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.

¶ Anoyling.

LAst of all commeth the anoyling wythout promise, and therefore without the spirite and without pro∣fet, but altogether vnfruitfull and su∣perstitious. The sacramentes which they haue imagined are all wythout promise, and therefore helpe not. For * 1.1 whatsoeuer is not of fayth is sinne. Rom. xiiij. Now without a promise can there be no fayth. The sacraments which Christ himselfe ordeined, which haue also promises, and would saue vs * 1.2 if we knew them and beleued them, them minister they in the latine toūg. So are they also become as vnfruitfull as the other. Yea they make vs beleue * 1.3 that the worke it self without the pro∣mise saueth vs, which doctrine they learned of Aristotle. And thus are we become an hundred tymes worse then the wicked Iewes which beleued that the very worke of their sacrifice iustifi∣ed them. Against which Paul fighteth in euery epistle, prouing that nothyng helpeth saue the promises which God hath sworne in Christ. Aske the people what they vnderstand by their Bap∣time or washing. And thou shalt see * 1.4 that they beleue, how that the very plunging into the water saueth them: of the promises they know not, nor what is signified thereby. Baptime is called volowing in many places of * 1.5 England, because the priest sayth, ••olo say ye. The childe was well volowed (say they) yea and our Ʋicare is as fayre a volower as euer a priest with∣in this twenty miles.

Beholde how narowly the people looke on the ceremony. If ought be left out, or if the childe be not altoge∣ther dipt in the water, or if, because y^• childe is sicke, y^t priest dare not plunge him into the water, but poure water on his head, how tremble they? how quake they? how say ye sir Iohn say they, is this childe christened enough? hath it his full christendome? They be∣leue verely that the childe is not chri∣stened: yea I haue knowen Priestes * 1.6 that haue gone vnto the orders againe supposing that they were not priestes, because that the Byshop left one of his ceremonies vndon. That they call cō∣firmation, the people call Byshoping. They thinke that if the Byshop butter the childe in y^e forehead, that it is safe. * 1.7 They thinke that the worke maketh safe, and likewise suppose they of an∣oyling. Now is this false doctrine ve∣rely. For Iames sayth in y^• fyrst chap∣ter of hys Epistle. Of his good wyll begat he vs with y^• word of life, that is, with the worde of promise. In which we are made Gods sonnes & heires of the goodnes of god before any good workes. For we can not worke Gods will tyll we be hys sonnes and know hys wyll and haue hys spirite to teach vs. And Saint Paule sayth in y^t fyft chapter of hys Epistle to the Ephesi∣ans. Christ clensed the congregation in the fountayne of water thorough the worde. And Peter saith in the first of his first epistle. Ye are borne anew, not of mortall seede, but of immortall seede, by the worde of God which li∣ueth and lasteth euer. Paule in euery Epistle warneth vs that we put no trust in workes, and to beware of per∣swasions or arguments of mans wis∣dome, of superstitiousnes, of ceremo∣nies, of Pope holynes, and of all ma∣ner disguising. And exhorteth vs to cleaue fast vnto the the naked and pure * 1.8 worde of God. The promise of God is the Anker that saueth vs in all tēp∣tations. If all y^• world be against, vs, Gods word is stronger then y^e world. If the world kill vs, that shall make vs aliue agayne. If it be possible for the worlde to cast vs into hell, from thence yet shall Gods worde bring vs agayne. Herby seest thou that it is not * 1.9 the worke, but the promise that iustifi∣eth vs thorough fayth. Now where no promise is, there can no fayth be,

and therefore no iustifiyng though there be neuer so glorious workes. The Sacrament of Christes body af∣ter this wise preach they. Thou must * 1.10 beleue that it is no more bread, but the very body of Christ, flesh, bloud, and bone, euen as he went here on earth, saue his coate. For that is here yet, I wot not in how many places. I pray thee what helpeth all this? Here is no promise. The deuils know that Christ dyed on a Fryday, and the Iewes also. What are they holpe thereby? We haue a promise that Christ and his body and his bloud, and all that he did and suf∣fered, is a sacrifice, a raunsome, and a full satisfaction for our sinnes: that God for his sake wyll thinke no more on them, if they haue power to repent and beleue.

Holy worke men thinke that God reioyceth in the deede selfe, without a∣ny further respecte. They thinke also that God as a cruell tyrant, reioyceth and hath delectation in our payne ta∣kyng without any further respect. And therefore many of them martyr them∣selues wythout cause, after the ensam∣ple of Baals Priestes which (iij. Reg. xviij. cut themselues to please theyr God with all, and as the olde heathen pagans sacrificed their children in the fyre vnto their Gods. The Monkes of the Charterhouse thinke that y^• very eating of fishe in it selfe pleaseth God, and referre not the eating vnto the chastening of the body. For when they haue slayne their bodyes wyth colde fleme of fisheating: yet then will they eate no fleshe, and sley themselues be∣fore their dayes. We also when we of∣fer our sonnes or daughters, and com∣pell or perswade them to vowe & pro∣fesse chastitie, thinke that y^• very payne and that rage and burning which they suffer in absteining from a make, plea∣seth God, and so referre not our chasti∣tie vnto our neighbours profet. For when we see thousandes fall to innu∣merable diseases therby, and to die be∣fore their dayes: yea though we see thē breake the commaundementes of God dayly, and also of very impatiency worke abhominations against nature, to shamefull to be spoken of: yet wyll we not let them marry, but compell them to continue still wyth violence. And thus teach our deuines as it ap∣pereth by their argumentes. He that taketh most payne, say they, is greatest and so forth.

The people are throughly brought in beliefe that the deede in it selfe with∣out any further respect saueth them, if they be so long at Church, or say so ma∣ny Pater nosters, and reade so much in a toung whtch they vnderstand not, or goe so much a pilgrimage, and take so much payne, or fast such a superstiti∣ous fast, or obserue such a superstitious obseruaūce, neither profitable to him∣selfe nor to hys neyghbour: but done of a good entent onely say they, to please God withall, ye to kisse the paxe they thinke it a meritorious deede, when to loue their neyghbour, and to forgeue hym, which thyng is signified thereby, they studie not to doe, nor haue power to doe, nor thinke that they are bounde to doe it, if they be of∣fended by hym. So fore haue our false prophets brought y^• people out of their wittes, & haue wrapped thē in darck∣nes, and haue rocked them a sleepe in blyndnes and ignorauncy. Now is all such doctrine false doctrine, and all such fayth false fayth. For the deede plea∣seth * 1.11 not, but as farre forth as it is ap∣plyed vnto our neyghbours profet, or the taming of our bodyes to keepe the commaundement.

Now must the body be tame onely, and that wyth the remedies that God hath ordeined, and not kylled. Thou must not forswere the naturall remedy which God hath ordeined, and bryng thy selfe into such case that thou shoul∣dest eyther breake Gods commaunde∣ment or kyll thy selfe, or burne nyght and day wythout rest, so that thou cāst not once thinke a godly thought: ney∣ther is it lawfull to forsake thy neygh∣bour, and to withdraw thy selfe from seruing him, and to get thee into a den, and lyue idlely profitable to no man, but robbing all men, first of fayth, and then of goodes and land, and of all he hath, wyth makyng hym beleue in the hypocrisy of thy superstitious prayers and Popeholy deedes. The prayer of fayth, and y^e deedes thereof that spring of loue are accepted before God. The prayer is good according to the pro∣portion * 1.12 of fayth, and the deede accor∣ding to the measure of loue. Now he that bideth in the world, as Monkes call it, hath more fayth then the cloy∣sterer. For he hangeth on God in all thynges. He must trust God to sende hym good speede, good lucke, fauour, helpe, a good mayster, a good neygh∣bour, a good seruaunt, a good wyfe, a good chapman marchaunt, to send hys marchaundice safe to land, and a thou∣sand

like. He loueth also more, which appeareth in that hee doth seruice al∣wayes vnto his neighbour. To pray one for an other are we equally boūd, and to pray is a thyng that we may al∣wayes doe, what so euer we haue in hand, and that to do may no man hyre an other: Christes bloud hath hyred vs all ready. Thus in the deede deliteth God as farforth as we do it either to to serue our neighbour with all, as I haue sayd: or to tame the flesh, that we may fulfill the commaundement from the bottome of the hart.

And as for our payne takyng God reioyseth not therin as a tyraunt: but pitieth vs & as it were morneth with vs, and is alway ready and at hand to helpe vs, if we call, as a mercyfull fa∣ther and a kynd mother. Neuer the la∣ter hee suffereth vs to fall into many temptations and much aduersitie: yea him selfe layeth the crosse of tribulatiō on our backes, not that he reioyseth in our sorrow, but to driue sinne out of y^• flesh, which can none otherwise be cu∣red: as the Phisition and Surgion do many thinges which are paynefull to the sicke, not that they reioyse in the paynes of the poore wretches: but to persecute and to driue out the diseases which can no otherwise be healed.

When the people beleue therfore if they doe so much woorke or suffer so much payne, or go so much a pilgri∣mage, that they are safe, is a false fayth. For a Christen man is not saued by woorkes, but by fayth in the promises before all good woorkes, though that the woorkes (when we worke Gods commaūdement with a good wil, and not workes of our own imagination) declare that we are safe and that the spirite of him that hath made vs safe is in vs: yea and as God through prea∣chyng of fayth doth purge and iustifie the hart, euen so thorough workyng of deedes, doth he purge and iustifie the members, makyng vs perfect both in body and soule after the lykenesse of Christ.

Neither nedeth a Christen man to * 1.13 runne hether or thether, to Rome, to Hierusalem, or S. Iames: or any other pilgrimage farre or nere, to be saued thereby, or to purchase forgeuenes of his sinnes. For a Christen mās health and saluation is with in him: euen in * 1.14 his mouth. Roma. x. The word is nye thee, euen in thy mouth and in thyne hart that is the word of faith which we preach sayth Paul. If we beleue the promises with our hartes and confesse them with our mouthes, we are safe. This is our health with in vs. But how shall they beleue that, they heare not? And how shal they heare without a preacher sayth Paul Roma. x. For looke on the promises of God, and so are all our preachers domme. Or if they preach them they so sause thē and leuen thē, that no stomacke can brooke them nor finde any sauor in them. For they paynte vs such an eare confession * 1.15 as is impossible to be kept, and more impossible that it should stand with the promises and Testament of God. And they ioyne them penaunce, as they call it, to fast, to go pilgrimages, and geue so much to make satisfaction with all. They preach their Masses, their me∣rites, their pardons, their ceremonies, and put the promise cleane out of pos∣session. The word of health and salua∣tion is nye thee, in thy mouth & thyne hart sayth Paul. Nay say they, thy sal∣uation * 1.16 is in our faythfull eare. This is their hold, thereby know they all se∣cretes, thereby mocke they all men and all mens wiues, and beguile Knight, and Squier, Lord, and Kyng, and be∣tray all Realmes. The Byshops with * 1.17 the Pope haue a certaine conspiration and secret treason agaynst the whole world. And by confession know they what Kings and Emperours thinke. If ought be agaynst them, do they ne∣uer so euill, then moue they their cap∣tiues to warre and to fight, and geue them pardons to slay whom they will haue taken out of the way. They haue with falsehode taken from all Kynges and Emperours their right and du∣ties, whiche now they call their free∣domes, liberties, & priuileges & haue peruerted the ordinaunces that God left in the world, and haue made euery Kyng sweare to defend their falsehode * 1.18 against their own selues. So that now if any man preach Gods worde truly and shew the fredome and libertie of the soule whiche we haue in Christ, or entende to restore the Kynges agayne vnto their duties and right, and to the rowme and authoritie which they haue of God, and of shadowes to make thē Kynges in deede, & to put the world in his order agayne: then the Kynges deliuer their swordes and authoritie vnto the hypocrites to ••lay him. So dronken are they with the wine of the whore.

¶ The text that foloweth in Paule wil they happely lay to my charge and

others. How shall they preach except * 1.19 they be sent, sayth Paul in the sayd. x. to the Romaines. We wil they say, the Pope, Cardinals and Byshoppes: all authority is ours. The Scripture per∣teineth vnto vs and is our possession. And we haue a law, that who soeuer presume to preach without the autho∣ritie of the Bishops is excommunicate in the deede doyng. Whence therefore hast thou thine authoritie wil they say. The old Phariseis had the Scripture in captiuitie likewise, and asked Christ by what authoritie doest thou these thynges? as who should say: We are phariseis & thou art none of our order, nor hast authoritie of vs. Christ asked them an other question, and so will I do our hypocrites. Who sēt you? God? * 1.20 Nay hee that is sent of God, speaketh Gods word Iohn. iij. Now speake ye not Gods worde, nor any thyng saue your own lawes made cleane contra∣ry vnto Gods worde. Christes Apo∣stles preached Christ, & not them sel∣ues. He that is of the truth, preacheth the truth. Now ye preach nothyng but lyes, and therefore are of the deuill the father of all lyes, & of hym are ye sent. And as for mine authoritie or who sent me: I report me vnto my workes as Christ Iohn. v. and. x. If Gods word beare recorde that I say truth, why should any man doubt, but that God the father of truth and of lyght hath sent me as the father of lyes & of dark∣nes hath sent you, and that the spi∣rite of truth, and of light is with me, as the spirite of lyes and of darkenes is with you? By this meanes thou wilt that euery man be a preacher will they say. Nay verely. For GOD will * 1.21 that not, and therfore will I it not, no more then I would that euery man of London were Mayre of London, or euery man of the Realme Kyng ther∣of. God is not the author of dissention and strife, but of vnitie and peace and of good order. I will therefore that where a congregation is gathered to∣gether in Christ one be chosen after the rule of Paul, and that hee onely preach, and els no mā openly: but that euery man teach hys houshold after the same doctrine. But if the preacher preach false: then whosoeuers harte God moueth, to the same it shalbe law full to rebuke and improue the false teacher, with the cleare and manifest Scripture, and that same is no doubt a true Prophet sent of GOD. For the Scripture is gods, and theirs that be∣leue and not the false Prophet.

SAcrament is then as much to say as an holy signe. And the Sacra∣mentes which Christ ordeined preach Gods word vnto vs, and therfore iu∣stifie and minister the spirite to them that beleue, as Paul thorough prea∣chyng the Gospell was a minister of righteousnes, & of the spirite, vnto all that beleued his preachyng. Domme ceremonies are no Sacramentes, but superstitiousnes. Christes Sacramēts preach the fayth of Christ as his Apo∣stles did & thereby iustifie. Antichristes domme ceremonies preach not y^• fayth that is in Christ, as his Apostles our Byshops and Cardinals do not. But as Antichristes Bishops are ordeined to kill who soeuer preach the true faith of Christ: so are his ceremonies ordei∣ned to quench the faith which Christes Sacramētes preach. And hereby maist thou knowe the difference betwene * 1.22 Christes signes or Sacramentes, and Antichristes signes or ceremonyes, that Christes signes speake, and Anti∣christes be domme.

Hereby seest thou what is to be thought of all other ceremonies, as halowed water, bread, salt, bowes, belles, waxe, ashes, and so forth, and all other disguisinges and Apesplay, and of all maner coniurations, as the coniuring of church and churchyardes and of alter stones & such like. Where no promise of God is, there can be no fayth nor iustifiyng, nor forgeuenes of sinnes. For it is more then madnes to looke for any thing of god, saue that he hath promised. How farre he hath pro∣mised, so farre is he bodū to them that beleue, and further not. To haue a * 1.23 fayth therefore or a trust in any thing, where god hath not promised is plaine idolatry, and a worshipping of thyne own imagination in stede of God. Let vs see the pith of a ceremony, or two, to iudge the rest by. In coniuring of holy water they pray, that whosoeuer be sprinckled therewith may receaue health as well of body as of soule, and likewise in makyng holy bread and so forth in the coniurations of other cere∣monies. Now we see by dayly experi∣ence that halfe their prayer is vnheard. For no man receaueth health of body thereby. No more of likelihode do they of soule. Yea we see also by experience that no man receaueth health of soule thereby. For no man by sprinckling himselfe with holy water, and wyth eating holy bread, is more mercifull

then before, or forgeueth wrong, or be∣commeth at one with his enemy, or is more patient and lesse couetous, and so forth. Which are the sure tokens of the soule health.

They preach also that the wagging of the Byshops hand ouer vs blesseth vs,* 1.24 and putteth away our sinnes. Are these workes not against Christ? How can they do more shame vnto Christes bloud? For if the wagging of the By∣shops hand ouer me be so precious a thyng in the sight of God that I am thereby blessed, how then am I full blessed wyth all spirituall blessinge in Christ as Paul saith Ephe. j? Or if my sinnes be full done away in Christ, how remayneth there any to be done away by such phantasies? The Apo∣stles knew no wayes to put away sin, or to blesse vs but by preaching Christ. Paule sayth Gal. ij.* 1.25 If righteousnes come by the law, then Christ dyed in vayne. So dispute I here. If blessing come by the wagging of the Byshops hand, then dyed Christ in vayne, and his death blesseth vs not. And a little afore, sayth Paule, if while we seeke to be iustified by Christ, we be yet found sinners (so that we must be iustified by the law or ceremonies) is not Christ then a minister of sinne? So dispute I here. If while we seeke to be blessed in Christ we are yet vnblessed, and must be blessed by the wagging of the By∣shoppes hand, what haue we then of Christ but curse? Thou wilt say: When we come first to the fayth, then Christ forgeueth vs and blesseth vs. But the sinnes which we afterward commit are forgeuen vs through such thinges. I aunswere: * 1.26If any man repent true∣ly and come to the fayth and put hys trust in Christ, thē as oft as he sinneth of frayltie, at the sygh of the hart is his sinne put away in Christes bloud. For Christes bloud purgeth euer and bles∣seth euer. For Iohn sayth in the second of his first epistle. This I write vnto you that ye sinne not. And though any man sinne (meaning of frailtie and so repent) yet haue we an aduocate with the father, Iesus Christ which is righ∣teous, and he it is that obteineth grace for our sinnes, and Heb. vij. it is writ∣ten. But this man (meaning Christ) because he lasteth or abideth euer, hath an euerlasting priesthod. Therefore is he able also euer to saue thē that come to God through hym, seing he euer li∣ueth to make intercession for vs. The Byshops therefore ought to blesse vs in preaching Christ, and not to deceaue vs and to bring the curse of God vpon vs, wyth wagging their handes ouer vs. To preache is their dutie onely, and not to offer their feete to bee kis∣sed, or testicles or stones to be groped. We feele also by experience that after the Popes, Byshoppes or Cardinals blessing we are no otherwise disposed in our soules then before.

Let this be sufficient as concerning the sacramentes and ceremonies, with * 1.27 this protestation, that if any cā say bet∣ter or improue this with Gods word, no man shall be better content there∣with then I. For I seeke nothing but the truth and to walke in the light. I submit therefore this worke and all o∣ther that I haue made or shall make (if God will that I shall more make) vnto the iudgements, not of them that furiously burne all truth, but of them which are ready with Gods worde to correct, if any thing be sayde amisse, & to further Gods worde.

I will talke a worde or two after * 1.28 the worldly wisdome with them, and make an ende of this matter. If the sa∣cramentes iustifie, as they say, I vn∣derstand by iustifiyng forgeuenes of sinnes. Then do they wrong vnto the sacraments, in as much as they robbe the most part of them through confes∣sion of their effect, & of the cause wher∣fore they were ordeined. For no man may receaue the body of Christ, no mā may marry, no man may be oyled or aneiled as they call it, no man may re∣ceaue orders, except he be fyrst shriuen. Now when the sinnes be forgeuen by shrift afore hand, there is nought left for the sacramentes to doe. They will aunswere, that at the least way they encrease grace, and not the sacramētes onely, but also hearing of masse, ma∣tens and euensong, and receauing of holy water, holy bread, and of the Bi∣shops blessing, and so forth by all cere∣monies. By grace I vnderstand the fauour of God, and also the giftes and * 1.29 working of his spirite in vs, as loue, kyndnes, patience, obedience, merci∣fulnes, despising of worldly thynges, * 1.30 peace, concorde, and such like. If after thou hast heard so many masses, ma∣tens and euensonges, and after thou hast receaued holy bread, holy water, and the Byshops blessing, or a Cardi∣nals or the Popes, if thou wilt, be more kinde to thy neighbour, and loue him better then before, if thou be more obediēt vnto thy superiors, more mer∣cifull,

more ready to forgeue wrong done vnto thee, more despisest the world, and more a thyrst after spiritu∣all thynges, if after that a Priest hath taken orders he be lesse couetous then before: if a wife after so many and oft pilgrimages be more chast, more obe∣dient vnto her husband, more kynde to her maydes and other seruauntes: if Gentlemen, knightes, Lordes, and kinges, and Emperours, after they haue sayd so often dayly seruice wyth their Chappellaynes, know more of * 1.31 Christ then before, and can better skill to rule their tenauntes, subiectes, and realmes christenly then before, and be content with their duties, then do such thinges encrease grace: if not, it is a lie. Whether it be so or no, I report me to experience. If they haue any other enterpretations of iustifiyng or grace, I pray them to teach it me. For I would gladly learne it. Now let vs goe to our purpose agayne.

Notes

• * 1.1

  What soe∣uer is not of fayth, is sinne.
• * 1.2

  The latine tounge de∣stroyeth the sayth.
• * 1.3

  That the worke without y^• promise sa∣ueth, is unproued.
• * 1.4

  The pro∣ple beleue in y^• worke without y^• pr•…•…e.
• * 1.5

  Volow•…•…g.
• * 1.6

  ☜
• * 1.7

  The wor∣ke saueth not, but the worde, that is to say, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 promise.
• * 1.8

  ☜
• * 1.9

  Workes, be they ne∣uer so glo∣rious iusti∣fie not.
• * 1.10

  In all thing they leaue ou•• the promi∣ses.
• * 1.11

  How farre forth the deede is ac∣ceptable to God.
• * 1.12

  Our pray∣ers accep∣table accor∣ding to our fayth, ou•• deedes ac∣cording to the measure of loue.
• * 1.13

  A Christē mā nedeth not to go a pilgrimage to be saued therby.
• * 1.14

  Saluation is with in vs.
• * 1.15

  Confession.
• * 1.16

  ☞
• * 1.17

  Byshops worke there trea∣son tho∣rough con∣fession.
• * 1.18

  Kynges be sworne to the bishops and not the Byshops vnto the kynges.
• * 1.19

  How shall they preach except they be sent is expounded.
• * 1.20

  Howe to know who is sent of God and who is not.
• * 1.21

  No man may preach but he that is called & sent of god. ☜
• * 1.22

  The diffe∣rence be∣twene true Sacra∣ments and false.
• * 1.23

  A sayth without Gods pro∣mise is ido∣latrie.
• * 1.24

  The By∣shops bles∣sing.
• * 1.25

  How the Apostles blessed vs.
• * 1.26

  Repentāce and sure fayth in in Christ purgeth our sinnes.
• * 1.27

  The prote∣station of the author.
• * 1.28

  Confession robbeth the Sacra∣ments and maketh thē frutelesse.
• * 1.29

  What grace is.
• * 1.30

  Howe to knowe what iusti∣fieth: and what not: or what bringeth grace and what not.
• * 1.31

  With their Chaplayns quoth hee: God geue grace their Chaplayns at the last make them not so mad to say ser∣uice alone while they.