Whole Works, Tracts 1 · Testament
The Teſtament of maſter William Tracie Eſquier, expounded by William Tyndall. Wherein thou ſhalt perceiue with what charitie the Chaunceler of Worceter burned, when he tooke vp the dead carkaſſe and made aſhes of it after it was buried. 1535.
¶ To the Reader.
THou ſhalt vnderſtād moſt deare Reader that after William Tyndall was ſo Iudaſly betrayed by an Engliſheman, a Scholer of Louayne, whoſe name is Philippes, there were certaine thinges of his doyng found: which he had entended to hauehave put forth to the furtheraunce of Gods word amōg which was this Teſtament of M. Tracie expounded by him ſelf, whereunto was annexed, the expoſitiō of the ſame of Iohn Frithes doyng and owne hand writyng, whiche I hauehave cauſed to bee put in Printe, to the intent that all the world ſhould ſee how earneſtly the Cannoniſtes and ſpirituall lawyers (whiche be the chief rulers vnderunder Biſhops in eueryevery Dioces, in ſo much that in eueryevery Cathedrall Churche the Deane Chaūcelor and Archdeacon are cōmonly doctours or Bachelers of law) do endeuour them ſelues iuſtly to iudge and ſpiritually to geue ſentēce according to charitie vponupon all the actes and dedes done of their Dioceſſanes, after the exāple of the Chaunceler of Worceter, which after M. Tracie was buried (of pure zeale & louelove hardly) tooke vp the dead carkaſſe and burnt it, wherefore he did it, it ſhall euidently appeare to the Reader in this little treatiſe, read it therfore, I beſech thee & iudge the ſpirites of our ſpiritualitie, and pray that the ſpirite of him that raiſed vp Chriſt, may once inhabite them, and mollifie their hartes, and ſo illumine thē, that they may both ſee and ſhew true light, & no lōger to reſiſt God nor his truth. Amē.
The Teſtament it ſelfe. In the name of God. Amē.
I William Tracie of Todyngton in the Countie of Gloceter Eſquier, make my Teſtamēt and laſte will, as hereafter followeth.
¶ Firſt, and before all other thyng, I cōmit me vntounto God, & to his mercy, truſtyng without any doubt or miſtruſt, that by his grace and the merites of Ieſus Chriſt, and by the vertue of his paſſiō, and of his reſurrection, I hauehave & ſhall hauehave remiſſion of my ſinnes, and reſurrectiō of body and ſoule, accordyng as it is written Iob. xix. I beleue that my redemer lyueth, and that in the laſt day I ſhal riſe out of the earth, and in my fleſh ſhall ſee my Sauiour, this my hope is layd vp in my boſome.
And as touching the wealth of my ſoule, the fayth yt I hauehave taken & rehearſed, is ſufficient (as I ſuppoſe) wtout any other mans woorke, or workes. My grounde and my belefe is, that there is but one God and one medaitour betwene God and man, whiche is Ieſus Chriſt. So that I doe except none in heauen nor in earth to be my mediatour betwen me & God, but onelyonly Ieſus Chriſt, all other be but petitioners in receiuyng of grace, but none able to geue influence of grace. And therfore will I beſtow no part of my goodes for that intent that any man ſhould ſay, or do, to helpe my ſoule: for therein I truſt onelyonly to the promiſe of God, he that beleueth & is baptiſed ſhalbe ſaued, and he that beleueth not ſhalbe damned, Marke, the laſt Chapter.
And touchyng the burying of my body, it auayleth me not what be done therto, wherein S. Auguſtine De cura agenda promortuis ſayth, that they are rather the ſolace of them that liue thē the wealth or cōfort of thē that are departed, and therfore I remit it onelyonly to the diſcretion of myne executours.
And touchyng the diſtribution of my temporall goodes, my purpoſe is by the grace of God, to beſtow them to be accepted as fruites of fayth, So that I do not ſuppoſe that my merite be, by good beſtowyng of them, but my merite is the fayth of Ieſus Chriſt onelyonly, by whiche fayth ſuch workes are good accordyng to the wordes of our Lord, Mat. xxv. I was hongry, and thou gaueſt me to eate, and it foloweth, that ye hauehave done to the leaſt of my brethrē ye hauehave done to me, &c. and euer we ſhould cōſider the true ſentēce, that a good worke maketh not a good man, but a good man maketh a good woorke, for fayth maketh the man both good and righteous, for a righteous man lyueth by fayth. Rom. i. and what ſoeuer ſpryngeth not out of fayth, is ſinne. Rom. xiiij.
And all my tēporall goodes that I hauehave not geuen, or deliuered, or not geuen by writing of mine own hand bearing the date of this preſent writyng I do leaue and geue to Margarete my wife, and to Richard my ſonne which I make mine executours, witnes this myne owne hand, the x. day of October, in the xxij. yeare of the raigne of kyng Henry the eight.
Tyndall.
NOw let vsus examine the I deſcriptiō of God.partes of this Teſtament ſentence by ſentēce. Firſt to commit our ſelues to God aboue all, is the firſt of all preceptes, & the firſt ſtone in the foundatiō of our faith, that we beleue & put our truſt in one God, one all true, one almighty, all good, & all mercifull, cleauing faſt to his truth, might, mercy, and goodnes, ſurely certified & fully perſuaded, that he is our God, yea ours, & to vsus all true, without all falſhead & guile & can not fayle in his promiſes. And to vsus almighty, that his will can not be let to fulfill all ye truth that he hath promiſed vsus. And to vsus all good, and all mercyfull, what ſoeuer we hauehave done, and how ſoeuer greuouſly we hauehave treſpaſſed, ſo that Ieſus Chriſt the onelyonly way to his father.we come to hym the way that he hath appointed, which way is Ieſus Chriſt onelyonly, as we ſhal ſee folowingly. This firſt clauſe then, is the firſt commaūdement, or at the leaſt, the firſt ſentēce in the firſt commaundement, and the firſt Article of our Crede.
And that this truſt and confidēce in the mercy of God is thorough Ieſus Chriſt, is the ſecōd article of our Crede confirmed and teſtified throughout all ſcripture. That Chriſt bringeth vsus into this grace, Paule proueth. Rom. v. ſaying. Iuſtified by fayth we are at peace with God, through Ieſus Chriſt our Lord: by whom we hauehave an entryng in vntounto this grace in which we ſtand. And Epheſ. iij. By whom ſayth Paule we hauehave a bold entring in, thorough the fayth that is in him: and in the ſecond of the ſayd Epiſtle, By him we hauehave an entring in vntounto the father, and a litle before in the ſame Chapter, he is our peace. And Iohn in the firſt Chapter. Behold the Lambe of God whiche taketh away the ſinne of the world, which ſinne was the buſh that ſtopped the entryng in, and kept vsus out, & the ſword wherewith was kept the entryng vntounto the tree of lyfe from Adam and all his ofſpryng.
And in the ſecond of the firſt of Peter, which bare our ſinnes in his body, and by whoſe ſtripes we are made whole. By whom we hauehave redemptiō through his bloud euen the forgeuenes of our ſinnes, Colloſ. i. & Epheſ. i. And Rom. iiij. He was deliuered for our ſinnes and roſe agayne for our iuſtifyeng.
And concernyng the reſurrection, it The belefe of the reſurrection is an article of our faithis an article of our fayth, and proued there ſufficiently, and that it ſhalbe by the power of Chriſt, is alſo the open Scripture.
Iohn vj. This is the will of my father which ſent me, that I loſe nothing of all that he hath geuen me, but that I rayſe it vp agayne in the laſt day, and agayn, I am the reſurrectiō. Iohn. xi.
That this liuely faith is ſufficient to Fayth is ſufficient to iuſtifie vsus.iuſtification without addyng to of any more helpe, is this wiſe proued: The promiſer is God of whom Paul ſayth, Rom. viij. If God be on our ſide what matter maketh it who be agaynſt vsus, he is thereto all good, all mercyfull, all true, and all mighty, wherfore ſufficiēt to be beleued by his othe, more ouer Chriſt in whom the promiſe is made hath receaued all power in heauen and in earth. Math. the laſt.
He hath alſo a perpetuall Prieſthode, and therfore able perpetually to ſaue. Heb. vij.
And that there is but one mediatour Chriſt the onelyonly mediatour betwene God and man.Chriſt, as Paul. i. Tim. ij. And by that word vnderſtand an attonemaker, a peace maker and brynger into grace and fauour, hauyng full power ſo to do. And that Chriſt is ſo, is proued at the full. It is written Iohn. iij. The father loueth the ſonne, and hath geuē all into his hand.
And he that beleueth the ſonne hath euerlaſtyng lyfe and he that beleueth not the ſonne ſhall not ſee lyfe, but the wrath of God bydeth vponupon hym. All things are geuē me of my father. Luke x. And all who ſoeuer call on the name of the Lord ſhalbe ſaued. Actes. ij. Of his fulnes hauehave we al receaued, Ioh. i. There is no other name geuen to mā in which we muſt be ſaued. Actes. iiij. And agayne, vntounto his name beare all the Prophets record, that by his name ſhall all that beleue in him receaue remiſſion. Actes. x. In hym dwelleth all the fulnes of God bodely. Colloſ. ij. All what ſoeuer my father hath are myne. Iohn. xvj. What ſoeuer ye aſke in my name that will I do for you Iohn. xiiij. One Lord, one fayth, one Baptiſme, one God and father of all, which is aboue all, through all and in you all. Epheſ. iiij. There is but one whoſe ſeruaunt I am, to do his will. But one that ſhall pay me my wages, there is but one to whom I am boūde, Ergo, but one that hath power ouer me to dāne or ſaue me, I will adde to this Paules Argument Balat. iij. GOD ſware vntounto Abraham. cccc. yeare before Argumēto prouyng our ſaluation in Chriſt.the law was geuen, that we ſhould be ſaued by Chriſt. Ergo, the law geuen cccc. yeares after can not diſanull that couenaunt, So diſpute I: Chriſt whē he had ſuffered his paſſiō, and was riſen agayne and entred into his glory, was ſufficient for his Apoſtles, without any other meane or helpe, Ergo, the holynes of no Saint ſince hath diminiſhed ought of that his power, but that he is as full ſufficient now: for the promiſe is as deepely made to vsus as to them. Moreouer the treaſure of his mercy was layde vp in Chriſt for all that ſhould beleue, yer the world was made, Ergo, nothyng that hath happened ſence hath chaunged the purpoſe of the inunuariable God.
Moreuer to exclude the blynd imagination The falſe fayth of the downe falling ſinner.falſely called fayth, of them that geue them ſelues to vice without reſiſtence, affirmyng, that they hauehave no power to do otherwiſe, but that God hath ſo made them, and therfore muſt ſaue them, they not entendyng or purpoſing to mende their liuyng, but ſinning with whole conſent and full luſt, he declareth what fayth he meaneth ij. maner of wayes. Firſt by that he ſaith, who ſoeuer beleueth and is Baptiſed, ſhalbe ſaued. By which wordes he declareth Fayth in the promiſe betwene …od and…our ſoules.euidently, that he meaneth that faith, that is in the promiſe made vponupon the appointmēt betwene God and vsus, that we ſhould kepe his law to the vttermoſt of our power, that is, he that beleueth in Chriſt for the remiſſion of ſinne, and is Baptiſed to do the will of Chriſt, and to kepe his law, of louelove, & to mortify the fleſh, that man ſhalbe ſaued: and ſo is the imagination of theſe ſwyne that will not leaue wallowyng thē ſelues in eueryevery myre and puddell, cleane excluded: for God neuer made Gods promiſes hauehave couenaūtes annexed vn to them, the breakers▪ …herof are …luded … the promiſe.promiſe but vponupon an appointment or couenaunt vnderunder whiche who ſoeuer wil not come can be no partaker of the promiſe. True fayth in Chriſt, geueth power to louelove the law of God: for it is written Iohn the firſt, He gaue them power to be the ſonnes of God in that they beleue in his name. Now to be the ſonne of God, is to louelove righteouſnes, and hate vnrighteouſnes and ſo to be like thy father. Haſt thou then no power to louelove the law? ſo haſt thou no fayth in Chriſtes bloud. And Rom. iij. We ſet vp or mainteine the law thorough fayth, why ſo? for the preachyng of fayth miniſtreth the ſpirit. Gala. iij. And ij. Cor. iij. And the ſpirite lowſeth the bandes of Sathan, & geueth power to louelove the law, and alſo to do it.
For ſayth Paul Rom. viij. if the ſpirite of him that rayſed vp Ieſus dwell in you, then will he that rayſed vp Ieſus quickē your mortall bodyes by the meanes of his ſpirite dwelling in you.
A well (wilt thou ſay) if I muſt profeſſe An obiection of our aduerſaries againſt iuſtificatiō by fayth.the law and worke, Ergo, fayth alone ſaueth me not. Be not deceaued with ſophiſtrie: but withdraw thyne eares from wordes and conſider the thyng in thyne hart. Fayth iuſtifieth thee: that is bringeth remiſſion of all A compendious declaration of our iuſtification by fayth.ſinnes, and ſetteth thee in the ſtate of grace before all workes, and getteth thee power to worke yer thou couldeſt worke, but if thou wilt not go backe agayne, but continue in grace, and come to that ſaluation and glorious reſurrection of Chriſt, thou muſt worke and ioyne workes to thy fayth in will, and dede to, if thou hauehave tyme and leaſure, and as oft as thou falleſt ſet thee on thy fayth agayn without helpe of workes. And although when thou art reconciled & reſtored to grace, woorkes be required: yet is not that reconcilyng and grace the benefite of the workes that folow: but cleane contrary, that forgeuenes of thy ſinnes and reſtoryng to fauour deſerue the workes that folow. Though whē the kyng (after that ſentence A ſimilitude of an earthly kyng pardonyng a condemned perſon.of death is geuen vpō a murtherer) hath pardoned hym, at the requeſt of ſome of his frendes, workes be required of him that he hencefoorth kepe the kynges lawes, if he will continue in his graces fauour, in which he now ſtandeth, yet the benefite of his lyfe procedeth not of the deſeruyng of the workes that folow, but of the kynges goodnes, and fauour of his frēdes, yea and that benefite and gift of his life deſerue the workes that folow. Though the father chaſtiſe the child, yet is the child no leſſe bounde to obey, and to do the will of the father. If when the father pardoneth it, the workes that folow deſerue that fauour, then muſt the woorkes that folowed the correction hauehave deſerued fauour alſo: and then was the father vnrighteous to chaſtiſe it. All what ſoeuer thou art able to do, to pleaſe God with all, is thy duty to do, though thou haddeſt neuer ſinned, if it be thy dutie how can it then be the deſeruyng of the mercy and grace that wēt before? Now that mercy, was the benefite of God thy father through the deſeruing of yt Lord Chriſt, which hath bought thee with y• price of his bloud.
And agayne when he ſayth that he purpoſeth to beſtow his good, to be accepted as fruites of faith, it is euident that hee meaneth that lyuyng fayth which profeſſeth the law of God, and is the mother of all good workes, yea and nurſe therto.
An other ca…illation whiche they might make in the ſecond part, where he admitteth no other mediatour but Chriſte onelyonly, nor will geue of hys goodes, to bynde any man to any fayned obſeruaunce for the helpe of hys ſoule, whē he were whole in the kingdome of Chriſt cleane deliuered both body and ſoule from the dominion of Sathan (as the Scripture teſtifieth all that dye in Chriſt to be) is this, they will ſay, that he held that none ſhould pray for him ſaue Chriſt, and that we be not bound to pray one for an other, nor ought to deſire the prayers of an other man: that he excludeth, in that he ſayth all other be but petitioners. By The prayer of the faythfull for his brother taking effect, thankes therefore mu… wholly bee attributed to the geuer.which wordes he plainly cōfeſſeth that other may and ought for to pray, and that we may and ought to deſire other to pray for vsus: but meaneth that we may not put our truſt and confidence in their prayer, as though they gaue of them ſelues that which they deſire for vsus in their petitions, and ſo geue them the thankes, & aſcribe to their merites that which is geuen vsus in the name of our maſter Chriſt, at the deſeruynges of his bloud. Chriſt is my Lord, & hath deſerued and alſo obteined power, to geue me all that can be deſired for me. And al that other deſire for me: this is deſired in Chriſtes name & geuē at the merites of his bloud. All the honour then, truſt, confidēce, and thankes, perteyne to him alſo. Some will haply ſay, how ſhould I deſire an other to pray for me, and not truſt to his prayer. Ʋerely euen as I deſire my neighbour All our helpe is frō aboue, for man can not helpe …ut when God prepareth hys hart.to helpe me at my neede, and yet truſt not to him. Chriſt hath commaū ded vsus to louelove ech other. Now when I go or deſire helpe, I put my truſt in God, and complaine to God firſt, and ſay, Loe father, I go to my brother, to aſke helpe in thy name, prepare the hart of him agaynſt I come: that hee may pitie me and helpe me for thy ſake &c. Now if my brother remember his duty & helpe me, I receaued it of God, and geue God the thankes which moued the hart of my brother & gaue my brother a courage to helpe me & wherwith to do it, and ſo hath holpe me by my brother. And I louelove my brother agayne and ſay: Loe father I went to my brother in thy name, and he hath holpe me for thy ſake: wherfore O father be thou as mercyful to him at his nede, as he hath ben to me for thy ſake, at my nede. Loe now as my brother dyd his dutie when he holpe me, ſo do I my dutie when I praye for hym agayne: and as I might not hauehave put my truſt and cōfidence in my brothers helpe, ſo may he not in my prayers. I am ſure that God will helpe me by his promiſe, but am not ſure that my brother wil helpe me, though it be his dutie, ſo am I ſure that God will heare me what ſoeuer I aſke in Chriſtes name by his promiſe, but am not ſure that my brother will pray for me, or that he hath a good hart to God.
No. But the Saintes in heauen cā not but pray and be hard, no more can the Saintes in earth, but pray and he heard neither. Moſes, Samuell, Dauid, Noye, Elias, Elizeus, Eſayas, Daniell, and all the Prophetes prayed and were heard: yet was none of thoſe wicked that would not put their truſt in God, accordyng to their doctrine and preachyng partaker of their prayers in the end. And as damnable as it Praying to Saintes is damnable.is for the poore to truſt in the riches of the richeſt vponupon earth, ſo damnable is it alſo to leaue the couenaunt made in Chriſtes bloud, and to truſt in the ſaint of heauē. They that be in heauē know the elect that truſt in Chriſtes bloud & profeſſe the law of God and for them onelyonly pray: and theſe wicked Idolaters whiche hauehave no truſt in the couenaunt of God, nor ſerue God in the ſpirite nor in the Goſpell of Chriſtes bloud, but after their blind Imagination, choſing them eueryman a ſondry Saint to be their Mediatour, to truſt to and to be ſaued by their merites, do the Saintes abhorre and defie. And their prayers and offeringes, are to the Saintes abhorre thē that pray vntounto them.Saintes as acceptable and pleaſaunt, as was the prayer and the offeryng of Symon Magus to Peter. Act. viij.
Moreouer the Saintes in their moſt combraunce are moſt comforted & moſt able to comfort other, as Paule teſtifieth. i. Cor. i. In ſo much that S. Stephen and S. Iames prayed for them that ſlue them, S. Martine preached & comforted his deſperate brethren euen vntounto the laſt breath, & likewiſe (as ſtories make mention) dyd innumerable mo. Yea and I hauehave knowen of ſimple vnlearned perſons & that of ſome that were great ſinners which at the houre of death hauehave fallen flat on the bloud of Chriſt, and geuen no rowme to other mens either prayers or preachynges: but hauehave as ſtrongly truſted in Chriſtes bloud, as euer dyd Peter or Paul, and hauehave therto preached it to other, & exhorted other ſo mightly that an aungell of heauen could not mende them. Who then ſhould reſiſte God that he might not geue the ſame grace to M. Tracie, which was a learned man, and M. Tracie ſtudious in S. Auſten.better ſene in the workes of S. Auſtē. xx. yeare before hee dyed, then euer I knew Doccour in England, but that hee muſt then faint and ſhrincke, whē moſt neede is to be ſtrong, & feare the Popes Purgatory & truſt to the prayer of Prieſtes dearely payd for? I dare ſay that he prayed for the Prieſtes whē he dyed, that God would conuert a great many of them, and if hee had knowen of any good man amōg them that had neded, he would hauehave geuen, and if hee had knowen of any lacke of prieſtes, he would hauehave geuē to mainteine moe: But now ſence there be mo then inough, & hauehave more then eueryevery man a ſufficient liuyng, how ſhould he hauehave geuē them but to hyre their prayers of pure miſtruſt in Chriſts bloud? If robbyng of widowes houſes vnderunder pretence of long prayers be damnable. Math. xxiij. Then is it damnable alſo for widowes to ſuffer them ſelues to be robbed by the long pattering of hypocrites, through miſtruſt in Chriſtes bloud: yea and is it not damnable to mainteine ſuch abhomination? Now when this dāuation is ſpread ouer all, how can we geue thē that hauehave inough already, or how can they that hauehave inough already take more vnderunder the name of praying, & not harden the people more in this dāuable damnation.
And concernyng the burieng of his body he allegeth S. Auſten, neither is there any man (thinke I) ſo mad to affirme that the outward pompe of the body ſhould helpe the ſoule. Moreouer what greater ſigne of infidelitie is there, then to care at the tyme of death, with what pompe the carkaſſe ſhalbe caried to the graue? He denieth not but Burials muſt be ce…brated honorably for the hope of our reſurrection.that a Chriſten man ſhould be honorablie buried namely for the honour and hope of the reſurrection, and therefore committed that care to his deare executours his ſonne and his wife, which he wiſt would in that part do ſufficiēt, & leaue nothyng of the vſe of the countrey vndone, but the abuſe.
And that beſt awyng of a great part of his goodes (while be yet lyued) vppon the poore, to be thankefull for the mercy receiued, without bying and ſellyng with God, that is, without byndyng thoſe poore vntounto any other appointed One muſt pray for an other, and one helpe an other.prayers then God hath bound vsus already, one to pray for an other, one to helpe an other, as he hath helped vsus, but paciently abidyng for the bleſſynges that God hath appoynted vntounto all maner good workes, truſtyng faythfully to his promiſe, thanking (as ye may ſee by his wordes) the bloud of Chriſt for the reward promiſed to hys woorkes and not the goodnes of the workes as though he had done more then his dutie, or all that: And aſſigned by writyng vntounto whom an other part ſhould be diſtrubuted, and geuyng the reſt to hys executours, that no ſtrife ſhould be, whiche executours were by right the heyres of all that was left to thē: Theſe things I ſay are ſignes euident A true Chriſtian feareth not the Popes Purgatory.not onelyonly of a good Chriſten mā, but alſo of a perfect Chriſten man, and of ſuch a one as needed not to be agaſt and deſperate for feare of the paynfull paynes of Purgatory, whiche who ſo feareth as they fayne it can not but vtterly abhorre death: ſeyng that Chriſt is there no longer thy Lord, after he hath brought thee thether, but art excluded from his ſatiſfaction, and muſt ſatiſfie for thy ſelfe alone, and that with ſufferyng payne onelyonly, or els taryeng the ſatiſfieng of them that ſhall neuer ſatiſfie inough for them ſelues, or gapyng for the Popes pardons, whiche hauehave ſo great doubtes and daungers, what in the mynde and intent of the graunter, and what in the purchaſer, yer they can be truly obteyned with all due circumſtaūces, and much leſſe certitude that they hauehave any authoritie at all. Paule thriſted to be diſſolued & to be with Chriſt: Stephen deſired Chriſt to take his ſpirite, the Prophetes alſo deſired God to take their ſoules from them, and all the Saintes went with a luſty courage to death, neither fearyng or teachyng vsus to feare any ſuch crudelitie. Where hath the Churche then gotten authoritie to binde vsus from beyng ſo perfite, from hauyng any ſuch fayth in the goodnes of God our Father, and Lorde Chriſt, and to make ſuch perfitues and fayth of all hereſies the greateſt?
Salomō ſaith in the xxx. of his Prouerbes, three things are inſaciable and the fourth ſayth neuer, It is inough. But there is a fift called dame anarice, with as greedy a gutte; as meltyng a Couetouſnes pretely deſcribed.maw, as wyde a throate, as gapyng a mouth, and with as rauenyng teeth as the beſt, which the more ſhe eateth the hongryer ſhe is. An vnquiet euill neuer at reſt, a blynd monſter and a ſurmiſyng beaſt, fearyng at the fall of eueryevery leafe. Quid non mortalia pectora cogis, auri ſacrafames? What doth not that holy hunger compell them that louelove this world inordinatly, to committe? might that deuils belye be once full, truth ſhould hauehave audience, and wordes be conſtcued a right, and takē in the ſame ſence as they be ment.
Though it ſeme not impoſſible haply that there might be a place, where the ſoules might be kept for a ſpace, to be taught and inſtruct: yet that there ſhould be fitch a Iayle as they Iangle, and ſuch faſhions as they fayne, is playne impoſſible and repugnaunt to the Scripture: for when a man is trāſlated veterly out of the kyngdome of Sathan, and ſo confirmed in grace that he can not ſinne, ſo burnyng in louelove that his luſt can not be plucked from Gods will, and beyng partaker with vsus of all the promiſes of God and vnderunder the commaundemētes: what could God graunteth all thynges to the faythfull.be denyed hym in that deepe innocencie of hys moſt kynde father, that hath left no mercy vnpromiſed, and aſkyng it thereto in the name of his ſonne Ieſus, the child of his hartes luſt, whiche is our Lord & hath left no mercy vndeſerued for vsus? namely when GOD hath ſworne that he will put of righteouſnes, and be to vsus a father, and that of all mercy, and hath ſlayne his moſt deare ſonne Ieſus, to confirme hys othe.
Finally ſeyng that Chriſtes louelove taketh all to the beſt, and nothing is here that may not be wel vnderſtanded (the circumſtances declaryng in what ſence all was ment) they ought to hauehave interpreted in charitably, if ought had bene founde doubtefull or ſeemyng to ſound amyſſe. Moreouer if any thyng had ben therin that could not hauehave ben taken well, yet their part had bene to hauehave interprete it as ſpoken of idlenes of the head, by the reaſon of ſickeneſſe, for as much as the man was vertuous, wiſe, and well learned, and of good fame, and report, and ſounde in the fayth whyle he was a lyue. But if they ſay he was ſuſpect when he was a lyue, then is their doyng ſo much the worſſe, and to bee thought that they feared hys doctrine when hee was a lyue, and miſtruſted their owne part, their conſciēces teſtifyeng to them that he held no other doctrine thē that was true, ſeyng they then neither ſpake nor wrote agaynſt him, nor brought hym to any examinatiō. Beſides that, ſome mery felowes will thinke, that they ought firſt to hauehave ſent to him to wyt whether he would hauehave reuoked, yet they had ſo deſpitefully burnt the dead body, that could not aunſwere for it ſelfe, nor interprete his wordes, how he ment them, namely the man beyng of ſo worſhypfull and aunciēt a bloud. But here will I make at end deſiryng yt reader to loke on this thing with indifferent eyes, and iudge whether I hauehave expoūded the wordes of this Teſtamēt as they ſhould ſeme to ſignifie, or not, iudge alſo whether the maker therof ſeme not by his worke both vertuous and godly: whiche if it ſo bee, thinke that he was the worſſe bycauſe the dead body was burnt to aſhes, but rather learne to know the great deſyre that hypocrites hauehave to finde one craft or other to daſe the truth with, & cauſe it to be counted for hereſie of the ſimple and vnlearned people whiche are ſo ignoraunt they can not ſpye theyr ſutteltie, it muſt nedes be hereſie that toucheth Papiſtes burne both quicke and dead if they touch their roten ſores.any thyng their rotten byle they wil hauehave it ſo who ſoeuer ſay nay: onelyonly the eternall God muſt be prayed to night & day to amende them in whoſe power it onelyonly lyeth. Who alſo graunt thē once earneſtly to thirſt his true doctrine contained in the ſweete and pure fountaines of hys Scriptures and in his pathes to direct their wayes.
AMEN. Here endeth the Expoſition of Maſter Tracies will, by William Tyndall.