not traverse. But then I consider what controversy may arise in writing. As for example, (for seeing I have leisure to write, I will forget what leisure your grace hath to read), if I should make an homily " de vita perfecta," I would note two parts, one of life, another of perfectness. For the ground of the one, I would take St. John, "misit Deus Filium suum, ut vivamus per eum ;" and for the other, "estote perfecti, sicut Pater vester," &c. In declaration of life, I would take occasion to speak of faith, the gift of entry to life, and of charity, the very gift of life; which who hath not remaineth in death. And therefore St. James said, "fides sine operibus mortua est." Not expounding that so, as though faith without charity were no faith, as we say a dead man is no man. For I would wish the people in any wise to beware of that fashion of teaching, and such a sophistical understanding of St. James: and, for detection thereof, declare, that death containeth not always a denial of the thing dead not to be, but only where the name of the thing noted now dead contained before in it a signification of life. As the word "man" signifieth a body living; and then it is truly said, that a dead man is no man, no more than a painted man. But faith signifieth not always a life in it: for devils have faith without life. And when we speak of speak of a body indeed dead faith, it is like as when ye without life, but apt and meet to receive life. As spawn is a body without life, and dead, but meet to receive life with convenient circumstance. And then we say not, that a body dead is no body; and therefore may we not say, that a dead faith is no faith; after which understanding, we should make St. James to treat, whether no faith might justify a man, or no: which were a cold matter. And yet so must we say, if we will expound this saying, that a dead faith is no faith. And in this point I would, in my homily "de vita,” be very earnest to shew, that in charity is life, whereunto faith is the entry: which faith without charity is not no faith, but dead. And therefore God, that giveth all life, giveth with faith charity: whereof I would make the more words in the homily, because the handling of St. James in the other sophistical interpretation is an entry to unwholesome doctrine. And if your grace would say, What of this? or to what purpose should it be written to you, that mindeth no such matter? surely for nothing but because I have plenty of leisure, and write as though I talked with you; and not all in vain, for that I have heretofore heard of other, whom I have heard much glory in that exposition, to say St. James meaneth that dead faith is no faith, even as a dead man is no man. Which, by my fay, is overfar out of the way: and yet mine homily might in such an homiler, and company of homilies, encounter with one of the trade I have spoken of, and bring forth matter of contention and altercation, without all fruit or edification. And thus much for example of trouble in homilies, which these five years have rested without any business, and the people well done their duties, I trust, to God in heaven, and know well, to their sovereign lord in earth; and our sovereign lord, 77 that governed them without these homilies, gone to heaven, whither, I trust, we and the people shall go after, although we trouble them with no homilies. Which shall hardly be so accumulate "ex diversis tractatibus," with diverse fashion of writing, divers phrase of speeches, diverse conceits in teachings, diverse ends per case intended, as some will construe. The rest is wanting. NUMBER XXXVI. GARDINER, BISHOP OF WINTON, TO THE DUKE OF SOMERSET, -145. "AFTER my most humble commendations to your good Cotton Library. grace, with hearty thanks that it hath pleased you to Vespas. D. be content to hear from me; wherein now I have 18.[fol. 139 liberty to write at large to you, I cannot find the like British gentleness in my body to spend so much time as I would: Copy.] and therefore I shall now desire your grace to take in good part, though I gather my matter in brief sentences. The Injunctions in this last visitation contain a commandment to see taught, and learned, two books. One of Homilies, that must be taught; another of Erasmus' Paraphrases, that the priests must learn. These books strive one against another directly. The book of the Homilies teacheth faith to exclude charity in the office of justification. Erasmus' Paraphrases teacheth faith to have charity joined with him in justification. The book of Homilies teacheth how men may swear. The Paraphrasis teacheth the contrary very extremely. The book of Homilies teacheth how subjects owe tribute to their prince, and obedience, very well. The book of Paraphrases in a place upon St. Paul [doth] violently, and against all truth, after it hath spoken of duty to heathen princes, knitteth the matter up untruly, that between the Christian men at Rome, to whom he writeth, which is a lesson for all, there should be no debt, or right, but mutual charity, which is a marvellous matter. The book d But these are not the words of Erasmus, but St. Paul, Rom. xiii. 8. Museum. of Homilies in another place openeth the gospel one way. The Paraphrases openeth it clearly contrary. The matter is not great, but because there is contrariety. Now to consider each of the foresaid books. The book of Homilies in the sermon of Salvation teacheth the clean contrary to the doctrine established by the act of parliament; even as contrary as "includeth" is contrary to "excludeth." For these be the words of the doctrine established by parliament; where in a certain place faith doth not exclude. The doctrine of the parliament speaketh how they be joined in justification. The Homily speaketh the virtues to be present in the man justified, and how faith excludeth them in the office of justification; which can never be proved, and is in the mean time contrary to the act. 78 The book of Homilies hath in the homily of Salvation, how remission of sin is taken, accepted, and allowed of God for your perfect justification. The doctrine of the parliament teacheth justification, for the fulness and perfection thereof, to have more parts than remission of sin, as in the same appeareth. And although that remission of sin be a justification, yet it is not a full and perfect. The book of Homilies numbereth the hallowing of bread, palms, and candles, among papistical superstitions and abuses. The doctrine of the parliament willeth them to be reverendly used; and so do the Injunctions now set forth; which made me think the printer might thrust in an homily of his own devise. The book of Homilies hath words of St. Chrysostom alleged untruly, not after such a sort as might escape by oversight, but of purpose; as, calling that faith which Chrysostom calleth hope; and in place of e In the book of "The Erudition," &c. one sentence putteth another, which should better serve the purpose of the maker of the homily. Now if one would reason with me, that Chrysostom meant this, I would deny it him, as I may. But I may affirm, that Chrysostom saith not, it is but a defamation of the truth: and under such a prince's name as your sovereign lord is, whose tongue, in this so pure innocency, hath not been defiled with any untruth; I assure you, I thought there was not so great haste in homilies, but they might have tarried the printing, either for that only cause. Truth is able to maintain itself, and needeth no help of untrue allegation. It serveth only for enemies to take advantage. All which [i. e. enemies] used to be curious to know what they may reprove. And now all the eyes and ears of the world be turned towards us. And as they shall have cause to talk honourably of your valiantness in the wars, so [shall] they talk otherwise of that that is done in your absence, if any thing be amiss. Now I shall shew your grace what author Erasmus is, to be, by name and special commandment, had in credit in this realm. If he be to be believed, the doctrine of only faith justifieth, is a very poison. And he writeth by express terms, and calleth this another poison, to deny punishment in purgatory after this life. And another poison, to deny the invocation of saints, and worshipping of them. And this he calleth a poison, to say, we need no satisfactory works, for that were to mistrust Christ. Erasmus in another place conferring the state of the church in the beginning and now, he concludeth, that if St. Paul were alive at this day, he would not improve [i. e. disallow] the present state of the church, but cry out of men's faults. This is Erasmus' judgment in his latter days. |