Answer to the Devilish Detection of the Bishop of Winchester, Treatise · Part 13 – Part 14
❧ An anſwere to the principal pointes that follow after the doctours in the biſhop of wincheſters boke.
NOw go to you papiſtes (who had rather er with your father the pope with his doctours, his furred hods and forcked caps then to ſaie trueth with Chriſtes deſpiſed membres) wyll you follow the broud way that leadeth to perdiciō becauſe the multitude doeth enter into it? Nay rather, cōtend and labour to enter the narrow and ſtraight waye whiche leadeth vntounto lyfe, which is the waye of knowledge and truth wherein fewe do walke. I knowe your doctours are gloriouſe. You call them ſainctes, and I truſte they be ſo accepted of God. But Chriſt and his Apoſtles, though they were not ſo glorious and well taken in the worlde: yet was ther more truth in their wordes and writings. Yea ſure it is to be fea The doctours are to be ſuſpected, becauſe they pleaſe the papeſtes ſo wel.red▪ ther is ſome priuie flatterie and vntrueth cloſely▪ cloked in the darke ſentence of their longe bokes, where the wrytinges are ſo cō mendable in the worlde, and ſo phauſible in generally to all the heape of the papiſtes, the vpholders of Antechriſt. For after olde cuſtom and auncient ordre: the ſcriptures of God maie not be reade in the ſcholes til ſuch tyme as the maiſter of the ſentences and the heape of your other doctoures, hauehave ſtopped Iacobs welles, the louelye fountaynes of the heauenly water with the fillthy mud of their gloſes▪ Yea the filthieſte of that flo… let hym lye, let him dote, let him bable wha… heluſteth: yet ſhall he be alowed, boeth in l… ten and in engliſhe, when the worde of God whē the new and olde teſtament) ſhalbe brē … with fire. Yea the maynteners therof, wh… are the onelyonly holions of God becauſe they maynetayne the holie worde of God (ſhalb… deſtroyed and brent together with the boke… of the Goſpell that they mayntayne.
Surely your perſwaſion maye do muche to the worldely mynded, when you compa… theſe. ii. contraries togither. The gloriouſe doctours (the ſayntes by the pope canoniſed and by al worldely powers maynetayned, renowmed Theſe doctoure that be called. S. ſit highly in tht conſciences of men.and worſhiped) vntounto the out caſtes of the world ſtil barkynge at the vices which are abominable, ſcrapeing the eares of men wyth the ſharp reaſeinge trueth, and therby deſerueinge (as the worldelye ſuppoſe) worthely to be expelled, baniſhed or burned. But vntounto the godlye (whoſe deſyre is to be lyke their maſter Chriſt in ſufferinge with him in this worlde, that they may after rayne wyth him in the worlde to come, haueynge before their eyes all the prophetes (who ſuffered for the trueth) and all other martyrs and wytneſſes (whome the worlde hated and was vnworthye to hauehave ſtyll amonge theim) conſiderynge that the ſcriptures can not lye, whych ſayeth, that who ſo euer wyll lyue godlye in Chryſte ſhall ſuffer perſecution: all your perſwaſions are but vayne and of none effect. For they loke onelyonly vp into heauen for theyr rewarde, where Chryſte theyr heade (whych ſuffered lykewyſe, at the hand of the wycked ſynners, reproche, rebukes, and moſte bytter tormentes, ſpytefull ſhame and paynful death rayneth for euermorewith me hys father.
Further more, where you are about to oppreſſe wyth the Maniches, Meſſalyans, and other ſiniſter opinions: you follow your father, whoſe nature is to accuſe the chyldrene of God. You ſtande vp lyke Sathane our aduerſarie, like the deuill our accuſer.
Frythe (if you hadde ſuffered hym to lyue Fryth is nat yet confuted.would hauehave ben able to hauehave anſwered you for hys boke whych is yet on lyue, you are not able to confute.
That onelyonly fayth (whych Luther taught) hath deſtroyed a greate parte of your popeyſh kyngdome. Wycklifes Wycket dyd open the waye to perceyue your wylful blindneſſe.Wicklifes wicket openeth the waie
Hys neceſſetie ſetteth forth the glorie of God who as he alone created all thynges, in heauen earth and hel wythout the helpe of any other: ſo by hys wiſedome and powre … lone wythout the helpe of any creature: do… he gouerne and preſerue all thynges, or… reinge euerie thynge vntounto thende moſte wi… lye, and ſo myghtily that no man can let the ſame.
If thys oure myghtie Lorde and mayſt… hauehave by hys ſecrete worckes ſtyrred our h… tes to bewaile your blyndeneſſe, and to be wrath and greued wyth your tirannye, and by the ſame worckes, long ſuffered you, that he myght make manifeſte the veſſe…les' of his God is pacient and of lōg ſuffering.merciemercy (whome he hath created vntounto glorie (differing hys vengeaunce, that you myght hauehave inſte tyme of repentaunce, ſuffereinge the cruell Pharaos to oppreſſe hys choſen, and all you wycked tirantes and Lorde lyke byſhopes, to deride and ſkorne not onelyonly thē but hys ſonne Chriſte alſo: yet knowe for certen, that God our father doeth not leaue his worcke vnperfete and vnfiniſhed. But leke as Sathan could ſtreach out hys hande no farther vponupon Iob, then God permitted and appoynted him: and as the rageinge princes and wicked prieſtes coulde do nothynge vntounto Chriſt but that the hand of the father had longe before appoynted (for the lambe was ſlayne euen frōe the beginning of the world) lyke as the princes ariſinge and rageyng… gainſt good & his Chriſt, can do nothing, but that which his counſel hath firſt decreed and determined: ſo when they hauehave ſhewed all theyr crueltie, and laughed theyr fyll▪ at the fall of the innocent, he will finiſh his worke. he wil deſtroy the wicked and laugh at theyr deſtruction. The Lord ſhall deride and ſkorn them. Then ſhall he ſpeake to them in hys angre, and in his wrath ſhal he ouer whelme them. This is the worke of the Lord, and the neceſſitie ineuitable. Beware, beware I ſaye, that you do not ſuffer the aduengeing hand of God, as More and other mockers hauehave done, for wadeinge into thys ſecret worke of More maye be an exemple to mockars.God, with ſuch lewde oppreſſion and diriſion. As for vsus, we do (accordinge to the ſcriptures) confeſſe this ſame neceſſitie, and gyue God our merciful father moſt hertie thāks that he hath ſo wyſelie and inyghtilye eſtabliſhed his workes, that no man or any other creature can change any one of them, No not ſo much as to make one heare white or blake
For this cauſe do we ſinge in our hertes and gyue thankes vntounto God for all his workes, For all the workes of the Lorde are excedynge good and conuenient in theyr due ſeaſone. Man ought not to aſke what is this or what is that for at tyme conuenient they ſhal be founde all perfecte. The workes of all fleſh are before hymrand ther is nothynge hyd from hys eien. He ſeeth from euerlaſteinge vntounto euerlaſteinge, and ther is nothing to wonderful to him, Ther is no euil done in the citie but he turneth it to his glorie. The Rom. iii.vnrightuouſenes of vsus doeth commend hys iuſtyce.
Than may not man ſaye, what is this or that? For vntounto the good, all thinges are turned into good. And all the▪ wayes of the Lorde are playn and ſtrayte vntounto the Iuſte: but the vngodly ſtumble at them.
For the good: good thinges are created euen frome the beginninge, and euyl things for the vngodly. All thinges neceſſarie for manues lyfe were created frome the begynninge, water, fyre, Iron, ſalt, wyne, oyle, and clotheinge. All theſe thinges are created, to To the god all thinges are good and to the wicked contrarie.the faythfull, to the beſt: but to the vngodly all theſe thinges are created for vengeaunce and in theyr rigorouſeneſſe hauehave they faſtened theyr tormentes▪ In the tyme of the ende they ſhall poure out theyr ſtrength, and pacifie the wrathe of him that made them. Fire death, honger, hayle, oppreſſion, ſtrife, ſwerd and bloude ſhedeynge, noyſome beaſtes ſcorpions and ſerpentes: are created for the wicked. And thoughe all fleſh be troubled with ſuch lyke miſeries: yet vij. folde are they poured forth vponupon the vngodlye. And they ſhalbe all found redie to fulfill the commaundementes of theyr Lorde vponupon the earth, and whē theyr houre & meaſure is appointed: they ſhall not ouer paſſe his cōmaundementes
Thus may al men (cōſidering the works of God) Iudge without wauerynge, that all his workes are perfect, firme, ſtable▪ and vnchaungeable, and he worketh euerie one in due ſeaſone, and when nede is. So that a man nedeth not to ſaie this is worſſe thē that, for in due ſeaſone they are all pleaſant and good.
Wherefore ge…e prayſe and thākes with whole herte and mouth vntounto his name whiche worketh all in al thynges after his good pleaſure.
Agayne, you ſaye it is a more eaſy thinge to lyue well then to lyue euill. Ah, than why It is more eaſie to lyue well then yll.wyll you not playe the good byſhope and lyue well accordeynge to your callynge? onleſſe you intende to be more rewarded for the labourouſe parte, of the tyrant papyſte accordeynge to your owne mockeynge doteynge.
But nowe hauehave you yet one onelyonly thinge to ſaye for your ſelues and that is this. This doctrine hath continued a thouſand yeares & hath be ſo longe maintened by our doctours
If this be a good argumēt? cal agayne into If thy…ges of auncient tyme be to be receiued: thē is ther no vice to be refuſed.Englande your greate Idole the pope and all his pardons. Buylde vp his monaſteries and reſtore his Images and Idoles, which hauehave by the pope and his church ben ſo long mayntened and defended, with the tyranny of fyre and fagottes. Yea if tyme may be preiudiciall vntounto the truth: by it may you maintaine the murther of Abel, the Sodomi…rie of the fyue cyties and the Idolatrie of the Babilonians: becauſe all theſe thinges be of ſuche auncientie. And becauſe▪ we hauehave nothynge that hath ſo longe continued in the worlde, neither that hath ben ſo generally receyued and maintened as ſinne hath bene: we ſhall by thys reaſone prefer it before vertu as his auncient, But let vsus diſcuſſe no lenger, how longe your poperie hath ben vſed: but let vsus trie by the touchſton of God his holye word how trulye you popiſh prelates hauehave del… with Chriſtes floke, theſe thouſande yeares that Sathan hath ben louſe among you, and how diligently you hauehave handeled, led and fed them. For no lenght of time may make wickednes good. No no, the abhominacion of thinges that be wicked: doeth dayly encreaſe. For the ſecond day addeth▪ ſome thing to the wickedneſſe of the firſt, And ſo doeth errour (beyng wicked) dayly growe and encreaſe til it come to the higheſt abomination: ſo that in cōtinuaunce it vttereth it ſelfe moſt clearly. For as tyme by) the prouidence of God) doeth firſt cloke, couer and hyde all thinges good and bad: ſo doeth the ſame opē Tyme vtterreth al thyngesand diſcloſe all thinges euen by the ſame prouidence and wiſdome. And for this cauſe hath God apointed the darke nyght and cō fuſion of thynges to go before, boeth in the creaciō and ordre of his creatures: that after …at the tyme appoynted) whan the bryght light, meaſure and ordre of al thinges ſhould appeare, & that his glorie might the more worthelye be extolled, magnified and renowmed by the compariſon of theſe thinges ſo farre contrarie.
This is it that Solomō ſayeth. He hath Two againſt …w…alwayes made. ij. againſt. ij, and euerie thing is well done in his due tyme. Firſt darkenes then light, Firſt night, then daye. Firſt ſinne thē grace. Firſt wrath thē merciemercy. Firſt blindneſſe, then knowledge. Firſte erreoure, then trueth. For what worthye cauſe coulde we hauehave had to renowne and prayſe the grace and merciemercy of God: if ther had ben no ſinne felte or wrath deſerued or feared.
And now contrarie wiſe, what an ineſtimable richeſe of Godes goodneſſe may we accompt wher we are deliuered from ſinne ſhame, wrath, death, and reſtored vntounto grace fauour, ioye, confort, & lyfe. We are brought from darkeneſſe, vntounto this marueilouſe light frome blyndneſſe vntounto the cleare ſight of the treaſures of God, laied vp in his ſon Chriſt
❧ Of the worde ſacrament,
ABout the word ſacramēt,. I intēde not long to trifle. But to take your owne wordes and ſomthinge to examine them. You do bring in an argument of your aduerſaries, made by the ſtronge places of reaſoning called. Definitiorei, in engliſh the definition of the thing, that is (to them that vnderſtand not theſe termes) grounded vponupon the oracion or ſentence that declareth what the thinge is.The definicion of a ſacrament.
A ſacrament therfore, is (as well by the definition that your doctours hauehave made, as that you your ſelfe do make) a viſible ſigne of an inuiſible grace. VponUpon this definition foloweth a double argument. Firſt, becauſe it is a ſigne: it is not the thinge ſigned or tokened. And this reaſone is proued true, a relatiue. oppoſitis (if you hauehave learned ſo muche logike) and by many fold examples. As the ale pole, the yuie buſh, beinge the ſignes of wyne & ale within the tauerne houſe: can not be the thing ſigned and tokened. your. … fo… ked myter ſignifiynge the. ij. lawes can not be. ij. lawes. Your white rachet ſignifiynge chaſtitie: can not be chaſtitie it ſelfe. Your glitteringe ſhoeſe: ſignifiynge the preciouſe fete of the preachers of the goſpel: are not the fete ſigned and tokened. Your brode ſhauen A broade ſhauē crowne is the ſigne of foliſhueſſe.crown ſignifiyng foliſhneſſe: is not the thing it ſelfe, I trow onleſſe you hauehave chaunged all the thinges into theyr ſignes & ſhadowes You hauehave cauſed vsus longe, and woulde hauehave vsus ſtill, to gape after ſignes and ſhadowes as the dogge doeth in Iſopes fables, and ſo loſe the thinge it ſelfe which ſhoulde be oure fode and confort. You tell vsus, that the ſigne token or ſhadowe: is the thinge it ſelfe. Shal we beleue you ſtill?
Naye, your definition telleth vsus of two things to be in this ſacramēt. That is to ſay, Two things are to be conſidered in aſacrament.A viſible ſigne, and an inuiſible grace. What other thinge (I praye you without contencion) can thys viſible ſygne be, but the breade whyche Chriſt taketh in hand and breaketh? For other viſible thynge ther is▪ none.
That is to ſaye in playne englyſhe (that all men maye knowe what we ſpeake and wryte) ther is none other thing… open to the eies of man to be ſene.
Thys breade thus broken therfore, is the ſygne or token (that maye be ſene) of a grace, that can not be ſene. That is to ſay of the forgeueneſſe of ſynnes in thys bloude of the newe teſtament of Chriſte oure ſauiour.
Thus frame I therfore the ſecounde reaſone. A thynge viſible and inuiſible can not be boeth one, to be ſenne and not ſene. But One thynge can not be boeth viſible and inuiſiblethis ſacrament (as you hauehave cōfeſſed in your definicion) is a thynge viſible and maye be ſene: therfore can it not be the thynge inuiſible, therby repreſented. Al that you hauehave ſpoken in thys cauſe (byſhoup Stephane) is of your owne heade, wythout either ſcripture or reaſone.