Thess.
part by the children of Esau, and seven nations of them by the children of Israel. So no doubt shall he destroy these for like abominations, and that shortly. For their kingdom is but the kingdom of lies and falsehood; which must needs perish at the coming of the truth of God's word, as the night vanisheth away at the presence of day. The children of Israel slew not those giants, but the power of God; God's truth and promises, as thou mayest see in Deuteronomy. So it is not we that shall destroy those giants, as thou mayest see by Paul, (2 Thess. ii.) speaking of our Ham, antichrist: "Whom the Lord shall destroy" (saith he) "with the spirit of his mouth," that is, by the words of truth, "and by the brightness of his coming," that is, by the preaching of his gospel.
A similitude without scripture is a sure token of a false
1 Cor. ii. Paul preach ed not world ly wisdom.
Similitudes and reasons, of man's wisdom, make no
And as I have said of allegories, even so it is of worldly similitudes, which we make either when we preach, either when we expound the scripture. The similitudes prove nothing, but are made to express more plainly that which is contained in the scripture, and to lead thee into the spiritual understanding of the text: as the similitude of matrimony is taken to express the marriage that is between Christ and our souls, and what exceeding mercy we have there, whereof all the scriptures make mention; and the similitude of the members, how every one of them careth for other, is taken to make thee feel what it is to love thy neighbour as thyself. That preacher therefore, that bringeth a naked similitude to prove that which is contained in no text of scripture, nor folio weth of a text, count a deceiver, a leader out of the way, and a false prophet, and beware of his philosophy and persuasions of man's wisdom, as Paul saith: " My words and my preaching were not with enticing words and persuasions of man's wisdom, but in shewing of the Spirit and power:" (that is, he preached not dreams, confirming them with simi litudes; but God's word, confirming it with miracles and with working of the Spirit, the which made them feel every thing in their hearts:) " that your faith," said he, " should not stand in the wisdom of man; but in the power of God." For the reasons and similitudes of man's wisdom make no faith, but wavering and uncertain opinions only: one draweth me this way with his argument, another that way, and of what principle thou pro vest black, another proveth white: faith, but and so am I ever uncertain; as, if thou tell me of a thing opiH?
done in a far land, and another tell me the contrary, I wot not what to believe. But faith is wrought by the power of God's word
God; that is, when God's word is preached, the Spirit fefeh; fosrure entereth thine heart, and maketh thy soul feel it, and lie- w. x. maketh thee so sure of it, that neither adversity, nor perse cution, nor death, neither hell, nor the powers of hell, neither yet all the pains of hell could once prevail against thee, or move thee from the sure rock of God's word, that thou shouldst not believe that which God hath sworn.
And Peter saith, "We followed not deceivable fables, Peter preach-
when we opened unto you the power and coming of our andfalse,
Lord Jesus Christ; but with our eyes we saw his majesty." And again, " We have" (saith he) " a more sure word of prophecy, whereunto if ye take heed, as unto a light shining in a dark place, ye do well." The word of prophecy was the old Testament, which beareth record unto Christ in every place; without which record the apostles made neither similitudes nor arguments of worldly wit. Hereof seest thou, that all the allegories, similitudes, persuasions and arguments, which they bring without scripture, to prove praying to saints, purgatory, ear- confession; and that God will hear thy prayer more in one place than in another; and that it is more meritorious to eat fish than flesh; and that to dis guise thyself, and put on this or that manner coat, is more acceptable than to go as God hath made thee; and that widowhood is better than matrimony, and virginity than widowhood; and to prove the assumption of our lady, and that she was born without original sin, yea, and with a kiss (say some), are but false doctrine.
Take an ensample, how they prove that widowhood and school docvirginity exceed matrimony. They bring this worldly simi litude: he that taketh most pain for a man deserveth most, and to him a man is most bound; so likewise must it be with God, and so forth. Now the widow and virgin take more pain in resisting their lusts than the married wife; therefore is their state holier. First, I say, that in their own sophistry similitudes a similitude is the worst and feeblest argument that can be, arguments and proveth least, and soonest deceiveth. Though that one ^Jj^fj^ son do more service for his father than another, yet is the w- T- father free, and may with right reward them all alike. For though I had a thousand brethren, and did more than they all, yet do I not my duty. The fathers and mothers also care most for the least and weakest, and them that can do least: yea, for the worst care they most, and would' spend, not their goods only, but also their blood, to bring them to the right way. And even so is it of the kingdom. Luke xv. of Christ, as thou mayest well see in the similitude of the i cor. vii. riotous son. Moreover Paul saith, (1 Cor. vii.) " It is better to marry than to burn." For the person that burneth cannot quietly serve God, inasmuch as his mind is drawn away, and the thoughts of his heart occupied with wonder ful and monstrous imaginations. He can neither see, nor hear, nor read, but that his wits are rapt, and he clean from himself. And again, saith he, " circumcision is nothing, uncircumcision is nothing; but the keeping of the command ments" is all together. Look wherein thou canst best keep the commandments; thither get thyself and therein abide; whether thou be widow, wife, or maid; and then hast thou We must all with God. If we have infirmities that draw us from the
^aws °f God, let us cure them with the remedies that God na^h made. If thou burn, marry: for God hath promised nouTmn'tand thee no chastity, as long as thou mayest use the remedy r' that he hath ordained; no more than he hath promised to slake thine hunger without meat. Now, to ask of God more than he hath promised, cometh of a false faith, and is plain idolatry l: and to desire a miracle, where there is natural remedy, is tempting of God. And of pains-taking, this-wise understand. He that taketh pains to keep the command ments of God, is sure thereby that he loveth God, and that what tempt- he hath God's Spirit in him. And the more pain a man taketh (I mean patiently and without grudging), the more he loveth God, and the perfecter he is, and nearer unto that health which the souls of all Christian men long for, and the more purged from the infirmity and sin that remaineth in the flesh. But to look for any other reward or promotion in heaven, or in the life to come, than that which God hath promised for Christ's sake, and which Christ hath deserved for us with his pain-taking, is abominable in the sight of God2. For Christ only hath purchased the reward; and our pain-taking to keep the commandments doth but purge the sin that remaineth in the flesh, and certify us that we are chosen and sealed with God's Spirit unto the reward that Christ hath purchased for us.
I was once at the creating of doctors of divinity, where the opponent brought the same reason to prove that the widow had more merit than the virgin; because she had greater pain, forasmuch as she had once proved the plea sures of matrimony. Ego nego, domine doctor, said the re spondent: ' for though the virgin have not proved, yet she imagineth that the pleasure is greater than it is indeed, and therefore is more moved, and hath greater temptation and greater pain.' Are not these disputcrs they that Paul speaketh of in the sixth chapter of the first epistle to Timothy? that " they are not content with the wholesome words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and doctrine of godliness; and therefore know nothing, but waste their brains about questions and strife of words, whereof spring envy, strife and railing of men with corrupt minds, destitute of the truth."
As pertaining to our lady's body, where it is, or where the body of Elias, of John the evangelist, and of many other be, pertaineth not to us to know. One thing are we sure of, that they are where God hath laid them. If they be in heaven, we have never the more in Christ: if they be not there, we have never the less. Our duty is to prepare ourselves unto the commandments, and to be thankful for that which is opened unto us; and not to search the unsearchable secrets of God. Of God's secrets can we know no more than he openeth unto us. If God shut, who shall open? How then can natural reason come by the knowledge of that which God hath hid unto himself?
Yet let us see one of their reasons wherewith they prove it. The chief reason is this: Every man doth more for his mother, say they, than for other; in like manner must Christ do for his mother; therefore hath she this pre-eminence, that her body is in heaven1. And yet Christ, in the xiith chap, of Matthew knoweth her not for his mother, but as far forth as
2 cor. v. ghe kept his Father's commandments. And Paul, in the iind epistle to the Corinthians, chap. v. knoweth not Christ him self fleshly, or after a worldly purpose. Last of all, God is free, and no further bound than he bindeth himself: if he have made her any promise, he is bound; if not, then is he not. Finally, if thou set this above rehearsed chapter of Matthew before thee, where Christ would not know his mo- johnii. ther, and the iind of John where he rebuked her, and the iind of Luke where she lost him, and how negligent she was to leave him behind her at Jerusalem unawares, and to go a day's journey ere she sought for him; thou mightest resolve many of their reasons which they make of this matter, and that she was without original sin. Read also Erasmus's Anno tations in the said places2. And as for me, I commit all such matters unto those idle bellies, which have nought else to do than to move such questions; and give them free liberty to hold what they list, as long as it hurteth not the faith, whe ther it be so or no: exhorting yet, with Paul, all that will please God, and obtain that salvation that is in Christ, that they give no heed unto unnecessary and brawling disputa tions, and that they labour for the knowledge of those things without which they cannot be saved. And remember that the sun was given us to guide us in our way and works bodily. Now if thou leave the natural use of the sun, and will look directly on him to see how bright he is, and such like curiosity, then will the sun blind thee. So was the scripture given us to guide us in our way and works ghostly. The way is Christ; and the promises in him are our salva tion, if we long for them. Now if we shall leave that right use and turn ourselves unto vain questions, and to search the unsearchable secrets of God; then no doubt shall the scrip ture blind us, as it hath done our schoolmen and our subtle disputers.
And as they are false prophets, which prove with alle gories, similitudes, and worldly reasons, that which is no where made mention of in the scripture; even so count them for false prophets which expound the scriptures, drawing them unto a worldly purpose, clean contrary unto the ensample, living, and practising of Christ and of his apostles, and of all the holy prophets. For, saith Peter, (2 Pet. i.) " prophecy in the scripture hath any private interpretation. 'm$oKhe " For the scripture came not by the will of man; but the holy must have a men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." p No place of the scripture may have a private exposition; that h is, it may not be expounded after the will of man, or after ^dP the will of the flesh, or drawn unto a worldly purpose con trary unto the open texts, tand the general articles of the faith, and the whole course of the scripture, and contrary to the living and practising of Christ and the apostles and holy prophets. For as they came not by the will of man, so may they not be drawn or expounded after the will of man: but as they came by the Holy Ghost, so must they be ex pounded and understood by the Holy Ghost. The scripture is that wherewith God draweth us unto him, and not where with we should be led from him. The scriptures spring out The scripture of God, and flow unto Christ, and were given to lead us to ieadusumo Christ. Thou must therefore go along by the scripture as by a line, until thou come at Christ, which is the way's end and resting-place. If any man, therefore, use the scripture to draw thee from Christ, and to nosel1 thee in any thing save in Christ, the same is a false prophet. And that thou mayest perceive what Peter meaneth, it followeth in the text, 2 Pet H. <; There were false prophets among the people " (whose prophecies were belly -wisdom), " as there shall be false teachers sects, or among you, which shall privily bring in damnable sects," (as w. T. thou seest how we are divided into monstrous sects or orders of religion,) " even denying the Lord that hath bought them." For every one of them taketh on him to sell thee for money that which God in Christ promiseth thee freely. " And many shall follow their damnable ways, by whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of:" as thou seest how the way of truth is become heresy, seditious, or cause of insurrection, and breaking of the king's peace, and treason unto his highness. " And through covetousness with feigned words shall they make merchandise of you." Covetousness is the conclusion: ^or covek°usness and ambition, that is to say, lucre and desire °f h°nour> is the final end of all false prophets and of all false prophets156 teachers. Look upon the pope's false doctrine: what is the seek. w. T. en(j thereof, and what seek they thereby? Wherefore serveth purgatory, but to purge thy purse, and to poll thee, and rob both thee and thy heirs of house and lands, and of all thou Pardons. hast, that they may be in honour? Serve not pardons for praying to the same purpose? "Whereto pertaineth praying to saints, confession, but to offer unto their bellies? Wherefore serveth confession, but to sit in thy conscience and to make thee fear and trem ble at whatsoever they dream, and that thou worship them as gods? And so forth, in all their traditions, ceremonies, and conjurations, they serve not the Lord, but their bellies.
And of their false expounding the scripture, and drawing it contrary unto the ensample of Christ and the apostles and holy prophets, unto their damnable covetousness and filthy ambi-
An example tion, take an ensample: When Peter saith to Christ, (Matt.
poundhSW xvi.) " Thou art the Son of the living God;" and Christ an-
ITau'xvi swcred, " Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my congregation;" by the rock interpret they Peter. And then cometh the pope, and will be Peter's successor, whether Peter will or will not; yea, whether God will or will not; and though all the scripture say, ' Nay,' to any such succession; and saith, ' Lo, I am the rock, the foundation, and head of [l Written also nowsle: to nursle, to nurse up.]
Christ's church.' Now saith all the scripture, that the rock Christ, the is Christ, the faith, and God's word. As Christ saith, (Matt, g^'j^1 vii.) " He that hearcth my words, and doth thereafter, is like a^d)enot th« a man that buildeth on a rock." For the house that is built on ^att^ viL God's word will stand, though heaven should fall. And, John xv. "Christ is the vine, and we the branches,:" so is Christ John xv. the rock, the stock, and foundation whereon we be built. And Paul (1 Cor. iii.) calleth Christ our foundation; and all other, icor. m. whether it be Peter or Paul, he calleth them our2 servants, to preach Christ, and to build us on him. If therefore the xheauthorit pope be Peter's successor, his duty is to preach Christ only; successor^ and other authority hath he none3. And (2 Cor. xi.) Paul2Cor.xi. marrieth us unto Christ, and driveth us from all trust and confidence in man. And, (Eph. ii.) saith Paul, " Ye are built EPh. ii. on the foundation of the apostles and prophets;" that is, on the word which they preached; " Christ being, saith he, the head corner-stone, in whom every building coupled together groweth up into an holy temple in the Lord; in whom also ye are built together and made an habitation for God in the Spirit." And Peter, in the iind of his first epistle, buildeth i rct. 11. us on Christ; contrary to the pope, which buildeth us on himself. Hell gates shall not prevail against it; that is to say, against the congregation that is built upon Christ's faith, and upon God's word. Now were the pope the rock, hell gates could not prevail against him: for the house could not stand, if the rock and foundation whereon it is built did perish: but the contrary see we in our popes. For hell gates have prevailed against them many hundred years, and have swallowed them up, if God's word be true, and the stories that are written of them; yea, or if it be true that we see with our eyes. " I will give thee the keys of heaven," saith Christ, and not, " I give;" and, John xx. after the resur rection paid it, and gave the keys to them all indifferently.
John xx. "Whatsoever thou bindest on earth, it shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou loosest on earth, it shall be That exposu loosed in heaven." Of this text maketh the pope what he will; jhjch is and expoundeth it contrary to all the scripture, contrary to ope" scrip- Christ's practising, and the apostles', and all the prophets'. prackingeof Now the scripture giveth record to himself, and ever exhihsrapoasties?f poundeth itself by another open text. If the pope then can not bring for his exposition the practising of Christ, or of the apostles and prophets, or an open text, then is his exposition false doctrine. Christ expoundeth himself, (Matt, xviii.) say- Matt, xviii. ing: "If thy brother sin against thee, rebuke him betwixt him and thee alone. If he hear thee, thou hast won thy bro ther: but if he hear thee not, then take with thee one or two," and so forth, as it standeth in the text. He concludeth, saying to them all: " Whatsoever ye bind in earth, it shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever ye loose on earth, it shall be loosed in heaven." Where binding is but to rebuke them that sin; and loosing to forgive them that repent. And, John xx. " Whose sins ye forgive, they are forgiven; and whose sins icor.v. ye hold, they are holden." And Paul (1 Cor. v.) bindeth; 2 cor. n. and (2 Cor. ii.) looseth, after the same manner. Binding and Also this binding and loosing is one power: and as he iSwS? W?T? bindeth, so looseth he; yea, and bindeth first ere he can loose. For who can loose that is not bound? Now what soever Peter bindeth, or his successor, (as he will be called and is not, but indeed the very successor of Satan,) is not so to be understood, that Peter, or the pope, hath power to command a man to be in deadly sin, or to be damned, or to go into hell, saying, Be thou in deadly sin; be thou damned; go thou to hell; go thou to purgatory: for that exposition is contrary to the everlasting testament that God hath made unto us in Christ. He sent his Son Christ to loose us from sin, and damnation, and hell; and that to testify unto the world, sent Acts 5. he his disciples. (Acts i.) Paul also hath no power to destroy, 2 cor. x. xiii. but to edify. 2 Cor. x. xiii. How can Christ give his disciples power against himself, and against his everlasting testament? Can he send them to preach salvation, and give them power to damn whom they lust? What mercy and profit have we in Christ's death, and in his gospel, if the pope, which passeth all men in wickedness, hath power to send whom he will to hell, and to damn whom he lusteth? We had then no cause, to call him Jesus, that is to say, Saviour; but might of right call him destroyer. Wherefore, then, this binding is to be w< T- understood as Christ mterpreteth it in the places above re- ™f meaneth.
hearsed, and as the apostles practised it, and is nothing but to rebuke men of their sins by preaching the law. A man must first sin against God's law, ere the pope can bind him: yea, and a man must first sin against God's law, ere he need to fear the pope's curse. For cursing; and binding are both whatcursing one; and nothing, saving to rebuke a man of his sins by
God's law. It followeth also, then, that the loosing is of what loosing like manner; and is nothing but forgiving of sin to them w- Tthat repent, through preaching of the promises which God hath made in Christ; in whom only we have all forgiveness of sins, as Christ interpreteth it, and as the apostles and prophets practised it. So is it a false power that the pope taketh on him, to loose God's laws; as to give a man licence to put away his wife to whom God hath bound him, and to bind them to chastity, which God commandeth to marry; that is to wit, them that burn and cannot live chaste. It is also a false power to bind that which God's word maketh free, making sin in the creatures which God hath made for man's use.
The pope, which so fast looseth and purgeth in purga- 4e>§ tory, cannot, with all the loosings and purgations that he hath, either loose or purge our appetites, and lust, and re bellion that is in us against the law of God. And yet the purging of them is the right purgatory. If he cannot purge them that are alive, wherewith purgeth he them that are dead? The apostles knew no other ways to purge, but through preaching God's word, which word only is that that purgeth the heart, as thou mayest see, John xv. " Ye are John xv. pure," saith Christ, " through the word." Now the pope preacheth not to them whom they feign to lie in purgatory, no more than he doth to us that are alive. How then purg eth he them? The pope is kin to Robin Goodfellow; which J*® P°{* isd sweepeth the house, washeth the dishes, and purgeth all, by fe°l0^- W.T. night; but when day cometh, there is nothing found clean1.
Some man will say, the pope bindeth them not, they bind themselves. I answer, he that bindeth himself to the pope, and had lever have his life and soul ruled by the pope's will than by the will of God, and by the pope's word than by the word of God, is a fool. And he that had lever be bond than free, is not wise. And he that will not abide in the freedom wherein Christ hath set us, is also mad. And he that maketh deadly sin where none is, and seeketh causes of hatred between him and God, is not in his right wits. Furthermore, no man can bind himself, further than he hath power over himself. He that is under the power of another man, cannot bind him self without licence, as son, daughter, wife, servant, and sub ject. Neither canst thou give God that which is not in thy power. Chastity canst thou not give, further than God lendeth it thee: if thou cannot live chaste, thou art bound to marry or to be damned. Last of all, for what purpose thou bindest thyself must be seen. If thou do it to obtain thereby that which Christ hath purchased for thee freely, so art thou an infidel, and hast no part with Christ, and so forth1. If thou wilt see more of this matter, look in Deuteronomy, and there shalt thou find it more largely entreated.
Take another ensample of their false expounding the scripture. Christ saith, " The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat: whatsoever they bid you observe, that ob serve and do; but after their works do not." Lo, say our sophisters or hypocrites, live we never so abominably, yet is our authority never the less. Do as we teach therefore, (say they,) and not as we do. And yet Christ saith, they sit on Moses' seat; that is, as long they teach Moses, do as they teach. For the law of Moses is the law of God. But for their own traditions and false doctrine Christ rebuked them, and disobeyed them, and taught other to beware of their leaven. So if our Pharisees sit on Christ's seat and preach him, we ought to hear them; but when they sit on their own seat, then ought we to beware as well of their pestilent doctrine as of their abominable living.
Likewise where they find mention made of a sword, they turn it unto the pope's power. The disciples said unto Christ, Luke xxii. " Lo, here be two swords." And Christ answered, " Two is enough." Lo, say they, the pope hath two swords, the spiritual sword and the temporal sword. And therefore is it lawful for him to tight and make war.
Christ, a little before he went to his passion, asked his disciples, saying, " When I sent you out without all provision, lacked ye any thing? and they said, Nay. And he an swered, But now let him that hath a wallet take it with him, and he that hath a scrip likewise; and let him that hath never a sword, sell his coat and buy one:" as who should say, ' It shall go otherwise now than then. Then ye went forth in faith of my word, and my Father's promises; and it fed you and made provision for you, and was your sword, and shield, and defender; but now it shall go as thou readest Zechariah xiii. " I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered." Now shall my Father leave me in the hands of the wicked; and ye also shall be forsaken and destitute of faith, and shall trust in yourselves, and in your own provision, and in your own defence.' Christ gave no commandment; but prophesied what should happen: and they, because they understood him not, answered, " Here are two swords." And Christ (to make an end of such babbling) answered, " Two is enough." For if he had commanded every man to buy a sword, how had two been enough? Also, if two were enough, and pertained to the pope only, why are they all commanded to buy every man a sword? By the sword, therefore, Christ prophesied, that they should be left unto their own defence. And two swords were enough; yea, never-a-one had been enough: for if every one of them had had ten swords, they would have fled ere mid night.
In the same chapter of Luke, not twelve lines from the foresaid text, the disciples, even at the last supper, asked Jjuketh desire who should be the greatest. And Christ rebuked them, and said it was an heathenish thing, and there should be no such c thing among them, but that the greatest should be as the men ah smallest, and that to be great was to do service as Christ ance.m did. But this text because it is brighter than the sun, that they can make no sophistry of it, therefore will they not hear it, nor let other know it.
Forasmuch now as thou partly seest the falsehood of our prelates, how all their study is to deceive us and to keep us in darkness, to sit as gods in our consciences, and handle us at their pleasure, and to lead us whither they lust; therefore I read1 thee, get thee to God's word, and thereby try all doctrine, and against that receive nothing; neither any ex position contrary unto the open texts, neither contrary to the general articles of the faith, neither contrary to the living and practising of Christ and his apostles. And when they Fathers, fa- cry, 'Fathers, fathers,' remember that it were the fathers that blinded and robbed the whole world, and brought us into this captivity, wherein these enforce to keep us still. Further more, as they of the old time are fathers to us, so shall these foul monsters be fathers to them that come after us; and the hypocrites that follow us will cry of these and of their doings, 'Fathers, fathers,' as these cry 'Fathers, fathers,' of them that are past. And as we feel our fathers, so did they that are past feel their fathers: neither were there in the world any other fathers than such as we both see and feel this many hundred years; as their decrees bear record, and the stories and chronicles well testify. If God's word appeared any where, they agreed all against it. When they had brought that asleep, then strove they one with another about their own traditions, and one pope condemned another's decrees2, and were sometime two, yea, three popes at once3. And one bishop went to law with another, and one cursed another for their own fantasies, and such things as they had falsely gotten. And the greatest saints are they that most defended the liberties of the church (as they call it), which they falsely got with blinding kings; neither had the world any rest this many hundred years, for reforming of friars and monks, and ceasing of schisms that were among our clergy. And as for the holy doctors, as Augustine, Hierome, Cyprian, Chrysostomus, and Bede, will they not hear. If they wrote any thing negligently, (as they were men,) that draw they clean contrary to their meaning, and thereof triumph they. Those doctors knew of none authority that one bishop should have above another, neither thought or once dreamed that ever any such should be, or of any such whispering, or of pardons, or scouring of purgatory, as they have feigned.
And when they cry, ' Miracles, miracles,' remember that Miracles,
God hath made an everlasting testament with us in Christ's w- Tblood, against which we may receive no miracles4; no, nei ther the preaching of Paul himself, if he came again, by his The woman own teaching to the Galatians, neither yet the preaching of ^a^|°5lem the angels of heaven. Wherefore either they are no miracles w- T- but they have feigned them, (as is the miracle that St Peter hallowed Westminster l;) or else if there be miracles that confirm doctrine contrary to God's word, then are they done and Tyndale,' he has himself told the tale of the woman of Lemster: of whom he makes one of the speakers say, 'that the prior brought privily a strange wench into the church, and said that she was sent thither by God. — And after she was grated within iron grates above in the rood loft, where it was believed she lived without any meat or drink, only by angels' food. And divers times she was houseled in sight of the people with an host unconsecrate, and all the people looking upon, there was a device with a small hair that conveyed the host from the paten of the chalice out of the prior's hands into her mouth, as though it came alone; so that all the people, not of the town only, but also of the country about, took her for a very quick saint, and daily sought so thick to see her, that many, that could not come near to her, cried out aloud, Holy maiden Elizabeth, help me, and were fain to throw their offering over their fellows' heads for press.' The narrator proceeds to say that the steps prudently taken by the mother of Henry VI. led to the detection of this device, and of other wickedness confessed by her two miserable partners in guilt. ' An faith, quod I,' (says More, as the other speaker,) ' it had been great almes the prior and she had been burned together at one stake. What came of the prior? Quod he, that can I not tell, but I wene he was put to such punishment as the poor nun was, that had given her in penance to say this verse, Miserere mei Deus, quoniam conculcavit me homo, with a great threat, that an she did so any more, she should say the whole psalm.' Sir Th. More's Works, as republished in Q. Mary's reign, fol. 134-5.]
of the devil, (as the maid of Ipswich2 and of Kent3,) to prove us whether we will cleave fast to God's word, and to de ceive them that have no love to the truth of God's word, nor lust to walk in his laws.
And forasmuch as they to deceive withal arm themselves The armour against them with arguments and persuasions of fleshly wis- rituait/ dom, with worldly similitudes, with shadows, with false alle gories, with false expositions of the scripture, contrary unto the living and practising of Christ and the apostles, with lies and false miracles, with false names, dumb ceremonies, with disguising of hypocrisy, with the authorities of the fathers, and last of all with the violence of the temporal sword; there fore do thou contrariwise arm thyself to defend thee withal, The armour as Paul teacheth in the last chapter of the Ephesians: " Gird worndai?d0d's on ^iee the sword of the Spirit, which is God's word, and lll'viw> T< take to thee the shield of faith:" which is, not to believe a tale of Kobin Hood, or Gesta Romanorum1, or of the Chro nicles, but to believe God's word that lasteth ever.
And when the pope with his falsehead challengeth tem poral authority above king and emperor, set before thee the xxvith chapter of St Matthew, where Christ commandeth Peter to put up his sword. And set before thee Paul, 2 Cor. xth, where he saith, " The weapons of our war are not carnal things, but mighty in God to bring all understanding in captivity under the obedience of Christ:" that is, the weapons are God's word and doctrine, and not swords of iron and steel. And set before thee the doctrine of Christ and of his apostles, and their practice.
And when the pope challengeth authority over his fellow bishops and over all the congregation of Christ by succession of Peter, set before thee the first of the Acts; where Peter, for all his authority, put no man in the room of Judas; but all the apostles chose two indifferently, and cast lots, desiring God to temper2 them, that the lot might fall on the most Acts viii. xi. ablest. And (Acts viii.) the apostles sent Peter; and in the xith call him to reckoning, and to give accounts of that he hath done.
And when the pope's law commandeth, saying, though that the pope live never so wickedly and draw with him through his evil ensample innumerable thousands into hell, yet s.ee that no man presume to rebuke him, for he is head over all, and no man over him3; set before thee Galatians iind, where Paul rebuketh Peter openly: and see how hoth to the Corinthians, and also to the Galatians, he will have no superior but God's word, and he that could teach better by God's word God's word. And because, when he rehearsed his preaching men's judg- and his doings unto the high apostles, they could improve4 Antednothing, therefore will he be equal with the best. jg$|
And when the friars say, they do more than their duty Friars be not when they preach, and more than they are bound to: (' To say preach. W.T. our service are we bound, say they, and that is our duty; and to preach is more than we are bound to:') set thou be fore thee how that Christ's blood-shedding hath bound us to love one another with all our might, and to do the uttermost of our power one to another. And Paul saith, 1 Cor. ix. i cor. ix. " Woe be unto me, if I preach not:" yea, woe is unto him that hath wherewith to help his neighbour, and to make him better, and do it not. If they think it more than their duty to preach Christ unto you, then they think it more than their duty to pray that ye should come to the knowledge of Christ. And therefore it is no marvel though they take so great labour, yea, and so great wages also, to keep you still in darkness.
And when they cry furiously, ' Hold the heretics unto the wall, and if they will not revoke, burn them without any more ado; reason not with them, it is an article condemned by the fathers;' set thou before thee the saying of Peter, 1 Pet. iii. " To all that ask you be ready to give an answer of 1 Pet. m. the hope that is in you, and that with meekness." The fathers of the Jews and the bishops, which had as great authority over them as ours have over us, condemned Christ and his doctrine. If it be enough to say the fathers have condemned it, then are the Jews to be holden excused; yea, they are yet in the right way, and we in the false. But and if the Jews be bound to look in the scripture, and to see whether their fathers have done right or wrong; then are we likewise bound to look in the scripture, whether our fathers have done right or wrong, and ought to believe nothing without a reason of the scripture and authority of God's word.
And of this manner defend thyself against all manner wickedness of our sprites1, armed always with God's word, and with a strong and a stedfast faith thereunto. Without God's word do. nothing. And to his word add nothing; nei ther pull any thing therefrom, as Moses everywhere teacheth HOW God thee. Serve God in the spirit, and thy neighbour with all served. outward service. Serve God as he hath appointed thec; and not with thy good intent and good zeal. Remember Saul was cast away of God for ever for his good intent. God requireth obedience unto his word; and abhorreth all good intents and good zeals which are without God's word: for they are nothing else than plain idolatry, and worshipping of false gods2, in Christ is And remember that Christ is the end of all things. He science only, only is our resting-place, and he is our peace. For as there Eph. h. is no salvation in any other name, so is there no peace in any other name. Thou shalt never have rest in thy soul, neither shall the worm of conscience ever cease to gnaw thine heart, till thou come at Christ; till thou hear the glad tidings, how that God for his sake hath forgiven thee all freely. If thou trust in thy works, there is no rest. Thou shalt think, I have not done enough. Have I done it with so great love as I should do? Was I so glad in doing, as I would be to receive help at my need? I have left this or that undone; and such like. If thou trust in confession, then shalt thou think, Have I told all? Have I told all the circumstances? Did I repent enough? Had I as great sorrow in my re pentance for my sins, as I had pleasure in doing them? Likewise in our holy pardons and pilgrimages gettest thou Note. no rest. For thou seest that the very gods themselves, which sell their pardon so good cheap, or some whiles give them freely for glory sake, trust not therein themselves. They build colleges, and make perpetuities, to be prayed for for ever; and lade the lips of their beadmen3, or chaplains, with so many masses, and diriges, and so long service, that I have known of4 some that have bid the devil take their founders' souls, for very impatiency and weariness of so painful labour.
As pertaining to good deeds therefore, do the best thou DO good canst, and desire God to give strength to do better daily; trust In but in Christ put thy trust, and in the pardon and promises that God hath made thee for his sake; and on that rock build thine house, and there dwell. For there only shalt thou be sure from all storms and tempests, and from all wily assaults of our wicked spirits, which study with all falsehead to undermine us. And the God of all mercy give thee grace so to do, unto whom be glory for ever! Amen.
A Compendious Rehearsal of that which goeth before.
I HAVE described unto you the obedience of children, ser vants, wives, and subjects. These four orders are of God's making, and the rules thereof are God's word., He that God's word is keepeth them shall be blessed, yea, is blessed already; and children,0 he that breaketh them shall be cursed. |If any person of im- ^'.ees^d patiency, or of a stubborn and rebellious mind, withdraw him- Ant- edself from any of these, and get him to any other order, let him not think thereby to avoid the vengeance of God in obeying rules and traditions of man's imagination.! If thou pollest thine head in the worship of thy father, and breakest his commandments, shouldest thou so escape? Or if thou paintest thy master's image on a wall, and stickest up a candle before it, shouldest thou therewith make satisfac tion for the breaking of his commandments? Or if thou wearest a blue coat in the worship of the king, and breakest his laws, shouldest thou so go quit? Let a man's wife make herself a sister of the Charterhouse, and answer her husband, when he biddeth her hold her peace, ' My brethren keep silence for me;' and see whether she shall so escape. And be thou sure God is more jealous over his commandments than man is over his, or than any man is over his wife. TO please Because we be blind. God hath appointed in the scripture believe his now we should serve mm and please mm. As pertaining unto his own person, he is abundantly pleased when we be-
Antdedents' ^eve his promises and holy testament, which he hath made unto us in Christ; and, for the mercy which he there shewed us, love his commandments. All bodily service must be done to man in God's stead. We must give obedience, honour, toll, tribute, custom, and rent unto whom they belong. Then if thou have ought more to bestow, give unto the poor, which are left here in Christ's stead, that we shew mercy on them. If we keep the commandments of love, then are we sure that we fulfil the law in the sight of God, and that our blessing shall be everlasting life. Now when we obey patiently, and without grudging, evil princes that oppress us and persecute us, and be kind and merciful to them that are merciless to us and do the worst they can to us, and so take all for tune patiently, and kiss whatsoever cross God layeth on our backs; then are we sure that we keep the commandments >of love.
I declared that God hath taken all vengeance into his own hands, and will avenge all unright himself; either by the powers or officers which are appointed thereto, or else, He that win if they be negligent, he will send his curses upon the trans- |ethGo£of gressors, and destroy them with his secret judgments. I Ant. ed. shewed also, that whosoever avengeth himself is damned in the deed-doing, and falleth into the hands of the temporal sword, because he taketh the office of God upon him, and robbeth God of his most high honour, in that he will not patiently abide his judgment. I shewed you of the authority of princes, how they are in God's stead, and how they may not be resisted: do they never so evil, they must be reserved unto the wrath of God. Neverthelater, if they command to do evil, we must then disobey, and say, '"We are otherwise commanded of God;' but not to rise against them. 'They will kill us then,' sayest thou. Therefore, I say, is a Christian called to suffer even the bitter death for his hope's sake, and because he will do no evil. I shewed also that the kings and