A Disclosing or Opening of the Man of Sin, Book 2 · Part 7
The manne of ſynne.
¶ 1 In vvhiche bokes are cōtayned manye ſundrie errours 2 and blaſphe mouſe / deteſtable / ād abhōynable he reſyes / 3 not onlye ageynſt the bleſſed ſacrament of the aulter 4 vvyth other ſacramentes of Chriſtes churche / 5 but alſo ageynſt the ſre vvyll of māne 6 makynge God the auctor of ſynne.
Hys dyſcloſynge.
NOw face out your matter with a carde of tenne. Sumwhat muſt be ſayd here to make foles beleue, ye hauehave doneA blynde rēnaunt muſt ſtyll holde vp Babylon Pſal. 52. Ezech. 10 Eſa. 44. Hiere. 18. a good acte though it turne all to allye. A blinde rēnaunt of peple muſt ye alwayes deceyue to vpholde ye ſtill in your miſchefes. And they be thoſe duſtye dreamers that Eſaye ſpeaketh of, whych can hauehave no fre conſcyence to reaſon with themſelues, or ones to thynke in ther mides. Maye not I erre? Soche dawyſhe dodypolles were the parentes of hym that was borneblide, which wolde not confeſſe Chriſt to hauehaveIoan. 12. Math. 10. Ioan. 12. Ioan. 16. healed ther ſōne, for feare of dyſpleaſynge the preſtes, and leaſt the byſſhoppes ſchuld them excommunycate, or curſe them out of churche. In theſe bokes (ye ſaye) are contayned manye ſondrye errours and hereſyes. It maye wele be your ſaynge, for we ſe neyther them nor the bokes as yet. Ye hauehave buryed thē both in a bagge. If ye ſchuldNot one of the doctours are without errours. reieētet all bokes that hath errours, ye ſchuld retayne verye fewe workes of ſaīt Auguſtin, ſaynt Hierom, Orygene, Tartu lyane, Baſile, Chriſoſtome, Cyrill, Damaſcene, Iſodre, Bede, haymo, or anye of your other doctours. If errours offende you, I maruele ye ſuffre Thomas of Aquyne toThomas of aquine with hys affinite. remayne, whoſe dyrtye dyuynite hath made the pope Chriſtes vycar in earthe, and all Chriſten kynges hys ſworne ſubiectes all your ſcole doctours, canonyſtes, ſenten cyonyſtes, and ſummyſtes agreynge to the ſame.
2 Bokes ye hauehave ād that manye, whychAdā cardinalis in dialogo regis & epiſcopi. deryueth all princes powers out of the popes auctoryte, as braunches out of the vyne, and ſmall ronnynge ryuers out of the head ſprynge, ſecundum eſſe & exercitium (ſoche are your Ynkehorne termes) onlye to execute in polytyque ordynaūces at hys holye mynde and pleaſure, but them bryngeThomas waldenꝰ cōtra wic leuiſtas .l. 2. ye not forthe. In them fynde ye neyther blaſphemouſe lyes, deteſtable errours, nor yet abhomynable hereſyes (as ye call them here) though they expreſlye ſaye, that there ys no lawfull Chriſten kynge, vnleſſe he receyue hys vnccyon, other, promes, faythe, iuryſdyccyon, auctorite, ſeate, power, ſwerde, ſcepter, and crowne of hī orIdē waldenuscontra wicle uiſtas lib. 2. cap. 78 of hys deputes. Yea, ād to make thys good ye cōpare your preſtes vntounto the ſunne, the ſowle, ād vntounto fyne golde, ād the kynges with ther peple vntounto the mone, the wret ched bodye, and courſe leade, As though your prynces were a farre more vnworthye peple thā you by reaſon of your greſynge and ſhauynge, for fewe other vertues hauehave ye. If yowr canon lawe (wherofThe canō lawe and ceremonies tryed bi the ſcripturs. ye are a commenſed doctour) and all the ceremonyes whych ye hauehave of the pope were brought to the tryall of gods worde they ſchuld not onlye apere ſondrye errours, but alſo blaſphemouſe beggerye, deteſtable lernynge, and abhomynable wytcherye, the pharyſees leuen, lyes of hypocrites,Math. 16. Eſa. 59. Hiere. 23. Sopho. 1. Ezech. 4. 1. Tim. 4. Matt. 24. adders egges, ſpyders webbes, bryres, tares, cockle, chaffe, menſtrue, ruſt, duſt dregges, dreames, dottage, dronkēneſſe, dogges dyrt, ſwylle, ſwynes draffe, fylthyneſſe, ſtubble, ſnares of enemyes, execrable doctrine of deuyls, Gods curſe, and abhomynacyon ſyttynge in the holye place.
3 Theſe bokes (ye ſaye) are ageynſt the bleſſed ſacramēt of the aultre, and ageynſt other ſacramentes of chriſtes churche. AudA pretēce of godlyneſſe to coloure ther myſchefe. all thys ys not els but to colour your cautels of myſchefe vnderunder ſome pretence of godlyneſſe. VnderUnder thys colour name ye chriſt, aud yt ys the firſt tyme of axynge, though it be not greatlye to hys honour▪ who are more ageynſt that godlye myny ſtracyon than yow? whych hath in eueryeThey cō trarye chriſtes inſtytuciō poynt corrected, yea, rather contraryed chriſtes clere inſtytution? Ye geue it a newe lyuer ye beſydes the goſpell▪ yow call it the ſacramēt of an aulter, whych ys as moche to ſaye, as the holye ſygne of an heape of bryckes. They call yt the holyeThe papyſtes blaſpheme the ſacrament. ſupper of the lorde, or a mutuall pertycy pacyon of chriſtes bodye aud blood, accordynge to hys godlye inſtytuciō. Therfor yow blaſpheme yt aud not they, yow erre aud are the heretyques, aud not they. Moche better yt was wyth vsus whā chriſtHebr. 13. Pſal. 50. Rom. 12. Deut. 12. Eſa. 65. Apoc. 18. Collo. 2. Oſee. 4. Oſee. 10. Eſa. 2. was owr onlye aulter, aud we the lyuynge ſacrifyce offred thervpon in a ſyncere faythe vntounto god the father, than now hauynge yowr brycke aulters amōge dead mennys graues (as Eſaye telleth your tale) aud yow to ſtande vpp there as newe redemers and ſauers for moneye, with touche me not for I am holyar than thu. Oſeas the prophete ſayth, that ye eate vpp the ſynnes of the peple, and corage them in your wyckedneſſe. And therfor vpō yourApoc. 6. Math. 26. 1. Cor. 11. aulters ſchall growe both thyſtles ād thornes whan yow ſchall hyde your heades. The mutuall ſupper of the lorde, whō he made cōmon to all hys true beleuers, hauehave yow turned into a brekefaſt of your owne deuyſynge, bycauſe ye are moche wyſer…ſtes preche vntounto walles ād wyndowes. thā he. wherin ye turne yowr arſes to the peple, ye tell a longe ꝓceſſe to the walles, wyndowes, aulter clothes, aud Y dols in a forē lāguage whych the more part of yow vnderſtādeth not. And whan ye hauehave eate aud drōke vp all, ye bleſſe all your neybers with the emptye cuppes bottom and god bewith them, neuer p̄achynge the lordes deathe tyll he come. If ye crucyfye1. Cor. 11 Hebr. 6. Math. 20. Luc. 18. chriſt a freſhe (as yow ſaye ye offre a ſacrifyce for the quycke and the dead) ye muſt ageyn betraye hī, accuſe hym, ſcorne him, ſcorge hym, iudge hym, nayle hī to the croſſe ād perce hym to the hartwyth a ſpeare. For all theſe were neceſſarye offyces in the firſt ſacrifyce. One oblacyon madeHebr. 7. 9. & 13. 1. Pet. 3. Epheſ. 5 he ones for all to ſanctyfye vsus vntounto god, and that can not ryghtly be renued ageyne, vnleſſe all theſe partes be played. And that ye leaue vndone in thys poynt, ye perfourme full manerlye in the members of hys myſtycall bodye, whō ye neuer ceaſe to perſue vntounto deathe.
4 Vvith your other ſacramentes weThe other ſacramentes. Apoc. 2. Ioan. 10. Hiere. 13. wyll not here medle, bycauſe ye do not expreſſe them. But of thys we aſſure yow, that churche ys not Chriſtes whych foloweth your voyce ād not hys. Not hys flocke are they that goeth a whore hontynge to manye ſtraūge Goddes, after your rradicyons and cuſtomes.
5 Ye ſaye conſequentlye that the aforeThe artycle of mā nys fre wyll. named bokes are a gaynſt the fre wyll of manne, and in ſo doynge they make God the auctor of ſynne. Vvhat yow make of God I can not tell. But wele I wote, thys doctrine of yours ys ſtraunge. Sumwhat ye wolde fayne hauehave to auaunce your owne ryghtouſneſſe, and depreſſe the ryghtouſneſſethey ſeke to depreſſe the ryghtouſneſſe of god. of God, and that muſt vp for a newe artycle of ower faythe. For nō other purpoſe wolde ye hauehave a fre wyll, but to proue therbye that your whole iuſtyfycacyon cometh not by Ieſus Chriſt, but moche by your good merytes and workes.Auguſtinꝰ de ver bis apoſtoli. Auguſtinus in ſoliloquijs Cap. 15. what fredome can we hauehave of that whych hath brought vsus into all bondage of deathe, ſynne, helle, and the deuyll? we are of ower ſelues nothinge (ſaith ſaynt Auſtyn) but all togyther vanyte, a ſhaddowe of deathe, a darke bottomleſſe pyt and a voyde barren grounde, nothynge bryngynge forthe but confuſyon, ſynne, and deathe. Truthe yt ys that before the fall of Adam, mannys wyll was fre. Sens hath yt not beneFre onlye in bodily thynges. fre but in bodylye thynges, as to eate, drynke, and ſlepe, or to do all maner of wyckedneſſe. Now are we not able of that wyll ones to thynke a good thought. All ys now ſynne in vsus that ys not of faythe.2. cor. 3. Rom. 14. Ioan. 1. 1. Cor. 4. Neyther of the wyll of the fleſhe nor yet of mannys wyll, become we now Gods chyldren, but of an onlye beleue in hys name, and that ys hys gyft alſo. Stoyckes and epycures maye that fre wyll make vsus, but no true chyldren of God. It farethHere. 10. Rom. 7. Prou. 25. Phil. 2. by the braggers of thys fre wyll as by hym which boaſteth that ſumtyme he had a fayre howſe, where as now ys neyther roſe nor wall. A tyttle yt hath that ſoche a thynge ther was, but yt ys nothynge leſſe in effect. Fayne wolde yowr ſcole doctours with ther vnſauerye ſophyſtrye make ſumThe papyſtes boro of the pelagyanes and Manychees. what of yt, yf they coudebrynge yt ſo to paſſe. Somtyme with the pelagyanes ye garnyſhe yt with the excellent gyftes of nature. And whan that wyll not ſerue, with the ſubtyle manychees ye preuent yt with a grace, leaſt the firſt entraunce of ſynne ſchuld be imputed vntounto yt, beſydes that ye borowe of the Iouynyanyſtes, Iacobytanes,All one are they in opynyon with the anabaptiſtes. priſcyllyanyſtes, predeſtynates and other heretyques more. Fynallye with the anabaptyſtes ye graūt it in owr powr to fulfyll the cōmaundementes of god. Thus are ye all one in opinion with heretyques olde and newe, and yet ye pretende to be cōdempners of thē. If God be the worker of all good thinges, as he reporteth himſelfeEſay. 44 Ephc. 1. Iacob. 2. Math. 10. Ioan. 14. Rom. 9. in Eſaye. If he worketh all in all, accordynge to hys owne pleaſure. If all goodneſſe cometh frō the father of lyght. If we can not ſpeake a ryght, but in hys ſprete. If non can come to the father but by chriſt. If we be ſaued onlye by the eleccyon of hys grace, what can owr fre wyll do? Canne we meryte grace with ſynne? or deſerue to be ryghtouſed by folye? O blynde beaſtesHypocrytes geue al to thēſelues, block heades, ād hypocrites, lerne ones to be wyſe and godlye, and to referre more vntounto god and leſſe to your ſelues.
6 Ye ſaye yf we allowe not thys fredome in mannys wyll, we make god the auctour of ſynne. Yowr argument is asAn olde argumēt of pelagius. yow are, vnlerned, fantaſtycall, and doltyſhe. Thys wyſe reaſon of yowrs came firſt frō Pelagius the firſt fynder out and mayntener of your fre wyll, as wytneſſeth ſaynt Auſtin i hypognoſtico. Loo (ſaythAuguſtinusi hypo gnoſtioc verſus finem. he to the pelagyanes) bycauſe your beſt be louelove or fre wyll, whō ye hauehave ſo moche commended, hath conceyued lewdeneſſe, engendred ſynne, ād brought forth deathe ye conſtytute god the author of ſynne. Ye call both hym and hys apoſtle a tēpter ofGod is not the cauſer of ſynne. Iaco. …. yll menne, bycauſe (after your opynion) he hath created the thinges that prouoketh them to euyll, and ſo cauſeth them to peryſhe. But ſaynt Iames cleareth thys, ſaynge. That manne is tempted, drawne, and allured of hys owne concupiſcence, which is now hādefaſt to your fre will. The gentyles (ſayth chriſoſtome) vndyſcretelye notethChriſoſtomus Hom. 4. ſuper Ioannem. chriſt a deſtroyer of the peple, for that he called them with ſo moche gentylneſſe and not brought them in by compulſyon. Vvhat are theſe els, but the frutes of mennys wyſdome and blaſphemouſe fantaſyes? The ſcriptur ſayth that God commaunded Semei to curſe Dauid. He reſerueth2. reg. 16. Prou. 16. Eſa. 54. 3, reg. 22. Rom. 1. Eccl. 11. Amos. 3. the wycked vntounto an euyll daye. He maketh the waſter to deſtroye. He promiſeth to be a lyenge ſprete in the mouthe of all falſe prophetes. He hath geuen menne vp to ther hartes deſyre to worke vncomlye thynges. Good and yll, lyfe and deathe cō meth all of the lorde. Is there anye plage (ſayth Amos) or my ſhappe in a cyte, that is not of the lordesdoynge? with ſoche other more. And ſchall we ſaye for theſe, that he is the author of ſynne? No, GodNune. 23. 2. para. 19 is not in caſe as is manne, that he can lye, or do anye other wyckedneſſe. That is ſin ne in manne, is eternall ryghtouſneſſe inMichaell bononien in. 2. ſent. hym, as wytneſſeth, all the ſentencyoners in amaner. I maruele therfor what my lorde wyll ſtande to, whā neyther the ſcripturs nor yet hys owne doctours can ſerue hym. Lete neuer the pott earthe in the handes of the potter reaſō what veſſel he willHie. 18. Rom. 9. Prou. 15. Eccl. 3. Eſa. 38. make hym, leaſt he be brokē in hys anger for ſerchynge ſo hygh thinges. He that mekeneth hymſelfe ſchall fynde grace. Sure we are that non can peryſhe, which fayth fullye obeyeth hys callynge. For he is of infinite mercye. If any be loſt for not obey enge it, the faute is thers and not hys.