The Oration of Alexander Alesius to the Bishops. Henry VIII. A. D. sacra Right honourable and noble lord, and you most reverend fathers and prelates 1540. of the church! although I come unprepared unto this disputation, yet, trusting in the aid of Christ, who promiseth`to`give both mouth and wisdom unto us when we be required of our faith, I will utter my sentence and judgment of this disputation. And I think that my lord archbishop hath given you a profitable exhortation, that ye should first agree of the signification of a sacrament, whether ye will call a sacrament a ceremony instituted by Christ in the gospel, to signify a special or a singular virtue of the gospel and of godliness (as Paul nameth The remission of sins to be), or whether ye mean every ceremony generally, which name a may be a token or a signification of a holy thing, to be a sacrament? For after ment, this latter signification, I will not stick to grant you that there be seven sacra- how far ments, and more too, if ye will. But yet Paul seemeth to describe a sacrament eth. after the just signification, where he saith, that circumcision is a token and a seal of the righteousness of faith." This definition of one particular sacrament What is must be understood to appertain unto all sacraments generally: for the Jews had a sacrabut one sacrament only, as all the scholastical writers do grant. And he describeth baptism after the same manner, in the Ephesians, where he saith, that Christ doth sanctify the church; that is to say, all that be baptized, through the bath of water, in the word of life. For here, also, he addeth the word and promise of God unto the ceremony. And Christ, also, requireth faith where he saith, Whosoever believeth and is baptized, shall be saved.. it extend ment. promise maketh And St. Augustine describeth a sacrament thus: The word of God, coming God's unto the element, maketh the sacrament.' And, in another place, he saith, A word and sacrament is a thing wherein the power of God, under the form of visible things, going doth work secretly salvation.' And the Master of the Sentences doth describe a with a cesacrament no otherwise: A sacrament,' saith he, 'is an invisible grace, and remony, hath a visible form: and by this invisible grace I mean,' saith he, remission a sacraof sins.' Finally, St. Thomas denieth that any man hath authority to institute ment. a sacrament. Now, if ye agree unto this definition of a sacrament, it is an othe easy thing to judge of the number of those sacraments which have the manifest power. word of God, and be instituted by Christ, to signify unto us the remission of our sins. No man easy sacra St. Augustine saith, that there be but two such sacraments; his words be Christ's these, 'First, I would have thee to understand the sum and effect of this dis- church charged putation, which is this: That our Lord Jesus Christ (as he himself saith in but with the gospel) hath laden us but with a light and easy yoke or burden. Where- few and fore he hath knit together the fellowship of his new people with sacraments, very few in number, very easy to be kept, and very excellent in signification; ments. which be baptism, and the supper of the Lord, and such others, if there be any more commanded in the holy Scripture; those except, which were burdens for the servitude of the people in the old law, for the hardness of their hearts,' &c. And again, in the third book of The Learning of a Christian Man, he saith: The Scripture hath taught us but few signs, as be the sacrament of baptism, and the solemn celebration and remembrance of the body and blood of the Lord,' &c. replieth Alesius. Then the bishop of London, who could scarcely refrain himself all Stokesley this while, and now could forbear no longer, brake out in this manner: against "First of all," saith he, "where you allege that all the sacraments which are in the church, instituted by Christ himself, have either some manifest ground in the Scriptures, or ought to show forth some signification of remission of sins, it is false, and not to be allowed." Then said Alesius, that he would prove it, not only by manifest authorities of Scripture, but also by evident testimonies of ancient doctors and school-writers. But the bishop of Hereford (who was then lately returned out of (1) Rom. iv. 11. (2) Ephes. v. 26. (3) August. ad Januarium, Epis. 118. to 1540. Doctors not to be Henry Germany, where he had been ambassador for the king to the proVIII testants), being moved with the bishop of London's frowardness, A.D. turning himself first to Alexander Alesius, willed him not to contend 1537 with the bishop in such manner, by the testimonies of doctors and schoolmen, forasmuch as they do not all agree in like matters, neither are they steadfast among themselves in all points, but do vary, and in many points are utterly repugnant. " "Wherefore, if this dispustuck to tation shall be decided by their minds and verdicts, there shall be nothing established, neither shall appear any way of agreement to follow. Furthermore, we be commanded by the king, that these controversies should be determined only by the rule and judgment of the Scripture." This he spake unto Alesius. Then, turning himself unto the bishops, he likewise admonished them, with a grave and sharp oration, which we thought not good to omit in this place. in matters of faith. The gospel shining in all places. The faithful in trans Bible. The Oration of Foxe, Bishop of Hereford, unto the Bishops. Think ye not that we can by any sophistical subtleties steal out of the world again the light which every man doth see. Christ hath so lightened the world at this time, that the light of the gospel hath put to flight all misty darkness; and it will shortly have the higher hand of all clouds, though we resist in vain ever so much. The lay people do now know the holy Scripture better than guce many of us; and the Germans have made the text of the Bible so plain and of the easy, by the Hebrew and Greek tongues, that now many things may be better Germans understood without any glosses at all, than by all the commentaries of the lating the doctors. And, moreover, they have so opened these controversies by their writings, that women and children may wonder at the blindness and falsehood that have been hitherto. Wherefore ye must consider earnestly what ye will determine of these controversies, that ye make not yourselves to be mocked and laughed to scorn of all the world, and that ye bring them not to have this opinion of you, to think evermore hereafter, that ye have neither one spark of learning, nor yet of godliness in you. And thus shall ye lose all your estimavain hope tion and authority with them, that before took you for learned men, and proupon the fitable members unto the commonwealth of Christendom. For that which you pope's au- do hope upon, that there was never heresy in the church so great, but that thority. process of time, with the power and authority of the pope, hath quenched it, is nothing to the purpose. But ye must turn your opinion, and think this surely, that there is nothing so feeble and weak, so that it be true but it shall find place, and be able to stand against all falsehood.' It is a to trust Truth the of time. Truth is the daughter of time, and time is the mother of truth; and whatdaughter soever is besieged of truth, cannot long continue; and upon whose side truth doth stand, that ought not to be thought transitory, or that it will ever fall. All things consist not in painted eloquence, and strength or authority: for the truth is of so great power, strength, and efficacy, that it can neither be defended with words, nor be overcome with any strength, but after she hath hidden herself long, at length she putteth up her head and appeareth, as it is written in Esdras: A king is strong; wine is strong; yet women be more strong but truth excelleth all.'2 To this effect, in a manner, and much more, did he speak and utter in that convocation, both copiously and discreetly; through whose oration Alesius, being encouraged, proceeded to urge the bishop further with this argument. To co. The Argument in Form. Ba- Sacraments be seals ascertaining us of God's good will. (1) Truth will come out at last. The first part of this reason is St. Paul's own saying, in the fourth to the Romans, where he saith, that circumcision is a token and a seal of the righteousness of faith :'1 Ergo, it requireth faith to certify man's heart of the will of God. But the word of God is the foundation of faith, as St. Paul witnesseth, Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing cometh by the word of God:'2 for the mind must be taught and instructed to the will of God by the word, like as the eye is taught and instructed by the outward ceremony. And so Paul, by that saying, confuteth this opinion, that the sacraments should make men righteous and just before God for the very outward work, without faith of them that receive them. Henry VIII. A. D. 1537 to 1540. ments word of And after this manner doth Paul speak unto the Ephesians:3 that Christ doth Sacrasanctify his church, through the bath of water, in the word of life. And foras- only to be much as he joineth the word unto the ceremony, and declareth the virtue and gathered power of the word of God, that it bringeth with it life, he doth manifestly out of the teach that the word of God is a principal thing, and even as it were the very God. substance and body of the sacrament; and the outward ceremony to be in very deed nothing else but a token of that lively inflammation, which we receive through faith in the word and promise. St. Paul also, in ministering the sacrament of the Lord's supper, doth manifestly add the words of Christ: He took bread,' saith he, and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take ye this, and eat ye this, for it is my body.' Item, Do ye this in my remembrance.' Besides this, he teacheth evidently that only Christ, and none but he, Christ's had power to institute a sacrament; and that neither have the apostles, nor instituhath the church, any authority to alter, or to add, any thing unto his ordinance, tionought whereas he saith, 'For I received of the Lord, that which I delivered unto altered. you,' &c. To what purpose should he go about to move the people to believe him, and to win their hearts with this protestation, if it had been lawful for him to have made any sacraments, or to have altered the form and manner of ministering the sacrament, as some men both wickedly and shamefully do affirm, that the apostles did alter the form of baptism. When he had spoken thus much, the bishop of London did interrupt him, and said thus: The Answer of the Bishop of London against Alesius. not to be ties and Let us grant that the sacraments may be gathered out of the word of God, Unwrit yet are ye far deceived if ye think that there is none other word of God, but ten verithat which every souter and cobbler doth read in this mother tongue. And if tradiye think that nothing pertaineth unto the christian faith, but that only which is tions of written in the Bible, then err ye plainly with the Lutherans: for St. John saith,5 fathers in equal that Jesus did many things which be not written ;' and St. Paul commandeth force with the Thessalonians to observe and keep certain unwritten traditions and cere- God's monies. Moreover he himself did preach not the Scripture only, but even also word! the traditions of the elders. Finally, we have received many things of the doctors and councils of by-times, which, although they be not written in the Bible, yet forasmuch as the old doctors of the church do make mention of them, we The unought to grant that we received them of the apostles, and that they be of like written authority with the Scripture; and, finally, that they may worthily be called, God. the word of God unwritten. written word of Now when the right noble lord Cromwell, the archbishop, with the other bishops, who did defend the pure doctrine of the gospel, heard this, they smiled a little one upon another, forasmuch as they Stokesley saw him flee, even in the very beginning of the disputation, unto his laughed old rusty sophistry and unwritten verities, Then Alesius would have proceeded further with the bishop, to have confuted this blasphemous lie, but the lord Cromwell bade him be content, for the time began to (1) Rom. iv. 11. (2) Rom. x. 17. (3) Ephes. v. 26. (4) 1 Cor. xi. 23. 24. to scorn. Henry go away, and it was twelve o'clock; and thus he made an end with his protestation: VIII. A. D. 1537 to 'Right reverend master bishop, you deny that our christian faith and religion doth lean only upon the word of God, which is written in the Bible: 1540. which thing if I can prove and declare, then you will grant me, that there be no sacraments but those that have the manifest word of God to confirm them.' Public care of common Unto this he did consent, and then immediately that assembly was dissolved for that day. The next day, when the bishops were set again, the archbishop of Canterbury, sending his archdeacon, commanded Alesius to abstain from disputation: whereupon he wrote his mind, and delivered it to Cromwell, who afterward showed the same unto the bishops. Thus, through the industry of Cromwell, the colloquies were brought to this end, that albeit religion could not wholly be reformed, yet at that time there was some reformation had throughout all England. How desirous and studious this good Cromwell was, in the cause Cromwell of Christ's religion, examples need not to be brought. His whole life for the was nothing else but a continual care and travail how to advance and wealth. further the right knowledge of the gospel, and reform the house of God: as by so many proclamations above-specified, by his means set forth, may well appear, wherein first he caused the people to be instructed in the Lord's prayer and creed in English. Then he procured the Scripture also to be read and set forth in the same language, for every Englishman to understand. After that, to rescue the vulgar people from damnable idolatry, he caused certain of the more gross pilgrimages to be destroyed. And further, for the more commodity of the poor sort, who get their living with their daily labour and work of their hands, he provided that divers idle holydays were diminished. Item, He procured for them liberty to eat eggs and white meat in Lent. Furthermore, it was by him also provided, for the better instruction of the people, that beneficed men should be resident in their cures and parishes, there to teach, and to keep hospitality, with many other things else, most fruitfully redressed for the reformation of religion and behoof of Christ's church: as by the proclamations, injunctions, and necessary articles of christian doctrine above specified, set forth in the king's name, by his means, may more abundantly appear. Now, to adjoin withal his private benefits, in helping divers good men and women at sundry times out of troubles and great distresses, it would require a long discourse. Briefly, his whole life was full of such examples, being a man to that intent ordained of God (as his deeds well proved) to do many men good, and especially such as were in danger of persecution for religion's sake. Amongst other infinite stories, one or two examples shall suffice for a testimony of his worthy doings; and first, how he helped a poor woman with child, out of great trouble, longing for a piece of meat in time of Lent. A STORY OF ONE FREBARN'S WIFE LONGING FOR A PIECE OF Henry VIII. A. D. 1540. In the year of our Lord 1538, sir William Forman being mayor of the city of London, three weeks before Easter, the wife of one Thomas Frebarn, dwelling in Paternoster-row, being with child, longed after a morsel of a pig, and told her mind unto a maid dwelling in Abchurch-lane, desiring her, if it were possible, to help her unto a piece. The maid, perceiving her earnest desire, showed unto her husband what his wife had said unto her, telling him that it might chance to cost her her life, and the child's too, which she went withal, if she had it not. Upon this, Thomas Frebarn her husband, spake to a butter-wife whom he knew, that dwelled at Hornsey, named goodwife Fisher, to help him to a pig for his wife, for she was with child, and longed sore to eat of a pig: unto whom the said goodwife Fisher promised, that she would bring him one the Friday following; and so she did, being ready dressed and scalded before. But when she had delivered him the pig, she craftily conveyed one a crafty of the pig's feet, and carried it unto Dr. Cox's, at that time being e dean of Canterbury, dwelling in Ivy-lane, who, at the time of his Judas. dinner, before certain guests which he had bidden, showed this pig's foot, declaring who had the body thereof.2 And after that they had talked their pleasure, and dinner was done, one of his guests (being landlord unto Frebarn aforesaid, called Master Garter, and by his office, king at arms), sent his man unto the said Frebarn, demanding if there were nobody sick in his house: unto whom he answered, that they were all in good health, he gave God thanks. Then said he again, It was told his master, that somebody was sick, or else they would not eat flesh in Lent: unto whom Frebarn made answer, that his wife was with child, and longed for a piece of a pig, and if he could get some for her, he would. Then departed his landlord's man home again. part of a And, shortly after, his landlord sent for him. But before that he had sent for him, he had sent for the bishop of London's sumner, whose name was Holland, and when this Frebarn was come, he demanded of him if he had not a pig in his house; which he denied not. Then commanded Master Garter the said sumner called Holland, to take him, and go home to his house, and to take the pig, and carry both him, and the pig, unto Dr. Stokesley his master, being then bishop of London: and so he did. Then the bishop, being in his chamber with divers other of the clergy, called this Frebarn before him, and had him in examination for this pig; laying Frebarn also unto his charge, that he had eaten in his house, that Lent, mined bepowdered beef, and calves' heads: Unto whom Frebarn answered, fore the My lord, if the heads were eaten in my house, in whose houses were the bodies eaten? also, if there be either man or woman that can prove, that either I, or any in my house, hath done as your lordship saith, let me suffer death there-for." "You speak," said he, against pilgrimages, and will not take holy bread, or holy water, nor 66 46 (1) The persecutors were Fisher's wife of Hornsey; Dr. Cox; Bishop Stokesley; Holland his sumner; Master Garter, king of arms. (2) Let no man judge you in meat and drink, or in respect of an holy day,' &c. Colos. ii. 16. VOL. V. CC exa bishop. |