Whole Works, Tracts 1 · Tract 7 · Part · Section 5

Whole Works · Tracts 1 · Tract 7 · Part · Section 5

p. 419The fift Chapter.

ALl that beleue that Ieſus is Chriſte are borne of God. And al that louelove him whiche begat, louelove hym that is begotten of him. In this wee knowe that wee louelove the ſonnes of God, when we louelove God and kepe his commaundementes. For this is the louelove of God that we kepe his commaundementes.

This is a ſure cōcluſion that we be Fayth maketh vsus Gods ſonnes.borne of God through fayth. And that fayth maketh vsus Gods ſonnes, in that we beleue that Ieſus is Chriſt: as the firſt chapter of Iohn alſo teſtifieth, hee gaue them power to be the ſonnes of God, in that they beleued in his name.

What it is to beleue that Ieſus is What it is to beleue that Ieſus is Chriſt.Chriſte, may bee vnderſtand by that which is aboue rehearſed. It is a farre other thyng then as the deuill beleued it agaynſt his will and to hys greate payne, or as they beleue it which to fulfil their ſinne, enuie the glory of Chriſt and perſecute his Goſpell, forbydding to preach it or to read in it. To beleue that Ieſus is Chriſte, is to beleue in Chriſt: that is, to beleue earneſtly, and to put all thy truſt therein, and to lay the price of thy ſoule therupon: that the ſonne of Marie whom the aungell cō maunded to be called Ieſus becauſe he p. 420ſhuld ſaue his people frō their ſinnes, is that Chriſt, that Meſſias, and that Ieſus the true Meſſias and the Dauiour of the world from their ſins.annoynted whiche God promiſed the fathers ſhould come and bleſſe all nations and annoynt them with the oyle of his ſpirite, & with mercy and grace, and to deliuer them frō death of their ſoules, whiche is the conſentyng to ſinne, and to make them a lyue with conſentyng vntounto the law of God, and in certifiyng thē that they be the ſonnes of God: And to put the whole truſt in all that he ſuffred in his fleſhe for thy ſake and in all promiſes of mercy that are in hym and that thou be full perſuaded that there is no other name vnderunder heauen giuen vntounto men to be ſaued frō ſinne by, or to purchaſe forgiueneſſe of the leſt ſynne that euer was cōmitted.

An other concluſion is this: whoſoeuer loueth God, loueth all that beleue All that louelove God louelove all that beleue in him.in God. For all that louelove hym that begetteth, louelove them that are begotten of him: and all that beleue in God are begotten of God through that belefe, and made his ſonnes: thē al that louelove God, louelove all that beleue in God.

An other concluſion is this. When we louelove God and his law, thē we louelove the ſonnes of God. Which is this wiſe He that loueth God, loueth alſo the ſonnes of God.proued: The louelove of God is to keepe the law of God, by the text before and after the law of GOD is to louelove our neighbours & therfore if we louelove God in kepyng his lawes we muſt needes louelove the ſonnes of God.

But Iohn ſhould ſeme to be a very negligēt diſputer to many men in that he here certifieth vsus of the louelove of our neighbours by the louelove of God, when aboue hee certifieth vsus that we louelove God becauſe we louelove our neighbours. Hee ſemeth to doe as I heard once a great Clerke in Oxford ſtand halfe an houre in a pulpit to proue that Chriſt was a true Prophet by the teſtimonie of Iohn Baptiſt and an other halfe houre to proue Iohn y^t Baptiſt a true Prophet by the authoritie of Chriſt, as we ſay claw me, claw thee: and as eueryevery theſe might lightly proue him ſelfe a true man, in bearyng recorde to an other as falſe as he and takyng recorde of the ſame agayne. Which kynde of diſputyng ſchole men call Petiti… pr…ncipij, the prouyng of two certaine thynges, eche by the other, and is no prouyng at all, as our holy father proueth the authoritie of Scripture by hys decrees (for the Scripture is not autentike but as his decrees admit it) & to make his decrees ſhyne and appeare glorious, and to obtaine authoritie, he allegeth the Scripture after his iugglyng maner, to make fooles ſtarke mad.

But it is not ſo here, for both the demonſtrations are certaine, both the proffe of the louelove of God and his law by the louelove of my neighbour, and the proofe of the louelove of my neighbour by the louelove of God and his law. For whē ij. thynges are ſo ioyned together that they can not be ſeparated, then the preſence of the one vttereth the preſence of the other, whether ſoeuer thou firſt ſeeſt. As if I ſee fire I am ſure that The louelove of God and the louelove of my neighbour are in ſeperable.ſome thyng doth burne. And if I ſmell burnyng, I am certified of fire. Euen ſo the louelove of God is the cauſe why I louelove my neighbour: and my louelove toward my neighbour is the effect of the louelove of God. And theſe two loues are euer inſeperable, ſo that whether ſoeuer I feele firſt, the ſame certifieth me of the other.

Iohn calleth the louelove of a mās neighbour the deedes of louelove, after the Hebrue ſpeach, as to helpe at neede. For the deede declareth what the man is within. Neither can my louelove to God & fayth be ſene to the world, ſaue thorough the workes. And by the workes doth Chriſt commaunde vsus to iudge. So that if a mā hauehave euill workes and Workes ſet forth … declare faith.continueth therin, he loueth not God nor knoweth God, no though he call hym ſelfe maſter doctour, or Gods vicare. Neither vnderſtandeth he Gods word for all his high diuinitie: but is in all hys preachyng an hypocrite, a falſe Prophet, and a lyer though hys preachyng pleaſe the world neuer ſo well. Neuertheleſſe a man is certified that he loueth God yer he come at the worke, by the teſtimonie of the ſpirite which is giuē him in earneſt. The ſpirite ſayth Paule. Roma. viij. teſtifieth vntounto our ſpirite, that we be the ſonnes of God: and then it teſtifieth that we beleue in God: for thorough fayth are we ſonnes. And then it certifieth me that I louelove God. For fayth and louelove are inſeparable. The ſpirite thorough fayth certifieth my conſcience that my ſinnes are forgiuē, and I receaued vnderunder grace and made the very ſonne of God, and beloued of God. And thē naturally myne hart breaketh out into the louelove of God agayne, & I ſeke how to vtter my louelove, and to do God ſome pleaſure. And becauſe I can neither do ſeruice or pleaſure vntounto his owne perſon, my neighbour is ſet before me, to do God ſeruice and pleaſure in him & p. 422to be to him as Chriſt is to me, becauſe he is my brother, bought with Chriſts To doe good to my neighbour is to do God good ſeruice.bloud as I am. And I conſent vntounto that law, and louelove it yer I come at the dede, and long after the dede. And then whē I louelove my neighbour in the deede accordyng to this law; I am ſure that I louelove hym truly. Or els if I examined not my louelove by this law, I might be deceaued. For ſome louelove their neighbours for pleaſure, profite, glorie and for their doyng ſeruice onelyonly, as our ſpiritualtie louelove vsus, and of that bleſſed louelove, do their buſie cure to keepe vsus in darkenes: which louelove is a ſigne that a man hateth God and hys neighbour therto, and loueth him ſelfe onelyonly. But Gods law is that I ſhould abſteine from myne owne pleaſure and profite, and become my neighbours ſeruaunt, and beſtow lyfe and goodes vpō hym, after the example of Chriſt. Wherfore if I louelove my neighbour out of the louelove of Chriſt and after the example of hys law, I am ſure that I louelove him truly.

And his commaundementes are not greuous. For all that is borne of God ouercommeth the worlde: and this is the victory that ouercommeth the world, euē our faith.

To louelove is not paynefull: the commaundementes are but louelove: therfore they be not greuous, becauſe louelove maketh the commaundements eaſie. The ſeruice that a mother doth vntounto her child is not greuous, becauſe ſhe loueth it. But if ſhe ſhould do the tenth part vntounto one that ſhe loued not, her A goodly ſimilitude.hart would braſt for impacience. Ʋnto a mā that fetleth not the louelove of Chriſt it is as impoſſible to keepe the commaundementes, as for a Camell to enter through the eye of a nedle. But impoſſible is poſſible and eaſie to, where the louelove of Chriſt is beleued. For it foloweth, Al that are borne of God ouercome the world.all that are borne of God, ouercome the world: that is to wete, the deuill which is the ruler of the world: and his diſciples which hauehave their luſt in hys gouernaunce & cōſent to ſinne, both in body and ſoule, and giuegive themſelues to folow their luſtes without reſiſtence: and their owne fleſh which alſo cōſenteth to ſinne, do they ouercome with al that moueth to ſinne. By what victory? Ʋerely through fayth. For if our ſoules be truly vnderſet with ſure hope and truſt, and continuall meditations of Chriſtes louelove, ſhewed already, and of ſuccour, helpe and aſſiſtence that is promiſed in his name, and with the continuall memorie of their examples which in tymes paſt hauehave ſought through fayth and ouercome: thē were it impoſſible for the world with all his chinalrie, to ouerthrow vsus with any aſſault or with any ordinaunce that hee could ſhoote agaynſt vsus. For if y^t fayth The conqueſtes of fayth.& meditation were euer preſent in vsus, then louelove thorough that fayth, ſhould eaſly ouercome what ſo euer peril thou couldeſt imagine. Read in the Bible and ſee what conqueſtes fayth hath made, both in doyng & alſo ſufferyng. The xj. chapter vntounto the Hebrues miniſtreth the examples aboundauntly. How mighty was Dauid when hee came to fight, and how ouercame hee thorough fayth? And how mightyer was he when he came to ſufferyng, as in the perſecution of the kyng Saul? In ſo much that when he had his moſt mortall enemy kyng Saul, that twelfe yeares perſecuted him againſt al right, in his handes to hauehave done what hee would with him, through faith he touched hym not, nor ſuffred any man els to do, though he was yet all his lyfe a man of warre and accuſtomed to murther and ſhedyng of bloud. For he beleued that God ſhould aduenge hym on his vnrighteous kyng, vpō whom it was not lawfull to aduēge himſelfe.

Who is it that ouercommeth the world, but he that beleueth that Ieſus is the ſonne of God?

If to beleue that Ieſus is Gods ſonne be to ouercome the world, then our Prelates vnderſtand not what belief is, which affirme that the beſt belefe and the worſt mā in the world may ſtand together.

This is he that came by water and bloud Ieſus Chriſt: not by water onelyonly but by water and bloud. And it is the ſpirite that teſtifieth, becauſe the ſpirite is truth. For there are three that beare witneſſe in heauen. The father, the worde, and the holy ghoſt And theſe three are one. And there are three which beare recorde in earth the ſpirite water and bloud, and theſe three are one.

Chriſt came with three witneſſes, Chriſt had three witneſſes.water, bloud and ſpirite. He ordeined the Sacrament of Baptiſme to be hys p. 422witneſſe vntounto vsus. And he ordeined the Sacramēt of his bloud, to be his witnes vntounto vsus. And he powreth his ſpirite into the harts of his, to teſtifie and to make them feele that the teſtimonie of thoſe two Sacramēts are true. And the teſtimonie of theſe three is, as it after foloweth, that we hauehave euerlaſtyng life in the ſonne of God. And theſe iij. are one full witnes ſufficiēt at the moſt that the law requireth, whiche ſayth ij. or. iij. at the moſt is one full ſufficient witnes. But alas we are …t taught to take the Sacramēts for witneſſes, but The true doctrine of the Sacramentes is away from vsus.for imageſeruice, & to fore the worke of them to God, with ſuch a minde as the old heathen offred ſacrifices of beaſtes vntounto their Gods. So that what ſoeuer teſtifieth vntounto vsus, that we hauehave euerlaſtyng lyfe in Chriſt, that mouth hauehave they ſtopped with a leuended maunchet of their Phariſaicall gloſes.

If we receaue the witneſſe of mē, the witneſſe of God is greater. For this is the witneſſe that God hath borne of his ſonne.

If the witneſſe of men, ſo they be iij. is to be receaued, much more is the witneſſe of God to be receaued. Now the witneſſe that theſe iij. water bloud, & ſpirite beare, is the witneſſe of God & therfore the more to be beleued.

He that beleueth in the ſonne of God hath witnes in him ſelfe. And he that beleueth not God, maketh him a lyer, becauſe he doth not beleue the witneſſe that God hath teſtified of his ſonne. And this is the witneſſe, that God hath giuen vsus eternall lyfe: and this lyfe is in hys ſonne. He that hath the ſonne, hath lyfe. And he that hath not the ſonne of God, hath not life.

The true beleuers hauehave the teſtimonie of God in their hartes, & they glorifie The faythfull hauehave the true witnes of God in their hartsGod witneſſing that hee is true. They hauehave the kingdome of God with in them and the temple of God within them, and God in that temple, & hauehave the ſonne of God & lyfe through hym. And in that temple they ſeke God, and offer for their ſinnes y^e ſacrifice of Chriſtes bloud, and the fatte of his mercies in the fire of their prayers, and in the confidence of that ſacrifice go in boldly to God their father.

But the vnbeleuers blaſpheme God and make him falſe, deſcribyng him after the complection of their lyieng nature. And becauſe they be ſo full ſtuffed The vnfaythfull, worſhyp God in imageſeruice and outward Popery.with lyes that they cā receaue nothing els, they looke for the kyngdome of God in outward thynges and ſeeke God in a temple of ſtone where they offer their imageſeruice and the fate of their holy dedes: in confidence wherof they go into God and truſt to hauehave euerlaſtyng lyfe. And though the text teſtifieth that this lyfe is onelyonly in the ſonne, yet they will come at no ſonne ſhynyng but as vncleane byrdes hate the light.

Theſe thynges hauehave I written vntounto you that beleue in the name of the ſonne of God, that ye may know that ye hauehave euerlaſting life, & that ye may beleue in the ſonne of God.

They that hauehave the fayth of Chriſtes The Papiſtes hauehave not the fayth of the Apoſtles neither do they know and therefore they rayle on it.Apoſtles, know that they hauehave eternal lyfe. For the ſpirtte teſtifieth vntounto their ſpirites that they are y^e ſonnes of God. Roma. viij. and receaued vnderunder grace. Our Doctours ſay they can not know whether they be in the ſtate of grace: therefore they hauehave not the fayth of the Apoſtles. And that they know it not, is the cauſe whey they rayle on it.

This is the confidence that we hauehave in hym, that if we aſke ought accordyng to his will, he heareth vsus. And if we know that he heareth vsus, whatſoeuer we aſke, we knowe that we hauehave the petitions that we aſke of hym.

Chriſt ſayth Math. vij. aſke & it ſhal To aſke in Chriſtes name what it is.be geuen you. And Iohn in the. xvj. chap. Whatſoeuer ye aſke in my name, he ſhall giuegive it you. To aſke in y^t name of Ieſu Chriſt & accordyng to his will be both one, and are nothyng elles but to aſke the thynges contayned in the promiſes and Teſtamēt of God to vsus warde, that God wilbe our father and care for vsus both in body and in ſoule: and if we ſinne of frailtie & repent forgiue vsus, and miniſter vsus all thynges neceſſarie vntounto this life, & kepe vsus that we be not ouercome of euill &c. Now if they which beleue in Chriſt are bold with God that he heareth them & ſure that he graunteth their petitions, it foloweth that they whiche are not bold that he heareth them nor ſure that hee graunteth their petitions, do not beleue in Chriſt. They that go to dead Saints with which they neuer ſpeake p. 423nor wotte where they be, be not bold Such as lacke fayth in Chriſt wander they wot not whether.that God wil heare them, nor ſure that he will graunt their petitions therfore they beleue not in Chriſt. That they be neither bold nor ſure, appeareth firſt by their deedes, and ſecondarely by their owne confeſſion: for they ſay what ſhould God heare them or graūt them ought ſeing they be vnworthy, yea and they confirme it with a ſimilitude of worldly wiſedome, that they ſhould be put backe for their malapertnes, and fare the worſe, as if a rude felow ſhuld breake vp into the kyngs priuie chamber, and preſſe vntounto his owne perſon without knockyng or ſpeakyng to any other officer: ſo that they beleue it an augmentyng of ſinne, to go to God thē ſelues in the cōfidēce of Chriſtes bloud as he bad them.

If a man ſee his brother ſinne a ſinne not vntounto death, let him aſke: and he ſhall giuegive hym life for them that ſinne not vntounto death. There is a ſinne vntounto death, and for it ſay I not that thou ſhouldeſt pray. All vnrighteouſnes is ſinne. And there is a ſinne not to death.

Whatſoeuer ſinne we ſee in y^t world, let vsus pray and not diſpayre. For God is the God of mercy. But for the ſinne The ſinne to y^t death.to death whiche is reſiſtyng grace and fightyng againſt mercy and open blaſphemyng of the holy ghoſt, affirmyng that Chriſts miracles are doue in Beel ſabub, and his doctrine to be of the deuill, I thinke that no Chriſten man if he perceaue it, can otherwiſe pray, then as Paule prayed for Alexander the Coperſmith the. ij. Timo. the laſt: that God would reward hym accordyng vntounto his workes. They that go backe agayne after they know the truth, and giuegive them ſelues willingly to ſinne, for to folow it and perſecute the doctrine of truth by profeſſion to maynteine falſhead for their glorie and vaū tage, are remedyleſſe: as ye may ſee. Hebr. vj. and. x. Bala… ſo ſinned: the falſe Prophetes in the old Teſtament ſo ſinned the Phariſeis ſo ſinned: Alexander ſo ſinned: & now many ſo ſinne: folowyng their pride & couetouſnes.

We know that all that are borne of God ſinne not: But he that is borne of God kepeth him ſelf, and the wicked touche hym not.

As thou readeſt in the third chapter, they that are borne of God can not All that are borne of God c… not ſinne.ſinne, for the ſede of God kepeth them. They cannot caſt of the yocke of Chriſt and conſent to cōtinue in ſinne nor defie his doctrine, nor perſecute it, for to quench it or to maynteine any thyng contrary vntounto it. But in whatſoeuer captiuitie they be in y^t fleſh, their harts yeld not: but imagine to breake lowſe and to eſcape, and flye away, vntounto the partie & ſtandart of their Lord Chriſt. And as men of warre they euer keepe The armour of a Chriſten man.watche and prepare them ſelues vntounto warre, and put on the armure of God, the which is Gods word, the ſhield of fayth, the helmet of hope, and harneſſe thē ſelues with the meditation of thoſe thynges which Chriſt ſuffred for vsus, & with the examples of all the Saintes that folowed him, and thinke earneſtly that it is their part to lyue as purely as the beſt & come after as faſt as they can. And yet in all their workes they knowledge them ſelues ſinners vnſay nedly, as long as one iote of the perfectnes that was in y^t deedes of Chriſt, is lackyng in theirs. So that the deuill can not touch the hartes of them, neither with pride or vayne glorie of pure lyuing, neither to make them conſentyng vntounto the fleſh in groſſe ſinnes, if at a tyme they be taken tardy & ketche a fall. Whatſoeuer chaunce them, the deuill can ketch no hold of them, to keepe them ſtill in captiuitie: but they will breake loſe agayne, and repent and do penaunce, to chaſt theyr fleſh that they come no more vnderunder y^t deuils clawes.

We know that we be of God, and that the whole world is ſet on miſchief.

They that beleue: that is to ſay, put their truſt in Chriſt, ſee both their owne glorious ſtate in God, and alſo the wretched eſtate of y^t world in their wickednes. But the worlde as they The world ſeeth not the thyngs that are of God.knowe not God, nor the glory of the ſonnes of God: Euen ſo they ſee not their owne miſerable eſtate in wickednes and damnation vnderunder the law of God, but the worſe they are, the bolder they be and the ſurer of themſelues, the further from repentaūce and the more ſtandyng in their owne conceites, for the darkenes that is in them. And therfore ſay our Doctours, a man can not knowe whether hee be in the ſtate of grace or no nor needeth to care therfore. And they be therefore the blynd leaders of the blynd.

p. 424We know that the ſonne of God is come, and hath giuen vsus vnderſtandyng to know him that is true: and we be in the truth thorough Ieſus Chriſt. He is very God and eternall lyfe.

Chriſt is all and the fountaine of all Chriſt e…e… is the founteine and fulnes of all good giftes.and of his fulneſſe receaue we all. And as hee powreth the giftes of his grace vponupon them that beleue in hym ſo he giueth them vnderſtanding to know the very God, and that they be in the very God and that they hauehave obtained that through his purchaſing: and leaueth not his ſheepe in darkenes. And the ſame Ieſu Chriſt is very God and eternall life: God and eternall lyfe was he from the begynnyng, and became man for the great louelove he had to vsus, for to bryng vsus vntounto his eternall life. And he He that ſeketh any other way to eternall ſaluation, then by Chriſt, ſhal neuer come there.that hath any other way thether, whether his own workes or other mēs, or workes of ceremonies, or ſacraments, or merites of Saintes, or of ought ſaue Ieſu Chriſt onelyonly, ſhall neuer come thether. The world ſeith the Pope, and ſeith that they which be in the Pope, be Lordes in this world: and therfore they care to be in the Pope: but whether they be in God or not they ſay, it is not neceſſarie to know.

Litle children beware of Images.

Serue none Image in your harts. Idolatrie is Greeke, and the Engliſh is imageſeruice: And an Idolater is alſo Idolatrie.Greke, and the Engliſh an imageſeruaunt. Idolater.Be not Idolaters nor committe Idolatrie, that is be none imageſeruauntes, nor do any imageſeruice, but beware of ſeruyng all maner images. And thinke it not inough to hauehave put all the Images of falſe Gods out of the way, if ye now ſet vp the Image of very God and of his true Saints in their rowmes, to doe the ſame ſeruice vntounto thē, which ye dyd vntounto the other. For ye may do as ſtrong imageſeruice vntounto the Image of GOD and of hys As great Idolatry may be cō mitted to the Image of a Saint as was by the Gentiles committed vntounto Idoles.Saintes, as vntounto the Images of falſe Gods: yea thou maiſt commit as great Idolatrie to God, and yet before none outward Image, but before the image which thou haſt fained of God in thine hart, as thou mayſt before an outward Image of the deuil. The Iewes in the tēple of God where was none Image of God, dyd as great imageſeruice to God, as the heathen vntounto their falſe Gods: yea the Iewes in doing to God the thynges which God commaunded them, dyd committe worſe Idolatrie & ſinned more greuouſly agaynſt God, thē y^• heathē did in offering vntounto their falſe Goddes, which thyng to be true, the Prophetes teſtifie. For when the Iewes dyd their ceremonies and ſacrifices: the meanyng & ſignification loſt, and the cauſe forgotten which God ordeined them for: to flatter and pleaſe God with the gloriouſnes of the deede in it ſelfe, and to purchaſe ought of him for the coſtlynes or propernes of the preſent, what other made they of God in their imaginatiō, then a child whom if he crye or be diſpleaſed, men ſtil with a popet, or if we will hauehave hym to doe ought, make him an horſe of a ſticke.

If thou bryng a bolle of bloud and ſet it before God, to flatter hym, to Groſſe worſhyppyng of God.ſtroke hym, and to cory and claw hym, as he were an horſe, and imagineſt that he hath pleaſure and delectation therin, what better makeſt thou of God, then a butchers dogge? If thou bryng the fat of thy beaſtes to God, for the ſame imaginatiō, what makeſt thou of God, but one that had neede of greaſe to greaſe ſhoes or ſmeere bootes? If thou burneſt bloud and fatte together to pleaſe God, what other thyng doeſt thou make of God, then one that had luſt to ſmell to burnt floteſſe?

God commaunded a curteſie of all Ceremonies.firſt ripe frutes to be offered: not to be an imageſeruice, but a witneſſe and teſtimony that he had made them grow, that the people ſhuld not forget God, but thinke on his benefites and louelove him and of louelove kepe his commaundementes. And likewiſe if any had ſinned agaynſt Gods law God commaunded that they ſhould repēt, and then bryng a beaſt and flye it and offer the bloud and y^t fat of the inwardes: not to make ſatiſtaction, but to teſtifie onelyonly that God was pleaſed, and had of his mercy at the repentaunce of the hart forgiuen the ſinne. The ſacrifices of bloud Sacrificeswere ordeined partly to be a ſecret propheſyeng of Chriſtes bloudſhedyng, & partly to be a teſtimonie and certifiyeng of our hartes, that the ſinne was forgiuen and peace made betwene vsus and God, and not to be a ſatiſfaction. For that were imageſeruice, and to make an image of God.

We read in the hyſtories that when a louelove day or a truce was made betwene man and man the couenauntes were rehearſed: and vppon that, they ſl…e beaſtes in a memoriall and remembraūce of the appointemēt onelyonly. And p. 425ſo were the ſacrifices ſignes and memorials onelyonly, that God was at one with vsus. For the Iew could beleue no The Iewes could beleue nothyng with out tokēs.wordes though an aungell had ſpokē, without a tokē, as we hold vp our fingers and clappe handes. And likewiſe whatſoeuer they were bidde to do, they muſt hauehave had a tokē of remēbraunce, though it had ben but a ring of a ruſh, as it is to ſee in the Bible.

Euen ſo our images, reliques, ceremonies Sacraments and ceremonies were ordeined onelyonly for remembraunces.and Sacramentes were our memorials & ſignes of remembraunce onelyonly. And he that giueth in his hart more to them then that, is an imageſeruaunt. But when God is a ſpirite and worſhypped in the ſpirite, we for lacke of fayth, beyng ſpiriteles, and hauyng no power to deſire of God any ſpiritual thing, ſerue God in the body, with imagined ſeruice, for ſuch worldly thinges as our profeſſion is to defie. Who kiſſeth a relique or beholdeth an image for louelove of the Saintes liuyng, to folow the example? Nay we will faſt the Saintes Euens & go barefoote vntounto their Images and take payne, to obtaine greater pleaſure in the world, and to purchaſe worldly thyngs as to mainteine the body in luſtes that the ſoule can not once wiſhe for power to Idolatry.liue as the Saintes liued or to long for the life to come. If we went in pilgrimage to kepe the remembraunce of the Saintes liuing in minde for our exā ple, and faſted and went barefoote to tame y^t fleſh that it ſhould not luſt after ſuch worldly thinges whiche we now deſire of the Saintes, then did our faſtyng and pilgrimage goyng ſerue vsus, yea & the Saint were yet our ſeruaunt to edifie vsus in Chriſt with the remembraunce of his life left behind, to preach and to prouoke vsus to folow the example. For our bodely ſeruice can be no ſeruice vntounto the Saint which is a ſpirite, except we imagine him to be an Image.

Saint White muſt hauehave a cheſe once in a yeare, and that of the greateſt ſorte which yet eateth no cheeſe. It ſhalbe giuen vntounto the poore in her name ſay they. Firſt that to be falſe we ſee with our eyes. Secōdarely Chriſt cōmaundeth We ought to be frāke and to diſtribute to our poore brethren, ſuch as God hath ſent vsus.to care for the poore, and giuegive thē all that we may ſpare in his name: ſaying that what is giuen them is geuen him, and what is denyed them is denyed him. If the law of Chriſt be written in thine hart, why diſtributeſt thou not vntounto thy brethren with thine own hādes, in the name of thy Sauiour Ieſu Chriſt which dyed both for them & thee, as thou haſt vowed and promiſed to him in thy Baptiſme.

It is giuen vntounto Saint Whites Superſticious Popery are Idolatry.chapleyne. Saint Whites chapleyne hath a ſtipend already ſufficient for a Chriſten man, and ought to receaue no more, but therwith to be content and to be an example of deſpiſing couetouſnes. Moreouer that Prieſt that would folow the lyuyng of Ieſu Chriſt as Saint White did, and teach his Pariſſhens to do ſo, were a right chaplayne of Chriſt. And they hauehave a promiſe to be fead & clothed as well as euer was their maſter in the name of Chriſt. And ſo be they and euer were, ſo that they nede not to begge in the name of ſaint White.

What ſhall Saint White do for thee againe for that great cheeſe? (for I wot well it is not giuen for nought) GiueGive aboundaunce of milke to make butter and cheſe? All we that beleue in Chriſt, are the ſonnes of God, and God hath promiſed to care for vsus, as much as we care for the keepyng of his cōmaundements, and hath promiſed that we ſhal receaue what ſoeuer we aſke to his honour and our nede, of his hād. If then we be the natural ſonnes of God, why runne we from our father, a beggyng to Saint White? Saint White ſendeth no rayne vppon the earth nor maketh In all our needes wee muſt call vponupon God in the name of Ieſu Chriſt & he will …eare vsus.the ſunne ſhyne thereon nor maketh the graſſe grow. Neither is there any Gods worde that he will now do ſo much for vsus at her requeſt. But God hath promiſed if we will keepe hys lawes to doe ſo much for vsus at our own requeſt, for the bloud of his ſonne Ieſu. What other thing then is thy ſeruing of Saint White, thē lacke of faith & truſt to Godward in Chriſts name, and a falſe fayth of thine owne fayning to Saint Whiteward for thine imageſeruice or ſeruyng her with cheeſe, as though ſhe were a bodely thyng? And like diſputatiō is it of all other ſaintes.

And as we worſhip the Saintes with imageſeruice to obtaine temporal thinges: euen ſo worſhip we God. And as the Iewes turned their ſacrifices vntounto imageſeruice whiche were giuen thē of God to be ſignes to moue them to ſerue God in the ſpirite: Euen The maſſe as the pope vſeth it is damnable Idolatrie.ſo hauehave we our Sacramentes. And for an exāple let vsus take the Maſſe, which after the Popes abuſe of it, is the moſt damnable imageſeruice that euer was ſence it began. Chriſt accordyng to the teſtimonie of the Scripture, made in p. 426the dayes of his fleſh, ſatiſfaction for al the ſinne of them that had or ſhould be leue in his name, & obtained that they ſhould be the ſonnes of God, and taken from vnderunder the damnation of the law and put vnderunder grace and mercy, & that God ſhould henceforth deale with them as a mercyful father dealeth with his children that runne not away from him, no though ought be at a tyme We muſt e…er cleaue vntounto God and ſubmit our ſelues to his mercy.chaunced amiſſe: but tary euer ſtill by their father and by his doctrine, & confeſſe their treſpaſſe, and promiſe henceforth to inforce them ſelues vntounto the vttermoſt of their power that they doe no more ſo negligently. And this purchaſe made he with the thinges whiche he ſuffered in his fleſh, & with the ſtrōg prayers which he prayed. And to kepe his Teſtamēt, euerfreſh in minde, that it were not forgot, he left with vsus the Sacrament or ſigne of his body and bloud, to ſtrength our faith and to certifie our cōſcience, that our ſinnes were forgeuen aſſoone as we repented and had recōciled our ſelues vntounto our brethren: and to arme our ſoules, through the continuall remembraunce of Chriſtes death, vntounto the deſpiſyng of the world, mortifying of the fleſh, & quenching of the luſtes and thyrſt of worldly thinges. As they which hauehave dayly conuerſation with the ſicke and miſerable and are preſent at the deathes of men, are moued to defie the world, and the luſtes therof.

And as Chriſt had inſtitute the Sacrament The maſſe at the firſt was a declaration of Chriſtes paſſion.of his body and bloud, ſo the Byſhoppes in proceſſe of time, ſet ſignes of all the reſt of Chriſtes paſſion, in the ornamentes and geſtures of the Maſſe: ſo that the, whole paſſion was dayly deſcribed before our eyes, as though we had preſently looked vppon it.

And that thou mayſt ſee for what cauſe they came vntounto the Sacrament, they reconciled them ſelues ech one to other, if any man had offēded his brother, ere they were admitted into the congregation or body of Chriſt to be members of ech other knit together in one fayth and louelove to eate the Lordes Supper (as Paule calleth it) for the cō gregatiō 1. Cor. 11. 1. Cor. 10. and 12. Ephe. 1.1 Cor 111 Cor 10Eph 1thus gathered is called Chriſtes body and Chriſt their head. And likewiſe if a man had ben taken in opē ſinne, agaynſt the profeſſiō of his Baptiſme, he was rebuked openly. And he confeſſed his ſinne openly, and aſked forgiuenes of God and of the congregation whom he had offended with the example of his euill deede: and tooke penaunce as they call it, of the congregation, What penaunce was.that is, certaine diſcret iniunctiōs how he ſhould liue and order him ſelfe in tyme to come & came his fleſh, for the auoyding of the ſayd vice: becauſe his confeſſion and repentaunce which he ſemed to hauehave, ſhuld be none hypocriſie, but an earneſt thing. For if an open ſinner be founde among vsus, we muſt immediatly amende him or caſt him out of the congregation with defiaunce and deceſtation of his ſinne, as thou ſeiſt how quickly Paule caſt out the Corinthian, that kept his fathers wife, and when he was warned would not amend. Or els if we ſuffer Greuous ſinne, not paſſed vpō.ſuch to be among vsus vnrebuked, we can not but at once fall from the conſtancie of our profeſſiō, and laughe and hauehave delectation and cōſent vntounto their ſinne, as it is come to paſſe throughout all Chriſtendome. Which is ten thouſand tymes more abhominable then if we ſinned our ſelues. For the beſt man in the world that hateth ſinne, might at a tyme throughe …rayltie of the fleſh be drawne to ſinne. But it is altogether deuiliſh and a ſure token that the ſpirit of Chriſt is not in vsus, nor the profeſſion of our Baptiſme written in the hart, if we laughe at an other mans ſinnes, though we our ſelues abſteine for ſhame or feare of hell or for what ſo euer imagination it be, or that we be ſo blind that we ſee no other ſinne in vsus, then our outward deedes. And the penaunce Diſcipline vſed in the primatiue Church.enioyned frayle perſons that could not rule them ſelues was vnderunder the authority of the Curate, and the ſad and diſcrete mē of the Pariſh, to releſſe part or all at a tyme if neceſſitie required, or when they ſawe the perſon ſo growne in perfectnes that he neded it not. But ſee wherto it is now come, & after what maner our holy father that is at Rome diſpenſeth withall together? And ſee what our Biſhops officers do, and where the authoritie of the Curate and of the Pariſh is become. If in ten Pariſhes round there be not one learned and diſcret to helpe the other, thē the deuil hath a great ſwynge among vsus: that the Byſhops officers that dwell ſo farre of, muſt abuſe vsus as they do. And if within a Dioceſe or an whole land, we can finde no ſhift, but that the Pope that dwelleth at the deuill in hell, muſt thus mocke vsus, what a ſtroke thinke ye hath Sathan among vsus? And all is becauſe we be hipocrites and louelove not the way of truth, for all p. 427our pretendyng the contrarie.

And to begyn with all, they ſayd Cō fiteor, The deſcription of the partes of the maſſeand knowledged them ſelues to be ſinners. And then the Prieſt prayed in generall for all eſtates and degrees and for encreaſe of grace, and in eſpecially, if neede required: vntounto whiche prayers the people harkened and ſayd Amen. And then the Goſpell and glad tydinges of forgiuenes of ſinnes was preached, to ſtyre our fayth. And then the Sacrament was miniſtred for the confirmation of the fayth of the Goſpell, and of the Teſtament made betwene God and vsus of forgiuenes of ſinnes in Chriſtes bloud, for our repē taunce and faith: as ye ſee how after all bargaynes there is a ſigne therof made, either clapping of hādes, or bowyng a peny or a groate, or a peece of gold, or giuing ſome earneſt, and as I ſhewed you, how after a truſe made they ſlewe beaſtes, for a confirmation. And then men departed, eueryevery man to his buſines, full certified that their ſinnes were forgiuen, and armed with the remembraunce of Chriſtes paſſion and death for the mortifieng of the fleſh all the day after. And in all theſe was neither the Sacrament, neither other ceremonies of the Maſſe, imageſeruice to God, and holy dedes to make ſatiſfaction for our ſinnes, or to purchaſe ſuch worldly thinges as the Goſpell teacheth vsus to diſpiſe. And now compare this vſe of the Maſſe to ours, and ſee whether the Maſſe be not become the moſt damnable Idolatrie & image ſeruice that euer was in the world.

We neuer reconcile our ſelues vntounto The abhominable vſe of the maſſeour brethren which we hauehave offended: we receaue vntounto our Maſſe open ſinners, the couetous, the extorcioners, the adulter, the backbiter, the common whore, and the whore keper, whiche hauehave no part in Chriſt by y^t Scripture, ye ſuch are ſuffred to ſay the Maſſe, as the vſe is now to ſpeake, ye ſuch are we cōpelled with the ſword to take for our paſtors and Curates of our ſoules and not ſo hardy to rebuke them. Neither do they repeut and confeſſe their ſinnes, and promiſe amendement, or ſubmit them ſelues to holeſome iniunctiōs for the aduoyding of ſuch ſinnes, and tamyng of their fleſh. We ſay Confiteor and knowledge our ſelues to be ſinners in Latin, but neuer repent in Engliſh. The Prieſt prayeth in Latin and ſaith euermore a ſtill Maſſe, as we ſay. For though he ſing and ſtreine his throate to cry …onde vntounto them that be by him, yet as long as no man woteth what he prayeth, or whether he bleſſe or curſe, he is doute and ſpechles. And ſo in that part we abide fruteleſſe and vntaught how to pray vntounto God. And the Goſpell is ſong or ſayd in Latine onelyonly and no preachyng of repentaūce toward the law & fayth toward Chriſt had. And therfore abide we euer faythles and without ſtudieng to amēd our liuinges. And of the ceremonies of the Maſſe we hauehave no other imagination, then that they be an holy ſeruice vntounto God which he receaueth of our hands and hath great delectation in them and that we purchaſe great fauour of God with them, as we do of great men here in the world with giftes and preſētes. In ſo much that if y^• Prieſt ſayd Maſſe without thoſe veſtimentes or left the other ceremonies vndone, we ſhould all quake for feare, & thinke that there were a ſinne cōmitted inough to ſinke vsus all and that the prieſt for his labour were worthy to be put in the Popes purgatory & there to be brent to aſhes.

And of the very Sacrament it ſelfe we know no other thyng then that we come thether to ſee an vnſeable miracle, which they affirme, the aungels in heauen hauehave no power to do: Sed ſolis Presbyteris, quibus ſic congruit, vt ſumāt nec dent caeteris: how that bread is turned The abuſe of the Sacrament.into the body, and wine into the bloud of Chriſt, to mocke our ſeyng, ſinellyng, feelyng and taſting, which is a very ſtrong fayth, and more a great deale (I thinke) then the text compelleth a man to. Neuertheleſſe it were ſomewhat yet, if they had bene as lonyng, kinde, carefull and diligent to teach the people to repent, and to beleue in the bloud of Chriſt for the forgeuenes of their ſinnes vntounto the glory of the mercy of God & of his excedyng louelove to vsus, and vntounto the profite of our ſoules, & vponupon that preachyng to hauehave miniſtred the Sacrament as a memoriall, remembraunce, ſigne, token, earneſt, the ſeale of an obligatiō and clappyng of handes together for the aſſuraunce of the promiſe of God, to quiet, ſtabliſh and certifie our conſciēces, and to put vsus out of all waueryng & doubt that our ſinnes were forgeuen vsus and God become our father & at one with vsus, for which cauſe onelyonly Chriſt ordeined it: as they were zelous and feruent to mainteine the opinion of ſo turning bread and wine into the body & bloud of Chriſt, that it ceaſeth to be bread and wine in nature, vntounto their owne glory p. 428and profite, without helpe of Scripture, but with ſutle Argumentes of ſophiſtrie and with crafty wiles. Firſt with taking away halfe the ſacramēt, Halfe of the Sacrament kept from the lay people.leſt if the people ſhould hauehave dronke the bloud of Chriſt, they ſhould hauehave ſmelled the ſauour and felte the taſt of wine, and ſo hauehave bene to weake to beleue that there had bene no wine. And ſecondarily when they durſt not robbe the people of all the Sacrament, they yet tooke away common bread, and imagined maunchetes which may not be handled, and in ſight hauehave no ſimilitude of bread, and in eatyng very litle …aſt, if there be any at all. And thyrdly whom they could not catch with thoſe craftes, againſt him they diſputed with the ſword. For when they had taken away the ſignification and very intent of the Sacrament, to ſtabliſh the eare confeſſion, their merites, deſeruynges, iuſtifieng of workes and like inuētion vntounto their own glory and profit: what had the Sacramēt bene, if they had not made of that opinion an article of the fayth? But now when they hauehave deſtroyed for the nonce that fayth which profited, and hauehave ſet vp with wiles, ſutiltie, falſehead, guile and with violēce, that fayth which profiteth not, we hauehave good cauſe to iudge and examine the doctrine of the ſpirites, whether it be grounded vponupon Gods word or no.

But I aſke, wherfore we beleue that Chriſtes body and his bloud is there preſēt? verely as many heades as many wittes, eueryevery man hath his meaning. We take paynes to come thether to ſee ſtraunge holy geſtures, wherof, ſay they to their ſhame, who knoweth the meanyng ye or of the other diſguiſing: and to heare ſtraūge holy voyces, wherof, ſay I alſo that no man knoweth the vnderſtanding: and to looke vppon the Sacrament: and all to obteine worldly thinges, for that ſeruice. Why may not a man deſire worldly thinges of God? Yes, we ought to aſke of God onelyonly ſufficiency of all worldly things, as we do ſpirituall thinges, yet not for bodily ſeruice, when God is a ſpirite: but for the goodneſſe and mercy of our father and for the truth of his promiſe and deſeruinges of his ſonne. And ſo when we do men bodily ſeruice, we ought to looke for our wages of God: leſt if hee moue not the hartes of our maſters, we be ſhrewdly payed: & like wiſe when we lende or bargen, we ought to deſire God for payment, leſt through our negligence he forget vsus, & the appointementes be not truly kept. Some there be yet, that aſke heauen: but for bodyly ſeruice, whiche is lyke abhomination.

But who commeth thether with repentaunce and faith, for to obtaine forgeueneſſe of his ſinnes, and with purpoſe to walke in the life of penaūce for the taming of the fleſh that he ſinne no more? and to ſtabliſh his hart in that purpoſe, and to arme his ſoule agaynſt all that moue to the contrary, and whē he goeth home is certified in hys cōſcience, through that ſigne and token, that his ſinnes are forgeuen him: as Noe was certified by the ſigne of the rayne bow that the world ſhould no more be ouerrunne with water: and as Abraham The frutefull and profitable doctrine of the Sacramentes are kept from vsus.was certified by the ſigne of Circumciſiō that God would fulfill to him and his ofſpring all the mercies that he had promiſed: and as Abraham Geneſis. xv. when he aſked a ſigne to be ſure that he ſhould poſſeſſe that land of Canaan, was certified through the ſigne that God gaue him therof, and of the foure hundred yeares that his poſteritie ſhould be in thraldome in Egypt & of their deliueraunce: and as Gedeon was certified by the ſigne of his Fleſe, of the victory that God had promiſed him: and as many other that beleued in God, were certified by the ſignes that God gaue them, of the promiſes which God made them? Ʋerely no mā. For our Prelates which lay for them ſelues, compelle intrare, compell not vsus to enter into any ſuch feaſt nor will ſuffer any ſuch meate to be ſet before vsus: for feare of ouerthrowyng the foundation of their falſe buildyng whereof ſpringeth ſo great glory and profit vntounto them, which foundation to builde their lyes vponupon, they could neuer hauehave layd, except they had firſt thruſt this doctrine of our ſoules health cleane out of knowledge. And as ſoone as they had blinded y^• light, they became leaders in darkeneſſe: and made of the Maſſe imageſeruice: ſo that the ſtraūge holy geſtures, and the ſtraunge holy voyces, and ſtraunge holy veſtures, with all other ſtraunge holy ceremonies, muſt be meritorious workes to deſerue lōg life, health, riches, honour, fauour, dignitie and aboundaūce of all that we hauehave, ſorſakyng our baptiſme, & to arme vsus from bearing of the croſſe with Chriſt. And they hauehave made of it a pill of two contrary operations: ſo that the ſame medicine that preſerueth our ſoules from purgatory, doth purge p. 429the body of houſe, lādes, rentes, goods and money, that it is made as bare as Iob and as baulde as a Cout. And the light that rebuketh them, they call ſeditious, that it maketh the ſubiectes to riſe againſt their Princes. Which thing the hypocrites layed ſometyme vntounto the Prophetes, as ye may ſee in the old Teſtamēt. And at laſt they layed it vntounto Chriſtes charge, as ye may ſee in the Goſpell, and to the charge of the Apoſtles, as ye may ſee in the Actes. But at all ſuch tymes, the hypocrites them ſelues ſtyrred vp ſuch a ſword to mainteine their falſehead, that euermore a great part of the world periſhed through their owne miſcheuous incenſing and prouokyng Princes to battayle.

Theſe hypocrites layd to Wickle…es charge (and do yet) that his doctrine cauſed inſurrection: but they, to quench the truth of hys preachyng, ſlew the right kyng, and ſet vp iij. falſe kynges a row: by which miſcheuous ſedition, they cauſed halfe England to be ſlayne vp, and brought the Realme into ſuch ruine and deſolatiō that M. More could ſay in his Vtopia, that as Engliſhmen were wont to eate ſhepe, euen ſo their ſhepe now eate vp them by whole Pariſhes at once, beſides other inconueniencies that he then ſaw. And ſo the hipocrites ſay now likewiſe: that gods word cauſeth inſurrection: but ye ſhall ſee ſhortly that theſe hypocrites them ſelues after their old wont and examples in quēchyng y^t truth that vttereth their iugglyng, ſhall cauſe all realmes Chriſten to riſe one agaynſt an other, and ſome agaynſt them ſelues. Ye ſhall ſee thē runne out before the yeare come about, that whiche they hauehave bene in bruwyng (as I hauehave marked) aboue this doſen yeares. &c.

¶ This much I hauehave ſayd becauſe of them that deceaue you, to geue you an occaſion to iudge the ſpirites.