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
men Wherfore they in whom Christe dothe nothynge worke be nat membres of Christ. And thys confesse the aduersaries that the euyll persons be deade meÌ„bres of the churche Wherfore we wonder why they rebuked our description which speaketh of the quicke membres Nor it is no newe thiÌ„g that we bryng in Paule defyneth the churche in lyke wyse where as he sayeth that it is purified to the ende it myght be holy And he addeth these outwarde tokyns the worde and the sacramentes For thus he sayeth Christ loued the churche and gaue hym selfe for it to sanctify it purifieng it with the bathe of water by the worde to the ende he myght exhibite it vnto hym selfe a glorious churche nat hauiÌ„g any spotte or wrynkle or any such thynge but that it be holy and inculpate Thys sentence we dyd putte in the confession almoste worde for worde Thus also the article of the Crede dothe defyne the churche whiche hyd vs beleue that there is a catholike churche But the wycked men be nat the holy churche And the article folowyng whiche is Sanctorum communionem the communion of saynctes seme to be added for an exposicion to shewe what the churche is that is to say a congregation of holy persons whiche be felowes and partakers of the same gospell of the same doctrine and of the same holy ghoste whiche reneweth sanctifyeth and gouerneth theyr hartes And thê article is propouned for a necessary cause we se infinite perylles whiche do manasse destruction of the churche Infinite is the multitude of the wycked in the churche whiche oppresse it Wherfore leste we shulde despayre and to the entent we shulde knowe that the churche at leaste wayes shal remayne and because we shulde knowe that be the multitude of the wycked neuer so great yet the churche standeth and Christ perfourmeth his promisses to the churche remitteth sinnes hereth and geueth the holy goste this artycle of the Crede propouneth vnto vs these consolations And it nameth it a catholyk church lest we shulde vnderstaÌ„de the church to be an outwarde congregation of some certayne nation where as it sygnifyeth rather men disparsed through out the worlde which agre in the gospell and haue al one Christe al one holy gost and the same sacramentes whether they haue lyke traditions of man or vnlyke And the glose in the decrees saythe that the Churche largely taken compriseth both good euyll Moreouer that euyll men be of the Churche onely in name and not in dede but the good both in dede and in name In this senteÌ„ce be many thynges red of the fathers For Ierom sayth who therfore is a synner maculate with any spotte can not be sayde of the churche of Christe nor subiecte to Christ. Wherfore although hypocritê and euyll men be felowes of this true churche accordynge to externe rytes yet whan the churche is defined we must nedes define that whiche is the lyuynge bodye of Christe and which is the churche both in name in deâ—e And that for many causes fyrst it is necessary to be knowen what thynge dothe principally make vs membres and lyuishe membres of the Churche But if we shulde onely define the churche to be an externe polecie of good and euyl men shal not vnderstande that the kyngdome of Christ is the iustice of the herte and a gyuynge of the holy ghoste but shall iuge it only to by an outwarde kepiÌ„g of certaine rytê ceremonies Moreouer what diuersitie shall there be betwyxte the people of the lawe the church if the church be an outwarde policie â–ª But Paule doth so discerne the church from the people of the lawe that he calleth the church a spirituall people that is to say distincte not by cyuyle rytes from the geÌ„tyles but the true people of god regenerate by the holy ghoste But in the people of the lawe besyde the promyse made of Christ also the carnal sede had ê“mises of corporal thingê of a kyngdome c. And for these promyses the Iewes were called the people of god not onely the good but also they whiche amoÌ„ge them were euyll For god seuered this carnall sede from the rest of the gentyles by certayn externe ordinaunces and promyses And yet those euyll persones pleased not god But the euangell bryngeth not a shadowe of eternall thingê but the selue thynges whiche be eternal as the holy ghost and ryghtwysenes by whiche we be rightwyse before god Wherfore they only be the people accordyng to the gospel whiche receyue this promyse of the spirite Besyde this the churche is the kyngdome of Christ distincte from the kyngdome of the deuyll But certayne it is that wycked men be in the power of the dyuell and membres of his kyngdome as Paule teacheth sayinge that the deuyll is myghtye in infidelles And Christe sayth to the pharisees whiche without doubte had an externe societe with the churche that is to wyte with the holy persones that were in the people of the lawe for they were rulers they sacrifised and taughte Ye be of your father the deuyll So that the churche which is the true kingdome of Christe is proprely the coÌ„gregation of the godly For the wycked be ruled of the deuyll and be his captiues prisoners they be not ruled by the spirite of Christ. But what nede mo wordê in so manifest a thyng If the churche whiche is truely the kyngdome of Christ is distincte from the kyngdome of the deuyll it ensueth necessarily that wycked men which be in the kyngedome of the deuyll be not the churche Althoughe in this lyfe because the kyngdome of Christe is not yet declared and opened they be myxed with the true churche and beare offices in the churche nor the wycked be not therfore of the kiÌ„gdome of Christ bicause the reuelation openiÌ„g of the matter is not yet made For this is alway the kyngedome of Christ whiche he by his spirite viuifieth be it disclosed or hydde by the crosse Lykewyse as Christ is the selfe same whiche is nowe glorified and whiche was before crucified and afflicte And to this agree the similitudes of Christe whiche clerely sayth that the good sede be yâ— chyldren of the kyngdome but the darnell be the chyldren of the deuyll the felde he calleth yâ— worlde not the churche In likewise IohnÌ„ speaketh of the hole nation of the Iewes and saythe that the tyme shall come yâ— the true Churche shal be seuered from that people So that this place makethe rather agaynst the aduersaries than with them for it sheweth that the true and spiritual people be seuerable from the carnall people And Christe speaketh of the ymage and lykenes of the churche whan he saythe The kyngdome of heuen is lyke to a nette or to .10 virgyns c. And he teacheth that the Churche is hydde with the multitude of euyl men lest yâ— this sclauÌ„dre or offendicle myght offende good men also to thentenâ— that we shulde knowe yâ— the
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
disalowe very many other errours of the Anabaptistes yet this we condempne in especiall that they dispute the baptisme of chyldren to be vnprofitable For it is vndoubted that the promyse of helthe and saluation apperteyneth also to lytle chyldren But it doth not apperteyn to them whiche be out of the churche of Christ where is neither the worde neither the sacrameÌ„tes For the kyngdome of Christ hath the beinge only with the worde the sacrameÌ„tes Therfore it is necessarie to baptise infauÌ„tes that the promyse of saluation may be applyed to them accordynge to the coÌ„maundement of Christe Baptise ye all people Where lyke wyse as to all meÌ„ is offered saluation so to all men is offered baptisme both to men women chyldren and infantes It foloweth therfore euidently that infauÌ„tes must be baptised because helthe is offered with baptisme Secundarely it is manifest that god doth approue the baptisme of infantes Therfore the opinion of the Anabaptistê is wycked whiche disalowe the baptisyng of infantes And that god dothe allowe the baptisynge of infantes it is declared sufficiently by this the god dothe gyue the holy ghoste to them that be so baptised For if this baptisme were voyde than the holy ghost shulde be gyuen to none at all than shuld none be saued finally there shuld be no churche at all Euen this reason alone is able to confirme and establyshe sufficiently good and godly myndes agaynst the wycked and madde opinions of the Anabaptistes THe .x. article they do approue in which we do coÌ„fesse and knowlege that we do thynke that in the souper of the lorde or sacrameÌ„t of the aultare there is verily and substantially the body also bloud of Christ and that they be verelye exhibited and gyuen with those thynges whiche be sene that is to say breadde and wyne to them whiche do receyue the sacrament This sentence and opinion our preachers haue stedfastly defended and we fynde that not onelye the Romayne churche dothe affirme the bodely presence of Christ but also the Greke churche that nowe is and also in olde tyme hath ben of the same opinion as the canon of the masse witnesseth whiche the Grekê do vse And ther be recordê also of certeyne wryters testifienge the same For Cyrille vpon IohnÌ„ in the .xv. chapitre saythe that Christe is corporallye exhibited vnto vs in the souper of the lorde For thus he sayth Yet we do not denye that by ryght fayth and sincere charite â—e be ioyned to Christ spiritually But that we haue no maner of coniunction with hâ—m as touchyng the flesshe that verely we do vtterly denye And we do saye that it is clene contrarye to the scriptures of god For who hath doubted that Christ also hath ben the vyne and we the braunches whiche do gette lyfe forthe of it to our selues Herken what Paule saythe For al we be one body in Christ. For al be it we be many yet be we all on in hym For al we be partetakers of one bread Doth he thynke happyly that the vertue of the mysticall benediction is vnknowen to vs whiche sythe it is made in vs dothe it not also by the partetakyngâ— of the flesshe of Christ make Christ to dwel corporally in vs And nat loÌ„ge after he sayth wherfore it is to be consydered that Christe is in vs not onely habituallye whiche is perceyued by charite but also by naturall ê‘ticipation â–ª c. These thynges we haue recited not to th entent to begyn a disputation here of this matter for themperours maiestie dothe not disalowe this article but to th entent â–ª that who so euer shall rede these thynges maye perceyue the more clerelye that we do defende the sentence receiued in the hole churche that in the souper of the lorde be truely and substaÌ„cially present the body and bloud of Christe and be verely exhibited and gyuen with those thingê whiche be sene breadde and wyne And we do speake of the presence of the lyuyng Christe For we knowe that dethe shall no more haue power ouer hym THe .xj. article of receiuynge absolution in the churche they do allowe But as concernyng confession they adde a correction that is to witte that the constitution is to be obserued of the chapitre Omnis utriusâ— sexus c. that both confession shulde be made yerely and thoughe all the synnes can not be rekened vp by nombre yet that diligence is to be gyuen to gather them all to mynde those whiche may be brought to remembraunce â–ª to be shewed and rehersed Of this hole article we shall speake hereafter more plentuouslye whan we shall declare our hole sentence touchynge penaunce This is euideÌ„tly knowen that we haue so set forthe declared and garnyshed with prayses the benefite of absolutioÌ„ and the power and auctorite of the keys that many afflicted troubled consciences by the doctrine of our preachers haue taken coÌ„fort after that they haue herde say that it was the coÌ„maundement of god yea moreouer the very voyce of the gospel that we shuld beleue and truste to the absolution and stedfastly decree with our selues that remission of synnes is freely gyuen to vs for Christes sake and that we shulde thynke that by this fayth we be verely reconciled to god This sentence hath lyfte vp and conforted many godly myndes and in the begynnyng brought vnto Martine Luthere very greate coÌ„mendation amoÌ„ge all good men whan he shewed sure stronge consolation to consciences bicause before that tyme the hole power and strength of consolation was oppressed with the doctrines of warkes whan Sophistres and freers dyd teache nothynge at all of faythe and of remission of synnes But as concernyng the tyme doubtles in our churches very many men do often tymes in the yere vse these â—wo sacramentes â–ª absolution and the souper of the lorde And they that teache of the dignite and the frutes of the sacramentes do speake in suche sorte that they do exhorte and prouoke the people to vse the sacrameÌ„tes often tymes For there be many thynges so wryten by oure men concernyng this thynge that our aduersaries if any be good men amoÌ„ge them do vndoubtedly approue and coÌ„mende them There is also denounced excoÌ„munication to wycked ê‘sons and despisers of the sacrameÌ„tê These thyngê thus be done bothe accordyng to the gospell and to the olde canones â—ut no certen tyme is prescribed be cause all men be not a lyke mere at one tyme yea if all men shuld come to gether at one tyme men can not be herde in ordre instructed And the olde canones and fathers do not appoynte any certeyne tyme. Onely the canon saythe thus Yf any do entre in to the church of god and be perceyued neuer to take theyr housyl let them be admonyshed And if they do not then take theyr housyl let them come to penauÌ„ce If they do take theyr housyll let them not alwayes absteyne If they do not let them absteyne Christe
there be put thre partes of that dayly sacrifice that is to say the brennyng of the lambe â–ª libation oblation of floure The lawe had pictures or shadowes of thyngê to come Therfore in this spectacle and figure Christ and the hole honoure and seruice of the newe testament is paynted The brennynge of the lambe signifieth the deathe of Christe Libation betokeneth that euerywhere throughout the world â–ª those that beleue be sprencled with the bloud of the lambe that is to say by the preachynge of the gospell be sanctified as Peter speakethe into the sanctification of spirite â–ª in to obedience and sprinclynge of the bloude of Iesu Christe The oblation of floure signifieth faythe inuocation and thankes gyuynge in the hertê Therfore as in the olde testameÌ„t we se the shadow so in the newe testament the thynge signified is to be soughte out and not another figure is sufficieÌ„t to sacrifice Wherfore although the ceremonie is the memoriall of Christis deathe yet neuertheles it alone is not the continual sacrifice but the very remembraunce is the continuall and daylye sacrifice that is to witte the preachyng of the gospell and fayth whiche doth truely beleue that god is to vs reconciled by the deathe of Christe There is required libation that is to say theffecte of the preachyng that we by the gospell beinge aspersed with the bloud of Christe myght be sancrified beinge mortified and quickened There be also required oblations that is to say gyuyng of thankes confessions and afflictions So than this pharisaical opinion of the worke wroughte set aparte let vs vnderstande that there is signified a spirituall worshyp and a continuall sacrifice of the herte because in the newe testament not the shadowe but the bodye of good thynges I meane the holy ghoste mortification and viuification oughte to be required By these thynges it appereth that the continuall and daylye sacrifice makethe nothynge agaynst vs but rather for vs. We require all the partes signified by continuall sacrifice Our aduersaries falsely dreame that thonlye ceremonie is betokened not also preachyng of the gospell mortification and viuification of the herte with suche other Nowe therfore good men may easelye iudge that this is a very false accusatioÌ„ to say that we take away the continual dayly sacrifice The thyng it selfe sheweth who be those Antiochi whiche raigne in the churche whiche vnder pretence of religion drawe vnto them selues the kyngdome of the worlde castyng away all care of godly lyuyng and teachyng the gospell playe the lordes make warre lyke princis and kyngê of the worlde whiche haue instituted newe ceremonies in the churche For our aduersaries in the masse only reteine the ceremonie and abuse it openlye to cursed lucre sacrilege And yet they fayne that thê worke if it be applied for other dothe merite vnto theÌ„ grace al goodnes In theyr sermones they teache not yâ— gospell they coÌ„fort nat coÌ„sciences they shewe not that sines be frely forgyuen for Christê sake but they set forthe before vs teache vs honouryng of sayntes humayne satisfactions humayne traditions By these thynges they say that men be iustified before god And where as certayne of these before rehersed be manifestlye wycked yet be they defended with force and violence That if any preachers of them couet to be taken for more connyng and better lerned than the rest they teache questions of philosophie whiche neyther the people neyther yet them selues vnderstande Finally they whiche be of moste tollerable sorte amonge them teache the lawe but of the iustice of fayth they speke no worde Our aduersaries in the coÌ„futation make wonderfull tragedies and sorowfull exclamatioÌ„s about the desolation of churches sayenge that the altares stande vnadourned without candelles without ymages These tryfelynge thynges they iudge to be the adournamentes of the churches But Daniel signifiethe a farre other maner desolation to come to the churche that is to wit the ignoraunce of the gospell For the people oppressed with the great nombre and varietie of traditions opinions coulde in no wyse receiue theffecte and summe of the christian doctrine For what one of the comeÌ„ people vnderstode the doctrine of repentaunce whiche our aduersaries haue taughte And yet this is the principall poynte of the christen doctrine Consciences were vexed with the rekenynge vp of ê‘ricular sinnes and satisfactions But as concernynge faythe by whiche we freelye obteyne remission of synnes no mention was made by our aduersaries I say of thexercises and labours of faythe who wresteleth agaynst desperatioÌ„ of the free remission of synnes for Christis sake all the bookes all the sermones of oure aduersaries were starke dumme To these thinges afore rehersed hath ben added an horrible prophanation and abusyng of masses and many other wycked ceremonies and seruices in churches This is the desolation whiche Daniel describeth On the other syde our preestes thankes be gyuen to god for his goodnes teache the gospell of the benefites of Christe shewe that remission of synnes coÌ„meth frely for Christis sake This doctrine bryngethe stronge and sure consolation to coÌ„sciences There is also added the doctrine of good workê whiche god coÌ„maundeth The vse also and dignitie of the sacramentes is taughte amonge vs. That if the vse of the sacramente were a continuall and dayly sacrifice yet shulde we retayne and kepe the sayde sacrifice more than oure aduersaries For amonge them preestes vse the sacramente because they be hyred for wages and rewardes With vs the vse of the sacramente is more often also more deuoute and holy For the people vse the sacrament but they be fyrste taught and examined For they be taught and instructed of the true and ryghte vse of the sacrament whiche is that it was ordeined for this entente that it shuld be a seale testimonie of free remission of sinnes And therfore it ought to teache feareful consciences and to put them in remembrauÌ„ce to be assured certayne within them selues and to beleue that theyr sinnes be freely forgyuen them For asmoche then as we reteine stylle bothe the preachynge of the gospell and the laufull vse of the sacramentes there remayneth stylle with vs the continuall sacrifice And if we shulde speake of the outwarde sight and shewe to the iye there is greatter resorte of people in our churches than in the churches of oure aduersaries For the people be kepte together with profitable and playne sermones But as for the doctrine of our aduersaries neither yâ— people neyther the doctours them selues euer vnderstande it And the very true apparaylyng and deckyng of temples is godlye doctrine profitable and playne to the hearers the godly vse of the sacrameÌ„tes â–ª feruent prayer and suche other Candelles vessels of golde lyke ornamentes be in dede semely but they be not the propre and verye deckyng of the churche That if our aduersaries set the honoure of god in suche maner thynges and not in preachyng of the gospell in faythe in thexercises
bryngeth the workes of Moyses lawe or of the tenne coÌ„mauÌ„dementes or of Benetê rule or of Austines rule or of any other rules he dothe disanull and take away the promyse of Christe he hath caste away Christe and is fallen from grace This is the sentence and mynde of Paule And consydre O Charles moste mylde and gentle Emperour Consydre ye princes Consydre ye of all ordres and degrees howe greate is the vnshamefastnes of our aduersaries whan we dyd recite the place of Paule conteynynge this sentence They wrote vnto it these wordê They be al wycked whiche be alledged here agaynst Monasticall lyfe And what is more certein vndoubted than that men obteine remission of synnes for Christis sake by faythe And yet these lewde felowes dare call this sentence wycked We doubte not but if ye had ben monished of this place ye wold haue sene this so great blasphemye to haue ben scraped out of the coÌ„futatioÌ„ Nowe for asmoche as it hath ben heretofore largelye declared the opinion to be wycked that for our owne workê we obteine remission of sinnes we wyll be the shorter in this place For a wyse reader may therof easily coÌ„clude that we deserue not remission of sinnes by abbeye workes And therfore that blaspemye also is in no wyse to be suffred whiche is red in Thomas that the profession of religion is â—galle to baptisme It is playne madnes to make the tradition of man whiche haâ—â— for â—t neyther the coÌ„maundement neyther the promyse of god egall to the ordinauÌ„ce of Christ whiche hath for it bothe the coÌ„maundement and the promyse of god and whiche conteyneth the couenauÌ„te of grace of eternal lyfe Secondly obedieÌ„ce pouertie single lyfe so that it be not vncleane be but exercises indiffereÌ„t And therfore holy men may vse them without synne as Barnarde Fraunces â–ª and other holy men dyd vse them And they dyd vse them for a corporall vtilitie that they myght be the more expedite and reâ—ye to teache and to do other holye and vertuous workes â–ª and not because the very workê of them selues â—e seruices which iustifie or merite eternal lyfe Breffely they be of that sorte of which 〈◊〉 speakeâ—h to Timothe â–ª Corporalis exercitacio ad modicum utilis est Bodely exercise is profitable a lytle And it is lykelye ynoughe that somewhere at this day there be good men in Monasteries whiche busye them selues in the ministration of the worde and whiche vse those obseruauÌ„ces without any wycked opinions But to thinke that those obseruauÌ„ces â—e seruicê and honoryngê of god by which we be coÌ„pted ryghtuous before god and deserue euerlastiÌ„g lyfe this is playne contrarye to the gospell of the iustice of faythe whiche teacheth that for Christis sake iustice is gyuen to vs and eternall lyfe It is contrary to the sayenge of Christe Frustra me colunt mandatis hominum .i. In vaine they worshyp me with traditions of men It is contrarye also to this sentence Omne quod non est ex fide peccâ—tum â—st All that is not of faythe is synne But howe can they afferme that these be seruicê whiche god doth approue as a ryghtuousnes before hym whan they haue no warrantise of the worde of god But se the vnshamefastnes of thaduersaries They not onely teache that those obseruauÌ„ces be seruicê iustifieng before god but adde also that they be more perfecte seruices that is to say more meretyng remission of synnes and iustification than be any other kyndes of lyuynge And here runne together in a heape many false poysone opinions They fayne that they kepe bothe the preceptes and counsaylles Afterwardê the liberall men because they â—reame that they haue meritê more than be sufficiente to them selues they selle them vnto other All these thynges be full of pharisaicall vanitie For there can be no greater wyckednes than to thynke that they in suche wyse fulfyll the tenne coÌ„maundementes that they haue merites more than they nede sythe it is so that these preceptes Thou shalt loue thy lorde god with all thy herte Thou shalte not lust accuse euery maÌ„ be he neuer so holy The ê“phete sayth Euery man is a lyer that is to say not hauynge ryght opinion of god not fearynge god sufficientely not beleuynge god sufficiently Wherfore religious men do falselye glorye that in the kepynge of abbeye lyfe the preceptes be fulfylled yea more to This is false also that the obseruauÌ„ces of religious men be workes of the counsaylles of the gospell For the gospell dothe not counsell diuersities of apparayle of meates of renouncynge of theyr owne goodes These be traditions of men of all whiche it was sayde Esâ—a nos non commendat deo Meate dothe not make vs acceptable to god Wherfore neither they be honours and seruices iustifienge neyther be they perfection but rather whaÌ„ they be set forthe cloked with these titles they be the very doctrines of deuylles Uirginitie I graunte is counsaylles but yet only to those ê‘sones whiche haue the gyfte as it was sayd before But it is a verye poysone erroure to thynke that the perfection of the gospell standeth in traditioÌ„s of men For so the religious persones also of the Machometistes myghte boste that they haue the euaÌ„gelical ê‘fection Neyther doth it stande in obseruyng of other thynges whiche be indifferent But bicause the kyngdome of god is iustice and lyfe in the hertes therfore ê‘fection is to encreace the feare of god and the truste of the mercye promysed in Christe and diligence and care to obeye our callyng Lykewyse as Paule describeth perfection we be sayth he transfourmed froÌ„ clearenes in to clearenes as of the spirite of the lorde He sayth not we take vpoÌ„ vs now this now that habite of religion or a suÌ„drye fashyon of shoes or another maner of gyrdle It is a pitiefull thyng that suche pharisaical yea rather mahometical wordes be redde and herde in the churche that is to wit that the ê‘fection of the gospell and of the kyngdome of Christe whiche is eternal lyfe doth stande in these folyshe obseruaunces of garmeÌ„tes of meates and of suche other tryfles Nowe herken oure sadde and discrete iudges howe shameful a senteÌ„ce they haue put in the confutation Thus they say It is expressed in the holy scriptures that the religious lyfe duely obserued kepte which through goddê grace all religious persones may obserue and kepe dothe merite eternall lyfe and that Christe hath promysed it more largely to them which shal forsake house or bretherne c. These be the wordes of our aduersaries in whiche this is fyrste a very shameles lye to saye that it is expressed in holy scripture that Monasticall lyfe dothe merite eternall lyfe For where do the holy scripturê in any place speake of Monasticall lyfe Thus our aduersaries defende theyr cause thus the wretched men alledge the scriptures whan euery man knoweth that Monasticall lyfe is a thynge newly deuised and yet they
Christian men to bere officies and authorities to excercise iudgementes to iudge thinges accordinge to themperours lawes or other preseÌ„t lawes of kynges and rulers to execute due punyshmentes by the lawe to holde batel or warre by the lawe to be a soudiour to coÌ„tracte or bargayn by the lawe to holde a thiÌ„ge in proprietie to take an othe when officers do lawefully require it to mary a wyfe to take an husbande They condempne the Anabaptistes whiche inhibite forbydde these ciuile offyces to christen men They daÌ„pne also those whiche do not putte the perfection of the gospell in the dreade of god and faythe but in leauynge forsakynge or gyuynge ouer of polytike and ciuile offyces For the gospel teacheth the eternal rightwisnes of the harte So that it destroyeth not the politike and ciuile gouernaunce but chiefly requireth the conseruation of the same as good ordenauÌ„ces of god to exercise and practise charitie in suche ordenaunces Therfore necessariely Christen men ought to obey theyr gouernours and their lawes saue wheÌ„ they commaunde sin for then they be rather bounden to obey god thaÌ„ man as it is sayed iÌ„ the fyfte chap. of the Actes Also they teach that Christ shal appere iÌ„ the ende of the worlde to iudge and shall rayse vp agayne all that be deade and shall gyue to the godly and electe people euerlastynge lyfe perpetuall ioyes but the wycked men and deuilles â—e shal condeÌ„pne to be tormeÌ„ted with out ende They daÌ„pne the Anabaptistes which thinke that the payne of euyl men and of deuylles shal haue an ende They dampne also other whiche nowe a dayes do sowe abrode iudaâ—cal opinions that before the ResurrectioÌ„ of the deade the wicked shal be oppressed in euery place the good men shal occupy possesse the kingdome of the world Of fre wyl they teache that mans wyll hath some libertie to worke ciuile outwarde rightwysnes and to chose out thinges subiecte vnto reason but it hath nat myght without the holy goste to do the ryghtwisnes of god or spiritual ryghtuousnes â—or a man lefte to the power of his owne soule whoÌ„ Paule calleth animalem hominem perceyueth not the thynges that be of the spirite of god but this ryghtwisnes is framed and made in the hartes wheÌ„ the holy gost is coÌ„ceyued by the worde This sayeth Austyne with lyke wordes iÌ„ his thyrde boke of hypognosticon We graunt sayth S. Austyne that euery man hauynge reasonable iudgement hathe free wyll not that he is able in thiÌ„ges perteyning to god without god ether to begyn or at the leste waye to make an ende but only in the warkes of this preseÌ„t life aswele good as euyl In good warkes I say which do issue forth of the goodnes of nature as to wyl to labour in the felde to wyll to eate and drynke to wyll to haue a freÌ„de to wyl to haue clothiÌ„ge to wyl to make a house to wyll to marye a wyfe to noryshe beastes to learne a crafte of diuerse good thinges to wyll whatsoeuer good thynge apperteyneth to thys presente lyfe of the whiche thinges none hathe beinge without the gouernaunce of god yea of hym and by hiÌ„ they be and began to be Euyll workes I say as to wyll to honour an Image or Idolle to do manslaughter cÌ„ They dampne the Pelagians other which teache that without the holie ghoste onely by strengthe of nature we may loue god aboue all thinges do the preceptes of god as touching the substaunce of the actes as they cal it For though nature can some what do the outwarde workes for nature maye kepe her hande frome killinge of meÌ„ yet she caÌ„ nat worke the inwarde motyons as the dreade of god the trust in god chastite pacience cÌ„ Of the cause of syn they teach that although god doth create conserue nature yet the cauâ—â— of synne is the wyll of them that be euyl that is to say of the deuyll of the wycked men which wyll when god helpeth not turneth it selfe froÌ„ god as Christ sayth in the eyght chap. of IohnÌ„ when he speaketh a lye he speaketh of hiÌ„ selfe Our techers be falsely accused that they prohibite and forbidde good workes For their writynges whiche go abrode of the .x. commaundementes and other of lyke matter do witnes that they haue taught profytably of all kyndes of lyuinge offices as what kyndes of lyuinge what workes do please god in euery callinge Of which thiÌ„ges prechers heretofore spake but litle only they magnifyed and did set forth chyldishe and vnnecessary warkes as certeyne holy dayes certayne fastinges fraternities guyldes or brotherhedes pylgrymages worshippynges of sayntes rosaries entringe into relygion and such other lyke Our aduersaries throughe our monition do nowe vnlearne leaue thys gere so that they preach not these vnprofytable workes so moche as they dyd before Furthermore they beginne to make mention of faythe of the whiche nowe this great while hathe bene meruelous sylence all though they cease not to obscure and darken the doctrine of faythe in that they leaue mens coÌ„sciences in a doubt bydding theÌ„ purchase remission of synnes with warkes But they teache not that throughe Christe by only faythe we may be sure to haue remyssyon of synne For as moche therfore as the doctrine of faythe whiche ought to be the chiefeste and principal in the churche hath lyen so longe vnknowen as we muste all nedes confesse that of the ryghtuousnes of faythe most depe and profounde sylence hath bene in preachinges that allouly the doctrine of workes hath bene exercised and coÌ„uersauÌ„t in churches therfore I say our teachers haue warned monished the churches of faythe in thys wyse as foloweth fyrste that our workes can nat reconcile god vnto vs or deserue remyssyon of synnes and grace and iustifycation but thys we gette only by faythe beleuynge that only for Christes sake we be receyued into fauour who only is sette forth and purposed vnto vs a mediatour a mercy stocke by whoÌ„ the father is reconciled and his fauour goten agayne Therfore he that trusteth to deserue fauour or grace with workes despyseth the meryte grace of Christe and seketh a way and cummynge to God with mannes power without Christ where as Christe sayde of hymselfe I am the waye the truthe and the lyfe This doctryne of fayth is euery where treated in Paule as to the Eph. 2. by grace ye are made saâ—e throughe faythe and that not of your selfe it is the gyft of god not of workes cÌ„ But here leste peraduenture a man wolde make cauillations and craftely lay for hym selfe agaynst vs that we haue deuised and founde out this newe interpretatyon of Paule I saye that all thys cause or matter hath for the mayntenance of it the authoritie and witnes of olde and aunciente fathers For S. Austyne in many volumes defendeth grace rightuousnes of fayth agaynst merites of workes
and vestures These obseruations had by longe prescription of time won them selues a very hyghe an honeste tytle for they onely were called the spiritual lyfe perfecte lyfe But in the meane season the preceptes of god executed accordinge to a mans vocation and callynge had no laude nor prayse as that the father and good man of the house brought vp his children that the mother chylded that the prynce gouerned the comen welthe these thynges were thought to be worldly workes and vnperfect and farre worse then those shyninge and glitteringe obseruations And thys errour dyd greatly vexe greue wel disposed consciencies which were sory that they were holden in an vnperfecte kynde state of lyuinge as in mariage in gouernaunce and in other offices ciuile ministrations On the other syde they magnifyed and had in hyghe reputation the Monkes and such lyke cloisterers whiche call them selues religious parsons and thought though vntruly that theyr obseruations dyd a greate dele more deserue remission of synnes and iustifycation than the symple lyfe of a christian man dyd Thirdly traditions brought greate parell and daunger to consciences for it was impossible to kepe al traditions and yet men iudged these obseruations to be necessary worshyppynges and honoryng of god Gerson writeth that many dyd fall into desperation and that some also dyd kyll them selues for because they thought that they coulde not satisfye the traditions and in the meane season they harde no comforte of the ryghtuousnes of fayth and of grace We see makers of Summes and diuines to abbridge and gather traditions and to seke Epikees that is to say moderations or fauorable interpretations tâ— th eÌ„tent to ease consciences and yet they bringe not theyr purpose sufficiently to passe but some tymes they snare and tangle consciences more and more And in gatheriÌ„ge together of traditions scoles and sermones haue bene so occupied that they haue not had leiser once to touche scripture and to seke the more profitable doctrine of fayth of the crosse of hope of the worthines of ciuile or politik thinges of coÌ„forte of conscience in most bytter temptations Therfore Gerson and certayn other diuines haue greuously complayned that they were so combred and entangled with these paynfull traditions that they coulde not occupy them selues in a better kynde of doctrine And Austine dothe inhibite to charge consciences with such obseruations and ful wysely doth admonishe and warne Ianuarie his frende that he shulde knowe that they be to be obserued and kepte indifferently for this is his terme Wherfore men ought not to thynke that our learned men haue touched thys matter without cause why or for hatred of byshoppes as some men falsely do thynke There was greate necessitie to warne the churches of these errours whiche were spronge out of traditions amysse vnderstonden For the gospell compelleth to promote and sette forthe in the churches the doctryne of grace and the ryghtuousnes of faythe whiche neuertheles can not be vnderstonded if men do thinke that they do meryte remission of synnes and iustification by obseruations of their owne electyon Therfore they taught on this wyse that by obseruation and kepyng of mannes traditions we can not get remission of synnes and iustifycation and therfore it is not to be thought that such obseruations be necessary honours of god They adde authorities of scripture Christe accuseth the apostels whiche kepte not the customable and vsed tradition whiche neuertheles semed to be a thinge not vnlawful but a meane thinge and to haue a certayne affinitie or neyberhode with the baptismes and wasâ—hinges of the lawe and sayeth They honour me in vayne with commaundementes of men Ergo he requireth not an vnprofytable honor And a lytle after he addeth all thinge that entreth into the mouthe dothe not inquinate nor deâ—yle man Paule also to the Roma sayeth the kingdome of god is not meate nor drinke Also to the Collette no man iudge you in meate drinke sabboâ— daye or holy daye Also a lytle after he sayth yf ye be deade with Christe from the elementes of the worlde why as thoughe ye were lyuinge in the worlde do ye kepe decrees touche thou not taste thou nat haÌ„dle thou nat Peter also in the actes sayeth why do ye tempte god layeng a yoke vpon the neckes of the disciples whiche neyther we nor our fathers were able to beare but we beleue to be saued aswell as they by the grace of our lorde Iesu Christ. Here Peter forbyddith to charge consciences with many rites and ceremonies either of Moyses or elles of others And iÌ„ the firste epistle to Timothe Paule calleth ê“hibition of meates the doctrine of deuilles for it is againste the gospell to institute or do suche workê that by them we may merite and gette remissioÌ„ of synnes and ryghtuousnes or that christianite coulde not be without suche an honouring of god Here our aduersaries obiecte lay agaynste vs that our men do ê“hibite discipline and mortification of the flesshe as Iouinian dyd but the contrary shal be knowen by the writing of our lerned men for they haue alwayes taughte of the crosse that it behoueth Cristen men to suffre tribulacions or afflictions For this is the true the earneste the vnfayned mortificacioÌ„ I meane to be exercised with diuerse afflictions to be crucified with Christe Moreouer they teche yâ— euery christeÌ„ maÌ„ ought so to exercise subdue hym selfe with corporall exercises labours that saturitie and fulnes of metes and drinkes or slothfulnes do not ê“voke and pryck hym forwarde to synne but not that we can deserue by these exercises remissioÌ„ of sin or pardon of eternal deathe And it behouith to sette forth this corporall discipline at all tymes not alonly at a fewe certein daies ordeyned to the same purpose as Christe coÌ„mauÌ„dith Cauetâ— ne corda vestra grauentur crapula .1 beware that your hertes be not greued with surfaiting Also Hoc genus demoniorum non eiicitur nisi oratione et ieiunio .1 this kynde of diuelles is not cast forth but with fasting and prayer and Paule saieth Castigo corpus meum et in seruitutem redigo .1 I chastice my body bring it into seruitude bondage where he shewyth clerely yâ—â—e dyd chastice his body not to deserue by that discipline remission of syn but to haue his body in boÌ„dage and apte to spirituall thynges and to do his calling Therfore the fastingê theÌ„ selues are not coÌ„deÌ„pned but the traditions which prescribe and appointe certain daies certein meates with peâ—yl of coÌ„science as though those maner of workes were necessary honouringes of god Yet many traditioÌ„s be kepte with vs which helpe to this that thynges be doone orderly in the Churche as the ordre of the lessons in the Masse and the chief holydayes be kepte styll But in the mean season men be warned that suche an honour dothe not iustifie or make rightuous before god ne that
acknowledge yâ— our harte naturally is voyde of loue of feare of trust towardê god Therfore saieth the prophete After that the haste shewed it vnto me I strake my thyghe Also I sayde in my traunce euery man is a lyar that is to saye an vntrewe thynker of god ⧠⧠Here the aduersaries do also reproue Luther because he wrote that originall synne remayneth after baptime They adde that this artycle was ryghtly coÌ„deÌ„pned by Leo the tenthe But the emperours maiestie shal espye here a manifest be spoken of ciuyle iudgement nat of the iudgement of god They sowe vnto them euen as wysely this sentence Nature is nat euyl this spoken in place is nat repreueable but it maye nat be wrested to the diminishyng of originall synne and yet these sentencies be red amonge scholemen whiche out of due season do mengle philosophie with the gospell Nor these were nat disputed only in scholes but froÌ„ the scholes they were brought to the people And those persuasions raygned and nourished the affiauÌ„ce of humane powers and oppressed the knowledge of the grace of Christe wherfore Luther wyllyng to declare the magnitude of original synne of humane infirmitie taught that the resydues or dregges of originall sine be of the owne nature in man nat indifferent thynges but that we nede the grace of god that they maye nat be imputed and the holy ghoste that it maye be mortified Albeit the scholemen do make lesse bothe the synne and the payne teachynge that man of hys owne power may do the commaundementes of god In Genesis is otherwyse described the payne due for originall synne For there nat only to deathe and other corporall punyshementes mans nature is made subiecte but also to the kyngdome of the deuyll For there is gyuen this horrible sentence I wyl put enmities betwexte the and the woman and betwexte thy sede and her sede Defaute and concupysceÌ„ce be punyshementes and also synnes Deathe other corporall euyls and the tyrannye of the deuyll be properly punyshementes For mans nature is gyuen into boÌ„dage and holden captiue of the deuyl whiche infecteth it with wycked opinions and errours and impelleth it to al kyndes of synne But as the deuyll can naâ— be vaynquyshed without the ayde of Christe â–ª so can nat we by our owne powers redeme our selues out of this bondage The very historie of the worlde sheweth vs howe greate is the power of the deuyls kyngdome The worlde is full of blasphemies agaynste god of wycked opinions and with these bondes the deuyl hath in captiuite the wyse and ryghtwyse men in the face of the worlde In other sume appere more grosse vices But when Christe is gyuen vnto vs whiche taketh awaye these synnes these punyshmentes and destroyeth the kyngdome of the deuyll synne and death the benefytes of Christe can nat be knowen onles we vnderstande our owne euyls Therfore of these thynges our preachers do diligently teache and they teache nat any newe thing but the holy scripture and sentences of holy fathers This we truste wyll satysfye the Emperours maiestie as touching yâ— chyldyshe and colde cauillacions by whiche the aduersaries haue sclaundered our article For we knowe that we beleue ryghtly and with the catholyk churche of Christe But if the aduersaries wyl renewe this contencyon there shal nat lacke lerned men amonge vs that shall make them answere and defende the truthe For the aduersaries in this cause vnderstande nat for the moste parte what they speake OfteÌ„tymes they speake thynges repugnant and they neyther expresse ryghtly dialectically the formall cause of originall synne nor the defaultê as they call them But we wolde nat in thys place ouer subtylly discusse theyr vayne and sophistical argumentê we thought it ynough to recyte the mynde of the holy fathers whoÌ„ we do folowe with commune knoweÌ„ wordê The thyrde article the aduersaries allowe in whiche we confesse two natures in Christe that is to wyte the nature humane assumpt of the worde into the vnitie of hys persone And that the selfe same Christe suffered and dyed to the entent to reconcyle vnto vs the father and rose agayne to the entent to reygne to iustifie and to sanctifie the beleuers cÌ„ accordyng to the Symbole of the apostles and the Symbole of Nicene ⧠⧠Of Iustificacyon ⧠IN the fourthe fythe syxte and also in the twenty article they condempne vs because we teache that men obtayne remission of synnes nat for theyr owne merites but frely for Christe by faythe in Christ. For they daÌ„ne bothe two poyntes fyrste that we denye that men for theyr owne merites do obtayne remission of synnes and secoÌ„darily that we affyrme that by faythe is obteyned remissioÌ„ of synnes and that men be iustified by faythe in Christe But sythe it is so that in this case or controuersie the pryncypall poynte of our religion is debated whiche ryghtly vnderstaÌ„de setteth forthe the honour of Christe and bryngeth a necessarie and plenteous consolacyon to the godly conscyence we desyre that the emperours maiestie wyll heare vs benyngly of these so greate maters For the aduersaries where as they neyther vnderstaÌ„de what is remission of synnes neyther what faythe â–ª neyther what grace nor what iustyce is pytyfully do defyle this poynt obscuryng the glorie and benefytes of Christe and bereue fronâ— the godly consciencies yâ— propouned coÌ„solacioÌ„s in Christe And to the ende we may maynteyne our coÌ„fessyon and assoyle the obiections of our aduersaries we shall fyrste premitte certayne thynges to the ende that the fountaynes of bothe our doctrines aswell ours as the aduersaries may be knowen The hole scripture ought to be distributed iÌ„to these pryncipal places law and promyses For otherwhyles it sheweth the lawe otherwhyles the promyse of Christ as when it promyseth Christ to cum and promiseth for hym remission of synnes iustificacyon and lyfe eternall or where in the Euangell Christ after he ones appered promyseth remission of synnes iustificacyoÌ„ and lyfe eternall we call the lawe in thys disputacyon the preceptes of the Decalogie in what place so euer they be red in scripture Of the ceremonies iudiciall lawes of Moses at thys tyme we speake nothyng Out of these the aduersaries take the lawe because mans reason after a fashyoÌ„ dothe naturally vnderstaÌ„de the lawe For it hathe styl the same iudgement wrytten by god iÌ„ the mynde and by the lawe they seke remission of synnes and iustificacion But the Decalogie requyreth nat only outward ciuile workes whiche reason can after a fashyon fulfyll but also it requyreth other thynges ferre aboue reason as truly to feare god truly to loue god truly to call on god truly to beleue that god heareth vs and to loke for the ayde of god in deathe and all afflictions fynally it requyreth obedieÌ„ce towarde god in afflictioÌ„s and in deathe that we escheue them nat nor grudge nat at them whan god lay them on vs. Here the scholemen folowynge the phylosophiers only do teache the iustice of
not be affermed withoute the worde testimonie of god And Paule sayth that all that is not of faythe is synne But syth it is so that these obseruaunces haue no testimonie of the worde of god the coÌ„science muste nedes doubte whether they please god and be acceptable to hym or no. And what nede many wordes in a thyng that is manifeste and open If our aduersaries do defende these honourynges inuented by men as thinges deseruyng iustification grace and remission of synnes they do playnly buyld vp the kyngdome of Antichriste For the kyngdome of Antichrist is a newe maner of honourynge deuised by the auctoritie of man reiectynge Christe Lykewyse as the kyngedome of Mahomete hath honouryngê hath workes by whiche it wyll be iustified before god and dothe not thynke that men be iustified in the syght of god freely through fayth for Christê sake So also the papacie shall be a parte of Antichristis kyngdome if it dothe so defende worshyppynges inueÌ„ted by men that they do iustifie For the honoure and prerogatyue of Christe is abbrydged whan they teache that we be not freelye iustified through faythe for Christê sake but by suche maner obseruauÌ„ces And namely whan they teache that suche maner obseruauÌ„ces and ceremonies be not onely profitable but also necessarie to iustification as theyr opinion was herebefore in the .viii. article where they condempne vs because we sayde that it is not necessarye to the vnitie of the churche that there be in all placê lyke and one maner obseruaunces and ceremonies instituted by men Daniel the prophete signifieth and gyueth knowlege that newe fashyons of worshyppes inuented by men shal be the very forme and state of Antichristis kyngdome For thus he saith He shal honour the god Maosis in his owne place and the god whiche his fathers neuer knewe shall he worshyp with golde and syluer and precious stones Here he describeth newe fashyons of honouryng god for he saythe that such maner god is worshypped as the fathers haue not knowen For albeit that the holye fathers also haue had ceremonies and traditions yet they dydde not thynke that these thynges be profitable or necessarye â—o iustification they dyd not mynyshe the glorie the benefite of Christ but they taught that we be iustified through fayth for Christis sake and not for those humane traditions and ceremonies But they dyd obserue the traditions of men for a corporall vtilitie that the people shuld knowe what tyme they oughte to come together and that all thynges shulde be done ordrely and sadly in the churches because of example Finallye that the coÌ„men people also shulde haue a certayne instruction and discipline For the diuersities of tymes and the varietie of ceremonies auayleth to monyshe the coÌ„men people These causes moued the fathers to obserue and kepe ceremonies as Epiphaniê° doth opeÌ„ly witnesse in his disputation agaynst the Encratites whiche dyd lay vpon them selues certeyne traditions they dyd absteyne from wyne euen also in the very â—ouper of the lorde They dyd eate no flesshe no neyther yet fysshe in which thyng they dyd farre passe the freres of dominikes ordre Mariage they dyd hate moste of any thynge albeit the companye of women they dyd not hate For this thynge dothe Epiphanius laye agaynste them For they had flockes of women whiche folowed the same sorte and kynde of lyuynge that they dyd euen as at this daye the religious men coÌ„menly haue monasteries of women nere vnto them And these obseruauÌ„ces they dyd imagine to be the true honoure seruice of god and to be iustice for whiche they were acceptable vnto god and by whiche they dyd pacifie the wrathe of god This opinion doth Epiphanius disproue and sheweth that there be other endes of the traditioÌ„s For he sayth that traditions â—e to be praysed and allowed whiche be made eyther for temperauÌ„ce or for ciuile gouernaunce that is to saye eyther to tame and subdue the fleshe â–ª for the instruction of the vnlerned ê‘sons or els for a ciuile order to be hadde And we also iudge that for these causes traditions may be wel kepte that is to say to th entent that the people shulde be present at deuine seruice in sobre wyse so as Iosaphat and the kynge of Nynyue dyd by proclamation coÌ„maunde fastes Also that the ordre ceremonies in the churche shuld teache the vnlerned what is done in euery tyme. Hereof were ordeyned the Christemas holye dayes the holy dayes of Easter and whytson tyde suche other lyke This is it that Epiphanius saythe that traditions were instituted because of an ordre to be had that suche ordre shulde put men in remembraunce of the historie and of the benefites of Christe For the tokens or markes of thynges beinge aâ— it were paynted and set forth in maners and ceremonies do more effectuallye put the coÌ„men people in remeÌ„braunce than do bokes or wrytynges These endes of traditions and ceremonies were profitable to be shewedde to the people and to be playnely openly declared But to these endes our aduersaries do fayne a nother ende to be ioyned through a certeyn pharisaicall persuasion that is to witte that suche maner obseruauÌ„ces do merite remission of synnes Also that they be seruices necessarye to iustification and that for them men be accompted ryghtuous in the syghte of god This playnly is to honoure god with golde syluer and precious stones and to thiÌ„ke that god is appeased and recoÌ„ciled with diuersitie of garmentes of ornamentes and with other lyke thynges of whiche there is an infinite numbre in the traditioÌ„s of men or els to thiÌ„ke that suche maner tbynges be honourynges of god I meane diuersities of tymes of meates of vessels of apparayle Paule to the Collossianes wryteth that traditions haue the semblaunce and lykenes of wysedome And in very dede so haue they For that fayre ordre is very semely in the churche and for that cause is necessarye But mannes reason because it dothe not vnderstande the ryghtuousnes of faythe it doth naturally imagine that suche maner work iustifie men and that they reconcile god vnto vs. c. Suche was the opinion of the comen people amoâ—ge the Israelities and by the reason of 〈…〉 they dyd augmeÌ„t suche manâ—r ceremonies 〈◊〉 they haue nowe encreased with vs in Monâ—steâ—ies Suche is the iudgemeÌ„t of maÌ„nes 〈◊〉 also â–ª concernynge the exercises of the body concernynge fastynges whose ende in very dede is to tame and to punyshe the flesshe but yet mannes reason doth fayne a nother ende that is to say that they be diuine honours whiche iustifie As Thomas wryteth that fastynge is auayllable to the puttynge awaye and to the prohibition of synne For these be the verye wordes of Thomas Thus the semblaunce and apparaunce of wysedome ryghtuousnes in suche maner workes deceyueth men Besydes this there be examples of sayntes whiche whyles men studie to folowe they often tymes folowe the outwarde exercises but they folowe
prayed vnto her shulde dye with out housell Another of them sayd ouer the hole psalter dayly standyng on the one foote Some wyse man paynted a Christofore that is to say a bearer of Christ whiche wolde signifie by an allegorie that there had nede to be greate streÌ„gth of mynde in theÌ„ whiche shulde beare Christe that is to saye whiche shulde teache the gospel or confesse and acknowlege Christ because that suche one muste nedes abyde great ieopardies Afterwardes folyshe freers taught amonge the people to call and pray to Christofore as though there had ben ones suche a Polypheme that is for to saye suche a greate gyauÌ„t in very dede And where as sayntê in dede haue done very greate thinges eyther profitable to the comon weale or els conteynynge priuate examples the rehersall wherof shulde be very profitable bothe to establyshe the faythe and also to ê“uoke other to folowe theyr actê no man sought out these thynges out of the true histories Undoubtedly it is profitable to heare howe holy men dyd administre comen weales what chauÌ„ces what ieoperdies they put them selues in how holy men dyd helpe kynges in greate ieopardies howe they taughte the gospell what disputations and batayles they had with heretikes The examples also of mercy be profitable as when we see that Peter was ê‘doned the denieng of his maister that Cyprian was forgyuen that he was a negromancer whan we se Augustine in his syckenes prouinge the strengthe of faythe to afferme stedfastlye that god dothe in dede heare the prayers of them that do beleue Suche maner exaÌ„ples which do conteyne eyther faythe or feare or administration gouernaunce of the comen weale it were profitable to be recited But certayn hypocrites or stage players not indued with any knowlege eyther of faythe or of gouernynge of comen weales haue imagined tales countrefaytynge the workes of poetes in whiche be nothyng els but only superstitious exaÌ„ples of certeyn prayers of certeyn fastes and there be added also certeyne thinges makyng for lucre As for example the fayned miracles of the Rosaries and lyke ceremonies Neither is it nede to reherse heare any examples For there be legendê as they cal them glasses of examples and Rosaries in whiche there be many thynges not vnlyke to the true narrations of Luciane in whiche is neuer a true worde These wonderfull and wycked tales byshoppes diuines religious men do fauour and allowe because they make for the belye But vs they may not abyde which to th entent that the honour benefite of Christ myght the more be sene do not require inuocation of sayntes and do rebuke the abuses in the honouryng of sayntes And notwithstandyng that all good men euerywhere do desire either the auctoritie of the byshops or the diligence of the preachers in the redressyng of these abuses yet our aduersaries in the confutation do vtterly dissemble and wyll not be a knowen euen of those vices which be manifest and open as thoughe if the confutation were receyued they wolde compelle vs to allowe euen the most knowen euident abuses So disceytfully is the confutation made not onely in this place but almoste euerywhere There is no place in which they do discerne the manifest abuses from their decrees and opinions And yet amonge them selues if any be wyser than other they do graunte that many false persuations do stycke in the doctrine of schole men canonistes and besydes this that many abuses haue cropen in to the churche throughe the greate ignoraunce and negligence of pastors and curates For Luther was not the fyrste whiche complayned of open abuses Many ryghte connynge and excellent men haue longe before these dayes sorowed and bewayled the abuses of the masse the truste in the obseruaunces of monkes and freers the gaynfull worshyppynge of sayntê the confuse darkenes of the doctrine of penaunce whiche ought to be euen most playne and open of all other in the churche We our selues haue herde excellent diuines saye that there waÌ„teth measure in the doctrine of scole men wherin is conteyned moche more philosophicall braullyng than godlynes And yet amonge these the olde men be more nere to the scripture than the wryters of late tyme. So the diuinitie of them hath thus gone out of kynde more and more Neyther was there any other cause to many good men whiche beganne to loue Luther at the begynnyng then that they sawe hym to rydde and delyuer the myndes of men from those endeles mases of mooste confuse and enuegeled disputations whiche be amonge the schole diuines and canonistes and to teache thynges profitable to true vertuous lyuynge Wherfore our aduersaries dyd very maliciouslye that whan they wolde haue vs agree to the confutation they dyd dissemble and speake no worde of the abuses And if they wolde the welthe and profite of the Churche they ought speciallye in this place in this occasion to exhort the Emperours maiestie that he wolde take counsell coÌ„cernyng the redresse of these abuses whom we perceyued very euidently to be most desyrous of well orderynge and healynge of the churche But our aduersaries go not aboute to helpe and further the most honeste and holy entente and purpose of themperoure but that they maye oppresse vs by all maner meanes Many euidente tokens shewe that for the churche they take lytle thoughte They gyue no diligence that the people maye haue amonge them some certeyn fourme of decrees and opinions in the churche Manifest abuses they defende with a newe straunge crueltie They suffre no worthye teachers in the churche What they entende by these thyngê good men maye easelye iudge But by this waye they neyther ê“uyde well for theyr owne kyngdome neyther yet for the churche For whaÌ„ the good teachers be burned and slayne and the true doctrine is oppressed afterward there shall ryse madde and frantike persones whom our aduersaries shall not be able to represse whiche shall trouble the churche with wycked opinions and shall ouerthrowe the hole ordre of the Churche whiche we desyre very greately to conserue and kepe Wherfore we beseche praye you moste noble emperour Charles for the glorie of Christe which we do not doubte but your maiestie desyreth to garnyshe set forthe and encrease that ye wyll not assente to the violente counsayles of oure aduersaries but that ye wyll seke other honest wayes of makyng concorde and peace in suche wyse that godly consciences be not ouercharged ne any crueltie be exercised vpon innoceÌ„t men so as we haue sene vsed yet hytherto nor the holsome and true doctrine in the churche be oppressed This seruice ye mooste speciallye owe vnto god to conserue I meane the ryght and holsome doctrine and to prouyde that it maye come to them which shall folowe after your tyme and to defende them that teache the ryghte and true doctrine For this thyng god requireth whan he garnyshethe kynges with his owne name and callethe them goddes sayenge I sayde ye be goddes that is
of the applicacion whiche they fayne to merite vnto others remission of synnes In dede it may be called an oblation because there be offered prayers thankes gyuyng and all that hole ceremonie lykewyse as it is called Eucharistia But neyther the ceremonies neyther the prayers be ê“fitable by the owne vertue without fayth How be it here we dispute not of the prayers but properly of the souper of the lorde The Greke canon also speaketh many thingê of oblation but it declareth openlye that it speaketh not properly of the body bloud of our lorde but of the hole masse of yâ— prayers and thankes gyuynge For the Greke worde maye be thus translated in to oure englysshe tongue And make vs worthye to offre vnto the o lorde prayers supplications and sacrifices vnbloudy for all the hole people If this be ryght vnderstaÌ„de there is no hurte in it For it desyrethe that we maye be made worthy to offre prayers and supplicatioÌ„s and vnbloudy sacrificê for the people It calleth the very prayers vnbloudy hostê or sacrificê Likewise as a lytle after it sayth Yet we offre vnto the this reasonable vnbloudy honour For they expounde it folyshelye who soeuer had rather expounde this place for a reasonable hoste applye it to the body of Christ whan the canon speakethe of the hole seruice of the Masse And Paule vsethe this worde reasonable honour agaiÌ„st yâ— worke wrought meanynge by it the seruice of the mynde that is to say feare inuocation thankes gyuynge But where our aduersaries defende the application of the ceremonie for the delyuerynge of soules oute of Purgatorye by the reason wherof they gette infinite lucre and money they haue no testimonies nor coÌ„mauÌ„dmentes out of the scripturê And it is no small synne to ordeyne suche ceremonies or seruicê in the churche without the coÌ„maundemente of god or any example of the scripture and to applye vnto deade men the souper of the lorde whiche was ordeyned for a remembraunce and to be preached amonge quicke men This is to abuse the name of god agaynste the seconde coÌ„maundemente for fyrst it is iniurie and dishonour to the gospell a man to thynke that the ceremonie by vertue of the worke that is wrought without faythe is a sacrifice reconcilyng god and satisfienge for synnes It is I say an horrible abominable sayenge that the worke of the preest is of as moche streÌ„gth as is the deathe of Christe Secondarily syn and deathe can nat be ouercomeÌ„ but by faythe in Christe as Paule teacheth we iustified by faythe haue peace ergo the payne of Purgatory can nat be ouercomen by the applyenge of another mannes worke We wyll passe ouer here what maner testimonies our aduersaries haue of Purgatorye what maner paynes they iudge the paynes of Purgatorie be what maner causes the doctryne of satisfactions hathe whiche doctrine we haue here before shewed to be moste vayne This thyng only we shall laye agaynst them it is moste certayne and vndoubted that the souper of the lorde was ordeyned for the remission of the gylte for it offereth remission of synnes in whiche case we muste nedis by it vnderstonde the gylte and yet neuertheles it satisfieth nat for the gylte for than the masse shulde be egall to the deathe of Christe Neyther remission of the gylte can â—e otherwyse receiued then by faythe wherfore we may coÌ„clude that the masse is no satisfaction but a promyse and sacrifice requiringe faythe And forsothe all good and godly men can nat but be sore greued in theyr hartes if they shulde thynke that the Masse for the moste parte is translated and applyed to deade men and to satisfactioÌ„s for paynes This is to take away contynual sacrifice out of the churche This is the kyngdome of Antiochus whiche hathe translated the moste holsome promyses of remission of synne and of faythe vnto the moste vayne opinions of satisfactions This is to defyle the gospell to corrupre the vse of the sacramentê These be they whom Paule sayde be gyltie of the body and bloud of the lorde whiche haue oppressed the doctrine of faythe and remission of synne and vnder the preteÌ„ce of satisfactioÌ„s haue abused the body bloude of the lorde to moste cursed lucre But they shall one day suffre for this abominable sacrilege Wherfore we and all good consciences muste take hede that we approue nat the abuses of our aduersaries But let vs retourne to our matier Forasmoche as the masse is nat a satisfaction neyther for punyshement nor for syn by the vertue of the worke wrought without faythe it foloweth that the applieng of it for deade men is vnprofitable Neyther do we nede here any lenger disputation For it is vndoubted that these applicatioÌ„s for deade meÌ„ be nat grounded vpon the scriptures And it is ieoperdous to institute any honour or seruice to god without auctoritie of scripture That if we shall se nede at any tyme we shall speake more largely of this matire For wherunto shulde we braule nowe with our aduersaries whiche neither vnderstande what sacrifice is nor what a sacramente is nor what remission of synnes is nor what faythe is Neyther dothe the Greke canon applye the oblation as a satisfaction for deade men for it applyeth it indifferently to all the blessed patriarches prophetes apostles It appereth therfore that the Grekes offre it as a thaÌ„kes gyuing and applye it nat as a satisfaction for punyshementes Howbeit they speake nat of the onely oblation of the body and bloude of the lorde but of the other partes of the masse that is to wete of prayers thankes gyuing For after the consecration they praye that it may profite them that receyue it they speake nat of other men Afterwardê they adde these wordes in theyr tongue We offre also vnto the this reasonable seruice for them that reste in the faythe our fyrste fathers patriarches prophetes and apostles c. But reasonable seruice dothe nat here betoken the verie hoste but signifieth the prayers and al thinges that be done there Nowe where our aduersaries alledge the fathers as concerning oblation for deade men we knowe that the olde fathers speake of prayer made for deade men whiche we wyll nat forbydde but the applyeng of the souper of the lorde for deade men because of the worke wrought this we disalowe Neither the olde fathers defeÌ„â—e or aduersaries iÌ„ theyr opinion of the worke wrought And thoughe they haue neuer somuche the testimonies of Gregorie and of other writers oâ— late time for them we sette agaynste them moste open and moste vndoubted scriptures Nowe there is greate vnlyknes and diuersitie betwixt scripture and fathers They were men and myghte erre Howebeit if they were nowe alyue saw theyr owne sayenges made a buckler and defense to those open lyes whiche our aduersaries teache of the worke wrought they wolde expoune theyr owne sayengê farre otherwyse Our aduersaries also falsely alledge agaynste vs the condempnation of one
called Aerius whom they saye was condempned because he dyd deny that in the masse oblation was made bothe for quicke and deade This colour they vse often tymes they alledge olde heresies with them they falsely compare our cause to the entent that with suche comparison they myght make vs more hated Epiphanius witnessith that the opinion of Aerius was that prayers for deade men be vnprofitable This opinion Epiphanius reproueth Neyther do we defende Aerius but we stryue with you which wyckedly defende an heresy manifestly contrary to the sayeng of the prophetes apostles and holy fathers that is to wete that the masse by the vertue of the worke wroughte dothe iustifie and that it dothe merite remission of synnes as they call it a pena et culpa euen also to vnrightuous men for whom it is applied if they make no stoppe or impediment of theyr owne parte These poysoned errours we disalowe whiche minishe the glorye of the passion of Christ and vtterly oppresse the doctrine of the iustice of faythe Suche lyke persuasion hadde the wycked Iewes in the lawe that they merited remission of sinnes by theyr sacrifices throughe the vertue of the worke wrought dyd nat receiue it frely by faythe Therfore they encreaced those ceremonies and sacrifices they ordeyned the honouryng of Baal in Israel in Iurie also they made sacrifice in the halowed woodes Wherfore the prophetes condempnyng this persuasion dyd warre nat onely with those worshyppers of Baal but also with other prestê whiche made the sacrifices ordeined by god with that wycked opinion But this persuasion cleauith in the worlde and shall cleaue alwayes I meane that ceremonies and sacrifices be redemptioÌ„s of synnes Carnall men do nat suffre this honoure to be gyuen onely to the sacrifice of Christ that it is the very raunsome and propitiation because they perceiue nat the iustice of faythe but gyue egall honour to other seruices and sacrifices Therfore lykewyse as in Iurye there stycked a false persuasion among the wycked bysshops concernyng sacrifices and lykewyse as in Israell there coÌ„tinued the worshipping of Baal and other lyke And yet neuertheles was the churche of god amonge them whiche dyd dysalowe and rebuke those wycked sacrifices and seruices So lykewyse in the kyngdome of the pope there remaineth the worshyppyng of Baal that is to saye the abuse of the masse whiche they applye to the ende that they may by it merite to vnrightuous men remission of synne and of punyshmeÌ„t for siÌ„ne And this worshyppyng of Baal with the Popes kyngdome is lykely to coÌ„tinue vntyll Christe shal come to iudge and vntyl the tyme that the glorie of his commyng shall destroye the kyngedome of Antichriste In the meane season all that truly beleue the gospell ought to improue and rebuke those wicked seruices and worshyppinges deuised agaynst the coÌ„maundement of god to obscure and dymme the glory of Christe and the iustice of faythe These thynges we haue spoken breffly coÌ„cerning the masse to the entent that al good men in what couÌ„trey soeuer they dwel may knowe and vnderstande that we with greate affectioÌ„ and diligence defeÌ„de the dignitie of the masse and shewe the right vse of it and that we haue moste rightuous causes to dissent and disagre from our aduersaries And here we wolde that all good men toke admonition and counsayle that they do nat helpe our aduersaries which defende the prophanation and abusyng of the masse leaste they charge them selues with the feloushyp of other mennes synne This is no tryflynge matter but a wayghty cause and a greate busynes yea no lesse then that busines of Elie the prophete whiche did improue and vehemently rebuke the honourynge of Baal Yet we haue set forthe this so greate a matter myldely and coldely and we haue nowe made answere without raylyng or euyll wordes But if our aduersaries do prouoke vs to gather together all kyndes of theyr abusynges of the masse the matier shall nat be so myldly handeled ⧠Of abbey vowes ⧠WIth vs in a certayne towne of Turingia called IsenacuÌ„ more thaÌ„ thyrty yeres ago there was a certayn freer of saynt FrauÌ„cê ordre IohnÌ„ Hilten by name whiche of his owne companye was caste into pryson bycause that he had rebuked certayne very notorious abuses For we haue sene the workes whiche he wrote by whiche it may be wel ynough perceyued what maner doctrine it was that he taught And they whiche knewe hym reporte of him that he was a gentle olde man sadde without any waywardnes This IohnÌ„ shewed before many thyngê whiche partly haue come to passe al redy and partly seme to be nere at hande whiche thyngê we wyl nat recite leaste any man wolde interprete them to be rehersed eyther of displeasure and euille wyl towardes some persone or elles of fauour and for the pleasure of some man But in coÌ„clusion when eyther by reason of age or of fylthynes of the prysoÌ„ he was fallen into disease and sickenes he sent for the wardeyn of the place to come vnto him that he myght gyue him knowledge of his infirmitie and sycknes When the wardeyn enflamed with pharisaical harred agaiÌ„st hym had begonne to chyde with hym and to rebuke hym sharpely for his doctrine whiche semed to be agaynst the proffettes of the ketchyn than this IohnÌ„ leauynge the mention of his infirmitie and beinge inwardlye sorye and syghynge sayde that he was ryghte well coÌ„tentid to suffre al those iniuries for Christê sake For he had neyther wryten nor taughte any thynge that myghte appayre or hurte the state of religious men he onelye rebuked he sayde certayne abuses notoriouslye knowen But there shall another come sayd he in the yere of our lorde god M.D.xvj. whiche shall destroye you neyther ye shall be able 〈◊〉 resiste hym This sentence concernyng the decaye of the kyngedome of religious men and the nuÌ„bre also of the yeres his frendê afterwardê dyd fynde also wryten in his workes amonge the annotatioÌ„s whiche he had lefte vpon certeyne places of Daniel And thoughe howe moche this sayeng is to be regarded the ê“ffe of the thyng shall declare yet be there other signes and tokens as sure and as vndoubted as the gospell is whiche threaten a chaunge to come vnto the kyngdome of freers other religious ê‘sones For it is euidently knowen howe moch hipocrisy there is in abbeys how greate ambition howe greate couetousnes howe moche blyndenes and ignoraunce and how moche crueltie of euery vnlerned foole howe greate vanitie in sermones how greate crafte in imaginyng often tymes newe wayes to get money And there be other vices also besydes these whiche I lyst not at this tyme â—o reherse And where as in old tyme abbeys were the scholes of Christis doctrine nowe they be growen out of kynde as it were from a golden kynde to an yirnye kynde bryngyng nothynge els but myschiefe and destruction The rychest monasteries onely fynde and norysshe an ydle multitude whiche there vnder false
congregations be compelled openly to enstructe and to here chyldhod And this ceremonie briÌ„geth forth verye good frutes Amonge our aduersaries in many countreys throughout the hole yere be made no sermones at all sauing only in the lente and yet seldome than But the cheife honour of god is to teache the gospel And wheÌ„ our aduersaries do preache they speake of humayne traditions of the honouryng of sayntes and of suche lyke trifles which the people be wery of and nat without good cause And therfore the people departe and go from them forthwith in the begynnyng after that they haue rehersed the texte of the gospell A certeyne fewe better men do nowe begin to speke of good workes but of the iustice of faythe in Christe of the consolation and comforte of consciences they speake nothynge at all Yea moreouer they do rayle vpon thys moste holsome parte of the gospel Contrariwise in our churches all the sermones be spente in these comen places of the feare of god of faythe in Christe of the iustice of faythe of the consolation of consciences through faythe of the exercises of faythe of prayer what maner one it ought to be that we ought surely to beleue that it is effectuall and that it is herde of the crosse of dignitie of prynces and theyr officers and of the ciuile ordinatioÌ„s of the diuersitie of the kyngdome of Christe or of the spirituall kyngdome of polityke or ciuile thynges of wedlocke of the bryngyng vp and information of chyldren of chastitie of all the offices or workes of charitie By thys estate of churches it may be iudged that we do diligently obserue the ecclesiasticall discipline godly ceremonies and good customes of the churche And coÌ„cernyng mortification of the fleshe and discipline of the body thus we teache as our confession dothe shewe that true vnfayned mortificatioÌ„ is done by the crosse and by suche afflictions wherwith god dothe exercise and try vs. In these we must obey the wyl pleasure of god as Paule sayeth Gyue your bodyes an holt or sacrifice cÌ„ And these be the spiritual exercises of feare and faythe But besydes this mortificatioÌ„ which is done by the crosse there is also a certaine voluÌ„tary kynde of exercise necessary whereof Christe dothe saye Beware that your hartes be nat made heuy through superfâ—uitie of meate and drynke And Paule sayeth I do chastise my body and do brynge it into bondage â–ª cÌ„ And these exercises be to be taken vpon vs nat for that they be honours or seruices iustifieÌ„g vs but to th entent that they may kepe the flesshe vnder leaste fulnes do oppresse vs do make vs recheles and without feare of whiche thiÌ„g it coÌ„meth to passe that men do folowe obey the affectioÌ„s and desyres of the flesshe This diligence ought to be continuall because it hathe a coÌ„tynual coÌ„maundement of god And that precyse forme and maner of certayne meates and tymes prescribed and coÌ„maunded helpeth nothyng at all to the kepyng vnder and subduing of the flesshe For it is more delicate and more costly then be other dyners and suppers And nat so muche as our aduersaries them selues do obserue the forme and maner whiche is taught in the Canones This place of traditioÌ„s hathe many and that harde disputations and we haue proued and founde by very experience â–ª that tradicions ar very snares of the consciences When they be requyred as necessarye they do meruaylously tormente and vexe consciences that forget or leaue eny obseruaunce or ceremony vndone Agayne the abrogation of theÌ„ hathe certayne incoÌ„modities and certayne questions belongyng vnto it But we haue a playne an easy cause because our aduersaryes do condempne vs for that we do teach that traditions of meÌ„ do nat meryte remissyon of synnes Also they do require general or vniuersal traditions as they call them as necessary to iustifycation Here we haue a bolde and a stedfaste defeÌ„der we meane Paule which euery where affermeth that these obseruaunces do neyther iustifye nether be necessary aboue and besydes the iustifycation of faythe And yet neuertheles we do shewe that the vse of libertie in thies thinges is in such wyse to be moderated and measured that vnlearned men be not offended ne for the abuse of the libertie made lesse fauorable vnto the true doctrine of the gospell and that without reasonable and probable cause nothinge be chaunged in the accustomed and vsuall ceremonies but that the auncient custumes be obserued and kepte for the norishment of concorde namely such as may be kept with out synne or without any great hurt or incommoditie And euen in this same present assemble or perliameÌ„t we haue shewed and protested that we wyll for charities sake with good wyl obserue indifferent thynges with other men although they had some incoÌ„moditie in them For the publyk and coÌ„men concorde as far forthe as maye be done without offendyng of consciences we haue iudged to be preferred before all other coÌ„modities or profetes But of thys hole mater we shall speake also nat longe here after when we shall dispute of vowes and of the ecclesiasticall power ⧠Of thynges politike ⧠THe .xvj. article our aduersaries do receiue without any exception in whiche we dyd confesse that it is laufull for a christen man to beare office to excercise iudgemeÌ„tes accordiÌ„g to the lawes of emperours or kynges or according to other pÌ„sent lawes to set appoynte ponishementes by the lawe to kepe warre ryghtfully to make bargaynes by the lawe to kepe somwhat as propre or seuerall to take an othe when it is required of the rulers and gouernours to coÌ„tracte matrimonye finally that laufull ciuile ordinaunces be good creatures of god and the ordinauÌ„ces of god whiche a christen man may saffely vse This hole place of the diuersitie of the kyngdome of Christe and of the ciuile kyngdome hathe bene profitably set forth to lyght by the wrytinges of our learned men that the kyngdome of Christe is spirituall that is to wete begynnynge to worke in thâ— harte knowledge of god feare of god faythe eternall iustice eternall lyfe And in the meane season it doth suffre vs outwardly to vse the ciuile ordinaunces that be lawefull of whatsoeuer nations they be amonge whom we do liue lykewyse as it sufferith vs to vse phisike carpeÌ„ters crafte meate drynke the ayer Nether dothe the gospell make newe lawes of the ciuile state but it commaundeth that we obey the present lawes whether they haue bene made by hethen nat christeined men or els by other and with thys obedience it byddeth vs to excercise charitie For Carolostadius was madde which dyd lay vpon vs the Iudiciall lawes of Moyses Of these thynges our men haue therfore wrytten the more pleÌ„tuously because monkes freers haue sparcled many pestileÌ„t opinioÌ„s in to the churche They called it the euangelicall policie or gouernaunce to haue all thynges in coÌ„mune they sayde that these be counsayles nat to kepe
any thyng propre nat to reuenge These opinions do greatly deface the gospel and the spirituall kyngdome and they be perilous to comen weales For the gospel dothe nat destroy the good ordre of a citye or of an house but muche rather dothe approue and allowe it and dothe bydde vs nat only for feare of punyshement but also for coÌ„sciences sake to obey them as being the ordenaunce of god Iuliane the apostata Celsus and very many other haue obiected against christen men that the gospell dothe destroye comen weales because it dothe forbid vengeaunce and dothe teache certayne other thynges nothyng mete ne agreinge to the ciuile societe and felowshyp And these questions haue merueilously troubled Origen Gregori Nazanzen other wheÌ„ verely they easely may be dissolued if we do knowe that the gospell gyueth no lawes concernynge the ciuile state but that it is forgyuenes of synnes a begynnyng or in choation of eternal lyfe in the hartê of al beleuers But as for outwarde orders of comen weales it dothe nat only approue them but also doth make vs subiecte vnto them Lykewyse as we be necessarily subiecte to the lawes of tymes to the chaunge of wynter and somer as vnto the ordenaunces of god The gospell dothe forbydde priuate vengeaunce And this thing for this purpose Christe dothe so ofteÌ„ inculke and repete that the apostles shulde nat thinke that they ought to take awaye thempire from theÌ„ which helde it so as the Iewê dyd dreame of the kiÌ„gdome of Messias but that they shulde knowe that they ought to teache and preache of the spiritual kingdome and not to chaunge the ciuile estate So than priuate vengeaunce is forbeden not by counsayle but by precepte and coÌ„maundemeÌ„t in the .v. chapitre of Matthue and in the .xij. to the Romanes The comen vengeauÌ„ce or punyshement whiche is done by the office of the gouernour is not for byd ne dissuaded but is commaunded and is the worke of god accordyng to the sayeng of Paule in the .xiij. chapitre to the Romanes And certayne kyndes of publike vengeaunce be the iudgementes ponyshementes warres and batayles Of these thynges howe euyll many wryters haue iudged it is euident and playne for they haue bene in this errour and wronge opinion that the gospell is a certeyn newe outwarde and monastical pollicie or ordre of a comen weale and they dyd not see that the gospell dothe brynge eternall iustice to the hertes and outwardely dothe approue the ciuile estate This also is a very false lye that it is christen perfection not to kepe any thyng propre For the christen pfection doth not stande in the contempte and despisyng of ciuile ordenauÌ„ces but in the motions of the harte in the great feare of god in great fayth as AbrahaÌ„ Dauid Daniel euen in those great ryches and empires were no lesse pfecte than any heremites But monkes and freres haue cast that outwarde hypochrisy before the yies of men lest elles men myght se in what thyngê standeth true perfection O lorde god with what prayses haue they magnified the coÌ„munion of thynges as a thynge euangelicall But there is moche ieoê‘dy in these prayses namely sith they be farre disagreing from the scriptures For the scripture dothe not commaunde thynges to be comen But the Decalogie that is to say the lawe of the tenne coÌ„maundementes whan it saythe Thou shalte do no thefte maketh a diuision ê‘tition or seueraunce of possessions and dominions and coÌ„maundeth euery man to kepe that thynge whiche is his owne Undoubtedly Wyclefe was madde whiche sayde that it was not laufull for preestes to haue any thynge propre There be also infinite disputatioÌ„s of coÌ„tractes and bargaynes with whiche good consciences can neuer be satisfied onles they know this rule that it is laufull for a christen man to vse the ciuile ordenaunces and lawes This rule stayeth the coÌ„sciences whan it teacheth that bargaynes be so farforthe laufull in the syghte of god as longe as the gouerners or lawes do approue them All this hole place of polytyke or ciuile thyngê hath ben so opened and set forthe of our teachers that very many good menne whiche be busyed and occupyed in the comen weale and in worldly busynesses haue openly saide that they haue ben greatly holpen whiche before dyd doubte beinge vexed with the opinions of monkes and freres whether the gospell dyd permyt and suffre those ciuile offices and busynesses yea or no. These thingê we haue therfore rehersed that euen strauÌ„gers also maye vnderstande that by this kynde of doctrine whiche we do folowe the auctoritie of rulers gouernours and officers and also the dignitie of all ciuile ordenaunces is not â—ynyshed ne enfebled but rather strengthed and fortified The renowme and auctoritie of whiche thynges was before with folyshe opinions of monkes and freers meruaylously defaced whiche dyd farre preferre the folyshe and moste vayne hypochrisye of pouertie and humilitie afore the ordre of a Citie or of an house where as in verye dede the orderynge and administration of a realme or of a citie and the orderynge of an house hath for it the coÌ„maundementes of god but that platonical coÌ„munitie of all thynges hath not for it the coÌ„maundement of god THe .xvij. article our aduersaries do receyue without exception in whiche we confesse that Christ shall appere in the ende of the worlde and shall rayse vp agayne all deade men and shal rendre vnto good men eternall lyfe and eternall ioyes and shall condempne wycked men to be tourmented perpetually with the deuyll ⧠Of frewyll ⧠THe .xviij. article coÌ„cernyng frewyll our aduersaries do receyue howbeit they adde auctorities and testimonies lytle mete or agreynge to that matter they adde also a declamation that we ought not to extolle ne magnifie frewyll ouermoche with the Pelagianes neyther yet to take away all maner libertie from it with the Manichies Gayly well sayd forsothe but what difference is there betwyxte the Pelagianes and our aduersaries sythe it is so that they bothe do thynke that men may without the holy ghost bothe loue god fulfyll the coÌ„maundementê of god as touchynge to the substaunce of the actes or dedes merite grace and iustificatioÌ„ with workes whiche reason by her selfe doth worke without the holy ghooste Howe many folyshe and inconuenient thinges do ensue of these Pelagianical opinioÌ„s which be taught with greate auctoritie in scholes These opinions Augustine folowyng saynt Paule doth vehemently confute whose sentence mynde we haue recited here before in the article of iustification Neyther do we take away libertie from mannes wyll Mannes wyll hath libertie in chosyng of workes or thynges whiche reason dothe comprehende and perceyue by her selfe Mans wyll may some maner way worke ciuile iustice or the iustice of workes it may speake of god it may gyue vnto god certein honour or seruice with the outward worke it may obey gouernours and rulers it may obey father and mother in chosynge of the out warde