Acts and Monuments Volume 1
In like manner, we may reason, if we be bound to tything, we are debtors, & bound to keep all the whole law. For to say that men are bound to one ceremony of the law, & not to the others, is no reasonable saying. Either therefore we are bound to them all, or to none. Also, that by the same old law, men are not bound to pay tithes, it may be shown by many reasons, which we need not anymore to multiply & increase, because the things that be said, are sufficient. Whereupon some do say, that by the Gospel we are bound to pay tithes, because Christ said to the Pharisees, Math. 23. chapter: Woe be you Scribes and Pharisees, which pay your tithe of Mint, of Anets seed, and of commin: and leave judgment, mercy, and truth undone, being the weightier things of the law, both should ye have done these things, and also not have left the other undone. O ye blind guides, that strain out a gnat, and swallow up a camel. Thys word soundeth not as a commandment or manner of bidding, whereby Christ did command tithes to be given: but it is a word of disalowing the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, who of covetousness did rather weigh and esteem tithes, because of their own singular commodity, rather then other great and weighty commandments of the law. And me seemeth that our men are in the same predicament of the Pharisees, which do leave of all y e ceremonies of y e old law, keeping only the commandment of tything. It is manifest and plain enough by the premisses, and by other places of the scripture, that Christ was a priest after the order of Melchizedek, of the tribe of Judah, not of the tribe of Leuie: who gave no new commandment of tything of anything to him and to his priests whom he would place after him: but whē his Apostles said to him: Behold, we leave all things & have followed thee, what then shall we have, he did not answer them thus: Tithes shall be paid you, neither did he promise them a temporal, but an everlasting reward in heaven. For he, both for food, and also apparel taught his disciples not to be careful. Be ye not careful for your life, what ye shall eat, or for your body what ye shall put on. Is not the life of man more worth then the meat? and the body more worth then apparel? Behold ye the birds of heaven, which do not sow, nor reap, neither yet lay up in barns, and yet your heavenly father feedeth them. And as for apparel, why should you be careful? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow, they labor not, neither do they spin. &c. In conclusion he saith, be not ye careful, saying, what shall we eat, or what shall we drink, or wherwithall shall we be covered? For all these things do the Gentiles seek after. For your father knoweth, y t you have need of all these things. First therefore seek ye for the kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof, and all these things shall be cast unto you. And Paul right well remembering this doctrine, instructeth Timothy and saith thus. But we having food and wherewithal to be covered, let us therewyth be contented. And as the Acts of the Apostles do declare: In the first conversion of the Jews at Jerusalem, they had all things common, and to everyone was division made, as need required. Neither did the priests make the tithes their own proper goods. For like as it was not meet that the lay people being converted, should have propriety of goods: even so neither that priests should have propriety of tithes. So that if y e priests started back from fervent charity in challenging to themselves the propriety of tithes: it is no marvel of departing backward (as do the priests, frō the perfection of charity) also of the laity to be willing to appropriate to them selves the ix. partes remaining after tithes. Wherefore, seeing that neither Christ, nor any of the Apostles, commanded to pay tithes: it is manifest and plain, neither by the law of Moses, nor by Christ's law, Christian people are bound to pay the tithes: but by the tradition of men, they are bound.
By the premisses now it is plain, that Christ did not undo the law, but by grace did fulfil it. Notwithstanding, in the law many things were lawful, which in the time of grace are forbydden, and many things were then unlawful, which now are lawful enough. For nothing that is contrary to charity, is lawful to a Christian.
Let us now hear what manner of commandments Christ hath given us in the Gospel, without the observation of which commandments, charity shall not perfectly be kept. By which commandments, Christ did not undo the old law, but did fulfill it. By the observation also of which commandments, he teacheth us to pass and got beyond the righteousness of the Scribes & Pharisees, who most perfectly thought themselves to keep the law. This absolute and perfect righteousness, which we are bound to have beyond the righteousness of the Pharisees and the Scribes, he teacheth in Math. 5.6. and 7. chap. Whych being heard, and compared to the traditions made and commanded by the Roman prelates: it shall plainly appere, whether they be contrary or no. Christ therefore saith, you have heard, that it was said to them of the old time. Thou shalt not kill. For he that killeth shall be guilty of judgment. But I say unto you, that everyone that is angry with his brother, shall be in danger of judgment. In this he doeth teach, that we ought not to be angry with our brethren: not that he would undo this did commandment (thou shalt not kill) but that the same should be the more perfectly observed. Again he saith. You have heard that it was said, thou shalt love thy friend, and hate thine enemy: But I say unto you, Love your enemies, do well to them that hate you, pray for them that persecute & slander you, that you may be the children of your father which is in heaven: Which maketh his sun to arise upon the good and the evil people, and raineth upon the just and unjust. For if you love them which love you, what reward shall you have? Do not the Publican's thus? And if you shall salute your brethren only, what great thing do ye? Do not the heathen thus also? Be you therefore perfect, as also your heavenly father is perfect.
Again Christ saith, you have heard that it is said: an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth: but I say unto you, see that you resist not evil. But if any man shall strike you upon the right cheek, give him the other to. And to him that will strive with thee for thy coat in judgment, let him have thy cloke also. And whosoever shall contstrain thee one mile, go with him also two other. He y • asketh of thee give him: and he that will borrow of thee, turn not thyself from him.
By these things it may plainly appear, howe that Christ the king of peace, the Savior of mankind, who came to save and not to destroy, who gave a law of charity to be observed of his faithful people: hath taught us not to be angry, not to hate our enemies, not to render evil for evil, nor to resist evil. For all these things do softer and nourish peace & charity, and do proceed and come forth of charity, & when they be not kept, charity is loosed, & peace is broken. But the bishop of Rome approveth and alloweth wars, and slaughters of mē in war, as well against our enemies, that is, the infidels, as also against the Christians for temporal goods. Now, these things are quite contrary to Christ's doctrine, and to charity, and to peace.
In the decrees 23. q. 1. cap. Paratus, it is taught, that the precepts of patience must always be retained in purpose of the heart, so that patience w t benevolence must be kept in the mind secrete. But apparently and manifestly, that thing should be done, which seemeth to do good to those, whom we ought to wish well unto. Wherein they give to understand, that a Christian may freely defend himself. And for confirmation of this saying, they do say: That Christ whē he was stricken in the face of the high bishops servant, did not fulfill (if we look upon the words) his own commandment: because he gave not to the smiter the other part, but rather did forbid him, that he should not do it, to double his injury. For he said, if I have spoken evil, bear witness of evil, but if well, why doest thou strike me? I do meruail of this saying: for first if those commandments of patience must be kept in secrete in the mind: and seeing the body doth work at the motion of the mind, and is and ought to be moved and ruled by the same: It must then needs be, that if patience be in the mind, it must appear also outwardly in the body.
Secondly I meruail that it is said, that Christ did not fulfill his own precept of patience. For it is manifest, that albeit he teaching always as a good scholemaster, those things which were fit for the salvation of souls, speaking the wholesome word of instruction to the high bishops servant, smiting him unjustly: did neither by word forbid another stroke to be given on the other cheke, neither did he defend himself bodily from striking on the same cheek: But speaking to him, it is likely y e he gave him the other cheek, he meaneth, y t he turned not the other cheek away. For a man tourneth not away from him whom he speaketh to, or whom he informeth, but layeth open before him all his face: Even so do I believe y t Christ did, that he might fulfill in very deed that, which before he had taught in word. Neither yet did Christ by his word or by his deed, show anything of defense, or of bodily resistance.
Thirdly, I meruail why wise men leaving the plain & manifest doctrine of Christ, whereby he teacheth patience: do seek corners of their imagining, to the intent they may approve fightings and wars. Why mark they not after what manner, Christ spake to Peter striking the high Bishops servant, saying: Put up thy sword into the sheath, for everyone that shall take the sword, shall perish with the sword. But in another case we must make resistance: which case may be so righteous, as it is for a man's Lord & master being a most righteous man, and yet suffering injury of mischievous persons.
Fourthly, I marvel seeing that we are bound of charity & by the law of Christ to give our lives for our brethren, how they can allow such manner of dissensions & resisting. For when thy brother shall maliciously strike thee, thou mayest be sure, that he is manifestly fallen from charity, into the snare of the devil. If thou shalt keep patience, he shall be ashamed of his doing, and thou mayest bow & bend him to repentance, and take him out from the snare of the devil, and cal him back again to charity. If thou resist, and perchance by resisting doest strike again, his fury shall be the more kindled, & he being stirred up to greater wrath, peradventure shall either slay thee, or thou him. Touching thyself, thou art uncertain, if thou go about to make resistance, whether thou shalt fall from charity, and then shalt thou go backwarde from the perfection of Christ's commandment: Neither doest thou know but that it may happen thee so greatly to be moved, as that by the heat & violence of wrath, thou shalt slay him. Whereas if thou wouldest dispose thyself to patience (as Christ teacheth) thou shouldest easily avoid all these mischieues, as well on the behalf of thy brother, as also of thine own parte. Wherefore, the observing of charity as the precept of patience is to be observed.
Fifthly, I do marvel why that for the alowing of this corporal resistance, he doth say in the same Chapter: that Paul did not fulfill the precept of the patience of Christ, when as he being stricken in the place of judgment by the commandment of the high Priest, did say, God strike thee, O thou painted wall: Doest thou sit to judge me according to the law, and doest thou command me to be stricken against the law? It is manifest that Paul made resistance in nothing, though he spake a word of instruction to the Priest, who against the law commanded him to be stricken. And if Paul had overpassed the bounds of patience, through the grief of the stroke: what of that? Must the deed of Paul's impaciencie for this cause be justified, and the commandment of patience taught by Christ, be left undone for Paul's deed, and corporal resistance be allowed? God forbid. For both Paul and Peter might err. But in the doctrine of Christ there may be found no error. Wherefore, we must give more credence & belief to Christ's sayings, then to any living man's doings. Wherefore, although Paul had resisted, which I do not perceive in that Scripture: it followeth not thereof, that corporal resistance must be approved, which is of Christ expressly forbidden. I much marvel that always they seek corners and shadows to justify their deeds. Why do they not mark what great things Paul reciteth himself to have suffered for Christ? And where I pray you have they found, that he after his conversion, stroke any man that did hurt him? Or where do they find that he in express word doth teach such a kind of corporal resistance? But as touching patience, he saith in plain words to the Romans: Be not wise in your own conceits : Render ill for ill to nobody: providing good things not only before God, but also before all men, if it be possible: Be at peace with all folks as much as in you lieth: not defending yourselves, my most dearly beloved, but give you place unto anger. For it is written, vengeance is mine, & I will recompense them, saith the Lord. But if thine enemy shall be an hungered, give him meat. If he be a thirst, give him drink For thus doing, thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head. Be not ouercomen of evil, but overcome thou evil with good.
To the Corinthians the 5. as touching judgment and contention, which are matters of less weight then are fightings, thus he writeth: Now verily there is great fault in you, that you be at law amongst yourselves. Why rather take ye not wrong? why rather suffer ye not deceit? And generally in all his Epistles he teacheth, that patience should be kept, and not corporal resistance by fighting, because charity is patient, it is courteous, it suffereth all things. I marvel howe they justify and make good the wars by Christians, saving only the wars against the devil and sin. For seeing that it is plain, that those things which were in the old Testament, were figures of things to be done in the New Testament: Therefore we must needs say, that the corporal wars being then done, were figures of the Christian wars against sin and the devil, for the heavenly country, which is our inheritance. It is plain that it was written thus of Christ. The mighty Lord, and of great power in battle, hath girded himself in force and manlynesse to the war: and he came not to send peace into the earth, but war. In this war ought Christian people to be soldiers according to that manner which Paul teacheth to the Ephesians the last. Put upon you the armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the deceits of the devil. For we have not to wrestle against flesh and blood, but against princes & potestates, against the rulers of these darkness of the world, against spiritual wickedness in heavenly things, which are the high places. Wherefore take ye the armor of God, that ye may be able to resist in the evil day, and to stand perfectly in all things. Stande you therefore girded about in truth upon your loins, having put upon you the breast plate of righteousness, and your feet shoed in a readiness to the Gospel of peace, in all things taking the shield of faith, wherewith you may quench all the firy darts of that wicked one. And take unto you the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God.
By these things it is plain, what are the wars of Christians, and what are the weapons of their warfare. And because it is manifest, that this Testament is of greater perfectiō then the former: we must now fight more perfectly then at that time. For now spiritually, then corporally: now for an heavenly everlasting inheritance: then for an earthly and temporal: now by patience, then by resistance. For Christ saith, blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. He saith not, blessed are they that fight for righteousness. How can a man say, that they may lawfully make war, & kill their brethren for the temporal goods, which peradventure they unjustly occupy, or unjustly intend to occupy? For he that killeth another, to get these goods which another body unjustly occupieth: doeth love more the very goods, then his own brother. And then he falling from charity, doth kill himself spiritually. If he go forward without charity to make war: then doeth he evil, and to his own damnation. Wherefore he doth not lawfully nor justly in proceeding to the damnation of his own self & his brother, whom though he seem unjustly to occupy his goods, yet he doth intend to kill. And what if such kind of wars were lawful to the Jews: this argueth not, that now they are lawful to Christians, because that their deeds were in a shadow of imperfection, but the deeds of Christians in the light of perfection. It was not said unto them, All people that shall take the sword, shall perish with the sword. What if John the Baptist, disallowed corporal fightings, and corporal warfare, at such time as the soldiers asked him saying. And what shall we do? Who saith to them, See that you strike no man, neither pick ye quarrels against any, and be ye contented with your wages. Thys saying of John alloweth not corporal warfare amongst Christians. For John was of the Priests of the old Testament, and under the law, neither to him it appertaineth to follow the law, but to warn the people to the perfect observation of the law. For he being like wise demanded of the publicanes what they should do, said unto them, Do no other thing then is appointed unto you. But Christ the author of the new Testament and of greater perfection, then wa • the perfection of the old law, which gave new things, as it plainly appeareth by the Gospel. So that, Christians ought to receive information of Christ, not of John. For of John also doth Christ speak: Verily I say unto you, there hath not risen amongst the children of women, a greater then John the Baptist: but he that is less in the kingdom of heaven, is greater then he. In which saying Christ showeth that those that be least in the kingdom of heaven in the time of grace, are placed in greater perfection thē was John, which was one of them that were the elders, & he lived also in y t time of the law in greater perfection. And whē as certain of John's disciples said unto him, master, he that was beyond Jordan, to whō thou gavest witness, behold he baptizeth, and all people come unto him. John answered and said: A man cannot take anything upon him, unless it shall be given him from above. You yourselves do bear me record, that I said I am not Christ, but that I was sent before him. He that hath the bride, is the bridegroom, as for the bridegromes friend, who standeth and heareth him: rejoiceth with great joy to hear the voice of the bridegroom. Thys therefore my joy is fulfilled: he must increase, and I must be diminished. He that cometh from an hie is above all. He that is of the earth is earthy, and speaketh of the earth: He that cometh from heaven, is above all folks: that which he hath seen and heard, the same doth he witness, and yet his witnessing doth nobody receive. But he that receiveth his witnessing, hath put to his Seal, that God is true. For he whom God hath sent, speaketh the words of God.
By which things it plainly appeareth, that credence is to be given neither to John, nor yet to angel, if he teach anything that is not agreeable to Christ's doctrine. For Christ is above the Angels, because that God infinitely passeth them in wisdom. Now if Moses the servant of God a minister of the old testament was so much to be believed, y t nothing could be added, nor yet anything diminished from the commandments that were given by him, (for so Moses had said, the thing that I command thee, that do thou only to the Lord, neither add thou anything, nor diminish. ) How much more ought we not to add nor to take away from the commandments given by God himself, and also the son of God? In the primitive Church because the Christians had servant love and charity, they observed these precepts as they were givē: but their fervent charity afterward waxing luke warm, they invented glosses by drawing the commandments of God back to their own deeds, which they purposed to justify and mayntayn, that is to say, wars against the infidels. But that they by wars should be converted to the faith, is a fact faithless enough: because, that by violence or unwillingly, nobody can believe in Christ nor be made a Christian, neither did he come to destroy them by battle, that believed not in him: for he said to his disciples, you know not what spirit you are of. The son of man came not to destroy men's lives, but to save them. Then to grant pardons and forgiveness of sins, to those that kill the infidels, is to much an infidels fact, seducing many people For what greater seducing can there be, then to promise to a man forgiveness of sins, and afterward the joy of heaven, for setting himself against Christ's commandments in the killing of the Infidels, that would not be converted to the faith: where as Christ doth say, not everyone that saith to me Lord, Lord, shall enter into y e gidgdome of heaven: but he y t doth the will of my father which is in heaven, this person shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. Now the will of the father is, that we should believe in his only son Jesus Christ, and that we would obey him by observing of those things which he himself hath commanded. Wherefore Christ's precepts of patience must be fulfilled. Wars, fightinges, and contentions must be left, because they are contrary to charity.
But peradventure some man will thus reason against Christ: The saints by whom God hath wrought miracles, do allow wars as well against the faithful people, as also against the infidels. And the holy kings were warriors, for whose sakes also miracles have been shown, as well in their death as also in their life, yea in the very time wherein they were a warfare. Wherefore it seemeth that their facts were good and lawful. For otherwise, God would not have done miracles for them.
To •• is again I say, that we for no miracles must do contrary to the doctrine of Christ. For in it can there be no error, but in miracles there oftentimes chanceth error as it is plain as well by the old as by the new testament: God forbid then, that a Christian should for deceivable miracles, depart from the infallible doctrine of Christ. In Exodus the 7. chapter it is manifest, howe that the wicked wise men of the Egyptians, through the inchauntments of Egypt, and certain secret workinges, threw their wands upon the earth, which were turned into Dragons, evē as Aaron before time in y e prefēce of Pharaoh threw his wand upon the earth: which by the power of God was turned into a serpent. In the third of the kings the 22. chap. Micah did see the Lord sitting upon his throne, and all the host of heaven standing about him on the right hand, and on the left. And the Lord said, who shall deceive Ahab y e king of Israel, that he may go up and be slain in Ramoth Gilaad. And one said this way, and another otherwise: now, there went forth a spirit, and stood before the Lord & said, I will deceive him. To whō the Lord spake: by what means? And he said, I will go forth, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And the Lord said thou shall deceive him and prevail, go thy ways forth, and do even so. Thus also is it written in Deuteronomium. If there shall arise a Prophet amongst you, or one that shall say he hath seen a dream, and shall foretell a sign and a wonder: & if that shall come to pass that he hath spoken, and he shall say unto thee: Let us go and follow strange God's (whom thou knowest not) and let us serve them: thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that Prophet or dreamer, for the Lord your God tempteth you, to make it known whether ye love him or no, with all your heart, and with all your soul.
In Jeremiah the 12. chap. Are not my words even like fire saith the Lord? and like an hammer, that breaketh the stone? Therefore behold, I will come against the Prophets which have dreamed a lie (saith the Lord) which have shown those things, and have seduced the people through their lies and their miracles, when as I sent thē not neither commanded them, which have brought no profit unto this people (saith the Lord. ) In Mark the 13. chapter saith Christ: For there shall arise false Christ's and false Prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders to deceive if it were possible even the very elect. Paul in his second Epistle to the Corinthians the xi. chap. Suche false Apostles are deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ, and no marvel: For even Satan transformeth himself into an angel of light therefore it is no great thing, though his ministers transform themselves, a • though they were the ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works.
In the Apocalypse the 13. chap. John saw a beast ascending up out of the earth and it had two horns like a lamb but he spake like the Dragon, and he did all that the first beast could do before him: and he caused the earth and the inhabitants thereof to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed, and did great wonders so that he made fire come down from heaven on the earth, in y e sight of men, and deceived thē that dwell on y e earth, by means of the signs which were permitted to him to do in y e sight of the beast.
By these things it is most manifest and plain, that in miracles this manifold error oftentimes happeneth thorough the working of the devil, to deceive the people w t all. Wherefore, we ought not for the working of miracles, to depart from the commandments of God: I would to God y t they which put confidence in miracles would give heed unto the word of Christ, in the 7. chap. of Math. thus speaking: Many shall say unto me in that day, Lord, Lord have we not in thy name prophesied? and in thy name cast out devils? and in thy name done many great works? &c. I will profess unto them, I never knew you, depart from me all ye which work iniquity.
By this saying it is most manifest, that the servants of Christ are not discerned by the working of miracles, but by the working of virtues, departing from iniquity, and obeying the commandments of God. Wherefore it is wonderful, that any in this life dare presume to prevent the day of the judgment of God, to judge by means of miracles, that some are Saints whom men ought to worship, whō peradventure God will in the last judgment condemn, saying: depart from me all ye which work iniquity. If any man could here on earth judge sinners to be condemned, then if this judgment were certain, Christ should not judge the 2. time, and whatsoever such judges bind in earth: the same ought to be bound in heaven. But if such a judgment be uncertain, then it is perilous and full of deceit, when as by it men on earth may in steed of saints worship such as are damned with the fellowship of the devils, and in prayer require their aid, who even like as the devils their companions are more ready and more of might to evil then to good, more to hurt then to profit. I wonder they mark not what Christ said, when his kinswoman came unto him, desiring and requiring something of him, and saying: Commaund that these my two sons may sit, one upon thy right hand and the other upon thy left hand, in thy kingdom. But Jesus answering, said: Ye know not what ye ask, can ye drink of the cup which I shall drink of? they said unto him, we cna. He said unto them. Of my cup in deed ye shall drink, but to sit at my right hand or at my left, it is not mine to give, but unto whom it is prepared for, of my father. Christ, being equal unto the father according to his God head, exceeding all manner of men, according to his manhood, namely in goodness and wisdom, said, to sit my right hand, or at my left, is not mine to give but unto whom it is prepared of my father. If it were none of his to give to sit at the right hand, or at the left &c. How then is it in the power of any sinful man to give unto any man, a seat either on the right hand, or on the left in the kingdom of God? which sinful man knoweth not whether such have any seat prepared for thē of the father in his kingdom. They much extol themselves which exercise this iudicial power in giving judgment: that there are some saints, which ought to be honored of men, by reason of y e euidency of dreams or of deceitful miracles, of which men they are ignorant whether God in his judgment will condemn them or not together with the devils forever to be tormented. Let them beware, for the infallible truth saith, that everyone that exalteth himself shall be brought low.
By these things is gathered, that the wars of Christians are not lawful, for that by the doctrine and life of Christ they are prohibited, by reason of the euidency of the deceitful miracles of those, which have made wars amongst the Christians, as well against the Christians, as also against the infidels. Because Christ could not err in his doctrine for as much as he was God: And forasmuch as heaven and earth shall pass away, but the words of Christ shall not pass away. He therefore: which establisheth his laws, allowing wars and the slaughter of mē in the war, as well of Christians, as of Infidels: doth he not ins •• ie those things which are contrary unto the gospel & law of Christ? Therefore in this he is against christ? and therefore Antichrist: seducing the people, making men believe that to be lawful & meritorious 〈◊〉 them, which is expressedly prohibited by Christ.
And thus much concerning the first parte touching peace and war, wherein he declareth Christ and the pope to be contrary, that is, the one to be given all to peace, the other all to war, and so to prove in conclusion the Pope to be Antichrist. Where in the mean time thou must understand (gentle reader) his meaning rightly: not that he so thinketh, no kind of wars among y e Christians in any case to be lawful, for he himself before hath openlie protested the contrary. But that his purpose is to prove, y e Pope in all his doings & teachings, more to be addicted to war, thē to peace, yea in such cases, where is no necessity of war. And therein proveth he y e Pope to be contrary to Christ, y e is to be Antichrist. Now he proceedeth further to y e second part which is of mercy.
In the which part he showeth how Christ teacheth us to be merciful, because mercy (as he saith) proceedeth frō charity, and nourisheth it. In which doctrine of mercy, he breaketh not y e law of righteousness, for he himself by mercy hath cleansed us from our sins, from which we could not by the righteousness of the law, be cleansed. But whom he hath made clean by mercy, undoubtedly it behooveth those same to be also merciful. For in y e v. chapiter of Matthew, he saith: Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. And again in y e 6. of Matthew: If ye forgive unto men their sins, your father will forgive unto you your sins. And again in the vii. chapter of Matthew: Judge not, & ye shall not be judged, condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned, & with what measure ye measure, with the same shall it be measured unto you again. In the xviij. chap. of Matthew, Peter asked the lord, saying: Lord how often shall my brother sin against me, and I shall forgive him, seven times? Jesus said unto him: I say not unto thee seven times, but seventy times seven times. Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reck̄, one was brought unto him which ought him ten thousand talents: And because he had nothing where withal to pay, his master commanded him to be sold, and his wife and his children, and all that he had, and the debt to be paid. The servant therefore fell down and besought him, saying: have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And the Lord had pity on that servant, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. But when the servant was departed, he found one of his fellow servants, which ought him an hundred pence, and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying: pay me that thou owest, and his fellow fell down, and besought him, saying: Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. But he would not, but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. And when his other fellows saw the things that were done, they were very sorry, and came & declared unto their master all y t was done: Then his master called him, and said unto him: O thou ungracious servant, I forgave thee all y t debt when thou desiredst me: Oughtest thou nor then also to have such pity on thy fellow, evē as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him unto the Iaylers, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly father do unto you, except ye forgive from your hearts eche one to his brother their trespasses.
By this doctrine it is most plain and manifest that every Christiā ought to be merciful unto his brother, how often soever he offendeth against him. Because we so often as we offend, do ask mercy of God. Wherefore, for as much as our offense against God is far more grievous then any offense of our brother against us: it is plain, that it behooveth us to be merciful unto our brethren, if we will have mercy at God's hand. But contrary to this doctrine of mercy. The Romish bishop maketh & confirmeth many laws, which punish offenders, even unto the death. As it is plain by y e process of y e decrees. Distin 23. quest. 5. It is declared and determined, that to kill men ex officio, that is, having authority and power so to do, is not sin. And again: the soldier which is obedient unto y e higher power, and so killeth a man, is not guilty of murder. And again, he is the minister of the Lord, which smiteth y e evil in that they are evil and killeth thē. And many other such like things are throughout the whole process of y e question determined. That for certain kinds of sins men ought by the rigor of the law, to be punished even unto death: But the foundation of their saying, they took out of the old law, in which for diverse transgressions were appointed diverse punishments. It is very much wonderful unto me, why that wise men being the authors & makers of laws, do always for the foundation of their sayings, look upon the shadow of the law, and not the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ, for they give not heed unto y e figure of perfection, nor yet unto the perfection figured. Is it not written in y t 3. of John▪ God sent not his sonne into the world to judge the world, but to save y e world by him. In John the 8. chap. The scribes and phariseis bring in a woman taken in adultery, and let her in the midst, and said unto Christ: Master even now this woman was taken in adultery. But in the law. Moses hath commanded us to stone such. What sayest thou therefore? This they said to tempt him, that they might accuse him. But Jesus stouped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground. And while they continued asking him: he lift himself up, and said unto them, let him that is among you without sin, cast the first stone at her. And again he stouped and wrote on the ground. And when they heard it, the went out one by one, beginning at the eldest: so Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lift up himself again he said unto her: where be they which accused thee, hath no man condemned thee? She said, no man Lord. And Jesus said unto her: Neither do I condemn thee? Go thy way and sin now no more.
It is manifest by y e scriptures, y e Christ was promised he should be king of the Jews, & unto y e kings pertained the judgments of y e law: but because he came not to judge sinners according to the rigor of the law, but came according to grace, to save that which was lost, in calling y e sinner to repentance: it is most plain, that in the coming of the law of grace, he would have the judgment of the law of righteousness to cease: for otherwise he had dealt unjustly with y e foresaid woman, forasmuch as the witnesses of her adultery, bare witness against her. Wherefore seeing y e same king Christ was a judge, if it had been his will that the righteousness of the law should be observed, he ought to have adjudged the woman to death, according as the law commanded, which thing forasmuch as he did not, it is most evident that the judgments of the righteousness of the law are finished in the coming of the king, being king of the law of grace: even as the sacrifices of the priesthood of Aaron, are finished in the coming of the priest, according to the order of Melchizedek, who hath offered himself up for our sins. Because as it is before said, neither the righteousness of the law, nor sacrifices for sin, brought any man to perfection. Wherefore it was necessary that the same (by reason of their imperfection. And seeing amongst all the laws of the world, the law of Moses was most iustest, forasmuch as the author thereof was God, who is the most just judge: and by that law always look, what manner of injury one had done unto another, contrary to the commandment of the law, the like injury he should receive for his transgression, according to y e upright judgment of the law. As death for death, a blow for a blow, burning for burning, wound for wound, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, and most just punishments were ordained according to the quantity of the sins. But if this law of righteousness be clean taken away in the coming of the law of grace, how then shall the law of the Gentiles remain among Christians, which was never so just? Is not this true, that in them, which are converted unto the saith, there is no distinction between the Jew and the Grecian? For both are under sin, & are justified by grace in the saith of Christ, being called unto saith and unto the perfection of the Gospel.
If therefore y e gētiles converted, are not bound to play the Jews, to follow the law of the Jews: why should the Jews converted, follow the laws of the Gentiles which are not so good? Wherefore it is to be wondered, at, why thieves are among Christians, for theft put to death where after y e law of Moses they were not put to death. Chrystiās suffer adulterers to live, Sodomites, and they which curse father and mother, & many other horrible sinners: And they which according to the most just law of God were condemned to death, are not put to death: So we neither keep the law of righteousness given of God, nor the law of mercy taught by Christ.
Wherefore the law makers and Judges, do not give heed unto the aforesaid sentence of Christ unto y e Scribes and Phariscis, who said: He which amongst you is without sin, let him cast the first stone at her. What is he that dareth be so bold as to say he is without sin? Yea and without a grievous sin, when as the transgression of y e commandment of God is a grievous sin? And who can say that he never transgressed this commandment of God. Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself: Or the other commandment which is of greater force: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart. &c. Wherefore thou whatsoever thou art that judgest thy brother unto death, thinkest thou that thou shalt escape the judgment of God, which peradventure hast offended more grievously thē hath he whom thou judgest? How • ee •• thou a mote in thy brothers eye, & seest not a beam in thine own eye? Knowest than not that with what measure thou measurest, y e same shall be measured to you again? Doth not the scripture say: Unto me belongeth vengeance, and I will render again saith y • Lord? How can any man say that these men can with charity keep these judgments of death? Who is it that offendeth God, and desireth of God just judgment for his offense? He desireth nor judgment, but mercy. If he desire mercy for him self, why desireth he vengeance for his brother offending? Howe therefore loveth he his brother as himself? Or how doest thou show mercy unto thy brother (as thou art bound by the commandment of Christ) which seekest the greatest vengeance upon him that thou canst infer unto him? For death is the most terrible thing of all, and a more grievous vengeance then death, can no man infer. Wherefore, they which will keep charity, ought to observe the commandments of Christ touching mercy: and they which live in the law of charity ought to leave the law of vengeance and judgments. Ought we to believe, that Christ in his coming, by grace abrogated the most just law which he himself gave unto the Children of Israel by Moses his servant, and established the laws of the Gentiles being not so just to be observed of his faithful? Doth not Daniel expounding the dream of Nabuchodonozer the king concerning the image whose head was of gold, the breast and arms of silver, the belly & thies of brass, the legs of iron, one part of y e feet was of iron, and the other part of clay. Nabuchodonozer saw that a stone was cut out of a mountain w t out hands, and strake y e Image in his feet of iron and of clay, & brake them to pieces. Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver and gold broken altogether, and became like y e chaff of the summer flower, which is carried away by the wind and there was no place found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. He applieth therefore 4. kingdoms unto the 4. partes of the Image, namely: the kingdom of the Babylonians unto the head of the gold: The kingdom of the Medes and Persians unto the breast and arms of silver: The kingdom of the Grecians unto the belly and thighs or brass: But the fourth kingdom which is of the Romans, he applieth unto the feet and legs of iron. And Daniel addeth: In the days of their kingdoms, shall God raise up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed: And his kingdom shall not be delivered unto another, but it shall break and destroy those kingdoms: and it shall stand forever, according as thou sawest, that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and brake in pieces the clay and iron, brass silver and gold. Seeing therefore it is certain that this stone signifieth Christ whose kingdom is forever: it is also a thing most assured, that he ought to reign everywhere, and to break in pieces the other kingdoms of y e world. Wherefore it terrestrial kings and the terrestrial kingdom of the Jews, and their laws and judgments have ceased by Christ the king, calling the Jews unto the perfection of his gospel, namely, unto Faith and Charity: It is not to be doubted, but that the kingdom of the Gentiles which is more imperfect & their laws, ought to cease among the Gentiles, departing frō their Gentillitie unto the perfection of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For there is no distinction between the Jews and Gentiles being converted unto the faith of Christ, but all of them abiding in that eternal kingdom ought to be under one law of Charity and of virtue. Therefore they ought to have mercy, and to leave the judgments of death, and the desire of vengeance. Wherefore they which do make laws mark not the parable of Christ, saying: The kingdom of heaven is like unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: but when men were on sleep, the enemy came and sowed Tares in the midst of the wheat, & went his way. But when the herb was grown and brought forth fruit, then appeareth the Tares. And the servants came unto the good man of the house and said unto him, Lord didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? From whence then come these Tares? And he said unto them: The enemy hath done this. And the servants said unto him: wilt thou that we go and gather them up? And he said no: least peradventure gathering up the Tares ye pluck up the wheat by the roots: Suffer them both to grow until the harvest, and in the time of the harvest, I will say unto the harvest men, gather first the Tares and bind them in the bundels that they may be burnt, but gather the wheat into my barn. Christ himself only expoundeth this parable in the self same chapter, saying: He which soweth the good seed is the son of man, but the field is the world, and the good seed, those are the children of the kingdom. But the Tares are the naughty children. And the enemy which soweth them is the Devil, And the harvest is the end of the world and the harvest men are the Angels. Even as therefore the Tares are gathered and burnt with fire, so shall it be in the end of the world. The son of man shall send his Angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all offendoures, and those which commit iniquity, and shall put them into a furnace of fire, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teethe.
By which plain doctrine it is manifest, that Christ will have mercy shown unto sinners, even unto the ende of the world, and will have them to remain mingled with the good: Least peradventure when a man thinketh that he doth right well, to take away the tares, he taketh away y e wheat. For how great a sinner soever a mā be, we know not whether his end shall be good, and whether in the end he shall obtain mercy of God: Neither are we certain of the time, wherein God will by grace judge him whom we abhor as a sinner. And peradventure such a one shall more profit after his conversion in y e Church, then he who we think to be just, as it came to pass in Paul. And if god justifieth a man by grace (although at his ende) why darest thou be so bold to be his judge, and to condemn him? Yea, rather although a man seem to be obstinate and hardened in his evil, so that he is not corrected by a secret correction (correct him before one alone) if he do not receive open correction being done before two or three witnesses, neither passeth upon a manifest correction when his sin is made known unto the Church: Christ doth not teach to punish such a one with the punishment of death. Yea rather he saith, if he hearken not unto the church: let him be unto thee as an Ethnic and Publican. And Paul following this doctrine in the 1. Corin. 5. chapter saith: There goeth a common saying that there is fornication among you & such fornication as is not once named among y e gentiles that one should have his fathers wife. And ye are pufted up, and have not rather sorrowed, that he which hath done this deed, might be put from among you. For I verily as absent in body, but present in spirit, have already determined, as though I were present: that he which hath done this thing, whē ye are gathered together and my spirit, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that such one by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, be delivered unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Paul teacheth not to kill this man (as some gather by this text) but to separate him from the other faithful, and so frō Christ, which is the head of the Church of the faithful, and so is he delivered unto Satan, which is separated from Christ: that the flesh may be killed, that is, that that carnal concupyscence, whereby he luxuriously lusted after y e wife of his father, may be destroyed in him, by such a separation, that y e spirit may be saved, & not that his body should be killed. as some say, as it is most manifest in the self same chapiter, where he saith: I wrote unto you in an Epile, that ye should not keep company with fornicators, and I meant not of all the fornicators of this world, either of the covetous, or extorcioners or Idolaters, for then must ye needs have gone out of the world. But now I have written unto you, that ye keep not company together, if any that is called a brother be a fonicatour, or covetous persō, or a worshipper of Images, either a cursed speaker, or dronkard, or an extorcioner: with him that is such, see that ye care not.
By which it is manifest, that Paul would have the foresaid fornicator separated from the fellowship of the faithful: that his carnal concupiscence might be mortified, for the health of the spirit, and not that the body should be killed. Wherefore, they do ill understand Paul, which by this saying, do cōfirm y e killing of mē. And forasmuch as heresy is one of y e most grievous sins (for an heretic leadeth men in errors, whereby they are made to stray frō faith, without which they cannot be saved) it doth most great hurt in the Church.
Further as concerning such a wicked man. Paul thus speaketh, fly from the man y t is an heretic after the first and second correction, knowing that such a one is subverted and sinneth, forasmuch as he is by his own judgment condemned. Behold Paul teacheth not to kill this man, but with Christ to separate him frō the fellowship of the faithful. But some say, that Peter in y e primitive Church slew Ananias and Saphyra for their sins, wherefore they say it is lawful for them, to condemn wicked men to death. We will declare in showing the whole process how falsely they speak in alleging of Peter, for to justify their error.
In the 4. chap. of the Acts it is written, that as many as were possessors of lands or houses, they sold them & offered the prices of that which they sold and laid it before the feet of the Apostles: & it was divided unto everyone as he had need thereof. But a certain man Ananias with Sapphira his wife sold a piece of land, and kept back a part of the price of the field, his wife being privy unto it, and bringing a certain part thereof, he laid it at the feet of the Apostles. But Peter said unto Ananias: Ananias, why hath Satan tempted thy heart that thou shouldest lie unto the holy ghost, to keep back a part of y e price of the land? Did it not whilst it remained, remain unto thee: and being sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? Thou hast not lied unto mē, but unto God. And whē Ananias heard these words, he fell down and gave up the ghost, & great fear came on all them that heard these things. And the young mē rose up and took him up, and carried him out and buried him. And it came to pass about the space of iii. hours after, that his wife came in being ignorant of that which was done. And Peter said unto her, Tel me womā, sold ye the land for so much? And she said, yea for so much. But Peter say unto her, why have ye agreed together to tēpt the spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of them which buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out, And straight way she fell down before his feet, and gave up the ghost, and the young men entering in, found her dead and they carried her out, and buried her by her husband. And great fear came on all the church, & all those which heard these things. It is marvel y t any man that is wise, will say that by this process Peter slue Ananias or his wife. For it was not his act but y e act of God, who made a wedding to his son, & sent his servant to cal them, that were bidden unto the wedding, and they would not come. The king then sent forth his servants, to the outcorners of the hie ways, to gather all that they could find, both good and evil. And so they did. And the marriage was full furnished with gestes. Then came in also the king to view and see them sitting. Among whom he perceived there one sitting having not a wedding garment, and saith unto him, friend how camest thou hither? And he being dumb, had not a word to speak. Then said the king to the seruitures, take and bind him hand and foot, and cast him into the outward darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashinge of teeth. Many there be called, but few chosen. &c.
It is manifest, that this wedding garment is charity, without which, because Ananias entered into the marriage of Christ, he was given to death, that by one many might be informed to learn & understand: that they which have faith & not charity, although they appear to men to have yet it cannot be privy to the spirit of God, that they do fain. Such there is no doubt, but they shall be excluded frō the marriage of christ, as we see this here exemplified in the death of Ananias & his wife by the hand of God, & not by the hand of Peter. And how should Peter thē have judged Ananias (albeit he had judged him) worthy of death by the rigor of the old law? For why, by the law he had not been guilty of death, for that part, which they fraudulently & dissemblingly did reserve to themselves. Yea and if they had stolen as much from another man, which was greater neither ye • for his lie committed, he had not therefore by y e law of justice been found gilty of death. Wherefore if he did not condemn him by y e law of justice, it appeared that he codēned him by the law of grace and mercy, which he learned of Christ. And so consequently it followeth much more apparent, that Peter could not put him to death: Furthermore to say that Peter put him to death by the mere motion of his own will, and not by authority of the old law, nor by the new, it were derogatory and slanderous to the good fame and name of Peter. But if Peter did kill him, why then doth the Bishop of Rome which pretendeth to be successor of Peter, excuse himself and his priests from the judgment of death against heretics and other offenders, although, they themselves be consēting to such judgments done by lay men? For that which was done of Peter without offense, may reasonably excuse him and his fellow Priests from the spot of crime. Acts. 5. It is manifest that there was another which did more grievously offend thē Ananias, and that Peter rebuked him with more sharp words: but yet he commanded him not so to he put to death. For Simon Magus also remaining at Samaria, after that he believed and was baptized, he joined himself with Phillip: And when he saw that the holy spirit was given by y e Apostles (laying their hands upon mē) he offered thē money, saying give unto me this power, that upon whom soever I shall lay my hand, he shall receive the holy Ghost. To whom Peter answered: Destroyed be thou and thy money together: And for that thou supposest the gift of GOD to be bought with money, thou shalt have neither part nor fellowship in this doctrine. Thy heart is not pure before god, therefore reap̄t thee of thy wi • kednesse, and pray unto God that this wicked thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee: for I perceive thou art evē in the bitter gall of wickedness and bande of iniquity. Behold here the grievous offense of Simon Peters hard & sharp rebuking of him, and yet thereupon he was not put to death. Whereby it appeareth that the death of Anamas aforesaid, proceeded of God and not of Peter. Of all these things it is to be gathered seeing the judgments of death are not grounded upon the express and plain scriptures, but only under the shadow of the old law: that they are not to be observed of Christians because they are contrary to charity. Ergo y e bishop of Rome approving such judgments, alloweth those that are contrary to the law & doctrine of Christ, as before is said of wars, where he approveth & justifieth that which is contrary to charity. The order of Priesthood, albeit it doth justify the judgments to death of the laity, whereby offenders are condemned to die, yet are they themselves forbidden to put in execution the same judgments. The priests of the old law being imperfect, whē Pylate said unto thē concerning Christ (whō they had accused worthy death) take him unto you and according to your law judge him, answered: that it was not lawful for them to put to death any man.
Whereby it appeareth that our priests being much more perfect, may not lawfully give judgment of death against any offenders: yet notwithstanding, they claim unto thē the power iudicial upon offenders: Because say they, it belongeth unto them to know the offenses by the auricular confession of the offenders, and to judge vpō the same being known, and to join diverse penances unto y e parties offending, according to the quantity of their offenses committed, to that y e sinner may make satisfactiō say they unto God for the offenses which he never committed. And to cōfirm unto thē this iudicial power, they allege y e scriptures in many places, wrasting it to serve their purpose.
First they say that the Bishop of Rome (who is the chief priest and judge among them) hath full power & authority to remit sins. Wherupon they say, that he is able fully & wholly to absolve a man a poena & culpa, so that if a man at the time of his death had this remission: he should straigtwaies fly unto heaven without any pain of Purgatory. The other Bishops (as they say) have not so great authority. The priests constituted under every Bishop, have power, say they, to absolve the sins of thē that are confessed, but not all kind of sins: because there are some grievous sins reserved to the absolutions of the Bishops, and some again to the absolution only of y e chief and high Bishop. They say also that it behooveth the offenders, for the necessity of their soul health, to call to remembrance their offenses, and to manifest the same with all the circumstances thereof, unto the priest in auricular cōfessiō, supplying the place of God, after the manner of a Judge: & afterward humbly to fulfill the penance enjoined unto him by the priest for his sins, except the said penance so enjoined, or any part thereof be released by the superior power. All these things (say they) are manifestly determined, as well in y e decrees, as decretals. And although these things have not expressly their foundation in the plain and manifest doctrine of Christ, nor any of y e Apostles: yet the authors of the decrees and decretals concerning this matter, have grounded the same upon diverse places of the scriptures, as in y e process of Christ in y e Gospel of Saint Matthew y e xvj. chapter. Wherupon they ground y t popes power iudicial, to surmount the powers of other priests, as where Christ said unto his disciples: whō do men say that I am? And they answered: some say that thou art John the Baptist, some Elias, & some Jeremiah, or one of the Prophets. To whom he said: but who say you that I am? Simon Peter making answer, said: Thou art Christ, the son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him: Blessed art thou Simon the son of Jonah, for flesh & blood hath not opened this unto thee: but my father which is in heaven. And I say unto thee: y t thou art Peter, & upon this rock will I build my church: and hell gates shall not prevail against it. And I will give thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, shall also be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt lose upon earth, shall be loosed also in heaven.
Out of this text of Christ, diverse expositions have drawn diverse errors. For when Christ said: And I say unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock will I build my Church: Some thereupon affirm, that Christ meant he would build his Church upon Peter by authority of that text, as it is writ̄ in y e first part of y e decrees, Dist. 19. cap. Ita dominus noster. The exposition hereof, is ascribed to Pope Leo, the error whereof is manifestly known. For the Church of Christ is not built upon Peter, but upon the rock of Peters confession, for that he said: Thou art Christ the son of the living God, and for that Christ said singularly unto Peter: I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind. &c. By this saying they affirm, that Christ gave unto Peter specially, as chief of the rest of the Apostles a larger power to bind and to lose, then he did unto the rest of the apostles, or disciples. And because Peter answered for himself & all the Apostles, not only confessing the faith which he had chiefly above the rest, but also y e faith which the rest of the Apostles had even as himself, by the revelation of the heavenly father: It appeareth that as the faith of all the Apostles was declared by the answer of one: so by this that Christ said unto Peter: whatsoever thou shalt bind. &c. is given unto the rest of the Apostles the same power & equallitie to bind & to lose, as unto Peter. Which Christ declareth in the Gospel of S. Matthew the 18. chapter, in these words: Verily I say unto you what things so ever you shall bind upon earth, shall be bound in heavē & whatsoever you shall lose upon earth, shall be also loosed in heavē, And further he addeth: And again I say unto you: that if two of you shall consent upon earth, and request whatsoever it be: it shall be granted unto you of my father which is in heaven. For when two or three be gathered together in my name, I am there in the midst of them. And in John the xx. chapter, he saith generally unto them: Receaue ye my spirit. Whose sins ye shall remit, shall be remitted unto them: and whose sins you shall retain, shall be retained.
By this it appeareth, that the power to bind and to loose is not specially granted to Peter as chief and head of the rest: and that by him the rest had their power to bind and to loose, for that the head of the body of the Church is one, which is Christ, and the head of Christ is God. Peter and the rest of the Apostles, are the good members of the body of Christ, receiving power & virtue of Christ: whereby they do confirm and glew together the other menbers (as well the strong & noble as the weak and unable) to a perfect composition and seemelines of the body of Christ: that all honor from all partes and members may be givē unto Christ as head and chief, by whom as head, all the members are governed. And therefore Paul. 1. Corinthians chap. 3. When any man saith, I hold of Paul, and another saith I hold of Apollo, are ye not carnal men? For what is Apollo? what is Paul? The minister of him in whom ye have believed, and he as God giveth unto every man. I have planted, Apollo hath watered, but God hath given the increase. Therefore neither he that plāteth is anything neither he y t watereth, but God that giveth the increase. And Paul to the Gal. chap. 2. God hath no respect of persons. Those that seemed to be great and to do much, auayled or profited me nothing at all: But contrariwise, when they saw that the Gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the circumcision unto Peter (for he that wrought with Peter in the Apostleship of the circumcision, wrought with me also among the Gentiles) and when they knew the grace which was given me Peter, James, and John straightways joined themselves with me and Barnabas: we among the Gentiles, and they in circumcision only, might be mindful of the poor, the which to do I was very careful. Hereby it appeareth, that Paul had not his authority of Peter to convert the Gentiles, to baptize them, and to remit their sins, but of him which said unto him Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me. It is hard for thee to kick against the prick. Hear is Paul the head of the Church and not Peter: By which head they say, that all the members are sustained and made lively.
The third error (which the authors of the canons cōceiueth in the said text of Christ) which was said to Peter Unto thee will I give the keys &c. is this. They say that in this sentence which was said to Peter of the authority to bind and loose was meant: that as Christ gave unto Peter above all the rest of the Apostles a special, and as it I were an excellent power above all the Apostles: even so say they, he gave unto the Bishops of Rome (whom they call Peters chief successors) the same special power and authority, exceeding the power of all other Bishops of the world.
The first part of this similitude and comparison, doth appear manifestly by y e premisses to be erroneous: wherein is plainly shown, that the other Apostles, had equal power with Peter to bind and lose. Wherefore consequently it followeth, the 2. part of the similitude, grounded upon the same text, to be also erroneous. But and if the first part of the said similitude were truth as it is not, yet the second part must needs be an error, wherein is said that y e Bishops of Rome are Peters chiefest successors. For although there be but one Catholic Christian Church, of all y e faithful sort converted: yet the first part thereof and first converted was of the Jews, the second of the Greeks, & the third part was of the Romans or Latins. Whereof, the first part was most perfectly converted unto the faith, for that they faithfully observed the perfectiō of charity, as appeareth in the Acts of the Apostses by the multitude of the believers. The were of one heart, and one soul neither called they anything that they possessed their own, but all was common amongst them.
Hereupon Paul to the Romans: Salutation to every beleuer, first to y e Jew, & to the Greeks after y e Jews The Greeks were the second, and after the Jews, best converted, and after them the Romans, taking their information of the Greeks as appeareth by the Chronicles although in deed some Romans were converted unto y e faith, by Peter and Paul. And as Christ said thrice unto Peter, feed my sheep, so Peter ruled these three Churches as witnesseth the Chronicles. But first he reformed the Church of the Jews in Jerusalem and Judea, as appeareth by the testimony of the Acts of y e Apostles: For Acts 1. It is manifest how Peter stonding up amongst his brethren spake unto them concerning the election of an Apostle in the place of Judas the traitor, alleging places unto thē out of the scripture, that another should take upon him his Apostleship. And so by lot was Mathias constituted in the 12. place of Judas, acts. 2. After y t the holy Ghost was come upon the Apostles, and that they spake with the tongues of all men, the hears were astonied at the miracle And some mocked them saying, these men are full of new wine: But Peter stood up & spake unto thē, saying, that it was fulfilled in thē that was prophesied by Ioell the prophet, and he preached Christ unto the people, whom they of ignorance had put to death. To them was Sauioure promised by the testimony of the Prophets. And whē they heard the words of Peter, they were pricked at the heart, saying unto him and the rest of the Apostles: What shall we then do? And Peter said unto them, repent: and let everyone of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins, and ye shall receive y e holy ghost. And there were joined unto them the same day about three M. souls. And Acts 3.4.5. it appeareth, that Peter above the rest did those things which belonged to the ministry of the Apostleship, as well in preaching as in answering. Wherupon some Chronicles say, that Peter governed the church of the Jews at Jerusalem 4. years, before he governed Antioch. And by the testimony of Paul to y e Gal. as before is said: The Gospel of the vncircumsion is committed to Paul even as the circumcision to Peter. And he that wrought with Peter in the Apostleship of circumcisiō wrought with Paul amongst the Gentiles. Whereby it apreth that the Church of the Jews was commtted to the government of Peter And in the process of the Acts of the Apostles it appeareth, that Peter believed that the faith of Christ was not to be preached unto those Gentiles, which always lived in uncleanness of Idolatry. But whē Peter was at Ioppe, Cornelius a Gentile sent unto him, that he would come & show him the way of life: But Peter (a little before of the coming of the messengers of Cornelius) being in his chamber, after he had prayed, fell in a trance and saw heaven open, and a certain vessel descending even as a great sheet, letten down by four corners from heaven to earth. In the which were all manner of four footed beasts, serpentes of the earth, and fowls of the air. And a voice spake unto him saying, arise Peter, kill and eat, and Peter said, not so Lord, because I have never eaten any common or unclean thing: This was done thrice. And Peter descended (not knowing what the vision did signify) and found the messengers of Cornelius.
As concerning the authority iudicial of the clergy, many things are written thereof in the Canons of decrees, greatly to be marveled at, and far from the truth of the Scripture. The authors of the Canons say, that Christ gave unto the priests, power iudicial over sinners y t confessed their sins unto them. And this they ground upon the text of Christ: I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatsoever thou loosest &c. And these keys of the kingdom of heaven they cal the knowledge to discern, and the power to judge, which they say only belongeth to the priests, except in case of necessity, then they say a lay man may absolve a man frō sin. And as touching absolution they say, there are three things to be required on the sinners part: first hearty cōtritiō, whereby the sinners ought to bewail their offēding of god thorough sins: the second is, auricular confession, whereby the sinner ought to show unto the Priest his sins, & the circumstances of them: The third is satisfaction, thorough penance enjoined unto him by the Priest for his sins committed. And of his part that giveth absolution, there are two things (say they) to be required that is to say: knowledge to discern one sin from another, whereby he ought to make a difference of sins, & appoint a convenient penance, according to the quantity of the sins: The second is authority to judge, whereby he ought to join penance to the offender. And further they say, that he y t is confessed, ought with all humility to submit himself to this authority, and wholly and voluntarily to do those penaunces which are commanded him by the priest, except the said penance be released by a superior power: for all priests (as they say) have not equal authority to absolve sins. The chief priest whom they call Peters successor hath power fully and wholly to absolve. But the inferior priests have power, some more some less. The more as they are near him in dignity: The less as they are farther from the degree of his dignity. All this is declared by process in the decrees, butnot by the express doctrine of Christ or any of his Apostles. For although Christ absolved men from their sins, I do not find that he did it after the manner of a judge, but of a savior. For Christ saith, God sent not his son into the world to judge sinners, but that the world should be saved by him. John chap. 3. Wherupon he spake unto him whom he healed of the palsy: Behold thou art made whole, go thy ways and sin no more. And to the woman taken in adultery Christ said, woman where be thy accusers, hath no man condemned thee? who said: No man Lord. To whom then Jesus thus said: No more will I condemn thee, go, and now sin no more.
By which words and deeds of Christ and many other places of the scripture, it appeareth he was not as a Judge at his first coming to punish sinners according to the quātitle of their offenses: but y t day shall come hereafter, where in he shall judge all men according to their works, as in Mat. 25. where he saith: When the son of man shall come in his majesty, and all his angels with him: then shall he sit upon the seat of his majesty, and all nations shall be gathered together before him, and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd seperateth the sheep from y e Goats. &c. Neither shall he judge alone, but his Saints also with him. For he saith, you that have followed me in this generation, when the son of man shall sit in the seat of his majesty, shall sit also upon 12. seats, and judge the 12. tribes of Israel. If then since Christ came not as a Judge, why do the Priests say that they supplye the room of Christ on earth, to judge sinners according to the quantity of their offenses? And yet not only this, but it is more to be marvelled at, how the Bishop of Rome dareth to take upon him to be a Judge before the day of judgment, and to prevent the time, judging some to be saints in heaven, & to be honored of men, and some again to be tormented in hell eternally w t the devils. Would God these men would wey the saying of S. Paul. Corin. 4. Judge ye not before the time, until the coming of the Lord, who shall make light the dark and secret places, and disclose the secretes of hearts, and then everyone shall have his praise. Let the Bishop of Rome take heed, lest that in Ezekiel be spoken by him: because thy heart is eleuate, and laydst unto thyself I am God, I have sitten in the seat of God, in the heart of the sea, when thou art but man and not God. It is manifest, that the remission of sins principallye belongeth to God, who through grace washeth away our sins. For it is said, the lamb of God taketh away the sins of the world. And unto Christians it belongeth as the Ministers of God. For in the 20. of John Christ saith: Receaue unto you y e holy Ghost, whose sins you shall remit, they are remitted unto them: and whose sins you shall retain they are retained. Seeing therefore, that all Christians that are baptized in the name of the Father, and of the son, & of the holy Ghost, receive the holy ghost: it appeareth, that they have power givē unto them of Christ, to remit sins ministerially. Hath not every Christian authority to baptize • and in the baptism all the sins of the baptized are remitted? Ergo, they that do baptize, do remit sins. And thus ministerially all such have power to remit sins. Therefore, to say that one man hath more authority to remit sins then all other Christians have, is to much to extol him & to place him even in God's seat. I pray you how are the sins remitted him that is baptized of the Prieste (yea although he were of the pope himself baptized) more then if he were baptized of another Christian? Surely I think no more. For seeing that before Baptism he remaineth a sinner and of the kingdom of the devil by sin, after baptism he entereth into y e kingdom of heaven: It appeareth, that he y t doeth baptize, openeth the gate of y e kingdom of heaven to him that is baptized: the which he cannot do, w t out the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Therefore everyone that both baptize: hath the keys of the kingdom of heaven, as well the in • eriour Priest as the Pope But these keys are not the knowledge to discern, & power to judge, because these do nothing anayle in baptism Ergo, there are other keys of the kingdom of heaven thē these: Wherefore it seemeth, that the authors of the Canons erred in mistaking the keys, whereupon they ground the authority judicial of the Clergy.
Now a little error in the beginning granted, groweth to great inconvenience in y e end. Wherefore in my judgment it seemeth, that the keys of the kingdom of heaven are saith and hope. For by faith in Jesus Christ, and hope in him for the remission of sins, we enter y e kingdom of heavē. This faith is a spiritual water, springing from Jesus Christ the fountain of wisdom, wherein the soul of the sinner is washed from sin. With this water were the faithful Patriarchs baptized before the law, and the faithful people of the Hebrews, and the faithful Christians after the law. Wherefore I greatly marvel of that saying in the decrees, which is ascribed unto Augustine: that little children that are not baptized, shall be tormented with eternal fire, although they were born of faithful parents that wished them with all their hearts to have been baptized: as though the sacrament of Baptism in water were simply necessary to salvation, when nevertheless many Christians are saved without this kind of Baptism, as Martyrs. If that kind of Sacrament be not necessary, to one of elder years, how thē is it necessary to an infant born of the faithful? Are not all baptized with the holy Ghost and with fire? But yet not with material fire, no more is the lotion of water corporally necessary to wash away sins, but only spiritual water, that is to say, the water of faith. Are not the quick baptized for them that are dead, as witnsseth Paul. 2. Corin. 15. If the dead arise not at all why are the living then baptized for them? If the living be baptized for the dead? Why then is not the infant saved by the baptism of his parents: seeing the infant it self is impotent at the time of death, and not able to require baptism? Christ saith, he that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved. He saith not, he that is not baptized: but he that believeth not shall be damned. Wherefore in the 12. chap. of John, Christ saith, I am the resurrection and life, he that believeth in me, yea although he were dead, shall line. The faith therefore is necessary which the infant hath in his faithful parents, although he be not washed with corporal water. How then is the infant damned and tormented with eternal fire? Were not they that were before the coming of Christ, and dead before his death by a thousand years saved also by his death and passion? All y t believed in him, were baptized in his blood, and so were saved and redeemed from sin and the bondage of the devil, and made partakers of the kingdom of heaven. How then in y e time of grace, shall the infant be damned that is borne of faithful parents, that do not despise, but rather desire to have their children baptized? I dare not consent to so hard a sentence of the decrees: but rather believe, that he is saved by virtue of the passion of Christ in faith of his faithful parents, and the hope which they have in Christ. Which faith and hope are the keys of the heavenly kingdom. God were not just and merciful, if he would condemn a man that believeth not in him, except he shown unto him the faith which he ought to believe. And therefore Christ saith: If I had not come and spokē unto them, sin could not have been laid unto their charge, but now they have no excuse of sin. Therefore seeing the faith of Christ is not manifest unto the infant departing before baptism, neither hath he denied it: how thē shall he be damned for the same? But if God speaketh inwardly by way of illumination of the intelligence of the infant, as he speaketh unto Angels: who then knoweth (save God alone) whether the infant receiveth or not receiveth the faith of Christ?
What is he therefore that so rashly dare take vpō him to judge the infants begot̄ of faithful parents, dying without baptism, to be tormented with eternal fire? Now let us consider the 3. things which y e canons of decrees affirm to be requisite for the remission of y e sins of those that sin after baptism: that is to say, contrition of heart, auricular confession, and satisfaction of the deed through penance enjoined by the priest for the sins committed. I cannot find in any place in the Gospel, where Christ commanded that this kind of confession should be done unto y t priest: nor I cannot find that Christ assigned any penance unto sinners for their sins, but that he willed thē to sin no more. If a sinner confess that he hath offended God through sin, & soroweth heartily for his offenses, minding no more hereafter to sin: then is he truly repentant for his sin, & then is he converted unto the Lord. If he shall then humbly and with good hope crane mercy at God & remission of his sins: what is he that can let God to absolve that sinner from his sin? And as God absolveth a sinner from his sin, so hath Christ absolved many, although they confessed not their sins unto the priests, and although they received not due penance for their sins. And if Christ could after y t manner once absolve sinners: how is he become now not able to absolve? Except some man will say, that he is above Christ, and that his power is minished by y e ordinances of his own laws? How were sinners absolved of god in the time of the Apostles, and always heretofore, unto y • time that these Canons were made? I speak not these things as though confession to priests were wicked, but that it is not of necessity requisite unto salvation. I believe verily that the confession of sins unto good priests, and likewise to other faithful Christians, is good, as witnesseth S. James the Apostle: Cōfesse ye yourselves one to another, & pray ye one for another, that ye may be saved: for the continual prayer of the just availeth much. Helias was a man that suffered many things like unto you, and he prayed that it should not rain upon the earth, & it rained not in 3. years & 6. months. And again he prayed, and it rained from heaven, and the earth yielded forth her fruit. This kind of confession is good, profitable and expedient: for if God peradventure heareth not a man's own prayer, he is helped with the intercession of others: Yet nevertheless y e prayers of the priests seemeth to much to be extolled in the decrees, where it treateth of penitēce, and that saying is ascribed unto Pope Leo. Cap. multiplex misericordia Dei. &c. And it followeth: So is it ordained by the providence of God's divine will, that y e mercy of God cannot be obtained but by the prayer of y e priests. &c. The prayer of a good priest doth much avail a sinner confessing his faults unto him. The counsel of a discreet priest is very profitable for a sinner, to give the sinner counsel to beware hereafter to sin, and to instruct him how he shall punish his body by fasting by watching, and such like acts of repentance, that hereafter he may be better preserved from sin.
After this manner I esteem confessiō to priests very expedient and profitable to a sinner. But to confess sins unto the priest as unto a judge, & to receive of him corporal penance for a satisfaction unto God for his sins committed, I see not how this can be founded vpō the truth of the scripture. For before the coming of Christ, no man was sufficient or able to make satisfactiō unto God for his sins, although he suffered never so much penance for his sins. And therefore it was needful, that he that was without sin should be punished for sins, as witnesseth Isayas. chap. 53. where he saith: he took our griefs upon him, and our sorrows he bare. And again: He was wounded for our iniquities, and vexed for our wickedness. And again: The Lord put upon him our iniquity. And again: for the wickedness of my people have I strikē him. It therefore, Christ through his passion hath made satisfaction for our sins, whereas we our selves were unable to do it, then through him have we grace & remission of sins. How can we say now, that we are sufficient to make satisfaction unto God by any penance enjoined unto us by man's authority? seeing that our sins are more grievous after Baptism: thē they were before the coming of Christ. Therefore, as in Baptism the pain of Christ in his passion was a full satisfaction for our sins: even so after Baptism if we confess that we have offended, & be hearty sorry for our sins, and mind not to sin again ofterwardes.
Hereupon John writeth in his first epistle. ca. 1. If we say we have no sin, we deceive our selves, & the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just, he will remit them, and cleanse us from all our iniquities. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not us. My well-beloved children, this I write unto you that ye sin not: but if any man sin, we have an advocate with the father Jesus Christ the righteous, and he is the propitiation for our sins, and not for our sins only, but for y e sins of y e whole world. Therefore, we ought to confess our selves chiefly unto God even frō the heart, for that he chiefly doth remit sins, without whose absolution little availeth the absolutiō of man. This kind of confession is profitable and good. The authors of the Canons say, that although auricular confession made unto the Priest, be not expressly taught by Christ, yet, say they, it is taught in that saying, which Christ said unto them diseased of the leprosy, whom he commanded: Go your ways, & show yourselves unto the Priests, because as they say, the law of cleansing lepers, which was given by Moses, signified the confession of sins unto the Priest. And whereas Christ commanded the lepers to show themselves unto the Priests, they say that Christ meant, that those y t were unclean with the leper of sin, should show their sins unto the Priests by auricular confession. I marvel much at the authors of the Canons, for even from the beginning of their decres unto the end, they ground their sayings vpō the old law, which was the law of sin and death, and not (as witnesseth Paul) upon the words of Christ, which are spirit & life. Christ saith, the word • s which I speak unto you, are y e spirit and life. They groū • their sayings in the shadow of the law, and not in the light of Christ. For every evil doer hateth the light, & comm • th not into it, that his deeds be not reproved: but he that doth the truth, cometh into the light, that his works may be openly seen, because they are done in God. Joh. 3.
Now let us pass to the words that Christ spake to the leper. Lord if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus stretching forth his hand, touched him, saying: I will, be thou clean: and straight ways he was cleansed of his leper. And Jesus said unto him: See thou tell no man, but go and show thyself to the Priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded for a witness of these things. This Gospel witnesseth plainly that y e diseased of lepers were cleansed only by Christ, and not by the Priests, neither did Christ command the leper to show himself unto the priests, for any help of cleansing that he should receive of the Priests: but to fulfill the law of Moses, in offering a sacrifice for his cleansing, & for a testimony unto the Priests, who always of envy accused Christ as a transgressor of the law. For if Christ after he had cleansed the leper, had licensed him to communicate with others that were clean, before he had shown himself cleansed unto the Priests, thē might the Priests have accused Christ, as a transgressor of the law: Because it was a precept of the law, that the leper after he was cleansed, should show himself unto the Priests. And they had signs in the book of law, whereby they might judge whether he were truly clēsed or no. And if he were cleansed, then would the Priests offer a gift for his cleansing. And if he were not cleansed, then would they segregate him, frō the company of others that were clean. Seeing every figure, ought to be assimuled unto the thing that is figured: I pray you then, what agreement is there between the cleansing of lepers by the law, & the confession of sins? By that law the Priest knew better whether he were leprouse then he himself that had the leper. In confession the priest knew not the sins of him that was confessed, but by his own confession. In that law the Priest did not clēse the leprouse: How now therefore ought the priests to cleanse sinners from their sin, & that without thē they cannot be cleansed? In this law y e Priest had certain signs, by the which he could certainly know, whether a mā were cleansed frō his leper or not. In confession, the Priest is not certain of the cleansing of sins, because he is ignorant of his contrition: He knoweth not also whether he will not sin anymore, without the which contrition and granting to sin no more, God hath not absolved any sinner. And if God hath not absolved a man, without doubt then is he not made clean. And how then is confession figured under that law? Doubtless so it seemeth to me (under the correction of them that can judge better in the matter) that this law beareth rather a figure of excommunication, & reconciliation of him, that hath been obstinate in his sin, & is reconciled again. For so it appeareth by the process of the Gospel, that when as the sinner doth not amend for the private correction of his brother, nor for the correction of two or three, neither yet for the public correction of the whole Church: Then is he to be counted as an Ethnike, & a Publican & as a certain Leper to be avoided out of the company of all men. Which sinner notwithstanding, if he shall yet repent, is then to be reconciled, because he is then cleansed from his obstinacy.
But he which pretendeth himself to be the chief vicar of Christ, and the high Priest, saith: that he hath power to absolve A poena & culpa: Which I do not find how it is founded in the scripture, but that of his own authority, he enjoineth to sinners, penance for their sins. And grant y t frō their sins he may well absolve them, yet frō the pain (which they call a poena ) he doth not simply absolve, as in his indulgences he promiseth. But if he were in charitye, and had such power, as he pretēdeath, he would suffer none to lie in Purgatory for sin, forsomuch as that pain doth far exceed all other pain which here we suffer. What mā is there being in charity, but if he see his brother to be tormented in this world, if he may, he will help him, and deliver him? Much more ought the Pope thē, to deliver out of pains of Purgatorye, indifferently as well rich as poor. And if he sel to the rich his indulgences, double wife, yea triple wise he seduceth them. First in promising to deliver thē out of the pain from whence he doth not, neither is able to deliver thē: And so maketh thē falsely to believe that, which they ought not to believe. Secondly, he deceiveth thē of their money, which he taketh for his indulgence. Thirdly, he seduceth them in this, that he promising to deliver them frō pain, doth induce thē into grievous punishment in deed, for y e heresy of simony, which both of thē do commit, & therefore are worthy both of great pain to fall upon thē: for so we read, that Jesus cast out buyers and sellers out of his temple. Also Peter said unto Simon y e first author of this heresy. Thy money, said he, with thee be destroyed, for that thou hast thought, the gift of God to be possessed for money. Moreover, whereas Christ saith, freely you have received, freely give, and whereas contrary the Pope doth sell that thing, which he hath taken: what doubt is there, but that he doth grievously deserve to be punished, both he that selleth, & he that buyeth, for the crime of simonye, which they commit. Ouer and besides, by many reasons and authorities of the Scripture it may be proved, that he doth not absolve a man, contrite for his sin, although he do absolve him from the guilt.
But this marueileth me, that he in his indulgences promiseth to absolve men from all manner of deadly sins: & yet cannot absolve a man from debt: forasmuch as the debt which we owe to god, is of much more greater importance, then is the debt of our brother. Wherefore, if he be able to remit the debt due to God, much more it should seme, that he is able to forgive the debt of our brother.
An other thing there is, that I marvel at: for that the pope showeth himself more strait in absolving a priest for not saying, or negligently saying his matins: thē for trāsgressing the commandment of God: considering that the transgression of the commandment of God, is much more grievous then the breach of man's commandment.
For these and many other errors concurring, and in this matter of the Popes absolutions, blessed be God, & honor be unto him for the remission of our sins And let us firmly believe and know, that he doth and will absolve us from our sins, if we be sory frō the bottom of our harts that we have offended him having a good purpose and will to offend him no more. And let us be bold to resort unto good and discreet Priests, who with wholesome discretion and sound counsel can instruct us, how to auoad the corruption of sin hereafter. And which, because they are better then we, may pray to God for us: whereby we may both obtain more sooner the remission of our sins past, and also may learn better how to avoid the danger of sin to come. Ex Registro Latino Episc. Hereford.
And thus much concerning the judgment and doctrine of this Walter, for Christian patience, charity and mercy, which as they be true and infallible notes and marks of true Christianity, so the said Walter Brute making comparison herein between Christ and the Pope, goeth about purposely to declare and manifest, whereby all men may see, what contrariety there is between the rule of Christ's teaching, and the proceedings of the Pope: between the examples and life of the one, and the examples of the other. Of which two as one is altogether given to peace: so is the other on the contrary side as much disposed to wars, murder, and bloodshed, as is easy to be seen, who so looking not upon the outward shows and pretensed words of these Romish Popes, but advising and considering the inward practices, and secret works of them, shall easily espy, under their visour of peace what discord and debate they work. Who bearing outwardly the meek horns of the Lamb mentioned in the Apocalippes, within do bear the bowels of a Wolf, full of cruelty, murder, and bloodshed which if any do think to be spoken of me contumeliously, would God that man could prove as well the same to be spoken of me not truly. But truth it is, I speak it sincerely, without affection of blind partiality, according to the truth of histories both old and new. Thus under in Dei nomine. Amen, how unmercifully doeth the Pope condemn his brother: And while he pretendeth not to be lawful for him to kill any man, what thousands hath he killed of men? And likewise in this sentence, pretending, in visceribus Jesus Christi, as though he would be a mediator to the magistrate for the party: yet in deed will he be sure to excommunicate the Magistrate, if he execute not the sentence given. Who be true heretics, the Lord when he cometh shall judge: but give them • o be heretics, whom he condemneth for heretics. Yet what bowels of mercy is here, where is nothing, but burning, faggoting, drowning prisoning, chaining, famishing racking, hanging, tormenting, threatening, reviling, cursing and oppressing, and no instructing, nor yet indifferent hearing of thē, what they can say. The like cruelty also may in their wars appear, if we consider how Pope Urbane 5. beside the racking and murdering of 7. or 8. Cardinals, set up Henry Spencer Bishoppe of Norwich to fight against the French Pope. Innocentius 4. was in war himself against the Apulians. Likewise Alexander. 4. his sucessour stirred up the son of king Henry 3. to fight against the son of Frederick. 2. Emperor, for Apulia. Boniface 8. moved Albertus (which stood to be Emperor) to drive Philip the freēch King out of his Realm Gregorius. 9 excited Ludouike the French king 3. sundry times, to mortal war against the Earl Raimundus and City of of Toulouse, and Avigno, where Louis the said Frence king died. Honorius 3. by strength of war many ways resisted Frederick 2. and sent out 35. Gallyes against the coasts of the Emperors dominions. The same Pope also besieged Ferraria, to pass over the war at Ticinum, with many other battayles and conflicts of Popes, against the Romans, Venetians, and diverse other nations. Innocentius 3. set up Philip the French king to war against king John. What stir Pope Gregory the 7. otherwise named Hildebrand, kept against the Emperor Henricus 4. it is not unknown. And who is able to recite all the wars, battayles, and fields fought by the stirring up of the Pope? These with many other like examples considered, did cause this Walter Brute to write in this matter so as he did, making yet thereof no universal proposition: but that Christian Magistrates, in case of necessity, might make resistance, in defense of public right. Now he proceedeth further to other matter of the Sacrament.
Touching the matter (saith he) of the Sacrament of the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, diverse men have diverse opinions, as the learned do know As concerning my judgment upon the same, I firmly believe whatsoever the lord Christ Jesus taught implicitly or expressly to his Disciples and faithful people to be believed: for he is (as I believe and know) the true bread of God, which descended from heaven, and giveth life to the world. Of which bread whosoever eateth, shall live forever, as it is in the 6. of S. John declared. Before the coming of christ in the flesh, although men did live in body, yet in spirit they did not live, because all men were then under sin, whose souls thereby were dead: from the which death, no man by law, nor with the law was justified: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. Galat. 2. And again in the same epistle cap. 3. that by the law no man is justified before God it is manifest: for the just man shall live by his faith, the law is not of faith: but whosoever hath y e works thereof, shall live in them. And again in y e same chap. If the law had been given, which might have justified, then our righteousness had come by the law. But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise might be sure by the faith of Jesus Christ to all believers. Moreover, before that faith came, they were kept and concluded all under the law, until the coming of that faith which was to be revealed. For the law was our schoolemaister in Christ Jesus, that we should be justified by faith. Also the said Paul Rom. 5. saith: that the law entered in the mean time, whereby that sin might more abound. Where then sin hath more abounded there hath also grace superaboūded, that like as sin hath reigned unto death: so that grace might reign also by righteousness unto eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Whereby it is manifest, that by the faith which we have in Christ, believing him to be the true son of God, which came down from heaven to redeem us from sin: we are justified from sin, and so do live by him, which is the true bread and meat of the soul. And the bread which Christ gave, is his flesh given for the life of the world. John. 6. For he being God, came down from heaven, and being true carnal man, did suffer in the flesh for our sins, which in his divinity he could not suffer. Wherefore like as we believe by our faith that he is true God: so must we also believe, that he is a true man. And then do we eat the bread of heaven, and the flesh of Christ. And if we believe that he did voluntarily shed his blood for our redemption, then do we drink his blood.
And thus, except we eat the flesh of the son of man, and shall drink his blood: we have not eternal life in us. Because the flesh of Christ verily is meat, and his blood is drink in deed: and whosoever eateth the flesh of Christ and drinketh his blood, abideth in Christ & Christ in him. John. ca. 6. And as in this world y t souls of y e faithful live, and are refreshed spiritually with this heavenly bread, and with the flesh and blood of christ: So in the world to come, the same shall live eternally in heaven, refreshed with the deity of Jesus Christ, as touching the most principal part thereof, that is to wit, intellectū : For as much as this bread of heavē, in that it is God, hath in it self all delectable pleasātnes. And as touching the intelligible powers of y e same (as well exterior as interior) they are refreshed with the flesh (that is to say) with the humanity of Jesus Christ: which is, as a queen standing on the right hand of God, decked w t a golden robe of diverse colors: for this queen of heaven alone by the word of God, is exalted above the company of all the angels: that by her, all our corporal power intellectiue, may fully be refreshed as is our spiritual intelligence, with the beholding of y e deity of Jesus Christ, and even as the Angels, shall we be fully satisfied. And in the memory of this double refectiō, present in this world and in the world to come: hath Christ given unto us (for eternal blessedness) the Sacrament of his body and blood, in the substance of bread and wine, as it appeareth in Matthew. chapter. 26. As the disciples sat at supper, Jesus took bread and blessed it, brake it, & gave it unto his disciples, and said: Take, eat, this is my body. And he took the cup, and thanked, and gave it them, saying: Drink ye all of this, this is my blood of the New Testament, which shall be shed for many, for y e remission of sins. And Luke in his Gospel chap. 22. or this matter thus writeth. And after he had taken the bread, he gave thanks, he brake it, and gave it unto them, saying: Thys is my body which shall be given for you: do you this in my remembrance. In like manner he took the cup after supper, saying: Thys is the cup of the new testament in my blood, which shall be shed for you. That Christ said, this is my body, in showing to them the bread, I firmly believe & know that it is true: That Christ (for so much as he is God) is the very truth it self: and by consequence, all that he saith is true. And I believe that the very same was his body, in such wise as he willed it to be his body: for in y t he is almighty, he hath done what so ever pleased him. And as in Cane of Galilee, he changed the water into wine, really, so that after the transubstantiation it was wine and not water: so when he said, This is my body: If he would have had the bread really to be transubstātiated into his very body, so that after this changing it should have been his natural body, & not bread as it was before: I know, that it must needs have been so. But I find not in the Scripture, that his will was to have any such real transubstantiation or mutation.
And as the Lord God omnipotent in his perfectiō essential being the son of God, doth exceed the most purest creature, and yet when it pleased him, he took vpō him our nature, remaining really God as he was before, & was really made man: so y t after this assumpting of our substance he was really very God & very man: Evē so if he would, when he said: This is my body: He could make this to be his body really, the bread still really remaining as it was before. For less is y e difference of the essence, between bread and the body of a man, then between the deity & humanity: because that of the bread, is naturally made the body of a man. Of the bread is made blood: of the blood, natural seed: and of natural seed, the natural substance of man is engendered. But in that that God became man: This is an action supernatural. Wherefore he that could make one man to be very God and very mā: could if he would make one thing to be really very bread, & his very body. But I do not find it expressly in the Scripture, that he would any such Identitye or conjunction to be made. And as Christ said, I am very bread, not changing his essence or being, into the essence or substance of bread: but was the said Christ, which he was before really, and yet bread by a similitude or figurative speech: So if he would, it might be, y t when he said: This is my body: That this should really have been the bread as it was before, and Sacramentally or memorially to be his body. And this seemeth unto me, most nearest to agree to the meaning of Christ, forasmuch as he said: do this in the remembrance of me. Then for as much as in the supper it is manifest, that Christ gave unto his Disciples the bread of his body which he brake, to that intent to eat with their mouths: in which bread, he gave himself also unto them as one in whō they should believe (as to be the food of the soul) and by that faith they should believe him to be their savior which took his body, wherein also he would it to be manifest, that he would redeem them from death: So was the bread eaten with the Disciples mouths, that he being the true bread of the soul, might be in spirit received and eaten spiritually, by their faith, which believed in him.
The bread which in the disciples mouths was chewed, from the mouth passed to the stomach: For as Christ saith: whatsoever cometh to the mouth, goeth into the belly, & from thence into the privy. Matthew. chap. 15. But that true and very bread of the soul, was eaten of the spirit of the Disciples, and by faith entered their minds, and abode in their intralles through love. And so the bread broken, seemeth unto me to be really y e meat of the body, & the bread which it was before: but Sacramentally to be the body of Christ, as Paul. 1. Cor. 10. The bread which we break, is it not the participation of the body of the Lord? So, the bread which we break, is the participation of the Lord's body. And it is manifest, that the heavenly bread is not broken neither yet is subject to such breaking: Therefore, Paul calleth the material bread, which is broken, the body of Christ which the faithful are partakers of. The bread therefore changeth not his essence, but is bread really, and is the body of Christ sacramentally. Even as Christ is the very vine, abiding really and figuratively the vine: So, the temple of Jerusalem was really the material temple: & figuratively it was the body of Christ: Because he said, destroy you this temple, and in three days I will repair the same again. And this spake he of the temple of his body, whereas others understood it to be the material temple, as appeared by their answer: For said they 47. years hath this temple been in building, and wilt thou build it up in three days?
Even so, may the consecrated bread be really bread as it was before, and yet figuratively the body of Christ. And if therefore, Christ would this bread to be only sacramentally his body and would not have the same bread really to be transubstantiated into his body, & so ordained his Priests to make this Sacrament as a memorial of his passion: Thē do the Priests grievously offend, which beseech Christ in their holy Mass, that the bread which lieth upon the alter may be made really the body of Christ, if he would not have the same to be but a Sacrament of his body. And then both be they greatly deceived themselves, and also do greatly deceive others. But whether the bread be really transubstantiated into the body of Christ, or is only y e body of Christ sacramentally: No doubt, but that the people are marvelously deceived. For the people believe that they see the body of Christ, nay rather Christ himself between the hands of the Priests (for so is the common oath they swear.) By him whō I saw this day between the priests hands. And the people believe that they eat not the body of Christ but at Easter, or else when they lie upon their death bed, and receive with their bodily mouth the Sacrament of the body of Christ. But the body of Christ (admit the bread be transubstantiated really into the body) is in the Sacrament, indiuisibiliter, that is, not able to be divided, and so immensurabiliter, that is, not able to be measured: Ergo, inuisibiliter, that is, not able to be seen. To believe therefore that he may be seen corporally in the Sacrament, is erroneous. And forasmuch as the body of Christ, is the souls food and not the food of the body in this world, for that whosoever believeth, doth eat spiritually, and really, at any time when he so believeth: It is manifest, that they do greatly err which believe that they eat not the body of Christ, but when they eat with their teeth the Sacrament of the body of Christ.
And although it should be to the great honor of priests that the bread really were changed into the body of christ, by the virtue of the Sacramental words pronounced: yet if Christ would not have it to be so, then they desiring to do this contrary to the will of Christ, and informing the people, that is to be done, so contrary to the will of Christ: are in great peril, most daūgerously seducing both themselves and the people. And then, although that hereby they get a little worldly and transitory honor for a short time: It is to be feared, least perpetual shame finally shall follow and insue upon the same. For Christ saith, everyone that exalteth himself, shall be brought low. Let them therefore take heed, least they extolling themselves for this Sacrament, above the company of Angels which never sinned, for the error which they be in, for evermore be placed with the sinful angels under the earth.
Let every man therefore think lowly of himself in what state or degree soever he be, neither let him presume to do that which he is not able to do: Neither desire to have that thing done, which God would not have done.
I greatly marvel at those which were the makers of the Canons, how variably & contrary one to another they write of this Sacrament of the body of Christ. In the last part of the decrees where this matter is touched: not only in the text, but also in the process of the matter, diverse do diversely write, and one contrary to another. For in the chapter that thus beginneth Prima inquit haeresis, it is thus written: You shall not eat this body which you see, nor shall drink this blood which they shall shed, which shall crucify me: I will commend unto you a certain Sacrament spiritually understood y t quickeneth you, for the flesh profiteth you nothing at all. And in the end of the same chapter, it is thus written: Till the world shall have an end, the Lord's place is in heaven: yet notwithstanding, the verity of the Lord is here abiding with us. For the body wherewith he rose, ought to be in one place, but his verity is in every place diffused & spread abroad. And in y e chapter following which thus beginneth, Omnia quaecun{que} voluit. &c. it is written: Although the figure of the bread & wine seem to be nothing: yet notwithstanding they must after y • words of consecration be believed, to be none other thing then the very flesh of Christ and his blood. Whereupon, the veritye himself said unto his Disciples: This is saith he, my flesh, which is given for the life of the world: and to speak yet more marvelously, this is none other flesh, thē that which was borne of the virgin Mary, & suffered upon the cross, and rose out of the sepulcher.
See how far this chapter differeth from the first. And in the chapter which beginneth Ego Berengarius. &c. This is the confession which Berengarius, himself confessed touching this Sacrament, and his confession is of the church allowed. I confess (saith Berengarius) that the bread and wine which is laid upon the alter after the consecration, is not only a Sacrament: but also that it is the very body & blood of our Lord Jesus Christ: And the same not only sensually to be a Sacrament, but also verily to be handled with the Priests hands and to be broken, and chewed with the teeth of faithful men. This confession doubtless is heretical: for why if the body of Christ be in the Sacrament, as of the Church it is so determined: it is there then Multiplicatiue, and so indiuisibiliter, wherefor not sensualiter. And if it be there indiuisibiliter, that is, in such sort as it cannot be divided or separated, then can it not be touched, felt, broken nor with the teeth of men chewed.
The writers of this time and age do affirm: that if by the negligence of the Priest, the Sacrament be so negligētly left, that a Mouse or any other beast or vermin eat the same: then they say, that the Sacrament returneth again into the nature and substance of bread. Whereby, they must needs confess, that a miracle is as well wrought by y e negligence of the Priest, as first there was made by the consecration of the Priest in making the Sacrament. For either by the eating of the Mouse, the body of Christ is transubstantiated into the nature of bread, which is a transubstantiatiō supernatural: Or else of nothing by creation is this bread produced. And therefore, either of these operations is miraculous & to be marvelled at. Now considering the disagreing opinions of the Doctors, and for the absurdities which follow, I believe with Paul, that the bread which we break, is the participation of the body of Christ: and as Christ saith, that the bread is made the body of Christ for a memorial and remembrance of him. And in such sort as Christ willed the same to be his body, in the same manner & sort do I believe it to be his body.
But whether women may make the body of Christ, & minister unto the people: or whether that Priests be divided frō the lay people, for their knowledge, preeminence, & sanctity of life, or else by external signs only: Also whether the sign of consure and other external signs of holiness in Priests, be signs of Antichrist and his charecters, or else introduced & taught by our Lord Jesus Christ: consequently it remaineth next to speak of unto the faithful sort (according to the process of the holy Scripture) first of the three kinds of the Priests. I remember that I have read, the first of them to be Aaronicall, legal, & temporal: The second to be eternal and regal according to the order of Melchizedek: The third to be a Christian. The first of these ceased at the coming of Christ: for that as S. Paul to the Hebrews saith. The Priesthood of Aaron was translated to the Priesthood of the order of Melchizedek. The legal sort of Priests of Aaron, were separate from the rest of the people, by kindred, office, and inheritance. By kindred, for that the children of Aaron only were Priests. By office, for that it only pertained to them to offer sacrifice, for the sins of the people, and to instruct the people in y e precepts and ceremonies of the law. By inheritance, because the Lord was their portiō of inheritaūce: neither had they any other inheritance amongst their brethren, but those things which were offered unto the Lord, as the first fruits, parts of the sacrifices, and vows, except places for their mansion houses for them and theirs, as appeareth by the process of Moses law. The Priesthood of Christ, did much differ from this Priesthood, as Paul doth witness to the Hebrews chapter. 1.8.9.10.
First, in kindred, because that our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ, came of the stock and tribe of Judah: of which tribe none had to do with the alter and in which tribe nothing at all was spoken of the Priests of Moses.
The second, for that other were made Priests without their oath taken but he by an oath, by him which said: The Lord swore, and it shall not repent him: Thou art a Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.
Thirdly, by durability, for that many of thē were made Priests but during the term of their lives: but he for that he remaineth forever, hath an eternal Priesthood. Wherefore he is able to save us forever having by himself access unto God, which ever liveth to make intercession for us.
The law made also such men Priests as had infirmities, but Sermo (that is, the word which according to the law is the eternal son and perfect) by an oath.
The Priesthood of Christ also did differ frō the Priesthood of Aaron and the law, in the matter of the sacrifice: & in the place of sacrificing. In the matter of the sacrifice: because they did use in their sacrifices strange bodies of the matter of their sacrifices, and did shed strange blood for the expiation of sins: But he, offering himself unto God his father for us, shed his own blood, for the remission of our sins. In the place of sacrificing: because that they did offer their sacrifice in the tabernacle or temple: But Christ suffering death without the gates of the City, offered himself upon the alter of the cross to God his father, & there shed his precious blood. In his supping chamber also he blessed the bread and consecrated the same for his body, & the wine which was in y e cup, he also consecrated for his blood: delivering the same to his Apostles to be done, for a commemoration and remembrance of his incarnation & passion. Neither did Jesus enter into the sāctuary made with man's hands, which be examples & figures of true things: but entered into heavē it self, that he might appear before the majesty of God for us. Neither doth he offer himself oftentimes, as the chief priest in the sanctuary did every year with strange blood (for then should he often times have suffered from the beginning) but now once for all, in y e latter end of the world, to destroy sin by his peace offering, hath he entered. And even as it is decreed, that mā once shall die and then cometh the judgment: so Christ hath been once offered to take away the sins of many. The second time he shall appear without sin to them that look for him, to their salvation. For the law having a shadow of good things to come, can never by the Image it self of things (which every year without ceasing they offer by such sacrifices) make those perfect that come thereunto, for otherwise that offering should have ceased: Because that such worshippers being once cleansed from their sins, should have no more conscience of sin. But in these, commemoratiō is made every yere of sin: for it is impossible that by the blood of Goats and Calves, sins should be purged and taken away. Therefore coming into y e world he said: Sacrifice and oblation thou wouldst not have, but a body hast thou given me, peace offerings for sin have not pleased thee: Then said I, behold I come. In the volume of the book it is written of me, that I should do thy will O God: Saying as above, because thou wouldest have no sacrifices, nor burnt offerings for sin, neither doest thou take pleasure in those things that are offered according to y e law. Then said I, behold I come, that I may do thy will O God. He taketh away the first, to stablishe that which followeth. In which will, we are sanctified by the oblation of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all. And every priest is ready daily ministering, and oftentimes affering like sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this Jesus offering one sacrifice for sin, sitteth for evermore on the right hand of God, expecting the time till his enemies be made his footstool. For by his own only oblation, hath he consummated for evermore those that are sanctified.
All these places have I recited which Paul writeth, for the better understanding and declaration of those things I mean to speak. By all which it appeareth manifestly, how the Priesthood of Christ, differeth from the legal priesthood of Aaron: and by the same also appeareth, how the same differeth from all other priesthood Christian, that immitateth Christ. For the properties of the priesthood of Christ above recited, are found in no other Priest, but in Christ alone. Of the third priesthood, that is, the Christian priesthood: Christ by express words speaketh but little, to make any difference between the priests and the rest of the people, neither yet doth use this name of Sacerdos or praesbiter in y e Gospel. But some he calleth disciples, some apostles, whom he sent to baptize & to preach, & in his name to do miracles. He calleth them y e salt of the earth, in which y e name of wisdom is meant: and he calleth them the light of the world, by which, good living is signified. For he saith, So let your light so shine before mē, that they may see your good works, and glorify your father which is in heaven. And Paul speaking of the Priests to Timothy, and Titus, seemeth not to me to make any diversity betwixt the Priests and the other people, but in that he would have them to surmount other in knowledge and perfection of life. But the fourth priesthood, is the Romaine priesthood, brought in by the Church of Rome: which Church maketh a distinction between the clergy and the lay people: & after that the clergy is divided into sundry degrees, as appeareth in the decretals.
This distinction of the clergy from the laitye, with the consure of clerks, began in the time of * Anacletus, as it doth appear in the Chronicles. The degrees of the clergy were afterward inuedted & distincted by their offices, and there was no ascentiō to the degree of the priesthood, but by inferior orders and degrees. But in the primitive church it was not so: for immediately after tht conversion of some of thē to the faith & baptism received: they were priests & bishops made, as appeareth by Ananias, whom Marcus made of a taylor or shomaker, to be a bishop. And of many others it was in like case done, according to the traditions of the church of Rome. Priests are ordained to offer sacrifices, to make supplication and prayers, and to bless & sanctify. The oblation of the priesthood, only to Priests (as they say) is congruent: whose duties are, upon the alter to offer for the sins of the people the Lord's body, which is consecrated of bread. Of which saying I have great marvel, considering S. Paul his words to the Hebrews before recited. If Christ offering for our sins one oblation for evermore, sitteth on the right hand of God, and with that one oblation hath cōsūmated for evermore, those that are sanctified? If Christ evermore sitteth on the right hand of God, to make intercession for us, what need he to leave here any sacrifice for our sins, of the Priests to be daily offered? I do not find in the scriptures of God nor of his Apostles, that the body of Christ ought to be made a sacrifice for sin: but only as a Sacrament and commemoration of the sacrifice passed, which Christ offered upon the alter of the cross for our sins. For it is an absurditye to say, that Christ is now every day really offered as a sacrifice upon the alter by the Priests: for then the Priests should really crucify him vpō the alter, which is a thing of no Christian to be believed. But even as in his supper, his body & his blood he delivered to his Disciples, in memorial of his body that should be crucified on the morrow for our sins: So after his ascētion, did his Apostles use the same (when they brake bread in every house) for a Sacrament, and not for a sacrifice, of the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. And by this means were they put in remembrance of the great love of Christ, who so entirelye loved us, that willingly he suffered the death for us, & for the remission of our sins. And thus did they offer thenselves to God by love, being ready to suffer death for the confession of his name, and for the saving health of their brethren fulfilling the new commandment of Christ, which said unto them: A new commandment do I give unto you that you love one another, as I have loved you. But whē love began to wax cold or rather to be frosen for cold, thorough the anguish & anxiety of persecution for the name of Christ: then Priests did use the flesh and blood of Christ, in •• tad of a sacrifice. And because many of them feared death, some of them fled into solitarye places, not daring to give themselves a sacrifice by death unto God through the confession of his name, & saving health of their brethrē: Some other worshipped Idols fearing death, as did also y e chief Bishop of Rome, and many other mo in diverse places of the world. And thus it came to pass, as that which was ordained and instituted for a memorial of the one & only sacrifice, was altered (for want of love) into the realitye of the sacrifice it self.
After these things thus discussed, he inferreth consequently upon the same, another brief tractation of women and lay men, whether in defect of the other, they may exercise the action of prayer, and administration of Sacraments belonging to Priests: wherein he declareth the use received in the Popes Church, for women to Raptise, which, saith he, cannot be without remission of sins, wherefore seeing that women have power by the Pope to remit sin, and to baptize, why may they not as well be admitted to minister the Lord's Supper, in like case of necessity? Wherein also he maketh relation of Pope John. 8. a woman Pope, moving certain Questions of her. All which for breuitye I pretermitte, proceeding to the ministration of prayer, and blessing or sanctification, appropriate to the office of Priests as followeth.
Furthermore, as touching the fūction & office of praying and blessing, whereunto Priests seme to be ordained (to omit here the question whether women may pray in Churches, in lack of other meet persons) it remaineth now also to prosecute. Christ being desired of his Disciples to teach them to pray, gave them the common prayer both to men and women, to the which prayer in my estimation, no other is to be compared. For in that first, the whole honor due unto the deity is comprehended. Secondly, whatsoever is necessary for us, both for the time present, or past, or for time to come, is there desired & prayed for. He informeth us besides to pray secretly, and also briefly: secretly to enter into our close chamber, and there in secrecy he willeth us to pray unto his father. And saith moreover, when ye pray, use not much babbling, or many words as doth y e heathen. For they think in their long and prolixe praying to be heard. Therefore be you not like to thē. By the which doctrine he calleth us away frō the errors of the health̄ Gentiles: frō whom proceed these superstitious manner of acts (or rather of ignoraunces) as Necromancy, the art of diuinatiō, & other spises of coniuratiō, not unknown to them, that be learned: for these Necromansers believe, one place to be of greater virtue then another, there to be heard sooner, then in another. Like as Balaam being hired to curse y e people of God, by his art of southsaying, or cherming, when he could not accomplish his purpose in one place, he removed to another, but he in y e end, was deceived of his desire. For he intending first to curse them, was not able to accurse thē whom the Lord blessed, so that his curse could not hurt any of all y t people. After like sort the Nicromancers turn their face to the East, as to a place more apt for their prayers. Also y e Necromāsers believe, that the virtue of y e words of the prayer, & the curiosity thereof, causeth thē to bring to y e effect, which they seek after, which is also another point of infidelity, used much of Charmers, Sorcerers, Inchaūters, Soothsayers & such like. Out of y e same art (I fear) proceedeth the practice of exorcising, whereby devils & spirits be conjured to do that, whereunto they are enforced by the Exorcist. Also whereby other creatures likewise are exorcised or conjured, so that by the virtue of their exorcism, they may have their power and strength exceeding all natural operation.
In the Church of Rome, many such exorcisms & coniurations be practiced, & are called of them benedictions, or halowings. But here I ask of these Exorcisers, whether they believe the things and creatures so exorcised and hallowed, have that operation and efficacy givē them, which they pretend? If they so believe, every child may see that they are far beguiled. For holy water being of them exorcised or cōiured: hath no such power in it, neither cā have which they in their exorcism do command. For there they inioyn and command, that wheresoerver that water is sprinkled, all vexatiō or infestatiō of the unclean spirit, should avoid, and that no pestilent spirit there should abide. &c. But most plain it is, that no water, be it never so holy, can have any such power so to do, as it is commanded, to wit, to be an universal remedy to expel all diseases.
This I would ask of these Exorcistes: whether in their commanding, they do conjure or adjure the things conuired, to be of an higher virtue and operation, thē their own nature doth give: Or else whether they in their prayers desire of God, that he will infude into them that virtue, which they require? If they in their commanding do so believe, thē do they believe that they have that power in thē to the which the inferior power of the thing exorcised must obey, in receiving that which is commanded. And so doing, are much more deceived, forasmuch as they see themselves, that they which are so authorised to the office of exorcising, say to the devil being conjured: Go, & he goeth not: And to another come, and he cometh not, & many things else they command the inferior spirit their subject, to do, & he doth not. So in like case, when they pray to God to make the water to be of such virtue, that it may be to them health of mind and body, and that it may be able to expulse every unclean spirit, & to chase away all manner of distemperature and pestilence of the air (being an unreasonable petition asked, & sore displeasing to God) it is to be feared least their benediction, their halowing & blessing is changed into cursing, according to that saying that followeth. And now O you priests, I have a message to say unto you: If you will not hear and bear well away in your minds, to give the glory unto my name saith the Lord God of hosts, I will send scarcety amongst you, and I will curse your blessings. What things and how many are blessed, or hallowed in the Church, that in halowing thereof displease God, and are accursed? And therefore according to the saying of S. James, they ask & are not heard, because the ask not as they should, that they in their own dsires may perish, Let a man behold the blessing or halowing of their fire, water, incense, wax, bread, wine, the church, the alter the Churchyard, ashes, belies, copes, pallmes, oil, candles, salt, the hallowing of the ring, the bed, the staff, & of many such like things: & I believe that a man shall find out many errors of the hethē Magicians, Witches, southsayers and charmers. And notwithstanding the ancient and old Magicians in their books, command those that be conjurers that they in any wise live devoutly (for otherwise as they say the spirits will not obey their cōmaūdements, and coniuratiōs) yet the Roman cōiurers do impute it to the virtue of the holy words, because they be they, which work, and not the holiness of the conjurers. How cometh it to pass that they say, the things consecrated of a cursed and vicious Iauell, should have so great virtue in pronouncing (as they say) the holy and mystical words: as if they were pronounced of a Priest never so holy. But I marvel that they say so, reading this saying in the Acts of the Apostles: because the charmers pronouncing the name of Jesus (that is above all names) would have healed those that were possessed with devils, and said. In the name of Jesus whom Paul preacheth, go ye out of the men. And the possessed with devils answered, Jesus we know, and Paul we know, but what are ye: and they all to be beat the conjurers.
And now considering this and many such like things, I marvel wherefor the vicious Priests, do sell their prayers and blessings dearer (as also their Masses & Trentals of Masses) then those that be devout lay mē, and holy women: which with all their heart desire do flee from vices, & take hold of virtue. For as much as God in diverse places of the Scripture doth promise, that he will not hear sinners & wicked persons: Neither should he seme to be just, if he should sooner hear the prayers of his enemies, then of his faithful friend. How I pray you shall a sinful priest deliver another man from sin by his prayers, or else frō the punishment of sin: whē he is not able to deliver him self by his prayer frō sin? What then doth God so much accept in the Mass of a vicious Priest: that for his mass, his prayer or oblatiō, he might deliver any man either frō sin, or from the pain due for sin? No, but for that that Christ hath once offered himself for our sins, & now sitteth on the right hand of God the father, always showing unto him what and how great things he hath suffered for us. And every priest always maketh mention in his mass of this oblation: Neither do we this, that we might bring the same oblation into the remembrance of God: because that he always in his presence seeth the same. But that we should have in remembrance this so great love of God, that he would give his own son to death for our sins, that he might cleanse & purify us frō all our sins. What doth it please God, that the remembrance of so great love is made by a pressed, which more loveth sin then God? Or how can any prayer of such a priest please God, in what holy place soever he be, or what holy vestimēts soever he put on, or what holy prayers soever he maketh? And where as Christ and his Apostles do command the preaching of the word of God: the Priests be now more bound to celebrate the Mass, and more straitly bound to say the Canonical hours: whereat I cannot but greatly marvel. For why, to obey the precepts of men, more then the cōmaūdements of God, is in effect to honor mā as God, and to bestow the sacrifice upon man, which is due unto God, and this is also spiritual fornication. How therefore are Priests bound at the commandment of man to leave the preaching of y e word of God, at whose commandment they are not bound to leave the celebration of the Mass, or singing of Matines? Therefore as it seemeth, Priests ought not at the commandment of any man to leave the preaching of the word of God, unto the which they are bound both by divine and Apostolical precepts. With whom agreeth the writing of Jerome upon the Decretals, saying in this wise: Let none of the Bishops swell with the envy of deuilishe temptation, let none be angry, if the Priests do sometime exhort the people, if they preach in their Church. &c. for to him that forbiddeth me these things I will say, that he is unwilling that Priests should do those things, which be commanded of God. What thing is there above Christ? or what may be preferred before his body and his blood &c.
Do Priests therefore sin or not, which bargayne for money to pray for the soul of any dead man? It is well known that Jesus did whip those that were buyers and sellers out of the temple, saying: My house shall be called the house of prayer, but you have made the same adenne of theenes. Truly he cast not out such Marchaunts frō out of the Church, but because of their sins. Wherupon Jerome upon this text saith. Let the Priests be diligent and take good heed in this Church, that they turn not the house of God into a den of thieves. He doubtless is a thief which seeketh gain by Religion, & by a show of holiness studieth to find occasion of marchaundise. Hereupon, the holy Canons do make accursed, Symoniacal heresy, & do command that those should be deprived of the priesthood, which for the passing or marvelous spiritual grace, do seek gain or money. Peter the Apostle said to Simon Magus, Let thy money and thou go both to the devil, which thinkest that the gifts of God may be bought for money. Therefore, the spiritual gifts of God ought not to be sold.
Verily prayer is the spiritual gift of God, as is also y e preaching of y e word of God, or the saying on of hands, or the administration of other Sacraments. Christ sending forth his Disciples to preach, said unto them: Heale ye the sick, cast out devils, raise the dead, freely have ye received freely give ye again. If the Priests have power by their prayers to deliver souls being in Purgatory, from grievous pains: without doubt, he hath received that power freely from God. How therefore can he sell his act, unless he resist the commandments of God, of whom he hath received that authority? This truly cannot be done without sin, which is against the commandment of God.
How plainly spake Christ to the Pharisees, & Priests saying, woe be unto you Scribes & Pharisees hypocrites, because ye have eaten the whole houses, of such as be widows, by making long prayers, and therefore have you received greater damnation. Wherein I pray you do our Pharisees and Priests differ from them? Do not our Priests devour widows houses and possessions, that by their long prayers they might deliver the souls of their husbands frō the grievous pains of purgatory? How many Lordships I pray you, have been bestowed upon the religious mē & womē to pray for the dead, that they by their prayer might deliver those dead men from the pain (as they said) that they suffer in purgatory, grievously tormented and vexed? If their prayers and speaking of holy words, shall not be able to deliver themselves frō pain, unless they have good works: How shall other men be delivered from pain, by their prayers, which whilst they lived here, they gave over themselves to sin? Yea peraduētUre those Lordships or lands which they gave unto the priests to pray for them, they themselves have gotten by might from other faithful men, unjust, and violently. And the Canous do say, that sin is not forgivē, till y e thing taken away wrongfully, be restored. How thē shall they be able (which do unjustly possess such Lordship’s or lands) to deliver them by their prayers from pain, which have given to them these lordships or lands, seeing God from the beginning hath hated all extortion in his burnt sacrifices? Not everyone that saith unto me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven: but he which doth the will of my father which is in heavē. And again, not the hearers of the law, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
If therefore the words of him that prayth, do not deliver himself from sin, nor frō the pain of sin: how do they deliver other men from sin or frō the pain of sin when no man prayth more earnestly for another man thē for himself? Therefore many are deceived in buying or selling of prayers, as in y e buying of pardons that they might be delivered from pain: whē as commonly they pay dearer for the prayers of the proud & vicious prelates, thenfor the prayers of devout women and devout men of the lay people. But out of doubt, God doth not regard the person of him that prayth, neither the place in which he praith, nor his apparel, nor the curiousnes of his prayer, but y e humility and godly affection of him that prayeth. Did not the Pharisy and the Publican go up into the temple to pray? The Publicans prayer for his humility and godly affection is heard. But the Pharisees prayer for his pride & arrogancy is contempned. Cōsider that neither the person, nor the place, nor y e state, nor the curiousnes of his prayer doth help the Pharisye: Because the Publican not thinking himself worthy to lift up his eyes unto heaven, for y e multitude of his sins, saying (O God be merciful unto me a sinner) is justified dy his humility, and his prayer is heart. But the Pharisy boasting in his righteousness is despised, because God thrusteth down the proud, and exalteth the humble and those that be meek. The rich glotton also, that was clothed with purple and silk, & fared every day daintely, prayed unto Abraham, and is not heard, but is buried in pains and torments of hell fire. But Lazarus which lay begging at his gate (being full of sores) is placed in the bosom of Abraham. Behold y t neither the riches of his apparel, nor the deliciousnesse of his banquets, or the gorgiousnes of his estate, neither the abundance of his riches, doth help anything to prefer the prayers or petitions of the rich glotten, nor yet diminishe his torments, because that mighty men in their mightines shall suffer torments mightily. How dare any man by cōposition demand or receive anything of another man for his prayers? If he believe y t he can by his prayer deliver his brother frō grievous pain, he is bound by charity to relieve his brother with his prayers although he be not hired thereunto, but and if he will not pray unless he be hired, thē hath he no love at all. What therefore helpeth his prayer, which abideth not in charity? Therefore let him first take compassion of himself by prayer, that he may come into charity, and then he shall be the better able to help others. If he believe not, or y t he standeth in doubt to be able to deliver his brother by his prayer: wherefor doth he make with him an assured bargayn, & taketh his money, and yet knoweth not whether he shall relieve him ever a whit the more or not, from his pain? I fear least the words of the Prophet are fulfilled, saying: From the least to the most all mē apply themselves to covetousness, and from the Prophet to the Priest all work deceitfully. For the poor priests excuse themselves, of such bargaining and selling of their prayers, saying: The young cock learneth to crow of the old cock. For saith he, thou mayest see that the Pope himself in stalling of Bishops & Abbots, taketh the first fruits: In y e placing or bestowing of benefices, he always taketh somewhat, & specially if the benefices be great. Also he selleth pardons or bulls, and to speak more plain, he taketh money for them. Bishops in giving orders, in hallowing churches & churchyards, do take money: In ecclesiastical correction they take money for the mitigation of penance: In the grievous offenses of convict persons, money is required, & caused to be paid, Abbots, Monks, & other religious men that have possessiō, will receive no mā into their fraternity, or make thē partakers of their spiritual suffrages, unless he bestow somewhat upon them, or promise them somewhat. Curates & vicars having sufficient livings, by the tithes of their paryshioners, yet in dirges and years minds, in hearing confessions, in weddinges & buryings, do require & have money. The Friars also of the four orders of beggars, which think thenselves to be the most perfitest men of the Church, do take money for their prayers, confessions, & buryings of the dead: and when they preach, they believe that they shall have either money or some other thing worthy money. Wherefore then be the poor priests blamed? ought not they to be held excused, although they take money for their prayers by cōpositiō? Truly (me thinketh) that this excuse by other men's sins, doth not excuse thē: forasmuch, as to heap one mischief upon another's head, is no sufficient discharge. I would to God that all the buyers & sellers of spiritual suffrages, would with the eyes of their heart behold the ruin of the great City, and the fall of Babylon, and that which they shall say after that fall. Doth not the Prophet say: And the merchaunts of the earth shall weep and mourn for her, because no man shall buy any more their merchandise, that is, their merchandise of gold and silver, and of precious stone and of pearl, and of silk and purple : And again he saith. And the marchaunts which were made riche by her, shall stand alouse for fear of her torments, weeping, mourning, and saying, Alas, Alas, that City Babylon; that great City which was wont to wear purple, whitesilke, crim sin, gold, pearl, and precious stone, because that in one hour all those riches are come to naught : And again: And they cast dust upon their heads and cried out weeping and mourning and saying, Alas, Alas, that great and mighty City Babylon, by whom all such as had ships upon the sea were made riche by her rewards: Because that in one hour she is become desolate.
This Babylon, this great City, is the City of Rome, as it appeareth by the process of the Apostle. Because the aungel which shown unto Saint John the destructiō of the mighty harlot sitting upon many waters, with whō the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and all they which dwell upon the earth are made drunk with y e wyne of her whoredom, said unto him: And the woman which thou sawest, is the great city which hath dominion above kings &c. And in deed in y e days of Saint John the whole world was subject to the temporal Empire of the City of Rome, and afterwards it was subject to the spiritual Empire or dominion of the same. But touching the temporal government of the City of Rome, it is fallen already: and so that the other also, for the multitude of her spiritual fornications shall fall. The Emperors of this city gave themselves to Idolatry, and would have that mē should honor them as God's, & put all those to death that refused such idolatry, & by the cruelty of their torments, all infidels gate the upper hand.
Hereupon, by the image of Nebuchadnezzar, y e empire of the Romaines is likened to iron, which beateth together, and hath the mastery of all mortals. And in the visiō of Daniel, wherein he saw the four winds of heaven to fight in the main sea, and four great beasts coming out of the sea: The kingdom of the Romans is lykened to the fourth terrible and marvelous beast, the which had great iron teeth: eating & destroying, and treading the rest under his feet: & this beast had ten horues, & as Danyell saith, he shall speak words against the most highest, and shall tear with his teeth the Saynts of the most highest: and he shall think, that he may be able to change times and laws, and they shall be delivered into his power, until a time, times, and half a time. In the Apocalypse, Saine John saw a beast coming out of the sea, having 7. heads and 10. horns, and power was given to him to make months 42. So long time endured the Empire of the Romans, that is to say, from the beginning of Julius Caesar, which was the first Emperor of y e Romans, unto the ende of Fridericus, which was the last Emperor of the Romaines. Under this empire Christ suffered, & other Martyrs also suffered for his name sake. And here is fallen Rome as Babylon (which is all one) according to the manner of speaking in the Apocalypse as touching the temporal and corporal power of governing. And thus shall she fall, also touching the spiritual power of governing, for the multitude of the iniquities and spiritual fornication and merchaundise that are committed by her in the Church.
The feet of y e image which Nabuchodonezor saw, did betoken the Empire of Rome, & part of them were of iron, and part of clay & earth. The part that was of iron fell, and y e power thereof vanished away, because y e power thereof was at an end after certain months. That part of clay and earth yet endureth, but it shall vanish away by the testimony of the Prophets: whereupon saint John in the Apocalypse: After that, he saw the part made of iron rising out of the sea, to which eche people, tribe, and tongue submitted themselves. And he saw another beast coming out of the earth, which had two horns, like to the horns of a Lamb, and he spake like a Dragon, and he vanquyshed the first beast in his sight.
This beast as seemeth me, doth betoken the claye and earth̄ part of the feet of y e image, because he came out of y e earth. For y e by terrene help he is made the high & chief priest of the Romaines, in the church of Christ, & so from alow he ascended on high. But Christ from heaven descended, because that he which was God & author of every creature became man: and he that was Lord of Lord's, was made in the shape of a servant. And although that in the heavens the company of angels minister unto him, he himself ministered or served in earth, that he might teache us humility, by which a man ascendeth into heaven, even as by pride a man goeth down into the bottomless pyt. This beast hath two horns most like a Lamb, because y t he challengeth to himself both y e priestlye & kingly power, above all other here in earth. The Lamb that is Christ which is a king forever vpō y e kingly seat of David, & he is a Priest forever after y e order of Melchizedek: but his kingdom is not of this world, but the kingdom of this beast is of this world, because those y t be under him, fight for him. And as Jesus is Christ two manner of ways, because that Christus is as much to say as Vnctus. He verily was annointed king, & anointed priest: so this beast saith that he is chief king & priest. Wherefore doth he call himself Christ? because that Christ knowing that afore, said: Many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ, and shall decyue many. And thus because that he is both king & priest, he challengeth to himself the double sword, that is the corporal sword and the spiritual sword. The corporal sword is in his right hand, and y e spiritual sword is in his right eye, by the testimony of Zacharias. But he speaketh subtly like a Dragon, because that by the testymony of Christ he shall deceive many, as the Apoc. witnesseth. He did great wonders, that also he might make more fire to come from heaven into the earth in the sight of mē, that he might deceive those that dwell upon the earth, because of the wonders that are permitted him to do in the sight of the beast, & he overcame the first beast which ascended out of the sea. For that beast challenged unto himself authority of government of y t whole world. He hath put to death & tormented those that resist his commandments, and would be honored as a God upon the earth. The bishop of Rome saith, that y t whole world ought to be in subiectiō unto him, those that be disobedient unto his commandments, he putteth in prison, and to death if he can: If he cannot, he excommunicateth them, and commandeth them to be cast into the devils dūgeon. But he that hath no power over y • body, much less hath he power over y e soul. And truly his excommunicatiō, nor the excommunication of any priest under him, shall at that time little hurt him that is excommunicate, so that the person of him that is excommunicate, be not first excommunicate of God through sin.
And thus it seemeth a truth unto me, that God thus turneth their blessings into cursinges, because they give not due glory unto his name. So when y t they vniusty excommunicate & curse, he turneth their cursings into blessings. Also the bishop of Rome doth make me to worship him as God, because that y e special sacrifice that God doth require of us, is to be obedient unto him in keeping of his commandments. But now y e Popes commandments be commanded to be kept, and be kept in very deed, but the commandments of Christ are contemned and rejected. Thus sitteth the Bishop of Rome in the Temple of God, showing himself as God, and extolleth himself above all that which is called God, or worshipped as God. But in his fall he shall be revealed, because that every kingdom divided in itself, shall be made desolate. He teaching a truth, is the head of the Church, but the Prophet teaching a lie, is the tail of the Dragon. He seducyng the world, shall be acknowledged to be the verity of the doctrine of Christ, but after he is known, he shall be rejected and naught esteemed. He giveth to small and great, riche and poor, free and bond, marks in their right hands, & in their foreheads: that no man should buy or sell, but those that shall have the marks of the name of the beast, or that looketh to have of him some recompense, small, mean, or great, or else the number of his name, which number is 300. The Pope saith that in y e administration of every sacrament, he doth imprint a certain charecter or mark into the soul of him that receiveth. In baptism he saith that he doth imprint into the soul of him that is baptized, a mark that cannot be wiped out, and so likewise in other sacraments. And I know that in a Sacrament are two things, that is, the sacramental sign, & spiritual grace represented by the same sign: the sacramental sign is givē to man of man, but the spiritual grace is given of Christ.
Wherefore, although a vicious or naughty Priest doth baptize any man, if he that is baptized or his parents (if he be a child) do ask with faithful meaning baptism, & do mean faithfully hereafter to observe the words of baptism: is as well baptized, as if he were baptized of never so virtuous a priest. So also the sinner which with all his heart is sory for his sins, and doth ask faithfully mercy of God, is as well absolved of a vicious priest, as of a virtuous. Because the Lamb of god which taketh away the sins of the word, wipeth away inwardly our sins by his grace, because that he is y e bishop & pastor of our souls. All other priests do outwardly work absolution, which know not for a certaintye whether they have absolved or not. So also is it in y e other, because y t the grace of y e sacrament is given of God, and the sacramental sign, of man. In giving of orders, the chief bishop doth imprint y e corporal marks, but of the spiritual marks, I know none: unless a man will say, that by receiving the order he hath some belief that he may work some things pertayniug to that order, the which before the receiving of the order he could not. But this one thing is, that none in the church ought to sell spiritual merchandise (of which things we have spoken before) unless he have the mark of the beast. My counsel is, let the buyer beware of those marks: because that after the fall of Babylon, if any man hath worshipped the beast and her image, & hath reciued the mark upon his forehead, & upon his hand, he shall drink of the wine of gods wrath, which is mixed with the wyne in the cup of his anger, and he shall be tormented in fire & brimstone in the sight of the holy angels, and in the sight of the Lamb: and the smoke of their torments shall ever more ascend, although he look for a recompense, small, mean, or great, of the beast, or else the mumber of his name. The beast doubtless doth recompense his friends, with his small reward, that is, with great gifts and benefices corporal: with a mean reward, that is, with great spiritual gifts, in authority of blessing, losing, binding, praying, & exercising other spiritual works: & with his greatest reward, which after that they be dead, maketh them to be honored in earth among the saints. The number of his name according to y e opinion of some men, is Dux Cleri, the captain of the clergy, because by that name he is named, & maketh his name known, and that name is 666.
This is my opinion of the beast ascending out of the earth, and shall until such time as I shall be of the same beast better instructed. And although that this beast doth signify the Romaine bishops: yet the other cruel beast ascending out of the sea, doth signify the Roman Emperors. And although that the Dragon being a cruel beast, and the false Prophet giving the mark, must be thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone to be tormented forever: I would have no man to judge, but I leave such things altogether to the final judgment of Christ to be detemined. But Martin the Popes confessor which maketh the Chronicle of the Emperors and Popes, recyteth many errors of the Popes, more horrible and abhomynabl then of the Emperors. For he speaketh of the idolatrous Popes, heretical, simoniacal, and Popes y e were murderers, that used nigromancie, and wytchcraft, that were fornicators, and defiled with all kind of vice. But I have partly declared how that the Popes law is contrary to Christ's law, and howe that he saith, that he is the chief vicar of Christ in earth: and in his deeds is contrary to Christ, and doth forsake both his doctrine & life. I cannot see who else may be so well Antichrist, and a seducer of the people. For there is not a greater pestilence, then a familiar enemy.
As concerning idols, and the worshipping of them, I think of them as Moses, Solomon, Isayas, Jeremiah, and the rest of the Prophets, which all spake against the making of Images, as also y e worshipping of Images. And faithful David full of the spirit of God, saith: Let all those be confounded y t worship Images, and that rejoice in Idols: And again he saith: Let thē be made like unto them y t make them, & all such as put their trust in them. Wherefore I pray god that this evil come not upon me, which is the curse of God pronounced by David the prophet. Nor I will be by God's grace, neither a maker, nor else a woorshipper of Images.
As concerning oaths, I believe and obey the doctrine of the almighty God, & my master Jesus Christ, which teacheth: that Christian men in affirmation of a truth, should pass the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees of the old Testament, or else he excludeth thē from the kingdom of heaven. For he saith: Unles your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye cannot enter into y e kingdom of heavē. And as concerning oaths he saith. It hath been said to them of old time, thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord those things which y u vowest. But I say unto you thou shalt not swear at all, neither by the heavē nor yet by the earth. &c. But let your communication be yea, yea, nay, nay, for whatsoever shall be more then this, proceedeth of evil. Therefore, as the perfection of the ancient men of the Old Testament was, not to forswear themselves: so the perfection of Christian men is not to swear at all, because they are so commanded of Christ, whose commandment must in no case be broke • : although that y e City of Rome is contrary to this d •• ctryne of Christ even as in many things she is found contrary to her self.
As touching the taking away of temporal goods from those that are ecclesiastical persons offendyng habitualiter : by such as are temporal Lord's, I will not affirm any thing to be lawful in this matter (as in other matters before) that is not agreeable to charity: And that for because it is a hard matter for a man to take another man's goods from him without breaking of charity, because peradventure he that taketh away, is the more moved to such manner of taking away be reason of the desire he hath to those goods, which he endeavoreth to take away: or else, because of some displeasure or hatred to the person, from whom he goeth about to take away those goods, then that he from whom those goods be taken, should be amended. Therefore, unless he that taketh away, be only moved of charity to the taking away of such goods, I dare not affirm that such taking is lawful. And if such taking away proceed of charity, I dare not judge it unlawful: because that the Bishop of Rome which received his temporal dominion of the Emperor, when the Emperor rebelled and was not obedient unto him, he deprived him frō his temporal jurisdictions: Howe much more then may temporal Lord's do the same which have bestowed upon them many temporal dominions and lordships, only to the intent that they might the better intend to serve God and keep his commandments. Howe if they perceive that they be against the laws of God, and that they be over busily occupied about worldly matters: I cannot see but y t they may well enough take frō them those temporal goods, which to a good purpose they gave them. But if in time to come after this, those that be temporal lords shall take from ecclesiastical persons such temporalties: let him that desireth to understand this, read the prophet Ezekiel in the chapiter of the shepeherds of Israel, which fed themselves instead of their flock: and also let him read the Apocalypse of the fall of Babylon. Let him also read the Popes decretalles against heretics, and in those he shall find, that the taking away of the temporaltyes from the Clergy, shall come to pass for the multitude of their sins.
Thus reverend father, have I made mine answer of the matter whereof I am accused: beseching you, that as I have been obedient to your desire, and that even as a sonne declaring unto you the secrets of my heart in plain words (although rudely) so I desire to know your opinion, and crave your fatherly benevolence: that now your labor may be for my instruction and amendment, & not to accusation and condemnation. For like as in the beginning I have promised you, y t if any man of what state, sect, or condition soever he be, can show me any error many of my writings by the authority of holy scripture, or by any probable reason grounded in the scriptures: I will receive his information willingly and humbly.
After that all the foresaid things were exhibited & given by the foresaid Walter Brute, unto the foresaid B. of Herford: he further appointed to the same Walter, y t third day of the month of October, at Herforde, with y e continuance of the days following to hear his opinion. Which third day now at hand, being Friday in the year of our Lord God 1393. the said Walter Brute, appeared before him, sitting in Commission in the Cathedral Church of Hereford, at six a clock or thereabout: having for his assistentes in the same place, diverse Prelates and Abbotes, and xx. Bachelers of Divinity, whereof xii. were Monks, and two Doctors of the law. Amongst these was Nicholas Hereford, accompanied with many other Prelates and worshipful men & wise Graduates in sundry faculties. Now was the foresaid Walter apposed of his writings aforesaid, & the contents therein. Earnest were they in pycking out of those writings, his heresies, & in showing his schisms, sundry errors, and diverse other things. Now, after that they had continued all that day and the two days following (that is Friday, Saturday, & Sunday) in their informations & examinations against the same Walter Brute. The same Walter Brute submitted him self to the determination of the church, & to the correction of the said John Bishop, as it appeareth word for word in a scroule written in the English tongue: The tenor of which scroul, is as followeth.
I Walter Brute submit myself principally to the Euangely of Jesus Christ, and to the determination of holy kirke, and to the general Counsels of holy kirke. And to the sentence and determination of the four Doctors of holy write, that is Agustine, Ambrose, Jerome, and Gregory. And I meekly submie me to your correction, as a subject ought to his Bishop.
Which scroule as afore is recited in y e English tongue, the foresaid Walter Brute read, with a loud and intellible voice, at the Cross in the churchyard on Monday, that is to say, the 6. day of the said month of October, before the sermon made unto the people in presence of y e said bishop of Herford & other above written, as also other Barons, knights and noble men & clergy, and also a great multitude of people. After which reading of the scroule, the foresaid Tho. Crawlay bacheler of divinity, made y e Sermon unto the people, & toke for his theme the words of y e Apostle to the Rom. the xi. chap. that is as followeth. Be not over wise in your own conceits but stand in fear &c.
Out of these declarations and writings of Walter Brute, the Bishop with the Monks and doctors above rehearsed, did gather and draw out certain articles, to the number of 37. which they sent to the University of Cambridge to be confuted, unto two learned men. M. Colwill, & M. Newton, Bachelors of divinity. Which M. Colwil, & Newton did both labor in the matter, to the uttermost of their cunning, in replying and answering to the said 37. articles.
* Besides them also W. Woodforde a Frier (who wrote likewise against the articles of Wycliffe) laboring in the same cause, made a solemn & a long tractation, compiling the articles of the said Brute, to the mumber of 29. All which treatises, as I wish to come to the readers hand, that the slendernes of them might be known: so it may happen perease, y t the same being in my hands may hereafter be further published, with other like tractations moe, as convenient time for the prolixity thereof may hereafter, better serve then now.
What after this became to this Walter Brute, orwhat end he had, I find it not registered: but like it is, that he for this time escaped. Certain other writings I find moreover, which albeit they bear no name of this Walter, nor of any certain anthor: yet because they are in y e same register adjoined to y e history of him, I thoght therefore most fit here to be inserted. Of y e which y e one was a letter sent to Nicholas Hereford a little above specified: who being at y e first a great folower of John Wicklif, as appeareth before pag. 438. was now in the number of thē which sat upon this Walter, as is in y e next page above recorded. The copy of this letter, bering no name of any special author, but only as sent by a certain Lollard (as y e register doth term him) is written in manner and forine as followeth.
Here followeth the Copy of a letter sent to master Nicholas Hereford, by a Lollard, as in the Register it is said.
FOr as much as no man that putteth his hand to the plough and looketh back, is meet for the kingdom of God, as our Savior Christ saith: What marvel is it, although master Nicholas Herford, which at the first (by the visitatió of the spirit of god peradventure) put his hand, that is, gave his diligence, unto the plough, that is, to the sowing of the word of God and holy scripture, as well in preaching as in doing good works: is now so blind and unskillful to expound the scripture, that he knoweth not what is understood by the kingdom of heaven. Truly it is no marvel, O thou that art master of the Nicholitanes, which like Nicholas the moste false deacon, hast left or forsaken the infallible knowledge of the holy scripture. For the true knowledge of the Theological verity is shut up as well from thee as from all the other Nicholitanes following thy conditions, for as much as thou goest not in by the door to expound the same Evēgelical verity. Therefore whē thou didst recite this other day, first, the pharisaycal and hypocritical woe (nothing at all to any purpose) thou shouldest have said justly in this sort, both of thyself, and other thy followers and religious Antichrists: Woe be unto us Scribes and Pharisees, which shut up the kingdom of heaven, that is to say, the true knowledge of the holy Scripture, before men by our false glofes and crooked similitudes: and neither we our selves enter into the same kingdom or knowledge, nor suffer other to enter into it. Wherefore, it seemeth unto the faithful sort, that wrongfully, falsy, & without any reverence, ye have expounded that text of Gregory. 1, q. 1. that is to say. Quicunque studet. &c. For this is the true understanding of the same. Knowing first that there be some priests after the thing, and name only; and doth show that this is true: that whosoever studieth to receive the holy order by giving of money: He is not a priest, secundum rem, & nomē: But to say the truth, he desireth to be called a priest, that is to be a priest Secundum nomen tantùm. And such a priest which is a priest in name only, is no priest. No more then S. Mary painted is S. Mary: Nor a false doctor a doctor, but no doctor: And a man painted is not a man, but no mā. And thus such a priest in name only, is not a priest. Because that all faithful men do firmly believe with S. Gregory that no man buying the holy orders, may then be called a priest as he saith. 1. q. 1. They that buy or sell holy orders can be no priests. Whereupon̄ is written, Anathema dandi, & Anathema accipiendi. That is Simoniacal heresy. And it followeth, how therefore, if they be accursed and not blessed, can they make others blessed▪ And whē that they be not in the body of Christ, howe can they either receive or deliver the body of Christ? He that is accursed, how can he bless? as though he would say. It is impossible. As Pope Urbanus saith. 1. q. 1. Si qui a Simoniacis. &c. Where he saith thus. They that willingly know & suffer thenselves to be consecrated, nay rather execrated of those that are infected with Simony: we judge that their consecration is altogether void. Also Pope Leo in 2. q. 1. saith in this wise. Grace, if it be not freely given or received, is not grace Spiritual userers do not receive freely: Therefore, they receive not the spiritual grace, which specially worketh in the ecclesiastical orders. If they receive it not, they have it not: if they have it not freely, they cannot give it freely. And by this it is more clearer then the light that they which know so much and receive orders by spiritual usury or simonye, are neither priests nor deacōs, neither after the manner nor charecter. For if such carecter or mark were otherwise given in giving orders, it were requisite always that there should be a certain grace imprinted in the man, but there is no such grace given or imprinted as afore is manifest: Therefore there is no such Character to be sayned. Therefore, such Character or mark abideth not in him, for as much as he never had nor hath the same. And yet furthermore in the same place. What then do the simonycall prelates give? And he maketh answer truly even that which they have, as the spirit of lying. How prove we this? Because that if it be the spirit of verity, as the same verity doth testify from whō it cometh, it is freely received. And it followeth for the whole purpose no doubt: It is convicted to be the spirit of lying, which is not freely received.
By this it appeareth manifestly to the faithful sort, that those which weetingly and simonically are made priests, for as much as they receive not the Character of the Lord but only the spirit of lying and the mark of Simon Magus, and of Judas the traitor, that they be not priests neither according to the mark nor manners. Nor such do no more make the sacraments of the Church, then other lay men may in the time of necessity, nor yet so truly, during their heretical naughtynesse. And yet in deed (brother mine,) vniuoce natura, but yet aequiuoce in moribus. I do not write thus sharply unto you, through anger, or any imperfect hate: but through the perfect hate of your horrible heresy, and denying the faith of Christ, that I may say with David in the Psalm. Perfecto odlo oderam &c. And I am very sorry for you, that you which in times past have excellētly well, and fruitfully preached the Gospel in the pulpit, do now as well fail in the congruity of the Latin tongue, as in the other science natural. For as it was heard thrice in one lecture you said appetitis, that is to say, pronouncyng the myddle syllable longe, which thing not only the masters, but also the young scholars understood. And many other faults there in your Grammar, which for shame I dare not recite. I send unto you these five conclusions.
The first conclusion. It is an infallible verity that the words of the four chief doctors, expounding the holy scripture according to the verity which the words do pretend, are to be holden and kept.
The second: He which importeth any equiuocatiō out of any of the Doctors expounding, for the coulouring of his text, his equivocation is always to be left.
The third: No perversion of any reprobate is able to turn the congregation of the elect from the faith, because all things y t shall come to pass, are eternally in God deuysed & ordained for the best, unto the elect Christians.
The fourth: Like as the mystical body of Christ is the congregation of all the Electiso Antichrist mystically is the church of the wicked & of all the reprobates.
The fifth: The conclusions of Swinderby, be agreeable to the faith in every part.
This letter was thus subscribed. By the spirit of God, sometime visityng you.
Besides this epistle above prefixed, there is also found annexed with the same, a devise of another certain letter coūterfeited under the name of Lucifer prince of darkness: writing to the Pope and all popish Prelates, persecuting the true and right Church (with all might and main) to maintayn their pride and domination in this earth, under a coulourable pretence & visor of the catholic church, & succession Apostolical. Which letter although it seemeth in some authors to be ascribed to Dekam, above mentioned: yet because I find it in the same Register of the church of Herford cōteyned, & inserted among y • tractations of Walter Brute, and devised (as y • Register said) by y t Lollards: I thought no meeter place, then here to annex the same, the tenor whereof thus proceedeth in words as follow.
The devise or counterfayt of a certain letter feigned under the name of Lucifer Prince of darkness, writing to the persecuting prelates of the popish clergy.
I Lucifer prince of darkness and profound heaviness, Emperor of the high mysteries of the Kyng of Acharont, Captain of the dungeon, Erebus king of hell, and comptroller of the infernal fire: To all our children of pride, and companions of our kingdom, and especially to our Prynces of the Church of this latter age and time (of which our adversary Jesus Christ, according to the Prophet, saith: I hate the church or congregation of the wicked) send greeting, & wish prosperity to all that obey our commandments, as also to those that be obedient to the laws of Satan already enacted, & that are diligent observers of our behestes, and the precepts of our decree. Know ye that in times past certain vicars or vicegerents of Christ, following his steppes in miracles and virtues, living and continuing in a beggarly life, converted (in a manner) the whole world from the yoke of our tyranny unto their doctrine & manner of life: To the great derision and contempt of our prison house and kingdom: and also to the no little prejudice and hurt of our jurisdiction and authorytie, nor fearing to hurt our fortified power ond to offend the majesty of our estate. For then received we no tribute of the world, neither did the miserable sort of common people, rushe at the gates of our deep dungeon as they were wont to do with continual pealyng and rappyng, but then the easy, pleasant, & broad way, which leadeth to death, lay still without great noyce of trāpelyng trauaylers, neither yet was trode with the feet of miserable men. And when all our courts were without sutets, Hell then began to howl: And thus continuing in great heaviness & anguish, was robbed and spoiled. Which thing considered, the impacient rage of our stomach could no longer suffer, neither the ougle retchelous negligence of our great Captayne general could any longer endure it. But we, seeking remedy for the time that should come after, have provided us of a very trim shift: For instead of these Apostles and other their adherents which draw by the same line of theirs, as well in manners as doctrine, & are odious enemis unto us: We have caused you to be their successors, & put you in their place, which be Prelates of the church in these latter times, by our great might and subtlety, as Christ hath said of you they have reigned but not by me. Once we promised unto him all the kingdom of the world if he would fall down and worships us, but he would not, saying: my kingdom is not of this would, and went his way, when the multitude would have made him a temporal king. But to you truly which are fallen from the state of grace, and that serve us in the earth: is that my promise fulfilled, and all terrene things be our means which we have bestowed upon you, are under government. For he hath said of us as ye know: The prince of the world cometh &c. and hath made us to reign over all children of unbelief Therefore our adversaries before recited, did pacientlye submit themselves unto the Princes of the world, and did teache that men should do so, saying. Be ye subject to every creature for God's cause, whether it be to the Kyng as moste chiefest. And again: Obey ye them that are made rulers over you &c. For so their master commanded them saying: The kings of the heathen have dominion over them &c. But I think it long til we have poured our poison vpō the earth, and therefore fill yourselves full. And now be ye not only unlike those fathers, but also contrary unto them in your life and conditions, and extol yourselves above all other men. Neither do ye give to God that which belongeth to him, nor yet to Caesar that which is his: But exercise you the power of both the swords, according to our decrees, making yourselves doers in worldly matters, fighting in our quarrel, entangled with secular labors and business. And clyme ye by little & little from the miserable state of poverty, unto the highest seats of all honors, & the most princely places of dignity by your devised practices, & false and deceitful wyles and subtlety: that is, by hypocrisy, flattery, lying, perjury, treasons, deceits, simonye, and other greater wickedness then which our infernal furies may devise. For after that ye have by us been advanced thither where ye would be: yet that doth not suffice you, but as gready staruelings more hungry then ye were before, ye suppress the poor, scratch and rack together all that comes to hand, perverting and turninge everything topsie toruey: so swollen, that ready ye are to burst for pride living like Lechers in all corporal delicatenes, and by fraud dyrecting all your doings. You challenge to yourselves names of honor in the earth, calling yourselves Lord's, holy, yea and most holy persons.
Thus, either by violence ye rauen, or else by ambition, subtly ye pilfer away, and wrongfully wraft, and by false title possess those goods which for the sustentation of the poor members of Christ (whom frō our first fall we have hated) were bestowed and given: consuming them as ye yourselves liest, & therewith ye cherish and maintain an innumerable sort of whores, strumpets, and bauds, with whom ye ride pompously like mighty Prynces, far otherwise going, then those poor beggarly priests of the primative Church. For I would ye should build yourselves rich and gorgeous palacies, ye fare like Prynces, eating and drinking the most daintiest meats, and pleasauntest wi • es that may be gotten: ye hoard and heepe together an infynite deal of treasure, not like to him that said, gold and silver I have none, ye serve and fight for us according to your wages O most acceptable society or fellowship, promised unto us by the Prophet, and of those fathers long ago reproved: Whilest that Christ called thee the Synagogue of Satan, and lykened thee to the mighty whore which committed fornicatiō with the kings of the earth, the adulterous spouse of Christ, and of a chaste person made a strompet. Thou hast left thy first love and hast cleaved unto us, O our beloved Babylon, O our citizens, which from the transmigration of Jerusalem, come hither: we love you for your deserts, we rejoice over you, which contemn the laws of Simon Peter, and embrace the laws of Simon Magus our friend, and have them at your fingers ends, and exercise the same publicly, buying and selling spiritual things in the Church of God, and against the commandment of God. Ye give benefices and honors by petition, or else for money, for favor, or else for filthy service. And refusing to admit those that be worthy to ecclesiastical dignities, & perferring those that are unworthy, you call unto the inheritance of gods sanctuary, baudes, liars, flatterers, your nephues, and your own children, & to a childish boy, ye give many prebends: the least whereof ye deny to bestow vpō a poor good man: ye esteem the person of a man and receive gifts, ye regard money and have no regard of souls. Ye have made the house of God a den of thieves. Al abuse, all extortiō, is more exercised, a hundredth fold in your judgment seats, then with any secular tyrant. Ye make laws & keep not the same, & ye dispence with your dispensations as it pleaseth you, you iustifye the wicked for rewards, and ye take away the just mans desert frō him. And briefly ye perpetrate or commit all kind of mischief, even as it is our will ye should. And ye take much pain for lucres sake in our service, and especially to destroy the Christian faith. For now the lay people are almost in doubt what they may believe, because if ye preach anything to them at sometimes (although it be but seldom seen, & that negligently enough, even as we would have it) yet notwithstanding they believe you not, because they se manifestly that ye do clean contrary, to that ye say. Wherupon, the common people, doing as ye do, which have the government of them, & should be an example to them of well doing: • ow many of them leaning to your rules, do run hedlong into a whole sea of vices: And so continually a very great multitude flocketh at the strong and well fenced gates of our dungeon. And doubtless, ye send us so many day by day of every sort and kind of people, that we should not be able to entertain them, but that our insatiable Chaos with her thoūsand ravening laws is sufficient to devour an infinite number of souls. And thus the souerayntie of our Empire, by you hath been reformed, and our intolerable loss restored. Wherefore, most specially we commend you, & give you most hearty thanks: Exhorting all you, that in any wise ye persevere and continue, as hitherto ye have done: neither that you slack henceforth your enterprice. For why, by your helps we purpose to bring the whole world again under our power & dominion. Ouer and besides this, we commit unto you no small authority, to supply our places in the betraying of your brethren, and we mak and ordain you our vicares, & the ministers of Antichrist our son, now hard at hand, for whō ye have made a very trim way and passage. Furthermore, we counsel you which occupy the highest rooms of all other, that you work subtly, and that ye (faynedly) procure peace between the princes of the world, and that ye cherish and procure secret causes of discord. And like as craftily ye have destroyed and subverted the Romain Empire: so suffer ye no kingdom to be overmuch enlarged or enriched by tranquility and peace. Least perhaps in so great trāquilitie (all desire of peace set aside) they dyspose themselves to vew and consider your most wicked works, suppressing on every side your estate: and from your treasures take away such substance, as we have caused to be reserved and kept in your hands, until the coming of our well-beloved son Antichrist. We would ye should do our comēdations to our entierly beloved daughters, pride, deceit, wrath, avarice, bellichere, and lechery, & to all other my daughters: and especially to Lady Simony, which hath made you men, and enryched you, and hath given you suck with her own breasts, & weaned you, and therefore in no wise see that you cal her sin. And be ye lofty and proud, because that the most high dignity of your estate doth require such magnificence. And also be ye covetous, for whatsoever ye get and gather into your fardell, it is for Saint Peter, for the peace of the church, and for the defense of your patrimony and the Crucifix, and therefore ye may lawfully do it. Ye may promote your Cardinals to the highest seat of dignities without any let in all the world, in stopping the mouth of our adversary Jesus Christ, and alleging again: that he preferred his kinsfolks (being but of poor and base degree) unto the Apostleship, but do not you so, but rather call, as ye do, those that live in arrogancy, in hawtines of mind, and filthy lechery, unto the state of wealthy riches and pride, and those rewards & promotions, which the followers of Christ forsook, do ye distribute unto your friends. Therefore as ye shall have better understanding, prepare ye vices cloaked under the similitude of virtues. Alleadge for yourselves the glosses of the holy scripture, and wrest them, directly to serve for your purpose. And if any man preach or teache otherwise then ye will, oppress ye them violently with the sentence of excommunication, & by your censures heaped one upon another, by the consent of your brethren. Let him be condemned, as an heretic, and let him be kept in most straight prison, and there tormented till he die, for a terrible example to all such as confess Christ. And setting all favor apart, cast him out of your temple: least peradventure the engraffed word may save your souls, which word I abhor, as I do the souls of other faithful mē. And do your indeuor, that ye may deserve to have the place which we have prepared for you, under the most wicked foundatiō of our dwelling place. Fare ye well, with such felicity as we desire and intend finally to reward and recompense you with.
Who was the true author of this poesie or epistle above writ̄ it is not evidently know̄: neither yet doth it greatly skill. The matter being well considered of their part, which here be noted: may minister unto them sufficient occasion of wholesome admonition, either to remember themselves what is amiss, or to be think with thenselves what is to be amended. Divers other writings of like argument both before & since, have been devised: as one bearinge the title Luciferi ad malos principes Ecclesiasticos, imprinted first at Paris in Latin. And under the writing thereof, bearing this date. Anno a palatij nostri fractione, consortium{que} nostrorum subtractione. 1351. Which if ye count from the Passion of the Lord: reacheth well to y • time of Wycliffe 1385. which was above vi. years before y • examination of this Walter Brute.
There is also another epistle of Lucifer, prince of darkness, ad praelatos, mentioned in the Epistle of the school of Prague, to the university of Oxford, set forth by Huldericus Huttenus, about the year of our Lord (as is there dated) 1370. which seemeth to be written before this epistle.
Also Vincētius in Speculo histo. lib. 25. cap. 89. inferreth like mention of a letter of the fiendes infernal, unto the clergy men as in a vision represēted before 400. years. In which the devils give thanks to the spiritual men, for that by their silence and not preaching the Gospel, they send infynite souls to hell. &c.
Divers other letters also of like devise, have ben written, & also recorded in authors. Whereunto may be added, that one Jacobus Cartusiensis, wrytinge to the Bishop of Wormace, allegeth out of the prophecy of Hildegardis in these words: Ideo et diabolus in semetipso de vobis sacerdotibus ait: Escas epulantium, conuiuia et omnes voluptates in istis inuenio, sed et oculi, et aures, et venter meus, et venae meae, de spumis illorum plenae sunt, et vbera mea plena sunt diuicijs illorum &c. 1. Therefore saith he, y • devil may say of you priests in himself: The meats of banketting dishes, and feasts of all kind of pleasure, I find in these men: Yea also, mine eyes, mine ears, my belly, & all my veins be full of their froathing, and my breasts be full stuffed with their riches. &c. Furthermore, saith he, they labor every day to rise up higher with Lucifer, but every day they fall w t him more deeply.
Hereunto also appertaineth a story written, & commonly found in many old written books. In the year of our Lord. 1228. at Paris in a Synod of the clergy, there was one appointed to make a Sermō. Who being much careful in his mind, & solicitous what to say, the devil came to him, and asking why he was so careful for his matter, what he should preach to y • clergy, say thus, quod he: The princes of hell salute you (Oh you princes of the Church) & gladly give you thanks, because through your default and negligence, it cometh to pass, that all souls go down to hell. Adding moreover, that he was also enforced by the commandment of God to declare the same, yea and that a certain token moreover was given to the said clerk for a sign, whereby the sinode might evidently see, that he did not lie. Ex catall. Illyr. Fol. 546.
The Bull of Pope Boniface the ix. against the Lollards.
BOnifacius Bishop, servant of the seuants of God: To the reverend brother John Bishop of Hereford, sendeth greeting & Apostolical benediction. We mean to write unto our well-beloved son in Christ (Richard the renowned king of England) in form enclosed within these presents. Therefore we will and command your brotherhood, that as much as ye may, ye study and endeavor yourself to exhort and induce the same king, to do those things which we have written unto him, as it is said before. And notwithstanding, that now many a day you ought to have done it of yourself, & not to loke that we should persuade you to that effect by us written: you may proceed as well by our authority, as by your own, for as much as it was given you before: that here after we may know effectually by your diligence, what zeal your devotion beareth unto the Catholic faith, and to the conseruing of the ecclesiastical honor, and also to the execution of your pastoral office.
Geuen at Rome, at S. Peters the xv. Kalendes of October, the 6. year of our bishoplike dignity.
The tenor of the Bull, to the renowned prince Richard by the grace of God king of England & of France: whereof mention is made above, as followeth, and is thus much in effect.
TO our well-beloved son in Christ, Richard the noble king of England, we send greetinge &c. It grieveth us from the bottom of our hearts, and our holy mother the Church in all places through Christendom lamenteth. We understand that there be certain heresies sprong, and do without any condign restraynt raunge at their own liberty, to the seducynge of the faithful people, and do every day with overmuch liberty enlarge their indiscreet bounds. But howe much the more carefullye we labor for the preservation both of you & your famous kingdom, and also the sincerity of the faith: and do with much more ardent desire covet, that the prosperous state of the same should be preserved and ēlarged the sting of greater sorrow doth so much the more penetrate and molest us, for as much as we see (alas the while) in our time, and under the regal presidence of your moste Christyan government: a certain crafty and hairebraine sect of false Christians, in the same your kingdom, to grow and increase: which call themselves the poor men of the treasury of Christ and his disciples, and whom the common people by a more sounder name call Lollards (as a man would say withered darnel) according as their sins require: and perceive, that they wax strong, & as it were prevail against the diocesās of some places, and other governors as they meet together not courageously addressing themselves against them as they ought to do (whereof chiefly and not undeservedly I give them admonition) for that they take thereby the more bolder presumption and stomach among the unlearned people. And for as much as those whom we cannot call men, but the damnable shadows or ghosts of men, do rise up against the sound faith, & holy universal church of Rome: and that very many of them being indifferently learned, which (to the confusion & eternal damnation of some of them) they got sitting upon their mothers lap the said Church of Rome, do rise up or inueye against the determination of the holy fathers, with too much presumptuous boldness, to the subversion of the whole ecclesiastical order and estate: Have not been afraid, nor are not yet afraid, publicly to preach, very many erroneous detestable, and heretical articles, for that they are not put to silence, reproved, driven out, rooted out or otherwise punished, by any that hath authority and the fear and love of God. And also they are not afraid, openly to write the same articles, and so being written to deliver thē to your kinglye parliament, and obstinately to affirm the same. The venomous and disdainful recital of which articles, upon good advisement at this present we pass over: lest the sufferance of such sensuality, might fortune to renew the wound that reason may heal. Yet notwithstanding, least so great and contagious an evil should escape unpunished, and that without deserved vexation, and also that it might not get more heart and wax stronger: we therefore (according to that our office and duty is, where such negligence and sluggishness of our prelates being present, where this thing is) do commit and give in commandment to our reverend brethren, Canterbury, and York, Archbishops by other our letters: that they stand up in the power of God against this pestilent and cōtagious sect, and that they lively persecute the same in form of law: root out and destroy those, that advisedly and obstinately refuse to withdraw their foot frō the same stumbling block, any restraint to the contrary notwithstanding. But because the assistance, counsel, favor, and aid of your kingly estate & highness are requisite to the execution of the premisses: we require, exhort, and beseech the same your princely highness, by the bowels of the mercy of Jesus Christ, by his holy faith, by your own salvation, by the benefit that to all men is common, and by the prosperity assured to every man and woman, that not only your kingly severity may readily show and cause to be shown unto our Archbishops and their Commissaries (in this behalf requyring the foresaid due execution) convenient aid and favor, as otherwise also to cause them to be assisted: But that also you will enjoin your Magistrates and Justices of assise, and peace more straightly, that of their own good wills, they execute the authority committed unto thē, with all severity against such damned men, according as they are bound by the office which they are put in trust with: Against those I mene, which have determined obstinately to defile thenselves in their malice and sins, those to expel, banish, and imprison, and there so long to keep them, til cōdigne sentence shall pronounce them worthy to suffer punyshment. For your kingly wisdom seeth, that such as they be, do not only deceive poor simple souls (or at the least do what they can to deceive thē) but also bring their bodies to destructiō, and further prepare confusion and ruinous fall unto their temporal Lord's. Go to therefore my sweet son, and endeavor yourself to work so in this matter, as undoubtedly we trust you will: that as this firebrand (burning and flaming over sore) began under your president or government: so under your severe judgment and virtuous diligence, might, favor, and aid: not one spark remain hid under the ashes, but that it be utterly extinguyshed and speedily put out.
Geuen at our palace of S. Peter at Rome, the xv. Calendes of October, in the sixth yere of our pontificalitie.
The Kynges Commission.
RIchard by the grace of God, king of England, & France, and Lord of Ireland. To all those unto whom these present letters shall come, greeting. Know ye, that where as lately at the instance of the reverend father, William Archbishop of Canterbury, Metropolitan of all England, and Legate of the Apostolycal seat: we for the redress and amendment of all those which would obstinately preach or maintain, publicly, or privily, any conclusions of the holy scripture, repugnant to the determynatiō of our holy mother the church, & notoriously redounding to the subversion of the Catholic faith, or containing any heresy or error, within the province or bishopric of Cāterburie: Have by our special letters patents, in the zeal of the faith, givē authority and license unto the foresaid Archbishop & to all and singular his suffragans, to arest all and every of them that will preach or maintain any such conclusions, wheresoever they may be found, and to commit them either to their own prisons or any others at their own pleasure: and to keep thē in the same, until they reap̄t them of the errors & prauities of those heresies: or til that, of such manner of arests, by us or by our counsel it should be otherwise determined, that is to say, to everyone of them and their ministers throughout their cities and diocese. And now the reverend father in god John B. of Herford, hath for a certainty informed us: that although the same B. hath according to justice convinced a certain fellow named W. Swinderby, pretending himself to be a chaplain, & one Stephē Bell a learned man, and hath pronounced thē heretics and excommunicate, & false informers among the common people, and hath declared the same by the definitive sentence of the aforesaid bishop for that they have presumed to affirm and preach openly in diverse places within the diocese of Herford, many conclusions or naughty opinions notoriously redounding to the subversion of the Catholic sound faith, and tranquility of our kingdom. The same Bishop notwithstanding, neither by the ecclesiastical censures, neither yet by the force and strength of our commission was able to revoke the foresaid William and Stephen, nor yet to bridle the malice and indurate contumacy of them: For that they, after that they were upon such heretical pravity convict by the same bishop (to the intent they might delude his judgment and justice) conveyed thenselves by and by, unto the borders of Wales, with such as were their factors and accomplices, in keeping themselves close, unto whō the force of our said letters doth in no wise extend. Whereupon, the said Bishop hath, made supplycation unto us, that we will vouchsafe to provide a sufficient remedy in that behalf. We therefore which always (by the help of almighty God) are defēdours of the faith, willing to withstand such presumptuous and perverse enterprises by the most safest way and means we may give and commit full power and authority to the foresaid bishop and to his ministers, by the tenor of these presents, to arrest or take, or cause to be arrested or taken, the foresaid William and Sthephen, in any place within the city & diocese of Hereford and our dominiō of Wales, with all the speed that may be, and to commit thē either to our prison or else to the prison of the same bishop or any other prison at their pleasure, if such need be, and there to keep thē safe. And afterwards, unless they will obey the commandments of the Church, with dilygence to bring them before us and our counsel, or else cause them to be brought. That we may determine for their further punishment, as we shall think it requisite convenient to be done by the advise of our counsel, for the defense and preservation of the Catholic faith. And that the foresaid William and Stephen, being succoured by the aide of their factors or favorers, should not be able to fly or escape to their accustomed starting holes: and that the sharpness of their pains so aggravated, may give them sufficient cause to return to the lap again of their holy mother the church: we strayghtlye charge and command all and singular our Shrifes, Bailifes, Barones, and all other our officers, in the City and Dioces of Hereford, & in any other place being within our dominion of Wales, by the tenor of these presents: that from time to time (where they think it most meet) they cause it openly to be proclaimed in our name, that none, of what state, degree, preeminence, kind, or other condition he shall be of, do cherish openlie or secretly, the foresaid William and Stephen, until the time that they repent thē of their heresies and errors, and shall be reconciled unto the holy Church of God: Neither that any person or persons: be believers, favorers, or receivers, defendours, or in any case wittinglye instructours, of the said William or Stephen, or any other of the residue of the heretics that are to be convinced: upon the forfeiture of all that ever they have. And that also they giving their attendance, be obedient & aunswerable to the foresaid bishop and his deputies in this behalf, for the execution of the premisses: and that they certify us and our counsel distinctly, and plainly, from time to time, of the names of all and singular persons, which shall fortune to be found culpable in this behalf, under their seals. In witness whereof, we have caused these out letters patentes to be made.
Witness our self at Westminster the ix. day of Marche, in the xv. year of our reign.
FaringtonAn other letter of the said king against Walter Brute.
For as much as it is advertised us, that one Walter Brute, and other such children of iniquity, have damnably holden, affirmed, and preached, certain articles and conclusions being notoriously repugnaunt against the holy Scripture (of the which, some of them as heresies, and the rest as errors, are finally by the Church condemned) and that in diverse places within the diocese of Hereford and partes near adjoining, both privily, openly, and obitinately : which thing we perceive not only to redounde to the subversion (in a manner) of the Catholic faith, which as well we, as other catholic Princes ought of duty to maintain, but also to forewarn us of the subversion of our faithful Diocesans. And that the said Bishop, upon the good deliberation and advisement of a great number of Doctors in Divinity, and other learned & skillful men in the Scriptures, of special devotion, according to his bounden duty, purposed to begin and make diverse and sundry processes by law to be sent unto the foresaid Walter and his accomplices, to appere personally before him and other the Doctors aforesaid, in the cathedral church of Hereford, the morrow after the translation of S. Thomas of Hereforde next ensuing, and to proceed in the same place against the same Walter, in the foresaid articles and conclusions, for the amendment of his soul. Now a fresh (because that the said Walter and others of their retinue, cleaning and confederating with him, might not suffer condign pains according to their demerits) endeavor themselves to make void and frustrate the said godly purpose of the same Bishop, in such correction & execution as should have been done: and with force do resist and let the same with all the power they may, to the great contempt of us and of our crown, and to the breaking and hurting of our peace, and pernicious example of others: Do appoint you and every of you, immediately as soon as this our commission shall be delivered unto you, in our behalf and name, to make open proclamation in the diocesie and partes aforesaid, where ye shall think it most meet and conuenyent: That no man be so hardy henceforth, of what state or condition soever he shall be, within the Dioces and partes aforesaid, upon pain of forfeiture of all that ever he hath, to make or leauie any conventicles, assemblies, or confederacies, by any color: or that they presume to attempt or procure any other thing, whereby our peace may be hurt or broken, or that the same Bishops and Doctors aforesaid, may be by any means molested or let in the execution of such correction as is to be done, according to the Canonical sanctions, and to arest all those which ye shall find or take offending in this behalf, or that keep themselves in any such conventicles. And that they being committed to prison, be there kept, till you shall have other commandment from us and our counsel for their deliverance: And that ye distinctly and plainly certify us and our said counsel, of all your doing in this behalf under your seals, or else the seals of some of you. And therefore we straightly charge and command you, and every of you: that ye diligently attend upon the premisses, and that in your deeds ye execute the same with all diligence and careful endeavor, in the form and manner aforesaid. And further, we give straight charge and commandment to all and singular Shriffes, Mayors, Bailiftes, Constables, and other our faithful subjects, by the tenor of these presents: that they be attending upon you, counseling and aiding you and every of you, as is meet and convenient in the doing and execution of the premisses. In witness whereof, we have caused these our letters patents to be made.
Witness myself at Westminster, the 22. day of September, in the 17. year of our reign:
By the same King and Counsel.
Thus king Richard by the setting on of W. Courtney Archb. of Canterb. and his fellows, taking part with the Pope, and Romith Prelates: waxed something strait and hard to the poor Christians of the contrary side of wyckleffe, as by these letters above prefixed may appear. Allbeit, dur • ng all the life of the said king, I find of none expressly by name that suffered burning. Notwythstanding, some there were which by the foresaid Archbish. William Courtney, and other Bishops, had been condemned and diverse also abjured, and did penance as well in other places, as chiefly about the town of Leycester as followeth here to be declared, out of the Archbyshoppes register and records:
At what time the said Archbishop W. Courtney was in his visitation at the town of Leycester, certain there were accused and detected to him, by the monks and other Priests in the said town. The names of which persons there detected, were one Roger Dexter, Nicholas Taylor Richard Wagstaffe, Michael Scrivener, William Smith, John Henry, Will. Parchmeanar, and Roger Goldsmith, inhabitances of the same town of Leycester: These with othermoe, were denounced to the Archbyshop for holding the opinion of the Sacrament of the altar, of auriculare confession, and other Sacraments, contrary to that which the Church of Rome doth preach and observe. All which parties above named, & many other mo whose names are not known, did hold these heresies and errors here under written, and are of the Romish church condemned.
- 1. That in the Sacrament of the alter, after the words of consecration, there remaineth the body of Christ with the material bread.
- 2. That images ought not to be worshipped in any case, nor that no man ought to set any candles before them.
- 3. That no cross ought to be worshipped.
- 4. That Masses, and Matins, ought not with an high and loud voice to be said in the Church.
- 5. Item, that no Curate or Priest taken in any crime can consecrate, hear confessions, nor minister any of the Sacraments of the church.
- 6. That the Pope and all prelates of the Church, cannot bind any man in the sentence of excommunication, unless they know him to be first excommunicated of God.
- 7. That no Prelate of the church, can grant any pardons.
- 8. That every lay man may in every place, preach & teach the Gospel.
- 9. That it is sin to give any alms or charity, to the friers preachers, Minorites, Augustine's, or Carmelites.
- 10. That no oblation ought to be used at the funeralies of the dead.
- 11. That it is not necessary to make confession of our sins to the Priest.
- 12. That every good man although he be unlearned, is a Priest.
These Articles they taught, preached, & affirmed manifestly in the town of Leceiter & other places adjoining: Wherupon, the said Archb. monished the said Roger, and Nicholas w t the rest, on the next day to make answer unto him in the said monastery to the foresaid articles. But the foresaid Roger and Nicholas with the rest, hid thenselves out of the way, and appeared not. Whereupon, the Archb. upon All hallow day, being the 1. day of November, celebrating the high mass at the high altar in the said monastery, being attired in his Pontificalibus: denounced the said parties with all their adherents, fautors, favorers, and counselors, excommunicate and accursed, which cyther held, taught, or maintained the foresaid conclusions heretical & erroneous, and that in solemn wise, by ringing the bells, lighting the candles, and putting out the same again, and throwing them down to the ground w t other circumstances thereunto belonging. Upon the morrow after (being all Soulne day) he sent for all the curates & other lay men of the town of Leicester, to inquire more diligently of the verity of such matter as they knew, & were able to say against any persons whatsoever, concerning y e foresaid articles, as also against the parties before named and specified upon their others: denouncing everyone of them, severally by their names to be excommunicated and accursed, & caused them also in diverse parish churches in Leicester, also to be excommunicate. And further the said Archb. interdicted the whole Town of Leycester, & all the churches in the same, so long as any of the foresaid excommunicate persons should remain or be within the same, and till that all the lollardes of the town, should return and amend from such heresies & errors, obtaining at the said Archb. his hands the benefit of absolution.
At length it was declared & shown to the said Archb. that there was a certain anchoresse whose name was Matilde, enclosed within the Churchyard of S. Peters church of the said town of Leycester, to be infected (as they said) with the pestiferous contagion of the foresaid heretics & lollardes: whereupon, after that the said Archb. had examined the foresaid Matilde, touching the foresaid conclusions, heresies, and errors, and found her not to answered plainly and directly to the same, but sophistically and subtelly: gave and assigned unto her a day peremptory, personally to appear before him in the Monastery of C. James at Northampton, more fully to answer to the said articles, heresies, and errors, which was the 6. day of the said month of November: commanding the abbot of the monastery of Pratis aforesaid, that the door of the recluse in which the said Matild was, should be opened, and that til his return he should cause her to be put in safe custody. That done, he sent forth his mandate, against the lolardes under this form.
William by the permission of God. &c. To his well-beloved sons, the Major & bailiffes, of the town of Leicester Dioces, greeting. We have lately received, the kings letters graciously granted us for y e defense of the catholic faith, in these words following. Richard by the grace of God, king of England and of France. &c. We on the behalf of our holy mother the Church, by the kings authority aforesaid, do require you: that you cause the same Richard, William, Roger, and the rest, to be arrested, and sent unto us, that they with their pernicious doctrine do not infect the people of God. &c. Geuen under our seal. &c.
By another instrument also in the same Register, is mention made of one Margaret Caily Nonne, which forsaking her order, was by the said Archb. constrained against her will, again to enter the same, as by this instrument here under ensuing may appear.
William by the grace of God, &c. To our reuereud brother in God, John by the grace of God, Bishop of Eli greting. &c. In the visitation of our diocese of Lincoln according to our office, amongst other enormities worthy reformation, we found, one sheep out of our fold strayed and amongst the briers tangled, to wit, Margarete Caily, Nun professed, of the monastery of S. Radegonde w t in your Diocese: who casting the habit of her Relygion, was found in secular attire, many years being an Apostate, & leading a dissolute life. And least her blood should be required at our hands, we have caused her to be taken, and brought unto you being her pastor: and straitly enjoining you by these presents do command, that you admit the same Margarete again into her foresaid Monastery (although returned against her will) or else into some other place, where for her souls health you shall think moste convenient: and that from henceforth she be safely kept, as in the straight examination of the same you will yield an accompt. Geuen under our seal. &c.
By sundry other instruments also in the same register recorded I find, that the foresaid Matilde the anchoresse, upon the straight examination and handeling of the foresaid Archbishop, before whom peremptorily she was enjoined to appear, and till that day of apparance taken out of the recluse and committed to safe custody as you heard: resracted and recanted her foresaid articles and opinions. For the which she being enjoined 40. days penance, was again admitted into her foresaid recluse in Leycester. The Bishops letter to the Magistrates of the town thus beginneth. Wilhelmus permissione diuina. &c. dilectis filijs. &c.
Also, by another letter of the foresaid Archbish. to the Dean of the Cathedral church of our Lady of Leycester being registered, I find: that of the number of those 8. persons before recite • , whom the Archbishop himself at high Mass, did in his Pontificalibus so solemnly curse with book, bell, and candle: After certain process being sent out against them, or else in the mean time being apprehended & taken: two of them recanted their opinions, to wit, William Smith, and Roger Dexter. But in the mean time Alyce the wife of the said Roger Dexter, taking hold of the foresaid articles with her husband also, together with the said William Smith, abjured the same. For these be the words of the instrument. Subsequenter vero, praefati Wilielmus, Rogerus, & Alicia reatus suos respicientes, se nostro conspectul praesentarunt. &c. Notwythstanding, whether they presented thenselves willingly, or else were brought against their wills (as most like it was) hard penance was enjoined them before they were absolved. These be the words of the instrument.
Sancta mater ecclesia. &c. i. Seeing our holy mother the church, denieth not her lap to any penitent child returning to the unity of her, but rather profereth to them the same: we therefore do receive again the said William, Roger, & Alice to grace. And further have caused them to abjure all and singular the aforesaid articles & opinions before they received of us the benefit of absolution, & were loosed from the sentence of excōmmunication wherein they were snarled: enjoining unto them penance, according to the quantity of the crime, in form as followeth, that is to say. That everyone of them y e Sunday next after their returning to their proper goods: they the said William, Roger, & Alice, holding everyone an image of y e crucifix in their right hands, and in their left hands everyone of them a taper of wax, waying half a pound weight, in their shirts (having none other apparel upon them) do go before the Cross three times, during the procession of the Cathedral Church of our Lady of Lecester: that is to say, in the beginning of the procession, in the middle of the procession, and in the latter end of the procession: to the honor of him that was crucified in the memorial of his passion, and to the honor of the virgin his mother: who also devoutly bowing their knees and kneeling, shall kiss the same crucifix so held in their hands. And so with the same procession, they entering again into the church: shall stand during all the time or the holy Mass, before the image of the Cross with their Lapers and crosses in their hands. And when the Mass is ended, the said William, Roger, & Alice, shall offer to him that celebrated that day the Mass. Then upon the Saturday next ensuing: the said William, Roger, and Alice, shall in the full and public market, within the town of Leicester, stand in like manner in their shirtes, without anymore clothes upon their bodies, holding the foresaid crosses in their right hands, which crosses, three tunes they shall (during the market) devoutly kiss reverently kneeling upon their knees: that is, in the beginning of the market, in the middle of the market, and in the ende of the market. And the said William (for that he some what understandeth the Latin tongue) shall say this Antheame with the collect Sancta Katharina : and the foresaid Roger and Alice, being unlearned, shall say devoutly a Pater noster, and an Ave Maria. And thirdly, the Sunday next immediately after the same, the said William, Roger, and Alice, in their parish Church of the said town of Leicester, shall stand and do as upon the Sunday before, they stood and did in the cathedral Church of our Lady aforesaid, in all things. Which done, the foresaid William, Roger, and Alice, after Mass, shall offer to the Priest or chaplain that celebrated the same, with all humiliti and reverence the wax tapers, which they shall carry in their hands. And because of the cold weather y t now is, least the foresaid penitents might peradventure take some bodily hurt standing so long naked (being mindful to moderate partly the said our rigor) we give leave: That after their entrance into the churches above said, whilst they shall be in hearing the foresaid masses : that they may put on necessary garments to keep them from cold, so that their heads and feet notwithstanding, be bare and uncovered. We therefore will and command you together and a part, that you denounce the said William, Roger, and Alice, to be absolved and restored again to the unity of our holy mother the church, and that you call them forth to do their penance in manner and form aforesaid. Giuen at Dorchester, the 17. day of November in the year of our Lord God 1389. and the 9. year of our translation.
Unto the narration of these above said, we will adjoin the story of one Peter Pateshul au Agustine Frier, who obtaining by the Popes privilege (through the means of Walter Dis, confessor to the Duke of Lancaster) liberty to change his coat and religion, and hearing the doctrine of John Wicklesse & other of the same fort: began at length to preach openlie and to detect the vices of his order, in such forte as all men wondered to hear the horrible recyting thereof. This being brought to the cares of his order, they to the number of 12. (coming out of their house to the place where he was preaching) thought to have withstode him perforce. Among whom one especially for the zeal of his religion, stood up openly in his preaching, and contradicted y t which he said, who then was preaching in the Church of S. Christopher in London. This when the faithful Londoners did see, taking grief hereat, were moved w t great ire against the said Frier, thrusting him with his other brethren out of the church, whom they not only had beaten and fore wounded, but also followed them home to their house, mineding to have destroyed their mansion w t fire also, and so would have done, had not one of the sheriffes of London, with two of the Friers of the said house well known & reported amongst the Londoners, with gentle words mitigated their rage and violence. After this, Peter Pateshull thus disturbed as is aforesaid, was desired by the Londoners (for so much as he could not well preach amongst them) to put in writing that, which he had said before, and other things more that he knew by the Friers: Who then at their request writing the same, accused the friers of murder, committed against diverse of their brethren. And to make the matter more apparent & credible, he declared the names of them that were murdered, with the names also of their tormentors. And named moreover, time and place where and when they were murdered, and where they were buried. He affirmed further, that they were Sodomites and traitors both to the king and the realm with many other crimes, which mine author for tediousness, leaveth of to recite. And for the more confutation of the said friers, the Londoners caused the said Bill, to be openly set up at S. Paul's Church door in London, Which was there red and copied out of very many. Thys was dove in the year of our Lord 1387. and in the 10. yere of King Richard seconde. Ex Chron. Monachi Albanensis. Cuius est exordium. Anno gratiae millesimo. &c.
Thus it may appear by this and other above recited, how the Gospel of Christ preached by John Wycliffe and others, began to spread & fructify abroad in London, and other places of the realm: and more would have done no dont, had not William Courtney, the Archbishop & other Prelates with the king, set them so forcibly with might & main, to gainstand the course thereof. Albeit as is said before, I find none which yet were put to death therefore, during the reign of this king Richard the second. Whereby it is to be thought of this king, that although he cannot be utterly excused for molesting the godly & innocent preachers of that time, (as by his brieues & letters afore mentioned may appear) yet neither was he so cruel against them, as other that came after him: And that which he did seemed to proceed by the instigation of the Pope and other Bishops, rather then either by the consent of his Parliament, or advise of his counsel about him, or else by his own nature. For as the decrees of y t parliament in all his time, were constant in stopping out the Popes provisions, & in bridling his authority as we shall see (Christ willing) anon: so y e nature of the king was not altogether so fiersly set, if that he following the guiding thereof, had not stand so much in fear of the Bishop of Rome and his Prelates, by whose importune letters & calling on, he was continually urged, to do contrary to that, which both right required, & will perhaps in him desired. But howsoever the doings of this king are to be excused, or not, undoubted it is y t Queen Anne his wife most rightly deserveth singular commendation: who at the same time living with y e king had the gospels of Christ in English, w t 4. doctors upon the same. This Anne was a Bohemian borne, and sister to Wincelaus K. of Boheme before: who was married to king Richard about the 5. (some say, the 6.) year of his reign, and continued w t him the space of 11. years. By the occasion whereof it may seem not improbable, y t the Bohemians coming in with her, or resorting into this realm after her, perused and received here the books of John Wycliffe, which afterward they conveyed into Bohemia, whereof partly mention is made before, pag. 464.
The said, virtuous Queen Anne, after she had lived with king Richard about 11. years, in the 17. year of his reign changed this mortal life, and was buried at Westminster. At whose funeral, Thomas Arundel then Archb. of York, and Lord Chancelor, made the Sermon. In which Sermon (as remaineth in the library of Worcester recorded) he entreating of the commendation of her, said these words: that it was more joy of her, then of any woman that ever he knew. For notwithstanding that she was an alien borne, she had in English all the 4. gospels, w t the Doctors upon them: affirming moreover and testifying, y e she had sent the same unto him to examine. And he said they were good and true. And further with many words of praise did greatly commend her, in that she being so great a Lady, & also an alien, would study so lowly so virtuous books. And he blamed in that sermon sharply the negligence of the Prelates, & other men. In so much that some said, he would on the morrow, leave up the office of Chancelor, and forsake the world, & give him to fulfil his pastoral office, for that he had seen and read in those books. And then it had been the best Sermon that ever they heard. Haec ex libro Wygo. In the which Sermon of Thomas Arundell, three points are to be considered, first the laudable use of those old times received to have the Scripture and Doctors in our vulgare English tongue. Secondly, the virtuous exercise and also example of this godly Lady, who had these books not for a show hanging at her girdle: but also seemeth by this Sermon to be a studious occupier of the same. The third thing to be noted is, what fruit the said Thomas Archbyshoppe declared also himself to receive at the hearing and reading of the same books of hers in the English tongue. Notwythstanding, the • ame Thomas Arundel, after this Sermon and promise made, became the most cruel enemy that might be against English books, and the authors thereof as followeth after in his story to be seen.
For shortly after the death of Queen Anne, the same yere (the king being then in Irelād) this Thomas Arundel Archb. of York, and Bishop of London, Rob. Braybrocke (whether sent by the Archb. of Cant. and the clergy, or whether going of their own accord) crossed the seas to Ireland, to desire the king in all spedy wise to return and help the faith and church of Christ, against such as holding of Wickleffes teaching, went about (as they said) to subuect at their proceedings, and to destroy the canonical sanctions of their holy mother church. At whose complaint the king hearing the one part speak, and • ot advising the other, was in such forte incensed: that incontinent leaving all his affairs incomplete, he spedde his return toward England, Where he kept his Christians at Dublin, in the which mean time, in the beginning of the next yere following, which was Anno. 1395. A Parliament was called at Westminster, by the commandment of the Kyng. In which parliament, certain Articles or Conclusions were put up by them of the Gospel side, to the number of 12. Which Conclusions moreover were fastened up upon the church door of S. Paul in London, and also at Westminster: The copy of which Conclusions with the words and contents thereof, here under ensueth.
The book of Conclusions, or Reformations, exhibited to the Parliament holden at London, and set up at Paul's door and other places, in the 18. year of the reign of king Richard the 2. & in the yere of our Lord. 1395.
THe first conclusion, when as the Church of England began first to dote in tēporalities after her stepmother the great church of Rome, & the churches were authorised by appropriations: faith, hope, and charity began in diverse places to vanish and fly away from our Church, for so much as pride with her most lamentable and dolerous genealogy of mortal and deadly sins, did challenge that place by title of heritage, and this conclusion is general and approved by experience, custom and manner, as ye shall after hear.
The second conclusion, y t our usual Priesthode which took his original at Rome, & feigned to be a power higher then angels, is not that Priesthoode which Christ or • cyned unto his disciples. This conclusion is thus proved, forso much as the Romish priesthood is done with signs and pontifical rites and ceremonies, and benedictions, of no force & effect, neither having any ground in scripture, for so much as the Bishops ordinall and the New Testament do nothing at all agree, neither do we see that the holy Ghost both give any good gift through any such signs or ceremonies: because that he together with all noble & good gifts, cannot consist and be in any person with deadly sin. The corolary or effect of this conclusion is, that it is a lamentable and dolorous mockerye unto wise men, to see the Bishops mock & play with the holy Ghost in the giving of their orders: because they give crowns for their characters and marks, in stead of white hearts, & this caracter is the mark of Antichrist, brought into the holy Church to cloke and color their idleness.
The third conclusion, that the law of chastity enjoined unto priesthood, the which was first ordained to the prejudice of women, induceth Sodomy into the church: but we do excuse us by the Bible, because the suspect decree doeth say, that we should not name it. Both reason & experience proveth this conclusion. Reason thus, forsomuch as the delicate feeding and fare of the Clergy, will have either a natural purgation, or some worse. Experience thus, for so much as the secrete trial and proof or such men is, y • they do delight in women. And whensoever thou doest prove or see such a man, mark him well, for he is one of y e number. The corolarie of this conclusion is, that these private religions with the beginners thereof, ought most chiefly to be disanulled as the original of y e sin and offense: But God of his might, doth of privy sins send open vengeance.
The fourth conclusion, that most harmeth the innocent people is this: that the feigned miracle of the Sacrament of bread, inducoth all men, except it be a very few, unto idolatry: For so much as they think that the body which shall never be out of heaven, is by the virtue of the Priests words essentially included in the little bread, the which they do show unto the people. But would to God they would believe that which the Evangelical Doctor teacheth us in his Trialoge, Quod panis altaris est accidentaliter Corpus Christi. i. that the bread of the altar is the body of Christ accidentally: for so much as we suppose that by that means, every faithful man and woman in the law of God, may make the Sacrament of that bread without any such miracle. The corolarie of this conclusion is, that albeit the body of Christ, be endowed w t the eternal joy, the service of Corpus Christi made by Frier Thomas, is not true, but painted full of false miracles, neither is it any marvel: for so much as frier Thomas at that time taking part with the Pope, would have made a miracle of a hens egg, and we know it very well that every lie openly preached and taught, both turn to the rebuke & opprobry of him which is always true without any lack.
The 5. conclusion is this, that the exorcism & halowings, consecrations, and blessings over the Wine, Bread, Wax, Water, Dyle, Salte, Incence, the Aulter stone, and about the Church walls, over the Westiment, Chalice, Miter, Cross, and Pilgrimstaues, are the very practices of Nigromancy, rather then of sacred divinity. This conclusion is thus proved, because y t by such exorcisms, the creatures are honored to be of more force & power then by their own proper nature, for we do not see any alteration, or change in any creature so exorcised, except it be by false faith which is the principal point of devilish art. The cocolarie of this is, that if the book of exorcisation or conjuring of holy water which is sprinkled in the Church, were altogether faithful and true: we think certainly that holy water used in the Church, were the best medicine for all kind of sickness and sores, Cuius contrarium experimur. i. the contrary whereof daily experience doth teach us.
The sixth conclusion which maintaineth much pride, is, that a king and Bishop both in one person, a Prelate and justice in temporal causes, a Curate an Officer in worldly office, doth make every kingdom out of good order. This conclusion is manifest, because the temporalty and the spirituality, are two parts of the holy universal Church, and therefore he which addicteth himself to the one part, let him not intermeddle with the other, Quia nemo potest duobus Dominis seruire, wherefor to be called Amphroditae, which are men of both kinds or Ambidextri, which is such as can play with both hands, were good names for such men of double estates. The Corolary of this conclusion is, that thereupon we the procuratours of God in this case, do sue unto the Parliament: that it may be enacted, that all such as be of the clergy (as well of the highest degree as of the lowest) should be fully excused, and occupy themselves with their own cure and charge, and not with others.
The seventh conclusion that we mightily affirm is, that spiritual prayers made in the church for the souls of the dead (preferring any one man by name, more then another) is a false foundation of alms, whereupon all the houses of alms in England are falsely founded. This conclusion is proved by two reasons: The one is, that a meritorious prayer (of any force or effect) ought to be a work proceeding from mere charity: and perfect charity accepteth no person, because thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, Whereby it appeareth, that the benefit of any temporal gift bestowed & given unto priests and houses of alms, is the principal cause of any special prayers, the which is not far different from sunonie. The other reason is, that every special prayer made for men condemned to eternal punishment, is very displeasant before God. And albeit it be doubtful, yet is it very likely unto the faithful Christian people, that the founders of every such house of alms for their wicked endowing of the same, are for y e most part passed by the broad way. The corolary is, that every prayer offorce and effect proceeding of perfect charity, would comprehend generally all such, whom God would have saved, and to live. The marchaundise of special prayers now used for the dead, maketh mendicant possessioners & other hierling priests, which otherwise were strong enough to work & to serve the whole realm: And maintaineth the same in idleness, to the great charge of the realm, because it was proved in a certain book which y e king hath, that a hundredth houses of alms, are sufficient for the whole realm. And thereby might peradventure greater increase and profit come unto the temporalitie.
The 8. conclusion needful to tell the people beguiled, is, that pilgrimages, prayers, and oblations made unto blind crosses or roodes, or to deaf images made either of wood or stone: are very near of kind unto Idolatry, and far different frō alms. And albeit that these things which are forbidden and imagined, are the book of error unto the common people: notwithstanding, the usual and common image of the Trinity is most especially abhominable. This conclusion God himself doeth openly manifest, commanding alms to be given to the poor & needy man, for he is the image of God in more perfect similitude and likeness then any block or stone. For God did not say, let us make a block or stone unto our likeness and image, but let us make man, for so much as the supreme & highest honor which y e clergy calleth Latria, pertaineth only to the Godhead, & the inferior honor which clergy call Dulia, pertaineth unto men and angels, and to none other inferior creature. The corolarie is, y e the service of y e cross celebrate twice every yere in our church, is full of idolatry: For if rood, tree, nails, and spear, ought so profoundly to be honored and worshipped, then were Judas lips (if any man could get them) a marvelous goodly relique. But thou Pilgrim, we pray thee tell us, when thou doest offer to the bones of the Saints and holy men which are laid up in any place: whether dost thou relieve thereby the holy man which is already in joy, or that alms house that is so well endowed, whereas they are canonised (the Lord knoweth howe) and to speak more plain, every faithful Christian may well judge and suppose, that the strokes of that same man, whom they calls. Thomas, were no came of Martyrdom, nor yet be.
The 9. conclusion that keepeth the people low, is, that auricular confession which is said to be so necessary for salvation, & the feigned power of absolution: exalteth and setteth up the pride of priests, and giveth them opportunity of other secrete talks, which we will not at this tune talk of, for so much as both Lord's and Ladies do witness that for fear of their confessors, they dare not speak the truth: and in time of confession is good opportunity ministered, of wooing, or to play the baudes, or to make other secret conuentions to deadly sin. They affirm and say, that they are commissaries sent of God to judge & discern of all manner sin, to pardon and cleanse what so ever please them. They say also, that they have the keys of heaven and hell, & that they can excommunicate, curse and bless, bind and loose, at their own will and pleasure: in so much, that for a small reward, or for 12. d. they will sell the blessing of heaven by charter and clause of warrantes sealed by their commō seal. This conclusion is so common in use, that it needeth not any probation. The corolarie hereof is, that the Pope of Rome which feigned himself to be the profounde treasurer of the whole Church, having that same worthy jewel which is the treasure of the passion of Christ in his own keeping and custody, together with the merits of all the saints in heaven, whereby he giveth feigned indulgences and pardons a poena & culpa : He is a treasurer almost banished out of chariti, whereby he may deliver all captives being in purgatory at his pleasure, and make them not to come there. But here every faithful Christian may easily perceive that there is much falsehood hid in our church.
The 10. that manslaughter (either by war or by any pretensed law of justice, for any temporal cause, or spiritual revelation) is expressly contrary unto the new Testament, which is the law of grace, full of mercy. This conclusion is evidently proved by the examples of the preaching of Christ here in earth, who chiefly teacheth every man to love his enemies, and have compassiō upon them, and not to kill and murder them. The reason is this, that for the most part when as men do fight, after the first stroke, charity is broken: and whosoever dieth without charity, goth the right way to hell. And beside that, we do well understand & know that none of the clergy, neither by any other lawful reason, can deliver any man from the punishment of death, for one deadly sin, and not for another: but the law of mercy which is the New Testament, forbiddeth all manner of murder. For in the Gospel it is spoken unto our forefathers, thou shalt not kill. The corolary is: It is a very robbing of the people, when Lord's purchase indulgences and pardons a poena & culpa, unto such as do help their armies to kill and murder the Christian people in soreine countries for temporal gain, as we do see certain soldiers which do run amongst the Heathen people to get themselves fame & renown by the murder & slaughter of men. Much more do they deserve evil thanks at the hands of the king of peace, for so much as by humility and peace, our faith is multiplied & increased: for murderers and manquellers, Christ doeth hate and manaseth: he that striketh with the sword, shall perish with the sword.
The 11. conclusion is, which is shame to tell: that the vow of chastity made in our church by women which are frail and vnperfite in nature, is the cause of bringing in many great and horrible offenses and vices, incident unto the nature of man. For albeit, the murder of their children borne before their time, and before they are christened, and y e destruction of their nature by medicine, are filthy & foul sins: yet they accompanying amongst themselves, or with unreasonable beasts, or with any creature not having life, do pass to such an unseemliness, that they are punished by infernal torments. The corolarie is, that widows & such as take the mantell and the ring delitiously fed, we would that they were married, because that we cannot excuse them from private offense of sin.
The 12. that the multitude of arts not necessary (used in this our Church) causeth much sin & offense in waste, curiosity, and disguising in curious apparel: experience & reason partly doth show the same, for so much as nature with a few acts, is sufficient for man's use and necessity.
This is the whole tenor of our ambassade which Christ hath commanded us to prosecute at this time, most fit and convenient for many causes. And albeit that these matters be here briefly noted and touched: yet notwithstanding, they are more at large declared in another boke with many other more in our own proper tongue, which we would should be common to all Christian people. Wherefore, we earnestly desire and beseech God for his great goodness sake, that he will wholly reform our Church (now altogether out of frame) unto the perfection of his first beginning and original. Ex Archiuis Regijs.
These verses following, were annexed unto the conclusions.
The which verses are thus Englished.
These verses following, were annexed unto the conclusions.
The which verses are thus Englished.
The process had by Bohn Bishop of Hereford, against Walter Brute lay man, and learned, of the diocese of Hereford, touching the cause of heresy, as they called it, set forward by the way of the Bishops office &c. at the instruction of certain faithful Christians, as he termed them, but in deed cruel and false promoters.
IN y e name of God, Amen. To all manner of faithful Christian people that shall see and hear this our present process. John by y e sufferance of God bishop of Hereford sendeth greeting & continual chartitie in y e Lord. We would y • you all should know, that of late by many faithful Christian people, & specially zealous followers of the catholic faith, it was lamētably done us to understand by way of complain: that a certain son of ours going out of kind, named Walter Brute lay person, learned, of our diocese, hath under a cloaked show of holiness, dānably seduced the people: & setting behind him y • fear of God, doth seduce thē as much as he cā, frō day today, informing & teaching openly and privily, as well the nobles as the commons, in certain conclusions heretical, schismatical, and erroueous & also heretofore condemned. And they have also probably exhibited against y e same Walter, articles under writ̄, u • manner and form as followeth.
Articles exhibited and denounced to the bishop, against Walter Brute.
REuerend father and Lord, we the faithful people of Christ, we the faithful people of Christ, & zealous lovers of the catholic faith, and also your humble and devout children: do minister & exhibit to your reverend fatherhood, the articles under written, touching y e catholic faith, contrary and against malicious persons, & detractours of the same faith, & the determinations of holy mother church, & namely against the child of Belial, one Walter Brute, a false teacher and seducer amongst y e people. Hūbly beseeching, y • you would vouchsafe to have regard to y e correction of the enormities under written, according unto y e Canonical constitutions, even as to your office pastoral doth lie and belong.
In primis, we do give and exhibit and intend to prove, that the same Walter Brute being unmindful of his salvation, hath been by many and diverse faithful Christian people sundry times accused of the cursedness of heresy: As by the swift report, slander, and rumour of the people, proceeding before the most reverend father & Lord, Lord William Archb. of Canterbury, and also before the reverend father & Lord, Lord Iohu late B. of Herford, your predecessor, and now Bishop of S. Ass, hath been testified, and also hath been many & diverse times cited to answer unto articles by him against the Catholic faith avouched, & openly and publicly taught: But he in this matter of heretical cursedness (so grievously and shamefully spoken of) hath never regarded to purge his innocence, but luckingly and running into corners, hath many and sundry years labored to advance things erroneous, schismatical, and also heresies, & to emprint them in the harts of faithful people.
Item, the foresaid Walter Brute hath openlie, publicly, and notoriously avouched, and commonly said & taught and stubbernly affirmed: that every Christian man (yea & woman) being without sin may make the body of christ so well as the priest.