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.

The xviij. Chapter.

IN the xviij. where he would fayne * 1.1 proue that the Popes Churche can not erre, he alledgeth thynges wherof he might be ashamed, if he were not past shame, to proue that the Byshops haue authoritie to lade vs with tradi∣tiōs neither profitable for soule nor bo¦dy. He bringeth a false allegorie vppon the ouerplus that the Samaritane if it were layde out, promised to pay when he came agayn, for the Byshops tradi∣tions. Nay. M. More, besides that alle∣gories which euery man may fayne at * 1.2 his pleasure can proue nothing, Christ interpreteth it him selfe, that it betoke∣neth a kynde mynde & a louyng neigh¦bour, which, so loued a straunger, that he neuer left caryng for him, both ab∣sent as well as present, vntill he were full whole and common out of all ne∣cessitie.

It signifieth that the Prelates, if they were true Apostles and loued vs after the doctrine of Christ, would sell their myters, croses, plate, shrynes, iuels and costly showes to succour the poore and not robbe them, of all that * 1.3 was offered vnto them, as they haue done: & to repare thinges fallen in de∣cay and ruine in the common wealth, & not to begger the realmes with false Idolatry and imagese••uice, that they haue not left them wherewith to beare the cost of the common charges.

And moreouer when the Scribes & Phariseis taught their owne doctrine, they sat not vpon Moses seate, but on their owne. And therfore Christ (so far it is of that he would haue vs hearken * 1.4 vnto mans doctrine) ••ayd, beware of the leuen of the Scribes, Phariseis & Saduces which is their doctrine & re∣buked them for their doctrine & brake it him selfe and taught his Disciples so to do and excused them, and sayd of all traditiōs, that what soeuer his hea∣uenly father had not planted, should be plucked vp by the rootes. And therto all the persecutiō that the Apostles had of the Iewes, was for breakyng of tra¦ditions.

Our Prelates ought to be our ser∣uauntes as the Apostles were, to teach * 1.5 vs Christes doctrine, and not Lordes ouer vs, to oppresse vs with theyr owne. Peter calleth it temptyng of the

holy ghost Actes. xv. to lade the heathē * 1.6 with ought aboue that which necessitie and brotherly loue required. And Paul rebuketh his Corinthians for their o∣uer much obedience and the Galathi∣ans also and warneth all men to stand fast and not to suffer them selues to be brought into bondage.

And when he sayth Peter & Paule * 1.7 commaunded vs, to obey our superi∣ours. That is trouth, they cōmaunded vs to obey the temporall sword which the Pope will not. And they commaū∣ded to obey the Byshops in the doc∣trine of Christ and not in their owne. And we teach not to breake all thyngs rashly, as M. More vntruly reporteth on vs) whiche is to be sene in our bookes, if men will looke vpon them. Of traditions therfore vnderstand ge∣nerally. * 1.8 He that may be free is a foole to be bonde. But if through wilinesse, thou be brought into bondage: then if the tradition hurt thy soule & thy faith, they are to bee broken immediatly, though with the losse of thy lyfe. If they greue the body onely, thē are they to be borne till God take them of, for breakyng the peace and vnitie.

Then how sore maketh he Christes * 1.9 burthē. If it be so sore, why is M. More so cruell to helpe the Byshops to lade vs with more? But surely he speaketh very vndiscretly. For Christ dyd not lade vs with one sillabe more then we were euer bound to, neither did he any thyng but interpret the law truly. And besides that, he geueth vnto all hys, loue vnto the law: which loue maketh all thinges easie be borne that were be∣fore impossible.

And when he sayth, ye be the salt of * 1.10 the ••earth that it was spoken for the Byshops and Priestes onely it is vn∣true, but it was spoken generally vn∣to all that beleue and know the truth, that they should be salt vnto the igno∣raunt, and the perfecter vnto the wea∣ker, ech to other euery man in his mea¦sure. And moreouer if it be spokē vnto the Prelates onely, how fortuneth it y^• * 1.11 M. More is so ••usie to ••ault the world i•• his hygt, learnyng? And last of all the * 1.12 salt of Prelates which is their readiti∣ons & ceremonies without significa∣tion is vnsauery long a go, & therfore no more worth but to be cast out at the doores and to be troden vnderfoote.

And that he sayth in the end that a man may haue a good fayth with euill liuing, I haue proued it a lye in an o∣ther place. Moreouer fayth, hope and loue be iij. sisters y^• neuer can depart in * 1.13 this world, though in y^• world to come loue shall swalow vp the other twoo. Neither can the one be strōger or wea¦ker then the other. But as much as I beleue, so much I loue, and so much I hope ye and so much I worke.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Tradit•…•…
• * 1.2

  Allegory▪
• * 1.3

  A true ex∣position of the parable of the ••a∣•…•…tan.
• * 1.4

  All that God hath not planted shalbe pluc¦ked vp by the rootes.
• * 1.5

  Byshops should be seruaunted and not Lordes.
• * 1.6

  Actes. 15.
• * 1.7

  The Pope will not o∣bey princes though God haue commaun∣ded hym so to do.
• * 1.8

  Traditiōs
• * 1.9

  Christes burthen is easie and gentle.
• * 1.10

  Math. 5.
• * 1.11

  ☞
• * 1.12

  The salt of our Pre∣lates i•• vn¦•…•…ery.
• * 1.13

  Fayth, loue, & cha∣ritie, ar•• iij. sisters.