enny further enstruccyon of the poyntis of our faythe than be specyfyd in our commeÌ„â—rede made in the begynyng as a brefe remeÌ„brans by the appostellys not settyng out in so short a thyng and clerely declaring all that we be bounden to bileue albeit that he shuld well finde in scripture many playne and open textys wherbye the godhed of our sauyour and his egalyte with his father may well suffycyeÌ„tly be prouyd yet were he not vnlykly by such other textys as seme to shew hym to be lesse then his father to fall into the sect and heresy of the Arryanys And agaynst those other textys prouyng his egall godhed to deuyse such false glosys as they did where as being before taught and confyrmed by the fayth of yâ— chyrch yâ— our sauyour is one god and one egall substauÌ„ce with his father shall well perceyue and vnderstand therby that all yâ— textis that seme to make him lesse be nothyng to be vnderstanden of hys godhed but of his manhod onely As when we comenly speke of our self aÌ„d of our owne nature and say wee shall dye wormys ete vs vpp turne all to dust we mene all thys by our body oÌ„ly and nothyng entend thereby to denye the immortalyte of our soule we may not dyne to day yf I shulde reken you the tenth parte of such thyngys as we muste nedys vppon losse of heuyn byleue whyche neyther oure chylde wyth hys only crede and mych lesse our olde idolater wythout crede shuld so finde oute by scrypture but that they were bothe well lykely to take the scrypture to the wrong parte excepte we take with vs for a rule of interpretacyon the articles of our fayth ¶ The .xxv. chapyter ¶ The authour takyng occacyoÌ„ vppon certayn wordes of the messeÌ„ger declareth yâ— preeminence necâ—ssite and profite of holy scrypture shewynge nathelesse that many thyngys haue bene taught by god wythoute wrytyng And many great thyngê so remayne yet vnwrytten of trewthys necessarye to be bileued And that the new law of Christe is the law so wrytten in the hart that yt shall neuer out of hys chyrche And that the law there wrytâ—en by god is a right rule to interprete the wordis writteÌ„ in hys holy scrypture whych rule with reason and the olde interpretours the author sheweth to be the very sure waye to wade wythe in the greate streme of holy scrypture wHy than quod he thys were as myche to say as that god had not well wrytten his holy scrypture if he haue caused yt to be wrytten so as men may be so sone deceyued therin that they were as likely and as it semyth by you more likely to fall in to a false wey thaÌ„ fynde out yâ—â—rew And better were yt thaÌ„ that god hade not geuen vs the scripture at all than to gyue vs a way to walke wher in we were more lykely to synke than saue our self ¶ holy scripture quod I bothe is such as I haue sayed and yet nothing followeth it theruppon that god hathe not caused it to be wrytten well or that it had bene better to haue kepte it frome vs. And albe it that in this poynte were a great occasyoÌ„ of a long tale in declaryng and making open yâ— god hath in that writing of holy scripture vsede so hygh wysedome and shewed such a wonderfull temperaunce that the very straunge famylyare fashyon theâ— of may to good meÌ„ and wyse well declare that as it was written by meÌ„ so was it indyted by god yet passiÌ„g ouer tâ—e prayse I wyll speke one worde or twayne for the answer of suche blame as ye lay therto For it is almost a comen thyng among men so to speke suÌ„tyme as though they coud ameÌ„d the workis of god And few men be there I wene but they thynke that yf they had beene of goddys councell in the makyng of the world though they dare not be so bold to say that they coud haue made it beter yet yf theye myghte haue ruled yt hee shulde haue made many thyngys of a nother fassion And for all that if he wold yet call vs all to councell and chaunge nothynge tyll wee were vppon euery thyng all agreed the world were well likly tyll domys day to go forth on as yt goth all redy sauiÌ„g yâ— I wot nere whether we wolde all agree to be wynged ¶ But as for the scrypture shortely god hath so deuysed it that he hath geuyn the world therin aÌ„ inestimable tresure as the case standeth And yet we shuld happely nothyng haue neded therof if yâ— woundes of our own foly had not of oure greate necessyte goddys greate goodnes requyred it For at oure creacion he gaue but â—wo preceptê or thre by hys own holy mouth to our fyrst parentys And as for all that was for theym to do bysyde the reason whiche he had planted iÌ„ they re soules gaue them suffycient warnynge wherof yâ— hole some stode in effecte in the honoure of god goddys frendys wyth loue of eche to the other and to they re ofspryng and linage But the preceptis yâ— he gaue by mouth was thre Twayne coÌ„mauÌ„diÌ„g generacion and etynge yâ— thyrd forbedyng the tre of knowlege And that was for them contynuall where the tother twayn albe it they were therto boundeÌ„ by the precepte yet were not they and they re posteryte bounden therto at all owers and all placis But nede was it in the beginning to gyue theym kowlege therof for as mich as they had no hunger to warne theym of the tone nor sensuall rebellyouse appetite to warne theym of the tother But after that they were by god onis admonished therof thaÌ„ dyd reason enterprete the reÌ„naunt wherby they wyste that they shuld ete for conseruacyon of they re bodies and in gender for propagacioÌ„ of theyr kinde Anâ— syth they perceyued that these .ii. thiÌ„gys was theÌ„d eÌ„tent of those commaundementê they therby coÌ„sequently knew whan it was tyme and place occacyoÌ„ coÌ„uenient to fullfyll theym But whan they had onys at the subtell swasyon of the deuyll brokeÌ„ the thyrd commaundement in tasting yâ— forbedeÌ„ fruyt beyng than expelled out of paradise than coÌ„cernyng they re foode and engenderinge not oÌ„ly reasoÌ„ ofte shewâ—d theym what was honeste profytable but also seÌ„sualyte what was bestely and plesaunte whyche sensualyte labored so bysyly to cause man to sett by delyte aboue good and conueniente that for the resystence therof it then bycam to be the spyrytuall bysynesse occupacion of man so to preserue and bring vp the body that it were not suffered to maister yâ— soule and so to rule bridell sensualyte yâ— it were subiecte and obedyent vnto reason as god wylled the woman to be subiecte and obedyencer of man wherin god wolde that we were lerned rather to suffer our seÌ„suall ê‘tys playne and morne thaÌ„ to folow theyr own hurte owers to As it hade bene better for oure father Adame vs all that he had
do iuge a right or erre As for your white blak neuer shall it be that ye shall se the thiÌ„g blak that all other shal se white But ye may be sure that yf all other se it white ye take it for blak your eyene be sore deceyuyd For the chirch wyll not I thiÌ„k agree to call it other than yt semyth to theÌ„ And mych maruayle were yt yâ— ye shuld iÌ„ holy scripture se beter thaÌ„ the old holy doctors and Crystys hole chyrch ¶ But furste quod I ye must consyder that ye and I do not talke of one doctour or twayne but of the consent and comen agrement of the old holy fathers Nor that we speke not of the doctryne of one man or two in the chyrch but of of the comen consent of the chyrche we speke nott also of any senteÌ„ce taken in eny text of holy scrypture wherby rysyth no dout or question of eny necessary artycle of oure fayth or rule of oure lyuynge For in other bye maters may there be taken of one text .x. sensys paraduenture and all good ynough wythout waraÌ„tyse of the best But we speke of suche two dyuers and contrary sensys taken as yf the tone be trew the tother must nedys be false and that as I say concerning some necessary poynte of oure faythe or rule of oure lyuynge whych is also dependyng vppon fayth and reducyble therto As yf one wolde boldely breke his vow for that he thought that no man were bouÌ„deÌ„ to kepe any Sych poyntys I saye lett vs consyder they be that wee speke of And thys remembryd betwene vs than wyll we suÌ„what se what your sayng doth proue I shall not myche nede quod I to styk wyth you in dysputiÌ„g by what meanis the scrypture ys vnderstanden syth ye be agreed wyth nature and dylygence the grace of god must nedys go or els no dylygence or help of nature can preuayle Nor I wyll nothyng deny you but that god may and wyll also gyue hys grace now to vs as he gaue of old to hys holy doctors if there be as mich towardnes and no more let or impedymente in our selfe than was in them I wyll also grauÌ„t yow that we may now by the same menis by whych they might than vnderstand the scripture as well as they dyd than and I wyll not micâ— styk wyth you for one aâ—e better And were it not for the synnys that we sink in we myghte parcase vnderstande yt beter by quater tredeuce hauiÌ„g theyr labours therin oure owne therwyth But syth I am so gentyll to grauÌ„t you so many thyngê I trust ye wyll grauÌ„t me thys one that yf any such poynt of our fayth as god wolde haue meÌ„ bounden to beleue they dyd vnderstande the scripture one way and we a nother beyng the tone to the tother so clene contrary that yf the tone were trewe the tother must nedê be false ye will thaÌ„ grauntâ— I say that either they erre or we ¶ That muste nedys be quod he ¶ ye wyll also graunt quod I that in such poyntis as we speke of the erroure were dampnable For we speke of those poyntys onely to the beleefe wherof god wyll haue vs bounden ¶ I graunt quod he For dampnable were yt in suche case to beleue wrong And wrong shuld they or we beleue if they or we beleued a wroÌ„g artycle because they or we thoughte that the scrypture affyrmyd yt And as daÌ„pnable were yt and yet mich more if we beleuyd a thyng wherof we beleuyd that the scrypture affyrmyth the coÌ„trary For theÌ„ beleuyd we that the scrypture were false ¶ Thys is q I very well sayde â—But for the more playnnes let vs put one exaÌ„ple or twayn And what poynt rather than the arâ—ycle towchynge the equalite iÌ„ godhed of our sauiour cryste with hys â—ather For yf the coÌ„trary belefâ— were trew than were this alway damnable playne idolatry ¶ Uery trothe quod he ¶ May not quod I the totheâ— example be the matter that we haue in hand coÌ„cerniÌ„g sayntê reliques imagê pylgrymagê whych thyngys yf yt be as ye say many reken yt ydolatrye thaÌ„ ys yt yet worse to do therin as we do than yf our byleefe were wrong in the tothere poynte And that as myche worse as the sayntys or the ymagys eyther be worse than the holy manhode of Christe ¶ That ys q he very trew ¶ ThaÌ„ q I let the furst point alone because therein wee be all agreed speke of the second yf tholde fathers toke the scryptures one way we the contrary Though yt myghte be that we were able to vnderstaÌ„d the scryptures as well as they yet yf they so vnderstode theim that thei thoght this kiÌ„d of worship not for beden but coÌ„mauÌ„did plesauÌ„t to god we new men oÌ„ the tother syde thoght yt vtterly forbeden holden for ydolatry the tone ê‘te did not in dede vnderstand the scrypture ryght but were in a dampnable erroure ¶ That wyll no maÌ„ deny q he ¶ I doute not now q I but that your self seeth very well how many thiÌ„gys I might here lay for them to proue you that they erryd nott so Furste theyr wyttys as mych as our new meÌ„nys theyr â—ylygeÌ„ce as grete theyr erudycyon 〈◊〉 theyr study as faruent theyr deuocion hoter theyr noÌ„ber farr greter theyr tyme coÌ„tynued lenger by many agys parseueryng the contrary oppynyoÌ„s in few those alway sone fadyd they taken alway for catholyke the coÌ„trary ê‘te for heretykys Here myght I lay you the holynes of they re lyfe the plentye of theyr grace well apperynge therby And that our lorde therfore openyd theyr eyen suffred causyd them to se the trothe And albeyt he vsed theriÌ„ none open myracle nor sensyble reuelacyoÌ„ wherof as ye say they none allege or preteÌ„d for the profe of theyr opynioÌ„s in theyr interpretacyons of holy scrypture yet vsyd he the secret suê‘naturall meane by whych his grace assystent with good meÌ„ yâ— labour therfore by mocioÌ„s insensyble to them self inclynyth theyr assent vnto the trewe syde that thus the old holy fathers dyd in the poynt that we speke of in such other parceyue the ryght seÌ„ce of holy scrypture so farforth at the lest wyse as they well knew that yt was not coÌ„trary to theyr beleefe And here myghte I lay you also that yf yt had bene otherwyse that they had therin daÌ„nably bene deceyuid than liuyng dyeÌ„g in dampnable errour they coud not haue beene sayntys as god god hathe shewyd theÌ„ to be by many a thousand miracle both iÌ„ theyr lyuys after theyr dethys wyth thys might I also lay very well coÌ„clude that syth those holy doctors and the chyrch be as by theyr bookys playnely apperethe all of one fayth in thys poynt such other that ther by well apperyth that the chyrche is in the treuth ys not in the vnderstandyng of the scrypture that spekyth of the
mouth coÌ„maund theÌ„ the coÌ„trary ¶ why shuld ye wene so quod he or whereby can ye be sure that ye do not now mysconster theyr good mynde hard is it oftymys to iuge an other mannys dede that hathe sum appareÌ„ce of yuell because the purpose and entente may make it good And whatt parell is it then where the dede apperyth good there to iuge the mynde and entent for nought whych who can se but god As the scrypture saythe Dominus autem intuetur cor Onely god beholdyth the harte And therfore sayth our sauyouriuge not before the time ¶ I iuge not quod I but vppon opeÌ„ thingê and well apparant For I speke but of those whose erronyous oppynyons in theyr prechyng aÌ„d theyr obstynate pryde in the defence of theyr worldely worshyp well declaryth they re myndys And sum haue I sene whych when they haue for theyr parylous prechynge bene by theyr prelatys prohybytyd to preche haue that not wtstandyng proceded on styll And for the mayntenaunce of theyr dysobedience haue amendyd the mater wyth aÌ„ heresy boldly and stubburnly defendyng that syth they had connynge to preche theye were by god bounden to preche And that no man nor no law that was made or coud be made had any authoryte to forbede theym And thys they thought suffycyencly ê“uyd by the wordê of thappostell Oportet magis obedire deo quam hominibus As though these meÌ„ were appostels now specyally sent by god to preche heresies and sow sedycyon amonge crysten men as the very appostels were in dede sente and coÌ„maundyd by god to preche his very fayth to the iewes One of thys sort of thys new kynde of prechers beinge demaundyd why that he vsyd to say in hys sermons about that now a days men prechyd not well the gospell answered that he thought so because he saw not the prechers parsecutyd nor no stryfe nor bysynes aryse vppoÌ„ theyr prechiÌ„g whych thyngys he sayd aÌ„d wrote was the frute of the gospell because Cryste sayd Non vem pacem mittere sed gladium I am not come to send peace in to the worlde but the sword was not thys a worshypfull vnderstandynge that because Cryste wolde make a deuision among infidels from the remanaunt of them to wynne some therfore these appostels wolde sow some cocle of dyssension among the cristen people where by Chyste might lese som of them For the frute of strife amonge the herers parsecucioÌ„ of the precher cannot lightly grow among crysten menne but by the prechinge of some straunge newelties and bringynge vp of some new faÌ„gell heresies to the infeccioÌ„ of our olde faythe ¶ One wyst I that was for hys partinacie in that oppynioÌ„ that he wold and might and was bouÌ„den to preche any prohibicyon not wythstandynge when he was aftere dyuers bolde and open defeÌ„ce thereof at laste before folk honorable fewe reasoned withall not onely the lawe shewed hym to the contrary of hys oppynion whych law was made at a generall couÌ„cell but also by playne authoryte of holye scrypture prouyd that hys oppinion was erronyous he so parceyued hym selfe satysfyed that he mekely knolegyd hys errour offryd to abiure it to submyt hymself to penaunce But on the morow when he cam forth in open preseÌ„ce of the peple and there saw many that had oft hard hym preche of hys secrete pryde he fell in such an open passion of shame that those shulde heere hym go bak wyth hys worde whych had before had hys sermons in grete estymacyoÌ„ that at the fyrst syghte of the people he reuokyd hys reuocacion and sayd out alowd that he myghte well be harde that hys oppynyon was trewe and that he was that day beefore deceyuyd in that he had confessyd yt for false And thus he held hys own stubburnly wythout reason tyll the bookys were shewyd hym agayn and him self red them before all the people so that he parceyuyd the audyence that stode about hym to feele vnderstand hys proude foly in the defence of hys indefensyble erroure And theruppon at the last yelded hym selfe agayne Suche secret pryde had oure gostely enemy conueyd in to the harte of hym whych I ensure you semyd in all hys other outward maner as meke a symple soule as a manne shuld haue sene in a somers day And some of theÌ„ let not wyth lyes and pariury to defeÌ„d them self and some to stande in defeÌ„ce of they re errours or false denyenge of theyr owne dede to theyr great parell of the fyre yf they re iudges were nott more marcyfull then they re malyce deseruyth And all thys doâ—ne because as them selfe doth at last coÌ„fesse they thynke yf theye abiure theye shall not after be suffred to preche agayn Such a scabbyd ych of vayn glory catch they in theyr prechynge that though all the world were the worse for yt and they re own lyfe lye theron yet wold they loÌ„g to be pulpetyd And thys I saye hathe comen of suÌ„ that haue wyth contempt of all other lernyng geuen theÌ„ to scrypture alone whose affeccyons of pryde and slouth hath not in the begynnyng bene parceyuid to them selfe but haue accomptyd theyr vycys for deuocyon ¶ wold ye then quod he condempne yâ— maner of study by whych a man hathe so gret affeccyon to the scripture alone that he for the delyte therof felyth lytle sauoure in any thyng â—ls but that we shuld lese tyme in phylosophy the mother of heresyes let scrypture alone ¶ Naye quod I that mynde am I not of There was neuer thyng wryten in thys worlde that canne in any wyse be coÌ„parable wyth any parte of holy scripture And yet I thynke other lyberall scyence a gyfte of god also and not to be cast away but worthy to wayte aÌ„d as handemaydys to gyue attendauÌ„ce vppon diuinite And of diuinyte rekâ—Ì„ I the best parte to be coÌ„teynyd in holy scripture And thys I say for him that shall haue time thereto and froÌ„ youth entendeth to the churche ward and to make him self wyth goddys help metâ— for thoffyce of a precher How beyt if â—ny man eyther happeÌ„ to begyn so late that he shall paraduentuâ—e haue no tyme therto or els any maÌ„ of youth to haue that feruent appetyte vnto scrypture that he cannot fynd in his hart to rede any thyng els whych affeccion who so hapeth to haue gyuen him is very fortunate if he with grace and meekenes gyde it well then wolde I councell him specyally to study for the vertuouse framyng of hys owne affeccyons and vsynge greate moderacyon and temperaunce in the prechynge to other men And in all thynge to flee the desyre of prayse and shew of coÌ„nyng euer mystrustyng hys owne inclynacyons and lyue in drede and feare of the dyuyllis subtell sleyghte inuencions who though he lye in contynuall awayt vppon euery prechour to cach hym into pryde yf he can yet hys hyest enterpryse and proudyst tryumph standyth in the bryngyng of a maÌ„ to the most abuse
I suffer to allow ryghte well in some But yet if he did neuer in his life lerne oughte els how olde think ye that he shuld be or he lerned the articles of his belefe in the bible ¶ I can nott redely tell quod he for I haue not sene it assayed ¶ well quod I sith we be not sure how long it wolde be in lernynge there were it not beste then that for the whyle he were tought hys crede before in his own mother tong ¶ I demeÌ„ not yâ— q he that he shuld conne hys crede byfore because euery chrysteÌ„ mannys chylde by the law shuld know hys fayth as sone as he coud but I say he shuld not therwith take vppon hym to iudge and examyne holy scrypture therby ¶ well quod I let thys crysten chylde of ours alone for a whyle And let vs coÌ„syder yf there were a good old ydolater that neuer had hard in all his lyfe any thyng of our belefe or of other god theÌ„ only the man in yâ— mone whoÌ„ he had watched aÌ„d worshypped euery frosty night If thys maÌ„ myght sodeÌ„ly haue yâ— hole byble turned into his own tong rede yt ouer thynke ye that he shuld therby lerne all the artycles of yâ— fayth ¶ I thynk quod he yâ— he myght ¶ ThiÌ„k ye so q I I put case that he beleuyd that all yâ— boke were lyes ¶ Mary q he that may he by yâ— book hym self lern the coÌ„trary For the boke in tellyng hys tale affyrmyth hys tale techyth yt to be trew ¶ ye say very trothe quod I if yt were all one to rede a thyng lerne a thynge But now myght there be an other boke made also wyth lesse wonders fewer therby lesse vnlykly aÌ„d yett all vntrewe And how should hys mynde geue hym than that thys boke tellyng so incredible wonders shuld be trew ¶ Nay quod he that thyng must he nedys beleue or els he can parceyue nothynge ¶ well quod I then is there one poynt of fayth one gret lessoÌ„ to be lernyd without the boke that must be lernyd sum where ether by god or maÌ„ or els yâ— hole boke wyll do vs lytyll seruice And of whom we shall lern that we shall se herafter But now suppose that thys olde ydolater were thorouly perswadyd in hys mynd that all the boke were trew thynk you thaÌ„ that he shuld fynd out theryn all the artycles of our fayth ¶ I thynk quod he that he shuld ¶ Thynk ye so q I beyt so than But thynk ye that he shall fynde them outâ— all in a weke ¶ Nay quod he that can he not do ¶ well quod I than sith he shall not at the lest wyse fynde them out all on a day let vs leue hym a lytyll while in sekyng we shall retorne agayn after to hym and loke what he shall haue founden And in the meane season we shall go loke agayn vppon oure good lytell godsoÌ„ the boy parde that we crystened ryght now taught hym his crede sett hym to scrypture were it nede yâ— thys chyld knew no more of hys fayth but his crede before he go to scripture ¶ Me thynketh quod he that yt were ynoughe ¶ Be it so than quod I. ¶ whatt yf yt shoulde fortune hym to fynde some text of scripture that shuld seme to him to be coÌ„trary to his crede As for ensample yf he happened vppoÌ„ the redyng of these wordys Dij estis filij excelsi omnes Goddys be ye all the chyldern of the hye god what yf he wolde wene that syth in these wordys it ys sayd all good meÌ„ be the chyldern of god oure sauyour Cryste were not goddys onely begoten sonne but hys soÌ„ne in such wyse as god by yâ— prophet callyth all good men ¶ That coud he not thynke q he For he shuld in â— other partes of scrypture fynd many placys that shuld shew hym well the contrary ¶ well sayd quod I very truth But now in the mene tyme wyll ye that he shal beleue as that text shall seme to souÌ„d to hym agaynst hys crede tyll he haue found a nother texte in scrypture that answeryth yt seemyth to hym to saye more playnly the coÌ„trary ¶ Nay quod he not one houre For he seeth that thogh other good men be callyd goddys chyldern goddys yet as they be not very goddys so be they not goddê very naturall chyldern by generacyon but by acceptacyon where as the crede sayeth of our sauyour that he is goddes onely bygotten sone that sygnyfyeth him to be hys soÌ„ne by generacyon ¶ That is quod I very trew and well and resonably consyderyd and accordynge vnto the very ryght fayth But now consyder that ye make hym by and by fall to the squaryng of his stones lyke that slowthfull masoÌ„ that ye spake of wyth hys leden rule For now ye make hym to examyne the trouth of thys texte of the psalme by the artycle of the faythe whych he brought wyth hym and by a colleccioÌ„ and discourse of reason And so forthwyth ye finde both these rules necessarie to the discussioÌ„ of scrypture Of whych twayne ye wolde in the byginnyng admit nether nother ¶ But now goo ferther what yf he wolde vppon thys texte homines iumenta sal uabis deus God thou shalt saue both men and bestys wene that bestys had immortall soulis as menne haue and that maÌ„ and beste shuld be both saued at laste and so yâ— no dedely sinne shuld be ponyshed wyth euerlasting payne â—â—ll he cam to other textys that shulde proue well the contrarye were the beste or ellys were it better that bysyde hys crede he had knowlege bifore of these artycles of our feythe that onely oure soules be in mortall and not bestys al so And that the payne of hell shal be for synners euer lastiÌ„g And that he may therby wyth reason ioyned therto perceyue that this text Thou shalte saue bothe men and bestê is mente by som other kinde of sauing and preseruyng here in thys world and not of bryngyng both to heuen ¶ All thys may he know quod he by scripture selfe well I â—ough ¶ That wot I well q I. And yet as playne as christe speketh of hell iÌ„ the gospell Origene for all yâ— which neyther was a nawghty maÌ„ nor vnlerned in scrypture could not so clerly se it but that he sayed the contrary And toke the wordes of Chryste in a wroÌ„g sense And wolde perauenture wythe one that wolde stykke onely vppon the the wordys of scripture leuyng the right sense therof whych god and hys holly spryt hath tawght his churche brynge hym to a baye therin that he shuld be fayne not our chylde onely but also a well elderly man and in scripture well forwarde to take hym in conclusyon to yâ— fayth of Chrystys church ¶ Now if our childe sholde rede on the texte of scrypture wythout care of the commeÌ„ t is and wythout
hys chyrch Cryste hym self that hath promisyd vnto th ende of the world to perseuer and abyde in hys church shall neuer suffer hys catholyk chyrch neyther to agree to the makynge of any law that shal be to god dampnably dysplesauÌ„t nor of eny trewth that god wolde were beluyd to determyne or beleue the contrary For than had Cryste whych ys all trouthe broken hys promyse and whych were blasphemy aÌ„d abhomynable to thynk were waxeÌ„ vntrew And therfore ouer thys as it may be that as I sayd before some thyngys in holy scrypture be not yet fully parceyuyd and vnderstandeÌ„ so am I very suâ—e that the chyrch neyther doth nor can do daÌ„pnably conster yt wrong whych yt shuld yf they shuld conster yt so as yt shuld make an artycle of mysbelyefe and of a false erronyous faythe As yf they shulde by mysseconstruccyoÌ„ of the scrypture bryng vp and beleue that Cryste were one god and egall wyth hys father and wyth the holy goste yf the trouth were otherwyse in dede And therefore syth the chyrche in whych Cryste ys assystente and hys holy spyryte caÌ„not to goddes displeasure and they re dampnacyoÌ„ fall in any false beleefe in eny suche substauncyall poynte of the fayth yt muste nedys be thâ—rfore that Arrius and all other heretykes be drowned in dampnable errours The coÌ„trary oppynyoÌ„ of whose execrable heresyes the church was in the begynninge taughte by the mouthe of Cryst hym self And after of his blissed appostels whyche redde declaryd the scrypturs amoÌ„g the peple in theyr tyme shewyng them in what wyse the wordis of holy scrypture prouyd the trouth of such artycles of the fayth as they taught them by mouth And how such textys as semyd the contrary were not contrary in dede And therwyth declaryd theÌ„ of those textys the ryght vnderstaÌ„dyng ¶ And albeyt that our sauyour shewyd playnly prouyd that in the scrypture was geuen good tokens suffycyent knowlege of hym yet to th entent we shulde well know that hys own word ordynaunce nedyth none othere authoryte but hym self but ys to be beleuyd and obeyd be it wryten or not wryten sum thyngys dyd he therfore byd to be doÌ„ suÌ„ thyngys also to be beleuyd wherof we haue in holy scripture no wrytiÌ„g in the world Saynt Poule coÌ„maundyth the people of Thessalonica in his epystle to kepe the tradycyons that he tâ—ke them eyther by hys wrytyng or by hys bare word For the wordis that he sayd among them our lorde had told them hym for them And therfore he writeth vnto the Corynthyes that of the holy howsell the sacramente of the auter he had shewyd them the mater the maner by mouth as our lord had hym self taught yt to hiÌ„ And therfore no dout ys there but that by thappostels was the chyrche more fully taughte of the mater than euer was wryten in all the scrypture There was lernid the maner and forme of consecracyon There was lernyd mych of the mystycall gesturys aÌ„d ceremonyes vsyd in the masse And yf any man dout therof let hym coÌ„syder where shuld we els haue the begynnig of the water put wyth the wyne into the chalyce For well we wot that the scrypture byddyth yt not And euery wyse man may well wyt thaÌ„ whan the gospell spekyth onely of wyâ—e there durst no maÌ„ in thys world haue bene so bold to â—ut eny thing els therto For wheÌ„ the gospell spekyth of wine onely tornyd into hys precyous blood what man wold adueÌ„ture to make any myxture of water And now ys the chyrch so well acertenid of goddys pleasure theryn wtoute any scrypture that they not onely dare put in water but also dare not leue yt oute And wherby knew the chyrch this thing but by god hys holy appostels whych taught in theyr tyme And so wente yt forth from age to age contynued in the chyrch vntyll thys day begon by god iÌ„ the begynnyng without any mencyon made iÌ„ holy scripture ¶ How beit Luther sayth because yt ys not coÌ„mauÌ„dyd by scrypture wee maye chese therefore whether we wyll do yt or leue yt For this one poynt ys the very foÌ„d fouÌ„dacioÌ„ grouÌ„d of all hys greate heresyes that a man is not bouÌ„deÌ„ to beleue eny thyng but if yt may be ê“uyd euideÌ„tly by scripture And theruppoÌ„ goth he so farforth that no scrypture caÌ„ be euideÌ„t to ê“ue eny â—hyng that he lyst to deny For â—e will not agre it for euydeÌ„t be it neuer so playn And he wyll call euideÌ„t for him that text that ys euydeÌ„t agaiÌ„st hiÌ„ And suÌ„time if it be to playn agaiÌ„st him thaÌ„ wyll he call it no scrypture as he playth with the pystle of saynt Iamys And because the olde holy doctors be full hole against him he settyth theÌ„ all at nought And wyth these worshipfull wyse ways he proclamyth hiÌ„ self a coÌ„querour where besidê all the reÌ„nauÌ„t wherin euery chylde may se hys proud fraÌ„tyk foly he ys shaÌ„fully put to flyght in the furst poynt that had at the furst face sum vysage of ê“babylyte How be it to say the trouthe he were a lewde lorell that wolde nothynge doo that hys master wold byd hym nor no thyng beleue but that his master wold tell hym but yf he take yt hym in wrytyng as Luther playth wyth Cryste Of whose wordys or actys he wyll beleue nothiÌ„g except he fynde yt in scripture and that playne euident Now must he by that meanys condemne the chyrch of Cryste for that they sayntyfy not the saturday which was the sabbaothe day instytute by god amonge the Iewes coÌ„maundyng the sabbat daye to be kept holy And albeyt the matter of the precepte ys morall the day legall so that yt may be chaunged yet wyll ther I weene no man thynke that euer the chyrch wold take vppon theÌ„ to chauÌ„ge yt wythout specyall ordynauÌ„ce of god wherof we fynd no remeÌ„braunce at all in holy scripture By what scripture is euydeÌ„tly knowen that euery maÌ„ womaÌ„ hath power to mynyster the sacrameÌ„t of baptysme Let yt be shewyd eyther coÌ„maundment councell lycence or example expressyd in scrypture ¶ Many thyngys ar there lyke whyche as holy doctours agree were taught thappostels by Cryste the church by thappostels and so comen downe to our days by coÌ„tynuall successyoÌ„ fro theyrs But I wyll lette all other passe ouer speke but of one ¶ Euery good cristen man I dout not beleuyth that oure blessyd Lady was a perpetuall vyrgyn aswell after the byrth of Cryste as before For yt were a straunge thynge that she shuld after that blessyd byrth be lesse myndid to clennes puryte and set lesse by her holy purpose ê“myse of chastyte vowed and dedycate vnto god theÌ„ she dyd before For suerly who so consyderyth the wordys of the gospell in saynt Luke shall well ê‘ceyue that shee had vowyd vyrginite For when the angell had sayd vnto her Lo thou shalt coÌ„ceyue in
in theyr spyrytuall vyage wherein hys especyall goodnes well declarith his tender delygence by that he dothe vouchsafe to assyste and comforte vs wyth the coÌ„tynuall presence of hys preciouse body in the holy sacremente All this wolde not helpe yf manyfeste reasone that I made you and euydent scripture that I rehersyd you can not yet prynte in your harte a perceyuyng that thassystence of god in hys chirche must nedis preserue hys chyrche froÌ„ all damnadle errours in the fayth and giue his chyrch so ferforth the vnderstandynge of scripture that they may well perceyue yâ— no parte therof well vnderstande staÌ„dith agaynste eny artycle that the chyrche bileuith as ê‘cell of theyr christeÌ„ fayth ¶ Naye q he I perceyue yt well whan I remember it but it was not redy in remeÌ„braunce The .xxxi. chapyter ¶ In that the chirche can not erre in the choyse of the trew scripture the author prouythe by the reasoÌ„ whych the kyngys hyghnes in hys noble most famous boke obiectith agaiÌ„st luther that the chyrche can not erre in the necessaâ—y vnderstandynge of scrypture And fynally thauthor in this chapyter doth breuely recapiâ—â—e certayn of the pryncypall poyntys that be byfore proued And therwyth endeth the fyrste booke yEt wold I quod I aske you one thynge wherfore thinke you wyll noâ— Chryste suffer hys chyrche to be deceyuyde in the descerninge of holy scrypture frome othere wrytynge and suffer theym to take a boke of holâ— scrypture that were none in dede ¶ Leste meÌ„ might quod he of sum false boke reputed holy scripture haue grete occacyon geuyn them to coÌ„ceyue a wronge dyctryne and wronge opinions of the fayth yf god wold suffer hys chirch to take a false deuysed boke for holy scrypture for hys owne holy wordys ¶ ye say quod I very trouthe Now what yf in the very scrypture he shuld suffer hys chyrche mysse take the very sentence in a matter substanciall of our fayth were they not in lyke ê‘ell to fall by false vnderstandyng iÌ„ to like errors as they might by false wrytiÌ„g ¶ Yes thâ—t they were quâ—â— he ¶ Forsoth qâ—od I so 〈◊〉 thâ—y and in myche more For in â— false â—â—â—ke mystaken for scrypture thâ—â—gh they â—â—d yt in neuer so hygh reâ—ereine for somâ— good thynges that they founâ—â— in yt and therby sholde haue grâ—â—t 〈◊〉 to byleue the falfe errours wrytten in the same yet â—â—â—yng â—s â—he chyrch alwaye shall haue the trewe faythe fyrst in harte they sholde fynde many shyftys to kepe oute the errours But now yf they falsely shold vnderstand the trewe scrypture there were no waye to scape frome dampnable errours And therfore may I say to you as the kyngys hyghnes most prudeÌ„tly layd vnto Luther syth god wyll not suffre hys â—hyrche to mystake a booke of scrypture for parell of dampnable errours that myght ensue theron and lyke parel may there ensue by the myâ—construynge of the sentence as by the mystakynge of the boke yt must nedê folowe that god wyll in thyngys of our fayth no more suffre theym to take a false sentence for trew than to take a false booke for scrypture And wyth this reason hys hyghnes coÌ„cluded hym so clerely that he durst neuer synnys for shame touche that poynt agayne nor eny colour coulde lay but that vpoÌ„ hys owne confessyon in all substauncyall poyntys concernynge the faythe or knowlege of vertue pleasaunt to god the chyrche hath so ryght vnderstandynge of scrypture that yt well trewly perceyueth that no text therin can be ryght vnderstanden agaynst eny artycle that yâ— chyrche byleueth for thyng to be byleued of necessytye And this poynt durst he neuer synnys touch 〈…〉 ¶ Sâ—rely quod your â—rend I 〈…〉 not though he dyde not For this poynt is 〈◊〉 â—e cowld not and I am here in fuâ—ly satysfyed ¶ Than he you q I satysfyed in this also that the fayth of the chyrche is a ryght rule to caâ—ry wyth you to the study of â—â—rypture to shâ—pe you the vnderstandynge of the â—eâ—tis by and so to take theym as they maye alwayes agre therewythall ¶ â—e yt quod he ¶ Than are ye quoâ— I also fâ—lly answered in thys that yâ— where ye sayd ye shold not bylâ—ue the chyrche tellyng a tale of theyr owne but onely tellynge youâ— scrypture yâ— nowe perceyue that in suche thyngys as we speke of that is to wytte necessarye poyntys of oure faythe yf they tell yow a talâ— whyche yf yt were false were dampnable ye musâ—e byleue and maye be sure that sythe the chyrche can not in suche thynges erre yt is very trewe all that the chyrche in suche thyngys telleth yow And that yt is not they re owne worde but the worde of god thoughâ— yt be not in scrypture ¶ That appereth well quod h◠¶ Than are ye q I as fully â—atysfyed that where ye lately sayd that yâ— were a dysobedyeÌ„ce to god preferriÌ„g of the chyrch before hym self yf ye shall byleue the chyrch in such thyngê as god in hys holy scrypture saythe hym self â— the coÌ„trâ—ry ye now perceyue yt 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 wyâ—e 〈◊〉 â—o But syth hys chyrche in suche thyâ—gys as we 〈◊〉 can â—ot â—rre yt 〈…〉 that yeâ—â—rypâ—â—re 〈◊〉 god 〈◊〉 â—e coâ—trary to the fâ—yth of the chyrch◠¶ That is very 〈◊〉 quâ—d â—e ¶ Than yt is as trew quod I â—hat ye â—e ferther fâ—lly answered in the â—â—â—ncypall poynt that the scryptures layd agaiÌ„st yâ—agys pylgrymages woâ—shyp of sayntê make no thing agaynst theym And also that those thyngys ymagys I meane and pylgrymagys â—rayeng to sayntys are thyngys â—â—od to be had â— honour in Crystyschyrch syth the chyrch byleueth so Whych as ye graunt and se cause why ye so shold graunte can in suche poyntys not be suffred for the specyall assysteÌ„ce of god and instrucâ—yon of the holy ghoost to fall in error And soÌ„e â—e we for â—his â—â—ter at last wyth mych worke comeâ— to â—n eâ—de And therfore wyl we now to dyner And your other obiecâ—yons that yâ— haue layd by whych ye wolde proâ—e those thingê reê“uable make them sâ—me ydolatrye whych we deferred afore those wyll we talke of after dyner ¶ By my trouthe quod he I haâ—e a nother tale to tell you that all thys â—erâ— grauÌ„ted turnyth vs yet in to as myth vncertayntye as we were in before ¶ Ye q I thâ—Ì„ haue we well walÌ„â—â—d after the balade The ferther I go yâ— more behynde I pray you what thiÌ„g is that For that long I to here yet ere we go ¶ Nay quod he yt were bettre ye dyne fyrste My lady wyll I went be angry wyth me that I kepe you so longe therfro For I hold yt now well towarde tâ—â—lâ—e And yet more angry wâ—lde waâ—e wyth me yf I sholde maâ—â— you sâ—t and 〈◊〉 at your 〈◊〉 as yt wolde I wote well mâ—â—â—â—n the â—â—ter yf ys wyâ—â—s yt were ¶ Yf I were quod I lyke my wyfe I sholde 〈◊〉 more theron now
techith his chirch wtout scriptur agaynst our owne miÌ„de also to gyue dylygent heryng ferme credence and faythfull obedieÌ„ce to that chyrch of chryst concernyng the sence vnderstaÌ„dyng of holy scripture Not dowtiÌ„g but sith he hath coÌ„maÌ„ded his shepe to be fedde he hath prouyded for theym holesome mete and trewe doctryne And that he hath therfore so farre inspyred the olde holy doctours of his chyrch with the lyght of his grace for our instrucâ—yoÌ„ that the doctrine wherin they haue agreed and by many agys conseÌ„ted is that very true fayth and ryght way to heuyn beyng put in theyr myndes by the holy haÌ„d of hym qui facit vnanimes iÌ„ domo that maketh yâ— chyrch of Cryst all of one mynd The .xxviii. chapyter ¶ The messenger eft sonys obiected agaynst thys that we shulde byleue yâ— chyrch iÌ„ any thyng where we fynd the wordes of scrypture semiÌ„g playnely to say the contrary or byleue yâ— olde doctours interpretacyons in any necessary artycle where they seme to vs to say coÌ„trary to the texte shewiÌ„g that we may ê‘ceyue yâ— scripture aswel as they might the answer of the author ê“uiÌ„g the authorite of the old interpters the infallible authorite of the chirch iÌ„ yâ— god techith it euery truthe requysite to the necessite of maÌ„nys saluacyoÌ„ which he ê“ueth by a deducey oÌ„ ê‘tely depeÌ„diÌ„g vppoÌ„ naturall resoÌ„ IT semeth me quod he that all thys goth well that we shulde byleue the chyrch as chryst as longe as they say as Cryst sayth for some thynkethe ment our lorde ¶ But now yf they tel me talis of theyr owne wherof Cryst neuer spake worde nor mencyoÌ„ made therof in holy scrypture I may thaÌ„ say with the ê“phet Hieremie noÌ„ mittebaÌ„ prophetas et ipsi currebant Non loquebar ad eds et ipsi prophetabant those prophetis quod our lord ranne forthe of they re owne hed and I sent theym not And ê“phecyed of theyr owne heddes whaÌ„ I spake nothyng to theym And than how myche may I more say so yf they say me a thynge wherof Cryste or holy scrypture sayth the contrary shall I byleue the chyrch aboue chyrste were that a good humylyte to be obedyent more to menne than to god More ought I me thynketh to byleue god aboue spekynge in hys holy scrypture hym selfe than all the olde fathers yf they make a glose agaynste the texte Nor they doo nott theym selfe for they re opynyons say wryte that they haue theym by inspyracyon or by reuelacyon or by myracle But by wysedome studye dylygence and collacyoÌ„ of one texte wyth a nother By all whych meanys men may now perceyue the senteÌ„ce of scrypture as well as they myght than And yf ye wyll peraduenture say that grace holpe theâ—m whych I wyll well agree than wyll I say agayne that goddys grace is not so farre worn oute yet but yâ— yt may as well helpe vs as yt holpe theym and so may we be for the ryght vnderstandynge of scrypture equall wyth theym and peraduenture one ace aboue theym wherby whan we ê“ceyue that they went wrong and other after theym shall we than call yt humylyte so to captyue subdue our vnderstandynge wherby god hath happely geuen vs lyght to perceyue theyr errours that without thank geuyn him therfore we shall so sett hys gyfte at nought that we shall byleue theym byfore hym selfe tell hym that hym self bad soâ—â— therfore me thiÌ„ke where yâ— old doctours or the holy chyrche telleth me the tale that god doth ther he byddeth me byleue theym But where god sayeth one thynge in scrypture and they tell me a nother yt thynkith me that I shuld in no wyse byleue theym ¶ well quod I than in suÌ„what ye saye ye will bileue the chirch but not in all In eny thynge bysyde scrypture ye wyll not nor in the interpretacion of scrypture ye wyll not And so where ye sayed that ye byleue the chyrch in suÌ„what in very dede ye beleue the church iÌ„ right nought For wherein wyll ye byleue yt yf ye byleue it not in the interpretacioÌ„ of scripture For as touchynge the texte ye byleue the scrypture self and not the chirch ¶ Me thynketh q he the text ys good ynough and playne ynough nedynge no glose yf yt be well consydered euery parte compared with other ¶ Hard yt were quod I to fynde eny thynge so playne that yt shulde nede no glose at all ¶ In faythe quod he theye make a gloâ—e to suÌ„ textys that be as playne as yt is yâ— twise two make four ¶ why quod I nedeth that no glose at all ¶ I trow so quod he Or els the deuyll ys oÌ„ yt ¶ I wysse quod I and yet though ye wole bileue one that wold tell you that twise two gaÌ„ders made alway foure gese yet ye wolde be aduysed ere ye byleued hym that wolde tell you that twyse two geese made alway foure ganders For theriÌ„ might ye be deceyued And him wold ye not byleue at all that wolde tell you that twise two gese wold alway make foure horse ¶ Tut quod he thys ys a mery mater They must be all that twyse twayne alway of one kynde But gese and horse be of dyuerse ¶ well quod I than euery man that ys neythere gose nor horseseâ—th well that there is one glose yet But nowe quod I the geese and the ganders be both of one kynde and yet twyse two gese make not alway foure ganders ¶ A swete mater quod he ye wote what I meane well ynough ¶ I thynke I do quod Iâ— but I thinke if ye bryng yt furth yt wyll make a nothere glose to your texte as playne as youre texte ys and ye wyll in all holy scrypture haue no glose at all And yet wyll ye haue collaâ—yon made of one texte with a nother and shew how they may be agreed to gether as thogh all that were no glose ¶ ye quod he but wold you that we shulde byleue the chyrch yf yt seâ—t a glose that wyll in no wyse agree wyth the text but that it aperyth playnly that the texte well consydered sayeth clene the contrary ¶ To whoÌ„ dothe that apere quod I so playnly whaÌ„ yt aperyth one to you and to the hole chirch a nother ¶ yet yf I se yt so quod he though holy doctours all the hole chyrch wolde tell me the contrarye me thynkythe I were no more bounden to bileue them all that the scrypture menith as they take yt than if they wolde all tell me that a thynge were whyte whych I se my self ys blak ¶ Of late quod I ye wolde byleue the chirch in sum thynge And now not onely ye wold byleue it in nothiÌ„g but also where as god wold the church shulde be your iudge ye wold now be iudge ouer the chirche And ye wyll by your wyt be iudge whyther the chyrch in the vnderstaÌ„dynge of holy scripture that god hath wryten to hys chyrche