Whole Works, Answers · Rochester
¶ The third booke, which aunſwereth vntounto my Lord of Rocheſter and declareth the mynde of the old Doctours.
NOw will I addreſſe me to the thirde part, which ſhallbe an aunſwere vntounto my lord of Rocheſter. And all his reaſons and argumentes both of the Scriptures, and doctoures, which are not before diſſouled in the ſeconde part, wyll I clene confute (by Gods grace) in this thirde booke. Howbeit the chéefeſt of M. More was the Byſhop of Rocheſters Diſciple.his ſcriptures hath M. More peruſed and hath in a maner nothing but that was before writtē by my lord of Rocheſter: ſauing that he maketh the ſelye ſoules to pull, to helpe his matter withall. My lord of Rocheſter is Rocheſter the firſt patrone of Purgatorythe firſt patrone and defender of thys phantaſie. And euē as M. More tooke his worke out of my lord of Rocheſters: euen ſo plucked Raſtell hys booke out of M. Mores.
My lord of Rocheſter to confirme hys ſentence, rekoneth vp the doctors by heape, M. Iohn, M. William, M. Thomas, & omnes. But as concerning the doctors, that they are not ſo fully on hys ſide as he woulde make thē ſéeme, is ſone proued. And where ſhould I better begin to confute him, then of hys owne wordes? for he writeth himſelfe vponupon the xviij. article on this maner:
THere is no man now a daies that Rocheſter.doubteth of Purgatorye (ſayeth he) and yet among the olde auncient fathers was there eyther none, The Byſhop of Rocheſters owne wordes.or els very ſeldome mention made of it. And alſo among the Grecians euen vntounto this day is not purgatory beleued? Let him read that will the commentaries of the olde Grecians, and as I ſuppoſe he ſhal finde eyther no worde ſpoken of it, or els very few.
Theſe are my lordes wordes. I wonder what obliuiouſnes is come vppon hym, that he ſo cleaueth vntounto the Doctors, whome he affirmed before Frith.eyther to make no mention of it, or els very ſeldome. Notwythſtanding I will declare you ſomewhat of the Doctors, that you may the better know theyr meaning.
To ſpeake of the Doctors, & what theyr minde was in thys matter, it were neceſſarye to declare in what time they were, and what condition the worlde was in theyr dayes. S. Auſtine, Ambroſe, & Hierome were in one time, euen about iiij. hundred yeares after Chriſt, and yet before theyr time were there ariſen infinite heretikes by whole ſectes, as the Arrians, Sectes of heretickes.Domitians, Eunomians, Ʋigilanttians, Pelagians, with infinite other, which had ſo ſwerued from the truth, and wreſted the Scripture out of frame, that it was not poſſible for one man, no nor for one mans age to reſtore it agayne vntounto the true ſenſe. Among theſe there were ſome which not onelyonly fayned a purgatory, but alſo doted ſo far, that they affirmed that eueryevery man were he neuer ſo vicious ſhould be ſaued through that fire, and aleaged for them the place of Paul 1. Corinthians 3. Theſe holy doctours 1. Cor. 3.perceauing thoſe greate erroures, thought it not beſt by and by to condemne all thinges indifferētly: but to ſuffer and diſſemble wyth the leſſe, that they might wéede out the opinions which were moſt noyſom, as the Apoſtles graunted vntounto the Iewes, that the Gentiles ſhould kéepe ſome of Moyſes law, Actes xv. that they Actes. 15.might the better com to their purpoſe to ſaue the Iewes with the Gentiles. For if they had at the firſt vtterly ſet of the law, then would the Iewes neuer hauehave geuen any audience vntounto the Apoſtles. And euen ſo S. Auſten S. Auſten.went wiſely to worke: Firſt condemning by the Scripture that errour which was moſt noyſome, and wrote on thys maner. Albeit ſome might be purged through fire, yet not ſuch as the Apoſtle condemneth when he ſayeth, that the perſons which ſo do, ſhal not poſſeſſe the kingdome of heauen. And where they woulde hauehave ſtucke vntounto Paules text 1. Cor. 3. and affirme that they ſhoulde be ſaued thorough fire, S. Auſten anſwered, that Paules texte was vnderſtande of the ſpirituall fire, which is, temptation, affliction, tribulation &c. Thys wrote he in the 67. 68. of hys Enchiridion, to ſubuert that groſſe errour, that all ſhould be ſaued through yt fire of purgatory. Yet in the 69. he goeth a litle neare them and ſayth, that it may be doubted whether there be any ſuch purgatory or not. He durſt not yet openly cōdemne it, becauſe he thought that men could not at that time beare it. But after in his booke which he entituled, De vanitate huius ſoeculi, there doth he fully ſhew his minde in theſe wordes: Scitote quòd cum anima a corpore S. Auſten ſheweth what hee thought of Purgatoryauellitur, ſtatim aut pro meritis bonis in Paradiſo collocatur, aut pro merit is malis in inferni tartara praecipitatur. i. Wote ye well that when the ſoule is departed from the body, eyther it is by and by put into paradiſe according to hys good deſertes, or els it is thruſt hedlong into hell for hys ſinnes. Here he cleane condemneth purgatory: for if thys be done by and by aſſoone as the ſoule is departed from the body, then can there be no purgatory: and ſo maketh S. Auſten wholy with vsus. Thinke ye that S. Auſten diſſenteth from his companion S. Hierome, or from hys owne Maſter S. Ambroſe? Saint Ambroſe.Nay verely: Howbeit I will alleage theyr owne wordes, and then iudge.
SAint Ambroſe diſſenteth not from S. Auſtine, but doth ſtablyſh hys ſentence as fully as is poſſible: for he writeth in the ſecond chapter of hys booke which is called De bono mortis, on this maner bringing in the words of Dauid Pſal. 39. Aduena ego ſum in terra, & peregrinus ſicut omnes patres S. Ambroſe ſheweth his opiniō of Purgatory.mei. Et ideo tanquam peregrinus ad illā ſanctorum communem omnium patriam feſtinabat. Petens pro huius commorationis inquinamento remitti ſibi peccata, priuſquam diſcederet de vita. Qui enim hîc non acceperit remiſſionem peccatorum illic non erit. Non erit autem, quia ad vitam aeternam non potuerit peruenire, quia vita aeterna remiſſio peccatorum eſt. Ideo que dicit, remitte mihi vt refrigerer priuſquam abeam. &c. that is, I am a ſtraunger and a pilgrime in the earth as all my fathers hauehave bene. And therfore as a pilgrime he haſted vntounto the common countrey of all ſaintes, requiring for the filthines that he had receaued in this bodely manſion, that his ſinnes might be forgeuen him before he departed from thys lyfe. For he that here hath not receaued forgeueneſſe of hys ſinnes, ſhall not be there. He ſhall not ſurely be there, for he can not come vntounto euerlaſting life, for euerlaſting lyfe is the forgeuenes of ſinnes. And therfore he ſayth, forgeue me that I may be cooled before I depart. Here may you euidently perceaue, that S. Ambroſe knew not of purgatory, nor of any forgeueneſſe that ſhould be after thys lyfe: But plainly affirmeth that he yt receaueth not forgeueneſſe of hys ſinnes here (that is, in thys life) ſhall neuer come in heauen. And for a more vehement affirmation he dubleth hys own wordes ſaying: He that here hath not receyued forgeueneſſe of hys ſinnes, he ſhall not be there, he ſhall not ſurely be there. He meaneth that he ſhall neuer come to Heauen, which here hath not his remiſſion.
SAint Hieromes minde may ſone be Saint Hierome. Eccle. 9.gathered by hys expoſition of the ix. chapter of Eccleſiaſtes vponupon thys text: The dead hauehave no part in thys world, nor in any worke that is done vnderunder the Sunne. There addeth All ſuffrages prayers & good dedes done for the dead are in vayne.Sainte Hierome, that the dead can adde nothing vntounto that which they hauehave taken with them out of this life, for they can neither do good nor ſinne, neyther can they encreaſe in vertue or vice. Albeit (ſayth he) ſome wyll contrarie thys expoſition, affirming alſo that we may encreaſe & decreaſe after death.
Here are thrée things to be noted: firſt, that the Text ſayth, that the dead are not partakers of any work that is 1.done vnderunder the ſunne. And there may you ſée that all ſuffrages, offringes, and diriges for the dead are in vaine, and profite them not, for they are partakers of nothing vnderunder the ſunne.
Secondarily, you may ſée S. Hieromes 2.own minde, that the dead can neyther do good nor euill, neyther encreaſe The dead can neither do good or euil, nor increaſe in vertue.in vertue nor vice. And ſo is purgatory put out: for if they can do no good, what ſhould they do in purgatory? And agayne, if they can not encreaſe in vertue, they be lyke to lye long in purgatorye. Peraduenture ſome man would thinke that they do no good, but onelyonly that they ſuffer good. To that I aunſwer that he that ſuffereth good, doth good: for if a man ſhould ſuffer hys body to be burnt for the fayth of Chriſt, would you not ſay that he did a good déed? and yet doth he but ſuffer.
Thirdly ye may note, that S. Hierome 3was not ignorant that certeine (as they which did fayne purgatory) would denye hys expoſition, and ſay that we might encreaſe and decreaſe in vertue and vyce after death, yet notwithſtanding he held his ſentence condemning theyr opinion, whych thing he would not hauehave done (ſpecially ſith he knew that he ſhould hauehave aduerſaries for it) except he had bene ſure that his ſentence was right. Sée I pray you how that not onelyonly ſcripture, but euen theyr owne doctoures condemne this phantaſticall purgatory: and yet my lords are not aſhamed to ſay that all make for them.
NEuertheleſſe, I wyll go further wyth hym. Be it in caſe that all the Doctours dyd affirme purgatory, as they do not: what were my Lord The ſayinges of the Doctors are no farther to be credited then they agree with yt ſcripture.the nearer hys purpoſe? Ʋerely not one iote: for the authoritie of doctors by my lordes owne confeſſion extendeth no further, but is onelyonly to be admitted whileſt they confirme theyr wordes by Scripture, or els by ſome probable reaſon. For my Lorde writeth on this maner, Article xxxvij. The Pope hath not ſo allowed the Rocheſter.whole doctrine of S. Thomas, that men ſhould beleue eueryevery poynte he wrote were true. Neither hath the church ſo approued eyther S. Auſtine or S. Hierome, nor any other authors doctrine, but that in ſome places we may diſſent from them: The doctors hauehave erred in many thinges.for they in many places hauehave openly declared themſelues to be men; and many times to hauehave erred.
Theſe are my lordes owne words. Now ſith the doctours ſomtime erre, and in certayne places are not to be admitted (as he graunteth himſelfe) how ſhould we know whē to approue them, and when to deny them? If we ſhould hang on the Doctoures authority, then ſhould we as well alow the vntruth, as the truth, ſith he affirmeth both. Therfore we muſt hauehave a iudge to diſcerne betwéene truth and falſehode. And who ſhoulde that be? the pope? Nay verely: for he being a man (as well as the Doctours were) may erre as they did, and ſo ſhall we euer be vncertaine. Our Iudge therefore muſt not be parciall flexible, nor ignoraunt (and ſo are all naturall men excluded:) but he muſt be inalterable, euen ſearching the bottome & ground of all thing. Who muſt that be? Ʋerely The worde of God is the touchſtone & tryeth all of all doctrine.the ſcripture and woord of God, which was geuen by his Sonne, confirmed and ſealed by the holy Ghoſt, and teſtified by miracles and bloud of all martyres. This word is the iudge that muſt examine the matter, the perfit touchſtone that tryeth al thing, and day that diſcloſeth all iuggeling miſtes. If the doctours ſay any thing not diſſonant from this woord, then it is to be admitted and holdē for truth. But if any of theyr doctrine diſcorde from it, it is to be abhorred, and holden accurſſed.
To this full well agréeth S. Auſten S. Auſtinewhiche writeth vntounto S. Hierome on this wiſe: Deare brother, I thinke that you wil not hauehave your bookes reputed lyke vntounto the woorkes of the Prophetes and Apoſtles: for I (the Scripture reſerued) do read all other mens workes on that maner, that I S. Auſten read old auctors, and would alſo hauehave all mē read his workes.doe not beleue them becauſe the author ſo ſayth, be he neuer ſo well learned and holy, except that he can certifie me by the Scripture or cleare reaſon that he ſayth true. And euen ſo would I that other men ſhould read my bookes, as I read theirs. Theſe are S. Auſtēs wordes. And thus hauehave I proued both by S. Auſten and alſo by my Lordes owne wordes, that no man is bound to beleue the Doctors, except they can be proued true either by Scripture or good reaſon not repugnaunt to Scripture. Therefore let vsus ſée what Scripture or good reaſon my Lord bryngeth to approue his doctours withall. For els they can not helpe hym (as we hauehave declared both by S. Auſten & my Lordes owne confeſſion,) although they all made with hym, as they do not. Firſt he bringeth in the ſinne agaynſt the holy ghoſt. Math. 12. And Paule. 1. Cor. 3. And. 1. Iohn. 5. And Apoca. 5. which textes I paſſe ouer becauſe I hauehave aunſwered vntounto them before in the ſeconde booke, agaynſt M. More.
THe firſt reaſon that my Lord hath which is not before ſoluted (for as I ſayd the reaſons that are already diſſolued will I now ouerhyp) is this which he groundeth on diuers Scriptures. Of the ſoules that are departed, ſome are all ready damned in Rocheſter. Luc. 16.hell, and ſome are all ready in heauen. And to proue this true, he alledgeth the parable of the rich mā. Luke xv. I am ſure my Lord is not ſo ignoraūt as to ſay that a parable proueth any thyng. But the right vſe of a parable is this, to expound an harde texte Parables in yt ſcripture proue nothing, but only open and expound dark and hard thinges.or poynte, that was before touched & could not entre into eueryevery mans capacitie. Neither are all thynges lyke which are ſpoken in a ſimilitude, neither yet all thynges true that are touched in a parable: but we muſt conſider the thyng wherefore they be ſpokē, and apply them onelyonly to that they are ſpoken for, and let the reſidue go: as William Tyndall hath well declared vntounto you in the parable of wicked Mammon. This parable is very hard to be expounded. The cauſe is this, no man can wel eſpye by the text for what purpoſe it was ſpoken. But this ſhould ſéeme to be the cauſe, that there were many of the Phariſeis & other multitude which would not beleue the preaching of Chriſt although he confirmed his wordes with the authoritie of Moſes and the Prophetes, but they were curious and ſome deale phantaſticall and therfore would they not beleue his woordes except ſome apparitions had bene made vntounto thē that they might hauehave bene aſſured by them that were before dead, that hys wordes were true.
VntoUnto ſuch it is lyke that hee ſpeaketh this parable, playnly concludyng that they ſhould hauehave no ſuch apparitions of the dead, and alſo that it was not neceſſary: but that they had Moſes By Moſes and the prophetes is meant the old Teſtament.& the Prophetes, to whom if they would geue no credence, then ſhould they not beleue although one of the dead ſhould ryſe againe & tell it them. Notwithſtandyng let me graunt it hym, that ſome are all ready in hell and ſome in heauen (which thyng he ſhall neuer bee able to proue by the Scripture, yea and which playnly deſtroyeth the reſurrection and taketh awaye the argumentes wherewith Chriſt and Paule doe proue that we ſhall ryſe) yet I ſay let me graunt it hym to ſée how he will cōclude. What foloweth on that?
Neither it is credible (ſayth he) Rocheſter.that all whiche are caſt into hell ſhould ſtreight way goe to heauen, therfore muſt we put a Purgatorye where they may be purged.
I aunſwere: All that liue are faythfull Frith.or vnfaythfull. If he be vnfaythfull There is but ii. places after this life, that is, heauen and hell.then is he damned. Iohn. 3. If he beleue then is he not condemned, but is gone from death to lyfe. Iohn. 3. 5. The righteous man when hee dyeth ſhall reſt in peace. Sapi. 3. And eueryevery faithful mā is righteous before God, as yt whole Epiſtle, to the Romaines proueth: Ergo, then eueryevery faythfull man ſhall reſt in peace and be tormented in the paynes of Purgatory. And as touchyng this poynte where they reſt, I dare be bold to ſay that they are in the hand of God and that God would that we ſhould be ignoraunt where they be, and not to take vponupon vsus to determine the matter.
Peraduenture you would enquire of me (ſith the parable ſayth that Lazarus Abrahams boſome, what it ſignifieth.reſted in Abrahams boſome) what Abrahams boſome is? To that would I aūſwere that Abrahams boſome were nothyng els then Abrahams fayth. For all we are called the children of Abraham becauſe of hys perfite fayth whiche we ought to folow. In this fayth are many and in a maner infinite degrées: notwithſtandyng if it be no greater thē a muſtard ſéede that is to ſay very ſmall, yet ſhal it ſaue vsus. He that departeth in this fayth reſteth in peace, and wayteth for the laſt day when God ſhall geue vntounto hys faythfull, that is, to his elect (for onelyonly are the elect faythfull & the faythfull elect) the crowne of his glorie The elect are faithful & the faythful are electwhich he hath prepared for them that louelove hym. This crowne doth Paule ſay that he ſhall receaue it in that day. 2. Timo. 4. that is in the day of iudgement. And in the meane ſeaſon God hath ſo prouided for vsus, that they ſhall wayte vntill the number of their brethren which dayly ſuffer and ſhall ſuffer for Chriſt, be wholy fulfilled, and ſo ſhall they not be made perfite without vsus. Hebr. xj. If my Lord will vnderſtād by Abrahams boſome heauen, I will not be contentious, let the Chriſten iudge which ſentence ſemeth moſt true. But this is once a Abrahams boſome can proue no purgatory.cleare caſe that of this he cā proue no Purgatory. For the vnfaythfull are all ready dāned, and the faythfull reſt in peace, let him call that what he wil, whether to reſt in heauen or to reſt in their fayth vntill the laſt day. For I am ſure there is no man ſo madde To reſt in peace is not to lye in tormentes.as to ſay, that to reſt in peace ſhould ſignifie to lye in the paynes of Purgatory.
Furthermore, this text ſhal rather make ſore agaynſt hym thē any thyng with hym. For Lazarus whiles hée was lyuyng was not without ſinne, nor no man els. 1. Iohn. 1. ſo that no 1. Iohn. 1.man as long as he hath breath in hys body can ſay that he is without ſinne, for then ſhould hee make S. Iohn a lyar. And yet was not Lazarus caried into purgatory to be purged of his ſinnes which were remainyng in his body the houre of his death: wherefore A good concluſion againſt purgatory.I may conclude that there is no ſuch Purgatory. For God is as iuſt vntounto hym as vntounto vsus, and therefore would he purge hym as well as vsus, & agayne he is as mercyfull vntounto vsus as vntounto him, and will as wel forgeue vsus as hym, without broyling on yt coales in purgatory: for his iuſtice and mercye are euer one and not alterable. But our perfite purgatiō is the pure bloud of Chriſt which waſheth away the ſinne of the world. And albeit we euer hauehave the remnauntes and dregges Chriſtes death hath ouercom… our death, & turned it into life.of ſinne, and rebellion of our mē bers as long as we hauehave lyfe, yet are they wholy finiſhed in death: for of ſuch efficacitie is Chriſtes death, that it hath turned the death of hys faythfull (which was layed vponupon vsus as the payne of ſinne) into a medicine agaynſt ſinne which fully cureth it and maketh an end of it, as it was well figured in Golias that was ſlaine with hys owne ſword.
ANd where as my Lord bryngeth Rocheſter. Math. 12.for his purpoſe. Math. xij. that mē ſhal geue accoumptes of eueryevery idle worde. I hauehave ſoluted that before agaynſt Frith.M. More, that I thinke he ſhal ſay hym ſelfe that he is aunſwered. For if men ſhall geue a rekonyng for them on the day of dome (as the text ſayth) that ſhould rather argue that there were no Purgatory wherein thoſe ſinnes ſhould be purged, for if they had bene purged before of them, then ſhoulde they not geue an accoumpte for them. And if it proued If there be any purgatory it muſt be after domeſday, for before there can be none.any thyng at all, it ſhould proue that there were a Purgatory after domeſday which no man was euer ſo fooliſh as to graunt.
But the true vnderſtādyng of this text is this. There are two kyndes of men one faythfull, the other vnfaythfull. The faythful through their fayth in Chriſtes bloud are all ready fully Faythfull.purged in their hart, and their rebellious mēbers through death are wholly ſubdued. Theſe men ſhall geue no reckoning, neyther of idle woorde, nor euill déed: for all theyr ſinnes are couered of Chriſt, and hys bloud ſhall geue the whole accomptes for them. The vnfaythfull to theyr vtter confuſion ſhall hauehave the booke of theyr conſcience Vnfaythfull.opened, and there ſhall be preſented before them all theyr euill deades, woordes, and thoughtes. And theſe are they that Chriſt ſpeaketh of which ſhall geue thys great accompt. Note alſo that in the text they are called men, which woord in Scripture is Men.euer for the moſt part taken in the worſte ſenſe, and ſignifieth wicked men, fleſhly men, and men that folow their own luſtes and appetites.
THen confirmeth he purgatory out of the 66. Pſalme, which ſayth: Rocheſter. Pſal. 66.we hauehave gone through fire and water and thou haſt brought vsus into coleneſſe. I am ſure you hauehave not forgotten that M. More alledgeth the Frith. Zacharie. 9Prophet Zachary in the ix. and affirmeth that th…re is no water in Purgatory. It were hard to make theſe Rocheſter & More agree not,two agrée, for when mē ground them on a lye, then for the moſt part theyr tales and probations are cōtrary and will not well ſtand together. Neuertheleſſe in one poynte they agrée full well, that is, both of them ſay vntruly: for neither nother text ſerueth any whit for Purgatory. And as concernyng the place of Zachary: it is ſufficiētly declared what it meaneth. And now wil I alſo declare you the vnderunder ſtandyng of this text, and firſt that it can not ſerue for purgatory. I beſech you that hauehave the pſalter once to read the Pſalme & I thinke you ſhal wonder at their do…yng dreames and ignoraunce which allege this text for Purgatory. The text of ye Pſalme is this: A true interpretatiō of the 66. Pſalme.Thou haſt brought vsus into a ſtraite & laden our backes with trouble or heuyneſſe. Thou haſt ſet men vponupon our heades, we hauehave gone through fire & water and thou haſt led vsus out agayn into a place of refreſhyng. The textes before and after in the ſame Pſalme will not ſuffer that this place ſhould be vnderſtand of Purgatory. For the text immediately before ſayth, thou haſt ſet men vponupon our heades. But the chiefeſt defenders of Purgatory (and euē M. More hym ſelfe) ſay that they are not men, but deuils which torment the ſoules in Purgatory, notwithſtandyng my Lord of Rocheſter More and Rocheſter cānot agree(good man) affirmeth that they are aungels whiche torment the ſoules there: but neuer man doted ſo farre as to ſay that men torment the ſoules in Purgatory, wherefore I may conclude that this text is not ment of purgatory, but that the Prophet mēt that men ranne ouer the childrē of Iſraell & ſubdued them, and wrapped thē in extreme troubles which in the Scripture are ſignified by fire and water. Beſides that the textes folowyng wil not admit that this ſhould be vnderſtād of Purgatory for it foloweth immediatly, I will enter into thy houſe with …urt offrynges, I ſhall offer vntounto thée fat ſacrifices with the reke of wethers I ſhall burne to the Oxen & Goates. Now is there no mā ſo mad as to thinke that the ſoules of Purgatory Soules in purgatory cānot offer Oxen nor goates in ſacrifice.ſhould offer vntounto God any ſuch ſacrifices. So that the text is playnly vnderſtand of the children of Iſraell, which through the Lord were deliuered from their afflictiōs and enemies & then offred theyr loyall ſacrifices of prayſe and thankes to the Lord theyr ſhield and protection.
NOwe flyeth my Lorde vntounto the Church & ſayth, that becauſe the Rocheſter.Churche hath affirmed it we muſt needes beleue it, for the Church cā not erre. As touchyng this poynte I Frith.will referre you vntounto a woorke that William Tyndal hath writtē agaynſt M. More wherin ye ſhal wel perceiue what the Church of Chriſt is, & that The chirch ſayth Rocheſter, meaning the popes church can not erre.hys Churche neuer determined any ſuch thyng. But that it is the Sinagoge of Sathan that maketh articles of the fayth & bindeth mēs conſciēces further then the Scripture will.
THen waxeth his Lordſhyp ſomewhat hote agaynſt Martine Luther, becauſe he would that no man ſhould be compelled to beleue Purgatory. For my Lord ſayth that it is profitable and wel done to compel men to beleue ſuch thynges whether they will or will not. And to ſtabliſhe his opinion hée plucketh out a word of the parable of Luke. xiiij. that Luke. 14.a certayne man made a great ſupper, and ſayd vntounto his ſeruaūtes, go forth quickly into the wayes and compell them to enter in.
Verely there Chriſt ment no other Frith.thyng, but that his Apoſtles ſhould go forth into all the world and preach his The parable of Luke 14. truly interpreted.word vntounto all nations, openyng vntounto them the miſerable ſtate and conditiō that they be in, and agayne what mercy God hath ſhewed thē in his ſonne Chriſt. This would Chriſt that his Apoſtles ſhould expound and lay out ſo euidently, by reaſons, Scriptures, and miracles vntounto the Gentils, that they ſhould euē by their manifeſt perſuaſions be compelled to graunt vntounto them that he was Chriſt, and to take vponupon them the fayth that is in Chriſt. On this maner did Chriſt compel the How men ſhould be compelled to beleue.Saduces to graunt the reſurrection. Math. xxij. And by theſe meanes compelled hee the Phariſeis to graunt in theyr conſciences that he dyd his miracles with the power of God, & yet afterward of very hate knowyng in theyr hartes the contrary, they ſayd ye he dyd them by the power of the deuill. Math. xij. But to ſay that Chriſt Chriſt was meeke and gentle and no tyrannous ſchole maſter.would hauehave his Diſciples to compell men with priſonment, fetters, ſcourgyng, ſword and fire is very falſe and farre from the mildeneſſe of a Chriſtē ſpirite, although my Lord approue it neuer ſo much. For Chriſt dyd forbyd his Diſciples ſuch tyrāny, yea and rebuked them becauſe they would hauehave deſired that fire ſhould deſcende from heauen to conſume the Samaritanes which wold not receiue Chriſt. Luke ix. But he commaunded them that if Luke. 9.mē would not receiue their doctrine, they ſhould departe from thence and ſpryncle of the duſt of their féete to be a teſtimony agaynſt the vnfaythfull that they had bene there & preached vntounto them the word of life: But with violence will God hauehave no man compelled vntounto his law. Paule alſo teſtifieth. 2. Cor. 1. that he had not rule ouer Paul ſayth he had no power ouer their fayth.the Corinthiās as touchyng theyr fayth. By our fayth we ſtand in the Lord, & by our infidelitie we fall from hym. As no man can ſearch the hart but onelyonly God, ſo can no man iudge or order our fayth but onelyonly God thorough his holy ſpirite.
Furthermore fayth is a gifte of God, which he diſtributeth at hys owne pleaſure. 1. Cor. 12. If he geue 1. Cor. 12.it not this day, he may geue it to morow. And if thou perceaue by any exterior worke that thy neighbour hauehave it not, enſtruct him with Gods word, and pray God to geue hym grace to beleue: that is rather a poynte of a chriſten man, then to compell a man by death or exterior violence.
Finally, what doth thy compulſion Fayth is not procured by violence, but is the mere & onelyonly of gift of Godand violence? Ʋerely nothing but make a ſtarke hypocrits: for no man can compel the hart to beleue a thing except it ſée euidence and ſufficiente profe. I hauehave herd tell of a boy which was preſent at hys fathers burning for hys beléefe, and aſſone as the officers had eſpyed the boy, they ſayd ech to other, Let vsus take hym and examine him alſo, peraduenture we ſhal finde him as great an heretike as hys father. When the boy ſaw that hys father was dead, and that the catchpoles began to ſnatch at him, he was ſore diſmayed, and thought that he ſhould dye to. And when one of them appoſed him, aſking him how he beleeued, he aunſwered, Maſter I beleue euen as it pleaſeth you. Euen ſo by tormentes and crafty handling a man may be compelled to ſay that he beleueth the thing which he neyther thinketh, nor yet can beleue: for Feare maketh fayth no fayth at all.a mās fayth is not in his own power.
But how doth God accepte thys thing, to ſay that I beleue that which indéede I beleue not? Ʋerely he vtterly condemneth it, whether the opinion be true or falſe. For if the opinion be true (as by example, that the fayth in Chriſtes bloud iuſtifieth me before God) and I confeſſe it before all the byſhops in England with my mouth, and beleue it not wyth mine hart, then am I nothing the better, (for I ſhould hauehave no part of Chriſtes bloud) but I am much the worſe. For firſt God condemneth me, which iudgeth me after myne hart, and alſo mine owne hart condemneth me, becauſe I hauehave openly graunted that mine hart denyeth.
And contrariwyſe, if I ſhould beleue thys fully in mine hart, and yet Fayth is firſt the gift of God and procedeth from the hart, which may not be compelled.for feare of perſecution ſhould deny it when I were examined openly of my fayth, then ſhall I be condemned of God (except A repent,) and alſo myne owne hart ſhall be a witnes to condemne me. And ſo it is very noiſome & vngodly to be compelled vntounto any thing: for God euer ſearcheth the hart which can not be compelled. BVt my Lord obiecteth writing vppon Rocheſter.the xviij. article ſaying: If a man take away Purgatorye, for what entent ſhall we need any pardons? As long (ſayth he) as no man regarded purgatory, there was no man that ſought any pardon: for all the eſtimation of pardons hangeth Pardons.thereof, ſo that we ſhall hauehave Rocheſter ſayth herein very truly and yet was not ware of it.no neede of them, if there be no purgatorye.
Verely I care not though I graūt him that to. And I thinke that mouy was the mother of them both. For out of the ſcripture ſhall he be able to proue neyther nother.
But Mammon is a great god, euē of power enough to innent ſuch knackes, yea and to make them articles of the fayth, and to burne thoſe Purgatory and pardōs hauehave bene goodly marchaundiſe for the clergye.that can not beleue them. And it was a preaty practiſe to make ſuch pointes articles of the fayth. For after that our holy fathers had geuen vp preaching, and would take no more paynes, neyther ſerue theyr brethren any more, then ſette they vp ſuch articles of the fayth, as ſhoulde bring in money to vpholde theyr eſtate withall. And he that would not beleue them, rid him out of the way for feare of diſcloſing theyr iugling: for he that doubteth of pardons and purgatory, he plucketh our holye father by the bearde.
NOtwithſtanding my lord confirmeth Rocheſter.both pardons and purgatory, by the text that Chriſt ſpake vntounto Peter, Math. 16. To the will I geue the kayes of the kingdome of heauen: and whatſoeuer thou bindeſt vponupon the earth, it ſhall be bound in heauen, and whatſoeuer thou loſeſt on the earth it ſhall be loſed in heauen. But theſe woordes (ſayth my lord) had bene ſpoken in vayne if he could not geue pardons, and loſe men out of purgatory. &c.
As touching the kayes, albeit they Frith.hauehave oftentimes bene declared, and in maner in eueryevery treatiſe that hath bene put forth in the engliſh tongue, yet will I ſomewhat ſhew my minde in them. There is but one kaye of heauen, which Chriſt calleth the kaye of knowledge. Luc. 11. And this kay The kayes Luke. 11.is the worde of God. Chriſt rebuked the law geuers for taking away thys The kay of knowledge is the word of God.kay from the people: for they wyth theyr traditions, and falſe expoſitions had fully excluded the kaye of knowledge which is the word of God, and had cleane ſhut vp the Scripture, as ours hauehave done nowe a dayes. It is alſo called the kaye of Dauid, whych ſhutteth, and no man openeth: openeth, Apoc. 3.and no man ſhutteth. Apoc. 3. And becauſe of theſe two effectes which it worketh (for it both ſhutteth and openeth) hath it the nomination of kayes, and yet (as I ſayd) indéede it is but one, which is the worde of God. Thys kay or kayes (now call it as you wyll ſith you know what it meaneth) Chriſt deliuered vntounto Peter, and vntounto hys other Apoſtles a like, which you ſhall eaſely perceaue if you marke where and when they were geuen. For Mat. 16. they were Math. 16.onelyonly promiſed, and not yet geuen: for Chriſt ſayd, I will geue thée the kayes, and not, I geue thée. But after he was riſen from death, then performed he hys promiſe, and gaue the kayes to all indifferentlye, as thou mayſt ſée, Ioh. 20. And Luke cap. 24 Iohn. 20. Luke. 24. How chriſt gaue the kayes to Peter and the reſt of the Apoſtles.expoundeth it, that he opened theyr wittes to vnderſtand the Scripture, that repentaunce and forgeueneſſe might be preached. &c. Therfore it is the woord that bindeth and loſeth thorough the preaching of it. For when thou telleſt them theyr vices and iniquities condemning thē, by the law then bindeſt thou them by the woorde of God: And when thou preacheſt mercy in Chriſt vntounto all that repent, To open, & to ſhut, to binde & to loſe, what it is.then dooſt thou looſe them by the word of God. Therfore he that preacheth not the woorde of God, can neyther binde nor loſe, no though he call him ſelfe pope. And contrarywiſe, he that preacheth his worde, he bindeth and looſeth as well as Peter and Paule, although he be called but Sir Iohn of the countrey. And conſequently, to ſay that the pope cā deliuer any ſoule out of purgatory (if there were one) is but a vaine lie, except he can proue that he goeth downe vntounto them, and The pope can deliuer no ſoule out of purgatory, except he firſt go thether, & preach vntounto them.preacheth vntounto them the woorde of God (which is the ſalt that muſt ſeaſon them, and kay that muſt let them out) for other looſing there is none. And likewiſe, to ſay that the Pope can geue any pardon to redéeme ſinnes, except he preach me that Chriſtes bloud hath pardoned me, is euen like vanitie.
Me thinketh alſo that he wadeth to déepe to deſcende to purgatorye by thys text. For the text ſaith, that what ſoeuer he bindeth on earth, ſhall be Math. 16.bound in heauen, and whatſoeuer he looſeth on earth, &c. But now they graunt themſelues, that purgatory is Purgatory is not on earth, but as Rocheſter ſayth is the third place in hel.not on earth, but the thirde place in hell: And therfore it paſſeth his bondes to ſtretch his hand to purgatory: and ſo this text can not ſerue him.
NOtwithſtanding my lorde is not content to geue him thys power onelyonly, but he hath ſo farre waded in the popes power, that he hath graunted him full auctoritie to deliuer all men from hell, if they be not damned already: For (ſayth he) whoſoeuer hath committed a capitall crime, Rocheſter.hath therby deſerued damnation: Rocheſter is in this place far beſide himſelfe.and yet may the Pope deliuer hym both from the crime, and alſo frō the payne due vntounto it. And he affirmeth that thre times in the xxj. article for feare of forgetting.
VponUpon this poynte will I a litle reaſon Frith.with my Lord, and ſo wil I make an end. If the Pope may deliuer any mā from the cryme that he hath committed & alſo from the payne due vntounto it, as you affirme, then may he by the ſame authoritie deliuer. xx. an hundred, a thouſand, yea & all the world: for I am ſure you can ſhewe me no reaſon why he may deliuer ſome and not all. If he can do it, then let him deliuer A playne declaration of ye popes tyranny.eueryevery man that is in the poynte of death both from the crime and frō the payne, & ſo ſhall neuer man more neither enter into hell nor yet into Purgatory: which were the beſt dede & moſt charitableſt that euer hée dyd, yea & this ought he to do (if he could) although it ſhould coſt hym his owne lyfe and ſoule thereto (as Moſes and Exod. …. Roma 9.Paule geue him exāple) but yet there is no ieoperdy of neither other. Now if he cā do it (as you ſay) and will not, then is he the moſt wretched & cruell tyraunt that euer lyued, euen the very ſonne of perdition and woorthy to bée damned in an hundred thouſand helles. For if he hauehave receaued ſuch The Pope a proude ſhameleſſe & tyranous Antichriſt.power of God that hée may ſaue all men & yet wil not, but ſuffer ſo many to be damned, I report me vntounto your ſelues what hée is worthy to hauehave?
Now if any man would ſolute this reaſon and ſay that he may do it, but that it is not méete for hym to do it, becauſe that by theyr paynes Gods iuſtice may be ſatiſfied: I ſay that this their euaſion is nothyng worth, neyther yet cā I imagine any way wherby they may hauehave any apparēce to eſcape. For my Lord ſayth hym ſelfe that the Pope muſt pacifie Gods iuſtice for eueryevery ſoule that hée deliuereth from Purgatory, and therefore A blaſphemous pope & the deuils vicar.hath he imagined that the Pope hath in hys hand the merites of Chriſtes paſſiō which he may apply at his pleaſure where he will. And alſo he ſayth that the merites of Chriſtes paſſion are ſufficient to redeme all the ſinnes in the world. Now ſith theſe merites on their part are ſufficiēt to ſatiſfie ye iuſtice of God and redeme the whole world, & alſo that the pope hath them in his hand to diſtribute at his pleaſure, then lacketh there no more but euen the Popes diſtribution vntounto the the ſaluatiō of the world. For he may pacifie Gods wrath and ſatiſfie hys iuſtice (ſayth my Lord) by applying theſe merites to them that lacke good workes. And ſo if the pope wil, Gods iuſtice may bée fully ſatiſfied & the whole worlde ſaued. Now if hée may ſo iuſtly & eaſely ſaue the whole world (charitie alſo mouyng him vntounto it) and yet will not apply theſe merites The pope is the ſonne of perdition worthy of more payne then can be imagined, if Rocheſters doctrine be true.ſo frutefully, then is the faulte onelyonly his, and he the ſonne of perdition and worthy more payne then can be imagined. And ſo is not the reaſon improued but much more ſtabliſhed, and as I thinke ineuitable.
Beholde I pray you whether my Lord of Rocheſter hath brought our holy father in auauncyng hys power ſo high, euen into yt déepeſt pit of hell. which (if my Lord ſayd true) it is impoſſible for hym to auoyde. But it chaunceth vntounto hym euen as it doth cuſtomably where ſuch pryde raigneth: for whē they are at the hygheſt, then fall they downe headlong vntounto their vtter confuſion and ruine.
If any man féele himſelfe gréeued, and not yet fully ſatiſfied in this matter, let him write hys minde, and by Gods grace I ſhall make hym an aunſwere, and that with ſpéede.
Pray christen Reader that the woord of God may encreaſe.
Amen.