The copie of a letter sente to one maister Chrispyne chanon of Exceter for that he denied ye scripture to be the touche stone or trial of al other doctrines whereunto is added an appologie and a bulworke, in defe[n]ce of the same letter.

HEre haste thou my letter (gentle rea∣der) euen worde for worde as it was de∣liuered to mayster Chrispyne. And trueth it is, I wrote it inmediately after my retoune frome hys sermon, euen whyle it was hotte. For it gre∣ued me that it had not been law∣ful for me to haue answered him euen incontinente before all the audience.

For he perswaded them al, for the mooste parte, that nothynge coulde be sayde to the contrarie. Which greued me to heare. Not wythstandynge, when I hadde written my letter: I dyd not sēde it furth w^t, but paused a whyle, partelye, seeinge ther was suche a greate audience, to se whether any man of woship, or some bet∣ter learned then I woulde take the mattier in hande. But after

I had rested vpō thys a moneth or .vi. weakes and perceiued that no man busied hym selfe in it (al though ther were present men of worship pretēding to haue know¦ledg) I sent furth my letter, the laste daie of Apriel or nere there aboute. And because the mesen∣ger dyd not in all thynges fulfyl my request, I wrote agayne to maister Chrispyne, desireinge hym to sende me an answere by the sayede bearer of my letter, to whō he gaue thys answer. That he would not writ, but cōmune wyth me him selfe. I lefte him not thus, but w^tin a while after he cam to a benefice y^t he hath cal¦led Herbertō, besyd Totnes, and preached there y^e sūday after cor∣pus Christi day, as they cal it, & y^e mūdaie in the morning: I wente to him and communed w^t hym, and spent wel most y^e whole day. In which cōmunicaciō, we swar¦ued not frō these .iii. questiās. I

I resorted vnto him againe, not long after y^e, and had much talke w^t him, al which cōmunicaciō, I haue not: nor wyll babble out, al thought it be reported y^t I came to him for non other purpose, but to haue matter to talk of, and to accuse him. But yet they be to blame so to reporte of me. For if Maister Chrispine, or other y^t be more busie peraduēture in talk∣ing then he him selfe, can say▪ y^t I haue accused him of any such pri¦uat cōmunicatiō: let thē lay it to my charge, else let thē for shame hold theyr peace, and say y^e thing they knowe. As for the wordes that he or any other shal speake in a pulpyt or any suche like au∣diēce. I am sure they wilbe cōtē∣ted to heare of thē againe. If not let thē hēce forth desire their audi¦ence to kepe coūsel or else truly, if I be presente, & heare any thing spoken againste god or my prince

especially agaynste the doctrine of Christe: I muste needes dis∣close it. If they wyll blame me for this: I am cōtented to beare it, howe be it vn worthye in my owne conceyte, let other iudge.

But if he were able to defend it that he hadde preached, whye shoulde he feare to wryte to the defence of the same? Wherfore, seinge he hath receyued my let∣ter, kepeth it, and wyl not write agayne, and yet blameth and fyndeth diuers fautes in it: why shoulde he be greued wyth me, for spreadeynge a broode myne owne doynges, to vtter myne owne secretes. And where as he was offēded wyth me (although I haue not, nor wyll laye anye such priuate communicacion to anye mans charge, specially of myne owne seekynge) yet I saye I muste declare my meaneinge more playnely, in those thynges

whyche he is so muche offended wythall, to thentente that no stublynge stocke be purposely layed in my brothers waye, that he shoulde not vnderstande the trueth and prayse God. For al∣though I found mayster Chris∣pyne verye gentle and charita∣ble to talke wythal (for y^t which thynge I haue and wyll gyue him prayse yet disputeth he sub¦tlelye, and especially when he thynketh to haue yonge scholars in handelynge, as he dyd wyth me. For in thys he put me to my trumpe, because I asked him in my letter what difference was betwene scripture wrytten, and scripture spoken. Nowe truth it is, that accordyng to the Etimo∣logie of the word, which cometh of Scribo, and so to Scriptura: it can not be called Scripture, vn∣lesse it be written. And so euerye thynge written, maye be called

scripture. And in that sentence, we shall fynde no difference be∣twene the bible and Robyn hod, by this name scripture, for both maye be called scripture I saye, after the verie nature of y^e word Lo heare haue you an exāple of sophistri. Let yong scholars take hede by me, howe they meddell wyth thē. For whereas I mente symply after the commone vsage and phrase of ourespeache, meane¦inge by Scripture written and spokē: the prophecie of y^e olde and newe testament the doctrine of Christe euen the verie worde of God, as well beynge opened by the mouth of the Apostles vn∣to the heares in those dayes, as written wyth theyr owne han∣des, and reade vnto vs nowe in our time: he nowe takeinge hys aduauntage at y^e nature of y^e la∣tine word Scriptura, out of whiche this englishe worde scripture is

diriued: denieth that it maye be called scripture, vnlesse it be writ¦ten What other thynge is thys then a mere sophisticall cauilla∣cion? The scribes and pharises in Christes tyme (by lyke) had not learned their sophistrie or els thei wer not so curiouse as our mē be. For if thei had, thei mought haue asked Christ, whē he bad thē serch the scriptures, what scripture he mēt. But Paule therfore preuē∣ting such subtile disputīg calleth it holy scriptur geuen by inspira¦cion. Thus you se, a mā had nede (as the prouerbe goeth) to haue a long spone y^t shal eate w^t y^e deuill. It is no maruaile, though mas∣ter. Chrispin in his lessō not long sēce, dyd so much cōmēd distincti¦ons, & proued thē so necessarie y^t we could not be w^tout thē. For he that shal haue to do w^t such sophi¦sters had nede to make diffinici∣ōs, & premeditat his words before 〈1 page missing〉〈1 page missing〉

pretacion. For the prophecie was neuer brought in by the wyll of man, but y^e holy mē of god spake as they were moued of the holye gost. Nowe if I shoulde aske. S. Peter what he meaneth by scrip¦ture here, I thynke he woulde say the word of god. But it is the word of god writtine would you say, yet doth. s. Peter say it of the same written worde y^e the holye men of God spake, as they were moued by y^e holy goste. But tru∣lye I thinke it but a vaine thing and euen a losse of tyme to trifle in suche questians which can no waye edifye, especially, seynge S. Paule doth so often diswade Timoth frome such foleishe que∣stians: & exhorteth him to cleaue faste to the word of God If anye man sayth he, teache other wyse and agreeth not to the holesome wordes of our lord Iesus Christ and to the doctrine of godlinesse: he is puffed vp, and knoweth no∣nothing,

but wasteth his braines about questians and striueing of words, wherof sprīgeth enuie &c.

After a like maner also he toke me vp (how be it more ernestlye for that I sayde, the worde was in the beginning and for alledg∣ing, Christes wordes, I am that I say vnto you. Or euen y^e same thinge that I speake vnto you As thoughe I wente aboute to proue y^t Christe was but a voice only, or a writtē letter in paper. Thus he dalyed w^t me & was in w^t his distīctiōs, whether I mēt bi y^e word y^e voice, y^e breath, or the writtē word, with manie double doubtes. For mi words (he saied) as they stode in my letter, were heresie. But I told him y^t I mēt it by y^e same word y^t the lord Ie∣sus christ taught, as Christ hym selfe wittnesseth. I am euen the very same thinge y^t I speake vn∣to you. He saied that the words were not as I alledged them

them. For the latyne hath (saied he) Ego sum qui loquor vobis. Now as for the alledgeinge of those wor∣des? I folow the English trans∣latours, whose lerneynge I can not correcte. If he can amende theyr doinges: he shal haue good leaue for me. Notwythstanding seinge that, he maketh my wor∣des to dayngerouse: I cānot but say more in it, although they can not be spokē (in my cōceyt) more playne to be vnderstād, thē they be alredi writtē. For. s▪ Iohn say∣eth. The worde was in y^e begin∣ning & the word was w^t god and God was the worde. Nowe, to de¦nye that Christe is the worde of God, by whiche all thinges were made: I say is anheresie in dead. Therfore it must nedes be graū∣ted that Christe was and is the worde of God.

Thy worde Lorde (sayeth the prophete) is a lanterne to my fet

and a light to my pathes. Again he sayeth. When thy worde go∣eth forth, it geueth lyght and vn¦derstandeynge euen to babes. Nowe what meaneth he by this worde that geueth thys lyghte? Christe sayth, I am come a light into y^e world, that who so euer be leueth in me should not abyd in darknes By these & many other it wyll appeare, Christe to be the true worde of God. But nowe wyll they graunte that Christe is the worde that came from the father, the lyghte of the worlde the life of the worlde, as Moyses saith: set your hertes on y^e words that I testifie, sayeth he, for it is no vayne worde but your lyfe. I am sure I say, they wyl graūt Christe to be the worde, but not the worde wryttyn whyche we reade in the boke. In dede, to say that Christe maye be written in paper, or that the letters whiche

be made of incke & paper should be Christe: were a fonde opinion and suche as I neuer harde of. But the wordes written in the boke, which we cal the scripture. As the prophetes from Moyses to Christ, and the doctrine of the apostles, which is written we cal it the Gospel, we call it the scrip∣tures we cal it y^e newe testament and the olde these wordes writ∣ten in a boke, beinge reade vnto the people, to enstruction & edify¦ing of y^e cōgregatiō is the word of god, yea Christ y^e breade of life which came frō heauē so y^e whoso eateth therof, shal liue euer. The words that Moyses dyd testifie vnto the children of Israell, and sayed vnto them it is no vayne word but your life: be they not writtē? And be they not our life as wel as theyrs? But what life cā thei be vnto vs, if thei be kept frō vs so that we know thē not?

Dyd Moyses hyde them away, and say they would make mē he∣retykes? But all suche as do euil hate the lyght, and come not to it that theyr dedes should not be reproued but he that doeth the trueth cometh to the lyght, that his workes maye be knowen, for they be done in God.

Agayne, I am the lyghte of the world sayeth Christe. Whye shoulde these men refuse goddes word to be their light, if they wer of god: whie should they feare to saye y^e Christes worde is Christe the worde of the father, the light that lyghneth al men that come vnto hym? Esaye sayth. If anye man want light, let him loke vp∣on the lawe and testimonies. What meaneth he by the lawe and testimonies? meaneth he not the scripture or written word of God, shall we not ther fynde the lighte? I woulde aske these dis∣puters

of the worlde. Whether the Gospell be written or no? I thyncke they wyll graunte that it is written. Well Saynct Paulle sayth, he is not a shamed of y^e Gos∣pell of Christe, for it is the powre of God, whiche saueth all that be∣leue. Nowe is this gospel written for our learneing, & saueth as ma¦ny as beleue. Marke wel the bele∣uers are not saued because it is writtē but they be saued, because they beleue y^e which is writē. I aske these philosophers, whether y^e wor∣des that Christe speake be written or no? I trowe the Euangelistes haue written the moste necessarye thynges, yea the verie secretes & hyd thynges. If Christes wordes which he spake be writtē, then the word y^t is written shal iudge these vnbeleauers in the laste daye. For thus sayth Christe. He y^t refuseth me and receyueth not my wordes: hath one alredye y^t iudgeth hym.

The word (sayth he) that I haue spoken, shal iudge him in the last day. Vnderstād nowe gentle rea¦der, y^t these fathers, would vnder colours plucke a waye the great authoritie of the scriptures, and diminishe (thorowe subtyle dis∣putinge) y^e efficatie and strength of the gospell. Whether they do of hatred to gods word, or blind¦nes and ignoraunce in the same, or else for lucers sake, I can not tell But to far wander they out of the waye. But I exhorte the though they be to far on the left hand, rune not y^u to far on y^e rigt hande. Enter in at the strayte gate, for wyde is the gate, and brode is the way that leadeth to destructiō, & many ther be y^e, go in ther at. But strayte is y^e gate and narrowe is the waye that leadeth vnto lyfe and fewe ther∣be y^e fynd it. Thys is therfore the sume of thys disputaciō y^t Christ

is the word and wisedome of the father, in whom who so beleueth hath euerlasteinge lyfe. Thys same word did he him self preach and sayeth. If you abyde in me any my wordes abyde in you: ye shall axe what you wyll, and it shalbe done vnto you. Beholde wheras he sayde before. If you continue in my wordes: nowe he sayeth. If you byd in me and my wordes abid in you. By this it is euident, that Christe is the worde, euen that worde whiche was preached frō the beginning is preached nowe, and shalbe to the ende. And although Christe be not, as is sayde, incke and pa∣per, or a worde closed in a boke as thought we mought saye, looe, here in thys boke is Christe, or in that boke is Christe: yet was it the wyll of God that thys hea∣uenly doctrine shoulde be writ∣ten, and that it shoulde remaine

wyth vs, and also that these wor¦des written beinge reade vnto vs, shoulde be vnto vs, euē that same worde that Christe spake when he sayed. He that is of god heareth gods worde. And euen the verie same (to them that be∣leue) that he speaketh of sayeing If anye man kepe my worde, he shal neuer se death. And to them that beleue not: the same that he sayeth shall iudge the vnbele∣uers in the last daye.

Now marke well, I besech the and consider wyth thy selfe, the mischiefe of these subtyle sophi∣sters. They make it wounderfull dayngerouse, to call the scriptur Christe. They be verye carefull to haue the true worship of god preserued and kepte. And they feeare leaste we wyll fall to wor∣shipynge of the verie boke wher¦in the testimonies of Christe be wrytten. And therfore do they

withdrawe all men from reade∣inge and heareing it as much as they can. But alas, why be they not so ware and dayngerous in theyr laye mens bokes (as they cal them) whiche al the scripturs crie out vpon, euen from the be∣gininge of the olde testament to the later ende of the new. By the which bokes (or rather abomina∣ble Idoles) it is open and mani∣fest, that muche Idolatrie hath ben cōmitted, yea & wilbe stil, so longe as ther is one left standing in the temples.

The word of god, the doctrine of Christe, whiche he and his A∣posteles so ernestlye taught, ex∣horted & cōmaunded to harken vnto, to beleaue and folowe (al∣most al the bible is nothing else) this I say, they cānot suffer any man to haue to do with al. Thei haue burned it frō tyme to tyme they burned the readars of it, as

al the worlde can testifie. It is manifeste, that they beare little good wyll to it vnto thys daye. But these mahomets puppetes & veri Idolles, which haue not one word in al scriptur for them, but contrarie, to the vtter abolish∣inge of them, these they can suf∣fer to be called Christe saynte sa∣uioure, saynte Sundaye, the ho¦lye trinitie, oure ladye of Pitye our ladye of grace, oure ladye I can not tell wherof. Alhallowes wyth a thousād like names. Yea they can abyde that the people should worship those stil, for they neuer preach agaynste them, but rather defende them, to kepe the vnlerned in their blindnesse styl. Alas, to open is your doynge nowe (O you catholyke fathers) euerye chylde maye perceyue your blinde doctrine.

Yet wyl not you cease to exalt this false church & cōgregaciō of decey∣ceyuers,

euē aboue god him selfe For God was the worde, and a∣boue the rule of thys worde, sete ye your owne tradicions, in the name of Christes church. Thus dyd Christe prophecie that you shoulde come, & that you shoulde dooe miracles and wonders. In so muche that euen the verie e∣lect (if it were possible) should be brought into errowre. And saint Paule sayth you shal come with lieinge signes and wonders, and wyth al deceyueablenesse of vn∣rightuousnesse. And to Timoth he sayeth, you shall forbyde ma∣riage and meates.

So playne is it in al the scrip¦ture, that thei that read it must neades vnderstand it. Most eui∣dent and playne it is, that ye be euen of the same sinful sinagoge For trulye the spouse of Christe is obedient to hir bridgrome. The disciples of Christe, herken

to theyr Maister. And doubtles we can not be Christes verie dis∣ciples, vnlesse we continue in his doctrine. He y^t is of God heareth goddes worde. and he that kepe∣eth thys worde, shall neuer se deathe.

Moyses sayeth. You shall put nothinge to the worde whiche I commaunde you, neyther take ought ther from etc. Agayne. You shall turne neyther to the ryght hande, neither to the lefte but in the waye which your lord god cōmaundeth, shal ye walke. What more playne cōmaunde∣mēt can ther before the establish¦ment of the authoritie of y^e word of god? Moises had, the childrē of Israel shoulde write them vpon the postes of ther dores, & bynde them vpon theyr hādes to teach their children. He sayeth they be oure lyfe. And Christe sayth his wordes be spirit and life. Saint

Peter saith we haue a sure word of prophecie, & ye do well to take hede ther vnto, as vnto the light that shineth in a darcke place &c

If this worde were not wryt∣ten, that we myght knowe why∣ther to resorte for al thys: what should it auaile al these wordes? What were we the nere for all these testimonies, if the sume of Christes doctrine were not writ¦tē, and the certaynetie vnkowē? Whoe should be certayne of hys fayeth, if we had not a prescripte and certayne doctryne where∣unto wee moughte resorte to haue thys in fallible veritye. Howe shoulde we knowe these false prophetes to come in shipes clothing outwardly, & inwardly be rauenynge woulfes: if we had not a sure touche stone to trye theyr doctrine wyth all? If anye man preache vnto you (sayeth Paul) other then y^e which is prea¦ched

alredye, althoughe it were an angell frome heauen: let it be accurssed. What be we y^e nere of these wordes: if we be in doubte wher to fynde this Gospell? But I testifie vnto euerie man (sayth saynte Iohn) that heareth the wordes of prophesie of thys boke If any man shal adde vnto these thynges: God shall ad vnto hym the plages that are wrytten in thys boke. And if anye man shal mynishe of y^e wordes of the boke of thys prophesie: God shall take a waye his parte out of the boke of lyfe. etc. To conclude therfore I saye playnelye, that to denye the scripture, the Prophetes and Apostles, whose prophesies are wrytten in the Byble, to be a sufficiente doctryne and en∣struction necessarye for oure sal∣uacion, or to saye that it oughte not to be the touche stonne and

trial of al other doctrines aboue all other doctrines of anye other men, aboue theyr lawes, de∣cres and customes or cere∣monies (beside thys boke) whether it be of men or angelles: it is not only heresie, but also a di∣uellishe and dam∣nable doctrine. Nowe to our bul∣warcke.

Notes

• ii. Tim. iii.
• i. Ti. vt.
• Iohn. i. Iohn. viii.
• Psal. Cxviii
• Idem. Cxiii.
• Deute. xxxii.
• Io. vi.
• Iohn. iii.
• Esai. viii.
• Rom. i
• Iohn. xii
• Math. vii.
• Ioh. viii.
• Iohn. xv.
• Iohn. x••
• ii. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ii.
• Math. xxiiii.
• ii. These. ii. i. Timoth. iiii.
• Deut. iiii.
• Iosue. i.
• Deut. vi.xxxii.
• Iohn. vi.
• Math. vii.
• Galath. 1.
• Apoc. xxii.