Whole Works, Tract 10
¶ That mens conſtitutions, which are not grounded in Scripture, bynde not the conſcience of man vnderunder the payne of deadly ſinne.
There are two maner of powers.TO this article we muſt note that there bée two maner of miniſters or powers: one is a temporal power, the other is called a ſpiritual power:A temporal power. the tēporall power is cōmitted of God to Kinges, Dukes, Earles, Lordes, Barons, Iudges, Maiors, Shriues, & to all other miniſters vnderunder thē, theſe bée they that hauehave onelyonly the tēporall ſword,The deſcription of the temporall power. wherby they muſt order al ye cōmō wealth with all world ly thinges lōgyng thereunto, as ye diſpoſition of theſe worldly goodes, who ſhal bée right owner and who not, the probation of mens teſtamentes, the ordering of payments and cuſtomes, the ſettyng of all maner of taſkes and forfaites, the correction of all tranſgreſſions, wherby the cōmon wealth, or any priuate perſon, is diſquieted or wronged: as correction of théeues, murderers, harlotes, baudes, ſclanderers, wranglers, extortioners, brybers, vſerers, falſe buyers and ſellers, and of all other thynges whereunto béelongeth any outwarde orderyng, or any corporall payne. In thys power is the kyng chiefe and full ruler: all other bée miniſters and ſeruauntes, as Paule doth declare, …aying: let eueryevery ſoule bée ſubiect and obedient vntounto the hye powers. &c.
Alſo S. Peter: bée ſubiect vntounto the Roma. 13. 1. Pet. 2.kyng as vntounto the chiefe heade, eyther vntounto rulers as vntounto thē that are ſent of the kyng for the puniſhmēt of euill doers. Ʋnto this power muſt wée bée obedient in all thynges that pertaine Roma. 13.to the miniſtration of this preſent life and of the commō wealth, not alonely (as Paule ſayth) for auoyding of puniſhment, but alſo for diſchargyng of our conſciences: for this is ye wyll of God. So that if this power commaunde anything of tyranny againſt right and law (alwayes prouided that it repugne not agaynſt the Goſpell, nor deſtroye our fayth) our charitie muſt néedes ſuffer it: For as Paule ſayth, charitie ſuffereth all thyng. Alſo 1. Cor. 13.our maiſter Chriſt: If a man ſtrike Math. 6.thee on the one chéeke, turne hym the other, for hée doth exerciſe tyranny. But ouer theſe worldly goods, & theſe preſent thynges, and ouer thy corporall bodye, which Chriſten men doe not alonely not regarde, but diſpiſe it. Neuertheles, if hée commaunde thée any thyng agaynſt ryght, or doe thée any wronge. (As for an example caſt thée in priſon wrongfully) if thou canſt by any reaſonable and quyet meanes, without ſeditiō, inſurrectiō, A man wrongfully impriſoned by a tyraunt maye in quyet maner make his eſcape.or breakyng of the commō peace ſaue thy ſelfe, or auoyde hys tyranny, thou mayſt doe it wyth good conſcience. As if thou were in priſon, if thou couldeſt auoyde without any ſedition, thou mayſt lawfully doe it, & thy cōſcience is frée ſo doyng, and thou dooſte not ſinne, nor offende the lawe of God, as Paule ſayth: If thou mayſte bée 1. Cor. 7.frée vſe it: but in no wiſe (bée it ryght or wrong) mayſt thou make any reſiſtaunce wyth ſworde or wyth hand, but obey, except thou canſt auoyde, as I hauehave ſhewed thée. But if y• cauſe Such as hauehave made offē ces to the common weale ought not to breake priſon.bée ryght, lawfull, or profitable to the cōmon wealth, thou muſt obey, and thou mayſt not flye wtout ſinne. That men hauehave fled from the tyranny and the wrong of thys power, wée hauehave it openly in diuers places of ſcriptures. As of Elezy, that fled from the tyranny of the kyng of Siria. Alſo Helyas 4. Kyng. 6. 3. King. 89.fled from the tyranny of kyng Achas. Alſo S. Peter fled out of priſon: And Actes. 12. idem. 9. and. 14.S. Paule out of the Citie of Damaſcum, and out of Iconium, as it is open in the Actes of the Apoſtles. So that agaynſt this power (though thou hauehave wrong) mayſt thou not make any corporall reſiſtaunce: but alonely auoyde by flying, or els kéepe ye thing that is commaunded thée. But if it bée ryght, and to the profite of the cō mon wealth, thou muſt both fulfill it and alſo abyde.
But now wil it bée inquired of mée of this caſe: if it pleaſe y• kinges grace to condemne the newe teſtament in Engliſhe, and to commaunde that none of his ſubiectes ſhall hauehave it vnderunder diſpleaſure, whether they bée bounde to obey thys cōmaundement or no? To this will I aūſwere: That I doe béeléeue, that our moſt noble Prince hath not forbidden that Chriſten What were to bee done if the kyng ſhould forbyd vsus the readyng of the Scripture.men may hauehave Chriſtes Teſtamēt, whether it bée in latyne or Engliſhe, French, Douche, Gréeke, or Hebrue, for Chriſtes veritie, is all one in all tonges. And as his grace knoweth, it were very vnreaſonable that any man ſhould eyther counſell, or forbid his grace that hée ſhoulde know or reade the Teſtament of the moſt noble Prince hys father, in the which is alouely géeuē and promiſed worldly goods, which as ſoone as they bée géeuen, bée ready to decay and to periſhe: and if (I ſay) this bée vnreaſonable and vnright: how much more were it vnreaſonable to take awaye from vsus our father of heauens teſtament, whoſe legacy and promiſes doe as farre excell the legacies of the noble Prince his father, as God doth excell man. But what ſhoulde I make many reaſons, to prooue vntounto hys grace that thyng to bée lawfull, that the father of heauen hath ſent vsus, frō whom cōmeth nothyng but goodnes. Yea, and it was not ſent by man, by Angell, or by Saint, but by the onelyonly ſonne of God both God and mā, and diligently declared by hym to all the worlde. Not vntounto the Phareſies alone, but vntounto all maner of people, and that to the houre of death, and alſo thereof tooke his death, and not yet ſo content, but ſent his glorious Apoſtles to declare and to learne thys godly worde thorough all the worlde. And béecauſe the miniſtration of thys worde, required a greater ſtrength then was in any naturall man, therefore alſo gaue hée them his eternall ſprite, to eſtabliſhe them, to confirme them, and to make them ſtrong in all thinges, that there might bée nothing deſired, to the declaration and ſetting out of his worde.
Now, who coulde finde in his hart that is a true ſubiecte, and regardeth the honour of our noble Prince, and the ſaluation of his ſoule, eyther to thinke that his grace would condēne it, or els to mooue hym to condemne that thyng, that cōmeth from heauen, yea, and that frō the father of heanen, and ſent and learned by his eternall ſonne, which hath ſealed it wyth hys moſt precious bloude, and alſo commaunded his glorious Apoſtles to preach it, and confirmed it wyth ſo many myracles, and did alſo géeue to the confirming and the writing of it, the glorious conſolatour of the holy Ghoſt. So that it is open, that the father of heauen did not ſend this godly worde with a ſmall diligence, or as though hée cared not whether it ſhoulde remayne in earth or not. But ſo hath hée declared this holy worde, wyth ſuch a proſſes, that heauē, earth & hell, ſhould know y• it is his worde, and that it is his will, that all men ſhoulde hauehave it, and that hée woulde defende it, and bée enemy vntounto all thē that woulde ouerpreſſe it. Wherfore let them that bée cappitall enemies vntounto his grace, both in hart and in déede, ſuſſpect that of his grace and moue him vntounto it, for doubtles I will neuer doe it. For I dare boldely ſay, that the deuill of hell which is enemy vntounto his grace, both of body and ſoule will moue hym vntounto no other thing but alonely ſo to condemne Gods worde: and this thing doth his grace know well, and therefore I doubte not but that hée hath and alſo will auoyde the daunger thereof. Neuertheleſſe, it may pleaſe God to take ſo great vēgeaūce for our abhominable ſinnes that after hys graces dayes, hée may ſende vsus ſuch a tyraunt, that ſhall not alonely forbid the Newe Teſtament: but alſo all thynges that may bée to the honour of God: yea, and that paraduenture vnderunder ſuch a co…llour of Gods name, that all men ſhall recken none other, but that hée is Gods frende.
This will bée a great ſcourge, and an intollerable plague, the father of heauen of hys infinite mercy defende vsus from ſuch a terrible vengeaunce. For it is the greateſt plague that can come in earth (as S. Paule doth declare Roma. 1.to the Romaynes) when that Gods veritie is condemned in Gods name, and mē bée ſo blynde that they can not perceaue it, for they bée géeuē into a peruerſe ſēce. This plague neuer cōmeth, but it is a tokē of euerlaſting reprobatiō. Our moſt merciful redéemer Chriſt Ieſus, defēde vsus frō it, Amē. But if it come that wée muſt néedes ſuffer this plague, howe ſhall Chriſten men vſe themſelues to this Prince, that will ſo condemne Gods worde? My Lordes the Byſhoppes woulde depoſe hym with ſhorte deliberation, and make no conſcience of it. They hauehave depoſed Princes for leſſer cauſes thē this is a great deale. But againſt them will I alwayes lay Chriſtes facte, and his holy Apoſtles, and the worde of God, whom Chriſten men muſt alonely follow. Therfore, the kynges commanndement, Note here what is to bee done if the kyng doe ſorbid the Scripture …o bee read of his ſubiectes.muſt bée conſidered on this maner: If the kyng forbid the newe Teſtament, or any of Chriſtes Sacramēts, or the preaching of the worde of God, or any other thynge that is agaynſt Chriſt vnderunder a temporall payne, or els vnderunder ye payne of death: men ſhall firſt make faythfull prayers to God, and then diligent interceſſion vntounto ye kynges grace with all due ſubiection, that hys grace woulde relealſe that commaundement. If hée will not doe it, they ſhall kéepe their Teſtament, Subiectes muſt obey, but here is ſhewed in what ſorte and maner.with all other ordinaunce of Chriſt, and let the kyng exerciſe his tyranny (if they can not flée) & in no wiſe, vnderunder the payne of damnation ſhall they withſtand him with violence, but ſuffer patiently all the tyranny that hée layeth on them both in their bodyes & goodes, and leaue the vengeaunce of it vntounto their heauenly father whiche hath a ſcorge to tame thoſe bedlames with, when hée ſéeth his tyme. But in no wiſe ſhall they reſiſte violētly, neither ſhall they deny Chriſtes veritie, nor yet forſake it béefore the Prince, leſt they runne in the daūger of theſe woordes: hee that denyeth me and my woorde béefore men, I ſhall deny hym béefore my father in heauen. And let not men regarde this matter lightly, and thinke that they may geeue vp their teſtamentes, and yet not denye Chriſt. For what ſo euer hée bée that geeueth vp his Teſtament, as a thyng worthye to bée condemned, hee doth béefore God denye Chriſt, though his teſtamēt bée peraduenture (hée not knowyng) falſe and vntruly Printed, or vntruly trāſlated: yet vntounto him is it a true teſtament, and therfore ſhall hée not deliuer it to any that will condemne it as vnlawfull. But this ſhall hée doe. If any man that is learned doe finde any faulte there in hée ſhall bée glad to amēde that faulte, but not to ſuffer in any wiſe for that Note here how a Chriſtian ſubiecte muſt ſhewe himſelfe obedient.or for thoſe faultes the whole teſtament to bée condemned as vnlawfull. For if that ſhould bée ſuffered, then ſhould we hauehave no teſtamēt: for there is no teſtament yt is ſo true, but either there bée faultes in déede, or els men by cauilations may inuent yt there bée defaultes. For this dare I ſay boldly, that the new teſtament in Engliſhe, is ten tymes truer, then the old tranſtion in Latin is, in the which bée many places that doe want whole ſentē ces, and many places, that no man cā defend without hereſie, as this texte. Non omnes immutabimur. 1. Cor. 15. Math. 20. Act. 20. 1. Tim. 6.Alſo this. Sedere ad dexteram meam vel ſiniſtram non aeſt meum dare vobis. Alſo theſe places want. Commorati ſumus trogilij. Seiungere ab is qui huiuſmodi ſunt, with many other places more, that no man can ſay but they bée euidently falſe: & yet we may not burne our bookes for all that, but kéepe them and amende them. Neither ſhall they goe about, to depoſe their Prince, as my Lordes the Byſhops were wont to doe, but they ſhall boldely confeſſe, that they hauehave the veritie, and will there by abyde: and alonely ſhall they praye to their heauenly father to chaunge the hart of their Prince, that they may lyue vnderneth hym, after Chriſtes worde, & in quietnes, as Paul exhorteth vsus ſaying.1. Tim. 2. I exhorte that prayers ſupplications, petitions, and geuyng of thankes, bée had for all men: for Kynges, & for all that are in preheminence, that we may lyue a quyet and a peaceable lyfe in all goodneſſe and honeſty.
This ſhal men behaue them ſelues towarde their Prince and in no wiſe ſhall they denye Chriſtes worde, or graunt to the burning of their teſtamentes: but if the kyng will doe it by violence they muſt ſuffer it but not obey to it by agréement. This may bée prooued by ye examples of the Apoſtles when the hie Prieſtes of the temple commaunded Peter and Iohn, that they ſhould no more preach and teach Act. 4. & 5.in the name of Ieſus. But they made them aunſwere it was more right to God is to bee obeyed beefore mē.obey God then man. Alſo the Pharyſes came and commaunded our M. Chriſt, in Herodes name, That hée ſhould depart frō thence, or hée would kyll hym: but hée would not obey, but made them aunſwere to Herode with a great threatning: Goe tell the wolfe béehold I caſt out deuils and I make Luke. 13men whole this day and to morrow, and the third day am I conſumed: neuertheleſſe I muſt continew this day to morrow and the next day &c. So ye hée left not the miniſtration of ye word neyther for the kinges pleaſure nor yet for feare of death.
Alſo we hauehave openly, that the thrée children would not obey to the commaundement Daniell. 3.of king Nabuchodonoſor, but becauſe it was againſt ye word of God. Lykewiſe we hauehave an exāple where as the king Darius commaunded Dan. 6.that no man ſhould aſke any petytyon, eyther of God or of man within the ſpace of 30. dayes but of hym onelyonly. Notwithſtanding Daniell wēt into his houſe, & thriſe in a day made his prayers to God of Ieruſalem, for the which thyng hée was put into the denne of Lyons, the which hée dyd obey as in ſuffering of the payne, but not in conſenting to the vnright commaundement, So that Chriſten men are bounde to obey in ſuffering the kinges tyrāny, but not in conſenting to his vnlawfull commaundement: alwayes hauing béefore their eyes the comfortable ſaying of our M. Chriſt: Feare not them ye kill the body, which when they had done they can no more doe.Math. 10. Alſo S. Peter,1. Pet. 3. happy are yée if you ſuffer for righteouſnes ſake, neuertheleſſe, feare not, though they ſéeme terrible vntounto you, neither bée troubled, but ſāctifie the Lord God in your hart. God doth wōderfully worke to ſaue and defend hys poore flock.And let them not feare, but ye their father of heauen hath care for them, and ſhall deliuer them, and alſo brynge his godly worde vntounto lyght when it ſhall pleaſe his eternall will, agaynſt the which no tyraunt is able to withſtand. But when the tyrants thinke themſelues moſt ſure of the victory, and bée all ready prouided to burne Suſanna, then ſhall hée rayſe Dan. 13.vp a Daniell that ſhall caule agayne the ſentēce of the lecherous prieſtes: and when Ioſeph is ſolde into Egipt, and there caſt in priſon, then will hée make him Lord ouer all Egipt, yea, Gene. 37. and. 39.and alſo ouer them that ſolde him. He bringeth alſo to paſſe that proude Hamon (bée hée neuer ſo great in the kinges fauour) ſhalbée hanged on his owne gallowes, that hée made for Mardocheus the Iſraelite. Alſo when Pharao hath cōmaūded vnderunder payne of death to deſtroy all y• mē childrē of Iſraell. Then cā hée finde the meanes to ſaue Moſes, yea & that on yt water: Exod. 2.where as all yt power of Egypt could not ſaue the kyng, yea and hee nouriſhed him in the kynges houſe, at the kynges coſt yea and by the kynges daughter. Did Pharao ſuppoſe this? or was there any coūſell of Pharaos that could preuaile agaynſt this? was there any wiſedome or tyranny in the earth that was able to extinct Moſes? nay verely. Furthermore when Iſrael hath béene in Egypt iiij. C. yeres in great captiuitie and thraldome, yet agaynſt Pharaos will keepeth hee his promiſe and deliuereth them, and maketh water, fire, & earth to ſerue thē: and when all Iſraell was in deſpayre and Pharao the tyraunt was ready to ſucke bloud, then ſhewed our God his mighty power. What can Iſraell thinke when hée hath the read Sea béefore him? And Pharao with all his might and power after him, and of eueryevery ſide a great mountaine? what hope hath hée by mans might, by mās power, by mans wiſedome, by mans pollicie, for to bée deliuered? none at all. But béefore Iſraels carnall…tye all thyng is in extreme deſperation.
But now you Princes that Iudge the earth learne and take héede: here Pſal. ….commeth the God of Iſraell, whom all Egypt hath deſpiſed, ſcorned mocked and condemned, and ſheweth his might where as nothyng cā helpe but bée onelyonly, and where the tyrauntes recken to bée moſt ſure of victordem, there bryngeth hee all their malice to an end. And when Herode hath Peter in priſon faſt bound in cheynes, & Actes. 12.of eueryevery ſide of him a ſouldier, & kéepers ſet at the priſon doore eueryevery man in his office watching that Peter ſhal not eſcape (for Herode intendeth the day folowyng to bryng hym foorth to wonderyng and alſo to death.) Then agaynſt Herodes will, aboue all his might, aboue all his wiſedome & pollicie, notwithſtandyng all the ſouldiers and gaylers of the priſon, cōmeth the power of our eternall God and ledeth Peter through the firſt and the ſecond ward, yea and the braſen gate muſt wilfully opē, and let Peter out, whom our Lord God would deliuer.
Shortly, what ſhould I bring many examples to prooue Gods power & to declare how the truth of God and his childrē bée alwayes in perſecutiō, but the ende is alwayes glory vntounto them. Wherfore this one exāple, of our maiſter Chriſt ſhall bée ſufficiēt to ſtabliſh & to confirme all féeble harts, & alſo to mollifie all ſtony harts, and finally to cōfound, the violēt tyranny of mortall tyraūtes which bée but ſtubbles, haye and duſt, & in a momēt bee brought to a lumpe of ſtynkyng carryon. Cōſider our maiſter Chriſt which is the very Math. 27. and. 28.true ſonne of God, & God him ſelfe & yet is hée crucified and put to death, as a ſeditious perſō, as a malefactor, Chriſt is for euer to bee ſet beefore vsus for an example to comforte vsus in our perſecutiō.as a théefe, as a traytor, yea and as an hereticke: hée is layd alſo in the graue and a great ſtone béefore the doore, & ſouldiours that were not of the common ſort, but of the Romaines, hée ſet diligently to kéepe the graue with all the pollicie and wiſedome that the byſhoppes could deuiſe, and all that hée ſhould not riſe vp agayne accordyng to his worde: but all this could not helpe, for the power of God woulde not bee let, his veritie could not bée prooued falſe, his worde could not bee oppreſſed: but when the tyrauntes thought to make their triumphe of victory, thē were they moſt ouercōmed. For it is neither water nor fire, Sea nor land, heauen nor earth, death nor hell, that cā let God to defend his children, or to bring foorth his godly word to light, and to kéepe his eternall promiſes. Therfore let Chriſten mē not feare to kéepe the worde of God, and faſt there by to abyde, and not to deny it for any tyranny: for the day ſhall come when it ſhall bée greatly to their glory. And Sodome, and Gomorra ſhall bée more eaſely handled, thē ſuch Princes, that doe perſecute the holy word of God.
Now is it cleare made that we cannot reſiſt this temporall power in no wiſe by vi…lēc… but if we hauehave wrong eyther we muſt doe the thing that is commaunded vsus, or els flie, but if any thing bée commaunded vsus that is againſt Wee muſt rather ſuffer per…ecution, then in any wiſe reſiſte.the word of God whereby our fayth is hurt, that we ſhould not doe in any wiſe: but rather ſuffer per ſecution and alſo death. But againſt this power goeth not our article, for it cō maundeth nothing as conſ…rning the conſcience, but all onelyonly as concerning the ordering of worldly thinges, and therefore, it myniſtreth a temporall payne ouer the body onelyonly and therwith is cōtent. Wherfore we wil now ſpeake of the other power which men call ſpirituall.
Fyrſt here is to be noted that this is no power, nor none auctoritie A ſpirituall power.worldly, but all onelyonly a miniſtration of the word of God and a ſpirituall regiment, preaching the gouerning of the ſoule and the myniſtration of ye ſpirit, hauing nothing to doe with the erterior Iuſtice or righteouſnes of the worlde, and therfore hath it no power The ſpirituall power hath no auctoritie to make lawes to rule the worlde by.by right and law to make any ſtatutes or lawes to order the worlde by, but all onelyonly faithfully & truely to preach, and to miniſter the word of God ther by inſtructing the conſcience of man, nothing addyng thereto, nor taking there from: but as S. Paule ſayth, to 2. Tim. 3.abyde in thoſe thinges that they hauehave learned, and that bée commytted vntounto them, for. S. Paule (as hée hym ſelfe Roma. 16.ſayth) …urſt ſpeake no other thing but thoſe things which chriſt had wroght by him. For hée curſeth him bée he mā or Angel that preacheth any other goſpell, Gala. 1.then hée had preached. Therefore the Prophet commaundeth vsus that we ſhould not heare the wordes of thoſe prophetes which diſceaue vsus, for Ierem. 23.they ſpeake viſions of their owne hartes and not out of y• mouth of god, and yet ſpeake they in the name of God. Wherefore theſe men ſo long as they ſpeake onelyonly y• worde of God, ſo long are they to be heard, as Chriſt himſelf, after ye ſaying, hée ye heareth Luke. 10. Math. 23.you hereth mée: alſo whatſoeuer they ſay vntounto you ſytting in the chayre of Moſes do it. On ye which text ſpeketh S. Auguſtine, By ſyttyng in ye chayre Super Ioan. Trac. 46.is to vnderſtand the learning of the lawe of God, and therefore God doth teach by them, but if they will teache By the chayre of Moſes▪ is vnderſtand the lawe of God which Moſes deliuered to the Iewes.their owne doctrine heare it not, doe it not, for ſuch men ſéeke that is theirs and not Chriſtes. &c.
Theſe wordes bée playne agaynſt all them that preach any thing but the law of God onelyonly. Wherfore if theſe mynyſters will of tyranny, aboue the worde of God, make any lawe or ſtatute, it muſt bee conſydered after two maner of wayes: fyrſt whether it bée openly and derectly agaynſt the word of God and to ye deſtructiō of ye faith, as that ſtatute is whereby they hauehave condemned the new teſtament, & alſo forbydden certayne men to preach the worde of God, hauing no trew cauſe aganſt them, but all onelyonly their malicious ſuſpectiō: alſo ye learning wherby they learne, that workes doe iuſtifye: moreouer that ſtatute whereby they bynde men vnderunder the payne of damnation to bée aſſoyled of them. Theſe ſtatutes I ſay with other lyke men are not boūd for to obey neither of charite (for here is faith hurt which geueth no place to charitie) nor yet for auoyding of ſclaunder, for the worde of God may not bée auoyded, nor yet géeue place vntounto ſclaūder, for then ſhoulde it neuer bée preached, but it muſt bée fa…e ſtucke vntounto: and the more that men bée offended withall, and the ſtiffer that they hée againſt it, the more openly and playnely, yea and that to their faces, that make ſuch ſtatutes, m…ſt wée reſiſte them wyth theſe wordes: wée are more bounde Act. 5.to obey God then man.
This is well proued by Hilarius Hylarius in Mat. can…. 14.wordes: All maner of plantes that hée not planted of the father of heauen, muſt bée plucked vp by the rootes, that is to ſay, the traditions of men, by whoſe meanes, the cōmaundementes of the lawe hée broken, muſt bée deſtroyed, and therefore caulleth hée thē blynde guides of the waye to euerlaſting life, béecauſe they ſée not that thyng they promiſe: and for that cauſe hée ſayth, that both the blynde guides, and they that bee led, ſhall fall into the dyke. &c.
Marke that all traditions of men, which are agaynſt Gods lawe, muſt All traditions of men that are agaynſt God, muſt bee rooted vp by the rootes.be deſtroyed. Therfore let eueryevery man take héede, for it longeth to their charge: for both the blynde guides, and alſo they that bée led ſhall fall in the dyke. It ſhall bée none excuſe for hym that is led, to ſay that hys guyde was blynde: but let them heare the worde of God by his holy prophetes, walke not in the preceptes of your fathers, nor kéepe not their iudgemēts, Ezechi▪ 20.but walke in my preceptes, and kéepe my iudgementes. The other maner of ſtatutes bée, when certaine thinges that bée caulled indifferent, bée commaunded as thinges to bée done of neceſſitie, and vnderunder the paynes of deadly ſinne. As for an example: To eate fleſhe or fiſhe, this day or that Thynges that are indifferent to bee done or not done, are to bee obeyed, ſo that ye ſame bee not commaūded vnderunder the peine of deadly ſinne.day is indifferent and frée: alſo to goe in this rayment, of this colour or that colour: to ſhaue our heades or not: a prieſt to wear a lōg gowne or a ſhort: a gray Fryer to weare a gray coate or a ruſſet: a whyte Fryer to weare a white or a blacke: a Prieſt to marry or not to marry: an Heremyt to hauehave a bearde or not. Theſe with all other ſuch outwarde workes, bée thinges indifferent, and may bée vſed and alſo left. Now if the Byſhoppes will make any lawe or ſtatute, that theſe thynges ſhall bée determinately vſed, ſo that it ſhall not bée lawful for vsus to leaue it vndone, but that wée muſt preciſely doe them, and not the contrary vnderunder the payne of deadly ſinne: here muſt they bée withſtanded, and in no wiſe obeyed, …or in this is hurt our fayth and libertie of Chriſtendome, whereby wée are frée and not bounde to any exteriour worke, but frée in all things, and vntounto all men at all tymes, and in all maner, except it bee in ſuch a cauſe where as brotherly charitie, or the common peace ſhould bée offended. Therefore in all theſe thynges bée wée frée, and wée muſt withſtand them that will take this libertie from vsus, with thys texte of Scripture: Wée are bought 1. Cor. 7.with the price of Chriſtes bloud, wée will not bée the ſeruauntes of men. This texte is open againſt them that will bynde mennes conſcience vntounto ſinne, in thoſe things that Chriſt hath lefte them frée in. Of this wée hauehave an euident example of Saint Paule, the whiche would not circumciſe Titus Galat. 2.when the falſe brethren woulde hauehave compelled hym thereunto as a thynge of neceſſitie, vntounto whom. S. Paule gaue no romthe as cōcernyng to bée brought into ſubiectiō. S. Paul Note here that things that o… the ſelues are indifferent and yet are comaunded to bee of neceſſitie obſerued, thoſe are to bee diſobeyed.dyd not withſtand them, bycauſe that Circumciſiō was vnlawfull or might not bée vſed of Chriſten men, but bycauſe that they would hauehave compelled hym vntounto it as vntounto a thyng of neceſſitie, that thyng woulde not Saint Paule ſuffer, for that was agaynſt the libertie that we hauehave in Chriſt Ieſus as hée ſayth here playnely. Wherfore we bée not alonely by Chriſte made frée from ſinne, but alſo made frée in vſing all maner of thynges that bée in different, and vntounto them we can not bée bounde as vntounto thynges of neceſſitie, as on the Friday to eate fiſh, and thereunto bée bounde in conſcience vnderunder the payne of deadly ſinne. In this we may not obey for it is againſt the word of God, not béecauſe it is euill to eate fiſhe (for in tyme conuenient and when thou art diſpoſed it is good) but bycauſe that they will in this thyng bynde our conſciences and make that thynge of neceſſitie, that God had hath left frée.
Therfore ſpeaketh Paule agaynſt them in theſe wordes. In the latter dayes certeine men ſhal ſwarue from 1. Tim. 4.the fayth applying them ſelues to the ſpirites of errours, and doctrines of the deuill, forbiddyng Mariage, and to abſteine from meates, that God hath created to bée receiued of faythfull mē with thanks: for all creatures of God bée good, and nothyng to bée refuſed that is receiued with thākes. Marke how Paule ſayth, nothyng is to bée refuſed that may bée receiued with thankes this is openly agaynſt thē that will forbid either fiſh, or fleſh, this day or that day, as a thynge vnright for a Chriſtē man to eate: for as S. Paule ſayth, meate doth not commende vsus vntounto God. Alſo in an other 1. Cor. 8.place the kyngdome of heauen is neither meate nor drinke. Therfore they Roma. 15.doe vnright to bynde our conſcience in ſuch thynges, and to thinke vsus vnfaythfull bycauſe we obſerue thē not.
Now let our holy hypocrites of the Charter houſe looke on their cōſciēce, Superſtition of the Monkes of the Charterhouſe.whiche recken to buy and to ſell heauē, for a péece of fiſh or fleſh: but they recken it no vyce to lyue in hatred, rākour, and malice, & neither to ſerue God nor their neighbour, but with ſuch an hypocrites ſeruice as they hauehave inuēted of their own hypocriſie, & not receiued of God. They thinke it a great perfection to abſteine from béefe and mutton, and to eate pike, tenche gurnarde and all other coſtly fiſhes, and that of the dentieſt faſhion dreſſed: but a péece of groſſe béefe may they not touche, may they not ſmell: for then they loſe heauen and all the merites of Chriſtes bloud. Is not here a goodly fayned hypocriſie, béefore the world it ſhynneth bryght, but compare it vntounto Chriſtes Scripture and there can not bée a greater blaſphemy. For here in they clearely damned Chriſt and his ordinaunce & make that of neceſſitie, ye Chriſt left as indifferent. Agaynſt theſe holy hypocrites writeth S. Paule ſaying, we Coll. 2.ought not to be led with the traditiōs of men, that ſay touche not, taſt not, A notable ſaying of S. Paule.handle not, which thyngs periſh with vſing of them, and are after the commaundements and doctrine of men: whiche thynges hauehave the ſimilitude of wiſedome in ſuperſtitious holynes and hūblenes, in that they ſpare not the body and doe the fleſh no worſhyp vntounto his néede.
Here is clearely condemned all ſuperſticiouſnes, and fayned holines, that men hauehave inuented in eating or drinking, in touching or in handling, or in any other ſuch, thinges not that we may not doe them, but that we doe them as thinges of neceſſitie and recken our ſelfe holy whē we doe thē, and to ſynne deadly when we doe thē not. This is by the dānable inſtitutions of men, The which S. Auguſtine condemneth in theſe wordes, The Apoſtle ſayth, Touche not, handell not &c. Becauſe that thoſe men by ſuch obſeruations were led from the veritie, Ad Paul. Epi. 59.by y• which they were made frée, whereof it is ſpoken, the veritie ſhall deliuer you. It is a ſhame (ſayth hée) and vnconuenient and farre from the noblenes of your libertie (ſéeing you bée the body of Chriſt) to bée diſceaued with ſhadowes and to bée iudged as ſinners if you diſpiſe to obſerue theſe things. Wherfore let no mā ouercom you (ſeing you are the body of Chriſt) that will ſéeme to be meeke in hart in the holynes of Aungels and bringing in thinges which he hath not ſéene &c.
Here hauehave wée playnely that thoſe thynges which bée of the inuention of man doe not bynde our conſcience, though they ſéeme to bée of neuer ſo great holynes and of humblenes and holynes of Angels, as Paule ſayth. Colloſ. 2.Wherefore, let them make what ſtatutes they will, and as much holynes as they can deuiſe, Inuent as much Gods ſeruice as they can thinke, and lye that they hauehave receaued it frō heauen, and that it is no leſſe holyneſſe then Angels hauehave, and ſet thereunto all their mandamus, remandamus, excō municamus, ſub pena excommunicationis maioris, & minoris, Precipimus, Interdicimus, & ſub indignatione dei omnipotentis, & Apoſtolorū Petri & Pauli ligamus, with all other ſuch blaſphemies that they hauehave (for doubtles, if their bellies were ripped, there ſhould bée nothing found but blaſphemes of God and of his holy word, detractions, oppreſſions, Confuſyons, damnations of their poore brethren, Other good hauehave we none of them, let all Chriſten men aunſwere to this of their conſcience if it be not trew) And yet are we frée in our conſcience, and all theſe can neyther bynd, nor damne our conſcience, for we are frée made thorow Chriſt, And in conſcience nor bound vnderunder ye paine of deadly ſinne, to nothing that mā can order or ſet, except it be conteined in holy ſcripture. But in body we are bound to eueryevery man. This doth S. Auguſtine proue Σρι. ad ro propo. 72.in theſe wordes. Seing that we bée made of ſoule and of body, as long as we doe liue in this temporall lyfe we muſt vſe to the noryſhing of this lyfe, theſe tēporall goodes. Therefore muſt Our bodyes are ſubiect to princes, but our ſoules to God.we of that part that béelongeth to this lyfe bée ſubiect vntounto powers, that is vntounto men that doe miniſter worldly things with ſome honour, but as concerning that part, wherby we beléeue in God and bée cauled vntounto hys kingdome, we ought not to bée ſubiect vntounto any mā that will peruert that ſame thing in vsus that hath pleaſed God to geue vsus to eternall lyfe. &c.
Here is it playne, that we in conſcience by Chriſt bée made frée, & nothyng can bynd vsus vntounto ſinne but his word onelyonly. Now is it clearely open, that if any power of heauen, or earth, commaunde any thyng againſt Gods worde, or to the deſtruction or miniſhing of the ſame, no mā may obey in any caſe vnderunder the payne of damnation: for Gods veritie is not indifferent, to bée lefte or not to bée lefte. Agayne, if man commaunde any thyng to bée done that may bée done in time and place conuenient, if hée wll binde When things that are indifferent are cō maunded to bee done of neceſſitie then are not the ſame to obeyed, becauſe the ſame deſtroyeth ou… freedome in Chriſt.vsus vntounto indifferent thinges, as vntounto a thing of neceſſitie, then ſhall wée not doe it, not béecauſe it is euill to doe, but that it is damnable to bée done as a thyng of neceſſitie. Neuertheleſſe, if any of theſe thynges bée commaunded of the Byſhops, as burdens, and as thinges indifferent, then ſhall wée kéepe them in tyme and place conuenient, as where I may by them ſerue my brother, or edifie hym, or doe him any good, or that it may bée vntounto hym any meanes to come to the verity: neuertheleſſe, at an other tyme, when I am in place conuenient, where I ſhall not offende my brother, nor ingender no ſclaunder, nor any diſquietnes in the common wealth: There may I fréely, without any charge of conſcience, and without all maner of ſinne, breake the Byſhops commaū dement. For it is but as a burden of a tyraunt, that is layde on vsus, and neither helpeth to the increaſing of gods honour, nor to the edifiyng of our brethrē, & they them ſelues kéepe thē not. Of theſe ſpeaketh our maſter Chriſt: they binde gréeuous and vntollerable burdens, & lay them on mens neckes, but they themſelues will not once ſet their litle …inger to them. As for an example: To eate fleſhe on the Fryday Math. 2….is forbidden by the Byſhoppes, now if they compell thée to it as vntounto a thyng neceſſary, and without the which thou canſt not bée ſaued, then ſhalt thou not doe it vnderunder the payne of ſinne: but if they will hauehave thée kéepe this as a thyng of congruence, and as a thyng that may bée an exterior meane to mortifie the bodie, or an outwarde ſhyne of holynes, and vntounto this he will compell thée by outwarde paynes, this thyng ſhalte thou doe of thy charitie, béecauſe thou wilt not breake the outwarde order, nor make any diſquietneſſe for thoſe thinges that neyther make thée good nor yet condemne thee béefore God: for as S. Paule ſayth, if wée eate neither 1. Cor. 8.are wée the better, nor if wée eate not, are wée the worſe. Alwayes prouided, that in theſe indifferent thynges, thou neyther ſet confidence nor holyneſſe, nor yet offende thy weake brothers charitie: for therein though thou bée frée in thy ſelfe, & the thyng is alſo indifferēt to thée, yet of charitie fréely makeſt thou thy ſelfe ſeruaunt to all mē, as S. Paule ſaith: When I was frée from all thynges, yet dyd I make my ſelfe a ſeruaunte, that I might winne many men. Note that hée alwayes ſpeaketh of weake brethren, and not of obſtinate and indurate perſons, agaynſt whome thou ſhalt alwayes withſtand and defende thy libertye as hée dyd: hée is thy weake brother that hath a good minde 2▪ Cor. 9.and béeléeueth the worde of God, neuercheleſſe, hée hath not that gifte to perceaue as yet this libertie to vſe indifferent thynges fréely wyth thankes. Therfore fayth and charitie muſt bée thy guide in all theſe thynges, and folowing them thou canſt not erre.
FINIS.