But Tyndale wold now that we shold for the whyle forget all that he and his mayster wryteth ellys where and hym selfe in many placys after in this same boke and that we sholde onely marke these holy louyng wordes that he wryteth here in his present prologe in whych he sayth that they whych be spirytuall do neuer smyte theyr yonger brothereÌ„ that ys to saye suche as be not in fayth and vertue growen vp as they be nor wyll not wyth them come forwarde therin but be euyll and wyll be no better but the spyritualles as theyr elder brothereÌ„ doth flater them and promyse fayre and gyue them gay thynges and so draweth them forward in grace and fynally yf that wyll not helpe them then the spirytuall elder brother referreth theyr punyshement to the father and the mother that is as he meaneth to all myghty god for yf he ment vnto theyr rulers so yt is all redy for none other hath authoryte to correcte and punysse And hys mynde he hath declared in that byhalfe in sundry placys that non man shold in any wyse pursue and punysh any maÌ„ specyally for any heresye for he that pursueth any man is no spyrytuall man I let passe here that after this waye the worlde all be yt that yt be badde ynough all redye wold yet wax then mich worse and I passe ouer also that as well all wyse men as all good men and holy scripture also yt selfe is open and playne to the contrarye And I wyll for the whyle no more but aske of Tyndale whether he accompte the pope the clergy and the temporall prynces for menne borne agayne and renewed with the spyryte of god and therby spyrytuall or not If he reken them for suche theÌ„ by hys owne rule they can and do very well iudge all thynge and so sholde he then thynke that the thynges that they do be well done for he sayth hym selfe that the spirytualles do serche the botome of goddes commaundementes and fulfyll them gladly Now yf he say that they be not the spyrytualles but such as Luther is and frere Huskyn and hym selfe suche other as so serche the causes that they care not as Tyndale sayth after whyther the preste saye masse in hys gowne or in hys cope and wyll as sone gape for sande as holy salte and had as lyefe be smered with vnhalowed butter as enoynted wyth charmed oyle excepte men can tell them the causes whyche they saye that no man can and therfore they mocke and ieste therat nowe yf thys theyr sorte be as Tyndale sayth the spyrytuall and therby the elder brothern then wyll we say to Tyndale and aske hym why do not you Tyndale and your spyrytuall felowes accordynge to your owne wordes here loue out of your hartes the pope the cardynals the clergye the prynces the people and so forth beynge as your younger brothern not yet borne agayne and why do you not forbere them wyth all loue and pacyence so forth Tyndale taketh greâ—â—â—â—easuâ—e in often bryngynge in theâ—e wordes And so forth and wayte on them and serue them and suffer them and so forth and when they wyll not wyth you come forth why do you not then speke them fayre and flater them and promyse them fayre and so forth and so drawe them forth and so forth And yf that for aâ—l thys they wyll not come forth why do you not then referre the punysshement to the father and mother and smyte them not but contrary to your owne wordes vse at your yoÌ„ger brothern to laughe theÌ„ to skorne to mocke to ieste to checke to chyde to brawle rybaldously to rayle callynge them apyshe peuysshe popysshe iuglers theues murderers bloodsupers tormentours and traytours Pylatys Cayphaas Herodys Annaas Antecrystes Iudaas hypochrytes mokenmongers pryapystes idolatres horemaysters and sodomytes abomynable shameles stark madde and faythlesse bestes hangemen martyr quellers and Cryste kyllers serpentes scorpyons dremers and very dyuels fynally wyth such venemouse wordes and other malyciouse wayes the wurste that the dyuell and you deuyse to gether bysely put forth youre payne to sow debate dyssencion scysmes stryfe and sedycion and cause your spyrytuall people that ys to wyt the elder brothern borne agayne of the spirite to ryse and rebell agaynst your yonger brothern but naturall yet and not borne agayne and the tone parte to smyte kyll the tother by thousandys on a daye as ye haue done in Almayne prouidynge alway that your selfs the chyeff captayns and authours of such sedycion and rebelliouse bloodshed gate vp vppon some hyll in the meane whyle and stonde and loke vppon sure safe a syde halfe out of all gonshotâ— and com not at hand strokes in no wise but serue for trompetours with the blaste of youre wordes and vngracyous wrytynges to kyndâ—e them call vppon and set them all a worke and yf yt walke on youre syde then to gaude and glory and yf yt go agaynste you your parte go to wrake then slynk awaye fro the felde and make as ye cam not there nor neuer enteÌ„ded harme nor meÌ„t any such mater or as your mayster dyd in Almayne to put your selfe out of suspycyon crye to the coÌ„trary parte to kyll them downe hande smothe whom your owne wordes raysed vp and synfully set a worke And lo thus hath Tyndale coÌ„nyngly declared the grete commaundement of loue and by hym selfe and his felowes as ye se so louyngly put in vre that they wolde helpe the tother parte to all the myschyefe they myghte and wolde that on the tother syde what so euer they do them self be it neuer so myscheuouse no man sholde ones chyde them nor gyue fowle wordes but in theyr deuylyshe dedys forbere styll suffer them and take them then â—s younger brothern lytell babys vntaught and gyue them fayre wordes and pretye proper gere ratylles cokbelles and gay goldeÌ„ shone and yf the wantons wyll not lerne yet but byte scratche theyr felowes bete not the babys yet in no wyse but go and tell theyr mother and so forth And when Tyndale hath thus connyngly declared the greate commauÌ„dement of loue and hath so spyrytually set it out to the shew then concludeth he well worshypfully that by thys commaundement of loue in suche a wyse waye vnderstanden his spyrytuall sorte iudgeth all the lawes of god and vnderstande the true vse of them and by the same in lykewyse vnderstande they all the lawes of man which are ryght and whych tyranny For by thys then vnderstande that for the loue that they bere to theyr own wyll euery glose that they gyue them selfe is the ryght meanyng of the worde of god and all that all other holy men haue wryten is but fantasyes and false And in mennis law to let them bete other men for saynge trueth were well ordeyned and ryghte but any man to chyde onys any of theym for a hondred heresyes that were vtter wronge and no lawfull law but
spyrytuall doctryne teacheth vs a fals fayth many mortall heresyes and wolde with scrypture destroye the scrypture and amyd dys hys ernest holynes falleth in to mokkes and mowes maketh madde apysshe iestynge agaynste the holy cerimonyes and blessyd sacrameÌ„tys ofâ— our sauyour Chryste the thynges sanctyfyed wyth the blessyd blode of oure sauyour Tyndall turneth in to scorne Neuer was there any scoffynge frere Frappe prechyng vpon a stole that durste play the knauyshe foole on suche a fasshyon as ye shall se Tyndall do here For yf any sholde his audyeÌ„ce were they neuer so wanton wold yet at suche wordes yf any sparke of christen â—â—â—e remayned in theyr hartys pull downe the rybawld by thâ—â—â—rte and breke the stole vppon his hed And â—ow where as he saluteth vs wyth the lyght of the spyryte and entendeth to brynge vs in darkenes of the deuyll where he speketh of trewe repentaunce and then wolde put awaye two partes thereof that is to wyt bothe confessyon and satysfacyon and where he speketh of faste fayth and theÌ„ teacheth a false presumptuouse faythe wyâ—h such truste put in fayth alone that he rekeneth all good workes fruteles and vnprofytable and that fayth alone suffyseth to saluacyon how dyuelyshely that any man lyue besyde we may well ê‘ceyue that these thaâ— so teache be wyth theyr holly salutacyons the false ydle prophetes of whome the blessyd apostle Pawle wryteth vnto the Romayns Rom. 16 that by theyr swete blessynges waste oute and emptye the poore wydowes houses For by such holy salutacyon as by swete blessynge praynge for them so good thynges as they seme to do they wynne theyr hartys to assent after to theyr heresyes and so expell and kyll trew fayth in theyr hartes and god so taken from them they make theÌ„ wydows so waste and emptye oute the substancyall vertues of theyr soules But nowe when he speketh of ferueÌ„t loue after the ensample of Cryste and his saintes as ernest as the matter is who can forbere laughynge when he seeth the lecherouse fleshly loue of those freres and theyr nunnes wherof tyll Tyndall can tell vs some lyke ensamples of Chryste and his sayntis that any of them were wonte to breke theyr vowes of chastyte and fall to suche fylthy lechery tyll he can tell vs that we may well tell hym that hys holy prayer of feruent loue here in his prologe goeth quyte agaynste his purpose and shameth all his hole boke after wherfore good Cristen reders who so shall happeÌ„ to rede his pernycyous boke take wysdome wyth you as I dowte not but ye wyll and be not so ledde wyth a few paynted holy wordes as yt were wyth the beholdynge of a pekokkes tayle but that ye regarde therwyth his fowle fete also and loke well whyther he walketh and to what ende he speketh and consyder hym by the hed maysters and archherityques of hys vngracyous secte whych when they haue spoken as relygiousely as he yet haue as ye see well shamefully shewed them selues open incestuouse harlottes and that of the moste abhominable sorte deflowrynge relygyous women And Tyndall hym selfe which thynge is worse then the dede doynge maynteyneth in hys boke theyr dede for well done Tyndall ☞ Oure sauyour Iesus in the .xvj. chapter of IohnÌ„ at his laste souper wheÌ„ he toke his leaue of his disciples warned them sayeng the holy goost sâ—all come and rebuke the worlde of iudgement Tyndale 〈◊〉 now y◠〈◊〉 goste sent â—owne from heuen to â—eâ—uke yâ— iugement of all crystendome thys â—v C. yere passed that is he shall rebuke the worlde for lacke of trew iudgement and dyscrecion to iudge and shall proue that the taste of theyr mouthes is corrupte so that they iudge swete to be sowre and sowre to be swete and theyr yees to be blynde so that they thynke that to be very seruyce of god which is but a blynde superstycyon for zele of whiche yet they persecute the true seruice of god and that they iudge to be the law of god whyche is but a false imaginacyon of a corrupte iudgement for blynde affeccyon of whiche yet they persecute the true law of god and them that kepe yt More How sone myght a pore symple soule be ledde to thynke that all those that beleue not as Tyndall doth were in a wronge way and in a false belyeff when he heryth Tyndall here lay agaynst them the wordes of our sauyour hym selfe spoken vnto his dysciples in his laste soupper But nowe they that be lerned and know the place in the gospell ê‘ceyue very well that Tyndall here synfully doth abuse the holy wordes of Chryste and manyfestly mystorneth the mynde and sentence of our sauyour folowynge thexample of the deuyll that alleged the scrypture vnto Chryste in deserte For as the dyuell there falsely wrested the scrypture of god and leyd yt agaynste god so dothe Tyndall here wreste the worde of our sauyour agaynst hym self and his hole chyrch I say his hole chyrche not the clergye onely but the hole coÌ„gregacyon of all crysten people For yt is well knowen that Chryste spake those wordes agaynst the Iewes and Paynyms that refused him and his true fayth shewynge that the holy goost at his comyng shold reproue theyr false iudgemeÌ„t and theyr vnsauery taste that iudged swete sowre sowre swete and that he shold teache his chyrche and his congregacyon the very truthe and lede them in to all trueth that sholde be necessarye for they re saluacyon And this promyse hathe oure sauiour bothe made in the gospell and also fulfylled in dede For the holy goost hathe not fayled to teache his chyrch all such kinde of truthe from the begynnynge hytherto nor neuer shall ceace so to do as well by his owne holy secrete worde vnwrytten in the scrypture and yet by hym selfe wrytten in chrysten mennys hartys as by his holy scripture eyther wryteÌ„ in tables of stone or in bestes skynnes accordynge to his owne wordes spokeÌ„ as well by the mouth of the prophete Ezechiel Ezech. 11. as of the blessyd apostle saynt Paule These truthes had the apostles the martyrs the confessours the holy doctours of Crystis chyrche and the comen crysten people of euery age from Chrystes dethe hytherto And in this comen knoweÌ„ chyrche of christendome excepte suche as at sondry tymes haue fallen there from as Arrius Pelagius Donatus wyclyff and Husse such other and now Luther and Tyndall and frere Huskyn and theyr felowes hath euer the true iudgement remayned the ryght sauored taste and neuer loste any of those heretyques these necessarye truthes tyll the dyuell hadde thorow pryde enuye and malyce made them set naught by the chyrche And then dyd he caste them forthe wyth in suche a feuer that they clene loste theyr taste and then dyd they as Tyndall dothe nowe iudge swete that all chrystendome iudged sowre And by those truthes and thys fayth alwaye from the begynnynge kept in Chrystes chyrche be we now very
well yf Tyndale and his felowes be spyrytuall electys must as theyr fyrst author of theyr new spyrytuall secte be nedys one of the very chyef Let not therfore Tyndall good reder wyth his gay gloryouse wordes carye you so fast so far away but that ye remembre to pull hym bakke by the sleue a lytle and aske hym whyther his owne hyghe spirytuall doctour mayster Martyne Luther hym selfe beynge specyally borne agayne new created of the spyryte whom god in many places of holy scrypture hath commaunded to kepe his vowe made of chastyte when he then so far contrarye there vnto toke out of relygyon a spouse of Cryste wedded her hym selfe in reproche of wedloke called her his wyfe and made her his harlot and in doble despyte of maryage and relygyon both lyueth wyth her openly and lyeth wyth her nyghtly in shamefull inceste and abominable bycherye dothe he the whyle after Tyndalys hyghe wordes serche the depe secretys and neuer leue serchynge tyll he come to the botome the pyth the quycke the lyfe the spyryte the mary and the very cause of that commaundement why and so iudgeth all thynge Thus good reders examyne hym and then shall ye perceyue how fondly suche an hyghe pure spyrytuall processe accordeth wyth such a baas fowle fleshly lyuyng But Tyndale hath an hope that whyle he paynteth his prologe wyth such gay colours of spirytuall vertue there can no man in the meane whyle remember and consyder what vngracious frute theyr deceytfull doctryne false fayth bryngeth forth And therfore to carye the reder farther of from the remembrauÌ„ce therof he letteth goo by theyr fylthy lechery and holyly speketh of loue Tyndale Take an example in the great commaundement loue god with all thyn harte the spyrytuall sercheth the cause and lokâ—â—h on the benesytys of god and so coÌ„ceyueth loue in hys harte More In thys example of the great commaundemeÌ„t of louyng of god there can lacke no causes but wythout any farre serche there offer them selfe I now at hande except men wil fully wyll forget them But yet all be yt that in many thynges a man may peraduenture well and with frute enserche the cause of goddes coÌ„maundementys yet may the spyryte of a man that were as spirytuall as Tyndale is or Luther eyther and take frere Huskyn to them go some tyme to far in the serchyng of the depe secretys of god and wade so farre therin that he shall fynde these wordes of holy scripture true Proâ—er 25 He that is that the sercher of the maiestye shall be oppressyd of the glorye and he shall fynde the depe secretis of god so depe that the secrete botome wyll not be founde oute for hym and specyally in that thyng in which Tyndall and his felowes be as I shall hereafter shew you moste presumptuously besye that is in goddys fynall electis predestinatys wherof saynt Paule cryeth hymself Râ—â— 11 O altitudo diuitiaruÌ„ sapientiae sciâ—tiae deiâ— O yâ— heâ—th and depenes of the ryches of the wysedome science of god And as for that that Tyndall sayth that what so euer god commauÌ„deth the spyrytuall man to do he neuer 〈◊〉 serchynge tyll he come at the botome the pyth the quycks the lyffe the spyryte the maryâ— and the very cause whyâ— and iudgeth all thynges I say as I sayd byfore it may peradueÌ„ture in some thynges do well to consyder the causes of goddes commaundement so yt be done moderately and wyth reuerence But many suche spyrituall persones as Tyndale is and Luther and frere Huskyn so be wonte to reason and serche the cause of goddes commaundementys wyth them selfe as kynge Saul dyd or bytwene the dyuell and theâ—m selfe as our mother Eue dyd Râ—â—â—â— 1◠〈◊〉 â— that they fall vppon fallacyes and false causes whereby lyke as Saul was deceyued in sauynge of the bestes for sacryfyce whych bestes god hadde prâ—cysely commaunded hym to destroy and Eue was so by gyled that she thought she myght well ete the apple whyche god hadde precysely commaunded her to forbere so doth I say to these men that ar in this new fashyon spyrytuall the dyuell theyr euyll spyryte and them selfe wyth theyr incessaunte serche fynde out salfe causes wherof they take occasyon to breke the commaundementys of god whyche commaundementys other good seely symple soules wythoute any serche obserue As for ensample lo where as god hath in holy scrypture euydently commauÌ„ded Psal. â— 5 Ecc.c. 5 Esaiae 19 Ionae 2 that who so make a vowe shall performe and kepe yt as is wryteÌ„ by the holy Psalmiste Uowe ye and pay your vowes to our lorde and where as our blessyd lady thought her self bounde therto all the holy sayntes synnys Cristes dayes vnto Tyndals tyme haue without any varyance written affyrmed the same not onely they but also all crysten people both good badde haue this .xv. C. yerâ— abhorted as an abominabyle moÌ„ster and accompted yt in comen talkynge for suche a prodigyouse cryme that euer monke or frere shold wedde an nuÌ„ne as they thought shold neuer happen in crystendome therfore haue alway iested that Antecryste sholde be borne betwene a frere and a nuÌ„ne these new spirytuall men haue now Luther Tyndall and frere Huskyn and the dyuell to gyther so longe enserched the cause of thys commaundement of god by whych euery man is coÌ„maunded to kepe his vowe that they haue with longe serche fouÌ„den oute at laste that monkes freres and nunnes be not bounden by that commaundement at all but may for all theyr vowe lawfully runne out of relygyon and lye to gyther when they lyste and call theyr fylthy lechery good and lawfull wedloke And thus lo good reder these newe spyrytuall men wyth theyr depe serche interprete and expowne holy scripture and fynde oute therin suche godly vertues as this is whych the olde holy doctours coulde neuer fynde therin for lacke of grace by lykelyhod for we se well they lacked no wyt had as mych lernynge as these men haue and ten tymes more to and dyd theyr dylygence to but they were as yt semyth but naturall onely not borne agayne nor created of newe wyth the spyryte of god as Luther is and Tyndale frere Huskyn and hys felowes Take ensample sayth Tyndale in the great commaundement loue god wyth all thyne harte the spyrytuall serchyth the cause and loketh on the benefytes of god and so conceyueth loue in his harte In these wordes I lay no fawte But all be yt a man myghte assygne other causes of our loue towarde god then Tyndale doth as for ensample his owne excellent nature and goodnes of yt selfe worthy â—to be loued lauded and honored of vs though we shold yf yt were possyble receyue to oure selfe no benefyte at his hande at all yet I very well alow the cause that Tyndale allegeth that is to wytte the consyderacyon of the great benefytys of god yt is a cause of loue
be not laufull to serue god wyth charyte to whyche now they leue and fall all to lusty loue wyth intent to get heuyn the rather to that they let not to grauÌ„te also but they say the cause is for that fayth they say hath alwaye charyte therwyth But all be it that in that poynte theyr affyrmacyoÌ„ is fals as by reason and pleyne scrypture hath ben often proued vnto them 1. Câ—r 13 Iacâ—bi 2 that is ynough to me that they graunte that a man maye laufully loue god and serue hym wyth charyte to th entent to be the rather saued and come to heuyn therby For now semeth me that yf we laufully maye as Tyndale wyll grauÌ„t we maye serue god with the vertues of fayth and hope and charyte or of any one of them wyth respecte vnto goddys benefytes receyued and also to come and to th entent therby the rather to be saued come to heuyn we may then laufully with lyke respecte purpose inteÌ„t serue god wyth any other vertue that procedeth of fayth hope charyte or of any suche one of them wyth whyche it is laufull for vs for suche respecte entent purpose to serue god then wyll not Tyndale denye but that prayer fastynge almesse dede and contynence and clennesse of body penauÌ„ce trouble of the mynde wyth sufferauns of trybulacyon or afflyccyon of the flesshe wyllyngly taken wyth many other outwarde and inwarde workes may procede of fayth hope and charyte wherfore I can not se but that Tyndale as he graunteth here that we maye serue god wyth loue entendyng thereby to please hym and be sauyd the rather so must he nedys graunte and agre that lykewyse may we wyth lyke entente and purpose serue wyth all other workes aboue remembryd procedynge of a faythfull workynge charyte wherof he and all hys fonde felowes in euery place holde hytherto the contrary And thus haue I now playnly deducyd vppon Tyndals owne wordes the full confusyon of hys owne comen conclusyon so many tymes by hym and hys felowes obiected and among them all neuer onys yet well prouyd nor neuer able to be proued agaynst the profyte of good mennys chrysten workes for chrysten be theyr prayers theyr fastynge and theyr almosse dedys when they be done in fayth hope and charyte and in the state of grace Tyndall And when he is commaundyd to obay the powers and rewlers of the worlde be loketh on the benefytes whiche god shewyth the worlde thorow them and therfore doeth it gladly More In this obedyence Tyndale is yet content to haue a respecte to the benefytes that god worketh and shewyth the worlde thorow the powers and rewlers of the world putteth that for eyther the onely or the chyefe cause of hys obedyence as he putteth it for the onely or chyefe cause of goddys commaundement In whiche kynde of obedyence semeth not the greatest vertue when a man obeyeth onely for hys owne aduauntage but the very chrysten obedyence is to obaye specially for that god so coÌ„maundeth and not so to serche and lymyte the cause of goddes coÌ„maundement as he may therby take hymselfe gyue to other an easy bolde occasyoÌ„ to dysobaye resyste and rebell agaynst theyr hedys and rulers pretendynge that they be not profytable Thys thynge meanyth Tyndale as it apperyth by hys wordes here in the cause of hys obedyence to the powers and rulers of the worlde as it apperyth in dyuers other places of hys workes and Luther his maysters to But god all though he wyll that the gouernours and rulers of the world sholde be good and profytable to the people yet wyll he not that the people shall measure the dewty of theyr obedyence by the onely rule and measure of theyr owne profyte and coÌ„modyte but that they shall obaye theyr prynces and other rulers and gouernours bycause that they be theyr gouernours and rulers and bycause that god hath so coÌ„mauÌ„ded For yf they may measure theyr obedyeÌ„ce by yâ— measure of theyr owne profyte as Tyndale telleth vs they shall sone seke occasyon of sedycion and therof do themselfe also more harme in one daye then sholde theyr ruler in many yeres all were he ryght vnprofytable in dede as apperyd by the vplandysshe Lutherans in Almayn whyche measuryng theyr obedyence by Tyndalys rule gyuen them before by Tyndalys mayster became all vnrulye and dysobeyd and rebellyd agaynst theyr rulers and therby dysobeyd goddes commaundement and brought therby the vengeaunce of god vppon theyr owne heddys to the slaughter of aboue foure score thowsand of them in one sommer the remenaunt the worse entreated euer syns and that hath made Luther and Tyndale a lytell to retreate syns and set a new glose therto yâ— will but shrewdly serue them as I shall shewe you when I come to the place hereafter in hys boke Tyndall And when he is commaunded to loue his neyghbour as hymselfe â—e serchâ—â—â— that hys neyghbour is created of god and bought with Crysâ—es blode and so forth More Loo thys is very louyngly spoken he sayth very well and I praye god that he be one of those spyrytuals that so doeth but surely many places in euery boke that he writeth seme clerely to declare that he hath another maner of spyryte then suche a spyryte of loue And yet were it herde excepte yâ— goddys coÌ„maundement gyue vs that warnyng ellys wyll it be somwhat herd for any man vppoÌ„ the other two causes by any serche to perceyue that he were in reason bouÌ„den to loue another aswell as hymselfe though they maye serue to loue hym ryght well Tyndale And therfore he loueth hym oute of his harte Owt of 〈◊〉 â—erte not in hys heâ—â—e And yf he be euyll forbereth hym and wyth all loue and pacyeÌ„ce draueth hym to good as elder brotheren wayte on the yonger and serue them and suffre them and when they wyll not come they speke fayre and flater and gyue some gaye thyng and promyse fayre and so drawe them and smyte them not but yf they may in no wyse be holpe referre the ponyshement to the father and mother and so forth And by thesâ— iudgeth be all other lawes oâ— god and vnderstandeth the true vse and meanyng of them and by these vnderstandeth he in the lawes of man whych are ryght and whyche tyrannye More Useth Tyndale and his spyrytuall mayster thys manes of loue this forberynge and this maner of pacyeÌ„s to warde the pope and the clergye and towarde prynces and other teÌ„porall rulers we se perde thorow all theyr bokes in what lowly louynge fashion they serue and suffer them and how fayre they speke and how plesauntly they flater all holy catholyque crysten people sauyng onely theyr own secte with as venemouse wordes and as poysen speche as the dyuell can dyuyse them wyth all the meanes they may to sow dyuysyon and dyssencyon and set the people in sedycyon vnder colour of true fayth to brynge them in heresyes and destroye both bodye and soule
so repent in herte shall neuer do so more wyllyngâ—â— and of purpose syth he that hathe repented 〈◊〉 harte may do so agayne wyllyngly and of purpose to he that dyd 〈…〉 â—sed purpose doth yt yet for all that 〈…〉 he do yt wyllyngly And for coÌ„clusyon though yt may be sayâ—◠〈◊〉 good men of good mynde in exhortacyon in perseuerauÌ„â—◠〈◊〉 good workes agaynst the 〈◊〉 of such as 〈…〉 agayne that they 〈…〉 lyghtenes geueth 〈…〉 to thynke and saye yet to put ye for a rule and 〈…〉 as Tyndale doth that who so repeÌ„teth onys in haâ—te â—â—all 〈…〉 wyllyngly of purpose that they that synne 〈…〉 lyngly and of purpose dyd neuer repent in harte is very â—alse doctryne a very playne heresye Tyndale And yf I beleued the gospell what god hath done for me in Criste I shold surely loue hym agayne and of loue prepare my selfe vnto his commaundement More It is vndowtely a very good occasyon to moue a man to loue god agayne when he beleueth the loue that god hath to hym and the thynges that of very loue god hath done for hym But yet it is not trew that Tyndale sayth that euery man whyche byleueth thys loue doeth so loue god agayne that of loue he prepareth hym selfe vnto goddys commaundementes I dare say that saynt Peter loued hym well and yet he bothe forsoke hym and forsware hym to But a man that well byleued sholde peraduenture prepare hym to goddys commaundementes yf neyther the worlde the flesshe nor the deuyll drewe hym bakke nor suche heretykes worse yet theÌ„ all â—â—re 〈◊〉 the râ—te of ryght bylefe out of hys harte And 〈◊〉 standen the wordes of Tyndale wyth Luthers holy doctryne whyche he precheth agaynste the lybertye of mannys fre wyll wherof yf man haue none as theyr heresye techeth then how can it be trewe that a man can of loue prepare hym selfe to the commaundementes of god And fynally yf it be trew that Tyndale sayth that is to 〈◊〉 thâ—â— yf he beleued the gospell he sholde surely prepare hym selfe to the coÌ„maundementes of god and then yf thys be trew 〈◊〉 as in dede it is that he that doeth as Tindale doeth enfeete hys neyghbours wyth dedely poysened heresyes agaynst the blessed sacramentes therby maketh theyr bodyes be burned in erthe wyth hys bokes and theyr soul ys burned in helle wyth hys heresyes is the most trayâ—â—rouse 〈◊〉 of goddys commaundementes that can be 〈…〉 very clerely that Tindale byleueth not 〈◊〉 gospell 〈◊〉 all and surely no more he doeth And now cometh he and sayth that I knowe that all y◠〈…〉 for hys defence in the chaunge of chyrch preste 〈…〉 penaunce and suche other is trew bycause 〈…〉 as he â—ayth the greke afore hym where as I by 〈…〉 knowledge as I haue of greke latyn and of our owne 〈…〉 tonge togyther knowe hys defence dothe 〈…〉 And that haue I so clerely proueâ— that to the 〈…〉 of bothe hys 〈◊〉 and hys â—oly there shall not greately nede yâ— knowlege of thâ—â— tonges nor twayne neyther but an indyfferent reader that vnderstandeth englysshe and hath in hys hed any reason or naturall wyt For all be it that the more lernynge the reder hath the more madnesse he shall perceyue in Tyndales defence of these thynges afore remembred yet he that hath wyt and no lernyng at all shall clerely perceyue inoughâ— And to that entent onely haue I taken the labour 〈◊〉 answere hys defence to make it open to lerned and vnlerned bothe that he bryngeth to the mater after hys two 〈◊〉 musynge thereuppon â—eyther insyghte of any substancyall lernynge nor yet any profe of reason or naturall wytte but onely a rasshe malyciouse frantyke brayde furnysshed with a bare bolde assercyon and affyrmacyon of false poysoned heresyes For sauynge to make thys appere I neded not to touche those poyntes at all For euery man well knoweth yâ— the entent and purpose of my dyaloge was none other but to make the people perceyue that Tyndale chaunged in his translacyon the comen knowen wordes to th enteÌ„t to 〈◊〉 a chauÌ„ge in the fayth As for ensample that he chauÌ„ged the worde chyrche in to thys worde congregacyon bycause he wolde brynge it in questyon whyche were the chyrche anâ— set forth Luthers heresye that the chyrch whyche we sholde byleue and obaye is not the comen knowen body of all crysten reames remaynynge in the fayth of Cryste not falleâ— of nor cut of wyth heresyes as Boheme is and some parteâ— of Germany but that the chyrche whyche we sholde byleue and obay were some secrete vnknoweÌ„ sorte of euyll lyuyng and worse byleuyng heretykes And that he chauÌ„ged preste into senior bycause he enteÌ„ded to set forth Luthers heresye techynge that presthed is no sacrament but the 〈◊〉 of a laye man or a laye woman appoynted by the people to preche And that he chauÌ„ged penauÌ„ce into 〈…〉 he wolde set forth Luthers heresye techyng that penauÌ„ce is no sacrament Lo thys beyng yâ— onely purpose entent of 〈…〉 Tyndale cometh now and expressely 〈◊〉 the same thynge that I purposed to shew For he 〈◊〉 wryteth openly those false heresyes in dede that I â—â—yed then â—â—teded after to do so that hyâ— selfe sheweth now that I 〈◊〉 then shewâ— the people trewth thâ—â—â—eded I to make 〈◊〉 answere syth hys owne wrytyng sheweth that he made his translacyon to the entent to set forth suche heresyes as I sayed he dyd For as for that that Tyndale calleth them none heresyes but the very fayth forceth me but lytle for so hath euery he retyque called his owne heresyes syns crysteÌ„dome fyrste byganne But for all that the deuyll wyll be the deuyll though Tyndale wolde call hym god And I made my boke to good crysten people that know such heresyes for heresyes to gyue theÌ„ warnynge that by scripture of his owne false forgynge for so is his false translacyon and not the scrypture of god he sholde not bygyle them and make them wene the thynge were otherwyse then yt is in dede For as for such as are so madde all redy to take those heresyes for other then heresyes and are thereby them selfe no faythfull folke but heretyques yf they lyst not to lerne and leue of but longe to lye styll in theyr false bylyefe yt were all in vayne to gyue them warnynge thereof For when theyr wyllys be bent thereto and theyr hertys set thereon there wyll no warnynge serue them And therfore syth Tyndale hath here confessed in his defence that he made suche chaunges for the settynge forth of suche thynges as I sayed yt is inough for good cristen men that know those thynges for heresyes to abhorre and burne vppe his bokes and the lykers of them wyth them so that as I say I neded none answere to all his defence at all sauynge to make as I haue done both lerned and vnlerned folke perceyue hym for an vnlerned fole And yet defendynge hym self so fondely and teachyng open heresyes so shamefully he
folke wolde so clere haue caste all heresyes out of remembraunce that neyther theym selfe shulde haue neded to wryte therof nor other folke to rede the parte of they re bokes And therfore as I wolde aduyse any man neither to rede these heretykes bokes nor myne but occupy theyr myndes better and standynge fermely by the catholyke faith of this xv C. yere neuer onys muse vppoÌ„ these newe fangled heresyes so vn the tother syde yf it mysse happe any man to fall in such a fonde affeccyon vayne curiouse mynde that neither parell temporall in brech of hys pryncys proclamacyon the lawes of the realine nor the parell spyrituall in hurtynge of his owne soule nor they both to gether by puttynge hym selfe in daynger to burne both here and in hell can hold his ycchynge fyngers frome they re poysened bokes then wold I couÌ„sayle hym in any wyse to rede therwith such thynges as are wrytten agaynste theym and way theym both at the leste wyse indyfferently and not to fall sodenly so dronke in the newe muste of they re neweâ—angled neweltyes that the olde holsome wyne with whych good folke haue lyued now this fyften hundred yere offend theyr dronkeÌ„ taste bycause yt is not so walow swete but drynketh more of the verder Forthermore for as mych as accordynge to the wordes of Cryst Lucae .17 It wyll none otherwyse be but that some stuÌ„blyng blokkys wyll allway be by malycyouse folke layed in good peoples way though beste were to stoppe your â—aris vtterly and gyue none herynge to any false euchauntors that wold bywych you wylyly to make you delyte in those bokes yet sith some that be playne symple may fortune to be secretly mysse lede by false wyly shrewes excepte they be well armed before I doute not by godes grace but yf they rede fyrste the thynges that are wrytten agaynste theym they shall theym selfe be able to reiecte and confouÌ„de any deuyll that wolde drawe theym to them And therfore as I am sure that euyl and vngracyouse folke shall euer fynde the meanys that suche bookes shall neuer in some corners lakke wherby good people may be deceyued and corrupted yt ys more thenne necessary that men haue agayne at hande suche bookes as may well arme them to resyste and confute them Of which kynde of good bokes all be it I knowe well there may and dowte not but there shall be many better made then myne and that some such I se alredy yet haue I not so sieyghtly seen vnto myn owne nor shoffled it vp so hastely nor let it so passe vnloked ouer by better men and better lerned also then my selfe but that I truste in god it maye amonge the better stande yet in some good stede And that it so maye to goddes honour and the profyte of some good folke I hertely byseche our lorde wythout the adspiracyon and helpe of whose especyall grace no labour of man can profyte and to whom therfore be all thanke referred whyche lyueth and regneth in eternall glorye To whych as he hath all redy brought many a blessed saynt so mote his mercy brynge with spede the soules that are in purgatory and gyue vs the here lyue in this wretched worlde ayde and helpe of grace by trewe fayth and good workes to folow them the rather by the intercessyon and prayours of all his holy sayntes that are all redy wyth hym A MEN. The preface of Tyndall wyth thâ— answere vnto the same Tyndall THe grace of our lorde the lyght of his spyryt to se and to iudgâ— trew repentaunce toward goddes law a fast fayth in the mercyfull ê“mises that are in our sauyour Cryste feruent loue toward thy neybour after then sample of Cryste and hys sayntes be with the O reder and with all that loue the trouthe and lâ—nge for the redempcion of goddys elect Amen More TIndall here begynneth wyth an holy salutacyon and so doth Luther to and so doth freâ—e huskyne to and id doth euery fonde felow of any of theyr sectys They begynne theyr pystles in suche apostolycall fashyon that a man wold wene yt were wryten from saynt Paule hym self But wolde god they wolde onys rather folow hym truly in fayth and good workes then in symulacion of lyke sancryte wyth theyr holy salutacyons For yf men coÌ„syder that where Tyndal here prayeth holy +ly for the lyghte of the spyryt to see trew repentauÌ„ce he then techeth hym selfe a sodayne sleyghte repentauÌ„ce forbedyng both confessyoÌ„ all doynge of penauÌ„ce they shall yf they be good men sett lytle by hys holy salutacyon And when they coÌ„syder that where he prayeth god sende theym a fast fayth hym selfe techeth a false fayth agaynst the sacrameÌ„tys and meneth that they shulde be fast in the same there wyll no good crysten man can hym thank for that holy prayour And where he prayeth here â—o holyly for the loue of yâ— neygh +bour yf men loke on the loue that ys vsed amonge all the maysters of that hole holy secte coÌ„syder they re lyuyngys and loke vppon frere Luther the very father of theyr hole secte and se hym ronne out of relygyon fallen to flesshe and caryn and lyue in lechery wyth a nuÌ„ne vnder name of wedloke and all the cheyfe heddys of then late monkys freres and now apostatas lyuynge wyth harlotes vnder the name of wyues he that lokyth on thys and then secth theym and theyr scolers as Tyndale here and suche other come forth and speke so holyly wolde he not wene that yt were a sorte of freres folowynge an abbote of mysrule in a Christemas game that were prykked in blankettes and theÌ„ sholde stande vp and preche vppon a stole and make a mowynge sermon And as lewd sermoÌ„s as they make in such noughty games wold god that these meÌ„nys ernyst sermons were not yet mych wurse But surely as euyll as the tother be yet is there more harme more dedely poyson to in this one sermone of Tyndalys as ye shall here or yt come at the ende then in an hundred sermons of frere Frappe that fyrste gapeth and then blessyth and loketh holyly and precheth rybauldrye to the peopell that stande aboute For there is not the worste thynge that frere Frappe precheth in a lewde sporte but fader Tyndall here wryteth mych worse in very great ernest mych worse then doth the tother abusyth the scrypture vnto yt The tother when he precheth that men may lawfully go to lcchery he maketh commenly some fonde textes of his owne hed and dare not in such madde matters medle wyth the very scrypture yt selfe But Tyndall teacheth vs in good ernest that freres may walke out and wedde nunnes and is neyther aferd nor ashamed to draw the holy scripture of god vnto the mayntenauÌ„ce of abhominabyll synne and seruyce of the deuyll The tother rybawde in hys fonde sermon medleth but with fleshly vyces and worldly wantonnes But Tyndall here with an ernest hyghe professyon of godly
aduersaryes to theyr pestyferouse heresyes Tyndale He supposeth that he loueth his neyghbour as mych as he is bounde yf he be not actually angrye wyth hym whom yet he wyll not helpe frely wyth an halfpenny but for auauntage or vayne glorye or for a worldly purpose If any man haue displeased hym he kepeth his malyce in and wyll not chaâ—e hym self aboute yt tyll he se an occasyon to auenge yt craftely and thynketh that well inâ—ugh And the rulers of the worlde he obeyth thynketh he wheÌ„ he flatereth them and byndeth them wyth gyftes and corrupteth the offycers with rewardes and begyleth the law wyth cauteles and sotyltyes And because the loue of god and his neyghbour whych is the spyryte and the lyffe of all lawes and wherfore all lawes ar made is not writen in his herte therfore in all inferiour lawes and in all worldly ordynaunces is he betell blynde More All this gere is but a fardell full of lyes and that woteth Tyndale hym selfe well inough For all be yt that there be mo theÌ„ inough that in the catholycall chyrch of Cryste that vse to coÌ„mytte such synnes yet vse they not to thynke that they do well and fulfyll the law of god in doynge but they both byleue and confesse the contrarye and to theyr confessour knowlege yt as yt is for synne For though men in the catholyque chyrch do synne yet to take yt for no synne but for holynes vertue this is neyther the doctryne nor maÌ„ner gyâ—e of the catholyque chyrch of Cryste But this is in very dede the belyeâ— or at the leâ—te wyse the gyse and custome of Tyndales chyrch Luthers and frere Huskens For they haue the loue of god and theyr neyghbour the spyryte and lyfe of all lawes so well and wysely wryten in theyr hartes that they can not be but feruently taken in theyr lewde lecherouse loue nor be not in inferiour lawes and worldly ordynaunces so betyll blynded but that a frere can fynde the way to a nunnes bed and it be at mydnyght and after in the open day abyde thereby and auowe the breche of theyr vowe boldely for very well done and holyly and when he thus doeth begyleth not the lawes wyth cawtels and subtyltees but boldely breketh them vp lyke a stronge man and bereth it owt bygly wyth shamelesse deuelysshe heresye Tyndale And yf he be commaunded to absteyne from wyne that wyll he obserue vntâ— the deth to as charterhouse munkes had leuer dye then eate fleshe And as for the sobernes and chastysynge of the members wyll he not loke for but wyll powre in ale and beare of the strongeste wythout measure and heate them with spyces and so forth More As for the munkes of the charterhouse wolde god we were no ferther from very vertuouse deuocyon then those good men be from vnlawfull superstycyon amonge whom god be thanked we se many lyue to very greate age and neuer herde I yet that any dyed for lacke of eatynge flesshe yet herdeâ— I neuer that any of them haue eaten any sauyng some suche as haue comen from theyr cloysters in to Luthers chyrche as Otho dyd in Almayne whyche ronne out of the charter house and lefte fysshe and fell to flesshe all togyder and toke a wyfe for sobrenesse and chastysynge of his monkely membres as Tyndale speketh Tyndale And the holy daye wyll he kepe so strayte that yf he mete a flee in hys bedde he dare not kyll her and not ones regarde wheâ—fore the holy day was ordeyneâ— to seke for goddes worde and so forth in all lawes More Tyndale I thynke hath not knoweÌ„ many kepe the holy day so strayte yâ— wolde feare to kyll a flee as it pleaseth hym to ieste But yetâ— aâ— I leuer yâ— men â—old kepe it so strayt as he speketh theiâ— kepe it so losely as they do But they yâ— kepe iâ—â—o losely be neythâ—r afeâ—d I warrâ—â—t you to kyll a fle nor to do â—â—rs neyther And who so euer wold kepe it so strayt as 〈…〉 of aâ—â—e in hys bed wolde kepe it bettâ—r then do the 〈◊〉 of Luthers câ—â—â—che that let not on the holy 〈◊〉 to 〈…〉 to 〈◊〉 For as for herynge of goddys worde in many places in Almayne among theyr holy sectys where they were in the begynnyng wonderfull hote vppon sermons they be now blessed by god waxen colde inough Fyrst in many places they sange the seruyce in theyr mother tonge men and women and all and that was a prety sporte for them for a whyle But after a lytell vse therof the pleasure of the neweltye passed and they set somwhat lesse therby then by a thre mannes songe They chaunged also the masse and sone after that many cast it vp cleâ—e Then was all theyr luste layed vppon prechynge specyally bycause euery man myghte preche that wolde sayenge that they folowed the counsayle of saynt Paule whyle one wolde byd the precher holde hys peace aâ—â— let hym speke a nother whyle 1. Ceri 14 affyrmynge that the spyryâ—◠〈◊〉 reucled hym the right sense and that the precher lyed 〈◊〉 â—â—s turned they sermons in brawlynges so that somtyme tâ—e people parted them from poyntynge theyr prechynges wyth systeâ—â— But now as I here saye that maner is well amended thâ—â—â—an suffer one to preche as longe as it please hym and no man ones interrupte hym for they be there waxeâ— womeÌ„ and all so cunnynge that scantly come any to here hym And thus doeth Tyndales chyrche and Luthers syt at home in theyr stewys in honour of theyr holy daye Tyndale And in ceremonyes and sacramentes there be câ—pt yuateth his wyt and vnderstandyngâ— to obey holy chyrch wythout askynge what they meane or desyrynge to knowe but onely careth for the kepynge and loketh euer wyth a payre of narow eyes and wyth all his spestacles vppon theym leste ought be lefte oute More The ceremonyes and sacrameÌ„tes Tyndale maketh his mokkynge stokke but let hym beware by tyme lest god mokke hym agayne Better is it good 〈◊〉 reader to do the thynge that Tyndale here reproueth that is to wyt a 〈…〉 hys wytte and vnderstandynge and obâ—◠〈…〉 in the ceremonyes and sacraâ—â—â—â—â—â— and 〈…〉 well wythoute ferther serche then to do as 〈…〉 done that with hys curyouse serche hath s◠〈…〉 pryed vppon them wyth betle broâ—es and his brytâ—â— spectacles of pryde and malice that the deuyll hath stryâ—en hym starke 〈◊〉 and set hym in a corner wyth a chayne and a clogge made hym hys ape to syt there and serue hym and to make hym sporte with mokkynge and mowynge and pottynge the sacramentes whyche yet the deuyll dredyth hym selfe dare not come anere them Tyndale For yf the preste sholde saye masâ—e baptyze or here confessyon wythoute a stole aboute his necke he wolde thynke all were marred and doute whyther he had power to consecrate and thynke that the vertue of the masse were lâ—ste and that chylde not well baptysed or not baptyzed at all and that his absolucyon
reader wheÌ„ Tyndale hath told vs that the ryght fayth is heresye and heresye ryght fayth and when he weneth that he hath made men so wyse that we wolde at his worde take whyte for blacke and black for whyte and god for the deuyll and the deuyll for god then when he weneth that he hath made men so blynde he byddeth loke and marke that all emperours kynges prynces lordes and prelates and euery kynde of crysten people that any thynge do or saye agaynst heretyques all they be Pylates Herodes Cayphas and Annas and are gathered agaynste Cryste sayth Tyndale that is to wytte in dede agaynst heretyques that labour both wyth false heresyes to destroy the true fayth of Cryste and also wyth theyr traytorouse settynge forth of sedycyoÌ„s to rayse rebellyons as they dyd in Almayne and therby destroye Crystes good crysten people For surely good reader though men may haue fayth and yet lacke charyte as saynt Paule sayth and saynt Iamis to 1. Cori. 13 Iacobi .2 euery one of whyche two is worthy more fayth and credens then fyften hundred thousand Tyndales that telleth vs the contrarye but though a man maye as I saye haue fayth and lacke charyte yet yf he lacke fayth he may well haue loue but he can not haue no charyte And therfore syth Tyndale is thus runne out of the ryght fayth neuer truste his fals loue lakkyng charite For surely to wynne his conclusyoÌ„ and brynge in his heresyes and to get therof the vayne glorye to be taken for an apostle he wolde se seuen cytees burne warme hym selfe by the fyre And euen in this place he maketh a maÌ„ner of mocyoÌ„ therof shewyng hym self to haue some trust to worke woÌ„ders at length For he maketh as though the princes that wold represse heresyes were as Absolon with his army achytophell therin that preserue kynge Dauid as though frere Luther his wyfe wyth his fond felowes theyr leÌ„mans were lyke to kynge Dauid and his hoste And then hath Tyndale a truste that some Chusye that is some chyeftayn of Luthers counsayle whych he meaneth as yt semeth shal be hym self shall by his hygh wisedome make as though he were a faithfull frende and begyle all the company and so scater them and make them to be takeÌ„ and slayne as Absolon was and his folke But lyke wyse as Tyndales hole storye serueth here all agaynste his purpose bycause that here the trueth doth of good mynde labour to put downe falshed an Tyndale wyth his mayster his fonde feleshyp wyth theyr fayned fayre holy speche lyke absolon wyth his fayre here enforce them selfe to brynge in false heresyes and destroy the true fayth why Tyndale sholde be lyke to Chusy that can I nothynge se sauynge onely for one thynge that for policye Chusy made a lye and therin Tyndale ouer matcheth hym far for he sayth neuer trew Tyndale Marke whyther yt be not true in the hyest degre that for the synne of the people hypocrytes shall raygne ouer them What shewes what faces and coÌ„trarye pretenses are made and all to stablysh them in theyr thefte falshed and damnable lyes and to gather them to gether for to contryue sotyltye to oppresse the trueth and to stoppe the lyght and to kepe all styll in darkenes More Tyndale is a great marker there is nothynge with hym now but marke marke marke It is pytye that the man were not made a marker of chases in some tenys playe For in good fayth he sholde be therin mych better occupyed than he is in this when he sytteth and marketh all other mennis fautes and leueth his owne vnmarked whych euery other man marketh well inough He byddeth the people marke that theyr prynces are hypocrytes in the hyghest degre and so he teacheth theyr subiectes to haue them in good opynyon and reuerens But I am glad as helpe me god on the tother syde that the holy spyrytuall hedes of Tyndales heresyes as frere Luther frere Huskyn and all the hole pakke of the pryncypall fathers of all theyr frantyque sectes haue lefte of a pece of theyr hypocrysye and by theyr fylthy weddynge shewed theÌ„ selfe playne open rybaudes Tyndale Wherfore yt is tyme to a wake and se euery man wyth his owne eyes and to iudge yf we wyll not be iudged of Cryste when he cometh to iudge And remember that he whych is warned hath none excuse yf he take no hede Here wyth fare well in the lorde Jesu Cryste whose spyryte be thy gyde and doctryne thy lygth to iudge wyth all Amen More Tyndale neuer spake better then he doth euyn here For of trouth good crysten reader it is hygh tyme to awake and loke euery man wyth hys owne eyes and that tyme was neuer so conuenyent as now For in all other heretykes before thys tyme euery man was not able to perceyue them with hys owne eyes Heresyes were comenly sumwhat subtyle and hadde apparent textes in scrypture that falsely taken semed to make for them And then had theyr lyuynge such a pretence of honesty and clennesse that these thynges so blered the vnlerned peoples eyes that they were not able to iudge these men and theyr maters euery man hym selfe wyth hys owne eyes but they folowed the iudgement of wyser and better and better lerned and by theyr teachynge and good holy doctryne they sawe and perceyued the tother fayned and false But mary now god hath lawd and thanke be to hym brought these felowes and theyr heresyes in a nother case For he hath suffred them of hys hygh goodnes to shewe theÌ„ selfe at laste to falle in to such open bestely fawtes frerys nunnes crepyng to bedde to gyther and then to preche teche theyr shameles lechery boldely about for god laufull matrymony that they haue therby now set out theyr gere so syghtely that euery man maye well playnly se suche open rybawdry wyth hys owne eyes and well and easely iudge the thynge for synne and bestely bychery and the defence therof for a shamefull shameles heresye and the prechers therof for more then monstruose heretykes And therfore of thys be Tyndales wordes well verefyed that euery man maye and must awake and se wyth hys owne eyes thys abomynable bychery of these bolde bestely prechers that laye frerys and nonnys abedde togyder and call them man and wyfe This must euery man iudge for abomynable heresâ—e yf we wyll not be iudged of Cryste wheÌ„ he cometh to iudge And therfore when Tyndale closeth vp hys preface with a solempne threte byddynge men to remembre now that he whych is warned hath none excuse yf he take none hede he sayth as trewe as the gospell but all agaynst hym selfe For thys open heresye of frerys fylthy matrymony gyueth vs so playne and open warnynge of theyr worldly flesshly deuylysshe spyryte so playne agaynste all holy scrypture and all good honest men that we neuer coude haue excuse afore god yf we wolde gyue suche prechers so bolde in
wordes vsed amonge the hethen ere Cryste was borne Tyndale Fynally I saye not cheryte god or cheryte your neyghbour but loue god and loue your neyghbour More This is a prety poynt of iuglynge by whyche he wolde make the reader loke a syde yâ— hym selfe myght playe a false caste the whyle and men sholde not se wherin the questyon standeth For he maketh as though I reproued that he hath this worde loue in his translacion in any place at all where I neyther so sayed nor so thought But the faute I founde as in my dialoge I sayed playnely inough was that he rather chose to vse thys worde loue then thys worde cheryte in such places as he myghte well haue vsed thys word cheryte and where the latyn texte was charitas and where thys holy word cheryte was more proper for the mater then thys indyfferent worde loue Thys was the fawte that I found And therfore wherof serueth hys tryflyng betwene yâ— nowne and the verbe I let hym not to say loue thy neyghbour nor I bydde hym not say cheryte thy neyghbour nor good affeccyon thy neyghbour nor good mynde thy neyghbour â—â— more then drynke thy neyghbour And yet as he maye saye there geue thy neyghbour drynke so may he if it please hym saye here thy neyghbour good mynde bere thy neyghbour charyte Tyndale Though we saye a man ought to loue his neyghbours wyfe or his neyghbours doughter a cristen man doth not vnderstande that â—e is commanded to defyse his neyghbours wyfe nor his neyghbours doughter More This mater is somewhat amended here by this worde ought to loue But ellys if Tyndale fall not to the cherytyng but to the louynge of his neyghbours wyfe or the louynge of his neyghbours doughter I had as leue he bare them both a bare cheryte as wyth the frayle feminyne sexe fall to far in loue namely syth he sayth that prestes muste nedes haue wyfes But where of serueth hym this ensample Dyd any man forbede hym to vse this worde loue He maketh as though I forbode the worde vtterly bycause I forbede yt hym where he sholde not vse yt but charyte Thus cryeth he 〈◊〉 vppon all the chyrche sayth they forbede all 〈◊〉 bycause they forbede the banys bytwene frerys and â—â—â—nes Agaynste 〈…〉 fauour in stede of grace Tyndale ANd wyth lyke reasons rageth he bycause I torne charis into fauour and not in to grace sayenge that euery fauour is not grace and that in some fauour there is but lytle grace I can say also in some grace there is lytle goodnesse as when we say he standeth well in my ladyes grace we vnderstande no greatë godly fauoure and in vnyuersitees there be many vngracyouse graces goten More Thys ys all that he sayeth for hys puttynge out of grace and settynge in of fauour And I praye you consyder what cause hath he now shewede why he so sholde do And yet his tytell of this chapiter is why fauour not grace as though he wolde tell you why And hath he now shewed you any cause at all but thynketh that hys proper scoffynge is suffycyent to chaung yâ— knowen holy namys of vertue thorow all scrypture in to suche wordes as hym selfe lyketh And now he pleaseth hym self wonderfully well bycause he hath founde out so fetely that prety scoffe that grace sygnyfyeth somtyme no good as when a man standeth well in his ladyes grace But he seeth well that I fynde wyth hym the faute for chaungynge grace into fauour where the scrypture speketh not of the grace of my lady but of the grace of our lorde In spekynge wherof all be it that goddys fauour is neuer but good yet is in respecte vnto hys creature hys grace and his fauour not alwaye one but he both fauoreth for his grace and gyueth grace for his fauour fauoreth for his mercy and yet his fauour and his mercy not bothe one in respecte I saye to his creatures though hys owne nature be so entyere and hole that all that euer is in hym is all one And yet where he putteth his ensample of standyng in his ladyes grace bycause yt is yet but indyfferent for yâ— maye be good inough he sholde haue made thensample by â—â—wde Luther his lewâ— ladyes grace And when he sayeth that in the vnyuersyte many vngracyouse graces be goten he sholde haue made it more playne and better perceyued yf he had sayed as for ensample when hys owne grace was thâ—â—â— graunted to be made mayster of arte And thus gracyon â—â— hath he quytte hym selfe in puttynge out of grace 〈◊〉 Tyndales chaungynge of confessyon in to knowlege penauns into repentauns Tyndale ANd that I vse thys worde knowlege and not â—â—â—sâ—syon and thys worde repentaunce and not â—enaunâ—â— in which all be caÌ„ not proue that I gyue not the ryâ—â—â—â— englysshe vnto the greke worde More Thys is playne vntrew that Tyndale sayth as I haue playnely shewed all redy in the wordes chyrche preste cheryte and grace all whyche chapyters who so rede and consyder from the begynnynge and aduyse well Tyndales wordes and myne be he lerned be he not lerned that readeth them yf he haue naturall wyt and be but indyffereÌ„t he shall I dowte not fynde Tindale in these poyntes so clerely confounded that he shall truste bothe hys lernyng the lesse and his wyt the worse whyle he leueth after Besydes that he shall perceyue also malyce hatered and enuy so stuffed in Tyndales harte that all though he had greate wyt and lernyng bothe yet must the myste of suche blynde affeccyons nedys blyndefelde them bothe Tyndale But yt is a farre other thyng that payneth them and byteth theÌ„ by the â—restis There be secrete paâ—ges that pinche the very hertes of them wherof they dare not complayne The sykenesse that maketh them so impacyent is that they haue loste theyr iuglynge termes For the doctours preachers were wont to make many diuisyons distinccyons and sottis of grace gratis â—ata gratum faciens praeuenicus subsequens More Nay god he thanked they haue not lost these termys yet and god forbede they sholde For these termys of grace be no englyush termys but termys necessarye for the trewe knowledge of goddys gyâ—tes graces But Tyndale hath indede loste them from whose harte the deuyll hath 〈◊〉 all grace saue gratia gratis data and yet that to almâ—â—â—e â—â—yth whyche gratia gratis data all had he therof â—yche 〈◊〉 then he hath he myghte go forth as he goth the straygâ—◠〈◊〉 downe to the deuyll For those 〈◊〉 graces and 〈…〉 god gyueth a man wherof he maye make a mâ—â—â—r of 〈◊〉 or a mater of vyce as hym lyst to 〈…〉 them to 〈◊〉 the man is mych the worse for them as 〈◊〉 strength lernynge or wyt Gratia gratâ—â— facieâ—â—s is that grace by 〈◊〉 the man is acceptable to god As the grace gyuen in y◠〈…〉 though it be to chyldren and the grace with which in fayth hope and cheryte man worketh good workes
elles fynally muste he confesse hym selfe for a fole in sayenge that goddys holynesse stryue not one agaynst another but yf he saue hym selfe and saye that perpetuall vyrgynite and the worke of wedlokke be not repugnaunt the tone to yâ— tother and then he shall not nede to confesse hym selâ—e a fole for the hole worlde wyll confesse it for hym Now maketh he another ly where he sayth that wedlok defyleth prestehed more then horedome thefte murder or any synne agaynst nature For yf he say this as of hym self it is a folysshe lye But yf he saye it as he doeth in the person of the catholyke chyrche to make men byleue that the chyrche techeth so then is it a very malycyouselye For it is not trew nor the chyrche techeth not so For the chyrche playnly techeth that horedome thefte murder and synne agaynste nature coude neuer be lawfull neyther to preste nor lay maÌ„ But the chyrche bothe knoweth and confesseth that wedlok and prestehed be not repugnaunt but compatyble of theyr nature and that wedded men haue ben made prestes and kepte styll theyr wyues But syth perpetuall chastyte and yâ— forberynge of the worke of wedlokke is more acceptable to god then the worke of wedlokke in matrymony therfore yâ— chyrche taketh none to be prestes but suche as promyse and professe neuer to be maryed but kepe perpetuall chastyte And then doth maryage after yâ— promyse made not by reasoÌ„ of the presthed taken vppon them but by reason of the promyse made vnto god and broken defyle the preste I wyll not dyspute whyther as mych as thefte murder or yâ— synne agaynst nature but I am sure as mych as horedome doth For syth the maryage is no maryage it is but horedome it selfe And I am sure also that it defyleth the preste more then dowble and treble horedome syth that hys maryage â—eynge as it is vnlawfull and therby none other but horedome doth openly rebuke and shame two sacrameÌ„tes there at ones that is both presthed matrimony besydes that not onely commytteth horedom but also sayth openly that he wyl lcommytte horedome and as a bolde beste and a shamelesse whoremaster playnely professeth afore the face of god and all crysten people that in stede and dyspyght of his professed chastite he coÌ„meth there to bynde hym self to shamelesse perpetuall horedom And thus good crysten reders ye se how well this wyse argument serueth hym And now putteth he after yt his great solemne questyon where he fyndeth in scrypture that women may crysten chyldren whyche ioyneth to his wordes byfore nere inough in the boke but in reason as farre of as the scrypture that he layeth therfore is farre of from the mater as I haue touched before And surely thorow all his boke and almoste euery thyng that he maketh sometyme the chapyters sometyme the paragraphes and reasonynges wythin the chapyter haue so euyll dependence one towarde a nother that yt semeth yâ— mater to be gathered by dyuerse folke and as they come to hym in dyuerse papers so he wythout order and at aueÌ„ture patcheth in hys peces nothynge lyke to gether wyth great sakke semys and some seme rent bytwene And in lykewise ioyneth he now the fynall clause of thys chapyter vnto the remanaunte so that who so consyder what and how many thynges go betwene yt and the thynge wheruppon he concludeth yt shall surely wene yt were a poysened stynkynge tayle of some stynkynge serpent that were quyte cutte of after layed a syde farte from the poysened body For this is hys fynall clause and hys hole conclusyon Tyndale And fynally though we were sure that god hym selfe hadde geuen vs a sacrament what so euer yt were yet yf the sygnifycacyon were ones loste we must of necessite eyther seke vppe the sygnyfycacyon or put some other sygnyfycacyon of goddes worde thereto what we ought to do or byleue therby or ellys put yt downe For yt is impossyble to obserue a sacrament wythout sygnyfycacyon but to oure damnacyon If we kepe the fayth purely and the lawe of loue vndefyled whyche are the sygnyfycacyons of all ceremonyes there ys no ieobardye to alter or chaunge the fashyon of the ceremonye or to putte yt downe yf nede be More Lo good readers here ye se finally how well and how wâ—sely and thereto how vertuousely Tyndale fynysheth thâ—s chapyter For the whole effecte of all these wordes is in thâ— worlde nothynge ellys but that yf god bydde you do a thynge and he tell you not what he meaneth thereby and for what cause he wyll haue you do it ye must nedes leue yt vndone bydde hym do it hym selfe wolde Tyndale wene you be well contente wyth hys owne seruauÌ„t that wolde serue hym of the same fashyoÌ„ not do what he byddeth hym tyll he tell hym why he byddeth hym wold it not haue bycome Adam well when god forbode hym the tre of knowledge to haue asked god agayne why he dyd so saye tell me god lorde wherfore and what thou meanest therby and why sholde I more dye for etynge thereof then of a nother tre tell me thys good lorde ere thou go for ellys be thy bakke turned onys I wyll ete therof whyther thou wylte or no. when god taught Moyses the makynge of the tabernacle the temple all thynges bylongynge therunto wold yt not haue done well in Moyses mouth to haue sayed vnto god Tell me what yt meaneth that thou wylt haue the tabernacle made of thys maner or ellys yt shall lye vnmade for me when our sauyour hym selfe sent out hys dyscyples and bade them in the confyrmacyon of theyr doctryne lay theyr handes vppon syke folke and they sholde be hole and that they sholde anoynt some wyth oyle wolde yt not wene ye haue done very well that they sholde haue sayd nay but yf he wolde tell them why laye theyr handes more then speke theyr bare worde why anoynt them wyth oyle rather then smere them wyth butter Surely the deuyll hath made this man madde he wolde ellys neuer saye as he sayth For yf it were impossyble to vse a câ—remonye but vnto damnacyon yâ— obedyence to goddes byddyng be euer more dedely synne but yf the sygnifycacyon be knowen then lyued the chosen people of god in the olde law in a straung perplexite whych what so euer Tyndale say shall neuer be proued to haue vnderstanden the sygnyfycacyoÌ„s of all the ceremonyes which god expressely commaunded them to fullfyll and obserue though he wolde not that they sholde wene that the obseruyng of them wythout fayth and other good workes shuld suffyse them as Tyndale and Luther saye that fayth alone shall saue vs wythout good workes as they sayed of olde and as he sayeth now wythout sacramentes to For this ys his fynall conclusyon of all that yf we kepe the fayth and yâ— law of loue â—â—defyled there is no parell at all to alter and chaunge the fashyon of the ceremonyes to put theÌ„