[3 Thenceforward.] [ This well-known tale first appeared in Sir Thomas More’s Dia-]
[logue, as an illustration of the mistakes which might arise from not]
[distinguishing between a consequence and an effect. ]]
18 Answer to Sir Thomas More’s Dialogue. [chap
that the building of them and such like, through the false faith that we have in them, is the decay of all the havens in England, and of all the cities, towns, highways, and shortly of the whole commonwealth. For since these false monsters crope up into our consciences, and robbed us of the knowledge of our Saviour Christ, making us believe in such pope-holy and works, and to think that there was none other way unto heaven, we have not ceased to build them abbeys, cloisters, e, colleges, chauntries, and cathedral churches with high steeples, striving and envying one another who should do most. And as for the deeds that pertain unto our neighbours and unto the commonwealth, we have not regarded at all, as things which seemed no holy works, or such as God would not once look upon. And therefore we left them unseen to, until they were past remedy, or past our power to remedy them; inas- much as our slow bellies, with their false blessings, had juggled away from us that wherewith they might have been holpen in due séason. So that the silly poor man (though he had haply no wisdom to express his mind, or that he durst not, or that Master More fashioneth his tale as he doth other men’s, to jest out the truth,) saw that neither Goodwin sands, nor any other cause alleged, was the decay of Sandwich haven, so much as that the people had no lust to maintain the commonwealth, for blind devotion which they have to popeholy works.
The Solutions and Answers unto M. More’s
First Book
In the first chapter, to begin the book withal, to bring you good luck, and to give you a say!, or a taste what truth shall follow, he feigneth a letter sent from no man.
The Second Chapter
In the second chapter, besides that it is untrue this use to have been ever since the time of the apostles, he maketh many sophistieal reasons about worshipping of saints, relies, and images?; and yet declareth not with what manner worship, [! That is, an assay.]
[2 Inhis second chapter More says, Very sure I am that St Austin,
but juggleth with the term Zn common?, as he doth with this word church, and this word faith, when the words have divers significations: for all faiths are not one manner faith, and so forth; and therefore he beguileth a man’s understanding. As if a man said, The boy’s will was good, to have given his father a blow;’ and another would infer, that a good will could be no sin; and conclude that a man might lawfully smite his father. Now is good will taken in one sense in the major, and another in the minor, (to use scholars’ terms;) and therefore the conclusion doth mock a man’s wit. Then disputeth he, the servant is honoured for the master’s sake; and what is done to the poor is done to Christ; as the popish shall once feel for their so robbing them. And the twelve apostles shall have their seats, and sit and judge with Christ; as shall all that here preach him truly as they did. And Mary, that poured the ointment on Christ’s head before his passion, hath her memorial, and therefore we ought to set candles before images.
[St Hierome, St Basil, St Gregory, with so many a godly conning]
[man as hath been in Christ’s church from the beginning hitherto, un-]
[derstood those texts, (Thou shalt carve thee none image, &c.) as well]
[as did those heretics—having beside their learning the light and clear-]
[ness of God’s especial grace, by which they were inwardly taught of]
[his only Spirit, to perceive that the words spoken in the old law to the]
[Jews people, prone to idolatry, should have no place to forbid images]
[among his christian flock; where his pleasure would be to have the]
[image of his blessed body, hanging on his holy cross, had in honour]
[and reverent remembrance; where he would vouchsafe to send unto]
[the king Abiagarus the image of his own face; where he liked to]
[leave the holy vernacle, the express image also of his blessed visage,]
[as a token to remain in honour among such as loved him, from the]
[time of his bitter passion hitherto, Which as it was by the miracle]
[of his blessed holy hand expressed and left in the sudary; so hath it]
[been by like miracle, in that thin corruptible cloth, kept and preserved]
[this xv hundred year fresh and well perceived.” More’s Works, ed. of]
[1557. p. 113.] [3 “Well they note that the church worshippeth not saints as God,]
[but as God’s good servants; and therefore the honour that is done to]
[them redoundeth principally to the honour of their Master, like as]
[in eommon custom of people we do reverence sometime and make]
[great cheer to some men for their master’s sake, whom else we would]
[not, haply, bid once Good-morrow.” Id. p. 118.] [4 “Christ also promised that Saint Mary Magdalene should be]
[worshipped through the world, and have here an honourable remem-]
First, I ask him by what rule his argument holdeth? of ued - And secondarily, I answer, that the true worshipping of saints is their memorial, to follow them as they did Christ. And that honour we give them; and so do not ye popish, but follow the steps of your father the pope, as he doth the steps of his father the devil. And as for sticking up of candles, I anSwer, that God is a spirit, and in the spirit must be woro: ς… shipped only. Faith to his promises, and love to his laws, and longing for the life that is in his Son, are his due honour and service. All bodily service must be referred unto ourselves, and not unto the person of God immediately. All outward things which we receive of God are given us, to take our parts with thanks, and to bestow the rest upon our neighbours. For God useth no such things in his own person, but created them for to give them us, that we should thank him, and not to receive them of us, to thank us; for that were our praise, and not his. Fasting, watching, woolward-going, pilgrimage, exercise. and all bodily exercise, must be referred unto the taming of the flesh only. For as God delighteth not in the taste of meat, drink, or in the sight of gold or silver; no more doth he in my fast, and such like, that I should refer them unto his person, to do him a pleasure withal. For God in himself is as good as he can be, and hath all the delectation that he can have; and therefore to wish that God were better than he is, or had more pleasure than he hath, is of a worldly imagination. And all the spirits that be in heaven are in as good case as they can be, and have all the delectation they can have; and therefore to wish them in better case, or to study to do them more pleasure than they have, is fleshly-minded popishNESS. The pleasure of them that be in heaven is, that we de- hearken to God and keep his commandments; which when we to, do, they have all the pleasure that they can have in us. If jn this life I suffer hell gladly, to win my brother to follow God; how much more, if I were in heaven, should I rejoice brance, for that she bestowed that precious ointment upon his holy head: which thing when I consider, it maketh me marvel of the madness of these heretics, that bark against the old ancient customs of Christ’s church, mocking the setting up of candles, and with foolish faceties and blasphemous mockery demand whether God and his saints lack light, or whether it be night with them, that they cannot see without a candle. They might as well ask, What good did that ointment to Christ’s head?” Id. p. 118.]
that he so did! If in this world, when I have need of my neighbour by the reason of mine infirmities, yet I seek nought of him, save his wealth only; what other thing should I seek of him, if I were in heaven, where he can do me no service, nor I use any pleasure that he can do me?
The devil desired to have his imaginations worshipped as God, and his popish children desire the same, and compel men so to honour them; and of their devilish nature describe they both God and his saints. And therefore I say, all such fleshly imaginations, as to fast the Wednesday in the worship of St John, or of St Catharine, or what saint it be, or to fast saints’ eves, or to go a pilgrimage unto their images, or to offer to them, to do them pleasure, thinking thereby to obtain their favour, and to make special advocates of them, as a man would win the favour of another with presents and gifts, and thinking that if we did it not, they would be angry, are plain idolatry and image-service; for the saint delighteth in no such. And when thou stickest up a candle before the image, thou mightest with as good reason make an hollow belly in the image, and pour in meat and drink: for as the saint neither eateth nor drinketh, so hath he no bodily eyes to delight in the light of a candle.
Another is this, God giveth not the promises that are in Christ for bodily service, but of his mercy only, unto his own glory. Yea, and of the father’s goodness do all natural children receive. Ask a little boy, who gave him his gay coat? He answereth, his father Ask him why? And he answereth, Because he is his father, and loveth him; and because he is his son.” Ask him whether his father love him? And he saith, Yea.’ Ask him how he knoweth it? And he saith, Because he giveth me this, or that. Ask him whether he love his father? He saith, Yea.’ Ask him why? He saith, for his father loveth him, and giveth him all thing.’ Ask him, why he worketh? He answereth, his father will so have it.” Ask him, why his father giveth not such and such boys coats too? Nay, saith he, they be not his sons; their fathers must give them, as mine doth me. Go now, ye popish bond-servants, and receive your reward for your false works, and rob your brethren, and reign over them with violence and cruel tyranny; and make them worship your pillars, poleaxes, images and hats. And we will receive of the merciful [ TYNDALE, 11] e
da kindness of our Father; and will serve our brethren freely of very love; and will be their servants, and suffer for their sakes. And thereto, our good deeds, which we do unto our neighbour’s need, spring out of our righteousness or justifying, which is the forgiveness of our sins in Christ’s blood; and of other righteousness know we not before God. And contrariwise, your righteousness or justifying, which standeth (as your faith doth) with all wiekedness, springeth out of your holy works; which ye do to no man freely, save unto painted posts.
And when he allegeth the sacrifices of the old law, I say, They were sacraments, and preached unto the people, (as, no doubt, our candles once were,) and were no holy works to be referred unto God’s person to obtain his favour, and to justify the people, and that the people should do them for the works’ selves. And when the people had lost the significations, and looked on the holiness of the deeds, to be justified thereby, they were image-service, and hateful to God, and rebuked of the prophets, as it is to see throughout all the old Testament.
Then he juggleth with a text of St Paul (Rom. xiv.)’, Let every man for his part abound, one in this idolatry and another in that: when the sense of the text is, Let every man be sure of his own conscience, that he do nothing except he know well, and his conscience serve him, that it may be lawfully done. But what care they to abuse God’s word, and to wrest it unto the contrary? And in the last end, to utter his excellent blindness, he saith: The wise man, Luther, thinketh that if the gold were
[[! In More’s works, as published in 1557, his margin directs the]
[reader to 1 Thess. iv, and not to Rom. xiv. More allows that “it]
[would be percase very true,” that men ought to spend their money in]
[gifts to the living temples of the Holy Ghost, rather than to ornament]
[temples of stone, “if there were so little to do it with, that we should]
[be driven of necessity to leave the one undone;” and he proceeds to]
[say, But God giveth enough for both, and giveth divers men divers]
[kinds of devotion, and all to his pleasure.” In which, as the apostle]
[Paul saith, Let every man for his part abound, and be plenteous in]
[that kind of virtue that the Spirit of God guideth him to; and not]
[to be of the foolish mind that Luther is,” &c, p. 119. The text which]
[More had misapplied is the last clause of Rom. xiv. 5; which was]
[rendered in the Vulgate, Unusquisque in suo sensu abundet;” but by]
[Tyndale, “See that no man waver in his own mind.”]
taken from the relics, it would be given unto the poor immediately; when he seeth the contrary, that they which have their purses full, will give the poor, if they give aught, either an half penny, or in his country the fourth part of a farthing. Now I ask master More’s conscience, seeing they have no devotion unto the poor, which are as Christ’s own person, and for whom Christ hath suffered his passion, that we should be kind to them, and whom to visit with our alms is God’s commandment; with what mind do they offer so great treasure to the garnishing of shrines, images, and relics? It is manifest that they which love not God’s commandment can do nothing godly. Wherefore such offerings come of a false faith; so that they think them better than works commanded by God, and believe to be justified thereby. And therefore are they but image-service.
And when he saith, We might as well rebuke the pouring of the anointment on Christ’s head: nay, Christ was then mortal, as well as we, and used such things as we do, and it refreshed his body. But and if thou wouldest now pour such on his image, to do him pleasure, I would rebuke it.
The Third Chapter
In the third chapter he bringeth in miracles done at St Stephen’s tomb. I answer, that the miracles done at saints’ tombs were done for the same purpose that the miracles which they did, when they were alive, were done; even to provoke unto the faith of their doctrine; and not to trust in the place, or in bones, or in the saint: as Paul sent his napkin to heal the sick; not that men should put trust in his napkin, but believe his preaching.
And in the old Testament Eliseus healed Naaman, the heathen man, in the water of Jordan, not to put trust in the water, or to pray in that place; but to wonder at the power of God, and to come and believe as he also did. And that his bones, when he was dead, raised up a dead man, was not done that men should pray to him, (for that was not lawful then, by their own doctrine,) neither to put their trust in his bones, For God, to avoid all such idolatry, had polluted all dead bones; so that whosoever touched a dead bone, was unclean, and all that came in his company, until he had washed
himself; insomuch that if a place were abused with offering unto idols, there was no better remedy than to scatter dead bones there, to drive the people thence, for being defiled and polluted. But his bones did that miracle to testify that he was a true prophet, and to move men unto the faith of his doctrine. And even so miracles done at the holy cross were done to move men unto faith of him that died thereon; and not that we should believe in the wood.
He saith that pilgrims put not trust in the place, as necromancers do in their circles;” and saith he wotteth not what, to mock out the text of our Saviour, of praying in the spirit. And in the end he confoundeth himself, saying, We reckon Our prayers more pleasant in one place than in another!” And that must be by the reason of the place; for God is as good in one place as in another, and also the man. Moreover where a man pleaseth God best, thither is he most bound to go. And so that imagination bindeth a man to the place with a false faith; as necromancers trust in their circles.
And again, if God had said that he would more hear in one place than in another, he had bound himself to the place. Now as God is like good every where, generally, so hath he made his testament generally, wheresoever mine heart moveth me, and [I] am quiet to pray unto him, there to hear me like graciously. —
And if a man lay to our charge, that God bound them unto the tabernacle, and after to the temple, in the old testament; I say that he did it, not for the place’s sake, but for the monuments and testimonies, that there preached the word of God unto them; so that though the priests had been neglia the £ent to preach, yet should such things that there were have 5 kept the people in the remembrance of the testament, made between God and them. Which cause, and such like only, should move us to come to church, and unto one place more than another. And as long as I come more to one place than another because of the quietness, or that something preacheth God’s word more lively unto me there than in another, the place is my servant, and I not bound to it: which cause, and such
[[! “God is not bounden to the place, nor our confidence bounden]
[to the place, but unto God, though we reckon our prayer more pleasant]
[to God in the church than without, because his high goodness accepteth]
[it 50.” More, p. 123.]]
like, taken away, I cannot but put trust in the place as necromancers do in their circles, and am an image-server, and walk after mine owri imagination, and not after God’s word.
And when he saith, We might as well mock the observance of the paschal lamb;” I answer, Christ our paschal lamb is offered for us, and hath delivered us, as Paul saith (1 Cor. v.), whose sign and memorial is the sacrament of his body and blood. Moreover we were not delivered out of Egypt. And therefore, inasmuch as we be overladen with our own, I see no cause why we should become Jews, to observe their ceremonies too.
And when he saith, Holy strange gestures?;” I answer, for the holiness I will not swear, but the strangeness I dare well avow: for every priest maketh them of a sundry manner, and many more madly than the gestures of jack-anapes. And when he saith, that they were left from hand to hand, since the apostles’ time;” it is untrue: for the apostles used the sacrament as Christ did, as thou mayest see 1 Cor. xi. Moreover the apostles left us in the light, and taught us all the counsel of God, as Paul witnesseth, Acts xx.; and hid nothing in strange holy gestures,” and ape’s play, the significations whereof no man might understand.
And “a christian man is more moved to pity,” saith he, “at the sight of the cross than without it.” If he take pity, as Englishmen do, for compassion, I say that a christian man is moved to pity, when he seeth his brother bear the cross. And at the sight of the cross, he that is learned
in God weepeth not Christ? with ignorant women, as a man doth for his father when he is dead; but mourneth for his sins, and, at the sight of the cross comforteth his soul with
[2 “Which two things [going on pilgrimages and necromancer’s]
[circles,] if ye would resemble together, so might ye blaspheme and]
[have in derision all the devout rites and ceremonies of the church,]
[both in the divine services, as incensing, hallowing of the fire, of the]
[fount, of the paschal lamb, and over that the exorcisms, benedictions,]
[and holy strange gestures, used in consecration or ministration of the]
[blessed sacraments; all which holy things, great part whereof was from]
[. hand to hand left in the church, from the time of Christ’s apostles,]
[and by them left unto us,às it was by God taught unto them, men]
[might, &c.” M. Works, p. 121.] [3 So C, U. L. ed. Daye omits Christ.]]
the consolation of him that died thereon. But there is no sight, whether of the cross, or aught else, that can move you to leave your wickedness; for the testament of God is not written in your hearts.
And when he speaketh of praying at ehurch; who depjeth him, that men might not pray at church, or that the Church should not be a place of prayer? But that a man — could not pray save at church, and that my prayers were not heard as well elsewhere, if I prayed with like ferventness and strong faith, is a false lie. And when he speaketh of the presence of God in the temple; I answer, that the prophets testified how that he dwelt not there; and so doth Paul (Acts xvii); and so doth i. Stephen (Acts vii); and Solomon, iii. of the Kings viii. And no doubt, as the mad Jews meant, he dwelt not there; nor as we, more mad, suppose also: but he dwelled there onl in his signs, sacraments, and testimonies; which preached his Word unto the people. And finally, for their false confidence in the temple God destroyed it: and no doubt for our false.. 1. faith, in visiting the monuments of Christ, therefore hath God also destroyed them, and given the place under the infidels.
And when he speaketh of the pillar of fire and cloud, I answer, that God was no otherwise present there than in all fire and in all clouds; save that he shewed his power there specially, by the reason of the miracle, as he doth in the eyes of the blind, whom he maketh see, and yet is no otherwise present in those eyes than in other, nor more there to be prayed to than in other. And in like manner he is no more to be prayed to, where he doth a miracle, than where he doth none, Neither though we cannot but be in some place, ought we to seek God in any place, save only in our hearts, and that in verity, in faith, hope, and love or charity, according to the word of his doctrine.
And our sacraments, signs, ceremonies, images, relies and monuments, ought to be had in reverence, so far forth as they put us in mind of God’s word, and of the ensample of them that lived thereafter; and no farther. And the place is to be sought, and one to be preferred before another, for quietness to pray, and for lively preaching,
and for the preaching of such monuments, and so forth. And so long as the people so used them in the old Testament, they were acceptable and pleasant to God; and God was said to dwell in the temple. But when, the significations being lost, the people worshipped such things for the things’ selves, as we now do, they were abominable to God; and God was said to be no longer in the temple.
The Fourth Chapter
And in the fourth he saith, that “God setteth more by one place than another.” Which doctrine, besides that it should bind us unto the place, and God thereto, and cannot but make us have confidence in the place, is yet false. For first, God, unto whose word we may add nought, hath given no such commandment, nor made any such covenant. Neither is Christ here or there, saith the scripture; but in our hearts is the place where God dwelleth, by his own testimony, if his word be there.
And when he proveth it, because God doth a miracle more in one place than in another; I answer, if God will do a miracle, it requireth a place to be done in. Howbeit he doth it not for the place, but for the people’s sakes, whom he would call unto the knowledge of his name; and not to worship him more in one place than in another. As the miracles done in Egypt, in the Red Sea, in mount Sinai, and so forth, were not done that men should go in pilgrimage unto the places, to pray there; but to provoke them unto the true knowledge of God; that afterward they might ever pray in the Spirit, wheresoever they were. Christ also did not his miracles that men should pray in the places where he did them, but to stir up the people to come and hear the word of their souls’ health. And when he bringeth the
[[! The fourth chapter begins as follows: With that your friend]
[asked me, what reason were there that God would set more by one]
[place than another; or how know we that he so doth, namely if the]
[one be a church as well as the other? Whereunto I answered,—I was]
[never $0 near of his counsel, nor dare not be so bold to ask him. But]
[that he so doth in deed, that I am sure enough; yet not for that he]
[setteth more by that place for the soil and pavement of that place,]
[but that his pleasure in some place is to shew more of his assistance,]
[and to be more specially sought unto, than in some other.”]]
Air miracle of Siloe!, I answer, that the said miracle, and that Christ sent the blind thither to receive his sight, were not done that men should pray in the pool: but the second miracle was so done, to declare the obedient faith of the blind, and to make the miracle more known; and the first, for the word Οὗ God that was preached in the temple, to move the country ” about to come thither, and learn to know God, and to become God. a, lively temple, out of which they might ever pray, and in all places. Neither was the miracle of Lazarus done, that men should more pray in that place than in another, but to shew Christ’s power, and to move the people, through wondering at the miracle, to hearken unto God’s word and believe it, as it is to see plainly.
Moreover God so loveth no church, but that the parish not have liberty to take it down, and to build it in another place: yea, and if it be timber, to make it of stone, and to alter it at their pleasure. For the places, yea, and the images must serve us, and not God, which is a Spirit, and careth for none more than other, nor is otherwise present in one place than in another. And likewise is it of saints’ bones: we may remove them whither we will, yea, and break all images thereto, and make new, or if they be abused, put them out of the way for ever, as was the brasen serpent; so that we be lords over all such things, and they our servants. For if the saints were our servants, how much more their bones! It is the heart, and not the place, that worshippeth God. The kitchen-page, turning the spit h heart page, g the spit, may have a purer hear to God than his master at church; and therefore worship God better in the kitchen than his master at church. But when will M. More be able to prove, that miracles done at saints’ tombs were done that we should pray unto the saints; or that miracles done by dead saints, which alive neither preached God’s word nor could do miracle, are done of God? God loveth none angel in heaven better than the greatest sinner in earth, that repenteth and believeth in Christ; but contrariwise careth most for the weakest, and maketh all that be perfect their servants; until, as Paul saith (Eph. iv.) they be grown up in the knowledge of God into a perfect man, and into the measure of age of the fulness of Christ;
[1 Tyndale has assumed that the pool of Bethesda, and the waters]
that is, that we know all the mysteries and secrets that God hath hid in Christ; that we be no more children, wavering with every wind of doctrine, through the subtilty and wiliness of men, that come upon us, to bring us into error or beguile us. So far it is off that he would have us kept down to serve images. For with bodily service we can serve nothing that is a spirit. And thereto, if it were possible that all the angels of heaven could be mine enemies, yet would I hold me by the testament that my merciful and true Father hath made me in the blood of my Saviour, and so come unto all that is promised me, and Christ hath purchased for me, and give not a straw for them all.
The Fifth Chapter
In the fifth chapter he falleth from all he hath so long sweat to prove; and believeth, not by the reason of the miracles, but by the common consent of the church, and that many so believe. This man is of a far other complexion than was the prophet Elias: for he believed alone, as he thought, against the consent, by all likelihood, of nine or ten hundred thousand believers. And yet M. More’s church is in no other condition under the pope, than was that church, against whose consent Elias believed alone, under the kings of Samaria.
The Sixth Chapter
In the sixth chapter, and unto the eighteenth, he proveth almost nought, save that which never man denied him, that miracles have been done. But how to know the true miracles from the false, were good to be known; which we shall this wise do, if we take those for true sacraments and ceremonies which preach us God’s word, even so we count them true miracles only, which move us to hearken thereto.
The Sixteenth Chapter?
Concerning his sixteenth chapter, of the maid of Ipswich, I answer, that Moses warned his Israelites that false miracles
[2 Sir Thomas More’s sixteenth chapter. The author sheweth that whoso would inquire should soon find]
[that at pilgrimages be daily many great and undoubted miracles]
[wrought and well known. And specially he speaketh of the great]
should be done to prove them, whether their hearts were fast in the Lord. And even so Christ and the apostles shewed us before, that lying miracles should come to pervert the very elect, if it were possible. And therefore we must have a rule,
[and open miracle shewed at our lady of Ipswich, of late, upon the]
[daughter of sir Roger Wentworth, Knt.” “And as for the point that we spake of, concerning miracles done]
[in our days at diverse images, where these pilgrimages be, yet could I]
[tell you some such done so openly, so far from all cause of suspicion,]
[and thereto testified in such sufficient wise, that he might seem almost]
[mad that hearing the whole matter will mistrust the miracles. Among]
[which I durst boldly tell you for one the wonderful work of God,]
[that was within these few years wrought in the house of a right wor-]
[shipful knight, sir Roger Wentworth, upon divers of his children,]
[and specially one of his daughters, a very fair young gentlewoman,]
[of twelve years of age, in marvellous manner vexed and tormented]
[by our ghostly enemy, the devil, her mind alienated and raving, with]
[despising and blaspheming of God, and hatred of all hallowed things,]
[with knowledge and perceiving of the hallowed from the unhallowed,]
[all were she nothing warned thereof; and after that moved in her]
[own mind, and monished by the will of God, to go to our lady of]
[Ipswich. In the way of which pilgrimage she prophesied and told]
[many things, done and said at the same time in other places, which.]
[were proved true, and many things said, lying in her trance, of such -]
[wisdom and learning, that right cunning men highly marvelled to hear]
[of so young an unlearned maiden, when herself wist not what she]
[said, such things uttered and spoken, as well learned men might have]
[missed with a long study; and finally being brought and laid before]
[the image of our blessed lady, was there, in the sight of many wor-]
[shipful people, so grievously tormented, and in face, eyes, look, and]
[countenance, so grisly changed, with her mouth drawn aside, and her]
[eyes laid out upon her checks, that it was a terrible sight to behold.]
[And after many marvellous things, at the same time shewed upon]
[divers persons by the devil, through God’s sufferance, as well all the]
[remnant as the maiden herself, in the presence of all the company,]
[restored to their good state, perfectly cured and suddenly. And in]
[this matter no pretext of begging, no suspicion of feigning, no possi-]
[bility of counterfeiting, no simpleness in the seers, her father and]
[mother right honourable and rich, sore abashed to see such chances in]
[their children, the witnesses great number, and many of great wor-]
[ship, wisdom, and good experience, the maid herself too young to]
[feign. And the end of the matter virtuous, the virgin so moved in]
[her mind with the miracle, that she forthwith, for aught her father]
[could do, forsook the world and professed religion in a very good and]
[godly company at the Minories, where she hath lived. well and gra-]
[eiously ever since.”]]
F: XVL] THE FIRST BOOK. 91 to know the true miracles from the false; or else it were impossible that any man should escape undeceived, and continue in the true way. And other rule than this is there not: that the true are done to provoke men to come and hearken unto God’s word; and the false, to confirm doctrine that is not God’s word. Now it is not God’s word, if thou read all the scripture throughout, but contrary thereto, that we should put such trust and confidence in our blessed lady as we do; and clean against the testament that is in Christ’s blood. Wherefore a man need not to fear to pronounce that the devil did it, to mock us withal.
Neverthelater, let us compare the maid of Ipswich and the maid of Kent! together. First, they say that the maid of Ipswich was possessed with a devil, and the maid of Kent with the Holy Ghost. And yet the tragedies are so like the one to the other in all points, that thou couldest not know the Holy Ghost to be in the one, and the devil in the other, by any difference of works; but that thou mightest with as good reason say that the devil was in both, or the Holy Ghost in both; or the devil in the maid of Kent, and the Holy Ghost in the maid of Ipswich. For they were both in like trances; both ravished from themselves; both tormented alike; both disfigured; like terrible ugly and grisly in sight, and their mouths drawn aside, even unto the very ears of them; both inspired; both preach; both tell of wonders; will be both carried unto our lady; and are both certified by revelation, that our lady in those places, and before those images, should deliver them.
Now as for the maid of Ipswich, she was possessed of the devil by their own confession: whence then came that revelation, that she should be holp, and all her holy preaching? If of the devil, then was the miracle and all of the devil: if of the Holy Ghost, then was she inspired with the Holy Ghost, and had the devil within her, both at once. And inasmuch
[.. [ Elizabeth Barton, a nun, called for a while “The holy maid of]
[Kent,” was executed as a self-convicted impostor, in little more than]
[three years after Tyndale’s penning this paragraph. For accounts of]
[her pretended visions, and of the difficulties in which More involved]
[himself by consulting her, the reader may look at Strype’s Eccles.]
[Mem. Vol. r chap. 25. Burnet’s Hist. of Reform. B. 1m. Jenkyns’]
[Remains of Cranmer, Vol. r. Letters Ixxxii. and Ixxxiv. and Anderson’s]
[Annals, B. 1. xi.]]
as the maid of Kent was inspired by the Holy Ghost, by their confession; whence came that stopping of her throat, that raving, those grievous pangs, that tormenting, disfiguring, drawing of her mouth awry, and that fearful and terrible countenance? If of the Holy Ghost, and then why not the revel and gambols of the maid of Ipswich also? And then what matter maketh it, whether a man have the devil or the Holy Ghost in him? If ye say of the devil, then had she likewise both the devil wre and the Holy Ghost, both at once. Moreover, those possessed, which Christ helped, avoided Christ, and fled from him; so that other, which believed, were fain to bring them unto him against their wills. For which causes, and many more that might be made, thou mayest conclude, that the devil vexed them and preached in them, to confirm feigned confession, and dumb ceremonies, and sacraments without signification, and damnable sects, and shewed them those revelations; and as soon as they. were brought before our lady’s image, departed out of them, to delude us, and to turn our faiths from Christ, unto an old block: as we read in the legend of St Bartholomew, how the devils hurt men in their limbs, and as soon as they were brought into à certain temple before an idol, there they departed out of them, and so beguiled the people, making them believe that the idol had healed them of some natural diseases!. Howbeit let it be the Holy Ghost that was in the maid of Kent. Then, I pray you, what thing, worthy of so great dia praise, hath our lady done? Our lady hath delivered her of the Holy Ghost, and emptied her of much high learning, which, as a goodly poetess, she uttered in rhymes. For appose her now of Christ, as scripture testifieth of him, and thou shalt find her clean without rhyme or reason. The maid was at home also in heavenly pleasures; and our lady hath de- — livered her out of the joys of Orestes?, and brought her into the miseries of middle earth again.
[1 Ingressus Bartholom:eus templum, in quo erat idolum Astaroth,]
[quasi peregrinus ibi manere coepit. In hoc idolo quidam demon ha-]
[bitabat, qui se languentes curare dicebat; sed non subveniebat sanando,]
[sed homines primo leedendo, deinde a lesione cessando. Jussu apos-]
[toli demon confiteri ccepit, qualiter ad animarum proditionem populum]
[ludificabat, eis illudens ut sic ipsum ut deum adorarent, et verum]
[Deum coli negarent.—P. de Natal. Catalog. Sanct. Argent. 1513.]
[Lib. vi. cap. ciii.] [2 That is, of the insane; as Orestes was according to Grecian story.]]
The Seventeenth Chapter
As for Doulia, Hyperdoulia, and Latria, though he shew not with which of them he worshipped the cardinal’s hat, is answered unto him already.
The Eighteenth Chapter
In the eighteenth, where he would fain prove that the pope’s church cannot err, he allegeth things whereof he might be ashamed, if he were not past shame, to prove that the bishops have authority to lade us with traditions, neither profitable for soul nor body. He bringeth a false allegory upon the overplus that the Samaritan, if it were laid out, promised to pay when he came again, for the bishops’ traditions?. Nay, M. More, besides that allegories, which every man may feign at his pleasure, can prove nothing, Christ interpreteth it himself; that it betokeneth a kind mind, and a loving neighbour, which so loved a stranger, that he never left caring for him, both absent as well as present, until he were full whole, and comen out of all necessity. It signifieth that the prelates,. if they were true apostles, and loved us after the doctrine of Christ, would sell their mitres, crosses, plate, shrines, jewels and costly shews, to succour the poor, and not rob them of all that was offered unto them, as they have done; and to repair things fallen in decay and ruin in the commonwealth, and not to beggar the realms with false idolatry and image-
[3 In Chap. 18, of More’s Dial. the objector expounds Matt. xxiii.]
[2 3, as teaching us, “that christian men in like wise obey the bishop]
[and prelates, commanding only such things as [Christ] himself hath]
[commanded his people in his gospel and his own law.” Upon which]
[More says to him, “And in nothing else! What meaneth it then that]
[our Lord, in the parable of the Samaritan, bearing the wounded man]
[into the inn of his church, and delivering him to the host, after that]
[he had himself dressed his wounds with wine and oil, and left with]
[the host the two groats of the two testaments, promised the host be-]
[side that whatsoever the host would bestow upon him more, he would,]
[when he came again, recompense him therefor?” p. 142. More intended]
[that the meaning should be confessed to be that put upon this part]
[of the parable by several Romanists; viz. that the promised supple-]
[mentary gift for the healing of the souls left under the church’s care]
[signified the traditions which should gradually be brought to light.]]
service, that they have not left them wherewith to bear the cost of the common charges.
And moreover, when the scribes and Pharisees taught their own doctrine, they sat not upon Moses’s seat, but on their own. And therefore Christ (so far it is off that he would have us hearken unto man’s doctrine) said, “Beware of the leaven of the scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees,” which is their God doctrine; and rebuked them for their doctrine, and brake it himself, and taught his disciples so to do, and excused them;
0
and said of all traditions, that whatsoever his heavenly Father had not planted, should be plucked up by the roots. And thereto all the persecution that the apostles had of the Jews, was for breaking of traditions.
Our prelates ought to be our servants, as the apostles and Were, to teach us Christ’s doctrine; and not lords over us, to oppress us with their own. Peter calleth it tempting of the Holy Ghost (Acts xv.), to lade the heathen with aught above that which necessity and brotherly love required. And Paul rebuketh his Corinthians for their overmuch obedience, and the Galatians also; and warneth all men to stand fast, and not to suffer themselves to be brought into bondage.
And when he saith, Peter and Paul commanded us to obey obey T.: our superiors; that is truth, they commanded us to obey the temporal sword, which the pope will not. And they com- manded to obey the bishops in the doctrine of Christ, and not in their own. And we teach not to break all things rashly, (as M. More untruly reporteth on us); which is to be seen in our books, if men will look upon them. ΟΥ̓ traditions therefore understand generally: He that may be free, is a fool t be bound; but if through wiliness thou be brought into bondage, then if the tradition hurt thy soul and the faith, they are to be broken immediately, though with the loss of thy life If they grieve the body only, then are they to be borne till God take them off, for breaking the peace and unity. Then how sore maketh he Christ’s burden! If it be so — sore, why is M. More so cruel to help the bishops to lade us with more? But surely he speaketh very undiscreetly. For Christ did not lade us with one syllable more than we were ever bound to; neither did he any thing but interpret the [1 In C. U. L. ed. Neither did he save interpret. ] i
i XVIIL xix.] THE FIRST BOOK. 95 law truly. And besides that, he giveth unto all his love unto the law: which love maketh all things easy to be borne, that were before impossible.
And when he saith, Ye be the salt of the earth,” was spoken for the bishops and priests only, it is untrue; but it was spoken generally, unto all that believe and know the truth, that they should be salt unto the ignorant, and the perfecter unto the weaker, each to other, every man in his measure, And moreover, if it be spoken unto the prelates only, how fortuneth it that master More is so busy to salt the world with his high learning? And last of all the salt of our prelates, which is their traditions and ceremonies without signification, is unsavoury long ago; and therefore no more worth, but to be cast out at the doors, and to be trodden under foot.
And that he saith, in the end, that a man may have a good faith with evil living, I have proved it a lie in another place. Moreover, faith, hope, and love, be three sisters: thev never can depart? in this world; though in the world to come love shall swallow up the other two. Neither can the one be stronger, or weaker than the other; but as much as I believe, so much I love, and so much I hope, yea, and so much I work.
The Nineteenth Chapter
In the nineteenth he proveth that praying to saints is good; and miracles that confirm it are of God, or else the church, saith he, doth err. It followeth indeed, or that the pope’s church erreth. And when he saith it is sin to believe too much?; I say, we had the more need to take heed what we believe, and to search God’s word the more diligently, that we believe neither too much nor too little.
And when he saith God is honoured by praying to saints, because it is done for his sake; I answer, if it sprang not out of a false faith, but of the love we have to God, then should we love God more, And, moreover, inasmuch as all our love to God springeth out of faith, we should believe and trust God. And then if our faith in God were greater than our
[2 That is, part, separate.] [3 “Very well, quod I, then erreth he as much and as far lacketh]
[his right belief, that believeth too much, as he that believeth too little.”]
[More’s Dial. p. 145.]]
fervent devotion to saints, we 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. The Twenty-fifth Chapter. AE In the twenty-fifth how juggleth he, to prove that all that pertaineth unto the faith was not written; alleging John 1n the last [chapter], 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 our faith, to be saved by. But we believe it with a story faith, because we see no cause reasonable to think the contrary. W T 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 Thessalo-Dlans?, to prove his phantasy; I have answered Rocliester in The Obedience?,” that his traditions were the gospel that he preached.
And when he allegeth Paul to the Corinthians; I say that Paul never knew of this word Mass. Neither can man
[[! At these words More resumes the task of confuting Tyndale.] [2 St Paul commandeth the people of Thessalonica, in his epistle,]
[to keep the traditions that he took them, either by his writing, or by]
[his bare word. For the words that he said among them, our Lord]
[had told them him for them.” More, p. 160.] [? See Vol. 1. p. 219.]. [ “He writeth unto the Corinthians, that of the holy howsyll, the]
[sacrament of the altar, he had shewed them the matter and the]
[manner by mouth, as our Lord had himself taught it to him. And]
[therefore no doubt is there, but that by the apostles was the church]
[more fully taught of that matter, than ever was written in all the]
[scripture. There was learned the manner and form of consecration.]
[There was learned much of the mystical gestures and ceremonies]
[used in the mass. And if any man doubt thereof, let him consider]
[where should we else have the beginning of the water put with the]
[wine into the calice. For well we note that scripture biddeth it not.”]
[More, p. 160.]]
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. And therefore he calleth it Christ’s supper, and not mass.
“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 mingleth with the wine.” A great doubt also; and a perilous case, if it were left out! For either it was done to 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 shame, that aught should be done or used among us Christen, whereof no man wist the meaning. For if I understand not the meaning, it helpeth me not, 1 Cor. xiv.; and as experience 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. And as for that he allegeth out of the epistle of James, for the justifying of works, I have answered in the Mammon, against which he cannot hiss; and will speak more in the fourth book.
And as for the Saboth?, a great matter, we be lords over the Saboth; 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 [5 That is, custom. ]
[6 More’s comment goes on as follows: “Where Tyndale layeth that the slackness of feeding hath caused so many to be burned, I will not say Nay, but that it might have been better with some, if there had been used more diligence in preaching. But as for many such as have been burned, all the preaching in the world would not have holpen their obstinacy. But sure if the prelates had taken as good heed in time as they should have done, there should peradventure at length fewer have been burned thereby. But there should have been more burned by a great many than there have been within this seven year last passed: the lack whereof, I fear me, will make more burned within this seven year next coming, than else should have needed to have been burned in seven score.”]
[7 Tyndale has spelt this word Saboth; More has spelt it Sabbaoth.]
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 when he asketh, by what scripture we know that a woman may christen? I answer, if baptism be so necessary 83 they make it, then, Love thy neighbour as thyself,” doth teach women to baptize 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 pre- great clerks now; I answer, the more shame is theirs, How-… Er, the beit 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 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? tale, And, finally, to rock us asleep withal, he saith, that he long… — 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 ue miracles, sendeth us to the scripture. And for all Paul’s miracles, the Jews studied the scripture the 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 beforehand.
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,
[1 From this paragraph More turns back to one left unnoticed in]
[the previous page; and then digresses to criticise four passages in the -]
[Obedience, in Confut. cclxxi-vi.]
saith master 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 much? surer knowledge than if we believed it by the one telling of 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.
And it is not unknown to M. More, that the churches of late days, and the churches now being, have determined 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 thing that I mean; whereunto these that now reign, say Nay. Now, sir, if you gather a general council for the matter, 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 that he could not err, as we be now 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.
Now, sir, God hath made his last and everlasting testament?, and no more behind than the appearing of Christ again. Because all is done save the doom; and because God 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
[[ So C. U.L. ed] [3 In Day’s edition the words so that all is open occur here; but]
[they do not appear in More’s quotation, and seem as if added by one]
[who did not duly eonsider that by the word testament Tyndale here]
[means God’s covenant. [ The clause, Because allis done save the doom, is supplied from]
[More’s quotation.]]
mc. concluded such things as were in them determined, as stories MC., 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. Lukexvi. Abraham answered the rich man, “They have Moses and the eixxwi 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. Lukex. ας And when he allegeth, “He that heareth you heareth me, att. xviii.. MC. and if any man hear not the church, take him for an heathen,” concluding that we must believe whosoever is shaven, in all that he affirmeth, without scripture or miracle; I would fain M.C.coxe.to know in what figure that syllogismus is made. — Christ’s distheCon ciples 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
Men. In the twenty-ninth he allegeth, that Christ said not the Holy Ghost shall write, but shall teach. It is not the use to “wi say the Holy Ghost writeth, but inspireth the writer. I cchxvilie — mapve] that he had not brought, as many of his brethren do, Matt. xxviii. Matthew in the last, where Christ commanded the apostles M.C eai ^ G0 and teach all nations,” and said not, Write.” I answer, mocked. that this precept, Love thy neighbour as thyself, and God Wd ^ above all thing went with the apostles; and compelled them fomes” 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 Johnxx. be a remedy against heresies, as it well appeareth, John xx.,
[1 In reply to this Sir Thomas More says: “I say that the catholic — chureh bringeth miracles for their doctrine, as the apostles did for theirs, in that God ceaseth no year to work miracles in his catholic church, many and wonderful, both for his holy men quick and dead, and for the doctrine that these heretics impugn, as images, relies; and pilgrimages, and the blessed sacrament of the altar: and these so many, and in so many places, that these heretics themself can not deny it; but are shamefully driven to say, like the Jews, that it is the devil that doth them.” M. C. cexci.]]
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 soyl it, if his grace look well upon the matter, he shall find that God hath assoyled it for him in a case of his own?.
And upon that M. More concludeth his first book, that whatsoever the church, that is to wit, the pope and his brood, say, it is God’s word, though it be not written, nor confirmed. with miracle, nor yet good living; yea, and though they say to-day this, and to-morrow the contrary, all is good enough and God’s word; yea, and though one pope condemn another (nine or ten popes a row) with all their works for heretics, as it is to see in the stories, yet all is right, and none error.
[2 The heading of the last chapter of B. 1. of More’s Dialogue is,]
[“In that the church cannot err in the choice of the true scripture, the]
[author proveth by the reason which the king’s highness, in his noble and]
[most famous book, objecteth against Luther, that the church cannot]
[err in the necessary understanding of scripture.” ] [85 By the time Tyndale wrote this the king had been led, in the]
[providence of God, to dispute the authority of papal decisions.] [4 More’s conclusion is expressed by himself as follows, in the same]
[chapter: “Then are ye, quod I, also fully answered in this, that where]
[ye said ye should not believe the church telling you a tale of their]
[own, but only telling you scripture, ye now perceive that in such things]
[as we speak of, that is to wit, necessary points of our faith, if they]
[tell you a tale, which if it were false were damnable, ye must believe]
[and may be sure that, sith the church cannot in such things err, it]
[is very true all that the church in such things telleth you; and]
[that it is not their own word, but the word of God, though it be not]
[inseripture. That appeareth well, quod he. Then are ye, quod I, as]
[fully satisfied that where ye lately said that it were a disobedience]
[to God, preferring of the church before himself, if he shall believe]
[the church in such things as God in his holy scripture sayeth him-]
[self the contrary, ye now perceive it can in no wise be so. But sith]
And thus good night and good rest! Christ is brought asleep,. and laid in his grave; and the door sealed to; and the men of arms about the grave to keep him down with pole-axes. ΒῸΡ that is the surest argument, to help at need, and to be rid of these babbling heretics, that so bark at the holy 5 spiritualby with the scripture, being thereto wretches of no reputation, neither cardinals, nor bishops, nor yet great beneficed men; yea, and without tot quots and pluralities, having no hold but the very scripture, whereunto they cleave as burs, so fast that they cannot be pulled away, save with very singeing them off.
À sure token that the pope is antichrist.: is And though unto all the arguments and persuasions which Ἢ would blind us with, to believe that the pope with his sect were the right church, and that God, for the multitude, will not suffer them err, we were so simple that we saw not the subtility of the arguments, nor had words to solve them with, - but our bare faith in our hearts; yet we be sure, and so sure that we can therein not be deceived, and do both feel and see, that the conclusion is false, and the contrary true.
For first Peter saith (2 Pet. ii), “There shall be false teachers among you which shall secretly bring in damnable sects, denying the Lord that bought them; and many shall follow their damnable ways, by whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of, and with feigned words they shall make Merchandise over you.” Now,” saith Paul (Rom. iii.), the law speaketh unto them that are under the law.” And even so this is spoken of them that profess the name of Christ.
[his church, in such things as we speak of, cannot err, it is impossible]
[that the scripture of God can be contrary to the faith of the church.]
[That is very true, quod he. Then it is as true, quod I, that ye be]
[further fully answered in the principal point, that the scriptures laid]
[against images, and pilgrimages, and worship of saints, make nothing]
[against them. And also that those things, images I mean and pil-]
[grimages, and praying to saints, are things good, and to be had in]
[honour in Christ’s church, sith the church believeth so; which as]
[ye grant, and see cause why ye should grant, can in such points]
[not be suffered, for the special assistance and instruction of the Holy]
[Ghost, to fall into error. And so be we, for this matter, at last, with]
A THAT THE POPE IS ANTICHRIST, 1038 Now the pope hath ten thousand sects cropen in, as pied in their consciences as in their coats, setting up a thousand manner works to be saved by; which is the denying of Christ: and we see many, and almost all together, follow their damnable ways. And in that Peter said that they shall rail and blaspheme the truth, it followeth that there shall be a little flock reserved, by the hand of God, to testify the truth unto them; or else how could they rail on it? And it followeth that those railers shall be the mightier part in the world, or else they durst not do it. Now what truth in Christ doth not the pope rebuke, and, in setting up false works, deny altogether? And as for their feigned words, where findest thou in all the scripture purgatory, shrift, penance, pardon, pena, culpa, hyperdoulia, and a thousand feigned terms more? And as for their merchandise, look whether they sell not all God’s laws, and also their own, and all sin, and all Christ’s merits, and all that a man can think. To one he selleth the fault only; and to another the fault and the pain too!; and purgeth his purse of his money, and his brains of his wits, and maketh him so beastly that he can understand no godly thing.
And Christ saith (Matt. xxiv.),] There shall false anointed arise, and shew signs and wonders:” that is, they shall shew miracles, and so prevail that, if it were possible, the elect should be brought out of the true way. And these false anointed, by the same rule of Paul, and in that Christ saith also that they shall come in his name, must be in the church of Christ, and of them that shall eall themselves Christen, and shall shew their wonders before the elect, and be a sore temptation unto them, to bring them out of the way. And the elect, which are few in comparison of them that be called and come feignedly, shall among that great multitude be kept by the mighty hand of God against all natural possibility. So that the church and very elect shall never be such a multitude together by themselves, without persecution and temptation of their faith, as the great multitude under the pope is, which persecute and suffer not. And these which the pope calleth heretics, shew no miracles, by their own confession; neither ought they, inasmuch as they bring no new learning,
[[! That is, to some he sells exemptions a culpa only, and to others]
[a pana et culpa.]
nor aught save the scripture, which is already received and confirmed with miracles. Christ also promiseth us nought in this world, save persecution for our faith. And the stories Of the old Testament are also by Paul, 1 Cor. x., our ensamples. And there, though God at a time called with miracles a great multitude, yet the very chosen that received the faith in their hearts, to put their trust in God alone, and which endureth in temptations, were but few, and ever oppressed of their false brethren, and persecuted unto the death, and driven unto corners. ii. And when Paul (2 Thess. ii.) saith that antichrist’s coming shall be by the working of Satan with all power, signs and wonders of falsehood, and all deceivableness for them that perish, because they conceived not love unto the truth, to be saved by; and therefore shall God send them strong delusion, ΟἹ guile, to believe lies; the text must also pertain unto a multitude gathered together in Christ’s name, of which one part, and no doubt the greater, for lack of love unto the truth that is in Christ, to live thereafter, shall fall into sects, and a false faith under the name of Christ, and shall be indurate and stablished therein with false miracles, to perish for their Uunkindness. The pope first hath no scripture that he dare abide by, in the light; neither careth, but blasphemeth that his word is truer than the scripture. He hath miracles without God’s word, as all false prophets had. He hath lies in all his legends, in all preachings, and in all books. They have no love unto the truth; which appeareth by their great sins that they have set up, above all the abomination of all the heathen that ever were, and by their long continuance therein, not of frailty, but of malice unto the truth, and of obstinate lust and self-will to sin. Which appeareth in two things: the one, that they have gotten them with wiles and falsehood from under all laws of man, and even above king and emperor, that no man should constrain their bodies and bring them unto better order, that they may sin freely without fear of man; and on the other side, they have brought God’s word asleep, that it should not unquiet their consciences, insomuch that if any man rebuke them with that, they persecute him immediGod. ately, and pose him in their false doctrine, and make him an heretie, and burn him and quench it.
And Paul saith, (2 Tim. ii.) “In the latter days there
And as for their railing, look in their excommunication, and see whether they spare king, or emperor, or the testament of God. And as for obedience to father and mother, nay, they be immediately under God and his holy viear the pope; he is their father, and on his ceremonies they must wait. And as for unthankful, they be so kind, that if they have received a thousand pound land of a man, yet for all that they would not receive one of his offspring unto a night’s harbour, at his need, for their founder’s sake. And whether they be ungodly or no, I report me unto the parchment!. [! In these words Tyndale evidently refers to that document,
— And as for churlishness, see whether they will not have their causes venged, though it should cost whole regions, yea, and all Christendom, as ye shall see, and as it hath eost half Christendom already. And as for their promise or trucebreaking, see whether any appointment may endure for their dispensations, be it never so lawful, though the sacrament were received for confirmation, And see whether they have not broken all the appointments made between them and — their founders. And see whether they be not accusers, and iraitors also, of all men, and that secretly, and of their very own kings and of their own nation, And as for their head- ^ mess, see whether they be not prone, bold, and run headlong into all mischief, without pity or compassion, or caring what misery and destruction should fall on other men, so they may have their present pleasure fulfilled. And see whether lusts. they love not their lusts, that they will not be refrained from them, either by any law of God or man. And as for their Appearance of godliness, see whether all be not God’s service that they feign; and see whether not almost all consciences be captive thereto.
And it followeth in the text, as the sorcerers of Egypt resisted Moses, so resisted they the truth. They must be jug: therefore mighty jugglers. And to point the popish with the finger he saith, Men are they with corrupt minds, and castaways concerning faith;”’ that is, they be so fleshlyminded, so crooked, so stubborn, and so monstrous shapen, that they can receive no fashion to stand in any building that is grounded upon faith: but when thou hast turned them all ways, and done thy best to hew them and to make them frame, thou must be fain to cast them out with the Turks and Jews, to serve God with the image-service of their own false works. Of these and such like texts, and of the similitudes that Christ maketh in the gospel of the kingdom of heaven, it appeareth that though the Holy Ghost be in the chosen, and teacheth them all truth in Christ, to put their trust in him,
[on eight skins of parchment,” of which an account has been given]
[in Vol. 1. pp. 35, 36. The ungodly temper of those who dictated it]
[would seem to Tyndale sufficiently conspicuous, from what they had]
[dared to say respecting the consequences likely to follow the reading]
[of the word of God.]]
80 that they cannot err therein; yet, while the world standeth, God shall never have a church that shall either persecute, or be unpersecuted themselves any season, after the fashion οὗ the pope. But there shall be in the church a fleshly seed of Abraham and a spiritual; a Cain and an Abel; an Ishmael and an Isaac; an Esau and a Jacob; as I have said, a worker and a believer; a great multitude of them that be called, and a small flock of them that be elect and chosen. And the fleshly shall persecute the spiritual; as Cain did Abel, and Ishmael Isaac, and so forth; and the great multitude shall persecute the small little flock, and antichrist will be ever the best christian man.
So now the church of God is double, a fleshly and a spiritual: the one will be, and is not; the other is, and may not be so called, but must be called a Lutheran, an heretic, and such like. Understand therefore, that God, when he calleth a congregation unto his name, sendeth forth his messengers to call generally; which messengers bring in a great multitude, amazed and astonied with miracles and power of the reasons which the preachers make, and therewith be compelled to confess that there is but one God, of power and might above all, and that Christ is God and man, and born of ’ a virgin, and a thousand other things. And then the great multitude that is called and not chosen, when they have gotten this faith, common as well to the devils as them, and more strongly persuaded unto the devils than unto them, then they go unto their own imaginations, saying, We may no longer serve idols, but God that is but one And the manner of The service they fetch out of their own brains, and not of the God word of God; and serve God with bodily service, as they did thei in times past their idols, their hearts serving their own lusts still. And one will serve him in white; another in black; another in grey; and another in pied. And another, to do Friars. God a pleasure withal, will be sure that his shoe shall have two or three good thick soles under, and will cut him above, rne so that in summer, while the weather is hot, thou mayest see ”^^^ his bare foot, and in winter his sock. They will be shorn and shaven, and Sadducees, that is to say, righteous!; and Pharisees,
[1 This is an allusion to the opinion which derived their name]
[from the Hebrew ΣΤ, contrary to the ordinarily received opinion,]
that is, separated in fashions from all other men!, Yea, and they will consecrate themselves altogether unto God, and will anoint their hands, and hallow them as the chalice, from all manner lay uses: so that they may serve neither father nor mother, master, lord or prince, for polluting themselves; but must wait on God only, to gather up his rents, tithes, offerings, and all other duties. And all the sacrifice that come they COnsume in the altar of their bellies, and make Calil of it; that is, a sacrifice that no man may have part of?. They believe that there is a God; but as they cannot love his laws, so they have no power to believe in him. But they put their - trust and confidence in their own works, and by their own works they will be saved; as the rich of this world, when they sue unto great men, hope with gifts and presents to obtain their causes. Neither other serving of God know they, save such as their eyes may see, and their bellies feel. And of very zeal they will be God’s vicars, and prescribe a manner unto other, and after what fashion they shall serve God, and compel them thereto, for the avoiding of idolatry, as thou seest in the Pharisees.
But little flock, as soon as he is persuaded that there is a God, he runneth not unto his own imaginations, but unto the messenger that called him, and of him asketh how he shall 7 serve God: as little Paul (Acts ix.), when Christ had over- “thrown him, and caught him in his net, asked, saying, “Lord, what wilt thou that I do?” and as the multitude that were converted (Acts ii.) asked of the apostles, what they should do. And the preacher setteth the law of God before them; and they offer their hearts, to have it written therein, consenting that it is good and righteous. And because they have run clean contrary unto that good law, they sorrow and mourn; and because, also, their bodies and flesh are only is Otherwise disposed. But the preacher comforteth them, and of sheweth them the testament of Christ’s blood; how that for “his sake all that is done is forgiven, and all their weakness that they were named after one Sadoc, a disciple of Antigonus of Socho, who died about 263 B. C.]
[! Pharisees; DWAR, from WMD, separated, as Tyndale says, from other men.]
[2 292. Calil, the complete whole; and thence a whole burntoffering.]
shall be taken a worth, until they be stronger, only if they repent, and will submit themselves to be scholars, and learn to keep this law. And little flock receiveth this testament in his heart, and in it walketh and serveth God in the spirit. And from henceforth all is Christ with him; and Christ is his, and he is Christ’s. All that he receiveth he receiveth of Christ, and all that he doth he doth to Christ. Father, mother, master, lord and prince, are Christ unto him; and as Christ he serveth them, with all love. His wife, children, servants and subjects, are Christ unto him; and he teacheth them to serve Christ, and not himself and his lusts, And if he receive any good thing of man, he thanketh God in Christ, which moved the man’s heart. And his neighbour he serveth as Christ in all his need, of such things as God hath lent; because that all degrees are bought, as he is, with Christ’s blood. And he will not be saved for serving his brethren; neither promiseth his brethren heaven for serving him. But heaven, justifying, forgiveness, all gifts of grace, and all that is promised them, they receive of Christ, and by his merits freely. And of that which they have received of Christ, they serve each other freely, as one hand doth the other; seeking for their service no more than one hand doth of another, each the other’s health, wealth, help, aid, succour, and to assist one another in the way of Christ. And God they serve in the spirit only, in love, hope, faith and dread.
When the great multitude, that be called and not chosen, Cain, Ishmael, Esau, and carnal Israel, that serve God night and day with bodily service and holy works, such as they were wont to serve their idols withal, behold little flock, that they come not forth in the service of God, they roar out, Where art thou? Why comest thou not forth and takest holy water?’ Wherefore?’ saith little flock. To put away thy sins.’ Nay, brethren, God forbid that ye should so think; Christ’s blood only washeth away the sins of all that repent and believe. Fire, salt, water, bread, and oil be bodily things, given unto man for his necessity, and to help his brother with; and God that is a spirit cannot be served therewith: neither can such things enter into the soul, to purge her; for God’s word only is her purgation ‘Nol’ say they, are not such things hallowed? and say we not in the hallowing of them, that whosoever is sprinkled with the water, or eateth of the
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