should pray to no saints at all, seeing we have promises of all things in our Saviour Jesus, and in the saints none at all. John xxi. The virginity of our lady. Antichrist is known. Paul's traditions were the doctrine of the gospel. THE TWENTY-FIFTH CHAPTER. IN the twenty-fifth how juggleth he, to prove that all that pertaineth unto the faith was not written, alleging John in the last, that the world could not contain the books, if all should be written. And John meaneth of the miracles which Jesus did, and not of the necessary points of the faith. And how bringeth he in the perpetual virginity of our lady, which though it be never so true, is yet none article of our faith, to be saved by. But we believe it with a story faith, because we see no cause reasonable to think the contrary. And when he saith many mysteries are yet to be opened, as the coming of antichrist. Nay, verily, the babe is known, well enough, and all the tokens spied in him, which the Scripture describeth him by. And when he allegeth Paul's traditions to the Thessalonians to prove his phantasy, I have answered Rochester in the Obedience, that his traditions were the gospel that he preached. And when he allegeth Paul to the Corinthians. I I say that Paul never knew of this word Mass. Neither can man gather thereof any strange holy gestures, but the plain contrary; and that there was no other use there than to break the bread among them at supper as Christ did. supper, and And therefore he calleth it Christ's supper, and not Mass. Christ's not mass. The consecration. Water There was learned the manner of consecration. A great doubt, as though we could not gather of the Scripture how to do it. And of the water that the priest mixed with mingleth with the wine. A great doubt also, and a perilous case if it were left out. For either it was done to the wine. slake the heat of the wine; or put to after as a ceremony, to signify that as the water is changed into wine, so are we changed through faith as it were into Christ, and are one with him; howbeit all is to their own shaine, that aught should be done or used among us Christians, whereof no man wist the meaning. For if I understand not the meaning, it helpeth me not, 1 Cor. xiv. and as experience 1 Cor. xiv. teacheth. But if our shepherds had been as well willing to feed as to shear, we had needed no such dispicience, nor they to have burnt so many as they have. tion of works. Sabbath. The Sabbath-day days are And as for that he allegeth out of the Epistle of James for the justifying of works, I have answered in the Mam- Justificamon, against which he cannot hiss, and will speak more in the four book.. And as for the Sabbath, a great matter, we be lords over the Sabbath, and may yet change it into the Monday or any other day as we see need; or may make every tenth day holy day only, if we see a cause why, we may make two every week if it were expedient, and one not enough to teach the people. Neither was there any cause to change it from the Saturday, than to put difference between us and the Jews, and lest we should become servants unto the day after their superstition. Neither needed we any holy day at all, if the people might be taught without it. and holy we for them. men bap tize. And when he asketh by what Scripture we know that a Why wowoman may christen? I answer, if baptism be so necessary as they make it, then, Love thy neighbour as thyself doth teach women to baptise in time of need: yea and to teach, and to rule their husbands too, if they be beside themselves. And when he saith that of likelihood the lay people understood the Gospel of John, and Paul's Epistles better than great clerks now; I answer, the more shame is theirs. Howbeit there be two causes why: the one is their diligent shearing; and another, they deny the justifying of faith, whereof both Paul and John do entreat, and why the derstand prelates un not the Scripture. A good tale if it were long enough. Ye cannot speed well if ye try the doctrine of our almost of nothing else. If the signification of our baptism which is the law of God and faith of Christ, were expounded truly unto us, the Scripture would be easy to all that exercised themselves therein. And, sir, inasmuch as the prelates care so little for the loss of the understanding of the Scripture, and to teach the people, how happeneth it that they care so sore for a bald ceremony, which, the signification lost, though Christ himself had institute. it, we could not observe without a false faith, and without hurting of our souls? And, finally, to rock us asleep withal, he saith, that he shall never speed well that will seek in the Scripture whether our prelates teach us a true faith, though ten preach each contrary to other in one day. And yet Christ for all his miracles sendeth us to the Scripture. And for all Paul's miracles, the Jews studied the Scripture the prelates by diligenterly, to see whether it were as he said or no. Howbeit he meaneth that such cannot speed well because the prelates will burn them, except M. More help them, and make them forswear Christ before hand. the Scrip ture. THE TWENTY-SEVENTH CHAPTER. IN the twenty-seventh he bringeth Paul exhorting to agree, and to tell all one tale in the faith; which cannot be, saith M. More, except one believe by the reason of another. Yes verily we all believe the fire is hot, and yet not by the reason of another, and that with a more surer knowledge than if we believed it the one by the telling of All believe another. And even so they that have the law of God written in their hearts, and are taught of the Spirit to know sin and to abhor it; and to feel the power of the resurrection of Christ, believe much surer than they that have none other certainty of their faith than the pope's preaching confirmed with so godly living. in God that have the law written in their hearts. And it is not unknown to M. More that the churches of late days, and the churches now being, have determined must shew a reason of trine. things in one case the one contrary to the other, in such wise that he cannot deny but the one hath or doth err: the which case I could shew him, if I so were minded. The old popes, cardinals, and bishops, said, Yea, to the The church thing that I mean; whereunto these that now reign, say Nay. Now, sir, if you gather a general council for the their docmatter, the churches of France and Italy will not believe the churches of Spain and Dutchland, because they so say; but will ask how they prove it? Neither will Lovain believe Paris because they say they cannot err, but will hear first their probation. Also how shall we know that the old pope and his prelates erred, because these that are now so say? When the old pope lived we were as much bound to believe he could not err, as we be now Popes may that this cannot; wherefore you must grant me, that God must shew a miracle for the one part, or else he must bring authentic Scripture. not be be lieved without Scripture. Councils ought to according Scriptures, conclude Now, sir, God hath made his last and everlasting testament, so that all is open and no more behind than the appearing of Christ again. And because he will not stir. up every day a new prophet with a new miracle, to confirm new doctrine, or to call again the old that was forgotten; therefore were all things necessary to salvation comprehended in Scripture ever to endure. By which Scripture the councils general, and not by open miracles, have concluded such things as were in them determined, as stories make mention. And by the same Scripture we know which councils were true, and which false. And by the same Scripture shall we, if any new question arise, determine it also. Abraham answered the rich man, Luke xvi. They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them; and said not, They have the scribes and the pharisees whom they should hear preaching out of the seat of their own doctrine without Scripture. And when he allegeth, He that heareth you heareth me, and if any man hear not the church, take him for an heathen, concluding that we must believe whosoever is shaven, to the Luke x. Matt xxviii. The cause why the apostles wrote the gospels. John xx. 1 John ii. The pope and his cardinals erred in king Henry the eighth's case. in all that he affirmeth without Scripture or miracle; I would fain know in what figure that syllogismus is made. Christ's disciples taught Christ's doctrine, confirming it with miracles, that it might be known for God's, and not theirs. And even so must the church that I will believe shew a miracle, or bring authentic Scripture that is come from the apostles which confirmed it with miracles. THE TWENTY-NINTH CHAPTER. IN the twenty-ninth he allegeth, that Christ said not the Holy Ghost shall write, but shall teach. It is not the use to say the Holy Ghost writeth, but inspireth the writer. I marvel that he had not brought, as many of his brethren do, Matthew in the last, where Christ commanded the apostles to go and teach all nations, and said not write. I answer, that this precept, Love thy neighbour as thyself, and God above all thing, went with the apostles, and compelled them to seek God's honour in us, and to seek all means to continue the faith unto the world's end. Now the apostles knew before that heresies should come, and therefore wrote, that it might be a remedy against heresies, as it well appeareth (John xx.) where he saith, These are written that ye believe, and through belief have life. And in the second of his first Epistle he saith, These I write because of them that deceive you. And Paul and Peter thereto warn us in many places. Wherefore it is manifest that the same love compelled them to leave nothing unwritten that should be necessarily required, and that, if it were left out, should hurt the soul. And in the last chapter to make all fast, he bringeth in the king's grace, how he confuted Martin Luther with this conclusion, The church cannot err: whereunto I will make none answer for fear to displease his grace; nevertheless because Martin could not soil it, if his grace look well upon the matter, he shall find that God hath assoiled it for him in a case of his own. |