seruice is profitable to our selfe he byddeth vs yf we wyll entre into lyfe to kepe the commaundementes And so that scripture that is wrytten to teache vs one thynge ye bringe it in for an other Bycause god putteth vs in remeÌ„braunce of the nature of our seruice to him that he hath no profyt by it whereby we shuld knowledge his gratuitie and goodnes to be so much the more towardes vs ye wolde we shoulde take it that god careth not for oure workes in his seruice and yet we be delyuered as the prophete sayeth from the handes of enemies to serue him in santite and holynes all dayes of our lyfe The grekes by a grosse prouerbe â— grosse proâ—erbe of the â—rekes wolde putte men in remembraunce what inconuenience foloweth of thabuse of good thinges out of their place sayenge of him that so dyd abuse his necessaryes howe he opened his locke with his hatchet and cleued his woode with his keye And after this sorte the scriptures be broughte in by you and other of your sect al out of purpose they were written for And yet when some so do then they boste moste that they bring nothing but scripture and the word of god and the mere truth playne speache simple language without iugglynge sophistrie or mannes tradicions And when al commeth to al for so muche they bryng a truth in dede but to a wronge purpose as is a hatchet to open yâ— locke which can do but burst it and yet can not be denied but it is a good hatchet good to cleue wood And somtyme againe the scripture they brynge in is euen as dull to the purpose it is brought in for as is a keye to cleue woode After which sort predestinacion beynge signified vnto vs for our comforte to declare what care god hath of vs whereby we shoulde be more encouraged to worke hauynge god to our helpe the same is vsed as an hatchet to open the locke wherby the lesse to care for our workes vpon pretense that god hath done all And lykewyse in many other places of scripture yf I wolde tarye to reherse theÌ„ But nowe I wil return to you maister Ioye where ye appose me whether when I coÌ„sidered theffect of christes passion I beleued it or no I professe An aunswer to Ioyes examinacion of my belefe I beleued it TheÌ„ ye aske whether I beleued it to be effectuall to me To this I aunswer you that fyrste I beleued it was and is effectuall to me in my baptisme wherein I obteyned remission of synnes and renouacion of lyfe I haue beleued and beleue it also effectuall vnto me in the sacrament of penaunce whereby to recouer the state of grace from whiche syth the tyme of my baptisme I haue dyuers times fallen by synne And lykewise I haue beleued and beleue that in the vse of all the other sacramentes as it hath pleased god to ordeyne them Christes passion is effectuall by worke of God in theÌ„ to conferre grace vnto vs. And generallye I haue and do beleue the passion of christ to be effectual vnto me when so euer and as often as I by the grace of god purchased by the same passion do vse my selfe in fulfyllynge of gods wyll as the scriptures and the true vnderstanding of them teach me the obseruacion of whiche teachynge ye may call and it please you and ye wyll nedes make me thauthor whiche I haue not hitherto taken vpon me Winchesters condicion And therfore Wynchester sayeth that because scripture doth require of a christen man that he be baptised wherby to be incorporate into Christe and beynge partaker of his death and resurrection obteyneth remission of synne An accompâ— of suche wokes as I meÌ„ required to atteyne iustification and is borne agayne of water and the holye ghoste Wynchester sayeth as scripture teacheth hym that Baptizetur unusquisque in remissionem peccatorum And this one of Wynchesters workes and implyed in his condicioÌ„ that ye wonder so muche at and calle so darke and confuse And generally when Chryste sayeth Come to me ye that be charged with synne and I shall refresshe you my teachynge is as scripture enfourmeth me that he that is called muste do so muche as goo when he is called with the helpe of the caller withoute whych he can not goo And this is also one of Wynchesters workes And when God sayeth beleue I muste beleue And this is a nother of Wynchesters workes And when God sayeth loue and gyueth the gyfte of it I must loue or elles remayne in deathe And this is a nother of Wynchesters workes And al these workes whyche seme a greate heape of workes be conteyned in the condycyon that muste be fulfylled for obteynynge the effecte of Chrystes passyon beynge remission of synne and a newe state of lyfe And thus I haue toulde you playnelye my faythe and also the workes I meane of before iustyfycacion and lykewyse the condycyon whyche ye call so confuse and blynde And thus I taughte Barnes and otherwyse then thus whiche is the catholyque belefe I thanke God I haue not beleued nor I dare not be so boulde as ye be to frame my selfe anye other pryuate beleue vppon confydence of the texte of scrypture ye brynge whyche is lyke a keye to cleaue a logge Scripturâ— fondely alleged by Ioyâ— As thou beleueste so comme it to the. Chryste spake these wordes to Centuryo allowynge hys faythe so muche as he sayde he founde not so greate faythe in Israell And it is a ioye to see howe wyselye ye wyll applye this to all menne howe so euer they haue conceyued theyr faythe whether it be catholyque or no. And then the Arryane maye be saued by hys faythe and the Sabellyan by hys faythe the Marcyoniste by hys faythe the Mahometane by hys fayth â–ª the Lutherane by his fayth the Swynglyan by his faythe and Ioye by his faythe For thys texte serueth all As thou beleueste so be it to the. And yf anye beleued that Glottonye were no synne As thou beleueste so be it to the. And it is as fond that ye bryng in of Iairus maketh nothyng to the purpose ye brynge it for For albeit the fayth of myracles were alone with the faythe of saluacion whiche your authors abhorre bycause Christe sayde to Iairus beleue onelye do that proue that Christe requireth no more of none other where by to atteyne saluation Eche man must do after the tyme of his callyng as the parable teacheth And he that is called at .viii. of the clocke may not stande ydle tyll eleuen and fall to worke then to make a shorte ende as some do that fasshion them selfe to vse the pleasures of the worlde so longe as their bodies may susteyne with mynde to serue god when they can not tel elles what to do Such meÌ„ search scripture to knowe who hath done lest that they may do as lytle as he And if they that be gyuen to stelynge wolde studye in
as you do your selfe ye vse a similitude of the sonne and fyre which manner of teaching Christ vsed muche by thynges corporall and visible to make some explication of thynges inuisible and incorporall and so to induce men to the vnderstandyng of them whiche for my part I much allowe and onelye fynde this faulte in some of your sorte that albeit in you Similitudes be necessarye to plaine teachynge they allowe and approue similitudes for corroboracion of your doctrine yet when your doctrine shuld be impugned they can not abyde similitudes but they say streight as they here of them fye on them Blynde not me sayth he by similitudes but comme to the playne matter and yet somtyme the matter is so darke as it can not be perceiued without the spectacles of a similitude or parable and anon the similitude well considered the matter that was darke is sene by and by For a similitude is as it were a speach of the wordes thinge togither for bothe the thing resembled and the wordes also speaketh at ones But nowe to your similitude whereby ye entende to make men perceyue howe it might be that two thinges conioyned together may haue dyuerse effectes and so eche one of them to worke his effecte apart without confusiō For so ye say doth fayth and charitie The sonne and fyre ye saye haue eche one of them heate brightnes and the heate warmethe and the brightnes shyneth So as by this similitude we maye vnderstande that from god whome ye signifie by the sonne or fyre is gyuen to man before he be iustified two vertues fayth and charitie whereof fayth shyneth and charitie warmeth And in dede the effect of fayth is properly to illuminate the vnderstanding and of charitie to warme and kyndle mans colde and earthly affection Nowe if the iustification of man implied onely the expulsion of darkenes frome mannes vnderstanding theffecte of fayth wolde suffice but seinge god in iustificaciō moueth mans hart and kindleth loue in it whye may not these two vertues with their two effectes by goddes workyng concurre in mans iustification your similitude letteth it not but rather confirmeth it As for saynt Paul declareth plainly that albeit he speaketh sometyme of faith without mencion of charite yet he meaneth not faith as a bare foundacion but fayth with charitie And as euery foundacyon corporall is fyrst in prioritie of tyme. So is euery foundacion intellectuall fyrst in prioritie of nature And therfore because nomā loueth that he knoweth not before fayth that bringeth knowlege must nedes p̄cede and fayth that hath not charitie is dead so as by these .ii. vertues god resuscitating man in iustificacion from the death of sinne to lyfe Iustificati◠gyuethe the gyftes of knoweledge and loue that is to saye faythe and charytye beinge god onely the officer him selfe that iustifieth and to hym ye maye put onely and onely for he is the iustifier and requireth only of man mary that he wyll haue done to receyue and vse these vertues as he giueth them And this is the plain teaching and agreable with scriptures whiche must be so vnderstanded as one parte may be consonante to the other withoute suche hackynge as ye make of it God gaue Abraham fayth wherewith to beleue hym and charitie wherewith to loue him and Abraham as he beleued god so he loued him both together And if I shuld returne to your similitude when mē say that they shuld plant their vines where the sonne may shyne on them do they affirme that the brightnes and lyght of the sonne giueth the comfort to the vynes or rather the heat The speach is of the brightnes as a parte may signifie the hole but in the heat is theffect Ye dalye in the matter to triumphe ouer me take vpō you the parte of a mediatour betwene the two sisters faith and charitie and ye commende charitie for manye good properties forsothe but ye say the elder sister faith hath the iustification by scripture Is not this properly handled in so serious a matter But ye requyre scripture of me whiles ye daly talke your selfe without scripture As for scripture this I saye to you that and ye note scripture ye shal fynde in the true sense of it that as the promysse of god is knit to fayth so it is knyt to loue as lyfe is promised to men beleuynge so it is promysed to men louynge And as often as saynt Paule nameth fayth not speakinge of loue so often and oftener doth saynt Iohn̄ in his epistles speake of charytye without mencion of fayth and declareth plainly that he that loueth not is in death and he that loueth not knoweth not god And as saint Paule sayth to the Hebrues he that commeth to god must beleue So Christ said in the gospell of saynt Ihon̄ No man he sayth commeth to me without my father draweth him the sense wherof is but by loue wherewith saynt Austine saith god draweth vs accordynge as god by Moises signified to vs that he sheweth his mercye to them that loue hym It is true we can not loue god onles he prepareth our harte and geue vs that grace no more can we beleue god onlesse he giueth vs the gyfte of belefe And so god is the author of all our welth and our helper that we may worke with him and he is the only iustifier God the on◠iustifier the only sauiour and onely mediatour And as for the speache of onely faythe iustifieth the scripture hath not yet hath ben spoken by some lerned men to exclude the workes of Moyses lawe wherein S. Paule laboured in his epistle to the Romaynes where S. Paule speaketh not of the aduerbe onelye nor he hathe not this fasshyon of speach faith iustifieth but in this wise we be iustified by faith and attributeth the act of iustification to god And S. Augustine sayth plainly that for the more playne vnderstandinge of S. Paule god inspired S. Iames to write his epystle And further saint Austen saith that S. Paule speakyng of fayth dyd euer meane such a faith as had the gift of charite with it wherof he spake to the Galathiās Neque circumcisio neque prepuciū est aliquid sed fides que per dilectionem operatur And to the Corrinthians he that hath not charite is nothing And therefore as scripture testifieth that god maketh his promyse to thē that beleue in him so it testifieth that god maketh his promyse to them that loue him as saynt Iames writeth And by the wyse man god sayeth I loue them that loue me Saynt Iohn̄ affirmeth he that loueth not god knoweth not god so as without I loue I can not frutefully beleue no not the belefe of knowledge as saynte Ihon̄ declareth whereby appeareth that the yonger sister charite for so ye speake of her hath office to helpe her elder sister faith in iustification But ye nowe presse me to shewe you scrypture in this forme of sillables Charitie iustifieth And yet ye
without the workes of the lawe that he mente by the workes of the lawe but cyrcumcysyon and the other ceremonies nowe abrogated and not the lawe of the commaundementes Then let him heare Paule expownynge hym selfe of what lawe he mente aunswerynge to suche obiections By the lawe sayth he cometh the knowledge of synne and I hadde not knowen concupyscence to haue ben synne hadde not the lawe sayde Thou shalt not haue any concupiscens or lust And then when he wrote his pysâ—les circumcision and the rytes and ceremonyes were abrogated amonge the christen Iewes and the Gentyles neuer were bounde to them as was Abraham iustyfyed by fayth onelye ere the lawe was wrytten and before he was cyrcumcysed And Peter sayd that this same lawe whyche Paule excludethe from iustificacion and Wynch calleth his condicioÌ„ is a yoke importable whiche proueth it not to be circumcysion nor anye of their ceremonyes of Moses lawe for these were lyght enoughe to beare lyghter and easyer then to not luste or desyre any thynge agaynst goddes wyll or for a ryche man to forsake all and gyue it to the pore or for Wynchester to caste of his pride his bisshopryke with all his vaynglorye and to become the humble poore pure persecuted preacher of goddes worde It is redde that therewas one man that by suffring doynge and fulfyllynge the lawe of the commaundementes came to heuen euen christe onelye In Math. we reade of a nother yonge man that wolde go to heuen by doynge some good workes askynge Chryste Good Mayster what dedes shall I do to haue lyfe eternall whose mynde Chryste seynge dydde set hym but certayne of the easyeste commaundementes to fulfyll them And he sayde as for these I haue done them alredye wel then sayd chryst or rather so thought If ye wyll nedes go to heauen by doyng I shall set you to do such dedes as I knowe well ye wyll neuer do yea they be impossible for you to do theÌ„ euen to sell his substance and to geue it to the poore and so to folow hym now goyng forth to Ierusalem to suffer death What dydde this man I praye you howe farre went he with Christ thinke you went he not his waye heuyly from christ And yet wyll Wynchester go to heauen by doynge and fulfyllynge his harde condicion I dare saye he wolde skratche his head twise as dydde this ryche man ere he solde his bysshoprike and hadde gyuen it to the poore And therefore christe pronounced that it is impossible for such riche men to come to heauen God therfore trusted vs so litle with the fulfyllynge of the lawe and so by this condicion to come to heauen that he toke it out of our handes layd it vppon his sonne christes backe to be fulfilled For yf he had left our saluacion in our owne handes to be deserued by our workes we had ben al dampned VvintonÌ„ Your haÌ„deling of this my conclusion declareth plain that ye vnderstaÌ„d not what ye say nor of what thing ye affirme and that I leaue to the iudgement of the reader with remeÌ„brauÌ„ce of that I haue before written For ye fondely improue a conclusion which myght stand be true with your fonde paradox of only fayth iustifieth onlesse in teaching ye wyl so handel the matter as Barnes did that a maÌ„ is iustified before he beleueth For and if beleue go before iustification as a cause doth theffecte then seing in scripture belefe is called a dede and proceding from the gift of god must nedes be a good dede it foloweth necessarily Ergo I may by gods gift do a good deede before I am iustified But I moued Barnes of a deede before belefe that is that lerning to beleue by hearing sermons or reading wherin the grace of god prepareth mans wyll as scripture sayth So truly do you saye wheÌ„ ye cal me pelagian I asked Barnes of that deede whether it were good or no and proued it good And then bicause it is done before iustification I brought the conclusion aforesayde wherof ye take occasion to be ioyful in the mery moneth of May. All which your iestinges I can so wel digest as I am not ashamed to cause theÌ„ to be rehersed in this boke bicause the buddes of your fruteful lerning may appeare to considre what frute we may loke for of theÌ„ As for the matter of iustificatioÌ„ by faith and workes was not ment betwene Barnes and me to be spoken of in this conclusion and so therin ye striue not with me but with your self beat your owne shadow in stead of an aduersary Where ye thinke I am not so ignorauÌ„t in my graÌ„mer as to englyshe the text of saynt Paule Fides que per dilectionem operatur Fayth which is wrought by charitie and make operatur a uerbe passiue ye thynke not amisse if I shulde englysshe it worde for worde But as for the sense because scripture doth attribute life to charite withoute which fayth remayneth dead I se no suche cause of absurdite as ye fynde to saye fayth is set a worke by charite The enterprise of thesâ— sâ—eres is worldly anâ— they set it furthe witâ— prophecies other worldly vanities and the good lerned men of the Greke churche expounde saynte Iames after that sorte And as for suche vanitie in prophecies if ye do regarde them in the peruerting of iustification you and Barnes with your secte were that company who haue so confusely handled that matter as ye make iustificatioÌ„ before al faith in hym that is onely moued to beleue Considre with your self whether this turnynge vpsidowne in consideratioÌ„ of the doctrine in iustificatioÌ„ .xl. yeres past may be verified on you or me I affirme the same iustificatioÌ„ that was theÌ„ taught you be the turners Ioyes prâ—phecy noteâ— him self anâ— he seeth it not so by your owne prophecy be noted for Antechrist I gyue no credite to suche prophecies but because you do I allege youre owne prophecie for your owne confusion Blynde men â—ee nothinge and as ye can not se goddes truth whiche ye beleue not so ye can not se the true sense of your owne prophane prophecie whiche ye beleue And yf ye wyll nowe go backe from youre backewarde iustificacion after your accustomed maner then must you place the studyouse worke of learnyng our belefe and likewise the worke of baptisme the worke of beleuing and the worke of loue to be before iustification and some of them in the thefe hangynge on the crosse God iustifieth no man without the gyftes of fayth and loue this ye graunt whiche when man receyueth he receiueth by theÌ„ iustification wherin I call mans deserte and merite onely the vsing of the benefites offred of faith and loue And other deserte and merite man can not haue For what hath any man good that he hath not receyued And therefore the commaundemente of loue with oure hole hartes c. is not so extreme as ye make it to a christen man whose faythe speakethe to
God boldely Da quod iubes as saynt Austen sayth Gyue that thou coÌ„maundeste by reason whereof the yoke of the lawe impossible to be borne is in christe easye throughe the gyfte of God by Christe in whome we maye do all Neyther loue ne fayth can be in man perfit and they nede both continuall encreace but he that knoweth oure infyrmities taketh in good parte oure imperfection for oure sauyoure Chrystes sake vpon whome our saluacion is grounded neyther vpon workes ne fayth workes striue not with faith as Ioye and his suppose with youre diuision wherof ye deceaue the simple people as though workes required of a christen man wherein to vse the gyftes purchased for man by christ â–ª were at contention and stryfe with fayth lyke the workes of Moises lawe And herein ye moch please your self and thinke other grosse that be so madde to grounde their saluacion vpon workes beinge impossible and leaue the saluacion by fayth whiche is sure and certeyne And some talke of fayth wherewith to apprehende goddes mercy as though fayth had haÌ„des to take and holde fast and loue none and they graunt that no man is iustified without charitie but yet properlye they say faith apprehendeth the iustificacion wherof how properly they speake I shall speake hereafter at large Nowe I wyll a litle note your fondenes mayster Ioy so to dally in so great a matter â–ª ye aske me whether I haue fulfylled the condicion of the iustification and yet ye can not tell what condycyon Barnes and I spake of and so ye aske ye wote not what and come in with a free iustificatioÌ„ as though I deuised our iustification to be bonde These be mere fransies I euer affirmed that we be frelye iustified and frely saued yet god in giuinge vs this fredome for christe worketh so in ordre and so wylleth vs to obserue it which I call the condycyon as for wante thereof we shal eyther not atteyne fredome or loose oure fredom wheÌ„ we haue atteyned it For ones made free frome synne we muste walke in the pathe of iustice and lyue in this worlde soberly iustly and godly and also to atteine this fredome do as god hath ordayned in vsynge hys sacramentes worthelye with conuersyon also of our harte and penaunce as god requireth of vs whose wyll our sauiour christ in his workes dedes preachinges hath declared vnto vs whiche you depraue so abhominablye and detestablie as euen in this place god suffereth you to write so vndiscretelye of hym as hath not ben lykely seene or harde For not being coÌ„tente to alledge christes wordes in a sense of your owne imagination ye vtter it thus A licencious speache of Ioye touched Christe so sayde or rather so thought A straunge speache Christe shewed hym selfe god in that he knew the thoughtes of men what do you shewe youre selfe in that ye take vpon you without wordes to leade you to discerne the thought of Christ very god and man and frame the speache so as though christ coulde not vtter his thought for wante of language that is implied in your rather so thought Ioye reade this place ones and ones agayne and considre thyne owne foly in it I will not with other termes engreue the matter but pray God it may ashame the and bringe the to repentaunce For malyce in the treatinge of this matter hath so encreased in the as it hath vtterly confounded thy senses that thou sawest not what thou haste written in this place Chryst sayd or rather thoughte ye say And what thought do you attribute to christâ— that he should bidde men do that he knewe well they wolde neuer do and that were impossible to do whiche were a more cruell thought then any christen harte could attribute to our moost mercyfull sauioure Cursed be he sayth saynt Iherome that sayth gods coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes be impossible And when ye haue in these fewe wordes sayde so farre amisse ye bydde me saye on Wynchester ones agayne as foloweth Vvin. v. â—rticle Ergo I maye do well by the gyfte of God before I am iustified towardes the atteynement of iustificacion Ioye Nowe declareth he by his well doynge for the attaynement of his iustification to be iustified by workes Here is his condicion declared to be workes Here he sheweth hym selfe to be arrogantlye bolder then Dauyd or iust Iob whiche both feared their workes and desyred god not to entre into iudgement with them for then shoulde there no man be iustified in his sight and again sayeth Dauyd Lorde yf thou shouldes obserue oure inyquytyes who shall stande before the in iudgemente vncondempned But Wynch may do well in the moneth of May before men ere he be iustified before god and so reioyse of his owne ioyly iustificacion ridinge vpon his horse or mule He wolde fayne here wrap in his workes with his faith both together into one bedde to warme and win his iustificatioÌ„ that he myght be sure by both together for the mo the better to be iustified Sed pallium ambos operire non potest sayth Isai but the couerlet is to narowe and to shorte to couer them both one of theÌ„ therefore is lyke to lye bare ars and a colde For god to whome we be maried by faythe and mercye is a ielouse god and wyll not that any of his spouses shulde lye with a nother to diuide their fayth froÌ„ hym to workes to be iustified by them nor to separate forgyuenes of synnes from his bloud Is Christ deuided And therefore if this iusticiarye by his may well doynge before he be iustified towarde thattaynement therof so procede towarde his entent he maye be as the fryers and monkes were wont to saye in via perdicionis perfectionis I wold say but vnto the very iustification shal he neuer come euen men of a corrupte mynde caried awaye of diuers lustes euer lernynge and neuer commen vnto the knoweledge of the truth for suche deceyuers shall goo forthe worse and worse tyll theyr wyckednes be rype leadynge other into errours theyr selues beynge blynde and farre oute of the waye turned vnto vayne speache and false doctrine wyllynge to be seene doctours and yet vnderstonde they not what they saye nor of what thynges they make actes artycles and institutyons VvintonÌ„ AS ye expound my sayenges so haue you expouÌ„ded scripture onely as ye wolde haue it or as ye gesse at it withoute consideration howe one exposition agreeth with a nother ye be like youre self in peruersite throughlye For as ye care not what sense ye make of scripture so it lyketh you no more care ye what ye report of any mans writinges or sayenges so it lyke you whereby ye declare throughly your generation WheÌ„ I hadde proued to Barnes that it was vnaduisedly sayde of hym that man myghte not do well by goddes grace before iustification I dydde fyrst improue that fonde sayenge whereby he confounded the ordre of iustification And wheÌ„ I had declared that as I haue before
haue no scripture so framed for faith as to say faith iustifieth neuerthelesse to auÌ„swere you according to your folysshnes and to stoppe your mouth who begynne to appose me as chyldren were woÌ„t eche one another in their primers to aske where they found two deus neuer a meus An aunsâ— mete for 〈◊〉 that wyll 〈◊〉 stryue for â—lables Thus much I say I fynd in saint Paul deus iustificat and then I fynd in saynt Ihon deus est charitas And so I fynde charitas iustificat For quicquid predicatur de subiecto predicatur de predicato And so if deus predicatur de iustificare to saye deus iustificat and then charitas predicatur de deo deus est charitas the scripture that sayth deus iustificat sayth also charitas iustificat And thus I gyue you wordes for wordes who deserue none other For els I knowe that charitas que de deo predicatur est increata and so differeth a charitate qua iustificamur Thus for my recreacion I aunswer you as you be worthye who from seriouse discussion of the true sense wyl bring the matter to sillables and yet in dede ye haue no suche syllables for fayth what so euer ye saye as you wolde haue me fynde to serue for charitie for scripture hath neither fides iustificat nor charitas iustificat in syllables but the sense of both is conteined in scripture as before is declared As for workes of the lawe serue you only for matter to talke on As for frenes in iustification I affyrme al to be of gyft and there is nothing freer then gyfte I speake of no glorye but only of gods glory in whome we shulde glorye as saynt Paule teacheth vs. Nowe where ye saye that if the effecte of christes passion shoulde depende of the condicioÌ„ of our workes we shuld neuer be sure and certayne of our iustification for all our workes are vnperfite and foule Thus I auÌ„swer you that what surenes ye wolde haue I can not tell but of this I am sure that god hath thus ordeyned that baptysme is necessary to attayne saluacion and yet all chyldren be not sure to be baptised And this doth scripture tell me assuredly that a maÌ„ must perseuer in good doing to th ende or elles he shall not be saued and that he that standeth in vertue may fal and be cast oute I am assured by saynt Paules admonition in his epistle to the Romaynes byddynge the gentyle take hede that he fal not And saynt Austen sayth If we continue in goodnes we may be assured of god that he wyl not fayle but whether we shal continue no man knoweth And therfore suche assuraunce as ye speake of without regarde of the condicion and obseruing of it also I haue not redde Thus haue I lerned in scriptures yf we turn when god turneth to vs If we beleue when god illuminateth vs. If we loue as god kyndleth vs. If we be baptised as God commaundeth vs we shal be iustified Conditions required in scripture of man for his saluacion If we walke in iustification as god by christ hath taught vs and therein perseuere we shal be saued and glorified And I knowe none other englyshe for so many iffes but to call them condicions and workes also to be done by vs whiche workes be vnperfite in vs that be our selfe vnperfite and as touchinge vnperfitenes faythe therein differeth not from charite for they nede both daylye increase of perfection and therefore Iob sayde Verebar omnia opera mea whiche maye comprehende fayth also But al oure imperfitnes is supplied in christes perfitnes and so christ supplyeth vs and we supply not christ We shulde do all as christe dyd for he is our example to folowe but we can not for we haue the dregges of synne and be compassed about with infirmities as punyshmeÌ„t for the synne of our father Adam So as the powers of oure soule vpon occasion of the worlde and the flessh and suggestion of the deuell be ready to rebellion And herein aswel the power of the soule the properly receyueth fayth to diffidence and doubt agaynst the certaynte of godly fayth as also the power of the soule that receyueth charitie to contempte or negligence towardes the obseruation of gods pleasure with some confusion in hope also as aduersities encombre vs or pleasures make vs wanton For althoughe the gylte of oryginall synne be taken awaye in baptysme yet the scarre of it as it were the matter of it doth remayne whiche as it troubleth and letteth mans perfection in vertue and therby is maynteyned a continual strife and debate so is it not to be accompted our synne tyll we conceyue it by enbracyng agreynge to such carnall motions And therefore saint Iames sayeth that concupiscence when it conceyueth bringeth forth synne And lyke as in euery kinde the female is commenlye barren onlesse it conceyueth of the male so is concupyscence barren and voyde of synne onlesse it conceyue of man the agreymente of his free wyll consentynge to the euyll motion And bycause no man hath ben so perfytte but hath in the contynuall fyghte yelded althoughe men myght be by grace wythoute synne yet bycause no man hathe excepte oure Ladye as saynte Augustyne sayeth who is alwayes to be excepted yf we shoulde saye we hadde no synne we were lyars as saynte IohnÌ„ sayeth and therefore after saynte Austens mynde do not onelye for humilite but also for trueth praye in oure common prayer dayly for remission of our synnes And so mayster Ioye to returne to oure matter yf ye wolde for policie flee froÌ„ the worke of loue to the worke of fayth because ye wolde be assured ye be no more assured in respect of your owne worke by faith then ye be by charitie but all oure assuraunce is in goddes promyse For deus uerax et omnis homo mendax and therefore howe so euer ye and yours wyll Ieste at it I wyl returne agayne to the common prayer of the church Omnipotens sempiterne deus da nobis fidei spei charitatis augmentum ut mereamur assequi quod promittis fac nos amare quod praecipis Which prayer beynge so olde in the churche they haue ben affrayed for reuerence of auncientie to banishe in Germany although it repugneth and disproueth their teachynge in this matter Wherefore as the suÌ„me of our helth beginneth continueth is accomplysshed by gods mercy Quia neque volentis neque currentis sed miserentis est dei so the assuraunce of our helth dependeth vpon goddes promyse Mary ê™ you and that is truthe and here ye wyll clap your handes and extolle the strength of truth that bresteth out although we pharisais as ye saduces call vs wolde oppresse it The promise of god is all Et ideo ex fide say you and these wordes scrypture hath ut firma sit promissio A consideration of the argument how fayth apprehendeth the promyse And nowe ye wyll percase bringe
there rideth a pryncely prelate a gloriouse Byshop to orne and honor an hole realme See what a clenly sorte of tall men he hath aboute hym what costely liueries geueth he what a many of idle belies dayly fedeth he Hath not Winch. lo wherof to glorye before men is not this a ioylye iustification Nowe foloweth his conclusion of him selfe sayenge ergo by the gyfte of god that is by these worldely gyftes I may do well before worldlye men of fleshely iudgement before I be iustified before God yet iustified gloriously in which I reioyce before men This is his Iewysshe iustification wherof the Pharisaies so highly reioyced in so muche that Christ tolde them that he came not to call suche iuste men but synners to repentaunce warnynge the people that excepte theyr rightwysnes abounded aboue the Pharisais good dedes they shulde neuer come to heuen And Paule sayth that men ignorant of the ryghtwisnes or rightwise makynge of god and sekynge to set fast as nowe dothe Wynchester their owne rigthwisenes they be neuer subiect to the rightwisnes of god Wynchester yet knoweth not the office of the lawe to shewe vs our synnes to worke wrath to make synne the more to abound as Paul proueth it to the Romayns so farre of must it be to iustify Neither yet knoweth he thoffice proper place of faith nor yet what thynge fayth is but conceyueth a certayne fantasticall opinion therof as doth euery speculatyue pharisay and idle hypocrite And a man shulde speke after the very order of nature and of the tyme he muste nedes sette faith before workes as is the tree before it blometh and the blomes before the fruyte The sead is cast into the erth before it groweth and fructifieth The seade is the worde of god saith Christe And nyghe vnto the is the worde of fayth euen in thyne herte and mouth Fayth is effectuouse and worketh by loue And the ende of the precept is loue out of a pure harte by fayth hartes are made pure sayeth Peter and a good conscience and of faith vnfayned I thinke Winc. is not so ignoraunte in his Gramer as to englysshe this texte of Paule Fides que operatur per dilectionem as dydde Iohn fysher the byshoppe of Rochester in hys sermon at Paules crosse and afterwarde prynted thus englysshed fayth which is wrought by charitie so settynge the carte before the horse and lyke an vngodlye gardener to peruerte and turne the rotes of his plantes and herbes vpwarde of whyche I harde as it were an olde prophecye .xl. yeres agoo that such an Antechrist shuld come to peruerte the iustificacion of faythe and turne Chrystes relygyon vpsedowne I am sewre he wyll not sette workes before fayth no not in the yong baptyzed infantes nor yet in Paule at his conuersion nor in the thefe hanging by Chryste crucified It is truth that workes being the frutes of fayth standynge in theyr owne place procedynge oute of fayth iustyfyenge dymynysshe not the effecte of Chrystes passyon For we are made in Chryste Iesu to do the good workes whyche God hath prepared that we shoulde walke in them We are saued frelye by faythe sayeth Paule yea and that not of workes for it is the gyfte of god that we be saued by fayth and not for oure workes leste anye man shoulde reioyce in his owne dedes But yf Wynch put his workes in the place and office of fayth as the condicion withoute the whyche no man is iustyfyed so dymynyssheth he yea he is iniuriouse and blasphemous vnto the effecte of Chrystes passyon for by this doctryne his diminute imperfecte and wycked workes shulde deserue vs forgeuenes of synnes as though Chrystes bloude and so plentuouse a redempcyon in Chryste were not suffycyente If by the lawe sayeth Paule men be made ryghtwyse so is Chryste deade in vayne Loue must fulfyll the condycyon sayth he ergo the workes of the lawe are his condicion Roma 13. Now let vs see what loue god asketh of vs for yf we haue not that loue we shall neuer fulfyll Wynch condicion God commaundeth vs to loue him with our hole hartes myndes soules and wyth all our strengthe and oure neyghbours ye and oure ennemyes to as our selues ye and that euen as Christe loued vs whiche dyed for vs beynge his ennemyes He byddeth vs to be perfyte and holy as hym selfe is not to be so angry with oure brother as to prouoke hym with any euyll worde to anger nor to desyre anye other mans good seruaunt wyfe c. no not to loue oure owne lyues in his cause but to hate our flesshe and dye for his sake Nowe tell me Wynchester yf anye one man hath this loue and so fulfylled your condicion or els dare your selfe affyrme to haue fulfylled it yf ye haue not ergo by youre owne wordes ye shall neuer enioye the effect of Christes passion and yet speke I not of the perfytte fayth and hope that euery man in God is bounde to haue beware therfore Wyn. howe ye set your saluacyon vppon so harde a condicion leste ye come to shorte of the gates shuttynge with your .v. folysh virgens If you hadde once fulfylled as you neuer shal your condicion and so perseuering you nede not to praye Father forgeue me my dettes nor neuer to say your Pater noster For ye owe no loue neyther vnto God nor man ye haue payed all And yet sayth Paule owe ye nothynge to any man but mutuall loue shewynge loue to be a dette euer in payenge and neuer full payed We shall aunswer for euery ydle worde sayth Christe But yf Wynchester had accomplysshed his cōdicion so myght he go playe and iustle in iudgement with Christ for his saluacion hauynge no nede of Christes passion then myghte he clayme heauen of dewtye and make grace no grace whiche is a mere free gyfte vndeserued of any man and thus were he one of those iuste prelates whome Chryste sayde he came not to cal Is not he a proud foole to whome when god geueth a free iustification in christ yet wyll he refuse to take it but vpon a condicion that he deserue it with suche workes as hym self is neuer able to perfourme what arrogant foole wolde thus condicion hym selfe agenste gods wyll Peter consideringe this importable condicion sayde by faith god purifieth theyr hertes and wherefore then do ye nowe tempte god so much layenge such a yoke vpon mens necks which nether our fathers nor we be able to bere By the grace of our lord Iesu christ we beleue vs to be saued as were our fathers If we shuld saye that we haue no synne in vs so are we lyers Wherfore the scriptures conclude euery man to be a synner and infidele that of all men God moughte haue mercy And that the promyse oute of fayth in Iesu christe shoulde be geuen to the beleuers Only Christ fulfylled the lawe And yf Wynchester wolde mok out Paule sayenge that when he concluded so ofte man to be frely iustified by fayth onelye
deade in vayne Thus ye se the conclusyon of his articles to be That he maye do well before he be iustified But as I sayd before it behoueth a learned diuine to coÌ„clude what ought to be done what god wylleth to be beleued by his manifest word and not what Winch. may do by his owne blynde reasonyng without gods word He maye do well by the gyfte of God sayth he whiche is faythe ergo his fayth goeth before his well doyng and his iustification and his good workes must be thrust betwixt both if the place be not to narow for them so that he hauynge his faith and his good workes is not as yet iustified neyther by his faith nor by his good workes for they muste serue him but toward the attainment to his iustificacion Paule christ ioyned faith iustificacioÌ„ euer inseparably together but this scismatike iewish Hieroboam and deuillish deuider of al christeÌ„ vnite wil thrust his good works betwixt theÌ„ not suffring fayth to cleue to immediatly her owne obiecte euen the mercye of God promysynge remyssyon of synnes in Chrystes deathe He wolde thruste in here the workes of penaunce before iustyfycacyon whyche thinge howe folysshe it is ye shall se Fyrste ye knowe that penaunce muste go before her workes as is the tree before her frutes Penaunce is a turninge to god whereby of the syncere feare of god a man humbled acknowelegeth his sinne and so al his whol life he maketh newe Who turneth to god but he fyrste beleue and knoweth god for christes sake to be so mercyfull vnto hym that at his turnynge to hym he receyueth him and forgeueth hym hys synnes whiche faithe and knoweledge what els is it then his iustification god the father so affirmynge it in his prophet Isai sayeng In the knowledge of hym this euen my seruant shal iustifye many Here ye se that this knowledge and faithe iustifieth before the workes of penaunce are done For God is knâ—wen in Christe ere we turne to him of the which turning to god there folow the frutes of repentaunce in doinge them all our lyfe longe as to feare god to humble our selfe to confesse our synnes to him and to renewe our lyues mortifieng continually our flesshe VvintonÌ„ TO this article your aunswer is peremptorye and ye trauerse the matter so plainlye after the lawiers pleding as you haue fashioned it mete to be remitted vnto the couÌ„try And herein I shall speake to you againe somewhat lyke a lawier Ye handle me in youre aunswer lyke one of youre secte and do the worlde vnderstaÌ„d hereby whervnto this vnreuereÌ„te reasonynge disputynge and talkynge of goddes truth wyll come to at the last that is to saye to diuision debate hatred and stryfe when in that all shulde saye one eche shal aunswere other as ye do nowe me with I saye the contrarye And so learnynge is all paste and the matter resteth vpon twelue men wherein ye labour the countre as faste as ye maye And ye flatter the world with lycentiouse doctrine and offer them to pull from theyr neckes all suche yokes as ye thinke dyd at any tyme let or impeche them either in thought or dede Ye promise them libertie of al thynge And then to rydde them out of dette ye translate saint Paule thus that we owe nothyng to no man but loue Ye flatter the couetouse maister with pullynge away holy dayes that he maye haue the more worke done hym for hys yeres wages Ye flatter again the seruaunt with pullynge awaye al opinioÌ„ of fast by abstineÌ„ce froÌ„ any meat either in leÌ„t or otherwise Ye offer priestes wyues to wyt they can winne them to you Ye rydde all of confession and wepinge for synne Ye take awaye distiction difference of apparel days times and places Ye take away ceremonies whiche in dede do muche let good chere in asseÌ„blies of good felowes Ye gyue women courage and libertie to talke at their pleasure so it be of gods worde and to make the husbande amendes for that encombrye ye teache men secretly and so as you may denye it agayne if nede be tyll it be time to come abrode that they maye haue as lawfully two wiues at ones as one so they wyll finde them bothe I do not herein fame or lye for I knowe they haue not written in any matter more seriouslye ne more fondelye but yet maliciously and vntruly then to proue it lawfull for a man to haue two wyues at ones though the first be neuer so chast And so wheÌ„ women be so ernest to set forth youre enterpryse they be suffred of god for punysshmeÌ„t to worke there owne confusioÌ„ And after the same sort by other intisemeÌ„tes lerned meÌ„ to depraue lerning prestes to trauel to destroy prysthode And in this wise for punishmeÌ„t of our sinne eche part laboureth by a meane to scourge trouble their owne astate And in the meane time your secte hopeth to winne the countrey and therefore the postelles of your secte although they preach not much now a days yet they write diligently and sende the bookes abrode buselye with Venite emite absque argento and in significacion ye call men to fredome ye giue your bokes abrode frely with all such allueremeÌ„tes as may serue to make the countrie yours and suche as shuld giue euidence agaynst you them ye depraue and blaspheme with all kynde of vyllany wherewith to distroy theyr credite in so muche as among you a bysshop or a preist hath a newe sence in englysh to signifie a knaue Ye haue a great while awayted to haue the panel returned but the kinges most excellent maiestye who hath the highe shiriffes office in his hande vnder god coulde neuer yet be induced to retourne the Iurye as ye wolde haue it And therfore I haue seene you often tymes fall in a non sute and lyen styll in wayte as they that haue euel tytles to landes to haue the shirif for your purpose How saye you now haue I not commened with you lyke a lawier and truely declared the councelles of your secte Thenglyssh of this latiâ— dominum eâ— christum iâ— god and the kynge wherin ye conspire Aduersus dominuÌ„ et aduersus christum eius I wold lawiers had alwaies their tales tolde them of their clientes so truly as I haue tolde this and then the worlde shulde not be troubled with so many longe sutes as it nowe is But now to your contraryenge of me whiche ye fashyon thus And I saye the contrary If I were lyke you I shoulde saye agayne Mary and I saye the contrarye to you And then thicker you lye and you lye and I can tel as well as you and I as well as you And shall this fruyte growe of goddes worde and so you wyll haue this broughte againe of the prymatyue churche that our hearers and readers of oure bookes shall say I beleue Ioye and I beleue Wynchester Ego Cephe Ego pauli but yet to auoyde some parte of that