Whole Works, Tract 9
That it is lawfull for all maner of men to read the holy Scripture.
HOw can Antichriſt bée better knowen, then by thys token, that hée condemneth Scriptures, and maketh it hereſie and high treaſon againſt the kynges grace for lay men to reade holy ſcripture. As though it were alonely a poſſeſſion and an heritage of certayne men that bée marked alonely with exteriour ſignes, and the truth to ſay wyth the token of the beaſte: as with ſhauē crownes, long gownes The Pope and his cleargie wil not allow yt ſcripture to bee in yt mother & vulgar tongue of yt people.and baners about their neckes. They that hauehave theſe tokens bée the heyres of holy Scriptures, and may reade it at their pleaſure, though they vnderſtand as much as a Popingaye. But holy Scripture, that is ſent vsus from heauen, yea and that by the ſonne of God, to deſtroy all hereſies: this holy ſcripture ſhall ingender in lay men hereſie: If this bée not the doctrine of Antichriſt, I know not hys doctrine. Tell mée what can bée more contrary to Chriſt, then by violence to oppreſſe the ſcriptures, and to cōdemne them as vnlawfull, yea and as hereſie, for certaine men to reade, and to ſay that there bée certayne ſecrettes in them that belonge not for lay mē to know. And that this thing ſhall not bée denyde (for I know they bée ſlipper that I hauehave to doe wyth, and there is no holde of them) therefore wyll I recite an open acte that all the worlde doth remember.
My Lord of Londō opēly at Pauls This was Byſhoppe Stokeſley.croſſe was not aſhamed with intollerable blaſphemes to condemne the holy teſtament of Chriſt Ieſus hauing A common practiſe of Prelates to deface the ſcriptures.for hym, but a damnable collour and and a deadly reaſon of the deuill, that was, how there were in the tranſlation ſo many hereſyes, that all yt world knoweth that it was abhominable & and a deadly lye, though it were a lordly lye. But ſuch probations doth God all wayes let them hauehave, that bée agaynſt his holy veretye. But let vsus graunt that that tranſlation was ſo falſe. Why dyd not you there take vponupon The cleargie were more willing to finde faulte wyth the tranſlating of the Scripture then to amende it.you openly for to amend it and to ſet forth truely the holy teſtament of Chriſt. You muſt néedes graunt that there is an holy teſtament of his in earth (except you will denye Chriſt as I doubt not but that you will in effect) Wheare is it? Why hauehave we it not? If that weare not it? Why doe not you ſet yt very true teſtament out. You were ready to condemne an other W. Tyndalmans faythfull labour and dilygence: but you had no charytie to amende it. You thinke alwayes to diſceaue the world with your holy hypocriſy. Men bée not ſo blinde but that they can well indge, If you had condemned that teſtament all onelyonly béecauſe of errours, yet at yt leaſt wayes you ſhould both of charitie, and alſo of dutye hauehave ſet forth the trew text, and then would men hauehave thought, yt you condemned the other by the reaſon of errours. But men may now euydently ſée, yt you dyd not condemne it for errours ſakes, (For how ſholde they iudge errours that bée ſo vnlearned) but all onelyonly béecauſe that the veritie was there in, yt which you could The onelyonly cauſe why the Scriptures were condemned by the Byſhops.not abyde that men ſhould knowe: & that dyd the proceſſe of your ſermon and alſo your tyranny that doth folow wil proue. But my Lord I ſay to you, and to all yours if you doe not amend it ſhall bée to your eueralſting damnacyon: for God will not take this rebuke at your hand. Remember that hée hath ſworne (by the mouth of hys Eſay. 61.Prophet) by hys right hand, and by the myght of his ſtrength, that hée wil defende this cauſe. Bée not theſe lordly wordes, of the eternall God, think you to make hym forſworne? Remember how the holy ghoſt threatyneth you in an other place ſaying, if a man Hebr. 10.dyd diſpiſe the lawe of Moſes, hée muſt without any mercy dye. Howe much more are they worthy of puniſhment, that doe treade the ſonne of God vederneath their féete, and deſpiſe the bloud of his teſtament. How thinke you is not this openly agaynſt you, that condemne not all onelyonly Chriſt, but alſo his bleſſed worde, & all that longeth to hym, Take awaye Chriſtes word, and what remayneth béehynde of Chriſt? nothing at all. I The words of God was firſte written to all nations and people, and not to prieſtes onelyonly.pray you my Lorde to whome was this worde fyrſt preached? to whome was this written? all onelyonly to prieſtes and not vntounto lay men? yea was it not written to all the worlde? yes truely. Wherby will you conuerte a Turke or an Infidell, not by holy Scripture? When they bée conuerted, what wil you learne them? what wyll you géeue them to reade, any other thing then holy Scripture? I thinke nay. Now will you make your owne countreymen, your owne citizens, your owne ſubiectes, yea your owne brethren, redéemed with Chriſtes bleſſed bloud, worſſe then Iewes and Infidels? But there is no reaſon, nor no brotherhod, nor no Chriſten charitie that can mooue you, or that can helpe you, for you are ſo blynded and ſo obſtinate againſt Chriſt, that you had rather all the worlde ſhoulde periſhe, then his doctrine ſhoulde bee brought to light: but I doe promyſe you, if God doe ſpare mée lyfe, and géeue mée grace, I ſhall ſo ſet it out, if you doe not reuoke it, that it ſhall bée to your vtter ſhame and confuſion: finde the beſt remedye that you can. I doe beléeue ſtedfaſtly, that god is mightier then you: and I doe recken The Byſhoppes worſe then the great Turke.and faythfully beléeue, that you are ten tymes worſſe then the greate Turke: for hée regardeth no more but rule and dominiō in this worlde: and you are not therewyth content, but you will alſo rule ouer mēs conſconſciences, yea and oppreſſe Chriſt and his holy worde, and blaſpheme and condemne his worde. Was it A worſhyp full counſell of an vnpreachyng Prelate.not a holy connſell of the Chaunceler of London, to counſell a certaine marchaunt to buye Robyn hoode for his ſeruauntes to read? What ſhould they doe wyth vitas patrum, and with bookes of holy Scripture? Alſo the ſame Chauncelour ſayde to an other man: what findeſt thou in the Goſpell but a ſtory? what good canſt thou take there out.
O Lord God where art thou? why The earneſt zeale of Doctour Barnes.ſléepeſt thou? why ſuffereſt thou this blaſphemy. Thou haſt defended thy Prophetes with wild fire from heauen, and wilt thou ſuffer thy onelyonly fonne and thy heauenly word, thus to bée deſpiſed, and to bée reckened but as a ſtory of Robin hoode. Riſe vp good Lorde. Riſe vp, thy enemyes doe preuayle. Thy enemyes doe multiplye, ſhew thy power, defend thy glory. It is thy contumely and not ours, what hauehave we to doe with it but alonely to thy glory. Reuenge this cauſe or thy enemyes ſhall recken it not to bée thy cauſe. O thou eternall God thoughe our ſinnes hauehave deſerued this, yet looke on thy name, yet looke on thy veritie. Sée howe thou art mocked. Sée how thou art blaſphemed, yea & that by them, that hauehave taken on them to defend thy glory. But now heauenly father, ſéeyng that thou haſt, ſo ſuffered it: yet for the glory of thy name, geue ſome man ſtrength to defend it, or els ſhalt thou bée clearely taken out of the hartes of all men. Wherefore moſt gracious Lord, of thy mercy and grace I beſéech thée, that I may hauehave the ſtrength to defend thy godly word to thy glory and honour, and to the vtter confuſion of thy mortall enemyes. Helpe good Lorde helpe, and I ſhall not feare a thouſande of thyne enemyes. In thy name will I begyn to defend this cauſe.
Firſt commeth thy faythfull ſeruaunt Doctour Barnes moſt earneſtly defē deth Chriſtes cauſe.Moſes, true and iuſt in all thy workes, and hée commaundeth faithfully & truely, with great threatnings that man, woman and child ſhould diligently read thy holy word: ſaying. Set your harts on all my wordes the which that I doe teſtifie vntounto you this day, that you may commaunde them vntounto your children, to kéepe, to doe, & to fulfill all thynges that bée written in the booke of this law. Marke how hée commaūded them, to learne their children all thynges that bée written in this booke, and ſo to learne thē that Deut. 32.they might kéepe and fulfill all things that were written in yt booke: Moſes made nothing of ſecretnes, & will you make ſecretes therin? how ſhall men fulfill thoſe wordes that they knowe not. How can men knowe the very true way of God & hauehave not the word of God: is not all our knowledge therin? The Prophet ſayth, thy word is a lanterne vntounto my féete and a light vntounto my pathes. Hée calleth it a lanterne Pſal. 118.and light, yea and that vntounto all men: and you call it but a ſtory, darkenes, and a thyng of ſecretnes, yea and occaſion of hereſie, how can the occaſion of darknes geue light, how can a lanterne bée a thing of ſecretnes, how can the veritie of God bée occaſion of hereſie? The holy Prophet ſayth, bleſſed Pſal. 1.is the man that ſetteth his delectation The Pope and Chriſt are contrary.in the will of God, and his meditation in Gods law night and day. Here ſayeth the ſpirite of God, that men bee bleſſed, that ſtudy the word of God: and you ſay that men bée heretickes for ſtudying of it. How doth the ſpirite of God and you agrée?
Alſo S. Paule commaundeth vsus to Epheſ. 6.receiue the helmet of health, and the ſword of the ſpirite, the whiche is the worde of God. I pray you to whom doth hée here ſpeake? to Prieſtes onelyonly? How many of your Prieſtes dyd hée knowe? yea was not this Epiſtle written to the whole Churche of the Epheſians? And dyd not they read it? were not they lay men: and why ſhall not our lay men read, that they red? Moreouer doth not Paule call it the ſword of the ſpirite: is it not lawfull for lay men to hauehave the ſpirit of God? Or is the ſpirite of God not frée but bound alonely to you. Alſo S. Iohn A godly ſaying of S. Ihon.ſayth, if any man come to you & bring not this doctrine, receiue him not into your houſe nor yet ſalute hym. Here the holy ghoſt would we ſhould hauehave no other doctrine, but holy ſcripture: and you will take it alonely from vsus. Furthermore this was written vntounto a woman and to her children and you will yt no other man, wyfe nor childe ſhall reade it. But if we ſhould receiue your Prieſtes into our houſes, after this rule: I thinke we ſhould not bée greatly cōbered with them, for their are few of them that hauehave this word. Alſo our M. Chriſt ſaith vntounto the phareſies, ſearch you ſcriptures, for in them you thinke to hauehave eternall life. Our Maiſter ſent the Phariſies to The Phariſies iudged better of the ſcriptures of God, then our Byſhops dyd.ſcriptures, and you forbyd Chriſten men to reade them: who had a worſe ſprite then they? and yet they iudged better of holy ſcriptures thē you doe. For they iudged to hauehave lyfe in thē, & you iudge to hauehave hereſyes in thē: ſo that you bée ten tymes worſe to ſcriptures, thē euer were they. Alſo Paule ſaith, all ſcripture geuen by inſperation 1. Tim. 3.of God is profitable to teach, to improoue, to enforme, io enſtruct in righteouſnes, that the man of God may bée perfect, and prepared vntounto all good workes. You will not denye but but ſcripture is geuē vsus of God? Ergo it foloweth. &c. S. Paul ſaith it is profitable to learne with: and you ſay that it is dawnable & good to learn heriſes with. S. Paule ſayth it is good to improoue Papiſtes & S. Paule are contrarye.hereſyes, and you ſay it engendereth hereſyes. S. Paule ſayth it is good to informe, and to inſtruct righteouſnes: and you ſay to enforme hereſies. S. Paule ſayth that the man of God may be perfect by it, and you ſay that the Prieſtes al onelyonly ſhal hauehave it, ſo that you play ouerthwart with. S. Paule in all thinges. Alſo S. Paule ſayth, you may all interpretate ſcripture, one by one, that all men may learne, and all men may hauehave comfort, but let your wynes kéepe ſylence in the congregation. Marke how that all men may propheſye: which S. Auguſtine doth declare, for interpretating Scriptures. Therefore, it belongeth not all onelyonly to prieſtes. Alſo hée ſayth that women muſt hold their peace, which hée néede not to cō maund if they were vnlearned.
Furthermore hée will that womē ſhall learne of their huſbāds at home: How ſhall their huſbandes learne them if they bée vnlearned thēſelues? Alſo S. Paule geueth teſtimony of 2. Tim. 3.Tymothy that hée was learned in holy ſcriptures, from his childhode, the which were able to inſtruct hym vntounto ſaluatiō, by fayth that is in Chriſt Ieſu. Here you not how Tymothe was learned in holy ſcriptures béefore hée was eyther prieſt or byſhop, yea being but a childe? the which as S. Paule ſayth, weare able to enſtruct hym, and you ſay they bée able to condemne mē. Is not this cleane cōtrary againſt S. Paule: are you not aſhamed? What works ſhall Antichriſt doe more cōtrary to Chriſt thē theſe bée? let all chriſtē One of the chiefeſt workes of Antichriſt is to condemne the ſcriutures of God.men write the déedes of Antechriſt & they muſt all agrée in this that hée ſhal condemne ſcripture. But that ſhall be not doe, without ſome colour of right and of holynes: and you condemne it hauyng no colour, nor no ſhadow of holynes, but all onelyonly reaſon of fleſhlynes, and of ſtarke madnes. Thinke you if the great Turk would receaue ſuch reaſons as yours bée, yea and a great deale better agaynſt hys Mahomet, that hée coulde raigne ſo long as hée hath done.
Nay doubtles, and yet you loke to bée alowed agaynſt Chriſt, the ryght ſonne of God (yea and that of Chriſten men) which coulde not bée hard agaynſt mahomet.
Alſo our M. Chriſt commaundeth his Apoſtles that they ſhould preach y• Mar. vlt. Mat. vlt.Goſpell vntounto all creatures, & as Mathew ſayth, that they ſhould teach mē to kéepe all manner of things that hée hath cōmaunded them: Marke that the Goſpell, muſt bée preached to all manner of men not to prieſtes onelyonly, the Apoſtles muſt alſo learne to kéepe all thinges of the Goſpell, which they can not doe without they know them no if theſe thinges that the Apoſtles: dyd learne ſhould ingender or be any occaſion of hereſies, then the holy Apoſtles were occaſion (by theyr doctrine) of hereſies. Yea and that at the commaundement of our M. Chriſte, what néede the Apoſtles to learne vsus any thing that might bée occaſion of hereſie? were wée not in hereſie béefore they came? were wée not all diſpoſed of our nature vntounto all maner of miſchiefe? and yet after your learning they come and learne that thing that is occaſion of hereſie. But of your The Papiſtes are blaſphemers of Gods heauēly word.conſcience, are you not aſhamed, thus damnably to blaſpheme the heauenly worde of God? thus ſhamefully to cō demne Gods worde? thus preſumptuouſly to vndertreade the gifte of ye holy ghoſt? yea and that vnderunder the pretēce of holynes, & of Chriſtēdome, as though you dyd fauour Chriſt. Will you make Chriſt an auctor of hereſy, and that vnderunder the name of holynes: will you by your holynes, and your damnable hipocreſye, condemne our M. Chriſt, the auctor of all goodnes? But brieflye if you woulde teach nothing, but that which our M. Chriſt hath left to bée taught, we ſhould not hauehave ſo many heretykes as we hauehave. For nowe men bée no heretykes for ſpeking agaynſt Scripture (for you graunt that men ſpeak ſcripture) but for ſpeaking agaynſt your law: for ye cauſe bée they made heretykes, and by ye bée they proued heretykes. Now let eueryevery Chriſten man Iudge in hys conſcience if this bée right or lawfull. Is not this a merueilous thing, let a man liue in fornicatiō, in whoredome in theft, in murther, drunkennes, in extortyon, in bribery, briefly in all mā ner of miſchyfe, and you will hauehave nothing to doe with thē, you will ſcarſly reproue hym: yea hée ſhall bée a great officer vnderneath you, & greatly in your fauour. But let a man come and Papiſtes abyde the true preachers of the Goſpell.preach ye very true Goſpell of Chriſt, and thereby reprooue your damnable lyuy…g, and thē béegynneth hée to bée an heretycke, & it ſhall coſt you great labour, if you make hym not an heretyke in déede. And yet hauehave you nothing that you can reprooue in hym as concerning hys lyuyng, but all onelyonly that hée preacheth the Goſpell. Is not thys a merueilous heretyke? whoſe lyuyng you muſt néedes graunt to bée good. And alſo you can not prooue, but that his learning is of Chriſt: but all onelyonly that it pleaſeth you not: no you dare not take in hand to prooue it falſe but all onelyonly by vyol…ce you will condemne it. Thinke you that God will thus ſuffer? remember what hée ſayth by the holy Prophet: Thou haſt reproued Pſal. 9.the vnfaythfull people, & haſt deſtroyed the wicked, and takē away their name for euer. The Lorde hath prepared his trone of Iudgmēt, doubt you not but hée ſhal ſhortly reprooue you. His trone is ſet, & to the Iudgemēt muſt you come, where you ſhall neuer bée able to defēd this cauſe, but you muſt periſhe for euer. But here will you ſay that you preach the Goſpell to the people, and that is inongh: for they néede not to hauehave it in Englyſhe. I aunſwere, I pray you when was there any lawe that euer men were bounde to kéepe, but that it was geuen them in wrighting? I will not ſay that you doe not teach them the right Goſpell, for you know it not. But how are they able to beare away The euangeliſtes and Apoſtles did not onelyonly preache, but alſo wrote the Scripture that all mē might read it.that thing ye they doe but heare? And if they may heare it of you, why may they not alſo reade it? But looke on S. Luke that wrot his Goſpell that men might know for a certayne, thoſe thinges that they were informed of.
Moreouer why did y• Apoſtle write yea and that vntounto lay men, ſéeyng that they were ſo diligent in preachyng I dare boldly ſay as you bée▪ But let vsus ſée howe lay men were forbydden to read holy Scripture in the Apoſtles Actes. 17.tyme? The nobleſt of Theſſalonia, whiche receiued the worde, ſearched the Scriptures dayly, whether thoſe thinges that Paule preached were ſo or not, here hauehave you playne that lay men ſearched Scriptures to knowe whether Paules doctrine were true or not, and alſo how they read dayly Scriptures. And now come you and ſay that lay men ſhall read no Scriptures but alonely receiue thē of your Papiſtes preach lyes.preaching? What if you preache lyes (as it will bée prooued to your face that you doe) ſhall it not bee lawfull for them to ſearch Scriptures, but to learne your lyes?
Here will I recite how a great prelate of Chriſt Churche (the firſt letter of his name is Doct. Allen) did interpretate Dect. Alen expoundeth Scripture.and declare certaine places of Scripture, to the ghoſtly inſtruction of Chriſtes Churche as all men may iudge.
The firſt place was this a thrée fold cable is hard to breake, by this thrée fold cable, hée vnderſtode, the Reuerent father in God my Lorde Cardinall. The firſt fold was, that hée was A Popiſh Doctors interpretation.an Engliſhmā borne, the which was a ſtrong thing and hard to withſtand. The ſecond fold was that hée was Legate & that not after the common maner, but Legatus a latere, this is ſprōg out of the bleſſed ſide of our holy father the pope. This was a ſtrong fold and could not bée lightly broken. The thyrd ſold, hée was a Lord and that of the kinges counſel. This was a ſtrōg A fooliſh tale of a tubbe.fold, and all theſe thrée together dyd make ſo ſtrong a cable that no man within the Realme might breake it or withſtand it. I was ſore afrayde that hée ſhould hauehave reckened the noble & the royall bloud, that this thréefolde cable dyd ſpryng out of, then had it béen ſo ſtrong, that the ſtrongeſt Oxe in the butchers ſtall could not breake it. This expoſition dyd I here and ſat by hym, therefore I can teſtifie it the better.
The ſeconde Scripture was this from Syon ſhall come out a law, and The Papiſticall and vayne doctrine of Papiſtes.the word of God frō Ieruſalem. This did hée expounde on this maner. The commaundement of the moſt reuerēt father in God Lord Legate, is come from his highe Palace, and from his noble grace hither vntounto you.
The thyrde Scripture, was this Sumite Pſalmum & date tympanū, this dyd hée expounde on this maner, I hauehave done my viſitatiō, now geue me my money. How thinke you by this holy Doctour, and this Prelate of Chriſtes Church hath hée not wel declared holy Scripture, is hée not worthy to bée beléeured? What reaſō were it that lay men ſhoulde ſearche Scriptures, then might they reprooue this noble prelate? what order ware that? It were right if hée were well ſerued ye hée had a thréefold balter to ſtretche Authorities to prooue that the ſcriptures ought to bee in the mother toungue.him in. But by ſuch doctours as theſe bée, muſt the poore people bée ruled & if they wil ſearch for the veritie them ſelues, then muſt they bée heretickes bycauſe they will not beléeue theſe holy fathers. But let vsus procéede in our matter agaynſt theſe blaſphemers of Gods word: Priſcila & Aquila dyd expoūd Actes. 18.vntounto Apollo which was a great learned man y• perfite vnderſtanding of ſcriptures. Theſe were lay perſōs and yet were they ſo learned in ſcriptures yt they wer able to teach a great Doctour. And now lay men may not read Scriptures. This was alowed by Peter, and Paul. But their ſucceſſours will condemne it as hereſie.
Alſo Eunuches that was the treaſurer Acte. 8.vntounto the Quéene of the Ethiopians dyd read Eſay the Prophete. The whiche hée vnderſtode not, till God ſent him Philip to declare it vntounto him. This was a lay man, and alſo an infidell and yet was not forbidden of God to read Scriptures. But rather holpen to the vnderſtandyng of them and now will you forbid Chriſten mē, to read holy Scriptures, that are ſworne vntounto them, yea and alſo to defende them vntounto death.
Alſo S. Paule ſayth. Let the word Colloſ. 3.of God dwell in you plenteouſly. S. Paule woulde that lay men ſhoulde learne the worde of God, yea & that plenteouſly. And you commaunde that they ſhall hauehave nothinge of it. How ſtandeth your nothing wyth Saint Paules aboundaunce. Aboundantly, and nothing, bée farre a ſunder. But thus doe you alwayes agrée with S. Paule and with holy Scripture. And if you woulde ſay playnely in wordes that your déedes doe declare openly, then were wée in no The Pope and hys Clergy are the very …lntechriſtes.doubt of you: for all y• worlde woulde take you, as you bée taken béefore God, that is, for the Antichriſtes that the world looketh for. Neuertheleſſe, doubt you not, but God ſhall declare it openly at his time, to your vtter confuſion and damnation. For doubt leſſe you neither holde with Chriſt, with his holy doctours, nor yet with your owne lawe, where they bée againſt you: but all theſe muſt bée expounded and wroonge vntounto your carnall purpoſe, or els you make it hereſie. But thinke you that the father of heauen (which for the great tender louelove, that hée had to mans ſoule, ſent hys onelyonly ſonne to redéeme it, and alſo to géeue it a lawe to liue by, out of his owne mouth) ſhall thus ſuffer it loſte thorough your hypocriſie? and his godly worde to bée ouer frodden for the mayntaynyng of your worldly glory? Nay doubtles, for if it were poſſible that hée coulde more regarde your pompe and pride, then mans ſoule and his godly word: yet were it vnpoſſible that euer hée ſhould ſo diſpiſe the ſwéete bloude of his bleſſed ſonne ſwéete Ieſus. Wherefore looke vppon your charge.
But to our purpoſe, S. Auguſtine Auguſt. ad fratres. ſ. 3….is openly againſt you in theſe words. My brethren, reade holy Scripture in the which you ſhall finde what you ought to holde, and what you oughte to flye. What is a man reputed without learning? what is hée? Is hée not a ſhéepe or a Goate? Is hée not an Oxe or an Aſſe? Is hée any better thē an Horſſe or a Mule, the which hath no vnderſtandyng. &c.
Here S. Auguſtine moueth men to reade holy Scripture: and you commaunde them not to reade it. S. Auguſtine ſayth: they ſhal know in them what to doe, and what not to doe, & you ſay they ſhal learne nothing therout but hereſies, S. Auguſtine ſayth, a mā without learning of ſcriptures, is no better then a brute beaſt: are not you good fathers that will make all your childrē no better thē beaſtes? Alſo Athanaſius: If thou wilte that In epiſ. ad Epheſ. c. 6.thy children ſhall bée obedient vntounto thee, vſe them to the wordes of God. But thou ſhalt not ſaye that it béelongeth alonely to religious men to ſtudy Scriptures: but rather it béelongeth to eueryevery Chriſten man, and ſpecially vntounto hym that is wrapped in the buſineſſes of this worlde: and ſo much Scriptures reache the commaundementes of God.the more, becauſe hée hath more néede of helpe, for hée is wrapped in y• troubles of this worlde: therefore it is greatly to thy profite that thy children ſhould both heare and alſo reade holy Scriptures, for of them ſhall they learne thys commaundement: Honour thy father and thy mother. &c.
Theſe wordes bée playne inough againſt you, they néede no expoſition: And the doctour is of auctority, wherfore anſwere you to hym. Alſo Chriſoſtome In Gen. …. 9. ho 28.that was a Byſhop as well as you bée, cōdemneth your ſentence openly, ſaying: I béeſéeche you that A notable ſaying of S. Chriſoſtome.you will oftentimes come hither, and that you will diligently heare the leſſon of holy Scripture, and not alonely when you bée here, but alſo take in your handes when you are at home the godly Bibles, and receaue the thyng therein with great ſtudye, for thereby ſhall you hauehave great aduantage. &c.
Theſe wordes bée ſo plaine, that I can adde nothyng to them, woulde you that wée ſhoulde take you for byſhops, and for holy fathers, that bée ſo openly agaynſt Scripture, and ſo centrary to holy doctours? That will I neuer doe while I liue. I will neuer looke to ſée other Antichriſtes then you, and ſo will I take you, till I ſée almighty God conuerte you. Alſo the ſame doctour ſaith. Which of you all that bée here, (if it were required) coulde ſay one Pſalme without the I… Mat. c. … hom. 2.booke, or any other part of holy ſcripture, not one doubtles. But this is not alonely the worſte, but that you bée ſo ſlow and ſo remiſſe vntounto ſpirituall thinges, and vntounto deuilliſhneſſe you are hotter then any fier, but men will defende this miſchief, with this excuſe, I am no religious mā, I hauehave a wife and children, and a houſe to care for. This is ye excuſe wherewith The ſcripture is meete to bee knowen of all ſtates and ſortes of people.you doe (as it were with a peſtilence) corrupt all thinges: for you doe recken that the ſtudye of holy Scripture béelongeth alonely vntounto religious men, when they bée much more neceſſary vntounto you then vntounto them. &c.
Here may you ſée that your damnable inſtitution was in the hartes of men in Chriſoſtomes dayes, & howe they woulde reade no ſcriptures: but you ſée hée condemneth it, and calleth it a peſtilēce, and will you now bring it in agayne? If you had but a louſie ſtatute of your owne againſt mée, or an other man, you woulde call vsus hetikes. But you neither regarde Chriſtes holy worde, nor holy Doctours, nor yet any other thinge ye is agaynſt you. But let vsus ſée what your owne lawe ſaith to this: If Chriſt (as Paul Di. 38. Si iuxta.ſayth) bée the power and the wiſdome of God, thē to bée ignoraunt in ſcriptures, is as much as to bée ignoraunt of Chriſt. &c. Here hauehave you playnely that to take away ſcriptures from lay men, is as much as to take away Chriſt frō them, the which no doubt but that you doe intēde in your harts to doe, and that thing God knoweth, and your workes doe declare it, the which God ſhall aduenge full ſtraitly ouer you. Alſo in an other place. I will ſet my meditation in thy iuſtifications, 7. Sinod. c. Omnes et. d…. 38.and I will not forgette thy wordes, the which thing is excéeding good for all Chriſten men to obſerue and kéepe. &c.
Here is a counſell of your owne that hath admitted that all Chriſten The readyng of the Scripture allowed by a counſell.men ſhall ſtudy Scripture. And will you now condemne it? Is there neither Scripture of God, nor practiſe of Chriſtē men, nor expoſition of Doctours, nor your owne law, nor yet any ſtatute of counſels that will hold agaynſt you? You bée marueilous giantes, how ſhal a mā behaue him ſelfe to handle with you? it is not poſſible to ouercome you, for you wil admitte nothyng that is againſt you. But yet will I not ſo leue you, but I will firſt declare it manifeſtly, ye you bée cōtrary to Chriſt, and to all holy doctours. S. Hierome, reprooueth you very ſore in theſe wordes. O Paula and Euſtochium, if there bée any thyng in this In prohe. In Epiſt. ad Epheſ. Li. 1.life that doth preſerue a wiſe mā and doth perſuade him to abide with a good will in the oppreſſions and the thraldomes of the world, I doe reckē that ſpecially it is the meditations and the ſtudy of holy ſcripture, ſéeyng that we doe differre from other creatures ſpecially in that that we bée reaſonable & in that that we can ſpeake: now is reaſon and all maner of wordes cō teined in godly Scripture, whereby that we may learne to knowe God & alſo the cauſe wherefore we bée created. Wherfore I doe ſore marueile, y• there bée certein men the which geue thē ſelues, to ſlouthfulnes, & ſluggiſhnes and will not learne thoſe things, What benefites we may receaue by readyng of Scripture.that bée good, but recken thoſe men worthy to bée reprooued, that hauehave that good mynde. &c.
Marke how that this was written to two women that were learned. Alſo hée reckeneth nothyng better, then to ſtudy holy ſcriptures, hée alſo marueileth, that certaine will neither ſtudy Scriptures them ſelues nor yet let other mē ſtudy thē. It is well knowē, that theſe wordes pricke no men but you, and ye bée ſo ſlouthfull & ſo geuen to voluptuouſnes, that you your ſelues will not ſtudy Scriptures nor yet ſuffer other mē to ſtudy them: but if you doe ſtudy them, it is to deceiue your ſimple and poore brother there by, and to maintaine your abhominable liuing, with wroſtyng and wryngyng of them: other profite commeth there none of your ſtudy, as all the worlde knoweth. For you may not preach, but when you hauehave damnably condemned Chriſtes bleſſed word or els by violence, made ſome of your poore brethren heretickes: then come you with all your gorgious eſtate, pompe and pride, to out face Chriſt and your ſimple brother, with your outward dānable pride afore the face The great arrogancy, pride & tyranny that is in Papiſtes.of the world. But my Lordes, leue of your faſing and your braſing: for our Lord whoſe cauſe we defend agaynſt you, will at length not bée out faced. Remēber how the holy ghoſt prayeth againſt you ſaying: iudge them Lord, Pſal. 5.that they may fall from their cogitations: expell them Lord for they hauehave prouoked thée: doubte you not but this holy ſpirite will preuaile agaynſt you, though God ſuffer you for a ſeaſon, yet hath hée till this day defended him ſelfe & his godly wordes agaynſt all the proude crakyngs of the world: and thinke you that hée wil now take a fall at your hand? nay nay, hée ſhall firſt thruſt you out headlonge that all the world ſhall take example by you: this is my beléeue. For that word that you hauehave cōdemned doth thus learne me. Wherfore if you doe not reuoke the condemnation of the new Teſtament, and ordeine that all Chriſten men may read holy Scripture, you ſhal hauehave the greateſt ſhame that euer men had in this world: for you are neuer able to defend it by any meanes, nor by any power ye is in earth. And if all power in earth wil withſtand it, hée ſhall rather bryng them all to duſt and raiſe vp of ſtones newe rulers. You wormes meate, you ſtinking car Doctour Barnes is vehement.rion, you nouriſhmēt of hell fire, how dare, you thus preſume againſt your God omnipotent? whether will you flie to auoyde his daunger. Heauen & earth, water and fire, ſunne, moone, and ſtarres, ſaintes and angels, man and child, bée againſt you and holde you accurſed. What though the deuill laugh on you for a ſeaſon. Remember the ende, but God geue you hys grace, that I loſe not my labour about you.
But now let mée aſſoyle your carnall The Papiſtes firſt reaſon to prooue that lay men ought not to read Scriptures.reaſons that you bring for you. The fyrſt is this, euyll men doe take an occaſion of hereſy out of ſcriptures Wherfore it is beſt they hauehave it not. I aunſwere lykewiſe, good men doe take an occaſion of goodnes there of Ergo, the people ought to hauehave it: but will you condemne all thinges where by men doe take occaſion of euill? Thē muſt you fyrſt put out your own eyes for by them, take you occaſiō to ſée many idle thinges: you muſt alſo deſtroy your handes, your féete, your tongue, and al that you hauehave for theſe doe you myſuſe very often, you muſt alſo deſtroy your own harts whereby you hauehave not alonely occaſion of euil, but you doe thinke euil in very déede: you muſt alſo deſtroy all fayre womē, for of them take you ſore occaſions of euyll: you muſt alſo burne all your goodes and deſtroy all your riches, for of thē men take occaſion to be théeues Euill men will take occaſion of euill of eueryevery good thyng.and you to bée proud: you muſt alſo deſtroy all wynes, for of thē men take occaſiō to bée drōkē, you muſt deſtroy all meates, for they géeue mē occaſiō of gluttony, yea you muſte deſtroye the mercy of God, of the which euell men take boldenes in their myſchief. Briefly what is there ſo good a thing but that euell mē can take an occaſion of euill, yea and that of Chriſt hym ſelfe, as Saint Paule ſaith which vntounto 1. Cor. 1.the Iewes is offence, and vntounto the Gentyls occaſion of folyſhnes: & yet for al this you may not deſtroy Chriſt but hée muſt remayne ſtil, and ſo likewiſe the Goſpell: for though that the euell men (which will neuer bée good) receiue of it occaſion of euyll: yet ther bée many thouſandes ye receaue there by their ſaluation.
Now béecauſe the ſpider gathereth poyſō of ye good herbes, it were no reaſon therfore to deſtroy al good herbes. An other of your reaſōs: thrée bée certayne Math. 13.ſētences in ſcripture y• doe not belōg for eueryevery man to know, as our An other reaſon of the Papiſtes.M. Chriſt ſayth, vntounto you it is geuē to know, the miſteries of the kingdome of heauen, vntounto them it is not geuen. I aunſwere, whom meane you when you ſay, vntounto you it is geuen: if you meane that Apoſtles & all onelyonly there ſucceſſors, then may not you reade holy ſcripture, for you bée not the ſucceſſors of ye Apoſtles, by my Lord of Rocheſters auctorytie, but if you meane the Chriſtē people, that hauehave y• ſpirite of God, as our M. Chriſt ment, then bée you excluded, for you hauehave not the ſprite of God as ye effect doth declare, therfore you may not read ſcriptures. Marke alſo that our mayſter ſaith, vntounto you it is geuen, as who ſayth if it were not geuen you, you ſhoulde no more hauehave it then other men.
Now how can you proue that the vnderſtanding of ſcripture is geuen to you▪ but now to ye text: our Maiſter Chriſt ſpeaketh heare of the ſprituall, and the right vnderſtanding of holy ſcriptures, which is the gift of God onelyonly, and hée ſpeaketh not of ſtudying▪ or reading of holy ſcripture: for you hauehave in the ſame place, how that What is meant by this ſaying, to you, is geuen the true vnderſtyng and interpretation of ſcriptures.many dyd followe him, and heare his preaching, but yet they vnderſtoode him not. Therefore this text maketh directly againſt you, and your works doe declare that you bée the hearers & readers of the worde of God, but the vnderſtanding is not geuen you. But now wyllmy Lord of Rocheſter ſaye that you hauehave the very vnderſtanding as holy doctors had it, for though that ſcriptures in themſelues and of their owne nature bée plaineſt, & beſt to bée knowen, yet bée ye holy doctors playneſt vntounto vsus: wherefore hée that will vnderſtand ſcripture muſt fyrſt learne to vnderſtand the doctours, & they ſhal bring hym to the true vnderſtanding of holy ſcripture, or els hée muſt erre. I aunſwere: O my Lorde doe you wryte this with a ſafe conſcyence? thinke you y• you can diſcharge your conſcience béefore the dreadfull face of Chriſt with this triflyng diſtynction, Quedam ſunt notiora nobis, et quedam notiora naturae, I pray you if you wil proue that God were wiſe, would you béegin to proue it at your wiſedome? if you would proue that God were aliue, woulde you proue it by that y• you bée aliue? if you would perſwade a man to beléeue that there is a God, would you learne hym, that hée muſt néedes beléeue it, becauſe y• there bée creatures? Theſe thinges bée beſt knowen vntounto you, and if you woulde prooue that a man hath a true ſence of Scriptures, will you proue it, by that that hée hath the ſence of the doctours? What if ye doctours had taken a falſe and a contrary ſence, (this caſe is poſſible) would you therefore ſay that the ſence which the mā hath takē out of ſcripture is falſe. But I pray you my Lorde, after this this rule, how could men vnderſtand ſcriptures, in Peter & Paules dayes when there weare no doctours. But after your owne learning, that ſame Scotus. 11. Sent. di. 3. q. 3.ſcience which muſt proue the princypelles of other ſciences is fyrſt knowē actualiter, & diſtinctly. Now bée all the pryncipels of all other doctours proued …rew by holy ſcripture: therefore there is no ſaying nor expoſition of ho Scriptures muſt bee firſt knowen & therby you may iudge the opinion of the Doctours. whether they ſay right or not.ly doctours yt can bée perfectly knowē except that ſcripture bée fyrſt knowen this is your owne dyuynitie you can not denye it, wherefore if you will proue that you hauehave the verytie you muſt proue it, béecauſe you hauehave the ſence of holy ſcripture, and not the ſēce of holy doctours. But doubtles I hauehave great meruell, that my Lord of Rocheſter, is neyther aſhamed of mā, nor yet afrayde of the vengeance of God y• thus triflyth wt holy ſcripture.
Beſides this you hauehave an other A third reaſon of the Papiſtes.bauld reaſon, the Citie of London hath certeine priuileges and ſecrete counſels, it were no reaſon that all men ſhould know them, this was my Lorde of Londons reaſon at Paules croſſe, when hée condemned the new Teſtamēt. I aunſwere my Lord: ſay of your cōſcience, did you not ſpeake Coūſ…s are to bee kept ſecret, but the Scripture muſt bee made knowen to all men.theſe wordes to pleaſe my Lorde the Maior of London and his brethren? But I pray you is this a like ſimilitude of y• certeine counſels of mē, the whiche muſt bée kept ſecrete bycauſe they bée coūſels: and of the holy ſcriptures the whiche were brought into this world not to bée▪ kept ſecrete, but to bée preached openly, as our maiſter Chriſt commaundeth, preach the Mar. v….Goſpell to all creatures, heare you to all creatures, let theſe mē hauehave it (for all theſe bee of ye counſell) & kéepe you it from the reſidue. Furthermore our maiſter Chriſt ſaith in an other place, that I hauehave ſhewed you in ſecretnes, preach it on the tope of the houſe.
Alſo S. Paule ſayth, the Goſpell is Ti. 1. 2. Tim. 2.declared openly through preachyng & in an other place God hauehave brought life and immortalitie, vntounto light thorough the Goſpell. Alſo our maiſter calleth it the light of the world: nowe Iohn. 3. Math. 5.who will ſet (as hée ſaith) a light vnderunder a buſhell, and not rather openly that all mē there by may bée lightned. Wherfore my lord your ſimilitude is very far vnlike: and if you were not a Lord, it were woorthy to bée deſpiſed. But doubtles it may bée wel thought A fooliſhe ſimilitude made by Stokeſley Byſhop of London.that you were at a ſore exigent, when you were compelled to prooue this thynge with ſo …auld a reaſon. Who would hauehave looked for ſo ſimple a reaſon in ſo earneſt a matter of ſo wiſe a man, of ſo great a Doctour, of ſo worſhipfull a father, and of the Biſhop of London, yea and of him that is called an other Salomon, notwithſtanding ſuch an haltyng ſimilitude dyd hée neuer learne in the Prouerbes of Salomon: but it had béene a better ſimilitude, of the kings proclamatiō, which is proclaimed yt all men might know it and alſo kéepe it & no man is bound to kéepe it, till it bée proclaimed: likewiſe the Goſpel was geuen for to bée proclaimed, and eueryevery man is bound to kéepe it. Wherfore it muſt néedes bée proclaimed to eueryevery man, and vntounto you my Lorde. I beſéeche God that you may bée one of them of whom it is ſpokē: To you is it geuē to know the miſteryes of God.
Amen.