mangleth the conscience. There is no ear so righteous, that can abide the Henry hearing of the law. There is no deed so good, but that the law damneth it. But Christ (that is to say, the gospel, the promises and testament that God hath made in Christ), healeth the ear and conscience, which the law hath hurt.'

VIII.

A. D.

1546.

XX. "To ask of God more than he hath promised, cometh of a Article. false faith, and is plain idolatry." Fol. 171.

The words of Tyndale are these :

in this ?

'Look wherein thou canst best keep the commandments; thither get thyself, What and there abide,' etc. If we have infirmities that draw us from the laws of God, heresy is let us cure them with the remedies that God hath made. If thou burn, marry; for God hath promised thee no chastity, as long as thou mayest use the remedy that he hath ordained; no more than he hath promised to slack thine hunger without meat. Now, to ask of God more than he hath promised, cometh of a false faith, and is plain idolatry,' etc.

XXI. "Our pains-taking in keeping the commandments, doth Article. nothing but purge the sin that remaineth in the flesh; but to look for any other reward or promotion in heaven, than God hath promised for Christ's sake, is abominable in the sight of God." Fol. 171.

Consider the place in "The Obedience," which is this:

"To look for any other reward or promotion in heaven, or in the life to come, than that which God hath promised for Christ's sake, and which Christ hath deserved for us with his pain-taking, is abominable in the sight of God; for Christ only hath purchased the reward. And our pain-taking to keep the commandments, doth but purge the sin that remaineth in the flesh, and certify us, that we are chosen and sealed with God's Spirit, unto the reward that Christ hath purchased for us.'

XXII. "The pope hath no other authority but to preach only." Article. Fol. 173.

Christ said to Peter, "Feed my sheep ;" "and thou being converted, confirm thy brethren." And to his apostles he said, "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel," etc. Again, St. Paul3 saith, that Christ sent him not to baptize, but to preach to what other office or function he sent the pope, let them judge, who consider the Scriptures.4

XXIII. "If thou bind thyself to chastity, to obtain that which Article. Christ purchased for thee, so surely art thou an infidel." Fol. 175. Read and confer the place of Tyndale, which is this:

Chastity canst thou not give to God, further than God lendeth it thee. If Chastity. thou canst not live chaste, thou art bound to marry, or to be damned. Last of all for what purpose thou bendest thyself, must be seen. If thou do it to obtain thereby that which Christ hath purchased for thee, so art thou an infidel, and hast no part with Christ. If thou wilt see more of this matter, look in Deuteronomy, and there thou shalt find it more largely treated of.'

XXIV. "He denieth, rebuketh, and damneth miracles." Fol. 176. Article. The words in Tyndale's “Obedience" be these:

far

And when they cry Miracles, Miracles, remember that God hath made Miracles an everlasting testament, with us in Christ's blood; against which we may how receive no miracles, no, neither the preaching of Paul himself, if he came again believed. (by his own teaching to the Galatians), neither yet by the preaching of the angels of heaven,' etc.

(1) John xxi.

(2) Luke xxii.

(4) This heresy is only to the pope but none at all to God.

(3) 1 Cor. i.

Henry 'The end of God's miracles is good: the end of these miracles is evil. For VIII. the offerings, which are the cause of the miracles, do but minister and maintain A. D. vice, sin, and all abomination, and are given to them that have too much, so that for very abundance they foam out their own shame, and corrupt the whole world with the stench of their filthiness.' Fol. 159.

1546.

Article.

Good intents,

without

God's word.

Article.

Article.

Article.

Article.

XXV. "He saith, that no man should serve God with good intent or zeal; for it is plain idolatry." Fol. 177.

The place is this in "The Obedience :"

'Remember Saul was cast away of God for ever, for his good intent. God requireth obedience unto his, word, and abhorreth all good intents and good zeals which are without God's word; for they are nothing else but plain idolatry, and worshipping of false Gods.'

66

HERE FOLLOW OTHER HERESIES AND ERRORS, COLLECTED BY
THE BISHOPS, OUT OF THE BOOK CALLED THE REVELATION
OF ANTICHRIST,' WITH THE PLACES OF THE BOOK, OUT OF
WHICH THEY WERE GATHERED, ANNEXED TO THE SAME.

I. “To bind a man perpetually to any vow of religion, is without doubt an error." Fol. 19.

The place of the book called "The Revelation," whence this article is gathered, is this that followeth :

'Which the fathers did neither make nor keep: he meaneth vows, but, with the liberty of the spirit, binding no man perpetually to them. For, if they did, without doubt, they erred according to man's fragility.'

II. "To say the constitutions of religion are good, because holy men did ordain them, as Augustine, Benedict, Francis, Dominic, and such others, and to follow such examples of fathers, is to leave the faith." Fol. 19.

The place of the article is this:

2

'But they object, The statutes and ordinances are good: holy men did make them, as Augustine, Benedict, Bernard, Francis, Dominic, and such others. To this I answer, that is even it, that Christ and the apostles did mean, that these works should be like to those things which are taught in the gospel, for that they call counterfeiting of the doctrine, and privily bringing in of sects and heresies, because they take only of the fathers' examples of works, and leave the faith,' etc.

III. "All moral divines have a wicked conscience, full of scrupulosity." Fol. 3.

Moral divines be they, whose doctrine and hope of salvation consisteth in moral virtues, rather than in christian faith, apprehending the free promises of God in Christ. And they that be such, can never be certified in conscience of their salvation, but always be full of fear and scrupulosity. St. Paul, therefore, saith, "It is therefore of faith, that it might come by grace, and the promise might be firm and sure to the whole seed."3'

IV. "Moral virtues, as justice, temperance, strength, chastity, described by natural reason, make a synagogue, and corrupt Christ's faith." Fol. 64.

(1) Translated by John Frith, A.D. 1529. (8vo. Marlborow in Hesse). This work, and 'The Sum of the Scriptures,' are extremely scarce.-ED.

(2) 2 Pet. ii.

(3) Rom. iv.

The place of this article, gathered out of "The Revelation," is Henry this:

'So many he (the pope he meaneth) corrupteth, as he hath subdued and led under his laws and empery. And who is he in the world that is not subject under him, except they be infants, or peradventure some simple persons, who are reserved by the inscrutable counsel and provision of God? O thou man of sin! O thou son of perdition! O thou abomination! O thou corrupter! O thou author of evil consciences! O thou false master of good consciences! O thou enemy of faith and christian liberty! Who is able to rehearse, yea, or to comprehend in his mind, the infinite waves of this monstrous king's evils?'1

'If he had ordained these his laws in those works of virtues that are commended in the ten precepts, or else in such as the philosophers and natural reason did describe, as are justice, strength, temperance, chastity, mildness, truth, goodness, and such others, peradventure they should only have made a synagogue, or else have ordained in the world a certain civil justice; for, through these, faith also should have been corrupted, as it was among the Jews. Howbeit, now he keepeth not himself within these bounds, but runneth at riot, and more at large, raising infinite tempests of mischief, enticing and drawing us to ceremonies, and his own feigned traditions, and bindeth us like asses and ignorant fools, yea and like stocks unto them,' etc.

VIII.

A. D.

1546.

V. "Christ took away all laws, and maketh us free and at liberty; Article. and most of all he suppresseth all ceremonies." Fol. 63, 65.

The place of this article, gathered out of "The Revelation," is this:

Christ, taking away all laws to make us free and at liberty, did most of all and disannul the ceremonies, which did consist in places, persons, garsuppress ments, meats, days, and such other; so that their use should be to all men most free and indifferent,' etc.

What he meaneth by taking away all laws, he declareth a little before, saying:

'He hath not delivered us from the law, but from the power and violence of the law, which is the very true loosing. But, for all that, he hath not taken away from the powers and officers, their right, sword, and authority to punish the evil: for such pertain not to his kingdom, until they are made spiritual; and then freely and with a glad heart they serve God.'

VI." If the pope would make all the observations of the cere- Article. monies, as Lent, fasting, holy-days, confession, matrimony, mass, matins, and relics, etc., free and indifferent, he should not be Antichrist; but now, because he commandeth them in the name of Christ, he utterly corrupteth the church, suppresseth the faith, and advanceth sin." Fol. 67.

If the pope will infer a necessity of those things which Christ leaveth free and indifferent, then what doth he make himself but Antichrist? The article is plain, and is founded upon the doctrine of Christ, and St. Paul.

VII. "To believe in Christ, maketh sure inheritors with Christ." Fol. 1.

66

Article.

VIII. If a man say, ‘Then shall we do no good works?' I an- Article. swer as Christ did: "This is the work of God to believe in him whom he hath sent.""

Fol. 1.

(1) By this king, he meaneth the king of faces which Daniel speaketh of in the eighth chapter. [Dan. viii. 23. A king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences.' See also Note 1, page 589.-ED.]

Henry
VIII.

A. D.
1546.

Article.

Article.

The place of these two articles, gathered out of "The Revelation," is this:

Who is this light, that we are exhorted to believe in? Truly it is Christ, as St. John doth testify. He was the true light, that lighteneth all men who come into the world. To believe in this light, maketh us the children of light, and the sure inheritors with Jesus Christ. Even now have we cruel adversaries, who set up their bristles, saying, Why! shall we then do no good works? To these we answer, as Christ did to the people, in the sixth of St. John, who asked him what they should do, that they might work the works of God. Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe in him whom he hath sent. And after it followeth, Verily, verily I say unto you, he that believeth on me hath everlasting life. To this also consenteth St. John, in his epistle, saying, These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God, that you may surely know, how that you have eternal life. What is the name of the Son of God? Truly his name is Jesus, that is to say, a Saviour; therefore thou must believe that he is a Saviour.

But what availeth this? The devils do thus believe and tremble. They know, that he is the Son of God, and said unto him, crying, O Jesu, the Son of God! what have we to do with thee? They know, that he hath redeemed mankind by his passion, and they laboured to let it: for when Pilate was set down to give judgment, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man; for I have suffered many things this day in my sleep about him.3 No doubt she was vexed of the devil, to the intent that she should persuade her husband to give no sentence upon him, so that Satan might the fonger have had jurisdiction over mankind. They know, that he hath suppressed sin and death; as it is written, Death is consumed into victory. Death, where is thy sting? Hell, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; the strength of sin is the law; but thanks be unto God which hath given us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ: who by sin damned sin in the flesh. For God made him to be sin for us, that is to say, a sacrifice for our sin (and so is sin taken in many places) which knew no sin, that we, by his means, should be that righteousness, which before God is allowed. It is not, therefore, sufficient to believe that he is a Saviour and Redeemer; but that he is a Saviour and Redeemer unto thee,' etc.

IX. "Numbering of sins maketh a man more a sinner, yea, a blasphemer of the name of God." Fol. 3.

The place of this article, gathered out of "The Revelation," is this: 'Acknowledge thyself a sinner, that thou mayest be justified. Not that the numbering of thy sins can make thee righteous, but rather a greater sinner, yea, and a blasphemer of the holy name of God, as thou mayest see in Cain, who said that his sins were greater than that he might receive forgiveness; and so was a reprobate,' etc.

X. "God bindeth us to that which is impossible for us to accomplish." Fol. 3.

The place of this article, gathered out of "The Revelation," is this:

'If thou ask of me, why he bindeth us to that which is impossible for us to accomplish, thou shalt have St. Augustine's answer, who saith, in the second book that he wrote to Jerome, that the law was given us, that we might know what to do, and what to eschew; to the intent that when we see ourselves not able to do that which we are bound to do, nor avoid the contrary, we may then know what we shall pray for, and of whom we shall ask this strength, so that we may say unto our Father, Good Father! command whatsoever it pleaseth thee, but give us thy grace to fulfil what thou commandest. And when we perceive that we cannot fulfil his will, yet let us confess that the law is good and holy, and that we are sinners and carnal, sold under sin.5 But let us not

(1) John i.

(2) James ii.; Matt. viii. (4) Hosea xiii.; Heb. ii.; 1 Cor. xv.; Rom. viii.

(3) Matt. xxvii.

(5) Rom. vii.

here stick; for now we are at hell-gates, and doubtless should fall into utter Henry desperation, except God did bring us again, showing us his gospel and promise, saying, Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's pleasure to give you a kingdom,'1 etc.

VIII.

A. D.

1546.

XI. "Sin cannot condemn us, for our satisfaction is made in Article. Christ who died for us." Fol. 4.

The place of this article, gathered out of "The Revelation," is this:

'Sin hath no power over us, neither can condemn us, for our satisfaction is made in Christ, who died for us that were wicked and naturally the children of wrath. But God, which is rich in mercy, through the great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead through sin, hath quickened us with Christ, and with him hath raised us up, and with him hath made us sit in heavenly places, through Jesus Christ; to show, in times to come, the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness towards us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved, through faith; and that not of yourselves, for it is the gift of God, and cometh not of works, lest any man should boast himself,'' etc.

XII. "I will show thee an evident argument and reason, that Article. thou mayest know without doubt, who is Antichrist. All they that do pursue, are Antichrist. The pope, bishops, cardinals, and their adherents do pursue: therefore the pope, bishops, and cardinals, and their adherents, are Antichrists. I ween our syllogismus be well made." Fol. 9.

The place of this article gathered out of "The Revelation," is this:

I will show thee an evident reason, that thou mayest know without doubting who is the very Antichrist: and this argument may be grounded upon their furious persecution, which Paul doth confirm, writing to the Galatians. We, dear brethren, are the children of promise, as Isaac was; not the sons of the bondwoman, as Ishmael. But, as he that was born after the flesh did persecute him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. Mark Paul's reason. By Isaac, are signified the elect; and by Ishmael, the reprobate. Isaac did not persecute Ishmael; but, contrary, Ishmael did persecute Isaac. Now let us make our reason:

Bar- All they that do persecute as Ishmael, be reprobates and Antichrists. Major. ba- But all the popes, cardinals, bishops, and their adherents, do per- Minor. secute.

ra.

Therefore all the popes, cardinals, bishops, and their adherents, be Conclu-
Ishmael; reprobates and Antichrists.

'I ween our syllogismus is well made, and in the first figure.'

Read the place, and see how he proveth the parts of this argument more at large.

sion.

XIII. “I think verily, that so long as the successors of the Article. apostles were persecuted and martyred, there were good christian men, and no longer." Fol. 10.

The bishops of Rome in the primitive church, were under persecution the space of well near three hundred years, under which persecution, as good as thirty of them, and more, died martyrs. Since that time have succeeded two hundred and four popes, who have lived in great wealth and abundance, amongst whom if the book of "The Revelation" think that there be not four to be found good christian men, I think no less but that he may so think without any heresy.