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.

¶ That mens constitutions, which are not groun∣ded in Scripture, bynde not the conscience of man vnder the payne of deadly sinne.

* 1.1TO this article we must note that there bée two maner of ministers or powers: one is a tem∣poral power, the other is called a spiritual po∣wer:* 1.2 the tēporall power is cōmitted of God to Kinges, Dukes, Earles, Lordes, Barons, Iudges, Maiors, Shriues, & to all other ministers vn∣der thē, these bée they that haue onely the tēporall sword,* 1.3 wherby they must order al y^e cōmō wealth with all world ly thinges lōgyng thereunto, as y^e dis∣position of these worldly goodes, who shal bée right owner and who not, the probation of mens testamentes, the ordering of payments and customes, the settyng of all maner of taskes and forfaites, the correction of all trans∣gressions, wherby the cōmon wealth, or any priuate person, is disquieted or wronged: as correction of théeues, murderers, harlotes, baudes, sclan∣derers, wranglers, extortioners, bry∣bers, vserers, false buyers and sel∣lers, and of all other thynges where∣unto béelongeth any outwarde orde∣ryng, or any corporall payne. In thys power is the kyng chiefe and full ru∣ler: all other bée ministers and ser∣uauntes, as Paule doth declare, ••ay∣ing: let euery soule bée subiect and o∣bedient vnto the hye powers. &c.

Also S. Peter: bée subiect vnto the * 1.4 kyng as vnto the chiefe heade, eyther vnto rulers as vnto thē that are sent of the kyng for the punishmēt of euill doers. Ʋnto this power must wée bée obedient in all thynges that pertaine * 1.5 to the ministration of this present life and of the commō wealth, not alone∣ly (as Paule sayth) for auoyding of punishment, but also for dischargyng of our consciences: for this is y^e wyll of God. So that if this power com∣maunde anything of tyranny against right and law (alwayes prouided that it repugne not agaynst the Gospell, nor destroye our fayth) our charitie must néedes suffer it: For as Paule sayth, charitie suffereth all thyng. Al∣so * 1.6 our maister Christ: If a man strike * 1.7 thee on the one chéeke, turne hym the other, for hée doth exercise tyranny. But ouer these worldly goods, & these present thynges, and ouer thy corpo∣rall bodye, which Christen men doe not alonely not regarde, but dispise it. Neuertheles, if hée commaunde thée any thyng agaynst ryght, or doe thée any wronge. (As for an example

cast thée in prison wrongfully) if thou canst by any reasonable and quyet meanes, without seditiō, insurrectiō, * 1.8 or breakyng of the commō peace saue thy selfe, or auoyde hys tyranny, thou mayst doe it wyth good conscience. As if thou were in prison, if thou couldest auoyde without any sedition, thou mayst lawfully doe it, & thy cōscience is frée so doyng, and thou dooste not sinne, nor offende the lawe of God, as Paule sayth: If thou mayste bée * 1.9 frée vse it: but in no wise (bée it ryght or wrong) mayst thou make any re∣sistaunce wyth sworde or wyth hand, but obey, except thou canst auoyde, as I haue shewed thée. But if y^• cause * 1.10 bée ryght, lawfull, or profitable to the cōmon wealth, thou must obey, and thou mayst not flye w^tout sinne. That men haue fled from the tyranny and the wrong of thys power, wée haue it openly in diuers places of scriptures. As of Elezy, that fled from the tyran∣ny of the kyng of Siria. Also Helyas * 1.11 fled from the tyranny of kyng Achas. Also S. Peter fled out of prison: And * 1.12 S. Paule out of the Citie of Damas∣cum, and out of Iconium, as it is o∣pen in the Actes of the Apostles. So that agaynst this power (though thou haue wrong) mayst thou not make a∣ny corporall resistaunce: but alonely auoyde by flying, or els kéepe y^e thing that is commaunded thée. But if it bée ryght, and to the profite of the cō∣mon wealth, thou must both fulfill it and also abyde.

But now wil it bée inquired of mée of this case: if it please y^• kinges grace to condemne the newe testament in Englishe, and to commaunde that none of his subiectes shall haue it vn∣der displeasure, whether they bée bounde to obey thys cōmaundement or no? To this will I aūswere: That I doe béeléeue, that our most noble Prince hath not forbidden that Chri∣sten * 1.13 men may haue Christes Testa∣mēt, whether it bée in latyne or Eng∣lishe, French, Douche, Gréeke, or Hebrue, for Christes veritie, is all one in all tonges. And as his grace knoweth, it were very vnreasonable that any man should eyther counsell, or forbid his grace that hée shoulde know or reade the Testament of the most noble Prince hys father, in the which is alouely géeuē and promised worldly goods, which as soone as they bée géeuen, bée ready to decay and to perishe: and if (I say) this bée vnrea∣sonable and vnright: how much more were it vnreasonable to take awaye from vs our father of heauens testa∣ment, whose legacy and promises doe as farre excell the legacies of the no∣ble Prince his father, as God doth ex∣cell man. But what shoulde I make many reasons, to prooue vnto hys grace that thyng to bée lawfull, that the father of heauen hath sent vs, frō whom cōmeth nothyng but goodnes. Yea, and it was not sent by man, by Angell, or by Saint, but by the onely sonne of God both God and mā, and diligently declared by hym to all the worlde. Not vnto the Pharesies a∣lone, but vnto all maner of people, and that to the houre of death, and al∣so thereof tooke his death, and not yet so content, but sent his glorious Apo∣stles to declare and to learne thys godly worde thorough all the worlde. And béecause the ministration of thys worde, required a greater strength then was in any naturall man, there∣fore also gaue hée them his eternall sprite, to establishe them, to confirme them, and to make them strong in all thinges, that there might bée nothing desired, to the declaration and setting out of his worde.

Now, who coulde finde in his hart that is a true subiecte, and regardeth the honour of our noble Prince, and the saluation of his soule, eyther to thinke that his grace would condēne it, or els to mooue hym to condemne that thyng, that cōmeth from heauen, yea, and that frō the father of heanen, and sent and learned by his eternall sonne, which hath sealed it wyth hys most precious bloude, and also com∣maunded his glorious Apostles to preach it, and confirmed it wyth so many myracles, and did also géeue to the confirming and the writing of it, the glorious consolatour of the holy Ghost. So that it is open, that the fa∣ther

of heauen did not send this god∣ly worde with a small diligence, or as though hée cared not whether it shoulde remayne in earth or not. But so hath hée declared this holy worde, wyth such a prosses, that heauē, earth & hell, should know y^• it is his worde, and that it is his will, that all men shoulde haue it, and that hée woulde defende it, and bée enemy vnto all thē that woulde ouerpresse it. Wher∣fore let them that bée cappitall ene∣mies vnto his grace, both in hart and in déede, susspect that of his grace and moue him vnto it, for doubtles I will neuer doe it. For I dare boldely say, that the deuill of hell which is enemy vnto his grace, both of body and soule will moue hym vnto no other thing but alonely so to condemne Gods worde: and this thing doth his grace know well, and therefore I doubte not but that hée hath and also will a∣uoyde the daunger thereof. Neuer∣thelesse, it may please God to take so great vēgeaūce for our abhominable sinnes that after hys graces dayes, hée may sende vs such a tyraunt, that shall not alonely forbid the Newe Testament: but also all thynges that may bée to the honour of God: yea, and that paraduenture vnder such a co••llour of Gods name, that all men shall recken none other, but that hée is Gods frende.

This will bée a great scourge, and an intollerable plague, the father of heauen of hys infinite mercy defende vs from such a terrible vengeaunce. For it is the greatest plague that can come in earth (as S. Paule doth de∣clare * 1.14 to the Romaynes) when that Gods veritie is condemned in Gods name, and mē bée so blynde that they can not perceaue it, for they bée géeuē into a peruerse sēce. This plague ne∣uer cōmeth, but it is a tokē of euerla∣sting reprobatiō. Our most merciful redéemer Christ Iesus, defēde vs frō it, Amē. But if it come that wée must néedes suffer this plague, howe shall Christen men vse themselues to this Prince, that will so condemne Gods worde? My Lordes the Byshoppes woulde depose hym with shorte deli∣beration, and make no conscience of it. They haue deposed Princes for lesser causes thē this is a great deale. But against them will I alwayes lay Christes facte, and his holy Apostles, and the worde of God, whom Chri∣sten men must alonely follow. Ther∣fore, the kynges commanndement, * 1.15 must bée considered on this maner: If the kyng forbid the newe Testa∣ment, or any of Christes Sacramēts, or the preaching of the worde of God, or any other thynge that is agaynst Christ vnder a temporall payne, or els vnder y^e payne of death: men shall first make faythfull prayers to God, and then diligent intercession vnto y^e kynges grace with all due subiection, that hys grace woulde relealse that commaundement. If hée will not doe it, they shall kéepe their Testament, * 1.16 with all other ordinaunce of Christ, and let the kyng exercise his tyranny (if they can not flée) & in no wise, vn∣der the payne of damnation shall they withstand him with violence, but suf∣fer patiently all the tyranny that hée layeth on them both in their bodyes & goodes, and leaue the vengeaunce of it vnto their heauenly father whiche hath a scorge to tame those bedlames with, when hée séeth his tyme. But in no wise shall they resiste violētly, nei∣ther shall they deny Christes veritie, nor yet forsake it béefore the Prince, lest they runne in the daūger of these woordes: hee that denyeth me and my woorde béefore men, I shall deny hym béefore my father in heauen. And let not men regarde this matter lightly, and thinke that they may geeue vp their testamentes, and yet not de∣nye Christ. For what so euer hée bée that geeueth vp his Testament, as a thyng worthye to bée condemned, hee doth béefore God denye Christ, though his testamēt bée peraduenture (hée not knowyng) false and vntruly Printed, or vntruly trāslated: yet vn∣to him is it a true testament, and ther¦fore shall hée not deliuer it to any that will condemne it as vnlawfull. But this shall hée doe. If any man that is learned doe finde any faulte there in hée shall bée glad to amēde that faulte,

but not to suffer in any wise for that * 1.17 or for those faultes the whole testa∣ment to bée condemned as vnlawfull. For if that should bée suffered, then should we haue no testamēt: for there is no testament y^t is so true, but either there bée faultes in déede, or els men by cauilations may inuent y^t there bée defaultes. For this dare I say boldly, that the new testament in Englishe, is ten tymes truer, then the old trans∣tion in Latin is, in the which bée ma∣ny places that doe want whole sentē∣ces, and many places, that no man cā defend without heresie, as this texte. Non omnes immutabimur. * 1.18Also this. Sedere ad dexteram meam vel sinistram non aest meum dare vobis. Also these pla∣ces want. Commorati sumus trogilij. Se∣iungere ab is qui huiusmodi sunt, with many other places more, that no man can say but they bée euidently false: & yet we may not burne our bookes for all that, but kéepe them and amende them. Neither shall they goe about, to depose their Prince, as my Lordes the Byshops were wont to doe, but they shall boldely confesse, that they haue the veritie, and will there by a∣byde: and alonely shall they praye to their heauenly father to chaunge the hart of their Prince, that they may lyue vnderneth hym, after Christes worde, & in quietnes, as Paul exhor∣teth vs saying.* 1.19 I exhorte that prayers supplications, petitions, and geuyng of thankes, bée had for all men: for Kynges, & for all that are in prehemi∣nence, that we may lyue a quyet and a peaceable lyfe in all goodnesse and honesty.

This shal men behaue them selues towarde their Prince and in no wise shall they denye Christes worde, or graunt to the burning of their testa∣mentes: but if the kyng will doe it by violence they must suffer it but not o∣bey to it by agréement. This may bée prooued by y^e examples of the Apostles when the hie Priestes of the temple commaunded Peter and Iohn, that they should no more preach and teach * 1.20 in the name of Iesus. But they made them aunswere it was more right to * 1.21 obey God then man. Also the Phary∣ses came and commaunded our M. Christ, in Herodes name, That hée should depart frō thence, or hée would kyll hym: but hée would not obey, but made them aunswere to Herode with a great threatning: Goe tell the wolfe béehold I cast out deuils and I make * 1.22 men whole this day and to morrow, and the third day am I consumed: ne∣uerthelesse I must continew this day to morrow and the next day &c. So y^e hée left not the ministration of y^e word neyther for the kinges pleasure nor yet for feare of death.

Also we haue openly, that the thrée children would not obey to the com∣maundement * 1.23 of king Nabuchodono∣sor, but because it was against y^e word of God. Lykewise we haue an exāple where as the king Darius commaun¦ded * 1.24 that no man should aske any pety∣tyon, eyther of God or of man with∣in the space of 30. dayes but of hym onely. Notwithstanding Daniell wēt into his house, & thrise in a day made his prayers to God of Ierusalem, for the which thyng hée was put into the denne of Lyons, the which hée dyd o∣bey as in suffering of the payne, but not in consenting to the vnright com∣maundement, So that Christen men are bounde to obey in suffering the kinges tyrāny, but not in consenting to his vnlawfull commaundement: al¦wayes hauing béefore their eyes the comfortable saying of our M. Christ: Feare not them y^e kill the body, which when they had done they can no more doe.* 1.25 Also S. Peter,* 1.26 happy are yée if you suffer for righteousnes sake, ne∣uerthelesse, feare not, though they séeme terrible vnto you, neither bée troubled, but sāctifie the Lord God in your hart. * 1.27And let them not feare, but y^e their father of heauen hath care for them, and shall deliuer them, and also brynge his godly worde vnto lyght when it shall please his eternall will, agaynst the which no tyraunt is able to withstand. But when the tyrants thinke themselues most sure of the victory, and bée all ready prouided to burne Susanna, then shall hée rayse * 1.28 vp a Daniell that shall caule agayne the sentēce of the lecherous priestes:

and when Ioseph is solde into Egipt, and there cast in prison, then will hée make him Lord ouer all Egipt, yea, * 1.29 and also ouer them that solde him. He bringeth also to passe that proude Ha∣mon (bée hée neuer so great in the kinges fauour) shalbée hanged on his owne gallowes, that hée made for Mardocheus the Israelite. Also when Pharao hath cōmaūded vnder payne of death to destroy all y^• mē childrē of Israell. Then cā hée finde the meanes to saue Moses, yea & that on y^t water: * 1.30 where as all y^t power of Egypt could not saue the kyng, yea and hee nouri∣shed him in the kynges house, at the kynges cost yea and by the kynges daughter. Did Pharao suppose this? or was there any coūsell of Pharaos that could preuaile agaynst this? was there any wisedome or tyranny in the earth that was able to extinct Moses? nay verely. Furthermore when Is∣rael hath béene in Egypt iiij. C. yeres in great captiuitie and thraldome, yet agaynst Pharaos will keepeth hee his promise and deliuereth them, and ma∣keth water, fire, & earth to serue thē: and when all Israell was in despayre and Pharao the tyraunt was ready to sucke bloud, then shewed our God his mighty power. What can Israell thinke when hée hath the read Sea béefore him? And Pharao with all his might and power after him, and of e∣uery side a great mountaine? what hope hath hée by mans might, by mās power, by mans wisedome, by mans pollicie, for to bée deliuered? none at all. But béefore Israels carnall••tye all thyng is in extreme desperation.

But now you Princes that Iudge the earth learne and take héede: here * 1.31 commeth the God of Israell, whom all Egypt hath despised, scorned moc∣ked and condemned, and sheweth his might where as nothyng cā helpe but bée onely, and where the tyrauntes recken to bée most sure of victordem, there bryngeth hee all their malice to an end. And when Herode hath Pe∣ter in prison fast bound in cheynes, & * 1.32 of euery side of him a souldier, & kée∣pers set at the prison doore euery man in his office watching that Peter shal not escape (for Herode intendeth the day folowyng to bryng hym foorth to wonderyng and also to death.) Then agaynst Herodes will, aboue all his might, aboue all his wisedome & polli∣cie, notwithstandyng all the souldi∣ers and gaylers of the prison, cōmeth the power of our eternall God and le∣deth Peter through the first and the second ward, yea and the brasen gate must wilfully opē, and let Peter out, whom our Lord God would deliuer.

Shortly, what should I bring many examples to prooue Gods power & to declare how the truth of God and his childrē bée alwayes in persecutiō, but the ende is alwayes glory vnto them. Wherfore this one exāple, of our mai¦ster Christ shall bée sufficiēt to stablish & to confirme all féeble harts, & also to mollifie all stony harts, and finally to cōfound, the violēt tyranny of mortall tyraūtes which bée but stubbles, haye and dust, & in a momēt bee brought to a lumpe of stynkyng carryon. Cōsider our maister Christ which is the very * 1.33 true sonne of God, & God him selfe & yet is hée crucified and put to death, as a seditious persō, as a malefactor, * 1.34 as a théefe, as a traytor, yea and as an hereticke: hée is layd also in the graue and a great stone béefore the doore, & souldiours that were not of the com∣mon sort, but of the Romaines, hée set diligently to kéepe the graue with all the pollicie and wisedome that the by∣shoppes could deuise, and all that hée should not rise vp agayne accordyng to his worde: but all this could not helpe, for the power of God woulde not bee let, his veritie could not bée prooued false, his worde could not bee oppressed: but when the tyrauntes thought to make their triumphe of vi∣ctory, thē were they most ouercōmed. For it is neither water nor fire, Sea nor land, heauen nor earth, death nor hell, that cā let God to defend his chil∣dren, or to bring foorth his godly word to light, and to kéepe his eternall pro∣mises. Therfore let Christen mē not feare to kéepe the worde of God, and fast there by to abyde, and not to de∣ny it for any tyranny: for the day shall come when it shall bée greatly to their

glory. And Sodome, and Gomorra shall bée more easely handled, thē such Princes, that doe persecute the holy word of God.

Now is it cleare made that we can¦not resist this temporall power in no wise by vi••lēc•••• but if we haue wrong eyther we must doe the thing that is commaunded vs, or els flie, but if any thing bée commaunded vs that is a∣gainst * 1.35 the word of God whereby our fayth is hurt, that we should not doe in any wise: but rather suffer per secu¦tion and also death. But against this power goeth not our article, for it cō∣maundeth nothing as cons••••rning the conscience, but all onely as concer∣ning the ordering of worldly thinges, and therefore, it mynistreth a tempo∣rall payne ouer the body onely and therwith is cōtent. Wherfore we wil now speake of the other power which men call spirituall.

Fyrst here is to be noted that this is no power, nor none auctoritie * 1.36 worldly, but all onely a ministration of the word of God and a spirituall regiment, preaching the gouerning of the soule and the mynistration of y^e spirit, hauing nothing to doe with the erterior Iustice or righteousnes of the worlde, and therfore hath it no power * 1.37 by right and law to make any statutes or lawes to order the worlde by, but all onely faithfully & truely to preach, and to minister the word of God ther by instructing the conscience of man, nothing addyng thereto, nor taking there from: but as S. Paule sayth, to * 1.38 abyde in those thinges that they haue learned, and that bée commytted vnto them, for. S. Paule (as hée hym selfe * 1.39 sayth) ••urst speake no other thing but those things which christ had wroght by him. For hée curseth him bée he mā or Angel that preacheth any other gos∣pell, * 1.40 then hée had preached. There∣fore the Prophet commaundeth vs that we should not heare the wordes of those prophetes which disceaue vs, for * 1.41 they speake visions of their owne hartes and not out of y^• mouth of god, and yet speake they in the name of God. Wherefore these men so long as they speake onely y^• worde of God, so long are they to be heard, as Christ himself, after y^e saying, hée y^e heareth * 1.42 you hereth mée: also whatsoeuer they say vnto you sytting in the chayre of Moses do it. On y^e which text speketh S. Augustine, By syttyng in y^e chayre * 1.43 is to vnderstand the learning of the lawe of God, and therefore God doth teach by them, but if they will teache * 1.44 their owne doctrine heare it not, doe it not, for such men séeke that is theirs and not Christes. &c.

These wordes bée playne agaynst all them that preach any thing but the law of God onely. Wherfore if these mynysters will of tyranny, aboue the worde of God, make any lawe or sta∣tute, it must bee consydered after two maner of wayes: fyrst whether it bée openly and derectly agaynst the word of God and to y^e destructiō of y^e faith, as that statute is whereby they haue condemned the new testament, & also forbydden certayne men to preach the worde of God, hauing no trew cause aganst them, but all onely their mali∣cious suspectiō: also y^e learning wher∣by they learne, that workes doe iusti∣fye: moreouer that statute whereby they bynde men vnder the payne of damnation to bée assoyled of them. These statutes I say with other lyke men are not boūd for to obey neither of charite (for here is faith hurt which geueth no place to charitie) nor yet for auoyding of sclaunder, for the worde of God may not bée auoyded, nor yet géeue place vnto sclaūder, for then shoulde it neuer bée preached, but it must bée fa••••e stucke vnto: and the more that men bée offended with∣all, and the stiffer that they hée against it, the more openly and playnely, yea and that to their faces, that make such statutes, m••st wée resiste them wyth these wordes: wée are more bounde * 1.45 to obey God then man.

This is well proued by Hilarius * 1.46 wordes: All maner of plantes that hée not planted of the father of heauen, must bée plucked vp by the rootes, that is to say, the traditions of men, by whose meanes, the cōmaundementes of the lawe hée broken, must bée de∣stroyed, and therefore caulleth hée thē

blynde guides of the waye to euerla∣sting life, béecause they sée not that thyng they promise: and for that cause hée sayth, that both the blynde guides, and they that bee led, shall fall into the dyke. &c.

Marke that all traditions of men, which are agaynst Gods lawe, must * 1.47 be destroyed. Therfore let euery man take héede, for it longeth to their charge: for both the blynde guides, and also they that bée led shall fall in the dyke. It shall bée none excuse for hym that is led, to say that hys guyde was blynde: but let them heare the worde of God by his holy prophetes, walke not in the preceptes of your fa∣thers, nor kéepe not their iudgemēts, * 1.48 but walke in my preceptes, and kéepe my iudgementes. The other maner of statutes bée, when certaine thinges that bée caulled indifferent, bée com∣maunded as thinges to bée done of necessitie, and vnder the paynes of deadly sinne. As for an example: To eate fleshe or fishe, this day or that * 1.49 day is indifferent and frée: also to goe in this rayment, of this colour or that colour: to shaue our heades or not: a priest to wear a lōg gowne or a short: a gray Fryer to weare a gray coate or a russet: a whyte Fryer to weare a white or a blacke: a Priest to mar∣ry or not to marry: an Heremyt to haue a bearde or not. These with all other such outwarde workes, bée thinges indifferent, and may bée vsed and also left. Now if the Byshoppes will make any lawe or statute, that these thynges shall bée determinately vsed, so that it shall not bée lawful for vs to leaue it vndone, but that wée must precisely doe them, and not the contrary vnder the payne of deadly sinne: here must they bée withstan∣ded, and in no wise obeyed, ••or in this is hurt our fayth and libertie of Christendome, whereby wée are frée and not bounde to any exteriour worke, but frée in all things, and vn∣to all men at all tymes, and in all ma∣ner, except it bee in such a cause where as brotherly charitie, or the common peace should bée offended. Therefore in all these thynges bée wée frée, and wée must withstand them that will take this libertie from vs, with thys texte of Scripture: Wée are bought * 1.50 with the price of Christes bloud, wée will not bée the seruauntes of men. This texte is open against them that will bynde mennes conscience vnto sinne, in those things that Christ hath lefte them frée in. Of this wée haue an euident example of Saint Paule, the whiche would not circumcise Ti∣tus * 1.51 when the false brethren woulde haue compelled hym thereunto as a thynge of necessitie, vnto whom. S. Paule gaue no romthe as cōcernyng to bée brought into subiectiō. S. Paul * 1.52 dyd not withstand them, bycause that Circumcisiō was vnlawfull or might not bée vsed of Christen men, but by∣cause that they would haue compel∣led hym vnto it as vnto a thyng of ne∣cessitie, that thyng woulde not Saint Paule suffer, for that was agaynst the libertie that we haue in Christ Iesus as hée sayth here playnely. Wherfore we bée not alonely by Christe made frée from sinne, but also made frée in vsing all maner of thynges that bée in different, and vnto them we can not bée bounde as vnto thynges of neces∣sitie, as on the Friday to eate fish, and thereunto bée bounde in conscience vnder the payne of deadly sinne. In this we may not obey for it is against the word of God, not béecause it is e∣uill to eate fishe (for in tyme conue∣nient and when thou art disposed it is good) but bycause that they will in this thyng bynde our consciences and make that thynge of necessitie, that God had hath left frée.

Therfore speaketh Paule agaynst them in these wordes. In the latter dayes certeine men shal swarue from * 1.53 the fayth applying them selues to the spirites of errours, and doctrines of the deuill, forbiddyng Mariage, and to absteine from meates, that God hath created to bée receiued of fayth∣full mē with thanks: for all creatures of God bée good, and nothyng to bée refused that is receiued with thākes. Marke how Paule sayth, nothyng is to bée refused that may bée receiued with thankes this is openly agaynst

thē that will forbid either fish, or flesh, this day or that day, as a thynge vn∣right for a Christē man to eate: for as S. Paule sayth, meate doth not com∣mende vs vnto God. Also in an other * 1.54 place the kyngdome of heauen is nei¦ther meate nor drinke. Therfore they * 1.55 doe vnright to bynde our conscience in such thynges, and to thinke vs vn∣faythfull bycause we obserue thē not.

Now let our holy hypocrites of the Charter house looke on their cōsciēce, * 1.56 whiche recken to buy and to sell hea∣uē, for a péece of fish or flesh: but they recken it no vyce to lyue in hatred, rākour, and malice, & neither to serue God nor their neighbour, but with such an hypocrites seruice as they haue inuēted of their own hypocrisie, & not receiued of God. They thinke it a great perfection to absteine from béefe and mutton, and to eate pike, tenche gurnarde and all other costly fishes, and that of the dentiest fashion dressed: but a péece of grosse béefe may they not touche, may they not smell: for then they lose heauen and all the merites of Christes bloud. Is not here a goodly fayned hypocrisie, béefore the world it shynneth bryght, but compare it vnto Christes Scrip∣ture and there can not bée a greater blasphemy. For here in they clearely damned Christ and his ordinaunce & make that of necessitie, y^e Christ left as indifferent. Agaynst these holy hy∣pocrites writeth S. Paule saying, we * 1.57 ought not to be led with the traditiōs of men, that say touche not, tast not, * 1.58 handle not, which thyngs perish with vsing of them, and are after the com∣maundements and doctrine of men: whiche thynges haue the similitude of wisedome in superstitious holynes and hūblenes, in that they spare not the body and doe the flesh no worshyp vnto his néede.

Here is clearely condemned all supersticiousnes, and fayned holines, that men haue inuented in eating or drinking, in touching or in handling, or in any other such, thinges not that we may not doe them, but that we doe them as thinges of necessitie and recken our selfe holy whē we doe thē, and to synne deadly when we doe thē not. This is by the dānable instituti∣ons of men, The which S. Augustine condemneth in these wordes, The A∣postle sayth, Touche not, handell not &c. Because that those men by such obseruations were led from the ve∣ritie, * 1.59 by y^• which they were made frée, whereof it is spoken, the veritie shall deliuer you. It is a shame (sayth hée) and vnconuenient and farre from the noblenes of your libertie (séeing you bée the body of Christ) to bée disceaued with shadowes and to bée iudged as sinners if you dispise to obserue these things. Wherfore let no mā ouercom you (seing you are the body of Christ) that will séeme to be meeke in hart in the holynes of Aungels and bringing in thinges which he hath not séene &c.

Here haue wée playnely that those thynges which bée of the inuention of man doe not bynde our conscience, though they séeme to bée of neuer so great holynes and of humblenes and holynes of Angels, as Paule sayth. * 1.60 Wherefore, let them make what sta∣tutes they will, and as much holynes as they can deuise, Inuent as much Gods seruice as they can thinke, and lye that they haue receaued it frō hea∣uen, and that it is no lesse holynesse then Angels haue, and set thereunto all their mandamus, remandamus, excō∣municamus, sub pena excommunicatio∣nis maioris, & minoris, Precipimus, In∣terdicimus, & sub indignatione dei om∣nipotentis, & Apostolorū Petri & Pau∣li ligamus, with all other such blasphe∣mies that they haue (for doubtles, if their bellies were ripped, there should bée nothing found but blasphe∣mes of God and of his holy word, de∣tractions, oppressions, Confusyons, damnations of their poore brethren, Other good haue we none of them, let all Christen men aunswere to this of their conscience if it be not trew) And yet are we frée in our conscience, and all these can neyther bynd, nor damne our conscience, for we are frée made thorow Christ, And in conscience nor bound vnder y^e paine of deadly sinne, to nothing that mā can order or set, ex¦cept it be conteined in holy scripture.

But in body we are bound to euery man. This doth S. Augustine proue * 1.61 in these wordes. Seing that we bée made of soule and of body, as long as we doe liue in this temporall lyfe we must vse to the noryshing of this lyfe, these tēporall goodes. Therefore must * 1.62 we of that part that béelongeth to this lyfe bée subiect vnto powers, that is vnto men that doe minister worldly things with some honour, but as con∣cerning that part, wherby we beléeue in God and bée cauled vnto hys king∣dome, we ought not to bée subiect vn∣to any mā that will peruert that same thing in vs that hath pleased God to geue vs to eternall lyfe. &c.

Here is it playne, that we in con∣science by Christ bée made frée, & no∣thyng can bynd vs vnto sinne but his word onely. Now is it clearely open, that if any power of heauen, or earth, commaunde any thyng against Gods worde, or to the destruction or mini∣shing of the same, no mā may obey in any case vnder the payne of damnati∣on: for Gods veritie is not indiffe∣rent, to bée lefte or not to bée lefte. A∣gayne, if man commaunde any thyng to bée done that may bée done in time and place conuenient, if hée wll binde * 1.63 vs vnto indifferent thinges, as vnto a thing of necessitie, then shall wée not doe it, not béecause it is euill to doe, but that it is damnable to bée done as a thyng of necessitie. Neuerthelesse, if any of these thynges bée commaun∣ded of the Byshops, as burdens, and as thinges indifferent, then shall wée kéepe them in tyme and place conue∣nient, as where I may by them serue my brother, or edifie hym, or doe him any good, or that it may bée vnto hym any meanes to come to the verity: ne∣uerthelesse, at an other tyme, when I am in place conuenient, where I shall not offende my brother, nor in∣gender no sclaunder, nor any disqui∣etnes in the common wealth: There may I fréely, without any charge of conscience, and without all maner of sinne, breake the Byshops commaū∣dement. For it is but as a burden of a tyraunt, that is layde on vs, and nei∣ther helpeth to the increasing of gods honour, nor to the edifiyng of our bre¦thrē, & they them selues kéepe thē not. Of these speaketh our master Christ: they binde gréeuous and vntollerable burdens, & lay them on mens neckes, but they themselues will not once set their litle ••inger to them. As for an example: To eate fleshe on the Fry∣day * 1.64 is forbidden by the Byshoppes, now if they compell thée to it as vnto a thyng necessary, and without the which thou canst not bée saued, then shalt thou not doe it vnder the payne of sinne: but if they will haue thée kéepe this as a thyng of congruence, and as a thyng that may bée an exte∣rior meane to mortifie the bodie, or an outwarde shyne of holynes, and vnto this he will compell thée by out∣warde paynes, this thyng shalte thou doe of thy charitie, béecause thou wilt not breake the outwarde order, nor make any disquietnesse for those thinges that neyther make thée good nor yet condemne thee béefore God: for as S. Paule sayth, if wée eate nei∣ther * 1.65 are wée the better, nor if wée eate not, are wée the worse. Alwayes prouided, that in these indifferent thynges, thou neyther set confidence nor holynesse, nor yet offende thy weake brothers charitie: for therein though thou bée frée in thy selfe, & the thyng is also indifferēt to thée, yet of charitie fréely makest thou thy selfe seruaunt to all mē, as S. Paule saith: When I was frée from all thynges, yet dyd I make my selfe a seruaunte, that I might winne many men. Note that hée alwayes speaketh of weake brethren, and not of obstinate and in∣durate persons, agaynst whome thou shalt alwayes withstand and defende thy libertye as hée dyd: hée is thy weake brother that hath a good minde * 1.66 and béeléeueth the worde of God, ne∣uerchelesse, hée hath not that gifte to perceaue as yet this libertie to vse in∣different thynges fréely wyth thankes. Therfore fayth and charitie must bée thy guide in all these thynges, and folowing them thou canst not erre.

FINIS.

Notes

• * 1.1

  There are two maner of powers.
• * 1.2

  A temporal power.
• * 1.3

  The de∣scription of the tempo∣rall power.
• * 1.4

  Roma. 13. 1. Pet. 2.
• * 1.5

  Roma. 13.
• * 1.6

  1. Cor. 13.
• * 1.7

  Math. 6.
• * 1.8

  A man wrongfully imprisoned by a ty∣raunt maye in quyet maner make his escape.
• * 1.9

  1. Cor. 7.
• * 1.10

  Such as haue made offē∣ces to the common weale ought not to breake prison.
• * 1.11

  4. Kyng. 6. 3. King. 89.
• * 1.12

  Actes. 12. idem. 9. and. 14.
• * 1.13

  What were to bee done if the kyng should for∣byd vs the readyng of the Scrip∣ture.
• * 1.14

  Roma. 1.
• * 1.15

  Note here what is to bee done if the kyng doe sorbid the Scrip∣ture ••o bee read of his subiectes.
• * 1.16

  Subiectes must obey, but here is shewed in what sorte and maner.
• * 1.17

  Note here how a Chri¦stian sub∣iecte must shewe him∣selfe obedi∣ent.
• * 1.18

  1. Cor. 15. Math. 20. Act. 20. 1. Tim. 6.
• * 1.19

  1. Tim. 2.
• * 1.20

  Act. 4. & 5.
• * 1.21

  God is to bee obeyed beefore mē.
• * 1.22

  Luke. 13
• * 1.23

  Daniell. 3.
• * 1.24

  Dan. 6.
• * 1.25

  Math. 10.
• * 1.26

  1. Pet. 3.
• * 1.27

  God doth wōderfully worke to saue and defend hys poore flock.
• * 1.28

  Dan. 13.
• * 1.29

  Gene. 37. and. 39.
• * 1.30

  Exod. 2.
• * 1.31

  Psal. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.32

  Actes. 12.
• * 1.33

  Math. 27. and. 28.
• * 1.34

  Christ is for euer to bee set bee∣fore vs for an example to comforte vs in our persecutiō.
• * 1.35

  Wee must rather suf∣fer per••ecu∣tion, then in any wise resiste.
• * 1.36

  A spirituall power.
• * 1.37

  The spiri∣tuall power hath no auctoritie to make lawes to rule the worlde by.
• * 1.38

  2. Tim. 3.
• * 1.39

  Roma. 16.
• * 1.40

  Gala. 1.
• * 1.41

  Ierem. 23.
• * 1.42

  Luke. 10. Math. 23.
• * 1.43

  Super Ioan. Trac. 46.
• * 1.44

  By the chayre of Moses▪ is vnderstand the lawe of God which Moses de∣liuered to the Iewes.
• * 1.45

  Act. 5.
• * 1.46

  Hylarius in Mat. can••. 14.
• * 1.47

  All tradi∣tions of men that are agaynst God, must bee rooted vp by the rootes.
• * 1.48

  Ezechi▪ 20.
• * 1.49

  Thynges that are in∣different to bee done or not done, are to bee obeyed, so that y^e same bee not com¦maūded vn¦der the peine of deadly sinne.
• * 1.50

  1. Cor. 7.
• * 1.51

  Galat. 2.
• * 1.52

  Note here that things that o•• the selues are indifferent and yet are comaunded to bee of ne¦cessitie ob∣serued, those are to bee diso∣beyed.
• * 1.53

  1. Tim. 4.
• * 1.54

  1. Cor. 8.
• * 1.55

  Roma. 15.
• * 1.56

  Supersti∣tion of the Monkes of the Char¦terhouse.
• * 1.57

  Coll. 2.
• * 1.58

  A notable saying of S. Paule.
• * 1.59

  Ad Paul. Epi. 59.
• * 1.60

  Collos. 2.
• * 1.61

  Σρι. ad ro propo. 72.
• * 1.62

  Our bo∣dyes are subiect to princes, but our soules to God.
• * 1.63

  When things that are indiffe∣rent are cō∣maunded to bee done of necessitie then are not the same to obeyed, be∣cause the same de∣stroyeth ou•• free∣dome in Christ.
• * 1.64

  Math. 2••.
• * 1.65

  1. Cor. 8.
• * 1.66

  2▪ Cor. 9.