Henry A. D. 1546. ence of men be of deeds, the earnest of the Spirit that worketh in him, testifieth and beareth witness unto his heart, that God hath chosen him, and that his grace shall suffice him, which grace is now not idle in him. In his works putteth he no trust. Now thou that ministerest in the kitchen, and art but a kitchen-page, receivest all things of the hand of God, knowest that God hath put thee in that No differ- office, submittest thyself to his will, and servest thy master, not as a man, but as Christ himself, with a pure heart, according as Paul teacheth us; puttest thy fore God trust in God, and with him seekest thy reward. Moreover, there is not a good in respect deed done, but thy heart rejoiceth herein; yea, when thou hearest that the but only word of God is preached by this apostle, and seest the people turn to God, thou in respect consentest unto the deed; thy heart breaketh out in joy, springeth and leapeth of faith. in thy breast, that God is honoured; and thou, in thine heart, doest the same that the apostle doth, and haply with greater delectation and a more fervent spirit. Now, he that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet, shall receive the reward of a prophet (Matt. x.); that is, he that consenteth to the deed of a prophet, and maintaineth it, the same hath the same Spirit, and earnest of everlasting life, which the prophet hath, and is elect as the prophet is. Article. Article Article. Good in. tents. Now if thou compare deed to deed, there is great difference betwixt washing of dishes and preaching the word of God: but, as touching to please God, none at all. For neither that, nor this pleaseth, but as far forth as God hath chosen a man; hath put his Spirit in him, and purified his heart, by faith and trust in Christ,' etc.' XXIII. "Ceremonies of the church have brought the world from God." Fol. 86. Read the place of Tyndale: 'Seek the word of God in all things, and without the word of God do nothing, though it appear ever so glorious. Whatsoever is done without the word of God, that count idolatry. The kingdom of heaven is within us. Wonder therefore at no monstrous shape, nor at any outward thing without the word. For the world was never drawn from God, but with an outward show, and glorious appearance and shining of hypocrisy, and of feigned and visored fasting, praying, watching, singing, offering, sacrificing, hallowing of superstitious ceremonies, and monstrous disguising.' XXIV. "Beware of good intents: they are damned of God.” Fol. 87. XXV. "See thou do nothing but that God biddeth thee.” Fol. 87. The words of Tyndale out of which these two articles be gathered are these: 'Beware of thy good intent, good mind, good affection or zeal, as they call it. Peter, of a good mind, and of a good affection or zeal, chid Christ, because he said that he must go to Jerusalem and there be slain. But Christ called him Satan for his labour (a name that belongeth to the devil), and said that he perceived not godly things, but worldly.3 Of a good intent, and of a fervent affection to Christ, the sons of Zebedee would have had fire to come down from heaven to consume the Samaritans; but Christ rebuked them, saying, that they wist not of what spirit they were; that is, that they understood not how that they were altogether worldly and fleshly minded. Peter smote Malchus of a good zeal, but Christ condemned his deed. The very Jews, of a good intent and of a good zeal, slew Christ, and persecuted the apostles, as Paul beareth them record. I bear them record (saith he), that they have a fervent mind to God-ward, but not according to knowledge. It is another thing, then, to do of a good mind, and to do of knowledge. Labour for knowledge, that thou mayest know God's will, and what he would have thee to do. (1) The words of Tyndale sufficiently discharge the article of all heresy, if they be well-weighed. The meaning whereof is this, that all our acceptation with God, standeth only upon our faith in Christ, and upon no work nor office. Cornelius the soldier, believing in Christ, is as well justified before God, as the apostle or preacher; so that there is no rejoicing now either in work or office, but only in our faith in Christ, which only justifieth us before God. Rom. viii. (2) Luke xvii. (4) Luke ix. (5) Rom. x. (3) Matt. xvi. VIII. A. D. 'Our mind, intent, and affection or zeal, are blind, and all that we do of Henry them is damned of God; and for that cause hath God made a testament between him and us, wherein is contained both what he would have us to do, and what he would have us to ask of him. See, therefore, that thou do nothing to please God withal, but that he commandeth; neither ask any thing of him but that he hath promised thee.' 1546. XXVI. "Churches are for preaching only, and not as they be Article. used now." Fol. 87. This article containeth neither error nor heresy, but is plain enough of itself, to all them that have their minds exercised in the scriptures of God. XXVII. "To worship God otherwise than to believe that he is Article. just and true in his promise, is to make God an idol." Fol. 87. Read the words of Tyndale with this article. 'God is honoured on all sides, in that we count him righteous in all his laws and ordinances, and also true in all his promises. Other worshipping of God none, except we make an idol of him.' XXVIII. "Pharaoh had no power to let the people depart at Article. God's pleasure." Fol. 95. XXIX. "Our prelates, in sin say they have power." Fol. 95. Article. Read the place in "The Wicked Mammon," out of the which these two articles are gathered. 'Paul saith, If thou confess with thy mouth that Jesus is the Lord, and believe with thine heart that God raised him from death, thou shalt be safe:1 that is, if thou believe he raised him up again for thy salvation. Many believe that God is rich and almighty, but not unto themselves: and that he will be good to them, and defend them, and be their God. Pharaoh, for pain of the plague, was compelled to confess his sins; but had yet no power to submit himself unto the will of God, and to let the children of Israel go, and to lose so great profit for God's pleasure: as our prelates confess their sins, saying, Though we be never so evil, yet have we the power. And again, The scribes and the pharisees, say they, sat in Moses' seat: Do as they teach, but not as they do. Thus confess they that they are abominable.' 66 HERE FOLLOW OTHER HERESIES AND ERRORS, COLLECTED BY " First Article.-"Tyndale saith, "We are bound to make satisfac- Article. tion to our neighbour, but not to God.'" Fol. 132. 'Satisfaction is a full recompense or amends-making to him whom we have offended, which recompense we are able to make one man to another, and are bound so to do; but to God no man can make any amends or recompense, but only God's own Son Christ Jesus our Saviour: for else, if man could have made satisfaction to God, then had Christ died in vain." Lo! what heresy or error is in this article? II. "He saith, that children ought not to marry without the con- Article. sent of their parents." Fol. 120. The words of Tyndale in the "Obedience," be these: (1) Rom. x. (2) Satisfaction' is treated of at fo. 132 in the edition of 1573, and also at fo. 149; but this passage does not occur in either page.-ED. (3) Gal. ii. Henry VIII. A. D. 1546. 'Let the fathers and mothers mark how they themselves were disposed at all ages, and, by experience of their own infirmities, help their children, and keep them from occasions. [Let them teach children to ask marriages of their fathers and mothers, and] let them provide marriages for them in season, teaching them also to know, that she is not his wife which the son taketh, nor he her husband which the daughter taketh, without the consent and good will of their rents'con- elders, or them that have authority over them. If their friends will not marry marriage. them, then are they not to blame, if they marry themselves. Let not the The pa sent in fathers and mothers always take the uttermost of their authority of their children, but, at all times, suffer with them, and bear their weakness, as Christ doth ours.' Article. III. "He saith, that vows are against the ordinance of God." Fol. 109. Article. Article. Article. Article. They that say that this article is a heresy, let them show where these vows in all the New Testament be ordained of God; especially such vows of single life, and wilful poverty, as by the canon law be obtruded on young priests and novices. St. Paul plainly forefendeth any widows to be admitted under the age of threescore years. Is not here, trow you, a perilous heresy? IV. "He saith, that a christian man may not resist a prince being an infidel and an ethnic.' This taketh away freewill." Fol. 112. St. Peter willeth us to be subject to our princes.' St. Paul also doth the like; who was also himself subject to the power of Nero; and, although every commandment of Nero against God he did not follow, yet he never made resistance against the authority and state of Nero; as the pope useth to do against the state not only of infidels, but also of christian princes. V. "Whatsoever is done before the Spirit of God cometh and giveth us light, is damnable sin.' This is against moral virtues.” Fol. 113. What heresy Aristotle in his Ethics can find by this article, I cannot tell. Sure I am, that the Word and Spirit of God, well considered, can find none, but rather will pronounce the contrary to be a damnable heresy. VI." He reproveth men that make holy saints their advocates to God, and there he saith, that saints were not rewarded in heaven for their holy works." Fol. 114. The words of Tyndale be these: 'They turn from God's word, and put their trust and confidence in the saint, and his merits, and make an advocate, or rather a God, of the saint.' They ascribe heaven unto their imaginations and mad inventions, and receive it not of the liberality of God, by the merits and deserving of Christ.' VII. "God moved the hearts of the Egyptians to hate the people; likewise he moved kings," etc. Fol. 118. The words in the "Obedience" be these: In Psalm cvi. thou readest, He destroyed the rivers, and dried up the springs of water, and turned the fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of the inhabitants thereof. When the children of Israel had forgotten God in Egypt, God moved the hearts of the Egyptians to hate them, and to subdue them with craft and wiliness.'3 In 2 Kings ii. God was angry with his people, and moved David to number them, when Joab and the other lords wondered why he would have them numbered: and because they feared lest some evil should follow, dissuaded the (3) Psalm civ. and Deut. iii. (1) 1 Pet. ii. (2) Rom. xiii. king: yet it holped not. God so hardened his heart' in his purpose, to have Henry an occasion to slay the wicked people.' VIII. "Paul was of higher authority than Peter." Fol. 125. be these: "I suppose, saith he (meaning Paul), that I was not behind the high apostles; meaning in preaching Jesus Christ and his gospel, and in ministering the Spirit. And, in the same chapter, he proveth by the doctrine of Christ, that he was greater than the high apostles: for Christ saith, To be great in the kingdom of God, is to do service, and take pain for others.' Upon which rule Paul disputeth, saying, If they be the ministers of Christ, I am more: in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prison more plenteous, in death oft, etc. If Paul preached Christ more than Peter, and suffered more for his congregation, then is he greater than Peter, by the testimony of Christ.' A. D. 1546. Article. IX. "A priest ought to have a wife for two causes. Fol. 133. Article. The words of Tyndale be these: made 'He must have a wife for two causes; one, that it may thereby be known True docwho is meet for the room: he is unapt for so chargeable an office, which had trine never household to rule. Another cause is, that chastity is an exceeding seldom heresy. gift, and unchastity exceeding perilous for that degree, inasmuch as the people look as well unto the living as unto the preaching, and are hurt at once if the living disagree, and fall from the faith, and believe not the word.' X. "He condemneth auricular confession." Fol. 140. Article. XI. " Every man is a priest, and we need no other priest to be a Article. mean for us unto God." Fol. 144. The words in "The Obedience" be these: 'There is a word called in Latin 'sacerdos,' in the Greek, 'iepeùs,' in Hebrew 'cohan;' that is, a minister, an officer, a sacrificer, or a priest, as Aaron was a priest, and sacrificed for the people, and was a mediator between God and them; and in the English it should have had some other name than priest: but Antichrist hath deceived us with unknown and strange terms to bring us into confusion and superstitious blindness. Of that manner is Christ a priest for ever, and all we are priests through him, and need no more of any such priest to be a mean for us unto God, etc. XII. "He destroyeth the sacraments of matrimony and orders." Article. Fol. 144. As truly as matrimony and orders be sacraments, so truly is this article a heresy. XIII. "He saith that purgatory is the pope's invention, and, Article, therefore, he do there whatsoever he will." Fol. 150. may One of the pope's own writers saith thus: "Souls being in purgatory, are under the pope's jurisdiction, and the pope may, if he will, evacuate all purgatory." Furthermore the old fathers make little mention of purgatory; the Greek church never believed the purgatory; St. Augustine doubteth of purgatory; and the Scriptures plainly disprove purgatory. St. John saith, "The blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God purgeth us from all sin ;" and the pope saith, sin;" "Sin cannot be purged but by the fire of purgatory." Now, whose invention can purgatory be, but only the pope's? ་ (1) God sometimes hardeneth the heart of good princes, for the wickedness of the people. (2) And made us kings and priests to God his Father,' &c. Apoc. i. (3) 1 John į. Henry A.D. XIV. "Saints be saved not by their merits, but only by the merits of Christ." Fol. 151. What can be more manifest and plain by the Scriptures, than this? 1546. Isaiah saith, "All we have erred, every man in his own ways, and God hath laid upon him all our iniquities," etc. Article. Article. The Tyndale import no such XV. "He saith, No man may be hired to pray."" Fol. 155. The words in "The Obedience" be true, which are these: To pray one for another, are we equally bound: and to pray, is a thing that we may always do, whatsoever we have in hand; and that to do, may no man hire another: Christ's blood hath hired us already;' etc. XVI. "He saith, Why should I trust in Paul's prayer or holiIf St. Paul were alive, he would compare himself to St. Paul, and be as good as he." Fol. 159. ness ?' The words of Tyndale be these: 'Why, am not I also a false prophet, if I teach thee to trust in Paul, or in words of his holiness or prayer, or in any thing save in God's word, as Paul did? If Paul were here, and loved me as he loved them of his time, to whom he was a servant to preach Christ, what good could he do for me, or wish me, but preach meaning Christ, and pray to God for me, to open my heart, to give me his Spirit, and to bring me to the full knowledge of Christ? Unto which port or haven when I am once come, I am as safe as Paul, fellow with Paul, joint heir with Paul of all the promises of God;' etc. as in the article. Article. What XVII. "He saith, that all that be baptized, become Christ himself." Fol. 163. With this article confer the words of "The Obedience," which be these: In Matt. xxv. saith Christ, Inasmuch as ye have done it to any of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it to me: and inasmuch as ye have not done it unto one of the least of these, ye have not done it unto me. Here seest thou that we are Christ's brethren, and even Christ himself, and whatsoever we do one to another, that do we to Christ?' etc. XVIII. "He saith, that the children of faith be under no law." Fol. 163. The words of Tyndale be these: ⚫ 'I serve thee not because thou art my master or my king, for hope of reward or fear of pain, but for the love of Christ. For the children of faith are under no law, as thou seest in the epistles to the Romans, to the Galatians, and the first of Timothy, but are free. The Spirit of Christ hath written the lively law of love in their hearts, which driveth them to work of their own accord, freely and willingly, for the great love's sake only which they see in Christ; and, therefore, need they no law to compel them,' etc. XIX. "There is no deed so good, but that the law condemneth it." Fol. 167. The place in "The Obedience" is this: 'Thou hast the story of Peter, how he smote Malchus' ear, and how Christ healed it again. There hast thou, in the plain text, great learning, great fruit, and great edifying, which I pass over. Then come I, when I preach of the heresy is law and the gospel, and borrow this example, to express the nature of the law and of the gospel, and to paint it unto thee before thine eyes; and of Peter and nis sword make I the law, and of Christ the gospel, saying, As Peter's sword cutteth off the ear, so doth the law. The law damneth, the law killeth and in this? |