The Confutation of the 13 Articles, Text
¶ Shaxton.
THe true copie of the ſubmiſſion of me Nicolas ſhaxton late byſhop of Saliſburie, made to the Kinges moſte excellente maieſtie.
❧ Crowley.
IN that you ſubmit your ſelf to the kinges hyghnes, you do but youre dutye. For (as Paule writeth) al liuynge creatures areRom .xiii. bounde to ſubmit them ſelues to the hygher powers, not only for feare, but for cōſcience ſake alſo. Yea, not only to faithful & chriſtiā potentates: but to the wycked & tyrannouſe alſo, yeldynge vntounto them all that is theyrs, that is to ſaye obedience and tribute. Exemple wherof we hauehave in our ſauiour Chriſte, who dyd not onelye anſwere the hypocrite Phariſeis who tempted hym, biddynge thē gyue Ceſar hys due: but dyd hym ſelfe alſoMarc .xii. pay the tribute monei demaunded by the gatherers therof. Howe he obeyed them is manifeſte by that he (beynge Kynge of all kynges, hauynge all power in heauen andMath .xxviii Math .xxvi in earth, who might alſo hauehave had legiōs of angels to hauehave defēded hym agaynſt all the princes of thys worlde) woulde ſubmit him ſelfe euen to the death, yea the mooſte cruell and reprochfull death of the croſſe. Wherefore I exhorte you (and in you all chriſtiās) to holde you ſtyll in thys obeydience.
¶ Shaxton.
❧ And ſet forth for this intente, that glorye may be genē to almighty God, who of his infinite goddnes, hath not onelyonly geuen me grace to acknowledge myne erroure, and to reuoke the ſame: but alſo at the reſpect of my moſte humble ſubmiſſion, hath ſterred the herte of the kinges hoghnes to hauehave pitie and compaſſion in remittyng the puniſhment of death, wherunto I was iuſtly condemned.
❧ Crowley.
In very dede, many men hauehave (thorow the ſettynge forth of this your ſubmiſſion) bene moued to glorifye God, who hathe in theſe our dayes (the latter dayes of this worlde) moſte plentuouſlye poured oute of hys ſpirite vponupon thoſe lyt leons that the worlde taketh for hys excrementes, reueylynge vntounto them thoſe miſteries whyche he hath hidden from the wyſe and prudente of this worlde, but not for ſuch cauſes as you reſite. For in that you ſay, that God hath geuē you grace to acknowledge and renoke your erroure: al the true honourers of God, (whoe honoure hym in ſpirite and veritie) do thynke that he wythdrewe hys grace frome you leauynge you in your owne handes, whereby you incontinente to ſuche blindenes, that you call trueth errour, and errour trueth, and reuoke with Peter that māfull promiſe which you made to your maiſter, ſayinge that you were ready to ſuffer all kyndes of death for the truethes ſake. Would God you would wyth Peter lamente youre weakenes & ſeke Chriſte agayne by repentaunce, and not deſperatlye hange youre ſelfe wyth Iudas, ſo that youre bowels breake oute to the greate ignominie of all the children of youre whoreſhe mother. For the brute goeth that they hauehave made you a proſelite .ix. tymes worſſe then one of them. And for that you aſcribe the cauſe of your pardon to your ſubmiſſion whych you ſay was ſo precious in the ſight of God, that incontinēt therupon he ſo ſterred the kynges hyghnes he…t to pytye, that he remitted the puniſhment of death, wherunto you were iuſtly condemned: no doubt you are far wyde. For God accepteth none ſo rebelliouſe ſubmiſſion, wherin mē forſake hym to do the wyll of man, or to auoyde the diſpeaſure of anye mortall man. For he ſayeth. Feare not them that kyll the bodye and can not kil the ſoule: but feare him that hath power to ſlea the body, & caſte the ſoule into ternall tormentes. And agayne he that denieth me before men: I ſhall denye him before my father which is in heauē. That you hauehave denied hym: ſhall appeare more playnely in the declaration of your articles.
That you were iuſtly condemned to dye, is manifeſte. For you were condempned by a lawe, But how iuſtly you ſubmitted your ſelfe, to auoide the daunger of condemnation: I doubt not but eueryevery man (that hath any lyttle portion of the ſpirite of God) doth caſely perceyue by the worde afore goynge and ſhal more eaſily perceiue by that which ſhall folowe, knoweynge for certentye that who ſo ſaueth thys mortall ſoule, ſhall loſe the eternall and immortall ſoule, in the tymeIohn .xiii. that ſhal be after the ſhort tyme of this life.
¶ Shaxton.
¶ And to extend hys bountiful goodnes vponupon, me whych in dede hys grace hath done moſte largelye.
❧ Croweley.
❧ Alas Shaxton, who hathe bewytched the? Thou dideſt once ſeme to be ſpirituall, in ſo muche that men iudged that thou deſiredeſſe to be diſſolued and to be with Chriſt accountynge death for gaynes, and yet content to lyue in the fleſhe, ſuſteynynge therin allmaner paynes, trauell, and perſecution for the poore flocke of Chriſte whyche is ſo beſette wyth rauenouſe woufes, that were it not that our ſhepherde Chriſt defendeth vsus no remedy we ſhoulde be all deuoured. But nowe (alas for the) thou art become altogyther fleſhlie, accoūting it bountiful goodnes to be pardoned of this bodilye death, which a fayethfull chriſtian taketh for the ende of all dayngers of the troubleſome ſea of thys worlde, and the gate whereby we enter into eternal life and endeles felicitie. But the naturall man, perceyueth not the thynges thati. Cor .ii. be of the ſpirite of God.
¶ Shaxton.
¶ Deſpiſe not a man that turneth him ſelfeEcleſi .viii. awaye from hys ſinne, neither caſte hym in the teath wythal, but remembre that we are all poyſoned wyth corruption.
❧ Crowley.
❧ That we are al poyſoned wyth corruption is well declared in you. For ſo ſone as God wythdrowe hys aſſiſtent grace frome you: incontinent you were ouerthrowne, declarynge youre ſelfe to be fleſhe, fraylenes,Rom .vii. and a lumpe of ſynne. For in the fleſh dwelleth nought els but ſinne. You ſhould therfore hauehave called to youre remembraunce, the councell of our ſauiour Chriſte to his dearlyMathe .xxv… beloued Peter, Iames and Iohn, ſayinge Watche and praye, leaſt ye enter into temptation. For the ſpirite is ready and the fleſhe is weake. The wycked ſpirite our aduerſariei. Peter .v (who goeth aboute lyke a rorynge Lyon ſekynge whom he may deuoure) is ready to tempte vsus, & our fleſhe deſtitute of the grace of God, is weake and eaſie to be ouercome. We muſte watche therefore in the worde of God, praying alwayes for the aſſiſtēt grace of God, whereby we maye be able to putte that aduerſarie to flyght. We therfore, knowynge our owne infirmitie, wyll not caſte you in the teeth nor deſpiſe him that turneth hym ſelfe awaye frome ſynne. But we are perſwaded that you hauehave turned your ſelfe to ſynne, and not frome ſynne, excepte it be frome that ſynne whyche Paule ſpeaketh of to the Corhinthyans, where he ſayeth that Chriſte was made ſynne, that is the onelye ſacrifice for ſynne. Frome thys ſynne you turne your ſelfe, whych we greatly lament. Exhorting you (euē in the name of our lord Ieſus Chriſte) to returne agayne from the ſynne you hauehave turned to, and you ſhall be ſure wee wyll not deſpiſe you nor caſte you in the teeth wythall.
¶ Shaxton to the kynges moſt excellent maieſtye.
FOr aſmuch as (mooſte dreade Souerayne Lorde) miſerably nowe in myne olde age▪ euē wythin this yere, I hauehave fallen into the mooſte deteſtable, and moſte abhominable hereſie of them that be called Sacramentaries, denying wretchedly, the preſence of Chriſtes bleſſed bodye in the holy Sacrament of the aultar….
❧ Crowley.
❧ I go not aboute to playe Momus part wyth you, fyndyng fault wyth eueryevery thing that you do or ſay. Neyther as doctor S…ā dych dyd wyth dead Barnes, to deſcante vpō your wordes, wringing & wreſting them for my purpoſe: but myne intent is onelyonly to declare vntounto you (& in you to all other that ſhall chaunce to reade theſe my writynges) your errours, allowynge and confyrminge all trueth that I ſhal finde in your ſubmiſſion. In that you ſaye therefore, that wythin thys yere you hauehave moſte miſerablye fallen into the moſte deteſtable & abhominable hereſie of them that are called Sacramētaries I ſaye vntounto you that you hauehave ſayed verye well, in that you ſaye, of them that are called Sacramentaries. For thoughe they be called ſo: yet are they not ſo in deede. For I am ſure, you meane of them that denye the traunſubſtantiation of the ſacramētal bread and wyne. Whiche men are neither worthy the name of Sacramentaries nor yet heretykes. For they neyther deny the Sacramēt nor holde any ſinguler opinion, contrary to the catholyke fayeth of Chriſte, excepte you wyll ſaye that the opinion of the greateſte numbre is that catholike fayth, which thing Idare ſaie you wyll not nor can not affirme (vnleſſe ye be paſte all ſhame) for we ſe beſydes the teſtimonyes of the ſcriptures, that the greater numbre are ſo vncōſtant in their beliefe, that they wyll beleue eueryevery flyinge tale, that is named to be theyr forefathers beliefe. Yea the great numbre of them that accomple them ſelues learned, and take vponupon theim the gouernaunce and leadynge of other, wyll chaunge theyr beliefe .iiii. tymes eueryevery yere, if they may eſpie any profit haugynge theron. Beſydes thys experience, our Sauioure Chriſte teacheth playnely, that in theſe our dayes (the later daies of the world ſhould ariſe falſe prophetes and falſe anointedMat .xxiiii. whyche ſhoulde ſhewe ſuche wonders that they ſhoulde ſeduce (if it were poſſible) euen the very electe. He witneſſeth alſo thatMath .xxii. there be manie called, but fewe elected. So that if you wyll accompte anye for Sacramentaries, and theyr opinion hereticall: it muſte needes be the greater multitude, and theyr opiniō. For the lytle floke is Chriſtes, who ſhall at hys commynge fynde ſcarſely anye fayeth at all in thys world.
And wher you ſaye that you hauehave moſte wretchedly denied the preſēce of the bleſſed bodye of Chriſte in the holy Sacrament of the aultare: I ſaye vntounto you, that if you take thys Sacrament for that memory of Chriſtes death (the onelyonly ſatiſfaction for our ſinnes) whych Chriſte hym ſelfe inſtituted and ordeyned to be frequented and vſed amonge hys fayethfull adherentes, and folowers: that then you hauehave (in deniynge of the preſence of Chriſtes bleſſed bodye in the ſacramente) done more then euer dyd anye of thē whome you call Sacramentaries and heritikes.
For we deny not, yea we proteſte & defend that in the Lordes ſupper is preſentelye diſtributed the bodye and bloude of Chriſte. And that eueryevery faiethful membre of Chriſt that cometh therunto wyth vnfayned fayth in the promiſes of Chriſte: is ther made partaker of the verye bodye & bloude of Chriſt euē thē ſame body that the Iewes did moſte cruelly tormente, hangynge it vponupon a croſſe and the ſame bloude that they ſhede.
But yet wee ſaye not (as I am ſure you meane) that the breade is turned into hys fleſhe and the wyne into hys bloude, nother that the fleſhe and bloude of Chriſte entreth into our bodyes as the breade doeth (for that were contrary to the fyrſte inſtitution therof) but that ſpirituallye by fayth we are partakers of boeth, as I ſhall more plainly declare in your articles.
Shaxton.
And foraſmuche alſo, as it hathe pleaſed youre maieſtye of youre greate charitie and moſte Godlie care ye had de for my ſoule, to ſende to me the ryghte honourable Biſhops of London & worceſter, togyther wyth your graces worſhyful chaplaies. Doctour Robinſon, and Doctor Redman, to confer with me, enfourme me and enſtruct me, to the entent, that finally (Goddes grace workynge boeth in them and me) I myght be broughte from my ſayed erroure and hereſie vntounto the true catho…yke fayeth.
❧ Crowley.
❧ No doubt it was a tokē of a great and charitable care of a prince tawarde his ſubiecte, to ſend, not onelyonly .ii. of hys worſhipful prelates, but alſo lyke manye of hys chaplaynes, to confer wyth, enfourme, & enſtruct you (as he thought) for your ſoule health.
Wherefore of dutye you can do no leſſe but render vntounto hys hyghnes mooſte humble & hertye thankes.
But in that you were ſo ſone ouerthrowen, it was a token, that either you were a verye weake ſouldiour, or els but ſlēderly armed. For I doubt not but if you had bene a ſtout Chriſtofer, armed wyth the armoure of lyghte, holdeynge in your hande the ſwerde of the ſpirite: you woulde hauehave ſayed wyth Paule, who ſhall ſeperate vsus from the louelove of God? Shal trouble or anguiſhe, perſecution hunger, nakednes, peryll, or the ſwerd? Yea, you woulde hauehave ſayed, that neythere death, neyther lyfe, Angel, rule, power thinges preſente, thynges to come, hygh, lowth, or any other creature, ſhalbe able to ſeperate vsus frō the louelove of God, whiche is in Chriſt Ieſus. Thē would you hauehave anſwered thoſe meſſengers wyth the worddes of the Prophete. Wo be vntounto you that call lyght darknes, and darkenes lyghte.
¶ Shaxton.
¶ Whych thynge, accordinge to your graces expectation hathe taken good ſucceſſe in me, thankes be to almightye God.
❧ Crowley.
❧ The theues, robbers, and murtherers. The pillers, the pollers, and vſurers, The beaſtelye fornicatours and adulterers, The ourtagiouſe diſers and haſarders: do when they ſpeede of theyr purpoſe, ſaye that they hauehave had good ſucceſſe in theyr affayres. So do the whores and bandes ſaye that theyr chaunce is good, whē manie beaſtly whoremōgers hauehave waſted theyr money vponupon thē And in all thys they ſaye that God loueth them, & that they are muche bounde to thāke God for it, & do in very dede thanke hym in theyr wordes. The cauſe of al thys is none other, but that they be altogyther fleſhe, and thynke the ſatiſfiynge of the fleſhly deſpres to be the gyftes of God, bycauſe they are perſwaded that god is the geuer of all good thynges, and theyr fleſhelye blyndenes perſwadeth them, that the aboundaunce of all that the fleſh deſiereth is the onelyonly goodnes that can be had in thys worlde.
Thys cauſed the baude of Briſtowe (as I learned by the reporte of an honeſt man) to ſaye the worlde was noughte, when hyr women hadde gayned hyr but .viii. pence in the weke.
In lyke maner you (Maiſter Shaxton) when the fleſhe had ſo preuailed in you, that it hadde compelled you to forſake the chaſte matrimonie of Chriſte, and to embrace that Idolatrouſe whoredome of youre abhominable mother, the greate whore of Rome: then you ſaie theſe vayne thynges hauehave had proſperouſe ſucceſſe in you. So that it maye ryght well be ſayed vntounto you that is ſpokē by the prophete Eſaie. Wo be to you thatEſai .v. call the thinge that is good, badde; and that is badde, good, ſettynge lyght for darcknes, and darkenes for lyght.
Shaxton.
For by ſuch learning as they hauehave ſhewed me, and eſpecially by the vnifourme conſente of the whole catholyke churthe in that article, euen from the Apoſtles tyme to this oure age (fewe excepted, who hauehave bene taken and iuſtlye reputed for heritykes) I am fully perſwaded, perfectlye beleue, & vnfaynedly cōfeſſe, that after the cōſecration rightly done by the prieſt, ther remaineth none othere ſubſtaunce, but onelyonly the ſubſtaunce of the bleſſed bodye of our ſauiour Chriſt god and mā, like as before I hauehave ſubſcribed vntounto a …yll, hereunto annexed.
Crowley.
Here you declare youre ſelfe, eyther to hauehave learned ſome deuylleyſhe doctrine of theſe foure meſſengers, other els that before you were enſtructed by thē you had no learninge at al. For if you had any learnyng before, I am ſure it was the learnynge of the goſpell, for therin had bene al your exerciſe, euen from your youth. And thorowe it you were called to be ſhepherd ouer a great floke And as it ſemed, for the louelove you hadde therunto: you ſurrēdred into the kinges handes again the dignite of that miniſtratiō. Wherupō I cōclude, that if you had any learning it was the learninge of the goſpel. If this be true, then is the doctrine that theſe men hauehave ſhewed you a deuiliſhe doctrine.
But thys thynge maketh me to wonder not a little that you (whoe hauehave heretofore bene moſt earneſt againſte the confirmation of neceſſarye Articles by vnwrytten verities) wyll in thys poyute graunte that you are perſwaded by nothynge ſo muche as by the vnifourme conſente of the whole Romeiſhe churche (whyche you call the catholyke churche) in that article ſayinge, that from the Apoſtles tyme hytherto, all (a few heritikes excepted) hauehave truly & iuſtlye hoſden thys opinion. In thys place I wyll not greatelye contende wyth you for the tyme ſens the Apoſtles, although I mought hauehave inoughe in the aunciente doctours to proue the cōtrary, or els to declare▪ S. Auguſtine, Ambros, Chriſoſtome, and ſuche other, to be thoſe heritykes whome you exempte out of the vnifourme cōſēt of the catholike church. But in the Apoſtles time, I dare be bolde to affirme, and am able to proue by the ſcriptures: that there remayned in the ſacrament of the body & bloude of Chriſte boeth bread and wyne. Howe you hauehave iudgled thē out ſēce, I cā not tel. And (by the helpe of God) I wyll (in the declaration of your fyrſte article) proue boeth by the ſcriptures and doctours, that ther was then and is nowe in the Sacramente boeth breade and wyne.
¶Shaxton.
¶And finally, foraſmuche as the ſayed honourable biſhops & worſhypfull doctours, hauehave had further cōference with me, not onelyonly in the reſt of the ſix articles, but alſo in all other matters of cōtrouerſie, that other they or I coulde cal to remembraunce, and are agreed fullye in the ſame.
So that nowe I am fullye perſwaded and reſolued in all matters of any wayght or importaunce, wherin I was before, either ambiguouſe or in doubt, or els of a contrarie iudgement vntounto thē: and do now eſteme and iudge euē as they do in al theſethyngs.
❧Crowley.
I can gather none other by youre wordes, but that if the fyre were ſet on the other ſyde of you, it ſhoulde not be harde to perſwad you to the cōtrari of your former wordes. But I would not wyſhe that you or any other ſhould be cōpelled by fyre, fagots, or ſwerde, to ſpeake or wryte any thyng cō trarye to the conſcience. For if Chriſte had wylled his Goſpel to be auaunced & defended after any ſuch ſorte, he woulde not hauehave committed it to poore fiſher men, but rather vntounto kinges and emperours. I would wiſh therefore, that you and all the harde herted, woulde frelye wythoute compultion open theyr hertes & receiue the grace & fre mercy offered vntounto them in the Goſpell, nothynge regardynge lyfe nor deathe, rycheſſe nor pouerty, quiernes nor perſecution, marying them ſelues to no opiniō, that is not grounded on the ſcripture.
Shaxton.
Therefore, I moſte humblye (euen frome the bottome of myne herte) thanke your excellent maieſtie, that you hauehave had this godly care for my ſoul health, and that by your moſte graciouſe meanes, I am brought and reduced, from that damnable erroure that I was in.
Crowley.
Greater thankes could you not hauehave geuen to your prince for the greate care that he had for your ſoule healthe, then if you hadde ſtande manfullye to the trueth of the ſcriptures, taking paciêtly the death that ſhould hauehave bene layed on you, that youre Prince myght (thorow your conſtancye) hauehave bene moued to ſerch the ſcriptures for the trueth of your opinions.
Shāxton.
And ſurely (had not thys your pitie and compaſſion bene) woulde obſtinatlye hauehave dyed in the ſame, and ſo from the temporall fyre, ſhoulde hauehave gone to the euerlaſtynge fyre of hell.
Crowley.
A ſharpe iudgemente. Then is there no remedye for them that dyed in the opinion that you ſpeake of. For you hauehave all readye condemned them to the pytte of hell. But I pray you, who made you iudg of the ſoule? I thynke your four ſchole maiſters hauehave no ſcripture to beare you in thys. And thoughe you ſaye, that you diſſent not from them in anye wayghtye matter: yet I dare ſaye for them, the mē thynke not as you ſaye in thys matter. For if they woulde make the worſte of it, they can not make it a damnable ſinne to ſaye that ther remaineth bread and wine in the Sacramente: for as muche as, it is no article of our fayeth to beleue the contrarye.
Shaxton.
And nowe with all reuerence and humilitie, I ſubmit my ſelfe vntounto your graces clemeucie, readye wyth al pacience (if it be ſo ſene to your hyghnes) to ſuffer euen the very death (as I hauehave inſtly deſerued) or els to do any other thynge that your maieſtie ſhal thynke good or expediente, for the reducyng of youre graces ſubiectes frome the erroine that they he wrapped in, vntounto the true catho lyke faieth, and the ordre taken in this your moſte chriſten realme. Not only in thys one article: but alſo in all othere, wherein I my ſelfe am now (thankes be to God and your hyghnes) fully reſolued, and thorowly perſwaded, thus to continue to the ende of my lyfe, by the grate & goodnes of God. Who euer preſerue youre maieſtie, to hys glorye, and the profit of thys your realme.
Crowley.
Oh, what a pleaſure had it bene to oure prince, to hauehave ſene you ſubmitte youre ſelfe vntounto hym, to be at hys pleaſure concerninge your page missing cometh thorow hearinge, and hearinge thothorowe the worde of God, ſet forthe to vsus in holye ſcripture. And bicauſe ſome manne would ſaye peraduenture, that I conſter the ſcripture after myne owne imagination and fantaſye of myne owne brayne. Naye I do not, nor I wyll not ſo do, God forbydde I ſhoulde. For that were euen to ſteale Gods worde, lyke as theues ſteale other mennes goodes, and apply them to theyr own vſes. So is that a ſtealynge of Gods word, and appliyng of it to our own vſes, that is to the defence of our own euil opinions. Agaynſte whom that ſo do ſpeaketh Eſai the prophet. Nunquid non verba mea ſunt quaſi ignis dicit dominus, et quaſi malleus cōterens petram? Propterea ecce ego ad prophetas dicit dominus, qui furantur verba mea vnuſquiſque a proximo. &c.
Are not my wordes euen as fyre ſayeth the Lorde, and as an hammer that breaketh the ſtone? Therefore beholde I wyll vponupon the Prophetes, ſayeth the Lorde, that ſteale my wordes eueryevery man from hys neighbour. &.c I would not do ſo therfore, but I beleue the worde of God in al the holye ſcripture, and in euerye part therof, in that ſence and meanynge that the holye Goſte ment and meaneth therein, and none otherwyſe. Thys is my faith that I hauehave hytherto folowed, and wherein I entēd (by Gods grace) to perſiſte to the end of my lyfe. And al my words ſermons, and writinges hauehave I allwayes framed according to this my fayth ſo nygh as my wit wold ſerue me, & ſo wil do by Goddes grace vntounto the ende of my lyfe. Nowe maye euerye man perceyue, that with thys fayeth can ſtande no damnable errours nor hereſie. Wherefore (thankes be to God) I teken my ſelfe as far from anye perile of errour or hereſie, as he that is farthieſt. Towchynge myne opions trueth it is, that I diſſente in opinions from diuers good, Godly and excellentlye learned men. Yea frome myne owne ſelfe alſo, and that wythin the ſpace of ſmall tyme. For what ſo euer I eſpye by the ſcriptures that I am in wronge opinion, I wyll ſurely chaunge it and amēd it. Marye thys is true in theſe matters that be not ſet forth opêly in the ſcripturs, & that be agaynſt no neceſſarie article of the chriſtian fayth, whych al be ſet forth in dede openly in the ſcripture, as▪ S. Auguſtine ſayeth in hys boke of chriſtian doctrine, the .ii. boke and .ix chapter .in this wiſe. In theſe ſentences whyche be openly ſet forth in ſcriptures are all thoſe thynges founde that contayne fayeth and maners of lyuynge, hope, & charitie. Therfore in ſuche poyntes I vary not from anye chriſten man, laye, or learned: but conſent in one wyth all chriſtians. Therfore the poyntes wherein I diſſente frome other (both good and learned men) are no neceſſarye poyntes, neither opē places: but obſcure harde, and hydden miſteries of the whyche that ſentence maye be well vnderſtand that is wrytten in the thyrd chapter of Eccleſiaſticus. It is not neceſſarye for the to ſe wyth thyne eyes (that is to know and vnderſtand thoſe thynges whyche be hydden, hard, and obſcure. In ſuche thynges I ſaye onelyonly, do I diſſent from other and not els. Wherfore it is a thynge to be marneyled and wondered at, that the biſhops with ſuche furie and fyerſnes (lyke mad men) burne and ſlea vp the Kynges people (as they do) for thynges not certayne nor neceſſarie to be knowē, but opinable matters and diſputable. Wherby they ſhewe them ſelues vtterly vnfayethful, and not to beleue the manifeſt and open places of ſcripture (I meane the commaundementes of God) as they ſhoulde beleue thē. That is to ſaye, louelove theim, delite in theim, and do thē. For if they did: ſurely they ſhold know thys our doctrine to be of God, & not of man, accordynge to the ſentence of oure ſauioure Chriſt in the .vii. Chapter of Iohn My doctrine is not myne, but hys that ſent me. Whoſoeuer would do hys wyll (that is to ſaye obſerue hys commaundementes) the ſame ſhall knowe of the doctrine, whether it it be of God, or els I ſpeake of my ſelfe. So wythout doubte if they were Godlye men and kept Goddes commaundementes they ſhoulde hauehave come to more knoweledge thē they be yet come to. For as ſayeth our ſauiour Chriſte. Mathe .xiii. He that hathe, ſhall hauehave it geuen vntounto hym, and he ſhall aboūd That is, he that hath any thing, as he ſhold hauehave it, ryghtly: & vſeth it well, as he ſhould do: the ſame ſhal aboūd & encreaſe more and more in goodnes and godlines. But he that hath notieuē that he hath ſhalbe takē frō him That is, he that lyueth not accordeynge to the knowledge that he hath in Goddes opē worde of hys commaundementes, but knoweth hys Lordes wyl and doeth it not: ſhal be depriued of that he hath, and turned ouer into blyndnes of ignoraunce. Doeth not. S Iohn ſaye in the .ii. Chapter of hys fyrſt Epiſtle. He that hateth hys brother is in darknes, and doth walke in darkenes, for darcknes hath blynded hys eyes? Doeth not he that perſecuteth hys brother, burneth hym, and kylleth hym, hate hys brother? Then muſt it inſue & folowe, that he is in darknes and blindnes, for hys malyce blyndeth him, & ſo he cā not iudge of gods doctrine that he hath ſēt into ye worlde, & is growē euer more & more and encreaſeth by theyr perſecution. So that if they were not vtterly blynd: they ſhould hauehave obſerued and marked the experience of the thynge theſe .xxvi. yeres and aboue, and ſhoulde hauehave ſayed to them ſelues Thys waye of oure workynge hath taken no good ſucceſſe after our myndes. Lette vsus go an other waye to worcke. For the burnynge of one maketh .xx. to ſpringe oute of the aſhes, & ſo ther do in dede. For I ſaye for my part, if it had not bene for this broylyng I ſhoulde neuer hauehave loked ſo diligently vponupon the matter, but hauehave flepte on boeth ſydes ſoūdly as I did before, & bene ſtil wrapped in myne olde ignoraunce, wher, by this occaſion, I hauehave trauayled ſomewhat, and God hath lyghtened my darckenes, and accordeynge to my prayer, brought me out of myne old ignoraunce wherin I was ſo deplye drowned & thought neuer to hauehave chan̄ ged my iudgemente in that poynte, but dyd abhorre vtterlye the opinion that I am now of, and deteſted it wyth the authors thereof And wretchedly and alſo preſumtuouſly cō dempned Lamberte, Frythe and ſuche other Godlye men, as moſte conſtantlye hauehave ſuffered cruel death and martirdome (though wretched folke mocke at it) for the ſame.
But nowe I knowe well, they wyll ſaye ye are to blame to impute thys perſecutyng and burnynge to vsus, ye ſclaunder vsus. For it is the kynges lawe that doth it and not we, Naye I am not to blame at al. For I ſpeake nought but trueth. Neyther do I ſclaunder you: for your deede is open and manifeſte to all Englande. And wher you excuſe you by the kynges lawe: that excuſe wyll not helpe you but much rather cōdemneth you. For it was you principal, & ſuch as you had before ſeduced, that procured ſuch laws to be made and abuſed the kynges clemencye and gentylnes, perſwadynge hym that thoſe ſore lawes ſhoulde be the occaſion of muche quietnes in hys realme. But God ſhall lyghten the kynges herte when it ſhall pleaſe hym, and he ſhall eſpye your conueyghaunce, and redreſſe that is amyſſe. And this your ſynne is double (ſo much as it is beſid) in that you caſte youre faulte vponupon the kynge and hys lawe, not vtterly vnlike vntounto them that ſayd vntounto Pilate, when he bade them take Chriſt them ſelues and crucifie him.
They anſwered. It is not lawefull for vsus to kyll anye man caſtinge theyr faulte vponupon the iudge hys necke. But dyd they deceyne God by that crafte (ſayeth. S. Auguſtyne) no truely. No more do they doubteleſſe, and that ſhall ye ſurelye knowe at that fear full daye excepte ye repente and amende, whych god geue you al grace ſo to do. And though I ſpeake generally of all Byſhoppes yet do I not meane all. But I meane them onelye, whoſe fruites ſhew them what they be. For by theyr fruites they ſhall be knowen, ſayth our ſauioure Chriſte. Nowe I thynke ſurely, that theſe gelous fathers, when they ſhal chaunce to reade thys, wyll ſaye vntounto me, as the wyſe deputie Feſtus ſayed to Paule Thou art madde. Whereunto I wyl make lyke anſwere as Paule dyd to Feſtus. I am not mad (good ſyr) but I ſpeake wordes of trueth and ſobernes, whyche thynge ye ſhall well knowe hereafter, if you do not amend.
And nowe at the laſte after this long digreſſion, to returne agayne to my purpoſe to ſhewe you myne opinions wherein I diſente from manye other: they be theſe. Euen all the .vi. Articles eſtabliſhed (thorowe the byſhops meanes) by thacte of parliamente, and ſolemnly read in al pariſh churches thorow out the realme eueri quarter of the yere once. Whych thing though it be eſtabliſhed with as much aſſurance as my brother my Lorde of wincheſters wyt coulde deuiſe, yet muſt it be deſtroied, bicauſe it is of mā & not of God.
For the Lorde deſtroyeth the councelles cels of natiōs, he reproueth the thoughtes of the people, and the councels of princes: but the councell of the Lorde abydeth for euer. Pſalme .xxxiii
And amonge thoſe forſayed ſyx articles I moſte diſtent from other in the Sacramēt of Chriſtes bleſſed bodye and bloude. For where as they ſay, that vnderunder the accidentes whyche be there by a miracle wythout any ſubſtance is conteyned the naturall bodye and bloude of Chriſte our Sauioure: I denye thoſe fayned miracles, & ſaye, that there doeth ſtill remayne bread and wyne in their kynde and be conſecrated by the inuiſible workynge of the holye Goſte, to be a ſacramente, ſygne or token of the bleſſed body of our Sauioure Chriſt, torne on the croſſe for oure redemption. And as towchynge theſe wordes, thys is my bodye that is geuen for you, for as muche as they be a parte of the ſcripture, euen oure ſauioure Chriſtes wordes of him that neuer made lie: I beleue thē to be certayne and true in that ſenſe that he ſpake theim and meante theim. Thys is my ſure fayeth, wherfore I am herein far frome any peryle of heriſie, althoughe I wade no farther therin at al, but euen priſon my wit, reaſon and vnderſtanding, into the obſequie ſeruice, and obedience of Chriſte and fayth, and ſay to my ſelfe thus.
For as muche as manye, and excellentelye learned men, varye wythin them ſelues in the interpretation of this ſentence (thys is my bodye▪ et cetera) therefore it muſte nedes… and ſaye. The thinges that we hauehave hearde and ſene we muſte …eades ſpeake? Lamente your ouerthrow and wepe wyth Peter: and he that made him ſtrōge againe, ſhal ſtrengthen you alſo. Thus I leaue you to Chriſt. Whom I mooſte hertelye beſeche, to plucke out of your herte, the doctrine that your .iiii. ſcholemaiſters taughte you, and plante in you agayne the doctrine of hys heauenlye father to youre ſaluation & the eſtabliſhinge of the conſciences of them whome your fall dyd offende.
For whoſe ſakes I hauehave taken in hande to confute youre Articles, truſtynge that God wyll ſo worcke in the heries of them and you boeth: that you ſhall all reioyce wyth me for your deliueraunce from that deuilleiſhe doctrine that you ſaye you learned of thoſe deuynes that were ſent to you in the tyme of your laſte impriſonment.