The vvhole workes of W. Tyndall, Iohn Frith, and Doct. Barnes, three worthy martyrs, and principall teachers of this Churche of England collected and compiled in one tome togither, beyng before scattered, [and] now in print here exhibited to the Church. To the prayse of God, and profite of all good Christian readers.

An Aunswer to Rastels third Chapter, which would proue that I deny hell.

IT séemeth (sayth Rastel) by the rea∣sons * 1.1 that Frith hathe alleaged that his entēt is to bring the people in be∣léefe that there is no hel, for I alleage in my aunswer to Rastels dialoge the saying of S. Paule. Ephe. 1. Christe * 1.2 chose vs in him before the beginning of the world, that we might be holy & without spot in his sight, and againe Eph. 5. Christ loued his cōgregation * 1.3 and gaue himself for it, that he might sanctifie it in the fountaine of water thorow the word to make it wythout spot or wrincle or any such thing, but that it should be holy and wythoute blame.

And vpon these textes I conclude, * 1.4 that if Christe haue so purged vs that we are w^tout spot, wrinckle or blame in his sight, (as Paule testifieth) then wil he neuer cast vs into Purgatorie. For what should be purged in them, that are withoute spotte, wrinckle or blame. And then somwhat to declare the matter how we be sinners as lōg as we liue, and yet without synne in the sight of God, adde these woordes which I would that all men did well note, and bicause Rastell leaueth out the best of the matter, I will rehearse my owne wordes againe.

Peraduenture euery man percei∣ueth not what this meaneth that we are rightwise in his sight, séeing that euery man is a sinner. 1. Ioh. 2. ther∣fore I will bréefely declare the mea∣ning of the Apostel. This is fyrste a cleare case, that there liueth no man vppon the earthe without synne, not withstanding all they that were cho∣sen

in Christ before the foundation of * 1.5 the world were laid, are without spot of sinne in the sight of God. Ephes. 1. so that they are both sinners, & right∣wise if we consider the imperfection of our faith and charitie, if we consy∣der the conflict of the flesh and the spi∣rite. Galath. 5. if we consider our re∣bellious membres whiche are vnder sinne. Rom. 7. then are we gréeuous sinners: and contrary wise, if we be∣léeue that of that mercifull fauor God gaue his most deare sonne to redeme vs from oure sinne, if we beléeue that he imputeth not our sinnes vnto vs, but y^• his wrath is pacified in Christe & his bloud, if we beléeue that he hath fréely giuen vs his Christe, and with him all things, so that we be destitute of no gift. Rom. 8. then are we righte¦ous * 1.6 in his sight, and oure conscience at peace with God, not thorowe oure selues, but thorowe oure Lorde Iesu Christ. Ro. 5. So maist thou perceiue * 1.7 that thou art a sinner in thy selfe, and yet art thou rightwise in Christe, for * 1.8 thorow him is not thy sinne imputed nor reckened vnto thée, & so are they to whome God imputeth not theyr sinnes, blessed rightwise w^tout spot, wrinkle, or blame. Rom. 4. Psal. 31. * 1.9 And therfore will he neuer thrust thē into purgatorie, and for proofe of this I alledge (as Rastel beareth me wit∣nesse) diuers texts of S. Paul. Eph. 2. Rom. 4. 5. 7. 8. but that notwithstan∣ding * 1.10 Rastel sayth that I haue not re∣cited them sufficiently, for I haue left out somwhat which I haue rehersed for the opening of the truth, and then bringeth in that S. Paule exhorteth and biddeth vs we shall vse no forni∣cation, vnclennesse, auarice, filthe or foolish speaches, for such shall haue no inheritance in the kingdom of heauē, and euen so say I too, but iudge good * 1.11 reader, what is this to the purpose: for it neither maketh for purgatorie, neither agaynst it. This text I coulde haue alleaged if I had endeuored my selfe that we should doe good woorkes (which I neuer knew christian man deny) but else as touching my matter it is nothing to the purpose, and as well he mighte haue improued me bi∣cause I bring in no text to proue that y^t father of heauen is god, or to proue that which neuer man doubted of.

Then he alleageth Paul. Ro. v. vj. * 1.12 saying, though grace doe raigne tho∣row Christ, shall we therfore dwel in sinne, nay God forbid sayth Paule, & euen so say I againe: he alleageth Rom. viij. that there is no dampnati∣on * 1.13 to them which be in Christ Iesu if they liue not after the fleshe, and euen so say I, but Rastell will say the con∣trary anone.

Besides that he alleageth Rom. iij. we be fréely iustified by grace, by Christes redemption to shew hys iu∣stice for the remissyon of synne done before (and yet saythe Rastell) Paule sayth that the law is not destroyed by fayth but made stable, but thys hathe Frith left out of his boke to cause the people to beléeue that they be cleane purged by the bloud of Christe only, and that there néede no purgatorie.

By these words you may euident∣ly * 1.14 perceyue what Rastell meaneth by thys alleaging of Paule, for the esta∣blishing of the lawe, verely that the worke of the lawe should iustifie and * 1.15 cleane purge you from synne whyche is contrary to Paul and all scrypture, for euen in thys same Chapter that he alleageth, Paule saith: that of wor∣kes of the law no flesh shalbe iustified in hys syght, and saythe that the right∣wisenesse of God commeth by faythe of Iesu Christ vnto all, and vppon all that beléeue. But as touching good works, I wil touch more héereafter.

Furthermore Rastell sayth, that if * 1.16 my argumentes coulde proue that there is no purgatory, it must follow * 1.17 as wel that there is no hell for vs that be christen men though we continue still in sinne: for if we be blessed with out spot, wrinkle, or blame, and that therefore he will not cast vs into pur∣gatory, then he will not cast vs into hell whatsoeuer sinne we do commit.

Here Rastell vttereth his blinde∣nes * 1.18 vnto you, and sheweth you what vnderstanding he hath in scripture: first he armeth himselfe wyth a false supposition, and yet therupon he con∣cludeth his argument falsly. His sup∣position

is this, that al men which are baptized with materiall water are ve∣ry Christen men and haue the true fayth, * 1.19 and be those which Paule af∣firmeth to be without spot, blame, or wrinkle. But thereto I say nay, for euen as the outwarde circumcision made not the Iewes the elect people and children of saluation, so doth not the outwarde baptisme make vs the faythfull members of Christ: but as they were the children of God, which were inwardly circumcised, euen so they that are washed inwardly from the concupiscens of thys worlde, are the members of Christ, whom Paule affirmeth so to be purged through his bloud. Agayne, you may know that Rastell knoweth none other faith but that which may stand with all maner of sinne, but the faith which we speak of, is the same which worketh thro∣ugh charitie, wherof Paule, speaketh Gal. 5. They that haue thys fayth, are borne of God and sinne not, these * 1.20 that haue this faith do hope and looke daily for deliuerance out of this thral∣dome and body of sinne: and in the meane season they purify themselues * 1.21 as he is pure. For if a man will say that he knoweth Christ or beléeueth in him, and kepeth not his commaun∣dementes, he is a lyar, and we re∣nounce him to be any of this number that we speake of. And when Rastell sayth, I woulde conclude there is no hell for them that be Christen men, though they continue still in sinne. I * 1.22 aunswer, he that committeth sinne is of the deuill, and I say agayne, that the Christen that we spake of, which are the children of God cannot conti∣nue * 1.23 still in sinne, but séeke all meanes to fulfill Gods commaundementes. Notwithstanding the christen which Rastel speaketh of which are the chil∣dren of the deuill, may do as they list: and indéede they had néede to make a frende of Rastell to helpe them into his purgatory, if it be any better then hell: for they shall neuer come in hea∣uen, except they repent and walke in∣nocently * 1.24 in this world, as Christ and his little flocke haue euer done: for they that walke otherwyse are none of his, though they weare miters.

This little flocke it is that are so * 1.25 purged (and not Rastels multitude) and for this is there neyther hell nor purgatory ordeyned, euen as for the hope that continueth still in sin is or∣dayned no heauen. And that there is no hell ordained for these faythfull fo∣lowers of Christ, I will proue euen by this worde of Paule which Rastel rehearsed before. Rom. 8. That there * 1.26 is no damnation to them that be in Christ Iesu, if they liue not after the flesh. Here Rastell hath smitten the ball quite vnder the corde, and hath * 1.27 alleged that, that shall condemne him. For if there be no damnation, but be∣cause you are somewhat slow in per∣ceauing the matter, I shall reduce it into a Sillogismus on this manner: There is no damnation vnto them * 1.28 that be in Christ Iesu if they liue not after the flesh, but after the spirite. Euery hell is dānation. Ergo, there is no hell to them that be in Christ Iesu * 1.29 if they liue not after the flesh but af∣ter the spirite. This is in the first fi∣gure made by Relarent. not by any pro¦fite that I thinke that the poore cōmōs can take by such babblyng but onely to satisfie your mynde and pleasure. Notwithstandyng one thyng I must * 1.30 put you in remembraunce, that you haue falsly translated the text for the text hath not that cōditional although I was contented to take it at your handes to sée what you could proue, but the text sayth thus there is no dā∣nation to them that are in Christ Ie∣su, which walke not after the flesh but after the sprite: where Paul doth cer∣tifie you that they which are in Christ Iesu, walke not after the flesh but af∣ter * 1.31 the spirite, so that you may gather by Paule that if they walke not after the spirit they are not in Christ Iesu, that is to say: they are none of Chri∣stes, although Rastell will call them Christen men, therfore deare brethrē looke that no man deceiue hym selfe, for Christ is not y^t minister of sinnes. If we be deliuered frō sinne through * 1.32 Christ, then must we walke in a new conuersation of our life, or els we are still in darknes. Remember that we

haue this precious treasure in frayle, britell and earthy vessels, let vs ther∣fore with feare and trembling, worke our health, and make stable our voca∣tion and electiō, for if we retayne the * 1.33 truth & knowledge of God in sinne and vnrighteousnes we shall shortly perceiue the wrath of God vppon vs with infinite delusions, and the ende of vs shalbe woorse then the begyn∣nyng: awake therfore and vnderstād your health.

Now you may sée howe he conclu∣deth that I establyshe thys error, that there is no hell, for séeing mine argu∣ments, * 1.34 and Paule Rom. viij. doe con∣clude that there is no hel nor dampna∣tion to them that are in Chryst Iesu, and are hys faythfull followers, he thinketh it should well folowe that if there be no hell for them, that there is no hell for no man: for in hys seconde chapter, and also in the beginnyng of the third, he saythe that I deny hell, * 1.35 and when we come to hys probation, there is nothyng sayd but that whych Paul confyrmeth, that is, there is no damp••ton for them that are in Chryst Iesu, which walke not after the flesh, but after the sprite, whych are thorow Chryste wythoute spotte wrynkle or blame. And so though Rastel appeare to hymselfe to conclude lyke a sage Philosopher, yet I answer you he cō∣cludeth lyke an ignorante Sophyster as all mē may sée, for it foloweth not: Paule and Fryth say there is no hel, as contrarywise it foloweth not there * 1.36 is no heauen for Rastelles Chrysten men whych contynue styll in synne, Ergo there is no heauen for the deuil theyr father, and yet is there heauen for Chryste and hys electe. I haue be∣fore declared how Chrystes elect are synners and no synners. And nowe bycause you shoulde not mistake the tertes of S. Iohn whych I before al∣leaged, I wyll shew you how they do commyt synne, whych I dyd also fuf∣ficiently touch in my answer agaynst Rastels dialoge, euen two leaues frō the ende, and yet I wyll touche it a∣gayne, bycause you shall not thyncke that I woulde not leade you in igno∣rance and darknesse.

There are two partes in a fayth∣full * 1.37 man, whych rebell eche agaynste other, and are at contynuall stryfe, and both of them haue diuers names in serypture, the one is called the in∣ward man, the heart, the mynde, the wyll, and the spryte: the other is cal∣led the outward man, the rebellyous membres, the bodye of synne and the fleshe, and these in a faythfull man kéepe contynuall warre, and allbeit the one be subdued and taken pryson∣ner of the other, yet neuer consenteth to hys ennemy, he can not leaue him, neyther will make peace wyth hym, but wyll laboure what he can, and wyll call for all that he thynketh wyll helpe hym to be deliuered from hys ennemie, and then warreth vppon hym a freshe, what tyme the faith∣full man is brought to the knowledge of God, and beléeueth in Chryst, and hath his will and mynde renued with the spryte of God that consenteth to the lawe of God, that is good, ryghte∣ous and holy, and beginneth to loue the lawe, and hath a will and a desire to fulfill the lawe of God, and not to despyse hys heauenly father, and looke howe much he loueth the lawe, coun∣tyng it ryghtwise and holye. Euen so muche doth he hate synne whych the * 1.38 lawe forbiddeth and abhoreth it in hys heart and inward man, and then albeit the outwarde man and rebelli∣ous membres do at time beséege him and take hym captyue vnder synne, yet doth not the inward man consent that thys synne is good and the lawe naught, whych forbyddeth it, neyther dothe the heart delighte in thys same synne, neyther can it delyght in suche synne, bycause the spirite of God te∣styfieth vnto hym that it is abhomy∣nable in the syghte of God, and then fyghteth the inwarde man agaynste the outwarde wyth faythe, prayer, al∣mose déedes and fastyng, and labou∣reth * 1.39 to subdue the membres, lamen∣ting that he hath bene ouercome, by∣cause he feareth to displease God hys father, and desyreth him for the bloud of hys sonne Christe, that he will for∣geue that whych is past, and hys dili∣gence that he taketh in tamyng hys

membres, is not recompēce towards God for the sinne that is paste, but to subdue the fleshe y^t he synne no more, thys rebellion had Paule. Rom. 7. saying, that he dyd not that good thing * 1.40 whych he would, but the euill whych he hated, that he did, that is, he did not fulfil y^t good lawe of God, as hys hart, will, and inwarde man desyred, but dyd the euill as touchyng hys fleshe and outwarde man whych he hated, and so he synned with hys outwarde man, then howe is thys true, that he that committeth synne is of the De∣uill, and he that is of God committeth no synne, was not Paule of God? yes verely, and all be it he committeth synne wyth his membres & outwarde man, yet he sinned not, for he saythe. If I doe that thyng that I hate, then * 1.41 is it not I that doe it, but the synne that dwelleth in me, and euen lyke∣wyse the faythfull folowers of Christ commit no synne, for they hate it, and if they fortune to be entangled wyth synne, it is not they that doe it (as Paule saith) but the synne that dwel∣leth in them, which God hathe left to exercise them, as he left y^t Philistians to exercise and nurtoure the children of Israell, and if the remnauntes of * 1.42 sinne fortune at anye time to looke a∣loft and begin to raigne, then he sen∣deth some crosse of aduersitie or sick∣nesse to helpe to suppresse them. And thus shall it be as long as we liue, but when we be once deade, then oure members rebell no more, and then néedeth neyther purgatorie nor anye other crosse, for the outwarde man is turned into vanitie, and our inwarde * 1.43 mā was euer pure thorow beléeuing the worde of God, and neuer consen∣ted to sinne, and néedeth nother pur∣gatorie in this world nor in the world to come, but only for subduing the outward man, and therfore after this lyfe he shall neuer haue any purgato∣rie. Marke well what I say and reade it againe, for more shall reade it then shall vnderstande it, but he that hathe eares let hym heare.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Rastell.
• * 1.2

  Ephe. 1.
• * 1.3

  Frithes aunswere to Rastels thyrd chap∣ter.
• * 1.4

  Frith.
• * 1.5

  How we are righte∣ous in the sight of God, & yet •…•…e sinners.
• * 1.6

  Roma. 8.
• * 1.7

  Roma. 5.
• * 1.8

  We are sin∣ners in our selues and yet righte∣ous in Christ.
• * 1.9

  Roma. 4. Psal. 31.
• * 1.10

  Rastell.
• * 1.11

  Fi••••h.
• * 1.12

  Rastell.
• * 1.13

  Rastell set∣teth a trap wherein he wilbe taken hym selfe.
• * 1.14

  Frith.
• * 1.15

  The wor∣kes of the law can not iustifie vs.
• * 1.16

  Rastell.
• * 1.17

  Rastelles blind argu∣ment.
• * 1.18

  Frith.
• * 1.19

  Note well this wor∣thy & lear∣ned argu∣ment.
• * 1.20

  Gallat. 5. 1. Iohn 3.
• * 1.21

  1. Iohn. 3. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Iohn. 2.
• * 1.22

  Frith.
• * 1.23

  Such chri∣sten people as are the children of God, will not dwell nor abide in sin••e, and so for thē there is no hell.
• * 1.24

  Luke. 12.
• * 1.25

  The smal∣ler number belong to Christ, and not y^• grea∣ter.
• * 1.26

  Rom. 8.
• * 1.27

  Here Ra∣stel is taken in his owne trappe.
• * 1.28

  Maior.
• * 1.29

  Minor.
• * 1.30

  Rastel fal∣syfieth the scripture.
• * 1.31

  1. Cor. 8. Galath. 2.
• * 1.32

  Roma. 6. 1. Iohn. 2. Phil. 2. Pet. 1.
• * 1.33

  Roma. 1.
• * 1.34

  There is no hell to those that are in christ Iesu.
• * 1.35

  There is a •…•…or suche as feare not God nor 〈◊〉〈◊〉 his cō∣maunde∣ments.
• * 1.36

  As there is no heauē for good & euil, so there is▪ no hell for good and euill.
• * 1.37

  There are two partes in man, that is. the out∣warde man and the in∣ward man.
• * 1.38

  Howe the inward mā resisteth the assaultes of the outward man.
• * 1.39

  The faith∣ful man fea∣reth Gods displeasure.
• * 1.40

  Roma. 7.
• * 1.41

  How a mā may cōmit sinne, and yet sinne not.
• * 1.42

  Sinnere∣maineth in oure out∣ward mem∣bres, to ex∣ercise the inward mā in resisting of sinne.
• * 1.43

  Iohn. 15.