Doctrinal Treatises and Introductions to the Holy Scriptures

through the traditions of men, and ordinances after the world, and not after Christ?'

By this means, then, thou wilt that no man teach an other; but that every man take the scripture, and learn by when no himself. Nay, verily, so say I not. Nevertheless, seeing

Sre GoTie *hat ye will not teach,uf any man thirst for the truth, and wiineach. rea(j ^he scripture by himself, desiring God to open the door of knowledge unto him, God for his truth's sake will and must teach hmiTj Howbeit, my meaning is, that as a master teacheth his apprentice to know all the points of the meteyard; first, how many inches, how many feet, and the halfyard, the quarter, and the jiail; and then teacheth him to The order mete other things thereby: [even so will I that ye teach the w.T m people God's law, and what obedience God requireth of us to father and mother, master, lord, king, and all superiors, and with what friendly love he commandeth one to love another; and teach them to know that natural venom and birthpoison, which moveth the very hearts of us to rebel against the ordinances and will of God; and prove that no man is righteous in the sight of God, but that we are all damned by the law: and then, when thou hast meeked them and feared them with the law, teach them the testament and promises which God hath made unto us in Christ, and how much he loveth us in Christ; and teach them the principles and the ground of the faith, and what the sacraments signify: and then shall the Spirit work with thy preaching, and make them feel. So would it come to pass, that as we know by natural wit what followeth of a true principle of natural reason; even so, by the principles of the faith, and by the plain scriptures, and by the circumstances of the text, should we judge all men's exposition, and all men's doctrine, and should receive the best, and refuse the worst. I would have you to teach them also the properties and manner of speakings of the scripture, and how to expound proverbs and similitudes. And then, if they go abroad and walk by the fields and meadows of all manner doctors and philosophers, they could catch no harm: they should discern the poison from the honey, and bring home nothing but that which is

The disorder, wholesome!} orSS11 But now do ye clean contrary: ye drive them from A\\°T.men> God's word, and will let no man come thereto, until he have been two years master of art. First, they nosel1 them in sophistry, and in benefundatum2. And there corrupt they The school their judgments with apparent arguments, and with alleging ^g^^ unto them texts of logic, of natural philautia, of mctaphysic, ^fntSf and moral philosophy, and of all manner books of Aristotle, youth> W-Tand of all manner doctors which they yet never saw. Moreover, one holdeth this, another that; one is a Heal, another a Nominal3. What wonderful dreams have they of Breams. '* their predicaments4, universals5, second intentions6, quid- dities, hcecceiiies1, and relatives; and whether species fundata in chimera be vera species; and whether this pro position be true, Non ens est aliquid; whether ens be cequivocum, or univocum. Ens is a voice only, say some. Ens is univocum, saith another, and descendeth into ens creatum, and into ens increatum, per modes intrinsecos2. When they have thiswise brawled eight, ten, or twelve or more years, and after that their judgments are utterly corrupt, then they begin their divinity; not at the scrip ture, but every man taketh a sundry doctor; which doctors are as sundry and as divers, the one contrary unto the °tner> as there are divers fashions and monstrous shapes, none like another, among our sects of religion. Every religion, e very university, and almost every man, hath a sundry divinity. Now whatsoever opinions every man findeth with his doctor, that is his gospel, and that only is true with

^™ ' ^^ ^^ ^°^e^ ^e a^ n^s ^e ^OI1S: an(^ every man, ^0 maintain his doctor withal, corrupteth the scripture, and fashioneth it after his own imagination, as a potter doth his clay. Of what text thou provest hell, will another prove purgatory; another limbo patrum3; and another the as- sumption of our lady4: and another shall prove of the same text that an ape hath a tail. And of what text the gray friar proveth that our lady was without original sin, of the same shall the black friar prove that she was conceived in original sin5. And all this do they with apparent reasons,

False simiiu with false similitudes and likenesses, and with arguments and persuasions of mans wisdom, i^ow^here is no other

Man's wis- division or heresy in the world save man's wisdom, and wisdom scattereth, divideth, and maketh sects; while the coats, w. T. wisdom of one is that a white coat is best to serve God in, and another saith a black, and another a gray, another a blue; and while one saith that God will hear your prayer in this place, another saith in that place; and while one riace. w. T. saith this place is holier, and another that place is holier;

one religion and this religion is holier than that; and this saint is greater another'. **" with God than that; and an hundred thousand like things.

Man's wis- jMan's wisdom is plain idolatry: neither is there any other try? W.T. idolatry than to imagine of God after man's wisdom. God w. T. is not man s imagination; but that only which he saith ot himself. God is nothing but his law and his promises; that is to say, that which he biddeth thee to do, and that which he biddeth thee believe and hope. God is but his worcl^ as job. viii. Christ saith, John viii. "I am that I say unto you;" that is to say, That which I preach am I; my words are spirit and life. God is that only which he testifieth of himself; and to imagine any other thing of God than that, is damnable idolatry.

rs. cxix. Therefore saith the hundred and eighteenth psalm, " Happy are they which search the testimonies of the Lord1;" that is to

Then think say, that which God testifieth and witnesseth unto us. But theirwicked how shall I that do, when ye will not let me have his testi- shew itself to their shame monies, or witnesses, in a tongue which I understand? Will ye resist God? Will ye forbid him to give his Spirit unto the lay as well as unto you? Hath he not made the English tongue? Why forbid ye him to speak in the English tongue then, as well as in the Latin?

Finally, that this threatening and forbidding the lay people the pope to read the scripture is not for the love of your souls (which p3?to'e they care for as the fox doth for the geese), is evident, and whatatheyay clearer than the sun; inasmuch as they permit and suffer you ^ttr£[hto read Robin Hood, and Bevis of Hampton, Hercules, Hector Read what and Troilus, with a thousand histories and fables of love and ye^amuay wantonness, and of ribaldry, as filthy as heart can think, Jut. «v"the to corrupt the minds of youth withal, clean contrary to the doctrine of Christ and of his apostles: for Paul saith, " See Eph. v. that fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, be not once named among you, as it becometh saints; neither filthiness, neither foolish talking nor jesting, which are not comely: for this ye know, that no whoremonger, either unclean person, or covetous person, which is the worshipper of images, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God." And after saith he, " Through such things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of unbelief." Now seeing they permit you freely to read those things which corrupt your minds and rob you of the kingdom of God and Christ, and bring the wrath of God upon you, how is this forbidding for love of your souls? >-*doth- Ant'ed>

A thousand reasons more might be made, as thou mayest see in Paraclesis Erasmi2, and in his preface to the Para- phrase of Matthew1, unto which they should be compelled to hold their peace, or to give shameful answers. But I hope that these are sufficient unto them that thirst the truth. God for his mercy and truth shall well open them more, yea, and other secrets of his godly wisdom, if they be diligent to cry unto him; which grace grant God. Amen.

FORASMUCH as our holy prelates and our ghostly religious2, which ought to defend God's word, speak evil of it, and do but all the shame they can to it, and rail on it; and bear their word. Anted. captives in hand, that it causeth insurrection and teacheth the people to disobey their heads and governors, and moveth them to rise against their princes, and to make all common, and to make havock of other men's goods: therefore have I made this little treatise that followeth, containing all obe- The obedidience that is of God; in which, whosoever readeth it, shall monks and easily perceive, not the contrary only, and that they he, but £«& ^FOT^ also the very cause of such blasphemy, and what stirreth °[ S own them so furiously to rage arid to belie the truth. wvTng'

Howbeit it is no new thing unto the word of God to be The hyporailed upon, neither is this the first time that hypocrites have Sktto<Lft ascribed to God's word the vengeance whereof they themselves thfy them- were ever cause. For the hypocrites with their false doctrine w"ST°f' and idolatry have evermore led the wrath and vengeance of

God upon the people, so sore that God could no longer for bear, nor defer his punishment. Yet God, which is always God warned merciful, before he would take vengeance, hath ever sent his w. T.

true prophets and true preachers, to warn the people that they might repent. But the people for the most part, and namely the heads and rulers, through comfort and persuading of the hypocrites, have ever waxed more hard-hearted than before, and have persecuted the word of God and his pro phets. Then God, which is also righteous, hath always poured his plagues upon them without delay; which plagues the hypocrites ascribe unto God's word, saying, < See what when God mischief is come upon us since this new learning came up, $£f**£f and this new sect, and this new doctrine.' This seest thou, Jere- J^gS* miah xliv. where the people cried to go to their old idolatry CO^JS again, saying, " Since we left it, we have been in all neces- w!rT° sity and have been consumed with war and hunger." But the prophet answered them that their idolatry went unto the heart of God, so that he could no longer suffer the malicious ness of their own imaginations or inventions; and that the cause of all such mischiefs was, because they would not hear the voice of the Lord and walk in his law, ordinances, and Christ was testimonies. The scribes and the Pharisees laid also to Christ's gon. charge, Luke xxiii. that he moved the people to sedition; and Luke xxiii. said to Pilate, " We have found this fellow perverting the people, and forbidding to pay tribute to Caesar, and saith that he is Christ a king." And again in the same chapter, " He moveth the people," said they, "teaching throughout Jewry, and began at Galilee even to this place." So likewise laid they to the apostles1 charge, as thou mayest see in the Acts. St Cyprian also, and St Augustine, and many other more, made works in defence of the word of God against such blas phemies1. So that thou mayest see how that it is no new thing, but an old and accustomed thing with the hypocrites, to wite2 God^s word and the true preachers of all the mischief which their lying doctrine is the very cause of.

why trouble Nevertlielater in very deed, after the preaching of God's i -reaching of word, because it is not truly received, God sendeth great w! T?pe trouble into the world; partly to avenge himself of the tyrants and persecutors of his word, and partly to destroy those worldly people which make of God's word nothing but a cloak of their fleshly liberty. They are not all good that

Matt. xiii. follow the gospel. Christ (Matt, xiii.) likeneth the kingdom of heaven unto a net cast into the sea, that catcheth fishes both good and bad. The kingdom of heaven is the preaching of the gospel, unto which come both good and bad. But the good are few. Christ calleth them therefore a " little flock," Lukexii. For they are ever few that come to the gospel of a true intent, ^Jit^e seeking therein nothing but the glory and praise of God, and AS our preoffering themselves freely and willingly to take adversity with take their Christ for the gospel's sake, and for bearing record unto the seek God's c. glory and truth, that all men may hear it. The greatest number come, JJ^r^",* and ever came, and followed even Christ himself, for a worldly purpose: as thou mayest well see (John vi.), how that almost five thousand followed Christ, and would also have made him a king, because he had well fed them: whom he rebuked, saying, " Ye seek me not because ye saw the miracles, but Joh. vi. because ye ate of the bread and were filled"; and drove them away from him with hard preaching.

Even so now, as ever, the most part seek liberty. They Liberty, be glad when they hear the unsatiable covetousness of the spirituality rebuked; when they hear their falsehood and wiles uttered; when tyranny and oppression is preached against; when they hear how kings and all officers should rule christianly and brotherly, and seek no other thing save the wealth of their subjects; and when they hear that they have no such authority of God so to pill and poll as they do, and to raise up taxes and gatherings to maintain their phan tasies, and to make war they wot not for what cause. And therefore,]because the heads will not so rule, will they also no longer obey; but resist and rise against their evil heads; and God destroyone wicked destroy eth anotherTJ Yet is God's word not the wfcSdwith cause of this, neither yet the preachers?^ For though that w. T. Christ himself taught all obedience, how that it is not lawful God's word to resist wrong, but for the officer that is appointed there- «"** of evii. unto; and how a man must love his very enemy, and pray for them that persecute him, and bless them that curse him; and how that all vengeance must be remitted to God; and that a man must forgive if he will be forgiven of God; yet the people for the most part received it not: they were ever ready to rise, and to fight. For ever when the scribes and Pharisees went about to take Christ, they were afraid of the people. " Not on the holy day/1 said they, Matt. xxvi. "lest Matt. xxvi. any rumour arise among the people": and, Matt. xxi. "They Matt.xxi.

would have taken him but they feared the people": and Luke Luke xx. xx. Christ asked the Pharisees a question unto which they durst not answer, lest the people should have stoned them. Christ's dis- Last of all: forasmuch as the very disciples and apostles of Christ, after so long hearing of Christ's doctrine, were yet ready to fight for Christ, clean against Christ's teaching, (as Peter, Matt. xxvi. Matt. xxvi. drew his sword, but was rebuked; and, Luke ix. James and John would have had fire to come from heaven to consume the Samaritans, and to avenge the injury of Christ, but were likewise rebuked;) if Christ's disciples were so long carnal, The pope's what wonder is it if we be not all perfect the first day? Yea, causeth, yea inasmuch as we be taught, even of very babes, to kill a Turk,

Ant.ded. to S^ay a J0W> to burn an heretic, to fight for the liberties and right of the church, as they call it; yea, and inasmuch as we are brought in belief, if we shed the blood of our even l Christian, or if the son shed the blood of his father that begat him, for the defence, not of the pope's godhead only, but also for whatsoever cause it be, yea, though it be for no cause, but that his holiness commandeth it only, that we deserve as much as Christ deserved for us, when he died on the cross; or, if we be slain in the quarrel, that our souls go, nay, fly to heaven, and be there ere our blood be cold: inasmuch, I say, as we have sucked in such bloody imaginations into the bottom of our hearts, even with our mother's milk, and have been so long hardened therein; what wonder were it, if, while we be yet young in Christ, we thought that it were lawful to fight for the true word of God? Yea, and though a man were thoroughly persuaded that it were not lawful to resist his king, though he would wrongfully take away life and goods; yet might he think that it were lawful to resist the hypocrites, and to rise, not against his king but with his king, to deliver his king out of bondage and captivity, wherein the hypocrites hold him with wiles and falsehood, so that no man may be suffered to come at him, to tell him the truth. The pope's This seest thou, that it is the bloody doctrine of the pope bloody. W.T. which causeth disobedience, rebellion and insurrection: for he teacheth to fight and to defend his traditions, and whatsoever he dreameth, with fire, water, and sword; and to disobey father, mother, master, lord, king, and emperor; yea, and to invade whatsoever land or nation, that will not receive and [l Even, i.e. equal.]

admit his godhead: where the peaceable doctrine of Christ Christ's teacheth to obey, and to suffer for the word of God, and to remit the vengeance and the defence of the word to God, which is mighty and able to defend it: which also as soon as the word is once openly preached, and testified, or witnessed unto the world, and when he hath given them a season to repent, is ready at once to take vengeance of his enemies, and shooteth arrows with heads dipt in deadly poison at them; and poureth himself, his plagues from heaven down upon them; and sendeth the murrain and pestilence among them; and sinketh the cities of them; and maketh the earth swallow them; and compasseth them in their wiles; and taketh them in their own traps and snares, and casteth them into the pits which they digged for other men; and sendeth them a dazing2 in the head; and utterly destroyeth them with their own subtle counsel.

^Prepare thy mind therefore unto this little treatise v, and HOW a man read it discreetly; and judge it indifferently. And when I Jf^ff in allege any scripture, look thou on the text whether I interpret SSSSf and it right: j which thou shalt easily perceive by the circumstance and process of them, if thou make Christ the foundation and the ground, and build all on him, and referrest all to him; 'and findest also that the exposition agreeth unto the common articles of the faith and open scriptures.^ And God the Father of mercy, which for his truth's sake raised our Saviour Christ up again to justify us, give thee his Spirit, to judge what is righteous in his eyes; and give thee strength to abide by it, and to maintain it with all patience and longsuffering, unto the example and edifying of his congregation, and glory of his name. Amen.

The Obedience of all Degrees proved by God's Word: and first of Children unto their Elders.

GOD, which worketh all in all things, for a secret judg ment and purpose, and for his godly pleasure, provided an hour that thy father and mother should come together, to make thee through them. He was present with thee in thy mother's womb, and fashioned thee and breathed life into thee; and, for the great love he had unto thee, provided milk in thy mother's breasts for thee against thou were born; moved also thy father and mother, and all other, to love thee, to pity thee, and to care for thee.

And as he made thee through them, so hath he cast thee our fathers under the power and authority of them, to obey and serve them SB jo S»in in his, stead; saying, "Honour thy father and mother." Exod. w. T. xx. Which is not to be understood in bowing the knee, and putting off the cap only, but that thou love them with all thine heart; and fear and dread them, and wait on their com mandments; and seek their worship, pleasure, will and profit in all things; and give thy life for them, counting them worthy of all honour; remembering that thou art their good and possession, and that thou owest unto them thine own self, and all thou art able, yea, and more than thou art able to do.

whatjve Understand also, that whatsoever thou doest unto them, ood0 w. T. them, thou pleasest God; when thou displeasest them, thou displeasest God; when they are angry with thee, God is angry with thee: neither is it possible for thee to come to the favour of God again, no, though all the angels of heaven pray for thee, until thou have submitted thyself unto thy father and mother again.

Tho^eward If thou obey, though it be but carnally, either for fear, w. T. for vain glory, or profit, thy blessing shall be long life upon the earth. For he saith, " Honour thy father and mother, that thou mayest live long upon the earth." Exod. xx. Conw. T. trariwisc, if thou disobey them, thy life shall be shortened xxi. upon the earth. For it followeth' Exod. xxi. " He that smiteth his father or mother shall be put to death for it. And