The co[n]futacyon of Tyndales answere made by syr Thomas More knyght lorde chau[n]cellour of Englonde

More. [ B]

In these few wordes there are many doutes. Fyrste how Tyndale taketh repentynge in the harte / whether he meane that who so repēteth in his harte shall no more do so agayne wyllyngly and of purpose, as longe as he so repenteth, or ellys that who so repent onys in his harte, shall neuer ceace to repente / or though he do, shall neuer yet do more so wyl∣lyngly and of purpose whyle he lyueth. And yf he meane in the fyrste manner, his wordes be lytle to purpose. For yf he graunte that though he repent at one tyme, he may ceace to repente at a nother, and then do as euyll as he dyd, and be as euyll as he was: then had I as leue that he sayed y^• man whych onys repēteth, wyll do so no more as long as he doth so no more, and wyll be good styll tyll he be nought agayne

Now yf he meane in the secunde manner, that who so re∣penteth [ C] onys in his herte, can neuer after ceace to repente as long as euer he lyueth / or though he ceace to repent shall yet as longe as euer he lyueth, neuer wyllyngly and of pur¦pose fall to synne agayne: thē eyther of all that fall to synne agayne, that is to wyt of all cryst•••• people allmoste, there was neuer none that euer repented in ••arte / in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 who so euer haue onys repented in his harte, all y^e 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that euer he doth after he doth none of them wylly••••••••/or at the lefte he doth them not of purpose, but 〈…〉〈…〉 by chaunce & myssehappe, ere euer hym selfe ••ew••re therof at aduenture sodaynly.

Now yf he saye that neuer any whych do synne agayne, dyd hartely repente byfore / and then that he requyre•••• 〈◊〉〈◊〉

[ A] then herty repētaunce of man for his recōcylyacyon to god: he preacheth vs no gospell nor telleth vs no glad tydynges, but the heuyeste tydynges that euer man tolde. For then he telleth vs playne y^t of all cristen people there is almost none that standeth in state of grace lenger then the lakke of rea∣son excuseth the defaute of his dede / or that the lakke of lyfe leueth hym no tyme to synne agayne after his repentaunce. For we playnely se that such as repent fall agayne to synne / and so by hym they neuer so repented that euer they were re¦concyled agayne to god in all theyr hole lyfe. And then were there also mych doute of theyr deth. For though yt be good in some case, yet were yt not good alwaye that euery man were ouer bolde vppon the sodayne grace that y^e these gate at laste, that honge on the crosse at Crystes ryght hande.

[ B] And yf Tyndale wene to make the mater more easy, by∣cause he sayth he that repenteth in harte wyll do so no more, meanynge that he wyll no more fall to that kynde of synne: this wyll not serue hym. For he falleth out of goddes fa∣uour and the state of grace by the commyttyng of any other synne that is vppon his damnacion forboden. And therfore yf harty repentaunce be able for euer to kepe hym from one kynde / yt muste be able to kepe hym frō euery kynde of lyke dedelynesse, or ellys yt suffyseth not.

Now to the tother poynt. If Tyndale thynke to ease all the mater by this that he sayeth not, that he whyche repen∣teth in harte shall do so no more / but that he shall do so no more wyllyngly and of purpose: then ryseth there a nother doute what he calleth wyllyngly and of purpose.

[ C] He hath as yt semeth some other vnderstandynge of this worde wylly••gly, then other men haue. we saye that yf he do yt not wyllyngly / he synneth not at all yf his wyll no∣••hynge do therein at all; except yt depende vpon some other synne of hym selfe done wyllyngly byfore / as where a man synfully falleth in dronkenesse or in fransye, and then dron∣••e•• or frantyke doth harme / or where as one man geueth other occasyon of ruyne, as Tyndale dothe, when men be 〈◊〉〈◊〉 here wyth his bokes, and after damned for his here 〈◊〉〈◊〉, such mē peraduēture as he neuer knew / and yet fallen all th•••••• dethys both of body and soule in Tyndales nekke. For as 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sa••nte Austayne sayeth / the heretyke that is a teacher 〈◊〉〈◊〉 a ••etter forth of heresyes, though he be depeda∣•••••••• in hell ••••••ll neuer ye•• knowe the vttermoste of hys

payne tyll the daye of dome. For as many men as byfore y^• [ A] day be damned for his heresyes: shall e••er as they come to hell more and more encreace his payne.

But ellys I saye, where a man hath no wyll in the dede nor in the occasion therof / there is he as I thynke no parte∣ner in the synne. I wote not what Tyndale meaneth by wyl¦lyngly and of purpose. For he is wonte to reken as though there is nothyng done willyngly y^t is done of frayletye / nor I can not tell what he calleth purpose / how longe tyme ser¦ueth after his rekenyng to make yt done of purpose.

But this I wote well, allbe yt that there be degrees & ci••¦cūstaūces that aggreue the synne & make it more weyghty / as when yt is in the mynde longe contynued, & done of pure malyce, and such other thynges: yet yf these lakke so the da¦mnable dede y^t god hath forbodē to be done in dede, by hym [ B] that is not agaynste his wyll forced there vnto / this ca•••• we wyllyngly done, & saye that he synneth dedely that so doth, all though he neuer purposed him selfe longe byfore vppon yt. As yf a man mete a nother and kyll hym s••••enly for an angry worde / or mete a mayden sodaynly and so de••••ore here this wolde I call wyllyngly, but yf she were so stronge or had so mych helpe that she rauyshed the mān••s 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and dysuowred hym by force.

Now such thynges as these be, we dow••e not but y^e folke haue fallen to agayne after repentaunce and after penauns to / and such as haue ben by the sacrament of penaunce res••••¦••ed vnto the state of grace. And syth that these be damnable, whyther they be byfore purposed or no: therfore yf is parte¦ly false partely folysh that Tyndale sayth, that who so re∣pent [ C] in herte shall neuer do so more wyllyng•••• and of pur∣pose / syth he that hathe repented 〈◊〉〈◊〉 harte may do so agayne wyllyngly and of purpose to / & he that dyd 〈…〉〈…〉••sed purpose, doth yt yet for all that 〈…〉〈…〉 he do yt wyllyngly.

And for cōclusyon though yt may be say•••• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 good men of good mynde in exhortacyon in perseueraū•••• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 good wor¦kes, agaynst the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of such as 〈…〉〈…〉 agayne, that they 〈…〉〈…〉 lyghtenes geueth 〈…〉〈…〉 to thynke and saye yet to put ye for a rule and 〈…〉〈…〉 as Tyndale doth, that who so repēteth onys in ha••te ••••all 〈…〉〈…〉 wyllyngly & of purpose / & that they that synne 〈…〉〈…〉∣lyngly

[ A] and of purpose dyd neuer repent in harte, is very ••alse doctryne & a very playne heresye.