A dyaloge of syr Thomas More knyghte: one of the counsayll of oure souerayne lorde the kyng [and] chauncellour of hys duchy of Lancaster. Wherin be treated dyuers maters, as of the veneration [and] worshyp of ymages [and] relyques, prayng to sayntys, [and] goyng o[n] pylgrymage. Wyth many othere thyngys touching the pestylent sect of Luther and Tyndale, by the tone bygone in Sarony, and by tother laboryed to be brought in to Englond

¶The .xi. chapyter.

¶The messēger sayth y^t how so euer Luther & hys folowers in Almayn byleue / yet he cā not thīk y^t suche as be Lutheranis in England / of whō sū he sayth haue semed good & honest be so mad & vnhappy to byleue y^t all hāgeth vpō desteny. wheruppō y^• au∣thor sheweth y^• cōtrary / and y^t they be noughte in dede seme they neuer so good. & for profe y^t howe so euer they colour theyr word{is} they meane y^t all depēdeth vppō only desteny / he reher¦seth a certayn dyspycyō had w^t an he¦retyque detected to the bysshop & exa¦myned / the author beynge present / where the heretyque beyng lerned & a prechoure / made many shyf••ys to make yt seme that in hys euyll wor∣dys he ment but well.

WHā your frēd had herd all thys he sayd at last y^t albeit y^• word{is} of Luther semed very playn to¦ward y^e afferming of such opynyōs / yet were y^e thyngis so far out of all frame / y^t yt gaue hym occasyō to dowt le••t Lu¦ther mēt not al thīg so euyl as his w••••¦dys seme to way to. And yf he so ment hym self w^t other of his flok & affynyte in Almayne / yet thought your frend y^t such as here fauour & folow hys sect in England / of whō sū seme ryght honest & far frō hys maner of lyuīg / do not so take hys wordys nor vnderstāde thē y^• way / but cōstrue thē to sū better sence. ¶Forsoth q I they cā not but kno his opē lyuīg in lechery w^t his lewd lēmā y^• nūne. And y^t all y^e captains of y^e sort / sū late cartusiēces / sū obseruaūtys / sū of other relygiōs / & all now apostatas & wedded / lyue ī lyke maner & teche o∣ther the same. And by thys cā they not dout but y^• theyr doctryne is nought / ex¦cept thē self alow y^t way for good. now as for theyr own goodnes ye fynd few y^t fal to y^e sect / but y^• sone after they fal in to y^e cōtempt of prayer & fastyng & of all good workys vnder y^e name of cere∣monyes. And yf eny do other wyse / yt ys for some purpose for the whyle to blynde the people and kepe theymselfe in fauoure / whyle they may fynde the tyme by leysoure to fassyon and frame them better to theyr purpose / whych in the begynnyng yf they shewed thē self playnely / coulde happely not abyde to here thē. Of whych theyr demeanure / & that in these heresyes they mene here no better thā Luther doth hym self / I haue had good experyēs / and amōg ma¦ny other thyng{is} thys y^t I shall shewe you. It happed me to be lately present / where as one in y^e Lutheran{is} bokis de¦pely lerned••& of trouth neyther in holy scryptur nor in secular lytterature vn∣lerned / as I {per}ceiue not only by y^e testy∣mony of other men and by y^e degrees y^t he hadde taken in the vnyuersyte / but ••••o by hys wordys and his wrytyng /

was in the presence of ryghte honora∣ble vertuous and very cunnyng persō•• e••••••••ned. For he was at that tyme in warde for heresye / bycause that b••yng lerned and vsynge to here confessyons / & amōg many folk met••ly wel alowed in prechīg / & therby growyng in good ••pynyō & fauour of many good sympl•• people / abused all these o••ē & apparent good thyng{is} / to y^e secrete sowyng & ••••••∣tīg forth of Luthers heresyes. And had for y^e entēt not only taught & writē & c••¦uertly corrupted dyuers light & lewd {per}¦sōs / but also had bought grete nōber of y^e ••ok{is} of Luther / & wyclyffe / Hu••••••/& zuyngly{us} / & such other heretyques / •• of many one sorte dyuers bok{is} / to be dely¦uered 〈◊〉〈◊〉 he coud fynd occasiō vnto yōg scolers of the vnyuersytees / such as he thoght of iouth & lightnes most lykely to be sone corrupted. This mā I say be∣yng examined & lōg kepīg himself close frō dysclosyng of y^e mater / & more redy to go strayte to y^e deuyll w^t ••••ēg & false forswerīg / thā to be aknowē of his e∣uyll demeanure & cōfesse y^e tr••••th / at y^e last {per}ceyuīg y^• maters {per}tely by y^e cōfes∣syō of other folk / {per}tely by his own hād wri••īg / so ferforth comē to light y^t they coud ī no wyse be cloked / thā ••••gā he sū what playnely to cōfesse & declare / not only what he had d••n for y^e settīg forth of y^• secte / but also {per}tely what opyniōs he & other his felows had holdē & were of. Settīg neuer y^e les•••• all y^e colours he coud to make yt seme / y^e though y^e w••••∣dys whyche they spa••e or wrote 〈◊〉〈◊〉 straunge & contrarye to rygh•••• byle••••/yet the••fect of theyr meaning was not mych dyscrepant from the trew fayth•• of Crystys chyrch. How be yt wh••̄ he was reasoned w^tal / & saw y^t he coud 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •• so shyfte yt of / but y^t for eny colour•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 could fynde one parte of hys tale euer contraryed a nother / at last he shewed playnly theyr opyniōs / & layd forth as in parte for his own excuse as thyng{is} enducyng him therto / all y^e text{is} of scry¦pture / by whych they ptēd to {per}ue theyr ••pynyōs true. Amōg whyche opynyōs whā he came to thopynyō / by wh••che they holde y^e only fayth alone ys suffy∣cyent w^toute good workys / vnto y^t he sayd in y^e begīnīg y^t they mēt nothyng ellys therby / but y^e men shold put theyr fayth ī godd{is} ••••••ses & hope to be saued therby & y^t they shold not put theyr trust ī theyr work{is} / for y^t wold turne thē t•• pryde. ¶Thē was yt āswerd hym y^t he & hys felows could not mene so. For yf they dyd / thou could they not blame y^e chyrch as they do / makyng as though y^e chirch had al this while hid y^e t••••e faith frō y^e peple / & y^t thē self were now shent for pchyng y^e ••••••spell truely. For yf this were theyr menīg / they thē mēt none other thē euery comē pchor of y^e chyrch hath alway pched bifore luthers dais. For what pchor hath not told y^e peple y^t {per}able of y^e pore publycā ashamed of his l••nys / & y^e proud pharysey bostīg of hys vertues? who hath not bod thē do wel•• And albe yt y^e god wyll reward thē for theyr good ded{is} / yet put not theyr trust ī thē self & theyr own ded{is} / but ī god∣dys goodnes•• who hath not told thē y^t they shold as god biddeth thē ī y^e gospel y^t whā they haue done all y^t they tā do / yet say to thē self we be but vn{pro}sitable seruaū••••/we haue done but our dutre. These thīg{is} & such other y^• chyrch hath alway taught / agaynst y^e puttyng of a proud trust in our own ded{is} / bycause y^t we cā not alway surely iudge our own ded{is} for y^e blīd fauor y^t we ••ere toward our self & therfore was it sayd to him /

••f ye moue but thus as the chyrch m••∣••eth / than wolde ye preche but as the chyrche precheth / and not blaspheme y^e chyrch in your sermons / as thoughe y^• ••yg••n true prechynge of the gospell / & that the chyrche had hytherto preched false. And also ye must nedys mene sū other thyng. For Luther whose sect ye confesse that ye haue lened vnto / wry∣teth in thys mater ••a••re otherwyse. For he sayth playne that faythe alone wythout eny good workys doth iusty∣fye vs and suffyseth for our saluacyon. Then answered he that there in they ment none other / but that fayth ys suf¦fycyent alone / yf one happen after he haue fayth and baptysme to dye e••e he haue tyme to do eny•• good work{is}. Thā was yt sayde vnto hym / yf they sholde ••••che thys opynyon vnder suche wor∣••ys for a great secrets mystery newe foūde oute / and therby blame y^e chyrch for mys••••••hy••ge the people / as though y^e chyrch taught theym to put lesse trust in god and in fayth of Cryste thā they shold do / & induced theym to put theyr trust in them self and theyr own good workys / they vsed theym selfe merue∣lously / consyderynge that yf they inēt none other / the chyrche and they ment all one thynge. But they cowlde not mene so. For than why shold they bla∣me the chyrche / that sayth not the con∣trary. And also yf they ment none o∣ther thynge / few wordys wolde serue them. They shold not nede so often to speke therof. For than that tale can do lytell good here or ••ny where ellys wher folk be crystened ī theyr cradels. For eyther they dye ere they haue time to do good workys / and than they be to yonge to here that sermon / or ellys they ly••e & haue tyme to do good wor∣kys. And than that sermon were not holsome for theym / that good workys nede not but onely fayth ys suffycyent wythout theym. And when the peple take it as ye speke yt / that fayth alone ys ynough for theym / than ys yt now a bare glose for you to saye that ye m••̄t not so / but onely that fayth alone had bē ynough for them / yf they had dyed in theyr swadlyng clowtis. ¶To this he sayd that they thought also y^t fayth alone dothe iustyfye a man wythoute ••ny good workys / not onely in chyldr•••• but also in euery age. For whan so euer a man that hath ben a synner doth re∣pent and amend in hys mynde wyth a full faythe in the promysys of god / he ys iustyfyed ere euer he do eny of these good workys / almoyse / fasting / or eny suc••e other. For he can not worke well tyll he be good all redy. For as Cryste saythe / Arbor mala non potest bonum ••ructū ••acere / an euyll tre can not brīg forth good fruyte / and therfore sythe good workys be good frute / an euyll man can not worke theym. Wherby yt appereth well that the man ys iusty∣fyed byfore by hys fayth alone ••oute the workys / and thē out of that fayth groweth the good frute of good wor∣kys. But faythe dyd iustyfye the man byfore / and the man was as good by∣fore the workys as he is after. For his fayth dyd iustyfye hym. And as for the workys be but thyngys that the fayth in the man or the mā by the fayth bryn¦geth forth / as the tree bryngeth forth hys seuys and can do none other / faith beyng in y^e harte. ¶Then was yt sayd vnto hym that in thys tale he semed to make the good workys to be mych lyke a shadow that the body maketh of ne∣•••••••• whyle yt standeth in the senne

and ys neuer the better therfore. And then was yt asked hym whyther a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 must not yf hys fayth shall serue hym 〈◊〉〈◊〉 charyte therwyth and a purpose to do good work{is}. ••••s quod he that he must yf he haue age and dyscrecyō the•• to. Then was yt answered hym that then was all goone that hym selfe had ••ayd byfore. For than dyd not faythe alone iustyfye the mā / but the charyte wy••h the purpose of good work{is} / m•••••••• by his owne grauntyng nedys go ther wyth / or ellys wold hys fayth iustyfye nothyng at all. For yf he had neuer so grete•• fayth and neuer so sure a bylyef in goddys promyses / yet yf he purposed to do no good dedys therwyth / but per¦aduenture harme / he shold haue lytell iustyfycacyon by hys ••nly fayth. And therfore yt was false that he had sayd a man ys neuer y^e better for hys good workys / whyl•• hys good workys be so taken and rep••ted wyth god / that the purpose of them yet vndone so farforth worketh to hys iustyfycacyon / that w^t out that purpose he cā not be iustyfyed. And yt ys also false that he sayd that ••aythe alone iustyfyeth a man / wh••n hym selfe ys fayn to gra••̄t that fayth wythout charyte and purpose of good work{is} cā not iustifie / which is a•••• with to say as fayth alone can not iustyfye. ¶To thys he answered y^t he had sayd that fayth onely was suffycyent / and that fayth alone doth iustyfye / bycause that yf a man had fayth / yt coulde not be but y^t he sholde worke good work{is}. For fayth he sayd could ne••er be ydel / as the fyre must nedys burne and gy∣••e hete. And therfore as a man maye saye the fyre ys ynough to burn•• a tre though he speke nothynge of hete / and yet the fyre doth yt by h••te / and a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 may say y^e fyre maketh me se by nyght and yet the fyre dothe yt but by the lyght / so may a mā say that fayth doth saue vs / though fayth do ye wythoute hope and charyte and other vertuouse workys / bycawse that faythe hath al∣way good hope and charyte wyth yt / & can not but worke well / no more than the fyre can be wythout h••te & lyghte and burne all combustyble thyngys y^t it may tow••he and ••ary with. ¶Then was yt sayde vnto hym that albeyt a man might so speke by y^e fyre / yet wold not thys thynge serue theyr sect••. For he that sayth fyre alone ys ynough to burne / wolde not say nay to hym that wold say the fyre could not burne but yf had hete. But your secte scorneth & ••lameth the chyrch / bycause the chyrch saythe that fayth wyll not suffyse but y•• yt haue charyte and good workys. For ellys ye had no cause in thys mater to preche contrary to the chyrch. More ••uer where ye say that fayth hath al∣waye good hope wyth yt / that semeth not alway trewe. For he that hopeth y^t by fayth alone he shall be saued wyth out eny good workys / as Lutheranys do byleue in dede / he hath an euyl hope and a damp••••ble. Now where ye saye that ye pr••ch••/fayth alone to be suffy∣cyent bycawse that fayth hath alwaye charyte ioyned therwyth / yf thys were trewe / why preche ye not as well that charyte alone ys suffycyent / whyche wer•• as nere the trouth as the t••cher. Now where ye make all the grounde vppon thys / that fayth hath euer cha∣ryte therwyth / and that yt can not be but that charyte whyche ys in dede y^e thynge that specyally bryngeth forth good workys mych more properly thā fayth / for ••••th bryngeth theym forth

by charyte whē it is ioyned therwyth / as the apostle sayth / Fides que per di∣lectionem operatur / fayth worketh by cheryte where ye saye yt can not be but y^t thys charyte ys alwaye ioyned vnto fayth / thys grounde wyll fayle you / & make all your foundacyon false / & all your byldyng fall. Thapostell Poule ī many placis of hys epystles sayth the contrary therof. For he sayth that yf a man haue so grete fayth that he myght by the force of hys fayth worke myra∣cles / and also such feruent affeccyon to y^• fayth y^• he w••ld gyue his body to the fyre for the defēce therof / yet yf he lac∣ked chary••e / all hys fayth suffysed not ¶In good fayth quod your frende he was well and {pro}prely answered. But yet me thīketh he myght haue replyed a lytell agayne to tho••e wordys of saīt Poule / and myght haue auoyded them well wyth other wordys of his owne. For where he wryteth also to y^• Gala∣thes / y^• yf any angell wold com downe from heuen & preche a contrary gospell to that that he had preched all redy / acoursed shold he be and not to be byle∣ued / he dyd not in these wordys a••fer∣me nor entend therby y^t euer yt shold so be / or coulde so be / that any angell so shold do in dede. For he knew ryght well yt was impossyble that eny angel of heuen shold come downe and tell a false tale. But he sayd yt onely by a ma¦ner of speking which is among lerned men called yperbole / for the more ve∣hemēt expressyng of a mater•• no thyng menyng ellys but y^• the gospell whych he had preched / was the playne sure & vndowtable trouth / against which no man were to be byleued. And in lyke wyse me thynketh the man that ye spe∣••e of myght haue sayd / y^• though saynt Poule sayd / If he had so grete fayth y^• ••e were able therby to remoue hyllys / excepte he had cheryte therw^t yt wolde not serue hym he ment therby no more but to shew y^• grete nede that men haue to cheryte / and not that yt were possy∣ble that faith could be without cherite / no more than he ment that an aungell may come down from heuen to preche a false fayth. And therfore myghte yt yet stande ryghte well wyth all those wordys of saynt Powle / that faythe can not fayle of saluacyon / syth yt can not fayll of charyte. And of trouth m•• semeth as that man sayd that fayt•• can not be ydle but yt must nedys wor∣ke well. ¶Forsoth quod I the mā lac∣ked you there / for he founde not that glose. Whych though he had / yet wold yt not haue serued hym. For bytwene those two placys of saynt Powle y•• there grete dyfference. For in the t••n•• ys there an impossyble excesse and yper∣bole / in the tother is there not so. For aūgels of heuen neuer can come down and teche a false fayth. But fayth may be s••uered from charyte. And in y^• tone place he none other thynge entended than as ye saye to shewe by that great excedynge word / the vndowted trouth of the fayth whyche hym self had pre∣ched. But in the tother place hys spe∣cy••ll purpose was to teche the Gala∣th••••s / that they sholde neyther trust y^• eny gyft of nature / or gyft of god abo∣ue nature / or eny maner vertue / al∣m••yse dede / fayth / or other / were able to stande them in ••••••de wytho••t chery∣te. And thys dyd he specyally / for that he wold that no man shold be in suche errour / as to reken that eyther excellēt gyfte of eunnynge / great labour spent in prechyng / great almoyse spent•• on

pore people / or a very feruent fayth / myght suffyse to theyr saluacyō yf che∣ryte lakked. Agaynst whych errour he doth in such wyse exhorte theym to che∣ryte / in avoydyng the rankour / which by occasyon of scysmes dyd aryse amōg th•••• that ••e shewed theym precysely / y^• wythout cheryte they loste clerely the meryte of all theyr other vertues and gracys y^• god had geuē theym / cūnyng / almoyse dede / fayth / and all / puttyng thexample by hys owne selfe / whyche though he were a chosen seruaunt and apostle / yet y•• he were ī langage egall wythall y^• hole world and w^t angellys to / and had all y^• cūnyng that possyble could be had / and the spirite of all pro∣phecye therwyth / & wold geue all hys goodys in almoyse / and had also all the full fayth so grete that yt su••••yced to worke wundres wyth / and so feruent that he wold abyde to be burned for yt / yet yf he laked cheryte / all thys wolde not serue hym. So that ye may se now that your glose wold not haue releued this mā. For though none angell could come downe and teche an vntrouth / & therfore the wordys y^t ye alledge can be none otherwyse takē than as ye say by way of exce•••••• and yperbole / to decla¦re the vehemence of hys mynde in the mater of fayth which he than spake of / yet this other place of saynt poule that was layed agaynst that heretyque that I speke of / as grete and vehement as the wordys be / yet do they playnely proue that the apostle sheweth / y^• fayth may be wythout cheryte / & that doth so grete that yt may suffyse to y^• doyng of grete wonders / and so feruent that yt may suffre a paynful deth / and yet for f••wte of charyte not suffycyēt to s••••••••∣cyon / and that this may happe as wel in fayth as in almoyse dede / whyche y^• appostle putteth in the same case. And therfore where that man sayde and ye seme to conferme the same / that fayth can not be ydle frō y^• workyng of good workys / the appostle to shew the con∣trary / and that all y^• workys of faythe though they seme neuer so good / be yet nought in dede yf they be not wrought w^t charite / cōmēdith only y^e faith y^t wor¦kyth by charyte / sygnyfyēg y^t all other work{is} of fayth be not auaylable. And surely faythe alone wythowt charyte may be bysydys thys not only ydle w^t oute the busynes of good workys / but also for lacke of good workys yt may be vtterly dede. And therfore as it was there obiected vnto that man / y^• holy appostle Iames sayth to theym that te¦ken fayth suffycyēt for saluacyō wyth oute good workys / that they be worse thā deuyls. For he sayth y^t y^• deuyls do byleue / & tremble for y^• fere of god. And y^• men whych by y^e hope & boldnesse of theyr byleue thynke theyr fayth w^tout good work{is} suffycyent / be worse than deuyls / bycawse they stande owt of drede of god / that mana••••eth vnto thē the paynes of hell except they do good workys. Wythout whyche saynt Ia∣mys for a fynall conclusyon sayth that the fayth ys but dede.

¶After suche resonyng the man sayd y^t he and thother Lutheranys whā they spake that only fayth was suffycyent / they meane not of a dede fayth that ys wythoute charyte and good workys / but a very fayth that ys quycke & wor¦keth by charyte / and that such faythe he thought was suffycyēt. ¶But than was yt answered / that neyther they nor he coulde meane so. For how could they call that thynge fayth onely that

ys ioyned with charyte and good wor∣kys? Or howe can yt stande that they meane that faythe whyche by charyte worketh good workys / wh••n they say that yt ys suffycyent alone wythoute good workys / and that yt ys as Lu∣ther sayth grete synne and sacrylege to to go about to please god by good wor¦kys / and not by only fayth? How coud they say that onely fayth suffyseth / yf they shold meane that wythout chary∣te and good workys no fayth suffyseth For yt were a mad thynge to saye that faythe alone suffyseth wythoute good workys / & therw^t to say y^• w^t out good workys fayth suffyseth nothyng. And so was yt sayd vnto hym that therfore though they colour theyr maters whā they be examyned / yet it can not be but that he and other Lutheranys where they sowe theyr heresye / meane playn∣ly as they speke / y^• folke nede no more but byleue / and than how so euer they lyue shal make no mater. For no thing as Luther saythe can dampne a cry¦sten man / saue onely lacke of byle∣ue•• For all other synnys yf byleue and fayth stand fast / be quyte absorpte and supped vp he sayth in that fayth.

¶Whan thys man was wyth such re∣sonyng and myche better than I do or can reherse you somwhat sore preced vppon / than brought he forth a nother glose and sayd / that they meaned not but that fayth yf yt shold suffyse for sal¦uacyon / must nedys haue wyth yt cha∣ryte and good work{is} / or ellys yt were no very fayth / as a dede man ys no ve¦ry man. How be it he sayd that though yt be no thyng wythout good work{is} / yet whan yt ys ioyned wyth good wor¦kys / all the meryt cometh of our fayth onely / and no part therof for our wor∣kys. So that god gyueth vs heue•• for our fayth onely / and nothynge for ou•• workys. For though he gyue it not for our faythe yf we lacke good workys / yet yf we haue both / he regardeth not in hys rewarde our workys eny thyng but onely our fayth. And he sayde that for thys cause they say that only fayth causeth our saluacyon.

¶To thys yt was answered that yf thys opynion were true / yet yt well ap¦pered that thys ys not the thynge that they mene. For the wordys of Luther and Pomerane and all the archerety∣ques of that secte be very playne. For they saye y^t yt ys sacrylege to go about to please god by eny good workys but fayth onely. And than why shold good work{is} be ioyned to fayth / or why shold god exacte good workys of vs? wherof shold they serue / yf they be nothyng pl••¦saunt to god? And whan Luther sayth that nothyng can dampne eny crysten man but onely lacke of byleue / he she∣weth manyfestely that we not onely nede no good workys wyth our fayth / but also that so we haue faythe / none euyll workys can hurte vs. And so he meaneth playnely that fayth onely w^t out eny good workys ioyned therto / and also wyth all kynd of euyll wor∣kys ioyned therto / ys suffycyēt to saue vs. And therfore yf ye be of hys secte (was yt sayde to the man) ye can not auoyde but that thys ys your very doc¦tryne how so euer ye colour yt.

¶Than was yt ferther asked hym yf theyr meanyng shold be such as he had sayd / what sholde moue hym and other his felowes so to thynke / that in fayth and good workys ioyned together / the good workys were nothinge worthe / but that all the meryte shold be in the

fayth / and all the thanke and reward shold be gyuen to the fayth / and ryght ••ought to the good workys.

¶〈◊〉〈◊〉 he answered that many textys of scrypture enduced theym ther vnto / & specyal textys of saynt Poule / Fides iustificat / fayth iustyfyeth. And Credidu Abraam deo / et reputatū est ••i ad iusticiam / Abraam byleued god / & yt was accompted in hym for iustyce. Si ex operibus / habet quidem gloriam sed non apud deum / yf he were iusty∣fyed by the workys / thā had he glory / but not w^t god. Si ex operibus / Crist{us} pro nobis gratis mortuus est. If we be iustyfyed by work{is} / thā dyd Cryst dye for vs for naught. Grat{is} redēpti estis / ye be redemed frely. And therby maye we se that oure workys were parte of the cause. And yet specyally these wor∣dys of our sauyour Cryst he sayd mych moued them to be of that mynd / wher he sayth Qui crediderit et baptisatus fuerit saluus erit / He that byleueth & ys baptysed shall be saued. where Cryst requyryth nothyng but only fayth.

¶By all these textys he sayd y^• playnly appered that all our saluacyon cam of faythe / as Abraam was iustyfyed by fayth and not by his work{is}. And that yf our good workys shold be the cause of our saluacyon / than as saynt Poule sayth Cryst dyed for nought. For he ne¦ded not to dye for vs / yf our own wor∣kys myght saue vs. Nor we were not redemed frely / yf we shold redeme our selfe wyth the payement of oure owne workys.

¶To this was yt answered that those textys and all other alledged for that purpose / sygnyfye none other but that after the faythe of Cryst brought in to the worlde by the incarnacyon & passyō of our blessyd sauyour / men are no le••∣ged boundē to the obseruaunce of Moy¦ses law. Nor that all the law of Moy∣ses / nor all the good workys of man / were not able to saue one man of them selfe / nor wythout fayth / and y^• Cryst frely redemed vs. For neyther had he or euer shall haue eny reward of vs for the bytter paynes taken in hys blyssed passyon for vs. Nor neuer deserued we vnto hym that he sholde so mych do for vs. Nor the fyrste faythe / nor the pre∣chynge therof / nor the fyrst iustyfyca∣cyon of man therby / nor the sacrament and fruyte of our baptysme / was not gyuen to the world for eny good wor∣kys that euer the world had wrought / but only of goddys mere lybetal good∣nes. But yet there ys neuer a texte of them nor eny other in all scrypture so mēt / that after the baptysme the fayth onely shall saue vs wythout good wor∣kys / yf we lyue and haue reason to do thē. For though it be sayd by the mouth of our sauyour / he that byleueth shall be saued / where he nothyng speketh of eny good work{is} / yet meaneth he not that he that byleueth shall be saued / wythout good workys yf he lyue to do theym. For ellys why sholde ye not as well say that men shall be saued for ke¦pynge of the commaūdementys wyth out fayth / syth Cryst sayth yf y^• wyl••e entred in to the kyngdome of heuē ke∣pe the commaundementys. And sayth also / do that and thou shalt haue lyfe. At whyche tyme he spake no worde of eny fayth. He sayth also in holy scryp∣ture / Date clemosinā et omnia mūda sunt vobis / Gyue almoyse / and all ys clene in you. whyche wordys yf men sholde as largely conster for the pre∣••mynence of almoyse dede / as ye th••••

are of Luthers secte constre the textys that speke of fayth / they myght take a false glose and colour to say / that with out faythe or penaunce eyther / or eny other vertue / almoyse dede alone suf∣fyseth for saluacyon / how wredehedly so euer we lede our lyfe bysyde. But yf we sholde so saye of almoyse dede / we shold say wrong / as ye do whan ye say so of fayth. For lyke wyse as yt ys vn∣derstand that fayth must nedys go w^t good workys yf they shall be frutfull / though yt be not spokē of in those te••t{is} that speke of good workys / so is yt vn∣derstanden that in theym whych after baptysme haue tyme & reason to worke well / good workys must walke wyth fayth and sorow at harte for fawte of good workys / yf the fayth shall aught auayle them. For yf both good work{is} and fynall repentaunce of the lacke of good work{is} do fayle vs / hauyng tyme and reason to them / we be lyke to fare myche the worse for our fayth. And y^t thys ys thus / we maye well know by the textys of holy scrypture yf we set theym together / and take not one text for our part and set a nother at nought. ¶To thys answered he that albe yt these textys set togeth••r / do proue that fayth alone doth not suffyse wythoute good workys (whych thynge he sayde that hym selfe denyed not) yet he sayd y^t none of those textys proue eny thyng the contrary / but that whan fayth and good workys be ioyned together / all y^• meryte cometh yet of our fayth onely and nothyng of our workys.

¶ Whervnto he was answered that though it so were in dede that no text{is} of scrypture proued the contrary / yet syth there ys none that sayth so / and y^• hole chyrch sayth and byleueth the cō∣trary / what reason haue ye to say so / & to gyue the hole meryte vnto fayth / & no parte of the rewarde to good wor∣kys? And now haue ye myche les•••• re∣son so to do / whan the playne wordys of holy wryt be openly to the contra∣ry. For dyd not god saye to Cain / Yf thou do well thou shalte haue well? Sayth not Cryst of theym•• that dothe almoyse / A good measure shaken toge∣ther / heped and runnynge ouer / shall they gyue in to your bosome? Doth not our lorde shewe that in the day of iuge∣ment he wyl gyue the kyngdom of he∣uen to theym that haue done almoyse / in mete / drynke / clothe / and lodgyng / bycawse of theyr charyte vsed in those dedys? whyche dedys thoughe he wyll not rewarde wyth heuen excepte fayth went w^t thē / yet yf they were wrought in fayth / he promyseth to reward those workys and not theyr fayth only / and that so ferforth that yt appereth by the wordys of oure sauyoure in the same placys / and by hys wordys whyche he sayd he wold in the daye of iudgement speke to thē that had by fayth wrought wonders in hys name wythout good workys and cheryte / whome he wolde thā bydde / walke workers of wycked∣nesse / and tell theym that he knoweth theym not. By these thyngys I saye yt well appereth / that be a mānys fayth neuer so great / yet yf those good wor∣kys fayle hym / hys fayth shall fayle of heuen.

¶Than sayd he yet agayne that fayth can neuer be wythoute go••d workys. But and yf a mā haue fayth / his fayth shal not fayle nor ceace to bryng forth the fruyte of good workys / as the tre bryngeth forth hys leuys.

¶ Than was yt answered hym y^• he

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was than all the labour and the payne that thappostles toke in prechynge all naught & synfull? all the tormentys y^t the martyrs suffered in theyr passyon all together synne? all y^e dedys of ch••∣ryte that Cryst shall as hym self sayth reward wyth euerlastynge lyfe ••t the g••nerall i••dgement be they syn̄ all to gether? Saynt Poule rekened it other wyse. For he sayd boldely of hym self / bonū certamen certaui / cursū consum∣m••••i / et nūc superest michi corona iu∣••••itie / I haue laboured & stryuen a good stryfe / I haue perfourmed my course / now lac••eth me no more for me but y^• crowne of iustyce.

¶ Therunto he answered that saynt Powle wolde not saye that o•••• dedys were suff••cyent of theym self / but that all oure suffycyency•• ys of god. Wher∣vnto yt was answered that thys was lytell to the mater. For no more ys our fayth suffycyent of yt selfe / but the suf¦fycyency therof ys also of god / in ••hat our lord wyth our endeuo••r gyueth vs grace to byleue / and in that yt ly••eth our lorde of hys goodnes so hyghly to reward yt. For surely as it is very true that saynt Poule sayth th••••/Non sūt condigne passiones h••i•••• vite ad fu∣turam gloriam que reuelabitur in no∣••is / all that euer we can suffer in thys worlde / ys not worthy the glory to come that shall be shewed in vs (For what thyng cowld a sely wr••ched crea¦ture do or suffer for god in the brefe ty∣me of thys short lyfe / y^t might of ryght requyre to be rewarded euerlastyngly / wyth suche in••••••ym••ble ioy as neyther ••ye hathe seen nor tonge can expresse / nor hart can ymagyne or conceyue) so y•• yt also as true th••t all the fayth we ••••ue or cā haue can of hys own n••ture as lytel or myche lesse deserue heuē / as our other good ded{is}. For what gret•• thīg do we to god / or what grete thing coulde we aske hym of ryght / bycause we byleue hī? as though he were mych beholdē vnto vs / in y^t we vouchesaufe to truste hym / as though hys worshyp hunge in our handys / and hys estyma∣cyon lost yf he were out of credence w^t vs. And therfore amonge many folysh wordys of Luther / as folyshe as euer heretyque spoke / he neuer sp••••e a more frantyque / thā in that he saythe y^t god hath nede of our faythe. For he saythe that god hath no nede of our good wor¦kys / but he hath nede of our faythe / and hathe nede that we sholde byleue hym. Trouthe ys yt that he nedeth•• neyther our fayth nor oure workys. But syth that he hath determyned tha•• he wyll not saue vs wythoute both yf we be of dyscrecyon to haue both / ther¦fore haue we nede of bothe. And yet neyther is there the tone nor the tot••er nor they both together bytwene them / that be of theyre owne nature worthy the rewarde of heuen. But as we se•• y^• one ounce of gold wherof .x. pownde weyghte were not of hys owne nature toward mā worth one oūce of whete / nor one hundred pownde weyght ther¦of of the nature selfe worthe one sely shepe / ys yet among men by a pryce ap¦poynted and agreed worth many hole shepe / and many a pownde weyght of brede / so hath yt lyked y^• lyberall good∣nes of god to set as well our fayth as oure dedys / whyche were ellys both•• twayn of theyr owne nature ryght ly¦tell ī value at so hygh a pryce / as non•• ys able to bye theym and paye for thē but hym self / bycawse we shold work•• th••̄ only to hym / and haue none other

pay mayster nor notte other chapmā to sell our ware and our worke vnto / but only hym. Except we wolde be so mad & towardys hym so vnkynd y^t we wold sell yt to a nother for lesse / nather than to hym for more. As some do / that had leuer trauayle far of and sell for lesse / than they wold for more sell to theyre neyghbours at home. And as do these folysh ypocryt{is} / which rather thā they wold sell theyr worke to god for euer∣lastynge ioy of heuen / sell yt all to the world for the peuysh plesure of y^e vayn prayse puffed out of pore mortall men∣nys mouthes wyth a blast of wynde. ¶Unto thys he sayd that very true yt was y^t all our workys toke theyre va∣lue & pryce after thacceptacyō of god / & as he lyst to allowe them. But he sayd that god reiected / dysalowed / and set at nought all the workys of infydelys wrought wythout fayth. For sine fide impossibile est placere deo / w̄tout fayth yt is īpossyble to please god. S•• o•• his faythfull chosen peple that byleue and trust in hym / he accepteth & alloweth all the dedys. And that is sayd he / wel proued by the wordys of saynt Iohn̄ / Nichil dānationis est hiis qui sunt in Christo iesu. And albe yt that in the re∣hersyng of the cōmunycacyō had wyth thys man / yt may well be y^t my remē∣braunce maye partely mysse the order / partely peraduenture adde or my••ysh in some parte of the mater / yet in thys poynt I assure you faythfully / there ys no maner chaūg or varyaūce from his opynyon / but that after many shyftys he brought yt playnly to thys poynt at last / that he and his felows that were of Luthers secte / were fermely of this opynyon / that they byleued that god worketh all in euery mā good workys and badde. Howe be yt no suche as he foreknoweth to be dāpned / no maner workys be profyfable to them. For god taketh theym for nought be they neuer so good. But on the tother syde in those he hath chosē fro y^e begynnīg & predesty¦nate to glory / all work{is} be good ynog•• For god accepteth and taketh thē well a worth be they neuer so bad.

¶It was asked hym than whyther y^t the forsakynge of Cryst by Peter was alowed and well approued by Cryste. And whyther y^t aduour••y & māslaugh••ter was by god wel alowed in Dauyd. ¶Wherunto he sayd that bycause they were chosē and predestynate / therfore those synnys were not / nor the synnys of any suche men be not imputed vnto theym. But god bycause he hath frome the begynnynge chosen theym to euer∣lastyng blysse / therfore he ••rre••teth no blame of theyr dedys vnto theym / but all the workys of a iuste man that ys to saye quod he of a person by god pre∣destynate to glory / turne hym to good / how euyll so euer they be. And thys for cōclusyon he declared to be theyr very playn mynde and opynyon / for all the clockys that he set vppon the mater by∣fore / to make yt seme that they mened in theyr word{is} none harme. And there yt clerely appered / that he and hys f•••• whych in theyr prechyng do couertly & craftely secte oute the dampnable secte of Luther / hoope and ga••e alway for some other tyme / in whych they truste opēly & boldely to play the raueno{us} w••l¦uys & deuoure the shepe & marre y^e hole flok. And ī y^t mene s••as••̄ be cōtēt to play y^e wyly fox{is} & wyrry sīple soul{is} & pore lā¦bes / as thei may catch thē stragelīg frō y^e fold / or rather lyke a false shepeher∣d{is} do•• y^t wold but backe ī syght / & s••me

to fetche in y^e shepe / & yet kyll a lambe in a corner. Men speke of som that bere two facys in one hode. I neuer saw eny y^t more veryly play y^t pagaūte / than do thys kynde of suche prech•• ours. For in prechyng to the peple they make a vy∣sage as though they came strayght frō heuen to teche them a new better way & more trew than the chyrche techeth / or hath taught this many hūdred yere. And then to y^e chyrch in examynacyon they shew thē selfe as pore mē of mydle erth / & as though they taught none o∣ther wyse thā y^e chyrch doth. But in cō∣clusyō whē they be well examyned / & w^t mych worke that falsehode of theyr cloked collusyō ys pulled of / thē appe∣reth there all y^e malycyous trechery / & what poyson they put forthe vnder the cloke of hony. As thys mā y^t I tell you of laborynge all y^t he myghte by many meanes to make yt seme / that in pre∣chīg / y^t faith alon was sufficiēt for our saluacyō / & y^t good work{is} were nothīg worth / had nothīg entended but well & accordyng to y^e doctryne of y^e chyrch / & y^t he & hys felowes neuer ment other¦wyse thā y^e chyrch meneth / yet in cōclu¦syō he playnly shewed hym selfe / y^t he & hys felows entend therby to brynge y^e peple to thys poynt at last / y^t all thyng handgeth onely vppon desteny / & that the lybertye of mānys wyll shold serue of ryght nought / nor mēnys ded{is} good or bad made no dyfference afore god / but that in hys chosen people nothyng myslyketh hym be yt neuer so bad / and in the tother sort nothyng pleseth hym be yt neuer so good / the very worst and moste my scheuouse heresye y^t euer was thoughte vppon / and therto the moost madde. For as yt ys sayde vnto hym / yf this were trew / wherto preche they at all? and counsayle eny man o•••• thynge or other? What fruyte cowlde come of theyre exhortacyon yf all shold hange vppon destenye? There were shewed vnto hym many thyngys for the reprofe of that vnreasonable and detestable heresye / and that the textys whyche he alledged / nothynge made for hys purpose. For as for that he al∣ledged of saynt Powle / that there ys no dampnacyon to theym that be in Cryste Iesu / was ment of good fayth∣full folke that lyue vertuousely / and therefore where he sayth that there ys no dampnacyon to theym that be in Cryste Iesu / yt foloweth forthwyth in the texte / those that walke not after the ••••esshe. Menyng playnly y^t there is no mā so plāted in Cryst Iesu / but & yf he folow y^e fleshly ways of hys sensuall appetytys / he shalbe dāpned for all his fayth in Cryst. For ellis it shold folow vpō this false opiniō / if god accept wel all the workys of them that are pre∣destynate / than is synne no synne. But in y^e tother sort whō god hath not pre∣destynate. And than ys yt as myche to say as no mā may lawfully be nought no man lawfully do thefte or aduou∣tery / nor lawfully be a manquellour / nor lawfully forswere hym selfe but goddys good sonnys and hys specyall chosen chyldren.

¶Now where he alledged the wor∣dys of saynt Powle / q iuste omnia co∣operantur in bonū / To a iuste man all thyngys worke together to hys wele / yt was sayde that yt ment that all the euylles that men dyd vnto theym / tur∣ne them to good & be to good mē occa∣sion of theyr meryte / as was to Iob all y^e tormētys by whych y^e deuyll assauted hys pacyence / and all the paynys that

P••gan tyrau••tys dyd vnto the holy martyrs. And somtyme y^e syn in whych a good man ys by goddys sufferaunce {per}mytted to fall / ys an occasyon to hym of a gretter good / or of thauoydyng of a gretter syn. As theschewynge of an hyghe spyrytuall pryde / in to whyche peraduenture the contynuall c••urse of hys vertuous lyfe might by the deuyls subtyll suggestyon haue brought hym / whereas one foule act of lechery hath shewed hym his f••ayletye / and in stede of pryde broughte hym in to penaunce and humylyte / and make hym runne the faster forward in vertue / bycawse he hath letted and syt styll a whyle in syn / and therfore wyll he runne forthe to wynne agayne in hys waye that he byfore caste hym selfe behynde. But yt was not ment that euer theyr synnys so turned thē to good / that they were accepted the more and rewarded the better for theyr euyll dedys. Nor god remytteth not the synnys of his chosen people / nor forbereth not to impute the blame therof vnto them / bycawse they be hys chosen people. For he accepteth not folk for theyr persons but for theyr merytys / but where as they haue syn∣ned / he punyssheth as wel theym as o∣ther / and somtyme more bycause theyr formare good lyuyng somwhat of con¦gruence deserued that they shold by pu¦nysshment be called agayne to grace / and not be for theyr fawte so sone cast clene away / as some other obdurate in maly••e and euyll cu••••ume of synne / de¦serue to haue y^e grace of god & hys cal∣lyng ••n neuer more offred vnto them / and vnto som yt ys o••••red that wyl not receyue yt. God called on ••a••yd by y^e prophete Nathan / and yet punysshed hys of••••re. Cryst loked on Peter after he had forsaken and forsworne hym / and Peter therwyth toke repētaunce. God loked on Iudas & kyssed hym to / and he turned to none amendement. Now god frō the begynnyng before y^e worlde was created / foreseyng in hys dyuyne pseyence or rather in y^• therny∣••e of his godhed presently byholdyng / that Peter wold repent & Iudas wold dyspayre / and that the tone wold take hold of hys grace the tother wolde re∣iecte yt / accepted and chose the tone & not the tother / as he wolde haue made the contrary choyce / yf he had forsene in them the contrary chaunge.