Whole Works, Tracts 1 · Tract 2 · Body of tract · Part 11
¶ Of the ſacramentes.
FOraſmuch as we be come to ſignes, we wil ſpeake a word or two of the ſignes which God hath ordeined, that is to ſay, of the ſacramentes which Chriſt left amongeſt vsus for our comfort, that we may walke in light and in truth, & in feling of the power of God. For he that walketh in y• day, ſtumbleth not, when contrariwiſe he that walketh in the night ſtumbleth. Ioh. xi. And they that walke in darknes wote not whether they goe. Ioh. xij.
This worde ſacrament is as much to ſay as an holy ſigne, and repreſenteth alway ſome promiſe of God. As Sacramentes are ſignes of Gods promiſes.in the olde Teſtament God ordeined that the raynebowe ſhould repreſent and ſignifie vntounto all men an oth that God ſware to Noe, & to all men after hym, that he woulde no more drowne the worlde thorough water.
¶ The ſacrament of the body and bloud of Chriſt.
SO the Sacrament of the body and bloude of Chriſt, hath a promiſe annexed, which the Prieſt ſhould declare in the Engliſhe tounge. This is my body that is broken for you. This is my bloud that is ſhed for many vntounto the forgeueneſſe of ſinnes. This do in remēbrance of me ſayth Chriſt. Luk. 22. And 1. Cor. 11. If when thou ſeeſt the Sacramēt, or eateſt his body, or drinckeſt The promiſe which the Sacrament preacheth, iuſtifieth onelyonly.his bloud, thou hauehave thys promiſe faſt in thine hart (that his body was ſlayne, and his bloud ſhed for thy ſins) and beleueſt it, ſo art thou ſaued and iuſtified thereby. If not, ſo helpeth it thee not, though thou heareſt a thouſand maſſes in a day, or though thou doeſt nothing els all thy life long then eate his body or drinke his bloude: no more thē it ſhould helpe thee in a dead thyrſt, to beholde a buſhe at a tauerne dore, if thou kneweſt not thereby that there were wine within to be ſold….
¶ Baptime.
BAptime hath alſo his worde and promiſe, which the Prieſt ought to to teach the people, and Chriſten them in the Engliſhe tounge, and not to play y• popengay with Credo ſay ye, …olo ſay ye, and Baptiſmum ſay ye, for there ought to be no mumming in ſuch a matter. The Prieſt before he baptiſeth, aſketh ſaying: beleueſt thou in God the father almighty, and in his ſonne Ieſus Chriſt, and in the holy ghoſt, and that the congregation of Chriſt is holy? And they ſay, yea. Then the Prieſt vppon thys fayth baptiſeth the childe in y• name of the father, and of yt ſonne, and of the holy ghoſt, for the forgeuenes of ſinnes, as Peter ſaith. Act. ij.
The waſhing without the worde helpeth not: but through the worde it purifieth and clenſeth vsus. As thou readeſt Ephe. v. How Chriſt clenſeth the congregation in the fountayne of water through the worde. The word is the promiſe that God hath made. Now as a preacher, in preaching the How the ſacramētes iuſtifie.worde of God ſaueth the hearers that beleue, ſo doth the waſhing, in that it preacheth and repreſenteth vntounto vsus the promiſe that God hath made vntounto vsus in Chriſt. The waſhing preacheth vntounto vsus, that we are clēſed with Chriſtes bloudſhedding, which was an offering and a ſatiſfaction for the ſinne of all that repent and beleue, conſenting and ſubmitting themſelues vntounto the will of God. The plunging into the water ſignifieth that we die, and are buried with Chriſt, as concerning the olde life of ſinne which is Adam. And the pulling out againe, ſignifieth that we riſe againe with Chriſt in a newe life full of the holy ghoſt, which ſhall teach vsus & guide vsus, & worke the will of God in vsus, as thou ſeeſt. Rom. vj.
Of wedlocke.
MAtrimony or wedlocke is a ſtate or a degree ordeined of God, and an office wherein the huſband ſerueth the wife, and the wife the huſband. It was ordeined for a remedy and to encreaſe the worlde, and for the man to helpe the woman, and the woman the man with all louelove and kyndnes, and not to ſignifie any promiſe that euer I heard or redde of in y• ſcripture. Therfore Matrimony was not ordeined to ſignifie any promiſe.ought it not to be called a Sacrament. It hath a promiſe that we ſinne not in that ſtate, if a man receaue hys wiſe as a gift geuen to him of God, & the wife her huſband likewiſe: as all maner meates and drinkes hauehave a promiſe that we ſinne not, if we vſe them meaſurably with thankes geuing. If they call matrimony a Sacrament becauſe the ſcripture vſeth the ſimilitude of matrimonie, to expreſſe the mariage or wedlocke that is betwene vsus and Chriſt. (For as a woman though ſhe be neuer ſo poore, yet when ſhe is maried, is as rich as her huſband: euen ſo we whē we repent and beleue the promiſes of God in Chriſt, though we be neuer ſo poore ſinners, yet are as rich as Chriſt, all his merits are ours with all that he hath). If for that cauſe they call it a ſacrament: ſo will I muſterde ſeede, leuen, a net, keyes, bread, water, and a thouſand other things which Chriſt and the Prophetes, and all the ſcripture vſe, to expreſſe the kingdome of heauen and Gods worde wythall. They prayſe wedlocke wyth their If wedlocke be holy, why had they leuer hauehave whores thē wines?mouth, and ſay it is an holy thyng, as it is verely: but had leuer be ſanctified wyth an whore, then to come wythin the ſanctuary.
¶ Of Order.
SUbdeacon, Deacō, Prieſt, Byſhop, Cardinall, Patriarch and Pope, be names of offices and ſeruice, or ſhould be, and not Sacraments. There is no promiſe coupled therwith. If they miniſter their offices truly, it is a ſigne that Chriſtes ſpirite is in them, if not, that the deuill is in them. Are theſe all Sacramentes, or which one of them? Or what thyng in them is that holy ſigne or Sacrament? The ſhauyng or the annoynting? What alſo is the promiſe that is ſignified thereby? But what word printeth in them that charact: that ſpirituall ſeale? O dreamers and naturall beaſtes without the ſeale Character.of the ſpirite of God: but ſealed with the marke of the beaſt and with cankred conſciences.
There is a word called in Latine Sacerdos Sacerdos.in Greeke Hiercus, in Hebrue Cohan, that is, a Miniſter an officer, a ſacrificer or a Prieſt, as Aaron was a Prieſt and ſacrificed for the people and was a mediator betwen God & them. And in the Engliſh ſhould it hauehave had ſome other name then Prieſt? But Antichriſt hath deceaued vsus with vnknowen and ſtraūge termes, to bring vsus into confuſion and ſuperſtitious blyndnes. Of that maner is Chriſt a Prieſt for euer, and all we Prieſts thorough hym and neede no more of any ſuch Prieſt on earth to be a meane for vsus vntounto god. For Chriſt hath brought vsus all into the inner temple within the vayle or forehanging, and vntounto the mercy ſtoole of God. And hath coupled vsus vntounto God, where we offer eueryevery man for himſelfe ye deſires & petitions of his hart, & ſacrifice and kil the luſtes & appetits of his fleſh with prayer, faſting, & all maner godly liuing.
An other worde is there in Greeke called Preſbiter, in latin, Senior, in engliſhe an elder, and is nothing but an Preſbiter.officer to teach, and not to be a mediator betwene God and vsus. This nedeth no annointing of man. They o… yt olde teſtament were annointed with oyle, Prieſtes now ought not to be annointed with oyle.to ſignifie the annointing of Chriſt and of vsus thorough Chriſt with the holy ghoſt. This wiſe is no man Prieſt but he that is choſen, ſaue as in time of neceſſitie eueryevery parſon Chriſteneth, ſo may eueryevery man teach his wife & houſholde, and the wife her children. So in time of neede if I ſee my brother ſinne, I may betwene hym and me rebuke him, and damne his deede by the lawe of God. And may alſo comfort them that are in diſpayre with the promiſes of God, and ſaue them if they beleue.
By a Prieſt then in the new teſtament The office of a Prieſt.vnderſtand nothing but an elder to teach the younger, and to bring thē vntounto the full knowledge and vnderſtanding of Chriſt and to miniſter the Sacramentes which Chriſt ordeyned, which is alſo nothyng but to preach Chriſtes promiſes. And by them that geue all their ſtudie to quench the light of truth, and to holde the people in darcknes, vnderſtand the diſciples of Sathan and meſſengers of Antichriſt, what ſoeuer names they hauehave, or what ſoeuer they call themſelues. And as concerning that our ſpiritualtie (as they will be called) make themſelues holyer then the lay people, and take ſo They will be holier, but their deedes be not holy at all.great landes and goodes to pray for them, and promiſe them pardons and forgeuenes of ſinnes, or abſolution, without preachyng of Chriſtes promiſes, is falſehode and the woorkyng of Antichriſt: and (as I hauehave ſayd) the rauenyng of thoſe wolues which Paul (Act. xx.) propheſied, ſhould come after hys departyng not ſparyng the flocke. Their doctrine is that marchaundiſe wherof Peter ſpeaketh ſaying: through coueteouſnes ſhall they with fayned wordes make marchaundiſe of you. ij. Pet. ij. And their reaſons wherewith they proue their doctrine are (as ſayth Paul. i. Timo. vj.) ſuperfluous diſputynges, arguynges or braulyngs of mē with corrupt mindes and deſtitute of truth, whiche thinke Compare their dedes to the doctrine end deedes of Chriſt. and of his Apoſtles, and iudge their fruites.that lucre is godlynes. But Chriſt ſayth. Math. vij. by their frutes ſhalt thou know them, that is by their filthy couetouſnes and ſhameleſſe ambition and dronken deſire of honor, contrary vntounto the example & doctrine of Chriſt and of his Apoſtles. Chriſt ſayd to Peter, the laſt Chapter of Iohn. Fede my ſheepe, and not ſhere thy flocke. And Pet. ſayth. i. Pet. v. Not being Lordes ouer the Pariſhes: but theſe ſhere, and are become Lordes. Paul ſaith. ij. Cor. ij. Not that we be Lordes ouer your faith: but theſe will be Lordes & compel vsus to beleue what ſoeuer they luſt, without any witnes of Scripture, yea cleane contrary to the Scripture, whē the opē text rebuketh it. Paul ſayth, it is better to geue, thē to receaue. Act. xx. But theſe do nothyng in the world but lay ſnares to katch and receaue what ſo euer cōmeth, as it were the gapyng mouth of hell. And. ij. Cor. xij. I ſeeke not yours but you: but theſe ſeeke not you to Chriſt, but yours to thē ſelues, and therfore leſt their dedes ſhould be rebuked will not come at the light.
Neuertheleſſe the truth is, that we are all equally beloued in Chriſt, and God hath ſworne to all indifferently. According therfore as eueryevery man beleueth Gods promiſes, longeth for thē, and is diligent to pray vntounto GOD to fulfill them, ſo is his prayer heard, and as good is the prayer of a cobler, as of a Cardinall: and of a bocher, as of a Byſhop: & the bleſſing of a baker that knoweth the truth, is as good as the bleſſyng of our moſt holy father the Pope. And by bleſſing vnderſtand not What bleſſing meaneth.the wagging of the popes or Biſhops hand ouer thyne head, but prayer, as when we ſay, God make thee a good man, Chriſt put his ſpirite in thee, or geue thee grace and power to walke in the truth, & to folow hys cōmaūdementes &c. As Rebeccas frendes bleſſed her whē ſhe departed, Gene. xxiiij. ſaying. Thou art our ſiſter: grow vntounto thouſand thouſandes, and thy ſeede poſſeſſe the gates of their enemies. And as Iſaac bleſſed Iacob Gene. xxvij. ſaying. God geue thee of the dew of heauen, and of the fatnes of the earth, aboundaunce of corne, wyne and oyle &c. And Gene. xxviij. Almighty God bleſſe thee and make thee grow, and multiply thee, that thou mayſt be a great multitude of people, and geue to thee and to thy ſeede after thee the bleſſings of Abraham, that thou mayſt poſſeſſe the land wherin thou art a ſtraū ger which he promiſed to thy graundfather and ſuch lyke.
Laſt of all one ſingular doubt they hauehave: what maketh the Prieſt, the annoynting or puttyng on of the handes or what other ceremonie or what wordes. About which they braule and ſcolde one ready to teare out an others throte. One ſayth this, & an other that, but they cā not agree. Neither cā any of them make ſo ſtrong a reaſon which an other can not improue. For they are all out of the way, and without the ſpirite of God to iudge ſpirituall things. Howbeit to this I aūſwere, that whē Chriſt called. xij. vp into the moūtaine and choſe them, then immediatly without any annointing or ceremony were they his Apoſtles, that is to witte, miniſters choſen to be ſent to preach his Teſtament, vntounto all the whole world. And after the reſurrection whē he had opened their wittes, and geuen them knowledge to vnderſtand the ſecretes of hys Teſtament, & how to bynde & looſe, and what he would hauehave thē to do in all thynges, then he ſent them forth with a commaundemēt to preach and bynde the vnbeleuyng that continue in ſinne, and to looſe the beleuyng that repent. And that commaundemēt The commaundement maketh Prieſtes.or charge made thē Byſhops, prieſtes, Popes and all thyng. If they ſay that Chriſt made thē prieſtes at his Maundey or laſt Supper when he ſayd, do this in the remembraūce of me. I aunſwere, though the Apoſtles wiſt not then what hee ment, yet I will not ſtriue nor ſay that agaynſt. Neuer the latter the commaundement and the charge which he gaue them made thē Prieſtes.
And Actes the firſt, when Mathias was choſē by lotte, it is not to be douted but that the Apoſtles, after their common maner, prayed for him that God would geue him grace to miniſter his office truely, and put their handes on him, and exhorted him and gaue him charge to be diligent & faithfull, and then was he as great as the beſt. And Actes. vj. When the Diſciples that beleued had choſen. vj. Deacons to miniſter to the widdowes, the Apoſtles prayed and put their handes on them, and admitted them without more adde. Their putting on of hands Putting on of hāds.was not after the maner of the dome bleſſing of our holy byſhops with two fingers: but they ſpake vntounto them, and tolde them their dutie and gaue them a charge and warned them to be faythfull in the Lordes buſines: as we chuſe temporall officers and read their duty to them, and they promiſe to be faythfull miniſters, and then are admitted. Neither is there any other maner or ceremonie at all required in makyng of our ſpirituall officers, then to chuſe an able perſon, and thē to rehearſe him his dutie and geue him his charge and ſo to put him in his rowme. And as for that other ſolemne doubte, as they call it whether Iudas was a Prieſt or What Iudas is now.no, I care not what he then was: but of this I am ſure, that he is now not onelyonly Prieſt, but alſo Byſhop, Cardinall and Pope.
¶ Of Penaunce.
PEnaunce is a word of their owne forgyng to diſceaue vsus with all, as many other are. In the Scripture we finde panitentia repentaunce. Agite poenitentiam, do repent: Poeniteat vos, let it repēt you. Metanoyte in Greeke, forthinke yo, or let it forthinke you. Of repentaunce A point of practiſe.they hauehave made penaunce, to blinde the people and to make them thinke that they muſt take payne and do ſome holy dedes to make ſatiſfaction for their ſinnes, namely ſuch as they enioyue them. As thou mayſt ſee ☞in the Cronicles, when great kynges and tyrauntes (which with violence of ſword conquered other kynges landes and ſlew all that came to hand) came to them ſelues, and had conſcience of their wicked dedes, then the Byſhops coupled them, not to Chriſt: but vntounto the Pope, and preached the Pope vntounto them, and made them to ſubmit them ſelues and alſo their realmes vntounto the holy father the Pope, and to take penaunce, as they call it, that is to ſay, ſuch iniunctions as the Pope and Biſhops would commaund them to do, to build Abbays, to endote them with liuelode, to be prayed for for euer: and to geue them exemptions and priuilege and licence to do what the luſt vnpuniſhed.
Repentaunce goeth before faith and Repentaunce.prepareth the way to Chriſt, and to the promiſes. For Chriſt, commeth not, but vntounto them that ſee their ſinnes in the law and repent. Repentaunce that is to ſay, this mornyng and ſorrow of the hart laſteth all our liues long. For we finde our ſelues all our liues long to weake for Gods law, and therfore ſorrow & morne longyng for ſtrength. Repentaunce is no Sacrament: as faith, hope, louelove, and knowledge of a mans ſinnes are not to be called Sacramentes. For they are ſpirituall and inuiſible. Now muſt a Sacrament be an outward ſigne that may be ſene to ſignifie, to repreſent, and to put a man in remēbraunce of ſome ſpirituall promiſe which can not be ſene but by faith onelyonly. Repentaunce and all the good dedes which accompanie repentaunce to ſlay the luſtes of the fleſhe are ſignified by Baptiſme. For Paule ſayth Repentaunce is ſignified by Baptime.Roma. vj. (as it is aboue rehearſed.) Remember ye not (ſaith he) that all we whiche are baptiſed in the name of Chriſt Ieſus, are baptiſed to dye with him? we are buryed with him in Baptiſme for to dye, that is, to kil the luſtes and the rebellion which remayneth in the fleſh. And after that he ſayth, ye are dead as concernyng ſinne but lyue vntounto God, through Ieſus Chriſt our Lord. If thou looke on the profeſſion ☜of our harts, and on the ſpirit and forgeuenes which we hauehave receaued thorough Chriſtes merites, we are full dead: but if thou looke on the rebellion of the fleſh we do but begyn to dye and to be baptiſed, that is, to drowne and quench the luſtes, and are full baptiſed at the laſt minute of death. And as cō cernyng the workyng of the ſpirite we begyn to lyue, & grow eueryevery day more and more both in knowledge and alſo in Godly lyuyng, accordyng as the luſtes abate. As a child receaueth ye …ull ſoule at the firſt day, yet groweth dayly in the operations & workes therof.
¶ Of Confeſsion.
COnfeſſion is diuers? One foloweth true fayth inſparably. And is the confeſſing and knowledging with the One confeſſion is to knowledge wherein thou putteſt thy truſt.mouth, wherein we put our truſt and confidēce. As when we ſay our Credo: confeſſing that we truſt in God the father almighty, and in his truth & promiſes: & in his ſonne Ieſus our Lord, and in his merites and deſeruinges: & in the holy Ghoſt, and in his power, aſſiſtance and guiding. This confeſſion is neceſſary vntounto all men that wyll be ſaued. For Chriſt ſaith Mathew. x. he that denyeth me before men, hym will I deny before my father that is in heauen. And of this confeſſion ſayth the holy Apoſtle Paule in the x. chapter. The beliefe of the hart iuſtifieth: and to knowledge wyth the mouth maketh a man ſafe. This is a wonderfull text for our Philoſophers or rather ſophiſters, our worldly wyſe enemies to the wiſdome of God, our deepe & profounde welles wythout water, our cloudes wythout moyſture of rayne, that is to ſay, naturall ſoules without the ſprite of God, and feeling of godly thynges. To iuſtifie and to make ſafe are both one thing. And to confeſſe with the mouth is a good worke, and the frute of a true fayth, as all other workes are.
If thou repent and beleue the promiſes, then Gods truth iuſtifieth thee, that is, forgeueth thee thy ſinnes, and ſealeth thee with hys holy ſpirite, and maketh thee heyre of euerlaſtyng lyfe through Chriſtes deſeruinges. Now if thou hauehave true fayth, ſo ſeeſt thou the exceeding and infinite louelove and mercy which God hath ſhewed thee freely in Chriſt: then muſt thou needes louelove agayne: and louelove can not but compell If when tyrauntes oppoſe thee thou hauehave power to confeſſe then art thou ſure that thou & art ſate.thee to worke, and boldly to confeſſe & knowledge thy Lord Chriſt, and the truſt which thou haſt in his word. And this knowledge maketh thee ſafe, that is declareth that thou art ſafe already, certifieth thine hart, and maketh thee feele that thy fayth is right, and that Gods ſpirite is in thee, as all other good workes doe. For if when it commeth vntounto the point, thou haſt no luſt to worke, nor power to confeſſe, how couldeſt thou preſume to thinke that Gods ſprite were in thee?
An other confeſſion is there which An other confeſſion is to knowledge thy ſinnes in … vntounto God.goeth before ſaith, and accompanieth repentaunce. For who ſo euer repenteth doth knowledge his ſinnes in his hart. And who ſoeuer doth knowledge his ſinnes, receaueth forgenenes (as …ayth Iohn in the firſt of his firſt Epiſtle.) If we knowledge our ſinnes he is faythfull and iuſt to forgeue vsus out ſinnes, and to clenſe vsus from all vnrighteouſnes, that is, becauſe he hath promiſed, he muſt for his truthes ſake doe it. This confeſſion is neceſſary all our liues long, as is repentaunce. And as thou vnderſtandeſt of repentaunce, ſo vnderſtand of this confeſſion, for it is likewiſe included in the ſacrament of Baptime. For we alwayes repent and alwayes knowledge or cōfeſſe our ſinnes vntounto God, and yet diſpayre not: but remember that we are waſhed in in Chriſtes bloud, which thing our baptime doth repreſēt, and ſignifie vntounto vsus.
Shrift in the eare is verely a worke of Sathan, and that the …alſeſt that euer Shrift.was wrought, and that moſt hath deuoured the fayth. It began among the Greekes, and was not as it is now, to reckē all a mās ſinnes in the prieſtes eare: but to aſke coūcell of ſuch doubtes as men had, as thou mayſt ſee in S. Hierome, and in other authors. Neither went they to Prieſtes onelyonly which were very fewe at that tyme, no moe then preached the worde of God, for this ſo great vantage in ſo many maſſes ſaying, was not yet founde: but went indifferently, where they ſaw a good and a learned man. And for becauſe Shrift was put downe for knauery among the Greekes: But is ſtabliſhed the… by among vsus.of a litle knauery which a Deacō at Conſtantinople plaide thorough cō feſſion with one of the chiefe wiues of the citie, it was layde downe agayne. But we Antichriſtes poſſeſſion, the more knauery we ſee growe thereby dayly, the more we ſtabliſhe it. A chriſten man is a ſpirituall thing, and hath Gods word in his hart, and gods ſpirite to certifie him of all thing. He is not bound to come to any eare. And as for the reaſons which they make are but perſuaſions of mans wiſedome. Firſt as perteining vntounto the keyes & maner of bynding and looſing is eough aboue rehearſed, & in other places. Thou maiſt alſo ſee how the Apoſtles vſed them in the Actes, and in Paules Epiſtles, how at the preaching of fayth the ſpirite came, and certified their harts that they were iuſtified thorough beleuing the promiſes.
When a man feeleth that his hart How a mā ſhall know that … ſinnes are forgeuen.conſenteth vntounto the law of God, and feeleth hymſelfe meeke, pacient, curteous and mercifull to hys neighbour, altered and faſhioned like vntounto Chriſt, why ſhoulde he doubt but that God hath forgeuen him and choſen him and put his ſpirite in hym, though he neuer cromme hys ſinne into the prieſtes eare?
One blynde reaſon hauehave they ſaying. Blind reaſon to their guide and not Gods ſpirite.How ſhall the Prieſt vnbynde, looſe and forgeue the ſinne which he knoweth not? How did the Apoſtles? The Scripture forſake they and runne vntounto their blinde reaſons, and draw the Scripture vntounto a carnall purpoſe. When I hauehave tolde thee in thyne eare all that I hauehave done my life long, in order and with all circumſtances after the ſhamefulleſt maner, what cāſt thou doe more then preach me the promiſes, ſaying: if thou repent & beleue, Gods truth ſhall ſaue thee for Chriſtes ſake? Thou ſeeſt not myne hart, thou knoweſt not whether I repent or no, neyther whether I conſent to the law, that it is holy, righteous, and good. Moreouer whether I beleue the promiſes or no, is alſo vnknowen to thee. If thou preach the law and the promiſes, (as the Apoſtles did) ſo ſhould they that God hath choſen repent and beleue and be ſaued: euen now as well as then. How be it Antichriſt muſt know all ſecretes to ſtabliſh his kingdom, & to worke his miſteries withall.
They bryng alſo for them the ſtorie of the x. lepers, whiche is written Learne to know them for they are verely lepers in theyr hartes.in the. xvij. Chapter of Luke. Here marke their falſehoode, and learne to knowe them for euer. The fourtene Sonday after the feaſt of the Trinitie, the begynnyng of the vij. le…n is the ſayd Goſpell and the viij. & the ix. leſſons with the reſt of the ſeuenth is the expoſition of Bede vponupon the ſayd Goſpell. Where, ſaith Bede, of all that Chriſt healed, of what ſo euer diſeaſe it were, he ſent none vntounto the Prieſtes, but the lepers. And by the lepers enterpreteth the folowers of falſe doctrine onelyonly, which the ſpirituall officers, and the learned men of the congregation ought to examine, and rebuke their learning with Gods word, and to warne the congregation to beware of them. Which, if they were afterward healed by the grace of Chriſt, ought to come before the cōgregation, and there openly confeſſe theyr true fayth.
But all other vices (ſaith he) doth God heale within in the conſcience.
Though they this wiſe reade at mattens, yet at hie maſſe, if they hauehave any ſermon at all, they lie cleane contrary vntounto this open truth. Neither are they aſhamed at all. For why they walke altogether in darcknes.
¶ Of Contrition.
COntrition and repētaunce are both one and nothyng els but a ſorowful & a mournyng hart. And becauſe that God hath promiſed mercy vntounto a contrite hart, that is, to a ſorowfull and repentyng hart, they to beguile Gods word and to ſtabliſh their wicked tradition, hauehave fayned that new word attrition ſaying: thou canſt not know whether thy ſorrowe or repentaunce be contrition or attrition, except thou Attritiō is of the leues of the phariſeis.be ſhreuen. When thou art ſhreuen, thē it is true contritiō. Oh foxy Phariſay, that is thy leuen, of which Chriſt ſo diligētly bad vsus beware. Math. vj. And the very propheſie of Peter thorough couetouſnes with fayned wordes ſhall they make marchaūdiſe of you. ij. Pet. ij. with ſuch gloſes corrupt they Gods word, to ſit in the conſciences of y• people, to lead them captiue, and to make a praye of thē: byeng and ſellyng their ſinnes, to ſatiſfy their vnſatiable couetouſnes. Neuertheleſſe the truth is, when any man hath treſpaſſed agaynſt God. If he repēt and knowledge his treſpaſſe, God promiſeth him forgeueneſſe without eare ſhrift.
If he that hath offended his neighbour repente and knowledge his fault aſkyng forgeuenes, if his neighbour forgeue him, God forgeueth him alſo, by his holy promiſe. Mat. xviij. Likewiſe if he that ſinneth openly, when he is openly rebuked, repent and turne, then if the congregation forgeue hym God forgeueth him. And ſo forth who ſoeuer repenteth and when he is rebuked knowledgeth his fault is forgeuē.
He alſo that doubteth or hath hys conſciences tangled, ought to open his minde vntounto ſome faythfull brother that is learned, and he ſhall geue hym faythful councell to helpe him withall.
To whom a man treſpaſſeth, vntounto him he ought to confeſſe. But to confeſſe Whom a man offendeth … muſt hee confeſſe.my ſelfe vntounto thee O Antichriſt, whom I hauehave not offended, am I not bounde.
They of the old law had no confeſſion in the eare. Neither the Apoſtles nor they that folowed many hundred yeares after knew of any ſuch whiſperyng. Wherby then was their attritiō turned vntounto contrition? yea why are we whiche Chriſt came to looſe, more bound thē the Iewes. Yea and why are we more bounde without Scripture? For Chriſt came not to make vsus more bounde, but to looſe vsus and to make a thouſand thynges no ſinne which before were ſinne, and are now become ſinne agayne. He left none other law with vsus, but the law of louelove. He looſed vsus not frō Moyſes to bynde vsus vntounto Antichriſtes eare. God had not tyed Chriſt vntounto Antichriſtes eare, neither hath poured all his mercy in thether, for it hath no recorde in the old Teſtament, that Antichriſtes eare ſhould be Propiciatorium, that is to witte, Gods It hath no recorde in … y• Scripture that God ſhuld crepe in, & hyde him … in Antichriſtes eare.mercy ſtole, and that God ſhould crepe into ſo narow a hole, ſo that hee could no where els be founde. Neither dyd God write his lawes neither yet hys holy promiſes in Antichriſtes eare: but hath graued them with his holy ſpirite in the hartes of them that beleue, that they might hauehave them alwayes ready at hand to be ſaued therby.
¶ Satiſfaction.
AS pertainyng vntounto ſatiſfactiō, this wiſe vnderſtād, that he that loueth God hath a commaundement (as S. Iohn ſayth in the fourth Chap. of his firſt Epiſtle) to louelove his neighbour alſo: whom if thou hauehave offended thou muſt make him amendes or ſatiſfactiō, or at the leſt way if thou be not able, aſke him forgeuenes, & if he will hauehave mercy of God, he is bound to forgeue thee. If he will not: yet God forgeueth thee, if thou thus ſubmit thy ſelfe. But vntounto Godward Chriſt is a perpetuall Chriſt is … euerlaſtyng ſatiſfaction.and an euerlaſtyng ſatiſfaction for euermore.
As oft as thou falleſt through frailtie, repent & come agayne and thou art ſafe & welcome, as yu mayſt ſee by ye ſimilitude of the riotous ſonne, Luke. xv. If thou be lopen out of ſanctuary come in agayne. If thou be fallen from the way of truth come thereto agayne and thou art ſafe, if thou be gone aſtray come to ye folde againe & the ſhepheard Chriſt ſhall ſaue thee, yea and the aungels of heauen ſhal reioyce at thy commyng, ſo farre it is of that any mā ſhal beate thee or chide thee. If any Phariſey enuye thee, grudge at thee, or rayle vponupon thee, thy father ſhall make aunſwere for thee, as thou ſeiſt in the fore rehearſed likenes or parable. Who ſoeuer therfore is gone out of the way by whatſoeuer chaūce it be, let him come to his Baptiſme agayne and vntounto the profeſſion therof and he ſhalbe ſafe.
For though that the waſhyng of Baptiſme be paſt, yet the power therof, Baptiſme …ſteth e…er.that is to ſay, yt word of God which Baptiſme preacheth laſteth euer and ſaueth for euer. As Paul is paſt and gone, neuertheleſſe ye word that Paul preached laſteth euer and ſaueth euer as many as come therto with a repentyng hart and a ſtedfaſt faith.
Hereby ſeeſt thou that when they make penaunce of repentaunce and cal it a Sacrament and deuide it into contrition, confeſſion and ſatiſfaction they ſpeake of their owne heades and lye falſely.
¶ Abſolution.
THeir abſolution alſo iuſtifieth no man from ſinne. For with the hart do men beleue to be iuſtified with all ſayth Paul. Roma. 10. that is, through fayth and beleuyng the promiſes, are we iuſtified, as I hauehave ſufficiently proued in other places with y• Scripture. Fayth (ſayth Paul in the ſame place) commeth by hearyng, that is to ſay, by hearyng the preacher that is ſent from God and preacheth Gods promiſes. Now when thou abſolueſt in Latine, the vnlearned heareth not. For how, ſaith Paul. i. Cor. xiiij. when thou bleſſeſt in an vnknowen toung, ſhall the vnlearned ſay Amen vntounto thy thankes geuing? for he wotteth not yu ſayſt. So likewiſe the lay wotteth not whether thou looſe or bynde, or whether thou bleſſe or curſe. In like maner is it if the lay vnderſtād Latine or though the Prieſt abſolue in Engliſh. For in hys abſolution he rehearſeth no promiſe of God: but ſpeaketh his owne wordes ſaying: I by the authoritie of Peter and Paul abſolue or looſe thee from all thy ſinnes. Thou ſayſt ſo, which art but a lying man and neuer more then now verely.
Thou ſayſt I forgeue thee thy ſinnes, and the Scripture (Iohn the firſt) that Chriſt onelyonly forgeueth & taketh away ye ſinnes of the world. And Paul and Peter and all the Apoſtles preache that all is forgeuen in Chriſt and for Chriſts ſake. Gods word onelyonly looſeth and thou in preachyng that mighteſt looſe alſo and els not.
¶ Who ſoeuer hath eares let him heare and let him that hath eyes, ſee. If any man louelove to be blinde, his blindnes on his owne head and not on mine.Of byndyng and looſing and of the Popes authoritie or power.
THey alledge for thē ſelues the ſaying of Chriſt to Peter Math. xvj. Whatſoeuer thou byndeſt on earth, it ſhalbe boūde, & what ſoeuer thou looſeth, and ſo forth. Lo ſay they, what ſoeuer we bynde & what ſoeuer we looſe here is nothing excepted. And an other text lay they of Chriſt in ye laſt of Mathew. All power is geuen to me ſayth Chriſt, in heauen and in earth: go therfore and preach &c. Preachyng leaueth The Pope chalengeth power not ouer man onelyonly but ouer God alſo.the Pope out, and ſayth loe all power is geuen me in heauen & in earth. And thereupon taketh vponupon him temporall power aboue kyng and Emperour, & maketh lawes and byndeth them. And like power taketh he ouer gods lawes and diſpenſeth with them at his luſt, makyng no ſinne of that whiche God maketh ſinne, & maketh ſinne where God maketh none: yea & wypeth out Gods lawes cleane and maketh at his pleaſure, & with him is lawful what he luſteth. He bindeth where God looſeth & looſeth where God bindeth. He bleſſeth where GOD curſeth and curſeth where God bleſſeth. He taketh authoritie alſo to bynde & looſe in Purgatory.Purgatory is the Popes creature: he may therfore be bold there. That permit I vntounto him: for it is a creature of his owne makyng. He alſo byndeth the aungels. For we read of Popes that hauehave commaūded the aungels to fet diuers out of Purgatory. The Pope bindeth the aungels.Howbeit I am not yet certified whether they obeyed or no.
Vnderſtand therrfore that to bynde and to looſe, is to preach the lawe of The true byndyng & looſing.God and the Goſpell or promiſes, as thou mayſt ſee in the third chapter of the ſecond epiſtle to the Corinthians: Where Paule calleth the preaching of the law the miniſtration of death, and damnation, and the preaching of the promiſes then miniſtring of the ſpirite and of righteouſnes. For when the law is preached, all men are found ſinners, and therefore damned: and when the Goſpell & glad tydinges are preached, then are all that repent and beleue, founde righteous in Chriſt. And ſo expounde it all the olde doctours. S. Hierome agaynſt Biſhops and Prieſtes.Saint Hierome ſayth vponupon this text, whatſoeuer thou bindeſt, the Biſhops and Prieſtes ſayth he, for lacke of vnderſtanding, take a litle preſumption of the Phareſeis vponupon thē. And thinke that they hauehave authoritie to bynde innocentes, and to looſe the wicked, which thing our Pope and Byſhops doe. For they ſay the curſe is to be feared, The curſe is to bee feared.be it right or wrōg. Though thou hauehave not deſerued, yet if ye Pope curſe thee, thou art in perill of thy ſoule as they lie: yea and though he be neuer fo wrongfully curſed, he muſt be fayne to The right maner of looſing.buy abſolution. But Saint Hierome ſayth as ye Prieſt of the olde law made the lepers cleane or vncleane, ſo byndeth and vnbyndeth the Prieſt of the new law.☜
The Prieſt there made no man a leper, neither clenſed any mā, but God: and the Prieſt iudged onelyonly by Moyſes law, who was cleane, & who was vncleane, whē they were brought vntounto hym.
So here we hauehave the law of God to iudge what is ſinne, and what is not, and who is bounde, and who is not. Moreouer if any man hauehave ſinned, yet if he repent and beleue the promiſe, we are ſure by Gods word that he is looſed & forgeuen in Chriſt. Other authoritie then this wiſe to preach, hauehave the Prieſts not. Chriſtes Apoſtles had no other thē ſelues, as it appeareth thoroughout all the new teſtamēt. Therfore it is manifeſt that they hauehave not.
Saint Paule ſayth i. Corinth. xv. Chriſt vnderſtode this texte all power is geuē me in heauen & in earth: & alſo vſed it farre other wiſe then the Pope.When we ſay all thinges are vnderunder Chriſt, he is to be excepted that put all vnderunder hym. God the father is not vnderunder Chriſt, but aboue Chriſt, and Chriſtes head. i. Corinth. vi.
Chriſt ſayth Iohn. xij. I hauehave not ſpoken of myne owne head, but my father which ſent me, gaue a commaundement what I ſhould ſay, and what I ſhould ſpeake. What ſoeuer I ſpeake ☜therefore, euen as my father bad me ſo I ſpeake. If Chriſt had a law what he ſhould doe, how happeneth it, that the Pope ſo runneth at large lawleſſe? Though that all power were geuen vntounto Chriſt in heauen and in earth: Yet had he no power ouer his father, nor yet to raigne temporally ouer temporall Princes: but a commaundemēt to obey them. How hath the Pope thē ſuch temporall authoritie ouer king & Emperour? How hath he authoritie aboue Gods lawes, and to cōmaunde the Angels, the ſaintes, and God himſelfe?
Chriſtes authoritie which he gaue to What authoritie Chriſt gaue hys Apoſtles.his Diſciples, was to preach the lawe and to bring ſinners to repentaunce, and then to preach vntounto them the promiſes which the father had made vntounto all men for his ſake. And the ſame to preach onelyonly ſent he his Apoſtles. As The right byndyng & looſyng.a kyng ſendeth forth his Iudges, and geueth them his authoritie, ſaying: What ye doe, that doe I. I geue you my full power. Yet meaneth he not by that full power, that they ſhould deſtroy any towne or Citie, or oppreſſe any mā or doe what they liſt, or ſhould raigne ouer the Lordes and Dukes of his Realme and ouer hys owne ſelfe. But geueth them a lawe with them & authoritie to bynde and looſe, as farforth as the law ſtretcheth and maketh mention: that is, to puniſhe the euill, that doe wrong, and to auenge ye poore that ſuffer wrong. And ſo farre as the law ſtretcheth, will the king defend his Iudge agaynſt all men. And as the tēporall iudges binde & looſe temporally, ſo doe the priſtes ſpiritually, and no other wayes. How be it by falſhod How the Pope reigneth vnderunder Chriſt.and ſubtiltie the Pope reigneth vnderunder Chriſt, as Cardinals and Byſhops do vnderunder kinges lawleſſe.
THe Pope (ſay they) abſolueth or looſeth a poena et culpa, that is from A poena et a culia is a proper brea….the faulte or treſpaſſe, and from the payne due vntounto the treſpaſſe. God if a man repent forgeueth the offence onelyonly, and not the paine alſo, ſay they, ſaue turneth the euerlaſting payne vntounto a temporall payne. And appointeth ſeuē yeares in purgatory for eueryevery deadly ſinne. But the Pope for money forgeueth The Pope is more mightie & more mercifull for money, thē God is for the death of his onelyonly ſonne.both, and hath more power thē God, and is more mercifull thē God. This doe I ſaith the Pope of my full power and of ye treaſure of the Church, of deſeruinges of martyrs, cōfeſſours, and mērites of Chriſt.
Firſt the merites of the Saintes did not ſaue themſelues, but were ſaued by Chriſtes merites onelyonly.The merites of ſaintes.
Secondarily God hath promiſed Chriſtes merites vntounto all that repent: ſo that whoſoeuer repenteth is immediatly The merites of Chriſt.heire of all Chriſtes merites and beloued of God as Chriſt is. How thē came this foule monſter to be Lord ouer The Pope ſelleth that which God geueth frely.Chriſtes merites, ſo that he hath power to ſell that which God geueth freely. O dreamers, yea O deuils and O venimous ſcorpians, what poyſon hauehave ye in your tayles? O peſtilēt leauen, that ſo turneth the ſweete bread of Chriſtes doctrine into the bitterneſſe of gall.
The Friers runne in the ſame ſpirite Fryers.and teach, ſaying: do good deedes and redeeme the paines y• abide you in purgatory, yea geue vsus ſomewhat to doe good workes for you. And thus Sinne is y• beſt marchaundiſe that is.is ſinne become the profitableſt marchaundiſe in the worlde. O the cruell wrath of God vpō vsus becauſe we louelove not the truth.
For this is the damnation & iudgement of God, to ſend a falſe Prophet vntounto him that wil not heare the truth. I know you ſaith Chriſt, Iohn. v. that ye hauehave not the louelove of God in you. I am come in my fathers name and ye receaue me not, if an other ſhall come Chriſt propheſied of Antichriſt and tolde why he ſhoulde come.in his own name, him ſhall ye receaue. This doth God auenge him ſelfe on the malicious hartes whiche hauehave no louelove to his truth.
All the promiſes of God hauehave they either wypte cleane out, or thus leauened The promiſes are either put out or leauened, and why.them with open lyes to ſtabliſhe their confeſſion with all. And to kepe vsus from knowledge of the truth, they do all thyng in Latin.
They pray in Latin, they Chriſten in Latine, they bleſſe in Latine, they All is in Latin.geue abſolution in Latin, onelyonly curſe they in the Engliſh toung. Wherein they take vponupon them greater authoritie then euer God gaue them. For in their curſes as they call them, with booke bell and candle, they commaūde God and Chriſt and the aungels and The Pope commaundeth God to curſe.all Saintes to curſe them: curie them God (ſay they) father, ſonne and holy ghoſt, curſe them virgine Mary. &c. O ye abommable, Who gaue you authoritie to commaūde God to curſe? God commaundeth you to bleſſe, and ye cō maunde him to curſe. Bleſſe them that perſecute you: bleſſe but curſe not, ſaith S. Paul Roma. xij. What tyranny wil theſe not vſe ouer men, which preſume and take vponupon them to be Lordes ouer God and to commaunde him? If God ſhall curſe any man, who ſhall bleſſe and make him better? No man can amende him ſelfe, except God poure his ſpirite vntounto him. HaueHave we not a commaundemēt to louelove our neighbour as our ſelues? How can I louelove him and curſe him alſo? Iames ſayth, it is not poſſible that bleſſing & curſing ſhould come both out of one mouth. Chriſt cō maundeth. Math. v. ſaying: louelove your enemies. Bleſſe them that curſe you. Do good to them that hate you. Pray for them that do you wrong and perſecute you, that ye may be the children of your heauenly father.
In the marches of Wales it is the maner if any man hauehave an Oxe or a A cuſtome that is vſed in the marches of waies.Cow ſtollē, he commeth to the Curate and deſireth him to curſe the ſtealer. And he commaundeth the Pariſh to geue him eueryevery man Gods curſe and his. Gods curſe & myne hauehave he, ſayth eueryevery man in the Pariſh. O mercyfull God what is blaſphemy, if this be not blaſphemy & ſhamyng of the doctrine of Chriſt?
Vnderſtand therfore, the power of excommunication is this. If any man ſinne openly and amendeth not when he is warned? then ought he to be rebuked openly before all the Pariſh. And the Prieſt ought to proue by the Scripture, that all ſuch hauehave no part with Chriſt. For Chriſt ſerueth not but for them that louelove the law of God, and conſent that it is good holy and righteous. And repēt ſorrowing & mournyng for power and ſtrength to fulfill it. And all the pariſh ought to be warned, to auoyde the company of all ſuch, and to take them as heathen people. This is not done that he ſhould periſh, but to ſaue him, to make him aſhamed & to kill the luſtes of the fleſh, that the ſpirite might come vntounto the knowledge of truth. And we ought to pitie hym, and to hauehave compaſſion on him, and with all diligence to pray vntounto God for him, to geue him grace to repent and to come to the right way agayne, and not to vſe ſuch tyranny ouer God and man, commaūdyng God to curſe. And if he repent we ought with all mercy to receaue him in agayn. This mayſt thou ſee Mat. xviij. and. i. Cor. v. and ij. Cor. ij.
¶ Confirmation.
IF confirmation hauehave a promiſe, then it iuſtifieth, as farre as the promiſe extendeth. If it hauehave no promiſe, then is it not of GOD as the Byſhops be not. The Apoſtles and Miniſters of Gods ſacramentes preach Gods promiſes.God preach Gods word: and Gods ſignes or Sacramentes ſignifie Gods word alſo, and put vsus in remēbraunce of the promiſes which God hath made vntounto vsus in Chriſt. Contrarywiſe Antichriſtes The popes ſacraments are dumme.Byſhops preach not & their Sacramentes ſpeake not, but as the diſguiſed Byſhops mum, ſo are their ſuperſtitious Sacramentes domme. After that the Byſhops had left preachyng, then fayned they this domme ceremonie of cōfirmation to hauehave ſomwhat at the leſt way, whereby they myght raigne ouer theyr Dioceſes. They reſerued vntounto them ſelues, alſo the Chriſtenyng of Belles and coniuring Chriſtening of belles.or hallowyng of Churches and Churchyardes, and of Altares and ſuperaltares, and holowyng of Chalices and ſo forth, what ſoeuer is of honor or profite. Which cōfirmation and the other coniurations, alſo they hauehave now committed to their Suffragans: becauſe Why Suffragās are ordeined.they them ſelues hauehave no leyſure to miniſter ſuch things, for their luſtes and pleaſures and aboundance of all thinges, and for the combraunce that they hauehave in the kynges matters and buſineſſe of the Realme. One kepeth The Byſhops deuide all among thē.the priuey ſeale, an other y• great ſeale, the thyrd is confeſſour, that is to ſay, a priuey traytor and a ſecreat Iudas, he is Preſident of the Princes Counſaile, he is an Ambaſſadour, an other ſort of the Kynges ſecret Counſaile. Wo is vntounto the Realmes where they are of yt counſell. As profitable are they verely vntounto the Realmes with their Counſell, as the Wolues vntounto the Shepe, or the Foxes vntounto the Geeſe.
They will ſay that the holy Ghoſt Ceremonies bring not the holy Ghoſt.is geuen thorough ſuch ceremonies. If God had ſo promiſed, ſo ſhould it be, but Paule ſaith Galat. iij. that the ſpirite is receaued thorough preaching of the fayth. And Actes tenth, while Peter preached the faith, the holy Ghoſt fell on Cornelius and on hys houſhold. How ſhall we ſay then to that which they will lay againſt vsus, in the eight chapter of the Actes of the Apoſtles. Where Peter and Iohn put Putting on of hāds.their handes on the Samaritans, and the holy Ghoſt came? I ſay that by putting or with putting, or as they put their handes on them, the holy Ghoſt came. Neuertheleſſe the putting on of the hāds did neither helpe nor hinder. For the text ſayth they prayed for them that they might receaue the holy ghoſt.
God had made the Apoſtles a promiſe, that he woulde wyth ſuch miracles cōfirme their preaching, and mou… other to the fayth. Mar. the laſt. The Apoſtles therefore beleued and prayed God to fulfill his promiſe, and God for his truthes ſake euen ſo did. So was it the prayer of fayth that brought Prayer of fayth doth the miracles.the holy Ghoſt, as thou mayſt ſee alſo in the laſt of Iames. If any man be ſicke ſaith Iames, call the elders of the congregation, and let them pray ouer hym, annointing hym with oyle, in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of fayth ſhall heale the ſicke. Where a promiſe is, there is fayth bolde to pray, and God true to geue her her petition. Putting on of the handes is an indifferent thing. For the holy Ghoſt came by preaching of the fayth, and myracles were done at the prayer of fayth as The … ting on o… hands doth neither helpe nor hinder.well without putting on of the hands, as with, as thou ſeeſt in many places. Putting on of the hands was the maner of that nation, as it was to rent their clothes, & to put on ſackecloth, & to ſprinkle themſelues with aſhes and earth, when they heard of or ſaw any ſorowful thing, as it was Paules maner to ſtretch out his hand, when he preached. And as it is our maner to holde vp our handes, when we pray, and as ſome kiſſe their thome nayle, and put it to their eyes, and as we put our handes on childrens heades, when we bleſſe thē, ſaying: Chriſt bleſſe thee my ſonne, and God make thee a good man: which geſtures neither helpe nor hinder. This mayſt thou well ſee by the xiij. of the Actes, where the holy Ghoſt commaunded to ſeparate Paul and Barnabas, to go and preach. Thē the other faſted and prayed, and put their handes on their heades, and ſent them forth. They receaued not the holy Ghoſt thē, by putting on of hands, but the other as they put their handes on their heades prayed for them, that God would goe with them & ſtrength them, and coraged them alſo, bidding them to be ſtrong in God, and warned them to be faythfull and diligent in the worke of God, and ſo forth.
¶ Anoyling.
LAſt of all commeth the anoyling wythout promiſe, and therefore without the ſpirite and without profet, but altogether vnfruitfull and ſuperſtitious. The ſacramentes which they hauehave imagined are all wythout promiſe, and therefore helpe not. For What ſoeuer is not of fayth, is ſinne.whatſoeuer is not of fayth is ſinne. Rom. xiiij. Now without a promiſe can there be no fayth. The ſacraments which Chriſt himſelfe ordeined, which hauehave alſo promiſes, and would ſaue vsus The latine tounge deſtroyeth the ſayth.if we knew them and beleued them, them miniſter they in the latine toūg. So are they alſo become as vnfruitfull as the other. Yea they make vsus beleue That the worke without y• promiſe ſaueth, is unproued.that the worke it ſelf without the promiſe ſaueth vsus, which doctrine they learned of Ariſtotle. And thus are we become an hundred tymes worſe then the wicked Iewes which beleued that the very worke of their ſacrifice iuſtified them. Againſt which Paul fighteth in eueryevery epiſtle, prouing that nothyng helpeth ſaue the promiſes which God hath ſworne in Chriſt. Aſke the people what they vnderſtand by their Baptime or waſhing. And thou ſhalt ſee The prople beleue in y• worke without y• pr…e.that they beleue, how that the very plunging into the water ſaueth them: of the promiſes they know not, nor what is ſignified thereby. Baptime is called volowing in many places of Volow…g.England, becauſe the prieſt ſayth, …olo ſay ye. The childe was well volowed (ſay they) yea and our Ʋicare is as fayre a volower as euer a prieſt within this twenty miles.
Beholde how narowly the people looke on the ceremony. If ought be left out, or if the childe be not altogether dipt in the water, or if, becauſe y• childe is ſicke, yt prieſt dare not plunge him into the water, but poure water on his head, how tremble they? how quake they? how ſay ye ſir Iohn ſay they, is this childe chriſtened enough? hath it his full chriſtendome? They beleue verely that the childe is not chriſtened: yea I hauehave knowen Prieſtes ☜that hauehave gone vntounto the orders againe ſuppoſing that they were not prieſtes, becauſe that the Byſhop left one of his ceremonies vndon. That they call cō firmation, the people call Byſhoping. They thinke that if the Byſhop butter the childe in ye forehead, that it is ſafe. The worke ſaueth not, but the worde, that is to ſay, … promiſe.They thinke that the worke maketh ſafe, and likewiſe ſuppoſe they of anoyling. Now is this falſe doctrine verely. For Iames ſayth in y• fyrſt chapter of hys Epiſtle. Of his good wyll begat he vsus with y• word of life, that is, with the worde of promiſe. In which we are made Gods ſonnes & heires of the goodnes of god before any good workes. For we can not worke Gods will tyll we be hys ſonnes and know hys wyll and hauehave hys ſpirite to teach vsus. And Saint Paule ſayth in yt fyft chapter of hys Epiſtle to the Epheſians. Chriſt clenſed the congregation in the fountayne of water thorough the worde. And Peter ſaith in the firſt of his firſt epiſtle. Ye are borne anew, not of mortall ſeede, but of immortall ſeede, by the worde of God which liueth and laſteth euer. Paule in eueryevery Epiſtle warneth vsus that we put no truſt in workes, and to beware of perſwaſions or arguments of mans wiſdome, of ſuperſtitiouſnes, of ceremonies, of Pope holynes, and of all maner diſguiſing. And exhorteth vsus to cleaue faſt vntounto the the naked and pure ☜worde of God. The promiſe of God is the Anker that ſaueth vsus in all tēptations. If all y• world be againſt, vsus, Gods word is ſtronger then ye world. If the world kill vsus, that ſhall make vsus aliue agayne. If it be poſſible for the worlde to caſt vsus into hell, from thence yet ſhall Gods worde bring vsus agayne. Herby ſeeſt thou that it is not Workes, be they neuer ſo glorious iuſtifie not.the worke, but the promiſe that iuſtifieth vsus thorough fayth. Now where no promiſe is, there can no fayth be, and therefore no iuſtifiyng though there be neuer ſo glorious workes. The Sacrament of Chriſtes body after this wiſe preach they. Thou muſt In all thing they leaue ou… the promiſes.beleue that it is no more bread, but the very body of Chriſt, fleſh, bloud, and bone, euen as he went here on earth, ſaue his coate. For that is here yet, I wot not in how many places. I pray thee what helpeth all this? Here is no promiſe. The deuils know that Chriſt dyed on a Fryday, and the Iewes alſo. What are they holpe thereby? We hauehave a promiſe that Chriſt and his body and his bloud, and all that he did and ſuffered, is a ſacrifice, a raunſome, and a full ſatiſfaction for our ſinnes: that God for his ſake wyll thinke no more on them, if they hauehave power to repent and beleue.
Holy worke men thinke that God reioyceth in the deede ſelfe, without any further reſpecte. They thinke alſo that God as a cruell tyrant, reioyceth and hath delectation in our payne takyng without any further reſpect. And therefore many of them martyr themſelues wythout cauſe, after the enſample of Baals Prieſtes which (iij. Reg. xviij. cut themſelues to pleaſe theyr God with all, and as the olde heathen pagans ſacrificed their children in the fyre vntounto their Gods. The Monkes of the Charterhouſe thinke that y• very eating of fiſhe in it ſelfe pleaſeth God, and referre not the eating vntounto the chaſtening of the body. For when they hauehave ſlayne their bodyes wyth colde fleme of fiſheating: yet then will they eate no fleſhe, and ſley themſelues before their dayes. We alſo when we offer our ſonnes or daughters, and compell or perſwade them to vowe & profeſſe chaſtitie, thinke that y• very payne and that rage and burning which they ſuffer in abſteining from a make, pleaſeth God, and ſo referre not our chaſtitie vntounto our neighbours profet. For when we ſee thouſandes fall to innumerable diſeaſes therby, and to die before their dayes: yea though we ſee thē breake the commaundementes of God dayly, and alſo of very impatiency worke abhominations againſt nature, to ſhamefull to be ſpoken of: yet wyll we not let them marry, but compell them to continue ſtill wyth violence. And thus teach our deuines as it appereth by their argumentes. He that taketh moſt payne, ſay they, is greateſt and ſo forth.
The people are throughly brought in beliefe that the deede in it ſelfe without any further reſpect ſaueth them, if they be ſo long at Church, or ſay ſo many Pater noſters, and reade ſo much in a toung whtch they vnderſtand not, or goe ſo much a pilgrimage, and take ſo much payne, or faſt ſuch a ſuperſtitious faſt, or obſerue ſuch a ſuperſtitious obſeruaūce, neither profitable to himſelfe nor to hys neyghbour: but done of a good entent onelyonly ſay they, to pleaſe God withall, ye to kiſſe the paxe they thinke it a meritorious deede, when to louelove their neyghbour, and to forgeue hym, which thyng is ſignified thereby, they ſtudie not to doe, nor hauehave power to doe, nor thinke that they are bounde to doe it, if they be offended by hym. So fore hauehave our falſe prophets brought y• people out of their wittes, & hauehave wrapped thē in darcknes, and hauehave rocked them a ſleepe in blyndnes and ignorauncy. Now is all ſuch doctrine falſe doctrine, and all ſuch fayth falſe fayth. For the deede pleaſeth How farre forth the deede is acceptable to God.not, but as farre forth as it is applyed vntounto our neyghbours profet, or the taming of our bodyes to keepe the commaundement.
Now muſt the body be tame onelyonly, and that wyth the remedies that God hath ordeined, and not kylled. Thou muſt not forſwere the naturall remedy which God hath ordeined, and bryng thy ſelfe into ſuch caſe that thou ſhouldeſt eyther breake Gods commaundement or kyll thy ſelfe, or burne nyght and day wythout reſt, ſo that thou cāſt not once thinke a godly thought: neyther is it lawfull to forſake thy neyghbour, and to withdraw thy ſelfe from ſeruing him, and to get thee into a den, and lyue idlely profitable to no man, but robbing all men, firſt of fayth, and then of goodes and land, and of all he hath, wyth makyng hym beleue in the hypocriſy of thy ſuperſtitious prayers and Popeholy deedes. The prayer of fayth, and ye deedes thereof that ſpring of louelove are accepted before God. The prayer is good according to the proportion Our prayers acceptable according to our fayth, ou… deedes according to the meaſure of louelove.of fayth, and the deede according to the meaſure of louelove. Now he that bideth in the world, as Monkes call it, hath more fayth then the cloyſterer. For he hangeth on God in all thynges. He muſt truſt God to ſende hym good ſpeede, good lucke, fauour, helpe, a good mayſter, a good neyghbour, a good ſeruaunt, a good wyfe, a good chapman marchaunt, to ſend hys marchaundice ſafe to land, and a thouſand like. He loueth alſo more, which appeareth in that hee doth ſeruice alwayes vntounto his neighbour. To pray one for an other are we equally boūd, and to pray is a thyng that we may alwayes doe, what ſo euer we hauehave in hand, and that to do may no man hyre an other: Chriſtes bloud hath hyred vsus all ready. Thus in the deede deliteth God as farforth as we do it either to to ſerue our neighbour with all, as I hauehave ſayd: or to tame the fleſh, that we may fulfill the commaundement from the bottome of the hart.
And as for our payne takyng God reioyſeth not therin as a tyraunt: but pitieth vsus & as it were morneth with vsus, and is alway ready and at hand to helpe vsus, if we call, as a mercyfull father and a kynd mother. Neuer the later hee ſuffereth vsus to fall into many temptations and much aduerſitie: yea him ſelfe layeth the croſſe of tribulatiō on our backes, not that he reioyſeth in our ſorrow, but to driue ſinne out of y• fleſh, which can none otherwiſe be cured: as the Phiſition and Surgion do many thinges which are paynefull to the ſicke, not that they reioyſe in the paynes of the poore wretches: but to perſecute and to driue out the diſeaſes which can no otherwiſe be healed.
When the people beleue therfore if they doe ſo much woorke or ſuffer ſo much payne, or go ſo much a pilgrimage, that they are ſafe, is a falſe fayth. For a Chriſten man is not ſaued by woorkes, but by fayth in the promiſes before all good woorkes, though that the woorkes (when we worke Gods commaūdement with a good wil, and not workes of our own imagination) declare that we are ſafe and that the ſpirite of him that hath made vsus ſafe is in vsus: yea and as God through preachyng of fayth doth purge and iuſtifie the hart, euen ſo thorough workyng of deedes, doth he purge and iuſtifie the members, makyng vsus perfect both in body and ſoule after the lykeneſſe of Chriſt.
Neither nedeth a Chriſten man to A Chriſtē mā nedeth not to go a pilgrimage to be ſaued therby.runne hether or thether, to Rome, to Hieruſalem, or S. Iames: or any other pilgrimage farre or nere, to be ſaued thereby, or to purchaſe forgeuenes of his ſinnes. For a Chriſten mās health and ſaluation is with in him: euen in Saluation is with in vsus.his mouth. Roma. x. The word is nye thee, euen in thy mouth and in thyne hart that is the word of faith which we preach ſayth Paul. If we beleue the promiſes with our hartes and confeſſe them with our mouthes, we are ſafe. This is our health with in vsus. But how ſhall they beleue that, they heare not? And how ſhal they heare without a preacher ſayth Paul Roma. x. For looke on the promiſes of God, and ſo are all our preachers domme. Or if they preach them they ſo ſauſe thē and leuen thē, that no ſtomacke can brooke them nor finde any ſauor in them. For they paynte vsus ſuch an eare confeſſion Confeſſion.as is impoſſible to be kept, and more impoſſible that it ſhould ſtand with the promiſes and Teſtament of God. And they ioyne them penaunce, as they call it, to faſt, to go pilgrimages, and geue ſo much to make ſatiſfaction with all. They preach their Maſſes, their merites, their pardons, their ceremonies, and put the promiſe cleane out of poſſeſſion. The word of health and ſaluation is nye thee, in thy mouth & thyne hart ſayth Paul. Nay ſay they, thy ſaluation ☞is in our faythfull eare. This is their hold, thereby know they all ſecretes, thereby mocke they all men and all mens wiues, and beguile Knight, and Squier, Lord, and Kyng, and betray all Realmes. The Byſhops with Byſhops worke there treaſon thorough confeſſion.the Pope hauehave a certaine conſpiration and ſecret treaſon agaynſt the whole world. And by confeſſion know they what Kings and Emperours thinke. If ought be agaynſt them, do they neuer ſo euill, then moue they their captiues to warre and to fight, and geue them pardons to ſlay whom they will hauehave taken out of the way. They hauehave with falſehode taken from all Kynges and Emperours their right and duties, whiche now they call their freedomes, liberties, & priuileges & hauehave peruerted the ordinaunces that God left in the world, and hauehave made eueryevery Kyng ſweare to defend their falſehode Kynges be ſworne to the biſhops and not the Byſhops vntounto the kynges.againſt their own ſelues. So that now if any man preach Gods worde truly and ſhew the fredome and libertie of the ſoule whiche we hauehave in Chriſt, or entende to reſtore the Kynges agayne vntounto their duties and right, and to the rowme and authoritie which they hauehave of God, and of ſhadowes to make thē Kynges in deede, & to put the world in his order agayne: then the Kynges deliuer their ſwordes and authoritie vntounto the hypocrites to …lay him. So dronken are they with the wine of the whore.
¶ The text that foloweth in Paule wil they happely lay to my charge and others. How ſhall they preach except How ſhall they preach except they be ſent is expounded.they be ſent, ſayth Paul in the ſayd. x. to the Romaines. We wil they ſay, the Pope, Cardinals and Byſhoppes: all authority is ours. The Scripture perteineth vntounto vsus and is our poſſeſſion. And we hauehave a law, that who ſoeuer preſume to preach without the authoritie of the Biſhops is excommunicate in the deede doyng. Whence therefore haſt thou thine authoritie wil they ſay. The old Phariſeis had the Scripture in captiuitie likewiſe, and aſked Chriſt by what authoritie doeſt thou theſe thynges? as who ſhould ſay: We are phariſeis & thou art none of our order, nor haſt authoritie of vsus. Chriſt aſked them an other queſtion, and ſo will I do our hypocrites. Who ſēt you? God? Howe to know who is ſent of God and who is not.Nay hee that is ſent of God, ſpeaketh Gods word Iohn. iij. Now ſpeake ye not Gods worde, nor any thyng ſaue your own lawes made cleane contrary vntounto Gods worde. Chriſtes Apoſtles preached Chriſt, & not them ſelues. He that is of the truth, preacheth the truth. Now ye preach nothyng but lyes, and therefore are of the deuill the father of all lyes, & of hym are ye ſent. And as for mine authoritie or who ſent me: I report me vntounto my workes as Chriſt Iohn. v. and. x. If Gods word beare recorde that I ſay truth, why ſhould any man doubt, but that God the father of truth and of lyght hath ſent me as the father of lyes & of darknes hath ſent you, and that the ſpirite of truth, and of light is with me, as the ſpirite of lyes and of darkenes is with you? By this meanes thou wilt that eueryevery man be a preacher will they ſay. Nay verely. For GOD will No man may preach but he that is called & ſent of god. ☜that not, and therfore will I it not, no more then I would that eueryevery man of London were Mayre of London, or eueryevery man of the Realme Kyng therof. God is not the author of diſſention and ſtrife, but of vnitie and peace and of good order. I will therefore that where a congregation is gathered together in Chriſt one be choſen after the rule of Paul, and that hee onelyonly preach, and els no mā openly: but that eueryevery man teach hys houſhold after the ſame doctrine. But if the preacher preach falſe: then whoſoeuers harte God moueth, to the ſame it ſhalbe law full to rebuke and improue the falſe teacher, with the cleare and manifeſt Scripture, and that ſame is no doubt a true Prophet ſent of GOD. For the Scripture is gods, and theirs that beleue and not the falſe Prophet.
SAcrament is then as much to ſay as an holy ſigne. And the Sacramentes which Chriſt ordeined preach Gods word vntounto vsus, and therfore iuſtifie and miniſter the ſpirite to them that beleue, as Paul thorough preachyng the Goſpell was a miniſter of righteouſnes, & of the ſpirite, vntounto all that beleued his preachyng. Domme ceremonies are no Sacramentes, but ſuperſtitiouſnes. Chriſtes Sacramēts preach the fayth of Chriſt as his Apoſtles did & thereby iuſtifie. Antichriſtes domme ceremonies preach not y• fayth that is in Chriſt, as his Apoſtles our Byſhops and Cardinals do not. But as Antichriſtes Biſhops are ordeined to kill who ſoeuer preach the true faith of Chriſt: ſo are his ceremonies ordeined to quench the faith which Chriſtes Sacramētes preach. And hereby maiſt thou knowe the difference betwene The difference betwene true Sacraments and falſe.Chriſtes ſignes or Sacramentes, and Antichriſtes ſignes or ceremonyes, that Chriſtes ſignes ſpeake, and Antichriſtes be domme.
Hereby ſeeſt thou what is to be thought of all other ceremonies, as halowed water, bread, ſalt, bowes, belles, waxe, aſhes, and ſo forth, and all other diſguiſinges and Apeſplay, and of all maner coniurations, as the coniuring of church and churchyardes and of alter ſtones & ſuch like. Where no promiſe of God is, there can be no fayth nor iuſtifiyng, nor forgeuenes of ſinnes. For it is more then madnes to looke for any thing of god, ſaue that he hath promiſed. How farre he hath promiſed, ſo farre is he bodū to them that beleue, and further not. To hauehave a A ſayth without Gods promiſe is idolatrie.fayth therefore or a truſt in any thing, where god hath not promiſed is plaine idolatry, and a worſhipping of thyne own imagination in ſtede of God. Let vsus ſee the pith of a ceremony, or two, to iudge the reſt by. In coniuring of holy water they pray, that whoſoeuer be ſprinckled therewith may receaue health as well of body as of ſoule, and likewiſe in makyng holy bread and ſo forth in the coniurations of other ceremonies. Now we ſee by dayly experience that halfe their prayer is vnheard. For no man receaueth health of body thereby. No more of likelihode do they of ſoule. Yea we ſee alſo by experience that no man receaueth health of ſoule thereby. For no man by ſprinckling himſelfe with holy water, and wyth eating holy bread, is more mercifull then before, or forgeueth wrong, or becommeth at one with his enemy, or is more patient and leſſe couetous, and ſo forth. Which are the ſure tokens of the ſoule health.
They preach alſo that the wagging of the Byſhops hand ouer vsus bleſſeth vsus,The Byſhops bleſſing. and putteth away our ſinnes. Are theſe workes not againſt Chriſt? How can they do more ſhame vntounto Chriſtes bloud? For if the wagging of the Byſhops hand ouer me be ſo precious a thyng in the ſight of God that I am thereby bleſſed, how then am I full bleſſed wyth all ſpirituall bleſſinge in Chriſt as Paul ſaith Ephe. j? Or if my ſinnes be full done away in Chriſt, how remayneth there any to be done away by ſuch phantaſies? The Apoſtles knew no wayes to put away ſin, or to bleſſe vsus but by preaching Chriſt. Paule ſayth Gal. ij.How the Apoſtles bleſſed vsus. If righteouſnes come by the law, then Chriſt dyed in vayne. So diſpute I here. If bleſſing come by the wagging of the Byſhops hand, then dyed Chriſt in vayne, and his death bleſſeth vsus not. And a little afore, ſayth Paule, if while we ſeeke to be iuſtified by Chriſt, we be yet found ſinners (ſo that we muſt be iuſtified by the law or ceremonies) is not Chriſt then a miniſter of ſinne? So diſpute I here. If while we ſeeke to be bleſſed in Chriſt we are yet vnbleſſed, and muſt be bleſſed by the wagging of the Byſhoppes hand, what hauehave we then of Chriſt but curſe? Thou wilt ſay: When we come firſt to the fayth, then Chriſt forgeueth vsus and bleſſeth vsus. But the ſinnes which we afterward commit are forgeuen vsus through ſuch thinges. I aunſwere: Repentāce and ſure fayth in in Chriſt purgeth our ſinnes.If any man repent truely and come to the fayth and put hys truſt in Chriſt, thē as oft as he ſinneth of frayltie, at the ſygh of the hart is his ſinne put away in Chriſtes bloud. For Chriſtes bloud purgeth euer and bleſſeth euer. For Iohn ſayth in the ſecond of his firſt epiſtle. This I write vntounto you that ye ſinne not. And though any man ſinne (meaning of frailtie and ſo repent) yet hauehave we an aduocate with the father, Ieſus Chriſt which is righteous, and he it is that obteineth grace for our ſinnes, and Heb. vij. it is written. But this man (meaning Chriſt) becauſe he laſteth or abideth euer, hath an euerlaſting prieſthod. Therefore is he able alſo euer to ſaue thē that come to God through hym, ſeing he euer liueth to make interceſſion for vsus. The Byſhops therefore ought to bleſſe vsus in preaching Chriſt, and not to deceaue vsus and to bring the curſe of God vponupon vsus, wyth wagging their handes ouer vsus. To preache is their dutie onelyonly, and not to offer their feete to bee kiſſed, or teſticles or ſtones to be groped. We feele alſo by experience that after the Popes, Byſhoppes or Cardinals bleſſing we are no otherwiſe diſpoſed in our ſoules then before.
Let this be ſufficient as concerning the ſacramentes and ceremonies, with The proteſtation of the author.this proteſtation, that if any cā ſay better or improue this with Gods word, no man ſhall be better content therewith then I. For I ſeeke nothing but the truth and to walke in the light. I ſubmit therefore this worke and all other that I hauehave made or ſhall make (if God will that I ſhall more make) vntounto the iudgements, not of them that furiouſly burne all truth, but of them which are ready with Gods worde to correct, if any thing be ſayde amiſſe, & to further Gods worde.
I will talke a worde or two after Confeſſion robbeth the Sacraments and maketh thē fruteleſſe.the worldly wiſdome with them, and make an ende of this matter. If the ſacramentes iuſtifie, as they ſay, I vnderſtand by iuſtifiyng forgeuenes of ſinnes. Then do they wrong vntounto the ſacraments, in as much as they robbe the moſt part of them through confeſſion of their effect, & of the cauſe wherfore they were ordeined. For no man may receaue the body of Chriſt, no mā may marry, no man may be oyled or aneiled as they call it, no man may receaue orders, except he be fyrſt ſhriuen. Now when the ſinnes be forgeuen by ſhrift afore hand, there is nought left for the ſacramentes to doe. They will aunſwere, that at the leaſt way they encreaſe grace, and not the ſacramētes onelyonly, but alſo hearing of maſſe, matens and euenſong, and receauing of holy water, holy bread, and of the Biſhops bleſſing, and ſo forth by all ceremonies. By grace I vnderſtand the fauour of God, and alſo the giftes and What grace is.working of his ſpirite in vsus, as louelove, kyndnes, patience, obedience, mercifulnes, deſpiſing of worldly thynges, Howe to knowe what iuſtifieth: and what not: or what bringeth grace and what not.peace, concorde, and ſuch like. If after thou haſt heard ſo many maſſes, matens and euenſonges, and after thou haſt receaued holy bread, holy water, and the Byſhops bleſſing, or a Cardinals or the Popes, if thou wilt, be more kinde to thy neighbour, and louelove him better then before, if thou be more obediēt vntounto thy ſuperiors, more mercifull, more ready to forgeue wrong done vntounto thee, more deſpiſeſt the world, and more a thyrſt after ſpirituall thynges, if after that a Prieſt hath taken orders he be leſſe couetous then before: if a wife after ſo many and oft pilgrimages be more chaſt, more obedient vntounto her huſband, more kynde to her maydes and other ſeruauntes: if Gentlemen, knightes, Lordes, and kinges, and Emperours, after they hauehave ſayd ſo often dayly ſeruice wyth their Chappellaynes, know more of With their Chaplayns quoth hee: God geue grace their Chaplayns at the laſt make them not ſo mad to ſay ſeruice alone while they.Chriſt then before, and can better ſkill to rule their tenauntes, ſubiectes, and realmes chriſtenly then before, and be content with their duties, then do ſuch thinges encreaſe grace: if not, it is a lie. Whether it be ſo or no, I report me to experience. If they hauehave any other enterpretations of iuſtifiyng or grace, I pray them to teach it me. For I would gladly learne it. Now let vsus goe to our purpoſe agayne.