The Relics of Rome, Preface
¶To the right reuerend Father in God, and his very good Lorde Iohn Byshop of Norwiche: Thomas Becon wisheth long life, continuall health and prosperous felicitie.
COnsidering the happy state of thys our most happie, age so diuerslye and manifold wayes blessed of the Lord our God with diuerse and manifold his bounteous benefites, yea and those not bodily onelyonly, but ghostly also, that no parte of vsus may seme in any point destitute of his fatherly blessings, so richely and plentifully poured vpō vsus according to his wonted mercies and accustomed kindnesses: I can none otherwise than greatly maruell at the obstinate blindnesse and blinde obstinacie of certaine our countreymen, yea and those not the rudest and most ignoraunt, but the wisest and of greatest experience, as they thinke themselues, and so wishe to be reputed of all other: whiche for the most parte being nothing moued with this so great kindnesse of our heauenly father, go forth to shewe themselues altogether vnthankefull, no consideration had of so free and vndeserued benefites, whether we respecte the body or the minde:1. Cor. 1. so truly is it sayed of the Apostle: Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many of hye degree, are called: but God hath chosen the foolishe thinges of the worlde to confounde the wise: and God hath chosen the weake thynges of the worlde, to confounde thinges whiche are mightie: and vyle thinges of the worlde, and thinges whiche are despised, hath God chosen, yea and thinges of no reputation, for to bring to nought thynges of reputation, that no fleshe should reioyce in his presence: And as the Pharisees said to their ministers,Ioan. 7. when they r…urned frō Christs Sermō, geuing him this report to their masters: Neuer mā spake, as this mā doth: Are ye also deceaued sa…e they. Doth anye of the Rulers or of the Pharisees beleue on him. But this cōmon people, whiche know not the lawe, are cursed: And as S. Iames writeth in his Epistle: Hath not God chosen the poore of this worlde,Iac. 2. suche as are riche in faith, and heyres of the kyngdome which he promised to them that louelove him. But ye hauehave despised the poore. Do not rich men execute tyranny vponupon you, and drawe you before the iudgements cates. Do not they speake euel of that good name, whiche is called vponupon ouer you. For as concerning the corporall benefites, it is so farre of they shewe themselues thākful, that in all their communicatiō almost both publique and priuate, they do nothing els than find fault with the presente state of this world, yelding and crying, barckyng and gruntyng, that neuer such and the like penury, scarcenesse, pouertie and beggarye reigned on earth, as doth in these our dayes, and specially since we gaue ouer the holy father of Rome, & his Catholike religion, but specially the blessed masse, & praying for the soules departed: beyng in thys behalfe not altogether vnlike the Idolatrous and backeslidyng Iewes, whiche together with open mouth like bande dogges, barcked against Ieremye and his Sermons, saying: As for the wordes,Iere. 44. that thou haste spoken to vsus in the name of the Lorde, we wyll in no wyse heare them: but whatsoeuer goeth out of our owne mouth, that we will do. We will do sacrifice & offer oblations vntounto the Queene of heauē, like as we and our forefathers, our kinges and our heades hauehave done in the cities …f Iuda, and in the stretes and fieldes of Ierusalem. For then had we plēteousnesse of vitailes: then were we in prosperitie, and no misfortune came vpō vsus. But since we left to burne incense, and to do sacrifice to the Queene of heauen, we hauehave had scarcenesse of all thinges and perished with the sweard and hunger. Last of all, when we womē did sacrifice and offered to the Queene of heauen: Did we make her cakes, & poure vntounto her drinke offerings without our husbandes willes? And as the vnfaithfull▪ Israelites in wildernesse grudged against God & his ministers, saying:Nume. 21. Wherfore hast thou brought vsus out of Egypte, for to die in the wildernesse. For here is neither bread nor water: & our soule lotheth this light bread. Oh, who shall geue vsus flesh to eate? We remember the flesh, that we did eate in Egipt for nought▪ Numer. 11.and the Cuccumbers, and Melons, Leekes, Onions, and Garleeke. But now our soule is dryed away: For we cā see nothing els▪ Exod. 16.saue Manna. Would to god, we had dyed by the hād of the Lord in the lād of Egipt when we sat by the fleshe pottes, and when we did eate bread our bellies full. &c. These aduersaries of gods word, yea Eathnishe Epicures and beastly bellygods, consider not, how in the tyme of Antichrist, that is to say, of the Deuill and the Pope, when all darke ignorancie, and ignoraunt darknesse reigned: when Papistrie and false Religion only florished: when supersticious hypocrites alone ruled and ruffled: there was muche more scarcenesse, penurie & dearth of all things than is now in the blessed tyme of the glorious ltght of Christs most glorious gospell. Rede we not, that euen in this Realme of England (as I may passe ouer with silence the stories of other nations) so great penurie, scarcenesse, & dearth of grayne was found, that the Inhabitantes thereof were compelled to make them bread of Pease, Beanes, Tares, Fitches Acornes, Ferne rootes, &c? Chaunced not the like thing almost in one of the yeres of Queene Maries reigne now of late? Was the worde of God and the preaching therof, cause of so great miseries? But then was there hygh silence of Gods word: neither was the trompet of Christes gospell freely blowen. Was the want of Masse occasion of it. Masses swarmed in eueryevery corner and countrey with all other idle inuē tions of Antichrist. Whatsoeuer the deuill and the pope at any tyme brought to the Churche, was in those dayes most diligently practised: & yet notwithstāding such & so great miseries thē chaūced, as in the time of the gospel ye like was neuer foūd. Yea with the gospel al good things were geuē vntounto vsus and to this our Realme of our moste mercifull father, whiche we also at this presēt most abundaūtly do enioye thorow the singular benefite of the Lorde oure God, so that the aduersaries of Gods word hauehave no iust and worthy cause to cōplaine of the scarcenesse of thinges, wherof is so great abundaunce and plenty in this our land, that we hauehave not onelyonly sufficient for the sustentation of our owne coū treymen, but also of many thousands of straungers▪ whiche lykewise do inhabite thys oure Realme. But this from the beginnyng hath bene the propertye alwayes of Sathan and of his ministers: if any aduersitie chaunce to commō weale, where gods word reigneth: streight wayes the cause thereof is imputed and ascribed to the worde of God, and to the Preaching of the same, as we hauehave diuerse examples both in the holy Scriptures, and also in the Ecclesiasticall writters.3. Reg. 17 Iac. 5. Whē God plaged the world with great dearth and famyne for their Idolatrye and wickednesse of life, so that it reygned not vpō the earth by the space of three yeares & syx monethes: was not the occasion therof laid to the Prophet Helias charge, & to hys Preachynge. Were not these the wordes of kynge Achab to the aforesayd Prophete and preacher of Gods worde. Arte not thou euen he, that troubleth Israell. But the Prophet answered & said vntounto him:3. Re. 18▪ ☜ It is not I, that hauehave troubled Israel, but thou & thy fathers house, in that ye hauehave forsaken the commmaundementes of the Lord, and hauehave followed Baal. Was not heresie, sedicion & treason layde to Christes charge, when none was so free frō thē none more pure either in doctrine or life, yea none to be compared vntounto him, being in dede incomparable in all Godlynesse, goodnesse and vertue? We hauehave found this fellowe, sayd his aduersaries to Pilate, peruertyng the people and forbiddynge to paye tribute to Cesar.Luc. 23. Ioan. 18. If he were not an euill doer, we woulde not hauehave deliuered hym vntounto thee. He is giltie of death. To ye galowes with him: to the galowes with him. Likewise when the byshops & hye priestes were afrayde of the inuasions of the Romanes and of taking away their liuinges and promotions: was not all the matter laied vponupon Christ & his doctrine?Ioan. 11. Ioan. 12. Were not these their wordes. What do we. For thys man doth many miracles. If we let hym scape thus: all men will beleue on hym, and the Romanes shall come, & take away both our roume and the people. Perceaue ye not, howe we preuaile nothyng? Beholde, all the whole worlde goeth after him.Mathe. 10. Reade we not also, that the Apostles of Christe were accused of like faultes, that that may be found true, which Christ said, The seruaunt is not greater than his Lord: nor the disciple is not aboue hys master. It is ynough for the disciple, that he be as his Master is, and that the seruaunt be as his Lord is. If they hauehave called the Lord of the house Belzebub: howe much more shall they call them of his housholde so. Was not all the hurly burly, sedition, commotion, strife, contention, debate, insurrection, &c. imputed vntounto them and their doctrine.Act. 16. Were not these the words of their aduersaries, when they brought them before the Rulers and head officers. These men trouble our citie, seing they are Iewes, and preach ordinaunces, whiche are not lawfull for vsus to receaue, seing we are Romanes. Did not Paules enemies thus report of him.Act. 21. This is the man, that teacheth all men eueryevery where againste the people, and the law, and this place. He hath also brought Grekes into the temple, and hath polluted thys holy temple. Was it not layde to Paules charge also, that he made an vproure, and ledde out into the wildernesse foure thousand men, that were murtherers. And as what so euer plage or mischiefe chaunced in the Apostles tyme, was euer imputed to them and to their doctrine: so likewise came it to passe with the holy fathers and other good Christiās, that succeded them, as we may see not only in histories, but also in other writers, as in s. Cipria▪ Contra Demetrianum, and in Tertulian in Apollogi tico aduersus gentes. &c. And therfore no maruell, though that same wickednesse be shewed at this daye agaynste the worde of the Lord, seing that Sathan is alwayes one, and is no changelyng: seing also, that he is nowe of no lesse power and will to worke the same malice, enuye, and mischief against the Religion of Christe in his members, than he was in tymes paste. The aduersaries of Gods truth hauehave no delight nor pleasure in heauenly and spirituall thyngs, but like bellie beastes only borne to consume the good frutes of the earth, they desire and seke after nothyng but the thynges of this world, that their sonnes (as the Psalmographe sayth) may grow vp as the younge plantes,Psal. 1…4. and that their doughters maye be as the polyshed corners of the temple: that their garners maye be full and plenteous with all manner of store▪ that their shepe may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in their stretes: that their Oxen may be strong to labour: that there be no decay, no leding into captiuitie, and no complayning in their stretes. If all thinges go well and prosperously with them, then are they mery, and diligently offer sacrifice to to their God the belly. But if any aduersity come, then knitte they the forehead, and worke their malice vponupon Gods word and the faithfull professours of the same. The worde they call heresie, erroure, doctrine new and straunge, seditious, and cause of rebellion & of all other plages, wherwith the commō weale is afflicted. The professoures of thys worde they blaspheme, they …aile vponupon, they curse with booke, bell & candle, they excommunicate, they apprehende, they accuse, they condemne, they stocke, they cheane, they manacle▪ they racke, and in fine, they most cruelly with sweard, fyre and halter brynge them vntounto an ende, so farre is it of, that these Epicures and bellygods do, as they ought, render thankes to God for his corporall benefites, so richely poured vponupon them and vponupon other his creatures.
Now as touching the spiritual benefites and heauenly giftes of the minde as the knowledge of the holy scriptures, the vnderstanding of the Lordes blessed will, the preaching of the Gospel, the true administration of the Sacramēts, the abolishment of all false worshippings & superstitions, &c. wherwith God in this our age hath most mercifully blessed vsus▪ far passing many other nations that be vnderunder the heauens: as these wise wicked worldlinges knowledge not the benefits of the body, nor yet are thanckfull to God for them: so likewise are they altogether vnthanckfull for the gifts of the minde, whiche do so far excel the other, as gold surmoūteth coper, or siluer, tynne. For lyke as Owles cā not abyde the golden and glysteryng beames of the Sunne nor the light of ye day: so in lyke māner cā not these bellygods and Antichristes slaues suffer the glorious and pleasaunt light of Christes most glorious and pleasaunt Gospel. They crye out with the wicked, of whō the Prophet maketh mētion, on thys manner: Se not. Loke not out right thynges for vsus: but speake fayre wordes vntounto vsus. Loke out erroures. Get you out of this way: Depart out of this pathe, and turne the holy one of Israel frō vsus. In the trifling traditiōs▪ croked constitutions, idle inuē tiōs, drousy dreames deuilish decrees, false fables, & fond fantasies of mē is theyr whole delight: as for the sincere & pure religion of God, that they vtterly neglect, set at nought cōtēne & despise. And if for shame they seme to approue & alowe any part therof: yet they do so māgle it, & bring it in captiuitie to the traditiōs of mē, that it looseth the sincere simplicitie & simple sinceritie, whiche it receaued of the holye Ghost. Some of thē are not ashamed so to diminish the authoritie of Gods sacred scriptures, that they affirme the word of God to be so far the worde of God,The holye Scripture. as the Church doth allowe it, meaning the pope & his spiritual shauelinges: as though God gaue vsus in his holy Scriptures an vnperfecte doctrine, and not sufficiently authorised of him without the consent of Antichrist & of hys broode. Is not this to set God to schole, and to make him a Nouice? So should it follow, that the word of God is grounded on the Church & not the Churche on the worde of God. Is not this right Antichrist, that should turne ye rootes of trees vpwarde? Christ saith speaking of his Church: My shepe heare my voyce. Againe, he that is of god, heareth the wordes of god. Itē, EueryEvery one that is of ye truth, heareth my voice. And the holy Apostle saith:Ioan. 10. Ioan. 8. Ioan. 18. Ephe. 2. speaking to the faithfull congregation of God: Ye are no straungers and forreyners, but citizens with the Saints, and of the houshold of God, and are built vponupon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophetes, Iesus Christe hymselfe beyng the head corner stone in whome what buyldyng soeuer is coupled together, it groweth vntounto an holye temple in the Lorde.☜ The worde of God is not buylte vponupon men, althoughe neuer so holye and perfect: neyther receaueth it any authoritie of mā, although of neuer so greate excellencie, wysedome and power: but such as are the congregation of God, are built vponupon the worde of God, & whatsoeuer authoritie they hauehave (euerye one in their degree and office) they hauehave it altogether of Gods worde, without the whiche word there can be no Church, for asmuch as there cā be no faith, as the Apostle saith: Faith cōmeth by hearing,Rom. 10. and hearing commeth by the worde of God: so farre is it of, that either pope or Cardinall or anye other person hath any power to geue authoritie to the worde of God, whiche already is authorized by the most hygh and supreme power, euen God himselfe.
Custome.Some obiect olde and aūcient customes, affirming that this our religion, as they terme it new and straunge, dissēteth in order and vsage greatly from the manner heretofore practised in our temples. I graunt: neither can the sinceritie of Gods worde suffer and abyde such olde vnsauory croked customes, as heretofore hauehave bene vsed in the popish Religion, as the coniuring of salte, water, bread, bowes, flowers fire, ashes, cādles, &c. creping to the crosse, worshipping of Images, calling vponupon dead Sainctes, sensing of altares & Idols, praying in a straūge tong, offering the missall sacrifice for the quicke and for the dead, receauyng of the Sacrament vnderunder one kind, with a thousand moe errours and heresies, and other greuous abuses, which of longe vsage and custome in tymes past hauehave bene exercised among vsus, & taken for true Godlynesse. But who knoweth not▪ that custome ought to geue place to reason and truth: for reason and truth exclude alwaye & put out of place custome, be it neuer so olde and auncient, laudable and commendable. Christ is the truth: & therfore ought we rather to followe the truth, than the custome. If thou lay to our charge custome, sayth S. Gregorye: Thou must marke what the Lorde saith:Ioan. 14. ☜ I am, saith he, the way, the truth, and the life. He sayd not, I am the custome, but I am the truth. Custome without truth, saith Saint Cyprian, is nothing els thā an olde errour. Therfore leauing the error, let vsus followe the truth. When the truth is once come to light, saith Saint Austen, let custome geue place. For who doubteth, that custome ought to geue place to the opē truth. Let no mā preferre custome before reason & truth: for reason and truth doth alwayes put custome to silence. We must heare and do that, saith Saint Cyprian, that Christ hath done, & that he hath also cōmaunded to be done, seing that he sayeth in his Gospell: If ye do those thynges, that I commaunde you,Ioan. 15. I will call you no more seruauntes, but frendes. And that Christ alone ought to he heard, the father euen from heauen testifieth, saying: This is my welbeloued son, in whom I hauehave greate delight: heare ye hym. Wherefore if Christ alone is to be hearde,Mathe. 17. we ought not to attēd marke, and take hede, what any mā that hath bene before vsus thought good to be done, but what he did, which is before al, that is to say, Christ. Agayn he saith: We may not follow the custome of man, but the truth of God, seyng that God speaketh by the Prophet Esay,Esay. 29. Math. 25. & sayth: They worship me in vaine, teaching the commaundementes and doctrines of men. Doth not God in his holy worde cōmaūd his people the Israelites, that they should not follow the customes neither of the Egyptians, nor of the Cananites, but rather walke in his ordinaunces, & fulfill his lawes and statutes?Leuit. 18. Exod. 23. Leuit. 18 Is not this Gods precept? Followe not the multitude to do euill. Again do not ye those thynges, whiche they hauehave done that were before you,☞ neither be ye defiled in them. As the custome is not to be reiected but receaued that is agreable to the truth of Gods worde: so lykewise is that custome not to be receaued, but reiected yt dissenteth from the veretie of Gods pure religion. Forasmuch therfore as the greatest parte of the old customes, that be frequēted & vsed in the popes Church, are wicked & vngodly, & manifestly & directly cōtrary to the worde of God: the obiectiō that our Papistes make in this behalfe, is nothing worth: neitheer ought it to be vntounto thē any let, to hinder them frō commynge vntounto the vndeceueable truth of Gods worde.
Doctors of the church.Some also to defēd their errours & heresies, & maintaine their obstinate blindnesse and blind obstinacie, allege for their defence the auncient writers and Doctors of Christes Churche, affirming that their doctrine dissenteth greatlye from oures, & therfore worthy to be hyssed out, hated, abhorred & detested of Gods Church. I aunswere: If they vnderstand by the auncient writers & Doctors of Christs Church. Duns & Dorbel, Thomas & Tartaret, Biel & Brulefer, Barnard & Bonauenture, Petrus de Palude, & Petrus de Luna, Ioannes Capredli, & Ioannes Holkot, Albert Magnus, & Augustinus de Ancona, with Occam, Gerson, Durande, Petrus de Alico, Ala…us, Herugus, Auredlus, Ataxanꝰ, Pelbertus. Car…esius, Michael Lochmeir, Iacobus de valentia, & to many such like: then we geue thē ouer and consēt vntounto thē. seyng that these & many h… dreds moe were the popes sworne chaplaynes, making him with their fophistrie a God, & his coūterfaite Religion, true Godlynesse. But if they meane those aūcient writers & Doctors of Christs Church, which were before the days of Gregorius Magnus byshop of Rome, thē we freely cōfesse, that whether they take the Doctors of the Greke, or Latin Church, they make very little or nothyng for thē, & for the maintenaunce of their poperie, so altogether vnknowē to thē was the supersticion & Idolatry, whiche is now commōly vsed in the popish Churches: although I muste nedes confesse, that there is none among the aunciēt writers, that hath not his errours, his ouersights, his faultes, that y• may be found true, which is writtē: God alone is true,Psal. 115 Rom. 13. but euerye man is a lyar. But let it be graunted, that there were found in the old writers (as who sometime slydeth not? Accordyng to the common prouerbe, Aliquādo bonus dormitat Homeru…. That might seme at the firste blush to confirme & stablish, to proue & approue any part of the popes religious religion: is the matter therfore cocke sure? But the olde writers & Catholike Doctors require no such reuerēce to be shewed, nor no such credit to be geuen to their writings, as though they could not erre, which cōfesse thēselues to erre, as their aū cestoures hauehave done before thē, & will that nothing should be credited as an vndoubted veritie, but only the sacred scriptures, whose authoritie to resiste, & of whose veritie to doubt, they alwayes counted a great offence. Are not these the wordes of Saint Ambrose? We vtterly cō dēne al new things that christ hath not taught, for Christ is the way to the faithfull. If Christ …herefore hauehave not taught that, whiche we do teache:Tract. d… vi…gini. euen we our selues iudge it. detestable and abhominable. Are not these the words also of the aūciēt Greke writer Origene. We must nedes allege the holye Scriptures for a witnesse. For our vnderstandinges and expositions without these witnesses are not to be credited,Homil. i. in Ierem. In com. ad Titum. In Epist. ad Rom. Note. nor beleued. S. Hierome calleth it garrulitie or pratling, whatsoeuer is taught without the authoritie of the holy Scriptures. Theophilacte feared not to saye, that they whiche bring in any thing into the Church of Christ, besides the doctrine of the Apostles: bring in slaunders and heresies, & dissensions. Here se we in what estimation the auncient Doctors desyre theyr writtings to be had. Uerely so farre to be credited and receaued, as they agree with the word of God. If they in any point dissent from that, then not to be receaued, but to be reiected, not approued, but reproued: so farre is it of, that they would hauehave their workes to be the patrōs and defenders of wycked doctrine, idolatry, superstition, &c.
Some againe pretende an excuse of theyr obstinacie, the forefathers,Fathers. which liued before our daies. They (say they) neuer receaued this doctrine: neuer beleued as we are taught, &c. And yet we doubt not, they are saued. I aunswere. If they speake of the forefathers, whiche liued of late yeares in the tymes of ignorācie & blindnesse, in the dayes of Papistrie and false Religion: I graunt, that they neuer receaued so purely the doctrine of Christes Gospell, as we do at this present, as people seduced from the way of truth thorow the suttle persuasions and craftye reasons of the fleshely hipocrites and filthy Papistes, while they wrapped them in al kinde of blindnesse, to the ende that they might see no truth in a manner, but seke theyr saluation at theyr handes, at theyr prayers, fastes, masses, &c. and by this meanes be made the very slaues and captiues of these spirituall Sorcerers: although I must nedes cōfesse, that they agreed with vsus, and we with them in the principal articles of the Christen Religion, albeit farre out of the way from the true vnderstanding of thē. For they knew not the office of Christ, nor vntounto what ende God the father sent him into this worlde: and therfore went they about on begging for their saluatiō to this creature and that creature, to this Saint and that Saint, to this blocke and that stocke, to this pardon and that pardō, to this pilgrimage, and that pilgrimage, to this relique and that relique, to this worke and that worke, without any respecte had to Christe, whiche is the alone Sauioure of the worlde. But nowe will the aduersaries obiecte and say: Why, are those our forefathers dāned? I aunswere: I leaue them to the iudgement of God,Rom. 14. as the Apostle sayth: What art thou that iudgest an other mans seruaunte.☜ Whether he stand or fall, that pertaineth vntounto his own master. Notwithstanding, I hope that forasmuch as they knewe no better, neither was theyr blindnesse of obstinacie, but of ignorancye, God hath bene fauourable vntounto them, and receaued them vntounto his mercy. For as God condemneth obstinate contumacie: so likewise pardoneth he many times simple ignorancie, as we reade of Saint Paule, whiche sayth: I was somtime a blasphemer,1. Timo. 1. and a persecutor, and a Tyraunte. But yet I obtayned mercye, bicause I did it ignorauntly thorowe vnbelief. And our Sauiour Christ sayd to the obstinate Iewes & stifnecked Pharesees: If ye were blinde: ye should hauehave no sinne.Ioan. 9. But now ye say, we see▪ therfore your sinne remaineth. Notwithstanding suche as are obstinatly blind, and wilfully, ignorant, & by no meanes, wil come vntounto the knowledge of the truth, but of set purpose refuse and despise it, shall neuer finde the like fauour at the hande of God, so long as they remayne in that wicked and dānable purpose. Are not these the wordes of him, which is not only true, but also the selfe truth? This is the condemnation: that light is come into the worlde,Ioan. 3. and men loued darknesse more thā lyght, bicause their dedes were euill. For eueryevery one that euill doth, hateth the light: neither commeth to the lyght, least his deedes should be reproued. But he that doth truth, cō meth to ye lyght, that his dedes may be knowē, howe that they are wrought in God.
But leauyng the late and yesterday fathers, if they meane the Patriarches and Prophets: the Apostles and the Fathers of the primatiue Churche▪ and suche Godly persons as liued in the publique weale of Christianitie, before that Antichrist, the deuill and the Pope bare rule, and before that enemye came, and sowed tares amonge the wheate: we playnly affirme, that their doctrine and fayth is all one with oures:Math. 13. and that we at thys present doe none otherwyse eyther teache and beleue, than they in tymes paste hauehave taught and beleued. These forefathers we embrace: These forefathers we followe. These forefathers we reuerence. For both theyr fayth and our fayth, both theyr doctrine and our doctrine is grounded on the sure rocke, whiche is Christe Iesus the Sonne of the lyuing GOD:Math. 16. Mathe. 7▪ agaynste the whiche doctrine and fayth, the verye gates of hell shall not preuayle. Rore deuyll, rage worlde, descende Rayne, come Floudes, blowe Wyne, swell Sea, &c. Yet shall all these violente tempestes and tempestuous violences, not so muche as once, shake thys our fayth and doctrine, muche lesse subdue and vanquishe it.Math. 21. Whosoeuer falleth on thys stone, sayeth Christ, shall be broken in peces: but on whome soeuer it falleth: it shall grynde hym to pouder. But wherefore doe they obiecte vntounto vsus Fathers? We hauehave one Father,☜ whome we ought to heare before all Fathers, whiche is oure Father in Heauen. And he hath commaunded vsus to heare hys Sonne Christe, and not forefathers, sayinge: Thys is my welbeloued Sonne,Math. 17 for whose sake I am well pleased wyth man: Heare ye hym. Thys Christe is oure Scholemaster: and if we wyll be hys disciples, we muste heare hym. This Christe is also our Shepehearde. If we wyll be hys Shepe,Ioan. 10. we muste heare hys voyce, as he hym selfe sayth: My shepe heare my voyce. Doth not our heauenly Father in many places of his blessed lawe, call vsus awaye from followynge our forefathers? Are not these hys wordes by the Prophete?zachar. 1▪ Be not ye lyke your forefathers, vntounto whom the Prophetes cryed aforetime, saying: Thus sayth the Lord God of Holies: Turne you from your euil wayes, & from. your wicked imaginations. But they woulde not heare, nor regarde me, saith the Lord. The same Prophet also sayth: The Lord hath bene sore displeased at your forefathers. Agayne he sayth: Walke not in the statutes of your forefathers: Kepe not their ordinaunces: and defile not your selues with their idols:Ezech. 20 For I am the Lord your god. But walke in my statuts, kepe my lawes,Note. and doe thē, &c. All forefathers walking in Gods ordinaunces are most studiously and diligētly to be heard and followed: All other are to be reiected, & refused, although outwardly glystering neuer so muche with the shyne of holynesse and vertue, & commended for streightnesse of lyfe and aboundaunce of good workes. Christ is the scope, wherunto we must directe all our doinges. If any of our forefathers dissēt him,☞ they shote at a wrong marke, and we must byd them farewell in the playne fieldes, & hauehave nothyng to do with them, be they neuer so olde and auncient, as Saint Cyprian sayth: That Christ alone ought to be heard:Ad caecil. Lib. 2. Epist. 3. The father euen from heauen testifieth, saying: This is my wel beloued sonne, in whom I hauehave great delight: Heare ye hym. Wherefore if Christ alone be to be heard, we ought not to attend, marke, & take hede, what any man that hath bene before vsus. thought good to be done, but what he did, which is before all, that is to say, Christ.
Moreouer some flee vntounto Councels, persuading themselues,Councels. those to be of such authoritie, that whatsoeuer is decreed & stablished in thē, may by no meanes be resisted and against said, but obediently receaued, and faithfully obeyed, yea and that so much the more, bicause Christ sayd:Math. 18. Whersoeuer two or three be gathered together in my name: there am I in the middes of thē. Again, Behold, I am with you for euer, euē vntounto the very end of the world.Math. 28. I aūswere: Christ in dede hath promised to be present with his holy spirit and grace in assemblies of his holy church, which come together for to seke and set forth the glorye of God, and to edifie Gods people. But such as falsely & vniustly take vpō them the name of the Church, and in all theyr coūcels seke nothing but theyr own glory, and to bryng the people of God into a most miserable slauery, a thousand times worse thā the childrē of Israell suffered in Egipt vnderunder the most cruell Tyraunt king Pharao,☜ suche, I say, are not gathered together in the name of Christe, but in the name of Antichrist: neither is Christ in the middes of them, but the deuill is among thē. Such assemblies and conuenticles al faithfull Christians ought to flee▪ abhorre, & deteste, more than the plage and the pestilence, yea, as the deuill, and hell fire, according to this saying of the Psalmographe:Psal. 26. I hate the Church of the malignaunt, and with the vngodly will I kepe no company. Agaynst these vngodly councels, & moste wicked councellers God thundreth, and crieth out by the Prophet on this manner:Esay. 30. Wo and euerlastyng damnation hangeth ouer the heades of those disobedient and shrincking children, whiche will begyn a councell without me. Wo▪ be vntounto thē, that will take a secrete aduice, and not out of my spirit: and therfore adde they synne vntounto sinne.Esay. 10. Againe, Wo be vntounto thē ▪ that make vnrighteous lawes, and deuise thynges, whiche he to harde for to kepe: where thorowe the poore are oppressed on eueryevery side, and the innocentes of my people robbed of iudgemēt: that widowes may be theyr praye, & that they may robbe the fatherlesse. All such councellers with theyr councels are not to be receaued, but to be reiected, bicause they are against the Lord, & against his annointed. Notable is the sentēce of S. Cyprian:In serm. de lapsis. How dare they stablish any thing without Christe: whose both whole hope, and faith, & power, and glory is in Christ. All councels. whether they be priuate or publique, nationall or generall, ought to geue place to the word of God, which is a lanterne to our feete, and a light to our pathwayes.Psal. 119. In cap. ad Gal. cap. 5. We ought to beleue no mā, saith, Saint Hierome, without the word of God. Gersō feareth not to say, that we ought more to beleue a mā that is well learned in the holy scripture,☞ & bringeth forth the Catholike authoritie, thā a generall councell. The councell hath no authoritie for to stablishe any thing cōtrary to the word of God. For it is not truth, but errour, whatsoeuer is determined against the scripture. And we ought not to take hede vntounto the trifles & fond imaginatiōs of mē, but to the doctrine of the holy ghost.D… elect. cap. Significasti. Abbot Panormi…anꝰ that great Lawyer saith also: More faith is to be geuen euen to a lay man, that allegeth & bringeth forth the scripture, than to an whole councell. Agayne, In matters cōcerning faith: the saying of one priuate person ought to be preferred before the Popes saying, if he can bring forth better authoritie of the new & olde Testamēt, than the pope can. That is the doctrine of the holy ghost,In Gal. cap. 5. saith, s. Hierome, which is set forth in the Canonical scriptures: against the whiche doctrine if the councels enacte any thing iudge it wicked & vnlawfull. All good mē euē frō the begynning hauehave attributed such & so great authoritie to the word of God, that they hauehave preferred that before the writtings & counsels of al men without exception, although neuer so wise, neuer so Godly. The councels therefore of men ought to be vntounto the aduersaries no cloke or shadow of their disobedient obstinacie, & obstinate disobedience, to plucke thē awaye from the truth of Gods worde.
Furthermore there are an other sort,The multitude. whiche obiecte and bring against vsus the multitude and great nūber, saying, that fewe are they, & little is the nūber that embrace ye doctrine of ye Gospellers & Protestāts: but innumerable are theī & infinite is the nūber of thē, that receaue and embrace their olde, auncient, Catholike, & mother holy Churches doctrine, whereof it muste nedes follow, that where the greatest nūber is there is the most certain truth. I aunswere wt our sauior Christ: Enter in at the streight gate for the wide is the gate, & broad is ye way, that leadeth to destructiō, & many they be, which go in thereat. But streight is the gate: & narow is the way,Math. 7. Math. 20 Rom. 10 which leadeth vntounto life, & fewe they be that find it. Again, many are called, few are cho…ē. The holy Apostle s. Paule saith: Lord, who hath beleued our preaching. If we consider either ye sētēces or histories of the holy Bible: we shal easly perceaue that the greatest nūber is alway the worste, & the most wicked. When the whole worlde was drowned, eight persōs only except: Did not the lesser nūber excel the greater in goodnes & Godlinesse.Exod. 12. God by his mightie hande & outstretched arme deliuered out of Egipt aboue .600. thousād mē, of the which .ii. onelyonly, that is to say, Iosua & Caleb, entred into the land of promise, bicause they beleued the promise of God, the other were vnfaythful and inconstante. In the tyme of wicked King Achab, and of hys most wicked wife Queene Iezabel, there were aboue .400. false Prophetes besides the Nobilitie and Comunaltie,3. Reg. 18 whiche resisted the wayes of the Lord: and in sight but one alone, that stoutly defended the Lordes truth agaynst the wicked and Idolatrous multitude. About the number of .400. false Prophetes told king Achab,3. Re. 22. that he should prosper in his warres, & returne home safe agayne, whiche deceaued him: Micheas alone tolde him the cōtrary: & so came it to passe. When Christ was borne, fewe receaued hym and embraced hym,Math. 2. Luc. 2. knowledging him to be the promised Messias & Sauiour of the world, as Mary his Mother, Ioseph her husbād, Zacharie the priest, Elizabeth his wife, the wise mē that came out of the East partes, the shepeheardes, Simeon, Anna, with fewe other, but innumerable thousandes hated him set nought hy him, persecuted hym, and sought all meanes possible to murther hym. When Christ toke vponupon him the office of preaching at the commaundemēt of his father, who embraced his doctrine, but a fewe poore people vyle, and of no estimation in the sight of the galant and wyse worldlyngs?…. Cor. 1. As it is written: Not many wise men after the fleshe, not many mighty, not many of hye degree are called. And as the Pharesees said to theyr ministers, when they came home from Christs Sermon: Are ye also deceaued.Ioan. 7. Doth any of the Rulers or of the Pharesees beleue on him? But this cōmon people, whiche know not the lawe, are cursed. Did not the sede (as we reade in the Gospell) that was sowen,Math. 13. Leuit. 14 fall into .iiii. partes: and one parte onelyonly brought forth good frute? Did not a certaine man make a supper, and called many: and yet there came none, but a fewe poore people, halte,Math. 2… Act. 4. lame, feble, blynde, &c. Bishop Cayphas gathered a councell, where were present a great rable of bloudy hypocrites, to condemne Christ: no mā at all taking Christes part. Against the Apostles of Christ assembled and gathered thē selues together the priestes, the Rulers of the temple,Congregatio regentium & n… Act. 7. the Saduces, the Pharesees, the Scribes, the Lawyers, and Annas the chief priest, and Cayphas, and Iohn, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kinred of ye high priests but who rose vp to take their partes, and to defend ye innocēcie of their cause. What a swarme of helhoundes flocked together to condēne blessed Stephen, and to stone hym vntounto death: no man once speakyng one worde for hym. What multitudes from tyme to tyme came agaynste Paule, as we may see in the Actes of Apostles to accuse him, and to make hym out of the way: and howe fewe, or rather none toke his parte. After the Apostles tyme, what swarmes of tyrauntes and beastly hypocrites rose vp againste the poore little company of the faythfull Christians, murthering thē without al pitie or mercy. As it is written.Psal. 44 For thy sake are we kylled al the day lōg, and are counted as shepe appointed to be slayne. As I may among many touche one Ecclesiastical history: What shall I speake of the vnhappye time of that most vnhappy and wicked heritike Arrius. Although the Fathers of the councell Nicene did iudge truly & rightly according to the doctrine of the holy Scripture of the true & euerlasting diuinitie or Godhead of Christ the Sonne of God: Yet not long after that wicked heresie of Arrius dyd so preuaile and take roote in the heartes of men, that it was not receaued only in one realme or two, but also Pope Liberius Bishop of Rome, with the Emperoure, and all the East parte of the world, admitted that most damnable heresie, to be most sounde and wholesome doctrine, persecuting most cruelly al such, as defended the cō trary, whereof was a very little number, as Athanasius, Paulinus, Ex tripart Hist. Lib. 2. cap. 13. Dist. 13. cap Nicena. Heb. 13.and verye fewe other Byshops, whiche by no meanes would geue place to so great furour and madnesse, although most miserably entreated. In a Councell also holden at Nice, a great nūber of Byshops with other gathered there together, consented to disanull and put away the mariage of Priestes or spirituall ministers, contrary to the practise of gods Churche from the begynning, and contrary to the doctrine of the holy ghost which saith: Wedlocke is honourable among all men, and the bed vndefiled: for what purpose I knowe not, nor with what reasōs persuaded, am I able to say. Notwithstanding the holy and blessed Confessour Pahnutius, although vnmaried, withstood them all, and by no meanes would consent vntounto theyr entreprise and deuise, but franckely and freely confessed, that the mariage of Ministers is honourable, ☞and that it is chastitie for a man to lye with his owne wyfe. By thys meanes he persuaded the councel, that they proceded no further in this matter, but sette euerye man at hys lyberty to marrye or not to marrye. Whoe seeth not nowe, howe foolyshe a thynge it is, and muche vnworthye a Christen man to leane to the multitude, whiche for the moste parte is nothynge elles than a beaste of manye heades: Seyng we hauehave euidentlye shewed, that the greater parte in matters that appertayne to Christes Religion, is alwayes the worsest parte. and the lesser parte dothe more earnestlye embrace the truthe of Gods worde.Luc. 12. so that not withoute a cause Christ calleth his people, a litle flocke▪ Feare not ye lyttle flocke, sayeth Christe, for it hath pleased my father to geue you a kyngdome? Thys therefore is a vayne obiection of the aduersaries to saye: We hauehave the greater number on our syde: therefore hauehave we the truth on our syde. For the deuill, the worlde and the fleshe hauehave a greater company attendyng vponupon them, than Christe hath vponupon hym, seyng that the greatest parte of this worlde rather embraceth thinges present, than with ioye looketh for thinges to come.
Finallye,The difference of orders and doctrines. Christ alone is head of hys Churche. Mathe. 26. 1. Cor. 11. Publique prayer in the mothe… tounge. some can by no meanes fynde in their hearte to approue and allowe that present state of Religion, whiche is nowe receaued among vsus, bicause it greatlye differeth, saye they, from the old… and accustomed order. It is demaunded in what points. It is answered: In these. Fyrste, The Byshop of Rome is not knowledged and receaued anye more to be Supreme head of the vniuersall Churche of Christe. I aunswere: We knowe no Supreme head of the Churche by the worde of God, but Christ alone and vnderunder Christe eueryevery Prince in hys owne Realme. Secondly, The Sacrament is receaued vnderunder both kyndes. I aunswere: So hath Christe commaunded. saying: Drinke of this all ye. Also the Apostle, so oft as ye shall eate of this bread and drinke of the cup, &c. Thyrdly, The seruice and publique prayer is done in the tēples no more in the latin tong, as heretofore, but in the common and Englishe speache. I answere: So hath the custome bene from the beginning in the Church of Christ in al places, and is so vsed at this present generally, wheresoeuer the Byshop of Rome hath no authoritie.1. Cor. …4. And God by his holy Apostle commaundeth vsus, that in our congregations all thinges should be done to edifie, approuing and allowing rather fiue wordes so spokē that they may be vnderstanded than ten thousand otherwise. Fourthly, Ceremonies.All the laudable ceremonies are neglected and set a side, as the halowing of salt, water, bread, candles, palmes, fire, ashes, &c. I aunswere, All these are the triflyng traditions of men, and hauehave bene the cause of much Idolatrye and superstition. And it is written, They worship me in vaine,Math. 25. Ioan. 4. Purgatory teaching doctrines, which are the commaundementes of men. Item, God is a spirite, & they that worship hym, must worship him in spirite and truth. Fiftly, Purgatory is denied. I answere, we know none other purgatorye for the soule, but the precious bloud of our Lorde and Sauiour Christe Iesu, as it is writtē.… ▪ Ioan. 1▪ The sacrifice of the Masse no sacrifice for sinne, but the death of Christe alone. Rom. 6. Heb. 9. The bloud of Iesus Christ gods sonne maketh vsus cleane frō all sinne. Sixtly, The Sacrifice of the Masse is vtterly reiected and caste awaye, as a pestilence moste hurtfull, blasphemous, and iniurious to the passion and death of Christ▪ I answere: The word of God teacheth vsus in all places, that there is no sacrifice for sinne, but the death of Christ alone. But Christ dreth no more. Therfore is there no more sacrifice offered vp for sinne. With one only oblation, sayth the Apostle, hath Christ that euerlasting Byshop made perfecte for euer them that are sanctified. Agayn, we are sanctified & made holye by the offeryng vp of the bodye of Iesu Christ done once for al.Inuocatiō and Intercession of Sainctes. Psal. 50. 1. Timo. 2. 1. Ioan. 1. Rom. 8. Ioan. 16▪ Seuenthly, The inuocation and intercessiō of Saintes is cleane omitted and left. I answere: God alone is to be called vponupon, as he himselfe▪ commaundeth, saying: Call on me in the tyme of trouble, and I will deliuer thee. We knowe by the worde of God no Mediatour, no Intercessour, but Christ alone, as it is written: There is one God, & one Mediatour, (he sayth not, many Mediatoures) betwene God and man, euen the man Iesus Christ, whiche gaue himselfe a raunsome for all men. Againe, if any man sinne, we hauehave an Aduocate with the father (he sayth not, Aduocates) Iesus Christe the righteous one. And he it is that obtayneth mercy for our sinnes: not for our sinnes onelyonly, but also for all the worlde. Item, Christ is on the right hād of God, and maketh intercession for vsus. He saith not, Saintes make intercession for vsus. And our sauiour Christ him self sayth: Whatsoeuer ye aske the father in my name, (he sayth not, in the names of the saītes) he will geue it you.Transsubstantiation. Eyghtly, The article of trāssubstantiation is reiected and cast awaye as an errour or heresie. I answere. The holy Scripture knoweth no suche article: neither hauehave the holy old fathers euer taught or left writtē such doctrine behinde them. It is a new and late inuention, brought in by the Pope and his adherentes. Saint Paule calleth the Sacramentall bread▪ 1. Cor. … ▪not onelyonly bread before the consecration, but also after the consecration. And our Sauiour Christ calleth the Sacramentall wyne after consecration, the frute of the vyne: & what other thing is that to saye,Mathe. 26. than to call it wine. Nynthly, The naturall, corporall, substantiall, and reall body of Christ, whiche he receaued of Marye the Uirgin, is denyed to be in the Sacrament of the altare.The sacrament. I aunswere. The Sacrament is an holy signe of the body and bloud of Christ:☞ whiche, whosoeuer receaueth worthely and accordyng to Christes institution, receaueth the very bodye and bloude of Christe, yea whole Christ thorow faith, which is the mouth of ye soule, so yt he is incorporate, & made one wt Christ,Ephe. 5. fleshe of his flesh and bone of hys bones. Tenthly, The mariage of Pristes is admitted. I answere. It is in the word of God no where denyed.Leuit. 21. Ezech. 44 …The mariage of Priestes. Gods Priests in the olde lawe were al maryed men, and had wyues. The Apostles of Christ, and the Byshops and Ministers of the Primatiue Church, and many hundred yeares after, til the Bishop of Rome playd the tyraunt and right Antichrist in forbydding and condemning the mariage of Priestes, were all maryed men. At this present also in all the congregations of God, whersoeuer the pope is not admitted to be supreme head,☞ the Bishops and Ministers of the Churche do freely marye wiues. Neither was the mariage of Priestes euer forbydden in any nation, till the Byshop of Rome and hys adherentes brought in that deuilyshe decree of the single lyfe of Priestes, that thys Prophecie of Saint Paule myght be fulfilled:… Timo. 4. The spirite speaketh euidently, that in the later tymes some shall departe from the fayth, and shall geue hede vntounto spirites of errour, and deuelyshe doctrines of them, whiche speake false through hypocrisye, and hauehave their consciences marked with an hoate yron, forbidding to marye, and commaundyng to abstayne from meates, whiche God hath created to be receaued with geuyng thankes, of them whiche beleue, and know the truth. For all the creatures of God are good, &c. Are not these the wordes of the holy Apostle.1. Cor. 7. To auoyde fornication, let eueryevery man hauehave his owne wyse, and eueryevery woman her owne husband. Agayne, Wedlocke is honourable among all persons▪ Heb. 13. Uowes. Eccle. 5. Rom. 14and the bed vndefiled. That God hath made free▪ no man ought to make bonde. Eleuenthly, The vowes of obedience, pouertie, and chastitie are broken and not obserued of the Cloisterers, Monkes, Friers, Chanons, Nunnes, Anckers, Anckeresses, &c. I aunswere with the Preacher. A foolish and an vnfaithful vow displeaseth God. Whatsoeuer is not of fayth, is sinne, sayth the Apostle. But these monasticall vowes are not of fayth (for they hauehave no grounde in the worde of God) therfore are they sinne. What Godlynesse can there be in the vowe of pouertye,The vowe of pouertie Gene. 3. The vowe of obediēce. seyng that the vowers thereof caste awaye all laboure contrarye to the commaundement of God, and lyue idlely vnderunder the pretence of long prayer, and are fedde lyke Epicures and bellygods of the laboures of other mens handes, and of the sweat of other mens browes.Rom. 13 And what poynte of holynesse is in their vowe of obedience, seyng they vowe it to the Pope and to their Abbotes and Prioures, and vtterlye denye to be obedience to the temporall Princes and Rulers to whome they owe obedience by the worde of God vnderunder payne of dānation. As touching their vow of chastitie,The vowe of chastitie who knoweth not, that it is both foolishe and presumptuous. Can there be any greater folly or presumption in the worlde, than to worshippe God with our own inuentions, & to vowe that vntounto him, whyche lyeth not in power to fulfill. Oure Sauiour Christ sayth: All can not awaye with this saying: That is, to liue vnmaryed, but they to whom it is geuen, The wise man also sayeth:Math. 19. Sap. 8. I knowe, that I can not lyue chaste, except God geue me the gyfte. To striue againste God and nature, is mere madnesse.
Twelfthly, The fasting dayes are not so religiously & with such abstinēce obserued▪ Fastynge dayes.as heretofore they hauehave bene. I answere, the people in times yast hauehave ben taught of their curates▪ on those dayes, whiche the Church, that is to say, the Pope and the Byshops, hath commaunded to be fasted, that they should faste vnderunder payne of deadly sinne, abstayne from fleshe, and eate but one meale that daye.☞ To make that sinne, whiche is not contrary to the worde of God, is the doctrine of Antichrist.…. Timo. 4. Titus. 1 To thynke it more acceptable to God, for to catelfishe, than to eate flesh, is mere madnesse and plaine superstition, seyng that all the creatures of God are good, & nothynge is to be cast alwaye that is receaued with thankes geuing. All thynges are pure to them that are pure. And those thinges, whiche God hath made cleane, no man ought to iudge vncleane.Act. 10. Notwithstāding such dayes of abstinence as are commaunded by the Prince, and receaued by publique order, are still with great reuerence and high deuotion religiously obserued and keept: when notwithstanding we right well knowe,☞ that the true and Christen faste is to abstayne from sinne and to practise vertue:Luc. 21. Iustification. …bac. 2. Rom. 3. Gala. 2. to cease to do our owne will, and to accomplishe the good pleasure of God: and at all tymes to lyue temperatly and soberly, as our Sauioure Christ sayth: Take heede to your selues least any tyme your heartes be ouercome with surfetting and droncknesse, and cares of this lyfe. Thyrtenthly, Iustification is taught by fayth alone without workes. I aunswere, The Prophet saith: A ryghteous man shall lyue by hys owne fayth. And the holye Apostle sayth: We playnly affirme, that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the lawe. Agayne, we hauehave beleued on Iesus Christ, that we myght be iustified by the faith of Christ, and not by the deedes of the lawe: bicause by the deedes of the lawe no fleshe shall be iustified.☜ Faith, bicause it alone apprehendeth and layeth hande on the mercifull promises of God,Rom. 8. Fayth. Gala. 5. LoueLove. 1. Timo. 1▪ is counted alone to iustifie, when notwithstanding it is God alone that iustifieth, as s. Paul sayth. It is God that iustifieth. This faith is no dead and idle worke of the holy Ghost in the hearts of the faithfull, but liuely and mightie in operation, as Sainct Paule sayth, Faith, whiche worketh mightely by louelove. And this louelove whiche issueth out of a pure heart, and out of a good conscience, and out of a faith vnfayned, is so feruent and stronge, that it brasteth out into good workes, and can no more cease to worke▪ than fyre can cease to burne, when mete matter is ministred vntounto it, or the Sunne cease to shyne, when the tyme of the cleere daye requireth.Psal. 1. Therfore a faythfull man is compared to a tree planted by the riuer side, whiche bringeth forth her frute in due tyme. For whensoeuer occasion is offered to a faythfull man to worke, he worketh strayghtwayes, yea and that freely and willingly, with out any compulsion or feare.☜ And yet doth not he these good workes to be iustified by thē (for he is already iustified by fayth) but to shewe that his faith is true and liuely, and not fayned and dead: and declare, as Dauid speaketh of hymselfe,Psal. 52. Gala. 2. Math. 12▪ that he is as a trutefull Olyue tree in the house of the Lorde. For if righteousnesse come by the lawe, then dyed Christe in vayne. A good man, out of the good treasure of his heart, bringeth forth good thinges. And an euill man out of euill treasure bringeth forth euill thynges. The good treasure is faith, euill treasure is vnbelief. Either make the tree good and his frute: good, or elles make the tree euill, and hys frute euill. The man must be good before he can bring forth good works. Fourtenthly, Auricular confession is set at nought,Auriculare confession. and no more vsed. I aunswere: Auricular confession is the inuention of man, no where grounded on the worde of God, and hath bene the occasion of muche mischiefe in tyme paste. Confession of our sinnes to God, and to suche as we hauehave offended, the Scripture teacheth and commaū deth: but such Auricular and caryshe confession to be made vntounto a Priest with all circumstances, where, when, howe, with whom, howe often, &c. as the pope commaundeth, is no where founde in Gods booke. Notwithstandyng we freely permitte and suffer any man that will, to go vntounto a Godly, learned and discrete minister of Gods worde either for doctrine, councell, or comfort, not only in the tyme of Lent, but at all tymes of the yeare.Malach. 2 Satisfaction. For it is written: The lyps of a Priest kepe knowledge, and at hys mouth they shall require the law: for he is the Aungell or Embassadour of the Lorde of Hostes, Fyftenthly. The name of satisfaction is abhorred, and counted vnworthy the Christen profession. I aunswere. To God there is satisfaction …or sinns,1. Ioan. 2. but the death of Christ alone, as Sainct Iohn saith: he (Christ) is the satisfaction for our sinnes.2. Cor. 5▪ Hereto agreeth the saying of S. Paul: God made Christ to be sinne (that is, a satisfactory sacrifice) for sinne, which knewe no sinne, that we by his meanes should be that righteousnesse, whiche before God is allowed.☜ God requireth of vsus repentaunce, fayth, and amendement of lyfe, when we hauehave gone astraye: but to satisfie the iustice of God for those our sinnes we are not able, though al righteousnesse of the whole worlde shoulde be offered vp to God of one man for one sinne that he had committed agaynst God, in whose sight the starres are not pure, nor the Aungels of heauen free from imperfection, if they shoulde be compared with the purenesse and perfection of God. Therefore to make satisfaction to GOD for oure sinnes, Christe came downe, tooke our frayle nature vponupon hym, dyed for our wickednesses, and rose agayne for oure Iustification. And thys hys satisfaction is counted oure satisfaction, if we beleue in hym:Act. 13. as it is written: Be it knowen vntounto you (ye men and brethren) that thorowe thys man (CHRIST) is preached vntounto you the forgeuenesse of synnes, and that by hym all that beleue, are iustifyed from all thynges, from the whiche ye coulde not be iustifyed by the lawe of Moses. There is an other kynde of satisfaction, that concerneth oure neyghboure, whome we hauehave offended eyther in worde or in deede. That satisfaction ought in this behalfe to be made, no man that feared God, denyeth. Yea we playnly affirme, that whosoeuer hath offēded his neighbour, and seketh not to be reconciled vntounto him, by makyng due satisfaction vntounto him to the vttermost of his power,Satisfac…on to our neyghbour. whether it be in worde or in dede: that person is farre from the true Christianitie. If the offence be in worde: sactisfactiō must be made in worde. If it be in deede: then must the satisfaction be made in dede lykewise, after the example of Zachee, whiche sayd: If I hauehave done any man wrong: I restore him foure folde. Sixtenthly, Free will is denyed to be in vsus,Luc. 19. Free will. Rom. 4 Ephe. 2. & that we hauehave no power to do any good. I aunswere: Our libertie of well willing & well doing was lost in Adā, in whō as all we sinned, so are al we iustly cōdēned. Before Adās fal we had freewill both to will wel and to do well: but since his fall all perished in vsus that good was, and all grewe vp that euill and wicked was, as it is writtē.Gene. 6. Gene. 8. All the imagination of mans heart is only euill eueryevery day. Againe, the imaginatiō of mans heart is euill euen from hys youth. Hereof doth it manifestly appeare, what free will there is in vsus to do good, or to will good, seing that all our imaginations and thoughtes of our heartes are euill and wicked at al tymes euē frō our very youth,Iere. 17. 2. Cor. 3 Ioan. 15. as the Prophet saieth: Leude is the heart of man and vnsearcheable. Saint Paule also sayeth, that of our selues we be not able somuch as to think a good thought. And our Sauiour Christ sayeth: Without me ye can doe nothyng. Notwithstandyng this we saye, that in naturall and humane thynges we hauehave a certayne choise of will, as to eate this or that meate,Note. to put on thys or that garment, to speake or to kepe silence, &c. yea and to sinne or to abstayne from the grosse actes of synne, as murther, adulterye, fornication, false witnesse bearyng, and such lyke: whiche notwithstāding we muste acknowledge and confesse to be th… gift of God, as Saint Paule sayeth. What hast thou,1. Cor. 4 Iac. 1. that thou hast not receaued. Also Sainct Iames, EueryEvery good gift, & eueryevery perfect gifte is from aboue,☜ and come down from the father of lightes. But with our whole hearts to assēt and consent to the holy will of God, to accomplyshe and performe the same with such perfection and puritye, as the lawe requireth: that lyeth not in our power, neither can the strēghts of free will do any thing in this behalfe, eyther to wil it, or to do it. For as Saint Paule saith: It is God that worketh in vsus both the wil and the deede.Phil. 3. The regenerate man in Christe hath only this will and this dede, as Christ sayth: If the Sonne make you free,Ioan. 8. 1. Cor. 2. then are you free in deede. The naturall man perceaueth not those thinges that belong to the spirite of God. Not they, whiche are borne of bloud, or of the will of the flesh, or of the will of man, but they that are borne of God,Ioan. …. 2. Cor. 3. Prayer. hauehave this freedome. Where the spirite of the Lord is, there is libertie, saith the Apostle. Seuententhly Prayer is called lyppe labour. I answere. Outward prayer pronounced with the lippes without the affectiō of the heart and consent of the mynde, is not onelyonly lyppe labour, but also vayne labour, not approued but reproued of the Lorde our God,Math. 1…. as Christ hym selfe witnesseth, saying: This people draweth nye vntounto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lippes, howbeit their hearts are farre from me. Uerelye they worshippe me in vayne.Ioan. 14. And to the woman of Samaria he sayd thus. The houre commeth and nowe is, when the true worshippers shall worshyp the father in spirite and in truth. For suche the father also requireth to worship him. God is a spirite, and they that worship hym, muste worship hym in spirite and in truth.Note. Whatsoeuer is song or said with the mouth, so that it brasteth out from the affection of the mynde: we affirme to be not only tollerable, but also commendable, yea pleasaunt and acceptable to God, as Dauid sayth: I will geue alwayes thankes vntounto the Lorde:Psal. 34. hys prayse shall euer be in my mouth. My soule shall make her boaste in the Lorde: the humble shall heare therof, and be glad. O prayse the Lorde with me, and let vsus prayse hys name together, &c. O be ioyfull in God, all ye landes: synge prayses vntounto the honoure of hys name, make his prayse to be glorious. And the Apostle sayeth: I will synge with the breath, & I will sing with the minde.1. Cor. 14 I will pray with ye breath,☞ & I will praye with the minde. If the mouth & the mynde, if the breath & the heart, if the lippes & the spirit go together either in singing or saying: It is a most acceptable melody to God, & highly to be praysed of al good & godly mē. This kynde of prayer is greatly cōmended of the people of God, as cōtrary wise prayer without the affection of the hearte is rather to be reproued than approued, refused than receaued, condemned than commended.
Holy daysEyghrenthly, The holye dayes and solemne feastes, whiche of oure Elders were obserued and kepte with hye deuotion and greate reuerence, are nowe a dayes neglected and set nought by.Mark. 2. I aunswere: We are free from the obseruation of dayes.☞ The Sabboth was made for man, and not man for the Sabboth. Therfore is the Sonne of man Lord also of the Sabboth: A Christen mans Sabboth is eueryevery day, and endureth the whole tyme of hys life: which is to reste from euill, to cease to do hys owne will, and to obeye the holy lawe and commaundement of GOD. We are no more tyed and bounde to the obseruation and kepynge of the Iewyshe Sabbothes, from the whiche we are made free by Christe the true lyghte, whose comming in the flesh expelled all the darke shadowes of Moses lawe, as the Apostle sayth: Let no man trouble your conscience aboute meate and drinke,Colos. 2. or for a pece of an holy daye, or of the newe Moone, or of the Sabboth dayes, whiche are shadowes of thynges to come: but the body is in Christe. Let no man make you shote at a wronge marke, &c. Suche as yet sticke and abyde in the outwarde obseruation of dayes,Gala. 14. tymes and meates, the Apostle reproueth on thys manner and sayth: Now after that ye hauehave knowen GOD (yea rather are knowen of God) howe is it that ye turne agayne vntounto the weake and beggarlye ordinaunces, whereunto agayne ye desyre a freshe to be in bondage. Ye obserue monethes and dayes, and tymes, and yeares. I am in feare of you, least I hauehave bestowed on you labour in vayne.Colos. 2 Agayne, If ye be dead with Christ from the ordinaunces of the worlde, why as though ye yet liued in the worlde, are ye led with traditions? Touche not, taste not, handle not▪ whiche all perish thorowe the very abuse, after the commaundementes and doctrines of men. We graunte and confesse, that we hauehave put downe, yea and that worthely, certayne supersticious & Idolatrous holy dayes, as the feasts of Thomas Becket that trayterous Rebell, of Dunstone that wicked Nichromancer, of Austen that superstitious and Popish Monke, with such like: notwithstanding the Sōdayes, and all such feastes as be grounded in the word of God, bringyng vntounto our remembraunce the actes of Christ and of his Saintes, we not supersticiously, but freely and religiously obserue and kepe, accordyng to the libertie, whiche is geuen vsus in the Gospell by Christ.
Other matters there are, wherin the Papystes finde great faulte with the Protestantes, whiche may be answered as easely, as we hauehave done these aforesaid. For we hauehave rehearsed the chief & principall: of what force & strength they be, who seeth not. But forasmuche as they make the simple and ignoraunt people beleue, that if these thinges be taken away, the whole Religion of Christ falleth downe and vtterlye perisheth (the people being persuaded that they are not tryfling traditions of mē, but the graue and weyghtie ordinaunces of God.) And that therfore as an other Atlas they with their shulders holde vp the olde and auncient Catholyke Religion, whiche otherwise would fall to ruine and vtter decay: I pitieng and much lamenting the miserable state of the simple, blinde, and ignoraunt Christians, so wretchedly seduced thorowe the suttle and craftye persuasions of these most suttle and craftye hypocrites,Math. 7. Act. 3. which being in deede greuous and rauenyng wolues, clothe themselues with shepes apparell, that they may the easelier make a rauine and spoyle of the Christen flocke: I hauehave thought good to declare and shewe out of Chronicles and Hystories. who were the Authors and inuentours of all these tryfling tradicions, drowsie dreames, and idle inuentions, whiche heretofore hauehave bene counted for true Religion and Gods seruice: Agayne, at what tyme or yeare of our Lorde, eueryevery one of their beggarly ceremonyes were thruste into the Churche: that by thys meanes suche as will open their eyes, and no more be obstinatly blynde, may easely perceaue and see, how wickedly the wicked and Popish hypocrites hauehave in tymes past seduced and receaued the simple poore Christians, while they hauehave made them beleue, that whatsoeuer is done in their Churche, is diuine seruice, and God is hyghlye pleased therwith, contrarye to thys saying of Christe:Math. 15. They worship me in vayne, teaching doctrines, whiche are the commaundementes of men: and that to leaue these thinges vndone, is deadly sinne, and worthye great punishement. A Priest to rede the Gospell at Masse without candle lyght: to receaue the Sacramentall wine, without minglyng of water, to say Masse abrode without a Super…ltare: Againe, the Lay man to come vntounto the Lordes table without shrifte and absolution at the Priests hand not to beare a candle on Candlemasse daye, not to take ashes in Lent, not to beare Palmes on Palme Sonday, not to crepe to the crosse on good Fridaye, not to abstayne from fleshe on Fridayes & other fasting dayes, with a thousand such like, was counted a greater offence among the Papistes than to transgresse and breake any of the commaundements of God.Esay. 29. Math. 17. Mark. 7. It may worthily be sayd to them, as Christe sayde to the Pharesees and Scribes: Well Prophecied Esay of you hypocrites, as it is written: This people honoureth me with their lippes, but their hearte is farre fro me. Howbeit, in vayne do they serue me, teaching the doctrines and commaundementes of men. For ye lay the cōmaundements of God a part, and obserue the constitutions of men. &c. Ye cast aside the commaundement of God, to maintaine your owne constitutions.
There is almost no constitutions, no decree, no ceremonye, no Papisticall secte, nor any other tradition appertaining to Churche ware, and Romishe religion, whiche I hauehave not both diligently and painefully sought out of Chronicle writers, and Historiographers, and placed in this my booke, that all men may knowe from whence the Popish religiō springeth, and hath her beginning, that this thing once knowen, and the triflyng traditions of men set a part we may with one minde, serue, worship, & honour the Lord oure God according to his word as it is written:Deut. 12 Deut. 4. That I commaunde thee, do that only vntounto the Lord: put thou nought therto, nor take ought there from. Agayne, ye shall put nothing to the worde, which I commaund you, neither do ought therfrom, that ye maye kepe the commaundementes of the Lorde your God, whiche I commaunde you. And that the readyng of this my boke may be to the Reader both the more pleasaunt and profitable: I hauehave to auoyde confusion brought all thynges vntounto certaine common places, yea and that in suche order, as I trust, no good and indifferent person will mislyke and disalowe. My desire is to do good to all men, to hurte no person.
After that I had finished this my labour and trauaile in gathering together these Reliques of the Romishe Religion, and had determined with my selfe to publishe and set them abroade, that they might be sene and read of all men: after long & depe consideratiō to whom I might dedicate this my worke:The causes of the dedicatiō of this booke. Your Lordship came to my remēbraunce, as one right well worthy, to whom I might offer this my trauaile what soeuer it be, yea & that for diuerse causes. First, For the right excellēt knowledge that you hauehave not onelyonly in humaine letters, but also in the sacred scriptures: whiche is so goodly an ornament and precious Iewel to all Christians, but specially to all such as be Byshops and Ouersears of Christes flocke,knowledge as nothyng can more beautifie & adourne the state of a Christen mā, of whatsoeuer degree he be.Zeale. Secondly, For the feruent Zeale and earnest louelove, that you beare to the pure and sincere religion of God, whiche these many yeares hath so enflamed your breast that for the louelove therof, & for the defence of the same, you were not only content to forsake your natiue coūtrey, your natural kinnesfolke, your deare frendes, your louing familiares, & whatsoeuer semeth to this life, moste swete, moste pleasaūt, most comfortable, but also to lose both life and goods, counting them most blessed and happye, that suffer persecution for ryghteousnesse. Thyrdly, Math. 5.For that it hath pleased God of his infinite goodnesse and mercye to place you Byshop and Ouersear of his people in my natiue countrey vntounto the glory of his most glorious name▪ and vntounto the exceding profite & commoditie of his holy congregatien▪ where you so rule and gouerne the Lordes flocke, as a moste faithfull Pastor and diligent shepehearde, that your fame is not onelyonly glorious in the eares all men, but also you are become a most worthy examplar to all the spirituall Ministers of your …iocesse, whether doctrine life, or hospitalitie be considered on your behalfe. As touching doctrine (I speake it without flatterye) you are able by the worde of God,Titus. 1 Doctrine. and by holesome learning, both to exhorte, and also to improue them that speake against the worde of truth. And as God hath geuen you this knowledge▪ so do you moste diligentlye bestowe it vponupon Gods people committed vntounto you▪ that you may not be foūd like to that idle & vnprofitable seruaunt, which hyd the talent, that his Lord committed vntounto him, in the ground: but rather like to that good and diligent seruaunt, which with fiue talents, that his Master deliuered him, wonne other fiue.Math. 25. and therfore heard of his Masters mouth this moste swete and comfortable voyce: Well thou good and faithfull seruaunt: Thou haste bene faithfull ouer fewe thinges. I will make thee ruler ouer many thinges.Life. Enter thou into the ioye of thy Lord.
As cōcerning your life & conuersatiō (which I speake vntounto the glory of God, from whome alone commeth downe eueryevery good and perfecte gifte) it is such,Iac. 1. as may right well be counted a myrrour of vertue, wherin appeareth nothyng but that good & Godly is, so that ye be an ensā ple to ye flocke in righteousnes, in faith, in louelove, in peace, in word, in purenesse, &c. Accordyng to the rule of the Apostle: A Bishop must be blamelesse,1. Pet. 5. Titus. 1 1. Timo. 3. as the stewarde of God, not stubborne, not angry, not geuen to much wine, no fighter, not geuen to filthy lucre, &c. He must also hauehave a good report of them whiche are without, least he fal into rebuke, and snare of the euil speaker.
HospitalityAnd as for your hospitalitie, it is such and so notable, that for the proportion of your yerely reuenues, which is much inferioure to others, it geueth place to none of your profession and degree▪ Poore Christ in his members standeth not at your gates to be fedde at leasure with fragments and scrappes many times to vile for dogges oute of the almose basket, but he is brought into your house, set at the table, hauing ministred vntounto him, all good thinges necessary for the reliefe of his carefull state, according to this cōmaundement of God: Breake thy bread to the hungrie:Esay. 58. 1. Timo. 4. Titus. 1 Malach. 3 Gala. 6. Ioan. 21. and the nedie and wayfaryng bring thou into thy house. When thou seest the naked couer him, and hyde not thy face from thy neighbour. A Bishop must be a maintayner and keper of hospitalitie, saith the Apostle. And God saith by the Prophete: Bring euerye tithe into my barne, that there may be meate in mine house. Therefore your Lordship is ready at all times to do good to all men, but specially to them that are of the housholde of faith. And these .iii. thinges requireth our Sauiour Christ of eueryevery Godly and Christen Bishop, when he saith thrice. Pasce, Pasce, Pasce, Fede with whole some doctrine. Fede with vertuous conuersation. Fede with liberal hospitalitie keping. But many do so little passe of this latter Pasce, that they passe it cleane ouer, and make a double post of it, so greatlye hath Mammon blinded their eies. Fourthly, Benefitesfor the singular louelove and liberall benefites, whiche your Lordship heretofore both freelye and frendlye without my desertes hath moste bounteouslye bestowed vponupon me. And woulde God it were, or might be at anye time in my power, if not otherwise yet with my humble and readye seruice, to signifie my faithfull and well wishing hearte vntounto your Lordship, if not to the vttermoste, yet in some parte, as one, who although power shall fayle, yet shall good will euer preuaile. Fyftly, and finallye (as I maye once conclude) that youre honoure maye by a Bucklar and defence for this my laboure▪ partelye againste oure common aduersaries the Papistes, whiche withoute iudgement furiouslye condemne, whatsoeuer pleaseth them not, althoughe neuer so true, and agreable to the worde of GOD: Partelye againste oure Grosse Gospellers and pratlyng Protestantes, whiche doinge themselues nothynge prayse wrthye, enuye, slaunder and backby…e other mens frutefull laboures, labourynge by thys meanes to seeme somewhat, when in deede they are nothynge, excepte we will number them amonge suche, as are borne onelye to consume the good frutes of the earth: Partelye, that other seyng thys my trauaile dedicate to youre Lordeshippe, maye be the more allured and prouoked vntounto the readyng of this treatise, and so at the laste learne to discerne good from euill, sweete from soure, light from darkenesse, truth from falshode. Religion from superstition, Christe from Antichrist, God from Baal, &c. and from hence forth serue the Lorde oure GOD not as blynde reason fantasieth, and filthy fleshe imagineth, but as Goddes worde pre…cribeth,Luc. 1. that is to saye, in holynesse and ryghteousnesse all the dayes of oure lyfe, that after the shorte pilgrimage of this oure frayle lyfe, we maye attayne and come vntounto that blessed & immortall life, where he reygneth, whiche is the true and perfecte lyfe, namelye Christe Iesus the Sonne of the lyuing GOD as concernyng hys Godhead,Ioan. 14 and the Sonne of the blessed Uirgine Marye as touchyng hys manhoode, our alone Sauioure and Redemer, oure alone Mediatoure and Aduocate, oure alone Lawful fille… and peace maker, our alone health and eternall felicitye: in whome, and from whome, I wishe vntounto your honourable Lordeshippe all good thynges both of body and mynde. Amen.
From Cauntorbury the sixte of Iune. In the yeare of oure Lorde. 1563. Septemb. 30.