Whole Works, Tracts 1 · Tract 5 · To the reader
¶ William Tyndall to the Chriſtian Reader.
WHen the olde Scribes and Phariſeis had darckned the Scripture wyth their traditions, and falſe interpretacions, and wicked perſwaſions of fleſhly wiſdome, and ſhut vp the kingdome of heauen (which is Gods word) that the people coulde not enter in vntounto the knowledge of the true way, as Chriſt complayneth in the Goſpell. Math. x. iij. Then Math. 23.they ſat in the hartes of men with their falſe doctrine in the ſtead of God and hys word, & ſlew the ſoules of the people to deuoure their bodyes, and to robbe them of their worldly ſubſtaunce. But when Chriſt and Iohn the Baptiſte had reſtored the Scripture agayne vntounto the true vnderſtanding, and had vttered their falſehead, and improued their tradicions, and confounded their falſe interpretations with the cleare and euident textes, and with power of the holy Ghoſt, & had brought all their iuggling and hypocriſie to light, thē they gat them vntounto the elders of the people & perſwaded them ſaying, this man is ſurely of the deuill, and hys myracles be of the deuill no doubt. And theſe good workes which he An old practiſe of the Phariſeis, newly practiſed by the Pope & his Prelates.doth in healing the people, yea and his preaching againſt our couetouſnes are but a cloke to bring hym vntounto hys purpoſe, that when he hath gottē him diſciples ynow, he may riſe againſt the Emperour, and make hymſelfe kyng. And then ſhall the Romaynes come & take our land from vsus, and cary away our people, and put other na…ions in our realme: and ſo ſhall we loſe all that we hauehave, and the moſt part of our liues therto. Take heede therefore betimes while there is remedy, yer he go ſo far that ye be not able to reſiſte hym.
The elders of the people which were rich Wordly prefermentes are le…es to true Chriſtianitie.and welthy, though before they in a maner fauoured Chriſt, or at y• leaſt way were indifferent, nor greatly caryng whether God or the deuil raigned, ſo that they might bide in their authoritie, feared immediatly (as Herode did of the loſſe of his kingdome, when the wiſe men aſked where the new borne king of Iewed was) and conſpired with the Scribes and Phariſeis againſt Chriſt, and tooke him and braught him vntounto Pilate, ſaying: We The Jew… … accu…ed Chriſt.hauehave …ounde this fellow peruerting the people, and forbidding to pay tribute vntounto Ceſar, and ſaying that he is king, and mouyng the people from Galile vntounto this place. The Pilate though he likewiſe was before indifferent, put now in feare of the loſſe of his office thorow ſuch perſwaſions, ſlew innocent Chriſt. And in very deede as the Scribes & Phariſeis were all their liues before blynde guides vntounto the deſtruction of their ſoules, euen ſo were they at their laſt ende blinde Prophetes vntounto the deſtruction of their bodyes. For after that they had ſlayne Chriſt and diuers of his Apoſtles, and perſecuted thoſe poore wretches that beleued on hym, God to aduenge the poore innocent bloude The c…ell Iewes by perſecutyng Chriſt & his Apoſtles procured the vengeaunce of God to lighten vpō them ſeluesthat bare witnes vntounto the truth, poured hys wrath among them, that they thēſelues roſe againſt the Emperour. And the Romaynes came (according as they blyndly propheſied) and ſlew the moſt part of them and caryed ye reſt captiue into all nacions, and put other nacions in the Realme. But whoſe fault was that inſurrection againſt the Emperour and miſchiefe that followed? Chriſtes and his Apoſtles whom they falſely accuſed before hand? Nay Chriſt taught that they ſhoulde geue Ceſar that pertayned vntounto Ceſar, and God that which belonged to God: Euē that they ſhould geue Ceſar lawfull their bodely ſeruice & God the hart, and that they ſhould louelove Gods law & repent of their euill, & come and receaue mercy, and let the wrath of god be taken from of them. And the Apoſtles The Apoſtles…all o….taught that all ſoules ſhould obey the hyer powers or temporall rulers: but their obſtinate malice that ſo hardened their har…s that they coulde not repent, and their raylyng vppon the open and manifeſt with which they coulde not improue, and reſiſting the holy Ghoſt, and ſleying of the preachers of righteouſnes, brought the wrath of God vpō thē, and was cauſe of their vtter deſtruction.
Euen ſo our Scribes and Phariſes, now that their hypocriſie is diſcloſed, and there falſhead ſo brought to light that it can no lō ger be hid, get thē vntounto the elders of the people, the Lordes, gentlemen, and temporall officers, and to all that louelove this worlde as The practiſe of our Prelates in theſe dayes.they do, and vntounto whoſoeuer is great wyth the kyng, and vntounto the kyngs grace himſelfe, and after the ſame enſample, and wyth the ſame perſwaſions caſt them into like feare of loſing of their worldly dominions, and rore vntounto them, ſaying: ye be negligent and care nothing ot all, but hauehave a good ſport that the heretickes rayle on vsus. But geue thē ſpace a while till they be growen vntounto a multitude, and then ye ſhall ſee them preach as faſt againſt you, and moue the people agaynſt you, and do their beſte to thruſte you downe alſo, and ſhall cry hauocke, and make The gene…ation of Se… pentesall common. O generation of ſerpentes, how well declare ye that ye be the right ſonnes of the father of all lyes. For they which ye call heretickes preach nothing ſaue that which our Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt preached and his Apoſtles, adding nought therto nor plucking ought therfro; as the Scripture commaundeth, and teach all men repentaunce to God and his holy lawe, and fayth vntounto our Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt, and the promiſes of mercy made in hym, and obedience vntounto all that God commaundeth to obey. Neyther teach we ſo much as to reſiſte your moſt cruell tyranny with bodely violence, ſaue wyth Gods worde onelyonly: entending nothing but to driue you out of the temple of Chriſt, the harts, conſciences, and ſoules of mē (wherein with your falſhead ye ſit) and to reſtore agayne Ieſus our Sauiour vntounto his poſſeſſion and inheritaunce bought with his bloude, whence ye hauehave driuen him out with your manifolde wyles and ſubtiltie.
Take heede therefore wicked Prelates, blynde leaders of the blynde, indurat and obſtinate A good admunition to all blynde guides.hypocrites take heede. For if the Phariſeis for their reſiſting the holy Ghoſt, that is to ſay, perſecuting the open and manifeſt truth and ſleying the preachers therof eſcaped not the wrath & vengeaunce of god: how ſhall ye ſcape which are farre worſe thē the Phariſeis. For though the Phariſeis had ſhut vp the Scripture and ſet vp theyr owne profeſſions: yet they kept theyr owne profeſſions for the moſt part. But ye will be Our Prelates ſeeke to be chiefe and higheſt.the chiefeſt in Chriſtes flocke, and yet wyll not keepe one iot of the right way of his doctrine. Ye hauehave therto ſet vp wonderfull profeſſions to be more holy therby thē ye thinke that Chriſtes doctrine is able to make you, Swarmes of ſectes ſet vp by the Pope & his Prelates.and yet keepe as little thereof (except it be with diſpenſations) in ſo much that if a man aſke you, what your maruelous faſhioned playing coates, and your other popatrye meane, and what your diſfigured heades, & all your Apiſhplay meane, ye know not: and yet are they but ſignes of thinges which ye hauehave profeſſed. Thyrdly ye will be Papiſtes Our Prelates profeſſethe Pope to be their Lord but ye… keepe no part of hys lawe.and holde of the Pope, and yet looke in the Popes lawe and ye keepe thereof almoſt nought at all but whatſoeuer ſoundeth to make for your bellyes, and to maintaine your honour, whether in the Scripture or in your owne traditions, or in the Popes lawe, that ye compell the laye people to obſerue violently, threatening them with your excommunications and curſſes, that they ſhalbe damned both body and ſoule if they keepe them not. And if that helpe you not, then ye murther The Popes clergie are murtherersthem mercileſly with the ſworde of the temporall powers, whom ye hauehave made ſo blinde that they be ready to ſley whom ye cōmaūde, and will not yet heare his cauſe examined nor geue him roome to aunſwere for himſelſe.
And ye elders of the people, feare ye God alſo. For as the elders of the Iewes which A good admonition to all rulers.were partakers with the Scribes and Phariſeis in reſiſting the holy Ghoſt, and in perſecuting the open truth, and ſleying the witneſſes therof, and in prouoking the wrath of God, had their parte with them alſo in the day of wrath and ſharpe vengeaunce which ſhortly after fell vppon them, as the nature of the ſinne againſt the holy Ghoſt is, hauehave her damnation, not onelyonly in the worlde to come, but alſo in this life, according vntounto all the enſamples of the Bible and autenticke ſtories ſince the worlde beganne: euen likewiſe ye, if ye will wincke in ſo open & cleare light and let your ſelues be led blyndfold, and hauehave your part with the hypocrites in lyke ſinne and miſchief, be ſure, ye ſhall hauehave your part with them in lyke wrath and vengeance that is like ſhortly to fall vponupon them.
And concernyng that the hypocrites put you in feare of the riſing of your commons agaynſt The commō perſwaſion vſed by hypocrites.you, I aunſwere: if ye feare your cō mōs, ſo teſtifie ye agaynſt your ſelues that ye are tyrauntes. For if your conſciences accuſed you not of euill doyng, what neede ye to feare your commons? What commons was euer ſo euil that they roſe againſt their heads for well doyng? Moreouer ye witneſſe agaynſt your ſelues alſo that ye hauehave no truſt in God. For he hath promiſed the temporall officers aſſiſtence, if they miniſter their offices truly, and to care for the keepyng of thē, as much as they care for to kepe his lawes.
The hypocrites happly byd you take an example of the Ʋplanoiſh people of Almany The Popes clergie are lyers.which (they lye) that Martin Luther ſtyrred vp. For firſt what one ſentence in all the writyng of Martin Luther finde they that teacheth a mā to reſiſt his ſuperiour? Moreouer if Martin Luther and the preachers had ſtyrred vp the common people of Germany, how happened it that Martin Luther & other like preachers had not periſhed likewiſe with them, whiche are yet all alyue at this houre? Ye will aſke me who ſtyrred thē vp them. I aſke you. Who ſtyrred vp the commōs of the Iewes to reſiſte the Emperour, after that the Scribes and Phariſeis with the Elders of the people had ſlayne Chriſt & The wrath of God ſtyrreth vp the people to deſtroy the enemie… and perſecutors of the truth.his Apoſtles? Ʋerely the wrath of God. And euen ſo here, the wrath of God ſtyrred them vp, partly to deſtroy the enemyes and perſecutours of the truth, and partly to take vengeaunce on thoſe carnall beaſtes. whiche abuſed the Goſpell of Chriſt to make a cloke of it to defend their fleſhly libertie, and not to obey it and to ſaue their ſoules therby.
If Kynges, Lordes, and great men therfore feare the loſſe of this worlde. Let them feare God alſo. For in fearyng God ſhall God is the defender of kynges and princes.they prolong their dayes vponupon the earth, and not with ſightyng agaynſt God. The earth is Gods onelyonly, & his fauour and mercy doth prolong the dayes of kynges in their eſtate & not their owne power and might.
And let all men (be they neuer ſo great) hearkē vntounto this and let this be an aunſwere vntounto them. Wicked kyng Achab ſayd vntounto the Prophet Elias, Art thou he that troubleſt Wicked kynges and rulers that perſecute Gods miniſters are the troublers of themſelues and their realme and not the preachers.Iſraell? And Elias aūſwered, it is not I that trouble Iſraell, but thou and thy fathers houſhold, in that ye hauehave forſaken the commaundementes of the Lord and folow Idoles. Euen ſo the preachers of the truth which rebuke ſinne are not the troublers of Realmes and common wealthes, but they that do wickedly, and namely high Prelates and mighty Princes which walke without the feare of God and lyue abhominably, corrupting the common people with their example. They be they that bryng the wrath of God on all Realmes and trouble all common wealthes, with warre, dearth, pouertie, peſtilence, euill lucke and all miſfortune,
And vntounto all ſubiectes be it ſayd, if they profeſſe the law of God & fayth of the Lord Ieſus, & wilbe Chriſtes Diſciples: then let them remember that there was neuer man ſo great a ſubiect as Chriſt was: there was As many as will be the diſciples of Chriſt muſt learne of him meekenes & obedience to the higher powers.neuer creature that ſuffred ſo great vnright ſo paciently and ſo mekely, as he. Therfore what ſoeuer they hauehave bene in tymes paſt, let them now thincke that it is their partes to be ſubiect in the loweſt kynde of ſubiection and to ſuffer all thynges paciently. If the hyghe powers bee cruell vntounto you with naturall crueltie, then with ſofteneſſe and pacience ye ſhall either wynne them or mitigate theyr fierceneſſe. If they ioyne thē vntounto the Pope, and perſecute you for your fayth and hope whiche ye hauehave in ye Lord Ieſus: then call to mynde that ye be choſen to ſuffer here with Ye muſt ſuffer wyth Chriſt that ye may ioye with him in the lyfe to come.Chriſt, that ye may ioy with hym in the lyfe to come with ioye euerlaſtyng that ſhall infinitely paſſe this your ſhort payne here. If they commaunde that God forbiddeth: or forbyd that God commaundeth, then aunſwere as the Apoſtles did, Actes. v. that God muſt be obeyed more then mā. If they compell you to ſuffer vnright, then Chriſt ſhall helpe you to beare, and his ſpirite ſhall comfort you. But onelyonly ſee that neither they put you from Gods worde, nor ye reſiſte them with bodely violence. But abyde paciently a while till the hypocriſie of hypocrites be ſlayne with the ſword of Gods word, and vntill the word be openly publiſhed & witneſſed vntounto ye powers of ye world, that their blyndneſſe may be with out excuſe. And thē wil god awake as a fierce God will be reuenged vponupon cruell tyrauntes.Lyon agaynſt thoſe cruell Wolues whiche deuoure his Lambes, and will play with the hypocrites, and compaſſe them in their owne wyles, & ſend them a dazing in the head and a ſwimming in their braynes, & deſtroy them with theyr own counſell. And then thoſe malicious and wilfull blynd perſecuters whiche refuſing mercy when they were called thereto, choſe rather to hauehave theyr part with hypocrites in ſheddyng of innocent bloud, ſhalbee partakers with them alſo in hauyng theyr owne bloud ſhed agayne, God geuyng an occaſion that one wicked ſhall deſtroy an other.
And as for wickedneſſe whence it ſpringeth, and who is the cauſe of all inſurrection, In the treatiſe folowing is ſhewed who are the cauſe…s of inſurrection.and of the fall of Princes, & the ſhortenyng of theyr dayes vponupon the earth, thou ſhalt ſee in the glaſſe folowyng which I hauehave ſet before thyne eyes, not to reſiſte the hypocrites with violence (whiche vengeaunce pertayneth vntounto God) but that thou mighteſt ſee their wicked wayes and abhominable pathes, to withdraw thy ſelfe from after them and to come agayne to Chriſt, and walke in hys light, and to folow hys ſteppes, and to committe the keepyng both of thy body and ſoule alſo vntounto him, and vntounto the father thorough hym, whoſe name bee glorious for euer.
Amen.