Whole Works, Tracts 1 · Tract 5 · Body of tract · Part 10
How the Pope corrupteth the Scripture and why.
MOreouer leſt theſe his lyes ſhould be ſpyed and leſt happly the Emperours The Pope corrupteth the ſcripture, and why?folowyng might ſay, our predeceſſours had no power to bynde vsus nor to miniſh our might: And leſt kynges folowyng ſhould ſay after the ſame maner, that the ſword & ful power to puniſh euil doers indifferently is geuen of God to eueryevery kyng for hys tyme, and therfore that their predeceſſour could not binde them cōtrary vntounto the ordinaunce of God: but rather yt it was vntounto their damnation to make ſuch grauntes and that they did not execute their office. And therfore thefoule and miſhapen monſter gate him to the Scripture and corrupted it with falſe expoſitions, to proue that ſuch authoritie was geuen him of God, and chalenged it by the authoritie of Peter, ſay Peter (ſayth the Pope) was the head of Chriſtes church.ing that Peter was the head of Chriſtes Church, and that Chriſt had made him Lord ouer ye Apoſtles his felowes in that he bade him fede his ſhepe and lambes: Iohn the laſt, as who ſhould ſay that Paule▪ which came long after, was not cōmaunded to feed as ſpecially as Peter, which yet wold take none authoritie ouer the bodyes or ouer the faythes of them which he fed, but was their ſeruaunt for Chriſtes ſake, Chriſt euer the lord and head: And as though the other Apoſtles were not lykewiſe All miniſters hauehave as great a charge geuen them of God as Peter hadas ſpecially commaunded as Peter: And as though we now & all that here after ſhall louelove Chriſt were not commaunded to fede Chriſtes flocke, eueryevery man in his meaſure, as well as Peter. Are not we commaunded to louelove our neighbours as our ſelues as well as Peter? Why then are we not commaū ded to care for hys flocke as well as Peter?
Moreouer if to fede Chriſtes ſhepe is to be greateſt (as no doubt to fede Chriſtes flocke is to be great and moſt to fede, is to be greateſt, in which office though Peter was great, yet Paule Peter preached but the Pope preached not.was greater) how commeth it that the pope by that authoritie chalēgeth to be greateſt, & yet this viij. hundred yeares fedeth not at all: but poyſoneth their paſture with the venemous leuen of hys traditions and with wreſtyng the text vntounto a contrary ſenſe?
Then came he to this text Math. xvj. Thou art Peter and vppon this rocke I will builde my congregation or Church. Lo ſaith Antichriſt the carnall beaſt, Peter is the rocke whereon the Church of Chriſt is built, & I am his ſucceſſour, and therfore: the head of Chriſtes Church. When Chriſt ment by the rocke the confeſſion that Peter had confeſſed ſaying: Thou art Chriſt the ſonne of the lyning God which art come into this world. This fayth is Fayth is the rocke whercon Chriſtes Churche is built.the rocke wheron Chriſtes Churche is built. For who is of Chriſtes Churche but he onelyonly: that beleueth that Chriſt is Gods ſonne come into this worlde to ſaue ſinners? This faith is it, againſt which hell gates cā not preuaile. This fayth is it, which ſaueth the congregation of Chriſt, and not Peter.
Thē he goeth forth vntounto that which foloweth: Ʋnto thee I will geue the keyes of the kyngdome of heauen, and what ſoeuer thou byndeſt in earth, it ſhalbe bound in heauen. &c. Loe ſayth Bindyng and loſyng how it is to be vnderſtand.he, in that he ſayth what ſoeuer thou bindeſt in earth, he excepteth nothyng, therfore I may make lawes and binde both King & Emperour. When Chriſt as he had no worldly kyngdome, euen ſo he ſpake of no worldly bindyng, but of bindyng of ſinners. Chriſt gaue hys Diſciples the keye of the knowledge The keyesof the law of God to binde all ſinners, and the keye of the promiſes to looſe al that repent & to let them into the mercy that is layed vp for vsus in Chriſt.
Then cōmeth he vntounto an other text which Chriſt rehearſeth Mathew laſt ſaying: All power is geuen me in heauen and earth go ye therfore and teach all natiōs Baptiſing them in the name of the father and the ſonne & of the hely ghoſt, teachyng them to kepe all that I commaūded you: And behold, I am Behold here Antichriſt, how he wreſteth the Scriptures.with you vntounto the worldes end: Loc ſayth the Pope, Chriſt hath all power in heauen and earth without exceptiō, and I am Chriſtes Ʋicare, wherfore all power is myne and I am aboue all kynges and Emperours in temporall iuriſdiction and they but my ſeruaūtes to kiſſe not my feete onelyonly but my. N. alſo if I liſt not to hauehave them ſtoupe ſo low. When Chriſt as I ſayd, becauſe he had no temporall kyngdome, euen Chriſtes power is … ſaue ſinners.ſo he ment of no temporall power: but of power to ſaue ſinners, which the proceſſe of ye text declareth by that he ſayth, go ye therfore and teach and Baptiſe: that is, preach this power to al natiōs, and waſh of their ſinnes through fayth in the promiſes made in my bloud.
Then hee commeth vntounto an other Of this maner iuggleth …ee with all textes.text. Heb. vij. which is. The prieſthode beyng tranſlated, the law muſt needes be tranſlated alſo. Now ſaith the pope, the Prieſthode is tranſlated vntounto me, wherefore it pertayneth vntounto me to make lawes and to binde eueryevery man. And y• Epiſtle meaneth no ſuch thyng, but proueth euidently that the ceremonies of Moyſes muſt ceaſſe. For the Prieſtes of the olde Teſtament muſt nedes hauehave bene of the tribe of Le…i as Aarō was, whoſe duty for euer was ye offeryng of ſacrifices. Wherfore when that Prieſthode ceaſed the ſacrifices & ceremonies ceaſed alſo. Now yt Prieſthode At the ſufferyng of Chriſt, the offeryng of ſacrifices & ceremonies▪ ceaſſed: for Chriſt offered hym ſelfe once for all.ceaſed in Chriſt, whiche was a Prieſt of ye order of Melchiſedeke & not of the order of Aaron: for then he muſt hauehave bene of the tribe of Le…i, and that he was not, but of the tribe of Iuda & of the ſeede of Dauid. Wherefore they that are vnderunder Chriſtes Prieſthode are vnderunder no ſacrifices or ceremonies. And of this maner iuggle they with all the Scripture, whiche falſhed leſt the laye men ſhould perceaue with reading the proceſſe of the text, is all their feare what ſoeuer they pretend.
Moreouer that thou mayſt perceaue the Popes falſhed, marke, Chriſt ſayd vntounto Peter I will geue & not I geue, neither ſayd he I will geue vntounto the onelyonly. Therfore looke in the. xx. chapter Chriſt gaue all his Apoſtles like authoritie.of Iohn where hee gaue them the keyes after his reſurrection, and thou ſhalt ſee that he gaue them vntounto all indifferently ſaying: As my father ſent me ſo ſend I you. Whether ſent he thē? into all the world, and vntounto all natiōs. What to do? to preach the law that the people might repent, and the promiſes that they might beleue in Chriſt for the remiſſion of ſinnes ſaying: receaue the holy ghoſt, who ſoeuers ſinne ye forgeue they ſhall be forgeuen. By which holy ghoſt he gaue them vnderſtādyng of the Scripture and of all that they ſhould preach: as thou mayſt ſee Luke laſt, where he opened their wittes to vndeſtand the Scripture and ſayd, that repentauce and forgeueneſſe of ſinnes muſt be preached in his name to all nations, and that they were witneſſes to preach it. Whereby thou ſeeſt that to To bynde and loſe is to preach.bynde and to loſe is but to preach & to tell the people their faultes, & to preach mercy in Chriſt to all that repent.
And when he ſayth all power is geuen me: he ſayth not, go thou Peter & Chriſt ſent out all hys Apoſtles & not Peter …n….preach: but ſaith vntounto all indifferently, go ye and preach this power geuen me of my father to ſaue all that repent and to damne them that repent not, but folow the luſtes of their fleſh with full deſire to lyue beaſtly beyng enemyes vntounto the law of God.
And Math. xviij. Peter aſked Chriſt howe oft hee ſhould forgeue hys brethren, Note,whether ſeuē tymes. And Chriſt ſayd, ſeuentie tymes ſeuen tymes. As who ſhould ſay, as oſt as he repenteth and aſketh forgeueneſſe.
Now though this were ſpokē vntounto Peter onelyonly, becauſe Peter onelyonly moued the queſtion, yet pertaineth it not vntounto vsus all as well as vntounto Peter? Are We are bound to forgeue our neighbours aſwell as Peter was.not we as much bound to forgeue our neighbours that repēt and aſke forgeueneſſe, as Peter? Yes verely. But becauſe Peter onelyonly aſked the queſtion, therfore did Chriſt teach vsus by Peter. If an other had aſked, he would hauehave taught vsus by that other. And in lyke maner when Chriſt aſked who ſay ye that I am: if any other of the Apoſtles which beleued it as well as Peter, had Chriſt builded his Churche vponupon the confeſſion of Peter, & not vppon Peter.ſayd as Peter did, thou art Chriſt the ſonne of the lyuyng God whiche art come into the world of ſinners, to ſaue them: vntounto him would Chriſt hauehave aū ſwered as he did to Peter, that vppon the rocke of that his cōfeſſion he wold hauehave built his church, and would hauehave promiſed him keyes as well as he dyd Peter. Yea and in the xviij. chapter of Mathew Chriſt ſayth to all the Apoſtles, yea and to all congregatiōs where ſinners be▪ that what ſoeuer they boūd ſhould be bound, and whatſoeuer they looſed ſhould be looſed.
Moreouer eueryevery man and woman A woman hath power to bynd.that know Chriſt & his doctrine, hauehave the keyes and power to bynde & looſe: man order, and in their meaſure, as tyme place and occaſion geueth, & priuately. May not a wife, if her huſband ſinne agaynſt God and her, and take an other woman, tell him his fault betwene him & her ſecretly, and in good maner humbly, & binde his conſcience with the law of God? And if he repent How…man may bynde and loſe.may ſhe not forgeue him and looſe him as well as the Pope? Yea, and better to, as long as the ſinne is ſecret, in as much as hee ſinneth ſpecially agaynſt her and not agaynſt the Pope.
And ſo may the ſonne do to hys father, and a ſeruaunt to his maſter, and eueryevery man to his neighbour, as thou ſeeſt in the ſayd. xviij. chapter of Mathew. Howbeit to bynde and loſe in the conſcience by open preachyng pertaineth To bynde the conſcience, and to reproue opē ſinners perteineth to the congregation.vntounto the officers that are appoynted therto. And to bynde and loſe open ſinners, and them that will not repent till they be complayned on vntounto the congregation, pertaineth vntounto the congregation.
Finally, there were many that preached Reaſons that Peter was not y• greateſt by authoritie geuen hym of Chriſt.Chriſt at Rome yer Peter came thether, if he came euer thether: as Paule and many other. Had they not authoritie to bynde and loſe? Or els how did they conuert the people? Peter alſo was an Apoſtle and went ſrom place to place as Paule dyd, and as Paule ordeyned Byſhoppes in eueryevery place to teach the people, ſo no doubt did Peter. Why then might not thoſe Byſhops chalenge authoritie by Peter as well as they of Rome? They ſay Peter had firſt his ſeate at Antioche.alſo in their own Legendes that Peter had his ſeate at Antioch firſt. Dyd he runne to Rome leauing no mā behynde hym to teach the people at Antioch? God forbid. Why then myght not that Byſhop chalenge Peters authoritie? They will haply ſay ſooner thē proue it, that Peter dyed at Rome, and therefore his authoritie is greateſt there. Then by that rule Chriſtes power is no where ſo full as at Hieruſalem. But what hath Chriſtes inuiſible kyngdōe to do with places? Where Chriſtes power is in the GoſpelChriſtes Goſpell is, there is his power full and all his authoritie as well in one place as in an other.
Finally to get authoritie whence ſo euer they cā ſnatch it, they ioyne Paule with Peter in their owne lawes Diſtinctio. xxij. ſaying, By the authoritie Paul is called to helpeof Peter and Paule. Which is cleane agaynſt themſelues. For they ſay in their awne lawe in the preſence of the ſuperior the power of the inferior ceaſeth and is none at all. Now if Peter In the preſence of the greater the power of the leſſer doth ….be greater then Paule, then by that rule where Peter is preſēt there Paule is but a ſubiect and without authoritie: And where Chriſt is preſent bodely and preacheth himſelfe, there the Apoſtles geue vp their authoritie, and holde their peace and ſit downe at hys feete, and become ſcholers & harkē to.
Wherfore in that they ioyne Paule wyth Peter, and chalenge their ſuperioritie as well by the authoritie of Paule as of Peter, there they make Paule fellow and equall wyth Peter. And thus it is falſe that Peter was Paule is made equal felow with Peter.greater then his felowes. But yt blinde owles care not what they houle, ſeyng it is night and the day light of Gods worde ſhut vp that no man can ſpye them.
Moreouer with this terme Peters ſeat they iuggle a paſe (as with infinite other) ſaying that Peters ſeat is the chiefe ſeat, but what Peters ſeat is, that they tell you not. For wiſt ye that, ye ſhould ſoone perceaue that they lye. Peters ſeat is no ſtoole or chayre (for what hath the kingdome of Chriſt to do with ſuch baggage) but it is a ſpirituall thing. Chriſt ſaith in the Goſpell Math. xxiij. The Scribes & Phariſeis Peters ſeate what it is.ſit on Moſes ſeat. What was Moſes ſeat there, a chayre, or the temple, or the ch…rches, or ſinagoge of the land? Nay verely, for Moſes came neuer there. But Moſes ſeat was Moſes lawe and doctrine. Euē ſo Peters Peters ſeate Peters doctrine & Peters keyes are all but one thyng.ſeat is Peters doctrine, the Goſpell of Chriſt which Peter taught. And the ſame doctrine is Peters keyes: ſo that Peters ſeat, Peters keyes and Peters doctrine is all one thyng. Now is Peters doctrine Paules doctrine, and the doctrine of all the xij. Apoſtles indifferently, for they taught all one thing. Wherefore it followeth that Peters keyes and Peters ſeat be the keyes & ſeat of Paule alſo and of all the other xij. Apoſtles, and are nothing ſaue the goſpell of Chriſt. And thus as Peters doctrine is no better then Paules but one thing: Euen ſo Peters ſeat is no greater nor hyer nor holier thē the ſeat of the other xij. Peters ſeat nowe is Peters ſeate is Chriſtes Goſpell.Chriſts ſeat, Chriſtes goſpel on which all the Apoſtles ſat, and on which this day ſitteth al they onelyonly ye preach chriſt truely. Wherfore as Antichriſt preacheth not Peters doctrine (which is Chriſtes Goſpell) ſo he ſitteth not on Peters ſeat, but on the ſeat of Sathan, The Pope ſitteth in th… deuils ſeate, whoſe Ʋicare he is.whoſe vicar he is and on the ſeat of his owne lawes and ceremonies and falſe doctrine wherunto he compelleth all men with violence of ſworde.
Then he clame to Purgatory with the ladder of the ſayd text, whatſoeuer Purgatorythou bindeſt in earth. &c. Purgatory ſayth he is in earth: wherefore I am Lord there to. Neuertheleſſe as he can The Pope ſayth that Purgatory …s in …arth.proue no purgatory, ſo cā he not proue that if there were any, it ſhould be in the earth. It might well be in the element or ſpere of fire vnderunder the Mone as well as in the earth. But to bynde and loſe is as I hauehave aboue ſayde, to preach and to feede, and with Chriſtes doctrine to purge ſoules. And they that be dead be not of the flocke which Chriſt bad Peter feede, but they that lyue onelyonly.
Thē clame he vp with the ſame ladder ſtill ouer all vowes and profeſſiōs Vowes.of all religious perſōs, and ouer othes Othes.made betwene man and man to diſpence Teſtamētswith them, and ouer all mens teſtamentes to alter them. For what The Pope altereth mēs willes & teſtamēts at his pleaſure.thou makeſt an hoſpitall, that will he ſhortly make a colledge of Prieſtes, or a place of religion, or what he luſteth. Thē all maner Monkes and Fryers and like draffe tooke diſpenſations of hym for the ordinaunces of theyr olde foūders. And becauſe, as they thought they had prayed & diſtributed for theyr ſoules inough to bring them out of purgatory, they thruſt thē out of theyr beadrolles, and tooke dayly moe and moe.
But euer ſince they tooke diſpenſations of the Pope, both for their rules and to deuide all among them, they receaued in the name, not of the poore, The popes marchaundiſe.but of purgatory, to quēch the raging fire thereof, which is as hote as theyr bellyes can fayne it, and fooles be out of their wittes to beleue it: promiſing a Maſſe dayly for xl. ſhillinges by the yeare, of which foundations whē they hauehave gotten twenty, they will yet with an vnion purchaſed of the Pope make Vnion.but one chauntry. For if they ſhoulde do all that they hauehave promiſed from y• firſt founder vntounto this day. v. hundred Monkes were not inough in many cloyſters.
Thinkeſt thou that men were euer ſo mad to make the faſhions that are now amōg them? to geue the Sel…rar ſuch a ſumme, and the Priour or ſuppriour and the other officers ſo much for their partes as they hauehave yearely, and to exempt the Abbot from his brethren, The great and ſhamefull abuſe of …bbeyesand to ſend him out of the Abbay into ſuch parkes & places of pleaſures, and geue him a thouſand, fiftene hundred, two thouſand or three thouſand pounde yearely to ſport himſelfe with all? Nay but when thorow hypocriſie they had gotten land inough, thē they turned vntounto the Pope and tooke Diſpēſations purchaſed of the Pope.diſpēſations both for their rules which were to hard for ſuch aboundaunce, & for the willes of their founders, and ſerued a great ſort of founders vnderunder one per dominum, and deuided among few, that which was inough for a great multitude.
It was the Pope that deuiſed all theſe faſhions to corrupt the Prelates wyth aboundaunce of worldly pleaſures, of which he wiſt that the worſte would be moſt greedy, and for which he wiſt alſo that he ſhould finde Iudaſſes inow that would forſake Chriſt and betray ye truth and be ſworne falſe vntounto him and his Godhed. He maketh of many chauntryes one, of an Abbay a Cathedrall church, and out of the Abbayes plucked he the Byſhopprikes. And as Byſhops pay for their bulles, Choppyng and chaungyng vſed by the popeeuen ſo do an infinite number of Abbottes in Chriſtendome, in all landes ſome, which Abbottes be Byſhoppes within thēſelues, & immediatly vnderunder the Pope. And other Abbots and Priours ſend after the ſame example dayly vntounto Rome to purchaſe licēce to weare a nutre and a croſſe & gay ornaments, to be as glorious as the beſt. &c. And where before God no man is a Prieſt but he that is appointed to preach chriſtes Goſpell vntounto the people, and the people ought not to geue ought vntounto the ſpiritualtie but for the maintenaūce of the preaching of Gods worde, the The wicked beſtowing of benefices by the Pope.Pope taketh vi. or vij. yea ten. xx. and as many benefices as he liſteth, & geueth them vntounto one that preacheth not at all, as he doth all other dignityes of the ſpiritualtie. He that will purchaſe and pay and be ſworne ſhall hauehave what he will.