayde he not to hym feare not Beleue only and she shall be safe These same wordes onely beleue stande bothe in Marke and Luke What condicion elles then fayth onely in Christes promysse can Wynchester fynde to enioye the effecte of Christes passion Christ all condicions elles set a syde only faith mencioned saide Thy fayth hath saued the. What condicion elles then faith dydde Chryste requyre of the chyldes father prayenge hym to caste the euyll spyryte oute of his sonne Added he any thynge elles then faithe sayenge If thou canste beleue all thynges are possible to the beleuer Awaye Wynchester with your confuse comberouse condycyon fonde fulfyllynges and your craftie knowledge and abuse not the preciouse gyfte of fayth to serue your synful affectes to proue your blasphemouse coÌ„clusion But yet perchauÌ„ce Wynchester wyll aunswere to my former questyon that when he beholdeth the forgyuenes of his synnes in Christes passyon he seeth also therwith his condicion well be it so Then aske I hym whether the forgyuenesse of his synnes there beholden and hym selfe hearynge Chryste callynge and cryeng Comme vnto me Wynchester laden with synnes and I shall ease the whether I saye it is moore profitable for hym by fayth to sette holde â–ª of the forgyuenes of his synnes nowe offered hym by christ that can not lye or to tarye and sende him worde that he wyll fyrste knowe and fulfyll his condicion A wyse man wolde thynke it moost profitable to sette holde firste by faith vpon his iustificacion frely now offered hym and to take the thynge certeyne and present rather then so precyous a gyfte neglected to labour in an vncertayne condycyon For yf his condicion be the workes of the lawe as he wyll not denye it whiche it is impossible for any flessh to fulfyll as Paule affirmeth and al our best workes are infected with Adams byrth poison stayned lyke the sycke womans clothes as Isai saith And if Wynchester I say tary tyl he hathe fulfylled his condicion he shall come to short of his iustification in Christ For ere he beginneth to ful fyll the condicion he is disobedient to christes callinge and refuseth the forgiuenes of his sinnes of which vnfaith fâ—ll disobedience what so euer dede foloweth it is synne yea and that a greuouse synne as Samuel exaggerateth it vnto kinge Saule albeit he dyd it as they say of a good intent Vvynto HItherto I haue touched your blynde malyce to improue my wordes onely because they were myne For they haue no thinge in them but that myght be spoken of one that wold mainteine your owne opinion Neyther Barnes ne his scoolefelowe dyd euer varye with me in them For they be principilles so true and euident as they can haue no contradiction of hym that is not vnshamefast And when I say this fayth commeth
there rideth a pryncely prelate a gloriouse Byshop to orne and honor an hole realme See what a clenly sorte of tall men he hath aboute hym what costely liueries geueth he what a many of idle belies dayly fedeth he Hath not Winch. lo wherof to glorye before men is not this a ioylye iustification Nowe foloweth his conclusion of him selfe sayenge ergo by the gyfte of god that is by these worldely gyftes I may do well before worldlye men of fleshely iudgement before I be iustified before God yet iustified gloriously in which I reioyce before men This is his Iewysshe iustification wherof the Pharisaies so highly reioyced in so muche that Christ tolde them that he came not to call suche iuste men but synners to repentaunce warnynge the people that excepte theyr rightwysnes abounded aboue the Pharisais good dedes they shulde neuer come to heuen And Paule sayth that men ignorant of the ryghtwisnes or rightwise makynge of god and sekynge to set fast as nowe dothe Wynchester their owne rigthwisenes they be neuer subiect to the rightwisnes of god Wynchester yet knoweth not the office of the lawe to shewe vs our synnes to worke wrath to make synne the more to abound as Paul proueth it to the Romayns so farre of must it be to iustify Neither yet knoweth he thoffice proper place of faith nor yet what thynge fayth is but conceyueth a certayne fantasticall opinion therof as doth euery speculatyue pharisay and idle hypocrite And a man shulde speke after the very order of nature and of the tyme he muste nedes sette faith before workes as is the tree before it blometh and the blomes before the fruyte The sead is cast into the erth before it groweth and fructifieth The seade is the worde of god saith Christe And nyghe vnto the is the worde of fayth euen in thyne herte and mouth Fayth is effectuouse and worketh by loue And the ende of the precept is loue out of a pure harte by fayth hartes are made pure sayeth Peter and a good conscience and of faith vnfayned I thinke Winc. is not so ignoraunte in his Gramer as to englysshe this texte of Paule Fides que operatur per dilectionem as dydde Iohn fysher the byshoppe of Rochester in hys sermon at Paules crosse and afterwarde prynted thus englysshed fayth which is wrought by charitie so settynge the carte before the horse and lyke an vngodlye gardener to peruerte and turne the rotes of his plantes and herbes vpwarde of whyche I harde as it were an olde prophecye .xl. yeres agoo that such an Antechrist shuld come to peruerte the iustificacion of faythe and turne Chrystes relygyon vpsedowne I am sewre he wyll not sette workes before fayth no not in the yong baptyzed infantes nor yet in Paule at his conuersion nor in the thefe hanging by Chryste crucified It is truth that workes being the frutes of fayth standynge in theyr owne place procedynge oute of fayth iustyfyenge dymynysshe not the effecte of Chrystes passyon For we are made in Chryste Iesu to do the good workes whyche God hath prepared that we shoulde walke in them We are saued frelye by faythe sayeth Paule yea and that not of workes for it is the gyfte of god that we be saued by fayth and not for oure workes leste anye man shoulde reioyce in his owne dedes But yf Wynch put his workes in the place and office of fayth as the condicion withoute the whyche no man is iustyfyed so dymynyssheth he yea he is iniuriouse and blasphemous vnto the effecte of Chrystes passyon for by this doctryne his diminute imperfecte and wycked workes shulde deserue vs forgeuenes of synnes as though Chrystes bloude and so plentuouse a redempcyon in Chryste were not suffycyente If by the lawe sayeth Paule men be made ryghtwyse so is Chryste deade in vayne Loue must fulfyll the condycyon sayth he ergo the workes of the lawe are his condicion Roma 13. Now let vs see what loue god asketh of vs for yf we haue not that loue we shall neuer fulfyll Wynch condicion God commaundeth vs to loue him with our hole hartes myndes soules and wyth all our strengthe and oure neyghbours ye and oure ennemyes to as our selues ye and that euen as Christe loued vs whiche dyed for vs beynge his ennemyes He byddeth vs to be perfyte and holy as hym selfe is not to be so angry with oure brother as to prouoke hym with any euyll worde to anger nor to desyre anye other mans good seruaunt wyfe c. no not to loue oure owne lyues in his cause but to hate our flesshe and dye for his sake Nowe tell me Wynchester yf anye one man hath this loue and so fulfylled your condicion or els dare your selfe affyrme to haue fulfylled it yf ye haue not ergo by youre owne wordes ye shall neuer enioye the effect of Christes passion and yet speke I not of the perfytte fayth and hope that euery man in God is bounde to haue beware therfore Wyn. howe ye set your saluacyon vppon so harde a condicion leste ye come to shorte of the gates shuttynge with your .v. folysh virgens If you hadde once fulfylled as you neuer shal your condicion and so perseuering you nede not to praye Father forgeue me my dettes nor neuer to say your Pater noster For ye owe no loue neyther vnto God nor man ye haue payed all And yet sayth Paule owe ye nothynge to any man but mutuall loue shewynge loue to be a dette euer in payenge and neuer full payed We shall aunswer for euery ydle worde sayth Christe But yf Wynchester had accomplysshed his cōdicion so myght he go playe and iustle in iudgement with Christ for his saluacion hauynge no nede of Christes passion then myghte he clayme heauen of dewtye and make grace no grace whiche is a mere free gyfte vndeserued of any man and thus were he one of those iuste prelates whome Chryste sayde he came not to cal Is not he a proud foole to whome when god geueth a free iustification in christ yet wyll he refuse to take it but vpon a condicion that he deserue it with suche workes as hym self is neuer able to perfourme what arrogant foole wolde thus condicion hym selfe agenste gods wyll Peter consideringe this importable condicion sayde by faith god purifieth theyr hertes and wherefore then do ye nowe tempte god so much layenge such a yoke vpon mens necks which nether our fathers nor we be able to bere By the grace of our lord Iesu christ we beleue vs to be saued as were our fathers If we shuld saye that we haue no synne in vs so are we lyers Wherfore the scriptures conclude euery man to be a synner and infidele that of all men God moughte haue mercy And that the promyse oute of fayth in Iesu christe shoulde be geuen to the beleuers Only Christ fulfylled the lawe And yf Wynchester wolde mok out Paule sayenge that when he concluded so ofte man to be frely iustified by fayth onelye
as you do your selfe ye vse a similitude of the sonne and fyre which manner of teaching Christ vsed muche by thynges corporall and visible to make some explication of thynges inuisible and incorporall and so to induce men to the vnderstandyng of them whiche for my part I much allowe and onelye fynde this faulte in some of your sorte that albeit in you Similitudes be necessarye to plaine teachynge they allowe and approue similitudes for corroboracion of your doctrine yet when your doctrine shuld be impugned they can not abyde similitudes but they say streight as they here of them fye on them Blynde not me sayth he by similitudes but comme to the playne matter and yet somtyme the matter is so darke as it can not be perceiued without the spectacles of a similitude or parable and anon the similitude well considered the matter that was darke is sene by and by For a similitude is as it were a speach of the wordes thinge togither for bothe the thing resembled and the wordes also speaketh at ones But nowe to your similitude whereby ye entende to make men perceyue howe it might be that two thinges conioyned together may haue dyuerse effectes and so eche one of them to worke his effecte apart without confusiō For so ye say doth fayth and charitie The sonne and fyre ye saye haue eche one of them heate brightnes and the heate warmethe and the brightnes shyneth So as by this similitude we maye vnderstande that from god whome ye signifie by the sonne or fyre is gyuen to man before he be iustified two vertues fayth and charitie whereof fayth shyneth and charitie warmeth And in dede the effect of fayth is properly to illuminate the vnderstanding and of charitie to warme and kyndle mans colde and earthly affection Nowe if the iustification of man implied onely the expulsion of darkenes frome mannes vnderstanding theffecte of fayth wolde suffice but seinge god in iustificaciō moueth mans hart and kindleth loue in it whye may not these two vertues with their two effectes by goddes workyng concurre in mans iustification your similitude letteth it not but rather confirmeth it As for saynt Paul declareth plainly that albeit he speaketh sometyme of faith without mencion of charite yet he meaneth not faith as a bare foundacion but fayth with charitie And as euery foundacyon corporall is fyrst in prioritie of tyme. So is euery foundacion intellectuall fyrst in prioritie of nature And therfore because nomā loueth that he knoweth not before fayth that bringeth knowlege must nedes p̄cede and fayth that hath not charitie is dead so as by these .ii. vertues god resuscitating man in iustificacion from the death of sinne to lyfe Iustificati◠gyuethe the gyftes of knoweledge and loue that is to saye faythe and charytye beinge god onely the officer him selfe that iustifieth and to hym ye maye put onely and onely for he is the iustifier and requireth only of man mary that he wyll haue done to receyue and vse these vertues as he giueth them And this is the plain teaching and agreable with scriptures whiche must be so vnderstanded as one parte may be consonante to the other withoute suche hackynge as ye make of it God gaue Abraham fayth wherewith to beleue hym and charitie wherewith to loue him and Abraham as he beleued god so he loued him both together And if I shuld returne to your similitude when mē say that they shuld plant their vines where the sonne may shyne on them do they affirme that the brightnes and lyght of the sonne giueth the comfort to the vynes or rather the heat The speach is of the brightnes as a parte may signifie the hole but in the heat is theffect Ye dalye in the matter to triumphe ouer me take vpō you the parte of a mediatour betwene the two sisters faith and charitie and ye commende charitie for manye good properties forsothe but ye say the elder sister faith hath the iustification by scripture Is not this properly handled in so serious a matter But ye requyre scripture of me whiles ye daly talke your selfe without scripture As for scripture this I saye to you that and ye note scripture ye shal fynde in the true sense of it that as the promysse of god is knit to fayth so it is knyt to loue as lyfe is promised to men beleuynge so it is promysed to men louynge And as often as saynt Paule nameth fayth not speakinge of loue so often and oftener doth saynt Iohn̄ in his epistles speake of charytye without mencion of fayth and declareth plainly that he that loueth not is in death and he that loueth not knoweth not god And as saint Paule sayth to the Hebrues he that commeth to god must beleue So Christ said in the gospell of saynt Ihon̄ No man he sayth commeth to me without my father draweth him the sense wherof is but by loue wherewith saynt Austine saith god draweth vs accordynge as god by Moises signified to vs that he sheweth his mercye to them that loue hym It is true we can not loue god onles he prepareth our harte and geue vs that grace no more can we beleue god onlesse he giueth vs the gyfte of belefe And so god is the author of all our welth and our helper that we may worke with him and he is the only iustifier God the on◠iustifier the only sauiour and onely mediatour And as for the speache of onely faythe iustifieth the scripture hath not yet hath ben spoken by some lerned men to exclude the workes of Moyses lawe wherein S. Paule laboured in his epistle to the Romaynes where S. Paule speaketh not of the aduerbe onelye nor he hathe not this fasshyon of speach faith iustifieth but in this wise we be iustified by faith and attributeth the act of iustification to god And S. Augustine sayth plainly that for the more playne vnderstandinge of S. Paule god inspired S. Iames to write his epystle And further saint Austen saith that S. Paule speakyng of fayth dyd euer meane such a faith as had the gift of charite with it wherof he spake to the Galathiās Neque circumcisio neque prepuciū est aliquid sed fides que per dilectionem operatur And to the Corrinthians he that hath not charite is nothing And therefore as scripture testifieth that god maketh his promyse to thē that beleue in him so it testifieth that god maketh his promyse to them that loue him as saynt Iames writeth And by the wyse man god sayeth I loue them that loue me Saynt Iohn̄ affirmeth he that loueth not god knoweth not god so as without I loue I can not frutefully beleue no not the belefe of knowledge as saynte Ihon̄ declareth whereby appeareth that the yonger sister charite for so ye speake of her hath office to helpe her elder sister faith in iustification But ye nowe presse me to shewe you scrypture in this forme of sillables Charitie iustifieth And yet ye
deade in vayne Thus ye se the conclusyon of his articles to be That he maye do well before he be iustified But as I sayd before it behoueth a learned diuine to coÌ„clude what ought to be done what god wylleth to be beleued by his manifest word and not what Winch. may do by his owne blynde reasonyng without gods word He maye do well by the gyfte of God sayth he whiche is faythe ergo his fayth goeth before his well doyng and his iustification and his good workes must be thrust betwixt both if the place be not to narow for them so that he hauynge his faith and his good workes is not as yet iustified neyther by his faith nor by his good workes for they muste serue him but toward the attainment to his iustificacion Paule christ ioyned faith iustificacioÌ„ euer inseparably together but this scismatike iewish Hieroboam and deuillish deuider of al christeÌ„ vnite wil thrust his good works betwixt theÌ„ not suffring fayth to cleue to immediatly her owne obiecte euen the mercye of God promysynge remyssyon of synnes in Chrystes deathe He wolde thruste in here the workes of penaunce before iustyfycacyon whyche thinge howe folysshe it is ye shall se Fyrste ye knowe that penaunce muste go before her workes as is the tree before her frutes Penaunce is a turninge to god whereby of the syncere feare of god a man humbled acknowelegeth his sinne and so al his whol life he maketh newe Who turneth to god but he fyrste beleue and knoweth god for christes sake to be so mercyfull vnto hym that at his turnynge to hym he receyueth him and forgeueth hym hys synnes whiche faithe and knoweledge what els is it then his iustification god the father so affirmynge it in his prophet Isai sayeng In the knowledge of hym this euen my seruant shal iustifye many Here ye se that this knowledge and faithe iustifieth before the workes of penaunce are done For God is knâ—wen in Christe ere we turne to him of the which turning to god there folow the frutes of repentaunce in doinge them all our lyfe longe as to feare god to humble our selfe to confesse our synnes to him and to renewe our lyues mortifieng continually our flesshe VvintonÌ„ TO this article your aunswer is peremptorye and ye trauerse the matter so plainlye after the lawiers pleding as you haue fashioned it mete to be remitted vnto the couÌ„try And herein I shall speake to you againe somewhat lyke a lawier Ye handle me in youre aunswer lyke one of youre secte and do the worlde vnderstaÌ„d hereby whervnto this vnreuereÌ„te reasonynge disputynge and talkynge of goddes truth wyll come to at the last that is to saye to diuision debate hatred and stryfe when in that all shulde saye one eche shal aunswere other as ye do nowe me with I saye the contrarye And so learnynge is all paste and the matter resteth vpon twelue men wherein ye labour the countre as faste as ye maye And ye flatter the world with lycentiouse doctrine and offer them to pull from theyr neckes all suche yokes as ye thinke dyd at any tyme let or impeche them either in thought or dede Ye promise them libertie of al thynge And then to rydde them out of dette ye translate saint Paule thus that we owe nothyng to no man but loue Ye flatter the couetouse maister with pullynge away holy dayes that he maye haue the more worke done hym for hys yeres wages Ye flatter again the seruaunt with pullynge awaye al opinioÌ„ of fast by abstineÌ„ce froÌ„ any meat either in leÌ„t or otherwise Ye offer priestes wyues to wyt they can winne them to you Ye rydde all of confession and wepinge for synne Ye take awaye distiction difference of apparel days times and places Ye take away ceremonies whiche in dede do muche let good chere in asseÌ„blies of good felowes Ye gyue women courage and libertie to talke at their pleasure so it be of gods worde and to make the husbande amendes for that encombrye ye teache men secretly and so as you may denye it agayne if nede be tyll it be time to come abrode that they maye haue as lawfully two wiues at ones as one so they wyll finde them bothe I do not herein fame or lye for I knowe they haue not written in any matter more seriouslye ne more fondelye but yet maliciously and vntruly then to proue it lawfull for a man to haue two wyues at ones though the first be neuer so chast And so wheÌ„ women be so ernest to set forth youre enterpryse they be suffred of god for punysshmeÌ„t to worke there owne confusioÌ„ And after the same sort by other intisemeÌ„tes lerned meÌ„ to depraue lerning prestes to trauel to destroy prysthode And in this wise for punishmeÌ„t of our sinne eche part laboureth by a meane to scourge trouble their owne astate And in the meane time your secte hopeth to winne the countrey and therefore the postelles of your secte although they preach not much now a days yet they write diligently and sende the bookes abrode buselye with Venite emite absque argento and in significacion ye call men to fredome ye giue your bokes abrode frely with all such allueremeÌ„tes as may serue to make the countrie yours and suche as shuld giue euidence agaynst you them ye depraue and blaspheme with all kynde of vyllany wherewith to distroy theyr credite in so muche as among you a bysshop or a preist hath a newe sence in englysh to signifie a knaue Ye haue a great while awayted to haue the panel returned but the kinges most excellent maiestye who hath the highe shiriffes office in his hande vnder god coulde neuer yet be induced to retourne the Iurye as ye wolde haue it And therfore I haue seene you often tymes fall in a non sute and lyen styll in wayte as they that haue euel tytles to landes to haue the shirif for your purpose How saye you now haue I not commened with you lyke a lawier and truely declared the councelles of your secte Thenglyssh of this latiâ— dominum eâ— christum iâ— god and the kynge wherin ye conspire Aduersus dominuÌ„ et aduersus christum eius I wold lawiers had alwaies their tales tolde them of their clientes so truly as I haue tolde this and then the worlde shulde not be troubled with so many longe sutes as it nowe is But now to your contraryenge of me whiche ye fashyon thus And I saye the contrary If I were lyke you I shoulde saye agayne Mary and I saye the contrarye to you And then thicker you lye and you lye and I can tel as well as you and I as well as you And shall this fruyte growe of goddes worde and so you wyll haue this broughte againe of the prymatyue churche that our hearers and readers of oure bookes shall say I beleue Ioye and I beleue Wynchester Ego Cephe Ego pauli but yet to auoyde some parte of that
this knoweledge of my celestial father am I fermly persuaded Christ Iesu his onelye sonne both god and mā to be sente for my sake into this worlde to be the annoynted Messyas kynge and preiste to be my gouerner delyuerer auenger defender my heade redemer by hys passyon medyatoure my clensinge sacrifyce once for me and for all faythfull for euer offred vp on the crosse my onelye intercessoure nowe into heuen ascended my holynes myne expiacion my rightwisenes helth way lyfe and satysfaccyon satisfyinge my fathers iustice for my sinnes neuer to be imputed to me for my onelye faythes sake daylye iustifienge and absoluinge me contynuallye reuyuynge me wyth his holy spyryte anoyntyng me wyth the grace of the holye gooste so that nowe I by hys mercye and grace being in christe his electe might walke dayly in good workes pleasynge my celestiall father vnto this knowledge and beleef he calleth all his chosen for whome he hath forseene predestined and chosen them hath he called by his worde and creacyon of this world vnto this faith and knoweledge and whome he thus called the same hathe he iustyfyed and whome he hath iustyfyed them hath he glorified Vvinton̄ IN the processe of your iustification fyrst ye say saint Paule sayth we be chosen of God in Chryste before the foundacyon of the worlde was layde whyche be the wordes of the appostle And here ye make a true entrye Then ye saye that in the fyrst chapter of saynt Iohn̄s gospell and the fyrst epystle the fyfte chapter of saynte Iohn̄ it is conteyned that when we be borne anewe of the spyryte we are called to receyue faith If you can iustifie this to be true I wyll not further impugne youre iustification But your allegation of this scripture is lyke the spellynge of a yonge strypelynge I ones went about to teach to reade He wolde neades spell backewarde A.b. he spelled it Ba. and B.A. Ab. The scripture ye allege saith He that beleueth is borne of god ye say we be borne of god to receiue beleefe Scripture placeth fayth in ordre before the byrthe not in prioritye of tyme but in natural order And ye place it after as it were also in the distaunce of tyme. The wordes of the scrypture in the gospell of saynte Iohn̄ be that so manye as receyue Chryste haue power gyuen them to be the sonnes of god suche as beleue in his name who be not borne of the bloodes nor the wyll of man but be borne of god By this texte to be the sonne of god faith muste neades go before The wordes of the epystle be these Euerye man that beleuethe that Iesus is Christe is borne of god Is not faith placed here in the order of the text before the birth as a declaration whereby to know what is signified by this to be borne of god that is to saye to beleue that Iesus is christ Not to beleue in tongue as saynt Iohn̄ sayth but to beleue in workinge that is beleued Christe teachinge Nichodemus oure regeneration seconde natiuitie of god sayeth Nisi quis renatus fuerit ex aqua spiritu sancto non potest introire in regnum dei Whiche natiuitie is ministred in the sacrament of baptisme And in thactes of thappostles when the Enuche desired to be partaker of this regeneration to be borne of god and sayde Here is water what letteth me to be baptised Phillyppe sayde to the Enuche If thou beleuest with all thy hart thou maiest And thenuche aunswered I beleue Iesus Christe to be the sonne of god And so was thenuche baptised whiche forme of baptisme the church obserueth styl in the christeninge of Infants offred to christ in the fayth catholique of their parentes And accordinge to this declaration the wordes of saynt Iohn̄s epistle be that eche man who beleueth that Iesus is Christ is borne of god not excludinge the sacrament of baptisme but declaringe that the foundacion of our regeneracion is this fayth where saynt Iohn̄ in a fewe wordes reuerentlye foldeth vp the hole misterye of oure fayth By your interpretacion ye wold haue men firste borne the chyldren o◠god then to receiue faith But Philyp expoundeth it that we receiue fayth to be borne the childrē of god therfore requireth it before the regeneracion semblable in other matters scripture preacheth penaunce to obteine remissiō of sinne and ye teache remission of sinne wherby to come to penaunce Scripture saith we do not forgiue our neighbour god will not forgiue vs. You teach that god must fyrste forgiue vs then we to forgiue our neighbour Christ calleth vs to him to be vnburdened of our synne And ye teach that we be vnburdened of our synne or we come at him And so throughly ye teach christ backward Scripture neuer taught him after that sort yet ye call vpon other for scripture and then ye wyll haue scripture playne as it is written to be vnderstāded streight of al men at the fyrst readynge whiche bearyng in hande of playnnes with a desyre that mans curiouse nature hathe to knowledge or for wante therof to be seen to haue knowlege the nūber that readeth after you saythe they vnderstand as ye do And yf suche one can say onely fayth iustifieth and a prieste is a knaue the masse is not in scripture and an Image is an idole ye prayse so much the lorde in hym and reioyse so muche as in a proselite that ye make hym runne through the scripture in thicke and thinne euen tyll he commeth to predestination and further to gods prouidence that some be so blynded at the last as they call al in doubte Ye be your selfe blynde in malice and take vpon you to be leaders of the blynd and so tumble al together in the pyt of errour with the miserable destruction of soule and body Let vs returne agayn to the scripture ye haue brought in which ye say signifieth that whē we be borne a new of the spirit we be called to receyue faith The wordes of the scripture be Eche man that beleueth that Iesus is christ is borne of god If ye wolde herein resort to grāmer and say This part is onlye to Ioye tha◠did before or pose me in my gramme◠bycause natus est is written in the preterperfitence and credit is writen in the presentence and thervpon fansy that natus est must be before credit I must aunswer you agayn by grāmer that the preterperfitens in laten signifieth the presentens as wel as the pretertēs for philophers affirme by reason of the cōtinuall mouing that tyme euer passeth nothing is properly presēt but only god And for declaraciō that the pretertence signifieth the presēt euery verbe passiue and deponēte boroweth in his preterperfittens of the verbe substantiue to ioyne with his participle both est and fuit so as natus est is properly the present perfittens and natus fuit the preterperfittens Now if the translation had been natus fuit then
with his gyftes of truth and learnynge that vnderstandyng wolde serue to wype out all but that is not the sence of the scripture wherein is declared what man is destitute of god and lefte to hym selfe Mannes corrupt nature not illuminate nor directed by goddes grace deliteth in vayne thinges erreth wandereth loueth fansies seketh that hath no substaunce or beinge in it selfe and is therefor vayne and counterfayt and so a lye All wisdome all truth all vertue is of god without god man is blynded with vanities and lyes but our sauiour christ hath for our sake ouercome the deuyll destroyed death rysen for our iustificacion and ascendinge into heauen hath geuen gyftes to men and sent the spirite of truthe to be amonges vs whereby man is able to knowe the truthe confesse it vtter it to the edification of other agaynst which sort of men the scripture is alleged out of purpose to say he is a lyer because he is a maÌ„ And herein those that so improue all men generally they forgette that them selfe that so speake be men also and then by the general reprofe of men in their mouthe they proue them selfe to lye Mentiens is â—he name of a â—ophisme calâ—ed in greke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when 〈◊〉 parte of â—hâ— speach destroyeth an â—thâ—r of the â—me speach and if that be so theÌ„ that other men saye is truth speakynge contrary to them and thus the matter is brought in a circle to a confusion by a sophisticall speache called menciens by eche mans mistrust to an other and eche one there fore callyng an other lyer For if I wyl improue the doctryne of them that haue wrytten because some dissente from them howe shoulde any newe man require hym selfe to be beleued dissentinge from theÌ„ also mary no saith the Anabaptist and beleue not me withoute I brynge scripture Nor beleue not me sayeth the Sacramentary withoute I brynge scrypture Beleue not me sayeth the Arriane without I brynge scripture Vho flyeth most buselye to scripture Beleue not me sayeth Ioye withoute I brynge scrypture There was neuer heretique but bosted scripture as all the Iewes bosted Abraham for theyr father and scripture by goddes sufferauÌ„ce is subiecte to mannes peruersitie and is to good men Odor uite ad uitam and to euyll men Odor mortis ad mortem Scrypture is a swete pure flowre Scripturâ— of it self all truh whereof spyders gather poyson and bees honye As thou arte that cryeste for scrypture so shalte thou gather of scrypture Goo thyther instructed with holsome doctryne and there thou shalte se it confyrmed Goo thyther infecte with malycyouse opynyons and there thou shalte wrythe oute matter wherewyth to maynteyne them And so the deuyll dydde when he tempted Christ thence he fetched his armour wherwith to fight with christ And so do all heretiques to fyght with the churche As for the disseÌ„tion betwne the fathers of the churche in exposicions of scriptures hath not arrisen of purpose to impugne anye true catholyke doctryne but for defence of that hath ben impugned by malicious heretiques Amonge symple deuout men eche text semed to beare witnes to euery truth â—he simpliciâ— of tholde â—thers not â—ing with â—ritiques and where good men with good men entreated the matter so the conclusion were catholyke and true they semed not ouer curious to searche out the propre textes for confirmacion of that they affirmed not for necligence but for declaracion of the perfite beleue in the matter whiche when it beganne to be impugned of euyl men good men for defence of truth were fayne so to considre what they sayd or graunted as they gaue thereby none aduauntage to the aduersarie who studieth onely to inuade and violate the truthe Saynt Austen in contencion with the Maniches was very precyse for free wyll whiche they impugned and with the Pelagians was precise in defence of grace whiche they impugned and for defence of the truth whiche he sawe brought in daunger fought with scriptures lyke a stoute champion as Dauyd with his stones to ouerthrowe Golias wherin howe so euer saynt Austen dissented from the rest it is not to be accoÌ„pted as a disagremente in any truth necessarye for our edification but as the feate of a wyse warriar for defence of truth to eschue such occasion as noughtie men wold gather for the subuersion of the truth And in this wyse good men learned maye humblye disagre with a deuoute intente to defende the truth whyche we ought not so peruersly to take as though all suche good mens labours and trauailes in thexposicion of scriptures were to be contempned and as though eche man by hym selfe alone coulde vnderstande and expound scriptures in the true sense whiche asseueracion howe true it is the prodigiouse and monstruouse opinions whiche haue ben and be at this daye gathered of scryptures do declare wherein as god dyd in the buyldynge of the towre of Babylon to depresse that arrogant enterpryse confounde the vnderstandynge in one tunge ConfusioÌ„ of â—nderstaÌ„ding wiâ—h multitude of dyâ—erse strauÌ„ge opinions and deuyded it into many So in this tyme when eche man with a gaye pretence of resortynge to the scriptures and to the fountayne withoute the teachynge and instruction of other catholique men do arrogantly enterprise to builde them selfe a knowledge to reache to gods secretes one catholyque faythe is deuyded into as manye sundry opinions persuasions as was the one tunge at the building of the towre of Babel into diuers languages And therfore we must remembre althoughe scrypture be the foundacion and grounde of al truth yet it is darke and obscure to senses vnexercysed and god geueth not all the spirite of prophecye and yet god hath geuen it in his church to many who haue left it testified in their labours not so as sometyme they shewe not them selfes as men and to speake of theÌ„ selfe and therefore muste be so warelye and yet reuerently redde but so as their consonaunce and agremente togyther in the matter of doctryne where they agree may leade vs to considre the more certaynlye the truth in scrypture and those good men not vpon euerye alteration one from an other to be reiect or contemned of vs as lyers as men wolde nowe a daies haue it bearynge euerye man in hande that he maye so he vnderstande englysshe lerne him selfe alone whiche is the deuylles persuasion to spercle that is gathered and where we be a congregacyon to make eche man wander froÌ„ his felow eche man onely to beleue him self And therevpon to folow as you mayster Ioye teach afterwarde to be sayde to eche man As thou beleuest so be it to the and so the churche to be in no place a churche as anye polityque bodye neyther the churche of Englande ne the churche of Fraunce to be vnite within theÌ„ selfes in gouernemente and whervnto by scripture mens desperate faultes should be toulde neither in the hole to be vnite in sacramentes and true
inconuenience men haue deuised to say now I beleue not Luther nor Melancton nor Bewcer nor Suinglius nor Ioye nor Turnor And call them for the tyme knaues for Maledictus qui confidâ—t in homine but I beleue ê™ he goddes holy wordes which can not lye as men do And shall I not beleue the wordes of the byble I knowe what edifiethe me thankes be to the lorde of his gyfte my conscyence telleth me what is good and no man shall bringe me from that god teacheth me by his holye spirite Nowe yâ— wyll aske me And is not this well saide Verelye if man were neuer deceyued in the true sence of gods worde and were assured that god in dede taught him by his holye spirite the aunswere were graue but when so many errours are arrisen in the sence of goddes holy worde and the deuyll maye and hath transformed him selfe into the aungell of lyght suche speach in communycacyon is besydes the purpose For men doute not whether goddes holye worde is to be beleued but what is the sence of goddes holye worde And the maner of speache aforesaide beinge so precise serueth rather as ashes to couer fier to kepe an error close then with sobre communication eche man mistrustinge his owne learninge to trye out what other men whose spirite is commeÌ„ded vnto vs haue by one consent lefte written and testified what they vnderstande in the matter Mary you maister Ioye I praye you pardonne me for yf god hath so made you of his secrete counsel that ye can tel what christ thought as ye haue before arrogantly affyrmed ye may speake for so much with more aucthorytie then anye other But let vs considre ones agayne your And I say the contrary for albeit ye saye so in summe yet when ye declare your selfe afterwarde some wolde conster ye sayde otherwyse and that whether ye wyll or no ye agree with me For when ye call penaunce a turnynge to God youre sayenge implyeth that before suche a man as turneth by penaunce dydde by goddes callynge turne that man was out of gods fauour not iustified but turned from God and after that by grace turneth whyche ye call penaunce So as if ye maye be so vnderstanded ye saye that a man beynge a synner maye haue grace to turne The differeÌ„ce yf we vnderstande you thus betwene you and me is that you expresse the worke of penaunce whyche ye call turnynge And I speake of the worke of penaunce in general and yet I haue not contended with you what be the workes of penauÌ„ce And for ought I here of you in the workes of penaunce I shall not contende with you muche but agre with you for all this bablynge that turninge to god is the worke of penaunce so it be a hole turne whereof scripture speaketh with a mannes hole harte in fastinge wepynge and waylynge and as the church hath declared our turnynge shuld be and not halfe a turne as some of your scole teache and amonges all your turnyng Turnor whom god turne into the right waye But afterwarde ye handle your turninge otherwyse wyll so vnderstande your turninge as a synner shulde be iustified before he doth turne wherein you turne the matter so aboute as it is inexplicable for by you a sinner turneth not as your speache purporteth but a man that was a synner now beleuing and iustified hauing his synnes forgeueÌ„ turneth and so he that is turned all ready in iustificacion yet remaynyng thaÌ„ turneth agayn in penaunce and then the seconde turninge shulde be from god yf the turninge in iustificacion were to god as it muste neads be for in remyssyon of synne and iustificacion god turneth man to him And so the playne man whom ye take vpon you to teache playnly wolde vnderstand it For when ye say that a sinner before his turnyng by penaunce beleueth and is iustified that is one turne where he was before from god now to be towardes hym And then if there be yet after a turnynge againe in penaunce that turnynge must nedes be from god For a seconde turne muste nedes be contrarye to the fyrste as a simple man aunswered when one told him the world was turned Then ê™ he all is well for I harde my graundfather saye in his tyme the worlde was turned And then the worlde was nought And therfore by the seconde turne he concludeth it shulde be good For in two turnes one succedinge a nother yf the first be one waye the seconde is a nother And yet you wolde haue a synner fyrst iustified by fayth wherein he is turned to god and then turne by penaunce If ye wolde call me nowe Pelagian bycause I shuld speake as thoughe man myghte turne of him selfe withoute belefe then I wolde saye ye spake as besemethe the person ye mainteyne I haue learned and therafter speake that a sinner can not turne without the grace of god which god dystributeth by degrees as the soÌ„ne sheweth her selfe in the morninge in whom there is encrease by successe tyl the sonne come to the highest at noon Men fall sodenly downe the hyll from god but they be drawen vp the hyll to hym by degrees And the degrees of helth be signified in the miracle of christ of the blynde man to whome christ restored not his perfit syghte at ones but by degrees We preache to meÌ„ to rise in the mornÃng orto iam sole for Vanum est ante lucem surgere and ye bydde men lye styll whyle it be noon that the sonne be at the highest this causeth your fonde stoicall scoole of extremities whiche admytteth no meane I haue bene somewhat mery with you for my owne relefe beinge vexed and weried with your fond talke whiche is suche as maketh onely a coÌ„fusion of that ye speake of without frute or edifienge And yet I can not pretermytte to note somewhat in your iustification which ye declare thus Ioye Now let vs se the order of our iustification before god accordynge to the scriptures Firste sayth Paule we are chosen of god in Chryst before the foundacion of the worlde was layde And when we be borne anewe of the spirite we are called to receyue fayth Ioan. i. and .i. Ioan. v. which gyfte of faith certifyeth vs of our election geuynge vs the knowlege of god the father in and by Christe Whiche knowledge as nothynge can be sayd breiflyer so is there nothynge more excellent sweter more full and perfit holsomer more comfortable and ioyouse For when I knowe god the father in Christe by the holy gost I knowe these .iii. persons to be the onely one God the most hygh goodnes hauynge his beinge of him self and all other creatures to haue their being lyfe and mouynge of hym euen that one alone my very lyuynge God for me and for all sufficient mercyful benygne louyng almyghty to me my delyuerer defender and keper longe suffring iust true my presente sauyoure and forgeuer of my synnes gyuynge me frelye for Christes sake eternall lyfe and beatitude In